AN: HOLY CRAP IT'S OVER 100? O.O Thanks to: crzyRENThead, MusicPeaceAndCheese, al28894, Caris L. Clearwater, kill4blood, Duiker, wakazimaru, prophetofdoomy, xxHaleinaxx, Danya2, ELMO-kibafangirl11, eliasdarklight, Loti-miko, Kahlem, sasumis, mpkio2, Baronfly, SomethingIDon'tKnow, Travis Church, callmeBaby'08', W3R-SiN, Nymph of the sea, Ravenclaw Samurai, karolinka, suprise329, RaidersEcho, Wine Colored Novocain and those who may be following in anon! Much love to you everyone!

Sorry it took forever! D: Not knowing, like I said, is the only method that gets me in the mood to write though. LOL So… I'll let y'all go. -looks at chapter title- Oh how I dislike thee... I hope the length (BEAT LAST CHAPTER! 15 pages of 10-size font! MWAHAHA!) and what happens makes up for it. One more chapter left… Oh, and do let me know how everything went in this chapter—was it smooth? Did it drag? Was it realistic? Just general thoughts, please and thank you. :3

DISCLAIMER: I'm a young adult that owns a towel with Toothless on it, a comforter, sheets, shams and pillowcases with HTTYD on them, and the How to Train Your Dragon book with concept art. Am I ashamed to admit this? Probably not since I just told all of you! XD

Conquering Demons

The voice of the god became more like background noise than anything else. The words of monologue blended together into a distorted warble; his eyes were just glued to the squirming form.

Nothing chilled Hiccup more than seeing Toothless lying on the ground, a cry mixed between an animal's snarl and a human's scream escaping past his teeth. Blood seeped from black scales, thick scarlet ribbons trailing from his mouth, saliva blending into the red, changing the tint to a brighter shade.

Hiccup didn't get more than several steps towards him before being thwarted back by an invisible force, a graceless heap on the ground. Anger like he'd never experienced accelerated through him, deep green oculars becoming murky by the emotion.

"Why is it you can't just leave us alone?"

His face was completely gnarled in a way that Toothless never thought he would see on his beloved's features. He had managed to cease the writhing when he saw Hiccup thrown back, a roar forthcoming, when Hiccup's demeanor instantly changed. Despite the situation, Toothless felt a sudden relief that such a wrathful expression was not directed at him.

Loki smiled at Hiccup, though it did not reach his eyes.

"You are either very brave or very foolish to speak to a god like that."

Hiccup's fists clenched tightly at his sides, and the dragon swore he saw the hatred grow brighter.

Toothless glanced nervously between the two, feeling an invisible pressure push him farther into the ground. Pain shot through him again—cursing inwardly, he felt the rest of the transformation take place; at an excruciatingly slow pace…

The scream came ever louder, unearthly, and growing more direful; the seconds passed sluggishly.

Not deterred, Hiccup broke into a run again and was thwarted once more; a voice told him to go back and get help. A more vociferous one drowned the other, telling him that going for the tribe was too dangerous—he would only risk their lives, and it also urged him to remain nearby; what if something worse than this happened to Toothless and he wasn't here?

That voice won, and Hiccup went forward again, focused on one goal and one only: reach Toothless—no matter what happens.

The air crackled with friction, and Loki watched in smug satisfaction as the boy kept attempting to reach his partner. He was more entertained this way.

Toothless made a hasty, warning growl; he wished that he could speak to him. He hoped by the tone it conveyed his message: Run away while you can.

Something truly remarkable and flagrant then happened, though it was unnoticed by the one who had done it.

Hiccup had managed to take a step forward; he paused, bracing himself, and then advanced. Toothless' eyes widened and he knew the god would be wearing a similar countenance of bewilderment. Hiccup kept trudging forward, eyes shut, head cast down; each spoor was sluggish from the static surrounding him, yet he managed to keep from being shoved back.

Loki couldn't believe what he was witnessing. How is the human able to withstand such pressure? A pitiful, thin creature such as him should have been a cinch to fling aside. Yet he continued making progress. Each footfall was bringing him ever proximal; despite the shock, Loki was curious to witness how this would play out.

Hiccup's hand outstretched, sparks prickling the skin; he wasn't sure whether or not he was getting nearer, but kept that debate from coming to full view. All that played at the forefront of his mind was the reminder to reach Toothless; reach him, which was all that mattered.

The dragon felt the transformation continue at its lethargic rate, but the perspicacity about it regressed with the forward march of Hiccup's gait; concern for Hiccup was driving the entirety of his mind away, and he watched stupidly as Hiccup approached steadily, his hand so close he could reach for it…

And he found he could; one forearm rose slowly, the end no longer contained a human hand. He stretched it… and before either knew, soft fingers gently brushed the tips of talons. Hiccup beamed, the smile breaking onto his face, the relief so great tears escaped his eyes, seemingly suspended in the air till they evaporated from the heat.

Hiccup…

The god's patience wore thin; he was no longer amused.

Tension between them grew, and Hiccup careered backwards, his body feeling as though it were on fire. He impacted the ground hard, not once but twice, the force of the first jostling him enough that his weight bounced off the earth to hit it again. His body slid through the dirt, dust obscuring him from Toothless' view.

Once it cleared, Toothless' heart clenched tightly. Hiccup was much too still, the blood from the earlier gash was a crimson cataract on that pale complexion; there were ruby stains all over, face white as sheets, and Toothless cried out to him, his din voice fraught.

Hiccup's frame was the last thing he saw as the world dissolved into nothingness.

XXX

Pitch black.

Yet waves of heat engulfed the air, irritating the skin…

There was a painful howl—

"Toothless!" Hiccup shouted, eyes shooting open, rising half-way up in the bed when he felt three pairs of hands push him firmly, yet gently, back down onto the animal skins. The sudden jerk had made his brain swivel, vision now blurred. Sweat clung to his forehead, and he barely noticed Astrid in his periphery wringing a washcloth and sitting beside him. She pressed the cool, wet cloth against his forehead, each stroke tender and careful.

"Don't strain yourself, son," Stoick told him, voice softer than Hiccup had ever heard it, "Gothi did her best to mend the wounds with the other medicinal caretakers. It's a miracle nothing else happened."

"Toothless?" he said, pine green eyes looking at each face imploringly, "Where is he? He's here isn't he? He got away?"

They gave no answers; their grim expressions said more than enough.

He felt his heart lurch in fear and he instantly tried getting up; this time, Gobber spoke, "There is no way you'll be able to leave,"

Hiccup had to bite back the "Try me" on the tip of his tongue but knew better; they were only concerned, and so inquired, "Why not?"

Gobber's face fell and he exchanged glances with Stoick. "Your leg was broken."

"What?" asked Hiccup, stunned for a moment, believing it was the right one; hauling the skins away, again, pain went through from the move, but the fact his left leg was a mere stump blocked it out. At least it wasn't the good one… "H-How did this…?"

"It was shattered beyond repair," Gobber explained, "All of it was cracked and dented, even some of the bolts had gotten loose; a few parts even held scorch markings. I don't know how it—"

"It was Loki," blurted Hiccup, voice hard at the thought of the god.

The statement shouldn't have registered surprise but they couldn't help it. Three pairs of eyes watched him, waiting for him to continue.

"He attacked us. There's nothing much else to say—just that he wanted… Toothless for some reason; I heard him say that he won."

"Won?" Astrid quietly voiced.

"I don't know what he means by that either," he murmured, gaze focused on the furry blankets; his knuckles were bleached from gripping them tightly; his arms throbbed violently in protestation. "I have to go after him."

"Absolutely not," Stoick barked loudly, voice turned authoritative. "You won't survive a minute in your condition. With the damage that Loki has done to your body already, you are very lucky that you were even breathing." And Hiccup really was. His head had been slightly cracked, several bones broken, with more cuts and bruises blemishing his body. There had been a lot of blood… and taking into account that the prosthesis had not been even adjacent to being salvaged, Hiccup was very lucky indeed that there was at least one god who was merciful to grant him their protection.

Gobber himself had stated that he should've died. Stoick had gone cold when he heart his comrade say this, but he knew it was the obvious notion. Hiccup was not built to withstand much combat, let alone the attack he had received from the god of deception. It was fortunate indeed that the storm had given him cause to worry and after almost a day of wandering the woods, the rescue party had found Hiccup, barely breathing…

Hiccup's eyes rose to meet his. "I have to go, Dad! What if something's happening to him—worse than what Loki had already done?"

The fire in Hiccup's eyes threw Stoick off; the intensity glistened sharply in those pools. Still, he said, "My final answer is no. You will not be moved from this cot till you are completely recovered; under any circumstances."

Hiccup turned to Gobber—

"Don't even think of persuading Gobber into making anything for you, either." Stoick had had a feeling in his gut that Hiccup would be vehement in the desire to search for Toothless; so he had made Gobber swear that he would not make another artificial leg till Hiccup was fully healed. Gobber had no intention of doing so from the beginning, but repeated the covenant to soothe Stoick's mind.

Hiccup hung his head, defeat and fear overwhelming him. He reminded himself that it was for his own good… They were just worried for his well-being. The young Viking was scared for Toothless, withal. What was Loki doing to him? Hiccup didn't even let himself imagine…

Stoick's heart softened at the grief stricken image of his son. He had almost lost his son one too many times—protecting him was his number one priority. Toothless was a very important being in Hiccup's life; but the fact of the matter was that now was not the time to form a search party and scout the area for him.

If Loki knew that his son was alive… then all the men would be needed to guard him and everyone else in the village.

Deciding not to press his son further, for now, he headed for the front door, requesting Gobber to accompany him. His eyes briefly met the young woman's, and she smiled tentatively. She would stay here, he knew that; he entrusted Hiccup to her.

"You don' suppose… um, Loki will come lookin' for Hiccup, do you?" the blacksmith whispered.

Stoick was silent for several moments. "Perhaps… Loki is one of the more vengeful gods. He might."

"You think he'd have dunnit by now." Gobber replied, trying to piece the god's behavior.

"When he does, we'll be ready." Stoick told him determinedly. And he'd be here to keep his child safe. The odds of winning were not even slim. But he would try his best if it were to come to that.

Astrid and Hiccup watched their retreating figures, only looking away once the door was closed. Rising from her seat, Astrid went to fetch a bowl on a table then headed over to the crackling fire, a pot above it. Steam rose from it, and Hiccup's stomach growled as the pungent scent of food hit his nostrils. She returned and seating herself once more, Astrid scooped some of the stew into the spoon. Attempting to sit up, Hiccup felt her hand press against his chest, pushing him back.

"You just lie down. I'll feed you." she told him, tone warm but set. There was no way he was going to convince her to let him feed himself. Hiccup heaved a large sigh, a blush filling his face with color. Astrid was happy to see it—he looked paler and more haggard than ever. She had an urge to brush his hair aside, but kept it in check.

"I can do it by myself…" he said, more to himself than her.

Astrid giggled. "No, you wouldn't be able to. Not with the way your arms are right now." As she said this, however, she stood, placing the bowl on the seat and walked around the bed to retrieve another pillow. Tenderly, she lifted his head, supporting the weight of his back on one forearm as she nestled the pillow between him and the other. "There," she told him. "That's better, isn't it?"

Hiccup's blush became deeper, but he smiled at her gratefully. It made her heart flutter to see it again. "Thanks, it is. At least now I can sit up."

Picking the bowl of food up, Astrid scooped up the stew and fed it to him. "It's not much, but I managed to keep it warm enough. And no, you're not going to get poisoned—my mother made it, just today actually and brought it over for all of us. She had been praying you'd wake up soon. You're also lucky I didn't have to make this—you know I can't cook."

Hiccup gave a little laugh. "That's not true. You made something before."

"Something that could've qualified as half-raw," she reminded him, not ashamed to insult her own culinary expertise. She knew she was close to hopeless in that field.

"It wasn't awful, you and I both know it," he managed to say before she gave him another mouthful. Astrid watched Hiccup, relief and happiness deluging into her. Her heart had nearly exploded when he had shot up in the bed. That outburst had given her the greatest joy to hear, even if was his name… Despite that, she had fought down the urge to wrap her arms around him; they had all feared he might've gone into a coma.

"I'm so glad you're all right," Astrid told him gently, "We were so worried…"

Hiccup's gaze met her light cerulean orbs and he smiled softly. "Hey, I'm all right."

She gave him another bite of stew. "Yes but… we thought you'd never wake up."

His smiled became a puzzled frown, face thoughtful. Then it hit him. "Astrid, how long was I out?"

The hesitance in her eyes was a loud proclamation in itself. But he asked again how long it had actually been. Licking her lips, her voice dropped, "Almost three weeks…"

He coughed, sputtering some of the food out, lodging a few chunks in his esophagus. Astrid hurriedly began to hit his back till he recovered. He swallowed, albeit it hurt. Not so much because food had gotten stuck in his windpipe; more that his mouth had suddenly gone dry, so he had no saliva to help push the meat down.

"Threeweeks?" he finally groaned out.

Astrid nodded dumbly. "I told you… we thought you might never wake up."

Three long weeks… Weeks that he had been trapped in the darkness; weeks that Toothless was under the wrath of the god…

"Astrid, you have to let me get out of here."

"No," she told him, eyes narrowing and her voice turned as brusque as his father's. "You can't go anywhere. You know this—you just woke up from a fatal assault, you're practically broken everywhere!"

"I have to go find him, Astrid! If Loki has done this to me, then…" again, his mind skipped over that possibility. "I need to look for him."

"And for what, Hiccup? In this condition, you'll barely manage to keep yourself alive! How do you plan to look for him anyway? Loki is a god, Hiccup—"

Breaking off, she hurriedly place the bowl on the chair; Astrid had to rein in the usual hardness of her shoves; he had been about to clamber out of the bed and she held him back. She continued, "—and even if you do, by some miracle, find him, how do you plan to take out a god? Lie down, Hiccup, you'll open your wounds!"

There was a tinge of panic, rage and worry combined in her tone that finally ceased the young man's actions. He looked up at her and became anxious and terrified by the tears that started to stream down her face. Each warm droplet hit his cheek; his heart clenched guiltily, mind already beginning a string of cuss words for his crudeness towards her concern.

"Astrid… I'm sorry…"

Realizing now that she was crying, Astrid's first instinct was to wipe them away; she'd been doing that too much lately, more than she ever usually would—tears mean weakness. However, this was Hiccup. He would never look down at her for weeping and that was one reason she didn't bother to stop them. The tears were over his protection, anyway… That was all she found she was able to do while he'd been asleep. She would stay by his bedside with his father, waiting for the boy to give an indication of life aside from the small rise and fall of his chest.

This was more than she had been consistently praying for.

"You have nothing to apologize about…"

Hiccup felt the guilt gnaw. Slowly, he reached behind her head, ignoring the ache in his arm, and brought her to his chest. "All I do is make you upset, and I'm sorry."

"I just…" she murmured, "I don't want you to go. You have to stay—we were all worried about you. After the fifth day… we felt so hopeless. We…" her eyes blurred and she blinked the water away. The despair they had been suffering wasn't describable. There was no way of putting it into words; she simply whispered, "It was just unbearable…"

Hiccup stayed quiet, stroking her hair soothingly. Nearly losing herself in the proximity of his body, the gentleness of his touch, she pulled away. She couldn't lose her nerve. "Stay."

"Astrid—"

"Does our concern for you really mean nothing to you?"

The comment was barely even a whisper, but it detonated worse than an explosion. "No, of course not; I know you were all worried over me."

"Then that's why you have to stay. For your father, for your tribe, for… for me…"

Her eyes were filled to the brim with affection and love for him; he felt it flood into him, touching him deeply. But it brought him neither gratification nor could he find fervor to equate it to hers. While he would always love her, it wasn't the same as before. He knew she comprehended this, yet it moved him, compelling him to remain… Hiccup knew that Toothless was out there, somewhere and he shook his head. His mind wouldn't rest till he was sure. And it wouldn't even comprehend the possibility of him being dead… That would be too much.

"I can't."

"I know, but you have to until you're better."

Hiccup met her eyes, their gazes still and fierce; a raging sea against a billowing forest. "I can't stay forever."

Her smile was rueful. "I know you can't. That's why I said 'until you're better'; then you can go."

The gawk he gave her made her laugh. He slowly asked, "You… you mean this?"

"We just want you to get better. After that, I'm sure everyone will be willing to help you find him. Vikings are known for occupational hazards."

"You'll help me, too?"

The smile tipped down at the corners, "You know I will."

"Even though you…" He immediately cut his sentence off. It was best not to voice it.

She knew what he had been about to ask however. Her response was frank. "Hate him? Yes, I'm willing even then."

Hiccup let out a silent breath, flinching inwardly at the acerbic answer. He couldn't understand it, but he thought it best to just leave it at that. He was grateful that she would even give him a speck of attention. He weakly, though sincerely, grinned at her. "You're too good for me, you know that right?"

Astrid blushed and tucked her bangs aside. "I wouldn't go that far. I have a mean streak, if you remember."

"I know but… you really are a wonderful person."

Heart speeding up, heat snaked through the pit of her stomach into her chest. She really didn't know if he should be saying that about her at all. It was a comment beyond flattery that she'd ever received; it meant the world to her that his opinion of her was so high.

Withal, to herself, she knew her flaws. She was arrogant, could be taciturn, stubborn and high-strung. Her capability to hold onto grudges for long periods of time was her worst one, along with her jealousy and rancor. In the most stygian moiety of her heart, a monster insinuated how much it longed to hear that the dragon would never come back. It wanted him dead.

She would normally shut herself away from that voice; as much as she hated Toothless, everything else screamed and hoped that he was alive. Not because she felt awful about wishing death upon someone, but more to the fact that Toothless was Hiccup's world now.

Toothless mattered to Hiccup in ways unimaginable. They were more than best friends, more than lovers and soul mates. Astrid was not completely certain how one could be more than a soul mate… but they were.

If keeping Toothless alive was what could keep Hiccup whole and content, she was beyond willing; she knew no one else who deserved more happiness than Hiccup. He was a kind, mild-mannered person who had been shown much hostility and mockery throughout his life, a pacifist amongst a people that thrived on brutality and shrewd cunning to survive, extensive in the knowledge of warfare. She was ashamed that she had been like those other Vikings, never giving him a chance to prove his worth, show how much he was capable of being somebody, without the means of brute strength and lack of wit.

She would never have known… if Toothless hadn't given her a different view of Hiccup. The taming of the dragon showed her the sensitivity Hiccup possessed, the intelligence and ability to perceive the best in people. Showing her a world that meant more than she could ever fathom had been the first step. She owed the dragon a great deal… and not only with that, but he'd saved Hiccup's life.

The animosity towards Toothless dropped to a minimal degree…

Astrid felt a glowing simper spread again, picked up the spoon and said with tired cheeriness, "Just shut up and eat."

XXX

During the time Hiccup had been asleep, his body had been healing itself bit by bit. Since he'd woken up, everyone had been doing their part to make things as easier for his recovery as possible. Nearly having lost him once, Stoick had been keen in ensuring his son the best indeterminate care. Everyone had followed suit, not only because his seven foot-two inch frame was intimidating in itself, but because Hiccup was their hero and were enthusiastic in assisting.

Ruffnut seemed the more reluctant of the villagers, but set it aside when Astrid beseeched her companion to put it in the past. Complying, she decided maybe she was being much too petty; if Astrid found it in her heart to forgive, than she could as well.

Hiccup was restless, but knew the sooner he took care of himself the better. He let them feed him till his arm felt adequate to perform the task on his own. He made sure not to do anything too strenuous to make the mending progress properly, doing tentative experimentations of his joints and ligaments. He spent most of the time gazing out the window, listening to the dragons and watching them take flight. He never realized how homesick he felt. Missed the whooshing and soaring…

And with each dusk and dawn, he felt that homesickness pervade like a plague. Perhaps, however, it was not so much the fact he missed flying; it was the person he shared it with…

Whenever someone stopped in, they usually asked him how he was feeling. His response was always that he was fine, not wanting to be a further burden on others. Youth around his age or a little younger would come inside and ask him to retell his encounter against Loki. Hiccup kept most of the details to himself, far from confessing that the reprisal Loki desired was because he and Toothless loved each other. He would have simply told them the gorier parts of how his body had shattered—that could have beguiled them—but, being unconscious, couldn't remember much else, except that it hurt like hell, before his mind succumbed to nothing.

Physically, he was on the path of ameliorating; emotionally he was just a shaky, fidgety mess.

Sleep was difficult to come by. His mind was obstinate in tormenting him with both passionate and darker memories. It'd always start off wonderful, remembering the love and infatuation of a night that seemed ages ago and then it'd freeze over; all he saw was a lucid blue and white which blinded him; then he'd fall into swarthy nihility… He'd wake up, not sure whether it was minutes or seconds after that part of the nightmare rose, but it was always night when his green oculars shot wide open.

Hiccup would assay the dream every time; though he knew the dreams and nightmares were merely recollections of the encounters he had with Toothless and the god. After that, sleep would come apace, no more fitful speculations; his mind had tortured him enough and would let him rest, but never for too long.

Since coming back to the world, Hiccup counted the days. By the time it was halfway into the second week, he'd nearly shouted in exacerbation. An angry huff was all that came out and caught the attention of Astrid.

"What is it?"

"How long is my damn body going to take to get better?"

Astrid shook her head but grinned at him. She could sympathize with him well. "Not much longer. It's been a little over a month now—counting the three weeks you've been in that little coma—so your body should be close to wholly mended."

Hiccup felt a mighty wave of relief. "Oh… that's good then."

"It is," she remarked, "Considering how lean you are."

"You mean 'twig like.'" He returned good-naturedly.

Astrid felt her cheeks grow hot and uttered, "Not even…"

Hiccup was the most wizened male any of the tribes had ever laid eyes on; she was delighted to see that with the recovery he was gaining weight back, and to her eyes, a lot more than the previous days before the attack. They were keeping him well augmented and just sitting there could have done something to do with it. He wasn't a very active Viking, but then his version of 'active' was different from the activities the others performed. Theirs were more rigorous; Hiccup would usually spend his days just wandering aimlessly.

Hiccup then sent her a smirk that made her heart stop. "Is that right?"

The girl blew flaxen strands from her face before flicking his ear with her forefinger. "You've gotten pretty cocky, you know that?"

Hiccup just grinned.

Astrid rolled her eyes but returned the charming gesture. Then, she grew a bit more solemn. "Hiccup… since you're almost done, you're going to want to head out quickly, won't you?"

Hiccup nodded several times.

"What about your father?"

"I actually spoke with him about it."

"Oh?"

Hiccup recounted the memory; his father had come in on his daily visits, third one of the day, and he'd provisionally brought the topic up. Stoick was less than pleased, however, stated that once he was restored, he may go, only on the condition if he and several others would accompany him. Hiccup readily agreed, happy his father had acquiesced to his decision. It wouldn't take Gobber too long to make prosthesis so it was decided, that the very day he could leave the hospital wing, the blacksmith would set to work immediately.

"He said I could." Hiccup finally addressed.

"Ah… that's good then."

His expression changed when hers fell. She waved it off, her smile becoming a false cheeriness that unnerved him. "I don't know why you're looking at me like that. I said I would help you."

"Astrid…"

"What?" she inquired innocently.

He sighed.

She copied him. "You know I mean it when I say I'll help you. I just, personally, think you need more time. But I know better than to argue with you." she added with mock aggravation.

Hiccup felt thankfulness come forth once more and they grinned at one another. Hiccup then looked out the window and heard distant shouting about the masts. "Hey, how are things going with the trades?" He hadn't asked about that in a while.

Astrid's face once more became grim, with an alloy of perplexity merging. "Not so well, actually…"

The young man's thick brows rose quizzically. "Why?"

"All of the trade routes are… well, they're being attacked."

"What? How is that possible? Are other ships pirating onto them?"

"No, it's not even that. Besides, we're usually the raiders and pirates, Hiccup. But even if it wasn't, it's not particularly our crew members that get attacked; it's the ports closer to the borders of European Russia."

"Which ports?"

"A few in Greece, so far; they're considering removing us from the list as a viable resource because of the attacks. We can't explain it and neither can they—just that there winds up being gaping holes in the sides of their ships, causing them to lose their cargo. These ports are close to our normal trade routes like the Volga Route to the Islamic Caliphate and the one leading to the Greeks along the Dnieper."

Hiccup's face became a mirror of her confusion. "That's odd… What's Rome going to do about it? They have control over them don't they?"

"Rome is falling, Hiccup, slowly but surely; in my opinion, good riddance to them if it ever happens. You'd figure a culture with aqueducts, large, expansive cities and bathing houses, they'd be more… civilized. They're completely barbaric. Killing people and tossing lives into an arena."

"We used to do that. And don't we rape and pillage?"

Astrid snorted disdainfully, disgusted at being compared to them. The last question made her wrinkle her nose; Hiccup became a bright red and immediately softened her liquid blue orbs. "Two completely different things Hiccup. We did it as a rite of passage, to prove our worth against impossible odds. While, now, I can see it was unnecessary, it's nothing compared to what they're doing to all those slaves they keep harvesting from other lands; even we provide them slaves for their sick amusement, however, I think it's mostly for our hair," at his puzzling look she explained, "Because some of us are blonde—they love blonds, especially from the Germanic tribes.

But it's usually from that sacred land… what was it…? Jerusalem, I think it's called. Imagine that, right? For a country that has power and wealth, they fear a group of people that just spends all their time praying to their unseen god. I don't see how they can be a threat at all. The second question… well, I'd like to think better of ourselves, but some of us lose the sense of honor. Thank Odin that no one amongst us has done anything like that. I might just die from mortification."

Hiccup absorbed the information, never having heard her speak so balefully of anything before. She had a very good point and he certainly saw things differently having heard her speak about it. But what concerned him the most was the sudden attacks on the cargo ships. If they lost this business, it wouldn't be too much cause for worry—there were plenty of other countries willing to buy their furs and waxes and honey; but for how long till these attacks ceased…?

"No idea about it then, huh?"

Astrid sighed quietly and shook her head. "No, unfortunately… I do hope we find out soon. Lots of the guesses have been about a sea serpent."

"That could be it," Hiccup chimed in, "If dragons are existent, than anything can be out there."

"Yes…" she replied, eyes glazing over as she comprehended all of this. "Maybe a dragon that swims… Njörðr help us if that's the case. And that does seems more likely. Just a sea serpent is about as silly as the world being round."

Smiling at her change in demeanor, Hiccup replied, "Ah, who knows; the Greeks might be on to something there."

"Pah! I'll believe the world is round when I see it; seeing how I don't want to fall off the edge though, just in case it isn't round, I'll live in my blissful ignorance."

Hiccup laughed heartily and she joined in, enjoying the camaraderie and time with him. She knew the days when she had him all to her were quickly becoming numbered, but it was a lot more promising than nothing.

While they chattered amiably the rest of the time she could be with him—she still had training to accomplish—the young man was pondering the events near the port and continued still after Astrid had long since gone. Not that there was much else to occupy his mind upon; and the other alternative was too painful and melancholy to ponder.

XXX

Hiccup had to contain the ecstatic burst within him at the sight of the artificial leg. Though it was a new one, sturdier and heavier than before, it fit perfectly, like an old acquaintance and he thanked Gobber profusely for taking the time to make it.

Gobber smiled. "I did my best; don' shy away from tellin' me if an'thing's wrong now."

"I won't," Hiccup replied gaily. His expression than turned determined. "So, when do we leave?"

Unused to the small lad changing into a more assuming, commandeering position, Stoick and Gobber glanced slyly at each other. But they knew how worried he was for Toothless and understood his commitment to searching for him.

"Now, if you feel up to it my boy." Stoick responded, a strong hand resting upon his son's narrow shoulder.

Hiccup gave him a curt nod. "I am."

"Well, the men are ready then. And Gobber, you have something else for him, don't you?"

Gobber appeared puzzled then remembered with a grin. He produced a bundle of large cloth and Hiccup carefully uncovered it, the size, heft and feel, too, proverbial. It was another prosthetic tail-fin. Amazement was likely written all over his face, since the veteran warriors laughed heartily at his reaction.

"Just in case ye know—he made me do it too." The blacksmith joked, waving airily at his best comrade. Stoick merely laughed again—they both had thought of it at the same time. Together, the three males headed down to the docks.

The ships were being loaded and several warriors were readying their dragons, talking to them compassionately and acquainting them with their ships. Hiccup's heart warmed at espying their displays of affection, withal felt the sting of loss. He recollected how often he had done that with Toothless. He glanced about the wide expanse, watching the distant tides reflecting the skies and the hustle and bustle of the men.

They were all willing to help him; he brought peace to them and was very protective of him now. But it was also because the Night Fury is a precious specimen of his species, pushing their zealous efforts harder. To lose such a worthy creature was inconceivable.

Hiccup felt that little toxic trickle in his mind, ensnaring his thoughts and turning them down a darker road. Was this a suicide mission? The god of deception could have done away with him by now—it's been a little over a month…

He forced the blackness aside, shedding a feeble ray of hope on it to illuminate and disperse it. He can't be thinking like this; it'll be too distracting. And his heart was too adamant to defer to that inclination.

"Hey, Hiccup,"

"Oh, hey, Fishlegs," Hiccup answered, smiling at the blonde boy, "You coming with us?"

"Yeah, most of us are—Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and several other teenagers. We figured you could use all the help you can get."

Hiccup's simper broadened, but the so did the dread. What if they died too? Maybe he should call it off and demand to search for him alone; he knew that idea wouldn't bode well with his parental guardian, he'd already tried so before and he'd received nothing but silence.

"Well, I want all of you to be careful," cautioned the smaller Viking.

"Oh, come on, Hiccup, we can handle this, no sweat," a new voice added. Tuffnut and Snotlout came into view, though Snotlout had been the one to say it.

Tuffnut shrugged in compliance. "He's right—if we can take on that Queen Dragon, we can do anything."

A dragon and a god are not the same; Hiccup's mind softly hissed, though kept that comment to him. It would no doubt eager them further to better their chances as disciplined young soldiers. "Despite that, if it comes down to it, you all have to run away."

Aghast, they continued to stare; Snotlout's blended with some revulsion. His voice was cold when he spoke, "Only cowards run away."

"Only the wise live. Fools stay and die." retorted Hiccup primly. He narrowed his eyes at them, wishing he could implant the impetus into their brains by simply glaring into them. "Look, I know you're all brave and capable, but we have to take extra precautions when it comes to this—gods aren't easy to strategize against," as he spoke the words, he dropped them to a low whisper, paranoia oily oozing upon him, "I just want you all to promise me that if it comes down to it, you will not hesitate to run."

Tuffnut and Fishlegs shared hesitant but completely obliging sidelong looks; their barbs and complaints subsided.

Snotlout snarled, "That's against our traditions and codes. All that's worth living for is to die and go to Valhalla. That's what we were taught to follow."

"And haven't I proved to you that there's more to everything we think we know?" snapped Hiccup, staring up into his cousin's eyes, burning pale flames, "Killing can't be, and isn't, everything we know anymore, Snotlout."

The taller brunet was about to respond with a quip but Hiccup cut him off, "No, you're not going to say anything about the matter anymore. I'm the one in charge of this expedition and if I have to make you stay home so you won't die, then I will."

Surprise registered on the other young men as Hiccup's voice had slowly risen again, becoming hard and dogmatic. They had never heard him be assertive, and by instinct when hearing orthodox, stern commands, were brought back in line. Snotlout was more than displeased; while he had begun to get along with his lankier relative, there retained a bit of that old dislike; it didn't help matters that he now considered him a rival.

Hiccup was a highly regarded warrior now, though the smaller man remained modest about it all. Snotlout longed for that glorification, but he felt a lot of the resentment build upon the fact that Hiccup had stolen the girl he had desired for so long, and continued to hold onto her heart. It wasn't Hiccup's fault; Snoutloud knew that Astrid was still deeply in love with Hiccup, and he felt envy. Envy over Hiccup… he'd have never fathomed that absurdity in a million years, yet it was before his face as plain as day.

Snotlout was tempted to bring the subject up, however thought better of it at the last minute. Now was not the time and place for a squabble. Years of rigid training and combative drilling taught him that he also had to follow the commands of whoever was leading the mission; albeit reluctantly, Snotlout backed down and he said nothing of it.

Hiccup counted his blessings for this change. Snotlout was pigheaded about his opinions so to have him stop so early was quite a big deal. Concern for his fellow tribesman was the main reason the dragon rider was pleading for them to follow his advice. Hiccup also figured out the possible reasons why Snotlout had been so persistent in trying to crush him with his logic about tradition. Snotlout had always been inclined to the rescue and defense of Astrid, so he expected hostility from him.

He felt awkward taking on that commanding tone—he'd been doing that too much lately and didn't enjoy it. He much preferred calmly showing reasonable means but Snotlout had turned foolhardy, so he sought to nip it in the bud before those arguments could embed into Tuffnut's and Fishleg's perceptions. It was simpler to assume the position of leader when it called for it.

"Ready, Hiccup?" his father said from behind and Hiccup turned around. He gave a solemn nod and walked over to the boarding plank, everyone close behind. Astrid was by his side as soon as they hoisted the main sails, and the male Viking perceived in his peripheral vision the scowl on Snotlout's expression. Astrid must have noticed it, for it was from the side she stood on, but she either chose to ignore it or honestly had not paid attention.

Instead, her slim fingers encircled his, giving them a gentle squeeze. "We'll find him. I promise."

The assurance and warmth in her tone made him look at her; her eyes were set upon their home, façade impassive, but her eyes were calm and lovely seas. She then smiled at him and, though he could not return it, was happy she was here.

XXX

The brine held no traces of life; there was the occasional floating patch of ice but nothing else. The black abyss was not relatively calm, either. While it would die down and become so, oft times the wind would beat and whip the assemblage mercilessly, stirring the water to higher waves till they, too, were pummeled by the tumultuous great waters.

And if it was not the seas itself raging, the tides were within; young crew members who were not used to high sea voyages suffered queasiness and lightheadedness. Hiccup was one of them, and combined with the fact there has been no sighting of anything significant in the last few days, he felt nauseous enough to wish he could just throw himself overboard and let the sea consume him.

Night was swiftly decorating the gray skies with a velvet violet, ornamented by stars. They were dim, but the quarter moon above illuminated most of their surrounding, ergo making vision possible. Hiccup inhaled deeply, not liking the stench, but that was the only way to clear his head—or make it woozier.

Then a thump against the starboard side made him leap a foot out of his skin. He spun wildly to look around, the dim lucidity no longer acceptable. The moon was high, close to the starboard side, but it was useless. Hiccup heard shouts of surprise and remained where he was so others could rush back and forth without crashing into him. They didn't him getting in the way—when it came to ships, and other Viking-like occupations, he was still learning.

This time, it came on his end, but he had no inkling from where. Their longboats are renowned for being incredibly vast in width, length, and height; and the fact the thud seemed to echo made it difficult to pinpoint the exact location. But he was most certain it was on his side.

Slowly, he made the first footfall; another thump, quieter, softer…

Hiccup charily peered over the edge; the liquid was no better than peering into ink. Then something darker than black came to view, and he only glimpsed it because he found himself locked still by twin moons of beryl, right before his face. They were still mesmerizing as ever; but listless.

His heart stopped, breath sealed tight before he found his tongue.

"Toothless…?"

Something akin to affection flickered in those teal orbs, widening a margin at the name, but the dragon shook its sleek, massive head and dove back under. Hiccup was about to shout for him to come back when the Night Fury erupted from the depths, a violent aerosol dazzling in the silver beams. Hiccup met the wooden deck of the longboat hard, the breath knocked out of him; he felt Toothless' body pin him, but the eyes were what kept him lodged in place. Talons scraped the floor, and Toothless rumbled a warning, teeth bared and glinting maliciously.

The Viking obeyed—he was too shocked to do much else.

The cry of his name brought him back, and Hiccup hastily commanded them to remain where they were, though he kept his green gaze locked on the ones above.

There was the faint, familiar hiss as swords were drawn from their leather receptacles. He felt sick thinking they just might ignore his plea and stride charging in. He could envision perfectly how the axes were brandished by the moon's rays, glinting just as ominously. Other dragons that accompanied them simply watched quietly; they had reckoned an occurrence no one had bothered to take into account.

Toothless' eyes were far more luminescent, staring straight at him, and delving deeper. They were severely cold; the frost that collected on their oars and masts seemed warmer to him than this stare. Haltingly, he made his hand move up; the Night Fury snarled demoniacally, the blankness replaced with a brutish glint. The assembly of Vikings all drew in a gasp simultaneously. A few stepped forward, eliciting another growl; but, fortunately, they caught sight of Hiccup's hand making halting motions to signify no.

Hiccup remained calm, eyes the color of pine softening. The dragon blinked quizzically at the gesture. It looked and felt familiar…

"Toothless," the human whispered.

The dragon's ears instinctively perked to attention, though the feral grimace remained. The green eyes were stunning, almost a liquid rich brown in the night… So they're hazel... they were almost always green—

"Hiccup—" said a voice.

The Night Fury whipped around to the direction of the vocalization, disrupting the peaceful trance; a macabre ghoulish sound resounded in the suddenly still night air, and the world seemed to hush up, waiting the foretelling of events with baited breath.

"Toothless," came the soft murmur again, and the beast turned expectantly. Hiccup watched him carefully, trying to discern his companion's behavior. He voiced his guess. "You don't remember me, do you?"

The dragon kept its eyes on him, trying to make sense of the boy's inquiry when a voice reminded him to kill. Kill and be done with the human. The thought of harming the human caused an unfamiliar sensation of abhorrence to slither… Why?

It knew what it was supposed to do—one nimble, neat move and the boy would die. He was practically emaciated; he could pose no imminent danger to anything or anyone. The eyes were what perturbed the creature, making his heart jolt and increase its pace at odd intervals. It would disconnect the titillating sensations, only for them to propel with further vigor. The human's scrutiny was curious, but held no fear—just simple admiration and… an emotion he couldn't name.

A loving tender touch was against the side of his neck, and the dragon almost purred blissfully and closing his eyes when it stroked him lightly. The emotions spurred from the gentle brush blew him away, and faint images of claiming its possession intruded upon its mind, throwing out its previous intentions of slaying the boy and being done with the task.

An epiphany slowly dawned on the Night Fury: this awkward, gangly, sweet and handsome human was his. Is his.

Memories collided in rapid succession, a cathartic shower of nostalgia; the last one lingered slightly longer than the others—the fervid night he made the boy his.

Hiccup.

Toothless lowered his head, and nuzzled against his shoulders, thrilled to remember him, happier that his heart had dominated over his mind—or the one he loved would be nothing but a mauled corpse of his former self right now...

The boy's face shined with a grin, hidden as he wrapped his arms around the dragon and he could practically feel the relief swelling all around as the Vikings and their dragons released one, collective sigh.

Two bodies and hearts felt whole, and it was upsetting to have to let go, but Hiccup kept his stare on Toothless'. The dragon gave him his signature grin and butted his head gently on the human's forehead. Hiccup pulled the head closer by placing his hands, palms up, beneath the chin.

"I thought I lost you…"

Toothless purred in agreement—he thought he'd never see Hiccup again, but he also thought he'd never find himself either. Loki may be a god, but the dragon had never, even his wildest imaginations, ever considered the god capable of controlling beings against their will. He was a remarkably frightening enemy. Apprehension gripped his heart with a cold sense of premonition. The Night Fury pulled back and gave a low whimpering, nudging and urging the boy to his back.

Comprehension was swift, for Hiccup had already rushed over to the bundle containing the tail fin and saddle. He hefted the saddle and strapped it, other Vikings taking their cues. As the young boy hurried to put the prosthetic tail-fin on, he was surprised when Toothless shook his head; then he produced his tail.

Both fins were there.

Hiccup felt many emotions at once, mainly delight and puzzlement, though remained tight-lipped about it. Despite the new fin on Toothless' tail, Hiccup tied the fin Gobber had made onto his back, strapping it securely with rope.

Toothless couldn't help but rumble in question.

"Just in case," answered Hiccup, and Toothless licked his face, glad to have such a rider. Hiccup's father had always told him to be prepared for anything, and he was going to take the advice.

Thunder crashed, loud as cymbals, followed by the hot, white flashes of lightning. The wind howled long moans and Hiccup shuddered as he mounted the Night Fury. Once settled in, the Viking felt a sense of peace and readiness, a familiar comfort in striding on Toothless. Toothless seemed to feel the same, a sigh escaping.

Large, sooty wings unfurled; danger was vastly approaching, withal, the two felt their bond come a hundredfold, and Hiccup's heart pumped excitedly, no doubt the dragon's was the same. Toothless' left eye glanced up, meeting his mate's gaze. Hiccup nodded.

And they flew upwards to the maddened heavens; from down below, they could hear the exhilarated shout merge with a triumphant, ballistic cry.

Hiccup almost had to remind himself they were set off to battle against the god—if need be. Most likely, it will happen. He and Toothless needed to be prepared for the slightest change in current and atmosphere. As they rose higher, the cold withered to an almost imperceptible degree—it was hotter than it should have been.

Continuing their ascent, Toothless and Hiccup glanced warily about the skies. Even the wind and lightning seemed to have perished.

Feverish gales then brushed past their faces, blowing against the Night Fury's shoulders and membrane tips. Flapping harder against the air currents, Toothless allowed the inside of his wings to capture the air, swelling them and causing him to float at a more notably lofty position.

Hiccup's fingers tightened on the saddle, biting his lower lip thoughtfully. Another dour gust pelted the pair; a guttural, bloodcurdling roar burst out from Toothless vocals, the sound of tearing flesh following and the Viking's eyes widened. Panic gripped him when he felt them begin to plummet to the sea, and he glanced at the tail-fin.

As he suspected, the left tail-fin was completely gone, a lightning flash brightening the dark skies; he could see the faint trickle of blood. Filled to the fullest of wrath, Hiccup glared venomously at the heavens before turning to Toothless.

"Try to fall as straight as you can," he whispered.

The dragon tried to send an askance look at the boy, but trusted the surety and calmness of his tone. Toothless flew downwards, straight as an arrow; he knew this might backfire. Whatever Hiccup was planning, it had better happen soon—a narrow downward acceleration was the quickest way to reach the earth faster. They had soared high enough into the sky but who knew how long it would take for them to hit the ocean.

He simply had to trust the boy. And he had plenty of it about Hiccup.

The Viking, meanwhile, had slowly and carefully inched higher till he was holding tightly on the tail. He felt a sting bite his cheek, and a sticky, warmth slid down. Ignoring the cut, he pulled out the prosthetic tail-fin, letting the cloth fall; hastily Hiccup linked the buckle and loop onto the tail, making sure the angle was correct. A hail of swift, small breezes hit him and Toothless, causing the dragon to kilter off-balance. Hiccup gripped tighter onto the artificial rudder, another cut on his hand. Holding on, he quickly finished the tightening of the strap, tucking it through the metallic hook.

"It worked!" he breathed to himself, astounded.

Toothless suddenly spun out of control and a shrill sound came forth. Hiccup watched in horror as a slice had gone through near the edge of the right wing; as Hiccup quickly looped the rope into his belt and shuffled along onto the Night Fury's back, he eyed the wound. It looked pretty bad, but nothing enough to prevent Toothless from flying.

"All right, Toothless," whispered Hiccup, "Let's go!"

Toothless responded and was immediately rising again; he couldn't believe the plan worked! He knew he'd be kissing the boy like a maniac for his mate's brilliant improvisation, but knew that would have to wait. Right now, they had to focus on locating the invisible devil that was so determined to ruin their lives.

Coward, thought Toothless.

Wind whipped around them, slashing into their skin. But just as quickly, it ceased. They were confused, however sense made them take the opportunity to ascend once more. This time, another blow came but to their bewilderment, it aided the pair skywards.

The earth then quaked furiously, and the assembly of Vikings below shouted in surprise as the waves climbed, tossing the ships carelessly. The crew and their dragons were struck into watching in an amalgamation of wonder and fear for the son of their chieftain and his dragon. Astrid rushed to her Nadder, set on mounting it when a pair of arms halted twined about her slender waist.

"Snotlout, let me go—"

Snotlout shook his head furiously, Hiccup's words reverberating in his mind. "We can't do anything."

Any response was cut off by another impinge on the side of the longboat; they fell in a heap, though once it settled, she rose to calm her dragon, preparing to set off, then stared up in terror, like every other living being on the ship.

The creature emerging from the waters was a large, hulking figure—and they all knew from their tapestries it was a real jötunn; this one was of considerably massive size, even for a giant. It was hideous in appearance, claws forming at the ends of its long appendages, misshapen incisors protruding in nasty, twisted directions.

Toothless narrowed its eyes. So Loki was deciding to come at them like this, in his other form.

"Is that…?" he heard Hiccup question. Toothless rumbled in answer.

The two barreled sideways, narrowly escaping a curved hand that meant to swat them. Hiccup's eyes turned to thin slits; his anger had reached a dangerous boiling point, and Toothless sensed the tension in his mate's body, feeling the rage storm. He also narrowed his eyes to squint past the smog. Toothless shot a burst of silvery blue flames at the giant, hitting it squarely in the eye.

The giant became disconcerted, though regained footing after its near misstep. The wave produced by the footfall made the longboats ebb and flow along its current. They thanked the gods, mostly Hlín, profusely for guiding them away from the dangerous possibility of being crushed. Hiccup sent up silent thanks as well and urged his protector to try once more.

They halted any action when they witnessed the ocean rise, toppling upon Loki, dragging him under the murky depths. Hiccup and Toothless were not sure what was occurring. Hopefully, some gods were merciful. The dragon wondered if it was the god of the sea, as the churning waters bubbled and frothed rapidly on the descending giant's form.

A shadow then loomed instantaneously, obscuring the already opaque rays of the moon and its stars. A hot wash of air made the human's hair stand on end, and the Night Fury tucked his wings in preparation as it dodged snapping jaws.

Hiccup gave out a yelp of surprise as he found himself looking into a deep, saffron sphere, red tinting the edges, maroon lines jaggedly running along it. A throaty, sibilance went past fangs, and Toothless snarled in return. Without warning, he shot another blaze, directed at the giant serpent. Jörmungandr let out a shrill noise as it seared into its scales. Recovering quickly, it whipped out in cyclonic speed, attempting to trap the dragon and its rider.

Enraged, it dove back under the depths of the sea and burst in a misty explosion at the pair. Toothless barely evaded; he felt Hiccup jostle a little from the saddle, causing the beast to shoot out another fiery ball. The impact was critical, right on top of the serpent's head. It roared, crossed; it soon began a chase, the Night Fury pounding his wings back up into the smoldering cumulus shields. Hiccup gripped the saddle with one hand, the other reaching for his belt to ensure it was still secure to the rope on the tail-fin. His digits groped the smooth hilt of his dagger.

Auditing the gleaming fangs, the head of the snake closing in, he analyzed it carefully then pulled out the dagger and launched it as mightily as he could muster. Ignoring the twinge of guilt as he heard its cry, he was startled when a thin thunderbolt flashed downwards, directly into the fissure caused by his dagger.

Jörmungandr spit as it hissed at the sky. Thor undoubtedly had a triumphant grin on his face. Darting past the couple, the serpent snatched empty titian smog in its maw, another raucous wail piercing the sky when more strips of white fire collided into its skin.

Hearing the laughter of Thor, the serpent scowled.

Toothless and Hiccup soared, distracted; they didn't see the hand till Toothless' tail was wrapped tightly in its fist. The giant sneered, glacial and obscene. Another sound of lightning resounded, hitting the elbow's joint, cutting through.

The hand released its prize, and Toothless shot upwards, keen on avoiding him.

A hailstorm of lightning ringed around the World Serpent, binding it to keep it from rescuing his father. The more he struggled, the more the lightning tightened, oxidizing the flesh. It gave an animalistic snort of derision.

Thor gripped the lightning, enjoying the writhing his enemy made. Sorely tempted to bash in the head, his hand itched to grip his hammer…. One swing…

Odin then staved it off, commanding Thor to simply release him and allow Njörðr to drag him back to his underwater prison. Turning to the serpent beneath the tides, Odin calmly told him he'll be punished later for abandoning his post. He heard Jörmungandr's curses, while Thor remained beyond reluctant. His greatest enemy was clutched in his coils and yet he had to let the giant snake go…

Unwinding the bondage, Thor promised himself he would be allowed to kill Jörmungandr very, very soon.

Odin then turned to the matter at hand. Loki has caused them a great deal of trouble by playing tricks on the humans and intervening with their affairs. Now, they all had to be gathered together to prevent further dilemmas with their worshippers. His gaze landed on the dragon and its human, and the god's brow rose an almost perceptible inch.

They were bonded… more than that, even.

He almost laughed at the idea. A twinkling voice chastised him, and he turned to give a withering stare at Freyja. Freyja turned her gaze down at the pair, commenting how powerful their connection was. Odin could not help but agree. It was stronger than most couplings…

He touched the dragon's mind; the Night Fury recoiled, baring razor teeth instinctively, but his mind was open to listen.

Stand down.

Grudgingly, he obeyed; Toothless sensed Hiccup's anxiety and purred soothingly.

You've caused us much trouble.

Not of my choice, I assure you, Toothless thought, giving a vilifying grunt.

Odin knew that to be true. Loki had manipulated, deceived and, undoubtedly, tormented the dragon in the brief time he was under his control; he also had caused the dragon and his rider much strife, though, ironically, was the reason why they had been able to confess feelings to one another. While never curious of the affairs of lower forms, he could not help questioning why a Night Fury was so intent on saving one.

Why him?

Forcing himself not to snap, Toothless calmly replied, I love him. Is it that hard to believe?

Odin did not bother to hide his opinions. Yes, very much so.

Get used to it then.

Bristling at the brusque tone, the Chief of the gods held back the urge to send the dragon to Hel. Deciding it was not worth it, he inquired in a peeved tone to his fellow gods what he should do with such an impudent beast.

Thor could have cared less; Freyja, on the other hand, implored Odin not to kill simply because he was peeved at a simple comment. Gently, she explained that they have been through enough; and any further problems with the humans may bringRagnarök about early—an event that should not be brought about as of yet. Seeing the validity of her words, Odin decided it was better to have the humans forget as quickly as possible.

I'd like to make a deal with you, drache.

Toothless had had enough deals with gods to last him a lifetime, which was saying a lot; withal he listened.

Immortality is a hefty cost to be at this boy's side forever.

I know that—he's worth all of it and more.

Thrown off by the ardent piety and love in that claim, Odin continued. You'll give it up?

Yes.

Odin felt Freyja's eyes on his back. He glanced at her imperiously, annoyed to find her smiling.

Consider it done.

Toothless gave a solemn nod, accepting the decision he made. Hiccup meant everything.

XXX

Toothless was surprised that when they reached Berk and he touched the earth, he was not transforming. He had told them he would give up his immortality! So why was it not happening?

Hiccup eyed him quietly, brushing his neck with soft, gentle strokes.

Believing he was given nothing but a fallacy, he demanded the gods to give him an answer.

He received none.

Sighing in defeated rage and confusion, he rested his head on Hiccup's shoulders, remembering how his human form had been able to do much more. Even the torrent of emotions had been worth dealing with…

He felt a warmth spread, and he opened his eyes, shocked to see his form was bathed in a soft glow. The perception of his body was sharp, noticing how as the light engulfed him, he felt the mundane changes, though they'd occurred only twice before. Limbs shortened, wings disappeared, a mane of hair on his crown.

Hiccup had backed away in alarm. He heard the steady rush of others circling about them, alert and ready. Hiccup told them to wait. He wasn't hearing any screaming… which he was grateful for.

The transformation was not only less painful, it was quicker. Toothless now stood in human form, looking at his body in awe. A delightfully female voice tickled his mind.

You may have your original form and you may use it as you wish; but while that body will remain immortal, you will age at a human's pace in the body you wear now. The former is an option in case… you desire not to follow your beloved when he dies.

Toothless grinned at the teasing smile in her voice. I plan to follow him wherever he goes.

I thought so.

Just as quickly, the soft voice was gone and Toothless met Hiccup's gaze, allured by the fervor in its depths. Bursting into a run, he tackled the boy, burying his face into his neck.

"Toothless, you're naked again…" Hiccup murmured, blushing hard; the situation was all too similar to the first time he transformed.

"Not like you haven't seen me before," Toothless countered, smirking.

Even so, Hiccup took off his furry vest and handed it to him, shielding him from prying and inquisitive stares. He smiled contently, not paying the slightest attention either to the licentious ogling of the females.

Grasping his hand, Hiccup said, "Just keep that on, all right?" and headed for home, his mate grinning all the way.

Terminology: Odin: Chief of the Gods; powers: creation, death, wisdom, war, magic, poetry, prophecy, etc.
Njörðr: God of the sea, fishing, seafaring, wind, wealth, crop fertility; father of Freyja, goddess of love, beauty, fertility, witchcraft, cats, etc.
Hel: daughter of Loki, a half-goddess, and Ruler of the Underworld
Thor: God of thunder, lightning, and strength
Jötunn: a giant; appearances are generally grotesque
Jörmungandr: commonly known as the Midgard Serpent or World Serpent; middle child of the giantess Angrboða and Loki. Responsible for holding the earth together—if he lets go, the world will end.
Valhalla (trans. Hall of the Slain): Located in Asgard, ruled by Odin. Warriors went either here or to Fólkvangr (Field of the Host; ruled by Freyja) when you die in combat.
Ragnarök (trans. Final Destiny of the Gods): a series of major events, leading up to a battle that will result in the death of major gods, including Thor, Odin and Loki
Loki: to add from before, he can turn into a jötunn. And he does aid the other gods, but mostly causes problems, from tricks to murder; hence why they assisted.
Other Notes: Vikings had trading routes and systems with other countries. Some were pirates and raided villages, however, also were the most advanced race in seafaring and navigation. Hiccup's village didn't give up themselves as slaves, but other actual ones did to ensure payment (especially because Romans like blonde hair).

AN: Never get me started on Mythology—I can go on forever. Good thing I'm gonna take it in college. I'll bug others about it. –dreamy sigh- So yeah, I have a fight sequence; not a very good huge climatic one but this was something I planned to have, including my choice of gods. Not sure if I did the right thing switching to the gods' POV but I think it helped to give some light on the situation. (Right…?)

It's been a while since I've written battle scenes like this… my first and only one till now was back in '07 so forgive me if it bored you all to tears. Anyway, so… uh… how was it? I personally wanted to kill one of them… (Bet some of you just went: WHAT? XD) but I knew that wouldn't make some of you very happy and the whole keeping his dragon form thing is there 'cause I wasn't sure how y'all would take it if he was stripped of it. Ah, well at least no one died. Darn… -dodges very sharp weapons-

Well, let me know how it went for you while I catch up on sleep. It's two in the morning but I wouldn't hit the hay till I got this done. LOL