Chapter Twelve

A/N: We're almost done! Can't wait to see what you guys thought of the climax! Thanks for all the reviews and enjoy the story!

Hiccup wobbles, unsteadily on one foot as he peers at the top of the Pit. No one is standing guard because it seems pretty impossible to escape. Which is why Hiccup is definitely going to prove them wrong. I AM going to get out of here...just have to figure out how... He looks down at his prosthetic leg, which he removed and is holding in his hand.

Taking a step back, he raises it over his head and hooks it to the wall, using the two nails that stick out from the bottom of it. He gives it a good tug. Satisfied that it's sturdy enough, he places his other leg against the wall and tries to climb up, using the prosthetic almost like a grappling hook. He manages to work his way up about six feet off the ground before the nails in his fake foot gives and he slams back to the floor.

"Ughhh..." He moans, sitting up again. I know I can do this...I just need to be more careful...maybe I could-

SNAP!

Hiccup freezes. What was that sound? He quickly reattaches his leg and shimmies to the other side of the Pit, squinting up into the darkness above him. Have the Outcasts returned already? It's only been...a few hours... "Crap!" He tries to stand up but fails when his head starts spinning again. This is bad...this is really bad!

"Hiccup!" The voice is deep, intimidating...yet...familiar?

No way... "D-Dad?" Hiccup whispers. But there's no way! He didn't even know where we went!

"Son? Is that you?"

IT IS HIM! "Dad!" Hiccup jumps to his feet, suddenly full of adrenaline.

When Stoick finally peeks down into the Pit, Hiccup notices that he's dressed as an Outcast.

So that's how he got here...smart! "You have no idea how glad I am to see you!" Hiccup admits, smiling wider than he has since they first crashed.

Stoick smiles too. "Just hang on, we'll get you out of there!"

"We?"

Only then does Snotlout reveal himself. "Yeah, we! I'm the one who told your dad about Dragon Island!"

"Snotlout...!" Hiccup gasps. "Oh man, I'm sorry I ever doubted you!"

"Hmph!" He folds his arms, smugly. "Just relax, Hiccup! Good 'ol Snotlout'll get you out of there!" He looks around, finding the rope attached to the crank and begins lowering it down the hole.

"Hold, you!"

Stoick and Snotlout go still at the sound of the voice, accompanying it are the sounds of several pairs of boots. Whoever they are, they brought back-up. Stoick stands up but Snotlout remains on the edge of the Pit, discretely trying to pass the rope to Hiccup.

"What's your business here?" The Outcast asks.

"Um, we were sent here by Alvin...to...check up on the prisoner." Stoick lies. "He...wanted to make sure he hasn't managed to escape."

"Escape? HA!" The Outcast laughs, heartily before shaking his head. "No one has ever escaped the Pit. Especially not some scrawny, one-footed brat!"

Stoick's teeth grind together in fury. He just barely manages to keep himself for jumping that man right then and there. "W-well we've got it handled here...no reason for you to stick around..." He growls.

"Actually, there is. Alvin wants his answer from the boy now. That way, he can prepare the dragons for training or...well, killing!" He laughs again and the other Outcasts join in. Their laughter calms down and the main Outcast strolls over to Stoick, casually. "You know what I heard? I heard that even if the brat agrees to help, Alvin is going to make sure he never rides another dragon in his life! I wonder how he's gonna manage that? Hmm, maybe he'll cut off the other foot!" The Outcast raises his voice. "How does that sound, boy? Being a double-amputee sound good to you-"

His words are cut off by Stoick's fist smashing into his teeth. The Outcast collapses to the ground, knocked out in one hit. Berk's chief cracks his knuckles and looks up at the others, who are readying to attack. But before they get the chance...

"Stormfly, spine shot!"

"Go Meatlug!"

The night sky is lit up with flames as the dragons attack. Long blue and yellow spears stab into the ground, trapping their enemies so they can't run away. A second later, a brilliant purple explosion bursts against the ground, showering dirt and stones from the air. Ruff and Tuff scream as Toothless whips through the sky, a furious glint in his green eyes. He knows Hiccup is here and he's determined to save him.

With the Outcasts distracted, Hiccup jumps up and grabs the rope.

"Hold on tight!" Snotlout says. He runs over to the crank and starts pulling Hiccup up.

Everyone is here! They're okay! Hiccup grins when he sees Toothless fire another plasma blast at their enemies, who are blindly swinging their swords through the air, trying to cut the dragons.

Within a few seconds, Hiccup is back above ground. Snotlout jams the crank so he won't fall back down when he lets go and hurries over to help his friend climb out the rest of the way. Hiccup thanks him and is immediately scooped off the ground by his father.

"My boy...!" Stoick whispers, grasping his son in a bone-crushing embrace. "I was so worried about you..."

Seeing this, Toothless roars excitedly and flies toward the ground, shaking the twins off his back. He lands on all fours and sprints toward his friend, his tongue flapping in the wind.

"Toothless!" Hiccup laughs as his dragon tackles him to the ground, licking his face and soaking it with slobber. The Night Fury purrs and coos like mad, nudging his Rider's as if say he's relieved. Hiccup smiles and hugs him around the neck. "I missed you too, bud!"

That's when the others land as well. "Those Outcasts are unconscious," Astrid says. "Now let's get out of here before Alvin finds out!"

"Right." Hiccup hops into the saddle and buckles himself in, ready to take flight.

"No flying." Stoick barks. "We need to stick together and make sure no one sees us." Having said that, everyone gets off their dragons, except Hiccup. "What's the matter, son?" Stoick asks. "I said no flying."

"I know that but, uh..." Hiccup isn't sure how to put this without sounding frail and weak.

"Hiccup's hurt." Astrid says. "He probably can't walk right now."

"Hurt?" Stoick closes the space between him and his son, inspecting him closely. Only then does he notice the long gash on his son's forehead, along with a lot of blood, both dried and fresh. "What happened?!" He demands in that voice that says he wants to kill the person who did that to him.

"Relax, Dad! It was an accident!" Hiccup assures him. "I hurt myself when I crashed."

"YOU CRASHED?!"

"Oooh, okay! He didn't know about the crash..." Hiccup says to himself. "Um, can we talk about this later? We really shouldn't be here when the Outcasts wake up..."

Stoick sighs and reaches up to massage his temples. "Right, we'll talk later. For now, let's just focus on getting home."

Hiccup leans forward in the saddle, enjoying the feeling of being back with his best friend. He knows he shouldn't let his guard down just yet but there's just something about being near Toothless that makes him feel safe. Not to mention that his other friends and his father are here as well. It's almost enough to justify the heavy feeling in his eyelids and the fuzziness of his mind. Like he could just...fall asleep...

"Hiccup!" Astrid hisses, suddenly very close to his ear.

"Huh?!" He blinks, rubbing his eyes that he hadn't noticed had closed.

"Stay with me, we're not safe yet." She says, eyeing him closely.

"Uh, right..." He shakes his head, trying to clear the fogginess within it.

By the time they arrive at the beach, it's about midnight. The sky is pitch black and the stars, as well as the moon, are blocked by the clouds. Waves crash against the rocky shore, spraying a mist over the sand.

"We're almost there." Stoick tells them. "The dragons are waiting for us just on the other side of this ridge."

"Hmph, I hope Barf and Belch didn't teach Hookfang any bad habits!" Snotlout says, eyeing the twins in annoyance. "If they did, you'll be hearing from my lawyer!"

"What's a lawyer?" Tuff wonders.

Astrid glances sideways at Hiccup, who's tired body is practically limp as it sits in the saddle. She can't help but think the only reason he hasn't fallen off yet is because of the buckle and foot pedals. She draws closer, Stormfly not too far behind. "Hey, are you alright?" She asks, gently.

"Never better..." He murmurs.

They've just rounded the side of another ridge when they notice how empty the docks are. "That's strange..." Stoick comments, suspiciously. "Where is everyone?"

"Hey, we should be glad they aren't here. That makes our lives a whole lot easier!" Fishlegs says, optimistically.

"Fishlegs is right," Hiccup says, speaking up for the first time since they left. "Let's just focus on getting to the dragons and getting off this island."

Stoick nods, accepting his son's opinion. "Let's hurry then, no telling when they'll figure out that you're gone."

But just then-

BOOM!

Everyone screams as the ground in front of them explodes, sand and dirt flying into the air. A cannon ball sits in a large crater ten feet away from them.

"Looks like they've already figured it out..." Tuff whimpers.

Hiccup white-knuckles the saddle, lowering himself closer to Toothless in case they need to take off. There's no guarantee they'd be able to fly in their condition but they could try... Astrid and Fishlegs hop onto their dragons as well, bracing for a fight as a huge Outcast ship rounds the side of the beach, floating into view.

Standing on the deck of the ship, are Alvin and Savage. Alvin clicks his tongue and shakes his head. " 'iccup, 'iccup, 'iccup...you didn't really think you could escape 'ol Alvin again, did you?"

"Um, yeah. That was the plan, actually." Hiccup retorts with a roll of his eyes.

"Sorry, boy. But it ain't gonna be that easy this time..." He lifts his hand and his men load the cannons. A few others point crossbows at the dragons. "I warned you, 'iccup. Either you train my dragons or you die. It's that simple." With that word, the Outcasts point their crossbows straight at Hiccup, fingers on the trigger.

He frowns, bracing himself for whatever comes next. But that's when he remembers...

"Any last words, brat?" Savage shouts.

Hiccup sits up in the saddle and grins. "Just one." Before anyone can move, he reaches and cups his hands around his mouth, letting out a deafening dragon call. An instant later, a massive shadow crosses over the ship as a dragon passes between it and the moon.

Snotlout perks up, seeing who it is. "Hookfang!" He cheers.

The Monstrous Nightmare roars and glides toward the ship, his body bursting into flames, claws extended. Alvin cries out in shock as it grabs ahold of him, yanking him into the sky.

"Good dragon!" Hiccup calls, shifting in his saddle. "Alvin! Tell your men to back off or else!"

"Or else what? You don't have the guts to kill me, boy! You're weak!" He laughs, seeming to not mind that he's hanging by one arm in the talons of a Monstrous Nightmare. "A coward!"

Stoick growls, furiously but Hiccup motions for him to stay still.

"That might be true...bravery was never really a strong-suit of mine. But there's one thing you should know." He glances at the crossbows, which are still aimed right at him. "Never, NEVER come between a Rider and his dragon." As if to emphisize the point, Toothless lets out a ferocious roar and stamps his feet into the stone. "Hookfang." Hiccup growls. "Why don't you show Alvin how Outcast Island looks from the sky? Oh, and don't be shy about putting some Monstrous Nightmare flare into the tour..." Hookfang growls in consent and soars away, Alvin in his clutches.

All of Alvin's men watch in horror as the other dragons arrive as well. Thornado, Barf and Belch land on the beach, growling at them.

"Well? Are you guys up for some 'sight-seeing' as well?" Stoick shouts.

They flash each other horrified looks before dropping their weapons and running away. Obviously, they don't like the idea of being carried off by a dragon...

"Hmm, they're smarter than Alvin." Hiccup decides. He sighs in relief and relaxes into the saddle once again. "Can we go home now?"

A/N: Only one chapter to go...don't forget to review!