It was dawn when Hiccup and the others arrived at Berk. They gasped at horror to what they found; one of the monolithic Viking statues that guard the harbour had been crushed. Most of Berk had been blasted by Drago's Bewilderbeast which had perched itself on a cliif and was looking down at the village.
But what was more horrifying was that all the dragons on Berk were flocking to Valka's and Drago's armoured dragons. Drago himself was still riding on Toothless and was looking down at Berk menacingly.
"No…" said Hiccup looking at the remains of Berk in horror.
"He took all the dragons!" said Fishlegs.
"Distract the alpha. Try to keep his focus off of Toothless," Hiccup ordered.
"Uh… how?" Tuffnut asked.
"Have you forgotten who you're riding with? There isn't a dragon alive that I can't wrangle!" said Eret proudly. The baby Scuttleclaw then dived towards the ocean instead of the Drago's Bewilderbeast. "Except for this one!"
"Amateur," said Snotlout.
The others shrug and follow. As they get closer, the Bewilderbeast looms bigger and bigger.
"Good luck," said Ragnar as he and the other flew their separate ways.
Down in the village, everyone were hiding from the Bewilderbeast, but then one of the villagers noticed Hiccup and the others as they approached.
"Look, it's Hiccup!" A Viking yelled.
All the villagers looked towards the sky and saw Hiccup and the others flying overhead and cheered like mad.
"What?" Drago yelled.
His Bewilderbeast then turned its focus on Hiccup, who was getting closer to Toothless.
Suddenly, a sheep appears in its sight, rising and falling out of view. The Bewilderbeast blinked, confused about what just happened. It then turned its focus back on Hiccup, only for another sheep appearing in its line of sight.
It looked down to see Gobber and Alvin bring more sheep over, as Eret catch the falling sheep and reloading it into the game launcher, as Tuffnut cocks the mechanism and Ruffnut pulls the trigger.
"Keep 'em coming!" Ruffnut yelled.
"Black sheep, baby!" Snotlout yelled tossing Tuffnut a black sheep.
It then began to inhale, about to blast them with its icy breath, when… HONK! The game horn blares, breaking his concentration. It turned to find the horn unmanned.
It then turned its focus back on the sheep launcher below it until a black sheep landed on the its face, bouncing down his facial spines and becoming lodged.
"Ten points!" Snotlout yelled.
The Bewilderbeast was now getting annoyed. It blew the black sheep off, which Eret caught, and prepares to blast again with its icy breath.
"Uh-oh…" said Snotlout as they all back away fearfully.
HONK! The Bewilderbeast whipped around at the horn now getting annoyed, but still no one was manning it.
Turned out that Fishlegs was the one blowing it. He was at the moment hiding behind it, giggling.
The Bewilderbeast finally lost it and set loose an ice blast, covering the entire horn in jagged spikes. Luckily Fishlegs leaped off it the platform to safety.
"I'm okay!" Fishlegs yelled.
Meanwhile, Hiccup had finally Drago and was now hovering directly in Toothless' sights.
"You certainly are hard to get rid of. I'll say that," Drago admitted.
Hiccup ignored him and forced all his attention to Toothless, who pupils were, still slits. He took a deep breath and began to speak to him.
"Toothless? It's me, bud. It's me. I'm right here. Come back to me."
Drago laughed. "He is not yours anymore. He belongs to the alpha!" He then sat smugly on the saddle, opened his arms in invitation and added mockingly, "But, please, oh great Dragon Master, try to take him. He will not miss a second time."
Hiccup held strong and maintained eye contact with Toothless. He then slowly reaches out to touch him.
"It wasn't your fault, bud. They made you do it."
Drago still looked smug, until he saw Toothless' eyes changed to and from slits to his normal caring eyes.
"You'd never hurt him. You'd never hurt me," said Hiccup placing his hand on Toothless' head.
"How are you doing that?" said Drago now looking worried.
"Please. You are my best friend, bud," said Hiccup with tears in his eyes. Drago's Bewilderbeast kept on forcing commands onto Toothless, but they didn't seem to work as well as before. "My best friend."
Toothless shook his head forcefully and when he opened his eyes again, he no longer had slits and his eyes were now caring and gentle like on the day he bet him. Then he cooed sympathetically proving that he was out of Drago's Bewilderbeast control.
"Thatta boy! That's it! I'm here!" Hiccup yelled.
Drago's face changed from astounded to alarm. He then struck Toothless with the bullhook in a vain attempt to regain control.
"Enough!" he yelled.
Toothless roared defiantly, grabbed the bullhook with his jaw as Drago tried to strike him again and pulled… yanking Drago off of his back and sending him plummeting to the sea.
"Yeah!" Hiccup yelled.
Toothless gave him a toothless smile, however without a rider to operate his tail he began plummet towards the sea as well.
"Hang on!" Hiccup yelled leaping off his Scuttleclaw diving down after him.
Drago landed heavily on his Bewilderbeast's tusk.
"Almost there, buddy. Almost there!" said Hiccup tucking his arms in to close the gap between them.
He reached his hand out and managed to get on Toothless back. He quickly pushed down on the stirrup and Toothless' tail fin opened up. They then skyrocket past Drago as he hobbles to the top of the alpha's head.
Hiccup looked back at Drago, who was now issuing commands from the top of his Bewilderbeast's head.
"Do something!" Drago ordered.
"We need to get those two apart," said Hiccup.
Hiccup then flew past a flag pole and teared a strip of the flag.
Drago's Bewilderbeast then blasted them with an icy blast destroying several houses in the process. They both barely managed to dodge the attack as they disappear around the back of a mountain.
"We gotta block him out, Toothless. Do you trust me, bud?" said Hiccup.
Toothless gave him a nod and allowed Hiccup to blindfold him with the flag.
"We can do this. You and me. As one."
Hiccup then opened the tail fin and Toothless copied its movement with his real one as they circled around the mountain.
"That's it. Now let's try this one more time!"
They then headed towards Drago and his Bewilderbeast. Down in the village Astrid, Ragnar and Heather were rounding up the villages. They stopped and cheered when they saw Hiccup and Toothless fly over them.
"Take them down, babe!" Astrid cheered.
The Vikings roar in support as Hiccup and Toothless race past.
Valka watches, still on her Scuttleclaw, with pride as her son hurtles towards Drago and his monstrous Bewilderbeast.
"Go get 'em," said Valka.
"Take control of it!" Drago ordered.
The Bewilderbeast's began to hiss, but soon become a furious roar in order to control Toothless, but to no avail. Hiccup clamps his hands over Toothless' ear plates, muffling the Bewilderbeast's commands.
"Shut it out, Toothless!" said Hiccup as they got closer and closer to Drago.
"STOP THEM!" said Drago now getting worried.
"NOW!" said Hiccup pulling a leaver up.
Toothless pulled up just in time to avoid getting hit by the Bewilderbeast's ice blast. Drago looked up laughing, but quickly stopped and looked shocked.
Toothless' blindfold had fallen off and he was flying with his back towards Drago. This gave Drago a clear view of his saddle which was empty.
Drago turned around, eyes widen, to see too late that Hiccup was zooming towards him. It would seem he jumped off Toothless' back before he climbed towards the sky. Hiccup now had his flight suit deployed and Inferno in one hand leaving a trail of Hideous Zippleback gas behind him.
Drago tried to swat him way with his bullhook, but missed. Hiccup then clicked the lighter igniting the gas creating an explosive trail towards Drago. Drago had no time to dodge it and ended up blown off the Bewilderbeast's head and towards the ground below.
Hiccup then faced forward and saw the Bewilderbeast's trying to swat him. This situations brought back memories of the Red Death's tail slamming into him.
"Not again," Hiccup graoned. He then looked back at Toothless. "Toothless! It's now or never!"
Toothless then popped open his dorsal blades, arcs skyward, and re-joins with Hiccup just before colliding with the alpha's tail.
"Come on, bud!" said Hiccup as they speed along the length of the thrashing tail. "Hold on!"
They then shot past the tip of the tail, narrowly missing it.
"Yeah! We did it!" said Hiccup rubbing Toothless' chin.
As they flew backtowards the ground Hiccup noted Drago was getting up. He then jumped off of Toothless and deployed his flight suit again just as Drago got to his feet.
Drago got up in time for Hiccup to slam feet first into him sending him back a bit. Drago quickly recovered and swung his bullhook and Hiccup, but he dodged by leaning his body backwards and let the bullhook's blade sore over his face.
Hiccup quickly straightened and pressed the button that extended his blade to its full length and set it ablaze. He then swiped towards Drago, who quickly blocked it with his bullhook.
Drago then realised as they thought that Hiccup had the advantage. Drago may have been bigger and stronger than him, but he was faster, he had both uses of his arms, which he proved by drawing his dagger out and with his prosthetic leg it was like trying to block three swords.
Hiccup swung his prosthetic leg, nearly getting him in the gut. When Drago tried to swat him again with his bullhook, Hiccup ducked and once inside Drago's guard he swiped Inferno at his arm. It was only a cut, but the blazing sword made it enough for Drago to drop his bullhook and for Hiccup to kick him in the gut with his good leg.
After rubbing his chest, Drago rushed towards his bullhook. However, Hiccup tossed Inferno like a javelin, and sticking it in the ground between Drago and his weapon, singeing his outstretched hand.
"Agghh!" Drago yelled in pain.
"Hold him there Toothless!" said Hiccup as Toothless landed behind him.
Toothless snarled a warning, ready to blast. Clearly he wasn't going to forgive Drago for using him like weapon to kill Hiccup's dad.
"It's all over now," said Hiccup staring down at Drago as tucked in his wings.
Drago looked behind Hiccup and saw his Bewilderbeast emerging from the dust and what about to blast Hiccup.
"Or is it?" said Drago grinning knowingly.
Hiccup spun around and saw Drago's Bewilderbeast staring down at him. Next thing he knew it began to blast him with its icy blast.
"Oh, no," said Hiccup.
Before the ice covered him, Toothless leaped into its path, shielding Hiccup beneath him. The ice then began to cover them leaving just an ice column with ice spikes sticking out of it.
Drago laughed to himself as Valka landed her Scuttleclaw and rush to the ice structure. She then began banging her fists onto it.
"No! No…" said Valka heartbroken.
Astrid, Ragnar and Gobber along with the villagers, watched in the distance, horrified. Then as Valka banged on the ice it began to glow from deep within.
"Get down!" Ragnar yelled.
She didn't need to be told twice. No sooner had she backed away from it, it exploded. Ice scattered everywhere and once the smoke cleared they saw Toothless emerging from the debris, revealing Hiccup curled safely under his wings.
Then they noticed that Toothless was steaming, his black scales were glowing blue with rage, his split dorsal blades searing with blue heat, a glow emanating from his flared nostrils.
He turns back to Hiccup, to check if he's unharmed and then turns his full attention back to the Bewilderbeast. He leaped out of the crater and lands upon an ice spire, roaring ferociously.
The Bewilderbeast bellows back at this affront as if it was excepting a challenge.
"He's challenging the alpha!" Hiccup gasped.
"To protect you," said Valka in amazement.
Toothless then began to unleash a salvo of plasma into the Bewilderbeast's face, not letting up.
"That's way more than six," said Ragnar in bewilderment.
"I don't how, but I think he found a way to have an unlimited about of shots," said Heather in shock.
The Bewilderbeast roared at this act of insubordination. Toothless fires back, time and again, fully in control.
The alpha thrashes it tusks through the ice, trying to smash Toothless, but he deftly spring from spire to spire, continuing his unrelenting attack.
In the midst of the mayhem, the horde of commandeered dragons Berk's, Valka's and Drago's broke free from the control to witness Toothless' retaliation.
Toothless lands protectively by Hiccup and Valka, commanding the dragons to shift sides. Stormfly was the first on to rally behind Toothless, but soon all the others followed her lead and they all amassed behind Toothless.
Seeing this, Drago panicked and rushed over toward the Bewilderbeast.
"No, no, no, no! Fight back! Fight! FIGHT!" Drago yelled as he climbed on to one of the Bewilderbeast's tusks. "What's the matter with you?"
Drago turned around and found every last dragon were flying behind Toothless ready to do battle. Behind them were the Dragon Riders and behind them were the entire Hooligan tribe all armoured to the teeth.
Hiccup then climbed on to Toothless' back and together they flew up onto an ice spire.
"Now do you get it? This is what it is to earn a dragon's loyalty," said Hiccup gesturing to the dragons around him. "Let this end now."
Drago looked at him fuming. "Never!" he yelled. He then swung his bullhook around. "Come on!"
His Bewilderbeast charged straight at them, but Hiccup didn't look worried, most likely because Toothless seemed to have given a commend to the other dragons. He then fired a plasma blast straight at the Bewilderbeast, stopping it in its tracks. Then all the other dragons began to follow his lead and blasted the Bewilderbeast with everything they got.
Hiccup looked around, amazed to see the flock of dragons opening fire on Drago and his Bewilderbeast. It would seem they had just started a rebellion.
Drago was forced to hide from the fiery barrage by taking cover in the tall spines of the giant's crown.
"FIGHT! BLAST THEM!" Drago commended.
Then his prosthetic arm was blasted clean off by one of his own armoured dragons.
His Bewilderbeast then began to rear back to cover them all in ice, but Toothless lets loose his most powerful plasma blast yet at it. The blast hit the Bewilderbeast straight on the head is sending it backward. As the smoke clears, one of its massive tusks fell to the ground, sheared clean off.
Then Toothless roared commandingly, calling an end to the fight. Drago glared at Hiccup and Toothless.
"The alpha protects them all," said Hiccup gesturing to the dragons behind him.
Overwhelmed and overpowered, the Bewilderbeast yields to the new alpha and heeds Toothless' command, retreating into the sea in an explosive splash.
All the Hooligans cheered in victory.
Hiccup and Toothless looked down into the sea, but saw nothing see nothing but bubbles on the waves to mark their disappearance. No sign of the Bewilderbeast… or Drago.
Toothless then hopped down from the spire and cooled off, as people celebrate all around them.
All of the dragons Berk's, Valka's, even Drago's landed around Toothless. Cloudjumper walked up to Toothless giving him a curious look and then bows to Toothless, he was followed by the other dragons as Toothless stood proudly as they acknowledging him their new alpha.
Toothless then roared as loudly as he could and all the other dragons followed his example.
Once the dragons calmed down, he turned to face Hiccup as he approaches.
"You never cease to amaze me, bud," said Hiccup placing their foreheads together. "Thank you."
Toothless gurgles and licks Hiccup's face. Hiccups squealed, as he tried to get away.
"Toothless! You know that doesn't wash out," Hiccup yelled.
The crowd laughed at the sight. Then all around them, Berk's dragons reunite with their Vikings. Gothi herself was overwhelmed by her Terrible Terrors that covered her head to toe.
"Stormfly!" Astrid yelled.
"Skull!" Ragnar yelled.
The two of them ran to their dragons and gave them a big hug.
"Oh, give me a cuddle, Grumpy!" said Gobber as Grump flew towards him.
Grump then landed on top of him, flattering him to the ground. Alvin laughed as rubbed Groundspitter's head.
"Who's my little princess?" said Fishlegs.
Both he and Snotlout, who were relieved to the point of tears, race towards the expectant Ruffnut and then right past her to embrace their dragons.
"I missed you so much!" said Fishlegs hugging Meatlug.
"Don't you ever leave again, Hookfang!" said Snotlout rubbing Hookfang's head.
Ruffnut grumbled, dejected. Then Barf dipped his head in to console her.
"Oh Barf!" she said hugging the dragon's head. Belch looms in for some affection, but Ruffnut pushed him away. "Not you."
Belch was caught by Tuffnut, who glared at her.
Hiccup smiled, taking in the happy reunions. Skullcrusher approaches him, without an owner to reunite with. Hiccup pets him, as Eret approached him.
"That was some pretty fine dragon wrangling back there," said Eret impressively. "You'd make a good trapper."
Before Hiccup could respond, Skullcrusher nuzzles Eret affectionately. Eret chuckles and gently stroked him.
"You know, Skullcrusher's going to need somebody to look after him now," Hiccup noted.
"Me?" said Eret stunned. Hiccup nodded reassuringly. Eret looked at Skullcrusher, pausing to consider it. "I'd be honoured."
Valka then walked up to her son, bursting with pride.
"Your father… he'd be every bit as proud as I am," said Valka.
"Thank you," said Hiccup. "I'm really glad you're here, Mum."
"And here I'll stay."
Toothless appeared next to Hiccup and Valka, purring at her touch as Astrid strides toward Hiccup, beaming proudly.
"See? I told you it was in here," said Astrid pressing a finger on his chest.
Then she quickly pokes the dorsal fin button, popping it open. She giggled at Hiccup's expense along with everyone else.
"Ha, ha. Still doing that one? That's hilarious," said Hiccup rolling his eyes. He pulled her towards him. "Come here you."
He then kissed her. Heather then suddenly did the same thing with Ragnar.
"Ooh," said Gobber and placed his prosthetic arm over the eyes of boy gawking that was standing next to him. Alvin, who was standing next to him, whistled and spun around like nothing had happened.
Gothi then tapped Hiccup's shoulder, interrupting the romantic moment, making the two couples tear away from each other. She gestures for Hiccup to kneel, which he did, respectfully. She then gestured for Ragnar to approach her, which he did.
She then wrote on the ground and gestured for Ragnar to translate.
"Do you, Hiccup the Useful, take the mantle of leadership like your forefathers before?" Ragnar asked.
"I do," said Hiccup.
"And you vow to protect this village and preform your duties to the best of your abilities?" Ragnar asked again.
"I do," Hiccup repeated.
Then using ash from a heap of burnt wreckage, Gothi traces a Viking symbol onto Hiccup's forehead. She and Ragnar then bowed.
"Then rise the Hiccup the Useful, the new Chief of Berk," said Ragnar.
Hiccup stood up, meeting Gobber and Alvin's proud, smiling eyes. Gobber and Alvin turned to the silent crowd and throws up their arms.
"The chief has come home!" Gobber yelled.
"Three cheers for the new chief!" Alvin yelled.
The Hooligans erupt with cheers and applause as Hiccup takes in the moment, acknowledging the weight of responsibility now upon him.
"Along live the chief! Alone live the chief! Long live the chief!" The crowd cheered.
Toothless then threw his head back and fired a plasma blast in to the air in celebration, spurring all other dragons to follow suit, lighting up the sky in a spectacular display.
Later that day, a sheep was grazing lazily on the grass while a Terrible Terror struggled to carry him off. Suddenly, both sheep and dragon were snatched up by a passing dragon.
The dragon in question was Bard and Belch and on their necks were Ruffnut and Tuffnut wrestle over the sheep. Ruffnut then sent the sheep flying toward Fishlegs. Snotlout nabs it instead, blowing a kiss mockingly.
They swoop past a gathered crowd on the battered bleachers as Snotlout dunks the sheep in his basket. Eret and Heather, who were sitting on Skullcrusher and Windshear watched on and then decided to join the race.
They flew past Hiccup and Toothless, who are steadily hoisting a palette of timber and supplies onto a rooftop where workers are rebuilding the damaged houses.
Hiccup then turned his attention to Ragnar who was directing some sculptures, who were working on a massive statue of Stoick next to the doors of the Great Hall. He grins with pride. He then looked to the horizon, scanning it from east to west to ensure that no trouble is approaching.
Astrid and Stormfly buzz past him playfully, coaxing him to join the game. Heather flew past Ragnar playfully, also trying to get him to join the race. Both boys smiled.
Astrid and Heather soar past the blacksmith stall, waving to Valka, Gobber and Alvin as they remove the armour from Drago's freed battle dragons.
Realizing that he's late, Gobber hurries over to the sheep launcher and pulls the trigger, sending the black sheep hurtling into the air.
Astrid and Heather closed in on the black sheep, about to snatch it out of the air, when suddenly, Hiccup and Ragnar dart past, but Hiccup managed to beat them to it. Toothless looked back at them with a gummy smile. Both girls shook their heads chuckling to themselves.
Hiccup and Toothless dived down toward the line of baskets. As they approach, Toothless bounces Hiccup into the air, allowing him to dunk the black sheep into Astrid's basket. They reunite on the other side and the crowd cheers as they made their way towards them.
Hiccup and Toothless landed upon the chief's dais, joined by Astrid, Ragnar and the other Dragon Riders. Toothless then lets out a proud roar as Hiccup look out over Berk, gleaming with pride.
After the battle with Drago I asked Hiccup what we were going to do next. He looked at me and then looked at Berk and said to me, "This… is Berk. A bit trampled and busted and covered in ice, but it's home. It's our home."
He then looked at all the Hooligan that surrounded us and continued. "Those who attacked us are relentless and crazy. But those who stopped them? Oh, even more so!" For a second I thought I saw Stoick right in front of me, but then I realised that this was new more confident Hiccup. "We may be small in numbers, but we stand for something bigger than anything the world can pit against us. We are the voice of peace. And bit by bit, we will change this world."
He then walked towards Toothless and the rest of the Dragon Rider walked to their own dragons. "You see, we have something they don't. Oh sure, they have armies and they have armadas… But we… we have… our dragons!"
With those last words everyone Hooligan and dragon alike cheered and looked to their new chief. Of course this wasn't the end, this was the begin and it won't be the last time we lost someone close to our hearts.
Hope you enjoyed my story. Next up Dawn of the Dragon Races.