Heheheh, here we go. the story is really getting started now. Hiccup isnt so predictable at all anymore. How well will this go down? I'll tell you this, something bad happens next. hehehehe. Will Shadow get there in time to save the Dragon riders from drowning, and will Hiccup defeat Dagur before he escapes? Find out next chapter... please leave a review :D

The dragon riders flew for hours on the wind currents, speeding away on strong wings. Most of the time they spent in silence, mentally preparing for any battle that might take place. By the time they arrived at the ghostly graveyard, the gloom of twilight had taken over. Toothless and Shadow blended seamlessly in the cover of night, their wingbeats almost silent. The others did not blend so perfectly, but at Shadow's command, they flew as quiet as they could.

They circled the area once, but they found no sight of Dagur and his men. They had arrived first. Hiccup called them to land on a large, broken ship where the mast had been snapped clean off, plenty of room for them and the dragons to stand next to each other.

"There's no sign of Dagur, meaning we got here first. So we put the recovery plan in action. Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, I want you to check the cargo holds of the surrounding ships. Astrid and Snotlout, you know the drill. Provide cover for those three. Shadow, double back and protect our flank, search the surrounding waters for Dagur, but do not engage. You are our sentry and last line of defence. Understood?"

Everyone nodded. But before they could move, there was a crash and the boat rocked. Gigantic eels slithered up out of the water, baring their needle-like teeth. The dragons went into a frenzy of shock and fear, roaring and squawking in fright at these monstrous creatures. The dragon riders screamed as these living nightmares rocked the boat and tried to pull it under, then they screamed in horror as their dragons left them.

Not even Shadow's demanding roars could stop them. The eels coiled themselves around the figurehead, and used their massive weight to pull the ship's bow under the waterline. The ship started to sink. Toothless and Shadow, the only remaining dragons, fired upon the nightmarish creatures, sending them scuttling away into the darkened depths. The boat continued to rock on the water for a few minutes before it finally stopped.

The dragons were gone. Hiccup sighed. "Ok, change of plans. Astrid, you go with the twins, and Snotlout goes with Fishlegs. While they check the cargo holds, you stay up on deck as a lookout. Shadow, your new mission is to track down the dragons and bring them back. Got it?"

Everyone nodded again, but were fearful since they didn't have their loyal, protective dragons to watch over them. Quickly, they broke off into groups and went to search to surrounding ships.

Shadow turned her horned head towards Hiccup and Toothless, warning them to stay safe. Then she unfolded her wings, took a few running paces, and launched into the air.

Shadow searched and searched for the missing dragons, but they had scattered at the sight of the eels. They were everywhere, those hellish creatures, but Shadow flew too high for them to reach. The large Black Moon chose a direction, and flew over in search of the dragons. Unbeknownst to her, Dagur was down wind, and slowly creeping up on the unsuspecting lot.

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Hiccup and Toothless stood in front a desk in the captain's quarters of the Reaper, where an armoured skeleton of the long dead captain sat, clutching a mysterious object. Hiccup was fascinated by it, despite not knowing what it was, and Toothless was wary for any traps surrounding it.

Cautiously, Hiccup approached the item, flicking off the skeletonised hand and gently supporting it from beneath. As soon as he removed it from its pedestal, he froze. He waited, nothing happened. Nothing moved.

"Phew, that could have been WORSE!"

Slam, an axe came out of nowhere, imbedding itself where his hands had been a moment before. From everywhere, traps were triggered, aimed at right where he was standing. In an instant, he was on Toothless's back and running for their lives.

Jumping over iron spikes, dodging crossbow bolts, and avoiding hidden bear traps under their feet. Hiccup had no idea if he was going to make it, and prayed to every god that he and Toothless would survive.

Finally, the two burst out of the hatch they came in through and slammed it shut. The two sighed in relief.

"There you are Hiccup!"

Looking up, he was met face to face with the last person he wanted to meet. Dagur the deranged. And boy, he looked horrible. The mad glint in his eyes was far more noticeable, and he now had a beard. Sheesh, he thought, he's hideous.

"Hiccup, my brother, so nice to see you again. I've been thinking about you for the last three years." He said with glee. But as soon as he spoke again, his tone darkened considerably. "Three years in which I was locked up in prison for."

Dagur then took a step to the side, revealing a metal cage containing the other dragon riders. Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut. Thankfully, Shadow was nowhere to be seen.

"Now then, since we now know what we are playing for, how about you give me all the gold and jewels, plus whatever it is you are hiding behind your back, and I'll let you have your friends here and leave peacefully." he bargained.

Astrid spoke up from the cage. "Just give him what he wants Hiccup, we can always fight him later."

Angrily Hiccup handed over the cylindrical item. Dagur grinned like a madman and inspected the device. "Wow, such amazing craftsmanship. I wonder what it is. I'm surprised you didn't put up more of a fight. It's so unlike you brother."

Hiccup growled lowly, surprising the madman. "I'm not your brother."

Dagur scoffed, then ordered his men to retreat to their own ship. As soon as they were over the rails, Hiccup ran to the cage to unlock it. The metal lock didn't budge in any direction. Toothless even fired a plasma blast at the lock, but nothing happened, the metal cooled within seconds with no damage or warping to it at all.

Ok then, so it was made from dragon-proof steel. That's new. Fishlegs was fascinated by it. "Hiccup, don't worry about us. Shadow will be here soon and can bust it open. Go after Dagur before he escapes." Yelled Astrid.

Hiccup nodded and mounted the saddle, taking off in a hurry. Dagur hadn't gotten very far away, so he caught up in seconds. He heard Dagur scream at his men to fire, and the catapult on board launched a giant boulder towards him.

Hiccup smirked as he and Toothless expertly dodged. "You missed." He taunted. "Oh did I?" came Dagur's snarky reply. Too late did he realised that the projectile wasn't really aimed at him. The boulder smashed into the hull of the Reaper with a sickening crack. The ship started sinking.

"Whats it going to be Hiccup? Heroically save your friends, or come and catch me?" he yelled over the rider's screams.

But if there was one thing that Hiccup learned in the last two years from Shadow, is that you can always make your own third option. A deadly glint flashed in Hiccup's eyes, like a wild dragon realising its prey was caught.

He opened his mouth and roared. The thunderous noise echoed around the broken ships, startling everything close by at the sheer volume and intensity. Far off into the distance, Shadow heard his call, and ruched to where he was.

Hiccup didn't wait a second longer, and directed Toothless into dive at the escaping ship. Dagur had never expected Hiccup to be able to make a roar of that ferocity, and was stunned for a few moments while it echoed around in his brain, but he was stunned again as the so called predictable Hiccup went forward in attack. He had been counting on the little runt to save his friends.

Dagur bellowed at his men to attack.