Viggo's heart was pounding in his chest, audibly enough that he could hear it even over the roaring waterfalls and the wingbeats of countless wings all around him as he took in the scene.
Hailstar was standing at the very edge of this massive caldera in the middle of the sea, while standing opposite of him, only a hundred yards away was Toothless. Two kings of dragons, two Alphas, and from everything Valka had told him, he feared that only one could be allowed to walk away.
First Toothless roared, dominantly in warning. His eyes narrowed to slits and his teeth bared in a snarl. Viggo had to blink as he suddenly realized, Toothless wasn't wearing his saddle, or his signature red tailfin, instead, his tail appeared whole once more, but Viggo was certain, in the past year or so he had lived with dragons he knew how to recognize the small signs of individuals and he was fairly certain this was indeed Toothless.
Hailstar roared back even louder, and in him, it was a roar Viggo recognized. It was his challenging roar that he always used whenever a potential threat approached the flock.
The two dragons took several minutes of roaring back and forth, both of them acting very aggressively, but Viggo noticed that none of the rest of the flock was joining in, instead, they were all watching silently, and the light fury herself appeared to be slightly on edge with narrowed eyes scanning the situation, but was standing still and silent behind Toothless as well.
But suddenly both dragons were silent for a moment after Hailstar roared one last time.
Toothless paused and then turned to the Light Fury and the entrance behind him. He roared down into the cave and then both dragons stood frozen, still and waiting rather patiently while the flock still hovered behind Hailstar.
A few minutes later, a familiar, four-winged shape flew out of the mist, it was Cloudjumper and as he landed next to Toothless, he bowed his head low to the night fury first, and then when he turned his attention to Hailstar and he visibly grinned.
The next thing Viggo could see all three dragons, Toothless, Hailstar, and Cloudjumper seemed to be having their conversation it appeared that Cloudjumper doing his best to explain to both Alphas just who the other was, and how they had all shared history in a way.
Both Hailstar and Toothless finally began to relax, at least until Hailstar roared one last time and sent out a brief mental message that Viggo could hear as humming. In response Thunderstorm flew forward excitedly, landing just a short distance away from Hailstar's claws.
When they landed though, both Toothless and the Light Fury visibly tensed at the sight of him. The Light Fury opened her jaws and gathered plasma in her mouth in warning, while Toothless waved her back with his wings, but still crept forward slowly with his teeth bared in a snarl.
Cloudjumper started to explain something, but Toothless cut him off with a flick of his tail as he crept closer to Viggo. Thunderstorm meanwhile let a few sparks travel over his body in warning, while Viggo could also hear Hailstar's growls behind him.
Toothless though was undeterred, his eyes locked on Viggo's form seated on Thunderstorm's back, and Viggo could have sworn he even saw a few sparks traveling over Toothless' back in response. How did that happen, or were Viggo's eyes just playing a trick on him?
Toothless roared something at Thunderstorm and Thunderstorm roared right back, as Toothless kept coming closer and closer, until he was only a few feet away, and gave a large sniff. Only then did his pupils widen just a smidge, but he paused his stalking, aggressive behavior and roared at Thunderstorm once more.
Thunderstorm growled back and glanced up to Hailstar who nodded his head. Thunderstorm then turned his head to look at Viggo and growled something tossing his head in a motion Viggo recognized for get off.
"OK. I hope you know what we're doing here." Viggo said. He stepped off Thunderstorm's back and cleared his throat. "Toothless," Viggo spoke louder, and he felt a small measure of satisfaction when Toothless visibly flinched. Viggo reached up and removed his helmet slowly. "I'm sure you and Hiccup both thought you saw the last of me, but thanks to Thunderstorm here I survived our last mission together."
"Since that day, I have been living with Thunderstorm and another flock of dragons. I lived with Valka and Cloudjumper in the old Alpha's sanctuary for a while, but when you and Hiccup saved the egg of the King of Dragons, I took on a new mission, serving my new King, Hailstar." Viggo motioned to Hailstar beside him. "I promise I will never mean any dragon harm ever again. I don't know why you're here or why we're here, but I trust that you have a reason that I couldn't possibly understand."
Toothless finally relaxed, and after growling at the Light Fury for a moment, she relaxed too, neither fury no longer looking like they wanted to blast him into cinders.
Viggo relaxed too. "I know I can't possibly hope to understand you, but why are we here? We passed Hiccup and the other Riders on an island about two days' flight from here."
Toothless nodded and looked down at the ground for a long moment, and Cloudjumper too seemed to bow his head in either grief or remorse. Toothless then spent several minutes detailing to Thunderstorm and Hailstar, presumably what had happened to bring him and perhaps all of Hailstar's flock here.
When he was finished Hailstar nodded his head and looked back at his flock for a moment. Then he turned his attention back to Toothless.
Both dragons locked their eyes, and Viggo watched silently. Hailstar roared once more and then focused his gaze firmly locked on Toothless, and Viggo's ears were filled with the humming of Hailstar's commands surrounding him, and now the Light Fury, Thunderstorm, and Cloudjumper all stiffened, locking their gazes on the two Alphas as well, but none of them moved an inch further.
Toothless though was a more obvious change. He set himself in an aggressive posture. He was standing low, with his wings spread out to the sides to make himself look larger, his mouth opened and glowing blue from within. At the same time, Viggo watched as the spines along his back opened up and glowed bright blue as well as letting lightning crackle across his black scales similar to Thunderstorm. His eyes were narrowed to slits as he stared Hailstar down.
Both dragons stood there frozen, and even unblinking, Viggo knew this was some kind of challenge, but it was very different from the previous challenges Viggo had witnessed Hailstar take on.
After several minutes. Both dragons closed their eyes, and Hailstar's humming ceased, but Toothless shifted his head slightly, his mouth no longer open and looking like he could let loose a plasma blast at any moment, and the sparks of lightning disappeared, but he was still glowing along his spine and seemed to be lit from within.
What surprised Viggo the most though, was when Hailstar was the first to take a step back. Both dragons opened their eyes and locked on to each other for one more long moment. And then Hailstar tipped his head low so that his tusks scraped against the rock, and he still looked down at Toothless, but only because of his larger size.
Beside Viggo, Thunderstorm then lowered himself down into a bow of submission as well, and when Viggo looked at the flock hovering in the sky and treading water in the sea all of them tipped their heads low as well.
"What no! Hailstar did you just lose? You can't leave the flock!" Viggo shouted, but he was interrupted by a shriek from Toothless.
Toothless roared once again and every single dragon roared back. Toothless let loose a plasma blast that exploded in midair, and then as one, every dragon, including even Thunderstorm and Hailstar let loose a shot of their own that all collided in mid-air, and left a rain of sparks to fall around Toothless and the Light Fury.
Toothless turned to Cloudjumper and then to the Light Fury, growling at them both and they both took off into the air. Toothless roared one more time and then slowly the gathered flock followed Cloudjumper and the Light Fury down into what Viggo had to assume, was the Hidden World.
Thunderstorm though, stayed standing on the ground beside Hailstar as the flock joined the countless other dragons, although a few others also joined Viggo, Bewilderbreath, Firestorm, Scarlet, Twilight, and Tiny.
Once the rest of the flock was inside. Viggo smiled, "Well Thunderstorm what are we waiting for? Let's go." Viggo climbed back into the saddle.
Toothless roared aggressively again and boy he had forgotten how the shriek of night fury could give him nightmares as all the other dragons respectively parted until Toothless was standing in front of Thunderstorm.
Toothless growled once more but seemed to falter for a moment, and when he glanced up at Viggo again, he could read the sorrow in the dragon's green eyes.
"Thunderstorm what's happening? Toothless, I assume you're the Alpha now, but please don't force Hailstar to leave."
Toothless shook his head and with one paw, stood up and tapped Viggo on his chest while shaking his head.
"Oh…" Viggo felt dread in his chest as he finally understood. 'That's why Hiccup and Valka and all the other Riders aren't here. You found the Hidden World, didn't you? And it's not a place for humans."
Toothless nodded sadly but did perk up slightly when the Light Fury and Cloudjumper rejoined them.
"So, what happened to me? You can't just leave me here!"
Thunderstorm growled loudly, asking Toothless a question, and Toothless nodded solemnly.
"Thunderstorm, you'll take me back to Valka and Hiccup?" Viggo guessed.
Thunderstorm nodded his head.
"Alright, but I guess that means this is…goodbye for the rest of you?" Viggo asked and all the dragons around him nodded their heads in unison. "Alright then." Viggo felt himself getting choked up as he stepped off Thunderstorm's back once again.
"Firestorm. Stay out of trouble…that means no more traps, and also don't get into any trouble with Blazefire either." He said, placing his hand on Firestrom's warm snout one more time, and also getting one last lick of farewell in return before Firestorm wrapped his wings around Viggo's body for a quick hug.
"I'll always remember what you did to save me, even though you had every reason not to," Viggo promised.
He then turned to Scarlet. "I'm glad you joined us and took a chance trusting me. Even if I never got to ride on your back, you deserve to fly without a Rider for the rest of your life Scarlet. Keep your dragons safe down there, and I hope the air won't be too thin for all of you." He placed his hand on Scarlet's snout for a moment and she breathed out a plume of smoke in his face. Viggo just chuckled lightly at the gesture and waved the smoke away so he could breathe.
"Bewilderbreath," Viggo smiled, "you've been a wonderful co-parent to our not-so-little one." Viggo smiled and placed his hand beneath her chin to give her one last scratch, for just this once ignoring the chances of frostbite. I couldn't have raised Hailstar without you. Thank you for joining us, our flock would never have been complete without you."
In response, Bewilberbreath curled her tail around his ankles for a moment and then let him go.
"And now you, Hailstar." Viggo walked over to Hailstar and laid his hand on his chin, and he told himself his face was wet from the mist filling the air, definitely not tears gathering in his eyes. "I can still remember the day you hatched, I never could have imagined back then that you'd be such a noble leader so soon. I still remember it all, your first fishing trip, your first swimming lesson, and all the lessons Thunderstorm and I gave you on leadership. I never should have doubted that you would pass every test, I or the flock could give you."
"You have done your father so proud. I know he is looking down from Valhalla right now, and you've also done me proud. I trust you made the right decision bringing us here, and passing the torch to Toothless. I know he is just as noble of an Alpha as you and your father are. He will protect the flock, and protect you, but don't forget you also must protect him and his flock now. However large that may be. Enjoy the Hidden World Hailstar. I am sure it is a place I can't even imagine. As long as you're safe, that is what's most important to me."
Hailstar growled low in his throat and then breathed out a wave of icy frost, once again tufting his black hair with icy tips.
Viggo shivered slightly in the cold he felt but did his best to hold onto that feeling. "Thank you Hailstar, and good luck, my Alpha." Viggo bowed low to Hailstar for the last time and then stood up slowly.
Hailstar stood up and roared into the sky once more, and in response, every dragon in the flock let loose a burst of flames into the sky in Viggo's honor as well.
"Thank you. And Toothless, I will do my best to check on Hiccup, I trust he will fill me on my myriad list of questions that I have?"
Toothless nodded his head.
"Then, just as you are now Hailstar's king, my loyalty rests with you and with Hiccup. I will do my best to serve you both well to the best of my ability, however you see fit. My Alpha." Viggo said, bowing low.
Toothless made a rumbling growl in his throat, and after one more shared glance at Viggo and Thunderstorm, the remaining dragons flew up into the air and then dove down into the Hidden World below.
Hailstar did as well, he climbed over the rocky outcropping and then joined the flow of the many waterfalls so that after a moment, Viggo couldn't even see his immense form in the waters and misty clouds either.
"Goodbye Hailstar," Viggo said again, and now it was just him, Thunderstorm, and Toothless remaining.
Toothless and Thunderstorm had a quick growling conversation, and then Thunderstorm bowed his head one more time and turned back to Viggo.
"It's time to go then I wager?" Viggo asked and pulled himself up onto Thunderstorm's saddle. "Farewell Toothless, I will look forward to the day if we ever meet again. But not at adversaries, as allies."
Toothless nodded his head once more and then Thunderstorm took off, heading back in the direction they had traveled from, back to Hiccup's new island.
The journey was just as long, although this time Thunderstorm did stop to eat and rest on the way, but early morning two days later Viggo saw the familiar sight of the islands' massive cliff faces reaching up to the sky.
Thunderstorm settled down on the edge of a grassy cliff, and Viggo stepped off. He patted Thunderstorm on the side of his neck, but suddenly felt lost, as he knew what had to happen next, but he didn't even know where to begin.
But before he could make any further moves, three figures stood up from where they were seated a few feet away and stepped closer to him. Even in the early morning mist and half-light, Viggo could recognize them.
It was Valka, Hiccup, and Astrid, all three of them looking at him with various questioning looks on their faces, ranging from happiness, to hope, to guarded curiosity.
"Viggo… You're alive. I still can't believe it." Hiccup was the first to speak up. "Seeing you here, it's like seeing a ghost."
"Well, tales of my death were a bit exaggerated." Viggo smirked, "But I owe it all to Thunderstorm and your mother. How are you Valka?'
"I, I'm fine physically at least, but I take it you've just come back from the Hidden World?' Valka replied, with strong emotions clearly in her eyes.
"Yes, Hailstar led the whole flock there, and he and Toothless had some sort of challenge, it wasn't like others I've seen, but Hailstar peacefully passed his leadership over to Toothless and my flock is now in the Hidden World."
"So is ours Viggo, they can be safe forever." Hiccup said. "But Viggo, I have so many questions-"
"I do as well Hiccup, how much has Valka told you?"
'I've shared a lot already since we saw you a few days ago. But how about we take turns filling each other in eh?" Valka suggested.
"I think that sounds like a splendid idea. But first…" Viggo glanced back at Thunderstorm. "I assume you have a good reason to send the dragons away?"
"Yes, we did." Hiccup nodded, and Viggo could see tears threatening to spill from all three Vikings' eyes. 'Toothless belongs there, as I assume you saw, he became the Alpha not just of our flock, but of the entire Hidden World. I thought we Berkians could all live in peace cutting ourselves off from the world above, but the Hidden World is no place for humans. Just as our world doesn't deserve the dragons. It's for the good of all that we go our separate ways for now."
"I see. Then I shouldn't put this off any longer, no matter how much I want to." Viggo turned around and stepped closer to Thunderstorm, and Viggo knew that he knew just as well as he did, what had to happen next. Viggo held out his hands and cradled Thunderstorm's chin.
"Thunderstorm, thank you, for everything you've done for me. For saving me more time than I can count, for being my partner, and for showing me just how wonderful the world can be. For being my family…and dare I say it, my best friend. I will truly miss you from the bottom of my heart, but you need to follow Hailstar and Toothless's lead. It would be selfish of both of us for you to stay here with me."
Thunderstorm growled low in his throat and Viggo stepped to his side released the straps that kept his saddle on his back, and gently picked it up and placed it on the ground. Both Dragon and Rider looked at the saddle for a long, reflective moment.
"I remember way back in our first battle against Johann together, I told you to leave, to save yourself and you chose to stay." Viggo could feel tears gathering in his own eyes now. "I'm sorry I can't give you that choice today, now you have to go, and this time I can't take no for an answer, no matter how badly I want to. So go, get out of here, you useless reptile. Thank you, for everything."
Viggo took a step back and extended his hand while closing his eyes, letting his tears finally race down his cheeks.
A moment later, he felt the familiar brush of scales beneath his palm as Thunderstorm placed his snout against his hand. After a long, quiet moment, Viggo stepped away, but then Thunderstorm stepped forward, wrapping his wings around Viggo's body in a hug, and giving him one last lick across his face, wiping the tears away.
"OK," Viggo managed to laugh, "now go. Hailstar and everyone else is waiting, I just know it." Viggo reminded him.
Thunderstorm took a step back and then flapped his wings to launch himself into the sky. He hovered for a few moments, looking over at Viggo, and at Valka one last time before roaring loud enough he sounded like his namesake and then he turned to the west and flew away.
Viggo stood there frozen on the edge of the cliff for who knows how long, watching until Thunderstorm crossed over the horizon and Viggo couldn't see him anymore. The whole time, he felt a hand on his shoulder, he knew it was Valka, along with Hiccup and Astrid standing on his other side.
"Viggo, I am so sorry. But you did the right thing. We all did." Hiccup said, his voice catching, and Viggo was sure that just like himself, he wanted more than anything to see his dragon once again.
"I trust you had your reasons, and I will always trust your judgment, Chief," Viggo replied. "Now you may do with me as you wish. I know I have committed many crimes not just against you and the dragons, but also against your people." Viggo bowed low, just like he would if he was facing Hailstar. "You may do with me as you wish, but I would like to humbly request to join your tribe, Chief Hiccup."
"Of course you can Viggo, if even half of Mom's stories are true, you have more than paid your dues to the dragons, and I am more than willing to give you another chance." Hiccup managed to smile, "Also I don't want my second act as chief on this island to be building a prison. You are welcome to join the village."
"Yes Viggo, welcome. I know you will help make us stronger." Astrid added.
"I can only hope…chieftess?" Viggo guessed.
Astrid shook her head, "Oh no, not quite yet." Although you better not try to take me hostage again. She smiled as she joked.
"I wouldn't dream of it, Astrid. I think the only games I will play now is actual Maces and Talons."
"That's a relief," Astrid said sarcastically.
"Viggo, would you like to come to the village? We only just began construction, but we can get some food in you, and we can share our stories." Hiccup offered.
"Hiccup, I think that sounds wonderful. But might I ask one question? Is Grimmel still on the board?"
Hiccup paused for a moment before he said in a decisive, chief-like voice. "No, he isn't, he's been…taken care of."
"Understood, and the rest of the Warlords' fleet?"
"They've been taken care of as well," Astrid said.
"Excellent," Viggo clasped his hands together, "I can't wait to hear all about it."
Together, Hiccup and Viggo carried the saddle back to the newly built village, and along the way, they received several surprised, to outright aggressive looks, but every time Hiccup, Astrid, and Valka were quick to jump to his defense and say he could be trusted, which was the first time in his life Viggo had ever heard himself described that way.
Word of his arrival spread even faster so that by the time they arrived at Hiccup's tent, the other Riders, Gobber, Eret, and Gothi had all arrived with questions of their own. Hiccup managed to get everyone calmed down and in order so that everyone pulled up a seat outside the tent and Hiccup invited Viggo to tell his own story first, since other than himself, Valka, and Astrid no one else knew at all where had been in the nearly two years since they had last faced him in battle.
And so Viggo began his tale from when he had told Hiccup and Toothless to retreat from the battle with Johann, to meeting Valka, the Alpha, bonding with Thunderstorm, and raising Hailstar, all the way to how he had left Hailstar and the others at the Hidden World and now he had said goodbye to Thunderstorm as well with Valka also chiming in to provide her account of the events from time to time.
Then when he finished Hiccup explained everything that had happened with Grimmel, the Light Fury, and the Hidden World, and why he had finally decided to let not just Toothless go to fly on his own, but all the dragons.
After both sides shared their stories, everyone began asking each other a million questions, and both sides attempted to answer as best they could. They spent so long doing so that it was nightfall when Astrid finally looked up from their intense discussions and ordered everyone, especially Hiccup, to grab some dinner and then head to bed for some rest, although when they did, Viggo felt a bit lost as where to go.
"Viggo," Valka stopped him from walking off, "If you don't mind you should stay with Eret tonight."
"Really?" Viggo asked, looking between the two of them. "I don't mind resting under the stars, I've done that plenty with…Thunderstorm." Viggo said, feeling his voice choke with emotion for a moment.
"It's no big deal mate." Eret smiled, "Plus I know from experience it can take some time for the tribe to warm up to you when you're a former dragon trapper, no matter how big of an endorsement the chief gives you."
"Thank you Eret, that's very kind of you."
"No problem. Accomplice." Eret grinned at him.
"Yes," Viggo nodded, "but as you can see all of our days of that fight appear to be over."
"That may be," Valka agreed, "but that doesn't mean we still can't keep the memory alive. Someday I know in my heart the dragons will fly through the skies once more, but only when our world is ready to truly accept them."
"Valka, I hate to say it, but that may be a long time coming."
"I know." Valka nodded, "But it will be someday, I just know it. We can't be the only ones willing to learn the truth. But for now, our time as the accomplices to the dragons, of being dragon riders is over.."
"Yes, we've finished the game, but haven't won it." Viggo agreed. "We've simply cleared the board for the next game. I will miss Thunderstorm, and all the other dragons, but from what you've all told me, I believe we've all made the right decision. Neither we nor the dragons should have to fight constantly for peace. Peace and safety for us all, we'll have to see if it is worth the price, of flying on our own."
AN: Thank you to all my readers who have enjoyed this story and letting me know by reviewing, favoriting, or following this story. This marks the end of this story, but I am sure I will have more HTTYD stories to write in the future.