Chapter 89

Hiccups POV:

It's been four weeks since I took down the Loyal Order of Ingerman and in that time a whole lot has happened with me besides running my dragons through some new training courses and the members of the loyal order of Ingerman been dealt with by the defenders of the wing. I had been attacking the dragon hunter ships and flyers taking the men to the defenders of the wing to be dealt with but I did take a few of the flyers to Alvin for interrogation. Besides that, things had been pretty quiet which made me worry all the more about them. Now I was with Toothless in my regular armor flying over the waters enjoying a peaceful flight to just help calm my nerves a bit when I saw a ship sailing towards the edge. I had Toothless fly towards it as I readied a gronkle iron sword I kept on me since I didn't know if my starsword would work in this situation. When we came into land I saw only three people on the ship which consisted of the twins and a guy who looked like a Tuffnut with different clothes. When I dismounted the guy, who looked like Tuffnut walked up as Toothless growled making him stop as he said.

"You must be the famed dragon rider Hiccup Haddock."

"I don't know about famed but I am Hiccup Haddock and who are you?"

"Of course, where are my manners?" He put his hand on his chest. "I am Gruffnut Thorston and I am here with my cousins Ruffnut and Tuffnut to ask for your aid in their Thorston induction trials."

"What?"

"The Thorston induction trials?"

"Indeed, for you see every Thorston on their nineteenth birthday must complete three incredibly dangerous challenges decided by the high council of Thorstons to test the mental, mental and height of the Thorston taking the trial."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

"We need you to use your great dragon knowledge to tell us the best location on where to find speed stingers and changewings."

"Why in the world do you need to know that?"

"All will be revealed in time Hiccup but for now all I can reveal is their first trial is to milk a speedstinger for its venom." My eyes widened at this.

"Are you insane?" Before they could reply I continued with. "Speedstingers hate being milked for their venom, heck my trained ones barely let me milk them." The twins stepped forward as Ruffnut said.

"It's our birthright Hiccup and although it's sweet that you care we need to do this." Tuff then said.

"It's true since the only other option is to be disowned by the entire Thorston clan and viewed as failures for the rest of our lives."

"Well at least you'll still be alive."

"Oh, come on do you know what it's like to be constantly viewed as a failure to everyone around you including those in you own village." When he said this, I felt my blood boil before I used my prosthetic to grab him by the neck and lift him up as he gasped for air.

"Yes, Tuffnut I do as that was my childhood but I'm sure you and your sister remember that as you two never allowed me to forget what a failure I was." I dropped him to the ground as he fell on his bottom grasping his neck. "If you bring up my lousy childhood again then I will tie you to a boulder and drop you into the deepest pit in the ocean, got it?" He quickly nodded. "Good!" I turned back to Gruffnut and sighed. "If you really have to do this then I'll be coming with to make sure none of those wild dragons are hurt." They nodded. "Let's get going.

Sunset

Today had been interesting to say the least with everything that had gone on with the Thorston trials. Their first trial was to milk a wild speed stinger which although went well for Ruffnut did not go so well for Tuffnut as despite him actually milking one he accidently spilt the venom with some landing in his mouth. This left him both paralyzed and at the mercy of the speedstinger which lead to me having Toothless let loose a plasma blast to keep Tuffnut from becoming a meal for that dragon. They then had to use the speed stinger venom they collected to get the shed skin of a changewing. Surprisingly I didn't need to help either of them since they had no trouble using the venom to paralyze the changewing or in Tuffnuts case changewings since he had to deal with multiple changewings. Now we were waiting outside a cave waiting for the twins to come out with a small wooden chest. It was then I heard Gruffnut mention how they should be back by now which made me realize there was something he wasn't telling me. I turned him around and asked.

"Is there something you're not telling me Gruffnut?"

"Well nothing that I can think of." I glared at him since I knew he was lying. "Unless I didn't mention the titan wing zippleback nest in the cave." I felt my eyes widened at this before they returned to normal as I glared at Gruffnut and lifted him up by the neck using my prosthetic. "Do you have any idea how territorial titan wing dragons are?" He just choked and swatted at my arm. "You might have just sent your cousins to their doom." I then dropped him to the ground. "I swear if you try to leave I'll hunt you down and if the twins are hurt, injured or worse then I'll drag you to Egypt and have you mummified alive."

"What does mummified alive mean?"

"You don't want to know." He gulped as I turned to Toothless. "Let's go save the twins bud." He growled and mounted him as I smiled looking down at my belt. "I knew I was right to bring some paralyzing bombs and darts." We then flew into the cave to rescue the twins only to find them surrounded by multiple angry zipplebacks including a titan wing zippleback. "TOOTHLESS PLASMA BLAST!" He fired nailing the titan wing and three other zipplebacks gaining their attention. "RUFF, TUFF GET OUT OF HERE WHILE WE DEAL WITH THE ZIPPLEBACKS!" They didn't reply and just ran as Toothless and I lead the zipplebacks away. "Let's see if we can confuse these guys with a few spins and sharp turns."

He growled as he nodded before we began doing spins, sharp turns at walls and flying up and down confusing the zipplebacks before we lead them into a closed cavern where I was able to drop a few paralyzing bombs after the zipplebacks in their confused state smashed into either the wall or each other. We flew out of the cove just as the bombs went off paralyzing all the zipplebacks paralyzed and unable to do anything as we took off to the entrance passing a few piles of treasure that I made a mental note to collect it once I dealt with the Thorstons. When we flew out of the cave I found the twins arguing about how one was going to let the other win until Gruffnut told them about how it was the fourth trial and how it would test if their value of family. I then confronted him about putting the twins in danger before I noticed he was trying to take the chest so I checked it only to find it full of rocks so I let him keep it and he took off while I gave the twins a lift back to Berk. When we got back to Berk we found the twins cousin Agnet who looked like Ruffnut with red hair waiting for them. When we asked what she was doing on Berk she revealed that she was there to administer the Thorston induction trials but they explained Gruffnut already administered them. Agnet then asked what Gruffnut had to do with anything since he had no authority over the trials since he didn't pass his own induction trials. This shocked all of us but made me wonder what he wanted the chest for since it was just full of rocks. After that the twins went through the real induction trials and I took off back to my island so I could use the arch to get back to the edge faster but I was sure to stop to greet all my dragons and animals. I didn't stay too long though since I was eager to get away from Berk or to be more precise get away from Agnet Thorston who kept flirting with me when she wasn't judging the trials. I learned from Gobber that she was at the age where she was looking for a husband and heard about my adventures, good looks and wealth making me the most desirable man around. I just wanted to get away from her since she was too much like Ruffnut in the flirting department so she only succeeded in annoying or disgusting me with her flirting tactics.

Three weeks later

It's been three weeks since Gruffnut tricked the twins and I into helping him find a chest full of rocks and in that time a lot has happened. A day after we were tricked I returned to the titan wings nest and collected all the treasures that were there before moving them all into my vault since I didn't want the hunters finding out about the treasure then coming in and killing the dragons to collect the treasure. A week after that I got a visit from Dagur and Mala but Dagur had an arrow lodged into the back of his shoulder but he was happy about it surprisingly. When I asked him if something had happened though he explained that things could not be better as he just completed the defenders of the wing king trials, which ended with him taking an arrow for Mala. Mala then announced that they were getting married much to my shock before I asked how this whole thing started. They explained how it all began with the trust trials I made them go through at the summit but when they separated Dagur pondered this one bit of fat he couldn't get rid of no matter how many crunches he did and then it hit him or more specifically Mala hit him and then it was love at first fight. I could see the love and passion in their eyes and the last time I saw Dagur this passionate about anything was when we were still enemies and the thing he was passionate about was killing me.

Seriously I'd never seen anyone this lovey dovey in my life I mean honestly, they were always making goo-goo eyes at each other when they weren't either whispering sweet nothings to each other or doing different kinds of kisses. Then came Dagurs question, which made me worry since he asked me when I'd find myself a girl to settle down with but I told him when I find a girl who wants me for me and not all the benefits like wealth and reputation I'd let him know. Mala asked what I meant but I just told her it's a lot of long stories and when this whole business with Johan and the hunters I'd take them both to my island and show them what I meant. After that Dagur told me he'd hold me to it and then asked me to be the best man at his wedding which I was happy to agree to but I did tell him that when him and Mala had kids of their own not to ask me to babysit. They both looked hurt at this until I explained that a child with their combined strengths, skills and the Berserker tribe Berserkness would most likely end up taking off my remaining limbs. We all laughed at that before we went onto discuss the wedding traditions of the defenders of the wing. Another week passed and I was invited by the wingmaidens to witness their bonding ceremony where a new flock of razorwhips chooses their wingmaidens. I was happy to see two of Sapphires hatchlings chose Atali and Linden as their wingmaidens. There were a few issues with the one who chose Linden since she was rather troublesome when it came to being bathed and fed but I helped Linden out on those issues seeing she took after her mother in some regards. I had Linden put her in the water since like her mother the baby loved the water but I'd much rather forget how Linden fed her since she had to chew up the sea slug and then spit it out into the baby's mouth. She thanked me for the help before we had to deal with some hunters and Krogans flyers that came looking for the lenses but with the wingmaidens and Sapphire who came to watch her little one's bond with wingmaidens they didn't stand a chance and most of them were captured before I handed them over to the defenders of the wing to be dealt with.

Today however was definitely one of my more interesting days starting with a terror mail that I thought was from my father claiming he found a dragon eye lens and wanted to meet me to collect it. I didn't trust the letter since my dad wouldn't be this cryptic in a letter to me and would rather we meet on Berk where he could keep an eye out for his people. I went prepared with Phantom and Angel alongside Toothless and I so if this was a trap we'd be ready. When we got there, I had my changewings stay high up and remain blended so we'd be able to get the drop on the enemy if it was a trap. I wasn't disappointed to discover it was Viggo who set up a bola trap that shut Toothless' muzzle shut before I took out a gronkle iron sword I brought with me and pointed it at Viggo as he told me to stand down and the that he didn't want to fight. I told him I knew it was he and he applauded me for once again thinking a few moves ahead. He then told me how Johan and Krogan decided he was expendable after he was given false information about a dragon eye lens and they then dropped a mountain on his head. He asked me if I could imagine the pain of betrayal but once I told him I could I attacked Viggo only for him to block it with much to my surprise a flaming sword. He claimed he admired the gleaming and shining sword I normally used and how it was so unique in some way that he decided to make his own but sadly didn't know the material I used to make it so he settled for making a flaming sword instead. He then once again claimed he just wanted to talk but I told him there wasn't anything to talk about as our swords clashed again before much to my surprise his sword leaked out zippleback gas that then exploded which not only threw me back into a tree but gained the attention of my changewings who came running to make sure I was alright as Viggo walked over to Toothless and much to my surprise took off the bola on him before he ran up to me. It was then Johan walked up putting his sword on the ground and asked me to listen to him since he needed my help.

We started a campfire to talk where he gave Toothless a fish as we talked with him explaining how he wasn't going to wait the rest of his life waiting for Johan or Krogan to kill him and how he must strike first. He went onto explain how I lacked a ruthlessness that would prevent me from defeating Johan and it will only lead to my death or the death of someone close to me. He then explained how he needed the help of both Toothless and me and once Krogan and Johan are defeated he'd disappear. I told him after everything he'd done I'd never help him but when he mentioned obtaining all of Johan's lenses and dragon eye I considered it but turned him down telling him how I didn't trust me. He then asked me about the red oleander flower and explained how dragons couldn't detect it when disguised with another strong smell and revealed it was on the fish he gave Toothless. I then ignited my arm using a red crystal and pointed it at Johan demanding the antidote but he said Johan had it and if I helped him he'd get me the antidote or Toothless would die. It was then I agreed to go along with his plan just to help Toothless but warned Viggo if he betrayed me I'd use every torture method I knew on him before I asked him what the plan was. The plan was to break in and steal Johan's lenses and dragon eye making him worthless to Krogan and they'd eventually destroy each other. He then went onto explain how Krogan doesn't work for Johan but for some mysterious buyer from the north but Johan never said who it was. When I asked him how we were going to get the lenses he just held up a maces and talons piece known as the accomplice. We then took off to a mountain where we'd find our accomplice who turned out was a skrill, which was also the one dragon that could neutralize a singetails fire and was also its only natural predator. He lured it in with metal then formed a bond with it before we lead away to Johan's current base where it destroyed a tower, a catapult and took down two flyers before it was shot down but while it did this we were able to sneak into the base. It was when Johan, Krogan and some men began walking into the cave did Viggo betray me which brings us to where I am now. Sitting inside a dragon proof cage with my wrists cuffed and a muzzled Toothless sitting behind me, with my satchel resting on a table nearby. It was then there was a loud explosion echoing through the tunnels making me smile as I said.

"All according to plan." I turned to Toothless. "That's our queue bud."

I channeled a green crystal and melted off one of the shackles before I crushed the other one off using my prosthetic as I released my starsword and cut open the lock on the cage. We stepped out of the cage before I removed Toothless' muzzle and we ran outside only to find two guards aiming their crossbows at us. Toothless fired two quick plasma blasts at them before we took off down the tunnel towards the room where Viggo said the lenses were kept. I smiled at the sight but when I stepped forward arrows started being fired at me through the walls and ceiling but I used my eagle shield to block most of them and dodged the others with Toothless' help. They stopped when we got to the platform holding a small wooden chest making me smile as I looked down at it. I opened the chest but found it empty and I growled before I said.

"They knew we were coming, Viggo tipped Johan off, how could I have been so stupid?" I then heard a voice from behind me say.

"Apparently," I turned to see Viggo leaning against the wall and the skrill. "Johan wasn't as easy to trick as I thought."

"You double crossed me." I released my crystal spear and pointed the spearhead at him. "Where's the antidote Viggo?" He chuckled.

"There isn't one." I raised an eyebrow. "You really don't know your oleanders do you Hiccup?" He took a breath. "Red Oleander is harmless to dragons, I knew there was no other way to get your help." He paused. "I'd never harm such a magnificent creature." Toothless and I looked at each other in confusion as Viggo groaned and continued. " When Johan and Krogan left me for dead a monstrous nightmare saved me." He groaned again as the skrill walked up to us. "I've spent my whole life hunting dragons, killing them and I've come to respect them as equals which is something you taught me Hiccup." He began walking forward. "That's the final irony I suppose." He collapsed onto a table showing he had four arrows in his back.

"VIGGO!"

"This is it for me, the end of the game." I helped him stand up as someone outside said.

"They're over here, ready your arrows." Viggo got off me and took out his sword as he said.

"Go, I'll hold them off until you're out."

"I'm not going to leave you Viggo." He turned around to reply. "There's another way so we can all escape."

"No, there isn't Hiccup!" I raised my prosthetic hand revealing my portal pendent as I smiled.

"Yes there is." I walked over to a wall and created a new portal door as I turned back to see a wide eyed Viggo.

"How'd you-" I walked up and helped him towards the door.

"I'll explain later." I pulled him through the portal door with Toothless leading the skrill in and I could tell Viggo was shocked if his weight getting heavier was any indication.

"What is this place?"

"Like I said I'll explain later."

I looked back at the portal leading to Johan's base and took my satchel off before I opened it revealing it was full of explosives. I set one to blow then tossed the whole satchel back through the portal while muttering.

"That'll keep them busy." I then lead Krogan through the portal leading to Alexandria just as the explosives went off while Krogan looked around my Egyptian vacation home in wonder.

"Where are we?"

"Alexandria and as for how we got here we used one of the mystic portals I can make using a pendent but we'll focus on that later." I lead him outside before I helped him onto Toothless and we took off to the palace where we could find the best healers available.

4 hours later

I was waiting outside the room where they took Viggo to see if they could help him with Toothless and the skrill waiting with me. As I waited I remembered what happened when we first got here things didn't go so well with Asim recognizing Viggo and trying to have him arrested but I told the men to stand down. Asim asked what was going on but I told him I'd explain everything after we got Viggo to the best healers available before I showed him the arrows in Viggo's back and he had some men run to get them. The men lead Viggo and I to a room where the healers were waiting which is where I handed him over to them. Asim then came in requesting an explanation as to what was going on. I told everything that's happened starting with Johan's betrayal up to Viggo and I working together in an attempt to get the lenses. When I finished he understood why I was helping Viggo and wished him luck before walking away to return to his duties. It was then a healer walked out with a frown as I asked.

"How is he?" He looked down and shook his head.

"I am sorry, we've done the best we can do but he will pass on soon." I looked down and clenched my fists. "He did request to see you before he passes." I nodded and walked past him into the room where Viggo was laying down on a bed smiling at me as he said.

"I have to say Hiccup all of this is quite impressive and I would've loved to find out how all this happened I'm afraid my time is coming."

"I know Viggo but the healer said you wanted to see me before you passed." He nodded.

"I just wanted to say thank you for trying to help me Hiccup and one last thing." He took my hand. "You're more ruthless then you realize." He coughed. "I know you'll defeat Krogan and Johan." He gave me one last smile, which I returned before his hand dropped and his eyes closed for the last time as I looked at the maces and talons piece known as the accomplice that he left in my hand when he took it.

"Goodbye Viggo!" I then left the room.

Four days later

I was back on the edge looking down at the maces and talons board I got from my first encounter with Viggo and frowned. It was strange, knowing Viggo was gone since I'd been going up against him for so long and I learnt quite a bit from him including how many lenses Johan had. I covered the board as I looked out at the sea frowning at the memory of this morning when I sent Viggo out on his funeral pyre I made from the hunter ships I captured yesterday just for the occasion. I sighed and walked out only stopping to take one more look at the board and muttered.

"Good luck up there Viggo." And then walked out.

One week later

It's been a week since I had Viggo's funeral and things have been pretty quiet with no fights until this morning where I found two hunter ships with a few flyers. My dragons and me attacked the ships capturing the crew while also capturing the most of the flyers but one of the singetails was hurt during the attack. I took it and the hunters I caught to the defenders of the wing to be dealt with but when they healers were tending to the singetail one of them asked about some amber rock substance under its wing. I recognized it as deathsong amber. Fearing the flyers had found where I hid Garf I took off to check up on him only to find him unharmed and pretty happy while his new home was undisturbed. I figured they were using the adult deathsong to capture singetails and if I was able to free it not only would Garf reunite with his adoptive father back but I'd be able to cut off their supply of new dragons. I went back to the edge to figure out where the best location for them to capture singetails would be but Garf followed us probably because he was lonely in his new home. I was able to figure where they were capturing the singetails, which brings us to where I am now. Flying on Toothless with Garf, Siren, Scorch and Sear heading towards an island where I figured I might be able to find the deathsong along with where Krogan is capturing singetails for his flyers. I wanted Garf to stay behind but sadly he wouldn't stay back no matter how many times I told him to. As for gear I had all of my god made weapons in my prosthetic except for my spirit arrow quiver that was on my back since this place was more than likely heavily guarded. It was then the island came into view and using my eagle eye I was able to find their base in a cove with the deathsong chained to two pillars in the middle of the cove, trapped singetails all around and multiple defenses. It was then Garf caught sight of the deathsong and before I could stop him he flew towards the base. I had to resist the urge to go after him but I knew that even with the dragons I had with me they'd be able to capture us so I could only watch as Garf was hit in the back by one of the flyers sending him down where he was chained and then dragged into a cave. It broke my heart but I knew I needed to scout out the base and come up with a plan if I was going to save him and the singetails.

Nightfall

I had done a full study of the base and I had to say it was well defended but I figured if I got rid of the flyers then we'd be able to deal with the ground defenses. Now I was walking around the trapped singetails while pouring jar after jar of monstrous nightmare gel onto and around the singetails to set them free so they'd fly off with the flyers going after them leaving only the ground defenses to deal with. When I finished I saw a guard coming by and ducked behind one of the trapped singetails as he walked by before I mounted Toothless and signaled my dragons to get ready to attack. I gave Toothless a pat on the back to signal him to light up the gel and he leaned down towards the trail of gel before letting loose a low burn that ignited the gel. I smiled as I watched the fire spread freeing all the singetails before we took off to deal with the defenses with me using my spirit bow as my dragons swooped down to begin the attack. I immediately took out a fire arrow and shot it at one of their catapults setting it ablaze before we had to dodge out of the way of some arrows fired by archers on the edge. I took out one of my earth arrows and fired it back at them hitting the bottom of the cliff making the men laugh until the cliff they were standing on crumbled and collapsed with them on it. I smiled as Scorch swooped down and swatted three archers down with his wings while others had to dive out of the way of Sears fireballs. It was then Siren blasted three archers who were aiming at us leaving them cocooned and struggling to get free. I smiled at her until a fireball flew past our side making me look up expecting to see the flyers but instead I found much to my surprise one of the freed singetails bringing up the question of why didn't it leave. I saw my other dragons were in the same situation dealing with other freed singetails attacking them for some reason. With the free singetail's, the flyers and the archers we needed to retreat for now so I signaled my dragons to one of the caves where I could at least come up with a plan. We came to land in the back with all of us luckily unharmed but as we flew in I heard the leader order all of them to turn all their remaining catapults and archers at the cave leaving us trapped.

1 hour later

I was sitting down at the back of the cave as I stroked Garfs head in my lap while I tried to think of a way to get out of here. I knew I could just use my earth arrows to create a tunnel out of here but I needed to figure out why the singetails didn't leave when they had the chance. It was at that moment I remembered seeing what looked to be another cave in the cove and figure perhaps the answer to why the singetails refused to leave was in there. I gently pushed Garfs head off my lap and readied an earth arrow while signaling my dragons to get back before I fired it at the wall forming a small tunnel with a dead end before I took out another one and let it fly down the tunnel. I used ten earth arrows before I broke into the other cave just in time to see the singetail that I took to defenders of the wing island to recover fly past. I didn't know why it was here but decided to follow it to hopefully find out why the singetails refused to leave the cove. We followed her to the end where much to my shock there were multiple singetail eggs showing it to be a hatchery which also explained why the singetails refused to leave. Krogan was breeding the singetails and now I had another reason to stick around since there was no possible way I was going to leave the eggs or the singetails here. As I looked at the eggs and the singetail cuddling one of them I muttered.

"It's a good thing I brought Tephra with me and asked her to submerge herself off the coast of the island since I'm going to need her to transport all these eggs." After that I began to plan my new attack.

1 hour later

My dragons all knew the plan to take down the hunters and cutting off Krogans supply of singetails but I just hoped it worked since if it didn't we'd be in trouble. The plan was for me to distract the hunters by keeping their attention on the entrance of the cave where they drove us before my dragons attacked from the cave that held the hatchery which would no doubt catch the hunters by surprise. Now I was walking to the entrance with Toothless by my side as the leader told me that I should make it easier on myself and my dragons if I just gave myself up before Krogan got here. I smiled and walked up to the entrance and said.

"You know I've been to a whole lot of places in my life and know how to get out of tough spots."

"Well there's no way out of this tight spot for you."

"Except the other exit I made."

It was then Scorch flew in with Sear setting the two remaining catapults alight while Siren cocooned two flyers knocking them off their singetails. I mounted Toothless and we flew out as the leader yelled to unleash the deathsong before taking off on his own singetail. I readied my spirit bow along with an earth arrow and fired it at the feet of three archers who were aiming at us only for the ground to open up beneath them making them fall in before closing around them trapping them. It was then the deathsong fired at us until Garf flew above it calling to it. When the deathsong saw Garf it roared in what I assume was happiness before it tossed off the hunter on its back and then cocooned it along with two other hunters. It was then I saw the lead hunter was charging towards the deathsong on its singetail so I took out a forest arrow and fired it at him nailing him in the chest knocking him off the dragon. When he landed he looked at the arrow as it began spreading its roots as I smiled and yelled.

"DON'T STRUGGLE SINCE YOU'LL JUST MAKE THE ROOTS GROW FASTER!"

I then dodged another flurry of arrows and turned to see some archers backed against one of the coves side and fired back an earth arrow above them causing a landslide to fall towards them making them scatter. I then looked for anymore flyers or archers only to see the remaining flyers flying away with one crying out for his mommy. I rolled my eyes and looked around seeing multiple hunters cocooned, restrained, buried or unconscious and smiled before I said.

"I'd say this was a success." I looked down at Toothless. "What do you think bud?" He just crooned before I turned back to the chained up Deathsong. "Let's free Garf's friend." Toothless just growled before flying down and landing before I freed the deathsong who immediately took off with Garf who gave one last roar as I waved goodbye to him before I looked around at the battlefield. "We have a lot of work to do." We then got to work on gathering up the hunters.

AN: Hey all I hope you enjoyed the chapter and will review kindly because we're almost done with the race to the edge series. For those of you who were hoping I'd show Mala and Dagurs marriage announcement I'm sorry but I couldn't come up with anything for that episode but still I hope you enjoyed the chapter because the next chapter might be the last chapter for race to the edge. Till next time please review nicely and have a nice day.