Back to Berk
Stoick's eyes widened as they neared the flat ground of the lower battlefield. Toothless was cornering Hiccup, and Stoick was too far away. "No... no, no!"
Stoick sped up as much as he could. Hiccup was in trouble. He couldn't believe that he had been willing to leave Hiccup behind! If he had chosen to stay and back up his son, maybe this wouldn't be happening.
"Hiccup!"
The distant voice startled Stoick, there was something familiar about it, but he didn't have time to think about it further. As he glanced over, he could see two women running toward Hiccup. The mysterious woman was unmasked, but Stoick couldn't see her face as she ran toward his son, her back to him. Astrid was right behind her.
The sound of the charging plasma blast increased, it was going to be a powerful blow. Stoick was in denial. He wasn't going to make it in time. Hiccup needed to run, but he was backed against a wall of ice and facing off with the first friend he had ever had. Stoick knew Hiccup. Hiccup had stubbornly insisted he could get through to Drago, he would insist that he could get though to his mind-controlled friend. Stoick desperately wanted to reach his son in time, but he didn't.
Instead, he watched from a distance as the unknown woman slammed into Hiccup, knocking him backwards, then shielded him with her own body. At the same time Astrid dashed forward and shoved Toothless' head with all her strength and momentum. As Toothless fired, a blinding blue light emanating from his mouth, his aim was sent askew and he blew part of the ice wall to pieces.
While all of that had been happening, Drago had been slinking away, not caring about the outcome or the people involved. However, as he was leaving, Stoick and the Dragon Riders of Berk had been on their way.
Drago narrowed his eyes as he found that he was about to be outnumbered, and tensed as he saw Stoick nimbly maneuver through the wreckage of the battle, landing right in front of him with an intense glare of hatred. Stoick wasn't about to let this man escape, not if he could help it.
"So you are alive." Drago observed, though he didn't seem too concerned about it. His Bewilderbeast had won and was taking control of all the dragons, what did he have to lose? There was no stopping him now.
"It takes more than a little fire to kill me." Stoick challenged, swinging his ax menacingly, ready for battle.
A smirk grew on Drago's face before he lashed out with his weapon. Stoick dodged and swung his ax in an arc, but Drago twirled his bull hook and swatted the ax off its course and out of his hands, leaving Stoick completely open for a moment. Drago took advantage of that moment, drawing his weapon back in so that he could jab it at his enemy.
Stoick knew that he wasn't going to be able to block in time and did his best to dodge again, however, before the blow could land, some of the group had caught up to him, and Eret intervened by using the tip of his sword to counter.
Stoick hesitated for the briefest of seconds as the guy he recognized from the dragon hunting ship came to his aid. He had been riding with Astrid and fighting on their side, so he decided that he must be an ally now.
Drago quickly disarmed Eret while Stoick had been considering whether or not to trust him, and prepared to strike at the traitor, but it was the chief's turn to save the former dragon trapper from a critical blow. Stoick slammed his fist into Drago's side with as much power as he could, causing him to stumble to the side.
As Drago turned back to the fight, he could see that the situation wasn't currently in his favor. Eret, the traitor, was ready to jump back into the fight alongside Stoick the Vast. The dragon riders he thought he had done away with, were all there now. Most of them were trying to hold the Night Fury down as he failed to take flight and join his Bewilderbeast's flock. A couple of them were standing by, prepared to back up their chief.
Drago took a step back as he raised his bull hook and began twirling it. He yelled to gain his Bewilderbeast's attention. His actions caused the others to back up, more of them joining in to restrain the Night Fury so as to avoid another situation like before.
The new alpha swung his head down to observe the scene better and placed his tusk near his master, allowing Drago to climb aboard.
As Drago was slowly raised into the air, he smirked, pointing his bull hook away from the icy island, he gave the order. "To Berk."
Stoick glared after Drago as the Bewilderbeast took its attention off of the group of dragon riders, with a mix of feelings inside. He was relieved to see the man leave, but worried for his people. He watched for a moment as the growing flock of dragons followed their new alpha. His dragon was up there somewhere, as well as the others'. Near the shore, the remaining of Drago's warriors finished boarding what was left of their fleet of ships and set sail.
It seemed unusual and like a stroke of luck that Drago had left them alive, however, Stoick knew the man was cruel. Drago had left them stranded on purpose. There was nothing they could do to retaliate or to stop him as he headed for Berk. They were helpless to aid their people and protect their home, and the villain wanted them all to know that. He wanted them to suffer.
A familiar dragon coo broke Stoick from his thoughts and he turned around to assess the scene. Toothless was finally coming to, and wasn't very happy to find most of the dragon riders piled atop him in an attempt at restraint.
Hiccup was sitting on the ground and the mysterious dragon rider seemed to be tending to him, her back to Stoick. Gobber stood to the side, an odd expression on his face as he avoided looking Stoick in the eye.
"Hiccup?" Stoick was suddenly worried that Hiccup had been injured. He walked over to his son. "Are you alright?"
Hiccup looked up at him with wide eyes, but didn't answer. The woman kneeling in front of his son stiffened as he approached and Stoick was starting to get impatient. Why was everyone acting so weird?
"Hiccup?" Stoick's tone changed from the caring, fatherly one he had used at first. But Hiccup still didn't say anything. He looked like he had been caught in the act of doing something he shouldn't be doing.
"Is he okay?" Stoick turned his attention to the woman. She seemed very attentive to his son. She had even risked her life to save him. However, she just ducked her head down and flinched, as he addressed her. "Answer me! You just met my son, so why are you both so familiar with each other? I don't think I like how you're-"
Valka stood up, interrupting Stoick's little rant, but still didn't turn around. There was something very familiar about this woman, but Stoick didn't want to let his mind go down that road. It was too painful, for some reason, to let the familiarity sink in.
"Stoick, just calm down for a second." Gobber moved forward and set a calming hand on his friend's shoulder. He wasn't sure how this was going to go down.
"Dad." Hiccup got to his feet too. "I... I didn't tell you because I didn't think it was my place."
"Tell me what? Who is this?" Stoick felt like he knew at this point, but he refused to let himself entertain the thought. It would be too painful when he turned out to be wrong, and he had to be wrong. She was dead.
"Stoick..." The sweet, familiar voice made his breath catch and his heart fill with warmth. "I'm so sorry."
She still hadn't turned around, but Stoick was positive now. Without thinking, he reached out a hand and gently placed it on her shoulder. She didn't object, content to let things play out, for better or worse. Stoick guided her shoulder as he turned her around to face him.
It was her. Those emotional, aquamarine eyes. The beautiful face with the high cheekbones. Her long, braided hair.
Stoick was no longer in control of his own actions. He brought his hand up from her shoulder and stroked her cheek, wiping away a stray tear in the process. She winced, the slightest bit, but then leaned into the touch.
"Stoick." Her wonderful voice was soft as she spoke. "I'm sorry. I thought you and Hiccup would be better off, I didn't think you needed me. I couldn't return and fight dragons-"
"It's okay." Stoick effectively cut her off as she half-heartedly defended her actions.
Valka put her hand on the back of Stoick's and guided his hand from her face and back down to her shoulder, where she held onto it. "You're not angry?"
"Maybe I would have been, in the past." Stoick briefly looked down in thought before meeting her eyes again. "But I think I get it. I understand... I understand because Hiccup was once in a similar situation."
Valka glanced at their son, who was standing to the side of them, watching with wide eyes. This was very odd for him. Both his parents were in front of him, talking. And they were both alive. "Hiccup told me that you changed. That Berk changed."
"We did." Stoick almost gave Hiccup a proud look, but stopped himself as he was reminded of Berk's current situation. Instead, he sighed deeply. His reunion with his wife would have to wait. He removed his hand from Valka and she immediately missed the familiar touch, but didn't show it. "Berk is in trouble."
"Wait." Tuffnut nudged Hiccup aside and squinted his eyes as he looked back and forth between Valka and Stoick. "What's happening?"
"I think she's someone from our chief's past." Ruffnut came up to her twin's side, talking before Hiccup could answer.
"It's-" Astrid started to answer, but was cut off. She had figured it out.
"Wait!" Tuffnut turned to Hiccup and grabbed his shoulders, leaning in and giving his friend a scrutinizing stare. Hiccup gave the male twin a startled look in return. "Yes. I see."
"Move him, next to them." Ruffnut directed and Tuffnut all but shoved Hiccup into his parents. Valka steadied him, slight amusement on her face. Stoick looked impatient, but Hiccup had once told him that it was best to let the twins work through things on their own, or else they ended up wasting more of your time.
"Yes! I see it now." Ruffnut's face lit up.
"So do I! This woman," Tuffnut gestured to Valka, "Is the chief's long lost, twin sister!"
Valka choked on her laughter, covering her mouth with a hand. Hiccup was not at all surprised. He sometimes wondered if the twins guessed things wrong on purpose, for the dramatics and reactions of others, he knew they could be smart when they wanted to be.
"The chief has a twin?" Snotlout scrunched his face up in confusion. He had thought he had known who she was, but now he was lost.
"I wish my twin was long lost." Ruffnut commented.
"Guys, that's Hiccup's mom." Fishlegs finally cleared things up, thinking that things were getting a little out of hand.
"Hiccup has a mom?!" Tuffnut looked scandaled.
"Everyone has a mom." Astrid rolled her eyes.
"We're wasting time." Stoick cut them off, then turned to Hiccup. "How do you get anything done with these people?"
Hiccup shrugged, he didn't know how they pulled things off either. "Patience?"
"And sarcastic remarks." Ruffnut added to Hiccup's answer.
"And lots of eye rolling." Tuffnut joined in.
"Stress isn't good for you." Ruffnut shook her head disapprovingly. "You should work on that."
"Right." Hiccup nodded, it was best to go along with it at this point. "I'll do that."
Eret stood to the side, amused and curious to the group dynamic. He had never been part of such camaraderie. The closest he had come, was being captain of his dragon hunting crew, aboard one of Drago's ships. But they hadn't even tried very hard to save him from the Deadly Nadder, and they had remained loyal to Drago during the battle. He hoped these people would all accept him into their close group.
"Valka?" Stoick decided to ignore the twins, letting them think things out had not wasted less time, unless they were capable of extending that whole conversation out further, which they probably were. "How strong is that thing's ability to control dragons?"
"It's a Bewilderbeast. Often referred to as the King of all dragons. It can completely control its subjects." Valka was okay with talking business with Stoick. It gave them a chance to work together and reacquaint themselves before discussing more personal things.
"So if one of us took Toothless to Berk, it would just take control again?" Stoick deflated. That had been his only plan. It was the only way to get there in time.
Toothless cooed apologetically, looking rather ashamed.
"It's not your fault, Toothless." Hiccup reassured his dragon friend as he scratched his chin.
"No, it's not his fault." Stoick couldn't help the hardness in his voice. He was happy that Valka was alive and he understood why Hiccup had chosen to stay with her, but now they were right where Stoick didn't want to be. They were stranded with no way to get to their home and their people.
Valka would have been okay, if they had left. Drago wasn't there to kill them, he was there to take the dragons. Besides, his wife was obviously a survivor, though Stoick couldn't help but think that with the barest hint of bitterness. The dragon that took her hadn't meant to harm her, he could believe that, but she had chosen to stay away.
If they had left when he had wanted to, they still could have reunited eventually, anyway. However, all of his people shouldn't have to suffer because they hadn't left in time to warn and protect them. Stoick was glad that Valka was alive, but the priority should have been to leave before the battle was lost. And Hiccup should have known that.
Hiccup turned to look at him, surprise and indignation on his face. "This is my fault now?"
"We should have left when I first told you, then we could have been a step ahead of Drago." Stoick said firmly. "But you don't know how to listen."
Valka was startled by the sudden shift in conversation and mood. She didn't know how Hiccup and Stoick interacted normally, but they hadn't seemed to be on the same page from the very start. She didn't think she had the right to intervene or take sides, and she didn't want to.
"I told you that you were free to go. You didn't have to stick around because of me." Hiccup's face became hard and it surprised Valka how her optimistic, outgoing son could look so cold and angry.
"Believe me, I wasn't about to let you stop me from protecting my people." Stoick wouldn't admit that he hadn't hurried as he had rounded up the others. Part of him couldn't bring himself to leave his son at war, without back up. But the other part knew he had a duty. "It took time to gather the others without your help. By the time I did, it was too late."
"I was never trying to stop you from protecting Berk! Protecting Berk has been my main goal." It had kind of hurt, when Hiccup's father had referred to the Hooligan Tribe as his people, instead of theirs. It made Hiccup sound like the enemy.
"Oh really? You could have fooled me! Every action you have taken today has been incredibly selfish and immature. You're not thinking like a chief, you're acting like a foolish child!"
Hiccup flinched as he was taken back to his childhood, when he couldn't do anything right and was yelled at and criticized no matter what he did. His intentions were always good, but everyone hated him for even trying.
"We would all be back on Berk now, if you hadn't run off." Gobber voiced his opinion softly, uncharacteristically subdued.
No one else said anything and they glanced around them as if trying to escape the situation by observing their surroundings. Hiccup figured that they all must agree. He had ruined everything. He had doomed his people and his home. Drago was right, then. They were the same— both capable of destroying everything in their path. Hiccup could have joined Drago's cause and the results would have been the same. Hiccup would be responsible for the death and destruction of all that he knew, either way.
"Take the baby dragons." Hiccup spoke quietly, he didn't want to fight anymore, he felt hollow and empty inside. He felt so guilty and cold.
"Oh..." Valka's eyes lit up, she hadn't thought of that.
"What are you talking about?" Stoick asked, his voice stern even though he felt a twinge of guilt. He had seen the effect his words had had on his son and he regretted causing that, but he needed Hiccup to understand.
"The alpha has no control over the baby dragons." Valka explained.
"They don't listen to anyone." Hiccup finished the thought, wincing a little as the description seemed to also describe himself.
"Can they carry us?" Gobber asked.
"Yes, I believe they can." Valka was relieved to be able to give Stoick good news and take the attention off of Hiccup. "It will be a bit of a wild ride, though."
"Then let's get going, we don't have time to waste." Stoick instructed.
—
It took some time and quite a bit of effort. The baby dragons were unruly and it was true, they didn't listen to anyone, and that included them. They had finally managed to scavenge some rope and make some makeshift bridles. If they were going to do this, they would have to use everything they could to gain the advantage and have some semblance of control.
"They're just being playful. They've never been ridden before and they are loving the attention." Valka explained as she pet the head of her baby dragon. "They're babies, but they don't want us to get hurt, so don't be afraid to trust them."
"Alright." Stoick was a bit unsteady but ready to go. "We'll make do. Everyone mount up, we need to go."
Everyone mounted their dragons except Hiccup, even Eret had been included. Hiccup hadn't bothered to find himself a baby dragon or prepare to leave. Nobody had even seemed to notice until now, as he had tried to avoid drawing attention to himself, and the others had felt awkward about before and hadn't been paying him attention.
"Hiccup?" Astrid was the first to notice his inaction. Everyone turned to him expectantly. Stoick reprimanded himself for not paying closer attention to his son. He had to constantly be monitoring him if he wanted Hiccup to do what he needed to do.
"I'm not leaving Toothless." Hiccup set a hand on the Night Fury's muzzle. "He can't go, and... you don't need me."
"Hiccup, that's not-" Astrid was interrupted.
"That's probably for the best." Stoick said, surprising everyone. Hiccup's heart clenched, but he knew his father was right. Stoick knew that now wasn't the time for apologies and coddling. They had a war to stop and their people to protect.
"What?" Astrid was indignant, she dismounted her baby dragon. "Then I'm staying too!"
"Astrid, no." Hiccup refused, although he was touched and relieved that he at least still had Astrid. "Berk needs the Dragon Riders, and without me, you're the leader. Berk needs all of you to go."
"I can stay." Valka offered. She didn't like this situation. She didn't like how Hiccup seemed to be cast aside so easily. She was surprised at Stoick, but also knew he had his chiefly duties to think about as well. She also understood loyalty to a dragon companion.
"You're the only one who knows so much about the Bewilderbeast." Hiccup countered.
"He's right, Val. I need your help." Stoick's eyes were pleading, and Valka nearly gave in right there. "Hiccup and Toothless are a good team. They'll keep each other safe. Once Toothless can come back to Berk safely, they'll join us. We can't allow Drago to gain control of a Night Fury."
"You'll be okay?" Valka had to ask Hiccup first.
"Yeah. We'll be okay." Hiccup confirmed. Toothless purred his response. He felt bad for forcing Hiccup to separate from the others, but knew Hiccup wouldn't have it any other way. Toothless didn't want to accidentally hurt anyone like he had come so close to doing earlier.
"Alright." Valka finally agreed.
"Then I could stay." Eret spoke up. He hadn't been drawing much attention to himself because he didn't want the Chief of Berk to run him off. But he felt a powerful sense of loyalty to Hiccup. Even when they were on opposite sides, Hiccup had been kind to him. He hadn't given up on him and his potential to do good. Hiccup had treated him better than anyone Eret had ever met before, and he had been Hiccup's enemy. "I don't really have a place in this group, and I'm not experienced with dragon riding."
Hiccup was surprised by the offer, and quite touched. However, he secretly wanted to be alone in his self-imposed exile. He didn't want the company of people, he felt too ashamed, but he also didn't have a liable excuse for why Eret, of all people, should leave.
"I appreciate that, but no." Stoick declined Eret's offer on Hiccup's behalf, and Hiccup didn't know what that was supposed to mean. "You may have assisted us in battle, but just this morning you were part of Drago's crew. I'd like to keep you close so I can keep an eye on you. I don't want you here, alone, with Hiccup."
Eret could understand that. He had made a lot of bad decisions in the past, his motivation mostly being survival. Though, despite his understanding of Stoick's answer, he still felt that loyalty to Hiccup, so he turned to him for some kind of answer.
Hiccup nodded at him, essentially giving Eret the permission he sought to leave with the others.
"Sure thing, chief. I'll prove myself to you yet." Eret agreed.
"Let's be going, then." Stoick readied to leave without another look at his son. The guilt was eating at his insides, but he couldn't risk losing his resolve to leave, like he had before, during the battle.
Astrid ran to Hiccup and placed a kiss on his cheek. She lingered for a moment before meeting his eyes. "As soon as I can, I'll be back. I promise."
"Thanks, Astrid." But Hiccup couldn't manage a smile.
Astrid mounted her baby dragon and gave Hiccup one last look before taking to the skies after the others.
—
Hours of flying on a misbehaved, excitable, baby dragon took its toll. If they had been riding their usual dragon companions, the trip would have been easy. They could have flown all through the remainder of the night and into morning, and smoothly. There would be no doubt that they could make it before Drago did.
However, the baby dragons didn't have as much stamina and their erratic flight pattern tired them quicker and made them slow. They had been forced to land and take several breaks already, for the babies to recover their strength, and rest. It was slowing their progress. Drago's armada hadn't even had that big of a head start, no more than a few hours, yet they still hadn't caught up to them.
"We have to get going." Stoick pressed. "How are they doing?"
"The shorter the break, the less time they'll last." Valka responded. "I'm sorry Stoick, but they are just babies."
"Yes, I know. And I'm grateful to them, I'm just worried." Stoick was beyond worried. Not only was his son, whom he loved dearly, left behind on an abandoned battlefield, but his people were in danger and didn't know it. His attention was divided, and had been from the very start, which hadn't exactly helped when he had lost his temper. Once again, Stoick felt like he had failed at fatherhood. He had been trying for so long to be the father Hiccup needed and deserved, but he felt like all of his progress had been lost in one day. He couldn't lose Hiccup and his people.
"If only there was a way to make progress while also resting." Tuffnut said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, like if you had some kind of flying contraption that could transport a group of people from one place to another, but without anyone having to tire from the effort. You know?" Ruffnut expanded on the subject.
"We would need a form of energy, to propel it forward." Tuffnut rubbed his chin.
"And it would probably need wings. Something to cause lift." Ruffnut continued.
"You two are idiots." Snotlout rolled his eyes.
"That does sound pretty impossible." Fishlegs added.
When Ruffnut gave them both a look, knowing that the two were still fighting for her affections, they both completely gave in.
"But geniuses are often not appreciated in their time." Snotlout tried to make up for his insult.
"Yeah, genius." Fishlegs scrambled for a response.
"Hey, it was my idea first." Tuffnut pointed at himself, though Snotlout and Fishlegs refused to meet his eye.
"Alright, I think it's time to go now." Astrid interrupted before the conversation could deteriorate further.
Valka found— she wasn't quite sure who these people were— Hiccup's friends? Whoever they were, she found them amusing. "Yes, I think that is a good idea."
They all mounted their Scuttleclaws and took off. They flew over the vast ocean for a while longer. Not much in sight for the majority of the time. They made slow progress, having to take a few more breaks along the way, but eventually their surroundings took on the familiar landscape of home.
It was dark by that point, so late into the night that it was almost morning. There was an eerie silence and all of Berk was dark. The guardian statues weren't lit, the village torches were out. There was no smoke from fireplaces within the people's homes.
"Something's not right." Stoick commented quietly. "Be careful, Drago has to be here somewhere."
Nobody responded, they were all too on edge. Drago said he would conquer Berk... so where was he? They hadn't passed him, they hadn't seen any sign of him as they had flown.
As they weaved through the sea stacks and past the guardian statues, all of their focus was on the island of Berk and its shores, so they didn't notice the ships hidden below.
"Gah!" Astrid cried out as a net flew through the air and tangled up her and her dragon. They began to plummet for the shimmering surface of the water, not too far below them.
"The armada!" Snotlout shouted while pointing at the ships they now saw hidden behind various sea stacks.
Everyone tried to outmaneuver the flying nets, but the baby dragons weren't smooth fliers yet and were easily captured. They all joined Astrid, tangled up and struggling to surface in the water.
