There it was. Its rigid mountains covered in dense forests, topped with snow, while the rather paradox village was at the shore of the Nordic island. Despite the tribe inhabiting this island living there for at least seven generations, most buildings were new. Then again, this tends to happen to all settlements were fire breathing dragons were a common pest.

Not that this is an issue any more. At least not with the same intensity like it was five years ago. The dragons of the archipelago stopped raiding the Vikings. Some still do, but only because the Vikings attack on sight.

The Vikings do not know why the dragons stopped so suddenly – however there are rumours – there are only so few that know the truth. But none of them consider themselves Vikings any more. The catalyst doesn't consider himself a Viking.

In fact, Hiccup never considered himself a Viking. His birth tribe never did, so why should he?

If he won't pay his old home irregular yet frequent visits, he would dread flying there, to see Berk again. As he closed in on the island, his dragon, his best friend, slowed down. His flight became soundless. "Toothless, land carefully. Gothi doesn't like it when we damage the roof."

He still visited the Elder for reasons. She is a well of advice and she was one of the few not to constantly insult him. Not to mention, she promised to keep his secrets if he visited her. And shared his knowledge with her. While he isn't deep into medicine any more, he was bound to learn a thing or two on his travels. Like that Light Fury saliva has healing properties. Other dragons have such properties, too, but Light Fury saliva is the strongest and most efficient substance Hiccup ever discovered.

As his Night Fury landed on the roof silently, Hiccup looked to the village. It looked calm. He hoped it will remain like this over the duration of his visit. Not that his life and plans rarely go like intended…

He couldn't even beat the Red Death without loosing a limb. That was not planned.

Toothless jumped off the roof and Hiccup got off him. Before the twenty one year old could knock on the door, Gothi already opened. Hiccup got in, followed by his black dragon. Toothless hid in a corner, in case someone came unannounced. As Gothi is the healer of the village, unannounced visits are common for the old woman. Hiccup stepped into her hut, making sure his staff situated on his back didn't scratch the door frame. Not that Gothi cares, but he would prefer to remain unseen and leave no clues.

'How have you been, Gothi?' he asked her while putting the saliva and herbs he brought into her storage. By know he knew what came where. When he was done he read her words in the sand. By now he learned that, too. 'Good to hear they stopped to ask about the saliva.' She wrote a question. 'Firewing Island is doing good all things considered, like Lars. Things are peaceful.' More writing.

'Even the alliance, albeit Gorg… well…' He sighed. 'You know how little Gorg and his tribe think of me by now, with my eternal complains. I am surprised the alliance hadn't split due to our… differences.'

She then hit him with her staff. 'Ow! I know, I know! If I think like this, I will just jinx it!' he said. 'How had Berk been since my last visit? I know the dragons had been easily irritated the last few weeks, mating season for most and such." She answered. 'You wait for an attack? And Snotloud is a bit too excited for this to happen.' She scribbled, quite angrily judging by her mimic, her brows furrowed. 'Yes, wishing for an enemy to attack is a bad sign in an heir.' he admitted. 'How is Goober?'

Goober is the blacksmith of Berk. He is his birth father's best friend and used to be Hiccup's smithing teacher. Goober is one of the very few people Hiccup misses, even though he does have his bitter thoughts about the man. He never did anything about his father's treatment of him. Then again, most people tend not to go against their chief. For all Hiccup cared, Goober lost his spine, too. Just not to a dragon like his limbs.

Gothi wrote. 'They still haven't found a replacement to be his apprentice?' he asked sarcastically. 'I don't pity them.' She wrote something. 'No… I do not want to repair Astrid's axe… okay, maybe, but only because it was my best work for a long while. Artist's pride, Gothi!' His dragon purred. 'Tooth! Don't let Heidrun hear that!'

Gothi laughed at that, which surprised Hiccup. 'Gothi, not you, too…' She hit him again, albeit lightly and wrote. 'I don't need a spouse. Or a heir. For what? I am not a chief, not a real one. I'm just the dragon tamer, a loner but a friend of the dragons!' he answered overly dramatic as he turned away from her. 'I doubt there is a point to ask if my… birth father moved on from mum?'

She shock her head, still no.

'But you criticise me for dying lonely?' Gothi crossed her arms. 'Hey. I'm young, I have time. I'm not dying anytime soon. Probably.' She sighed. 'Anyway, I found a new herb you may want to try-' The blowing of a war horn interrupted her. 'A raid? Now? By Odin!' Hiccup ran out the door and looked to the village. A small group of dragons was attacking. He could see some of them flying to the arena. 'Looks like these want to free their brethren.' he said sadly, 'Even now, your people won't ditch dragon classes.'

Before Gothi could hit him with her staff, Hiccup jumped onto Toothless into the air. While flying he donned his mask and detached a staff fasted onto Toothless. As they approached the raiding dragons, Hiccup threw together a plan.

A whistling sound caught his attention. Toothless shot the bola that was about to hit them. 'Thanks, bud.' said his rider, 'Looks like someone found the old Bola launcher. Blast it if you see it.' Hiccup doubted one of the Hooligan tribes could rebuild it, so for all he cared, destroying something was for once a valid solution.

Toothless dodged a second bola with a barrel roll, before shooting a blue blast, destroying the regretful invention. 'A Night Fury!' someone yelled. Hiccup rolled his eyes. A part of him wanted to introduce the Light Furies to them and see their minds being blown.

He flew circles while shaking the staff he was carrying around. The sound calmed the dragons who calmed down and started to follow Hiccup.

'You! Masked one!' boomed a voice Hiccup dreads to face. His birth father and the chief of this tiny village. Stoick the Vast of the Hooligan Tribe. If it wasn't for his mother's loyal character, Hiccup would doubt he is from that man's blood. 'Dragon Conqueror!'

'Let's entertain him, bud. Land with a loop.' he told Tooth, who flow down in a loop. Hiccup jumped off and landed, Toothless landing besides him. 'Well met, Chief of the Hooligans! I did not expect to be known here in your small village. On that note, to call me a conqueror is not accurate.'

He could sense the villagers staring at him, many readying their weapons. If not for his companion, it was for his armour, made of dragon scales. Mostly Night Fury scales, but there were some others. Namely his mark made with white Light Fury scales and a few red scales here and there. Not dragon hide as he doesn't slay dragons.

Stoick did not change much. At most he was more grey, more tired looking. Time wasn't nice to him, but time is rarely nice to anyone. 'What are you doing here with your dragons? You rarely raid us for years now.'

Hiccup had to laugh at their idiocy, 'Oh, you got it wrong, Haddock! I stopped the raids five years ago. This swarm doesn't belong to me, I just want to get them away from you Dragon killers. On that note, we will leave.'

'Your v-wait, how do you know my name?' asked the chief.

'You are a chief.' pointed Hiccup out, 'People tend to know chief's names.'

'But you're not from here.' chimed Goober in. Maybe it was the lack of light, but his old teacher didn't look much different besides the clothes and greying. 'From the archipelago, I mean.'

'Wrong, Goober! I am from this archipelago.' he corrected him again. 'Albeit I haven't been living here for a while.'

Toothless growled as Stoick stepped closer, slowly. He pointed a finger to Hiccup and said, 'You know his name. Why would you know my blacksmith's name? Unless…' He grabbed Hiccups mask and pulled it off, then threw it to Goober.

Green eyes looked into green eyes. Surprise into fear. 'I…' Hiccup took a step back.

'Hiccup…' said Stoick, stepping closer.

'That is Hiccup?!' yelled Goober, not believing his eyes. 'He isn't dead!'

'We thought you were dead.' said Stoick. 'I thought you were…'

Hiccup rolled his eyes. 'That's the point of faking one's death. Making everyone believe one bit the dust.'

'Yes, this is Hiccup and his sarcasm.' he heard someone say.

'Actually, my sarcasm had become more snappy and sharp over the last five years, Spiteloud.' he answered. 'Well, I'm leaving.'

Before he could turn to Toothless, someone tackled him to the ground. It was a blonde girl, one Hiccup knew could bring a world of pain. And he recognised the axe aimed at him. After all, he made it. 'Hello, Hofferson.'

Astrid stared at him, pushing him to the ground with one hand, the other holding her axe. 'We demand answers, Haddock.'

Toothless growled and stealthed up to her. Hiccup felt the heat of the plasma blast he was charging. 'Bud, don't.' he told his dragon who stopped. Toothless still stared at Astrid. 'And Hofferson, I abandoned that name, just call me Hiccup or whatever.'

That surprised her, allowing Hiccup to throw her off and pin her to the ground. Toothless snatched the axe and kicked it away. After a few seconds he let her go and stood up.

'I admit, I owe you answers, just leaving without even a letter.' said Hiccup, looking to his father. Astrid got up and attacked him, but he caught her arms and threw her over his shoulder. 'But I don't feel like answering anything. However, I feel like leaving.' Toothless joined his side.

'But you can't just leave again!' shouted Stoick.

Hiccup shook his head. 'I can. Riding on a dragon, even.'

Stoick pointed to Toothless. 'About that. How? Why? Why did you side with the enemy?'

Hiccup's blood boiled with anger hearing Stoick's words. 'Enemy? They are your enemy, not mine.' He spoke louder, to make sure everyone heard him. 'You all said I'm no Viking. By that logic, your enemies are not mine. I for my part am a friend of dragons.'

'But they murdered hundreds of us!' Stoick roared.

'And you thousands of them!' countered Hiccup, his voice booming. Some of the villagers flinched, not expecting the Hiccup they knew to sound like this. 'On that note, you realized the raids lessened, right? The dragons of this archipelago had been controlled by a massive dragon, a chief dragon, to raid you. The Dragon Chief is no more, so they didn't need to commit to weekly raids. They were arguably never your enemies. Not like the likes of Alvin and the other Outcasts.'

'You tamed a Night Fury.' was all Stoick said.

Hiccup shook his head. 'I won't say tame. Then again, I won't say control either. I befriended Toothless and the other dragons of my island.' corrected him Hiccup. 'Another reason why I won't stay here any longer.'

'You can't leave! You are my son! You are my heir!' yelled Stoick, grabbing Hiccup's arm so he can't leave.

'Oh, am I?' answered Hiccup while he struggled against Stoick. 'Gothi and some other figures told me you announced Snotloud your heir, Stoick. And you disowned me! You don't need me here. However, I am needed somewhere else.' Stoick let go of him. 'Unless you have a reason for me to stay.'

Stoick's eyes wandered to Goober who just shrugged, then to the ground. He couldn't think of a reason for Hiccup to stay if he already discarded their family and his birthright. However the Thorsten twins of all people had an idea.

They yelled, jumping in front of Hiccup, 'Teach us how to train dragons!' Ruffnut, the girl, added, 'Your whole Dragon Master thing is that you're a peace maker between Vikings and dragons, right? You could do that with Berk.'

Hiccup was surprised. He crossed his arms and answered, 'I can't force peace, not on a war mongering tribe like yours. Unless your village wants peace…'

Astrid spoke up from the ground where she laid, 'You don't see us as your tribe, do you?'

Hiccup kneed down to her height. 'I haven't considered the Hooligans my people even before I left, Hofferson.' he told her coldly and nonchalant, his calm green eyes looking into her blue sorrowing eyes.

Stoick hurt hearing that, Valka would kill him for failing their son like that! 'I… yes, we need to try this. It would give us an advantage over the other tribes, especially the Berserkers and the outcasts.' He could see Hiccup rolled his eyes, but he also smirked when he mentioned their allies, the Berserkers.

Astrid stood up. None of the villagers said anything about this loudly, they were only whispering each other. She knew most tended against it. Astrid however had made her mind up. 'We need to try this! Hiccup, teach us.'

His eyes moved to her, he didn't expect her to agree, let alone as the first one. After she voiced her support, others voiced in. Of course the twins were ones of the first. It was their idea after all. Soon, most of the village agreed. At least enough for Stoick to commit to it.

Hiccup then announced, 'I will teach you, but be warned, things will change. First of all, I'll free the dragons in the arena. The swarm that attacked you wanted to free their brethren after all.' Goober told him he leads him there. 'Goober, did you really think I forgot where the arena is? Not to mention, I always see it from Gothi's hut.'

A teen boy stopped him in his tracks. He seemed to be the age when Hiccup left. 'Wait, Gothi?'

Hiccup admitted, 'I regularly visit her, I deliver her herbs and medicine. She knew of me. Gothi is the reason why I was here and knew of the raid.'

'Wait, that gel.' realized the boy, 'You?'

'The gel is a discovery of mine. It is the saliva of a specific dragon species,

boiled. It has incredible healing capabilities and is very disinfecting after being boiled, even if boiling slows the general healing.' he explained. 'Wait, Gustav? Is that you?'

'Yes!' he confirmed. 'When do you start your lessons for us?'

'After some things are sorted out.' he answered, looking to his father, 'For all I care, we could start now.'

Started: 24th July 2024

Edited: 21st Apeil 2025

Finished: 24th July 2024

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