Thirty-Four: For the Future of Berk

"Okay, we need to get Puff to breathe some gas into this cannister..." Hiccup was leaning forward, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Okay, it's..." He stared at the young boy again, wide grey-blue eyes appearing totally innocent which he had already learned to distrust.

"Odd-Knut," the boy said innocently.

"Of course-what was I thinking? What else would it be?"

"It's a good old Berkian name," the boy protested.

"That it is," Hiccup sighed. "And I guess there are lots of Knuts as well as Nuts in the family?" The boy nodded happily.

"Loads."

"Any Knutnuts?" he asked, fascinated despite himself. Odd-Knut nodded proudly.

"Five so far, sir-but I really want to call my son Knutnut because that would be awesomely cool," he announced and Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"And probably awesomely descriptive," he admitted. "Okay, trying to get somewhere back to sanity-though that's a stretch in this place-can you ask Puff to breathe her gas into this canister so we can hold some for the attack?"

"I can ask her," the boy said proudly.

"And Brit-can you stop Blast from sparking the gas please-we need to save the explosion for later..." The girl, her almost identical grey-blue eyes and long blonde hair making her a duplicate of her brother, looked incredibly disappointed.

"That's the best bit!" she huffed. Hiccup laid a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"I know," he soothed her. "But if we're to blow up the Chief Dragon, we need loads more Zippleback gas than even two Zipplebacks can provide at once-so we have to store it...like storing milk or honey when there's plenty around for later..."

"I know Puff and Blast would be up to it..." she argued. He sighed.

"But we can't take them to her-because the Chief Dragon would take control of her and you could lose her forever." He paused. "I saw the Chief Dragon eat a Zippleback whole when I rescued Astrid from the nest." Two pairs of eyes grew rounder and they shared a look then nodded.

"Okay-if she's mean to Zipplebacks, we'll do it!" Brit promised and the young Viking turned back to the boy.

"Okay, Puff-can we have some gas please?" he asked, holding the flask right up to her open mouth. The dragon opened her hideously fanged mouth and a jet of the sweet, narcotic green gas poured out into the flask and around Hiccup. He capped the first and filled a second while his vision grew muzzier. He was just fumbling with the third flask when a horribly familiar clicking noise sounded.

"No, Blast-we have to..."

BOOM!

The explosion threw Hiccup across the Plaza and he hit the front of the forge hard. Lightly singed and coughing out smoke, he triumphantly held up the third flask.

"Gottit!" he coughed.

"Babe-you do know that most of the flask has been blown apart?" Astrid asked, emerging from the bakery. Hiccup peered at the detached neck he was holding and lay back with a groan. "Brit Gunnarson-I saw that!" Astrid added in a wrathful voice, bearing down on the sniggering twins. "And I saw the hand-signal as well! That was no accident!" There was a dual sigh.

"No, Mrs Astrid," the twins sighed.

"Okay, Brit-off you go. Twice around the Plaza! NOW!" The young girl sighed and ran off. While her preferred punishment for the older teens was push-ups, the younger kids didn't have the arm strength-so Astrid burnt off their excess energy by making them run. The Gunnarson twins used to circle the Plaza a couple of times before they even started her weapons lessons because it earned them some valuable credit they would always need partway in. Then she leaned close and picked up the next flask-and handed it to Odd-Knut. "Hiccup has shown you what to do," she told him briskly. "Hold each flask directly in the stream of gas for the count of twenty and then cap it off. Do two only then get a breather before you faint from the gas. Understood? And if you blow yourself up, you can explain it to the Chief."

"Yes, Mrs Astrid," Odd-Knut said in a dispirited voice. She sighed.

"This is really important," she told him gently. "If we can help Hiccup and Toothless do this, then when your dragon and you are bigger, you can have some seriously awesome adventures across the Archipelago! But only if the Chief Dragon isn't there to steal your dragon away."

"Okay, Mrs Astrid. C'mon, Puff...we've got like..twenty flasks to fill? Bet we can do it quicker than Ruff and Tuff did!"

"NOT A RACE!" Astrid growled as the hiss of gas sounded and she wisely backed away out of blast range. Hiccup was sitting up, still coughing but smiling at her expertise in managing the younger twins.

"In this village, everything is a competition," he reminded her. "But you were amazing, Astrid. One day-if you ever have kids, they aren't going to dare step out of line!" She slid down the wall to sit on her heels at his side.

"Or more likely, they'll be as stubborn as you and me combined!" she sighed.

"Oh, that would be something to look forward to," Hiccup commented sarcastically. "Though I know you would be in charge anyway. I'd probably get bossed around by you, them, the dragons..."

"Oh, I definitely wouldn't allow that, Mr Haddock," she told him lightly as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. He sighed. "How many is that now?"

"The Zipplebacks can manage twenty flasks a day each-so we have about a hundred and twenty done with this load. The problem is both sets of twins mess around when we're milking them and I've lost count of how often I've been blown up. I think Toothless is losing patience."

"You need to get some rest, babe," Astrid advised him. "There's another raid tonight..." He nodded absently, his emerald gaze clouding over.

"Hopefully, this will be the last," he said. "Gobber has said he has enough metal for two hundred flasks so when we've got them filled, it will be time." She turned to him and kissed him unselfconsciously on the cheek.

"I'll be with you-all the riders will," she assured him. "This is for Berk. And our future." He sighed.

"Because if this goes wrong, we don't have one."

oOo

"I'm not coming-and that's final!" Spitelout's voice rang out fiercely as the council met. "This is an insane plane and it's an insult to seven generations of Hooligans! Following a boy on a dragon to the nest! How can you be sure it's not a trap, a-a revenge for everything he thinks we've done to him?"

"Sorry-I thought we were talking about Hiccup, not Snotlout!" Gobber retorted. "The lad doesnae seem to have a vengeful bone in his body-which definitely comes from his mother since we all know that Stoick, in his slimmer days, was known as Stoick the Vengeful before he became so Vast..."

"Thank you, Gobber," the Chief growled.

"Just saying," the blacksmith grinned unrepentantly. "If the lad had wanted vengeance, he could have used that dragon of his tae blast the village tae pieces, killed those who harmed him and taken of wi' that lass o' his. But that's not who Hiccup is-and anyone should know that, let alone his own Uncle!"

"I think this plan of yours is insane, Stoick!" Spitelout growled. "Taking the whole Council and all the warriors to watch your son blow himself up? That's vanity if ever I heard it!"

"Or maybe we're there to back up my son who is risking his life to take out the Chief Dragon that has been driving the raids for three centuries! And taking out the nest we've been searching for ever since we first came to Berk!" Stoick growled. "Maybe you refusing to come is cowardice...or treason?" There was a shocked silence as Spitelout turned puce.

"I should kill you for..." he began but Stoick was on his feet.

"You think I haven't heard you, Spitelout? Whispering in corners with Roar and Ulric and Knut the Disappointing? Stoick's lost it...Stoick's gone soft...Stoick's betrayed our heritage..." There was a sudden hush. "But Stoick hasn't gone deaf and Stoick maybe is fed up of watching people get burnt to death or killed by dragons on his watch. Stoick hasn't forgotten his wife was snatched from before him when he had to rescue his son from his burning home. And Stoick realises that if there is even the slightest chance to end the carnage and protect what remains of our Tribe and future generations, then he has to take it! I said it to Mildew and I'll say it to you: do you want to be Chief? Do you want to challenge me?"

There was a long moment as the two men glared at one another-before Spitelout's blue eyes broke away and lowered, submitting. "Of course not!" he said in a voice that suggested there had never been a challenge. "I'm just worried that you're too close to this, what with the idea being by Hiccup..."

"Who you pushed me to disown three years ago," Stoick growled. Spitelout shook his head.

"I thought it was easier," he protested.

"Still think it's easier now?" Gobber put in snarkily. Spitelout shook his head.

"No," he admitted. "I want my son back..." There were a flurry of embarrassed looks before Phlegma sighed.

"You know that's not possible, Spitelout," she said briskly. "Unless Snotlout performs a deed of such heroism and so vital to the safety of the Tribe that his Outcasting can be overturned..."

"Fat chance of that," Not-So-Silent Sven whispered loudly. Gothi whacked him with her staff immediately, scratching on the floor with angry strokes.

"It could happen," Gobber read and sighed. "I suppose yer right, ye old bag. I mean, who would have guessed Hiccup could be so brave, so good at fighting, so inventive, so determined...?"

"I should have," Stoick admitted in a small voice. "He's my son, no matter whether I disowned him or not, and I should know him better than anyone. But the truth is...I never had time for him. I saw his deficiencies and never his good qualities. And I never made any effort to help him better himself. And now he's hatched this crazy, dangerous plan to take out the Nest and if it goes wrong, I never will know him." He sighed. "He's fighting for all of us, so we should be there to help him..."

"As if those flying flamethrowers need any assistance," Gobber grumbled.

"They might," the Chief reminded him tetchily and then his eyes slid to the shape of his brother. "Spitelout, you are right-we can't take all the elders off the island at once...in case something goes wrong. So I will name you Acting-Chief in my absence, to watch over the women and the wee ones while the warriors and the dragon riders got to fight the beast." He sighed. "Gothi-would you stay to offer him sage counsel?"

Her expression would have frozen lava but she curtly nodded, then scratched a few marks on the floor.

"As long as someone teaches this fool to understand me," Gobber translated. "Oops..." But Spitelout wasn't insulted, instead giving a crooked grin.

"Aye, we'll get along fine," he said cheerfully. "I know we can look after the Hooligan Tribe just fine without you!" Stoick nodded.

"Thank you, brother," he said. "I knew I could rely on you."

oOo

"Please just stick to the plan!" Hiccup's exasperated voice rang through the Arena and every eye turned to the recalcitrant shapes of the twins.

"But the plan is lame!" Tuff told him bluntly.

"Yeah-there isn't nearly enough destruction and disaster involved!" Ruff added as the auburn haired viking stared at them.

"For the love of...what do you mean not enough destruction? We're blowing up a Thor-damned mountain! How much more destruction do you want?" Hiccup's arms were swirling wildly in his agitation and Astrid had to stop herself from giggling at his comical dismay.

"I think my cousins are complaining there isn't enough destruction caused directly by them in this plan," Tiril suggested with a broad grin. "I mean the rest of us hardly get to to do anything..."

"Maybe that's because your dragons are vulnerable to the influence of the Chief and if you move too far away from Toothless, she may capture them again!" Hiccup replied in a tight voice.

"You know, I agree with the twins in this," Gustav piped up.

"What did we agree about you thinking?" Hilde asked him sharply.

"No, they're right!" Gustav argued. "Dragons are awesome and Fanghook is awesomely awesome and he deserves to have the chance to show his awesomeness!"

"Somebody needs a better vocabulary," Yaklegs murmured to Tiril and she sniggered. "Not that dragons aren't completely awesome..."

"We need you guys back as a reserve," Fishlegs spoke up, his usually timid voice a little more confident. He had worked extensively on the plan with Hiccup and Astrid and he had agreed with Astrid's determination for there to be a plan 'B' if the explosion didn't work or if the Chief escaped from the collapsed cavern. "If that dragon comes out, we'll need every one of you to hold her back and allow the ships to escape!"

"Yeah, trust my Dad to insist on coming and putting half the Tribe at risk," Hiccup grumbled as Astrid touched his hand gently. "Yeah, I know he means well but can we at least not get them all lined up for her to step on like ants?"

"We can try," she admitted. "Though we all know who the most stubborn person in this Tribe is..."

"Which is an amazing accolade since we Vikings have serious stubbornness issues," Hiccup commented, his fingers lacing with hers. His thumb gently stroked across her knuckles.

"And yet I only see one Zippleback here," Tuff commented. "What about the tiny twins?" Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"They're too young...and not really strong enough to control their dragon in the air yet," he explained. "And I don't doubt their courage, guys, just their ability to follow orders, not mess about, not blow each other up and...oh, what am I saying...I'm talking about you two, aren't I!"

The twins managed to look monstrously offended, even though they had been fighting just before Hiccup had called them to order to explain the plan.

"Someone doesn't appreciate our Loki-given talents!" Ruff sulked.

"We definitely appreciate your talents-just at the right time," Astrid explained sternly.

"Guys-if that dragon gets out of there, then we are in serious trouble," Hiccup pointed out. "Look-I need you to concentrate. If the dragon comes for us, we will need everyone fighting together to protect the people on the ground and stop the Chief."

"And it will be dangerous?" Ruff asked hopefully.

"Extremely," Hiccup said in an exasperated voice.

"We'll all probably get killed," Astrid added.

"Really?" Tuff visibly brightened up. "Okay-we're in!" Hiccup sighed.

"Okay, team-let's mount up and run through battle plan A..."

oOo

Almost every seaworthy ship the Hooligans possessed was readied for battle, new dragon-headed prows fitted and catapults and weapons loaded onto the sleek longboats. Every warrior was piling eagerly down to the docks, ready for the fight and the chance to finally rid Berk of the scourge of dragons. Stoick paused on the docks, resting his hands gently on the shoulders of his half-brother.

"Watch over the Tribe for me, Spitelout," he said gruffly. "Keep them safe...especially if I don't come back. I trust you to do what is best for the Hooligans." Spitelout nodded, his face twisted in a broad smile.

"I will do what a Chief of Berk should do," he promised boldly, as Stoick nodded, leaping aboard the flagship and drawing back the gangplank. "Be safe, Chief!"

"Protect the Tribe, brother!" Stoick returned as the sails were hoisted and filled with the wind. The ships slowly began to move away from the docks, taking their place in the loose fleet, before they moved through the channel towards the seastacks and out towards Helheim's Gate. The sailing time would be almost a day to get them to Helheim's Gate so the dragon riders weren't leaving until the following dawn-though Fishlegs had volunteered to accompany the Chief with Meatlug to make sure they got there safely.

Hiccup and Astrid stood on the catapult platform right at the top of the cliffs overlooking the docks as the ships slowly filed out through the entrance to the harbour and vanished into the distance. Spitelout had long since gone back up to the village and Gothi had retreated to her hut, looking thoroughly furious. Arms around each other's waists, the young couple finally turned away.

"It could end up a real mess," Astrid commented. "I mean...if we fail and half the tribe gets killed...the war will reignite and no one will ever believe dragons can be trusted." Hiccup groaned.

"Thank you for summing that up," he sighed. "Milady, if something goes wrong-make sure you get away and back here. Protect the dragons. And the Tribe. I don't trust Snotlout and Alvin..."

"Or Spitelout," Astrid murmured, glancing pointedly towards the finally rebuilt Jorgensen house. She would have happily burnt the remains to the ground but once Mildew had been arrested, Roar Arvidson and Ulric the Wide had both ensured all their relatives had rebuilt Spitelout's house the day after Snotlout had been exiled. It galled her that they had rebuilt the place where she was attacked and helped the man who had been happy to protect her attacker. Hiccup nuzzled against her neck.

"Me neither," he admitted. "But the Chief has left him in charge...so we need to be careful with the dragons this evening...because we need them tomorrow morning. If anything happens, the Chief will sail the Tribe to their doom in Helheim's Gate and face the Nest without us." She spun to face him, her arms sliding around his waist.

"I know you won't allow it," she told him, rising onto her toes to press her lips to his. "My brave and inventive Hiccup. You're done the stupidest thing ever, in befriending a dragon-and now you have planned something equally crazy in trying to take on a monster the size of a mountain with a few canisters of Zippleback gas and a whole heart full of ridiculous courage." His hands slid up her back and pulled her body to mould against his. He kissed her again.

"I can only do it because of you," he told her. "And no matter what happens, I can never thank you enough for believing in me."

"And I can never thank you enough for being my best friend," she murmured, kissing him again. "Come home, babe. We have only got a short time together before we go off and may risk our lives." She pressed her body harder against his as he smiled against her lips.

"Hmm...so you plan to take me to Valhalla, Milady-before we fly to Helheim's Gate?" he smirked. She kissed him again then stared up into his eyes.

"Come and find out, dragon boy," she smiled.

oOo

"Are we all ready?" Hiccup asked, staring round his Riders. They had all been ready early, various weapons strapped to their bodies and game faces on. Even the twins had stopped scuffling the moment he had arrived. In fact, the only people looking upset were Odd-Knut and Brit.

"It's not fair!" Brit whined. "We wanna go with you!"

"Little dude has a point," Tuff commented, grinning.

"I'm the girl, mutton-head!" she snapped. Tuff frowned.

"Are you sure?" he checked. Odd-Knut glared on his sister's behalf.

"I can show you my..." he began.

"And we're waaaay off course," Hiccup interrupted. "Guys-you have a really important job. I need you to keep a watch on Thor's beach-because I believe that Alvin the Treacherous and Snotlout will try to return...and there are people on Berk who may tell them we've all gone. If you see them land, you run as fast as you can to the village and get your families, yourselves and your dragon away to the Cove and hide, okay? You are not to take them on because they will kill you and Puff'n'Blast, okay?" There was a rebellious pause and then they nodded.

"But only because you asked us, right," Odd-Knut said grumpily.

"And if Astrid asked you?" Hiccup suggested with a grin. Both twins brightened up.

"Okay, we'll do it," Odd-Knut said. "Because our legs are really tired with all that running."

"Everyone have their canisters?" Hiccup asked and everyone nodded. "You ready, bud?" he checked with the Night Fury. Toothless gave a warble and gave his edentulous grin. "You too, Milady?" Astrid smiled.

"As I can be, babe," she replied. Hiccup leaned forward.

"For Berk!" he shouted and Toothless shot into the air, with six dragons racing after him. He glanced over his shoulder and leaned forward. "Come on, bud-let's stop this monster once and for all..."

They caught up with the ships just inside the mists shrouding Helheim's gate and Toothless actually landed on the leading ship by the Chief, making the man scramble back and almost reach for his war-hammer. Then he recognised the lean shape with the damp auburn hair and shining emerald eyes, his lean shape clothed in a woven leather tunic over his deep red tunic, his olive green leggings and brown boots familiar.

"Son! You took years off my life!" Stoick protested as the young viking smiled and Toothless gave a little coo of amusement.

"Sorry, Dad-just wanted to make sure you're heading the right way," he explained. "Only a dragon can negotiate the maze..." The Night Fury faced forward and gave a little whirr as the ship glided forward before he looked to his right. "Turn right!" Hiccup shouted. The helmsman looked surprised but Stoick instantly strode to the rudder and nodded to the man, pulling the heavy rudder and swinging the ship to the right.

"RIGHT!" he bellowed through the mists.

"Turn right!" come the cry from the next ship in line, handing the message down the fleet. Toothless purred, then snapped his head left.

"LEFT!" Hiccup called.

"I got it, son," Stoick murmured softly. "LEFT!"

Slowly, they glided past seastack after seastack and Hiccup was struck how complex and long the way was: it had seemed so much shorter as they zipped through on dragon back. And he could sense Toothless getting more and more tense as they closed on the Nest itself. Gobber stared up, seeing an old longship, improbably wedged at mast height between two sea stacks.

"Ah...wondered where that had got tae," he commented as they turned again...and Hiccup could suddenly hear it: the whirring and chittering of dragons. He jumped onto Toothless's back as the mists cleared and the conical shape of the volcano coalesced from the mists, smoking from its summit. There were dragons perched and sunning themselves on every available surface...but they vanished as the first prow bit into the beach. Hiccup launched Toothless and they hung in the air before his father.

"Chief-I need to ask you a favour," he said firmly. "Unload the catapults-and then move the ships round the coast. That..." He gestured to the entrance halfway up the volcano. "That is the main entrance...so if it comes out, chances are it will come that way. If the boats are elsewhere, you will stand a chance to escape. If they're here...I can guarantee you they will all be destroyed..." Stoick looked into his son's face and nodded.

"Unload the catapults then get these boats to the next inlet round the coast!" he yelled. "If that thing breaks loose, we'll need all our weapons ready-and a way out of here! Have at it, men!"

"A-hem!" Phlegma interrupted primly.

"...and women," Stoick finished with an apologetic smile as Hiccup soared over the beach and landed by his team. All had fishing nets full of canisters and they stared as the young Viking made to gather them up.

"Hiccup-you can't carry them all on Toothless," Fishlegs pointed out. "He won't even get off the ground. "You need others to help array them."

"Gronckles," his brother suggested. "They're tough."

"Zipplebacks are exotic and awesome-two heads and so two riders to help position the explosives...and let's not forget we are carrying Zippleback gas..." Ruff added.

"And we are the Zippleback experts!" Tuff added.

"Nadders, babe-every time," Astrid told him with a broad grin.

"Surely you aren't forgetting Monstrous Nightmares-the most powerful dragons in the Archipelago!" Gustav announced brashly.

"Apart from the huge one we're taking on," Hilde pointed out curtly.

"Well obviously," the boy said without missing a beat.

"So, face it-we're all coming, boss man," Tiril told him cheerfully. "You are our leader and we're all in this together. And with more of us, you can dump the canisters much faster and get out of there, right?" He looked up and for a moment, he seemed on the verge of contradicting her.

Thor, I'm going to get them all killed. And yet...they want to come. They want to follow me...because they are my friends...more or less...

"Yes," he said more firmly, his eyes lingering on his wife. "Let's see how ready they are..." And they rose in formation and flapped down to the far end of the black sandy beach where the Vikings had already set up their weapons and were ready to go. There was a roar as they saw the dragons and for a second, the young Viking felt a surge of pride in his chest.

Hiccup stared at the assembled Vikings from the back of Toothless, his emerald gaze sweeping over the Hooligans manning the rapidly-assembled catapults. Stoick was at the front as ever, marshalling his people and yelling encouragement, his war-hammer clamped in his fist. There was a wild light in his eyes and flush in his cheeks which told Hiccup this was something he was really enjoying...and a Stoick he could not recall ever seeing. The blood of generations of Viking warriors flowed in the Chief's veins and right now, the call of battle was very strong. Beside him Phlegma, Gobber, Hoark, Ack and the other warriors were arrayed, with a small number kept back by the boats, which had been moored safely round the coast, away from any potential damage by the giant dragon, if it broke free.

"Ready?" Astrid shouted from the back of Stormfly and Hiccup leaned forward, carefully making sure the net was attached to his saddle and the safety line he had added to his tunic was also attached securely.

"You ready, buddy?" he murmured, resting his hand on Toothless's head. The dragon gave a low growl and the young Viking realised he was as tense as everyone else-because the monster they were facing had enslaved Toothless as much as all the other dragons. When Hiccup shot him down, he had not only injured his tail, but he had also freed the Night Fury from the Dragon Chief's control-and their bond had enabled Toothless remain immune to her influence. "Okay-hang back until we're clear-and if they look like they're not responding, get them out of there-and call for me!"

"Let's go!" Astrid called and they surged forward, the nets of canisters bulging as they swept through the tunnel for what Hiccup prayed was the last time. The stench of sulphur was stronger and the heat was more intense as they soared through and into the huge cavern. The others all stopped, shocked as Hiccup glanced down at Toothless. The dragon gave a small whirr and Viking and Night Fury shared a look: the dragons were all missing.

"Tiril, Yaklegs, Hilde-put your nets up on that ledge!" he commanded, pointing to the highest ledge close to the brittle and unstable cavern ceiling. "Fish, Astrid-that ledge there!" They headed to the ledge by the way they had just come in. "Twins, Gustav-you're with me on the other tunnel!" And he led the final party to array the nest by the last tunnel up and out.

"Er...Hiccup...I'm losing control of Meatlug..." Fishlegs said suddenly as he saw her pupils shrink.

"She knows we're here," he realised, turning to look at Astrid. "GO!" She urged Stormfly away and they began to fly...but she was growing sluggish. In fact, all the dragons were starting to resist so Hiccup rested his hand on Toothless's head. "Stay with me, bud," he murmured, splaying his fingers and leaning forward. "Listen to me. We'll do this together."

The Night Fury shook his head and gave a roar that challenged the resident Chief. The other dragons suddenly snapped out of her thrall and Hiccup stared at them.

"GO!" he shouted and Astrid led the way, with the others speeding after her. Toothless backwinged towards the tunnel they had chosen as the mists in the pit began to roil and a low roar reverberated through the mountain. "She's coming..."

Toothless turned his head and fired, igniting the first nets of Zippleback canisters. There was a huge roar and sickening crack of rock and the roof began to fall.

"Attaboy!" Hiccup urged him as he fired again, collapsing the main tunnel. Only the high exit was left, the most brittle basalt of them all. "Let's go!" And they were already surging up as the flames from the second explosion surrounded them. They could hear the head rising, the breath surging past their bodies like a gale and Toothless fired as they passed the nets.

The fire enfolded them and Hiccup lay low as they roared through. The crack and roar of tortured rock was deafening as the roof fell in, blocks missing them by inches, chunks of mountain the size of houses brushing past them as the flames, smoke and dust whirled around the young Viking on the Night Fury...

...and then they broke free into the misty air, spinning in relief as they swooped round the sealed mountain. Hiccup was breathing hard, his eyes searching for his friends and checking they had all gotten out safely. Astrid nodded, a relieved smile on her face and the twins gave a double thumbs-up.

"Awesome explosion, H!" Tuff conceded. "That was really..."

And then a roar shook the entire mountain and everyone stared at the rock, which was beginning to crack...

A/N: Bonus update on Monday