As the other dragons soared into the sky, their silhouettes fading against the twilight, a rare peace settled over the village. Hiccup, Toothless, and I stood in silence, watching their escape. The weight of what we had accomplished lingered in the air, but so did the shadow of what lay ahead.

I patted Toothless's head, feeling the rumble of his soft purr beneath my hand. "Perhaps we finally did it," I said, my voice quiet, a hint of hope seeping in.

Toothless's green eyes narrowed slightly as he turned his head toward the horizon. "We still have to take care of that Red Death," he reminded me, his voice a low growl. "She's going to be a problem."

I nodded grimly. "Yeah. That's the real fight, isn't it?"

Turning to Hiccup, I draped his arm over my shoulders to help him walk. He winced but didn't complain, his face pale and tired from the ordeal. "Come on," I said gently, "Let's get you to Gothi before your dad starts questioning everything."

The three of us made our way through the quiet village, Toothless walking protectively behind us. When we reached Gothi's small hut, she was already waiting. Despite her usual gruff demeanor, her expression softened when she saw us. She ushered us inside, glancing at Toothless but making no move to shoo him away from the door.

Hiccup's injuries weren't severe—just a gash on his shoulder and cuts on his hand from his ill-fated attempt to wield an axe. Gothi cleaned the wounds and bandaged him with a tenderness that belied her grumbling.

After she finished, she turned to me and gave a small nod. "Thank you," she croaked, her voice raspy but sincere.

I offered her a soft smile. "No need to thank me. I did what anyone would've done," I replied, standing and brushing off my tunic. "He'll be safe here with you. I've got some errands to run."

Hiccup raised a brow at me but didn't argue. He leaned back against the cot, clearly too exhausted to press for details. Toothless, however, followed me outside.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice low with concern as he peered at me.

"To the Red Death," I said, my voice firm but quiet. "She's my responsibility."

Toothless's tail lashed anxiously behind him. "You don't have to face her alone," he said, stepping closer. "Let me help you."

I shook my head, golden light rippling from my shoulders as my wings unfurled. The ethereal glow caught his attention, and he blinked in surprise.

"I've got my own wings," I said softly, brushing a hand against his snout. "Thank you, Shadowstrike. But I can't risk you or Hiccup. This fight—it's mine."

Before he could protest further, I kissed his snout and leapt into the air. My golden wings carried me swiftly into the sky, the cool night air brushing against my face as I ascended. Below, the village grew smaller and smaller, the flicker of its torches dimming like distant stars.

My destination loomed ahead—the dragon island, its jagged peaks shrouded in mist. The Red Death awaited me, and I knew the battle would test every ounce of my strength. But I also knew that this was the only way to protect the fragile peace we'd fought so hard to achieve.

I soared onward, alone against the storm, determined to face the queen of fire and fury head-on.