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chapter twenty-nine
into the dragon's den

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      THE LIVELY, joyful night became dull the moment Hiccup's mother nearly collapsed out of the sky. As soon as Valkyrie heard the strangled cry from Cloudjumper's maw, she was on her feet, spinning to stare up at the sky and hitch back her gasp━Valka looked barely able to keep her eyes open, or her dragon in flight as they staggered to a crash, scattering Vikings and frightening sheep. 

     Valkyrie was on her feet at a run, not even apologising to leave Mrs. Ack so abruptly. She pushed through the crowd of Vikings, coming together to peer and wonder what had happened to the Chief's mother. "Move!" Valkyrie ordered them, and they listened to their Chieftess without a second thought, paving way for her to race forward. 

    Hiccup was the first to reach her side, catching her before Valka's knees collapsed underneath her. His face was pale in the light of the fire, shocked and horrified. "Mum!" he cried out, startled. He helped her stand, hands shaking as they held her. "Mum━are you hurt? W━what happened out there?"

    Valkyrie joined him, her hand brushing his back as she came to stand on her mother-in-law's other side, eyes wide and her heart hammering, "Valka," she whispered, clutching her shoulder. "Are you okay?" Cloudjumper moaned, slumping down in complete exhaustion. She left her mother-in-law to crouch down and check him, her hand gently brushing his snout with a comforting touch. 

    It didn't take long for the rest of the Dragon Riders to find their way through the crowd. Stumbling and swaying, most of them were too far into their cups to stand properly━but even still, the gravity of the sudden situation seemed to sober them up enough to draw the attention of the crowd somewhere else, giving the group of them some privacy. 

    Finally, Valka managed to get out a few words. She looked shaken. Valkyrie has never seen her mother-in-law so scared. She faced her dragon, kneeling down at Val's side to check him as well. "I━I don't know how," she said in a shaky voice, "but Grimmel is tracking us."

     Valkyrie's blood ran cold. Her gaze shot up, locking with Hiccup's━they both shared a horrific exchange. In the background, she barely heard Gobber exclaim: "Argh! This is all because of the Hobgobblers!" When Astrid had come to hover by Valka's shoulder to keep an eye on her, Valkyrie was back onto her feet, reaching out and grabbing Hiccup's arm. 

     "He has a hundred ships," went on Valka, "maybe more, with enough cages for all of our dragons."

     Hiccup let out a long sigh, shaking his head as he realised his plan had started to crumble apart. No matter how far they had run, it seemed Grimmel was always going to be behind them━he would chase them to the end of the earth, just to get Toothless and their dragons. 

     Knowing the look on his face, Valkyrie tugged him away for a second, her voice soft and stern, "We need to think about this," she told him. "Smartly," she added, catching the stubborn clench of his jaw. "Grimmel has an entire fleet, he's prepared."

     "We wouldn't be able to defend him here," Hiccup muttered, hands clenching. "Were defenceless━we have no catapults, no━"

     "We might have enough," Valkyrie stressed. "We're on high ground, those cliffs are fortress walls in themselves. Grimmel's men will have to climb them. And we have the dragons here."

     "You forget he has dragons as well," Hiccup countered. 

     "I do not forget," Valkyrie snapped harshly. "Those dragons burnt our entire home and sent us fleeing! You can't expect us to run away again━he's just going to keep following."

     "And what if we can't hold him off?" her husband lowered his voice for a conversation only they could hear. His grip on her wrist was tight━fearful. "Then we've led him to our dragons, to our people━everyone vulnerable is right here. Nea is here, Val," He shook his head, already having made up his mind. "I won't risk it."

     "We have time to set up defences━"

     "Valkyrie," his voice was stern━she didn't expect it. Val swallowed back her words. There was an awkward silence as the other Dragon Riders heard him raise his voice. The Twins shared a look with Snotlout, all three of them raising their brows, thinking many things they dared not say. Hiccup then said, slow and decided: "I won't risk it."

     She wasn't going to back down. Hushed, she said, "And you expect to meet him with half of your team barely able to stand on their own two feet. Snotlout looks ready to drop━and I daresay you aren't in your right mind either, right now."

     Valkyrie regretted the way she had said that as soon as she did. She closed her eyes, wincing apologetically and cursing breathlessly on her tongue. She could feel the hurt look on his face even before she saw it. "Hiccup━" she tried, gentler this time before he'd step away, "━you know I didn't mean it like that━"

     He pulled away from her━there was a tick in his jaw. "I'm Chief," he whispered to her. "I'm grateful for your counsel, Valkyrie, but it's my decision. If you want to set up defences, stay here and do so. I'm prepared to stop Grimmel before we have to reach that point."

     His tone made her clench her jaw, but she didn't argue anymore. Knowing the conversation was finished, Hiccup nodded and turned to the others all watching. They hadn't heard their words, but they had known either of them long enough to tell when they had an argument. Ruffnut whistled lowly, muttering an, "Awkward━" that caused for Astrid to elbow her harshly in the side. 

    Hiccup turned to his team, trying very hard to not show how much Valkyrie's displeasure had affected him. He set his jaw, taking a deep breath━he was right. He knew this was the right thing to do ... right? For the first time━ever━Hiccup did not have Valkyrie to look for and know she was going to be at his side. For the first time, she wouldn't follow him. It made him want to shout━and where was Toothless?! He should have been back by now. Hiccup needed him back by now. 

    He couldn't meet their hesitant gazes, "If Grimmel is leading them here," he began, hoping he sounded confident when he didn't feel it, "we have to take him out of the mix."

     Tuffnut frowned at him. "Uh ... and how would we do that?"

     "By going there to capture him."

    Gobber's eyes widened, taken aback. "Capture him?" he echoed, and the disbelief on his voice wavered Hiccup's confidence even more. 

     The silence that settled made him anxious. His team glanced at one another, but none spoke a word against his plan. 

     Then, despite his dubious words before, Tuffnut exclaimed: "I'm with him! Who else?!" so loud that poor Astrid was probably startled sober just by standing beside him. 

    Slowly, her blue gaze settled on Valkyrie's standing behind Hiccup. She looked positively glum━knowing there was nothing more she could do to advise Hiccup otherwise. Astrid sighed, understanding. When everyone else wandered off to get ready (and definitely sober up), she approached her best friend who had turned to Zephyr━who, like a hound, could tell whenever she was upset like it was a smell. Valkyrie ran a hand down his long snout, tapping her forehead against his horn when Astrid reached her. 

     "You both have a point," she told her, having been close enough hear their conversation. "Hiccup's just being Hiccup."

     "He doesn't listen to me anymore," muttered Valkyrie. 

     Astrid just sent her a look at that, "You and I both know that is far from the truth. You're probably the only one he really listens to." 

     She looked down. Valkyrie knew she was right, but at the moment, it was hard to believe. Astrid watched her, and frowned. "You're really not coming along for this one?"

     Valkyrie scratched Zephyr's chin. He squawked, concerned at the furrow of her brows and the purse of her lips. "No," she murmured, "I should set up the defences━find a place for the children and elderly to be hidden."

     "He wants you to come. Even if he's being stubborn about it."

     She knew that, too. But she was also stubborn. Valkyrie took a deep breath and pulled herself up to mount Zephyr's saddle. If they were to create defences for a possible attack, they needed to start now. "Keep him safe for me, Astrid, will you? Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

     Her best friend sighed, but she nodded. Valkyrie sent her a grateful smile before taking off into the air. She watched her address the crowd of Vikings below, and they listened to her as she demanded an emergency gathering━Astrid knew, even when they were little, that Valkyrie was always supposed to be Chieftess. There was no one else who looked more like a viking queen than she did. 

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    THEY FOLLOWED the trail Hiccup's mother had taken━retracing her steps in absolute, tense silence in the cover of the night. The ocean became a ghostly maze of dark, looming sea stacks and ghostly mist, an entire different world to what it was during the day. Not one Dragon Rider uttered a single word to another, their hearts stuck in their throats as they realised the expedition they had just set themselves out upon. If this went south, it wouldn't forebode well━one mistake, and it wasn't just themselves they were jeopardising. 

     Hiccup was on edge the entire flight, knowing that he was stuck behind Hott on a dragon that wasn't his own, soaring towards somewhere without Valkyrie here at his side. He wished she had followed, just so he could apologise━or that she and Zephyr would break through the clouds after short consideration. In the past, no matter any argument, Valkyrie had still followed him into the dragon's den without a second thought. Hiccup relied on her more than anyone else. And now, both the most trusted individuals in his life━those who made him feel confident, and like he could take on whatever faced them, weren't with him. One was off gods knows where and the other choosing to stay behind━

    No, Hiccup had told her to stay behind. He regretted that now more than ever. 

    The air grew more tense as the riders went longer and longer without saying anything━even far from the sighting of Grimmel's ships, not even Snotlout had opened his loud mouth. It only unnerved Hiccup more.

     In the end, he couldn't stand it. He stared at the back of Hott's head through the visor of his Night Fury helm and muttered, "You all think I made a mistake, didn't I? You think I should have listened to Valkyrie━should've set up defences. I shouldn't have been harsh━I said the wrong thing. I'm a terrible husband."

     Hott hadn't been paying attention. His eyes had wandered off towards some place he knew a blonde was flying close. He blinked and glanced over his shoulder, "Huh?"

     Hiccup's gaze went blank, "And you're not even listening."

     His brother-in-law made a noise behind his Nadder helmet, "What?" he said slowly and very high-pitched. "I was listening━I wasn't staring off into space recollecting every mistake I made in my life, no, of course not. You were lying and said you're a bad husband━something like that."

     Hiccup bit back a chuckle. Strangely, Hott had always been something of a friend during these past years. But it soon faded away as his thoughts returned. What if he had made a mistake? What if this goes horribly wrong? It would be his fault. He would've failed.

     (He has no idea how his dad made being Chief look so easy. Maybe it was, Hiccup just wasn't a good one). 

     "Do you think I made the right choice?" Hiccup asked him again.

     "I'm really not the right person to ask," sighed Hott. "I'm stupid━I make bad choices all the time━"

     "But I'm asking you."

     He sighed again, returning his gaze in front of them. They drifted downwards a little, trying to see through the fog with just the twilight moon as their guide. "I think it's risky ... waiting until Grimmel reaches New Berk━"

     "It's not really New Berk━"

     "━and setting up defences is a safe move. You have time to think, hide the elderly and the children, gather provisions. But Grimmel could also be prepared for that. We could be overrun, and be in the same position as we were back on Old Berk. This move, here, might just take that chance out of the mix. This could be a winning move."

      Hiccup rolled his eyes to himself, setting his jaw, "I feel like I'm playing a live game of Maces and Talons all over again..."

     "Think about it this way," Hott then said. "It doesn't matter who was right, who was wrong, what the best move is or what isn't. You've made this decision, you got to follow through with it━as soon as you start to show doubt to yourself, that's when everyone one else will start to doubt you, too."

     The Chief thought about his words. He was right━Hott had his moments, sometimes. But without Toothless, Hiccup wasn't a Chief, he wasn't a fighter, or a leader, he was just as he always was: The Useless. That boy he had been couldn't lead a village. He couldn't prevent a war and save all of the dragons. That boy had been lost, unsure━he had been Horrendous. 

    Before he found himself admitting this to Hott, he felt Spikemoth tense up underneath them━she squawked lowly, nervous as she saw something they didn't. Hiccup frowned. He looked over his brother-in-law's shoulder, squinting through the darkness, until he saw it. His breath hitched in horror.

     His mother hadn't been wrong. Grimmel's fleet━not only was it far too close to their hideout than he'd like, but it extended out as far as the sea could stretch. The masts of vessels emerged from the surface of the fog in every direction━the insignias of infamous Warlords Hiccup knew with a bitter tongue. Drago's death hadn't trumped their power at all. He saw the piercing sword through a Monstrous Nightmare's skull: Ragnar the Rock's formidable army he inherited from Bludvist. Then to the left, hovered squadrons of Griselda the Grievous's esteemed warriors under a sail of bloody Deadly Nadder tail spikes. South, Chaghatai Khan's vessels were armed to the teeth with crossbows, battle launchers and chains. All of them surrounding a fortress on water; guarded by sentries of both man and dragon. Hiccup knew that was where Grimmel had hidden himself.

     Hott glanced back over his shoulder. Without a word said, Hiccup nodded and he tugged Spikemoth to a hover. Her wings spread out and the young Chief balanced himself on the back of her saddle. Carefully, he treaded light-foot across her wings before leaping off into the night. 

     Spreading his arms, he felt the jolt of his wings keep him aloft. Hiccup drifted down towards the fortress, counting the many watch towers and looking for a way in. As soon as he did, he dipped himself down towards the rocks nestled beside the castle built from the waters depths. The others followed quietly, their dragons' shadows hovering over him as they, too, landed close by. 

     Hiccup was nervous, and he was glad his armour hid his face. He crept up to the fissure of rocks right beside the entrance he had picked, crouching down behind in the shadows. He saw a circular maze of cells, stairwells carved into stone that wrapped around the tower all the way up to the top━a crooked fortress that seemed to twist and turn the further Hiccup stared. At the very top, a metal grate covered a skyward exit━it was designed to not just keep people out, but keep dragons in. And amongst this fortress of Hel, her pupils wandered━Deathgrippers; large in size in colours of black and blood red, their long tusks dripping with the very venom that could take out even the strongest of men with just a strike. 

     He felt someone crouch in beside him. Hiccup turned to them, ready to discuss his plan, only to stop himself━he had been prepared to speak to Valkyrie, only to get jolting reminder when he met Astrid's gaze instead. 

    The others joined him in a matter of mere moments, shoving and pushing to all fit in the same hiding place. Hiccup grumbled under his breath, annoyed as he was elbowed to the side by Snotlout who was desperate to get into the centre. He met his mother's gaze at the end, shaking his head in exasperation. She gave him a weary smile. 

     Snotlout pushed his helmet up, the Monstrous Nightmare head going askew ever-so-slightly. "Okay," he said in a whisper before Hiccup could, "split up. We'll be harder to catch."

     No one listened to him━or even blinked to show that they had acknowledged a word he said. Hiccup nudged Astrid and gestured between them━she understood. While the others were to distract the Deathgrippers and hunters, he and Astrid were to find Grimmel and capture him before they were to be noticed. Together, they snuck off. 

      When nobody else moved, Eret turned to Valka. He spoke over Snotlout's head, "I was thinking we should split up, just because."

      Hiccup's cousin gaped up at him, horrified. He went to explode with another one of his 'Eret is the Worst' speeches before Valka nodded, quite pleased with Eret son of Eret's decision. "I like your instincts," she agreed with him.

      Everyone listened to him. As they all scurried off into the dark, only Snotlout was left behind. He stared after them all, shocked. "What is this?" He rushed over the rocks and towards his next hiding place. "I miss Valkyrie. Valkyrie would listen."

     Somehow, in the dark, each Dragon Rider present had heard him and they all whispered together: "Shut up, Snotlout!"

    "Hey! That's my catchphrase!"

    Splitting up, the Dragon Riders snuck through the maze of chains, dungeons and deadly, acidic dragons, slowly trying to make their way up the fortress stairs. Astrid took off on her own, distracting the Deathgrippers with cunning throws with the rocks she found at her feet. When they turned to the sounds echoing down the dungeon corridors, Astrid darted past, leaping up onto crevices and swinging her way from their line of vision. Hott took a less peaceful approach, tiptoeing right up to a hunter and before he even knew it, had wrapped his arms around his neck. He covered his hand over his mouth, muffling his startled cries as he pressed his arm against the exact pressure point that made him slump, unconscious in just seconds. 

     "That's one for me," whispered Hott to himself, making sure to keep a tally for when they got out of this━for automatically, everyone had turned this into a competition (for when didn't they?). He turned back to follow after Astrid, climbing up the chains and leaping onto the next platform, only to find her triumphant over the unconscious bodies of two hunters. 

     She expected him to whisper something like: show off, but he didn't. Instead, he marched past her and said, "Come on━" with no amusement on his tongue. Behind her mask, Astrid's anticipating gaze turned dull. 

     Across the other side of the fortress, Eret skilfully rolled underneath chains. He climbed over support beams and took out hunters without even causing a single sound. He rushed past Deathgrippers and climbed the levels with his own bare hands. It would have been impressive if he didn't have Snotlout lumbering after him like an oaf. With his Monstrous Nightmare helm far too big for him, he kept tripping over, almost missing jumps and cried out weak cries of, "Eret son of Eret!" when he was hanging over the edge by his fingertips━to which the ex-trapper would have to stop what he was doing and double back to pull him up. Then he'd shove him away in absolute disgust before pushing on, leaving Eret incredulous behind him. 

     The Twins were a disaster, as usual. Ruffnut spent most of her time dragging her brother away from the sight of hunters and Deathgrippers he purposefully tried to grab the attention of. He waved his arms, called out strange noises and whistled━but there was method to his madness, for each time a Deathgripper turned its attention to him just after Ruff had swiped him away, gave time for Fishlegs to huddle past, shushing an excited Fishmeat hidden away in his dragon armour pouch. 

      Meanwhile, Hiccup darted up the staircase. No one paid him any attention━they couldn't see him against the dark stone. He was invisible in his armour made of scales of midnight. He ran━around and around and around, keeping to the wall to reach the very top. He was determined to be right about this. He had to be right. This had to work ... This was going to work ... 

      He reached the top of the fortress. Hiccup stopped, breathless. He peered through the open wooden door, leading into a dark, round chamber. He listened, trying to hear for any movement inside, but it was hauntingly still━not even a spec of dust seemed to be unsettled. 

     The Chief sheathed Inferno with a spin━Dragon Blade lit up in a burst of flame, casting his shadow through the chamber entrance. He took another deep breath. No one emerged, and so he took a hesitant step inside. His boots stepped onto a cobblestone floor; into a room that held a strange smell━like a fire had been burning underneath acid, turning it horrid and rotten. Hiccup took a wide glance, brushing Inferno over the walls. He saw shields, chains━cupboards and shelves filled with wooden creations, papers of blueprints and well-thought out designs. He saw an anvil, tools hung up on the opposite wall, a fire built into the stone and a bellow set up against it. Hiccup grew unwell, his gaze setting on a workbench by the farthest wall━because this place was familiar; chillingly familiar. It looked like a workshop, a blacksmith's workshop ... just like his had been back home. 

     The drop of chains startled him. Hiccup spun backwards and rushed to the chamber entrance. His stomach dropped. The fortress suddenly lit up with torches, showing his friends startled in their hiding places━caught before they could even act, gasping as weighted nets cascaded down from the ceiling. They wrapped around them, covering each entrance and exit━locking them in this dungeon with no means of escape. 

     Hiccup ran back down the staircase, brandishing his sword as she searched for Grimmel amongst the commotion. His heart pounded as he realised just how much he truly had made a mistake━a horrible mistake. He had underestimated the Night Fury Killer yet again, and this time, the cost of his stupidity might just be his friends' lives. 

     From the darkness, Grimmel's voice echoed━Hiccup spun around, unable to find him. His grim voice came from everywhere: each shadow, each crevice, like he was the fortress in itself. "Where's your dragon when you need him, hmmm, Chief?"

     Hiccup glanced down the gaping tower. His breathing grew laboured, his terror replaced with livid anger as Grimmel showed himself behind the netted chains━he had imprisoned them, just like the dragons he hunted. And by the smile on his face, the young Chief realised he knew exactly what he had done, and he loved it. 

    Grimmel's lips dropped into a mocking pout, "Must have forgotten all about you?" He broke out into a chuckle and Hiccup threw up his visor, clenching his hands tight. "First rule of the hunt: separate the prey from its pack. You've just removed yourselves from the equation!"

     Hiccup took a few steps down the staircase. "Why are you doing this?" he asked and Grimmel's thin brows shot up. He looked like a ghost━a bitter, ruthless ghost. 

     "Really?" he let out. He sounded surprised, but Hiccup had a feeling that was far from the truth. "I didn't think you cared." He walked up closer to the barred curtains, passing by one of his Deathgrippers with an air of arrogant carelessness. "Well, unlike you, when I was a boy and I came upon a Night Fury, I killed it where it slept!"

     Hiccup hated how a blow seemed to strike him in the chest, making him stagger back. He stared at Grimmel with horror, understanding that they weren't that different after all. Hiccup was peering at himself through a mirror━a mirror that showed him exactly where he would have ended up if he had killed Toothless all those years ago. And it made him sick to the stomach. 

     "That simple act of courage made me a hero in my village," went on Grimmel the Grisly. "So, I decided to kill every last one, bringing real peace to the people of this world. Until you came along, preaching that dragons are something other than thieves and murderers!" He pointed a finger up to Hiccup, a terrifying gleam in his eyes. "That nonsense dies now, starting with you."

     "But you have dragons of your own!"

     At those words, Grimmel laughed. He turned to the Deathgrippers around him, almost hysterical. "Why━these━?" he chortled. "My, they're dragon killers, boy━" he grasped one by its tusk, and Hiccup only just noticed how dazed the dragon was━how it stumbled on its own feet, how its eyes weren't truly in focus; they were just a shell of a weapon, nothing more. Grimmel's fingers travelled up to the collar chained around the dragon's neck, tapping along vials filled with a deep purple substance. "Drugged into obedience with their own venom. Not even your precious Alpha could control them. They serve me and only me." With a grin, he stepped back. "Allow me to demonstrate."

     The grin dropped. A short whistle cut through the still air from Grimmel's lips. Hiccup's heart dropped.

     "TAKE COVER━!" 

    Hiccup leapt to the side just as a column of green, melting acid struck the chains of the staircase━where he had only just been became nothing more than dripping iron, molten hot. The entire staircase swayed. He yelled as he slid across it, groping his hand to find something━anything━to grab ahold onto before he'd fall down a long and winding chasm. 

     He managed to wrap his fingers around one of the dangling chains. Hiccup heard the growls of Deathgrippers over his shoulder and he gasped, pushing his body to swing to the side as another burst of acid spilled past him━searing right through his armour with a burning heat as he missed it by merely inches. 

     Hiccup pulled himself back up with painful effort, scrambling to his feet and racing back up the long, winding stairwell that started to melt right underfoot. He cried out, leaping as far as he could manage to outrun the crumbling chase, dodging waterfalls of acidic green. He heard his friends shout misguided orders below, scattering for the walls in their desperation to climb away from the firestorm beginning to burn below. 

     Astrid stumbled over her own feet, frantic as she outran the bulldozing charge of the Deathgripper. She coughed as the fire snuck into her lungs, tasting bitter and burning her throat. She ran up a fallen support beam, the last of the team to reach the walls. She could hear the dragon drawing deadly breath behind her and she screamed as she leapt. Her fingers caught the stone above her and she tugged herself upwards with every ounce of strength she had. She wasn't quick enough. The Deathgripper was gaining on her━in just moments, she'd be in range of a most terrible death. 

     She thought she'd never really be terrified of death. To die in battle was something glorious. But before now, Astrid realised that she's never had anything to be scared about, because she had nothing to fear leaving behind. Now, as Astrid struggled to climb away from the Deathgripper below her, she was scared━she was terrified. She didn't want to die, not when there was so much left unsaid, so much she wanted to do━so much she wished she had said, had done differently, had just stopped to think about instead of letting her pride come in between her heart and her mind. 

     Astrid cried out as she tried to pull herself up. But her grip slipped. She would've fallen right into the jaws of the dragon below if a hand hadn't reached down. Fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist and she gasped, gazing upwards at the pair of small blue eyes behind a bright yellow Deadly Nadder helm. Hott struggled to pull her up, and it shocked her into helping up, reaching up her other hand to grasp the landing above. He pulled, and she pushed, scrambling her feet against the stone to finally make it over━Hott tugged her forward and they rolled across the grate. Astrid didn't even find courage to see where the acid had landed━how close it had been to taking her. Instead, she clenched her eyes shut and hid her head in Hott's shoulder. She didn't care how little time they had, she was just thankful in this moment, that she was alive. 

     "You okay?" he asked her, voice trembling. 

     She wasn't, but she was going to have to be. Astrid nodded and pushed herself away from him, getting back onto her feet and offering Hott her hand. He took it and together, they ran to catch up with the others, taking to the stone walls to climb. 

    Valka had reached the top. Through the metal grates, she spun her staff━she called down to them as she heard the cry of Cloudjumper through the darkness. 

     It was a blur. The Dragon Riders climbed up the tall fortress walls, escaping near misses of piercing tails and flames. They barely had any time to think of anyone but themselves, leaping from one fissure to another and pulling themselves up before it was too late. Hott could hear Grimmel's laughter down below, and it was something nightmarish. 

     Most of them had made it to the top right now. Hott glanced over his shoulder to try and see Hiccup through the fire and smoke. The Chief was still stuck on the burning staircase, rushing to the top before it all would crumble down. He hovered there for a minute, heart racing as he watched Hiccup race against time, "Come on," he whispered, stomach churning. "Come on, Hiccup━come on━"

     "Hott!" shouted Astrid, a few feet above him. "Look out━!"

     Hott reacted in just a splinter of time. Throwing himself sideways against the stone wall, his breath hitched to see the talon of a Deathgripper's tail strike the stone where he had just been. He glanced down. The creature snarled at him from where it lied just metres below. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself onwards. He swayed dangerously as it took a second strike; rocks cascaded down around Hott's feet. 

     The dragon tugged at his tail, trying to strike a third time━but it did not move. Hott managed to snicker at its misfortune━it must've heard him, and got very offended, for staring right back at him, it opened it's taloned maw━

     A body dropped down beside him. Hands grasping the dragon's trapped tail, Astrid swung underneath and kicked its jaw with such force, it screeched. Using the tail as a spring board, she leapt back up before it fell down, finding a hand-hold no bigger than a bookshelf. 

     She reached down a hand for Hott to take yet again. He grasped his palm within hers and despite everything that happened between them just an hour before, they helped each other reach the top where Cloudjumper was waiting. His long talons wrapped around the grate and with a mighty gale force of two sets of wings, he tugged it right off its hinges. 

     The Dragon Riders all pulled themselves up onto the fortress roof, whistling and calling for their dragons that waited in the fog. The night was lit up in flames below━like a smouldering volcano where only one Rider was still left to join them. 

     Spikemoth hovered, anxious above the flames as she waited for Hott to call her down. But he didn't. He looked over the edge of the stone, calling down into the flames and smoke: "HICCUP!" 

     Though the firestorm, the Chief emerged. He skidded to a stop at the splintered edge of a support beam, breathing heavily as he gazed at the gaping stretch of fire between him and Hott's outstretched hand. 

     He could see something shift amongst it. He heard the growls. Hiccup glanced down, and then back up, and thought himself crazy as he backed up ready to charge. 

      He ran for it. Sprinting up the support beam, the Chief of Berk leapt over the chasm of flames━Hott cursed and gripped the edge of Valka's staff as he dropped himself down. Hiccup threw himself over. Up through the flames, the largest Deathgripper yet emerged, jaw gaping wide━

     Miraculously, Hiccup made it. He grasped Hott's wrist and the force almost sent both of them tumbling back down into the flames. Hott yelled in defiance as he pulled, tugging his friend and Chief up with only just one arm━until something settled underneath them. Both men dropped onto Cloudjumper's tail as it lifted them up and out of the fortress. 

     They had made it out alive. But they had made it out barely. 

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     a/n: hate hate hate hate HATE this chapter so much. 

    hott's like: fukin hell hiccup get over here I have to get you back to your friken wife! 

     it hurt not making valkyrie go, but I had to do it for plottt I'm sorrryyyyyyyy

     this shit ain't edited i'm so sorry lol