The next morning the arena rang with clashing steel, clattering shields, and Astrid's furious voice echoing off the stone walls.
"Stay out of my way! I'm winning this thing!" she snapped, glaring daggers at Hiccup.
"Good," Hiccup muttered with a shrug, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Please, by all means."
The other teens shouted their encouragement. "You got it, Astrid!"
"This time!" she roared, charging with a scream that echoed like war drums. "This time, for sure! AAAAAAUGHHH!"
She rounded the corner—and froze. The Gronckle lay collapsed on the ground, snoozing contentedly while Hiccup stood beside it, patting its chin like an old friend.
Astrid's jaw dropped. "NO! NO! SON OF A HALF-TROLL, RAT-EATING MUNGE BUCKET!"
Before she could charge him, Stoick strode in. "Wait! Wait!"
"Uh… so, later," Hiccup said, attempting to slip away.
"Not so fast," Gobber barked, stepping into his path.
"I'm kind of late for—"
"Late for what, exactly?!" Astrid snapped, cutting him off.
"Quiet down," Stoick rumbled, raising his arms. "The Elder has decided."
Gobber grinned, almost giddy. "You've done it, Hiccup! You get to kill the dragon!"
Stoick clapped his son's shoulder, pride shining in his eyes. "Ha! That's my boy!"
From the back, Jinx—leaning on his scythe like it was a walking stick—grinned wide. "Yea, great job, Hiccup! Knew you could do it!"
Hiccup forced a smile, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Heh. Oh, yeah! I can't wait. I am so…"
"…LEAVING! We're leaving. Pack it up," Hiccup muttered furiously as he stomped through the cove with Toothless at his side. "Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation—forever."
Then he yelped as Astrid's voice rang out. "What the—what are you doing here?!"
She stormed forward, eyes blazing. "I want to know what's going on. No one just gets as good as you did. Especially you. Start talking. Are you training with someone?"
"Uh… training?" Hiccup stammered.
"It better not involve this!" She jabbed toward the empty saddle leaning against the rocks.
He flailed, desperate. "I know this looks really bad, but—you're right! You're right, I'm through with the lies! I've been making… outfits. Yes! So drag me back, let's tell everyone, here we go—"
Astrid twisted his arm with a crack that made him yelp and collapse.
"OW! Why would you DO that?!"
"That's for the lies," she said coldly, before slamming the haft of her axe into his gut. "And that's for everything else."
Hiccup wheezed on the ground. "Oh, man…"
From the shadows, a low growl rumbled. Toothless padded out, eyes narrowed and lips curling back over his teeth.
Astrid's eyes widened. "Get down! Run! RUN!"
"No!" Hiccup scrambled upright. "It's okay, it's okay—she's a friend. You just scared him."
"I scared him?!" she snapped, staring at the looming black dragon. "Who is 'him'?"
Hiccup exhaled, resigned. "Astrid, Toothless. Toothless… Astrid."
Astrid backed away, face pale. "If the village finds out about this, you're dead. We're all dead."
She turned, bolting through the trees.
Hiccup slumped, running both hands down his face. "Da-da-da! We're dead."
Toothless flicked his tail, his expression flat, unimpressed. He turned to leave.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Where do you think you're going?!" Hiccup chased after him, panic mounting.
At the same time, far from the cove, Jinx climbed the steep, snow-choked trails of Berk's northern ridge. The cold never bothered him; if anything, the crisp air made the storm in his veins hum even louder. This path led to his sanctuary—the hidden cave he had claimed when he was only six. A place where no dragons dared come, high above the tree line, where silence and solitude reigned.
But today… it was different.
The snow was broken with scorch marks. Claw gouges marred the stone, blackened and deep. Jinx crouched, brushing his hand along the grooves. Dragon marks. Recent ones.
His violet-pink eyes narrowed. Strange. Dragons avoid this place. Too cold. Too thin the air.
The tracks led straight to the mouth of his cave. His sanctuary.
Then—snap. A stick cracked beneath his boot.
From within the shadows, a howl reverberated through the mountains. Low. Deep. Primeval.
Red lightning lit up the cavern like a storm trapped underground, searing veins of fire across the stone. The thunder of its growl rattled Jinx's bones.
His heart skipped, but his lips curled into a smirk. He reached over his shoulder, the well-worn haft of his scythe sliding free, its battered blade catching the crimson flicker of the cave.
"Round two, big fella," he muttered, eyes blazing with anticipation.
The storm inside him answered with a crackle of violet sparks as the beast stirred in the dark.
The cave trembled with the beast's growl, sparks of scarlet lightning licking the air as if the walls themselves had caught fire. The Skrill stepped into the open—a monster of nightmare and storm. Its scales shimmered like molten iron beneath the veins of crackling red electricity that surged over its body.
Jinx tightened his grip on his scythe, the battered weapon catching violet light from his eyes. The storm in his veins sang, urging him forward. He smirked. "Round two, big fella."
The Skrill reared, its wings scraping the cavern ceiling, and with a thunderous howl it unleashed a beam of scarlet fire-lightning. The torrent roared like a river of flame, hissing as it scorched the icy stone.
Jinx didn't flinch. He spun his scythe in front of him, the blade a whirl of steel and violet sparks. The weapon caught the beam, splitting it into wild arcs that blasted harmlessly into the stone around him. The heat seared his face, though, a blistering wave that stung his skin and forced sweat down his brow.
The dragon didn't pause. Another blast came, searing straight toward him. Jinx rolled aside, the beam carving molten scars into the ground where he had stood. He surged forward, boots crunching snow and ice, scythe flashing in the crimson light.
The Skrill swung its tail, jagged spines crackling with lightning. Jinx ducked low, sliding across the frozen floor, sparks dancing along his skin as the spines grazed past. Electricity washed harmlessly through his body—the Shimmer in his veins drank it in like water—but the wave of blistering heat made him hiss, his arm blistering beneath the scorch.
He grit his teeth. "So the bite's not the problem—it's the burn."
He swung his scythe in a wide arc, the blade singing against the Skrill's claws. Sparks burst as steel and scale collided. The dragon shrieked, rearing back, and unleashed another beam. Jinx planted his feet, whirled his scythe into a storm-shield again, and the bolt split into streams of wild energy. The heat baked the very air around him, forcing him to stumble back, panting.
The Skrill circled him, low growls rolling like distant thunder. Its eyes glowed with primal fury, and its body pulsed with scarlet arcs.
Jinx lunged first this time. His body blurred forward, violet sparks trailing his form. He struck, the scythe biting into the beast's shoulder. The Skrill roared, whipping its head around, jaws snapping so close Jinx felt the furnace-heat sear across his cheek.
He vaulted back, scythe spinning in his hands, and the dragon answered with a blast that scorched the ceiling and sent molten rock dripping like blood. Jinx sprinted along the cavern wall, dodging the molten rain, before flipping back down with his weapon poised.
The scythe carved another line along the Skrill's hide. Shimmer's violet sparks clashed with scarlet lightning, the two storms colliding in blinding flashes.
For a heartbeat, the cave looked like the heart of a thundercloud—red lightning and violet arcs tearing through the dark, heat and frost battling for dominance.
Jinx staggered, clutching his side where the heat had blistered through his tunic. His immunity meant the lightning only fueled him—but the fire inside those bolts, that unholy Muspelheim flame, cut through his body like molten knives. His breath came ragged, chest heaving with effort.
The Skrill howled, chest glowing as it built another beam. Jinx raised his scythe, spinning it into a shield once more. The torrent struck, hammering against the blade, the sheer heat forcing him back step by step until his heels dug trenches in the frozen floor.
The Shimmer inside him roared in protest, violet lightning crackling wildly across his arms. With a bellow of defiance, Jinx twisted, redirecting the beam upward. The bolt split against the cavern roof, collapsing stone down onto them both.
The Skrill roared in frustration, shaking the mountain with its fury. Jinx coughed, body trembling from the strain, but his smirk remained.
"Not bad," he muttered, spinning his scythe once more. His violet eyes burned as he set his stance. "But it'll take more than that to put me down."
And with another roar, storm met storm once again, violet and scarlet colliding in the heart of Berk's frozen mountains.
The cavern shuddered with the fury of storm and flame. Violet arcs crackled from Jinx's body, colliding with the torrents of scarlet fire-lightning from the Skrill. Each clash shattered stone, melted ice, and carved scars into the mountain itself.
But neither gave ground.
With one last defiant roar, the Skrill launched a beam so massive it lit the entire cavern blood-red. Jinx braced, scythe spinning into a whirling shield of violet sparks. The storm shrieked, the heat blasted his skin raw, and the air itself burned between them.
Then the mountain gave way.
The ceiling above cracked with a sound like thunder splitting the world. A rain of boulders and jagged stone fell, crushing everything in its path.
Jinx had a single heartbeat to react—he leapt, shoving his scythe into the collapsing rock to slow his fall. But the impact slammed him into the cavern floor. Agony lanced through his ribs as boulders pinned him down, sharp edges digging into his flesh until violet-pink Shimmer blood trickled free.
The Skrill fared no better. A colossal slab of stone crashed down upon its body, pinning its wings. It howled once in pain, then the sound cut off as its head slumped, jaw hanging slightly open, breath rattling but alive.
Pinned, Jinx gasped, each breath a struggle. His arms shook as he tried to push the stones away, but even his new strength faltered under the weight of the mountain. Pain seared his body—worse than lightning, worse than heat.
Shimmer blood dripped steadily from the wounds where the rocks dug into him, glowing faintly violet in the dim cave light. It pooled on the stone beneath him, each droplet humming faintly with energy.
One rivulet ran down the broken rock, slow and steady, until it dripped into the Skrill's open mouth.
For a moment nothing happened. Then the dragon's throat pulsed faintly. Its body twitched.
Jinx's half-lidded eyes widened. "No…" he rasped. His voice was weak, barely a whisper. "…don't you dare…"
But the Shimmer bled freely, drop after drop sliding into the unconscious beast. The violet glow mixed with the dragon's scarlet embers, weaving threads of violet-pink energy into its body.
The Skrill's chest rose, shuddered—and a faint crackle of violet lightning pulsed across its scales.
Jinx tried to fight it, tried to shift, but his strength was gone. His head lolled back against the cold stone, breath shallow. The last thing he saw before the darkness claimed him was the faint glow flickering across the Skrill's hide—scarlet and violet entwined, storm and shimmer now bound.
Above, the last of the cave collapsed, sealing them both beneath the mountain.
And Berk would not know, not yet, that boy and dragon now shared something more dangerous than anyone could have imagined.
Astrid tore through the forest like a storm given flesh, boots crunching against wet earth, every breath a furious growl. She had no idea what Hiccup was hiding, but she meant to drag it out of him if she had to beat it out with the blunt end of her axe.
Then—out of nowhere—a shadow fell. A rush of air, talons, wings. She was yanked upward with a scream that rattled the trees.
"AH! Oh, Great Odin's ghost! Oh, this is it!" Astrid shrieked, thrashing. "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Hiccup clung to the saddle, voice strained. "Astrid, calm down! We just need to—"
But Toothless was already carrying her skyward, depositing her on the topmost branches of a pine tree swaying under his weight. Astrid barely caught her balance, staring down at the dizzying hundred-foot drop below.
"Hiccup, get me down from here!" she snapped, eyes blazing.
"You have to give me a chance to explain," Hiccup pleaded.
"I am not listening to ANYTHING you have to say!"
"Then I won't speak. Just… let me show you. Please, Astrid."
She hesitated, glaring at him, then glanced at the dragon. Toothless' wide, green eyes blinked back at her as if he too was waiting for her answer. Below her feet stretched nothing but air and death. Growling under her breath, Astrid climbed onto the saddle, ignoring Hiccup's offered hand.
"Now. Get me down."
"Toothless, down. Gently. See? Nothing to be afraid of—"
Toothless launched like a boulder from a catapult. Astrid nearly flew off his back, her scream splitting the sky.
"WHOA!! TOOTHLESS! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Hiccup shouted, clutching the saddle straps for dear life. "BAD dragon! He's not usually like this—oh, no, no, no!"
Astrid shrieked again, wind ripping at her hair.
"Toothless! We need her to like us! Not kill me after!" Hiccup groaned as the dragon spun gleefully. "Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile."
"Okay! I'm sorry!" Astrid cried. "I'm sorry! Just get me off of this thing!"
At last, Toothless straightened, wings catching a current. They soared above the clouds where the sunlight bathed everything in gold. Astrid's chest rose and fell rapidly—but her eyes widened in awe as the storm of panic eased into wonder.
"…Alright," she admitted quietly. "I'll admit it. This is… pretty cool. He's amazing." She looked sidelong at Hiccup, who gave her a sheepish grin. "So what now? Your final exam's tomorrow. You know you're going to have to…" She dropped her voice to a whisper so Toothless wouldn't hear. "…kill a dragon."
"Don't remind me," Hiccup muttered.
Then Toothless jerked sharply, body stiff with alertness.
"Toothless? What's happening? Whoa—what is it?" Hiccup called.
Before them appeared a swarm of dragons, wings flashing like knives in the sunlight. They were caught in the middle of the flock.
"Get down!" Hiccup urged.
"What's going on?!" Astrid shouted.
"I don't know. Looks like… they're hauling in their kill." Hiccup's voice grew quiet, realization dawning.
Astrid's face paled. "…What does that make us?"
The dragons dove into the fog, Toothless swept along with them. They raced through sea stacks, the air alive with screeches and beating wings. Then—a yawning crack in the side of a volcano swallowed them whole.
The tunnel gave way to a vast inner cavern, walls riddled with ledges stacked with dragons of every kind. Nadders, Gronckles, Zipplebacks, Terrors—the very air trembled with their growls and wingbeats.
"What my dad wouldn't give to find this…" Hiccup whispered in awe.
Astrid's voice was a hush of disbelief. "They're not eating any of it. So what are they—"
Her words cut short as the cavern shook. A monstrous shape rose from the molten pit, wings unfurling like the sails of a warship. The colossal beast opened its maw and devoured one of the smaller dragons in a single gulp.
Hiccup's breath hitched. "Alright, buddy… we gotta get out of here. Now."
They burst out of the tunnel and landed hard, both teens rattled. Astrid's face was pale.
"No… it makes sense," she said quickly, mind racing. "It's like a hive. They're the workers. That's the queen. It controls them. Hiccup—we need to tell your father."
"No!" Hiccup snapped, more sharply than he meant to. His eyes burned with urgency. "Not yet. They'll kill Toothless. If I tell them now, that's it. He's gone." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Astrid, just give me until tomorrow. I'll figure something out."
She stared at him, torn. At last, she sighed. "…Fine. But that doesn't mean you're off the hook."
Astrid punched his arm, then jabbed him harder in the ribs. "That's for kidnapping me. And that's for… everything else."
Hiccup groaned, clutching his side. "Ow! What are you looking at?" he muttered at Toothless.
The Night Fury only blinked, curling his lip into something that looked suspiciously like a sly grin.
The stands of the Arena overflowed with villagers, their voices swelling like the tide. Stoick the Vast raised his hand, and the din fell into reverent silence. His booming voice carried over the stone walls, proud yet almost disbelieving.
"Well, I can show my face in public again! If someone had told me that in just a few short weeks, Hiccup would go from being, well… Hiccup, to placing first in Dragon Training, I would've tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad!" Laughter rippled through the crowd, but Stoick's face was stern as iron. Then it softened. "Yes. And you know it. But here we are. And no one's more surprised—or more proud—than I am. Today, my boy becomes a Viking. Today… Gobber becomes one of us!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, and Astrid glanced sidelong at Hiccup. Her voice was sharp but low, meant only for him. "Be careful with that dragon."
Hiccup's reply was steady, though his eyes betrayed nerves. "It's not the dragon I'm worried about."
Astrid frowned. "Then what are you gonna do?"
"Put an end to this," he said simply.
For once, Astrid hesitated, her confidence slipping. She studied him. "You have a plan?"
"I have to try. If something goes wrong…" His gaze darkened. "Make sure they don't find Toothless."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "…Just promise me it won't go wrong."
Before Hiccup could answer, Gobber's voice rang out. "It's time, Hiccup. Knock 'em dead."
"Show 'em how it's done, my man!" Tuffnut hooted.
Hiccup stepped into the Arena, his hands trembling slightly as he picked a dagger from the weapon rack. Stoick folded his arms, unimpressed.
"Hmph. I'd have gone for the hammer," he muttered.
Spitelout, standing nearby, suddenly leaned in. "Stoick, have you seen Jinx? No one's seen him since Gothi declared Hiccup the chosen."
Stoick frowned. "No, I have not." He turned to Gobber. "What say you, Gobber? Have you seen the boy?"
Gobber scratched his chin with his hook. "Aye. Said he was off to his secret sanctuary."
That made both chieftain and second-in-command exchange uneasy glances. Jinx's hideout was something of a myth—never seen by anyone but him. From what little they knew, it was just a small cave he had made livable, certainly not a place to spend the night. Yet neither had time to ponder, for the crowd suddenly hushed as the ground shook with the Nightmare's roar.
"I'm ready," Hiccup said.
Chains rattled. The Monstrous Nightmare burst free, wings unfurling like fire-forged sails. The crowd cheered, eager for blood.
"What is he doing?" Stoick muttered as Hiccup approached slowly, hand raised.
"It's okay… it's okay," Hiccup whispered to the beast, dropping his helmet to the ground with a clang. "I'm not one of them."
Stoick's face darkened. "Stop the fight."
Hiccup shook his head. "No! I need you all to see this. They're not what we think they are. We don't have to kill them—"
"I SAID STOP THE FIGHT!" Stoick bellowed, slamming his hammer against the railing. The Nightmare roared, agitated by the noise, and lunged.
Astrid leapt from the stands. "Hiccup!"
But the dragon was too fast. Its massive claws pinned Hiccup to the sand. The crowd screamed, half in horror, half in bloodlust. Then the Arena shuddered as a blast of searing blue fire tore through the railings. A black shadow cut through the smoke—Toothless.
The Night Fury struck like lightning, colliding with the Nightmare. Gasps spread like wildfire.
"Night Fury?" Gobber whispered in disbelief.
"Toothless, go! Get out of here!" Hiccup shouted desperately, scrambling to his feet.
The villagers surged in panic. "No, no, no, no!"
"Toothless, GO!" Hiccup cried.
But the Vikings closed in, weapons ready. "GET DOWN!"
Astrid's voice cut through the chaos. "Stoick, NO!"
Hiccup begged, "No, Dad! He won't hurt you! You're only making it worse! Toothless, STOP! NOOO!"
But it was too late. The Night Fury roared, refusing to retreat. Warriors tangled him in nets, striking with pikes and ropes. Toothless thrashed, but sheer numbers dragged him down.
"No! Please, just don't hurt him!" Hiccup cried, fighting to break free.
"Put it with the others!" Stoick roared.
A heavy hand seized Hiccup and threw him into the Great Hall. He stumbled to his knees, chest heaving.
"Dad—"
"Not you!" Stoick thundered, his face twisted with fury and something deeper—betrayal. "We had a deal!"
"I know we did! But that was before—it's all so messed up!"
"So everything in the ring? A trick? A lie?"
"I screwed up! I should've told you before now. Take it out on me, be mad at me—but please, don't hurt Toothless!"
"The dragon? That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?"
"He was protecting me! He's not dangerous!"
"They've killed hundreds of us!" Stoick roared.
"And we've killed thousands of them!" Hiccup fired back, voice cracking. "They defend themselves, that's all! They raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back—they'll be eaten themselves! There's something else on their island, Dad—it's a dragon like—"
"Their island?" Stoick cut him off sharply. "So you've been to the nest."
Hiccup froze, realizing his slip. "Did I say nest?"
"How did you find it?"
"I—I didn't. Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island."
The words were barely out before regret washed over his face. "No, no, no. Dad, it's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against! It's like nothing you've ever seen! Dad, please! I promise you—you can't win this one! For once in your life, would you please just listen to me?!"
Stoick's voice was quieter now, but far colder. "…You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a Viking. You're not my son."
His shoulders sagged for the briefest second, the weight of his words clearly cutting him too. But his pride burned stronger.
"READY THE SHIPS!" he roared, turning toward the docks.
The hall was silent but for the sound of Hiccup's breaking heart.