The Great Beyond

Chapter 68: Chain of Command (Reign)

              Shriek and Sleuther circled in the air together, hovering over Defenders of the Wing Island before we landed. I looked down at the land below, trying to spot one Rider in particular, but unfortunately, it appeared both him and his dragon were already gone. Sighing, I signaled for Dagur and his dragon to land, and I pushed a smile onto my face as we slid off our dragons and met up with the other Riders. Astrid pulled me into a tight hug, letting out a relieved sigh that I was back with the rest of the group.

"Thank the gods you're here," he muttered, smiling wide at me. "The twins have been completely unbearable so far. They ask too many questions." I laughed, my head falling back against the white cloak.

"Yeah, I don't think anyone ever taught them to have any sort of filter," I shrugged. "But, at least you guys are here. Dagur and I were worried we'd arrive before anyone else."

It had occurred to me not long before we left Berserker Island that Dagur had never actually been to Defenders of the Wing Island, and to Mala, he was just my brother that I sometimes complained about and sometimes praised. I'd tried my best to fill him in on everything he needed to know, and offered him an extra-long lecture on making sure he was on his best behavior. Despite my brother being the matured age of 26, he somehow still managed to function on a similar level of a child when it came to addressing people.

"I guess Hiccup and Snotlout already left, huh?" Astrid grimaced once I'd asked the question, offering me a sorry smile just a few moments later.

"Yeah..." I shook my head. Given my luck, that shouldn't have been a surprise. "But, as long as there were no issues or delays, they should be at Wingmaiden Island by now, which means they should be back before dark."

It was better than nothing. Besides, I had the organization of the summit meeting to focus on until they got back, which was solidified when Astrid handed me that bag of lenses Hiccup kept so securely guarded. I was more than happy to see Mala, making small talk with her and Throk for a while before all of us sat down with her and Dagur to discuss what was going to happen.

"Once Hiccup arrives with Atali, we've got to figure out a strategy to deal with the Flyers, and now Johann." Noticing my brother had begun to slump over with boredom, I cleared my throat and shot him a glare, causing him to straighten back up. "Until then, we have to find a safe place to keep the Dragon Eye lenses."

"Might I suggest we place them inside of our volcano. It's far from the easiest location to access." Mala's offer actually wasn't a terrible one, but the idea of putting them into that crater, which had proven it was unstable on a few occasions, made me a bit nervous.

Dagur happened to be thinking the same thing I was, but when he actually voices his thoughts, he did it far less delicately than I would have.

"Inside an active volcano?" my brother chuckled. "That's what you're proposing?"

"Yes," Mala shortly confirmed.

"Well, what happens when it, you know, erupts?" I kicked his shin from underneath the table, trying to get his attention, but my brother had already started rolling, meaning unless I lunged across the table and mauled him, there wasn't much I'd be able to do to shut him up.

"If it erupts, we have the Eruptadon to manage its lava flow." Mala refused to directly look at him now, casting a cold side-glance in Dagur's direction.

"'If', 'when', same thing, really," Dagur dismissed. "And you're sure you 'Great Protector' can handle a full-scale eruption?" My brother made a point, as aggressive as it was. "Of course you're not. Berserker Island is the obvious choice. Our Berserker guards— "