𝓑𝓮𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓭

Chapter 48 - It is Over

Astrid, Heather, Alyjester, and his brother Eayger had somehow snuck onto the lead ship to find the Grimbourn family, the boys had reassured their tribe that the riders would help them escape.

The girl's dragons had been left above deck to take care of the hunters, enjoying themselves quite a bit, Ryker, however, had somehow disappeared from the battle, leaving the three of them confused.

"It seems weird that our Uncle isn't up top, I know the lead ships have a lot of advancements for escape, but we didn't see another ship leave," Alyjester questioned, his brother made a few hand signs, the 15-year-old was deaf.

The boy had been born deaf, he and his older brother had developed a way of speaking to each other by making hand signals, most of the family knew it and used it.

"It is suspicious, but let's just find your family," Astrid added as the group walked into a smaller corridor hearing a happy high pitched squeal.

"Alyjester, Eayger!!" a young boy, his black curly hair falling around his face waved his arm, the older boys rushed to the cell door.

"Jyenson, thank the stars," Alyjester and his brother kneeled down outside the dragon proof barred door, looking at the woman in the cell their mother sighing in relief.

"Thank the stars you two are alright," The woman made a few signs with her hands for Eayger, who smiled and signed back to her.

Astrid and Heather stepped forward, clearing their throats, the woman all gasped in surprise seeing the dragon riders.

"You're the riders...we hadn't expected you to he so young," One of the women stepped forward, looking at the two 18-year-old girls.

"Or expected to see two women such as yourself fighting," Another added, Jyenson looked up at the girls and smiled, as did Alyjester and Eayger.

"They're going to help us, mum, Uncle Ryker won't hurt us again," Alyjester started to cry, grabbing his mother's hand, smiling at her.

"Oh, my boys, I'm happy that the two of you are safe, thank you dragon riders," The woman nodded happily as Heather took a closer look at the lock on the door.

"The door is dragon proof, but luckily we have a way to break it," Heather smiled and pulled her axe down from her back, Jyenson awed at the unique weapon.

"Don't worry, we'll have you out soon," Heather smiled, Astrid pulled her axe down and turned to block Ryker who had been sneaking up behind the group.

"I had a hunch you were still here," Astrid pushed the dragon hunter back easily and looked at Heather who was blocking the door along with the boys.

"I was counting on it," Ryker smirked, his electric grey eyes boring into the Blonde Valkyrie, who glared back at him, this was her chance to take out the leader of the hunters.

Astrid was about to charge, but Ryker sneered with a sinister smirk before he backed himself away and headed to the open deck above, he was expecting Astrid to follow.

"Heather and Alyjester, you two stay here with Eayger and get that cell unlocked along with the rest of them," Astrid pulled her helmet mask down and swung her axe back over her shoulders, Heather's eyes widened.

"You can't be serious Astrid, you've never taken on Ryker alone," She stood next to her friend, she knew very well that Astrid wasn't going to listen.

"Just get everyone free, I'll be fine," Astrid gave her friend a nod before she went to go find the hunter, Alyjester nervously shifted, watching the girl leave.

He knew his Ryker wasn't a man you ever double-crossed, he was smart in war tactics and brute force, fighting against him ended with either a long healer visit or death.

~ Line Break ~

Hiccup and Viggo flew out of the Berserker tunnel, the two Strike class dragons hovered over the main city looking out to sea, the riders were winning by a long shot.

"Were winning," Hiccup rasped, he was trying to hide the fact that he was injured and looked out at the Berserkan water space, Toothless could tell something was up.

"Yes, though I do not believe it will be that easy," Viggo noticed that the lead ship was untouched and pointed to it, Hiccup looked over and a sick feeling seeped up from his stomach.

"Astrid..." His fists balled and his knuckles whitened as he gripped the handles on Toothless' saddle, the Night Fury could tell his rider was mad.

"Let us make haste Hiccup, I believe Ryker is up to something," Viggo added, the Skrill looked over at Toothless who nodded before the two riders flew quickly towards the lead ship.

Hiccup and Viggo circled the ship, Ryker stood on the command deck, holding Astrid against him her own axe at her throat, Hiccup's blood boiled seeing his betrothed being held hostage.

Toothless landed on the lower deck, Hiccup grabbed his Gronckle iron sword from the saddle sheath and jumped down beside his dragon, Viggo stayed in the air, he knew this wasn't his fight.

"Hiccup, I'm sorry, I was just...ah," Ryker held the axe closer to Astrid's throat and tightened his grip on her upper arm, sneering.

"Shut it girl, unless you want to have your outcast boyfriend watch you slowly die," The burly man pulled down on her braid, making her wince in pain as she looked down at Hiccup with pleading eyes.

"Let her go, Ryker," Hiccup seethed through gritted teeth, the dragon hunter laughed, lower the axe slightly as he glared down at the boy.

"And why would I do that?" He snickered, Viggo circled the ship and gasped seeing the escape ship heading towards Berserker, his family was safe.

Astrid carefully slid a dagger out from her wrist before she plunged it into Ryker's torso, the man gasped dropping the blonde Valkyrie's axe as Hiccup rushed up to the deck and stood beside his girlfriend.

"You...traitorous Viking outcasts..." he rasped, blood pooling through his tunic, dripping onto the deck as the two riders approached him.

"You should know by now, we were never Vikings, we're dragon riders," Astrid smiled and kicked Ryker in the stomach, the dagger sinking in further, making him grunt in pain.

He was dangerously close to the edge of the upper deck, the ocean below lapping at the huge creaking hull, threatening to swallow him up if he dare fall in.

"This war is over Ryker, your dragon hunting empire is no more, the dragons are free," Hiccup swung his sword and sliced up his neck and left eye, his scream in pain falling with him into the ocean below.

Viggo landed behind the two of them, along with the other riders, they all sighed in relief to see that Hiccup was alright and to see the elder Grimbourn fall.

Astrid looked at her betrothed, his breathing was off and he looked to be in quite a bit of discomfort, Toothless came over and crooned in concern.

"Hiccup, are you ok?" Astrid asked, placing her hands on his shoulders, trying to take his helmet off, he stopped her from doing so and chuckled with a slight wince.

"Milady, why don't we get back to Berserker...we have a lot of...pa..." Before Hiccup could finish he passed out and collapsed to the deck, Astrid yelled his name and caught him in her arms, the other riders and their dragons rushing to him.

Heather was sent to go find Nathalia as fast as possible, Astrid and Toothless looked down at the 18-year-old in worried concern for his health.