𝓑𝓮𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓭

Chapter 51 - The Sneak attack

Mala and Curious landed on the sea stack that the other riders were all hiding on, Dagur and Shattermaster not far behind as they both got off their dragons and returned to the small camp.

"Well, Johan is here and the whole base is surrounded, it won't be easy getting in," Mala stood next to Heather, Dagur grasped the former Queen's hand and smiled. Hiccup was kneeling not too far away watching the base through his spyglass, he hadn't spoken much since leaving Hadan.

Astrid watched him with concern, she hated it when he went quiet, it meant he was deep in thought and all she wanted was for him to see that he was right for the role of King. The Auburn stood back up and turned to the others, placing his spyglass back into the satchel on Toothless' saddle.

"I have an idea, Johan will be expecting us, so let's use that to our advantage," He smirked and turned to the base, the others and their dragons looked at each other confused, they all knew that look.

~ Line Break ~

Hiccup was escorted with his head high into the base courtyard, Toothless being pulled in by metal chains as Johan who was now wearing dragon scale armour stood on a balcony.

"Master Hiccup, what a pleasant surprise, gentlemen this is the famous Dragon master," Johan announced, waving his hands to the hunters who all were shocked to learn a lithe-muscled man was the supposed dragon master.

"Nothing to say master Hiccup, I'm surprised you even came alone?" the man questioned, his scouts had reported not a single rider in sight, which had been quite the surprise to him. Toothless growled from where he was chained down, Hiccup didn't say anything and kept his hard glare on the man.

"Oh well, I'm sure your friends will love hearing about your death," Johan waved his hand and Hiccup was pushed towards a pole where he was shackled to it. He didn't even struggle as the men left him there and a crossbow was aimed straight at his heart.

Hiccup raised his head and let out a roar, the men all looked at him confused before they burst out laughing. Johan watched and chuckled at the sight, the boy was delusional, he knew after years of being around the dragons he would eventually go crazy.

"Your last words are a growl of frustration, guard, put him out of his misery," Johan commanded, the guard nodded and aimed his crossbow. Upon firing the bolt a Nadder spine knocked it down, Astrid smiled as the other riders and their dragons all revealed themselves, hovering just above the courtyard.

"Well, I underestimated you Master Hiccup, you seem to keep surprising me," Johan looked up, he had obviously been suspecting this the whole time as the riders readied themselves. More guards and hunters appeared, crossbows aimed, Hiccup fiddled with the lock on his shackles as a bank of fog began to roll in.

Johan watched from his balcony as the riders all stopped what they were doing, something strange was going on. Hiccup could hear whispers, as the whole base was covered in the thick fog, Toothless struggled in his chains. The hunters holding him soon disappeared, as dragons began attacking the base by surprise the riders all looked around in shock.

"What's going on?" Hiccup felt his shackles being sliced and he ran to Toothless who smiled seeing his rider alright, Johan and his men were being overrun with strange dragons as they barged into the lower holding cells.

"I don't know, riders we need to find Johan!" Hiccup yelled up at the riders who returned with their growls of agreement as they helped the other dragons fight off the men. Hiccup and Toothless ran through the courtyard intending of hunting down Johan themselves as they reached the balcony.

Through the fog, they were able to find the door into the commander's quarters, walking inside the whole roof was broken off as a dark figure stood just on the edge. Hiccup stopped in his tracks as Toothless growled at the figure, their head turned to look at them both, their face concealed by a mask, as long double-headed staff in their left hand.

Hiccup stared at the figure, something about them seemed familiar, he couldn't understand how but he just knew it. They nodded their head as a Stormcutter growled and the figure jumped onto it's back flying over the tower as Hiccup went back out the door to find the riders missing.

"Guys?!" He called out but they were busy dealing with the rush of guards coming from within the compound, it was surprising to see so many hunters in such a small base. Hiccup mounted on Toothless and urged him to take flight, the Night Fury flew into the clouds, following a faint scent of the Stormcutter.

They had been flying for about an hour, Hiccup was starting to lose hope as his mind drifted to how he reacted about him being King. Guilt began to eat him up from the inside, how could he have been so stupid, they were his friends, the family he had found and made, he couldn't compare them to his horrid father or Snotlout.

Toothless levelled out above golden clouds and was searching the horizon, he couldn't work out where the Stormcutter had gone, but his eyes caught something. Slicing up through the clouds was a wooden staff, he snarled as Hiccup turned to see the masked figure just floating on top of the clouds.

"Uhh..." He gripped Toothless' saddle and watched as the masked figure disappeared back into the clouds, he leaned forward and tried to see where they went.

"Ok, no sudden moves," Toothless whispered, he knew something was beneath them just as the Stormcutter burst from the clouds and roared. Toothless pulled back and hovered in place, Hiccup watched as the mysterious figure seemed to just stand on the dragon's back as it circled them.

"Hold on bud," Hiccup was just in complete confusion, Toothless, however, was ready to fire at the opposing dragon as they both glared at one another. A screech from behind caught the Night Fury's attention as Hiccup was snatched from his saddle and his dragon began to plument.

"Toothless?!" Hiccup yelled as he was taken away, the Night Fury flapped his wings helplessly and tried to save his rider but he hit the icy water hard. Hiccup struggled against the dragon's talons, the mysterious figure watched him from the Stormcutter before nodding at another dragon who knocked the young man out.

Toothless roared and cried while lethargically flapping his wings trying to get out of the water and back into the sky, roaring in frustration. His rider needed him, he needed to get to him and save him.

"Hi...Hiccup!!" He yelled getting a mouthful of water as he sunk back into the ocean, he gave one last push and grappled onto a chunk of ice watching a small flock of dragons fly away. Waves began to flap around him as he was pulled along by a pod of Seashockers, he tried to get free but he was so tired and just passed out.