touch the sky | hiccup haddock

〄 winners aren't weak

"Welcome to dragon training!" Gobber yells as he pulls up the metal door to the large training ring. "No turning back," I hear Astrid whisper under her breath as we walk into the ring. It could easily fit a boat maybe even two boats inside the large dome. The top is made of metal to allow the dragons to fly but not escape. Around the room is multiple large latched doors that lead to dragons. The more dangerous the dragon the more metal the doors seem to have. I feel a shiver run up and down my whole being in nervous anticipation.

I keep my ax close by my side as Astrid holds hers on her shoulder. She's smiling and I know she's more than excited to work with dragons. Unlike me she's been counting down the days for years it feels like. I enjoy one on one combat more than the idea of fighting dragons.

All seven of us walk to the center of the dome and everyone seems to be in awe. This is the first time most of us have been inside of this. We've seen many fights and watched past years train but this is our first time being in the hot seat ourselves. We used to practice our skills behind the forgery in the field with the other younger kids. But being able to work here is the best kind of graduation gift.

"I hope I get some serious burns!" Tuff announced as he flings his spear around half hazardly. "Nahhh, I'm hoping for some mauling. Like on my shoulder," Ruff add on to her twins psycho antics. I roll my eyes at the two lunatics. "Yeah it's only fun if you get a scar out of it," Astrid teases as she elbows me. I give a sarcastic smile back knowing she's not actually joking. She probably actually likes pain in a sick twisted way. "Yeah no kidding right, pain. Love it!" We all turn simultaneously at the new voice.

"Oh great who let him in?" Tuff asks genuinely annoyed. One thing the six of them all agree on is that Hiccup Haddock is an embarrassment of a son to the Chief. The skinny boy stands awkwardly with a large shield beside Gobber with what I would call a smile but he also looks like he's in pain. The shield hangs lowly from his twig arms and if I could guess I would say the shield weighs more than him.

"Let's get started!" Gobber yells before anyone else can make a joke about the twig. "Whoever does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon," the older man sticks his hook out and flings it around dangerously, "in front of the entire village." I shiver runs down my back at the thought of being number one. I look over at Astrid and she already looks like she's won.

"Hiccup already killed a night fury so does that disqualify him?" Snotlout asks which causing the twins to laugh. "Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?" Tuffnut asks which makes even Astrid chuckle. "Then you three wouldn't be here," I tell the twins and Snotlout who simultaneous stop laughing. This makes Fishlegs laugh though and I smile politely to him. If he wasn't so big I have a feeling he would be shunned like Hiccup too, but he's nice and I don't mind him much. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Tuffnut growls out glaring at me I send a smirk his way as we all fall in line.

"Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight!" Gobber yells while putting his hand and hook being his back. I run my hands over the daggers at my side knowing that I might need them if I were to loose my ax. "The deadly nadder!" Gobber yells and I feel my hands get warm and wet from nerves.

"Speed eight, armor 16," Fishlegs whisper out under his breath next to me.

"The hideous zipple back!" Gobber yells and I run my hands up to my arm straps and tighten them. My dad got my mother's armor sized smaller so that I could wear it. I'm just wearing the breastplate and knee pads today. Everything else is too bulky for me still.

"Plus eleven stealth times two"

"The monstrous nightmare!" Gobber yells now using his hook to point to the doors as he walks around the dome. We all turn to follow him with our eyes. Even with one leg her moves quite fast.