Heir and Pride

Chapter Twenty One

The flight was nerve-wracking and Hiccup had never felt as tense. The squadron had left exactly at dawn because everyone was awake long before and was far too excited to sleep. Hiccup was leading on the Nadder as the most experienced rider. Though he already had his dragon, he was far the best dragon rider and the teens had insisted he lead the way. Astrid was sitting behind him, her arms tight around his skinny shape and her warmth gave him courage, reminding him of that other flight on Toothless, where they found the Nest. Reminding him of what they were facing-and who he was rescuing.

"I'm coming, bud," he murmured. "It was all my fault. We should have left together. But I had to try. I couldn't leave if I knew I could've ended the war and saved all those lives."

The dragons had sped to the edge of the mists of Helheim's Gate and Hiccup had led them in, pausing and then allowing the Nadder to dive and start the slalom through the seastacks.

    

"Stay close and stay alert!" he shouted back to his friends. "This is gonna get a bit...twisty!"

    

He heard the teens grumble and a small smile crossed his lips as Astrid hung on tighter: she remembered the wild ride they had endured on Toothless. She was the only one he would allow to touch him-despite what she had done. He swallowed against the fluttering fear in his chest. But there were other sounds, the screech of dragons above them, heading...away from the island? Hiccup tensed and he hung tighter to the ropes. Then the Nadder swooped up and the island came into view.

    

And the teens saw a vision of Hel. The fleet was burning, the side of the mountain was blown out and the huge dragon was standing a hundred feet high on the beach, roaring over the Hooligans and stamping on the catapults like matchwood. The enormous grey dragon was lumpy with red spines all over its flanks. And it was roaring. Hiccup leaned to his right and took the dragons round in a tight curve, signalling his friends.

    

"Showtime!" he said.

oOo

Stoick started up in utter horror. The monster had exploded from the breached mountain and shrugged off catapult shots that had cracked open a volcano. The normal dragons had fled in a huge swarm, silent and utterly focussed on escaping from the monster. Maybe he should have taken that as a clue. And, treacherously, he had recalled the words Hiccup had cried at him as he cast the boy out.

    

You don't know what you're up against!

    

It's like nothing you have ever seen!

    

Dad-please! I promise you-you can't win this one!

    

How could he be so stupid? His son hadn't been protecting anything: Hiccup still loved his father and the boy, who had reconnoitred the nest, had warned his Chief about a foe that was beyond the capabilities of the entire Hooligan Tribe. And Stoick the Vast had ignored him, beaten him and cast him from the tribe.

    

What there would be of it after this catastrophe.

    

Once they ships had ignited, Stoick had pulled himself together. There was no hope of winning this battle: all he needed was to get as many of his people away. He turned to his brother and his friend. "Get them to the far side of the island," he told Spitelout. "You go too, Gobber!" The blacksmith gave a grin.