Captain Fury: Pirate of Berk

45: Defenders of Berk

A/N: References to wounds, violence and mild bad language...!

Forty-Five: Defenders of Berk

"Take aim...FIRE!"

Tuff and Ruff fired simultaneously, their accurate shots slamming straight into the flagship's third mast and severing it. The creak and crash as it fell was drowned by the volley of shots from Mulch and Sven, followed by the gunners of the Nightmare and the Hobblegrunt. To their left, he heard the booming roar of Governor Stoick. "FIRE ALL GUNS!"

The Berk Navy joined in, shots pounding away at the smaller ships. And even though Drago's smaller vessels were armoured, they began to accrue significant damage. Astrid frowned, her axe slung across her back and a pistol strapped to her hip.

"Why aren't they firing back?" she asked Hiccup and the pirate smiled grimly at her.

"I think they want us to throw everything we have at them and then feel despair because we can't hurt them..." he explained. She frowned.

"But we can...we know we can!" she pointed out. He gave his familiar, slightly lopsided grin.

"But, Milady...they don't know that!" he smirked. "Okay, Thorstons...let's see how they manage against your new improved Thorston salvo!"

"Dude-you read my mind!" Tuff replied, loading insanely huge amounts of powder into his cannon and winked at his twin sister. "You ready Buff-Elf?"

"Are they ready to sink?" she shouted back. "Ship to the left?"

"You know the spot...just above the waterline...FIRE!" Their shots were simultaneous and impacted ferociously into the nearest dreadnought. Immediately, the twins reloaded and fired again, this time holing the vessel impressively. Finally, Tuff loaded an extra-powerful shot and slammed it straight through the defect-and exploded, blowing out the prow. An enormous hole had the ship diving forward, the deck listing and water rushing into the stricken ship. There were shouts from the vessel and the sounds of mounting panic. Men began to throw themselves over the side, swimming for safety...and then the crack of musket shots sounded.

Fishlegs stared up in horror: Drago's marines were shooting at his own sailors. He stared up at Hiccup and the Captain's face closed in anger. "Elias, Eirik, Nils, Rune, Vidar-return musket fire!" The new recruits, who had joined the Night Fury after they had escaped from slavery in Berserk, lifted their muskets alongside Hiccup's oarsmate and replied, trying to buy the escaping sailors time. The marines turned their attentions back to the pirate ship and Hiccup leapt to bear Astrid to the deck as shot zinged around them. He snatched a musket, lined it up and shot the man who had fired at his wife. There was a cry and the man pitched over the side of the flagship, vanishing into the grey waters.

Cheers came up from their left and Hiccup and Astrid saw Camicazi celebrating as her crew had fatally holed another dreadnought. And then the Hobblegrunt was pounded back by Drago's guns as they finally opened fire. The defending fleet split and the ships spread out, picking their targets to engage in one-to-one battles. Hiccup pointed to a gap through the fleet.

"Where to, Cap'n?" Roar shouted from the wheel.

"Straight through!" Hiccup shouted. "Time to give them a surprise!" Roar span the wheel and the sails billowed, driving the vessel forward with a lurch, speeding through Drago's fleet. "Fish, Sven...Astrid...can you help deploy the Floating Shot as we go through the fleet?" he asked and his wife gave a broad grin.

"Anything my brilliant husband says!" she smiled and dashed forward. He followed her, still stiff from his wounds.

"A simple 'aye, aye, Captain!' would have sufficed," he grumbled. "No respect..." But he joined her at the stern as they prepared to unleash their new weapon. Roar dinked the ship to starboard, sweeping past the huge Flagship and round the flanking dreadnoughts, unleashing the Floating Shot and watching them bob on the currents ebbing and crashing against the armour-clad vessels. As they sped on, the first slammed into a dreadnought.