Long Live

Chapter 34

Hey, guys! Hope you enjoy reading this chapter and happy reading!

The group wasn't hesitant to get promptly out of the Black Dragon's cave. After coming outside from the dreadful place, they then packed up their things they had left outside before their venturing. Then, it was back to Guardia.

While the group was walking and not talking about anything in particular, Rapunzel asked a very good question.

"Hey, what do you think is going to happen to the Black Dragon's er- body?" she said. "I mean, we kind of just left it there."

"It'll disappear into nothingness like all other magical creatures do," Galaxy said. "I bet if we turned back, it'll already have disappeared."

"No way," Rapunzel shook her head vehemently. "I am not going back to that place." she shuddered.

"I was just saying if we went back," Galaxy laughed. "Believe me, I bet all of us would agree with you in a heartbeat to never go back to that awful place."

"She's right," Anna piped in.

They all laughed.

"This feels so surreal, you know?" Hiccup said. "After a long journey of fighting bears, almost getting drowned by sirens, Anna and Merida getting kidnapped by trolls, running into vampires, meeting a sphinx, and then fighting the Black Dragon and not to mention defeating it, we're finally going back to Guardia to end our quest."

"Just think about it, it's all coming to a close," Elsa said, a thoughtful expression on her face. "And after this, we can all go back home, back into our daily lives."

The group was silent, pondering all of this in their head. The thought had never really struck them before that they could all go back to their hometowns and not think give a second thought to this quest. Before long, this would all be a distant memory.

"Do you think that we're still going to keep in touch with each other after all of this?" Anna said. "Because I would hate to never see any of you ever again."

"Of course we're going to keep in touch!" Rapunzel said. "I've gotten to know and like all you that I even consider you my second family."

"It would be a shame if we lost contact with one another," Hannah said. "I feel like you're the only knights I've ever gotten close to on a quest."

"To me, you're like my brothers and sisters," Merida said. "And much better siblings than the real ones I have. Those wee devils."

The group laughed.

"Seriously, how can we have so fun together and be happy in each other's company, then just throw it all away?" Anna said.

"Well, let's make a pact," Jack said. "After all of this chaos is done and all of this has quieted down, we'll still keep in contact with each other. Agreed?"

The group smiled. "Agreed."

The group traveled day and night, eager to go back to Guardia. The days and nights seemed shorter as they trekked on, anxious and excited at the same time.

"Hey, why can't Galaxy just teleport us back to Guardia?" Jack said. "It'll-"

"No!" the others said.

Jack looked at them, confused. "But- it'll be much faster!"

"But it'll take away the feeling of finally coming home," Elsa said.

Hiccup nodded. "Even though I wish I was with Toothless and Astrid right now, I want to make the most out of everything for the rest of our quest."

"It just takes away the fun!" Anna said.

"And I thought you were everything about fun, Jack," Hannah smiled smugly.

Jack sighed. "I was just saying it would be much faster...."

"Aw, don't be such a downer, Jack," Galaxy smiled sympathetically at him. "We're almost to Guardia. It's just a few more weeks now. Then you can do whatever you want to your heart's content."

"Which is basically just coming to our house and eating all of the food that we have," Anna giggled.

"Anna!" Jack said, his cheeks flushing.

"You can't deny that it's true, though," Anna winked mischievously. "Every time you leave, I already have a pen and paper ready to write down the food you gobbled all up."

"Bit of a pig now, aren't we?" Merida teased.

"Guys," Elsa said, laughing a little. "Give Jack a break. He doesn't need any more onslaught."

"Fine," Anna said, then smiled slyly at Jack. "Maybe later then."

Elsa laughed at her sister's antics. "Oh Anna...."

Minutes ticked on to hours, hours ticked on to days, and days ticked on to weeks, when finally they all felt something familiar.

"Yep, we're getting close to Guardia now," Hiccup said, looking at his map. "Just a few more kilometers."

The group buzzed with uncontrolled excitement.

"Just think about it, all of the celebrating and dancing and- oh! I'm just so excited!" Anna squealed.

"What I consider celebrating is taking a good long rest in my bed," Hannah closed her eyes and smiled. She sighed wistfully. "How I wish I could lay in it right now. My warm, soft, comfy-"

"Okay, now you're making me drowsy," Hiccup said, stifling a yawn with the map.

"We don't want the guide here to fall asleep when we're already so close," Galaxy teased. "Otherwise, we're going to have to drag him and try to find our way to Guardia."

"I call dragging him by the arms," Anna laughed.

"I'll volunteer with the legs," Merida added.

"Guys!" Hiccup said. "You're making me sound like I'm the last piece of a chicken wing."

"Well, for starters, you kind of have the arms of a chicken wing," Hannah said, pretending to look thoughtful.

"Hey, if you want to talk scrawny, look at Jack," Hiccup said.

"What? How did I get dragged into this?!" Jack said.

"Hm, you're right," Hannah said, looking Jack up and down. "He has the anatomy of a chicken wing."

"Thanks, Hannah," Jack said sarcastically amidst the bubbling laughter. "That was very flattering of you."

"Oh come on, Jack, it was just a joke," Hannah said, playfully punching him in the arm.

"Some joke," he muttered, but he had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Hey, guys?" Hiccup said, interrupting the group's bantering.

"Yeah, Hiccup?" Jack said, coming over.

"We're here," Hiccup said, looking up.

The others fell silent and they all looked up as well. Right in front of them was the gates to the kingdom. To home.

"We finally made it," Jack said, like he couldn't believe it, and frankly, he couldn't. "We're here. Guardia."

AN: Just a little chapter focusing on the group :). Ah, I've missed these kinds of chapters. Anyways, thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter!