The Hidden World

The Big Fight

Today was the big day.

Everyone was excited and were marching in crowds towards the arena. They were chatting, carefree. Not like a young person was about to kill an innocent dragon.
Hiccup was at the front, walking beside his father. The Chief was excited and in a happy mood. Hiccup had a lot of trouble acting like that. The knowledge a dragon would die today made him feel sick.
"Oh son, isn't that a glorious day?" Stoick laughed and hugged his son with a big arm mid walking.
"Sure." Hiccup croaked, but Stoick wasn't even awaiting an answer.
"And to spend it with my Arkyn, my only son!" While Hiccup tried to remember the meaning of Arkyn, Stoick started to chat with his best friend Gobber.
"Arkyn... The King's son..." Hiccup muttered in realization. By that time they had already reached the throne. Stoick fell into it, Hiccup as the heir was granted the privilege of sitting beside him on an unspectacular wooden chair. The rest of Berk had to stand.
"And now Berk, I present you Astrid Hofferson, the mighty warrior to kill her first dragon." Gobber the Belch announced. Hiccup jumped up, adrenaline pumping through his veins.
"Astrid!" He cried and stormed to the bars of the arena. The blond girl stepped into the arena, enjoying the recognition.
"Astrid!"
When she spotted Hiccup, all glory was forgotten. She was doing this for him, to avenge him.
"Hang on babe and the head is yours!" She promised, the axe lifted into the air. The crowd roared even more excited.
"Is that what I think it is?" Stoick asked Gobber with sparkling eyes.
"My son's even picking the right women!"
Hiccup ignored every single one of them. He had now realized that it meant either a dead dragon or a dead girlfriend. Of course it was no surprise Astrid was the best, but somehow he had enough thoughts to ignore especially that one.
"Astrid! You don't have to do this! I don't need you to avenge me!" He yelled down to the arena desperately. He wished he had exchanged the need with want.
Astrid just smiled. She didn't seem nervous regarding she was about to fight one of the deadliest dragons.
"Don't worry babe. The dragon's as good as dead."
Hiccup reached out one hand into the arena, but there were way too many meters between them.
"No..." He whimpered hurt. Automatically he imagined his best friend dead on the ground and almost spilled public tears.
"In case I don't make it... This would be the perfect opportunity for last words." Astrid pressed through a sore throat. Hiccup chocked his tears down. Either the dragon or Astrid.
"Astrid... Your name... It's not a grandma's name. It means Godly Power." Hiccup sobbed sadly and watched Astrid's surprised reaction.
"You may need that. I love you babe, no matter what."
The whole crowd was silent during the confession. Touched by the romantic scene between prince and warrior.
Astrid smiled, finally understanding the honour Hiccup had given her with the name.
"I love you, too. Always Hiccup."
Then her mentor jumped up.
"Ladies and Vikings! I announce Astrid Hofferson versus the Monstrous Nightmare!"
Suddenly the cage sprung open and a gigantic dragon on fire leapt out of it's cell. With a majestic roar it crawled on top of the arena and blasted hot fire.
Stoick the Vast dragged back his son onto his chair into safe distance.
Eventually the dragon landed with a deep growl in front of Astrid. Hiccup was so tense, he almost jumped every second out of his chair.
"Don't worry son. Soon you'll get your first kill, too." Stoick tried to cheer up his son, but misinterpreting the situation in every wrong way.
Hiccup glanced up into the sky, missing the freedom. How carefree and worrylesss he could float through the air. Every big problem seemed like ants.
But he was on the ground and there was nothing he could do about it.

Astrid fought brilliant. Everyone who liked a dragon killing warrior would be proud. Hiccup pleaded for the death to be quick. The sinister look in Astrid's eyes told him otherwise.
Astrid grabbed a hammer and threw it with full force against the Nightmare's head. He crashed against the wall and was dazed for a second, but snapped out of it before he lost his head to Astrid's axe.
Hiccup had cried out, his hands covering his mouth. He was so sure the dragon would be dead.
"Almost, but she's good. I say less than two minutes."
Stoick chatted to Hiccup and Gobber. He didn't even notice Hiccup's devastated look. He hated the people he lived with, but more importantly he despised himself.
How could he sit and watch a dragon getting slaughtered from VIP?
When had he become one of them?
Astrid barely dodged a fire blast, crying as her tight was slightly burned.
Hiccup jumped up and pressed himself against the net. His knuckles went white as tight as he grabbed the bars.
"Astrid stop!" He yelled desperately and pulled at the bars.
"I'm OK!" Astrid screamed back, slightly annoyed. But Hiccup wasn't concerned for her. The Nightmare had reached it's limit. He could no longer blast fire.
Unfortunately Astrid knew this as well. She dropped her double bladed axe to the ground and picked up a hammer instead. With a roar she rushed to the dragon.
The red dragon fought frantically without a plan and was even more dangerous. It fought for it's life's sake.
Astrid slided under the dragon and kicked his throat.
The dragon cought and gasped for air. Meanwhile Astrid was already jumping onto the dragon and letting her weapon crash down like Thor's mighty hammer.
"Noo!" Hiccup cried out, seeing the dragon vulnerable and downed. Astrid didn't notice him in her blood lust. All she did was pick up her double bladed axe.
When she glanced murderously at the Monstrous Nightmare, Hiccup remembered Toothless' words.
Follow your heart. Promise me.
Stoick had finally noticed that something was definitely not right with his child.
"Son...?"
Hiccup jumped up and ran down to the back door.
"Hiccup!" His concerned father yelled, trying to figure out what was wrong with his son.
Hiccup reached the smaller gate, but oh wonder, it was locked. He spotted Astrid walking towards the downed dragon with her axe, the crowd cheering.
"Astrid don't!" He cried and pulled desperately at the bars, but she didn't hear him over the noise.
Hiccup's father had followed him, he noticed the empty throne. If Stoick caught up with him, Hiccup could never help the Nightmare.
He looked around him and spotted an axe. The violence it represented was disgusting but now it was the saving solution.
Hiccup placed the axe on the ground and used it as a lever, to open up the gate and crawl through the small opening. Stoick followed, but his path ended here, while his son ran into the devil's nest. Oh Thor, he hadn't even recovered completely of his wound!
"Hiccup!" Stoick roared, frightened for his life. Without thinking he ran to the main entrance, this gate he could open for everyone.
Astrid slowly walked up to the dragon, enjoying the chanting of her name.
Astrid, Astrid, Astrid!
"You hear that monster? They're calling my name."
Astrid, Astrid, Astrid!
"They wish for your death, devil!" She spat hatefully.
Astrid, Astrid, Astrid!
"I'll grant them that wish..."
She muttered as she lifted her axe over the downed dragon. The dragon looked terrified and hateful at Astrid, his breathing slow and heavy. When he saw the axe he knew it was over.
He would die.
Astrid, Astrid, Astrid!
"I'm a Viking!" She yelled and roared like a maniac as the weapon rushed down.