𝓑𝓮𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓭

Chapter 18 - The Dragon Hunters

A huge dragon with hard rock like scales growled behind a locked cage door, as Viggo and Ryker stood below him.

" What do you think happens to an animal when you remove it from the safety of its home?" Viggo asked, the Eruptordon rammed its head into the cage door, Ryker raised his sword in defence.

" At first it becomes disoriented and aggressive, finally the creature accepts it's fate, focusing on its own survival." The Eruptordon lowered its head in defeat, before turning away from the two men and lying down.

" In this case, it becomes someone's very expensive toy." Viggo walked up to the dragons holding cell and smiled at the growling creature.

" It better survive captivity, we have an event coming up and this dragon could fetch us a lot more alive, then dead." Ryker quarrelled, Viggo, shook his head, his brother didn't understand the importance of what they were about to achieve.

" Dear brother, we first have to obtain our families treasure, something our thief will never see coming." Viggo had a sinister smile spread across his face, this was a war he was sure to win.

~ Line Break ~

A lone Dragon Hunter's ship, sat in the middle of the ocean, as the two riders glided down towards it, Eret was still hanging from Stormfly's claws.

" Hiccup, this seems weird, Viggo travelling with a rare dragon, alone." Astrid looked over at Hiccup, as the two of them pulled back on their dragons.

" You're right Astrid, this is weird, he's definitely up to something." The two riders looked at each other, if they were going to attack, that had to be smart.

They had a Queen and a hostage to think off, Hiccup looked back at Mala who was holding onto his torso rather tightly.

" Alright, Astrid keep our hostage safe, we're gonna fly in low and fast, Mala, just hold on." Mala did as he commanded and gripped his waist tighter, Astrid patted Stormfly on the neck and the Nadder crooned before gripping onto Eret's feet.

" THIS IS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!" Eret yelled as the two riders dove towards the ship, Toothless chortled at the trapper's misfortune, as he fired at the hunters.

The Hunters on deck were caught off guard, as the dragons came in blazing, they rushed to their weapons.

Hiccup and Toothless maneuvered around the ship, avoiding the arrows and blasting at the hunters, until an array of arrows was targeted at the Night Fury.

" Hiccup!" Mala pointed to the side of her, Hiccup tried to pull out of the way, until Astrid flew in with Stormfly.

" Stormfly, spine shot!" The Nadder threw her spines and the arrows fell into the ocean, Hiccup smiled up at her, before circling the ship.

" I don't see anyone who would look like Viggo, do you think he would be below deck?" Hiccup turned back to Mala, who gave him an affirmative nod, as Astrid flew up beside him.

" Then we're gonna need to clear the deck!" Astrid smugly smiled, before she and Hiccup steered down to the ship.

Toothless and Stormfly basically cleared the ship, before the two of them landed on the deck, scaring one of the hunters into jumping into the water.

Three more Hunters rushed at Hiccup and Mala, but Stromfly shot her spines at them, they dropped their weapons and ran the opposite direction.

Stormfly threw Eret onto the deck and landed right on his back, the trapper grunted, as Astrid jumped down from her dragon's back.

Hiccup helped Mala off Toothless, before pulling his shield down to his arm and heading across to a hatch.

" Mala, stay up here with Astrid, I'll see what I can find." Hiccup opened the hatch, before stepping down the first few steps.

" Hiccup, be careful." Astrid told him, Hiccup smiled at her and continued walking into the bowels of the ship.

Hiccup and Toothless landed on the floor, the Night Fury had a plasma blast ready to fire, as the two of them made their way down a corridor.

" Whoa, hold it bud." Hiccup told his dragon, who swallowed the blast and followed the boy, into an empty holding bay.

" Looks like he got the slip bud." They looked at each other, before heading further down the corridor and searching every cell.

~ Line Break ~

Hiccup closed the hatch and walked back over to Mala and Astrid, who were both glaring at Eret.

" We searched everywhere, no Eruptordon and no Viggo, I knew those Hunters we're just a rouse." Mala lowered her head, this was something she didn't want to hear.

" This does place me in quite a difficult position, but since I had made my proposition, you and your friends are granted a pardon." Astrid looked at Hiccup weirdly, the 18-year-old cringing slightly.

" What is she talking about?" Astrid asked him, Hiccup turned to her, shrugging his shoulders and sighing.

" She basically asked me to marry her and become King of the Defenders, I said I would think about it." Astrid was shocked, her plans to flirt with Hiccup we're now thrown off the dragon.

She had been hoping that she would be able to have some alone time with him once they found the Eruptordon, but now that Mala had done this, that was gone.

Eret noticed Astrid biting her bottom lip and the sour expression on her face, before clearing his throat to get their attention.

" Well, this was nice, but can you let me go." Mala turned to the man and threw a dagger at him, it lodged itself into the deck just below his nose.

" You shall stay with us, until further notice." Mala seethed at the man, who groaned and looked away, he was not enjoying his day.

" Wait a second, he might be onto something." Hiccup walked over to Eret and knelt down, looking right into his eyes.

" Oh no, you're not getting any information out of me, you can kill me now thank you." Hiccup smiled smugly before giving Astrid a wink, she nodded and jumped onto to Stormfly.

" That can be arranged." Stormfly took off into the sky, heading straight up, Eret had no idea what was happening and just looked down at Hiccup.

" Stormfly drop." The Nadder cawed, before letting Eret go, the trapper screamed, as he plummeted towards the ocean.

" Good girl, Stormfly fetch." Astrid pet her dragon's neck and the Nadder soared down to the screaming trapper.

" OKAY, I'LL TELL YOU WERE VIGGO TOOK THE DRAGON!!!!" Stormfly grabbed Eret's leg, just before he hit the water and hovered above the ship, dangling Eret in front of Hiccup.

" Works every time." Astrid cracked her knuckles and smiled down at Hiccup, who looked at Eret sternly.

" Viggo most likely took the Eruptordon to his main base, but I'm not sure where that would be." Mala pulled out another dagger and held it to his throat.

" Your lying, you know where that base is." Eret shook his head, just as a terrible terror flew down to the riders.

" Iggy, what is it?" The terror landed on Hiccup's shoulder and passed him a letter, the boy read it.

" What is it?" Astrid asked, looking down at him, Hiccup's face contorted into shock, as he looked back up at the girls.

" Heather and Dagur are in trouble, they need help." Mala ran to Toothless and pulled herself on the Night Furies back.

" We need to return to Caldra Cay immediately." Astrid nodded, before Hiccup got on Toothless and followed after the Nadder.

All three hoped that Caldra Cay wasn't being attacked, Hiccup just hoped that his adoptive brother and sister were alright.