For Milady

FORTY-SIX: Wrecked

FORTY-SIX: Wrecked

Casting his gaze across the scene on the beach, Hiccup felt his heart clench in despair. The Sentinels-literally the toughest dragons he knew-had fallen and somehow, the Fliers had found Vanaheim.

They must have followed us, he realised. We led them right here. And if the Hunters find Vanaheim, the dragons will have nowhere to go at the end of their lives. Who knows what will happen and how it will affect the rest of dragon kind? It could be a disaster! And then realisation struck him. They knew we had left Berk vulnerable. Astrid! Dad! Val...oh Thor...

I should go home. Now. What if they are in danger?

But what about saving all dragon kind from losing their most sacred resting place?

"What should we do?" Fishlegs asked quietly. "I haven't seen a place for Sentinels anywhere on Vanaheim...should we bury them?" Glancing around, Hiccup shook his head. For one thing, they were far too big and it didn't feel right.

"We have to be ready to fight the dragon fliers. It's going to get ugly: we have to get uglier!" Snotlout gave an evil grin.

"About time," he muttered as Tuff winced and shielded his face.

"Not yet, Snotlout. That's way too ugly way too soon..."

"Are you serious?" Snotlout yelled at him.

"Do I look serious?" Tuff echoed. "No-seriously-do I? I sometimes can't tell..." Hiccup groaned and turned back to Fishlegs.

"These are serious, tough dragons," he murmured. "And they're all...gone. this is the cruellest thing I think I've ever seen..." And then a cough interrupted him and all the riders looked up. Toothless growled and Hiccup raced to his side, snatching Inferno and igniting the blade in one smooth motion. Fearlessly, his face filled with anger, he approached the crack in the rock to find an injured Flier. Staring at the man, the young Viking felt rage fill every part of his being. This man had helped kill the Sentinels and was going to help Krogan and Johann destroy Vanaheim. All of dragon kind would be harmed, maybe destroyed by this...and his vision washed red. He screamed in fury and raised the sword above the cringing man, ready to make him pay for his crimes.

"HICCUP! NO!"

The voice caused him to pause for a second. "Put the sword down, brother."

Dagur's voice reached through the fury and the sword arched down, burying in the sand an inch from the trembling man. The Berserker Chief walked forward, leaning forward to stare into the shocked man's eyes as Hiccup glared furiously at the man, still breathing hard. The Flier licked his lips.

"I'd talk," he said mildly. "Before I let him or his dragon do what they clearly want to with you." The man stared back and reluctantly started talking.

"We followed you," he sneered. "While you had vanished behind the cliffs, we took care of the stone dragons and had a look around..."

"He's making this way too easy," Tuff piped up. "We haven't even tweaked his ear or anything..."

"It isn't about violence every time," his sister reminded him. The Flier rolled his eyes.

"We discovered the magnificent skull and thought perhaps it belonged to the King of dragons," he continued. "Johann shall be very interested to learn of its existence. The others left to inform him-and when he arrives, he'll pick through this place until there's nothing left but a pile of smouldering bone..." Hiccup marched forward, his fists clenched.

"That's enough-we have to catch those Fliers..." he announced, leaping into the saddle. But Meatlug refused to move, her face filled with sorrow and worry, her big yellow eyes drifting back to the fallen Sentinels. Fishlegs leaned forward, gently caressing his dragon.