And then he was Gone

Warfare

Astrid's POV

Hiccup swore and bellowed "Dagurrrr" Fenris ran in and panted out, " No, not Dagur Hunters, 12 ships, Viggo is leading them!" A snarl emerges from Hiccup's throat and he runs for the door yelling orders.

"Dagur, Throk, hold down the Edge!" The two ginger-headed warriors nod and rush off with Dagur laughing maniacally.

"Heather, Mala, Eret, with me. Fenris flank the ships from the right!" They all nod and charge, Heather using her axe to hook over Windshear's wing and pull her on while Mala flips onto the Fireworm Queen. Hiccup, without even a second thought, leaps off the cliff and we rush to the edge - to see Hiccup extending some sort of wings from his armour and gliding towards a massive warship. Upon landing, he dashes towards a dark haired man with a horrible scar and, with a bull-like roar of, "Viggo!" he engages the man with a sword of burning flame.

Despite myself I have to admire how well his group work as a team - if it were us Berkians, we would be arguing with each other - but his team work in perfect unison.

Mala's dragon releases bursts of fire which neutralise the storms of arrows, Eret crashes through ships on his massive Rumblehorn and Heather swoops past masts and with a glint of silver they fall, leaving the ships unable to move. But the most amazing is Hiccup, who has gone from a scrawny boy who couldn't even lift an axe, to a mature warrior forcing Viggo on the defensive with jabs and parries. As I watch, Viggo says something and Hiccup's face contorts in rage as he sweeps Viggo's blade up and kicks him back before roaring in anger and leaping at the man.

Stomlouds thicken and the Skrill, glowing with electricity, descends before releasing a wave of lightning that causes a ship to explode into splinters. Two ships, having broken through, land, and Hunters armed with various weapons leap onto the beach - to be met with Dagur and Throk who both pull out axes before leaping into combat.

A cry of pain from the command ship draws my attention and I see Viggo's blade reach for the finishing blow but as he stabs down, Hiccup twists out of the way and boots him before grabbing his own blade and re - entering the fray. An explosion tells me that only two ships remain - the one Hiccup is on and a huge barge commanded by a shaven headed man who looks a bit like a gorilla with a goatee.

Hiccup is still dueling Viggo and as the senior hunter goes for a powerful overhand, Hiccup spins, knocking the blade out of the way and impaling him through the stomach. I grimace knowing how much a wound like that would bleed but realise the heat from Hiccup's sword has cauterised the wound.

As he pulls the sword out of the man Iread his lips, "Enjoy Helheim," Viggo topples to the ground. The shaven headed man screams in rage and snatches a Hunter's bow before loading it- and shooting a glistening arrow into Hiccup's back.

As Hiccup crumples to the ground, Heather screams and her dragon releases a wave of icy fire upon the man who shot him, turning the Hunter to ash. Not even bothering to acknowledge the kill, she lands and with the rest of the Riders, rushes over to Hiccup. Under the aid of Eret, he is placed on Toothless, who takes off and wings up to our level then pads into the Clubhouse. I catch a glimpse and inhale sharply upon seeing the wound. It's a horrible slit and Hiccup's face is pale, contorted in agony while a crimson liquid drips from his back. Fishlegs takes one look and runs to the balcony, vomiting over it. Heather and Throk rush past and carry Hiccup into the Clubhouse while Felman, Mala, Dagur and Eret follow. We go to follow them in as well but the door is shut in our faces and locked, leaving us hoping, praying to Odin, that he will be alright.

-Five minutes later-

The door finally opens and Hiccup's gang, bar Heather and Throk, file out, faces tight with worry. I push forwards.

"How is Hiccup doing?" I demand. Dagur turns sharply.

"Why would you care," he snaps, "You just pushed him around and bullied him - why would you want to know if he's ok?" he finishes.

"How dare you!" yells Snotlout and pulls out his mace - but in a blur of movement, Eret's sword is leveled at his throat, Mala's katana at mine, Fishlegs is being threatened by Dagur and Fenris levels two short swords at the Twins.

Stunned at the fast movement, my eyes widen and I draw my axe while the Twins threaten Fenris with two spears. Fishlegs steps in holding up his hands.

"Look, you have all right to be angry at us and so does Hiccup, but we are serious about making amends. We were jerks to him before but I speak for all of us and I say that we wish to apologise," he says softly. Hiccup's riders exchange a glance and lower their weapons. Mala is about to speak when Snotlout ruins everything. Like usual.

With a wild yell, he swings his mace at Eret and all hell breaks loose.

Eret knocks Snotlout's mace away and kicks him backwards, causing him to hit the decks hard. The Twins swing at Fenris only for the Berserker's swords to cut the tips off their spears and Felman leaps into a flip, landing behind them and throwing them over his head. Fishlegs sticks his hands up and sits down as I am assaulted by Mala. The Queen slices at my head and kicks my legs from under me before cutting straight through my axe, the one Hiccup had made me all those years ago, the only axe my family could afford. She raises her blade before a commanding yell rings out.

"STOP!"