Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1

The night was quiet, like many before and many would be after. The boat was calm, the dragons finally done with all their wailing and screaming. A guard was patrolling the boat, making sure all the dragons were in their place. It was foggy, and the guard had a difficult time seeing more than ten feet in front of him.

So when the guard thought he saw a figure in the fog, at first he wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him. But as he approached, the figure became clearer and clearer. It was not a mere mirage, the person was real. Any doubts were cleared when the figure pulled out a flaming sword! The guard gasped, and the figure raised a finger over its mouth and gave out a shush.

For a moment, the guard was paralyzed. That. . . thing. He didn’t know what to call it. Was it a person? It didn’t look very human. All those scales. The guard turned around, ready to flee, but stopped when he saw something else. Something that wasn’t human at all. Something. . . draconic.

Deciding he'd rather face the humanoid, the guard pulled out his spear and began attacking. The figure blocked and parried, managing to rip the guard’s spear away. In desperation, the guard threw his lantern at the figure, who knocked it to the ground. The area caught fire, yet the figure and the dragon walked through unharmed.

That settled it, there was no way the figure could be human. “D-demon!” the guard shouted in horror.

“N-no! I’m not a demon!” The figure said, trying to get the guard to shut up. The figure removed its helmet, revealing a human face. “Dragons shed a lot, alright?”

“Y-yeah, alright,” the guard said, not believing him in the slightest. Demons were known to lie, after all.

The guard turned around, trying to run off to alert the others, but was slammed into a cage and knocked out. The figure responsible for this landed next to the others. She quietly said, “You really need to stop with the dramatics.”

“It’s not my fault,” Hiccup protested, “Not this time at least.”

“Uh huh,” Astrid responded. “At least no one else knows we’re here.”

Just then, several more figures approached the three of them. Hiccup was worried for a moment before recognizing them. One of them, a large man wearing thick Gronkle scales, spoke up, “Come on Hiccup, it’s just us.”

Hiccup sighed in relief and quietly said, “Well, now we’re all here. Let’s get to work.”

Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Tuffnut, and Ruffnut all split up with their respective dragons. Locating various cages across the deck of the ship, the riders got to work unlocking them and freeing the dragons. They moved as a team, quickly checking the cages and opening those that had dragons in them. All in all, this mission had been going very well. Unfortunately, their luck had just run out, as the sound of footsteps and voices were approaching.

“Well, time to go loud,” Hiccup said to himself. He called out to the others, saying, “Get the rescues out of here!” before charging at the approaching guards.

The group quickly split apart and got to work. Fishlegs, Astrid, and their respective dragons worked to gather the rescues while the rest fought off the guards. While they were outnumbered, these guards were clearly not very well trained, and were generally being dealt with quickly.

As everyone was fighting down below, two figures looked down at the carnage from above. The dragon whimpered to its owner, who responded, “Oh, don’t worry, it’s fine. They’ve got this.”

Indeed, they did. It wasn’t long before all the dragons were gathered in one place, ready to leave. Toothless was busy rounding up the last of them, he managed to pick up a strange scent. It seemed. . . familiar, somehow. Yet he wasn’t able to remember where it came from. He checked a nearby cage where it seemed the smell was coming from, yet the cage was empty.

“Toothless, come on,” the voice of Hiccup was heard. Toothless put the strange scent behind him and ran off to meet his closest friend.

The two were the last to leave the ship, with all the dragons following them. As they flew off, Astrid remarked, “You know, wasn’t that supposed to be a stealth mission?”

“Well, they all start that way,” Hiccup responded. “Doesn’t always end that way though.”

Sometime later, the riders and the freed dragons approached their home of Berk. Hiccup smiled to himself as he managed to get a good look at his home.

Ah, Berk. A stunning, one stop shop dream destination. A place to settle in and let one’s worries melt away. The service soars, the cuisine is fiery, and the locals are as colorful as they get. Sure, it might not have beaches and sunshine, but it’s got something no place else does: dragons! Lots, and lots, and lots of dragons.

Perhaps. . . too many dragons. Hiccup watched as a viking below had trouble crossing a road that was absolutely congested with dragons. At this point, there were more dragons than there were vikings.

Hiccup, Toothless, and the rest landed nearby, finally disembarking after their mission. “Well. . . that could have gone better,” Hiccup admitted.

“What do you mean!?” Snotlout asked. “We kicked those traders’ buts and got away with the dragons! Seems like a sweet deal to me.”

“Actually,” Valka interjected, “I’d say my son is right. Yes, you were successful, but you’re starting to rely too much on your dragons. You need to rely more on each other.”

“Pfff, so what? It’s not like we’re gonna be without them on missions.” Tuffnut said.

At this point, the riders started getting into an argument. All Hiccup could do was sigh and put his head in his hand. He was interrupted when Gobber’s voice spoke out. “Oi! Hiccup, what exactly are you planning to do with those new dragons?”

“I’m going to add them to the rest,” Hiccup answered.

“Uh huh, and how exactly do ya plan on doin that? We’re crowded enough already! We don’t have a whole lot of room for any more,” came Gobber’s response.

Hiccup took a deep breath. “We’ll find a way. We always do. And besides,” Hiccup looked at the new dragons. “It’s not like we have a better place for them.”

Gobber grumbled before walking off. Hiccup looked at the village in front of him. Yeah, it wasn’t perfect. Far from it, in fact. Gobber wasn’t the only one who was complaining of overcrowding. While the Berkians loved dragons more than anyone else, even they had their limits. Buildings were starting to get wrecked, and there wasn’t any peace and quiet. The sheer number of them was starting to make it difficult to move.

And yet, what else could Hiccup do? He genuinely wanted to make a better world for both dragons and humans. He had spent six years of his life doing so. Sure, not everyone supported him, but he still pressed onward. He had helped slay the Red Death, helped Toothless become Alpha, and much more. This problem was just another to solve. All he had to do was find the answer.

It was unfortunate how much easier that was said than done.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

That night, Hiccup remained awake inside the chieftain’s hut. Toothless was asleep outside, so he had some quiet. Well, at least as much quiet as he could with all the dragons running about. Considering many of them were nocturnal, there was only so much quiet one could expect. Still, it was plenty enough for Hiccup to focus on reading his books.

He remembered. He remembered how his father spoke of legends of a Hidden World, the place of origin for all dragons. A place located at the very end of the world itself. A place where all dragons could live in peace. Hiccup certainly didn’t want to abandon Berk, or force the dragons into leaving. But still.

Hiccup knew that the current situation couldn’t go on forever. A few more dragons and the whole place could collapse in on itself. He had to find a way, he had to make sure that dragons and humans thrived together. He owed it to his father, to Toothless, to Astrid, to everyone.

Yet, despite all the searching he did, despite all the maps he’d collected and drawn, despite all the books he’d found and written, despite all the adventures of him and Toothless, Hiccup was no closer to finding the Hidden World than he was when he first started this quest.

It didn’t matter. Hiccup would continue searching until either he found it or proved without a doubt that it didn’t exist. 

He heard a knock on his door. “Come in,” he said.

The door opened and Astrid came in. “Hiccup, come on. Not this again.”

“What?” Hiccup tried to feign innocence.

“All this,” Astrid answered. “All this searching. All this working. You’re throwing yourself into this without thinking of the others. Of me. Our wedding’s coming up, but we’ve barely done any planning.”

“I know, Astrid. I’m sorry. I’m just a little busy is all,” Hiccup replied.

“You’ve been ‘busy’ since you became chief. People are starting to worry about you.” Astrid walked up to Hiccup and placed her hands on his shoulders. “Hiccup, you can’t keep neglecting yourself for the sake of everyone else. I know it’s hard, and I know you’re doing your best. But please, can’t you take some time off? For me, at least?”

Hiccup put down his book and sighed. Astrid was right, like usual. He had been throwing himself into this quest. He wasn’t about to abandon it, but perhaps a little break would do.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Hiccup said before standing up. He gave Astrid a small kiss before saying, “It’s a clear night, let’s go watch the stars.”

Elsewhere, Toothless was inside his barn, fast asleep. It had been a long day, and he was looking forward to getting some rest.

But it seemed the universe had other plans, as Toothless was slowly woken up by a unique smell. It took Toothless a moment before realizing: it was the same familiar smell from the ship. With nothing else preoccupying his mind, Toothless felt compelled to seek it out.

It wasn’t difficult for him to sneak out of the village. He was a Night Fury, after all. His very body was perfectly designed to silently slip through the night. Toothless followed the smell deeper into the woods. The smell was growing stronger with each step he took. As he walked, he remembered the path he was traveling. He was heading towards the very lake where he first met and bonded with Hiccup.

As he approached the clearing, his eyes went wide as he finally saw what he was searching for. It was a dragon, but unlike any he had seen before. Its shape! Its shape was so much like his own! Was this another of his kind? Had he finally found another like himself after so long? Toothless approached warily. The dragon was sleeping, or at least pretending to. Toothless gently trilled to get the dragon awake, which it slowly did, unveiling its wings to show its brilliant blue eyes. 

Toothless was enchanted, unable to look away. The dragon seemed to react similarly, but as Toothless got closer, the dragon withdrew.

Toothless, realizing she was even more afraid than he was, backed off himself. He crouched on the ground a short distance away, making himself look as non-threatening as possible. The other dragon seemed to get the message and gingerly moved closer to Toothless. She cooed at Toothless, who responded in kind.

Toothless, quite frankly, had no idea what to do. He had just met this dragon who looked so similar to him. How was he supposed to act? He had spent most of his early life alone, and the rest with Hiccup and his flock. This was completely new territory for Toothless, and he basically had to wing it and hope he didn’t screw up.

The dragon began a strange sort of dance, one which Toothless had never seen before. He tried to copy it, but was clumsy and tripped over himself. The dragon looked at Toothless in confusion and amusement, before Toothless got up to try again.

It took a few attempts, especially with his nerves really getting to him, but soon enough he was able to match his partner step for step. She seemed mightily pleased with him, and walked up to rub up against him. Toothless nervously responded in kind, but before anything else occurred, the dragon reacted with hostility against some unknown force.

While they were stargazing, Hiccup and Astrid had noticed Toothless had disappeared. Deciding to search for him, Hiccup and Astrid walked away from the town and further into the forest. Eventually, they came across an astonishing sight. They managed to find Toothless with another dragon that looked incredibly similar to him!

“Is that. . . a Light Fury?” Astrid asked, quietly stunned.

“If it is, I’ve certainly never heard of it,” Hiccup responded, going through his mental catalogue of dragons. “I-if anything, I think it’s another Night Fury.”

“But,” Astrid responded, “it looks so different.”

“I don’t know. Maybe it has a unique scale color or something!” Hiccup said louder than before.

This seemed to catch the Light Fury’s attention, which then blasted a plasma bolt in their direction. Hiccup and Astrid lept to the side avoiding the blast. “No no no wait!” Hiccup called out. “Stop! We’re not here to hurt you!”

But the Light Fury didn’t listen. She got into a predatory stance, determined to end them. Yet before she could do anything, Toothless lept between her and Hiccup and stared at her intently. She growled at his questioningly, but Toothless refused to budge.

The Light Fury narrowed her eyes at Toothless before taking off and flying away. Toothless turned around and worriedly checked on Hiccup and Astrid. As he sniffed them, Hiccup said, “Don’t worry bud, we’re fine.”

Seeing they weren’t harmed, Toothless looked relieved. But then he turned around and looked where the Light Fury had been standing. He looked saddened, and Hiccup picked up on this. 

“Sorry bud. Didn’t mean to ruin your date,” Hiccup said apologetically. Toothless briefly looked at his tailfin, then to the sky. As Toothless did, Hiccup felt determined to help his best bud.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

“Are you sure about this?” Astrid asked.

She was looking over the tailfin Hiccup was working on. It was the same one from all those years ago, the one that would allow Toothless to fly completely on his own.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Hiccup answered. “If Toothless is gonna get what he needs, he can’t do it with me interrupting everything.”

“I know that,” Astrid responded, “but Toothless destroyed that last time, didn’t he?”

Hiccup breathed outwards. “That was then, this is now. Times change, Astrid. You saw how Toothless reacted to that Night Fury. I doubt she’d let me within a mile from her, at least not for a long while. If Toothless is going to have a chance, he'll need this.”

Astrid looked a little worried. “When was the last time you slept?”

“Last night,” Hiccup nonchalantly said.

Astrid rolled her eyes. “When was the last time you slept for more than three hours?”

Hiccup stopped working. He was pensive, yet determined. Toothless was one of the few beings that meant the entire world to Hiccup, alongside Astrid and his mother. He’d do anything for his best bud. 

He spoke, “Astrid, this could be it. This could be our chance to find the Hidden World.” He then turned to face her. “But even if it isn’t, he’s still my best bud, and I want him to be happy.”

Astrid smiled at him lovingly. “Always wanting everyone to be happy, Hiccup. It’s. . . such a nice quality of yours. But it has me worried that you’re so focused on everyone else you’ve forgotten what you want.”

Hiccup considered her words. “Yeah, I know. But hey, he’ll probably be gone only for a little while. At least until he brings her back. While he’s gone, we can focus on each other, alright?”

Astrid kissed him on the cheek. “It’s a deal.”

Sometime later, Hiccup had finished repairing, upgrading, and repainting the tailfin. We walked outside to meet with Toothless. “Hey bud!” Hiccup called out. “I got something for you!”

Toothless walked over to Hiccup, sniffing the wrapped up gift Hiccup held in his arm. Hiccup unraveled the tailfin, allowing Toothless to get a good look at it. Toothless inspected it curiously, wide-eyed at the new tailfin.

“Alright bud, sit down and I’ll get this attached,” Hiccup said.

Toothless followed obediently and sat down, allowing Hiccup to slowly attach the new fin. Once he was done, Toothless inspected the fin with curiosity and excitement, remembering how it felt on him before.

“Well bud, what do ya think?” Hiccup asked with pride.

Toothless looked at the tailfin, filled with emotions. He looked at it, then looked inside his pen where Hiccup kept his old tailfin. Toothless looked at it, as though remembering all the times he and Hiccup flew together. 

“Come on bud,” Hiccup said. “It’s not like it's going anywhere. If you want me to reattach your old fin, I’d be glad to.”

“Now,” the two turned to face each other, “be back by sundown at the lastest,” Hiccup teased. Toothless rubbed up against Hiccup before running off. However, before he took off, he stopped and looked back, as though needing one last approval before flying off.

Hiccup nodded and waved his hands. “Go on bud,” he said, “I’ll be right here waiting for you when you get back.”

Toothless seemingly understood, and turned around to continue running. Eventually, he took off, flapping his wings as he finally took to the sky. He looked at his tail, performing immaculately. Toothless made a few circles around Hiccup, roaring his goodbyes, before finally flying out of sight.

Hiccup looked on with pride as he saw Toothless disappear beyond the treeline. Once Toothless was gone, he turned and walked away, heading to the cliffside that overlooked the village.

Later, Hiccup and Astrid were sitting atop the hill, gazing at the sunset. “So he left?” Astrid asked.

Hiccup nodded. “Yep, flew off like a natural. I’m sure he’ll find her in no time.” 

However, Astrid noticed he looked a little pensive. “Hey, you sure he’s gonna be alright?” she asked.

Hiccup nodded, more softly this time. “I trust him, I’m sure he’s gonna be ok. It’s just. . . well it’s been a long time since I’ve been without him, you know? It feels like there’s a hole where he usually is.”

Astrid placed her hand on his shoulder. “Hey, he’ll be back. He loves you, and we all see it.”

“I know, Astrid,” Hiccup said. “I’m still gonna miss him regardless.”

The two said nothing for a time as they looked out over the village.

“Look at it,” Hiccup said. “Everything we’ve worked to build. Humans and dragons coexisting. We’ve managed to build a civilization in which we work harmoniously together. It’s practically a utopia!”

He sighed before continuing. “Not really. There’s still so many problems. The trappers keep coming back, again and again. No matter how many dragons we save, there's always two more who slip by. And the overcrowding. There’s simply so much room our little island can take.”

“Hey,” Astrid said. “We’ll figure it out. We always have. We’ll find a place to settle the other dragons. And as for the raiders? Well, I’m willing to fight. And I know Snotlout, Fishlegs, the twins, your mother, we’re all willing to fight too. Heck, all of Berk is willing to fight. You don’t have to bear the weight of the world alone, Hiccup. I’ll help you carry it. I’ll stand right by your side as I did for all these years.”

Hiccup smiled as he placed his hand on Astrid’s. “I know. Thank you. I kinda needed to hear that. You’re right again.”

The two hugged. “I always am,” Astrid said as they parted. “Now come on, let’s go get something to eat.”

Hiccup nodded and followed, grateful beyond words to have Astrid as his fiancé. Frankly, he didn’t know what he’d do without her constantly by his side, reassuring him that he was doing the right thing. 

He looked up to the sky, wondering if Toothless would feel the same way about the Light Fury. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

Toothless stood atop the highest peak of Berk, calling out into the sky. He had been waiting there for hours, patiently wondering if the Light Fury would ever return. He was just about to give up when he heard a call back. Out of the clouds popped the Light Fury, curiously inspecting Toothless. He showed her his new tail, which she looked at with trepidation. But soon she accepted it, and Toothless took off in pursuit of her.

The two flew through the clouds, twisting and twirling around each other. The two looked at each other with a mix of curiosity and infatuation. The Light Fury then flew ahead, and Toothless flew on after her.

At first, Toothless wondered where she was taking him, but that soon became apparent when he saw a massive storm in front of them. Soon, the two dragons flew inside, weaving in and out of the clouds without fear. Despite streaks of lighting flashing all around them, not once did Toothless feel worried about being struck.

Soon, the two of them began to climb. Higher and higher they flew, until they were above the clouds themselves. There, Toothless could see the moon rising as the sun began to set. He briefly recalled Hiccup, but his thoughts were interrupted when he looked at the Light Fury. Her scales glistened underneath the moonlight, and Toothless was more infatuated than ever as he looked her in the eyes. 

The two stayed there for a time, content to remain together above it all. Above the troubles of the world, above any and all fears. Here, it was just the two of them.

But it was not to last, as soon the two began falling down, through the storm, through the lightning, before emerging underneath it into a torrent of rain. Nearby, the two spotted an island, where they flew down towards. They landed near a cave, in which Toothless and the Light Fury both entered to escape the rain.

Seeing that it wouldn’t pass for some time, Toothless and the Light Fury prepared a small nest. It was crude, even for Toothless, but it would do for the night. Together, the two dragons cuddled in each other’s wings and slowly but surely fell asleep.

The next morning, Toothless awoke first. Seeing the Light Fury was still asleep, he resolved to get breakfast for her. Soon, Toothless was flying over the nearby ocean, looking for a suitable set of fish to catch. Upon spotting some, Toothless dove into the water, barely managing to catch them in his mouth. 

Toothless swam back to shore, and upon completion he was already exhausted. He walked up to the cave, where the Light Fury was waking up. Toothless deposited the fish next to her, which she took gratefully. Unfortunately, when she was done, Toothless found himself to still be hungry. Fortunately, the Light Fury looked at him with amusement and flew off.

Toothless walked down to the beach where he saw the Light Fury skimming the water for some fish. Managing to catch some, she flew back to Toothless, depositing some for him and some for her. Once they were finished, Toothless felt satisfied, and laid down on the beach. The Light Fury did so as well, snuggling next to him.

Their rest was short, as Toothless suddenly felt the need to do something. Cooing at the Light Fury for her to stay, Toothless walked up and down the beach, looking for a suitable stick.

Once he found one to his satisfaction, he returned to the Light Fury and began drawing something for her. At first, she was curious as to what he was doing, before realizing he was drawing her face. She walked around, looking at it in awe. As she did, Toothless was satisfied, and felt the urge to play.

Toothless began walking into the water before turning back and cooing at the Light Fury, inviting her to play. At first, she looked unsure. But then Toothless used his massive wings to splash water all over her in a friendly prank. Upon shaking the water off her face, the Light Fury looked at Toothless and narrowed her eyes. 

Toothless was briefly worried he’d seriously messed up, but he saw her lean back, preparing to pounce. Toothless tried to run, but it was too late. She leapt off the beach and onto Toothless, causing them both to tumble into the water.

The two rose from the waves and shared a look, then made noises as though laughing. From there, the two played in the water for hours, spending time with one another and slowly coming to understand each other.

As they began slowing down, Toothless looked at her once again. She was as beautiful as ever, and from the way she looked at him, it seemed she felt similar. But even then, there was a small feeling in his gut, a feeling that reminded him of his home, and the people that awaited his return.

That night, the two had just finished dinner when Toothless was looking in the direction he had come from. He was just about ready to head back to Berk, but then he heard the Light Fury calling to him. She motioned off in a new direction, as though she wanted to show him something.

Toothless took a moment to think about it, eventually deciding to follow her. The two took off, heading in a new direction. They flew over the calm sea under clear, star-filled skies. As they flew, they began touching wingtips, feeling each other even then.

The two came across a mysterious set of fog. Toothless had never seen such fog before, but judging from his partner’s expression, it seemed she was incredibly familiar with it.

Toothless began slowing down, unsure about continuing. The Light Fury gave the dragon a small mew, persuading him to follow her. Deciding he would do so, Toothless and the Light Fury flew into the fog.

Unbeknownst to Toothless, he and his partner were being watched at that very moment.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

Hiccup passed back and forth inside his hut, worried that something had happened to Toothless. This absence was unusual. Even back when Toothless could first fly alone, he hadn’t been gone for this long. He had gathered the dragon riders, conveying to them his fears.

“Hiccup, I’m sure Toothless is fine,” Astrid tried to calm him, but even her tone of voice conveyed worry.

“Astrid, it’s been five days. What if he’s gotten hurt, or captured, or worse!?” Hiccup asked.

“Hey man, this Toothless we’re talking about. You know, the one dragon who can get through just about anything,” Snotlout said. 

“Yeah, he’ll be fine. I’m sure we just have to wait,” Tuffnut said.

“Yeah, but-”

“But this, but that. Toothless is your friend, you trust him don’t you?” Ruffnut asked.

Hiccup nodded. “Of course I do, with my life.”

“Good, then I’m sure he’s fine.”

Hiccup nodded again as the twins, Fishlegs, and Snotlout headed outside. As they walked, the twins shared a look with one another. “I know I just said Toothless is fine, but do you really believe that?” Ruffnut asked.

Tuffnut paused for a moment. “I’m not sure. But this is Hiccup and Toothless here. If something happened, they’ll find a solution of some sort.”

Ruffnut hummed in agreement. A couple moments were spent in silence, until Fishlegs walked next to them. 

He asked, “Uh, I know we just talked about it, but I’m sort of feeling like we should go out looking for him.”

Snotlout then walked up to them and said, “Psh, I’m sure he’s fine. We’re all going to be fine.” He walked about two steps forward before his posture instantly changed, going from prideful to worried. “Yeah, we should totally look for Toothless.”

The four of them turned around to head back to Hiccup’s house. However, right before they reached the door, they saw Hiccup and Astrid walk out of it. “You guys decided to look for Toothless, didn’t you?” Hiccup asked with exacerbation.

The four exchanged glances, but were unable to deny anything. Hiccup smiled. At least he and Astrid wouldn’t be alone. “Alright everyone, let’s pack things up. I’ve got a feeling this is gonna be a long trip.”

“Are you sure you can handle things from here?” Hiccup asked Valka. She smiled at her son. “Hiccup, you’ve been so strong to handle this tribe and our dragons. I know what it’s like to lose someone close to you. If there’s any hope for him out there, I know you’ll find it.”

Hiccup didn’t quite look convinced, already having second thoughts. “Yeah but. . . I just keep thinking. What if Toothless doesn’t want to come home. What if he’s happy where he’s at and I’m about to ruin things for him?”

“Oh Hiccup,” Valca said softly. “I don’t know of a single human-dragon bond that’s as strong or as deep as yours is with Toothless. I know that no matter what he’ll be glad to see you.”

Hiccup smiled and hugged Velka. “Thanks mom,” he said. “I love you.”

“I love you too Hiccup,” Velka responded.

Hiccup then climbed onto Stormfly, sitting behind Astrid. She, alongside the other dragon riders, took to the skies, flying away from Berk to look for their friend. Velka watched as her son and his friends flew off into the distance. While she couldn’t totally suppress her worry, she knew that whatever they did, as long as they were together, they could handle whatever the world threw at them

Several hours later, the riders were flying over the open ocean. “Hey, uh, you sure you know where we’re going Hiccup?” Snotlout asked.

“Nope,” Hiccup answered genuinely. “But the dragons seem to. I don’t know if it's instinct, smell, or what. But I say we trust them.”

The others nodded, allowing their dragons to take them onward. Whether they were heading in the right direction or not was completely unknown, so all they could do was trust their longtime partners.

As they flew on, Hiccup managed to see something out of the corner of his eye. “What’s wrong Hiccup?” Astrid asked.

“I don’t know,” Hiccup responded. “But I feel like we’re being watched.”

“Well, let’s watch our backs then, make sure we’re not surprised,” Astrid said.

The dragons continued on. Miles and miles of empty ocean was all around the group. They had been flying for hours, and the dragons seemed to be getting tired. Hiccup was starting to wonder if he should direct them to the nearest island, if nothing else but for them to get a rest.

But then, he and the others saw it. A massive mist that seemed to emit a sound of its own. Yet as they approached, it became clear. The mist was not merely fog, but foam from a massive waterfall. 

“The waterfall at the end of the world,” Hiccup mumbled to himself.

But then, right before they entered, a shadow leaped up from out of the cavern. Then another, then another. Six figures emerged from the mist, revealing themselves to be dragons. But these dragons were not alone, for each of them possessed a rider. These riders were wearing armor, armor that seemed almost exactly like the scale armor the dragon riders wore.

The front dragon, a Skrill, growled at the intruders. As it did, its rider spoke up. “You are not allowed here! Turn back now or we will make you leave!”

Before Hiccup or the others could respond, another voice was heard from beyond the mist. “NO!” it shouted. 

The front rider turned around and stepped aside for a massive antlered dragon. The dragon carried its own rider. The rider stepped forward and took off his helmet, revealing an old, bearded face. 

He spoke, “These humans have fought harder for dragonkind than any others. They deserve a chance to see the Hidden World.”

“But,” the other rider protested. “These are intruders! We must keep them out for the sake of the dragons!”

“You question me, Thoridon?” the elder asked sternly.

The other rider backed off. “No, father,” he said.

The elder turned to Hiccup and the riders. “Chief Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. I am Chief Odlon Lorison. We are the Hidden Guardians, protectors of this world. You must forgive them for their hostility. They are immensely dedicated to the cause.”

Thoridon then took off his helmet, revealing a young man with dark brown hair and blue eyes, looking similar to his father.

“Uh,” Hiccup paused in shock. He had not expected there to be other people here, let alone a secret order of guardians! He managed to collect himself and said, “We are looking for my dragon, Toothless the Night Fury. Have you seen him?”

“Ah,” Odlon answered, “the black night fury. I saw him passing through with his mate. If you wish, my son would be willing to give you a tour of this place. We know where he is, and we can show you to him.”

“Oh, thank you!” Hiccup gratefully said. “You have no idea how worried I was. Now then, let’s just fly in and-”

“Wait,” Thoridon said. “I will give you the tour, as my father requested, but we will walk the way there. We cannot disturb the natural lives of the dragons that live here.”

Odlon nodded in agreement.

Forced to comply, Hiccup said, “Very well. Show us the way.”

Odlon then turned to his son and said, “I have much to attend to. I trust you will be a gracious host?”

Thoridon nodded. “Of course, father. Anything for you.”

Odlon hummed, but said nothing. He and the rest of the guardians flew inside the Hidden World, leaving Thoridon and the dragon riders. 

“Well, come now,” Thoridon said. “Let me show you a whole new world.”

The others looked at each other, then back at Thoridon. “Lead the way,” Hiccup said.

Thoridon nodded, then flew back into the Hidden World. The others followed, nervous and excited to finally see the Hidden World for themselves. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

Thoridon flew deeper and deeper into the cavern, with Hiccup and the rest following. Soon, Thoridon landed on the ground and dismounted, with the others following his example.

“From here on out, we walk,” Thoridon said. He then pointed deeper into the cavern. “Our village is a little while down that way. We’ll rest there for the night before heading deeper within.”

The group nodded and followed Thoridon. It was clear he knew these paths by heart, so at the very least they were not in any danger of getting lost. As they continued, Astrid walked up to Thoridon and asked, “So. . . you’re guardians, right?”

Thoridon nodded, “Yes. Our job is protecting the Hidden World from any and all who would dare enter it. We make sure that the dragons that live here are happy and safe, far away from the humans that would abuse them. Our kind is not meant to interfere with their natural lives.”

“Ok, but. . . you were riding a dragon, and he’s still there walking behind us, so what’s up with that?” Astrid asked.

Thoridon responded, “We are raised from birth to ensure that we do not fall to the petty desires of riches and recognition that the rest of the world is afflicted with. As such, the dragons allow us to ride them, to better direct their efforts in protecting this place. Make no mistake, he is not ‘my dragon,’ he only allows me the privilege of riding him because I have proven myself worthy.”

Astrid took a moment to think, then realized something. “Oh, we forgot to introduce ourselves! I’m Astrid Hofferson. You seem to know of Hiccup already, and that’s Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins Tuffnut and Ruffnut,” Astrid said as she pointed to each individual in question.

“Hey,” Fishlegs said nervously.

“Sup,” Ruffnut said nonchalantly.

Thoridon nodded and said, “Greetings then. I am Thoridon Odlonson of the Hidden Guardians. The dragon back there is called Longtooth. Don’t get too close, he’s not very nice with strangers.”

Longtooth huffed in agreement with his companion’s words.

Time passed, and the group continued walking. Eventually, they all came across a massive wall. While the wall was made of hard stone, it didn’t look natural in comparison to the environment around them.

As they approached, Thoridon said to the rest, “This is the Guardian Hold, my home.” He approached the massive wall, he yelled out, “Hello there. It is I. The Chieftain has ordered I give these strangers a tour of the Hidden World. Can you please open the gates so we may enter?”

A section of the wall, until then seeming like all the others, slowly opened up. The massive gate slowly swung wide, allowing everyone to enter. Beyond the gate, there was a small village, much smaller than Berk. People were walking all around, going from place to place like the Vikings at Berk did. There were even a couple dragons, though their numbers were very few.

As they entered, Thoridon said, “You are free to explore as you wish, but do not disrupt anything here. You are guests, and if you prove too much a hassle, I will gladly show you the way out. But for now, rest. The Night Fury is not going anywhere, and you will need your strength to face the day’s travel ahead.”

Hiccup nodded, and everyone parted to explore the village in their own way.

Sometime later, Hiccup saw Thoridon working on a massive contraption. It looked like a catapult of some sort, though with the hinges looking unusual. 

“Hey there,” Hiccup said. “What’s that you’re working on?”

Thoridon paused and turned around. He smiled, seeming keen on sharing his work. “This is the Dragopult!” he said with pride. “It’s designed to allow the dragons to take off in flight without needing to constantly jump up and flap their wings. With this, they can go from standing to top speed in an instant.”

Hiccup whistled. “That’s pretty impressive. Did you design this yourself?” he asked.

“Yeah, I did!” Thoridon responded with glee. “It seems someone finally appreciates my inventions.”

“You know, I’m a bit of an inventor myself,” Hiccup said. To prove this, he took off his prosthetic leg and showed it to Thoridon. He took it and curiously inspected it.

“This is a mighty fine piece of work,” Thoridon said. “I could take some notes from this.” He then handed it back to Hiccup, who placed it back on his leg.

As he did, Thoridon looked curiously at his attire. “Your armor, it’s made from dragon scales, right?” Thoridon asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Hiccup said. “Tough yet light. I assume your armor is made from the same thing?”

Thoridon nodded. “It is. I assume you know the properties of Skrill scales? Without this suit, I would have immense difficulty flying without Longtooth accidentally cooking me alive.”

He then gestured at a nearby building, “Come, I wish to show you something.”

Thoridon then led Hiccup into an armory, which stowed a large variety of weapons. As they walked, Thoridon continued, “Everything we have has been gathered from the resources of this place. Our weapons, our homes, our food, they all come from here. We have no need for trade or interaction with the outside world, to ensure we don’t get corrupted by greed. Ah, here we are.”

Thoridon walked up to a massive shield. He grabbed it and presented it to Hiccup. “This is our most prized possession. This shield is made from a scale that has been graciously given to us by the Dragon King. It symbolizes our mission: to be the wall between this place and the outside world. We protect the dragons here from humanity, to make sure the natural order remains untouched.”

Hiccup inspected the shield closely. It was certainly impressive. However, as he did he couldn’t help but feel a little concerned over Thoridon’s words. He asked, “Protect the dragons from humans, from us? I don’t know about you, but from my experience dragons have benefited from having us around. Oh sure, we’ve had experience with trappers, but we work to make sure that those dragons are always freed from their containment.”

“Yes, but down here they don’t need to worry about being trapped in the first place. You have to keep fighting, over and over again. Your dragons must live in constant fear of capture or worse. Besides, the dragons here are happy. Have you ever considered what they might want, over what you want?”

Hiccup looked back outside, seeing his companions and their dragons having fun in the village. “Yes,” he said. “All the time.”

“Then you must know that this place is the best for all dragons. You may not believe me now, but come tomorrow, I will show you the truth.”

Hiccup gave the shield back to Thoridon and walked outside, thinking over the guardian’s words. Hiccup had seen how much dragons have benefited from living together with the Berkians. He knew that a lot of dragons would happily prefer Berk over any so-called paradise.

And yet, he wondered if there was something else. He had spent so long looking for this place, trying to find somewhere so the other dragons, those without riders, could be happy. And now he’d found it. A place without war, without capture, without trappers, without fear. Perhaps it would have been for the best to send all the dragons here.

Hiccup racked his brain. What did Toothless want? Hiccup loved Toothless and would have preferred he remain on Berk. But if Toothless really preferred living here than there, was Hiccup willing to let him go? They had been together for six years, through thick and thin. There was no way some enemy was going to force them apart. 

But what about time? Was their relationship truly meant to last forever? Hiccup didn’t have all the answers. He’d have to wait and see where Toothless truly belonged.

That night, Hiccup had a hard time sleeping, constantly wondering over what was truly best for his best bud, as well as all the other dragons.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

The next morning, Thoridon led Hiccup and the rest out from the village and deeper into the Hidden World. The areas they traveled through were vast and varied. Brilliant bioluminescent caves. Mushroom forests the likes of which had never been seen on the surface. Crystal caverns that glowed brighter than stars.

Across all this travel, Thoridon continued explaining the environments. Snotlout and the twins, and even Astrid to an extent, didn’t really seem to care all too much with Thoridon’s blabbering. However, both Hiccup and Fishlegs were completely drawn in, listening and watching with all their attention.

As they continued, it was clear to Hiccup that Thoridon loved this place. He loved the dragons. While he remained far away from most, for the small handful he felt he had to interact with, he treated them with kindness and care. He was doing what he thought was right, regardless of what others thought.

Soon, they saw a massive open cavern in the distance. Above them, dragons from all around the Hidden World were making their way there. “If the Night Fury is going to be anywhere,” Thoridon noted, “he would be there.”

And so, the group slowly made their way to the cavern. Hiccup wished he could have flown there to move along more quickly, but Thoridon’s words were clear. Besides, with all the dragons in the sky, there was a very real chance they could get spotted, and Hiccup didn’t know how they would react. If his interactions with other wild dragons were any indication, there was a chance things would not be pretty.

Soon, the group managed to find a secluded spot with a good view of the massive clearing. Several layers of rock slowly slopped down, creating a series of ‘steps’ for the dragons to sit on. At the very center of the cavern, a massive crystal podium-like structure stood, flattened at the top.

As Hiccup marveled at what looked almost like an arena, the ground began to shake. The gang felt the massive, thundering footsteps seemingly approaching the cavern. Eventually, a dragon emerged from the shadows, walking over to the crystal podium.

Hiccup gasped as he saw it. The dragon was larger than any other he’d seen before. Even the Bewilderbeasts didn’t match this creature in size. It had a snake-like head, though most of its body was reptilian. It didn’t have wings, and couldn’t fly. It was absolutely covered in feathers. Blue, yellow, and red patterned the dragon. The feathers on the neck, arms, and end of its tail were especially large and prominent. 

The dragon stood on the podium and let out a massive, rumbling roar. As it did, Thoridon leaned down to Hiccup and said, “Now that is a true king.”

Hiccup was too enraptured to respond, though he was eventually able to peel his eyes away from the Dragon King and scan the crowd below. The king did so as well, with his eyes eventually landing on a small group of dragons near the front.

Hiccup noticed this, and squinted to get a good look. Once he realized what he was looking at, his eyes widened. They were night furies, dozens of them! Most of them were dark blue or grey, but Hiccup was able to spot two in particular. One was white, shining like the stars, the other was black like the void. They were Toothless and his mate.

Hiccup saw the two dragons perform a mating dance under the eyes of the King before rubbing their heads together. The king rumbled in approval, causing the other dragons to roar out a cheer.

As Hiccup watched this occur, Thoridon leaned over to speak once again. “You see, your friend is happy here. There is no need for you anymore. The dragons don’t need you. They would be better off here, away from human hands. Let him go, Hiccup. He is happier here, without you.”

Hiccup heard Astrid give a harsh response, but his mind was too deep in thought to hear her. He looked at Toothless, at his mate, and at the other Night Furies that surrounded them. Thoridon was right, Toothless did look happy here. It seemed his pal. . . didn’t need him anymore. He looked down on the ground, dejected. After everything they’ve been through, it seemed this was how things were going to end.

Toothless noticed his mate mingling with the other night furies, so he turned around and looked at the exit. He’d been away for far longer than he intended. It was just supposed to be a get together.

Toothless loved the Light Fury, there was no doubt in his mind. But he also loved Hiccup, and knew that at this point Hiccup must have been worried sick. He knew that if Hiccup was worried, he would probably have done something reckless. Hiccup always did, and while Toothless appreciated that, he wasn’t in any danger.

Toothless wanted to fly back, to see Hiccup again. He loved the Light Fury, but he couldn’t stand the idea of living the rest of his life without his best bud.

Turning back to see the Light Fury and the other dragons distracted, Toothless attempted to fly out of the cavern and back to the surface. But he wasn’t able to get very far before the Light Fury caught up with him. She chirped in confusion, unable to understand why Toothless wanted to leave.

Toothless understood her perspective. This place really was beautiful. In a way, his time here really was a homecoming. A deep, primal part of him felt like he belonged here. But he also belonged with Hiccup, and he needed to make the Light Fury see that.

Yet no matter how hard he tried, she didn’t seem to understand his perspective. If only he could show her, make her realize that humanity wasn’t all that bad in the end. Yes, there were bad apples, Toothless knew that from years of experience. Yet there were also humans who shined brighter than any crystal in the cavern. And Hiccup? Hiccup shined brightest of all.

Toothless and the Light Fury landed next to each other, with Toothless internally debating simply flying out of here and forcing her to follow him.

Hiccup heard his friends talking with Thoridon. They were growing more hostile by the minute, and it seemed an argument was breaking out. But before they could progress any further, Hiccup spoke. His words were quiet, but that did not diminish the weight they held. “Come on guys, let’s go.”

“You see? Come on, I’ll show you the way,” Thoridon agreed. He then walked off in the path behind them, leaving Hiccup and the rest alone for a moment. 

“But Hiccup,” Astrid protested, “We’ve come so far. Toothless is right there. Let’s grab him and then go.”

“Look, Astrid,” Hiccup protested, “You can see him yourself. He’s happy here, he’s with his own kind, now let’s just-”

Hiccup was cut off when he heard a thump from behind. The gang turned to see a massive dragon standing behind him. 

“Oh no,” Hiccup and Astrid said at the same time before the dragon charged. Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins were able to jump to the side, but Hiccup and Astrid started to slide down to the other dragons.

The commotion caught the attention of the other dragons, including the King. The massive dragon did nothing as a bunch of the other dragons began chasing after them. 

Toothless also noticed what was going on, snapping to attention as he saw Hiccup and Astrid running from the other dragons. Instantly, he took off and flew as fast as he could, fighting off the other dragons as he let his speed carry him forward. The Light Fury looked on in shocked confusion, unable to understand why her mate would do this.

As Hiccup and Astrid ran, they were picked up by Toothless. The others had already mounted their dragons and were now flying out as fast as they could.

“I-I-I’m sorry bud I didn’t mean to-” Hiccup tried to say before he was cut off by Toothless.

The dragon riders flew off as fast as they could, only barely managing to dodge and weave through the other dragons before escaping into the surface.

From the side, Thoridon watched, mounted atop Longtooth. His eyes narrowed as he saw them leaving.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

Some time later, Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, and the rest landed on a nearby island. Hiccup, Astrid, and the rest dismounted from their dragons. Hiccup’s heart was heavy with guilt. He had just torn Toothless away from his home. He didn’t want to ruin his bud’s life any further.

“Give us a moment, if you don’t mind,” Hiccup said to the others. Understanding what he wanted, the others headed deeper into the forest to allow Hiccup and Toothless some time alone.

Hiccup began, “I’m sorry bud. I didn’t mean to pull you away. You. . . you belong there, don’t you? With her. You all do. And we?” Hiccup paused for several moments. “We don’t.”

Toothless looked down from Hiccup, conflicted; deeply conflicted. Toothless heard Hiccup’s words, and yet. . .

The idea of separating from him, leaving Berk behind for good? It just didn’t sit right with Toothless. He had spent so much of his life alongside Hiccup, with the Berkians and the rest. He didn’t know what to do.

“It’s ok, bud,” Hiccup continued. “We’ll find a way to manage without you.” He paused, trying to gather his words. “You’ve looked after me for long enough bud. The times we had together, I’m going to cherish them forever. But over there, in the Hidden World, you’ll be safe there. Safer than you ever could be with me. Up here, hunters will always be after us. Our world. . . our world doesn’t deserve you guys. Not yet, anyway.”

Hiccup pressed his head against Toothless’s before letting go. “Now, go on, Toothless. Go back to her. I’ll get the other dragons to follow you soon enough.”

Toothless turned around, looking back at the direction of the Hidden World. He remembered his time there. He enjoyed it, greatly. He loved the Light Fury and loved being among his own kind after so long.

But leaving Hiccup? Was that really what Toothless wanted? After everything they’d been through, was this really how it was going to end?

No. 

In an instant, Toothless made his decision. He turned around, faced Hiccup, and planted himself on the ground. If he had to choose between Hiccup and the Light Fury, he knew exactly who he’d prefer.

Hiccup looked at Toothless in shock. He tried to continue. “Bud, you belong there. I’ve seen that. I’ve seen how you act among your kind. You’d be happy there.”

But Toothless remained steadfast. He wasn’t going to abandon his best bud no matter what. It didn’t matter what problems they’d have to deal with. If staying in paradise meant leaving Hiccup forever, he’d rather never go back there again.

Hiccup huffed at Toothless’s response, but then he smiled. Toothless had made his decision, and it was clear to Hiccup that he couldn’t be convinced. “Oh, alright,” Hiccup said. “Let’s go-”

But Hiccup was interrupted by a chirping noise. He turned to the side to see the Light Fury’s face pop up over the nearby grass. He looked at Toothless with glee, and Toothless proceeded to run off to meet her.

Toothless nuzzled the Light Fury, who responded in kind. But then she looked at Hiccup, still a little nervous about meeting him. But Toothless nodded at her and hummed, letting his mate know it’s ok.

Deciding to trust her lover, the Light Fury slowly made her way up to Hiccup. As she did, he softly said, “Yeah yeah, there you go. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

As she approached close enough for him to see into her eyes, he wondered. “What am I going to call you?” He looked around, eventually spotting the moon hanging in the afternoon sky. He turned back to the Light Fury, noticing how her scales glistened in the moonlight. “Luna,” he said aloud. “How about Luna?” He then asked her.

The Light Fury chirped at the name in confusion, but Toothless seemed to like it. Deciding to go with it, Luna mewed in approval. 

“Luna then,” Hiccup said. “Come on, I’ll show you back to Berk.” Then he, Toothless, and Luna walked back to meet up with the others before making their trip back to Berk.

Deep within the Hidden World, Thoridon and Odlon were having an argument.

“They shouldn’t have been allowed to come here!” Thoridon said. “They interrupted the dragons’ union. They disturbed the natural order! Those dragons must be separated and brought here once and for all! It’s for their own good!”

“Yes yes,” Odlon said, not entirely convinced. “But you saw how that Night Fury reacted, how quickly it was willing to protect the strangers even after spending many days here. Surely there must be a reason for it.”

Thoridon rebutted, “The reason doesn’t matter, as long as the dragons are out there, they’re in danger. Humanity simply cannot be trusted to keep them safe. We’ve seen how many hunters and trappers there are. There will never be a point where they can rest easy as long as they’re up there. Humanity simply does not deserve the dragons, and the dragons deserve better than humanity! You taught me that-” 

“I KNOW WHAT I TAUGHT YOU!” Odlon shouted. He then took a deep breath to calm himself before continuing. “I taught you what my father taught me, and what his father taught him. Our way has remained for generations. We have striven to protect the dragons for as long as this place exists. And yet. . . seeing that boy here. Seeing his dragon and how closely they are connected. I’m starting to have my doubts.”

“You are questioning our ways?” Thoridon asked in shock. “But they’ve remained in place for as long as we can remember! We’ve protected the dragons for a reason! You can’t just throw it all away on a whim!”

“I’m doing no such sort,” Odlon shot back. “I’m just as committed as I have ever been to protecting the dragons. The only thing that’s perhaps changed is how we go about doing so.” He paused for a moment. “Now then, I have duties to attend to. Forget this crusade of yours. It’ll bring nothing but despair.”

Thoridon huffed before storming off. How dare his father speak to him in such a manner. Thoridon had been loyal to the cause for his entire life. If anything, Odlon was in the wrong, not him.

It must have been because he failed to keep the strangers hidden. Yes, that must have been it. He had failed his father’s orders, and now he was paying the price. But he could find a way to make up for it. If he could bring all the dragons back into the Hidden World, make sure that they’re all protected, surely that’d show his father he was loyal. Yes! A brilliant idea! Thoridon knew exactly what he needed to do! He continued walking with renewed purpose, ready to put his plan into action.

It didn’t take long to convince the other guardians. They had worked together for years after all, and they trusted each other like family. But even the six of them would not have been enough for all of Berk’s dragons. They needed something else. 

Thoridon looked at Longtooth, who seemed to have an idea. Climbing atop his friend while wearing his full battle armor, Thoridon trusted his companion to do the right thing. Longtooth then flew off to the crystal pedestal. The Dragon King had disappeared, though many other dragons remained. Longtooth then roared at the other dragons, attempting to convince them of Thoradin’s idea. 

“Yes,” Thoradin muttered to himself. “With all these dragons, we can take Berk’s dragons for ourselves. Take them to the Hidden World and show them paradice! They will thank me for it, I’m sure! And if Longtooth takes the Night Fury’s place as alpha, they’ll have no choice but to follow!”

Longtooth took off for the surface, using the Dragopult to propel himself at high speed. Many of the Hidden World’s dragons decided to follow him, though some decided to stay. Thoradin met up with the other Hidden Guardians, and together they all flew out of the Hidden World. It was time to go to war. War for the sake of the dragons.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

Back at Berk, Hiccup, Toothless, and the rest finally managed to sit down after their long adventure. After taking some time to check in on how everyone was doing, Hiccup had retired to his hut for the night. 

The next morning, he was sitting down, mind still rolling after everything that had happened over the past few days. First, he thought Toothless was hurt or worse, then he thought Toothless was better off without him. Now he realized that Toothless was going to stick around. It was a lot to process.

And Luna. Luna was slow to trust. Hiccup figured her previous experiences with humans were not pretty. Even now she didn’t let even him get too close. But at least she wasn’t trying to instinctively hurt anyone out of misguided self-defense, so it was progress at least. 

Hiccup smiled as he remembered how Toothless was back when they first met, about how untrusting he was for so long. Considering Hiccup was the one who took away Toothless’s fin in the first place, the more he looked back the more surprising it was that it didn’t take longer for Toothless to finally trust him.

But once that trust was earned, they really were inseparable. Time and time again they fought against impossible odds and won. They faced giant dragons, rouge tribes, entire warbands, even an alpha himself. And throughout everything, they persevered, fighting until they won. Gobber once warned Hiccup that one day he’d pick a fight he couldn’t win, but Hiccup was beginning to doubt that day would ever come.

Especially now, with perhaps the biggest test of their friendship since meeting one another. Hiccup found it amusing. It wasn’t a dragon that nearly tore them apart. It wasn’t an army, it wasn’t sickness, and it wasn’t a natural disaster. It was merely Hiccup’s own self-doubt and misguided belief that his best bud, who had been alongside him for years, would be better off without him.

The more he thought about it, the more laughable the very notion seemed to be. Toothless would never abandon Hiccup, and Hiccup had no desire to abandon his friend. They were truly inseparable.

But at the same time, Hiccup remembered how Toothless acted within the hidden world. Even if Toothless chose Hiccup over that place, the fact that Toothless had to choose in the first place saddened him. In a perfect world, Hiccup would find a way for Toothless to have both, but sadly things were not perfect. Hiccup doubted that the Hidden Guardians would ever let them near the place ever again. Perhaps one day Hiccup would show them that humans and dragons didn’t need to be separate, but that day was likely a long ways away.

And there was the original problem of overcrowding. Though with the discovery of the Hidden World, perhaps there was a way to solve that problem at least. Even if the Hidden Guardians wouldn’t accept the Berkians, they would likely accept those dragons that choose to leave. 

He heard a knock on the door, and turned to see Astrid enter his room. “Hey there,” she said softly, “how have you been doing?”

Hiccup smiled as she approached. “Just thinking. It’s been a long few days.”

“I know right?” Astrid responded. “I mean, we saw a whole new world for crying out loud, and it was so beautiful too! I almost wish we could go back there.”

“Yeah well, I’m not sure the locals would be too kind,” Hiccup said.

Astrid sat down on the seat next to him. Hiccup started to frown as a new thought came to his head. He said, “I just keep thinking about what Thoridon said, about how the dragons would be better off back there. I don’t agree with him, not anymore, but I can’t help but think over his words. I mean, look at all the problems we have to face. At least they don’t have to worry about trappers and stuff.”

“Hiccup,” Astrid said, “We’ll figure it out, we always have. Just like you told me.”

“I know,” Hiccup responded. “Perhaps now more than ever, I know we’ll find a way. No matter what, we’ll protect the dragons, and we’ll do it our way.”

The two leaned in for a kiss, but before they could they heard the warning bell ringing in the distance. Hiccup and Astrid stood up, worried about what it meant. They then heard a knocking on Hiccup’s door. Hiccup opened it, and a messenger said, “Chieftain! Our scouts are reporting a massive dragon army heading right this way!”

Hiccup and Astrid looked at each other, now on high alert. Hiccup turned back to the messenger and said, “Get everyone ready, it seems we’ve got a fight on our hands.”

Hiccup and Astrid then ran off to find their respective dragons. Hiccup quickly found Toothless with Luna. “Sorry to interrupt bud,” Hiccup said, “but it seems we’ve got some people looking to ruin our day. Again.”

Hiccup quickly mounted Toothless and the two took off to see this threat. Hiccup quickly spotted Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins all flying on their respective dragons. Hiccup turned to face the threat head on, and his eyes widened at what he saw.

A great big storm threatened to overwhelm the small island, and inside that storm were dragons. Dozens and dozens of them. Most of them were riderless, but Hiccup managed to notice one in particular at the head of them.

Astrid seemed to notice too. “Is that. . . Thoridon?” she asked in confusion.

“Yeah. . .” Hiccup responded. “Let me go talk to him. Hopefully we can settle things without fighting.” Hiccup and Toothless both flew up to meet Thoridon and Longtooth in the air. 

As they got closer, Thoridon bellowed. “People of Berk,” he began, “your dragons have been shown to be in constant threat of annihilation! For the safety of all, both human and dragon, they must be given up! Allow them to follow me into the Hidden World, and I guarantee they will never face hardship again!”

Hiccup heard the mutterings of those below, but right now he was focused on Thoridon. “Thoridon,” Hiccup said, “I know things are hard. I know that there will always be people looking to exploit dragons for their own gain. I know that we have to fight for what we built. But we are willing to do just that. Humans and dragons don’t have to remain separate. They don’t have to live apart from one another. You can see for yourself what we’ve built together, and we can spread that all across the world!”

“Ah, Hiccup,” Thoridon responded. “I seem to recall you once agreed with me, and yet here we are standing on opposite sides.”

“Yeah well, I was wrong,” Hiccup said. “I thought that being apart was the best for my best pal, but he showed me that was wrong.” He took a breath before continuing. “Listen, we don’t have to fight. We can talk this out.”

“I agree,” Thoridon said. “There doesn’t have to be a fight. Have your alpha call out to the other dragons and tell them to follow me. If you refuse, then. . .” Thoridon paused for a moment. “Then I’ll have to take them by force. I know you don’t like these options, but that’s just the way things are.”

Hiccup closed his eyes in sadness. He really didn’t want to do this, but he had no other choice. “I’m sorry Thoridon,” he said. “But our dragons, they’re not going anywhere they don’t want to.”

Thoridon then sighed.“Then it seems I have no other choice. Longtooth, it’s time for a fight. Let’s show these Berkians the true order of nature.”

He placed his helmet on his head and whispered to himself. “They’ll thank me for this, I’m sure of it.”

Meanwhile, down on Berk, Luna looked up at the two dragon armies. She slunk back, afraid, unwilling to do anything but watch.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

Longtooth roared as he called upon the storm above him. The clouds above flashed with lighting before striking down upon him. Thoridon yelled alongside his dragon, not in pain but as a war cry. They were challenging Toothless for the position as Alpha. All the other dragons began to charge, and Hiccup and Toothless did the same. 

Longtooth and Toothless met in the air, colliding with one another briefly before engaging in a dogfight. Toothless and Longtooth soared high in the sky, far higher than any other dragon. Lightning flashed as Longtooth fired, with Toothless barely dodging.

Astrid looked up, noticing the fight taking place above her. “Hiccup!” She screamed, and flew up to try helping him. But her path was blocked by one of the guardians, and the two engaged in a midair duel.

The others were in similar predicaments, fighting each of the guardians one on one. Indeed, the Berkians and the dragons were all engaged in aerial combat, fighting with tooth, claw, blade, and flame. 

The entire sky was lit up with flame as dragons and vikings fought, using everything they could to get an advantage on their opponents. Yet despite everything they had, the numbers of the Hidden World’s dragons were superior, and the battle was slowly starting to turn against the Berkians.

Longtooth and Toothless sped through the sky with nigh blinding speed, with only their riders able to keep up with them. As the two leaders approached, Thoridon lept from his dragon and extended a wingsuit from his armor, gliding down to Hiccup and tackling him right off Toothless. Toothless turned around in shock and attempted to dive and rescue his friend, but Longtooth intercepted him, continuing their duel in the sky. 

Hiccup and Thoridon tumbled through the sky, using their wingsuits to prevent them from simply falling, but they were still approaching the ground, fast. Eventually, they separated right as they fell into the training arena, both barely missing the overhead bars and tumbling on the ground. 

Hiccup coughed as he clutched his ribs. That fall had hurt, but he had to get up, he had to fight. He looked up to see Thoridon, now brandishing his weapons. His entire armor wasn’t glowing with lightning anymore, instead the electricity transferred over to his primary weapon: a warhammer. He wielded it in tandem with the Guardian Shield, and charged at Hiccup.

Hiccup unsheathed his flaming sword and the duel between them began. Thoridon swung with his hammer, but Hiccup parried with his sword. Hiccup swung back, but was blocked by the shield.

Toothless was engaged in a fight with Longtooth. The Skrill firing blast after blast of pure lightning. Toothless could tell his opponent was an experienced fighter, but so was he. He dodged and weaved through the blasts, attempting to get up close and personal. But Longtooth was almost as fast, and able to keep up the distance between the two dragons.

Astrid was desperately trying to keep her balance in the air. The guardian she was fighting was a deadly and experienced warrior. She noticed the others were also struggling against their opponents. Seeing them fighting alone, Astrid was reminded of what Valka said back then, and she got an idea.

Breaking away from her guardian, she flew off in Fishlegs’s direction. The guardian pursued her, intent on finishing the battle. However, Fishlegs managed to see her coming, while his opponent did not. Fishlegs directed Meatlug to back off, allowing Stormfly to strike directly on his opponent. Meatlug then fired a blast of flame at the guardian pursuing Astrid, catching the guardian off guard. 

Seeing what was happening, Snotlout flew off in his friends’ direction, his opponent in hot pursuit. “All yours!” He called out. 

Seeing what was happening, Stormfly launched her tail spikes at the guardian, who was forced to dodge away. 

Hookfang then dived towards Barf and Belch, allowing them to fight off their opponent. Soon, the five dragon riders were grouped together, deciding to fight as a team. However, their opponents had decided to do the same, and the battle resumed with increased vigor. 

Toothless and Longtooth collided into the nearby mountain, the two dragons in a vicious brawl over the position as alpha. Luna, who up until this point was watching the battle from afar, flew in closer to help her mate.

However, Toothless noticed Hiccup in his duel, and yelled at Luna to help him instead. Luna roared in protest, but Toothless insisted. Luna looked back and forth between the human and the dragon, unsure of what to do.

After a few moments of deliberation, she decided to trust her mate and flew off to help Hiccup, leaving Toothless and Longtooth alone.

The two dragons continued their duel, but it seemed Longtooth had the upper hand. While Toothless was faster, Longtooth had better endurance and was more powerful. Eventually, Longtooth managed to pin Toothless to the ground. He roared at his opponent, demanding he submit, but Toothless refused.

Longtooth then charged up his lightning, seemingly about to land the killing blow. But he had just played into Toothless’s claws, as the Night Fury then launched a plasma bolt right into Longtooth’s mouth before he could fire.

Longtooth was cooked from the inside out by his own lightning, screaming in pain. But soon the electricity subsided, and Longtooth collapsed unconscious on the ground next to Toothless. Toothless then slowly got up and took a few breaths, exhausted from the fight.

Hiccup and Thoridon were fighting each other with all they had. Hiccup was experienced, having fought multiple battles over the course of the last several years. He was fast and nimble, able to dodge and parry most of his opponent’s attacks. However, Thoridon was better equipped and better trained, and was getting the upper hand.

Hiccup silently wished he had Astrid, Toothless, anyone by his side. At least then he would have a chance at victory. But right then he was fighting alone. 

Thoridon bashed Hiccup’s sword aside and kicked Hiccup into a wall, causing him to slump down on the ground, defeated. Thoridon slowly walked up to Hiccup, placing his foot on Hiccup’s chest.

“Last chance,” Thoridon said. “Give up the dragons.”

Hiccup coughed and weakly shook his head. “Never,” he said. “I’ll never abandon them.”

Thoridon raised his hammer to deliver the killing blow, but his hammer was caught and pulled aside, flinging him across the arena. Thoridon looked up in shock to see Luna defending Hiccup.

“What!” he shouted in surprise. “But you’re from the Hidden World! You’ve seen what humanity is like! Why would you defend him!?”

Luna growled in response before firing her plasma bolts at him. He managed to block with his shield, but Luna pounced on him, throwing him to the ground and snarling at him viciously.

Thoridon raised his arms over his face to protect himself, but before Luna could do anything, she heard Hiccup call out from behind her. “Stop,” he said weakly. “Stop that, please.”

Luna decided to obey, and Hiccup slowly walked over to Thoridon. “You have to stop this,” Hiccup said. “This. This isn’t peace. This isn’t what the dragons want. It’s not what I want, it’s not what they want, and I don’t think it’s what you want.”

Thoridon weakly stood up, hammer in hand. He was just about to deliver a response when he noticed something above him. He looked up, seeing the dragons from the Hidden World and the dragons from Berk all fighting one another.

His eyes widened in shock and despair over what he was seeing. Hiccup was right. This wasn’t what he wanted. But. . . but he was the cause of all of this. He had gathered the dragons and ordered them to attack.

“By the gods,” he practically whispered. “What. . . what am I doing?” Thoridon dropped the hammer as Toothless landed in the arena. Thoridon turned to Toothless, but then looked up above. He then saw Longtooth laying in the hill nearby, unconscious.

“No, Longtooth!” Thoridon cried out, running out of the arena. Hiccup, Toothless, and Luna followed him.

They made their way up the hill, where Thoridon saw Longtooth slowly waking up. He growled in pain, still feeling Toothless’s attack.

Thoridon hugged Longtooth dearly. “Oh Longtooth,” he said. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t– I never thought over what you wanted, only what I wanted. Oh please, I'm so sorry.”

Longtooth rumbled, forgiving his companion. Thoridon then turned to face Hiccup and Toothless. “Stop this,” he said. “I surrender.”

Toothless roared out an alpha call, halting the battle in its tracks. The riders, the guardians, and the dragons all stopped to see what was happening. Thoridon made a gesture, telling the guardians to stand down. They did so, and everyone flew down and landed.

Hiccup walked forward, commanding the attention of everyone there. He began to speak. “This fighting. This isn’t how we’re meant to be. We all want the same thing. We all want to protect the dragons and keep them safe. But we don’t have to leave each other behind. We can live together, build each other up, and change the world. It may be tough, it may not be paradice, but I promise you, it will be worth it.” 

But before anything else could happen, a massive, rumbling roar shook the foundations of the island itself.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

Everyone turned to see where the roar had come from. Up from the depths emerged the Dragon King, its size eclipsing all the other dragons present. Next to him was Odlon, riding his own dragon.

“Father,” Thoridon mumbled. He grabbed his weapons, then he and Longtooth flew down to the coastline. Thoridon got off and knelt before his father, filled with regret. Time seemed frozen until Thoridon broke the silence. “Father,” he said softly, “I-I went against your orders, took many of the dragons, and fought against Berk. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I was wrong.”

Odlon stroked his beard in thought. “My son,” he finally said. “I am glad that you have seen the error of your ways. Admittedly, the blame partially lies on me. You were doing what you thought was right, based on the lessons I taught you. For that I apologize.” 

He paused for a moment before continuing, “And yet, you went against my direct orders. You interrupted the natural ways more than the intruders ever did. You took an army to the surface and waged war on humans and dragons. For this, you have to be punished, and it is clear there are many lessons you need to learn.”

“And so,” Odlon proclaimed, “You are to be banished until you learn what it means to be a chieftain, what it means to be a leader.”

Hiccup was, admittedly, a little shocked at this proclamation. Yet he couldn’t find any words to defend Thoridon.

Thoridon's eyes widened for a moment as he realized what his father had said. For a moment, he looked up and met his father's eyes. Oldon looked saddened, but remained stern in his proclamation. Thoridon looked down into the grass, ashamed. “I understand, father,” he said. “I will do what I can to fulfill this penance and earn your forgiveness.” Thoridon then handed the Guardian Shield to Odlon, who took it and holstered it around his back. Thoridon then stood up and walked off to the other guardians, head hung low in sorrow.

Odlon then turned to face Hiccup and Toothless. “Now, as for you two,” he began.

Toothless growled at him and the Dragon King. If he had to fight the king himself for Hiccup, he would.

But Odlon raised up his hand. “Please, I have no wish to fight. More than enough of it has already occurred on this day.”

Odlon then spoke up to everyone, “I had already been questioning what was right, and seeing you and the Berkians fight so hard for your dragons, it has only further cemented in my mind that the way things have been done needs to change. It is clear that you will not give up your dragons, and we have no right to take them from you.”

He paused for a moment in thought, then continued, “To those dragons who wish to stay, you may do so, but to those who wish for a new home, I invite you to follow me into the Hidden World.”

Hiccup nodded, then walked forward to meet Odlon. He said, “We have been separate for more than enough. Perhaps it's time for an opening of doors. Not just to dragons, but to us as well. We all deserve a chance to change, to learn from one another, and not shut each other out because of perceived differences.”

Odlon thought for a moment, then nodded. “Aye,” he said. “Perhaps you are right on that account as well. Perhaps it is time for us to open our doors.”

He then turned to Toothless and the king and said, “I petition for this decree, that the Hidden World no longer remains isolationist, and that humans and dragons may come and go as they wish, so long as they honor and respect the dragons who live there.”

Toothless and the Dragon King looked at each other for a moment, coming to an understanding between them. The two alphas then let out a massive call; they invited anyone who wished to head to the Hidden World, but allowed anyone who didn’t to stay.

Several dragons decided to take them up on the offer, a handful of which even had riders. But many others decided to stay.

Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug, and Barf and Belch all looked at each other, then to their riders. In the end, they had decided to stay. So too had many others, such as Skullcrusher, Cloudjumper, and Grump.

The Dragon King began to leave, with Oldon following. The guardians said their tearful goodbyes to Thoridon before following behind Odlon. Thoradin then turned to Longtooth. “Well, I suppose it’s your time, then. I will miss you,” he said. 

But Longtooth shook his head and sat down on the beach. He was planning on sticking around with his rider, through thick and thin. Thoridon looked at Longtooth in shock, then, with tears in his eyes, hugged him once more. "Thank you," he said softly in between tears.

Hiccup then turned to Toothless and Luna. Luna looked out in the direction of the leaving dragons, clearly tempted to follow them. However, she then looked at Toothless, who in turn looked at Hiccup.

Hiccup smiled at the two of them. “You want to follow them, don’t you bud?” Hiccup asked.

Toothless looked down at the ground, conflicted, but also a little guilty.

Hiccup continued to smile. They had just fought so hard for the right to stay together, but even now Toothless was torn. Hiccup knew Toothless liked it down there, even if he preferred Hiccup.

“Don’t worry, bud.” Hiccup said. “You don’t have to choose just me or her. Not anymore. If you want to go down there, go. If you want to stay here, then stay. But it's your choice. No matter what, I’ll still be here. Either by your side, or awaiting your return.”

Toothless looked at Hiccup, then back at Luna. He called her forward, and she nervously did so. Hiccup stuck out his hand and closed his eyes. Filled with uncertainty, but supported by her mate, Luna placed her head in Hiccup’s hand. Hiccup opened his eyes and smiled, knowing Luna had finally decided to trust him.

Luna then took her head back, looking at her mate. Toothless approached the other dragons, looking directly at Stormfly. He rumbled at her, and she nodded. Toothless then bowed, letting everyone know that she was now the new alpha of Berk’s dragons.

Toothless walked over to Luna, gave one last look at Hiccup, then the two took off in flight, following the leaving dragons. “See ya later bud,” Hiccup said while watching the leaving pair. He knew that from this point on, their lives were changed forever.

Astrid walked over to Hiccup. “So,” she asked, “how long do you think it’ll be?”

“Oh,” Hiccup sniffed and wiped a tear from his eye. Despite his sadness, he still managed to smile. “I don’t know. Maybe a week or two?”

The two then looked each other in the eyes and kissed before departing with the others to go rebuild Berk.

Chapter Text

Epilogue

Hiccup and Astrid looked at each other with loving eyes. Astrid was wearing a beautiful white dress with flowers in her hair, and Hiccup was wearing a white shirt and pants under a great fur cloak. Gothi placed the ceremonial cloth on the hands of Hiccup, and they kissed, officially becoming chieftain and chieftess. Everyone threw up their hands in cheer. The dragons present shooted fire into the sky.

The feasting went on for three days and three nights, as per tradition. Everyone, human and dragon, enjoyed themselves and had a fun time. Of course, they were still vikings and dragons, so the organization broke down fairly quickly. But that was fine for the newlyweds. This was Berk, after all, a place filled with the stubborn, prideful, and emotional.

Later on, Hiccup looked out at the ocean before him. Astrid stood at his side, alongside Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins. Together, they looked to the future, not just the future of Berk, but the entire archipelago, and maybe, perhaps, the whole world itself.

Ten years later. . . 

“All ready for your trip?” Hiccup asked.

Thoridon sat in front of him, mounted on Longtooth. “Yep,” he responded. “How about you? You ready for yours?”

Hiccup sighed with a smile. “Just need to round up the kids, and we’ll be good to go.”

Just then, the sight of troublesome children could be seen making their approach, being chased by Astrid.

Thoridon chuckled. “Well, I won’t keep you. See you in a few weeks.” Thoridon and Longtooth then took off for lands to the south, on a mission to extend Berk’s influence into new lands.

“Yep, see you in a few weeks,” Hiccup said to himself more than anyone. He then turned to his children Zephyr and Nuffink. 

He smiled at the two of them as he asked, “Well, are you all packed up and ready to go?” 

They laughed and nodded.

“Good,” Hiccup responded. “Now make your way to the boat, I’ll be there in a second.”

“I’m bored!” Zephyr said for the thousandth time. “Where are we going anyway?”

“It’s a surprise,” Hiccup said. “Why don’t you play with Stormfly?”

“Mommy won’t let us,” Nuffink answered. “And she’s sleeping.”

Zephyr then had an idea. “Why don’t you tell us a story?”

Hiccup chucked. “Well, which story do you want me to tell?”

“How about the time you tamed the dragons?” Zephyr suggested. Nuffink nodded in agreement.

“Again? But I tell you that one every night.” Hiccup said.

“Please!?” both children said in unison.

Hiccup rolled his eyes but his smile did not falter. “Well alright, come close you two.”

The children did as they were told while Hiccup sat down to begin his story.

“There were dragons when I was a boy. There were great grim sky dragons that nested on the cliff-tops like gigantic scary birds. Little brown scuttley dragons that hunted down the mice and rats in well organized packs. Preposterously huge sea dragons that were twenty times as big as the big blue whale.”

Hiccup noticed the air growing misty. He stood and turned around, continuing. “But there was one dragon that no one had ever seen. One that never stole food, never showed itself, and never missed. It was called. . .”

Hiccup stopped as the boat entered the mist. Stormfly, who was resting nearby, stood up and looked in front of the boat. Through the mist, two dragons could be seen: a dark one and a light one. The dark dragon stood, curiously watching the boat approach. As it got closer, three more dragons could be seen, much smaller than the other two.

The dark dragon leapt from its resting area, heading towards the boat. Hiccup watched as the dragon approached, only for his eyes to go wide as he realized the dragon was heading straight for him. He tried to run, but it was too late and found himself pinned as the dragon began licking him to death.

“Oh, stop, Toothless, please!” Hiccup begged.

But Toothless had no mercy, continuing to lick Hiccup until he was satisfied. Toothless then stood aside, allowing Hiccup to stand and wipe his face.

Toothless then looked at the children, who squealed with glee at seeing him again. “Toothless!” They cried out as they rushed to hug him.

Hiccup finished wiping his face and said, “Hey there bud, it’s been too long.”

Astrid chuckled. “Hiccup, it’s only been three days.”

“Yeah well three days too long,” Hiccup retorted. He then unwrapped a tarp that was on the ship’s floor. It was revealed to be Toothless’s old red tailfin.

Toothless trilled in happiness as he saw the tailfin and felt the two kids hugging him. These days really were the best ones.

Hiccup, Astrid, and their children flew together through the skies atop Toothless and Stormfly. Hiccup turned back to see Luna and her three children following closely behind.

Everyone laughed and cavorted throughout the skies. Toothless did flips and tricks with Hiccup on top of him, the two working together like they used to so long ago. They then dived down into the Hidden World, flying through its beautiful environments while being watched by many of the dragons that lived there.

As they flew, Hiccup thought to himself:

Dragons. Some people see them as the offspring of lightning and death itself. Some may see a life with them as nothing but a fantasy. But we know better. I learned that when I shot the Night Fury, my future best friend, right out of the sky on a cold and dark night.

Yes, there will always be those that won’t accept us. Those that will fight to tear us apart. But we will fight back. We won’t stop, we won’t ever give up. We’re vikings, after all. Stubbornness is in our blood. 

And we have a reason to. For as long as we can, we will keep it up. After all, we have a treasure that no one else has. While others might have riches or pretty views, we have something far, far greater than that. 

We have. . . dragons!