The Night Rider

Chapter 19: His True Name

She was fairly certain that the Night Rider may have also had a tear slip from one of his eyes but she wasn't certain. He embraced her in a long and endearing hug and the emotion appeared once again in her chest. Only this time it didn't go away after merely a few moments. It was present until there hug was severed.

"I don't have a weapon, how am I supposed to fight?" She asked as to two walked towards the Night Fury that sat on the ground ready to spring into action at any given moment. The Night Rider thought about her question for a moment before pulling his sword from his sheath and offering her the hilt.

The swords blade had a series of beautiful carvings engraved into it and at the bottom of the hilt there was beautiful gem. "I can't take your sword what are you supposed to fight with." She asked pushing his outstretched arm with his sword in it back to him. "I have my dagger." He said pointing with his eyes to a sheathed dagger on his left forearm.

Astrid reluctantly wrapped her fingers around the hilt of the sword and took it from his hand. The sword was lighter than any other sword she had ever held and it was perfectly balanced. "It's made of groncle iron." He began to explain. "It's lighter than any other iron but twice as durable." He said as Astrid gave it a swoosh through the air.

"Here take these." He said handing her a handful of the small clay capsules. "What are they?" She asked examining one of the many capsules closely. "You'll see, just throw them at the ballista when I say so." He explained extending his hand out to her to help her mount the dragon.

She accepted his hand gratefully as riding a dragon was still something that she wasn't comfortable with. Astrid positioned herself in front of him on the saddle gripping the sword and clay canisters tightly. The dragon which he had called Toothless many times before walked over to the edge of the sea stack getting ready to attack.

The Night Rider shifted one of his feet and there was a clicking of the prosthetic tail on the dragon as it adjusted into a new position. "Remember when I say throw the capsules." He reminded before Toothless jumped off the sea stack outstretching his wings and soaring towards the boat.

Astrid almost hurled when the dragon started to twist and turn in the sky as it avoided arrows, rocks and larger arrows from the ballista turret. It was only for a brief moment of steady flying near the back of the ship at the ballista turret that she could make out her situation.

The ships deck was covered with dragon hunters firing arrows at them from crossbows and bows, two of the catapults were in splinters and the three of them neared the ballista turret at insane speeds that were only increasing. "Astrid now!" Yelled the Night Rider as he threw his capsules at the ballista and she did the same.

With deadly aim as the capsules hit the ballista turret exploding into a thick cloud of Zippleback Gas the Night Fury shot the cloud making it explode into a red and orange fire ball. "Now it's time for the dragons!" Yelled the Night Rider through the sound of the blast.

Toothless landed at the stern of the ship near the remnants of the ballista and the two humans hopped off. Astrid quickly blocked an oncoming attack from a burly hunter with ease and disarmed him knocking him off the ship and into the cold ocean water. The Night Rider ducked under and attack and pulled the dagger from the sheath on his arm.

He blocked an attack from a hunter sword with the dagger and Toothless knocked the hunter off the ship with a quick and precise whip of his tail. "Always stealing my thunder aren't you bud." Joked the Night Rider. "Astrid I'm going for the dragons below deck!" The Night Rider yelled blocking another attack. "You stay here and keep the hunters busy."