How to train your Dragon Rider

~Chapter eleven: the final test~ (Hiccup)

I watched as dad wrenched the grated door to the arena and jumped through. The Monstrous Nightmare only a few feet behind me. Astrid is now in the ring. Finally, he rose the arena gate, waving me toward it.

"This way!"

But just as I reach the gate, the Nightmare blasts the doorway, cutting me off, and before I could make another get away, it pounced on me and prepared its fire to finish me off.

Suddenly, a terrible roar pierces the din.

"Night Fury! Get down!"

My eyes went wide as Toothless bounded over the crowd and blasted a hole through the

chain enclosure. He flew through it and disappeared in the boiling smoke.

Just as Toothless and the Nightmare tumble into the clear, locked in a toothy, vicious fight, I found myself being picked up. When I glanced over through the smoke, Jenny was the arm that pulled me to my feet, making me even more shocked, and to make matters worse, she was wearing her night rider cloak.

"W-what are you doing here!?" I asked in panic.

"I don't know!" she shouted, seeming just as surprised and panicked herself. "Toothless just got me, and before I could-"

Suddenly, Toothless kicked the Nightmare off and plants himself between me, Jenny and it. The Nightmare snarled, circling us. Toothless lunged and roared, causing the Nightmare to relent and back away. To everyone's shock and horror, I took Jenny by the hand and took hold of Toothless protectively.

"Alright, Toothless, go. Take Jenny, and get out of here!" I tried to shoo Toothless away in vain, pushing Jenny on top of him. Vikings began pouring clambering through the enclosure and dropping into the ring. "Go! GO!" I begged.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad grab an ax and charge into the arena.

"Dad! No! He won't hurt you!" The other Vikings began to surround and attack Toothless. He tossed them aside like rag dolls, tossing Jenny into my arms as his eyes focused on Stoick.

"No, don't! You're only making it worse!" Jenny cried out angrily.

Dad raised his hammer as he charged for Toothless, causing him to duck and pounce on him. They tumble end over end.

"Toothless! STOP!" I tried, but it was no use. He pinned dad and inhaled the familiar hiss of gas builds. "NO!"

Toothless swallows back the blast and turned to me, not understanding. The crowd rushes him, piling on, and taking Toothless down, while another viking held me back from him. "No! Please...just don't hurt him. Please don't hurt him."

Dad got to his feet, fuming, shaken. A Viking presented him with an ax. He eyed Toothless for a moment, then pushed the ax back into the Viking's hands. "Put it with the others!" His glare then fell on Jenny, whose Night Rider Cloak hung off her body. "Get her."

"No!" I begged as Jenny was pulled from my grasp, screaming and kicking as her hands were pulled behind her back. "No, please! She did nothing wrong, let her go!"

Dad walked over to her holding her chin up with his ax. "Chain her up in the dungeon" he ordered.

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I felt myself being shoved into the dank, dimmed great hall. The massive doors rattle and echo as dad slammed it shut. Dad pushed past me, pacing against a backdrop of shadowy tapestries and carved pillars- a legacy of heroes, all peering down in angered judgment.

"I should have known." he muttered angrily. "I should have seen the signs."

"Dad."

"We had a deal!" Dad paused to say something, but stopped short. He let out a long breath and resumed pacing, repeating the cycle.

"I know we did... but that was before... ughh, it's all so messed up.".

"So everything in the ring. A trick? A lie?" He stomped toward me. Stops short and points, fighting back words.

"I screwed up. I should have told you before now." I closed my eyes tightly and shook my head. "Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please... just don't hurt Jenny!"

Dad stopped dead in his tracks, glaring at me. "The girl? The Night Rider thief!?" he shook his head.

My eyes fell to the floor, and I closed my eyes. "It wasn't supposed to be like this..." I muttered.

"Like what?" Dad's tone was no lower than a whisper, "Betraying the people who raised you? The home you grew up in? All for- for her!?" his voice returned to its anger.

"She has no choice!" I yelled back in defense. "She's on her own! With nothing but Spark! She has to steal dad, she has to!" Dad said nothing more, shaking his head and turning away from me. I sighed.

"What about Toothless?" I asked.

"The dragon? That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?!"

"He was just protecting me!" I defended. "He's not dangerous."

"They've killed hundreds of us!"

"And we've killed thousands of them!" I shot back. "They defend themselves, that's all! They raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves." without thinking, I kept going. "There's something else on their island dad...it's a dragon like-

"Their island?" He stomped back... pointing an accusing finger. "So you've been to the nest."

"Did I say nest?" I went silent. I said too much.

"How did you find it?!" he demanded.

"No... I didn't. Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island."

Dad glared at me. A moment passes, then an idea takes form on his face. His eyes flare. I watched, realizing just as dad began making his way toward the doorway. "Oh no. No, Dad. No." I chased after him, panicked. "Dad. It's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against. It's like nothing you've ever seen!"

I grabbed dad by the arm, tugging with all his might, desperately trying to stop him from making the worst mistake of his life. But I had no effect whatsoever. "Dad. Please. I promise you that you can't win this one." Nothing. "No. Dad. No. For once in your life, would you please just listen to me!"

In a flash, dad threw me off of him, swatting me to the floor, icy stillness following. I stared back, stunned. "You've thrown your lot in with them." He paused. "With her! You're not a Viking. You're not my son."