3.05

AUDENZIA

Everyone was celebrating the life of New Berk. Hiccup wanted to hold off on me leaving, just until Toothless came back from his date with the light fury.

In the midst of the celebration, Cloudjumper and Valka appeared. They had left yesterday to see if Grimmel was tracking us.

"Mom! Are you okay?" Hiccup and I rushed over to her.

"What happened?"

"I don't know how but Grimmel is tracking us." I groaned, turning away from her.

Nova had just woken up from her nap and approached the group. "He has a hundred ships, maybe more, with enough cages for all of our dragons."

I have to fight him. I have to.

I have to avenge my parents, as well as all the dragons he has murdered. This is up to me. Nova knew what I was thinking, giving me a determined look and slightly spreading her wings.

"We have to take him out of the mix." I quickly gave Snotlout a kiss, he seemed concerned by that.

"What are you planning?" He asked.

"I love you." I said, smiling softly at him before running and jumping onto Nova's back. She immediately took off.

I heard Snotlout's yells for me to turn around but ignored them and Nova made us disappear into the night.

My weapons were carried in a bag strapped onto Nova's gear.

We didn't fly long before coming across the fleet of a hundred ships.

Nova and I landed, I slid off of her, putting on my gear and grabbing my inferno. I forced Nova to hide and wait for me to come back for her as I entered the cabin of the largest ship and discretely made my way up a stair case.

I lit the inferno and entered the room at the top. No sign of him.

The sound of chains falling caught me off guard. A giant cage surrounded the entire cabin now. I ran out and was immediately met with Grimmel.

"Where is your dragon when you need her, hmm, General? Must have forgotten all about you. First rule of the hunt, separate the prey from its pack. You've just done that for me."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Really? I didn't think you cared. Well, unlike you, when I was a child and I came up on a Night Fury, I killed it where it slept. That simple act of courage made me a hero in my village. So, I decided to kill every last one of them, bringing real peace to the people of this world."

"And my parents?"

"Your parents? Well your parents didn't agree with the killing of the night furies. They tried to stop me. After them, no one voiced their opinions about killing dragons... until you and your friend came along. preaching that dragons are something other than thieves and murderers. That nonsense dies now, starting with you."

"But you have dragons of your own."

"These? They are dragon killers. Drugged into obedience with their own venom. Not even your precious Alpha can control them. They serve me, and only me. Allow me to demonstrate." Grimmel smirked, whistling.

The dragons released their venom, setting everything ablaze. I raced down the stairs and to where Grimmel stood proud. "How about you stop acting like a coward, and fight me like a true man. Didn't you say you would enjoy killing me?"

Grimmel stared at me through the chains. He smirked, whistling again. The dragons stopped wreaking havoc on the ship, but everything continued to burn.

He didn't fight. Why wasn't he fighting?

-

I crept downstairs, holding tightly to my stuffed toy. My father was sitting beside a fire, I heard him sniffling.

"Papa?" I asked softly, creeping down the stairs. He turned around and quickly wiped his tears.

"Dear, you should be asleep." He said quickly.

"I was thirsty." He sighed and waved me over. I climbed into his arms and rested against his chest. "Papa, why were you crying?"

"That... that is story for when you're all grown up, my child."

"Can you tell me? I can keep it secret." I begged, playing with his long beard. He chuckled.

"I suppose." He adjust me on his lap to face him. "I have a brother. You have never met him, and you never will. He is mean. At such a young age he declared he would kill all of the night furies in the world." I gasped lightly.

"Did he?"

"No. And he won't."

"Well, why are you crying now then?"

"My brother, he... he has sent your mother and I a message. Don't worry yourself with its contents, Audenzia. Why don't you grab your water and head on up to your room.

-

I stared at the back of his head. The cage was the only thing keeping me from tearing his head off.

"Why'd you do it?" I asked, semi-quietly. He stopped his movements and slowly turned around to look at me. "Why did you kill my parents?"

He walked right up to where I was hanging onto the cage, leaning down to become face to face with me.

"Why does anyone do anything?" He stared into my eyes. I squeezed the bars tightly in my hands. He smirked and stood proud. "Now, how did you get here without your night fury?"

He hasn't found Nova? How?"

I stayed silent, then smirked. "You seem to know everything... you tell me."

-

I got out of the cage.

I managed to slip through the bars. I noticed earlier there was a spot to slip through but couldn't escape with him and his guards watching my every move. They left, and I wasted no time in escaping.

I made my way to the place I left Nova, and looked in the place she was hidden. She wasn't there.

Or, I thought she wasn't but then she appeared. She was invisible? No wonder they couldn't find. her.

"Come on, Nova. Let's get out of here." I jumped on her saddle and we took off.

Underneath us, Grimmel's people yelled and shot bolas and nets to capture us. We were able to escape, but instead of heading back to the new island, I went in the opposite direction.

-

I stayed away from the island for a day. Nova and I raced back to the island, upon our return we saw Toothless and Nova's sister captured in Grimmel's traps. On the island below, The entire tribe was watching, and all of the dragons were flying towards them.

"Nova..." She growled. She dove down and sent a blast at Grimmel. One of his dragons dove in front of it and took in the blast.

"General! Perfect timing!" Grimmel announced. "Tell the Alpha to call off the dragons, or else the black one gets it.

Grimmel aimed his weapon at Toothless. I looked down at hiccup, before telling Nova to stop them. She let out a commanding growl, and all the dragons stopped their advances.

"And finally, I will take that off of your hands." Grimmel aimed his bow at me, I steered Nova away, but it was too late.

She was hit, and together we were plummeting towards the ocean.

One of Grimmel's dragons dove down and captured Nova, while I continued to fall.

Until Hiccup dove down with his glider and caught me. We landed on the sandy beach down below, as Grimmel began to soar off with all of our dragons. "Nova!" I yelled, rushing forward. Hiccup grabbed onto me and held me back.

"This can't be happening again."