The gates to the arena groaned open.
The crowd's cheers rose like a tidal wave, crashing through the stands as villagers pressed close, eager for blood and fire. The sun beat down overhead, casting sharp shadows across the training pit below. The floor was littered with sand and old scorch marks—evidence of past battles and fledgling victories.
Astrid walked in first, axe at her side, followed by Snotlout, the twins, and Fishlegs lagging nervously behind. Their steps were slow, uncertain. Even now, with their pride dented from the day before, they still tried to walk like warriors.
From the announcer's platform at the side of the arena, Gobber squinted down at them. He leaned into the stone railing, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his mechanical hand. Beside him sat Gothi, silent and unreadable as ever, though her eyes flicked to Gobber with a faint twitch of curiosity.
Gobber frowned. "Where's Hiccup?"
Astrid looked up. "He's behind us. He said we'd go first against today's dragon. He'll fight later."
The words echoed across the arena.
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
And then—laughter.
Mocking. Loud. Familiar.
"Figures! The chief's failure's too scared to fight first!"
"Still hiding behind others, huh?!"
"Should've stayed in the forge where he belonged!"
Gobber didn't laugh.
Neither did some of the older warriors in the stands. The elders looked at one another, uncertain. One of them—a broad-shouldered man with a long scar down his face—narrowed his eyes and leaned forward.
Something was off.
Gobber let out a slow breath and muttered, "Aye... it's fine."
But his heart was racing.
The others didn't know.
They hadn't seen what Gobber had seen yesterday. Hadn't felt the cold rolling off that boy's aura like mist off an iceberg. Gobber hadn't said a word. He didn't need to. He wanted them to see it for themselves.
They would.
Soon.
He stepped back and raised a hand. "Release the dragon!"
The arena's far gates thundered open—
BOOM!
Wood splintered, chains snapped, and the beast burst through.
A Monstrous Nightmare would've been terrifying.
But this?
This was a Nadder.
And it was furious.
It barreled out of its holding area, wings flaring, tail lashing violently. Its scales shimmered blue and violet under the sun. Flames hissed from its nostrils as it let out a piercing screech, eyes already locked onto the teens standing in the sand.
Snotlout cracked his knuckles. "Pfft. That's it?"
Fishlegs whimpered. "That's... not a normal Nadder."
"Looks pretty normal to me," Ruffnut said as she twirled her flail.
"I like it," Tuffnut added. "Looks angry. Angry dragons are fun."
Astrid narrowed her eyes. "Stay in formation. Let's pin it down before it gets wild."
But it was already wild.
Snotlout charged in first, yelling something unintelligible and swinging his mace overhead. The Nadder spun and lashed out with its tail, sending him flying into the dirt with a grunt. The twins followed next, yelling as they split in opposite directions.
Useless.
The Nadder didn't chase them. It ducked under a poorly-aimed axe throw and slammed its claws into the ground, using its tail to knock Ruffnut off her feet. Tuffnut barely dodged a mouthful of flame.
Fishlegs was frozen in place, shield raised over his face.
Astrid gritted her teeth and moved in. Her strikes were cleaner. Smarter. She ducked the Nadder's beak and swiped at its legs, but the dragon barely flinched. It reared back and let out another blast of fire, forcing her to roll out of the way.
They were losing.
Fast.
"Shields!" Gobber roared from above. "Grab shields, now! Guard against the tail spikes!"
Astrid was the first to move. She lunged for the nearest wall rack and ripped a round shield from it, just as the Nadder flicked its tail again.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Three spikes slammed into the shield with enough force to rattle her bones. She grunted but held steady, keeping her footing.
Good.
She rose, about to throw her axe, when—
WHAM!
The Nadder lunged.
It tackled her mid-step, its full weight crashing into her side and slamming her into the ground.
Astrid gasped, all the air knocked from her lungs. Her weapon fell from her grip. Pain flared across her ribs. The arena, which moments ago rang with noise and mockery, went suddenly still.
Dead silent.
Not even a whisper from the crowd.
The twins pulled themselves together, shields up, eyes wide.
Snotlout groaned as he pushed himself off the ground.
Fishlegs didn't move.
Astrid was still under the dragon.
The Nadder growled, paw pressing down on her chest.
And then—
Clap.
A single sound.
Sharp. Slow. Inevitable.
Clap.
Clap.
The arena gates began to rise again.
A shadow stood behind them.
And Hiccup stepped forward.
Hiccup's Point of View
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
My footsteps echoed louder than my applause as I crossed the threshold into the arena, shadows parting around me like smoke. The crowd had gone silent, still reeling from Astrid getting flattened by the Nadder.
And I was enjoying every second of it.
I didn't even bother hiding the smirk that pulled at my lips.
"You know," I said, letting my voice carry through the thick air, "this was expected."
I chuckled low in my throat—a dark, amused sound that made a few villagers shift nervously in their seats.
"Truly... I thought one of you might have impressed me by now."
Astrid was groaning under the Nadder's weight, her fingers twitching toward her fallen axe. Pathetic.
I stepped closer.
She looked up at me, face pale but determined. "Hiccup," she gasped, "help—"
"Shut the hell up."
My words hit like ice.
She blinked, stunned.
I stared down at her with nothing but cold disgust. "The only reason you lasted longer than the other insects is because you're slightly better than the rest of the filth. That's not a compliment."
I turned my gaze to the Nadder.
She was staring at me now.
Our eyes met.
And something changed.
The dragon straightened slowly. Her talons lifted off Astrid's chest with almost respectful caution. Her wings flared just slightly, and her pupils narrowed.
She could feel it.
The difference.
She stepped back and let out a low growl—a challenging one. Her foot slammed into the ground with a thunderous crack, kicking up dust as she lowered her head and flared her crest.
A universal sign.
She was calling me out.
Challenging me.
Finally.
An actual opponent.
I tilted my head, smirking as I looked back at the teens who were still frozen in place like stunned cattle.
"Well?" I said. "Are you all deaf?"
They flinched again.
"If you want to live," I continued, voice low and venomous, "then get out of the arena."
I jerked my head toward the Nadder.
"Because either she'll kill you... or I will."
The Nadder let out an excited screech, stomping in place, wings twitching. She was practically vibrating with anticipation.
Snotlout scrambled to his feet and pulled Fishlegs away without a word. Ruffnut and Tuffnut didn't even crack a joke as they retreated. Astrid hesitated—of course she did—but one glance at me made her look away and limp toward the gate in silence.
The doors groaned shut behind them with a final clang.
Good.
No more distractions.
Just me and her.
I looked at the Nadder, who paced now with the grace of a seasoned killer. Her scales shimmered like polished blades in the sun, her emerald eyes sharp and alive.
She's beautiful, I thought.
But not Luna.
Not even close.
Her emerald eyes were nothing compared to Luna's—a brighter, deeper green that glowed in the dark. Her scales were slick and pretty, but they weren't Luna's starless black. Her tail was barbed, deadly, but it didn't sway with the same lethal elegance Luna carried in every step. No fire in the world could match the storm I saw in her.
Luna was art.
This dragon was just a warm-up.
The Nadder stopped pacing. She turned to face me fully, crouching slightly.
Waiting.
I didn't remove my cloak.
Not yet.
But I did roll my shoulders back, flexing the tension from my arms. The leather beneath shifted against the steel of my claws.
My fingers brushed them at my side—familiar, worn, and patient.
They wanted to be used.
And so did I.
I stomped the ground once—loud, clear, deliberate.
The Nadder's eyes flared in approval.
The challenge was accepted.
And in that moment, everything else fell away.
This wasn't just about a fight.
This was about my future.
My mate.
Luna was watching. I knew she was still on that cliff, her emerald eyes locked on me.
This was for her.
For the one I'd fallen for in two meetings and couldn't stop thinking about since. The first I'd ever truly wanted—not as an ally, not as a friend, but as mine.
I didn't care if it was madness.
I didn't care if she was another species.
She was the first I had loved—in this life or the last.
And I would have her.
I would show her that I was not just worthy—
I was hers.
And she was mine.
Forever.