How to train your Dragon Rider

~Chapter fourteen: the red death's defeat~ (3rd person pov)

   "That thing has wings!" Hiccup said with a slight sigh of relief. His plan could actually work. "Okay, let's see if it can use them!"

Hiccup pulled Toothless into a turn. They plummeted, gaining tremendous speed. The wind buffets them as they target the Red Death at supersonic speed. Toothless unloaded a fireball against the Red Death's head. It goes down with a rumble as they climb anew. The Vikings below shielding themselves from the dust of the fallen monster... as its wings unfold and extend.

Hiccup looked back as they put distance between them. "Do you think that did it?" Suddenly, the enraged behemoth rose into frame, flapping its wings furiously. A daunting sight for anyone.

"Well, he can fly," Hiccup said, leaning down flat against Toothless' back.

Hiccup and Toothless dove into the tangled sea stacks- weaving through the rock easily. The Red Death snapped at them, coming close, but couldn't quite reach them, which Hiccup was very grateful for. The Red Death smashed through the canopy of rock and pulled in behind Toothless. He bursts through fifty-foot formations like they were saplings.

Despite their best efforts, Hiccup and Toothless still couldn't gain enough speed, or get enough distance between them and the red death. Hiccup eyed the clouds above, and an idea hit him. He locked eyes with Toothless.

"Okay Toothless, time to disappear." Toothless pulled into a steep climb, heading toward the clouds. "Come on bud!" The Red Death follows, closing in fast. "Here it comes!"

BLAST!

They narrowly dodged a column of flame and smoke. They reached the low-hanging clouds and pierced them, the monster following, immediately losing them in the hampered visibility. It roars irritably. From out of nowhere, Toothless dove at the huge dragon, blasting and puncturing a hole in its wing. Toothless and Hiccup are gone again before the dragon can get a shot at them.

Hiccup and Toothless dove in again and again, using the clouds to hide and surprise as they puncture the monster's wings. It bellows loudly in frustration and whirled around, unleashing fire blindly, in all directions. Hiccup sees the glow of fire cutting towards them.

"Watch out!" The random blast clips Toothless' tail, the smoke enveloping around his long tail. "Okay, time's up. Let's see if this works." He pulled Toothless into a turn. They fly directly into the Red Death's face, taunting it.

"Come on! Is that the best you can do?" Toothless utters his insults too, and they jackknife into a steep dive. The Red Death pursues. Toothless pumps his wings, racing faster than he's ever gone before. Hiccup and Toothless stay just ahead of the Red Death- no longer trying to evade it. Hiccup glances back to check the tail, as it began to disintegrate faster and faster.

"Stay with me buddy. We're good. Just a little bit longer." The Red Death closes the gap. Hiccup tucks in and holds Toothless steady- allowing the monster to set its sights on them. It narrows its eyes. "Hold, Toothless..." The Red Death opened his mouth. The familiar gas hissed as it emanated from his throat. "Now!!"

Hiccup hit the petals as Toothless extends one wing. They pivot in place, hurtling directly into the Red Death's mouth. Toothless fired point blank down the monster's throat. Its amassing gas is ignited, backfiring into the monster, erupting in a chain of blasts throughout its body. Hiccup and Toothless burst from the clouds, the Red Death hot on their tail, exploding from within. It glances forward and sees the ground rushing up. It throws open its wings, attempting to put on the brakes, but the punctured, damaged wings can't stop its momentum. As the Red Death chokes on the expanding fireball, he sees Toothless suddenly pull out of the dive, streaking up, past its head.

The Red Death hit the ground, head-first, the explosion loud enough to hear from even Berk. Hiccup and Toothless weaved through the monster's massive back plates, wings, and flailing legs. The expanding fireball raced toward them, about to swallow them whole. They manage to clear the obstacles, though, barely. Hiccup glances back. They're outrunning the fireball. He looked forward just in time to see the monster's massive club tail careening toward them. He tried to shift their direction. The last shreds of Toothless' tail tear away. Hiccup's pedals go dead.

"No. No!" Hiccup and Toothless can't maneuver- they're dead in the air. The giant club tail clips Toothless, tearing Hiccup from the harness and sending him tumbling against the backdrop of the fast-approaching fireball. Toothless struggled with all his might to reach the unconscious Hiccup. But the fireball swallows them both.

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"Hiccup? Hiccup!?" Stoick appeared through the ashy smoke, searching desperately. Everything was scorched. Even the ground is smoking from the terrible heat. "Hiccup!? Son!?" Through the ash, Stoick the motionless silhouette of Toothless. "Hiccup..."

He hurried to the dragon's side. Toothless is roughed up, but conscious. His scorched saddle, however, is vacant. Stoick looked to the sky in despair, his knees buckling, overwhelmed by the loss.

"Oh son...I did this..."

Jenny pushed through the crowd, followed by Gobber. Her eyes welled up as she saw Toothless, and for the first time in years, a tear fell down her rosy cheeks. They all flanked Stoick as he kneels, slumped over. Behind them, a ring of Vikings form, keeping a respectful distance. As the dust and smoke clear, a ring of wild dragons can also be seen, gathering just behind and between the Vikings. Toothless stirs and groggily rolls his head toward Stoick. Their eyes meet.

"I'm so-" he let out a small sob. "I am so sorry..." Toothless lets out a groan, before unfolding his wings, revealing Hiccup, unconscious, clutched safely against his chest. Stoick's eyes widened. "Hiccup." He scooped Hiccup into his arms, listening to his heart, before bursting into relieved laughter.

"He's alive!" he cheered, turning to Toothless. "You brought him back alive!" The crowd roars, followed by the dragons. Stoick leans close to Toothless, meeting him eye to eye. "Thank you... for saving my son."

Gobber hobbled over, looking Hiccup up and down. "Well, you know... most of him."