Rise and reign

〰〰〰𖠳 〰〰〰

𝕋ℍ𝔼 atmosphere crackled with anticipation as Gobber swung open the gate leading into the arena, welcoming Astor and the group into the heart of dragon training. "Welcome to dragon training!" Astor took a deep breath, a sense of determination settling over him as he exchanged glances with his companions, each clutching their weapons tightly. "No turning back," Astor muttered under his breath as they stepped into the arena, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. Astor gripped his axe tightly, a bead of sweat forming on his brow as he brushed his bangs away from his eyes.

"I hope I get some serious burns," Tuffnut quipped, his tone filled with a strange mix of excitement and bravado.

Ruffnut chimed in, her voice equally eager. "I'm hoping for some mauling like on my shoulder or lower back," she declared with a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it," Astor added, a sense of camaraderie settling over the group as they prepared for the challenges ahead. Their banter was interrupted by a sarcastic voice from behind. "Yeah, no kidding, right? Pain, love it," Frida remarked dryly, her tone laced with bitterness as she joined the group without so much as a glance in their direction. Tuffnut's annoyance was palpable as he muttered, "Oh great. Who let her in?" before Gobber's authoritative voice cut through the tension.

"Let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village," Gobber announced, his voice commanding attention.

Snotlout couldn't resist a jab. "Frida already killed a Night Fury, so does that disqualify her?" he quipped, eliciting laughter from the twins. Ignoring the taunts, Astor stole a glance at Frida, who met his gaze briefly before averting her eyes. With a sigh, he turned away, falling into step with the group as they went to the heart of the training arena.

"Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?" Tuffnut muttered under his breath as Frida hung back, her eyes downcast.

Gobber approached Frida, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. You're small and weak... that'll make you less of a target. They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead," he offered, his tone meant to comfort. Frida shot him a sarcastic look. "Thanks, that makes me feel better," she retorted dryly as they rejoined the group, Frida positioning herself next to Fishlegs.

"Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight!" Gobber declared, gesturing towards a series of doors lining the arena. "The Deadly Nadder!" Gobber announced as Fishlegs rattled off its stats. "Speed 8, armor 16," he recited, his voice filled with enthusiasm. Moving on to the next door, Gobber continued, "The Hideous Zippleback," prompting Fishlegs to chime in with its attributes. "Plus 11 stealth. Times 2," he added eagerly.

A small smile played on Frida's lips as she listened to their banter, finding solace in the camaraderie of her peers.

"The Monstrous Nightmare," Gobber announced next, followed by Fishlegs eagerly reciting its firepower rating. "Firepower 15," he declared proudly.

Gobber pressed on, unfazed by Fishlegs' excitement. "The Terrible Terror," he continued, only to be interrupted by Fishlegs' exuberant commentary. "Attack 8, venom 12," he exclaimed, his voice growing louder with each word. Annoyed by the interruption, Gobber snapped, "Can you stop that?!" before moving on to the next door. "And the Gronckle," he declared, prompting Fishlegs to lean down to Frida and whisper, "Jaw strength 8." Before Snotlout could voice his confusion, "Woah, wait, aren't you gonna teach us first?" he asked incredulously, only to be met with Gobber's matter-of-fact response.

"I believe in learning on the job," Gobber stated bluntly, pulling the lever as the door swung open, revealing the dragon within. With a deafening roar, the dragon burst through the door, sending the recruits scrambling for cover. Gobber's voice cut through the chaos, urging them to action. "Today is about survival. If you get blasted... you're dead! Quick! What's the first thing you'll need?" Frida's response was sharp. "A doctor?" she quipped, her sarcasm evident as Fishlegs offered his own suggestion. "Plus 5 speed?" he suggested tentatively. But Astor was quick to offer a more practical solution. "A shield," he declared, his voice steady as he moved into a ready stance. "Shields. Go!" Gobber commanded, prompting the recruits to scramble for their chosen defenses. Astor was the first to grab hold of a shield, lifting it with determination. "Your most important piece of equipment is your shield! If you must choose between a sword or a shield, take the shield!" Gobber declared, his voice booming over the chaos.

Struggling to fasten her shield in place, Frida found herself falling behind the others. But Gobber was quick to lend a hand, pushing her forward with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Meanwhile, the twins found themselves locked in a heated struggle over a particularly ornate shield. "Let go of my shield!" Tuffnut demanded, his voice filled with indignation. Ruffnut wasn't about to back down. "There are like a million other shields!" she countered, her determination matching her brother's.

Tuffnut eyed the shield in question, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Take that one. It has a flower... girls like flowers," he suggested, a hint of amusement in his tone.

With a swift motion, Tuffnut wrested the shield from her brother's grasp, only to hit him on the head with it. "Oops, now this one has blood on it," she remarked nonchalantly as they continued to tussle. But their antics were cut short as the dragon unleashed a blast of fire, destroying the shield in an instant. "Tuffnut, Ruffnut! You're out!" Gobber declared, his voice firm as he reprimanded the twins for their distraction. But even in defeat, the shattered shield served its purpose. "Those shields are good for another thing. Noise! Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim!" Gobber explained, his words a reminder of the importance of teamwork in the face of danger. With their shields in hand, the recruits began to strike them with their weapons, creating a cacophony of sound that left the dragon disoriented and confused. "All dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have?" Gobber quizzed, prompting the recruits to think quickly under pressure.

In the midst of the chaos, Snotlout ventured a guess. "Five?" he proposed uncertainly, prompting Fishlegs to quickly correct him. "No, six!" Fishlegs interjected, his voice filled with certainty. Gobber's booming voice confirmed Fishlegs' answer. "Correct, six! That's one for each of you!" he declared, a note of encouragement in his tone. Fishlegs beamed with pride, but his moment of triumph was short-lived. As Fishlegs lifted his shield, the dragon unleashed a barrage of fire, sending him fleeing for cover. "Fishlegs, out!" Gobber announced, his voice cutting through the chaos as Fishlegs scrambled to safety.

Turning his attention to Frida, who had been hiding, Gobber issued a command. "Frida, get in there!" he ordered, prompting Frida to reluctantly emerge from her hiding spot. But before Frida could take a single step, a blast of fire erupted dangerously close to her, sending her scurrying back to safety, her heart pounding in her chest. Astor stood ready, his shield held firmly in place as Snotlout hovered behind him, offering an awkward invitation. "I moved in my parents' basement. Come by sometime and work out," Snotlout suggested, his tone eager. Astor's response was curt. "No thanks, man," he replied, his focus fixed on the approaching dragon before moving out of the way quickly.

As the dragon closed in, Snotlout found himself in the line of fire, his shield taking the brunt of the attack. "Snotlout! You're done!" Gobber announced, his voice ringing out over the chaos as Snotlout retreated, defeated. Standing side by side, Astor and Frida faced the dragon together, the intensity of the moment palpable. "So I guess it's just you and me, huh?" Frida remarked, her voice laced with uncertainty as she was looking at Astor. But Astor's response was resolute. "Nope, just you," he replied firmly, his gaze unwavering as he quickly moved out the way as the dragon released a blast in their direction. As the dragon unleashed a torrent of flames at Frida's shield, she was thrown to the ground, her shield skidding across the arena floor. Determined to press on, Frida scrambled to her feet, her eyes fixed on her shield as it rolled away. Gobber's voice rang out, signaling the dragon's final attack. "One shot left!" he warned, his tone urgent as the dragon closed in on Frida, cornering her against the wall.

"Frida!" Gobber called out, his voice filled with concern as Frida braced herself for the inevitable.

With a surge of adrenaline, Frida closed her eyes, preparing for the worst. But before the dragon could unleash its fiery breath, Gobber intervened, grabbing hold of the dragon's mouth and redirecting its aim, narrowly avoiding catastrophe. "And that's six. Go back to bed, you overgrown sausage!" Gobber exclaimed triumphantly, his voice filled with satisfaction as he wrestled the dragon back into its cage and sealed it shut. "You'll get another chance, don't you worry," Gobber reassured the creature behind the locked door before turning his attention to Frida, who was still reeling from the close call. "Remember, a dragon will always, always go for the kill," Gobber advised, his tone grave as he lifted Frida to her feet, his grip firm yet comforting. As the rest of the group gathered around, Frida couldn't shake the confusion that clouded her mind. She glanced back at the spot on the wall where the dragon's fire had scorched the stone, her expression a mixture of bewilderment and determination.

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Frida stood amidst the dense foliage of the forest, the rope she had used to release the Night Fury dangling from her hand. With a heavy sigh, she placed it down, her mind still wrestling with the events that had transpired. "So... why didn't you?" she murmured to herself, her voice barely above a whisper as she mulled over her decision. Determined to clear her head and look for the dragon, she ventured deeper into the forest, her footsteps crunching softly against the forest floor. As she pushed through the underbrush, she stumbled upon a hidden gem-a secluded lake nestled amidst a ring of towering rock formations. The sight took her breath away, momentarily distracting her from her thoughts.

"Well, this was stupid," she chastised herself, her tone tinged with self-deprecation. But her attention was soon drawn to something else-a glimmer of black scales caught her eye, lying discarded on the ground.

Curiosity piqued, Frida knelt down and picked up one of the scales, turning it over in her hands as she examined it closely. But before she could ponder its significance, a sudden noise shattered the stillness, and a flash of black streaked past her vision. Startled, Frida stumbled backward, her eyes widening in shock as she watched the Night Fury soar through the air, struggling to gain altitude. With a soft thud, the dragon landed on the ground, its wings flapping weakly as it attempted to take flight once more. Intrigued, Frida made her way down to a nearby rock platform, her gaze fixed on the magnificent creature before her. She watched in fascination as the Night Fury tried and failed to launch itself into the air, its movements growing increasingly desperate.

"Why don't you just fly away?" Frida muttered under her breath, her brow furrowing in confusion.

With a sudden burst of inspiration, Frida retrieved her notebook and pencil, her fingers flying across the page as she sketched the dragon's form with practiced ease. As she worked, she couldn't help but feel a sense of connection with the creature before her, a shared understanding born from their mutual struggles.

But as she erased one of the wings on the dragon's tail, her heart sank at the reminder of its plight. The Night Fury made another attempt to take flight, but once again, it faltered and crashed to the ground below. Frida's attention was drawn away as her pencil slipped from her grasp, tumbling down and catching the dragon's gaze. Their eyes met, and in that moment, Frida felt a profound sense of connection-a silent understanding that transcended words. Tilting her head inquisitively, Frida watched as the Night Fury mirrored her actions, a silent acknowledgment of their shared bond. And in that fleeting moment, amidst the tranquil beauty of the forest, Frida realized that perhaps there was more to this encounter than she had initially thought.

〰〰〰𖠳 〰〰〰

By: SilverMist707

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