Chapter 18

" THE RIDER!"

The high pitch screech of the Nightfury echoed throughout the area, the Outcast on the boats rushed to get harpoons, nets, and some dived for cover.

Boom, the boat on the left went up in a bluish flame, screaming could be heard as the Outcast tried to put out the blue flames.

A man with a black beard that shot about like lightning stepped from the cabin, " You lot, get that fire out, harpooners take aim and be ready, we will get the rider this day!"

The Captain looked to the sky and growled, " Where are you, you pest!"

Behind him a blade slammed into his back, " Here I am."

The Captain reached down to the blade that now protruded from his chest. The blade giving of the errie shine, turning his head slowly to look at the rider. The rider his his features with his black hood and scarf, the dark armor that seemed to pull the shadows from every corner of the room.

"I see, so the Black Death has found me."

The rider ripped the blade from the man's back, "You will not be the only one who death will find this day."

The rider walked past the Captain, the man fell to his knees as he watched the rider kill another of his crew, the Captain watched as the rider, and soon to join him, dragon began to fight the crew on his ship.

One by one they fell, the rider was inhuman, no blade touched him and he dance with a grace and speed that he had never seen in any human.

Slowly the sounds of the fighting faded from the man's ears, he could still see several of his crew rushing the rider, but the sound of the battle no long reached him. Soon his vision began to fade, so this was the end, then I have nothing to lose.

The Captain pushed himself to his feet and slowly turned, forcing himself to walk to his cabin. Falling towards his desk, the man pulled himself up and leaned heavily on the desk. Reaching down he pulled a parchment from the contents of his desk. Picking up the quill he slowly being to write, he didn't need to use ink as blood flowed slowly down his hand covering the quill in red.

After just a few moment the Captain rolled the now quickly written letter, then sealed it. Whistling a little terrible terror jumped from a post and landed on the desk.

As he strapped the letter to the dragons leg he hissed to the creature, " To Viggo Grimborn."

The little dragon hissed its acknowledgement then jumped from the desk and shot through the open window of the captains quarters. Moving then around to the chair of his desk the Captain sat down.

Looking to the door the Captain spoke, " This isn't over rider….. My vengeance will find you…. -cough- Captain Black Bart will have his day."

((Line Break))

Hiccup slashed his short sword out, the blade caught the Outcast across the face, the man grabbed his face screaming and fell backwards, losing his foot as he hit the rail of the ship, the man flipped over it and fell screaming to the water.

Turning Hiccup looked about him, small patch of blue flames dance about the decks of the three ships, the forth ship that Toothless had shot was already sinking. The deck of the ships that were still afloat where covered in blood and the bodies of the slain.

Hiccup stepped over a body of one of the men, making his way to Toothless, "Toothless, we need to put these fires out so…"

Toothless was looking towards the sea now. Hiccup turned his gaze towards where his dragon was looking. Three ships flying the flag of Berk where slowly approaching. Had he been that long that they could catch up?

Moving swiftly Hiccup mounted Toothless, " Come on bud!"

Pushing off the deck Toothless leapt into the air, his wings flapping as the two shot into the air. Turning Toothless towards the ships the two rushed towards the first ship and landed softly on the large deck of the ship.

"Hiccup!"

Astrid ran to him as he slipped from the back of Toothless, he was tackled into a strong hug, "Astrid, umm…. hi…... "

Stepping back, she then slugged Hiccup in the arm, the armor absorbed most of the blow, but he still felt it, rubbing at his shoulder, he was taken aback again.

Astrid glared at him, "Don't just run off by yourself like that again!"

Astrid seemed rather angry, she had seen him run off, Hiccup looked then past her and saw Camicazi was also glaring, as if waiting for her turn to slug him in the arm.

But, they had saw him take off, Camicazi had kissed him and said good luck, women were weird.

With a heavy sigh Hiccup looked back to Astrid, " I had to go, and I thought you all knew what I was doing."

Astrid growled and stepped up into Hiccups face, "We knew you were going to do something stupid, but not take on the Outcast by yourself."

Toothless huffed," What am I, chopped mutton."

Hiccup pointed to Toothless, "I wasn't alone, Toothless was with me."

Crimson then hissed on Astrids shoulder, "The lady was worried that master was going to get hurt, master should had said what he was doing."

Hiccup and Toothless glared at the little dragon, whose side was she on anyways.

Hiccup looked past Astrid again, Camicazi was still glaring, he then noticed the rest of the group. Fishlegs, Ruff, and Tuff were all smiling wide with knowing grins. Stoick, Spitelout, and Gobber where also grinning, they had more of a, your in for it now boy-o grin.

Hiccup sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, this was just silly. He was the rider, he didn't need to answer to anyone. Hiccup brought his hands from his nose and glared at Astrid, however he stopped. Astrid eyes were filled with worry and anger, she had been worried for him.

Hiccup then felt guilty for what he was about to say, his gaze soften and he looked sheepishly to the side," Sorry…."

Then he turned," I am not use to having people worry about me, the last three years I have been…. well…. "

Hiccup thought back to the last three years, dragons didn't worry the same way humans did, they would worry, but they expected you to survive on your own, and they would push you to extremes to make sure you could survive on your own. The only two people who had been companions in these last three years….

They had taught him much, however they didn't worry cause they knew Hiccup as the Rider, and that meant that he was held at a standard that was above common men. Turning he looked back to those who had worried and where now in his life.

Hiccup had a lot of growing as a human to do, the last three years had stripped him of his common sense when dealing with people.

The moment had been ruined when Snotlout and his crew walked over.

"Chief, the boats are being secured, though seems the 'Rider' sunk a ship holding some of our grain."

Hiccup glared back, his cousin was not wrong, Hiccup had gotten a tad carried away, but he had saved as much as he could, more than most Viking sea battles would have allowed.

Camicazi however didn't like how Snotlout was looking at her future husband and without a beat walked over and decked him square in the face.

Falling over with a grunt Snotlout let out a low roar as he came to his feet, " What in the Hel was that for women!"

Camicazi punched him again, sending the Viking man back to his ass, while everyone watched in surprise.

"I'm sorry, but your face just screamed out for me to punch it, so I did, then it screamed out a second time for more, so…. your welcome. "

Hiccup couldn't help but start to laugh, as did many more on the ship who had watch Snotlout get laid out, the only one not laughing was Camicazi and Snotlout who where glaring at each other.

Astrid who also wasn't laughing stepped in between the two, she as well was glaring at Snotlout, " Hiccup wasn't at fault, and you know as well as I do that we would have lost more than a single ship if it had been us."

Snotlout stood now, he stood tall, as he looked at Astrid, " Stop defending him, isn't he a man, can't he do that himself?"

Hiccup crossed his arms, it was true he could, however he didn't care, this needless fighting and chest beating wasn't who he was, he didn't need to show how much of a man he was, he had work to do.

Hiccup started to walk away, he didn't have time for this, there was a ship that needed to be looked at, and even paperwork to go through, there might be a clue as to who the outcast where working for.

"Hey!" Snotlout's stomped up behind Hiccup, " Where do you think your going?"

Turning to look over his shoulder, he saw Snotlout now arms on his hips glaring at him, the rest seemed to be watching closely to see what would happen.

Sighing and turning away Hiccup spoke, " I am going back to the ship to see if I missed something."

Without waiting for a response, Hiccup walked over to Toothless who was eyesing Snotlout. The dragon then jumped up and took off. It didn't take long for the two of them to get back to the ship. Landing Hiccup slide off the saddle and started to walk towards the captain's quarters.

Stopping Hiccup looked at the dead man slumped in the captain's chair, "So this is where you went."

Moving around to the desk Hiccup began to look through the paperwork, it was mostly useless, but there where a few names that sprung out at him, Drago Bludvist, Dagur, and Krogan. Hiccup had ran into these three before. Dagur had been a particular thorn in his side until his sister had stopped him, Dagur however had reformed and moved on to being the right hand of the chief his sister Heather.

Drago had been Swiftwings enemy, and Hiccup had only head of the man in passing before he had a run in with the man himself and his army. Hiccup had only managed to escape with the help of Tomeo, which is how the two of them first meet.

The last name he had a personal history with, Krogan was a man who made a living off capturing, killing, and selling dragons. He was enemy number one to the Rider, an despite his best efforts Hiccup couldn't capture the man.

Hiccup read of the documents with their names, the three men were mentioned many times, an it seemed that the Outcast where keeping tabs on them. Each letter was more detailed than the next, and Hiccup decided it was best to take these documents to the village and look them over.

Pulling a leather binding off the side of his belt, Hiccup folded the documents and slide them into the bindings. Locking the leather book closed, Hiccup turned, his eyes once more going to the dead man on the chair.

Turning his head to the side Hiccup had noticed something hidden in the fold of the man's jacket. Sliding his hand into the jacket Hiccup pulled what looked like a lens out, the lens however was made of a glass that Hiccup had only seen in the windows of the Dragon Palace, Scorched Glass, strong and near unbreakable, the glass was used in all manners of Dragon art.

Holding the lens up Hiccup looked into it, it shimmered red and turned his vision the same color.

"What is that?"

Hiccup looked up to find his Father looking at him in wonder.

"I am not sure….. something to look into at a later date."

Hiccup was curious as to what the little glass lens was, however that wasn't the main concern at the moment.

"How much was lost?" Hiccup inquired about the ship he had sunk, he wish it had been different, but in truth he knew that it was a risk.

Stoick the Vast stepped into the room, his face going from curious wonder, to fatherly anger in mer second, " Lost!"

His voice shook the room, " We are Vikings son, we would have been fine even if we had lost everything, but my foolish son rushed out on his dragon and place himself in danger without thought to what those around him would think!"

The big man now on the other side of the desk slammed his hands down glaring daggers at Hiccup. Hiccup didn't flinch from that gaze as he glared right back.

"An you would have me what, wait, I am faster, Toothless and I can go places no Viking can, an we have a responsibility to stop those who would do harm."

Stoick narrowed his gaze, "That wasn't what this was, you came here looking for a fight!"

Hiccup broke eye contact then and looked away, his eyes falling on the dead Captain of the Outcast crew. He couldn't argue that point, he had indeed come looking for a fight, the rider was suppose to protect the peace, however, where the Outcast where concerned, it was personal.

The Outcast where as big a thorn in his side as Elemental was.

Returning his gaze to his father Hiccup spoke calmly, " I was, but that is my business."

Stoick grabbed the corner of the desk and threw it to the side and moved grabbing Hiccup by the jacket so the young man was eye level with his father, " You silly foolish, what makes you think I will let you go and….."

Hiccups eyes went wide, Stoick the Vast, this father was crying, not like a full on cry, but slowly tears ran down his cheeks.

"Your my son, and I just got you back… I can't lose you again my boy."

Hiccup felt a pang of guilt, his hands came up and grabbed the big man's wrists. Slowly Stoick let Hiccup down onto his feet.

"Father, I have to take risks, but… know that I am not foolish enough to rush into a fight without knowing I can win or having a idea on how to defeat my opponent."

Stoick didn't break his gaze, " I know that son, just…. you rush off without a word, what do you expect this old man to think, that you have run away again, that your in trouble, you might have grown into a man, but you're still my son, and if I can I want to help you…"

"Stoick!" Gobbers rough voice echoed into the cabin.

Stoick turned then and started to walk for the entrance of the cabin, turning to look over his shoulder, his voice rough, "We will talk later son."

Turning Stoick made his way through the door, Hiccup sided and leaned heavy on the wall. He had know it would be hard if he had ever gone back home, but not like this. He had been sure that he would have been hated, exiled, or just ignored, instead he was being treated like the son of a Chief.

Pushing off the wall, Hiccup gathered the last of the papers and then made his way to the door, looking back, the dead man still in his chair, the smirk on his lips made Hiccup wonder what was in store for him.

Hey all, how goes it, sorry for the slow update, the holiday (4th) kind of messed up my schedule, took me a bit to get back in order...

How is everyone, and sorry for the short chapter, I hope to make the next one longer :P