It had been many weeks since the defeat of the Oración Seis and finally things seem to return to normal or as normal as it could be in Dragon Tail Guildhall. Hiccup was to her table with Astrid and the two of them were enjoying a very nice meal.

"It's nice that things are finally calm down," said Astrid as she took a piece of strawberry cake.

"I have a feeling it won't last for long," said Hiccup as he too took a piece of strawberry cake. "Let's face it things are never normal round here."

Astrid laughed. "Good point."

Hiccup then saw the corner of his eye Merrill, the newest member, staring at the request board along with her cat Stormfly.

"Fine anything?" Adelaide asked.

"I'm not sure, there's so many," she said.

"Let me know when you find one," Adelaide smiled.

"She seems to be fitting in quite well," said Hiccup looking at Merrill.

"She's still a bit shy though," said Ruby as she took a seat beside them.

"It's to be expected," said Hiccup. "Especially after what just happened with her."

He can never get rid of that sad look on her face when the day she realised that her guild head and nothing more than an illusion.

"I just wish the same could be said for Stormfly," said Toothless as he climbed onto the table.

"Get a little crash, huh?" Ruby smirked.

Toothless suddenly turned pink. "No… well, maybe. But that's not the case."

"I have to agree with Toothless," said Ragnar as he leaned over the bench. "She hasn't exactly warmed up to anyone. She considers everyone rude and she refuses Merrill to be out of her sight."

"She'll come around," Hiccup assured.

"You know, funny how much she's like you Astrid," Ragnar smirked.

"What?" Astrid glared.

"I'm just saying that you want exactly warming up to anyone when you first came here," said Ragnar holding out his hands defensively.

Astrid opened her mouth, but then closed it. "Good point."

"Hiccup!" Stoick yelled over the bar.

"Yeah, dad?" said Hiccup getting up.

"I've got a job for you and I'd like you to take Merrill along with you, you know show the ropes," said Stoick.

"Don't we get a say in this," Stormfly snapped as she and Merrill may the way over to him.

"Hiccup is her tutor and she is far too young to go on a solo mission, even if she is with you," said Stoick firmly. "Besides, it won't be too much trouble. It's a request from King Barkel, he's got a slight goblin problem."

"The Dwarven King," Hiccup blinked.

"Aye, you know, son," said Stoick. "In fact he asked for you personally."

Hiccup frowned. "I only met him once and I was with Gobber."

"I suppose he's heard of your exploits as Night Fury," Astrid shrugged. "Though I wish I was going with you."

Stoick shook his head. "Dwarfs a very private, especially in own kingdom, I'm sure they will allow Merrill and your feline friends to accompany you, but no one else."

"Okay, I'll leave right away," said Hiccup as heat of the job request form. "Come on, Merrill were off to Zabtorl."

"Are you sure it's okay for me to go," said Merrill nervously looking up at Stoick.

"Now, Child, how do you think you going to manage if you don't work on your confidence," Stormfly scolded.

"You'll be fine Merrill, goblins shouldn't cause us too much problems," Hiccup assured.

Once they pack their bags they left Berk and took the carriage to Zabtorl.

"So you've been to Zabtorl?" said Merrill as she fiddled with her fingers.

"I was about your age, but that was mainly defending a caravan that was holding some valuables for the Royal family," said Hiccup as he laid back with his hands over his head. "It was just me and Gobber and a few dwarven soldiers. It was a two-day journey, but it was quite peaceful apart from the random bandit attacks. Anyway, King Barkel was very pleased when we presented him his caravan."

"What was in it?" Toothless asked.

"Not sure, except that it was something from one of his ancestors," said Hiccup. "The dwarfs treat their ancestry quite serious. It's everything to a dwarf especially those living in Zabtorl."

"Here we are," said the driver.

They soon reached the base of a very tall mountain and not far away they could see a fortress carved right into it. As they got closer they saw that it was guarded by heavily armed dwarfs in shining armour.

"Halt," said a dwarf as they approached the doors. "None shall enter except Zabtorl's own."

"King Barkel asked for my assistance," said Hiccup holding out the job request form.

The dwarf took it and examined it. "Very well, but mind yourselves and know you do anything against the law you will be imprisoned."

"We'll behave ourselves," Hiccup assured.

"They seem very strict," said Merrill.

"Like my dad said the very private, only a handful of people that you seen their kingdom," said Hiccup as large doors opened.

They walked down a glittering corridor made of pure marble and they saw more guards watching as they walk past. Even despite their eyes been coloured by their helmets Hiccup knew they were keeping an eye on them as they walked past.

Once they reached the end of the corridor they found something completely amazing. The entire mountain was hollow from top to bottom and they could see carved in the mountain itself were houses. It was illuminated by strings blowing rocks that Hiccup recognised as sunstone, a special type of mineral that glowed even in the deepest darkness

In the centre was a large palace that was no doubt where the king and his Royal family sat. The bottom look like it went down forever and they can only see thing bit of light coming from the lava and sunstone that flowed into the mountain.

"Wow!" said Merrill as she leaned over the edge looking down into the depths.

"Be careful, Child," Stormfly advised. "If you lean any closer you might fall."

"Come on, even if she did we would have been able to catch before she hit the bottom… if there was one," said Toothless.

"You be quiet, tomcat," Stormfly hissed.

"How about we go and see the King," Hiccup suggested.

The Palace was connected by long stone bridges that ran across the entire mountain and as they walked they could hear the sounds of chisels digging into rock.

"What's that noise?" Merrill asked.

"It's the miners," said Hiccup looking over the edge. "The digging deep into the mountain finding any precious stone they can. In fact they have tunnels that scratch or across Septem. It's how they are the richest of all the races, even more than my race."

"But don't your people ruled the land?" Merrill enquired.

"We rule the surface as true, but it's the dwarfs that rule the ground below," said Hiccup. "And unlike us they don't worship gods, they respect their ancestors and believe that it is them give them strength in the darkest of times."

"So, they believe their ancestors live among them guiding them," said Toothless.

"I suppose that's one way to put it, but in some ways they are," said Hiccup and looked at the mountain. "Stone sometimes record events and under certain conditions they play them back."

"Wow!" said Merrill.

"Come on, with best not keep the king waiting," said Hiccup.

The Palace was probably the most magnificent place that Merrill had ever seen. It stood right in the middle of the mountain almost as big as Nirvana and as they walk through the holes they saw statues of dwarfs that were no doubt the Kings and Queens of the past.

They soon found the throne room and there sat on the phone was an old dwarf with a white beard a golden crown rested on his head and his fingers covered in jewels, emeralds, rubies, sapphires you name it he had it.

"Ah, you have grown since last I saw you young Master Hiccup," said King Barkel.

"It is an honour to meet you again your Majesty," said Hiccup bowing slightly.

"And who is this young lady with you?" he asked to looking down at Merrill.

"I'm Merrill Sliverleaf," said Merrill doing a little curtsy.

"She's our newest member of Dragon Tail and insisted that she comes along with me," Hiccup explained.

"I see, did he also insisted you taking a pair of cats?" King Barkel asked looking down at Toothless and Stormfly.

"I would have come with Merrill even if he told us not to," said Stormfly.

"And where Hiccup goes I go," said Toothless.

King Barkel blinked slightly than a bemused smile appeared on his face. "I see."

"My father said that you had a goblin problem," said Hiccup.

"Yes, goblins have become a bit more daring lately and they've been attacking miners," King Barkel explained. "Normally our guards would be able to handle them, but this is to be a lot more than usual."

"And you want us to clear them out," Hiccup guessed.

King Barkel nodded. "And will be awarded quite handsomely if you do this for us."

"We shan't let you down your Majesty," said Hiccup bowing.

They soon exited the Palace, escorted by a guard towards the cave that the king wanted clear.

"So, why do you think goblins are attacking the miners?" Merrill asked.

"Any number of reasons, warmth, food, money, truth is a governor attack anyone for any reason, but for them to give the dwarf so much trouble it is unusual," said Hiccup.

"Yeah, goblins aren't the brightest of creatures and they're extremely greedy," said Toothless. "They would kill each other even for a scrap of food."

"Clearly that's not the case now," said Stormfly.

"It could be a cave and has blocked them from their favourite hunting grounds," Hiccup surmised. "Either away we need to get rid of them."

"This is it," said the guard.

"Is anything as you can tell us?" Hiccup asked.

"Only to watch your heads," said the guard.

"Really helpful," Toothless muttered.

It felt like an hour as they walked through the tunnels, but fortunately the light from the sunstone were lighting the way through the tunnels. The tunnel was big enough for two people, but it was clear that it was only designed to carry minerals outside the mine.

"How on giving your take is to get to the mine?" Merrill asked slightly nervously.

"Come, Child, you should not show fear," said Stormfly.

"To be honest I don't know how far this tunnel leads us," said Hiccup. "Drawers have a tendency for long tunnels and sometimes they reached dead ends."

"We can't be too far from the mine," said Toothless.

He was right, they weren't.

The tunnels soon led them to a large cavern. There were scaffolding's, train tracks and pickaxes scattered around. However, there wasn't any sign of any dwarfs in fact it looks as if no one had been in that mind for a long time.

"The most abandon it because of the goblins," said Hiccup looking slightly troubled. "Which indicated spattered the abandoned and the entire mine."

"Yeah, dwarfs are very territorial and they would fight over even the smallest piece of land," said Toothless looking around.

"What that?" Merrill whimpered.

"What was what, Child?" Stormfly asked.

"I heard something," said Merrill quivering slightly.

Hiccup studied the mine and kept his ears open. Sure enough he could hear the sound of something coming towards them. It was hard to describe, but it sounded like the chatter of bats however he knew very well they weren't bats.

He then looked up and suddenly saw climbing down the walls with goblins. They look like a combination between dwarfs and elves, but with razor sharp teeth. They wore rags over their bodies and were carrying crudely made swords and other sorts of weapons.

"Time to do our job," said Hiccup as he pulled out Inferno.

Merrill handbag and watched as Hiccup charge straight through the goblins. It was clear that the goblins were outmatched as Hiccup sliced through their weapons with the greatest of ease. Hiccup then ignited Inferno and at once the goblins fell back fearfully.

"What happened?" Merrill asked Toothless.

Toothless blinked at Merrill. "You mean you don't know?" Merrill shook her head. "Goblins are afraid of fire which is why they spend most of their lives in dark tunnels."

"So, that's why the king asked for Hiccup to come here," said Merrill.

Toothless nodded. "Yes, someone who is able to use fire like Hiccup is ideal to deal with goblins."

"So he really didn't need me," said Merrill slightly disheartened.

"Now, Child, if you wish to prove yourself now is the time," said Stormfly. "You can't just sit back and let Hiccup do all the work."

Merrill watched as Hiccup slaughtered the goblins that came anywhere near him. Then slowly she began to make away towards him, but then she tripped on a stone and fell flat on her face.

"Not what we wanted," said Toothless rubbing his forehead.

Hiccup turned and saw Merrill flat on her face of course the goblins took advantage of this and disarmed him. Then before he could recover a goblin bit hard on his left forearm.

Fortunately his armour protected him from the razor sharp teeth, but barely. He managed to toss the goblin off, but he could see a few spots of blood trailing down his arm. He then looked up and found himself surrounded by goblins.

The goblins then began to punch, kick and bite him and soon he collapsed. Merrill looked up helplessly as she saw the beating Hiccup was taking.

"We got a help him!" Toothless cried.

"Merrill, you're the only one who can save him!" Stormfly yelled.

Merrill looked on and realise that she was right, because if she did not do anything Hiccup would die. She then got to feet and began to take in a deep breath.

"Sea Dragon's Roar!" she cried.

Then suddenly a whole burst of water exited from her mouth and slammed into the goblins. Soon they all found themselves being washed away unseen that they were outmatched one by one they began to retreat deep into the tunnels.

She then rushed up towards Hiccup and hovered her hands right over him. At once they began to glow green she began to heal him. In no time at all his wounds began to heal and his eyes opened.

"Nice going," he said smiling. "I knew you had it in you."

Merrill stared at him. "You only pretended to be beaten up?"

Hiccup sat up. "You really think a bunch of goblins could have taken me down. I was simply trying to increase the confidence." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Merrill, you're stronger than you believe all you lacking is confidence. I was exactly the same."

Merrill looked at him. "You were?"

"Of course I was, I was the only son of Stoick the Vast one of the most powerful Viking on the continent and my magic was pathetic. But in truth it was my confidence that was the problem, but I never gave up and I overcame my confidence problem."

Merrill looked at him and then smiled.

"That's classic Hiccup," said Toothless shaking his head. "He always tries to lead by example."

"But he could have gotten himself killed," said Stormfly.

Toothless just smiled softly. "I think he knew that Merrill would let that happen."

They soon returned to the palace and were greeted by cheerful King Barkel.

"I see you were successful for driving out the goblins, young Hiccup," he said joyously.

"Actually, you have Merrill to thank for that," said Hiccup gesturing to Merrill, who was hiding behind him.

King Barkel laughed. "Stronger than she looks it would seem." He then snapped his fingers and card marched up with a chest, he opened it up and it was full of gold and jewels. "This is your reward, but tell me did you discover why there were goblins in the mine?"

Hiccup shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

"Oh, well, at least the goblins will think twice before invading our mines now."

They soon made their way outside and Merrill looked up at Hiccup, who is carrying the chest.

"Did you truly meant what you said?" she asked.

Hiccup looked down at her. "Of course I meant it and King Barkel was right, you are a lot stronger than you look."

Merrill just looked at her hands and wondered if what Hiccup said was true. She then clutched her hands and youth for now on that she would try to be more confident in her abilities.

She then ran up to Hiccup joyfully.