The arena had gone unnaturally quiet.
Black scales reflected torchlight like polished obsidian as the dragon lifted its head within the reinforced cage. Its wings flexed once, slow and deliberate, testing restraint rather than struggling against it. Amber eyes swept the stone seats, sharp and calculating.
Viggo stood before it, hands clasped behind his back, savoring the tension.
"This," he said calmly, "is a dragon few living men have ever seen and fewer still have lived to describe."
He turned slightly, allowing the crowd a full view.
"No warning roar, no visible fire pattern, faster than sight, smarter than most beasts and most men." His lips curved faintly. "A dragon whispered of in war reports and dismissed as myth."
The dragon's tail flicked once.
"The Night Fury," he announced.
A wave of noise crashed through the arena.
Gasps and shouts was heard as bidders surged forward. Even seasoned nobles leaned in now, eyes sharp, mouths dry.
Viggo raised one hand.
"Starting bid," he said smoothly, "fifty gold."
The number hit like a hammer.
"Fifthy-Five!" someone shouted.
"Sixty"
"Seventy!"
The bids climbed fast now, real wealth, real power. Numbers climbed with frightening speed, wealth slamming into the air like weapons. Nobles leaned forward now, eyes sharp. Warlords murmured to aides. Traders stopped pretending they belonged here.
Then a calm voice cut through the chaos.
"One hundred."
Heads turned.
A man stood near the mid-tier seats, posture relaxed, one gloved hand resting lightly atop a polished sword on his hip. He wore deep crimson and black, coat tailored to perfection, lace cuffs pristine despite the dust and torch smoke. His long black hair was tied neatly at the nape of his neck.
Captain James Hook smiled, not wide nor cruel but refined.
He smiled like a nobleman attending a gala.
The bidding stalled… then surged again.
"One ten!"
"One twenty!"
A deep, familiar voice cut through the noise.
"One thirty!"
Merida froze.
She turned slowly, eyes wide, staring at her father.
King Fergus sat forward in his stone seat, arms braced on his knees, eyes locked on the stage with unmistakable interest.
"Da," Merida hissed, elbowing him sharply in the ribs. "I thought ye weren't goin' to bid."
Fergus didn't even look at her.
"What?" he said innocently. "When did I say that?"
Merida glared. "Ye said it this mornin'. Clear as day."
Fergus shrugged, beard bristling as his gaze followed the dragon below. "Aye, well… circumstances change."
"That's a living dragon," Merida whispered. "Not a horse."
"Which is exactly why I'm watchin'," Fergus replied, completely unbothered. "Can't have some warlord snatchin' it just because he's got deeper pockets."
Merida folded her arms. "So ye're not buyin' it."
Fergus finally glanced at her, grin spreading beneath his mustache. "Didn't say that either."
She groaned. "Da—"
"Relax," Fergus said, raising his hand as another bid rang out. "If the price gets stupid, I back out."
The auctioneer shouted a higher number.
"One forty"
Fergus leaned forward again.
"…Aye," Merida muttered. "Ma, will be mad for sure"
Hook, who had been watching with a smile, raised his voice.
"One fifty."
A murmur rippled through the arena.
Fishlegs sucked in a sharp breath. "That's… that's a lot of money."
Hiccup didn't answer. He leaned closer to Lucian, voice low. "So… you got any plans?"
Lucian didn't look away from the cage. "Not really," he said calmly.
Hiccup frowned slightly.
Lucian's lips curved into a faint, knowing smirk. "But I have something in mind. After the auction ends."
Hiccup swallowed, unsure whether that reassured him or made things worse.
"One fifty gold," Viggo repeated, eyes narrowing with interest.
The bids faltered, then surged again.
"One sixty!"
"One seventy!"
Hook sighed softly, as though mildly inconvenienced.
"Two hundred."
Silence.
Even the torch flames seemed to hesitate.
Viggo studied the room, eyes gleaming. "Two hundred gold," he said evenly. "Any further bids?"
No one spoke.
"Going once…"
Still nothing.
"Going twice…"
The gavel struck stone.
"Sold."
The arena buzzed with stunned whispers.
Viggo gestured politely toward the winning bidder. "Tradition calls for a word from our gentleman who has secured tonight's final offering."
Hook stepped forward.
He moved with easy confidence, boots clicking softly against stone as he descended toward the stage. When he turned to face the crowd, he offered a shallow bow.
"Good evening," he said warmly. "Ladies and gentlemen."
A pause.
"My thanks," he continued, "for gathering here tonight and contributing so generously to my future prosperity."
His smile sharpened.
"You've made me very wealthy."
A few uneasy chuckles sounded.
"And in return," he said softly, "I will give you something priceless. As tonight will be the night you'll never forget"
He reached into his coat and withdrew a golden pocket watch.
The click as it opened was unnaturally loud.
"It's time," he murmured.
He snapped it shut, lifted his head, and spread his arms wide.
"Let the show begin!"
Rumble!!
A roar tore through the sky.
Not one but many.
The sound rolled over the arena like thunder, deep and primal, shaking stone and rattling bone. The crowd froze, heads snapping upward as shadows swept across torchlight.
Dragons.
They came screaming in from the harbor.
Wings blotted out the stars as fire lit the sky, first one blazing arc, then another. A fireball slammed into the upper seats.
BANG!!
Stone exploding outward as people were engulfed in flame.
"ARGGGGH!!!"
"Help!!"
"WaTeRrrr!!!"
Panic erupted as burning figures fled blindly, knocking others down. Smoke poured through the arena, choking and blinding.
Another dragon roared overhead.
Then another as fire rained down.
Laughter rang out from the stage as Hook threw his head back and laughed.
"Hahahahaha!" Hook crowed. "Magnificent!"
______
Northern Market Harbor — Minutes Before the Chaos
The harbor was quiet.
Too quiet.
Torches flickered along the docks as Merlune guards patrolled the deck of the kingdom's ship. Below them, in a reinforced dragon cage bolted to the deck, three men sat behind iron bars.
Flynn leaned forward, gripping the bars casually. "Hey," he called out, cheerful. "Does the Kingdom of Merlune not own cells? Or is this dragon cage your idea of luxury?"
The guard didn't look at him. "The ship wasn't built to transport trash."
"Ouch," Flynn winced theatrically. "That one stings."
The guard turned away.
Flynn sighed and leaned back then saw as Rudi nudged his brother sharply, then lifted his chin slightly.
"Hey," he murmured. "You see that?"
Flynn followed his gaze.
At first, it looked like nothing more than movement, shadows slipping between masts, figures leaping from dock to deck. Then torchlight caught red fabric.
Bandanas.
"Those aren't dockworkers," Flynn said quietly.
Across the harbor, pirates in red bandanas were already swarming over another merchant ship. They moved fast and loud, blades flashing as guards were overwhelmed in seconds.
Bang!
A sharp crack split the air.
Flynn flinched as a guard staggered backward on the far deck, clutching his chest before collapsing over the railing into the water below.
A Gunshot then laughter followed.
"Well," Flynn muttered, gripping the bars of the dragon cage, "this just got exciting."
The pirates weren't stopping.
They jumped ship to ship, ropes flying, boots slamming onto decks as they cut through resistance with brutal ease. And then—
A grappling hook slammed into the side of the Merlune ship.
Flynn's stomach dropped.
Another hook followed... then another.
Pirates hauled themselves up, laughing wildly as they landed among the guards. One fired his pistol point-blank, the muzzle flash lighting his grin as a Merlune soldier went down screaming.
Steel rang as guards rushed to intercept but they were outnumbered.
Flynn turned just in time to see one pirate vault over a crate, kick a guard square in the chest, and send him crashing across the deck.
"Oh no," Flynn said.
Runo grabbed the bars beside him. "They're coming here."
Another pirate fired into the air, whooping as more red bandanas poured onto the deck.
The few remaining guards barely had time to react before blades flashed and gunshots cracked.
Chaos exploded.
Steel rang against steel.
A Merlune guard fell hard against the deck, blood splashing across weathered planks as pirates surged aboard the ship.
A figure strode through the madness, short and round, beard bristling, tricorn hat perched proudly atop his head, sweat gleaming on his brow.
"Move it! Faster, you dogs! Get the valuables aboard!" He dropped a thick green root onto the deck with a thud.
Flynn's eyes lit up.
"Heyyyyy!" he shouted, waving wildly. "Bearded fellow! Yes—you!"
Smee stopped, squinting. "What is it now?"
Flynn leaned closer to the bars. "You're here for treasure, right? I know where it is."
Smee stopped a few steps from the cage, eyeing Flynn through the bars.
His round face tightened with suspicion. "And why," he said slowly, "should I trust a man already locked up like a common rat?"
Flynn flashed a crooked smile.
"Because I'm locked up for a reason," he said. "I tried to steal their treasure."
Smee blinked.
Flynn leaned closer, lowering his voice. "The real stuff my friend, those glinting golds."
Smee's gaze flicked instinctively toward the harbor… then back to Flynn.
"I know where they keep it," Flynn continued smoothly. "Vaults, hidden routes. Which chests are decoys and which ones actually matter."
Runo snorted quietly behind him, Rudi elbowed him to shut up.
Flynn didn't look away from Smee. "You want gold fast right?" he said. "You don't want to fight every guard on this dock. You let me out… and I take you straight to it."
Smee hesitated.
The sounds of battle echoed around them, steel clashing, pirates shouting, a distant scream.
Finally, Smee clicked his tongue. "You've got the look of a man who lies often," he said.
Flynn grinned wider. "That's how you know I'm good at it."
A beat.
Then Smee turned, bent down, and ripped the keys from a fallen guard's belt.
"Talk fast," he muttered, unlocking the cage. "Or you swim."
Flynn stepped out, grinning. "Thank you, brother. Don't worry—I'll tell you."
Bam!!
Then he punched Smee square in the face.
"In your dreams—HAHA—"
The laughter died in his throat as every pirate on the deck had turned to look at him.
Hands tightened on weapons.
Flynn slowly raised his hands. "Okay—Okay. No hard feelings."
He glanced back at the cage. "Guys, now would be a great time."
Runo and Rudi scrambled out—
Just as a shadow passed overhead.
A dragon roared.
Fire erupted across the harbor, ships igniting as dragons dove from the sky, flames tearing through sails and decks alike.
Flynn skidded to a halt, staring as flames engulfed ships and pirates alike.
"Ohhh shit," he breathed.