The western port of the Northern Market lay half-abandoned.
Smoke drifted low over the docks, carrying the scent of salt, fire, and panic. Farther inland, the auction hall still burned, distant roars echoing like thunder trapped behind stone. Here, only flickering torchlight and moonshine reflected off dark water.
Three figures sprinted across the planks.
"Faster—faster!" Flynn hissed, boots slamming against wood as he glanced over his shoulder.
As soon as they reached the dock, Flynn peeled off, spinning around to face the way they'd come. He backed toward the water, eyes scanning the shadows between crates and mooring posts, every sense on edge.
"Come on guys!"
Rudi and Runo were already at the edge, straining as they shoved a small, battered boat toward the water. The hull scraped loudly, far too loud for Flynn's liking.
"I am pushing!" Rudi snapped.
"Then push like your life depends on it," Flynn shot back. "Because mine definitely does."
The boat slid halfway in.
Flynn slowed suddenly.
There was a sound behind him.
A soft rustle.
Not footsteps, something lighter. Something… alive.
His smile faded.
"Hey," he said quietly, inching backward toward the boat. "Guys? Can you maybe be a little faster?"
"Why?" Runo asked without looking up.
Flynn didn't answer.
Two small points of light gleamed from the tall grass near the dock.
Eyes that moved closer.
Flynn squinted, trying to make sense of the shape, but the darkness swallowed details whole—
Then the sky flared white.
A dragon's fireball streaked across the harbor, exploding somewhere far to the east. For a heartbeat, the world was lit like daylight.
And Flynn saw it.
A tiny creature stood at the edge of the grass.
It had the body of a lion cub, rounded paws, a tufted tail but where fur should have ended, shimmering scales began. A fish's tail flicked gently behind it, bioluminescent patterns glowing faintly along its sides.
It tilted its head, curious.
"…Huh," Flynn muttered. "What are you?"
The creature blinked.
Slowly, cautiously, Flynn knelt.
"Easy there, little guy," he said softly, bowing his head as he reached out. "I'm not—"
FWOOOSH.
Air blasted downward.
Flynn's hair whipped violently as something massive descended in front of him.
His hand froze mid-reach. A deep, resonant huff rolled over the dock.
Flynn swallowed.
Very slowly, he looked up.
Two enormous amber eyes stared back at him.
A sleek black head loomed overhead, nostrils flaring as warm air washed over Flynn's face. Moonlight traced the smooth curve of its skull, wings half-unfurled as it perched soundlessly on the dock.
A Night Fury.
"Oh," Flynn whispered. "…Right."
He did not scream.
He crawled.
Backward and fast. Scrambling across the planks until he slammed into the boat and nearly tipped it over.
"GO!" he shrieked.
Rudi and Runo didn't ask questions.
They jumped in as Flynn shoved the paddle into Rudi's hands and grabbed the other himself. Water splashed as the boat lurched away from the dock.
"ROW!" Flynn yelled. "ROW LIKE YOU'VE NEVER ROWED BEFORE!"
The boat surged forward, oars churning water as the dock began to shrink behind them.
Flynn dared one last glance back.
Toothless still stood there.
Watching.
Not attacking nor pursuing, just… watching.
Beside its clawed feet, the small lion-fish creature looked up at the dragon.
Simba.
Toothless lowered his head and regarded the little Merlion for a moment. Then, with an oddly gentle rumble, he leaned down and gave the cub an enthusiastic lick.
Simba spluttered, shook his mane, and let out an indignant growl.
"Grrr!"
Toothless snorted, clearly amused.
The boat disappeared into the darkness, oars fading into the wash of water and smoke. For a moment, the dock was still. Only the crackle of distant fires and the slap of waves against burning hulls.
Then—
Toothless's ears twitched.
The distant chaos of the harbor faded beneath a single sound as a roar that rolled across the docks, deep and sharp, carrying fury and pain in equal measure.
Toothless stiffened.
That sound…
His head lifted, wings flexing slightly as he turned toward the direction it came from. The roar echoed again, closer this time, reverberating through stone and water alike.
Recognition sparked within him.
Not memory in words but in instinct. In the pull of something familiar, something like himself.
Toothless glanced down.
Simba stood beside his foreleg, tail flicking lazily, unaware of the weight of the sound that had just shaken the air. The little Merlion looked up at him, blinking, then let out a soft, questioning chirr-growl.
Toothless rumbled low in his chest.
Gently, far more gently than his size suggested, he lowered his head and took Simba by the nape of the neck. His jaws closed with careful precision, the way a mother dragon carried her hatchling. Simba stiffened in surprise for half a heartbeat—
Then relaxed.
His paws dangled as Toothless lifted him, the cub letting out a tiny, indignant huff before settling, tail swaying slightly.
Toothless turned toward the source of the roar.
Another cry thundered through the night, closer now, angrier.
With Simba secure in his jaws, Toothless padded forward across the dock, claws clicking softly against the planks as he moved away from the water and toward the burning heart of the Northern Market.
______
Viggo stood amid the ruin of the auction hall, sword clenched so tightly in his hand that his knuckles had gone white.
Smoke drifted in heavy curtains across shattered stone. Broken cages lay twisted and empty. Bodies of pirates, hunters, civilians were strewn across the tiers like discarded pieces on a game board.
The auction was gone.
His operation, months of planning, leverage, and control was reduced to ash and screaming chaos.
Anger burned hot in his chest.
And yet…
His gaze flicked briefly to the far end of the hall, to where Captain Hook was being dragged away, blood soaking through his sleeve.
Where a hand was missing.
A thin smile tugged at Viggo's lips before he could stop it.
…Good.
But the smile faded almost immediately. His eyes shifted instead to the center of the hall.
To the Night Fury.
The dragon stood beside a man, its posture no longer caged, no longer cornered but the fury within it can be felt miles away.
Viggo's expression hardened, something sharp and unreadable settling behind his eyes.
Ryker strode up beside him, breathing hard. Without ceremony, he let go of what he was holding.
THUD!
A pirate's severed head hit the stone with a wet thud and rolled to a stop.
"We should go," Ryker said bluntly, wiping blood from his cheek with the back of his wrist. "Everything's collapsing."
Viggo closed his eyes.
He drew in a slow, controlled breath, forcing the fury down, burying it beneath calculation where it belonged.
When he opened his eyes again, the strategist had returned.
"HUNTERS!" Viggo's voice cut through the hall, sharp and commanding. "Fall back."
The order rippled outward instantly.
Like a chain snapping tight, Dragon Hunters disengaged in near-perfect coordination. Those still clashing with the pirates that was left behind broke away, shields up, blades withdrawing in chaotic movements. Others dragged the wounded with them as they moved toward the exits Viggo indicated.
The retreat was clean, efficient. But the Night Fury snarled.
It took a step forward, wings flexing, amber eyes locked onto Viggo's retreating back. A low, dangerous growl rumbled from its chest as if it recognized the man responsible for its chains.
Lucian reached out instinctively. "Hey—"
Too late.
The Night Fury surged out of his reach, wings snapping open as it launched itself into the air. Hunters shouted, raising shields as blue-white light flared in the dragon's throat.
FWOOOM!
A plasma shot slammed into the stone behind them, blowing debris skyward. Another streaked down from above as the Night Fury vanished into smoke then reappeared, then vanished again, harrying the retreat like a living shadow.
Hunters formed a defensive wedge as they withdrew, shields scorched, boots pounding stone.
Viggo didn't look back.
Lucian stood still, watching the Night Fury disappear into the night after them, firelight reflecting off his eyes.
The gang converged around him quickly.
Astrid lowered her axe, breathing hard, Hiccup stared upward, torn between awe and dread, Fishlegs swallowed, Merida scanned the exits, bow still half-raised, Eric and his guards tightened formation, alert.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
BOOOOM!!
The ground trembled.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
Another explosion followed, brighter and closer. Lucian's head snapped toward the harbor.
"Th port," he said sharply.
Bursting out of the auction hall, they were met with a nightmare painted in fire.
At the western docks, a section of the port erupted in flames as a moored ship detonated, its hull splitting apart in a roar of fire and timber. Burning debris rained into the water.
Then another ship exploded.
And another.
Like a falling row of dominos, vessels along the dock ignited one after another, masts collapsing, sails vanishing in sheets of flame. Smoke billowed skyward, blotting out stars as the harbor churned with fire and wreckage.
Screams echoed across the water.
The only section untouched was the eastern pier, the royal dock where noble and royal guards held firm, shields raised, driving off the last scattered pirates as they tried and failed to reach the ships there.
Hiccup stared in horror. "They're… blowing the whole harbor."
_______
[A/N: Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that school has started up again, which has made my update schedule a bit inconsistent. Here's what I'm planning moving forward: I aim to post 4-5 chapters per week, but I won't be able to specify exact days, it all depends on when I have free time to brainstorm and make chapters. Updates might come on consecutive days, all at once in a single batch, or spread out with gaps in between. It's similar to how I've been updating before, but now you'll at least know to expect new content each week! I've also regained my inspiration for my other fics and will be working on updating those too. That's all thanks for reading!]