Astrid rushed me, closing the distance in seconds.
I matched her pace, feet digging into the dirt as we swung at the same time. Wood met wood with a sharp crack, the impact echoing across the training ground. The force of it sent Astrid's axe skidding back a step, her boots scraping against the ground.
She stared at me, eyes wide for just a moment before she caught herself and reset her stance.
"How are you so strong?" she asked.
I shrugged, a small grin tugging at my lips. "Training."
She huffed, clearly not buying it—but she didn't stop.
We charged again.
This time, she changed tactics. At the last second, Astrid dropped low, diving beneath the arc of my glaive. I barely had time to react before her leg swept mine out from under me.
The ground rushed up fast.
I hit the dirt hard, breath knocked from my lungs, and before I could roll away, the wooden edge of her axe stopped inches from my face.
"I win, Austin," she said, smiling down at me.
I let out a breath and laughed quietly. "Yeah… fair."
She pulled back and offered me a hand, hauling me to my feet. Her grip was firm, steady.
"You need more training to match someone like me… and Dagur," Astrid said as she stepped back, resting the axe on her shoulder.
I nodded, keeping my face carefully neutral. "Dagur?"
She glanced at me, eyes sharp, gauging my reaction. "An enemy," she replied simply.
That was all she said—but it was more than enough.
I nodded again, accepting it at face value, even though my stomach tightened. Dagur the Deranged. Berserker chief. Exactly as dangerous as she made him sound.
I made sure none of that showed.
"Got it," I said. "Then I'll just have to train harder."
That earned a small, approving huff from her.
We kept going after that. No breaks, no holding back. Astrid pushed me harder each round, correcting my stance with sharp words or the flat of her axe when I messed up. Every mistake was punished, every improvement noticed—even if she didn't say it out loud.
By the time the sun climbed higher, my arms ached and sweat soaked through my clothes.
Then the lunch horn sounded.
We headed toward the main building together, the wind carrying the smell of food ahead of us. As we got closer, raised voices cut through the air.
"I'm telling you, I'm obviously the better twin!"
"That's because you're obviously lying!"
I exhaled through my nose. "Let me guess."
Astrid smirked. "The twins."
Right on cue, Ruffnut and Tuffnut were already at it inside, arguing loudly about who was better at—something. No one else even looked surprised.
Night settled over the Edge, quiet and calm.
Most of the riders had already gone to sleep. I was leaning against the railing outside the main building, watching the waves below when footsteps approached.
"You're up late," Astrid said.
I glanced over. She stopped beside me, axe resting against the wood.
"Couldn't sleep," I replied.
"Same."
We stood there for a bit, the wind moving through the camp. Toothless snored somewhere nearby.
After a while, Astrid spoke again.
"You don't fight like someone who's been in battles."
I blinked and looked at her. "Is that bad?"
She shook her head. "No. Just… different."
She leaned on the railing, eyes forward. "Most fighters telegraph their moves. You don't. It's like you're thinking everything through instead of reacting."
I shrugged. "I've never been in a real fight before."
That made her turn.
"Really?"
"Yeah," I said honestly. "I just… know I'm strong. And I know if I stay calm, I won't mess up."
She studied me for a long moment, then gave a quiet laugh.
"Huh. That might be even scarier."
I raised an eyebrow. "Scary?"
"For your enemies," she clarified.
The silence that followed was lighter now.
After a moment, she said, "If we run into Dagur someday, don't rush him. He fights dirty."
I nodded. "I won't."
She straightened, gripping her axe. "We train again tomorrow."
"Earlier?" I guessed.
She smirked. "Earlier."
As she turned to leave, she paused.
"…I'm glad you're here, Austin."
I watched her walk off into the dim light, a strange warmth settling in my chest.
I hadn't fought before.
But somehow… this world was already pushing me forward.
As I woke up, I headed back to the training grounds, the morning air still cool against my skin. Astrid was already there, waiting like always, wooden axe resting on her shoulder.
Without a word, we began again.
This time, I didn't hold back as much. When our weapons clashed, I put more strength behind my swings—and halfway through the session, there was a sharp crack. Astrid's wooden axe split clean through the handle and clattered to the ground.
She froze, staring at the broken weapon in her hand.
Then she looked at me.
For a moment, surprise flickered across her face—but she didn't say anything. Instead, she set the broken axe aside, grabbed another wooden one from the rack, and nodded toward me.
"Again."
So we did.
That routine repeated itself over the next week. Morning after morning, we trained until our arms ached and our clothes were soaked with sweat. Astrid pushed me harder each day, and I matched her pace just as fiercely. Slowly, the gap between us disappeared—not because she grew weaker, but because I grew stronger.
By the end of the week, we were evenly matched in combat ability—her skill and experience balanced against my raw strength and adaptability.
Nothing major happened during those days. No new enemies. No disasters.
Just training.
And somehow, that made all the difference.
As the sun rose, the calm of the morning was shattered.
I heard Hiccup's voice carrying across the Edge, sharp and commanding.
"Riders! Everyone, gather at the main hall! Now!"
When I got there, the main building was already alive with tension.
Hiccup paced back and forth, voice tight, hands running through his hair. Beside him, Astrid stood, axe ready, her eyes scanning the horizon. The twins were muttering loudly, while Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the rest of the usual gang were doing their best to organize themselves