"I've laid out my terms. You know what is at stake," Viggo says, gesturing to her friends that shift anxiously behind her. "Now, let's not prolong your death any longer," Viggo claims, and he starts ushers the others to the upper level of the arena.

Suddenly, Viggo's plan and how he plans to go through with it feels all too real. Everything that is at stake is a large weight pressing down on Astrid's shoulders.

She may never see Berk again. She may never see her father and hear him tell her goodbye every morning as he leaves their house. She may never see Stormfly; she won't feel the wind in her hair as she and Stormfly cut through the clouds, watching the morning sunrise over the horizon. She may never see her friends faces again; despite how annoying and childish they can be, they are her family. They have gone through so much together. This could be their last adventure together; all brought to a bitter and violent end.

She won't save be able to Hiccup. Either outcome, Hiccup could be lost to them forever.

Maybe if they weren't so horrible to him; maybe if they listened to his cries, his pleas for anyone to listen to him. Maybe if they had listened to that small and scrawny, yet kindhearted boy, the six of them could be back on Berk, racing on the backs of their companions, soaring through the clouds without a care in the world.

But now she has a chance to right all of Berk's wrongs. She will sacrifice herself to save Hiccup. It's way past the time for someone to fight for him.

Ryker cuts the rope that bounds Astrid's wrists; Astrid shakes her hands to shake away the numbness.

"Choose your weapon of choice," Viggo says, drawing Astrid's attention; he points to the weapons rack behind her and Astrid turns to observe it. She frowns at the selection.

"I want my ax," She demands.

Viggo contemplates her demand for a moment but nods. "Get the lady her ax. It's only fair that she is allowed to use her own weapon."

Ryker grunts and walks over to a large wooden door. He opens the hatch, and Astrid notices that that is where they store their weapons. He emerges from the room seconds later, holding a very familiar ax. Ryker holds the ax to her and Astrid snatches it from his hands. The familiar weight of her ax comforts her.

"Alright. Now that you have chosen your weapon, bring out her opponent."

On the opposite side of the arena, a wooden gate is lifted and out walks Hiccup; he pulls out what looks like a hilt of a sword and Astrid is confused, that is until a rod springs out of the hilt and catches fire.

"Wow... that's so cool. I want one," Tuffnut oogles. Astrid hears a resounding smack which can only be Ruffnut smacking Tuffnut upside the head.

"Remember, the last person standing determines the fate of your friends and your tribe. Begin," Viggo shouts.

Astrid is conflicted. She doesn't want to hurt Hiccup; she never wanted to. But if she doesn't live, then Hiccup will continue to be tortured and forced to kill. Her friends will be killed and Berk will most likely be raided.

If she does kill Hiccup, then that will truly break Astrid. The small amount of hope she had those five years relied on the small possibility that Hiccup was alive. Astrid can't kill Hiccup. And Astrid can't let him kill her.

Hiccup circles her, like a wild animal stalking its prey. He walks slowly yet powerful. Astrid raises her ax and waits for Hiccup to pounce. He has to make the first move.

He eventually does and Astrid has to swing her ax up to block Hiccup's attack. The liquid fire drips off the rod and lands on Astrid's hand. She grits her teeth at the pain; her hand burns everywhere the fire touches. She pushes upwards to throw Hiccup back. He stumbles but quickly catches his footing. Astrid holds her left hand to her chest; the pain went deep, stinging and burning, the fire eating away at her skin.

He swipes at her, but Astrid leaps to the side, swinging the flat side of her ax at the man. It hits the hand holding the sword and the inferno sword flies across the room. Hiccup doesn't stop advancing towards her; he instead pulls out a dagger from a hidden spot in his armor.

He throws the dagger with precision, but Astrid is quick to block it with her ax. "Hiccup, I know that you are still in there. I don't want to hurt you; I care about you too much to cause you any pain," she pleads.

Hiccup doesn't falter.

He pulls out dual swords that were strapped to his back and swings them down at Astrid. She deflects his attack and dives out of the way. His swords hit the ground with a clang.

Astrid pants and blows her bangs out her eyes. Sweat drips down her face, her heart pounding. "I don't know if you remember me or not - and I know that I a horrible person to you - but I can't hurt you, Hiccup. You are too important to me. To your friends."

Hiccups face remains expressionless. He approaches her and Astrid takes steps backward until her back hits the wall.

Her hands shake as fear takes over.

This is it.

Hiccup will kill her.

Astrid refuses to kill him.

After everything that has happened, she can't lose Hiccup like that.

"Hiccup, please," Astrid pleads. Hiccup puts one of the swords to her throat and Astrid gulps. Her hands go slack and her ax falls to the ground. "This isn't you. You are so much more than what Viggo and Ryker have made you become. Your name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. Your father is Stoick the Vast and chief of Berk. You have a cousin; his name is Snotlout. He may be a complete muttonhead but her really cares about you. All your friends care about you: Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs."

Hiccup's sword presses a little harder against Astrid's neck and she gasps; she feels a warm trickle go down her neck. Astrid looks into Hiccup's mismatched eyes; she swears to Thor that she saw something flicker in his blank eyes.

A memory comes back to Astrid. That fateful day that changed everything.

Hiccup standing in the arena on Berk, viking helmet resting on his head and a small dagger in his hands. A menacing Monstrous Nightmare inching towards the small viking, uncertainty, and distrust in his eyes.

Hiccup dropping the dagger and reaching out towards the dragon.

The dragon trusting the small viking.

Astrid lets out a shaky breath, trying to calm her self.

Hiccup doesn't move.

He just... watches her.

When Astrid speaks, she steadies her voice and speaks softly, "I won't hurt you, Hiccup. I can't hurt you. You mean so much to me. To Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut. And most of all Toothless."

That gets a reaction from him. His eyes widen as he stares at her. Astrid gives him a small smile; she gently rests her uninjured hand on Hiccup's arm that is holding the sword to her neck.

"Enough with your games! Kill the girl or I will have your dragon beheaded!" Viggo yells, breaking the trance.

Hiccup pulls Astrid away from the wall and into the center of the arena. The sword doesn't move from Astrid's neck, but she notes it isn't cutting into her skin as much.

She doesn't try to fight out of his hold.

She trusts Hiccup.

"Astrid!" Fishlegs yelps.

"Quiet, boy," Viggo sneers. "Finish her."

Her heartbeat pounds in her ears, blocking out everything else.

One minute she standing there, sword pressing into her throat, one move away to having her throat slit; the next minute the sword is removed from her throat and buried in Viggo's chest.

He stumbles backward, hand flying to his wound. Blood immediately starts spreading from the wound, staining Viggo's tunic. He gasps out in surprise and falls to the ground.