AN: Helooooo everyone. How are you'll doing?  I'm bringing you an early update because tomorrow I'll be a bit busy. Going to see Jumanji and then some Xmas shopping. I also have a bit more news to impart to you.

1. HTTYD-ARC 3 is being published. With the holiday season and classes in January, I'll be really busy so updates will be sporadic. I mentioned that this ARC will produce a spin-off book and now I can finally give you guys the title. It will be called "HTTYD-Star Wars: Eclipse (Into the unknown)" What the actual plot will be I'll leave a mystery for now. It takes a lot to get Cannon, Legends and Fannon to work well together and it's a story that I've been wanting to write for a while now. I hope that all of you will enjoy this.

2. 2 days to go until you guys get to read my Xmas story.

3. This story is about 2/3rds done right now. For those that have noticed, yes, I've been going backwards from the locations used in all the MUMMY movies. There will be a few more iconic locations coming up in the next few chapters and yes, this story will have a sequel which should be finished somewhere in July 2018. 

Now on with the story!!! I'd love to hear from all of you :3

Chapter 29

After much debate, they decided to release Dagur. Meixiu's mother still sat there in shock at what had happened. "We could have had all of China!" She finally screamed at her daughter.

"I don't want all of China!" Meixiu retorted as the dam finally broke. "I just wanted to be a regular girl who went to school and made friends!" Meixui was already breathing heavily as she stared down her mother. "I might have been born into this cult but I never wanted to be part of it!"

"I kind of feel sorry for her." they heard Heather whisper.

"There isn't much we can do for them." Hiccup added as Meixiu was still venting herself. "This is a family problem."

"Hiccup......." Astrid suddenly said. "I can still understand you. The translation spell hasn't worn off." Astrid thought the spell would be gone once they got rid of the Empress.

Hiccup's eyes widened as he realized it as well. "That's great Astrid." He told her. "You can communicate better with the others now."

"This is great and all...." They heard Dagur say "but shouldn't we capture you guys now?" The gang turned towards the trio. They saw Dagur and Eret standing ready for a fight while Heather merely facepalmed.

"Enough!" Heather stated before whacking both men on the back of their head.

"Ouch! What the heck sis?!" Dagur exclaimed. Eret wasn't looking too happy either but he was drenched and had to pull out a Koi fish from his shirt.

"They just saved you from becoming a virgin sacrifice!" Heather chided. "The least we can do is call a truce for now!"

"I am not a virgin!" Dagur exclaimed while looking completely scandalized. Heather rolled her eyes and said "I'm your sister. We share an apartment. Your hand doesn't count."

"Ooooh burn!" Fishlegs and Snotlout actually giggled while Dagur tried to hide a blush.

"I don't think we needed to know that." Hiccup mumbled and then exclaimed "WHAT ARE THE TWINS DOING ON THE ROOF?!!" Everybody looked up to see the twins walking on the slanted red tiled roof. Ruffnut was carrying a torch while Tuffnut had a small crate in his arms.

"Well Astrid did tell them they could cause as much havoc as they wanted once they got everyone in the harem to safety." Snotlout mumbled. "I mean how much trouble can the twins actually cau-BOOM!" Snotlout quickly ducked as one of the towers exploded. "NEVERMIND!" Snotlout shouted as everyone ducked as debris clattered across the garden.

"The Palace!!" Meixiu's mother could be heard screaming. Hiccup let out a sigh before he called Toothless out of his tattoo. Meixiu and her mother backed up out of fright upon seeing the black dragon. "Toothless can you round up the twins?" Hiccup asked as he looked at the burning tower and then towards Fishlegs who was having an internal crisis at the sight of a burning relic.

Toothless shot Hiccup a cheeky look before taking off. The gang heard some scuffles followed by Tuffnut's indignant cry of "HEY!" before Toothless returned with the twins securely in his maw.

"Hiya Hiccup!" Ruffnut greeted as she dangled there.

"Guys........" Hiccup questioned and then pointed towards the burning part of the building and one of the trees in the garden that had also caught fire.

"We had permission!" Tuffnut quickly states as Hiccup rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Why don't we just head back to the village." Hiccup suggested.

"Excuse me......" Hiccup turned to see that Meixiu had walked up to them. "Would you mind me going with you?" She asked.

"Meixiu you can't seriously be thinking of leaving the palace!" Her mother could be heard shouting.

"I think it would be best for me to get out of here for now. Even if it's till one of the villages. I'd like to see the world." She told the group before shooting a sad look at her mother.

"I guess we could take you with us." Hiccup said as he looked at Astrid for input. "But only to one of the villages. We'll probably be flying into some form of danger soon."

"Thank you!" Meixiu happily shouted. She was so glad to be getting out of this compound. "Let me just go pack some necessities. I won't be long."

Hiccup nodded and then looked back at Heather. "Did you mean it about the truce?"

Heather nodded. "Yes. I know when we're outnumbered." She muttered. "The Master only wanted the Valkyrie. We don't have the firepower to fight all of you and your dragons."

"We can take them!" Eret protested but backed down when Heather shot him a glare.

"What exactly does this Master even want with me?" Astrid now asked. She already had Drago to worry about and didn't need another megalomaniac to make things difficult.

"Well The Society wants your power but I think he has a personal vendetta against you." Heather reasoned from what she had observed at their headquarters.

"How's that possible?" Fishlegs asked. "I mean...... Astrid was dead for quite some time."

"I don't know. It just feels personal to me." Heather stated and even Dagur had to agree. Meixiu returned in no time with a packed rucksack.

"I'm ready!" She said slightly out of breath.

"Then back to the village we go." Hiccup told them as he motioned for everyone to summon their dragons. Meixiu's eyes nearly popped out at the sight of so many dragons.

"Ruff, Tuff, where did you put the boys from the harem?" Astrid asked as she motioned Meixiu to sit behind her.

"They're back in the village." Ruffnut told them. "That's why we only had time to blow up part of this place."

"Should have known." Snotlout whispered under his breath as Hookfang grabbed Eret in his paws. Heather had climbed up on Meatlug with Fishlegs and Dagur was stuck riding with the twins. They took to the air and Hiccup flew next to Astrid and Stormfly. "What about your mother?" He asked Meixiu.

"She will have to deal with it." Meixiu stated. "I don't want her controlling my life anymore." Hiccup nodded and then his brows furrowed.

"What are you thinking about?" Toothless asked as they were now above the treetops. "Just a theory that I hope isn't true.' Hiccup mentally told Toothless.

They managed to make it over the mountains and back towards the village that they stayed in. Once they landed they were met with boisterous cheering from the villagers. The families who had their sons taken from them tried to express their gratitude as they dismounted.

"Hiccup!" Stoick shouted before enveloping his son in a near bone crushing hug. "I'm so happy you guys made it back alright! We were getting worried until we saw the twins flying and dropping off people."

Hiccup was put back down when Astrid commented that he might not be able to breath. Stoick's eyes widened. "Astrid we can understand you!"

"Eh..... yes." Astrid said. "I just don't know for how long."

"It will probably last for a long time." Meixiu commented as she hesitantly slid down from Stormfly. "Translation spells can last for years."

"I see." Astrid commented. "Then I can finally ask Snotlout this myself."

"Ask me what?" Snotlout was perplexed.

"What does hubba hubba mean?"

"Eh....." Snotlout blushed as Astrid continued. "You said that at the party back in Berk. Hiccup just blushed when I asked him."

"Astrid....." Ruffnut said getting the shieldmaiden's attention before slinging an arm over her shoulder and whispering what Snotlout meant and how he meant it. Astrid's eyes widened and she made a grab for her axe while Snotlout scurried to hide behind Fishlegs.

"You know, I'm starting to like her style." Heather commented offhandedly as she watched Hiccup help Ruffnut stop Astrid from turning Snotlout into a pancake. Meanwhile Dagur took a step back from his sister. 'If she and that madwoman start getting along then I'm moving to Antarctica.' His mind supplied.

"Hiccup my baby!" They suddenly heard and Hiccup was once again enveloped in a hug, this time by his mother. She and Gobber had come after hearing from Stoick what all the commotion was about. "Are you alright! You didn't get hurt did you?! What in Thor's name are you even wearing?"

Hiccup looked down at the last question and blushed. He was standing here half naked, stil dressed in silk pants only, and he hadn't even noticed. Not with everything that had been happening. He glared at the others who tried to look anywhere else. At least they could have told him. Even Astrid was making it a point not to look at him now. He could see Ruffnut whispering something in her ear causing a light blush to form on her cheeks.

Hiccup then noticed the bandage on his mother's head and asked what had happened. "I got knocked out when they escaped." Valka answered.

"Dontcha worry Hiccup. It's nothing serious." Gobber told him. "They escaped near the end of her guard shift so I found her quickly. Speaking of, shouldn't we lock them up again?"

"No need Gobber. We have a truce for now." Hiccup told them.

"Ya do?"

"We do." Hiccup said. "What I'm more curious about is how they even found us."

"What do you mean Hiccup?" Stoick asked as he saw his son step away from Valka.

"What I mean is...... how would The Society even know where we are? This village is so small that it isn't on any map." Hiccup questioned as he looked between Heather and his mother. Both didn't want to meet his gaze. "I first suspected it in London. How did Heather get there before us. We only learned of the items' location after Astrid touched it."

"Maybe they got lucky?" Snotlout asked.

"The Society gets to London before us and they find us in a tiny village in the middle of China." Hiccup mumbled. "They didn't just get lucky. They had someone who knew the coordinates. Isn't that right mom?"

"Hiccup what are you saying?!" Fishlegs asked while Stoick exclaimed "You can't be serious Hiccup!"

"Tell me mom, where is your GPS and satellite phone that you like to keep on you?"

"Hiccup I don't know what you're talking about!" Valka said.

"I'm talking about the GPS you used to find the gravesite." Hiccup explained. "And I know you would never leave home without your phone."

"I........I......." Valka stuttered as those around them watched the conversation with worry.

"Mom....... Please don't lie anymore." Hiccup sighed. "I didn't want to tell you this but Toothless has the uncanny ability to tell when a person is lying through his enhanced senses." Toothless let out a warble of affirmation.

"Hiccup...... you...... you...... wouldn't understand." Valka let out a weary sigh.

"Does this have anything to do with someone named Stephen?" Hiccup asked cautiously. His mother's eyes, reflecting both shock and worry, snapped up at him. Her lips quivered for a moment before she let out a shaky "Yes......... your older brother."