'Being apprehensive' was not strong enough to describe how Nuffink felt about traveling to Drakanheim. He was looking forward to it, but at the same time he was really afraid. He didn't know what they would find there, so he couldn't prepare himself for it.

He was holding the saddle's handles with all his might. Never before did he had fly so far, nor did he left his native island. He knew his parents took him to Drakanheim when he was younger, but he couldn't remember, only knowing they did not enter.

It was the first time he was going to see the hidden world with his own eyes, yet the danger threatening there made him anxious. He knew he could trust Snow and Day to protect them, Braan and him, yet he was still worried. If these shadows were that many, this journey might be his last one.

There were chances he wouldn't make it back home, chances he wouldn't see his family again. He wished he could have talked to them before leaving, telling them he loved them, but back then he didn't know yet he would leave.

This mission was supposed to be only recognition, so they could evaluate the danger, the number of their ennemies and what they could use to fight them there, yet the young viking feared this travel as if what waited for them there was a fight to death.

He tried to stay positive, but it was easier said than done. It took them a bit more than four hours to reach the entry of this other world.

Nuffink couldn't believe his sight when the fog dissipated to reveal the gigantic waterfalls. It really looked like there was a hole in the middle of the ocean, where water was being engulfed. In the middle of all this hubbub of slaphing and crashing water, Nuffink barely noticed Braan's yel, the boy was making him signs, pointing below.

Nuffink didn't need to catch his words to understand what he meant : they were going down. He nodded in reply, then Snow was the first to dive, immediatly followed by Day. Nuffink tightened his grip on the handles as if it was his life, holding back a scream the speed of their dive wanted to take away from him.

The two white dragons went through one of the waterfalls and found themselves in complete darkness. They kept on flying straight ahead for a little while before the first lights of the hidden world revealed themselves. Nuffink was agaped by such a view. Lights of every colours covered gigantic pillars that looked like corals, same lights were glowing on the dragons' scales.

Patterns of swirling purple-blue spirals showed on Day's skin, while there were cristallized blue fractals on Snow's.

In this thousands-and-one colours gargantuan cave, Nuffink discovered the fascinating and breath-taking Draknaheim. Numerous stone pillars raised from water to the cave ceiling, covered in dried and glowing aquatic plants, and served as playground for numerous dragons.

Countless species high in colors were freely flying all around them, as shoal of fishes swirlings in the depth of sea. Nuffink couldn't believe his eyes, seeing so many dragons at the same time left him agaped. He lost his eyes in this breath-taking show, not paying attention anymore for the path Snow and Day were following.

Strangely, everything seemed calm there. This finding finally ceized his amazment and brought him back to the situation at hand. He focused back on their mission, and looked back in front of him.

Day was slightly behind the four-winged dragon who was leading them.

''Hey Braan !'' Nuffink called out even if he doubted his voice could reach his friend. ''Where are we going, exactly ?''

''Deep. Shado-''

He was cut off in the middle of his sentence when they suddenly met a group of dragons they crossed against the current. Snow and Day started and began a series of dodges. Nuffink held on the saddle and tried to follow Day's movements, leaving their travel to his reptilian reflexes.

His gaze met the dragons. They all seemed frightened, some of them were carrying eggs in their mouth of claws, they looked like an evacuation.

''What's this ?'' He asked.

He had an idea but he wanted a confirmation.

''Shadows progress towards surface, dragons leave before them arrive.''

An evacuation, indeed, but if they were flying against the current, it meant they were heading straight towards the danger.

Nuffink knew it was their plan since the beginning, but having it confirmed strengthened his fears and apprehension. Cold sweat was running down his back, his hands were becoming sweaty and had more and more troubles holding on the leather handles. He replaced his fingers and swallowed hard while frowning. No, he musn't let fear get the best of him, he had to keep his head cool.

Both white dragons kept on flying in the middle of dark stone and strange glowing colors. They went down a waterfall, followed some tunnels leading to other gigantic caves, but these were empty. Glowing ambiant was strangely fade, and some places were in fire.

In the background could be heard roars, strong impacts, explosions... Damages were more and more visible as they flew through it. Nuffink was fighting with even more strength the urge to turn around and go to safety.

Suddenly, without warning, Snow peaked speed and went higher. Day followed suite and the two of them overflew a huge gulf before reaching a naturally carved bridge on the stone. They landed there, high above the gulf. Nuffink mentally thanked the gods he wasn't afraid of highs. If they were to fall, only a third of the fall would suffice to kill them, not even counting the gulf which was so deep they couldn't see the bottom of it.

One thing for sure, it was filled with a heavy fog where red-orange lights were flashing along with shadows flying around. Not the shadows, but frames of differents winged creatures. He could only see dragons so far.

Both boys dismounted the dragons and neared the edge so they could see the commotion down below.

''There.'' Braan stated. ''It here. Entry to shadow territory.''

''It's... huge.'' Nuffink breathed.

Indeed, the gulf itself was twice the size of the whole viking village, including farms, and it was nothing compared to the depth it seemed to have.

Nuffink analyzed closely this place while thinking. If this was the place where all the shadows were coming from, the solution seemed obvious.

''If this is the only way in and out for them, all we have to do is condemn the access so the shadows couldn't pass.''

Braan shook his head right and left, then he lifted a finger, catching his friend's focus on the ceiling. The place looked like a huge chimney. Their spot was already high compared to the gulf, but it was quite low compared to the entire chimney. By looking closely to the walls, Nuffink noticed marks of impacts. A lot of impacts. It looked like this well was dug by dragons.

''Us already try block it, many many times. Entry stay open, too deep for block, shadows still ascend.''

Nuffink clicked his tongue with annoyance. It was just a first idea, he could fnid others.

''How did the shadows come in, the firs time ? This gulf was here since the beginning, wasn't it ?''

''Yes. Calm before, group dragon go down to settle, diggers... huh, whispering death ?''

He glanzed hesitantly to Nuffink, asking him if he used the correct dragon name. The viking nodded in reply, then he made circles with his wrist, asking him to continue the story.

''First place with shadow much deep, much ascend since then.''

Snow, from Braan's other side, was looking intently below and growled something with a visible displeasure – if it wasn't anger. She seemed to add some details to Braan's story, so the young viking asked them to his friend.

''Deep more cold than here, ice dragon settled there first to be attacked.''

Explanations could have been longer but were interrupted when a loud noise suddenly echoes from the gulf. A blinding blue-green light came from it, just before a splashing wave, which instantly froze into a swirling and agressive ice sculpture. Black figures escaped from the depth, roaring disturbing screams Nuffink recognized with horror. It was the same sound he had heard in the forest, when shadows attacked them.

A shrill screeching, almost sounding like horse whiny but distorted, split in echoes, and mixed with a roar that sounded more like one of a lion or tiger.

Braan panicked seeing how many shadows were irrupting from the gulf, he immediatly caught Nuffink's arm to take him away from the edge and hide them. Dragons' roars echoes through the cave, then fire lights flashed from everywhere.

Battle field kept on progressing, now the two boys and their dragons were in the middle of it !

''Us leave, now !'' Braan bustle out.

Nuffink couldn't agree more with him, so the two ran to their dragons and mounted them as quickly as possible before taking off.

Snow and Day needed even more speed and reflexes to dodge this commotion of dragons, shadows and several projections flying around randomly. Fire, indeed, but also plasma blasts, nadder's thorns and these strange sparkling freezing stuff.

Once again, Nuffink held on to the saddle for dear life, trying with all his might to follow Day's moves. He watched all around them, allowing on several occasion the nightlight to dodge attacks he didn't see coming.

It was really difficult, but the two of them succeeded into going through and away from the fight. Nuffink kept on looking the place, memorizing caves' structure and making a mental map of it.

It wasn't good news. Except from the chimney above the gulf, everything was opened, the only separated areas where linked by multiple tunnels. If the shadows were to use the same path the small group just used, they would invade all Drakanheim.

Whilst they were passing a huge cavern emptied from all dragons, they heard a shrill whistle. It sounded familiar to Nuffink, it sounded like a fury, but he didn't have the time to find where it came from Day and him were shaken by an explosion just inches from them, to their left.

A shadow hissed loudly as the black blur aiming for them was now free-falling. A blue light sphere hit it a second time. The whistle followed the shadow, then Nuffink finally saw a black dragon diving at its pursue. Day suddenly reacted and followed suite without asking Nuffink or Snow's permission.

The young viking panicked and tried to pull the handles and yelled at him so the dragon would slow down, but he didn't listened to him. Snow roared and followed them, Nuffink could hear her behind him, but he was too focused on their dive to think straight. The nightlight finally reached the ground and stopped near the fight. Nuffink then recognized the black dragon as Toothless – his fake fin couldn't lie if other night furies existed.

Said night fury, enraged as never before, was tiredlessly firing at the shadow. It was only at this moment Nuffink could finally got a clear look at the creature.

Its body looked like a horse, but thinner, skeletal even. Four thin legs that bended like human arms, long and curved claws, two feathery wings. Its body seemed to be covered with plates, like an armor, yet everything was covered in dark grey feathers. Six... no eight orange eyes were glowing in the dark, just like fire, and its mouth was filled with prominent greyish teeth that looked as sharp as its claws.

Its movements were quick and agile, so fast it was scary. The shadow let out its Hellheim screeching and charged the night fury, who dodged it barely in time before firing at the beast on its side. The shadow fell heavily despite its thin frame but got up instantly, growling before atacking teeth first. It bit on Toothless' tail, who hissed in pain and tried to shake it off of him. He maltreat the beast but it wouldn't release him, its teeth deeply clunched in his flesh.

Day roared loudly and fired directly in the beast's head. It finally released Toothless with a loud and high pitch hiss, turned its head, spotted the nightlight. Toothless screamed and tackled the beast to the ground, said beast struggling wildly and agressively.

Nuffink froze in fear on the white nightlight's back : the shadow seemed completely crazy, lost in a murderous rage. It looked like everything it cared about was killing, no matter what. It took another roar from Toothless for Day to react, yet the young dragon still refused to leave.

''Come on Day !'' Nuffink yelled while pulling the handles. ''We can't stay here !''

Day shook his back to silence his passenger and loaded another shot, a whistling purple light coming from his throat. The shadow suddenly ejected Toothless, sending him several steps farther with a heaby landing, then charged. Nuffink screamed even louder but it was barely audible in the middle of the roars and screechings. Yet everything went silent when it was Snow's turn to roar.

Suddenly, in front of the frightened eyes of the young viking, a blue sparkling lightning crashed on the ground just before the shadow, the blue light turned into a strange water wave that rose and froze into a deadly yet beautifuly shining ice structure which edges pierced the shadow, sending around splashes of its black blood.

Silence fell, only panting could be heard, then Snow landed gracefully next to her deadly creation, which material looked just exactly like her translucent horns.

The winterwind dragon growled to the shadow's corpse, a icy mist coming from her nostrils. Nuffink blinked and came back to reality. His breath refused to obey and act normally, comming out in short and raggy breaths while his whole body started to shake and lose all its strength. Nuffink felt suddenly numb and wondered how he hadn't already fall from the saddle.

From his mother's back, Braan worried for his friend and yelled in panick : ''Nuff ! You okey ?!''

''Y-Yes, I-I-I'm f-fine...'' He stuttered.

Gods, even his voice was shaky, but it didn't surprised him : he just had the worst fear in his life since he could have lost it. Even the first attack wasn't that violent and scary.

Toothless lifted on his feet adn came to them, growling to Day, parental scolding seemed going on and Nuffink had to admit it helped him cool down. Drakanheim's king ended up chasing them and sending them back to safety, which Snow and Day obeyed. Nuffink understood why he hadn't see Toothless for weeks, it was because he was leading the fight against the shadows.

Without further notice, the two white dragons took off, heading to the exit. The way to reach the waterfalls was long, allowing the two boys to talk. Braan wanted to make sure Nuffink had seen everything he needed, he was looking forward to go back to Berk, far away from the shadows.

''Me hope you see what you want.''

''I think so, yes. The situation is worst that I thought.''

Braan didn't talk but whined in a way that said he didn't wanted to hear that, which his glare proved right. Nuffink understood his worried, yet it was true : Drakanheim was in grave danger, deny it would only lead it to its lost.

''This chimney above the gulf, it's the last bastion. All the caves are linked together, if the shadows reach the first, it will be impossible to stop them in every single tunnel, they will spread everywhere at the same time.''

''How stop them ?''

''It's really difficult to kill them and they're too many for single fight, the only way to stop them is to block their acces.''

''No possible block the gulf- !''

''I know ! But we could block the chimney...''

''Same problem, Nuff !''

Braan was getting frustrated and angry, which had the exact same effect on Nuffink.

''There must be a way !'' The viking growled and almost tear off a handle of blond hair.

His grip on his hair was too strong but he ignored the pain, then froze when he heard the waterfall noises. He lifted his head and noticed Snow and Day were in the middle of a group of dragons. They were roughly forty and were also heading to the exit, and crossed the waterfall at the time time. Another evacuation group.

All off the viking's thoughts died, time seemed to elapse slowly as he looked at the dragons, the waterfalls, then turned back to stare at the entrance of Drakanheim. His gaze followed the retreating waterfalls as they were going away, the dragons spreading in smaller groups and heading in different directions, vanishing in the sky, just like them.

They went back to the Stairs in dead silent. Not a word nor a growl was exchanged. Nuffink was lost in deep thoughts, and Braan didn't dare to take him out of it. When they went back to the little cave, boys at feet, Day was warmly welcomed by his family, which was recovering from their fear and worries for him, while quickly greeting the others.

Nuffink laughed seeing the 'Help me !' face of Day, assaulted by his sister, brother and mother at the same time. Snow laughed too, before she reported her attention on Braan, checking out on him to make sure he was fine. She sniffed his sling with a low whine.

Nuffink looked at them with a similar worry : such commotion as the attack wouldn't have helped his healing. Yet the boy didn't seem in pain.

''Braan, I... I think I have a plan.''

The brown-eyed boy immediatly snapped his head towards him, eyes wide and gaze full of hope and impatience.

''But it's risky and... we gonna need some help.''

''Help ?'' Braan hesitated. ''You mean viking ?''

''No. To this point even all Berk's allies' armada couldn't do anything. We need dragons. As much as we can gather.''

Braan pursed his lips and tought about it before finding an idea.

''Toothless king dragon, them obey him. With Light, us can gather evacuated. What yor plan ?''

Nuffink tensed his shoulders up to the simple idea of sharing his idea. He feared Braan's reaction and, to be honest, he feared the dragons' too. But there was no other way. He forced his body to relax and took a deep breath before explaining it to him.

As he feared, it came as a shock for the dragon boy, his brown eyed went wide to the extend it was a miracle they didn't fell out of his head.

''What ?'' He stuttered. ''Y-You no serious... ?''

''I don't see any other way, Braan. I'm sorry.''

The boy lowered his gaze and head, shock written all over his face. His hands became shaky, the left one waking up his shoulder's pain. Snow whined and rubbed her head on his valid arm, trying obviously to comfort him. The three nightlights were perfectly still and silent, which was a first and bad news, while Light growled calmly.

Braan reacted and lifted his head towards her, to hear her add something. Nuffink stayed hesitant, glancing shyly to his friend, not daring to ask a translation but still needing one. Braan seemed more relaxed after hearing what she said, he slightly rubbed his forehead before turning back to Nuffink.

''Light say okey. Leave tomorrow for gathering.''

The chief's son nodded his head in understanding, as adressed to his friend as to the dragon queen. She stood upright with a decided look, she looked solemn, and nodded in reply to the viking before turning to her hatchlings and gathering them. Snow greeted the boys and joined them at the bottom of the cave.

She was right, it was time for them to go back to the village. They were out for too long already, the afternoon turning to late afternoon. Nuffink didn't notice time passing, so many things had happened, and the journey to Drakanheim was