Hiccup and the others arrived just in time.
They dove from the sky like avenging spirits. Nyx led the charge, roaring defiantly. The teens used everything they had learned, clanging swords against shields to exploit blind spots, diving in to distract the giant beast, giving the grounded Vikings precious seconds to regroup.
Hiccup spotted Toothless chained near the water's edge.
"Toothless!" he shouted.
He leaped from Nyx's back, sliding down toward his friend. Nyx blasted the chains, weakening several links, but more remained. Hiccup jumped into the churning water to free the final restraints as waves crashed around him.
He was sinking fast.
Stoick saw his son in danger. Without hesitation, the chief dove into the sea, powerful arms cutting through the water. He grabbed Hiccup and Toothless both, hauling them to the surface just as a massive wave threatened to pull them under.
On the shore, father and son faced each other, breathing hard.
"Hiccup…" Stoick's voice was rough with emotion. "I was wrong. About everything. Dragons… you… I should have listened."
Hiccup managed a tired smile. "Better late than never, Dad."
Toothless nuzzled them both, eyes bright but the Red Death was still rampaging.
____
From the distant shore, a massive shadow appeared beneath the waves.
The water exploded upward.
A colossal red sea beast surged into view, the Red Bluster, ancient and powerful, its massive form dwarfing even the Red Death. Atop its head stood Lucian, human once more, clothes wet and clinging but eyes sharp. In his right hand, he held King Triton's stolen trident, glowing with immense power.
The Red Death turned, locking eyes with the new arrival. It roared in pure territorial rage.
The other Vikings froze in shock.
Gobber's jaw dropped. "By Odin's beard… what in Thor's name is that?!"
Fishlegs nearly fell off his Gronckle. "Another unknown species?! That's… that's impossible! Look at the size! The coloration! The—"
Snotlout pointed. "Is that Lucian riding it?!"
Astrid stared, a mix of awe and exasperation on her face. "Of course it is."
Hiccup grinned despite everything. "He actually came."
BOOM!!
The two titans clashed like forces of nature.
The Red Death lunged, jaws wide. The Red Bluster met it head-on, their bodies slamming together with a boom that sent shockwaves across the water. The impact was like an earthquake.
Lucian was thrown from his perch but Nyx swooped in at the last second, catching him smoothly on her back.
"Nice timing," Lucian said, gripping her neck.
Hiccup flew up beside them on Toothless. "So what's the plan?"
"We need to make that big guy fire his breath again," Lucian replied, eyes locked on the Red Death.
Snotlout, dodging a fiery blast nearby, shouted, "Uh… not to be a party pooper, but WHY THE HELL DO WE NEED TO LET IT FIRE AGAIN?!"
"Because most dragons aren't fireproof inside," Lucian and Hiccup said at the same time.
The group moved with coordinated purpose. The teens clanged weapons against shields, exploiting blind spots and drawing the Red Death's attention. Nyx and Toothless darted in with precise plasma blasts. The Red Bluster used its massive bulk to ram and pin the alpha when possible.
Lucian raised Triton's trident high.
Dark clouds gathered above as he channeled the weapon's power. Lightning cracked across the sky.
BANG!
A massive bolt struck the Red Death directly, making the beast roar in agony and open its maw wide in fury, plasma and fire building for a devastating counterattack.
"Now!" Lucian shouted.
Toothless and Nyx fired simultaneously, two precise plasma blasts straight into the Red Death's open throat just as it tried to unleash its fire.
The reaction was catastrophic.
The ignited gas exploded inside the giant dragon. It screamed, body convulsing as internal flames tore through it.
The Red Bluster seized the moment. It lunged, wrapping its powerful body around the thrashing Red Death and dragging it toward the deep ocean. The alpha struggled wildly, trying to spread its wings and escape into the air even as it burned from within.
Lucian didn't let it.
He pointed the trident and summoned another barrage of lightning. Bolts struck the Red Death's wings, tearing holes through the membranes. The beast roared in fresh agony, unable to fly.
With one final, crushing effort, the Red Bluster clamped its jaws around the Red Death's neck as a sickening crunch echoed across the water.
The Red Death went still.
The Red Bluster lifted its head and roared in triumph, a sound that shook the cliffs and echoed across the sea. The Vikings on the shore, the teens in the air, and even Stoick himself joined in the victory cry.
The battle was over.
Lucian lowered the trident, breathing hard but steady. He patted the Red Bluster's massive head once more.
"Thank you," he murmured.
The giant sea beast rumbled affectionately before slowly sinking back beneath the waves, its duty done.
Hiccup flew up beside him on Toothless, grinning ear to ear. "You really know how to make an entrance."
Lucian smirked. "Had to borrow a bigger ride."
Astrid landed nearby, shaking her head but smiling. "You're impossible."
As the group gathered Vikings, dragons, and the young riders together, the sun broke through the clouds, bathing the battlefield in golden light.
The war between Vikings and dragons had finally reached its turning point.