Years had passed since Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III changed the world. Dragons and humans now lived in peace, and Berk had become something no one had ever imagined — a true sanctuary. A place where dragons were safe, protected, and free. But peace didn’t mean the fight was over. Dragon hunters were still out there. So Hiccup and the riders — older now, stronger, more experienced — never stopped. They still flew out, still rescued dragons, still carried the weight of protecting something bigger than themselves. ⸻ And then there was Stoick the Vast. He was proud of his son. But that didn’t stop him from pushing. Because in his eyes, it was time. Time for Hiccup to stop acting like just a rider… and start thinking like a chief. And Hiccup? He wasn’t ready. ⸻ The arguments became more frequent. More intense. Responsibility. Leadership. The future of Berk. It all kept crashing down on him, over and over again. Until one day— It was too much. ⸻ He left. No plan. No direction. Just instinct. He climbed onto Toothless and flew — needing space, needing silence, needing to think. But the sky had other plans. A storm caught them off guard. Violent winds, blinding rain, lightning tearing through the clouds — before he could react, he lost control. And everything went dark.