17 The Quest is Over

17. THE QUEST IS OVER Tears pouring down his face, Hiccup watched as the Doomfang threw back its head and screamed as loudly as if it had been shot with a gigantic spear. It sent a great sheet of freezing blue flame like an uphill waterfall shooting up into the sky. These flames shot so high they hit a small cloud up above, instantly freezing it, and turning it bright blue. And then, just like that, the Doomfang sank slowly beneath the waves, leaving nothing behind but a whirlpool of gigantic ripples, spreading wider and wider. They spread towards The Hopeful Puffin, rocking it violently up and down. They spread wider still, and lapped the shores of Hysteria itself, and carried on down the Wrath of Thor. Hiccup sat in the bottom of the boat, unable to believe that the Doomfang wouldn't rear up again, and maybe spit out the potato, or give it back in some way. But eventually the ripples got smaller and vanished entirely, and so too did Hiccup's last hope. This really was the end. The nearest potato was now thousands and thousands of miles away, in the great country to the west,

known as America to those who believe in such a place. 'Issa g-g-g-gone!' whispered Toothless in amazement. Up on the clifftops, the long line of watching, silent Hysterics began to shout: 'THE DOOMFANG IS GONE! THE DOOMFANG IS GONE! HURRAH FOR THE WEIRD LITTLE RED-HAIRED BOY, THE DOOMFANG IS GONE!' And softly, and silently, snow as blue as Gobber the Belch's nose rained down from the frozen cloud above Hiccup's head. The blue snow rained down like confetti at a coronation, settling in Hiccup's hair, and on One Eye's white back, and in between Toothless's horns. 'YOU are the Chosen One,' said Norbert the Nutjob, still unable to believe it. 'YOU have rid us of the Doomfang. YOU have lifted the Curse of Hysteria?' Hiccup was suddenly furiously angry. Not with Norbert, but with the gods. For six long months he had been longing for spring to come, praying to Thor for the ice to melt, and now, just when he and Camicazi had been through so much, and nearly achieved the impossible, just at precisely the wrong moment, Thor had made the ice crack and freed the Doomfang.

And this ridiculous blue snow was just the icing on the cake. What was it Snotlout had said? The snow will turn as blue as Gobber the Belch's nose before YOU become the Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe. The gods were laughing at him now, playing with him for their sport. Hiccup shook his fist at the Heavens. 'I don't WANT to be the Chosen One!' he howled at the blue sky above. 'I don't WANT to be the Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe! I didn't WANT to lift Norbert's stupid Curse! I wanted to cheat the Curse on Fishlegs! All I want is my FRIEND…' The silly blue snow took no notice, and rained down steadily from above. Hiccup began to cry. 'All I want is my friend…' he sobbed. 'Fishlegs trusted me. He thought I would make everything all right…' He turned to Norbert in sudden hope. 'Have you got ANOTHER potato?' asked Hiccup. Norbert the Nutjob shook his head. 'My father only brought back ONE of those Vegetables,' he said between gritted teeth. 'This is what made it so precious…' Norbert the Nutjob shifted his axe uncertainly from hand to hand. The tic in his eye danced a wild fandango.

'I don't know what to do!' shrieked Norbert the Nutjob. 'You have shot me in the bottom, stolen my American Vegetable, chewed off my moustaches, fed Papa to the Squealers and burned down my Great Hall!' His shaking hands reached out, almost of their own accord, towards Hiccup's neck… and then he stopped himself just in time. 'But on the other hand, it seems incredible, but you HAVE lifted the Curse on Hysteria, and I cannot

ignore my father's Prophecy. So THIS TIME, I shall let you go free. But if you ever, EVER cross my path again, I warn you I will kill you on the spot.' 'Don't worry,' said Hiccup sadly. 'I'm not that keen on seeing YOU again, either. I'm sorry about the Hall, and the moustaches, and the bottom, and… I'm sorry about EVERYTHING, really… I was just trying to save the life of my friend.' Norbert the Nutjob pulled Hiccup's sword out of his belt, and threw it down with a curse on the floor of The Hopeful Puffin. He then climbed back on board his sleigh, and sped back to Hysteria, a land which ships could now sail in and out of as freely as they liked for the first time in fifteen long years, all on account of Hiccup lifting the Curse, which wasn't the quest he set out to do in the first place, but, there we are, these things happen to a Hero-in-Training.

And hearts sorrowing and despairing, Hiccup and Camicazi set out in The Hopeful Puffin towards the distant little Isle of Berk. Camicazi took the helm because Hiccup was too depressed. There was a brisk wind and The Hopeful Puffin fairly flew over the waves. They had to dodge the floating icebergs, and if Hiccup had been happier, he could have enjoyed the warmness of the breeze now blowing in their faces, for he had been waiting for this moment for six months.