9 Going Down

9. GOING DOWN The three of them sat side by side on the cauldron, six hands on the chain in the middle. Within sixty seconds, they had descended into total blackness, apart from the eyebeams of Toothless and Horrorcow and Stormfly. After five minutes they were still going down. 'OW, OW, OW, OW, OW,' whispered Fishlegs, as Horrorcow's talons tightened. 'I never thought I'd say this, but I even feel sorry for Alvin, having her for a mother. Do you think that wicked old skeleton really has Stoick trapped in her cupboard?' 'I think so,' Hiccup whispered back. 'But it's very difficult to tell, because she's such a good liar. The one thing I'm sure she was telling the truth about was those poisoned fingernails.' Hiccup shivered a little, for he was so very frightened for Stoick. 'My father'll be all right… he'll be all right…' Hiccup repeated to himself over and over again, for comfort. 'This is so annoying,' said Camicazi. 'At this rate we're going to be really late for the competition.' 'HA!' spluttered Fishlegs. 'We're not going to

be late for the competition, Camicazi, we're going to miss it entirely. And do you know why we are going to miss it?' he said in his chattiest voice. 'We are going to miss it because we are going to be dead. You're right, being dead is always annoying.' For morale was already low, and sinking lower and lower the further they sank down the well. This was already a really long way down. How much further were they going to go? Hiccup looked up. The circle of dim firelight that was the well-head was now no bigger than a pin. Fishlegs's hands were sweaty on the iron chain. He tried to peer down into the blackness below. 'What do you know about Brainpickers, Hiccup?' 'Well,' whispered Hiccup, 'I know they feed on peoples' brains by sucking them out through their ears.' 'Lovely,' said Fishlegs, shakily, 'and I suppose you are right as rain after that little operation?' 'Even Lardtummy Lo-Watt can't function without some sort of brain, Fishlegs,' said Hiccup. 'Although they're quite small, Brainpickers are one of the most feared dragons in the Archipelago. Even Seadragonus Giganticus Maximus are scared of

them, because nobody likes the idea of having their brain sucked out.' Fishlegs swallowed hard. 'And what other dragons are we likely to meet?' 'Well, the cave dragons are a pretty nasty bunch down here,' said Hiccup. 'Hopefully they'll all still be hibernating. But Grimbeard has found the most dangerous place on the planet to hide his Crown. There's Riproarers– horrible creatures that dribble and scream. They tear you limb from limb if they get you. And then there's Breathquenchers (a bit like gigantic pythons), and Burrowing Slitherfangs of course… and Stickyworms– they trap you in a web and cover you in slime before they eat you…' But Hiccup wasn't able to finish the long list of particularly unpleasant and dangerous dragons that might inhabit the dungeons of the Flashburn School of Swordfighting. Because the cauldron in the well at last reached its dungeon destination with a THUMP! so violent that the cauldron tipped sideways and the three young Vikings spilled out on to the dungeon floor.