Chapter 1- Captured
Blood pounded in my ears as I tore through the village streets. Only one thought clouded my mind.
I had to get away.
Everyone else was at the cove. I'd stayed in the village to watch Toothless- there was no way on earth I was leaving him here all alone with Dagur around- with a lot of complaint from Astrid and a lot of tricking her into going to the cove. But I'd not been able to hide forever, especially with an immense black dragon with the wingspan off 48 feet standing by my side. Well lying ill by my side.
It had all happened when Toothless ate the fish. It was poisoned- Dagurs doing is my best guess. He'd fallen ill last night. He'd almost died but his dragon healing powers kicked in on time and now he's smothered himself in his deep, healing sleep.
My heart's pounding like a bunch of loud drums, echoing in my ears.
'DON'T LET HIM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT OR YOU'LL HAVE NO THROAT WHEN WE GET BACK TO THE SHIP!' How on earth is Dagur so loud? I'd distracted the Berserkers from entering my house, where Toothless was sleeping, by leaping out my bedroom window and, completely unprotected, run right across their sights hoping they'd follow me. Well at least my sacrifice worked- they're following me like a herd of elephants!
Unfortunately that's not always a good thing.
I hear the arrow before it hits. The whistle through the air comes a split second before I cry out in pain. The arrow slices through my right shoulder. Agonizing pain rips its way through my body and I gasp. Well at least I'm left handed. I stumble and dodge the second arrow. "NO! DON'T KILL HIM! JUST SHOOT ENOUGH TO CAUSE HIM PAIN!" Dagur let out his terrible laugh and shivers rocketed up my spine. Yeah well you've succeeded in the pain part Dagur. Faster- I tell myself. My prosthetic foot clinking on the gravel- it was a wonder I hadn't fallen over yet: Me being an accident prone and all. If I could make it to the edge of the village I had a chance of hiding till they went past then back tracking through the village, getting Toothless and waking him up enough so we can join the rest of them in the cove. But of course things never do go as planned.
I screamed.
I could feel the knife coldness. It had lodged itself deep into the still healing stump on my right leg. I tripped over and landed face first in the dusty village floor. Before my mind could gather my thoughts I was dragged upwards, the berserkers making no effort to avoid my injuries. I cried out again when one of the berserkers dug their knee into my stump to keep me still. Rough hands tied rope firmly round my wrists. Gritting my teeth against the torturous pain I turned to face Dagur.
He giggled his evil laugh before turning serious and leaning into my face. "Spill it Hiccup, where is it!"
"Where's what Dagur?" I spat at him doing my best to keep my voice from shaking. I didn't succeed. "You know what I mean!" He squeezed my shoulder right where the arrow had pierced it. No amount of teeth gritting could stop me from crying out as what felt like a thousand lightning bolts shot through my body. "Where. Is. Your. Dragon." He spoke quietly but with a hidden menace.
"Even if I knew, you know I'd never tell you." I replied simply, trying my best to hide the obvious pain coating my horse voice.
He took a deep breath just about to continue when Savage rounded the corner. "Dagur! I mean your derangedness. Sorry. We have located the night fury and have him bound and ready to board the ships. Your poison worked wonders he's not even moving!"
"NO!" The shout escaped my lips before I even knew I was thinking the words. No, no, no! I felt my world slowly shattering. If Dagur had Toothless who knew what he could do, what he could make me say. Everyone looked at me. I sealed my mouth and made a promise to myself never to show weakness again; not that Dagur didn't already know them all.
Casting a look at me, an evil glint in his eyes, Dagur said, "Excellent! Get it on board, as for his rider bind him tighter, gag him and then tie him to the mast. I want to torment our little Hiccup a bit before we arrive." I restrained myself from saying; like you haven't already. "Oh and don't be afraid to show out little Hiccup some friendliness. You know that arrow could do with a little twist don't you think?" He leaned forward and twisted the arrow- pushing it even deeper. I screamed in agony as pain rocketed through my body. I could feel my eyes welling up and stared at the floor willing them to stop. Savage shoved a piece of cloth in my mouth and started to drag me through the village and toward the ships Dagurs and the berserker's laughter echoing behind us.
"Poor Hiccup, caught at last. Oh how I've waited for this day! Alvin may have forgiven you but believe me I haven't." He smiled devilishly at me. I glared back.
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Toothless was almost awake. I could see his eyes lids fluttering. He hadn't opened his eyes but I knew he would if I called out to him.
Dagur on the other hand was far from being quiet. Tied rigidly to the mast and incapable of movement Dagur took his time in torturing me in the most deranged ways possible.
"Oh Hiccup! If only you hadn't lied to me. We could be a team! Working together slaying dragon's right left and center. We could have hunted down that night fury as one! We could have banished our fathers at the same time but no!" He spat in my face. "You had to be the goody, goody too shoes!" The berserkers behind him laughed though it wasn't even funny in the slightest. Dagur slowly removed one of the many daggers from his belt: It was small but deadly sharp. He studied my face carefully the dagger poised in his hands. "So I'm going to make you pay for it."
He gradually cut a shape stretching all the way down the side of my neck, pain blossomed as he worked but I didn't flinch- I was a Haddock. Smiling evilly, he took a step back to admire his work. I was disgusted. "Perfect, Berserker Hiccup!" He announced. The berserkers burst out laughing. Whatever Dagur had drawn or written on my neck can't have been good. And it was deep enough to scar. Great! He leaned in close. "You made a big mistake betraying me Hiccup. I hope you enjoy pain because believe you me you're going to get more of it in one hour than you have in your entire lifetime." He smiled triumphantly and glancing down at my leg he said, "Oh yes Hiccup, much more pain than losing half a leg. I've been waiting a long time for this. Trust me; I will not stop torturing you until you break- even if it's the last thing I do."
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I winced and repeated the question, "Where's Toothless Dagur? What have you done with my dragon?" Dagur just smirked.
"Awwwwww. Is icle Hiccup worrwied 'bout his wittle dwagon? Awwwwww." I wanted to punch him in the face. Make him choke on his own mock baby voice. Although that was proving quite difficult at the moment; my legs were tied together and I was being dragged down an endless maze of corridors. The arrow was still lodged deep in my shoulder and the knife in my leg repeatedly hit the floor. I had to grit my teeth to stop myself from crying out in pain every few seconds- the Berserkers were making no effort to avoid the wounds.
We halted abruptly to a stop in front of an ancient looking door. Its wood was rotting and dry blood splattered the front. An array of lock combinations and bolts littered the wood. Even though it was slowly decaying it would take an army to bring down that door; by the looks of it not even Toothless would be able to break through it without a little help. Not the most comforting thought. Dagur sneered and lifted my face up to read the sign on the door; 'Torture chamber.'
It was written in blood.
I shivered. Dargurs smile only widened. "Welcome to your new home Hiccup."
He opened the door.
A light glow emitted from a large fire in the middle of the room. It was about 2 meters by 1 meter and a few centimeters high. A metal grill lay above it. The perfect size for a human to lay on it a slowly burn; just slow enough to endure a few hours of pure agony.
I shuddered.
This didn't look like a welcome home. A batch of weapons stood on stands in the right corner and even more dangled from the ceiling. Axes, swords, maces, bludgeons- you name it. Knifes of every type and size lay in perfect order on a table in the left hand corner and a chair covered in bloody chains sat at the door awaiting his next customer.
Me.