The Big Four: Rise Against Pitch
Prologue
"Where is he? Why can't we fin' him?" The redhead had shrieked, tears developing in her eyes as she stood strong with her bow and arrow. She searched for him everywhere, and yet her love was nowhere to be found.
"We'll find him, Mer, just have faith and don't give up searching." The princess of Corona tried all that she could to help Merida feel better, but there was only so much she could do. For hours the both of them searched on foot with the help of a Night Fury, and made no progress. The encounter they had with their nemesis, Pitch Black, turned into a fight that they didn't win, but ended up losing their fourth with darkness.
A gust of wind flew past the three as a young male's voice rang through their ears. "I can't find him anywhere. Who knows where Pitch had went with him. I went to the Guardians for help and they couldn't find any sight of him either." Jack had sat on Toothless as he spoke to the girls, disappointment in his face. Merida shook her head, stalking forward and not looking back.
"We need to fin' him. There is no way I will sleep tonight without findin' him. I'm not turnin' back." She continued forward until Rapunzel had to step in front of her. "Merida," she pleaded, "Please just rest with us for a while. Hiccup is a strong, hard headed Viking-" Merida threw her hands up in the air as she interrupted the Corona princess; "But he can't fight wi'out his Night Fury! I don' care what ye and Jack do, I'm not givin' up. I will search all day an' night if I have to." The red on her face was as red ad her hair, and she meant every word as she pushed passed Rapunzel. Toothless was right behind Merida as they continued forward, leaving Jack and Rapunzel behind.
"What are we going to do, Jack? She won't listen to us and we're still trying what we can to find Hiccup." Rapunzel brushed her hand against her braid as she stared after Merida and the night fury, slowly walking behind them enough to give them their space. Jack sighed and kissed Rapunzel on her temple, walking the same pace as her. "Red is just worried, I'd be the same way she is acting if I were to lose you."
Merida continued on, her bow in hand and her arrows over her shoulder. Her dress ripped a little as she ignored the small branches from the trees clawing at her. She looked over at Toothless, who seemed as determined as her, but had a frightened and sad look in his eyes. She lightly scratched the scales on top of his head and spoke to him reassuringly, "We'll fin' him, bud. I know we-" Within a split second, she was gone. Toothless shrieked, Rapunzel and Jack ran right over and looked everywhere for the redhead.
Oi, what in the hell just happened to me? She coughed and slowly got up, brushing off her dress and grabbing her bows. Looking around she noticed in front of her a small light, nothing like a wisp, but a light in the distance. Well, I might as well follow it. She slowly walked through the tunnel towards the light, it shining brighter each moment she was closer. She gripped her bow in her hand and kept one of her arms ready to grab an arrow if she had to. The tunnel finally ended, and her eyes went wide. In front of her was the boy she loved, her body immediately running toward his as his body laid stiff on the ground. She put her head to his chest, a small but faint heartbeat and her eyes filled with tears. "Hiccup," she whispered to him, "Please don' let go of yer life. Please stay with me." She quietly pleaded to him, her head resting on his chest. A dark laughter came from behind her, and she immediately shot up and looked towards the direction it came from.
"Pitch." She spoke coldly, staring at him with cold eyes, hatred fluttering into his. He smiled at her, and spoke in a dark manner. "Dunbroch, I'm guessing you're here because of that dragon rider." He walked over to the other side of Hiccup, looking down at him and then up at the High Lands princess. "A trade, perhaps?"
Merida looked down at Hiccup, and all around the floor, searching for an answer. She finally looked up to Pitch with determination in her eyes. "My life in exchange for his?" A dark chuckle escaped Pitch's lips as he shook his head, looking at her with a small smile. "Oh, I don't want you dead, princess. You'll have to do better than that." Her face was full of confusion, but at the same time determination. She swore to herself to do whatever it would take to free Hiccup, and make him okay. She loved him that much to do so. She stood there strongly, listening to Pitch's request as he stared down at the viking.
"The boy will be fine. He'll live a long and healthy life, grow up to be Chief of his clan, die of old age." Merida stared coldly at Pitch, knowing there was a catch to his speech. "You, however," He spoke coldly, a smile upon his lips and he turned to look at her; "He won't remember." The princess felt something break inside of her. Won't remember me? She tried not to show the hurt in her face as she stood up to Pitch, listening to him. "I will erase every single memory he has of you in his head. And he will despise you. But he'll live." What do I do? She looked down at Hiccup, her face showing her strength, but her eyes showing weakness. She fought with herself, whether or not to live with knowing Hiccup is alive, but hates her, or having him die right infront of her. She studied Hiccup one last time, the only time she will remember him or ever see him again. The scar on his chin, his freckles, his shaggy hair. She loved every bit of him but he wouldn't remember her. "So," He spoke softly, staring directly at her, "do we have a deal?" She sucked in a breath, blinked to fight back the tears, and looked at Pitch with no emotion but pride. "Do it." And everything went black.
