The following morning, Stoick had Gobber assign different Vikings to border the island in case there was any sign of Hiccup returning. Odds were mostly he'd return on an Outcast boat, with or without Alvin's men was yet to be discovered.
Stoick sits in his chair propped in front of the fire, trying to focus on his morning carving. A hobby that usually calms him and help him think. But now, it's only making him think about Hiccup, and what the Outcasts have done to him.
Gobber comes in and Stoick springs up from his seat. "Any sign of him Gobber?"
"No. Nothing Stocik." He informs, and in turn, Stoick drops his shoulders. "Hey, don't give up old friend. We'll find him, I promise. But we simply must wait for another lead."
Meanwhile, on Outcast Island Alvin and the others were prepping the ships. Hiccup adjusts his pack to fit smoothly against his spine, and then heads out the door. The pack contained a bow and twelve arrows, several throwing daggers, and a machete. Hiccup adjusts his sword so it's tight around his waist.
He meets Mildew at the docks as Savage deployed the sail. Fungus walks up to Hiccup and rubs against his leg in affection. Hiccup notices and shoves the lamb aside unceremoniously. Mildew reacts in fury.
"Hey! That's my Fungus!"
"I. Hate. Sheep." Hiccup speaks the words as if biting every bit of it into pieces so everyone can hear and know.
"He was just showing his affection!" Mildew says.
"I'll still cook him." Hiccup threatens as he walks across the board onto the ship.
Mildew silently growls as he follows Hiccup onto the ship. Alvin comes out from below deck with a map of Berk clutched in his hands.
He gathers the men around a trio of barrels as he explains the plan. "All right men, today, we conqueror Berk. And with the help of Hadrian, we can't lose." He says gesturing to Hiccup. "Now, we'll come in through here, under the cover of night." He explains.
"No." Hiccup protests and eye divert to him.
"What?" Alvin says, frustrated by his rebellion.
"Forgive me father," Hiccup says. "But a though just occupied to me. Do you mind?"
The look on Hiccup's face was the one thing that prevented Alvin from reaching across the barrels. "Of course not, son." He spits.
"While the Outcasts are strong and durable, sailing in on our own boats may no longer be an option. It may no longer be wise, if we hope to keep the element of surprise." He quotes.
"Quit with the riddles boy, what are you saying?" Alvin asks.
"Sailing in on our own ships is dead weight. If we want to catch our prey, we must be agile, nimble." Hiccup states.
"Oh, and what do you suggest we do, Hadrian?" Alvin challenges.
Hiccup slams his palm onto the barrels, in the dead center of the map. "We need an elite team. An alley that can help us infiltrate Berk from the inside out."
"And do you know where we can find this 'elite team'?" Alvin asks.
"We take a detour and head east. We'll cross through here." He points to a small chain of rocks on the map. "It's time to visit an old friend." Hiccup says with a deadly smile.
Dagur spins the hilt of his sword in his hands before chucking it at the imitation Zippleback laid out in the courtyard.
He groans in boredom. "Uh! This is so boring! When can I get some action around here?!"
"Would you like to go for another chicken run, sir?" a guard asks.
"No. I've already lopped off most of their heads, and it's lost its flavor of fun." He says.
Suddenly a guard calls to Dagur from the turret posted along the village border. "Sir, unidentified ship of the port side!"
Dagur rushes up to the tower and swipes the spyglass from the guard. He sees the oncoming ship, and is overjoyed. "Oh boy!" he tosses the spyglass back to the guard. "Finally some action!"
He rushes down, grabbing his sword along the way and hurries to the docks where his guards ready themselves to introduce him like they did when he arrived at Berk. But once the ship pulls into the dock, Dagur is surprised when he comes to notice the Outcast logo on the sail.
An Outcast guard lowers the bridge connecting the boat and dock. Dagur is surprised when Hiccup is the first person he sees on the boat. Dagur lowers his sword and sighs in disappointment. But once Hiccup steps up onto the bridge and stops in front of him, Dagur's curiosity is tickled once again.
"Hiccup? Is that you?" he asks.
Hiccup scowls at Dagur and draws his sword out with a metallic swish, and it lays inches from Dagur's nose. The quick motion made Dagur stumble a few steps back.
"I don't know who you think you are, but I am not a hiccup. I am the Hadrian of Hell. And you will address me as such!" he says.
Dagur stands in shock as Hiccup steps down onto the dock, his sword still pointed at Dagur's nose. The guards didn't seem to know how to react. With Hiccup being the son of the chief of Berk, attacking, let alone killing would start a never-ending war. And not even Dagur would want to mess with this new Hiccup.
"Now," Hiccup starts. "I have a proposition for you. I'm planning an invasion with my father. And you know the village of Berk?"
Dagur nods, still in shock over the sound of his voice. What once was soft and humble, now sharp and a little brutal-sounding.
"We're planning to invade and overrun the village. I would be honored if you would join me on my mission." He says.
Dagur stares into Hiccup's eyes before blinking his own a few times. Then he speaks. "I don't know what form of trickery you're planning Hiccup, but may I just say, I like it. But alas! My loyalty belongs to my people and to those of Berk. And now, I'm bored again. Be gone!" he says, then turns and walks away.
Hiccup curls his lip into a fierce snarl.
So much for the gentle approach. Thank Thor. Hiccup thought to himself.
Suddenly, he chucks a knife at Dagur's head. It ricochets off of his chief helmet, and when he turns, Hiccup tackles him, grabbing Dagur by the waist. They summersault back until Hiccup has Dagur pinned beneath him.
Straddling Dagur's hips, Hiccup pulls out another knife and spins the blade outward. His eyes wild. But before he could slice Dagur's jugular, Dagur suddenly rolls them over and pushes Hiccup off. Dagur scrambles to get his sword.
Hiccup leaps high in the air and hurdles toward the docks. Dagur manages to dodge out of the way, but is caught in the whip of air as Hiccup lands; creating a small crater with fissures snaking out from the middle.
Hiccup is screaming harsh bursts of sound. Raw, agonized wails that flay the air with their fury. The seven inch blade of his knife glistens in the light, and he spins it between his fingers so the blade's out. He runs toward the Dagur, swinging left and right, trying to slash his skin.
He manages to make a gash on Dagur's upper left arm. Hiccup flips the blade around and slashes the other arm in the same spot. Dagur yelps in pain, and Hiccup slices open the skin on his cheek. Dagur lunges forward, but Hiccup spins into a windmill kick and nails Dagur in the jaw, sending him sprawling.
Hiccup races and jumps onto Dagur's back, pressing the tip of his knife into the soft tissue beneath Dagur's throat. Dagur head buts Hiccup from behind and throws him to the ground. Hiccup rolls forward and come up on one knee. That terrible scream still ripping its way out of Hiccup's throat.
Dagur comes hurdling towards Hiccup. Hiccup waits until the last second, and then kicks Dagur's legs out from beneath him. Driving his shoe onto Dagur's wrist, Hiccup grinds the small bones together.
Dagur shrieks and darts back. Hiccup slams his knees onto his diaphragm and feel the air leave its lungs. While he doubles over, Hiccup grabs the back of Dagur's head and slams it into his knee. Dagur stumbles back from the impact and falls to his back.
Hiccup's face a mask of murderous intent.
Hiccup broke his wrist, but he still has the other arm. Hiccup stands ominously over Dagur. Dagur scrambles back in, fear. He pushes himself to his numb feet. He's bruised, battered and bleeding, but holds his knife steady.
Flipping his blade around, Hiccup pushes himself forward and buries his knife deep into Dagur's sternum. He twists to the right and yanks it free as Dagur sags and gasps a sharp breath. Crimson splashes on his armor and tunic. The blood seeps along the knife hilt, thick and warm, and coats Hiccup's hands.
In seconds, Hiccup has Dagur's hands pinned behind his back and his blade against Dagur's neck. The smile Hiccup gives Dagur makes him feel sick. Dagur raises his chin as the silver bites into his skin.
"You're in desperate need of someone to teach you your proper place, Dagur." Hiccup says.
Dagur bites his lip to keep it from trembling, and tries to ignore the way the silver blade at his throat scrapes his skin raw. He can smell the sweat their fight caused, along with the putrid smell of crimson on Hiccup's clothing.
Dagur's knees feel like liquid, and he has to clamp his teeth together to keep them from chattering as Hiccup's ice cold green eyes devour him.
"Now, let me rephrase from before, Dagur." His lip curls around the words as they fall like stones between them. "You're going to help us with an invasion."
Hiccup flicks his sword and Dagur flinches as the tip slices the air too close to his ear. Dagur forces himself to swallow the icy lump forming at the back of his throat.
"Why should I?" Dagur asks.
"Because, you're Dagur the Deranged. I would love to have a psychopath on my team when taking over a village." Hiccup says.
"Never." Dagur retorts.
Hiccup swings his blade until the tip digs into the soft tissue beneath Dagur's chin. He steadies his feet with clammy knees and tries to remain absolutely still. "Not another word, or you die."
Dagur curls his hands into fists, but clenches his jaw and remains silent.
Hiccup's words remain steady as he says. "Would you rather I demolish both your villages?"
"No." Dagur breathes the word, but even that slight movement scrapes his skin across Hiccup's blade. The pain is sharp and quick, and a hot trickle of blood slowly snakes its way down Dagur's neck.
"Believe me I have no problem with that, but I just assumed a Beserker Tribe would have, more to offer." Hiccup mocks. "And right now, I've only been disappointed. What good is a name like Beserker if their own chief can't even fight?"
Hiccup can feel Dagur stiffen, choking back a sob.
"Oh, you don't want me to destroy your little village?" Hiccup taunts.
"No." More pain. More blood.
Hiccup smiles, and Dagur feels his lips come close to his ear. When he talks, his breathe rustles the hair and they tickle the inside of Dagur's ear. "Then here is where we make a deal or die."
His blade tip digs into Dagur's chin, and tears sting his eyes. Blood runs down Dagur's neck and his body trembles. But something ugly fills his chest, begging to be unleashed.
"You're thinking. I like that. Shows you have some sense." he says. He removes his blade from Dagur's throat, and the tightness constricting his chest eases a fraction.
But his hands are still pinned behind his back. And the guards couldn't do anything as long as Hiccup had Dagus in his grip.
"I'm wearing thin, Dagur." His sword arm flexes as he raises the blade toward Dagur's face. "You're running out of time."
The tension coils within Dagur like a living thing.
"I wouldn't kill me if I were you. I'm more valuable than you think." he says.
"Your value is for me to decide." Hiccup bites.
Hiccup slams the flat of his sword onto Dagur's shoulder, slicing into his skin. Dagur's stomach clenches. He gags as Hiccup holds his bloody sword to his throat again.
Dagur can't speak around the sickness rising up the back of his throat. The metallic tang of blood swamps his scenes. He holds his breath, but that just forces him to swallow the blood-tainted air until he feels like screaming.
The spit dries in his mouth. Something desperate and dark awakens within Hiccup, biting through his stomach like bile. Dagur wants to slap his hand away from him, but with the sword still at his throat, he can't move.
"Give me your word that you will swear to serve me, and I'll let you and you live. Otherwise, you die." He reaches out and brushes a stray drop of blood from Dagur's cheek and he shivers.
"That won't be necessary." Dagur's voice shakes.
"Then you agree?" Hiccup asks.
Dagur relaxes his muscles, closes his eyes and draws a slow breathe. It's a struggle, but he forces himself to say the word. "Okay."
"Do I have your word?" Hiccup asks.
Dagur tries to tilt his chin away from the tip. "Yes."
There's the most grueling and eerie silence that follows Dagur's answer. Then Hiccup shatters it with an "Excellent."
He lets go of Dagur's hands, removes his blade, and Dagur falls to his knees in tears.