Sorry, readers! No training will be happening in this chapter! Writing the events in this section took more words than I expected. Next chapter will have some real stuff, I promise. Anyway, wow! I'm already ten chapters in! I didn't think I'd be able to write this story so fast. I'm having lots of fun doing it. Thanks to all my followers and favorites, and please review! I love hearing from you guys!
PS. I will probably update Chapter three or two with a new scene that sets up Hel and the army of Niflheim. I'll keep you posted on when it appears.
Also, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm kind of going back and forth between Hiccup and Astrid throughout the story. I'm trying to keep that up in the later chapters, but I may end up focusing on Hiccup a little more. However, we begin this chapter with Astrid.
Berk, Day 5 since Hiccup's Departure
Astrid tightened the last buckle on Stormfly's saddle, letting the leather strap slide smoothly against her dragon's blue scales as she prepared the equipment for a long flight.
"All right, Stormfly," she murmured, stroking her dragon's neck. "I always wanted Hiccup to come back sooner, and now I suppose I'm getting my wish. I would just prefer if there wasn't the issue of a giant vicious Skrill on the loose."
Stormfly squawked at Astrid, her white teeth sparkling in what looked like a dragon grin.
"Of course, girl," Astrid smiled, rubbing her dragon's snout. "If they come after us, we'll just outrun them again. You're fast enough."
Giving Stormfly a final pat, she turned and walked back through the village to the Ingerman home. It was very early in the morning, and there was very little activity to draw her attention. The morning sun was just about to peek over the horizon, and Astrid and her companions, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut, were leaving Berk in a short time. She needed to make sure that they were ready.
Reaching Fishlegs' house, she banged on the door to his dragon stable. Before anyone could answer, she threw the door open with a boom. Fishlegs was there, as she expected. But instead of preparing, he was standing with Meatlug, trying to decide if he needed to bring all the papers and books that were on the table in front of him. He barely looked at Astrid when she entered, as he was so absorbed in his thoughts.
"Oh, for crying out loud, Fishlegs!" Astrid moaned. "This is supposed to be a quick, efficient trip to the Bog and then back, with Hiccup accompanying us. We need to pack as lightly as possible."
Fishlegs scratched his head. "Well, in that case, should I take my book on Bog Burglar culture or the book on how to fight strike class dragons like the Skrill? Or maybe my botanical analysis on the Bog's vegetables?"
Astrid walked over to the table, which had a stack of books on it at least two feet high.
"I don't know," she growled angrily. "Have you considered taking NONE AT ALL!?"
With one swoop of her arm, she knocked every book off the table and onto the dusty floor of the dragon stables, watching as they all landed in the dirt.
"Aaaaahh!" Fishlegs shouted, leaping down to pick up his precious books. "Why would you do that, Astrid? These are highly technical information stores regarding almost everything in the entire archipelago! They are worth more than -"
Astrid grabbed Fishlegs' shoulders and shook him, causing him to drop the books her had already picked up.
"Listen to me, you big dummy!" She shouted."Our job is to go get Hiccup and return to Berk as fast as we can! That means taking NO BOOKS WHATSOEVER! It is nothing but added weight, and you have the slowest dragon of us all. All we are bringing are weapons, clothing, and food! Nothing else, except that letter that was sent to Hiccup so that we can show it to him. Am I clear? NO BOOKS, Fishlegs!"
Fishlegs looked down sheepishly.
"Fine, Astrid," he sighed. "No books. But I will have to disagree that I will have the slowest dragon. The twins are coming with us, you know, and there's an 89.56 percent chance that they'll be too busy fighting each other to maintain a proper speed."
Astrid sighed in agreement.
"I really, REALLY wish that we did not have to take the twins with us," she groaned. "Why did Stoick even allow it, Fishlegs?"
"Uhh, it's obvious," Fishlegs stated, bending down to retrieve the books once more. "He just wanted to get them out of the village, of course. If I were the chief I would do the exact same thing."
"That's probably right, actually," Astrid grumbled. "Still, those muttonheads are going to cause so much trouble on the journey. We'll have to put up with their nonsense for three whole days of flying. I don't like having to waste time just because Stoick wants a little peace and quiet."
"Well, you could try to convince the chief to let Snotlout go instead," Fishlegs suggested, placing the last book back on the table.
Astrid snorted in disgust. "Snotlout won't go with us unless Heather comes too. He's been doing nothing but try to impress her since she arrived. Besides, I would almost rather have the twins than that pathetic Snotlout. He is simply incapable of understanding the words common sense."
"Yeah, I guess having Snotlout with us would be almost as bad as the twins," Fishlegs mused. "Anyway, how soon are we leaving, Astrid?"
"In twenty minutes," Astrid snapped, stalking to the door. "Don't even think about packing any books, and make sure you're ready by then. I'm not waiting for any of the dumb send-off or fanfare that Hiccup had to go through. Sunup is in ten minutes, and we're leaving in twenty. Move!"
She opened the door, went through it, and closed it behind her, stepping back out into the chilly morning air. Her next stop was the twin's house. She was expecting to have to break up one of the twin's usual fights and remind them that they were leaving soon. However, as she strode through the village, she met Heather coming out of the guest hall.
"Astrid!" Heather exclaimed, jumping off the steps of the hall and coming to walk beside the blonde-haired Viking in the main street. "Are you leaving soon?"
"As soon as the sun rises," Astrid told her, not hesitating in her stride. "It's about a three day flight to the Bog, according to Fishlegs, and I want to be at their island early on the third day. Speed is of the utmost importance right now. That letter could be the start of something serious."
Heather drooped her head.
"I really wish I hadn't agreed to bring it," she said apologetically. "It seems like every time I meet you guys, I cause problems and make your life harder, even after all you did for me and family."
Astrid threw her arm around Heather's shoulders and squeezed.
"Hey, you had no idea what the message said," she admonished. "Don't blame yourself for any this mess. If anyone, I should be blamed, because I was not authorized to open that letter. Regardless, the strange Rider would have found a way to send it to Hiccup anyways."
Heather nodded. "Probably, but I still feel mildly responsible."
Astrid smiled. "Well, at least I get Hiccup back sooner than expected. I've really missed him a lot more than I thought I would, especially after getting those nightmares or visions or whatever they are. I just want to be sure he's safe. Also, those Bog Burglars may not have liked Toothless and decided to kill them both. I want reassurance that everything's all right, and this little trip is a perfect way to do that."
"Well, I don't think that Hiccup's in any danger in the Bog," Heather replied. "I mean, the Bog Burglars requested that Hiccup show them the benefits of dragons, right? I think it would be a really low down trick to pull if they just decided to execute him."
"The Boggies aren't known for their fair tactics," Astrid answered, dropping her arm from her friend's shoulder. "I've heard that they'll sleep with men to reproduce and then slit their throats while they're asleep. And, of course, they kill any males they give birth to, in order to maintain their woman-based culture. Their methods aren't exactly exemplary."
"But even if they're a bit savage, they're smart, too," Heather argued. "They should be able to see the benefits a dragon offers to the safety and protection of their island. So they won't kill Hiccup because they need him to teach them."
"But they could just let Hiccup teach them and then kill him," Astrid replied. "That would be a classic Bog Burglar move."
The two girls reached the Thorston home, where the twins could be heard yelling and fighting inside. Astrid stopped, and Heather did the same.
"I've got to deal with these things," Astrid said, gesturing to the house. "Can you believe it? Our chief is requiring me to have them as an escort for the trip."
"Escort?" Heather asked, grinning. "I would call it a get no rest-cort."
Astrid laughed at the joke.
"I would too," she agreed."Fishlegs guessed that chief Stoick simply wants them out of the village for a week, and I think he's right. I don't blame Stoick either. Do you hear the noise those people are making?"
Another crash rocked the house, and Heather shook her head.
"Have fun with them. And have safe trip, Astrid. Be back soon. Snotlout will be causing me no end of problems while you're gone. I'll have absolutely no one fun to talk to."
"Try Gobber," Astrid suggested. "He's all right if you can tolerate his lame jokes and dry humor. And he's also pretty smart too. If you're bored, just head to the forge, and he'll keep you entertained."
"I'll keep it in mind," Heather smiled.
"I've got to go talk with these losers and then I'll be flying out," Astrid told her. "Will you be at the send-off, if there is one?"
Heather nodded. "Definitely. I'll be there waving."
Astrid smiled, and Heather embraced her friend. "Good luck, Astrid. Have a safe trip."
Astrid nodded into Heather's shoulder. "I will. Don't take too much crap from Snotlout, either."
Heather smiled, releasing Astrid. "I won't. Have fun."
Heather turned and walked away, waving goodbye. Astrid watched her until she vanished in the village, and then turned to the Thorston house with a sigh. She would have to deal with the two lunatics inside.
Just as she was about to kick the door open, a window upstairs opened and the twins crashed out, falling down and landing in a heap on the muddy ground.
"It's my sausage!" Tuffnut shouted, hammering at his sister with both fists.
"No, it's mine!" Ruffnut shouted, throwing Tuffnut off of her and into a mud puddle. "And you stole it from me!"
"If it was yours, then what happened to mine?" Tuffnut yelled, head-butting Ruffnut.
"You ate it already, you dummy!" Ruffnut shouted back, kicking Tuffnut in the belly and splashing more muddy water around. "Maybe if I kick you hard enough you'll puke it out and I can show you!"
Astrid walked up to the twins, and reaching down, seized their necks and banged their heads together, twice. As Astrid had learned, only violence ever got the twin's attention.
"Listen!" Astrid shouted, shaking them fiercely. "Stop the stupid fighting right now! You two are coming with me to the Bog, remember, and we're leaving in about fifteen minutes! Get your pathetic selves out of the mud and get your dragon ready to leave! Move, before I make you both puke out your dumb sausages!"
She banged their heads together again for good measure, and let them drop to the ground again.
"We're – we're ready to go, Astrid," Tuffnut mumbled, sitting up in the dirt and rubbing his face where it had struck Ruffnut's. "We just had to eat breakfast first, and then we started fighting. Also, all those knocks my head took reminded me. Ruffnut was right, I did eat my sausage already. And my dad's, too. I don't know how I forgot."
"Told you!" Ruffnut sneered, rubbing her head as well.
"Well, I got hungry," Tuffnut said defensively. "And I saw your sausage sitting on the table and thought it was for me."
"NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR STUPID SAUSAGES!" Astrid screamed, completely exasperated. "Get Barf and Belch and let's GO!"
She stalked off, shaking her head.
"Whoa, Astrid's mad," Ruffnut said, adjusting her helmet. "Do think it's because of us?"
"No," Tuffnut said, still sitting in the mud. "I know it's because of us."
They gave each other a high five.
Ten minutes later, the four Vikings were getting ready to leave just outside the village. The twins were busy arguing over which head of their dragon was which, Fishlegs was running around making sure he had everything, and Astrid was receiving last minute instructions from the chief himself.
"And make sure you're not timid," Stoick said."But you've got a naturally aggressive attitude, lass, and that'll impress the Bog Burglars. Yelling, shouting, and slamming your axe into the table are also great ways to talk to them."
"All the usual stuff?" Astrid grinned.
Stoick boomed a laugh. "That's my kind of Viking! But really, I'm serious, Astrid. Make sure that they see you as a threat and a powerful representative, not someone they can push around. The dragons will help with that. Also, please don't let Fishlegs talk to them. He'll embarrass Berk with his percentages and numbers."
Astrid laughed. "Don't worry, chief. I'm not even planning on stopping long in the Bog. I just want to go there, get Hiccup, and come back, and the sooner the better. I really didn't like that unknown rider I had to fight."
Stoick nodded. "I agree, lass. And I really hope you can bring Hiccup back soon. Have a nice trip."
Astrid bowed to the chief, and then turned towards Stormfly, barking orders at her companions.
"Mount up, Berkians!" She shouted. "We're off to the bog!"
The small crowd of Vikings who were watching the departure cheered. Astrid saw her parents and Heather in the throng. She waved at them, and they waved back. Then she stepped into Stormfly's stirrup and swung herself into the saddle. Fishlegs and the twins were already on their dragons, ready to go. Astrid checked her saddlebags for the message, made sure it was still there, and then tapped the axe on her back to reassure herself of its comforting presence. She never felt safe without a weapon on her. However, when she felt her knives, she remembered that she only had one left on her belt. The other she had lost, most likely permanently, in the fight with the strange rider. She would have to get another one forged as soon as they returned.
With one final look at the village, she touched her dragon. "Let's go, girl." Stormfly crooned a reply, and then shot into the sky above Berk, Fishlegs and the twins following.
Astrid could faintly hear the last farewells of the people on the island, and then they were out of hearing.
Astrid relaxed in her saddle. They were on their way.
High Asgard, Day 5 since Hiccup's Departure
A huge bucket of ice cold water was thrown on Hiccup's face, wrenching him from the warm grasp of sleep. For a second Hiccup thought he was back on Berk, and Toothless was licking his face to wake him up for a morning flight. However, the liquid was too cold and he opened his eyes with a gasp.
It took him a moment to remember all that had occurred since he left home. The flight to the Bog, his capture, meeting Odin, the purple eyed girl, the loss of Toothless, and beating of The Wolf all came back to him in flash. Looking up, he saw the sneering face of Asgeirr looking down at him.
"You are one lazy Riddari," Asgeirr commented. "It is time to get up, eat, and continue your training. Move."
Hiccup moaned, drying his face with the blanket on his bed and stretching his sore muscles.
"It's not fair," he grumbled sleepily, "To tell a man that he is the savior of Midgard, steal his dragon, ship him to a training room called Ragnarok where he gets beaten to pieces and goes insane, and then expect him to get up early the very next day by dousing him with ice water. You're a mean trainer, Asgeirr."
"I told you I was not here to coddle you," Asgeirr replied emotionlessly. "And you are to begin your training for today in a half hour. You need to eat and recover your strength before you begin."
Hiccup groaned, sitting up in the soft bed.
"Well, if you didn't want your students to sleep in," he joked, "then you shouldn't have made the beds so soft."
Asgeirr shrugged. "We can arrange for a massive rock to be brought in," he said sarcastically. "You could put sheets over it sleep on that instead. We also provide a special blanket made of raspy shark skin. If you would prefer that as well I can have it brought in too."
"I was joking," Hiccup muttered, swinging his legs off the bed. "And I sure hope you were too."
His prosthetic leg struck the ground as he stood up, directly in front of Asgeirr, who was still holding the bucket. Hiccup now realized that he only reached Asgeirr's shoulders in height. It made him feel even smaller and weaker than he really was.
Asgeirr pointed to a tray of food on a table by the nearest wall.
"Eat, Riddari. I will explain the situation and conditions of your education while you fill your stomach."
Hiccup nodded, still groggy, and went to sit down in the nearest chair at the table. The food looked very good, and consisted of milk, eggs, cheese, lots of meat, and strange fruits that Hiccup had never seen before. Interested, he picked up one of them, which was sliced and yellow. It was completely foreign to him.
"What is this?" he demanded, as Asgeirr walked over and sat across from him, having set the bucket down.
"Those fruits," Asgeirr replied, "are called pineapple, kiwi, and grapes. They are delicious, and provide essential nutrients that keep you in excellent condition. What you have in your hand right now is named pineapple."
Hiccup only heard the word delicious. He hadn't eaten since he had left the Bog, and was ravenous. He attacked the thing in his hand that Asgeirr called 'pineapple.' The food was the best thing Hiccup had ever eaten. The golden slices melted and tasted like sugar in his mouth. Despite his hunger, he chewed slowly, savoring every bite.
Asgeirr spoke. "Listen very carefully, Riddari. The way this training operates is as follows. There are 3 Phases in the training process, each of which has 10 Levels. This is Day 1 of your preparation, and you are currently on Phase 1, Level 1 of your training. Your short term objective is to pass Level 1, which is entitled The Wolf. Once you progress from this Level, you will advance to Level 2, Phase 1. After that, there will be 9 other levels to pass before you reach Phase 2. After you complete Phase 2, you have now reached Phase 3. Once Phase 3 is concluded, you will have one last, final test, and then you have become a true Riddari, which is your ultimate goal throughout this entire process."
Hiccup finished the pineapple and reached for the kiwi. Ignoring the hairy skin, he sank his teeth into the fruit.
Asgeirr continued. "It will not be easy, Hiccup. Each Level of every Phase requires you to have a unique and talented approach. Each one is very difficult and taxing on both your mind and body. They are all very hard to complete. You will never pass a Level by accident."
Leaving the grapes for later, Hiccup took up the large chunk of meat in both hands and rammed a large bite into his mouth, starting to chew.
"What," he asked with his mouth full, "Is Level 1, with The Wolf, even trying to achieve? I was literally smashed to pieces by The Wolf, and if I go in there again today the same thing will happen, if not worse. He said so."
"The very first Level forces you to be able to withstand great amounts of pain," Asgeirr replied. "Trust me, The Wolf will give you plenty of it."
"It's not so much the pain I am afraid of," Hiccup answered, putting down his food and gazing steadily at Asgeirr. "It's not as if I enjoy being ripped to pieces, but while I was in Ragnarok I literally went mad. Insane. Crazy. I turned into a demon, like Hel herself, and I don't know why. That is what I am afraid of, and that is what I do not understand about the Level."
Asgeirr smiled grimly. "If you were to ask either of the two recruits that already passed my training, I think they would say that The Wolf was the worst Level they had to deal with in the entire training. What this Level does is tap into everything you hate, everything that you were ever scared of, everything that makes you angry, terrified, and enraged. Every color you see, every odor you smell, and everything you touch is designed to make you crazy, to make you fear both the Level and The Wolf. That is what makes Level 1 so difficult to overcome. You must master your fear, your anger, your hate, and manage to eliminate the insanity that Ragnarok instills. When you are finally able to withstand the powers of the room, you will be able to kill The Wolf, and only then do you pass Level 1."
Hiccup stared. "The Wolf is enormous," he stated. "He has unbreakable metal hands with razor sharp metal claws. He has sharp teeth. He has massive amounts of muscle, and could probably kill me with his little finger. I have none of his advantages, nothing that gives me something to use against him. I am a cripple, I do not have Dragon Iron embedded in my knuckles, I am so much smaller and weaker than The Wolf, and yet you expect me to KILL him? I'll tell you the one word that come to mind, Asgeirr."
Hiccup took another bite and spoke through the meat.
"IMPOSSIBLE."
Asgeirr frowned. "Define impossible, Riddari. If I had, two years ago, told you that you would eventually become the first Viking to ever befriend, train, and ride a dragon, what would you have said? I'll tell you. IMPOSSIBLE. If I told you two years ago that you would earn the respect and admiration of your father and your entire village, what would you have said? IMPOSSIBLE. If I told you two years ago that you would ever speak to, let alone kiss, Astrid Hofferson, what would you have said? IMPOSSIBLE. So I don't want to hear that word again. It is forbidden. ANYTHING is possible when you work hard and give effort."
Hiccup leapt from his seat, furious, and pointed his meat at Asgeirr.
"I'll tell you what's impossible, Asgeirr! YOU KNOWING EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT MY LIFE! How did you know about me befriending Toothless? How did you know about my dad, and about Astrid? How does The Wolf know what smells and words from my past to use in that damned to Hel room?! You want to know what I say to that? Thor-blasted IMPOSSIBLE! It's not natural! You are taking my personal memories and using them to mess up my mind!"
He stopped his tirade, glaring at Asgeirr. The meat was still in his hands.
Asgeirr looked up at Hiccup.
"Sit down, Riddari," he commanded. "Your concerns about our knowledge of your past and being are justified, but it is imperative that we do know them. In fact, only one person knows everything about you, Odin's little seer. She had to inform me of everything your past offered that could possibly help with your training, and I am using it to train you properly."
Hiccup sat back down.
"I thought that that little girl was a sweet, beautiful, soothing creature," Hiccup growled, attacking his food again. "But now I see that she was cruel enough to give all my personal information to you, who in turn is using it to drive me insane. This makes me reconsider my admiration for her. I'm almost glad I made her cry yesterday."
Asgeirr looked startled.
"She actually cried?" he demanded. "That is very unusual. What on the name of Hel did you say to her?"
"I just asked her what her name was," Hiccup replied, digging back into his food. "She got really upset at that. You seem to know her. Do you know why?"
Asgeirr leaned back in his chair. "That is a tale for another day, Riddari. Right now you need to hurry your eating. The Wolf will be waiting for you soon."
"Let him wait," Hiccup growled, finishing the meat and grabbing the grapes. "He's a demon who probably needs to learn proper patience. And I've still got about twenty minutes anyway. Let me enjoy that time not getting beaten and battered. How soon should I be able to defeat him, anyway?"
Asgeirr shrugged. "It largely depends on how quickly you overcome your madness, Riddari. The last trainee I had here was a master soldier before he even entered the room, and even he took three months to pass."
Hiccup shook his head, still eating. "That forbidden word is coming to mind once more."
Asgeirr gave a thin, tight smile before leaning across the table towards Hiccup.
"Impossible or not, Riddari, you will have to try. In order to make you try, you need motivation. I will give it to you."
Hiccup looked up. Asgeirr continued.
"Your dragon, Toothless, is currently training on Alfheim. There he is undergoing his own initial preparation, which will take him about a year. No matter how soon Toothless returns to Asgard, you will not see him until you have passed Phase 1, which is governed by your efforts, and not time. So the faster you finish, the faster you see your dragon. That is the deal."
Hiccup rammed more food into his mouth. "A year is the soonest I'll be able to see him?" He demanded, chewing.
Asgeirr nodded.
"And I've got to pass 10 Levels to complete Phase 1?" Hiccup asked.
Asgeirr nodded again.
"So I have a year to pass 10 Levels," Hiccup muttered, shoving some more eggs into his mouth. "Seems reasonable. What if I pass all 10 before the year is up?"
Asgeirr laughed amusedly. "You won't," he grinned.
Hiccup glared at him. "Maybe. But I want to see my dragon, and I'm going to work hard to do it in a year. So it may be sooner than you think. As you said, its motivation."
He guzzled the last of his milk, spilling some on the torso of his flight suit, which he was still wearing.
"Do I get any clothes to train in?" Hiccup demanded, as he looked at the sweaty mess that was his outfit.
"Yes," Asgeirr replied. "For Level 1 you are to wear that."
He pointed behind Hiccup. Hiccup turned in his chair and saw a suit of leather armor mounted on the wall next to his bed. It was identical to the kind that The Wolf wore in the training room the day previous.
Hiccup rammed the last of his eggs, cheese and grapes into his mouth in one bite. Then he stood up and walked across the room to his armor.
"Will it fit?" he asked, reaching for the leather.
"It should," Asgeirr said. "I saw how you were built for size yesterday, and I had that made accordingly. So it will be a perfect fit. Take off your clothes and put the armor on."
Hiccup complied. He removed his flight suit, shirt, and pants in order to put on the leather covering. Feeling it, Hiccup could tell that it was fairly smooth on the inside, but he could feel that the outer layer was strong and thick. It was a good, well made suit of light armor.
"You're even skinnier than I thought you were," Asgeirr mocked, as Hiccup stood shirtless. "It looks like a twig could beat you in an arm wrestling contest. Are you sure you'll be able to wear that armor without it weighing you down to the point of where you die from exhaustion?"
"Shut up, Asgeirr," Hiccup snapped, clicking the buckles of the suit into place. "I may not be very strong, but it's brains, not brawn, that I'll need for this Level."
"Where in Midgard did you get that idea?" Asgeirr demanded curiously.
"The Wolf is nothing but a savage brute," Hiccup replied, still putting on the armor. "While he does seem somewhat intelligent, I'm confident I can figure out a way to defeat him as soon as I can control my mind."
Hiccup paused, latching more parts of the leather to his body. Asgeirr said nothing, so he continued.
"So that's the first step, master my thoughts and discover how not to go mad in Ragnarok. Hence, brains." He tapped his head. "The brawn apparently doesn't matter at all. You said that a top notch warrior came in here and it took him three months to pass. If a guy with that kind of talent got destroyed by The Wolf for three whole months, then brawn obviously doesn't work too well. I'll need a different solution."
He finished putting on the armor, tying the final knots around his arms and wrists. Asgeirr still said nothing, and merely looked at Hiccup with an almost admiring expression. Hiccup was confused, but decided not to ask Asgeirr why. Instead, he changed the subject.
"No helmet?" he asked, plowing his fingers through his hair, which was still wet from his unpleasant dousing.
Asgeirr shook his head. "That's correct. No helmet. The Wolf likes having his student's heads bare when he trains them."
"Why? So that he can rip my skull off easier?" Hiccup demanded, sitting down to put on one of the shoes set out for him. He had no need for a cover on his prosthetic leg.
"Probably," Asgeirr shrugged. "I do not know why The Wolf does what he does. I just know that he does a good job, so I have no complaints."
"A good job beating people to bits," Hiccup complained, rising. He was now fully clothed in his new armor and ready to go. He began to walk to the door.
"One last bit of advice before you head to training, Riddari," Asgeirr commented, still sitting at the table. "Drink lots of water. Trust me, you'll want it."
Hiccup agreed. He went back to the table, picked up the cup that had contained his milk, and then filled it with cool water from a basin in the corner. He drank two cups, Asgeirr watching him intently. Hiccup finished and turned back to the man.
"Anything else you recommend?" he asked.
Asgeirr shook his head. "No. Head to Ragnarok." He took the cup, which was made of metal, from Hiccup's hands.
Hiccup walked over, opened the door to the hallway, ready to go back to the training room.
"Riddari!" Asgeirr shouted.
He looked back at Asgeirr, and failed to see the metal cup he had given him flying at his face. It struck him solidly in the nose, with enough force to stun him. He shouted in pain as the cup clanked to the floor.
"I am going to throw that cup at you at some point every morning," Asgeirr said emotionlessly, as Hiccup cradled his injured face. "You'll learn to catch it."
Hiccup touched his nose, and felt blood running down his lip. He was going to yell at Asgeirr, but restrained himself. Instead he raised his bloody lips in a snarl.
"Tell The Wolf I'm coming," he growled.
Asgeirr smiled. "He knows."
There it is, the Chapter ten milestone! Feel free to ask me about anything you're confused about or let me know if I've made any mistakes in grammar or punctuation, in this chapter or any other. Hope you enjoyed! Chapter eleven, which I guarantee will have Hiccup's training in it, is coming soon! :)
Nat B.
Hmm, apparently I broke the word record for a single chapter once again. Interesting...