Hey, everyone! I have a new chapter for you. So at first, I want to say sorry. I'm so sorry that I didn't publish new chapter for two-three weeks (Don't know exactly) because I have so much on my hands now... As some of you know I have last year at my high school and half of school year is already behind me so I have so much work to do, so I can finish my school and hopefully get into a university. Also, as you can know in the last year in high school is a thing called prom. In Slovakia (my country), the closest thing to a prom is Stužková, an occasion when the seniors get together with their parents, partners, and teachers to celebrate their upcoming graduation. It takes place in November or December. Each of the students receives a green ribbon with their name on it (thus the name Stužková, the Ribbon Ball). The principal and the class teacher are given big green ribbons as well. Many of the students wear this ribbon on their jackets or shirts until graduation. Stužková typically includes a banquet, skits and songs prepared by students, and, of course, dancing. Men wear formal suits and women formal dresses. One week before Stužková is a ceremony of Pečatenie triednej knihy (Sealing of the Class-register) so that teachers will not give bad marks to students before Stužková. It is connected with some story and recorded by a cameraman and then put on a DVD of Stužková. It usually starts at 6 p.m. and ends in the early hours of the next morning (4 a.m.). I have this thing 9 December and thus I have a lot of things for that matter too. Also by tomorrow, I'm starting to go again to a part time job besides the school, so maybe I should be able to update more often. So thank you for your patience :)
Also, I want to thank you all for your reviews, favs and follows. It really makes me happy. But enough of me, you want to read a new chapter. So here are my answers for reviews and I hope that you will enjoy new chapter!
thearizona - *nervously chuckled* No, no, no, you don't have to worry. It's not a poisoned cookie. Why would I try to poison you? I would miss your great reviews. And you know even when I ate all my cookies I still have a spare cookie just in case.. You know... Anyway, you will find out more of back story in this and next chapters. Also, thank you for your feedback about grammar. I will look into it as soon as I can, I promise :) Ahh and family reunion... well... ehm... you must wait a bit more.
22ablanchard - Well he knows how to keep going... And knows the right people which helped him.
Aadya845 - Thank you very much for your fantastic review and I'm glad that you like my story. Anyway, for a proper family reunion, you must wait for a few chapters more :)
So enough of me! Enjoy the chapter and until next time!
The boy was watching Viggo's trappers from the cliff while they marched through this Island. Viggo and Ryker were in the front, while his captured dragons were in the middle of his troops. Behind that boy stood a big four-winged dragon and he growled.
"We are ready, Taramis." Taramis smiled while he growled back "Be ready to attack on my signal, Cloudjumper." And with that Cloudjumper went back into the forest behind them.
"My time has come." Taramis said to no one in particular. "For past two years, we prepared. We grew stronger. While you rested in your illusion. Believing that I was already dead." He raised his hand above his head and he clenched it into a fist. He saw how many dragons flew out of a forest and they were now hovering above the tree line. "But you were deceived. As I set my plan into motion. You assumed that with my death, no force could challenge you. And now... I... Have... Returned..." He brought his fist down and with that signal his dragons attacked with ruthless force. He watched as some of Viggo's men fell by his dragons. Some were shredded to pieces in an instant while others screamed in agony.
"Run! Run to the forest!" He smiled when he heard Viggo's shouts as Viggo, Ryker and most of his men ran into the forest. When they started running dragons killed wounded soldiers and freed trapped dragons. When they were done they flew off leaving dead dragon trappers lying on the ground covered in human and dragon blood.
Taramis smile faded as he saw that few of his dragons didn't survive the attack. He then made his way towards the forest. He walked through the forest and after a while he came to the forest clearing where was waiting dozens of different dragons but two were in the middle. One was Cloudjumper and the other one was Tripple strike. The most notable feature was its thick, braided tail.
"Thank you for saving us, dragon child." Tripple strike growled when Taramis came closer.
"It was a pleasure to help you." Taramis growled back.
"You were from Fagravik, weren't you?" Tripple strike asked as he came to Taramis to sniff him.
Taramis nodded and Tripple Stryke continued as he circled him. "What happened there?"
Taramis took a deep breath and said. "For decades, Fagravik stood as a beacon of peace for both dragons and humans. But then Drago came.." With that name, most of the dragons shrunk back and hissed even Tripple Stryke. "And with one savage strike, he brought us to our knees. And now the time is running out. He almost finished his slave dragon army. And I'm the only one, who left to face him. For me, there is only one choice remaining. I must fight. To victory! Or Death! Who is with me?!" He roared and dragons around him roared too. "Everyone who wants to fight head to the king's nest and I will take you from there!" With that, Tripple Stryke and most of the dragons from the clearing flew off.
Taramis came towards Cloudjumper and he nuzzled him. "We lost a few friends, Taramis."
"I know, my friend." Taramis said as he patted Cloudjumper on his nose "Even when our sacrifices are heavy. We fight knowing that a single spark of courage, can ignite the fires of hope. We will restore peace across this land."
"What about your friend and your mate? Why you don't ask for their help?" Cloudjumper warbled at him.
"I don't have friends among humans, Cloudjumper. Also, he chooses his own path two years ago. And she was not my mate, I already said that to you hundred of times. " Taramis growled as he looked to the sky.
Cloudjumper looked to the ground. How he wished to bring old Taramis back.
Viggo's mind raced. He was sure that he killed him two years ago. But this attacked proved him that he was wrong. Terribly wrong. And because of that, he lost a lot of good men.
"What was that, brother?" Ryker asked when they slow down and walked towards the camp.
"A blow from the past." Viggo said as he looked back to check his trappers. He found out that he lost half of his original group.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean that our business will suffer. Again. Because of him." Viggo growled and their camp was at their sight now.
"Sir! Sir!" One of the soldiers shouted when they walked into the camp but when he saw their bloodied clothes and no trapped dragons he halted and asked. "What happened to you, sir?"
"Ambush," Viggo growled. "but what did you want?"
"Oh, right. A messenger from Barbaric Archipelago brought this." The soldier said as he handed a sealed scroll to the Viggo.
"A Berk's seal?" Viggo said as he looked at the seal.
"Last time I remember their chief didn't want to have anything with us." Ryker said as he came to his brother. Viggo then opened the scroll and read it.
"Interesting." Viggo said as he closed the scroll.
"What?" Ryker asked.
"A great chief of Berk, Stoick the Vast himself, is inviting us to the tribals meeting of the Barbaric Archipelago." Viggo said as he started walking deeper into a camp.
"What for?" His brother asked as they entered they command tent.
"I don't know, but I can feel the coin." Viggo said as he placed that scroll to his desk. When he saw a puzzled look on his brother's face he chuckled. "Think, brother. They know that we are the best dragon trappers inside but also outside of the Archipelago. They have a tribals meeting and what else they would want from us if not help with the dragons? And Berk has the biggest treasury than any Island in the Archipelago. And our help will not be cheap. Go, brother. Rest a little. We will leave tomorrow at daybreak."
Ryker made his way to the tent door but then he turned around "With the whole army?"
Viggo sat in his chair with a devilish smirk on his face "With the whole army."
Hiccup was standing in some sort of square. He glanced around but he didn't recognize that place. He then heard shouts of some boy. He turned around and saw how Drago dragged a six years old boy by his arm.
"What do you want from me?" The boy shouted as he struggled against Drago's grip. Hiccup saw tears in boy's eyes and he wanted to jump on Drago, but sadly he couldn't move. Drago then shoved that boy to the ground and he fell on his face. The boy sobbed as he tried to stand up. Hiccup's blood boiled and he clenched his fists. But then when he focused on that boy's face he gasped. He knew him. It was his friend. It was Taramis. Then he was snapped from his thoughts by dark laugh coming from Drago.
"A man can have everything." Drago said as he circled six years old Taramis. He tried to stand up and run but Drago catches him by his collar and sends him again face first to the dirt.
"Dad!" Taramis shouted through his sobs. Hiccup then heard a sound of the fighting somewhere near the village.
"If he is willing to make a sacrifice." Drago continued as he circled Taramis. Taramis curled into a ball as he sobbed. Hiccup tried to move or do something but he couldn't.
"With your birth came a vow. You will have nothing!" Taramis curled even more "Please, stop.." He pleaded.
Drago grabbed him and raised him from the ground. "Your privilege is the dirt." He said as he throws him into the wall of a nearby house. Taramis landed to the ground with a cry of pain. "In this world, only I can help you." He started to walk towards him and Hiccup tried to shout or scream or just do something. "The oaths you will swear, the promises you will make, they will be yours alone." Drago again grabbed him and throw him to the nearby square torch. Taramis screamed and with a sound of snapping, he landed to the ground and his crying was heard all over the square. "Your freedom will be wars I wage." He started to walk towards him again. "Your gift will be your curse. And when you will win my wars, you will face the world's hatred towards you alone!"
"Taramis!" Came a shout and Hiccup snapped his head towards that sound he saw a man in his thirties with long braided red hair. His face was somewhat familiar but Hiccup couldn't place it.
"Dad!" Taramis shouted as that man made his way to him. Meanwhile, two men attacked Drago with swords while he parried with his bullhook. Taramis's father knelt down to his boy and he brought his hands to his face. His face was messed up with blood and dirt and fresh blood was coming from his lips and nose. He brought his hand to boy's chest and he could feel that he had a few ribs broken.
"Oh, Tari. Don't cry, Tari." He cradles him but he saw that Drago is winning his fight. "I'm so sorry." He whispered to his ear as he stood up and with a war cry and ax in his hand he launched on Drago.
"You will not have him!" Taramis father shouted as he attacked Drago.
"When I will kill you, he will have nothing! And then he will be the whole mine!" Drago said as he parried the blow.
Hiccup then saw how Taramis was carefully raised from the ground by a woman which Hiccup recognized. It was Eira. Taramis struggled before he let out a sound like a roar and Hiccup recognized one word. And that word was ‚dad'.
Hiccup woke up with a scream and he found out that it was a night time already. He was sitting on his chair in a forge where he fell asleep. He brought his hands to his face and whispered. "What have I done."
Cami was looking out from the window in the guest room in the Haddock's household. Her nightgown flits around her body in the cold winter breeze. She saw a light of the fire in the forge and she smiled. Hiccup was definitely there like he was for a past week, but she didn't know that he was experiencing his worst nightmare. It was already a week after Hiccup talked to the chief about Viggo. Finally, things were calm here. She received a letter from her mother that she will arrive in two weeks and village started to like Hiccup. They still didn't trust dragons to let them into a village but Hiccup and his dragons worked tirelessly to help the village. They helped to catch boars and fish and also cut down the wood and bring it back to the village from the forest. Teens were enjoying Hiccup's company and everyone wanted to work with him so they would hear his different stories. Even twins and they hated any job. All teens except Astrid. She tried to avoid him for a whole week. Cami knew why. Heather told her but even if she didn't tell her she would have noticed it. Even Astrid's parents noticed it. Every time they accidentally met they smiled warmly at each other when a moment of awkwardness fell off of course and Cami could see how they took glances at each other. Cami and Heather made bets on how long it will take to the duo to became a couple. Cami, however, was not able to calm down for a whole week. She hated to feel this way but she was wondering how it will be if she met him again. She doubted that he will be happy to see her again after their last meeting. She regretted every day after that meeting.
She shook her head as she tried to disperse her thoughts. She sighed and went to her bed where she slowly drifted into slumber.
Cami woke up in her own bed in her own house at her own Island. She didn't understand. She was sure that she fell asleep on Berk. She was snapped from her thoughts by sounds of a fight outside of her house. She ran outside to find her own village burning and overwhelmed by dragons. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but her tears weren't because she saw her village devastated. No, she was brought to tears because of the man who was growling orders to the dragon.
Then his face turned to her as he said. "Cami..."
She took a step towards him "Taramis I..." Her voice trailed off as he continued "Cami.. Why did you leave?" As he said that she took several steps back and her heart ached as if she took an arrow to her chest. His voice was calm but in his eyes, she saw hatred. She gulped and he continued "Where were you when I needed you?"
"I made a choice. I couldn't stay." She said as she took a step towards him.
"You were selfish." He said and she halted "No..." she shook her head.
"You abandoned me!" He shouted and tears fell from her eyes. "You ditched me!"
"Do you know what I have become?" He said again with a calm voice as he gestured around himself.
"No.." she whispered as she took a few steps back. Then images changed and she saw different villages being razed by dragons and then the last image broke her heart. She saw how he knelt in front of a very dark looking man and when she recognized who that was she gasped.
"You are mine now." The man said with a dark chuckle. "Go wreak havoc in hearts of man."
"As you say, my master." He said and Cami couldn't take it anymore.
"NO!" She shouted as she clasped her head. "NO!" She screamed as different memories rushed to her.
Heather woke up to the Cami's screams. She jumped from her bed and she saw that her parents woke up too. Cami darted upstairs with her parents hot on her heels. When she opened the door she saw thrashing Cami on the floor. Valka immediately reacted as she tried to pin down thrashing Cami.
"Heather, get a Gothi here. Stoick, help me." Valka shouted. Heather ran from their house straight to the Gothi's house. It was a bit long trip so when she came to her house she couldn't catch her breath. She bashed on the door and after a moment Gothi opened with a scowl on her face but when she saw Heather her face softened.
"Cami... is.. thrashing... on.. the.. floor.." She tried to say as she tried to catch her breath but then a loud scream could be heard through the whole village. Heather's spine froze when she recognized that painful scream. Gothi didn't wait and she darted from her house into the village. When they arrived into the village, villagers were gathering in front of her house as they tried to find out what was happening. Gothi ran into the house but Heather was looking for the Gobber. When she saw him she shouted. "Gobber go into the house! We need someone to translate."
"Aye!" He shouted and ran into the house.
"Heather, what is happening?" Astrid came to her. Heather looked at her and she saw that she had a big fur coat wrapped around her. She probably had only her nightgown so she took her father's coat. That reminded Heather that she too had only her nightgown on her and it shows more of her body then she wants to show.
"I don't know... Something is wrong with Cami... I'm going inside if I found out something, I will come to tell you." Heather said and darted inside. She ran upstairs and she saw that her parents were trying to pin Cami to the bed as Gothi tried to examine her. She then took some kind of herb from her waist pouch and tried to hold it close to the Cami's nose. After a moment Cami's thrashing ceased. Gothi then left that herb on Cami's face as she took a few steps back from the bed. She took some sand from her other pouch and dropped it to the floor. Then she started writing with her staff.
Gobber came to her and started reading. "She says that she had a big flying fish." When he said that she whack him with her staff to his head. "Ah, big emotional shock." He corrected himself. "But it looks like a flying fish." He muttered and she whacked him again.
"Emotional shock?" Valka asked in bewilderment. Truth to be said Heather was in the same shock like her mother. Gothi continued with her writing and Gobber translated. "She says that in her dream she saw something like a memory which was extremely painful to her. And that memory led into a powerful nightmare which later resulted in the shock. We need to know which memory was so painful to her so when Camicazi will wake up we can calm her down."
"Heather you are her best friend along with Astrid. Did she said something about her most painful memory?" Stoick asked as he looked at his daughter.
Heather shook her head and said "No.. but there is someone who could know."
"Hiccup." Valka said and Heather nodded.
"Heather go, bring him here." Stoick said and Heather darted out from their house. She saw Astrid and her parents standing in front of her house as rest of the village waiting for the news. She came to them and when Ansfrida saw her she asked.
"Heather, what's going on?"
"Cami had an emotional shock." She said and Hofferson family looked at her in shock. "We need to know what was a cause of that and only one who could know is Hiccup. Do you know where he is?" As if on cue Heather, Ansfrida and Asmund looked at Astrid.
"What?" She asked puzzled. "I don't know where he is. I'm spending a little time with him, not like everyone else."
Heather shooked her head. "We must find him and quickly."
When Hiccup woke up from that terrible dream he went straight into the forest. It was the only place where he could calm down. But now it was nearly impossible because his memories rushed to him and they were hitting him like a hammer.
"Choose what is right, not what is easy Hiccup!" Taramis's voice shouted in his head. Hiccup shook his head as he tried to get rid of his memories.
"When you surrender hope, you surrender life!"
"Why was I so stupid!" Hiccup groaned as he brought his hands to his head. He came onto a cliff overlooking the whole village. When he saw a big crowd in front of chief's house he knew that something was wrong. He turned around and darted back into the village.
Mildew watched big crowd in front of chief's house and he knew that this was his only chance. He went silently into the dock with his sheep on his heels. When he arrived at a dock he threw a satchel onto a small ship and untied a rope holding that ship. He picked up his sheep and stepped onto a deck. When he was a quite away from the Berk he turned around and muttered. "You will pay for this treachery Stoick as your whole village." And then he set his course towards Outcast Island.
Astrid, her parents and Heather were looking for Hiccup around a village. When they didn't found him in the forge they started looking for him around the village.
"Nothing?" Heather asked as she came to the square where Astrid and her parents were standing. Astrid shook her head and Heather cursed.
"Where he could be?"
"Was someone in the arena?" Ansfrida asked and Heather with Astrid glanced at each other. Hiccup said that it would be good if no one from the village would come close to the arena because dragons still didn't trust them either.
"What's going on?" Suddenly Hiccup voice came from behind them. They turned around and saw Hiccup stand there and Astrid could see dark circles under his eyes. She could tell that he didn't sleep well.
"It's Cami. We found her thrashing and screaming on the floor. Gothi said that she fell into an emotional shock because of her painful memories or something like that. Do you know what could cause that?" Heather didn't hesitate to say. Astrid saw how Hiccup frowned and she could clearly saw the pain in his face. But she didn't know why.
Oh, Cami. Hiccup sighed. He knew that she was a bit restless when she found out that she would meet Taramis again, but he didn't expect this.
"Yes, I know what could cause that." He said as he starts walking towards chief's house. They asked him what he meant, but he didn't answer them, so they started following him silently. When they arrived at the house, villagers made a way for them and they went inside. When Hiccup went upstairs, he saw how Valka was holding the wet cloth on Cami's forehead, Stoick standing behind her and Gothi with Gobber made some kind of ointments in the corner.
"Finally." Stoick said when they entered. "She woke up a long time now, but she didn't say or did anything."
Hiccup shook his head as he came to the one side of the bed where he sat down. Everyone in the room was watching him as he squeezed her right hand.
"Cami.." He softly said and he saw her eyes twitch behind her eyelids. "Don't torture yourself. You couldn't disobey your mother." Hiccup said and everyone was looking at him in bewilderment.
"But I could tell her the truth. I could do so much but I was a coward. He needed me and I abandoned him." Cami said with shaky breath and she still didn't open her eyes.
"Cami, you know that he..." Hiccup tried to said but she interrupted him "We both abandoned him. He had no one, only us and we practically ditched him, only because we both were cowards. He was ready to put his life for us and what did we do? When he needed us we said no." She opened her eyes and took her hand from his. She then sat up and hugged her knees not caring that she looked so weak in front of other people than Hiccup, Taramis or her mother.
Hiccup looked down because he knew that she speaks truth.
"You know what he always said? ‚When we are surrounded by war, we must eventually choose a side.' He kept saying this. But we didn't listen. He taught you so much about dragons and he wanted nothing in return. But when he asked you for help with the queen you turn him down. You said that peace is more important. When he asked for your help with Drago's trappers, you again turn him down. You said that he will never be able to take the whole archipelago and you know what he said?" She asked and Hiccup silently said. "Overconfidence is the most dangerous form of carelessness."
"Exactly.. And he was right. And me? He loved me and I failed him. Do you know what he said when I kissed him for the first time? He said ‚It's funny and sad at once, how this world works. For everything you gain, you lose something else. I got you and Hiccup, yet I lost Eira at the same time.' But then he lost everything, again. You refused to help him and I ditched him. Only because I didn't say, my mom, the truth. I was afraid that I will lose him if I say, my mother, the truth, but in the end, I lost him because I didn't say her truth. Do you know how he must felt?"
"No..." Hiccup said and it was truth. Even when he had a hard life.
"What if he hate us?" Cami asked and Hiccup couldn't look into her eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised and neither would you. Think twice what will you do when you meet him again. Now leave me all of you. I want to be alone." She said as she hid her head behind her legs.
For a while, no one has moved but then Gothi started to push everyone out from the room. When they were out she waited for Hiccup. He sat there for a while but then he stood up and went out of the room. Gothi left as last. When Hiccup came down he said. "I'm going back to the arena." And darted out from the chief house.
