Chapter Eleven

A/N: Some...unintentional FishlegsxAstrid pairing in this one... I DIDN'T MEAN TO, I SWEAR! It just sort of *happened*. I mean, it's not really romantic...it's just...well...you'll see I guess.

In response to...

RazzlePazzleDooDot: To answer your questions (in order): You'll just have to wait and see what happens if/when he takes over. The Dark One would possess him, meaning it would be the same as when Hinrik took over (his personality with Hiccup trapped inside.) You'll see how one makes a Tether in the coming chapters. And ACTUALLY...you'll get to meet the Dark One in-person and yes, he/she does have a character role... *evil grin*. When Aragwen had the black bone as a Tether, the Dark One was able to 'manifest' in the real world through it. With a human body as a vessel...well..you'll just have to see. XD

Wanli8970: Yes and yes. :)

Hiccup stares into the empty air, his eyes slightly wide. But in all, he looks more frozen than anything. As if the terror has chilled him to the core. Becoming a vessel for the Dark One...? That's what Aragwen wants him for? Suddenly, dying doesn't sound so bad in comparison.

Hiccup has had his fair share of experience with being possessed and it isn't fun. And that was when it was Hinrik who had taken his body... Not some corrupt, evil spirit. Just the thought of being locked away in his own body, screaming at the top of his lungs but no one able to hear him, not being able to control what he says or does... It makes him feel sick.

"Wh-what can we do...?" Hiccup whispers. "There's got to be something we can do to stop this..."

At first, Hinrik says nothing. Then, when he speaks again, he says, "I don't know how much I'll be able to do...but there is something I want to try."

"What can I do? Just say the word!"

"Go home, Hiccup." Hinrik orders. "That's the safest place for you right now. Find you dad and your dragon and stay there! Even if you have to tie yourself down! DO NOT leave your village!"

"Uh, Right." Hiccup gingerly lifts up one of his feet, almost afraid that Aragwen may be taking hold again. But, obviously, she hasn't noticed her control has slipped... He's free for the moment. In that instant, he feels the other boy's presence beginning to fade. "Hinrik, wait a second!" He calls out.

"What is it?"

Hiccup hesitates. "Be careful."

There's a bitterness in his laugh when he says, "Worry about yourself right now. There's nothing more my mother can do to hurt me. I'm already dead." With that, Hinrik vanishes into thin air as if he never existed...

It takes nearly a half an hour for Hiccup to find the tree line once again. This isn't the section of woods he's familiar with so it takes a lot of back tracking and getting turned around for him to finally find his way out. But once he does, he finds little relief. His whole body hurts. How long as it been since he drank that potion...? Six hours? Ten hours? He's lost track... Not that it matters anyway. He has no idea how long it will take for the poison to kick in.

That is, assuming it already hasn't. He feels terrible but that might just be exhaustion from tramping through the woods all day. But now, like a beacon of hope, he can see the many plumes of smoke that drift out of the chimneys in his home village. He's so close. Can't give up yet...

One foot at a time, he trudges out of the overgrowth and into the more tamed fields of grass that lay between him and home. The air is surprisingly warm now, especially for it being winter... There is no frost on the ground, no heavy clouds hanging low in the sky. Just a clear blue and radiant sun beaming down on him.

If he didn't feel so sick, he might actually enjoy this.

Hiccup stumbles a little further, his heart thundering away in his chest as if struggling to keep the oxygen flowing through him. And, indeed, he is feeling awfully breathless. There are little silver stars in the corners of his vision, his ears ring just a little and his stomach is twisted into painful, nauseating knots.

He wishes he could just lay down for a while, close his eyes just for a minute... At that thought, a delicate breeze brushes his cheek. Its warmth lulls his eyes closed and he stops walking. Hiccup stands there, his eyes shut, body wobbling back and forth.

He's so tired...and cold...

He just...wants...to sleep...

"It's okay..." A gentle voice tells him. "You can rest now. You're safe."

No... He fights, weakly. I'm supposed to...go home...Hinrik said...

"He was wrong, Hiccup." The voice whispers softly, slowly. "He was only worried when he said all that. You're perfectly safe here."

No... He pushes again, trying to pry open his eyes. I have to...find my dad...and Toothless...Hinrik said...

"Shhh..."

And he stops arguing. His lips suddenly feel to heavy to move, too tired... Maybe...maybe this voice is right. Maybe he really is safe here...

"It's okay," The voice purrs. "Just relax...go to sleep."

And so he does, lulled by the hypnotic promises of this mysterious voice. His knees go weak...and he slumps toward the ground. However, before his consciousness is totally evaporated, he hears a different voice.

A man's voice.

"HICCUP!"

"HICCUP!" Stoick shouts as soon as he sees his son, standing there on the edge of the forest. The teen's eyes are closed, his frail-looking body wavering on unsteady feet. He looks like he's ready to collapse any second now. What on earth happened to him?!

Toothless screeches and darts forward, sprinting the whole way to his young Rider's side. As soon as the dragon reaches him, Hiccup's knees give and he crumples, falling over Toothless's back until he's dangling in the saddle.

Stoick reaches them in two seconds flat. He knees down beside his son's Night Fury and tilts the boy's head up, inspecting his pale, red-cheeked face. With a grim expression on his face, Stoick slips his arms under Hiccup's legs and shoulders, cradling him against his chest.

"Come on, Toothless. Let's get him home."

Astrid's brow is knotted in concentration as she nudges open the door to Fishleg's room with her hip. There's a heavy wooden tray in her hands, weighed down with a steaming mug of warm yak milk and some fresh rolls which his mother cooked just this morning. She offers a smile to the sleepy-looking viking and sets the tray onto his lap. "There you are, Fishlegs. Can I get you anything else before I go?"

He grins, apologetically and shakes his head. "No, I'm good! Thanks for everything, Astrid. I take back all those times when I said you're mean."

She smirks, tightly and shrugs it off. "Nevermind that. I'm just glad you're still kicking. The Academy wouldn't be the same without you and Meatlug."

He blushes a little. "R-really? You think so?"

"Of course!" She plants her hands on her hips. "Losing any one of us would be terrible! Well...other than Snotlout, I guess."

Fishlegs chuckles and reaches down to pet Meatlug, who is sleeping peacefully at the side of his bed. "Well, thanks again for everything, Astrid. I really appreciate all your help."

She nods and half turns toward the door. "It's not a problem. Just focus on getting back on your feet so Hiccup and I won't be outnumbered by Snotlout and the twins for much longer..." She expects him to laugh and remark on how he'll do his best...but he doesn't. When Astrid looks back at him, she notices a...dark look on his face. "Fishlegs?" She asks. "Is something wrong?"

He hesitates before meeting her gaze. "I...remembered what I was thinking right before I crashed." He admits, suddenly.

Her eyes narrow. What relevance does that have? "Oh?"

"Y-yeah...when you mentioned Hiccup, I suddenly just...remembered."

Now that catches her attention. "Hiccup?"

He nods. "Right before I crashed...I was thinking about the Academy and how I was wondering what Hiccup was going to have us do next... It was like...as soon as I thought of Hiccup, my mind went all hazy. I felt cold all over and then, out of no where, I couldn't move! I crashed right after that."

Astrid stares at him, trying to put together what he's getting at.

"And now...I'm still a little woozy feeling. And when you said Hiccup's name a minute ago..." He hesitates again, obviously uncomfortable admitting this. But Astrid needs know now. She kneels beside his bed and grabs his wrist, staring directly into his eyes when she says,

"Fishlegs, tell me! This could be important!"

"I uh..." He swallows. "When you said his name...I got a really bad feeling. Like he's...he's..."

"He's what?!" She demands.

"It felt like he was...dead. Like for a split-second...I was mourning him."

Aragwen glares into the meadow, her eyes blazing furiously. Hiccup is not here. Why is he not here?! With a frustrated growl, she reaches out to him, feeling for his soul. She finds it...still within Berk. What on earth is he doing there?! Someone must have intervened and stopped him from leaving.

But then, she searches a little deeper and a troubled frown tugs down the corners of her mouth. This isn't good... Hiccup is nowhere near the clearing and the poison is beginning to take effect. At this rate, even pushing him won't be enough to get him here in time.

And if he doesn't make it to the cave in time for the ritual... Then all is lost. Her precious host will die and the Dark One will be lost to this world until she can find another! She can't let that happen!

And so, she races to her cave to prepare the necessary spell circle. This is going to be close... She has to hurry.