THIRTEEN

BREAKING POINT

They tried desperately to escape, but they failed to do so. They were afraid. They didn't want to die on this night, but the one-legged Viking had his intentions. They knew it, and they didn't want to have anything to do with it. As they realized that their deaths would be inevitable as soon as the Viking raised his axe, they held each other's hands and waited for the strike.

But someone arose from the dead forest and made a fast and aggressive charge toward the gang of Vikings who kept their two young hostages in fear. Once he spotted his old friend, Stoick the Vast couldn't give him a chance to give in to his hatred. He sprinted as fast as he could and stopped just in time for his friend to be interrupted by this unexpected visitor.

"Gobber, stop!"

Stoick had to be careful when dealing with Gobber and his five acquaintances. They stood right on the edge of a cliff, with the base appearing to be at least one mile deep. Stoick ignored the other five Vikings who raised their axes and hammers in case of an attack. He could see the confusion and fierce determination in their eyes.

"He knows me. I am his friend."

They still didn't lower their weapons, but that didn't matter. Stoick just didn't want Gobber to lose his mind, even if it already happened just one day ago.

Gobber looked absolutely demented. The two Mongolian teenagers sat on their knees, stunned at the sudden intrusion that could have set off a break in Gobber's new pattern. The boy and girl still held each other's hands, making them look like a young couple ready for some unnecessary trauma in their lives. Stoick couldn't blame them for feeling so frightened.

He kept calm as he said, "Let them go, Gobber. They're not worth it."

Gobber narrowed his eyes. His loss of common sense seemed complete at this time. "How can I trust you? How can I be sure that you didn't drink his blood?"

"Trust me. I'm not on their side. I'm still your friend."

Gobber started to growl. "Then who is that behind you?"

Stoick turned around to see Denin stepping a little closer with a dagger in his hand. Stoick used his hand as a signal to put away his weapon immediately.

"He's one of us. He is Reverix's nephew. You remember Reverix, don't you?"

Gobber didn't respond to that specific question. Instead, he said, "Don't stop me. This has to be done."

He grabbed the female teenager's neck.

Stoick took another few steps forward. "They didn't do anything to you. They're not the ones we have to look for."

Gobber growled again. "It doesn't matter anymore. You've seen what happened in this island. This is our only chance to fight back."

In a slow movement, he raised his axe and drew it closer to the Mongolian teenager's neck. "If it means eliminating every descendant on this island, then I am willing to be the one to make it happen."

The teenage Mongol still tried to escape Gobber's grasp, but her struggle proved meaningless as she could only gaze at the slow-moving axe with complete dread. The sharp edge of the axe had touched the skin on her face.

Gobber seemed to chuckle with amusement. "I have learned that happiness is only achieved by bloodshed."

Stoick had to stay calm, even if he wanted to kick that axe away from Gobber's hand. "You don't know what you're talking about. You need more time to relax and see that you are dealing with innocent people."

"There are no innocent people on this island."

Gobber pressed the axe against the young Mongol's face. She gasped, as she must have felt a stinging sensation. The skin hadn't been pierced just yet, however, and Stoick kept his eyes on a possible wound waiting to emerge.

"Put the axe down, Gobber."

Gobber didn't obey. "You're in denial. I can see it in your eyes."

"Just put your axe down and no one will get hurt. We don't need to make things worse."

"Stop it, Stoick. You can't save them. You can't save him."

Stoick almost held his breath.

Gobber showed off his most sadistic smile yet. "Don't lie to yourself. He's no longer your son."

He pressed the axe against the Mongol's skin even deeper. This time, a thin trial of blood burst out of a newly made puncture on her chin.

Stoick stepped even closer. "Don't do it."

Gobber's laugh was spine-chilling. "I'm sorry, but you can't stop me. I have the freedom to end it all."

Suddenly, Stoick charged right at him. He pulled the axe right off the young Mongol's face and threw it down on the dirt floor.

"Snap out of it, Gobber!"

The other Vikings began to lunge at Stoick and try to pull him away. Stoick ignored them and kept a firm grip on Gobber's clothes. He mustered all his strength to push the Mongol teenager away from Gobber's hands.

"Stop right now!"

Gobber didn't stop laughing like a lost soul. He and his Vikings spent their time pushing this intruder away from their own danger zone.

Meanwhile, Denin could do nothing but watch the anarchy unfold between old friends. He would have tried to help Stoick, but the other Vikings would prove to be a threat if Gobber had done his damage on this island for the sake of the gods.

Stoick didn't let go of Gobber, even if the other Vikings tried to pull him away. He needed to bring Gobber back to reality. He needed him to leave this island without a hint of impairment in either his heart or soul.

Suddenly, a recognizable roar in the distance made him gaze at the cliffs behind Gobber. He could see clouds and dead trees surrounding each mountainside. And in just a few seconds, a shadowy figure emerged from one of the clouds and spread its wings wide before making a quick charge at its enemy. Stoick's eyes widened. Even if it only lasted for a few seconds, he could still decipher the shape of Toothless the dragon and its rider, who wielded his sword and held it high.

Stoick grabbed Gobber by the shoulders. "Get down!"

He brought Gobber and the Mongol teenager down to the ground and lay flat on his stomach. He watched as Toothless swept across the cliff with quick speed. He could feel a soft breeze brought upon by the dragon's swift movement. He also had the time to see the rider pointing his sword straight down and taking his next victim. It had happened so fast that Stoick couldn't even see his son's mask as he and Toothless disappeared into the forest.

One of the other Vikings screamed. Stoick turned to see him with a new mark on his head. A straight black line had been formed at the top of the head and ended right between his eyes. Blood poured out of his new wound. Stoick realized that Hiccup had sliced through the Viking's head and split it in two. The screaming Viking collapsed on the floor and ended with a silent twitching all over his body.

Gobber yelled, "Arm yourselves!"

He and the other Vikings stood up and brandished their weapons, ranging from axes to hammers. Stoick could see Denin wielding his dagger as he looked straight ahead at the darkened forest. The Viking with the split head no longer screamed and lay motionless in a puddle of his own blood.

Stoick, Gobber, Denin, and the other anticipated another strike from Hiccup and Toothless. Everything went silent once more. They waited for the dragon to roar.

Gobber shouted at the forest, "Show yourself, Hiccup! We're ready for anything!"

Stoick stepped closer. "Gobber, no! I want him alive."

"We can't let that happen."

"Don't you dare kill my son! Remember what he has done back home."

Gobber growled. "All I can remember is what he has done on this island."

Stoick opened his mouth but couldn't say anything after what he had heard from Gobber just now.

Suddenly, Toothless roared again in the darkness. The Vikings didn't have time to assess the situation, seeing as how Toothless emerged for the second time and soared right above them. The same sword that killed the first Viking had returned. And this time, it claimed another victim. It sliced open another Viking's neck. She gurgled blood from out of her mouth and out of her neck before she fell to the floor.

Gobber yelled, "You can't scare me, Hiccup!"

Toothless turned around and made its third charge official. Stoick, however, could see Hiccup standing up from his saddle, and as soon as Toothless flew right past them, Hiccup jumped right off and landed near the group of Vikings.

The two Mongol teenagers made a dash for the forest and never looked back. The Vikings had already forgotten about them.

Stoick, Gobber, and Denin stayed close as Hiccup stood up straight and wielded his sword, which was already drenched with blood from top to bottom. Hiccup's reptilian foot, as well as his tiger-shaped mask and overall oriental attire, remained the same. He didn't say anything just yet. He stood like a calm but ominous assassin ready to see his enemies bleed.

Gobber gritted his teeth. "Don't intimidate us like that."

With three acquaintances left, he ran right for Hiccup. The other three were right behind him. Stoick and Denin stayed away. Gobber raised his axe high, but Hiccup moved fast. A quick decision prompted him to swing his sword and injure Gobber on the arm. Gobber almost collapsed as he dropped his axe and applied the right pressure to his new wound.

Hiccup had his eyes on the three acquaintances who surrounded him. One of them immediately raised his hammer. But the man in the mask made his retaliation seem easy. He swung his sword right at the incoming Viking, who had to step away for a moment before joining his other two companions for their simultaneous attack.

Stoick and Denin had to watch with amazement. Hiccup did everything he could to avoid the hammer and the axes that came his way. The three acquaintances made it appear that Hiccup would have trouble protecting himself against those who were forced to become his opponents. But then, he managed to prove that theory unreliable. He swung his sword at all three of them many times. They couldn't raise their weapons any longer. They fell to the floor and lay lifeless.

Gobber managed to stand up and ignore the wound on his arm. He raised his axe, but Hiccup brought it down with his own sword.

Stoick could see Hiccup about to strike Gobber without hesitation. He yelled, "Stop!"

Hiccup immediately turned his head and delayed his attack.

Stoick waited for a reply, but his son didn't say a word. Instead, the chief had to stay calm even if Gobber narrowed his eyes at him.

"Hiccup, please. Don't kill him."

Gobber growled. "You're only encouraging him."

Stoick couldn't see anything behind Hiccup's mask. He had hoped he could at least see his son's eyes, but they were shrouded in darkness.

"Hiccup, please. Listen to your father. You don't have to do this."

Gobber blurted, "Are you crazy?!"

It made his blood boil, but Stoick tried hard not to lose his temper. "Hiccup needs help. We can bring him back."

Hiccup stood frozen. It was as if he anticipated a hidden motive from Stoick.

Gobber suddenly grabbed Hiccup from behind and hurled him to the ground. "It's no use, Stoick! He's mine!"

Hiccup kicked him in the shoulder. That didn't stop Gobber from punching him in the stomach.

Stoick was about to pull them apart, but then he saw something from above. Several arrows emerged from the forest. Their launch resulted in a swooping arc in the air. But what caught Stoick's attention were the fiery tips on all of them.

"No!"

He ran toward Hiccup, drag him off the ground, and pull him further into the forest and away from the fiery arrows. Gobber and Denin, after noticing the incoming projectiles, quickly followed Stoick from behind. All four of them managed to move out of the way and avoid the arrows, which landed in the exact same spot where they all once stood. They made it with only two seconds to spare.

Stoick knew that various people in the forest had already chosen Hiccup as their target. He kept his son close. But Hiccup already moved away from them to pick up his sword in the distance.

Stoick followed him. "Run, Hiccup! Don't let them burn you alive!"

Hiccup looked at him in silence, as if confused as to why this stranger didn't want him dead.

Stoick was now desperate. "Don't attack! Just run! Please!"

After a few seconds of no motion, Hiccup finally turned around and made a run for it. His swift jump off the cliff was followed by a dragon's roar. Stoick watched as Hiccup made a safe landing on Toothless. Both dragon and rider departed and disappeared into the night.

Gobber stood up and pushed Stoick with aggression. "You are an idiot! You just let a heartless renegade loose into the wild."

"He's my son, and you know it."

"Oh, yes. Keep telling yourself that."

Gobber's sarcastic tone almost put a dent in Stoick's composure. The one-legged Viking turned around and ran in the opposite direction.

"I'll put an end to this, and you can't stop me!"

Denin sounded confused. "Shouldn't we stop him?"

Stoick shook his head. "We can't do anything about it."

They watched as Gobber vanished in the dead forest.

But on the other side of the forest, a large group consisting of Vikings and other different individuals emerged out of the woods and showed themselves. Stoick could only recognize two of them: Drago and Reverix.

Denin seemed so delighted to see them again. "I'm so glad to see you again!"

He ran up to those who were the same age as his: three other pirates originating from three different countries. Stoick was less than pleased to see Drago again. He ran right for Drago, grabbed him by his shoulders, and pushed him against a tree. Almost everyone was surprised to see such an aggressive reaction.

Stoick looked straight into Drago's eyes and made his intentions clear. "Now, you listen to me. You will never dare to attack my son. You will stay away from him, and you if it's ever possible, you will help me take him back. Do you understand me?"

Drago didn't seem fazed by Stoick's anger. "I have no choice. The Dragon Riders are now a threat to this world."

"Just do as I say!"

"Do not make this harder than it should be."

Reverix stepped in. "I'm sorry to barge in, but I think it's best we leave this place. The Dragon Riders may return soon. My friends and I still don't know what they are capable of, but we have a good feeling that it isn't charming at all."

Drago nodded. "That is the only good option."

Stoick didn't look away. "That will only happen if you promise me to stay away from them."

"I can't promise you that."

Stoick turned around. "Then I will go my own way."

Reverix stopped him. "You can't go out there alone. We can help you. I care about Hiccup as well. We can work together and rescue him."

Stoick stopped. "Is that a promise?"

"Yes. But first, you must tell us what is happening. Everything about this island is a little puzzling to us."

Stoick looked back at Drago, whose expression didn't change.

The Chief of Berk ultimately replied, "Anyone who wants my son alive follow me."

He left the area without questioning. Everyone watched him move deeper into the forest.

Denin remarked, "Well, I think it's fairly obvious."

He left the entire group behind and started to follow Stoick. Reverix and the other pirates did the same. Both Denin and Reverix looked back to see Drago unmoved by the mass migration. He and his comrades just stood still as Stoick led everyone else to a different location.

TO BE CONTINUED…