Chapter 21

"Too bad life's too short for some of us to actually experience true freedom."

Jack turned, his staff held at the ready. All around him the cave grew dark, as if any and all light was being sucked away. All the teens looked around the cave, eyes squinting with the little light that remained. After a moment, Fishlegs cried out, running for the opening. He tripped over his own feet and tumbled through the fog layer and out of sight.

Jack. It is a rogue. Toothless shook his head, moving closer to the ice spirit and obscuring Hiccup's view. He let out a light growl, as a warning to the other dragons, who immediately went on high alert.

Jack's eyes scanned the cave.

Behind Snotlout, a figure began to emerge; materializing from the shadows. All the other dragons hissed and growled, taking steps away from the creature materializing behind the young Viking. Snotlout and the other Vikings seemed completely oblivious to the thing's presence.

We must be extremely careful Jack. Toothless' eyes turned slightly to glance at Jack. All stars have different temperaments. He could snap at the slightest syllable. Whatever happens, don't be reckless.

Jack nodded, keeping his eyes on the forming mass.

"Jack? What's going on?" Hiccup tried to peek between Jack and Toothless. His voice was so soft. Jack's heart pinched.

Your recklessness will be the end of you both.

You have to live Hic. I love you. Jack thought, trying to clear his head enough to think. He had a job to do- protect his human love, the boy's tribe, and defeat this rogue star, all while living.

"It's a rogue star Hiccup. It is the only being that causes the mighty Toothless to have nightmares. Can you see?"

"No… but, I can hear. And the dragons are all freaking out." Hiccup's voice seemed smaller and quieter as he continued to look for the owner of the deep hollow voice. "Did this… rogue star… do this?"

Jack turned his head slightly to look into Hiccup's paling face. It seemed he knew the answer before Jack spoke.

"Yes."

Jack turned back, his eyes narrowing slightly as he focused on the figure. How could Hiccup hear, but not see?

It's in the shadows Jack. The dark and the fog make it hard for human eyes to see. We are very different. Your eyes are like mine- keen. Hiccup is lucky he can still see your cape.

Jack nodded, thanking Toothless silently for explaining. Sometimes, when he talked with the mighty dragon, he felt like a complete idiot. In all honesty, Jack regularly forgot that Hiccup was only a human; a small, fragile human.

The figure moved slowly out of the shadows and clearly into Jack Jack's line of sight. Jack's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he took in the figure's form. He heard Hiccup let out a small gasp behind him, and Jack knew Hiccup could now see.

A man stood next to Snotlout. He was extremely tall, about as tall as Stormfly, and extremely skinny. Not a sickly thin like Stoick was, but a well toned, muscular thin. His face was angular, with a pointed chin and crooked nose. His hair was a frosty white, much like Jack's hair. It was long, all the way down to his calves. Half of it seemed to be pulled back behind his head, but even with it pulled back the man's ears could not be seen.

His skin was a pale cream color- and he seemed to glow. The light that seemed to glow around him was a light buttery yellow man's eyes were a deep purple color, with a power that seemed to suck Jack into unconsciousness.

"Who are you?" Jack asked, his voice hardening. Astrid looked at Jack with a confused stare. Snotlout looked left and right, his grey green eyes narrowing.

"Ummm… Jack?" Astrid said nervously. "Who are you talking to?"

"My name is Axel Night." The man said, his hollow voice sounding a little scratchy. "And you are the young spirit that has been annoying Man in the Moon for fifty-eight years… Frost, is it?"

Jack's eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip on the staff. Frost was slowly creeping up the curve of the slender wood, heading toward the tip.

Jack.

"And you…" Axel said, turning his gaze to Toothless, "Are called Toothless. You are a Night Fury- the second most dangerous and powerful dragon in the world. How fun. I do hope you are stronger than the other dragons I have had. The stronger a soul is; the more fun it is to drain."

Toothless hissed. You won't get a chance. I'll see to that.

"Oh? What's going to stop me? Surely not your little human. Hiccup… Hiccup. Aren't you glad I kept him alive for you?"

Hiccup's eyes widened and he turned back to his father. Stoick lay gasping for air, but nothing had changed. His beard was now pure white, his eyes almost completely dimmed out.

"Hiccup?" Astrid took a step toward the brunette, her big blue eyes misty with tears. Her hands were shaking a little bit. She froze when Jack met her eyes with an intense glare.

"Hiccup…" Stoick rasped, reaching blindly for Hiccup's hand.

Hiccup took a step back to try to grab his father's hand. But before he could grab it, Stoick's hand dropped back to his side.

"You… Must… Get… Out. Protect… Yourself… And… The… Tribe."

"No dad. I won't leave you." Hiccup's voice cracked again as he looked nervously to Jack.

"I… Can't… Watch… You… Die." Stoick whispered, closing his eyes tiredly.

Jack. We must protect the tribe. At all costs.

Jack nodded, moving as slowly as he could to get closer to the star.

Axel began to glow a little brighter and Jack froze completely, looking through the corner of his eye to his love and Stoick. Stoick shook slightly, seeming to fight an invisible being at his throat as he gasped for air. Hiccup's eyes widened into saucers as he knelt at his father's side. His tiny hands were wrapped around Stoick's large left hand.

"He is fighting eternal sleep. Still. How delightful. This is so fun." Axel smiled, his eyes sucking Jack away from everything. His smiled faded. In his hand was a long dagger. "Although… it is getting extremely annoying. Much like how humans feel when bit by a bug."

The dagger shimmered and glinted, even though they were covered in shadow. Axel began to spin the dagger through his fingers. Flicking his wrist, the dagger switched hands and the dagger began to spin in his other hand. Jack's mind was beginning to dull and he was struggling to keep his focus.

"Well, maybe if I play with my new toys for a little while, he will be ready to give in."

Jack! Look out.

Before Jack could register what Toothless said, he felt a sharp pain rake along his arm. He could hear his tunic ripping cleanly apart. The pain began to dull to a burn.

"Ahh…" Jack hissed in anguish as he dropped his staff to grab his arm.

"Jack!" Hiccup shouted, dropping his father's hand and running up to him, his bright green eyes shining with unshed tears. "Are you okay?"

"What's going on?" Astrid asked quietly.

"Astrid, Snotlout. Ruffnut and Tuffnut, get out of here. Take Stoick with you. Get back to Berk." Jack ordered through clenched teeth. The pain was slowly getting stronger and he was starting to see spot of color from the pain. "Find Fishlegs and get him out too."

The teens nodded and began to move toward Stoick.

"Hiccup. Go with them." Jack turned away from Axel to look the brunette in the eyes. Before Hiccup could respond, a hollow, gravelly voice spoke.

"How reckless."

Another searing pain formed across his back. Jack cried out and arched his back. He pushed Hiccup away from him and into Toothless.

"Jack!"

Jack ignored the call and turned away from Hiccup and back to Axel, tears stinging his eyes and blurring his vision slightly. If he had to sacrifice his life for his Viking and his tribe, he would. Toothless would protect Hiccup. Jack knew he could ensure his little Viking's protection.

He picked up his staff and held it, not quite at the ready, but pretty close.

The pain in his back began to dull like the one in his arm had. Blood trickled lightly down his arm. Jack shuddered, feeling his blood draining from and dripping down his back. This feeling was not one he cared for.

He heard all the teens freeze and turn. He didn't have to see them to know they were watching what was going on. They really didn't listen well to him. If he had been Hiccup and given them an order they probably would have followed it to the 'T'. But, even Hiccup wasn't listening to him.

Jack. You cannot do this alone.

Toothless was grumbling lowly, his wing hovering protectively over a visibly fuming Hiccup. Jack's heart pinched again. Of course Hiccup wouldn't listen. This was dangerous, and Jack was trying to take it on alone.

Hopefully, he wouldn't be fighting alone. Hopefully, he would just be buying time for the Guardians to show up. They would come, since a rogue star was an issue to everyone, wouldn't they? It was kind of their job to protect the humans… and this rogue could destroy all that the Guardians protected. They would come, and he would have given them time to get here…

Maybe, if he chose his reply to Toothless wisely, the teens would understand what he was trying to do.

"Toothless, protecting Hiccup and the tribe comes before anything else."

He heard Astrid gasp. At least she understood. If she understood his meaning, she could coerce the others to continue.

Jack forced his eyes to meet Axel's. Determination was expressed clearly in his bright blue eyes. Axel's dark purple eyes did not waver from the young spirit's, holding him in a cruel stare. The knife still glimmered in his hand.

Suddenly, the knife disappeared from Axel's hand. Replacing it was a blob; a light golden colored blob, of dust. It was eerily similar to Sandy's dreamsand. It floated around Axel's hand lazily and softly, like silk. Axel smiled, his eyes gleaming.

Jack shivered once more, but this time not from the blood dripping down his back. The look on Axel's face was so evil, his hairs stood on end and he got goose bumps. Why would Man in the Moon want to create something with such an evil capacity?

"Jack." Jack blinked rapidly, keeping his eyes locked on the star. The man had replaced the blob of dust with a long, glittering rope. He was swinging it lazily.

"You like fun, right?" The hollow voice held a certain amount of huskiness, making Jack shudder internally. He watched as Axel's eyes darted quickly to Hiccup and then back, his eyes filling with mischievous evil. Jack looked behind him to Hiccup, who was no longer fuming. He was glaring at Axel, his green eyes seeming to glow with anger in the dim light of the cave.

Jack smiled quickly, trying to assure himself that nothing was going to happen to his beloved little Viking. He turned back to Axel, his eyes a little wider than normal. What was he planning?

"Well, don't you like to have fun?"

"Yes… I do like fun…" Jack replied slowly, his hands shaking just the slightest. He suddenly had a feeling of dread. "Why?"

The last question was no louder than a breath. But, Axel smiled as if he had heard the question in a normal voice. He ignored it for a moment, looking around to the teens.

"All of you young Vikings have an issue listening. He told you to do something, shouldn't you follow directions?" Axel's voice held an insane amount of malice.

Like a cannon, the teens burst into action. Hiccup was the only one that didn't move. Axel smiled, chuckling slightly. With a wave of his hand he shot a beam of dust past Jack. Jack turned to see where it was going. He heard Astrid cry out in shock before he saw what had happened.

Stoick was trapped in a cage of golden dust.

"He is to stay here. The rest of you… hmm." Axel's voice softened slightly as he thought. "I don't want you to miss the fun."

With another wave of his hand he shot another beam of dust, trapping the teens in a giant golden dome.

You are an evil creature! Stormfly's voice was shrill as she directed a flame toward the star. Stepping out of the way, Axel shot another beam, trapping all of the dragons. His cold gaze travelled across the dragons, and then the teens.

"How odd. There seems to be one more dragon than there are children." He smiled and waved his hand again. Fishlegs had not moved from the shore, and was lifted into the air and dropped into the dome with the other teens.

"Much better."

Jack looked around. Hiccup and Toothless were the only others not placed in giant golden cages.

"Jack." The hollow voice cooed, causing Jack to turn back and stare wide eyed at the star. The smile that greeted him was sickeningly cruel.

"Let's have some fun, okay?"

With that, the rope shot out and snaked around Hiccup's waist. With a small tug, the rope shot back to Axel; pulling Hiccup away from Toothless, trapping him at Axel's side.

==Hey guys! So, I know it has been a while... I'm sorry! I spent quite a long time trying to figure out EXACTLY what I was writing. I feel, even though this chapter went well, that it moves a bit fast. What do you think? Let me know! Thanks!==