Author's Note:
Hello everyone and welcome to the next chapter. This is the last of the build up to the main event and we have a bit of pondering, storytelling and a small dash of action. Thank you for your continued support and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
I own nothing.
Begin!
Alister lay on the ground looking up at the stars above him pensively.
He and the others had rested all day in preparation for their assault on the enemy base and it was now drawing close to their departure time. Dragons were shuffling about around him and one or two advanced parties had already left to get into position, the main force was preparing to leave and he could hear rumbles and grunts as they spoke to their pack mates. Though he didn't understand dragon language the way Hiccup and the others did he'd seen and heard this sort of thing plenty of times before when he still had his father and the rest of the resistance against the King.
He heard the old fighters joking and betting with each other as their own code for goodbye in case one, some or all of them didn't make it and the young greenhorns, as his father used to say, getting excited at this chance to prove themselves not yet realising the reality of what awaited him. He recognised all of this as he'd seen it many times before when his father's followers were about to head out on a new mission and he found it strangely comforting to be surrounded by those bearing a warrior's spirit.
There was movement and Hiccup lay down on the ground beside him and stared up at the stars along with him. They remained silent both listening to the activity around them until Hiccup finally spoke quietly, "These dragons are very different from the ones at home. I've never come across any that speak about battle the way they do."
Alister gave a small smile as he answered, "It's because they're born fighters. It's why they choose to hunt on their own strength rather than settle in a community. They enjoy the challenge, the thrill and the satisfaction from surviving by your own skills, abilities and power. They're warriors." He gave a small sigh, "I guess that's why me and Icebolt ended up befriending them, they had something similar to what my father and his followers had even if I didn't recognise it to begin with. I suppose it made me feel closer to him."
"Your dad sounds like a great warrior."
Alister chuckled slightly, "He wasn't always. I don't really remember it but he used to be entirely focused on conquering Berk and getting revenge for being outcast, at that time he was far from being honourable enough to be called a warrior." He half closed his eyes, "But then the King conquered Outcast Island forcing us to flee and things changed. At first father was as focused on vengeance on the King as had been on Berk but as the King's forces conquered more and more of the Archipelago his attitude changed from vengeance to resistance. He began embarking on dangerous missions to save people as the King's forces attacked them and perform strategic strikes to damage the foe, our numbers increased and soon we were a closely bounded group determined to one day defeat the King for ever and whether he intended it or not my father became seen as a hero and warrior leading what was more like a family than a resistance movement." He looked back up at the stars sadly, "Then Savage happened. He betrayed us and destroyed our force, my family, so he could serve the very man we'd spent years fighting against."
He fell silent and Hiccup placed a gentle hand on his shoulder as they continued watching the stars above them until Fishlegs came over to them.
"It's time to go."
Snotlout couldn't see the stars from his cell and he sat mournfully alone in the dark pondering over his conversation with the King.
The man had said that he and Snotlout were the only two who could wield the powers of an Alpha but the only Alpha Snotlout had met was Grandfather and he definitely didn't have any powers like the Bewilderbeast's. What made him so special? Why was he the only other person who could do it? Did it have something to do with that other power he'd sensed within the King?
Snotlout couldn't fathom that other power out at all. The King had been undeniably evil and all his senses told him that fact but that other power was something entirely different. It was exactly what it was, power, nothing more nothing less. It had no allegiance to good or evil or any other side or viewpoint, it was simply power and all he could tell was that it was very old. What made it even stranger was the fact that something in his mind was telling Snotlout he should know what it was but he had no idea what it could possibly be, it was both familiar and strange at the same time.
The sound of the door opening broke him out of his thoughts and he saw Spitelout walk into the cell bearing a lamp. He gave a smile and strode over to the bed where Snotlout was sitting and placed the lamp on the floor before sitting beside him. Without thinking Snotlout leaned into the man's side and Spitelout wrapped an arm around him, the boy turned his body and snuggled into a hug and after a moment's hesitation Spitelout obliged him.
Saphia stared in wonder at the artefact surprised by what had happened.
It had already finished joining the boy and Night Fury's blood and was ready to commence the full joining. Such speed was unprecedented since it normally took a couple of days for the initial Joining to complete but this one had finished in half the time and she could barely believe it.
As excitement bubbled within her she immediately strode out of the Joining Chamber and snapped out orders to the two guards outside, "You two! Find the King and inform him that we are ready to begin the full Joining."
The two men snapped to attention and swiftly bowed before charging off to perform their task. Saphia followed their route down the corridor to fetch Snotlout and bring him to the Joining Chamber not noticing or caring that beyond the windows of the Nest the signs of dawn had started to appear.
Down in the rest of the Fortress the slaves were being shuffled out of their cells and onto their day's work. The air was still as the sky slowly brightened hearalding dawn's approach, occasionally the stillness was broken by the crack of one of the overseer's whips and a cry of their victim.
Stoick kept a comforting hand on Eret's shoulder as they went with the rest of their slave group towards the quarry where they'd been assigned and Alvin followed right behind covering the boy's back in case a bored overseer felt like cracking a whip across it. Mulch walked ahead his eyes dull and glassy as they had been ever since Bucket had died many years before while the rest plodded on around them their heads lowered in the defeat and resignation they'd lost themselves in so long ago.
A movement on the ridge above them caught Eret's eye and he softly nudged Stoick, "Uncle Stoick, did you see that?"
Eret had taken to calling Stoick and Alvin 'uncle' a long time ago and both men glanced down at him, "See what?"
"Something moved on that ridge above us."
"HEY YOU!"
The harsh shout of an overseer rang out across him and they saw a hefty man heading their way. Stoick placed a protective arm around Eret and Alvin moved in front of them both as the overseer glared at the boy, "What are you talking about slave!?"
Eret quickly lowered his head submissively, "Nothing sir. Nothing at all."
The man's face twisted into a sadistic grin and he raised his vicious looking whip, "Slaves shouldn't speak out of turn. I'll have to remind you of that brat."
Before the man could bring the whip down the ridge exploded hurling rocks into the air. As slaves and overseers scattered Stoick and Alvin shoved Eret down and both crouched over him completely protecting him with their bodies. The ground beneath shook and rumbled and the man who'd been about to strike Eret had enough time to look down at his feet before the earth erupted beneath him flinging him into the air. A Whispering Death burst from the ground and whipped his tail around ruthlessly striking the man in mid-air and sending him flying into a nearby cliff with a crunch. A huge roar sounded from the ridge and all who looked saw a Rumblehorn standing on top roaring at the enemy below.
The fight had begun.
PS-The battle is on! The next few chapters will likely be the battle and Hiccup and the others infiltrating the Nest. I might also slot in a big segment for Ruffnut and Tuffnut seeing as I've basically ignored them for the whole story as well as Fishlegs and Astrid. Please let me know what you thought and I'll hopefully update soon.
