Captain Hiccup Of Asgard

by geofracul

This story happens when hiccup is sent to show the big burglars that dragons are good and positive however the gods have better ideas. (this is not my story however I continued it with is promition)

18. good and evil

Chapter 18: Good and Evil

And here's a little name pronunciation:

Alaedlar - AL - LAID - LAR

Aiah - AAY - AH

Eir - AAY -EAR

Loki - LOW - KEY

High Asgard, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

"Yes! My leg is back! Oh Gods, this is amazing. My leg, its back, its back, its back! Oh YEESSS!"

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third was bouncing up and down on his new leg, hopping all around the room like a man possessed.

"It's healed!" he laughed, still dancing. "I am perfect now! I can feel everything, I have TOES! I can wiggle my toes! Yes! This is amazing! It's the best thing ever!"

Alaedlar went over, grabbed Hiccup by the shoulders, and shook him.

"For Thor's sake, Riddari, stop acting like a fool. Your leg is healed. We GET it. Now shut up and quiet down. You are still in the presence of a Goddess, and you need to act accordingly. Stop babbling around like a baby."

"Oh give me a break, Master!" Hiccup grinned. "Have you ever had a missing leg for a year and then got it back unexpectedly? I don't think so! I have a right to do this. I have a LOT to make up for with this new leg. It's awesome!" He pumped his arms in the air.

Alaedlar shook his head in disgust and turned back to Eir, who was smiling at Hiccup in great amusement.

"Forgive the boy, my good Eir," he said with a bow. "He is quite overwhelmed by the magnitude of your gift."

"Aw, stop with the dumb fancy words and silly sayings, Master!" Hiccup laughed. "Let me do it instead. Eir, this leg is amazing! I will never lose it again, I promise. Thank you! Ha ha ha!"

Eir, as Hiccup addressed her, shook her head in amusement. "You are a funny man, Riddari," she laughed. "You look like a rabbit, hopping around on one leg like that."

Hiccup grinned. "I need to break in this new leg," he laughed, hopping closer to the Goddess. Alaedlar was still shaking his head.

Eir frowned. "I see something on your face, Riddari," she said. "Come here."

Hiccup, wondering what her intention was, stopped hopping and walked over to the Goddess. His stride was finally normal, and his steps no longer had to be uneven. It caught him off guard, and he lost his balance, staggering forward. Eir grabbed his shoulders to steady him.

"Careful, Riddari!" she laughed as she caught him. "It will take a little time to get used to that leg."

Looking up, Hiccup found himself face to face with the beautiful woman once more, gazing deep into her azure eyes. Eir was frowning, and she moved her finger to touch his chin.

"This scar, Riddari," she commented. "It did not heal at first. That is odd." Brushing her finger over the old wound, Hiccup felt a slight tickling sensation as the wound vanished.

"Wow," he breathed, touching the spot where the mark had been. "Did everything get made perfect?" He looked down at his arms. "Do I now have larger muscles?"

Eir laughed, leaning on Hiccup's shoulders.

"No, Riddari Hiccup. I did not make you larger or stronger. I only perfected what was already there. Any slight injury or blemish on and in your physical body has been healed, but that is all. This action will make it easier to develop your muscles, but it did not increase their size. I'm sorry, but you'll still need to work hard to get strong."

She slid her hand down Hiccup's back and rested it softly on his bicep.

Hiccup grinned, his face still very close to Eir's. "I can handle that," he said. "With the training I'm going to get, I bet I'll be as strong as an elephant by the next time you see me. When will that be, anyway?"

"Soon, I hope," Eir smiled. "Work hard, and you shall complete this silly training of yours faster. Toothless is very impatient for you to finish."

"I always work hard," Hiccup stated. "And with this new leg, it will be so much easier. Thank you again."

There was a few seconds of awkward silence as Eir and Hiccup stared steadily at each other.

"Ahem," Alaedlar cleared his throat. "My apologies, my good Eir, but the Riddari needs to be introduced to his Level of training. Can you let me have him back?"

Eir's arms were still draped over Hiccup's shoulders. "Alaedlar," she said sweetly, without looking away from Hiccup, "you shall have him for the entirety of his training. Let me have him for a little longer."

Alaedlar made no sound, but simply turned and walked out, closing the door behind him.

Hiccup did not even notice. He was entranced by Eir. Her stunning face and glorious eyes were only six inches away from her, and he felt that he could never get tired of the way she looked at him.

"Your eyes speak of courage, Hiccup," Eir said, still gazing deeply into Hiccup's. "I see much fight in them. Much life and much power lurks within. They remind me of another being. I could swear you have a Godly descent."

Hiccup took care to note that she had addressed him by his real name. It was as if she was discarding the formalities.

"Thank you, Eir," Hiccup smiled. "But I'm no God. I'm the son of Stoick the Vast of the Berkian tribe. I'm just a skinny, pathetic loser that got dragged up here to become a hero."

Eir slapped him.

There was a sharp crack as her palm struck Hiccup's cheek. The smack was playful, but hard.

"Don'tevercall yourself a loser, Hiccup," she said emphatically. "It does not become a knight of Asgard. You must think only of how you intend to change. Don't say that again."

Hiccup pretended to rub his cheek in pain. "Ow, Eir," he whined. "You hit me. I just got slapped by a Goddess. Oh, boy, I'm going to have fun telling that story when I get home."

Eir laughed. "You would tell your friends of getting slapped by a Goddess rather than being kissed by one?"

Hiccup grinned. "Well, the kiss went without saying."

Eir smiled up at him once more. "I think you shall make a great Captain of Asgard," she stated. "And your humor is enjoyable. The last trainee, now Lord Kaldr, was utterly emotionless, and the other, Lord Zyon, was utterly heartless. But you – you have the spirit of a God." She laid a smooth hand over his chest and then smiled again. "You're also a pretty good kisser."

Hiccup reddened, a corner of his lip going up.

"You're not that bad yourself," he grinned. "Of course, the magic helped, but still."

Eir laughed. "Well, I shall have to let you go, Hiccup. I hope to see you again."

"I do too," Hiccup smiled. "And thanks again for the leg. As soon as I learn to walk again, I will start to make some really good progress." His smile faded. "I wish I had this when I was fighting The Wolf."

Eir's smile faded as well. "Do not think of that, Hiccup," she admonished, wrapping her arms around him and hugging Hiccup tightly. "I know what The Wolf does to people, but he is now gone. You had to overcome him, but he is no longer there to torment you. Lose him."

"I'll never lose him," Hiccup whispered into her golden hair. "The Wolf was correct yesterday, what he told me. I never win. I'll never truly beat him. All he was was a living personification of fear, hatred, anger, pain, and death. That will remain with me forever. He has hallowed my mind. I know now what he meant that day in Ragnarok. He's right. He won, and I'll never beat the black hole in my mind that contains all that savagery. I still have it, and it won't go away."

"Do not speak of that!"Eir cried into his shoulder. "Just try to blot it out. Think of the good things. Think of your new leg."

Hiccup laughed, still holding Eir. "All right, fine. I'll tell you about the leg. This leg is awesome! It has no flaws, no scars, and no bad stuff. It is just there! I have a new limb! Thank you!"

Lifting Eir, he spun her around.

"Whoa, Hiccup!" Eir laughed, as Hiccup swung her through the air in a full circle. "Put me down!"

With a goofy grin, Hiccup set her back down on the floor and let her go. He felt much stronger, as he had been able to lift her effortlessly.

"No really, thank you," he said, gesturing to his leg. "Nothing could be better than this."

"I hope it serves you well," Eir smiled, brushing her hair out of her eyes, where it had billowed when Hiccup swung her.

"I think I'm already used to it," Hiccup commented. "And I really should go and see Alaedlar. He's nice, but I just know he's going to yell at me for staying in here too long."

"That he will," Eir laughed. "Let us both go. I need to leave also."

She stuck her arm through Hiccup's and helped him walk towards the door.

"Ha," Eir laughed. "It looks like you do have it down already."

"Well, I guess it's only been a year," Hiccup mused. "It'll come back in full here soon, I think."

"I know it will," Eir replied. The pair reached the door that Hiccup had entered from, and two guards opened it for them. Alaedlar was standing outside. As he heard the door open, he turned around and faced Hiccup and Eir. He bowed to the Goddess.

"My deepest gratitude for the gift you have given the Riddari," he said formally. "I trust that he shall bear it well."

"No dumb formalities, Master," Hiccup grumbled. "Honestly, it makes you sound stupid and mentally handicapped."

He released Eir's arm, and the Goddess turned and smiled at him.

"I hope to see you soon, Hiccup," she said. "But I must go now. We will meet again." With a final beautiful smile, she turned and walked off down the hall, her golden hair swaying in the light.

Alaedlar was standing with his arms crossed, watching her disappear in the hall.

"Hiccup, huh?" he asked, shaking his head. "I didn't know you were on such - good terms with Eir."

"Hey, she likes me," Hiccup grinned. "Are you jealous, Master?"

Alaedlar shook his head. "Of course not, veryyoungRiddari. She is a Goddess. She is far above any of our understanding. There's not a chance she'd ever stoop so low as to fall in love with a mortal. I wouldn't eventhinkabout it, Riddari."

Hiccup laughed. "She thought I was God-born, Master. Can you believe that? Maybe I do have a speck of real power in me." He flexed his bicep.

Alaedlar shook his head in amusement and then gestured down the hall.

"This way, Riddari," he instructed. "Ordinarily we would do swordplay at this hour, but this whole healing operation took too much time. So we will skip swordplay and go right to the next step of today's training. First, let me explain how Level 2 operates.

"From now on you no longer have one sole task to complete, as you did with The Wolf. This Level, and all Levels after it, shall be based on a number of different training subjects. You will have an hour assigned each day for twelve different topics. Swordplay, Archery, Hand to hand combat, and battle tactics are a few. You will exercise these topics until you have passed a certain area of understanding. When you complete all the topics, you then move to Level 3, and so on. Is that clear?"

"Umm, not really," Hiccup said. "Go slower. That's too complex for me."

Alaedlar sighed. "Eir's cuddling has messed up your thoughts," he grumbled. "But here's a simpler explanation. The harder you work, the faster you pass. This goes for EVERYTHING you will be trained on. OK? Is that clear? From now on that is the code that you live by. Repeat it back to me."

"The harder you work, the faster you pass," Hiccup answered.

"Good," Alaedlar commented. "Remember that code, Riddari. It is what you will live by for the next few years."

"All right. So where are we going, Alaedlar?"

Hiccup's Master grinned.

"To the dungeons, Riddari."

Berk, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

"Riders of Berk! To where do you go?!"

"To Death and Glory!" the teens roared.

"To where do you go!?"

"TO DEATH AND GLORY!"

Astrid finished the war cry, her teeth bared in a savage snarl. It had been a long time since the Viking War Cry was last heard in the archipelago. With the cheers of the crowd behind them, Astrid, Snotlout, Heather, Fishlegs, and the Twins took off into the twilight, their black-painted dragons making dark shadows over the red sunset.

"To war!" Snotlout grinned, spurring Hookfang on. "I never guessed that I would be leading the first attack since peace with the dragons! And I am now the heir to Berk, no less! Ha HA! Snotlout, Snotlout, Ough, Ough, Ough!" He pounded his chest.

"Let's not get this started," snapped Heather. "Snotlout shut up. No one wants to hear your worthless bragging."

"But I'm not bragging, babe!" Snotlout grinned. "I was only STATING facts. I AM leading the attack, am I not? And I am ALSO the HEIR TO BERK! That useless Hiccup died, and now I am the Dragon Master."

Astrid whirled on Snotlout.

"Hiccup was better than you could EVER be!" she shouted. "Hiccup was the real hero! Hiccup saved us while you sat on your ass and did NOTHING! Don't even try to compare yourself to Hiccup. Hiccup was the best, he was the only one who was worthy to become chief!"

"Oh, I know you're upset, babe," Snotlout grinned, from his seat on Hookfang. "Your precious boyfriend died, and you're just a little messed up right now. You'll get over it and see that I, Snotlout Jorgenson, am now the REAL man. And guess what, babe?"

Snotlout grinned.

"Now that I am the heir to Berk, it will be REALLY hard for your parents to turn down my marriage offers."

Astrid gasped. "WHAT!?" she screamed.

"That's right, babe," Snotlout grinned. "I've been trying for a year now to make an offer to your parents. But they refused on the grounds that Hiccup was after you." He patted his chest. "But now they will run out of excuses, babe. You will be mine."

Astrid was gawking in horror. "You made offers to my PARENTS!?" she yelled.

"That's right, babe," Snotlout grinned again. "My dad has been at it for a year now, without much luck, thanks to Hiccup. But when we get back from this raid, and prove that Hiccup is dead, he'll be able to come down a lot harder on your parents, especially now that I'm the heir. Good luck for you, really. You'll be marrying the best man in the archipelago."

Astrid yelled in rage and grabbed her axe.

"Astrid, NO!" Heather shouted, and flew her dragon alongside Astrid's. "We can't be fighting among ourselves right now!" She reached off Spike and grabbed Astrid's axe. "And, Snotlout, SHUT UP! Astrid does not want to hear you right now!" Heather looked over to her friend. Astrid was horrified, both with fear and rage.

"Let's fly ahead of the group for a little bit so that we can talk," Heather suggested, releasing her grip on the axe. "And get away from Snotlout. I need to explain stuff to you."

Together the two Nadders, daubed in black pain, pulled away from the group and moved ahead. Astrid was breathing hard.

"How DARE he!" she shouted. "Snotlout is trying to marry me as soon as Hiccup is gone."

"Astrid," Heather warned.

"He can't just do that!" Astrid shouted, clenching her fists. "My parents will NEVER accept any offer his family makes!"

"Astrid," Heather said, "listen to me. I'm afraid you don't exactly know how much power the heir to a tribe has."

Astrid looked at Heather. "What?" she asked.

"There's not a whole lot your family can do about it," Heather said. "For once Snotlout is right. Your parents will have a HARD time refusing the offer. The heir has unlimited amounts of money and a reputation among the people. There are thousands of ways that Snotlout will make life harder on your family if you don't accept. Besides, it's expected of you. You are one of the few eligible maidens on Berk. Who else can the heir marry from his own tribe, except for Ruffnut?" Heather paused to make her point.

"Now, I'm not saying you HAVE to accept him. But I would talk to your parents, because it will become very hard for them to refuse Spitelout's offers soon."

Astrid took a deep breath. "I can't believe they didn't tell me that Snotlout's stupid father was making offers."

Heather shrugged. "There's thousands of reasons they could have, but I'm guessing the main one was that they never expected anything to come of it."

Astrid nodded slowly. "This isn't good, Heather," she snapped angrily. "Life is NOT on my side right now. First Hiccup died, I nearly get killed by strange Skrill riders, and now SNOTLOUT is making offers of MARRIAGE. I can NEVER marry him, not in a million years! So what can I do, Heather?"

Heather grimaced. "I don't know, As. I would talk with your parents after this raid and see what your options are. Boy, you have a LOT of problems right now. The whole Hiccup thing, the marriage, and also, the visions. You REALLY need to talk with someone about those."

Astrid sighed, burying her head on the saddle in front of her.

"I need to find out if Hiccup is really dead first," she whispered. "After this raid, I'll know for sure. Maybe there's a little hope. Maybe he's alive, and in a dungeon right now."

Low Asgard, Day 12 since Hiccup's Departure

"OK, wait a minute, Master!" Hiccup said, running after his trainer. "Why are we going to the dungeons? Don't tell me that a part of my training will be to lock me up and see if I can get out or something like that!"

Alaedlar smiled. "No. That's later."

"Wait, what?!" Hiccup shouted.

Alaedlar turned to face Hiccup, placing his hands on Hiccup's shoulders.

"Listen to me, Riddari. Asgeirr is in charge of your training. I am only here to teach you combat. Other men and Gods are charged with teaching you other things. I am taking you to the dungeons of Asgard because the smartest and wiliest man on all the worlds of Yggdrasil is imprisoned here, and he will be teaching you how to use your head." He released Hiccup and started to walk again.

"All right, hold on a minute!" Hiccup said, following Alaedlar. "We are on the lowest level of the Asgardian dungeons. The only time I was here was when I went to talk to Toothless. These cells are designed to keep out the strongest and most powerful creatures EVER, and you're putting me into a prison with one?"

"That is correct, Riddari," Alaedlar replied calmly.

"Are you mad!?" Hiccup shouted. "Who is this person I am training with? If he is such a bad and dangerous person, isn't my life in jeopardy as soon as I am put in there with him?"

Alaedlar stopped by a door. Hiccup followed suit, still looking inquiringly at his trainer.

"Go in, Riddari," Alaedlar said, gesturing to the door. "It is unlocked. Trust me; you will be quite safe in there. Besides, you still have Hicca. If you're in danger, use your damn sword."

Hiccup shook his head. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered, and then stepped through the entrance.

Hiccup had been in a cell like this before. His first day on Asgard, he had been brought down to the dungeons by Aiah to consult with Toothless. The cell he was in now was exactly the same. The walls were all solid rock except for a massive sheet of energy that made a giant window. However, Hiccup did not stop to look at these things. He was focused on one thing only.

The man in the middle.

The man was like no other person Hiccup had ever seen before. Sitting calmly in a chair, he wore shining golden cuffs around his ankles and wrists that swam with energy. He was dressed in a golden breastplate and green sleeves and leggings. He had a lean, angular face that was slightly freckled. Long, straight black hair flowed over his shoulders and partway down his back. But what shocked Hiccup the most was the man's eyes.

They looked exactly like his own.

The man gestured to another chair, which was opposite him.

"Sit, Hiccup," he said. His voice was calm, soothing, and soft, and yet there was a hint of menace. Hiccup did as the man asked. He walked over to the other golden chair and sat slowly, Hicca making a soft clang as it struck the metal of the chair.

Hiccup could not find his voice. The man looked SO alike him. The only difference was the hair color and length. Other than that, Hiccup could see no distinguishable difference. The man was so alike him that he was unnerved. He was so stunned that he lost his tongue, and simply sat across from the man, unmoving.

The man was staring deep into Hiccup's eyes, and Hiccup blinked. The man smiled, and then spoke.

"You falter when I gaze at you. Why is that, may I ask?"

Hiccup was surprised by the question. He had expected introductions to come first. However, he licked his lips and answered truthfully.

"Honestly, I don't like getting stared at like that. It makes me feel like I'm a – a bug on the end of a stick that you're studying. I just don't like it."

"Ahh," the man said. "Very intriguing. You say you do not like people staring at you, for it makes you feel uncomfortable. But what if you cannot see them looking at you like that? Does it make you feel the same way?"

Hiccup frowned. "No."

"So why, then, did my stare in particular cause you to be unnerved?"

Hiccup paused, frowning in thought.

"Because you looked in my eyes."

"Ahaaaaa!" the man smiled. "You understand already. No one likes to be looked at in the eyes for a long time, especially by a stranger. They find it repulsive, just as you did. But why, pray, is that so?"

Hiccup was silent for a little bit as he thought of a reason.

"I don't know," he said. "It's just that sometimes – no, forget it, that's dumb."

"No!" the man said, leaning forward. "What is dumb? Tell me what you thought, Hiccup. I don't care how stupid it sounds. Stupidity is relative. If you were to make whatever comment you just thought of back on your homeland, among thick-headed Vikings, they would most likely laugh and call it stupid. As such, it has been branded in your own head as 'dumb.' But here, among the Gods, things are different. For instance, you were taken from Midgard by the BiFrost. To the human eye, it looks like a cyclone appears from nowhere and takes you. Is that not dumb?" The man smiled. "See what I mean? Stupidity is only determined based on the stupid ideals of stupid people. So tell me; what did you think?"

"Well, I kind of think that staring into one's eyes is like staring into one's soul," Hiccup explained, getting red in the face. "That's silly, isn't it? I mean -"

The man raised his hand, leaning back in his seat. "Most impressive," he smiled. "You have the mind of a genius, Hiccup. No one has ever given me a better answer. Congratulations."

Hiccup grinned, confusedly. "Okay," he said.

The man's smile faded, and he leaned forward once more. "You were VERY close, Hiccup. In fact, you were EXACTLY correct. The eyes are a strange thing. They can tell a man everything. You said it perfectly; the eyes are like a portal to the soul. Your eyes see me, and through your eyes I can see you. The eyes are everything. The eyes are what define us."

The man extended his hand, a band of energy on his wrist. "I once more congratulate you on your phenomenal answer to the question, Hiccup. Welcome to my training."

Hiccup grasped the man's hand and shook it. "I am here to learn," Hiccup said, releasing the man. "But I do not know your name. Alaedlar said that you are a dangerous criminal, and for that reason you are kept in the lowest dungeons. But who could be considered THAT powerful? I mean, why are you in the lowest level of the prison? Who are you?"

The man smiled softly. "You have heard of me, Hiccup. Oh, yes, you have heard of me. I wander here and there, your Viking tales say, as a demon in a black robe. I see and hear all. I am the cause of all mischief and trouble everywhere. I am the cause of the cows not giving milk and the chicken not laying eggs. I am the instigator of wars, plagues, and torments. I lurk in dark places, waiting to strike. I am the serpent, the snake, the cunning fox. I am the master of tongues, and the Father of Lies."

Hiccup leapt to his feet.

"You're no man," he whispered. "You are a God, a terrible God. You are he who walks unseen. You are Loki, son of Odin, oath-breaker, defiler, Father of Lies!"

The man smiled. "You know me well."

Hiccup's shock turned to anger.

"The stories!" he shouted. "The tales that us Vikings tell of you, are they true!? Do you cause all pain and affliction? Are you the source of disease and plagues on Midgard?!"

Loki smiled. "Yes, I was. For a time, at least."

Hiccup drew Hicca with a ring and pointed it at Loki's head. As soon as he did so, tendrils of energy fell from the ceiling, grabbing his arm and freezing it in place. Hiccup tried to move his arm, but couldn't. The energy bonds were too strong. Moving against his will, they pushed his arm back and sheathed the sword for him. Then Hiccup was released, and the energy tendrils vanished.

Loki smiled. "My dear father monitors this cell, Hiccup," he said. "No weapons can be used in here, or any violence, or it is instantly stopped by the magic. Odin is careful to be sure that I am unharmed."

Hiccup sat down, still boiling in anger. "My grandparents were taken by disease," he whispered. "You killed them, didn't you?"

Loki shrugged. "Perhaps."

Hiccup clenched his teeth in hate. His new source of boiling rage threatened to break loose once more, but he took three deep breaths and calmed himself.

"Why did Odin allow me to come here?" he asked angrily. "You are deadly. You are a menace. You could kill me, and I am the only hope for Midgard. Why would he dare and send me to sit across from a – a thing like you?!"

Loki laughed. "I think you greatly misunderstand my Father's regard for you," he chuckled. "Odin doesn't care about you any more than a rotten egg. He is only training you because he has a responsibility to Midgard. He doesn't care about you or your safety at all. Get that straight."

Hiccup bit his lip. "So why am I here? Alaedlar said you would teach me. Do you think I will allow myself to be trained by a demon like you? I won't stand for it."

Loki grinned. "You are wise, Hiccup," he smiled. "But, I think you will come to see that I am not as vile as you think. For instance, my dear Father could care less whether you live or die, whereas I would be saddened to see your talents spoiled. Odin sees nothing but a failure when he looks at you, but I only see untapped potential."

"Now those are the twisted words of a snake," Hiccup snarled.

Loki sighed. "I see that this shall be difficult to explain, Hiccup. But let me try to show you what I feel. I told you a few minutes ago that the eyes are fate itself. You know this. The eyes tell everything about a man. They NEVER lie. As the master of deceit and cunning, it has greatly disappointed me that the eyes cannot be beaten. One can never lie with the eyes. It is simply impossible. You know this. That is why you did not like me staring at you through them. Do you believe that, and that my statement is not twisted and false?"

Hiccup nodded slowly. "I can believe that. I mean, it makes sense. But I still doubt your forked tongue."

Loki smiled. "All right, Hiccup, let us see how long you can endure being picked like a bone. Keep your eyes open and look at me, and I shall look into your soul. Then you can tell for yourself that the eyes never lie."

Hiccup nodded. "All right."

"Then don't blink." Loki leaned forward, his green eyes meeting Hiccup's and locking there. Green eyes stared into green eyes, and for two full minutes Hiccup allowed himself to be studied by the father of lies. He blinked often, but Loki kept his gaze steady and unfaltering. After two minutes the God finally blinked, and leaned back in his chair.

"Well?" Hiccup asked. "What did you see?"

Loki stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I see a skinny lad with a strong heart. I see power and threat, but veiled, caged, kept away from the world. I see years of pain and suffering. I see determination in the crucial moment. I see an unwavering love for a girl. I see a devotion to a tribe, a family, which you would give your life to save. I see an undying bond between a dragon and boy. I see a young boy with determination, who wants to do what he can to help all. But I also see a desperate longing, a want for a quiet, soft, happy life, with children climbing over your knees. There lingers in your heart a wish for peace. I shall describe what I make of you in three words. Determination, Resilience, and Peace."

Hiccup was shaking. "How do you know that?!" he whispered. "Aiah never could have seen that. I don't -" he froze. "The eyes," he said softly.

"The eyes NEVER lie," Loki explained. "Through them I can see all. I would suggest you never again let anyone do what I just did. But regardless, my point with all this is that you need to trust me during this training. You must be confident that I am being truthful. So, with that in mind, I need to look into my eyes. Tell me what you see."

Hiccup, intrigued, leaned forward to stare at Loki's green eyes. For five long minutes he stared, trying to sift through what he thought he saw in the depths of the God's being. When he finished, he leaned back and closed his eyes.

"I see a man," Hiccup said. "I see a God also, but there is the same soul, heart, and feelings as myself. You have the same thoughts and desires as any normal person. But you have a savage personality. You have been bullied, reviled, spat on. You have tried hard to do the right thing, but you failed. You hate everything. You hate all that walks the planet. It is – resentment that you possess. But I do not see an evil man. I see someone who only ever wanted to do the right thing. And yet, there is a hint of despair and hopelessness. I will do the same as you, and try to define you in three words. You are Cruel, Resentful, and yet - Confused."

Loki's lips tightened. "I would not say I am confused, Hiccup. You say that because you know what I have done, and yet saw a good man in my eyes. I am not confused; I merely do what I do because I hate all."

"No one can be as cruel as you and still be sane," Hiccup argued. "So you must be hopelessly lost and confused. That is the only logical explanation."

Loki frowned. "Look, Hiccup, you do not see things from my point of view. I am a God."

Loki let that statement hang for a few seconds before continuing.

"As a God, I do not see things from your petty viewpoints. You are angry that I may have caused the death of your grandparents, but should the ants be angry that you have crushed them under their boots?"

Hiccup glared.

"That is correct, Hiccup," Loki said seriously. "As Gods, we tread on mortals like bugs. They are weak. They are below us, so far down that they cannot even be considered worth caring for. Ants and beetles mean more to you than humans mean to the Gods. So why should we even bother preserving you at all?"

"Because even the ants and beetles have a purpose," Hiccup replied. "The ants and beetles clear away dung and do other simple tasks. They do things, but things so small that they go unnoticed until they are gone, and only then do you realize how great their deeds truly were."

"Bah!" Loki spat. "You speak of humans as if they are useful, as if they are perfect. Ants and beetles are perfect. They have no souls, no minds, and no thoughts. They only do. Mortals, they think. Imagine if the ants shouted at you and berated you for stepping on them? You would laugh, for they are so small and insignificant that it would have no effect on your bearing."

"That is not true," Hiccup argued. "If the ants and beetles had thoughts and souls of their own, then I could never step on one again. That was why I could never kill Toothless. I saw a mind. I didn't see a demon or a vile creature that I had been taught dragons were. I saw LIFE."

"Life!" Loki said, his face contorted. "Life is nothing! Life ENDS. Only the Gods last! We are immortal, and a blink of our eyes is like a lifespan of a man! We care nothing of the death of the mortals. They mean naught to us."

"Then the Gods are no true Gods," Hiccup stated. "Gods should be good, kind, and understanding. A chief protects his own. As a God, everyone must be their own. Odin, although he is a mean, grumpy old man, DOES care about Midgard. After all, he is taking the effort to train me so I can preserve it. Do not compare your twisted ideals with those of better men, Loki."

Loki trembled in rage. "Do not think you know of Odin, Hiccup!" he roared. "My father was no true father! I am evil because I was bred to be evil – by him. I was brought up in the finest houses, with the best servants, and the prettiest maidens. I had a blessed childhood. I was a God. My talents were those of the mind. I was the best mathematician, tactician, and strategist that the Nine Realms had ever seen! I was the most valuable asset to any army. With my strategies and plans, no fight could go wrong. I was the BEST."

Loki paused, his hands clenched. "Everyone with intelligence should have seen it. They should have seen that I was the real hero. But when I grew up, I grew up in the shadow of my older brother Thor. Thor. Curse Thor! Everyone loved Thor. He was tall, muscular, proud, and good with the ladies. He made friends and alliances while I had my nose in books. As such, he was the hero of Asgard, and not myself."

Loki paused once more.

"But then war came. Terrible war, which threatened to bring Asgard to her knees. I knew it was my chance to display my marvelous techniques and stratagems, and I thought that I might, just might, have a chance to win some pride, some glory, and the respect of my father, Odin."

Loki spat. "I could not have been more wrong. To be sure, I was allowed to monitor the battles. My brilliant military tactics saved the kingdom countless times. I was the redeemer. But who was always leading the charges and encouraging the men? Not I. It was Thor. Thor won ALL the glory. All he did was walk into battle swinging a hammer, and he received all the credit and admiration. He was the typical hero. I was not the typical hero, but I won it all, not him. I was the God who could dominate all, and I only wanted my father to see it. I wanted him to be proud of me. But the AllFather only loved the strong.

"Thor got all the praise. He got the love from my father, not me. I was ignored. I was nothing. I was merely a tool. No one saw me for what I was. So I despaired. I grew angry. I never could earn my Father's love, no matter how hard I tried, and no matter what I did."

Loki stopped.

"So I turned on him. I broke my sacred oaths that I had given which bound me to the kingdom of Asgard. I reinstated the rebellion that I had just crushed. I brought to my side the Captain of Asgard, Lord Zyon. Together we laid waste to the forces of Asgard. With Zyon and his dragon leading the charges, and me directing them, we could only ever achieve victory. It was near. One more battle and Asgard would have been mine. But fate was against me. Yggdrasil, the tree of life, shook its branches and caused an earthquake that annihilated my army. Thor then struck, and I was captured. Lord Zyon, the best soldier that I ever had, fled to Niflheim and vanished. It was his fate. He was born halfway in Helheim and halfway out, and Helheim is his destiny. As for me, I have been here ever since, answering for my crimes, for I did not only bring death to the Asgardians, but I also laid waste to Midgard in the form of diseases and plagues. My wrath was absolute."

Hiccup shook his head. "I understand your loss," he said. "It is hard to be scorned and treated badly, especially by your own father. But you should not have caused the deaths of innocents because of it. That was where your quest for revenge went awry."

Loki's lip curled. "Innocents? I caused the death of those whodeservedit. I am only called the father of lies because my own father made stories of my treachery and spread them into the tales all over Midgard. He changed your Viking history to encompass all my deceit and traitorous actions. I was now hated by all of Midgard, too. So I killed them."

"Why the people of Midgard?!" Hiccup snapped angrily. "They knew nothing of what really happened! What of my grandparents that fell due to your hatred for your father? They did know that the tales were false. I did not. We don't truly hate you, only the story's portrayal of you. You know that. So why did you do it, really?"

"I had to do it to show my true supremacy!" Loki shouted. "It was the only way to ever impress Odin, strength and strength alone. He only understands raw power. You know that! He saw nothing in you when you first arrived here, didn't he?! He acted like an ass, did he not, when he saw that you were scrawny and weak, and not the picture of a standard champion?"

"Well," Hiccup admitted, "he was kind of mean."

"How do you earn the love of a man like that?" Loki demanded. "How can you gain the respect of a man that simply does not understand that there is more to heroism than strength alone? I did what I thought would gain me admiration. I attacked Midgard. I crushed a few ants and beetles."

"They were not just ants and beetles," Hiccup corrected angrily. "They were living. Their minds and souls were their own, just as mine are. You had NO right to kill them, despite how insignificant they seemed."

"I care not!" Loki replied. "Would you have cared? Did you care? When you shot down your dragon, you had one goal in mind. To impress your father and earn his love. You cared not for the dragon. You could have let the knife fall. You were there, you had honor in your palm. We are similar, me and you, but the difference is that I would have killed the dragon, just as I killed your so-called innocents. But imagine this scenario."

Loki paused. "What if you had struck? What if you had let the knife fall on the Night Fury? Imagine you cut out his heart and took it to your father, with joy in your heart, like a true Viking. Imagine that. Now think of this. What if you gave him the heart, but he took it from you, turned his back, and gave it to your cousin, Snotlout, claiming that he had killed the dragon instead of you. Snotlout got all the glory, and Astrid married him on the spot. What would you have felt like?"

Hiccup sat rigid in his chair as he considered the gross unfairness of that situation.

"I would have been utterly confused and hurt," he said quietly. "I never could have forgiven him."

Loki nodded. "That is precisely what I felt like when my father did not appreciate what I had done. He took my glory, my victory, and gave it to Thor. I was angry, and rightly so. I acted not out of cruelty, but vengeance!"

"Vengeance may have been justified, but there was no need to kill helpless, innocent people!" Hiccup shouted. "That is your shortcoming. You have no regard for life."

"Life means so much to you humans, doesn't it?" Loki sighed. "But it means so little to me. I am immortal, and life has no bearing, no meaning to me. I have no regrets for my deeds."

Hiccup shook his head. "Then you cannot understand the gift of true leadership, Loki. You are meant to be down here. You are twisted and vile."

Loki passed a hand over his face. "I disagree, Hiccup. But regardless of our argument, you now understand me. You know that I shall not lie to you. I am here to teach you. I am here to teach you to use your tongue like mine. All commanders must be competent and sly, cunning and smart. I shall teach you to lie properly. I shall teach you to give commands with authority. Your tone, your diction, and your attitude will have to be perfected. That is what I will teach. I will teach you the ways of the mind."

Hiccup nodded. "I know you can teach me that honestly. You are a good man, but still twisted and confused. But I do need to learn tactics and the art of cunning speech if I am to get Toothless back as fast as possible."

He squared his shoulders. "So teach me, Father of Lies."