Hiccup and Astrid backed up against the gate as the Hunters positioned around the arena locked their aim on them. When the Riders turned around to make a quick escape through the gap beneath the door, they found their path blocked with more soldiers holding up axes and swords their way.
Even though Astrid had been able to reach Hiccup behind the violet curtain of the venom, she knew it didn't mean the poison had vanished from thin air. She snapped back to him when he bellowed his pain once more, pressing his palms against his temples as if he were trying to quiet down voices haunting him. The corruption from the venom was clearly worsening his state and Astrid began to fear for his life, and that not just from the dozens of blades pointing down on them. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and backed off from the gate, shielding him from any weapons that might come down on them at any moment. Stormfly did her share of protecting by unfolding her wings around the two Riders.
Hiccup winced, tortured from the inside. Astrid couldn't help but express her worry, her mouth curving like an arc as she looked ahead while the Hunters worked the door open. She hadn't had the chance to grab her ax laying on the ground when the door was flung open.
She looked up at the sky passed her Nadder to see the distant silhouettes of the other Dragon Riders that had made it out of the enemy's range and were soaring high enough to avoid any Singetail attack. At that moment, she wondered if she might just have miscalculated a step in her rescue plan and allowed her feelings to get the best of her.
"Come now, Hiccup," called Viggo from somewhere above. His grim and confident voice echoed on the walls all around them. The Hunters' shadows painted all over the arena pit, cast by the full moon shining brightly through the thin clouds floating gently across the night sky, far away from the conflict taking place all the way down here. "Come back to me and finish the work you have begun."
"I will never give him up! If you want him, Viggo, you'll have to go through me!" she hollered, the adrenaline of her protective instincts flowing through her like lava running down a volcano.
"So be it," replied Viggo, an edge of a hiss in his tone.
Stormfly roared her fury and whipped her tail, sending a series of tail spines flying again. A few soldiers collapsed on the ground in a blink of an eye, but others responded with a series of their own arrows which bounced off the Deadly Nadder's wings like harmless darts.
Hiccup looked at the action happening around them, hearing the whistles of the arrows and spines, the torching of magnesium flames, the smell of burned flesh and scorched stone. He felt someone hold him tightly, arms wrapped around his chest like chains that refused to break. He could not react to the situation. He felt disconnected, unresponsive despite being conscious. He wanted to act, but it was like he was in trance, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was fighting something, but he couldn't tell what. His vision was blurry, the noises around him absorbed. He felt like he was in between worlds. Venomous violet edged his vision and it was taking over it more and more by the second. Flashes of memories played before his eyes like a reoccurring nightmare. He could see his friends surrounding him like he was the enemy, the look in their eyes; one of concern and regret. He could see the pain on their faces, the shouts of anger and confusion. He could see Astrid standing before him, more emotional than he'd ever seen her. He could feel her hand brushing his face. He'd caused pain, anger, and confusion. He knew that, but he didn't understand it furthermore. He felt like a villain, but the worst part of it all was that he could recognize this was reality. Viggo's image flashed in the back of his head. He was looking up at the Dragon Hunter leader, standing tall – towering – over him, a triumphant smile stretched across his face. He knew exactly what was happening, and whatever would happen next, he knew it was all up to him. He was awake. At least, part of him was.
Hiccup's attention snapped back to the present, to Astrid, to Viggo…
They wouldn't stand a chance.
More memories flashed before his eyes. He remembered back on the Edge how unforgiving, how unstoppable, how ruthless and insensitive he had been toward his very own friends. It felt like these memories weren't his, but he knew all too well they were. After everything Viggo had told them, he could fight the truth as long as he wanted, but the truth was still the truth and could not be twisted into a lie. He might never be able to change the past, but maybe he could still change the outcome of this very moment.
He grabbed Astrid's hands holding him tight and turned to meet her eyes. She stared into his vivid green gaze, a thousand muted questions washing in her eyes like a tide. But there wasn't any need for explanation. He smiled apologetically and gave up on the fight within, allowing the poison to take over his mind and wash his emerald irises dark violet. The moment he drew back, Hiccup had fallen into the void of the poison and the Deathgripper venom took control once more.
Astrid watched him rise fully to his feet with more horror than she could remember ever feeling.
Hiccup stepped out of the cover of the Deadly Nadder's protective wings and exposed himself at Viggo's mercy. The Dragon Hunters who'd been taking shots to take down the dragon seized fire at their leader's commanding hand.
Viggo looked down at Hiccup; locking eyes with the boy like it were a staring contest. But there wasn't any hatred vibrating off of Hiccup, unlike Viggo. His eyes stared, depersonalized. The stillness and silence were piercing. Hiccup lowered his chin but kept his unblinking gaze on the Hunter until he turned around to exit the arena. The soldiers that had been blocking the exit parted like he was their rightful ruler. Hiccup walked straight out and over to the Grimborn brother, the violet shining against the darkness of night.
The Riders soaring high above narrowed their eyes down on the scene, shaking their heads in regret and denial.
"What is Haddock doing?" hissed Snotlout, gesturing wildly at the action below.
Hiccup approached Viggo, and positioned himself at his side, looking down at the arena below. He mimicked the Dragon Hunter's pose, reaching his hands behind his arms, holding his chin high and shoulders back.
Astrid looked up at Hiccup, sadness overwhelming her. She tried finding Hiccup in the figure that towered over her, but she couldn't find a trace of the man she loved. She lowered her head, her body language speaking the words she would never have allowed out of her own mouth.
"Well," said Viggo, only loud enough for Hiccup to hear. "All is well that ends well."
Viggo looked down at the shieldmaiden in the pit of the arena, down on her knees, her pain unmasked.
"Don't feel too bad for yourself, my dear," said Viggo, tsking. "Heroic ambitions have always been the cause of much of the world's pain, much like it does now. The world was much more peaceful than it currently is before you Dragon Riders strayed out of your Archipelago's frontiers and decided to spread your toxic notions. You people wish for dragons to live free, among us, like equals. History has shown that we are the superior species. We always have been and always will be. Words of your misguided ideas have already spread far beyond these seas. But don't hope too much. Hiccup here will help me put everything back into order, starting off with the Defenders of the Wing, the Wingmaidens, and so on."
Astrid raised her head, the fright in her eyes long gone. She did not share her anger and frustration through a glare that could kill either. She just knelt there, defeated.
"I've seen the kind of… spell, dear Hiccup here can have on people, especially his enemies, for some reason. Mmh," said Viggo, huffing. He put his arm around the Rider's shoulders like he and Hiccup went way back. Astrid's heart sunk when she saw no reaction on his part. "If it can work one way, it can certainly work the other. Wouldn't you agree, Astrid?"
Astrid couldn't find the power to reply and was roughly grabbed by the arms and pulled to her feet. She didn't struggle but kept her defiant glare fixed on the Dragon Hunter, unforgetting of the fact that Hiccup stood by the enemy's side like a dog on a leash.
A roar rang from above as Krogan came down from the sky to land behind the Hunter and Rider on his Titan Singetail, chains rattling.
"Well, this has been quite fun," said Viggo as his partner in crime walked up to his other side, his expression blank and his eyes glowing much like Hiccup's. "Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end."
Haha... please don't kill me, I can explain.
Also, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hope you lovely people spent a wonderful time! Let's hope 2021 doesn't suck as bad :D :D