Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome back to "Sounds of Silence!" =D I hope you all are having a wonderful evening, morning, night, day, or whatever time it is where you live. XD I don't have much to say this time 'round, so I hope you guys enjoy this chap! =D
Chapter Fifteen: Taking the Risks
Sometimes, risks were worth taking, his father had told him. And Hiccup knew that this risk was one that they had to take.
The next morning, the Dragon Riders refreshed themselves with the food that they had left. The sun was shining brightly, but the mood amongst the Riders was serious as they discussed the plan on how they were going to release the Foreverwing. Rin pulled out a map from under her belt and held it out. The Dragon Riders peeked over her shoulders as Rin pointed to the location that they had to fly to. As Rin spoke and explained, the twins used Hiccup Speech so he could pick up what she was saying. Even though he could engage in the conversation, Hiccup wished that he was no longer deaf. He knew it would make things a lot easier if he had his hearing back.
Rin pointed out the location to where they had to go, which was as far away as she said it was. The Foreverwing was hidden deep underground the base, where a series of caverns led to its prison. The caverns were like a maze, and only Hilmar's trusted recruits were told how to navigate through it. Rin was one of those people.
Fishlegs helpfully provided more information about the Forevering, saying that unlike most dragons, it fed on deer. It could produce copious amounts of lava, similar to a Gronckle, and could produce green burning acid, like a Changeling. And since the Foreverwing was connected to the earth, it could grow any type of plant that it wanted or needed.
The Foreverwing's cage was guarded by Hilmar's top soldiers, and Rin said that her father went to check on it daily. From this information, Hiccup was able to concoct a plan that would hopefully allow them to free the large beast.
"If Hilmar checks on the Foreverwing in rounds, we can sneak in," said Hiccup. "We just need to know what times he checks on it so we can make it inside."
Hilmar checks on the Foreverwing first thing in the morning, again at noon, and then before nightfall. He gets up again—sometime around midnight—to check on it again.
"And how much time passes before he checks on it in the afternoon?" inquired Hiccup.
Three hours on average.
"Good. We can work with that," Hiccup said with a confident nod.
Ah, how are we going to work with that? asked Snotlout. Three hours? That's kinda short, isn't it?
"It is, but if we stick to the plan, we'll be in and out in no time…I hope," said Hiccup. He rubbed his bound arm, which had been replaced with a clean roll of gauze.
So, what's the plan, chief? Tuffnut asked.
"I'm not chief yet," stated Hiccup.
Yeah, but you will soon, said Ruffnut.
Hiccup shook his head. "Anyway…Since there's a three-hour span from when Hilmar checks on the Foreverwing in the morning and when he goes to check it again in the afternoon, will have to sneak in during the timeframe and free the Foreverwing before he notices."
But it's…gigantic. How are we going to 'sneak it out,' as you say, Snotlout asked.
Hiccup turned to Rin. "Is there some kind of emergency exit in the caverns?"
Rin pursed her lips as she thought. No, but several of the tunnels lead into the forests surrounding the post. If we get the Foreverwing through one of those tunnels and into the woods, we'll be able to shrewdly make our escape.
"Alright. We'll sneak in after Hilmar checks on the Foreverwing…Once we're inside the caverns, Rin will lead us to it. We'll have a few of us stay behind to distract any soldiers that come our way while the rest go to free the Foreverwing. Sneaking in shouldn't be too difficult as long as we don't get caught, but sneaking out will be the hard part."
The tunnels aren't narrow, are they? Astrid asked.
They're of reasonable size. I'm sure the Foreverwing will fit, replied Rin. We'll only have three hours to do this, and it takes about an hour to reach the dragon's holding space. Are you sure we'll be able to make it in time?
The Dragon Riders looked at each other with determined expression. The risks were high, but they were willing to take them. And if they got caught, they'd find a way out somehow. So after a quick breakfast, they mounted their dragons, and Rin led them to Hilmar's base.
…
Hours had passed since the Riders had departed from their makeshift camp, and Rin said behind Hiccup as she helpfully guided the Riders to the base of the Dragon Slayers. The flight was long, and the twins and Snotlout grew impatient. Several stops were made on small islands and sea stacks until, late in the afternoon, the Dragon Riders finally arrived at the Dragon Slayer's base. Hiccup's eyes widened.
Rin wasn't kidding when she said that the island where her father's real headquarters was located was dangerous.
Built inside of the side of a mountain was an entire organization. A large forest stood behind the large, snowcapped peak, and below it was a busy garrison. The place reminded Hiccup of Dragon's Edge, except it was larger and much more advanced. Buildings were held up by tall metal poles, and some were constructed into the very rock of the mountain in which they laid. An arena laid near the base of the mountain, and winding paths led up and down the fortification. Two metal gates closed off the entrance, and two soldiers were positioned at it. There were catapults placed on different parts of the mountain, and many guards that defended the area. At top of the mountain was a large, intimidating looking hut made completely out of metal. The head of a Night Fury stood on top of it. Toothless shook his head at the sight of it. Hiccup laid a hand on his dragon's forehead. Turning around, he faced Rin.
"I'm guessing that's where Hilmar stays?" he asked. The woman nodded, her expression grim.
The place was incredibly daunting, and Hiccup had trouble taking it all in. The camp that he and the Riders visited didn't seem so scary now that he was face to face with the real base of the Dragon Slayers.
Sneaking around the defenses and guards proved to be difficult, but using the clouds to their advantage, Hiccup and the Riders managed to skim above the base camp and land in the woods. They dismounted and pulled out their weapons, placing them in their sheaths or carrying them by hand as they followed Rin down the old, worn trail that led to the gates.
"So, where's the entrance that leads to the caverns, Rin?" asked Hiccup. The black-haired woman turned to him, and she spoke. Tuffnut helpfully Hiccup Speeched her words.
You can't see it from the air…It's tucked away at the base of the mountain, but it is blocked by a large boulder. There is a mechanism to push it out of the way, but you have to state your business before the men guarding it can open it for you.
How are you going to get in then? Astrid inquired. We don't work for the Dragon Slayers, and I doubt anyone here will buy the whole 'I'm new' pretense.
I'll tell them that you're with me, said Rin. She tightened her cloak. I don't think they'll question me much since I'm, well, Hilmar's daughter and all.
That was the second time Rin referred to her dad as "Hilmar" instead of "Father." She was no longer associating herself with him, which clearly showed her disregard for her. But did Rin really not want anything to do with Hilmar anymore? They were related; they were family. There had to be some part of Rin that wanted to at least try and persuade her father to come to the good side.
Someone like Hilmar, however, would need a lot of persuading to get him to let go of his evil scheme. As Hiccup thought more about it, he realized that the man wanted nothing but revenge after the dragon raid that took his wife away. Hiccup remembered that his father felt the same way after Valka had been whisked away by the dragons on that fateful night, but Stoick hadn't gone out and forced dragons to pillage other villages to further encourage vikings to kill them.
Hiccup pursed his lips. Perhaps Hilmar was past saving. Perhaps there wasn't anything they could do for him…He seemed ardent on ending the peace between dragons and vikings across the archipelago. Hiccup inwardly sighed, deciding that he would at least come face to face with the man first before jumping to conclusions.
Rin patted the young viking's shoulder, and Hiccup turned to face her. She tilted her head toward the dragons, who were following their riders loyally.
It's best if they stay in the woods. No one ever ventures into the forest this far, she said.
The Dragon Riders told their dragons to stay put until they returned. They hid behind the bushes to avoid being seen, and Hiccup, Rin, and the rest of the Riders continued to trudge through the forest. They soon reached the entrance to Hilmar's base, and like Rin had said, there were two men guarding it. They held long, metal spears with points sharp enough to impale someone. Hiccup stiffed at the sight of them, and lifted a hand to his wounded arm. He had already been stabbed once; he didn't want to be punctured again.
Hiccup watched as Rin spoke to the two men with bold confidence. Since she was Hilmar's daughter, the two guards didn't question her twice when she convinced them that the Dragon Riders were old recruits who had just returned from a month-long mission (the young viking silently thanked the twins again for their idea of Hiccup Speech).
Finally, the two men stepped aside, nodding to the Dragon Riders and allowing them to pass. Rin smiled at them, and then led the Berkians to the base of the mountain. Several men passed them, and they acknowledged Rin with respectful nods. All the Dragon Riders received were suspicious stares until Rin gave them their cover story.
The place was meticulously organized. There was a large forge that roared with flamel. Multiple different kinds of weapons were sitting inside barrels outside of it. The armory, which was much larger than the one on Berk, was filled to the brim with swords, shields, maces, axes, spears, and every kind of fighting tool possible. They were all made of strong, sturdy metal. Hiccup wondered what would happen if the Dragon Slayers got their hands on Gronckle Iron. He shivered at the thought.
In front of them, men were wheeling carts that were stacked with fish. Hiccup guessed that they were on their way to feed the dragons that they had captured. Rin beckoned for the Riders to continue to follow her, and the group soon found themselves standing in front of the entrance that led into the winding caverns.
Before they had left the sea stack, Rin had explained that the series of tunnels also served as an emergency escape route in case the Dragon Slayers had to make a quick escape. The tunnels led to many different parts of the island, but only a few led into the forest. Others were connected to the beaches that circled the island, or caves that led even deeper into the island.
The boulder that blocked the entrance was tall and large. There were Nordic engravings on it, mainly those of vikings slaying dragons. Hiccup cringed at the graphic images of vikings slashing their swords through dragon's necks or stabbing them in their hearts. The pictures were terrible, and Hiccup was glad that the dragons weren't there to see them.
A metal contraption that acted as a pusher stop on the left side of the boulder. Gears interlocked with each other and connected to a lever, which activated the mechanism. It was intriguing, something that he and the Dragon Riders could use on the Edge, but Hiccup didn't have time to admire the craftsmanship as he and his friends stood in front of another pair of men, who were allowing the people hauling dragon food inside. After the smelly cart of fish in front of them had been wheeled in, the Dragon Riders and Rin stepped up next.
The men once again bought the cover story that Rin had invented, so she and the Riders were allowed access inside. Apparently, they had been sent by Hilmar himself to check on the dragons, and make sure that they were getting the right amount of food. Rin and the Dragon Riders shuffled inside. The Riders looked around, wide eyes at the several tunnels that laid before them.
Okay, the Foreverwing is hidden in the deepest part of the caverns, explained Rin. She pointed to the tunnel that was on the far right. That's the tunnel that leads to it. In the middle of the tunnel, some of us will have to keep watch. We only have three hours to make this work.
I'll keep watch, volunteered Fishlegs.
Us too, said the twins.
I'm really good at keeping an eye on things, bragged Tuffnut. Our mom told me to watch out, so I watched the outside until sunrise.
Ruffnut whacked her brother. Mom was telling you to watch out for the runaway boars that got out of the barns. You got trampled because you were so busy staring at the sun!
Oh. That explains why I had so many footprints on my face…And the sunburn.
Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Okay, you guys. Fishlegs, Ruff, Tuff, you'll be our lookouts while Snotlout, Rin, and I head in to free the Foreverwing."
Got it, the trio said.
The Dragon Riders and Rin headed down the tunnel that led to the foreverwing. When they reached the halfway point, Rin pointed to the tunnel that stood to the right of them.
This tunnel leads into the forest, she said. Wait here, and if you see my—Hilmar, or anyone else coming our way…
Dragon call, Astrid poked in. She turned to Rin. The Dragon Slayers will think it's the other dragons instead of three young adults.
Rin nodded. Good. Now this is where we split.
Wishing each other good luck, the Riders separated.
…
The caverns under the mountain were a winding, complex series of tunnels that were extremely difficult to navigate. Right appeared to be left and left seemed to be right. The walls were made of solid stone, and the only sound that accompanied Hiccup, Astrid, Rin, and Snotlout were the clop, clop, clop of their boots hitting the ground.
Well, Rin, Snotlout, and I, thought Astrid, sending a glance in Hiccup's direction. The young viking brushed his hand against the wall as they ventured further and further into the dark. Torches lit the way, but the light they gave off was little. The flames were weary, looking like dreary, wilted flowers that were desperate for light.
Not only was it dark, but it was cold too. Astrid wrapped her arms around herself as a chilling draft blew through the tunnel. Spots of the ceilings dripped with water; the air was thick and musty.
Rin seemed to know where she was going, although Astrid wasn't so sure. She still didn't trust the woman completely, even though she had brought her and her friends this far. What if there was a trap laying for them at the end of the tunnel, and Rin was leading them right to it? Astrid certainly hoped that she wasn't as she continued to walk behind the former Dragon Slayer.
Unbeknownst to Hiccup, Astrid was wondering if Rin was really giving up on her father. She barely referred to him as her sire now, and whenever his name was mentioned, a cloud would pass over her face. Astrid hadn't met Hilmar personally, and nor was she planning to. But the Hofferson knew that if she was related to someone who was using dragons to attack villages, she wouldn't want to have any relation with them either.
Still, Rin was Hilmar's daughter. And Hilmar was her father. What if there was an easier way to end the oncoming war? Rin could attempt to speak with her dad; perhaps there was still a spark of reason inside of him, and Rin could light it. Astrid looked at the curly-haired young woman walking in front of her. Perhaps it was worth a shot.
"Hey…Rin," called Astrid. Said woman craned her neck to hear her better. "Do you think…Maybe you could talk to Hilmar? I mean, he'd definitely listen to you, right?"
Rin pursed her lips, an expression crossing her face that Astrid couldn't name. "Believe me, Astrid, I've tried…but my father isn't easy to convince."
"But what if you told him how you feel about all of this?" prompted Astrid, falling into the same long strides that Rin was taking. "You're his daughter, you should have a say in this."
"I know," Rin sighed.
"You should at least try again?" asked Astrid. She crossed her arms and shrugged. "Maybe he'll listen to you this time."
"I don't know," said Rin, a hint of sharpness at the end of her voice. She brushed a lone curl from her forehead, but it bounced back into place. "But ever since my mother was killed in that dragon raid, Hilmar changed…" the woman's expression darkened. "And not in a good way."
Astrid chewed her lower lip and decided to drop the topic for the time being.
"Uh…guys? I think we're getting close," Snotlout said. He gestured to the cages that surrounded them. "These look like dragon cells."
"You're right, Snotlout," confirmed Rin. She continued to trudge forward. "The Foreverwing is at the end of this tunnel."
Astrid looked around and sniffed the air. The atmosphere smelled terrible. A horrible stench stung her nose like a wasp, and she had to lift her scarf to block it out. The shieldmaiden looked around; the first few cages had been empty, but as the group moved on, dragons began to occupy them.
And Astrid was horrified by what she saw.
Dragons…Dragons of all different shapes and sizes were locked inside of these cages. They hardly even looked like their wild, free ones that Astrid had grown used to seeing on Berk or on the Edge. She was appalled by the cruel treatment that these creatures were undergoing…Some dragons were starved, their bones clearly visible through their dull, colorless scales. Scratches and cuts were scattered all over the dragon's bodies, and they were chained tightly to the ground. Astrid spotted a Deadly Nadder whose wing was at an abnormal angle, a Changeling whose eyes were empty and vacant. Astrid quickly realized that it was blind.
There were even baby dragons locked away in these dark, smelly cages. Astrid watched as a baby Scuttleclaw walked up to his mother, nudging her desperately. The larger dragon laid on the round with her eyes closed, unmoving. Astrid felt her breath catch into her throat. Oh Thor no…
The baby Scuttleclaw whined and laid beside his mother. Its large, yellow eyes locked with Astrid's sapphire ones. The Hofferson could only see one coherent emotion in the little one's pupils: fear. So much fear. Clear, open fear that made Astrid's heart feel as if it were being clenched by a fist.
The food that the dragons were provided with were rotted and old. Some even had dead eels sitting in their cages, and those dragons were huddled up against the wall, trying their ebay to get away from them. None of the food was close to nourishing for the dragons.
It was poignant seeing all of those dragons—dragons that were so beautiful and amazing when treated right—at their lowest points. Their cells were like torture chambers. They growled at the Riders as they walked past, ignoring the scent of dragon that lingered on them. These dragons were, perhaps, far from saving. They had been permanently scarred by cruel people who had abused them to no end, and they no longer trusted any human being that came near them.
Snotlout and Hiccup were shocked. Astrid turned to Rin, completely stunned. The woman bowed her head, her curls blocked her eyes from view.
"My father isn't the kind of man that takes pity on these animals," she said quietly. "Since our old village had been destroyed by one group of bad dragons, Hilmar is convinced that every dragon out there is equally so."
"But that's ridiculous!" exclaimed Astrid. She quieted herself when she heard her own voice echo. The dragons in the cages stirred. The blonde lowered her tone. "These dragons need to be released. They can't be kept like this for any longer! Some of them…" Astrid's voice cracked as she remembered the unmoving Scuttleclaw mother in the cage behind them. "Some of them are already gone."
"I want to help them, really I do," Rin said. "But…it might be too late to save them…"
"So we leave them here? We can't—!" Astrid cut herself off and turned around, finding that Hiccup had placed a hand on her shoulder. The Hofferon's tense posture relaxed, reading the look in Hiccup's eyes. He wanted to help the dragons too, but in order to do that, they needed to get to the Foreverwing.
Astrid let out a breath, and she collected herself. "Fine," she said, sending one last look at the baby Scuttleclaw nudging his motionless mother. "We keep going…But we have to come back for these guys."
Rin nodded. "You have my word that we will return and free them."
The foursome walked their way through the dragon cages, and eventually noticed that the tunnel was growing wider and wider as they continued on. The ceiling was now several feet above them. To touch the walls, one needed elastic arms. Rin pointed up ahead.
"The Foreverwing is just up there," she said. Astrid ran ahead with Snotlout, Hiccup, and Rin followed behind her. The Hofferson hoped that it wasn't too late to save the dragon.
Finally, the tunnel opened up to a large, circular room. In front of Astrid were the tallest cell bars that she had ever seen, and only a small, single window was inside of the gigantic room. Only three torches gave off light, but Astrid could clearly make out the large, rock looking form of the Foreverwing huddled in the darkness. Upon sensing company, the dragon shifted and turned around, looking down at the small group with soft, weary eyes. Astrid was taken aback.
"Holy mother of Thor," breathed Snotlout. Astrid nodded slowly. The Foreverwing was a sight to behold. He was much bigger than the Red Death, and far more friendly looking. Its eyes were a deep shade of calm, soothing amber, and his body looked like a forest landscape. Plants and trees—actual trees!—grew on the dragon's back and body. Multiple horns stretched and curled from his head, and a small beard thicker than a tree-trunk sprouted from his chin. The dragon huffed a breath of air, but to Astrid, Rin, Hiccup, and Snotlout, it felt like a gale.
"My Thor, it's beautiful," said Astrid as she walked toward the cage. Hiccup stood beside her, staring at the dragon in awe. The Hofferson turned to Rin. "How do we get it out of here?"
From under her tunic, Rin pulled out a silver key, which was the same size as the lock that kept the Foreverwing contained. "Use this to open the lock, and then we'll make our way—"
Suddenly, Fishlegs and the twins ran into the room. They stopped in front of Astrid, Rin, Hiccup, and Snotlout, breathing heavily.
"What are you guys doing here? You're supposed to be keeping watch!" chided Astrid.
"It's…them…coming…here…escape!" gasped Tuffnut in small bouts. Astrid stared at him, bemused.
Ruffnut raised a hand. "What…he's…trying…to say…is…" the female Thorston wheezed and bent over again.
Fishlegs, who had finally caught his breath, looked up. Fear flashed in his green eyes. "It's Hilmar and the Dragon Slayers!" he exclaimed in a rush. "They're….They're coming this way, and they're armed!"
Author's Note: Uh oh. That's all I've got to say. X)
I hope you guys nejoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next one! =D
Until the next chapter!
~BeyondTheMoon1203
