Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome back to good ol' "Sounds of Silence!" =D Sorry for the late update; I was finishing watching something with my sisters, and now that it's finally done, I'm here with a new chapter for ya'll! =D
But first, I'd just like to say thank you for all the wonderful feedback that you guys have given me so far! =D Eleven follows, ten favorites, and seventeen reviews! =D My heart is soaring! I'd also like to announce that I'm on the favorite list of ninety people on this site. Ninety! I didn't think I'd ever get this much attention for my stories, and I'm so happy to know that a lot of people out there enjoy my work. =) I've come a long way since I started writing in September, and it makes me proud to see how far I've come. =) Just ten more people, and I'll be at 100! =D *Screams* Again, thank you guys so muchhhhhhhhhhh =D
Anyway, enough of my rambling...I know a lot of you out there were waiting for what happens next in "Sounds of Silence," so here's the next chapter! =) I hope you guys enjoy it! =D (Oh, and this is the last chapter in Act II. So...yeah. Last chap in this Act XD).
Chapter Seventeen: Fortifying the Island
Berk was going on lockdown.
If they couldn't fight, they would have to defend. And that was what highlighted Stoick's plan. The children and elderly would use the Whispering Death tunnels as refuge. The wounded would be moved to the Cove, which was far away enough that HIlmar wouldn't attack there. It was spacious, and had plenty of water, and the healers would be bringing their materials there with them so they could continue tending to the injured vikings. For the rest of the villagers who were well and hearty, they would help defend the island.
Stoick hoped that if they stayed firm and held their ground long enough, Hilmar would eventually move on and leave Berk alone. The village would be in desperate need of repairs afterward, but it was better than having his people killed. They would just have to stand strong long enough for Hilmar to realize that he was wasting his time on an island that wouldn't surrender.
The Chief sent out orders as fast as they were taken. Barricades that were salvaged from the last battle were put up once again, but this time, they were reinforced with iron and metal. The same two materials were used in the high walls that Berk placed up, courtesy of Gobber. Old traps that had been used in the last battle were recovered and reset, and several defenses—catapults, harpoons, launchers, and every weapon imaginable—were placed all over the village.
In the Dragon Training Academy, the Dragon Riders were tending to their dragons while simultaneously preparing for battle. Hiccup and the Riders had been put in charge of preparing the dragons of Berk for war. The dragons were told to perch on the highest points on the island so they would have an easy aim on Hilmar and his ships. Unhatched eggs, little dragons like Terrible Terrors, and baby dragons accompanied the old and young children in the burrows below Berk.
With the dragons on their side, Hiccup felt more confident, but knowing that Hilmar had dragons on his side too, his morale was shaken. And he didn't have just the regular, everyday dragons like Gronckles or Deadly Nadders, but the rarer, more destructive dragons that the Riders had only faced once or twice in their lives.
And to make matters worse, he had the Foreverwing, a dragon that was able to control other dragons. If Hilmar told the Foreverwing to take control of the dragons on Berk, they'd be defeated.
Gobber and Fishlegs led the children, elderly, and baby dragons to the Whispering Death tunnels. The dragon eggs were placed in carts and wheeled into the maze of caverns beneath the island. Hiccup, Astrid, and Snotlout worked to assign the dragons different positions on the island while Ruffnut and Tuffnut helped set up defenses (their Lokiing had given them suitable experience when it came to loading catapults and launchers). All of Berk ran like a well-oiled machine as everyone prepared for war.
Despite the confidence that he felt, Hiccup did feel a little fearful. He hated the small, minuscule feeling of fear that plagued him on the inside like a virus, but so many doubts and worries filled his mind as he surveyed the island and its defenses. What if Berk fell into Hilmar's hands? What if they couldn't defeat him? Hiccup thought, mused, and pondered all of this as he worked in the Forge, creating a new tail for Toothless that would allow him to move faster in the air. The young viking dunked the new connecting rod into a cool bowl of water. He expected to hear the satisfying sizzle that it made afterward, but the bubbles and metal made no noise in his ears.
Hiccup set the rod aside and finished sewing the new tailfin that he had created for Toothless. Walking behind his dragon, he bent down and slipped the new tail into place. From the table, he picked up the connecting rod, and secured it in its rightful place. Toothless examined his tail and thumped it against the ground. He opened and closed it, smiling gummily. Hiccup grinned.
"That tail should allow us to move a lot faster," explained Hiccup as he dusted his hand against his apron. "We'll give it a test run once I'm done cleaning up here."
Hiccup turned around to begin tidying up, when he suddenly found himself face to face with Stoick. The young viking yelped in surprise, tripping over one of the tools that laid on the floor. He would've crashed to the ground if Toothless hadn't steadied him in time. Hiccup let out a breath, thanking his dragon for catching him, and he looked up at his father; amusement danced in his eyes. Hiccup frowned.
"You didn't come here to scare the living daylights out of me, did you?" asked Hiccup as he bent to the ground, picking up the papers that he had accidentally brushed off of his desk. Stoick bent down and assisted him. Once the parchments were put away and accounted for, Stoick pulled out one of the notebooks that sat on a shelf and charcoal stick. He scribbled something down for Hiccup, and he handed the notebook to him.
No, I didn't come to scare you, Stoick had written. I came to see how you were holding up. How are you feeling?
Hiccup hesitated for a moment before replying. In truth? I'm kind of scared, he admitted. I mean, I don't doubt our defenses or the plan at all, it's just…Do we really stand a chance against Hilmar?
Stoick sighed. I don't know, son…From the looks of it, we are a bit weak, and Hilmar definitely has the upper hand…We can hold up for as long as we want, but we might end up going out sooner than expected.
Hiccup chewed his lower lip. Yeah, I couldn't help but calculate the odds…
Stoick nodded. But…even if we do lose…if we…end up losing everything…I'm proud to have you as my son, and you've handled this situation very well despite your deafness.
Hiccup managed to crack a smile. Thanks, Dad. I still hope we can defend ourselves against Hilmar, though.
Me too, agreed Stoick. He was about to leave when he turned around. Oh, I forgot to tell you…Your friend Rin wants to see you. She's waiting on one of the platforms at the docks.
I'll be there, said Hiccup. Stoick gave his son a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, and then left the room. Hiccup turned around and hastily tided up, then headed outside and mounted Toothless.
"We can test out this new tail and see what Rin wants to tell us," said Hiccup. "I say that's a win-win."
In response, Toothless huffed a breath of air, and took off into the sky, circling toward the direction of the docks.
…
Barricades lined the many stairs and platforms that led up and down to the docks, so Hiccup was more than thankful to be flying on Toothless instead of navigating his way through them like a maze. Down below, Rin's small form waved from where she was standing, and Hiccup asked Toothless to land behind her. The Night Fury complied and landed on the platform where Rin was waiting on, and Hiccup slipped off his back, walking to the woman's side. She stood a few inches taller than him.
Rin's gaze rested on the horizon, her grey eyes distant and thoughtful. She was only twenty-four, but when Hiccup looked at her, she seemed to have aged beyond her years. She looked weary, and her expression seemed despondent. Rin sighed and turned to face Hiccup. Her eyes glittered like dew; Hiccup wondered whether or not they were tears.
From under her belt, Rin pulled out a notebook that she must've picked up from somewhere. She handed it to Hiccup without writing anything. Hiccup guessed that she had something prewritten inside of it. The young viking gingerly took it out of her hands and looked up at her. Rin nodded slowly and gestured for him to read it.
Hiccup opened the book and read through the pages.
Hiccup…I have to thank you for everything you and your friends have done for me…But I can't help but feel guilty. I haven't been completely honest with you about my past, but before you tell your Night Fury to incinerate me, let me explain…
Several years ago…I was only twelve. Maybe thirteen. It had been ten years since my mother had been slaughtered by a dragon. You saw how my father was bent on revenge. I…I was the same in my youth. Of course, I didn't seek to destroy every dragon out there, but I knew what dragon had killed my mother. A Monstrous Nightmare, like the one your loud-mouthed friend rides. I went to the forges at night and took the nearest sword I found and set out into the woods, searching for the dragon.
I knew it wouldn't be the same one that had killed my mother, but my mind was blurred with sadness and rage. I was dead set on slaughtering a Monstrous Nightmare, thinking that it would end the internal plague that I was feeling. A part of me thought that if I went through with the deed, that I'd feel better. And, if I prayed to the gods hard enough, they'd take the Nightmare's carcass as a sacrifice, and bring my deceased mother back to life.
The cutlass that you see me fight with…that's the very same sword I took from the forge. I ventured through the woods in the biting cold, chiding myself for heading out in such horrible weather. My thoughts shifted, however, when I saw in a clearing before me a Monstrous Nightmare, sleeping in the snow.
My young eyes widened, and I completely forgot about the cold and the possible frostbite that was crawling onto my fingers. I unsheathed my sword and lightly crunched through the snow, my thin cloak brushing against the sparkling powder. Moonlight illuminated the slumbering dragon before me. My hands trembled as I slowly unsheathed my sword. My breath came out in small puffs. The dragon slept on.
I had my mind set, I was going to kill this dragon. I had to kill this dragon. Revenge was the only way to fix this, so I raised my sword to strike.
But that's when I saw them.
Baby Monstrous Nightmares, huddled in the mother's wings. One of them peeked its head out and looked at me. His large pupils mesmerized me as I gazed at the little creature before me. He chirped in confusion, perhaps befuddled by my battle-like stance as I stared back at him. I then quickly realized that this Monstrous Nightmares was a mother.
And I was just about to end its life, just like how one had ended my own.
Epiphany hit me like a blow. The sword felt heavy in my hand as I let it hang loosely at my side. I couldn't believe what I had almost done, what my rage had almost made me do. I would've killed that dragon that night if the baby hadn't peeked out and prevented me from doing so. I didn't want to end the life of a mother and leave the children helpless without her. I already knew what that was like, the absence of a mum. It was an empty, hollow, saddening feeling. I couldn't let these babies go through the same.
I sheathed my sword and turned to leave.
Suddenly, the baby dragon let out a shrill cry, waking his mother. The adult Monstrous Nightmare lifted her head and spotted me. I froze, not knowing what to do.
The dragon flamed up and charged. I acted only on impulse. I ripped out my sword and slashed it in front of me. A horrible scream, one that has haunted me for years, came from the large beast as my sword swiped clean through its eye. Trembling with fear, I dropped my blade, and the dragon with its bleeding eye growled at me and lunged, slashing through my own eye and the left side of my lip. There were many spots of red against the white surrounding us.
As if she knew where Hiccup was in the silent tale, Rin ran her fingers over the scar, which had faded over time. Hiccup couldn't imagine what it looked like when it was a fresh wound.
I quickly scooped up my sword and ran, the dragon's roars echoing behind me as I pounded through the woods. I burst through the door to my home and my father found me, close to collapse, standing in the doorway. I had to wear an eyepatch for weeks. I refused to explain what had happened that night, or why I had a stolen sword from the forge. Since then, I've refused to harm any dragon that comes my way, even before you proved that they weren't a threat if treated right. That fateful night I learned that revenge…is a terrible thing. It makes you act illogically and can lead to other's destruction. Or twist people in ways that cannot be fixed…My father being a clear example.
And sometimes when those dangerous people refuse to change, the only way to stop them is to eradicate them.
Stunned, Hiccup looked up at Rin. Tears inched slowly down her face. Eradicate…That was just a fancy word for—
Hiccup shook his head, and quickly scribbled a response. Whoa, whoa, Rin, what?! Did my Dad really propose that idea?!
No, replied Rin. I did.
Hiccup was shocked. B-But, you can't be serious! He's your father. We can't…You can't…What if there's still something worth saving in him?!
Rin's tears disappeared and she vehemently shook her head as she wrote. Hiccup, you haven't lived with Hilmar the Heinous. You only saw a fraction of his cruelty. You weren't there when entire viking villages were burned to the ground by brain-washed dragons. You weren't there to see the crying faces of children as they walked amongst the ashes of their destroyed towns. You didn't hear the screams—horrible, anguished screams—when families found their loved ones dead on the ground, burned by dragon fire. The maniacal laugh of Hilmar, as he watched the chaos from the distance. Enjoying it. Taking pleasure in it…Abusing the Foreverwing and all of those dragons back at the base was just a glimpse of how terrible he can be. Of how terrible he is. There's nothing of the father I once knew long ago. He's turned into a monster, one that we either can destroy or be destroyed by.
If my father is put out of the picture, everything—-and I mean everything—he built will crumble. The Dragon Slayers, his camps, bases. The dragons will be freed. The Foreverwing will be returned to its home. Berk will win, and the Dragon Slayers will fall.
Hiccup still didn't approve of the idea. But Rin…this is insane. He's your father. There…There has to be some other way we can finish this fight!
Sorrow flashed across Rin's face, but it disappeared as fast as it had come. It's too late, Hiccup. Your father—Stoick—already agreed. And when the Chief approves something, you know that it's final.
Hiccup pursed his lips. Toothless looked up at him worriedly from his side. The young viking knew that Rin wouldn't propose something so drastic unless it was right. On the outside, he reluctantly agreed, but as he and Toothless flew away from the docks, he thought otherwise.
Hiccup was going to find a way to end this war before it could even begin.
~ End of Act II ~
Author's Note: And that's the end of Act II! =D I think this is my favorite Act, mainly because a lot of my favorite chapters are in it, and I just think it flowed really well. X) Hm...I wonder if Hiccup will manage to put an end to this madness...I'm confident that he will. =D
(ButofcourseI'mconfidentsinceI'mtheauthorandIknowwhathappensbutI'mnottellingyouguysbecausethat'druinthestory *COUGH*).
Also poor Rin...I had a lot of fun designing her backstory, but I still can't help but feel bad for her. =( I'm also getting Guardians of Childhood vibes from Rin and Hilmar too...They remind me a little of Emily Jane and Pitch. =) Coincidence? Perhaps. At least, that's what I'm telling myself...XD I didn't intentionally make them similar. X)
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next one! =D
Until the next story!
~BeyondTheMoon1203
