CHAPTER 21
He gripped the bracer tightly, not wanting to see the face grinning back at him.
"Hiccup, there's no way Nraseri's a Grimsavage?" Astrid said.
Hiccup wanted to believe her, but the evidence was right in front of him. "Astrid, his tribe is gone. He knows things. Things that a normal Viking shouldn't know. Things that you wouldn't believe."
"Like what?"
He hesitated, even now not wanting to spill their secret. But Astrid was one of the smartest people he knew. She glanced at the journal in her hand, to the saddle sketch, to the bracer. Her eyes widened as she made the connection. "The dragons. He tames them." Hiccup only nodded. "But the Grimsavages hate the dragons more than any of us. Why would he teach you?"
"I don't know. But I'm going to find out." Hiccup ran out of the forge, Astrid following. "We have to find him. I have to know."
Why didn't he tell me? What else is he hiding?
He made beeline for the forest, the bracer still clenched in his hand.
Nraseri burst out of the trees like a dragon out of Hel. He looked around wildly before he saw him. "Hiccup, we've got to leave. Now. Something is coming and it's coming soon."
Hiccup narrowed his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."
Nraseri stopped his frantic agitation. "What? Hiccup, please, we need to go. We need to get away from this island. It's not safe."
Hiccup stood straighter, a scowl etched across his face. "I'm not going anywhere with you until I have answers."
Nraseri looked at a loss for words. "Hiccup, what are you doing? We have to go."
"What happened to the plan?" Hiccup asked. "Why don't you tell me exactly what you're planning."
"What are you talking about? I'm trying to protect you!"
Astrid raised her axe. "Don't take another step. We know you're a Grimsavage."
Nraseri froze. "What?"
Hiccup held up the bracer. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Nraseri looked between the two of them, bewildered. "There's nothing to tell. I just found it a few years ago and kept it."
"Stop making excuses," Hiccup snapped. "I'm tired of that. I'm not leaving until you tell me."
Nraseri ducked under Astrid's axe and grabbed Hiccup's arm. That action said it all. Hiccup spun around and elbowed him in the stomach. Nraseri stumbled back, wheezing as the air flew from his lungs.
"You lied to me," Hiccup said, his anger rising with every second. "You were the one person I trusted, and you lied to me."
Nraseri's face paled. "This isn't what it looks like. Please, we have to go."
"Why can't you just tell me the truth!" Hiccup shouted.
Nraseri opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. He had fresh mud on his clothes. He'd been in the forest. That made Hiccup even angrier.
"Where were you, Toothless? You promised you'd help me figure this out, but you weren't there."
"Hiccup. We have bigger problems than this."
Rage swept through him and suddenly, Hiccup's fist was colliding with Nraseri's face. The teen stumbled back, bewildered, his green-gage eyes wide. His hand went to his nose and came back red.
"Hiccup! What in Odin are you doing?" His father was running toward them, Gobber on his heels. Shock was written across both their faces. Hiccup didn't care.
"I'm trying to help him," Nraseri said, giving more excuses. "Something's coming. Please, Hiccup is in danger."
"How can you be so sure?" Stoick demanded.
"I saw something. Please, you have to trust me. It's coming this way and if I don't get Hiccup out of here, we are all in danger."
"Liar!" Hiccup snarled and lunged at Nraseri. They both fell to the ground, Hiccup yelling and clawing someone he had thought was his friend. Rage had clouded his thoughts and he didn't even notice that Nraseri hadn't raised a fist.
"Stop it," Nraseri cried, trying to get to his feet, but Hiccup wasn't listening. He threw his fist forward, putting his entire weight into the punch, exactly like Nraseri had taught him. The blow hit him in the chest, his fist striking the amulet. Nraseri's eyes widened at the impact. Something burned in Hiccup's chest, and he saw red. Without a second thought, he grabbed the amulet and pulled at it.
The cord snapped.
Nraseri let out a strangled cry and grabbed for the amulet that now hung from Hiccup's grasp. Then, suddenly, he cried out in pain and stumbled back, hand clawing at his chest. He fell to one knee.
Shocked, Hiccup looked from the amulet to Nraseri. His anger vanished.
Overhead, a dragon screamed and Nraseri's head snapped up. Something cold crossed his face. His gaze locked on Hiccup and he let out a low growl. "Give. It. Back."
Hiccup stiffened. So did the three Vikings. Something in his voice made them freeze on the spot. The calm and collected person Hiccup had come to know was gone and before him was someone else entirely. His eyes glowed with a barely withheld rage that threatened to spill over at any moment. His voice dripped with fury and his lip curled in a sneer.
It chilled Hiccup to the bone.
And suddenly, Nraseri was back, clutching his head. He looked up at Hiccup, eyes wide and pleading, and deeply afraid.
Hiccup backed away a few steps, turned, and ran.
"Hiccup!"Toothless yelled after him, scrambling to his feet. "Come back, you're in danger!" His head pounded and he spared a glance towards Stoick, Gobber, and Astrid, who were staring at him.
"You have to stop him," he urged, but they shook their heads, confused.
"What?" Astrid asked, a frown creasing her brow.
"Ugh," Toothless muttered, wincing as pain coursed through his chest. Hiccup was getting further and further away, and the dragon was getting ever closer. He forced his mind to find the words that had slipped from his grasp. Without the amulet, Norse had become increasingly difficult, and the pounding in his head didn't help.
He pointed to the sky and then to the forest. "Danger."
Without waiting for a response, he dashed after Hiccup, the dragon within him urging him forward. Wings sprouted from his back and he bit back a shout of pain.
What's happening to me?
He already knew the answer. Silfr had warned him all those years ago. With the power of the amulet, he had full control of both forms but wearing it constantly formed a dependence. Without it, the fragile balance would be broken.
If he didn't get it back, he would die.
That dragon was searching for the amulet as well and without it, Toothless' plan to get Hiccup far enough away and distract the Thornridge had shattered. Now that Hiccup had the amulet, the dragon would go after him. He would not let that happen.
Toothless let loose a screech, propelling himself forward through the brush. He didn't care who heard him now, his only concern was to keep Hiccup safe. If he could just get him to the cave network, then he'd be out of the dragon's reach. The tunnels were too small for a Titan Wing.
He followed Hiccup's trail through the forest and was surprised when it let him to the Cove.
Of all the places, he thought as he slowed to a stop. Squeezing his eyes shut, he focused on the form that Hiccup knew. His chest clenched painfully, and he bit his lip as he changed back into Nraseri. He leaned against the entrance of the Cove as he caught his breath and waited for the pain to disappear. It only worsened. clenching his teeth, he pushed himself up and entered the cove.
Hiccup was sitting on the rocks, staring at the water and clutching something in his hand. The amulet thrummed in the back of Toothless' head, and he sighed, relieved and somehow angry, that Hiccup still had it.
"Hiccup,"he called and cursed as his shin smacked into a rock. Hiccup's head shot up and he scrambled off the rock when he saw him. He grasped the amulet to his chest as if to hide it.
"You need—" Toothless caught himself in time as the words came out in his native tongue and he tried again. "You need to listen to me." He took a few steps closer, but Hiccup back away. "Oh, for… Hiccup you're in incredible danger and there isn't much time. I need the amulet back."
"Why should I listen to you?" Hiccup said, malice lacing his words. He flung his arms in the air. "I trusted you and you kept all of this from me. For the first time in my life, I thought I had a friend, someone I could be myself around and didn't have to worry about who my father was or the reputation that everyone built around me." Hiccup turned away, his voice thick. "I thought that you were different. But I was wrong. Again."
Toothless stared at Hiccup's back. What could he say? He wished that he'd never kept the bracer in the first place. Without it, this would never have happened and Toothless would not have to feel the betrayal that came off his friend in waves.
Behind them, Astrid burst into the clearing, axe in hand. She was breathing heavily. She shot a glare at both of them. "What is going on?"
Overhead, a dragon called again, signalling how little time he had. He had to end this quickly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth, Hiccup. I wanted to protect you."
Hiccup whirled around. "Don't you think I could have handled it? You want me to trust you, but you keep deflecting every question I ask. You leave for hours, just disappear off the island, you keep secrets, and now you want me to go with you without any explanation. How am I supposed to trust you?"
"The Grimsavages wiped out my tribe. I'm not with them, I promise."
"And the dragons? How did you learn about them?"
"I've always known." He winced and grabbed for his chest as another wave of pain came over him and the breath was torn from his lungs. He struggled to regain it for a few seconds. "Just, please, give the amulet back."
Hiccup glared at him and brought the amulet out but didn't give it to him. "Why is this so important? Where did you find it?"
Toothless bit back a growl of frustration and pain. "It was given to me so that I could protect you."
"What do you mean?"
"Hiccup, please, there's no time. You have to trust me. Everything we've done together is real. I'm still your friend and I promise I'll tell you everything, but I need that amulet back and we have to get to the caves." He glanced at Astrid. "All three of us. We're not safe here."
Hiccup's anger had lessened to a mix of distrust and confusion. He grasped the amulet and sighed. "Alright, fine. But I want the full story, not just what you want to tell me."
He held out the amulet.
There was a loud, low thrum and a blast of wind that knocked the two of them off their feet. The Thornridge plunged into the Cove and landed in front of them, its massive jaws parted in a sickly grin.
Hiccup screamed and struggled on his hands and knees to distance between him and the dragon.
"Finally," it hissed. "I have found it."
Toothless struggled to his feet. His whole body burned, and he felt his stomach drop as he saw the dragon. It was standing over Hiccup, claws twisting around him.
"Let him go!"he yelled, flinging his dagger at the dragon's front leg. It let out a sharp cry and dropped Hiccup, who landed heavily on his side. Both Astrid and Toothless scrambled to Hiccup. Another blast of wind slammed into them, sending them flying back into the wall of the Cove. Toothless shouted as another spasm of pain shot through his body.
The dragon blew a shot of fire at them, and he shoved Astrid out of the way, the wash of heat singing the tips of his hair.
The Thornridge growled. "Leave, humans. This is none of your concern."
Hiccup had got a few meters away while it was distracted. He shouted in alarm as it lunged at him. He ducked under its claws and scrambled desperately toward some form of cover.
Toothless sprinted for him. "The amulet, Hiccup, give it to me!"
Hiccup fumbled for the amulet and held it in his outstretched hand. The Thornridge sunk his claws into his shoulder and pulled him back. Hiccup screamed.
"NO!" Toothless leaped for the amulet in Hiccup's hand, but the dragon pulled him away too quickly. Hiccup tried to break free from its grasp, but the dragon sunk his teeth into his leg, and his words were cut off by a jagged scream.
"HICCUP!" Toothless screeched, his voice reverberating as his second skin pricked his mind painfully and tried to reach him, but he was too far away. "No! It's me you want! I'm the Vinr Sætta, not him!"
His veins burned. He screamed in frustration, feeling the power once again take over. His vision sharpened and he let out a two-toned roar as his vocal cords shifted. He felt the obsidian wings unfurl and he leapt into the air. Wind shot passed him as he flew higher and higher, faster and faster.
His form flickered and the wind lurched around him and he dropped a few feet before regaining control. He had to reach him. He had to save him!
The Thornridge whipped around and let out a fiery blast that slammed into his chest. The blast sent him flying into the rock face of the cove with a sickening crack. Toothless fell, form dissolving. he hit the ground, human once more.
Stoick burst into the Cove with Gobber not far behind him, the sound of the Night Fury's and Hiccup's screams ringing in his ears. He scanned the destroyed clearing, desperately searching for any sign of that shock of auburn hair. Instead, he saw Nraseri lying in the smoking grass. Astrid was standing over him, her axe drawn, and breathing heavily.
He rushed over and put a hand on the boy's chest, feeling for the rise and fall of breath and sighed in relief. He noticed that his dark scaled armour was steaming slightly, and his face was streamed of soot.
"Astrid, what happened here?"
"I—I don't," she stammered, her blue eyes wide with shock. "There was a dragon. Hiccup—"
Nraseri shot up with a gasp and stumbled to his feet. His green eyes darted around the clearing. His breathing doubled and he scanned the skies, panic written across his face. He shouted in that strange language and tried to climb the walls of the gorge.
Gobber put a hand on the boy's arm but was shrugged away with immense force. He cursed as his hand came back red and saw blood trickling down Nraseri's arm.
Stoick grabbed his other arm. "Where is Hiccup? Where's my son?"
Nraseri gave him a pained look. "I'm sorry," he said, slipping out of his grasp. "I'll get him back."
The three of them watched in horror as the boy began to change from man to beast. His skin darkened and obsidian scales formed along his arms. His green eyes widened, and he arched his back in pain and wings began to grow.
The Night Fury stumbled slightly on his injured forepaw and gave them one last look before shooting into the sky.