Chapter 10
Why

Jack took a step forward, eyes closed and fists clenched. He was expecting to feel the bite of the cold on his feet, eating it up to the ankle, and he wasn't disappointed by the stinging, burning sensation. He winced but ignored it as he kept on moving. Strangely, he couldn't feel the water rising around him, so there was nothing to stop him now. He kept on moving forward, again and again, forging his resolution with each step.

The cold didn't matter. The pain didn't matter. He knew he was doing the right choice. He should have never survived, he was supposed to have drowned with Emma, that day. He still didn't know why he hadn't died, nor what had brought him back and changed him like this. He didn't know why or how, or if someone, god or demon, was behind this. He only knew it should have never happened, and the time had come to fix this mistake.

Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and was about to let him fall backward in the water, when he noticed something was off. He was sure he had walked to the middle of the pond, water was supposed to reach his chest by now, but he couldn't even feel it on his legs. Confused, he looked down and horror struck him as he realised he wasn't even in the water. His feet were resting on the surface of a thin layer of frost, sparkling by the starlight. His weightless body was visibly not enough to break it.

His heart sent in a pounding loop, the frost thickened in response, turning into ice. He looked up around him. He was right in the middle of the pond, the exact place where Emma and him had fallen in, and a frosted path was linking his position to the shore.

''No…'' He whispered, panting in panic.

He looked back down and tried to take a step into the water, outside of the ice plate. As soon as his toes brushed the surface of the water, ice and frost formed to carry him.

''No, no…''

He took another step, then another one, he tried to jump farther, but nothing did. Once again, the pond was rejecting him. Death was rejecting him.

''No !'' He cried in despair.

New tears escaped his eyes as he started to sob. Falling down to his knees, he tried to punch to ice, hoping to break it, hoping to fall in. Each punch and hit aiming to weaken it only seemed to make it stronger. It even started to thicken, to spread in the depth of the pond. Despite of this, he couldn't stop. He kept on punching the ice, punching so hard it was painful, sobbing and wailing, his voice getting higher as he was now screaming.

''Why ?! Why are you doing this ?!''

He looked up to the sky and cried even more, voice twisted and trembling with rage, pain and despair.

''Why don't you want me ?! Is this a punishment ?! For not saving her ?! Why ?! Why can't I just go with her ?!''

His tears submerged him. He collapsed on his side, folding on himself, hiding his face in his arms, knees pressed against his chest as his whole body was shaking uncontrollably. His turmoil kept on feeding the ice spreading around him, to the extend the whole pond was soon frozen solid to the bottom. Jack didn't care, he kept on crying and wailing, his heart bleeding out through his stinging eyes. He couldn't stop anymore. Everything he had been through and accumulated for three long years of loneliness and rejection, it all came back. Each memory, each rejection, each heartbreak was beating him up, beating up his heart and soul, with utmost violence.

He couldn't say how many time passed like this, it could have lasted ages, or just seconds, or eternity. That's when he heard it. A high-pitched noise, like a whine, then something pressing on his back. It felt like two small paws trying to catch his attention. Ignoring it, he burried his face deeper in the shelter of his arms, until another whine reached his ears, and this time he recognized it as a dragon whine.

He sat up in a start and turned to find a small creature he wasn't expecting to find there. Sharpshot. Sharpshot was there, standing on the ice, looking at him with big, round, golden eyes filled with heartbreaking sadness. Jack was far from having calmed down, still sobbing, and the dragon being here only sent him into another turmoil.

''W-What are you doing here ? How… ?''

The green and brown dragon whined and took a step closer, hesitantly, asking permission. Jack couldn't find the strength to push him away. Instead, he burst in new tears and took the small creature in his arms, hugging and burrying his face against a warm back. Sharpshot whined even more and snuggled against him.

''Jack ?''

The boy tensed and cried even more, shaking from head to was just what he needed. Sharpshot finding him there was not catastrophic enough, there had to be Hiccup too. He ignored the auburnet, trying to convince himself it was just his imagination and that this vision would just go away. That's when he heard hesitant steps on the ice, two feet making different sounds, one muffled like a boot, the other clinging like metal. Jack winced, unable to hold back his tears, as a warm aura came closer to him. Familiar, comforting… but unwelcomed. He didn't want this warmth. He didn't want Sharpshot being here with him, even if he was clinging on the dragon as if his life depended on it. And he surely didn't want Hiccup being here with him.

Said tamer knelt next to him and slowly slipped his warm hands between the dragon's back and the boy's face, finding his cheeks covered with cold tears, so he could lift the pale face towards him. Jack swallowed as he met a heartbroken and confused pair of green eyes. He closed his, feeling thumbs brushing his skin, trying to wipe the countless tears.

''Oh, Jack… What happened ? What's wrong ?''

The boy frowned and shook his head, biting his lips in try to hold back more sobs. Still Hiccup didn't give up and even scooted closer.

''Please, talk to me. Whatever it is, you can't keep it in, it's going to eat you. Please. I just want to help you. Let me help you.''

The more Jack was shaking his head no, the more Hiccup was clinging on him, his voice growing softer, but also desperate. Jack couldn't bare hear him like this, but when he tried to tell him to go away, nothing but a sobbing whimper came out of his mouth. Then the boy found himself in a strong but caring embrace, his face pressed against a toned chest, basking in the warmth, this dazing smell filling his nose,.

He cried even more and did the only thing that seemed making sense at the moment, he held to the dragon tamer, burrying his face in the leather equipment, letting loose of his flowing tears.

''I should have died with her.'' He wailed like a child. ''I should have…''

Starting to chant these words that were ripping his heart and guts appart, he let out his sorrow without paying attention to the rest. His mind was getting blank, he couldn't think about something else than how bruised and scarred he actually was inside, and how no one had allowed him to mourn his sister, since everyone was refusing to see he still was himself and had real emotions.

As he was crying his heart out and trembling, producting sounds that were less and less making sense, Hiccup said nothing. He remained silent, by his side, holding him close, stroking his hair and back in try to comfort him. The only sound he made was when he started to hush Jack, rocking him gently. Sharpshot stayed on Jack's lap, snuggling against his belly and chest, half-trapped in-between the two young men. As to Toothless, whom Jack just noticed being here too, he layed next to them and wrapped his tail around them, along with a protecting wing.

Hiccup kept on holding and rocking Jack with patience, and the boy had to admit it was helping, even if his mind started to wake up and ask questions. Like what the tamer and his dragons were doing here ? He convinced himself the auburnet had followed him, worried by his sudden runaway, and surely it was thanks to the dragons and their smell that he had found him. Jack knew he must be confused of what was happening, but the boy was not in the shape to explain it to him. Actually, even if he had been, he would not have told him much. Hiccup was so nice to him, he didn't want to see him turn his back on him too.

This problem turned even more pressing as the tamer was stroking his hair. Jack had no doubts the gesture was wiping away the brownish dye, surely already covering Hiccup's hand. Moreover, seeing how observant he was, there was no doubts he had already noticed other things.

Like the fact Jack had no money at all on him whereas, on the previous day, Ruffnut had scamed him. Like the smell of the dye. Like the fact he was starving, since his stomach had the delicacy to make it clear to everyone at the circus. Like his oversized clothes, not even mentioning the nightgown. Surely the tamer had also noticed the dirt stains on his sides and back, proving he had slept on the ground, outside. And he didn't dare to imagine what the tamer was thinking about finding him here, in the middle of the forest, instead of the village.

Jack had no doubts Hiccup had noticed these clues, he could only hope he had not drawn conclusions from it yet, and would not. Or else he would ask questions, questions Jack had not the will to answer to. Not if it could scare off the tamer. This fear was feeding his despair and keeping him from calming down. However, he had troubles thinking it was a bad thing, because it gave him an excuse to remain in this warm and comforting embrace. Moreover, just letting all his pain out was relieving. It had been so long since he was keeping it all in. No one had let him express it, after all.

A shiver ran down his spine as the temperature around them seemed to drop and the ice was cooling his knees. He felt Hiccup shiver too, and realised the tamer must have been freezing cold, even more than Jack. When he found the strength to open his eyes, despite the countless tears blurring his vision, horror struck him. It was snowing.

Despite the usual cold weather and the fact they were in mountains, it was too soon in the season for snow. It was the middle of authumn, they had to wait two or three months more before the first snow days over the village. Jack winced and squeezed the tamer's sleeve, new turmoil arising in him as he just started an inner struggle to keep a hold on his emotions. The wind was blowing softly around them, lifting swirls of snowflakes, he had to calm down before his strange powers started a real storm.

He had always found ridiculous that the villagers blamed him for triggering avalanches but, in this moment, he really feared causing a snowstorm. His thoughts suddenly came to an halt as a bell echoed in the air. Jack blenched and trashed again, but the auburnet's arms tightened around him.

''What is it ?'' Hiccup asked.

Jack bit his lips and shook his head, refusing to even think about it. This bell was not just the average bell indicating the hour of the day or the end of the religious office. No, this bell was the one the village used to warn the inhabitants of a danger. As far as he could remember, Jack had only heard it three times. Once for a wolf attack, once for the avalanche that almost engulfed one third of the whole village, and once for the night he had came out of the frozen pond and dragged himself back to the village, disoriented and shivering from head to toes while leaving a path of frosted ice behind him.

This bell was bad omen, and Jack knew what it meant, this time. He had left the Overland farm in the morning, surely Jonathan and Mary had finally warned chief Nigel, then the villagers had noticed the unusual snow and were now preparing retaliation. Jack's hypothesis was proven right as shouts started to echo in the woods, war cries quickly followed by drums. From afar, they could already see some lights flickering between the trees. Jack held back new sobs as he realised what they wanted to do. He straightened and pushed Hiccup in try to get out of his embrace, earning a worried and confused gaze from the tamer.

''You have to go.'' The boy prompted, his voice hoarse from all the crying. ''Go with the dragons, hurry up before they see you guys.''

''What's going on, Jack ? What's this bell ?''

''Troubles.''

He sniffed and wiped his face on his sleeve before pushing again the tamer, who only backed by reflex. His expressive eyes were staring at him, at a complete lost.

''Save yourself,'' Jack urged. ''You have nothing to do with this.''

''I can't just leave you-''

''You have to.''

Jack pushed him harder and aimed to get up, but a weight on his lap held him back. Looking down, he found Sharpshot laying there. The dragon whined, giving him a pleading look the boy couldn't bare. Jack winced and took him by the armpit to lift him, and give him to Hiccup, but the small dragon started to wiggle and jabbed his claws in the cape and tunic, trying to hold on the boy.

''Stop it, Sharpshot !'' He cried. ''Don't you see it's best for you ?!''

The dragon froze for a moment, eyes wide, before trashing again, but Jack ignored him and pushed him into Hiccup's arms, the poor tamer even more confused. Jack stood and, when Toothless came closer, he pushed him too, prompting them to leave. The Night Fury lowered his head, whining softly, his round eyes just as unbearable as Sharpshot's. Hiccup finally came out of his dazed trance, standing as well. Jack barely dared look into his eyes.

''Come with us.'' The tamer insisted.

The boy shook his head and instantly felt a warm hand taking his.

''No matter what's going on here, no matter the troubles you're into-''

''It will follow me wherever I go. I can't impose this upon you guys.''

''You're not imposing anything, we've offered it to you.''

The more Hiccup was insisting, the more Jack had to put efforts into resisting. These pleading green eyes, so full of concern, this saddened expression on his face, his warm hand holding into his own, the whines of both dragons… It really was hard to ignore it. It was aiming right to his heart, stabbing him, hurting him so much he just wanted to give in. But he knew he couldn't.

''Why are you insisting this much ?'' He blew up, wincing and closing his eyes for not seeing the other's face.

He asked out of frustration and irritation, because he had an idea of the answer, but he didn't want to believe it. Actually, he didn't want to hear Hiccup's reply, even less if it was confirming his hypothesis. Because that would only make them suffer even more. There was no place for anything near 'like' for them. So he tried to find another explanation, something else he could easily argue back to push away the tamer.

''The circus can do without this advertising. You can do without-''

''It's not for the circus, Jack.'' Hiccup barged in, looking scandalised.

The boy risked opening his eyes again, and immediatly met intense green eyes. Hiccup looked desperate and was holding onto his hand tighter.

''I know a lost soul when I see one, and it's obvious you need this company way more than all we can gain from your presence. No matter the troubles you're into here-''

''You can't say that. You don't even know what I did.''

''It doesn't matter, really.''

At each of his retorts, the tamer seemed to tighten his grip, as if each refusal was only strengthening his resolve not to let go. It felt like, no matter what Jack could tell him, he wouldn't give up. The boy's heart skipped a bit to that idea, however he was not going to give up either.

''I could have commit a crime.''

Hiccup squeezed his hand, his eyes not wavering as they looked directly at him.

''I could have killed someone.''

Hiccup smiled as he looked almost amused.

''Judging by how you defended the twins and Snotlout, I highly doubt that.''

''My magic could be evil.''

The auburnet's smile dropped and he frowned.

''Do you really believe that, or is it what you've been told ?''

Drums and voices kept on approaching and, now, even footsteps and barks from dogs would be heard. Jack knew that the villagers were coming, and that Hiccup and the dragons had to leave. It was getting increasingly urgent. He shook his head no, holding back new tears, this time fed by worry for the trio in front of him.

''I'm cursed, Hiccup.''

''I can't believe that.''

''I'm not asking you to believe it, just- !''

Jack tore his hand from Hiccup's, clenching his fists, before he took a deep breath in try to calm down. When he spoke again, his voice was calmer but still pressing.

''I don't want you to get involved in this, nore the others, nore the dragons. Please, just go.''

Something changed in the tamer's eyes. It was obvious he was hurt and, strangely, it hurt Jack even more. The boy felt like he had just been hit harshly in the guts, stealing his breath away and leaving him with the urge to disappear, to crawl away in a pit and remain there until the pain subdued.

''I can't leave you like this.'' Hiccup murmured.

Jack's first reflex was to ask him why, but asking would only make them loose even more time. The villagers were dangerously close, almost there, and this stubborn tamer was still not leaving. Jack didn't know anymore what to do to chase him away, until a soft breeze blew next to them. Then he knew what to do. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. For the first time, he willingly drew on his magic.

Shivers and prickles filled his fingers, going up along his arms, up until his back. The temperature dropped around him while he could feel this energy build up within him, spreading around him. The wind answered the call and changed its direction, now blowing on the tamer and his two dragons.

''Jack, what are you doing ?''

It was working, visibly, so the boy focused and put more will and efforts in the wind. He could feel it blew harder in his back, parting just behind him to not hit him, unlike the dragons yelping in surprise. As ice blue eyes opened again, not dropping his focus, Jack saw a powerful gust of wind blowing on the trio, efficiantly pushing them away, forcing them to back.

''Stop it, please !'' Hiccup called out, his voice trying to rise above the howling wind.

His broken and panicked voice drew a piercing pain in the boy's chest, still he didn't stop.

''I'm doing this for you ! They won't listen to anything I could say to defend you ! If they find you here with me, they'll think I put a spell on you, or worst, they'll think you too are a -''

''There he is !'' A voice suddenly boomed, a voice Jack recognized with dread.

Shock wiped away his focus and, instantly, his magical energy dropped, along with the wind. Despite the out-of-control shivers wreaking his body, Jack – as well as Hiccup and the dragons – turned their head towards the group of villagers crossing the glade. All had weapons with them, torches and forks. They looked like they were going on a witch hunt, except Jack knew they weren't hunting a witch, but a demon.

Chief Nigel was leading the group, closely followed by Jonathan himself. The clan's chief pointed to Hiccup and the dragons before shouting : ''The demon called others ! Catch them, quick !''

Jack panicked and his eyes darted between the few villagers approaching with torches, and Hiccup with his dragons, more confused than ever.

''No, leave them alone !'' The boy shouted, placing himself in front of his friends.

The five villagers stopped as a gale blew around the boy, ice spreading from his feet. Jack could see anger, but mostly terror, in their eyes. The way they were tightening and fidgeting with their weapons proved they were frightened of him.

''They have nothing to do with this ! Leave them alone, I'm the one you want !''

''What are you waiting for ?!'' Chief Nigel barked, ''catch them !''

Jack stared as the men and women in front of him, they seemed frozen on spot, not daring to move. Limbs shaking and eyes averting his, they stood in front him, not even daring to step on the frozen pond.

''Useless fools. Archers !''

Jack's face turned whiter than it already was as a group of archers stepped in front of the group, aiming and shooting instantly. The few villagers in front of him quickly ran away as arrows rained over them. The boy stepped back to avoid one, another hissed dangerously close to his ear and a last one pierced his cape, igniting the fabric. He put out the fire with ice and, forgetting his enemies for a second, turned to check on his friends. Hiccup and Sharpshot had disappeared behind Toothless, the dragon shielding them with his body while arrows simply ricochetted on his skin. The dragon roared and hissed as a purple-blue light shone in his wide-opened mouth.

Jack ducked in a start as the light suddenly shot and exploded next to the villagers, who screamed and tried to back.

''Toothless, no !'' Hiccup panicked, trying to wrap his arms around his best friend's neck to stop him, but the Fury trashed ferociously.

''Archers ! Aim for the demonic beast !''

Jack's heart rushed under adrenaline and fear, even more so as a new volley of burning arrows aimed at them. He turned and screamed ''No !'' while outstretching his hands to Hiccup and the dragons. Toothless loaded another blast and Sharpshot seemed ready to fire too.

Everything happened fast and Jack couldn't even picture how he managed to do it, all he had been thinking about was to protect his friends. A blinding blueish white light emitted from him, then a wall of ice suddenly burst in-between him and the trio, rising like a frozen wave in which the arrows jabbed.

Jack barely had the time to be relieved, before he got dizzy and felt his legs give in. He fell to his knees, panting heavily and feeling nauseous, as if something had suddenly drained all his strength. His vision got blurry, his whole body shivering uncontrollably, colder than he had ever been. He swore he could just faint, but he shook his head in try to clear his mind. Looking up to the ice wall, he smiled as he saw shadows moving on the other side, clear sign that Hiccup and the dragons were fine. Another hissing blue light warned him Toothless was going to make the wall explode. What a stubborn dragon, just like his tamer.

Jack tried to get up, aiming to reinforce the wall, but he didn't have strength left. He was exhauted, his limbs feeling numb, unmoving, and that's when something wrapped around his neck. The rope squeezed and tore a strangled yelp from his lips before he got dragged backward.

The ice wall exploded before his eyes as he was dragged on the ground, towards the hollering villagers. He tried to get a hold of the rope, trying to loosen it, but he couldn't even slip his fingers between the rough material and his compressed throat.

He spotted some ice debrits falling around them before dark forms closed around him, filling his ears with insults and others shouts he didn't want to hear. Too loud, too confused, too many of them… It was weakening him, along with the heat radiating from the torches. It was increasing his shivers and making his eyelids heavier. However, the pain from his throat was keeping him awake.

''Let him go !'' Hiccup shouted, ''Leave him alone !''

''Back, demon !'' Nigel retorted.

Between two villagers holding him, Jack spotted the large, grey-haired chief facing Hiccup, a torch brandished in the tamer's direction as if it would keep him at bay. Hiccup was holding Sharpshot securely in a arm while his free hand was pressed against Toothless' chest, keeping him still.

''Come on, I'm not a demon ! Look at me, I'm as human as you, for the love of Thor !''

''Then why are you trying to help this thing ?''

Jack didn't need to see the condescending gesture Nigel made towards him to know who he was talking about. Despite the pain and overwhelming fatigue, he couldn't help but notice the new name. He had already been called countless time with mean names like 'abomination', 'creature', but never before 'thing'. That was telling a lot about his reputation still dropping.

''Because Jack is my friend !''

Hearing this, Jack felt torn. On one hand, he was touched Hiccup thought he was his friend despite them only meeting one day prior. But on the other hand, he was uneasy. Because it was not really friendship going on between them, nore what Jack would have liked to see bloom between them if he had still been human. And because the tamer would change his mind once he learnt what Jack really was.

His wandering thoughts came to a halt as he heard chief Nigel sneer.

''My poor boy, looks like you have been fooled too.''

''What ?'' Hiccup hesitated.

As the rope around his throat went loose, Jack took a deep breath in and started to cough violently. He pulled at it to free his throat. Still weak and dizzy, he managed to see the villagers step aside, following their chief's order judging by his raised arm towards them. Still facing Hiccup, the chief stepped aside to point at the laying boy.

''This abomination here looks like a human boy, but I can assure you it's not. Jackson Overland has died three years ago, drowned in the very pond you're standing on.''

Hiccup hesitated and looked down to the ice carrying him, before looking back at Nigel, then Jack. The boy didn't dare to move, even if he had the strength to.

''The following night, this monster came out of the water, as cold as Death, imbued with dark magic, wandering in Jackson's dead body.''

Jack closed his eyes and held back a strangled sob, refusing to see realisation dawn on Hiccup's face.

''And tonight, we are going to send the demon back to hell ! Brothers, hang him !''

''What ?! No !'' Hiccup protested.

Jack didn't have time to do anything as the rope tightened again around his neck, tearing another strangled yelp from him. Once again, he was dragged on the ground, then lifted from it, hung. He trashed and kicked the air in panic, trying to claw at the rope. The burning sensation was covering his throat, just under the jaw, and got mixed with another pain stiffening his nape and back, as if his weightless body was still trying to tear off his head. He couldn't breath anymore and his vision was blurring again. Black spots invaded the edges of his vision, slowly darkening, his throat and head ready to explode, and his lungs screaming for air.

The sensation seemed both familiar – reminding him of his drowning – and stranger, because it was not exactly the same. Still the almost-familiarity gave him some comfort, making him stop fighting. It was not exactly the death he had been expecting, the death waiting for him for more than three years, but it was doing the job.

So he closed his eyes and stopped fighting, accepting his fate, one name on his lips.

''Emma…''

He didn't have to wait long until darkness engulfed him once more.