Hello to whoever will read this. This is Act 2 of the first Peak in the story. I don't own anything from the Httyd franchise. Hope you enjoy it.
"The Nest? What nest?" Tuffnut asked no one in particular.
"The Dragon Nest." Hiccup answer realising how stupid he was to not check that place too.
"It doesn't make sense. Why would Alvin make camp in that island?" Heather asked.
"It's because of the island, that he made his camp there." George said getting some confused looks from his listeners.
"Your dragons were slaves in that island. How do you think they would feel if they see that place again." The white haired boy elaborated.
"You said that he wasn't on any nearby islands. Outcast island is the closest one to the Dragon island. So you either didn't bother to look there... or you have made an agreement with Alvin to destroy Berk." Spitelout accused Hiccup making the auburn haired boy the focus point of the entire Hall. Hiccup looked around. Those eyes again. Those judgemental piercing eyes he was used to seeing 5 years ago were back. He scanned the whole room for someone to hold on to. To stop him from feeling the despair from all those years ago. He didn't find one.
He found many. George, Heather, Thuggory, Fishlegs, Tuffnut and even Astrid they all had confidence in their eyes. The auburn haired boy looked at his cousin not expecting much. Only mockery. No hate, no Judgement. Hiccup smiled, which took everyone in the Hall by surprise.
"Why are you smiling? Does that mean that Spitelout is right? Did you betrayed us?" Dagur asked earning a smack on the head from his sister that made him shut up.
"I didn't fly to the Nest, because I didn't think it was necessary. I was wrong on my part and I apologize." Hiccup said and slightly bowed to the chieftains, mainly Big-Bertha,
"Looks like he grew up to be a fine young lad. Eh Stoick?" Gobber whisper to his friend and chief. The red bearded man went closer to his son to meet his eyes.
"A man makes mistakes. A good man admits his mistakes. A great man fixes his mistakes." Stoick said landing his hand on his son's shoulder. Hiccup realised what he meant by those words.
"I will right now to see his camp and his forces. Except my report sometime tomorrow, early afternoon." The auburn haired boy said never looking away from his father's gaze. Stoick simple nodded and Hiccup tried to leave.
"Stop right there boy."
'Uh, so irritating'
"I don't trust you enough to scout on your own. If you want so badly to prove that you are not a screw up, you should have someone else with you." Spitelout said looking at his son. George tried to step forward but was beaten by a voice.
"I will go with Hiccup." A voice came from the group. Hiccup looked at Astrid expecting she was volunteering. However when he saw that Astrid's eyes were looking at someone he followed their gaze.
"Sis, do you want to take my role or something? I'm the crazy one in the family remember? It's in my name too." Dagur the Deranged said to his sister.
"It's not crazy brother. Astrid can't go because she must prepare the village defenses before we leave. Thuggory doesn't have a dragon any more. Fishlegs will only slow down Hiccup. Tuffnut can't control his dragon without a second rider. Hookfang is still resting. And Finally, Spitelout doesn't trust George enough to let him go with Hiccup or he would've already said so." She reasoned. Spitelout moved his head affirmative to the last statement. The chieftains took a minute to discuss this and they let Heather accompany Hiccup to the Nest.
"Get your dragon scout boy we're leaving." The black haired girl said to Hiccup.
At the plaza they group was saying goodbye to their friends. Astrid threaten Hiccup to protect Heather at all cost. With a simply pet on the side of Toothless, Hiccup was up in the air. George found this opportunity to ask Heather to stay as close to Hiccup as possible, for both his and hers safety. She kissed his cheek amd thanked him for his concern but she reassured him she could take care of herself. When both riders were airborne. George felt massive bloodlust coming from behind him. He turned his back and found Dagur playing with a knife while behind him Fishlegs and Snotlout were simple watching.
"He will make a fine leader one day Stoick. Maybe the greatest of them all." Mogadon, the chieftain of the Meatheads, said to the beared man.
Meanwhile, at the Sheer's cabin another message from the Gods came. The Seer, anxious to stop this calamity, threw some leaves in his fireplace making the smoke coming out of the chimney white. That was the signal he used to proclaim to the village that he had a vision. The smoke engulfed the entire Isle of Berk in minutes. Stoick, Big-Betha, Mogadon, Dagur and Astrid went to see what the gifted man had to say to them. They entered his cabin and immediately they were greeted with fog coming from behind the sitting man.
"Come forth chieftains, who's first priority is their tribe." The old man said. The chieftains moved forward and bowed to the Gods.
"The Gods have already decided who the victor shall be. However, They will not share this with me. Instead, They showed me that the crow will fall from the sky, the white wolf will turn red and that the Scream will silence. You are not prepared for what's to come." He said. Then turned to Astrid and motioned with his hand for her to step forward.
"Ah, the Valkyrie. The Gods are pleased with you. Odin will wait for you in Valhalla." He said to the blonde shield maiden. The others looks shocked. They all though that Astrid will die in the battle to come but the Seer was not finished.
"Odin doesn't want you to go alone. Of you want to see your parents soon, then the black wolf must die." He said falling to lethargy. With that everyone left the Seer's cabin and went to the Hall.
There, Stoick ordered for an immediate council. Every chieftain, their second in command, the group and George were there. The torches created the perfect atmosphere for Stoick to pass them the Seer's prediction. Then he started interpretating what parts he could.
"From previous visits to the Seer I know that the crow is Hiccup. Although I fear what the 'fall from sky' part means." He began and Astrid seen how difficult it was from the red bearded man to keep a straight face she took over.
"About 'the White wolf turning red'." The blonde Viking said and looked at George. The white haired boy was deep in thought.
"Red is the colour of anger. I will probably get mad for something." He replied and then he continued.
"What bothers me the most is the last part. 'The Scream will Silence' I don't understand any of it." He finished and looked at Stoick, seeing the huge man worrying, he suggested they take a walk outside for a minute.
"Oh, Astrid has another prediction from the Seer." Dagur said getting everyone to look at the young shield maiden.
"Oh it's nothing. It's a personal." She said with a tone that made everyone stop from asking any more questions. After a while George and Stoick came back and the council resolved, making everyone return to their house's.
All the way to her house Astrid could only think of one thing. Her parents. Asmund and Astra Hofferson were fighting in a viking raid four years ago. They had managed to drive the Outcasts away but a fireball from one of the ships hit a house near them and the debris fell on top of them. They found their bodies the next morning. It hit Astrid hard. First her uncle and now her parents. She was all alone now.
'We are not alone and you know it. When our parents died. Stoick took us in, probably to fill the void from Hiccup. We have Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Heather and even Snotlout. And now Hiccup's back. And last but not least we have Stormfly' the voice said. By now Astrid was outside her empty house. She saw Stormfly sleeping in her pen. She smiled and went inside. She laid in bed and sighed.
"Maybe the black wolf is Alvin. If Alvin dies I die." She said right before she fell asleep.
Up in the night sky Hiccup and Heather were making good progress on their scouting. They were less than an hour away from the Nest and Alvin's camp.
"So..." Hiccup said trying to make the remaining time less awkward.
"Dagur... He's... better than I remember" He failed.
"Yeah, ever since Oswald disappeared he really stepped up and made a new name for him and the Berserkers." She replied proudly.
"Oswald? Isn't he your dad?" He asked touching a sensitive nerve.
"Do you call your dad, dad?" She replied harshly. Hiccup getting the hint changed the subject.
"I see you are good friends with everyone. Especially, Astrid." He said shifting his weight to see her properly.
"Yeah, everyone is so nice that's why I want to bring Cami amd Ruff back. With Astrid, I wouldn't say we are best friends. But for some time now we talk more and more." She replied smiling.
"Not only friends. What about Fishlegs?" Hiccup asked smirking.
"Ha ha. With Fishlegs we are just friends nothing more." She laughed
"Besides..." She continued but was interrupted by Windshear, who stopped abruptly. They have arrived.
"What the?" Hiccup asked.
"How did they managed all that it's unbeliev-" Heather was stopped again by Windshear, when the dragon evade an arrow.
"How could they spotted us. It's the middle of the night." She asked while she tried to avoid getting hit. Alas one arrow managed to hit Windshear under the wing.
"HEATHER!" The auburn haired boy yelled watching his fellow rider free falling with her dragon into the ocean.
"Come on bud. He have to save them!" Hiccup said to Toothless. The Night Fury without a second thought skydived to save the black haired girl. However, before they could rescue them flames blocked their way.
"Typhoomerangs? Where did Alvin found these kind of dragons?" He aksed rhetorically. From where he was he could only see that Windshear was captured but no signs of Heather anywhere. He tried to dive once again but now he could see that some Outcasts were airborne and approaching fast.
Hiccup had a discussion to make. Either stay and search for Heather and risking getting himself captured without telling the other what Alvin has on the island. Or He could retreat back to Berk tell them what he found and hope that Heather survived the fall. He closed his eyes and murmuring and apologie he turn back to Berk. Toothless tried to make his friend stay. The dragon was scanning the water for her but he couldn't find something.
"Come on bud. Toothless come on we have to go. TOOTHLESS!" Hiccup yelled finally making the Night Fury turn towards Berk. Hiccup left her. Once again he fail, maybe he was still a failure. He tried to fix his previous mistake but he only made things worst.
"DAMN IT!" He yelled punching the saddle. The sun was rising and yet his mind was replaying the events from few hours ago. He hasn't landed, he didn't stopped. He had to tell them as soon as possible about the fortress Alvin has built on the island.
George entered the Great Hall with a smile on his face. The others were already there eating their breakfast. Only Astrid acknowledged him and saw the box he was carrying. She wanted to know what was inside but thought it might be rude to ask.
"Hey George. What's with the box" Tuffnut asked casually. George smirked and simple replied that it was a "gift" from Gobber. The others, intrigued by the use of the word "gift", now wanted to know too. Having no other option, the white haired boy open the box and revealed dozens of small knifes.
"Astrid there you are. We are almost finished loading the ships. I need you to go check at the Academy, make sure everything is in order. At lunch come back again for a final meeting. You too George" Stoick the vast said gaining the acknowledgement that she will do as ordered. She really was his second right hand.
Several hours later, the chieftains and their second in command including Astrid and George were checking that everything were in order.
"We will wait until Hiccup and Heather return. When we know what his forces are we will-" "Dragon Rider!" Stoick was interrupted by a shout from outside. They all went outside and saw Hiccup landing.
"His early" George murmured realising something was off.
"Hiccup. Hiccup. Did you see Ruff? Was she hurt? What have they done to my sister Hiccup? Don't keep me in agony!" Tuffnut asked in quick succession.
"Wher-" Astrid tried to say but was interrupted by another question.
"Where's Heather?" George asked. Hiccuo looked at him with red eyes.
"Hiccup! Where's my sister? ANSWER ME!" Dagur yelled.
"I'm sorry. I don't know." The auburn haired boy said looking down.
"What do you mean you don't know? She left with you, she must return with you." Dagur continued.
"I don't know. It was dark and we were getting shot. Windshear is captured. but Heather... I don't know" Hiccup sighed. Dagur tried to ask more questions but Big-Bertha stopped him. They needed to know what Alvin's are.
"He has built a fortress. A massive one, probably the same size as the Hall. Not only that, but he has built many structures, possible armoury, barracks and houses. He has a massive army, close to thousands with many different types of dragons." He said remembering the Typhoomerangs.
The news of Alvin's army traveled fast around the Vikings. Many thought that what they werw about to do was crazy. Others were crazy enough to think this as a challenge. Hiccup retreat back at the cove away from everyone and everything. He couldn't bare to look Dagur in the eyes nor anyone else for that matter. Even George didn't go with him. He stayed behind preparing for the battle. At the docks he found Fishlegs and Thuggory talking.
"Hey Fishlegs, are you ok?" The Meatheads heir asked the huge blonde viking.
"Yeah...Yeah. Sorry, I was thinking about Heather." Fishlegs replied.
"You care about her don't you?" Thuggory asked. Fishlegs flinched but didn't deny it.
"She's so outgoing with everyone. She's always smiling and she's fearless. Smart too. And beautiful..." The blonde Viking trailed off. George having heard the conversation left the docks to fly with Nightwing.
Meanwhile, at the cove Astrid of all people came to see Hiccup. She saw him crawled up next to Toothless under the tree. When he asked why was she there, she crouched to his level and said.
"I warned you about keeping Heather safe." His eyes fell down again. He tried to apologize again but shw stopped him.
"But she isn't dead. Hurt? maybe. Captured? Probably. But dead? Never. She's as stubborn as it gets." She said sit at the cold crass.
"I screwed up. I was supposed to fix this not make it worst. Spitelout is right I'm still Useless, like no day has passed." He said. Astrid tried to touch his hand but he got up and asked her to leave. She sighed but respected his wish. Before she left she saw George coming.
'At least he won't be alone' She thought.
'Why would you care, Valkyrie?' The voice asked mockingly.
The two blood brothers sat next to the pond not saying a word. After some time George was the first one to speak.
"Did you know that Fishlegs love Heather?" George didn't moved his head, he kept looking at the pond and his questions was more like a statement than a question. Hiccup just clutched his hand and closed his eyes.
"Could you have saved her?" This time the white haired boy looked at his friend expecting no for an answer. Hiccup teared up.
"Maybe..." George's eyes widened. he got up in shock but Hiccup continued.
"If I had searched more I would have been captured or worse. The Outcasts were coming and I couldn't see her in the dark. I-" Hiccup tried to speak but George was getting mad.
"EXCUSES! Like last time. You DO remember what happened the last time you made excuses instead of taking action. Weiss died, Yang lost her arm to Blake. All because YOU though that he was just a harmless animal hunter. Hiccup wake up. Finding excuses won't fix things. Actions will. We should have killed him and her when we had the chance. You didn't want to and we lost the team. Now we have a new one and you are screwing up again. Stoick said it too. Fix your mistake." George lectured Hiccup. The auburn haired boy simple stayed there, so George did the only thing he could do. He punched him. Hiccup startled from the punch was too late to dodge the next one. However, he predicted the third one and soon they were fist fighting.
"That hurt idiot." Hiccup said laying on the crass. George laughed.
"That was the point." George replied making Hiccup laugh.
"You know, the other night we were at the Academy, you were patroling as usual, and Heather out of the blue asked me about the Gods. I mean the Olympians. The others were intrigued so they joined to listen. I told them about Zeus, Athena, Apolo and the others. Tuffnut said that only Loki was the cool one while the others were saying how other Norse Gods were better. Not Heather, she wanted to know more about them and the world outside the archipelago. I told her I would take her to Atlantis one day. I am not a liar Hiccup. I will take her there because she's alive." George said looking at the leaves falling from the tree.
"Ok. Let's save Ruffnut, Camikazi AND Heather." Hiccup said getting up and onto Toothless. George simple smiled.
"Go ahead, I will catch up in second. I need something from the camp." The white haired boy said motioning for his friend to go.
At the Docks, everyone was ready. Stoick was preparing his ship to depart first. Hiccup found this opportunity to speak with Dagur. He told him that he knows Heather was alive and that they will get her back. Dagur hugged him. Tight.
"You might not know this but sis is the sane one in the family. She's everything to me. I can't let her get hurt not again." The red haired man said still squeezing the Dragon Rider.
"Everyone! Let's go finish this war!" Stoick said. His voice echoed at the mountains reaching far and wide.
At the same time somewhere far away from the archipelago. The mysterious figure was sitting in his bone like throne.
"Blake tell me. What's the news with the brothers?" His voice deep and rusty. A beautiful woman with long black hair stepped forward and bowed before him.
"They are in position. Once the barbarians are dealt with we will have our way to the North and to the Prince." She said.
"Good. What about the Riders?" He aksed.
"The two are still up North. It's possible they will take action. I suspect the hooded one must have found my 'present' already. We still don't know about the others." She replied. He smacked his hand at the throne making an echoing sound.
"I want all of those Dragon Riders dead. And their island burnt down." He ordered. She bowed again and left the room.
Done! What? so soon? I had inspiration. Anyway, 2-3 more acts of the Peak. Feel free to speculate about anything that might happen. Thank you for reading.