Chapter Twelve: Fruition of Bad Omens
The rising sun on a small, wooded island began to shine through the pine needles, creating a spectacular sight of orange shafts of light piercing through and resting on a makeshift camp. However, despite the tranquility of the sight, it was shattered by a painful cry.
"Agh! Wh-what are you doing?!"
"Heather is right. You are a wimp." Astrid groaned in annoyance, glaring at Matt who was gritting his teeth with clenched eyes.
"Well, typically I don't have someone constantly rotating my sprained ankle! Just wrap it already!" He barked.
Sighing, Astrid ignored him and continued to carefully place two sticks on both sides of ankle. Getting it in place, she then began to wrap it with her emergency bandages she kept in Stormfly's saddlebag. "Easy…almost done."
"'Bout time." He huffed. "Heather is a lot gentler than you."
Astrid scowled at him as she tied off the bandage. Lightly slapping it, she smirked at his grimace. "There. All done. You can stop whining now."
"Thanks." He growled in sarcasm. Inspecting it, he then let her help him up. Putting a little weight on it, he pursed his lips to hide the sharp pain in his ankle. And also his leg.
"Well, you won't be boarding for a while." Astrid observed, seeing him limp around the small campfire. "How bad is it?"
"I just need to stay off it for a day or two." He replied, taking a seat next to Wasatch, who was watching his Rider carefully. "You okay, bud? Feeling sore at all?"
Wasatch simply growled as he looked at the bandage on his ankle and sniffed it.
"Don't worry. Won't be permanent. I'll be boarding on you sooner than you think!" He assured, lightly patting the Skrill. After the worst night's rest they ever had, the rising sun was a welcome sight. Only their dragons were slow to wake up.
Astrid was busy repacking her saddlebag and cleaning up their small camp, since she would beat on Matt to make sure he would stay off his ankle. "How soon until you can fly?" She asked, rolling up the little remaining cloth bandages she had left.
"Whenever you're ready." He replied with a somber expression.
She was quick to pick up on the tone of his voice. "Thinking of Heather?"
"Everyone really. We don't know if they all got out. We could be the only ones left."
Astrid sighed. She too had the same thoughts. Though she kept an eye out for anyone as they flew away, they wouldn't really know what was happening until either they flew back to the Edge, or went to one of their allies. "We won't know until we start looking, right?"
"Yup. Come on. Let's go." Matt huffed, hopping onto his one foot. Letting Wasatch stand up, he then carefully sat himself on him. "Man. Don't know how you guys ride sitting down. I feel so…sluggish whenever we turn."
"Guess you have to get used to it!" She teased, strapping on the saddlebag. Turning and kicking the fire remains out, she then asked. "Where to? Berk? Caldera Cay? Wingmaiden Island?"
"I've been asking myself that all night." He admitted with a frown. "I say Caldera Cay. If no one is there, we'll head to Wingmaiden Island to warn Atali about those…Flyers."
"Sounds good to me. Let's do it." She replied resolutely as she too climbed on Stormfly.
"Who were those people anyways? Darien's people?" Matt asked, letting Wasatch gently take off with Stormfly alongside.
"Who else? Who else would attack us like that?" She answered. "I just…I wish we were able to push them away. For being Dragon Riders, we didn't really handle ourselves well last night."
"Astrid, that was your first real dogfight with other dragon riders." He quickly consoled. "They had numbers on their side. We just got overwhelmed. And caught off guard."
"Doesn't make me feel any better." She huffed with agitation in her voice. "All that training, all that mental preparation I did, and I couldn't stop them from taking over the Edge…"
Matt let out an exasperated sigh. "Astrid, shut up will ya? You can't blame yourself for this. Remember when I first fought Darien? Back when we went to attack Viggo's shipyard?"
Nodding slightly, she simply waited for him to finish his thought.
"She beat me. Bad." He explained. "I shouldn't have lost. I was-er, I am the Dragon Boarder. And yet she still beat me. It wasn't until later that I destroyed her. Wish it was more fatal than what happened, but what's done is done." Guiding Wasatch closer to her, he then quietly added. "Battles are meant to be won and lost. It's what you do with them that matters. That's how we win the war."
Letting a sly smile grow on her face, she looked at him with a softened expression. "You are a Haddock. You do know what to say, don'cha?"
"Heh, are you kidding? It took me years to learn that!" He laughed, banking Wasatch away from her. "Not to mention several, and I mean several times I had to have sense beat into me!"
Laughing, Astrid looked ahead with a more relieved smile. "I guess we can say that we have an idea of what we're up against now. We won't be taken off guard by those Flyers again!"
"And we can come up with better ways to fight them." He added. "I just wish I knew why Wasatch seemed to scare away all the ones that chased after us. He didn't really fight much, save just a few."
"If Hiccup can finish the Dragon Eye, maybe we can figure it out." Astrid suggested with a smile. "Come on! Let's hurry!"
Watching Stormfly surge ahead, Matt smiled as he followed. "Lead the way!"
"Hiccup, are you sure you and Toothless don't need to rest?"
Putting on a tired smile, he turned to Heather and Windshear who were gliding closely alongside. "Yeah, we're fine Heather." After fleeing the attack on Dragon's Edge, they had only stopped at a small island in the early morning hours; the two Riders and Dragons were only running on a few hours of sleep.
Not believing him, she glanced over at Toothless who also had a tired expression on his face. "If you two need to sleep some more, let's stop at the next island then. You don't need to push yourselves so hard."
"What about you and Windshear? If you two are fine, then we are too." He countered, gesturing to Windshear who was smiling at them.
"Windshear and I are used to this. Being on the run. Constantly moving. Flying at night." She began to list. "This is nothing new to us. We don't want you two burned out."
"Once we get to Wingmaiden Island, we'll be able to rest as long as we need to. Since we'll wait to see if the others show up. So stop worrying about us. We'll be fine!" He replied with a reassuring smile. "Right bud?"
Toothless growled in acknowledgement, despite his tired expression.
Hiccup then sat back in his saddle, still trying to reassure her. "Besides, it shouldn't be too far now. Maybe a couple of hours at them most."
Frowning at him, she shook her head in disagreement, but wasn't going to argue it anymore. "What is it with you Haddocks? Matt won't stop either until he gets what he wants done."
"Guess it runs in the family." He jested with a careless shrug.
Rolling her eyes, she muttered to herself. "A little too much, honestly."
As they continued to fly, and being the most awake between her and Hiccup, Heather spied something in the distance. A…ship. A single ship. "Hey…Hiccup? What's that? There, up ahead. It looks like a ship."
Looking at where she was pointing. Pulling out his spyglass, he then saw exactly what it was. "You're right, it is a ship. But more importantly, it's Trader Johann!"
"Really? I didn't know he had stops clear out here." She observed.
"True. Neither did I. But maybe we can ask him to take us to Wingmaiden Island. Let our dragons rest while we sail the rest of the way." He suggested with a smile.
"Now that's an idea I can get behind." She replied with a sincere smile.
"Come on!" He laughed, guiding Toothless towards their trader friend.
They were able to close the distance between them fairly quick, thanks to the idea of being able to rest and sail to Wingmaiden Island. The closer they got, the more relieved they felt.
"Johann! Hey there!" Hiccup greeted with a wide smile.
"Master Hiccup?!" Johann cried out with shock. "And Lady Heather?" He looked surprised to see them.
Landing on his boat, they very tiredly dismounted off their dragons. Even Heather admitted it felt good to take a break from riding. She may have been used to traveling and being on the move all the time, but that was a while ago. Her endurance had for sure waned a little after settling down.
"To what do I owe this great pleasure?" Johann asked aloud, smiling at the surprise of his guests.
"Well, not really because of anything good." Hiccup began to explain. "We were attacked last night. We lost Dragon's Edge."
Johann gaped at Hiccup, shocked at the news. "But surely your dragons could have helped you win the fight?! And who attacked you?"
"That's just it, Johann. We were attacked by Dragon Flyers. They used bridles and whips to control their dragons. There were so many of them that…well, you can see what happened."
"What of the others? Where are they?" Johann asked intensely.
Heather then spoke up. "Separated. We were hit so hard we were all split up. We were on our way to Wingmaiden Island when you we saw your ship. We've been flying on little rest."
"Then let my ship be a humble abode for you and your dragons!" Johann announced, welcoming them with wide arms. "Oooh, have I got stories to help you rest while we go to Wingmaiden Island!"
"Thank you, Johann, that is kind of you." Hiccup replied with a tired smile. "We really appreciate it."
"No need to thank me, Master Hiccup. You and your friends have been quite helpful during my few times of need." He replied with a wide smile. "Your dragons can rest up here. I have two nice blankets below that you two can use to catch a few winks!"
Yawning, Hiccup smiled at Heather who also liked the idea of sleeping a little. "We'll take you up with that, Johann."
Smiling, Johann gestured for them to go down the hold. "Let me offer some supplies to your dragons, please make yourself comfortable.
Doing so, Hiccup and Heather walked past Johann who began to dig through a crate and down into the hold. Full of all kinds of trinkets, they were able to find the two blankets that he talked about. Taking one, Hiccup handed the other to Heather, who then promptly sat herself against wall of the hold while covering herself with the blanket. Not too long after they had both situated themselves, they heard Johann walk down the stairs of the hold.
"There, your dragons won't be bothered by anything until we get to Wingmaiden Island." He announced, walking up to where Heather lay.
Yawning herself, Heather smiled as she thanked him for his hospitality. "Very generous of you, Johann. Thank you."
"Trust me, Lady Heather…the pleasure is all mine…" He replied with a growing smirk on his face.
"What are you doing up here this far anyways?" Hiccup asked, also making himself comfortable in his spot. "I didn't know you had stops in this area."
"Oh, it was because of something recently actually." Johann answered, digging for something in his pouch. "You can say my searches have led me here."
"Searches? What are you searching for?" Heather asked, looking at him with a tired, quizzical look.
Johann grinned at her, with almost…a dark expression. "Well, for one, you."
"What?"
Before she could even process what he had said, he threw a handful of looked like sand or dust at her face! Coughing, Heather tried to jump up, only to feel a sudden drowsiness overwhelm her! Confused, exhausted, even panicked, she fell into what looked like a deep sleep.
"Johann! What are you doing?!" Hiccup shouted, springing to his feet.
"Getting one of the things I'm looking for." He laughed with a surprisingly evil tone. Kneeling down, he threw the blanket off of her and plucked an odd-looking glass object strapped to her belt and showing it to Hiccup. "I can't believe you didn't notice what she had on her person Hiccup. After all this time."
Hiccup gasped, seeing what the object was. A Dragon Eye lens! "Wh-what? Why are you after that lens? What did you do to Heather?!"
"She'll be fine. She'll, well, sleep it off." He replied. "Now, you have something I need as well. The Dragon Eye that you've been working on."
Shocked, taken off guard, how ever he could describe how he felt, Hiccup instantly rested his hand on the pouch that had it, all while drawing his sword and letting fire run up and down the blade. "Toothless!"
"Save your breath, Hiccup!" Johann shouted. "Your dragons can't help you now! I made sure of that."
Realizing why Johann wanted to take care of their dragons, Hiccup's eyes narrowed angrily. "If you hurt any of them. Or Heather…I swear-"
"That you'll what? Shout at me?" Johann roared back. He then flicked his wrist and had a knife magically appear in his hand. Holding it to Heather's throat, he growled. "There's nothing you can do Hiccup. I won. If you care about Heather, you'll hand me the Dragon Eye. If not, well, I'll simply kill you like I'll do to Heather and your precious dragons!"
Anger coursing through his veins, Hiccup couldn't believe the betrayal! And worst of all, he couldn't stop Johann from actually hurting Heather! But he also couldn't just give up the Dragon Eye. Then Johann would have no reason to keep any of them alive! "Why? Why are you betraying us?!"
"I'm not betraying you. I was never on your side. Now, make your choice! Time is ticking, Hiccup!" Johann barked, pressing the knife harder against Heather.
"Fine. You win." Hiccup growled as he dropped his sword; thinking of something that would, at the very least, give him time to help Toothless, Windshear, and Heather. "But the Dragon Eye still doesn't work. I haven't got all the parts yet."
"That's unfortunate for Heather then." Johann whispered coldly.
"But, if you want it so bad, you'll help me get the parts. Then you can have it when Heather and I can leave!" He growled.
Johann looked at him with an amused expression. "Really, Hiccup? You don't think I know that you're just stalling."
"It's the truth!" He shouted, pulling out the Dragon Eye. Showing him the empty slots for the gem stones, he then explained "Each slot needs a specific gem! It's why I couldn't get it working sooner!"
Frowning, Johann seemed to reluctantly accept Hiccup's excuse and offer in his mind. "If this is a trick, Hiccup. Heather won't die, she'll suffer. And I don't need to tell you what I'll do to your precious Toothless."
Hiccup's face darkened even more at the subject. "It's the truth, Johann…"
"Fine. I'll believe you." He replied with a frankly annoyed tone. "Put down the Dragon Eye, and put your hands on your head.
Glaring at him, Hiccup did as he was told, seeing the knife still pressed against Heather.
"When you wake up, I expect full cooperation from you." Johann growled coldly.
Before Hiccup could respond, Johann hurled a ball of the sand into his face! Coughing, staggering at the hit, he felt his body almost instantly shut down. Collapsing on his knees, he weakly looked up at Johann who slowly walked up to him.
"Your time has run out Hiccup." Johann whispered, though his voice sounded like an echo to Hiccup. "The age of dragons is going to come to an end. And you and your friends are going to perish with them."
That was all Hiccup could remember, before finally falling completely to the floor in a black world.
"Ugh…wh-what?" Heather groaned, letting her eyes flutter open. "W-where am I?"
"Heather!"
"Hiccup?" Looking around, Heather tried to find where she was hearing his voice. Gasping, she found herself staring at him, sitting across the room they were in! A single chain was cuffed on his good leg, keeping him anchored to the floor. He was sitting against the wall with several tools around him, as well as the Dragon Eye nearby.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked, setting down the tools and focusing on her.
"What? What happened?" She asked, shaking her head to wake up. Then she realized it. She couldn't move her arms. Or her legs. Looking over herself, she saw her ankles were tied together with long leather strips, creaking and straining as she shifted her legs! Her wrists were bound behind her and a pole with a similar leather strip, all to keep her from moving around. "Hey! What's going on?!" She shouted, struggling to free herself.
"Heather, listen to me." Hiccup called out, getting her attention. "Johann…betrayed us. He's been working with the Hunters this whole time."
"What?!" She cried out with wide eyes.
"He's the one that put the bounty on you. He told us about your bounty to flush you out of your home." He replied with angry expression. The thought of playing into Johann's plan infuriated him. More than when Viggo was alive!
"Why? What did he want with me?!" She cried out, looking behind herself to try and see the leather strips binding her arms together.
"Because of this."
Both Hiccup and Heather turned and glared at Johann who was marching up to them with an evil smirk, holding the lens that he took from her person. Then, with his usual timid, almost mocking tone, did a shallow bow to Heather. "Ah, Lady Heather! I trust you're comfortable?"
"What are you doing? Why are you doing this?!" She barked angrily, being the only thing she could do.
"Oh there you go, being boring and asking the usual questions." He replied annoyingly. Holding the lens proudly, he then explained "You had this. Something that I needed. And now Hiccup is helping me be able to see what I need to know through this…piece of glass."
"Th-that was a lens?" She whispered, gasping at the news.
"What? Did you think it was some trinket left for you? By your father?"
Heather simply glared at him, unable to say anything.
"Now Hiccup, I gave you all the gems you need, save the sapphire. I expect you to be ready to put it in when I acquire one." Johann instructed, glaring at Hiccup. "Otherwise, your dragons, and Heather, will…be…well, do I really need to finish?"
Narrowing his eyes at Johann, Hiccup never bothered to reply.
"I'll assume your silence means you understand." He growled. Turning to leave, he muttered out loud as he left his prisoners. "Oh, and one more warning Hiccup. If you try to untie Heather. Be it tossing her a tool, or anything else, I'll kill you and her without question. I'll do much worse with your dragons. Think about that before you try to 'escape'."
Hearing him leave them in the hold, Heather then continued to struggle against her bonds, even while knowing it was futile. "Tell me you have a plan…" She growled quietly.
"I do. I just need to think a little more." He whispered back. Grabbing the Dragon Eye, he resumed to tinker with it. "And play with the Dragon Eye a little more…"
Realizing he wasn't being idle with his time, she simply leaned against the pole she was tied to. "Tell me what I can do then."
"Stay put. I can't help you right now." He whispered. "But I'm going to make sure I do help."
Fidgeting her wrists, feeling the leather dig into her and strain at her tugs, she simply closed her eyes and muttered a plea for help to herself. "Matt…Dagur…anyone really. Help us…"
There you go! I hope it was a good read! I still want to finish this story sooner than later, so here's to working on it more! Thank you for the kind reviews and PM's since I resumed working on this story. I really hope I can deliver a story that you'll enjoy! Thanks much!
-Dustnblood