Hey everyone! I'm back with a new chapter! Enjoy as always, and take care!
…
Brothers
Chapter 35: New Threats
We returned to Berk…the group broke apart from Toothless, me, and Hiccup: who took it upon himself to approach a weakened Dagur inside the jail. We couldn't believe our eyes: they had shaken up the teen really well. Even after everything he's done, could this be considered brutal even for Berk?
Still, despite this…the leader of the Berserkers couldn't help but give his signature wide grin to the Berkian across from him, "y-you know…I'll give credit where credit's due…you got A LOT of guts, Hiccup."
"I guess I should be flattered by that…" Haddock slapped his hands against his sides rather distastefully, "listen Dagur, we haven't seen Mildew in a good while, where is he?"
"Ah…who?" The Berserker gave quite the comical, confused, face…almost like a deer in the headlights look. Toothless couldn't help but give a deep huff, smoke seeping from his nostrils…he had little patience for this man, that's for sure.
"Uh…well…he's tall…slim…has a long beard…carries a stick…which we found on Dragon Island just now" Hiccup unholsters the object and shows it to the other teen, "how do you not remember?" Hiccup grunted frustratingly.
"I don't usually remember people not worth remembering" Dagur simply shrugged back. Toothless had enough, he charged at the bars: baring his teeth aggressively at the male. His human had to step in and push him back for Dagur's sake. I just stood across from them, shaking my head…this isn't going to go anywhere, is it?
Haddock sighed softly afterward, turning to face his Night Fury, "please, bud. Let me take care of this" he rubbed his hand against the dragon's muzzle as he whispered. I looked away, shaking my head at all this, wondering why we are wasting our time with this man.
Why are we even so worried for Mildew…the man clearly dislikes us, I thought helplessly.
"Look, we found Mildew's staff on the beach…with no sign of him on Berk and anywhere else…as much as I hate to say it…we're worried about him."
"You're smart, Hiccup…figure it out. I was too busy trying to KILL your precious dragon Queen…" Dagur snorted quite loudly as if to annoy Toothless…as if he WANTS the damn dragon to get angrier! Toothless, unfortunately for the Berserker, managed to restrain himself…obeying Hiccup's wishes. The boy looked down before eyeing the sitting Dagur, who seemed amused by Haddock's frustration.
"Say you captured him…what would you have done to him?" The Berkian inquired.
"I'd probably rip his frail-looking legs off and use them as drumsticks…" Dagur smirked.
"So…you DO know him? I guess Mildew is WORTH remembering…" Hiccup raised an eyebrow, folding his arms. Gotcha, he thought to himself.
"Well…I don't know him PERSONALLY…okay Haddock…you got me there…yes, I DID see him…I thought maybe I'd start with the weaker Vikings in your group during the battle, so I ordered my men after them. I also wanted them to go after that one-legged buffoon…Gobber the Belch." Hiccup had to stop himself, he didn't want Gobber's name disrespected like that, but he also wanted answers, "tried to anyway…your dragons made sure none of my plans worked. You won, Hiccup…just be happy you did" Dagur's rambling went into a soft growl when the sentence reached its end.
Hiccup decided he heard enough and prepared to leave…
"Something I got to ask…" we suddenly heard the teen say before we look behind us. They (Hiccup and Dagur) exchanged looks, but soon the latter began chuckling hysterically for some reason.
"Why do you protect them…why?"
Toothless and I look toward the Viking, who gave a soft heartwarming smile to counter the Berserker's angry and confused expression, "they're not what you think they are. Having a dragon as your friend can be the best thing you could ever have" the boy replied uneasily at first but began to get more confident in his speech, "my life wouldn't be the same if these two weren't around" he said, petting both Tooth and I around our necks, much to our muted delights.
Dagur had his mouth wide, "you see them…as companions…not even as weapons to use to destroy your foes?"
"No, I see them as equals, Dagur." Hiccup finished as he led us out of the jail. I stopped suddenly to look at the strange man in the eye. For a moment, he stares into my green, reptilian, eyes. Something in him made the warrior soften his look (very subtle of course) but he ultimately turned away. I decided to leave it at that, and I followed the others.
…
The next day came and Toothless decided to finally resume our lessons in combat inside the Berkian forest. I guess Tooth decided I should focus on my tail attacks than anything this time, I assume it's for the best. From what I've seen: his tail attacks CAN hinder his opponents. Anyway, later in the afternoon, I tried to return the gesture by trying to teach him some Norse letters. He seems to be getting better at it which has a smile running down my face despite this being harder for him to learn than for me.
After a while, Toothless joined Hiccup and Gobber at the forge while I decided to do a little milling at the town for now (though this quickly turned into something else…)
You see, my eyes caught the sight of a certain somebody (Dagur the Deranged) resting by the window of the jail…and a thought occurred to me…what if I wrote to him? Now, you might be thinking: WHY THE HELL WOULD I DO SUCH A THING!?
Instincts from my dragon mind, maybe, or maybe it's because sooner or later the teen will have to see the other side to things…maybe I can help him understand? Maybe we can CHANGE him? Hey, I helped change a 600-foot-tall monster into a pacifist…give me credit here! Who's not to say this Berserker can't become good like us?
And so, I made it my task to collect a pen and a piece of paper from Hiccup's room to take to Dagur. I couldn't take the writing prosthetic, so I had to rely on using my mouth to write for now.
I made it to the jail…it seems like the guard is passed out as usual…jeez and they haven't fired him? Then again, I don't imagine Vikings having many prisoners…
Anyway, Dagur had been staring up at the ceiling and had a dazed look, I guess to pass the time. He heard my footsteps, seeing me enter his view. He's against the wall but sure enough, he crawled to hang on the bars, kneeling as he does so. We're practically eye-level. By this point, I'm about four feet tall while standing.
He couldn't help but scoff madly in my direction, beginning the conversation with a disappointed scowl, "let me guess, Hiccup sent you to fetch me, or maybe he sent you to have me write my terms of surrender…" he asked, noting the paper and pen in my possession, "never happening!" The Berserker grunted through his teeth.
I rolled my eyes at him, setting down my items on the floor beside me. I puff out my chest and gave a quick smug look over to him…he's NOT ready for this! I picked up the writing instrument with my sharp dragon teeth and began writing on the primitive brown paper. Dagur raised an eyebrow, moving slightly closer, practically placing his cheeks against the bars…
Upon closer inspection, he sees what few had seen so far. "What are-" the warrior stopped short, gawking at what was in front of him.
Once I finished, I put my paw on the sheet and moved it toward his cell. He stares at what I had written for him:
Hello Dagur
He just sat there against the cell bars, reading the Norse message over and over again. I gave another slight, toothy, smirk in return.
The man couldn't help but laugh back, what in Hel!? What is this? Hiccup is teaching his dragon some tricks. I don't understand his motives! How absurd!"
I wrote something else down before moving the paper closer to him once again:
You are absurd
My response basically called HIM absurd. The teen pulled back, realizing I just responded to him. Surely if I did learn these "tricks" how could I have been able to respond to his comment immediately?
"Y-you mean to tell me he can understand what I'm saying?" He asked rhetorically, whispering to himself, but he underestimates the power of a Night Fury's hearing abilities.
I gave a "deep" chuckle (as deep as the voice of an 11-year-old can go, but of course, it's deep enough because I'm a Night Fury) and I wrote back again:
Yes
His eyes consequently widened, but his mood shifted drastically: laughing hysterically at the scene before him as if he couldn't believe what the Berserker is witnessing.
"You crack me up, Night Fury…you honestly want me to believe that a DRAGON can communicate as we do!? This is quite a show!"
I grumbled, smoke seeping from my nostrils in return. I write one more thing down since I'm running out of space on the paper.
Help you, we can
I messed up a bit on the grammar and spelling; however, I think he got the idea. Dagur looked at me with a bemused look running down his pale face, "h-help me!? Why would I want help from a beast like you…a dragon!? You think just because you can write to me that I'm going to ask for mercy!? Hah!"
I shrugged and began walking away, deciding to end it there. He's a tough nut to crack. I just continued hearing his laugh and his loud insults. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if he changes his mind. If I can't break Dagur then…oh well, I guess he's screwed…right?
Sure enough, as time passed, Dagur's hunger and thirst grew and he became restless. By the late afternoon, I was making my way back to Hiccup's house when I heard the Berserker weakly gasping from within the jail shed. It's been days since we 'talked' and my dragon ears were able to hear his struggles. I decided to trot my way to him. Once I reached the barred window, I started hovering in midair to check on the man. He's encumbered, weak from no subsistence. Maybe I thought it was too harsh from the Vikings, and I decided to pitch in…as much as I shouldn't have. I guess I have a soft spot for people who are suffering…no matter who they are I tend to aid them…
Anyways, I grabbed a fish from the wilderness, cooked it, and returned to Dagur by sunset. He had his face hidden, resting against the stone wall. I threw the fish over to him through the small gap in the window. The sound wakes him and sure enough, he spots the cooked fish to his left. Once he picks it up, he stands up slowly and catches sight of me: hovering outside the window. I 'say' nothing, instead, I leave the vicinity. Dagur is left to reflect on everything, but not before devouring the vertebrate as if he were a dragon himself.
The next day arrives and it's not long before the Berserker calls out to me from his jail cell…
I guess it's working…it MUST be working!
"H-hey…Night Fury…"
I stopped, giving a glance over at him. Toothless and Hiccup were going to have a class today at the academy…so maybe I can see what Dagur is up to in the meantime.
I hover next to the window like the other day, and he grabs the bars, shaking from weakness. He appears somewhat overjoyed to see me…as if NO ONE ELSE on Berk "talks" to him like I do, "what's in it for you…why feed me…after everything…tell me…" I guess by this point he assumed I could somehow communicate verbally to him…as if he was losing his mind (or what's left of it that is…)
I rolled my eyes in his direction. He appears surprised like everyone else at how I can understand everything he's saying to me, "y-you…dragons are smarter…than you look…"
You got that right, I thought to myself.
"m-maybe we…can work something out…what say you and me can help each other out…come on…" he couldn't but scoff at the medallion hanging from my neck upon noticing it.
"What is that little trinket you've got…I swear…Hiccup and his…buddies…putting all these saddles and harnesses and stuff on their beasts…"
I shrugged.
Unbeknownst to me, the prisoner suddenly smiled inwardly, figuring by this point he knew just how smart I was. A fleeting thought made him think he could somehow try and manipulate me into freeing him since I'm "young" and "gullible."
"Speaking of Hiccup…you mind sending him here…I wish to talk to him…"
I arch my head back, almost giving a disappointing scowl back before turning to leave.
"W-wait…come on, little guy…t-they can't keep me in here forever 'ya know! Just…let me talk with him…"
I raised a scaly eyebrow at him.
"If they're going to keep me locked up like some animal forever, I rather they…finish me at the arena!"
"That can be arranged" the drunken jail guard suddenly butted in from his desk. He is one drink away from entering his usual stupor phase.
"Then…do it, instead of making me…starve like some…worm out in some gutter…I rather DIE in glory!"
"Ohhh, don' worry your 'ittle head…the Chief's got 'omething planned for 'ya…" the drunk man retorted, laughing in return.
"Well FINALLY, you know…I was starting to worry you Berkians were getting too soft…" Dagur sarcastically replied.
My eyes suddenly widened upon hearing this, and I decide to leave…heading for the arena afterward, but not before grabbing some writing utensils! There, I found Hiccup with my dragon brother, Toothless, and the other teens. I quickly bark at them to get their attention. If that didn't get them to look at me, maybe my frantic hops did.
Anyway, I hastily lay down the primitive piece of paper to write to Haddock personally:
In trouble, Dagur
"Uh…what?" The boy had a look of confusion on his face.
"Trouble…yeah…no kidding…" Ruffnut said, looking almost disinterested, "and I thought it took a while for Tuffnut to notice things…"
"H-hey, you want to say that again!?"
"Okay!"
"Will you two stop it!?" Astrid growled at them before looking back at the leader of the group, "what's this all about, WildWing?" The female Viking asked, putting her hand on her hip.
I pointed to the entrance, beckoning them to follow.
"I think he wants us to follow him…" Fishlegs added in.
"Yeah, but for what, we're busy here pipsqueak!" Snotlout retorted.
"Whatever it is, it needs my attention. I'll go see what's going on with Dagur. Astrid, take over while I'm gone, please."
And just like that, the three of us (yes, Toothless joined in) left the Academy.
Once Hiccup arrived at the jail to see the Berserker, the latter seemed a bit "pleased" to see him even though deep inside the Berserker had resentment toward the young boy. Why…well…for foiling his plans and allying with the two black dragons he wished to slay on Dragon Island of course!
"There you are…brother" that last bit he said ironically before Hiccup shook his head from the window, "what's going on, Dagur?"
Toothless at this moment, meanwhile, looked down toward me, "let me guess…"
"Yeah…" I nodded, as if Tooth knew I wanted to "reform" the Berserker, he knew all too well of my exploits by now.
"Your tribe is putting me to death."
The Berkian boy jumped back in surprise at the news, face full of shock. He stammered, his concern deepened, "w-what!?"
"Isn't it obvious? Your father wanted this. I don't blame him; I would have done the same to any of you."
"I-I…no! I WON'T let this happen!" Haddock muttered. Dagur the Deranged could hear him just barely, "even after everything, you would want to spare my life…"
"Of course…and it seems as though my dragon feels the same way about it too…" Hiccup looked down at me. Toothless and I both looked up at him with hesitant nods. Even after everything, we didn't want anyone dying despite the battle that raged earlier. There were no casualties on either side after all. It appears it was a dream but it's true.
Dagur just scoffed back almost brutally, "I had my suspicions about you Hiccup…what with some of the things people had told me."
"What are you talking about…"
"You train dragons…you're the DRAGON CONQUEROR they said…I couldn't believe the claims at first…especially from the man who told me…"
Hiccup leaned closer, wishing to know more…not even caring about his well-being. If the Berserker wanted to, he could have grabbed the frail boy and pulled him through those bars if he wanted to, "who told you?"
Dagur looked up with quite a nasty frown on his face, "Alvin the Treacherous."
The three of us pulled back at that, "t-the Outcasts told you about me!?"
"That's right, Hiccup…I didn't do anything at first because I believed it to be an absurd lie. I really did see you as my brother…" Haddock looked away, sighing softly before facing Dagur again, "I've said this before, and I'll say it again. We don't have to be enemies, you know?" He gave a reassuring smile. Deranged, unlike Hiccup, put on a neutral, almost emotionless, expression in retaliation.
"I believe you can change. I'm not giving up on you…" Hiccup finished turning away from the jail window, "I'll go talk to my dad…"
"You go do that…" Dagur finished, holding one hand on a bar while resting the other on the windowsill.
And so, we left the vicinity of the jail in search of Stoick the Vast. It turned out he was having brunch inside the Great Hall by the time we find him.
"Dad…" Hiccup said, running up to his father while Tooth and I waited by the door, "what's this I'm hearing about Dagur?"
"About what, son…"
"You plan on executing him?" Hiccup threw his arms out, shocked that his father would do such a thing. The Berkian leader stood up, setting his ale down next to Spitelout, "Hiccup…he's unwilling to cooperate. If I send him out there, he'll try to kill us…try to kill YOU, again."
"It's NOT right!" His son objected strongly, not even caring if the last part his dad said was true.
"What should we do then…let him leave the island so he can threaten our lives…try to destroy our way of life again?"
"I…" Hiccup looked down toward the ground for several moments, but something inside him gave him determination again. Looking up with a strong face, the boy said, "I can change him…make him see…" the Viking boy said.
Not long after, his father laid a hand on their shoulder, "Dagur…"
"Please, dad…" Hiccup stopped his father, staring into his eyes in a pleading fashion, "there is a better way to resolve this, just give me time."
Stoick sighed loudly, momentarily covering his temple with his free hand in the process, "alright…I'll delay the sentence…I hope you're right about this, Hiccup."
Suddenly, the boy's eyes lit up in relief and satisfaction before hugging the man, "thanks, dad."
…
Hiccup left the Great Hall, patting Toothless and me on our heads before we make our way to the jail, "well…so far we've managed to change the Queen…how bad will Dagur be?" The boy smiled sheepishly as Tooth and I looked at one another silently. I think he just jinxed us…
He thought about how to make the Berserker a better person…for the latter's sake.
I look away, thinking about what Dagur said…about how he knows Hiccup had dragons thanks to Alvin telling him. Dagur knows the Outcasts…hopefully, they're not looking for him or anything...
Speaking of the Outcasts, they managed to intercept a fleeing ship from the battle on Dragon Island. In another part of the archipelago, glaciers and snow are more commonplace. Here, amidst the confusion and hostility of Alvin and Savage toward the Berserkers, they find it…
Inside one of the glaciers, and perfectly preserved, is a reptilian specimen that could spell doom to all on Berk. Alvin got off his ship, got on the glacier, and inspected the frozen beast which had been found accidentally by Captain Vorg.
"What is it…" Savage uttered with dread hidden underneath his tone.
Alvin squinted his eyes, looking back and forth between the beast and the Berserker ship. The resemblance of emblems and the dragon are the same. It's true then…
And so, Alvin drags one of his newly acquired prisoners to inspect the "fossil."
"Is this what I think it is…"
The Berserker is frightened to death by Alvin the Treacherous, so they spend no time explaining, "it's…it's a Skrill!" They said in fear, shock, and excitement.
"A dragon?" Savage scratched his chin.
"Not just any dragon…" the Berserker male muttered, "our tribe has been searching for one for as long as we can remember!"
"They must be rare and powerful no doubt! Take 'em away!"
One of Alvin's henchmen took the man away to join the other newly acquired prisoners (including Mildew, which makes him a…double prisoner, doesn't it?)
Alvin and Savage carefully examine the frozen Skrill, their faces filled with awe and determination.
"You think such a beast can defeat the Night Furies?"
"I'm will'an bet they can!" Alvin chuckled, "this dragon will serve me well in destroying Stoick and his beloved little island…once and for all!"
And with that, the Outcasts went to work digging the terrible dragon out of its icy prison to be escorted back to their enclave…
…
Uh oh! Now the Outcasts have the Skrill in their control (instead of the Berserkers in the original timeline-ish…it's a confusing plot kinda in the show, lol.)
What'll happen? Find out in the next chapter, hehe. See you next time!