Chapter 5 Trapping the mind I: act

'Careful, bud' shouted Hiccup before applying pressure on the pedal, changing its position and pulled on the saddle to make the Night Fury burst upwards. The Ballista arrow passed so closed that the dragon felt the airflow, almost piercing his remaining dragon tail fin. But it created the window that allowed Meatlug to blast the weapon to pieces.

"That's the last one "Shouted the Viking on top of it. As the ships turned sail, barely floating, the riders regrouped, all dragons aligning on Toothless' lead, and blasting the ships a couple more times for good measure. An explosion behind called them off.

"The trap!" Hiccup smirked "Ruff, Tuff, you guys go check the right island. Fishleg, Snotlout, you guys check middle. Astrid, you're with me, we are going to the left one. Send a signal is you find something and be cautious, we all know how dangerous they are." The rest of the group nodded to Hiccup's order and flew off in their respective direction. As they were flying towards the left island, Hiccup pressed Astrid

"Come on Astrid, we need to get there before they escape" She knew that she was only slowing him down, even as fast Stormfly was for a Nadder, it was still no match for a Night fury top speed, even more so as Toothless wings grew larger and more powerful with his age. Reading both eager to capture whoever set off the traps and concern of leaving her alone on the battlefield, Astrid's heart jolt at the gesture but also knew that there was no place for emotions in such moments. "Go first, Hiccup, I'll be right behind you" she said

"You're sure?"

"Yes, go now"

Hiccup addressed her one last concerned look but didn't say anything. He fully extended Toothless tail fin with a light press on the pedal, before lying down on the dragon's back for better aerodynamics. He pulled down his mask and said to the dragon. "Give me all you got bud"

With powerful wing bursts Toothless and his rider shrunk quickly in Astrid's eyes. The airflow creates by the sudden acceleration destabilized Stormfly. The Nadder let out unhappy squawk to her rider, to which Astrid responded. "Don't worry girl, he's a Night Fury, but how about we try to catch up?" The Nadder responded with a chirp and powerful wing blasts, forcing Astrid to hold on the saddle tighter.

\/—•—\/

Meanwhile, a group of Vikings was fumbling around a cage, in which one was trapped. One particular aspect is that all of them wore different armors, different crests, and carried different weapons. "Well, trying to cut open the bars didn't work to, "said one carrying two circular metal plates on his shoulder, as he passed his fingers on the indentations of his axe. From how the Viking where placed, he was the one in charge of this small group. "And now, I'll need my axe to be repaired" grunted him.

"Less thinking, more doing!" shouted the one inside the cage. The trapped one had a brown tunic under a leather suit that acting as basic armor, and two plates hanging from the sides of his hips, protecting his thighs to the outer side of his knees. "The explosion was obviously meant to alert whoever placed the traps"

"How about we try lifting it up?" Asked another who was bearing a thick, short, black bear, and a snake-like dragon was carved on his chest. His outfit was completed with a colorful red and yellow hide draped around his shoulder.

"Let's try," said the first one, shrugging his shoulder, holstering his weapon and clenching his fist around the bars, which was replicated by the rest of the group, while the trapped Viking lowered itself to the ground and approached one wall, ready to roll out

"You all need to lift at the same time" added him. In unison, the rest of the Viking grunted under the effort. However, their combined strength wasn't enough to move the cage, and the slipping bars weren't helping very much. Finally, they gave up, palms red and hurting from the friction.

"This thing is built to cage dragons," Said one Viking. Unlike the precedent ones, he was wearing a dark blue ensemble, trading protection for agility. "I suggest we build a contraption that applies lateral pressure to bars, expanding them enough for him to slip through."

These words earned him a smack on the head from another one wearing the same outfit, accompanied by grunts by the others." Stupid NightHeim tribe" said the one with the colorful hide across his shoulders.

"And where do think we will have the material from, not to mention that we don't have the time, brother? You know that they have a Night Fury." Said the other member of the NightHeim tribe, deciding to not give much attention to the insult.

"Yes, sister "replied the first one. At this moment, a high pitch whistle sounded above.

"Speak of the devil" one yelled "Nigh fury" Everyone reacted, ducking out of the way of the plasma blast, who, unluckily, damaged the cage enough to create an opening for a man to squeeze through.

"Everyone back at the ship" added him while making a run for the small vessel docked near the water, quickly followed by the rest of the group.

"Hey, don't leave me here" shouted the trapped Viking, halfway through the opening. His shouts alerted the two members of the NightHeim tribe, who turned back and glare hesitantly. But as the Night Fury had turned around for another passage, they made up their mind and dashed toward the already moving vessel, having to swing the last few bit. "Do you have any honor left in you? You yak born? The friendship, the loyalty, all gone to dust? "cried out the left behind Viking in a desperate attempt, trying to free his waist, knowing it is the last step before freedom.

But his expectations were crushed when the Night Fury and his rider landed in front of him. Body bent backward, head almost resting on the ground in a completely defenseless position, he can only watch the vessel carrying his companion getting away. He could feel their relief, and it felt like Changewing acid through his vein, burning with the taste of betrayal. Nonetheless, he held up a fierce gaze towards the masked Viking standing above him. Suddenly, in sounds of gears and flame, an inflamed blade stood by his throat. The Viking startled by the sight but quickly recompose himself and said in a monotonous voice

"Kill me and you'll lose the valuable information that I can tell you" The rider nodded at the sight and then towards the sky when a blue and orange Nadder passed above them, heading straight towards the ship. The Vikings on it were fast, arming crossbows towards the dragon, but the Nadder was faster. After shooting spikes, she flew upwards, dodging the arrows, then accomplished a gracious spin before diving back down with a magnesium blast. Said blast damaged the ship, but not enough to sank it. As the Nadder prepared for another attack, the trapped Viking spoke against the burning flame close to his throat.

"Let them go" he said "They can't say that they let me behind, they will get punished by the commander. But if you kill them and when they found out that there is one missing body, they will know that I have been captured." The masked rider stared intensely, trying to detect any sign of lies, before shouting

"Astrid, let them go, I need your help" before turning to the Night fury "send the signal, bud" the dragon obeyed, firing a plasma charge in the sky. Soon, the Nadder landed and a blonde Viking dismounted.

"So, Hiccup, who do we have here?"

"The trap worked" Hiccup answered with a grin "and we have now a member of the Headless tribe, that has more or less agreed to help us"

"Hey," the third Viking interrupted "I'm not a member of the Headless tribe!"

"Then who are you?" Questioned Astrid, surprised

"Can you get me out of this before we talk? "said him while gesturing the cage. "and removed the blade? I think it's burning the few hairs that I have on my throat."

Hiccup nodded, retracted the blade into its hilt, and ordered to Toothless "Watch him for me "before turning to Astrid "could you reset the trap?" The dragon and Viking answered respectively with a growl and a nod. Hiccup then grabbed his shoulder, and pulled him out forcefully, with little regard for his body rutting against the metal bars. He then quickly removed his hand, and draw Inferno out again, leaving the prisoner standing up by himself. Maintaining his glaze on the enemy, Hiccup waited for a cue, that never arrived.

"Astrid, have you reset the trap?" He asked uneasily, wondering why she took so long.

"For quite a while, it isn't that complicated, why?"

"Nothing" Hiccup answered. Something was odd in this whole encounter, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Wing flapped above them, quickly followed by three distinct landing sound announced the arrival of the rest of the group. Distracted, Hiccup looked to see Snoutlout, Fishleg, and the twins dismounting their dragons. Quickly, the six riders and five dragons surrounded the captured Viking with a fierce gaze and ferocious growl. After checking that everyone was unharmed and that here was the only activated trap, and receiving complaints and teases from the twins, saying that he was becoming just as tyrannical and overly conscious as Stoick. Hiccup made sure that he wasn't, at least, showing that he was affected by this bittersweet comment.

"Who are you?" asked Hiccup "

A Viking that obeyed the command of the Headless" The prisoner replied in a dry tone, deciding to keep his answers short and direct.

"We know that the Headless uses the men of conquered tribes as warriors for their cause. What is your tribe, and what is your name?"

"Does my tribe still matter at all?" Answered him evasively "As for my name, give me one"

"What? "exclaimed Hiccup, surprised

"You heard me well, give me another one"

"Why"

"Because everything that was attached to that name belongs to the past, before when I was a warrior under the Headless tribe, before" His tone got lower, more ferocious "they betrayed me, and left alone, good for dead." He sighed "So, I want to take revenge by helping you fight them, under a new name, and I hope this act was enough to lay the foundation of our mutual trust." The group took a moment to process the information. The prisoner not only wanted to help them in the battle against the Headless tribe but also wanted them to name him. Could this get any more absurd? It was the twins that broke the stupor with one of their suggestions "I suggest we name him Viker, you know, like Viggo and Ryker together? Or maybe Rygo would work too?" Said Tuffnut

"Yeah, since Viggo was a bad guy that turned out to be a good guy, just like him, but we don't know now if his truly good, which is why he's half good half bad, and since Ryker was entirely a bad guy" added Ruffnut

"Yeah, but with this reasoning, sis, it makes him three-quarters good and one-quarter bad, and so, his name would be Viggor. Don't ask me how I did the portions, because I don't know."

"Ok, enough" yelled Fishleg while pushing the twins away, effectively interrupting the mindless thoughts train of the Thorston twins. The captures Viking raised an interrogative look towards Hiccup, who, for a moment, felt compassion for him, being introduced to one Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston. But after some thoughts, Hiccup found out that the twins' reasoning did have some logic in it after all. "Grim, that would be your name," said Hiccup, and the concerned Viking nodded.

"But I don't agree since when" wanted to comment Snotlout

"Grim it is, end of discussion, tie him up, and let's head back. And that's an order, from your chief." Cut off Hiccup firmly, making Snotlout swallow his sentence.

Astrid approached the newly named Grim with ropes in her hands. By her posture, she was ready for kind any reaction from the prisoner, she even wished that he would do something so that she could exercise a little. Directing a fire-breathing lizard into battle was one thing, but some hand to hand combat the good old way a different experience. And as for now, all she got was the usual training in with Hiccup. Not that he wasn't a fierce warrior: his long limbs gave him the reach and agility, and Hiccup possessed a hidden strength that, till now, she wondered about its origin. But she was aching for some diversity. To her immense frustration, Grim held out his wrists diligently in front of him. She approached, still on high alert, and started to tighten the rope around his hands. After checking that the knot was tight enough, she backed and nodded towards Hiccup.

"All right, mount up everyone," he said, "But how are we going to transport him?" Said Fishleg "Even if we accept him to ride with us, he can't hold on with his hands tied." Hiccup groaned to this detail; he hasn't thought of that. Looking around the dragon before speaking to his cousin "Snotlout, Hookfang will grip him by the shoulders"

"Why me?" Snotlout complained "Because your dragon has the longest claw and wouldn't be affected by having something in it when flying. You'll fly at the end of the line, no switching, for you"

"Fine" he grumbled. Hookfang snorted towards his rider teasingly, 'you're scared of a tied-up man' the dragon appeared to say, only to receive "shut up Hookfang" from Snotlout. When in the air, the dragon quickly lined up behind the Zippleback, taking first shift as windbreaker. As they flew off towards the outpost islands, they didn't notice the distorted face that their new guest had put on when finding out their destination. They didn't notice him fumbling around his pocket with his tied up hands, carefully retrieving a slim and smooth cone shape recipient, an amphora, from which he poured out a green, viscous substance that glowed faintly in short bursts at regular intervals. They didn't notice, that, just after they left the area, a bright blue glowing line formed in the sea.

It was dusk when the riders landed on outpost island. They dismounted, and while the dragons wandered off into the forest to hunt for their own dinner, Fishleg went into his hut and retrieved the kitchen utensils for cooking, while Astrid grabbed the meat and fishes and Hiccup came back with a stack of firewood in his hand. Their synergy, built upon years of working together, made such that a campfire above which cooked some fish stews was rapidly created. When the dragon returned and lied around the fire, tired of an entire day of fighting, the people dinner was ready. The group quietly sit down and started to dig in on their well-earned food. Grim, whose hands still tied together, bluntly sat down on the ground. His addition basked the whole group in uncomfortable silence. Everyone was trying to ignore this elusive man, setting their focus solely on their food. Finally, Grim broke the silence "You know, I'm a prisoner, and even if you still don't trust me, by the rules dictated by the Viking council regarding prisoner of war, you are enquired to at least provide me food and roof." He chuckled.

The riders stared at each other, not knowing what to do. Finally, Hiccup stood up and handed Grim a piece of salted boar meat and bread. When they all finished, all of the riders grouped around Grim, who tried to back off, only to bump against Meatlug. The Gronckle didn't appreciate the gesture and showed it explicitly, but he didn't bulge. Grim them let out a deep sight "I guess is that time? Alright, what do you want to know?"

"You can start by how many are you?" Tuffnut asked

"Enough to overrun us, both in number and in equipment." Hiccup noticed the subtle use of 'us' but didn't point it out, letting the two of them continuing. But this usage did raise his concern: it showed that Grim was manipulative.

"And what exactly you mean by equipment, half good sir?" Tuffnut continued "We have dragons, and I was pretty that we chopped their head off. Talk about work en equipe"

Grim chuckled to this mark of arrogance founded on ignorance. "You really don't know, do you? The ships you and friends sank, only wore the Headless sail."

"What do you mean?" asked Fishleg.

"The Headless tribe has conquered many tribes, and using many of them as their own warrior, strengthening their army. From roughly forty at the start, they are actually more than two hundred warriors. And only the best of each conquered tribe gets to join them."

"Are the rest are slaughtered?" Fishleg asked, voice trembling. He did the calculations. To achieve these numbers, they have to conquer at least twenty different tribes.

"Of course not, the rest are still tending their island." Hiccup nodded inwardly at the diplomacies of the Headless tribes. By only taking the best warriors, it leaves the tribes vulnerable, forcing it to rely on their protection, and the chosen warrior has no reason to commit treason because it will result in their home being destroyed.

"They are no beast," Grim continued "In fact, they are way beyond the Viking barbarism. Anyway, so, as I said, the ships you sunk were probably just some warships of a conquered tribe that just wore their crest. None of them was of Headless fabrication."

"What's so special about their ship?"

"Every single one of them is a floating fortress. The whole ship is reinforced with some metal, making it almost unsinkable, and their weapons, various and destructive, for dragons and Viking. Against them, any armada would pose no more danger than a fishing boat. So, I don't really see a point of trying to stop them."

"Then, let's just lure them on land. With proper strategy and enough people, they're bound to fall." Commented Astrid, tapping her axe in her open palm. This time, Grim's chuckles turned into laughter.

"Oh Thor, did any you actually read the tales of past invasion. I'm sure that there are some records about it. Vikings are proud, very proud, but not dumb."

"Well, we do know that they are formidable warriors" answered Fishleg uneasily.

"And what is, exactly, a formidable warrior?" Grim replied mischievously. This time, Astrid answered

"Able to fight off a four to one, or three if they outweigh you by a lot." Herself was one short.

"Please" the irony was harsh in Grim's tone. " Don't insult them." He paused, "the minimum, for them is six traditional Viking warriors." The riders took the statement with shock but remained suspicious: Grim's intention was still unclear and that was an impressive, almost impossible number, but again he didn't seem that he was joking.

"Enough" interposed Hiccup in the conversation " tell us more about the organization, I want to know everything, who many ships there is, how they fight, who's in charge, everything."

"Think of one giant tribe, under the command of three Headless."

"You said that there were at least forty members "Hiccup cut him off.

"Yes, and all left except for those three."

"Where?"

"Huh, don't have too much hope, boyo, those three would give you enough trouble."

"Tell me about those three then" Hiccup commanded, approaching the prisoner to intimidate him. Grim didn't flinch.

"No one knows who they really are, how they look, and their character. I can only offer you their name: Tyrad, Magnus, and Eir."

"That's all?" Hiccup was clearly discontent

"Not high enough to know them, after all, I am only here because I'm unimportant enough to be left behind" Grim sighted" Expendable." Hiccup nodded before backing up. He spoke to Toothless,

"Keep an eye on him, bud", the dragon growled ferociously toward Grim, who, this time, unease wrote on his face at the sights of two sharp eyes and feral teeth. He gestured the group to follow him and, when they were out of earshot, spoke

"So, what do you think, gang"

"We can't trust him, for now. Not at all" sniffed Snotlout

"He's right, he talks too much" Fishleg added. "So, can we kill him?" The more destructive pair of twins said in unison, before banging their helmet together.

"No, Astrid said. "I don't think he is lying." Everyone looked at her questionably.

"I've read about the Headless tribe in my family lore." She explained. Hiccup nodded, her family did sail to Berk four generations ago "and the tales did say every Headless warrior was able to fight off six warriors." added she.

"But how?" Snotlout asked

"No one knows." Astrid answered, "the running word is that they drink dragon blood, granting them the strength and speed of dragons."

"That's horrific!" Fishleg yelled.

"Easy, we'll take them down." Hiccup said while resting his hand on the fuming Viking's shoulder. "Then what do we do with him?"

"Lock him up" Astrid suggested, "and when Berk would send someone for supplies, he will bring Grim back to Berk and he would be judge accordingly."

"But where he's going to sleep?" Fishleg asked, "there are only five huts."

"I'll watch him, Hiccup proposed "And we need someone for the night on Lookout."

"I'll go" Astrid volunteered. Hiccup nodded in gratitude

"Go get some rest, the night will be hard." His hand brushed her cheek softly before she turned away and headed toward her hut. The group head back sitting around the prisoner. Time passed horribly long, Fishleg went off to read the book of herbs, clamming to verify Grim's information. But Hiccup doubted it highly, as the records were from eighty winters ago. The Chief knew that his friend was anxious, and was searching something to occupy his mind. The twins where doing twins stuff, even if Hiccup had explicitly told them to not blow everything up, and Snotlout was busy carving an S on the front of his hut, standing precautionary on Hookfang's head. His gaze went back to the prisoner, hands tied in front of him. Grim was trying to make himself comfortable on the ground, and when he was, he smiled at Hiccup and hold his stare in the direction of the captor. Both were looking at each other, but anyone can tell that they were lost in their thoughts.


Just for clarification, I imagined the name Eir to be pronounced as 'Eh-yr'