This scene will contain mild torture. And I took some liberty with the composition of maces an talon


Chapter 6: Revelations I

Hiccup eyes widened when he finished reading the short, but meaningful message, as it confirmed his suspicions since they captured Grim: he fooling them. And now he knew why he was so insistent on staying back on the Outpost.

Hiccup dashed out on the deck and shouted to Toothless

"Bud, we need to get back." He jumped off the ship, Toothless catching him mid-air "Back to camp bud, give me all you got." The dragon, reading the stress in his rider's voice, pumped his wings as hard as he can. "Let's pray to Odin it's we are not too late."

\/—•—\/

Toothless flew over the camp, Hiccup on his back, trying to find his friend through his spyglass. But he saw only a table set right in the middle of the clearing, with two chairs on opposites sides. One was occupied by a Viking that wore a brown, sleeveless tunic, and some kind of sleeves and legging that both acted as cloth and armor. Toothless charged a blast but Hiccup laid a hand on the dragon head, and the fire faded.

Hiccup landed Toothless in the clearing, not far from the table. He made sure to check his surrounding for eventual ambushes or enemies, but if there were some, he saw none.

The auburn Viking approached the lonely furniture with determination and peered towards the seated Viking. He saw the familiar face of Grim, but the lines were more defined. He looked, more alive, but also stranger, as the man in front of him was a little bit more ungraspable. Grim gestured him to sit. Hiccup pulled out the chair the sat down promptly, without a word. On the table was placed a game of maces and talon. Hiccup flinch inwardly at the sight of the game. He didn't understand all this mascarade, but now that he knew that Grim was a dangerous man, and played on deception, he thought that it was better to play along whatever machinations he concocted, for the safety of his friends.

So, Hiccup grabbed a warrior, he was playing the Viking chief side and placed it forward. He went with the traditional opening of maces and talons. He moved his head upwards and started scrutinizing his adversary's face. The other man remained emotionless. He grabbed his own pawn and moved it opposite of Hiccup's.

A couple of moves later, the game really started. Hiccup remembered when he was taught maces and talons by the village elders and his father. The memories were painful, nostalgic, but Hiccup suppressed them.

Rule one, never show your emotions, as they translate into the way you play.

Hiccup focused himself on the board, trying to identify Grim's favorite pieces. Rule two, try to find out your opponent favorite piece, as his strategy would revolve around it, and take it. He who kills it first leads the game.

Hiccup forced himself to think about every move that Grim's made until now: He played it very safe, clutching upon his warriors, but again, he lets his ships exposed. But that's a bait, Hiccup knew it. There is something else. Though him. He analyzed the board, section by sections. So far, no one had the advantage. When his eyes trailed off to the side of the board, he saw one piece: the assassin. Hiccup eyes widened. The whole setup of Grim made sense to him now. Hiccup pondered his options. He can use his accomplice to snatch it away and effectively crumpling Grim's whole plan, but it was a risky move, as his accomplice was also a key part of his own plan.

He pondered a bit and saw something else he can do with his siege warriors and guards, but it will take a couple more moves. Mind working at full speed, he finally decided to go with the latter, safer option. He first set his guard in position, before moving his eyes back up to watch Grim. The man still played like nothing happened, moving his ships a square further. After a couple more rounds, seeing no reactions from Grim, Hiccup wondered if he had been wrong from the beginning. With heavy hands, he placed another siege warrior in position, and watch. Grim looked down at the board, under Hiccup blazing gaze. There, Hiccup though, he saw Grin stiffened a little bit when he saw that his assassin was getting surrounded. It was a well-hidden movement, but Hiccup still saw it. Maintaining his stoned face, Hiccup continued his plan. Three rounds later, it was ready. Hiccup could kill Grim's assassin in the next move, forcing the man to defend it, unless he gave it up. But he can't, because his whole offense is based on the piece. Grim's moved the assassin into a strange position, Hiccup took the opportunity to pressure it, but when the round went to Grim again, Hiccup instantly felt something wrong, cold sweat dripping from his nose. Grim abandoned his assassin.

Using his accomplice, Grim snatched Hiccup's accomplice and since this piece allows one to use the opponent pieces for one turn, Grim used Hiccup's accomplice's power to move his warrior right in front of the King. Hiccup king was trapped, He lost.

Reluctantly, Hiccup tipped his king over. Mentally, he was hitting himself: he had been outthought by Grim once again. Bitter on his tongue, he raised his hand over the board. Grim took it.

"Looks are deceiving," he said. Hiccup frowned to the double-entendre. His mind trailed back down memory lane and found every single bit of clues that indicated the real identity of the man in front of him.

"You incarnate it" Hiccup replied bitterly before adding. "Tyrad". The Viking he captured was Tyrad, and since the beginning, he had the enemy leader in his hand. Failure was harsh to swallow, but Hiccup couldn't do otherwise.

"Clever boy" Grim, rather Tyrad said with a wild smile "how did you figure it out?"

"You, everything you said was believable, except for the fact that you knew too much to be expendable, as you claimed you were."

Tyrad laid back on his chair and let out an honest chuckle. "Better watch my tongue," he said, opening his mouth and passing it on his teeth. "You play a lot like Viggo Grimborn, may he rest in Valhalla." He added out of the blue. "What was your relation with him?"

"Enemies then…. Accomplices." Hiccup uttered through his teeth, at the mention of his past enemy.

"Interesting" Tyrad giggled, "How did end between you two?"

"He died, creating an opportunity for me to go free."

"So good friends then?" Tyrad asked, "I like good friends"

Tyrad strange behavior was frightening to Hiccup, and his friends' statues were still unknown. Hiccup nodded, deciding to not anger him, and tried to get on his good sides.

"Anyway, enough of me asking questions. How about you ask me some? Mmmmh?" Tyrad said again, voice varying up and down.

Hiccup managed to keep his cool. Tyrad was acting crazy, and he didn't know if this was, once again, just an act or how he really behave. The security of his friends being at risk, Hiccup chose to treat him like the maniac that he was.

"Where are they." Hiccup growled.

"Ohhhhhh?" Tyrad said, arching an eyebrow. "How sensible. Look how good of a friend are you. Aren't you Hiccup a good friend?" His voice was abnormally high pitched. But suddenly, it turned low, very low.

"What makes you think I have them?"

"Because you wouldn't be here playing maces and talon with me." Hiccup snarled; fists clenched on the table.

"Not so clever than that, I see," Tyrad stated before clapping his hands two times.

Two groups of Vikings emerged from the trees, all hauling wooden platforms on wheels. Behind him came his friends, all in the same postures. Kneeled down onto wooden platforms, hands tied apart to two wooden poles across the width with chains. Each one of them had a guard to move the platform around and then stood right beside them. From Tyrad's left emerged the dragons of the riders. All were chained by the feet and wore different kinds of muzzles, adapted to different species. With each of the group came a figure that wore the same kind of sleeves and legging as Tyrad. The one who came with the prisoner was a mountain of man, tree trunks for legs and arms, and wore a nested-plated armor that covered his torso and abdomen, the thick metal plates sliding smoothly against each other at each of his movements. The one that came to with the dragons was also tall but slender, and wore a grey ensemble that went down to his leg. He seemed to slide within the rays of light, like each fold of his clothe was calculated to reflect light in a wanted way. His pace was slow, but somehow, he moved as quickly as the others. Hiccup recognized him: he was the one that shot him with the Flightmare arrow.

"Hiccup!" Yelled Astrid, as they saw him. But the guards quickly punch every single one of them in the chin.

"Hey, I didn't even talk" complained Ruffnut, but the guards promptly hit every single one of them. Unfortunately for Astrid, the one that hit her wore metal knuckle guards, and the result was that she got a cut in her right chin, and the impact was starting to swell blue. She glared at the guard furiously. If looks can kill, he would die a second time in Valhalla but didn't say a word. The guard didn't react, only stared mindlessly at the table.

The two figures now stood behind Tyrad, who spoke

"This here is Magnus," said him as he designated the more imposing one of the two. "This here is Eir, I believe that you have already met." Eir gave a respectful nod, slow, but calculated, as his head went back to the exact position.

"My deepest apologies, sir Haddock," Eir said, "For incapacitating you with the Flightmare arrow. I hope that said act didn't bring more trouble than it was meant to be." The statement was scary, as it indicated that everything has been a trap, from the capture of Tyrad to shooting him with the arrow.

Hiccup's eyes narrowed, anger flowing in his veins, but there was no chance in this poor world that he would manage to overpower the three-man in front of him. Toothless approached and stood behind him, teeth bearing, to even the odds a bit.

"What do you want?" Hiccup growled.

"What do I want?" Tyrad laughed, he stood up quickly, throwing his arms in the air. "He asks me what do I want. How funny is that" Hiccup saw Magnus and Eir flinch slightly as Tyrad circled them down, hands trailing down from their shoulders in an almost sensual manner, before stopping at their belt. Definitely crazy, but how did he manage to cover this when he was with us? Though Hiccup.

"What do you have that I don't!" Tyrad shouted the last bit, sitting back down, two arms laid beside him.

Hiccup looked around him, hoping for a different answer, but he already knew what he was after, what they all did: Toothless, his Night Fury.

"My Night Fury," He said, jaws clenched. Toothless crooned sadly before nudging him, showing support.

"Good, Good, Good" Tyrad said. "But since I am not a very mean person."

"You're just a psychotic maniac" Hiccup cut him off, sarcastically.

Tyrad immediately lean forward at the remark, he titled his head bit, eyes opened wide, and a crazy smile started to draw on his face. His face so awfully close that Hiccup could see that he had perfect teeth, a rare thing for a Viking. "Sarcasm eh?" He said in a high-pitched voice, "I like sarcasm." He paused before his tone got very low, almost guttural. "But only when I am not on the receiving side." And he snapped his fingers.

Hiccup looked past his shoulders and saw the guards hitting his friends in the face again. Astrid was yet, another time, hit in the same place on her chin that had the swell and cut. The added blow just deepened the cut, now bright red against her white skin. "I'm sorry "Hiccup mumbled.

Tyrad sat back down. "Where was I?"

"That you are not a very mean person, sir," Magnus whispered.

"Oh, right, well, since I am not a very mean person, I'm going to give you a choice." Tyrad continued as he placed a muzzle made of leather and metal and on the table. "You can either give me your Night Fury, make him obey to me, and only me. Or" he raised his other arm and place a knife and the table. The knife had a wide blade, made out of scary white material. "You can kill it since I cannot have it, no one can," Tyrad grunted. Hiccup froze, eyeing the two objects on the table. Enslave his best friend or kill him. Either way, he was losing Toothless. What was worse is that Hiccup had no bargaining chips.

"Why do you have to do this?" Hiccup asked in a pleading tone.

"Ahhh, the forever questions of 'why'?" Tyrad cut him off, "why do you have to this, do that, do this in this certain way. What is the explanation behind certain things?" He trailed off, voice varying high and low. "But the question you should ask if why you FEAR the lack of answer to those questions. No wait, I know the answer, because you are a pathetic base."

"Dragons are magnificent, intelligent being, sensible creatures and are incredibly loyal" Hiccup was confused by the last part of Tyrad's rant, but he continued to plead his cause. "Once you earn their loyalty, there is nothing a dragon wouldn't do for you. Just let me show you. Viggo changed, you can too."

"Intelligent? sure. Loyal? Why not. But sensible creatures? Tyrad chuckled, "I don't believe it."

"They are, just let me show you." Hiccup replied.

"Then if they are sensible beings" Tyrad paused, "Do. They. Cry?" He hammered each word.

Hiccup froze. He never saw a dragon cry before, he didn't know they can, but his silence offered enough of an answer for Tyrad.

"Just what I've thought," Tyrad said

"Do you cry?" Hiccup asked bluntly, trying to tip the forces a bit back in his favor.

"I used to, before the differentiation, but don't you try something with those meaningless questions. Make your choice!" The order was delivered in an eerie tone.

The young Viking closed his eyes and lowered his left hand on the table.

"Bud, he said, I'm sorry." Hiccup placed his fingers apart. The dragon crooned. "But I really don't have a choice, even if he gave me one." Hiccup raised his ring finger slightly. "I guess that I can only do this" Hiccup opened his eyes and lowered his finger.

As soon as his fingertip hit the table, Hiccup dove to the side, lowering himself before lunging forward while pulling his sword out of its strap. His plan was Toothless to fire two blast, one each for Magnus and Eir, stunning them, and using the effect of a surprise to strangle Tyrad and use him as a hostage. But it went differently: Tyrad reacted much quicker than he thought.

As soon as Hiccup moved, Tyrad grabbed the knife laid on the table and pushed back on his chair, slamming his right knee under the table. The furniture flipped in the air and shattered as it intercepted the blast that was meant for Eir. The other blast hit Magnus right in the chest, but the Viking didn't even move, didn't even flinch. His armor was red from the heat, but Magnus acted like nothing happened. A large hand grabbed Hiccup by the shoulder and throw him backward. Hiccup hit the ground, short of breath. He wanted to get back up again, but having a prosthetic didn't make the task easier. Tyrad promptly rolled backward on his shoulder and stood swiftly and snapped his finger twice. The guards around promptly took out their weapons and pushed them against the riders' neck. Hiccup froze.

Tyrad walk and stopped next to him, "Don't you ever do this again, or Berk would have some pretty heads to use as decorations." He picked up Hiccup's sword from the ground, reading 'Inferno' written in small runes across the hilt. 'Interesting name' he mumbled before pocketing it.

The Headless put the chairs back in place and sat down on his original one, before gesturing Hiccup to sat down. Reluctantly, Hiccup scrambled his way to the chair and dropped back down on it. The scene was a little bit awkward, as two men were sitting, facing each other with nothing between them, apart from the knife that Tyrad laid on the ground.

"Teach him some manners, Magnus" Tyrad ordered in a cold tone. The massive Viking obeyed, and walked behind Hiccup, his hands laid on the slime Viking's trapezius muscles, before pinching them in his finger and squeezed.

Hiccup felt that he was being pinched by a dragon. The pain was inexorable, burning. He started to feel the blood flowing away. But Hiccup forced himself to swallow his groan of pain, deciding to not put up a show to the crazy Viking that is Tyrad.

After an eternity, Hiccup felt the grasp loosen. He rubbed moved his arms a bit and could felt the tension in his muscle, the sole movement making him grin in pain. He hoped that nothing was torn.

"Why did you do this?" Tyrad asked

But Hiccup remained silent. Tyrad gestured Magnus again, and this time, he grabbed Hiccup 's right hands, trapping it between his palm.

"Why did you do this! "Tyrad asked on more time. "Answer me!" he ordered.

Hiccup refused to play his little game, remained silent. Tyrad nodded meaningfully, and Magnus grabbed Hiccup's fingers and pressed right at the knuckle. Hiccup whimpered in pain, tried to hit Magnus with his left hand, but the tall Viking didn't react to the punches, as if they were delivered by a small child.

"ANSWER ME!" Tyrad shouted, getting mere silence from Hiccup, the Viking nodded again and Magnus pulled hard on Hiccup's index finger, while pressing, even more, the knuckle. A 'pop' was quickly followed by Hiccup cries of pain: Magnus had dislocated his index right at the knuckle.

"ANSWER ME!" Tyrad ordered.

"Get lost you psycho." Hiccup managed to mutter between painting breaths.

"Why you refuse to answer such simple questions?"

"You said it, yourself, why do you fear the lack of answers." Hiccup replied.

"Oh, I don't" Tyrad cupped Hiccup's jaw in his hand, "I know that you would refuse to answer, trying to play tough and all." He let out a devil-like laugh "and I just enjoy your suffering." He nodded another time and Magnus dislocated another finger, making Hiccup yell in pain.

"Hiccup "yelled Astrid before taking another punch. "Answer him," she said, "Please answer him" she begged taking blow after blow. Her whole cheek was now bruised, and her cut started to bleed profusely. Hiccup looked at her and saw only plead and worry in her blue eyes. He felt his heart swell at the pain that she was enduring because of him.

"Please, I will answer you, but can you take this to her? I beg you?" Hiccup took a small vial from Toothless' saddlebag. "It's Night Fury saliva, it has healing properties."

Tyrad nodded "I'll allow it, just for the information you provided. I think no one knew that."

He handed the jar to Eir, and the blond Viking took it and crouched down near Astrid was chained. He opened the jar elegantly and poured out a drop that he played expertly with his slim fingers, discovering the unknown viscous liquid. The Viking then looked at Astrid, seeing that she was ready to kill him if he even raised his finger in her direction. Eir looked back down at his finger before saying.

"My deepest apologies for making you endure the pain a bit longer, due to the current circumstances." Eir got back and went near the woods, before snapping off a large leaf. He crouched back down and poured the saliva onto the leaf, and with perfectly calculated movements, pinched the leaf between his fingers before taping it on Astrid's cheek, making sure that he didn't touch her skin. A moment later, Eir took the tip of the leaf and cautiously peeled it off, revealing a damp spot.

'Remarkable" Eir breathed out, seeing that the swell has diminished and that the cut had healed a bit, it was still bright red, but in much better shape than before. Eir pocked the jar and went back to stand by Tyrad.

"We have honored our part of the deal, sir Haddock, it is now your turn." Said him.

Hiccup breathed deeply. "It's because I am their friend, and I have to protect them."

"Hahahahahah" Laughed Tyrad "You bring your friends into war? Such carelessness of you. Hiccup, maybe you're not a good friend after all. I believe that Viggo had taught you to be ruthless, and not repeat the past mistake. But I believe they are more than just friends. Let's do a brief run down, shall we?" Tyrad went with the prisoners and stood behind Tuffnut. He laid his hand on the chained Viking shoulder and narrowed his eyes to see Hiccup's reactions. He squeezed Tuffnut's elbow hard. Hiccup wanted to rush over but he controlled himself.

"Can you break my arm like that? Because this awesome, I can't feel my fingers at all. Ruff, you should totally try it." Tuffnut said out of blue. Hiccup groaned inwardly at the words.

"Good friends, but sometimes you wonder why they are your friends. I believe that you love them as much as you want to throw them off a cliff." Tyrad concluded. "The same with her." He gestured Ruffnut.

The Headless warrior then moved behind Snotlout, how somehow has dozed off. A quick tap on his shoulder had him woke up and let out a high pitch scream.

"Hiccup" Snotlout yelled.

"Well, that's interesting," Tyrad said, still eyeing Hiccup. "He's your brother. No cousin" as he corrected himself based on how Hiccup reacted.

It was now Fishleg's turn. The husky Viking put on a strong face. "Fishleg Ingerman, and before you ask. And I'm not his friend. So, don't waste your time with me."

"Hmm" Tyrad hummed suspiciously, watching Hiccup, he read concern in his eyes. "Said that again" ordered the Viking as he placed two fingers against Fishleg's throat. Fishleg swallowed before saying the sentence again.

"Good try, but no, I actually think you two are close enough friends to sacrifice yourself for each other's."

"Totally no, I'm just expendable, so hurting me won't hurt him a bit." Fishleg lied.

"Fishleg, no," said Hiccup "It's fine, as long you guys are fine, I'm fine."

"Shut up" Tyrad ordered before moving to Astrid, who hissed at him went Tyrad knelt beside her. Seeing no reactions from Hiccup after doing what he had done with the others, Tyrad said

"Let's try something a bit more… Unusual."

He circled back behind Astrid and expert fingers started to work through her braid, untying the knots slowly. Astrid's eyes widened. Her hair was getting down and she couldn't do anything about it. As per Viking traditions, only her husband could see her with her hair down, and in her case, even Hiccup didn't have that privilege yet. She looked down, accepting her fate.

"Astrid!" yelled Hiccup. Her eyes jerked back up and, thank Odin, she felt fingers leaving her scalp. A wholeheartedly laugh resonated beside her ear.

"Oh, Hiccup." Tyrad said, catching his breath "Really, you brought your future in battle?" Tyrad shook his head. "And I believe that your past enemies had exploited this already. At least, I'm sure Viggo has. But I believe, based on what you told me, that he also said that it's a mistake. And yet, here you are, trapped because of her." His voice varied between high and low, "How adorable is that." Tyrad shook his head again, secretly studying Hiccup's reaction. Seeing green eyes lit up with a mix of anger, worry, and care, he continued.

"But I don't think bringing her into battle is a mistake. I think that it's a choice that resulted from a mistake. And that mistake is." He paused. "Falling in love with her." Astrid gasped at the words, but what hurt her the most was Hiccup looking down. Odin, please tell me that he isn't thinking that, pleaded her silently.

"But I can see why, though" before turning the platform so that his back was facing the dragons. Stormfly jerk violently, but the chains were too strong. Hiccup whistled and made a hand gesture, calming her down. What he didn't see is that Magnus nodded discreetly at Eir when Hiccup managed to calm the dragon.

The Headless continued his crazy talk "I've heard about you, the girl that would put Valkyries to shame" he ran the back of his finger on her cheek. "And I have to say that this exceed my expectations."

"You filthy piece of yak dung" she replied and quickly followed by a plethora of other insults, eyes shooting knives, mouth forming poison in the forms of words.

"Feisty," Tyrad said cheekily, "a nice fighting spirit." He grabbed her chin "you'll make a very fine specimen." Before turning his head sideways, as Astrid just spat on him. Tyrad used his other hand to wipe the saliva off, and when he looked back, his brown eyes turned shadowy, filled with an unknown form of hate. His gaze was freezing, but Astrid sustained the look with the fire in her own. Tyrad strengthened his grip on her chin before adding in an abyssal tone.

"As much as your kind lack proper manner, behaving uncivilized like an animal is not allowed. Do you know how we treat those who behave like animals back in our tribe?"

"Get lost, you board born." She uttered.

"WE SLICE THEIR TONGUE" Tyrad yelled and like magic, a dagger appeared in his hand. "Accept your punishment" he ordered, but Astrid clenched her jaws tight. Tyrad tried to force it open but with one hand, it wasn't an easy task.

"You think you have the total control of your body, don't you?" He said "How innocent" He let go of her chin and took out a piece of parchment from his chest pocket. On it was the drawing of a man, hand spread out and feet apart, with lines coming out of different parts of his body. The whole page was littered with annotations.

"Oops, wrong side" Tyrad turned the parchment. Behind was the same drawing, only this time it was a woman instead. The Headless looked at the paper, back at her face, down at the paper again, before placing it back where it belonged. With his free hand, Tyrad clasped her jaw from underneath and with his thumb and middle finger, and dug them just below the articulation, hard, before turning his wrist slightly. And against her will, her mouth opened, and before she got to close it, Tyrad stuck the knife in, the edge of the blade resting on her tongue and scraping on the roof of her mouth. She let out a whimper at the intrusion. Tyrad laughed before turning the dagger and laid it flat against her tongue, before slowly dragging it out. Her tongue followed, peaking out between her lips, under the shining metal coated with her saliva. If fire was in her eyes before, it was now an inferno that took place in those blue eyes. But as Tyrad slowly slid the knife against her pink tongue, over and over again, the inferno faded.

Hiccup was horrified, by turning the platform, he could see everything Tyrad was doing to his promised, from snatching her jaw open to sticking a knife in her mouth, somewhere where only his tongue had been, the only thing that was been welcomed, apart from food and water. His mind worked hard as his eyes darted around, collecting every bit of information he could to form a plan.

He saw the knife on the table, it didn't look heavy, and maybe he could throw it, but it was risky, as Tyrad may still hurt Astrid. Green eyes trailed off to the dragons and saw a slither of hope. Stormfly's tail wasn't chained. This was a good start. His eyes then trailed to the wooden structures that held his friend captives. The chains looked dragon proof, but it was attached to wooden poles. Now, all he needed was a distraction, something crazy enough that even Tyrad wouldn't think about it. His eyes went back to the knife again. He remembered the bewildered look of his friends when he had stabbed himself to save Astrid. Could that work? He though.

Maybe, but he had to take the gamble. Quietly, he gestured Toothless to aim at the poles while commanding Stormfly to be ready. Hiccup stood up, walk towards the chair was Tyrad was seated and yelled

"Tyrad" The concerned turned around, removing his dagger from Astrid's mouth. She immediately turned her head sideways. "I've made my choice" continued Hiccup as he picked up the knife and stab his shoulder.

The blade was abnormally light. But Hiccup didn't care, all that he cared is that the Viking guards were frozen by the surprise, the craziness of the gesture. He heard ten plasma shots being fired as Toothless glowed blue, all hitting with deadly precision the wooden poles. His mind then registered the volley of spines that Stormfly fired, directed towards said guards with three heading with deadly accuracy towards the side of Tyrad. But after, all went wrong. Magnus and Eir weren't shocked, even a little bit, and Tyrad was grinning with confidence. Hiccup then remembered when Tyrad kicked the table with his knee, he made sure to pick up the knife first. Hiccup face paled as he realized why the specific gesture. And his plan crumbled as blade shattered like a butterfly against his shoulder.