Chapter 6
Chris clutched his wounded shoulder. The venom felt like Changewing acid in his bloodstream. He started to feel very dizzy and leaned heavily on Windwalker's neck. She looked over her wing at him.
"You okay?" She asked, trying not to panic. "He didn't bite you did he?"
"He did," Chris said hoarsely. "But I guess my bond with Dad was enough to keep the venom from killing me." Windwalker felt him swaying dangerously in the saddle.
"Hang on, I'll get you back to Serenity," she said. She turned to face towards the village. Toothless caught her eye. He'd managed to stay airborne.
"Can you still fly?" Windwalker asked him.
"Yes," Toothless said. "I can endure a bit of pain." So both Night Furies carried their battered riders back towards the village.
By now the other hybrids had heard Tenor fall into the sea and had gone to retrieve him, before anyone else could. As they were pulling him off of the water, the Boneknapper hovered over the plaza.
"You should have left us alone," he roared. "We'll be back." But of course only the dragons and Draconians could understand what he said. With that, they all turned and headed back to where they'd come from. Leaving Berk to assess their losses.
At least fifty dragons had been killed, and a hundred had been wounded. The dead were lowered into the sea, to a watery grave. The wounded were taken to the old Dragon Academy. Serenity, Valka, Gothi, Gobber, and any one else who had healing skills patched up all the injuries. Re had helped fight the hybrids, until he felt Chris get bitten. He was in so much pain he couldn't fly to the arena, though he hadn't been hurt himself. He managed to limp his way to the arena, before his whole body went numb and he collapsed. Aurora had been flown to the arena as well. Serenity was checking her wounds, when she spotted Re. She hurried over to him.
"Are you hurt?" She asked in a professional, yet gentle voice.
"Not me no," Re said. "But I think Chris is." Edelweiss and the dragonets came over to them. Re looked at them. "Will you young ones head out and see if you can find the Night Furies and their riders?"
"Yes Daddy," said Avalon. Edelweiss got on Black Widow and they flew out of the arena. Re summoned the last of his strength and crawled his way over to his queen. Serenity continued to make her rounds.
The young Draconians flew over the ocean. Black Widow used her sonar. The sun came up by the time they found the two Night Furies and their riders.
"Mama!" Black Widow called. The nightly dragons looked over at them. "You guys okay?"
"We'll be okay," said Windwalker. "We just need to get to Serenity." They all headed for the arena. It was a slow progress but soon they reached it. They landed outside and walked in. Serenity ran up to them.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Tenor got us," Hiccup said. He dismounted, and leaned on Toothless. "Chris got bitten." Serenity led them all over to where Re and Aurora were.
"I wish my magic was strong enough to heal everyone," said Avalon. She sat with her friends.
"It will be one day," Re said roughly. He lifted his head. Chris dismounted, clutching his shoulder still. Serenity got his jacket off and helped him sit down beside Re. She gave Chris a heavy dose of Speed Stinger venom, before checking his bite wound. The Blackfang venom had spread across his shoulder and down his arm. Serenity tied her tourniquet around his shoulder and pulled it tight. Chris groaned.
"You'll be okay," Serenity said calmly. "For some reason the venom hasn't spread as fast as it normally does."
"I've heard that if a Blackfang dragon is dehydrated their venom can run dry," Re said. "Poor Tenor must not have had anything to drink in the past few days. And his venom had just started to run dry a little while ago." He flinched at the thought.
"Tenor never said anything about that," Serenity said, as she pulled out a venom extractor.
"The last thing a dragon's going to do is reveal its weakness," Re groaned. Serenity used the extractor to pull the venom out of Chris's bite wound. Hiccup meanwhile had put on one of his spare metal legs.
"How are we going to get Tenor back?" Avalon asked. "And free the other hybrids?" Hiccup sighed and patted Toothless on the neck.
"I don't know," he said. "If Tenor rehydrates his venom will be deadly again. None of us will be able to get near him without getting bitten. I don't want to have to bring out the ballistas and shoot them down. But I don't want them killing our dragons either."
"But we can't just abandon them," Edelweiss protested. "Tenor never gave up on any of us."
"It's true," said Avalon.
"Tenor wouldn't want to be forced to kill the ones he loves either," Re said.
"You want Tenor to be shot?" Avalon snapped. Her tail swished angrily.
"Of course I don't," Re said. "Tenor is just as important to me as the rest of you. But I don't want him to be suffering like he is. And I don't want anyone else to get hurt or killed." Black Widow burst into tears, and Apollo put a wing around her. Hiccup looked over at Serenity and Windwalker. By now, Chris had already fallen asleep.
"You guys have anything to say?" Hiccup asked. Serenity and Windwalker exchanged a glance. Windwalker crooned sadly.
"Oh, we've both survived loosing friends in the past," Serenity said, tears in eyes. "I'm sure we'll survive it again. Just promise us that it'll be painless, and an absolute last resort."
"I give you my word," Hiccup said. "Hopefully it won't come to that." Serenity finished her work and wrapped up Chris's shoulder.
"Let's talk more about this tomorrow," Re suggested.
"Sure," Hiccup agreed. He and Toothless left to find their friends. Black Widow was still crying. Windwalker went over to her and nuzzled her. Black Widow wormed closer to her mother. Avalon, Apollo, and Edelweiss huddled together.
"Maybe there's something we can do to free the hybrids," said Apollo. "There must be some solution."
"I'm sure there is," said Avalon. "We might have to cheat with a bit of magic. We still need to know who's controlling them."
"Why don't we as Lord Draco himself," Edelweiss suggested. "I'm sure he'll help." Avalon thought for a moment.
"Or the Whale Dragon Shark," she said. "She might have some ideas."
"Is Shark even around here?" Edelweiss asked. "She could be clear across the ocean."
"I'll ask another sea dragon," said Avalon. "See if they can find her. I'll be back." She spread her wings and took off.
She was gone a good chunk of the day. The Draconians stayed in the arena. Serenity checked on all her patients, she didn't say much. They day soon turned to night again. Black Widow had cried herself to sleep. Windwalker hoped she'd sleep the night this time. Tenor was lost for now, and it was just the two of them. Windwalker was determined to not let her dragonet become an orphan. She pulled Black Widow closer to her side, then fell asleep as well.
Early the next morning; Black Widow was woken up by someone nudging her. The dragonet squirmed and didn't open her eyes. The someone nudged harder. She sighed and opened her eyes. She saw a tall, dark figure standing over her that looked familiar.
"Daddy?" She asked sleepily. She shook the sleep from her eyes and looked again. It wasn't Tenor, it was his mother Firefly. Black Widow sat up shocked. "Grandma?"
"Hi Black Widow," Firefly said. Windwalker woke up at all the noises. She was surprised to see Firefly too.
The older female Blackfang was a deep navy blue. Her eyes were a bright golden yellow. Her horns, talons, and spines were jet black. There were a few tiny flecks of gold on the trailing edge of her wings. Around her slender neck was a band of dark shiny metal, decorated with gold colored stones.
"Hey Firefly," Windwalker said. "What brought you up here?"
"Where's Nightwatcher?" Firefly asked solemnly, using the name she had planned to give Tenor. "Word reached us that he was in trouble. So we came up here, Nightwing is staying outside this arena."
"Tenor's been taken by a flock of other hybrid dragons," Windwalker explained. "And they're all under someone's control. So far we've had no luck in rescuing him. Every attempt has gone wrong." Firefly's fell.
"I see," she said. "I was so hoping the rumors were wrong." She sat on her haunches. At that moment the other Draconians woke up. Re was felling much better. He sat up and stretched his limbs and wings. Then he noticed Firefly.
"Good morning Firefly," he said.
"Morning your majesty," Firefly said, not meeting his eyes. Re got to his feet and checked on Aurora. She was still sleeping, but seemed to be doing a bit better. Then he turned back to Firefly.
"I'm guessing you already heard about Nightwatcher," he said.
"Yes," said Firefly. "Have you any ideas about how to help him?"
"Not yet," Re admitted. "But we're going to discuss it once everyone's up." Firefly still didn't look at anyone. "You're welcome to join us if want."
"What about Aurora?" Firefly asked.
"Tenor slashed her neck during our first attempt at rescuing him," Re explained. "Serenity is keeping her sedated so she can heal faster. Whoever's controlling Tenor and the other hybrids saw her magic as a threat." Firefly just nodded. Serenity came back from making her rounds, checking on all the other injured dragons. She checked on Aurora. Re watched anxiously.
"She's improving," Serenity said. "I'm thinking another day or so, she'll wake up." She then moved on to Chris who was sleeping next to Aurora.
"You're human son was attacked as well?" Firefly asked.
"Yes," Re said. "Tenor bit him, but our bond prevented him from being killed. And I'm guessing Tenor was dehydrated and his venom had run dry." Firefly took a deep breath. Re looked over at Apollo, Edelweiss, and Black Widow. Avalon was no where in sight. "Where's Avalon?" There suddenly came the sound of wing beats. They looked as Avalon landed next to them.
"Here I am Daddy," she said, folding her wings. She went over to her friends. She leaned close to Apollo. "I got word to Shark, we'll meet her on Dragon Island this afternoon." Black Widow looked hopeful.
"Shark, can she help save Daddy and the other hybrids?" She asked.
"She might," said Avalon. "With Mother injured, and there are no Bewliderbeasts around that I can ask for help. Shark is the only one left I think of to ask."
"Should we tell the adults?" Apollo asked. Avalon considered.
"I suppose," she said. She went over to Re. "Daddy, my friends and I are meeting with Shark today to see if she has any idea who's controlling the hybrids and how we can free them." Re looked surprised. "She's the only one left I know to ask."
"Hmmm," Re said. "Do you want to join us in the great hall and tell the others?" Avalon shook her head.
"It might take too long," she said.
"All right," Re said. "I trust you." Avalon nuzzled him.
"We'll be back this evening," she said. Just then Black Widow started crying again. They all looked at her.
"I'm s-s-s-sorry," she sobbed. "I j-j-j-just m-m-miss Daddy s-s-so much." She clutched her head in her paws.
"We all miss him," Re assured her. Windwalker nuzzled Black Widow again.
"But we'll get him back," said Avalon. "Hopefully soon." Black Widow took several deep breaths and calmed down again. "Come on, we shouldn't keep Shark waiting." She led the way to the gate of the arena. Once outside, Edelweiss mounted Avalon, and they set off.
They flew to Dragon Island and landed on the beach near the Red Death skeleton. Black Widow was still crying, but not as hard. They looked out at sea, looking for Shark. Both the sky and the water were grey. The wind blew and Edelweiss huddled close to her dragon friends. Suddenly a large dark sea dragon breached out of the water, and splashed back down.
"She's here!" Apollo exclaimed. They ran to the edge of the water. Shark lifted her head out of the water, and blew water from her blowhole. She looked down at the Draconians.
"I got your message Princess," she said.
"I'm so glad you came," said Avalon. "You heard about the hybrids."
"Yes," Shark said. "I swam around that island before coming here. I know who's behind this and how."
"You do?" Black Widow said hopefully. Shark nodded.
"It's a dragon know as a Chimeragon," she explained. "She's a hybrid of a Bewilderbeast and a Vanahiem Sentinel. I know she's wanted to be an alpha for a long time. But because she was a little too selfish. She took more than she gave, which is not what an alpha is supposed to do."
"Does she have the same power as the Bewilderbeasts?" Avalon asked.
"She wasn't born with it," said Shark. "She most likely stole it. Have you guys heard of alpha crystals?"
"No," said Avalon.
"It's the source of a Bewilderbeast's power," Shark explained. "When brought together they crystals give the power of command. The more alpha crystals an alpha has, the more powerful they are. If you take these alpha crystals and destroy them, the Chimeragon will lose her control over all the hybrids."
"Destroy them how?" Apollo asked.
"Fire will do the trick," said Shark.
"What do we do about the Chimeragon afterwords?" Edelweiss asked. "She'll probably try to kill us."
"You can leave that to us," said Shark. Avalon thought a while.
"We'll have to sneak into the Chimeragon's cave and get the alpha crystals," she said.
"And do it without her catching us," said Apollo. "I'm pretty sure we're all susceptible to the alpha crystal's control."
"Not all of us," said Avalon. She looked at Edelweiss. They all looked at her.
"Me? I have to go steal the alpha crystals?" Edel asked, nervously.
"Yes, you're the only one in my group that can't be controlled," said Avalon.
"But I don't even know where the entrance to her cave is," said Edelweiss.
"I do," said Shark. "I can swim you right up to it, but you'll have to go the rest of the way on your own."
"The rest of us will be decoys, draw out the hybrids," said Avalon. "This can work."
"Can we go back to Berk for supplies?" Edelweiss asked. "Rope, light source, etc." Avalon nodded.
"Let's get moving," said Black Widow urgently. "I want to save my dad." Edelweiss got back on Avalon and they set off back to Berk. Shark swam after them.
They landed in the plaza. Edelweiss ran into the forge, which luckily was deserted for the moment. She quickly spotted Hiccup's Gronkle Iron shield, and Inferno. She figured Inferno would be a good enough light source, and the shield with it's hidden features would be useful if she was caught. She grabbed both items, wrote a quick note to Hiccup that she was borrowing his things and would return them, then she ran back out to her friends. They all headed down to a near by beach where Shark was waiting for them.
"You ready?" She asked them.
"We are," said Avalon. Edelweiss slung the shield across her back and hooked Inferno onto her belt. Shark lowered her head and she climbed on behind her fin.
"Good luck Edel," said Apollo.
"Thanks," said Edelweiss.
"We'll be near by in case of an emergency," said Avalon. Edelweiss just nodded. Shark turned around and faced the ocean. She paddled away from the beach. When she was deep enough, she slid into the water with a wave of her tail. The rest of the group took off and followed from the air.