Right, before beginning I'd like to say that this chapter will be shorter than 1 and 2, so my apologies to anyone who expected a chapter as long as the previous two. HOWEVER, this chapter will probably give you more suspense than the last chapter once you see what goes down!

Also, thanks to BrawlerGamer, HikariCruz, and Guest for reviewing on the previous chapter!

(Optional to Read) In response to the reviews that caught my attention:

Guest: As in: Are Hiccup and Astrid going to be a couple/thing? Of course!

HikariCruz: What Magnus has in mind relates to the rumor. You'll see probably in the next chapter.

Now lastly, this is more of a response to everyone who is wondering and asking me: "Why are Hiccup and Stoick separate? And how did Hiccup end up in Norway?" - My hint to you guys is that the answer is "flying" right in front of you. *Wink*

Anyways! Without further ado, let's continue on with our story!

For the rest of the night Hiccup was unable to fall back asleep. His early rest was well enough to where he had awoken a couple of hours before sunrise, and during that time he laid down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling.

Hiccup's mind was taken away in deep contemplation, still on the thought of an Archipelago being out there somewhere. However, his mind was split in two.

One part would say; 'It isn't out there. It's just a myth - a rumor! A fairytale land of islands! Just forget about it!'

Then another part would respond; 'It is out there. It has to be! It's your only chance of escape, your only chance for freedom. You should pursue it!'

And the cycle continued going. No matter how hard he tried to forget about the whole thing and switch his mind to something else, it just kept coming back, almost as if it was calling to him - and as it continued up in his mind he began to get frustrated.

"Gah!" he gasped. "Why can't I just make up my mind? If the rumor of this Archipelago doesn't clear up from my head soon then my brain will be going crazy!

He then gave a soft sigh, shifting himself to face the right side of his bed. "Sometimes, I wish that there was an easier way for me to think better than like this." he whispered to himself. "A way for me to-"

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. One that sounded large and loud to Hiccup - almost as if the person behind the door was angry.

Hiccup immediately became suspicious. He arched a brow as his gaze was fixed on the door. "Who would be knocking at a time like this?" he asked himself, and then came two more loud knocks at the door.

With his suspicion getting the better of him, Hiccup stood from his bed slowly and made his way over to the nearby fire-pit that laid in the center of his one-roomed cottage. He grabbed the sharp metal poker and tip-toed his way over to the door.

As he was walking, the wood beneath his feet squeaked with every step, even when he tried to move as slowly and quietly as he could, and by the time he was a couple feet away from the door he began to believe that the knocking stopped.

He was wrong. Three more knocks banged on the door louder than before, and this nearly startled him to where he nearly blew his cover. Thankfully, whoever was there didn't hear him.

Hiccup was finally at the door, tempted to open it whilst being ready to defend himself. However, something caught his attention as he looked down to the crack of the door. He saw a pair of two large feet being emanated by torch fire, so there was definitely someone still standing there - though they wouldn't be there for long.

"Hmph. He must be asleep. Good…" chuckled a brutish voice on the other side.

Soon enough the two feet began turning in the other direction, and the torch light from beneath the crack of the door began to fade as the sound of steps became more distant.

Hiccup took this chance and peaked open the door to look outside, and outside he saw someone he didn't expect: The Slavemaster was walking along the dirt road with a torch in hand, looking very suspicious.

Hiccup squinted his eyes. "Strange…" he quietly said to himself. "What's the Slavemaster doing up at this hour? Usually he's asleep until sunrise."

The large Viking kept walking, looking back on occasion in case he was being followed. It was then that Hiccup's curiosity got the best of him. He quickly ran to his long-table and proceeded to put on his cloak, still holding the poker in hand.

He then ran to the door and made his way outside into the snowy night, and in the distance he watched as the light of the Slavemaster's torch reflected off a hut as he went down the dirt road leading to the plaza.

The young Viking wasted no time and began following it as silently as he could, all the meanwhile keeping a safe cover and distance away from the light, hiding behind nearby objects.

Going through the streets and dirt roads of Kattegat, Hiccup began to notice the strange way that the Slavemaster took as he continued walking to gods-know-where. One moment the larger Viking would be going down a wide road to one of the main areas in Kattegat, then the other moment it would be down a narrow passage and back onto the dirt roads.

But as time moved on and Hiccup continued following him, the Slavemaster eventually made a stop near a brazier that sat next to an unoccupied watch tower, and it was there that he didn't make another move.

Hiccup waited, hiding behind a bush as he watched to see if something would happen, not bothered by the cold as he was too focused. He still held his poker in hand in case anyone or anything would attack him, in which he'd strike back as an act of defense.

It was then that he spotted movement coming from his left and right directions. Torches began emanating from both ways as four figures came closer and closer to brazier, and eventually they were revealed to be four guards - none of them Hiccup recognized.

Hiccup muffled his breath, giving off a concern look. "What is he up to?" he quietly said to himself.

The Slavemaster glared at the four guards. "You might be wondering why I called you here." he began. "Well if you want to know, then hear me out now... That thrall Hiccup has been a thorn in my backside for years. A thorn in all of our backsides! He's done nothing but cause trouble for us, and I believe it's time that we handle him… properly."

Hiccup's face lit up. 'The only trouble that's caused around here comes from him, that lying pig...' he thought to himself. 'Even after I was found innocent, he still lies? Gah, what are with these folk?'

Continuing to eavesdrop on the Slavemaster and four guards, one of the warriors asked; "So what do you want us to do about it?"

The larger Viking grinned. "When the morning horn blows, he will wake up as usual and make his way down towards the Blacksmith. He will be working from morning until noon, and then he'll retire for the day to do what he pleases. During that time, head to his cottage located up the hill near the Blacksmith and prepare an ambush outside it."

"What do you want us to do when we have him, sir?" asked another guard.

"I'll be waiting here when you capture him upon his return, and once I have him in my grasp - he will never see the light of day ever again as I give him the beating of his life before I torture him to his death..."

Hiccup gasped at the large man's word. He began to feel fear running through his gut. 'I- I need to get out of here. Magnus must know about this…' he thought to himself.

He slowly began to back up, and once again he made a move which he would immediately regret. With the simple snap of a twig he grabbed the guards' attention.

One of them squinted their eyes. "What was that?" he asked, and another guard widened his. "I think I see someone hiding! We're being watched!"

Hiccup blew his own cover. In a moment of panic he turned around so that only his cloak was in their view, and then he began running for his life.

The Slavemaster gnarled. "AFTER THEM!" he bellowed.

As Hiccup ran he could hear the distant sound of four pairs of footsteps sprinting towards him from behind. His adrenaline had now begun rushing faster than ever, causing him to run faster.

To gain the advantage of staying ahead he took quick and narrow passages that laid in between huts, cutting off the guards from catching up to him. Surprisingly, this worked very well in Hiccup's favor, and he still kept running faster and faster.

Eventually his chase came to a stop in the plaza when he ran into a pile of furs, as well as bear and wolf hides that were gathered in the center of the empty area, all of which were recently imported.

By this point however, he couldn't continue running. His lungs fell short of air and his legs lacked the strength to continue running as they were now tired from moving.

However, his panic soon escalated as four lights emanating from four distant torches came into view, coming towards him in all directions. North, East, West, and South.

"They went this way, I'm sure of it!" called out one of the guards.

Hiccup's breathing intensified. He began looking around to see if there was anything he could hide in, and to his luck he spotted a crate that seemed to be his size to fit in.

He quickly rushed over and opened it, throwing out all of the hides that were piled up before jumping in and closing it, placing his cloak over him to provide further cover for himself.

Through the cracks he could see the lights of the guards' torches come into view. They were right next to the pile as they were gazing around for their runner. Gazing around for Hiccup.

"They outran us!" one of them grunted.

The guard captain gave a chuckle. "Or maybe they're hiding in that pile of hides and furs." he pointed out as he unsheathed his sword. "Search the pile, and the crates. Find our runner." ordered the captain.

The sound of three weapons unsheathing soon followed, and the guards began hacking their way through with their weapons. All the meanwhile Hiccup sat there with his arms and legs shaking, afraid he may've already been caught.

"Just hides in this crate!" said one of the guards.

"Same here!" called out another.

"Fur in this one! …Which leaves the question. What about the remaining crate?"

The captain gave a grin. "Check in there!"

The guard next to him gave a nod as he slowly began approaching it with his axe in hand. This was it, it was either hide, or be caught and be slaughtered. Hiccup used his free hand and raised the furred-cloak he wore up to camouflage him, and after a moment of waiting the cover to the crate finally opened.

The Viking gave an arched brow, looking down on what he saw before him.

Fur.

He slammed the cover shut, looking back at his fellow warriors. "There's no one here, sir!" he said.

The guard captain grunted. "We'll just have to split up. You two, split up and head towards the docks. You, you're with me. We'll check the taverns to see if anyone saw anything."

The guards exchanged nods before walking off into the opposite directions whilst Hiccup sat there as he waited in the dark. He sat there for about a couple of minutes before climbing out of the crate and closing it, quickly and quietly. The young Viking looked all around him, and the guards were nowhere in sight. The coast was now clear, and he ran out of there.

All the while at the top his mind, the one place he could think about to go to was Magnus' hut. It was the only safe place in Kattegat for him right now, and he had to tell him that the Slavemaster was coming for his head.

...

Hiccup ran past the Blacksmith and raced up the hill towards Magnus' hut. He reached the door as he was out of breath and he began to knock fast against it as loud as he could, waiting and hoping that his friend would answer…

And surely enough he did.

Magnus opened the door, looking at his assistant with a concerned face. Hiccup assumed that he'd been awake for sometime since it seemed that he was already well dressed, but that to him was besides the point.

"Hiccup?" said Magnus in a concerned tone. "What are you doing here so early? It isn't even daylight yet. Has something happened-?"

"The Slavemaster." he began. "He wants my head!"

Magnus gasped, raising a brow. "...What? You mean he wants to-"

"Yes! He wants to kill me!"

The blacksmith looked over his assistant's shoulder, making sure no one was watching them, and then he pulled Hiccup inside his hut. "Come inside, quick!"

The door instantly shut, and Hiccup was guided over to a chair by the long-table for him to sit in. He tossed aside the poker and placed it next to him on the table before removing his cloak and making himself comfortable. Then his gaze fell upon Magnus.

"I heard everything, Magnus." said Hiccup as he shuddered. "I heard his plan on the way he wants to execute me, all through an act of brutality..." He gave a sigh. "Other guards are involved with capturing me."

The older Viking stared at Hiccup with a worried face. "I can't let it go this way." he said, his tone filled with slight anger. "I won't leave you unprotected."

Magnus rushed towards his weapon rack and picked up his sword, placing it around his waist sheathed as he proceeded to put on his cloak. "Stay here, and don't make a move. Don't. Leave. This. Hut."

Hiccup made a curious look. "But where are you going?"

"Eira needs to hear about this." he sighed. "I won't allow this to go unpunished, and I don't care if Ivar the Boneless takes my life after my blade runs the Slavemaster through for protecting another life… just stay here, I'll return as soon as I can."

Magnus proceeded to rush out as he quickly opened and closed the door to his hut, running out into the cold with his hand still holding on to the hilt of his sword.

…

Eira and Magnus sat in front of Hiccup as he explained the whole story to them. He eavesdropped on the Slavemaster who revealed his plan out loud, which was to ambush him, drag him to the place he met with the guards, and then kill him through beating and torture, and to this both of the Vikings began to show signs of disgust.

"That sick bastard…" growled Eira. "If I was ever his thrall, I would choke him until his lungs would pop out of his chest."

Hiccup nodded in agreement. "I would too. But right now it's my life that's hanging on the edge of a rope, and if I don't cut it soon - if that pig gets away with it and reaches me, then that rope will squeeze tight around my neck."

"And we won't allow him to reach you." responded Magnus. "You'll be staying in my hut under my protection, and I don't give a damn if the Slavemaster rejects it. Once I've gone to the Blacksmith…" He stopped for a moment, changing his gaze towards Eira.

"Eira, I need you to protect Hiccup while I'm gone. If we leave him here all alone then he'll just be vulnerable to that pig. Please do this for him. For me."

Eira gave a small smile and nodded, patting his shoulder. "I won't leave Hiccup's side, Magnus." she replied. "If that fat runt shows up to us then the first thing he and his friends will meet will be the blade from my sword."

The blacksmith sighed with relief. "I knew I could count on you. Thank you, Eira."

"Hey, that's what friends are for-"

The horn outside suddenly blew loudly. Hiccup moved his gaze onto the nearby window as he looked outside, watching as the light of day slowly began to rise over the horizon behind the clouds. He then switched his glance over to Eira and Magnus. "I guess time flies by fast when you're having a conversation."

Magnus nodded. "Aye… it seems I best that I be on my way, and when I return we will strategize a plan on how we're going to take on the guards, and probably the Slavemaster. I may have a few tricks up my sleeve…"

"And then what?" asked Hiccup just as the older Viking was about to make his way out the door. He looked back at Hiccup and gave him a hinting wink.

"Then there will be something that I'm going to give you before we move onto the next step. And trust me when I say this: You're going to need it."