The room echoed with Toothless's steady growl, the stone walls bouncing the sound back until it almost seemed like there was more than one dragon in the room. That was an illusion, Hiccup knew. Although, his grip on reality was fracturing, partly thanks to the unknown liquid making his head buzz and his entire body feel like it was going to burst into flame. The other part was that so many things didn't make sense or add up. He was a logical person, not given to blaming magic or the gods for anything he didn't understand. But some things here... Vithvarandi, the canister that had acted almost as if on its own volition...

He shook his head. That stuff, whatever it was, really wasn't great for concentrating. "I'm listening. But you'd better have a really good explanation for all of this." Ideally, one that somehow didn't involve the gods or magic. His day had been bad enough without learning that Loki had decided to toy with him or something of that magnitude.

Vithvarandi laughed, her young voice also echoing across the room. "I don't, really. But to be fair," her voice darkened significantly, "I didn't get any more of a forewarning than you did."

Hiccup shook his head, his vision clouding. "Faster, if you want me alive to hear it."

"You aren't going to die right this second." Vithvarandi's voice was petulant, the first emotion that truly fit her appearance in this entire encounter. "But I'll wait until the first stage passes. As I recall, it's a bit hard to concentrate during that."

Hiccup was in no condition to argue. He dropped, his vision spinning too much to stay on his feet. That buzzing feeling was concentrating now. Most of it in his head, with a not-insignificant portion in his hands. It burned, a strange pain totally unlike anything he had experienced. He felt no urge to scream or cry. It was almost as if he was numb to it, though it definitely hurt.

Toothless yelped as Hiccup fell, quickly sticking his head under Hiccup's back, catching him before he hit the ground. He lowered Hiccup carefully to the ground, moving to stand over him, casting Vithvarandi a glare before nudging frantically at Hiccup's limp hand.

He jumped back a little when both hands began to glow faintly from the palms, a brief light that faded quickly.

Hiccup sat up, shaking his hands like crazy, wincing. "Seriously, what in the world was that stuff?!" The pain was mostly gone, though he could still feel something strange in the back of his head, but now his hands were numb. "I like my hands and head just the way they are!"

Vithvarandi simply stared at him. "It was necessary."

He might have retorted, but at that moment, he could feel his hands again, sensation returned as quickly as it had gone. They hurt. A lot. This pain was familiar. Shaking, he turned them to look at his palms.

On both of Hiccup's palms, burned right into the center, were identical scars. Three thin lines, one horizontal on the base of his palm, and two vertical pointing up towards his pinky and pointer fingers. The three were connected at the edges, forming a simple symbol, like three sides of a square, or a bucket in shape.

Toothless cautiously sniffed them before chuffing, nonplussed. Hiccup felt much the same way. His hands felt mostly normal now, but that really wasn't what he had been expecting to happen.

Vithvarandi moved closer, smiling the whole time. "There. Now you can listen without distraction. The second stage lasts a couple of hours."

"Okay." Hiccup stood abruptly, a hand to his waist, hovering over one of his knives. He wouldn't be caught unaware again. "Explain what in Thor's name you just did. Because as far as I can tell, none of this is growing my leg back." He shook the unaffected stump and prosthetic. "You said you could give me my leg back."

"No, I said I could make you whole. And you will have all of your limbs. Eventually. Even limbs you don't have now if you want." She grinned. "Flight is amazing. I definitely recommend wings. But that is not yet important."

Hiccup's mouth had dropped open. "Wings."

"Yes. You've brought a perfect pair with you, you know." Vithvarandi gestured at Toothless.

She continued before that statement could sink in. "I have an offer for you, as I said."

"Go on..." Hiccup waved, entirely aware that he needed knowledge more than anything else. Because if he concentrated, he could still feel things going on in the back of his head, a subtle discomfort that was slowly growing worse. Whatever that was, it hadn't run its course yet.

"My offer is this." Vithvarandi stood, meeting his eyes. "Immortality, in exchange for staying with me."

"Right." Hiccup squinted at her. "If immortality means being stuck as a crazy little kid who goes around injecting people for fun, I think I'll pass." Toothless snarled in agreement.

"Sarcastic." Vithvarandi laughed. "I like that. And rest assured, this is not my only form." With that, her hands lit up.

Hiccup stared as a stream of black fire flowed from both of her palms, engulfing her in seconds. When she was completely covered in it, the fire rose, spreading into the air. Then it began to recede, revealing a much older woman with black hair and blue eyes whose palms were absorbing the black fire.

He noted, with a sick feeling in his stomach, that her hands had the exact same markings on them. Three lines, in the shape of a bucket.

She was tall, lithe, and generally attractive now. Her voice was smooth and mature. "This is better. But I felt it was best to approach you in a less... worldly... form. One that you would associate with innocence and candor. Persuasion is easier when one doesn't suspect it."

"Okay..." Hiccup gestured at her. "So is this your real body?"

Vithvarandi laughed, a lilting sound. "I don't have one 'real' body. They are all mine. Mine now, anyway. And everything that comes with them."

Hiccup took a step back. "This isn't making any sense. But I'd rather not mess with whatever that was."

"Too late." Vithvarandi chuckled. "And I don't think you understand. What do all men fear?"

"A pretty woman promising everything, with a knife behind her back." Hiccup responded without thought, repeating a favorite saying of Gobber's. The old smith had literally asked that same question in jest before. It fit the situation extremely well. The difference being, Hiccup was the one with a knife behind his back, where he had grabbed it under the cover of backing up.

"I am unarmed in this form." Vithvarandi spread her arms wide. "Feel free to search me."

The way she said that made Hiccup blush. "I'd rather not."

She kept her arms spread wide, smiling seductively. "I said, immortality in exchange for staying with me. Immortality gets lonely. And you caught my eye."

Now Hiccup was really blushing. "Uh, I kind of might have a girlfriend. Sort of. So..."

Not the right response. Vithvarandi's eyes narrowed. "So? I can offer you more than anyone else in this world. I was not exaggerating. Immortality is not something you can obtain from anyone."

"Is that what this is?" Hiccup winced as his headache grew stronger. "It really doesn't feel like immortality."

"Because it isn't, yet." Vithvarandi's voice was soft. "Right now, it's killing you."

Hiccup had suspected that. "Feel free to stop it from killing me at any time."

"I can't stop it personally." She spoke neutrally. "Only you can. And right now, you don't know how. I could tell you." Her voice was back to that tempting tone, almost smoldering. "What say you?"

Despite the undeniable temptation of the offer, Hiccup didn't have to think too long. "Something isn't right here. Otherwise, you wouldn't be trying to get me to be with you under threat of death."

Vithvarandi recoiled. She seemed genuinely hurt. "This wasn't to threaten you! I had to be sure you could be like me before I made my offer. I'm pretty sure I understand the requirements, but I've been wrong before. The only way to test it is to try."

"Requirements?"

"Young. I don't know why, but it never worked on anyone older than thirty." Vithvarandi was counting on her fingers, seemingly lost in thought. "But not too young, though I've never tried. Missing a part of themselves." She glanced tellingly at Hiccup's leg. "I don't know why, but that's essential. Finally, though this is a personal requirement, ideally someone I like enough to consider spending eternity with. Though to be fair, I do have to make snap judgments. You seem intelligent, funny..." She smiled. "You fit the description."

"Flattering." Hiccup winced. His head really hurt, though it had a ways to go before it became debilitating like those earlier symptoms. "Did you consider asking if maybe I wanted any of this beforehand?"

She shrugged. "Everyone fears death. This lets you avoid it, and gives you someone to spend eternity with. Far better than the brutish and short life of a Viking."

"So what? Hiccup glanced at her. Do you just not age?" That didn't explain the other form she had, that of a little girl.

"Not quite." Vithvarandi grimaced, taking in Hiccup's paling face. "You aren't very resistant. It will kill you in a matter of hours."

"So tell me how to not die!" Hiccup was coming a bit close to panic. It didn't help that there was nothing Toothless could do but watch at the moment. "You literally have all the time in the world to convince me, but I definitely don't have the same time."

"If I do that, you might leave. Immortal and not my lover." She spoke without any embarrassment. "I don't want that."

"And I don't want to be forced into anything." Hiccup crossed his arms.

"Fine." Vithvarandi pointed at herself. "I am not immortal in any of my forms. The secret is, I don't have to be. If I ever die of old age... I simply revert to another form. Each one ages separately, and don't age when not in use."

"Unless you have unlimited forms, that isn't immortality." Hiccup didn't know if pointing out logical flaws was a good idea, but he needed her to keep talking. He could feel something more than a headache. It almost felt like a tiny whirlpool inside his head, pulling at him. Extremely unnerving, and apparently fatal in a few hours.

"I can have unlimited forms." Vithvarandi grimaced. "Though you will learn quite quickly to be selective with those you take."

"I don't get it." Hiccup, more accurately, was hoping he didn't get it. While she wasn't saying outright, a few pieces were falling into place. Very disturbing, horrifying pieces.

"Fine." Vithvarandi grimaced. "I hate putting it like this, but you can take the bodies of other people, and use them as your own." She waved a finger at him. "Only sapient creatures. No turning into a fish at will. It doesn't work."

Hiccup paled, and Toothless's growl returned tenfold. "And how, exactly, do you do that?" He was really hoping it was something benign, like somehow copying other people. But the fact that the little girl's mother was searching for her child implied otherwise. "Is that little girl just your captive, somehow?"

"No." Vithvarandi's face fell, and she moved away. "But one learns to deal with it. In a way, it's mercy. Life is short and pointless for them. She probably wouldn't have lived very long. Playing with disgusting and likely diseased cats every day wasn't a healthy use of time."

Hiccup would have paled if he wasn't already pale and sweating thanks to the thing slowly killing him. "You killed her."

"To take another's form, they have to die by your hand. Or sword, teeth, claws. Really anything physically connected to you." She shook her head. "Ranged doesn't count. And you have to deal the killing blow."

Hiccup turned to run. He wanted nothing to do with any of this.

Vithvarandi had been one step ahead of him though. She got between them and the door, seemingly unconcerned with the snarling Night Fury in front of her. "Don't leave. There isn't another living thing within a hundred miles except for those in this room. And you won't even make it that far before it kills you."

"Then just stop it!" Hiccup didn't care whether what he was saying made sense. "I don't want any of this!"

Vithvarandi grimaced, holding her ground. "Nothing can be done. Believe me, I didn't accept it either. I just wanted to be whole, like you. But this is better. You'll believe that sooner or later. It might as well be sooner."

Hiccup didn't have time to react as Vithvarandi lashed out, her hand going not to him, but to Toothless, who had at that moment been looking at Hiccup. She moved so quickly, tagging that spot Hiccup knew knocked any dragon out, into a harmless sleep. Toothless collapsed.

Vithvarandi gestured to him. "The reason this is killing you is that it needs to stabilize. We can hold as many forms as you can remember faces. Limitless. But unless you take one soon, very soon, that same power will consume you."

Hiccup could feel it, pulling at him. It did seem like it needed something. But he understood Vithvarandi's point. "No."

She gestured to Toothless's sleeping body. "A loyal pet, to you. But dragons are sapient. He'll do. I see a saddle. Have you ever dreamed of flight? This is your chance."

Hiccup took a step forward, getting between Toothless and Vithvarandi. "You're a monster. How can you try to talk me into killing someone for my own benefit?"

"Because I don't care about them. And you don't have a choice. Either you kill him, or you die." Vithvarandi frowned. "Self-preservation will convince you."

"No, it won't." Hiccup glared at her. "I'd rather die."

Vithvarandi was staring now. "You sound serious. But no one willingly chooses death, when there's any alternative. Especially when there is only one other way."

"I don't care." Hiccup crouched by Toothless's sleeping form, remembering something he had learned recently. A less pleasant counterpart to the pressure point Vithvarandi had used, located on the other side of Toothless's neck. This one didn't put a dragon to sleep. Quite the opposite, in fact.

He pushed it, and Toothless yowled, bolting upright. As far as Hiccup could tell, it was comparable to having a bucket of cold water dumped on one's head. Any dragon woken up in this fashion complained, and Toothless had retaliated in kind when Hiccup first accidentally discovered it, but it worked.

Toothless quickly recalled what had happened and lunged at Vithvarandi, who jumped aside.

Hiccup intervened, a hand on Toothless's head. "If you'll excuse us, I'm going to go spend my last hours with a friend, and not in this horrible place." His voice was dark because he could tell they really were his last hours. Maybe this whole thing was the result of greed. He couldn't be happy with what he had and chased after an impossible dream. This was the price. This, or killing his best friend. He knew which he'd choose. And if it wasn't guaranteed death, if Vithvarandi was holding out on him, he'd force her hand.

Vithvarandi glared. "You really would rather die. Well, so be it." She huffed, making as if to step aside, before pausing. "But you will regret it. And I'm taking something for my trouble. Those canisters are old, and that was the second to last of them. I only have one more chance, and most don't make it past the first stage."

Hiccup pulled out two knives, one in each hand. He knew what she wanted. "Don't even think about it." It was an odd scene. Mainly because despite all she had said and done, Hiccup didn't see Vithvarandi as pure evil. But her disregard for the lives of others was becoming clear. As was the covetous way she looked at Toothless.

Vithvarandi ignored him, looking Toothless in the eye. Then she straightened and laughed, a dark and haunting sound. "We meet again."

Toothless stared at her, no sign of recognition in his eyes.

"Of course, you don't recognize me." Vithvarandi snorted. "But I know you. This is appropriate, I think." She took a step back into the tunnel, further blocking their exit. "Your friend won't do what he must. I have no such reluctance."

Hiccup flinched as that same black fire spread from Vithvarandi's hands, enveloping her. Her last words were disturbing. "Hiccup, my offer stands. Feel free to reconsider. But think quickly. He won't be around for long."

The black fire filled the tunnel, expanding far past Vithvarandi's form. Hiccup took a step back, wondering what she was doing. "Bud... no mercy."

This was an opponent he could tell truly meant to kill. One who had, who knew how many times before.

Toothless growled, in complete agreement. He was still growling when the black fire receded, flowing into two paws on the stone floor. That was about when his growl tapered off, replaced by a heart-rending whine.

Hiccup beheld what might have been the worst-case scenario. Vithvarandi clearly wasn't holding anything back. In the tunnel stood a large Night Fury. One with scales of dark orange, and eyes of dark yellow, a yellow tinged with that same dark orange at the edges. This Fury was noticeably bigger and bulkier than Toothless, and its wings had a sheen to them that his friend did not possess. A terrible snarl echoed, a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth bared.

Toothless was not rising to the challenge. Far from it.

Hiccup looked back, realizing that his friend seemed to be in full-on shock. Shaking, whining, head bowed. Possibly just from seeing this... monster of a woman... take the form of one of his own. Whatever the reason, Hiccup could tell that his overprotective friend was in no condition to protect, ironically enough.

That was where they stood. Deep within a massive cave system, far from the surface. Hiccup slowly falling to a poison that promised a twisted form of immortality, or death. One that could only be stopped by the death of his best friend. A massive, powerful Night Fury bent on killing Toothless itself, the newest form of an amoral woman with that same ability Hiccup was rejecting. Toothless for some reason broken, unable to even look the other Fury in the eye.

Hiccup smiled in the face of all of it. "Never thought I'd get to see another one." He held up both knives. "You made a mistake. I've already chosen to give up my life rather than kill him. He spared me. I also risked my life to save him, multiple times. He's done the same. And I never wanted immortality. Next time, ask first." He looked back and whispered to Toothless. "Bud, I'm dead anyway. Run."

That got Toothless's attention. He was still whining, but he met Hiccup's eyes and shook his head. He wasn't running. Not without Hiccup.

Hiccup realized at that moment that there was a practical consideration too. Toothless needed him to get off of this lifeless island anyway. Scratch the 'noble self-sacrifice' plan. They needed to get out together.

Toothless crept over to Hiccup's side, still unable to look the other Fury in the eyes. They stood there. One faint of body, the other faint of heart. Vithvarandi watching Hiccup, clearly wanting him to reconsider and take Toothless's life. To save his own.

Hiccup glared at her. "I hate you. And myself, for getting into this mess. But I have one question." He flipped a knife up, praying that his aim was good enough. "How'd you get in here? I'm betting it wasn't through that doorway with the riddle. Which means there's another way around that."

The orange Fury tilted its head, pointedly looking at Toothless. Then it growled. Toothless flinched, his constant whine rising in pitch for a moment.

But Toothless seemed to have regained a little of his confidence. He rushed the orange Fury, abruptly enough that Vithvarandi flinched. The two collided, rolling over each other in a ball of black and orange scales, a deafening screech.

Hiccup knew Toothless couldn't hold out long, and the tangle his friend was in stopped him from throwing his knife. The second the Furies were out of the way, he rushed by, passing them. "Toothless!"

Toothless disengaged, bleeding from his shoulder, and the two ran, Vithvarandi on their heels, seething mad.

Author's Note: From one cliffhanger right into another. I hate to say it, but this isn't the last one either. Ah well, at least it fits with the genre.

On that note, I'd like to clarify something. This story is not purely psychological horror and suspense. Those are just the two most prominent categories. It's actually quite difficult to narrow this one down into such categories. As such, there will be chapters that do not fully meet the definition of horror in the future. Of course, a storm needs calms before and after to be considered frightening by comparison...