The sun was sliced in half as if settled on the horizon. Stoick and Tornado fly all around the island as the daylight began to dwindle. He flies in near a watch tower and calls.
"Any sign of Hiccup?"
"Nothing sir!" The fellow guard on patrol calls back.
Stoick sighs and flies back into the village Square. It had been three days since Hiccup's disappearance. And there have been no further leads He lands Tornado outside of Gobber's blacksmith shop. Gobber was inside prepping some weapons when Stocik walked in.
"Nothing on Hiccup?" he guessed after looking at his best friend's face.
"Nothing." Stoick says heavy-heartedly as he takes a seat on a chair near the anvil.
"Don't give up old friend. He'll turn up soon. Who knows, he might just show up within the next few minutes."
Suddenly, a guard called to Stoick from outside saying a ship was pulling into dock.
"You're good Gobber." He credits Gobber as he hops aboard Tornado and flies off to the docks.
Gobber follows him on foot as other villagers gathered. As Stoick and Astrid flew over the dock area, Stoick was puzzled to see a Beserker boat pull in.
"That's strange. Beserkers don't usually visit this time of year." He says.
"I wonder what's up." Astrid asks.
"Oh great, this is just what we need." Gobber complains on deck as the ship pulls in. "A Beserker visit while Hiccup's gone missing."
No one even had time to hide the dragons as the guards lay down the bridge. Dagur appeared in sight as Stoick landed and dismounted Tornado. Dagur didn't seem to care about the Thunderdrum as he walked across the wooden plank. Something seemed to be occupying hi mind. Enough so that he's holding back the probable insanity that's wailing inside him.
When he stepped on deck, Stoick couldn't shake an uneasy feeling as Dagur looked him in the eyes.
"Dagur, your visit is unexpected. I assumed you would've sent a note in advance." Stoick says.
Dagur clears his throat. "I apologize for the intrusion, Stoick. But I needed to visit Berk again." His tone seemed . . . different. Played.
Stoick didn't know whether to be happy or concerned. Since when was Dagur to apologize? And his eyes, usually wild for the lust of blood, now drained and broken.
"Dagur," Stoick asks in a hushed tone. "What's wrong?"
Dagur didn't look him in the eye; he only took a deep breath and said, "I brought friends."
Suddenly, a figure springs out of the trapdoor leading to below deck, and with dives for the dock. Stoick manages to jump out of the way, leaving the swords in the figure's hand to stab into the moss-rotted wood.
Stoick stumbles back, and when the figure looks up, through his inky locks, everyone gasps.
Astrid was the only one who had the energy to say it. "Hiccup?"
But the minute the word left her lips, she immediately regretted it. Hiccup slowly raised his head and through his inky black locks, she could see his eyebrow arc, and his eyes widen in a cruel happiness.
"Mhm." Hiccup says as he licks his upper lip with the tip of his tongue. "Hello beautiful."
He grips his swords and yanks them free with ease. He then charges forward, his eyes locked to Astrid. Now everyone knows she wasn't one to run from anything, but this Hiccup. The way he stared at her, the way his voice sounded. It was the complete opposite of what she used to, know and, love.
He looked at her like she was his next meal. She shudders at the predatory gleam in Hiccup's eyes. She can't decide if he wants to kill her, or claim her as his own. Astrid pivots on her heels and bolts of running into the Square.
As Hiccup closed in, suddenly a large hand reached out for him in mid-run.
"Hiccup, wait!" Stoick said, but was met with the hilt of Hiccup's sword slamming into his knuckles. Then Hiccup grabs him by the arm and throws him to the ground.
"Buzz off old man!" he commands. "You're my father's fight."
Then he continues running off without another word. Stoick lays there in shock until Alvin's voice echoes behind him. "That's my boy!"
Stoick turn in Alvin's direction, pushing himself to his feet. "Takes well after his, father." Alvin taunts. "Don't you think?"
Stoick clenches his fists until his knuckles were white, and his tone was dark. "Alvin, what have you done to my son?"
In the Square, Astrid runs as fast as her legs can carry her. She manages to get to the Square, and ducks behind the large feeing pole at the epicenter of the Square. As she's catching her breath, her skin suddenly seems to crawl, and her palms sweat.
"Hey babe." A raspy voice says, and her spine tingles. She looks up and finds Hiccup crouched at the top of the feeder. His eyes filled with a predatory lust that shudders her to the core. "Why'd you run away? We only just met." He says with a smirk.
"I don't want to talk to you!" she protests.
"Oh?" Hiccup says with an amused tone.
He jumps down and lands with one knee bent and the other extended out for balance. He rises, and Astrid cans see how he's grown from the training and muscle gain. Even worse, she's left at a disadvantage since she gave her duel-bladed axe to Gobber for modifying.
"I can tell you're going to be a challenge." he almost growled. "I like that." He smirked.
"Oh yeah, defiantly a fair game. A man with two swords against a helpless girl." Astrid says.
"Ha! You're anything but helpless." Hiccup says.
Suddenly Astrid saw her opening. A small spark of hope ignited in her chest. "How would you know that?" she asks.
And suddenly Hiccup found himself standing in shock and his heart beats unevenly.
How did I know that? He thinks to himself.
The curiosity gets devoured by anger and he shakes his head and sheaths one sword. Raising the other on above his head, he charges for Astrid.
Back at the docks, all hell had broken loose. Outcasts charged from their hiding places and Beserkers charged from the ships. Swords clanged together, men shouting battle cries and dragons roaring and flying into the skies combine into a wrenching chorus.
Stoick faced with the challenge of fighting both enemy and traitor as Alvin and Dagur enclosed on him. "Well, look at this, enemies and traitors all working together."
Dagur simply lowers his eyes contact as Alvin rabbles on. "I recommend surrender Stoick. There's nothing you can do."
Stoick's eyes flick between the two men. Gripping his own sword, he steadies his balance. Alvin's the first to charge and the two men strike, parry and thrust apart. Dagur steps in and the two chiefs battle it out while Alvin occupies himself with another Viking.
Stoick takes the opportunity to snarl and let his anger flow. "How could you Dagur? I know you have you moments, but this is unforgivable."
Dagur breathes a sigh of shame. "It's not my choice Stoick, not my call." He says before he goes for a high blow.
"What are you saying?!" Stoick tries to keep his voice low enough so no one could hear. He knew Dagur was trying to say something. He lets him get in close as their swords met with a metallic clang.
"Hiccup came to Beserker Island. I knew something didn't seem right, and when I told him to leave, he attacked me." Dagur explains.
"And he beat you?" Stoick asks in shock as the two parry.
"Obviously. Now I don't know what's going on, but-"
"I do." Stoick cuts him off, and Dagur gives him a confused look. "It's Alvin." He says and Dagur swipes above his head, Stoick weaves out of the way.
"What do you mean?" Dagur asks.
The two men spar in a circle as their stories unravel.
"Alvin used a Changewing to hypnotize Hiccup." He says. "And when we tried to stop it, hiccup lost his memory in the process.
And he can just see Dagur piece everything together in his head. Stoick pretends to swoop in and aim for Dagur's arm, but Dagur dodges and leans in close as he strikes Stoick's sword. "And now he thinks he's the son of Alvin, and the most twisted villain in the land."
Stoick nods as he shoves Dagur off. "And now we need to get his memory back."
"It's no use Stoick." Dagur says.
"What?" Stoick says as he blocks the attack of another guard, then focusing back on Dagur.
"The old Hiccup's gone." Dagur says.
"Impossible!" Stoick denies. The two men hold each other in palace, their swords crossed in an X. "There's no way!"
"Stoick, your son managed to get even me to cooperate. Me, of all people! The old Hiccup, given the wannabee that he was, he no longer exists." Dagur says darkly.
Stoick squeezes his eyes shut, blocking the possibility from even entering his thoughts. No, it's not true. Hiccup was still in there. He just needed to be freed.
And he was going to help him.
"I need your help, Dagur." Stoick asks. "My son is still in there. But I need help to bring him out."
"I can't betray the Outcasts Stoick. Especially with Hiccup still on their side." Dagur says.
"They don't need to know you've switched. You just need to do one simple thing." Stoick says as he thrusts Dagur off and swings his sword.
Dagur steadies himself, and then charges to Stoick, leaning in close when the swords clang. "I'm listening."
Astrid had managed to swipe one of Hiccup's swords, and no she stands a few meters away from him. Rolling on the balls of her feet as Hiccup continues to smile at her in a predatory way.
"You fight often, blondie?" He patronizes.
"I have my days." Astrid retorts.
Hiccup sprints toward her, and while she managed to block his head on attack, Hiccup slams his leg into Astrid's side, sending her sprawling across the dirt. Her sword skidded across the cobblestone border of the Square, and when she tried to crawl for it, Hiccup placed his foot on her hand.
Astrid cries out, and quickly looks up in time to see Hiccup slash his sword down on her. She frees her and in time and shoulder rolls out of the way.
As Hiccup was about to charge again, a lava drizzled rock slams into the earth, knocking him back. Hiccup looks up to see Fishlegs, Snotlout and the twins hover over the Square on their dragons.
"Not today, Hiccup!" Snotlout calls from above.
Hiccup snarls and chucks his sword at Snotlout. The blades whizzes by his head, braising the hairs by his ear. Slicing off a few centimeters. Hookfang had been thrown off balance and Hiccup quickly scurries up the wooden post and leaps for one of the horns on Hookfang.
But instead of riding him, Hiccup spins on it, slamming his feet into Snotlout's ribcage, knocking him off, then swinging back onto the post and coming to a clean landing on the ground.
Snotlout lands in a barrel of water with a harsh splash. He looks to see Fishlegs retrieving Astrid.
"Oh no you don't!" he says, before sending four daggers at Fishlegs.
Meatlug with the maternal instinct, flies up out of the way, leaving Astrid to crash into the dirt.
"Meatlug!" Fishlegs cries as he tries to calm the spooked Gronckle.
Astrid holds her head for a moment, before a dark shadow crawls over her. She looks up and finds Hiccup towering over her.
"We have unfinished business." He growls.
"Hiccup!" Someone calls.
Hiccup turns and sees Stoick and Gobber rushing toward the Square. Hiccup looks around, thinking light on his feet. He leaves Astrid behind as he rushes toward a tower of barrels stacked next to a house.
He sends a brick he picked u along the way, flying at Barf and Belch. The thing knocks into Belch's head and leaves the Zippleback stunned. Ruffnut and Tuffnut call out as they try to regain control of the dragon.
Hiccup snatches a whip strapped to his waist and lashes it out at the Zippleback, it wraps around both of their necks, knocking the heads together and the twins off. Tornado swoops in and catches them as the Zippleback falls to the ground.
Hiccup immediately retracts the whip before the hit dirt. The dragon had just made contract with the cobblestone when Hiccup grabs Barf's horns and yanks back, sending a gigantic cloud of mold green smoke to envelope the Square.
"Cover your mouths!" Stoick orders as the smoke closes in.
Astrid manages to snatch the sword Hiccup abandoned in the process and now circles all around the smoke. Her mind flashes back to her time in the arena when Gobber paired them in groups of two, learning about teamwork when battling a Zippleback dragon.
"Astrid!" Fishlegs calls, "I can't find Hiccup!"
"Where did he-?" Astrid didn't have time to complete her sentence, as she was tackled by Hiccup who seemed to have materialized out of the smoke from nowhere.
They summersault back until Hiccup has Astrid pinned beneath him. Her wrists clamped together in one of Hiccup's hands and stretched above her head.
With Hiccup straddling her hips, he uses his free hand to whip out another dagger. He spins it between his fingers, and then steadies the point so it lightly pinches her cheek. She looks to him with fear and defiance. The smile on Hiccup's face stretches.
"Oh, too bad blondie." Hiccup says. He leans in and her skin crawls.
Astrid had just enough time to gasp before Hiccup took her lips into his. A tiny sound of alarm escaped her as Hiccup's lips devoured her soul. She tried to pull away, but Hiccup gripped her and pulled her into him. His soft hair draped around them, shielded their faces from view and tickled feather-light against her face.
Astrid drew in a long breath when he finally pulled away. Hiccup licked corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue.
"At least a kiss is still a kiss." He whispers and Astrid's cheek flamed from anger and embarrassment.
Suddenly whoosh of air caught their attention, and just as Hiccup looked up, he was slammed by Stormfly and sent flying back. Stormfly roars in fury as Astrid pushes herself to her feet. Hiccup gets up and was about to attack Stormfly when suddenly the gas is blown away.
Hiccup looks up and sees Stoick and Tornado. Tornado's wings creating big whoops of air as they flap. Hiccup looks around and spots Dagur and Gobber battling it out. Alvin soon comes up behind them and takes on three Vikings at once. Hiccup decides to set his priority on the young Vikings.
"Savage!" he calls. And Savage hustles to his side. "You're with me. We take down the children." He orders.
"Yes sir." Savage says.
As Savage snatches a rope and ties Snotlout, Hiccup goes for Meatlug and Fishlegs who are distracted when they saw Alvin carrying the Book of Dragons in his belt. Fishlegs was still saddled on Meatlug, so Hiccup lashes the whip out and it wraps around Fishlegs.
"Ah!" Fishlegs looks back and sees Hiccup.
"You're whipped!" Hiccup mocks as he yanks Fishlegs off of Meatlug.
Fishlegs barely made contact with the ground before Hiccup slammed his fist into Fishlegs stomach, contracting Fishlegs lungs. Meatlug growls as Hiccup unwinds the whip. Meatlug fires, but Hiccup rolls out of the way and lunges himself to Meatlug.
He forms the whip into a circle and loops it around her neck and pulls tight. Meatlug gasps and stumbles back.
"No!" Fishlegs croaks.
Hiccup lands on her back and pulls tighter until Meatlug collapses on the ground, unconscious.
"Meatlug!" Fishlegs cries.
When the whip unwinds, a deep red mark embeds itself on Meatlug's neck. Savage wraps up Fishlegs and tosses him next to Snotlout. While several men try and secure Hookfang, Hiccup races toward Alvin and Stoick as they spar. Hiccup lashes out the whip and snatches Stoick's sword as he was raising it above his head to strike Alvin.
Stoick looks back in time as the hilt came slamming into his face.
Stoick crashes to the ground and when his eyes open, he sees his sword inches from his nose. "May I recommend surrender?" Hiccup mocks.
Meanwhile, Gobber pretends to knock Dagur into Alvin as they spar. Alvin feels Dagur knock into him, but he doesn't feel Dagur slip the Book of Dragons out of his belt as he carelessly shoes him off.
"Watch it boy!" Alvin says as he continues his battle with two other Vikings.
Dagur looks around and sees Hiccup occupied with Stoick, so he takes the opportunity to slip Gobber the book before rushing off to engage in another battle with a Berk Viking.
Stoick gazes at the monster that was his son. "Hiccup, how could you do this?"
Hiccup's lips curl into a snarl. "I don't know of this Hiccup, but my name is Hadrian."
"No!" Stoick yells. "Your name is Hiccup! Because you are my son!"
He's met with cruel and unforgiving laughter of Hiccup. "You're hilarious Stoick, but you can't possibly be my father. I could never be related to such an incompetent."
Savage grabs Stoick from behind and ties him up. "I'll handle this sir." Savage says and Hiccup leaves him to it to aid Alvin.
Gobber's sword is snatched from his hand, and Alvin sucker punches him, knocking him to the round where Savage secures another rope tie.
Astrid was already tied with the others as Gobber was pushed to the dirt. Stormfly suffered severe whip lashes from Hiccup and is now muzzled and tied with the other dragons, except for Meatlug who's still unconscious.
Once the last Viking was rendered unconscious, Alvin walks over to the group of Vikings and laughs evilly. "You see Stoick! No one can beat Alvin the Treacherous and Hadrian of Hell!" Hiccup walks up next to him and simply smiles in victory, folding his arms. "Well done son!" Alvin says placing a hand on his shoulder.
"How did I do father?" Alvin looks to Stoick, but before he could speak, Alvin places his hands over his mouth.
"Perfect, my cruel child." Alvin says.
Hiccup smiles and turns toward the entrance to the Square where more Outcasts soldiers come marching in. "Onward men! The island of Berk shall be ours!"
The men cheer and 'hooray' as they stomp through and ransack the village. Hiccup looks back at the group of Vikings as Alvin directs the men. His gaze looks to Fishlegs who, in retrospect, Hiccup never really looked at until now. Fishlegs sits, his head bowed in sorrow. Hiccup walks over and sees tears forming in his eyes.
Suddenly, Hiccup's expression softens and his tone lightened when he looked closer to Fishlegs. Fishlegs looks up and his expression becomes worried, but curious.
"Hey, do . . . do I know you?" Hiccup asks. The softness of his tone was familiar to everyone, the small glimmer of passion and familiarity flickering in his eyes.
But Fishlegs could only nod his head for a brief second before a growling came from behind them.
"Night Fury!" someone screamed.
Everyone looked back and saw the Toothless materialize from the shadows. His gaze looks around and when he spots Hiccup, he charges.
Toothless manages to tackle him, but instead of striking, he licks Hiccup's face with happiness and pleasure upon his return. His happiness blinding him from the true parole that awaited him the moment he tackled Hiccup
"Toothless no!" Stoick says.
Toothless looks down, and suddenly, Hiccup's eyes swirl and the Changewing materializes on the post of the feeder. Toothless gazes into Hiccup's eyes and suddenly, the power of the Changewing snakes its way into him.
Hiccup's eyes become normal as scoots out from underneath Toothless and says. "This fearsome dragon shall be my protector."
And with the blink of the Changewing's eyes, Toothless' become normal, but his snarls at the Vikings tied in the group.
"No!" Stoick cries, but Toothless rise to his feet and glares. "Toothless!"
But Toothless only roars, teeth bared in hatred. Toothless eases up as Hiccup strokes his head.
"Men!" Hiccup calls. "Take them to the dungeon."
Alvin evilly laughs as the guards snatch and haul Stoick and the others out of the Square. But Hiccup couldn't help but watch as the men took them away. Astrid shoved one off her and made one final glance toward Hiccup.
A strange and sudden longing to help her buds inside of Hiccup's heart. She was viscously shoved out of sight and Hiccup was left with the urge to rush to her. But it was cut short when Alvin's hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Something wrong, son?" he asks.
"It's just . . . why does everyone keep calling me Hiccup?" he asks.
"Uh, uh, that's just one of your nicknames like Hadrian of Hell." He says.
"Yes," Mildew interjects. "Or Hiccup of Evil."
Hiccup shudders in disgust. "I prefer Hadrian."
The sound of a struggle catches his attention. Hiccup turns and finds Dagur trying to shove off two guards. Alvin was about to intervene when Hiccup shoves him aside to let him through.
Hiccup walks up to the three men, and Dagur looks to Hiccup with relief. "Oh! Hic- Hadrian, please tell your men to release me." He asks.
"Um, no." Hiccup bluntly says.
"What?" Dagur asks, processing his answer for a moment before fury spreads in his eyes.
"You see, now that Berk is under the rule of my father, your services are no longer required, Dagur." Hiccup says. His evil smirk widens as Dagur pieces together the new information. "Men!" Hiccup calls, and they straighten their pose. And with a snap of his fingers, Hiccup commands. "Take him away."
The men wrench Dagur's arms behind him and secure rope to his wrists. Suddenly, Dagur explodes and begins to shout really insulting tings to Hiccup as the men lead him in the same direction as Stoick and the kids were escorted.
Hiccup watches as they drag him away, a strange feeling of regret morphing with the urge to save Astrid. Once Dagur was out of sight, Alvin places a hand on Hiccup's shoulder.
"I am proud of you my son." Alvin says.
Hiccup's quiet for a moment, and the Changewing's eyes swirl before he speaks again. Toothless walks up and Hiccup strokes his head. He turns and faces Alvin.
"Come father, the throne of Berk is up for grabs."
~Hey guys! Just wanted to say thank you for all the amazing reviews you've given me. :D Also, check out a drawing (on my pinterest.) and tell me what you think. I'll be coloring it soon and will be uploading a better image, but also, tell me what you think! ;D~
/onedirection796/how-to-train-your-dragon/