After arguing with Fishlegs for why he dragged him out before he got the chance to help Hiccup further, he settled down and agreed to meet at the arena. Alvin was going to be brought out and interrogated to controlling his Changewing to releasing Hiccup. It wasn't going to be easy, but no one was afraid to take drastic measures if it meant getting Alvin to crack.
The dragons had been caged when the Vikings released their dragons. All but the Whispering Death. Not that it had been seen during the battles, but word said that Alvin was in possession of one. Precautions have been taken.
Mildew has been jailed as well, word had gotten that he was part of the invasion. Dagur had been released, but was not sent back to Beserker Island.
He had requested to stay, given the new information, his desire of revenge upon Hiccup had ceased. And now he only wishes to help Stoick and his fellow Vikings return to the boy to his proper self.
As Astrid and the others flew in on their dragons, they could see Alvin and Savage chained together in the arena. They landed outside of the arena, given the occupied space of dragons and followed Gobber and Stoick inside.
As they passed the wall of weapons, Astrid had to resist the temptation to snatch a bludgeon. If things somehow went wrong, she had Stormfly a short run away. The kids stayed behind Gobber as Stoick walked ahead and up to Alvin.
Dagur was off to the side, cradling a duel-bladed axe in his first. He had requested his men be sent over to help contain Alvin and the Outcasts if things were to get out of hand. Stoick sent Astrid and the twins to help and the men arrived an hour later.
Toothless has been contained in the arena as well with the other dragons. Everyone hated the idea, but until they knew for sure that he was safe, they had no choice.
He stopped in front of the two men. Neither said a word. To everyone's surprise, Alvin was the first to talk. "I must give you credit, Stoick. I honestly thought we had you in the bag, but it appears you have outsmarted us."
"I'm not here for compliments, Alvin." Stoick snaps.
"Oh? Well that's a shame." Alvin retorts.
"You know what I want. My son." Stoick demanded.
"Well you can have him Stoick, but the boy won't come willingly." Alvin said with an amused smile.
Stoick, low on his patience already, lunged forward and grabbed Alvin, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt and yanking him forward. "I want my son back Alvin. And you will command the Changewing to give him up." he says through grit teeth.
"How are you so sure I'm behind all this?" Alvin teases.
"Well," Gobber interjects. "Either Hiccup's holding the world's biggest grudge, or he's been hypnotized."
"And you will free him." Stoick orders.
"What makes you think I'll do that?" Alvin spits. "The boy's proven more useful than my entire army. And he's certainly was never of any use to you."
"He was plenty useful. He helped changed the history of our tradition. And you don't know what it's like to have a child anyway. I doubt you can keep this up any longer. We've been carefully talking with Hiccup and he's beginning to doubt the idea that you are his father."
"I wouldn't be so sure. As long as I have that Changewing, nothing can stop me." Alvin says with a cruel smile.
"Well, it's either you, or your Changewing. We have ways of making you both talk."
Back at the jail, Hiccup sits on his hay stack bed, holding the side of his head as he tries to arrange the memories that flood his mind. It seemed some things were starting to piece together. The dragons, the battles, the Vikings. But something just wasn't right.
Hiccup's eyes blinked open as he heard the jail door open. He stands up and looks to see it's a short and stout Viking.
His right hand has been replaced by a hook and his left leg by a wooden stick. He wears a helmet with four horns on it. He has a fat blonde beard which spreads around his face. Mulch has a green shirt with scale mail armor on it. He also has striped, tan and red, pants.
He was a good-hearted Viking. Often partnered with that other Viking, Bucket.
Mulch, was his name?
"Dinner time!" he says in a chipper tone.
"Little early don't you think?" Hiccup replies as Mulch places the tray on the metal shelf.
"Well, everyone's pretty occupied at the moment, and I figured I've give you the best we have before the rush." Mulch says.
Hiccup couldn't help but give a small smile. "Thank." He says before taking the tray.
He takes a moment to hold his head.
"Everything okay?" Mulch asks as Hiccup sits on his hay-bed.
"I'm fine, it's just a little headache." He replies.
Things seem to be getting better. He's talking, not glaring at me. This is great! Mulch thinks to himself.
"Why don't I get you something to help with that?" Mulch asks. "I know a great recopy of herbal tea to cure that right up."
Hiccup looks to him in surprise. "Uh, no that's okay. You don't have to." Hiccup denies.
"Oh, it's not a problem. I'll be right back." Mulch insists as he leaves the jail.
Hiccup simply shakes his head with a soft smile on his lips.
In the arena, several Beserker men, armed with spears, had gathered in a circle surrounding Alvin and Savage. "Now, you have one of two options, Alvin. Either tell me how to control the Changewing, or do it yourself."
"I don't really feel like doing either. What about that?" Alvin denies, spitting at Stoick's feet.
Dagur suddenly jumps from behind and Alvin's slammed in to the asphalt hard. Dagur snatches out his knife and slices an X on the back of Alvin's neck. Not that deep, so it felt more like a sting.
Alvin draws a sharp breath and curls his hands into fists. "Care to start talking?" Stoick mocks.
Alvin grunts before replying. "Not on your life."
On that note, Dagur stands up, grabs a good fistful of Alvin's hair, and yanks him up, his neck cracking, but not breaking. He brings the blade to Alvin's neck, slightly shaking at the memory of when Hiccup did the same to him, but he held his ground.
"Oh now that's not a good idea. If you kill me, the secrets gone forever." Alvin says.
"We still have your men, Alvin. We're getting that information one way or another." Stoick says coldly.
Hiccup could smell the scent of lemon and mint as Mulch came walking back into the jail with a cup of tea, steam drifting out of the cup. He places it on the shelf and slides it in.
"Careful, it's hot." He cautions.
Hiccup taps it with his fingertips before taking the cup. The heat felt good between his hands. Only then he realized his hands were freezing. He slowly brought the cup to his lips, tipped it back and was rewarded with warmth of the flavored water sliding down his throat.
The heat permeated his tonsils and when he breathed out, he could see his breath. The pain in his head ceased a little, and as Hiccup drank, it slowly went away until it felt like nothing more than a small pinch, like when you bump your head on something. When he finished, he felt warm and calm.
"Mmmm. Thanks Mulch." He says with a satisfied smile. He pushes the tray back out and takes a seat on the hay stack. He rubs his arms.
"You cold?" Mulch asks.
"Yeah, a little." Hiccup says.
"Here I'll go get you a blanket." Mulch says, and Hiccup doesn't protest.
As Mulch leaves, he could feel a tingly feeling germinate in his chest. He smiled at it as he placed his hand over his chest. His heart was beating quickly, but not rapid. Maybe remembering wasn't so bad if it meant remembering Mulch.
His kindness, something about it. It felt like, it didn't judge. He didn't judge. It felt like he'd do the same for anyone, Outcast or Viking. He'd still treat them with respect unless they gave him a reason not to.
Hiccup liked that. It made him feel, secure for reason unknown. But if he decided to go back, would he be welcomed? He slightly frowned if they didn't accept, him, but they seemed more than willing from what people told him. But he knew there's not enough waves in the ocean to wash away the sins he created. Not enough wind in the world to rip the nails out of the past.
Hiccup kept the thought close to his heart as he leaned back, his back pressed against the wood wall.
Alvin had just received two harsh blows to the face as Dagur punched him left and right. He fell to his knees and spit out two teeth drizzled in blood. A small trickle streaming down his chin from the corner of his mouth.
"I've wanted to do that for a long time." Dagur said with a pleasant smile on his face.
While no one thought to look, Alvin made a secret hand signal to the Changewing, whom he knew was directly behind him. The dragon's head perked up and he glanced at Alvin's hands. Alvin repeated the signal, and softly, the dragon's eyes glow a soft sunflower yellow.
Hiccup had just finished the dessert of his dinner when suddenly, he dropped the plate and it crashed to the floor shattering into a million diamond shaped shards. He gripped his head, his nails digging into his temple as a white light blinded his vision.
He clenched his eyes shut, and he didn't know what happened, but somehow, he could see. But it wasn't him. He was seeing it through someone else, or something else. A familiar hissing sent chills down his spine.
What's happening?
The outside of the vision was blurred, but the middle was crystal clear. His vision made it look like he was in a cage, the cage of the arena. Hiccup was helpless as the sight moved upward until Alvin and the other Vikings were in view.
Father?
He watched as Dagur punched Alvin left and right. He gasped as he watched him fall to his side, then Dagur kicking him in the stomach. Alvin wheezed for air, and Stoick only stood there and watched. And Dagur was taking the upmost pleasure from it.
Someone said something and the vision turned to see a Beserker soldier walking toward the cage. It turns again and sees everyone staring. That's when is vanishes in a bright flash.
Hiccup's eyes pop open. His hand curled into a fist so tight, he could feel his tissues ripping apart. He gritted his teeth together, fury and rage overflowing his body. Fueling him to core with power and a hunger for the blood of Stoick. He now wanted to coat his hands, his clothes. His body mutilated and dead at his feet.
Anything that he said to anyone was easily discarded and burned within the fire of his passion for the death of Chief Stoick. A yawning pit of darkness blooms at his core, opening wide. The hope that flickered within him floats like ash into the darkness. His pity of the Vikings, the warmth of Fishlegs and Mulch, he burns it all and lets the darkness within him swallowHereit all.
Revenge takes energy.
The rage within him is viciously triumphant.
His eyes slowly suck away the beautiful emerald green until the cold jaded stare is all that's left. The color drains and Hiccup's heart becomes as hard as a stone. He can feel it in his chest as it becomes heavy.
I knew it.
The jail door opens and Mulch walks back in with a thick fleece blanket folded neatly in his hands. "Well Hiccup, here ya' go. It's made from the wool of the sheep. That'll keep you warm."
Mulch looks up and finds Hiccup at the back of his cell. Shrouded in the shadows. His back to him. "Hiccup, everything okay? You're not frozen are ya'?" he jokes.
Probably Hiccup thinks. He's probably the coldest thing on the planet.
"Is everything okay?" Mulch repeats.
Hiccup lowers his shoulders, takes a deep breath and mimics the softness and gentleness he managed to interpret. He slowly turns and softens his voice. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just needed to walk around. Make sure I still have feeling."
Mulch managed to smile and chuckle a little bit. He placed the blanket on the shelf and hiccup took it and spread it across the hay stack.
"Hey Mulch," he starts, and Mulch stands there happy as can be. Hiccup felt like gagging. "Can you get Bucket for me?" he asks.
Mulch's eyebrows rise in surprise. "Bucket?"
"Yeah," Hiccup says, rubbing his arm as to appear innocent. "I kind of want to talk to him. I-if that's okay." He adds a stutter to appear more weak and nimble.
Mulch seems to buy it as he smiles broadly and agrees to go get Bucket. A vicious grin crawls across Hiccup's face as he begins to plot Stoick's demise.
Stoick and the men had just settled down the Changewing, and while Astrid and Gobber stood by the cage to keep watch on it, Dagur and Stoick continued with the interrogation.
Bucket stood outside with Spitelout and several other Vikings until Mulch came up and whispered to Bucket. Bucket smiled and was met by Mulch's excited one. Bucket immediately took off.
Stoick calls Mulch in. "What was that about?" he asks.
"Hiccup wants to see Bucket! He asked I go and get him." Mulch said overly excited. "I think he's coming around!"
Stoick turns to Alvin, and Alvin pretends to looks angered and outwitted. And while there was a hint of doubt in him, he tried to surpass a grin that threatened to give him away.
Hiccup paced the floor of his cell as he waited urgently for Bucket to arrive. He had managed to pull a bent nail free from the floorboard, and now conceals it in his hand. When he hears the jail door open, he collapses to the floor. He hears Bucket's voice, excited and eager. For a moment he feels a small sense of guilt, but the darkness of his heart swallows it easily.
When he hears Bucket's voice squeak, he knows he's spotted him. He hears the key enter the lock and the door screeches open. The vibration of Bucket's footsteps travel through the bones of his face.
"Hiccup! Hiccup!" Bucket cries. He feels Bucket's hands cup his head and the other on his shoulder as he's slowly turned toward Bucket.
Hiccup pretends to flutter his eyes open. He angles his head upward and sees Bucket's concerned eyes looking down upon him.
He does a convincing moan before he softly speaks. "Bucket?" he says softly. Bucket smiles broadly. "I've missed you." he says.
Bucket's eyes water and he brings Hiccup into a hug, Hiccup's chin resting in his shoulder. "Oh Hiccup! It's so good to have you back! I was so worried-"
Before Bucket could finish, Hiccup unfolds the nail form his hand and drives it into Bucket's sternum. He draws a sharp breath and gags for a moment. Hiccup pulls back with the most disturbing smile on his face.
He headbutts Bucket and yanks the nail free as Bucket falls back. Hiccup stands and lets the blood drip into a small puddle. Bucket gasps for clean non blood-polluted air as he holds his middle. Hiccup slams his foot onto Bucket's face and he's out cold.
"I was worried too Bucket." Hiccup says darkly. He reaches through the bloodstained clothing and pulls out a crimson key from Bucket's belt. "Worried you were too stupid to remember the key."
Hiccup twirls it and clasps it in his hand. He looks and sees the door wide open. He smiles and drops the nail. It sticks into the floorboard, just missing Bucket's middle finger. A small pool of blood had just begun to spread under Bucket. Hiccup lazily drapes the fleece blanket over him and locks the cell door. Once he's done, he breaks the key in half and lets it fall to the ground.
"Now, if you don't mind, I've got to save my father."
Hiccup then turns and sprints out the door and toward the village.