~ Hey guys, just thought I'd add, if you want to get the feeling for this chapter, listen to "Hurt" conducted by Thomas Bergerson. The song adds great dramatic effect to the story. Listen to it right as Hiccup's chanting.~ Hope you guys like the update! :D Xxx
Hiccup's eyes fluttered open as he rolled over to his back to see the moon's position. He woke up just in time. But it was close to midnight and he needed to hurry to get there. He tosses off the quilt and slowly walks over to Toothless. He pats the Night Fury's snout, and after watching it wrinkle and twitch, Toothless' eyes open.
"We need to go bud." Hiccup whispers.
He gathers himself together, and after adjusting Toothless' saddle, they fly off with nothing but a single whisper in the night. Hiccup looks to the stars, he'd never seen so many, and it might've been his still dry eyes, but it was as if they were in a wavy line, guiding him to Grandmamma's.
Hiccup tried to memorize every sound and feeling he could. The sound of Toothless' wings flapping in the wind. The way a rush of cool, moist air blasted him in the face, whipping his blonde hair into a frenzy whenever he went flying. The feeling of Toothless' scaly skin, his forked tongue licking his face.
He knew he wasn't helping himself by remaining all the things he could never see again, but he still can't forget the chance that he'll be okay. But the idea that it was a very slim chance discouraged him greatly. He wanted to say goodbye to everyone, but not only would they be suspicious, they'd try and stop him.
Hiccup only prayed the Astrid would at least pick up his, what he considers, major hint. Honestly how could it have been more obvious? It should've at least given her a red flag. And Hiccup kissing her.
Knowing Astrid, her curiosity often leads her to finding out about Hiccup's secret. Like the first time she followed him to the Cove, then there was the time she came to help him find the gift from his mother. She's smart, she's bound to figure it out.
Hiccup held onto this small flicker of hope as he landed in the marsh.
He hopped off Toothless and made his way up the steps. He knocks on the moss covered door and sees Grandmamma and Goathi inside.
"So, are we ready?" Grandmamma asks as she invites Hiccup inside.
"Not quite." Hiccup says. They look to him in confusion.
"Is something wrong?" she asks.
"I just think it'd be best if we just did the ceremony somewhere, barren." He explains.
Goathi and Grandmamma nod their heads in agreement, and while in the marsh would be fine, better safe than sorry.
"Understandable." Says Grandmamma. "But where do you suggest we go?"
"Follow me." Hiccup says.
He steps out of the cabin and jogs to Toothless. He allows Goathi and Grandmamma aboard and with one flap, they're in the air. After a few moments of flying over water, soon Grandmamma peers around Hiccup and sees something in the distance.
"Is that . . ."
"Yes, it is." Hiccup replies without even letting her finish asking.
He swallows heavily as they approach the group of islands in the shape of a man's hand.
Back on Berk, Astrid laid in her bed restless. She couldn't seem to sleep. Something about Hiccup's conversation seemed off. It was as if he wanted her to see something that wasn't there. A bigger picture. Bringing up Hadrian was weird in itself, then telling her not to hold back. She closes her eyes to think better.
Don't hold back. Promise! You won't hold back! You wouldn't hold back on Hadrian.
Suddenly her eyes burst open, "No." she whispered.
She quickly jumped out of bed and scrambled to ready Stormfly's saddle. She hopped on and flew to Hiccup's house. She landed on the roof, trying not to disturb Stoick, and looked through the skylight. Hiccup wasn't in bed, and neither was Toothless. Landing Stormfly up front, she rushes in and finds Stoick asleep in his throne-like chair.
Astrid cautiously approached him as he inhaled and let out a large snore. She places her hand on his forearm and gently shakes it. "Sir," she whispered. "Sir."
Stoick awoke with a start, and he looked to find Astrid at his side. "Oh, hello Astrid. You're here late."
"Yeah, and I'm afraid I don't have good news." She said hesitantly.
Stoick's expression changed immediately. His face contorted into a frown as Astrid explained her conversation with Hiccup. The moment she was finished, he rushed upstairs to find Hiccup's bedroom bare.
"Go get the others, I'll get Gobber." He ordered as he headed back downstairs to ready Thornado.
Once everyone was rounded up, they all meet at the Academy, saddle up and rush off to the island. They land in the marsh and the dragon's feet had just made contact with the ground when Stoick and Astrid and Gobber leaped off and bolted for the house. They burst open the door, but are crushed when the find the cottage abandoned.
"These candles were lit recently, so they were here." Gobber confirms.
"They must've gone in the marsh." Astrid says. "But where?"
Stoick walks around the cottage searching for any signs that could indicate where they might've gone. There was nothing. He only finds books, webs and skulls. Suddenly he hears Fishlegs call from outside. Everyone rushes out one by one.
Fishlegs is kneeling down at the muggy ground. "What is it, Fishlegs?" Stoick asks.
"Look at these footprints." He points out. "They lead to the grass then, that's when they must've taken off."
"And how does that help exactly?" Tuffnut asks.
"Well, look at the direction they fly off too." Fishlegs says pointing to the horizon.
"North?" Astrid asks confused.
"Yes, and if my calculations of the stars is correct, if they head in that direction for a good few miles, they'll stumble upon, Breakneck Bog." Fishlegs says with a slight gulp of fear at the mention of the Bog.
"Why would Hiccup go there?" Astrid asks.
"So Hadrian doesn't have anything or anyone to harm." Stoick says aloud. "Come on! We need to get there before they start the ritual!"
Everyone boards their dragons and zoom off to Breakneck Bog. Stoick urgently grips his saddle as he hopes he's not too late.
Hiccup stares up at the moon as the soft glow of candles warm his back. The bog is alive with crickets and frogs. The moon's glow shines its brightest with a cloudless sky. He's been staring at the sky for hours now while Goathi and Grandmamma set up the circle for the ritual. Hoping, praying, that somehow they'd make it in time. So he could see them again. Just once.
"Hiccup," he cringes when he hears Grandmamma call. He turns and sees her standing next to Goathi. "It's time."
Hiccup takes a deep breath and walks over to the two elder women. He stops and looks to see the same salt circle as the one back at the cabin. Only now, trios of candles on long, renaissance candelabrums border the circle. Their flames flicker as the gales kick up. Lanterns drooling some kind of white sweet smelling smoke hang on some branches of trees.
He watches as he steps in, the marks trail up his legs and the trinity mark glows on his forehead as he turns at the center of the circle to face Goathi and Grandmamma. Grandmamma has the book set to trap Hadrian open to the middle set on a podium with another candle in the upper left corner.
Goathi looks and sees Hiccup's head is down. As he raises to gaze at them, tears sting his eyes and trail down his cheek. Goathi's face changes to concern, she manages to get his attention and writes in the dirt, telling him it'll be okay. And that Hadrian will no longer be a problem.
"Hadrian doesn't concern me." he mumbles.
"Okay, ready to begin." Grandmamma says, and Hiccup gives a nod of consent. "Remember the incantation. Just as we learned."
Hiccup nods and lowers his head. He concentrates, finds his center and begins the spell. "Quira mi tirah'ta lieh. Sate'rate masatirri." Hiccup's hair begins to levitate and sway, and his eyes begin to glow the eerie blue. "Agliie nama. Matsa ra'ti, reala-"
"Hiccup!"
"Hiccup!"
Hiccup immediately stops and everything comes to a stillness; but the marks still glow. He doesn't turn as he hears multiple footsteps rushing toward him. The first call came from his father. The second was from Astrid.
He hears them stop a few inches from the circle, and they don't say anything, it's up to Hiccup to shatter the silence. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't catch on." He starts, and he slowly turns to face them. "But you don't disappoint Astrid."
"Hiccup, why are you doing this?" she asks fighting tears.
"I can't take it." He bluntly admits.
"But you said you'd rather lose your sanity than to Hadrian." Fishlegs says.
"Easier said than done." Hiccup counters while turning back to face Goathi and Grandmamma.
"Hiccup, please." His father spoke that time. "You don't have to do this."
"Yes, I do." He turns his head to peer at his father. "Hadrian's too strong in the dream world. At least in reality, I know I stand a chance."
"Yeah, well that all depends on a very big IF Hiccup." Astrid snaps.
"I'm sorry Astrid." Hiccup then turns to face Goathi and Grandmamma.
Hiccup's hair sways once again and the marks glow even brighter. He closes his eyes and lets the energy flow through his body, giving him power like Goathi told him. The salt soon became a solid glowing white line, and waves of prickled light circled and swirled at the edges.
"Hiccup no!" Astrid cried, but as she ran for the circle, in a flash of light and the booming sound of an explosion, she was sent flying back into Gobber.
Everyone could only watch helplessly as Hiccup restarted the incantation.
"Quira mi tirah'ta lieh. Sate'rate masatirri. Agliie nama." Hiccup suddenly began to levitate and rise at the center, the gales picked up ferociously and the light seemed to be powered by Hiccup's words. The more he chanted, the strong and brighter it became, until it became a full-on cylinder shape, trapping Hiccup inside. "Matsa ra'ti, realahalia!"
At the finish of the chant, Hiccup looked to the sky and opened his eyes. They glowed a fierce icy-blue in clash with the crimson red of the symbols. As if they'd practiced it, Grandmamma began to say her part of the spell.
"Hasberack, admorane. Gostwhenthen verbesnex. Endobrium, dispendrue. Aran sicortis rex!" When she finished, she extended her hands in a V shape up to the sky. A strange red glow, not as ominous as Hiccup's, bloomed from behind her. Bursting like a star with vine-like appendages. Blooming and spreading like it had a destined mind and path.
It flowed to Hiccup, as if there was some unseen attraction or force pulling to him. It permeated the cylinder shape surrounding Hiccup and it mixed in with the white light. Toothless squeals from behind Goathi. For a moment, the two lights mix and shuffle from within one another. But soon the red light morphed until it matched the cryptic markings on Hiccup's body.
They continued to spin in a circle, riding the waves of light around Hiccup. Hiccup roared and as he did, he extended his arms and legs out. The marks flew off his body as if they were bits of paper, and clashed with the light and soon fitted into the matching spots on the light, like little puzzle pieces. With his hands in fists, Hiccup clenched his eyes shut for a moment, lowering his head. He went still for a moment.
"Hiccup!" Stoick cried.
They could see Hiccup's body trembling, shaking, but he didn't budge. Then, as if something inside him ignited, he looked to the sky with a piercing scream. Then two glowing red beacons of light erupted from his eyes and reached up until they scraped the sky. It was like before when Hadrian was chiseling the marks in his skin. Everyone stepped back as a third light shot out of his mouth. His skin began to crack and peel and the eerie red light began to radiate from the cracks.
"Hiccup!" Stoick screamed. He was about to change or the circle when Grandmamma stopped him.
"Stop! If you invade now, there's no telling what could happen to Hiccup!" she shouted over the roar and thunder of the lights.
The book's pages were turning furiously as the winds picked were practically thrashing back and forth. They continued this behavior, and Grandmamma watched as Hiccup's body peeled and cracked. Astrid ran to him but was knocked back by the energy surging from his body.
Everyone watched as a small spark flickered for a moment at the base of Hiccup's stomach, before it slowly grew wider and larger. It grew as a white light with edges that flicker like the flames of fire, devouring Hiccup's body in the process. As it breached the border light, it shatters outward, sending hundreds of diamond-bright slivers through the air. The ball of white light swallows the last of Hiccup's face, severing the red beacons of light.
Thunder rumbles in the air, or at least they think it's thunder. With every flash that happens, a sound booms so loud it rattles the sky and trembles the ground. For a moment, the circle stays there, hovering over the circle, then it slowly fades into the deadly shades of orange and yellow. The edges of the light shift until they're actually the tips of flames, flying in the wind like ash.
Astrid stepped closer and squinted her eyes. She could barely make out Hiccup's silhouette as it thrashed and flopped from the inside like a fish out of water. She screamed and fell back when she thought she saw a hand bulge out from Hiccup's stomach. Grandmamma gasped, then the book shot her back with a brute force of energy, glowing snow white. Goathi runs to her aid and helps her up.
The circle retracted in for a brief second before it expanded and exploded outward. Everyone went flying back, crashing into trees, grass, stone, or just the hard-packed ground. The flames dispersed and disintegrated as it erupted. Astrid was on her hands and knees and looked over just in time to watch Hiccup's body fall to the ground, unconscious and not moving.
At the center of the circle, a body floated, limp. Arms and legs dangling as he slowly landed to the ground. Smoke blocked any detail. Astrid's heart wrenched as the figure soon found motor control of his limbs. He flexed and bent his fingers and arms, as if testing how they fit. His black hair covered his eyes, but a shudder ran up her spine. Stoick sat up and gazed in horror at his son. He wasn't moving, and he couldn't find the strength to move at the sight of the fiendish figure.
Suddenly, a maniacal laughter bellowed from the apparition. Then they watched as his body became whole. Everything seemed to deflate once his feet touched the ground ever so gently. They watched as he continued to flex his fingers and look at his hands. The laughter grew louder. Haunting. Taunting them.
His foot was the first to step out from the smoke, and with that, the smoke just vanished. Everyone cowered in fear as Hadrian's cold and unforgiving eyes laid upon them from under his bangs. He had gotten more terrifying than last time. It was different seeing him in person. Now he can do more than harm just Hiccup.
He had a one-sleeve tunic that was ripped and torn from possible battles. On his exposed shoulder, he had an armored guard like Astrid's, with chains draping around his bicep. His belt, like Hiccup's had a rope secured around it where it held his whip, leather straps crossed over his torso and connected to a sheath of arrows on his back. Scars adorned his exposed arm and a couple on his face, while his pants had one whole revealing scratch marks, and his own version of Hiccup's prostatic leg.
He grinned a disturbing grimace. His laughing sounding crazier as he stepped closer.
"At last!" He shouted. "The boy IS MINE!"