Hello my lovely readers! Oh, what's this you ask? Could it be? A second update in a week? OH YA IT IS! Guess who's on top of things for once in her life? That's right, this girl! I loved the response I got last update, and I would love it if y'all would keep that up this time! Have a great day and enjoy the chapter!

A hush had fallen over everyone. Even the dragons were still and quiet as they watched the young dragon trainer in confusion.

"Okay, so the Outcasts invaded, and I got thrown into a wall, and I died, but it wasn't instantaneous. For a long time I was just lying there going in and out of consciousness," Hiccup started.

Gobber shook his head, obviously distressed that he hadn't been able to help. The teens just stared at him in various states of concern and horror. Even the twins sat in rapt attention trying to wrap their minds around what happened to Hiccup.

"So the battle ended and everyone was being rounded up. I saw my dad, I saw you," he said, motioning to Gobber, "and then I blacked out. When I came to, the village was deserted. I still couldn't move…," he trailed off as the memories he'd been staving off hit him full force.

Pain. Immeasurable pain. That was the first thing he noticed as he struggled to wake up. A small part of him was screaming GO BACK TO SLEEP! GET RID OF THIS PAIN! HOLY MOTHER OF DRAGONS! But the rest of him was too occupied trying to piece together the fragmented memories swimming in his head into some semblance of sense.

Outcasts…dragon…oh shit. Yep, that's why everything hurts.

Shaking, Hiccup forced his eyes to open. They widened in horror as he saw the village completely in ruin around him. Houses were demolished, sheep meandered unattended through the streets, and the thatched roof of the well was smoldering. Scorch marks littered walls and streets, and even a few buildings were still on fire. He tried not to notice the bodies of villagers and outcasts alike lying in the street.

Mustering as much energy as he could, he tried to get up, but he was unable to move. He tried again, but he couldn't move, and the more he tried the more his pain grew. Eventually he gave up, and he lay on the ground, defeated, with tears in his eyes. He knew he was going to die. Heck, he was dying already, but no one would know. His friends wouldn't know, and his father, oh goodness, his father had seen him hit the wall. His father probably thought he was dead. No one was coming. He was alone and dying.

He started to cry, but no sound came out. After a while, after the tears had stopped coming, he realized that it could always be worse. He was feeling weaker and weaker, and he knew his time was coming soon.

Suddenly he saw something out of the corner of his eye. There was a tall, hooded figure walking down the street, stopping by each body and looking it over. Then he- she? It? - would touch their heads and say a few words and continue on.

"Hiccup! Hiccup!" someone was talking to him.

"Huh? What?" he asked intelligently, startled.

"You zoned out. What's wrong? Keep telling us what happened," Astrid explained gently.

"Aye, lad, you have to explain yourself here," Gobber reiterated.

"Sorry. Just thinking. So I was lying there and then this guy came up and said 'It's your time'," Hiccup continued.

The figure was over him now. It was just standing there, but now it was so close that Hiccup could see the liver spotted hands and smell the putrid sent of death hanging off the person. In a deep voice, a voice that he felt in his bones, the creature began to speak.

"It is your time."

"For what?" Hiccup asked, playing dumb to figure out who this was- not that it really mattered. He was just curious.

"You know what. Do not try my patience, boy," he intoned gravely.

Hiccup was silent. He thought of his father, his friends, Gobber, the dragons, Toothless. Finally he moved his gaze back up to the man's face.

"Who are you?" he asked finally.

"I am Death," he replied in a sigh, as if he was tired of having to admit what he was.

"Are you powerful?" Hiccup asked, a plan forming in his addled brain.

"Yes. I control the time and place of death. It is my realm. I take those who die where they need to go. I turn the seasons. I give food. I take life. I am more powerful than you can comprehend," he stated firmly.

"Then you could you change your mind?" Hiccup prompted.

"Change my mind?" Death asked, taken aback.

"Yes. Could you, great and powerful as you are, change your mind?"

"Yes. I can," Death said, catching on.

"Since you can change your mind, would you?"

"It depends. What do you have to offer? Why do you need to say?" Death drawled.

"Nothing. I have nothing to offer, but I need to stay," Hiccup said.

"That's what they all say," Death said, reaching his hand towards Hiccup's head.

"No! I need to stay so I can fix this! When it's fixed I'll go with you," Hiccup protested.

"When what is fixed?" Death asked, pausing.

"When everyone is safe. When the Outcasts can no longer hurt my village," Hiccup said softly.

"How can you do that if you can't even move?" Death asked with a smirk.

"I…I don't know. But I'll find a way," Hiccup said, determination settling across his features.

Death looked at him, but it was more like he was looking through him. Finally, he retracted the hand he had outstretched and straightened.

"You have five days," he said, waving his hand and disappearing.

"Hello?" Hiccup called out, staring at the empty air around him, "What am I supposed to do? I can't move!"

He hung his head dejectedly, instinctively stretching out his arm to rest his head on. He lay there for a few moments before realizing something. His arm was under his head. He jerked his head up and stared at his arm in wonder, wiggling his fingers in amazement. Then he moved his other arm, and he scrambled to his feet. As he stood, his ankle smarted in pain. Looking down he heard a whisper.

"It's a reminder."

Not knowing what else to do, Hiccup took off through the village looking for anyone. There was no one there, it was completely deserted. He made his way to his house, picking up supplies as he went. Upon entering, he realized that he couldn't stay. The outcasts would come back, and he couldn't be there when they did.

Throwing his supplies in a sack, he fled into the forest and tried to think about how to fix everything.

"Hiccup!"

"C'mon, man, this is getting ridiculous."

"He almost looks stupider than you- Ow!"

"Hehehe."

"C'mon lad."

"Hiccup?"

He shook himself out of his stupor as the chorus of voices assaulted him.

"Hiccup! What do you keep thinking about?" Astrid asked curiously.

"Waking up," he answered cryptically; they didn't need to know what had happened in its entirety.

"So the guy said it was your time or whatever, and then what?" Snotlout urged.

"And then I bargained with him. I got five days. I spent three up here, one now with you guys, and tomorrow is my last day. That's why we need to break them out tonight," he stated, his calm demeanor barely masking the urgency in his words.

"So we'll get them out tonight," Gobber said, matter-of-factly.