And here is another chapter. Thanks to the generous reviewer 'ivanganev1992'! Your review meant a lot, and inspired me to update. This chapter is for you, and enjoy!
Also: as of 1:00am, it will be 2 DAYS TO MY BIRTHDAY! You're all probably sick of me blathering on about it, but you only turn 131 once, am I right?
Chapter 5
Invasion Pt 2
I sat tied to the mast of the lead Berserker ship, dozing lightly. The sky was getting darker quickly, as night covered the ships, cloaking them in darkness and shielding them from the Berkian warriors. The attack had been going on for an hour now, with most of the projectiles detonating in the air due to short fuses and a little bit of lightning-related interference from me. At least, until they put the metal gloves back on me. A sharp kick woke me, and I squinted in the light of a torch. "Get up girl. Dagur wants to see you." He untied me and took me to the small cabin in the center of the deck. Opening the oaken door, he threw me inside, and I fell on my bound hands. Dagur turned, his face partly hidden in shadow and the flickering shadow of his helmet casting a ghastly shadow upon the wall. "Hello Azura. Just the person I wanted to see." As I struggled upright, I couldn't help but ask. "Why are you doing this Dagur? Berk has never done anything to you." He came into the light of one of the candles that were scattered around the cabin, face twisted into a furious, fanatical rage. "Why am I doing this? Let me think... Oh I know. It was because of Hiccup and his Night Fury! They attacked ME! Dagur the Deranged! They denied me my skrill the first time I found one. No one denies Dagur the Deranged ANYTHING!" He hurled his axe over my head, and it sank deep into a drawing of a Night Fury, one among many that covered the wall near the door. I stared at the halves of the drawing that slowly drifted to the floor. The axe had sliced right through the Night Fury's head.
"Dagur! We have sighted the Outcast ships!" A guard called. Dagur turned to me, an evil grin spreading over his face. "Well, Azura. You will get to see me make a deal with Alvin that will give me his skrill, his armada, and then I will give Alvin... nothing. I will double cross him and take everything!" He motioned to a guard, who grabbed me and hauled me after the Berserker Chief. Alvin's ship had stopped beside us, and Alvin himself was standing on the deck. "Dagur! So good to see you" Alvin said jovially, a fearsome smile spreading across his face and revealing rows of cracked and blackened teeth. Then he saw me and his face turned thunderous. I couldn't help but shrink back from the man who had been my captor for 9 years. "Dagur. That slave is MINE! She is mine and there will be no deal until she is mine." "Worry not Alvin. The slave will be yours once you help me take over Berk and I get my skrill," Dagur replied. Together, Alvin and Dagur sat at a rough wooden table, hashing out the terms of their tenuous treaty. Dagur spoke first. "Here are the terms of our alliance. I get the skrill, and you help me take over Berk. You get the slave, and whichever of the Berkian prisoners that you wish. Except for Hiccup. That little runt is mine. Deal?" "Very well," Alvin drawled. "We will resume our assault at dawn." The guard tied me to the mast again for the remainder of the night, and the next morning we sailed closer to Berk.
xXx
Under the early morning fog, Alvin and Dagur stood on the forepeak of the lead ship. I stood with them, to insure that the riders did not try to attack them directly. The combined might of the armadas sailed slowly towards Berk. I had managed to slip the Berserker guard's dagger out of his belt last night, and was desperately working it back and forth under the ropes in the hopes of sawing through them and escaping. After a few minutes, the first rope broke. Quickly, I started on the next one. Once it finally snapped, I slowly got up, dagger in hand, and moved towards Dagur's cabin. Slipping inside, I looked around for my skrill pendant. With that I could boost my power and release Dawnstrike. It was one of the many things I had learned during my year of freedom, which was seeming so very long ago now. I searched around, and my eyes fell on a wooden box that had a dragon carved on the lid. Opening it, I found my pendant laying on a cushion of velvet. Taking it, I slipped it over my head, and immediately felt the amplified hum of power coursing through my veins. Slipping back out the door, I ran over to the entrance to the hold where Dawnstrike was. Looking over my shoulder, I put my hands over the lock, and it broke. Lifting the iron trapdoor, I helped Dawnstrike out, and mounted her. We shot off into the sky, making the boat rock. Dagur whipped around, drawing his axe. One of the guards ran over. "Sir, she escaped!" Dagur shouted in fury "I know that!" He swept his axe, knocking the unlucky Berserker overboard.
Climbing high into the clouds, Dawnstrike and I leveled off, and hovered over the ship. "Let's make a little mischief before we go, girl" I said to Dawnstrike. Together we dove, and hovered. I shot lightning at the ship, being careful to pay special attention to Dagur and Alvin. It was extremely satisfying (and amusing) to watch the mighty chiefs of the Outcast and Berserker tribes hopping about, avoiding lightning bolts. Alas, none of my shots hit their target. Once half the people on the ship had dove into the sea so as not to get hit, we turned and flew away to Berk.
Landing in the main square, I dismounted Dawnstrike. Hiccup ran over. "How did you escape?" "Well, I just... did, and slowed the armada down. But, Hiccup, Alvin and Dagur are working together to destroy Berk. I slowed them down, but it won't last for long." "Don't worry. We have defenses, and we have you. I'm sure that we can defeat them." As he lead me away, I wasn't so sure that we could defeat them. But now, we had a chance. A very small chance.