XXX

Astrid

Valka had just shown up out of nowhere and I was in complete and utter shock at how she was still alive after twenty years of being presumed dead. I had so many questions but she refused to answer them until the morning so I simply went to sleep with a lot on my mind. It didn't seem long but soon I was up with the sun rising in the sky and the others preparing to launch our attack to get Hiccup back. Valka stayed back and let us work but here dragon was not making things easier.

Its gaze seemed judging and it seemed as if it was peering into your soul. She told us that his name was Cloudjumper and we had nothing to be afraid of but I still didn't trust it. I mean you can't expect to just show up after twenty years with a dragon and expect immediate trust. Granted thats exactly what I gave Hiccup but there were other reasons for doing so. I was still worried sick on what they were doing to him and I had to reach him by tomorrow or it will be too late. We were still a weeks sail from the Berserkers but with the dragons that time was cut drastically.

Fishlegs had almost finished packing up when Valka walked over and stopped me form putting away my things. She petted Reylia and I could see the look of worry across her face as if she knew what was wrong and what we intended to do. She seemed much more emotional than Stoick and it showed as she had lines under her eyes indicating lack of sleep. With her this close I got a good look at her. She was definitely shorted than Hiccup but she had his eyes and hair. It was in several very long braids that reached her waist and her coat was thick with a nice hood on the back for fierce weather.

"I know why your out here, I saw it myself." she finally said.

"Then you know we have no choice but to go." I said.

"You don't understand its not that I don't want to save Hiccup, I do. Its just the last time I tried I almost died and that nearly broke him into a million pieces. If I were to return that commander would stop at nothing to bring me down with him watching." a tear rolled down her face.

"You don't have to fight, you can keep Magna company or just sit back and stay safe. Once we have Hiccup we go."

"Its just I will never forge myself if I'm the cause of him snapping. He told me of the times before when they tortured him for his knowledge. I could understand why. He knows far more than I do but he always stayed in the light because of you."

"Really? I'm what kept Hiccup sane all those times?"

"Yes, he said that whenever he was about ready to give in he would imagine you yelling at him to tough it out and he did. Even to the point where he lost his leg because he refused. When I showed up that wall he had built to keep himself contained shattered. He became obsessed with keeping me safe and if that meant giving up what he knew he would do it."

She dropped to her knees and began to cry and the others stopped and looked over but I waved them away. I crouched and gave her a hug, something she probably hasn't had in years. She just continued to cry and I could only imagine the pain of so many years not knowing your son and then coming in and possibly being the cause of his death and thousands of others. Whoever the commander was, was a cold hearted man and it made me wonder what drove him to such lengths to achieve what he wanted.

I could never understand as those minds are so dark that andy light will be destroyed. I simply hoped we get to Hiccup before that happened. She seemed to have stopped after a while and then stood but still had the sad look on her face now red streaked and puffy.

"Sorry to keep you, but you must go and save him. I know he can last long but eventually every man breaks."

"What will you do then?"

"I will ride to Berk and help them prepare and if you should fall then help them mourn. You all represent my hopes and dreams for the world but if I hope for it to continue I have to do my part. Good luck to you all." she said loudly.

She then turned to me and we embraced and before she pulled away she said something that net chills down my spine.

"Bring my boy home." she whispered.

"I will."

We left within the next ten minutes and Valka flew off the way we came towards Berk and I knew we had a long day ahead of us. If we intended to get there we had to move fast.

"So Astrid what's the plan?" Fishlegs asked flying over.

"We need to find the command ship, thats where they're keeping Hiccup. It should be the largest one near the center of the fleet."

"I guessed as much but what can we expect when flying into harms way?"

"They have huge mounted crossbows and some weapons I have never seen before. Just be aware that whatever they have is extremely dangerous and is to be avoided at all times."

"How can we get close then?" Ruff asked.

"If they're already at Berserker Island then most of the fleet will be occupied sieging the island and won't be abel to react to us. We can use that to our advantage. If Magna can box them in from behind then they'll be sitting ducks and all we have to do is fly around them. You up for that Magna?"

"Just get in there and I will take care of the rest." he said.

"Legs how long until were there?" I asked.

"By boat we would still be three days out but with the dragons I say we'll be there just after sundown today."

"Alright we'll use the lack of light to our advantage. By all means don't get captured and try not to hurt Hiccup."

They all nodded and I looked forward at the rising sun as it got further and further into the sky. Hiccup was the most important thing in the world at the moment. I will stop at nothing to get him back to me even if that means burning the whole fleet down.

"You take the lead, I'm going to get a little shut eye." I said to Reylia.

"Sweet dreams." she said.

I layer back and looked at the sky and then slowly closed my eyes to let sleep take me over.

I was suddenly on Berk again but it seemed to be two years ago just after a raid and the village was getting back on its feet. Everything seemed fine but then I saw Stoick sulking back to his house. This raid had fallen around Hiccup's birthday and he may not realize it now but his helmet was lost in the raid which sent the chief into another week of being a no show. But something seemed off and I couldn't tell what it was.

The air seemed tense as if something huge was suppose to happen but I knew nothing did as within the week the village was back to normal. Then I saw what it was. A small black dot was racing across the sky towards Berk and I knew it had to be Hiccup. He reached the cliff and stopped in the air with a emotionless look on his face. His armor was all Roman and Toothless' eyes were slits, not the normal friendly bulbs. In the water was hundreds of ships with catapults ready to fire.

I turned around and no one in the village seemed to notice and I began to panic. I tried to move to go and warn them but my feet were stuck. I turned around to see Hiccup raising his arm signaling them to prepare to fire.

"Hiccup stop! This isn't you, its them you have to stop!" I screamed at him.

Tears began to roll down my face and he looked down at me with no emotion and a cold stare.

"You were too late." he said.

A single tear ran down his face and he dropped his arm. The fleet fire its catapults and laming rocks were sent flying over my head and crashed down on Berk. Stoick's house was the first to go and I could only imagine him burning to death. Other screams were heard as more of the rocks shook Berk. I saw Gobber's forge collapse and his scream pierced my ears. Tears streamed down my face as rock after rock destroyed my home.

I looked back at Hiccup and Toothless had his mouth open and a blue light was building in his throat. I looked at Hiccup with fear and pleaded to him that he would stop this and come back she knew he could.

"Hiccup…please…" I whispered.

"You could have saved me." he said.

Then Toothless fired and everything went black. I sat up breathing heavily with a cold sweat on my forehead and I sat there trying to calm down.

"You alright Astrid?" Fishlegs called.

"Yeah just fine." I said.

"Liar." Reylia said.

"What?"

"I saw your dream and I have to admit it was very terrifying. Your not okay and you need to calm down."

"How an I calm down when Hiccup is suffering out there?" I yelled at her.

"I know you care about him but now is not the time for it. We are almost there and you need to get your head in the game if we intend to get him out. Now snap out of it."

I closed my eyes and breathed forcing myself to calm down and think about what we were about to fly into. I would need all my concentration if we were to get Hiccup out alive. The sun was low on the horizon and we kept on flying.

"Hold on Hiccup. I'm coming."

XXX

Hiccup

I had no idea how long it had been but it seemed like days. Their augur came and began to play with my mind. I tired to resist as long as I could but eventually I gave in and he tore me apart every memory at a time. He would take my happy times and make them terrifying or terrible, but then he would take my fears and destroy me. The worst was the dark memories I had suppressed for so many years. He fished them out and made them worse and made them play in my mind over and over again.

The commander came once to check on my progress and the augur said I was still holding back the things they wanted and I knew what they were after. The people I cared about the most: my mother, my father, and Astrid. I kept those buried deep in hopes he would never find them but each time he reached in I could tell he was getting closer and closer. Soon I would fail and he would turn even them on me and that was when I would break. I knew it wasn't a matter of if but when.

They kept me awake most nights to wear my mind down and gave my little food or drink. Just enough to survive but not enough to keep me strong to where I could resist them. I had given up hope of escaping a long time ago and doubted anyone would come and get me. The only person who would is Astrid and Stoick would never let her go alone. I simply had to hold on as long as I could and just pray that death would take me first.

I had just eaten a piece of bread and had a small cup of water to get me ready for the next session and this one I feared. Before I knew I could beat him but now I didn't know if I could even think straight. He walked in wearing a simple white robe, with purple trimming and the legion's standard as the clip holing the robe up. He had a stool and sat down just in front of me but I couldn't do anything. The always bound my wrists and legs to the chair so he could preform without difficulty. There were still two guards by the door and I had no idea where Toothless was at this point, nor did I think it mattered.

"Shall we get started?" he asked.

I just glared at him and he sighed and closed his eyes reaching his hand out and touching my forehead. I was unlucky to be spared the sensations and I could feel him sifting through my mind searching for anything and I desperately tried to keep them away.

"Good I see you've given up hope of escape." he commented.

He moved more and forced his way through any walls I attempted to put up and he got further and further into my mind. Then I felt him reach the wall again. The one I had built to keep all those I cared a bout safe and away from anyone else. It was to control the emotions I had around them and I could feel him pressing on that wall. I fought back not wanting him to get through.

"Now, now no need to fight." he said smoothly.

He pressed more and I almost faltered but kept pushing him back but I knew I could only keep this up for so long. Sweat began to roll down my face as I was putting a great deal of effort into stopping him. He hadn't even broken a sweat and I knew I was doomed, he would finally break me today. As soon as that crossed my mind the last wall fell and all those emotions I had stored up for years came pouring out and he smiled to himself. He launched into them and began to bombard my mind with horrible images and I could feel my sanity slip and I knew I was done.

I had simply given up and all those emotions disappeared as my mind hollowed out and became a shell of its former self. He retracted his hand and opened his eyes smiling the whole time. he turned to the guard and whispered something and the guard left. He sat there smiling at the now shattered me, or was I even myself. No, the Hiccup that use to be here is gone the only thing that is left if the pitiful body of a once great person.

I didn't deserve to be called Hiccup anymore, he was someone to look up to and hope you could be him. Me, I was someone you casted aside as trash never to be seen again. The commander walked in at that moment and the augur left with the guards and he took a seat.

"It seems you are finally going to cooperate." he said.

"No." I said.

"No? You must realize that there is nothing left of you to fight?"

"Exactly, the person you want is gone. Hiccup and all he had is gone all that's left is Useless." I said pointing to myself.

The commander had a blank expression but them waved it aside and smiled to himself.

"So, Useless, how did you train you dragon?" he asked.

"Its Hiccup's dragon but I had to gain trust first, you need to show your not a threat anymore."

"Good and how do you do that?"

"Depends on the dragon, I really couldn't tell you beyond that."

He smiled and then stood and undid my restraints but I didn't move. Hiccup would've fought back but I'm not Hiccup.

"Come, your going to dine with me tonight and then watch as this island falls."

He grabbed me and we went up on deck and initially I was blinded by the sun but eventually I had adjusted and looked at the fleet around me. An island loomed in front of us but it held no significance to me and then my eyes found the black dragon on deck.

"I assume you won't leave now will you?" the commander asked.

I shook my head no and then he waved to the men and the clamps keeping the dragon down were removed and he immediately leapt around growling at them. He eyed me and stopped and then bounded towards me but I had no idea why. This dragon belonged to someone else but I held out my hand nonetheless.

"Hiccup is that really you?" it asked.

"No, Hiccup isn't here anymore only Useless." I said.

"What happened to you?"

I ignored him and followed the commander to his chambers and I noticed the sun was very low in the sky, almost set at this point. He shut the door and I saw his table had a wonderful meal set out and my stomach growled wanting it all. He motioned for me to sit and I did and we began to eat. We stayed silent for most of the meal but he inevitable spoke.

"I hope at this point we can be friends." he said.

"Sure nothing really matters to me."

"I'm glad to hear, you didn't need all that extra weight holding you down."

We continued to eat and soon we finished and the table was cleared and he stood retreating back to a desk at the back of the room. He moved a few papers around and then looked up at me.

"We'll find you a room and as soon as the island falls you can begin to train dragons."

"Ok."

He wrote a few things down and the silence of the room was disturbed by a soldier bursting through the door.

"Commander we're under attack by dragon riders and the alpha!"

"Prepare to fight, it seems Hiccup left his knowledge to a few others."

XXX

Astrid

The fleet came into view as Magna froze the back ships into place trapping most of the fleet inside against the shore. The twins and Snotlout dove off to the left and right while Legs and I took up the center. I could see the flagship in the middle as it dwarfed all the other ships around it.

"I see Toothless on the deck, that is where Hiccup is." Reylia said.

"Legs We've spotted Toothless, so keep them busy while we go in and eve them. Magna!"

Magna swam forward showing dozens of ships out of the way and charged to the middle. As he moved ships rammed into others and we dove for the ship deck. Reylia fired and knocked a few men into the sea and Toothless looked up to see us.

"Astrid you came." he said.

"Of coarse I did. Now where is Hiccup?"

We landed and I walked over to him getting my axe out ready for any others who might charge out onto the deck.

"He's up in the commander's room but be warned he isn't himself."

I nodded and charged up the steps and bust through the door to find Hiccup sitting in a chair and the commander behind his desk with a sword drawn. A guard charged me but I stepped away from my swing and brought my axe up and nearly cut his head off and he dropped to the floor pooling blood.

"So the hero comes to the rescue." he said.

I growled at him and grabbed Hiccup by the wrist and yanked him behind me as he ran around to stop me. I stopped his bale with me axe and forced him back. He swung and missed and I hit his head with my axe and knock him out. We ran out and Magna was at the boat and Toothless was running up his horn. A few guards burst onto deck with swords drawn and I brought my axe up. I shoved Hiccup behind me and met the first sword and lifted him off.

I swung wide forcing him to step back and he then lunged in but I brought my axe up and cut him nearly in half. The other two waved slightly and Reylia jumped down and blasted one to ashes and the other ran. I mounted and grabbed Hiccup and dragged him on her back. All around us the sound of battle roared as men fought on the shores and ships were set afire. I saw that my plan had worked almost without a hitch. The outer ships that ringed the fleet were either without masts or were afire trapping the fleet in place.

We launched into the sky and we flew around and fired at the main mast of the ship making it splinter and topple over into the sea. Then we charged out with the group falling in and Magna falling in behind us carrying Toothless with him. I turned to see the island burning and all of those people that may have been spared would no longer be spared and would all die. She knew the wrath of the Romans would come but at least they had bout themselves some time. She then turned and brought Hiccup's eyes up to meet hers.

She saw and emptiness to them as he looked at her but she at least knew he was safe. She Hugged him but he didn't move as if he felt nothing but he would come back, he always did.

"Your safe, Hiccup." she said.

"I'm not Hiccup. He's gone I'm nothing useless." he said.

She pulled back and looked at him with absolute horror on her face. Her worst fears had been realized, she was too late.

XXX

Useless

This girl, no Astrid, was talking to him trying to get to Hiccup but he was gone and would never come back. She kept grabbing at him but he couldn't have cared less what she wanted or what anyone wanted. There was something though about her that ignited something deep within his mind, something that told him he had substance to him. The dragon that could not fly kept reaching in his mind but I offered no resistance so he started to put things together and I could feel my mind mending.

This was not my mind though it was Hiccup's and that was what they wanted so they could try as hard as they wanted but he was gone forever. The girl eventually turned and looked at the horizon as the flew over endless water. The sky grew dark and the sun had set a long time ago and stars were now becoming very prominent along with a very bright moon. Eventually the girl leaned back and I sat there holding her up but eventually I wrapped my arms around her for no particular reason. She seemed to be calmed by this and I was happy to at least do something but nothing could bring back Hiccup.

In the distance a small island grew and the crew made to land on it for the night. Upon landing the dragon named Toothless came running over and a suddenly feeling of relief took over. That sort of feeling only belonged to Hiccup not him but he didn't try to suppress it. I was extremely tired and moved to get some sleep and this dragon made the perfect pillow and I simply relaxed and I felt my eyes get heavy but I watched everyone else for a time. The two that looked very similar were the first to fall asleep and then the one with black hair and rather large muscles. But the large man was talking to the girl and then handed her a book and she smiled at him.

He then proceeded to sleep himself and she walked over to him with the book open to a certain page. She then turned it and showed it to him and he recognized what it was.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Can you draw it?" she asked.

"Yes but someone else has to be connected if the symbol is to work. It has to be someone they care about deeply and shares an emotional bond with." I explained.

"Can you draw it now?"

"Sure where?"

She pointed at my chest and I just went along with it. I grabbed her hand and flame worked its way around our hands and Toothless came over and she put her hand on him. He drew three simple triangles for the three people and then a circle to connect all three and once done he descended into darkness.

XXX

Unknown

He was upset to say the least. His fleet in shambles and completely stuck in one place. He had underestimated these children but he would not make that mistake again. There was smoke everywhere not just coming from the island but from his own fleet as well. A man came running up to him and waited for him to turn rather than risk his wrath.

"What?" he snapped.

"Commander the island is ours and the queen is asking if we are ready to march on Berk."

"Tell her we will need a few weeks to move and repair our ships and then we can move. The riders have bought themselves a few weeks but they cannot stop us. Hiccup gave us the beginning step to our triumph."

"Yes sir."

The man then left and he turned his gaze back out to the ocean. A few ships had been moved and put up on the beach for repairs but his face betrayed nothing. They only bought themselves so much time but when he marched on them they will feel his wrath.

So when writing this especially when Hiccup was in his weird removed self it was hard to keep in first person and I kept switching to third person without realizing it so if that comes up anywhere I apologize. But what's crazy is this story now has over 1,000 views which I find crazy but still awesome so keep it up. Now this was the first of two battles to happen and this one was far shorter than the one that will happen later on. I hope you like how I added in more magic especially since so far only Hiccup has had it. Things are heating up but I have an idea of how I'm going to end it and you may not be happy with what that means. Enjoy and review or not. -starwarswiz