Chapter 6

Hiccup ran as fast as her legs would carry her. When she reached the arena, she heaved a sigh of relief. "Almost over, almost over." She breathed as she picked the lock and slowly walked inside. She approached the Monstrous Nightmare's cage and slowly opened the door. The Nightmare stalked closer to her as she back away from the cage. As it got closer to her, it let out a warning growl and crouched low to the ground.

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm not one of them. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help you." She said calmly, if not a little nervous. She held out her hand and turned her head away. The Monstrous Nightmare looked at her with suspicion.

'Where have I heard that voice before?' it thought as it regarded Hiccup with her eyes to the ground. It took a second for it to figure out where it had heard her voice before. 'Keena, she has returned to us.' It thought as it brought its nose into Hiccup's hand.

Hiccup released a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. She looked at the Monstrous Nightmare and slowly moved around to its back. "Good boy. Now let's free the others." Hiccup spoke calmly and softly.

No sooner had Hiccup gotten onto the Nightmare's back did she hear a voice she had hoped she wouldn't hear until she was far from the island.

"Well done Hiccup. You tamed that beast without even breaking a sweat. Tell me, how do you do it so easily eh?" Alvin sneered as Outcasts poured into the arena. "As you can see, you don't have much choice at the moment, do you?"

Hiccup could feel her heart beating faster and harder in her chest. She had so many ideas of how she could get out of there, but all of them ended badly either for her or for the dragons. Suddenly the Monstrous Nightmare went wild with her on its back. It started to shoot fire all over the arena, keeping the Outcasts at bay. Hiccup saw her opportunity and jumped down and ran to release the other dragons. One by one, she unlocked the cages and the dragons joined the Monstrous Nightmare in keeping the Outcasts out. Hiccup was both confused and grateful. Suddenly, she felt a knife being held against her throat. She craned her head and saw Alvin looking angry and impatient.

"So the dragons are protecting you are they? Well, let's see how much they're willing to cooperate when they see what will happen to you if they don't." Alvin sneered.

The dragons all turned to see Hiccup being held by Alvin and they all dropped their attack and the Outcasts surrounded the dragons ready to get them back in their cages. Alvin then turned to Savage.

"Take her back to her cell and make sure she doesn't 'escape' again." Alvin ordered.

Savage grabbed Hiccup and pulled her back toward the Outcasts Great Hall. Hiccup fought as hard she could to get free, but Savage barely even felt her struggling. She turned and saw the dragons all being put back in their cages. 'I should have just turned back when I learned that it was all a trap. Now who knows what the Outcasts will do to the dragons?' Hiccup thought sullenly as Savage threw her back into her cell. 'What do I do now?' she thought as she fought back the tears that threatened to fall down her cheek. 'Mother, if you're watching me, please help me find a way out of here.' Hiccup prayed as the tears became too much and finally slide down her cheeks.

As Hiccup thought of ways to escape, her thoughts kept drifting back to Toothless. She kept worrying if he was okay and if he would be the one to save her. But then she remembered that he couldn't fly without her and she pushed the thought out of her mind.

"Toothless can't fly without me. What are the chances of him coming here on his own?" she thought aloud.

Presently, Alvin entered Hiccup's cell. "Have we had enough time to think about my offer?"

"What offer?"

"To join me and teach us how to ride dragons."

"I'm pretty sure I said my answer was no." Hiccup said turning her head to look out the window. Out of nowhere, Hiccup felt a strong strike across her cheek. When she recomposed herself, she saw Alvin walking toward her.

"I am in no mood for your games Hiccup. You will show us how to train these beasts or you will be forced to watch the consequences of your resistance." Alvin growled picking Hiccup up by the hair. "Maybe you'll be more cooperative when you see that someone you care about will be the one to suffer. That Night Fury of yours maybe. Though I'm sure they won't suffer as much as you will by having to watch and not be able to do anything about it."

Hiccup realized she was running out of options. "Alright, I'll teach you. Take me to the arena. I'll show you how to earn their trust." Hiccup replied sullenly. As Alvin dragged her to the arena, Hiccup thought about what she was about to do. 'I'm sorry Dad. But I can't risk them hurting anyone else from our home. At least as long as we have dragons and know more about how to control them, we still have a chance, even if it is a small chance.' Hiccup thought sullenly.

Hiccup was shocked from her thoughts when Alvin shoved her into the arena. The Monstrous Nightmare was released and approached Hiccup cautiously. Only this time, it attacked the Outcasts and destroyed the cages. It turned to Hiccup and offered her to climb on its back once more. Hiccup was stunned but didn't waste time climbing on.

"Leaving so soon Hiccup?"

"Why, did you want me gone sooner?" Hiccup asked sarcastically as the Monstrous Nightmare prepared to take off.

"I'd stay for a while longer if I were you. Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?"

At hearing that, Hiccup paused. "What do you know about what happened to my mother? She was killed in a dragon raid a long time ago." Hiccup said feeling a little uneasy.

"Hehehe, is that what Stoick told you? He didn't think his own daughter deserved to know the truth." Alvin snickered. "I'll tell you what happened that night. You see, I had heard that there was a demigod in the Hooligan tribe. Demigods are legend to have incredible power. When I received word of such a person, I knew I had to dispose of them. If they could turn that against us, then who knows what would they would do to us, huh? Me and my soldiers traveled to Berk and raided under the cover of night. We found your mother hiding like the coward she was in the barn. She begged us not to harm the village, she claimed she could give us what we had come for. I asked her who the demigod was, and she bargained that if she told me, then I would leave the rest of you precious village alone. I agreed and she told us who we were looking for. She was the demigod and begged us to take her prisoner. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood of taking prisoners that night. I ended her existence right then and there." Alvin explained with a sense of triumph in his voice.

Hiccup could feel her blood boiling and her memories of that night returning. Her father had had Gothi give Hiccup the Forget Me leaves, the same leaves she had used to help Toothless when she was a kid, and told her that her mother had died in a raid. He had been lying to her her entire life. But she was angrier at Alvin for what he had told her.

"My mother was a demigod. I can't believe it." Hiccup said turning her head away to hide her tears.

"Believe it girl. Because now there is no one to protect you." Alvin said sneered. "Take her!"

"Now!" Hiccup shouted signaling the dragons to attack.