Lost Soul

True night had fallen by the time the Riders returned from their patrol. Food wasn't on their mind anymore or at least it wasn't on Astrid's mind. Snotlout and twins still seemed incredibly famished, although Fishlegs looked at least concerned too. It wasn't easy for Astrid to work the mechanism for Toothless's tailfin. A few times they had actually fallen a few feet in the air. So they're staying close to ground so no-one got hurt from falling from a great height. It took them about 35 minutes to get home. Everyone else in the village was either in their homes eating or in the Great Hall having a drink.

As soon as they touched down they saw Stoick and Gobber stumbling out of the Great Hall. Or at least Gobber looked a bit tipsy. Even from where they stood they could smell the aroma of the alcohol on his breath. It looked all of the old war veterans of Berk had been singing drinking songs and enjoying a rather mouth-watering feast. Stoick looked like he'd eaten something scrumptious because he was rubbing his full belly happily. Neither man looked like they had a care in the world at that moment. Gobber paused for a moment to down one last gulp of his drink. He also stuffed a leg of snow goose into his mouth to satisfy himself.

"Oh, how fortunate we're to have such an excellent bounty of food! Plus catching that lone goose made this a particular drinking night even better. It's a good thing Thornado managed to seize the elusive devil! Don't you agree, Stoick?" Gobber proclaimed happily as he playfully punched his friend in the arm.

"Yes, it was an exceedingly rare as well as delicious delicacy. I do hope you saved some of that goose for Thornado. He deserve his share for all the hard work he did catching it! That goose led us on a merry little chase, didn't he?"

"Yep, that goose was a crafty one that for sure. I mean even with a broken wing he was still fast and wickedly clever. Didn't think a bird had that big a brain. Still we caught it in the end. We also got some tasty choke cherries along with hazelnuts. Next time let try getting a rabbit or two. I say with the dragons help and everyone working together we'll have a great harvest this year. Count on it, Stoick!"

"That, Gobber, I don't doubt! Praise the gods for such a bountiful and such tasty harvest. This will be a great year and we won't have to worry at all about the winter this year. Thanks to Hiccup and his friends, and just a blessing from the gods above, everything and everyone will be alright and happy this year. First year as a Chief that I don't have to worry at all about the people of Berk! I hope Hiccup and his friends get back soon. I'm in such a good mood I fancy a jaunt around the island. Just my boy and I with our dragons enjoy the crisp autumn evening together."

It was at that moment both of them become aware of that the Riders had returned. At first they waved and seemed happy to see them. But that moment and mood was quickly shattered. As soon as Stoick saw that his son was slung over Astrid's shoulders he immediately rushed over to her and grabbed his child. "What's happened to him?" he demanded in a booming voice. He took his son into his arms and listen to his chest to make sure he was still alive. His heart was beating however it wasn't very fast. Slow and steady, yet he was alive.

"We don't know, Stoick. We're coming back early from patrolling and he disappeared. We found him like this in a small cavern deep in the woods. I can't explain why he isn't conscious."

"Oh! Come off it! He's just sleeping! Why are you guys getting so upset over him falling asleep? Just poke him with a hot tipped sword and he'll wake right up! He's just trying to get back at us for quitting early. It's a lame gesture if you ask me. So why don't we just poke him and be done with it?" Snotlout jeered cruelly. He was still quiet hungry and just wanted to eat. He didn't want to waste his time on Hiccup's seeking attention because the others didn't want to comply with his orders. He wasn't Chief yet and this was just really lame!

"I'll get the sword!" Tuff said gleefully. He began turning this way that trying to find the closest blade. He was now hungry with apparent desire for something hot and sharp. He looked a bit mad kinda like Loki for a moment.

"I'll get the flames! Can we please poke him? Pretty, pretty, please?" inquired Ruff eagerly at the same time as she too was taken over by the fiery passion to do something painful yet fun! It's what she and her brother lived for. Nothing was more entertaining or brought more pleasure then annihilation in addition to excruciating screams!

"No-one gonna poke any sword into my son's flesh! Got that?!" Stoick annunciated very clearly. The twins looked highly dishearten and Snotlout was just as thwarted. He would've cherished the moment forever to see Hiccup wake up screaming like a little girl after being stabbed for being so annoying!

"Um, guys?" Fishlegs started to say timidly. Everyone turned to see him and he looked nervous. "I don't think he's sleeping. I mean he's not awake but I don't really think he's sleeping. Something happened that much I can say."

"Oh, you're so lame, Fishlegs! C'mon he's just seeking attention because we didn't want to listen to him! So he just hit himself with a rock to make us all think he's sick or something! Why are you such a kiss up, Fishlegs?" demanded the imprudent Viking jock.

It looked like there'd be a brawl, and even the dragons were getting agitated, and indeed it looked like fresh blood would be spilled on the dying grass and soil. However, before anyone could do anything Toothless, Stormfly, and Thornado all shot hot embers and used their special attacks to break it up before they could even do anything stupid or dangerous. Snotlout was dancing in some pain because one of Stormfly's spikes hit the tip of his left boot. His toes were fine but it still hurt like the dickens. So Gobber had to pull it out and jock rubbed his foot tenderly. The twins were also nursing their heads. Thornado's sonic blast had knocked both of them off their dragon's double heads. They had it the ground so hard that their helmets had fallen off and their heads now had a headache to rival if Thor had hit himself with his own hammer! They're moaning noisily in addition to that they looked a tad dizzy but otherwise fine.

"Oh! I can see sparkly lights. Look at how the pretty lights dance!" Tuff mumbled as he swayed back and forth. Ruff tumbled back into him and was smiling crookedly, "Oh, yes look at the pretty birdies!" she uttered somewhat incoherently and they fell senseless to the ground.

"Are they gonna be alright?" inquired Fishlegs cautiously as he hopped off Meatlug's back. He patted his dragon tenderly. The dragon smiled happily and licked his face. Giggling Fishlegs and everyone else watched, as Gobber threw both the twins over his wide shoulders, and patted their rumps affectionately.

"They'll be fine, Fishlegs. So will you, Snotlout. Though in the future, boy, maybe you should mind your tongue a bit more. But I believe they'll be all right. I'll take these sleeping idiots home, and you guys should all get home in any case. We'll take care of Hiccup. I'm sure he'll be awake by morning. Don't worry too much!"

The kids weren't sure what to do, yet they did do as Gobber suggested and headed home with their dragons. Before she left to go home, Astrid dashed quickly over to Hiccup and kissed his forehead. "Be well, Hiccup." With that she and Stormfly hightail it back to their wooden house.

"I'll see you in a bit, Stoick, "Gobber informed his best friend, "Let me get these bozos home and I'll meet you at your house."

"That's okay, Gobber. We'll be fine. You're probably right. Hiccup will most likely wake up in the morning. Nothing to worry about," Stoick replied with false assurance. He still looked very troubled. Still trying to put on a brave face he picked up his son and said, "Toothless? Thornado? We're heading home, brave warriors. Come on! Let's hurry and get a fire going. It's cold tonight!"

Toothless gazed once at the silver moon, then back at the shadowy woods. He let out a hauntingly call of sadness, before following Stoick and Thornado back to their home. It had been a rough day for everyone and what was needed was food and rest to get better.

Stoick laid Hiccup in his bed and tucked his thick wool blanket around him. He then put the stuffed dragon toy his mother had made him and placed it in his hand. After thinking about it for a second he placed the second thing left from his wife and son's mom by placing Hiccup's helmet onto his head too.

Gazing at the moon himself he first touched his own helmet then his heart. "Oh, my beloved Valhallarama. Please watch over our son tonight. I can only do so much by myself. So please be with our son tonight and make sure he wakes in the morning's light," he prayed quietly. After a few more moments he left to try and get some sleep, yet it was exceedingly obvious that Stoick was very worried about his son.

It was a long and sleepless night for both Stoick and Astrid. Both hadn't been able to get an hour of sleep for the reason that they're so anxious about Hiccup. Even their dragons and of course Toothless didn't get a wink of sleep. Toothless just stood guard over Hiccup from his own fiery bed. Yet when they went to see if Hiccup had woken up they're met with a disturbing sight. Hiccup was still unconscious and looked like nothing had changed. This was starting to worry them a great deal.

The other Riders showed up that morning at the Academy waiting for Hiccup to show up and boss them around like it was just another normal morning. They waited until it was almost midday before they started to get worried. The whole time they're waiting they just killed time like they'd normally do. The twins were trying to keep busy dueling and blowing things up. Yet that strangely after awhile lost its pleasure and fun, which was highly unusual for them. Snotlout himself kept trying to act like a total jerk and bullied everyone else, yet even he started to get troubled when Hiccup didn't show up. He was fidgety and need to expel his built up rage at someone. The normal fact spewing Fishlegs himself had stopped acting like a dragon know-it-all. He was starting to actually pick at his fingernails till they're bleeding, though he didn't seem to notice.

The moment the sun was directly overhead everyone just kinda snapped! "Where in the name of Valhalla is he?! He can't still be snoozing! I mean really!" Snotlout yelled madly as he kicked with his sore foot at the stone wall. He didn't even care he now had shooting pain through his whole leg now. He was just pissed off that Hiccup hadn't come.

"Yeah, what with Hiccup? It's not like him to miss anything to do with dragons or the Academy! What if he really wasn't sleeping? What if there something really serious going on? What are we gonna do?! What are we gonna do?!" Fishlegs asked frantically and started running around like a chicken with its head cut off. The twins had to head butt him to get him to calm down, then for good measure they did it to themselves.

After they'd done that they looked at each other in a questioning manner. "Okay, normally a good bonk on the head makes me feel good, but today…" Tuff started to say and his sister Ruff finished, "But now it ain't any fun and it just doesn't feel right! It's so…so…DULL!" they both said at the same time.

That's when things got serious. If Ruffnut and Tuffnut couldn't find bodily harm as amusing then they really had to be worried and concerned for Hiccup. Even the other two boys had to admit they didn't feel right at all. Nothing felt right no matter how normally it would bring them all sweet pleasure. It just felt wrong somehow! It was time to go check on Hiccup. And see why he wasn't waking up!

When the Riders got to the Chief's House they found Gobber and Astrid already sitting around Hiccup's bed. It was obvious that Stoick had been pacing some because of the wear on the wooden floorboards. This left the gang shell-shocked. Of course when Hiccup had lost his foot falling into the Red Death's inferno he'd been out for a couple of days. Yet for some reason this was scaring them. Astrid looked like she'd been crying and now she was both tired physically and emotionally.

"What's going on, Chief? Didn't he wake up?" Snotlout inquired hopefully. The huge leader looked at him with sad eyes and shook his head. It disturbed the gang because they could tell he'd been crying too. Seeing how his eyes were not as red as his beard.

"No, boy, he hasn't woken up. He hasn't even moved a muscle at all. It's like he's frozen or something. There was a freezing breeze coming in this morning and he didn't even shiver!"

Now even the daring Snotlout and vacuous twins were scared! Fishlegs was also clearly shaken. He started to bite his nails again only he'd done it so much he didn't have nails at all! It was really painful. Yet what could they do? Everyone was looking very upset and worried and no-one knew what to do next.

They waited three more days for Hiccup to arouse, yet he still was comatose, and it was starting too look like nobody was home at all. Day after day they stood diligently over his bed, yet he didn't even stir. Hiccup showed no sign that he even knew the others were there. When Stoick wasn't looking they did try some painful stimuli to try and make Hiccup wake up. They did everything from poking him with a fork in the foot, tickling him, and even holding his pencil against his big toenail and pressing really hard. (This in real life is what most doctors will do to confirm loss of sensation in a patient. For the reason that you'd have to be a Zen Buddhist master to not react to the most painful stimuli!)

When Hiccup didn't even bat an eyelash from that they knew something was really, really, really wrong! After they poured some soup into Hiccup's mouth so he won't go hungry that's when they decided that they needed some answers. As a result they called in the only person they thought could possibly help, the village elder Gothi.

Stoick carried his child to the mute's domicile and laid him on a worn-out old hearth rug in front of a fire. Everyone then sat back in complete silence and with bated breath they waited to see what she had to 'say'. Gothi closely examined the young boy; it was a very thorough examination. She then picked up some rune stones along with some chicken bones, and began to juggle them both in her hands, she then let them fly and they landed in a particular pattern. She looked very troubled.

"What is it, Gothi? What's the matter with my son?" begged Stoick with a pleading voice. He looked ready to smash a rock with his bare hands in case this was bad news. Gobber was trying to keep him steady and the kids just didn't say or do anything for fear of what might happen next.

The elder took a scorched stick from the blaze and began to draw a picture and wrote some words down. She looked very scared and very grave as she handed the answer to Stoick. He was so shocked he just said, "How can that be possible? If he's not here then where is he?" the piece of paper fell to the ground where Gobber scooped it up and saw what was written and he too looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"What?! What is it, Gobber? What's the matter with Hiccup?! Tell us! Please!" Astrid pleaded with the old blacksmith.

"According to Gothi, dear child, Hiccup isn't with us. And we don't know if it's forever or not."

"I don't understand! He's right there in front of the fire! How can he not be with us?!"

"He means, Astrid that Hiccup's body is with us, but his soul isn't!"

"WHAT?!" everyone gasped in shock. They didn't understand at all. "What in Thor's name does that even mean?!" yelled Snotlout in disbelief.

"We've got Hiccup's body, but somehow his soul isn't in his body any longer. His spirit isn't within him any longer! And we don't know what's gonna happen next!" Stoick explained to the young Vikings who were in such shock that they for a few moments looked soulless too!

No-one spoke and no-one could even breathe. They didn't know what to say all they could do was gaze at Hiccup's body and wonder the impossible. Where was his soul? And could they ever put body and soul back together? This was bad and it looked like it would only get worse!