[ Chapter Seven: Ambush ]
It was well into the night now, all of the strongest of dragons carrying the ship full of little ones. I was flying peacefully on Zera, though I felt the stillness in my heart that meant danger was on the way. I had been praying to Odin ever since we left the island.
"Something wrong?" Tuffnut was on one head of his and Ruffnut's Zippleback, leaned over to talk to me.
My brows were furrowed. "I feel like there is something wrong. I can't place it, but I know it."
"Eh, it's probably nothing," he shrugs, pulling his shirt closer to him. He had actually decided to wear one for the freezing ride back home. Despite the time of year, the nights over the ocean were not warm in the slightest.
We fly in harmony for another hour before something alerts the dragons. Out of nowhere, grand dragons, unlike any I had ever seen before, appear, bearing riders and coming in numbers. They were aiming to attack, for reasons I was unaware of.
"Look out!"
I pull my helmet from my pack, throwing it on my head to avoid any head injuries. Zera's fight or flight instinct kicks in and she immediately begins ripping at the flesh of the nearest enemy.
"Put the babies down! The boat will float!" Hiccup hollers to the dragons, repeating so in Dragonese. The boat is lowered to the water, allowing some to circle and keep it safe while others fought the massive hoard.
"Sink or swim, eh?" I pull my sword from it's sheathe, loping off the head of the nearest beast that was not part of our party.
We begin ferociously fighting our combatants, losing our friends in the midst of things. Blood had covered us from head-to-toe, Zera's fireballs turning the sky blue, Toothless' mixing into the entire thing.
A particularly large dragon heads our way and I stand on top of my beast's back, leaping forward and running my sword through the rider before plunging it into the dragon's head. I scream out a monstrous battle cry, falling towards the waters below before Zera catches me.
"Great job, Zera," I coo, in her arms and ready to be dropped onto the next dragon to take out their rider. I felt a new scratch forming under my right eye, hoping it won't scar as well. Now was not the time to be worried about that…
"VALDIS!"
My name does not reach my ears in time for Zera to be knocked sideways, falling from her arms and towards the murky depths below. Another dragon catches me, throwing me around and causing my sword to fall. That had been my favorite…
I feel rope secured around me and I'm tossed onto the back of another beast, hitting my head painfully against the rough hide. Darkness begins swimming on the corners of my eyes, trying to overtake me. I had to fight… If I didn't, I would die.
"A valkyrie and a baby black devil. I believe we hit the jackpot," I hear a voice say, the words working in and out of my ears.
That was the last thing I remember before I blacked out.
Switch Point of Views
The dragons and their riders left before any more damage was caused, leaving the group to assess the damages.
"Everyone is here for the adults," Snotlout hollers, recounting again to make sure.
"We're missing a baby!" Ruffnut adds. The twins were inspecting the boat. "It's the Night Fury!"
Hiccup feels Toothless jolt, speeding towards the boat. He was panicking, nosing through the babies and even running into the lower cabins. His baby was nowhere to be found.
Zera had joined him on deck in his search, but they were not only missing a baby dragon, but a dragon's rider as well. Upon realizing this, Zera let's out a heart-wrenching screech, shooting off into the air and looking around wildly.
"Where is Valdis?" Tuffnut realizes, eyes wide and his heart pounding.
"We have a problem…" Astrid lands, breathing heavily. She was holding the silver sword that belonged to the valkyrie. "This fell on Stormfly when I was fighting. She's gone, isn't she?"
"We have to find her!" Tuffnut hollers, anger brimming in his blue eyes. "We can't just stand here!"
"We're only an hour from Berk. We have to get the babies there first, and then set up a search for her. If we don't, we'll never find either of them," Hiccup, always the voice of reason, chides his friend. Though he understood, for if Astrid had gone missing… He didn't even want to think about the terrible things he would be doing.
"I can't just leave her out there! There's no telling where she is or what they're doing to her!" Tuffnut was beyond enraged. His girlfriend, or whatever she was to him, was kidnapped by lunatics on dragons he'd never seen before.
"Now, Tuffnut!"
They quickly get the boat back in the air and fly as fast as possible to Berk, Zera making horrendous, heart-wrenching noises the entire way back.
Switch Point of Views
My head spun and everything was dark, my body aching and my stomach churning when I finally woke. I was unsure whether I was blind or if I was in a room with no windows. What had happened?
My heart begins to race as I sit up, panicking slightly. I leap forward, regretting so instantly, but find the nearest wall and begin reaching around for a door or anything. I had been captured by a group of dragon riders.
I find a door and immediately begin trying to open it, failing with every effort. I feel tears of frustration running down my face, my fist sailing into the door. I feel a small dent form, but now my knuckles were broken and bloodied. Great!
"Hey, I think the girl's awake!"
Someone was yelling from the other side of the door. The metal barricade opens and I run forward, my legs caving in. I was too weak to do anything.
"Grab her!"
I'm snatched up by three men, thrashing for all I'm worth. I give up after a few moments, panting and sweating in the heat of the room. I had just come to realize I was only in my undergarments, my armor removed and sitting against the wall across the room.
"Oh yes, you're a prize indeed, lass!" A man grabbed my chin, sneering wickedly. "Odin has treated me wrong up until this point and now it is time to spit him with one of his greatest treasures." He holds my helmet up. "A valkyrie!"
I had no idea what was in store for me at this point, but I knew it would not be pleasant.