Chapter Eleven

A/N: Here's the start of the climax, guys! Enjoy!

Snow and ice crunch under Asrtid's boots as she sprints after Toothless. The dragon had been outside the Haddock house when she woke up, sniffing the ground and whining. He had wanted to go after Hiccup but knew he needed to wait for Astrid before following his little Rider's scent trail. Toothless can do a lot of things but, unfortunately, breaking a witch's curse is not one of those things.

Then again, Astrid isn't sure she can do that either. Which is why she went and found Stoick before they followed Hiccup into the woods. Surely, he can do something. Right...? There's got to be hope that they can save Hiccup...there's got to be.

The three of them run as fast as their legs can carry them through Berk's dense forests. Hiccup went this way and he couldn't have gotten too far since this specific direction leads to the beach. There would be no way for him to leave the island unless he'd gone to the docks, which are in the opposite direction. Meaning he's still here somewhere. They can still find him. They're not too late.

Little do they know, Hinrik isn't trying to leave the island.

His mother is already here, waiting for him to arrive so that they can go swimming once again...

After Hinrik's sincere apology for dragging Hiccup into this mess that will certainly end his life, both boys had gone entirely silent. Neither of them are really in the mood to talk anymore.

Hiccup had had such strong hopes that if he could just talk Hinrik out of finding Aragwen, he might be able to survive...only to find out that Hinrik is as powerless as he is. Literally a slave to his mother's will. Just like when Hiccup had possession of the pendant, he'd been unable to resist its siren call.

And look where it got him. Trapped like a prisoner within the depths of his own mind while a foreign soul steers his body to certain death.

Worst. Day. Ever.

He sighs and squirms a bit, still trying to grab ahold of something, anything that could bring him back into control. But Hinrik has taken his place and there's no room left for him.

You'd might as well just give up. Hinrik tells him in a defeated voice. There's nothing either of us can do.

"Stop saying that." Hiccup grumbles in an irritated voice. "You sound like a quitter. I recall you being a lot more persistent when you were trying to possess me."

Well you're just being stubborn and stupid. I already told you! There's nothing we can-

Hiccup blocks him out, raising a big black wall between their consciousness in order to muffle his pessimist talk. He doesn't need to hear that now, especially when he's trying so hard to keep them both alive. He knows he can do it. It's just a matter of worming his way in, taking back control. Then, he can get help...he could free Hinrik so that he doesn't have to play this Game anymore.

Hiccup? Hinrik asks, feeling around for the other soul. He's answering him anymore. A spike of fear stabs through his heart when he thinks about the possibility that he might have drowned again. For some reason, the thought that he's alone again is frightening. Hiccup? Are you there?

But there's a wall between them and Hinrik realizes-with an irritated grunt-that Hiccup is still very much present, even strong enough to block him out! He shakes his head both in annoyance and amazement. He's a strong kid, stronger than most.

But it won't be enough.

Aragwen will kill them. Hiccup will die and so will Hinrik. The only difference is that Hinrik is going to come back again, just like always. Aragwen will revive him and have him possess someone else. She'll kill them too and then the Game will begin again. An endless cycle of death that never stops.

How many times has it been now?

Ten?

Twenty?

He's lost count.

So many lives thrown away and all for what? So his mother can impress some evil spirit named the Dark One. She's willing to sacrifice the life of her own son over and over and over, force him to do things that slowly eating away at him. Eventually, he won't mind killing people. He'll be used to it. But his worst fear...the thing that chills him to the core...is the day that he starts to like it.

That's the day when the Dark One will be truly impressed.

The day that his witch of a mother blackens the soul of an innocent.

And that day isn't far off.

He just knows that, once Hiccup is dead...everything will change. No one will be safe ever again...

Eventually, the wall lifts again and Hinrik can feel that Hiccup has weakened considerably. All his futile struggling has taken its toll and the other boy is barely even conscious.

Do you believe me now? Hinrik asks, dully. You're wasting your time.

Hiccup just sighs. "How much further do we have to go?" He asks in a tired voice.

Hinrik frowns. Has he really given up? He seems almost eager to just get it over with... Then again, how can he blame him? Giving up is so much easier... Not long. He assures him. My mother's place is very close.

"Her place...? But we're still on Berk. I thought we were leaving?"

No. Leaving the island would be too risky. Mother has come here to meet us.

Hiccup shivers. Aragwen is here, on Berk. "What is she...going to do to us...?"

Kill us, obviously.

"I knew that. I meant..." He pauses, feeling sick. "How...?"

Hinrik shrugs. It's always different. Last time, she drowned me. The time before that, she burned me. The time before that, she cut my throat. The time before that, she threw me off a house, the time before that-

"Okay, that's enough!" Hiccup interrupts him. "I get it."

Hinrik chuckles. Sorry, I forgot. You're still new at this.

"Aren't you scared...?" Hiccup wonders. "I mean you're going to die too. Shouldn't you be afraid?"

I used to be. Hinrik tells him. Dying is never fun, no matter how many times you do it. I guess after so many times it just doesn't faze me like it used to. Then again, the difference is I'll be able to come back to life again. You'll get to stay dead.

Hiccup swallows. Hinrik had said it in a way that sounded like it's a good thing to 'stay dead'...but he isn't really looking forward to it. He doesn't want to die. He's scared... Really scared. When his next thought floats through his head, he doesn't mean for Hinrik to hear it. But, evidently, he does anyway.

Don't bother, Hiccup. He mumbles. Even if someone does come to save you, they won't make it in time...

"What do you mean?"

We're here.

At the sight of her son's new body stepping out of the treeline, Aragwen smiles brilliantly. "Hinrik!" She cries, rushing forward. "Oh my darling, I've missed you so!"

And Hinrik smiles with Hiccup's lips, allowing his mother to throw her arms around his new shoulders, pulling him in for a huge hug. She lifts him off the ground, spins him in circle and kisses him on the cheek and forehead. He giggles but only for show. It's always this way. She acts so happy to see him but then she just shoves him off a roof for stabs him with a sharp knife... It's all very jarring and he wishes he could just stay alive for a little while instead of immediately dying every time. "I've missed you too, mother." He lies, smirking to himself at Hiccup's reaction to her embrace.

"YOU HAG! YOU TREACHEROUS OLD WENCH! DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Hush, Hiccup. Hinrik tells him. She can't hear you and you're giving me a headache.

"I can't believe I ever trusted her!" He cries, outraged.

Everyone trusts her. It's part of a charm she casts on herself. You literally can't help but see innocence in her... Hinrik tells him. It wasn't your fault. You're just a victim of circumstance.

"How are you, my dear?" She asks, gently caressing his cheek in a way that makes Hiccup start screaming again.

"I am well, mother. Although...admittedly, I'm not looking forward to dying so soon again...can't we just...stay together for a little while?" He asks, thinking of nothing but trying to keep Hiccup alive. It's strange, actually. Of all the hosts Hinrik has had, he's never actually started to like one before. But Hiccup is different. He's got a fire inside him that makes Hinrik almost believe that if he just buy some more time...maybe he really could get out of this with his life intact.

"Oh, sweet-heart...you know I would love nothing more than to sit down with you like a proper mother should...but we're running on borrowed time as it is. The Dark One isn't renowned for his patience, after all..."

Hinrik sighs."I understand, mother."

She smiles and pats his head. "Good boy. Now, shall we play our Game...?"

"As you wish, mother..." Sorry, Hiccup. I tried.

"I know...thank you."

I'm so sorry this had to happen to you...

"I don't blame you...you're a victim too."

Thank you for understanding...I wish there was something I could do. With that, Hinrik begins to follow his mother further into the little clearing she found. So many opportunities for her to kill them...but what will she choose?

Hiccup watches, powerless to move his own body. The feeling of hopelessness is all-consuming. He can't move. He can't speak. He can't do anything. He really is just a prisoner...

And then...it starts to snow.

Hinrik looks up, offering Hiccup one last view of the sky. His sky. The same one he would go soaring through with Toothless, the one he used to look at everyday, the one that made Berk such a cold, miserable place to live... Now, it's crying for him. Shedding frozen tears onto the ground as he's dragged to his death.

He can't help but remember his dream. Except now he's sure it wasn't a dream. It was one of Hinrik's own memories...the last time he died, his mother drown him in a lake. For some reason...he thinks that maybe Hinrik showed him that as a warning...

Don't be ridiculous... The other boy tells him. You saw that purely by accident...

"I wonder what she'll do this time...?" Hiccup muses with a defeated sigh.

I don't know. Hinrik admits. She likes it to be a surprise...

"Sicko..."

I agree.

Just then, Aragwen stops walking so Hinrik stops too. He swallows. Here it comes. The big reveal. What will it be this time...?

"Hinrik," She begins in a sweet tone.

"Yes, mother?"

"Did you know that, exactly one year ago today, was the last time you possessed a body?"

"No, mother. I didn't." He tells her, unsure of what importance that is to the Game. She never gets sentimental about these things... "Why?"

Aragwen turns and smiles. "We usually don't take this long so...I figured, just for old times sake..." A wicked little smile touches her lips and laughs. "Let's go swimming."

A/N: This is so messed up... XD