Author's Note. Welp, I'm down to one arm. I fell at work and dislocated my shoulder. The doctor popped it back in and has my arm immobilized in a sling. Which I will be wearing for a week. Don't worry. It's not going to stop the pace of the story. I'm already working on chapter 7.
"JOHANN IS FREE!" Echoed through all of Berserker Island. "THE ICE HAS BEEN MELTED! JOHANN IS FREE!"
Pandemonium struck the island as all the villagers ran toward the caves to see if it was true. Dagur and Heather ran ahead of the crowd while Mala and Sleuther tried to get the crowd under control.
The two siblings ran through the maze of tunnels until they came to the main cavern. They both came to a halt when they saw that Johann was in fact gone. The only proof that he had been there were chunks of ice everywhere.
"How did this happen?" Heather questioned. "Did the traitor help?"
"Most likely," Dagur replied. "I need to head to Berk and inform Hiccup. Tell the tribe that the claim is true. Have them prepare for war. Berk is going to need all the help they can get."
Dagur landed on Berk just after nightfall right outside Stoick and Hiccup's house. He could see a fire crackling through the crack between the door and its frame. Inside he could hear Hiccup and Stoick talking. Their voices were too muffled for him to understand, but it sounded serious.
He thought about taking off and dealing with Johann himself. Hiccup would never have to deal with him again. The younger man could live a life of peace and never have to look over his shoulder all the time.
The deranged chief shook his head. No. Hiccup deserved to know. Hiccup needed to know. It was his right.
Dagur dismounted Sleuther and walked toward the door. He felt like he was back on Vanahiem. Scared to knock on the door, fearing what he might find.
He steeled his nerves and knocked. He forced himself not to run away. This has to be done. This was a matter of life and death.
"I'll get it," he heard from inside. It was Hiccup. Hiccup was going to answer the door. He was hoping for Stoick. That way he would have a few more seconds to prepare himself.
The door opened revealing the Pride of Berk. "Dagur? What are you doing here? Is something wro-"
Hiccup couldn't finish his question; Dagur's face gave it all away. The fear, rage, and sadness.
"He's escaped," was all Dagur could say.
Hiccup backed away. Fear was evident in the young man's eyes. He had his hand over his chest as his breathing and heart rate sped up. Dagur watched as Stoick leaped into action.
Stoick was quick to get Hiccup on to his hands and knees and have him bury his head, eyes closed. Dagur moved to try and help. Both Stoick and Toothless have him a look to stay right where he was. They didn't look angry, but he could feel their anger seeping through.
It was his fault, but it would have happened no matter who delivered the news. They were angry at him, but not at him.
Dagur stood in the doorway for a good ten minutes watching Stoick try and calm Hiccup down. The vast man spoke softly and quietly. Her reassured Hiccup that he was safe and anything he was seeing wasn't there. He was home. He was safe. He wasn't hurt.
For a while, it looked like it was working, until Hiccup lost his balance and fell on to his side. His eyes were shut. He had driven the man into unconsciousness.
Stoick gingerly picked up Hiccup and carried him upstairs. Toothless followed the family. Dagur couldn't see up there. No candles were lit.
After a couple of minutes, Stoick came back down alone. Toothless was going to watch over Hiccup.
"Well just don't stand there," Stoick stated. "Come in and close the door before you let all the cold air in."
Dagur did as he was told. "Will he be all right?"
Stoick nodded. "Aye, he'll just sleep for a bit. Those panic attacks can take a lot out of him."
Dagur felt guilty. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to cause him to have a panic attack."
Stoick shook his head. "Don't be. It was going to happen." The Berkian chief sat down and gestured for Dagur to sit. "Let's talk. How did Johann escape?"
Dagur sat down. He felt like had just broken his mom's favorite ornate axe, again. He was in trouble and he knew it.
"I think his men came under the cover of darkness and thawed him out," Dagur answered. "The traitor must have helped them get past the guards. Heather and Mala are going to figure that out."
"So you know who this traitor is?" Stoick asked.
"I have my suspicions," Dagur replied, feeling his body start to relax a bit. Stoick wasn't going to kill him. "I can't confirm or deny anyone yet. I've barely begun my investigation."
Stoick said nothing. The two chiefs sat in silence. The only sounds in the house were the crackle of the fire and light snoring from upstairs.
Two days later on Dragon's Edge:
Hiccup, Astrid, and Dagur flew around the base, refortifying its defenses. With Johann still out there, Dragon's Edge remained opened. They couldn't leave yet. Not until Johann was gone.
It was the best place for the Riders to get their work done. The hustle and bustle of Berk would not disturb them.
Dagur had been adamant about joining them. Hiccup would need all the protection he could get. It was just a matter of time before Johann put a price on his head, and Hunters, dragon and bounty alike, would come looking for him.
Dragon's Edge was also safer. It has more firepower and kept the Hooligan tribe out of danger.
Johann stood in the doorway of his office with a blanket wrapped tightly around him. His office has been left untouched. There was dust covering everything.
He coughed. He shouldn't be out of his bed, but he couldn't lie around. If Hiccup was caught, he needed to be on his feet or at least sitting at his desk. He couldn't decapitate his enemy from a bed.
The traitor smiled. No, he was going to torture him first. He was going to make Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third beg for his meaningless life.
"Sir, you should be in bed," an assigned healer said to him.
"I'm fine, Jorn," Johann sneered. "Any word on Hiccup's bounty?"
Jorn shook his head. "Not yet, Johann. Just give it some time." Jorn placed a hand on his leader's shoulder. "For now, let's get you back to bed. You need to be at full strength when Hiccup is brought in."
Dagur took the first patrol. He flew ten miles out to sea and watched the waters. Once he finished one loop around the island, he would fly one mile in and do it again after each loop. He would do that until the sun rose and it was Astrid's turn for patrol.
Dagur was four miles away from the island when he saw a fishing boat heading inland. What was a fishing boat doing out in the middle of nowhere at this hour?
"Let's see what business this man has going on, aye, Sleuther?" Dagur suggested as he patted his dragon's head.
Sleuther roared in agreement and dove down to meet the newcomer. The Triple Stryke fired a warning shot at the boat. The person calmly looked up and waved. It was Throk.
Dagur quickly landed on the boat. It has to be urgent if Throk was sailing to Dragon's Edge. "What's wrong Throk? Is it Mala? Or Heather?"
"My Liege, Johann has already taken to the first step at drawing Hiccup Haddock out," Throk informed as he handed a piece of paper over to Dagur. "A bounty for 100,000 gold pieces. Soon bounty hunters from all over will come here or go to Berk. We must move him now."
Dagur stared at the poster. He remembered the last time a bounty had been placed on Hiccup's head. He was undercover in the Northern Markets and remembered seeing all the posters with his face plastered all over them. The bounty didn't last more than a couple weeks. It had ended in failure as far as Dagur could tell.
Johann was more powerful than Viggo, though. Nothing would make him stop his hunt. He wanted Hiccup and he wasn't going to stop until he had him.
"Hop on," Dagur offered. "We'll take you the rest of the way."
Throk took his new King's hand and climbed on to Sleuther. Together they flew toward the outpost.
Author's Note: Things are starting to heat up. Don't forget to review and follow.
Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being an amazing formed and beta reader. I would be lost without her