Ryker landed on Dragon's Edge's shore and jumped off Minnow. After taking care of the Hunters following him, they flew straight to the outpost.
He didn't have far to go before the Riders surrounded him. He had a lot of explaining to do and he got right down to it.
"... So, to sum it all up, we need a plan of attack and soon. Your leader is strong, but not strong enough," Ryker finished.
"Why should we believe you?" Astrid demanded.
Ryker showed them the sack of gold Minnow was carrying. "I can think of about 100,000 reasons. If I was going to betray Hiccup Haddock, I would have let the Hunters follow me the rest of the way. Instead, they are adrift at sea fifty miles out. I'm a changed man. Now either you can give me the benefit of the doubt and go save Hiccup. Or you can lock me up and try to find him on your own. By the time you found him, it would be too late."
"Why would Hiccup even willingly put himself in harm's way?" Dagur asked.
"It is the only way to take Johann out. Let him think he has won so that his guard drops," Ryker explained. "It's now or never."
Astrid stared pointedly at Ryker. Hiccup's letter said to trust Ryker until the man proved he couldn't be. They spent a day and a half waiting and getting ready. "Fishlegs, head for Berk and get Gothi. Bring her here. Warn Stoick and the A team. Snotlout, Ruff, Tuff, and Dagur, you're with me. Let's go get Hiccup. Ryker, lead the way."
Jorn stood in Johann's vacant chambers, holding Hiccup's leg. He had found the vial hidden beneath the cup of the leg where the stump would rest. It wasn't a lot. Enough for maybe two doses. It should be enough to treat him until they got back to Stinger Island. The young lad could tell him how to make it if they got the chance.
Jorn always demanded privacy when treating a patient. It was less stressful for the injured party and helped with recovery. When he first saw what Johann had done to the kid in a matter of minutes, he was angry. What has Hiccup done to deserve such a punishment?
He couldn't linger in the chambers much longer. He placed the leg back where he found it and quickly left. Jorn went down to the kitchen and had the cook prepare a small meal for their prisoner.
The healer carried the sandwich and glass of mead down to go where Hiccup was being held. He poured some of the tonic into the mead so that Hiccup could take it undetected.
The guards were back in place, taunting Hiccup. "Look at how scrawny he is." "Not much of a man." "He looks like an Argr."
"Excuse me, gentlemen. I need to have a look at the patient before you drag him back to Johann," Jorn interrupted.
"Why do you have food?" One of the guards demanded.
"To keep him from dying of starvation. It's just enough to keep him alive," Jorn replied. "Now unlock the cage and go the end of the hall."
The guards did as Jorn requested. Jorn entered the cage and set down the plate and cup. "Eat up, kid. You're going to need your strength."
Jorn knelt down and looked at Hiccup's bandaged stump. The wrappings were already crimson red. "Let's change your bandaging, kid before you're taken back to Johann. Also, I'll numb up the area in case he decides to attack there again. You won't feel it happening."
Hiccup took a bite of his sandwich and swallowed it down with a sip of mead. "Why not numb my whole body then?"
"Don't have enough supplies," Jorn said. "I'm to give you limited treatment. I'm only numbing the area to reduce infection and because of how sensitive scar tissue is. Johann wouldn't be too happy if you passed out again."
Hiccup finished his sandwich and mead. He could taste his medicine in it. Jorn had succeeded in getting him his medicine. "The only way he wants me to pass out is if I had a seizure. I sure hope you know how to treat one."
Jorn knew what Hiccup was doing. He was planning to fake a seizure at some point during his next "interrogation". That would force Johann to stop what he was doing and toss him back into his cage to see if he winds up with brain damage or not.
It was a dumb idea, but it was the only one the kid had. It was his best chance of survival. Jorn was going to have to pretend to be treating him afterward.
"Times up. Johann wants the prisoner," one of the guards said.
Jorn quickly wrapped fresh bandaging around Hiccup's stump and got up to leave.
Hiccup fought back the tears threatening to spill as Johann sliced into his back. They had been at it for three hours now. His ribs, foot, and leg were now broken along with his collarbone. He was bleeding from multiple cuts. Johann was laughing with pleasure as he played with his new toy.
"You know Hiccup, I think you're beginning to enjoy this," Johann stated as he came back around to face Hiccup.
"Go to Hel," Hiccup retorted.
Johann chuckled and leaned in real close to Hiccup's face. "I plan on it. It's called Berk. As soon as I'm done with you, that's where I'm headed. Your soul will have no place to call home."
The vile man plunged the dagger into Hiccup's right leg, just above the knee. Hiccup screamed as pain coursed through his entire body. Johann began to twist the blade in the wound, enjoying the look of sheer pain plastered across his victim's face.
Oh, gods, it burns, Hiccup thought as he tilted his head back and looked up. Now was an as good time as any.
Hiccup stiffened his body and rolled his eyes into the back of the head, then began to violently shake his entire body. Johann smiled as he watched. He had driven the menace to the point of having a seizure. As quickly as it had begun, it was over. Hiccup's body went limp.
Johann felt for a pulse then called for the guards to take him away.
Hiccup felt himself being dragged back to his cage. He was in so much pain and agony, he didn't know how much more he could take. According to the guards, Johann was supposed to be getting answers out of him, but he wasn't asking questions. Their leader was having too much fun to ask.
Hiccup would have to remind Johann to ask some of the questions and act like he was ready to talk. Mix fake information with a little bit of real.
The Rider allowed the realm of unconsciousness to claim him. He was going to need all the rest and recovery time he could get.
Hiccup woke up to his body screaming in pain. Everything hurt. It felt like he had been set on fire.
"Ugrngh," Hiccup groaned.
"Stay still, kid," Jorn said as he placed a gentle hand on Hiccup's chest to keep him from moving. "I'm not done stitching your leg up."
"How long have I been out?" Hiccup asked.
"About twelve hours. Johann was furious when I told him you were still unconscious. He wants you in his chambers by sun-up," Jorn explained as he finished the final stitching.
"How long until then?" Hiccup asked. How much time did he have left to recover?
"I told him that you weren't going anywhere until you had a chance to recover from the blood loss," Jorn said as he began to wrap a bandage over Hiccup's leg.
"Blood loss?" Hiccup questioned. His wounds couldn't be that bad.
Jorn shook his head. "Don't worry. There really wasn't much. I just told him that, to give you some more time. You have about six hours to rest before you go back to him. He's hoping to see if he can cause another seizure. He really enjoyed the last one."
"He's a freaking psychopath," Hiccup stated. "How could someone be so evil?"
Jorn pulled a vial out of his bag and placed it in Hiccup's right hand. "Drink this. It will relieve the pain and help you to sleep more naturally."
As Hiccup drank the tonic, Jorn moved down to Hiccup's leg and foot. Johann had taken a strap to the poor kid's limb and beat it mercilessly until the bones broke. He looked at Hiccup's face, to find the tonic had already taken effect.
He had lied to Hiccup when he said he had six hours to recover. Johann wanted him within the next hour. Jorn knew what he had planned for Hiccup and decided the kid was better off asleep for.
Every third torture session, Johann liked to peel off his victim's skin. He didn't peel off much. Usually just a small section, but it was a painful and long process. It would take at least two hours. Johann liked to take his time with, treating the process like it was a work of art.
Johann didn't mind that his victims were asleep for the process. It was the after effect he enjoyed. Hearing them cry afterward was what he enjoyed. The pain was so intense that it had made the strongest of men break down in tears. It was what broke them and made them talk.
Hiccup was a strong kid, but he was still a kid. As far as Jorn could tell, the young man before him was Johann's youngest victim yet.
Jorn sighed as he reset the kid's broken foot and leg and tightly wrapped the limb up. No way was this kid walking, erm, hopping, anywhere. He would have been in too much pain and agony. He would have to be carried.
Author's Note: Argr means a man who acts unmanly or cowardly. A man who acts like a woman.
I learned the word from Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor.
I hope you guys are enjoying the story. I have a couple more chapters to go, then I'm going to start working on the third part of my story. Remember to review and follow
Special thanks to Draconicbeing2.0 for being an amazing beta reader and friend.