Chapter Twelve: Near-Death Experience

Astrid dismounted Stormfly as she arrived at Berk Prison on the other side of the island. Apparently Draco hadn't woken up since Astrid knocked him out earlier although he was still breathing, much to Astrid's relief. As she walked through the corridors, she bumped into Stoick.

"On your way to talk to him?" he asked bluntly. Astrid nodded.

"Sir – I really don't think he was himself," she repeated, holding up the necklace. "He was wearing this – Windwalker had a look at it and said it was making Draco crazy."

"He could have well been wearing that to make sure he was strong enough to overcome obstacles to get to Kyra," Stoick replied gruffly. "Much like a Berserker – you know how some of them..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Astrid cut across before they got to the gruesome details. "But Stoick...I know you could be right but...I saw something on his hand when we were fighting – there was a mark just like Kyra's on his left hand."

"A curse mark from that dragon?" Stoick quizzed.

"Uh-huh," Astrid nodded. "Just...can you please bear that in mind when deciding what'll happen to him?" she asked, biting her lip nervously. "Please? Because we think he came here for Kyra's help in breaking whatever curse he's under and maybe it just took over him for while – the necklace might have amplified the curse."

"I'll keep that in mind," Stoick sighed. "But even if Draco is cursed, it doesn't change the fact that he just tried to kill my daughter." Astrid gulped – she was afraid of that. "You have until I reach my decision." He walked off followed by Gobber and Spitelout so Astrid headed down along the cells until she found one with a still very much unconscious Halfling lying on the bed inside. She dragged over a nearby stool and sat down – Draco looked so peaceful like this. It was as if he had nothing to worry about when he was asleep...everything that had happened – it was all forgotten. She sat there for a minute or so before he stirred.

/\

Hiccup groaned as he felt a throbbing pain shoot through his head. His eyes slowly opened to reveal a wooden ceiling which he couldn't recognise – when did he get inside? He was sure he'd fallen asleep in the Cove. He could see ribbons of sunlight peeking through the rafters above his head – how long had he been asleep? Had Kyra found him in the Cove still asleep, thought there was something wrong and taken him to the Infirmary? She really did worry too much. Rubbing his head, Hiccup slowly sat up and froze when he saw his hands – they were webbed again, as were his feet. What had he done this time?

"Sorry I had to hit you so hard," a voice sounded. Hiccup shook himself awake and his vision focused completely as he took in his surroundings – to his shock, he was in a cell in Berk Prison. Perfect...he must have done something really bad to have landed himself in here. Through the barred doors was the source of the voice – it was Astrid.

"Huh?" Hiccup groaned. "Why? Why did you hit me? What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Astrid frowned. Hiccup shook his head. "Well...gods, how do I put this?"

"Put what?" Hiccup huffed. His head was already hurting – he didn't need any more confusion! Astrid bit her lip.

"You just completely lost it," she explained nervously. Hiccup's eyes narrowed.

"Lost it how?" he asked worriedly. What Astrid said next was the last thing he wanted to hear.

"You tried to..." Astrid began, gulping. "...you just tried to kill Kyra." Hiccup's eyes suddenly widened with horror – how could he? He would never do that!

"What? What are you saying?" he cried. "I would never...I could never..." he stammered, his hand subconsciously flying to where the necklace Wavewing had given him had been. When he realised it wasn't there, he panicked.

"Looking for this?" Astrid asked, holding it up. Hiccup recognised the silver chain and pearl-green scale. "It's a good thing I got it off you, to be honest. Windwalker had a look at it – she reckons this is what made you crazy." Hiccup's face was one of complete disbelief.

"But..." he muttered, barely loud enough for Astrid to hear. "He said it would help..." Astrid frowned.

"'He'?" she repeated. "Who's 'he'?" Hiccup caught himself and didn't answer. "Look – we know you came here for help. How can we give that help to you if you won't tell us anything?"

"How do you...? What are you talking about?" Hiccup asked bitterly, avoiding eye contact. Astrid indicated Hiccup's hand.

"That mark on your hand – Kyra's had one just like it ever since the Darkwing or whatever you called it attacked three years ago," she explained. Hiccup glanced at his left hand – the mark wasn't the only thing there. "What did that thing do to you?" Hiccup winced at Astrid's question.

"I...I can't say," he replied sadly. Astrid groaned in exasperation.

"What is it that you can't say?" she cried. "Look – I lost someone very close to me to that...thing! I know I was doubtful of you before but if the Darkwing was responsible for this we want to help!"

"You can't!" Hiccup snapped, a trace of a sob rising in his throat. "As much as I would appreciate your help...you just can't..." he gulped, unable to stop the tears from leaking out of his forest green eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" Astrid asked. Hiccup sighed.

"This isn't something you can just help me with," he explained sadly. "This is...was something I should have done as I was told to in the first place...but I was too desperate," he sighed, more to himself than anything else. He was still unable to believe that Wavewing – the guardian he'd trusted for three years – had given him something that he'd claimed would help but had in fact had done the complete opposite.

"Is that why you wore this?" Astrid asked, holding up the necklace. "Because 'he' said it could help you, whoever 'he' is." Hiccup nodded reluctantly. "Can't you just tell me who this 'he' is?" Hiccup relented – she wouldn't give up.

"Someone I thought I could trust," he sighed. "Just leave it at that." He'd never felt so betrayed in his life – heck, even when Heather stole the Book of Dragons it wasn't as bad as this. Wavewing had actually tried to make him kill his own sister...something he thought he would never do. But...it wasn't him, was it? He wasn't thinking straight... "Is Kyra okay?" he asked.

"She's a bit shaken but she's alright," Astrid replied simply. "She knows you weren't yourself back then. She knows you wouldn't have done that intentionally." Hiccup couldn't even force a smile – although he hadn't attacked Kyra deliberately, it didn't change the fact that he'd gone back on a promise that he'd made to her merely a few nights before. There was silence between the pair for a few moments before Astrid spoke up again. "I know you're a good person, Draco."

"Still? After what I did?" Hiccup huffed.

"You didn't do it on purpose!" Astrid insisted. "I know that!" She paused before continuing. "You're too much like him to do something like that and know you're doing it." Hiccup blinked in surprise.

"You think?" he asked, scorn still there in his voice. Astrid nodded.

"It's not just what you look like," she explained. "You're like Hiccup in every way – it scares me but...at the same time..." she stopped again. "You give me hope that he's still out there. Hiccup may have been missing for three years but you..." she couldn't help but smile sadly. "You make it feel as if he's home again...that he's closer than we realise. And...I kinda need to thank you for that."

Hiccup's heart lifted at Astrid's words and he couldn't stop the sad smile creep onto his face. He glanced briefly at his hands and feet to see the webbed skin had gone again – it seemed a shame that this was a far as he'd come to being himself again knowing that in a few hours tops he would face the penalty for trying to kill Kyra.

As the son of the chief he knew all too well what he was going to face.

"Astrid, I..." he began. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you anything," he sighed, glancing at the gold band that hadn't left his finger for three years. "But...you've made my time here...you and the rest of the guys...you made my time here worth leaving the sea for," he finished sadly. "Thanks."

Astrid didn't get time to reply as Stoick, Gobber, Spitelout and a few other Vikings rounded the corner. Hiccup glanced outside – he saw the masked Viking there and knew what was going to come. Quickly, he tore a piece of his seaweed-patched tunic off and wrapped something inside before scribbling a note down on a piece of parchment using a scrap of charcoal on the floor. Astrid moved out the way as Stoick opened the door to Hiccup's cell.

/\

"The decision has been made," Stoick said firmly. Draco looked at the chief in the eye for a split second before breaking eye contact – it was as if he understood what was going to happen to him. Astrid looked stunned and defeated, knowing she couldn't change the decision. She'd expected it – she'd just hoped Stoick would have taken into account the fact Draco hadn't done anything by his own choice.

Draco stood up as the masked Viking walked into the cell and dutifully put his hands behind his back, moving his wings so that they wouldn't get in the way. His wrists were bound and he was roughly led out of the cell with Stoick leading in front and the masked Viking, Gobber and Spitelout following behind. Before they vanished down the corridor, Draco kicked something towards the entrance of the cell and glanced mournfully at Astrid who could only stare apologetically back. Once they were gone, Astrid cast her gaze to the floor where a small seaweed-cloth-patched package lay next to a piece of parchment that had been roughly scribbled on. Picking it up, she read the runes that had been hurriedly scratched onto the parchment:

Astrid

I really am sorry I couldn't tell you everything. I guess it's a bit late to tell you but I lied when I said I was a Halfling – those dragons don't even exist. In fact, I kind of lied to you about everything – my name isn't even Draco. I never left the sea because I was running away from home. I guess I left the sea because...I wanted to come back home.

I should have told you all this before but like I said, I couldn't. And this really is a 'couldn't', not a 'wouldn't' – someone very close to me taught me a long time ago that there is a big difference between the two. Kyra really was the only one who could help me with this and I guess I let her down most of all – no amount of sorry will ever change that, I know that much.

I don't think I'll see you again – maybe in Valhalla but that depends on where I end up. The thing in this package...well, Hiccup would have wanted you to have it. I know I do. Just...don't ever forget me, will you?

I hope you can understand.

A friend

Astrid was stunned by the note. Draco had known his fate? But how could he know as a dragon foreign to the human ways? Unless his...wait, he'd just explained in the note that everything he'd told them was a lie. Why would he lie? Her curiosity now piqued and growing continuously, Astrid carefully opened the package, the dried seaweed crackling under her fingers. The first thing that struck her was the colour of the cloth itself – it was stained with salt and seaweed sap but there was no mistaking the pale green it had once been.

"What?" Astrid muttered, opening the package entirely and squeaking in shock when she saw the contents. In her surprise, she dropped the package and the contents and fell backwards over the stool she'd been sitting on moments before as something tiny clattered onto the stone floor of the prison. Scrambling over, Astrid fumbled to pick the object up and when she finally did she had to double-check to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

The object was a small gold ring. It was nothing too fancy but it was still clear that it was the work of a master smith. Being in the salt water of the ocean hadn't affected it in the slightest and it was in near perfect condition. On the inside of the ring was a tiny etching of a dragon that matched the one on the inside of Astrid's diamond and sapphire studded ring perfectly. There was no doubting it – it was Hiccup's engagement ring.

"Why would he have this?" Astrid muttered to herself, still unable to believe it. Hiccup had been wearing the ring on the night he vanished – heck, it had been the day he'd first put it on – and Astrid knew that, like her, he would never let it leave his finger willingly. That could mean two things: one was that Hiccup was dead and Draco, being a dragon counterpart, had taken the ring after finding him. But Draco had admitted that he wasn't a dragon counterpart to Hiccup in saying that everything he'd told the teens was a lie so that only left Astrid's other option.

She ran out of the prison, clasping the ring tightly in her hand.

/\

Kyra tried to reach Hiccup but her father and Artair both held her back. Tears were staining her oval face – she didn't want this to happen...she couldn't let it happen.

/\

Hiccup could only look at his sister in sorrow as he allowed himself to be led to the platform. He gulped when he saw the noose – thank the gods he would be blindfolded. He didn't want to see Kyra's face when it happened.

/\

Astrid suddenly wished that she'd followed the other Vikings earlier. The prison was on the other side of the island and Stormfly had already flown off to try to comfort Kyra no doubt ("Damn dragon!"). Already Astrid could feel her sides splitting from stitches.

/\

Toothless crowed in despair as his rider was taken up to the platform – it took six Vikings in total to stop him from running over to Hiccup. He whimpered mournfully as Hiccup stepped onto the small stool underneath the noose. Once the rope was around the boy's neck, all the executioner had to do was kick that stool from under his feet and it would be over.

/\

Hiccup closed his eyes and held his breath as his crime, charge and sentence were read out by Stoick. He never imagined that his dad would be the one announcing his own death...it was a frightening thought that made Hiccup sick to his stomach. He tried to block out the world but the words rang clearly through his head. He'd done something terrible and now he would pay the ultimate price.

/\

Astrid wanted more than anything to stop for a breather but she knew she couldn't afford to waste any time. Her mind suddenly cast back to when Kyra had first arrived on Berk and she'd helped Hiccup and Astrid out with Battle Training. She'd helped Hiccup by using her knowledge of the other world of How to Train Your Dragon to help Hiccup realise that he was left-handed, drastically improving his sword skills. For Astrid, she'd helped her with her speed and stealth and now the words rang through Astrid's memory like a chord.

'Try to feel as light as you can. You know Stormfly? Try to feel as if you are her. Be quick; agile; you are a Deadly Nadder.'

As soon as Astrid remembered those words, a new burst of energy surged through her as if she were calling upon Stormfly's strength. Astrid continued racing towards Raven's Point where she knew everyone else would be.

/\

Tears flowed freely down Kyra's face as the sack was placed over Hiccup's head. She could no longer watch and she buried her face in Artair's shoulder. She'd failed Hiccup. She'd failed to help him get back to normal. And now she was losing him forever.

/\

Hiccup gulped as the sack was placed over his head. Any moment now it would be over. At least it would be quick...he hoped. He braced himself and waited for the ground to disappear beneath his feet. Steeling himself, he counted down his final seconds.

/\

Astrid shoved through the crowd as the executioner neared the small stool the dragon-boy was standing on. Knowing she didn't have time to stop him herself, Astrid thought fast and grabbed a dagger from the belt of a nearby Viking. Ignoring the angry shouts aimed at her, she threw it all her strength and resisted sighing with relief as the blade sliced through the rope and stuck fast in the pillar behind it..

/\

Hiccup could help but yelp as the ground vanished from under his feet and he could feel himself dropping...but only for a moment as the next second his feet met solid ground again. This time he yelped in shock and he collapsed onto the wooden platform as he overbalanced before yelping again – this time in pain when his forehead met the stool and his face became best friends with the ground. Okay, what had just happened? Had the rope been too weak and snapped when the stool was kicked out from underneath his feet? He froze when he heard something happening around him – it sounded like a fight of some kind and he heard the executioner grunt but he himself was never picked up off the ground.

"Don't touch him!" a female voice shouted over the angry cries of the crowd. Hiccup had to be hearing things – was that Astrid?

/\

Astrid had leapt up onto the platform as soon as the rope had been cut and knocked the executioner away using a 'borrowed' hammer before the man even had time to think. Considering he was about twice her size, it was an impressive feat but she had no time to savour her small victory – she had to get her point across to the crowd before they started baying for her blood as well as the dragon-boy's.

"Astrid! What in Niflheim do you think you're doing?" Stoick bellowed. Astrid stood by the dragon-boy defiantly as he curled up into a defensive ball, his wings automatically coming forward to shield himself.

"Putting the record straight!" Astrid snapped. "Didn't you even listen to what I said earlier?" A gasp of horror went around the crowd – no one spoke to the chief in that manner.

"I told you it doesn't change things – he still tried to..." Stoick began.

"I don't care!" Astrid interrupted. "But isn't the death penalty for those who kill or try to kill a member of the chief's family who had full intent to do so and knew what they were doing in the process?" Stoick remained silent – Astrid's knowledge of the laws rivalled Hiccup's. "And I told you – he didn't know what he was doing!" she hissed.

"Dad, it's true!" Kyra insisted.

"Kyra, I'd recommend you stay out of this..." Stoick sighed calmly but Astrid hadn't finished.

"You know what your problem is? You don't give yourself a chance to understand people," she growled. Stoick's frown deepened into a glare of pure anger. "It's been your problem ever since Hiccup was born; it was your problem when you gave Kyra up to the Outcasts and it's your problem right now!"

"Astrid!" Astrid's father cried in the crowd. "That's enough..."

"No! It's not enough!" Astrid snapped in retaliation. "Look, I know I've got similar issues – I don't give people a chance sometimes – but when I did for this guy, I got to know him...and I know that he would never hurt anyone, especially Kyra, intentionally." She paused to take a breath. She couldn't remember the last time she'd argued so passionately about something. "He's a good person, Stoick, and he needs our help."

/\

Hiccup could hardly believe what he was hearing. He'd never heard Astrid be so adamant about something...true, she knew how to get what she wanted when it suited her but this was a side of her that he didn't know even existed. Astrid was putting her life on the line to make sure he kept his...she was arguing for his life. He could hear his dad arguing back but Astrid's voice had such persuasion behind it that any counter-argument was falling flat in comparison to the sheer determination Astrid had to prove her case. What came next, however, he did not expect.

/\

"Besides..." Astrid sighed, reaching into her pocket. "I see Hiccup in this boy, Stoick." She stared at the chief directly in the eye and there was silence in the crowd. "It's not just the way he looks...but how he is. You must've seen it too."

Stoick had seen it. The dragon-boy's nature...his dry sense of humour...his quick wit...they matched Hiccup's perfectly.

"Then there's this," Astrid added, taking the ring out of her pocket. Stoick recognised it immediately – it was Hiccup's, the same one he'd worn the night he disappeared beneath the waves. "He went out of his way to give this to me not minutes ago. He thought his life was over and he wanted to make sure I understood..." Astrid stopped for a moment. "And I think I do," she smiled sadly before look at Stoick again. "What would you do if you killed your own son?" she finished.

Stoick nodded at Gobber and Spitelout who hoisted the dragon-boy to his feet, releasing him from his bounds and removing the bag that had acted as a blindfold.

/\

Hiccup took a large gulp of fresh air and squinted as his vision readjusted to the sunlight. He rubbed his wrists as the ropes binding them were removed before looking at the girl who had saved him – Astrid stood close by with a relieved smile spreading across her face as she hugged him close. In thanks, he could do nothing else but hug her back.

"Astrid..." he mumbled, a sob of pure relief reluctantly rising in his throat. "I...I...I don't..." he gulped.

"Don't worry," Astrid reassured, patting his back gently. "I'm just glad I got here in time." Hiccup's mouth stretched into the smallest of his crooked smiles.

"About the note and the ring," he muttered, breaking the hug. Glancing over Astrid shoulder he could just about see Kyra crying tears of relief as Artair stood by her side. He'd be having words with her later about that but there was serious emphasis on the 'later'. "Uh...I...I meant what I said."

"Can't you tell us the truth now?" Astrid asked. "Like I said – we want to help...I know we haven't come across it the right way...but still. What is it that you couldn't tell us?" she quizzed, her storm-blue eyes narrowing slightly but never losing the soft caring tone that Hiccup couldn't remember seeing for quite some time. "Besides, I've got and have had a very strong hunch since the day you showed up and I just need confirmation that I'm right." Okay, Hiccup should have guessed that Astrid would pick something up. Still, he knew he couldn't tell them outright who he was – if what Odin had said was anything to go by it sounded like they needed to figure it out themselves. Then again, Vikings weren't known to be the smartest people (with a few exceptions) but even so...

"Listen, are you who I think you are or not?" Astrid pressed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Depends who you think I am," Hiccup couldn't help but joke dryly. Astrid punched his arm.

"Stop avoiding the question! I know you know who I think you are and I'm starting to get a very strong suspicion that you are who I think you are!"

"It's just that I...OOFF!" Hiccup exclaimed as Kyra rammed into him, throwing her arms around his neck. Smiling, he hugged her back and his grin widened further when she spoke telepathically to him and said:

"You're almost there," she smiled. "I can tell." It was a huge boost of encouragement which Hiccup needed after what had occurred that morning. She broke the hug and turned to face Astrid. "Thanks, Astrid," she grinned. "I thought he was a goner for a second back there."

/\

"No problem," Astrid shrugged. She pulled Kyra aside for a moment. "Kyra – what is it that you know about him that we don't?"

"Astrid, I told you – I can't say," Kyra huffed. "It's something you'll have to..." Astrid pressed her when she paused. "Haven't you even the slightest idea?" Astrid remained silent for a few moments before answering.

"Like I said – I've got a hunch," she admitted. "I've had one all week. I really think...it could be," she noted, keeping one eye on the dragon-boy. Astrid still couldn't be sure – there were still some inconsistencies between this boy and Hiccup – his leg being one of them. She turned back to the dragon-boy and took his hand, leading him back towards the village. "Come on – you need a rest if anything after today. Oh, and I thought you might want this back," she added, giving him the ring back. The boy grinned a crooked smile and began following Astrid and Kyra back down to the village. They'd literally just left Raven's Point when the boy let out a cry of pain and collapsed onto the floor.

"ARGH!" he screeched, his wings coming forward automatically but not before Astrid caught sight of him shifting his weight onto his right leg.

"Are you okay?" she asked, jogging over. The rest of the Defenders of Berk, Stoick and Gobber all crowed around to help as the boy brought his wings away to reveal something that made Astrid clasp a hand to her mouth in shock.

The boy's face and hands were no longer completely covered in pearly green scales. Instead, they were merely dotted with them in a similar way to Kyra when she was on the verge of entering the Shifter State. Replacing the majority of the scales was human skin – freckled human skin. But it wasn't just that which made Astrid almost scream – it was the boy's left leg.

It had been replaced with a spring-loaded prosthetic.

/\

"Oww..." Hiccup whimpered as his left leg returned. The sudden transformation of the limb hadn't been expected so putting weight on his left leg had caused him a lot of pain, just as it had done when he'd taken his first steps on the thing almost four years ago. It was so painful in fact that his attention was completely focused on getting rid of the pain and he barely noticed the fact that his scales were now almost completely gone save for a handful here and there. It was Gobber who brought him back into reality.

"Beard of Thor!" the man exclaimed. "It can't be...!"

"This isn't possible..." Stoick muttered. Hiccup glanced up and saw the shock and recognition in his dad's face. He guessed they'd finally figured it out (well, it was about time). "Son?"

"Hey, Dad," Hiccup mumbled worriedly. The Defenders of Berk, save Kyra, couldn't hide a gasp of surprise as they finally realised who the humanoid dragon that had been living with them for a week actually was. Kyra walked over and gently helped her brother to his feet, muttering a small "Took them long enough" before Hiccup's emerald green gaze met the storm blue one of Astrid, who could only seem to stare in utter disbelief. Her suspicions had been confirmed.

"It...it really was you all along," she breathed. Hiccup rubbed the back on his neck nervously, avoiding eye contact until Astrid turned his head so that their gazes locked. So she had guessed after all - she just needed to be sure. "Hiccup..."

"Astrid..." Hiccup gulped as Astrid's hand held his cheek gently and her face came closer to his.