Not fast enough…what if I don't make it…they could be killed all because of me. I should be the one trying to kill it…not them, never them. This burning I feel is
Even on the fastest horse in Berk, Ember was still aching for more speed. There was still a fair way to go before she would arrive at the thick trees, and then she would have to get through the trees.
The plan was simple. She didn't have one.
"Oden! I swear to you on my life that I will face hell it's self if you spear them!" Tears welled in her eyes as fear grew. The message from the Chief of the gods himself played over many times in her mind as she rode faster.
The all knowing and watchful eyes of Oden were now focused on her, and continually it seemed he would send her small signs of the trial ahead. Fallen trees, sinkholes, and worst of all snakes. All of these things showed up on the way back to the bay, and each hadn't been there when she had passed the area several hours prior.
Signs showed up in another way as well.
What Ember had at first suspected to be a tired delirium after her restless nap, now sent a burning heat coursing through the core of her body. Trials were never pleasant, but now that Oden was playing a hand in her misery things looked dire.
The bow and two arrows at her disposal were the only weapons she had. They were normal arrows, and being such, they wouldn't stand a chance against the serpents hide. There would only be one way to get an accurate shot in her condition to any vital areas.
The thought didn't settle well with her, and she cringed just imagining what she would have to do. Two arrows would be enough for her new plan. One arrow to get the serpents attention, and the other arrow to bring the beast down.
If a Sea Serpent were anything like a bear (and she desperately hopped they were), then there would be a soft spot in the roof of its mouth. This was a technique she had never used, and had only ever heard rumors of how to do it.
First thing would be to completely blind the serpent with the first arrow. This would leave only the serpents sense of smell and hearing to hunt her down.
Second she would have to get it close…uncomfortably close. Just how close? Feet. The soft spot would be located further back in the snakes mouth, and she only had one chance to get it right.
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Finally she found herself trudging through the denser part of the forest as fast as her feet would take her. The delirium she felt before had only worsened, making the task of climbing over trees and ducking under branches feel like an impossible feat.
By the time she had reached the bay, things were quiet. That in its self would have put her at ease had there not been the smell of smoke filling the air. Examining the area, she could see the remain of chains hanging from the wall, and in some areas there were gaping holes and crevasses where it appeared that blasts had been set off.
Speaking was difficult, but she forced herself to say something, anything at all to let anyone know she was there. "G-guys?"
Almost instantaneously there came several roars and cries in reply. "EMBER!"
Looking down, Ember fell to her knees and peered over the edge. "Guy's!" Yelling wasn't the appropriate thing to do with the way she felt, and as she did so se was nearly thrown off balance. "What are you doing…?"
"Ember! Do you have a dagger? Anything sharp on you at all?" Alyssa and the others stood on the sand looking up at her.
The dragons (with the acceptation of Toothless and the Nightmare) were meshed together in the net they had been assigned to drop. It appeared to be half singed and cut as the dragons inside attempted to get away. One of the few dragons in the net was Marble, who, as seeing Ember's presence, thrashed with even more fury.
"No, I don't h-h…" For a moment the delirium intensified, and Ember was without words at all.
"You ok up there?" Astrid cupped her hands over her mouth to amplify the sound. Being so far down, neither she nor anyone else could really see how pail Ember now looked. "We need a knife! Do you have one or don't you!"
"I-I don't have one!" Standing up Ember grasped the bow and the two arrows firmly in her hand. "I'll have to-"
"Look out!"
Hearing Hiccup' frantic words, Ember looked up and saw the serpent looking down on her from the tree tops. Instinct took over, and as weak as she felt, her body forced it's self to spring out of the way as it attempted to strike.
There was a loud crash as the serpent's snout made contact with the edge of the cliff sending it half tumbling over the edge. With its prey in sight, there was no way it would be allowing her to escape it's with this time around.
The only thing to do at this point was run for cover. Options were dwindling by the second, and Ember's vision was starting to go along with her voice and energy. Finding a thick crop of oak trees, she ducked down and out of sight before the beast could regain its.
As soon as she was safely inside, Ember could feel the massive creature slamming it's body against the tree before suddenly…it stopped.
("What in the name of Oden…where is it now?") Feeling something pulling her to look out, Ember was met by the sight of one highly deadly Sea Serpent holding one very unconscious Frankie in its mouth. Her heart rate sank along with her spirit.
It was one very smart serpent, that knew exactly how to get what it wanted.
For the most part Frankie looked fine. Unconscious and in the mouth of a massive Sea Serpent, but not bloody or hurt. Just asleep.
Raising the bow and arrow into position Ember knew what she had to do. Stepping out from the safety of the trees, she could see a bare flap patch of rock near the outer edge of the bay where the trees thinned. ("I-if I could get over there…and lead it away from the rest of the group…I'll have enough room to move around.")
"Follow me ugly…" stretching the arrow back with her had hand, Ember found there to be no more pain, only exhaustion. Using a side step, she inched her way around the bay as smoothly as possible. There were shouts and roars from the group trapped below, and both Toothless and the nightmare were STILL nowhere to be found.
"Put her down!" Alyssa and the others stood tossing rocks and twigs at the beast, trying to persuade it to release Frankie from its grip. "Ember! What are you waiting for? Shoot!"
As they rounded the bay, the serpent grew ever closer to Ember. It was painfully obvious how tempting it was becoming to swallow Frankie whole, and if Ember didn't do something soon, there would be no more Frankie at all.
She wasn't going to let that happen.
First foot on the patch of rock triggered a slight smile. "Idiot."
Not completely understanding what his prey was up to the serpent narrowed its eye. Little did it know that that would be the last dirty look it would ever give.
"Put her down!" Opening her hand to release the arrow, she was adequately satisfied as it made contact with the serpent's once good eye.
Finding its self blinded with the pain of losing anther eye, the beast open its mouth with a screech of pain.
Frankie tumbled for twenty or so feet before coming into contact with Ember who had taken up position under her to break the fall.
For Ember, life just continued to worse and worse as the day went on. Finding the serpent to be preoccupied with its injury, Ember did her best to drag Frankie into the trees. However, she could only manage a couple of feet before dropping to her knees.
It had happened. Her legs were numb, and there was still a live, angry serpent regaining its strength behind them.
("This is all my fault…I should never have come here. I shouldn't have ever blinded the serpent.") Conflicting thoughts began to make their way into her mind, and even being as delirious as she was they all made sense. ("No. if I hadn't come here Marble..Marble would have died. If I hadn't come here, I would have never befriended a dragon, and made such good friends like Frankie, Hiccup, Astrid, and all of the others. If I hadn't blinded the serpent. I'd be dead.")
"You're wrong Oden…Oden! I've met you half way! I've always med you half way! I did what I did because it was necessary!" Finding her legs, she stood up. "If you want more…then I'll do it all myself." Taking the one arrow in her hand, Ember had a new plan.
Walking forward she could barely make out the shouts and intense shrieks coming from her stranded group of friends on the beach. It was ok. She was fine with this, even if they weren't. After all this whole mess wasn't entirely on her behalf. There was a village in danger, so many people and dragons that needed protecting because of the mess she had made.
"I'm not going to be afraid. Oden, I just have one last request…" She spoke in a whisper and clutched the arrow with both hands.
The serpent honed in on the whisper and lunged with its jaws open wide.
("Have mercy on this creatures soul.")
Snapping its mouth closed on Ember the serpent hissed.