There's Always More

by AlicevsWonderland

Hogwarts AU. When Hiccup's secret of being the first to train a dragon is revealed, he struggles to handle his new popularity among the other students. Jack decides not to bother him like many of the others, even though he is also curious about the whole story. Despite this, an unlikely friendship blooms between the two boys and eventually turns into something more. Rated M!

24. Ashes

Author's note:

Shall we continue the angst fest, dear readers?

As always: I proof-read the chapters but there will always be errors that I overlook, so if you see one, I would appreciate if you could let me know, so I can correct it :)

---

~~~~ Hiccup ~~~~

The strong scents of earth and blood itched in his nostrils. Through the ancient cave, only the torches brightened the endless, dark tunnels. They had taken his blindfold off but his hands stayed bound. The rope grinded on his wrists, searing a stinging groove into his skin. Ivar led the way, a torch in his hand. His black hair hung in moist clusters, leaving narrow blood trails down his back. Hiccup had a guard on each side of him. Bulky men with arms three times bigger than his and restrained violence in their eyes. The only thing keeping them in line are their orders. I have Ivar the Bonesmasher to thank for still being alive. How ironic. The guards' heavy boots scraped the ground, kicking dust into the thick air. Hiccup's throat was dry, like he had breathed in all the tiny flakes floating around them.

"You killed the children," he said. He could hear his own disgust in the echo. The force of his guilt and sorrow pressed down on him, making it harder to breathe.

"Of course we did," Ivar said, like Hiccup had been naïve to think otherwise. "Except the ones who are too young to remember what happened."

"Why?" he asked, keeping his eyes locked on Ivar's back.

"You know why."

"To avoid a blood feud," Hiccup replied. Blood feuds among Vikings were particularly brutal. They could go on for decades unless a peaceful agreement was reached.

"You're not quite as foolish as you seem, boy." Ivar glanced over his shoulder.

"You are cowards. All of you," Hiccup said, his sorrow pushing away his thoughts about self-preservation.

Ivar stopped in his tracks. "Be careful," he warned him and put a hand on his sword.

Hiccup's rage fumed under his skin, burning its way to the surface. But he had to keep it contained. He took a slow breath and pictured his loved ones. This was like balancing on the edge of a knife. If he made even the smallest error in judgement, he would never see them again. If he was to escape, he had to get his hands on as much information as he could, one way or another.

Hiccup shook his head. "No true Viking would ever kill a child." He spat the words as if they tasted bitter.

Ivar came face to face with him. "I've been killing my enemies and dragging my dying brothers and sisters from the battlefield since before you were even a damn sperm cell in your dad's dick. Don't try to tell me what it means to be a true Viking," he said. His voice had dipped lower and Hiccup knew Ivar was close to losing that steely composure.

"There's more to being a Viking than war," Hiccup said.

"Yes," Ivar agreed and took a step back. His body language softened, as if they were having a normal discussion. "But a man who can't stand up for what he believes in and fight the enemies that oppose him is no Viking."

"Who are you to decide what Vikings should do?"

"Who are you to do that?" The words slipped through Ivar's gritted teeth without hesitation. "I keep the old traditions alive. I honor the gods and our ancestors, making sure our culture will survive. Making sure that our connection with the gods doesn't weaken," Ivar said and paused. "You have spat on our common heritage by choosing the beasts over your fellow Vikings."

"Vikings and dragons can live in peace," Hiccup said. "Why can't you see that? There doesn't have to be a war between anyone. Just let me show you. We won't lose our culture because of the dragons!" His voice reverberated among the stone. One of the guards huffed.

"You are blind, boy," Ivar said and grinded his teeth. "To avoid taking revenge, to forget hardship, to ignore your ancestors…that's not the Viking way. You made a choice when you befriended that Night Fury. Now you have to deal with the consequences like a man."

"You're the one who's spat on our common heritage," Hiccup said. His arms prickled, going numb from being bound. "Spat on the history between our tribes. You're the one who burnt Berk to the ground and killed other Vikings. We defended ourselves!"

"I did what was necessary to protect my tribe and our way of life," Ivar said calmly.

He doesn't believe he has anything to justify to anyone. "How? We were never a threat to you! We've never attacked your islands or even planned to do that!" Hiccup said.

"If you think physical violence is the only kind of violence, you are naïve," Ivar said and shook his head. "You Berkians…you became arrogant. You want to force everyone else to adopt your way of life. To treat the beasts as equals and forget all the hardship they've brought us and our ancestors through the years. To let go of the wealth the sale of dragon parts has brought to our people. To stop bringing the gods the ultimate sacrifice. When you made peace with them, you expected everyone else to do the same and refused to accept otherwise. You have threatened us and now we have responded."

"Look how that turned out for you," Hiccup said through gritted teeth. He will never see the dragons as anything other than a threat. There's no way to convince him. He'll die before he'll accept them.

Ivar's eyes hardened. "Yes…you and your father did well in leading the attacks. You were cleverer than us. Now, we're wounded and Berk and its allies are most likely out looking for us."

"I think that would be a fair assumption."

"They won't find you."

"I wouldn't be so certain." Hiccup said, thinking of Toothless. His best friend wouldn't stop looking until he found him. Neither would Jack, his friends, his dad and Gobber. The question was whether he would still be alive when that happened. I have to find a way out of here. I don't want any of them to charge in here by themselves and get killed.

Ivar's lips twitched. It was the sort of smile someone had, when they heard a child say something amusing. Without a word, Ivar walked away from him and motioned to the guards. One of them grabbed his shoulder tight and forced him to walk further into the dark tunnel.

"You know you can't avoid a final confrontation," Hiccup said. They both knew there was no way Berk and its allies would let this attack go and make peace without making sure the hostile tribes paid somehow.

"I only need to avoid it until we can regain our strength," Ivar said. "After that, we will be ready to fight your tribe and your allies once again."

"End this," Hiccup said. "End it now, so no more lives have to be lost. You can kill me but let that be the end."

Ivar tilted his head. His eyes burned with something Hiccup interpreted as curiosity. But the spark faded as quickly as it had come. "This ends when Berk and its allies fall…or we fall."

With Ivar gone, no more words were exchanged. His tired body ached from every impact of cruel hands pushing him further ahead. Torches hung on the walls and shadows decorated the ancient stone, moving with each sway of the flames. When they reached the end of the tunnel, one of the guards shoved him into a homemade cell. Cave walls in the back, thick metal bars in the front. He groaned when his arm scraped against the stone wall. His untreated wound left a blood smear, like a violent cave painting. The guard went to shut the cell door.

Hiccup braced himself, as an idea occurred to him. This was a gamble and it could end badly for him. It would also sting, having to say that. A word he had promised himself he would never say. "Rassragr," he spat and glared at the guard.

In the blink of an eye, the guard was in his face. "You watch it, boy," the man whispered. The pungent smell of mead and smoke on his breath almost made Hiccup cough. The depths of his eyes were alight with fury, yet his face was calm.

"Hákon! Let him go!" Hiccup heard the other guard yell from outside the cell.

So this is Hákon. Hiccup knew him only by name. He was one of Ivar's most trusted warriors. "But it's the truth, isn't it?" he pressed on and smirked. "I've heard people say you like that sort of thing. Being another man's little bitch."

Two hands closed around his throat. Hiccup wheezed, trying desperately to breathe but nothing came through his windpipe. Hákon's eyes were ablaze. Black dots began to swirl in Hiccup's vision. "If those words ever leave your mouth again, I swear to Odin, I will drag you with me right now and you'll be the main attraction at our meeting! I will drown you in mead and set fire to you in front of Ivar and everyone else! And then I'll send your burnt, pathetic corpse to your father!" he screamed in Hiccup's face.

"Hákon!" the other guard shouted, his voice carrying a warning. "Ivar's orders are not to harm him. For now. You'll get your chance some other time."

The hands around Hiccup's throat loosened. He sucked in as much air as he could, savoring how his lungs could finally fill. His chest rose and fell quickly. The black dots slowly evaporated.

The screeching noise of the door being slamming shut was a deafening roar among the quiet stone. The guards disappeared from view and he was alone in the dimness. His eyes darted across his surroundings. There was nothing in his cell except a wooden cup with water and a dirty blanket crumbled on the floor.

He spotted movement in the corner of his eye and snapped his head to the side. He had thought he was alone but there were two shapes in the cell beside him. Hiccup moved closer and sat down on the hard ground, close to the bars that separated them. The shapes belonged to two girls. Sitting with blankets wrapped around them, they watched him with wary eyes. They were about his own age, give or take a few years. One of them had light brown skin and dark curls to her shoulders. Her eyes seemed almost black in the dimness. Like they absorbed the light nearby. The other's skin was pale like Jack's. She had long, brown hair that hadn't been brushed in a long time and green eyes that reminded him of his own. They both had dark circles under their eyes and dirt on their skin. They probably hadn't slept or had a bath in a while. Their clothes were full of stains and rips. How long have they been here?

"Hey," Hiccup said softly and touched the bars. "Who are you?"

The girls remained silent. With guarded eyes, they analyzed his possible intentions. It was the look of people who didn't know who to trust and did not want to take any chances. They studied him until the girl with the dark curls relaxed. She had come to some reassuring conclusion. Her friend noticed the change and looked expectantly at her.

"You're Hiccup Haddock, son of Stoick the Vast," she said, her eyes turning mild. Understanding flickered across the other girl's face and the tension faded from her limbs.

"Yes," he said, not recalling ever seeing her before. "Do I know you?"

"No," she said and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

"How do you know me?"

"I saw you once…you were visiting my island. You had your Night Fury with you," she said and brushed some hair behind one ear. The light of the torches danced across her hand and Hiccup noticed it was full of scars.

"What are your names? Which tribes are you from?" he asked.

"Kolfinna. I'm from the Bashem-Oik tribe," the girl with the curls said.

"I'm Herdís," the pale girl said. "I'm a Bog-Burglar."

Hiccup nodded. The knowledge that these girls were allies and not enemies was comforting. But he wished they had never been put in this situation. "How long have you been here?"

"I've been here for five months…" Kolfinna said. She glanced towards one of the cave walls, where many rows of white lines marked the stone. "Herdís came here about two months ago."

"I'm sorry," he said. I have to get them out of here. I wish I still had my wand. "Have you tried to escape?"

"Yeah," Herdís said. "We only just made it outside the cave before they beat us and dragged us back in."

"I tried once before that," Kolfinna said, her eyes lowering to the ground. "There was a girl in here with me before Herdís came along. We tried to pick up as much information as we could, every time they brought us out for questioning. We thought we could make it out of here."

"What happened?" he asked with a sudden sinking feeling.

"They hurt us. They beat her so much, she didn't make it…" Kolfinna said. She bit on one of her cuticles.

"Oh…" Hiccup said and sighed. "I'm so sorry."

Kolfinna merely stared at one of the walls. Herdís put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are there any other prisoners around?" he asked.

"No," Herdís said. "It's just us. There used to an old man and two women but they didn't make it past Ivar's…interrogations."

Nausea rippled through Hiccup's gut. A voice in his head asked him if he wanted to play a game. "Has he…interrogated you?"

"No," Kolfinna said. "Not yet. He's been away a lot. I don't know why. His men have been questioning us."

Hiccup bit his lip. He fiddled with the straps on his armguard. One of the compartments opened, revealing the paper and the charcoal pencil he kept there. He closed it again.

"What's wrong?" Herdís asked him.

"Berk is burnt to the ground and a lot of Berkians have died…" he said. "Ivar's been away a lot because he's been planning and leading an attack on us."

Shock spilled into the girls' eyes. Their shared sadness and worry weaved into the silence between them.

"I'm sorry," Herdís said.

"What happened?" Kolfinna said. "Berk must have won since you're still alive."

"Yeah," he nodded. "We managed to drive them away but…a lot of people and dragons died. They had one of my friends captured. I had to give myself up, so they would let her go."

"Shit…" Herdís said and stared at her hands.

"What about Berk's allies?" Kolfinna asked, without looking at him. From the way she rubbed the skin on her wrist, Hiccup could tell she was afraid of the answer.

"The hostile tribes somehow hindered them. They couldn't help us until the very end. When they were on their way, that's when Ivar decided to retreat." he explained.

Kolfinna's hands went still and she took a deep breath. Herdís' lips formed the smallest smile and she whispered "Thank Hel that they're all right."

Hiccup couldn't smile back but their relief was a purifying drop in his murky mind. They had been afraid their loved ones had been hurt but now they could breathe easier.

"We need to get you out of here," Kolfinna stated, determination settling on her face.

"Yeah," Herdís agreed. "We weren't planning on trying to escape again for a while because…we have to make the guards relaxed again so they won't be so wary around us but…you need to get out of here."

"No," Hiccup said. "I don't want you to risk your lives for me. If you could just tell me everything you know about this place, I'll try to escape on my own. And I'll come back for you. I promise."

"No," Herdís said. Her eyes hardened. Hiccup got the feeling she was the stubborn type, much like himself. "We're coming with you."

"I would come back for you," he reassured them.

"We know," Kolfinna said. "But we all have a better chance of escaping if we stick together."

Herdís nodded. "We can't let you leave on your own. You won't make it."

Hiccup sighed and considered it. These two girls had been here for months and had tried to escape before. They had more knowledge and experience with this place and Ivar's men than he did. He didn't like to risk their safety but he had to listen to them.

"Okay," he agreed. "Tell me everything you know. First of all, do you know when that meeting Hákon mentioned is and where the food reserves are?"

"You are adorable," Herdís said with a small smile. "Of course we know that."

~~~~ Jack ~~~~

"Saddle up!" Stoick roared and mounted his large green and red dragon. Streaks of crimson rested in his unruly beard. Dust and dirt dulled the shine of his armor.

The rest of the dragon riders followed suit and grabbed the reins tights. There weren't many warriors left but they had a furious fire in their eyes. The kind that left no doubt they would go to the ends of the earth to get justice. They had lost loved ones. They had watched their homes being burnt to the ground. Hiccup had been taken. They are ready to die to set things right. And so am I, Hiccup…Just stay alive. Please, stay alive.

"Come on." Astrid said from Stormfly's back. Her braid had almost unraveled and the worries on her dirt stained face made her look older. She reached a hand down to him. He nodded and took it, swinging himself into the saddle of the tall dragon with difficulty. Astrid strapped a harness around him, so he wouldn't fall off. He held on to her waist, ready to leave any second.

Next to them, Fishlegs and Rapunzel climbed onto Meatlug's back, while Flynn got a ride with Snotlout on Hookfang. Fishlegs' round, kind face had transformed into the face of a weary warrior; countless small cuts left trails of blood down his cheeks and chin. Rapunzel rested her head on Fishlegs' back and put her arms around his midsection. Her newly cut hair stuck out in different directions and the bruise around her eye seemed to grow darker every moment. She didn't look at anyone but Jack could see the guilt in her eyes.

Despite only having a few scrapes, Flynn worried him the most. The blood of their dying friends had turned his school robes crimson and sticky. His eyes held no light anymore.

Jack wanted to stick a finger down his throat and vomit. It wouldn't help but the nausea was a parasite. It curled tightly in his gut, threatening to slither its way into his esophagus. Where was Hiccup? What were they doing to him? Images of when he found him after the torture flickered in his mind. Jack's eyes watered but he blinked it away. Now is not the time for that. I'm no use to anyone if I can't pull myself together.

Skullcrusher's paws slammed down on the dusty ground, as Stoick directed him to the front. "The enemy has my son!" Beneath the rage, a desperation and fear dwelled. Jack's chest tightened. He's just as afraid as I am. "But we will find them and get him back! And we will make them pay for what they have done to us!"

The enraged screams from the Vikings confirmed what Jack had seen in their eyes. Dragons roared with fury, their nostrils flaring. The riders sheathed their weapons, hiding them until they would taste blood again.

"I will divide you into groups and you will each search a part of the archipelago! Every cave, every tunnel, every forest, every house will be searched! You will leave nothing to chance! If you see the slightest sign of life anywhere, you examine it!" Stoick commanded. On top of Skullcrusher, he towered over every one of them. The murderous glint in his eyes spoke of the pain he would inflict on anyone who harmed his son.

Jack scratched his arm hard, eager to go as soon as possible. But he knew nothing about war. The Vikings held all the knowledge. If he wanted to find Hiccup alive, he should listen to them, no matter how hard it was to wait.

"If you locate the enemy or my son, you send a Terrible Terror to me as fast as you can! I will round up the rest of the riders and come to you! You do not engage the enemy before you have backup!" Stoick bellowed. "We all want Hiccup home safely and we all want revenge! For that to happen, we need to strike together!"

Jack heard nothing but "Yes, my chief!" in response. Stoick began to direct the dragon riders in different directions to cover all of the archipelago. Every single island would be searched, no matter how long it took. Jack found a small comfort in that.

After sending off a group including Fishlegs' parents, Stoick turned to them. "Astrid! Fishlegs! Snotlout! You will search the tenth perimeter!"

"Yes, my chief!" Astrid yelled. Fishlegs and Snotlout gave Stoick a determined nod.

A sudden jolt made Jack's stomach flip. Before he knew it, the dust and burnt houses disappeared below them. The smell of death and smoke faded as Stormfly's spotted wings carried them higher into the skies.

The urgency flowed into everything around him. The dragons' wings flapping violently. The way the riders held onto the reins so tight it must hurt. He could do nothing but roll his hands into fists. He looked down on every island they passed, even if it was not theirs to search. At the first glimpse of Hiccup, he would be ready for a fight.

No one spoke, as islands and ocean flew past his eyes in bursts of green and blue. The wind sunk its chill into his cheeks but it did nothing to cool the anger brewing inside him. He could feel the tension in Astrid's body as he held onto her. Rapunzel's passiveness had faded away. She scanned their surroundings with a speed that matched his own. Fishlegs' eyes shone with determination and never strayed from the horizon. A roar in the distance drew their attention. Behind them, a dragon came closer and closer.

"It's…Barf and Belch." Fishlegs said, his mouth hanging open in surprise.

"What are they doing here?" Snotlout asked.

The Hideous Zippleback reached them and flew by their side, sticking close to him and Astrid. Someone had taken their saddles off. Jack met their eyes and saw sorrow swirling in the golden hues.

"They're…they want to help us." Astrid said and Jack could hear she was close to tears. "They want to stay with us, like they've always done…Even if the twins aren't here anymore."

Jack gave Barf and Belch a sad smile and a nod. He was grateful they wanted to help them find Hiccup but his heart ached for their loss. Astrid's words left everyone silent. Fishlegs kept his eyes shut for a moment. Snotlout stroked Hookfang on the neck.

Every moment rushing past them was a blade slashing into the fabric of his sanity. He needed to do something instead of sitting here, powerless to help the one he loved. He was about to ask Astrid if they were close to their destination, when Snotlout's voice split through the noise of the chilly winds.

"I saw something down there! We should go see what it is!"

Astrid glanced at the island Snotlout pointed at. "We can't waste any time, Snotlout! Hiccup is in danger, we have to find him!"

"What do you think I'm trying to do!?" Snotlout yelled, his eyes burning with the anger of being accused otherwise. "What if he's down there?!"

"There's nothing down there!" Astrid shouted. "They would never take him to a place this close to Berk!"

"Astrid, how do you know?" Jack said and tightened his grip on her waist. "If there's even the smallest chance he's there, we should go see!"

"We keep going!" Astrid commanded and glanced at the others to see if anyone would object.

"No!" Jack said. "Astrid! We can't leave anything to chance! I won't gamble with Hiccup's life!"

"Do you think I want to do that!?" Astrid lost her composure and glared at him over her shoulder. "Do you think I don't want to find Hiccup and get him home safe!? Do you think I would, even for a moment, do something that could put him in more danger!? Is that what you think?!"

"No!" Jack said. "But what if he's down there?!"

"He's not, okay!? Trust me!" Astrid said. "They would never bring him there! And someone else will come and search that island! We have another place to go that's far more likely for them to be!"

Jack turned silent, his throat tightening from a sudden lump. His eyes followed the island as it stretched out underneath them. He searched for any sign of life but spotted nothing but trees and cliffs. His heart sank. How could he protect Hiccup when he couldn't even find him? What if he was already too late? The lump in his throat burned. He should be exhausted but the adrenaline kept him alert. He barely noticed the wound on his leg throbbing. Images of Hiccup taking his last breath or writhing in pain swam in his brain. Jack's teeth clamped down on his lip, so he wouldn't scream.

Rivers of orange and pink spilled across the skies. Golden clouds dotted the horizon. The ocean waves turned into a sea of flames, feeding on the dying sun. Jack would usually find peace in the wonders of nature. Now, it only brought him pain, reminding him that time was running out. Locked in his own thoughts, he flinched when Rapunzel screamed.

"IT'S TOOTHLESS! LOOK! IT'S TOOTHLESS!" she rose in the saddle, putting her hands on Fishlegs' shoulders.

"What!? Where!?" Jack yelled, snapping his head around frantically. Toothless was here? Maybe he could lead them to Hiccup!

"THERE!" she pointed to something ahead of them. "THERE!"

In the distance, black wings shot towards them among the burning sky. The other dragons roared their greetings. The sound of the Night Fury roaring back was unmistakable.

"It is him!" Astrid said.

"Thank Thor he's alive!" Fishlegs said, his eyes filled with relief.

When Toothless reached them, Jack noticed just how damaged the dragon had become. Countless scratches littered his scales and a stick out of a wound on his neck. Dirt and patches of dried mud dulled the shine of his sleek body. Ruby drops slithered from a deep cut on his shoulder, smearing crimson along the black. He looked like he had searched every single island in the archipelago, charging straight through anything in his way. Toothless warbled and growled wildly to tell them something, shaking his head in different directions. Even before Jack heard Astrid's words, he knew what Toothless was trying to say. The parasite in Jack's gut loosened its grip. The air rushed out of his lungs and he smiled.

"He's found him." Astrid sighed, releasing the tension in her limbs.

"He's alive!" Snotlout yelled from Hookfang's back. Rapunzel covered her mouth with her hands.

Jack savored the brief comfort. You're alive. Now, we just have to get you back... "Toothless! Take us to him!"

In the moment it took for the stress in Toothless' eyes to fade into relief, Jack noticed how tired he looked. He was injured and exhausted, yet he kept going without slowing down, only fueled by his intense love for Hiccup. Jack had never appreciated Toothless more than in that moment.

Toothless set off and they hurried to follow him underneath the golden skies. Keeping up with a Night Fury was difficult but Toothless glanced back at them sometimes to be certain they were still close behind him.

Astrid nodded with her back to him. The wind played with her messy braid. "We're going to get him home, Jack."

"Yes we are." he agreed. He sent a silent prayer to every Norse god he could remember the name of. You don't deserve to be worshipped if you won't protect someone like Hiccup. Keep him safe. The uncertainty bit into him, spilling its nauseating bile. He had no idea what they would be facing, when they got there. What state Hiccup would be in. I'm coming for you, Hiccup. Please, make it through. I'm coming.

~~~~ Hiccup ~~~~

Footsteps echoed among the strong, stone walls. The guard's keys clinked as they swung back and forth on his belt. Hiccup didn't move a muscle. He lay on the ground with his back to the cell door. A small rock dug into his side. He slowed his breathing and closed his eyes.

"Hey!" the guard said, slamming a fist against the bars. "Haddock! Get up!"

Hiccup stayed still.

"He's hurt," Herdís said from the next cell. She sounded concerned. "We saw him throw up blood." Hiccup was certain she pointed to the blood on the floor.

"Shit," the guard groaned, sounding irritated above all else. Hiccup imagined he wasn't in the mood to deal with Ivar's punishment for letting an important prisoner die. "Just my fucking luck."

Hiccup focused on keeping his body unmoving, as the guard stepped around him. A large hand closed around his uninjured arm and pulled him upwards. He relaxed his face and held his breath. The guard shook him. His limbs dangled to the sides. "Haddock," the guard said and shook him again. "Haddock!"

In a breath, Hiccup slammed his sharp charcoal pencil into the guard's throat. The man's eyes filled with shock. Hot blood sprayed onto Hiccup's face. He pulled the pencil out and slammed it back in, over and over. The guard gargled as blood poured into his windpipe. He sunk to his knees and clutched his throat, red seeping through his fingers. Hiccup watched as the man took his last breaths. He knew he would never forget the faces of everyone, whose lives he had ended.

He took the sword and dagger from the guard's belt and grabbed the keys to the cells. Kolfinna and Herdís both squeezed his shoulder, when he let them out. He handed Herdís the dagger and offered the sword to Kolfinna. "Keep it," she said.

"You said there are more guards by the entrance?" he said.

"Yes, three," Kolfinna said. "But there won't be anyone on the way to the food reserves."

He nodded. "Good. We need to go there now."

They snuck along the cave walls, keeping an eye out for more guards. Small rocks cracked softly underneath his prosthetic. The torches on the walls spilled their golden light through the cave, as the girls led him down a new tunnel. They were well informed; not a single guard came their way.

Rows upon rows of mead bottles. Sacks of grain and flour. Piles of vegetables and fruit. Large chunks of salted meat hanging from hooks. Their enemies had supplies to last a long time. On one of the dented wooden tables, bottles gleamed with golden vegetable oil. Kolfinna took the long knife lying next to some bread.

"Okay," he said, looking over the reserves. "We need the mead and the vegetable oils."

The girls nodded and grabbed the items, putting them into some burlap sacks. The bottles clinked but it wasn't loud enough for any guards to hear. Herdís handed him one of the sacks. He also grabbed one of the sacks of flour. "Take some of those too," he told them.

"Flour?" Herdís said with wrinkles of confusion on her forehead. "What do we need flour for?"

"Flour is flammable," he explained. "Very flammable." Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted rocks lying around in a corner. A pickaxe leaned against the cave wall. He picked up one of the flint rocks and put it in his pocket. It'll be much quicker this way.

"Are you serious?" Kolfinna asked and grabbed a sack.

"Yeah," he said. "It's going to help a lot."

"But how? Are we just going to dump the sacks and set fire to them?" Herdís asked.

"No. It has to come into contact with air," he said. "We'll have to empty the bags. Then I'll set a spark to it."

"Are you sure that will be enough?" Kolfinna asked.

"Trust me," he said. "You said the weather has been dry for the last month or so."

"Yeah."

He nodded. "It'll be enough. Okay. We'll take this stuff and put it as close as we can to the entrance without the guards hearing us. Then we go on to the next step of the plan."

When they were close enough to the cave entrance to see the three guards, they hid behind a corner, where the tunnel turned into three separate ones. "Try to cut their throats," he whispered.

"We know," Herdís said. "That way they won't scream."

"Exactly."

If the guards managed to alert someone, they were done for. Surrounded by enemies, their only way out was stealth and then a diversion.

"Okay. Ready?" he asked and the girls nodded. In the sparse, orange light of the torches, their faces glowed with that familiar contradiction of determination and fear. He felt the same way. Either they would make it out now or they would most likely die.

He threw a small rock. It clacked as it hit the ground. The sound echoed among the cave walls.

"What was that?" one of the guards said.

"I don't know," another said. "Fróði is back there with the prisoners."

"Fróði!" the third guard yelled.

When no answer came, the first guard spoke again. "We should go check it out. Maybe he needs help with the prisoners. Keep your weapons out."

Hiccup tightened his grip around the sword, as the sound of footsteps increased. He shared a brief look with the girls and took a slow breath.

As soon as he spotted the guards, he shot out from behind the corner and lunged at the guard furthest away. He thrust his sword straight through the man's throat before he could react. The other guards raised their weapons to fight him. The fury in their eyes froze, when a dagger and a knife slammed through each of their throats from behind.

Fountains of blood splattered from the three men. They collapsed on the ground, eyes wide with fear and pain. They desperately tried to breathe but no air came through the rivers of blood running into their lungs. Herdís and Kolfinna watched them, crimson drops resting on their faces. When the men were still, Herdís wiped the blood across her cheek like war paint.

Dressed in the chainmail and helmets of the guards, they snuck out of the cave, along the edge of the camp and onto a nearby hill. They were ready to fight if necessary but the hostile forces were in even worse shape than Hiccup had expected. Every man and woman nearby were occupied with tending to their wounded, cooking for the starving warriors or mending weapons and armor for a potential upcoming battle. They weren't paying attention to the three of them in the distance, snaking their way out of the camp.

The sun was leaving, its last strength coating every tree and rock in a sudden autumn. The warm light kissed the girls' faces on the hill and made them resemble beings of fire. "Are you sure they'll see it?" Herdís asked.

"Yes. There's no way they won't see it," he told them. "Everyone's out looking for me, so as soon as they get here, I can get you two on a dragon and get you out of here."

"No," Kolfinna said. One of her scarred hands rested on her hip.

"What?"

"We need to fight," Herdís said. "You don't know what they've done to us. They have to pay."

"I know but you two are not in any state to go into battle."

"It doesn't matter!" Kolfinna said and bit her lip to stop herself from saying anything else too loudly. Hiccup quickly looked around them and listened for any sign that someone had heard them.

"As Hel is my witness, I will make sure they get what's coming to them," Herdís said. The dried blood streaks on her cheeks and the steely look in her eyes would make anyone think twice about arguing with her.

"There isn't any way I can talk you out of it, is there?" he asked.

Both of them shook their heads. He sighed. "I wish you would just listen to me and get out of here."

"No deal," Kolfinna said and took her helmet off, tossing it on the ground.

"You're stuck with us," Herdís smiled and removed her helmet too.

"Well…since I have to be in this horrible place, I'm glad I'm here with you two."

"We'll get out of here," Kolfinna told him with reassurance in her eyes.

"Yeah…" he agreed and discarded his helmet for better visibility. He pulled off the chain mail. It was weighing him down. The girls did the same.

"Let's get on with it," Herdís said.

"Yes. Take the mead and pour it all over the leaves and the grass. I'll take the oils," he said.

While Kolfinna and Herdís splashed the alcohol on the ground, he took the oils and made a trail in the other direction and up some of the tree trunks and nearby bushes. They only had one shot at this and they had to make it count.

He took the flint stone from his pocket and put it close to the alcohol-soaked moss and grass. He reached his hand towards Herdís and she gave him the dagger. He struck the steel hard against the rock. Sparks flew but didn't latch onto anything. They didn't have much time. Someone would probably find the dead guards soon. He tried again. The sparks caught hold. Flames crackled and swayed, feeding on the alcohol and oil. They spread across the ground steadily, the breeze giving them strength.

"Okay, give me some flour," Hiccup told them. Kolfinna handed him one of the sacks. She and Herdís grabbed the other two. "Back away and be ready for my signal," he said. They needed the wind to be right.

A moment later, when the wind blew away from them and towards the fire, he said the word. The three of them emptied the flour sacks into the air and backed away quickly. The powder rushed towards the fire like a current. White particles burst into flame and shot upwards in a bright fireball. The roar of the flames and the smoke rising from the burning trees left no room for stealth anymore.

"They'll be here soon, come on!" he said and took off down the hill in the opposite direction of the campsite. The three of them ran across the mossy terrain to the sound of wood burning behind them. In the distance, people yelled in alarm.

"What about there?!" Herdís said and pointed to a small cave.

"No, it's too close, keep going!" he said.

"We need to find somewhere to hide soon!" Kolfinna said.

"I know," he said. "But we have to get as far away from that fire as possible. We have to get to the shore."

Swerving around trees, jumping over rocks and logs, they headed towards the water. The adrenaline made him forget about his wounds and his exhaustion. His heart knocked back and forth in a rapid rhythm. The water's edge stopped their running. Hiccup looked up and down the beach. "Come on." he told them and they walked along the sand to find a suitable hiding place. It had been a struggle to convince the girls to hide instead of trying to swim to another island. But they were all wounded and tired and the girls were malnourished too. Even the closest island was too far away. Scouting for a place to conceal themselves, their gazes darted in all directions.

The rustling of leaves was all the warning they got. "Watch out!" Kolfinna shouted and shoved Herdís to the side. The axe cut into her face, splitting her flesh open. Blood poured down her clothes in ruby streams.

"NO!" Herdís screamed, scrambling to her feet.

The man pulled the axe out. Kolfinna dropped to her knees. She had no mouth to scream with. Hiccup unsheathed the sword and lunged at him. Their weapons clashed, metal on metal ringing in the air.

"NO! NO! NO!" Herdís screamed and jumped onto the Viking's back. The fury blazed in her eyes. Her dagger plunged deep into the man's back, over and over. The Viking cried out. His movements slowed. Hiccup drove his sword straight through his stomach. Herdís jumped off and the man collapsed onto crimson sand. Blood and guts stained Hiccup's sword when he pulled it out. The enemy took his last breath.

Kolfinna's body had stained everything around it with red. Her face was unrecognizable, barely resembling a human being anymore. She had died quickly but that was only a small comfort to him. Herdís sat down next to the corpse, her gaze fixed on it. Her eyes glistened with tears. Hiccup put his hand on her shoulder and felt her shake with anger and sorrow.

"We need to go," he said softly. He tried to ignore the ache in his chest. You didn't deserve this, Kolfinna. You deserved to come home. To hug your family again.

"I know," Herdís whispered.

He helped her to her feet. "We'll come back for her and give her a proper burial."

Herdís nodded, her eyes downcast. She tightened her grip on the dagger in her hand.

"We'll get you back to your family," Hiccup told her, trying to bring her some comfort. He had just met Kolfinna today but the grief wrapped itself around his heart. He could only imagine how broken Herdís felt.

Herdís met his eyes and tried to blink away the tears. "For the last couple of months…she was my family."

~~~~ Jack ~~~~

The island rested peacefully in the distance, a mossy pillow among the fresh spray of the ocean. Lush forest covered the island, the trees dark underneath the lava sky. It was no wonder the hostile tribes had chosen this as their hiding spot. The thick treetops obscured any sign of life except a narrow column of smoke rising through the leaves.

"Why would they have a camp fire?" Astrid said, leaning forward in the saddle. Stormfly's leathery wings kept them steadily in the air. "They must have known that would draw our attention at some point!"

"I know, it's weird…" Fishlegs said from Meatlug's back. He narrowed his eyes, as if that would make him understand the situation better.

"Maybe they needed a fire for something important? Something that was worth taking that risk for?" Jack thought aloud.

"Yeah, but what could possibly be worth that?" Snotlout said.

"How long before the others get here?" Jack asked and clutched his wand tight.

"They should be here soon." Astrid said. She sounded calm but Jack noticed how she couldn't keep her hands still. The sun had almost disappeared below the horizon. Soon it would be completely dark. It was an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time. The darkness would allow them to approach unseen but they would have trouble assessing the situation once they got there.

Toothless let out low grumbles and whines that only Jack seemed to hear. I know, Toothless…we both want to run in there, grab Hiccup and get out. But we can't. He dug his fingernails into the thick fabric of his trousers. Hiccup was on that island and he was stuck out here, waiting for the Vikings. Please be all right, Hiccup. Please…If you're not, I don't know what I'll do…

He and Toothless only restrained themselves because Astrid had convinced them that the only way to save Hiccup was to get back up from the other dragon riders. The enemy might be wounded but they still outnumbered them and they had no idea what was hiding underneath those treetops. He didn't know how long they had waited but every second added to his misery.

When a swarm of dark shapes appeared in the distance, he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally we can do something!

"I've sent a message to our allies but there's no telling when they will get here," Stoick said from his seat on Skullcrusher. Jack cursed to himself. Why can't their fucking allies have dragons too? "Have you seen Hiccup or any of the hostiles?" Stoick asked. Behind him, dragons of all kinds flapped their wings. Armor-clad Vikings in leather saddles sat on top of them. The darkness had chased the red from the sky. Weapons and armor gleamed in the pale moonlight.

"No. But Toothless is sure he's down there. The only sign of life we've seen is the smoke over there." Astrid said. "Wait…something's wrong! It's spreading!"

Jack took in the island. The narrow pillar of smoke had grown. Red and orange glowed underneath the holes in the treetops, like a giant ember resting under a cover of weeds.

"It's a wild fire!" Stoick said. "Berkians! There's no time for strategy! We land, we fight, we kill our enemies and get my son back! Follow me!"

Stormfly swooped through the darkness, surrounded by dragons on every side. An invisible fist squeezed Jack's lungs. The island would burn to the ground and Hiccup was on it. He curled his hand around his wand and unstrapped the harness around his waist. Toothless shot past everyone in a blur. As the island grew bigger, the smell of burnt wood filled Jack's nostrils.

The second Stormfly's paws hit the shore, Jack jumped off and ran towards the flames. Toothless had already disappeared into the wild fire with an angry screech. The precious seconds it had taken to get to the island had already strengthened the flames. His vision filled with fire eating into the surrounding forest. Loud cracks rumbled in the air, as massive trees splintered and fell to the ground like twigs. Screams and yelling came from somewhere ahead of him. "HICCUP!" he shouted as he ran, his eyes darting across the surroundings. The sound of Toothless roaring echoed in the distance.

"The Berkians are here!" he heard someone shout further inside the blazing forest. "Get your weapons! There's no time for fleeing this fire! You fight or you die!"

Swarms of hostiles appeared, running through the burning trees. Black ghouls in a fiery underworld. At that moment, roars sounded behind him. The rumble of the Berkians' and dragons' footsteps reached his ears. "Attack!" Stoick's voice overpowered even the crackling of the hungry flames consuming everything in sight. "Find Hiccup!"

The Berkians ran past him, their battle cries shrill with rage. They collided with the enemies in a blur of fire and metal. The burning forest rang with weapons and screams. Everywhere, people were fighting to the death. Jack stayed by the sidelines, keeping a lookout for anyone who needed help. He sent as many enemies as he could into the flames or the strong tree trunks. Flynn and Rapunzel appeared by his side, sparks flying from their wands. They never hesitated. The Vikings' armor shone among the blazing treetops. The world had turned red and gold, like the sun itself was melting from the sky.

Snotlout and Hookfang sprinted past them. "You!" Snotlout roared and pointed his sword at a man with a bloated belly and blue tattoos across his face. The enemy wrenched his sword up to protect himself. Hookfang tackled him, pinning him to the ground. A pale woman with a loose, red braid came up behind them. Jack paralyzed her with a quick spell and her back connected with the ground. "This is for the twins!" Snotlout screamed and drilled his sword through the man's eyeball. The Viking writhed and cried under Hookfang's paws but had no way to escape. Snotlout turned the blade hard inside the man and rammed it further in. When it slid back out, the man had gone still.

Jack's eyes scanned the battlefield, trying to make sense of the turmoil. Fishlegs dragged two wounded men onto Meatlug's back, keeping attackers away with his wand. Stoick and Gobber whirled around their enemies, ending one life after another. They were a tsunami of force, their weapons bearing down on the hostiles like a crashing wave. An enemy threw a dagger at Gobber but Stoick blocked it with his shield and cracked the man's face open with his sharp axe.

"Protego!" Flynn yelled next to him. An axe heading for Rapunzel bounced off the magical shield.

"Stupefy!" The spark from Rapunzel's wand flew into two men. Their armor clinked loudly when they slammed into a boulder.

Jack had seen no sign of Hiccup. His anxiety began to spread its twisted roots through his veins. What if he was already dead? His eyes darted over the darkened people fighting to the sound of flames eating the island alive. Despite his heart being ready to burst with dread and bile, he kept his hands calm and did the best he could to protect the people of Berk with his magic. Every time he had a clear shot of a hostile, he took it, immobilizing or killing dozens of enemies.

"Jack, watch out!" Flynn yelled. A bright spark shot past Jack's eyes. He spun around. A Viking's frozen face stared back at him. The man dropped his spear with a clank and fell onto the ground, his body stiff as an icicle.

Two men came crashing through some shrubbery, rolling on the ground to gain the upper hand. Jack tried to help but he couldn't, when they kept moving. He might hit the Berkian. When the enemy pushed his dagger through the Berkian's throat, Jack and Rapunzel aimed their wands at him. The man sat, holding the dead Berkian as a shield. "Hello Goldielocks," he said, a cocky smile on his lips. "Those bruises look good on you."

Jack noticed Flynn stepping closer to Rapunzel, his wand ready to fire.

"I'm not afraid of you," Rapunzel sneered. It was a strange sight; sweet, bubbly Rapunzel with bruises and blood on her, the will to kill her enemies gleaming in her eyes. She swung her wand and the man rammed into a rock. His skull split open, blood running through the cracks of the bone.

"Archers! Fire!" Jack heard someone yell. Atop a rock wall, enemy archers drew their bows. He recognized Ivar the Bonesmasher among them. Jack swallowed and gripped his wand tighter. I will come for you, Ivar. Just you wait.

"Protego!" Rapunzel shouted and covered the three of them. "Protego!" Jack echoed, forming a barrier on some of the Berkians his magic could reach. Flynn quickly did the same.

The arrows came down on them, sizzling like they were burning through the air. Skullcrusher stomped across the ground and shielded Stoick, Gobber and others with his armored body. Dragons unfolded their wings, keeping their humans behind the thick hide. But despite all of their efforts, they couldn't protect everyone. Berkians dropped to the ground and dragons screeched in pain, arrows biting into their flesh. "Fire again!" Ivar the Bonesmasher roared.

Jack took a step forward. "Bombarda!" he shouted, flicking his wand. The rock wall dissolved in a deafening boom. The force flung men into the air like a spring. Jack's ears were ringing. Rocks rained down on hostiles, bashing their heads open, snapping their bones in two. Some died instantly, others wriggled and cried out on the ground, holding their ears. Everyone nearby had been knocked off their feet and scrambled to get back up. Flynn and Rapunzel hit enemies with spells while they were still trying to get to their feet to fight the Berkians.

Jack spotted Astrid and Stormfly working together to defeat the enemies around them. A short, heavy man raised his sword to a Berkian with a bucket on his head. "Wingardium Leviosa," Jack said. The sword floated out of his hands and Jack fired it into the back of one of the men attacking Astrid. The man with the bucket gutted his now weaponless enemy.

"I have to find Hiccup!" he shouted at Flynn and Rapunzel.

"Go!" Rapunzel said and nodded, firing more sparks into the crowds.

"We'll be fine, Jack! Find him!" Flynn reassured him.

Jack moved closer and closer to where the enemies had come from, taking out anyone in his way. He didn't have time to stay. He was going to find Hiccup, no matter what. A bald Viking with tattoos on his head came towards him with a raised axe. Jack's spell shoved him through the air. He screamed and landed on the ground in front of Gobber, who smashed his face in with his peg leg. Drops of sweat spilled down Jack's skin. The heat of the flames was unbearable. Dried pine needles and leaves crunched under his feet as he ran through the battle.

"HICCUP!?" he screamed when he reached the remnants of the enemy's campsite. Flames snapped and popped as they ate into homemade wooden shelters. Pots and bottles lay scattered on the ground, their contents sinking into the earth. "HICCUP!?" The smoke itched in his throat. It was thicker here than on the battlefield. He noticed the big cave openings close by and headed into the dimness. When he reached the cells and saw the blood on the ground, he smashed his fist into the cave wall. His knuckles bled and stung as he left the campsite behind. It didn't matter. He was going to find Hiccup and if Hiccup was already dead…no Norse gods or weapons or flames could stand in the way of him destroying everyone who had cost him the love of his life.

~~~~ Ivar the Bonesmasher ~~~~

With only the flames lighting the world, his enemies' skin glowed red. The hatred and sorrow crackled in their golden eyes as they fought for their vengeance. Dragons helped their masters, clawing and ripping skin to shreds, scaly tails and wings flailing wildly in the chaos. Steel smashed together. Cries and howls blended into singing flames. The melody of battle.

A Scuttleclaw shot in front of him, a demonic screech slipping past its sharp teeth. He held up his shield, as its paw came towards him. The dragon's claws scraped against the wood. His arm shot down and his sword pierced the Scuttleclaw's leg. It howled as blood poured from the wound. Anger flashed in its eyes and it snapped its jaws at him. He sidestepped and punched the sword into its chest. It let out a shrill scream. Blood gushed out of its ripped flesh. Good riddance, beast. He sliced its head off and watched it land on the ground.

"Echo!" a woman shouted and charged towards him. The Scuttleclaw's legs gave in and it collapsed. The Berkian lunged at him, her round face wrinkled in rage. He threw up his shield. Her axe bit into the wood. She went for him again. His arm swung out, his sword blocking her axe. They backed away and circled each other. Her blonde braids had streaks of crimson. He rushed forwards, his shield protecting his side. When his sword slammed into her shield, while her axe ate into the side of his leg, he knew she had tricked him. He grunted. Pain flooded his flesh. He jerked away and held his sword up. Warm liquid streamed down his leg. The wound burned with every movement. She closed in but he knocked her arm away with his sword, the metal shrieking. He smashed his shield into the side of her head. She stumbled backwards, groaning. Her arms flew up, trying to protect herself. His sword cut through her leather armor and tunic, into muscles and organs. Her legs gave in underneath her. He stabbed her in the heart and hummed with satisfaction, when her eyes no longer held life.

He looked around him, trying to get an impression of how he should direct his warriors. The untamable flames rumbled and hissed. They devoured soft flesh and lush trees, leaving only charred remains. They breathed smoke, hiding the starry skies over a black veil. It was like Surtr himself had slammed his fiery sword into the ground and set the world ablaze. His tribesmen were scattered among the flames and debris, locked in brutal fighting with the enemy and their beasts. It was difficult to tell friends from enemies. In the distance, black shapes fought against a fiery background matching the most powerful sunset. He could make out the broken line of his archers. Few were left and soon they would all be gone, unless they got organized.

"Archers!" he bellowed, overpowering the growls of the flames and steel smashing against steel. "Go for higher ground! Form a line!"

The archers retreated, making their way up nearby hills. His son Finnr was among them. He would recognize him anywhere, even in such chaos. One of the archers fell and tumbled down the hard ground, pierced by an arrow in the back. Someone howled and he saw Gobber the Belch ram his axe through one of his tribesmen's throat. May Odin greet you in Valhalla. You fought well. Ivar held his shield up and his sword tight in hand, as he stalked towards him. Where Gobber the Belch was, surely, Stoick could not be far awa-

"Snotlout! Fishlegs! Give Astrid and Stormfly backup!" Stoick shouted, coming into view from a line of thick tree trunks.

Speaking of the Viking.

"Stoick!" he shouted, holding up his sword in a challenge. Stoick's eyes fixed on him and, even among the red flames, he could see the rage burning in them. Stoick stomped towards him, his axe and shield ready for battle. Behind Stoick, a Monstrous Nightmare ran past, heading straight for a cluster of dragons tearing some of his tribesmen apart in a shower of blood and flesh. Cursed beasts. He caught of a glimpse of Egill slicing a woman's throat and was relieved that both of his sons were still alive.

"Surrender, Ivar," Stoick said, keeping some distance between them. He was an impressive sight, Ivar had to give him that. All muscles and rage, with the blood streaks and scrapes to prove he was a true chief who fought alongside his warriors. "You can't win this."

"Always so diplomatic, Stoick," he said and smiled. "You know I won't surrender."

"Why do you insist on this blood-shed?" Stoick asked him. Ivar noticed how his fingers curled tighter around the handle of his axe. "There was a time when you and I could have been allies."

"Yes," he agreed. "But that time is over. Your son made sure of that."

"Where is Hiccup?" Stoick said, raising his axe. The reflection of the flames rippled along the metal.

Gone. Which is why we're fighting instead of negotiating the terms of my tribe's escape. "Who knows?" Ivar shrugged. "The last time I saw him, he was severely injured. He's probably dead by now." If he isn't, I'll make sure to end his life myself.

Stoick's bushy eyebrows lowered. "You better hope not," he growled. "Or I'll make sure the last thing you see on this earth is my face when I rip you apart."

Ivar smiled. "Well…at least I took your son down with me."

In a breath, Stoick's axe collided with his sword. Their arms trembled from their evenly matched strength, trying to push the other away. They jumped apart and stepped around each other in blur of adrenaline and fury. Stoick's axe slammed into his shield, ripping off splinters. Ivar's arm shook from the force weighing down on him. The shredded flesh in his leg pulsed. Stoick tore his axe out of the wood. Ivar aimed for his chest but Stoick's arms flew up. His sword scraped against Stoick's axe with a shrill cry. Stoick's shield smashed into his own. He could smell his enemy's breath. He shoved Stoick back with his shield.

"Finally, a worthy opponent!" Ivar laughed and pointed with his sword. Nearby, a Berkian screamed his way into the afterlife, when Alfdís stabbed him through the bowels.

Stoick's impressive beard shone even redder than usual in the light of the swaying flames. Smears of blood glinted on his chainmail. "I don't give a shit what you think," Stoick said. "Surrender your men now or prepare for the afterlife."

"It'll have to be the afterlife then," Ivar said.

Their weapons swung hard and crashed together. The force made them both groan with effort. Stoick thrust his axe at him. Ivar pushed his shield into the axe and went low, his sword slicing into Stoick's knee. Stoick jerked backwards and grunted. Red came pouring out in narrow channels from the open skin. Ivar lunged again. Stoick blocked him with his shield. Ivar drew his sword back. The shield came flying up into his chin. He wrenched himself back but Stoick followed. He could only see shapes now and he aimed as best he could for his enemy. He went for Stoick's neck but Stoick danced around him. Stoick's axe glided into his arm and tore a long gash through the flesh. Ivar shouted curses at him and backed away quicker. He had to get himself under control before he could continue this.

"Protect the chief!" someone yelled. "Protect the chief!" the message spread among the men.

"Don't you dare protect me!" he roared and waved them off. "Protect yourselves! Protect each other!"

A loud wail above interrupted his fight with Stoick. A massive, burning oak tree cracked and swayed, succumbing to the flames. It fell to the ground between him and Stoick with thunderous boom. A swarm of glowing sparks flew from its branches like startled birds.

Screeches from dragons caught his attention. A Deadly Nadder and a Hideous Zippleback charged through the trees behind him, their disgusting eyes fixing on his men. He couldn't see Stoick anymore, the fallen oak tree a burning, smoking barrier that divided the battlefield. His chance of finishing off Stoick had been ruined. For now.

He knew Stoick was right; they couldn't win this. But they could sure as Hel take down as many of their enemies as possible, making their last stand something to remember. They would enter the golden gates of Valhalla drenched in the blood of the Berkians and their beasts.

~~~~ Hiccup ~~~~

Their plan of hiding was abandoned when his tribe arrived. The sounds of dragons roaring and weapons clashing alerted them and they took down every enemy they encountered on their way to finding his father and his friends. Herdís did not have as much experience as himself but she proved to be a competent fighter. Whereas he relied on his speed and agility, she preferred stealth. They worked well as a team. The enemies they met were focused on him and while he fought with his sword, she was an assassin in the making; sneaking up behind them, slitting their throats or ramming the dagger into their kidneys.

The fire had grown uncontrollable, just as planned. It was a dangerous move, putting even his own tribesmen at risk, but there was no other way for him to give them a sign and to drive the hostiles out of hiding. The further he and Herdís came to the sounds of battle, the wilder the flames snapped and cracked and the harder the heat pressed in on them from all sides. Clammy drops stuck to his hairline and his grip on his sword had become sticky. The flames devoured the oxygen in the air like a hungry beast, not leaving enough for others.

At the first sight of dragons among the flames, he turned to Herdís. "I know you're not very used to dragons yet but as long as you don't attack them or anyone from my tribe, they won't hurt you, okay?"

Herdís nodded. "Let's put those bacrauts [assholes] down so we can both go home."

"Yes," he agreed. "We stick together no matter what, okay?"

"Yes," she agreed and he saw no doubt in her eyes.

Hiccup swallowed when he saw the faces of people he knew among the dead bodies. He submerged himself in the fight at the edge of the battle but fighting enemies had become harder than before. The red light of the flames and the grey smoke making it hard to see. The deafening noise of burning wood and swords shrieking in his ears. The falling trees and greedy flames, deadly obstacles to avoid. Hiccup drove his sword straight through an enemy's gut and took the man's bow and quiver. He began firing arrows at anyone in the crowd that he identified as a hostile. His wounded arm seemed heavier every minute, a parasitic drain on his remaining strength. He saw Flóki, Lafí and Ragna fighting off a group of enemies that surrounded them. He recognized them by their armor and began picking off the hostiles with well-placed arrows. In the distance, a Deadly Nadder screeched and fired its spikes at someone. Gods, I hope that's Stormfly and Astrid. Please, let them be alive.

Herdís came up behind a muscular woman and stuck her dagger into her skull. The woman sunk to her knees in a gleaming pool of her own blood. Hiccup kept Herdís protected from two young warriors who had their eyes on her. They tried to get to her but they dropped onto the bloody earth with arrows in their chests.

Out of the bushes, a man drenched in blood and mud came rushing out. Hiccup held his breath and readied his bow. The man grabbed Herdís before she could react. She kicked and screamed curses but the man didn't budge. Herdís tried to stab him with her dagger but he wrestled it from her without much difficulty. He pushed the dagger straight into Herdís eye. Hiccup's throat tightened. Blood poured from the opening, spilling down her tunic. Her screams filled his heart with dread. She flailed her arms, trying to get away.

Hiccups' legs carried him as quickly as they could towards her. The man threw Herdís onto the ground and lifted his axe. She rolled to her side to get up. He swung his weapon. Her kneecap cracked open in a burst of blood and bone. Red splattered onto the man's face. Her screams were inhuman.

"No!" Hiccup yelled. The enemy prepared to strike again. When the axe came down, it cut clean through Herdís' neck. The head tumbled a few feet, the eyes wide open. Her lifeless body was left on the earth like a ragdoll, blood pouring onto the ground from her ripped veins.

Hiccup froze in his tracks and stared, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He drew his bow and fired an arrow into the hostile's chest. Then another one. Then another one. He didn't stop until the man lay dead on the ground, rows of arrows sticking out of him like spikes on a porcupine. He closed Herdís' eyes and brushed some of her long, brown hair away from her cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep you guys safe…"

A black shape shoved him to the side. He crashed onto the earth and rolled to the side. He stared in shock at Toothless. The Night Fury's eyes had become slits. Toothless stood protectively in front of him, roaring and shaking with anger. His black maw opened and he unleashed a plasma blast that filled Hiccup's vision with purple. Three hostiles fell to the ground, their melting skin hanging off their faces.

"Toothless! I'm so relieved you're okay!" he said, getting to his feet. "Oh, Thank Thor…Thank Thor." He stroked Toothless' head. Toothless warbled happily and licked his cheek. "Where are the others?"

Toothless looked to the right and motioned with his head. "Let's go," Hiccup said, grabbing some bloody arrows from the ground and stuffing them into the quiver.

Behind lines of burning trees and a thick veil of smoke, they reached the others. In the chaos, Hiccup spotted Gobber and his dad fighting off hostiles in an impressive display of strength and endurance. Snotlout and Hookfang covered their backs, keeping enemies from sneaking up behind them.

Hiccup unsheathed his sword and threw himself into the battle. His wounds weakened his strikes but he was still faster than the hostiles he fought, better at dodging attacks and quickly finding weak spots. He rammed his sword into a woman's belly when she left it exposed. She collapsed with a chilling scream. He thrust his sword through her head to end her suffering.

Toothless jumped in front of him and opened fire. Hostiles screamed and flailed their weapons blindly. Toothless hissed as one of them grazed his scales with his sword. His massive paw turned the guy's face into a bloody mess. "Bud, are you okay?" Hiccup asked. Toothless smiled at him.

Colorful sparks caught his attention from across the battle field. Flynn and Rapunzel had climbed onto a cliff, using the higher vantage point to hit as many enemies as possible with their spells. Astrid, Fishlegs and Jack were nowhere to be seen and Hiccup couldn't shake off the dread. What if they were dead?

As more enemies came at them, he and Toothless worked together to protect each other. The sounds of men screaming and bones breaking came from behind him, where Toothless protected his back. A grey-haired man with a scar across his face swung his axe at Hiccup. He ducked, sliced the man's leg and spun around him, wrenching himself back up. The man cursed and turned. Their weapons met and Hiccup pushed all his strength into holding him off. The hostile's axe slid off his sword and they backed away from each other. Hiccup jerked to the side when the axe flew at him again. He's favoring his right side. The man lunged at him but Hiccup sidestepped and pierced his left side with his sword. Toothless screeched and hissed, fighting off more enemies with his claws and teeth. Hiccup reacted to any movement in his vision, slashing and striking, blocking and dodging any incoming attack. They struggled to hold them off. Toothless swung his tail and flailed his wings, knocking hostiles off their feet.

"Hiccup!" his dad's voice called out. Hiccup's heart stuttered. Powerful hands shoved him to the ground. He groaned as he connected with a large rock. Pain stung in his side, rippling through his flesh. He pulled himself back to his feet. His dad's body lay unmoving on the ground, a gleaming axe lodged in his skull. Crimson poured down the sides of his head. "Dad! No!" he screamed. Toothless roared, knocked a man to the ground and ripped his throat open. Next to his dad, the corpses of two hostiles bathed the ground in blood. His dad's axe was lodged in one of their chests.

"Egill!" someone screeched and Hiccup realized he had killed one of Ivar's sons. A man charged with his sword raised, anger flashing in his wide eyes. His face had blood streaks from a head wound.

Their weapons clashed. Hiccup thrust his sword with anger, warm tears burning on his cheeks. The hostile went for his gut but Hiccup dodged the attack. Their swords collided, blades clinking among the rumbling flames. Hiccup swung the steel towards the man's face. The hostile held up his weapon to block but Hiccup changed course. His sword sliced through flesh and blood, tunneling into the man's bowels. Howling, the Viking crashed to the ground. Hiccup pulled the sword out and rammed it into the man's heart. He closed his eyes within seconds.

Hiccup turned to Toothless, sword raised to help his friend. Toothless had ripped a man's chest open in a mess of white ribs and torn flesh. Two other dragons, Ghost and Snowfoot, had come to their aid. Snowfoot put a bleeding woman out of her misery, crushing her skull with a paw. Ghost swung a man side to side in his massive jaws, ripping him to pieces. When no more enemies were nearby, Hiccup threw himself at his father's dead body. "Dad…" he whispered and tried to shake him. "No!"

Toothless whined next to him and nudged his snout against his dad's arm. "He's g-gone, bud…" Hiccup choked out. "He's gone…" The sputtering flames turned blurry. His body shook as he clung to his father's side. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry, dad. I'm sorry.

The howls and clashes of battle wailed in his ears. He knew he had to leave. He had to fight. Taking one last look at his dad, he wiped the tears from his cheeks. "It's time to end this, Toothless."

Even among the growling flames, he could hear his heartbeat. The dragons turned men to piles of melted flesh. Gobber swung his club, denting armor and bashing skin open. He struck an enemy's ribs and they snapped into pieces with a sickening crack. Hiccup spotted Rapunzel and Flynn working together, colorful spells shooting straight into enemies. Meatlug hovered over the hostiles with Fishlegs on her back, holding his bow. A man charged towards Rapunzel but Fishlegs shot an arrow through his neck.

Astrid came shooting out from a cluster of burning trees, her braid dripping with blood. A group of Vikings surrounded her. Stormfly swung her tail, leaving men and women dying on the ground, sharp spikes drilled through their skulls and throats. Hiccup ran to her with Toothless by his side, his bow ready. A branch broke free from a tree and fell to the ground with a roar. He drew his bow and launched arrows to help Astrid and Stormfly with the last hostiles around them. Astrid never saw him. She swung onto Stormfly's back and they charged in the other direction.

"Hiccup!" Jack's voice slashed through the wall of noise. Hiccup stopped in his tracks. A relieved sigh slipped through his teeth. He saw Jack in the distance, running towards him with wide eyes, sending anyone in his way crashing into trees and rocks with sparks from his wand. His white hair and pale skin glowed pink in the light of flames and the blood of enemies.

Jack crashed into him and their arms slung around each other. "Thank the gods, you're okay," Hiccup said and held Jack tighter against him. I would have never forgiven myself if something had happened to you.

"You too...Are you hurt?" Jack said, pulling out of the hug. In Jack's eyes, Hiccup saw the same tainted relief that tingled in his own chest. We have both seen too much.

"I'll be fine," he said. "Just some scrapes. What about you? Are you okay?" he said and looked Jack over. He didn't like the look of the wound on his leg. It hadn't been treated at all.

A careful smile settled on Jack's lips. "It's nothing."

Toothless' growls alerted them to approaching enemies. Hiccup pushed Jack behind him and drew his bow. Bursts of light rushed from Jack's wand and shot into two men. Their chainmail rustled as they fell paralyzed to the ground. Hiccup's heartbeat echoed in his head. He kept his hands steady and his arrows found the gaps in his enemies' armor.

Gobber and Chief Sigurðr came into his line of vision, weapons slamming into each other's shields. A woman came up behind Gobber. Hiccup shot an arrow through her throat. Chief Sigurðr grazed Gobber's arm with his sword. They crashed together, shields held up. Gobber stomped on the chief's foot with his peg leg. Chief Sigurðr stepped back. In the second he lost concentration, Gobber slammed his club into his skull. The chief's legs caved in and his lifeless body collided with the earth.

"Fuck!" Jack yelled, sending a woman crashing into a boulder.

Hiccup followed his gaze. Flynn, Fishlegs and Meatlug were struggling to keep enemies away. Meatlug stomped her feet and swung her massive, thick tail. Flynn and Fishlegs fired spells in a chaos of color.

"Go!" he told Jack. "We'll be fine!" He didn't like separating from Jack but their friends needed help.

Jack hesitated. He took one last look at them and rushed through fighting men and women to get to their friends. The numbers of the hostiles were dwindling but there were still many left. The dragons and his friends' magic were their biggest advantages. They could take out more enemies at once than anyone else. Hiccup wished he had his wand. I would be much more useful with my magic. He drew his bow over and over, doing his best to keep his tribesmen and friends safe from enemies surprising them. Snotlout punched his sword into a bald man with a missing eye. Hookfang tore people's throats open with his sharp claws. A woman came up behind Snotlout, jumping towards him with her axe. Hiccup sent her tumbling down with two arrows in her back.

Among the fiery inferno, Ivar the Bonesmasher appeared. His eyes glowed with a fury that matched the suffocating heat. He stalked closer, his sword coated in shining ruby red. His trousers had been slashed open by the knee and dried blood rested around a deep cut. The strikes of weapons had dented his armor. Hiccup put the bow away and took his sword out. Toothless growled and stepped closer to him.

"You killed my sons," Ivar said and cracked his neck. "You killed Egill and Finnr."

"Yes." Hiccup said, only now knowing he had also killed Finnr. He curled his fingers tighter around the sword. "One of them killed my father."

Surprise sparked in Ivar's eyes but it was replaced with a glare. "Curse you, Stoick's son," he said. "You will never be a Viking. You will never be like my sons."

"We can agree on that," Hiccup said, adrenaline fueling his galloping heartbeat.

Ivar glanced to the side, where Berkians and dragons fought against the dwindling number of enemies. Sparks drizzled from blazing trees like a burning rain.

"There's no way for you to run." Hiccup said, wondering what Ivar's plan was now.

"Do you think I care about running?" Ivar said. "My sons are dead. My tribesmen are soon to be wiped out. The war is lost. I could escape and live the rest of my days in exile but we both know I won't do that."

"Only a coward does that."

"Yet another thing we can agree on." Ivar said with a smile, his teeth white against his dark beard. Uncertainty buzzed in Hiccup's veins. He knew Ivar was a man who was prepared to die for his cause. Now that his cause was lost, he was on a suicide mission.

"There!" someone yelled. Toothless put himself between Hiccup and whoever was approaching from behind.

"I will take my time with you, Dragon Conqueror," Ivar said. "I will savor the sound of every bone in your body breaking. I will peel off your skin and watch you scream for mercy. I will watch with a smile on my face, as the light leaves your eyes. I may have lost the war but this will be my final victory before I sit at Odin's table. You took my sons from me. You took my tribe from me. Now, I will take everything from you."

Toothless growled behind him. Hiccup's pulse raced under his skin. Images of torture flickered in his mind. Blood. Screams. Writhing. Someone asking him if he wanted to play a game. His breaths were shaky but he tried to keep his face neutral. I can't show him fear. He held his sword in front of him. The wound on his right arm tainted him with painful echoes. He swallowed. "What makes you think the Valkyries would ever choose you?" he said. "You're not worthy to sit with Odin."

Ivar leapt at him as soon as the words left his mouth. Their swords met in a high-pitched scream. Hiccup's arm shook, as he struggled to keep Ivar at bay. They moved around each other, pouncing and sidestepping, to the sound of Toothless snarling, flesh ripping and men screaming behind them. Ivar's sword shot towards him in a blur of metal. Hiccup wrenched himself to the side and sliced Ivar's right arm. A grunt escaped Ivar. Red beads crawled down his skin. Hiccup rushed in for another attack but Ivar's sword flew up to knock his arm away. Ivar's sword broke through Hiccup's leather, pushing into his other arm. Hiccup cried out and jerked backwards. A warm stream flowed from the wound. His heartbeat pulsed on the inside of his skull. I can't hold him off much longer. Ivar's sword came flashing towards him. Hiccup's arm reared up, muscles shuddering when the blades struck each other. His arm buckled under Ivar's force and the swords glided off each other. Hiccup tried to raise his sword. Ivar kicked him in the stomach. Air pushed out of Hiccup's lungs. The ground caught him. He tried to catch his breath. His arm pulsated with burning pain, searing further and further into his flesh. He groaned and rolled over to get up. Ivar's foot came down on his face. His mind went blank. His nose cracked and a jolt of pain pushed into his head. The burning trees around him blurred. The taste of blood filled his mouth. He lost his grip on his sword.

He heard Toothless roar in fury. Ivar came closer. He smiled and buried his sword in Hiccup's leg. Hiccup cried out and slammed his fists on the ground. The pain rippled through his flesh but he knew the adrenaline was choking the worst of it.

Toothless pounced on Ivar, knocking him to the ground. He clawed furiously at him, his strong paws swinging up and down. The enemies Toothless had left came up behind him with their swords lifted. Hiccup watched, as his best friend fought to keep the men at bay. Toothless clawed and bit into flesh and armor. He fired weak plasma blasts that could no longer do serious damage. Hiccup crawled across the dirt, sharp rocks cutting his palms. Blood seeped from his wounds, leaving a red trail behind him. He focused on nothing but Toothless. His best friend roared and snarled, swirling his body around wildly to block the enemies' attacks. Long, crimson gashes ran across Toothless' black scales. Blood poured down his sides.

Hiccup tried to block out the pain, burning stronger in his leg and arm. He heaved himself faster towards Toothless with every ounce of strength he had left. Ivar launched an attack but Toothless reared up and forced the weapon away with his powerful front legs. The other men pounced, aiming for Toothless' side. Toothless swung his strong tail around, knocking them into the dirt and ashes. Ivar roared and threw himself forwards. His sword sunk into black scales. Toothless screeched and flailed his wings. Crimson gushed onto the earth. Hiccups' arms trembled from pulling himself forward. His palms bled, rocks and sticks cutting through the skin. He grabbed a rock the size of two fists and forced himself up on shaking legs. Toothless' screams had turned fearful and his green eyes were wide.

Hiccup limped closer, the rock resting in his bleeding hand. The three men had gotten back on their feet, fanning out to attack from different sides. Toothless' movements had slowed but he bared his sharp teeth and snarled with the same fury. Hiccup's legs threatened to collapse under him any minute but the rage made him able to walk. He was almost there. Ivar's arm swung back to power his attack on Toothless but Toothless roared and showed off his sharp teeth. The Vikings behind Toothless lifted their weapons, getting ready to kill him. Hiccup leaned on his prosthetic. Searing pain bit into his leg. He threw himself at Ivar, bashing the rock into his head. They collided in a mess of metal and skin. Ivar grunted, landing on his side with Hiccup on top of him. Hiccup slammed the rock into his face again. "You don't touch Toothless!" he raged, his eyes moist. "Not Toothless! Not Toothless!" he said over and over, punching the rock into the flesh and skin with all his anger and grief behind it, until his face dripped with Ivar's blood.

Toothless had left the other warriors on the ground, taking their last breath. Only one remained. He aimed for Toothless' neck but Toothless backed away, lowering his head, his pupils in narrow slits. The blood kept pouring from Toothless' wounds and he was growing weaker by the minute.

In a blur, another dragon charged through the burning trees. Barf and Belch. Barf opened his maw, unleashing green gas. The man tried to back away but Toothless blocked his exit. Belch's mouth crackled and the gas lit up. The man rolled on the ground, screaming. Barf and Belch ended his pain, cracking his skull open with their heavy feet.

Hiccup exhaled in relief, when Toothless came to his side. He was hurt badly but it didn't look fatal unless it was left untreated. Underneath Hiccup, Ivar wheezed, his face torn apart, blood oozing from every cut. His skull had cracked on one side. Ivar tried to speak but no words came out. Hiccup didn't smile when the light slowly faded from Ivar's eyes. He threw the bloody rock to the side in disgust. Toothless nudged his snout against his shoulder.

"The allies are coming!" someone yelled. "The allies are coming!"

Hiccup crawled off Ivar's dead body. He tried to get to his feet but his knees hit the ground. He groaned as sharp jolts shot through the skin. The pain was becoming stronger and stronger as the adrenaline slowly lessened. Toothless lowered his head and Hiccup put his arm around Toothless' neck. Invisible threads wrapped around him, heaving his limbs down but he forced himself to keep going. Toothless supported him as he limped towards the fighting. The enemies' numbers were decreasing rapidly but people were still dying around him. He took the bow off his back, wondering if he could even shoot it now. His blood dripped onto the ground with every step. His clothes clung to his wounds. Black spots flickered in his vision.

"Jack! No!" he heard Rapunzel scream above the sounds of battle and flames.

Hiccup's eyes searched frantically for Jack. Panic sucked the air out of his lungs. When he saw him, cold claws ripped at his insides. No…no no no. Jack's eyes were wide and his pale hands clutched his chest. Two arrows stuck out of his skin. Blood sprayed from the wound, splashing onto the earth. Jack's legs collapsed under him. Their friends rushed to his side.

"Jack!" he screamed. He tried to run but slammed his knees into the dirt again. The world spun around. Colors and shapes blended. Toothless pulled him onto his back. Hiccup clung to his best friend as Toothless ran, his paws slamming down on the ground. The moment he stopped, Hiccup tumbled off and crawled to Jack's side in a frenzy. Rapunzel waved her wand around, trying to do what she could for him. Flynn held Jack's head in his hands and Fishlegs stood with his wand out, ready to defend them. They had removed the arrows from Jack's chest and now nothing was stopping the blood from flowing out. Red stained Hiccup's trousers and warmth enveloped his knees as Jack's blood soaked the leather.

"Jack! Jack!" he said, grabbing Jack's hand. It was cold and clammy. Jack's eyes were unfocused. Shaky, wheezing breaths spilled from his mouth. Hiccup's ribcage felt crushed; bones sharply bending inwards, poking into his heart. "Jack! Stay awake! Stay awake!" Jack's body shook. Cold sweat glistened on his forehead. "Jack, Jack…no no no, Jack, please…Rapunzel!"

"I'm trying! I'm trying!" she said, her eyes filling with tears.

"Jackie…Jackie…" Flynn said over and over, cradling Jack in his arms. "Jackie, please get through this. Please...I can't lose you too."

"What happened!?" Hiccup said.

"He was trying to protect us!" Flynn said.

Jack's eyes slowly began to close. "No!" Hiccup yelled at him. "Jack! Don't you dare do this to me!" He shook him. "Jack! Wake up!" His eyes stung with tears.

Rapunzel mumbled spells frantically. White light flowed from her wand and into Jack's wound. In the background, the noises of fighting faded. Hiccup's throat tightened as he watched Jack lie there in Flynn's arms, slowly fading away.

"There's nothing more we can now," Rapunzel said, tears trailing down her cheeks. "I've…I've stopped the bleeding as much as I could…I don't know what else we can do."

"We have to get him back to Berk," Gobber said from behind them. Cuts and bruises littered his face. His eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "Hiccup, you're the chief now. Give the order."

Rapunzel and Flynn stared at him in shock.

"We can't move him. He might die," Hiccup said, panicking at the thought of risking Jack's life.

"If he stays here, he definitely dies," Gobber said and put a hand on his shoulder. It pushed down on him, like it carried the weight of his pain. "We have no choice, Hiccup."

Hiccup nodded and blinked away the tears. He swallowed and looked around them. Only a few enemies were still standing. In the distance, their allies' ships were approaching. Why couldn't you have come sooner? The battlefield had transformed into piles of dead bodies. Around them, the fire was not done with its mission of reducing everything on the island to ashes. "We leave right away. Get the wounded on dragons. Gobber, you stay behind with our allies to handle the last hostiles. If anyone want to surrender, let them. Keep someone here to tend to the wounded dragons and get all the dead on our allies' ships."

"Understood," Gobber said with a sad smile and left them. Hiccup heard his voice in the distance, letting their tribesmen know what their orders were.

Every second crawled by on the journey back to Berk. Toothless' tempo was slower than usual, his body injured and exhausted. He and the others had stopped the bleeding for now, so he was able to fly. Hiccup had offered to fly back on another dragon but Toothless refused. He struggled with the same problems as his best friend, but he wouldn't be able to rest until he knew if Jack would be okay. His damaged arm hung by his side. His legs were barely able to work Toothless' tailfin. His lips prickled, begging him to scream into the open skies. To rage his wrath on the gods themselves. But you don't exist. I'm sure of that now.

Jack lay on a homemade stretcher carried by Stormfly and Toothless. Hiccup kept glancing at him, looking for any sign that he was getting worse. All around him, other dragons carried wounded tribesmen home safely. Some of them will die. Even after getting through the battle…even after all the torment they've gone through, they won't get the time they deserve. Their injuries will kill them.

Brúnn, a 14 year old boy, sat behind Björn on Snowfoot. His eyes were red and swollen, his face moist with tears and blood. He was strapped to Björn, since he couldn't hold on by himself anymore. He trembled and moaned, his arm wrapped in torn tunics, red beginning to soak through. Hiccup knew what was under there. He had seen it before they bandaged it; a shredded mess of skin flaps, bone and flesh. He knew they had to amputate it when they came back home. Brúnn might die but he would definitely die if they didn't do it. Next to Stormfly, Meatlug carried Fishlegs and Rapunzel home to Berk. Fishlegs cried softly, his eyes staring ahead. Rapunzel stroked his back. His parents were among the dead. Hiccup's chest felt hollow, like someone had scraped out his insides with a rusty knife. There's nothing I can do to fix all of this.

In the healer's hut on Berk, only remnants were left of Gothi's supplies. Hiccup told Astrid and Fishlegs to fly to Hogsmeade to buy potions and salves for everyone who had been wounded. The portkey was lost so flying was the only option. But it would take time. Time that Jack didn't have. That Mavis and Merida and all the other injured people didn't have. While Gothi cleaned Jack's wounds and sew them shut, he and Rapunzel tended to Toothless' injuries. Hiccup rinsed the cuts and scrapes carefully, speaking soothing words to his best friend, even though his own mind was dark. Rapunzel wrapped clean strips of fabric around the wounds, when he was done. Toothless was still during the process but Hiccup could tell from the eye twitches and the occasional flick of the tail, that it was painful. When Astrid and Fishlegs returned, he would be able to give Toothless some pain relief.

When Gothi had finished closing Jack's wounds, she smeared herbal mix on the stitches. It itched in Hiccup's nose. He helped her wrap bandages around Jack, needing to feel like he was actually doing something useful for his love. After that, they could only wait for Astrid and Fishlegs to return. Everyone with knowledge of healing were working on the wounded in the Great Hall. Hiccup had made sure to delegate the work as quickly as he could, so the injured ones got the best chance of survival. His thoughts were frantic; his mind slowly consuming itself with fear that Jack would die. That Mavis and Merida and other people he cared for would die. But he had to take care of everyone. They were all his responsibility. He had appointed a group to bring clean water, bandages, sewing equipment and other supplies to the healers. Another group would cook broth and other nourishing foods that were easy to drink or eat and others would lay out soft beds for the wounded in the hall, using anything they could find in the ruins of the village. His first priority was getting as many people as he could through this. They had already lost too many and it would leave a permanent shadow in their hearts.

When everything was in motion, Hiccup disappeared back home. He stayed by the edge of his bed, having insisted that Jack rested in his house instead of in the Great Hall. He closed the windows and the shutters, keeping the room dark and peaceful. On his nightstand and his desk, he lit some candles, their warm glow softening the shapes around him. On the bed, Jack slept on a soft layer of furs with a thick blanket over him. Toothless stayed by Hiccup's side, comforting him with his presence. Hiccup knew he understood the severity of the situation. Flynn and Rapunzel also came to sit with him sometimes, when they weren't by Mavis and Merida. Fishlegs had isolated himself in his parents' house without saying a word to anyone.

Gothi had informed them that Mavis would be okay eventually. But Merida had gotten a fever; a clear sign of infection. If the others didn't get back quickly, it could kill her. They all dreaded the outcome of Jack's and Merida's injuries. The rest of them were damaged but at least they would live.

"Jack," he whispered, brushing some wet locks away from Jack's sweaty forehead. The strained breaths passing through Jack's lips were loud against the dark silence. "Jack…I need you. Please…please, stay with me." Hiccup's arms and legs stung but he wouldn't rest until he was certain Jack was going to make it. Rapunzel had been too exhausted to do more healing magic, so she had cleansed, sewn and bandaged Hiccup's wounds the muggle way. The freshly closed skin itched under the white bandages. "You can't leave. I need you..."

Memories of their friendship and their love blinked in Hiccup's mind. The first time Jack had put his arm around him as they walked together through the corridors. The moment he told Jack about Toothless and his troubled past and Jack shared his own demons regarding his parents' deaths. Their first flight together on Toothless in the starry skies. All the pranks they had pulled on each other and the laughter they had shared. The first time they kissed and how amazing it felt to let his feelings come to light. How Jack consoled him after Professor Cooke's betrayal. How he repaid the favor when Jack needed reassurance after Chloe's kiss. The wonderful memories he had of meeting Jack's family. The first time they made love.

"I can't do this." His voice broke and he clutched Jack's hand tighter. "I can't lose you. Gods, I love you so much. I was prepared for this happening to me but not you. I was ready to die but not you. Not you…I tried to keep you safe!" He slammed his fist on the bed frame. "That's why I left you behind! So something like this would never happen! But you had to follow me, didn't you?! You had to be so fucking…brave and selfless, like you always are." The tears prickled on his cheeks. He wiped them away with a sleeve. Jack looked so fragile. He didn't stir but his forehead was wrinkled; like he was enduring something painful even in the darkness of unconsciousness. Hiccup pulled the blanket further up, so it covered Jack to the neck.

"This is why I kept my feelings to myself for so long..." he said and leaned back in the chair. He sighed shakily. "I should have been better, Jack. I should have never agreed to us being together…this is my fault. I was too selfish. Before I fell in love with you, I never knew I could feel that way about someone. But I should have let you down. Maybe then I could have protected you."

Jack's eyelashes fluttered but he stayed lost in the darkness. Hiccup laced their fingers together. Jack's hand was cold against his warm skin. "I love you," he said. "I love you so much…and there's so much we still have to do together. Please, Jack…please, get through this. Come back to me."

Hiccup picked at the bandage on his arm. His fingertips buzzed with the need to rip it off and claw the wound wide open. Tear his skin to shreds and let the pain wash over him like a purifying flood. Watch the red drops splash onto the wooden floorboards; small lakes of crimson that gleamed in the light of the candles.

No matter what he said, no matter how the pain pushed further and further into his mind, Jack didn't move. I was happy yesterday. How can everything change so quickly? Now there's nothing left but ashes.

---

Author's note:

*Surtr: A giant in Norse mythology who is the ruler of the giants with fire powers. He has a flaming sword that shines brighter than the sun. During Ragnarok, he will lead the giants with fire powers across the Bifrost (the rainbow bridge connecting Asgard and Midgard) and break it. Then he will kill the god Freyr and slam his sword into the ground, setting the world ablaze.

So…that was a delicious truckload of angst, wouldn't you say? There are now two (maybe three but most likely two) chapters left of this story…it's going to be strange and a bit sad when it's over.