Chapter Seven: The gods must hate me
Hiccup woke up, thinking his head had been splinted in half with a hammer.
That meant he had a very bad headache.
His throat was dry and hurt but that was nothing compared to the strange numbness in his leg. Wasn't numbness supposed to be good?
Because this one wasn't!
He felt strong enough to sit up and stretched his tense muscles. Good gods how long had he been laying here? He felt like he hadn't moved in ages.
He leaned against the cave wall, catching his breath. He was exhausted. The stone was smooth and cool against his burning hot skin.
He couldn't remember time where he'd felt this miserable.
Remembering what had happened he suppressed a groan.
His first thought? The gods must hate me.
His sight was still a bit fuzzy but he could make out a big mountain of scales next to him, snoring like a lumber mill.
How had he been able to sleep with Toothless making such loud noises?
Hiccup couldn't help but smile. He petted Toothless's big head and green orbs fluttered open.
"Hey buddy. How are you?" he asked silently. The dragon snorted as if to say: "What do you think, I'm bored to death, and all you did was sleeping. Give me fish!"
He wanted to laugh but everything hurt and was tense.
"I see you're up. About time, it's already eleven o'clock." Came a voice from next to him. Hiccup turned his head and saw the same man standing next to him.
"Who are you?"
"Well, if you would stop passing out all the time, I might be able to tell you." The man said.
He'd changed cloth.
Instead of the armor he wore a dark-green robes, black shirt and trousers, big boots and a sword at the hip. His hair was in a small ponytail. His green eyes that had the same color as the robe were concerned but also happy.
"Okay, I try my best. So, who are you?"
The man chuckled and gave him a mug of water which Hiccup thankfully took and emptied.
"I'm Loki. The god of tricksters and mischief. And I'm here to…"
Hiccup spew the water all over the man.
"What?" he coughed in disbelieve.
The man, Loki, sighed.
"That's not very nice Hiccup. Really, it is really that surprising?"
"Considering that you're a GOD and I'm a puny scrawny MORTAL, no, not at all."
"Well I'm glad you understand. That makes everything so much easier. I…."
Hiccup interrupted him. "Ahm, hello that was sarcastic! I don't understand anything!"
The god snorted. "Please Hiccup, I invented sarcasm. And if you would listen, you might not have a reason to interrupt me the whole time."
"The whole time? It's the first time."
"No, it's the second time. If you don't count when you got unconscious."
"Well excuse me; I didn't intend to be unconscious. I'm deeply sorry, whatsoever."
Loki eyed him. And for a moment Hiccup thought he'd gone too far. After all, this was a god in front of him. But heaven help him, it was his first god!
Then, out of nothing, Loki started to laugh.
"I really don't see, why they don't like you. You're great!"
Hiccup frowned. "Ah…thanks?"
Loki laughed even harder.
"I have no idea, what's so funny."
"You."
"Thanks, feel the love."
Loki calmed down. "I'm sorry Hiccup. You surely have a lot of questions. And I'm not very helpful."
"Not exactly. No."
Loki smiled. "Well, let me change the bandage at your leg and then I will tell you everything."
Oh gods. The leg.
Panic swelled up inside Hiccups chest. Until now he'd been able to shove the thought about his leg aside but now…
When Loki tried to push the blanket aside, Hiccup slapped his hands aside.
Loki looked at him irritated. "What's the matter?"
"Don't…please, I…I can't…"
"You can't what?"
Hiccup bit his lower lip.
"Tell me. Please Hiccup."
Hiccup shook his head and murmured: "The gods must hate me." Loki frowned. "I'd know that."
Hiccup shook his head.
"It's okay Hiccup. Just tell me."
He took a deep breath. "I can't look at it." He whispered.
The god surprised him again.
He sighed and laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly.
"Oh Hiccup. It's okay. I know this is all very fresh and new and hard and it hurts, but I really have to take care of your leg or it might get worse. Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
"I can't. I…I can't stand the sight."
"Then don't watch for now." Loki said soft and put his hand on his shoulder. "Okay? Just don't look. Think about something good. Toothless here will help you."
Hiccup nodded and burrowed his head in Toothless's neck.
He could feel Lokis cold hands touching his leg and the sensitive skin around his…his stump.
He flinched and Loki made soothing noises.
It didn't hurt that bad but the images in his head tortured him even worse.
After a while he heard the god talk.
"Okay, I'm finished. You did great. And your leg's looking great too!"
Hiccup didn't feel great.
"Okay. Now lean back, eat the soup and listen to what I have to say. I'm sure you have a lot of questions."
Hiccup nodded while Loki handed him a wooden bowl full soup and a spoon.
He leaned against Toothless and ate while listing to the god.
"Well, before I tell you the whole story let me brief tell you what happened while you were unconscious.
After you blacked out, I sent out a force field to catch you two. Then I carried you to this cave and treated your wounds. You woke a few times but I guess you don't remember that or?" Hiccup shook his head. "I don't remember anything after the Red Death exploded and when you told me about the leg last time."
Loki nodded. "Which maybe is for the better. By the way; that explosion…Awesome. You nearly destroyed the whole island! Good thing no dragon was there. And man! You should have seen their faces when they returned. Where there nest had been was now a smoldering pile of debris with bits of their Queen strewn over it! But once they realized that the queen really was dead they cheered and flew away."
He paused.
"So they won't raid the villages anymore?" Hiccup asked between two spoons of soup.
"No. They eat mainly fish. So they will catch it for themselves and will avoid humans."
"So the war is over?"
Loki sighed. He poked the flames in the little campfire with his bare hands.
Hiccup waited.
"No." The god finally said.
"What do you mean? The Red Death is dead. No more raids ergo no more war!" Hiccup said, slightly hysterical.
Loki sighed heavily.
"Hiccup. This…conflict is far bigger than you originally thought and it concerns more than just you Vikings and the dragons here. You are a big part of it, none the less. But this goes over the shores of Berk. This concerns the whole Archipelago, more so the whole world." "The whole world…" Hiccup echoed. "So there is more?"
"Of course. A lot more. Compared to the rest of the earth, this is a tiny spot on the map. There are a lot different kinds of people and cultures. And what connects them all are dragons." Hiccup was overwhelmed.
"You mean there are dragons outside of the Archipelago?"
"Oh yes. Thousand different specimen. But that's not the point…well, it somewhere is, but what I actually what to tell you is something else. The war as you know it indeed is over. There should be no more raids on Berk. But as we are talking forces are gathering at the horizon. Forces that need to be stopped. Things are starting to roll and Ragnarök might be closer then the gods want it to be."
"Okay. But I still don't get what this has to do with me to be honest and why you are here." "There are many reasons why I'm here. And they all have to do with you."
He looked at Hiccup.
"Hiccup you are in the middle of this all. We cannot fight this war without you."