Chapter Sixty-Four: Saved but for what prize?
Hiccup had given up in his luck the moment the Cannibals attacked him for the first time.
Harsh, he knew but it was true.
He'd never been lucky. Every time he tried to archive something, something went epically wrong in the last second. Proof enough were his meeting with Kate's father and his meeting with the Queen of Baratellum. And of course Loki.
Anger was boiling deep inside him and he wished he could see the god one last time so he could arrange his teeth in a new order.
"I told you they didn't trust you."
His head snapped up but nobody was to be seen. Just the endless desert and his friends.
"Oh great, what do you want? If you haven't realized by now, you are about to win. SO do me a favor and get fucking lost." He growled, keeping his voice low so no one would notice.
"Oh, that's not nice Hiccup."
"You're one to talk, you hypocrite."
"It's really a shame. You…dying here…all by yourself. If there was only someone to save you…" Darkness voice trailed off.
"Yeah, thanks, I know that there is no one to help us, so you might as well shut up."
"But there is someone to help you…"
"Who? The gods are deaf to prayers nowadays. And there are no humans anywhere to be seen." He didn't hear the bitterness in his voice but he felt it deep inside. "Everybody has left us alone."
"I'm not talking about the gods or the humans. Gods are selfish. Not listing is what they do. But there are humans nearby that can help you…"
Hiccups head snapped up. "Where?"
"A two days walk from where you are, straight westwards."
Hiccups heart stopped beating for a second and slipped into his stomach.
"But…we drank the last water yesterday evening. We won't survive a two days walk in this heat."
"Oh…what a shame indeed…Or it would be but…How about I make you an offer?"
Hiccups guard was up in seconds.
"What kind of offer?"
"I could take you there…"
Hiccup stopped dead in his tracks.
"Why would you do that?" he asked suspiciously.
There was a bone-chilling laughter in his head.
"I told you before Hiccup. I hate killing the interesting ones. Maybe you should look at it as a punishment. Death would be a gift, if you ask me. No responsibilities anymore, no fate or destiny; you would finally be safe and sound and reunited with your mother…"
Hiccup eyes widened.
"…but alas, I'm not so nice. I like to see you suffer."
"I'm slowly drying out, isn't that amusing enough for you?" he panted.
"It indeed is. But let's put it like this…things are starting to get interesting and there are a few things…let's just say…there are a few things I'm eager to see how you handle them."
"Why does that sound as if I'm about to be thrown into an arena full lions?"
Another dark laughter resonated in his head.
"Because you are."
The next thing Hiccup knew was that they were trapped din the inside of a sandstorm. A tunnel of sand swirled around with them trapped inside.
He heard screaming but the fats swirling made him lose his orientation.
He wished he'd just black out, bile rising in his throat…
And then it was over.
They dropped into the hot sand.
Hiccups head spun wildly around and he groaned.
That was one of the worst things he'd ever one.
Slowly he got to his feet only to fall again. His knees felt like water.
Next to him Josh got to all four.
"Freaking hell, what was that?" he asked.
Hiccup swallowed.
"My prayer was answered. Look."
He pointed ahead.
On top a giant dune a camp of tents rose high against the blazing morning sky.
Wait…morning?
It had been midday when they had been…taken…whatever…
Strange it had only felt like seconds.
Very long, agonizing seconds but seconds.
They could hear shouts, horns blowing.
Hiccup looked around.
Even the dragons looked still dazed. Toothless was shaking his head, trying to get the sand out of his ears.
His eyes flew to nightlight and panic rose inside him when he saw her back empty.
"KATE?" he shouted and swirled around.
"It's alright Hiccup, she's here." George assured him.
He was kneeling next to the fallen girl.
Hiccup hurried to her side.
Gently he lifted her upper body up.
"Kate! Kate listen to me, we have found humans. They can help us! Kate, do you hear? I will keep my promise. Now you must promise me to fight!"
He just received strangled choking noises.
Without second though he scooped her up, put one of her arms around his shoulders and grabbed her around the waist and dragged her over to where a party of the tribe came running towards them.
"I'm not letting you die Kate. Get used to the thought." He growled.
"Thanks." He added in his thoughts.
A dry chuckle answered him.
"Don't thank me now."