Chapter Sixty-Fife: Running into a new problem
Safety was within reaching distance. They were so agonizing close. So damn close!
Please, Hiccup prayed, please just this once let us make it there!
He wasn't thinking straight, just running with Kate in his arms towards where men were already walking towards them.
His head was pounding. Everything was blurry and moving painfully fast.
Then the ground shook.
Softly first so he didn't realize it was moving.
Then harder. And harder. And harder until Hiccup lost his footing and fell down, just barely catching Kate as she went down.
He turned around and to his horror he saw a massive wave of sand coming towards them.
Like something just below the surface was making its way very fast over to them.
"What in hells name does it want now?" Josh asked next to him. It was clearly their shadow, the dune that had followed them for days now. Hiccup had kinda hoped they had left it behind when Darkness…had done…his thing…
"I'm not staying around to find out!" George clarified and stumbled to his feet.
"Agreed." Josh said.
"Help me with Kate." Hiccup said and together they took the injured girl between them.
But every few seconds they would glance over their shoulder and see the wall of sand approach even faster.
Ahead the men from the camp had stopped dead in their tracks. Hiccup couldn't see their faces but he was sure they didn't fancy their chances against whatever was coming their way.
Still.
"Help! Please!" he shouted and coughed when he breathed sand. The men looked uncertain, looking at each other.
Then one shouted something but it took Hiccups magical communicating skills a few seconds to catch up with what he said.
"Stay where you are!"
"Is he kidding? Hiccup panted. "Why, what did he say?" Josh asked. "He said we should stay here." "No happening mate!" George growled.
But as he glanced back again Hiccup knew that they couldn't possibly make it in time. He stopped abruptly.
"Nightlight! Take Kate and bring her to safety!" Hiccup shouted. The dragon obeyed and scooped her rider up and in giant leaps she ran toward the camp.
"Toothless to me!" The Night Fury was there in a second looking at him expectantly.
"I'm sorry bud. Last stand happening earlier than thought." Then to Josh and George he said: "Go, if you want. Stay and fight if you dare."
He didn't see the two boys exchanging glances.
He turned to face the oncoming threat.
"This is really becoming a daily occurrence!" he mumbled and unsheathed his sword. The Stormblade felt comfortable in his hand.
The last time he had used this sword he had fought George in the surf of Port East right after escaping his treacherous uncle who had been in league with Darkness.
He felt Josh next to him.
"I hope you have a plan." "Ahm… Try to survive?" "Good one."
George stepped on his other side.
"I can't have you get all the glory should we survive this."
Hiccup laughed slightly.
"Besides how would I get home?" George sneered.
"Admit it, you do care for us." Josh taunted.
"As much as I care for rash on my ass."
The wave had almost reached them.
"Heads up guys." Hiccup said.
In front of them the sand exploded.
Something big, something angry, something bright purple and black with wings and a lot of razor sharp teeth shot from the ground, blocking out the sun as it rose higher and higher.
"Great Odin…what is that?" Josh whispered.
The thing/dragon/monster roared loudly and fixed them with milky white eyes without any pupils. Its wings were relatively small for such a large beast but it supported its head by moving its unbelievably long tail in fast circled movements.
It dispersed great clouds of dust and sand and they all raised their hands protectively aver their heads.
Just as the thing was about to strike, someone leaped in front of Hiccup, twirling a long staff and with a mighty yell burrowing its bottom in the sand.
The beast smashed against a barrier of golden light and with a screech it was thrown into the air and away, far away.
Hiccup heart was beating wildly in his chest.
What had just happened?
The person turned around.
She was old, so much Hiccup could say, and she was angry.
"What did you do? How could you?" she asked accusingly.
Hiccup opened his mouth but no words made it out. What was she talking about?
"Never mind. Follow me. You have a lot of explaining to do. Leading that thing to our doorstep! Do you have a death-wish?"
She swirled around, leaving no room for an answer.
They still stood there, dumbfound when she turned around.
"What are you waiting for you idiots? Follow me!"
Wordlessly they followed.
AN: Yes, I know short and not very informative but I'm lazy. I know exactly what to write but I just can't motivate myself to do it!
Love Kate