AN: So I guess I need to apologize for being absent for so long…. SORRY! Yeah, I don't know what happened. Exams, annoying friends, parents, that kind of thing.
BUT: This is the first time I can't wait for a weekend to be over. Why?
Because the last week of school forever now begins!
That's right people, schools out forever!
And the last week of school is always great fun. We dress up as our childhood heroes or zombies and such things.
Its tradition and we get to prank the whole school on our final day.
I'm sure you do stuff like that too but finally it's my time to do so!
So here is a new chapter to celebrate and I hope you will like it.
To the plot of the story: Things will get serious and something tragic will happen in this chapter. And we will have a few nice surprises in the next chapter.
Enjoy,
Yours truly and forever
Kate C.
Chapter Ninety-Two: So it happens again
Hiccup was bent over the maps on the table next to the steering wheel and the wind was coming from behind him so he didn't hear Josh's frantic calls at first.
Only when Toothless nudged him he looked up and saw Josh in the Crows nest, making wild gestures and pointing ahead.
Hiccup frowned and squinted his eyes against the slowly setting sun.
The sea was reflecting it and blended Hiccup but he thought he could see dark shape coming from the blending light towards them.
"A ship?" shouted questioningly. Josh nodded and shouted something but it was lost to Hiccup.
Realizing his problem, Josh came down and jogged towards them.
"One ship, no flags, sails at quite a peace towards us." he said again quite breathless.
The comment about no flags worried Hiccup immediately.
They themselves were sailing under false flag but at least they were recognizable.
"No flags means most likely pirates." He growled.
"Get the others up, fire up the pits and get a move on. Let's speed up a bit. I need Conner at the wheel. Tell George to get the dragons up and ready. Tell the others to get ready for battle." He commanded and spun the wheel.
.
There is no way of outrunning someone or something if he or she comes straight at you.
Hiccup had already changed the course of their ship and they were now going at full speed with the wind in their back and Conner had suggested opening the sails just a bit.
So the waves were now rushing past them and they all were holding on tightly.
Weapons were at range, the dragons stayed close to their riders and still the feeling of uneasiness weighed Hiccup down.
He stood next to Conner who was steering the ship expertly through the waves without the lightest bump but his knuckles were white as he clutched the hilt of his sword.
The other ship was now only a few hundred meters away and Hiccup grabbed his spy-glass, trying to see what they were heading for.
The ship was sturdy and long but with only one mast and a wide deck, probably for cargo but not made for wide open waters like these. But what stood out most of all was the long thick spike at the bow of the ship like the horn of a unicorn.
It was the name on the hull though that worried Hiccup more.
'The Vendetta II' it read in bold read letters as the ship cut through the water towards them.
And when he swept his gaze across the deck, a shiver went up his spine.
Outcasts.
He tried to single out Alvin but couldn't find him.
He did, however, see Savage.
Alvin's right hand man stood proudly at the bow of the ship, ax in one hand and a pair of bolas in the other.
Behind him Alvin's brainless lackeys were hustling across the deck, getting catapults into position and harpoons ready and what not.
But still there was no sign of Alvin.
"Conner, change the course father west. These are Outcasts. They have catapults and harpoons and are armed to their teeth. If we can go around them, I'm sure we can outrun them." He told them and Conner nodded, spinning the wheel once again. The ship immediately responded the bow turned west.
Hiccup looked back through his spy glass and was surprised when the other ship suddenly turned about ninety degrees west and was now trying to cut off their path from their right.
Hiccup prayed they'd be fast enough before the Outcast's ship could stop theirs!
Time slowed down.
Hiccup held his breath.
The two boats were now so close; Hiccup swore he could've touched the other ship.
He saw Savages evil sneer and heard the Outcast howl with joy.
They were not going to make it past the other ship, Hiccup suddenly thought with dread.
In his mind he could see it clearly happen. 'The Vendetta II' would hit them in the side and impale them with its sword-like spike.
He found himself shouting: "BRACE YOURSELVES FOR IMPACT!" as it already happened.
The power with that The Vendetta II hit them was incredible, especially concerning their own fast pace.
The impact nearly knocked Hiccup his teeth out and he lost his grip and tumbled down the deck, somersaulting and finally coming to a stop by painfully hitting the railing.
He could hear shouts and dragons roaring and swords clashing against each other.
The world was blurry and everything was moving.
Still he got to his feet and unsheathed his sword.
The wood beneath his feet groaned and when he looked up he thought he was dreaming.
'The Vendetta II' had hit them with such power that it had cracked their ship open like a raw egg and was now buried halfway into it.
Outcasts spilled onto their deck, grinning evilly.
They were carrying grappling hooks which they threw at the dragons, trying to make them fall. Nets were shot from the deck of their ship and Hiccup realized that this was planned, deliberate. They had waited for them. They had known they'd come.
"HICCUP! LOOK OUT!"
Kates shout reached him just in time.
A shadow fell upon him and he jumped back before the middle-mast of their ship crashed onto the deck, just where he'd stood seconds before.
An Outcast jumped across the fallen mast and advanced on him, grinning.
But the grin slipped off his face when Hiccup parried his strikes and moved in on him, swinging his sword in close movements around his body, feeling the exhilaration of battle flowing through his veins.
With a sickening wet sound the blade entered the Outcasts chest and he dropped dead on the ground.
He wasn't the first men Hiccup had killed and wouldn't be the last but looking at him Hiccup felt dread rising inside of him as he thought back to his conversation with Darkness three nights before.
He didn't want to become dark. He didn't want to fail.
"ARRGGGHHH!"
He swirled around and met the battle-ax that was about to split his skull and looked into Savages face.
Hate consumed his thoughts.
Savage was maybe a boot-licking lackey but he too had killed and raided hundreds of people.
He wasn't Alvin's right hand for no reason.
"You." He spat.
"Me." Savage said with a grin. "Alvin will be very happy when I present you to him."
"Keep dreaming."
Gathering all his strength he pushed Savage back and advanced on him while the Outcast tried to regain his footing.
The Stormblade cut over Savage's thigh. It wasn't a deep wound but it hurt and was hindering him in his movements.
Another slash with the Stormblade and an equally superficial but burning wound appeared on Savages right upper arm.
The older man grunted and clutched his sword-arm.
"What? Scared?" Hiccup asked seething.
Savage just grunted and swung his sword but it was a sluggish move that Hiccup easily blocked. With a twist of his wrist the Outcast's blade was sent flying across the deck.
A swift kick to the knee, followed by a satisfying 'crunch' and Savage fell to the ground, gasping.
Hiccup flicked his wrist and another shallow cut graced the older man's chest.
Hiccup knelt down before him on one knee and grabbed his throat.
"Tell me Savage, what are Alvin's plans? Is he trying to open the portal?" he growled.
Savage just spat aside.
"Like I would tell you." He growled back.
"Tell me."
"Or what?"
"Or I make you!"
"How? You're just a boy."
Hiccup willed the hand that was not holding Savage's throat to catch fire.
Hot white flames danced across his palm and hissed slightly.
Without second thought he pressed the burning hand onto the shallow cut on Savage's chest.
The sound of burning and shouldering flash was lost in the man's cries of pain and anguish."
Hiccup lifted his hand.
"Let's try this again. Is Alvin on Berk? Will he open the portal? If he does; how will he do it? And can we stop him?"
Heavily heaving Savage spit blood into his face and whispered: "Screw you Haddock."
Hiccups eyes grew cold.
"Very well." He just said before abruptly standing up. "Have it your way."
Holding out his hand he shot balls of fire at the ground around Savage until he was surrounded by thick and tall flames.
The Outcast slowly got up to his one good leg.
Hiccup could see the fear in his eyes, as well as the reflection of the flames.
Slightly clenching his hand he willed the flames to move closer to the man.
"I would make up my mind quickly." He hissed.
Savage hesitated.
"If I tell you" he shouted over the roaring of the flames "Will you let me go?"
Harry suppressed a snort.
Spineless git.
"That depends on how useful your information is. But keep going and I might reconsider."
"HICCUP!" A shout faintly but desperately reached his ears. He ignored it.
Savage nervously licked his dry and bloody lips.
"HICCUP! Please!"
"If possible today or it might get a little uncomfortable around your feet very soon." Hiccup growled.
Savage looked past him at something behind him.
Angrily Harry clenched his fist further and the flames raced towards Savage.
The Outcasts eyes nearly bulged out when he felt the heat so close.
"HICCUP, HELP!"
Annoyed he turned around.
And froze.
The deck of their ship had turned into a miniature war-zone.
Fires had spread, masts had fallen, sails were obscuring parts of his view, the floor boards were broken and bend and covered in gapping holes, the whole ship was leaning slightly sideways and Hiccup had no doubt it was because it was running full with water.
Bodies of Outcasts littered the deck but he could also see Josh lying unmoving on the ground with Zhang standing protectively before him, coating the Outcasts in his milky white breath when they came to close forcing them to see horrible hallucination. But in never lasted long enough and they kept coming back.
Be the destroyed remains of the deck-house Kate and Hope were cornered by five Outcasts at once. They were holding their ground but they wouldn't for much longer.
Nightlight, Fighter and Namhera were tied up and could barely move. Conner had run out of arrows and was being chased by another pair of Outcasts. Toothless was attacked from all sides with spears. Windwalker was spitting acid at the Outcast, always appearing and disappearing, guarding Illiona whose leg was trapped under some heavy piece of wood.
George was the by the steering wheel, dueling with two outcast at once. He was good but not good enough against two of them.
"HICCUP! PLEASE!" Kate shouted again.
He turned back to Savage whose eyes were wide with panic at the inclosing flames.
But there was also something triumphant in his face.
"You can't save them and keep me at the same time." He leered.
"Choose. Their lives or the information I maybe have."
Hiccup looked back to his friends, at Josh's crumbled from and the trapped Illiona. At his outnumbered friends and then at the Outcast.
He clenched his fist and the flames shot towards him, finally touching Savage but only just so.
Savage howled but couldn't move much without daring to get touched by the fire somewhere else.
"I don't care if you live or die." Hiccup said coldly. "Now, how do I stop Alvin?"
"I'm not saying anything."
One of the flames lashed out, hitting the man like a whip in the back.
Savage shouted in agony as the flesh burned.
"Wrong answer. Try again."
"HICCUP! I COULD NEED YOUR HELP!" he heard George somewhere to his side.
"TELL ME!" Hiccup shouted.
"NEVER!" Savage screamed and threw himself into the flames.
His screams went through Hiccups bones and into his very core.
Savages burning face and the agony displayed on it could not hide the cruel smile on his lips.
A loud cry brought him back to reality and he saw how an Outcast struck George down, going for the kill.
"NO!" he shouted and hurtled his sword across the deck.
It went right through the man's chest and he was dead before he hit the ground.
Jumping over obstacles and running through fire he came to a slithering stop next to George.
Ripping his sword from the dead man's chest he pulled the other boy to his feet.
Making sure he remained standing he shot two balls of fire at the men cornering Toothless.
Two of them went down and Toothless used the opportunity to crash into the men cornering the girls, bringing them down.
"WE NEED TO LEAVE THE SHIP! EVERYTHING HERE WILL BURN TO ASHES AND US WITH IT!" Kate shouted as she Josh gathered Josh up and threw him on Zhangs back.
George had run to help Illiona with her leg and Hope and Conner had managed to cut the dragons loose.
Hiccup had no time to disagree.
Most dragons and their riders were already up in the air and Toothless was waiting impatiently for him to get on his back.
Throwing one last glace back at Savages smoldering body in the flames he jumped onto the Night Fury's back and the dragon shot upwards into the sky.
.
It was near dusk when they found land.
But touching down Hiccup felt something about to happen.
As soon as Fighter had touched down, George jumped down and came towards him, his face contorted with anger.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS WRON G WITH YOU? I WAS SHOUTING FOR OYUR HELP! WHAT WERE YOU DOING?"
Hiccup winced.
"WHY WEREN'T YOU HELPING? THE WHOEL TIEM YOU JUST STOOD THERE AND YELLED AT THAT MAN!"
"Because he had information we needed." Hiccup said, trying to stay calm.
"THEN YOU COULD HAVE KNOCKED HIM OUT! BUT BECAUSE OF YOU WE NEARLY DIED!"
"I'm sorry! But it was important."
"YOU DIDN'T CARE! YOU IGNORED US!"
"I didn't."
Kate spoke up, softly, slightly afraid: "Yes Hiccup, you were. When we saw you standing there we tried to get your attention. You just kept shouting at the Outcast you had trapped."
"It wasn't my intention." Hiccup growled. "I'm sorry."
"YOU'RE ALWAYS SORRY. BUT THAT HAS NEVER CHANGED ANYTHING."
"I didn't know they were going to attack us and I didn't think they…"
"THAT'S EXACTLY THE PROMLEM! YOU NEVER THINK THINGS THROUGH THESE DAYS! IT'S ALWAYS SHOOT NOW, ASK LATER!"
"It was a really close thing Hiccup. We can be lucks no one was killed or gravely injured." Hope said.
"I'm really sorry. But Savage knew about Alvins plans. I thought maybe I could get to know what he was planning. Please believe me that I would never endanger you willingly!"
"Did you find something out?" Conner asked silently.
Hiccup sighed and looked down.
"I…no…Savage killed himself before I could question him further."
"SO IT WAS ALL FOR NONE?"
"It wasn't completely useless."
"So Alvin is on Berk attempting to open a portal to let Darkness in?" Illiona asked.
"I think so." Hiccup said slowly.
"YOU THINK SO? IS THAT WAS THAT MAN TOLD YOU? THT HE THINKS ALVIN IS THERE? THAT'S WHAT YOU RISKED OUR LIVES FOR?"
Annoyed Hiccup turned to George and snapped: "I didn't plan to, alright? I didn't want to endanger anyone! But I needed to know!"
"AND YET IT WAS ALL FOR NOTHING!"
George was shaking and his fists were clenched and he looked as if he would attack Hiccup any second now.
"BUT THAT'S NOTHING NEW, IS IT? ALL WE DO IS USELESS! YOU GET NOTHING DONE! I THOUGHT YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING! I THOUGHT YOU HAD A PLAN!"
"I DO HAVE A PLAN." Hiccup shouted back, finally not being able to take it anymore.
"ALL YOUR PLANS CONSIST OF SHOOTING FIRST AND ASKING QUESTIONS LATER!" "THAT IS NOT TRUE!"
"STOP IT!" Kate shouted and stepped between the raging males. "This is not getting us anywhere!" she tried to reason. She turned to Hiccup.
"But he is right somewhere Hiccup. You've been acting off for weeks now. This is not you. It's like you're trying to proof something. You act unpredictable and are always so jumpy and…" she trailed off, trying to find the right words. "You need to get a grip on yourself again."
She looked at George. "I agree with you that what he did was wrong and that this was a tight spot but we got out didn't we? I think that is what matters!"
"Oh sure, and about next time? When we ask for his help again? Will he let us wait until the last second again?" George spit out. "No, I don't think so. I'm done; I'm not taking any chances. I thought you were different than I first thought you were. But you are just as arrogant and self-centered as your ancestor was!"
"THEN GO!" Hiccup exploded and jumped towards him. "GO IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT ANYMORE!"
"OH DON'T WORRY, I WILL GO! AND I CAN ONLY ADVISE THE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. HE WILL GET YOU ALL KILLED! YOU'LL SEE!"
"JUST GO!" Hiccup shouted and his hands unwillingly burst into flames.
George backed away, a short moment of fear visible in his eyes. But then his gaze hardened.
"Oh don't worry, I will go. And it'll be the last you'll see of me. Have fun dying." He spat and stormed over to Fighter, mounted the Nadder's back and was only a dark spot in the sky in seconds.
"Good riddance." Hiccup growled.
Kate looked at him stunned and angry.
"WHAT?" she shrieked. "This is a disaster!" she continued. "How could you do this?"
"Oh come on Kate, what did he do for our cause? He was nothing but a burden." he asked.
"And yet you were always the one to keep him with us!" she said coolly. "What happened to your conviction that we need him?"
"Well, even I make mistakes." He growled.
"Yes, you do. And your human, it's only natural. But some of the mistakes you make could be avoided. George was right. Something has to change Hiccup." Hope spoke up form where she was kneeling next to the still unconscious Josh.
The anger melted away and he hurried to his friend's side.
"How is he?" he asked worriedly.
"He'll live. This time. But that could easily have been different."
Hiccup looked down ashamed.
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath he tried to calm his thoughts and wild beating heart down.
"I was an idiot." He moaned. "Gods, guys I'm so sorry."
"It's not us you have to apologize to!" Conner said slowly. "I may not like George very much but he's an okay dude. He had a hard life and from what I have seen he has developed so much over the time he's been part of this group and I think it would be more than sad if he fell back into his old habits."
Hiccup looked up.
"Are you going to leave me too?" he asked his friends silently.
Kate rolled her eyes and the anger faded a bit, making way for some softness.
"Oh don't be daft Hiccup. I swore to be at your side from the beginning to the end. I've been through worse with you. And I think that counts for everyone here."
The others nodded.
"I nearly killed Josh. I nearly killed us all."
"No, the Outcast nearly killed us. You…just didn't….see how serious the situation really was…" a silent voice said next to him.
Everybody looked down.
"Josh!" Hope exclaimed happily.
"Missed me?" he asked weakly before turning back to Hiccup. "It's true I'm going to kick your ass for not coming to may aid but I guess you had a good reason."
"More or less." Hiccup said silently.
"But I'm glad you are alright."
"Yeah me too."
"So, where are we?" Illiona asked to change the topic.
Hiccup stood up and looked around.
There was a distinct familiar tingling under his skin.
He studied the islands coast and the trees and the shrubbery and said silently:
"My best guess would be the outskirts of the Archipelago. I'm…home…kinda."