Chapter Ninety-Five: A first taste of what is to come
The day had started well for Stoick the Vast.
But that was only until they were attacked by shadows.
It happened so suddenly and no one was prepared.
After the Dragon-attacks had ceased many months before, the Vikings had dared to let their guard down just a little bit but they regretted it now as monsters made from shadows tore through their village, carrying off villagers and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
Stoick had been helping Silent Sven with his sheep, when the screams first reached him.
Both Vikings had reeled around, expecting fire spitting dragons.
But it was so much worse.
The monsters took all shapes and forms.
Some looked like normal animals, only larger and with bigger fangs or claws, others like dragons, others like beings from the real of death. Monsters from the dreams of little children. Monsters that lived under beds and in cupboards and waited under stairs.
Monsters that devoured a Viking in one gulp or tore them in half with a mere flick of their wrist!
Stoick buried the blade of his finest ax in the first thing that fell before him.
But it was like hitting water. It passed clean through the monsters, left a gap for a second before said gap closed and the monster charged again.
Stoick could do nothing else but defend him as best as possible. He desperately searched for a weak spot but he couldn't find one!
Stoick finally went down and the monster towered over him, ready for the final blow.
Stoick fought the fear and looked the creature grim in the face.
He was a Viking. Death was an occupational hazard. He just wished it wasn't death by some unknown mythical creature that came to destroy his village.
But the mortal blow never came.
As if hearing a silent command the creature looked up all of a sudden, faltered and then…dissolved.
For a few moments Stoick just lay there, stunned and still in shock.
Suddenly Gobber appeared above him.
A part of Stoick's brain realized the joy of his best friend being alive but most of it was still in a stupor.
Gobber extended his one remaining arm and still in a daze Stoick grabbed it and got to his feet.
"You alright?" Gobber asked darkly.
Stoick just nodded but looked at the rapidly darkening sky.
"Where did they go?" he asked silently.
"Hopefully far away." Gobber growled.
"The village, the people…what is the damage?" Stoick asked, composing himself. A chief's duty is to his people. Everything else is secondary.
Gobber pulled a face.
"Not as bad as it could have been. Some houses destroyed and on fire, only fed dead but many wounded and of course scared. But probably nothing compared to a dragon raid."
The 'yet' hung unsaid in the air.
Stoick brushed some dust of his cloths and nodded.
"Show me."
.
As they walked through the village, Stoick got a dreadful feeling in his stomach.
There was…so little damage…
He should be glade, but he couldn't shake of this strange feeling. There were only a handful dead and lots of wounded people but somehow Stoick thought that this didn't fit the picture.
"What do you think?" his brother asked as he joined him and Gobber.
"I think that whatever attacked us wasn't out to do anything. This was just a sneak peek. The real battle is still coming." Stoick said darkly and turned to where the sun was sinking into the sea.
Just beyond the horizon and further to the south a dark cloud hung ominously above the water.