Hello once again. So... the fandom has awakened again for some fucking reason. Apparently, they're planning on making a live-action adaptation of the franchise. Welp. Here's to hoping they don't fuck it up. At least Dean Deblois is going to direct it so that's a little reassurance. Anywho, fellassss. I got another fic with the same old ass trope ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ yah know me. I decided to make Viggo evil again. Also, I'm a little rusty from writing so. ENJOY NONETHELESS.
"This shouldn't be too difficult," said Hiccup, the image of a lit-up campsite reflecting off the lens of the spyglass he held to his eye.
Torches brightly lit up the grounds busy with Dragon Hunter soldiers, like fireflies in the dead of night. To Hiccup, it was almost like the enemy wanted to be noticed. He continued examining, bringing his eye against the object once more to carry on with his survey.
"I spot two dozen guards posted across the campgrounds." He put his tool away and turned to the other Riders awaiting his report. They held on to the handles of their saddles, their dragons perched on the flexible branches of a high tree like vultures waiting for the hunter to be done with its prey. "The dragons are kept on the east side of town. If we go in there and work fast, these Hunter won't even know what hit 'em."
"'Cause it'll be too late!" cheered Tuffnut, punching the palm of his hand with a malicious smile stretching his face.
"Yes... that's... what I mean," confirmed Hiccup, rolling his eyes. As he straightened to address the Riders in the back, his face lit up again. He locked eyes with Heather and Astrid as they awaited orders, their postures giving away their eagerness to get on with this mission. "By the time they realize what's going on and sound the alarm, more than half of Viggo's profit will be sinking into the ocean. So let's make this one hurt."
"Oh, it's gonna hurt, alright," snickered Snotlout, hands tight around Hookfang's twisted horns. "When I shove the toe of my boot up his-"
"Ooookay..!" interrupted Astrid, cutting him off before he gave away more graphic details.
The moon shone brightly against the ink-black sky of midnight. Stars shimmered; the ocean waves danced. The landform of the isle was rocky with arches and cliffs, offering little flat space for the Dragon Hunters to operate. It made Hiccup wonder why Viggo would choose such a remote location to operate his business. The Hunter had greatly failed if it were purposed with discouraging an attack. The island itself almost reminded Hiccup of Berk. It was a common island structure in the Archipelago. With their beaches, waterfalls, streams, and several forests, islands of this type were more than livable and most importantly, defensible. Every once in a while, when they were lucky to hit the jackpot, auctions took place on outposts like these. Usually, word of such events circulated discreetly among criminals and it was very uncommon for an uninvited individual to hear about it. Thankfully for Hiccup and his team, they had an accomplice with ears everywhere. Hiccup was more than fanatical to receive this information from Trader Johann.
It was an opportunity for Viggo to make a profit and grow stronger. But not unless the Riders caused significant damage. And Hiccup planned to do just that.
To hurt the Dragon Hunters.
To hurt Viggo Grimborn.
Toothless dug his claws into the wood of the bent branch he balanced on, his wings slightly extended and drooping. He remained still as a wild feline, his exotic green gaze fixating on the activity below. Soldiers clamoured and laughed around campfires, weapons always on their person. There was never any dulling for sentries and patrols. Hiccup knew that they wouldn't go by undetected with a big party. The last thing they wanted was to draw attention, especially too early in the mission. Hiccup turned to his team again.
"It's too crowded and without enough cover to maneuver from dragonback," he explained, considering the risk of fighting from the ground. "We'll have to work on foot. Astrid, Fishlegs," He turned to the two Riders, attentive to his next orders. "I'm relying on you to get us out of there should anything go wrong. Heather," He turned to the Berserker, her fiery green gaze matching his own. "You're with me. We'll get the dragons. Snotlout, twins, you jump the campgrounds, distract the guards, but make sure they don't sound the alarm too soon. We need enough time to get in there and get out. If it gets too dangerous, you call your dragons and we'll regroup out of firing range. Does everyone understand?"
"Oui, mon capitaine," said Tuffnut, saluting him. He was all too eager to dive in and trigger some chaos.
Hiccup nodded, a grim look painting his face as he returned his eyes to the target below. He readjusted his grip and shifted his posture. Toothless narrowed his eyes and with one swift motion, took to the colourless sky, the moonlight reflecting off his smooth scales. They hovered there for a moment before diving for the grounds, wings soundless as an owl against night's cold wind.
They contoured the village, flying above the treeline to avoid sharp eyes. Heather followed closely on Windshear a few wing-beats behind while Snotlout and the twins took a different turn where they would attract the guards away from Hiccup and Heather's target.
Hiccup directed Toothless to land in a clearing in the thinning forest levelled with their mark. The metallic beat of wings came soon after as Heather landed Windshear next to them.
"Alright," said Hiccup, dismounting his Night Fury. He pulled Inferno from his satchel and slipped it into the holster strapped to his left thigh. "Toothless, I need you to stay here. There are a thousand ways this can go south. I might need you to get me out of there."
Toothless burbled softly, exchanging a look with the Razorwhip. Heather smirked and skilfully disunited her double-bladed makeshift axe before swinging it back to one piece, sheathing it at her back.
"You ready?" she asked, walking up to his side.
Hiccup nodded without contentment despite the advantage and great victory this mission could bring to their court should they successfully disrupt this auction still in preparation. They didn't waste more time and took off in the direction of the dragon cages covered in pale drapes. The quiet atmosphere of the grounds gave them the advantage of hearing should they lack visuals on patrolling guards. They sneaked around buildings and tents, keeping to the shadows of buildings and away from the snitching light of torches. They moved surreptitiously, careful with their steps and movements so as not to catch a curious eye. They left behind the cover of darkness and sneaked between two storage buildings built close by the village's east side. Hiccup could see from here that they had left behind the safety of the main island and were now nearing the edge of the cliff formation onto which a part of the camp was built. Should they be cornered, they would have no place to run to. Only a cliff end with a very steep slope of approximately a hundred feet, meeting forest ground at the bottom. Hiccup brought his focus back to the mission, narrowing his eyes on the dragon cages sitting by the wooden gate shielding the village from the docks like a fortress. He turned to Heather, attentive like a hunter stalking prey. He gestured to move quickly while a patrol walked by, oblivious of their presence in the shadows. They stalled again, holding their breath, their backs against the building. Hiccup met her gaze again.
"Cover me," he whispered, taking a few quiet steps forward, looking both ways down the passage before swiftly making it among the cages. The patrol kept on going, their backs to them. He stood still and quiet, sighing softly in between the draped dragon-proof cages before proceeding.
The first thing that ticked him off was the stillness.
The silence. Not a growl or a sneer.
Hiccup stared at the drape covering the cage before him, his concern featured by a confused frown. He gripped the pale cloth and moved it aside to peek past it. He stood baffled.
The cage was empty.
He moved quickly, peering under the drapes of the other cages, but not a single dragon lay imprisoned. There were no dragons.
No dragons.
Dread dawned on him. He stilled, trying to think fast.
No auction. No rescue mission. Not if the target was absent from where it should've been...
And then it hit him.
"It's a trap..." he whispered, barely a plume of breath.
He turned around to retrace his steps, back to Heather, but the Berserker had already fallen into the Dragon Hunters' clutches. He watched from where he stood, freezing in place as he watched her be surrounded by guards, their weapons raised and ready to engage. They hadn't noticed him standing in the shadowed area. Hiccup groaned his annoyance at another stealth mission gone wrong. He reacted swiftly and unclipped Inferno. He stood still before clicking the trigger and letting the blade slide out. The kerosene gel lit up in an instant, sparking up the dark. The Hunters' heads turned his way, their expressions mean and unmerciful.
"That's right," he said, his tone strong as if he wasn't facing a handful of armed soldiers ready to charge him and cut him open without a second thought. "It's me you want." The Hunters left the Berserker like she was a mere mouse to a coyote. Hiccup, on the other hand, was like a stag. "So come and get me."
Needless to say, the Hunters didn't hesitate to go after him the moment the Rider darted away into the maze of cages. His legs worked fast as he turned sharp corners and darted the other way when a Hunter appeared down the passageway before him. It was a relentless chase of cats and prey, but Hiccup didn't yield despite the uneven odds. He was still running despite the arrows whistling past him, leading them away from Heather to give the Berserker a window for escape. Hiccup knew his luck wouldn't go on forever when he was tackled by surprise. The stronger and larger body slammed against him, pinning him violently to the ground and knocking his dragon blade out of his hand. The flaming sword rolled a step away, its bright flames as illuminating as a torch. The Rider struggled against the soldier's grip on his wrists, pinning him down good against the cold rocky ground. The guard reached into his armour to grab a pale cloth in between the layers and forcefully pressed it against the Rider's nose and mouth. Hiccup struggled to get the fabric off, unable to breathe properly. He knew all too well the purpose of the cloth, but the lack of oxygen was unbearable, and Hiccup finally breathed through the fabric, inhaling the sedative compound. But the Rider refused to be beaten so easily and brought his left knee up to his chest before kicking his adversary in the gut with his metal prosthetic. The Hunter gasped for air, growling furiously from the blow. Hiccup took advantage of the moment to twist around and take hold of Inferno again. Without a second thought, he swung the flaming blade at the enemy, cutting and burning him across the face. The wail was chilling to the bone as the Hunter covered his injury with his hands, trashing around. The pain was unimaginable to Hiccup, but he didn't care at that moment. He didn't throw away this chance to escape and took off again.
Hiccup's adrenaline seemed to fade away with every stride. The surface of his skin seemed to numb. He could barely feel his weight as he moved forward, slower and slower, feeling like he might collapse at any moment. He couldn't tell if someone was behind him as he fled the maze of cages and ran into the open. He was losing his inhibition and becoming less aware of his surroundings. He felt lightheaded and his steps were uncoordinated. Distant shouts dragged his attention to the campgrounds ahead, but Hiccup couldn't find the power to react while he watched Hunters run his way.
He could hear someone calling his name, but it felt far away. Hiccup turned around to its source, dragon blade still in hand. Astrid's voice sounded muffled despite her proximity. She hovered on Stormfly by the cliff edge, calling out to him to come to her.
Hiccup tried shaking off the sensation of numbness, feeling like he could fight it off despite the powerful effects of a single inhale. He worked his body, picking up a run towards the Deadly Nadder. Hiccup focused on the dragon ahead hovering over the drop. He didn't take a moment to think before he leaped off the edge. There was a moment where everything seemed to slow down - where he hovered above the hundred-foot drop. Stormfly's wings seemed to beat as slowly as a butterfly resting on a beautiful flower. Hiccup didn't get to feel his heart drop before his hand gripped the gear strapped tight to the Nadder. His legs swung from his weight, temporarily unbalancing the Rider and dragon. He held on tight despite the lack of strength and muscle coordination, struggling to keep on while Astrid regained control of Stormfly. She couldn't help both Hiccup and herself all while the Dragon Hunters reached the edge and positioned to fire their arrows away. The rocking movement of the Nadder made it hard to hold on, and Hiccup didn't know how long he had before his hands slipped.
"Fire!" came a shout, and all Hiccup felt was the drop as Stormfly dove, escaping the pointy ends of the arrows.
"Hold on!" shouted Astrid, a mix of determination and panic in her voice. But it was all Hiccup could do until he couldn't. The momentum was treacherous. He felt his grip slip from the saddle's rings as Stormfly abruptly changed course.
"HICCUP!"