The Son of Wrath
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot.
(A/N: Here we go, my second crossover story!)
Chapter 1: A cold day
The town of Berk, Berk peninsula, Norway
A bitter cold wind howls through the sleepy town of Berk, frost covering everything as winter settles in. below the hillside, the townsfolk begin their day to day lives, generations of living with the cold. Truck drivers rumble their metal beasts to life, Shopkeepers open their businesses for the early customers. a driver waves farewell to the coffee shop owner, steam trailing from his tumbler as they walk towards their school bus. on the outskirts of the town, near the top of the hill, a house with a fenced off yard stands alone.
In the empty halls of the house, the incessant beeping of a phone alarm echoes throughout the house. the source of the ringing came from a small bedroom on the second floor, the alarm muffled by the door.
A slender arm reached from under the thick covers, slapping against the top of the wooden dresser. each time, the hand missed the phone screen until finally tapping the snooze button. "Ugh, morning already?", a teenage boy rolls back the warm covers, the medium mop of auburn hair a mess. he yawns and steps out from his small bed, his feet touching the cool floor removes his remaining drowsiness. he stretches his lanky body, his much larger t-shirt almost hanging off his shoulders. after getting a change of clothes and a towel, he stops at his bedroom door to brace himself. his hand hovers over the knob, he takes a breath and grabs the cold handle.
With a soft twist, he opens the door, the harsh cold floods the doorway. the boy takes a step out, the freezing floor out in the halls bite the soles of his feet. he curls in as the air claws at his exposed arms, each step on the wood floor a struggle to reach the bathroom further down the hall.
He finally reaches the bathroom, quickly rushing inside to flee the cold. the small room was the only other place where he turned the heat on, the boy set down his bundle and turned the knobs of the shower.
After a few minutes, he emerged from the bathroom, warm steam followed him out. while the socks covering his feet protect him from the coldness of the floor, the chilly air stings his damp hair. he descends the stairs carefully, his socks now endangering him on the smooth wood.
"Good morning!", his greeting echoes out into the empty kitchen. 'Why do I even bother?', he goes to the fridge and retrieves a nearly empty half-gallon of milk. 'Johann's still gone on his usual "trips"', after setting down the milk, he opens the cupboards and grabs a box of grain oats. 'Even when he's here, Mr. Karlsen's gone to work by the time I wake up', he shakes the last few drops from the small jug into the bowl filled with oats. his breakfast clinks when he sets it into the microwave, the hum of the appliance fills the empty house.
The boy locks the front door, Click, then slips the key under a false stone. before getting back up, he spots a small plastic bowl still filled with dog food, 'I guess she's gone for good'. the teen closes the gate behind him and begins the long trek down the hill, the fresh fallen snow crunches with each step he takes. the bumbling of a small motor drew his attention, a mail man on the other side of the street carried letters and a box under his arm. the front door opened with a man and two children at the doorway. the mailman handed over their delivery, tipping his hat before heading back to his bike. the two children cling to their father, their smiling faces giddy with excitement.
The boy sighed and resumed his walk along the sideway, an occasional car rolled by as he trekked down. he arrives at the stop and looks at his phone, watching the time pass as he waits for his bus. the clear sky lets the sunshine warm the small town, sparing the boy from the claws of winter. the growing rumbling brings him a small relief, yet also carries with it dread.
A sharp hiss was followed by a squeak, he tucks his phone into his pocket before ascending the bus' steps. the commotion of the students doesn't stop as he gets to his assigned seat, the covering worn with holes and the bits of stuffing missing. he is grateful that this seat behind the driver wasn't wanted, he could avoid his problems sitting far in the back with each other.
Berk lower secondary school, Mrs. Phlegma's science class
Students converse as they wait for their teacher to arrive, most of the class already sat or set their bags at their seats. the boy reaches the classroom but trips, sending his books scattering across the floor, "Smooth move, fishbone", an athletic built young man scoffed at him as he walks past him.
"Clumsy as always", a taller blond boy remarked standing beside the athlete, his hair in dreads.
"What else is new, bro?", an equally tall blonde girl chuckled. the three watched him pick up his bag's contents, not bothering to help.
"Everyone, into your seats!", the screech silenced the room, teens moved to their places. "That means you too!", a well-dressed blonde girl commanded the trio.
"Whatever you say, babe", the athlete's words made her groan in disgust. the pair moved to their seats close to the athlete, grumbling 'Nosy class rep' and 'Teacher's pet'. the girl flicks her bangs away from her eyes, she sees the boy still picking up his papers. "Here, let me help", the two quickly gathered the contents, "There, now c'mon and find your seat before Mrs. Plegma gets here".
"Everyone, get your books out", a large woman with thick brown hair marched into the room, "Your reports for this week will be presented after the lesson". the teacher finished writing on the chalkboard, "So you've better have something, I'm looking at you, Jorge". "Well then, roll call!", the teacher picked up her clipboard, "Ashley Hoffner".
The well-dressed girl quickly responded, "Present!".
Mrs. Phlegma smiled, having a firm yet courteous class president made handling her class's delinquents easier. "Franklin Ingram", a heavyset boy timidly raised his hand. "Rachel Thorn and Theodor Thorn", the twins groaned in unison. "Scott Jorge", the athlete yawned, making the teacher's eye twitch in restrained anger. she took a breath and resumed calling out more students, "And... Ah, Hayden Hansen". the boy raised his hand, Mrs. Plegma smiled as he was the only other student with as much discipline as Ashley. "Everyone was given an assignment to write a report on something they like involving science". the students dug into their bags for their reports, "You all had the weekend to work on it!".
Despite Franklin completing the assignment perfectly, Mrs. Plegma was forced to listen on the Thorn twins and Jorge's barebones attempt. Hayden waited until it was his turn to present, only two more classmates remained until his chance. "Mrs. Plegma, may I be excused?", Ashley waited until the student finished their report.
"You may", the teacher didn't need a reason for her request, she trusted the class president.
Mrs. Plegma called the next student up, "Give me a minute!", they fumbled inside their bag looking for their work. Hayden slumped in his seat, then heard a faint droning coming from the window. off in the distance he could see an American Blackhawk helicopter flying over the forest, 'Weird, why would a foreigner helicopter be flying here?'. he recalls Franklin often rambling on about the military and such, so he knew there weren't any bases on the Berk peninsula. Within seconds, everyone's phone blares out an alarm, Mrs. Plegma's desk phone rings a few moments later.
"Hello... an emergency... Okay, I understand", She hung up the phone, "Everyone gather your things, classes are cancelled due to an emergency". Scott, Rachel and Theodor cheered but were silenced by Mrs. Plegma smacking her clipboard against her desk, "Quiet!". the whole class gathered their bags and formed up single filed, marching out into the halls.
Hayden neatly packed away his unpresented report, the last of his classmates heading out. he stops zipping his bag halfway, spotting a lone bag still leaning on a desk, 'Ashley never came back?'. he finished packing and went to pick up her bag, expecting to see her with the rest of the school out by in the courtyard. Hayden quickly caught up to his class, who were being directed towards the bus lot by police officers.
Outside, more police officers were helping teachers load up students onto waiting school buses, "Everyone stay calm and follow directions!". Hayden desperately looked around, hoping to find Ashley. he hears his schoolmates chanting, "Hey, knock it off!", a policeman with a megaphone calls out to two students fighting. the officers standing by the school doors rush to the tussle, Hayden slips away to look for Ashley inside.
Hayden's footfalls echo through the empty halls, the second backpack still in his arms. he hears the sounds of metal doors crashing to the floor, followed by a scream. Hayden sprints as fast as his lanky body would let him. he slips while taking a turn too fast, tumbling to the floor. he gets to his feet, seeing Ashley slowly shuffling into view. "Ashley, thank good-", his relief is short lived as something else stomps into the intersection, a looming monstrosity edges closer to the frighten girl. Hayden doesn't hesitate, pushing his exhausted body towards his classmate.
"Ingh...', Ashley slowly back peddles away from the monster, terrified of the arthropod-like creature clicking its mandibles. it tilts its head while eyeing the petrified girl, then raises its sharp forearm.
Thud, "Ashley, look out!", her stunned state breaks when she tumbles down the opposite hallway.
"Hayden?", she picks herself up, watching in horror as her classmate gets bifurcated by the monster's attack. "HAYDEN!", the halves of the teen flop to the floor.
"Civilian down, engaging!", a pair of officers clad in tactical gear open fire at the creature, driving back the screeching monstrosity with automatic gunfire. one officer picks up the crying Ashley, "Get outta here, go, go!", shoving her back towards the hallway they came from. a third officer grabs Ashley and guides her to safety. the bullets hardly scratch the chitin of the monster, it slashes at the distracted officer.
"Sergent!", the blade shatters the C8 rifle, knocking him to the ground.
"Agh!", the officer pulls out his P30, frantically firing at the creature. the shots crack into the monster's shell, splattering viscous blood and causing the creature to screech in agony.
"Sir, are you alright?", the officer pulls his superior to his feet.
"I'm fine", he ejects the pistol's mag, realizing he forgot to swap out the armor piercing rounds. "Bravo squad, requesting situation update", the sergeant's radio buzzes to life, "Acknowledge?". he presses his collar, "Bravo here, anomaly located, reporting one civilian casualty", then looks to the end of the hallway. the doors leading to the back of the school off their hinges, "Hardened exoskeleton is resistant to standard munitions, AP rounds appear to be sufficient to break through". "Concealment status?", the sergeant surveys the empty halls. "Cover still intact, no witness", he picks up the remains of his rifle and hands them over to his subordinate.
"Understood, a detachment of Gamma-5 and Alpha-2 reinforcements on route", more Blackhawk helicopters close in on the school. they land in the open field surrounding the school, "Additional MTF detachments will arrive within the hour, will relay your findings to aid in their efforts to capture the anomaly", the soldiers that emerged from the aircraft were also dressed like Beredskapstroppen.
The Sergent pulls out a tablet, "Acknowledge, Command, will standby-".
"Sergent!", the other soldier calls out to him, interrupting his conversation with command.
The officer raises his hand, "Command, can you repeat?!".
"Sir!", the Sergent huffs, again being distracted from hearing his orders.
"I'm trying to get our next orders!", he snaps to his subordinate. "What is... it...?", the officer follows his gaze towards Hayden's remains. the two watched as the pool of blood shrinks as it recedes into the halves of the teen. muscle fibers spring out from the torso's end, mirroring the waist's fibers to latch onto the exposed flesh. while the halves pull themselves together, the severed arm's own tissue strands reach out to the torso's right stump. "Command, are you seeing this?", the small camera fixed to the Sergent's helmet relays the sight. the separated parts of the corpse pressed themselves together, wounds healing as the last of Hayden's blood seeps back into his body, "Acknowledged".
the teen's body jerked, followed by Hayden wheezing back to life, "I... I'm... I'm alive?".
He gasps for breath, "Additional orders relayed, secure the new anomaly". he tries to get up, but the soldier keeps him down with a knee pressed into his back, "Understood, Command"
"What, who are you?", Hayden struggles as his arms get snatched and crossed behind him, "Hey, let... let me go!".
"Sir, the kid keeps struggling!", he fights to get the binds on the teen.
"Sleepy time, Kid", the officer pulls out a different pistol. Pop, a dart sticks Hayden at the base of the neck, "Sweet dreams". the last thing Hayden sees is more soldiers running into the forest behind the school, before his vision fades to black.
(A/N: Boom, here we go again!)