The Night Rider: Book Two

Chapter 41: Family

HICCUP/THE NIGHT RIDER POV.

It had been several hours since Viggo's words that had terrified him to his core. And since then he'd been left alone in his cell to worry quietly to himself about what would become of his father, Astrid, and Berk.

He raised his eyes towards the barred window. It would become afternoon in an hour, maybe less.

'They'll be to Berk by the afternoon.' Is what Viggo had said about his fleet. If his estimations were right, that meant that the fleet would reach Berk soon, and the fighting would begun. But Berk will have had no time to prepare for an attack. He'd led countless attacks against an unprepared enemy, and there's only one word he'd use to describe them. Slaughter. They were always a slaughter.

And what about his dad? Viggo said that Ryker would kill him before the fighting begins. Hiccup balled up his fists and gritted his teeth. If Viggo had Ryker do anything to his dad. He'd... he would... they'd all die! And painfully. No mercy! Ryker would once again meet the version of the Night Rider he'd sworn to leave behind at the end of the first war. The one that made Hunters quiver at the very mention of his name. And there'd be no stopping him.

The door to the prison opened and Heather walked in. Would she let him go? Maybe if they left now he could reach Berk in time to warn them, or at least help end a battle. Save his father. But, when Dagur walked in behind her carrying his helmet in his hands,Hiccups hopes dwindled.

"Oh, brother! Do you know how long I've waited for this moment?" Dagur questioned him.

"What moment?" He asked.

"Your execution." Heather told him. Two Berserker guards enter the prison and unlocked his cell. One of them was carrying a rope in their hands. They unlocked the cell and proceeded to walk in.

Hiccup lunged at the smaller of the two and punched him across the face, causing the guard to stagger back. The larger guard grabbed him from behind and forcibly pressed him up against the wall. They bound his hands behind his back with the rope and escorted him out of the cell.

"Well, at least you tired." Said Dagur. "Here, I have something for you." Dagur slipped the helmet over Hiccups head. "Thought you might as well die in it."

The guards continued to push him out of the prison. The streets were crowded with onlooking Berserkers. An older woman picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it towards him. It hit him in the chest, earning a cheer from the crowd. "Get ready to die, traitor!" She yelled.

Dagur confidently walked up beside him. "Don't you just love a public execration, brother? Always makes me feel so alive—ironically."

The guards continued to lead him through the town. Every person they passed joined a steadily growing crowd of Berserkers that followed closely behind. They walked past the harbor, and all the Hunter ships and several Berserker war vessels he'd seen earlier were gone. So that was Viggos fleet. It had to be massive.

Soon, they reach what must be the town square. And in the middle of it was a wooden stage lifted a few feet off the ground. An execution platform. A large crowd already surrounded the wooden stage, and when he was forced up the steps onto the stage and knelt down onto the ground, they all cheered. There had to be at least 150 onlookers. Give or take. Each one eager to see his head roll on the floor.

Dagur raised a hand into the air and the crowd silenced. "Who here wants to see an execution?"

The crowd erupted into cheers which quickly silenced when Dagur raised his hand once more. Dagur looked down towards him. "Looks like the people have spoken."

"Dagur, please. You don't have to do this." The Night Rider pleaded. He knew it was futile to try and plead with Dagur. That was made more clear when Dagur pulled a sword from a sheath and brandished it confidently up in the sky, earning a third cheer from his people.