The dragon riders

Chapt 16

Astrid's pov
Hiccup held the trembling boy, offering words of reassurance amidst the turmoil. "It's not your fault," he emphasized, his voice filled with empathy. What wasn't the boy's fault? I wouldn't know, he had whispered it into hiccups ear as he was scared or ashamed of what happened. Sensing his vulnerability, Hiccup swiftly wrapped him in a blanket, providing a modicum of comfort to his exposed state. With deftness born of necessity, Hiccup fashioned a makeshift shirt to preserve the boy's dignity.
Lifting him gently, Hiccup introduced him to me, a good friend. "This person right here, her name is Astrid. She'll protect you. I'm going to leave you with her, but I promise I'll be right back," Hiccup explained, transferring the boy into my care. The boy nodded, his eyes filled with uncertainty. Hiccup locked eyes with me and issued a solemn directive, "Protect him at all costs. He's already endured hell—let's not add to his suffering." I nodded in understanding, accepting the weight of the responsibility.
With resolve in his stride, Hiccup disappeared into the labyrinthine corridors, leaving me and the boy behind. Cradling the child in my arms, I made my way back to the meeting point where our group had convened. Choosing to wait there, i clutched onto hope while chaos swirled around me. The boy was scared, I didn't know what to do in this type of situation. Vikings arent that big on compassion.I held onto his hands, rubbing circles into them, that seemed to calm him down a bit.
Before long, the other teams returned, each bearing a harrowing tale. Rapunzel and Heather emerged, carrying a fragile young girl, barely a year old, maybe older, and a weary boy, not looking older than past three. Their disheveled appearance and signs of malnourishment spoke volumes about the horrors they had endured. Frost and Eret followed suit, leading a little girl, perhaps five or six years old, her eyes haunted by fear and was soaking wet.
"Where's Hiccup? You said he'd be here!" the elder girl exclaimed, her voice trembling with anxiety, she looked as if she was going to cry. Eret stepped forward, attempting to calm her. "Where is he?" they asked, turning to me for answers. "I don't know. He said he'd be right back," I replied, my voice tinged with concern and uncertainty.
Suddenly, Merida's group materialized out of thin air, their faces filled with anticipation. "Alright, we've liberated the dragons but,... where's Hiccup?" Merida inquired urgently. "He went up to the guards quarters, but then he ran off," I explained, a hint of worry in my voice. Merida's determination flared. "We need his lead. We have to find him," she declared, and together we rushed towards the guards quarters, traversing the same corridor Hiccup had taken.
Reaching the end of the corridor, we confronted colossal doors adorned with intricate engravings. The boy, now clinging to my side, trembled with fear at the sight of the door. Protectively, I shielded him behind me. Just as we were about to open the doors, Hiccup emerged, his appearance disheveled, his body smeared with blood that was not his own. His piercing gaze alone could send shivers down one's spine. But what chilled us to the core was the sight that greeted us inside the room: walls painted crimson with blood and grotesque, contorted bodies strewn about. Some were gutted others were decapitated. It was mess.
Hiccup's crew instinctively stepped aside showing there respect, while, struck with horror, Stoick, Gobber, the twins, Snoutlout, and Fishlegs stared in disbelief. He looked like he was going to kill again but as soon as he saw the children, Hiccup's hardened expression softened in an instant. "Hiccup" the children yelled with glee happy to see him. He looked relieved, he crouched down, pulling them all into a tight embrace, giving them all forehead kisses. "I couldn't find General Hunnigans. Where else could he be?" Hiccup asked Erik, seeking answers. "In the tower"Erik said, rising to his feet. Hiccup turned his gaze towards us, his voice eerily calm as he issued a chilling command.
"Change of plans. Escort all the survivors to safety, and then set this place ablaze. Leave no enemy soldier alive," he declared, his words resonating with a chilling resolve. "But, Hiccup..." Rapunzel began, only to be met with Hiccup's furious glare. "Did I fucking stutter? You were given orders, and I expect you to follow them," he sneered, his anger palpable. A slight tremor rippled through his crew as his commanding presence loomed over them. "Astrid, you're in charge of the children," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument. "Let's go, people! Chop-chop! I need to have a word with General Hunnigans."
With Hiccup's words reverberating in our ears, we swiftly complied, herding all the survivors onto the boats and securing them to the liberated dragons. Gobber took the lead, guiding them towards Berk, their refuge and sanctuary. Meanwhile, our mission remained to keep the enemy contained within the encampment. The alarm bells rang out as they discovered our presence, but by then, the survivors were already out of harm's way.
As the enemy soldiers scrambled to seal themselves outside, our team engaged them in combat, fighting fiercely to hinder their escape. Hovering above the chaotic battleground, I soared through the chaos with four frightened children clinging to me. The three older ones huddled together, seeking solace and protection, while the youngest, overwhelmed by fear, couldn't stop crying. Uncertain of how to comfort her, I resorted to bouncing her gently, hoping to provide some semblance of reassurance amidst the tumultuous scene.
"Where are your mommy and daddy?" I inquired, concern lacing my voice. Erik's response was filled with sorrow. "Our mommy is in Valhalla, and as for our daddy, well we don't know where he is," he explained, a hint of longing in his words. The eldest girl chimed in, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "We have older siblings, but they were taken away on a ship."
"We'll find them," I assured them with determination. Hope flickered in their eyes, and the youngest boy mustered the courage to ask, "You really think so?" I met his gaze, resolute in my response. "Yes, we will. Do you remember any details about the ship they were on?" I inquired, hoping for a clue. Erik's voice held a glimmer of recognition. "It was an enemy ship, two masts, red sails with the drago crescent and it had cages on its deck," he recalled. I nodded taking note of this.
"Blondie!" Merida's urgent call broke through the chaos, causing me to soar down and land atop a nearby building. "Yes, Merida?" I responded, ready for her command. She wasted no time, her words carrying a sense of urgency. "The exits are blocked. Signal our dragons to come and pick us up," she directed. I nodded, swiftly conveying the signal to our dragon allies. Moments later, the sky filled with the majestic creatures as they descended to rescue our group. In a flurry of wings and chaos, the dragons swooped down, lifting us off the ground one by one.
As we completed our destructive task, engulfing everything in flames, the piercing screams of agony from the enemy filled the air. Amidst the chaos, a sudden realization struck me like a thunderbolt. "Where's Hiccup?" I urgently questioned, a tinge of worry coloring my voice. Frost, always composed, offered reassurance. "Don't worry, he's wearing fireproof armor," he replied, his voice steady.
Just then, from the largest building, a window shattered, and a man was propelled out, crashing to the ground with a sickening thud. Though bloodied and battered, he attempted to crawl away, desperate to escape his impending fate. But before he could get far, Hiccup descended upon him, his presence exuding a chilling intensity. The man, already on the brink of destruction, became the target of Hiccup's unrestrained wrath.
Without hesitation, Hiccup seized a knife, unleashing his pent-up anger upon the man's defenseless body. Blow after merciless blow, he relentlessly stabbed him, channeling his rage. The man's face, arms, and torso became mutilated under Hiccup's vengeful assault. Like a ruthless executioner, Hiccup gutted him, depriving him of life, before severing his head from his shoulders.
With a sharp whistle, Toothless swiftly came to Hiccup's aid, snatching him up and carrying him into the sky. Hiccup mounted Toothless, a formidable duo ready to wreak havoc upon the enemy's stronghold. In a display of raw power, Hiccup unleashed the fury of their combined forces, causing several major buildings to erupt in fiery explosions. As the inferno raged below, Hiccup gazed upon the devastation, a calmness settling over him.
            I couldn't help but be shaken by what I had witnessed. This man, who had just unleashed his wrath upon another with nothing more than a pocket knife and pure rage, frightened me. But as soon as his eyes met the children, his expression softened, a genuine smile gracing his face. He swiftly approached me on Toothless, gratitude evident in his words. "Thank you, Astrid, for protecting them," he acknowledged, his voice filled with sincerity.
            He gently took hold of the children, the youngest tears subsiding in his presence. My curiosity compelled me to inquire about the fate that befell the man who had been subjected to such horrifying mutilation. Peering down at what remained of the man's body, "What do that man do to be mutilated like that" I asked. Hiccup's face contorted with disgust, his voice laced with justified anger. "He was guilty of one of the most despicable crimes—harming a child," he explained. "This man committed unspeakable acts, and he needed to face the consequences, he had to experience the pain he inflicted upon these innocent kids."
             My gaze shifted back to the malnourished, terrified and beaten children, their wounds a grim reminder of the monsters they had encountered. Hiccup did the right thing, those bastards deserve to burn. Just then, Merida approached, declaring that everything was ablaze and suggesting our departure. Hiccup nodded in agreement, and Merida summoned the others, each mounted on their own dragon. Fishlegs rode upon a majestic Gronckle, the twins atop a fearsome Hideous Zippleback, and Snoutlout commanded a monstrous Nightmare. Stoick accompanied Frost on his dragon, and together we embarked on our journey back to Berk, leaving the island consumed by flames.
            Throughout the journey, Hiccup held the children close, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. I pondered the nature of his resolute gaze, wondering what lay in his mind. Whatever it was, he had set his sights on it with an unyielding resolve.