The Black fire (BOOK 1)

Test

-Narrator: Hiccup.

 

We spent four days repairing the plane. I fixed the transmission bar, made new blades for the propeller and reconditioned the whole fuselage. Mark, however, used all the time he could get to repair the engine and the control plane, in other words, the technical part of the craft. I sometimes watched him doing it, it seemed difficult, even for him. He explained me how it worked; it uses a very inflamable liquid named gasoline to make an explosion inside the engine. Apparently, this explosion somehow spins the transmission, and with it, the propeller.

We went to bed late the fourth night, in those days, I got to know him a lot better, but I didn't know why he was here or any of his story.

''I gotta ask him tomorrow before the test.'' I thought.

Narrator: Mark.

I woke up slowly the day of the test. I have been working in the plane for four days non-stop, no clue why I was tired. But I needed to stay focused, and even more today. Today was the day I've been waiting patiently.

We were going to test the plane.

I got out of the canopy, revising the plan one more time inside my head. I was simple: recover my gun and hide it on the secret compartment, then, if the plane works properly, I will fly away and never return to this damned island. ''I'm sorry, Hiccup, I can't let you have this technology knowing what is outside this lands. It's too risky.'' I thought, whashing my face with water. In the end, I knew that they will found them anyways, but sure it was not going to be my fault.

Hiccup entered the room with a pair of cooked fish in a plate. ''It's the day, my friend!'' He said. It looked excited. ''Today you will undo the problems you caused in the past, and the gods will let you go, free again.'' He smiled at me. The more he talked, more guilty I felt. When I leave, I will break him to pieces, but it was the right thing to do.

This afternoon, before sunset. The door to my freedom, opens.

Narrator: Stoick.

I met with Gobber at the plaza. The sun was high, and no clouds were in sight. Perfect for a test in the sky. ''You called me?'' Gobber asked, standing near me. ''What do you think its the right choice?'' I asked. He looked at me, confused. ''A choice about what?'' ''About the pilot, Gobber. I don't trust him.'' He sighed and looked at the armory. ''You ask me my opinion about if we need to kill him after the test, right?'' I nodded in agreement. ''Well... he didn't cause any trouble, after the confrontation with Astrid...'' He started. Then I remembered her. ''How is she, by the way?'' ''Oh, she is great, her arm is almost completely cured now.'' He responded. ''That is geat news''. I was glad to hear that, one of the very few good things I've heard in days. 

''Anyway... he caused no trouble besides that. On the other hand, he provoked a lot of chaos off all kind when he was by the dragon's side.'' ''And the dragons are the enemy...'' I stated. Gobber scratched his chin, pensive. ''The choice is yours Stoick. We can give him freedom as payment for fixing the plane. Or we can throw him into the death arena again, but with no choice of scaping this time.'' I leaned on a wall, processing all the information and trying to clear my thoughts in order to make a rational choice. Gobber was standing by me, waiting for my response. 

I took a pair of minutes to decide. Finally I decided: ''No matter what he does now, he is guilty of countless atrocities. He must pay.''

''With his own blood.''

-Narrator: Hiccup.

It was almost sunset. Mark and I were finishing the preparations when I noticed all the village started filling the plaza. Of course, my dad was there, along with Gobber and the gang. Everybody was watching at the plane, everyone except Astrid. She was looking at me, worried. It was like he was afraid something was going to happen to me, but that was impossible, she didn't care about me.

Mark was revising the 20 mm cannon at the front of the plane. The only weapon, still very dangerous. You definitely don't want it pointing at you. When he finished, he turned and looked at me. ''You better calm down your village mate, I think they are getting nervous.'' He said pointing outside with his hand. I thought it was strange he wanted me to calm the villagers down. Still, I went outside, hoping my dad is in the mood for a talk.

Narrator: Mark.

My mind raced when Hiccup passed the big front door, leving me alone and unguarded. I couldn't believe he fell with that. He left the revolver in the desk, and when nobody was watching me, I took it.

I opened the drum and made sure all the bullets where in place. Then, I jumped into the cockpit and tested the controls one final time. All those days of working where worth it: the controls when not just fine, they where even smoother than before!

The tank of the nitro was full as well. That tank contained a very powerfull boost that doubles the engine's power when activated. Long used, however, results into the melting of the engine causing the total destruction of the craft. It sounds as bad as it is. That is why I didn't told Hiccup about it. He believes is a refrigerator of some sort. Thankfully, he didn't ask too much about it.

Suddenly, I heard the villagers shouting. They wanted to see the test. The culmination of all the work done. And they will have it.

I started the engine.