The Black fire (BOOK 1)

Awakening

-Narrator: Mark.

I woke up in a dark room. I was laying in a bed, next to a chair. Sitting on that chair was Gobber, looking at me like I was a bug. He was holding my revolver and a pair of bullets. ''You woke up in the worst moment.'' He mentioned, then turned to see the two bullets on his hand. ''I don't know how this little things caused those injuries to Stoick.''

A moment later, I tried to wake up from the bed, I figured out, however, that my right wrist was chained to the wall, preventing me from standing up. I layed again, holding my chest: my ribs still hurt... After a moment, I started hearing voices. Two voices to be precise. They were coming from downstairs, then, I recognized Hiccup's voice. ''You know, after what happened last week, Stoick is determined in ending your life. Luckily for you, Hiccup still protects you.'' then, Gobber looked all over me. ''I don't know what he sees in you.''

He standed up, heading to the stairs. I asimilated all the information and gasped in realization: ''One entire week? I was here in bed 7 days? What happened to my plane? Did Hiccup protected me all this time? Why? He could just finished the plane with the instruction's help and let me die...'' Then, in a flashback, I remembered: ''A deal is a deal, after all.'' I spent the next couple of minutes repeating those words over and over again in my head. I smiled. ''I guess the deal is still valid...'' I said.

But something, in the back of my mind, awoke.

-Narrator: Hiccup.

My dad was sitting in a chair in front of me, we were discussing Mark's fate... again. This was the third time in two days damnit! I was tired. I was praying for Mark to wake up soon, because I couldn't take this anymore.

Not only my dad was against me, which wasn't so strange now that I think about it, but the gang wasn't exactly helping with it: after what happened on the flying test, they continued mocking me about me trying to repair the plane by miself. I spent almost all the time I got through all the week trying to fix it.

And I think I did it.

Suddenly, Gobber appeared: ''He's awaken.'' he said. All my worries disappeared for a moment; Mark was finally awake! The gods must have been listening! Just before I started running to the stairs, Stoick called: ''Hiccup! Come back here! I'm not finished talking with you!'' I turned my head to face him, trying to look as calmed as I could. ''Well, I am with you.'' I said. And I still can't believe I had enough courage to say it.

If you couldn't tell, my dad was very upset with me. He tried to convince me so many times this week to go training, he told me that he would teach me everyday until I was ready for combat. But I refused, everytime. Today, however he was acting different; instead of offering me to train in the death arena, he was almost forcing me. I thought he was losing his patience.

And he really was.

-Narrator: Stoick.

I sighed. I made the same error two times. It happened with astrid, it happened with me, and he almost kills my son. I wasn't going to make it a third, no matter what Hiccup says, I will destroy the machine. After killing the pilot. 

''Why he wont listen to me Gobber?'' I said, losing my patience. He looked at me: ''I think we should give him a little more time. He really thinks he is his friend, and no matter he is or not, Hiccup will not let him go so easily.'' I nodded in approval. ''If I was you, I would kill him, but not inmediatly, let them say goodbye to each other first.'' He was right, we need to keep this as secret as possible to Mark. Give Hiccup a few days to say goodbye, and then kill him.

''I'll listen to you this time.'' I said.'' Now please, help me get on my feet.'' The wound was still hurting, even after a week later. Even, after they got the metal piece out of it. I could barely stand. But I had enough strength to do normal life, at least to the majority of tasks. As we walked out of the armory, Gobber asked: ''But... are you sure Hiccup will understand it?'' I waited a couple of seconds before answering:

''I will talk to him later, now he needs some time with the pilot.''

-Narrator: Hiccup.

I went upstairs and saw Mark chained to the bed. He turned his head to me, then he sat on the side of the bed. I got next to him, sitting beside him. ''How are you doing?'' I asked. ''How is your father?'' He answered. My eyes opened wide in surprise. Why did he care about Stoick now? He almost killed him the last week, and now was trying to return the favour to him... ''He's fine, he managed to get out of worse situations. I'm more worried about you.'' Hearing that made him shiver a little. ''You should be a little more concerned about him, those bullets get people killed.'' He stated. I was very confused at that point: what happened to Mark? Why he cared so much about my dad? Did Gobber say something to him? 

''Why are you saying this to me?'' I ask him, starting to worry. ''Mark, are you ok?'' He was looking at the wooden floor, tears falling from his face. That was the first time I saw him crying; it made me feel sad about him. Suddenly, he raised his head, now looking directly at the wall, avoiding direct eye contact with me.

''Because you still have him.'' I heard him muttering.