Home-Bound: The Beginnings (HTTYD)

32 - The Aftermath

"Where's Andreas?" Hiccup scanned the entire island helplessly. He had been burdened with the task of watching over Andreas for this battle who had decided not to stay in the bunkers. As the Chief, he emphasized the fact that it was his duty to fight for and protect his people. For Hiccup, it just made his job much more of a headache.

"There!" Luneah called, pointing to a spot up on the cliffsides before urging Midnight to dive down.

Hiccup followed her trajectory and spotted two soldiers locked in a duel. One was wearing a brown and red chestpiece. It was obviously Andreas. Red was Isunder's color, and the color of Andreas' armor. The other fighter was unknown.

Toothless landed right behind Midnight, behind one of the rock outcroppings higher up on the hill than where the duel was taking place. Hiccup jumped off his dragon, crawling on his stomach over to the edge of the boulder. Luneah soon followed after him. She pulled off her helmet so she could get a better look at the scene.

"Who is it?" Luneah whispered, watching s the two cirlced eachother.

"I don't know... his back is to us. I'll have to wait until he gets around to the other side."

There was no waiting because the strange soldier immediately let out a battle cry and charged for Andreas.

"Wait..." Hiccup's mind reeled. "That battle cry. That's a Berserker, definetly."

Hiccup studied the strange man's armor and scars. He connected the dots without much more thought. "That's Dagur himself. We need to get Andreas out of there."

"What?! Who is Dagur?"

"Heir to the throne of the Berserkers," Hiccup turned on his back and slid off the boulder. "Berserkers are unpredictable and completely insane. Andreas won't see anything coming."

Luneah slid off after him, tugging on her Inferno to release the tie from her belt. "Do we intervene?"

"No," Hiccup adamantly refused. "He'll become cornered. Desperate. He'll go even more berserk."

"Then what do we do?" Luneah urged. "We can't just sit here and watch our Chief get killed, Hiccup!"

"I know we can't! But do we have another option?"

"..."

"I thought so—"

He was cut off when they heard a cry of pain from the battle below. Hiccup and Luneah both glanced at eachother before taking off to the edge of the cliff.

They were relieved to see that it was Dagur who had let out the cry, not Andreas. Their Chief had gotten a slice at Dagur, against his right side. It was one of the unarmored areas.

The Chief, in a heroic display of strength and power, surged straight forward and ran his sword right through the Berserker, right up to the very hilt. Dagur groaned and let blood spil from his lips.

The Berserker let out a manaical cackle and then, Andreas was on the ground.

"Chief!" Luneah cried, finally revealing herself. She ran up to the Chief, turning him over onto his back and gasping at the sight of the poisoned knife that had been stabbed into his side.

She sent a desperate glance at Hiccup, their eyes meeting and silently communicating. Luneah whistled for Midnight, helping Andreas onto the saddle before taking off in the direction of the city in hopes of finding a medic.

Hiccup walked up to Dagur, pulling off his helmet as he nudged the dying viking. "Dagur. How nice of you to show up here," he quipped sarcastically, crouching down beside his childhood friend.