Fury of the Sun

5. The Invaders

A/N: First off, I'd just like to thank eylulsenol1 for voting on all my chapters! You're the first person to vote on any of my books.

I only did a brief edit, so there may be a few small mistakes.

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Chapter 5
The Invaders

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Soundtrack: 09. New Tail
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Hiccup unsaddled Toothless, and put his hand on the night fury's nose. "Hey, bud. I'm sorry to put you through this," he whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

I felt bad for eavesdropping on Hiccup, but I was far too worn to care at the time, having simply lain down on the mossy forest floor.

"I don't know how to change her back. I feel so terrible, like I'm letting her down... who know's how long she's been a dragon?" He queried. "Dad thinks she's going to hurt us, but I know she doesn't want that. Mum got taken by a Former, did I tell you?" Hiccup thought out aloud. He kicked a rock, a frown crossing his normally cheery - handsome, my mind interjected - features. "He's just hung up about it. I was only trying to help her," he murmured, glancing across at me.

"I guess I'd be distrustful too," Hiccup paused and looked over at Toothless, who was batting at a passing firefly. He finally grinned, rubbing Toothless' neck enthusiastically. Toothless whined like a dog and rolled over, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. If I was human, I would have laughed, the sight was so funny. The great and majestic dragon, reduced to a whimpering pile of scales at the touch of Hiccup's hands.

"At least you're a constant, Toothless," Hiccup said sullenly.

"I just want the best for her," he commented to no one, having returned to thoughts of the havoc I'd caused simply by being.

"The only thing she's looking for is herself."

. . .

The night seemed to last forever, and nightmares filled with murderous vikings filled my sleep. Always, they would come for me, and then my soul and my false body would perish once and for all at their hands, and in my last breath, I would feel the sorrow of never having the chance to be human again.

I couldn't say anything to Hiccup, obviously, and Toothless only provided a modicum of support. He wasn't weighed down by these very human thoughts, and dragon's didn't have a language other than roars, grunts, huffs, and other simplistic sounds. I couldn't talk to him either. I wasn't a dragon, and I wasn't a human. I couldn't be a part of either world.

I gazed up at the stars, my heart pained and sadness filling me. What if I never changed back?

I would have Hiccup, and Toothless... but it wouldn't be the same. I covered my head with my paws, trying to drive away the fear and uncertainty.

I thought back to the events today. This morning felt like years ago. Help me out, I whined, my eyes blurring and the pain in my chest worsening as I looked up at the stars. I would have given up then and there if it weren't for the answer I received.

"It's almost time
He's done his part
Now return the help
And save his heart."

I stared at the stars, not understanding. Save his heart? Literally, or figuratively? I guess the time would come when I would see. Snapping foliage brought me back to the night.

"Hiccup?" It was a girls voice, sweet, but with an undercurrent of ferocity with bespoke her sharp personality. "Hiccup, are you here?" she asked again.

"...Astrid?" I heard Hiccup reply. "Hiccup!" the girl exclaimed and threw herself into Hiccup's arms.

My chest grew tight, though I couldn't understand why. I only wanted this girl to go away. I felt bad for my immediate dislike of her, but since I didn't know any better I trusted my instincts.

"I missed you," I heard him say. "I missed you too," she replied kindly. "You don't have to explain anything, I understand. It's not like she's done anything wrong, except be a Former," this Astrid girl said gently, kissing Hiccup's forehead.

He hugged her, delight etched on his features. "I know. Stoick's so... set in his ways. I don't know what I expected to happen when I told him - not this, for sure. I think it's because of Mum."

What's wrong with me? I wondered, when yet again, I felt like frying Astrid with a plasma blast and taking Hiccup somewhere no one else could get to him. I crouched low on the ground, watcing silently.

"I actually came here for another reason," Astrid said gravely, leaving the subject behind. "Berk's under attack-" she began, but Hiccup cut her off with an exclamation of surprise and disbelief. "Invaders came by sea, and they've almost taken over the whole town while Stoick and half the village have been out searching for you."

. . .

Hiccup begged me to stay, and I finally agreed, although with the silent condition that if I thought they needed my help, I would go to the fight myself. Toothless and Astrid's dragon - a blue Deadly Nadder called Stormfly - took flight, riders perched on their backs.

I paced the soft forest floor, impatient and worried for Hiccup's safety. He was my only chance at becoming human again, and if he died... a part of me would die too. But that wasn't the only reason; there was another, lurking in my subconcious, that I couldn't admit to myself. Partly because I was new to this... but mostly, because I was scared.

I'd never been around one group of people for more than a few days at most. Now I had a permanent place to stay, I was discovering things I had never even thought of before now. For the first time in my life, I considered that I might have feelings for someone.

. . .

[Hiccup's POV]

"Hiccup!" I heard an angered voice. Stoick.

"Before you say anything, Dad, Berk's under attack," I told him breathlessly, holding up my hands in surrender. Stoick's expression went from angry to determined. "I'll deal with you later, Hiccup."

Stoick gathered the vikings nearby and they rose to join us, and as we got closer to the village we gathered more. It seemed as though an age had passed when we finally reached it. We circled the village, and I felt my anger growing at the sight of the ragged attackers fighting back against both dragons and vikings. Surprisingly, it seemed they were winning.

I let out a fierce battle cry and dove into the fray, Stoick and Astrid beside me, and two dozen vikings at my back. Toothless himself roared, and the sound was imitated throughout the ranks of dragons. I noticed a confident look on the face of one of the vikings who looked up, which worried me as Toothless struck down the enemy. It was too easy.

"Astrid!" I called, and she looked over from Stormfly's back. "There's something wrong - they're too confident. Be ready-" I warned, but a loud roar of anger interrupted me. I looked back, and a dragon and Viking were trapped in a weighed net - our very own, being used against us. The nets flew across our bunched up army, and easily trapped many under the heavy chains and metal.

"No!" I called in anguish. "Yes," a figure replied, walking up to where Toothless and I had cleared a group of attackers from around us. A heavy, mouldy cloak was draped over his shoulder, and the skull of some creature rested over his face, hiding his features. His armour looked as though it had been constructed from the remains of a slain dragon.

"Hello, Hiccup. I've heard a lot about you. One thing, however, caught my interest. I believe you're harbouring a Former," he said, in a sickeningly polite voice.

I scowled. "There's no Former here... My father killed her," I lied through clenched teeth. A roar interrupted me, and a loud dive-bomb shattered the air.

The man's gaze turned upward. "Is that so?" he asked, a greedy smile slipping onto his face.

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Over two thirds of the chapter got deleted when I uploaded, and then it just kept playing up, so I changed it about three times. Hopefully this turned out alright.

-Ivoryscales