Fury of the Sun

9. When Vikings Rise

Chapter 9
When Vikings Rise

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Soundtrack: None
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Orvask stepped down on my paw, making me growl and bare my teeth through the metal muzzle he had put on me.

"Useless creature. Why won't it work?!" he demanded, scowling and cursing.

"Go on then, ___. You have one hour," he grumbled, gesturing to a large open aviary. I stepped outside for the first time in weeks and breathed fresh air. The sun hurt my eyes but I barely noticed. I spread my wings, gently flapping them and letting the wind hold them up.

In one powerful stroke, I shot up - but a sharp pain in my shoulders and wing muscles brought me back down after only a single lap of the aviary. The time spent not using my wings had left them weak, and meant I was more vulnerable than ever.

Over the next hour I spent my time running and flying short distances to get my strength back... but was over all too soon. Gnaw gripped the muzzle and hauled me inside again. The doors to the aviary closed with a boom, and I felt my heart sink.

With every day that had passed, I felt my strength wane and I feared that I would die here in the dreaded Under Halls of Orvask's Lair.

"Alright, here's the deal ___," Orvask wheezed. "Today, you're giving more blood, and then you go back into your cell. It seems the failures of this trial have far exceeded what I anticipated and it's taken longer to finish this than I thought, so I'm going to press pause on this little project of ours and have a day off." Orvask paused with an thoughtful smirk before scowling again, the sharp wrinkles on his face like mountains and valleys. "You get a holiday too."

Blessed relief. After Orvask took blood from me, Gnaw dragged me to my cell and chained me in by the shackles on my feet. I lay my head down on the cold white floor, and closed my eyes, wishing I could sleep through this nightmare and wake back on Berk.

. . .

[Hiccup's POV]

Toothless nimbly clutched to the tree branch high above the entrance to Orvask's lair. Around me, dozens of vikings on dragon-back were perched in the trees, waiting for my signal.

Stoick had said he would leave the organisation of the attack to me, although he couldn't resist interfering anyway. Now though, he too was hidden away in the leafy canopy.

My gaze travelled over the waiting vikings, ensuring everyone was accounted for. I gave Toothless a final pat on the shoulder.

"Alright, Bud, let's get her out of there."

. . .

[Your/The Former's POV]

The first time I woke and heard the muffled noises echoing through the halls, I thought nothing of it.

The second time I woke, I cursed Orvask for being the cause of it.

The third time, I realised something was amiss.

I stood with difficulty, the chains constraining me, and shuffled to the door. I stood with my ears perked and body rigid at the entrance, listening intently.

I almost thought it was the sound of... fighting. And dragons! I could make out the roars and battle cries, the sound of blows being exchanged.

But... how?

Hiccup.

I scratched at the door, hope and energy suddenly filling me until I felt like I could burst down the door. There was one thing that had me worried. What were they fighting against? As far as I knew, Orvask didn't have an army of any sort. Though, with all the underground tunnels, it wouldn't have been hard for him to hide one from me.