Lone Warrior (HTTYD)

[still_guns]

Lone Warrior Redux.



(Prologue)​

HICCUP

This, is Berk. It's a rather unforgiving hump of rock with a rather unforgiving sounding name. The large majority of the Viking population are also rather dull. A few short months ago, they would've been rather vicious as well, had I, Hiccup Horrendous the Third, made sure that the entire village wasn't, well, eaten. Sounds strange, huh? Well fighting a volcano sized behemoth is a little crazy. But, at least now pretty much everything is shipshape, because the war is finally over. It's a New Year (AD1013) and Astrid and I have decided this 'thing between us' should become a proper relationship. No sharing beds though, heheh, bit too young for that.

And Toothless? Well, he's Toothless. We still go flying regularly and even Astrid will come along for a ride. It does mean I have to ride Stormfly so she doesn't get jealous from being left out. Sadly though, we still haven't found another Night Fury. It has become apparent that when we were at war, he was the only one during my lifetime to ever attack us. Could he be the last one of his kind? If only we could go far enough to find one...

ANDERS

This is Berk. It's a small island off the coast of Iceland and right now... the stage for the largest air battle of the War. My name is Anders Lanquist. My aircraft is a Spitfire Mark XXI with contra-props, two M2 Browning machine guns and two 20mm Hispano autocannon. I am a Norwegian pilot of No.332 Squadron RAF. And I hate Germans.

They were getting away. The Ju187 that I was tailing ducked and weaved. But it was still a big target. I lined him up and scowled at the rear gunner. Then I pushed the fire button. My two 0.50 cals roared and the 20mm Hispanos thundered. The Super-Stuka disintegrated under 2 seconds of bullets. I heard a BANG!

'Damn!' I thought, 'Friendly flak is too close.'

"Attention all fighters," came the voice of Air Commodore Stockard, "The German fleet has launched another wave of fighter-bombers from the Graf Zeppelin. Intercept at close range." 190's! Finally a REAL challenge. I crashed the throttle into full power. The Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 screamed and the contra-rotating props whined. I pulled the joystick about and pulled into the enemy. A FW190D was quickly in my sights. I pushed the trigger again and the quad heavy weapons cracked. The 190 shed a wing, rolled and dove uncontrollable below me. BANG! My eyes darted ahead, too late to notice the ball of flak ahead of me. I had no choice but to fly through the flames!

I survived but I saw the leading edges of my wings were burning. My props were also engulfed in flame. I gazed in horror as the fires grew and engulfed my plane. I opened my mouth to scream as the flames entered the cockpit, but nothing ever came out.

 

[still_guns]

Lone Warrior Redux.

(The Appearance)
​

ASTRID

Night was closing in. A cold night, but it wasn't so cold as to ruin our plans. Another ride on Toothless. I'm not saying it isn't fun, it is. But there is little else we can do on this island without the other teens seeing us together. I guess we're still both rather shy about our relationship, but it'll come naturally some day. As I walked through the village, I caught sight of Gobber in the Blacksmith's/Dragon Dentists. He was fixing up a Zippleback that had got its two sets of teeth caught up with the other. A loud screech from the dragon caused me to jump as Gobber forced the heads apart.

"Ther' we are!" he shouted triumphantly, "Now next time Ah see yer, I don't want yer to be in that stat' again!" The Zippleback's heads nodded glumly, giving Gobber a rub with their heads before it turned around and plodded away. Shaking his head, Gobber turned my way.

"Ahh! Astrid how luvly to see yer." I smiled, about keep walking.

"Evening Gobber. I see Barf&Belch are acting just like Ruff and Tuff again" I laughed and stopped.

"Heh-heh, just like their owners, they're like those Thorsten twins and will fight over th' silliest thing..." he paused, "You won't find him that way."

"Find who?" I mused, somewhat playfully.

"Hiccup!" he roared, "He's over at Raven Point with that Night Fury of his. Waiting fer you I should think." He grinned, his false tooth glinting in the moonlight.

"It's hard to believe that this time last year, you wouldn't even have considered him being th' man made for ya!" That made me blush a little… and made me think. He was right, I wouldn't have even noticed Hiccup in that light before. Oh how I would've been berated for going out with the village failure. Never any good at anything, always messing things up. But I have to admit it, compared to the others he was pretty good-looking. He was and still is, a bit scrawny, but I'm quite thin myself. Plus, how could anyone have known he was capable of what he did?

"Well Astrid, I won't keep yer any longer. Can't keep Hiccup waitin'! Have a good night Lass!"

"Good Night!" I called back and, with a grin, turned away.

Toothless noticed me first. He must've caught my scent. He kinked his head and faced me. His pupils went from slits to big pools of black as he realised who I was. He turned and bounded over to me. He jumped and landed on me, both of us crashing to the floor. Toothless was overcome with joy, as if he hadn't seen me years, and licked me contentedly.

"Hey Buddy! You only saw me a couple of hours ago!" I laughed, his rough tongue tickling my nose, "Stoooooop! You're gonna make me sneeze! You don't want snot in your mouth do you!" That's when he stopped. Not even a Typhoomerang would want that in its mouth. Fazed by the prospect of a snotty face, Toothless got off me and finally I could get up. I gave him a hearty laugh and a pat on his forehead before I turned to Hiccup.

My heart skipped a beat as we met eye-to-eye. I felt myself blushing, but then again, so was he. Neither of us expected to be together. He took my hand and kissed me tentatively on the cheek.

"Evening M'Lady." he whispered lightly in my ear. He knows I like that! It gives me goosebumps everytime! He looked into my eyes once again and smiled, "Shall we get going?" He already knew the answer and was already guiding me towards Toothless by the time I said a faint lovestruck 'Yes'.

TOOTHLESS

"Hey Buddy! You only saw me a couple of hours ago!" Well yes, of course, but you haven't ridden me for weeks Friend Astrid.

"Stoooooop! You're gonna make me sneeze! You don't want snot in your mouth do you!" Oops. I forgot humans were ticklish. Okaaaayyyy, I won't keep you from Hiccup any longer. I felt a weight on my back. I turned my head slightly and looked back. Astrid was there, holding onto my harness. I watched Hiccup get up and heard his false leg click into place. He practically had to hug Astrid to place his hands on the harness.

"Ok bud, let's go." I nodded, looked ahead, spread out my wings and took off. A slight tug on my tail told me my prosthetic was open and I could fly without falling out of the sky because the of imbalance that plagued me. Something kept nagging me though. Something didn't feel right, like something was going to go wrong...

HICCUP

We dove through the clouds, skimmed the seas and went where Vikings rarely went. At night, Berk looked incredible. The village lit up like a beacon. It would guide us home. Toothless flew through the mist that covered the spires of rock that jutted out from the sea, but not through the formations themselves, which is good. I don't think Astrid and I really want to come home covered in lunch. I manoeuvred my foot in the stirrup and it clicked it to another position. We darted up through the cloud layer, the last vestiges of sunlight draining away. Astrid turned around to face me, hiking her leg's over to the opposite sides of the dragon beneath us.

"It's just as beautiful as the first time you brought me up here. I don't think I'll ever grow tired of it. Thank you, Hiccup." She hugged me tightly, "That's for the date..." She pulled away and gazed into my eyes, the warm blue iris's surrounding the pools of her pupils. She pulled me closer and I had to let go of the harness to take the back of her neck. When our lips met, I felt complete. I felt so completely giddy that I didn't want it to end, and I felt lonely again when she broke off,

"And that's for everything else." She closed her eyes and nestled her head against mine, resting her chin on my shoulder, her sensuous blonde hair flicking into my face. It was then I noticed Toothless' bucking and tense body, a screech of dismay emanating from his mouth. I thought he was losing control, so I clicked my foot into another position and went to take hold of the harness again, but Astrid's grip got uncomfortably tighter.

"Hey Assstrid, too... tight!" I moaned. Her reply chilled my spine... and when I say chilled, it froze like jotunheim.

"Look behind you." A whisper, strangled with fear, right next to my ear. I pulled away enough to see Toothless's head looking behind and Astrid's blue eyes wide with shock and fright, an orange glow lighting up her face. When I looked behind, I saw why, and could do nothing but copy her expression.

TOOTHLESS

After a smooth flight over the scenic areas of berk, I sensed Hiccup was going to call it a night. I slowly started banking towards Berk. A slow, but incessant buzzing filled my ears. I shook my head and carried on. It didn't solve it, it just became higher pitched. I shook my head violently, but it just got higher and louder. It seemed to be coming from behind us, so I looked that way. It was coming from behind us. A small point of orange light followed us and it seemed to be getting bigger. On closer inspection, it turned out to be fire. A Monstrous Nightmare? Was Hookfang mucking about? No, whatever it was, it was closer than I thought. Far too close. It was right behind us! It was still getting bigger, when it then branched out into three distinct fiery spokes. They suddenly started spinning around, and then another three spokes appeared behind the first and began spinning the opposite way. Whatever by the Red Death this thing was, it seemed to want to kill us. I tried to dive away, but I needed to make Hiccup allow me to turn as my tail was in the wrong position! I bucked and screeched. He noticed and felt that familiar tug. But I couldn't do anything but watch the spinning flames of death behind us grow ever longer... longer? More branches, two going straight out. But I was snapped out of the stupor by a loud, continuous roar. A thrum, thrum, thrum of terror. Finally Hiccup took my harness again.

"Let's get outta here Buddy, NOW!" I didn't need to be told twice.

ANDERS

The flames died down almost as soon as they had engulfed me. I was strangely... unhurt. Although the flames had caused my eyes to become unused to the darkness that once again fell upon my eyes, I swear I saw a dark shape flit across the stars. It was then I realised that it was night. The dogfight had been during the middle of the day. Had I blacked out and been flying aimlessly for hours? Impossible, I would have crashed into the sea long ago. The aircraft shuddered then, as the engine began vibrating. It seemed that the flames that hadn't hurt me, had obviously hurt the big Griffon engine. Licks of flame sputtered from the exhausts and the propellers would momentarily stop even now and then. Whatever the hell had happened, Maja had had it for now at least. I looked around and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw lights on the ocean nearby. I was slightly stumped as to where I was, it being dark and all, but I swear I could make out the tall peak of Berk. It didn't matter that much though. Lights mean somewhere to land. I made my way toward the lights, but Maja was really starting to struggle now. I opened the canopy and patted the big V-12's cowling.

"Easy girl. Not far now." I said soothingly to Maja's failing heart. As if in shame at having failed me, the Griffon engine lost even more power and I instinctively knew we wouldn't make the lights. Apparently my brain subconsciously knew it was Berk, as I scanned the landscape for a small inshore lake. An odd patch of moonlight reflected up at me. There! I lowered the flaps and lowered the throttle and gently nursed Maja to the surface. Sweat beaded on my face. The minutes seemed like hours. Without warning, the engine seized, gave up the ghost, and died. The props slowed and halted. The agonizingly slow descent was suddenly nerve-racking. The lake looked close enough to touch! I heard a noise. Water breaking! I grabbed the dashboard as my head was thrown forward in the impact. There was a dull THUD! and then nothing.

ASTRID

We watched the strange thing crash into Toothless's cove. Water flew up into the air and rained back down. There was only one thing on my mind. I turned to Hiccup and spoke my mind, "We have to check that thing out."

 

[still_guns]

Lone Warrior Redux.

(Chapter - 2)​

ERICH

Herr Kapitan was adamant. With Berk in our grasp and Iceland in reach, we would devise a way to follow that Spitfire... the one that flew in flames. That was how I could best describe it. But there would be serious consequences for the idiotic gun crew that had fired that shell. This was serious, very serious indeed.




HICCUP

"No Astrid, not right now!" I said, becoming slightly agitated. She kept bugging me to take Toothless to the cove where that... thing had landed. I relaxed a bit from the hair raising close call. "look, if it's a new type of dragon, it is clearly agitated and probably doesn't want to be disturbed at the moment. It could be very dangerous to go there right now." I sighed as I calmed down further. "look, You can bet that I will be going and checking that thing out tomorrow. But right now, it's very late, I'm tired and we need to go to bed." The words came out rather spontaneously as I stepped off Toothless's back.


"And so does Toothless." I quickly added. When he didn't catch my drift, I kicked his foot. He looked up, annoyed, then at Astrid, hands on hips, definitely not amused. He did a double take, then finally reared up and 'yawned'. A bit late now, bud.


"Ugghh, fine" Astrid sighed, "But first thing tomorrow alright? I'll wake ya up real nice 'n early!" she gave a very suspicious looking cheshire grin as she ran off home.


"Yeah, sure, whatever... hang on, what?!" Laughter was my only reply. I looked over my shoulder to see Toothless giggling at my expense "Oh, not you to!?." I moaned as I made a start for home.

SNORT! And then another draconic laugh. "Stop taunting me! Gods!" All Toothless could do was shake his head. I dunno at what. Dragons are very strange creatures sometimes.



(line break)



TOOTHLESS

Now you have to understand, a dragon has to do his business. Not as in, 'there's a lot of villages to go and burn to the ground', but more along the lines of 'I gotta go!'. It was very early morning, the sun was yet to rise. I got up off my stone and quietly made my way out of the house. As I went to find a quiet secluded spot, I had the strangest sensation. Well, it wasn't strange, but the time it happened... danger. Hiccup and Astrid were in danger! Someone was hurting them… killing them! But who? I had to go back! I knew I had to, especially when I heard Hiccup screaming over the wind. Business would have to wait…



ASTRID

I heard a noise outside. It woke me from my slumber. Men were shouting in a strange language. Smoke... I could smell smoke. There was a fire... the village was on fire! I grabbed my axe and rushed outside. The second I was outside the door, someone grabbed my arms and held me back. I struggled, but their grip was too firm. "Nooo! Get off of me!" I screamed. There were strange uniformed men everywhere but I couldn't see their faces... they all wore masks of some kind. A man dressed differently from the others appeared. He reached up and removed his mask. His face made my eyes go wide with recognition and fear.



"No... no it CAN'T be! We killed you!"



"Oh but I'm not now, am I Astrid?" said the Red Death in a deep, gravely voice, "Bring them!" he ordered and the Red Death's soldiers complied. Moments later, Toothless and Hiccup were brought before me and thrown to the floor. Hiccup's large, green eyes were bloodshot, his face battered. The Red Death turned towards me once again,

"I don't take kindly to being killed," a smirk in his tone as he turned to his men "Kill them... make it bloody."



"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed. I squirmed for all I was worth, but it was no use. The strange man in weird clothes raised their stranger looking weapons and opened fire. I watched helplessly as my friends were torn apart, their screams piercing through my heart…



"NOOOO! No, no... no?" I was awake... properly this time. Stormfly was peering through the window, obviously worried. "I'm Okay Stormfly, just a very bad dream." But I couldn't shake off the feeling that Hiccup and Toothless really were in danger. Determination wrote itself across my face. I climbed out of bed and grabbed my axe.



"Stormfly let's go to Hiccup's, something's terribly wrong!" With a loud squawk, she rushed to the Chief's household whilst I sprinted out the front door and didn't look back…



HICCUP

"Please don't hurt them! They didn't do anything to you!" The tears streamed down my face, burning my skin as they fell, as I watched the strange man drop to the ground, dead. The heat of the fires was too great for me to handle.



"Oh my dear Hiccup," the Red Death leader growled, "Of course they did! Have you forgotten already?" He turned to his soldiers, "Kill the girl first." My eyes widened.



"NO! Not Astrid, please!" But it was too late. The weapons roared and she fell, lifeless, to the ground. If the Red Death could smile, he would be smiling now, a twinkle in his eyes, "Why did you kill her? I got her into this, I was the one who killed you, punish me!" I screamed. My pleading fell on deaf ears.



"You're wrong Hiccup. Your dragon friend did. He betrayed my trust. Imagine living your life... without any friends!" He burst into horrendous laughter, "Kill the Night Fury!"



"NOOO!" I screamed. Toothless struggled to get free of the ropes, but there was no point, they were too tight. The weapons chattered again. I watched helplessly as my friend was torn to pieces... I collapsed to the floor, crying for Odin to save us.



"Hiccup," I heard my name called, "Hiccup!" I looked up and saw my father rushing toward me throwing soldiers out of the way. The Red Death seemed surprised and was too startled to move, even as my father's fist ploughed into his face, causing him to shatter like glass.



"HICCUP!"



I sat straight up and screamed. I fought to get the great hands off my shoulders. "Hiccup, calm down!" my dad said to me, "It's alright, you're at home." I breathed heavily and opened my eyes. Dad was kneeling down beside my bed wearing his nightclothes and a worried look. He had the right to be. I grabbed him and held him tight. I couldn't stop the tears coming from my eyes. He returned the embrace.



"It's alright son. It was just a bad dream. Even the toughest Vikings have them." I pushed away and stared at him.



"Bad dream?!" I cried, "It wasn't just a 'bad dream', It was a-a... a nightmare! They were killing everyone dad! Fishlegs,Gobber, Spitelout, You, and... and..." I trailed off and choked back the images, convinced they were real, that my loved ones were gone "And Astrid and Toothless... I need to know if they're alive dad, I need to KNOW!" I looked around. Toothless's rock was unoccupied.



"Oh Gods, no. TOOTHLESS! Where are you!" I called out, standing on the bed as if being higher on it would make my calls go further.



CRASH! The door was slammed open.



"Hiccup?" came the curiously undragon-like shout. But I knew who it was.



"Astrid!" I jumped down off the bed and ran down the stairs. Astrid was stood there, battleaxe in hand and Stormfly peeking through the open door. I sprinted up to her and took her in my arms, taking her by surprise.



"Ouch, Hiccup!" she hissed.



"Oh, Sorry" I let go, embarrassed. I could feel myself stumbling backwards, then falling. The images kept bombarding my head, but I didn't want to see them. Not now, not EVER! Someone caught me. Or rather something. Something smooth and scaly…



"Toothless!" there he was lowering me to the ground. If I didn't know better, I would say he looked frightened, "Guys, I'm so glad you're here. I had a nightmare, you two were killed by the Red Death, but he was a human!" Astrid looked at me, confused.



"That… can't be possible. I just had a frighteningly similar one myself, but it was you and Toothless that were getting killed, by a bunch of half human Red Death goons." We stared at each other for a brief moment before our eyes lit up. we jointly looked at Toothless. He lowered his head and whimpered. Whether he had dreamt of something awful like us or not, it was obvious he thought we were in danger. Dad, who had come up behind us, was just as confused.



"You mean," he licked his lips and continued, "You three had the same dream? At the same time?"



"It's seems that way, Chief." Astrid replied. Dad shook his head.



"I think you need to see Gothi."




ANDERS

My head must of been playing tricks on me. I didn't know these people, I had never seen them before in my life, nor that black creature. Fine then, Kill them! I don't care, I'm not attached to them in any way! But mark my words. You will pay for their suffering, demon! That, and more!



Obviously, the crash was harder than I thought. My head throbbed like it was trying to split apart. As predicted, the crash-pad hadn't helped whatsoever. So now here I was on this desolate island, with a concussion and dreaming about dragons. Pffft!