"I Do.... NOT!!"

Chapter 35: Broken

            ----- Hiccups POV----

"NO!! NO!!" I screamed, wild eyed and panicking. I'd woken to hear the terrible news from dad. Astrid and Heather were gone, taken by the traitors Snotlout and Daggur. Pearl was crying, trying to calm me down. I sobbed into my dad's massive frame and slowly began to calm as Pearl rubbed my back. "Son. We will go after them. But I need you to be in flying condition." Stoick said. I nodded numbly. Moments before I'd raced outside and tried to fly away, then got knocked to the ground by a gust of wind. I was weak and had lost alot of muscle trying to stay alive after that double dose of grim reaper venom.

     The dragons had returned from the hatching island with the news, Pearl was the only one who managed to escape... and she had been distraught to find me dying in the forest. They told me I'd been out 4 days. Berk was nearly destroyed, attacked by a group of dragons and grim reapers. Everyone was using the great hall to sleep at night. Luckily we had our underground food stores and half of our livestock left, but there were many injured dragons and vikings, and no Astrid to help them. Pearl did what she could, but we were in big trouble.

   I was currently pacing back and forth, to stressed to eat anything. I was shocked and heartbroken to know two of our friends had done this. Pearl finally got me to eat and then go back to sleep, insisting I could organize a rescue mission better when I had my strength back. I slept through the rest of the day and into the next morning. Pearl was right- I was a little more clear headed. I remembered I could contact Astrid through our connection, so I made an attempt. I first stumbled on a message from her that broke my heart. My fears were confirmed as she told me what they were trying to do. When I tried to contact her, I was met with a strange, cold emptiness. I tried again and again, getting more worried by the minute.

     I raced down the stairs, towards fishleg's house. If he could reach Heather, maybe she could get a message to Astrid. I finally found him at the forge, muttering frantically to himself and scribbling on a smooth rock with charcoal. "Fishlegs!!" I yelled, panting. "Hiccup. They're in trouble- Heather and another lightfury escaped and are hiding on that island, but Astrid is still stuck inside! She bought them time. We have to go recuse them!" He said, a determined look on his face. "Check out my strategy. Will it work? Can we go?" He asked. I examined his plan. It could work... it was so risky. But the sooner we could find them the better.

   I was soon seated with Pearl in the great hall, eating some food and tapping my foot anxiously. "How on earth do we fly their fast enough?" Pearl said. "I don't know... I don't think either of them can fly. Gobber predicted a 4 day flight, only if all conditions were perfect. Likely we will have awful storms, since it's winter." I replied. She leaned on my shoulder and sighed. "I hope she's okay. I miss her," Pearl said. I nodded, turning my attention to Stoick. He had started the meeting, Fishlegs was describing his plan. "I wish we could bust the place open... then we'd get mom and dad back." I told Pearl as we left the meeting. I could tell that had been on her mind during the meeting. Several Vikings were demanding we bring all our forces and demolish the entire island... but we had opposed that firmly. We didn't have the firepower or help to do that.

     I was about to leave with the first wave of rescuers when Stoick stopped me. "Son. You need to stay here and rest. Gather your strength and let the others help." I shrugged him off and shook my head.  "I'll rest on the flight. I have to go!" I tried to fly away, but found myself wobbling and huffing in exhaustion. A strong wind blew me backwards and sent me crashing into the ground. I screamed in anger and blasted at the open sky, then flopped over and blacked out.

   I woke late the next day, and scarfed down several baskets of fish Pearl brought me. "They're going ro do great Toothless. You guys taught them well." She assured me. We were downstairs next to the warm fireplace. I was resting as usual, fuming that my body wasn't cooperating when I needed it most. I can't stop worrying pearl. They might be gone for good... they might not make it because I was stupid enough to trust traitors I rumbled, blinking away tears. I stared at the fire as Pearl stroked my back. "You can't balme yourself Toothless. None of us knew... don't blame yourself for their terrible choices." She said. I moaned in sadness and tried connecting with Astrid again... but all I got was the same hollow feeling.

    Pearl and I helped with some repairs and fishing, then I had to turn in early to rest again. I was in human form, rubbing the smooth bone of my necklace when it broke in two. I felt something inside me snap. My vision went hazy and I roared in fury. They had figured out how to break the bond without killing me... no one could keep her safe now. I transformed and launched out the window, my power was fully activated as I flew upwards with all my might. I had to get to her. Lightning flashed around me as I flew, enraged. I don't know how long I flew in my blind rage, but my wings and legs suddenly tangled in a net and I began to fall. I shrieked and the ropes sizzled off from my body, electrocuted. Shortly after chains wrapped around me, this time they didn't sizzle off fast enough. I was dragged onto the deck of a ship, as I was nearly free, a strange smelling cloth was shoved over my nose, knocking me out cold.

     Toothless! Check this out. Astrid mindspoke to me. I bounded over to examine a clump of flowers, ringed in spiky leaves. The sun shined on her white blonde hair and dappled the beautiful, green forest we stood in. I think it's a new species. Fishlegs will go wild over this. She said, sounding proud of herself. I rumbled in agreement and licked her face, giving her a gummy grin. Ack! You know that doesn't wash out! She whined. I chuffed at her and bounded away, smacking her leg with my tail. She laughed and chased me down, gliding down the heavily veggitated cliffside after me with her gliding scale arrangement. She grabbed my neck and swung onto my back, whooping in excitement. We took to the warm blue skies, heading up and up. I rumbled happily as she hugged my neck... then my vision seemed to zoom out and then dissappear. I started at the light fury now sitting beside me. We were surrounded with pale light, I couldn't see the ground or anything else... just her. She stroked my jaw and murmmered, "Hiccup. I am Selah. There is a future yet for both of you. Do not give up on her. You will have your mate back and freedom for both your worlds if you will keep fighting." I growled in confusion, staring at her with wide eyes. A sudden snapping jolt sent me into blackness again.

   I gasped and sat up, looking at my surroundings. I was back home... in bed? "Ye gave us quite the scare lad. Had to use a chain to get ye out of the sky! You were callin' up the biggest storm we ever seen" gobbers voice said in my ear. He sounded far away. As memories of what was happening returned, I began to panic again. I groaned and clutched my chest. My vision was still blurry...  I felt so sick. It seemed like my heart had forgotten how to beat. Pearl's voice echoed in my ear. Someone was gently shaking me, begging me to breathe. I slowly gained control of myself to saw Stoick, Gobber, Pearl, and the rest of the gang watching me with concerned faces and teary eyes.

   All I could do was moan and keep holding my chest, hoping it would stop breaking. "I don't know what's wrong! Somethings happened to him... something with his bond!" Pearl said, tears in her voice. "I can't fix it! There's just... he's missing Astrid! We can't stop this till we fix the bond!" She cried. I groaned and tried to stand, but fell to the floor instead. My father dropped to my side, asking me questions I didn't understand. It all sounded like underwater noise.

     Desperate to ease the pain, I tried connecting with Astrid again. Black and red slashed across my vision, searing pain knocked me into oblivion. I screamed her name and slumped, now looking at the floor and the boots of thr Vikings in my room. Eventually I was led downstairs. Pearl fed me, forcing me to eat an entire bowl of food.

    I didn't sleep that night. I was numb and cold inside. I stared at the ceiling, huddled close to the fire. My weakened body cried at me to find Astrid, but I couldn't find her anymore. All I knew was her last location before our bond was severed.