The Gray Area (1/2) - A Viggo Love Story (HTTYD/RTTE)

34. Danger

Viggo gave a small nod in greeting while Sessa disregarded completely and asked, "is the dramillian well?"

Throk nodded, leading them the rest of the way to were it laid unconscious. "He is healing quickly," he remarked, "much quicker than I can say I've ever seen before."

Viggo gave Sessa a sideways glance, knowing she must've done something. He recalled a feeling of draining he'd felt hours earlier in the night. That must've been Sessa. "It was only temporary," she muttered to Viggo, explaining her action. He couldn't help but chuckled.

The dragon riders continued to talk with Mala for a while. And as they did, the sun began to rise. Sessa could only wait as her vision slow grew white. And before long, she couldn't see at all. The blue whisps of souls surrounding her moved and talked, but she stayed close to Viggo's. Holding his hand the entire time, the two soul halves charged each other. And it was a good thing they did.

Soon, Hiccup realized why the dramillian was needed. After using it's fire to look through the dragon eyes, they found where the real King of Dragons resided. Viggo and Sessa, who were beyond ready to leave, made their way over to Nightshade and Lilith. The two dragons were interacting with Hookfang, seeming to get along well.

Viggo helped Sessa to mount the devilish dervish's neck. "Will you be alright flying in this condition?" He asked in concern.

Rolling her eyes, Sessa looked at him and reminded, "I've taken care of myself, by myself, for eight years. I think I can handle this."

"Of course," Viggo responded in amusement, "but, I do worry."

"I know," Sessa responded softly, her heart warming at his words. She sqeezed his hand once more before letting go.

The other dragon riders were now ready to leave as well. Hiccup looked over his shoulder to Sessa and Viggo. "Are you coming with us?" He asked hopefully, "we could use the help."

They both nodded in unison. Not only was it the right thing to do, but it was the only thing to do. Sessa could feel her core beginning to ache in a way it never had before. The intensity was stronger than ever, giving away one awful truth; a lot of people were about to die if no one came to change that fate.

• • •

The riders were just arriving at Berserker Island. Dagur and Heather waited at the stables for them, wary of the incoming hunter ships and fliers. "Brother!" Dagur yelled as Toothless landed. "What's going on?"

"Your island is about to be invaded by singetails and dragon hunters," Tuffnut answered casually.

Heather looked from Tuff to Hiccup. "But I thought they're going after the King of Dragon's?" She asked in confusion.

Hiccup gave her a worried frown as he answered, "they are."

Heather's eyes went wide in shock. "..Here?"

Just then, Nightshade and Lilith, who'd been travelling a ways behind the riders, landed. Viggo got down first, rushing over to help Sessa down before she tried to dismount herself. But Sessa was taken by surprise as her eyes pointed down. "What..is that?" She asked in disbelief.

"Uh, the grass?" Ruffnut answered questioningly.

"Ruff, she's blind right now, she can't see the grass," Snotlout rolled his eyes as he sighed.

"Below the grass, and the ground," Sessa clarified. Looking down, she saw a soul bigger than any she'd ever seen before. It was more purple than blue, stretching at least a quarter mile in long. "We're all standing ontop of one massive soul," she announced.

Viggo frowned as he realized what she meant. "The King of Dragons." There was a time when he'd give anything to hunt this dragon. Now, here he stood, ready to protect it at all costs.

Dagur raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh, what is she talking about?" He asked.

Recalling that Dagur had never met Sessa, Hiccup quickly explained to him who she was. But after the explanation, something else bothered the Berserker Chief; who was the other masked person? "I didn't know your old friend had a partner in crime," he told Heather, giving Viggo a look of admiration, "and to have trained a skrill; how magnificent!"

Hiccup and Heather exchanged a wary look as Dagur approached Lilith. He gently held out his hand to her, but she electrified her scales, causing him to flinch back. "Woah--heh," Dagur scratched his head nervously, remembering how he hunted this skrill down for years. "No hard feelings?"

Viggo stepped between Lilith and Dagur, calming his dragon with a gentle coo, "he means no harm, Lilith."

At this, Dagur frowned. His eyes grew wide in anger as he immediately recognized the voice. He walked toward Viggo, swiftly pulling his hood back and tearing the cloth mask from his face. He froze for a moment in disbelief.

Sessa felt her own soul grow restless and painful. No, not my soul, she corrected in her head, Viggo's. Though she couldn't see, she could feel Viggo's soul going into a desperate in-danger state.

"You..!" Dagur growled, hand going for his sword. He unsheathed it and swung.