Soul of Furies (Book Three)

Chapter 12: Flashback

Astrid's story is painful to listen to, but I force myself to pay attention. Acting as though I'm not incredibly fazed by the words is even more difficult.

"The day was peaceful, far too peaceful for what was to come. We were out near the docks, chatting and generally being friends. If I had known..." She sighs, leaning her back against the nearest wall. "Tuffnut commented that there was something weird in the distance, and when we saw it Fishlegs said it was probably just smoke from a fire somewhere. Hiccup walked closer to the edge of the dock, studying the cloud for a second. He pointed out that there were eyes in the supposed smoke, which made all of us hurry to get on our dragons. Hiccup galloped through the village on Toothless, rallying anyone who could fight or fly to his side. By the time Alrek arrived, most of Berk was standing at the ready."

Nightstar sits down, resting her head on her paws. I remain still.

"Alrek told us that we could surrender or die. Hiccup demanded to know who he was." She shuts her eyes, as if she's reliving the past in her mind. "I am Alrek, son of Asmund, he answered. I have conquered many lands before this one, spreading my reign of beautiful darkness. The only ones who can stop me are dead, and now, Berk shall be mine."

I shiver at the words. Nightstar doesn't make a sound.

"He raised his sword, his magic started to glow, and he told his demons to feed. The dragons flew at us and we soared into action, but our weapons passed through them like nothing. They wouldn't die." She smacks her fist against the wood of the house. "People started collapsing, falling from their dragons into the ocean or breaking upon landing on earth. I remember hearing a cry...his cry. It was so tortured, so filled with pain, and I had only enough time to turn Stormfly around before Hiccup crumpled to the ground, a sword impaling him through his torso. He was dead before he hit the ground."

I clap my hand over my mouth and slowly lower myself onto the ground next to Nightstar, my stomach twisting. I wasn't there to block the blow. I wasn't there to even out the odds. I run over every little thing I didn't do as if to remind myself of my mistakes.

"Blood...so much blood," Astrid utters, her voice low. "Without Hiccup, Toothless couldn't fly away. The demons swarmed him and he was gone within a few moments too. Alrek just laughed. He cackled and waved his weapon in the air as though Hiccup's blood was a trophy. Dark storm clouds rolled in as his magic continued to work, and he ordered..." Her voice breaks and she coughs once. "He ordered his demons to kill all the dragons. They tore Stormfly out from under me. Eret caught me before I hit the ground, but we were left to watch as the sky turned dark and Alrek took over our way of life."

She glances at me. I show no facial expression aside from pure (faked) shock. I lower my head to my knees, taking in long breaths. I hear her exhale and scuff her boot against the ground.

"After that, nothing was the same. Eret tried to run. He hid out with another Viking group far away, but Alrek found him. He brought him and his new girlfriend, Ilia, back to Berk only to have her publicly executed as a warning to the rest of us. Eret wasn't the same after that...I never knew Ilia too well, but Eret loved her," Astrid murmurs. "Snotlout started blaming us for Hiccup's death, saying that we could've tried harder. It was a load of dragon dung, his words, but he was angry. We all were. We threw words around that never should've been said. We blamed each other for the death we'd experienced. In the end, we all went our separate ways."

I slowly lift my head, keeping my nausea under control. "Alrek just killed Ilia like that?"

"A warning. He accused her of some crime, but I think it was blackmail for..." she trails off, shaking her head and adjusting her braid. "Well...that's not important. They're gone. Sorry if you expected to meet them."

I almost scowl at the sarcasm in her voice. "Excuse me, but Hiccup spoke rather highly of you," I say. "I'm surprised you guys couldn't work it out."

"We stuck it out for five years after Hiccup died, but we couldn't take it. They found ways out, ran while they could, and I haven't spoken to or seen them since then." She turns her nose up a little. "Good riddance, if you ask me."

"Astrid, they're your friends. You have to—" I start.

A roar sounds from above, one that I recognize all too well. Astrid's face slackens with horror and she looks up, no doubt searching the sky for the demon dragons. Nightstar leaps to her feet, pawing the ground.

"Come on, I can get you both out of here," my dragon urges.

I give Astrid a quick look, her eyes meeting mine. I force a tight-lipped smile. "Don't scream."

She blinks a few times. "Wha—"

In one swift motion, Nightstar scoops her up into her claws as I jump onto her back and take off. We swoop into the sky, carrying Astrid with us.

"Don't kill me! Don't kill me, you wacko!" the blonde shrieks, kicking and flailing against Nightstar's hold.

Nightstar rolls her eyes. "What part of 'don't scream' doesn't she understand?"

"I know, girl," I mutter. I look ahead as my dragon books it out of Berk. "Find a cave. We've got some more talking to do."