Contrapasso

Part 6

Epilogue

Astrid watched as Hiccup approached the knocked out Marisol and crouched down. "Hey, he said lightly as he shook her awake. It's over now. You can rest."

Astrid watched the young lady's eyes open. They were no more a complete inky black. She now sported clear blue eyes. Hiccup helped Marisol up but when she caught sight of Astrid she hissed.

"Easy!" Hiccup admonished. "We both know Astrid isn't part of that family. Remember our deal."

Marisol was still looking at Astrid with a glare as Hiccup tried to pacify her. "They're all gone. No one is going to hurt you now."

Astrid gaped then because where the young maid had stood now stood a young girl, probably no older than 5 or 6 years, in a sundress. "Marisol are you happy now, you got your revenge. They can never hurt you again."

The little girl nodded vigorously before she approached Astrid with quick strides. Astrid held her breath when the young girl approached because she had no clue what was going on. Then the girl took her larger hand in hers and shook it. "Take care of uncle Hiccy," The little girl uttered before turning back.

Astrid saw Hiccup blush lightly but he hugged the little girl back. He then took her hand and led her to the elevator which opened automatically and Astrid had to shield her eyes somewhat at the light that emanated from it. "This is it kiddo," Hiccup then said. "All you need to do is walk in there just like the rest of them."

"I'm gonna miss you uncle Hiccy!" Marisol said as she headed towards the light. "You, the twins and even uncle Fishy."

Hiccup walked back to Astrid once the elevator doors closed. "Is she going to be alright?" Astrid couldn't help but ask.

"She's going to be just fine." Hiccup smiled softly. He then looked at Astrid. "I believe I owe you an explanation."

"I figured out some of it," Astrid said as she took Hiccup's offered arm. He escorted her towards the lobby. When they got there it was eerily quiet. "This is literally Hell. The hotel floors are each a level of Hell." She said as she now thought back. All the statues and paintings now made sense. It wasn't that Hiccup had a terrible sense of interior decorating. It was just the people who could have been found in each circle of Hell.

"So am I dead?" Astrid then asked as she and Hiccup sat down in the lobby. There was a flatscreen TV on the wall and Hiccup turned it on.

"Not entirely," Hiccup mumbled. "But first I should explain all the deaths."

Hiccup then changed a channel and Astrid's brows raised at what came onto the screen.

It was a dark office and a single figure sat working behind a computer screen. The light from the screen and that of the moon were the only things illuminating the area.

"I thought you would be here earlier," A female voice said upon hearing a rustle and Astrid realized it was Mala.

"I had a chicken problem," Another answered and Astrid saw Hiccup stepping out of the shadows in the corner. "One of my employees thought it was a good idea to release a flock of demon chickens into the cafeteria." This caused Astrid to raise a brow but she kept watching.

"So have you made up your mind?" Hiccup asked.

"You mean selling my soul for revenge?" Mala huffed. "I don't actually have much of a choice now, do I." She then placed a piece of paper on her desk and Astrid realized it was the same piece of paper she had found under Grimmel's body. Hiccup took the paper and looked it over.

"He's persistent," Astrid heard Hiccup say. "If he wasn't such a douche I'd put him in accounting."

"It's pathetic isn't it?" Mala let out a self-deprecating laugh. "My own husband hired a hitman to kill me. My days are already numbered."