Howling Echoes - A How to Train Your Dragon Story, The Echoes, Book 1

Chapter 61: Lost Love

   I woke up into blackness.

   For half a second, I panicked, but then just realized that I had my eyes closed.

   Then I panicked again and shot up into a sitting position as my eyes flung open.  "Ow."  My head scolded me by flaring with pain, and my eyes stung from the Dragon Eye's light, which Tuffnut had been glowing in my face.  I narrowed my eyes and blinked several times, trying to get the sun-spots out of my vision. "Ow ow ow."  "Oh, she's up!"  Tuffnut cried.  "Everybody, Kiara's up!"

   As soon as the spots left my vision Frostflake pressed me to the ground again, licking me desperately and growling at me about not being ok for a couple of da - wait WHAT!?

   "How long has it been?"  I asked the worried faces around me.  "A couple of days."  Hiccup replied. "Don't worry, Johann and Krogan have been getting new boats ready - we've been keeping an eye on them."  Stormfly landed from outside and Frostflake burbled happily.  "Guess what, Stormfly?"  She asked excitedly.  "What?"  Stormfly replied as Astrid dismounted her.  "Kiara's awake!"  Tuffnut, Frostflake, Hiccup and Dagur all said it at the same time, making me chuckle.

   "Good because Johann just left for Berserker Island."  Astrid said, then glanced at Dagur and Heather.  "Oops..."  Snotlout said.  The twins wistled.  "Wait, what!?"  Dagur said, immediately mounting Sleuther.  I slowly got onto Frostflake.  "Um...yeah, your island may or may not be under threat by Johann and the Dragon Flyers."  Tuffnut said.   "Well he got that, twidiots!"  I yelled.  "Let's go!"  We all shot off to Berserker Island.  Halfway there, it registered to me.

   "The King of Dragons is a Berserker!?" I cried.  "Yup!" No other responses.  When we arrived the Hunters were already there, attacking.  "What do we do!?"  I cried.  "We attack, that's what!"  Dagur said.  "No, Dagur."  Viggo objected.  "Is he still qualified to order me around?  Hm?"  Dagur asked.  "Yes."  I called in a slightly bored, but mostly sarcastic voice.  "Mm, fine.  We'll play it your way.  What's the plan?"

   Hiccup looked hesitant.  "Well, we...uh..."  "Hiccup and Kiara, find the King of Dragons, get it to safety.  We'll hold off the Hunters off."  Astrid said.  "I'm coming with you."  Viggo said.  "No, Viggo, we need Chroma out here."  I objected.  "He can ride with me."  Whiplash said, grabbing his shoulders.  "Alright?" I said.  "I guess?"

  As the others went to mount up, I grabbed Dagur's arm to get his attention.  "Hey, Dagur...I know I always said that I never liked you...and I didn't, just to be clear, but...that's changed.  You've changed.  So...oh, just..."  I gave Dagur a tiny kiss on the cheek and rushed over to Frostflake, who, to my dismay, had been watching.  "Ooooooooooooooooo -"  She started.  "Oh, shush you."  I muttered, my cheeks hit with embarrassment. 

   We entered the cavern, and after a small amount of wandering, we found an egg.  "Well, this'll be a lot easier to protect."  I muttered.  "I see there are eggs on the menu," said Johann's fake-friendly-sing-song voice.  "Who knew?"  His gaze turned more murderous. 

   Toothless, Frostflake and Whiplash gathered their respective breath weapons in their throats.  I drew my Gronkle Iron sword and saw flames on the edges of my vision, announcing that Hiccup and Viggo had both drawn and lit their swords.  "Give it up, Johann."  I growled, narrowing my eyes.  "You're outnumbered."  He chuckled, then raced at us.  

   Krogan ran toward us at the same time, and I met his sword with mine.  Viggo's sword hit his thigh, and he grunted and fell back.  Whiplash suddenly let out a roar of pain, and I twisted to look at him.  

   A deep gash had cut through his side, and Johann raced at him again.  I saw the edge of Hiccup's shield on the cliff, but before I could move to help him, I had to focus on Krogan again.  Luckily I'd been practicing with my sword (on my own time) so I actually knew how to use it.

     I met Krogan's sword blow for blow, and together Viggo and I drove him to the edge.  "Kiara!"  Frostflake roared.  "Help!"  I twisted toward her and felt my foot knock Krogan's boot.  He let out a yell of surprise, and I saw him plummet to the ice below.  

   "KIARA!"  Frostflake roared again.  I turned and saw Johann swiftly driving the Frost Wraith back despite her best efforts to defend her friend.  "Oh no no no!"  I ran toward Johann, but it was too late I already knew.  Even if we got out of there alive, that wound was deep, and I was surprised Whiplash wasn't unconcious.  

   "Don't say it!"  Frostflake cried.  "Oh, I'm not going to!"  I rushed at Johann and slammed my sword between his shoulder blades. He turned at the last second and started driving me back toward the wall.  Viggo hit him away, and the former allies-turned-enemies met each other's blades with grunts of effort.  To my surprise, just as Viggo managed to shove Johann of the edge into the icy area below with Krogan (I heard the thump of Krogan shortly after this, and gosh, there was a lot of that going around that day, wasn't there?) the other Riders showed up.

   Astrid and Heather helped Hiccup up, but I wasn't paying attention.  I crouched beside Whiplash, tears flooding my vision and crushing the dam I had held against them in so many situations for so long.

   "Whiplash?  WHIPLASH!  Whippe!?  Lasher!?  Come on, come on!"  Chroma's normally startlingly fierce expression was filled with horror and panic and hurt and pain and grief.  Whiplash glanced up at us.  I remembered an old tradition I had heard about somewhere in the Northern Markets.  "What's your last wish?"  I murmured.  He chuckled lightly.  "I have too many wishes to count, Kiara." Whiplash wheezed.  "But - if I had to choose one thing -" He took in a shuddering breath again.  "I'd choose you.  All of you.  Forever.  Ow."  He winced.  "I want you to say -"  He sucked in a sharp breath. 

   "I want you to say goodbye."