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

Chapter 74: Deranged

   I went down to the docks on my dragon.  "Hey K, and Frosty!"  Frostflake growled at him, and I chuckled.  "Hey, where's the love, man?"  Dagur asked.

   "Dagur?"  Hiccup asked, flying down.  He gave me a sideways look, and I gave him a look back.  "What are you doing here?  And where's Heather?"  "Berserker Island is under attack,"  Dagur said. 

   "What?" I said, suddenly on alert.  "By who?"  "I don't know - they have Nadder spines for arrows and this golden fist on their sails, it's - it's the weirdest thing."  Dagur started chuckling.

   "Hiccup, you stay here.  You need to defend Berk."  I said firmly.  "Why?  What happened?  Where's Stoick?"  Hiccup's gaze dropped.  "Oh.  I'm sorry, man."  Dagur said.  I mounted Frostflake.

   "Wait wait wait,"  Hiccup said.  "The last time you tried taking on these guys alone -"  

   "I only had Frostflake.  But I have friends now."  Even if one of them is dead.  "Still, someone should go with you."  Hiccup pressed.  "How about Dad?"  A look of surprise crossed both chief's faces.  "I'll need to bring Chroma along anyway."

   I glanced at them, then realized what I'd said.  I shook my head and took to the air.  Frostflake let out a roar, calling Chroma, Ruby, Amber, and Amythest to help her.  "We'll be back soon!"  Frostflake roared as the others gathered around us.

   "Where are we going?"  Viggo asked.  "To Berserker Island - it's under attack!"  I growled.  "By who?"  He asked.  I could practically see his eyebrow raising.  "Hews,"  I said with a snarl to my voice.  "Who?"

   "Dad, do you remember Yournsky?"  I asked.  Viggo must've been surprised but if he was he hid it well, as usual.  "Yes."  He said.  "Do you know where he ended up?"  "No, although whenever I got a clue I had a few of my Hunters pursue the case - although I suspect he either captured them or bribed their weak minds to join him,"  Viggo replied.

    "Well, it looks like leading some Hunters runs in the family,"  I said, scanning the ocean as we entered the Berserker waters.  When I glanced back I saw Dagur rapidly catching up, and I slowed.  "Where are they?"  I asked.

   "On the other side of the island,"  Dagur said.  "Follow me!"  He said, flying around the island.  I was slightly surprised that Frostflake didn't freak out - it'd been a while since I'd come back to my formal home.  

   That's when they came into view.

   My stupid, death-cursed son of a -

   Breathe.

   My brother, somehow my brother, still not sure how that works, stood at the head of one of his ships.  "Who's that guy?"  Dagur called.  "Yournsky,"  I growled, narrowing my eyes.  "Alright we've gotta look out...everything is loaded,"  I added.

   "Aaaaand it's too late for that,"  Dagur said.  Yournsky had already spotted them.  He held up a hand, halting his weaponry.  I groaned.  "Do we have to do this every time?"   

   "Sister!  I hope you didn't forget about me.  I'm still family, you know." Kiara sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.  He did this every time.  EVERY.  SINGLE.  TIME.  It had only taken her a few mistakes to realize this was on purpose - to lower her guard and get her irritated so that she'd go in for the attack just to shut him up.

   "Ah, and father, it is so good to see you again!  I hope you didn't forget about me either.  Whatdoyousay we have a little talk, eh?  One on one?  Leader to leader?  Father to son?"  Yournsky proposed.  I gritted my teeth.

   "What are you poking at?"  I asked in a bored voice.  But unlike a few other times, he didn't get the wrong idea.  "I just want to greet my family and see if I can gain an ally."  Viggo and I glanced at each other.  I found myself slightly doubting whether or not Viggo would stay, and this reflected in his eyes, making me feel guilty.

   Yournsky had inherited a few things from Viggo and his silver yet sharp tongue was one of them.

   Viggo and I exchanged glances, and I nodded.  He nodded back and steadily landed on Yournsky's slim ship.  

   "Ok guys, if they start firing, don't try taking them on on your own, ok?"  I whisper-called.  "Alright."  Came my dragons' replies as they scattered.  "What are they doing?"  Dagur asked as Yournsky and Viggo shook a firm hand.  For a moment my heart dropped, then I recognized a tiny, barely noticeable signal.

   Unfourtanitly it wasn't barely noticeable enough.  

   It all happened so fast it was more of a blur than an actual fight.  Yournsky somehow snatched Viggo around so that a silver dagger (when did he get that?) was pressed against his throat.  "You should've left well enough alone, Kiara!"  Yournsky snapped.  "The Hunters don't concern you beyond family, and yet you tie yourself in knots of pain and misery when you could just go home and leave this all behind.  To the home, your dragons left you to protect."

   I tensed and gritted my teeth, my gaze meeting Viggo's.  There was something in his eyes that said:  Go.  I'll survive.  I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment and exhaling.  There was nothing I could do.  If I moved toward them, who knew what Yournsky would do.  He was an unpredictable Viking, somewhere between Ryker and Viggo.  Slowly teetering more toward the edge of evil than a businessman and borderline psychotic.  

   "I'll be back for you,"  I whispered, turning and flying back to Berk as the Hews sailed around, ending their assault on Dagur's island.

    "I promise."  I murmured.  "I have to be."