Fury of the Sun

6. Bad Move

Special thanks to ChristanDowdel for voting :)

I ended up posting this chapter, though it cuts off a little unexpectedly. See you guys in a week!

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Chapter 6
Bad Move

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Soundtrack: 03. The Downed Dragon
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The battle raged below. I roared as strongly as I could, challenging them.

I selected a large cluster of invaders making their way up the main road, and began a sharp dive, my wings against my body. A whistling sound picked up in volume and then bang! I released the flaming shot and the group went up in flames, some dead and the others burning.

Many of the vikings from Berk seemed more frightened than the Invaders.

"___!" Hiccup yelled. "What are you doing?!" I noticed a frantic note in his words, and I swerved to face him.

A dark, sinister looking man, who stood hunched over as though he was crippled, was standing before Hiccup, a skull hiding his features.

"Now!" He bellowed, fierce glee in his eyes. The metal hit me painfull, two large, cobweb-like chain nets draggin me to the ground in moments. I cursed myself, regretting that I hadn't listened to Hiccup. I growled and roared, scorching fire erupting from my jaws, burning nearby buildings.

"No!" Hiccup cried, his voice cracking. The man laughed, his skull-helm bouncing roughly.

"Finally! Do you know how long Orvask has waited for this? With her blood, we will triumph in every battle!" he cried energetically.

Hiccup was outnumbered as a dozen invaders circled him and prevented him from coming to my aid. Toothless was being held down by a group of attackers. Four men hefted me onto their shoulders and took me down to their boats. As we went, the other attackers drew back and joined us, a wave of men going back out to sea.

Hiccup put his head in his hands, and I watched in sadness as Astrid came over to him and rested her hand on his shoulder, before the edge of the cliff shielded them from my view. I let out a pained growl. No.

. . .

The leader, Thade, locked me down in a contraption he called the 'Hell-Grasp'. Three adjustable arches were attached to a thick base of wood and iron. My body was enclosed in the solid arches, and my wings were trapped against my body with rope.

The sea was rough, and we were caught in a storm on the third day. Thade paid me no heed when I wailed in discomfort because of the sea-sickness I was feeling. On the ninth day, we docked in a peaceful cove. Unfamiliar flora covered the island, and the air was warm and humid. "Kadder, Mudface," Thade called. "Take her to Orvask."

Two burly Vikings hefted up the Hell-Grasp and set me down on land. My head swam, and I felt as though I was still bobbing on the sea. One of the Vikings looked kindly at me, a sorry smile on his face. "Mudface!" Thade scolded, an unforgiving scowl just visible below the edge of the skull on his head. "Stop dawdling and start pulling. We're two days late already, and Orvask is an impatient man. I wonder what he would do to you if I mentioned you had stalled us..." he threatened.

Mudface stopped looking at me, and together he and Kadder pulled the Hell-Grasp up a well-marked trail, the wheels that had been attached gliding over the damp ground. Thade strutted before us, his moth-eaten cape over his shoulder and the beast skull bouncing on his head. He took out a hunting knife that rested on his hip and twirled it in his fingers, making sure I could see.

Despite my best efforts, I was terrified and disoriented. I growled and let out short roars, but my head kept spinning and I was limp in the Hell-Grasp.

After what seemed an eternity we stopped, and I looked up to see a rough stone edifice, glaring torches lighting the entrance. Above the doorway were carved runes that I didn't understand. The Hell-Grasp rolled through the stone doorway, and I instantly felt colder, icy air swirling around me. Silence enveloped us, and the footsteps of the men seemed muffled, and the harsh breathing of Kadder and Mudface's exertions was unnatural in the stillness of the hallway. The only light came from the entrance. This place didn't belong in such beautiful surroundings.

"Thade," a cold, lifeless voice stated. Thade hurriedly dropped his confident demeanour and dropped to his knee, hard enough that I was sure it would bruise. "Master Orvask. I have brought the Former. She's been restless and she's got a strong will, but the travel by ship brought her down pretty quick," he informed the shadowy man, sounding proud.

Orvask stepped out of the shadows. His face held no emotion, and that set my dwindling supply of perseverance down another notch. "Very well. You may leave," he stated, a monotone voice that conjured up images of suffering in my mind.

"But, Master Orvask-" Thade began, looking for a reward.

"GO!" Orvask's voice thundered dangerously, echoing down the hallway.

Thade scampered out, Kadder and Mudface behind him. The other invaders that had followed us were nowhere to be seen.

"Well, we finally meet, ___," Orvask commented, surprising me with the knowledge of my name. He smirked, the first expression I had seen on his face. "That snivelling bastard Thade has his uses. He made sure I have an agent in Berk, undercover of course."

"I've been doing some tests recently," he began, pacing around the Hell-Grasp menacingly. "You see, I believe I've figured out a way to use your blood to create a serum, which, when mixed with certain... ingredients, can be taken by a man to give him the ability to shift at will. I know it sounds impossible, but I have dedicated my long life to this task, and I think I've finally found the answer.

"Now I have you, I can finally complete the process."