The Gift Of Power | Wattys 2020 (Dance of Power Trilogy: Book 1)

I Am The Storm

Watching Astrid and Minden about to die reawakened all of his old fears. It also helped to steel his resolve. He was not a failure! He was not a hero! He was something much more dangerous than both. The monster wanted to be released from its cage, and just this once, he would let it out. He would not be caught in the storm, waiting helplessly for his fate to fall upon him.

He was the storm.

Pushing the evil bitch roughly back out of his mind, he watched as Snotlout dove in on Hookfang to save Minden before she could hit the ground. Grabbing her confused dragon on the way back up. Completely free, Hiccup turned his focus to Astrid now. Seeking out the fading sparks of her consciousness amid the violent maelstrom that was the queen's mind. Latching onto them, he began to drag her back to herself. He could feel the queen trying to keep her, but she didn't have a hope. He was angry now. Rules and caution mattered little anymore.

Reaching out with another part of his mind, he gently brushed Stormfly's consciousness. After reassuring her that her rider would be alright, he asked her to land. He needed to face the queen on his own. He couldn't risk anyone else getting between them. He cast his previous plan aside. He could no longer wait for the others to kill her before he trapped her soul. He knew that after the attack on Minden, Ilweran would be angry enough to keep his silence about what had really happened here. As the last shreds of Astrid were being torn free of the queen's clutches, Hiccup turned to look at his father.

"Get everyone clear of here. Now." He could only imagine what his father might be seeing when he met his eyes. Whatever it was gave the man pause for a beat, before he snapped out of it and began flashing the signal for retreat. After a last glance at his son, he turned away and went to join the others. As the Vikings on the ground rushed to muster by the ships, the riders swooped in to pick up Eret and Heather's archers off of the cliffs. They kept their bows at the ready, just waiting for the wild dragons to continue their attack, but they never did. The queen had apparently loosened her hold over them in order to attack the Riders.

Stormfly touched down gently beside the Hooligan chief. The limp form of Astrid hanging over her back. He watched the Vikings scurrying across the pebbled beach for a moment before he began his attack on the queen. Stopping her before she could launch another fire storm on the people. Forming his own shards and daggers, he sent them to every part of her mind that they could reach.

He could feel her recoil into herself from the onslaught. Pulling back her attacks on the others in order to shield herself from this new and unexpected force. Maintaining his brutal take down of her defences, he looked over to check on Ilweran. He was sitting up in his saddle, looking slightly dazed and extremely angry, but otherwise unharmed. He met Hiccup's eyes with a pleading question in his own.

"Minden is fine. She fell off Borealis when the queen launched her attack, but Snotlout caught her and Bori. Astrid is with Stoick and Stormfly. She is unconscious, but should recover. It seems the queen saw her as more of a threat than Minden and was intent on truly destroying her. Look after her for me. Snotlout will meet you there."

Hiccup's voice came out as a cold and disturbing monotone when he spoke. Twisted and warped by the influence of the queen's essence as he attacked her. He was opening himself up to her darkness, but his draconic fury was proving to be a sufficient shield. His own darkness being more than a match for hers. This bitch was going to pay for attacking his mate...

Ilweran looked at him steadily for a moment, gauging the storm behind his eyes. "Do not go in too deep" he advised as he nodded his acceptance.

"Never! You know me. Always the cautious one." Ilweran laughed as Hiccup dug into the saddle bag to draw out his bow and quiver, slinging the latter over his back to rest with the swords. Looking once more at his friend, this half-elf lunatic that had been with him through so much, he knew that Ilweran was honestly worried about him. He had good reason to be. Meeting the man's familiar amber eyes, he added, "if something goes wrong brother, you know what to do."