The Other-worldly Protector

87. Untidy Trade

Besieged. Doomed. Death-bound. The riders had been stripped of control over their fate, and Viggo's words made that reality clearer than ever. Despite this, Hiccup grasped onto the one thing they could control with the desperation of clinging to a cliff in a storm. He chuckled, and his next words were bursting with hysteria. "If we're going to die either way, taking the Grimborn ancestral treasure with us is absolutely worth dying the 'hard' way! Right, Kiara?"

Catching on in a heartbeat, she grinned and nodded eagerly. "Yup. Guess we'll die, but so will your unholy quest," Kiara taunted.

A muscle in Viggo's jaw tightened, just enough to notice in the torchlight. It appears he hadn't accounted for them unleashing unhinged optimism.

"Oh, Hiccup," she continued jovially, "think of all the dragons they won't be enslaving without the Dragon-Eye's knowledge!"

"Or how they'll never reach the greatest."

"Oh, yes. King of dragons, who?"

At the mention of the final treasure the dragon-eye was meant to lead to, the hunters stirred and exchanged glances amongst themselves. Ryker came forwards with clenched fists and a vicious sneer. Hiccup shifted the sword to touch the Dragon-eye and Ryker halted in his tracks. At that moment, the riders knew what they held against Viggo meant something. Their confidence grew.

"Such a shame," Kiara said, blinking innocently at Viggo. "Weren't you just two lenses away from him?"

"Oh well," Hiccup sighed. "It's not like the King of dragons could have gotten you and all your men a lifetime's worth of fortune." Though Viggo's face didn't betray anything, Hiccup took a moment to appreciate the spike of distress among the common hunters: worried murmurs rippled through the crowd and uncertain glances were exchanged. Satisfied, he rolled his shoulders and tightened his grip on Inferno.

"Do that," Ryker growled, "and I will skin you alive."

Toothless and Whiplash snarled.

The riders were speechless for a moment. Ryker's words chilled them to the bone.

Recovering, Hiccup plastered a lopsided grin on his face. "I've lost a leg, Ryker," he said, shrugging. "How much worse can it be?"

"Yup, still worth it," Kiara piped up, though her voice was frightfully high. She eagerly held up the dragon eye to be destroyed.

"Here's to saving the King," said Hiccup. He took a sharp breath and with it everything he was feeling flashed across his face: terror, loss and grim determination. He brought down the flaming sword.

"Stop," Viggo spoke.

Hiccup jerked to a stop as Inferno made contact. Taught silence froze the air itself, suffocating everyone on the cliff. Everyone's eyes fixed on the object between Kiara's trembling fingers. A tendril of smoke rose from where the sword pressed against the Eye, carving into its ornate surface. Hiccup lifted it an inch, revealing a singed scar, but an otherwise unharmed treasure. Hearts pounding, the riders shared a look of shock before facing Viggo.

"Do you accept our terms then?" Hiccup asked.

Viggo breathed out ruggedly, expressing his aggravation for the first time. "In exchange for the Dragon-eye," he said, "you may leave with one dragon only."

"NO," Kiara refused, rage sparking in her eyes. "That's not fair."

"Give them both," said Hiccup. "That's the deal."

"I understand that Kiara is somewhat new to this world but Hiccup, at least you should know how a trade works," Viggo said. "Let me clear it up for you: one item, one dragon. Not to mention that this single dragon gives you passage to freedom from, well..." He gestured to his flushed, glowering brother, who was twitching with the urge to strangle the pair. "Death by him."