Cold Heart

Hatred

I wasn't going to be messed with. I crouched at the edge of the forest, watching as people were woken up and scurried to the Great Hall. I watched Stoick run there after being notified by a random clansmen. I watched through narrow eyes, my hands balled into fists. Toothless followed behind me, but far enough back that if I were to be seen, Toothless wouldn't be. 

However, I relied on Toothless staying behind me and being aware of if I was in danger or not. When some people were told of the note and the book, they would grab an axe and ask where the "insolent man that would say such a thing" was. Most though- thankfully- gasped in fright or discussed in hushed tones of the danger. 

I couldn't help but grin at the fact that I finally was being respected. I didn't care if that respect was made out of fear, I finally was something. I finally was someone. And no one could take that away. It was an amazing feeling really, made out of malice and hatred at those who had harmed me so often. I relished it. 

Eventually no more noise came from the houses. The men and women were either holed up inside, terrified, or at the Great Hall, likely yelling at Stoick in an angry fever. I moved slowly, ducking behind houses and creeping closer to the edge of town. I wished, more than anything, that I could take Toothless in there and blow up everything, but Toothless had a shot limit. It would be suicide.

I made it to the edge of the houses after a short time. It was the edge of town, and I doubted anyone here was still home. To double check, I crept into five different houses with Toothless to make sure they were empty. They were. The area was clear.

I smiled. I was alone.

Now for the message. 

I turned to Toothless. "Slow burn," I murmured, "And follow my lead."

I guided him along the ground, making letters with his fire. He burnt the message into the ground, charring some parts to black. It was an agonizingly long process, but after a while, I smiled. It clearly wrote:

Make the right choice, or die.

I didn't know why I did it. I didn't know why it was necessary. All I knew was that it gave me a small sense of happiness. The fear that would later reside in people's eyes... It gave me misgivings, but it also lifted me up and made me feel happy. It made me feel powerful. And I loved it. 

I climbed onto Toothless slowly. "One last thing, Bud." I let him lift high enough in the air that he rose to the level of the roofs of the houses. It was dawn- I couldn't fly above the houses. Even if people were distracted, it was unlikely they would miss a Night Fury in broad daylight. Measuring myself up so I could make one quick swoop, I crouched down.

"Take them out Bud." He murmured, almost with the same sick satisfaction I was feeling. 

We swooped down, and his plasma blast hit each house once. It wasn't enough to make them crumble, but it was hell of enough to destroy a lot of the important elements in a house. Toothless had one shot left. 

I whispered, "My dad's house." He crooned in understanding. 

In a flash, we rose above the village, and he let out one last plasma blast. It was charged this time, and upon impact with the wooden house, sent the entire thing crumbling in flames. I couldn't even find the strength to smile. I couldn't rest with the hatred burning in my chest. It consumed me as I stared at the prison of my childhood. 

It took everything in me to make Toothless fly away, slipping away from Berk as people began emerging from their residences. Some people saw the black dragon slipping away into the distance, but none saw the rider crouched down on his back.