Dragon's Heart ~ Hiccstrid

Chapter 9

"Alright." Hiccup turned back to an awestruck Sven. "Let's do the rest." The boy nodded dutifully, and ran over to the next cage. ~~

~~ Ten minutes later, there was a whirlwind of dragons, as all of them took off at the same time, together. The boy whooped as dragons zipped into the air, looping and singing their Nadder song. Hiccup sighed, relieved and glad to have finished. When the last dragon took off, Hiccup turned around to leave, but, there it was. The dragon with the hurt wing. It looked up longingly at the other ecstatic and free dragons, whimpering softly, before putting its head down in defeat. 

Hiccup walked over to the sad dragon, under weight, and injured. He crouched beside it as its eyes closed, and its breathing shallowed. It was gone. Hiccup pressed his lips together as the weak dragon passed under his hand, unable to do anything about it. 

"Hiccup?" He turned to face the boy, who was no longer looking weak and scared, but full of a sense of duty and responsibility. 

"Let's free the other dragons." Not another dragon was going to die here, under this horrible man's power. Not when he was around. 

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As the last of the terrible terrors flew off, the door behind them slammed open. Sven shrieked and ran behind Hiccup, who drew his dagger and had whipped around, facing the intruder and pulling his mask down in an instant. 

"Who are you?!" Bludvic bellowed, charging straight towards the two. Good. He didn't see Hiccup's face. 

"Stay away!" Hiccup swung the dagger, nearly missing the unguarded man and cutting off a slip of his coat. As the fabric twirled, for a moment, Hiccup caught a glimpse of the inferno. There was his chance.

"I come unguarded, and you immediately strike! How pathetic, do you not know any fighting techniques? Always wait before striking." The man began to circle the two, eyeing Sven before sharply barking at the boy, "And what are you doing here, you worthless piece of trash?" Hiccup looked back to see the young teen clench his fists and teeth, narrowing his eyes. 

"I. Am not. Worthless."

"He can't hurt you anymore, Sven." Hiccup placed his hand gently on the boy's shoulder, receiving grateful eyes in response. 

"The boy belongs to me! I can do whatever I wish to him!" The man snarled and lifted his hand to strike Sven, as the boy stepped back quickly, dread filling his eyes as he cringed, waiting for the sharp blow. But, before Bludvic could do anything, Hiccup ran in, slicing at his wrist, causing a shallow gash along the man's palm leading up to his fingers. As the man howled in pain, the slap hit Hiccup hard, a harsh smack that sent him to the ground, mask flying off of his face and clattering onto the floor beside him. 

Bludvic's eyes widened as Hiccup's face was revealed.

"YOU!" He dropped his hand and charged towards Hiccup, but was stopped by an unexpected savior. 

"You leave him alone!" Sven narrowed his eyes at Bludvic, as if challenging him.

"And what are ye' gonna do to me? Beat me up?" Bludvic leaned in, drawing closer to the unflinching teen's face. They both gritted their teeth and stared at each other, giving Hiccup just enough to time to grab his mask, slide through the man's legs and grab the inferno, then scoop up Sven, and dash for the staircase to the rest of the island at the end of the long room.

"Bye!!" Hiccup scrambled up the stairs, followed closely behind by the burly man, then dropping Sven onto the dark dragon waiting below, and flying away, across the moonlit horizon.