Knowing our time was ticking, Snotlout and I ran back up the paths and hills to the top of the island, searching for our friends. "Hiccup and Astrid were in the Great Hall earlier, and Fishlegs is probably in the Dragon training arena, since that is where he teaches the children most days." Snotlout commented. "And Ruff and Tuff are probably back in their shop." I added, jogging at his side. He nodded in affirmative. "I'll get Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs. You get Ruff and Tuff. Let's meet outside the Great Hall to form a plan." "Okay, I'll see you there!" I agreed, taking a sharp turn to my left to head back in the direction of Ruffnut and Tuffnut's flea market. Thankfully, I wasn't too far away from them, and arrived within a few more moments.
The twins were not fighting when I approached the second time. In fact, they were looking rather bored and tired, with no customers to entertain at this time of day. It was still too early for many people to have any enthusiasm for much of anything, particularly a random assortment of goods. "Guys! Quick! I need your help! It's about my dragon!" I shouted as I approached. Both sat at attention immediately, knowing that I would not joke about something so serious. "What's happened?" Tuffnut asked, standing up and running around from behind the counter. "Nightwing was kidnapped. I need your help to get her back. Please...." Tears came to my eyes again, feeling distraught at this point because I knew where she was and the sort of fate that would befall her if we did not act quickly. Ruff followed her brother. "We've got your back Brenna! We'll follow you." She said, patting my shoulder. I placed my hand over hers in appreciation. "Thank you guys, I can't tell you how much that means to me." Nodding once more, I turned around, leading the twins up the hill in the direction of the Great Hall.
We got to the top of the slope in no time, and surprisingly we only had to wait a few minutes for the others to get there too. During that time, I paced back and forth, unease lacing through the entirety of my body. When Snotlout arrived with Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs, he immediately came to a stop at my side, standing close enough to brush arms. "Okay, so Snotlout gave us a brief synopsis of what happened with Nightwing, but what's going on with Magnus Bloodsword? What can you tell us about him?" Hiccup asked. I sighed, knowing I would have to tell the story from the beginning. How I had met the man, when it happened, the guy who tried to assassinate me near the Edge. All of it. So I did. I recounted every detail to the small group of riders, now understanding that keeping it all a secret had been a mistake. But I refused to let Nightwing pay the price of my wrongdoings.
The group listened on quietly until I was finished, but the looks on their faces betrayed their emotions. They were furious. "That mangy, good for nothing..." Astrid began. "I'm sorry for not telling you guys, but I never thought anything like this could happen. It's not like he had an army with him last time we met." A sickening feeling had settled into my stomach, making my entire body feel heavy and dark. It seemed as if my guts were moving of their own accord, twisting and tossing within my abdomen with no remorse. I sensed it was because of how horrible it felt knowing I was the one responsible for getting Nightwing into such a mess, and for having to drag my friends into it now as well. "It's not your fault, Brenna. We've all been there. You couldn't have known what he was going to do, and no one blames you for that." Hiccup said, trying to comfort me. I nodded, listening to my leader. "The important thing now is that we have to free Nightwing. Everyone get your dragons. We leave immediately." He continued. "Do you think we should get Eret, Heather, Valka, and Eris?" Fishlegs pointed out. "Power in numbers, ya know?" Snotlout shook his head. "Probably not, we need strong warriors to stay here and protect the village from any ambush attacks. Odin knows how many times we've learned that lesson." Astrid nodded. "I can't believe I am saying this, but Snotlout is right. They need to stay behind, prepare people for a counter attack. Can you go let Heather know? Ask her to spread the word." She asked Fishlegs. The tall man shook his head in affirmative and whistled for Meatlug, calling his dragon. The rest of the group followed suit, and soon nine dragons surrounded us, including Toothless, Stormfly, Meatlug, Barf and Belch. Hookfang looked completely distraught, looking around wildly with his pupils narrowed to fine slits. To my suprise, Duskwing, Flameshadow, and Stormfang appeared behind their father. Oh no... I stepped forward, reaching out to rub each of their noses. They weren't babies anymore, that's true, but I couldn't stand the idea of any of them getting hurt. Still, it was apparent they knew something was wrong, and they wouldn't leave Hookfang's side. Fishlegs and Meatlug left to go do as Astrid had requested, alerting his girlfriend of the impending situation.
The rest of us started to saddle up. Hookfang and the trio clawed at the earth impatiently, pacing back and forth. Snotlout walked over, stroking the scales of the dragons before us in an effort to calm them down. "What should we do with them?" He asked, his fingers tracing the ridges of Duskwing's snout gently. "If I'm being honest, I don't know. I don't want them to get hurt. I've seen what Magnus and his men can do...but..." I trailed off, pausing as I rubbed Flameshadow's neck. "But...?" Snotlout prompted. "But I can tell they know their mother is gone. They want to come..." "Brenna, Hookfang wouldn't have brought them if he thought they would get hurt. They've grown up. Just like we did. They can handle this. Nightwing and Hookfang taught them well, and so did we. It'll be okay." He told me. I released the breath I was holding, knowing he had made a valid point. "I hope you're right." "I know I am." He smiled, taking my hand in a gesture that expressed his concern and support for me at this time.
A minute later, Fishlegs and Meatlug were back. "We're ready. Heather is going to take care of it." Fishlegs announced, patting Meatlug's head appreciatively. "Awesome. Thanks, Fishlegs, Meatlug." Hiccup said, acknowledging their help. "Alright then! Come on guys! We've got to go." Snotlout called over his shoulder, walking back over to his dragon. Hiccup nodded to the rest of the group in signal to follow the other young viking. I trailed behind Snotlout and Hookfang hissed impatiently. He lowered his neck for Snotlout to mount his saddle as fast as possible. I hesitated, unsure about what to do without a dragon to ride. I could ride Stormfang, but it had been awhile and it may not go as well as it normally would. The brazen creature didn't always listen to orders, much like his father. We couldn't afford to make any mistakes today. It was literally life or death at this point. Besides, the trio had never left Berk before, and they may not like the new surroundings. This was a high stakes rescue mission, not a stroll through the archipelago. "You're with me, beautiful." Snotlout told me, holding his hand out to help me up onto Hookfang.
I smiled gratefully, taking his hand and climbing up to sit behind him on the larger male reptile. "Thank you." I whispered softly, wrapping my arms around Snotlout's waist. He turned to look back at me. "Of course." He said. "Now Fangster! Let's go save your mate!" Snotlout shouted, briefly turning his attention from me to urge his dragon to take flight. "Just like old times, eh guys?" Ruff called, leaning over Barf's horns with an excited gleam in her eyes. Everyone shook their heads in response, not the least bit surprised by her enthusiasm to fight. I hardly paid any heed to it though, my mind and thoughts lingering elsewhere, teleported to a familiar rugged terrain. The place we would need to go. Marksman Island. With blood pounding in my ears loud enough to sound like a turbulent stream rushing over piles of rocks, I prepared myself to save my dragon.
As we soared through the air, I tightened my grip around Snotlout. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly. I nodded, "Yeah...I just...there's a lot going on in my head right now..." "Is it me?" He turned to look over his shoulder at me, a troubled expression plastered on his face. I could hear the uneasiness and nervousness in his voice. "No. Of course not! I mean, I'm really happy we're together, but it's not what's bothering me. I'm upset that Nightwing is in trouble, and I'm angry that Magnus has her. I'm going to rip his throat out the moment I get to him." I growled under my breath. I felt Snotlout relax a bit, assured that he wasn't adding to the reason for my irritation and anxiety.
Once we had put some distance between ourselves and Berk, the reality of the situation began to sink in. "So Brenna, what's the plan?" Hiccup suddenly called from on Toothless' back. My eyes widened as I shifted to look at him. "You want me to give you guys orders? But you're the Chief." I said. "And you know this Magnus guy better than anyone else here. We'll do as you say this time." Hiccup replied with a reassuring smile. I took a deep breath, thinking. "Alright...when we get there, I'll go to the island alone to begin with. Snotlout, can I borrow Hookfang? I'm thinking he can drop me off and you can ride on Stormfang or the others until I'm on the island. When I get to the ground, I'll just send Hookfang back to you." I explained. "I don't like this...I don't mind you having Hookfang, but I don't like you going alone." He answered. I nodded, understanding his concern. "Just trust me." Begrudgingly, Snotlout dipped his head in agreement. "Okay...so Magnus will probably be waiting for me to show up with other riders, which means you guys can't be seen. There's a really small sea stack right next to Marksman Island. You all can land there and keep out of sight. You should still be able to see me though. Meanwhile, I'm going to give Magnus what he wants." I told them, exhaling shakily.
I felt Snotlout pull back on Hookfang's horns, and the group let out a collective gasp. "You can't be serious!" Astrid exclaimed. "I am. Once I'm in his grasp, he won't hurt me. He wants me too badly. That means that I'll be able to distract him. The one thing he doesn't know is that I know how to fight now. While I have his focus, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs can take out his guards. If they live or not is up to you. And you can take the babies with you. They can help destroy any watchtowers you see." I told them. The trio grinned at each other and nodded in acceptance. "Snotlout, Hiccup, and Astrid, you guys follow behind. I need you to find and free Nightwing and any other dragon Magnus has captured while I keep him entertained." Hiccup and Astrid nodded. "What about you?" The Haddock heir inquired. "I can call Nightwing to me. I'll be fine." "How? You don't even have a weapon." Tuffnut pointed out. "I don't? Really? Are you quite sure about that?" I asked in mock surprise.
The whole group turned to look at me. Even Snotlout twisted himself to see what I was talking about. Smirking, I reached through my furs and into the top of my shirt, pulling out a long, slender dagger. "Breast dagger. Nice. You have to help me get one of those." Astrid smiled. I laughed lightly, putting my weapon back. "Got it from my mother last Snoggletog. For defense. Small and deadly, hidden where no one but myself can see." I explained. Snotlout smirked, "Best hiding place there is." He laughed.
It wasn't long before we were looking at Marksman Island. "Okay, we should probably change places." I said. Snotlout turned to look at me. "I still don't like this idea..." He grumbled. "It's alright. I'll be fine." I told him, leaning over his shoulder to kiss him. I vaguely heard the whole group gasp in surprise, and a few hoots and hollers, but I ignored them. We pulled away a moment later and stared at each other. There were no words to be said at this point. Our devotion to one another was clear. The love we felt was indescribable. With a final brush of his fingers on my cheek, Snotlout began to shift, getting out of the saddle on Hookfang's neck. "Stormfang!" He called. The dark blue dragon flew below his father, and Snotlout jumped down onto his back. I wasn't too worried about Snotlout being with Stormfang, as Snotlout often had an easier time handling the male than I did. I moved forward, grasping Hookfang's horns. "We've got this, boy." I told the dragon. He let out a roar of agreement, flames erupting from his mouth. I looked down at Snotlout, who was staring at me in wonder. "Go, now. The sea stack is over there." I said, pointing to our left, where the tall tower of stone and moss stood out against the sun, the moisture creating a dull sheen on the surface of the rock. Snotlout and Hiccup nodded again, and Toothless and Stormfang changed directions, leading the group to the safer island. Hookfang continued flying in a straight line, accelerating his speed to the point where if I hadn't have been strapped into the saddle, I would've flown out.
The sun was high in the sky by the time that we finally made it to the shores of Marksman Island. Hookfang circled the beach a few times before landing in the sand with a deep growl. He swung his long neck back and forth in search of his mate, his nostrils expanding to allow any traces of her scent to go straight to his lungs. "I know, boy. I want to find her too. But you need to go before they get you." I told him, dismounting from his back and jumping to the ground. I petted his snout softly, "Go back to Snotlout." I whispered.
The orange dragon gave me a nudge and grumbled, but I gave him a look asking him to leave. He nodded and took to the air. "Get that dragon!" An unfamiliar male voice came from behind a nearby rock. I rounded on him, coming face to face with about ten soldiers. "Stop! My name is Brenna Derganson. I'm looking for your commander, Magnus Bloodsword." "Oh good. You're here. Magnus has been expecting you. And you brought us a gift." The man smirked, continuing to gaze at Hookfang's retreating form. "Hurry up! Down that dragon!" He ordered his soldiers.
My heart felt as though it had stopped for a moment, watching as they attempted to fire arrows and other launchable weapons toward Hookfang, despite the fact that he was too far away to reach. Taking note of this, I relaxed, waiting for the trappers to "capture" me. "You! Girl! Where are you off too?" One of the men shouted, his fingers wrapping around my upper arm to keep me from running away. He loomed over me threateningly, eyes wild and dark, face worn and scarred, armor bent and tarnished. "Just waiting for you idiots to finish playing with your toys. I'm here for Magnus. I believe he has something of mine." I answered, making direct eye contact with him and standing my ground as I ripped my arm from his grasp. I ran away once. I refused to make that mistake again. The man glared at me, but signaled for his men to lower their weapons. "Very well. Right this way, Miss." He hissed. I straightened my spine, allowing the group to surround me and lead me back to their camp.
The island was just as beautiful as I remembered, with lush trees and blooming bushes covering every inch of the ground. Birds jumped from branch to branch, fluttering over our heads. Rabbits hopped from one side of the path to the other, their light brown and gray pelts camouflaging them in the shadows beneath the brush. It was a shame the place was overrun with dragon trappers. Without them, this would be a peaceful island for our people to retreat to every once and awhile, or to set up another dragon training camp. "Where is my dragon?" I wondered aloud, scanning the surrounding area to see if I could get a glimpse of their camp before we actually arrived. "Like we'll tell you." The gruff man sneered. I sighed, following him down the winding dirt road that I could only assume led into the center of the island.
Magnus had moved his camp into a different place than it was the last time. The entrance was in a moss covered cave below sea level, on the outskirts of the tree line to the south, the opposite side of the beach from which I had arrived. "Magnus! We have a gift for you!" The leader of the group surrounding me shouted, pushing my body forward forcefully. I growled at him, before turning to watch the entrance of the cave. "Well, well, what do we have here?" A deep voice echoed from inside the cavern. The fronds of greenery swayed from side to side, enabling the approaching person to move through them with ease. "Brenna Derganson! I'm here alone! Just like you said! Now give me my dragon!" I shouted. "Ah...now now... Is that any way to speak to your captor?" The voice replied. Magnus came into view, stepping into the sunshine. I gasped in surprise, taking in his bulkier form.
The last time I had seen him, he had been the size of Dagur, easy to take on if I had needed to. But now he was about the size of Spitelout, Snotlout's father. Tall, brooding, menacing in more ways than one. I swallowed thickly. A fair fight is out of the question. Looks like I've got to go about this a bit differently. "You're right. I'm sorry." I whispered, looking down as if in submission. "That's better." Magnus said, green eyes flicking over my form in a way that nearly made me puke. "Let her go. We're going to go have a little chat." He said, motioning for me to follow him. I began to walk forward, accompanying him back into the mouth of the cave.
Every footstep was forced, my body demanding I do exactly the opposite of what I was asking it to. "This certainly is a surprise...I didn't realize how much your dragon meant to you." Magnus began. "Yeah." I responded simply. "No small talk? That's good with me. You know what I want Brenna. I assume you submit to my demands then?" He probed, pausing in his stride, only to turn to me and cup my face gently in his palm. His dark eyes met mine evenly, waiting to see any sign of aggression again. "Will you let Nightwing live?" I inquired softly. "Yes. But only if you give me your word that you will marry me at nightfall." He countered, pulling my face closer to his own. My mind reeled, disgust settling deep in my gut at the thought of being wed to this monster in front of me. "Very well. You have my word. I will marry you, Magnus." I told him firmly, meeting his gaze once more.
A sickening feeling swirled in my stomach at the words, but I had to play the part, get him to let his guard down. I had to play nice, before things got messy. "Great! I will lead you to your, I mean, our quarters then." Magnus grinned. I gave a small smile back, allowing him to take my hand. Ugh, please Thor, help me get out of this.
Magnus led me further into the darkness, down a long tunnel and into a dimly lit room. "Here ya are. Your wedding dress is over in the corner." He said. I nodded. "Thank you, Magnus." I said, taking in my surroundings. There were torches throughout the cavern, with a decent sized bed against the back wall. It was draped in furs and blankets made out of what appeared to be dragon skins. I almost vomited at the sight. The dress he spoke of was lying atop it all, its bright colors contrasting with the dull scenery in the room. A chest sat toward the left side of the chamber, and a various array of weapons hung on the opposite side near the bed. Hmmm...could be useful...I thought, turning to look at the dragon trapper again. "So...can I ask you something?" I managed to choke back my bile as I watched him pull out a stool and sit upon it as though he were some sort of king. "Ask me anything, my dear. I am an open book." He smirked, pouring a glass of Mead for himself and then bringing it to his lips. "Why me? Why do you want to marry me? Why all this mess? You don't even know me. The first and last time I saw you was years ago, and you tried to kill my dragon then too." I pointed out, cocking a curious eyebrow at him.
While I distracted him, I intended to get some long awaited answers. "Well, dear Brenna, why not you? Have you seen yourself? Truly? You are beautiful. And strong. And smart. And so much more, I am sure...I remember that night. I remember it because it was the first time I saw you, and even then I could see there is something special about you. You aren't like the other women I have met, which I am sure is a statement you have heard many times in your life. And in case you haven't noticed, I am a dragon trapper and a pirate. I appreciate the finer things in life, especially when they are different than anything I have ever encountered before. You are one of those things. And you are correct, I don't know you. Not the way others do. But I know what I need to, and for now that's enough. I did try to kill your dragon, yes, but you must understand why. You see, for people like me, dragons hold no emotional value. They are sold and collected and killed simply for power and treasure, hence why I had my men attack you that night. I humbly ask for forgiveness, and offer you my utmost apologies." He explained. His words slurred every once in a while, and I knew he was at least a little drunk, which I hoped was to my benefit.
Keeping this in mind, I demanded the answer to another question, taking a slight step closer to the man. "How did you know where to find me? Why now?" Magnus' grin widened as he noticed my obvious bewilderment. "You remember your friend Trader Johann...he was a business partner of mine. He offered to keep an eye on you for me in exchange for a couple different weapons every visit. An easy trade off." It made sense now, why Johann always spoke to me on visits to Berk when he had new cures and herbs to try. Just an excuse to spy on me. We all knew he was a traitor at this point, but it still stung to know what Johann's true motives were. "And now..." Magnus continued. "I chose to bring you here because we've both had some time to grow, to learn from our past selves. We are different people now, and if you give me the chance, I will show you that. We could grow to love each other, you and I." I stared at him blankly, still in disbelief of this whole ordeal. "Love...it's what you truly desire, isn't it?" He added knowingly.
I swallowed, holding my chin straight as I met his eyes, refusing to let him use my emotions against me. "I know about the boy too. Johann was quite useful. He would follow you two some days, and he kept a watchful eye on you the night of the coming of age celebration on Berk. You just wanted him to love you, didn't you. Wanted him to feel what you felt. But he doesn't, does he. He sees you only as a sister, or dear friend. Nothing more than that." The man in front of me knew what he was doing. Emotional manipulation at its finest.
The tears welled in my eyes as I remembered all the pain from the past few years. The heartache. I relived all those memories, the laughs, the fights, all of it. With Snotlout in the center of it all. "But..I would never do that to you, Brenna. I know how that feels. Unrequited love, living alone for so many years...I care about you, my dear, and I want to give you the world. You and I, we can have whatever we want. Life and love, it is ours for the taking...So...what do you say? Give me a try. It's not like you have anything to lose." Magnus finished, downing his last gulp of Mead, this time directly from the bottle. He was good, I had to admit that much. If I had been a different woman, a woman without a dragon to consider, or friends, or the life I had on Berk, or if I hadn't had already met Magnus, I might've accepted his offer. Fallen for his charm. Thankfully, that isn't who I am. I was happy on Berk, surrounded by all the people and creatures I loved. I had Snotlout, and he was more amazing that any man I had ever known. Most importantly, I had Nightwing, my best friend and the most loyal dragon a girl could ask for.
Staying within my charade, however, I took a deep breath and nodded my head. I mustered a pleased smile and shrugged my shoulders. "You're right. Love...it's all I ever wanted. And now I have the chance to finally have it. Snotlout...he will never know how I feel about him, because now I have you. I want to build a life with you. You are truly magnificent, Magnus. I was so stupid not to see it before. But now that you've explained it, I can't wait to be Mrs. Bloodsword." I told him sweetly. "What made you change your mind?" He raised an eyebrow, placing his chin in his hand as he gazed up at me.
Cautiously, I made my way over to stand in front of him, reaching up and touching his muscles lightly as if admiring them. "Well, to be honest, I had no intention of marrying you when I got here. I was going to trick you somehow and escape with Nightwing." I playfully "admitted." Magnus chuckled, lifting his hand and reaching out in an attempt to grab me and pull me into his lap. "I'm listening. Tell me more, my dear." Nonchalantly avoiding the action, I began to circle him with all the seduction I could muster, swaying my hips from side to side gently. "But then your guards led me here, to you. And I saw how much you've grown up. You're so...strong and handsome. A total catch..." I paused on my second walk behind him, leaning down to place my lips near his ear, my fingers resting on his broad shoulders. "So...rugged...There are no men on Berk who could ever compare..." I whispered in his ear, reaching into my shirt and drawing my dagger. "You're not bad yourself, beautiful. Freya blessed you in all the right ways." He winked, turning his head to meet my gaze. I smiled, closing my eyes and leaning in toward his face, while reaching around his body with my other hand holding the dagger. I was so close to his neck. Just a flick of the wrist and this will be all over. I thought, lowering the blade to hover over his skin, my hand shaking with nerves. In all my life, I had never killed anyone, and even as furious as I was with the man in front of me, it was a scary concept. With a slash, he'd be bleeding out, and with any luck my friends had already found Nightwing. I brought the dagger downward, preparing for the sound of skin sliced open.
Suddenly, a large hand wrapped around my wrist, bringing the plunging blade to a halt above his skin. I gasped, falling back a bit. "Sadly, so did Loki..." Magnus whispered, pulling away from me. His grip on my wrist tightened excruciatingly, making me drop the dagger. "Smart. Trying to seduce me. It almost worked. But a trapper learns early on in his life not to trust anyone. You only proved the fact that I can't trust you. Now, get dressed. The wedding has been moved, darling. We shall wed immediately." The blonde dragon trapper exclaimed. The smile he gave me was different this time. That of a predator having caught his prey. He would have me, one way or another. It was maniacal, estranged...disturbed.
Nevertheless I took off running after him and jumping on his back, punching him wherever I could, but my movements didn't seem to phase him. Instead, he shrugged me off, throwing me onto the bed. "I will never marry you!" I snarled. He shook his head. "You don't have a choice. And know this, I am leaving to begin preparations. There are guards posted at the entrance to the tunnel. Try to escape, and you won't make it out alive." He replied coldly, walking out of the inner cave and back into the shadows awaiting him in the tunnel. My eyes began to water in frustration. Where are they? Snotlout should be here by now. I sighed, closing my eyes. There was no way I was getting myself out of this now, not alone at least.
If you can't beat them, join them. I got to my feet and walked over to the gown in the corner. My eyebrow perked in interest as I looked over the heavy fabric, examining the intricate scroll designs that decorated the sleeves and hems of the dress. It was actually quite beautiful now that I had the chance to look it over. The gown was made from fine wool, deep blood red in color with a cinched bodice and sleeves. I wondered who they could've stole it from. A princess perhaps, or a high priestess of some sort? Sighing, I lifted it and held it up to my body. It seemed as though it would fit. Quickly, I discarded my typical viking garb in exchange for the gown. It worked well enough to wear, a tad long maybe, but I wouldn't be wearing it very long so I didn't really worry about it. I wrapped my clothes with a rope and tied them around my upper thigh, hidden safely under the skirt of my dress. Remembering the dagger I had dropped, I strode back over to retrieve it before I left, tucking it back into the top of my bust. Turning on my heel, I crept out of the cavern, walking back into the all encompassing darkness of the tunnel.
As I felt along the wall to find my way out into the daylight, the tips of my fingers running over small dips and scrapes on the rock surface, I ended up falling through some hanging lichen on the left side of the tunnel. I shook my head to clear the daze I was momentarily in, slowly realizing that this was a hidden passage. I got to my feet, deciding to follow it and see where it led me. If anyone found me, I could just claim that I got lost on the way to my wedding.
Eventually, the second tunnel widened into another gloomy room, where the faint rumble of a dragon snoring was easily heard. I shuffled forward, taking light steps over the dirt underneath me. Only the Gods knew what would be awaiting me in there. Upon my fifth step into the area, my foot brushed something different, my toes catching on a strange hole and causing me to trip. Gravity took control at that point, causing me to fall onto my knees, stretching out my arms so that my hands would break my fall. Biting my lip to keep from crying out in a mixture of surprise and pain, I breathed in deeply through my nose, feeling the familiar tingling and throbbing sensation that engulfs the ankle when it has been sprained. Great. I thought, pulling myself up onto my hands and knees, dragging my body away from whatever had cause my injury.
Glancing over my shoulder, a faint outline of hollow rectangles was illuminated from a torch on the wall. Maneuvering my body around, I spun to get a closer inspection of what had caused my fall. To my great astoundment, a massive dragon cage had been built into the earth, hiding the creature inside. It was a miracle I hadn't been torched by it when I had fallen. I crept closer to the dragon once more, keeping my footsteps light as possible. Peeking my head over the top, I gasped. It was Nightwing. She was bleeding and severely wounded, but she was alive. Her right wing was shredded where the fragile leathery portion fanned out. Her snout was torn from one side to the other, and one of her legs was twisted at an odd angle. My heart broke for her. "Oh Nightwing, what did he do to you? Oh Frigga, this is all my fault." I whispered, reaching through the cage bars to pet her horns. The moment I touched her, she flinched away, growling softly and narrowing her pupils to thin slants. "Shh...shh it's just me girl. I'm gonna save you." I told her. Her pupils slowly expanded outward, signifying her understanding of what I was telling her, but she refused to move.
I looked around to find a key, but there wasn't one in plain sight. If I were a dragon trapper, where would I hide the key? I thought, casting my attention away from my dragon for a brief moment. A glint of metal from the far corner caught my eye. Scrambling to my feet, I ran over, seeing a pile of freshly moved dirt not so cleverly hidden under a rock. Idiots... I smiled at the trappers' stupidity, pushing the rock away and digging through the dirt. Only a portion of the key was exposed, almost looking like another rock. But the rest was snugly underground.
It was a surprisingly long key, but I was able to pull it from the dirt with only a little effort. "Hey lassie! What are ya doing in here?" A new voice growled. I gasped, standing up. Think Brenna, think! "Oh, thank Thor! I was on my way to the wedding when I got lost. Do you think you could guide me back outside to Magnus? These tunnels are just soooo scary." I said, walking over to the man staring at me in confusion. He was an older gentleman, with cloudy green eyes that had obviously seen more than can ever be retold, and a mixture of fresh and old bite marks mottled his exposed arms from years of trapping dragons. He seemed tired, and he was thin, like he hadn't had a decent meal in a few decades. Yet, there was something different in his eyes than the rest of the trappers. The now familiar savage gleam I had come to notice with Magnus and the other men was missing from this guy. It was as if he was simply a desperate man seeking employment with nowhere else to turn. I almost felt bad for pretending to be a damsel in distress, knowing I'd probably have to knock him out in order to escape. "Well...er...I suppose. You are Magnus' fiance." He grumbled, weary eyes scrutinizing me. Apparently I appeared innocent enough, because he heaved a sigh and nodded to himself. "Come now, this way." He gestured, beginning to stride back the way he had come. I picked up my skirt to make sure I didn't fall again, before taking off running over to him at full speed. With a well aimed blow from my fist to the back of his unhelmeted head, he collapsed. He would be unconscious but not dead, thankfully, because I didn't want to seriously hurt him, so I had to work fast instead. My quarrel was with Magnus, not this man.
I ran back over to Nightwing's cage and put the key in the large lock holding it closed. It popped open, allowing me to drag away the heavy chains that weighed the top down, and finally I was able to lift open the large iron door keeping my Monstrous Nightmare trapped. Nightwing grunted softly, watching me with her deep purple eyes. "Come on, girl. We have to hurry." I whispered. She blinked twice, and I began to worry that perhaps her willpower was gone after experiencing such trauma at Magnus' hands, because she sat so still, like a statue. But then she began to move, claws digging into the dirt as she hauled herself out of the pit. "Good girl. My beautiful brave dragon. Let's get you out of here." I told her, rubbing her head gently. She leaned into me for a moment, and I could see her sides heaving with the effort of crawling to level ground. "I'm so sorry, Nightwing. I'm going to make them pay for what they did." I promised, feeling fury bubble up within my chest and stomach as I saw just how bad she really looked. A few moments later, her whole body was above ground, but her jaws and nostrils gaped open as she tried to get more oxygen into her lungs.
We rested there for a second, Nightwing trying to gain her bearings, appearing completely disorientated. "I know, girl. It hurts. I'm gonna get you home though, I promise. You know I will always take care of you." I attempted to reassure her, rubbing the scales along her cheek and under her chin gently. She let out a series of soft hisses in response, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. When she opened them again, a bit of the old spark of mischief and power resonated within the dark violet pools. "That's my girl!" I cheered, smiling happily. Nightwing grunted, taking a small step forward. Then another. And a third. She sluggishly made her way to the mouth of the cave that led back into the tunnel, making sure she didn't step on the older man that was still unconscious on the ground.
Moving in front of my dragon, I led her back into the tunnel as quietly as possible, knowing that she was in no condition to fight in her present state. She was going to have to depend on me to protect her, and I was determined to do just that. Her claws clicked against the ground and her wings scraped the walls, her huge size making it harder for her to maneuver in the tight space, but we didn't have very far left to walk. As we got closer to the mouth of the cave, the sounds of shouting and weapons clanking and dragons roaring grew louder. I pushed aside the fronds of moss and my eyes widened at the scene unfolding in front of me.
My friends had all arrived, with back up. Dragons were covering the island, setting trappers on fire left and right and sending them flying through the sky like balls tossed amongst children. Stormfang and Duskwing were busy playing tug of war with one screaming man high above the center of the camp, their jaws clamped down on his legs and arms. Flameshadow and Hookfang were back to back, bodies alight in angry flames, slashing apart and frying a ring of about fifteen soldiers. Most of my friends were fighting on the backs of their own dragons, raining fire on the island. Astrid was close by on the land though, engaged in battle with two of Magnus' biggest men. By the time I was able to grab a sword from a fallen trapper to help her, she had already downed them both with the help of Stormfly's tail spikes.
There was one person missing though. Snotlout! My eyes widened and I frantically searched the surrounding battlefield for any sign of him. To my dismay, I had to stop looking for him when a dagger was thrown at my head. I ducked just in time, narrowly missing the small blade as it soared through the air. Almost immediately, I saw the source of it, one broad shouldered man with tattoos all along his arms and neck. Swinging my sword, I charged at my attacker, feeling the wind rush passed my ears as my feet hammered against the ground. The man drew his own weapon from his back, brandishing a silver and ebony battle axe, with a doubled edged headpiece that glinted with a particular type of malice, dried blood dotting the metal and the handle on either side. That was a dragon killing axe. I knew fighting against an axe was not my strong suit, but it was either that or Nightwing's death. No more hesitation. I thought, letting out a high pitched battle cry.
Our weapons clashed between us, the axe pressing against my sword, pushing me back. I pulled back and returned, slicing through the air until the clink of metal rang out in my ears, the sharp ting almost causing me to lose my grip on the sword. This action was repeated as we circled one another, each of us trying to knock the weapon out of the other person's hands in an attempt to leave them utterly defenseless. Growing tired of this repetitive exchange, I spun around, twisting my body around so that my sword was over my head, catching the underside of the curved part of the axe. The sharp edges interlocked, allowing me to yank harshly of the axe and pull it out of the trapper's grasp. It went flying in the opposite direction, somewhere into the nearby treeline. The trapper's eyes widened as I spun around, slashing at his legs. His burly figure caused him to have a harder time avoiding my thrust, and so instead of missing him, my sword cut open a long gash on his upper thigh. Blood began to leak out of his skin rapidly, and the man let out a yell, stumbling backward and retreating.
A distinctive shout of pain made me turn around again, instantly recognizing who it belonged to. To my surprise, Snotlout was fighting Magnus himself. I looked on in a mixture of reassurance and horror, unsure as to what damage I would find. Snotlout was holding his own actually, despite his opponents greater height. He was bloodied up pretty bad though, including a deep slash across his bicep that was flowing with fresh blood. The two tussled around, slamming their shields and weapons against each other in an effort to maim or disarm the other man. Magnus tried to stab Snotlout, but my friend had already grabbed the trapper's wrist, pulling him over his shoulder and slamming him into the rocks underneath their feet. Suddenly, he had Magnus pinned to the ground with his hammer, standing over him victoriously. "Don't you ever go near her again!" He snarled. Magnus was struggling against the weapon, a sneer on his lips and an expression holding nothing short of animosity on his face.
I had thought Snotlout looked bad, but Magnus looked a billion times worse. He had a black eye, was missing some teeth, and his whole chest was coated in blood and burns. Snotlout, being a noble warrior, stepped back, allowing him to live. I sighed in relief, patting Nightwing, who was still crouching in the mouth of the cave. But something caught my eye as Snotlout turned around, searching the sky for his dragon. The sunlight reflecting off of a dagger being raised by Magnus from his position on his back. My eyes widened in fear, pulse accelerating to what seemed to be passed the point of no return, and I rushed forward, sword still firmly in my grasp. "No!" I screamed, jumping behind Snotlout and up next to Magnus. I knew I couldn't hesitate this time, not if I wanted to save Snotlout's life. Magnus would not rest until he was dead. I turned my sword over and plunged it through the dragon trapper's chest. I felt the resistance as his chest bones cracked and his organs were sliced apart, and a nauseous feeling created bile in my throat as I looked upon the broken body. He gasped, deep crimson blood pooling from his mouth, causing him to choke on it, and focused his gaze on me as he dropped his weapon. He let out one last shaky breath, gasping for air, before finally falling silent, bubbles covering the corner of his lips. My eyes widened as I realized I had actually killed a man.
The fighting around me ceased, forming an eerie silence. Tears came to my eyes. I turned around, seeing shock written on the face of everyone, riders and trappers alike. Swallowing hard, I raised my head and glared at our enemies. "If you do not wish to meet the same fate, you will end this fighting and leave this island for good. You will never trap another dragon again! If you do, we will find you, and we will kill you." I promised the men before me. The trappers all nodded, scurrying away from their fallen leader, leaving all of us riders gathered around the battleground. The buildings were destroyed, weapons broken and scattered across the desolate ground, and smoke rose high into the air. Every one of my friends were scraped up, bruised, and covered in blood and sweat. But they were alive. We were all alive. I finally got the courage to meet Snotlout's eyes, glancing up at his tired form. "You saved me." He murmured. I nodded. I was thankful he was alright, but not exactly proud of what I had done. I had saved him and Nightwing, at the cost of Magnus' life. Then I realized, I didn't have a choice. Magnus would've had to die either way. As a healer, someone who fixed people up, this was a hard concept to digest.
The emotions flowing through my body came crashing down on me. I crumpled to the ground, tears flowing freely. Nightwing was safe, Snotlout was alive, my friends and I had practically eradicated Magnus and his trappers. Another threat to Berk had been extinguished. So much had happened in the passed few hours, all the pressure finally got to me. I cried softly, and Nightwing emerged from the tunnel to wrap around me, despite the fact that she was obviously in a great deal of pain. The mood was solemn. I half expected Hiccup to approach me first, but Snotlout did instead. I quickly wiped my eyes, standing to look at his wounds. "Are you alright?" I asked, examining his arm gently. "I'm fine. Or at least, I will be. But the real question is, are you okay?" He asked, cupping my cheek. I nodded, another tear falling from my eye.
Snotlout frowned and wrapped his arms around me tightly, holding me close. "No, you're not. Come on. Let's get you home." He suggested with an uncharacteristically gentle voice. I heard the rest of the group approach, but Snotlout must've mouthed something to them because they all mounted their dragons again. "Come on gang. We've done what we came to do." Hiccup said. Snotlout leaned down, wrapping his arms around my back and under my legs. This time I didn't struggle, though I knew he must hurt all over his body. My extra weight had to have been straining him, but he made no complaint to indicate such. He carried me over to Hookfang, setting me down for a single moment to get himself in the saddle, before pulling me up to sit in front of him. "What about Nightwing?" I asked quietly. "We have her." Hiccup said, motioning to my friend who was lying in the sail of one of the dragon trappers' ships. Stormfly, Duskwing, Stormfang, and Flameshadow were all holding part of the sail in their claws, carrying my dragon through the air. I nodded. "Thank you. Thank you all. So much. I don't think either of us would've gotten out of there without you. You saved us." I told them. The group all smiled and nodded in acceptance before beginning to fly away. "We protect our own." Hiccup said reassuringly from on Toothless's back.
Hookfang raised his wings, taking flight to trail behind the rest of the group. Snotlout kept his arms wrapped tightly around me, refusing to let go. I buried my face into his chest, trying to keep from crying. I was a viking woman. Crying should rarely happen, especially during occasions like this. We were victorious. "It's okay, you know." Snotlout spoke up quietly. I looked up. "What?" I asked. "You can break down. What you did was the hardest and strongest thing I've ever seen someone do. You saved my life. If he had thrown that dagger, it would've killed me. So thank you. Even though you don't believe it now, you really didn't have a choice. If you had seen the things that we did, you would know it was for the better. And I would rather see someone like him dead than you hurt, or worse. It's alright. And everyone here understands that you did what you had to do. And after what he did to Nightwing, no one can blame you." He told me. I frowned, feeling the tears falling. "Now rest. We've got a long way left to Berk." He said. I sighed, releasing a shaky breath, and wrapped myself tighter around him. "By the way, love the dress." He whispered. I chuckled despite myself. "Shut up..." I muttered, shaking my head.
The dress Magnus wanted her to wear