[Passing the orb and leaving it in the distance did nothing but plunge Hiccup into further, unending darkness. Each step felt longer and harder than the last, the darkness weighing down on him with an almost physical weight, impeding his progress. The words of his father kept repeating, over and over, until they had almost lost their meaning.
"YOU ARE NOT MY SON."
But when you hear something enough, sometimes you start to believe it. That and other memories hit Hiccup in waves, each new one worse than the last. He could hardly concentrate, and each step sent a shock through his entire body, the searing burns from before throbbing with pain. His knees trembled and sweat beaded on his brow as image after image threw itself at him.
He could see the reflection of his face contorted with anger in Toothless' eye as he held a dagger high up over his head, his mouth working silently as he spoke words that he'll never forget.
"I'm gonna kill you dragon. I'm gonna...I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I'm a Viking. I am a VIKING!"
That's right. He was the one who had maimed Toothless in the first place, and had nearly killed him in cold blood.
"..I did this."
More memories. They all tumbled together, some familiar, all of wars. Some he'd never even seen before in his life, but the destruction and heartache was all the same.
Toothless chained up, left on a burning ship to die. Fire, nothing but fire and smoke that didn't exist, even though outside of Hiccup's own mind he was coughing and choking as if he were physically trapped in a burning building. Then, a sudden pain exploded at the base of his missing leg, as if he were losing it all over again. His entire body trembled but somehow he managed to stay upright, his breath coming in choked gasps.
More memories.
"For once in your life, would you please just LISTEN to me!?"
Out of nowhere, a pain rocks Hiccup like none other, lights exploding in front of his eyes as he's finally sent tumbling to the pitch black ground. It feels as if someone beat the side of his head with a club, shoving him away. He tasted copper in his mouth as he choked, dimly aware of the blood dripping from his mouth from seemingly nowhere at all.
"You've thrown your lot in with them.
You're not a Viking.
You're not my son."]
No.....I am....I'm your son..
[He choked in a thin voice, his arms shaking as he pushed himself up. He could still see nothing but darkness, but he angled his head to the 'sky' regardless, feeling hot blood roll down his chin and neck. The burning sensation grew, and felt like it was spreading. On top of that his head throbbed from the previous blow. Nothing existed any more but pain. And yet still, he gathered up the strength to raise his voice.]
I AM a Viking. Remember...?!
[After a long pause, Hiccup pushed himself back on his knee, then struggled back into a standing position. He swayed dangerously, but in spite of all the pain allowed a weak smirk to grow on his face. It would be hard to tell if it were from genuine strength or hysteria, at this point]
It....it's....a-an occupational hazard.
[Hiccup wanted nothing more than to just collapse here and let it end. Just let him die. Death would be such a sweet relief from this torture and agony. It felt like he'd been trapped in this Hell for years now. Centuries.
But...he wasn't here for himself. Something in the back of his mind was still there to remind him of that. He had to go rescue Taichi. For his team. For everyone stuck in this world. For Gomamon.
For himself.
So, defiantly, he took another step forwards, prosthetic first.
The pain that struck him in that instant was unimaginable, so great that he couldn't stop himself from throwing back his head and letting out a gutteral scream of agony. The entirety of his left side seemed to go numb for a split second, before being replaced by searing pain. He could barely hold his own weight up anymore. Every part of him felt like lead, as if someone had tied cement blocks to his arms and legs.
But he couldn't stop. Even if his leg (or legs) were broken, and his body was burnt, and his was head half caved in he would have to keep moving. For Taichi. Who knows.
no subject
"YOU ARE NOT MY SON."
But when you hear something enough, sometimes you start to believe it. That and other memories hit Hiccup in waves, each new one worse than the last. He could hardly concentrate, and each step sent a shock through his entire body, the searing burns from before throbbing with pain. His knees trembled and sweat beaded on his brow as image after image threw itself at him.
He could see the reflection of his face contorted with anger in Toothless' eye as he held a dagger high up over his head, his mouth working silently as he spoke words that he'll never forget.
"I'm gonna kill you dragon. I'm gonna...I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I'm a Viking. I am a VIKING!"
That's right. He was the one who had maimed Toothless in the first place, and had nearly killed him in cold blood.
"..I did this."
More memories. They all tumbled together, some familiar, all of wars. Some he'd never even seen before in his life, but the destruction and heartache was all the same.
Toothless chained up, left on a burning ship to die. Fire, nothing but fire and smoke that didn't exist, even though outside of Hiccup's own mind he was coughing and choking as if he were physically trapped in a burning building. Then, a sudden pain exploded at the base of his missing leg, as if he were losing it all over again. His entire body trembled but somehow he managed to stay upright, his breath coming in choked gasps.
More memories.
"For once in your life, would you please just LISTEN to me!?"
Out of nowhere, a pain rocks Hiccup like none other, lights exploding in front of his eyes as he's finally sent tumbling to the pitch black ground. It feels as if someone beat the side of his head with a club, shoving him away. He tasted copper in his mouth as he choked, dimly aware of the blood dripping from his mouth from seemingly nowhere at all.
"You've thrown your lot in with them.
You're not a Viking.
You're not my son."]
No.....I am....I'm your son..
[He choked in a thin voice, his arms shaking as he pushed himself up. He could still see nothing but darkness, but he angled his head to the 'sky' regardless, feeling hot blood roll down his chin and neck. The burning sensation grew, and felt like it was spreading. On top of that his head throbbed from the previous blow. Nothing existed any more but pain.
And yet still, he gathered up the strength to raise his voice.]
I AM a Viking. Remember...?!
[After a long pause, Hiccup pushed himself back on his knee, then struggled back into a standing position. He swayed dangerously, but in spite of all the pain allowed a weak smirk to grow on his face. It would be hard to tell if it were from genuine strength or hysteria, at this point]
It....it's....a-an occupational hazard.
[Hiccup wanted nothing more than to just collapse here and let it end. Just let him die. Death would be such a sweet relief from this torture and agony. It felt like he'd been trapped in this Hell for years now. Centuries.
But...he wasn't here for himself. Something in the back of his mind was still there to remind him of that. He had to go rescue Taichi. For his team. For everyone stuck in this world. For Gomamon.
For himself.
So, defiantly, he took another step forwards, prosthetic first.
The pain that struck him in that instant was unimaginable, so great that he couldn't stop himself from throwing back his head and letting out a gutteral scream of agony. The entirety of his left side seemed to go numb for a split second, before being replaced by searing pain. He could barely hold his own weight up anymore. Every part of him felt like lead, as if someone had tied cement blocks to his arms and legs.
But he couldn't stop. Even if his leg (or legs) were broken, and his body was burnt, and his was head half caved in he would have to keep moving. For Taichi. Who knows.
What if all of this was just a nightmare anyway?
Hiccup wished it was.]