Chapter Text
Hiccup peering into the crackling flames before him as he sat facing the fire, focusing on the heat brushing his face to distract him from the pain in his shoulder. His arms rested on his knees, and he held his helmet between his hands, mindlessly caressing the cracks and scratches with his thumbs. Once new, his dragon-scale armor had taken quite the beating in the past year, surviving battle after battle. Scales cracked and fell off, and once or twice parts of the leather had to be resown, but largely his craftsmanship had held up.
These last six months had been particularly brutal. They had headed east this time, to the Kingdom of Vaspurakan in Armenia. The king of Vaspurakan had offered a significant portion of his territory in exchange for some of the Byzantine's territory elsewhere, and while Basil agreed to the trade it seems the people of the region were not about to accept the new rule, and had begun to rebel. Due to this, Basil had employed the use of the regular army to subdue the rebels, although he kept a detachment of Varangian Guardsmen alongside them, which happened to include Hiccup. Rumors of the dragon riding 'demon' had spread throughout the Mediterranean over the years, and it was clear that Basil intended to use this fear as much as possible. Hiccup had been ordered to spend many rough nights behind enemy lines, attacking enemy supply lines or small military targets. He was supposed to do enough damage to be noticed, and for rumors to spread, but not do anything so serious that might get him caught or killed.
Hiccup sighed. His missed the soft beds and fresh food of the capital. While he understood his role in this war, he was tired of sneaking around and hitting inconsequential targets. He either wanted to fight properly, or go home.
"Alright. You're done." The man next to him said, forcing Hiccup to come back to reality. He immediately regretted this as he now remembered the searing pain in his shoulder. Looking down, he marveled at the black ink wrapping around his arm, and the way it climbed up to his shoulder. Apparently getting a dragon tattoo was a staple of veterans in the Varangian Guard, and while Hiccup wasn't quite experienced enough to be considered a veteran, given his unique situation he was an exception.
It had taken months for them to finish this tattoo, and progress slowed considerably once they were redeployed for combat, but it was finally finished. The black Night Fury covered his left arm, the tail wrapping around his forearm, the body and folded wings were on the side of his bicep, and the head covered his shoulder.
He twisted and rotated his arm, staring at the finally completed tattoo. A spitting image of Toothless, it was hard to see in the darkness of night, but the flickering light of the fire almost made it seem alive, like it was moving.
"You like it, bud?" He asked, holding up his arm to the dragon. Toothless sniffed the fresh tattoo before sitting down and giving a soft huff, signaling his approval, an almost arrogant expression on his face. "Yeah yeah, don't let it get to your head. "
The skin around his shoulder now felt raw and red as he gingerly placed his arm back down.
"Thank you, Clemens." He said as he stood up.
"Don't mention it." The man next to him said. "Remember to keep it clean and don't move it too much."
"Easier said than done around here."
Saying a quick goodbye, he turned and walked away from the group by the fire. As the dirt turned back to snow beneath his feet, and the heat from the fire gave way to the stinging cold of the winter air, he hurried to reach his tent, Toothless bounding at his heels. Reaching his tent he pushed the fabric aside and stepped in, only too find Domestikos Verinus waiting inside.
"I was about to leave." Verinus said, standing up from where he sat.
"Domestikos." Hiccup greeted with a nod as Toothless shot forward, eagerly accepting pets from the Domestikos.
"Hey bud." Verinus said as he scratched the dragon, before looking back up. "You get your wish. We're staging a full frontal assault and you two get be a part of it this time."
"Really?" Hiccup asked excitedly. Was he finally going to see actual battle?
"Really. We have intel suggesting the rebels have reinforcements heading west, about to cross over the mountains. Given the rough terrain and high altitudes, you and Toothless are perfect for the occasion."
"So a hit and run again?"
"Nope. They've started to learn. Once you strike they'll probably know to get out of the open and hide. At that point you two will join the others on the ground for the main assault. I can't give you more details than that because I don't have any, but we'll leave in a few days. If this intel is right, then the main rebel force will be expecting these reinforcements. If we can quickly and quietly decimate the reinforcements then the main force will be demoralized when they never arrive. We've got one shot so get some rest these next couple days."
With that he said goodnight to Hiccup and left the tent, patting him on the shoulder on the way out. Waiting for Verinus to leave, Hiccup walked over to his cot and sat down, Toothless taking his place on the ground next to him.
"We're finally doing it bud." He said, a smile spreading across across his face as he scratched Toothless below the chin. "We finally get to do something."
Hiccup breathed slowly, watching his breath turn into steam in the frigid winter air. He and Toothless flew through the air, coasting slowly as they circled the mountain range below. The first 10 minutes had been interesting, watching the jagged peaks float by, and the next 30 he managed to remain focused, keeping an eye out for the enemy troops that were supposed to be passing through at any point, but by now he was bored out of his mind and his legs were starting to cramp.
"Do you think we should head back, check in with the others?" Hiccup asked Toothless. The dragon flicked his head, hitting Hiccup's hand with his ear as if to say stay focused. "Yeah yeah."
To be fair, they had been given very strict instructions by Domestikos Verinus. As he had said several days prior, the rebel reinforcements were meant to be passing through this mountain range sometime today, and he believed that they had found the exact pass they would take. Verinus now sat with the rest of the Varangians in the pass, the force spread throughout the rocky caves and crevices, ready to strike once Hiccup attacked. However because the pass was so wide and open, Hiccup was ordered to only attack once so that the rebels wouldn't scatter at the sight of him. This means that his one shot would have to be well placed, right at their leader.
"What if we missed them bud. What if we got the wrong spot." He said, as the minutes dragged on. "I mean isn't it possible that-"
He suddenly stopped as Toothless began growling. Looking down at the gaps beneath the clouds he saw nothing, just the same grey rocks and white snow as before. Grabbing Toothless' reins he dived lower, leveling out at the bottom layer of the cloud cover, making sure they were still hidden. Continuing to peer at the ground below, he was about to dive even lower, out of the clouds, when suddenly he saw it. Moving very slowly, through the rocky outcroppings and boulders, were shapes and shadows twisting their way through the pass. As they drew nearer he began to make out the shapes of men walking. The walking in a spread out crowd, with no sense of formation, wearing leather armor and carrying simple spears and axes, with a few hear and there wearing chain and carrying swords. These were no professional soldiers, but regular people. Towards the front of the crowd was a number of more well armored men, some with bits and pieces of actual armor, and right in the middle of them was a man on a horse.
"That has to be the leader." He said softly to Toothless, receiving a soft warble in response. "There are way more people than I thought."
The two of them turned yet again, until they were facing the same direction as the army below, and began to follow them slowly. Flying painfully slowly, they simply watched as the ambling crowd grew closer and closer to where Domestikus Verinus and the Varangian Guard lay, until finally they were nearly on top of them.
"It's go time bud." Hiccup said, patting Toothless on the head. "I know what Verinus said, but there are too many of them. Aim right for the middle of the crowd."
With that he then grabbed Toothless' reins, took a deep breath, and dived. The pair plummeted out of the sky, the freezing wind roaring in his ears as they fell closer and closer to the ground. As he heard the screech of Toothless' plasma bolt fill the air, he pressed his legs down hard until he was stood in his stirrups. Dropped in the reins, he grabbed a metal bolt from his pocket and shoved it into the crossbow mounted on his arm, drawing back the string until it clicked. As the ground filled up his view, he took a deep breath and aimed directly towards the man on the horse.
"NOW!" He screamed over the wind.
He felt the bolt loose as Toothless' shot raced towards the ground as well. Scrambling for the reins, he pulled up as hard as he could, the pair grazing the explosion below, feeling the heat shoot upwards. Clearing the fireball, Hiccup turned around just in time to watch the small metal bolt plunge itself into the man's chest, knocking him out of his saddle and off of his horse.
"Nice bud!" He yelled, as the pair raced towards where the Varangian Guard lay.
Looking below, he watched as small grey and purple shapes emerged from the shadows, racing towards the rebels, who were hurriedly trying to regroup after Toothless' bolt scattered their ranks. Making a quick u-turn, they then both dived towards the ground, landing just behind the first line of soldiers clashing with the rebels. Drawing his sword as Toothless touched down, he jumped off his saddle and hit the ground running, extending both sword and shield right before crashing into the line of rebels.
Several hours later the entirety of the rebel force lay dead or dying, as the sun began to set over the mountain range. Hiccup sat with Toothless, talking to a number of the soldiers, as the rest of the force picked through the bodies, looking for anything useful. Hearing voices, he turned to find Domestikus Verinus approaching. Standing immediately he greeted the man.
"Congratulation on the victo-" Hiccup began.
"No time Hiccup." Verinus interrupted. "You've been summoned back to the capital. Immediately.""Why?" Hiccup asked, sensing something was off.
"I have no idea." Verinus said, shaking his head. "Messenger just arrived. Direct from the Emperor. I don't even think you have time to wait until morning, so pack your things."
Hiccup glanced at Toothless, who was already blissfully passed out. Whatever this was, it wasn't good.
Hiccup and Toothless raced through the night, his adrenaline keeping him alert as they flew back over the Mediterranean. He began to recognize the landscape as first light approached, and finally arrived in the outskirts of Constantinople as the sky began to glow orange. Slowing down as they raced through the city, he finally reached the Hippodrome, gliding down to a soft landing just as dawn arrived. As soon as he dismounted, he turned to find Eret walking hurriedly towards him.
"Thank the gods you're here." Eret said. His face was pale, and large circles were blooming under his eyes.
"Eret." Hiccup greeted, his heart suddenly racing. "What's going on? Are you okay?"
"I can't explain here." Eret said, turning towards the exit and pulling Hiccup along with him. "His Majesty will explain once you get there."
With that the two of them hurried out of the arena and down the road towards the palace. Arriving at the outer wall, the gates were already open and the guards said nothing, as if they were expecting then. As soon as they were through the walls, Eret picked up his pace even more, bordering on a run as they approached the palace. Walking in the front door, they made their way through the familiar twisting and turning halls, until they finally reached a very familiar door. The Emperor's study.
Pushing the doors open, Eret hurried inside and ushered Hiccup and Toothless inside after him, closing the doors behind them. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light inside, he first saw in front of him the Emperor, Basil II sitting on the front of his desk, sporting the same dark eyes and ragged hair as Eret. To one side of the room stood Thorfinn, Heather and Dagur, and next to the desk stood 2 of the Emperor's closest advisors.
"Hiccup, my boy." The emperor said with a sad smile as he walked in, not bothering to stand up. His voice was coarse and quiet, as if he needed a glass of water.
"Your majesty." Hiccup greeted with a small bow. "What's going on?"
"Did Eret not explain?"
Hiccup shook his head. The emperor sighed, staring at the ground for a couple seconds before standing up and staring directly at him.
"Disease." He said shortly. "An epidemic. It's spread through the city so rapidly we've barely been able to control it. There are dozens dead, hundreds infected, possibly more."
"What is it?" He asked hurriedly.
"We have no idea. We have no treatment, no containment, and are barely able to quell the panic that is arising as we speak."
A palpable silence filled the room as the Emperor gave Hiccup a moment to take it all in.
"So…" He finally began. "Why am I here?"
The emperor turned to look at Eret.
"I think…" Eret said slowly. "That it's from the Archipelago."
"Do you know what it is?"
Eret shook his head. "I haven't been to the Archipelago in well over a decade. And even still I was born on the outskirts. The disease seems so familiar but I can't quite place it."
"Why don't you ask them?" Hiccup said, pointing at the others.
"Dagur and I left the Archipelago when we were barely children." Heather said. "We have no clue what it is."
He turned to Thorfinn.
"I'm not from the Archipelago." Thorfinn said with a shrug.
Hiccup sighed deeply, taking it all in. After a second, he turned back towards Eret. "Show me."
He followed Eret out of the room and out the front door of the palace, Thorfinn, Heather, and Dagur at their heels. Toothless however remained with the Emperor as they didn't yet know how the disease would effect dragons.
"It starts with coughing." Eret explained as they raced through the streets. "Starts slow but picks up until it's almost incessant. Then the patient turns pale, so much blood drained from their face that they look like a ghost. After a day or two they then become so exhausted that they can no longer leave bed. Their skin then switches from ghostly white to an off green color, and the eyes become bloodshot. At that point it's too late. They'll be dead within a day or two."
He continued to explain how they first noticed the disease, and what they were doing to dispel rumors and keep calm, but how soon they wouldn't be able to do much. As he continued to talk, they finally rounded a corned to come face to face with a large and long stone building, with several floors and large windows. The hospital.
Stopping outside the front doors, Eret then turned to Thorfinn, who opened up the large bag he was carrying.
"You're gonna need these." He said, passing out a couple to each person.
Looking down Hiccup said a pair of thick leather gloves and a white cloth mask. Putting them on gloves covered his entire forearm, and were quite heavy. Once they were all ready, Eret walked over to the front doors, and pushed them open.
Immediately Hiccup's senses were overwhelmed. The hall was filled with the sounds of coughing and wheezing, and a musty and unpleasant stench hit his nose. The floor space was filled with rows and rows of cots, each one filled with a body. Nurses and doctors hurried between patients, feeding those they could, patting others down with damp cloths, doing whatever they could to ease some of the suffering.
"Everything we tried has failed." Eret said, coming to stand next to Hiccup. "All they can do is make life a little easier for the patients before they die."
Hiccup said nothing,
"Come" Eret said, leading the group over to the side of the hall.
In one of the large arches holding up the roof, there was a single wooden door. Pulling a key from his pocked, Eret opened the door and ushered them in one by one. It led immediately into a stone spiral staircase, leading downward. As they walked farther and farther down, the only light came from the torches on the wall, and the smell from above only grew worse and worse. By the time they reached the bottom, they all had to cover their noses and mouths with their arms, and Hiccup's eyes were watering.
Eret was the last one down, and as he reached the bottom he lead them through another stone arch, into a large room. It was the exact same size as the hall above, except that the roof was mere inches above Hiccup's head, and the only light came from a handful of torches dotted about. Similar to above, the room was lined with massive wooden tables, stretching the entire length of the hall, each one covered with matted and dirty blankets. Walking over to the nearest table, Eret grabbed the first blanket and pulled it to the side.
Hiccup immediately stumbled back at the sight. The corpse was emaciated, the bump of each bone clearly visible through the skin. The eye sockets were sunken and almost crusty, and the hair was greasy and thinning. The skin itself was a sickly green color, and each fingernail was an off yellow. Hiccup knew exactly what disease this was.
"The Scourge of Odin."