Jack's Nightmare

Chapter 1: Hiccup

I slowly opened my eyes. Trying to figure out where I am. My vision is fuzzy, but it is warm and oddly comforting. That might be because I’m lying down. Once my vision came back to me I looked at the sky above, noticing how a gentle light shone through the tree tops… wait? Tree tops!

I sat up with a start, only to gasp and lay down again in pain. I glanced down at my chest and was surprised to see that my blue jumper was torn to shreds and the usually bright blue was now mixed with red.
What happened? I tried to remember. But all I could remember seeing was a bright white light and a creepy laugh. Sighing I tried to sit up again, ignoring the sharp pain in my chest. Eventually I was leaning against the tree I happened to of been under. Panting I looked around.

I was in some sort of forest. It was spacious and bright as the sun shine peeked through the top of the canopy. Several bushes were scattered around and so where some shrubs. I also noticed that there were groups of flowers around. I smiled at the beauty of this place as two squirrels ran past me. I watched them run up a nearby tree knocking some loose branches down. A long, crooked ended one fell with the rest, causing me to sigh in frustration.

How did my staff end up in a tree? I asked myself as I got ready to stand. I took several deep breaths as I pulled my legs under me and pushed up, groaning as I struggled and used the tree to lean on. My chest throbbed every time I climbed an inch taller. After a few minutes I was on my feet.

And now for the fun part… I took a deep breath and took a shaky step forward. Immediately my hand went to my chest as it erupted in pain, but I took another step forward anyway. I kept this up until I was in reach of my beloved staff.
As gently as I could, I crouched down and picked up the wooden item. The second my hands touched the rough texture, power flowed threw me. I breathed out in relief as the pain in my chest turned into a dull ache. Now with my staff in my hand I stood up and socked in the fresh air. If you weren’t in pain this place is quiet peaceful. Smiling, I crouched down and took off, and crashed right back down. I frowned in confusion and tried again, with the same results.

I started to panic a little. This has never happened before. It has always been me and the wind working together, he has nev- I clicked my fingers. The Wind! Of course! Chuckling at my stupidity, I crouched into position again.
“Wind…?” I waited for the familiar rustle in my hair and a breeze in my face. So when one didn’t come I was shocked. The wind always came when I called. I started to panic again. Maybe he’s late?

“Wind….” I called again, hoping he was late. But alas he never came, and without the wind I can’t fly. I swallowed hard. I. Can’t. Fly.  Walking home it is then… I thought sadly as I set off through the forest.

I was so deep in thought about why the wind didn’t help, that I failed to notice a rather large tree until it was too late. As I rubbed my stinging forehead, I realised just how quiet it had actually gotten. I stopped and listened… Nothing. Nothing at all was heard. No birds singing, no chittering squirrels or any other animal in fact. Just empty silence. I nervously gripped my staff, causing a bit of frost to wrap around it. Cautiously I continued to make my way around the forest. Not letting my guard down once.
I knew something was wrong when a soft crackling, sort of echoic laugh cut through the too still woodland. I stopped and gripped my staff tighter. Maybe it was my imagination? But when it came again, something told me if I didn’t run, then I’d be in a lot of trouble. So run I did.
 
The forest turned into a blur as I dodged and weaved through the woodlands. But the faster I got the loader the laugh would get, the more… sinister. I continued running for who knows how long but eventually I felt myself get slower, my chest began to throb in pain and I have started to trip up. But I continued, no matter how. I just needed to get away.

So I continued to run. That was until tripped on an exposed root. The next thing I knew I was screaming and falling into darkness, the laughter ringing in my ears.

*** You should get a coffee or something, cuz this is a break line***

I groaned as I opened my eyes. Instead of bright light like the first time, I was greeted with pure darkness. Great… Just what I need… I thought as went to stand, but sat back down when my ankle flared.

“Must have sprained it in the fall” I muttered to myself as I tried to stand again, not putting pressure on my ankle this time. Once I was satisfied, I looked around for my missing staff. I had dropped it when I fell and now I had to find it again, In the dark no less… I huffed and set to work, shuffling my feet on the ground, with my hand s on the walls. I don’t know how long it took me but I eventually kicked something and thankfully it was my staff. I bent down despite the throb in my chest, which by the way was starting to worry me, and picked it up. Once secure in my hands it began to shine a bright, icy blue; Lighting up just enough so I wouldn’t trip or run into anything. I glanced around the room and saw a narrow hall way leading into more darkness. It was the only exit. I swallowed and made my way towards it.

After a while I started to get bored so my mind wondered to the guardians. I’ve been a guardian for 3 years now and everything is great. North has become his father figure in a way. Sure he is still always busy with Christmas and all, but he somehow manages to make time for him.  Toothina has always had that mother hen vibe and more so now he was one of them. Although, tooth does need to lay off the tooth touching for a bit. I chuckled. There was also Sandy. Don’t ask me how, but the mute man had become like an uncle to me. He was stern but knew how to have fun. That and he had known him the longest. I smiled.
Then there was Bunny. Our relationship was… debatable. One minute we would be the best of friends, the next we would be arguing as if we were the world’s worst enemies. Sure we argue but we always apologised in the end. Most of the time we had to, because Tooth made us.  North said we acted like two annoying brothers, but we disagreed of course. But in a way, we are.

Suddenly a familiar laugh brought me out of my thoughts. Where is that coming from? I heard it again, this time it sounded like it came from right next to me. I shivered involuntarily and swung my staff around, hitting nothing. I gritted my teeth as the laugh continued. It was coming from everywhere, getting loader. I started to panic as I felt my heart beat against my throbbing chest. I glanced around at every corner, trying to locate the sound. I didn’t realise I was walking backwards until I hit something.
I stopped when I felt a hot breeze on my neck. I swallowed nervously as I placed a hand on what I hoped was just a wall. My hand touched a warm, wet and scaly surface. I was about to question this when an angry growl stunned me into silence. I took a cautious look over my shoulder. My breath hitched as I froze.

Right in front of me was a creature crouched in a killing pose, its scales blending in with the darkness around it. It had its purely white teeth bearing at me in a menacing way. I looked into its eyes and immediately wished I hadn’t. Its deathly yellow eyes were slit hungry and had mine locked in an unwavering glare. Those eyes bore into my sole; I could feel its aggression, hunger and its power.

With my graze still in lock with its eyes, the creature prowled itself closer. I wish I could have stepped back or run, but I was frozen with fear.  It circled me as if I was its dinner, which it seemed quite eager to start eating.

Once it had reached its original position it roared a loud and triumphant roar. Started I jumped, but before I could do anything its deadly gaze focused on me again.
“Well… isn’t this a surprise?” a low voice cut the silence after several minutes. I went to face the owner but the minute I moved the creature growled dangerously, so I stayed were I was. The owner of the voice chuckled as he slowly came into my view, holding a poorly lit torch.

In the limited light I could see that he wore mainly a dark grey tunic that was stained with patches of dried blood. Over that and an old leather belt, it seemed he had a messy black fur vest that hung to his frame. Under his tunic hung a pair of ripped pants and on the end of one of his thin legs was a blood stained, leather boot. On the other leg, where his foot should have been was a prosthetic, metal leg. It reached up to just below his knee. It was shaped like a slide but it had some chips and was colour red, this suggested he use it as a weapon. I sucked in a shaky breath and slowly looked up to his face.

Due to the limited light I could only make out some of his face. On the top of his head was a mop of raven hair. It was messy and sticking in all directions. But the thing that drew my attention was his eyes. My eyes widened. They were slit like the creature, slit and yellow.

“I didn’t know we were having a guest” He stopped in front of me. I then realised he was only a boy, a boy of 13 or 14. He saw my realisation and walked over to the creature. Seeing them together sparked a sense of familiarity. I raised an eyebrow and against better judgement I asked

“Who are you?” The boy tuned to me with that never ending smile.
“Oh, Where are my manners…” He walked up to me and leaned in close enough for me to see that he had freckles “I’m Hiccup Haddock lll, Guardian of Betrayal”
“You’re a Guardian?” I didn’t mean to sound so shocked, but this scrawny kid named Hiccup (I would have laughed at his name if he didn’t look so… menacing) couldn’t be a guardian.  Guardians protect good in children and in the world; betrayal isn’t any level of good. That and Manny wouldn’t of chosen anybody new, without me knowing.
“Well, I’m not really a Guardian, not official” He walked to his creature “I’m kind of like pitch, not good but still has a centre” I frowned. If he was saying he was like Pitch then this was bad.

“So why did you call yourself a Guardian?” He shrugged.
“Sounds catchier” He had reached the beast, which hadn’t moved an inch since Hiccup got here. It seemed to get a tiny bit camber when its owner was closer. Hiccup saw me starring at the creature and beamed.

“Let Me introduce you to my dragon toothless, He is a Night Furry, the offspring of lighting and death its self” He placed his right hand on the creature. He called it a dragon. Weren’t those in the Viking times? “But don’t let the name fool you” he finished with a chuckle as toothless roared, just to make a point.
“You said earlier your centre was betrayal, how?”  
“How do I give it ‘back into the world’ as North would say,” I took a deep breath when he mentioned North.

“Well, when a child thinks about breaking a promise or go behind someone’s back I, give them a little push. Then when they get caught I feed off the hurt and betrayal in the one the child lied to.” Hiccup was smirking widely as I stared at him with anger that over took my fear. The next moment just blurred. One minute I was 5 feet away from him, making a very detailed plan on how to kill him. The next I was right in front of him, clutching my right bicep  in pain as my staff cluttered to the floor.

My arm was on fire as blood seeped through my jumper and around a small dagger that was still imbedded in me.  Pain in my arm had seemed to case my ankle and my chest flare up in vengeance. Gasping shallow breaths I took a few steps back in an attempt to balance myself. My attempts were futile as I had to sit down to prevent passing out.
“tut tut tut, you shouldn’t of done that Jack. I’m hurt that you would even try!” Hiccup taunted as he held his hands over his heart in mock sadness. His voice laced with a hint of amusement. I glared at him through my hair. I would have replied with a snappy comment if I had the energy. So I focused on the pain and not passing out. Hiccup chuckled
“Oh yeah, I should mention I kind of tweaked with that dagger with dark magic” My head snapped so fast in Hiccups direction, I’m sure I will regret it later. My eyes widened at him. Hiccup had my full attention. “It wasn’t hard just a few ingredient, the right moonlight and a strand of DNA from the victim”

I must have looked confused because Hiccup chuckled one of his annoying laughs and walked over to a now sleeping toothless. When did he do that?

“A friend supplied the DNA, while I performed that magic. You might already know but the longer you’re in contact with it the more it will suck your life force out” He smirked “and I made it all for you” As much as I hate to admit it, but Hiccup was right. I could feel it making me weaker than I already am. I had to get it out and NOW. So with another glare sent Hiccup’s way I sucked in a deep breath and gripped the leather covered handle. Almost half of the knife was digging into me. Gathering all my courage I pulled.
I nearly screamed as the knife slowly pulled on my muscle and scrapped against the bones in my arm.  My hand slipped and I let go, my vision swimming with spots. I was gasping in pain. One more time… I thought, not really wanting to do it again. You can do it Jack… I hesitantly grabbed the hilt. Just one… I pulled on it, sending a second wave of pain through my body more…. I felt the knife slowly but surely start to slither out. Tug… The dagger slipped out with a very wet splash. Blood immediately started too ooze out. After gasping and slowly getting my vision back when I finally decided to look down at the item that caused me so much misery.

Most of the blade was covered in my blood but by what I could see there was Old Norse writing on it. The blood made it impossible to read. The blade it’s self was smooth and sharp. I shudded at how much more painful it would have been it if was blunt. The handle was just a simple leather with a red ruby at the butt. I must admit, it was quite pretty.
I nearly forgot hiccup was there until his face appeared out of nowhere. Startled I jump back, knocking bot my ankle and my arm. I hissed in pain as Hiccup laughed. After Hiccup had stopped laughing and the pain had subsided I glared up at him again. He had his hand out for the dagger.

“Oh hell no, I’m not giving this to you so you can use it again” I put it behind my back. Hiccup sighed and clicked his fingers. The dagger disappeared from my hands and appeared in his. I pouted. We sat in silence for a few minutes. Deciding to end the awkward stare down I asked the question that had been on my mind for a while now.
“How do you know me and what do you want?” Hiccup smiled a small smile, as if he was waiting for me to ask that.

“You see Jack, you have more enemies than you realise. Most right under your nose” Confused I said nothing.

“Trust me when I say you should watch your back but not from Pitch, But from your Friends…” I was about to argue, but Hiccup held up his hand and continued. “Now don’t give me that bullshit about how they trust you now…” His voice bay longing the word trust, I sent him my most angry glare. Hiccup better not be saying what I thought he was. All he did was ignore me “And your right. They do” I let out a breath that I didn’t even know I was holding onto go. “But are you entirely sure you should trust them?” I froze. What Hiccup trying to say that we had a traitor? Hiccups voice reached my ears once again.
“So heed my warning Jack Frost…” his voice trailed off as he walked to his now awake dragon, who was back to glaring at me. I paid it no heed as I watched Hiccup climb up onto a saddle that wasn’t there before. He held the now dyeing torch closer to his face as he looked my way.

“Trust your enemies; they at least are honest with you. It’s your friends you have to watch out for” His face looked dead serious, no smile, no smirk or chuckle. He turned to leave.

“Wait! What are you trying to say?! Who shouldn’t I trust?” Hiccup faced me again as I struggled to stand due to the pain. He had a sad and almost sympathetic look on his face.
“Until next time Jack frost” Those were the last words he said as he ran into the darkness.

To be continued...