A/N
Hey, here I am again! This is the sequel to Quiet after the Storm, something some of you probably have been waiting for for a while now... sorry? :P
I've got the plot in my head, and some major events already written, but I need to write chapters around it, to fill it up and introduce old (and new?) characters. I can't guarantee a weekly upload, since I'm in my last year of high school and have to do a lot of exams (at the end of this month is the third period of my school exams, and in May I have central exams, which every student in the country who's in the same grade and same level as I am, has to make at the same time), and those exams are mostly spread over around two weeks.
I hope you understand, and I hope you'll like the sequel!
Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD or RotG
Oh, dig my shallow grave
'Cause it's not me you'll save
'Cause I'm a lost cause,
I'm a lost cause
A lost, lost cause
- Imagine Dragons, Lost Cause
I never liked Snoggletog since I was twenty-one. It reminded me too much of what could've been if I hadn't been ill.
It all started when I was eighteen. I was married to the most beautiful girl in my life, Astrid, and our first child was on the way. It had only been around two weeks since Astrid had told me, when I almost crash-landed while flying with Toothless. I didn't know why then, but due to a dizzy spell, I lost my concentration, making us freefalling for a little while. I managed to take control again, leaving me wondering where the dizziness had come from. It occurred later again, only a week. Again, it left me clueless, but I went to research it. When I fell from the stairs once because of another dizzy spell, Astrid got worried as well, and helped me as best as she could. Fishlegs and even Snotlout had joined us. But we couldn't find the answer, and soon I felt myself sometimes suddenly exhausted from walking from the Great Hall to my house. During those next three years, it became worse and worse. Ruffnut and Tuffnut went around the other Isles along with Gustav, trying to find answers there. But they returned empty-handed every time.
Even though it was hard to see everyone so healthy, I tried to find happiness in every little thing. When our daughter, Kaya, was born, I couldn't have been more happy. She had my eyes and hair, but the rest screamed Astrid. She was clumsy but determined, almost never cried, and somehow knew what was happening around her even when others from her age didn't. She knew that I was ill, and during times when I felt like I had nothing to fight for anymore, she would give me one of her dazzling smiles, and warm up my heart.
When I was almost twenty-one, I couldn't even walk from the living room to my bedroom without exhausting myself during the end of the summer. Even though I hated to admit it, I was afraid. I knew that I wouldn't get better. I wasn't the first one to have had this illness. Fishlegs had found documents of people who had the same symptoms. No-one had survived. And while I didn't know how much time I would have, I knew that I would enjoy every moment of it. So when I felt I was strong enough to fly, I flew. When I saw Astrid or Kaya, I would remember every happy memory I had of them. When I saw the others from the dragon academy train, I reminisced, knowing that I wouldn't be able to attend the trainings myself. But most of all, I stayed optimistic.
Every morning when woke up, I would think "at least I have one more day". But the mornings turned into noons, and the noons turned into afternoons. Soon I would be sleeping most of the day, only being awake for about six hours. But I never complained. I became skinnier and weaker by the day, I was afraid, but those things wouldn't break me. Maybe, it was because I felt ready. I had experienced so much in my life, more than anyone would ever do, I guessed. I was contented. But my last day grew nearer and nearer, and the morning of Snoggletog, Astrid woke up to find me lifeless.
That Snoggletog, my life - or afterlife, it's how you look at it - was turned upside-down. When I woke up, I was rising from my body. As if I were a ghost, I flew through the ceiling of the house. It was early in the morning, the moon still shone brightly even though it would soon be replaced by the sun.
I didn't have the time to marvel at the view I had, because a voice startled me out of my thoughts. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III." It was the voice of a man, probably around forty years old. I could hear that this man didn't mean any harm, the voice sounded as if it belonged to somebody wise, somebody who had seen much. I turned around, trying to locate the source, but I saw nobody. A light behind me made me turn around again, and I was faced by a man with short, light-grey hair and white clothes. His skin was pale, but it didn't made him look sick. His eyes were a soft grey, a soft twinkle, like a star, present in each, radiating warmthness and assurance.
"Who are you?" I asked. I was surprised at how calm I sounded. Most people would be stressed out of their wits, and frightened to death. Well, that last one would be true, but still.
"I am the Man in the Moon, but I am also known as Manny. I have followed you throughout your life, and you have shown me that you can make the difference in the world. I give you another chance to remain on this world, but it will be at a price."
I felt my stomach twist into a tight knot. "What price?" I stammered.
Manny smiled sadly, and I got the feeling I wouldn't like it much.
"Either you choose to stay or to move on. If you move on, you will go to Valhalla, as you call Heaven," Manny said. Valhalla? My eyes widened. I could go to mum? Could I finally be able to see her?
Moony must have seen my expression, and he must have known what I was thinking, because he said: "No Hiccup, your mother isn't in Valhalla. She is still on this world." I froze. My mother was still alive?
"But… I was just a baby-"
"When she was taken by a dragon during a raid on your village, I know. As I said, I have followed you throughout your life. Your mother was taken, but she wasn't killed. Even before she was taken, she knew that dragons were different than what everyone thought. She tried to make peace, but since she was the only one of the whole village to have that kind of view, she decided to stay with the dragons after she was taking. She knew that she was leaving you, and she still regrets it very much, but she's too afraid to return now. She's afraid of what the village will think of her."
I couldn't believe it. All this time, my mother had been alive, and me and my dad never knew. And it was even worse when I thought about all the journeys Toothless and I had made. We went to far places, unknown territories and more, and never had we seen a sign of her.
"It is not wise to think of past mistakes or what could have been, Hiccup. You won't ever be able to change the past, the best one could do is life on, and learn from what happened." I showed a small smile, trying to block the tears that were threatening to spill.
"As for the choice to move on or stay, you don't have to go to Valhalla. If you decide to remain on this world, you will become the Spirit of Fantasy. You will have special powers, and you will be immortal." I couldn't believe it. This was perfect. I would be able to stay, and I could help everyone so much with troubles and the wars.
"However," Manny said, "those who are mortal, won't be able to see you. Nor would they be able to hear, feel or even smell you. It is the price that all Spirits have to pay." My happiness disappeared as fast as Toothless could swallow an Icelandic cod. I knew it had sounded too good to be true.
"What will you decide?" Manny asked. I looked behind me again. The village lay underneath me, and it was then that I realized that it was frozen in time. The fire of the torches that were occasionally spread throughout the village didn't move, and the leaves of the trees of the forest were stock-still. Would it be better, to leave it all behind and go to Valhalla? Would I still be able to see everyone grow older, just like everyone told us our deceased loved-ones were watching us? There would only be one way to find out, and that was to go. But I knew I would be sure to see everyone when I would stay. Valhalla was a guessed phenomenon. Maybe it was a whole new world, and I wouldn't be able to watch over the village from there.
I couldn't and I wouldn't risk it. I drew a deep breath, pushed my chest forward and stood as tall and proud as I could. "I will stay."
Manny surveyed me, as if he was trying to find any uncertainties I might have. After one more moment, he said: "Very well." He took a step backwards, and suddenly seemed to radiate a soft light. It looked kind of like an aura was surrounding him. I looked at him in awe, for he truly showed he had power, and I felt as if I was getting smaller and smaller than Manny every second that passed.
"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, you are hereby the Spirit of Fantasy."
A/N
As you can see, I start every chapter with a few lines of a song, whatever song I think fits with the chapter or something that happens in the chapter. If you know a good song, you can always let me know, and if I think it fits, I can put it in a chapter.
Also, I still don't have a cover image for this story, I'm still looking for one. Suggestions?
Thank you for reading this chapter!
Forever Me
