Prologue.
20 years have passed since the defeat of Drago, and the Isle of Berk, untouched and kept safe by the dragon riders from all attacks, has entered its Golden Age. Hiccup's and Toothless's expeditions led to uncovering the once hidden civilizations and establishing trade routes to them. After the unveiling enough islands, four bravest Vikings, Eret, Toughnut, Snotlout and Gobber, were summoned to the great chief, Hiccup the Lightbinger, who asked them to establish new settlements and camps on the virgin lands. It was done so, and the sole Island of Berk became a powerful Empire, controlling all of the Northern Sea.
Rivers of gold and silver started flowing on Berk. The Vikings were feared because of their dragons, and many powerful leaders agreed to the terms of treaties and trade laws, hoping not to anger the "Valkyries of the Northern skies".
Timberjacks and other large dragons, packed with goods and expensive merchandise made their way across skies to distant lands, and that is when the Golden age has abruptly ended, smitten by the power of the new-come disaster to follow…
Chapter 1: Never tread an unknown path.
"Get dow…!"- the scream was cut short by a shadow, which swooped by the lumberjack's neck, carrying it's rider down into the abyss of clouds and mist, trapped in the depths of the Bear's Mountains.
The 5-dragon-convoy suddenly awoke from its lazy slumber, and the timberjacks were guided in different directions by their panicking riders. Sigur, the son of Hiccup and the only heir of the Berk's throne, being on the "man guider trial", did not lose himself. As everyone flew down and right into the opening between the two immense peaks in scrambled formations, he pulled hard on the reins, forcing his Kingly Stormcutter to an abrupt halt, followed by a flip and a stall. This was a common trick in the school of dragons back on the Berk. It allowed to get to low altitudes quickly, or bewildering an enemy and letting him pass, so you then can attack him from behind or just keep on his tail.
Peeking ever so slightly from the all-covering clouds, Sigur could just stare in horror, as the shades swarmed down on to the backs of timberjacks. One after another, the flying beasts were abruptly turning to different openings in the mountains.
As the dragons disappeared and Sigur was left alone, he gently lifted himself to the level of the caverns, through which the timberjacks have vanished, only to feel a tilt on the back of the stormcutter's spine. He spun himself around, and froze in place.
The dark red face was staring right at him, its terrifying grin freezing him, unable to move. The shade was crouching motionless, as the silence of the mountains.
The last thing Sigur could remember was that terrible horned face smiling in a cruel grin, as the shade leaped to him, stabbing his neck with what seemed to be an arrow. The immobilizing darkness has followed. Cold, terrifying darkness.