Welcome To Berk
The night was dark, misty and cold with the dark blue sea raging against a lone island in the middle of nowhere. The land held a sort of rugged yet untamed beauty and it seemed there were some inhabits of this island stuck in the middle of nowhere in this raging sea in cold icy winds.
There was what looked like a study village of wooden homes dotting one section of the island with various other structures, torch light and farm animals to show the presence of some group of humans living on this island.
Right now the island was quiet, calm and uneventful. It seemed that people were just sleeping soundly and all was well for all who lived here in this island in the middle of nowhere.
Then slowly descending from the sky came a flock of winged creatures swift and almost silently and they picked off a few sheep and then what was once calm, serene and quiet erupted into full blown chaos, screaming and a in the opinion of a few a lot of stupidity.
The village was alive as the night skies began burned bright with fire as those of this village came blazing out their home faster than their homes were set fire. The horned helmets they wore and weapons quickly revealed what kind of people of this island were. They were Vikings and what they're fighting were quickly identified too.
Though they came in many shapes, sizes and colors there no mistaking a flying fire breathing creature no matter what corner of the world or time period you live in. Yes, they were squaring off with a variety of dragons, and it was quickly obvious this wasn't the first time this had happened either. Given how both man and dragon battled it out.
With the village in chaos from the Viking and dragons it wasn't surprised that things were getting set on fire and the fact everything in the village was made of flammable martial things burned quiet easily when you lived in wooden houses.
One large dragon in the chaos aimed at the largest house that stood alone on top of a hill overlooking the village. Whoever lived in this house must be important given the size, location and grandness of the house.
When the fire blast came hurling at the door it was quickly shut with a teenage boy throwing his weight against to make sure it held. Not that he had a lot of weight to begin with given how small and scrawny he was. He couldn't have weighed more than 90lbs himself.
He sank to the floor once the fire had dissipated and the door hadn't been born through. His bright green eyes looked up and across the room at the two people who matter most to him. A ten year old boy and a five year old girl.
Given the three of them obviously lived together and the fact the boys looked alike and they're all of the same body type it was obvious they're siblings. The eldest looked about 15 so that meant each had been born five years after the other.
From first glance you could tell a few things about three siblings right off the back. Again all of them were slim built a tad scrawny unlike the beefy raging idiots on the other side of the door.
Despite their lack of size they're obviously very intelligent you could see the wheels in their heads turning when you looked into their eyes and they're all quite good looking.
The brothers looked nearly identical, both having auburn hair, bright green eyes and almost the exact same outfit. Only the older brother wore a green outfit with a fur vest and his hair was short. The younger brother's hair was in a short ponytail and his tunic was teal with tan pants and no vest.
Their sister had entirely different coloring though she still had the same good looks as her brothers. She had beautiful light blue eyes with golden blond hair that just touched her shoulders with the last three inches of hair colored lilac and she wore a tunic dress that was the same green and teal of her brothers' clothes.
The lilac in her hair was the result of them exploring last summer a strange cave and finding some lilac flowers that apparently been exposed to the energy of the gods according to their village elder. Because ever since the day they dyed their little sister's hair it never washed out or faded but remained unchanged. And the village elder Gothi had said it would remain that way for the rest of their sister's life.
After a few minutes the eldest picked himself up and spoke with a goofy grin on his face. "Well, looks like the forecast tonight is a firestorm with a shower of lunatics Vikings."
"Ugh, like hasn't that been the forecast for the last two years since the dragon raids increased?" the little brother looked a bit agitated flicking his ponytail.
"Yeah, BBBFF! It's like it been raining idiot Viking and fireballs so often since I turned three. Is it any wonder Daddy never can relax or for that matter we've had to start living double lives?"
Again the eldest sighed and rolled his eyes before answering. "I know, Una that life not been a picnic for any of us. Especially you and Boden for the past two years your talents really started to grow. As for myself?"
"Hiccup we know you're blessed too! Even Mom says you're blessed too! We just aren't completely sure how your gifts work, we know you can do things we just haven't completely figured out your gifts as much as Una and mine is all!" Boden interrupted.
"It's not like we don't have enough of our plates with hiding the fact we're blessed either, Hiccup! Mommy and Daddy have had to hide from the whole village you know what Daddy calls our "eccentrics" you know."
"That's what really makes living double lives so hard on us I know, sis. On one hand, Dad willing to accept we all have some minor issues as Mom calls it with social problems. Myself? I've some attention problems unless it's one subject I really like. Or that fact I get anxious easy or having depression."
"Or my mood swings that causes problems," piped up Boden.
"Or my social problems that come from my own head problems," Una added in her own bitterness.
Yeah, it's so ironic at times. Half the time they try to make sure we aren't noticed for the wrong reasons since they want to protect us and the other half it's like we have to be like everyone else. Why can't life be easier?"
"If life made sense then it wouldn't be life, Hiccup." Boden pointed out.
"Good point but we all reached the agreement long ago when we first realized that Dad may love us but we can't really tell him the whole truth about who we really are or what we can really do."
"It's truly sad that even Mommy has to keep secrets from Daddy about what we really can do or what we actually do half the time. I hated that we have to do things behind Daddy's back! But no-way would he accept us if he knew what we truly were!" Una conclude with tears in her blue eyes that Hiccup dried with his fur vest.
"There, there sis. One day all things change. Perhaps one day what we've been trying to do will happen and there will be a day we can be honest with day and there be day when there no more lies and no-one has to die."
"I've been wishing and hoping to have a dream about that for a long time, Hiccup. But I've seen many horrors of the past 300 years and a couple of visions of the future but not one of them shows the future we seek."
"Plus Hiccup it's getting harder to sleep at night with Una and I haunted by the ghosts all around us! I hear the dying cries of agony every night fill my dreams from those we slay and well you know what Una hears and we both have to agree Una shouldn't have to hear ghost at all."
"My dreams don't need any more dying cries and voices telling me what we've long since known!"
"I know, and I promise we will find a way to end this war and change Berk for the better. For our people and also for our best friends people as well. Now come on! If we don't get to the blacksmith shop in like ten minutes Dad's gonna throw a fit and I rather not be tossed around like a rag doll again for not getting you two there fast enough!"
"Well, let's get going! But we're still doing the plan right?" Una asked her brother.
"Even though it's crazy, dangerous and we could get yelled and embarrassed we are still gonna do another rescue mission right, Hiccup?"
A grin lit up Hiccup face and replied happily "Of course! We wouldn't be who we are if we didn't do a Dragon Rescue Mission! Now hold on to my hands tight and let's bolt!" as they joined hands and raced through the chaotic battle of stubborn idiotic fools to get where they needed to be.
No-one really noticed how the dragons never aimed for the three of them or how they seemed to really very subtly things to make the dragons avoid them and keep them out of danger. Or how they seemed to able to predict if a person who might hurt them was coming at them.
But there was one person they never could predict even with what they hinted at the house. A large strong arm and hand gripped the back of Hiccup's tunic and yanked him off his feet.
It was Stoick the Vast the Chief of the Village of Berk and well he was the picture perfect image of a Viking and best one of them on the island. Rumor had it when he was a baby he popped a dragon clean off his shoulder and no-one doubt it was true.
"What are you doing out? Why aren't you and the others in the blacksmith yet? Get inside!" he order in heated and angry tone and shoved him forward as he got his grip on his brother and sister's hands again and hurried forward.
They all looked over their shoulders in time to see the most beautiful woman on Berk Valka who was also the Chief's wife coming darting forward. Valka was different in many ways from every other woman on Berk.
She was slim-build, used her brains, was compassionate, outspoken to the point she wasn't afraid to tell you exactly what she thought, fearless, and she possessed a beauty no-one could match. Also she wore a hairstyle no-one else had either so she was a one-of-kind woman.
She was also the only woman who'd have the guts to tell Stoick the Vast when he was out of line and not be afraid of him as she was telling him right now. That he shouldn't have grabbed Hiccup like that and no-one can run the length of island in this chaotic mess as fast as lightning. Also that he never failed to get everyone to the Gobber's without so much as a scratch so quit throwing him around like a ragdoll for not being as fast as bolt of lightning!
Finally the three siblings had made it too the blacksmith shop where a one-legged meathead with an attitude was awaiting them.
He seemed to be ready to make what had to be a running joke but being in no mood to hear it for the millionth time Boden turned and snapped at him. "Gobber don't even start with your stupid jokes of us being carried off or us as dragon toothpicks!
They ain't funny and frankly they never were funny when your start making them when Mom and Dad told you to babysit us when the raids started to increase two years okay. So do us a favor and kindly shut up!" snapped the ten year old.
Hiccup who'd been in the far corner getting Una settled away from all the sharp pointy dangerous weapons and making sure she'd her dragon doll to keep her occupied saw that Gobber was looking at his little brother not so nice.
Quickly he grabbed two leather aprons and got between his brother and Gobber. "Come on, Gobber, you have to agree a joke does get stale after a while and no-one wants to hear it," Hiccup was trying to stall a fight looking at Gobber's prosthetic hand which had so many interchangeable things.
Luckily they're saved because warriors came screaming for more weapons drawing Gobber's attention away from his little brother who Hiccup yanked away from spot before helping him into his apron and they started working on their jobs of working the forge.
Una wasn't allowed to work on the forge being only five and a girl but didn't mean she hadn't learned anything from watching her brothers and they hadn't been telling what they're doing step by step.
Hiccup been doing forge work since before Boden's birth so for about ten years and Boden been doing it for the last five years and they'd explained and shown Una everything.
What one sibling learned and knew they taught the other. It was just how they were. One for all and all for one. Though tonight as the melee was going on with the dragons outside they whispered about how stupid it all was. They had to whisper because no-one on Berk could be heard having an opinion against killing dragons without being beheaded for it.
"It's all so dumb and you know it, BBBFF. Thinking it makes you a man or someone important for killing a creature with a heart, soul and a brain! No-one should kill a Nadder to be notice or a Gronckle to get a date!" Una hissed as she played with the skirt of her dress nervously.
"You shouldn't need two heads of a Zippleback either for status or a Monstrous Nightmare. It's all so stupid all of it what we consider honor, manhood and all it! It's complete idiotic!" Boden spat the words out as if was cursing.
"Yeah, the world is messed up and highly unenlightened, little brother and sis. It's such a shame that more people just haven't seen the light…" he paused what he was saying because they head a group of young voices. One voice stood out from the group a beautiful young female voice.
Hiccup dropped everything he was doing and rushed to the front of the blacksmith shop as his brother and sister rolled their eyes once and whispered "Astrid" and hurried to the window too. Una was too short to see over it so she had to get a box to stand on to watch.
Berk did have a couple of other kids around their brother Hiccup age. They're all 'proper' Viking teenagers. Those who fit in by looking, acting, talking and thinking like the rest of the village.
Though for the three of them they didn't have to put polite the warmest of feelings for a few of them. The group of five teens were doing their job as fire brigade and they simple watched a short bit.
They saw timid and husky Fishlegs, the pranksters' dimwitted fraternal twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut, the arrogant jerk Snotlout all rushing about putting out fires. But that wasn't who Hiccup's eyes were following, his green eyes were locked on the beautiful blond warrior girl who was highlighted by a fireball at the moment.
Astrid Hofferson was the most attractive, toughest and greatest teenager warrior on Berk. Tough as nails and most deadly with a battle-ax. She was also extremely hard to impress and also focused on becoming a warrior. She never seemed to focus on anything but training and fighting and didn't give boys or love a second thought.
Though for Hiccup he never saw a warrior when he saw Astrid, he saw past what she showed in front of everyone else and he just knew deep inside there was another side to Astrid.
Just then Hiccup got his head smack from behind from Gobber "Oww! What was that for?!" he demanded as the other teens disappeared into the night to take care of other fires.
"You three better get back to your jobs and not try anything stupid," Gobber started to say and really eyed Hiccup a long time who didn't say anything before he couldn't take being looked at and shouted back. "What?! If you have something to say to me, Gobber then say it!"
"Well, one I watch your tongues. You three have pretty sharp tongues and I reign those in and also not try to go impress anyone either. Because whenever you three attempt to go impress anyone the village crumbles to dust.
Also Hiccup not to break your tender heart or ruin your teenage fantasy but the chance of you and Astrid getting together? That's as likely as Odin being stupid or someone actually seeing one of the three Dragons of Legend!
Which neither gonna happen. No-one ever gonna see, catch or kill a Night Fury, Silver Phantom or an Aurora Borealis Singer! So unless you can do the impossible you might as well as forget trying to get a girl like Astrid to even give you a sideways glance."
At the mention of the three Dragons of Legend the children got quiet and glanced at each other strangely. Gobber merely misinterpret as them thinking of the Legend of the three dragons. Three Dragons so rare there was only one of each. It seemed they acted like a perfect team and how they're never seen, attacked and never messed up made the legend about the three of them all the more mysterious.
Hiccup replied curtly to Gobber, "If it can be dreamed it can be done for what was thought to be impossible is how anything was ever accomplish.
I also know there more to people then just what people see. I know what in their heats is who they truly are, Gobber. I know there more to Astrid then just a pretty Viking girl wields a battleax better than anyone else," he whispered and his eyes flashed faintly with a mysterious glow.
Gobber missed the glow as he was thinking Hiccup was just talking nonsense of a 15 year old boy's romantic fantasy. He didn't notice the same glow flicked a second in Boden and Una's eyes.
He didn't know that all of them were seeing in their mind's eye the same memory Hiccup was recalling as perfectly as if he was back there the day he made it.
He didn't see how it was highlight in golden light to make it brighter or clearer as Hiccup recalled how Astrid defend him from the Twins and Snotlout when he was five and comfort him just before Boden's birth when he was worried about his mommy or if he'd be able to be a good big brother.
Or when she told him she like that he had such a good heart to never lose that part of himself no matter what for that would be thing that made the most difference in his life. And how she smiled so beautiful at him.
All this happened with in a moment in their minds but Gobber had seen and felt nothing he only thought the siblings yet again were acting strangely and just told them to stay put as he had to go join the fighting and not to doing something dumb.
The second he was gone though Una let a big sigh muttering, "Thank the gods! I thought that lout would never leave! Now is time for some fun or not?" she looked up with a mischief grin on her lips and sparkle to her eyes.
"Oh yes, it's time for another rescue mission to get underway sis. The real question is everyone else ready and in place?" Hiccup asked in a coy tone.
"Well, I answer that for you bro, all our dragons are ready and rearing to go. They all just told me they're ready to go and just want us to run through the plan once more to make sure we've have it down before we go through with it," Boden responded cryptically.
"Okay. Step one of the plan goes like this," Hiccup began as he went around the corner of the shop and pulled out his latest contraption the Mangler. "Toothless and I will distract everyone by me pretending to shot Toothless down by him blasting out defense. Of course I'll be shooting blanks so he won't be hurt.
Then when he makes a pretend cry of pain he'll disappear and then the Nightmare we asked will chase me to distract the chief so he'll have to come to my rescue. Of course the Nightmare is not really gonna hurt me but after all this time I'm pretty good at faking being scare to death and pretending to be in danger.
"Once the Chief's left the dragons who've got the sheep I'll have Nightrainbow sing his lullaby and that will put the Viking guarding those dragons to sleep for ten minutes," Una continue then turning to Boden chimed in.
Once they're in dreamland I'll have Stardust use her lighting to burn the nets away freeing the dragons and then Una and I will direct them to the forest where Cloudjumper will be waiting."
"And then Cloudjumper will escort the dragons to the nearest concealed entrance to the Underground Dragon Sanctuary where Skullette and Firefang are standing by to tend to them till we can get down there to start establishing trust and the rest of the hard work," finished Hiccup.
"Yep!" the other two replied in unison.
"Hopefully we can pull this off this time without causing the village to go up in flames or have to be embarrassed," he said in an undertone and Boden and Una glanced up at him and took his hands in theirs and said together.
"If you get in trouble we all do. So if you're gonna be yelled, humiliate and embarrassed will all take it together. Remember we are all in this together! We swore that!"
Smiling they hugged each other tightly before they set their Dragon Rescue Plan in motion. It wasn't clear from their talk who Toothless, Stardust, Nightrainbow and Cloudjumper were.
Even as they executed their plan it was less clear as this was done swiftly in the middle of a dark yet chaotic night with so many different dragons, Viking, fire and screaming going on.
All that was clear was whoever those names belong too they also belong to beings with unidentifiable shapes, colors, abilities and sounds. But it seemed to go as the siblings planned up to a point.
The Nightmare that had chased Hiccup to distract Chief Stoick? Its fire had burned through the torch he'd been hiding behind and it was rolling. So since Boden and Una wouldn't let their brother take punishment alone. So they ran and tripped causing more destruction which also made the chief look at them.
The three siblings took a deep breath first meeting the eye of the chief staring into his angry green eyes and then looked down at their feet miserably before whispering, "We're sorry, Dad/Daddy"