I shouldn't be doing this.
I really shouldn't start another fic.
But I did it. I did the thing.
I sighed in contentment as the ending credits to this week's Fairy Tail episode began to play. Seeing my favorite characters in action always made me happy. Hmm...It's almost midnight. If was Friday, of course, so the time really didn't matter that much. I'll get to sleep now anyway. Since I was already in my pajamas, all I had to do was put my laptop away and turn off the lights. But the very second I touched the light switch, my body froze in place. I couldn't move no matter how hard I tried. A strange voice echoed in my head.
Loyalty. The bonds of a true family... What was that supposed to mean? But right then I was distracted from the voice as things began to get a whole lot stranger. Everything flashed white. So bright, in fact, that I had to shut my eyes.
What the hell is going on here? It felt like I was on a roller coaster that just plunged two hundred feet down. My body was on fire. And then, everything went black.
I opened my eyes and found myself on a bare expanse of stone. It was freezing out here! How had I even gotten out here in the first place? I pushed myself up off the ground and realized that along with the howling wind, I could hear the crashing of ocean waves nearby. It appeared that I was on a beach, made up of square rocks and grayish sand. "Is this an island?" I wondered aloud. The waves in front of me were cold and dark, and the land behind me rose steeply in rocky cliffs. "What am I doing here?"
"All right, so when Hiccup returns to Berk after five years, Stoick would brand him a traitor...No, no! He isn't heartless. Besides, that would ruin the whole story." I groaned in frustration. Writing fanfiction was harder than it sounded! Getting the characters right, keeping the story's universe intact... I hated fics that completely changed a story around, so much that it was unrecognizable. There was a fine line between changing things for the better and changing an entire world! Well, whatever. I can work on this in the morning. I sighed, getting up from the chair at my desk.
Forethought. Careful attention to people and places... I spun all around, looking for the voice that seemed to have come from nowhere. But my door was shut, my phone was dead. I opened my mouth to call out, but the world flashed white and I had to close my eyes. It felt like I was falling from a mountaintop and being squished at the same time. Everything went dark.
When I woke up, I was in a forest. The trees were enormous, mostly pine and birch. Ferns dotted the ground, and there were several moss covered rocks covering the uneven landscape. It seemed so familiar, for some reason. "Hello? Is anyone there?" Nothing but twittering birds answered my call. What is this place? It almost looks like...
Berk.
I opened the door and stepped inside my apartment slowly. It had been such a long day, with school and then a six hour shift at work on top of it! I dropped my backpack by the front door, not caring if it looked sloppy. There wasn't anyone else here to complain.
A meow sounded to my left. "Except for you." I amended, reaching out to pet the small gray cat. Indigo purred, rubbing against my hand. For a long time, it was just me after I moved out of my mother's house, balancing work and my last year of high school. But when I'd found a small, shivering kitten in a garbage can with the biggest blue eyes ever, I'd had no other choice. She was the only friend I had time for.
Solitude. Being lonely without turning bitter. The thought ran through my mind. Wait - that hadn't been me! And it wasn't like Indigo would have suddenly developed telepathy! So then what -
My thoughts were cut off as a blinding light surrounded me. I was falling from somewhere...and then the world disappeared.
The next thing I knew, I was surrounded by ice. Glaciers surrounded me, floating on a cold gray ocean. I myself was sitting in snow, and I shivered. My light shirt and jeans weren't doing much good here, wherever it was. There seemed to be some kind of wooden fortress a little ways away. Maybe I could get help there? Maybe those people could tell me what was going on. And where I was.
Three girls woke up on different islands and observed their surroundings curiously. The goddess nodded in satisfaction, watching all three of them at once. Her plan had been set in motion successfully, and by the look of the three, the magic of her friend Iounn had worked as well. And if the Norns played along, then everything would be set.
You must be wondering where you all are. The goddess spoke directly into the minds of the girls. They all jumped in surprise. Relax, I am not here to harm you. And you would not find me anyway.
"What are you? What am I doing here?" Called the one in the green forest.
You are here to change fate. All three of you. The goddess answered back. True, this world would take well enough care of itself, but much heartache can be avoided with your help. This land is about to reach a turning point in it's destiny.
"What world? Where am I - uh, where are we?" Asked the one on the bare stone island.
This land is called the Barbaric Archipelago. One of you is already at your destination, but the others must find their way there. You have one week to reach the island of Berk - ah, I see you recognize the name. Indeed this is the very same place, but the world is not simply a children's tale. The goddess let her words sink in, and then continued.
In one week, the events which you have watched for so long will begin to unfold. Before then, the three of you must meet your companions and reunite with each other. It is vital that no human discovers your presence before then. Your task afterwards is to guide the people of that island to their rightful future while preventing as much suffering as possible, and you may reach that goal however you would like. And I have two gifts for each of you.
With a small flash, a white feather and an amber bead appeared next to each girl. The bead is my tear...the tear of separation. They will help you find each other. The feathers are from my own cloak, enabling me to traverse the realms. They will bring you home when the time comes. Do not lose either treasure. There are a few surprises you will discover along the way, but fear not. Things will be as they should once you return home.
Finally, the girl surrounded by ice and snow spoke. "Who are you? Why me - us?"
Why do some souls go to Valhalla and some to Folkvagner? Because it is what I decided. The three of you have special qualities, lessons that you have learned throughout life or from different stories. Loyalty, forethought, solidarity. These things combined will make Berk's story a much happier one. And as for my name - you may call me Freya.
We're going to follow each character individually after this.
You'll learn their names and dragons in their chapters.
Norns=like the three Fates.
Iounn=goddess of youth.
Amber beads=what Freya's tears became.
Feather=Freya had a cloak that let her cross between the worlds, made of feathers.
Please review and tell me what you think!
