Disclaimer: How to Train Your Dragon does not belong to me, as does Star Wars or any other series or franchise. They are the rightful property of their rightful owners.
Warnings: sexual references and themes, language, and mentions of Hags-Fiend activities.
"Normal Speech"/ "Telepathic Speech"/ Thinking/ #Another Language#/ "Both Telepathic and Normal Speech"
Chronicle 1 in the
Chronicles of the Dragoniters:
Dawn of the Dragoniters
Updated:
Edited: 24. 04.2018
Chapter 2: Here Be Dragons and Children of Sunheela
When Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu woke up again, Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn were still floating at the foot of their bed. The memories of their conversation with the four ghosts and their revelation before they fainted came back to them and the four Soul-Mates groaned, rubbing their foreheads tiredly. Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn floated over to them, concern etched on their faces. "What makes you four think we are Children of Sunheela?' Astrid asked. "We KNOW your four are Children of Sunheela. We have known ever since you four were born." Stryka said. "I know this is a big shock and hard to process but we are telling the truth. I swear on my magic." Torian said and a blue light swirled around the hand he held over his heart. Instantly, Hiccup, Astrid, Aniu and Nava knew what they were saying was true. "Uh, can you four please tell us more about you four and this 'Children of Sunheela' thing?" Hiccup requested and so Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn told them more about themselves, the Children of Sunheela, their roles as Children of Sunheela, their Soul-Mate Bond and the room they had found themselves in.
It was just one room of a magical home existing in a pocket dimension of physical space. It was called a Soul-Bond-Ling Home and according to the four ghosts, every troop of Soul-Bonded Children of Sunheela had one they shared with their Soul-Bonds. They also told them they would never be alone for they would have more Children of Sunheela Soul-Bonded to them, about the different types of Soul-Bonds and how many they would possibly have. So far, Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu had only found all three of their Soul-Mates (each other) and both of their Familiars each even though Hiccup and Astrid had not yet Bonded to Swiftwing, Sprinter, Zena and Willow. The more Soul-Bonds they had, the more powerful they were and they would need to find more Soul-Bonds and put together a team of Humanoids and Dragons so they could end the war against Dragons. However, finding all of their Soul-Bonds would take time, usually around a couple of years or so.
"Who are our other Soul-Bonds?" Hiccup inquired. "You four will know in due time. None of them will be another Soul-Mate as you four are the only Soul-Mates you four will ever have for the rest of your lives." Evelyn said. "Each of you first met another Soul-Mate when you four were very young and stayed together ever since and then you four became aware of your two other Soul-Mates through dreams and visions. That is how you four will know until you find them and or they find you." Torian said. "They may not even be humans or Elf-Faes. Instead, they might not be from this world but that does not mean you four and them are not meant to be together as Soul-Bonds." Miniki said. "Be patient. It may take some time, weeks, months, years even, until you four find them and when you do, everything would have been worth it." Stryka added. "Remember what we told you four about the Dragon Riders of old and this War?" Torian asked and they nodded.
"I sense you four will find four very special Dragons and form Soul-Bonds with them then it is only a matter of time until the War is over and the instigator or instigators, whichever one, is or are dead." He continued. "So you mean that we will have Dragons as part of our Soul-Bonds?" Hiccup asked in shock. "Most likely yes. Have you four not always dreamed of ending the war and bringing peace to your lands?" Evelyn asked. "When we find our Dragons, how will we prove that peace, friendship and coexistence between Dragons, Humans and Elf-Faes is more possible than we ever thought?" Aniu inquired. "Do not worry, I am sure things will work out. War takes its toll on everyone and I am sure the people of Berk are desperate for the war to end." Miniki said. "Before we show you around your new Soul-Bond-Ling Home, there are some things we must give you." Stryka said and gestured at the table across the room from the foot of their bed.
It was then that they noticed a number of different objects placed on it. Curious, Hiccup, Astrid, Aniu and Nava got out of the bed and walked over to the table. "What is all this?" Aniu asked. "They are your first set of Gifts of Sunheela. You four will need them in the adventures and times to come." Evelyn told them. "They are colour-coded so you four know which ones are yours. Aniu, yours are emerald green and golden. Nava, yours are sapphire blue and silver." Torian said. "Hiccup, yours are emerald green and silver. Astrid, yours are sapphire blue and golden." Miniki said. "Step forward, take closer looks and let your instincts guide you four to which ones are yours." Stryka , Astrid, Nava and Aniu stepped forward and placed on the table were eight daggers in scabbards, four cylindrical diamond vials, four necklaces with bejewelled round pendants and eight wooden, smooth, battle sticks with knobs at one end.
Almost instantly, they could feel ...something within them... reaching out and directing them to which ones were theirs. The first objects they were drawn to were the necklaces. Curious, Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu reached out to them but stopped and looked up at Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn for further instructions. "Go on, pick them up and do not worry, they will not bite or burn." Evelyn urged. Steeling their nerves, Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu let their fingers brush over the Pendants and then picked them up. Each of the four Pendants had a round, emerald or sapphire gemstone framed in gold or silver with a gold or silver chain. Each one of them was unique. Hiccup's Pendant was an emerald gemstone framed in silver with a silver chain. Astrid's Pendant was a sapphire gemstone framed in gold with a gold chain. Nava's Pendant was a sapphire gemstone framed in silver with a silver chain and Aniu's Pendant was an emerald gemstone framed in gold with a gold chain.
At Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn's urging, Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu slipped the chains over their heads and around their necks, lifting up their hair to do so. The Pendants rested over their sternums and were long enough for them to pick the Pendants up and look at them clearly and each of the gemstones were the exact same colour as their eyes. In the very moment the chains were around their necks and the Pendants rested over their sternums, Nava and Aniu felt their magic wash over and absorb into the Pendants, binding them to their wearers. Hiccup and Astrid also felt the same thing but to a much lesser degree considering their lack of magic. "What are these four?" The four Soul-Mates asked. "These Pendants are not only accessories, they are also Teleporters, Searchers and Danger and Health Alerters." Miniki said. "What he means is that whenever you are in one location but need to be in another without travelling there, you can just hold your Pendants, say or think the name of the or simply the location of where you need to be and these Pendants will take you there unless that location is warded against such things or there is danger there." Stryka clarified.
"Whenever you four want to find something, your Pendants can lead you to it or them if it knows and senses what you are looking for. They will light up and hover when it that happens and if you are moving away from what you are searching for, they will get colder but will heat up when you get closer until you find it or them." Torian said. "As for being Danger and Health Alarms, they will brighten and heat up when you are in danger and or you have been injured and your health is getting too low. When the danger passes and you heal, your Pendants will return to normal." Evelyn added. "Now it is time for your next gifts." Torian said and gestured at the remaining objects. Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu felt the pulls again and that time, they were drawn to the daggers. The four Soul-Mates picked them up and examined the scabbards. They were very simple, undecorated scabbards made out of a strong, thick leather with a precious metal at the tips and bases.
Each one of them had two sheathed Daggers and Hiccup's were emerald green with silver, Astrid's were sapphire blue with gold, Nava's were sapphire blue with silver and Aniu's were emeralds green with gold. Other than the colours and precious metals on the tips and bases, the scabbards were otherwise undecorated and measured 15 inches from the pommels of the Dagger's hilts all the way down to the tips of the blades. Wondering what the daggers were like, the four Soul-Mates drew the blades out of the scabbards. The blades were about 10 inches long and extremely sharp and smooth. The entire measure of the hilts was about another 5 inches long making each Dagger the length of about 15 inches. The grips were wrapped in smooth, supple leather, allowing for comfortable and easy holding and wielding. The cross-guards were a simple band of metal extending 4 inches equally across between the blades and hilts.
Much to their surprise, the first of Hiccup's Daggers had an emerald green blade, leather grip and round gemstone in the pommel with a silver hilt, blade tip and cross-guards. His other Dagger was coloured in reverse. The same went for Astrid, Nava and Aniu's Daggers, they were coloured in their wielder's respective colours and each Dagger was forged out of a metal they were not familiar with but was extremely strong, sharp, clear, smooth, light weight and durable. "What kind of metal are these forged out of?' Hiccup asked. "This metal is from a fragment of a meteor that crashed on Athelon many decades ago. We call it Star-Steel and it is virtually indestructible, always retaining its sharpness, strength, lightweight and dexterity and has...special properties." Stryka told them. "It will be very difficult to find better metal in this world." Miniki added. "Most of our weapons and all of our armour were forged from this metal and so will yours as far as we know." Torian said. "Star-Steel is the signature metal of the Children of Sunheela. It is known by many different names such as vibranium in a country on Planet Earth known as Wakanda." Evelyn told them.
Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu sheathed the daggers back into their scabbards and attached them to their belts. "Anything else you four want to give us?" Astrid inquired. "Yes, there are two more gifts left to give to each of you." Evelyn said and gestured for them to turn back to the table and be drawn to the next set of gifts which were the Battle-Sticks. There were eight altogether, meaning that Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu would receive two each. The Battle-Sticks were carved out of smooth, polished, strong wood that was very hard and slightly heavy to the four teens used to wielding weapons. Aniu and Hiccup's were deep brown in colour while Astrid and Nava's were blonde. They were three feet long each and slender enough for them to wrap their hands around the round wood and smoothed and polished to perfection. Instead of using them to cut and stab and slash like blades, Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu could use them to club, bludgeon and strike with blunt-force trauma.
Lucky last were the four diamond vials. Astrid and Nava were drawn to the sapphire blue ones while Hiccup and Aniu were drawn to the emerald green ones. Aniu and Astrid's had golden stoppers while Nava and Hiccup's had silver stoppers. They could sense the healing power, soothing benevolence and warm magic radiating from whatever was inside. They were big and round enough for the four Soul-Mates to comfortably hold them in their hands and wrap their fingers around them. When Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu asked what they were, Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn smiled wistfully, gazing at the vials fondly. "Inside those vials are the Purified Healing Tears from the eyes of Phoenixes of every Element. We call them Phoenix Tears for short." Evelyn said. "They are combined with the essence and nectar of the Sunlight Heaven Flower which falls from the heavens very rarely." Torian said. "This liquid is perhaps one of the most powerful healing agents in perhaps the entire galaxy." Miniki said. "It can heal any sort of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wound, restore and mend minds and cure any sickness when combined with the natural cure." Stryka added.
"What are Heaven Sunlight Flowers?" Aniu asked. "They are extremely powerful, magical flowers formed when drops of sunlight fall from the heavens." Evelyn told them. "These Tears are perhaps the most precious, powerful and important of all the Gifts of Sunheela you four will ever get." Torian said. "Monsters such as Hags-Fiends are weakened when in the presence of Phoenixes but only by consuming Purified Phoenix Tears can they be killed permanently." Miniki said. "But to do so is very difficult because Hags-Fiends have gone to great lengths and measures to ensure they keep coming back to life." Stryka said. "Even though Children of Sunheela come back to life whenever they are killed, their minds, bodies and emotions need Purified Phoenix Tears to reach full strength and restoration." Evelyn said. "Most of the time, it is almost impossible to summon Purified Phoenix Tears when you are in the presence of Hags-Fiends because of their magic protecting them." Torian said.
"But there are times when it will appear and answer your summons, when that happens, you can end a Hags-Fiend's life forever by pouring droplets into their mouths." Miniki said. "But that does not mean the Purified Phoenix Tears will be your shield, your weapon or your Hags-Fiend Killer every time a Hags-Fiend appears." Stryka said. "You may sever a Hags-Fiend's head from its neck, you may pierce its heart, you may disembowel it, you may slice its neck, you may set it on fire and watch it burn into ashes but that will not mean the Hags-Fiend will stay dead forever." Evelyn said."And now it is time for us to show you four around your new home, once you four are ready to move in, that is." Torian said. "Your Familiars are waiting in a room close to yours, just down the hallway." Miniki said. "Be warned, this will be a long tour as Soul-Bond-Ling Homes are big and spacious places. I am sure you four are anxious to be back with your families." Stryka said.
"This room is very beautiful. I wonder how the rest of the...house...will look like." Aniu said. "And how big it is! I am sure not even the richest, wealthiest Vikings have homes as big or grand as you are saying this Home is." Hiccup said. "I am sure Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Fishlegs will be so jealous." Astrid said. "I hope we can enter and leave whenever we want." Nava said. "I assure you four, this place will have everything you need as Children of Sunheela." Evelyn told them. "It is very much impenetrable, warded, shielded and lets you enter and leave whenever you want." Torian added. "Your friends, family and anyone else who has trustworthy intentions can visit whenever you four let them in and out." Miniki said. "You will not have to worry about any...unsavoury folk trying to force or sneak their way in...or out." Stryka added.
Reassured and very much eager and excited to explore the Soul-Bond Home, Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu walked to the door, Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn glided after them. The four young Soul-Mates hesitated, wondering who would open the door until Hiccup reached out, grabbed the handle which hummed warmly at his touch, twisted it and pushed the door open, allowing them to walk/ glide out into a wide, spacious, well-lit hallway with walls made out of white marble and wide, iron-wooden double doors on both sides. Each of them were at least ten metres apart. Another door opened and two Dire Wolves and two Reindeer walked out with two Barn Owls and two Golden Eagles perching on their backs. "Ah, there you four are." Sorina sighed in relief when she saw her Familiar with her Soul-Mates. "We were wondering what had happened with you." Merlin added. "These four have been explaining things to us." Alvis said and four ghost clones of Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn floated out of the room behind them over and merged with their ghost clone, forming four ghosts.
"Apparently, they explained it to you four as well." Edme said. "We can make copies of ourselves when we need to be in more than one place at a time together." Evelyn explained. "I hope that did not freak you lot out. It is a very useful ability. Serves us well as ghosts but we could not do that when we were alive." Torian said. "That way, each of us can reach out to different people and be in different places at the same time." Miniki said. "When you lot find more of your fellow Soul-Bonds and Children of Sunheela, we can split ourselves to guide them individually." Stryka added. "Now, it is time for Hiccup and Astrid to Bond with their Familiars." Miniki said. "All you two have to do is walk forward, hold out both hands and let Swiftwing, Sprinter, Zena and Willow press their heads or snouts into your hands." Stryka told Hiccup and Astrid, both of them nodded and turned to Swiftwing, Sprinter, Zena and Willow who turned to them.
Hiccup, Swiftwing and Sprinter were instantly drawn to each other as were Astrid, Zena and Willow. Hiccup and Astrid simultaneously reached out their hands and Swiftwing, Sprinter, Zena and Willow leaned forward at the same time to press their beaks/ noses against Hiccup and Astrid's palms. There were bright flashes of light and shocked gasps. When the light cleared, Hiccup, Swiftwing, Sprinter, Astrid, Zena and Willow were still maintaining physical contact with their Familiars and their eyes and bodies were glowing with emerald green and silver for Hiccup, Swiftwing and Sprinter and sapphire blue and golden for Astrid, Zena and Willow power as their minds connected and each of them gained powers from the other. Hiccup and Astrid also gained the abilities to shape-shift into the Forms of their Familiars but they would unable to actually do so until their Bonds settled and were no longer in turmoil.
Not only that but they could sense each other's minds and presences in their minds, souls and beings. Nava, Alvis, Edme and Aniu, Sorina and Merlin stared in awe, remembering when they had Bonded to their Familiars. Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn only beamed. "This many Soul-Bonds in one day...wow." Miniki marvelled. "Thank you for summing that up." Hiccup replied and everyone laughed, including Hiccup and Miniki. "Come on, we have not even started our tour yet." Evelyn said impatiently. "Oh, calm down and be patient, my love." Torian replied, grinning. "Let us enjoy it and take our time instead of rushing." Stryka said. "We have much to show them anyway." Miniki chuckled. They began the tour by showing the Familiars Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu's room and exploring it and the bathroom behind the other door which had a large bath tub big enough to fit four Elf-Faes into it with enough room to move around along with a wash basin, cupboards with towels, shelves with soaps and toilets. It was a very beautiful but simplistic room.
Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn then showed Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu the room where their Familiars would sleep in and it was as if a clearing with grass, plants, rock ledges, caves and trees with hollows and nests built into their branches had been taken out of a forest and put into that room. Sorina and Swiftwing, Merlin and Edme, Alvis and Zena, Sprinter and Willow had already chosen their sleeping spaces. The Barn Owls had selected a hollow in a tree, the Golden Eagles in a big nest in another nearby tree, the Dire Wolves in a cave and the Reindeer in a clearing sheltered by a rock ledge. The ceiling above them reflected the sky outside the Soul-Bond-Ling Home. It turned out that their Familiars had also received the same Gifts of Sunheela Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu, only Sprinter, Willow, Edme and Merlin had not received Star-Steel Daggers and Ironwood Battle Sticks which Swiftwing, Zena, Alvis and Sorina had. Each of them had received a Child of Sunheela Pendants which they wore around their necks and Purified Phoenix Tears.
After those two, the next room they checked was obviously meant for...dragons and very big. The marble floor was left bare except for many raised platforms meant for smaller dragons and not only that but it had one bed meant for Humanoids and big enough to fit four of them. There was also one big bird nest and one big pile of pelts. Once they got over their shock and awe, they checked the rest of the Home, which took hours and left them exhausted, as well as trying to process everything. As Evelyn had said, the Children of Sunheela Home had everything they needed. It contained all of the basics like bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, pantries, toilets, training rooms, armouries, medical wings and so much more. The third and fourth rooms they checked were basically copies of Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu's room and Swiftwing, Sprinter, Zena, Willow, Alvis, Edme, Sorina and Merlin's room.
Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn also told them the more Children of Sunheela they found, the more their Soul-Bond-Ling Home would expand. It would be more than their Home, it would be their headquarters, their base of operations, their safe haven and would protect them from attacks because it was unfindable to everyone who meant them harm or had never been inside before. That way, they were protected from all external threats, especially Hags-Fiends. Last of all, they were led to the door that led outside to the Village of Berk and their Family's homes. This time, it was Aniu who opened the door and they discovered it was magically built into the cliff side into which the Great Hall was built but on the other side of the stairs from Hiccup and Stoick's home. At first, it shocked them but then they remembered their Soul-Bond Home took up no space at all and existed in a pocket dimension that had a door. Only an act of sheer powerful magic could have done such a thing.
"I think we should go find our families now." Nava said and Hiccup, Astrid and Aniu nodded. Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn waved them goodbye as Swiftwing, Sprinter, Zena, Willow, Alvis, Edme, Sorina and Merlin followed them out of the door and it closed behind them. "So, where do you guys think they will be?" Aniu asked. "In the Great Hall, that is usually where we greet new arrivals." Hiccup said and they began walking, followed by their Familiars. "I wonder how they will react to everything we tell them." Astrid mused. "They will be shocked, surprised, amazed and intrigued, that is for sure." Nava replied. They reached the top of the stone stair case and hesitated before pushing the doors open and walking inside up to their families. Very quickly, conversations stopped and almost every eye in the Great Hall was on them. Astrid's younger brothers Erikin and Finnley, Nava's younger sister Mira and Aniu's younger brother Arin were the first to notice them.
"Nava! Aniu! Hiccup! Astrid!" Mira yelled happily. "They are here!" Arin exclaimed. They let Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu get close enough before running forward and hugging their older siblings who hugged them back. When they let go, Hiccup was hugged by Stoick, Astrid was hugged by Arthur and Ingrid, Nava by Theodore and Nala and Aniu by Fengo and Namara. After that, Astrid, Nava and Aniu were hugged by their older siblings. "We have been waiting hours for you twelve. We were so worried." Namara told them, cupping her belly in relief as she was often prone to do. "One second you twelve were there and the next you were gone in the blink of an eye." Fengo added. "We did not know what had happened to you or where you had disappeared to." Theodore said. "Everyone, I am sure there is an explanation and by the way, what are those?" Nala asked, pointing at their Pendants, Star-Steel Daggers, Ironwood Battle Sticks and Diamond Vials of Purified Phoenix Tears.
"We will have to start from the beginning and work our way through to the end." Nava said and so he, Hiccup, Astrid and Aniu explained what had happened to them, starting from they had woken up in their bed, moving onto Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn and the revelation they were Children of Sunheela which they explained more about for everyone as well as their suspicions that the war had been instigated by Hags-Fiends in an attempt to turn the Vikings, Dragons and Elf-Faes against each other and they were going to try and find a way to end it peacefully, gaining their first set of Children of Sunheela Gifts which they showed their families and Gobber who said he had never seen metal like Star-Steel before and spent minutes examining them and wanting to test them out, Hiccup and Astrid Soul-Bonding with Swiftwing, Sprinter, Zena and Willow and how none of their Familiars were to be hunted or killed as well as saying that Hiccup and Astrid had to learn how to shape-shift into their other Forms and last of all, exploring their Soul-Bond-Ling Home which they had decided not show everyone until the time was right.
Muttering and murmuring filled the Hall as everyone digested what Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu had told them. The four Soul-Mates and eight Familiars glanced around nervously, afraid of their reactions would be. Fortunately for them, the Vikings of Berk were a rather open-minded people and willing to accept the term 'in with the new, out with the old'. Unfortunately, that did not go for everyone. There were Vikings on Berk who let their prejudices, hatreds, ignorances and fears dictate everyone they said, thought and did. An elderly, scruffy, dirty and very unpleasant and ugly man who reeked of sheep and cabbages named Mildew the Complainer was one such person. His hatred of Dragons, Magic, Elf-Faes was deep and unrelenting and his cantankerousness, arrogance, rudeness and overall attitude made him very unlike by other Vikings except for the ones who shared his viewpoints. They were known simply as 'Mildew's Followers'.
Mildew's closest friend and most loyal follower was a sheep named Fungus and he was equally ugly, dirty, scruffy, elderly and cantankerous as his Master. He lived with Mildew in his house on the outskirts of the village and followed him everywhere. Both of them shoved their way to the front of the crowd. "Are we really going to allow these freakish monsters into our tribe and let them corrupt us with their demonic ways. We are Vikings! We were once the scourge of the seas, conquerors of the weak, slavers of the conquered and the bane of Dragons until those abominations weakened us with their ideas of peace, knowledge, friendship, unity, coexistence and acceptance of freaks, monsters and weaklings! We should be shackling these whores in chains and selling them in the slave trade but NO! Instead we are letting these demons walk and live freely amongst us, eat our food and corrupt us with brainwashing and sorcery! They will be our doom, death and destruction, Stoick! Just you wait and see!" He yelled and walked away with Fungus following at his heels.
Most of the Vikings in the Great Hall looked like they were going to throw a riot and demand Stoick clap Mildew in chains and make him pay for insulting the new members of their Tribe but there were some who looked like they agreed with Mildew and were glaring at the Elf-Faes with hatred, fear and suspicion in their eyes. Arin looked shaken and Mira, Melinda, Alinda, Irwing and Trevor were crying. Their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles hastily tried to comfort them. Stoick looked ashamed at the actions and words of a member of his Tribe and turned to apologize to the Elf-Faes. "I am deeply sorry for how Mildew has greeted you but unfortunately, even a Chief such as I cannot speak for the words and actions of every member of his Tribe. Mildew has always desired the return of the Old Viking Ways and he despises and fears anything that does not follow them. I am not foolish or naive enough to think or believe he will not attempt to make you feel unwelcome and un-liked in this village at the very least but if we stand together in support of the new Elf-Fae members of our Tribe, Mildew will think twice." Stoick said and the Vikings in the Great Hall cheered.
After that, Stoick announced Fengo Hrath'sson, Namara Galana'sdaughter, Anna Namara'sdaughter, Acer Fengo'sson, Aniu Namara'sdaughter, Arin Fengo'sson, Theodore Grank'sson, Nala Sara'sdaughter, Mirandel Nala'sdaughter, Steven Jacob'sson, Melinda Mirandel'sdaughter, Alinda Mirandel'sdaughter, Irwing Steven'sson, Trevor Steven'sson, Niam Theodore'sson, Nyra Nala'sdaughter, Nava Theodore'sson, Mira Nala'sdaughter and even Swiftwing, Sprinter, Zena, Willow, Alvis, Edme, Sorina and Merlin to be members of the Hooligan Tribe of Berk and performed a small induction ceremony then they partied for hours. During the party as everyone feasted, Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu sought out their families, hoping to speak to them together. The four Soul-Mates and their eight Familiars had decided to live in their Soul-Bond-Ling Home from then on but they had to tell their families and were unsure of how to proceed.
"Ah, here they are." Arthur Hofferson said as Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu approached. "What is it, you four?" Stoick asked. His father-son relationship had been strained because of their differences and lack of understanding but they still loved each other. "Guys, remember that Soul-Bond-Ling Home we told you about?" Hiccup inquired. "Yes?" They questioned. "Well, because our Soul-Bond requires us being together almost constantly of every hour of every day, Astrid, Nava, Aniu and I have decided to live in it." Hiccup said. Unlike other cultures and civilisations, it was socially acceptable and quite common for Vikings both men and women to have same sex relationships, marriages and polygamy, much like the Elf-Faes of Elf-Fae Island and it was also socially acceptable and quite common for lovers to live in the same house even if they were not married and there were not legitimate or illegitimate children so it did not if children were born inside our outside of marriage, only that they had a good home and a loving family.
"I was expecting this." Ingrid Hofferson said, smiling fondly. "As was I." Arthur agreed. "Are you four sure about this?" Stoick asked. After all, it would not do for Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu to decide they wanted to live in their Soul-Bond-Ling Home and then a day, week or month later, decide they wanted to move back into their families houses. "We are sure." Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu said, drawing smiles from their parents. "Well, then I see no reason to refuse. You four can move into your new house as soon as you four are ready. Oh and make sure to pack and move all of your possessions into it as well." Stoick told them. Thrilled, Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu embraced their parents and ran away to begin packing and moving their possessions into their new home. Stoick, Arthur, Ingrid, Theodore, Nala, Fengo and Namara watched them go fondly. "Well, as nice as this is, I sure hope they do not get up to any love-making soon, they only just met, after all." Ingrid said. "I agree, my love." Arthur replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Two months later, the twenty Elf-Faes and eight Familiars immersed themselves into Berkian culture, learning all they could about its lifestyle, its custom, its traditions and its people. Hiccup, Astrid, Nava, Aniu, Swiftwing, Sprinter, Zena, Willow, Alvis, Edme, Sorina and Merlin had been living in their Soul-Bond-Ling Home ever since the party while Fengo, Namara, Anna, Acer, Arin, Theodore, Nala, Mirandel, Steven, Melinda, Alinda, Irwing, Trevor, Niam, Nyra and Mira had to wait until their respective houses were built before they could live in them so they stayed in the Great Hall until they were completed and furniture was moved inside them. The four Soul-Mates and eight Familiars got to know each other and Miniki, Stryka, Torian and Evelyn more and Hiccup and Astrid learned how to shape-shift into their new Forms: Hiccup; into his Barn Owl and Reindeer Forms and Astrid into her Golden Eagle and Reindeer Forms.
Hiccup's Barn Owl Form Form was nearly as big as a Great Horned Owl but he was uniquely coloured with a silver facial disk that had a black rim, emerald green eyes, reddish-brown feathers covered partly by a midnight black veil marked with scattered emerald green small, dust-like spots surrounded by silver, a similar with a few black bars and silver spots on the tips of the feathers. His under-side and legs were silver with a scattering of small, midnight black, drop-shaped spots, reddish-brown feet and midnight black talons. His Reindeer Form reddish-brown fur, silver underside and neck, emerald green eyes and midnight black hooves and antlers. Astrid's Golden Eagle Form had golden-blonde plumage, sapphire blue eyes, golden feathers on her nape, beak and claws. Her Reindeer Form had golden-blonde fur, white underside and neck, sapphire blue eyes and golden hooves and antlers.
They spent hours learning how to stand, walk, eat, drink, fly, groom, preen, fight and everything else Barn Owls, Golden Eagles and Reindeer did. However, ever since only a month before, Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu had been dream-visiting and dream-visited by four Dragons nearly the same as they were, a male Night Fury named Toothless, a female Deadly Nadder named Stormfly, a female Winter Dragon named Icicle and a male Summer Dragon named Heatwave. A week after all came more dream-visits of four strange Humanoids of two different species: a female Twilek named Laylahlu Secura, a male Twilek named Ares Syndulla, a male Togruta named Umakyo Ti and a female Togruta named Ashara Tano. All eight of them were more of their Soul-Bonds and the four Aliens were the first of their Soul-Siblings while the four Dragons were the first of their Soul-Dragons. Aniu had also been dream-visiting and dream-visited by a female Fire Phoenix named Firia and a male Air Phoenix named Breezius. Both of them were her Soul-Phoenixes, a special Soul-Bond only the leaders of each troop of Children of Sunheela had.
The seventh dragon raid since their arrival began late one night when a dark shape swooped out of the sky and plucked one sheep out of its paddock as it was feeding on a patch of grass. As soon as scouts and sentries noticed, horns were blown and alarms raised. Children and those who could not fight locked themselves in their homes, ready to escape if their hiding places were destroyed. Hiccup, Astrid, Nava, Aniu and their Familiars were inside their Home, walking around a small forest complete with a sky that showed whatever weather was happening outside the dimension of space their Home occupied. It had all of the things any normal forest would have except for animals. When it rained outside, it rained inside. When it snowed outside, it snowed outside. The miniature forest and open sky could fit entire herds and packs of Dire Wolves, Reindeer and Dragons and they had a lot of room to fly around in it. The flora also changed with the outside seasons, if it was Winter outside, it was Winter inside.
Hiccup and Astrid were in their Reindeer Forms and Nava and Aniu were in their Dire Wolf Forms, absorbing all of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches of their surrounding environment. Sprinter, Willow, Edme and Merlin followed behind them with Swiftwing, Zena, Alvis and Sorina riding on Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu's backs. "This place is beautiful. I feel like I can fly, walk and run all day in here." Aniu marvelled. Because all of them were in their Mammal or Bird Forms, they could only speak through telepathy. "We have been living in our Soul-Bond-Ling Home for two months and yet I feel as though we have everything we could ever want or need here." Hiccup agreed. "We have bedrooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, training rooms and even a forest with a wide open sky that lets us fly as high or as far as we want." Astrid gushed. "Well, our Soul-Bond-Ling Home does not obey the laws of physics and is our base of operations as well as our home." Nava grinned then he frowned and his eyes widened as he sensed something was wrong.
Hiccup was the first to notice. "Nava, what is wrong?" He asked. "I sense...a great danger." He whishpered. As if on cue, the built-in alarm system of their Soul-Bond-Ling Home that was meant to alert them to both internal and external threats began to blare. "Berk is under attack! Dragon Raid!" Astrid exclaimed, recognizing the alarm meant just for that. "We better go out and help everyone, then." Aniu said and they all began running or flying to the entrance of the built in forest. "I still remember when we decided not to go out and help and Stoick got mad at us." Swiftwing said. "I do too and his yelling was enough to make me go deaf." Sorina shuddered. "At least we did not go out to help. I am pretty sure a Dragon will swoop out of the sky and snatch me up if one saw me." Sprinter said. "We did not go either, Sprinter. The less attention we draw to ourselves, the better." Edme said. "I do not even need to remind we will be in much more danger if the Hags-Fiends learn about us." Alvis said. "It is not just them I am worried about, it is the Vikings too. What if even one of them forgets we are tamed and domesticated?" Willow said. "Have all of us got our weapons, Pendants and Phoenix Tears?" Merlin asked, earning a 'yes' from everyone. "Well, this is going to be one hell of a fight but when is it not?" Zena mused.
Hiccup, Astrid, Nava and Aniu shape-shifted back into their Human/oid Forms and each of them double-checked to see they had their Children of Sunheela Pendants, Star-Steel Daggers, Ironwood Battle Sticks and Purified Phoenix Tears. Their Pendants were already hot because of the danger outside. Nava and Aniu cast glamours to hide their wings and horns and Sprinter, Willow, Edme and Merlin stayed inside because they did not want to risk them being snatched and carried away by Dragons who thought they would make good food. Swiftwing, Zena, Alvis and Sorina had a much lesser chance of that happening so they accompanied their Familiars. Hiccup opened the door...only to slam it shut again when a large Dragon saw them and shot fire at them. With any luck, the Dragons would just think the Humans of Berk were attempting to hide underground in an effort to keep them safe which would not work for long because of the Whispering Deaths who accompanied the Dragon Raiders to every raid.
"That was close." Nava gasped even though he had known it was coming and pulled his Soul-Mates back. "It is a good thing I am so quick, is it not?" Hiccup replied. "Yeah, definitely. Good thing we got you with us." Nava said. That time, Hiccup waited for Nava to give the signal it was safe to proceed before opening the door and closing it again when they all ran out. Only about five minutes later, Nava looked up, yelled a warning and they all leapt aside to dodge a fire blast from another or the same Dragon. "Persistent bastard." Hiccup muttered. Even though he and his Soul-Mates loved Dragons and were trying to find the best ways to end the war between them and the Vikings of Berk, Hiccup still felt the need to insult Dragons every there and then. When firing at them did not work, the Dragon swooped down at them but Astrid threw one of her Ironwood Battle Sticks at it and the Dragon was struck hard in the snout, drawing a cry of pain from it. After that, it decided to another target elsewhere and fly off, allowing Astrid to grab her Battle Stick and continue running with her Soul-Mates.
When they reached the village, Vikings and Dragons alike were already engaged in combat, most to the death. Hiccup, Swiftwing, Astrid and Zena tried to ignore the sights and smells of blood, death, combat, pain and destruction. Nava and Alvis used their intuition and radar sense emitted by Nava's horns to determine when another Dragon or Viking were getting close to them and when to dodge a fire blast, explosion or Dragon falling from the sky. Aniu and Sorina winced at the loudness and frequency of roars, explosions, shouts and screams. But neither one of the Soul-Mates or their Familiars let any of those things overwhelm them or slow them down. One they were in the village, they split up. Astrid, Zena, Nava and Alvis ran or flew to one of the many Fire Brigade stations set up around the village and Hiccup, Swiftwing, Aniu and Sorina ran or flew to Gobber's forge. As much as they would like, no love to stay together, they knew their respective skills and talents were much suited in different places.
One their way to the forge, Hiccup, Swiftwing, Aniu and Sorina found Hiccup's father and the chief of the village Stoick Haddock bellowing orders to his warriors. He sighed in relief when he saw them. A big, muscular man of seven feet tall and weight of 400 pounds, Stoick fit the stereotypical appearance of a Barbaric Archipelago Viking. He had deep red hair tied back in a short braid and a beard spread out over his chest, tan skin, barely visible freckles and emerald green eyes he shared with his son. His attire consisted of a deep green, chainmail tunic, striped light and deep red trousers and deep green leather boots with fur liners. A large, deep brown fur cape cut from the pelt of a Grizzly Bear was draped over his shoulders and reached his knees. A thick brown leather belt was fastened around his waist with his Chief Symbol engraved on the buckle. He also wore spiked leather bracers on his forearms. A Viking helmet with long horns extending out then curving upwards rested on his head.
Stoick was known one of Berk's greatest warriors and leaders with his nearly superhuman strength, ability to wield basically any Viking weapon with ease even though he preferred mallets and his wisdom. As much as he loved his son Hiccup, Stoick feared that Hiccup was not suited to the Berkian Viking way of life and sought to protect him. Even though he had been a great Dragon Slayer all throughout his life, what Stoick wanted more than glory and exterminating Dragons, was peace and a way to protect his people so they could survive and thrive and live happy, healthy, peaceful lives which surprising considering the number of Vikings who wanted glory, conquest, power and riches. There were those who agreed peace was better than war and those Tribes were allied with Berk. Much like most Vikings, Stoick was stubborn but unlike some Vikings, he was willing to change his mind if there was a better and more beneficial for everyone way to get things done, even if that meant changing and breaking old traditions and replacing them with new ones.
"Hiccup, Aniu, Gobber is waiting for you two!" He yelled over the clamour. "We know, Dad! We are on our way!" Hiccup replied. "Do you know where my family is?" Aniu asked. "Fengo, Namara and Arin are safe. Anna and Acer are helping the Fire Brigade." Stoick reported. "Thanks. Good luck defending the village, Stoick!" Aniu added. Stoick nodded and threw a spear at a dragon who was trying to steal more sheep. The spear impaled the dragon in one side with a spurt of blood and the dragon roared in pain, falling out of the sky. Stoick nodded in satisfaction and turned to confer with a soldier. In only a few minutes, Hiccup, Aniu, Swiftwing and Sorina arrived at the forge where Gobber was hammering away at a sword. "Oh, nice of you two to join the party. I thought you lot had been carried off." He greeted them cheerfully. "Who? Me? Nah, come on. I am way too fast and sneaky for them. They will not know what to do with little old me." Hiccup replied, grinning.
"And I bet those dragons do not want to eat an Elf-Fae like me." Aniu added. "Well, they need tooth picks, do they not?" Gobber retorted as Hiccup and Aniu put two of his hand prosthetics on a wall and put on leather aprons. As soon as both teens opened the window to the forge above the bench, Vikings hurried over and deposited broken, bent or blunt weapons on the counter for Gobber, Hiccup and Aniu to forge back into shape. "Easy to see why you have been his apprentice since you were little." Aniu said. "Ah, you know me. I am too lovable and cute." Hiccup replied and Aniu giggled. "Easy now, focus on what you two are supposed to be doing." Swiftwing scolded, clacking his beak. "Oh, let them have a bit of fun while they work, bossy-beak." Sorina scolded her fellow Barn Owl and crush, swatting him gently with a wing. "Hiccup and Aniu are two of the only people who would make jokes and bicker on a battle field." Swiftwing said affectionately. "Well, you know what they say, it is a gift worth cherishing." Sorina replied and Swiftwing smiled.
Gobber Odinfrey was a large, muscular and rather fat man though not as tall as Stoick with a cheery, eccentric, sarcastic and rather wise attitude who was Stoick's closest friend, ally and most trusted advisor, even if he was a bit annoying and wisecracking at times. He wore a sleeveless yellow shirt, light brown and deep brown striped trousers, a yellow leather boot and a short brown leather vest with yellow forearm cloth wrappings on one arm and a Viking helmet with bent horns that shot up straight. All of his clothes were sooty and dirty because of his work and his fear of bathing. Over the course of his Dragon Fighting and blacksmithing careers, Gobber had lost one half of his right leg and his left hand, replacing both with a peg leg and a metal cuff covering his stump which was specially built to allow Gobber to wield tools and weapons such as hooks and hammers. Hiccup considered him the uncle he never had and loved and respected him dearly just as Gobber did him, even going as far as to recruit Hiccup and at times Astrid as his apprentices when they were young but old enough to manage the workload safely.
Outside, in the battle field, Stoick continued to give his soldiers orders. "Move to the lower defences. We will counter attack with the catapults." He said as another house was set on fire. With the amount of dragon attacks Berk suffered, the size of the village and the number of houses and dragons, it was easy to see why nearly every single building was new or had been rebuilt in the past year or so. Hiccup and Aniu grinned at each other when they sensed the presences of Astrid and Nava as they ran closer to the forge with six other Viking teens following them to set up a water station. "All right, let's go."/ "Move faster, people." They could Astrid and Nava rallying them on. Most people in their right minds would leave but not the Berkian Vikings, they had stubbornness issues. As far as they were concerned, they had lived on this island for around four hundred years, they weren't going to leave anytime soon, not even if dragons had attacking them for over three hundred years.
The Viking teens following them were fifteen year olds Fishlegs Ingerman, Camicazi Odinfrey, Thuggory Kelvard, Snotlout Jorgenson and Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston. Fishlegs Ingerman was the big, chubby, nerdy boy who had a tendency to get scared easily and ramble off dragon facts any time. He had short blonde hair hidden under a small helmet and deep green eyes. He wore a brown, fur tunic, green trousers and wraps around his forearms and brown boots. His strength lay in his intelligence and he used it to great effect. His absolute favourite hobbies were learning, particularly about dragons and botany. Fishlegs was not a good fighter but despite that, his knowledge, quick analysis of situations, strategies and opponents, his ability to find weaknesses and his observatory skills very much came in handy, making him a great asset to the team. He was absolutely fascinated by Nava, Aniu, Elf-Faes, magic and other cultures, even Dragons which some would consider treasonous but Fishlegs knew the more they learned and knew about them, the easier it would to protect Berk from them. Nava and Aniu answered his enthusiastic questions and laughed at his excitement. When Fishlegs learned Elf-Faes were a very literate people with great stores of knowledge and science, Fishlegs just about exploded in glee. Aniu and Nava had to use calming spells on him. They let him visit their homes, families and Familiars whenever they and he had the time. All of that made Fishlegs a wonderful, nerdy, geeky friend. Aniu and Nava even lent him some of their books to read.
Camicazi Odinfrey was Gobber's daughter, conceived from a short sexual relationship with Bertha, Chief of the Bog-Burglar Tribe on a peace treaty signing. She had only recently moved to Berk to be with her father after spending the first fourteen years of her life with her mother. Unfortunately, Gobber was not any good at raising children so Camicazi had to raise herself, that included doing the cooking, cleaning, washing and sewing but she loved her father nonetheless and she even learned how to be a blacksmith alongside her burglar skills she had learned from her mother with whom she exchanged letters. Bertha had older children and they loved their half-sister. The oldest, Bethany, was learning how to be Chief of the Bog-Burglars from Bertha who was eager to retire as she often said chiefing takes a toll on the mind, body and soul. Camicazi was very sneaky, quick-witted, snarky, loyal and some-what overconfident, even rather flirtatious and seductive. She wore a dark red long-sleeved tunic with black leggings, dark red leather boots, a black vest and forearm wrappings and a ruby and onyx necklace. Camicazi was rather short for her age, slim, had dark skin, mischievous sky blue eyes like her father and red hair that fell in a tangled mess down her back. Her favoured weapon was a long, thin sword and a set of throwing knives hidden under her vest.
Thuggory Kalvard was the second-born son of Mongadon the Meathead, Chief of the Meathead Tribe. His older brother Rufus was in training to be the next Chief of the Meathead Tribe. When Mongadon and his two sons sailed to Berk for a peace treaty signing, Thuggory quickly became friends with Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut and when it was time to sail back to Meathead Island, Thuggory had begged his father to let him live on Berk as their ambassador and when Thuggory was fourteen years old, he was sent to live on Berk as a ward to Stoick Haddock and lived in his house with him and Hiccup who he forged a brotherly bond with. Thuggory was known for his good cheer, charming charisma and his love of the ocean. He had brown skin, messy black hair and sea green eyes. He wore a black shirt, green trousers, black boots, a green vest and black arm wrappings. Ever since Thuggory and Camicazi first met, they had been gaining a growing crush on each other. His preferred weapon was a trident.
Snotlout Jorgenson was very annoying, arrogant, vain with low intelligence, muscular, egomaniacal and ... Hiccup's paternal cousin but he was also insecure and oblivious. Some of his favourite habits were showing off, bragging about himself and flirting with nearly every pretty girl he saw, including Astrid, Aniu, Camicazi and Ruffnut who was the only one to react positively to his flirting even though the other girls were disgusted by Snotlout's disgusting demeanour. He had spiky black hair, a muscular, bulky build and light blue eyes. He wore a deep gray, sleeveless shirt, a black fur vest, a metal-leather belt with his clan's crest on the buckle, brown trousers, brown, leather wrist guards and black boots. He hero-worshipped his own father Spitelout and that quite often led to him messing everything up and earning him the wrath and anger of others, including his own friends but despite that, he always came to his friend's aid.
Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston were twins who shared a love of destruction, chaos, pranks, troubles and explosions. Both of them were skinny, had tan skin and long, blonde hair. One thing people should know about the twins was that they fought and argued with each other constantly. Tuffnut had dark blue eyes while Ruffnut had light blue eyes. Ruffnut wore a light brown, animal-skin vest, a dark blue, sleeveless tunic, a greyish-brown short skirt that ended in tatters, a metal-leather belt with her clan's crest on the buckle, dark brown leggings, dark blue boots, long, dark greyish cloth bracers that started at her elbows and ended at her wrists. Her helmet was studded with four horns: the top two were thinner, bull-like horns while the bottom two were longer and curved. Her hair was divided slightly to the side and she had short bangs across her left temple. Ruffnut had two small, short braids below her helmet, one longer braid on her back and two long braids on her front. The three braids reached her waist. She wore a necklace with a dragon's tooth or claw on it. Tuffnut wore a dark brown animal fur vest, a dark green, sleeveless tunic, a brown, sash-like belt, greyish-blue trousers, dark brown boots, brown, cloth arm-bands that started at his elbows and ended at his wrists. His helmet was studded with four horns like his sister's. He also wore a dragon's tooth or claw necklace around his neck.
The teens rushed over to a nearby fire and threw water from buckets onto it which Nava helped fill using his Water Magic. Zena and Alvis hovered overhead. Astrid and Nava noticed Hiccup and Aniu at them and grinned. "Hey, guys. Enjoying the show?" Astrid asked, grinning. "Watching you guys work? Definitely." Hiccup replied. "Tell them they are doing a brilliant job and keep up the effort." Aniu added. "Will do, Milady. These fires will not put themselves out." Nava said before Alvis pecked his wing. "Nava, I know you want to talk to Hiccup and Aniu but you must focus on what you are doing here and now." He scolded. "These dragons are being particularly ferocious tonight. I wonder how many there are." Zena said, gazing up into the night sky illuminated by light from the torches and fires which allowed them to see the multitudes of dragons flying overhead. "There is a lot for sure and they are going to keep burning everything down if we do not put these fires out." Astrid said.
Hiccup, Aniu, Swiftwing and Sorina gazed up into the sky, making a list of every different breed they saw. Deadly Nadders, Monstrous Nightmares, Gronckles, Hideous Zipplebacks, Terrible Terrors, Scauldrons, Changewings, Night Furies, Skrills, Timberjacks, Grapple Grounders, Whispering Deaths, Snaptrappers, Thunderdrums and Mood Dragons. One amazing about Dragons was their diversity and uniqueness. Every breed was different and had unique abilities that set them all apart from other breeds and species. Each breed breathed a different weapon, was a different size and shape, had different markings and abilities. Regardless of their size whether big or small, massive or tiny or just medium sized, Dragons could live up to 1000 years as long as they were not killed before dying of old age. Being magical creatures, Dragons were capable of many amazing things, great or terrible, powerful or not but definitely unique. There were over hundreds of breeds and out of all of them, only about 20 were known to attack Berk.
Deadly Nadders were 40 feet long from their nasal horns to the tips of their tails with wingspans of 60 feet and heights of 15 feet. Their bodies were bipedal and bird-like with muscular torsos atop long, powerful legs with four super sharp, strong and powerful claws on each of the two feet. Their tails were thick and tapered, covered in spikes along the surface. The tail spikes were razor-sharp, smooth, straight and were erected and fired like by a flick of the tail. A Deadly Nadder's head was long and rounded, the mouth sporting a notable, beak-like overbite and large, curved, sharp, strong and powerful teeth. A single, large nasal horn rose up from the snout and behind the eyes a crown of movable, straight horns extended from the skull. A row of erectable spikes ran down from the neck and along the back, joining those at the base of the tail. Their wings were moderately thin but strong and powerful, the support tips extended well past the membrane and a single outward curving claw was positioned at both of the main joints. Main colours were highly variable but the most common were blue, green, teal or purple with light, pale colours on the underside, horns, and spikes and mottled with others along the wings, the two main colours of any individual Deadly Nadder most often formed bands on the tail and bordered rings on the upper wing membrane. These dragons breathed super-hot magnesium fire, often said to be hotter than the sun and their high stamina allowed these dragons to fly for very long distances without tiring and they were very strong, agile, light on their feet, dexterous and possessed good reflexes.
Deadly Nadders were of the Sharp Class of dragons, bearing a set of tail spikes laced with venom that often caused damage to the nervous system and could be launched at will simply by a flick of the tail, either individually or in groups, with very impressive accuracy. They very rarely missed their target(s). The tail spines could also be rattled together to create a warning sound to intimidate opponents and potential threats. Deadly Nadders possessed extremely keen vision, hearing and a sense of smell powerful enough to track scents for up to 100 miles or more. Naturally alert, these dragons were often very observant creatures, fast learners and very aware of their appearance, often leading to vanity and easily angered if they were insulted in any way. Deadly Nadders were known for having very, very hot fire, to the point it turned a bright yellow-white. Their fire was so hot it could melt metal and rock in seconds. Due to high amounts of magnesium, Deadly Nadder fire was nearly impossible to put out with water and extremely bright, a single shot able to blind if in dark locations. Deadly Nadders were known for being very picky eaters, preferring fish and chicken, whether it was cooked or raw but chicken feathers were known for often being very irritating, particularly when they get stuck in teeth or tickle the throat. Deadly Nadders were extremely loyal, energetic, intelligent, protective and playful dragons. Kind words and praises always went much further than cruelty and that held true for Deadly Nadders as it did every other dragon.
Monstrous Nightmares were 60 feet long from the tips of their snouts to the tips of their tails with wingspans of 80 feet and heights of 15 feet. Low-slung and elongate, these dragons bore a narrow torso supported only by a pair of lean, powerful legs, each tipped with four sharp talons and a single equally sharp spur on the backs of their heels. Being wyverns, their wings doubled as a pair of forelegs, foldable and when spread the first halves of the wings closest to the bodies were thin but the second halves away from the bodies widened into a paddle shape with somewhat ragged edges and two, sometimes three, large, sharp talons at the main joints of the wings, acting as hands/ paws. A Monstrous Nightmare's tail was long and whip-like, decorated by a single tail fin designed like flames. Their necks were long and thin but powerful, holding up heads nearly five feet long. Similar to crocodiles, a Monstrous Nightmare's head possessed an under-bite sporting large, protruding, curved teeth. A single horn jutted up and back from above the nostrils and two, bulbous, large eyes were set in front of a double pair of long, curved, ridged horns, the upper pair longer than the under pair. A series of flame-shaped crests ran down the neck, split into two rows on the back and rejoining at the tail and their backs were covered in plate-like rectangular scales. Their main colours tended to revolve around fire colours, typically shades of red or orange striped with black or shades of green, purple, blue, yellow, white or even multi-colours like rainbows. Eyes were usually amber.
For Breath, Monstrous Nightmares usually sprayed or shot blasts of fluid fire laced with kerosene and other flammable components so their Fire Breath flowed rather than billowed and was extremely hard to extinguish with water. These dragons also produced a flammable 'gel' from pores hidden under their scales, allowing them to set themselves on fire and extinguish it at will without any harm to their skin or scales. Fast, manoeuvrable and sinuous, Monstrous Nightmares were excellent flyers with wings able to flare widely to provide powerful surges of air in an attack. Like many Stoker Class dragons, they were highly tempered, grumpy and somewhat arrogant with a tendency to strike first before analysing situations and thinking about strategies fully. However, they were well equipped to deal with repercussions of these decisions with a highly dangerous firepower and the ability to ignite their scales on fire at will which they could do multiple times in a fight. Monstrous Nightmares were strong dragons, lean muscle allowing them to land powerful blows. They were also accomplished swimmers despite their fiery disposition. While swimming hindered their flammable attributes, Monstrous Nightmares could dive and swim quite readily, the long tail fin and wide wings providing great purchase underwater. Large talons on the wings and hind legs allowed these dragons to be quite adept at climbing as well, scaling rock walls and hanging upside-down with ease. Monstrous Nightmares required a lot of tact when dealing with them. They were angered easily but were also fiercely protective of their companions and families. Gentleness and respect were the only ways to gain trust and cooperation but firm resolutions were also needed when they acted up.
Gronckles were 20 feet in length from the tip of their snouts to the tips of their tails with wingspans of 24 feet. Their breed was one of the most heavily built dragons with large, rounded heads harbouring powerful jaws, a similarly designed body and a blunt tail separated into two spherical sections, descending in size from base to tip. Their bodies were dotted irregularly across the surface with bumps and protrusions, the stumpy legs bearing blunt claws useful for digging. Their heads bore a pronounced snout and two big, bulging eyes in front of a pair of wing-like ears. A Gronckle's teeth were irregularly shaped, the majority similar to canines with a pair approximately halfway towards the back, grossly enlarged and a set of large molars situated in the very back of the jaws. Their wings were very small for what one might expect of a dragon but set with powerful muscles in the shoulder regions and bore a small, thin claw on the main joints. Main colours were highly variable, mostly brown, rusty red-orange, tan, blue, green and sometimes purple and the eyes were usually sulphur yellow.
Gronckles were known for consuming rocks, melting them in their furnace-like stomachs and then spitting them out in the form of lava. Their short wings were not designed for gliding flight but instead the shoulder muscles produced an extremely rapid fluctuation, allowing Gronckles to hover and fly in an insect or hummingbird style fashion. This flight pattern allowed Gronckles to fly slowly, make quick turns, fly backward, straight up or down and even stay in flight while asleep. Gronckles were classic Boulder Class dragons: rough, tough, loyal (if somewhat lazy judging their habits of taking frequent naps) and powerful. Due to their affinity for minerals to produce their lava attacks, Gronckles had powerful jaws and teeth that could pulverise granite, if they could fit it into their mouths, and the process used to produce lava was an extremely affective smelter, able to purify metal ore to an extent that exceeded any industrial means.
It was a common misconception that Gronckles actually ate rocks but like other dragons, Gronckles preyed on fish, animals and even plants. They stored ingested minerals in a separate organ. Thanks to their incredibly thick, bouncy skin and scales, Gronckles often used their bodies as living bludgeons, even able to punch through metal-plated ships if they were thrown in the right way often tail-first. Their sturdy tails and armoured bodies protected them very well from jarring forces and could inflict great damage. Gronckles could also act as living siege weapons, crashing through walls and barriers without any ill effects. Like most dragon eggs, Gronckle eggs exploded upon hatching, which was why Gronckle parents put their eggs into small pools of water where the explosions were usually contained. Gronckles were easily affected by Dragon Nip, a plant very similar to catnip but for dragons and was very powerful. However, Gronckles had a natural immunity to the highly intoxicating Dragon Root. These dragons also had a powerful sense of smell that, while not as strong as dragons in the Tracker Class, allowed them to find objects and other living beings buried underground or hidden at a distance.
Hideous Zipplebacks were nearly 70 feet in length from the tips of their snouts to the tips of their tails with wingspans of 50 feet, head heights of 20 feet and shoulder heights of 5. They were low-slung, had a long, semi-flattened body supported by four short, stumpy legs, each tipped with long, extremely sharp claws. Their tails were long, whip-like and split in half a third to halfway down its lengths into two tips, each ending in a thin, long spade. A pair of necks arose from the torso, both narrow, long, thin, extremely flexible and each supporting a rounded, bulbous head. A large under bite portrayed large, sharp, needle-like teeth and a large, rear-curved rostral horn rose up from the front of the snout, flanked on both sides by large, narrow nostrils and just behind and to the sides of which were bulbous, forward-facing, rounded eyes. A pair of sharp, straight, thin, sickle horns extended from the back of the skull and a row of almost inverse-teardrop shaped crests ran down the necks from the top of each skull, joining as one row down the back and then splitting again to line each tail to the spade. Their wings were wide and broad, almost triangular in fully spread profile, with long tassels extending from the supports and a single, sharp claw at each main joint. Colours were highly variable, typically shades of green, blue, yellow, red, white, black, brown or purple with differently coloured spot-like markings similar to a Holstein Cow but stretched and elongated. Eyes were typically bright yellow.
Hideous Zipplebacks were quite unique when it came to fire-breathing. One head released noxious, heavier-than-air, deep green clouds of gas composed of ammonium nitrate and hydrazine from its mouth which was then ignited by flint sparks produced in the mouth of the other head from a special tooth in the back of the throat. Depending on how gas was ignited, the resultant explosions could be immense, powerful and cause a lot of damage and fiery destruction. When it came to flying, Hideous Zipplebacks were not the most agile of dragons, preferring to slink along the ground or take short flights between outcrops and islands but they were capable of long-term sustained flight when the situation called for it. Hideous Zipplebacks were truly unique, odd dragons, similar to dragons such as Snaptrappers and Seashockers in having more than one head, each of which was independently capable of thought and individual personality but uniquely and mentally linkedto the other head for coordination and self-awareness in a telepathic bond, unique even for other Dragons.
They were not shy creatures but liked watching things from out of sight and were highly impulsive and sometimes mischievous or reckless. However, most had a strong moral compass and despite having prankster tendencies would up to their own mistakes. Hideous Zipplebacks possessed several unique abilities. Among them, their unique gaseous fire attacks allowed them to cloak themselves in fog for increased stealth or when on the move they can light the gas as they expel it and then run or roll with it surrounding them (the latter done by clamping on to their own tails as the gas was released, creating fiery pinwheels that stopped for little more than a hard rock wall). Their two heads meant that it was nearly impossible to surprise or sneak up on a Hideous Zippleback unless he or she was focused heavily on one object and if one was blinded or temporarily immobilized both heads were still aware of their surroundings only as long as the other could see, hear, smell, touch and taste.
Zipplebacks also possessed mild venom, not terribly dangerous to most animals but could cause allergic reactions in some people and had been shown to be necrotic in large doses. Adept at climbing and manoeuvring in awkward places thanks to their stable, low-slung stature, sharp claws and dexterous necks and tails, they made excellent rescuers and recoverees of items in hard to reach places. Hideous Zipplebacks were fiercely loyal dragons, tied strongly to their companions (sometimes different companions because while both heads were of the same mind and body, they did slightly different personalities and opinions) and with extremely good memory, allowing them to recollect instances of kindness or rescue and they would often go to great lengths to repay those they had deemed a debt to. However, it was not wise to argue or fight with a Hideous Zippleback close by for any extended length of time as they also took it upon themselves to separate those who were hostile to each other and the dragon had deemed of posing a risk of causing harm to themselves or the dragon.
Terrible Terrors were 4 feet long from snout to tail tip and their wingspans were 6 feet long with heights of 1 foot. They had thin, ovular torsos supported by four, stout, strong legs, each ending in a set of four blunt but strong claws. Their tails were long, thin, narrow and tapered, tipped by a classic draconian spade. A Terrible Terror's neck was moderately short but extremely flexible and held up a rounded, if slightly vertical, flattened head. A small rostral horn curved up from above the large nostrils and on top of the head were bulbous, rounded eyes. From the back of the skull protruded a pair of twisted, heavily ridged horns that curved and bent almost haphazardly backward and down the neck to nearly the tip of the tail were tall, flexible, flame shaped crests. The wings were moderately large, batlike and bore a single, sharp claw at each main joint. The main colours of a Terrible Terror were highly variable, coming in nearly every colour with the wings, crests, horns, eyes and undersides coming in different colours from the main.
Terrible Terrors breathed powerful jets of propane fire that could extend up to nearly twice their body length. When flying, they were not a particularly fast breed, mostly because of their tiny sizes but they could fly for hours on end and were stealthy and manoeuvrable when they wanted to be. Terrible Terrors were simultaneously gentle and adorable but mischievous and annoying dragons. When alone, a single Terrible Terror was hardly a threat to be worried about but when they formed packs, Terrible Terrors were at their most dangerous, they could defeat other dragons in combat if there was enough of them. Terrible Terrors could be quite mischievous, childish and immature but they could get quite temperamental when riled. Their fire was so powerful for such little dragons that one flock could burn an entire house down.
Scauldrons were 100 feet long with wingspans of 110 feet. Large and clumsy on land, these oceanic dragons had odd profiles with a rounded, expandable body from which extended four limbs only long, thick and powerful enough to let them walk around on land with slight waddles. Each paw had sharp claws and webbed toes. Their tails were long and thick, tapering to a fan-shaped tail fin used for locomotion and decorated with up and down zigzagging stripes in various shades of the dragon's colours. Long and relatively thin, the membranous wings also used as fins were similarly patterned and coloured more vividly on the undersides of the wings than the upper-sides. Each wing bore a single claw on the main joints. A Scauldron's neck was similarly long and tubular, bearing a laterally flattened, blunt head. Their snouts supported a large, rearward curving nasal horn, forward-set eyes with slit pupils and the underside of the jaw was covered by a number of strange, beard-like protrusions used for sensing movement. The upper jaws also bore small, conical, sharp teeth that jutted out due to the overbite. A row of small, upright, rectangular protrusions ran down the back of the head all the way down to the tail fin. Main colours were nearly always water and ocean based, allowing for excellent camouflage, lighter on the undersides and varying in shades on the wing and tail fin patterns. Eyes were typically yellow.
Unusual in their defence, Scauldrons could take in huge quantities of water that was heated in a special pouch in their bellies to beyond boiling point and sprayed with extreme accuracy and deadliness. While capable of flying, Scauldrons typically preferred swimming and were usually very mindful of their Riders, especially when they lacked the ability to breathe underwater. Scauldrons were an odd species, defending themselves with water instead of fire due to being water dragons in the Tidal Class and capable of boiling their targets alive with a single shot if direct. Heated water was pumped into a pharyngeal pouch, causing the throat and lower jaw to expand before the Scauldron took aim to fire. Scauldrons also possessed a neuro-toxic venom designed to kill fish and similar prey but it could be dangerous to people, other dragons and animals, taking up to 24 hours to kill a human depending on the dosage. It was discovered that Scauldron venom also had the unique capacity to neutralize the poison found in Blue Oleander flowers, a species of toxic flowers that make dragons very sick. Unfortunately, Red Oleanders, while harmless to other Dragons, were poisonous to Scauldrons.
Despite Blue Oleanders being a terrestrial flower, only growing along coastal shorelines and beaches Scauldrons found them a non-dangerous delicacy, having developed an immunity. The venom, if diluted, could be used to treat Blue Oleander poisoning in both dragon species and other animals and people, even when poisoning was caused by a species other than Blue Oleanders. The tubercles and feelers that trailed from the lower jaw were used as sensory organs, allowing the Scauldron to detect prey underwater even from a distance, by picking up vibrations and electrical fields. Another trait of Scauldrons tying them to aquatic life was their semi-permeable skin, allowing them to take in oxygen underwater for long dives. Fortunately, Scauldrons had evolved to survive out of water on land for long periods, just as long as they kept drinking water. To negate the danger of threats, Scauldrons often banded together, usually with their mates, children, siblings and or parents. While initially hostile to other dragons and people, Scauldrons grew more friendly when shown no hostility, even bonding strongly to companions and Riders.
Changewings were 50 feet in length with wingspan of 60 feet and heights of 10 feet. Low and squat with a widened body and short, powerful legs, each bearing long, sharp talons. Their heads were oblong with a pair of thin, curved protrusions to the right and left, resembling a boomerang in shape and supported by a medium-length neck. A small, curved horn rose from the end of the snout. They had large, slit-pupil eyes and just behind them extended a pair of long, thin feelers reaching down to the shoulders and lined with appendages matching the leaf-shaped crests that ran down the neck, back and tail which was not as long as most dragon tails and tapered with a leaf-shaped spade on the tip. The wings were relatively small and almost triangular when spread. Main colours were typically brick or rusty red or green, yellow eyes, lighter underbellies and darker on the crests and faint, blurred, stripe-like markings, however Changewings were capable of mimicking almost perfectly the appearance of its surroundings by changing the colour and texture of their scales, blending in and staying still.
Changewings were one of the several species that shot bright-green, hot, corrosive acid instead of fire as its Breath Weapon. Composed of iodic acid and myriad enzymes, a Changewing's acid was strong enough to burn through organic matter within a mere few seconds and could even melt metal and softer rocks. They were typically not powerful fliers, instead choosing to stay close to the ground where they could camouflage. Changewings were unusual dragons, rarely seen alone but instead travelling in close knit packs. Their skin and scales had pigment properties allowing them to change colour and texture from their ground state as smooth, soft, green or red to match almost perfectly any surrounding. Often acting as mimics, Changewings regularly copied actions or sounds of other species and even humanoids. Their eggs were unusual, greenish in colour but transparent and containing bio phosphorescent chemicals causing them to fluoresce multiple, different colours, leading them to often being mistaken as 'gems of good fortune' by those who have never seen Changewing eggs but allowing the parents to easily track them if the eggs were stolen or misplaced.
Timberjacks were 80 feet long with wingspans of 130 feet. Elongate, legless, with an expanded chest region and a whip-like tail. Their heads were large, crocodilian in shape and supported on a long, thin neck and bore a pair of large, curved and ridged horns. A beard-like tassel of scales hung from their lower jaws and the nostril region was raised in a rudimentary horn. A row of small, upright, rectangular crests ran down their necks, backs and short, thin tails. Their most notable feature was their wings, twice as long as the dragon from nasal horn to tip of tail and supported by numerous wing bones. A single claw sat at the main joint and the leading edge was honed to a super sharp serration. Main colours were typically brown, orange, grey or tan with amber yellow eyes.
Timberjack fire consisted of streams of oil-like fire. Thanks to their massive wings, Timberjacks were graceful gliders, soaring on the lightest of thermals. They could also travel through forested areas by pulling their wings in close to their bodies. Naturally peaceful creatures, Timberjacks were woodland inhabitants, occasionally travelling ins small packs but often on their own save for a select few. Their massive wings double as two pairs of legs and could be used as tents, surrounding the rest of their bodies. Timberjack fire was an excellent choice for camp fire, helping to keep smaller companions, warm, safe, sheltered and able to cook food. Their wings were regularly preened and sharpened, the leading edges sharp and strong enough to cut through a full grown oak tree without slowing down. That allowed the Timberjacks to clear areas for nesting, hunt in dense undergrowths and or often times to help their companions. Being gentle giants, Timberjacks will befriend those who were willing to rub down and scratch the scales on their backs, one of the few places they cannot reach on their own and often need external sources to remove old, dead skin and scales from.
Whispering Deaths were 100 feet long with wingspans of 30 feet and had long, serpentine bodies that tapered from the neck all the way down to the whip-like tail. The crest-lined belly was flanked on both sides by strong, rear-curved scales that gripped in the place of legs and the length of the body possessed an almost haphazard series of detachable spikes up to 20 inches in length. Their heads were gripped, roughly spherical with rear-pointed spikes covering the head, the largest and longest of which formed a crown along the back of the skull. The jaws closed in an under-bite, lined with massive, incredibly strong bands of teeth that were attached to rotating lines of muscle, spinning around in layers towards the throat in the mouth. A large rostral horn jutted up at the tip of the snout, directly underneath sat the hooded, rounded eyes. A Whispering Death's wings were relatively small compared to the body, strong enough to carry the dragon and two, three or four Riders in flight and in addition to the trio of large claws at the wing joints the frontal edge was lined with hard, shiny projections. The typical main colours were slate grey, asphalt, to an almost metallic navy blue colour on the dorsum, fading to a greenish-cream colour ventrally. The cranial spikes faded to red at their tips as did the colour leading down to the tail and the eyes were a pale, almost mottled looking milky red colour throughout with no discernible pupil.
A Whispering Death's fire breath consisted of concentric rings of flame around a central stream, producing an expanding, battering fire. While they were able to fly low to the ground and could stay aloft for fair periods of time using both wings and a unique spiralling motion of the body, Whispering Deaths were naturally burrowers and spent most of their time underground. Whispering Deaths were a powerful, badass species, unmatched in its own turf save for its close cousin the Screaming Death. Their rotating rows of teeth had the capacity to shear through rock and dirt, allowing them to burrow at incredible speeds as their spikes and belly scales gripped the dirt, propelling them forward. Any of the spikes lining the body of this Boulder Class species could be detached and projected with deadly accuracy much like Deadly Nadders and Winter Dragons and the sheer number and rapid regrowth of the Whispering Death's spikes rendered it far more adept in a target contest.
Due to their mostly subterranean lifestyle, Whispering Deaths had lost the ability to process strong sunlight optically, their eyes sheathed over with protective layers of pigment, skin and scales to shield from dirt and rock. Instead, they relied on a form of infrared vision, which could be damaged temporarily by exposure to strong light, leading them to avoid it whenever possible. Their decreased visibility was countered by a fairly strong sense of smell and hearing but rendered them naturally defensive and territorial and difficult to calm and or befriend. Whispering Deaths were also known to hold grudges for long periods of time and had excellent memories but similarly would remember acts of kindness for much longer and would treat those they trusted with love, affection and care. In addition to their strength and spike defences, the fire Whispering Deaths possessed was unique, expanding rings of fire projected by the conical structure of the mouth that were extremely difficult to avoid and capable of weakening stone and other structures due to the repeated pounding force the fire was applied with.
Snaptrappers were 70 feet long with wingspans of 60 feet. Possessing heavy bodies with round torsos, Snaptrappers stood on four, squat, stumpy legs low to the ground and ending in long, sharp talons. Their tails were long, whip-like and much like its relative, the Hideous Zippleback, the tail split into two separate tips in the posterior third of the length. One of only a handful of naturally multiple-headed dragons and quite similar to Hydra, Snaptrappers had four separate, long necks that arose from the body, all thin, long and flexible, narrowing slightly up to the elongate, roughly ovular head. Each mouth bore a slight under-bite and protruding, sharp teeth, the lower jaw split into two halves to provide a massive gape. Each tongue was unique, split into three, thin, bulb-tipped appendages and a pair of large nostrils sat near the top of each snout on both sides of a prominent central ridge. The almond-shaped eyes were large and appeared to extend off the very back of the each head, behind which a pair of flexible, thin feelers replaced the more common horns. Rows of lanceolate crests, like those of a Changewing, ran down each neck, coalescing on the back into a single row that continued down the tail. Main colours were highly variable, overlapped with mottled patchworks of other colours with lightly coloured underbellies and yellow eyes.
For their Breath Weapon, Snaptrappers released sprays or streams of a powerful, bright green, enzymatic acid, very similar to the Breath Weapon of Changewings and capable of corroding most metals. Designed for stealth and ambush hunting, Snaptrappers were not nimble fliers, being somewhat slow and conspicuous in the sky. Snaptrappers were an odd species of dragon. Most likely closely related to Hideous Zipplebacks, they were superb ambush predators, preying on nearly anything that got close enough to trap and swallow whole. With colours resembling the mottled background of forest growth, the Snaptrapper hid itself within foliage and exposed its quartet of mouths which appeared like massive, blooming flowers complete with a trio of tongue tips disguised as anthers. Complexes of glands on the tongues and edges of the mouths secreted volatiles that mimicked the scent of various sweet attractants, from nectar to honey to even chocolate, drawing unsuspecting prey right in their jaws.
Despite the Snaptrapper's size, they preferred smaller prey items due to their odd jaw structure and subsequent inability to chew or tear larger prey well. Myths of Snaptrappers being able to swallow human beings whole were an exaggeration as they possess a disagreeable taste to dragons in general as with most other predators. Snaptrappers had a distinct love of damp, rainy places and were far more common in tropical regions than temperate climates, thriving in areas of thick foliage especially with a plethora of flowers present. Mud, unusually as most dragons liked to stay clean, was especially attractive to Snaptrappers and they often took time away from hunting to wallow and play in the substance after heavy rains. This was perhaps an additional method of camouflaging the dragon's presence or a protection against intense sun exposure as with their preference for dense foliage, Snaptrappers may have not been adapted for life out in full sunlight. Snaptrappers were typically a solitary species but could form bonds with other dragons and people, especially if said person or dragon shared many similarities with them.
Thunderdrums were 70 feet long with wingspans of 60 feet. With bodies that were roughly ovular in outline and laterally compressed, Thunderdrums resembled living dragon pancakes, supported by four, short, stumpy limbs that ended in sharp, webbed claws. Their tails were very long, nearly twice the length of the body and tapering narrowly to the tip. A Thunderdrum's neck was virtually non-existent, the rounded head merging almost directly to the body. The mouth stretched nearly the width of the head, ringed in long, sharp, needle-like teeth and a prominent narrow rostral horn sat right at the top of the snout above the nostrils, immediately which were the almond-shaped eyes. The rear of the jaw-line was lined by scaly flanges like a thin name and a row of narrow crests ran down from right behind the rostral horn all the way down to the tip of the tail. The main wings were wide and fin-like, the numerous spiny supports radiating out from the connection to the body rather than the wing joints which were adorned by a prominent, narrow, sharp claw. A secondary pair of wings extended just above the hind legs with a similar design. Main colours ranged from blue to green to purple with lighter underbellies and darker and small, white spots all over the body. Eyes were typically yellow.
A Thunderdrum's main defence was the capacity to produce deafening, sonic roars only as long as the dragon did not exhaust itself as was the case with other dragons. Lesser known were the ethanol-charged fireballs that could also be produced but these cost more energy to the dragon so they were rarely used. Thunderdrums were capable of fairly decent flight, being flattened and very aerodynamic but they were typically ocean-dwellers so they were very adept at swimming and manoeuvring underwater. Being a powerful species, at home in the sky, on the land or underwater, Thunderdrums were equipped with several unique abilities. By filling their lungs to almost 100 % capacity with air and then opening both its mouth and throat into a conical amplification chamber, Thunderdrums could produce roars that reached such amplitude as to be able to drop the barometric pressure around the dragon, condensing the water in the air and causing it to visibly vibrate as a result. The more dramatic effect of this was a sound that could shatter glass at over 100 yards, temporarily deafen opponents at a long distance for a few hours and even cause damage to the eardrums of any creature caught directly in the path of the roar within several yards, even stunning or rendering unconscious those who were very close. This concussive sound could also crack and or shatter rocks if hit at the right frequency, allowing Thunderdrums to modulate their attacks depending on their surroundings.
The side effect of this power was that Thunderdrums themselves could injure each other with this ability. To compensate, they could modulate their own roars to nearly any frequency needed and could even neutralize the attacks of others by directly disrupting the sound waves produced. Contrary to popular belief, Thunderdrums were not hard of hearing but could close off their hearing apparatuses externally and block it internally in order to avoid damage and so can make themselves, for all intents and purposes, temporarily deaf. Thunderdrums also used their same oral anatomy to produce expanding fireballs charged with natural alcohols, burning bright blue as they engulfed whatever was in the flame's path. This was far more energy-costly than roaring however, so Thunderdrums typically relied on their sonic blasts. They were also extremely agile despite their design, a prehensile tail able to pick up and grasp objects at great distances and with dexterity and strength and because they could flatten themselves so well they could travel extremely quickly underwater, like rays, or through narrow passes with ease. Thunderdrums were weary dragons but friendly to those they trusted and readily associated with people and dragons it recognized as friends. Within their own species, Thunderdrums often travelled in packs. They could be a very hard-headed species however, prone to thinking it knew what was best and not willing to admit they were wrong. Adolescents translated this into being very stubborn, free-willed and hard to handle if not dealt with in a way that includes patience and a firm voice and hand. However, once accustomed to being around others a Thunderdrum was a very loyal companion and they did not easily forget those they had not seen, even for years.
Grapple Grounders were 40 feet long with wingspans of 30 feet, elongate and serpentine in shape with a long, prehensile, whip-like tail and a neck of near-equal length. A Grapple Grounder's head was blunt and rounded, ending in a down-curved snout similar to a beak and bearing a single, sharp and short horn on the snout. Large, upward-curving, sharp horns ringed the back of the skull and a set of large, spinal spikes arose from the neck, shortening to blunt, rectangular, upright protrusions extended down the back and tail. The tail tip was enlarged into a sharp, barbed spade, sometimes used as the bludgeon end of a whip and the wings were stout with a single, sharp claw present on the inner side of the main joints. Their legs were moderately built and short, the dewclaws situated high up on the forearms and the rear legs and enlarged as spikes. Main colours were highly variable, usually red, green, yellow, blue, purple, black, white or other such colour with differently coloured saddle markings running down both sides of the back, neck and tail.
Grapple Grounders shot powerful, charged blasts similar to but not as strong as those of a Night Fury, capable of destructive explosions. With short wings and an elongate body, Grapple Grounders were capable of flying moderate distances but were better suited to a forest or underground habitat. Grapple Grounders were considered to be the pythons and kung-fu masters of the dragon world, their elongate bodies, powerful muscles and lightning fast movements, agility and reflexes granting them great power, defence and offence. Inhabiting areas of dense undergrowth or rocky outcrops, a Grapple Grounder's thin form allowed them to weave through tight spaces with ease and burrow with no issue, setting up ambush attacks or hiding in places where threats could not reach. Powerful claws, whip-like tails and strong teeth also meant heavy defences, able to apply great force in attacks.
Skrills were 40 feet long with wingspans of 50 feet. Powerfully built with two, short, stocky hind legs bearing long talons infused with conductive metals and sharp enough to cut with the slightest abrasion with no forelegs, providing a bipedal, wyvern gait. Their powerful, tapering tails were longer than the main body and their necks were short and thickly built. A Skrill's head was elongate, the jaws bearing a row of small but extremely sharp teeth surrounding a bifurcated tongue and the nostrils and eyes were positioned near the tip of the snout, the nostrils to the left and right and the eyes just behind the prominent, curved nasal horn. Their heads were wide at the back and were crowned by a ring of sharp, narrow spikes infused with conductive metals that nearly encircled the back of the skull. A row of sharp, long, erectile, conductive metal-rich spikes ran down the dragon's spinal cord to the tip of the tail which also bore two secondary rows of these spikes on the sides.
Their bellies and ventral ridges of their tails were edged in blunt protrusions that were also laced with conductive metals. A Skrill's wings were wide with very long supports and each bearing a massive, super sharp, metallic claw that were also conductive metal laced at the main joints. Main colours were highly variable but typically a dark, metallic grey, black, silver, white or electric shades of colours such as blue, purple/ violet or even green. Markings consisted of tear-drop shaped markings that descended from the main joint on the underside of the wings, double rows of spots on the upper-sides, a pair of stripes extending to the horns from the back of the eyes and irregular highlights along the body and tail.
Skrills were capable of storing and redirecting lightning and other powerful sources of electricity. Very fast, agile and manoeuvrable on their own, capable of reaching speeds of 200 mph. One special ability of Skrills was their ability to ride electric bolts, allowing them to fly at multiples of the speed of sound. Skrills were one of the most formidable dragons to ever exist. With spikes, claws and scales enriched with iron and other conductive metals, Skrills were natural lightning rods, attracting electricity from any source. However, due to their natural affinity for lightning storms, Skrills often garnered energy from lightning bolts. With mild electrokinetic abilities, Skrills could use their spikes to catch, utilise and ride the energy from lightning, meaning over short periods of time they could exceed multiples of the speed of sound and travel very long distances, though without that supercharge Skrills were rather slow when compared to Night Furies.
They could also redirect and store electricity, able to take over four billion volts of electricity at a time and fire that same power with incredible accuracy from their mouths. That energy could be stored for extremely long periods of time and could be called up at will. Skrills were very territorial and high-tempered, making them loners by nature and was one of the few dragons that could rival Night Furies. That could drive them into ferocious battles with other dragons but could also blind them to traps despite their extreme intelligence. However, if injured or trapped, Skrills could stay dormant for decades, the electric energy they harboured keeping them alive even when frozen in glaciers of ice until they were awakened. Their electric storage ability produced powerful static fields, one of the few things that could give away these masters of stealth and it allowed Skrills to detect other creatures even in thick, dark clouds or very dark, nearly-impossible to-see conditions. The only serious weaknesses Skrills possessed were their volatile temper and inability to redirect electricity in water, thanks to the conductive interference of the liquid. During the Dragon Raids, Skrills were very elusive and very difficult to catch but there were times when one or two were captured, one of the many reasons not much was known about them. The symbol of the Berserker Tribe was a Skrill and they were once known to enslave captive Skrills, chain them up and use them to attack other settlements but ever since peace was made between Berk and the Berserker Tribes, it no longer happened.
Night Furies were 40 feet long with wingspans of 60 feet. Streamlined, lean bodies bearing four strong, muscular legs, each tipped in sharp claws, able to flex and grasp. Their heads were large and rounded with two large ears and sensory flaps surrounding the neck. Two major wings of wide proportions with a secondary pair set just behind and above the rear legs. Wide, triangular back ridges were present, able to extend and split into two rows at will for increased manoeuvrability and stabilizing flaps lining the long tail and lower legs. Two tail fins were present close to the tip of the tail, used in balance and directional control. Teeth were sharp, strong and retractable, disappearing into the gums and popping out again at will. Night Furies were always varying shades of black with lighter or darker markings of various shapes, patterns and locations, usually hard to see unless in strong lighting. Eyes were highly variable, coming in nearly colour except for dark shades and black. The most common eye colours were blue then green.
A Night Fury's Breath Weapon was acetylene-laced plasma charges designed to explode upon impact. They could control their fire to an extreme extent, able to release small, steady streams to produce coal beds or individual charges. Their firepower was extreme with the explosive capacity of a bomb, capable of levelling a large house in one blast. Unless targets were small and or moving very quickly, Night Furies were famous for uncanny accuracy, never missing their target unless distracted. One of the most fastest breeds of dragon, Night Furies were able to exceed the speed of sound in short bursts and could fly long distances without stopping at speeds of 300 mph. Under high speed or diving conditions, the ridges along the spinal cord and the wing alignment created a signature shriek famously noted during night-time attacks.
Due to their great power, Night Furies had been hunted by Hags-Fiends and humans for as long as they can remember. For that reason, the number of Night Furies known to still be living was very low and the remaining Night Furies fled into hiding with very few mingling with other dragons and humans. Other dragons to share that fate were Shadow Raiders and other powerful breeds of dragons that posed a significant threat to Hags-Fiends and or humans. Night Furies were extremely loyal and intelligent, protecting friends, family and innocents with their lives and were one of the only non-traditional Alpha breeds that could take on the role of Alphas. The ridges along their spinal cords and surrounding scales would glow fluoresce bright sapphire blue or violet at will. Naturally curious and creative, Night Furies were renowned for their intelligence. Excellent nocturnal vision and a unique control of sound were also notable as Night Furies were able to release low-pitched screams that could incapacitate enemies and high frequencies were used to echolocate with their extremely acute hearing able to pick up extreme detail even in tight, dark places or long distances. During the Dragon Raids, Night Furies were hardly ever seen and thus not much was known about them.
Each different breed of dragon was feared during the time of the war but Skrills and Night Furies were at the very top of the fear ladder. It seemed Night Furies were responsible for taking out catapults and ballista during Dragon Raids and every breed of dragon seemed to have a job to do. Stoick was standing on a catapult platform battling a Monstrous Nightmare when a loud, ballistic shriek sounded from the night sky, drawing rapidly closer to the giant, stationary, boulder-throwing contraption. The Monstrous Nightmare Stoick was battling smirked and flew away. "Night Fury! Get down!" A Viking shouted as a bright blue fireball struck the catapult and exploded destroying the tower. "Jump!" Stoick yelled as the structure collapsed. Night Furies never stole food, never showed themselves and most importantly...never missed. No known Viking on Berk or anywhere else had ever killed a Night Fury. Hiccup, Astrid, Nava, Aniu and their Familiars were hoping it stayed that way.
And speaking of Familiars... Hiccup felt a mind brush up against his own and opened the mental link so they could speak. "Hiccup, what is happening?" Sprinter's voice asked and Hiccup could sense the Reindeer's concern and fear seeping across their link. "Oh, the usual. Night Furies blowing stuff up, Terrible Terrors sneaking around. Astrid, Nava, Zena and Alvis are putting out fires. Aniu, Sorina, Swiftwing and I are still in the forge. How are you guys going? Are you four still inside our Home?" Hiccup replied. "Yes, we are but we are getting a little antsy. It feels wrong you eight being out there and we are not with you." Sprinter replied. ""I know, Sprinter and I am sorry." Hiccup replied. "Stay safe. We will be all right and waiting for you to come back." Sprinter added. "We will be back in a few hours, I hope. This raid looks like it is going to take that long and Gobber expects us to have our hands and talons on deck." Swiftwing told him.
Both he and Hiccup sensed Sprinter nod over their link and then close it. Aniu and Sorina were having a similar mental conversation with Merlin over their Bond. Gobber was replacing his prosthetic with a prosthetic axe. "Man the fort. They need me out there. And you four, stay. Put. There." Hiccup, Aniu, Swiftwing and Sorina gave him innocent looks. "You know what I mean." Gobber said and ran out into the battlefield with a battle cry. "So I guess we just stay put here?" Aniu asked. "Yep, despite how boring it is." Hiccup said. "You two are fixing weapons they need desperately." Sorina scolded them. "You know what they say: time flies when you are having fun." Swiftwing added. Hiccup and Aniu smiled at each other and focused on their work, keeping their mind links open in case any of their Familiars, Astrid or Nava wanted to talk to them.
Author's Note: I am writing these dragon descriptions with what we know instead of what the Vikings know while they are still fighting dragons because we learn new stuff about Toothless, Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug and Barf-Belch all the time and writing only what the Vikings know then is quite problematic. I am sure you readers will understand. HawkTooth's Two Worlds Collide: the Book of Dragons is extremely helpful. I do not know what I do without it so big thanks to HawkTooth, you are awesome. Also, I am writing the descriptions in past tense. I do not know why but it is easier and more understandable for me and perhaps for you. If any of you have complaints about this story, this chapter, parts of it or things I have added in such as the dragons, please do not complain and speak politely without insults.
24.04.2018: Avengers: Infinity War is coming out tomorrow and I am very excited for it but unfortunately my parents want to go to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. They said we could go and see in cinemas there but I much rather see it asap in my hometown's cinemas. Youtube has been releasing several trailers for it and it is safe to say it all comes together in Avengers, Infinity War.
