Chapter 3: The "Curse" of the Library

Author's Notes:

Reviews:

mc arno (Apr. 16, Chapter 2) – Merci! Les gardiens sont trés important, et leur histoire sera racontée bientôt. Juste pas encore.

The Story Of Your Life (Apr. 17, Chapter 2) – Oh, yes, it's foreshadowing... for around episode 14 or 15 :P I'm willing to bet you're right on one of those counts. Eh-heh :3

Disclaimer: HTTYD is not mine.

Key:

0*0*0 – scene change

Horizontal line – perspective change


I'm not gonna go into much detail over what happened in the next part of the Maze. Suffice it to say, I will never see fluffy bunnies the same ever again.

There really are no words to describe how happy we were to stumble out of the accursed depths of the Maze of Myst. Every bone in my body ached, Hiccup seemed to have gotten thinner – if that was possible – and even Levi seemed gaunter. And that's not mentioning the state of the various bond animals. Toothless seemed perfectly happy to spend the rest of his life outside of the Maze, Snow and Ash were quietly grumbling and sending poisonous glares at the tunnel we emerged from, Dhole growled deep in his throat whenever someone said the word "skeleton," and Nuts was just curled up in a pocket of my apron, trying to get some much-needed sleep.

The sun was past its zenith as we slowly clambered out of the dark caverns, and I let out a deep sigh of relief.

"I am never going in there again, not even if you paid me," I swore emphatically. The others nodded, and, as if in a trance, we all turned to see our target. The Spire of Heaven loomed over us, a tall, narrow peak of stone that housed the largest library anywhere. Some said it was cursed, that no one ever left it, and yet that begged the question of how they knew it was cursed. Maybe no one wanted to leave. Yeah, that must have been it. No one wanted to go.

"Well, we're nearly there. The Librarian should be able to help. She's supposed to be the wisest being in all the Fractured Lands, and some say, the world," Levi replied, doing his best to cheer us up. Hiccup and I shared a look, then turned our gazes back to the Spire. Even now, in the light of late afternoon, it had a fascinating quality to it that made one feel tiny and insignificant in the face of so much history and knowledge.

"Let's go, then. I'd rather not be captured by Darksoul now, after all we've been through," Hiccup said wearily. We all nodded and started the long walk to the Library.

0*0*0

The door of the Library was set at ground level, right in the base of the peak, and it was made of solid bronze and steel. Whatever else, it was clear that the books in the Library were valuable enough to warrant such defense. The two Gargoyles flanking the imposing entrance helped with that impression. I went up to one and gently scratched behind its ear, murmuring gentle words that told it we were no harm, and then joined the others. Hiccup gave me a funny look when he saw me with the Gargoyle, but I ignored it. Even living statues need some lovin' every so often.

Levi lifted the heavy brass knocker and banged it against the metal door several times, then stepped back and waited. My feet were killing me, and I was just about ready to break down the door myself when it swung open to the inside just a crack. One eye peered out at us from the musty darkness sealed within, the piercing blue staring right into my soul.

"Who dares entreat admission to the Library of the Spire of Heaven?" the voice of a grouchy old woman said with surprising strength from the crack. I glanced between Hiccup and Levi, and they looked at each other, and finally I decided to speak.

"If you are the Librarian, we wish to use the Library for knowledge and aid in our mission," I explained formally, bowing slightly. The old woman grunted with jaded amusement.

"I haven't had any visitors in a long time. What's your mission?" she asked grumpily. Levi chose to talk this time.

"We have come regarding Xavier Darksoul. I am Levi, and these are my friends, Hiccup and Cog," he said firmly, not letting any nervousness he might be feeling show. At the mention of our names, the eye I could see narrowed, and she was silent.

"...Very well. Come in. I'll tell Teresa to prepare some food and tea for the guests," the old woman said at last. The doors swung open to reveal a handsome, elderly lady in formal blue and gold robes, her silver hair pulled back in a severe bun and a pair of thick spectacles perched on her nose. She was the epitome of the ancient librarian, except for the fierce, attentive gleam in her eyes.

"My name is Lola Goldweave. Welcome to the Library," she greeted us, allowing me, Hiccup, Levi, Toothless, Nuts, Snow and Ash, and Dhole entrance to the Spire of Heaven.

0*0*0

If I had to choose one word to describe Lola, it's resilient. She may look like she's pushing seventy, but the old lady moves like a woman a quarter of that age. She would have to, if she were to get up and down those stairs so quickly. Of course, if it weren't for the steam lift that awaited us on the tenth landing, I doubt we would have been able to climb the entire Spire that day. Or that week. Still, that's ten floors' worth of steps up, and I know I'm not the only one who was glad we got to the elevator when we did. Even Dhole looked like he was getting tired, and he's a Seraph. They're renowned throughout the world as being full of stamina.

The trip up wasn't very exciting, but I was able to answer a few of Hiccup's questions involving the Library. It's an ancient structure built not long after the Catastrophe, made inside the hollowed-out Spire of Heaven, and later, near the top, built outside as well. Inside reside copies or originals of basically every book, scroll, pamphlet, stone tablet, and magazine in the world. If you want to know exactly who was the Jarl of the Land of the Abandoned during the war between Faded Dreams and Forgotten Wishes, or the names of the old gods before the Catastrophe, or even the best recipe for making spiced mead for a party, this is the place to go.

This was where we would find out more about who I was, what it meant to be a Skellurdreki, and where Berk was. Okay, that last part was a fairly recent addition to my list of knowledge-to-be-learned, but I just knew I had heard the name Berk somewhere before, and I wanted to pin it down before I completely lost it. I never forget the name of a place that easily. It was one of the reasons why I had excelled at geography, and why I knew exactly how to avoid guards in Faded Dreams. That, and my sense of direction is nearly impeccable. As long as I'm aboveground, in a place that doesn't make me feel claustrophobic. I'm not even afraid of tight places, normally, but the Maze could have made me if I had stayed there any longer.

"We're here," Lola announced, breaking into my thoughts as the lift began slowing down and my ears begged to be popped. I yawned, doing my best to ease the ache in my poor ears, and looked around with awe at the scene revealed.

Shelves and shelves of things stretched on around us, curving to match the circular shape of the Spire. In a glass display case near us, a few interesting swords were set up on small racks, the blades curving up at the tips. Probably weapons from the Submerged Lands. The warriors of that marshy collection of nations used swords like that. I had read about it once, when I was really bored.

"Well, it certainly doesn't look cursed," Hiccup remarked once the initial shock wore off. Lola snorted and started walking toward the center, where a red dragon with ivy-like antennae, fan-shaped wings, and a pointed, silver-tinged snout with two large horns was waiting near a steam-powered stove. It growled curiously when it saw us, and when I noticed the red crystal on the bottom of Lola's Sigil, I guessed this was Teresa. The two Gargoyles downstairs must have also been bonded to her, going by the two gray crystals on the backs of her hands. They were minor bond marks, but she was still connected to them.

"Nonsense. The Library has never been cursed. That's just some hogwash that idiot Darksoul has come up with to keep people away. Tea?" she replied, holding up a small tin of what must have been tea leaves from the Land of the Sorrowful. I nodded gratefully, as did Hiccup and Levi. Water was all fine and dandy, but spending several hours in a twisting labyrinth full of monsters required something a bit stronger.

We all sat down on the chairs and couch that awaited us in the middle of the Library, and watched curiously as she and the dragon started preparing the tea. Hiccup nudged me with his elbow and indicated the dragon.

"I've never seen a dragon like that. What is it?" he asked interestedly. I racked my brain to remember.

"I think Teresa's a Changewing. They can shift the color of their scales to blend in with their background, and they usually hunt in packs, like wolves. They spit acid, too," I explained, looking at the dragon in question. She seemed a bit more friendly than what I had heard of her species, but maybe that was just because they hadn't had much company.

"So, what brings the true ruler of the Land of the Faded, a boy riding a dragon not seen in years, and one of the last members of the Winterstorm family to the Library?" Lola finally asked, after the tea was ready and she handed it out. I nearly choked on my drink, but Hiccup helped me with not dying as we looked at her in shock.

"W-what?" my friend asked warily. It seems this old woman was sharper than she seemed. But what had she meant by that?

"Um, there must be some mistake. I'm not a real Winterstorm," I said, thinking she might not be all there. The old woman chuckled humorlessly.

"Please. I know the signs of the Winterstorm family. That hair, those eyes, and the fact that you seem to be bonded to a certain Skellurdreki that went into crystal stasis one hundred and fifty years ago? You, my dear, are Cog Winterstorm, daughter of Gear Winterstorm and Arrow Winterstorm-Pearlbood. I know all about how you came to be in this time." Everyone looked at me in surprise. Shock had me rooted to my seat, trying to make sense of this. I really was a Winterstorm? I was the lost daughter of the most notorious couple in that era?

"How I came to be in this time?" I echoed breathlessly. This was way too much for my head.

"Yes. You... and your sister," she replied cryptically.


Author's Notes: *Cue sound of glass breaking*

Yeah, you weren't expecting that, were you? Well, maybe you were. I did kinda hint at it in the last episode, and with the title of this one. But you probably didn't think she had a sister!

You're probably wondering how she came to be in this time, and I'll tell you right now, the method will be revealed later. Until then, you'll just have to wait and see.

Anyways, please review! I love feedback of any sort, and I will cherish every word you give me, even the not-so-kind ones. They will forever be ensconced in my heart.

Wild Cat 214, out!