I've got another chapter for you guys! This contains a bit of lore, and it's different from alta's lore mainly because I couldn't find it/gave up fast.
Anonymous Noob the 2nd: Honestly, me neither lol~
Last chapter, Hiccup and the night fury called Toothless began to speak with each other for the first time. Astrid also crossed paths with Hiccup (purposely) and Hiccup had to tell her he was reading books in the forest, but she barely believed it. Now, as he's learning he can speak with the dragon, what will it tell him?
In the future, Hiccup would come to wonder just how slim the chances were that the first time he and Toothless had a conversation verbally had played out so well. If he had had a second of doubt, or even less than that, he didn't doubt everything would have gone so much differently, and nothing would be as it was.
Hiccup didn't know that, though, as when that was actually happening, it felt like the worst scenario, but also the best. He somewhat wished that someone would shake him awake, and he'd be told that everything had been a dream. It wasn't out of the ordinary for him to have dreams of him becoming powerful.
He tried to tell himself it was a dream. But, Hiccup knew all too well the difference of imaginative fantasies and reality.
And all signs pointed to this being reality.
But, if that was true, why him? Why was he the one to endure 10 years of torture, to be told and to feel useless for a decade, to have no purpose other than to make tools and repair homes (as much as he could, anyways), just to be told at the end of those years that he was the only one in his village, heck, maybe even in the whole world who could bend air? That he could speak to a dragon, and a night fury at that?
And why was all the weight of playing everything out, keeping the secrets, and the responsibility of everything that came with the two on his shoulders to begin with? He was just some kid called useless that everyone hated, had a dead mom, and was probably going to be murdered or exiled before he could take the throne, and it'd probably be Snotlout's doing, as he'd always envied Hiccup because of his inheritance.
But, these thoughts were all running in circles, panicking and throwing papers in the air as they read them, stomping around and yelling. Hiccup couldn't hear them, there were much, much more important things to pay attention to right now.
He was sitting on a rock next to a night fury, who was also sitting, and listening to it talk- in his head.
His tribe-no, anyone who saw him now'd think he was crazy. And, honestly, nothing was keeping him from going so.
Oh, except everything. Everything had worked together to tie him down, all his duties as they were shoved into his hands like books to study.
``So..if you need a minute to think, I can give you that. It's a lot to take in, I know from experience.`` The dragon turned to Hiccup, and he could audibly hear him motioning his hands in his speech.
"No..no, it's fine. I mean...I've thought about it a little, you can just go on."
But, it wasn't fine. Hiccup felt something pounding on the inside of his skull, beating it's tiny little fists and relocating, trying to find the best place to escape. Rhythmically, though, always rhythmically.
Everything was connected. He had been right. His dream to the festival, the festival to the book, and the book to he himself. But, why?
The dragon sat for a moment, staring at him without a trace of emotion. ``Eh, suit yourself, I guess. Well, let's see here..`` the dragon looked up into the sky, clearing any doubts from Hiccup's mind that he was the source of the voice.
``Oh, I'll start on that. Probably the best place to, anyways.`` The dragon returned to lying on it's stomach, and Hiccup got the feeling the next thing he said would take a while.
``Well, long ago...`` The dragon seemed like he was choosing his words carefully. ``There was an all powerful spirit. The spirit was destined to do amazing things, and when it looked onto the world of humans, it was ashamed. They fought among themselves, fighting and kicking and biting like rabid beasts. The spirit knew that if nothing was done, humans would soon become nothing but an extinct species mentioned once or twice in a new dominant species' history books. The spirit, it...`` he paused again. ``It tried to help, but it couldn't from the spirit world. And so, one day, a child was born. The moment it was, the spirits, every one of them, felt a strong new life force, many times stronger and with more potential than the strongest man alive. So, the powerful spirit rushed to the child, and blessed it's own power, fading away in the process. It hadn't died, exactly; it had, in a sense, become one with the child. The child gained it's powers, and the spirit was able to control the child, though it always got out of hand.``
``The child learned powers of unimaginable limits, powers of the four elements.`` The hair on the back of Hiccup's neck tingled with the mention of the term he had grown to feel so many emotions towards so soon. ``Air, earth, water, and fire. And a fine man the child grew into. A peacekeeper. No wars started when he existed.``
``But..there were two things missing. The man needed a being with him, someone or something that he had an inseparable bond with. And the spirits tried again. And, forth came the Avatar and it's Blessed. Of course, the spirits were more than overflowing with pride at this fact. A little too much, as it got to their proverbial heads. They decided that all humans should be blessed with the powers of the elements, or at least one element. So, it didn't take long until new generations of gifted children were born. Sometimes, a full grown person would awake with the power to control water, or to summon flames.``
``There was a flaw in their plan; a fatal one. Because it hadn't been every human that had received powers, humans, having fear towards the unknown as always, and so the blessed were believed to be cursed. Children with gifts were thought to be omens of shame on families; sudden awakenings to powers made public were soon regarded by death penalties. Their numbers depleted as fast as a fire grows, and there became only clumps of scattered remains of what the spirits had made them.``
``The second thing missing was the Avatar and the Blessed's lifespans. They would, of course, die in time. That was the one thing the powerful spirit could not do before it gave it's 'life'.`` The dragon paused again, a time long enough for Hiccup to begin to wonder what time it was, but it continued soon after the thought came. ``The spirits, having shamed their race, weren't allowed to make such a large change as to giving the being eternal life. So, they did the next best thing. Both of the two would be reborn over and over in a cycle of the elements. The cycle never repeated or skipped a beat, always fire, water, earth, air. The Blessed was reborn as many creatures, but nearly always a figure of power, namely a dragon. And the Avatar was always a human.``
``That brings us to present day. The Avatar's name has died away with the Blessed's. Strangely enough, every time the Avatar has been reborn in the last couple centuries, it was killed near instantly after either birth or discovering it's power. I can't recall the name of the last Avatar of the top of my head, but the last Blessed was a... friend of mine. She was the one who passed this knowledge onto me, and from me it goes to you.``
The dragon closed his eyes for a long moment before looking to the boy with wide open orbs.
``I am the Blessed of this era. And you, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, are the avatar.``
If Hiccup hadn't seen the look on Toothless' face, he would have laughed. He would have laughed long and hard, and hours later, used a single finger to flick a tear out of his eye, and then he would have asked the dragon sadly why it taunted him so. But, the seriousness of the fury's face gave him second thoughts.
"Ha..you're kidding, right?" Hiccup asked slowly, half-expecting the dragon to burst out laughing and slap him on the back good-naturedly.
``...No.`` Something about the tone the dragon used hit Hiccup. The short response flicked some kind of switch inside Hiccup that had obviously had it's sticker peeled off by mistake, or a letter had fallen off to spell something else.
Panic.
A wave washed over Hiccup, making him feel uncomfortably overheated.
"W-what do you mean, I'm the Avatar? How do I- when did- why are you-" Hiccup stopped sighing. "It's a lot of responsibility, I guess...umm, do you have anyway to prove it?"
Toothless thought for a moment. ``Let's see here...oh, remember yesterday? I was trying to tell you to throw the fish, but you tried to burn it or something. I'm sure you saw and felt that spark as well? That was fire. No matter what, no regular mortal can have two elements,`` he finished matter-of-factly.
The use of the word 'mortal' honestly struck fear into Hiccup's heart. What had he become, some sort of monster? He was pretty sure only the tribes that were in the archipelago knew about their bending, and more than a few were a bit timid towards Berk, if timid at all. Any feeling towards Berk other than a positive one and shyness was most likely hatred, fueled by the burning coals of pure, blinding fear.
"Well..if you say so." Hiccup didn't have anything else to go with for now, so what would it hurt to believe this for the time being. If he was shown something that proved it to be true or false, well, he'd become the Avatar or probably be eaten by the night fury, respectively. And, either way, he needed to train for the festival. Having someone help him or teach him wouldn't hurt, even if that someone was a night fury.
"Alright...so, what does the title of 'Avatar' ensue? I know there are a lot of duties, so what are they?"
The dragon stared at him dumbly for a moment, clearly surprised. ``..Um..well, to start it off, there's keeping the peace, choosing to spread the name of benders for good or keeping them hidden and tucked away, maybe gathering them all, stop a couple wars, learn earth and fire and water, but fire seems to be easy for you, master air, befriend dragons, probably learn-`` another series of grunts and growls,``while you're at it...``
Toothless could go on for hours, days even, Hiccup decided. He felt the need to stop him when Toothless started to slow down, so he changed his mind.
``...and save the world, but I think that might be it. For now, at least.`` Toothless looked down at Hiccup.
``So, are you ready to make the decision? I'll understand if you need more time.``
Hiccup thought for a moment.
"Yeah..I think just a little more time. Can I ask a favor of you for the time being, though?" Toothless nodded curiously.
"Do you know much about airbending? You knew about all the other stuff, so I kind of figured..."
Toothless nodded once more.
``Yeah, I know a good amount, and if that's what you're looking to ask, I can teach you,`` Toothless answered quickly, nearly cutting off Hiccup.
``What do you need it for, though? I doubt that you'll need it too soon.`` He paused once more. ``Oh, the festival? That'd make sense; it's a solid plan from what I can tell, as the sooner and cleaner you can tell them everything, the better.``
~.~.~
Hiccup had never thought that his best teacher yet would be a night fury, and a relatively young one at that. It seemed about his age, if not, just a couple years older. Of course, that was assuming dragons aged relative to humans, which he doubted.
The dragon had taught him the basics and explained airbending to him, thought he had barely been able to do anything. He had been told that when he hit the rock, it had been pure luck that he had done anything, and that he hadn't destroyed the whole place, which barely made any sense to Hiccup. Apparently, he had an overwhelming power that needed to be controlled before anything.
The most important thing he had learned to do had been the fine stream of air he had learned to make, hence the deep, perfectly circular hole in the cove's wall.
Hiccup got the feeling that the dragon had a lot more to tell him, but he also got the feeling he wouldn't tell him until or if he decided to accept the title of Avatar.
He stayed there long, and it wasn't until sounds of the raid could be heard that the fury himself suggested that the vikings might worry about Hiccup. Hiccup nearly denied it, but he knew just as well he needed to get back soon. With goodbyes, they parted ways, Toothless lying in a cave inside the cove. Hiccup could still see the bandages as he left, a stunning white-ish yellow against pitch black. They were tainted brown now, evidence of age.
Hiccup had a lot on his mind as he went to sleep that night. He had repaired many weapons, and could feel Gobber burning to ask questions, but he didn't ask the airbender about anything. Hiccup's tired hands were stared at for a while as he laid on his side, scarce moonlight illuminating his hands. He frowned slightly, just the fringes of his mouth turned in a disgruntled imitation of sadness.
And another chapter's done! Let me know what you think, what you're excited for, and what you're curious about!
Next chapter: Hiccup soon will come to accept the fact that he is the Avatar. But, with another encounter with an annoyed viking, will he be able to keep his secret? How will he react when Toothless decides to cast another spell? Find out next time on No-Bender Revamped!
