Chapter 10: Motivations
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Raven's Point, Late Morning
Toothless and I had been combing the forest from the air since I got word of Christopher's absence.
It had been another busy morning being Chief when Mom informed me that Christopher was missing. Apparently neither her nor Astrid had seen or heard from him since he left earlier in the morning to 'get some air'. A heavy dread had filled me at the news of his disappearance. It was not long ago that we had discussed keeping an eye on him, especially the Talisman, and now he had disappeared because we neglected to follow through with said watch. It was another thing to add to my list of recent screw ups as Chief.
I excused myself from the group of villagers I had been assisting and walked to a more secluded area to talk privately with her. When I asked her if she had any idea where he could have gone to, she thought for a moment before saying she remembered Gobber asking him for help at the Forge the previous night, and that Christopher had agreed.
Soon after I arrived at the Forge to find Gobber replacing a dragon's tooth. I asked him of he'd seen Christopher, and to my relief he said he had. He went on to say Christopher helped him for a while earlier in the morning, right after sunrise, and had left to take a walk into the forest to clear his head. Gobber put the pieces together quickly, realizing the mistake in sending someone new to the island into the forests alone, and promptly began to apologize.
I told him we'd discuss it later and wasted no time mounting onto Toothless. It was obvious Christopher had got lost thanks to Gobber's questionable advice, and if I couldn't find him soon he could end up hurt; or worse. We took to the skies and headed north towards the vast forests of Berk.
Since then the biggest problem has been figuring out where he was in said forests. Berk's forests were expansive and easy to get lost in for even the most seasoned hunters. Christopher hadn't even the vaguest idea of the forest's layout and I highly doubt he had a map. He could be lost anywhere in the woods given how long he'd been gone already.
Scanning the woods below, I couldn't help but grow annoyed at the whole mess. I assumed Christopher was a level-headed guy, or at least a mature one. But him disappearing into the woods without a word to clear his head had be reevaluating that sentiment. The arising magic situation was too risky to have him and the Talisman missing. Worry was also prominent in my mind as I remembered what Gothi had warned me about. If Christopher became distressed or overly emotional, he could accidently do damage to himself or his surroundings due to the Talisman and judging by his behavior earlier and Gobber saying he wanted to clear his head had me concerned over his mental state.
Toothless barked to grab my attention as he banked left. He gestured to a familiar clearing below where I could make out a man leaning against a crashed plane.
"Nice catch, bud." I called as we descended.
When we landed I quickly dismounted and jogged over to him. "Christopher!"
I heard him sigh as he stood unsteadily. "One thing after another…" he muttered.
A small smile crossed his face when he looked to me. The smile, along with his posture, were different from what I had grown used to. Best way I could describe him then was that he no longer looked burdened by something; his smile was genuine, and his posture was relaxed. For a moment I was relived seeing him fine and in a better state, but annoyance and worry returned soon after.
"Thor, do you have any idea what you were thinking? Walking off blindly into the woods, woods you don't know, without telling any of us?"
His smiled faded into a slight frown. "Happy to see you too, Hiccup. And as for your question, no, I wasn't thinking about it. Too busy having a slight mental breakdown to think clearly, actually."
"This isn't some sort of joke, Christopher! You could have got lost out here, or even hurt!" I replied in exasperation.
He sighed. "Well, I'm not hurt."
I retuned a glare before looking him over. "Oh? Then why is your tunic ripped and hand bleeding?" I asked mock confusion.
He winced, merely reminding him of his injury seemed to cause pain, and he lifted it up gingerly allowing me to see his red and purple knuckles.
"Okay, I guess I did get hurt, but this is because I decided to punch a glass window at full force in a blind rage. As for my shirt, I didn't even notice it was ripped until now. Must've happened when Le- I mean, when I fell down that hill over there." he responded as he gestured to the other side of the clearing.
While he was explaining, Toothless decided to wander over from wherever he had been. Leaning in he sniffed at Christopher's injured hand and moaned slightly in concern.
"Seems to me you're the only one who seems to care." Christopher remarked to him.
I stared wide eyed at him. "You think I don't care?"
"I-I didn't mean it like that! You obviously cared enough to allow me into your home, but I meant that right now you seemed more concerned with scolding me like a child then about my broken hand!" he responded defensively.
For a moment, I was held up on the thought of how different he was acting. While he spoke, his words seemed… real and genuine, not like before when they felt filtered and dull. It felt like I was speaking to someone else. The odd feeling passed and was replaced by my mounting frustration.
"Of course I care about it! But at the moment I'm still trying to figure out what possessed you to just run off into the woods! Even experienced hunters get lost out here! What made you think it would be a good idea?"
"I already told you! I wasn't thinking straight! I only did it because Gobber recommended it and I was desperate for something to help my mess of a mind!"
Toothless continued to eye both of us uneasily. He was clearly not enjoying the way the conversation was heading.
I sighed. His response didn't answer anything, it was just an excuse, but yelling wasn't going to get an answer out of him. "I know that, I already talked to Gobber, but I still don't understand what could've had you so worked up you stopped thinking. I know you aren't stupid." I replied in a calmer tone.
His visibly grew uncomfortable at the question as he adverted his gaze to Toothless. "It was something personal… and I just got over it, I think. I really don't want to trudge up those thoughts right now… for the first time in a while I can actually think straight. It's nice. Let's just say I came to some realizations about myself I didn't like."
He spoke calmly, but I could pick up on his reluctance. Whatever he was being bothered by no longer appeared to be eating at him, his more emotive demeaner proved that, so it was probably best to leave it for now.
"Look, Hiccup... I'm sorry for worrying you. I wanted to tell you or Valka about it, but something at the back of my mind wouldn't let me. I thought Gobber knowing was good enough, I guess. I just thought, you know, some time alone out in nature and away from everything would do me good." he said honestly.
I glanced over to Toothless. He seemed content with his apology, even if it wasn't directed to him, and he glanced to me with an expectant look.
"Well, did it help at least?" I asked calmly.
He smiled lightly. "My thoughts aren't tearing each other apart over every choice anymore, so I think it did."
I sighed. "That's good to hear, and for what it's worth I'm sorry as well. For going off on you, that is. Being Chief already stresses me out enough with all the responsibilities I need to attend to without having to worry over the whereabouts of magic bearing man." I responded lightheartedly.
"I'm not sure about the 'magic bearing' part, but I apricate your worry. It would've been smarter, though, to have someone else come find me, like Valka maybe, if you really are swamped with duties. No reason to have a Chief looking for some idiot who got lost in the woods, right?" he responded with a small laugh.
… Why didn't I ask Mom? She was already looking for him after all.
"Huh… guess you weren't the only one thinking straight today. My habit of overburdening myself seemed to get me again." I replied.
He shook his head lightly and smiled. "Just a couple of idiots in the woods, then?"
We shared a small laugh but stopped when he hissed in pain.
"I love having heart-to-hearts out in the woods with a broken hand as much as the next guy, but maybe you could tell me how to get back to Berk. I pretty sure this thing needs medical attention."
Tell him how to get back? I thought, confused. "Why tell you when Toothless can fly us back?"
Toothless perked up at my comment and warbled happily. Christopher, on the other hand, returned a pensive look. He glanced upward for a moment before sighing.
"That would probably be the fastest way back, and looks like it could be fun…"
I raised an eyebrow. "But?"
He let out a long sigh as he turned slightly and glanced into the plane's window behind him. His smile faded and was replaced with a far-off look.
"But I'm not sure if I'm ready to return to flying right now. I always used to fly to escape my feelings, my thoughts that told me things I didn't want to acknowledge as true. It was just me and the plane, far above the Earth and my problems. But flying like that isn't right. Flying should be for the joy, the thrill of it, but I instead abused that freedom for my own personal."
Didn't take him for a sentimental kind of guy… I thought as he glanced back to me with an awkward look.
He cleared his throat. "That came out weird. What I meant was I think it's best I stay grounded for a while, literally and metaphorically. Sort out my thoughts on things and make new priorities. After that, I'll decide if I want to try flying again." he said as a small smile grew on his face.
"Yeah, but the flight back from here would be nothing but a glide if anything." I replied, my mind still caught on getting back to Berk.
He returned a flat look. "Wow, I just poured my heart out and that's your response?"
Toothless groaned, seemingly annoyed at my remark as well.
I raised my hands defensively. "Sorry, sorry, my bad. I respect your reasonings and motivation, I'm simply not sure of what you want to do then. I can't walk you back because that'd take too long, and I have duties I need return to."
He shrugged. "You said it'd just be a glide back, so it can't be far, and I know there's a path nearby. Just point me in the right direction. I can find my way back."
I returned an unconvinced look. How he expected to find his way back after getting lost in the first place I didn't know.
"What? It'll be fine! I know it might sound redundant after all this, but I'm twenty-four years old; almost twenty-five. I'm pretty sure I can handle myself."
Twenty-four? I thought he was younger than me! I thought briefly.
Sighing, I rubbed my eyes and focused back on the situation. He didn't want to fly back and I couldn't guide him back either. Also I wasn't about to let him go back alone, no matter how old he was. It didn't leave me many options.
I can't lead him back… but someone else could… I thought.
"How about this instead: I head back to the village and find someone to come back here to guide you back. Sorry, but I still don't trust you enough to let you walk back alone." I replied.
He sighed. "Well, I would've enjoyed another hour or so to myself, but I don't see any problems with that; as long as you don't choose some stranger that is."
I smiled as I mounted Toothless. "Don't worry, I'll probably just have my mother give you a hand. Can't have someone seeing your crashed plane and ask questions we can't answer."
Toothless moaned in slight disappointment and leaned slightly towards Christopher.
"Sorry, Toothless. Maybe another time." he said sincerely as he gave a small rub on Toothless' nose.
Toothless pulled back, nose twitching, before sneezing and adopting an annoyed look. Christopher merely gave an innocent shrug.
"Well, stay where you are for now. It shouldn't be long before you get the help you need. Until then, stay safe. We'll continue our chat later." I said.
Toothless and I were in the air not a moment later, lazily spiraling upward. Peering back down to the clearing I could make out Christopher sitting back down against the plane, still holding his injured hand, but also noticed an odd scorch mark on the ground a distance away from where Christopher sat. The burn mark looked familiar, but I couldn't place a dragon that matched the markings.
Maybe a fledgling Typhoomerang?
Toothless appeared to have noticed something as well; he was sniffing the air and looking around in confusion but gave up finding the smell's source not long after.
We soon turned and headed towards Berk, abandoning the thoughts for a later time. They probably weren't important anyways.
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In slight panic, I sprinted through the forest in the opposite direction of where I had felt them. Why the Alpha was nearby was unknown to me, but I would not take any risks in getting caught.
Slowing down into a trot I took in my surroundings, pleased to note I could no longer feel their presence. Despite being in a forest the area I found myself in had very little cover from above, but a small rock structure nearby provided the perfect place to hide. The rocks formed an overhang, effectively creating a small cave big enough for me to fit under. Positioning myself as far back within the cave as possible, I lied down and sighed in slight contentment.
All I have to do now is wait.
There was no point in returning to Hadson, not with the Alpha roaming around, nor did I feel inclined to. I got the information I needed and more, but I was unsure of how to feel about it. It was both exactly what I wanted to know and not know, and I was left with an assortment of information being muddled by my emotions.
First there was Hadson himself. Such a sad and pathetic human from what I had seen in his mind-scape; so emotionally attached to trivial matters to the point of near mental collapse. I saw nothing of importance in that human at the time, just another scared and pitiful excuse of an intelligent creature. Even when I discovered he had the Veilstone, it did not raise my opinions much of him. If anything, it only lowered them as I assumed he must have stolen it.
Was it harsh to think that? Maybe, but it was how I felt.
Then again, I would be lying by telling myself I was not curious about him. In fact, it could be argued I was excited to see him again after our chat in his mind-scape and my discovery of the Veilstone. The Fates brought me to him for a reason and I had been eagerly awaiting to know why.
When Hadson fell into the clearing I had slept in, he still looked like the same pitiful human I saw in the mind-scape, if not worse. He wandered over to the strange object in the field and proceeded to have what I could only describe as a mental breakdown. Why else would one deliberately break their own body? For fun? I knew humans were stupid, but not to that degree.
The demeaning sobs coming from him gave me the urge to simply leave, but I still needed a few of my questions answered.
Reluctantly, I approached him when he had calmed down and was surprised to find he was no longer troubled or broken. He had a new aura of determination and peace about him that contrasted greatly with his previous attitudes. His calmer and more assertive demeaner during our conversation only added to my changing opinion of him.
Though, it was still difficult to get past my feeling about humans. He was still quite easy to frighten like the rest of his kind. Mere empty threats caused him to pale and stammer like a hatchling. It was especially humorous, if only a touch annoying, when he began to rant and complain, also like a hatchling.
Then there was the second tidbit of information I had learned: Hadson was not of our islands and was from beyond the Veil of all places. I had my suspicions seeing how peculiar his mind-scape was and how he acted differently from the rest of the humans but being able to physically feel his aura gave me all I needed to know about him.
He was not from the islands and that he had no Will control.
With that knowledge, I got a third piece of information. The most important one. Why the Fates called me to him.
The Veilstone was no ordinary willstone. It's creation and purpose were of the highest importance. The Veil would not last forever and would require a proper means of removal to avoid disaster and seeing as most of the dragon and human mages were gone, the stone was the only remaining object that could remove it safety.
But if the Veilstone found its way into the hands of someone inexperience in Will control, it could easily kill the wielder. While that would be of no concern in most cases, this was no normal situation. The stone had bonded with Hadson; both physically and mentally. If Hadson were to die while wielding it, the Will concealed within the stone would fade along with him.
The Veilstone was far too important to be lost a second time to something so easily avoidable.
Which is why I found myself being called to teachhim. While at first, I was ecstatic is knowing the Fates reasons, it wasn't long before the thought set in.
I had to teach a human Will control.
That was why I was called away from my comfortable life and forced to be so close to other dragons and humans. To teach! Even now the idea still made me uneasy and feeling betrayed, but I pushed down those feelings because they were not important. What mattered was how I would respond to the options given to me, and while it pained me to think it, I knew I had to do this.
I had to do it because the Fates willed it so, but there was another underlying reason to the choice; a more selfish one. For reasons I did not know Hadson was not the only one who the Veilstone bonded to. I as well was now connected to it, and by association to Hadson himself. If he or the stone were to be lost I was unsure of how I would be affected. It could either have no effect on me, or I could be killed along with them.
And I did not want to die because some ignorant human did not know basic Will control.
I smiled slightly. But they never said how I had to teach him. Might as well enjoy myself doing this. In fact, I already have the perfect introduction lesson in mind…
My stomach growled loudly to remind me I hadn't eaten since the previous day.
Hm, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. I thought as I spread my wings and took to the air, keeping low enough to remain hidden, and headed towards the far side of the island to hunt.
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It couldn't have been more than ten minutes later when Valka arrived in the clearing.
Arrived might be an understatement, though. One moment all was calm and quiet, and the next an enormous, four-winged dragon came swooping down from above and landed mere yards away. On the back of the owl-like dragon stood Valka brandishing an odd cane and smile across her face. She slid down from the dragon's back, turned and said a few words, and walked over; her dragon stared at me curiously for a second before spreading its wings and taking off.
She greeted me warmly as she approached, saying she was relieved to see me unharmed and safe. When I told her I was, in fact, harmed and showed her my injured hand, she almost called her dragon back to get me to Gothi's quickly, but I was able to convince her it was fine and that I'd rather walk. After a minute of back-and-forth she reluctantly agreed and began to lead the way back to the village.
At first, I had asked her about her large dragon in an attempt to spark up conversation. It had been the largest dragon I'd seen so far, and I'd be lying if I wasn't curious about it. She happily went into detail about her dragon, Cloudjumper, and all the various journeys they took together. When she told me how they met I was taken aback; from what she described, Clouldjumper had basically kidnapped her. Valka assured me that she could have return home at any point, and that Cloudjumper was merely trying to help. Her phrasing of 'could have gone back' made me ask if she had, but apparently, she decided to stay away for twenty-years. It was surprising to learn that someone so caring as herself would leave behind their family for so long, but I couldn't be one to judge bad life choices. I could tell she greatly regretted the decision as well, so it didn't change my views on her as a person all that much.
After the brief conversation, we both receded into our own thoughts; both absorbed by the calmness of the forest. While I had no way to know what Valka was thinking about, I was found my own thoughts returning to the odd interaction and agreement I had made earlier with the equally odd Night Fury.
Lehaun had made it a clear point to not mention her existence to anyone on the island, and coupled with her clear threat, I reluctantly decided to go along with her wishes. After all, the last thing I needed to deal with was an emotionally unpredictable dragon.
Keeping her a secret wasn't the only thing she asked me to do, though. I was also now required to return to the clearing and be taught how to use magic, or 'Will' as she called it. How she expected me to wander off every morning to do that without garnering attention from people like Hiccup, who seemed to be keeping an eye on me, I didn't know. I guess I'd have to point out to her that small flaw when we next met.
Out of all the things I had agreed to, I had the least reservations for the actual learning of magic part of the arrangement. From what little knowledge I had learned the other day from Gothi it would be in my best interest to learn how to control the Talisman, so I didn't end up killing myself from magic withdrawal. Not to mention the simple fact that learning magic of all things sounded exciting.
But, again, I was unsure of how I would explain to Hiccup and the others that I no longer had a magic problem without telling them about Lehaun.
Jesus, the more I think on it the less contrived her arrangement seems. Then again, she did leave in a hurry just before Hiccup showed up, so maybe it was just a spur of the moment agreement that will be better explained tomorrow. Hopefully.
Speaking of our planned meeting tomorrow, that was one of the reasons I wanted to walk back. I wasn't lying when I said the reason I didn't want to fly on Toothless was because I wasn't up for flying again so soon, but there were underlying reasons for it that I didn't express. One of the reasons was simple: I was still paranoid about crashing again. Who would've thought almost dying in a plane crash would cause one to not want to fly again? The other reason was that I wanted to know the way to the clearing and back, so I didn't end up lost again. I could ask for a map or directions, but doing so would attract unwanted attention, so I would have to memorize the way instead.
I can't believe I'm going through with all this…
In retrospect, I should have been freaking out about the whole situation. The thought of being alone with a talking dragon with mood swings that would teach me magic every morning sounded insane in my head, but the logical side of me didn't see a real point in worrying over it. If she wanted it, I would already be dead, so I doubted that was on her list of things to do. And if she did try anything? Well something on the island had her on edge, so if I could figure out what I could use it to my advantage. If I had to guess, it was the fact there were humans on the island if her condescendence towards me was anything to go by. I might be able to simple inform Hiccup of her presence and scare her off in the process. I had contingencies, so I didn't have to stress over it for now.
It was around noon, if I had to guess, when we arrived on a larger pathway. We followed it until we arrived at the base of a familiar mountain with stairs leading up. Valka asked if I knew the way back to the village from Gothi's hut, which I did, before saying she had to leave and head back; something about dragon training.
She went to leave but stopped and turned back saying she had forgotten to tell me Hiccup expected me to return to the house after getting treated by Gothi, and that Hiccup would be waiting for me there. With that she gave a small smile and wave and began walking down the pathway towards the village.
I watched her for a moment as I thought over what she'd said. Hiccup wants me back at his home, and he said earlier we'd continue our chat… Something tells me he might still be mad… great. I thought, only a tad annoyed at the potential scolding. I did deserve it in a way after all.
The actual check-in with Gothi wasn't all that exciting. It turned out my hand was not actually broken, but simply bruised and cut; the worst of the damage being a dislocated index finger. She gave me an odd tasting medicine that helped numb the pain and wrapped the injured hand in bandages. She also had me take off the ripped tunic and gave me a new green one that was slightly longer than the last one.
After that, she asked me a few questions; mainly how I was feeling and about any strange happenings with the Talisman. I told her I was feeling better and also described to her the strange happening with the Talisman when I was helping Gobber in the Forge. Though she seemed concerned at first, Gothi calmed and instructed me to try and keep my emotions under control. When I asked why, she simply said the Talisman was easily influenced by them. Something told me Hiccup already knew about that detail and explained why he was so insistent on keeping an eye on me. Shortly after telling me, another villager came in with a large cut across his arm. Gothi quickly told me to not use my hand for a few days and to check back in with her every other day. She then said I could leave.
I thanked her and headed out, awkwardly moving around the larger man who was staring at me by the door. Out on the porch, I took a second to take in the view of Berk. The view still had the same calming effect it had the other day, but with my cleared mind it seemed more vibrant and alive.
Remembering what Valka had told me, I reluctantly headed down the stairs and back to the village.
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Haddock Home, Evening
A light prod between my shoulders stirred me from sleep. I struggled to open my eye, and while my mind began to clear my body remained heavy and unresponsive.
Vision still blurred, I slowly picked my head of the table; my stiff back and arms protesting the movement as the heaviness in them ebbed away. Rubbing my face and feeling the indentation left from the wooden table across my cheek, my eyes focused on a figure sitting across from me.
Arms crossed, Hiccup stared back with a level expression as the remaining blur in my vision faded.
"What time is it?" I muttered.
Hiccup's face remained neutral, but I could see humor in his eyes. "Evening." he answered.
While my mind was waking up, my body still felt submerged in water; every movement slow, stiff, and painful. I could also still feel the throbbing pain in my right hand.
This is why I don't sleep in chairs.
I couldn't recall how I ended up falling asleep at the table, but I did remember waiting in the house for quite a while after coming from Gothi's. With no forms of entertainment around and the likely sedative medication in my system I must've dozed off; and while my body was aching because of it, the nap was probably good for me. A warm burst of air hit me from above. My neck popped as I turned to see Toothless looming behind me.
He must've been the one who woke me up then.
"Alarm clock." I muttered as I turned back to Hiccup with a sigh. "Watching me sleep again?"
He gave a half-smile. "Just got here, actually. Thank you for listening and going to the house."
"Well, I didn't think I had much choice. I thought you'd be here when I came, but I guess you meant for me to stay put, not meet you." I said through a yawn.
He gave an apologetic look. "That was the plan, but I got a bit caught up in responsibilities. Didn't intend on having you held up in here all alone for most of the day. Sorry for that."
I waved it off, saying it was fine. It wasn't like there was much else I could do without him or Valka around, and the nap I had was at least pleasant. Nothing but pure rest and not a single dream to dwell over. Though, I was a little miffed at discovering I was effectively forgotten about.
I vaguely heard Toothless wander off as Hiccup spoke. "Anyways, seeing as you're looking exhausted, I'll cut straight to the point."
His even tone told me enough about the coming lecture. And here I was hoping we were past that whole debacle…
"You're not still pissed over all that, are you?" I asked ruefully.
"No, I'm not… pissed, but I am still a little annoyed with what happened today." He laid his arms on the table, looking straight at me with a stoic expression. The look left me feeling uneasy, and if I had to guess, I was talking to the Chief and not Hiccup; though I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. "The events surrounding your arrival have led to certain revelations; mainly of the existence of magic. Originally, as we discussed, the plan was to simply do research while we allowed you to stay. We would either find a way to remove the Talisman or figure out a way to control it as well as figure out how we'd get you home."
I raised an eyebrow. "O-kay? I knew most of that already. Has something changed?"
He sighed before confirming. Hiccup explained a dragon problem they have been having that started a few weeks before I crashed; dragons getting into brutal fights. The fights, he said, were strange due to their circumstances and they had no clue what the cause of it was, but due to my arrival and being told of magic they concluded magic could be the cause of some of the dragon's erratic behavior.
"So, what does this have to do with my running off into the woods?" I had a hunch of where he was going with his explanation, but I asked anyways.
"…Chris, it is my duty as Chief to protect my people, and as long as you're on this island that includes you as well. You are in possession of a magical artifact; one you cannot control and that cannot be seen by anyone in the village. That's one of the reasons I was worried when you disappeared. The other reason was since you are in possession of the Talisman, you are our best source of information on magic other than Gothi, but I have the feeling we can learn a lot from the Talisman." he paused for a moment as he figured out what he wanted to say. "...Do you… understand what I'm saying?"
I rubbed my cheek, taking note of the stubble that was growing. I did get what he was saying; He wanted me to be safe because it's his duty and because magic might be a problem in Berk with the dragons. And since I might be able to shed light on magic with the Talisman, especially now that I was going to be learning it in secret, I would be their best study object for magic and its effects. I didn't mind too much at being considered a study object because I knew it was the Talisman and magic being studied, not me. But all of what he said sounded like formalities, things that wouldn't come into play every moment of every day. I was still lost on what the new situation meant for me and the rest of Berk personally.
"Yeah. I get what you're saying, but where does that leave us now?" I asked.
"Where it leaves us? It leaves us in the same situation as before, but this time around I'm clarifying the rules that are in place."
I moaned internally. The few times I'd heard that phrase in my life, a grounding usually followed.
"For starters, magic is still going to be kept between us. Don't need to worry the superstitious people of Berk. In response to your recent disappearance into the woods I'm going to require that you check in with either my mother or myself every day at noon and sunset if you are not already with us. I am also asking that you begin to train in using a weapon. If I am to allow you to wander about alone, it would be easier on my conscience if you had a weapon with you." he said,
I was caught off guard by his 'rules'. I had been expecting… well I didn't actually know what I expected, but I didn't think he would be allowing me to go wandering off alone again and only ask that I check in with him. In fact, the rules seemed too good to be true because it meant I could go out into the woods in the morning without needing some chaperone; I only had to tell them I was doing it. It was odd how much trust he had for me even though we barely knew each other; but I guess it was merely the kind of person he was.
Wait a minute, did he say training?
"You said training? When, uh, would that happen?" I inquired.
Don't get me wrong, the thought of learning how to use a sword, axe, or whatever Vikings used gave me the same excitement at the prospect of learning magic; but I already agreed to training with Lehaun every morning and it would be difficult to manage being at two places at once if 'weapons training' ended up being in the mornings as well.
Hiccup smiled in amusement, probably misinterpreting my worry. "It wouldn't be everyday seeing as Astrid has other responsibilities in the village, but every other day or so around noon you'd meet with her where ever she decides to do your training."
"Every other day at noon…" I murmured. Having it be at noon would leave me plenty of time in the morning to do whatever it was Lehaun was planning to teach me, and it would also give me a viable excuse to go out into the woods; I could say I was doing basic exercise or merely warming up before training.
Yeah, this could work… I thought as a smile crept across my face.
"If it's fine with Astrid, I don't see any problems with that." I replied.
He returned a grateful smile and stood, saying he had a few more things he had to do in the village before sunset. Giving a short wave, he headed for the door. Toothless joined him soon after, clearly having listened over the entire conversation, and the two walked out the door leaving me alone; something that was becoming a common occurrence.
A tightening of my stomach reminded me I hadn't eaten since morning. Having no clue if or where Hiccup kept food in the house, my only choice was to head to the Hall and hope someone I knew was there, which wasn't very many people, but not because I felt anxious anymore.
No, I was hoping to have some people to talk to for once.
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South-Eastern Waters, Nightfall
Watching the blues of day fade to brilliant orange, pinks, and red was a sight that never grew old. Better yet was the finale in which the colors were pushed far beyond the horizon along with the sun, and the stars emerged to fill the now dark skies; poking holes into some intangible surface surrounding the world itself.
Today was another uneventful one, but I could always count on the day's end to bring some light to it.
"Evening, Captain."
Nilsson, the ships sail-master, came to stand next to me. His youthful energy radiated off him, even at nightfall. He kept his gaze on the fleeting light on the horizon as he awaited my response.
"Are we still on course for Berk?" I inquired.
"Yes, Captain. The winds are favorable, and we should arrive in their ports by Odinsdagr."
"Good. I will be retiring for the night, try not to get drunk at your post again." I replied as I turned and walked away.
"Captain! Your words wound me!" he called out, feigning offense.
"You'll get real wounds if it happens again. Good night, Nilsson." I responded evenly.
A few of the other crew members greeted me as I made my way across the deck. Opening the door to the lower deck, I ambled down the latter into the darkened hull and headed for my quarters. Even though I was Captain, my quarters were no bigger than the rest of my crew. I wouldn't say I was being humble, it was merely a more effective use of space to have everyone in same sized rooms; a larger Captain's quarter would cost me the space of two rooms worth of storage after all. It was practical and efficient. Of course, I still had the better room location. Located at the stern of the ship, there was only space for a single room, meaning I didn't have to worry about a noisy crew member in the adjacent room.
I opened the door and entered my dim quarters; the only light coming from a small porthole that gave everything in the room a silver outlining. Taking off my leather vest and laying it on the bed, I made my way over to the desk where most of the ships logs and records resided. I lit the overhead lantern, filling the room with a warm glow, and examined the map of the Archipelago sprawled out on the desk; our route and destination already marked.
I crossed out our current position on the map and marked the date and time before rolling the map up and placing it within a crowded drawer. The drawer below it was far less cluttered as it held few items, one of them being a journal I wrote in daily for both business and personal reasons.
Removing it from the drawer I laid it on the desk, flipping to the next empty page. Grasping the nearest writing charcoal, I began a new entry:
Sunnudagr, 26th of August*
Today has the high honor of having the least eventful sailing I have had the displeasure of experiencing so far in life. The seas were calm as a sleeping babe and the winds were never against us. The sky was a flat plane of pure blue with not a speck of white to be seen across its expanse. Whatever ocean life usually inhabited the near surface was absent as well, giving me nothing to study from the railings of the ship.
But, as always, the sunset didn't disappoint in its display this evening. So, I have at least one thing to be glad about today.
Our course holds steady for our next destination; the Isle of Berk. It is a mere three days away now, and I am greatly looking forward to the stop. We have been at sea for weeks since last leaving port, and I would gladly take the opportunity to make port at the legendary Berk. It has been many winters since I last sailed there, and at the time it was not much of a site due to the raids, but since then they have apparently ended them and made peace with dragons. They have also become the strongest tribe in the Archipelago with plentiful trading opportunities.
All of that is thanks to their dragons.
Dragons. That is something I am most curious in about Berk. So many of them, yet somehow no mention of magic has come forth from the island or anywhere for that matter since the end of the war… a shame.
On a separate note, I have decided to revoke Nilsson's mead share for the foreseeable future.
Closing the journal and stowing it back in the drawer, I stood and wandered towards the bed. I lifted the thin comforter and pulled out a black, leather bound book before sitting down on the bedside.
I had made it a habit to sit down and research every night the book's contents. It was the source of all the knowledge I had learned about magic. Its pages were filled with notes and research, as well as pages torn from a different book; entries from a man who called him 'The Knower'. It was because of this book I knew of the existence of magic and obsessed over it.
I was a merchant by trade, but that was a mere convenient cover for my true ambitions.
I had discovered years ago my purpose in life when I had learnt of something that had been kept secret for centuries; a boundary, a barrier, surrounded our islands. An impenetrable Veil that trapped my family in its confines centuries ago due to the selfish and arrogant will of the mages of old. Thanks to them all were trapped and bound to the small chain of islands we inhabited, forced to rot here till Ragnarok.
I didn't know what the world beyond might be like, but my family passed down stories of the other side. A place of growing empires, arts, and knowledge. All those things lost to us because of the Veil, and I knew that the world beyond must have developed past our wildest imaginations since then.
I knew what my purpose was. It was a duty for my family and the people of the Archipelago. I would remove the accursed Veil and rejoin the two worlds. I would do so by any means; the few mages I encountered who refused to help knew that first hand.
I opened the book and turned to a page that held a collection of notes on the central focus of my ambitions. It was one of the ripped-out pages written by 'The Knower' that was simply titled 'The Source'. The page consisted of a singular, large illustration of a monolith covered in indecipherable runes. The only words on the page was a simple sentence:
'Only those with the will to know can know.'
What was becoming a nightly occurrence, I scoffed at the pulled out the small talisman I wore around my neck. One does not hunt down magic and mages for years without acquiring some competence in magic. Grasping the talisman in my right hand, and placing my left over the illustration, I focused on a singular thought.
Where is the source?
The talisman emitted a soft, blue light, and I felt a pressure build within my mind as information began to piece itself together. Vague feelings at first that slowly began to manifest into understandable letters or meanings. For a moment, I felt excitement build in my chest as I thought the answer may finally be shown to me.
The talisman's calm, blue shines erupted into a blinding flash that was followed by a piercing pain in my head.
Letting out a stifled yell I dropped the talisman and noted my palm was slightly singed from the magic rebound. I felt a warmth trickle down my lip as blood oozed out of my nose, and my head began to feel heavy. In my now muddle mind, a foreign thought made itself known.
'Only those with the will to know can know.'
I clumsily slammed the book shut as I felt myself on the verge of passing out. Grasping my aching head, I lied down onto the bed in, annoyed at yet another failure.
"I do have the will, dammit!" I muttered bitterly before falling unconscious.
-0-0-0-0-0-
(Important) AN:
I need to say something important before I begin the notes on this specific chapter.
From this point on do not expect an update for this story for the foreseeable future.
No, I am not abandoning this story, and no, I am not taking a break. In all honesty, I never should have published this story without first completing at least a rough draft for the full story. Publishing early meant I had effectively locked myself into a plot line that I could not change and doing that felt far too stifling for a beginner writer like me. Unlike the first chunk of this story (chapters 1-10), the next chunk is a vague mess that I would not feel comfortable posting until fully completed. So, until I finish the next chunk, there will be now updates. Consider this akin to a hiatus between two seasons.
To those who have stuck around, I apologize for the inconvenience and take full responsibility for my own ineptitude. But I promise that when this story returns, hopefully soon, that it will have be worth the wait.
And seeing as I am taking this route, I am officially looking for beta readers. So please PM me if you are interested.
With the 'fun' stuff over with, let's talk chapter 10:
*Boy, did it take me a hot minute to figure out how I wanted the dates to work in this world. I have decided on using the Roman Calendar's months but preserving the Viking days of the week. There is a reason for it being this way in the setting of the world, and it will be explored in later chapters.
This chapter marks the end of the first arc and sets up the next one. Not much else to say about that. There were a few difficulties this time around with this chapter. The first was writing a believable argument between Hiccup and Christopher that highlight both characters motives without belittling one or the other. The writing of Lehaun's POV and the Captain's POV also went through several changes. The main problem I had with the both was writing/explaining their motivations. Hopefully they were clear and believable. Also, I'm not sure if it's obvious in how I write him, I have a hard time incorporating Toothless' into dialogue between two characters, and by incorporate, I mean making sure he doesn't just disappear into the background.
To those who followed and reviewed, I give my thanks as always! I am open to any critiques so feel free to leave any in a review.
Till next time.
11-3-18