"Everyone out of bed! I want you ready before we see the light of sun, packs ready with water skins and clothes ready for a trek!" Hiccup commanded and everyone groaned from their beds but got up suddenly anyway.
Marcus, along with Aden were the first to be ready since Marcus was already used to getting up early pretty much every day of his life as was Aden. Once everyone was lined with satchels strapped to their backs or in Aden's case, around his waist and didn't really need a bag.
"Allan, you'll be useful for this trip but be very careful to control those crystals, this new dragon that's come to these islands are very attracted to crystals, jewels, gold, and other objects like that" Hiccup informed him and Allan straightened then nodded.
"Now let's go" Hiccup announced and they all set out to the less prosperous part of the island. They trekked for hours, Hiccup had Toothless, Tyson with Ryujin, Marcus with Argos and the rest didn't have their dragons yet.
Argos nudged Marcus to get on her but he refused "no one else is, it wouldn't be fair" he answered her then breathed in and out deeply to catch his breath. "Are you okay, Marcus? You don't look so good" Aden frowned at his friend.
"Fine" Marcus ground his teeth "my body's just not used to such constant excersize, I really thought I was doing much better but I guess not" he answered jogging to keep up with the rest.
"Maybe you should ride on Argos, Hiccup didn't say you couldn't" Aden said.
"It's a test of endurance, kind of, and if I don't make it to this spot without taking a break than I can't call myself a guardian-" Marcus put a hand over his mouth, blushing suddenly.
The rest turned around with interest "huh? Guardian?" Ciar asked with interest.
"Nothing, forget I said anything" Marcus argued, his face going redder than Kenna's hair.
"Go on, I want to hear what you said" Hiccup told Marcus smiling slightly.
"Well, we all have those marks on our backs and we have these powers that bind us but we don't really have a name to call us by or anything. And I, I don't know I just thought of a name but I haven't really said it allowed till now" Marcus answered, forgetting his exhaustion for a while.
"Guardian, that's what you said" Allan pointed out.
"Yeah Guardians of Draco, it means"
"Dragon in latin" ILA supplied smiling brightly "it's perfect, Marcus! That's our name, Guardians of Dragons. We fight alongside them and we're like them too" ILA added excitedly.
"Sounds perfect, okay Guardians, trudge on!" Hiccup pointed and they all made it up the tall mountain by mid day. Marcus collapsed on the grass, breathing unevenly Aden handed him the water skin and he drank some and turned on his side to catch his breath.
"You made it, feeling like a worthy guardian now, Marcus?" Aden asked grinning and Marcus smiled a little.
"If you're feeling this tired after climbing up the mountain, you should have ridden on Argos" Hiccup pointed out and Marcus was too tired to answer and just stared at the ground.
"Marcus, you're one of thinnest in our group and that makes you the frailest. I know, trust me that I've been there but don't push yourself too hard. Trust me when I say that no one's going to accuse you of being lazy because we all know that's the last thing you would do" Hiccup explained.
"Okay, I'll take a break if it gets too much" Marcus agreed, a tiny smile gracing his lips, the shy kind that always seemed to make everyone else's smile larger.
"Okay everyone; this is the part where it gets dangerous, everyone on a dragon who's got one. Allan, I want you and Kenna at the front. From what I've heard about this dragon, it's got lots of fire and a lot of fight" Hiccup said.
Kenna tied up her hair as was her usual cue that she was serious and Allan stood determined. They walked toward the cave slowly with Hiccup also just close to the two. That's when they heard it, an ear piercing screech but Hiccup, by experience and the Guardians, by instinct knew it was afraid.
It appeared at the mouth of the cave, it was gigantic in scale with jewels clinging to its stomach like armor. It was a dark red, a four legged dragon with incredibly powerful legs and massive wings. It's eyes were a dark grey and it let out another screech as it was overwhelmed by them.
Allan jumped back and thrust up a fire shield as it's blazing hot fire tried to roast him. It swung it's large tail at them aggressively, screeching loudly. Marcus pulled Allan back from the dragon as another wave of heat hit them.
"Marcus!" Allan shouted then held onto him to keep him up right.
"I'm fine, just a bit tired" Marcus assured, Kenna launched herself at the dragon then thrust up her shield to block the fire again.
"Ciar! Finn! Get behind her and hold her tail down" Aden instructed.
"Kenna, here's some rope, bind her mouth until we can calm her down!" Marcus shouted also, tossing the rope and Kenna shook her head out of her shock that Marcus had commanded her.
"Any suggestions, ILA?" Aden asked and she nodded looking at Allan.
"Try singing" ILA suggested and Allan gave her a look.
"It's obviously a middle eastern dragon, those kinds calm with music" ILA replied then gave him a look like 'hop to it'
Marcus walked up along side Allan slowly "Far over the misty mountains cold…" Marcus started to sing and his voice carried to the dragon who listened intently and Allan sighed in relief, he knew this song.
"To dungeons deep and caverns old"
"The pines were roaring on the heights"
"The winds were morning in the night"
The dragon tilted her head with curiosity and settled her head upon the rocks of the cave. Listening to the song "the fire was red, the flaming spread.
"The trees like torches, blazed with light" Marcus and Allan finished and it was completely calm as Allan approached her. He carefully took off the rope and Ciar and Finn let go of her tail. He stroked her muzzle and she relaxed slowly.
She breathed out her nostrils which brought a little hot steam but Allan just smiled. "Hiccup?" Allan asked tentatively.
"She's all yours, Allan, she seems to be most attached to you already" Hiccup answered gesturing that her tail wrapped around Allan's foot as if to keep him with her.
Allan rubbed her snout and she crooned a dragon-like purr "she also needs a name" ILA added.
"That's what seems to be the case with dragons, when they are given a name, they stay loyal to us" ILA added, always the logical one.
"You're right, Argos told me that it was an honor for a dragon to be given a name" Marcus added, allowing himself to be placed on Argos back by Argos herself. She settled down and Marcus leaned against her neck.
"Um…" Allan thought silently "Melody" he said.
"A girly name for a dragon" ILA mentioned and Allan's face went red.
"I think it's perfect for her, she is female after all and we calmed her with music" Marcus answered quietly, his eyes slightly dazed from being tired.
"Long eyelashes too, beautiful dragon" Hiccup added, inspecting her snout and eyes as well scales.
"HICCUP!" Astrid's voice reigned in the semi-night sky and Hiccup tensed and swung to catch her as she jumped off her dragon.
"Nice of you to drop in" Hiccup said dryly then his grin slid off when he saw her worried face "what is it?" he asked.
Astrid hesitated and Hiccup cupped her chin so she looked straight at him "what is it?"
"Trolls… it's trolls, oh Hiccup, they're massive."
"Trolls…" the color drained quickly from Hiccup's face and he turned "you wanted to be called Guardians? Here's your chance!"
Oh? You thought I was gonna continue there? Whoopsie, nope, you'll just have to wait. Sorry for not updating for a while but I do have a life...
By the way, for those of you fans of THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT, if you don't recognize the song I am very disappointed in you… So yeah, the song Marcus and Allan sang was from THE HOBBIT so don't start nagging me about the name of the song, it's called MISTY MOUNTAINS.