"What... what is that...?" Elsa breathed, stepping back.
It looks like some sort of portal. The stallion lowered his head slightly and sniffed. A cold wind flew out of portal, blowing the stallion's forelock into his eyes. A low moan drifted into Hiccup's mind.
Help us... it said.
"What if... no..." Hiccup smacked a hand against his forehead. "This-This is it! This is why people keep disappearing! They're falling into these portals!"
Into other worlds?
"No, they can't be. Toothless... he fell into one of these. He said it was a place full of darkness."
Real descriptive.
"I think, I think that place that they're all falling into is like some sort of space in between different realms."
"Different realms? Like the realm you and Rain came from?" Elsa asked.
Yeah. When she and I came here, we must have fallen through one of this cracks! He struck his hoof against the floor. I knew it! I knew I didn't create that portal!
"That's all very fine Spirit, but we should really be focusing our attention on getting out of here before we fall in ourselves," Elsa said.
"Yeah. Hey, Elsa, do you happen to have my torch?"
Elsa nodded, and lifted the still-burning torch from her bag. Hiccup swept the flame over the edge of the crack, and they began to smoke, but the rift didn't get any smaller. Another blast of freezing cold air hit his face and he drew back, coughing.
"Well, guess that would've been too easy, huh? Hey Spirit, do you think you could try and close this?"
Never tried closing a portal, but I guess there's a first time for everything. The stallion spread his front legs, placing a hoof on either side of the crack. Well, um, should I just imagine it closing or what?
"Why would I know?" Elsa said, flinging out her arms. "I'm just a queen of a kingdom that's vanished into some space between the realms! I never wanted this, any if this." She wrapped her arms around herself, ice rippling beneath her feet.
Well, neither did I! I didn't ask to lose my mom, my herd, my mate. At least-
Hiccup let out a small groan, about to say, "Okay, cut it out," but before the words could leave his mouth a brightly colored blur shot out from the crack, which rippled, yawning even wider. Cold air blasted over Hiccup so strongly, he took a step back. He reached up to touch his hair and swore he could feel snow. Then he looked down and gasped.
It was a little girl with hair black as midnight, a small round face, and a bright green shirt or coat of sorts. She was laying on her face, breathing heavily.
"Um." Hiccup took a small step forward.
"Woah!" the girl jumped up, her eyes sparkling. "That was awesome, Ralph! Let's-" the girl abruptly stopped as her gaze landed on them. "Who are you?"
"I could ask the same question," Hiccup muttered.
Spirit leaned forward, his whiskers tickling Hiccup's ear. I think she just traveled through the crack. She's either from inside the crack, or she's from another realm, like me.
"Wait a sec, did that horse just talk? Cool!" the girl bounced over to Spirit and poked his nose with a finger. Spirit jerked back and snorted.
I'm having some very strong flashbacks right now.
"Um," Hiccup cleared his throat. "Like the horse said, er, where exactly did you come from?"
"Well, I was just driving my car and all of a sudden, WHOOSH, this whole humoungous crack appears and I couldn't stop in time and then I guess I musta drove through it and Ralph-oh no, Ralph! I left him behind! I've gotta get back! He's probably freaking out right now. He's always freaking out about something. Anyway, what's the name of the land I ended up in this time?"
"I'm sorry... car?" Elsa asked. "You must mean carriage. And... I must say, you look a bit young to be driving."
The girl's jaw dropped. "Wow, I really went far this time. You've never heard of cars? You know, the ones that go vroom-vroom, move super fast and all that?"
Cars... Spirit repeated. His tail snapped.
"You're not from here, aren't you?" Hiccup said. "You must have come through that crack."
"Um... I guess? I've never traveled through a crack before," the girl said. "And seriously, what kind of people haven't heard of cars before?"
"We can worry about that later," Hiccup interrupted. "First, what's your name? I'm Hiccup, the horse is Spirit, and that's Elsa." He blinked, repeating the girl's last words in his mind. "What do you mean by different land?"
"Y'know, just referring to the way that everyone calls the different countries different lands sometimes because they're so... different. Like, I'm from Sweetney and Ralph's from Fixit."
Fixit? What kind of a name was that?
"Well... wait, what's you're name again?" Hiccup asked.
"Vanellope."
"Well... Vanellope... I don't think you just switched countries. I think you switched realms."
Vanellope's mouth dropped open. "I did? Cool!"
Hiccup raised an eyebrow, but kept talking. "You came here because of this crack. You see, we think that these cracks are opening up into other realms, like yours. And people are falling in. We're trying to figure out a way to stop these cracks, these portals from opening. It has something to do with this guy named Pitch Black."
"Ooh, he sounds evil. I'm in."
"Wait, I didn't even ask-"
Vanellope stuck out her hand, and Hiccup sighed, before reaching out to shake it. As soon as he touched her, something like a tiny lightning bolt zapped through him. Vanellope seemed to waver before him, and he jumped back, jerking his hand back. Before he could blink, Vanellope disappeared, reappearing on the other side of the crack.
"Woah... what was that?"
Vanellope took a step back, the excitement draining from her face. "Uh. Nothing."
"Your power," Hiccup said, his voice low. Just like Spirit's portals, Elsa's ice, his dreams. "Unless... can everyone from this... Sweetney can do that?"
Vanellope shook her head. "Nah, I'm uh, pretty sure I'm the only one with this gli-'power'. I don't know why or how, I've just always been able to do this."
"I've got a hunch it's probably got something to do with this," Hiccup said, and jerked his head towards the crack.
Vanellope stared, twitching and yet, at the same time, not moving. "You're taking this awfully well."
And so are you. We've seen some crazy things, trust me.
Elsa let out a long breath. "At this point, I'll believe anything, so long as it gets me my people, and my sister back.
"Wait, what happened to your sister?" Vanellope asked.
"It's a really, really long story," Hiccup said. "Basically, we're trying to get all these people, who have fallen into these cracks, out. Also while trying to avoid this guy called Pitch Black and his army of nightmares. Trouble is, we're kinda in the middle of his lairs right now. Anyway, let's just try and get this thing closed, so we can keep going."
I could try just jumping over.
"No," Hiccup said. "Too much of a chance we'll just get sucked in." He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, I think I got this. Spirit, try picturing that it's closing. Try and find that same power you used to make the portal that took you home. Elsa, try covering it with ice. Vanellope... try doing that thing you did: 'jump' over it again. Me, I'll talk to the people in the crack, try to get them to help me."
So crazy it just might work, Spirit said, rolling his eyes.
"So you guys have powers too? Awesome!" Vanellope said, a wide grin spreading over her face.
Like I said, seen some crazy stuff.
Hiccup took a deep breath and closed his eyes, opening his mind. Cold rushed over him. Voices rushed into his head.
Help!
Get us out!
Calm down, Hiccup thought. I'm-we're going to get you out of there.
Hiccup? A familiar voice rang through his mind. Hiccup's breath caught in his throat.
...Dad? Dad, is that you?
Hiccup, what are you doing here?
No time to explain. I need you and everyone else to help me close up this crack.
A clamour of protests rang through his ears.
Are you crazy?
We've been in darkness for so long... please, let us have this one light.
This is the only way out! If you close this up, we'll be stuck here forever!
Silence! Stoick's booming voice rose over the others. Let me son speak!
Hiccup didn't waste any time. Please, listen to me. If you try and get out this way, you'll just fall back in again, he said, his words nearly tripping over one another. It happened with Toothless and it'll happen to you. Our only hope for me and my friends to get to Pitch. His nightmares show up almost every time a crack opens. He knows more than he's letting on. But we have to close this crack.
Alright, Hiccup. Ruff's voice came to him, low and determined. We'll help you close this, but promise me one thing: go kick Pitch's butt.
Hiccup inwardly rolled his eyes. I promise.
o
Hiccup stumbled, his back thumping against the wall of cavern. The air felt hot and sticky, so different from the freezing darkness he had felt moments before. For a second he blinked, wondering where he was, then his eyesight cleared.
"Did we do it?" he croaked.
Indeed you have. Well done.
Hiccup spun around. Standing in the tunnel was an ice-blue dragon, wings perfectly folded, eyes dark and watching. Balder.
"It's you. It's really you. I-I've got so many questions, I don't know where to start."
The dragon's lips seemed to curve up in a smile. I am willing to answer, but we must keep moving. With each moment that passes, the nightmares grow stronger, bolder.
"Wait, what?" Elsa said, talking a step back. "Why should we just go with you? What if it's a trap?"
If I wanted to hurt you, I would have done so long ago. Don't you remember it was me who gave you the clues that led you here? It was me who set Hiccup free when he was locked in Pitch's cell. Balder let out a loud snort. That fool. He does not even know what he is doing, yet he will destroy this realm if he is not stopped. Now, come.
"Yes sir!" Vanellope said, and began skipping after the dragon. Elsa gave a sigh and glanced at Hiccup.
Hiccup grinned. "What can I say? I've always been a softie for dragons. Plus, I'm pretty sure he is the one who set me free? I mean, how else could he know about my escape?"
"Alright, Balder," Elsa said. "So we'll follow you. Now I'm assuming you are talking about the cracks as the thing that will destroy the realm, but how is Pitch mixed up in all of this?"
In the center of Pitch's caves is a place called the Cavern of Reflections. It is the epicenter, the place where all this began. I assume you have heard from your dragon friend... Toothless something about the moon?
Hiccup nodded.
The time of the fourth blood moon, or 'lunar eclipse the barriers that separate this realm from the next are at their weakest. It was at this time that Pitch entered the cave and, in a blind rage, actually cracked the great mirror in the Cavern of Reflections. From that crack he drew forth power, much like you four. That power transformed him into Pitch Black. The creatures he calls 'his nightmares' are the broken fragments of mirror, always trying to get back to the barrier where they belong, carrying people and animals with them.
"So how do we stop him? Them? Whatever," Hiccup said.
Balder gave a low growl. Now that's the tricky part...