Soul Troubles

It was only a few moments later for Stoick and Boden after Kara had returned them to Valhalla after stopping time for their family to assure them Hiccup was safe. So right now they're in turn informing all who'd been in their Spirit Home for the last 24 hours holding prayer vigil for the eldest Haddock child that he was alright.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the gods that their chief and soul keeper son and brother hadn't been claimed by the silent killer that is depression. But they didn't know the true story of what had happened to Hiccup at all.

Stoick did thank all the souls that did make up their family on this side of things for aiding in keeping his eldest child alive but for now he and his second child need some alone time to think some things over and such.

Everyone nodded their heads in understanding and replied they'd get to their duties and leave the family to themselves and if they needed them they'd be there for them.

Everyone before leaving them gave each of them hugs and Asta also gave Boden a long kiss and promised she be nearby for him before leaving with her elder sister.

For a moment everyone was quiet and then Soulwings spoke first. "We're really lucky I'll admit to dodge what we just dodge with Hiccup and I'd also say we'd be very grateful for the souls who inhabited this village and know without them Hiccup might not have lived through War Torn at all."

"So true, Soulwings, everyone loses their way or falls, but never have we come so close to losing a member of our family like this, especially not in this manner. If this silent killer had gotten him or he'd died in War Torn he'd have belong to Hel!

For taking one's life falls under her jurisdiction of what kind of souls end up in her wasteland of an afterlife. Furthermore, Soulwings, if she's been attempting to claim the souls of your Rider's children from the moment she started her unexplained vendetta against our family? She would've at least claimed one!" Stardust shivered in fear and so did everyone else knowing how close Hel came to claiming Hiccup's soul at last.

"I will never let that evil walking carcass take my big brother's soul! Not if I can help it! He's saved all of us ten times over it's about time someone helped saved him and from now on Una and I'll do our part in protecting our big brother! Not just him protecting us!" Boden vowed right there and then his green eyes flashing with passion.

Stoick seemed very quiet as he sat down on his bed and held his helmet in his head and he looked tired and sad. Boden notice his father's expression and rushed over to him and hugged him.

"Dad, don't worry, I will keep my promise like Hiccup's kept his to watch over me and Una. We'll protect each other from now on!"

"It's not that, son."

"Then what is it, Dad? I know this was one of the scariest things we've gone through as a family lately, especially since we now know we are a family of blood, but what's wrong?"

"It's as your dragon pointed out, that Hel nearly took Hiccup, she nearly won a very important battle of this war she's raged on us and the whole Realms for unknown reasons," he sighed as he turned the helmet over and over in his hands.

"When your mother was taken that night from your brother I felt more guilt then you think a human could feel and now that night makes both your mother and I feel even worse since we know it was changed so you and Una wouldn't be born.

But for 20 years I lived every day with the guilt that I couldn't save your mother. I blamed myself every day that I caused what I thought was your mother's death and I failed your brother and that I had caused him one of his greatest pain.

Yes in this broken timeline we've been forced to live in watching Hiccup grow up we had a strained relationship, but what made it harder was I knew very early on he was just like your mother as all of you are.

Every one of you are so much like your mother and that makes me very happy to be honest but watching Hiccup grow up and seeing him pretty much be exactly like your mother? It caused a lot of problems on the inside for me.

My guilt for failing to save the only person who he could possibly related too and leaving him without someone he needed so much. I knew Mother's Day was the day he hated more than any other day. Even his birthday or Snoggletog wasn't as bad when Mother's Day came.

The way it broke his heart every Mother's Day when everyone was so happy? He was so depressed and heartbroken every year that day. But I'm starting to feel even guiltier than ever."

"Why, Dad?"

"Because of Hel's actions and how I've failed all my children but most of all I didn't do my part help Hiccup not have this depression. If I'd been a better father and been a better listener it would've never gotten this bad."

"Dad! You can't put all the blame on yourself! I've dealt with my own depression and you've helped me with my crazy moods! I know that I cause you a lot of distress with my unpredictable mood shifts.

I mean I can go from being super happy and feeling invincible to lower then dirt and just lifeless, and you and mom have done your best to help me with that!

Just like Mom's done her best to help all of us cope with whatever's ailing all three of our minds!"

"Yes, your mother is quite intuitive, more so then even your sister. She knew long before I really put it together that Hiccup's got some problems with lot to do with holding attention on anything that doesn't really matter.

He's doesn't pay attention to anything that really doesn't interest him so we know for a fact the really only thing he's truly seriously paid attention to was dragons.

We know with that he throws all his energy in anything to do with that or was overzealous to try fit in even though he couldn't do it with normal thing to the point of being impulsive."

"We know again that he never listened to a direct order from you Dad and while he was organized and able to do things with organization sometimes he did overwhelm himself with too many ideas from the only thing he could pay attention to which is dragons.

Also he isn't one to sit still and though no one was listening he was talking a mile a minute he has admitting to me and Una doing a thousand narrations in his head wishing for someone to talk too. But he can be restless and just overeager when it comes to dragons and Mom's done her best to teach him coping skills."

"We know you have your extreme mood swings that go back and forth and Una seems to have similar problems that that boy who Hel used to summon Krashath has."

"Are you worried that you and Mom caused us to be defected, Dad? That even though all three of us are indeed blessed with gifts that we are defected? Is that why you think we failed us?"

"I believe your mother said it correctly to me once shortly after we're shown the life we should've had. It was when we're planning the crossover race and you three were discussing the race rules.

We're having a private conversation of this same topic because I confessed that I had failed or hurt my children in some way. She told me that I've done my job as a father well and she's done her job as a mother as well as she could.

As for our children gifts? We're very lucky and blessed but so is every child born who each has a special gift. They just have to discover what it is and let it be awakened to its full potential.

She also says as far as she concerned everyone in every Realm who lives and breathes has something in our minds challenges in ways that no-one else does that we just have to learn to cope with and work around the limits that our own unique mind has to deal with.

So in her words no-one is completely of sound of mind we're all dealing with something in our minds and we all have other limits and we just have to deal with them."

"Mom is as wise as she is beautiful. Still it does leave us again back to where we started. That because of a goddess who we've never hurt in anyway has done all in her powers and beyond to ruin our lives and everyone we care about!

We still don't know how she did what she did to me and Una! Took us out of the timeline before our births, murders and then to ensure we weren't put back in to the timeline made sure Mom was taken away hopefully for good."

"That I really want the answer to because I do believe Stardust made a very good point."

"I did? What did I make a point of Stoick?"

"You said Hel was trying to claim my children souls. I believe she has tried to claim all three and nearly has done it but been prevented by a series of lucky breaks."

"You think Hel was trying to claim mine and Una's souls when she did whatever she did to make us die before our births, Dad?" Boden asked in a scared tone as he buckled at the knees as Stardust steady him.

"Yes, she was trying to eliminate you two for a reason if she went to the trouble to ensure you weren't born. So whatever she did to make sure you weren't born and then murder you in the way she did, I do believe she was trying to make sure you both ended up in her Realm so she could lock you up in Purgatory."

"I wouldn't put anything past her after all she wanted me in her Purgatory and she's been steaming mad she didn't claim me as one of her trophy souls for her soul prison.

You're extremely luck Deadly Siren got you both to that Spirit Cavern which helped ensure you both were in a way protect and still be reunited family even if was unknown many decades later." Soulwings started to say and Stardust nodded for Boden who was still too shock and realizing the truth to speak.

"I believe we are very indebted to Deadly Siren for saving Boden and Una from Hel, but I don't think this is the first time that murdering icy vixen has tried to claim the last of the Haddock's children souls as her own. If anything she's been very determined to get Hiccup's almost to the point of obsession."

"What are you talking about?" Stoick and Boden asked at the same time and Stardust looked at them.

"How many times has Hiccup barely escaped death from the moment of his birth? If Hel had the power to remove Boden and Una from the timeline I don't doubt she tried to kill Hiccup by forcing Valka to go into preterm labor hoping he die from his early birth.

And if changing the timeline wasn't enough to make him wanting to kill himself she possibly hoped losing his mommy as a babe be enough to kill. The way I see it she's been trying to kill him since before he was born and even if he died honorable she still try to snatch his soul like the thousands she's done before.

He should've died when he killed the Red Death all he did was loose a foot. How many other times should he have died and didn't manage it? Someone wants that boy to live as much as someone wants him dead. Just look over his life and you tell me you don't see it!"

It did click in both father and brother mind just how many attempts on Hiccup's life from the very start had been made and how much his depression had been egged on.

Then you add that onto what the whole family had been through along with their dragons? Whether it been direct or indirectly Hel had one way or another been hurting them to get to the point the pain was so unbearable she wanted them to end up in her clutches so she could have them and ultimately win this war she was waging and she very nearly won Hiccup's soul!

Things were getting so bad and just thinking what was going to be the most emotionally charged day for any of them in three days! Because with it being May 17th today that mean in 72 hours it be what they'd now renamed Family Remembrance Day but how could they truly deal with what that day really meant to them when it seemed everything in that their family held so dear was trying to be destroyed right down to their very souls?

For a moment it looked like everyone in that Spirit House too was depressed as Hiccup had been but then it was almost like Hiccup's new powers transcend upwards towards them. Or maybe it was just because they'd had only two hours ago been all hugging and crying.

But the room became full of a radiant golden light and shimmering golden sparkles and that same light was surely going on in house on Berk and Hiccup's new powers were most likely unknowingly showing his whole family the reason why the lived.

Their memories came to the surface all surrounded with golden sparkles and bathed in a golden light and as they danced about in their heads the memories they made as a family they remembered important things.

Like even there some memories starting out sad like if they're staring out at the rain with heavy hearts with the thoughts of the end of the world on their mind. They need only hear one another voice to pull each other back from that dark place.

It seemed Hiccup's new power showed them clearly what the answer was and it was somewhere very close. That it was right there inside them all along. For now they realized what they had knew what they'd always known deep down inside.

The reason you keep fighting the reason to keep believing and never giving up and putting up with all the shit and crap of life? Because of the ones you love need you to live and breathe. Because they make you believe in yourself when you yourself cannot. Because those we love live the world has twice as many reasons for us to keep on going.

Even those who have passed on their duties to their loved ones are not done. Even if they didn't survive life they still must survive on in the afterlife. They live again and make sure their loved ones still make it through every storm yet come. They're now the protectors who watched over those who still needed them and death doesn't stop one from doing that not ever and their job is to keep hope alive!

So those we love and to keep hope alive are more than enough of a reason to keep going on even if lose a fight. You've to give more than you got always. So that was every reason they'd ever need to keep going and their need to live on because they need to live for their family and for love.

After getting Hiccup's loving message they felt better and had renewed strength. They felt better and hopeful. But then Boden cried out in utter agony, the same kind of agony that Una had when her power of trigger objects emerged.

He fell to the ground clutching his stomach in pain and looked very sick. His soul body almost looked like he was a rotten corpse for a moment and he just felt sicker than sick.

His father was right by his side and asked his son what was wrong. "I'm not sure, Dad, I've never felt this kind of pain before, but I'm getting the sense I'm needing to go to the DSS immediately. The Souls are in grave danger and I need to help them."

"You can't go in this state and you promised your mother and I you'd never go by yourself again," he reminded him as he tried to help him up as he still looked sick.

"I won't go by myself, Dad, I'll get Asta to help me. But I can't ignore the souls in this much agony. If I feel this sick they must be in grave danger. We know I feel their pain as my own. I hear their thoughts, feel their emotions and if they're in distress I feel it. It all goes with being an empath. I've to go and now."

"Okay, go but be careful! We already nearly lost your brother we're not losing you or Una!"

"I promise I won't get hurt this time around. Be back soon. Go, Stardust!"

As Boden hurried to where Asta and the Soul Riders lived whatever was causing him to feel sick only was getting worse and it took all the training his brother had given him not to fall off Stardust.

Right now the Soul Riders were in their little community finishing having their own serious discussion. Knowing that the Chief of Afterlife nearly lost his firstborn had sparked memories of their own lives and some unanswered questions.

Right now it also made everyone wanted to be with their romantic partner. So everyone but Elof and Asta where with their lovers as they're finishing their talk.

They'd been recollecting about their childhoods together with the Caxel sisters' parents as their leaders Chief Leontes and Lady Lelane. The sister looked exactly like their mother except Asta's dark hair came from her father.

How the brothers' father Tobin been Leontes best friends since they'd been babies which is why he'd been second. And the twins' grandma Pella had been pretty much a grandmother to the whole island.

So all seven of them had been so close in life and it was only natural that they'd formed a Council to rule the island after the death of their loved ones. But even after having pleasant childhoods it was feeling like now things weren't what they should've been for several reasons and few unexplained ones too.

It was now very clear based on the memories of the proper timeline that the Haddocks had been shown for unexplained reason that their clan as well as the Shardas clan were supposed to have lived to Berk time and become friends and allies.

It was also hinted more they've all become part of something bigger than even the Haddocks retaining memories of the proper timeline. Boden had told them from what memories they'd been able to hold onto as some of it had faded a bit, but he did recall some important facts.

He knew for a fact they like himself were time displaced, two that he and Asta were meant to be in a relationship always, and he suspect all three of their clans were meant to ride dragons and do something of great importance than just ride dragons. As if riding dragons was just one of their great duties their three clans were supposed to do together.

But as Leif now was pointing out as he was fixing his girlfriend's new hairstyle if that was true it might also explain something that had been upsetting them for the past 155 years since the massacre of their people.

Ase stopped him for a moment out of pain. Her new hairstyle was taken the same ribbons her mom used to braid her hair with and sewn them together to make one long ribbon. Then she'd sewn on the special flowers only grown on their island so the hair ribbon could help make a very nice looking and special ponytail.

Asta had done her own new look with her hair as well. She too now wore her hair in an unbraided ponytail as well. She just uses a dark green hair tie to hold together and wore a beautiful unique flower above her left ear too. It was the first flower Boden had given her so she wore as a token of his love.

The sisters had given themselves their new hairstyles a week before the crossover race because for two reasons. One they felt it was time for a little makeover and two they actually had wanted to impress the beautiful Astrid but at the moment it was neither here or there.

As Ase was pointing out as her boyfriend finished redoing her ponytail correctly what had been bothering them was the same thing that had bothered the Shardas clan and their own dragons. Their missing people and their dragons' relatives and friends.

It was extremely unusual they'd to acknowledge that out of the two clans that for their clan the Moralien Clan only the seven of them had come to Valhalla. Where was all who came before them? Or all those who died with them in the massacre?

Same went with those who were killed in the massacre of the Shardas Clan that only eight had come. Likewise out of all the Traders of the Arjas line so far only Merchant Audun had come so far all which was very puzzling.

Furthermore as their dragons had long pointed out that numerous that had slaughtered in the genocide of White King's ancestor's Nest weren't there. Even more puzzling neither were their descendants who had been born to lead to their living ones most who lived on Berk or had been escorted by the Haddocks at one point in their lives.

So the puzzling question the Twins asked in unison as they each sat on one knee of Torben's lap as he held them tightly "Where are the missing souls? What happened to them? Why did they not make it to Valhalla or the DSS? What is going on? What are we missing?"

"I don't like sounding as dumb as my Berkians counterpart Tuffnut, girls, but I'm clues, my lovely ladies."

"Don't feel bad, little brother. None of us know the answer to that and we haven't known that or why we're killed a 155 years ago in the first place. Even our friend Boden doesn't have the answer he seeks as to why his family was messed with so bad." Elof pointed out sensibly in a sympathy voice.

Ever since Elof and Tue had come out of the closet they'd both been a lot less wound up and not panicky or showing bad traits worrying what others would think. Being able to be open and just be yourself was a relief though it was true once Tue had finally to tell his grandpa fully that he was gay he hadn't taken it completely well but finally accepted it.

After all finding the beautiful soul that was your soul mate was hard enough and if you couldn't find them in life and you got lucky enough to find them in death? Well better late than absolutely never!

At that moment again every soul who had been married or didn't get the chance to be married seemed to be with their soul mate and just stealing a moment alone with them. It was like right now they felt some really bad was gonna happen so for the next five minutes all anyone wanted to do was be alone with their soul mates and hold them tightly as they kissed hearing the song of the soul sings when you find your soul mate.

"There will never be another prettier face than yours and you're the only one I wish to hold. True love never goes to waste when you find your beautiful soul mate.

We've such a long journey chasing after so many just to find each other till we finally could hold each other in our arms. So let's not let any another minute go to waste since you're my beautiful soul mate!

We know that we got something special! To each other we shall be ever faithful! We will be there whenever the other one is needed! We shall be the hope the other's heart needs!

We don't need any more time to think this over we are ready to move on forward. We are more than ready to give into the chance of a lifetime! So let's not be shy we know there be some tears along the way but it's time we try!

We are not crazy for wanting to be with each other because we know it's true! True love is never a thing that waste anyone's time! It makes you see and feel things more clearly then you ever would! You never have anything left to hide again!

Now that you found the beautiful soul of your true love your beautiful soul mate!"

Everyone in Valhalla heard that song ringing in their hearts as they finished their five minutes alone with their soul mates even if some were still physically apart they still could feel them strongly enough that everyone heard the song of soul mates and what it meant.

As the song of the soul mates just finished the Soul Riders heard someone in distressed and looked up in time to see Boden coming about to crash. Reacting instinctively with all their training they all managed to help guide Stardust safely to the ground.

Asta was immediately by her love's side and he looked very sick which scared because just two and half hours ago he looked physically fine even if he'd just been though a very emotional hellish ordeal with his big brother's depression.

"Boden! Are you okay, beloved?!" she cried hysterically and the twins came hurrying over with one holding a pouch and the other a flagon.

Eira ripped open the pouch and took out a strange assortment of berries and a few seeds and put them in Boden's mouth and helped him chew and swallow them. Then Erika poured a strange colored liquid into his mouth as well. They waited a few moments and then Boden opened his eyes and a little color came back to his skin and he look a little less sick.

Coughing a minute he shivered, "Thanks Eira and Erika what was that stuff?"

"Our grandma understood a lot of illness and that included when someone is spiritually sick," Eira started to explain and her twin finished. "She knew there were things beyond our realms of understanding who could makes us sick and steal our life forces. So she was able to which much difficult able to find the most spiritual ground on our island and grow a special garden."

"So anything grown in that ground was like the lilacs that changed Una's hair? It had spiritual energy in it that has strong potent effects and some unforeseen properties is what you're saying?" Boden finished for them.

"Yes, she was very protective of her garden and we did our best to protect and raise it well," the twins assure him, then added. "We also tended to other animals on our animals. We've always had a strong connection to nature and taking care of things. Guess that's why we've the job of taking care of the Dragon Souls needs for spirit food and water and have some basic healing knowledge."

"Well, thanks for whatever you gave me. For now it's made my sickness less pronounced but not gotten rid of it completely but thanks."

"What's got you so sick anyone, Boden?" Leif asked him troubling as he eyed the sixteen year old boy.

"It's the Dragon Souls in the DSS. They're in danger and if my sickness is this bad they're in serious trouble. I came to get Asta and we needed to get their ASAP to find out what's wrong."

"Of course I'll go with you right away to find out what's wrong, Boden, but is there anything else you wish for the rest of us to do?"

"I believe you should check on the souls we have in the Arena and make sure they're all right. Then do what you can for the village. I'm having a very bad feeling something is coming and we need to do something now."

"Will do, Boden. The Twins and I will tend to the Arena right away. The brothers can finish tending to our little home needs and then will check on the rest of the village. Just take care of my little sister okay?"

"I shall do that, Ase! Let's go! May Odin protect us all!" and they're off!

Ase turned to the twin sisters who nodded and they mounted their dragons and hurried to the Arena and no sooner did they get there did they realize whatever was making Boden sick was more than just a hunch of trouble. It was most certainly a premonition of something seriously bad.

All the dragon souls they'd currently in the arena which was about twenty five of various species were all in an uproar and acting crazy. They seemed more scared and out their minds then if Krashath had arrived with giant eels draped over his bone white body!

"Something is seriously wrong here, my friends. I can feel it in my bones can't you two?" Ase turned to the Twins who nodded.

"Something seriously bad is coming. Our gut is telling us we need to get everyone out of here right now! Like yesterday we need to get the dragons out of here!" cried Eira in a panic.

"I second that motion, sis. I feel there a great deal at stake and yet if we don't move the ground beneath will start quake!"

"Oh no! That's really bad when you two start to speak in rhymes! You only do that when danger is coming! Hurry get to the master switch and unlock all the cages now!"

"Yes, we are on it, Ase, before the bow shall break we will free the poor souls before the earthquake!" they screamed as they flew over to the master lever and opened the cage and their dragon and Ase were like asking the same question.

"Why is a bad sign if the twins speak in rhyme, Ase?" they asked the white haired blond as she started trying to round up the souls in an orderly fashion.

"It's a gift from their grandmother that they only speak in rhymes when a crises is about to hit….Ahh!"

Just at that moment the whole arena did begin to shake as it was like the world around them became unglued but it was only the arena itself that was falling about like the earthquake was only around the arena.

The twins were yelling out all kinds of warnings and instructions still speaking in verse as they tried to help Ase get everyone out of the collapsing mess of the arena and barely managed to get out of it before it all completely fell apart by this earthquake then into a dark pit.

"We'll never doubt our riders again if they start speaking in verse again!" Ruby and Jade yelled loudly.

"This is very bad! What just happened?! Earthquakes aren't localized and one shouldn't even happen in Valhalla at any rate! What's going on, Ase?" demanded Amber to her Rider who was as pale as her hair.

"No idea but let's get back to our huts and find out how the brothers are quickly!"

"There no need for that, Ase! They're coming to meet us!" the twins pointed who was streaking across the sky from the direction where their little home was set up.

The Skarpin brothers were all hauling ass as fast as they could across the skies towards them. They're closed were singed and smelled of smoke. Their dragons were wheezing a bit as well.

"What happened our love?!" demanded the Twins to the boyfriend they shared to the youngest brother who was coughing a lot. He could no more answer then Skelton Key who was coughing a lot of soot out of his mouth.

"We barely survived that's what happened!" Elof exclaimed loudly as he flew by his youngest brother to check him out. "You okay, Torben? I hope you didn't inhale too much of that smoke."

Coughing he manage to take a swing of water and stopped, "I'm fine, thanks to you big bro. You and Skyfire saved me. Thank the gods you ride a Nightmare and he absorbed most of the flames giving us a chance to escape the inferno!"

"Yes, thank Odin for small favors!" Leif agreed before turning to the girls to explain. "I'm sure you felt the rumbling a few moments ago correct?"

"Felt it, Leif? Are you freaking kidding us? That was like only biggest earthquake ever that just destroyed the DSTA! We barely got out alive! Or as alive as souls can be! If the twins had started speaking in verse we wouldn't have known there was danger even!" Ase yelled at her love in anger and fear.

"I knew my girls having that strange power from the grandma would came in handy one day!" Torben said with a smile as he kissed both of his girlfriends.

"Well it's the only magical ability we got from our grandmother Pella. If there's danger we speak in verse and are able to speak about it that way!" they reminded everyone.

"But what happened to you three?!" demanded Ase looking at her love and his brothers.

"The earthquake released pillars of flames and other gases that ignited and our homes went up in flames. We barely escaped and wouldn't have at all if not for Elof and Skyfire taking the brunt of it and absorbing most of it and directing it away giving Torben and myself along with our dragons enough time to escape."

"But yeah our home is now burnt like toast it's gone!"

"This is terrible! This is really bad! An earthquake is unheard of in Valhalla!" cried Earth Mother in a panic.

"Yeah, under no circumstances in the whole history in the existence of Valhalla has there been a natural catastrophe of any kind such as an earthquake or anything of the like!" Skeleton Key seconded.

"Well, if we don't get moving there another thing that never been seen in Valhalla that surely will do us all in!" Skyfire yelped loudly and they all turned slowly and stared off into the distant horizon where the Nightmare's eyes were looking.

Extremely far away for now but creeping incredibly slowly but surely was something so red it was almost black. It was like the skies were hemorrhaging and it was starting to ever so slowly turn from a drizzle into a downpour of a bizarre substance. Whatever this material was no matter what it touched instantaneously transformed into true death!

It was literally making everything rot, decay and became a twisted horrid nightmare! The likes which could only be liken to how hellish War Torn had been for Hiccup! Nevertheless this Plague of Death little by little skulking on its way to them!

This strange plague was sucking all the life out of the afterlife and then they really be dead for real! It'd be the end of their afterlives! The end of the Valhalla! The end of everything! This be oblivion and then death would really mean the end instead of the next great adventure! That what this coming Plague meant!

"We must get to the village and warn everyone at once! We need get everyone out of the village and go to our strongest stronghold before that Plague Cloud reaches the Village! It's moving very slowly for now but it could pick up speed any moment! Let's hurry!" and the Soul Riders took off like a shot to warn the village as the Plague crept closer.

However it wasn't just the Soul Riders who were getting hints that the Plague of Death was on its way. The Shardas Clan members all were getting strong signs as well and they're all acting on them.

For instance Kustaa was supposed be overseeing today's Viewing Day at the Courtyard of Viewing Wells. But the moment he arrived and an icy wind blew through like one feels at a boneyard and all the Wells' waters were black as tar?

He told everyone to turn back immediately and gather their families and head to the Spirit Great Hall. Forget gathering possessions get to the Spirit Great Hall now!

He and Windblade were busy doing that as quickly as they could and only had enough time to chance a glance before seeing the Courtyard return to how it looked when Kara had taken Stoick and Boden there for their private Viewing Day. It was once more desecrated and like an abandon boneyard!

As the former chief of the Shardas Clan was rounding up as many souls as he could he could only think of the woman he loved, Thora who was meant to have been his wife, if they'd been all murdered. How was she?

Thora and Audun right now were busy with their fellow Marketplace members trying to save what they could from this mysterious plague. But it seemed like things were turning into dust in their hands. The Marketplace was already gone like all the termites in the world had eaten it already!

Thora and Audun along with Beauty and Safeguard were yelling at people not to care if was stacked neatly just to throw it on the carts for the dragons to take up to the Spirit Great Hall before it all vanished into thin air!

It was the same story with Halvar and Tue and Helka and Nanna. They're trying to save what they could with what help they could get to help them before it rotted away and turned to dust with their dragons help. Endre and Unna had sent half their team to help one half the village and the other help the other half.

It was no surprise by now Stoick knew what was going on and was also involved flying high above giving orders to everyone from as he and Soulwings flew everywhere quickly.

He quickly got the Soul Riders news and what Kustaa had to tell him and told them both what to do. Kustaa and his clan was to finish getting what supplies they could into the Spirit Great Hall and quickly. The Riders were to help the remaining families evacuated from their homes and into the Spirit Great Hall.

He told them to make sure to go the Anquetils first and make sure to get Flamewing out as quick as possible, given her health problems they needed to move her as quickly as possible to the Spirit Great Hall. Then once she was safe the rest of her family could assist with helping get the other souls to the Spirit Great Hall.

Ase told the Chief they better hurry because that Plague was gaining strength, speed and power with the more life it sucked out of the afterlife and he better go get Boden and Asta the other Dragon Souls from the DSS and bring them to Spirit Great Hall quickly too!"

Stoick nodded and he and Soulwings shot off as fast as lightning to get his son and his beloved from the DSS praying he was about to lose another child or lose his second born a second time!

The plague was already trying to make it was into the DSS. Like how it was spreading slowly throughout the land of Valhalla it had hit parts of the DSS already.

All bodies of water first turned red as blood before drying up and now slowly the rest of the land was slowly shriveling up and dying as well. As if it was century long drought was happening in a matter of minutes!

Boden and Asta had rounded up all the souls to meet at the dried up lake which was where White King lived. They're quickly making sure all souls were accounted for as White King was trying to use what was left of his powers as an alpha to keep everyone calm and in line so they could evacuate in a calm and orderly fashion.

Once Boden reported that all the souls were present and accounted for White King turned and spoke to Boden in his mind and Boden told the noble late king he understood.

He and White King spoke as one and tried to direct everyone to again evacuate in an orderly fashion and not to panic and they make their way to the Spirit Great Hall and go through back entrance and get inside.

But of course when your home is having the life sucked out of it and everything is coming undone at the seams you cannot expect people not panic. It was chaos no matter how much the three of them tried to get everyone to calm down and do as they said and in the chaos Boden once more fell off his dragon and most likely if he hit the ground he'd have the life sucked out his soul.

But Asta just managed to rescue him before he touched the ground and then his father showed up at just the right moment and with his help they finally managed to get all the dragon souls out of the DSS seconds before the Plague of Death reached and rained its poison on it killing it.

Not even hesitating a moment they zoomed back to the SGH and barely by skin of their teeth got the last dragon soul inside before bolting the door shut and barricading with Firestorm and her father doing all they could to set up a spiritual barrier for extra protection but now all of Valhalla was trapped inside their Great Hall cut off from all the other Realms without anyway to contact anyone to tell them their souls were in danger of being sentence to oblivion!

It was very cramped and everyone was beyond scared to death right now that was the understatement right now. They just knew they're far away from anyone who could help them and all who loved them and the world they loved and called home!

Whatever was going on it look like this time this lovely place they called home it too late to call for help. They could wait but help was far too long gone to reach them. There was no chance for them this time nothing left to hold out for!

Again at that dark moment all they could think about was the souls there weren't in Valhalla that should've been and weren't and those who were alive who needed them to watch over them and they weren't going to be able to anymore.

They'd never get to tell their loved ones ever again the words "We love you and we loved all along and we still miss you and even though we're far away we always be there when your dreaming and we'll never let you go!"

As the death rained heavier on their Spirit Great Hall almost everyone Viking and Dragon got down on their knees and was praying and wishing they'd had one last chance to be with their loved ones to embrace them, to love and dance with them.

All Stoick was thinking right now was of his family most of all of Valka. If he was really gone vanished forever there were things he truly wanted to say to her most of all. All of his kids of course but things she really had to know.

What he wanted to say to her most of all was she needed her to hear him say was "I've loved you all along and I forgave you for being away for so long. All I care about is you and our children but I will always love you. I've never been angry with you so please just keep breathing and staying strong for our children! Please for me Val? Please!"

While everyone was contemplating the end Asta found Boden and Stardust in the back corner looking like they're mulling it over too. Asta hurried over to her love and kissed him.

"Don't worry, Boden, we'll survive this! We survived the Siege two years ago, we shall survive this! I've faith, your family saved us back then, and I believe we shall see another miracle."

"Your right, my love. My brother and sister helped pull off a miracle to save us once before now it's my turn to perform one."

"Huh? What are you talking about, Boden?" she asked confused and gasped as he pulled something out of his left pocket that she immediately recognized.

"How in Odin's name did you get your hands on the Resurrection Amulet?! It was supposed to be hidden in a new secret location after the Siege! No-one was supposed to know where it was hidden! How do you happened to have it in your pocket?!"

"Doesn't matter how I've in my pocket, Asta, the point is I'm gonna use it to go get my brother's help to save us all before we face oblivion. The Spirit Great Hall is only gonna protected for about another day or so! We're gonna need someone to save us from this Plague of Death Rain before then! It's almost nightfall now! We're running out of time! I've to go now!"

"Boden if you use that Amulet without permission you'll lose your job as Soul Keeper!"

"That's the last thing we should be thinking about, Asta is something as trivial as stupid job! We are talking about our LIVES HERE! We may not understand it fully but our souls are given bodies that are as almost as alive as our physical bodies!

If that Death Rain touches us we shall really DIE! We won't be souls anymore! We'll be facing OBLIVION! WE'LL BE GONE FOREVER! FOR GOOD! A STUPID MEANINGLESS TITLE ISN'T WHAT I CARE ABOUT RIGHT NOW!" he told her heatedly.

"I don't want to lose you either, Boden. I really do love you. You're the best thing in my life or death. I know we're meant to be even if I'm five years older than you."

"You're the only girl for me too, Asta and I rather not see the woman I love die or watch my home die. Because if this Plague kills Valhalla it will also kill my other home Berk and my whole family will die. I will not lose what makes life worth living!"

"Understood."

"Thank you," he told with tears in his dark green eyes as they became involved in a deep and passionate kiss. After a moment he broke free and whispered to her his plan. "I'm going to back room and putting this on and going to Earth. Only tell my father and just pray I can get help before that Rain gets in here! I'll be back I promise! I love you Asta!"

"I love you Boden!"

With that he and Stardust went into a back room and there was a flash of light and they knew they'd gone to Earth. Asta cried and hurried to tell Stoick what his son had done and he was as stoic as his name for a moment but nodded that he figured his son do that.

For now all they could do was prayer and hope help came before death truly came to claim their souls!

Songs used. 1. Because you live 2. Beautiful Soul 3. Far Away