Greetings all!
I am so sorry for my long absence from things here. I have still been on site commenting and reviewing and collaborating. but when it came to writing I actually havent had much time to do any with all of the crazy time-consuming things that have consistently popped up to get in way. and then when i did get to write I found myself staring hard at a big brick wall.
so this is my newest chapter of ROTNF. It's just a quick look to move things on and set up for what is coming in the future. Also it's super heavy with little references in the second half of this chapter and quotes that may date me horribly. But I don't care. it was fun to work them in and see who gets them and who doesnt. I hope you like it.
A massive thanks to all of the folks who have been asking for a new chapter recently in this and my other stories and I sincerely hope I can get more done in the future.
You have all been so patient with me and I thank you for that.
Enjoy!
The Return of The Nightfuries
Chapter 44
Gods and Monsters Part 1
Previously on ROTNF …..
Toothless was forced to reveal some of his past to Dathomir and his siblings
Hiccup had dream and departed for the village on the Isle of Munn.
While the Red Death dispatched an emissary to the Isle of Night
What will happen?
Read on and find out!
(Dragon Island, just after dawn)
"They killed far more of our kind than before my queen!" a large grey Gronkle angrily lamented as he hovered before the Red Death while she feasted on the rest of her flock's offerings, "one of them my nest brother!"
At first it seemed the gargantuan creature was not paying him any attention, causing his fellow Gronkles to growl loudly and 4 more of the bulbous dragons hovered up beside their indignant leader, drawing a narrowed eye from the Red-Death herself. One of them, a teal coloured female stuck close her mate, her voice full of supplication as she spoke, "The Night-child protects us and destroys the human rock throwers. His absence weakens our attack, makes us more vulnerable! We do not wish to see our kin or this nest destroyed my Queen!"
"BE AT PEACE MY ROCK-EATERS!"
The vast cavern shook with the mighty voice that overflowed with power and irritability as the Red Death swung her huge head around to land all six of her eyes on the party of dragons that were interrupting her feast.
"PLANS ARE UNDER WAY TO SPEED HIS RETURN ….. AND POSSIBLY MORE OF HIS KIND!"
Seeing the look of reassurance she had given most of her followers, the Dragon Queen inwardly smirked. She revelled at the simplicity of manipulating these foolish common dragons while at the same time, meticulously engineering the retrieval of her favourite servant and potentially his kin, back into her fold.
"FEAR NOT MY CHILDREN ….. YOUR QUEEN HAS MANY TOOLS WITH WHICH SHE CAN PROTECT HER LOYAL FLOCK!"
The Red Death had indeed been busy. Working on her secret arcane magicks, with wicked glee she had finally happened upon the right incantations that allowed to her to ghost past Shadow's mind and focus on the precious little human treasure he was jealously guarding. The human boy's open mind was like a fully stocked storehouse with its doors flung wide, just waiting for her to plunder it as she saw fit. Already she had discerned much from the scattered images she had glimpsed through the powerful barrier that was 'The Viel'.
But now, she could tell this living key to Shadow's heart was without that protection and she had to work quickly so that with enough subtle prompting and goading, she would have all the leverage she could ever need to control all of the Nightfuries forever. It wouldn't take long until she had full control. The great dragon let her huge jaw hang open in a visible smile as she spoke again the party of Gronkles that were still buzzing in front of her.
"I AM PLEASED, YOU BROUGHT ME PLENTY TO FEED ON!"
"Tis only a few more raids before the Winter-sleep!"the large Gronkle declared proudly, obviously happy at the warm – albeit completely hollow - praise he was receiving "we wished you to be satisfied! But I demand vengeance on the human she-beast that killed my kin!"
"THE HUMANS HAVE THEIR PURPOSE ROCK-EATER ….. SUCH LOSSES …. THOUGH SAD …. ARE INEVITABLE".
The Red-Death grumbled in reply, her eyes slitting as she suddenly realised her grasp over this rather spirited Gronkle was starting to slip as he was showing no signs of backing down.
"He was my nest brother! This will not stand! I will not rest while that human lives!" the Gronkle shrieked in righteous indignation, sparking a wave of agreeing murmurs from all of the other dragons that were now watching intently from their various perches around the nest. Empowered by the feelings of sympathy and encouragement he felt from his nest-mates, the Gronkle continued, his pain and sorrow overriding any previous loyalties he held, "I will raid by myself if I must! There are tales that an avenging bone-skin haunts these islands without hindrance. I would hunt as he does, until my blood is satisfied. And there is no power in this world that will stop …"
SNAP! … CHOMP!
At once all of the murmuring and chittering in the vast cavern stopped.
Aside from the faint rumbling of lava in the depths, the gathered nest of dragons communally winced and cringed as they could do nothing but listen to the progression of sickening crunching, popping and slurping sounds. For some strange reason everyone kept forgetting the vast dragon that was the Red-Death could lunge so quickly, as without warning she had slammed her huge jagged maw around all five of the Gronkles that had been hovering before her.
As the poisonous Queen slowly and deliberately munched on her unscheduled dessert, some of the dragons nearest her could not help but hear the muffled, surprised death screams of the Gronkles that were being rent asunder in her mighty jaws. Blood, saliva and broken scales slipped over and down the Red-Death's huge fangs leaving nasty pools of disgusting detritus on the rocky floor.
And yet the entire nest did nothing but look on in abject, paralysed horror.
The loud watery gulp that signalled the end of the execution brought everyone's attention back to the ruler of the nest as she licked her scaly lips. Using the nest's focus on her to her own advantage, ethereal light sparked in all six of the Red-Death's eyes to transfix every dragon in the nest. letting loose a very subtle wave of magick, the Red-Death spoke quietly as her enhanced influence spread out and gripped the petrified minds of her subjects.
"HE WOULD HAVE FLOWN TO THE HUMAN NEST.
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN CAPTURED OR KILLED.
IN TIME HE WOULD HAVE DRAWN THE VIKINGS HERE AND ALL WE KNOW WOULD BE DESTROYED.
ON DAYS LIKE THIS I MUST PROTECT YOU FROM YOURSELVES.
SUCH LOSSES … THOUGH SAD …. ARE INEVITABLE."
To the assembled dragons it suddenly made sense. A rogue dragon would have spelled disaster for them. The dragons could not afford such rash actions and invite more vigorous Viking retaliation. Their very survival was at stake. Personal vendettas would lead to ruin.
'The Queen had done the right thing'
"THE WINTER-SLEEP APPROACHES MY CHILDREN.
WAKE ME WHEN PRODIGY RETURNS. PRAY TO THE STARS OF DRACO FOR FRUITFUL MATING FLIGHTS AND BOUNTIFUL HATCHING GROUNDS.
WE CANNOT FALTER ….. FOR IF WE DO …. COUNTLESS HATCHLINGS WILL GROW UP BEREFT OF THEIR SIRES AND DAMNS AND YOU WILL LOSE THE GREAT PROTECTION I PROVIDE.
YOU WOULDN'T WANT THAT NOW ….. WOULD YOU?"
The Red Death then slid back down into her warm lava bed to begin her preparations for her hibernation. Though it actually wouldn't take place for another month or so, there were now matters she had to attend to. Matters she couldn't deal with properly with the distractions of dragons in her nest instigating their own agendas. No, she needed total focus and as she closed her eyes to wield powers beyond most beings comprehension, the Red Death hummed in satisfied delight as the whole volcano above her reverberated with every dragon obediently chanting …
"For the Queen!"
Yes all was as it should be.
Now her work could truly begin.
(Meanwhile, The Isle of Munn, The Southern Village)
"hmm hmm hmm …. No that's not it ….. hmm hmm hmmm hmmmm take you hmmm hmmm …. Ugh, what was that tune?" Hiccup muttered to himself as he finally entered the town, the newly risen sun casting long shadows through the relatively quiet streets that looked different but not by much. The houses though decorated in the usual Viking style seemed to be a bit more solidly built than those back on Berk and were comprised of more stone than wood.
This made it even more evident that the village seemed to be recovering from a dragon raid - a small one by the looks of it.
Fire marked walls were streaked with black patches, wood turned to charcoal by Nadder fire while some of the stone work had been melted together from the lava blasts of Gronkles. Hiccup kept his head down not only to keep unwanted or unfriendly eyes off him but also to avoid the sporadic blast craters in the streets that had yet to be repaired.
Hiccup guessed this raid had not happened last night, the repair crews would have been out in full force. Probably two or three days ago by the general quietness of things.
"I ALREADY TOLD YOU, YOU MUTTON-HEAD! YOU'LL GET YOUR SWORD WHEN YOU GET YOUR SWORD! AND NOT A MOMENT BEFORE!"
'Ah the typical quietness of Viking mornings' Hiccup thought ruefully as he turned a corner to see the source of the shouting.
Across the street stood two Vikings: The first one was middle-aged, as broad as he was tall with jet black hair, blazing blue eyes and decked out in quite impressive armour. The other was shorter and far older, judging by his stooped back, long grey hair and braided beard that reached his waist. Yet age had not weakened this older fellow as his toned muscles seemed as mighty as the defiant scowl and fierce grey eyes he was using to stare down the warrior that was giving him grief.
"You've got a lot of nerve old man!" the younger man growled, "If you can't do the work while your assistant is sick then I can easily take my business elsewhere you know!"
"Not until I give you your sword back, so like I said you're just gonna have to wait now aren't ya?!"
Hiccup fought hard to supress a chuckle at the old man's snarky retort that had his belligerent opponent briefly stumped and taking a step back to recover. It was this movement that confirmed Hiccup's suspicions of where he was. Now that a gap had opened up, the young runaway saw into the building, his gaze locked on the glowing core he saw before him. There, in the heart of the darkened, shadowy structure was a hearty forge fire, its vibrant red and orange coals spiked with several bent and crooked blades.
As he continued to look longingly at the fire, Hiccup's mind wandered back to the countless warm and comforting days and nights he had spent in Gobber's forge back on Berk. Before the feeling of freedom flight gave him, being around this crucible of creativity and construction was where he had felt safest and most at ease. The memories flooded over him and warmed him. Here was another sanctuary from the hardships he had endured on the Isle of Night, far away from capricous dragons and suspicious eyes.
Hiccup lost track of how long he had been staring at the fire. The noise of the argument had restarted with gusto. Apparently a woman had joined the fray, making it now a three-way dispute between the old blacksmith, the young warrior and her. Yet, all this strident and colourful language faded out to a faint muffled hub-bub and through the din returned a very faint melodic tune.
The very tune Hiccup had been trying so hard to remember from his dream.
Straining to capture it Hiccup allowed himself to become fully entranced by the fire. The centre of creation, of hope, of life. It was a like it was huge beating heart that would sustain him forever. It was a welcoming home in which he could re-forge his destiny and make a new love-filled carefree life. It was somehow now all he ever wanted as he felt an inexorable draw toward this …. This man-made volcano that held all the promises in the world … Hiccup knew the fire would never break those promises ….. unlike everyone else he had met.
The melody was clearer now. So much clearer it seemed to emanate from the heated coals of the forge fire itself.
'hush little young one, I'll take thee away, into my land of enchantment ….'
There it was! That wonderful caring beautiful tone! It was coming from the fire, calling to him, welcoming him, wanting him, needing him.
'that's it! Come along my little loved one, I've been waiting for you'
Hiccup didn't know when he started walking. He barely had an inkling as to what force was motivating him yet he knew it was right and it was what he truly wanted. He had to get close to the fire. It was calling his name, back to where he belonged. He had to wield his hammer once more, he had to build, to make, to create …. To seize back what he once was or else lose himself to being nothing but a plaything for the selfish Nightfuries that had tricked, humiliated and been so cruel to him.
He was inside the forge now, the walls lined with tools and weapons which were all different yet familiar. The air was thick with the smell of soot and sweat and coal and iron which tickled Hiccup's nose and shrouded him like a comforting warm blanket.
Back in these surroundings it seemed all of Midgard no longer existed, all of Deathwing's mighty words and dire threats long faded into insignificance. All worries, cares, goals, agendas, priorities, relationships … blissfully cast aside.
For now he was home.
Just Hiccup and the flames.
Setting down his bag Hiccup slid his hand around the handle the decent sized forge hammer resting on the work top. A wave of ecstasy seemed to ripple through him as he savoured the much missed feeling of his calloused fingers on the leather of the handle's wrapping. Trying its weight, Hiccup felt akin to Thor himself as he picked up the tool, the hammer submitting to his will with amazing ease, fluidly rising and falling as he tested his swinging arm.
Turing his gaze back to the pulsing flames, Hiccup grabbed a set of tongs and used them to shift a buckled yet red hot great-sword from the forge fire to the anvil.
This was it.
After so long being denied, Hiccup relished the feelings of happiness that over-rode him.
As long as he could do this forever and live amongst the flames with that beautiful song to keep him company.
Nothing and no-one else mattered.
Smiling, Hiccup brought the hammer down with a resounding …..
(The Isle of Munn Forge, exterior, the same time)
"…. For the love of Hadur! Runa, I am not paying your oaf of a husband more gold!" the old smith hollered back at the female newcomer to his early morning schedule of disputes, "The big lummox makes more than enough for what little work he actually does, whenever he's not just standing around like a busted barn door!"
"How dare you speak about my Ulthane like that!" the petite blonde shrilled back "He works as hard as anyone, he can't help it if he's sick or that your never give him anything important to do in the first place!"
"That's because I'll just have to fix whatever mistakes he makes!" the Blacksmith growled back.
"You know, Von …." the black haired man cut in snidely, "….. you could have spent all this arguing time doing something better, like say, FIXING MY SWORD!"
"WILL YOU SHUT UP ABOUT YOUR DAMNED SWORD!" the older man yelled in exasperation before forcefully taking some deep breaths to calm himself, "Listen ….. I will try and get your sword done by sundown … and once Ulthane is better, send him to me and I'll talk to the living tree trunk ….. but right now I can't do anything more until I get some …..
CLANG CLANG CLANG
"Huh?"
CLANG CLANG CLANG
"What in Ilmarinen's name?"
CLANG CLANG CLANG
Turning with his fellow Vikings, Von gazed into the forge to see a hooded figure slamming down on a great sword with a strength that belied his seemingly small scrawny frame. The old Blacksmith was agog as to who had the audacity to just ghost into his forge without so much as a 'by your leave' but also to how he hadn't even noticed this strange interloper's arrival.
Von was about to step forward and accost this intruder when Runa slapped him on the shoulder, a look of thunder on her face.
"Ah ha! … I see what's going on here! …. You're training up a secret apprentice to push my Ulthane out of business! Aren't you?!" Runa growled, pointing accusingly at the shrouded shape that didn't halt in his work, seemingly oblivious to the fresh argument breaking out only ten feet away from him, "I tell you now once he's back on his feet, he'll challenge you to a duel and then where will you be Von? Dead! That's where!"
"I'm not training anyone!" the old smith retorted desperately, knowing that if said duel did take place, he would not last long against the giant of a man that was Ulthane.
"Then who is he Von? He's obviously not from around here! What is really going on? hmmmmm?" the warrior chimed in smugly, equally curious and enjoying watching the aged man squirm.
"Well he's …. he's … uh …" Von stuttered his eyes getting wider with fear as he saw his fellow villagers take half a step closer to him ready to press on their threats together. Swallowing, Von suddenly had a flash of inspiration and with as much confidence as he could muster he pointed at the shrouded young stranger moving around his forge with unparalleled precision and said …..
"This is my cousin's ….. sister's …. nephew ….. from east-town …. You know! Young ….. um ….. Grabthar!" the Blacksmith declared somewhat triumphantly much to the unimpressed faces of his accusers.
"Really?" Runa countered her arms folded and brows deeply furrowed in disbelief, "As in Grabthar, the son of Warvan?"
"Of course!" Von replied cheerily "I sent word that I was short handed and young Grabthar was all too happy to help until Ulthane is better! Isn't that right Grabthar?"
There was no reply from the shadowy figure who was enveloped in shoving a fresh blade into the flames and pumping the bellows.
"I said …. ISN'T THAT RIGHT GRABTHAR?!"
"Yeah ….. it's 'bring an obscure relative to work' day" was all the hooded figure absently mumbled in response, not breaking stride in the task he was carrying out.
It was very strange to Von, hearing the figure actually speak, for the voice now betrayed just how young this man, no this boy actually was. Something was not right here at all and Von was determined to get to the bottom of it.
"But … I thought Grabthar had died of the eel-pox last winter!" Runa intoned in her confusion.
"Well? …. Uh …. Obviously he got better! Seeing he's standing right there" Von retorted "Isn't that right Grabthar?"
"Can't talk. In the zone!" was all the figure said in response as he kept his back to his unexpected audience.
"Well he has Warvan's disrespectful tongue, I'll give him that!" the armoured warrior snorted as he huffed impatiently before stepping back outside, "Fine. Just have my sword ready Von!"
"Aye and you make sure you have the money to pay for it Eirick!" Von snapped back as he looked at Runa who was still watching this 'Grabthar' at work. Stepping between the two and drawing her attention to him fully, Von crossed his arms and made himself look as imposing as possible seeing Runa was the same height as him.
"Well?" the blacksmith asked gruffly "You just gonna stand there and watch us work, or are you gonna go back and help your man get well? Grabthar won't be here forever you know."
A moment of pause passed between the two. Runa shifted her stance, letting her aggressive posture visibly subside.
"You swear My husband will still have a job to come back to when he recovers?" Runa asked, concern now lacing her voice. Von could see that behind all of her bluster and shrieking, she was a simply a woman concerned for the survival of her house and was in the unenviable position of supporting it in Ulthane's absence. Von may have been gruff and implacable but he was not made of stone.
"Of course he will" the man responded calmly, "In the name of Gobannus, I swear! How much he earns remains to be seen"
"Fine, good-day" Runa grumbled as she took her leave, obviously unhappy at not resolving the matter, yet content with the reassurance of her husband's future.
Finally, with the two annoyances gone Von took in a deep breath, wiped the sweat from his brow, turned toward the centre of his world that was the forge-fire and the strange new inhabitant that had taken up residence there. The boy was still moving around as if he had worked here all his life, somehow instinctively knowing where everything was. One moment he was heating up bent steel, then he was hammering away on the anvil, then he was leaning on the grinder in the corner sending sparks across the room, allowing brief flashes to illuminate his thin gaunt face.
Von tried to get in the boy's way to stop him and ask him who he actually was, where he had come from, what he thought he was doing. But every time the child spun away or dodged around him and never said a word, as if the old man wasn't even there.
It was as if Von was a ghost in his own forge.
Or maybe ….. it was this boy with copper-brown hair, fiery green eyes and a thin lanky frame ….. was the ghost.
At the thought Von reached down and began rubbing one of the talismans that has hooked to his belt, praying to one of the many blacksmithing deities he knew of to provide an answer to the mysterious stranger that had taken over his forge.
He hadn't noticed it at first, but as the day dragged on, during the quieter moments of the boy working, Von began to hear it.
At first Von thought the boy was just murmuring to himself as workmen tend to do, commentating or evaluating their work as they go to ensure they are doing a good job.
But no.
After a while Von realised what it was.
All the while this strange boy with the gift of blacksmithing and the molding of fire …
….. was very quietly singing …
…. A song had no-one had heard before …...
A song deliberately spun far, far away … by a god …. and a monster.
There we are guys!
that's all I can do right now. did you pick up on any references? Ha!
Hopefully I will try and get a bit more stuff done but I'm actually going on tour in a few weeks so it may be December before I have anything more. sorry about that. I figured it would cool to see how the Red Death works seeing Hiccup in this AU never got to see her in the nest after the Romantic Flight and that he along with the other Nightfuries are quite ignorant to the powers their enemies possess. something that will perhaps be their downfall later on in the story.
Next time we will see more of Hiccup and the old man Von who has a strange habit of invoking strange names as he has already done in this chapter. you will see who they are and why he does this and some other brief interactions before something really bad happens.
As always any reviews comments or PMs are greatly appreciated
Until next time take care of yourselves ... and each other.
Razor95
