(A/N: Where No One Goes- ft. Moa Antonia (Orchestral Arrange) – YouTube user Cloudjumper)
"WOOOOHOOOOO!"
Twilight rockets across the ocean's surface at top speed, skimming across the water. Sea dragons erupt from the blue depths and slam back down, nearly showering us with droplets. The Night Light tilts her body from side to side, weaving her way around them.
The entire world around me looks like it's the one moving fast, not me and Twilight. Everything zooms past in the blink of an eye and the wind roars in my ears. And the whole time, the smile on my face doesn't fade in the slightest.
Twilight flaps her wings harder, rising upwards towards a place I had never been to for nine years. A place of gray and white… but nothing sad or upsetting about them. To me, they were everything but sad and upsetting. To me, they held my dearest memory within them.
Right as we reach somewhere high up, Twilight bursts forward with another inward thrust of her wings. She flies across and around the clouds, and I lean my body from side to side to match my movements with hers. My dragon even flies straight through a cloud, surprising me at the sudden moisture that follows.
Tucking her wings in, Twilight spins around as fast as she can while I hold on tight with all the strength I could muster. The wind howls again, almost sounding suspenseful…
…until Twilight's wings spread open and her body is upside down. Opening our sky-blue eyes, we both whoop and roar in joy as we freefall. Twirling around again, Twilight catches herself on another wind current and soars even higher.
We fly right through another batch of clouds, and they greet us with their warmth and moisture. With a laugh, I spread my arms out and run my fingers through them, relinquishing myself in their touch.
I was back. After being gone from this place for nine years, I was finally back. I felt like I was home. Like this is where I truly belonged. Even my very name was part of the sky. I was part of the very breezes that blew past me.
Twilight barks something at me, and I grip her tightly to tell her I'm ready. Acknowledging this, she swoops upward into an upside-down loop… and dives down to the water below with wings tucked in.
I can't even remember if I had screamed with thrill on our way down. If I did, the howl of the wind must have drowned me out. Right as we near the water, Twilight dips her wing in and flies around, making a circle from the trail she leaves behind. Her wing leaves the water and, remembering how I felt up in the clouds, climbs back up.
She bursts through the cover of one cloud and swoops around another, my arms spread out like a bird… no, like a dragon as we soar through the air. I remember that Grandma had once told Dad that this was what it was like to be a dragon.
And I love it.
I start thinking about what Twilight should do next. Maybe another loop-de-loop or a dive, or perhaps a short glide so we can catch our breath…
…and that's when I hear it.
That song. That beautiful, wonderful song that played for my ears only. The song of the wind. The song I've never heard for nine years.
Those lovely tunes, gusts, and breezes fill my ears… and a small tear trickles down my face before being scattered into the clouds. Twilight must have noticed this because she suddenly slows down and turns to me with a concerned look.
"D-do you hear it?" I whisper joyfully. Her confused expression is enough for an answer; no words needed. "The song," I reply. "The song the wind sang to me when I was just a little girl. When I flew for the first time. It's... it's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. You wouldn't remember it… you were too busy trying to keep up with your siblings."
Twilight warbles something comforting to me, and I touch her cheek. "But I need to ask you something, bud," I plead happily. "I…I don't want to forget this. And I don't think you want to either. So, please… make us remember this."
Twilight coos to me with a warm look in her eyes… and flies deeper into the clouds. I spread my arms out again, flapping them like wings every time Twilight does. I'm not sure if she notices this and accepts it or she doesn't, but I don't care. This is just another way of believing… that we're one.
I stare into the blue abyss above me and the blue abyss below me. If I had a favorite color… this would definitely be it.
Just then, a voice whispers out to me. No, wait. It's more like… the past is whispering out to me.
"You know, there's one maneuver that your dad is particularly fond of. He did it all the time with Toothless."
"What's that?"
"It's called the trust fall. When a rider and his dragon are up high enough, the rider slips off his dragon's back and freefalls to the ground or water below. If the bond between him and his dragon is strong, the dragon will fly down and catch him before he hits the ground."
"Can we do that?"
"Maybe not yet. You're not ready, Zeph."
I can feel the same sensation I had back then. Wonder. Amazement. Happiness.
I look down at the ocean below me, lost in thought. Maybe after everything I've done… perhaps I am ready. But after being apart for so long, is the bond between me and Twilight really the same?
Well, only one way to find out.
I close my eyes, listening to only the wind and the song it sings just for me. I take a deep breath, hold my arms out to the side…
…and slowly slip off Twilight's back, releasing myself from everything.
(song pauses)
…
Twilight's POV
Most of the time my brothers and I had ventured out into the world above, it was only under the cover of darkness with only the moon to guide us. To be out at day needs some getting used to… and I think it won't take long.
Seeing Zephyr all happy and joyful up here with me… I've never seen her like this before. After all, she's only been up here once, as far as I could tell, and she's been longing to do so once again. Like a dragon with injured wings. She seems to enjoy the sky so much, it wouldn't surprise me if she was part dragon.
"Nine years, you said?" I ask her, gently gliding among the clouds. "Boy, I can hardly imagine going nine years without getting airborne, let alone nine days. You know… I think the two of us have something in common. Our fathers were heroes of their respective species, and not just by leadership. They did great things, both together and separate, and I think we can do just the same. What do you think, Zephyr?"
I'm only met with silence, which makes me slow down a bit. Perhaps she's distracted by everything around us… or is she simply fantasizing of what else we could do up here?
"Zephyr? Hello?" I ask, turning my head to look over my shoulder…
…and see nothing but my own backside.
In a fraction of a second, fear courses through my entire body. My blue eyes shoot open and my scales tingle in panic. Acting on its own, my head whips around the area until I look right down… and I see her.
She's falling. Fast.
"NO!"
I tuck my wings in and scream through the sky, diving like a predator about to ambush its prey. But instead of being driven by hunger and adrenaline, I'm driven by panic, fear, and an urge to not let Zephyr smash into the deep, cold sea. My eyes sting from the rush of the wind I'm flying against. My front talons open wide when I get closer and closer, ready to snatch her up as soon as I can…
…but wait. If she's in danger, why isn't she flailing around and screaming her lungs out? The fear inside me now dwindling, I let myself fall until I'm just right next to her. And what I see almost takes whatever breath I have left away.
Zephyr's eyes are closed, a small smile on her face as her hair whips around. Her arms are spread open gracefully like a pair of wings, and she slowly spins herself around in the air.
She's not in danger. She's… calm. Happy.
Have… have I underestimated how she feels about being up here? Up where no worries or troubles can ever find you? Do humans ever wish they can get away from stuff too?
If they do… then maybe I need to as well.
Mimicking her as best as I can, I close my eyes and hold my wings out, letting go of any control my body has on the sky…
…
Zephyr's POV
I feel weightless.
Not only am I falling, I feel like I'm rising or just floating in the air. Maybe a little bit of both. This feels… amazing.
Is this what Dad did all the time when he and Toothless went exploring? When they had absolutely nothing to worry about? Because up here… there's nothing that needs my attention.
I'm at peace like there's nothing that can distract or ruin me. I'm not falling… I'm flying. And I've missed it so much.
The wind sings for me throughout my descent. My name rushes through the currents and the Valkyries from above watch over. I am one with the wind itself…
I open my eyes to marvel at the blue and gray colors all around me… and I immediately notice Twilight. She's freefalling too, with eyes closed peacefully. Her wings are tucked in, keeping her at terminal velocity. My heart warms up when I take in the sight. Maybe she has the same feelings I do about being up here… and it's nice to know I'm not alone.
Twilight's sapphire orbs meet mine, and I smile gleefully at her while my hair whips at my face. Intrigued by this, Twilight tilts her head to the side and mimics the smile as best as she can. She gives me a gummy grin with her tongue flapping wildly in the breeze. The sight makes me laugh in amusement.
(song resumes)
The calm motion of the ocean waves out of the corner of my sky-blue eyes, I turn myself around and Twilight moves towards me. Her front talons latch onto my shoulders carefully, and we both plummet down to the water. She doesn't carry me off just yet, but rather waits until I say so.
The water now closing in fast, I spread my arms open gracefully…
…and Twilight does the same, opening her wings and catching a wind current. The two of us are jolted from our freefall and transitioned into a glide, soaring over the water's surface. Whooping in joy, I lean my arms to the right, and Twilight turns in that direction. She mimics my movements, granting me the belief that I really am flying without her here. She's letting me live my wildest dream.
If only it could stay that way forever…
"YEEEEHAAAAA!"
The shrill voice of my little brother pierces the silence as he zooms by on Dawn, the Night Light almost a white blur. And his timing couldn't be better. Right ahead of us are a series of rocks and sea stacks jutting out of the ocean. I look up to Twilight as she looks down at me… and we both smile.
In a quick movement, Twilight spins around and throws me into the air. With a delighted laugh, I land on her back and we shoot off towards the sea stacks. Noticing his sister's speed and intentions, Dawn sees what's coming as a challenge. And so does Nuffink, for he shoots me a competitive glare.
We fly through the sea stacks like we've done it a hundred times before. Twilight and Dawn weave between them, spin through holes carved through them and leap off flat ones to give themselves an extra speed boost. After passing through one stone ring, Dawn loops around to pass through it again. Nuffink even leaps off his back to run alongside him when he approaches a long, grassy strip, jumping off and letting him catch him when the path ends.
But that's all nothing compared to what tricks Twilight and I have in store. Twilight flies around the base of one sea stack, tucks in her wings to fit through a tight space and flies underneath a bridge of rock and grass. As she does, I stand on her back and jump off, rolling onto the grass and breaking into a run.
Twilight jumps off several small rocks and dives behind another sea stack while I cling one arm to the side of a rock wall, running on it with practiced athleticism. I leap across the water to another sea stack and quickly climb to the top. Pausing for only two seconds to catch my breath, I sprint ahead and backflip off the edge, with Twilight catching me as she passes around.
"YEAH!" I cheer, punching the air in excitement. Dawn flies in on our right and Nuffink… well, he looks like the happiest boy in the world, hollering in joy…
(song ends)
…before a sudden wave takes Dawn by surprise and swallows him up!
I gasp, my eyes darting to the ocean…
…and the water bursts, the Night Light erupting from the water and spinning around to shake the water off him. Nuffink, being unprepared, is completely disoriented and dizzy from what had just happened. With a moan, he slips off Dawn's back.
A black blur swoops in to snatch him up, the dragon soaring along the water's edge ahead of us. Surprised at how quick Dusk had gained speed, Dawn and Twilight share a glance… and take off after him.
It takes some effort for Dusk's brother and sister to catch up to him, so the youngest Night Light briefly slows down to give them a chance. Once Dawn is close enough, Dusk swoops and loops above him, dropping a now-fully awake Nuffink onto his back. His state of confusion makes me laugh like a little girl, which makes him scowl at me in return…
…before two more streaks, one black and one white, speed past us, taking the Night Lights off guard. As Twilight tries to keep herself stable and airborne, a shrill squawk makes us all turn.
On the back of her old dragon friend, Mom approaches us with a warm smile on her face. "Well, what are you kids waiting for?" she asks cheerfully as Stormfly chirps at us. "See if you can keep up with your dad!" She glances at the Night Lights. "And mom…"
She didn't need to say any more. Without a slight moment of hesitation, Twilight, Dawn and Dusk all shoot off to where Toothless and the Light Fury are flying as fast as they can. Nuffink and I hold on tightly, both of us amazed by the sudden burst of speed.
Our three dragons don't make catching up to their parents boring, though. Dusk dives into the ocean and resurfaces, holding a fish in his mouth that he swallows in seconds. Dawn shoots into the sky and zips through the clouds, his white scales making him blend in with them. As for Twilight, she goes top speed, skimming across the water as my eyes narrow in adrenaline-fueled lust.
Above us, Toothless and the Light Fury slow down and glide side-by-side, staring at each other's eyes calmly. Normally, I wouldn't want to ruin their little moment… but Twilight is done waiting. She lets out a sharp bark, calling her siblings to her side. Dawn and Dusk fly into the tri-formation again, eyes on Twilight and awaiting further instructions from their eldest sister and leader.
Glancing up at her parents, Twilight roars a command. Acknowledging this, Dawn and Dusk shoot upwards, Nuffink whooping as his Night Light soars. I pat Twilight on the cheek, and she chases after her siblings.
Dusk zooms past Toothless' left side from below while Dawn spirals past the Light Fury's right side. Both adult Furies, my dad among them, are taken by surprise by the Night Lights' sudden appearance… before Twilight shoots up in front of them both.
Looping around with a twirl added into the mix, Twilight hovers to a stop in front of her parents. She locks eyes with her father and I do the same to mine.
And what I see on his face… that proud smile about how far I've gone in life… I couldn't be happier.
…
Hiccup's POV
I was so proud of my little girl.
Zephyr hadn't always loved dragons from the start, but it was how dedicated she was to them that I admired. Was it really only nine years ago she touched the sky for the first time? It feels only like yesterday…
As for Twilight, she was only a small baby when my family last saw her, along with her brothers. Now, she reminds me of my first days with Toothless. Young. Wild. And full of energy. I know my old bud feels just as proud of her as I do for my own daughter.
With a cheerful bark from Twilight and a delighted laugh from Zephyr, the duo turn and speed into the clouds. Not wanting to keep them waiting, I look at Toothless, who's smiling at me gleefully.
Just like old times, indeed.
After a reassuring pat, Toothless and I dash forward through the clouds, where Zephyr and Twilight had just gone into. I can barely see the Night Light's figure beating her wings as hard as he can…
…and when we emerge from the clouds, she's nowhere to be seen.
Toothless perks up in surprise, looking around wildly. Realizing what's happening, he coos in relief and, in a playful motion, moves over to a small cloud and peeks inside.
"Oh ho, you wanna hide from us, huh?" I chuckle, also realizing the situation. "Well, not for long, little lady!"
Both of us look everywhere we can in this game. Above clouds, below clouds, even right in them. The memories of me playing hide-and-seek with little Zephyr rise to the surface, and I smile. I can almost hear her stifled giggles as I called out to her, desperately trying not to give herself away…
WHOOSH!
Something blows past us from behind, followed by another set of giggles. It still sounds the same after all these years…
Turning around, Toothless flies in the direction the blur sped off…
But another whoosh makes us turn around again. My daughter chuckles again as she vanishes into the white, fluffy clouds. With a laugh of his own, Toothless takes off after them. If I had to guess, he had done this before with his kids… and I don't think he ever tires of it.
He speeds into the clouds, eyes peeled for his daughter. At first, there doesn't seem to be any sign of her anywhere… until a winged shadow can be seen up ahead. Tucking in its wings, the shadow dives back down to the sea. I can hear more of Zephyr's laughter from here, and it makes my heart melt.
Toothless doesn't hesitate, as he immediately chases after Twilight. The Night Light is already back at the water's edge, skimming across the surface with Toothless hot on her tail. Toothless makes a move to dive down to the ocean, but a purple blast to his right causes him to stop.
Just before the blast fades, a black blur speeds right through and completely vanishes from sight. Toothless and I watch carefully for any sign of Dusk…
…but he reappears to our left and barks at us, taking us both by surprise. With a dragon chuckle, he veers off towards his mother. With a smile of his own, Toothless continues flying after Twilight. Quickly matching the Night Light's speed, my old friend gets neck-and-neck with her in no time.
This is perfect. The eyes of one generation turn to meet the eyes of another. There's no denying the happiness in all four of us. And out of all of us, Zephyr looks the most excited. The two dragons slowly decrease their speeds to a light cruise, calmly gliding alongside each other.
"I…" Zephyr begins, her voice almost cracking. "I never thought I'd get to do this again."
With a warm smile creeping across my face, I nod to her. "Neither did I."
Toothless suddenly perks up, an idea forming in his head. He glances back to me, that familiar gaze telling me all I needed to know. "You wanna see something cool, Zeph?" I call to my daughter. I see her eyes widen in fascination, almost like my own eyes whenever I noticed something interesting. She nods without further thought, eager to see what it is.
Briefly accelerating to get ahead of Twilight, Toothless speeds across the water to gain the proper momentum. As soon as the time is perfect, my Night Fury spirals upward, a column of water rising alongside him. At the peak of his twirl, Toothless unfurls his wings in the blink of an eye…
…and the water is flung out in a torrent of drops. It starts to fall in every direction like rain, and some of it even plops onto an awestruck Twilight and Zephyr. Their blue eyes can't look away from the falling water drops conjured by that trick. "Wow…"
And it's not just them that noticed. Dawn, Dusk, and Nuffink all approach us with similar bewildered expressions. With an eager warble, Dusk dives down to the water in an effort to copy his father's movements. After zipping across the water, he quickly rises while taking a bunch of water with him. Gracefully, the young dragon spreads his wings open…
…but only small drops are flung out while the rest drip from his body. Seeing the result, Dusk hangs his head in disappointment and croons sadly. Flying up to his little brother, Dawn coos encouragingly to support him. He might not have nailed it the first time, but he could get it with a little practice.
"That was awesome, Dad!" Nuffink shouts with excitement. Pleased at my son's reaction, I smile at him. "Thanks, Nuff."
"Gods, it feels like forever since we last did this," Zephyr breathes out. "I'm… I'm so happy that we are."
"Me too," I answer before more winged shapes catch my attention. All of my friends and allies among the backs of dragons, some they've bonded with, others they've just hitched rides with. "And not just for you guys. But for everyone. To have my generation relive their treasured memories, and for yours to experience similar ones. This really was a great idea."
"And it was also the only idea," Astrid adds as she, Stormfly and the Light Fury join up with us. "But I like it nonetheless."
"Then… I suppose we all do, then." Zephyr says. With a playful smirk, she turns to her brother and Dawn. "Hey! Race you the rest of the way?"
Nuffink's eyes go wide at first… but then narrow into competitiveness. "Oh, you're on, sis!"
"Alright, then…" Zephyr grins. "On three?"
"On three."
The three Night Lights all line up alongside each other on Twilight's command. Nuffink tenses up in anticipation as Zephyr counts down…
"Three!"
Twilight zooms off instantly and Nuffink's expression goes from ready to stunned. "HEY! You're not supposed to- oh forget it!" he groans, urging Dawn after his sister with Dusk following shortly. That earns a series of laughs from me and Astrid and, with a glance and loving smile for memory's sake, fly off across the ever-reaching ocean.
…
Zephyr's POV
Alright, "rest of the way" seemed like an exaggeration or something like that. Turns out racing across miles and miles of open water is a little tiring after a while. With our parents and all the others behind us from several meters, the Night Lights fly close together in their tri-formation.
"Remind me where we're going again," Twilight says, disinterested. From what I can tell, she sounds bored. "We're going to my home," I explain. "All of our ships from the battle were completely wrecked, so this is the only way. And there are a lot of people on New Berk who are expecting me to return with the Chief and Chieftess."
"That's great…" Twilight adds in boredom. Before I can add something else to cheer her up… her ears suddenly perk up. "Wait, what did you just say?"
I blink once in confusion. "Uh, we're going home?"
"No."
"All of our ships were destroyed?"
"After that!"
"There are a lot of people on New Berk who are-"
"New Berk… New Berk…" Twilight mumbles to himself. "Why does that sound…"
"Twilight? You okay, buddy?" I ask, my heart aching to know what's going on.
"Huh? I'm fine, I'm fine! Just… tired, that's all."
I sigh, patting her on the side of her face. "Well… can't say I blame you. The whole majority of our strength was all it took to win. But don't worry, we're almost there."
"Yeah…"
…
Twilight's POV
New Berk.
New Berk.
Father must have told me about that place. If he was right, it was where Hiccup and his friends relocated to after their most dangerous enemy attacked and burned down the original Berk, their home, to the ground. It was supposed to be temporary… but it became permanent.
I hardly remember anything about it… so why does it sound so familiar?
A light mumble from Dusk grabs my attention. Turning to my younger brother, something about him causes a ripple in my mind…
Dusk's eyes are slowly closing, reopening and closing again. He's going to fall asleep in mid-flight because of either the race or the long journey. Noticing this, Dawn moves in close to him and looks up to Nuffink. With his front talons, he places them over his head. Getting the message, the young human boy covers his ears as Dawn opens his mouth…
RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRGGGHH!
"AAAH!" Dusk screams, jolted awake by Dawn's roar. Our brother bursts out into laughter as Dusk regains control and awareness of his surroundings, realizing what's going on. "Don't DO that!"
I turn towards the clouds, staring into the white as we pass through one of them. The very sight of what has just happened… it makes me feel… odd…
…
We pass out of the cloud, our tiny wings flapping as hard as they could. His eyes completely shut, Ruffrunner goes limp and plummets to the ocean below. With a startled squeak, Pouncer dives after him and grabs him by the back leg. Lifting him high enough, he tosses him back into the air. Now fully awake, Ruffrunner flaps his wings to readjust his course. I warn him not conk out again, just as my blue eyes catch sight of a strange, tall rock in the distance…
…
"Twilight? Hello? Can you hear me, girl?"
Zephyr's voice snaps me back to attention. What that just was… what that vision was would have to wait. "Yeah," I answer. "Yeah, I hear you. What is it?"
Zephyr only looks ahead of herself, a delighted smile on her face. "We're home."
"Home?" I look to where her gaze rests… and I see it.
The rock. The very tall rock from what I had just experienced back there. Seeing it sends a pulsating feeling through my mind… like I've seen it before.
"So… that right there," Dusk says, breaking the silence. "That's your home?"
Zephyr chuckles while Nuffink nods. "Yep."
"It looks rather… tall. And… not to mention familiar."
I only remain quiet, feeling Zephyr adjust herself while my eyes never leave that large island. Something was up about that place. Something that… beckoned to me.
Just what had happened here? And why does it connect with me and my brothers?
…
Zephyr's POV
Familiar? What does he mean, familiar?
I stare at Dusk with a curious expression. The Night Light only stares transfixed at the shape of New Berk… as if studying it. Do… do they know this place?
"Your main form of transit are those boats, right?" Dawn asks curiously. "That place must be huge; how do you even get up there?"
"On dragon-back, it was easy," I explain to him. "But after my dad sent them away and the tribe settled in, we developed a pulley system to allow ships in and out of the village."
"And you said this place was attacked by those 'Shieldbreaker' people you spoke of," Dusk adds. "How did they get up there?"
"Grappling hooks, if I had to guess. They're the only things I could think of that could get them up to the village. Whole battalions must have climbed them. Maybe… maybe in case it happens again, some of our people can cut them before invaders can reach the village."
"That's not such a bad idea," Dusk remarks, impressed. "No wonder your father's proud of you. You have his talent."
I sigh happily and smile. "Thanks, Dusk."
"Alright, who's in for coming in to land before I get even more homesick?" Nuffink asks us. While the Night Lights (namely Twilight) all stay silent while examining New Berk's form, I immediately nod in reply.
"It's time for everyone to be reacquainted with a time that must not be forgotten…"
…
On New Berk, little Erik and a group of small children gathered around a lone storyteller a few years older than them. In front of him lay two small wooden sculptures: one of Hiccup and Toothless, the other of the Bewilderbeast.
"The Bewilderbeast brought forth its mighty ice blast, and our hero had no time to escape!" the older child announced, readying a light blue hornless helmet with ice-like structures drawn on it. "A scream rang out as Hiccup was swallowed up by the ice! Toothless dove in to save him, only to get trapped himself!"
The storyteller slammed the helmet down, covering the sculpture of Hiccup and Toothless. The other children, Erik among them, gasped in horror. "That's… terrible!" he stammered.
"Did… did they die?" A young boy asked nervously.
"That was a question many of the villagers were saying themselves," the storyteller explained. "A dreadful silence fell over the people of Berk, and a sinister grin broke out over the ghastly face of Drago Bludvist."
"Booo!" the kids shouted in unison, despising the long-gone villain.
"That Dargo Bloody Fist is a mean man!" a girl snapped.
"Indeed he was," the older child sighed for dramatic effect. "While the evil tyrant rejoiced in his victory, the villagers believed that all hope was lost. That Drago would destroy and conquer them all now that his nemesis was vanquished. But before they could mourn their fallen chief's son… a blue glow shone from the ice."
The storyteller watched the kids' faces go from sadness to awe, the same way the villagers had done when they saw the glow themselves. "The blue glow got brighter… and brighter… and brighter until…"
The older child grabbed the helmet and threw it aside, revealing the Hiccup and Toothless sculpture to the audience. "KABOOM! The ice shattered, revealing Hiccup and Toothless alive and well!"
"YAAAY!" The kids cheered.
"But something was different about the Night Fury," the older child explained, picking up the sculpture. On the side not visible to the audience, he flipped a hidden switch that caused the spine of the sculpture to retract, replacing it with a spine of a different color. "In his effort to protect his friend, Toothless was supercharged, and now his spine was a bright blue!"
"Oooohhh…" the kids whispered, awed as Erik scooted closer.
"With no trace of fear inside him, Toothless charged and challenged the Alpha, firing blast after blast at his gigantic opponent!" The storyteller continued, mimicking the said shots and the Bewilderbeast roaring in pain. The kids watched in excitement as the older child, to replicate the Bewilderbeast's retaliation, took the Bewilderbeast sculpture and tried to stomp the Toothless figure, only to move the Night Fury away at the last second.
"With a mighty roar, Toothless broke the Alpha's control over all the dragons, returning them to his side!" As he spoke, the storyteller picked up several smaller dragon figures and moved them from behind the Bewilderbeast to behind Toothless. "Drago was furious at the loss of dragons and demanded his Bewilderbeast to fight back at once!"
Some of the kids in the audience giggled in excitement and cheered "Toothless" on. Taking the helmet, the storyteller placed the Toothless figure on top and had both figures face each other.
"'Now do you get it?' Hiccup asked Drago boldly. 'This is what it is to earn a dragon's loyalty. Let this end; now.'" The older child said, trying to mimic the chief's voice.
"But the self-proclaimed Dragon God had never known surrender, and he never wanted to know it. 'Never!' he shouted, spurring his Bewilderbeast forward." The storyteller moved the Bewilderbeast closer to Toothless' position, and some of the children gasped in horror.
"Toothless roared out at the dragons behind him, and they unleashed a barrage of fireballs at the King of Dragons! While they slammed into the Bewilderbeast and tried driving it back, one of the shots also blew off Drago's false arm!"
"Yeah!" the girl from earlier shouted, punching the air. "That ought to show him!"
"And finally, the time for the final blow had come. Toothless charged himself up, drawing all the heat in his throat… and fired, blowing the Bewilderbeast's tusk right off!"
The older child placed a small stick right in front of the Bewilderbeast, symbolizing the tusk as he mimicked a pained howl. When the audience died down, he continued.
"It was over. The Bewilderbeast was defeated, which meant the position of Alpha now rested on Toothless' shoulders. After a final roar from the victor, the Bewilderbeast retreated into the ocean. Neither him nor Drago were ever seen again."
The audience whooped in excitement, and Erik felt a smile growing on his face. If there was anything he enjoyed, it was these stories of a time when dragons coexisted with his own tribe since before he was born. Nine years ago, when he was just a baby, people were starting to forget all of that and a special play had to put on to make them remember again. It worked, and no one wanted to forget those times since.
"Chief Hiccup believed that this was the start of a future where humans and dragons could live together in peace… but to his sadness, that was not the case. A year after that great victory, he made a great sacrifice and sent the dragons away, so that no one could ever hurt them again." The storyteller concluded. "But… to this very day, the dragons send us signs that they still exist. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, lightning storms… our very chief even listens for the same high-pitched whistle that only his Night Fury friend could make. That way, he can know that his buddy is always with him."
"Whoa…" the kids whispered as the storyteller thanked them for his time and left, turning to one another now that the tale had been told. They began talking to each other about how the dragons temporarily improved their people's lifestyle, and a few of them even wished to become dragon riders themselves.
Erik hardly took part in this conversation, for his eyes were now resting in the sky. The longer he stared, the more he wondered… what would it be like up there?
Before he could think of an answer to his question… he heard something near the island's coastline.
"Guys, guys, quiet!" he shushed the other kids. The group fell silent before turning to him. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" the boy from earlier asked. Erik only kept quiet… and then it came again.
A whistle. A whistle that increased in pitch.
The kids' eyes went wide and Erik slowly crept up towards the nearby cliff. Surely he wasn't just hearing things. Because there was no way that was possibly…
FWOOOOSH!
Erik yelped and stumbled back as a black blur shot up from the cliff, followed by two more objects too fast to make out. Everyone turned to the sky… only to find no trace of the blurs.
Suddenly, something landed behind them with a loud thump. Whirling around, everyone noticed a strange winged creature on the roof of a nearby hut. Erik's eyes widened as he took in the sight: a dragon.
And it looked exactly like Toothless in body shape and eye color. But instead of being all black, this dragon had splotches of white on some parts of its body. As the black and white dragon eyed the children… another of the blurs came down.
This one also had green eyes but was mostly white with black colors. It landed on a large rock, also watching the children. And there appeared to be somebody on the dragon's back, although Erik couldn't make out any details.
And finally, the third blur landed right in front of the children, startling them. It was similar to the first dragon that landed, only to have blue eyes and a speck of white on its nose. And like the second dragon, this one also had a rider.
Erik squinted as the rider dismounted… and gasped.
"M…Miss Zephyr?"
…
Zephyr's POV
Dusk leaps down from the hut's roof while Dawn jumps off the rock, allowing Nuffink to dismount. In front of us, the group of children is both nervous, frightened and amazed. I can't blame them: just like them, I had grown up hearing stories of dragons and had those same feelings when I first saw one.
Maybe it wouldn't hurt to show these people the Night Lights weren't a threat.
One particular face catches my attention, and I kneel. "Hey, Erik," I whisper with a smile. In his shock, the little boy can only nod back. "Did… did you do it?"
"Yeah," I answer. "The bad guys are gone."
"Um… what kind of dragons are those?" a little girl asks, pointing at the Night Lights. Seeing the girl's finger, Dusk turns to look behind him. Annoyed at this, Dawn slaps him with his wing and lowly growls at him, telling him the girl was referring to them.
"Well…" I say, pausing to find the proper words. "I'm sure everyone here knows about Toothless? My dad's dragon?"
"Uh-huh." Erik answers while the rest of the group nods.
"Alright, then. Everyone… I'd like you to meet his kids."
Shocked gasps ring out from the group. "His kids?!"
"Yep. My dad calls them Night Lights," I explain, resting a hand on Twilight's head. "This here is Twilight. Anyone wanna say hi?"
No one replies at first, but after a short while, Erik sheepishly raises one hand. I gesture for him to come forward, and he does so… slowly.
"He's a little nervous, so don't do anything that would startle him," I whisper to Twilight. "Just… wait for him to get close, then let him do his thing." With a small purr, Twilight lowers herself to the ground. Creeping up to her, Erik slowly extends a hand while keeping an eye on her out of the corner of his sight. "H-hi."
My Night Light gently warbles in response, allowing the boy to lightly press his hand against her scaly forehead. She exhales, relaxing at his touch. "Wow…" Erik breathes. "He's beautiful."
"She's beautiful, you mean." I correct him with a smirk. Erik turns to me with a confused expression. "How do you know it's a she?"
His question makes my smirk vanish, replacing it with a worried face. "Uh… trust me, I just do." I quickly dismiss. As Erik smiles and draws his hand back, the girl who asked earlier what the Night Lights were speaks up again.
"And who are the other two?"
To answer, Nuffink steps forth with the two male Night Lights. "Guys, this is Dawn. And that over there is Dusk." Dawn stares at the kids quizzically while Dusk, noticing one child waving at him, raises one paw and tries copying the gesture. His attempt earns some giggles from the crowd.
"Wait a minute," Erik says. "You said you were gonna bring your mom and dad home, right?"
"That's right."
"So… where are they?"
Instead of a verbal reply, I glance out to sea with arms crossed. One by one, the kids turn around and look… and gasp.
Approaching the island is the flock of dragons and every survivor from the battle, which draws the attention of everyone on New Berk. At the very front, a black Night Fury and a blue Deadly Nadder touch down on the grass while a white Light Fury circles from overhead, landing gracefully on a rooftop.
Upon recognizing the Night Fury from their recent story, the kids whisper to each other excitedly and stare in awe. I can make out traces of words involving "it's really him".
"THE CHIEF AND CHIEFTESS HAVE RETURNED!"
A voice booms out from behind us, and the Night Lights whirl around, startled. With a sharp whistle, I grab hold of Twilight while Nuffink does the same with Dawn. The Night Lights bound over to their family, clearing the way for the villagers.
My parents dismount as their friends do the same. Dragons familiar with my people reunite with them after so long. Vikings congratulate my parents for their safe return, and that they were worried that they would never come back. While all of this happens around us, my brother and I share a warm smile, glancing out at the scene before us. It's… incredible.
Even though this can't last long, people both old and new are living the time when dragons existed with us once again. And it's an amazing sight.
"There is one more thing you must know about the legend," a voice says from behind me. When Nuffink and I turn to look, we see all of our friends before us. Avicia and Feliciana still look pretty banged up, and Adrian stands near his sister with arms crossed. Eguala walks up to me while everyone else hangs back with their dragons.
"During the journey, I noticed how calm you appeared when on the back of that dragon," she explains. "How you had no fear of the sky. How you embraced it. By doing so… you have made yourself one with the wind, Zephyr. And that truly makes you the next West Wind."
I smile at her, sighing in happiness. "Thanks, but… maybe I'll put that title on hold for now."
"Why?"
I turn towards the village. "Because I have a new one to look forward to."
Eguala hums to herself. "Then I'll make no move to stop you."
"Everyone? Can I have your attention, please?" Dad's voice cuts through the crowd. Nuffink and I immediately run back to his side, our friends not too far behind. When everyone is settled and all is quiet… the Chief speaks.
"When I sent the dragons away to the Hidden World all those years ago, I always believed that people would look for them. But I never believed that some people would get dangerously close… and would go to drastic measures to find them.
And I never expected them to go to such great lengths, either. But that is exactly what this new enemy did. This 'Shieldbreaker' was more ruthless than anyone I had ever faced. They were unstoppable, merciless and tore through village after village in their search for clues. You all remember the day they attacked our peaceful home, a home I chose for us to settle down upon. How they took the lives of our friends and families and abducted me and my loving wife.
I knew what they wanted from us. But I refused to give it to them. I stood firm for as long as I could… but they tried prying it from me in many ways. When physical torture didn't work, they struck at my mind. They attacked my allies and killed someone who became one of my closest friends in the past. And that's when I realized… my old team stood no chance against them. This wouldn't be like anything we've ever faced.
While all of you worried about my safety, only a few of you held onto hope. But instead of just waiting for that hope to come, one person rose up and chased after that hope. A person who just wouldn't stand idle when everything we knew and loved was at stake. A person who refused to let her past define her any longer. And that person… is none other than my own daughter."
Pausing from his speech, Dad turns to me with a proud smile on his face and his jade eyes sparkling with hope. Without a single word, I walk up to his side and smile back. Placing an arm on my shoulder, he turns back to the crowd.
"From the moment she came into my life, I knew Zephyr was destined for great things, just like her father before her. Ever since she was a little girl, I told her stories about the dragons and how I was going to change everything for the better. And while she never took those tales too seriously, she came to realize the importance of everything as she grew older.
I told her that it was her destiny to not only take my place as a leader but also to take my place as a defender of dragon-kind, to carry the beliefs we both share. But that destiny came to her when she least expected it when the Shieldbreaker came and snatched us into its vile grip. On that day, her journey began. It was long and hard, and she suffered many hardships… but the one that stuck out the most was what most of you believed was inevitable.
For years, tradition called for only male successors to take up chiefdom. That the task was better suited for my son than for my oldest daughter. Well, not only has that fact irritated me… but it has also haunted her. But with the support of friends and family alike, she regained the strength to press onward.
Zephyr rallied you all while the Shieldbreaker almost made my darkest fears a reality. They had found the Hidden World and were determined to make all dragons extinct. But Zephyr wouldn't allow it that easily. She led you into battle, rescued us, and struck down their leader single-handedly in a duel where everything we fought for was on the line. And while the final battle was victorious, it was not flawless. We lost many brave warriors, as well as all of our warships, to the Shieldbreaker's military might. Friends and loved ones are now fallen… and we shall honor them later.
But for now, the day is won… and you not only have me to thank, but also my daughter. Aside from me, no one has her kind of determination. She is strong-willed, stubborn, and refuses to back down easily. And it is what she has done today that has proven she has what it takes. So the news is official: when my time is up, Zephyr Haddock will take my place as Chieftess of New Berk. And I know that deep in my heart… she will be a great leader as I am."
The crowd erupts into a roaring cheer, celebrating the Shieldbreaker's defeat, the return of their leaders… and most of all, my proof that I am truly meant to be my father's heiress.
Soon enough, the crowd disperses and activities are resumed. My friends soon depart after one last congratulation to me and Nuffink, leaving only the two of us and the Night Lights.
"We did it," Nuffink breathes. "So... what happens now?"
"What else?" I answer. "We celebrate our victory, we rebuild what damage the Shieldbreaker caused, and we honor the fallen."
"The Bewilderbeast was such a spectacle." Dawn sighs. "And he has gone through a lifetime of suffering. We won't forget him anytime soon… nor ever."
"And Heather…" Nuffink adds reluctantly. "My family almost treated her like she truly belonged with them. She'll definitely be missed."
"Cheer up, guys," I interrupt with a smirk. "Don't act so down in the dumps now! Save it for when the time comes. For now… we just need to enjoy our triumph and everything I've helped my people endure. So… what do you wanna do now?"
The Night Lights are silent at first, with each of them looking around all of New Berk they can see. Twilight squints curiously while Dawn paws at the ground like something different is supposed to be there. Dusk sniffs at the grass, unsure what to make of it. That's when something pops into my head. Didn't Dusk say this place was familiar?
Twilight shakes her own head, shoving aside any thoughts she's currently having. Her blue eyes turn to me with a playful feeling inside them.
"What do you have in mind?"
(A/N: Whew! Glad another one's out of the way! With the holidays right around the corner, things have been a little busy for me. But since I'm now on winter break, I kinda need some time to relax and relieve some stress. And speaking of the holidays, the next chapter's gonna revisit the events of HTTYD: Homecoming!
P.S. Leave a review if able. It means a lot to me and the hard work I go through for this story.)