Astrid and the others were on board the Christina, still rather confused about the identity of the new acquaintance.
Then Arvin appeared around the corner. "Captain this way."
Olatrand nodded and then looked back at Astrid and the others. "My friends, everything will be explained on the way of our destination."
"Indeed," said the mysterious woman. "That should give me ample time to get you up to speed."
"Right, but who might you be?" Astrid asked.
Ase was at the helm of the ship. "Hang on tight guys, things may get a little bumpy."
The entire ship shook as it tried to pull away from Acnologia, who was now following them close behind.
The woman then approached Merrill. "Merrill, it's a pleasure to finally meet I only wish that it had been sooner."
Astrid frowned. 'How does she know Merrill?'
Merrill looked at her. 'She seems familiar, but this is the first time I've met her.'
On the bridge, everyone was doing everything they could to keep Acnologia at bay.
"Perfect, Acnologia is giving chase," said Feralan.
"Let's have a little fun with him," said Cavin.
"Roger that," said Arvin.
"Charging focus Magic Cannon Odin," said Ase. She then quickly spun the ship around so it was now facing Acnologia. "Here we go, high-speed rotation. Target is locked. Energy charged at 100%… and fire!"
They then fired the main cannon directly at Acnologia and it hit him dead on.
"Oh yeah!" Ase cheered. "That's a bulls-eye!"
However, it had no effect on Acnologia, in fact, he was eating the magical blast.
"He just ate?" Ase stared.
"No way, is he immune to magic?" said Arvin.
"How about conventional weapons?" Cavin suggested.
"He still looks kind of hungry, maybe he can eat some lead!" Feralan yelled.
"Assault Pegasus!" Cavin roared.
They quickly turned around and fired the back weapons at Acnologia, but the bullets just merely bounced off his skin.
"Do you really believe you can get away from me?" Acnologia roared furiously. "You don't have a chance!"
"His speed is increasing," said Arvin.
"No one outruns the heavenly horses," said Feralan.
"Magic boosters! Ignite!" Carvin yelled.
The ship then suddenly took off as the booster's power intensified, but Acnologia was still on their tail. That sudden burst caused the entire ship to shift this making it difficult to stand up.
"Levering out our orientation!" Olatrand yelled as he tried to keep the ship steady.
Merrill looked at the mysterious woman. "Who are you? And why do I have this feeling that we've met?"
She merely smiled. "In a way we have, what you may not know is that I'm an ancestor of a close friend of yours. The girl known as Ruby, we are part of the same family my name is Sapphire."
"I don't understand what this means?" Astrid frowned.
"No matter who you maybe, if you truly do have a plan to defeat Acnologia you must share it with us," said Jellal.
"I know you're quite eager, but be patient all things come in due time," said Sapphire calmly.
"I'm still so confused, this is the first time we've met and yet it feels as if we've known each other for a long time," said Merrill.
"That's because I knew your mentor, Grandeeney and the other dragons," she said gently. "Even though they are no longer inside of you, this you still have traces of their residual memories. Just know there efforts and sacrifices were not in vain."
She then looked at them all. "I was the one, 1000 years ago, that helped the dragons to enter your time period so that they could train Hiccup and the others. We came to the year 782 in the pursuit of a singular purpose to defeat Drago and Acnologia."
Ruby and the others were currently in the park holding the Book of Dragrach. Ruby was holding the book and was crying.
"You okay?" Toothless asked.
"Hey, Ruby what's wrong?" Ragnar asked.
"This book… how could this one book possibly be linked to Hiccup?" said Ruby as she looked down at the book. "Drago wants to demonise him, I mean I know that Hiccup is special but he still just the person."
Within the Guildhall both Hiccup and Drago was still clashing, neither one giving an inch. Hiccup had just swung his sword at Drago pushing him back, but he looked as if he was enjoying it.
"Yes, give me more!" Drago cried. "Come on, Hiccup! That's it fight me! Try and destroy me! Come and destroy yourself!"
"What the hell is wrong with you?" said Hiccup.
"Now Hiccup!"
"You want my power, then take it!"
Far away from Berk, the Christina was still trying to fly ahead of Acnologia and Sapphire was beginning to explain everything.
"1000 years ago, we had no way defied either Drago or Acnologia," she explained. "Things were grim, but then we found a prophecy saying that a namesake of Hiccup would someday defeat Drago with the power of a dragon. However, that still left with the problem of Acnologia so we then created a plan to place our hopes on the future. The dragons would train five chosen Dragon Slayers in your era and then enter their bodies."
"I know, Grandeeney told us about that," said Merrill.
"I heard that was due to magic power, because our current period was so rich in it," said Astrid.
"That's true, magic power is quite prevalent it is proving to be a wise choice," said Sapphire. "I opened the gateway, which had been created by the Chronicler."
"Drago's sister and Master Hiccup's love?" said Jellal.
Sapphire nodded. "Hiccup actually trained Drago in the art of magic, it was during their period that he began experimenting with new forms of magic that was deemed too dangerous by the committee. Using this knowledge he and the Chronicler were able to create the Eclipse Gate.
Originally they wanted to use it to travel back in time, in order to prevent Drago from becoming a threat. Sadly that proved to be impossible as they could only travel point in time with the gate existed and so they decided to find salvation in the future. We had a very powerful Viking connectors to this era, her name was Crystal Heartfull. I opened the entrance and she the exit."
"Ruby's mother was involved in all this?" said Astrid.
"I came along, to explain the whole situation to them," Sapphire explained. "I would accompany the dragons and help explain to the chosen Dragon Slayers."
"You were supposed to help train us?" Merrill blinked.
"There was no telling how you might react in the face-to-face with a dragon, but things did not go as planned. An unforeseen accident along the dragons in different directions, it took me three years to track you all and when I did I saw that you had all found your own lives in this new era. I decided I should wait to make contact and not to further disrupt the situation.
"While I was conducting my search, I came across an unexpected discovery. I don't know whether it was a result of what went wrong during the opening of the Eclipse or whether it was merely coincidental, but something you had come into existence. I stayed in the shadows all this time so I could investigate and properly prepare for it. It possesses tremendous power, a dangerous amount… perhaps not a power it's more like a concept."
"What is it exactly?" Astrid asked. "I mean can you describe it a bit more clearly?"
"I would call it a rift in time."
"You found a rift in time?" said Merrill and Jellal in unison.
"Indeed, we can trap Acnologia inside a place of nothingness forever."
It was the year 782, it was a calm and gentle night but a day was rather special as it was a lunar eclipse. Then suddenly there were five flashes of light that shot up into the sky and a young princess Mala watched them from her balcony.
"Wow, pretty shooting stars," she said.
Standing next to her was her bodyguard Throk. "Now that is odd. Something is off about them, shooting stars are supposed to shoot down not up."
"There's five, look at them!" Mala pointed.
"Princess I think we should find his Majesty," said Throk.
"Yeah, I wonder where he went?"
King Macario was currently underneath the castle he had just witnessed Crystal opening the Eclipse Gate. No sooner had she done this then five bright lights shot right through the ceiling.
"Royal family has watched over this cave for many generations and now at long last someone has arrived at open it," he said.
Crystal was completely worn out, without Aquarius is key she had a user own life force to compensate for the lack of power. Then stepping out of the gate was a woman, who resembled Crystal.
"Hold on, there appears to be someone else coming through," said King Macario. "Who could it be?"
That person was Sapphire and she began taking in her new surroundings. "Wait, where am I?" She then quickly looked at Crystal. "The year… what year is it currently?"
"Uh, right… it's the year 782," said Crystal.
"Nearly 800 years, that means it actually worked," said Sapphire looking relieved. She then noticed the lack of dragons. "The dragons? I was travelling with five dragons, they should have come through."
"I'm not sure what I just saw exactly," said King Marcario. "There were several lights and they flew by with a tremendous rate of speed when the gate opened." His eyes then turned towards the ceiling where there were five holes. "Look there, they shot right through the ceiling."
Sapphire had no idea what to say, this had not been part of the plan.
A few moments later, King Marcario and Crystal escorted Sapphire outside and she began to explain to Crystal about what happened.
"That's amazing, the gate really connected with time after all," said Crystal looking amazed.
"Thank you for opening it, I'm grateful," said Sapphire.
"'To the one of a grand era, a time that is rich with magic at the instance of the sun and moon crossing pass, use the 12 keys to open the gate,'" said Crystal as she pulled out a book. "I was a bit sceptical, but this book has been passed down for generations by my mother and many before her."
"I know it quite well for I wrote it," said Sapphire smiling.
"Wait a moment," said King Marcario. "Will you please explain what's going on here?"
"To connect our time periods, I needed someone from this era to open the Eclipse Gate. In order to accomplish that I wrote a book with detailed instructions to my descendants and told them to pass it down through the generations. Of course there was no way to know the exact time and date on when it needed to open so the Chronicler kept an open eye on the level of magic and centre signed to my descendants."
Crystal's eyes widened. "A few years ago I had a vision from the Chronicler telling me it was time."
King Marcario stared at Crystal. "You're telling me you came from 800 years ago?"
"Indeed, that is true," Sapphire smiled.
"Cyber what's so special about this era and why with the Chronicler herself be involved in all this?" Crystal asked. "The book doesn't say specifically."
"I can't say just yet, but I promise I will explain everything when the time is right," Sapphire assured her.
Crystal nodded. "When you're ready."
"The Chronicler gave my family the special task of guarding the Eclipse Gate," said King Marcario rubbing his chin. "She only said to us that the gate needed to be opened at some point in the future, but she never explained why."
"The Chronicler duties to record time not to be involved within it, to violate that law would bring untold consequences," Sapphire explained. "She only bends the law enough in order to give helpful hints or gentle nudges, but that's about all she is capable of."
"I'm just glad that I did not have to pass the burden onto my daughter Ruby," said Crystal looking up at the starry night sky. "It put a great amount of responsibility on one shoulders. I want her to live a life full of joy, the time is now this ends with my generation."
"If this era was not rich in magic power, the gate would not have opened," said Sapphire smiling. "Our family no longer have to shoulder the burden of this well-kept secret. I am sorry the burden weighed upon you like that, your mother served well as did those before her. I know it's a peculiar task, I appreciated you all."
"Of course."
Sapphire then turned and looked at the city. "I was worried, but all the mortal races and civilisations to exist 800 years into the future. Just knowing that this world is thriving feels me with happiness."
She then grimaced. 'However, does this mean everything that I have done was for nothing? Did the world need me? Because if it turns out that Drago and Acnologia is into threat in this era then no matter what I need to keep moving forward. I need to be sure.'
She then looked at Crystal. "I'll handle everything for now on, you can go and live a happy life with your family."
Crystal looked at her, knowing that she wouldn't have long to live. "Thank you. But Sapphire can I ask what you plan on doing first?"
"All things come in due time, but the first order of business is to track down the dragons before they make contact. Once that's done I will return."
"Yes, I won't tell us a soul about this," Crystal promised.
Sapphire then looked at King Marcario. "Your Majesty, I need you to do one more thing. You must destroy the gate."
"Of course," said King Marcario looking somewhat confused.
Back in the present, Sapphire had just finished telling them how she came to be in this time period.
"Sadly, before we had the chance to see each other again, Crystal fell ill and passed away not long after," she said sadly.
"I'm so sorry," said Merrill.
"The news of her death was quite distressing, it shook me to my core. She was my descendant, she was precious to me. Her talent as a Celestial Viking was profound, she had a family and a bright future ahead of her. But she willingly shortened her life for my plan."
"Is there anything else you can share with us?" Astrid asked.
"There is… I felt something unusual. I noticed almost immediately upon my arrival that there is an abnormal type of magic that flows within this era. It has no basic elements nor is it made of light or darkness. It's simply nothingness."
"The magic of nothingness?" Jellal frowned.
"That's right, a type of magic that shouldn't exist in this era but still intriguing. I had to investigate further when I did… that's when I found it… the Rift in Time. This is only a theory right now, but I believe it is related to time travel. Because the natural flow of time to warp just enough to expose it, perhaps at the very concept of time correcting or at least attempting to. And that is giving rise to a power beyond our comprehension, but regardless inside the time rift is a literal nothingness nothing can live in it everything just simply ceases to be. This would be true for Acnologia as well."
"So your plan is to law him there and trap him inside of it?" Jellal assumed.
Sapphire nodded. "Yes."
"Okay, but this is crazy. I find it difficult to believe that after all these years no one else has found this rift."
"That's because I kept it hidden."
"Sapphire, are you positive this thing really a rift in time?" Merrill asked.
"The Eclipse opened long ago during the Grand Magic Games, the hole had a rather intense reaction to that disturbance. This further confirmed my suspicions."
"A hole?" Astrid frowned.
Sapphire then bent down and picked up an orange. "Yes, it's normally invisible to the eye, but it's roughly the size of this orange. If you happen to touch it you're done for there is no escape from it."
"The plan is expounding the simple," said Olatrand and then turned to Arvin. "If you please Arvin."
"Sure," Arvin smiled snapping his fingers.
His Archive then appeared in front of them with a detailed plan of how they were going to accomplish with trapping Acnologia in the rift.
"We will travel around the Time Rift and then wait for Acnologia, he would likely pursue us in a straight line. At which point you'll come into contact with it and then he'll go poof, gone forever."
"Are you certain it will be that easy?" Astrid asked looking a little sceptical.
"It's the only option we have," said Sapphire.
Back at Berk, Ragnar will start to get concerned with Ruby who had been crying non-stop.
"You going to be all right Ruby?" he asked.
"Yeah, I will be," she said and then she looked at him. "Promise me something, please don't talk about destroying the book anymore."
"Of course I won't, I promise. I do know it was like Hiccup before."
"Ruby have you tried opening the book?" Toothless asked. Ruby frowned at him. "I think I get what First Master said before, when he was giving the book to you."
Ruby remembered that Master Hiccup mentioned that Hiccup's survival was all down to the bond they shared.
"I'm more worried by that thing with Drago," said Ragnar.
Ragnar was the only person who knew what Drago true objective was with the Dragon Heart.
"Did he tell you something?" Ruby stared.
"Nah," he lied smiling. 'Drago isn't going to get his wish not if Hiccup has anything to do with it.' He then looked back at Ruby. "Crack it open."
Ruby nodded.
Back at the Guildhall, Hiccup was pulling all the stops to defeat Drago though it seems as if they were evenly matched.
"You can't be done, at least not yet," Drago smiled. He then raised his arm and a massive surge of dark magic launched out of it. "You disappoint me! I was expecting a lot more than the one destined to kill me!" The attack slammed right into Hiccup began screaming. "Nor that it matters, once I am done none of this will exist after I harness my former master's power. I would then be able to change the world in my making, I call it the Neo Eclipse!"
Drago attack completely in snared Hiccup, preventing him from moving a single muscle.
"I won't travel forward nor backwards in time, I'm going to start over entirely," Drago explained. "Time itself will be reset to own before the universe was even born."
Hiccup stared at him. "No way, that your goal! To go back and play God!"
"This way no one will be hurt, you'll have a chance to live happy lives under my rule," Drago smiled. "Equality for all people, dragons completely under heel, no poverty, no sickness… I'll be able to create the happiest ending imaginable!"
"Not for everybody!" Hiccup yelled as he struggled to free himself. "You're altering the lives of millions of people who ever lived or will live. Don't you see there's no such thing as perfection?!"
"You're wrong, everything will be perfect with my vision and as for those lives you've mentioned there just small sacrifices."
"It's not up to you!" Hiccup yelled. "I will stop you, no matter what! I won't let you ruin our lives!"
"There are two keys that can open the Neo Eclipse, Master Hiccup has one of them," said Drago. "He shall be joining us very soon."
"And the other?"
"The other key is the Rift in Time."
