So… I have a very weird relationship with Writing. Sometimes I'm on a streak and other times I'm AWOL for months. At this point I've made peace with the fact that it'll take about 10 years to finish this story. I'm sorry…
Thank you guys for the reviews! As for the pairings… I am still conflicted because I really love Hicstrid but with the storyline that I have planned it is likely that won't happen. I doesn't change the fact that Hiccup will always love Astrid and he will always have a soft spot for her but… yeah, I can't really say anything just in case. Either way, romance is not something very important in the story. I love romance but I love adventure, friendship and action more.
Also, there is a section with SPOILERS for the endgame of 'Fairy Tail'. I marked it so read at your own peril, I guess.
I don't own 'How to Train Your Dragon' or 'Fairy Tail' and I'm not making any profits from this. Enjoy!
Chapter 7: Destiny
The four winged dragon dropped them in a cave after flying through a dizzying number of ice tunnels. Hiccup and Astrid scrambled to their feet, looking around at the horde of dragons surrounding them. The shield maiden was clenching her fists, her axe having been left in Stormfly's saddle. Hiccup unconsciously pulled her next to him.
The masked stranger appeared out of the shadows in front of them, his staff drumming a hypnotic sound on the stone floor. Hiccup had to grip the woman's arm to hold her from rushing at him.
"Wait, wait, wait!" He told her. She glared at him for a second.
The person dropped in a crouch, shaking the staff. The dragons around them instantly opened their maws, bright fire shining in their throats in warning. The better light illuminated the huge space they were in as well as their kidnapper, giving Hiccup a much better chance to look them over. The hardened leather was bulky on their otherwise slim figure. The mask was big, with pointed spines sticking out and painted with an eye-catching blue shade. Hiccup tensed his legs, ready to jump into battle as the figure drew closer to them, tilting his head as if observing them from different angles would give him answers.
"Who are you?" Astrid snapped.
The stranger twitched, slowly standing up. Hiccup mused over the fact he was slightly shorter than him.
"You are from Berk, right?"
The feminine tone, along with the familiar, nostalgic scent, caught him off-guard. Enough to slacken his grip on Astrid. The shield-maiden growled and pounced straightaway. The woman easily leaped back but Astrid didn't follow. She remained a few steps in front of Hiccup.
"It's you that's been annoying the trappers, isn't it? As much as I agree with that, you attacked us and hurt my dragon. So I'll only ask again. Who are you?"
The stranger straightened. She reached for her mask and tugged it down revealing a beautiful woman in her forties. She had auburn hair and light green eyes, eyes that watched them with disbelief and a hint of fear. Hiccup frowned. He couldn't shake the odd feeling that he knew her.
"My name is… Valka." She quickly glanced at Hiccup, and neither he nor Astrid missed the fact that she was waiting for his reaction. "I apologize for earlier but I uh... Y-Your dragon is alright. I made it clear that no one is to be harmed." Her voice recovered some strength as she turned to Astrid.
The blonde nodded, pacified but perplexed. She looked at Hiccup when he stepped next to her, his gaze never leaving the woman.
"Who are you exactly?"
Valka minutely leaned back. "You-You don't know?"
"Should I?"
"No…" She avoided him, scrutinizing the mask in her hands. "You were merely a babe… but a mother never forgets."
She stared at him, so full of awe and happiness that Hiccup fell his breath leave him for a few seconds. He was floundering for anything to say but any words were as far from his mind as they could be. Next to him, Astrid was throwing her arms up in the air. Yeah, that was an appropriate reaction. Unlike Hiccup who was frozen and gawking at the woman.
This woman was his mother. She was in front of him, alive, feral dragon lady and everything. Hiccup burnt her image in his brain for a while. She was short and thin if compared to an average Viking. Downright puny next to his father. But she had those high cheekbones and small nose that were very familiar to him. And the eyes. Couldn't forget that. There were small wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, enough to indicate age but she was glowing with life and exuberance. There were a few strands of white hair gathered in the braids tucked behind her head, but even that she made it look elegant and youthful.
"Come!" She extended her arm, as if to take his hand, but stopped half way. Her smile wavered before walking further in the cavern, motioning with her staff for them to follow. "This way."
Hiccup released a long breath. With numb legs, he begun after her, Astrid joining him close by.
"You know, if there's one thing that'll kill the Chief is seeing you both at the same time."
Hiccup couldn't hold back a snort of laughter.
/\\\
Back in the sky with the others dragon riders, everyone finally regrouped much to Mystogan's relief. The sudden attack along with the swift maneuvers that Snotlout and Hookfang pulled, made both him and Rein dizzy and slightly nauseous – as hard to believe as it was for the young cat. There were flying lower to the ocean, the red dragon beating his wings to stay in place as they observed their surroundings.
"Well, now what?" Grumbled Snotlout.
Stormfly screeched, berating the youth. She would have flown to give him a scratch or two if Meatlug and Fishlegs didn't appear between them.
"Stormfly is the only tracker dragon we have here. If she goes after them, someone will have to go with her." Spoke Fishlegs, trying to be the voice of reason. There were all shaken after the incident, even more so after the Nadder flew to them, dazed and with an empty saddle. "But we can't do that because we need to go to Berk and explain to the Chief about that Drago fellow and how Hiccup is alive and all that."
"Yeah, imagine how hard it would be if we had to do it without Hiccup." Tuffnut chuckled. He was banged on the helmet by his sister.
"Hiccup isn't here, dung-face."
"I knew that, troll-feet!"
Mystogan pinched the bridge of his nose. Snotlout groaned and Fishlegs face-palmed. Rein was frazzled, the fur on her back sticking up and the noise and arguing wasn't helping her mood.
"Okay, listen up!" Everyone turned to the blue haired mage. "I think we should continue to your village, warn them about Bludvist and then Stormfly could track down Hiccup and Astrid." He glanced at Fishlegs, wordlessly asking if she could follow the trail after a few hours.
At his nod, he continued. "I don't claim to know your Chief, but if he is as familiar with Bludvist as Bludvist was to him, I'm sure he would be willing to listen, right? Hiccup and Astrid can take care of each other for a bit."
Fishlegs sighed while Stormfly was whimpering behind him. "I think our priority is with Berk too. We can take the Chief and then we could go after whoever took them."
"That's in the best case scenario where he'll believe us." Snotlout was quick to point out. "And we don't even have Astrid with us to do the talking…"
"Ahem!" Fishlegs stared at him affronted.
"Gesundheit!" Tuffnut piped in.
"No, I mean, I can talk to him just fine."
Ruffnut snorted. "Not unless you stutter through the whole thing."
The twins and Snotlout burst into laughter. Mystogan swallowed the frustration bubbling in his gut. He trusted Hiccup to protect himself and Astrid but couldn't those guys see they were wasting time? He felt hesitant to bring himself in the conversation again, he didn't want to appear too overbearing.
He didn't have too, as Astrid's dragon suddenly took off.
"Whoa! Where's the fire?" The blonde girl twin blinked in surprise as the Nadder sped away.
Her brother cleared his throat indicating to his head of the Zippleback. "I believe it is right here, sister dear!"
"She's heading for Berk!" Fishlegs screamed following after the fastest dragon in their team.
"Like rider, like dragon." Muttered Snotlout, directing Hookfang to move.
'Finally!' Mystogan couldn't help the small cheer and appreciation for the dragon.
/\\\
"Ah, ho-hold on! Wait just a minute! Would you – " Hiccup and Astrid ran after Valka, who was leaping and climbing over walls and boulders in the thin crevice leading deeper into the mountain.
"Come!"
Hiccup groaned low in his throat in frustration. She made sure to be ahead of them, nimbly going over the obstacles while the two of them were left behind, trying to play catch up.
"You can't just say something like that and run off." He could have sworn he was more graceful than the drunken stumble he's had after the woman scurried off in a frenzy earlier. "You're my mother?! I mean what the – Do you-do you grasp how insane it sounds?"
His gauntlets scraped against a large boulder, searching for a good grip. He hauled his body over, remembering at the last second to help Astrid too. The shield maiden was good at keeping up with her quick step but the hard, unfamiliar path was making it difficult for her to pace herself. They didn't even know how much further they were going.
"Come quickly!"
Her short, clipped outbursts made it all the more annoying, just as her evading his queries.
"Hey, I have questions! Where have you been all this time? They said you were dead."
She almost flew up a tall, steep slope making Hiccup sigh. He took a running start, scaling the thing in a few easy steps. Astrid followed his example and he grabbed her arms to lift her the rest of the way up, even though she didn't need it. She chose to ignore his aid and Hiccup mentally thanked her for that. He wasn't sure why he was to attentive with her – scratch that! He knew exactly why; it just came as an impulse.
"Why are we even going after her?" She groused. Hiccup watched her with a raised eyebrow. She lightly smacked his arm. "You know what I mean."
"She won't lead us into a trap."
"And you know that, how?"
"Instinct. And even if it was a trap, I'd get us out of there in no time."
"Even with the dozens of dragons she commands?"
Hiccup pinched his lips, moving to keep going. "A bit harder, but yes."
He heard the blonde grumble and smiled fondly. Besides, they were there now. The gap opened in an illuminated area. Both of them stepped out, alert, but their reluctance dropped the moment their feet walked on fresh, sunlit moss.
The wide ledge was covered in greenery, from hanging vines, to bent, richly crowned trees and an assortment of wild ferns littering the floor. And in front of it was a spectacle the kind of which Hiccup has seen only once in his life but he was too busy fighting for his life to notice it.
Dragons. Hundreds of them, flying in huge flocks around massive pillars of stone stretching as far as the eye could see towards the ice dome above. Hiccup and Astrid smiled broadly at the scenery, taking in the peacefulness of the Nest and the grandeur that it highlighted. Croaks and curious thrills made them notice the hiding natives. Astrid laughed when a bunch of Gronckle hatchlings came out of the foliage approaching them with interest. She kneeled on the ground and reached out to them, blue eyes shining with delight.
"Come on, little guys!" She coaxed them gently and the bravest one came forth, dark eyes wide with innocence. Astrid run her fingertips over their head and the small one immediately nuzzled into her arm, its action spurring the others to join.
Hiccup watched as she was assaulted by the younglings, gathering them in her arms and petting them until they were a bunch of purring round lumps. Seeing her so caring and sweet to them, made Hiccup relax and enjoy the balmy feeling that washed over him. He tried, he honest to Gods tried to keep his feelings at bay. And he thought that whatever crush he had back when they were kids was only a physical thing, something that was reinforced when he saw her again at Drago's fort.
Yes, Astrid Hofferson was beautiful. She was the most beautiful girl in any realm. But now he was seeing another sort of beauty to her. She was brave, she was fierce, she didn't flinch and she stood up to him; she didn't back off and continued to snipe at him just as much as he did at her. And she was kind and loving, as passionate about dragons as she was about fighting. Hiccup couldn't deny it, he was head over heels in love with Astrid Hofferson, and that realization made his heart ache much worse.
He teared himself away from the scene, his chest heaving as if he fought a harsh battle. Rough claws on stone caught his attention and he searched for the noise. Above them, hidden in the cliff side, the rusty dragon was hanging upside down on a stalactite and in his folds crouched Valka.
"This is where you've been for twenty years?" He whispered stunned.
The woman nodded, smiling nervously.
"So, you weren't… killed. Like people said."
Valka sighed. She held out her staff and the dragon wrapped a claw around the end, lifting her up and setting her on the ground. Astrid observed her from behind Hiccup, but remained seated with the Gronckles in her lap.
"Oh, Cloudjumper never meant to harm me. He must have thought I belonged here… I can't dispute that." Her tone grew wistful at the end, ducking her head.
Hiccup nodded and they all fell in silence. He still had no idea what to say. When he wanted to investigate Drago Bludvist he had never imagined this was where he'd end up. At least now he knew how his father would feel when their time to reunite would come.
"Do-Do you like it?"
Her timid question snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Uh, yeah…" More adult dragons came out in the open. One bumped his snout on Hiccup's back and he turned to touch it slowly. "Yeah, this is incredible!"
"Are you upset?"
"I… I don't know…"
"Now you can't blame your father if he gets mad when he sees you." Astrid called smugly, scratching a dragon sniffing at her.
"Thank you, Astrid! I wouldn't know what to do without your helpful input!" She grinned pleasantly and Hiccup hated the odd constricting feeling in his stomach. "S-So, how did you get here? What happened?"
Valka gripped her staff while Cloudjumper slinked down next to her. She idly raised her hand to lean into him as her eyes misted over with memories.
"That was a tiring and hopeless time. Berk was a land of kill or be killed, but I believed peace was possible. It was a very unpopular opinion." She chuckled with no mirth. Hiccup and Astrid exchanged worried glances.
"One night, a dragon broke into our house, finding you in the cradle. I rushed to protect you, but what I saw... was proof of everything I believed." Cloudjumper crooned and rubbed his head against hers. "This wasn't a vicious beast, but an intelligent, gentle creature whose soul reflected my own. Stoick arrived and tried to protect us from him." She frowned, crestfallen. "You and your father nearly died that night, all because I couldn't kill a dragon."
"Huh, runs in the family…"
"So I've heard." Her mouth twitched with a small smile. "I, uh, listened in last night."
Hiccup's eyes widened. He didn't know if it was because he didn't sense her or because his mother was so close to him before and she didn't say anything. "Well, I guess I don't have to repeat myself then."
Valka swallowed at his dry response. "It broke my heart to stay away, but I believed you'd be safer if I did."
Hiccup dipped his head, hands reaching out to the dragon again. "It's fine. I don't blame you or anything, I did the same thing after all. I don't have any right to judge you."
"Hiccup…" Astrid trailed off and he frowned at the pity in her voice.
"Really, I'm fine." He stressed. "I'm glad you're alive and that you're… you've been saving these dragons all those years." Valka beamed at his sincerity. "I admit, I'm a bit… hurt, but I understand. I do!"
He looked his mother in the eyes and with the most open smile he told her. "I'm not mad at you."
Valka teared up, her hand touching his arm softly. "Thank you, Hiccup!"
They remained in that spot, looking at each other and seeing the contentment, the grief, the fear that build up in the past few minutes. Hiccup didn't lie. He was beyond ecstatic to find his long lost mother, the pang of abandonment was insignificant and hypocritical so there was no worth in considering it. As Astrid put it earlier, finding out that both his son and his wife were alive and willingly chose to stay away could very well give Stoick the Vast a heart attack. Hiccup found only apprehension regarding that meeting.
Astrid cleared her throat. "So, this Nest is a lot different than the one at Helheim's Gate."
Valka nodded at her and walked to the edge, now far more relaxed. "This is the home of the great Bewilderbeast! The Alpha species. One of very few that still exist." She motioned with her staff at the ice spreading across the ceiling, both Hiccup and Astrid joining her. "With his icy breath, this graceful giant built our nest. A safe haven for dragons everywhere. Every nest has its queen, but this is the King of all dragons."
In a pool of water at the feet of the cliff rested a gigantic dragon, easily thwarting the size of the Queen. He was white, a head full of thousands of thick spines and a set of intimidating ivory tusks jutting out of his skull. The two were again left speechless at the sight.
"Wait, he's the one that destroyed the trappers' fort?" Astrid asked somewhat disturbed.
"He protects us. We all live under his care. And his command. All but the babies, of course... who listen to no one!" She chuckled when a bunch of colorful hatchlings settled on the dragon's face, chirping and pulling at his spines unbothered.
Hiccup stared at him as he opened his piercing teal eyes. There was something about that dragon, something he couldn't put his finger on. He was different from all the other dragons he had seen in Midgard so far.
The Bewilderbeast rose up, coming closer to watch them. Valka bowed gracefully while the two of them stood in awe. The dragon brought his face as close to them as he could, mindful of the cliff and his tusks. A cold breath of air hit them, frosting over their clothes.
"Dragon Slayer."
The booming, ancient voice knocked the breath out of him for many different reasons. Valka dropped her staff in shock and Astrid's mouth fell wide open.
"It has been four hundred years since I have seen one of your kind."
Everything in the lair stopped. All the dragons ceased flying, settling without a sound on the closest surface. Nothing moved except the wind and the thundering waterfalls below.
/\\\
Hiccup examined the shining black blade in his hands. It took an exhausting amount of time to create it, and even more experimenting to obtain the perfect blend of steel and scale powder, but he finally succeeded. In his tired hands laid the result of hours upon hours of care and desperation. The sword was amazing and, in Hiccup's opinion, his best work so far.
It was shorter than a normal Viking sword. Even with his growth spurt and added muscles mass from training and running all over the forest, Hiccup didn't consider himself strong enough, or careful enough, to swing around a one-meter-long blade. Even so, he decided upon a length of 74 cm, plenty of reach, but easier to manage.
Except the length and the color, the sword was an impeccable representation of Viking weaponry. Double edged, with a tapered point, Hiccup also added a weaving pattern of runes down the blade for protection. The handle was wrapped with black leather, small and short for one hand to grip it, and the pommel was shaped like a half moon with the upper part cut by golden veins from one side to another. The cross guard was made in the same manner, but curved towards the blade and decorated with the same golden pattern.
Quality swords were a rarity among Vikings, with most of them being heirlooms, very expensive and with a heavy history behind them. That was the reason most people carried around hammers, hatchets or axes. A sword was a symbol of wealth and even back on Berk, Hiccup seldom worked on them in the smith shop, mainly for repairs when the need came. He was so grateful to Gobber for teaching him everything there was about forging weapons.
Hiccup continued to stare at it, fascinated. He needed to come up with a name for it, as was tradition. He had never cared about weapons before, but now, looking at it, the sword that he, himself, made, it possessed an aura of grace and death. It was mesmerizing and he couldn't help running his fingers over it, turning it every which way and admiring it.
It was his! That was the difference. This sword belonged to him! It carried Hiccup's hopes and frustrations, his tears and sweat as he added part of Toothless in it, for him to hold and to always remember. He sighed, a pleasant calmness settling over him.
"When you told me about this, I didn't really think you could make it…" Gildarts's baritone timber rung through the silence with an evenness that did not disturb the peace in the workshop. It wasn't often when the man was still and serious, but something about Hiccup's unsettling serenity must have tipped him off to keep his antics to himself today. Hiccup appreciated his effort.
"I couldn't have done it without your help." He breathed out in good-nature. "I'll be owing you a fortune by the end of this."
"Hey, I'm not complaining."
"I think I'll call it Raven."
He ran his finger lightly over the blade, studying the tiny wave pattern of the scale powder mixing with the steel. He wished he would have crafted the whole sword out of Toothless' scales but he had other plans for what remained. There was a high chance that he would fail considering he had never attempted anything like what he wanted to try, but he felt an obsessive urge to do it. He felt impulsive to try, and part of it he believed was due to the pain. The sensation of having his heart broken and trampled and forgotten was suffocating, so he needed something to do. He needed something to bury the feeling and mindless, laborious work was the perfect thing.
"Why?"
Hiccup focused on the man. He was leaning back in the wooden, uncomfortable chair, arms crossed and looking so interested Hiccup debated whether he was genuine or not. 'Of course he was!' Hiccup shook away his bubbling paranoid thoughts. Gildarts wouldn't be here if he wasn't. Hiccup wouldn't be in an expensive blacksmith shop that Gildarts payed for if he wasn't.
As much as his heart shied away from anymore connections, Hiccup wanted to believe that Gildarts cared. He came to see them many times, checking their progress with the dragon magic training and bringing them supplies for months. He stayed and told them stories of his adventures, of Fairy Tail and Earthland, gave him tips and taught him about the kingdom and its culture. And he never asked for anything besides sharing an occasional meal together. Sometimes, Hiccup wondered about his motives. He was simply too good to be true. Just like Toothless was until he disappeared with no warning.
"Hiccup?"
The teen started, berating himself for getting lost in his thoughts again and making the red-head worry. "Sorry. Uh…" He directed his attention to the blade. "Back where I come from, ravens are a symbol of Odin, the All-Father, the most powerful of the Gods. They are his messengers and are often seen in the aftermath of battles, choosing those that will join him in Asgard. I figured, I mean… I thought it fitting that I would use it to choose who would leave and who would stay, if it comes down to it. A-And it's black. Like a raven. And like Toothless."
"Hey… don't give up on him."
Hiccup quickly quelled the anger boiling inside him. Gildarts was only trying to help, he didn't mean anything bad. But just the thought that he would give up on the only person who gave a damn about him caused utter rage to rise in his heart. It was terrifying. Hiccup wasn't violent, he wasn't a fighter… well, that was debatable now. But he would never intentionally hurt someone without a good reason. He breathed in and out, settling that ball of red hot fury back in the depths of his soul.
"I won't. I promised. Thank you for everything, by the way."
The man grinned, waving his hand. "C'mon, stop doing that every time I drop by."
"Why shouldn't I? You did so much for me and the only thing you want is that I become a wizard and join Fairy Tail. That's-that's nothing!"
Gildarts regarded him with a frown. "Hiccup, I don't want you to join Fairy Tail."
"Huh?"
The man sighed, rubbing his head. "Ugh, I meant, I don't want you to feel obligated to join Fairy Tail. Don't think like that. Listen! You're a nice kid, and it would have been real scummy of me to leave you clueless like that, especially after telling me where you're from. I wasn't – I didn't mean it when I said you should join my guild. I'm sorry if I made it seem like a duty, like you absolutely have to do that to repay me. You can go join whatever magic guild you want, kid. I won't force your hand or anything. Do what you want! But I want to, at least, keep in contact so I know you're fine. Is that okay with you?"
Hiccup was touched by his words. Again, Gildarts proved himself to be an incredible, kind person. In that moment, when he felt so alone and forsaken, Hiccup remembered not for the first time how the man stood and consoled him quietly during the storm. How he wrapped his large arm around him and let him cry his eyes out, how he didn't judge him and merely remained an unmovable presence. Like his father used to be. Like Gobber.
A wave of homesickness hit him all of a sudden at that comparison. His eyes teared up thinking about his own world, about the sharp faced island with tall forests and deadly cliffs. About Berk and the village with always new houses, constructions at every corner, the constant stench of fire and rain permeating the streets. It has been… two years since he left? It didn't feel like he did much, accomplished anything important besides losing another loved one.
Gildarts moved next to him, a hand falling on his head and ruffling his, now short, hair. "What's with the long face? C'mon, kid, brighten up!" His face softened, eyes dimming to a gentle, wise gaze.
"There's no point in dwelling in the past. You won't accomplish anything that way. The only way to live a fulfilling life is to always move forward, to never give up. Got that?"
Hiccup couldn't speak around the knot in his throat. He nodded. Gildarts grinned, going back to his usual cheerful self as if nothing happened.
"Great! So what are you gonna do now?" The man went back to his seat, resting his elbows on his knees and watching him with an expectant look.
The pain was still there, the biting anger and the shadows of depression ready to drown him. But there was light now. A burning hope that somebody believed in him and Hiccup would not let him down. After everything that Gildarts had done for him, all the effort he put in seeing him succeed, Hiccup was motivated to make him proud. Like his father and like Gobber, except the road wasn't an endless dark tunnel, but a bright path with a definite finish.
Gildarts allowed him to try, he didn't mock him and he didn't shove his failures in his face. He supported him and he would show him that he could become an amazing wizard. And he would find Toothless and kick his ass for breaking his promise.
"Well… probably something crazy!" He was happy to note his own mischief mirrored in Gildarts' face. "I was actually thinking about what Toothless told me about his magic and the differences between, y'know, humans and dragons. As a human I can't use his magic to its full potential so, I was wondering if I could make myself some dragon traits instead."
The red-head cocked an eyebrow interested.
"I'm gonna make me some dragon claws."
/\\\
Mystogan found Berk to be an unusual but beautiful sight. It was clear from before that technology in Midgard was far behind Earthland and even Edolas, but there was a certain charm to a landscape of wooden huts, unpaved, raw dirt for streets and random sheep and chickens wandering around unhindered.
The group veered around the village, aiming for an arena secluded from the rest between giant pillars of stone, and connected to the island by a sturdy bridge sculpted from the rock itself. Such a colossal man-made structure caused both him and Rein to marvel and attempt to take everything in as quickly as possible before they landed.
Now more than ever, Mystogan felt like he was out of his depth. Despite his earlier confidence, he was about to walk into an entirely different world by himself, with only a cat and a group of people that somewhat liked him, to back him up. And from the irritation they constantly sparked in him on the way, he wasn't very sure they would be welcomed for long. He kind of trusted Fishlegs to know the scope and gravity of the situation, but with his soft demeanor there was only so much he expected from him.
"Let's hurry!" The stocky young man didn't wait for them to get out of their saddle before taking off towards the main village.
Mystogan and Rein were right on his heels, the cat taking cover under his cloak for now. The prince mused that his decision to run off as soon as possible was to avoid any more altercations and stalling from the others. As they ran into the heart of the community, Mystogan observed the people. They were dressed like the riders, with leathers and furs and a lot of metal. They looked very barbaric and warrior like and he could see the sheer contrast between them and the people of Fiore. It was like night and day. He briefly entertained the thought of how much Hiccup had to adapt to the culture of Earthland.
Fishlegs led them towards the mountain where two massive statues stood guards on either side of an equally massive door. After climbing too many stairs – Rein offered to fly him up, but he declined not wanting to scare off the people too early – they arrived at the open gate, Mystogan panting heavily while the others wiped their foreheads and pushed through. Well, if they had to do that every day no wonder they barely looked phased.
The mage followed them inside where he had another shock. The cavern was one more stunning piece of architecture; above them was a big metal statue of a flying dragon, the roof beyond covered in shadows from which thick columns descended decorated with copper bands and diamond patterns inlays. On the floor, dozens of long tables were arranged, some of them with people drinking and laughing merrily. In the middle there was a grand fire pit, surrounded by an oval table and it was there where the Vikings were headed.
A group of big, buff men were discussing over a map. Mystogan's eyes were drawn to a large red haired man, supporting a bushy beard streaked with white, tied in a braid at the front and several smaller ones beneath. He wore a large fur cloak, an intimidating horned helmet and bore a presence that screamed authority. His eyes though, were dead. Mystogan didn't need help in identifying the man as Hiccup's father.
Fishlegs paused to gather himself before venturing closer. "Chief Stoick!"
Everyone stopped to watch the blonde, some displeased at the interruption, others curious. An odd man with a braided moustache and missing an arm and a leg was notable.
"Fishlegs." The man scrutinized him impatiently. "What are ye doin', boy? Wer in the middle of a meeting."
The youth swallowed. "I-I see, but we have news." He looked behind him at the others for help. Snotlout was checking out the walls, the twins were flicking each other's noses and Mystogan seriously debated turning his back and going to search for Hiccup by himself. The men spotted him though, and immediately tensed.
A dark haired man reached for his axe. "And who did ye bring this time around?" He asked gruffly. "Show yer face, stranger!"
Fishlegs waved his hands to placate him, a nervous hint trickling in his voice. "It's okay, Mystogan is a friend."
But that didn't dissuade the rest of the people from murmuring all around them. Mystogan pondered whether he should do as the man said and reveal his face. The only reason he has remained hidden until now was because Hiccup warned that people might be wary of his appearance. But this was an urgent situation and he needed to convince the Chief, Hiccup's father, of the situation. He might have run away when he was young but he was still the Prince of Edolas. He ought to treat this like a proper diplomatic meeting and be honest. Good allies were not made with deceit.
His hands were pulling down the mask and bandana before he had time to think more on the matter. There was no point debating the what-ifs. The moment his bright blue hair was revealed he heard gasps. Whispers of 'cursed' and 'draugr' were flying around the hall as more and more payed attention. He tried not to show that it was bothering him. Good thing that he told Rein to hide. He was anxious to think how they would have reacted to her.
Chief Stoick's eyes brightened with caution for a second as he turned to face them. The dark haired man took a ready stance while the crippled blonde blinked curiously, but remained seated at the table. His eyes momentarily flickered to the others before they zeroed in on him.
"And what business do ye have he'e, foreigner?" Hiccup's father rumbled and the chatter of the Vikings dimmed.
Mystogan hesitated. Fishlegs picked up on it and stepped forward. "I-I can explain."
With another suspicious glare at the mage, the Chief nodded. "Get to ta point then."
Surprisingly, Fishlegs didn't stutter much after the first sentence. He told them about their venture in the north and how they found a fort blasted to bits and stuck in ice. He told them about the weird crew that ambushed them and captured them and how they took them to their base where they met Drago Bludvist. The chief paled and Mystogan could see many emotions warring in his blue eyes. Mostly fear and dread.
"Where is Astrid?" He demanded.
"Uh…" Fishlegs glanced at Mystogan and the mage almost lost his calm facade. The chief turned to him with accusation.
He took pity on the cowering boy and stepped forward. It was now or never. "On the way here, we were attacked by a flock of dragons. Nobody was injured, but they took Astrid… and Hiccup."
Dead silence settled over the hall. The blonde man with missing limbs slouched in his chair, sneaking glances at the Chief who froze where he stood. Before Mystogan could continue, the man roared, and for the second time since coming to this world, he felt the beginning of fear bloom in his chest.
"WHAT?! HOW DARE YE SPEAK THAT NAME!" The man stomped towards him.
To Mystogan's disbelief, Fishlegs, Snotlout and the twins rushed in front of him, all of them showing expression of doom, and maybe euphoria for Ruffnut and Tuffnut. He saw Fishlegs gesture to him to hurry up and finish.
"Hiccup is alive and he is my friend. We were investigating the dragon trappers when we heard about Drago Bludvist and decided to find him. That's how we met up with the riders from Berk and we escaped together when things went bad. We talked things over and settled upon coming to speak to you when, as I said, we were unexpectedly attack. We came here now to warn you about Bludvist and then we'll be going to rescue Astrid and Hiccup."
It was only his royal upbringing that made him talk as fast and concise as he did. He thought he did a good job and encompassing everything that happened in a way that didn't reveal anything about Earthland but was clear enough to understand.
Stoick was not finished raging though. "And why should ah believe an odd foreigner, especially one that looks like ye? Ye come he'e and have the nerve ta bring up my late son and make ridiculous stories – "
"They're not stories, uncle!"
"Snotlout!"
The short, young man glared at his father. Spitelout leaned back at the aggression and certainty in his son's posture, especially considering he was pretty much throwing away his new title as Heir for this.
"Hiccup is alive! We all saw him, we talked to him. Hel, Astrid fought him and it was awesome! He's changed, but he wants to help us against that Drago guy. He's back! Please, you've gotta believe us!"
Stoick was glaring at them, Mystogan in particular. He was torn, ripped open to expose the festering wound that he had buried under his responsibility a long time ago. The mage would have felt sorry to watch the turmoil clearly displayed on his face if Hiccup's situation wasn't a matter of time. He wasn't worried exactly, but if it meant leaving this island he would act as urgent as was necessary.
The Vikings made him very uncomfortable, their whispering and prejudice, the blaming eyes and the rising hostility. They were so quick to act and, normally, he would have considered that endearing because Fairy Tail was similar in that aspect. The difference was that Fairy Tail didn't judge people by appearances.
"My son…" Stoick begun gravelly. "My son is dead."
The riders' faces fell in dismay. Mystogan felt his brows drop in a furious scowl.
"He died prematurely, just before he could prove himself a true Viking. He brought honor ta our family and ah will not stand ta hear his name tarnish with lies!" He finished with a hard punch that made the table shake and groan.
"He left!" Mystogan said, surprising even himself. "Hiccup did not die, he chose to leave this place because he befriended a dragon and because he was afraid that you people would kill the only friend he's ever had."
"Mystogan!" Fishlegs hissed at him.
The crowd that gathered around them began to whisper again, the noise growing louder and louder the more the argument continued. It made Mystogan sick.
"That's nonsense! My son would never befriend those fiends!"
"Chief Stoick!" He called over the people, managing to wrestle some control over himself. Not enough to crush the resentment, only to remain diplomatic. "The reason why I came here was to warn you about Drago Bludvist. I did that, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to search for my friend. With or without you."
He didn't wait for an answer. With a swish of his cloak he was walking out of the cavern, the people parting uneasily to allow him plenty of room. Once outside in the chilly air of the north, he took a deep breath and marched back to the arena where the dragons were waiting.
/\\\
Hiccup glowered at the setting sun. He was sitting down on the first ledge facing the outside that he found, the words of the Alpha storming in his mind even hours after their conversation was done. In actuality, he wouldn't call that talk done but he was too overwhelmed to stay there any longer. He felt tears of frustration burn the corners of his eyes and he angrily swiped the smooth back of his gauntlet across his face to wipe them off.
He was so stupid! How could he have ever doubted that Toothless didn't care for him? He should have known there was something so much bigger at play. He promised they would be together. He promised they were brothers and he would never abandon Hiccup. Even if it was only a theory, Hiccup felt it true in his soul.
Toothless left to protect him! Toothless left because he loved him! And Hiccup spend nights cursing him and promising a thorough, satisfying, dragon slayer magic, tail-whooping when he would find him, not even suspecting the incredible sacrifice and gamble his best friend made to save his life and future.
"Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile."
SPOILER WARNING – BEGINNING
"It has been four hundred years since I have seen one of your king." The Alpha smiled wearily. "So unusual for you to be here though…"
Hiccup, Astrid and Valka were muted with shock. Hiccup was the first to recover since he was already familiar with talking dragons.
"You can talk? I was under the impression that the dragons in Midgard were incapable of that."
"True. There is not enough Ethernano in the air for everyone to use. We had to adapt when we crossed into this realm."
"Crossed into…? What?" Valka rasped.
Hiccup's eyed widened. "You're from Earthland too?"
The dragon laughed, but to them it felt like the beats of a giant war drum. "Too? All dragons are from Earthland, young Slayer."
Astrid finally broke out of her daze to follow the conversation. "Wait! Why did you come here then? How did you – Why?"
"That is a long and tragic story. Are you not aware of this?" He directed his teal eyes to Hiccup who shook his head.
"The only thing that Toothless remembered is the feeling of the magic in Earthland."
The dragon hummed. "He must have been a hatchling then. Very well, you may settle down and listen to our tale." After the three humans made themselves comfortable on the grass of the cliff, the Alpha begun.
"Four hundred years ago, in the world of Earthland, the dragons thrived. We ruled the sky and the earth and the sea. There was none who could challenge us. The humans tried, many times. But their spells and incantations were merely feather touches to our scales. Most of the dragons though, saw the humans as tasty meals and took immense joy in practicing hunts and assaults on their settlements. Why wouldn't they? It wasn't like anybody would stand up to stop them?"
He considered his audience with a knowing smile, despite their sour and concerned features.
"Somebody did stand up to stop them." Astrid griped, remembering her childhood days.
"Indeed, not all dragons agreed to that. One day, a dragon came forth with an idea. 'How about we live in peace with the humans?'. His proposal was met with ridicule but there were those who considered that possibility. It wasn't long before dragon kind became divided into two sides. And that was when the civil war started. It was a mess and for a long time neither side gained any ground. Until, another idea came forth. And it was absolutely senseless."
"You don't mean…?" Hiccup narrowed his eyes.
"Since the humans were a very important part of the conflict, it was suggested that they should be allowed to participate. Their magic was useless however, as only dragons were capable of fighting other dragons. But, with their ingenuity and our tenacity, we taught the humans Dragon Magic and the war turned in our favor. It was marvelous! Watching mere humans fight as viciously and intensely as true dragons. However, no one predicted the dire consequences of such an unnatural act."
A chill went down Hiccup's back. "What do you mean by consequences?"
The dragon sagged, looking old and forlorn. "There was a certain wizard. A man who learned Dragon Magic quicker than most and was so vastly talented and powerful. By himself he killed hundreds of dragons, drenched himself in their blood, became a hero to the humans. It was then when we noticed a shift. The humans became more brutal, dragons begun to run from them, but still, they didn't stop. They continued to attack, and hunt and kill until the sides blurred. Ally became foe and all foes must be exterminated."
Valka gasped horrified. Astrid paled at the implications and Hiccup felt coldness sink in his stomach.
"The humans, led by their hero, tracked down all dragons they could find, murdered them and celebrated the end of the war. They came to be called Dragon Slayers, but the battle was far from over. As I said, teaching Dragon Magic to humans was unnatural. Humans simply aren't created to wield such potent power. The magic twisted their minds, it tried to adapt to them, but failed, so it began to adapt them to it. It was a painful process, but slowly, those who abused their magic, who committed such savage acts, their skin melted into scales, their fingers turned into claws, their bodies broke and put themselves back together in the form of dragons, the very beings they hatefully hunted."
"They transformed into dragons?" Astrid hissed. She looked at Hiccup as if he would suddenly turn into a dragon next to her and became very, very concerned.
"The war continued and it was a blood bath. Among them, one of the turned Slayers rose to prominence. It was the hero that the humans previously followed. He proved himself just as dedicated to eradicating dragons as earlier and before long, we were nearly extinct. Those of us who chose to hide when the humans turned against us hatched a plan. We created a new spell that would open a gateway to another world, somewhere we could retreat and wait until the war was over, hoping to return one day. That was when we came to Midgard. But again, there were consequences."
"You couldn't leave." Valka muttered.
"We miscalculated our need for Ethernano. We consumed the magic particles much too quickly and we grew weaker and weaker as time passed. Until we became the dragons that you know today. As far as I know, myself and my brother are the only true remnants of Earthland in this world."
"I am so sorry you had to suffer so much." The woman whimpered.
"It's in the past, Valka. I am happy to have brought peace and quiet to my kin for so long. I am very grateful to you as well, for your help and devotion."
"What about those who turned into dragons? What happened in Earthland?" Hiccup stopped himself from falling into a panic attack. He couldn't comprehend that Dragon Slayer Magic could be so dangerous and bear such grave costs to the users. Nobody had told him about that which meant that nobody even knew. His alarmed spilled over to his fellow Slayers who were even younger than him, some of them children.
"I do not know. What I am certain is that, that monster, the humans' hero, must have annihilated every single dragon there was. I cannot fathom how else he could have satisfied his blood lust."
A moment of terrifying clarity dawned on him. Hiccup prayed to be wrong. "What was his name?"
"We do not speak his name. It is a call of pointless violence and death."
"Please, I need to know." He stood up, his agitated behavior pushing his mother to grab his arm in distress.
"I cannot!" The Alpha shook his head, the water in the pool splashing with his movement. "I will not curse our Sanctuary with that vile creature's name."
"Fine then. Tell me if I'm wrong." At his bold declaration the dragon watched him with a wide confounded stare. "Is his name Acnologia?"
Teal eyes filled with repulsion. "He is… still alive?"
Hiccup clenched his fists in anger. Both his mother and Astrid were watching him, not understanding what was happening. He didn't care. He was enraged that such a monster was allowed to roam free with all the atrocities he committed. He betrayed humans and dragons alike, he drove an entire culture to extinction and he almost killed Gildarts.
Hiccup had never wished to hunt down someone like he did with Acnologia in his entire life. But he knew deep down that the red-head would be very disappointed with that. He promised the man he wouldn't go after the dragon, and the level of dread that, thatthing brought in both of them was unbelievable.
The spray of shifting water helped him switch his thoughts away from vengeful murder and to the sight of the Bewilderbeast settling back to rest. Most likely, talking helped drain him of the magic he had gathered over the years. The thought collapsed any ill feelings that Hiccup had on the subject. Until another matter made itself know.
"Hold on! What about me?"
The dragon slightly turned his head to acknowledge he heard. "You are peculiar. I do not sense the same unstable magic on you like the other Slayers."
"W-What does that mean?"
"I do not think you are in danger of Dragonification. At least… not for a very long time."
He heard the two women sigh in relief and he felt touched by their concern. "But why?"
The Alpha was clearly done talking for now. "I am not sure. Perhaps something your dragon teacher did?"
Hiccup didn't understand what his words meant until some long seconds later.
Toothless left with no warning. Did he realize the danger he was facing and acted accordingly? Did all dragons disappear for the same reason? To save their children? Then…
Should they even continue searching for them?
SPOILER WARNING – ENDING
Alright! This is one of the scenes that I was most excited about. The real reason this story exists is because one day I woke up and asked myself: 'What if the dragons in HTTYD actually came from Earthland?' And that is a rabbit hole that I don't regret falling into.
Now, I want to admit to you all that I did not read or watch the final arc in 'Fairy Tail'. I've read the Wikia and watched analyses videos and stuff about it but I never actually cared to go and check out the source material. It's not that I don't enjoy 'Fairy Tail', this story wouldn't exist otherwise, but I just didn't feel like it. I know the biggest things but my explanations might not fall in line with the details revealed in the original story. I don't really care though… If my theories click with the original stuff then perfect; if not, well, I'll make them my own or tweak them a bit.