Hello everyone. Welcome to my brand new story: Wings of Midgard!
I can't help but say how excited I am to write this. This story is a new approach for me in both dialogue and plot, and the Norse fantasy-myth setting in this story is something I never imagined that I would write about.
Also, if you're a fan of the Lord of the Rings, this story may be for you!
So for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy!
Hiccup's room stood as quiet and dim as the early morning. Only a single candle remained lit while the lad sat at his desk, looking down at his detailed but incomplete map of Midgard.
"Well, what do you think bud?" he asked, shifting in his chair to face his dragon. "Do you think there's still more to explore out there? You know- somewhere new that we haven't explored yet?"
Toothless, who laid in the corner of the dark room, looked up at his rider, letting out a huff air from his nostrils before gently resting his head back down. Clearly the winged reptile was not interested.
Hiccup sighed with a shrug. "Nevermind I guess… Now, where was I?" he said as he spun back to face the map of Midgard, scanning his eyes across it and continuing to admire it.
Midgard, the world of men, and home to many other races, was one of the nine worlds that inhabited the known cosmos. The world was well known for the two large continents that stood near its eastern and western ends.
To the east was the continent of Scalmodan, home to many viking tribes, as well as to the mighty clans of dwarves who came from Nidavellir to settle on Midgard.
To the west lied the continent of Lardalor, home of the woodland realms, where numerous amounts of light elves who came from Alfheim now resided.
And then there was the Barbaric Archipelago, the place where Hiccup lived, located in the center of Midgard, with Berk as one of it's main landmarked islands. Unlike Lardalor and Scalmodan however, Hiccup saw the Archipelago as anything but interesting. After all, it was no longer what it once was, ever since its glory days came to an end...
As Hiccup continued eyeing the map, the lad nearly did not notice the door to his room open, and upon noticing a figure coming in, he was startled.
However, the figure that came into his room was his father. The chieftain of Berk, Stoick the Vast.
Hiccup let out a breath of relief. "Oh- hey dad. I- I thought you were someone else... Erm- do you need something?
"Son," he began. "I have important news to share with you. It's something you need to know."
The young twenty-one year old sighed in irritation. "Let me guess, another dispute with Alvin? Or is it with Dagur?"
The large viking shook his head. "Neither, actually. This morning I've received word from two messengers that were sent by both kings Morgrim and Lornduil."
"You mean the dwarven and elven kings who accepted our invitations of coming to Berk?" asked Hiccup.
"Aye," he nodded. "The messengers told me that both Lornduil and Morgrim are going to be arriving at Berk today near noon, which is very soon. I am going to discuss opening possible alliances with them."
"...However, while I prepare the town for their arrival, I would like you to go visit Snotlout near the hunting grounds in the woods and see what he is up to. From what I've heard, he is building an outpost without my consent."
Hiccup felt his stomach grind hearing that name. Out of all the people on Berk he had to check up on, why him?
"Dad, you can't be serious. You know Snotlout hates both of us - as well as the rest of Berk that has not sided with him. He still thinks that-"
"I know, I know. But right now, we have no choice. And besides, your mother and I have been too busy looking after our people… At least the half that are still with us."
"I guess I can understand that, but why is there no choice?" he groaned. "Dad, you know well what Snotlout is like. He was the one who nearly threatened to throw many of our dragons off the island by force."
"Can't you at least send Astrid and the others to him in my stead?"
"They were already sent out before you," Stoick said with a nod. "But I need you there to make sure that things do not get out of hand, and to get this issue sorted out. I want you to get answers out of him..."
"...Alright?"
Hiccup frowned, narrowing his eyes downwards. "Alright."
Stoick smirked as he gave a pat on the lad's shoulder, before turning around and giving him one last nod as he walked out of his room. "Best of luck, son."
After he left, Hiccup looked towards Toothless, nudging his head to the side as he stood from his chair and gestured him to follow - to which the Night Fury willingly obliged.
They both made their way out of the room, walking hastily down the stairs before marching out of the hut and into the light of the morning day, but not before giving a quick glance at the heavily populated town of Berk.
Hiccup stared up at the cloudly light blue sky, giving off another frowned look. "Would be such a perfect time for a flight… but we have business to do. The others are probably waiting for us."
The lad proceeded to swiftly sit himself atop Toothless's saddle, attaching his prosthetic, as well as putting his right foot into place on the pedal, thus activating the flap for Toothless's prosthetic tail fin.
"Right then, let's get this over with. You ready Toothless?"
...
"There is nothing you can say that will convince me, Astrid! My base, my rules!"
The dragon riders had already arrived at Snotlout's outpost, still in construction, and so far, the situation was not looking good.
"You can't be serious, Snotlout!" let out Astrid, stomping her way towards the Jorgenson. "You are building an outpost without Stoick's permission! Don't you know that it's HIS island? You can't just go wherever you want and-"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH ALREADY!" he bellowed, before glancing at the workers building his outpost.
"And you men! On the tower! Work faster! I want that thing up by noon!"
"Aye sir!" a worker called out as he and the other workers picked up their pace, hammering swiftly and sawing wood as if their lives depended on it.
Astrid lowered her brows. If there was anyone on Berk that half of the island despised, it was Snotlout Jorgenson.
It all started months ago; a night that made him change forever.
A new foe came from beyond the sea by ship. Raiders, small in number, but shockingly well armed, and they raided Berk by surprise.
They attacked the village relentlessly despite the unfavorable odds, but were eventually pushed back. However, it was on that tragic night that they had managed to murder Snotlout's father Spitelout, along with fifteen others.
Though it was clear that the raiders were at fault for killing Spitelout, his death caused Snotlout to go insane, and thus the young viking threw the blame towards Stoick, Hiccup, Astrid and the riders.
He claimed that they were the ones who left his father to die, and that it was for that reason that he was killed. Through this, he convinced nearly half of Berk to switch sides, persuading them to follow him rather than Stoick, who he viewed as a failed chieftain. As such, a new faction came to be; Clan Jorgenson. And all who fought for it bore the grey and red colors of its house.
Though they were not Jorgensons by blood, they were from that point on considered "family" by Snotlout. If anything, the clan was like another individual tribe.
Upon its creation, Snotlout assured Stoick that if he were to ever try and re-convince them to return to his tribe, he would have his clan take Berk by force.
In other words, it would mean war.
Not wanting a civil war, Stoick backed off, and thus Snotlout went on to forge his clan.
The young viking even managed to take Hookfang with him, for not even the Monstrous Nightmare, who feared his rider for who he had become, could defy him, and as the months went on, things did not get any better.
More and more dragons migrated away from Berk as a result of Snotlout's actions, and the raids began intensifying. As such, Berk was on the edge of tearing itself apart, all due to the weak neutral relation between the Berkian Tribe and Clan Jorgenson.
Still, Snotlout was once again acting on his own accord, and things were about to get heated between him and Astrid...
"I'm telling you Snotlout, this is Stoick's island! His rules! Not yours!"
Snotlout chuckled, crossing his arms. "You forget that half of Berk belongs to me, scum-hag! I have the final say of what I do! No one else!"
"But your outpost is blocking the way to our hunting grounds! How will we get food for the coming winte-"
"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK!" he shouted, now screaming in her face.
As the two argued on, Fishlegs and the Twins, who stood nearby with their dragons, watched with surprised looks on their faces as the argument continued escalating between the two.
"Geez…" said Ruffnut. "Astrid and Snotlout are REALLY gettin' out of hand now."
Her twin Tuffnut replied with a chuckle. "Heh, yeah. You know, this reminds me of that one time when Barf and Belch kept on biting at each other over a single salmon. It was funny."
"Oh yeah, I remember that," Ruffnut giggled. "And then they forgot about it in the end because we threw it into the sea, heheh."
"Huh? I thought we ate it," responded Tuffnut.
Fishlegs let out a muffled grunt, looking back at the Twins in frustration. "Will you two stop it already? You're not helping in making this situation any better."
"Well whaddya expect us to do?" questioned Ruffnut. "You said that Hiccup would be here to sort this whole mutt-fest out. So where is he?"
As Fishlegs was about to respond, he once again heard Snotlout yell out in anger at Astrid, loud enough to where it nearly startled both him and the Twins.
"I've had about ENOUGH of you!" he shouted, now boiling with anger. "You have two choices, Astrid! Turn around and fly back to your village, or I'll order my guards here to escort you back… by foot!"
Astrid's eyes widened. She took a few steps back, looking back at the ten armored Jorgenson guards who gathered near Snotlout in a threatening manner, causing Stormfly and the other dragons to start growling.
If she retaliated, then violence would break out, and that would be the end of their non-aggression pact.
And that was the last thing she wanted.
"You have GOT to be kidding me."
"Does it look like I'm bluffing?" he asked her, taking a few steps forward as he ross his hand, ready to snap his fingers. "So. What's it going to be?"
"SNOTLOUT!"
Hiccup's voice, along with the sound of Toothless speeding by from above, caught the attention of everyone from down below. As they all looked up, they saw the young viking fly in on his Night Fury, making a swift landing in front of Astrid.
The lad then proceeded to hastily dismount Toothless as he made his way closer to the crazed Jorgenson.
"Snotlout, what do you think you're doing?" he asked him.
"Ah, Useless! You came just in time!"
'Useless.' The name immediately made Hiccup's teeth grit together. He had not heard Snotlout call him by that name in years, and the last time he heard him use it, he was a much younger lad. But now that he had been using more often, it made Hiccup feel ever more uncomfortable whenever he was around him.
"In time for what, exactly?" Hiccup questioned.
"Your girlfriend here is misbehaving, Hiccup!" replied Snotlout, peaking past Hiccup's shoulder as he glanced over at Astrid. "Please, if you would - ask her to walk away before I order my guards here to make her."
"...No." he responded.
...It was then that everyone went dead silent, staring down both Hiccup and Snotlout as if they were at a close stalemate.
Snotlout rose a brow. "...What did you say?"
"I said no, Snotlout!" responded Hiccup, raising his tone. "None of us are leaving until you tell us what in Midgard you are doing setting up an outpost near our hunting grounds, all without my father's permission!"
"Pfft? What's it to you, Useless?" chuckled Snotlout.
"First of all, I'm the heir of this island. Since this is my dad's concern, it also makes it my concern. Secondly, you're blocking the path leading to the-"
"The correct term is guarding. Something you barely do, Useless!" taunted Snotlout.
Hiccup arched a brow. "Guarding it from what?! Trolls and goblins?! My father is worried for Berk because of what you are doing!"
"So what? What Stoick cares about is not my problem! You want answers? Go back to that large drunken keg and tell him that this outpost is for Clan Jorgenson's food storage. You and him know well that winter will be here in a few months, and we need as much food as we can store."
"Is that all you have to say?" asked Hiccup. "What about Berk? Our tribe? The village needs food as well you know."
"If they want to hunt for food from the hunting grounds then they may get it as they please… with my consent. These grounds now belong to me! If you want it back, feel free to declare war against me!"
The guards behind Snotlout lightly chuckled, giving off ugly and wicked grins before quickly returning to their positions.
Snotlout's eyes then gazed back towards the workers on the foundations of both structures. "GET BACK TO WORK!"
"You heard him, back to work!" one of the workers repeated.
Hiccup sighed as soon as they were back to working on the outpost. He looked back at Astrid, shaking his head with a frown on his face. How was his father going to react to this?
The lad made his way closer to her, placing his arms on her shoulders. "Are you alright?" he asked her.
She gave a nod. "I'm fine, babe… just a little bit shakened."
"Hm. I can tell..."
...
Within Gobber's forge, Hiccup and the others all sat around a table as the blonde blacksmith circled around them, pouring drinks for them.
"So," he began, filling their tankards with mead. "Snotlout once again pulls yet another stupid move?"
"Yup," sighed Hiccup. "It seems like everywhere he goes, he wants trouble to start brewing... My dad isn't going to be happy about this, at all."
"Well, he's Snotlout," shrugged Astrid. "And Snotlout will always do what he wants. You know well he'll want trouble wherever he goes."
"True. But still, I don't understand why he blames us for Spitelout's death, especially my dad. It pained me when I was forced to kick him out of the dragon riders as a whole, but now look at what he's doing... Hel, something tells me that Hookfang doesn't want him as his rider anymore..."
"...Oh gods, I don't know what to do."
"Eh, don't stress about it laddie. One day he'll get what's coming for him either way," said Gobber. "I hope the trolls will come down from the hills to wreck that blasted outpost."
Astrid nodded in agreement. "Still Hiccup, you did the right thing," she replied, reaching out to hold his left hand, resting on the table. "...But next time, be there in time, will you? Or else I'll kick you in the shin again - and I won't try to miss."
The young viking chuckled. "I will try. Right now though I just want to get the thought of Snotlout off of my mind."
"...Umm, what about those elven and dwarven kings that are coming to Berk today?" spoke Ruffnut. "Shouldn't we like… get ready or something?"
"Oh yeah, that's right! The meeting!" gasped Fishlegs. "I hope king Lornduil will like my alf's foil plants!"
"Well let's just hope that this meeting goes by better than the last one with the Outcasts and Berserkers," sighed Astrid. "Berk's state is bad enough as it is, and both those tribes have begun starting disputes with us over resources, almost as if we were never their allies..."
"...Old hatreds are boiling."
Tuffnut chuckled, moving his hand in an announcing manner. "Well I don't know about you, but my guts feel like they're boiling. I mean, you can feel it right? It's down… here-"
"No wait- I mean here…"
"Bro, that's not where your guts are. That's your stomach!" snickered Ruffnut.
"Ugh, I don't need you telling me what's what, sis!"
Soon Gobber, Fishlegs and the Twins had gone off topic, discussing random things that were to their best interests. However, Astrid who sat near Hiccup glanced back at the lad who was leaned forward in his seat, thinking deeply to himself while he held his tankard in both hands.
"Hey, are you alright?" she asked him.
He shrugged, rolling his lips. "To be honest Astrid, I don't even know what is or isn't alright anymore. Always I ask myself, why didn't it work? Why couldn't we make Berk into a utopia? A utopia for both vikings and dragons. A raid comes one night, and now look at what's happening."
"Berk's on the verge of dividing… splitting, all because that thick-headed Snotlout blames us for his father's death, and now he has turned half the island against us. But what could we have done? Not even Gothi's magic could have saved Spitelout."
Astrid sighed, cracking her knuckles. "...I guess the gods have something planned for us that we don't know about. Maybe the runestone in the village plaza could give some answers?"
"What answers could I get out of a magical runestone?" he asked her, shaking his head. "Besides, only Gothi can communicate with it. You saw what she did to make it work, remember?"
"Yeah. With a touch of her hand, she made the runes glow with her fire magic. But maybe the stone doesn't need magic to work. Maybe there's a way to-"
Like thunder from the sky, her voice was suddenly cut off as a pair of horns sounding from the sea blew out towards the island of Berk. Almost immediately, the vikings could tell that one was a booming dwarven horn, and the other a piercing elven horn.
Hiccup stood to his feet, looking out the window to his right towards the ocean as he spotted two ships in the distance sailing closer and closer to Berk.
"Looks like they're already here."