Hey guys! Wow...damn, how long has it been? Too long...it's been over a year since my last update and let me just say that this past year was a wild one. If you are wondering why it took so long to upload, well, I went through a period of doubt. I started re-evaluating what I was doing with my life, and I did not like the direction it was going. I lost faith with myself, gave up, focused too hard on trying to control my life, transitioned to college, work hard at a job, personal/family drama; crap hit the fan...that led to no time and/or no inspiration to write...anyways, everything is going much better now and like I promised long ago, I would never abandon my stories! I am getting back into writing and I plan to finish my stories and this quadrilogy (as this is the 3rd story in the planned quadrilogy!) Anyways, have fun reading! If you would like to review, that would be greatly appreciated!
Toothless growled in annoyance, the shouts and jeers were getting louder. He looked around and met the same grey walls of his cell. A deep clunking sound hit his sonar flaps, causing them to twitch towards its source. He whipped his head around and saw a group of soldiers wearing red and brown clothing opening his cell and approaching him slowly, their spears raised. Toothless growled and tried to snarl, yet his muzzle prevented him from doing that. His restraints prevented him from moving, causing him to growl louder and louder as the soldiers drew near.
He glared at one to his left as he tried to reach for him. A cold, rough hand grabbed his neck from the right of him. Toothless tensed and bucked hard to the right, causing a soldier to yelp and grunt in pain as he smashed into the wall. The other soldiers yelled in unison and rushed the Night Fury. Toothless growled deeply, thrashing all around and sending a few more soldiers cascading away.
He bucked some more before a sudden force slammed downward upon his skull. He grunted in pain as he hit the ground. His vision swam. He growled softly before another slam to his head knocked him out cold.
Gallus smirked down at the Night Fury, holding his mace above the downed dragon. His soldiers gazed at him, wondering what their leader would say.
Gallus looked back at his awaiting troops and scowled. "Well what are you waiting for! Chain him up and prep him to the arena. It's time for him to face a dragon of his...stature."
Gallus commanded as his eyes fell upon the Night Fury again. He squat down and traced his fingers upon the Night Fury's snout.
"I could have sold you but what would have been the point in that? You would have tried to escape. Let's have some fun first. I wonder how well you can fight without flying you beast." Gallus seethed as he got up, watching his troops haul him slowly away to his fate.
The dragonets were minding their business, trying to play a game of hunter and prey (hide and seek). Black Widow was the hunter and had managed to catch Avalon and Edelweiss. The sun was setting and the young ones knew they had to wrap up their fun time quickly. Now all that was left was…
"Come out Apollo! I know you are here!" The young hybrid shouted as she gazed all around carefully, trying to find any indication of the last remaining prey.
Black Widow stopped suddenly and closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of the forest. She heard a faint 'crunch' of leaves a bit to her left. She smirked and quickly dashed in that direction. Running through a bush, she quickly pounced onto her prey only to crash headfirst into a sturdy black mass. Black Widow groaned as she shook her head and gazed up at what she ran into. She pulled back, shocked at what she saw.
It was Rhyax, who looked down at her from his side. He slowly turned around and faced her directly, staring down with piercing blue eyes.
"Hello," he simply stated, smirking in an eery way.
Black Widow backed away slightly, a bit creeped out by the large Night Fury looming over her. "Urm...hello…"
Whenever she took a step back, he would take one forward.
"What's the matter little one? You aren't scared of me are you?"
Black Widow scoffed before puffing out her chest with pride. "Of course I'm not! I'm a Night Fury!"
Rhyax snickered before leaning his head down and matching her eye level. He gave off a soft growl.
"Well you should be." Rhyax seethed before quickly pinning down the hatchling, preventing her from scrambling away. Black Widow yelled and tried to call for help but another paw clamped her muzzle shut. All she could do now was panic and thrash around foolishly.
She continued doing so for a couple more minutes before a solid force crashed into her head, causing her to see stars before her eyes fluttered shut and she lost consciousness.
The Berkians and Draconians flew quickly yet silently, following the female Night Fury as she led them across the forest.
"If this is some kind of sick joke-" Re hissed.
"Believe me, I wish it was." Raeya sighed.
"Why? Why is your family doing this? Why are you doing this?" Aurora asked, a bit of anger and worry mixed in her tone.
"Because my family hates your parents for what they did to us. We couldn't live in any den or nest because most dragons have never even heard of a dragon with two different eyes. So whenever we would show up, they would kick us out because they understand me. They didn't understand that I had no control over how my eyes looked. We kept looking and looking for a place to settle down, traveling everywhere. My parents figured Draconia would be the place where our home would be. Sadly, when we arrived your father, King Jack, rejected us as well, believing me to be cursed with human witchcraft." Raeya explained. Aurora provided the role of translator as the humans couldn't understand the Night Fury.
"My father? He...he would...never!" Re exclaimed.
"You can be surprised how much dragons can change over the years. He said he didn't want human witchcraft to penetrate the heart of Draconia or something like that; I don't remember. All I do know, is that on that day, my mother and father loss respect for the crown and father vowed to make him pay" Raeya said.
Aurora flew close to her mate. "Re I hate to say it, but we both know how rash your father got when he was alive."
Re hung his head slightly in embarrassment, knowing Aurora had a point.
"So why are they taking our children?" Re asked.
"Something about, an eye for an eye. My father said that it wasn't fair how they had to handle mistreatment just because of how I looked. And that when King Jack turned us away, the whole kingdom did too...and that if their lives were gonna be a living hell because of their children–me–then they were gonna make his life hell because of his children. Since he isn't alive, he decided to enact his plan on your children…" Raeya spewed, feeling ashamed at uttering every word.
Raeya chanced a look back and was met with the disgusted, shocked, angry faces of both dragon and human alike. Raeya looked down in guilt before angling downwards towards a clearing.
"I know you guys are angry, and probably hate me-" Raeya began.
"Anger doesn't cover it." Re seethed.
"Why are you telling us this?" Skullcrusher asked.
"Because it's not fair that innocent people have to suffer because of my family's drama. It's not right to make dragonets suffer because of how I look or because of what your father did years ago. Two negatives do not make a positive. You can hate me all you want; it's your right. However, hate me after we rescue your children. If we don't make it in time, no one will hate me more than myself." Raeya spoke timidly, guiding the group through the forest.
"Wait, something doesn't add up. If this was your family's ultimate objective:revenge, then us meeting you for the first time couldn't have been a coincidence." Aurora deduced.
"You're right... it wasn't. Do you remember why you came to Berk in the first place?" Raeya responded.
The air was silent for a few moments before Meatlug gasped. "The crown! That's why the Draconians showed up! They were looking for Windwalker's missing crown!"
Re growled in anger. "You were going to get revenge on us based on a crown?!"
"Wait that makes no sense! How could your family's ultimate goal be to kill our children if you guys didn't even know we had children to begin with! You couldn't have possibly knew that until after we met you all. What does a measly crown have to do with any of this?" Tenor thought out.
"That wasn't the original plan, I just...look, the crown thing is gonna sound really stupid and confusing, but before I cover that, we are already here. I will explain everything after we rescue the children" Raeya decided.
Edelweiss was scared. She ran across the dark forest, trying to escape with her life. She and Avalon were patiently waiting for Black Widow to return with Apollo before they were attacked by Slyerion, Raeya's father. Avalon told her to run as fast as she could back to their parents while she would deal with the Night Fury. It broke Edelweiss' heart to leave her friend alone but she had to get help, or else he friends might be hurt!
She was panting heavily, running as fast her tiny 2 legs could carry her. She zig-zagged between trees, and over logs. She chanced a look behind her to see if she was being pursued; however, that led her to trip over an exposed tree root. Edelweiss cried as she stumbled, wincing a bit in pain as he knee became bloodied. She sniffled and let out a few tears, holding her knee, realizing it hurt to move it.
A nearby thud silenced her quickly. She gulped and covered her mouth with her hand, afraid of being discovered. She crawled back and leaned against a tree, hoping that a Night Fury wasn't following her.
Three minutes passed and all was quiet. She removed her hand from her mouth and let out a huge sigh, taking deep breathes. Suddenly, a large shadow moved towards her and easily pinned her down. Edelweiss let out a huge scream as a weight was pressed onto her small body. She could hardly move and her eyes widened with fear at the sight of a Night Fury above her. This one had icy blue eyes, revealing herself to be none other than Moonfyre, Raeya's mother.
"J-Just leave me alone! I won't tell anybody please! I just wanna go to my mama!" Edelweiss cried out, tears streaming down her face.
"Sorry little one, but I'm afraid we need you." Moonfyre responded.
"Why?! What did I do to you?" Edelweiss' voice got smaller, staring back up into those large eyes.
"I am not going to explain myself to a child!" Moonfyre exclaimed.
Edelweiss closed her eyes and shivered, expecting the worse. She just wished she could see her mama and papa again, like she used to. Suddenly she heard a Night Fury whistle before the sound of a plasma blast screeched by her. A roar followed suit and she was freed. She gazed up to see Skullcrusher, Hookfang and Re, wrestling with Moonfyre, scratching and biting.
"Edel!" A familiar voice rang out.
She turned around and was overjoyed to see her grandmother, Aurora, approaching her with a relieved look on her face. She squealed and cried against her grandmother's leg, burying her wet face into it as she hugged it tightly.
"Are you alright? Did she hurt you?" Aurora asked gently as she nuzzled her grandchild.
"I-I am okay…" Edelweiss said softly.
After a few moments, the three male dragons managed to pin down Moonfyre's head, tail, and body. She glowered up at her captors with rage, snarling. The rest of the group surrounded them,
"You aren't capturing this child!" Re seethed.
"...How did you know?! No one knows of this except-" Moonfyre choked on her words when her own daughter emerged from the brush, putting the pieces together. Her shocked expression turning into anger.
"Raeya?! How could you?! Betraying your family like this!" Moonfyre barked out.
"Mother this isn't right and you know that!" Raeya responded.
"What is right is punishing them for hurting us for all those years ago! What leader turns away his own kind? Tell me!"
"Okay! I get it, he was a bad king. But Re isn't. He has been nothing but helpful towards us. The whole royal family has been and yet you are still blinded with hatred. Mother, stop this madness!" Raeya pleaded with a fierce determination.
Moonfyre look down, contemplating with a scowl on her face.
"You should listen to your daughter. You are lucky I don't tear you apart right now for capturing my children" Re glowered, getting dangerously close to her face. "Now tell us where they are!"
"Don't worry. They are in a safe place. Why would we hurt our pieces of trade?" Moonfyre chuckled after giving Re a smug look.
Re snarled furiously, wrapping his tail around her neck tightly and lifting her off the ground, before slamming her into a nearby tree. His grip around her throat wasn't getting any less constricting. Moonfyre struggled for breath, choking.
"Wait! Stop! She may be evil, but she is still my mother!" Raeya interjected.
Re held his hateful gaze at Moonfyre for a brief moment before slowly releasing the pressure on her neck before pinning her firmly to it by the neck.
"Now tell us where they are!" Re demanded.
Moonfyre chuckled, "It doesn't matter. Just seeing... the reaction I'm...getting from you...that burning feeling...that pain.. is all wor-"
"They are near a cave, not that far from the cove, maybe 3 miles eastward along the coast." Aurora cut her off as Raeya whispered in her ear.
The older Night Fury gaped at the queen in shock "that's impossible...how did you-" she quickly grimaced and stared daggers at her daughter "you...traitor! After everything we did...we did for you! And this is how you repay us, your family?"
"You don't have a right to get mad at your daughter when she is trying to save lives. I understand anger, and how you and your family felt betrayed by my mate's father. However, how low do you have to get to attack children?! It's one thing to attack us but to use children as a method of revenge, how disgusting are you! You are worse than scum!
Moonfyre was dumbfounded. She remained quiet for a moment.
"Well now that we don't need you anymore." Re commented before bringing a paw down and firmly smacking her head, causing her to cry out before falling to the ground, unconscious; Raeya grimaced at the sight of her unconscious mother.
They turned to leave before Ruffnut interrupted.
"Uhhh Re, why are we gonna leave her here? What if she wakes up while we are away? We would come back and we wouldn't know what happened?"
"She poses a good question." Hiccup chided.
"Don't worry. With a hard blow to the head like that, she won't be up for a couple of hours. We will find the rest of them quickly. If by some chance I'm wrong, I will gladly hunt her down, for one should never piss off a dragon, especially one protecting its young." Re responded as he took off, not waiting for the rest of the group.
Re soon led the way as he directed the group, following his mate's directions, toward the east side of Berk, where a few sea stacks dotted the ocean close-by. Aurora was not with them as she flew back to drop off Edelweiss to her mother, and to recruit Tenor. Soon the group landed on the outskirts of a shore, a few yards away from a large cave. They moved cautiously again; it was quiet–too quiet.
Two plasma blasts exploded near them, spraying sand everywhere. The group halted and gazed up at their attackers, revealing themselves to be Sylerion and Rhyax
"Now isn't this just perfect. Re, the dragon king. Just the dragon I was planning on talking to." Sylerion said with venom as he hovered above them.
"Sylerion! How dare you capture my children!" Re roared with fury.
Rhyax narrowed his eyes, glowering at his sister.
"You told them didn't you?" he snarled.
"It doesn't matter now, son. We have enough of his children to use them against him. In fact, he won't do anything." Sylerion smirked.
"Father! Stop this madness! Release those hatchlings! They are innocent!" Raeya pleaded, stepping forward.
"We were innocent too. We were just a simple family looking for a place to live, yet we were always denied a home simply because other dragons couldn't accept you. We went to the King and even he couldn't accept us. The king of dragons who loves all his subjects and makes them feel welcome in the homeland, didn't ACCEPT US!" Sylerion explained.
"I can understand other dragons turning away other dragons, but for the king himself to do that to his own subjects...that is unforgivable, and for that he must pay." Sylerion continued.
"I am not my father!" Re growled "and for you to take out your revenge on innocent hatchlings, is beyond sickening."
"Father give up! You are surrounded." Raeya exclaimed.
Sylerion glowered. He sighed and hung his head, before giving a faint smirk. In a flash, he whipped around and fired a plasma blast at the cave where the hatchlings were kept. The cave opening rumbled before collapsing, caving in the only entrance.