Astrid couldn't see even the faintest hint of the sun, but the rapidly darkening fog implied it was dipping below the horizon. She and Hiccup had arrived at night, so that made it a full night and day since she had first seen the nest. Not much time at all, really.
And yet here she was, being led to the other dragons by a Monstrous Nightmare, going on foot not because she had no other choice, but because she wasn't quite sure how the wings this new body possessed worked, and could only use any of it unintentionally. A lot had changed in that time, none of it desirable.
But she was bending her hatred of dragons aside specifically to get as much as possible back to normal, starting with her body. All considerations of Viking honor or anything else could be put on hold for a moment. No charging the enemy and dying on their claws; she had already tried that twice, once while delusional and once while fully aware of her situation. No wounds were dealt by her beyond that given to the Night Fury, and all she had to show for it herself were bruises that could not even be seen on this body, only felt.
No, she was going to think. She was going to be clever and tricky and whatever else was necessary. She was not going to keep doing what didn't work; not even Snotlout was that stupid. The anger and disgust and insidious fear she might be feeling could all go and sit in a corner until she was out of this situation, safely back in her real body on Berk, and that was that.
The Nightmare, after a quick stop at the edge of the beach for a mouthful of unpleasantly ashy water, led Astrid up a small, nearly invisible path. It was a sloping incline carved into the exterior of the volcano, cutting through any outcropping or boulder in its way.
Astrid might have asked how these paths, both the one she was currently on and the tunnels she had gone through, were made, but she was pretty sure she already knew. She remembered terrifying tales of Whispering Deaths, dragons that carved tunnels through rock. She had not seen any large, grey mouths with wings, so she was pretty sure there weren't any above the surface, but there might be some below. When she got back to Berk, she would be sure to mention that.
If she got back to Berk.
No, when. This was going to work. Astrid Hofferson never stopped until she had reached her goal, whatever it happened to be, and this time she had more motivation than ever before. Her goal and her prize were the same; reclaiming her human body somehow, and getting away from the nest. If the price for those things was bargaining with dragons, then she'd pay it in a heartbeat. She was already paying it, though it hurt her pride to let a dragon lead her around.
By the time Astrid's temporary guide turned into the mountain to walk down a smooth, circular tunnel, Astrid was running over possible scenarios like she might have run over tactics in a different set of circumstances.
This was something every warrior should be able to do, something her father had taught her long ago. To quickly think through the possibilities and plan a response to each, so that she could act decisively in an instant no matter what was thrown at her.
Here, in a strange place where she knew what she wanted but not how it could be achieved, who could get it for her, or what they might want, running over possibilities was difficult, but she tried anyway, reduced to thinking in generalities, basic approaches.
Threatening, pleading, bribery, or trickery. Those were her four options, as she saw them.
She didn't think it was likely she'd be able to threaten anyone, which was a shame as it was the method she would have been most comfortable with. She was, as the Nightmare leading her had thoroughly proven, unskilled in actual combat, even if her reflexes were adequate. Threats without the ability to back them up were nothing but hot air.
Pleading was the approach that hurt her pride, but she was prepared to sacrifice that if necessary. These creatures could feel emotion, and she might be able to tug on some draconic heartstrings if she tried hard enough. The very idea of being pitied made her want to break something, but she could vent that internal rage later. If that was what was needed, she'd do it.
Trickery, at least, was neither inadvisable nor humiliating. There was a Norse god dedicated to it, so it was a Viking thing to do, if one with an unsteady reputation, and she could see herself outwitting a dragon. She was not the sharpest mind on Berk, but she definitely wasn't stupid, and dragons could not be that smart. The only problem was that she didn't know how she was going to trick a dragon into turning her back.
Or she could bypass any attempt at deception and instead go straight to bribery. She didn't want to buy her body back, but she might have to. The problem with that was that she had nothing of value to give a dragon. Or, nothing of value that she could part with. One specific possibility kept popping up at the edge of her mind, and then being pushed back. Hopefully it would not come to that. She didn't know if she could make herself do it.
The telltale sickly light of the nest gleamed beyond the Nightmare's bulky form, and Astrid had to put aside her planning in favor of readying herself. This, more than anything so far, was going to be hard. She was going to have to walk through the heart of the nest and not only hope she would be tolerated, but also not attack any of the dragons sure to be all around her. That was not an easy thing to ask of a person who had trained her whole life to do exactly that.
The Nightmare stepped out onto the ledge and stepped aside, letting her past. She walked out into the open, looking around warily. Her field of vision was wide, something she hadn't consciously noticed until this very moment. She could see the entire interior of the volcano without turning her head much at all.
Said interior sported plenty of little details for her to see. She quickly identified the limits of where one with no flight could go from where she stood; the ledge she was on, while large and wide, did not go all the way around the volcano's interior, and held less than a tenth of the dragons present. The other ledges were all accessible either by another path and tunnel somewhere, or more likely only by flight.
Each ledge, including the one she was standing on, was a light or dark tan depending on location and shadows cast by the fog, and dotted with dragons, moving blobs of color against the earthy background. Gronckles seemed to gather in groups, while Nadders and Zipplebacks flew solo. No Terrors were immediately apparent, probably because of their size; she wouldn't see them among the constantly moving riot of color that the rest of the dragons created.
Above the rest, near the lip of the volcano's upper opening, circling or speaking with other dragons, several Monstrous Nightmares lingered. They were acting as guards, or maybe keepers of the peace if the one she knew had spoken truly. Ironic, that the most dangerous dragons enforced that, instead of simply taking charge through force.
Then again, Nightmares were not the most dangerous dragons here. Astrid knew of two others.
The mountain-sized monstrosity was still absent, the only sign of its existence a constant thrum that underlaid the more varied cacophony coming from all of the other dragons. It was asleep under the sulphurous yellow haze, and Astrid would rather not be anywhere near this island when it woke.
The other dangerous dragon, on the other hand, was neither terrifying nor hidden from sight. She quickly spotted him in a corner behind a stone pillar, being tended to by two Gronckles. One was licking his ear, and another was looking at his tail.
Astrid felt a flash of hatred towards the Night Fury, but she clamped down in it, forcing herself to hold still. He could die once she had what she wanted. He was the one who had changed her, so until she could be sure killing him would not kill her chance of changing back, she would hold her rage.
A heavy talon pinned her tail, and the Nightmare murmured discretely to her, "remember your promise. I see you glaring."
"I remember," she gritted, not even bothering with trying to free her tail. "I will talk to him, but as long as attacking does not include words, I will not break mine."
"Sometimes, with certain flames, I think words can be used as an attack," the Nightmare murmured back, freeing her tail. "Say what you feel you must. I only hope you do not regret it later." With that, he dropped off the ledge and glided across the inner space of the volcano, flapping up to join his kin in circling, looking for trouble.
She made her way to the Night Fury, ignoring the dragons she passed along the way, and ignoring the feeling of their eyes on her back. She was used to possibly unfriendly attention; she might be respected as the best in her generation, but that did not mean she knew only positive attention. Far from it. This was no different.
As she approached, she heard the tail-end of the conversation between the two Gronckles and the Night Fury.
"You will not regrow either, we think," the lumpier of the two Gronckles decided, his voice like rocks striking together underwater, it was so deep and sombre. "Unless you know differently. It is possible it will just take a very long time, in the case of your tail."
"I will hope so, and I would like to make sure you understand that such a lengthy recovery is not out of the question," the Night Fury stressed. "A long, long recovery. I can truthfully say it is possible."
"We cannot disagree," the smaller Gronckle remarked, turning away from the Night Fury… and seeing Astrid. He faltered, his stubby club of a tail smacking into the other warningly.
The Night Fury followed its gaze and stiffened once he saw her. "You two might wish to get out of the line of fire."
"Can she fire?" the larger one asked inquisitively. "I am surprised to see her walking so soon."
"Probably, so go!" The Night Fury shooed them both off with his lopsided tail, before backing as far back into the corner as he could.
Astrid didn't spare either of the Gronckles a second look as they buzzed past her. She stood squarely in front of the Fury and bared her teeth.
"You have disfigured me for life," the Night Fury remarked, preempting her by speaking first, his voice wry and yet worried. "My ear is not coming back. Come to give me a matching set?" His stub and good ear twitched at the same time.
Astrid allowed herself a good look at the damage she had already inflicted. There was barely a stub to speak of, a startling and lopsided look compared to what had been there before. But she was not here to do any more damage, as loathe as she was to admit it. "I want something from you, so maybe not if you give it to me," she said threateningly.
"If it is something I can teach, I will give it freely," he asserted, leaning forward. "Flight? Fire? Coordination? I thought you ended up with all of those ingrained, but if something did not carry over right–"
"None of that," she gritted. "I want my old body back. Now."
"But..." He shook his head slowly. "Nobody can give that back. It doesn't work that way."
That had to be a lie; she would accept nothing less. "Make it work that way. We can come to some sort of deal, surely." She wanted to rage and yell and demand he undo it, but that just wouldn't work, not when she would be interrupted. Offering a compromise, a trade, on the other hand...
Now he was confused. She knew that look, a tilted head and upraised ears, or in this case, a single upraised ear; anyone who interacted with animals knew their quirks. "A deal? No matter what you promise, I cannot change what is."
"What do you call this?" Astrid asked angrily, gesturing to her entire body with an awkward paw. "You did it, you can undo it." She needed to cut to the chase. "Anything you want, I'll give you. Free food? Done. For life, if I must." His would be an exceedingly short life, if it came to that, so she was not promising as much as he might think.
"Fish cannot change what is, either," he objected, seemingly serious.
She held back her boiling anger and tried to look at it reasonably, like she was negotiating with someone she wouldn't rather see dead where he stood. Food was out, she wasn't willing to offer amnesty or any other promise that would prevent her from killing him later, and none of these dragons seemed to covet gold...
But she had seen no other Night Furies here, and all signs pointed to him not having one other thing she could give, the one thing that she did not want to give up.
It all came back to the simple question of whether she really meant it when she decided she would do anything to get her life back.
"Can you change reality if the payment is me, for a night?" she asked quietly, hating herself and still entirely unsure if she was actually willing to go through with what she was suggesting.
"You for a night… what?" He shook his head, violently this time, and when he looked at her again, it was with a truly angry expression, complete with bared teeth and slitted black pupils. "I will not do that! Why are you tempting me with that, of all things? I have passed this test once, do you seriously think I will fail to do the same again?"
"I think you can be persuaded to change me back," she countered, wishing she knew how dragons did this sort of thing. She would despise herself for this, probably for the rest of her life, but if it got her what she needed, then she could try and live with that.
"What part of 'I cannot change reality' do you not understand?" he cried out in frustration, still backed into a corner. "It does not work like that, and even if it did, I could not do anything now! If I had to do what I did to you again, I couldn't do that either! What I did, that's it! I have no more Solar fire, and that never comes back."
Now she was getting somewhere. "Solar fire. That is how it is done?"
"Yes, and before you think to use it on yourself, you should find out what else it can do," he growled. "Before you ask, no, I won't tell you how to use it before you understand the dangers."
"But you will tell me sooner or later," she countered, secretly glad he was so against using the body he himself had given her, for whatever twisted and likely nonsensical reason.
"You will need it someday," he agreed solemnly. "So yes. But not now. I know you just want to change back."
"Yes. I also want you dead, so if you won't help me fix myself..." She let the threat hang ominously.
"I saved your life. I refused to take advantage of you. I am telling nothing but the truth." He stared at her. "I might deserve your hate, but all I want–"
"Is what?" she snarled. "To see me suffer?"
"To see you live," he burst out. "To save something! My life is going to end imminently, the only person I had left is dead. You were never getting out of here alive as a Flightless, even if you might have survived a totally shredded limb. All I want," and here he stalked forward, lowering his voice so that there was no chance of being overhead, "is to watch you fly away from this terrible place, alive and well. Hate me, want me dead, fine, I am going to die soon whether or not it is to you killing me. I have nothing to live for. It would be best for both of us if you left me to that fate and flew away right now, leaving this place as far behind as you possibly can."
It was, she realized, perfectly ironic. The only thing he professed to want was what she was going to prevent. If she left this place, it would be on a raft or possibly on the back of a dragon. Not by flying herself, unless she could somehow get to Berk and then revert back. She grinned toothily. "All I want is to watch you die, and to kill dragons with my ax and my human body once more. Guess who's getting their way?"
"Not you. Nobody can give you the second thing you want." He huffed, looking down. "And I deserve your hate for that. Stick around long enough, and you'll get to see me die." With that, he shoved past her and out of the corner he had been lurking in.
She turned to watch him go, noting with some surprise that most of the dragons around did not really seem to care. They had watched her on the way in, but she was apparently more interesting than the Night Fury they already knew, because all eyes were on her, not him.
Astrid stalked out into the middle of the ledge and cleared her throat, growling deeply. "Anyone who can return me to my real body," she announced, unintentionally projecting her voice with a deep hum, "come to me, and let us make a deal."
Startled silence met that request. None of the dragons on this ledge moved for a long moment.
A blue and green Nadder was the first to respond to her demand. "So you are not natural?" His voice was both curious and smug.
"No, I am not," Astrid agreed, understanding now that natural just meant born a dragon, or actually hatched given they were reptiles. "Can you fix me?"
"I still have my solar fire," he said, preening the scales on his shoulder as he spoke, "but no. I'd not waste it on this, even if I could do that, which I cannot." He hopped into the air and flew away before she could respond.
"I'm sorry," an older Gronckle piped up, "but I do not think it is possible for anyone."
"Why not?" Astrid asked angrily. They all had to be lying, and if she could poke holes in their lies, that might move things along.
"I am not an expert on solar fire, but I know enough," the old Gronckle growled back at her. "It just does not work like that."
"Then tell me how it does work, or bring me someone who can," Astrid requested, forcing her voice to take on a tone that would not totally insult the dragon she was commanding.
"I will, if only so that you know I am not stupid or lying to you," the Gronckle grumbled. He stepped away from the other dragons and lifted off, hovering in place for a moment before tilting forward and drifting past her.
With nothing better to do, Astrid watched the Gronckle as he drifted across the volcano. It was a deceptively large space. She could see the other side clearly, despite the sulphurous mists, but it took the Gronckle a while to buzz across, even taking into account how slowly he was moving. She could probably attribute how clearly she could see the other side from a distance to her eyesight in this body, not a nonexistent lack of distance. A small thing, and she would not be keeping it, but it was an interesting change.
The Gronckle searched a few ledges before finding what he was apparently looking for on a ledge somewhat higher up than the one Astrid was on. When he began the trip back, a dark blue Zippleback followed him, keeping to his slow pace in what seemed to be a show of respect.
The two landed right in front of Astrid, and the Gronckle went back to his friends without a word. Astrid did not thank him.
"You wish to know about solar fire," the Zippleback hissed. "We are the most knowledgeable flame in this nest. We know much." The right head was doing all of the talking, while the left stared intently.
"Yes. Everything." She didn't know what she didn't know, and that was the most frustrating part. Once she had an idea of how the Night Fury had cursed her, she might be able to reason out how it could be undone.
"Here?" the Zippleback hissed, looking around with both heads. "You will not take this well. None of your kind turned flame does, from what we have heard."
"Here," she confirmed. She didn't want to give it a chance to slip away or stall. "Tell me."
"Very well." The left head took up the job of talking, leaving the right to stare silently over her head at absolutely nothing. "Solar fire changed you. Solar fire is a gift from the sun to all flames, natural and unnatural alike."
Astrid was already somewhat lost, but she didn't ask for clarification. She didn't care about the origin of their magic, she just cared about how it could be undone. But she didn't interrupt, because the dragon was getting around to that, and she didn't dare anger the only one who was actually explaining things.
"All flames have one chance to use Solar fire," the Zippleback continued, "even Inferna, though she is the exception to many, many other rules. It is a one-time use. One can tell if a flame still has their Solar fire by checking one's own. Using one's Solar fire also destroys one's ability to feel it in others."
Astrid nodded impatiently. She did not feel anything within herself or any other dragon, but that was fine. They had just said she had it, and depending on how it worked, she might be able to use it on herself.
"You do not care who else has it," the right head intoned, startling her. The left closed its maw and turned to look at the right, as if interested in what it would say despite them both being part of the same body. "But you should. There is a reason no flame can restore you."
"Why?" She wanted to hear the reason, not just that there was one.
"Solar fire cannot create life, it can only alter it," the Zippleback's heads relayed, alternating between words now. "It can only be used once. And the one using it can only create what they know themselves. Only the Sun can create life from nothing, or create life unlike itself."
That was ominous. "What do you mean, only what they know themselves?" she asked.
"Flickers can only create Flickers, Coals only Coals, and so on," the Zippleback explained. "One must be able to hold the intended form clearly in their mind, to know it as one can only know oneself."
"So the only flame who can create something other than their own kind at the moment," both heads said in unison, "would be a Flicker or Flightless turned flame. And even then, it would have to be done immediately after transformation. The self-image in one's mind begins to shift almost immediately."
Astrid shook her head, a bit overwhelmed and very confused. She'd endured conversations with Fishlegs that were easier to understand, and back then she'd barely cared enough to give coherent responses! "I don't get it. If I am human, and I have this flame, surely I can change myself back." They were talking like that was not an option.
"That is true in theory." The Zippleback hissed warningly. "But in practice, it never works. One must cover the entire body, or the transformation will be incomplete, which is always fatal and horrific besides. One is only granted a single attempt. There is a reason only Flickers and Flightless are changed regularly. They are small enough that the Solar fire can cover them in a single use."
"You," the left head said warningly, "would not be able to fix yourself even if you could somehow reach your entire body. The Solar flame does not last long enough."
"And besides that," the right head added, "you cannot physically reach all of yourself anyway. It is impossible to directly flame your own neck, as one example. To try is certain death. No flame has ever managed to fully transform anything larger than an unusually small Coal, no matter the kind of flame doing the transforming."
That made a sort of sense… though she dearly wished it did not. "I don't believe you," Astrid whined, hating her own weakness. He– they, it, whatever the case was, she was already confused by the topic at hand without worrying about that too – sounded so sure. "You could be lying about anything, and I wouldn't know."
"We do not lie," both heads shot back in unison. "We impart truth to any who request it, and you are not the first to ask us these questions with the same end in mind. She never found a way back, because there is no way to be had."
"In truth," the right head continued, "your case is similar to hers in many ways." He neglected to explain who they were talking about, but Astrid had a feeling she knew.
"Which is a shame," the left added almost immediately, "because we had thought better of the Bolt. He must know that though he himself refuses to follow in his predecessor's pawprints, Inferna will not let it stay that way for long. He will not be able to avoid the consequences of his actions."
She didn't care about some other human turned dragon. Well... actually, she did care quite a bit. "Where is she now?" she asked.
"Dead. Gone." the heads answered over top of each other.
"Are there any other humans here?" she pressed, hoping against hope. She didn't know what other humans could do for her, stuck here in dragon bodies as they would have to be, but it would be comforting to have an actual ally.
"If you mean Flightless turned flames, none that we know of," the Zippleback replied. "Do you have any more questions about Solar fire?"
"You'll just lie, so no." She had to believe every dragon here was lying. If it really was irreversible, then she was in deep trouble. There had to be some way around it. "But let me be sure. You say that all dragons can use it, but they can only create one like themselves."
"Yes," the Zippleback confirmed.
Something occurred to her, a contradiction in their explanation. "So how am I female in this body?" she asked triumphantly. Something the Zippleback had said was a lie, because the Night Fury was male, and if there was one lie there would be others!
"Like, not identical to," the Zippleback chattered, laughing slyly. Then he turned serious. "It is a matter of will and subconscious desire. Exactly what is created is a complicated thing that not even the flame doing the creating can completely control."
"Which reminds us," the right head interjected, looking at the left. "We must go speak to the Bolt immediately. He has done something amazing here. We have not heard of any transformation imparting reflex and muscle memory, let alone speech."
"Agreed, though we did speculate that it could be done," the left head enthused. Both had apparently either dismissed or forgotten Astrid in their enthusiasm. "All things of the body. Only the mind itself is untouchable."
"Then how do you explain her hearing and understanding us without being taught?" the right asked.
"Simple. Somewhere between the ears and mind there is a translator," the left answered. "Or something in the physical portion of the mind. Or maybe the mind is not untouchable, rather only memory and personality."
"We have little evidence for that," the right cautioned.
"So let us question the Bolt and find more!" both exclaimed. They began walking forward, and almost ran Astrid over. She leaped to the side at the last minute, and watched as they walked right off of the ledge, only paying attention to their surroundings enough to navigate to another ledge, apparently still talking the entire way there.
Really, if Astrid was less worried about herself, she might have asked more questions, but as it was, the Zippleback had to be lying.
"Can anyone help me?" she repeated loudly, less confident than before but refusing to give up. "I will give anything to be changed back."
"The smartest flame in this nest just told you exactly how it all works, and you refuse to believe him?" a nearby Gronckle asked scornfully. "How stupid–"
A deep, dangerous rumble rocked them all. Astrid could almost feel her teeth vibrating inside her head, it was so deep and strong. She crouched, huddling low to the ground and hoping said ground wouldn't collapse under her feet. It was an earthquake, or maybe the volcano was about to erupt.
Then her mind was drawn to the last time she had been sure, for a split second, that the volcano was erupting. She knew what this was.
Sure enough, the large geyser of molten rock that splashed up a moment later was familiar in shape. The monstrosity was awake again. She had seen this dragon eat a Gronckle, so they definitely had reason to fear.
Six large eyes blinked open. Astrid watched as said eyes scanned the ledges, looking over all of the dragons present.
The eyes stopped on her, and did not move on. She crouched a little closer to the ground. This might be very bad; hopefully she would be too terrified to think, and thus able to fly away without overthinking it if the monstrosity attacked.
"I would say you are new, and ask from where you come," an impossibly powerful voice asserted idly, every nuance of the tone a distant crack of thunder, "but I have been listening… Flightless."
Astrid couldn't move. Facing this thing had been bad enough when she was sure it was just a mindless beast. Finding out that it was as intelligent as the rest of these dragons was a downright terrifying experience.
"This is my nest," the booming voice, only vaguely female, asserted. "You are part of my nest now. Stop trying to go back."
"No," Astrid whispered, far too quietly to be heard. She could not stop trying.
"I hate Flightless turned dragon," the monstrosity sighed, a gust of disgusting wind hitting the ledge. "Can't control directly. But... you are a Bolt. A female Bolt." Her eyes widened, all six focused entirely on Astrid. "You are worth some extra effort."
That did not sound good. Astrid took a step back.
"Stay- no, that does not work. It has been a while since the last." The monstrosity hummed, a terrible vibration that shook Astrid to her core. "Flames on the female Bolt's ledge, prevent her from leaving if she tries."
Dragons all around Astrid moved to block the tunnel out, and others crouched, ready to bring her down if she tried to fly away, though there was only a small chance that was going to happen, given she could not fly.
"Now... I am tired," the monstrosity yawned. "I can deal with you and the other Bolt later. For now... Flame who the female Bolt was arguing with, explain to me what her current problem is."
The Zippleback from before flapped up to fly in front of the monstrosity, circling her obediently. "She wants to change back, but does not believe us when we explain why that cannot work," both heads roared quickly. "We tried, she cannot be convinced we speak the truth!"
"Enough... land on her ledge," the monstrosity commanded. The Zippleback did as told, looking distinctly worried as he passed Astrid to hunch over in the back, behind the small group of Gronckles, as if trying to hide from the monstrosity's sight.
"You do not believe," the monstrosity repeated, staring at Astrid. "I will make this quick. I am tired." She turned to look at another ledge, as if searching for something. "Ah, you. Blue-brown Coal and mate, come out here."
The two specified Gronckles buzzed out to hover in the open air just above the monstrosity's massive head. They both looked distinctly terrified, and flew close together.
"Female Bolt," the monstrosity began. "Do you know my sun-given power?"
Astrid shook her head, understanding that to refuse to answer a direct question was probably foolhardy or even suicidal with this dragon. One did not pointlessly annoy a moving mountain.
"I am Inferna," the monstrosity asserted, her eyes going to the two Gronckles. "And my word is law with all flames. For those who do not have pesky Flightless pasts, I mean that literally."
Astrid tilted her head, confused, and stared out at the horrible creature talking to her. She didn't understand what that meant.
"As an example... you two are mates. You care for each other." That statement was directed at the two Gronckles, who both nodded frantically.
"Disregarding all conflicting orders," the monstrosity intoned, "fight to the death."
Both Gronckles cried out in horror, but before the echoes had rebounded, they were charging and vomiting molten rock at each other, lamenting all the while.
At first, Astrid did not believe this was anything more than an elaborate deception. That confidence wavered as blood began to flow...
And it died the moment one of the Gronckles did, faltering and falling from a particularly powerful blast dealt by his own mate. The body fell into the mists surrounding Inferna's lower body, obviously and undeniably dead. The remaining Gronckle, listing in the air and bleeding heavily, wailed horribly, staring down into the depths.
Then the monstrosity, Inferna, opened her mouth. "Now, remaining Coal, fly into my mouth," she commanded.
Astrid stared in horror as the Gronckle did so without even hesitating, howling in grief all the way. The sound cut off abruptly as Inferna's massive jaws closed. There was a distinct swallowing sound.
"My word is law," Inferna concluded, looking Astrid in the eye. "You are only an exception because of your past, but rest assured, I expect you to follow all of my rules like any other dragon, and have ways of ensuring that." Her eyes blinked in unison. "But I am tired, so that can wait a little while longer. Flame she was arguing with before, disregarding all conflicting orders, speak only the truth."
The Zippleback nodded. "As you command, Inferna."
"What comes out of his mouth now can be nothing but the truth." Inferna told Astrid.
Astrid nodded carefully, not trusting herself to speak. There was no trick here. That horrifying demonstration had been more than enough to hammer home exactly what Inferna was capable of.
"Tell her truthfully whether she can ever be changed back, and spare no details," Inferna sighed. "And you, female Bolt, had better listen. I am not going to ignore you forever, even if I am tired right now. If you leave or do anything I do not like… I will have my flames raze where you come from to the ground."
With that, her massive head sank below the sulfurous fog once more.
The Zippleback walking in front of Astrid, both heads staring at her.
"Well?" Astrid asked, dreading and yet knowing the answer.
"We are intelligent, and we know the ways of Solar fire better than any," the Zippleback said plainly. "If anyone could tell you how to restore yourself, it would be us."
"But we know of no way," he concluded solemnly. "You would need to be restored by a Flightless turned Flame, and one that somehow knew you as well as you knew yourself. Additionally, it would have to be done despite your size, which is an impossible task, because all dragons have an equal amount of Solar fire which is not enough for anything your size. This is a logical puzzle with no solution. There is no way."
"Also," the left head added quietly, "because we can no longer lie even if we wanted to, know this for truth. We do not resent you for what Inferna does, but your own refusal to believe the truth has already resulted in the deaths of two innocents." With that, the Zippleback fled the scene, flying hurriedly up and out the top of the volcano.
Astrid winced, not wanting to look around and see the likely angry or scornful faces of the dragons around her. She did not care that two more dragons were dead, but that kind of death... that was not something she would wish on anyone, and it was her fault.
All of that faded to insignificance as what had just happened truly sunk in. There was no going back. She was stuck like this until she died.
Author's Note: So, Inferna. Anyone get the feeling she's going to be a problem? She isn't just some stupid brute with mind control powers. Well, she's not stupid, anyway, the other two are up for debate.