Odin's Trial II: Truth of voice, Truth of Heart
The small ship hit the shore of black sand. Hiccup and Astrid step out and let the air fill their lungs. Apart from the rancid odor, a desolated taste hid behind it.
"Huh, what is that smell. Smells like rotten egg." Astrid clenched her nose.
"Must be the smell from the volcano" Hiccup answered. "Are you sure this is the right place? All I see is this mountain in front of us and nothing else."
Astrid flipped opened the book and read out loud once again. "A desolated island where the sand is tainted by dishonor. Head into the heart of the mountain for he who seeks the pardon from gods. Fit's pretty well to me." Astrid.
Looking around, Hiccup spotted a small yellow stone leading deeper into the shore. "Let's follow these."
Quickly, the two Vikings stood in front of runes carved into the stone walls, next to a corridor that leads them deep into the guts of the mountain.
Dusting the roots off, Astrid deciphered the ancient message:
Inside lies the three trials of the Lord
The way back to honor is forward
Step forth and let the gods witness your courage and honesty.
"Definitely here," Astrid said. "Stay here, I'll discard the boat." But before she could turn hills, Hiccup held back.
"Astrid, you don't have to do this." Hiccup said. Averting his gaze, he added, "If you want to go back to Berk, and leave me here…, I'll understand."
"For the last time Hiccup" Astrid yelled, prodding her finger in his chest, "I am not giving up on you, and I am never giving up on you. Do you remember when you said I can't imagine a world without you in it?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Well, I always search for something to say back, because how do you compete with that? Something that beautiful, that honest, that heart-warming?" Astrid said. "Well, thinking of you every day while knowing full well I couldn't see you at the end of the day made me realized something." She stared right into his eyes, opening up her soul for him to see. "I refuse to live a life apart from you." Astrid took a deep breath. "That's my answer. So, stay right here. I'll be back soon."
Following back the stinking stone on the ground, Astrid quickly found her way back to the boats. She untied the knot and without hesitation, pushed the boat away from the shore. Looking at the sea reclaiming the ship, a newfound resolve carved up Astrid's face.
When Astrid arrived back at the entrance, she found Hiccup pacing anxiously, time to time staring at the mouth of the mountain.
"See? I'm back. Let's go." She said, while silently grabbing Hiccup's hand. Hiccup flinched at the sudden touch of affection, but Astrid's gentled squeezes faded it out quickly. Returning a smile, Hiccup replied
"After you, Milady."
Descending on the eroded staircases, the rocks started to compact themselves under their feet, as the two Vikings advanced deeper into the hearts of the mountain. The air gradually got dryer and hotter, suffocating them as it clenched to their throat. The light at the end showed itself as an eerie shade of red and orange, smooths waves of heat stroking their faces. Suddenly, the air up drafted, and a large cavern hit them in the face, split in half by an abyssal canyon running from one side to another. Taking cautious steps towards the edge, the couple bent over to see darkness ending with the warming glow of molten rocks. A wave of heat hit them square in the face, forcing them to scramble back.
'Well, this isn't reassuring" Astrid said.
"Thank you for pointing out the obvious, Milady." Hiccup replied, only to receive a sharp familiar jab in the shoulder.
"There, it must be something to tell us what to do." Astrid small jogged towards a waist height stone, standing vertically, Hiccup on her heels.
The blond Viking blew the slight layer of dust, revealing the ancient runes beneath.
In here the honest is blind
Steps guided by faith in the one
Who tried to recover his truth of voice.
The two Vikings peered over the engraving, and set their eyes on a narrow stone path, crippled by a couple of stand-alone platforms that looked not much larger than a cauldron.
"So, apparently, you're supposed to walk over that." Hiccup said
"Blindfolded, and you're guiding me," Astrid completed.
Closing his eyes, Hiccup let the turmoil in his mind let loose. I can't do this. I can't let her take this risk. I'm going to kill her."
The sound of fabric being ripped shook him off. Looking up, he saw Astrid tying the piece of cloth that she ripped from her shirt around her eyes. Adjusting the fabric to make it easier to wear, she said
"Hiccup?"
"Look, Astrid" Hiccup cut her off, "I don't deserve you risking your life for me. Let's just go back to Berk."
Slap Even blind, Astrid, based on her astute senses, landed a solid slap on the boy's cheek.
"Listen Hiccup" Astrid seethed through her teeth, "I already told you I am ready to do anything for you, so I am going to go over it, whether you help me or not. Do you understand?"
"Yes Astrid," Hiccup said in defeat. Even separated by a thick piece of cloth, he could still feel the fury blazing in her eyes.
Hiccup lined Astrid up with the start of the treacherous path. Taking a step and breath back, Hiccup said.
"Alright, you're right in front of it. Please be careful, Astrid."
"I will" Astrid answered. Fleering her arm out to keep her balance, she took one hesitantly step onto the path.
"Alright, what next?" Astrid said, forcing fear out of her voice. Not being able to see had its advantages.
"Take two steps forwards, make sure you place your foot right in front of the other."
Resting her weight on her right leg, Astrid raised her other and carefully tried to find the path. Finally, when her foot met stone, she let out a breath of relief. One. And two as she went forward another step.
"Now?" Astrid yelled
"Euh, wait" Hiccup replied frantically, trying to find some solution. The path took a sharp angle to the left, and she was too close to the edge. One more step forward will send her falling to her death.
"Listen to me, Astrid. Slide one foot slowly forward, without losing balance, and as soon as I tell you to stop, you bring your other foot. Can you do this?"
"Yes," Astrid replied. Even though she didn't totally understand where Hiccup was going, she still trusted him blindly.
Etching her right foot forward, Astrid slowly lowered her center to keep up with her shifting weight. Fearing void under feet at each moment, she still pushed forward, waiting for Hiccup's signal.
Just a little more, Common Astrid, just a little more. Hiccup stared, obsessed, at the fur boot, eating away the rock.
"Stop!" Hiccup yelled, and Astrid reacted quickly and stilled. Carefully she brought her other feet back and waited for the next instruction.
"Alright, Astrid!" Now you are going the turn to your right, slowly." Astrid complied and oriented herself by pivoting on her heels. "Stop! Now you are going to take three more steps."
Slowly, Hiccup directed Astrid onto the narrow path, with each step she took, Hiccup's heart leaped, fearing the worst.
By the graces of the gods, nothing happened, and Astrid safely reached the most dangerous part of the path: where the volcanic rock broke off, creating a direct pathway to the infernal abyss below.
"Okay, Astrid, you have to jump!"
"What?" Astrid replied, yelling gushed of warm air that is dangerously trying to knock her off.
"You have to jump; the path is broken" Hiccup yelled back.
"You're joking right?" Astrid said. She immediately bit back her words, in vain. She forgot the precarious situation she was currently in with Hiccup, thinking they were back to when everything was normal, which now seemed so far away.
"It's too dangerous Astrid" Hiccup answered after a significant pause, "I'll guide you back."
She could hear the slight bitterness in his tone, slapping herself mentally, she yelled
"How far?"
"What?"
"How far is the jump! Hiccup" Astrid yelled again.
"Not very far." Hiccup panicked; he didn't expect that kind of reaction.
"That doesn't help" Astrid replied sharply.
"I know, just wait a bit." Hiccup scrambled with his fingers. Using his finger to cover up the gap, he roughly calculated the distance between the two platforms.
"Roughly 4 steps!" Hiccup yelled.
Alright, Four-step, not too far, but this isn't about distance, it's about precision. In her mind, Astrid already visualized the distance. Taking a deep breath, she leaped.
A vice-like claw clenched around Hiccup's heart when he saw Astrid falling towards the next platform. Fearing the worst, yet he couldn't turn his eye away.
When she finally hit the solid flat rock, Hiccup's heart sunk heavily in his chest. Sighing deeply, he examined the next section of the traitorous rock path while waiting for Astrid to stand back up again.
Her chest taking the brunt of the impact cut her breath short, but she will take the small discomfort over a plummeting to her death any other day.
"You made it Astrid" The cheerful voice of Hiccup sounded way behind her.
"How much I covered?" Astrid asked in return.
"About, About a quarter of it?" A bit less?" Hiccup answered guiltily.
Son of trolls. She thought that jumping blindly over abysses leading down to the heart of a volcano would be the most difficult part, she seriously considered her ability to successfully reach the other side.
Nonsense Hofferson. She smacked herself mentally, weakness and fear weren't in her vocabulary. Giving up? She never heard this word before. Gritting her teeth, she forced confidence in her voice.
"Alright, what's next?"
"Two steps forward and then turn slightly at an angle to your right."
•—0—•
After an agonizing amount of time, Astrid leaped and found herself in the air slightly longer than usual. That's it, she thought, I'm going to die. I'm sorry Hiccup, I wasn't strong enough for you. Until a hard surface broke her train of thought.
"God's that hurt." She said while rubbing her tender ribs.
"Yes, Astrid. You made it!" Hiccup yelled from the other side of the ravine.
"Really? Can I open my eyes now?" Astrid asked
"Wait, let me read." The auburn Viking jogged towards the engraving, joy, and pride can be seen in his stride. For a brief moment, unknown to him, he forgot his blasphemy, that Astrid had risked her life to try and restore his honor and trust. "Hum…" Hiccup read "I guess you can?"
Astrid opened her eyes, blue orbs dilating with the sudden gush of light. Looking at the torturous path that she just crossed blind, guided by the instructions that Hiccup had to yell, she fully understood the name of the trial. One misdirection from Hiccup and she will fall down to Helheim.
"Now what?" Hiccup yelled from the other side of the ravine.
"I guess you just walk through it?" Astrid said after an unfruitful search for runes carved stone.
Hiccup took a hesitant step on a narrow stone path. After making sure that his prosthetic had enough grip on the surface, he quickly progressed towards the other edge, unphased by the thousands deep right next to him. Normally, such heigh will frighten even the most fearless of Vikings, but having riding dragons for half of his life, the young Viking was more than used to dangerous heights.
On the other side, Hiccup quickly pulled Astrid into a tight hug. The young woman letting herself melt into the familiar embrace. After a brief wordless exchange, they pulled apart, both reading relief in each other's eyes.
"Let's not do this again." Hiccup said
"Why" Astrid teased, "I liked when I was blindfolded, with you dictating every single one of my actions."
Meeting Hiccup's blank stare, Astrid pondered if the innuendo totally went over him.
Side by side, the pair walked in deeper into the mountain.
Emerging from yet another tunnel, this time, they were hit with the thundering roar of a waterfall gushing down from the ceiling. Amazed by the sight in front of them, the two Vikings remained breathless, admiring the wrath of the element.
Hesitantly, Hiccup approached the waterfall, minding his prosthetic. He stopped right in front of the downpour, his gaze trying to pierce through the tumultuous abyss below his foot. How deep does it go he wondered? Breathing him, he felt the familiar tickle of the wind on Berk's beaches. Stunned by the possibility, Hiccup hesitantly extended one hand out into the stream. The force of the waterfall felt like his hand was going to be washed away. Quickly retracting his limb, he then brought his fingers to his mouth, only to taste the familiar scent of salt.
Quickly he found and disturbed Astrid who was trying to decipher the carving that she had just found.
"Astrid, you wouldn't believe what I found out! "
"What?"
"This water, it's… it's seawater, Astrid."
"What?" Astrid said, "But, we're liked, below A mountain!"
"I know, it's amazing, I wonder what kind of force could have done this."
"I don't know, apart from the gods," Astrid said. "By the way, I think this is the next trail." The blond added while gesturing to the runes.
Only if you trust the gods
That the gods will trust back,
Fall, as you regain your truth of heart.
Almost comically, Hiccup slowly blinked, and his head swept between Astrid and the waterfall.
"Does this mean, that we just… Jump?"
"From the looks of it, yeah."
"Astrid, I can't.."
Yet again, Astrid didn't let him finish. Silencing him with a determined punch to the shoulder, which, just like every time, made him winced. She grabbed his hand, dragged him to the edge
"Together," Astrid said. And taking the unconscious squeeze as her clue, she leaped, before even Hiccup got time to complain.
Well, Well, Well, what a nice place to end the chapter, but since I don't have a plot-twist planed, the next chapter is posted.
