When Light Rises

Ok, so this is a sequel to my very sad story, When Darkness Falls. If you have not checked out that story, I will leave a link to it right here, just be warned that it is a suicidal story.

s/13525279/1/When-Darkness-Falls

So, I do believe that there is an afterlife and that we do go there when we die. It just seems so unlikely to me that this is the only life that there is. What that is exactly, I can't say for sure, but I'm sure that it is as wonderful as the way I'm about to describe it.

Anyway, enjoy the story!

I open my eyes after what felt like an eternity. I look around to see that I was at the bottom of the falls that lead to the world that, at one point, was all mine.

However, things were far different. First off, it had seemed that time had just stopped completely around me. The water stopped moving, the wind had died down, there was even a fish that I could see that sat there, completely motionless, like it was caught in ice.

Also, while I appeared to be standing there I felt like, at the same time, I was not there. As if my body and my mind had become two separate beings.

I look down and see that my body still appears to be intact. Legs, wings, torso, tail with both fins still attached…wait what?

I look at my tail again and see that, sure enough, both fins are there. Not just one and one man-made but both of them, all flesh, skin and bone, are there. But that can't be, ever since my injury years ago, I've only had the one. How did-?

I lower my tail and see something I had never hoped to see. I saw…myself. Only with my head smashed against one of the stalagmites and the rest of my body was facing downwards.

That's when it all hit me, and I had remembered everything that had just happened and more importantly, what this meant.

…It worked…the jump down the falls worked…and I am dead.

It's not as if I was surprised I mean, that is what I had wanted, it's the reason why I jumped, I just…well I don't know what to think of this.

However, before I could think any further, I see a beam of light shoot down from the clouds and envelop me. The light was brighter than any light I had ever seen, even brighter than the shining scales of my beautiful wife.

I then feel the ground being lowered from my feet. I look down to see that, sure enough, I was being lifted off the ground and I wasn't even flapping my wings or anything.

I knew exactly what this was. This was it, my ascent into Valhalla. I look back and see my former body one last time before taking a deep breath and looking to the light as I spread my wings and pretend that I'm flying upwards.

Once I got above the clouds, I looked in front of me and see gates made completely of gold, and nothing else. I mindlessly walk forwards as the gates open, and soon comes a dragon like none that I have ever seen.

The dragon speaks, "Hello, my son. I am Artruthium, father of all dragons. I have been expecting you."

I blink. "Y-you're Artruthium? Then that means…"

Artruthium nods. "Yes, this is Valhalla. Where there is no fear, hatred, greed, or anger. Just pure peace."

I nod. "Right. So, am I really right to be here? I mean, I was pretty much a closed out bastard who wouldn't let my friends or family help me."

Artruthium shakes his head. "Entrance into Valhalla doesn't mean you were perfectly good your whole life. Believe me, if that was true than no one would be here. It is what you chose to do with your life that makes you a good dragon or human for that matter. And you, my Night Fury, are one of the best dragons the world has ever seen."

My eyes widen, I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. "I was? Really?"

Artruthium nods again. "Yes. You protected both your own kind and the humans that you trusted with all your heart, you risked your own life countless times so others can be brought to peace, and that makes you a true Alpha."

I wanted to just run up and hug Artruthium. Everything he said validated that what I did with my life did mean something, and that I was a fool to think otherwise. I just say to him, "Thank you."

Artruthium then says, "Well, my son, I'm sure there's a lot you'd wish to do right now, but first there is someone that I think you need to see."

He moves to the side to reveal a skinny, white haired man wearing the exact same clothes he wore the last time he saw him, his old black dragon scale armor.

I swore if my eyes could go any wider, they would pop out of my head. "Hiccup?"

The man smiles wide before running up and giving me the biggest hug on the neck he had ever given me. He says to me, "I knew we'd see each other again, bud, and I always knew you'd end up here."

Many tears ran down my face as he said that and I get on my hind legs to return the hug. "I missed you so much. I-I'm sorry…I let you down."

Hiccup shakes his head and steps back. "You didn't let me down at all. The fact that you showed all those emotions just because I was gone, that proved that you really are the best friend I've ever known."

That's what did it. All the emotions that I had built up those past few months just flowed out of me like an erupting geyser. So many tears ran down my face and dripped onto the cloud we were standing on, some of which got onto Hiccup who didn't seem to mind one bit.

Part of me hated myself for being so vulnerable right now but the other part of me knew that this needed to be done.

It took quite a while for me to finally stop crying and meet eyes with Hiccup who was smiling wide, seeing me get so emotional. He even had a few tears on his eyes that I licked off his face.

Then something occurred to me, "Wait, Hiccup, can you understand me?"

Hiccup nods. "Loud and clear."

Artruthium explains, "In Valhalla, all beings are able to understand each other as if they were speaking the same language all their lives. I know you two have a special bond, so I was more than thrilled that this was a law."

I just nod. "Thank you, once again."

Artruthium nods back. "Now, there are others that you might like to see." I look behind Hiccup and sure enough, I saw Hiccup's mate, his fat friend, his cocky friend, those crazy twins, his parents and just about everyone that I knew and cared about when I was alive.

A lot of my closest dragon friends are still alive, but I'm sure that once they get up here they will be just as happy to see me.

His father walks up to me and says, "It's good to see you again, Toothless. When word got out that you had died, I made sure that Hiccup was the first human you saw when you arrived to Valhalla."

Something then occurs to me. "Hey uh, sorry about the whole shooting and killing you thing."

He shakes his head. "There's no need for that. You didn't know what you were doing, you were just following the orders of the Alpha."

I take a deep breath. "That's actually a huge load off of my chest just to hear you say that."

Artruthium then says, "There's one more thing that you should see."

I look ahead and see what appeared to be large black birds coming towards us, only to realize that those aren't birds at all, but something even more magnificent.

"…Night Furies. Of course…of course they're all here." I watched as dozens of Night Furies flew around me. There were two, in particular, that I made out in an instant. "Mom…Dad?"

My mom yells down to me, "Paulo! It's been so long!"

My dad adds, "Come, join us in the skies!"

I was just about to take off when I look to Hiccup and ask, "For old time's sake?"

Hiccup smiles and says, "I thought you'd never ask. Just one thing…Paulo?"

I of course roll my eyes to that. "Yes, it's my dragon name. It means little, I was called that because I was a runt just like you."

Hiccup pats me on the shoulder and says, "Well, look where these two runts are now." He hops on my back, which felt so good, and we took off. I stayed as close to my family and the others as I could. Hiccup hugs the back of my neck and says, "So, any regrets killing yourself?"

I shake my head. "Not at all. This, right here, is all I need. Although…could we make a little stop?"

Hiccup motions downwards. "Take us there."

I look to Artruthium who gives me a nod before I dive down into the clouds. I keep going until I find myself, well find my spirit back on the human world. I take Hiccup back to the entrance to my world where I could see something that really touched my heart.

I saw my wife, my triplets, and some of my closest friends sitting around the base of the falls. I guess they found my body and seemed to have gathered to say a few words about me.

It was…extraordinary. They all seemed to be disappointed and sad that I'm gone…I guess I did have people to live for after all…*sigh*

Well, what's done is done. It wasn't long before I looked up to Hiccup, telling him I was ready to move on, so I ascended upwards, back into the clouds, where my new life was waiting for me.

I hope you enjoyed this story, this was very interesting to write and very touching, I've had to deal with the loss of a few family members last year so this story really helped me express what I think happens after you die.

Thanks for reading, stay safe, and I'll see you soon.