Author's Note - This is the final chapter of volume I. I would welcome any thoughts that you may have to share. Again, consider how differently certain characters developed in this world because of other events that did not happen. There is another note at the bottom of this post to give you an idea of what to expect going forward.
"If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?" - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn - The Gulag Archipelago
Schism
Astrid rolled over in bed, disturbed by a strange sound for it being so early in the morning. It was someone pounding on the door, and she yawned while rousing herself.
"Sure, I think she is awake," Vidarr muttered to the stranger.
Skald met Astrid at the front door, and he looked oddly concerned.
"Astrid, sorry to wake you up," he muttered.
"Don't worry about it. What is wrong?" Astrid asked.
"Ulfric told me he found a dead dragon in the woods."
"Really? Great... Did he say what kind?"
"He didn't say. But that is not what is so bad."
"What is it then?"
"He said it has been dead a while, and that it was… skinned."
She snapped out of her lethargy.
"Skinned?"
"De-scaled actually…"
"By the gods… Where?"
"By Murmuring Mound."
"Give me a moment."
She slipped on her boots, and they left together for the forest without bothering either of their dragons. There was no need to disturb the sleeping broods.
They nervously headed into the woods, both tortured by memories of the last time that dead dragons had been found on the island after the Battle of Five Armies as it was now called. That had been a very personal and painful experience for all the riders. The last occasion before that terrible day had been way back when Mildew's rebellion had failed. The rebels had set many different traps in the woods and had managed to trap and kill a poor dragon.
If this one was skinned, then someone on Berk had to have done it. But who and why?
It did not take long to find once they arrived at the Mound. There, just slightly off the main trail and somewhat hidden behind shrubs, was a Nadder carcass, its body almost entirely stripped of scales and having been torn at by various scavengers.
She felt sick to her stomach at the sight. A dead dragon or a dead human was not something that could normally threaten her constitution. The maggots crawling out of the eye sockets and the putrid, rotting flesh, however, could and did.
"It looks like this happened a long time ago," Skald whispered.
"But who would do something like this? Why?"
He knelt and examined the remains before answering.
"See these slices here?" he pointed to a series of cuts.
"Yes."
"These are easy to make when skinning cattle. And look at this."
She looked closely at what looked like a deep puncture wound in the neck.
"I think someone killed this dragon so they could skin it of its scales. And look at its claws," he said.
The claws were gone, apparently torn out of the paws. All its spines, from head to down its tail, were ripped out too. On a hunch, Astrid got out her dagger and poked at the decaying mouth. One glance inside the rotting, worm infested mouth showed them everything they needed to see. All the teeth had been pried out.
She got up and turned her back on the sight as she felt a tingling in the back of her throat. She ran over to a bush and vomited because of how hideous the sight was.
The terrible image of finding her own Stormfly like that played no small part in her reaction.
"Astrid, are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm glad I skipped breakfast at least."
"I think I'm going to be sick too," he moaned.
"You and me both, let's get out of here."
They quickly put distance between them and that place until they came to a small clearing.
"Ok, ok. Think about this. Someone on Berk had to do that, and they killed it for its scales, teeth, and claws. Why?"
"Well, our tribe used to make trophies out of what we killed. Could it be that?" he offered.
"Why now? We don't do that anymore. It cannot have been any of us."
She glanced out at the forest around them as she ran through the possibilities in her head.
"What about a Berserker hiding in the forest all this time?" she asked.
"Do you really think a Berserker could hide or would want to hide?"
"No, of course not. It's not their style," she admitted, "Maybe it was killed in the Battle and no one found it until now."
"I doubt it. Not with those stab wounds and cuts. I think this happened after the battle. Maybe three weeks ago. Regardless, the Chief needs to know about it."
"Yeah, I'll go let him know," she agreed.
She went straight to the Chief's house and rapped on the door. He answered the door after a few moments. His hair was very disheveled, and he looked upset by something.
"Chief, I need to talk to you."
"What is the matter?" he sighed.
"I think we have a traitor on the island."
"A traitor? Why?" he wrinkled his brow.
"We found a dead dragon in the woods. It looks like..."
"Dragons die. It happens," he interrupted.
"This one was different. It was..."
"I don't care. You go investigate if you want, but don't bother me about it," he growled.
Then he shut the door in her face. She stood motionless, quite taken aback by his curt reaction.
"Ok, that was odd."
Strange, he used to be more interested in what happens on his island. Maybe just a bad day.
Still though, something about his behavior seemed very strange and continued to bug her, so she sought out the person she thought could best give her council.
"Gobber, do you have a moment?"
He wiped the sweat from his brow and stepped outside the forge.
"Sure, what's on yer mind lass?"
"Do you think anything is wrong with Stoick?"
"Wrong? What do you mean?"
"I mean... like he is more distant and not taking care of himself."
"Well, he has been spending more time alone yeah. Can't blame him for that after the battle and everything that happened."
She sighed and felt momentarily dizzy as images of that terrible night were dragged up from memory.
"That makes sense. He did lose his brother. I just wished he cared enough to listen to me."
"Eh, what's this now?"
"We found a dead Nadder in the forest. Someone cut off its scales, claws, and everything else."
Gobber said nothing for a long time.
"That does sound bad. And he didn't want to hear anything about it?"
"No, he shut the door on me."
"He is a grown man who is hurting. Just let him deal with it in his own way. He will come around eventually. About the dragon though, I don't know what to say. Keep your eyes open Astrid. I'm sure you will figure it out."
Stoick sat at his table in the Great Hall and downed another mug. That made his fourth even before lunch. He looked out over his people gathered in the Hall with him.
The tribe was still recovering after the battle from two months ago. It didn't feel the same with twenty nine souls gone from Midgard and now assuredly feasting in Valhalla. Dwellings had been erected for those whose homes were destroyed and the orphans were taken in by families. The tribe would continue and would grow strong again. But there were other problems besides.
Only one fishing boat of their own remained afloat, though Svana had lent him a couple more until the rest could be rebuilt. That severely limited the amount of fish that could be caught, though there were also fewer dragons that needed to be fed.
A dragon and its rider had flown to Berk from the Vaina and Volsung every other week after the battle ended. They said that they were there to ask if Berk needed anything, but he secretly suspected that they were also there to see how strong Berk would remain. A weakened tribe was one that could be taken advantage of.
Can't trust anyone else. Even if we are allies... bah.
Despite everyone else's stubborn optimism, he still felt a coldness in his breast, a certain impassiveness or unfeeling born mainly of his brother's death. They had never been especially close as siblings, but Spitelout had been the last living member of his immediate family.
And then there was also the issue of the Night Fury dozing contentedly at his side. He had not said anything to Hiccup all this time about the arrangement with Moirai. It was getting closer to the time she had said her task would be completed. She had indeed returned safely several days after the battle's resolution.
He got up and stumbled from the Hall without a backward glance. He passed several of his tribesmen and ignored their greetings.
Anxious for news and needing some reassurance, he left the village and entered the forest. It was a good half-hour of walking before he arrived at his destination. One of the foreign guards noticed his approach and called to inside the hut.
Moirai, garbed in her customary black, stepped outside and greeted him.
"Stoick, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Moirai, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to know how everything is going."
"I am getting closer. It needs no more than another lunar cycle before it is ready."
"Good, very good. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Just stay out of the way and everything will be fine. You'll have your boy back soon enough."
"He is all I have left now."
"All the more reason for my having as few disturbances as possible," she replied.
"Yes, indeed. Good talk. I'll let you go back to it."
"Come on girl, it's been too long since we went flying."
She held out the riding saddle and could clearly see Stormfly's interest. But the dragon also glanced down at the hatchlings dozing at her side. Astrid grinned to herself.
"Ah, I thought about that. Come on Blue."
She coaxed Blueback forward into the stable and watched happily as the two adults nuzzled each other. Stormfly then followed her human outside as her mate took over duties watching over the hatchlings. She then let Astrid put on the equipment, and the pair was aloft seconds later.
Astrid let out a cheer of delight at finally being back in the skies for the first time since the battle. She held out her arms toward the clouds and let out her hair to billow behind her. Stormfly also trilled out in joy, apparently sharing in her rider's bliss.
"I missed all this, girl."
The pair flew a long and slow loop around the island. It was a very welcome, peaceful diversion for Astrid. At some point though, Stormfly turned her head to look at the forest and gave a questioning trill. Astrid barely had a moment to realize that something was different before Stormfly altered her course of her own volition and made to land in a small clearing among the forest.
Astrid patted Stormfly's neck and looked around the clearing after they settled down.
"What's the matter?"
She hopped down from Stormfly's side and followed behind her as the dragon crept forward through the trees.
The reason for Stormfly's interest in this place became very clear when she started hearing the noise as well. A noise coming from what looked like a very old building hidden in the forest.
The wailing of a baby.
She listened for a moment in complete confusion and disbelief.
What?
"Stay here."
She ran ahead and ducked inside what had to be an old storehouse.
"What the..."
It was the most bizarre scene inside. There were sealed wooden boxes and fabric bags in the corners of the building. There were also a fireplace, a table, a pot for cooking, and strange jars all over. Someone was clearly living in and doing something here.
And there was a baby wrapped in a pile of blankets on the floor and crying piteously. She of course went right over to it and gathered it into her arms. There was no one else in the building.
"You poor thing, who would leave you here?"
The baby stopped crying when she gave it a finger to suck on. She went straight back to Stormfly, who took a moment to inspect the strange bundle. They were in the skies moments later with Astrid directing her back to the village.
Maybe you are someones bastard. But what monsters would leave a baby in the woods? There could be wolves out here.
She brought the baby straight to the Great Hall when she got home. She explained that she found it abandoned in the woods, and the Elder sent for a wet-nurse to care for the infant until a decision could be made about it. The Chief's table was unsurprisingly empty. He was almost never in the Hall anymore except to get food and drink.
Stoick was sitting inside before the fire after sunset, alone as usual, lost in his thoughts of his missing son when he heard an insistent rapping on the door.
Who would bother me at this hour!
Very frustrated at the disturbance, he stomped to the front door and flung it open. His frustration vanished when he saw who it was.
"Moirai..."
She let herself inside without another word. He couldn't remember ever seeing her so flustered and anxious.
"Are we alone?" she asked.
"Yes, the... dragons are asleep."
"Good, we need to talk. I will be finished within the week."
"A week! That is wonderful news!"
"By this time next week, you will have your dear son back."
"You have no idea how important that is to me. It means everything. Thank you."
"There is something else though Stoick. Something important."
"What is it?"
She stood and paced back and forth for a while.
"The potion is not quite finished yet. There is one more important ingredient and without it this cure is useless."
"Whatever you need you will have if it gives me my son back!"
"It is not pleasant," she warned.
"I don't care!" he almost gasped.
She put her hands on the table and leaned in to whisper.
"Let me explain. The final ingredient makes a potion of change the exact potion needed. To change someone into an animal uses a human sacrifice, a human heart."
His brow wrinkled in distaste at the thought of such sacrifice.
"Yes, quite vile," she added, "but the reverse must be done to make the change the other way."
He thought for a moment and froze when it dawned on him what she was saying needed to be done.
"I need a Night Fury heart, and I need one soon."
"No… it can't be. I can't just…" he stammered.
"I wish there was another way, but you have a choice. Get me a heart, or you won't get your son back," she whispered with her eyes downcast.
"I…"
.
"Give me a moment."
She stepped outside.
He watched until the door shut. He balled a fist and slammed the tabletop in anger, then he held his head in his hands and sobbed.
Why! Why do you do this to me!
If Thor or Odin were listening, there was no answer.
He wasn't sure what he was going to do. Moirai had never done anything to suggest that she was being insincere; no, that couldn't be the case. She had even helped him defend his tribe.
This would mean sacrificing Toothless.
He stared at the floor next to the fireplace. It was exactly where he had put the mysterious egg years ago, and was where Hiccup and Toothless had both liked to sleep during the winter.
It wasn't fair to say that he was especially fond of the dragon, but he had taken him in as his own in everyone else's eyes. He couldn't deny that Toothless was no mere pet, especially since Hiccup had shown that Toothless could talk in his own way and had learned some runes. Toothless had proven himself to be loyal, at least loyal to Hiccup. The dragon had also been instrumental in killing the Skrill.
Sacrificing Toothless would be killing a person. Not only any person but one that Hiccup was certainly very fond of and even called a brother.
We have never sacrificed our own. Other tribes spill blood in sacrifice, but never us.
But a situation like this had never arisen before. He could never have imagined that he would need to save one of his own from a fate such as Hiccup's. His own family name would end, and his promise to his beloved Valka would be broken.
But… I can't. I am not a traitor… I…
He looked around the confines of his house, as beads of sweat began trickling down his brow. The sound of the crackle from the fire was initially the only thing he could hear. All the shadows seemed alive and staring at him. It was almost as though there was something oppressive in the air.
Toothless killed the Monster on Dragon Island, taught Hiccup what he needed to know the last couple years, led him to Hiccup's kidnappers, and had helped turn the battle against the Berserkers.
He was of half a mind to run into Hiccup's room, wake him up, and confess everything that moment.
'Is there anything you would not be willing to do for your family?'
He stared at his old hammer which Hiccup brought back from Dragon Island and was now hanging over the hearth.
A coldness and grim certainty settled into his heart as he gradually settled on the only possible conclusion. He had promised that he would do whatever he had to do to save Hiccup. He couldn't lose his son, not again, not forever.
He slowly picked himself up off the floor.
Hiccup would never forgive me if he finds out the truth.
A devious solution presented itself. Moirai was seen as a suspicious, or at least strange, character on the island since the battle with the Berserkers. He knew that. Maybe he could do what needed to be done, tell Hiccup about the potion and get him to take it, and then blame Moirai for doing the terrible deed. Feign his own ignorance and quickly have her killed to hide the truth. Hiccup would be heartbroken, but he would be restored and saved. Hiccup would be what he should have always been.
He slowly stood up, shivering despite himself, and returned to the door where she was still patiently waiting along with several of her guards.
"Chief, what is your decision?"
"I'll… do it."
She grimly smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
"Good."
"I'll do it myself and… bring you the heart."
"Actually, I'll take care of that part. If you could help capture the beast alive out in the woods, I'll have my men bring it to me. That way you don't have to do it yourself. Remember, I need it alive, and I need one more week to finish everything."
It was a small comfort that he would not have to do it himself.
"Ok, I'll let you know the plan in the morning."
She nodded and dismissed herself, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
I need Hiccup to go away for a few days. To do something without Too… his dragon for a while.
He lay down to go to sleep and struggled with shivers and the small, fearful part of him that whispered that this plan was wicked and wrong. The part of his mind that tried to prevent him from doing what was necessary.
I made a promise. I have to do it.
Hiccup stared at his father, his own mouth agape for a moment before he remembered how silly he looked. He fumbled with the pencil in his excitement.
Really?
"Of course I want you to go. It will be fun for you. No one was ever better with drawings or maps than you. No one has ever gone up into the north to map from the sky before."
Thank you dad
I'll get Toothless to come with
"No! No, I want you to do this yourself. Think of it like... a challenge to do something on your own for a week."
Hiccup thought about that and eventually happily nodded.
I can do that. It will be fun to be off on my own for a while. And it will help Berk.
"Go on and have some fun... s... son."
Hiccup quickly gathered up some paper, a pencil, and his travel bag, and prepared to depart. He gave his father a final glance before he headed out the door and he was surprised at the strange look his father had. Almost wistful and longing. He stopped and considered asking him what was the matter, but decided there was no need. Sometimes his dad behaved oddly.
With a cry of joy, Hiccup leapt into flight and set off through the crisp morning air for the mysterious islands north of Berk. He had long dreamed of venturing to them in the past and had even flown close to them in some of his previous ranges from Berk. But now he had purpose in going there in addition to the adventure.
Stoick waited for several minutes after Hiccup had flown off to make absolutely sure nothing went wrong.
Then he put on his cloak and walked over to the fireplace where he retrieved his old hammer. He hooked it through his belt loop and took several deep breaths to calm himself.
Ok, I can do this. I have to do this. I had no choice...
He walked into Hiccup's room and went over to the still-sleeping Toothless. The beast was blissfully unaware and peaceably asleep.
His fingers twitched as he knelt down and gave the dragon's shoulders a shove.
"Toothless, come with me."
The dragon grumbled at being awoken, but it got up and followed him regardless. The pair paraded through the village and out into the forest. Stoick threw several glances back, convinced that he was being followed and spied on. He also kept looking at Toothless, fully expecting that the dragon would somehow sense his intentions and would turn on him at any moment.
'He's not dangerous!'
At some point, Toothless stopped and bent down to the ground to write something. Stoick turned away from it.
"Come on... almost there."
Toothless grumbled again but obediently followed. Stoick finally stopped walking outside the clearing near Moirai's hideout.
No dad no!
He rubbed his temple and blinked at the throbbing in his head.
"There! Look at that," he pointed through the shrubs while deftly unhooking his hammer from his belt.
Toothless obliviously crept forward and peered through the bushes into the clearing. Stoick tightened his grip on the hammer and quickly swung it overhead. The flat of the hammer's head struck the top of the dragon's head, and the beast collapsed limp and unconscious at his feet.
He stared at the body for a minute before he moved, so stunned he was that he had actually been able to go through with it. He kicked its shoulder, and it didn't react at all. But it was still breathing, exactly as she needed.
Then he summoned his courage and crossed the short distance to Moirai's hideout. She was already waiting for him with her full contingent of followers at the ready. He beckoned them over. They all gathered around the unconscious dragon, ropes in hand. She faced him with an inscrutable expression.
"You actually did it. Impressive. I wondered if you had the strength to do what had to be done."
"I didn't want to, but... my boy, my son..."
"Don't you worry about that. I will take care of everything from here."
She turned to her men.
"Take it."
She beckoned him away as the men started to tie up the dragon to carry it off.
"I will need until the end of the week to do what must be done. Do not interrupt me until then. I will send someone to you when I am ready."
"I understand."
He picked up his hammer and left the place without a backward glance. Where he had hoped to find release and peace now that the deed was done and his son's restoration was all but assured, he felt only anxiety and coldness. His breath came too quickly, and it felt like he was drowning, so hard was it to breathe.
A betrayer; he betrayed the trust of a kindly beast.
The walk back home felt like it took far longer than the departure had taken. By the time he finally got back at mid-morning he felt weak and couldn't stand the idea of being around other people.
He locked himself in his house to escape what he saw as their accusatory happiness and stares. Any one of them could see right through his charade and would know that he is a traitor, a spawn of Loki. He fumbled to replace the hammer over the mantle place and then stood alone.
What are you my dear?
"What... Val?" he looked around at the shadows.
We don't need to kill them.
"Not... not all of them. Only one. I had to do it."
Silence.
"I had to save our son!"
Silence.
He stumbled into bed, feeling strangely cold all over. The silence of the house was deafening and oppressive.
On an uninhabited island north of Berk, Hiccup stretched himself out on the rocks warmed by the heat of the day. The rocks would remain warm for several more hours after sunset. He curled a wing and his tail in on himself and looked up at the twinkling stars starting to emerge overhead as the sun set.
Three days now out here and this has been fun, but I really miss everyone.
He closed his eyes and fell asleep a short time later after witnessing a couple stars fall from the sky.
A boat rolled on the ocean waves. Men walked around on the ship's deck. Leagues of green trees and mountains. A mist covered his view and the boat vanished from sight. The mist broke, revealing a storm and a remote island. A sandy beach, grassy hills, rolling fog, and ruins on the island. Strange structures of woven rock, glass, and metal had fallen into disrepair. He landed and began to investigate the place.
The fog welled up from the ground, took on a strange dragon's shape, and spoke.
Who are you dark wing?
He made to answer but froze, the name being caught on the tip of his tongue and just beyond his recollection.
The fog and island dissipated as the dream collapsed around him.
He woke up shivering even though it was not a cold night. There was absolutely nothing else on the rocky island. He searched his memory, trying to grasp at the tendrils of the fleeting dream. The presence had felt very real as though there was someone else standing next to him.
But it was gone, and he was left grasping at shadows. The very faint feeling of indistinct concern remained though.
"What do you think about it Astrid?" Skald asked her.
"Huh? What?" she muttered while tearing her bread.
"You weren't listening were you?"
"No, I was thinking about something else."
"At least you admit it. I guess that is not surprising. You've never been that interested in that stuff anyway."
"What is it?"
He leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially.
"It's them, Thorvald and Sifa, of course."
"What about them?" she asked, though she suspected she already knew the answer.
Skald's red cheeks and faint stammer confirmed it before he even said anything.
"Well, they are... together now."
"How do you know?"
"Astrid, this is Berk, no one can hide that for long."
"Fair point. Imagine that, Ruffnut and Snotlout, I never would have seen that coming," she said.
"They did change quite a lot, especially after the Battle," he sadly added.
She considered their situation. Being drawn together because they both suffered great pain and loss did give them some common ground, but it could also cause their relationship to be unequal or one of an unhealthy dependence.
"I hope they can build a life together that is good for them both. What about you and Vistra? Will the old wives of Berk be whispering about the two of you rolling in the hay?"
"Astrid!" he exclaimed.
She chuckled at his discomfort.
"I'm sorry. I had to tease you."
"You know I'm more traditional than he is."
"I know. You two will be good for each other."
He finished off his mug with an exasperated groan and got up from the table. She, feeling only slightly guilty, went over to Gobber and sat next to him.
"Gobber, how many women are there here who had babies recently?"
"Eh, three I think. Why do you ask?"
"Because I cannot figure out who the abandoned boy belongs to. It was very good of Katrina and Finn to take him in, but I still want to know where he is from and why he was out there."
"Where was it again?"
"What looked like an old storehouse in the western woods."
"The western woods you say? Hmm, that is odd."
"Why?"
"Stoick ordered no one to go in those woods."
"I didn't know that. Why would he say something like that?" she asked.
"I forgot that we even had a supply house out there," Gobber mentioned.
Then an explanation began to form itself in her mind, though she earnestly hoped she was mistaken.
"Gobber," she whispered, "what if the mainlander guests we've had have been living out there? They've almost been here for a year on and off."
"Yeah," he agreed, "it could be them."
She looked around the Hall since there were usually one or two of the mainlander men in the Hall from time to time, but there was no sign of them right now.
"Do you know where any of them are?" she asked.
"Sure, they're... come to think of it, I haven't seen them in a few days. Hey Sador, where are the mainlanders?" he shouted to the other table.
"They're gone."
"Gone?" he asked.
"Yeah, their ship isn't here now. Shame too, they always paid good coin, had good stories, and liked to trade."
"Where did they go?"
"Never did say where they're from, except from the mainland of course."
"So they decide to go home and leave a baby behind? What?" she exclaimed.
"Some people are not as civilized as we are, Astrid," Gobber reminded her.
She returned to her meal, but she picked at her food for a while in thought.
Something is going on here. I know it.
Hiccup glided into Berk having finished charting the last of the nearby islands. The last island had taken a bit longer than he planned, and resulted in his arriving after sunset. He touched down outside his house and went inside.
And he wrinkled his nose at the smell. Empty mugs of ale were strewn around the house and there was half-eaten food on the table. Perhaps most shocking of all though was Stoick's appearance.
His hair was greasy and unkempt, and he was slumped over in his chair in front of the fireplace.
Dad! What's wrong with you?
He walked over to check on his father when Stoick jumped up from his chair in alarm and whirled around on him. His father had a wild look in his eyes under which there were heavy bags of exhaustion. The man's breath was also heavy with ale.
"Hiccup... oh. No."
Great, you really shouldn't drink that much.
What is the matter dad?
"Dad? Dad? Yes, Hiccup is my son. He needs me."
Ok, you definitely had too much ale again.
He started to back away from his father, when Stoick wildly lunged at him and grabbed his shoulder.
"No! Don't go! I need to get you back Hiccup."
I am right here
Stoick wheeled away from him and groaned.
"No, you are not him. I figured it out. I found a way to save Hiccup."
What?
"She can fix Hiccup. She is a sorcerer. We are going to make him human again."
Hiccup froze as he tried to make sense of what he just heard.
Impossible... a sorcerer? She? Make me human again? That's... did I hear that right?
The notion made him suddenly extremely aware of his wings and tail, two parts of himself that he hadn't thought of as strange in a long time. Now his father said he had found a way to do what Toothless said was impossible. To restore his existence, his life, to what it was meant to be.
This is...
He wanted to say that it was amazing and that it was exactly what he hoped would happen. It would be hard to give up aspects of this life and would mean sacrifice, but there was so much he would gain back. Things he wanted in his heart but couldn't have in his current condition.
"Are you happy? Happy that I did it."
Yes dad
Stoick gave him a wild, beaming grin.
I can't wait to tell Toothless
"Toothless? No, don't worry about that dragon. It doesn't matter."
Hiccup grumbled in annoyance at how dismissive his father was being.
He is my friend
I should tell him
"Toothless!" he called out.
There was no answer.
"Let's go right now son, I'll take you to her," Stoick quickly said.
Her?
"Moirai, the woman from the mainland, the sorcerer. Let's go now."
Stoick didn't stop to wait to hear from him and marched straight out the door after lighting a torch. Hiccup hesitantly followed behind him after glancing toward his own room.
The walk felt like it took a lifetime as they progressed through the forest. All the while he found himself weighing the alternatives; become human again and have a good chance at a future with Astrid, or remain as he is. Now that he was closer to reaching a true crossroads though, he found it more difficult to make a definitive decision. The promise of Astrid's affection and his own father's approval certainly outweighed any other considerations, but it was harder than he once thought it would be.
I hope Toothless takes this well. He said he would be ok with it, but I hope he can accept why I did this. Ok, so in other news my dad found a sorcerer. How did he manage that? I guess I will find out soon.
"Almost there... almost there..." Stoick muttered under his breath.
He blinked in surprise when he realized that his father was leading him to the abandoned building that he had played in and used to hide from Snotlout years ago. He had also seen the strangers on Berk in this area several times before from above.
Dad must have let the sorcerer stay here and kept everyone else away. Clever.
As they got closer to the building though, something started to seem amiss. The building was very still and quiet, not what he thought a coven would be like. There were no torches or any other lights.
"Moirai!" Stoick eagerly shouted.
Nothing happened.
Stoick looked around at the lack of any response and, as there was no visible guard to stop him, rushed forward to throw the door open. He came up short and stared slack-jawed as the torchlight illuminated the interior.
The strange place inside was empty. All the shelves were cleared of the glasses and cups they had held. All the boxes and bags were gone. It was as though no one lived here at all.
"Where... where?" Stoick raced around the shed. He frantically checked in the corners but found no one and nothing of note.
"No!"
Hiccup heard his angered yell and entered behind his father. He carved into the dirt.
What is wrong?
"Gone! She is gone!"
Stoick hurled the torch across the room and also threw a chair in his outburst. Hiccup winced and stepped back from him, wanting to give him some space to let out his anger. He then noticed something strange about this place, something was on the air here. It smelled strangely familiar.
The torch Stoick had thrown managed to catch the far wall on fire, and the tendrils of flame were starting to work their way up the wall toward the roof. Amazingly, Stoick fell to his knees shortly after overturning the table itself. He didn't move for several seconds.
"Dad?" Hiccup softly mumbled after waiting for a moment.
"She promised," Stoick choked out.
.
"It would be ready... my son... she only needed it, you understand, right?"
What in the blazes are you talking about dad? And speaking of fire...
"Its life for Hiccup's life..."
Stoick continued mumbling, but Hiccup stopped paying attention. What he had just heard had sent a shard of ice into his heart.
Its life? Like a sacrifice?
It was too horrible to seriously consider. Worse though, was the second thing he suspected he had just realized. There was a reason why this place smelled familiar even though he hadn't been here in a long time; a reason why it smelled like Night Fury.
He hastily bent down and scrawled, trying to contain his budding panic.
Where is Toothless?
"Oh... I don't know," Stoick muttered.
Even aside from his father's delirious behavior, he clearly knew more than he was letting on. Hiccup couldn't help but return a suspicious gaze at him.
"I said I don't know! He flew off at night, or something..."
He could hear his father's heart start racing, a sure sign of deception.
You are lying
Stoick said nothing in response for a long moment. When he finally looked up he had a maniacal look on his features.
"I had to choose. Hiccup or that dragon. She had to take him... his life for Hiccup's life!"
The words seemed to echo in the air and clenched their clawed tendrils around his heart. Memories of the stories of old druids and sorcerers invoking the arcane powers with human sacrifices flashed in his memory.
His life for... no, no. No!
"What did you do!" he screamed.
"Don't you growl at me. I did it to save Hiccup, don't you see?"
"You... you killed him!"
Hiccup backed away from Stoick in horror. The man's face was hungry and alien, as if it was a completely different and unrecognizable person.
He closed his eyes and was immediately struck by the vision of Toothless lying prone on the ground, a bloody hole in his chest from which his heart was ripped.
Cut out your heart...
He moaned and his entire body trembled.
Stoick held his arms out wide as if to embrace him as he stepped toward the cowering Hiccup.
"You understand, right?" he muttered.
A bubbling fire poured into Hiccup's veins. He reared up with a howl and his claws flashed. Stoick stumbled back with a groan and a bright red slash on his arm. Stoick clapped his other hand on the slash and looked back up at him with a furious expression.
"Beast! You will not take my son from me!" he howled.
Hiccup whirled around and knocked the door off its hinges in his haste. He felt Stoick's hands try to grasp at his tail.
"Get back here!"
He ran as fast as he could without a backward glance. He only stopped when he was deep in the trees and could only faintly see any sign of the fire's light behind him. There were no sounds except the chirping of the crickets and his own panicked breathing. Only one horrifying, soul-crushing thought consumed all others.
The idea that Toothless, his best friend and brother, was dead.
He had to get away from everyone, from everything.
He ran.
He picked himself up off the ground and hauled himself out of the burning building. His thoughts were all jumbled between wrath at Moirai, anger at Hiccup for daring to strike his own father, and the shameful certainty that he could have handled that encounter better. Telling Hiccup enough to figure out what had happened was not a good idea in hindsight.
He paused and watched as the storehouse burned to the ground. The flashing flames and dancing lights gave him a great headache. He got himself a torch and started out into the forest, but then he hesitated as he realized a problem. Berk was a big island, and he would need help searching to be able to find a dragon hiding at night. He marched straight back home, gritting his teeth against the sting in his arm. He started pounding on doors with the demand that people meet him in the square.
Before too long there were over twenty people roused from their sleep and gathered by torchlight in the main square.
"Hey Stoick, what going on?" "Good ta see you again!"
"We need to find my... dragons!"
Everyone else grumbled.
"Oh, come on." "It's late." "They're fine."
"I am your Chief, and you will obey!" he roared.
Everyone shut up and grumbled to each other while glancing around in confusion.
"Get out there and find them!" he yelled again while waving his torch in their faces.
"You heard him! Let's go!" Gobber cried.
Everyone gathered torches and began to form parties that headed out into the darkness.
Astrid put on her coat and followed behind Stoick and Gobber.
Why does he think they are missing? Why would they both run off? What's going on?
"So Stoick, what is going on? Why are we out here in the middle of the night?" she heard Gobber ask him.
"Find them... save him... there, is that him?"
Stoick ran forward and looked behind a large bush, but evidently saw nothing because he continued on.
"Stoick, what's wrong with ya?" Gobber yelled.
"He ran... find him... find... save Hiccup!"
She stopped and remained behind as Gobber and Stoick hurried deeper into the forest.
"What? Hiccup ran off?" she whispered to herself.
Something is definitely wrong. He wouldn't run away unless he had a good reason.
"Hiccup?"
She glanced around at the dark forest and the various lights from torches and the search parties.
"Where would you go?"
Being that it was already night, there would be no finding Hiccup if he didn't want to be found. And that was if he was on the ground and not out on some remote sea-stack.
There was only one place on all of Berk that came to her mind. The one place she knew of that always gave him peace and comfort through the years. She put out her torch, not wanting to be followed, and ran through the forest, several times tripping on a root she couldn't see.
She arrived at the cove entrance only barely winded and confident that she had not been followed. She shoved aside the vines growing across the path and stepped out into the moonlit cove. Everything looked as peaceful and idyllic as she imaged this place would be at night. Memories of herself, Hiccup, and Toothless together in this place in previous years flooded back like they had happened only yesterday.
"Hiccup?" she whispered.
There was no response, but something told her she was not alone.
"It's me."
Nothing moved, but a patch of darkness against the far wall seemed almost too dark and caught her attention. It looked just the right size.
She ran across the cove but pulled up short at what she beheld.
Hiccup was curled into an impossibly small ball and his entire body was trembling. She tiptoed closer to him, her heart feeling torn in sympathy.
Gods, what happened to you…
"Hiccup?"
He just whimpered and moaned pitifully. She sat down at his side and gingerly reached out to him. He didn't even react when she rested her hand on his wing. Her words died on her lips, and she just stayed at his side for several minutes.
"Hiccup, what is wrong? Please talk to me…"
He slowly folded away his wing and got to his feet, his gaze on the ground before her. She was just about to speak when Hiccup leaned forward and shoved his muzzle into her bosom.
A tear streaked down her cheek. She hugged him and stroked his trembling neck.
"Hiccup, what happened? Did you and Stoick fight?"
Hiccup whimpered again as she spoke. He eventually extended a single claw to the ground. She was just barely able to make out the symbols carved into the dirt.
Toothless dead
She gasped and struggled to accept what she saw. Toothless the Night Fury was dead?
"What? No, it can't be!"
Dad gave him to sorcerer
"A sorcerer? This doesn't make any sense. Was one of the foreigners a sorcerer?"
Hiccup slowly nodded.
Moirai
He brought her to make me human
The pieces of the puzzle started to fit together as Stoick's motivation became clear. He had somehow found a sorcerer to work magic on Hiccup. That sorcerer had demanded a sacrifice, which Stoick had given. It all made sense.
She knelt and embraced his head again as tears began to fall from her cheeks in earnest. The idea of Toothless being gone, killed by Stoick's betrayal was too horrible. After everything Toothless had done for Berk through the years, such a betrayal was treachery most foul.
Then she remembered the abandoned baby she had found in the hut that the foreigners were using. She also recalled hearing that the foreign boat had sailed shortly thereafter.
"No, something is not right about this. It doesn't all fit," she muttered after wiping her cheeks clean.
She stood back up and started to pace, wracking her memory for anything that might help figure out what was bothering her.
"Do you know where the sorcerer was staying?"
Yes, he nodded.
"Was it in an old supply shed in the western woods?"
He nodded again.
"That is strange. I found a baby abandoned in that shed over a week ago."
He didn't seem to be listening.
Why would they have a baby there when the sorcerer said they would change him into a human? That sounds like a very strange coincidence. And why did they leave right afterwards?
What did they even do here? They were not here during the battle.
Do we know for sure that there even was a sorcerer? I can certainly believe that they exist after the Skrill and the green fire.
I need to go see where they were. Maybe there is a clue there.
"Hiccup, I think we should go to that shed. Something doesn't seem right."
He only moaned and ignored her, so she knelt in front of him.
"I think it is important. Do you know for sure that Toothless is... dead? Did you... see anything at that shed?"
He didn't react for a long time, then he slowly shook his head.
Burned
"Burned? It burned down?"
Yes.
"Helheim! Whatever, we should still go there. Please..."
Why
"I'm not sure that Toothless is dead."
If anything could have rekindled the smoldering embers of his spirit, that idea could.
What?
"Were you listening to me? I haven't seen Toothless in a week, right around the time the foreigners left. Why would they leave if they were here to work magic and change you?"
He seemed to have no answer.
"I think that those people were just collecting dragon parts here. Well, I am going to go and try to figure this out. Feel free to come with or just sit here..."
He grumbled slightly at her words and reluctantly got to his feet.
"Good, I'll meet you just outside."
She wiped away all the words written in the dirt. Then she crept back outside, waited for him, and they proceeded through the midnight forest. There were no lights from torches visible anywhere nearby.
Good, they are not searching here.
Hiccup visibly shivered as they came closer to the still-burning remains. She rested a hand on his neck in reassurance and they continued on. The structure had completely collapsed except for a few frames.
"Well, that is burned down all right. Did you get to look inside?"
Yes.
"Was there anything in there? Boxes and bags?"
No, he shook his head.
"It was empty then. Are you sure Toothless was here?"
Yes.
I smell him
"Follow him."
He seemed very unsure of that suggestion.
"I know you don't want to. We're both afraid of what we might find, but we need to know. And if I'm right..."
He sighed, put his nose to the ground and followed the faint trail. It went into the burning remains where he could not go, but he found it again on the other side of the smoldering wreckage. The path went out into the forest, and they both followed it.
There was no sign of blood, but there was a smell of several of the foreign men in addition to Toothless. They walked until they arrived at the shoreline. The sand high up on the beach was disturbed by many footprints and what looked like a path where something had been dragged through the little sand on the beach. They both looked at the small inlet in which they both remembered seeing the foreign boat.
"Do you see that!" she giddily exclaimed as she indicated the path worn into the sand. It looked suspiciously like a path a dragged tail would make.
"I was right! They didn't kill him! They took him captive. Just like the Outcasts did with you!"
She saw comprehension dawn in his eyes, and with that understanding came clear relief. So much so that he even hung his head and started to sob in his own way. She fought back tears of her own.
"It... it was a trick all along. The sorcerer was never going to kill him. She talked her way onto Berk by promising Stoick that she could change you back. She collected everything she could of dragons, like spare scales, teeth, and bones. The Nadder! They even killed a dragon in secret to get what they couldn't otherwise find. Why? Why?"
It took only a brief moment of thought to figure out a reason which made perfect sense.
"To sell! She was a merchant who deals in dragons! The real prize was a living Night Fury. She was going to trick Stoick by taking you and Toothless and giving him the baby I found. It's perfect! But I found the baby, and you were off mapping, so they had to leave sooner."
He roused himself after thinking over her words and let out a very deep sigh and moan of relief and exhaustion.
"They… they've been gone for a week now. No one knows where they are from on the mainland. They could be anywhere."
She paused, not wanting to mention a certain person.
"Everyone is out looking for you. They were told to find you and… bring you back."
Now what?
"How about you come back and hide in the Academy? No one will think to look there, and I can bring you food and paper."
He slowly nodded.
"Ok, I'll go back home. Wait here a while and then I'll let you in."
With that, she turned and vanished into the forest. She ran back to home, barely feeling any exhaustion in her haste. There was still one glaring problem which she didn't want to seriously think about.
What was going to happen next?
She finally arrived at the Academy and went down into the old ring. She looked up at the skies for a minute before she saw a moving void among the stars. He deftly and silently touched down. She opened the door to her office, a converted holding pen, and let him inside. She lit a candle and closed the door behind them.
He, apparently overcome with weariness, lay down on the floor. She grabbed an old blanket from the corner of the room and covered him with it. He mumbled his thanks.
"Are you hungry?"
No.
"Ok, how about you rest for now? We can talk in the morning, and I will bring you some food."
He nodded.
"Everything will be ok..."
I hope...
He had no idea where he was anymore. All the trees and bushes looked the same illuminated in the torchlight.
All the shadows mocked him. Every shadow was his dragon-son fleeing from his approach and impossible to grab hold of.
Gobber kept shouting after him, but he ignored everything his old friend said. None of it mattered.
The only thing that mattered was finding Hiccup.
He tripped over a root in his haste and fell face-first. He groaned and rubbed his temple.
A green-eyed woman was standing in front of him when he looked up. The withering gaze in her eyes pierced him to the heart.
"What have these savage seas done to you?" she whispered.
"Val... I had to do it!"
"What happened to the man I love?"
"Our son... lost... must save him..."
"Lost?" a voice called from behind him.
He whirled around, and there he was. Hiccup in the flesh with his thin frame and mop of brown hair. He ran to his boy, arms held wide to embrace him.
And he passed through Hiccup as though he was only a phantom, which the visage was. He turned around to grasp at the boy and found a phantom of Night Fury Hiccup glaring at him.
"No! No!"
"Why am I lost. dad?" the ghost whispered.
"No, I didn't want..."
"Whose fault is it that I am gone?"
"No! Not true!"
"You drove me away!"
He saw dragon-Hiccup's dismay and anger again when he figured out the truth. The pain and betrayal washed over him anew and drove an icy shard through his chest. The torch fell from his hands, and he dropped to his knees.
It was impossible to deny the truth any longer. The truth of what he was. What he had done.
"My son, a betrayer?" a booming voice echoed from above him.
He could only stare at the grass.
"No dad, it was only a dragon... only a..."
But he knew that was not true. Toothless had been no different from Hiccup. Thinking about him as less deserving of life was only an excuse to justify his own actions to himself. All his anger and indignation turned inward on himself, shattering his pride, arrogance, and certainty.
He was a monster, a faithless and prideful being who deserved this pain.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he wailed.
.
"Come back!"
The phantasms around him remained motionless and judgmental. Then they vanished.
He grabbed at his beard in his anguish and howled to the heavens. Shadows closed in around him and reached out with their warped fingers for him. He defiantly swung his fists at them, trying to beat back his tormentors and the lights that blazed around him. The figures closed in around him as the pounding in his head reached its peak. A pain exploded in his temple as the ground rose up to meet him.
He was falling into chaos...
Swallowed alive...
By shame...
By pride...
By guilt...
Astrid rose before dawn. She put on her cloak as it was a cool morning and went outside to the storehouse. She grabbed a basket of smoked fish and casually meandered down to the Academy, making sure that no one was following her.
Hiccup roused himself as soon as she entered.
"Hey there."
He mumbled a soft greeting back to her as she lit a small fire. She brought out her knife and slowly sliced the fish for him. Once he had finished with the last one, she wiped her fingers and handed him paper and a pencil.
Thank you Astrid
"Don't mention it."
Now what?
"I don't know. It's a mess."
We don't know where they went
"Right, they never said where they sailed from."
Hiccup sighed and gave a sad moan.
He is gone then
"We know they won't hurt him. There is that..."
But what can we do?
"I don't know what we can do. We don't have anyone to spare to go out and search the world for him."
Almost as soon as she said that though she paused.
"Well, ok, I do have a crazy idea."
What is it?
She was about to answer when she gave a deep sigh.
"It is ironic. We've done this before. I really don't want to say it, but you are the best to go look for him."
His expression betrayed his surprise and dismay.
"Think about it, you can follow the trail once you find it. You can travel faster than us. I'd go with, but Stormfly won't leave her babies."
He sighed and closed his eyes, clearly pained at the idea.
I don't want to leave
"I don't want you to have to leave either. It is dangerous out there, especially for a dragon. But I cannot think of anything else that will work."
He calmly considered her and her words. They stirred something in his soul, an eagerness for action. No matter how much he hated the idea of leaving Berk, he knew deep down that it was necessary. As she said, only he could possibly help Toothless now. He could not abandon Toothless to captivity. Further, remaining on Berk would be quite impossible after what had happened between himself and his father.
I must do it
She drew a deep breath as she stared at his final declaration. She had a very wry and solemn smile.
"I knew you would. You always were the bravest of us all."
I will miss you
She stepped over to him and embraced him, fighting back tears all the while. She held him like she had never done before, knowing full well that they might not see each other again for a very long time. Then she failed to hold in the tears. She didn't even care that he saw her cry.
"Same here. Be careful. People are not friendly out there."
They can change
"Just remember why you are out there."
He got up, took a few hesitant steps toward the door, and then he paused.
Tell Gobber for me
"I will."
With that, he dashed outside and jumped into the sky. She raced outside and ran as fast as her feet could carry her toward the cliffs. The sun was beginning to rise over the horizon, which made it hard to see him as he flew southeast.
"Gods protect you."
She remained standing there and watched until the tiny black speck vanished. The wind whipped her hair out behind her and helped to dry away the tears that slowly fell down her cheeks as she stared at the horizon.
"Astrid!"
Gobber hobbled over to her as fast as he could.
"Hey Gobber..." she barely whispered.
"Have you heard what happened? Where were you?"
"I... I was back here. I need to talk to you Gobber."
"You and me both..." he muttered.
"I found Hiccup last night."
"You what?" he exclaimed in surprise.
She explained everything to him; what Stoick thought Moirai was, what she actually was, and what Stoick had done. Gobber seemed to wilt as she explained what had happened.
"Stoick, what were you thinking?" Gobber sadly muttered.
"He wasn't thinking! He thought that Hiccup was still gone. He couldn't see what was right in front of him!" she practically yelled.
"Hiccup, where..."
He glanced back out to sea where he had seen her staring.
"He's gone to find Toothless, hasn't he?"
She nodded.
"He wanted me to let you know that he was sorry for leaving without saying goodbye," she added.
"Can't blame him. I'd probably have done the same. No point sitting around here and moping."
She turned back to him, quite surprised that he was this composed.
"He could be gone for... forever, Gobber."
"I wouldn't worry too much about him. He's getting to be a big dragon after all," he tried to crack a smile.
"But you know how he can be. Trying to change the world and be everyone's friend. It could get him killed."
"It is dangerous for sure. But that's life. What is the point of living without any danger? I think he has been through enough to learn some sense these last couple years."
She abashedly wiped away a fresh tear on her sleeve.
"How are you so... doesn't it hurt?"
He sidled up to her and put his remaining arm around her shoulder. From anyone else she would have thought it an awkward gesture.
"Of course it hurts. I've just seen a lot in my years, and I know how to hide it. Being so stricken by grief that you become useless doesn't help anyone. And," he paused and nodded out to sea, "I doubt that we've seen the last of him. Not sure how I know, but I do."
With that, he stepped away from her and gave a heavy sigh.
"We have another problem though," he continued.
"Great, what is it now?"
"It's him... the Chief..."
"What about him?"
"We found him in the forest. He was babbling nonsense. Half of his beard is gone. He even attacked us when we tried to talk to him. He has gone crazy."
She said nothing as she weighed this news. It did not bode well.
"Where is he now?"
"We had to knock him out to carry him back to his house. Last I saw he was sitting in bed and staring at the ceiling. He is not fit to be the Chief now. Everyone is gathering in the Hall to talk about succession."
She looked back out at the sunset.
"So that means that Thorvald Jorgenson becomes the new leader of Berk. I'm sure he is happy about that. Good for him."
Gobber adopted an unusually serious look.
"But not for us Astrid. We both know that he is not ready to be a Chief. He doesn't know how to lead and he has always wanted the power of being Chief. He could abuse the power too easily and doesn't know what he is doing."
"I know. What is your point?"
He rubbed his mustache, clearly buying himself time to formulate his thoughts.
"He will become the next Chief unless someone goes and challenges him. Someone who is known and respected by the other tribes and here at home. Someone who has done great deeds in battle. Someone who knows and understands dragons. A certain... Valkyrie."
She was taken aback by his obvious suggestion.
"But Gobber, I cannot..."
"Why not? Worried you cannot take him in a duel if you need to?"
"No, not that. Because I... we've never had a woman as Chief before."
"So? How many old traditions have we broken with already? What is one more?"
"But I do not want to be a Chief."
Gobber slowly shook his head and gave her a faint smile.
"And that is why you will be better than him. You don't want power over other people, but you are a leader anyway. Think about it. Think of what would be best for Berk. I cannot think of anyone else on this island who would be better at it."
With that, he turned and left her alone. She watched as he hobbled his way down the ledge and toward the Hall where people were clearly congregating. Then she turned away from the village and looked back out to sea, but she also noticed the ruined docks and remains of sunken boats in the harbor.
I never wanted to be a Chief. It's so much work. People. Problems. Plans. Responsibility. Duty.
She turned from the ocean and set out for the Hall, lost in her thoughts about what she was to do and not knowing her place in everything. She passed her parents' house and the barn in which Stormfly and her young brood rested. The rest of the village was mostly emptied of people, almost like a ghost village, so quickly had the news of the night's happenings spread. The ruined buildings, wall, and remains of the battle were still present.
She spied a couple dragons protectively following their wandering hatchlings around the village.
All of this must be protected. It's too important.
And she shed a tear for the last vestige of the small, simple life she had resigned herself to after Hiccup's death. She was confident that she would prevail either by argument or by combat.
Astrid paused at the great door, hearing the din of arguing voices inside. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and thrust open the Great Hall's front door. She confidently strode inside toward the head of the Hall as the building's interior brightened with the morning sunlight.
The waves rolled endlessly. The winds blew endlessly.
The repetition of flying and the sight of nothing but an infinite expanse of water helped him forget. He tried to not think about what he was leaving behind. About what had to be left behind. Gobber's steadfast kindness and understanding, a place and purpose among his tribe, the opportunity to represent all dragons to other tribes, and Astrid. Her comfort, friendship, understanding, and even love. She had helped save him from despair when she figured out that Toothless was not dead. She gave him hope again, just as she had years ago when he had been disowned and the tribe had sailed for Dragon Island.
He was going to leave it all behind. He had to leave it all behind and go fly on his own.
The outside world was foreign, almost certainly hostile to dragons, and he had no idea where he was going or where the journey would lead him. None of that mattered. All that mattered was that he was going to find his brother. He was going to find Toothless no matter how long it took, how many mountains he had to fly over, or how many nights he had to spend alone.
Maybe somewhere along the way he would find room in his heart to forgive his father.
Hiccup roused his courage and roared his defiance to the winds.
The End - Volume I
Author's Note - Volume II begins in the next chapter with Toothless and will follow his arc for multiple chapters before the story switches back over to Hiccup's adventures. The timelines can be somewhat confusing but just recall that both arcs will begin roughly immediately after this chapter in story time.
Also, I have one request to you readers out there. Please leave your thoughts and feedback over Volume I as if this were the end of the story. Enjoy Volume II.