Chapter 26 - Vali's Change & A Call Of Need:
"What are you doing with me you retched beast?!"
Spark the Skrill was still holding Vali captive in her paws, whilst flying at a high height towards the Myrkian Mountains.
The dragon seemed to reply in a series of loud growls and grumbles, but Vali understood none of it.
Vali huffed to herself, frustrated, "I should never have taken Hiccup into M.U.N. What a mistake that was." She mumbled to herself, even though she barely heard her own voice due to the wind.
The Spike Bolt suddenly lowered its head and looked underneath itself and stared at Vali with a confused face.
"What!" She barked at it.
The dragon kept looking at her with the same expression.
"If you're wondering what M.U.N. stands for, it stands for Myrka's Underground Network. Did you understand that you-" But before Vali could throw an insult at the dragon, the Skrill shook her in its paws.
Vali felt a little sick after that, and her anger was building. "Oh will you just stop it and let me go already!"
Suddenly, "AHHHHHH!" Vali began screaming as the Skrill did exactly that. They were nearly at the top of the mountain when Vali told the dragon to let her go, and it did.
The dragon dived after her, but did not catch her. Instead it plummeted alongside her towards the ground.
"ALL RIGHT I'LL STOP COMPLAINING I'M SORRY!" She bellowed, and just in time, the Spike Bolt caught her just before they hit the ground. Afterwards Vali remained silent as the Skrill flew higher up and continued onwards.
And after a few more minutes of flying, the Skrill finally began to descend towards the ground, and Vali noticed a cave carved into the side of one of the mountains.
Now Vali knew the Myrkian lands reasonably well, but she had never travelled over or around the mountains in Myrka's east where she was now. And to her surprise it was full of dense forest all over the lands and up about halfway on the mountains.
However what Spark was heading towards was out of the forest and on a rocky land.
Spark got really close to the ground till she was just hovering over it, and she released Vali who nearly toppled over onto the ground, but she just caught her feet. And the dragon landed down next to her.
Spark beckoned Vali to follow her, as she began walking to the cave.
Reluctantly, feeling she had no choice, she followed the Skrill to the cave.
Back on the boat heading to Dyflin…
Hiccup was pacing back and forth on the deck, his mind filled with worry. He really hoped that Spark remained true to her word and didn't kill Vali. He was also feeling guilty. Perhaps he should have left Vali on Myrka after all, maybe she wasn't ready.
But in another part of his mind, he had hope. Kormak's history had revealed surprising circumstances that seemed to give Hiccup ideas and thoughts not previously explored. That Spark's idea or plan may actually work.
He did remain quite doubtful too, not knowing how such a stubborn and determined mind can be changed in a matter of days.
"Relax would you? Sit down and have a drink." Kormak tried to persuade him.
Hiccup sighed, and relented. Admitting he was getting himself too worked up over this matter.
He sat down next to Kormak on the deck, and took a cup of mead from him. The sensation on his throat making him feel light and relaxed.
Just then at that moment, an extremely faint crack of thunder could be heard.
Hiccup and Toothless instantly spun around at the sound, both of them observed the thickening dark clouds.
Hiccup had not noticed the clouds before, but certainly did now. Kormak turned around to see what Hiccup was looking at, for he had not heard the thunder.
Asan finished talking with a sailor, and when he turned around he noticed Hiccup, Toothless and Kormak looking at the clouds.
He went over to the cabinet underneath the steering wheel, and took out the spyglass. He and the main crew sailor both shared the spyglass, taking turns in looking at the storm.
The chief of Dyflin turned to the sailor with a worried look on his face. To the chief's anguish, the sailor nodded. Confirming Asan's thoughts. That storm was approaching.
The sailor took the spyglass off him and turned around to face the front of the ship, while Asan walked up to Hiccup and the rest of them.
"'iccup, may I speak vit' you?" He asked politely.
Everybody turned around to look at him, whilst Hiccup himself stood up and said, "Of course you don't need to ask."
"Ve 'ave been vatc'ing zis storm for avile now," Asan gestured at the clouds in the distance and continued, "And unfortunately it seems zat zis storm is 'eading our vay. Ve must get to s'elter immediately. Ot'ervise ve may not survive out 'ere if it is a bad storm, vhic' it looks to be."
Hiccup looked out to sea again, noticing the ominous clouds. "Understood." He replied. "Do you know any place we can shelter around here that's safe?"
"Yes. It's not very safe, but it's our only option."
"Where?" Hiccup asked.
Asan pointed in the direction of the forests to their left, as the main crew sailor came over and spoke, "Our only choice is to moor the boat to a reef and swim to land and stay in the forest in-between the Myrkian Mountains and the shallow islands of the Tokenill. I know it sounds crazy, but we have no choice. We have done it before a couple times."
"The hardest part is finding the reef and mooring to it. Our biggest worry however, is hoping the boat stays moored to the reef, as we can't take the ship onto the land because of the shallow water and the large tides here. If we bring the boat in, we'll never get it back into the water."
"We usually can set up camp in the forest, fires however are difficult obviously if it's raining." The sailor added.
Toothless suddenly gave a low roar and petted the deck of the boat with his paw to get everyone's attention. Once done, he shot into the air with a fireball.
"Tell that Viking that there's a fire breathing dragon here. I can cover a few of them with my wings, and if it isn't raining I can make a fire." The Night Fury spoke.
"What's he saying?" Kormak asked, watching Toothless's every move.
Hiccup turned around and explained. "He said that he can take care of the fire if it's not raining, and can cover a few of us from the rain with his wings."
"Excellent!" Chanted the main crew sailor.
Another crack of thunder was heard now, and this time everyone could hear it.
"Time to move!" Said Hiccup.
"Okay men! Turn port! 'ard port and get ze anc'or ready!" Asan commanded, as the main crew sailor walked back to the steering wheel and turned it a hard left.
"Oh by ze vay 'iccup, zare is one more t'ing you need to see." Asan stated, and got the spyglass again to examine the plume of smoke still rising in the far distance.
He handed the teenager the spyglass, and pointed into the far distance. "Can you see ze smoke rising?"
Hiccup stared hard, but it didn't take him long to see it, especially with his improved eyesight. He couldn't see the land it was coming from, but he could see the smoke in detail.
"I see it." Hiccup replied.
"Now ve aren't certain about zis. But vhat ve t'ink is zat ze smoke ve can see 'ere could possibly be coming from Dyflin. Zare aren't many more islands between ze Tokenill 'ere and Dyflin, just a few small rocky islands vit' no vegetation."
Kormak suddenly approached and took the spyglass from Hiccup and looked for himself, evidently he was worried and concerned too.
"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet. You may be right, but Dyflin is still a far distance away. It could be anything. Even several boats on fire. But let's hope for the best." Hiccup assorted, but in the back of his mind, he had worry lurking there too. He hoped all the commotion he had caused on Myrka hadn't resulted in a corresponding consequence.
Two hours later on a different boat, arriving at Dyflin's island…
He was shocked. Blown away. Astounded. Those were just some expressions almost amounting to the horror of what lay in front of his eyes. The man disembarked from his boat after mooring it to Dyflin's wharf.
The fires had stopped at last on the buildings and so had the smoke so all that was left was ash and rubble. The only thing on fire now was the forest. Which to him was noticeable since he left Berk.
Even though he could see what happened from several miles away in the water, now that he was up close he still could barely believe it.
This was not normal. He refused to believe a typical dragon raid had done this. This was the work of some unspeakable terror that haunted a previous memory.
This was a sense of Déjà vu for the man. Many, many years ago, he had seen similar destruction first hand like this on a village. This was like that village he arrived to, just over sixteen years ago.
He recognised the scorch marks and the absolute destruction. All the buildings had collapsed from the fires by now, and all that was left was ash and rubble.
"Dear dear…" He mumbled to himself. He was going to miss his friends here. He had a good friendship and alliance with chief Asan and the village. He began to wipe some tears from his eyes.
He knew this was not the work of the Myrkian forces. Whenever they destroyed a village they never did so like this. When they did it they always left some buildings intact, and besides they never burned them.
As he walked around one of his favourite now former trading partner clans, he suddenly noticed something that made his heart beat far more rapidly.
The man began yelling and ran as fast as he could towards it.
"Hey! No! I'm going to help you! It's all right!" The man bellowed, chasing a young boy who was now fleeing from him in terror.
Eventually, he caught up to him and pushed him to the ground.
Judging from the destruction to the island, he guessed this young boy was the only survivor.
He wriggled and squirmed, trying to get out of his grip. Both of them were now panting, and at last the boy stopped as the man was too strong for him.
When he remained still, the man recognised the young boy. "Master Polk?"
The young boy opened his eyes, and he too recognised the man now holding him. The young boy sat up and hugged his second closest friend, bursting into tears. For it had been nearly a year since the boy last saw him.
"Trwader Johann!"
"Yes, it's me master Polk. Come now, we must go to my ship." Trader Johann said, standing up at once.
"What for?" Asked the boy.
The man sighed, and replied, "Because we need help. This storm that's coming is bad, I must send out a signal to show we are in need of help to any passing ships. And after that, we need to find shelter here."
Polk nodded, and took Johann's hand.
"Are there any others master Polk?" Johann asked kindly, as they began to walk slowly to the boat.
He shook his head.
"I'm so sorry master Polk. Can you tell me what happened?"
He shook his head again. Johann saw his face and he looked like he had a face of terror, it was too horrifying to talk about.
Johann understood and said no more.
Polk suddenly pulled lightly on his hand, and Johann turned and looked down at him.
Polk pointed to the middle of town, and Johann noticed something he didn't see before. There was a pole sticking out of the ground, a scorched black burnt wooden pole, with a piece of parchment nailed to it.
This is new. Trader Johann thought to himself. That village sixteen years ago didn't have a note.
He walked up to it, and took the note off and pocketed it.
Now he walked briskly back to his boat with Polk, and once he arrived, he told Polk to cover his ears.
Being a trader was a considerable advantage when it came to being rescued or signalling attention, for he had a variety of Viking equipment available to use.
From huge horns that produce extremely loud sound to certain herbs or rocks to place into a fire that cause different coloured flame or explosions.
Instead though, Johann found the largest horn he had traded for with a certain undesirable on Boongler Island, and blew into it with all his might.
The sound was extremely deafening and Johann could barely hear himself after.
"That hopefully might do it." Johann spoke to himself.
He then told Polk that they need to find shelter somewhere on the ruins of Dyflin for now, but just before he left the boat he went downstairs into the hull and found an empty chest.
He pulled the note out of his pocket and read it.
After he read it he placed the note into the chest and took it with him upstairs. Then he realised that the destruction of Dyflin wasn't anything to do with him which was a relief, but a certain individual that Johann had only met less than four times in his life, the name that belonged to this person who the note was addressed to was none other than the chief of Berk's son, Hiccup Haddock.
Back on the ocean on chief Asan's boat…
Just then a faint sound not of thunder, but a booming horn was able to be heard. Hiccup and Toothless heard it the clearest, but Kormak, Asan and his crew still faintly heard it.
"What was that?" Toothless asked.
"I know zat sound!" Asan and the main crew sailor suddenly both spoke at once.
"Where did it come from?" Kormak wondered.
"I think that way!" Replied Hiccup, as he and Toothless pointed straight towards the smoke in the distance towards Dyflin.
Their boat was currently quite close to shore, and the crew were searching for a reef. They had the anchor overboard and it was dragging across the seabed, waiting to catch on a reef.
The wind had picked up, and was steadily increasing. The storm was now less than several hours away. It had picked up speed.
"Zat vas a call of need!" Asan yelled. "A booming 'orn is sounded v'en someone is in desperate trouble. Usually v'en zey need to be rescued!"
"If only I could fly…" Toothless growled, thumping his tail on the deck of the ship.
"We can't do anything." Hiccup spoke regretfully. "We have to find shelter and wait till the storm is over."
"I know." Asan said. Sitting down almost angrily and feeling helpless.
"Look," Hiccup began, beginning to calm down, "I tell you what-"
"WHOA!" Hiccup was unable to finish his sentence as suddenly the boat gave a huge lurch as the anchor caught something on the seabed. Hiccup was thrown to the ground whilst everybody tumbled over.
"We found a reef!" Cheered a sailor.
"Great! Now everyone get ze food supplies and get it into baskets, and gat'er ze drinking canteens and also put zem into baskets. Ve must get to s'ore!" Asan commanded.
Toothless stood up and looked to shore, it was at least twenty to thirty metres. "I may not be able to fly, but I might be able to jump with the help of a boost from my wings." The dragon announced.
"You think so?" Hiccup asked.
"Yeah, let me try."
Hiccup nodded.
Toothless leant down into a pounce position and faced the shore. Then he pushed with all this might with his paws, and took off. The motion made the boat lurch again. He flapped his wings twice and crash landed onto the sand.
"I made it!" He roared from shore. He then headed back into the water, and began to paddle over.
"Put your water and food baskets onto me, and I'll take them to shore!" Toothless spoke.
"Good idea bud!"
Hiccup explained to the crew and within half an hour, all the crew and equipment were all dry and successfully on the beach.
"Thank you Toothless." Hiccup, Kormak, Asan and the crew thanked the dragon.
He gave a nod of appreciation, and began to walk into the woods. He led the way, and the crew began to follow.
A loud crack of thunder sounded itself, breaking up the air around them. This made their speed increase, as they wanted to be in a well-covered canopy before they stopped.
Hiccup told Kormak to help lead the way with Toothless at the front, while Hiccup joined Asan at the back.
Asan turned around before they entered the forest, and looked worriedly at their boat, and then towards the east where the horn sound came from.
"Don't worry. I'm sure the anchor will hold, and if it doesn't, well, we'll find a way to get back." Hiccup tried to reassure him. He wasn't sure if it worked, as he was quite worried himself.
What if the boat is destroyed in the storm? How would we get back? Make rafts?
Hiccup dismissed the thought, not wanting to think about that. The thought was too dangerous.
Asan took a deep breath, making a silent prayer to the gods in his mind, and began marching into the forest after his crew. While Hiccup joined him just behind.
On the mountains west of Hiccup and Asan's Dyflin crew…
"That was close." Vali said, more to herself than to the dragon.
She was standing at the entrance to the Skrill's cave on the mountain side. The Skrill itself was inside, and had gathered a large amount of wood together that was already in the cave. Vali had heard a loud crack of thunder a few minutes ago, and was worried about the storm. But she was also angry about why the dragon brought her here.
She turned around to the Spike Bolt, and said, "Why did you bring me here?!"
Spark paid her no mind, having finished gathering the wood, the dragon simply lay down and spat a few little bolts of electricity into the wood. Her bolts of electricity looked like tiny lightning bolts coming out of her mouth, and the sound of electrical crackling and sparkling was heard.
Eventually, the electricity set the wood on fire, and it gave off a warm and pleasant temperament.
Vali hated to admit it to herself, but the bolts of electricity that were expelled out of the dragon's mouth was rather intriguing and almost cool to watch.
Vali was beginning to get confused and even angrier.
"Why did you bring me here?!" She demanded again. "What was the point?! I can just run away!"
Spark huffed, and raised its head and indicated to the exit. As if saying, 'go right ahead, I don't care.'
"Fine."
Vali turned around again and took one step outside the cave. Expecting the Skrill to come after her or shoot electricity. But it did no such thing. It just lay there, its eyes staring at her.
She decided to risk it, and began to run. She knew it was a long hike all the way back to Myrka, but she'd be willing. Especially if it got her away from the dragons.
She looked up, and saw the top of the mountain edge and looked all the way around it, it was many miles away. It would take her all day just to reach the edge, then another several days to walk down the other side and through the newly cut forest, through the prisons then back home.
Suddenly her vision was almost blinded. An exceedingly bright strike of lightning struck the very tip of the mountain right in her line of sight, and following it an even louder boom of thunder that she had to cover her ears for.
Now that it was afternoon, plus the clouds above her kept getting closer and darker, the sun's light was getting dimmer and dimmer. Plus it had just begun to rain.
"Oh for the love of Thor!" She stomped on the rocky ground like a child, and marched herself angrily back to the Skrill's cave.
By the time she got back she was soaked and dripping wet. She stood at the entrance, and the Spike Bolt opened its eyes.
The dragon almost seemed to laugh at her, before resting its head on the ground again.
"This is ridiculous, why can't you just take me back?" Vali asked, upset as she sat down by the fire. She did not want to take her clothes off, so she sat as close as she could. And began to shiver.
The dragon then breathed out deeply. Seemingly doing it towards Vali, to her it seemed like a sigh.
Spark stood up and walked past her, looking out into the rain.
Then it turned around and shot some more wood with its bolts of electricity. Which nearly hit Vali, and she screeched with anger as she jumped out of the way.
"What did you do that fo-" But then the dragon did something she was clearly not expecting. It lifted its wings up, and took off into the stormy night.
"What in the…" She muttered to herself.
Very confused, she decided to try and forget it.
She lay down by the fire, on the rocky ground, and her stomach made a loud noise. She was hungry, very hungry.
The rain picked up, and the winds began to howl. She looked out into the weather, and it was getting harder and harder to see into the distance. The winds made this very loud sound, almost like whistling.
It reminded her of when the Spike Bolt brought her here, the sound of the wind as she was being taken through the air.
She stayed sitting there for at least half an hour, shivering but gradually beginning to warm up thanks to the fire.
Then all of a sudden she heard a flap of wings and the Skrill returned. It flew through the cave and landed at the back.
"Welcome back you worthless piece of-"
But before she finished her insult, the dragon spun around and whacked its tail against her, not hard, but enough to cause her to fall over. It was almost a playful gesture from the Skrill.
"You stupid-"
But her words were cut off not this time from a physical force, but a surprising and astonishing development.
Inside the Skrill's mouth was at least twenty fish. She released them onto the ground, and they began to flap around everywhere.
Spark then ate most of them, leaving two flapping around on the cave floor. The dragon looked from the fish to Vali then from Vali to the fish. Then pushed them towards her.
Vali said nothing, but just stared disbelievingly. This dragon had brought her out of the storm, sheltered her, kept her warm and brought her food.
The dragon then leapt to the other end of the cave, and spread its wings.
It was only at this time when Vali found her voice. "W-why?"
The Skrill gave her a wink, then took off again into the storm.
As soon as the dragon left, she rushed over to the fish and then grabbed two wooden sticks and plunged them into the fish. She then began to hold them over the fire to cook.
They looked like Salmon to her, a juicy and strong taste for a Viking. Just like her. And she owed it to a dragon.
She found herself torn between two feats. One side, she wanted to stay her stubborn and strict self. Staying in the ways that her father and Myrka had taught her. She was the daughter of the king after all, one day she would be queen. She was supposed to despise and kill dragons. And her mark on her arm meant she had to destroy a Skrill.
But apparently that wasn't true. According to Hiccup's story, and this feat she was torn between as well, she had an opportunity to observe things in a different light. She knew deep down that she didn't agree with the slaughtering, slavery and Myrka's ways of domination. But she didn't ever have any choice on Myrka.
She had seen what happened to those who opposed Myrka's ways. The only form of resistance to Myrka had appeared in the form of the Bog Burglaring clan. Though she knew almost nothing about them. She was never allowed to find out information about them. Heck, she wasn't ever even allowed to leave Myrka if she wasn't with her father.
All these things she was realising, she had almost been kept in a prison herself, without knowing it. Her life was all about restrictions, responsibilities, enforcement and limits. Out here, she was free. She could go anywhere, be anyone and do anything she wanted.
She had a chance to redeem herself. A second chance. Unlike all those slaves and Myrkians.
But there was one thing that had confused her. One thing Hiccup had not explained yet. If she was part of this group called the Six, who were going to stop the corruption and evil from the world, why did the dragons attack villages in the first place?
How can we as Vikings feel remorse and according to Hiccup, help and save the dragons when all they do is attack? And how come Hiccup's dragon and this Skrill seem so kind? They don't look like they would attack a village. But then again I didn't let Hiccup finish telling his story.
Vali stopped thinking about it as her fish seemed ready, and she began to eat.
It was delicious, and after she had a full stomach, and finally finished, the Skrill returned.
She didn't say anything mean or nice to the dragon when it arrived, but it turned out she didn't have to. The Skrill was holding something else in its mouth, and it wasn't food.
It was a poster. A parchment poster. It looked exactly like the ones she had organised to be put up around Myrka for the sword training exercise.
Spark closed her eyes, as if looking sad, and walked over to Vali. Dropping the poster at her feet.
Vali picked it up, and began to read. And the more she read, she realised now her loyalty, allegiance and love was no longer directed at Myrka at all. For the content on this poster not only made her furious, but unloved and worried.
Through this, as she read, she now knew she had to go with Hiccup and help unite the Six. She had no choice. Plus, as she tore the poster apart in fury, then threw it into the flames, she felt renewed.
Tomorrow was going to be a new day, and as her tears of anger and sadness began, she fell asleep in front of the fire, as the Skrill curled up next to her, she knew she had made the right decision.
Vali was going to join the Six, and follow Hiccup's lead in the path of eradicating the corrupted and destroying the evil upon this world.
When she was asleep, the poster was burning away, with light embers flying around the cave.
At the very top of the poster, were the massive letters printed out saying, WANTED. Below the writing, was a drawing of Vali's face and the face of the former Myrkian Army Commander, Savas. With writing underneath.
Attention Myrkians and other Viking tribes,
I, King Harun bring disturbing news from Myrka.
This poster is being set up around Myrka, and is compulsory to be spread to all Viking tribes via the boats and trading routes.
Two former Myrkian citizens are on the loose, displayed above. They are considered armed and extremely dangerous. Both are very well trained in the skill of fighting with sword and other means.
The one on the left is Vali, she was my daughter, and she has fled from Myrka, betraying me and her clan to join a cult out to destroy us. If she is seen, capture her and bring her to Myrka. Or kill her if you wish. But send word to the Myrkian authorities as soon as possible if she is sighted, captured or killed.
The one pictured to the right is named Savas. He was the Army Commander of the Myrkian forces, however he showed where his true loyalties lay when he attacked the Myrkian High Command and allowed himself and Vali to escape as fugitives. This man must be found and killed as soon as possible. He is highly skilled, if not even better than Vali with a sword or any weapon.
Vali can be identified easily if captured, as she has a birthmark of a Skrill dragon on the underside of her right wrist. Savas can be identified by his short black hair and his muscled build.
I repeat, if either of these traitors are seen or rumours emerge, send word immediately to the Myrkian High Command. If any clan is found to be hiding, concealing or protecting these fugitives from us, they will be punished severely.
For your protection.
Sincerely, King Harun of Myrka.