Chapter 32 - Vali's Spark:
"Polk, you are the luckiest boy on Earth." Kormak said, hugging his brother. "You survived, you're so lucky!"
Polk had just explained what he saw when Dyflin was getting destroyed. Kormak, Trader Johann, Spark and three other dragons which were a Frillwing, a Spikeoteeth and a Thunderdrum.
Kormak looked up to Spark, who had her eyes wide in shock after listening. "You know what that thing was? Ever heard of it?" He asked the Spike Bolt dragon.
The Skrill shook her head. Spark then turned and looked at the other three dragons.
"Have-"
"Yes." All three of them said at once. The Frillwing took the initiative and explained. "Siva has told us about something very similar. I think this creature might be the same thing that destroyed Lowtov. We must get back at once to inform her and Hiccup."
Spark agreed to that. And looked back at Kormak. She gestured with her head for him and Vali to get back onto her back.
"Hang on, not yet." He said.
Vali looked at the four dragons speaking with each other. "I think they might know something about this creature Kormak, they've been talking since Polk finished telling us what happened."
Trader Johann then realised he hadn't said a word so far. So he decided to speak. "Miss Vali and Master Kormak, this sounds like something very dangerous. I think to be safe you should leave this isolated and open place for something secure and closed in. Don't worry about us, you do what you have to do, I will take good care of Polk for now and then the Dyflin crew will look after him. I honestly think that's the best option. Polk will be well looked after."
"You're not wweaving mee are you?" Polk suddenly put it together. And grabbed his brother tightly, as if he was never going to let go of him again.
Kormak took several deep breaths. "I'm sorry little man. But I will be back, you can count on that. I will be back one day. I promise."
"Don't go!" He cried.
Kormak closed his eyes as he hugged him tightly. "I promise I will return Polky. I will. I have to combat the corruption and evil in the world with some friends. But I will see you again."
Kormak pulled Polk off him, and stared into his crying eyes. "I promise okay. I love you little man."
Polk nodded sadly, and slowly let go of his big brother.
He stood up, and Johann did too. "I'll inform the Dyflin crew of your visit, and tell them everything. Farewell Master Kormak, I'm sure we'll meet again."
They shook hands together, and Kormak walked over to Spark and hopped on.
Vali approached Polk and Johann, and bent down to speak to the little boy. "Polk, my name is Vali and I will make sure your brother lives. I promise I'll help too." The former Myrkian spoke.
He smiled faintly, and shook Vali's hand lightly.
"Till next time, Miss Vali. We'll meet again sometime for sure." Johann proposed.
"That we will." Vali smiled and leaned over and kissed Johann on his cheek.
Johann blushed, and smiled widely.
"Goodbye." Kormak farewelled them, and they both waved. Vali hopped onto Spark to sit behind Kormak.
With that done, the four dragons all took off into the night. Flying the seven hours back to Lowtov, where Hiccup, Valka, Edda and Kari were all sleeping, along with their dragons.
The next morning inside Lowtov's glacier…
She awoke to voices. She could hear people speaking near her, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.
Vali opened her eyes, and stared at the icy ceiling.
When she and the others arrived back late last night, Edda and Kari led them all to their own individual icy room. Each one had a wooden bed and a wooden closet with blankets and fur coats. The only thing was that there were no doors, but she knew it would too difficult to make them in ice.
Siva had obviously prepared a room for every one of the Six plus room for more, it was amazing the preparations that she had gone to. Each room was rather like a dome, and designed so that water wouldn't drip down, and instead run along the curved sides of the room into little channels running around the whole room.
Vali remained lying down, listening to the voices she could hear outside the room she was currently in. She thought she could make out that one of them was definitely Kormak. Perhaps he was explaining to Hiccup and Siva what they both were told last night by Polk.
She didn't try to make out what they were saying, she was comfortable where she was, and enjoyed looking at the icy ceiling. It was a beautiful light blue colour. It made her feel content.
She didn't feel that cold because of the blankets, but she felt like she should be cold because of all the ice. Suddenly the voices began to get fainter. Vali guessed they were walking in the icy corridor and went further down.
Vali turned on her side and realised why she hadn't felt cold.
Spark the Spike Bolt dragon had curled around her bed, and was giving off enough body heat she could actually feel it just coming off its scaly skin.
The dragon appeared asleep, she could see Spark's head resting on the ice, and slowly breathing in and out.
She watched Spark breathing now, finding it just as calming and relaxing. She lay on her pillow, with her head turned and just continued watching the dragon sleep.
Whilst she was doing this, she began to think that it was time she activated her dragon mark. She felt she was more than ready. Even though Kormak has known Hiccup and Toothless for even longer than she has, she didn't care.
The Skrill had done a lot for her, and she felt she had built up a strong enough friendship with the dragon for them to be partners. She wasn't certain if the Skrill felt that way, because Spark had just only recently lost Gothi, probably one of her best friends.
Vali brought her arm out of the blankets and looked at the mark on her right arm.
Remembering back to her time on Myrka, she remembered hating the mark. She hated that she had a mark of a dragon on her, because she used to hate dragons. She knew at the time that she was supposed to kill that type of dragon, as her father had told her.
But she was glad now she never got around to it, so she was now proud of that. Proud that now since she has significantly changed her perspective, all thanks to the dragon the mark resembles.
As she examined the mark, she thought about how the mark is actually supposed to be activated. She remembered Hiccup saying that his mark was activated by Toothless just pressing his paw onto the mark, she wondered if the Skrill would do the same thing and if the mark would glow the same colour as Hiccup's.
Not that it mattered to her, she couldn't care less what colour the mark glowed, as long as she was able to understand what the Skrill was saying, and being able to understand all dragon language would certainly be helpful.
The dragon began to stir from her sleep, gradually opening her eyes.
"Morning Spark." Vali greeted and smiled at the Skrill.
Spark turned around to face her, and nodded. It stood up and yawned. Then shaking its head, it walked around her bed till it sat down right towards where she was facing.
Vali sat up, and took her feet off the bed and put them into her boots she had there.
Her feet felt cold the moment she put them in the boots, she shivered for a moment, but then managed to get accustomed to it.
"I've been thinking Spark, and I want to ask you something."
The dragon nodded, encouraging her to go on. It scratched its ear with one of its paws, and then looked at her.
"I know it hasn't been long since you lost your friend, Gothi. And I completely understand if you don't want to do this. But I feel like I'm ready, and you've been very kind to me and I've grown quite fond of you. You've changed my life, and probably saved it too. So thank you." Vali explained, smiling.
Spark pushed her head carefully without inserting her spikes into Vali affectionately, and purred a little before backing off.
"I would like you to be my dragon partner, to be the Skrill dragon of the Six." She stated nervously, looking hopefully into Spark's eyes.
The Spike Bolt's eyes flew wide open in shock, as if she was completely surprised by this question. The dragon had never really thought about becoming partners. Spark had been a mostly free dragon all her life.
Becoming part of the Six was a binding and dangerous contract, but also a gateway to adventure and making friends. To Spark, it felt like quite an honour to be the dragon for Vali. They had similar streaks that they both shared such as stubbornness, courage and self-confidence.
Spark thought about it for a while and settled on an answer.
"Yes." Spark spoke in dragon language, even though she knew Vali couldn't understand her, yet. The dragon nodded, and gestured for Vali to extend her arm.
Vali smiled, and said, "You want to touch the mark?"
Again, Spark nodded.
Vali took a deep breath, and extended her right arm. She pulled up her sleeve and exposed the dragon mark of the Skrill.
The Spike Bolt walked forwards, and held out its paw just over her dragon mark.
Spark hesitated for a moment, holding its paw over the mark and looking at Vali one more time for confirmation.
"Oh just hurry up! Get on with it!" Vali barked, half laughing.
The Skrill smiled, and pressed its paw onto the mark.
Vali looked down at her mark. At first, nothing happened. But then the mark turned a bright yellow. Vali gasped in amazement, and watched on. The light stayed at a bright yellow for a while, then Vali looked into Spark's eyes.
She had them closed, like she was concentrating.
Vali looked back to her mark, and it was still yellow. She wondered if it would remain that colour.
But then it suddenly went out to its normal black colour, but then it flashed yellow then turned into a steady light green colour.
Spark then took off her paw, and immediately the mark turned a bright white.
"Wow. Is it done?" Vali asked, bringing her arm up closer to her face to examine the glowing white dragon mark.
"Yes, it is complete."
Vali almost fell over in surprise at the voice. Having temporarily forgotten she can now understand dragon language. The voice was a cheerful female voice, sounding almost like what her mother used to sound like before she passed away.
"Oh my gods! Spark I can understand you now!" She threw her arms around the dragon, thrilled she finally could understand her.
Spark turned her head into the hug, and said, "Yes you can. I'm honoured to be your partner Vali."
"Me too." Vali replied.
And as the two friends became partners, they were the first pair to join Hiccup in the mission to find and unite the Six. Two people and two dragons had united. What was more, the two dragons were enemies. The Nights and the Spike Bolts are rivals, but they seem to have put aside their differences to come together to support a greater cause.
Meanwhile, outside Vali's room and in the main chamber of the glacier…
"And then Polk said that the creature then flew away, so fast he barely saw it go. I don't think the creature saw him." Kormak finished.
He had literally just finished explaining what he had been told by his brother on Dyflin last night to Siva and Hiccup. When he initially woke up, he was escorted down by Hiccup and Siva and whilst doing so he was explaining.
Just as Kormak finished, they just climbed over a shard of ice blocking their way, and arrived at this massive chamber that Siva was speaking about before Kormak began explaining about the ordeal. The place just totally blew Kormak's mind, it was stunning and beautiful.
And speaking of beautiful… Kormak thought, as he just saw the young girl Kari walking out of one of the big hot springs on the opposite side. He noticed that Kari wasn't wearing any clothes but it was hard to make out much detail as the other side of the hot springs was quite far away, so Kormak gulped nervously and turned back to face Hiccup and Siva.
"That really does sound like the same thing that destroyed the Lowtov village." Siva said.
"Yeah." Hiccup agreed. "I've gotta say from what you told me that does sound like the same thing. Blowing out white fire, almost invisible in the dark and possibly able to change its size. Sounds like some hideous monster."
Kormak nodded. "Yeah, that's what Polk would have thought. But I find it amazing that he survived. It obviously mustn't have seen Polk. Perhaps because he was staying motionless on the sand is why." He wondered.
"Yes." Toothless suddenly spoke. Joining in on the conversation. "I'd say that's why he survived. The beast didn't see him. But, I think I might know what the beast is, or at least something about it. However it is a long story, and I recommend that I tell only members of the Six this information. I think we should activate Kormak and Vali's dragon marks soon."
"I'm afraid we've beaten you to it, Toothless."
Vali came striding down the icy corridor, and climbed over the shard in the middle with Spark right behind.
She withdrew her sleeve, and showed a bright white glowing dragon mark.
Siva gasped, and Hiccup's face spread into a wide grin.
"Activated only a few moments ago. I thought it was time. Spark and I are now dragon partners." Vali declared proudly.
"Well well, nice work Spike Bolt. I'm happy for you." The Night Fury spoke to the Skrill. Spark turned to face the Night, and gave a nod of appreciation, "Thank you, Mr Night Fury."
"Awesome work Vali and Spark. I'm thrilled you've done it! So it glows white when Spark is near you Vali, and what colour does it glow when you touch her?" Hiccup asked, looking at the mark with amazement.
Several of the dragons that inhabit the glacial chamber, including Valka's dragon Cloudjumper, the Four Winger, came over to see the commotion. Many of the dragons felt happy to see a touching and important moment take place right in front of them.
Vali in response put her hand on the Skrill's snout, and immediately the mark turned a light green.
"Light green. That's great!" Hiccup walked over to her and held out his left hand to shake. Vali extended her hand too, and they both shook.
Kormak now almost felt left out. "Okay!" He said, making everyone turn to him. "I think I should get my mark activated sometime too maybe?"
Everybody laughed, and Hiccup walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Of course, your time will come Kormak. Don't worry." He smiled genuinely at him.
"Now gather round Kormak, Vali and Spark! Hiccup and I have got some news to tell you!" Siva spoke excitedly.
Kari watched on from the opposite shore as she got dressed, seeing everybody talking and smiling and enjoying themselves. As soon as she was fully dressed, she began to walk over to them. She was happy and excited to get over there too to join them.
In-between the two hot springs was the straight line of rock and a few plants, and the tree in the middle. This was the path she was taking to them.
As soon as she reached the tree, Valka called out to her, "Come Kari! Vali has activated her mark!"
Far away from Lowtov's glacier and inside Berk's Great Hall…
"Yeh honestly think this will work?" The hard working Gobber asked his chief and friend, Stoick.
"For the last time, yes Gobber! I feel I have to do this, it's the only way I might see him again." The red-bearded man replied, sounding a little agitated.
Gobber and Stoick were both sitting in the Great Hall, together. The rest of the village Vikings were outside doing their daily duties around the village.
In-between the two men on the table, was a note of paper.
Stoick sighed. "I don't believe it. I just don't. I refuse to believe my son has betrayed us. That's why I've made this note. I want to offer him a chance to come home and redeem himself of his actions of leaving the island."
Gobber took a drink of mead he had, thinking. He believed Hiccup. He believed what he did was right and he believed he escaped on a dragon. But he knew Stoick just seemed like he could not accept such an action.
"So, yeh'll give the note to Johann when yeh next see him?" The blacksmith asked, turning to face Stoick.
"Yes."
"All right." Gobber accepted.
"Yeh know, since Hiccup left," Gobber began, taking his time in speaking, "during the two dragon raids we've had since he left, we haven't had a single Night Fury encounter."
Even though Stoick knew Gobber was right, in his mind he denied it and refused to accept that his own son had left the island on a dragon, especially on a Night Fury. The one dragon he was supposed to kill.
Stoick took a drink, then stood up and walked to the open doors of the Great Hall and stopped. Gobber watched him for a moment, then stood up too and limped over to stand next to him.
The morning's mist hung over the village, blocking out the view of most of it, especially the forest. It was very cold now, winter was definitely nearly here.
Snow and frost had begun to form on the highest peak of Berk's mountain, all the way down to about the middle.
"It's beautiful." Stoick said plainly.
"It is." Gobber admitted. "But no village is without its problems."
Stoick said nothing in reply, and just gazed out over the oceans in the distance.
"I hope Gothi is all right." The blacksmith muttered. Thinking about her.
Stoick nodded. He too had missed Gothi. They had searched the whole village and much of the forest and surroundings of Berk, but so far not a single trace of her had been found.
"Hiccup wouldn't have taken her, would he?" Gobber wondered.
Stoick's face turned into an angry snarl. "That is out of the question! How dare you think my son would do such a thing!"
Gobber retreated back. "Sorry, sorry."
They both looked out amongst the village once again, till Gobber thought he spotted something.
"Hey Stoick, is that…" He pointed with his real hand towards the ocean.
The chief of Berk looked in the direction the blacksmith was pointing, and sure enough, saw it too. A boat, and not just any boat, they knew that boat all too well.
"It's Johann!" Stoick noticed. Squinting at the tiny boat on the water. "What's he coming back so early for? He only just left."
"Maybe he has some news." Gobber suggested.
On that thought, Stoick started walking down the steps. "Come Gobber. We'll sail out to meet him, you might be right, he might have some news."
Gobber joined Stoick in walking down the hill from the hall, and hoped if it was news, it was good news.
Fishlegs, the large rounded young man of whom had become a sort of recent loner on Berk due to being consistently bullied, snuck out of the Great Hall after Stoick and Gobber. He had been listening intently on what they were both talking about.
Stoick assembled a few Vikings and set sail out towards Trader Johann's ship.
Within an hour, they met at Johann's boat and they tied their ships together and slowly began to sail back to Berk.
"Hello Johann, what brings you back to Berk so soon?" Stoick asked, as he walked on the plank over to Johann's ship.
"Stoick! Good to see you again so soon." Greeted the tradesman, bowing as the chief came onto his boat. "This past week has been a dramatic one. Stoick, I came back early to bring you news about recent events and your son."
And as Trader Johann explained everything to Gobber and Stoick, Fishlegs, of whom had hidden just in the main deck of Stoick's ship, heard everything and made a decision after what he had heard.