Sorry it took me longer to update this chapter, I'm just very lazy most of the time.
To you Matt. Thank you for the review. In all honesty I forgot about Gothi until you mentioned her. Hope this tides you over.
I also had many reviewers saying how creepy the voice is. Thanks a bunch. As the author this voice doesn't sound all that creepy really. :/
Please enjoy this enstalment.
"Can you feel it bud?" Hiccup asked suddenly to the watching dragon.
Toothless turned expectant eyes onto his rider, his head tilted to the side with his ears perked up. In all honesty someone would have thought Toothless resembled a big black rabbit, what with his expressive eyes and ears.
Hiccup gestured with his eyes, looking straight up seemingly through the rock roof of the mountain. He was looking towards the sky.
"I can feel an itch in my lungs, as if my fire has allowed smoke to pollute my system. I can feel the rumble in my bones." Hiccup giggled when he saw Toothlesses worried face, "Ha-ha, listen to me bud. I'm turning into a poet."
Hiccup exhaled loudly, leaning back further into the dark dragon's side.
Hiccup felt the calmest near Toothless. He supposed it was all down to being such a loner all his life; not having much experience talking to others his age or anyone really. Even conversations with his father were forced and awkward.
This meant Hiccup became socially inept; tiding with the fact he was shunned all his life, Hiccup couldn't express his thoughts and worries even though he actually had a few good ideas. Hiccup had thoughts without a voice. This was worrying if he was to become chief. This along with his size and stature was a real worry for his father.
Hiccup is a loner by nature; it was forced on him when living in a village that saw him as a nuisance for fifteen years, and he had to cope with life mostly on his own.
Gobber was usually the only one who saw him as something more; although Hiccup used to think it was only because he was a blacksmiths apprentice and had skilled hands, but deep down he knew Gobber was always fond of the small boy. Hiccup was immensely grateful for that.
But then, since the demise of the red death Hiccup was suddenly granted the respect of a great chief, often with people seeking his aid and advice on matters involving dragons.
Not only that but with invaders such as the outcasts and berserkers on the ocean horizon the villagers looked to Hiccup to send them away when things got dicey. Hiccup was a fair tactician and seemed to almost foresee who event would play out. Many people began to wonder how they didn't see the real Hiccup for so long.
People finally began to understand that Hiccup was gifted with a brilliant mind and brave soul, rather than physical strength and battle courage.
But now, when Hiccup wanted to escape he simply looked for the comfort of Toothless. Hiccup was glad for the presence of a being who couldn't speak, but could understand, and would listen well. Toothless always listened, always lending a comforting wing.
Hiccup retreated into his mind once again, thinking of the storm raging outside.
After the events of the past few weeks Hiccup began to wonder why all these strange things were happening to him. The fire breathing, the storm, he shuddered, and the voice. Did those events tie together?
As Hiccup was mulling over these events he didn't notice the presence of a certain elderly lady with a hunched over back and large owlish eyes shuffle over.
Toothless gave Hiccup a nudge with his wing causing the boy to look up to see the village elder, Gothi, stood before him.
Even though Hiccup was sat down and Gothi stood up she still wasn't taller than Berks smallest teen.
Hiccup looked into her owl like eyes with his green forest eyes, waiting for what the old woman had to say. Even though she was now mute she had much wisdom, and was a woman who took many peoples burdens and turned them around, giving them advice of the spiritual kind.
After everything that had happened Hiccup now felt foolish about not giving an hour out of his time to go and see her. It got to that point that the witch actually went to see him herself. She must have known something was up and that made Hiccup worried.
They looked at each other for a while, neither making any sounds or any moves. Even Toothless remained still.
Breaking the spell of silence she shuffled right up to Hiccup, placing her hand on his forehead. Hiccup blinked and lifted his back away from Toothless so that he could sit up.
Hiccup saw her close her eyes for a few fleeting moments before Hiccup jerked suddenly, seeing a shadow flash across his vision.
Gothi stood back, placing analytical eyes on the young man. She watched in interest as Hiccup stared wide eyed and Toothless began to growl.
Hiccup looked from Toothless to the old woman. "Did you sense something bud?" Toothless growled in response. Hiccup then turned back to Gothi.
"Do you know what is going on? What these nightmare mean? What about the voice? I keep hearing this…" Gothi shushed him with a wave of her stick, ceasing his babbling. Hiccup shut his mouth, waiting.
Gothi then proceeded to pluck a scale from Toothlesses arm, causing him to growl in warning. The old woman did it so quickly and unsuspectedly that Hiccup had to whirl around to see why Toothless was angry.
Gothi ignored the dragon, clicking her fingers and calling over one of her many Terrible Terrors. A deep emerald green one with flaming orange spines scuttled over, his inquisitive yellow eyes wondering how it could aid the old woman.
She placed the scale that resembled blue goldstone onto the stone floor in front of Hiccup. She beckoned the Terror over clicking her hand in a specific way. The Terror got the massage and unleashed a small jet of red flames.
The flames engulfed the scale, turning them the same colour as the mighty Night Furies powerful purple plasma blast.
Hiccup and Toothless watched in wonder. Hiccup barely breathed he was so curious and Toothless was silent as well.
Suddenly the flames erupted, turning a bright glittering gold before they extinguished in the blink of an eye.
Hiccup was speechless. Those flames were familiar to him and it seemed he wasn't the only human who knew about them.
"You know..." he murmured, worried. He couldn't finish the sentence, he was speechless. How does the old woman know?
She nodded, confirming his suspicions. She also pointed to the scale. She looked at it, looking rather morbid. Hiccup could see something strange in her face. He started when he followed the gaze of her irises and looked at the scale.
There, on the scale was some kind of etching. It wasn't an etching Hiccup recognised, bit it was a type of symbol he was familiar with. It was a god symbol.
The symbol was presented in amazing clarity. The scale being a rather large one, about the size of Hiccups palm, revealed a depiction of a Night Fury with the body and wings wrapped around a golden flame. The dragon was black and glowing slightly with a vague midnight blue light. The flame glowed gold; but the glow was slightly stronger.
Etched within the centre of the flame was a few tiny inscribed Germanic Runes which said 'heed all beasts.'
Gingerly Hiccup picked it up. He laid it to rest within his small palm, looking upon it with a face that revealed a mix of fear and awe.
Hiccup tire his gaze away when Gothi tugged her own necklace, shaking all the charms about. Hiccup got the message. Keep it safe. The woman handed the boy a string of red leather. Hiccup nodded and took the string gratefully.
He placed the scale close to his heart with a grave face. "Will I ever know what all of this means?"
The woman smiled, nodding that he would; the emerald Terror mimicking her nod. As they spoke Hiccup didn't notice the buzz of voices or the fact people and dragons were actually leaving the great hall.
Hiccup stood up, noticing the light of dawn creeping through the massive wooden doors. The chirrup of bird song singing from outside.
Hiccup nodded to the elderly Viking and walked out with Toothless into what was the aftermath of a really terrible storm.
The day itself was glorious, the sun was bright and the snow completely gone. The clouds of the storm were now far into the horizon, their wrath completely spent. A brisk breeze was blowing through the wreckage that the storm created.
Many of the houses still stood, but many were damaged. Some worse than others; but there were a few unfortunate buildings that didn't survive at all and the owners could be seen kneeling before them looking angry and upset.
Due to the dragon attacks of the past the Vikings were used to the aftermath of a destructive fire; often with the results of their house burning down to the ground. These Vikings were used to the aftermath of any kind of destruction.
And destruction it was. Berk resembled the carnage of a war siege. The desolation spread all the way to the harbour. Hiccup also knew that the forest wouldn't have escape the ferocity of the storm.
Hiccup walked through the village, mindful of the dark spots of lightning struck earth. Some still smoked, the ground superheated in the millionth of a second it took for supercharged particles to sizzle the ground.
"That's the real offspring of lightning and death itself." Hiccup muttered to no one really.
He turned when he heard the sound of boots behind him. Astrid was stood there with Stormfly also looking upon the carnage with a worried face.
"That was quite a storm, huh?" She said.
"Yeah, it's gonna' take a while to salvage everything here. We will have to put off dragon training for a while so that we can help with the reconstruction."
"Sure thing." She tucked some of her blonde strands behind her ear. Hiccup could tell she wasn't finished. "Oh right, how are you? You didn't look too good last night. Your demeanour was so dark that the others wouldn't even approach you. You looked like you needed some space."
Hiccup, who was scratching behind Toothlesses ears, stopped to answer the question with a smile on his face.
"Yeah, I was. I had a load of stuff to think about." 'I still have a load of stuff to think about. Nothing is clear yet.' He added to himself.
"Everything all right now?" Hiccup could tell that Astrid knew he was hiding things. The boy knew he must have been a terrible actor but he smiled nonetheless, keeping those secrets. 'Gods I'm a selfish person, keeping these things to myself all the time.'
"I'm fine." He said it to himself as much as the blonde girl. Astrid simply nodded, knowing she wasn't going to relinquish anything from the stubborn boy.
Once they said goodbye Hiccup and Toothless walked towards the smithy, seeing what they could salvage in the wreckage. Once he got there he was in for a surprise, seeing it wasn't too badly damaged.
Gobber was already there, checking out what could and couldn't be saved. He hobbled through on his wooden leg, lifting things up and placing things back on their hooks.
"Ah Hiccup, feeling a little less moody now? Good!" He didn't even turn around when the boy and dragon wondered in.
Hiccup stifled a giggle, knowing Gobber to make light of a person's moods.
"Any tools still usable?" He asked.
"Well, as many as could possibly be still hanging around after a storm like that one, but yeah, there are still many. Just have to find them is all."
For hours after that small conversation the two Vikings and dragon spent it cleaning the place up so that it was in working order as soon as possible. It would be important for the rebuilding of Berk village.
Hiccup would shift pieces of wood, getting Toothless to carry them out in his jaws and then running back in with his tongue hanging out and panting like a dog. Hiccup laughed watching his friend helping. Toothless could make fun out of any situation, he thought.
By sundown the shop was mostly tidied out. The Smithy was cleaned and the fire relighted in the forge. Hiccup had organised all the tools and Gobber made a note of the number of hammers, chisels and whatnot that survived the storm.
Many wooden handles for tools would have to be replaced, but that would be a job for the next day. By the end of it Gobber was rather tired so he bid Hiccup goodbye and left the boy to his own devices.
Now Hiccup could do what he was itching to do all day. He wanted to use the leather thong Gothi gave to him to create a necklace for the scale with the god symbol etched on it. It would be the safest option; Hiccup didn't want it lying around as Gothi said it was of great importance. He didn't know why it was important yet, he just knew it was.
Using deft and experienced fingers he managed to cleanly punch a small hole through the top of the rock hard scale; all the while taking heed of the beautiful etching.
He threaded the crimson string through carefully and then tied the two ends together. He looked at it before placing it over his neck, thinking.
"I don't think a simple knot will be safe enough. What do you think bud?" Hiccup showed his handiwork to his dragon, who sniffed it then rumbled. His face saying 'do what you will.'
For a majority of the night Hiccup worked on making two small metal clasps that could be securely tied on each end of the thread and then securely fastened to each other. Being the avid artist that he is Hiccup used a sharp tool to etch into the silvery alloy pictures of different species of dragons.
The work was difficult, working on such a small canvas. Hiccup was glad for small, dainty fingers as he drew in the bodies of a Night Fury, a Monstrous Nightmare and Gronckle on one of the clasps, and then on the other he drew on a Hideous Zippleback, A Deadly Nadder and A Terrible Terror.
Once he was done he marvelled at his handy work; seeing the beautiful little silver alloy clasps with the dragon line art etched in. The clasps were expertly attached to the red leather.
Hiccup handed it over to Toothless to observe; who looked at it and warbled his acceptance of the piece. Hiccup promptly tied it around his neck, hiding the scale underneath his clothing.
Without realising it Hiccup had worked into the early hours of the morning, but knew he couldn't return to his home. He noticed before that his home had a few great rifts in the architecture and would be cold and uncomfortable.
Hiccup decided to stay in the forge for the remainder of the night. He cuddled up with Toothless near the fire and then drifted off to sleep within minutes.
All the while not realising that a different kind of storm was brewing far off on the horizon.
Sorry that not much happens in this chapter, but obviously you need breaks from action. I know not much is revealed in this chapter, but hopefully you have realised some things. This story will be influenced by Norse gods and legends. It is fascinating me at the moment and I want to share this fanfiction with you. Next chapter will herald some interesting stuff (hopefully) Please remember to review and fave and I shall see you next time.