Fathers and Sons
Just as the mothers and daughters were on one of the most beautiful and serene location on Berk to try and relax the fathers and sons had done the same on the other end of the island.
The locations had been scouted out ahead of a three days ago for by Hiccup and his siblings and their mother for several reasons.
They'd been looking for locations that were both peaceful and beautiful. A place where everyone could enjoy the natural wondrous miracles of the Earth Realm and they could still do more than just camp.
That it be ideal for bonding and not just the usual survival skills training but the serious downtime and letting go the stress and cleansing of souls and enjoy themselves.
That's why they'd been searching far and wide for the two ideal locations that weren't the family's secret locations of Dragon's Glen or Lover's Cove and had finally found two campsites that fit their needs perfectly.
Things were going about the same at the guys' location as it was the girls at first with a few small difference of course.
All the guys were here even if they didn't have sons just as all the girls were on one end but seeing that the Haddocks and their dragons had clearly had been through enough Numbskull who was the oldest there and was Bloodthorn's husband decided he'd take charge for now.
"Alright let's give our chief and the dragon king a little break from leading for the next 24 hours or so? Sound good?" he asked at the group at large.
"Sure thing, Dad. We can totally do that. So what do you think we all should do?" Brimstone asked his father whom he looked very much like.
"Well, son, you and my grandson Destin can at least help me with all the cooking. You have been teaching your son some cooking? Or do neither you or Leesel know how to cook anything?" he inquired to his son who flushed scarlet.
"Dad, I'm head of security on Berk! I'm not like….you….a…" Brimstone start to stutter something he didn't do as often anymore. Finally he pulled himself together and tried again. "Dad, my wife and I are in charge of security. We're not like you or Mom who spend all the time either running the village bakery or experimenting with plants and soil."
"So I take it neither of you really do much cooking then?"
"Grandpa, Dad may not be much of a cook as neither is Mom. But I've learned a lot from spending time with Grandma. I can show Dad what to do!" Destin spoke up from his father's side.
"Glad someone in the house pays attention to their elders."
"Well, I and Embla may be very different in many ways, but we are the ones who do most of the cooking in the house to be honest Grandpa. Aunt Bloodfire isn't that good, but mostly because of reading problems and Uncle Rolian?
Well he may've been a chief's son at one point but everything he makes taste like smelly socks and the boots they've been in left out for month!" his grandson informed him as he gagged.
"He's not lying about how horrible that young man's cooking is, sir. It makes me sick to my stomach to have to smell it. I and Shimmertail both have wanted to throw up a lot in the Dragon House more than once after smelling that revolting smell." Firedrake shivered with revulsion.
"Son, I'd like if you had better manners then that. Can you try to hold in displeasure a little?" asked his father Ash to which his son looked a little put out by the request.
"Now Ash don't be like that with your son. He after all wasn't being rude at all. And you grew up with slightly more ruder and disgusting things. And voicing an opinion on a bad smell or taste isn't all that bad," chided Ash's father and Firedrake's grandfather Hookfang.
Ash knew his father was taking about his own Rider Snotlout who was anything but corrigible and at times not the most hygienic either. Given that he shouldn't be so hard on his son for voicing an opinion of something that was really minor.
"You're right, Dad. It isn't that big a deal. Sorry I was a bit too hard Firedrake."
"It's alright, Dad. But really we should at least do our job now and get to helping with the cooking anyway."
"True enough. Let's get to it. Come on, Brimstone let's get to it."
"Yeah, Ash, let's get to it."
"Excellent, um Amacarin and Mordrel will you please lend a hand or two with the cooking?" asked Numbskull to the twin brothers who were Creel and Gala's husbands.
"Sure, no problem," they answered back swiftly with a simple shrug and go to work with helping with the cooking and soon very delicious smells filled the air.
"I know without asking what my brother Larkin and I will be doing. We are in charge of first-aid. Jary can help us out while Birger and Haldor keep track of the supplies and everything organized." Lanon suggested while looking at his brother-in-law.
"That we can do no problem. You do want help your old man keep inventory right, Haldor?" Birger asked his son who merely shrugged in a nonchalant way. "Dad you're gonna make me do it one way or another. And anyway Mom want someone to keep you in check from going overboard. Therefore that's my job."
"And I'm a little more knowledgeable about first-aid at any rate. Therefore I'll handle that better in any case," Jary told his uncle so that settle the matter.
"Well, my brother Torben, Tue and I are going to forge around for a while. See what we can turn up. Meanwhile Leif, Whitley, Fishlegs and Falcon can gather and chop firewood. Sound like a good plan to you guys?" Elof asked his brothers and Fishlegs who nodded.
"Sounds great to me! I'd like to test out my skills with how my glaive works against wood! Or if I can chop it by hand. Think, Mom be impress, Dad?" asked Falcon to his father.
"You know sometimes I wish you find more wisdom in books then in weapons, Falcon," Fishlegs sighed in a slightly disappointed tone. Falcon looked at his father in surprise and replied.
"Dad a good warrior is a master of not just one skill or art but many. So yes I've read just as many books as you and I know a wealth of knowledge and I put all that knowledge to good use.
For both the wisdom of the written words and the weapon combined make for a truly unbeatable. For a keen mind and a strong body is the mark of a true warrior. That's why I work so hard to embrace both yours and Mom's strength to be of a strong mind and body."
"It's why we pay so close attention in our own schooling when we are young and live in the Nursery as hatchlings. Alle and Velika are wonderful at opening our minds and helping us realize that there is more to us then wings, fire and claws." Silvertip informed her Rider father.
"Yeah, you're the Berk's school teacher. And encouraging young minds of humans is of great importance to you Fishlegs. It's no different to the rest of us. Here on Berk or of any other islands in the DHA.
We all want to be truly educated and receive the best for our people. That's why we also have Dragon Hatchling School on Moralien and the other islands." Garnet spoke up.
"It is true, it was a great idea that we all did agree on as the DHA grew and progressed as did the age of Transformation and Enlightenment," Dagur spoke up as he'd been coming back with some water pausing for a moment he carried on.
"I mean if we don't learn from history how are we supposed to really become further enlightened or truly become transformed?"
"I'm still a little confused on what exactly transformation means for us as a people. I mean we didn't physically transform into something else like a caterpillar becomes a butterfly." Brant question from where he and the rest of the Haddocks been pitching the tents.
Now that everyone was coming back together the Haddock men decide to answer that question.
"Brant, son, sometimes you don't have to take things so literally and understand them in the metaphorically or philosophically sense. Do you remember the story that we used to tell you called "How to paint a lie?" his father asked him.
"I remember that one Dad! It was when Grandpa Stoick had Runa's great uncle Bucket paint that hideous painting of you as a buff man. And it made you and Uncle Boden and Aunt Una so upset because it was a total lie!" Erico shouted out.
"Yeow! Erico! No need to shout the answer! Geez! No-one is deaf! And of course our parents were upset! From how the describe the painting and how Grandpa acted who wouldn't be?" Garth snapped back at his cousin while holding his ears in pain as Erico had shouted right into his ears.
"Well, either way we know Grandma was as unhappy as Dad, Uncle Hiccup and Aunt Una. So were our Godmothers Skullette and Firefang who at least did as Grandma asked and destroyed the painting," Geir reminded the family and the whole group at large.
"But the point I think their trying to make is what that painting led my Mommy and Uncles to do. Solve the so-called unsolvable Riddles of Hamish the II and not only did they do like it was a piece of cake, they told everyone not take the words at face value," Vali brought up what his uncle was trying to explain.
"Exactly the point, Vali. Life and words are a lot the times the same. Words can mean one thing but what they truly mean can be something else entirely."
"Like with me for example, son. For while the meaning of living and existing by definition may be the same. But when you apply them to truly life itself? They are two entirely different things.
So in life there may be what the word means by the literary sense but by the definition of life? It can have an entirely different meaning. As is such for the word "Transformation" Orus explained to his family.
"So how does Transformation apply to us? Human or dragon? How do we transform or have we transform?" Toothless's sons all asked at once.
"All living things transform each and every day. It's a constant transformation. Transformation comes from realizing first the difference from who and what you are." Toothless began and all stared at the King of Dragons.
"We don't understand," was the general consensus from the next generation and Stardust looked at her older brother who nodded and let her take the lead.
"What we are is very simple to know and easy to confuse with who we are. When we look at ourselves in the mirror we can see what we are.
All of us right now we understand the simple things. We are both humans and dragons. We know which families we belong too and the simple things such as that," he paused to build up suspense but also to give weight to her next words.
"However who you are is something entirely different. Who you are comes from something deeper and much more complex. Who you are comes from within in.
It's made up from everything about you. Your family and friends. Your thoughts and feelings. The things you've been through good, bad and everything in-between, likes and dislikes, your talents and weakness, even the people who don't like you, and the choices you make for yourself.
All that you are and choose to be. That's who you are and who you choose to be. And none of that can be taken from you. No-one can take away from you what makes you.
And also remember NO-ONE CAN TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU ARE MEANT TO BE. YOU CHOOSE YOUR OWN FATE AND DESTINY.
It doesn't matter your birth or parents. You can choose your own fate. While you've been asked to defend the Realms, you can still chose to walk away from that if you chose.
It's up to you. Everything in life is up to you. The Transformation we speak of is becoming Who You Wish TO BE NOT WHAT OTHERS TELL YOU TO BE!"
And with that Stardust finished with the dramatic display of her words and started to think of her beloved parents on the other side. She knew it was what her whole family was thinking of.
"It goes back to even those on the other side. While we on Earth have been reaching being undergoing for many years Transforming ourselves into better people and with more open-minds as well, so have the gods as well," Boden informed the group with a proud smile.
"They were impressed by what we could achieve own our own. Simple humans and the simple ways we could change ourselves that they took our example and now they've undergone their own Age of Transformation and Enlightenment," Hiccup informed them all.
"It's why we fight to protect all we've done in our Realm and must protect what happens in the other Realms.
Because if we can make something this good happen in just one small area? Think of how many more lives would benefit and how much better place the world would be for generations to come if they could hold onto what we've seen and done now?" Orus waved his hand to indicated all of Berk and beyond.
"It seems we do have a reason to accept this responsibly and why we are so determined to do it. We desire others to know what we know and have good, happy and loving lives." Falcon answered back.
"A world were no-one has to live in fear or be judged or bullied, but can be free to be themselves. Just be happy and loved." Mercury looked up at his father as he said this.
"It be nice if history wasn't so often doom to repeat itself. Like humans could truly grow and learn from their mistakes and maybe like your generation was a turning point, we can be turning points too. That all of us can make a difference for not just us but the whole world and all future generations to come." Harris who was sitting in his father lap seemed impress with his boldness.
"That be a legacy of love worth leaving behind and show the ultimate transformation. To not just transform ourselves, but the world." Destin acknowledged.
"It would really would be the greatest gift we could give our world and all the Realms indeed if we could truly not just change a few lives, but all lives of this world!" Haldor spoke with such passion and Jary was right on his heels.
"Maybe that why we're chosen to do this duty and accepted this legacy. So we can further this legacy of love and make it only grow bigger and stronger. And that's why us and the girls are gifted the way we are."
"Yes, that makes sense. The last three generations all have had different challenges and yet each have learned something and the next generation gotten stronger and the COE hasn't beaten us yet. And we shall not let them destroy us now!" Whitley declared.
"No way are they gonna undo what our family taken a lifetime to build! We will carry this on forever and till the bloodlines ends!" Brant shouted and Erico shook his head and declared.
"No, if we all die will make sure there are others to carry on in our place. We can't let all that we've worked for and this dream die."
"No we cannot! This dream cannot ever die!" Garth and Geir both said at the same time.
"We can't let your dreams die either or your people legacy die out either. Even if all the dragons were to die out your memories and people dream must live on forever as well." Vali turned to the dragons who all nodded.
"Yes, our memories, dreams and spirits must live on as must yours," all the dragons agreed.
It was then the same thing that happened at the girl's campsite happened at the boys. Brant and Erico's could feel the pain of all the hearts crying out for help. Garth and Geir could feel the torrent of emotions and Toothless's body lit up like a beacon.
"What's wrong, sons?!" Hiccup and Boden cried out to their sons and Toothless's five sons were at his side crying out "DAD!"
Orus was looking at his son who was having his own strange reaction like a strange fit to whatever was going on and was busy comforting him.
"Something is wrong, Dad. Everyone heart is screaming for help! Like all of Berk in danger! But we can't tell you why!" Hiccup's sons moaned loudly.
"Same goes for their emotions they are so mixed up and it hurts like we keep getting kicked up in the stomach! But it's like someone is twisting someone soul from the inside out!" cried Boden's sons in equal pain.
"I'm reading like tiny dark minds coming from within inside people, Daddy! They're coming from the other bays. It's like very strange. They're big voices and little voices! Two sets of thoughts in one body! Like almost like a parasite!" Vali was trying to explain what he was he was sensing in such a confusing manner.
"There is a great darkness on this island. It's not the wraiths, I can feel that they were truly banished. This is different evil. It's still from the COE, but not the same evil," was all the King of Dragons could provide.
"We need more information than that. Like if this is coming from the bay! Then there must be ships there. But why? And who?" Hiccup asked aloud.
"There can be only one answer to the why and who," Leif and Dagur answered at the same time and the Berk Chief looked up at the Berserk Chief and the husband of the Leader of Moralien clan.
"It seems obvious to me that COE would want to make as much trouble for us as possible. And they want to destroy the DHA. What better way to get rid of us then have us all in one spot?" Leif replied and Dagur explained the rest of the evil plan.
"They must have intercepted our airmail so the rest of the tribes weren't informed of our extended absence so they sent people to see why none of us returned yet from the celebration over a week and half ago."
"And with all the tribes in one place we're sitting ducks for another divide and conquer attack! But what are they planning to attack this time? All the parties in the DHA?" Numbskull questioned.
"I think if you let me fly up for a second I'll be able to see if I can make more sense of what's going on Grandpa. You do know can see better than anyone else on this island. I don't know why I've better than human eyesight I just do," Destin said as he whistled and he and Firedrake took to the sky and did a very fast sweep of the general area from high and came back down.
"The Outcast and Berserks aren't far from our locations and they are behaving like their former selves. It's as if their Transformation been removed or is being removed. But I can't give more detail as Embla isn't here to tell me what they're saying.
"Well, I can help with that," Mercury got up and looked at some ravens in the trees and called up to them and calmly told them to go to the area and get some entail and report back quickly.
The ravens nodded and flew off and then Mercury realized his father was staring at him and he sighed. "Yes, Dad?" looking at his feet.
"Since when do you talk to birds?"
"Well, Emerald and I aren't just doing birdcalls all this time, Dad. Pretty much as far back as we can remember we've always known what birds are saying. We seem to be very fluent in Raven. Like that's the birds we talk best with.
We don't know if that's because it's Mom's name or because the Gods are so intricately involved with ravens or something else. But yeah the two of us talk to birds and are really masters of raven tongue."
"And your mother and you two didn't think about telling me?"
"Well, given your history when you're young and the fact we thought you think we're bonkers or objects of shame, we didn't want to tell you," his son told him honestly.
"Son, I'm not the same person I was as a kid. Okay, that's part of Transformation. We grow and learn and become better people. Look as a kid I was a bully and an arrogant jerk."
"You were worse than a jerk. You could be downright an ass. You were intolerable during the Thawfeast games," Hiccup reminded him thinking about how everyone on the island hated that time of the year.
"And yeah you still hurt me and Una in a terrible way. And you did get a lot of restraining orders from a lot of women," Boden also reminded him as an ass thinking about how he and the twins gave him and Una their phobias.
"Okay you two made your point," Snotlout spoke loudly before turning back to look at his son. "I wasn't the nicest guy as a kid. But that was in the past. But as you've all pointed out we've been talking about Transformed and I've learned from my mistakes, son. And sometimes it takes YEARS to learn from them.
So yeah, it took me many decades to make amends to my past. But I can assure you, Mercury I'm not the same person I was when I was a teenager that I'm today as your father."
"I guess everyone is deserving a second chance or just the chance to prove themselves at all. No matter what they've done in the past as the past is not today," Mercury admitted at last.
"Well, we are glad you've come to that realization, but we still need to figure out what's going on and how to battle and neutralize this threat!" Haldor broke up the father son moment by bringing them back to reality.
"Well, if they're using the same strategy as before they must have a similar plan. So we just need to know what are their weapons or soldiers this time and we can combat them," Whitley spoke in a wise voice.
"Well I understand weapons and as I said to my Dad a warrior best weapons are mind and body. But there another weapon needed. A strong heart. From what we can gather so far I think something is trying to poison all three of those things at once." Falcon gave his expert opinion on how to take out an army.
"It seems that's more or less what they're doing," Mercury answered. According to the ravens it seems what Destin saw is true. They're behaving like their old selves as if they're never Transformed."
"But Stardust said what inside someone can never be taken from them. So how is someone or something removing our allies Transform within them?" Jary wanted to know.
"Well, okay, my talent may not be the nicest. On the other hand I can pickpocket and the key to it's to be swift and not seen and never let the victim know they've been robbed."
"Haldor!"
"Dad! Not the time! I'm saying something important! Beside are you honestly gonna lecture me for having the same talent as Aunt Ria?"
"Okay, not the time, but please don't tell me you're a thief by trade!"
"I'm not a thief! But I'm saying the COE has placed some kind of little thieves of some kind, something small and unnoticed into people hearts, which we can't see and are overlooked and are stealing them blind on the inside!"
"Seeds of Evil!" Dagur utter and everyone looked at him for explanation to his words and he looked almost sick to his stomach.
"You have to understand something. You understand right? Hiccup? Boden? About how it is when the Gods tell you the Tapestry says your meant do something great and important right?"
"Yes and whatever passes in Odin's palace is just between you and your family and not meant to be shared with anyone on the outside," Hiccup said in a very understand voice.
"But given the circumstances Dagur if you have some information you better say it."
"Helena, wouldn't like this, but she's friendly with the Gods as they told her once just once that she and our family are also connect to that crazy Tapestry.
I'm not sure what passed between her and the Gods. She never told me and only left me with very scarce details she told me on our wedding night. Just the barest of details as she said she couldn't say more as she just wanted to protect me and if we had a child not to endanger them.
However, Helena had a habit of talking in her sleep when she's having nightmares. And she always has nightmares at the same time each month. She always has terrible nightmares from 14th to the 19th.
I don't know what she truly dreaming about or what takes place when she's having these nightmares. But I do see what they do to her. It's like her body under attack from the inside out.
All night it's like she's got a high fever, she's sweating profusely and in agonizing pain and screaming and flaying about. And she keeps screaming all kinds of things.
But one thing she does keep screaming about is the talk about Frozen Imps and Seeds of Evil. And I've heard enough to guess what each can do. Imps can destroy the mind and Seeds of Evil destroy the heart.
I think the COE wants to undo both Transformation and Enlightenment. So that's what they're doing right now. I'm sure the girls are having to deal with the Shardas and Moralien clan having their Enlightenment being snuffed out of them.
We'll have to keep the Berserkers and Outcasts from losing their Transformation."
"And then hope they don't try to strip Berk of both and the ultimate would be to kill Berk which is the center of all this!" realized Hiccup and Boden in horror.
"So let's get to those bays and save our people and keep this dream alive the best way we know how!" and they saddle up and like the girls they did it the same way.
In a dramatic display of both aerial stunts and singing to get their attention but only after Haldor and Jary once again robbed them of their weapons so they didn't do each other harm.
Then they sang about what Transformation was and explained its importance with the most dramatic display they could perform.
"You three got your own style and the sweetest of smiles, you're gonna go so far. Just believe in yourselves. Don't ever be who you're not for all you need to be you already got. Just keep believing in yourselves.
Just know what you are no amount treasure could buy because you need to know it's all about what's inside you.
It's never been about the prizes you could take, or about all the little mistakes. Be thankful for the people who you know and know you'll be fine on your own.
Don't think it's about the clothes that you wear or anything else we swear. It's the little things you say and you do that makes us so proud of you. What matter the most to us is what inside all of you!
Go have fun in all that you do. Remember to listen to your heart it's always true. We believe in you. You can never stop reaching for the stars time will tell the world who you are for we believe in you.
Just know what you are no amount treasure could buy because you need to know it's all about what's inside you.
It's never been about the prizes you could take, or about all the little mistakes. Be thankful for the people who you know and know you'll be fine on your own.
Don't think it's about the clothes that you wear or anything else we swear. It's the little things you say and you do that makes us so proud of you. What matter the most to us is what inside all of you!
When things start spinning around we'll be there to pick you up when you fall down. Don't worry about a thing because what you are no amount treasure could buy because you need to know it's all about what's inside you.
Be thankful for the people who you know and know you'll be fine on your own. And know no matter where you go your worth more than anything else in this whole world or any other for what's inside of all you that's what makes you special and why we love you!"
If we live to be a hundred,
and never see all the wonders of the world,
that'll be alright.
If we don't make it to the best times,
If we never win an award,
we're gonna be just fine,
Cause we know exactly who we are.
We are Dragon Riders
The heirs of our father
and when the day is done our mother's still our biggest fan
Sometimes we are clueless and clumsy
But we've got friends that love us
And they know just where we stand
It's all a part of us
And that's who we are
So when we make a big mistake
And when we fall flat on our faces
We know we'll be alright
Should our tender hearts be broken
we will cry those teardrops knowing
we will be just fine
Cause nothing changes who we are
We are Dragon Riders
The heirs of our father
and when the day is done our mother's still our biggest fan
Sometimes we are clueless and clumsy
But we've got friends that love us
And they know just where we stand
It's all a part of us
And that's who we are
We're saints and sinners
we're losers and winners
we are steady and unstable
we are young, but we are able
We are Dragon Riders
The heirs of our father
and when the day is done our mother's still our biggest fan
Sometimes we are clueless and clumsy
But we've got friends that love us
And they know where we stand
It's all a part of us
And that's who we are
We are Dragon Riders
The heirs of our father
and when the day is done our mother's still our biggest fan
Sometimes we are clueless and clumsy
But we've got friends that love us
And they know where we stand
It's all a part of us
And that's who we are
That's who we are!"
And again with those songs inspired from what Stoick and Valka had sung to their children and what Hiccup, Boden and Una had realized themselves it broke the spell of Seeds of Evil.
They're forced out and again to the boys gathered surprise Eir, Rota and Mist were right there to form a light cage and quickly explained what they planned to do with the Seeds of Evil and told them they had to hurry to get to the Village and meet the girls before the mega hoard of destroy Berk in a bloodbath by taking away Berk Transformation and Enlightenment.
And with that they took off like bullets to aid the girls in the battle to save the Earth Realm Age of Transformation and Enlightenment!