Chapter 1

Screams echoed through the castle, as the people of DunBroch ran in terror. Roars could be heard in the distance, and the flapping of wings soon followed. A great purple dragon loomed over the town creating chaos in everywhere. People fled, dropping their daily work as they rushed to find shelter. The dragon landed on the roof of the castle, stark against the gathering twilight.

"I AM MALCHIOR," It bellowed. "BRING ME THE WITCH AND NO HARM WILL COME TO YOUR PRECIOUS TOWN. YOU HAVE UNTIL NIGHTFALL TOMORROW, OR YOU ALL WILL BURN!" Malchior shot fire into the town burning the butchers shed and then flew off into the night. As soon as he was beyond the horizon, the townspeople rushed out from their shelters to put out the fires. A daunting task, but with everyone helping the fires soon were put to rest.

A flash of red raced through the kitchens and up the stairs in a frenzied haste. There on the bed, the bow laid ready for action. Celtic knots entwined the wood like a branches of refuge. Without a second thought the girl bravely grabbed the bow and spun towards the door, only to find her mother standing in the way.

"Mom I have to go! The beast out there threatens our people!" The girl stood tall, ready to protect her home at all costs.

"Merida! You can't just go out there and face that Dragon! I understand well how ye feel, but maybe we should think about all this just a little. If we brought the witch here, maybe she would have a way of protecting us all. Ye can still be the hero, just fetch the poor creature and bring her to our home." Elinor and Merida looked at each other carefully weighing the others options.

"You're right ma. It's our only hope. Just be brave until I return. Get Da and me brothers to the cellar in case the thing returns before I do."

Merida passed through the kitchen, snatching a snack as she raced out the door. She weaved her way through the village and between the villagers, until she reached the stables. There she stood, desperation on her face as she faced her old friend. As always Angus was empathetic towards Merida, as if he could read her at all times. He stepped towards her and nuzzled her face with his large head.

"Thank you Angus, you always know how to make me feel better. We're needed right now, so lets grab that saddle and head out fast."

A few moments later, Merida and Angus were thundering out of DunBroch towards the stone circle. They galloped through the forest as the moon slowly rose over the peaks of trees as they reached the stones.

Merida hopped off of Angus and stood in the center of the great stones. "Alright you will-o the wisps. Come out and show yourself! I need your help finding the witch and I'm not leaving until I get it," Merida stamped her foot impatiently.

She didn't have to wait for very long because soon there was the familiar sound and glowing light of the wisps leading her out of the stone circle and deeper into the forest. With great urgency, Merida and Argus followed the wisps into the dense undergrowth, and the damp smells of the forest, until they reached the path to the witch's hut. Green smoke billowed into the night and a fowl stench reached their nostrils.

The door opened in boisterous protest as Merida tugged it wide and was was welcomed by intense fumes of smoke that pummeled her back outside. Merida turned and gagged for clear air just a figure emerged from the smoke.

"Oooh! Merida! Lovely to see you again dearie. Just finished me brew! But I might have overdone it again," The witch said as she waved fumes from her nostrils and cleared soot from her eyes.

Merida, covering her nose rolled her eyes. "Listen, you, we need your help," She spoke in a very nasally tone. "Theres a dragon come to destroy DunBroch and We need to find a way to stop the beast. He wants you for some reason, otherwise he's going to burn down my home!"

"Oh no dearie! I know not why it wants me but not to worry I can help ye with that. First off You'll have to travel to a far off land and find someone for your dragon troubles. And while you're away I'll keep DunBroch safe with a spell I've been working on. Can't all be just bears now can it?"

With that settled, the two raced back to DunBroch on Angus and into the warmth of the castle. There they gathered the family in the main hall to tell them of the news, and new quest. The witch bustled around getting the spells ready with all sorts of witchy ingredients she had brought from her home, along with some other random parts. Such as a mirror, and pieces of silver.

Once things had settled down a bit, she sat down with the family and explained to Merida what her task would be.

"I'll send ye off through a portal to find someone who can help ye with this dragon problem. You'll have to bring him back as soon as you can. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep the castle safe."

"I'll bring this person back even if I have to drag him by his ears. Where might I be going then?" Merida spoke up determined as ever.

"You'll be going to a land called Berk, and you will be looking for a lad, named Hiccup."

"This is Berk?" Merida spoke aloud as she broke off a piece of frozen tree branch, "It snows here what...nine month of the year?" Just then she slipped on a huge chunk of ice and fell on her behind. Examining it closely she said, "and what...hails the other three?" Across the way of the village she saw few people. One man wearing a bucket was trying to much on something that looked like a root and another man was yelling at some goat herder. "Well the food looks..tasteless," she said eyeing the bucket headed man, "and the people look even more so..." as she watched the other man.

Suddenly from the trees a woosh came and knocked Merida to the ground. Once the dust cleared she saw a dragon standing on her! It perked up looking at he like a bird watches prey.

"Who are you! And where did you come from, and what do you want?"

"uh.. I'm sorry, dragon! I please don't eat me!"

"What..?" Merida mistook the dragon as the one talking, when actually from behind it a girl was sitting..riding the dragon! She jumped down and approached Merida with an axe outstretched. This girl was something Merida could handle much more than a dragon. Merida rolled to the side kicking the girls legs out from under her and drew her bow. She pointed it at the girls head.

"No one threatens me with a weapon." But unfortunately for Merida, the dragon was on the girls side, and pick up Merida by her fur hood dangling her from the ground. "Ah! Put me down ye great beast!"

"Stormfly isn't a beast. And she's just protecting me. Stormfly drop." Merida picked herself up from the ground to stand face to face with the girl. "Now tell me, who are you and what do you want?" En route to the Great Hall, Merida explained the whole story of her people's peril to Astrid.

Astrid brought Merida up through the Great Hall and into the shadow of their chief, Stoick the Vast. He loomed over the two, the flames emanating from the torches behind him cast a long shadow upon the floor of the Great Hall. Stoic looked the red headed girl over, curiosity in his eyes. "What have we here, Astrid?"

Merida stood up and bravely faced Stoic, for she was used to giant men standing above her even in mock authority. "My name is Merida, I'm from DunBroch and I need the help of a Dragon tamer."

Stoic laughed echoing a hearty sound around the large wooden hall. "Well well, a brave one. You've come to the right place. You could say this is a place full of DragonTamers. But none are better than my son, Hiccup. Except for maybe my wife, Valka." Just as he spoke her name, a woman in strange clothes stepped out into the light. She had a lovely smile and greeted Merida shyly.

"Well hello," Merida jumped back in surprise as a dragon appeared behind Valka. "Oh don't mind Cloud Jumper, he wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"Well ok then. Listen as much as I would love to stay and chat, I really need to get back home with Hiccup. My home is in danger from a great purple dragon. He talks and I'm pretty sure he has magic too. I've never seen a dragon spew green fire like he does. Where can I find Hiccup?"

"Oh no. I'm sorry dear. But Hiccup has already been called elsewhere. A man in a hat came with a mirror just the other day. Then he told us he needed Hiccup and jumped through the mirror. Very odd that man. He did mention that someone else would be arriving soon to join on the quest Hiccup has been called on. I can only assume he meant you." Merida sighed in exasperation. There was no time for a quest. She needed to protect her village now. "He said that if you follow the pathway you will find smoke rising from a house. That is where you will find him and Hiccup."

Merida walked over to the mirror. The mirror was tucked away carefully in the back of the Great Hall. It was a beautiful rectangular wooden mirror with keltic designs on each of its sides and four circles on each of the corners. There was one circular piece that looked out of place on the left hand side of the mirror. Merida was about to touch it, but she looked back with a worried look on her face at the chief.

He slowly walked up to her and got down on one knee to look her in the eyes. "Merida. I know you are worried about your home. I can't give you Hiccup right now, but I can at least help your people. Valka will lead the Dragon Riders with Astrid and they will go to at least keep this Malchior busy. The A team...the other Dragon Riders that Astrid trained, will stay here and protect our home with myself and Gobber. Don't worry about a thing. We are all going to do our best. Now you just have to do your best and get out there on your own Quest."

"Thank you Chief Stoic. My people will remember your kindness." With that Merida looked back towards the mirror and rotated the circular knob to the left. The mirror opened and she stepped through.

It was like stepping through mirror after mirror as the portal transported Merida to a strange land. Everything seemed so bright and colorful, almost like sweets. As if everything could be eaten here. Instantly Merida noticed the stone pathway before her. There's nothing to be afraid of. She thought to herself as she started walking down the path. This place is so bright and colorful, what could possibly be dangerous here?

As she thought those words, Merida had no idea the danger that lurked in the shadows.