They trekked in silence through the grasslands. They were on the edges of a forest, but all three of the humans of their party had heard enough of these woods to know not to enter. The Dark Woods was notorious for getting travelers lost. Yet another reason humans rarely inhabited or traveled in The Wild Lands.

Astrid yawned. "Do you think we should break for camp soon?" she asked.

"No," Hiccup said, "There's still half an hour of light left."

Astrid nodded, before glancing at the trees. She saw a flash of white, and paused in her steps.

"Hey," Eret said, bumping into her from behind. "Look, we're all tired but—"

"Did you see that?" Astrid asked, pointing at the trees.

"I don't see anything," Hiccup said, stopping as well.

Eret looked at the trees, narrowing his eyes as he focused. Suddenly, he jumped in shock. "Sila!" he said suddenly, as if seeing a ghost, and he dashed forward, disappearing into the woods.

"Eret!" Hiccup and Astrid yelled in unison, quickly following him. They passed the tree line, looking around for any clue as to where the man could have gone.

"Do you see him?" Astrid asked.

"No," Hiccup replied, turning around in a circle. "I—who's that?"

"Who's what?" Astrid asked, alarmed, looking in the direction Hiccup was pointing, only to find that there was no one there.

"A fairy!" Hiccup yelled, leaping forward. "Come back!"

"Hiccup!" Astrid cried out, trying to follow him, but he was too quick and too used to traveling quickly over underbrush, and she lost him. She swore loudly, looking around, wondering if she should leave and find Toothless, or if she should—

"Astrid!"

It was a woman's voice, a familiar voice. "Alfhild?" Astrid asked, startled.

Then, another flash of white. Creamy silken clothes, just like her sister was wearing when… "Alfhild!" Astrid cried out, leaping forward after her sister. Her sister laughed and ran farther into the woods. "Alfhild, come back!" Astrid shouted, following as quickly as she could. But the faster she ran, the faster Alfhild ran, her long, loose blonde hair a stream behind her. She was laughing—that laugh that warmed Astrid on even the chilliest days. "Alfhild!" Astrid said, stopping when she lost sight of her sister. "No…"

"Over here!" she heard her sister laugh, and Astrid spun around a few times, trying to gauge which direction the voice was coming from. "Alfhild, come out and stop playing games!" Astrid demanded.

"Come get me!"

"Alfhild!" Astrid yelled. She saw a flurry of white again, and set off as fast as she could. "Alfhild, I thought you were dead!"

"I'm not," came a voice from nearby.

Astrid spun around to see her sister standing before her. She was wearing a dress of white silk, her golden hair loose down her back, the blue eyes she shared with Astrid sparkling. "But they took you," Astrid whispered. "The fairies took you."

"I'm here, aren't I? Standing before you…" Alfhild smiled.

"But I can feel the cold," Astrid clutched at her chest. "I can feel The North Wind. The ice."

Alfhild laughed. "Do you believe that? I'm standing right before you. You found me, Astrid. Now you can take me home."

Astrid blinked, smiling. "Then come with me, Alfhild," she said, reaching out a gloved hand.

"You have to catch me first," Alfhild laughed, turning and running off through the trees.

"Wait!" Astrid called out, "Come back!" She hurried after her sister, not noticing that she was traveling deeper and deeper into The Dark Woods.


Eret stormed through the trees, calling out Silaluk's name. Then he saw her, her small black braids bouncing behind her as she ran on chubby little legs.

"Sila!" he shouted, but he could not gain her attention. He dashed after her, but no matter how fast he ran, he could not catch up to her. She seemed to elude him at every turn. "Sila, stop! It's your father!"

But she could not hear him—or was perhaps just ignoring him.

No, she never ignored him—came a nasty little thought inside his head. He pushed it out quickly.

There was another reason, the cruel voice continued.

"Sila!" He crashed through the underbrush, but his daughter was nowhere to be seen. He looked around, frantically searching for any signs of her.

"Papa!"

He spun around, and saw her dash behind a tree. "Find me, Papa!" she cried out, giggling.

He ran up to the tree, rounding it only to find that she was gone. "Sila, stop playing games!" he called out. "Please, come to me."

"You'll have to find me first," his daughter giggled.

She's not there… his subconscious reminded him.

"Shut up," he muttered, jumping a log and looking around. There she was. He set off after her.

You know she's not there…

"Sila!" he shouted.

"Papa!" It was distant, and its distance caused panic inside him.

"Sila, wait for me!" he called out, hurrying after the echoing sound of her voice.


Hiccup hurried after the fairy, for what else could she be? "Wait!" he called out, "I need you!"

"You need me?" she said from behind him.

He thundered to a stop, turning around to look at her.

She stood tall—taller than he, with long brown hair and grey eyes. She had sharp cheeks, and an angled nose. Her ears were pointed, and she had a set of dazzling wings. She seemed to sparkle in the dark light. "You're a fairy, aren't you?" he asked.

"Of course I'm a fairy," she replied, a chuckle interwoven in her words. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Then you can release me from my curse," he said. "The witch, Excellinor, she cursed me—"

The fairy laughed. A long, melodious, unkind laugh. "What a simple boy," she said, gazing at him with sharp, cruel eyes. "Why should I realize you from your curse? You deserve it, don't you?"

"What?" Hiccup stood there, stunned into silence and stillness for a moment. "What do you—"

"You… killed a man," she took a step towards him. "Killed a man in cold blood."

"No…" he shook his head. "He was going to kill Astrid—he attacked her—he nearly killed her—"

"But it's not like you," she took another step. "Taking another human's life… that's not your way. How can you have any honor?"

"I…"

"Of course, I forgot," she laughed that cruel, melodious laugh again. "You don't have any honor. The bastard orphan. Even your own parents didn't want you."

"Shut up," Hiccup said, clenching his fists.

"You know I'm right," she said. "Unwanted by anyone. Forgotten by all. You were cursed before the witch, human. You just didn't have permission to believe it."

"Shut up!" Hiccup lunged at her, drawing his knife, but the fairy disappeared. He stood where she did, looking around, when Excellinor appeared before him. He felt rage fill him.

He lunged at the witch, aiming his blows to kill.


Astrid ran after her sister, but suddenly, her sister was gone. There was no sign, no laughing, no calling of her name, no teasing. "Alfhild?" she called out. Nothing. She ran quickly, until she passed a tree and saw…

"You!" she yelled out, shocked.

Standing before her was a fairy—the very fairy that took her sister. Tall, with long brown hair and high cheekbones, Queen Angharad gazed back at her with cruel grey eyes. "Me, indeed," she said. "Have you come to kill me, human? Do you think you have it in you?"

Astrid drew her sword. "I will defeat you," she growled. "I will rescue my sister."

"It will come at a cost," Angharad said, and a knife appeared in her hand. "You know, this quest will cost you your life."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take!" Astrid jumped forward, swinging her sword.


Eret stopped, clutching his head.

She's gone… his subconscious reminded him. You know this. You did this.

"Sila, come back…" he whispered.

She won't come back… not after what you did to her… you monster…

"It wasn't me…" Eret muttered to himself. "It was the curse."

It was still you… it was because of your sins… she died at your hands… you ripped your teeth into her—

Eret groaned. And then stood, his eyes still closed. "It's just an illusion," he told himself. "She's not really here."

He opened his eyes, whatever spell upon him gone. He let out a long breath, and looked around. "Hiccup? Astrid?"

He heard a warble, and looked behind him to see Toothless there. "Toothless…" he said, "That's where you were. Think you can find the others?"

Toothless wiggled slightly, before bounding away, Eret in close pursuit. He heard the sound of metal hitting metal. "Hurry, Toothless!" he shouted, rounding a corner, and he stopped, eyes wide.

It was a fight, indeed, but it was not Hiccup and Astrid against he might forces of the forest, but Hiccup and Astrid against each other. For a moment, he just stood there, stunned, as his two companions attacked each other. Hiccup was, interestingly, holding his own well against Astrid. He paused, to nock an arrow on his bow, aiming to kill her. "Toothless!" Eret yelled, "Get Hiccup!"

Toothless leapt forward and slammed into Hiccup, knocking him to the ground. The arrow whizzed past Astrid's head. She leapt forward, heading towards the fallen Hiccup, when Eret grabbed her from behind, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. "Astrid!" he said in her ear, "It's not real! It's Hiccup!"

She struggled against him with strength he did not think capable in her small form, but eventually, she stilled. "Eret?" she whispered.

"Yes, it's me," he replied gently.

"Hiccup… oh gods… did I kill him?" she was looking over at Hiccup, who was lying unconscious on the ground, Toothless sniffing him worriedly.

"No, that was Toothless' work," Eret said, letting go of Astrid.

She ran over to Hiccup, dropping to her knees and checking his pulse. "He's okay, he's just sleeping," she said.

"Good," Eret walked over, peering down at Hiccup.

The man in question moaned slightly, opening his eyes and blinking blearily up at them. "Astrid? Eret? Oh gods… I feel terrible…"

"You can thank Toothless for that, and this forest," Eret said.

"Where did Excellinor go?" Hiccup asked, sitting up.

"Excellinor?" Astrid asked.

"Yeah, I was fighting her—quite spry for an old lady," Hiccup said.

"You were fighting Astrid," Eret said.

"I was?" Hiccup looked at Astrid, alarmed. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No," Astrid shook her head. "Did I hurt you?"

"I honestly can't tell," he replied. "But I don't think so. What do you think I was?"

"Angharad?" Astrid said.

"Angharad?" Hiccup frowned. "Who's that?"

"Queen of the fairies," Eret said. "Why would you fight against her?"

"She's the… she's the reason I'm on this quest," Astrid said. "She kidnapped my sister. Did anyone else… have a vision?"

"I saw a fairy," Hiccup said. "She wasn't very nice."

"I saw my sister," Astrid said. "I don't know why I thought she was really here… I know she's in The North…" Astrid's hand touched her chest, directly over her heart, for a moment, before it fell back into her lap. "What about you, Eret?"

Eret took in a deep breath, gazing at Astrid, and then Hiccup. "I saw my daughter."

"Your daughter?" both Astrid and Hiccup stared at him in stunned silence. "You never mentioned a daughter before," Hiccup said.

"Because I don't have one anymore," Eret replied.

"You mean…" Hiccup began.

"Oh," Astrid said softly. "Because of—"

"My curse," Eret folded his arms across his chest. "She was one of my first victims."

Astrid stood, placing a hand on Eret's arm. "I'm so sorry, Eret. But you have to know it wasn't your fault. It was whomever placed this curse on you."

Eret smiled sadly at her. "If only I could believe that."

"Don't worry," Hiccup stood, "I know we'll make it to The North. We survived this helhole. There's no reason why we can't—"

A twig snapped, and the three of them started in surprise, drawing their weapons and spinning around. "Not an illusion," Astrid said. "We all heard the same thing, right?"

"It could just be an animal," Hiccup said, "Probably a fox or a rabbit or—"

Out from behind the brush, popped a red chicken.


To be continued…

I'm sure you all know what comes next ;)

As always, thanks so much for reading so far!

See you soon!