How to Train Your Dragon 2 guys...
Whatever they put in it, they should bottle that stuff up and sell it to writers like me. Cause if I had this amount of inspiration all the time, I'd be rolling in cash from all my published bestsellers.
Dreamworks, get to work on this, you could make even more of a fortune than you already are.
Disclaimer: Oddly enough, I do not own How to Train Your Dragon. I know you guys all probably thought I did, but noooope.
The beginning of their journey down the abysmal river was...anticlimactic to say the least. The first three hours they sailed down the river, ready and surrounded with supplies for their journey. Everyone had some kind of weapon hanging on them as a precaution. The twins and Astrid had their axes, the guards had spears strapped to their backs. Snotlout and Fishlegs were comfortable with their iron hammers. Hiccup felt secure with his dragon and a long, slender dagger at his side. Even Liva was given a knife; although, based on her expression, she didn't seem to know what she was going to use it for.
They were all alert, waiting for the danger that was promised. Hiccup didn't know what he had expected. Rival vikings, dragons, godly curses, they were all candidates. But, above all else, their main battle so far had been against rocks.
Many, many rocks.
"Left!" Hiccup called out from his position at the very front of their longship. The front part of his body leaned out as far as his balance would let him. Hiccup narrowed his eyes, using the light of the two torches attached to the decorative dragon head to scan for rocks jutting out of the river.
Toothless stood at his side, nudging the young viking when he saw one his rider missed.
"Right! Sharp right!"
Axel was steering the ship magnificently, Hiccup summarized. The tall guard's reactions were fast and smooth. If any of the others had been maneuvering this thing, they would've crashed long ago.
The problem was the lighting, or lack thereof. They did their best to keep the dark at bay. Torches were placed along the side rails of the ship, with two on the back dragon head as well as the one up front. Five were secured to the mast, the sail of which was rolled up and secured tightly, virtually useless in the cave.
Unfortunately, even with that much light, Glimmer still had to perch herself at the front with Hiccup for there to be any chance of getting out unscratched.
Hiccup called out another direction to Axel when he heard the light tapping of someone's feet.
Liva, her black curls messily framing her petite face, popped up next to him.
"So, what do you think is out there? You know, down the river of torment?"
Hiccup shrugged, "Who knows, could be anything. Whatever it is, this can't be all."
The young healer hummed at the thought, "What makes you say that? It could be just the river."
"My gut doesn't exactly agree with you. That and the writing."
…Beware the dangers in its depths, some come you will not expect. The rhyme fluttered endlessly across his mind, reminding Hiccup to stay alert on their way.
Liva hopped a few times before leaning the top half of her body over the railing. She balanced on her stomach, and her feet hung suspended in midair, "This is so exciting! What will we find? Dwarves? Sea beasts? Magical spirits?"
She gasped and drummed her fingers against the wood excitedly, "What if we find trolls?"
Hiccup laughed at her words, being reminded of himself when he was younger. In fact, she seemed to think the trip was a game.
"If I may ask, Liva, why are you here? No offense, but if we needed a healer, wouldn't Eirik bring your master along?"
Liva's expression grew solemn, and Hiccup felt immediate remorse for asking the question as she slid off the railing and down to the floor of the boat.
"I've spend my entire life in Drómundr. The same people, the same buildings, the same daily routine for fourteen years. You saw it there's...nothing there.
She gave a long sigh and pulled her legs up to her chest. The young healer laid her chin on her knees as she continued on, "I've never had many friends. There are'unt many kids around my age, and even then they always thought I was different. I was never satisfied with just sitting inside, sewing or cooking or doing whatever other boring things I was supposed to do. I wanted to get out the village, find something worth finding."
She lifted her head, her eyes glittered in the semi-darkness, "You know what that's like, don't you? I can see it in your eyes. You've been lonely before too."
Hiccup sucked in a breath, and gazed hard at the woodwork below their feet. His hands clenched the railing. Oh yes, he knew lonely. More than Liva realized. Hiccup didn't like looking back on those years before he found Toothless, not when he had so many good things in his life now. It was all in the past, forgotten and forgiven. And yet, his heart clinched tightly at the words this young girl, who's life was so much like his.
Hiccup sighed, and opened his mouth to tell Liva that things can change, that they get better as everyone starts to see the value in different minds. However, he was cut off as the ship lurched violently.
Toothless let out a startled roar, and grabbed the back of his rider's tunic. Hiccup was pulled to the ground just in time to avoid getting his hands crushed by the large boulder that scraped against the side of the ship.
Thankfully, the ship rightened itself quickly. Axel's angry voice shouted up to them, "Oi! Stop talking and keep your eyes peeled, unless you fancy having our boat ripped apart!"
Liva stood from her sprawled spot on the deck, and stomped over to her brother, "You're the one who hit the rock! Let me drive before you kill us!"
Hiccup tuned the two sibling's out as they started to threaten each other with bodily harm. A shadow appeared over him, and he smiled when Astrid held out a hand to help him up.
He took it, "Thanks."
She gave a shake of her head as she helped him up, "Don't mention it. Fishleg's is going to take over your spot for a bit," she paused, and he caught her as her eyes darted over to Liva. She raised an eyebrow, "Having fun, were we?"
He was startled by her tone, dense and slightly harsh, "Why? Is...there a problem with it?"
She narrowed her eyes at him, and he watched as her body visibly relaxed her tense muscles after a bit, "Sorry, I didn't mean that."
"It's alright. Now, you want to tell me what's the matter? Or do I have to get Toothless to force it out of you?"
The dragon in question turned and, looking between the two vikings, gave Hiccup a look that said "No way. Deal with your own problems".
Astrid didn't say anything, but she crossed her arms and looked anywhere but at Hiccup's face.
Hiccup tilted her chin up with his hand, "You don't like being here."
Astrid shuffled her feet while glancing out of the corner of her eyes, "They make me nervous."
Hiccup stared at her, confused and a little concerned. Astrid was never nervous. Frightened sometimes, yes. Disbelieving? Definitely. But nervous? If there's one thing Astrid had, it was confidence in herself and her ability to handle a situation.
"Wh-What do you mean?"
Astrid sighed, and pulled Hiccup to the other side of the boat, whispering, "Liva obviously doesn't understand what we're doing here, and Axel keeps looking over his shoulder like he has someone after his head. Eirik is way too happy about this trip, and his guard..." She grasped Hiccup's forearm tightly, "I can feel her eyes on us. I've seen people with eyes like hers before. It's going to be hard to work with her when I feel like she's going to attack me in my sleep."
Hiccup sent a subtle glance at each of the Drómundrs as he listened to Astrid. He nodded, understanding her reasoning. However, this wasn't some random journey they were forced on. They were here to help.
"I see what you mean, but you never trust new people, Astrid."
He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth,"Hiccup, this is serious!
He raised his hands defensively, "Okay, okay, but still, were here as their help. If they wanted us dead, they would've killed us the second we went into their village. But instead they-"
"Talked us into going on a ride down the river of death."
"We're trapped on a boat with them. Just keep a close eye on everyone. I'll handle the intertribal relations, you go at them with your axe if things get messy. They haven't made any threatening moves against us, let's keep the peace while it's there."
He put his hands gently on her arms, his thumbs rubbing gentle circles against her shoulders, "We don't know them that well, you don't like that, I understand. But let's keep the speculating to a minimum. They really might just need us to get this dragon...who-ha-thingy. If they have ulterior motives, we'll know soon enough. Okay?"
Hiccup waited patiently as his girlfriend sighed, muttering to herself for a moment, before looking him in the eyes. She gave in, "Okay. But if something happens along the way, do not go with any of them without one of us with you. Preferably me."
He smiled at her, "Of course, Milady, wouldn't want it any other-"
Hiccup was cut off as the boat turned on the river, and the entire cavern was lit up in blinding white light.
He heard gasps and sharp cries as everyone's light-sensitive eyes were stung by the sudden onslaught.
Hiccup groaned and shut his eyes tightly, which barely held off the discomforted feeling in his skull.
It was bright. Much, much too bright. He felt as if his eyes would be scorched out of their sockets if not for the flimsy flaps of skin covering them.
And then many sensations hit him at once. A soft, cold breeze. The sound of waves crashing against rocks. The tickle of sea air in his nose.
He let out a strangled gasp and forced his eyes to open, despite the overwhelming urge to keep them shut.
They were outside, under a beautifully blue sky. The sun shone mightier than any fires on Berk, raining down warm winter rays of sunlight onto Hiccup's face. Hiccup had never felt happier in his life.
He smiled, laughed, and immediately looked over at the undergrounders.
They all stared at the sky, their mouths hanging open in disbelief. Liva giggled and rubbed at her arms and legs, running around on the boat. Glimmer twirled around her head, chirping wildly as she zipped around at her human's glee.
"Axel! Axel, it's the sun! It's warm, like fire!"
Her brother didn't hear, he was too busy pacing the boat. His head darted from the water, to the rocks cutting their way to the sea, to the sky, and back again. Almost like he would decide what he wanted to look at the most, only to have something more entrancing catch his attention.
Even Ylva, who Hiccup hadn't seen show any type of emotion other than indifference, was gazing around in wide-eyed wonder. Her red hair whipped across her face and eyes in the wind, yet she was too stunned to brush it out of the way.
Eirik, whose bright blonde hair literally glowing from the light, laughed, "Oh, hammer of Thor! Oh gods!"
He practically skipped over to the boat railing, hanging off of it the same way Liva had earlier. He turned to Hiccup with a smile that would have torn his face in half, had it been any wider. The other chief grabbed at Hiccup shoulders and shook enthusiastically, "This is what it's like outside?"
Hiccup couldn't help the laugh that belted out of him, "Well, only part of it. Everything's white and cold from the winter. Just wait until summer. When we get all of you out, you'll see all the colors. More than even I can describe."
Eirik, his eyes wide, hung onto ever single word. He was like a child, amazed and unbelieving that such a thing could possibly exist. He let go of Hiccup and looked out onto the horizon, "There's so much..."
Hiccup's expression softened, "And you'll get to see it all. All of you. I promise."
Eirik's returning smile was filled with gratitude, and he closed his eyes as the sea air blew across his face.
It was then that Hiccup noticed their guests weren't the only ones happy. His friends were all relieved and lighthearted. They laughed, enjoying the fresh, dry air they all missed so much.
Toothless bounded up to him, rocking the boat while doing so. His ridiculous Night Fury gave him a gummy smile, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.
Hiccup grabbed and shook the dragon's jaw playfully, "Nice to be out of there for a bit, huh Bud?"
The dragon warbled excitedly, shaking his head and licking Hiccup in the face.
"No! No, stop that!" the dragon stopped, but curled around Hiccup, nudging the viking and looking at the sky.
Hiccup sighed and followed his gaze. He scratched under his dragon's chin, "I know Bud, I miss being up there too. But we've got to help these people. Or they'll never know what it's like. We can at least give them that."
Astrid, from his left, spoke in an uncertain voice, "What is this? Why does the river take us out here?"
Hiccup shrugged, "Taunting?"
"No, you insult the gods Master Haddock," Eirik spoke up, his eyes still on the sea, "This isn't taunting. This is generosity."
The thought didn't give Hiccup relief like it should have, "What do you mean?"
Astrid grabbed his arm and pulled him to the edge of the boat. She pointed at the line of boulders that signaled the boundary of their path "I think I know what he's saying. The rocks barring our way aren't much of a blockade. If we wanted to get over them, we'd just have to wait for the high tide, or get Toothelss to blast them."
"So...whatever made this...this is their way of giving us one last chance to change our mind. One last chance to turn back."
Eirik's joyful expression hardened at the words, "We can't. True, Liva, Axel, Ylva, and myself would be free. But I will not leave the rest of my village behind."
Hiccup shook his head, "No, we won't. But," Hiccup turned to his dragon, putting his hands on either side of Toothless' head, "I know you fine now, but I don't know how long we'll be in that cave. If you want to go, you can stay out here until we get back. You don't have to go in Bud."
Wasted words they were, the young chieftain knew his Night Fury wouldn't take the offer. But he wanted to give Toothless that option. He wasn't about to force his dragon somewhere he didn't want to go because of a choice he made.
Toothless snorted harshly, then nudged his way under Hiccup's arms to nuzzle his side.
Hiccup smiled, and turned to his friends, "The same goes for you guys. This is my decision. Last chance to opt-out if you don't want to go any further."
They all stared at him for a moment, like they couldn't believe he was even mentioning it. Snotlout was the first to come out of it.
The buff viking scoffed, and went to tug his cousin's hair, "You're an idiot of a chief. You think that's going to get me to miss out on all the glory?"
Tuffnutt cracked his knuckles, "Yeah, trying to steal it for yourself, Hiccup?"
Fishleggs shifted excitedly form foot to foot, "I can't miss this chance! What if we find more new dragons? Or something even cooler!"
Ruffnutt rolled her eyes, "Someone's got to beat you across the head when you get crazy, and Astrid sure as Hel ain't gonna do it."
The girl she was speaking of gave her a hard kick to the shin. Astrid ignored the verbal insults thrown her way and placed a hand on the back of Hiccup's neck, the ends of his hair ticking her fingertips.
"I told you, we're with you all the way."
Their words put a sheepish smile on their leader's face. Hiccup looked at them all and chuckled, "Well, where would I be without my army of dragon riders anyway?"
Snotlout's laughter boomed in his ear, and the viking pulled Hiccup in as he affectionately dug his knuckles into the other viking's skull. The team took that as the start of an obligatory dog-pile on their team leader, despite his size and his verbal protests.
Toothless, tilted his head as they all fell on the deck before deciding he should join in on the fun.
Eirik watched the scene from the side-lines, confused at the display. Didn't the vikings share any respect for their leader? Or was this just the way things worked on Berk?
Ylva looked at his expression out of the corner of her eyes. Without any prodding, she inquired, "Sir?"
"Nothing, Ylva, just...," he watched as Hiccup managed to get away from his group only to be tackled again by his dragon. Their laughter rung around the boat, almost making it vibrate in their joviality, "...they seem very close to Master Haddock, don't they?"
Ylva followed his gaze, "It appears they do, Sir."
Eirik hummed. He looked out to the horizon. Just a glimpse, and he couldn't get enough of it. This was the sky. This was the ocean. It was so clear, so bright compared to the damp prison that was his home. After this journey, after they found the Scale Reader, he would be able to look at it whenever he wished.
"Are they making too much of a ruckus, Sir?"
Eirik decided, on a whim, that one day he'd hold the sun in his hands.
"No, let them be. We have many trials ahead. Let them share their moment before the darkness takes us."
His other guard's voice pipped up from the back of the boat, calling for him. The blonde chief limped over to Axel, "What?"
The tall guard just pointed down the waterway, the rapids started getting stronger as it led back into the darkness. More so, Eirik could make out the direction the water went, at a slight curve. As they got closer, he could hear the roaring.
"Haddock!" he called out the the Berkian, who, at his serious expression, untangled himself from his friends and hurried over. He navigated his way around the tied down baskets and bags of supplies well, considering his handicap, and reached them quickly.
"What's the matter."
Axel gripped the steerboard tightly to keep the ship steady, "I can't tell if it's just rough waters or something bigger."
Eirik saw the young man's eyes narrow in thought. He turned to Eirik, "Where's the anchor? If it's what I think it is, we're going to need a way to secure ourselves. We can toss it out to a rock and hope it holds us."
Eirik tensed, not knowing what kind of idea this other chief had gotten in his head, "What do you think it is?"
Hiccup tore his eyes off the cave's entrance, and gave Eirik a grave expression, "Maelstrom."
Hiccup ignored Eirik's stutter of suprise and tore his way back across the boat, looking for the anchor. He shouted at his friends as he went, "Snotlout, Astrid, Fishlegs, help me get this anchor ready to toss. Ruff, Tuff, make sure everything on this boat is secured tightly. Get the others to help you. We can't risk losing our only supplies. Go now!"
The twins took off, grabbing everyone except Axel to help. Astrid and Snotlout only had to look at the rapids ahead before they dove down to the deck to accompany Hiccup at his task. Toothless, sensing the shift in everyone's demeanor, followed Hiccup closely.
They found the anchor hidden under an animal skin tarp. It was a rudimentary hunk of iron that looked centuries old, its two pointed ends looked sturdy though, and Hiccup nodded to himself.
"Okay, good, this is good."
Astrid and Snotlout knelt next to him, "What's the plan?"
"We're going to throw this at the wall."
Snotlout leaned over to Asrid, whispering loudly, "I think we knocked him around too much."
He waved a hand frantically to dismiss Snotlout,"No, no! Guys, it's a maelstrom! We secure the anchor on the rocks near the wall of the cave, and it'll keep us secure," he looked back at the old, rusted hunk of metal, "Hopefully."
He stood up, and motioned for them all to grab the anchor, they were passing the lip of the cave. When they passed, Hiccup, for once, found himself hating the fact that he was right.
The water swirled around the circular cavern, tearing it's way around and around before diving down into a terrible hole in the middle of the pool. The water's roar echoed like a thousand Green Deaths, its carnivorous mouth pulling the swirling water into it's depths, waiting for the chance to swallow them whole.
Hiccup felt Toothless curl his tail around one of his legs as he looked from the swirling water and back to the task at hand.
They didn't have to wait long for an opportune moment, jagged rocks littered the edge of the cavern as they were swiftly swept along. Heavy as the anchor was, they held fast and aimed at a cluster of rocks coming up on their side.
"Three, two, one, now!"
They threw the heavy piece of blacksmithery at the rocks, and it caught on the first try.
"Yes!" Hiccup was able to shout before they were all jerked harshly off their feet.
The ship lurched as the heavy chain remained secure. It didn't stop the ship immediately, the back of the boat swept out and turned them around as the rapids tried to keep carrying it.
The crew of vikings swiftly got to their feet, the wood underneath them groaned at the strain of being pulled in two different directions.
"Um, what do we do now?" Fishlegs said over the roar of the water.
Hiccup looked around the enclosed space, the only entrance or exit being the one they just came through. There were no other tunnles, no other indication of where they were supposed to head next.
He gaze shifted to Toothelss, expecting to find his dragon hunkered down, snarling and angry at their predicament. He was startled as his eyes caught onto the dragon, "Toothelss?"
The Night Fury had his forelimbs on the edge of the boat as he gazed deeply into the middle of the watery vortex. His earfins twitched spastically, not from his rider's call, but from something Hiccup didn't have the power to hear.
Hiccup made his way over to his dragon's side, a deep seeded worry starting to appear at the Night Fury's actions. He reached a hand out slowly to pat the scales on Toothless' side, "Bud? What's the matter?"
The dragon didn't seem to hear him, his slitted pupils staying on the vicious churn of water.
Before Hiccup could take any action to stop him, Toothless leaped off the side of the ship and dove into the water.
"Toothless!" Hiccup exclaimed, and made as if to dive in after his dragon. And he would've, if not for the pair of arms that encircled his midsection and hauled him back onto the boat.
Eirik stubbornly kept his hold on Hiccup when he struggled to get back to his dragon, "What are you doing?"
Astrid was quick to come to his side and help restrain her leader, "You can't just jump into a maelstrom, Hiccup!"
"Toothless jumped in! I don't know what he's thinking, he can't swim well!"
Her eyes widened, and she turned with him. They watched as Toothelss calmly rode the water down into the vortex, his red and black tailfins flapping as he dove down into the middle of the whirlpool. Within seconds he had disappeared into the dark waters.
"Glimmer!" Liva cried out with a gasp. Hiccup flinched as a flash of bright light zoomed past them. Glimmer's glow shone bright, and then disappeared in a flash as she dove in after the Night Fury.
Hiccup shook his head in disbelief, "Wha—I don't understand, what are they doing?"
"We have to follow them," Hiccup looked at Eirik like he had grown a second head.
Astrid voiced his thoughts for him, "Are you insane? Not only will our boat be shredded to pieced, but we'll drown!"
Eirik let go of Hiccup and pointed to the rooftop of the cave, "No, look. That spike of rock that's hanging from the ceiling. It's covered in carvings and symbols."
Hiccup followed Eirik's finger, and could just make out the carved sketches and words the curled around the stalactite. The rock ended in a sharp point directly above the middle of the swirling water.
Liva shouted above the roar of the water, "Are you crazy?!"
Ruffnutt crossed the boat to them, "We're supposed to go into a raging whirlpool? Because a rock is telling us to?"
Eirik looked down at Hiccup, "Your dragon sensed something down there. Whatever it is, it called him there, Glimmer too. That's the way we need to go."
The little voice in Hiccup's conscious shouted NO. Going into a maelstrom was not something his sense of self-preservation wanted to do. All vikings knew that to be caught in one was a guaranteed death by drowning. His instincts practically screamed at him to go the other direction.
But Toothless.
Hiccup looked at he water, his mind in as much torment as the water. Toothless wouldn't just jump into a raging pool of water like that, not unless the dragon had a death wish. Eirik was right, something was down there. And he wasn't about to leave his best friend there to face it alone.
He turned, pulling his arm out of Astrid's grasp, and went to the secured anchor, "Help me get this thing back on the boat!"
Eirik dashed over as quick as his limp let him and grabbed the chain to help. The others stood their ground, looking less willing.
Astrid planted her feet wide against the ground, "Hiccup! This plan is crazy! You do realize that, right?"
"And this is new to you in, exactly, what way?"
Axel took her side, "We are going to drown!"
Eirik looked up from tugging on the chain, "Does it look like there's another way out? There are no other tunnels, no where else to go!"
"Hiccup!"
Hiccup looked up from the chain, "Everybody tie themselves down! Make it as tight as possible, we don't want to get separated!"
Nobody moved for a moment, looking warily at the maelstrom.
Hiccup's voice grew loud and stern, a chief's tone that held no room for arguments, "Do as I say, NOW!"
Everyone scrambled at his command, running to grabbed rope and tie themselves to the vertical beams of the ship's frame that curled up along the sides to the railing.
Hiccup grabbed the anchor chain next to Eirik, "We can't pull it through rock, we're going to have to flip it up and off somehow."
Eirik nodded, "Right."
It took longer than Hiccup wanted to, his mind worrying endlessly about Toothless the entire time, for the anchor to become untangled from the cluster of rocks. By the time they were loose and the anchor was secure, the ship was quickly headed towards the center of the deadly churn of water.
There was no time to tie himself to the boat like the others. Astrid held her hand out for him. He dropped to the floor of the boat beside her, and her arms constricted his chest as she held him tightly to her.
Hiccup clung onto Astrid and the side of the boat as the vessel twirled, faster and faster and faster. The cave swung above them, growing upward as the water pulled them down. The back of the boat hit the vortex. A rush of cold water raced up, grabbing the front of the boat, the mast, the sides with icy hands.
Hiccup sucked in a deep breath as they were pulled into its depths.
Winner of last chapter's question was jeane grimbeek!
The idea for this fic was actually born from me watching Pirates of the Caribbean on Stranger Tides.
So, I'm curious, what do you think is going to happen? What do you think this is all leading up to?
Feel free to fave, or put on your alert list, or review with your thoughts on how it's going so far :) Let's hope my writer's block stays faaaaaar away like it did with this chapter!
Hope you enjoyed it!
~Oliver