Hiccup drifted down through the cold waters of Berk. His eyes stayed closed as small air bubbles floated out from his lips, slowly emptying out his lungs. The Dragonstone remained in his hand, the weight of it causing it to cling to his rough fingers. Toothless drifted close-by. The dragon's eyes also lay closed, drifting off into the deep darkness of an eternal sleep.
The two friends floated in the water, seemingly frozen in time. Hiccup wasn't dead, he could feel the cold of the water nipping on his skin. He could feel the air slowly slipping out of his lungs, but he couldn't move. Or rather, he didn't want to move. He was quite content with just letting the air go. Or was he? He couldn't really tell. But it slipped out anyway. Toothless slowly spun around like a top as he descended through the water, but Hiccup didn't look. He just let the air slip. The Dragonstone remained in his hand.
Riding wings of black.
Startled, Hiccup quickly opened his eyes. He looked around, but saw nothing but Toothless, whose black scales were beginning to blend with the darkness of the ocean. A deep, black darkness. Hiccup felt the endlessness beckoning him, and he closed his eyes again. The Dragonstone remained in his hand.
The heir of Julius
Hiccup opened his eyes again, this time slowly. But again, he saw nothing but the black Night Fury. Confused, but not determined, he returned to his slumber. The Dragonstone remained in his hand.
shall unite his people
Deciding not to open his eyes this time, Hiccup's thoughts went to the hundreds of Vikings fighting together on the surface, as one clan. But he advanced towards the endlessness still. The Dragonstone remained in his hand.
and with the power of the Dragonstone,
Eyes closed, Hiccup subconsciously rolled the stone around in his hand, feeling its strangely increasing warmth. His fingers tightened around it.
conquer the greatest of his enemies.
A sickening laugh echoed in Hiccup's ears. He thought of his Astrid. What would happen to her? Would she end up in chains? A slave forced to clean for her master...or worse? He shuddered.
You're not done yet, Dragon rider.
The light was so powerful, Hiccup had no choice but to open his eyes to look at what was causing it. He was astounded by the sight in front of him. Hiccup was no longer in the ocean. Instead, his entire vision was back-dropped by a pure black. A glowing figure stood directly before him, its hand resting on his shoulder. It took a while for Hiccup's eyes to adjust to the intense light. When they did, he immediately recognized the man before him. "Uncle Remus?" He asked. The figure smiled and then moved so that Hiccup could see behind it. Several other figures stood there; Boris, Garrett, Eyjolf, and Alvin stood among them. But Hiccup was only focused on one. "Dad?"
"Hello, Hiccup." Tears came to the apparition's eyes. Hiccup didn't know that ghosts could cry, let alone, talk. He ran up to the large man and hugged him, thankfully he was solid.
"I miss you." Tears began to fall quickly down the Haddocks' eyes.
"I miss you too, son." The large man clung tightly to his boy, none of his strength having been lost in death.
"I'm so proud of you. You've truly become the chief I always knew you could be."
Hiccup sniffled. "I learned from the best."
"How...how are you here?" He asked. Remus answered for them all.
"We never left. The dead are never truly gone, Hiccup. We were always with you, in here." He rested his finger on he middle of Hiccup's chest.
An old man emerged from the remaining people, a cane in his hand. "Even if you didn't realize we were there."
"Gran...Grandfather?"
"I've been watching you, Hiccup." The ghost replied. "You and your mother, and I can honestly say, never has our bloodline produced a more perfect being. You truly are the best of two worlds."
Stoick's large hand rested on his son's shoulders. "Indeed."
Hiccup looked around at all the spirits that surrounded him. "Am...am I dead?" He asked, realizing how strange the situation was.
Stoick laughed. "No, not yet. It's one of the beauties of that little stone you have there."
Hiccup had completely forgotten about the Draonstone until then. Looking at it, he realized that the white serpent was glowing.
"So...what happens now?"
Remus placed his hand on Hiccup's other shoulder. "Now, you decide."
"Decide what?"
"Whether the prophecy is to come true or not. Chief Haddock, will you return to the realm of the living, and destroy your greatest foe, or will you remain with us, in the land of the dead, for the rest of eternity?"
Hiccup rolled the stone over in his hand. "Astrid, Mom, Gobber, everyone's still up there."
"Yes"
"And the rest of the world is no match for the Romans."
"Not even close."
"Romulus' dragon has the power of hundreds, and there's nothing powerful enough to destroy it."
"Are you sure?"
Hiccup stopped his hand cold. He raised the Dragonstone to eye-level and stared at it. His eyebrows furrowed, and he slipped the stone into a little pouch in his belt.
Remus smiled. "That's what I thought. But, before you go, you're going to need this." He snapped his fingers, enveloping Hiccup in a white light. The armor fit him perfectly, no adjustment needed.
"But this belongs to the heir of Rome." Hiccup protested.
Julius smiled. "Yes, it does."
"Hold it, there's one thing missing." Remus held out his hands and energy began to collect above them. Pieces of the recently shattered helmet began to re-collect in his palms, fixing the armor. He walked up to Hiccup with the fully repaired helmet. "This." Hiccup took the helmet.
Julius laughed. "Actually, two." The old man let out a loud whistle. Bounding through the ghosts came a black dragon cloaked in white and gold armor.
"No warrior should go out without his trusted companion."
Stoick patted Hiccup's shoulder. "Make us proud." Hiccup nodded and then placed the helmet on his head.
Romulus stopped in front of Astrid, and sighed. "It is a real shame, Astrid. I didn't want to kill you, but I have to set an example." He pointed his sword at her and then lifted it into the air. Astrid closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate. I will see you soon, Hiccup. Romulus prepared his swing downward, taking in a deep breath and focusing on his target. He yelled and swung his sword downward.
The ocean erupted.