Chapter 13: Understanding and a Hard Gift
"Hiccup, your final exam is tomorrow..."
That was all Javelin, Twilight, and Toothless heard before the call caught their attention.
"RETURN."
They had no choice but to comply to the voice.
Javelin managed to throw a mental shield around her sister, but they were already in the thick fog. "I'm here, Twi. Don't worry, I'm here," he comforted his sister.
He knew she had experienced the Alpha's call full-force without preperation. He had as well, for reasons currently unknown to him.
Ahead, Toothless almost drifted into an ox-laden Monstrous Nightmare. Javelin looked around to see a large flock of dragons in all directions. Gronckles, Nadders, Nightmares, and Zipplebacks were revealed. Bare the Night Furies, every one of them carried food in their claws or mouths.
Maintaining the shield, he delved into the Force. He felt the lives around him, an odor of fear mixed with a hint of anger becoming known.
Opening his eyes, a dormant volcano towered above him, standing proud on an ashy beach. Toothless and Twilight dove into a tunnel, Hiccup and Astrid screaming at the sudden drop. The tunnel quickly opened into a massive cavern, dropping from the open top to the lava-colored smoke below.
As they passed over the giant chasm, he felt it.
Her.
Evil, greed, corruption, he felt it in the massive beast below them. Javelin flexed his right hand in disgust.
The Furies landed on a perch hidden in the shadows, but close enough for Astrid and Hiccup to see events. "They're not eating any of it," she whispered.
An exhausted Gronckle hovered in, trying its best to maintain altitude. It deposited a very small fish, but it wasn't enough. A monstrous roar sounded and the dragon was consumed by a massive head.
"What is that?" Astrid breathed, scared by the hidden size of what had rested before them.
"A monster," Javelin half-growled. The embodiment of all that he hated and felt a duty to purge was right there. But there was no way he could take that thing on.
The nest turned into chaos when the Queen caught the humans' scent. The Furies got away, almost becoming a midnight snack. Javelin heard the draconic screams of an unfortunate Zippleback that got caught.
Those screams of pain and fear shook him to his core as they flew southeast to Berk. He had heard that only a week-and-a-half before. "Sis, you alright?"
"I'm fine," Twilight responded, but her voice betrayed her words. She was suffering the same thing as Javelin.
"Tooth?"
"It's good."
No. It definitely was not good.
They landed in the cove. Astrid was going on about the massive beast that was the source of the dragon raids. That thing lost her worthiness to be called a dragon.
"Let's go tell your dad," Astrid said. She turned to run off, but was stopped by Hiccup.
"No, we can't. Astrid, we have to think this through very carefully."
Javelin stared at the stars. "He's right, Astrid. If we tell this to Stoick, it will not end well for any of us."
"We just found the dragon's nest, the thing Vikings have searched for since we came here. And you want to keep it a secret? To protect your pet," Javelin glared at her, "dragon, are you serious?"
"Yes," Hiccup said sternly. Javelin called Twilight over to discuss something.
Astrid stayed silent for a moment, taking in what Hiccup had just said. "OK. What are you going to do?"
"I'll figure something out tomorrow. I'll tell you then."
They stayed silent for a few seconds. Then Astrid punched Hiccup in the arm. "That's for kidnapping me." The boy looked to Toothless for support, but the dragon snorted and went back to slaking his thirst. Then the shield-maiden grabbed the heir and kissed him on the cheek. "That's for everything else."
Javelin approached her. "I'll go with you to the edge of the forest, Miss Hofferson. You need answers." He gestured for her to go ahead and followed, leaving Hiccup and Toothless alone as Twilight flew off.
"What's your first question, Astrid?"
She thought on it for a bit before responding. "I guess why did you call him brother?"
He smiled. "Because we are. Blood-bonded a day ago. He needed someone to support and encourage him when Toothless wasn't around, and I am building my family back up. Twilight also became my blood-sister that day."
"You mentioned her before..."
"Yes. She's the one that picked you up."
She turned to look at the crimson soldier. "Wait. Your sister is a Night Fury?"
He nodded. "I was there when she hatched." Javelin took his helmet off to rub his eyes, the stunning memory playing in his head. "Oh, she was so beautiful... I've been with her for fifteen years today."
"How did you manage to live with a dragon for fifteen years?! Nobody can-"
He chuckled. "I didn't live with a single dragon, I lived with a family. Match, Spark, Splatter, Greln... Trena..." Another onslaught of memories. "We were family to the end."
"'To the end?'" What did Javelin mean by that?
A long breath was exhaled. "The day before we came here was one I'd never thought to see again. Berserkers came and raided our island, butchered everyone... Splatter fell first, then Match and Spark... Our parents were slaughtered before our helpless eyes." This time, he decided not to hold back the flood. Astrid saw his emotions: grief mixed with anger. "I swore to avenge them. Eventually, I'll fulfill that promise," He said, leaning against a tree, his head resting on his arm.
Astrid kept silent. Before, she would have been pleasured at the thought of killing a dragon. But after hearing Javelin's account, after finding out what had been done to him and his sister. She felt sick. "I'm sorry."
"Thank you." A pause. "If you want to see how we dragons comfort each other, Astrid, meet me in the Arena once I drop you off."
"Why can't you go through the village?" Then she slapped herself. "Right, forgot about your armor."
A few more minutes passed as the soldier answered the girl's questions. The ones about the Crimson Rider were a bit difficult, but he managed to get through the pain.
I regret starting that story. Maybe things would have been different...
When they neared the village, he reminded her to go to the Arena. She took her time.
He opened the doors to each cage. Everybody, including Hookfang, was aroused from their sleep and surrounded their friend. "I think you know why I am doing this," Javelin said solemnly. "Tonight may very well be our last time together as a complete family."
All the dragons sadly looked at Hookfang.
"But we aren't complete, not yet." "It's time, sis." "I'd like you to meet Twilight, my sister."
Astrid had just gotten to the ring when the form of a Night Fury entered. The night sky was still illuminated enough for her to see what was going on.
Javelin introduced his sister to the free captives. "Meet Sharpshot, Meatlug, Stormfly, Barf and Belch, and... Hookfang."
Twilight's eyes fell upon the Monstrous Nightmare. She gasped at Splatter's look-alike and moved to him. "My god. You look so much like him..." Her eyes began to well up as she saw a face she thought she would never see again. "Splatter..."
She embraced Hookfang as she let her tears fall. The larger dragon was a bit stunned at the move, but after seeing an expecting look from Crimson, he decided to return it. He comforted the Night Fury through her sobs.
The other dragons smiled. They all knew Nightmares were quite prideful towards the other species, so this was a rare and humbling experience. Meatlug moved closer to the two. "I know a bond between friends when I see one. Congrats, Hookfang."
Astrid watched without words. Then a thought appeared out of nowhere. Come down here, Astrid. The voice that spoke it was disturbingly male, but familiar...
No. It couldn't be.
She walked down and entered the arena, half-expecting the dragons to attack her. But they didn't. They just glanced at her, as if only accepting their presence.
Javelin turned around to face her. "Now you truly see, Astrid. Dragons are like us in so many ways. It's a shame that we are kept from seeing it."
Then pain shot from his left hand unexpectedly. "Aagh! What the-" He pulled off his glove to see crimson scales forming and lining yesterday's scar.
Astrid and Twilight, having heard Javelin's cry of pain, rushed towards him with worry. "Brother, what is it?"
"Are those... dragon scales?"
Javelin could only stare in shock as the crimson shot up his arm. The burn traveled upwards then moved across his body underneath the undersuit.
What is happening to me?!
(AN) - Hello, everyone. Hope you liked this chapter as well as that obvious revelation.
Yup, Javelin is transforming into a dragon... slowly.
Next chapter will be that fateful moment we HTTYD fans all know and love/hate. See you then.