Chapter Two: A Thousand Truths, One Lie

The fire crackled loudly as Jessika dumped another arm load of wood into it. Turning, she watched Ukiah continue to feed the baby Sand Wraith pieces of fish, with Lasher laying close by. The little spike had proven to have lots of energy since he hatched, having already scratched and gnawed through everything given it, including its food. But the curious thing was how Ukiah handled himself around it. It was as if he had known the beast his entire life. Shaking her head with a curious smile, she then looked over where Ukiah laid himself. Resting against a large rock, he looked as if he pulled himself out of a fight. His face was pale, and his entire body was covered in scrapes and cuts; not to mention having a whole layer of mud caked on him. His leg had the worse injury from his trial, having had a stick stabbed in it, which she was able to easily remove.

"Easy, Arrow…" He whispered, weakly playing tug of war with the baby dragon.

Arrow refused to listen, screeching a high pitch roar. Tugging on the fish, he finally pulled it out of Ukiah's grasp and tumbled end over end with his prize.

Chuckling, Jessika took a seat on some nearby stairs. "I'm still amazed, Ukiah. The trial was supposed to last a whole day. You did it with fifteen to eighteen hours. No warrior has done that. You really are going to become the most feared Crevite that ever lived!"

"It sure felt longer than that…" He whispered, closing his eyes and leaning back. "I've never experienced that kind of…frustration and agony before. At least physically. What was that stuff?"

"I'm…unsure. It's a mixture that I can only make by following the directions specifically. All I know, it's been part of our tradition and trial for as long as we recorded our history. I do know that it's supposed to test one's ability to focus and hone in on our ability."

Ukiah nodded, being mixed with understanding and simply because his body still felt like it was on fire. Though his vision was getting better, he was sure it was due to the rest he had since he returned. Thankfully, the voices had vanished, leaving him alone and in peace.

Lasher then growled, seeing Arrow waddle towards him. Sniffing the baby Sand Wraith, he simply nudged him with his head and pushed him over.

Arrow shrieked in anger, to which he instantly rolled over and growled back at him.

Lasher simply smirked at the brown dragon, not feeling threatened at all.

Even more angry, Arrow leaped right at the Triple Stryke, teeth bared out. Latching himself onto one of the bigger dragon's tails, he tried to wrestle with it.

Almost scoffing, Lasher raised the tail up and over his head, dangling the Sand Wraith in front of him.

Arrow refused to let go, still trying to tear the tail off.

"Heh, he's got quite the spirit." Jessika commented, smiling at the sight. "Where did you find him?"

Frowning, Ukiah rested his hand on his head, trying to quell the headache. "I…I don't know how. I was near the end of the trial, and…and I saw Arrow."

Jessika froze, turning towards him with a look that seemed to be locked on him.

"I saw him…I swear I did…" He whispered with confusion in his voice. "It was as if…he was guiding me out. At the end of the canyon, I saw this sand pile and ended up finding this guy…" Grabbing Arrow from off of Lasher's tail, he rested him in his lap and began to stroke the tiny spikes. The raging dragon instantly began to calm down, trying to bury himself in Ukiah's lap. "It was as if Arrow was allowed to come back to me. It was his way of telling me how to get him back."

Jessika just stared at him with a raised eyebrow, almost looking concerned.

"I can't…I can't believe it to be honest. It was as if the gods themselves were helping me."

"Did you…see anything else? Did you have any other visions?"

Frowning, Ukiah reluctantly nodded. "I don't think they were visions. I think they were hallucinations. But I did see something else. At the end of the canyon, it was forked. I'm sure it led out of the same way; but towards the right, I saw a…person. Or something. He was beckoning for me to go to the right."

Jessika continued to stare at him, hanging onto every word he was saying.

"But…Arrow went left. I thought I saw my friends for a second too. The ones that saved my life. I…I followed them. I went after Arrow."

"…No…" Jessika groaned, interrupting his story. "Ukiah…that was part of the trial! You were being tested to see if you would do what is needed to be done!"

Confused, Ukiah glared back at her. "What do you mean? I still passed through. I still succeeded! According to you, it was also the fastest time anyone's done it!"

"But your will wasn't aligned with our ancestors! You're still following your own ambitions!"

"I thought I made that pretty clear!" He roared, scaring Arrow. Watching him leap off his lap, he groaned in agony as the effects of the poison began to return. "I said I would bring back our tribe my way. I'm going to change how and why we did things…Urghh..."

Biting her lip, Jessika let out a silent curse. "Ukiah…you're making great progress in your training and trials. But given what I just learned, you'll never pass the initiation test. You'll never be able to lead the Crevites."

"All two of us?" He growled sarcastically, clenching his eyes shut in pain. "Jessika, I know how much our ancestors play a role in our lives; but how in all that's in Helheim, am I to lead a tribe, let alone an army, when I don't even have a small group of followers?"

"It's not our place to question how, we only know to trust that it'll happen. What we have to do ourselves, is ensure that we can do what is required when the moment arrives!"

"When what moment arrives?!" He gasped out, finally trying to stand up. Struggling to roll to his feet, he growled "That's what I don't get! I only saw what I'll eventually do! I have no idea why! I have no idea how! In fact, I've only felt confusion and anger since I began training to become chief."

"You told me you felt calm about your decision?" She fired back, watching him struggle to stand up straight.

"When I made the choice, yes! I did!" Closing his eyes in pain, he stumbled slightly as he got his feet under him. "But since I've been…training. Since I've been preparing for the initiation test, I've felt torn. I felt like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to do…"

Jessika stared at him with a furious expression. Shaking her head, she growled "We'll talk about this in the morning. Until then, rest yourself. The effects of the poison should pass through by tomorrow."

"…Fine…" He whispered, feeling light headed and dizzy. Trying to walk back to his family's home, he felt something walk next to him.

Lasher growled as he placed himself alongside Ukiah, making himself a guide for his rider.

"Thanks, friend…" He whispered, walking with his dragon. Unable to really focus, he then felt something dart between his legs. With his narrow vision, he caught a glimpse of Arrow dashing in between his feet, as if playing with him. Letting a soft smile grow, he continued to watch the tiny Sand Wraith bounce this way and that, avoiding his feet. "Thank you too, Arrow…"

Ukiah let out a long groan, finally waking up from what felt like an eternity. His stomach no longer hurt, or at least didn't feel like it was getting ripped out. His body still felt a little weak, but knew that the fever, or whatever was causing him to feel like he was on fire, had dissipated as well.

"Ugh, well that's a good sign at least." He huffed, slowly rolling out of his bed and sitting on the edge of it. Still feeling a little sick, he simply waited for his body to finish waking up. Looking around his parent's old room, he frowned as he cast his mind back to what he saw during his trial. He was still unsure if he was just hallucinating, or if he had actually seen his ancestors. Or tribe. He didn't know.

One thing he did know though, was that Arrow had guided him to find a Sand Wraith egg. Closing his eyes to relish in the fact that he was blessed with such fortune, he slowly stood up from his seat and walked into the main dining room of his carved out house. The stone slab walls were less and less comforting everyday he spent in them; even with his attempts to tidy the place up and make it feel like a home. Why? He felt a peace when he first arrived here…why was he not feeling it now? Especially as he progressed to become Chief of the Crevites. Then the thought of what Jessika told him yesterday. Did he really fail his trial? All because he chose to follow after Arrow?

His thoughts were interrupted as a soft growl sounded under him. Looking down, he smiled as he saw Arrow looking up at him. Sat on his haunches, his wide eyes stared at him with an excitement that almost radiated the same personality of the old Arrow that was taken from him. Reaching down, he let the baby climb on his arm and up to his shoulder, hanging on as he arrived.

"Better not get used to it." He whispered. "Don't know how long you'll be able to do that."

Lasher then growled, walking through the doorway of his humble home. Walking up to Ukiah, he then sniffed Arrow as if checking up on him.

"Have you been watching him?" Ukiah asked, reaching up and stroking the Triple Stryke's head. "You're probably better at it than I am. At least while I'm still under the effects of this poison."

Lasher growled, standing up as high as he could in the cramped space. At that, he went to lay down in a corner he designated for himself.

Sighing, Ukiah then grabbed his mom's sword and awkwardly slung it over his back, being tricky with Arrow on his shoulder and using one arm. Satisfied that it was secure, he naturally checked for his dagger he kept on his hip, knowing that it was a constant in his life and always made sure he had it on him.

Arrow, still full of energy, awkwardly climbed along Ukiah's back, hanging onto his other shoulder. Using the stub of what was left of his arm as a way to keep himself balanced, he growled happily and rubbed against his cheek.

Smiling at the friendly dragon, Ukiah then walked out, leaving Lasher behind. Seeing Jessika outside of her home, tending to a small fire and cooking something in a pot, he frowned as he resumed thinking of the trial. If he failed, what did that mean? He didn't feel like he failed; in fact, it was the most peace he had when he started to train himself. Then a thought hit him. Was his purpose even to become Chief of the Crevites? Or was it something...more? What if it was to become someone to protect those he cared about? With a resolved mind, and recovering body, he walked up to her with Arrow still clinging to his shoulder.

"Good morning, Ukiah. Feeling better?" She asked, not taking her eye off the contents in the pot.

"A lot better. I feel like I can function and think now."

"Hence why that trial weeds out any of those that aren't strong enough. As hard as you felt it was, you were able to not only power through the weakness and pain; you were able to keep your mind clear."

"I don't know about it being clear… but yeah; I was able to see something." He whispered, taking a seat on a large rock. "Speaking of my trial, I've been thinking about it."

"About the choice you made?"

"Kind of. More so how I felt when I made it." He answered. "You told me to trust my feelings when I first came here. Which is why I made the decision to stay."

"Of course." She agreed, finally looking up from the pot. Taking a seat across from him, she began to draw some designs in the dirt with her staff. "It's how our leaders made decisions. It's how we know we're in line with our ancestors will. It was how we decided as a tribe to stay and die, rather than flee. We felt it was the right thing to do." Looking up at him, she let a comforting smile grow on her face. "A skill that you're getting increasingly better at."

"Yet, since I started to embrace your- our methods, I've felt nothing but confliction inside. During every single exercise, my mind was at peace, but my heart was wracked with…confusion. Even yesterday, you told me I failed, but it was the first time I felt peace. I felt like I made the right decision."

Jessika stared at him, waiting for him to finish.

"It's as if…I don't know, but it's like my decision to stay wasn't so much about me becoming the leader of the Crevites, but to become someone that can save or help those that helped me…" He whispered, grabbing Arrow from off his shoulder. Letting him sit in his lap, he continued to say. "I think that was the meaning with what I saw last night. Why I saw Arrow and my friends. This path I'm taking…it's to become someone so I don't lose another friend like Arrow was to me."

Jessika bit her lip, obviously not liking what she was hearing. "What of your family? What of your tribe? Are you to ignore them? Will you not seek vengeance?"

"I thought I satisfied vengeance." He replied quickly, looking up at her with narrowed eyes. "I killed Strogg. What I failed to do, was protect my friends. Maybe that's why I'm so torn up about being here. It's not the training; it's the fact that I left them fighting their war with Viggo and his brother."

"No! You're purpose! The purpose that the tribe saw in you! That your parents saw in you, was to hunt down those that killed us!"

Taken back by the sudden outburst, he could only stare at her. "Why? What will it bring? That path has made me feel nothing but turmoil inside. Aside from that, who would I get vengeance from? Strogg's dead, and Zekir only hurt me personally. He had nothing to do with our tribe's destruction!"

Jessika bit her lip again, this time standing up. "I'll tell you who is required to die…this was supposed to be your initiation test. You're required to kill the father of those you call brothers."

Ukiah gasped, staring at her in shock and horror. "S-Stoick?"

"The one that assisted Strogg in our destruction. Him and his posterity."

"No! I won't do it!" He shouted, springing to his feet. Arrow tumbled off his lap, crashing in the dirt.

"You made your choice! Now follow through!"

"That was before I knew what you were trying to do to me! I never received that answer!"

"You saw your future! You saw fire and death! Your own brothers were there! Riding lightning and death! What do you think it's supposed to mean?!" She growled, slowly advancing on him.

"Only a hundred different things!" He shouted, backing up from her. "It could a future battle with the Hunters, it could be them helping me defend here! I don't know, and neither do you!" Drawing his dagger, he held it up with his signature stance; like a snake ready to strike.

"What else could it mean?" Jessika growled, stopping in her tracks. "Look around you, Ukiah. Look at your home! The blood of your parents was spilled here! There's nothing but death and sorrow-"

"Which we spread ourselves!" He cried out. "Think of how many tribes we destroyed! Think of how many families my parents tore apart! We're no better than those that destroyed us!"

"It's our way of life! We were the strongest!"

"We're gone! We were destroyed!" He argued. "You may be a seer meant to guide me, but I've learned a few things myself! The hardest lesson I ever learned, is that no matter how strong, how powerful you might be; there is always someone stronger! There will always be someone stronger! No one stays at the top for long!" Lowering his dagger slightly, he whispered "Jessika…our people are destroyed. Even if I became chief, I'll never be able to bring back what they were. Vengeance won't bring them back…no matter how many people I killed."

"Your parents loved you! Are you going to trample on them and their wishes?!"

"My parents were murderers. Like our tribe was! I told you I wasn't going to let that happen again when I chose to stay here! I'm doing it my way!"

"Aggghh!" She screamed, looking up at the sky in angst and fury. "Why won't you accept your fate?!"

Ukiah's eyes narrowed, recalling the couple times Strogg told him to accept his fate. A cold, dark feeling began to rush over him, making him silently rejoice in it. He wouldn't have this feeling if he was making the wrong choice. "Because it isn't my fate. My fate, isn't bringing back a murderous tribe. I refuse to believe that. I'll end my own life before I fulfill that role…"

"I know your fate!" Jessika roared, not letting go of the anger that seemed to boil out of nowhere. "You'll lead an army to victory! You'll be made ruler over a people! You saw it yourself!"

"If so…it won't be this people…" He whispered coldly.

At that, Lasher had run out of the carved out room, wondering what was going on. Seeing Ukiah and Jessika standoff with each other, he roared as he ran to his rider. Spreading his three tails, he stood by, ready to defend him.

"Brat! You only had to accept your fate! That was all you had to do!" Jessika roared, backing up slightly from Lasher.

"That's the thing, Jessika…" He whispered, sheathing the dagger. Grabbing his crossbow off Lasher's saddle, he double checked to see if it was loaded. "What you wanted to turn me into, is not my fate. It's the fate you were creating for myself. And if I am wrong, then I'll die happier knowing that I wasn't tool. Used by you or my ancestors. I decided my own fate."

Jessika instantly calmed down, seeing the resolution in his eyes. Gripping her staff with a death grip, she then growled "Then I'll have to be a little more creative in turning you into the killer this tribe needs…" Almost instantly, she snatched a pouch from her belt and hurled it at Lasher.

The pouch then smashed into the Triple Stryke's face, letting a white powder explode all over him.

Ukiah leaped backwards, getting away from the powder still lingering in the air. "Lasher!" He cried out, seeing his dragon stumble around.

Groaning, Lasher then collapsed, falling forward.

"No!" He shouted, watching Jessika leap at him with her staff raised. "What did you do?!"

"He's alive, but only because I need you to ride on him after I'm through with you!" She yelled, striking at him. "I'll make you end Stoick! Him and his sons!"

"You know I'll never do that!" He roared, swinging his crossbow and deflecting the strike.

"I don't need your mind, just your body." She hissed, glaring at him with a crazed and hated expression. "I'm the tribe's last seer, remember? I know ways to make you forget even your most treasured memory!"

Realizing what was at stake, Ukiah let loose his cold fury. "I'm sorry…" He whispered, planting his foot down and launching himself into her. Lowering his shoulder, he caught her in the side and spun her around with the force of the hit.

"Agh!" She cried out, falling over onto her side.

Ukiah used his inertia to roll on the ground, springing himself onto his feet. "Give it up, Jessika! You can't beat me!"

"Urgh!" She grunted, rolling over and looking at him. "I don't need to beat you…I just need you to hold still for a little bit."

Ukiah frowned at the threat, watching her stumble to her feet. "I don't want to kill you Jessika…"

Not saying anything, she charged him with her staff. Swinging it low, she tried to bash his ribs.

Though he still felt weaker from the poison, he was strong enough to react and function as if he were healthy. Swinging the crossbow down, he was easily able to block the strike. Not stopping, he then swung it the other way, using the metal arm as a hook to catch her by the throat with it. Using his weight to keep the inertia, he spun around and flung her away, nearly crashing her into the fire.

"Oooph!" She cried out, rolling into a large rock. Rubbing her head, she looked up and glared at him with black, colorless eyes. Her face visibly darkened, showing that she had indeed the Gift of the Crevites too. Springing to her feet, she twirled her staff and slowly advanced towards him. "You could have become so much more! You had so much potential!"

"Not my potential. I was a puppet; a tool!" He barked as he backed away from the staff's spinning ends. "If that's what my future was going to be, then I'd rather die!"

"Something I might help you with!" She roared, suddenly thrusting the staff right at his chest.

"Gah!" He shouted, feeling as if it was a ballista that had hit him. Crashing on the ground, he back somersaulted with his momentum, forcing him to let go of his crossbow in the process. Seeing her advance on him with her staff spinning over her head, he drew his dagger and hurled it right at her.

Ping!

She swung her staff low, keeping it spinning and hitting the dagger out of the air. "Forget it, Ukiah! I might not have been raised as a warrior, but you haven't lived a life of one either! I will succeed in turning you!"

Letting the cold, dark feeling grow inside him, he slowly reached for his sword. Drawing it, he glared at her with black eyes himself. "You'll only succeed in delaying your undoing. Even if you turn me against those I call family, they'll stop me before I could hurt them…"

"Hah! Not after I'm through with you!" She hissed, stopping the spinning and getting into a defensive stance. "You will be the most feared Crevite that ever lived!"

"No…you don't get it. The Berkians are stronger than we ever were." He whispered. "They actually value life. And have won dozens of battles, all to protect a life. It's a strength; something that empowers them."

"It's an illusion! Our power is real! You can feel it course through your veins, can't you? Only those that can dictate who lives are the ones that deserve to live and rule!"

"Then I'll show you their strength!" He roared, leaping onto a large boulder. Using the height as a boost, he lunged straight at her, with his sword raised over his head.

Jessika raised her staff up, ready to block the strike and counter him with her own attack.

Fueled with a determination to prove her wrong, and letting his cold anger add to his fury, he brought the sword down with all his strength. Then he felt it. He felt his sword shatter the staff.

"No!" She shouted, feeling it get sliced in half. Stumbling back, she gaped at the two pieces in her hands.

Ukiah never stopped. Landing, he then surged forwards, swinging the blade in an upwards slash.

Forced to back off, she lunged backwards, swinging one end of her broken staff to deflect the strike.

"Yaagghh!" He roared, keeping the frenzy of slashes up. Up and down, left and right, he swung his sword with a fierceness of a small hurricane. Pushing Jessika back, he let out a cry of anger as he lifted his foot and planted it right in her chest.

"Ragh!" She cried out, falling backwards. In a last ditch attempt to stop the onslaught, she hurled one of her staff pieces at him as she fell.

Seeing it coming, he used his blade to knock it away from him, but had to stop in his tracks.

Gasping for breath, Jessika slowly rolled to her feet, gaping at Ukiah in shock. She swore she saw a dragon behind him. Large, brown, and covered in spikes. Blinking, she was shocked to see the dragon was gone, leaving only Ukiah there.

Sheathing his sword, he knelt down and picked up his crossbow. "Don't make me kill you." He whispered coldly, making her tremble in shock. He sounded just like his dad! Toeken!

"If my entire purpose in life is to bring back our tribe, then I guess I'll live the rest of my life as a disappointment." He growled, keeping the crossbow in a position to be fired.

Shaking her head angrily, she snatched another pouch from her belt, holding it in a position to throw it. "Fool…you think I'm going to let my life's dreams go that easily?"

Ukiah braced himself, knowing that he had to dodge the pouch she'd throw at him. Then to his horror, watched Arrow leap at her from behind a rock he was hiding behind.

"Gah! Pest!" She roared, feeling him latch onto her arm and forcing her to drop the pouch. Swinging her arm, she bashed him against a nearby rock, forcing to let go of her. Raising her foot over the stunned Sand Wraith, she growled "This is for ruining Ukiah for me!"

"No!" He shouted, aiming the crossbow with one arm. Time slowed as the cold feeling inside him seemed to take over, letting him aim the crossbow steadily with his one arm. Pulling the trigger, he sent the bolt flying, right into leg as it was coming down.

"Agghh!" She screamed, feeling the bolt spin her around. Crashing on the rocky ground, she let go of her broken staff and gripped her leg where the bolt had entered.

"You won't hurt him again…" Ukiah growled, dropping his crossbow and drawing the sword a second time. Standing over her, he put the tip of the sword on her chest, keeping her from moving. "What you did was almost unforgivable…"

"Damn you! Damn you and your so called friends!" She screamed almost with hysteria. "You'll learn that they never cared about you! Not once! Nor will they ever! It's a weakness that would make our tribe banish you if they were still here!"

"That's oddly comforting." He whispered coldly, seeing Arrow scramble behind him, obviously scared from being hit so hard. "But you forget that I'm being guided by my ancestors right now. I know I'm doing the right thing. Which leads me to reason that you were lying about something. I never felt comforted when I was under your instruction. I never felt the peace that I get when I know my hand is being guided. So where did your lies begin? Where I was to be chief? Or when I was to take vengeance on Stoick?"

"When I was instructed to leave you!" She barked, her eyes becoming bloodshot. "You were never to be chief! You were never supposed to come back! I was supposed to take you to live a normal life!"

Ukiah's gut felt like it was wrenched.

"That was your parents wish! They didn't want revenge on Strogg! I did! That's why I left you! I never thought I'd see you again! But when I did, I knew I could turn you into what I wanted you to become!"

"…you…used me?! Used my parents against me?!" He growled his voice growing cold and his feelings getting numb. "All this time…I've been living a curse…made up by you?! You didn't think once of how I was haunted by our…history?! All that you told me…was a lie?!"

"No, not everything…" She grunted in pain, unable to move away from the sword tip.

"Does it matter?!" He roared, pushing the tip into her chest. "Don't you get it?! I'll never be able to know for certain with everything we talked about! My tribe, my home, my parents even! I don't know what's true!"

"Then you'll suffer that the rest of your life!" She hissed with an unforgiving tone. "End me! Do it!"

Ukiah's veins bulged in his neck, fighting everything to actually push the blade through her. Then the thought hit him. "No…" He whispered, slowly backing the blade tip off of her. "You'll live…knowing you couldn't exact revenge. The revenge you wanted at least."

Jessika's eyes glared at him with a fire in them; creating a hate that even he felt.

"When you wake up…you'll know that there's nothing left to live for…and you'll try to find comfort, but you won't find it." He continued to whisper.

"Why?!"

"In the words of the one that took my arm…there are worse things than death." He quoted.

Before she could argue anything else, Ukiah dropped his knee into her chest, making her gasp out for air. In one smooth motion, he swung the handle of his sword into her head, sending her into a dark world.

Standing up, he stared down at her with a hate that he hadn't felt in a long time. She ruined any chances he had to understand his heritage. But…she also provided a way for him to escape it too. His fate was never to bring back the Crevites, and so there was hope that he'd still be in charge of his own fate. Then the thought about the vision he had of himself leading an army. What was that supposed be about?

Shaking his head, he stared at Jessika's unconscious body. "Goodbye, Jessika. I hope you're tormented with the pain of what could have been, as you have done to me. Living in uncertainty." At that, he kneeled down and let Arrow climb on him. Standing up straight, he went to wake up Lasher, wanting to leave his home as soon as possible; leaving behind his nightmare that haunted him his entire life. He finally did it. He was leaving his heritage behind.

Well, there you go! Chapter two! Hope you're liking it so far! Again, I'm trying to hammer through this without making seem like a rush job, so warn me if it sounds like it is!