Chapter Nine: A Sister's History
Hiccup raced down to Thor's Beach and hid himself in the cave where he'd taken shelter a few nights before. How could have he have been so stupid as to agree to do those stupid tests? Now he had no idea how close he was to becoming himself again...as far as he knew, this could be a major setback for him and it could take even longer for him to regain his humanity. And what had happened to him during the Firepower Test? He'd felt...so different. It had felt as if it was no longer himself controlling his actions.
"What's happening to me?" he muttered angrily. "I was doing so well...what's going on?" Something suddenly panged in his mind – a disjointed voice. Hiccup tried to block it out, not wanting to use telepathic communication after having already broken his decent streak but the voice forced its way into his still existing communication mindset.
"Hiccup? Is that you?" It was Wavewing. Hiccup retreated further into the cave, not wanting to be seen by anyone, much less his old guardian. "Hiccup, I told you to stay away from here! What's happened?" Hiccup couldn't help but reply to the voice that invited so much trust and confidence.
"I...I couldn't help it..." he gulped. "I had to come back."
"And look at the good it's done for you!" Wavewing sighed. "What's wrong, Little One?"
"I...I came here about two days ago. Odin answered a prayer and spoke to me. He told me there was a way to regain my humanity."
"The king of your gods spoke to you? He found a way?"
"Yeah. And...only Kyra can help me," Hiccup continued, still upset and angry beyond words with himself. Wavewing asked him to continue. "There are three tests I have to complete: Identity, Feelings and Heart." Hiccup quickly explained the concept of each task. "Except I'm worried...I slipped into dragon abilities earlier and...something happened..."
"Tell me, Hiccup."
"The others think I'm a new type of dragon so...they wanted to see what I could do. In the Firepower Test...I lost control. Something happened – it was as if it wasn't...me." There was no reply from Wavewing for a while.
"Have you made any improvement in regaining your old form?" he asked eventually.
"A little – the webbed hands and feet have gone," Hiccup figured, glad that had remained that way by some sheer miracle. "But why?"
"I overheard the other Weedsnakes and Coralflames talking about their plans to complete your dragon transformation," Wavewing explained. "I believe they mentioned that the curse the Darkwing placed on you may hinder any progress you make to regain your human form by attempting to force you back into your buried dragon instincts. I fear they will use this to their advantage."
"What do I do?" Hiccup asked fearfully, knowing full well that he will most likely never regain his human form if he was turned into a dragon entirely.
"Come out." It wasn't a gentle request – more of an order – but Hiccup was so desperate for help that he trusted his guardian completely and exited the caves. He saw the Weedsnake Elder in the shallows just off Thor's Beach. He couldn't sense any other dragons nearby which was a huge relief. Hiccup had never been so relieved to see Wavewing – the majestic indigo-blue head, the warm glow of the amber eyes...they were a welcome sight for the worried seventeen year old.
"What do I need to do?" Hiccup asked again. Wavewing had something in his mouth, which he let go and allowed the waves to wash it up onto the sand. Hiccup examined it – it was a dragon's scale necklace. The scale was the same colour as his pearly green ones so it wouldn't be seen and the chain was a delicate silver colour which was almost lost on Hiccup's pearly skin unless the light caught it in just the right place.
"That charm will prevent progress into one form being hindered by another," Wavewing explained as Hiccup slipped the charm around his neck. "I see you are intent on remaining here so I won't try to convince you otherwise. At any rate, I fear that the others will not stop searching the ocean until they find you. You may as well be safer here."
"Thanks," Hiccup smiled with relief. "Are you sure you'll be okay? We can protect you here – the other Weedsnakes..."
"...are nothing without an Elder and they know it," Wavewing finished. "Weedsnakes may be a species that will do anything to get what they want but they will not harm me unless they are certain they have someone to replace me and considering that I am the only one of us who can qualify as an Elder, they don't have much choice but to keep me alive. I shall be fine."
"Okay," Hiccup nodded. He heard his sister call from the top of the pass leading down to the beach. "I should go..."
"Yes," Wavewing understood. "Stay safe, Little One. If I find out anything else, you shall be the first to know. One more thing – do not tell anyone of this." He vanished before Hiccup could ask why. He remained on the beach for a while until Kyra called his name again.
"Hiccup!" she called.
"Yeah, I'm here, Kyra!" he called back. Kyra jogged down the pass and ran over to her brother, giving him the biggest hug she'd given him in a while. "Okay, okay, okay...try not to strangle me, please..."
"Hiccup...what happened?" Kyra asked in worry. "You...you weren't...you."
"I know that," Hiccup sighed, averting his gaze.
"You sure you're okay?" Kyra quizzed. "I'm so sorry...I should never have let them do that..."
"It's okay," Hiccup tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace. "I'll...be alright."
"Sure?" Kyra made certain. Hiccup nodded so Kyra led him back up to the village. He noticed that the other teens were keeping their distance but it didn't bother him too much – he would stay away from him for a while if he'd seen what he'd been capable of earlier. He noticed Astrid standing by the teens' favourite meeting point – her storm blue gaze met his emerald one for a split second before she turned away, most likely to give Stormfly a spin as the afternoon drew on. Toothless walked over and grumbled.
"How long until we'll be able to fly together again?" he moaned, almost like a child. Hiccup chuckled and scratched behind his friend's ears.
"Soon...I hope," he sighed. He glanced at Kyra who nodded before taking the one-tail-finned Night Fury into the autumn afternoon sky and Windwalker flew alongside them. Hiccup couldn't explain how much he wanted it to be him flying Toothless. Just the one time the night he'd returned wasn't enough.
He just wanted his life back.
/\
"The boy accepted it, then?" a Weedsnake hissed. "He is more desperate for help than I imagined."
"Indeed, and it is this desperation that has clouded his judgement – it has done so ever since he first woke up in our waters," a second Weedsnake noted. "We are lucky to be able to use his hope against him."
"It just goes to show the fragility of the human heart!" a third dragon cackled. "This is why we can no longer allow the girl...nor any human female...to call themselves our Goddess."
"Exactly – the girl may be the incarnation of Lohikäärme, but she is a human nonetheless," the second dragon agreed. "And should we permit her to continue to live, her heart will be her downfall. Such is the fate of any human."
"Including that of her brother!" the first Weedsnake sneered. "Such irony – that the fate that befell our gods should affect those pitiful Haddock siblings," it added, hissing 'Haddock' in disdain.
"Of course," the second Weedsnake snarled. "But we have to remember that the boy cannot be aware of himself and his actions. He must be completely at the mercy of his instincts, which will no doubt take over. Once the boy has fulfilled his duties, and we have no further need of him, I shall make sure that he will be returned to his senses long enough to see what he has done, just as his curse dictates. It shall be the last thing he'll ever remember."
An evil roar that sounded suspiciously like laughter filled the underwater chamber.
/\
"Ah!" Kyra snapped awake with a start. What was that dream she'd had? She was in a chamber underwater...there had been dragons she'd never seen before shrouded in shadows...they were talking about her and Hiccup – and his curse, she didn't quite catch what. They'd mentioned something about their gods – they had to mean the Goddess of Dragons (herself) and someone else...she didn't know who. Kyra decided to take a trip to the mainland that day to visit the library. She had to find out any information she could about the legends surrounding the Goddess of Dragons...it was something that even she didn't know much about. All she knew was that the Goddess was reincarnated as a human every hundred years although she never knew why. The sun was barely rising over the horizon and her father was still asleep so Kyra took the chance to wake Windwalker up and set off immediately. The trip to the mainland would take an hour at most at full speed and the same on the way back and she wanted to get as much studying done as possible.
Well, the Haddock siblings weren't exactly known for being typical Vikings, who weren't usually big readers.
Kyra arrived at the library on the Mainland shortly after sunrise. She asked the elderly librarian there if there was anything on the legends of the Goddess of Dragons – the old man pointed her towards a dusty tome titled Myths of the Unknown. She thanked him and began flicking through the pages until she landed on the chapter labelled Dragon Folklore – translated from Dragonese by Dragon Shifter Brynja the Wise. The chapter title made Kyra pause for a while – she'd heard a little about Brynja the Wise. She had been one of the first Bog Burglars and was the advisor to the Chief-tess. Kyra had no idea that she'd also be a Dragon Shifter – practically her ancestor.
"Well, I hope you can answer my questions, Brynja," she prayed, turning the pages to the one marked The Goddess of Dragons and beginning to read:
The legends surrounding the dragon's Goddess are barely known in the human world. Indeed, the origins of the Dragon Shifter is a tale known to very few. If you are reading this, I pray to the gods that you use this knowledge wisely as I have learnt to do so in my time as the dragons' human incarnation of their revered Goddess.
The Goddess of Dragons' name has been lost for centuries among humans although to the dragons it is still known and, I hope, shall be re-learnt by humans in the years to come. The dragons' world is headed by the deities, Lohikäärme – the Goddess of Dragons – and her brother, the God of Spirits, Ivor. The existence of the second god is a secret known to only the eldest dragons – the reason why I shall move onto in a moment. Both gods governed over the dragons' world in a realm separate to that of Asgard, where our own gods reside and watch over us in our everyday lives, although they were known to Odin and his brethren, welcomed to Asgard whenever they wished.
Lohikäärme was the ruling Goddess, watching over her dragons as a mother would watch over her children. She took care of her world with a just, kind and caring heart and her powers were unmatched by the Gods of Asgard – her magic was on a different par to theirs and none could match it, save her brother, Ivor whose wit rivalled even that of Loki, the God of Trickery and Lies. His power stretched not only to the spirit that rang through the different communities of dragons but also to the spirit of humanity and he acted as the link between worlds. Side by side, the two gods made sure that dragons and humans lived alongside each other in perfect harmony, neither bothering the other unless absolutely necessary.
Each god of the dragons' world had their own responsibility: Lohikäärme would govern the laws and watch over the lives of the dragons whilst Ivor would maintain the balance between the dragon species as well as between dragons and humans. If ever an upset was caused, both gods would intervene – Lohikäärme leading the charge with Ivor fighting diligently by her side. Were a dragon ever in trouble, they would only have to pray that the Goddess of Dragons and the God of Spirit took their side and they were sure to prevail.
Now, although Lohikäärme loved her brother dearly, Ivor grew impatient. After centuries of being his sister's second-in-command, he began to long for more power. He began to feel as if he – the link between the two worlds – should be revered as the ruling god of the dragons' world. He began to quarrel with his sister, who tried to negotiate calmly with him but her wise words wouldn't get through to the angered god. Enraged that his sister would not agree to his demands, Ivor banished himself from the heavens. Lohikäärme never saw her brother the way she knew him again.
The next time Ivor returned to his celestial home, he was no longer the brother Lohikäärme had ruled alongside for centuries. In his anger and blind hatred, he had transformed into a terrible beast – a dragon beyond the control of the Goddess. Lohikäärme once again attempted to reach through – to save her brother before his hatred overtook him – but it was too late. She had no choice but to do battle with the one she loved more than her own existence.
The war fought was long and bloody as dragons of all shapes and sizes chose the side of the god they believed would have the best chance of victory. Many dragons were slaughtered and many ancient species wiped from the face of the Earth, with several others including the Goddess' dragon of choice coming close to extinction. Eventually, the dragons realised that this war was not theirs to be fought and the final battle took place in an area of sea far to the north, surrounded by a fog so thick that only a dragon would be able to find their way through. Lohikäärme was the more powerful of the two gods and eventually overpowered her brother but, when the time came for her to strike the final blow, she could not bring herself to lower her hand. She knew that, no matter how much her brother had changed, she could never find it in her heart to destroy him. She spared Ivor's life.
Her choice proved fatal. As Lohikäärme turned away, giving Ivor a chance at life, he rent her in two. As the Goddess drew her last, the dragons that remained fell silent – it was a day that has never been forgotten in the dragons' history. It was then...and only then...that Ivor finally regained his senses. As he realised what he had done, his despair fell as a rain which broke the link between the human and dragon worlds. Since then, humans and dragons have been at odds with each other and the harmony in which they once lived vanished almost overnight.
In his grief, Ivor tried to undo his actions but all he was able to save of Lohikäärme was her lingering spirit – the essence of her power. He begged it to return but all that he was able to achieve was to create a cycle – one of which the spirit of Lohikäärme would be reborn to humankind once every century. This human would become known as the Dragon Shifter, a powerful being with the powers to harness the abilities of dragons, even transform into one themselves. Distraught that his sister had been reduced from her divine form to that of a mere human, anger took over Ivor anew and he was cursed to forever remain the mindless beast his hatred had turned him into.
It is believed that Lohikäärme will return if one of Ivor's followers is to slay her when he is not himself. The dragons speak of a time when a boy once held close to the Dragon Shifter's heart with no hatred at all towards her will forget all of his ties to her and be tricked into performing such an act. The day this happens, however, will mark the end of either the human or the dragon world as the Gods' War will restart, this time dragging the humans into the fray. Rumour has it that a species of dragons lost even to their own world works alongside Ivor to find the right Dragon Shifter...to find the right boy...and strike when the time is right, planning to bring their world to the very top.
However, when such a time will come...if it ever comes at all...is unclear. The cycle of the Dragon Shifter is not a smooth one. The ethos is that the Shifter is reborn once every century – whilst this is indeed true, the gap between Shifters will vary as each dies at a different time. But the one similarity between all Dragon Shifters is one common factor that binds their fates together in a web of blood: each and every Dragon Shifter – every human chosen to bare the spirit of the Goddess Lohikäärme – is cursed to die by the hand of a brother fuelled with rage - the only thing that stops the Gods' war from beginning anew is that these brothers know what they are doing and perform the act out of their own choice. When this happens is never certain but it has been the same since before the records of the Dragon Shifter began. It is believed in the dragon world that Ivor's curse – the one binding him to his monstrous form – will be broken when that fate is cheated...only when the Dragon Shifter does not die at the hands of a brother shall Ivor's lingering spirit finally be at rest.
I pray that such a time foretold by the dragons never comes – not in my lifetime, nor in any other. Should Lohikäärme ever be returned to her divine form in the way described above, there is no telling what will happen to the world. Only one world – the humans or the dragons – will emerge triumphant and the other will be lost forever. If you are reading this, and you are a Dragon Shifter yourself, I pray that you will be able to cheat the fate we have been cursed to...I pray that your brother will never feel the hate in his heart that will drive him to murder...I pray that your brother will never fall under the spell Ivor will no doubt cast upon him to use him as a puppet...I pray...
I pray that you can somehow stop this.
Kyra sat silent for what seemed like hours. Her breathing had deepened and increased and her pulse had started racing. She couldn't believe what she had read – the Goddess of Dragons had been called Lohikäärme and she'd had a brother called Ivor. They had quarrelled and it had ended in Lohikäärme destruction and the first Dragon Shifter being born. Ivor, in his despair and anger, however, had cursed each Dragon Shifter to share his sister's fate – to be slain by their brothers in a fit of anger. However, the time that the Dragon Shifter is killed by a brother who doesn't know what he is doing...a brother who is being used as a puppet...shall be the day Lohikäärme returns as a Goddess and the dreadful war between the two gods shall start anew, except this time it would end in the destruction of either the human or the dragon world...
Unless the curse was cheated.
"Hiccup..." Kyra gasped. Were the Weedsnakes he had been talking about the lost dragon species working alongside Ivor? If so, what beast form did he take? The Darkwing had spoken to her as if he knew her, calling her an imposter and to give 'her' back. Was it possible that...?
Kyra slammed the book shut and raced outside. She'd been in the library all day and it was growing late so she quickly mounted Windwalker and shot off towards Berk over the horizon. Her desire to help Hiccup had now increased. She had to make sure that he never fell under Ivor's curse...that he would never turn against her. She somehow knew that Hiccup was the perfect candidate for the catalyst to restart the war – he was closer to her than any friend, had never felt any true hatred towards her and had missed her more than anything when she'd gone missing for twelve years. She had to save him. She had to help return him to his human form before it was too late. If not for the sake of the two worlds, nor her own, than for his.
She would never let her brother be used in such a way.
AN: Yay, back story! In all honesty, I felt like the origins and the story of the Dragon Shifter weren't really explained terribly well in How to Speak Dragonese, despite it being one of the main plot points, so I guessed that now was as good a time as any to shed some light on Kyra's abilities.
We're well over a third of the way through this story now - thanks to everyone who's favourited and reviewed so far! Hope you enjoy the rest of How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse as it comes.