A/N-We're more than halfway through Book 3, and the most heated events are yet to come. Ready to keep tagging along?

Chapter 14

Unstable Ground

I transformed to Night Fury and set out over the island like I had told the others I would. Gliding down the shoreline, I spotted some of the men in the crew and Reepicheep heading back toward the beach with what appeared to be a couple baskets of food. I dove down and glided to a landing next to them.

"Find much?" I asked curiously. Reepicheep shook his head. "Not much grows on a sulfuric island like this," he said. "Since you're here though, you can help us load the boats up."

"I see you found some food!" a voice called from behind us. I turned to find Caspian and the Pevensies walking down the other "path" that had led away from the beach. "Not very much," Reep called back as they approached. "Did you happen to find anything?"

There was a penetrating silence as they tried to word their answer, before Peter cleared his throat. "We, uh, we found a second sword." I nodded, frowning slightly. "And what of the lord? Is he no more?" Peter slowly nodded. "You could say that," he said. "Certainly he was no longer alive." I sighed in response. "I had a feeling."

"By the way, has anyone seen Eustace recently?" Susan asked. There was a snort from Reepicheep. "Yes, I believe he's out not helping us load the boats," he snarked. Silence descended again, and Lucy began to fidget. "Edmund, I've got a bad feeling," she said quietly. He sighed in response. "I'll go look for him," he muttered begrudgingly, and turned to go again.

"I'll go with you," Caspian spoke up, before turning to me. "You didn't happen to see him at all while you were scouting the island, did you?" I nodded, not wanting to lie outright, and gestured toward the center of the island. "Off in that direction earlier. It was some time ago though." He nodded, and he and Edmund headed off. I returned to helping load the boats, and the rest of us shoved off.

As they rowed back toward the ship, I flew ahead and called out for Astrid and Hiccup, who along with the other riders I had seen return to the ship some time earlier. As I landed they came up from below deck. "We're going to have a very grumpy dragon on our hands soon," I informed them, "and I may need your help to keep him calmed down and under control. We'll probably need to keep the crew here level headed too, they're not going to like this." Hiccup raised an eyebrow in response. "What happened?" he asked quietly. "Take a guess," I replied.

Both of them nodded in response, recalling the incident a couple days before, before turning and whistling for their dragons. I turned and launched back into the air myself, coursing back toward the rowboats and accompanying them back to the ship.

"Caspian, down here!"

Edmund slid down the slope into the ravine, the piles of shining treasure catching his eye first before he noticed a smoking pile of something lying in the midst of it. Caspian slipped down behind him, clouds of dust rising up from both of their less-than-elegant landings. "Did he drop something?" Caspian asked. Edmund shook his head, bending down slowly and picking up something from the pile, a cloth of some sort. It was charred and still smoking, but undeniably familiar: the shirt Eustace had been wearing. Under it lay his pants, in the same condition, and in one of the pockets Edmund drew out a smoldering notebook, Eustace's journal. All of them looked like they had been torn from the boy, and left there haphazardly.

Neither of them said anything for a few minutes, only staring at the remains. Caspian broke the silence finally, uttering a quiet and solemn, "I'm so sorry." Edmund cleared his throat and spread his hands in a torn gesture. "He was just a boy," he choked. "I shouldn't have been so hard on him." He looked around at their surroundings. "He must have been tempted by the treasure, that much I'm sure of. But, what could have happened to him?"

Caspian slowly turned to look around as well. "In this place? Just about anything." He noticed something against the wall of the ravine. "And he wasn't the first, either. Look here," he said, pointing toward the skeleton Eustace had found earlier, and gesturing to the ring still around its finger. A telltale symbol, like that on the other lord's shield, was etched upon it.

"This was Lord Octesian. We need to find his-" he trailed off as he saw Edmund stoop down and pick up the dust-coated scabbard nearby, the sword still within. "-sword," he finished, as Edmund took another glance around.

"What if it was one of the dragons?" he asked. Caspian frowned and looked at him. "No, I doubt it. They've never acted rashly toward us, I don't think they'd do something like this." He looked up at the sky. "But the native species isn't quite so understanding. We should go."

As Lucy and Susan climbed aboard, Peter right behind them, I landed and quickly helped the others unload. Stormfly crawled up onto the deck, claiming she was there to give a helping paw. As she did so, she glanced at the people boarding the ship again.

"Shouldn't there be a couple more?" she queried. "A couple more what?" Lucy asked back, looking up from where she was setting down a half-empty barrel. "People," came the reply. Lucy shivered in response and looked out toward the island. "Eustace…made himself scarce, so Caspian and Edmund are looking for him." There was a pregnant pause before she added quietly, "They're taking a long time, though," with worry unmistakable in her eyes. I sighed, really trying to keep from saying anything too soon, and went over to help her lift up one of the barrels again in order to drag it down to the galley.

::HHEEELLPPPP!::

Everyone on board immediately jumped in surprise and faced the island, most of them hearing nothing but an echoing roar. Stormfly, however, looked straight at me with questions written across her face. I nodded, and her eyes widened in realization.

::A bit harsh on him, don't you think?!:: she quipped. I looked at the island just as a plume of flames erupted from somewhere behind a cliff face. ::Oh, no, he's getting exactly what he needs,:: I retorted.

"That's not the volcano, is it?" Lucy asked, running back out of the galley. Drinian, standing up at the helm, scrutinized the island, a dark expression coloring his face. "Oh no, that's no volcano," he muttered, before turning and yelling to the crew, "Archers, arm yourselves!"

As they rushed for the weapons room, I climbed up to the crow's nest, barely noticing the other dragons and Vikings finally appearing again on deck. "What's going on?" I heard Cami yell, though she already knew the answer. "Narnian dragon," Drinian replied, "and they're very territorial and aggressive creatures, not like yours."

RRROOOOAAARRRR! ::HEELLPP MEEE!::

Everyone faced the island again, and sure enough, arcing out across the small bay was a large, bronze-gold dragon, not a little bit shaky on his wings.

::Stormfly, if they ask, tell them it's Eustace!:: I yelled down at her, ::but do NOT tell them how he got that way, not yet!:: She nodded, and I jumped up, back-flipping and diving into the ocean, my body elongating into a Seashade dragon, before arcing under the ship to try and follow Eustace.

Eustace, meanwhile, rocketed over the water and up toward the ship, circling around it and trying to figure out how to land. ::Can anyone understand me at all?:: he cried. ::Please, I need help!:: His pleas went unheard by the crew below, scaring them as all they heard were roars and growls.

::We can!:: Stormfly roared back. Eustace screeched and backpedaled in shock at suddenly understanding the growling sounds he'd heard from the other dragons for so long. He glanced upward, and flew up to land clumsily on the mast.

"It'll break the mast!" I heard someone shout above, right before Drinian yelled out, "Archers, take aim! Fire!" The crossbows went up, and arrows began to fly toward Eustace.

::AAHHHH!:: he screamed, flapping upward and trying to avoid the arrows. I lifted myself back out of the water just in time to see Reepicheep rushing up the pole of the mast, his sword between his teeth. I tried to grab his attention, but he couldn't hear me over the yelling of the crew and the dragons.

::Stormfly, Hawken, help!:: Eustace screamed. ::It-it's Eustace!:: He carefully landed on the mast again, staring at the two of us. Stormfly's eyes widened in an act of shock, before she pretended to shake it off and looked at him sternly. ::Calm down and quit yelling!:: she growled back. ::They don't know it's you!:: She gestured with her tail down at the crew below them.

Too late, however. I spotted Reep grab a rope on the mast, and swing out toward Eustace, who also had the bad luck to slip at that moment when he tried dodging another arrow. I lifted myself up fully onto the ship and yelled out, "Reep, no!"

He didn't hear me. Taking his sword out of his mouth, he swung forward and slashed at Eustace's paws with his sword, yelling out, "Take that you vicious creature!"

::AAAHHH!:: Eustace roared again, this time slipping completely off the mast and releasing a burst of fire out of instinct. He fell and turned, just barely saving himself before he crashed into the water, and flying back toward the island. I glanced at the other dragons and riders, who were just taking to the air finally, and ordered, "Watch him, try to make sure he doesn't leave the island!" before turning upward and focusing on Reepicheep.

"What on earth do you think you were doing?!" I snapped. Reep blinked and gestured to Eustace, who had crossed the bay and was disappearing over the island, the other dragons just starting to follow. "That's not like the dragons you came with," he defended. "These are fierce, dangerous animals."

"He wouldn't have hurt anyone here!" Stormfly snapped, turning a deep blackish red in anger. "And how do you know that?" Reep shot back. "Because I can understand my own language!" Stormfly screeched. "And you were just fighting Eustace, did you know that?"

That sentence caught the attention of everyone on board, and Reepicheep froze, staring back toward the island with shock written on his face.

Eustace dipped down across the island, writing out a message in the only way he knew how, and as best as he could with his fire, which was the only tool he had at the moment and whose precision was a bit lacking. When he was done, making sure it was at least legible, he crested a short ridge and glided out across the center of the island. Coursing back toward the bay, he spotted Caspian and Edmund making their way back toward the beach.

::Edmu-:: he began, before cutting himself short as he recalled that his cousin couldn't understand him currently. Instead, he tried a different approach, diving down toward the two and gliding low across the ground. If I can grab one of them, he thought, I can show them the message, and maybe they'll know how to get all this fixed.

As he came up behind Caspian though, who was nearest, Caspian turned and spotted him, ducking out of the way. Eustace continued forward, dipping down even lower and coming up behind Edmund. "Edmund!" Caspian screamed, too late. Eustace landed briefly, grabbing the boy and lifting off before Caspian could reach them. Then he arced out toward the ship, Edmund struggling in his grasp.

As Eustace neared, he spotted the Mood Dragon Stormfly and Toothless still both on deck, and below a venomous looking oceanic dragon in the water who he assumed was Hawken. They'll see me and come to the island, he thought, and raised Edmund up in plain sight.

Lucy certainly saw him. "Edmund!" she screamed, scrambling to the railing. "Lucy, Help!" Edmund yelled back. Eustace turned back toward the island, passing over the hills and ravines, and crested the tall ridge that ran across the island center. Below, written across blackened rock and smoldering in fire, was the simple, clear message he'd written: I AM EUSTACE!

Eustace immediately felt Edmund deflate in his hands, er, paws. "You have got to be kidding me," he groaned. Eustace shook his head in reply. Edmund sighed and grabbed his head. "Oh, this is not going to be good. Eustace, we need to head back to the beach." Eustace nodded in agreement, but headed first toward where Caspian still was.

Edmund spotted his friend below and called out, "Caspian! Don't move!" Caspian turned and saw the two of them heading for him, and naturally, looked flabbergasted. "Are you crazy?!" "Just do it!" Caspian froze in indecision, but it was just long enough for Eustace to drop down and pick him up too.

Caspian struggled in the grip, but Edmund reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright!" he reassured. "We've got bigger problems right now." Caspian looked at him incredulously. "And what could possibly be worse than being dragged around in the claws of a dragon species known to be extremely aggressive?" he asked lowly. Edmund sighed and pointed at the dragon. "The fact that the dragon is my cousin, Eustace."

As Eustace turned back toward the island with Edmund in tow, Lucy went berserk, having been one of the few who hadn't heard Stormfly's shocking news. "Get in the boats! Get in the boats! We need to get back to the island!" she yelled, jumping into one of the vessels herself immediately. Everyone else followed, and I turned to Cami, one of the two Vikings still on the ship and not following Eustace. "Cami, you and Hiccup get to the beach, that's where the others will head once they catch Eustace. I'll meet you there in a moment." Cami nodded, whistling to Stormfly, who came down the mast so she could get on. They, Hiccup, and Toothless took off, and I slid back into the water fully, my back spines splitting the water's surface and I raced to the shore.

Once I reached the beach, crawling out of the water and drying myself off before turning back to human, the rest of the dragons had landed around me, and I could see Eustace coming in to land shortly. The boats weren't there yet, of course, so I turned to address the Vikings.

"Eustace is certainly going to freak when he figures out exactly what happened to him," I said quietly, "and more than likely at least his cousins and maybe the crew will as well. I'll need your help keeping them all under control until I can explain this whole thing."

"I really hope you knew what you were doing, putting this on him," Stormfly cautioned. I nodded. "And yet you and Cami are the ones who are usually all for things like this. Yes, it was unorthodox, but he wouldn't stop being a hazard to all of us if he didn't learn the truth in some personal way. We discussed this." Stormfly sighed and turned deep magenta in uncertainly and exasperation. "I still wonder sometimes why you got the gift, of all people," she muttered, ignoring my glare.

The boats arrived shortly, Eustace still circling in the air trying to figure out how to land and drop off the two people he was carrying safely, and Lucy and Peter were the first out of the vessels. "What are you all standing around here for?" Lucy yelled, gesturing to the circling dragon. "Do something!" I chuckled and held up a hand. "Lucy, calm down, they're in no danger, at least as long as they don't just get dropped." Lucy raised an eyebrow, and took in a breath in order to protest, before…

::Lucy!::

The roar turned every head. Eustace and finally begun to descend. Peter reacted by pulling out a sword, before I reached out a long tail and yanked it out of his hands, dropping it to the ground. He went for it, before a red-eyed glare from me stopped him. He was about to yell at me for being crazy, disarming him, when a shout from Edmund grabbed our attention.

"We're coming in for a landing, everyone out of the way!" he yelled. Wisely, we all stepped back, and as Eustace came down, he dropped Caspian and Edmund to the sand below and then clumsily tumbled down to the ground himself, sending up a shower of sand and small rocks.

::Oww! How do you creatures live with this?!:: he griped. Snorts of amusement arose from Toothless and Silverwings, and Eustace glared at the pair of them. ::Looks like you'll have to learn how to use your wings now, Eustace,:: Silverwings jeered. I smiled and stepped forward, grabbing the new dragon's attention. "There is a new kind of grace you have to learn to deal with when you're a reptile, my friend," I said. His response was to glare threateningly at me.

"Can someone please explain what's going on here?" Susan snapped, walking up behind Peter with a hand on her bow. Edmund, who had been working on standing up after his rough landing and was dusting himself off, stepped up next to Eustace and gestured to the metallic colored dragon. "Uh, Susan, Peter, Lucy? Meet our cousin, Eustace."

Silence reigned for a few moments, before Lucy rushed forward and grabbed Eustace's forearm, looking it over. "My God, Eustace, what happened to you?" she asked. "We found a set of scorched clothes in a ravine that was full of gold and gems," Caspian said. "He must have been tempted by the treasure, and something did this to him while he was in there." Lucy didn't reply, but she did gasp as she looked up Eustace's arm. On it, there was a small golden band, tightly clamped to the skin and beginning to crack the scales.

"That's weird," I muttered under my breath. There were a couple things that weren't adding up to me: when I had left Eustace's clothes had changed right along with him, and anything else he'd been wearing should have done the same. That way there wasn't risk of injury when he was morphed, and it wouldn't be…embarrassing when he changed back. Why would-I started thinking, before the answer hit me: more tampering by that spirit that I had felt nearby, who was still at large.

Lucy looked at Eustace and gestured to the band. He grimaced, and held his arm out to her. "So, I understand the temptation part," she said, gingerly grabbing hold of the band and yanking it none-too-gently off, earning a screech of pain from Eustace, "but that doesn't really explain why he's suddenly a reptile now. I would have expected some terribly injury, or maybe reluctance to leave this place altogether, from what I've seen with others being tampered with."

::Well, I could tell you if you people could actually hear me,:: Eustace growled. "You speak Dragonese now, Eustace," I said. "Only the dragons and I can understand that language." He gave me a deadpan glare, but couldn't ignore the fact that I was right.

"I'll translate for him, if that's alright," Stormfly offered. She glanced at me, and I nodded slightly, then she looked at Eustace. ::Uh, well,:: he fumbled, no doubt uncomfortable with having to rely on another dragon now, ::I went walking up that ridge over there into the island interior,:: he paused for Stormfly to translate, ::a-and I passed by the ravine full of the treasure It caught my eye, so I decided to take a closer look, when the ledge caved in.::

He continued on through his side of the story, up through the part about the demon preparing to kill him. Naturally, he left out some choice details, like the fact that the armband that had been clamped onto him was because he'd been greedy and taken it for himself.

::But, out of nowhere this…well, I don't know what it was, but what looked like black fire appeared from the wall and melted the thing, and these ropelike things slammed it to the ground, and something else began to, uh, speak from the cracks in the wall.:: Eustace paused again for Stormfly to translate, and I could see many of the Vikings and dragons looking directly at me, knowing exactly what he was describing. ::But, that wasn't the worst part. Whatever it was filled the ravine with black mist, darkening the sky and trapping me, and a horrid creature appeared, shrouded in shadows and with glowing red eyes.:: Again a pause as Stormfly relayed, and I watched as the Pevensies and the crew of the ship began to fidget and glance around, as if expecting the thing to pop into view nearby.

Eustace sat down finally as he continued, relaxing somewhat in the company of those he knew, but still looking understandably distraught. ::The…thing looked at me, directly, and then began speaking in something like riddles, a demented poem of sorts, and as it did so it held something in its claws that began glowing and flashing. It looked like lightning in a swirling storm cloud.:: He looked around at us, before glancing down at himself. ::It threw whatever the glowing thing was at me, and that was when I…I became….this!:: He flared his wings, hissing angrily and clearly furious about the whole situation.

Susan looked out across the bay toward the ship in thought. "So, we have two demons here now, and warring with each other it seems." "And we're caught in the middle of it," Caspian added. Lucy looked back up at Eustace, and asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Is there any way to change him back?" "Not that I know of," Caspian sighed in reply. We all looked at Eustace, who tensed up at the statement with anxiety. Edmund sighed. "Aunt Alberta will not be pleased," he muttered.

Eustace deflated completely, paw hitting the ground dejectedly. Reepicheep walked up behind Peter, climbing up on his shoulder. "Sorry about your hand, Eustace," he apologized, deciding there wasn't really a better time. "I…can be a bit overzealous at times." Eustace just gave him an empty look.

"Wait, wait, hold on a second," Lucy piped up, glancing at me now. Oh, here it comes, I thought, seeing her fit pieces together. "You have access to powers, like healing and this…transformation thing, right Hawken?" she asked. "Coriakin mentioned something about that too." I sighed. "Yeah, somewhat," was my reply.

Everyone's eyes in the crew began to light up with flickers of hope, and Eustace leaned forward in anticipation of what came next. "Well, then, you should be able to change him back, right?" Susan continued her sister's thoughts.

The Vikings held their breaths as they looked at me, waiting for an answer. They knew my real answer (or a least most of them did; none of us trusted Snotlout or the Twins with the info about the plan I'd made), and I gave them a slight nod to indicate they should get ready for the fireworks.

"No, I can't," I finally said. Everyone deflated again. "At least," I continued, "I can't yet." Peter looked at me with confusion. "Uh, why not? If you can later, why not now?" "Because the requirements needed for the transformation to be reversed have not been fulfilled."

"What?" was the unanimous, confused response. I snorted. "Of course, none of you were listening." I turned to Eustace. "The creature you saw, would you choose to try and call it evil?" His eyes blazed. ::Of course I would!:: he snapped. ::It did this to me without any cause I can think of, so-::

"You're wrong."

That shut everyone up. I turned. "The riddles Eustace mentioned were a set of requirements he needs to complete before he is deemed able to be returned to how he should be," I said. "There is only one demon, or demonic force, plaguing us. What Eustace encountered is most certainly a frightening apparition in just about any circumstance, but it's not evil. It is an inherently good creature."

"And how would you know that?" Peter interrupted. "Because he's been there when it's helped us out of a number of skirmishes," Hiccup replied, drawing eyes to himself while giving me a nod of understanding.

"So, you've seen this thing as well?" Caspian asked. The Vikings and dragons all nodded in reply. "Well, then, what is it?"

"A dragon," Camicazi replied simply. I nodded. "A Shadow Dragon, to be exact. They have the unique ability to convert themselves into a form of pure energy, and can travel through and control shadows, literally, when they are in that form. And," I paused, just to put everyone on edge again, "there's only one in existence. You could sort of say I know him well, too."

::This thing is your friend?!:: Eustace hissed incredulously, clearly getting angry again. I turned to him and smiled. "I am as close to him as anyone could possibly be. Do you know why?" ::Why?:: He growled, an inch away from pouncing on me. Fireworm and Toothless moved into position to restrain him. I shrugged rather nonchalantly, while putting on a sly, knowing grin and spreading my arms. "Because, I can become the only Shadow Dragon there has ever been."

I leapt up into the air, the pair of anthracite-black wings flaring out behind me and the jagged tail snaking out below. In an instant I was fully Shadow again, barely touching the ground as I melted into a hazy apparition.

::WHAT?!:: Eustace roared, springing toward me with claws outstretched. Toothless grabbed him and slowed him down, but it wasn't like it mattered. Eustace snapped at me, raking the air with his talons, but just passed right through me. I reared back and spread my form out into a massive cloud, barely recognizable as draconic now, as the other dragon-boy looked up at me with seething fury.

::You did this?! I was right, I was right! We can't trust you, you're evil just like the rest of them!:: He roared again. I dove down and melted into the rocks as Peter, Caspian, and Edmund rushed forward, swords drawn and ready to fight. They didn't get very far, as ropes of shadows, black as moonless night, shot upward and twined around them, holding them as well as Eustace still where they stood. I materialized in front of them once more.

"I suggest you slow down for a moment and listen to me," I hissed, ruby eyes blazing. "I did not do this to harm anyone or as a result of ill temper, but as a lesson." "What kind of lesson requires you to turn my cousin into a dragon?!" Edmund snapped. I leaned closer to him, nose-to-snout. "One in tolerance and prejudice," I growled. "Eustace has proven to every one of us, quite clearly at that, that he is arrogant, self-centered, self-righteous and believes he is better than us in some way. I know you have to agree on that."

There was a moment of silence as my point struck home, and even Eustace silenced, though soon enough defiant growls emanated from his direction. Finally Peter spoke up. "That doesn't explain why you changed him into one of you," he said. I shrugged. "He injured the dragon who is considered to be the hero of Berk, with ill reason, and believes that dragons are inherently evil and vicious." I turned to face Eustace, who on principle shot a plume of flames into my face.

As with everything else they went right through and past me as I glared at him unfazed. "While I admit it may be in part what he's been taught, right there is another example for why I did what I did: you have a terrible tendency to try and retaliate toward anyone you don't like, no matter the means or if you're the one wrong." I leaned down and looked him right in the eye. "Dragons are much like people; they follow a set of laws often more strict than those of humans, and the ones loyal to those laws will not injure another sentient creature without very good reason, and would much rather help than hurt you even after all you've already said and done."

I stepped back and morphed again, this time to a Wind Fury, the shadow ropes dissolving as I did so. "I gave you a chance at a new perspective, Eustace," I said, before looking around at everyone else. "As they say, walk a few miles in the other person's shoes before cursing them." I turned back to Eustace. "Instead of lamenting like you have been about how this is such a horrible curse and how I'm an evil scourge in your life, look at it as the opportunity it should be. You think of yourself as highly educated, so educate yourself some more. This time, you are in no position to look down on others while you're doing so."

No one moved for a moment, but finally, Caspian and his crew lowered their weapons, and the Vikings did the same. "You've put yourself on very unstable ground, Hawken," Caspian warned however. "We trusted you enough to let you and your friends come with us on this mission, and then you do something like this. You'd better know what you're doing." With that final statement he turned away, followed by the Pevensie brothers.

Lucy, however, was still of a more forgiving nature, and came toward me as I shrank back to human. "Will you really change him back?" she asked concernedly. "I mean, once he's, uh…" she trailed off. I nodded. "Yes, I will, when it's clear he's learned his lesson and humbled himself." Looking at the sulking dragon, who was no longer confident of his ability to fight me into turning him back, I chuckled. "The higher the pedestal, the harder they fall, as they say. You have just fallen Eustace. It's your job now to build up a sturdier base."

A/N-So, what do you think? Rifts are forming, and we certainly know there's one person not happy with this turn of events...

Leave a review to let me know what you think so far, and please, tell me: where do you see the tale heading?