Cold. Hard. Hiccup felt his face, his arms, his whole body pressing down into a surface siphoning the warmth from him. A rushing sound, like a river—no, an avalanche—filled his ears, then abruptly disappeared. He brushed his leaden fingers against the ground. It was smooth but pocked with nearly imperceptible blemishes and dusted with a fine grainy material.

This isn't my bed, he thought sluggishly. He cracked an eye open. Yellows, greens, blues, and reds swirled before him in a dizzying pattern. Hiccup rubbed his eyes and looked again. The rainbow stilled, and beyond it a dozen shades of golden light filtered onto the gray pavers around him.

With a groan, he propped himself on one elbow, his head beginning to clear, and took in his surroundings. The room was a simple design—just one long rectangle with two wooden doors pulled shut on the far side—but the architecture was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Columns between hollow windows arched upwards and met at the ridge line of the ceiling like the rib cage of a giant creature. Outside, he heard the soft rustling of leaves and noticed dense branches through the narrow windows.

The patchwork rainbow still glowed on his tunic. He looked over his shoulder towards the source of the filtered light. Stretching nearly the entire width of the wall was a window of colored glass depicting three women in simple gowns—one of blue, one of red, one of green—their arms outstretched like wings. Broken pieces of a statue lay scattered a few feet away. Part of the face that was still intact appeared feminine as well.

Hiccup slowly got to his knees, pushing through the stiffness. Out of all his questions, one rose above all others. "Toothless?" His voice sounded so small as it rang through the empty stone building. Where was that dragon? He got to his feet and stumbled towards the door, trying to piece together what happened.

We were in Loki's Triangle, and turns out, it actually is haunted. There was... that Voice. Am I crazy? No, I'm sure I heard it.

Hiccup put a hand on the door.

We followed it underground. Down a hallway.

The door was too heavy to push open with one hand.

I found something at the end. On the pedestal. It wasn't there at first, and then it was...

He put both hands on the door and was about to heave when he stopped short. On his left arm was the bracer.

He blinked. It was unmistakable, the metal bands, the three amber gems. I... don't remember... putting this on, he thought, twisting his arm around to get a better look. It was a singular tube of leather, no straps, no buckles. He tugged at the wrist end. It didn't budge. He tried harder; it resisted.

What in the world is going on? He quickly checked the rest of him. He was wearing his regular brown leather tunic, crimson shirt, olive pants, boot on the right foot and prosthetic on the left. Twisting around, he noted his shield was missing as well as any soreness from the bore pit.

This must be a dream, he reasoned. He slapped himself. "Ouch!" He rubbed his stinging cheek. Well, that didn't work. A spark of panic ignited in his heart. By all physical accounts the place felt real, but it couldn't be. They had been underground on a barren island. How did he get here? Where was Toothless?

Where was he ?

Pulse quickening, Hiccup put his shoulder to the door and leaned with all his might. The door groaned on ancient hinges. One labored step at a time, Hiccup pushed it open, then gasped at what was on the other side.

Trees. As far as he could see. Young, old, thin, gnarled, their varying leaves created a medley of shapes and colors that filtered the sunlight into warm golden streams. Yet they all had one thing in common: the edges of the leaves were wrinkled. Hiccup plucked one from a nearby tree, and it snapped off with barely any force. He let it drift onto the rich bed of fallen leaves scattered among the crooked roots.

The forest was quiet, but not silent. Here and there, he could hear calls and scuttles behind the hills and rocky terrain. His hands began to itch from the dry air. This was all too strange. He needed to find his dragon. Then they could figure out what to do.

Hiccup cupped his hands to his mouth. "Toothless!" A startled bluebird flitted from a nearby branch. Hiccup checked the ground for prints—Toothless couldn't fly without him, so he'd be limited to traveling on foot. As the minutes dragged on without finding anything, Hiccup's heart began to beat faster.

"Toothless!" he called again, trotting around the building. To his right, a bush trembled. He paused and tip-toed towards it. Peering into the thick leafy mass, he spied two glistening orbs. They were ringed with white, then red, then yellow leading to the black pin-pricked center. "Huh," he mused. They were so strange; the rings almost seemed to swirl, drawing him ever closer, closer. Without warning, they shifted, both turning towards him. He blinked and jolted back, the spell broken.

Tiny twigs snapped as the bush jostled. Hiccup took several steps backward, unconsciously holding his breath, as oozing out of the foliage was a large, yellow, gelatinous mass. It jiggled from side to side as it scooched into the clearing, the mesmerizing eyes bouncing listlessly on top.

"What... are... you?" Hiccup said, his curiosity fighting against the rising horror. One of the orbs turned towards him. BOING. The mass sprang forwards and engulfed his legs up to his knees.

"Whoah! You're friendly," Hiccup offered, not sure if he was stepping on it or it was stepping on hi—

ZZZZZAAAAPPPP! Burning, paralyzing energy ran up and down his body. A familiar pain. Two-and-a-half years ago. In the crow's nest of a Viking warship. Thunder boomed. He needed to do this or lose Toothless forever. He wasn't fast enough. A flash of light. White pain seared his vision, then all went dark.

Finally, the shock ended, snapping him back to the present. Hiccup stumbled out of the jelly and fell on the ground, clutching his left leg. Though not as bad as the time on the warship—he was still conscious, at least—the shock left his ears ringing, his hair sticking out in all directions, and his left leg numb. The skin just above the metal foot smoked. Through gritted teeth, he pronounced his assessment of the new creature. "Not. Friendly."

The jelly jumped again, but instead of simply coming towards him, it split into three smaller but identical jellies. Six ringed-eyes stared at him as they bounced forward. Hiccup scrambled backwards and tried to stand, but the moment he put weight on his left side, pain shot up his leg, and he collapsed immediately. He glanced over his shoulder. The three jelly terrors maintained the pursuit and were nearly on top of him. He grabbed a stick and held it in front. His leg throbbed, his heartbeat raced, and his fingers were going cold.

Keep your eyes open. Astrid's voice. A long-forgotten piece of advice that might just save his life. Even the memory of her voice brought him comfort. He willed his eyes to stay open as long as he could.

The jellies were about to leap onto him. At the last second, his eyes squeezed shut. The stick trembled in his hands. And then, he heard it, "HYAHH!", followed by the swish and zing of metal slicing over his head. Hiccup peeked to see a man in a blue hood had leapt between him and the jellies. Like flies drawn to honey, they surrounded him. With another yell, the man spun in a circle. Yellow goo flew in every direction, and Hiccup barely covered his face in time. When he opened his eyes, the jellies were no more, and the man had disappeared. Who was that? Wiping goo off his tunic, Hiccup got up to follow.

"Hey!" He limped back around the building but stopped in his tracks when he saw her. The woman's white hair was pulled back into a bun except for a thin braid that hung along the side of her face. A long curved sheath with an elegant handle emerging from the top hung from her belt. On her chest was a red emblem, an eye with five lashes and a tear running down the center. Her own eyes were cold, deadly serious, and she was marching towards him.

"Where is the princess?" she said.

"Uhh, princess?" Hiccup winced as he took a step backwards. The woman reached for her sword. "I don't know! I don't know anything about a princess," Hiccup stammered. He tripped on a warty root and crawled back as far as he could until she had him cornered against a fallen tree. "I did hear a girl calling for help, but I didn't see—"

The man returned from the far side of the building.

"Anything?" the woman asked. The man shook his head, his cerulean hood obscuring any features. He pulled a paper out of his leather breastplate and savagely marked something off.

Hiccup clutched his stinging leg but gestured with his free hand. "Sorry, who are you guys? And who is this princess you're looking for? And what is this place?" Toothless!

He was about to ask if they'd seen him when the woman looked down. Her cold eyes narrowed, and she grabbed his wrist. Hiccup pulled back only for a moment. He felt the strength in her grasp and thought better than to test it. She took her time inspecting the bracer, carefully turning his arm to get a better look.

Her face was too young to have white hair, but Hiccup couldn't guess a specific age. Maybe forty? Then there were her ears: they were pointed.

"Where did you find this?" she asked calmly, as a lioness might ask a mouse.

"On an island. In Loki's Triangle—" Hiccup glanced around the never-ending forest. "—which I'm guessing is far away from here." Boy, he hoped Toothless was faring better than he was.

Before he could lose himself in an endless trail of hypotheticals, the man approached and knelt to look at the bracer. Hiccup tried to get a read on him, but the wide hood obscured his face. Instead, Hiccup noted his boots and belt were significantly more worn than the umber tunic and breastplate; the leather was softer, the scratches nearly invisible.

The woman's grip tightened. "Why are you wearing it?"

"I don't know!" Hiccup said, pressing himself against the trunk. "I didn't put it on."

The man cocked his head, and a few strands of dirty blond hair peeked out from under the hood. Hiccup took a breath and continued. "I touched it and got knocked out. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in there, and this thing is on my arm. Believe me, if I could take it off I would."

The woman turned to her companion, and he stood up to leave.

"Have you seen my dragon?" Hiccup blurted. The strangers turned their attention back to him. "He's big, black. Has a red tail?" The man reached for his sword and murmured something to the woman. Her eyes flashed, and a moment later, Hiccup felt cold steel against his throat. His free hand instinctively flew to grab her hand.

"Don't!" she commanded. He swallowed and forced his hand to his side.

"A shadow beast?" she hissed.

Hiccup panted. "A shadow... What?"

"Black eyes, red mist." The blade pressed deeper into his skin.

"What?! No, no mist! Just an ordinary dragon. You know, wings, teeth—" Probably should leave out the plasma blasting part. "—four legs? He's really nice when you get to know him." His eyes darted from the woman up to the man. His eyes were still hidden by his great, blue hood, but the afternoon light caught the edge of his jaw, clean shaven and sharp without the dimples and wrinkles from decades of life experience. The man let go of his sword, still resting in a beautiful scabbard on his back, and walked toward the front of the building.

The woman finally released her grip and sheathed her dagger. Hiccup released a pent-up breath, rubbing his arm and his neck, and watched the man as he rounded the corner.

/

Link stood on the threshold of the shrine, his hand resting on a bloodstain he had left three years before, and gazed into the empty building. He hardly recognized it. Dry leaves huddled in alcoves as vines choked the windows and pillars. A fountain that should have been brimming with water and fairies was as dry and barren as the Gerudo Desert. At the far side of the room, where she had stood, the statue of Hylia lay shattered.

Where are you? he thought. He had no more tears. Guilt had wrung out all of that long ago and now simply weighed him down. He closed his eyes and leaned against the doorframe. He was so tired of running, of hiding, of fighting ... of hoping.

He remembered that look in her eye, that distant stare. She had seemed so wise, as if all the ages of wisdom had washed over her. "Be strong," she had said, command in her gentle voice. How many times had her voice echoed in his mind over these many years? It was as if she knew what was about to happen.

And then there was her second message. "Hope is coming." He choked, suddenly ashamed. How could he give up now, betray her?

Hold on, Zelda. It won't be long now.

Without a second glance, he strode out of the shrine.

/

Hiccup continued to rub his stinging leg. He had a hundred questions, but the woman's stern expression advised caution. So they had sat in uncomfortable silence until the man reappeared from the far side of the building, walking towards the road, away from them.

"Stay here," the woman commanded as she stood to meet her companion. Hiccup figured he could sneak away, but where would he go? There were more answers to be found here than by himself. And who knew how many other jellies were out there.

The man studied a parchment as he walked towards the path. The woman kept pace with him.

"It's time you moved on," she said.

"You're right," he answered, eyes still fixed on the parchment. "We only have a few more places to check. If we hurry, we could make it to the next shrine before dark."

"We can't keep hoping for those we've lost to return. You need to realize that."

"I'm not giving up on her. I'm going to the next shrine."

It was getting difficult to pick up their conversation as they walked away. Hiccup struggled to his feet and crept towards them.

"We need to find out what this article is," the woman insisted

"I'm not doing another random side quest."

"It's not a side quest if it's the right path."

The man stopped and looked her in the eye. "The Sheikah swore to protect the Royal Family. It's your duty to protect her."

She turned to face him. "And you are the Hero of Legend. You must defend all of Hyrule, not just one person. We need to follow the path before us."

The two warriors stared at each other, waiting for the other to crack. The sudden hush froze Hiccup in place, leaving him longing for a place to hide. Maybe, if he didn't move, they would forget he was there.

Still holding her gaze, the man finally broke the silence. "Then we'll split up. I'll continue the search, and you can take him." He jerked his head toward Hiccup, who straightened up immediately.

"Take me where? What's going on?"

"No," the woman said. "If this item is the goddesses' gift, you must find out how to use it. Take it to the Sage. I will find the princess... if she is to be found."

"She's out there!"

"Who's out there?" interjected Hiccup.

The woman placed her hand firmly on the man's shoulder, his chest heaving. She was several inches taller than him, but the situation looked less like a mother scolding a child than one soldier reassuring another. "If she has returned, I will find her. You have my word." She reached into her pouch and produced a few small bottles of sparkling, red liquid. "Take the rest."

He looked at her wide-eyed. "But... this is all we have left."

"If I can't protect you, at least these might. I'll get more at Kakariko."

"They'll spot you."

Her brows furrowed. "I'm not afraid of the Yiga. If they want a fight, they'll get one."

Hiccup inched forward and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but could you explain what's going on?"

With a resigned sigh, the man turned toward him. "It looks like we have a journey ahead of us." He pulled back his hood to reveal his face. It was younger than Hiccup expected, maybe they were even the same age. A few locks of dirty blond hair tumbled out of the short ponytail, and poking far out from his head just like on the lady were the same pointed ears. The scrutiny in the adolescent's expression softened, and he offered a tired smile.

"My name's Link." He motioned to the woman. "This is Impa, last of the Sheikah and the greatest warrior still loyal to Hyrule." She put her right fist over the crying-eye emblem on her chest and took a quick bow. "What's your name?"

The Viking crossed his arms and replied flatly. "Hiccup." Shiekah? Hyrule? What is all of this?

"Well, Hiccup," Link continued, "do you have any belongings to collect before we leave?"

"Leave?! To where? I'm sorry, but you have the wrong guy. I don't even know where I am, and Toothless is—"

Impa turned to Hiccup, and even with her hands clasped behind her back, he shied away from the intensity of her gaze. "Link will tell you everything on the way. Now, you must hurry."

Link eyed Hiccup's pegleg. "Can you run?"

"Ye-yes, of course. But—"

Impa looked up to see Link's earnest eyes, the map extended towards her. She nodded, stowed it, and raised her forearm. He did the same. His gaze never faltered as they clasped hands.

"Hylia's grace to you," he said. She nodded and released his hand.

"Let's go!" Link called, pulling up his hood and sprinting down the path.

Hiccup's head spun from one of them to the other. "But... Where... ?" He turned to look at Impa, but she was already far down the path in the opposite direction.

So that was it. No answers, and more importantly, no Toothless. He looked down at the bracer and shook his head. This can't be real. That's it! This isn't real. This is just a dream and sooner or later I'll wake up. His confident smile faded as he looked towards the building. Yellow goo still glistened against the stone walls. His leg throbbed as the unfamiliar sounds of the forest suddenly became much more threatening. With a groan, he turned to chase after the blue hood.

\

Author's Notes:

While I stick very closely to the HTTYD movie/TV show lore, I take liberties with the LoZ elements. Please read with an open mind, as if this were a new game.

New chapters on Wednesdays. The whole thing, 30 chapters plus Prologue, is written and will be posted!

Thanks to Ari Lewis ( /), ValientQueenLu, and Luke for beta reading!