Jack had arrived in Berk.
The aircraft touched down, the wheels making contact with the runway, yet Jack remained motionless. He was enveloped in a world of enchantment.
His mind was enveloped in a profound silence, drowned out by the vivid dreams he had experienced. Every detail was meticulously transcribed in his journal, although he doubted he could ever forget them; they were etched into the very core of his being.
Of course, he worried about Elsa, too, but he was satisfied knowing Sebastian was there because what was on his mind had him more concerned. So he was lost.
Jack quickly jumped into his car and raced over to Gothi's tiny home, a structure that could easily be mistaken for a hut. He was well aware of her hearing impairment, and he was at a loss for how to get her attention. Despite his uncertainty, he recklessly resorted to knocking on her door without a clear plan in mind.
"Enter," a distinctive and feeble voice called out.
Cautiously but curious, he twisted the door knob and opened the door with a creepy creak. "Hi, Madam Gothi, it's me-" How would she even hear him? He was laughable.
Gothi stepped closer, emerging from the darkness, as a soft light illuminated her face. "Jackson Frost Overland, I've been waiting," she said, a halo seemingly surrounding her.
The ground seemed to shift beneath his feet, leaving him feeling unsteady. She listened intently as he spoke, but what truly unnerved him was her knowledge of his middle name, a fact that no one else knew. These two revelations hit him like a ton of bricks, leaving him feeling incredibly uneasy.
Despite the perplexity, he shut the door behind him and sat near Gothi's. "You must have questions,"
"I do," Jack said with dry lips, expressing that he hadn't taken a breath in years and was still too baffled to talk.
"I have answers." She played with a broken metal piece of axe with her cane on the floor. "So ask away."
With closed eyes, Jack took a profound breath and mindfully asked, "I ask this most respectfully. Because, lord, if this is another dream, I might actually go crazy." He took another breath, "With all due respect, how can you talk, Madam Gothi?"
In a crispy voice, she laughed aloud and answered, "Well, just like how you speak, so do I. You can say I merely don't like to waste my voice. I save it for special guests-" She poked his leg with the rough end of her cane. "-Like you, Mr. Frost." The spiky voice put him at unease.
Once again, on the verge of puke, he asked, due to the fright, "And you know my middle name?"
"I am a woman of great wisdom, with knowledge that spans not just years but centuries," she said with a sly grin, looking deeply into his eyes. Her words hinted at something he could almost grasp but not quite.
This all seemed unreal to Jack; he was genuinely dreaming. "Madam Gothi-"
Gothi smacked him on the head with her cane and ordered, "Call me Gothi, or else walk out of my house!" That sounds like every Berkian to him; she definitely was one.
"I'm sorry, Gothi." He was powerless and implored, "If you say, you know of centuries. I've been having these dreams, and they appear to be memories. I see Elsa and I in these dreams in different places and scenarios, and I am just... flummoxed."
She closed her eyes and began to say what she had held onto for decades, waiting for Jack to come to her. "Centuries ago, there was a boy and girl named Jackson and Elsa chosen by Gods to be soulmates."
Jack gaped, and his lips parted as a thrill chill went down his spine. "I knew there was something."
Disregarding his remark, she proceeded with her narrative, ensuring he was fully engaged. "They were two ordinary orphans deeply in love, relying on each other as they grew up. At times, they went without food for days, but when they turned 17, they found work that provided them with a small hut and enough food to stave off their hunger. Despite their hardships, they were grateful for each other. They married at 19 with just two of their closest friends present. Only two years later, Jack succumbed to a viral illness during a time when there was no proper cure for the flu. Elsa was left alone and heartbroken, and she eventually passed away from the devastation."
He inhaled sharply; his throat hurt from the lack of breath, and his eyes scorched with tears. "I don't-"
Gothi rose from her seat and made her way to the window, craving a breath of fresh air to relieve the suffocating atmosphere. "The depth of their love was evident to all who saw them; even the most oblivious could not deny it. It was a love so profound, so rare, that the Gods, in their mercy, granted them another opportunity to be together," Gothi said, turning her head to offer a pained smile to Jack. "And thus, you and Elsa were given a chance to start anew."
"It must've been so tough for Elsa to live such a terrible life and all alone later...that wasn't fair." Jack lamented, tears streaming down his face as he hung his head low.
Closing her eyes tightly, Gothi grimaced in pain as she nodded in agreement. "It was indeed a painful experience, but her unwavering love for you was her source of strength to keep going. It's ironic. She fervently prayed for a swift passing to reunite with you sooner. Yet, as she lay on her deathbed, everyone was astonished to see her peaceful smile as she departed. She was smiling because she believed she was on her way to meet you in the afterlife and was hopeful of being reborn alongside you."
"And she was reborn, and I met her again now." He jerked his head up when the realization hit him. "But the dreams I saw in those were that she was a princess with a happy family, well, both of us."
Gothi nodded and took a deep whiff. "That was your second life."
So, they had more than one "Second?"
Once more, with a nod, Gothi commenced the tale, "In the second life, you were both blessed with robust health and abundant wealth, surrounded by caring families. She was royalty, and you a noble knight. The Gods could not be unkind twice. What eluded you in your previous life was bestowed upon you in your next, yet your unwavering love for each other remained unchanged. You had to overcome numerous obstacles this time to be united, but ultimately, you succeeded."
"There was another sad ending, wasn't there? I have felt it in my gut for too long." Jack gulped and dipped his head in his hands while his stomach panged from the anxiety.
Gothi heaved as she reached out to touch the window's cool glass, her wrinkled hands trembling slightly. "It all happened because of the cruelty of people. After you both got married, you chose to live in a secluded place. However, it wasn't long before some nobles tracked you down, intending to end your life. Their motive stemmed from the fact that the heir to the throne had married an imperial knight, upsetting the established order. Your lack of royal blood made this unprecedented, and it threatened the delicate balance of power."
As tears streamed down his cheeks and fell onto the creaking wooden floor, he spoke with a quavering voice, "Who died and how?" Jack's intuition told him that another dreadful event had taken place.
"As I said, they discovered where you lived, and you were their target. An arrow was released and that arrow left you bleeding to death. As for Elsa...Elsa was alive, but in the end, she killed herself. That's how she was found a few days later on your grave. This time, she couldn't be reincarnated because it was a punishment for Elsa taking her own life. And since you were both a pair of souls, your soul refused to reincarnate without her."
Jack was trembling uncontrollably, feeling as fragile as a leaf in the wind. Despite being on the verge of passing out, he was desperate to hear more. "So, is this our third chance at life? Why were our childhoods so devoid of happiness? What was the reason for our rebirth? Wasn't enduring it all twice enough? Why do we have to go through it all over again?"
Clutching her cane for support, she gathered the strength to respond to his inquiries. "Jack, not every life is filled with happiness. And you were not meant to be reincarnated. It was a consequence of her taking her own life, and your soul resisted this fate," she explained.
"Then why?" He muttered, his entire body shaking with grief and confusion.
Gothi stood up and put a hand on his shoulder. "This time, it was someone else the universe had mercy on."
Finally, he lifted his head and looked at her in the eyes. "Who?"
"Someone special."
The entire house was shrouded in an eerie, pin-drop silence, with only the faint sound of the breeze creeping in from outside. "Who else could it be? In every dream, it was only her and I. I didn't...I never saw-"
"If this is too much-" Hands reached for him to calm him down.
"No, I want to know! Tell me more, Gothi, I beg you." A loud thud echoed when he dropped to the floor on his knees.
As you wish," Gothi held tightly onto the windowsill as she made her way back, and it pained her deeply to utter the words, "There was a person who cherished both of you. A closest friend, a truly special individual, the heartbeat of you and Elsa, who brought you both joy and sorrow, another soul intertwined with yours. That person's soul was tragically taken when you both passed away."
Someone died because of them? Jack gasped and scratched the wooden floor as he made a fist. "Who was tha-"
Gothi continued with her tale, disregarding any interruptions. "This individual requested to be given another chance at life. Because of this individual, the Gods showed mercy towards you and Elsa. Perhaps they would have done so anyway, considering your tragic fate. After all, the gods are known for their compassion and affection. Weren't they the ones who originally paired you both together centuries ago? How could they not wish for a happy ending for you both? However, that individual also played a significant role. Driven by their love for you and deeply affected by your tragic demise, they implored the Gods to be reborn alongside you or not at all. Touched by this love and your heartbreaking end, the Gods granted the request, and thus, you are reincarnated."
"Who's that person?"
"Someone who loves you both endlessly, Jack."
"I want to know them and show gratitude. You know everything, Gothi please tell me."
"I can't tell you the secret of another soul, Jackson. But maybe one day, when you see that person...you'll know. When you hug them and feel their warmth…you'll know that it was that person who loved you endlessly."
"Was it Hiccup or Astrid?"
"They were in your first life. Your best friends. So maybe it could be them again." She was playing as she had a secret to keep.
"But I haven't felt anything special with them."
"I could be wrong then, and you aren't supposed to feel anything, or maybe it's not them." She turned her eyes away, clearly lying.
"You know who it is, Gothi, don't you?" It was easy for Jack to notice she was a lousy liar.
She smiled, and a secret was hidden behind it. "Yes, I don't."
It would be impossible to convince her, so he gave up and asked with so much hurt as he was stabbed once again, "Will we have a happy ending in this life?" His heart was bleeding.
Finally, she shut the window and walked up to him, touching his shoulder. "I'm not sure."
"So you don't know."
Gothi finally hugged him and whispered, "We can only hope, son."
"I want a happy ending this time."
She hugged him. "Don't we all?"
Well, who do you think that soul is?