Chapter 10: Watcher of Night

Ash landed softly on the dark beach, the gravel mixed with ash crunching under the weight of her paws as she looked back. Even from here, she could still make out the dark speck that was Toothless flying away, the lone dragon in an empty grey sky. A surge of both gratitude and regret welled within her; she realized that this was the first time in several weeks that her newfound friend—or maybe, more than a mere friend—would not be with her. Please, if anything should happen to him… She shook her head, dispelling her doubts as she turned to face the towering shadow of Nightmare's Eyrie. The mountain was much more active than usual, dark clouds billowing from the blasted hole at its summit, while a steady glow of amber could be seen flashing as thin streams of magma slowly dripped down. Although the thought of an eruption made Ash slightly nervous, such a thing had not happened in her lifetime, perhaps not in decades. The threat from the ground, however, was not as predictable. The dark forest was shrouded in ashen clouds, the glow of mushrooms and other vegetation the only source of light through the tall canopy of trees.

The young female began to walk through the ancient trees; Ash had never been to the Eyrie and therefore didn't want to risk flying through this fog, especially if she wanted to encounter a Watcher. The island was deathly silent, not a trace of movement reaching her ears. And yet, judging by the prevalence of plant life and the appearance of some abandoned nests, there were indeed animals present for Night Furies to hunt. But something about this place seemed… wrong. The shadow of the mountain brought neither comfort nor security, the haze of ash almost drawing any feeling of warmth or happiness from the air. What kind of Night Fury would choose to live in this place, apart from those who had forsaken all thought of comfort? Although Ash—like many young dragons of Aylan—had mixed feelings about the Watchers, she could not help but feel sadness at the thought of their chosen calling. Such an eerie and disquieting place to return to, after one travels to free dragons from the oppression of others. Ash wondered; who would even wish to be a Watcher in such a place?

The minutes continued to slip by, and Ash was beginning to grow frustrated. The forest was thick and looked the same from every angle, and she had come across no evidence of any Night Furies. Truth be told, she wasn't even sure what time it was or where she was going; Toothless could have made it to Seregon by now. Perhaps searching on foot wasn't such a good idea, but if she took to the air the Watchers could definitely notice her. However long it took, Ash couldn't let them slip away. The only sound other than the brush of grass under her paws was the rumbling of the mountain above, not unlike a growing storm far in the distance. As she rounded another thick tree, something snagged her attention; a strange stone was dimly illuminated by the glow of nearby mushrooms, and yet no other rocks were nearby. That's strange…

Upon approaching the object, Ash realized that this could not be a natural part of the forest; the stone was black obsidian, sharply cut into a tall pillar and crowned by a triangular top. The red glow of nearby mushrooms shined across its surface, and Ash could clearly see her own reflection. Strange runes were etched into the otherwise smooth face, almost by an unsteady or inexperienced hand; the runes were crooked and in differing depths.

ᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᛊᛏᚨᚾᛞᛊ ᚦᛖ ᛖᛁᚱᛁᛖ ᛟᚠ ᚾᛁᚷᚺᛏ ᚨᛊ ᚾᚨᛗᛖᛞ ᛒᛁ ᛗᛁ ᚠᛟᚱᛖᚠᚨᚦᛖᚱᛊ - ᚾᛁᚷᚺᛏᛊᚺᚨᛞᛖ ᛊᛟᚾ ᛟᚠ ᛊᚲᛁᚲᛚᛁᛗᛒᛖᚱ

Could it be a marker, or even a gravesite? Ash cursed in her head; she didn't know anything about human customs. She briefly wondered if Toothless had been around humans long enough to know how to read, or at the very least if he knew what this could be. They were the only species that could write, after all. Right?

"You don't belong here."

Ash jumped, whipping around in the direction of the voice. There was nothing, only the echo of the mountain. "Who's there?!" she cried out, baring her teeth.

A groan of bent wood sounded behind her ears. Ash turned to see a dark shape—a Night Fury, but clouded in smoke—perched heavily on a tree branch some ways above her. She could not make out its features, but could swear that the two hazy points in the fog were green eyes.

"Are you a Watcher?" Ash asked, her voice breaking despite her attempt to compose herself.

"I'll say it again. You don't belong here, child." a female voice replied, as the shadow began to unfurl its wings.

"Wait! Please don't go! I… I wish to join." Ash lied. Please work…

Rather than take off, the shadow leapt to the ground. The female Night Fury was now clearly visible as she glared hard at Ash with emerald green eyes. The Watcher looked like any other normal Night Fury, almost; four lines of red paint—no, blood, most likely—were traced from one ear down across her face. Ash did not back away, despite her growing fear. How many others were nearby, if she could not even detect one?

"Think hard, this is no joking thing. To say you wish to join the Watchers is not something that you can just renege later on, on pain of death. Are you prepared to join a new family, to depart your old one in search of purpose?"

"I am." The words rolled off her tongue as sincerely as Ash could sound, and yet for the first time she began to doubt the necessity of her task. This had better be worth it.

The Watcher looked her up and down, before turning around and unfurling her wings. "Come, the Lady of the Watch will wish to speak with you. Stay close or you will get lost."

The who? Before she could ask, the Watcher had already leapt into the air. Ash quickly followed as they sailed through the shrouded woods, although she could still barely make out anything other than the Night Fury mere feet in front of her. Lady of the Watch? Moonlight had never mentioned such a thing—perhaps another deeply kept secret—but Ash supposed it was somewhat of a blessing. At least there was someone in charge, if she could manage to convince her of the human threat without being killed for lying about joining the Watchers. Even as they flew, Ash still saw no signs of other Night Furies in the fog. But the rumbling of the Eyrie was getting louder, and Ash realized that they were slowly gaining altitude. Suddenly, the Watcher pulled up sharply as the very face of the mountain itself emerged from the haze. Ash followed suit, landing next to her guide. They were perched at the mouth of a dark tunnel that led directly into the mountain. Ash looked behind her; the ground was no longer visible, but the sloping earth looked climbable so they could not be that high up.

"Come." The command brought Ash's attention back forward, as the Watcher beckoned into the darkness. "She is waiting."

As they went into the mountain, Ash's eyes began to adjust to the darkness, and the tunnel was devoid of any smoke. The rock itself began to give way to flecks of volcanic glass as they walked, and eventually became pure walls of obsidian. A dim light began to emerge at the end of the tunnel, and as Ash followed the Watcher in, she drew a sharp breath. They stood at the mouth of a deep obsidian cave, the walls chipped, and yet the ceiling glittered with what appeared to be subterranean algae. The cave sparkled as though it was alive, aqua colors dancing across the dark rock. On the far side of the cave stood a Night Fury, significantly larger than Ash, looking at something on the far wall that she could not make out.

"My lady," the Watcher announced. "I have found a new recruit. She has stated her intent to join."

The Night Fury turned, and Ash's eyes widened. She was beautiful; not a trace of wear or damage was upon her scales, her body well-toned yet sleek. Bright amber eyes shone in the light, their gleam adding to the already rich reflections. Her gaze was soft, and yet… ageless, as though her irises contained the thought and wisdom of many years. Ash knew where she had seen such eyes before; they weren't unlike the eyes of the elders after centuries of life, but this female appeared no older than 100.

"Thank you, Iris, you may leave us." the dragon spoke, her voice bright and cheerful, yet authoritative.

The Watcher left, and Ash was along with the Lady of the Watch. Motioning Ash to come closer, she spoke; "It's been some time since a Night Fury so young desired to join us. Tell me your name."

"It's Ash… my lady." Ash replied nervously, making eye contact with the larger female. "I'm from Aylan. I want to join the Watchers."

The Lady gave Ash a long look, before turning back to the wall. "Is that still true?"

Ash blinked. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Those who wish to join the Watchers understand that once the declaration is made, and you are brought to the Eyrie, then there is no turning back. You knew that… and you lied anyway."

Oh, shit. A shiver ran down Ash's spine; for a moment, she considered fleeing immediately. But when the Lady of the Watchers turned around again, her expression remained gentle and warm. "Don't be frightened, I sent Iris away so that you could speak freely. Come dear, tell me what you wanted to share, since you came all this way."

"I'm not sure I want to now," Ash admitted. "Not until you tell me how you know that so confidently!"

The Lady laughed. "Fair enough, although you are the only Night Fury to even attempt coming here who hasn't wanted to join the Watchers in many years. I promise to reveal all in good time, but since you attempted to deceive us I think I deserve to know the reason first, don't you?"

Ash stifled a retort; she had a point. "Ok, fine. I didn't lie about my name though, it is actually Ash and I am from Aylan. I came here… well honestly, it's because your Watchers may have brought hell down on us!"

"How so?"

"Well, did you do it?!" Ash questioned. "Did you all torch a giant human city, with no thought of if they might come after us?!"

The Lady stood, walking around Ash as she contemplated her words. "I think you may be minimizing the good that came from it. There were many enslaved dragons in that port, dragons that now fly free because of us. Did they not deserve to be free?"

"I didn't say that!" Ash cried out. "Of course they did! But if the humans come to hunt you down, they won't find you will they? They'll find Aylan first!"

A flicker of doubt crossed the female's features, but her voice was still skeptical. "Perhaps, but humans are rarely so bold. What harm could a few boats do to an island of Night Furies?"

Ash began to grow angry. "A few? What if it's not a few? From what I heard this island was extremely rich and powerful, not that your Watchers thought of that before setting it on fire!"

"Careful, dear." The Lady regarded Ash almost like a scolding mother. "I have broken my own rules to hear you out. You have very little proof to be so angry."

"Why not?!" The stress of months of travel boiled over as Ash's voice now rose to a shout, her composure all but gone. "Most of my island says it's no big deal, the elders call me crazy for worrying even though there's less than a few thousand of us to fight! And even better; we're all divided! Seregon won't help because they hate us, and I wouldn't even have to worry if your Watchers actually contributed to our race's survival instead of causing problems across the ocean! Nightshade would've never—"

"Excuse me?"

Ash stopped. All trace of warmth in the Lady's voice was gone, her eyes now filled with wrath, and something deep in Ash's heart told her to back up a few steps.

"I'm sorry, I…"

"Oh, no, do continue. Please, Ash, just what exactly would Nightshade never do?"

Ash was startled by her emphasis. "What?"

The Lady of the Watch towered over Ash, and the young Night Fury could barely meet the gaze of her eyes; the amber orbs sparkling with hatred as she shouted. "You dare come here to place blame on us for your island's divisions, and yet you revere Nightshade of all people! And where would Night Furies be, I wonder, if he hadn't fled his duties here! All lost loved ones during the Cataclysm, and yet he dared to place his guilt above the needs of his people! Tell me Ash, if your beloved king didn't just up and leave after the war was over, would we still be divided?! And if it's so important to you then why don't you lead our people?! Why doesn't anyone?!"

"Why don't you?!" The words left her mouth before Ash could stop herself, and in that moment she realized she may have passed the point of no return. And yet in her anger the Lady of the Watch seemed struck by her words, visibly recoiling. For a moment the two looked at each other in silence, and Ash realized that behind her majesty the leader of the Watchers was not as aloof as she thought.

"I can't… I won't. And maybe that makes me a greater failure than Nightshade." The Night Fury—that only moments ago was the epitome of grace and power—now appeared to Ash completely dejected. "I could have taken the throne, you know. Called myself 'queen' after he left… But he was gone and so was my family, so what was the point? That's why I formed the Watchers; we had no families, no friends, and even the remaining Night Furies could not console all that we had lost. But together, we could do something to regain meaning. I suppose, with you here now, it's proof that it never really made a difference."

Ash's anger had faded, to be replaced by a mixture of regret and pity. But something about the Lady's words—the way she spoke so nostalgically—didn't make sense. "But the Watchers were formed over a century ago, and you don't look that… old." A horrible thought had suddenly appeared in the back of her mind.

"You're… Holly, aren't you?" she asked hesitantly, almost not believing her own question.

The older female was silent for a moment. "It's been a long time since someone's called me that. Every Watcher that knew my name is dead."

Ash was in disbelief. "But… you can't be! That would make you the same age as my elder Moonlight, and you look so young!"

Holly, the Lady of the Watch, regarded her with amusement. "I'm flattered, but I'm afraid I have looked this way for a very long time. At the end of the Cataclysm, when the dragonstone exploded, Nightshade was surrounded by its power. It changed him, warped his body… and he ceased to age. After all he had suffered, he was going to live forever. He couldn't bear the thought of watching the world change while he remained untouched, and no hope of meaning could console him. Not even me." She spat bitterly. "I begged him to stay, to rebuild, to make a life with me. But he thought I would be better off growing old with someone who would share my mortality, whose hands were not stained with blood. And he left me."

Ash felt sick. "I'm so sorry."

Holly kept going. "I have cursed him every day since he left! I had no one, so I gathered everyone else who shared my pain and formed the Watchers. And as you can see, maybe Nightshade wasn't so wrong to fear unending life after all." She gestured to herself. "I didn't realize I was aging slowly until my original comrades started to pass away. I will not be as long-lived as Nightshade, but another century or two is no blessing. You're right, Ash. I could have taken responsibility for our race, and I didn't. And now I see that you—and all the rest of them—are paying a price for it. Maybe so am I, though I doubt that comforts you."

Silence hung in the air between them; Ash almost couldn't believe that the Night Fury standing before her not only was equal in age and experience to Moonlight, but was Holly — the queen who never was. Everyone thought she had disappeared and passed away, succumbed to heartbreak… and yet maybe, by forsaking public life in favor of self-exile as a Watcher, she had succumbed after all. Ash saw in her a regal, ancient dragon, and yet a broken spirit at the same time. And for the first time, she realized that maybe it no longer mattered why the Watchers had done what they did — only that she asked for their help anyway.

"I don't know whether or not to be angry with you or to feel sorry," Ash said, her voice quiet. "I kept asking myself why the Night Furies who survived the Cataclysm couldn't set aside their differences for the greater good, but now… I don't know if I could have done it either. You lost everything… Forgive me."

For the moment, warmth returned to Holly's expression. She smiled at Ash; "You aren't wrong. You are young, trying to make sense of a world that was made by the actions of older generations. And you have a pure heart… it's a rare thing."

Ash took a few steps forward, no longer afraid. "I know I've spoken hatefully about the Watchers, but that doesn't mean I don't think they serve a purpose. And I'm not asking you to return to our society. But if I could prove that humans were coming, would you help us?"

Holly's eyes sparkled. "Of course. Our numbers are few, but we will right our wrongs. And I think I know how you can prove it."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked, cocking her head.

"I have led the Watchers for over a century, leading them against any Alpha, dragon, or human that would dare to enslave or oppress others. It was always my dream that a Night Fury kingdom under Nightshade would spread justice and peace, tempering his desire for conquest with thoughtful mercy. But that isn't their only purpose. I have one thing left to remember him by, one thing that I swore to protect. Look behind you."

Ash turned, puzzled. The obsidian wall looked like the rest of the cave walls at first glance, except for one small hole — no, not a hole, a rock. A round, perfectly spherical stone was inserted in the rock face. In the rest of the wall the glitter of the ceiling could be seen, and yet the stone reflected nothing; rather, as Ash looked at it, it seemed to only darken, an empty void that provided neither distress nor unease. Nothing at all.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Something brushed against her wing; Ash realized that Holly had come to stand beside her. "This is Herentir. This dragonstone is tied less to the natural world and more to the spiritual. It uses its power to observe, dictate, and understand; I've used it to judge the hearts and minds of my enemies, to see who deserves to live and who to die. But make no mistake, Ash. It is as physically dangerous as any other stone, and no less cryptic. It speaks to me alone… but I think it might show you what you desire"

Ash shuddered nervously. "Will it show me if there's a fleet?"

"Perhaps, but there's truly no way to tell. The stone showed me your initial deceit, but also your gentleness of heart, so I knew that you were worth speaking to but not why. It will show you that which can most successfully fulfill the needs of your spirit. Don't worry, it won't hurt you. Trust me, child."

Slowly, Ash stepped forward, coming closer to the dark gem. She gazed intently into its depths, but no change was evident. Ash was just about to turn back when suddenly, almost from nothing, waves of light began to fade out of the center of the void. It was like a dark bead of water struck by sunlight, issuing forth a myriad of colors as the stone came to life. The colors swirled, beginning to take the shape of a dark mass — no, a dragon, with emerald green eyes.

"Toothless!" Ash yelled in joy.

"Who?" Holly asked, amused.

"My friend, a dear friend. He's helping me… can't you see him?"

"No dear, this vision is yours alone. Keep looking."

Ash peered hard, the image of a smiling Toothless already beginning to fade into the mix of color. Other shapes appeared and faded — Moonlight, Aylan's crescent mountain, Nightmare's Eyrie, and a few other things she couldn't make out. But something seemed off about the colors; the bright hues were beginning to fade, to be replaced by reds and earthy colors. The picture deepened, and Ash stared in horror as the shapes molded into a barren wasteland, a crimson sky, and…

"Oh no… Please…"

"What's wrong?!"

"There's… nothing but ash and bone… and bodies, so many bodies… Why is the sky red?!"

"Ash, look away. Now!"

"Waves of amber flame…"

The stone was suddenly no longer in front of Ash, something dark and blurry taking its place. Her eyes hazy, she realized Holly had draped a wing in front of her face; when she brought it down, Herentir was just as dark as it had been when she first looked. A wave of nausea overcame her, and Ash suddenly found herself retching forward, the contents of her stomach burning her throat as she vomited on the cave floor. She couldn't feel her legs, but before she collapsed, Ash felt smooth scales under her head and body. Holly was guiding her gently to the floor.

"Take a deep breath, and close your eyes" Holly commanded. Ash did as she was told, the darkness and air beginning to sooth her nausea.

"You don't need to tell me what you saw, dear Ash. I think I know what it was."

"What?"

Holly did not answer right away, her eyes far off in some distant memory. When she answered, her voice echoed with rage. "The Wastes. That's what it showed you. I know that battlefield, that blood-red sky… But why?"

Ash remembered Toothless's reaction to gazing into Aylan's stone, but hoped to every ancestor she had that she would never have to look into a dragonstone again. "I thought it would show me the human fleet… Why did it show me that? I've never been there, it's a graveyard." Her voice quivering, Ash looked up at Holly. "I saw flames too, but they weren't normal. They were almost ethereal, unreal."

"Amber flames, you said. I don't understand… No, it can't be…" Holly walked up to the stone, peering hard into its depths. But it must have rebuffed her, for after a few seconds she turned back with a low growl.

"What does it mean?"

Holly looked at Ash, crestfallen. "I'm only guessing. But when Nightshade left, he went back into the Wastes. 'The Mairon are still rampant,' he said, vowing to seal every one of their barrows. He took Altaris, the amber stone, and that was the last I saw of him."

Finding the strength to stand, Ash got up from the floor. "Is the stone still there? Is Nightshade?!"

Holly rushed forward in a panic, wrapping Ash in a wing. "Listen to me," she said, "The Wastes are fields of death. Nothing grows there, there's no fresh water, and there are dark things that roam the ash. If Altaris—or gods forbid, Nightshade—is still there, you'll die before you find them!"

"But what if that's what I need to do?!" Ash nudged off her wing, standing tall. "Why else would it show me that? Maybe that's the only way for us to defeat the humans is to find them and bring them home!"

"You'll never make it! Look, I already promised to fight alongside you should the need arise, let that be enough! I can't allow you to go there!"

Ash looked at Holly defiantly. "I wasn't asking your permission. If I don't go, that vision will haunt my dreams. I have to at least see — if it's clear I can't find the stone, then I'll give up. But I have to try while there's still time left!"

Holly looked at Ash with a mixture of dejection and fury; for a moment, she realized that the Lady of the Watch was more than capable of keeping her here against her will. But the elder Night Fury shook her head, then conceded. "I will not force you. But you must understand; you cannot spend more than a day in the Wastes or you will never emerge. Do you understand me?"

Ash nodded.

"Then go. Go with my blessing. Iris is waiting outside, she will guide you through the fog." Holly stepped back, the tunnel unblocked.

Ash immediately began to race for the exit, but something stopped her. Turning back to look upon the Lady of the Watch, she smiled. "Thank you. I won't tell anyone a thing, I promise."

Holly looked at her, her amber eyes warm once more. "You are welcome. But if what you fear comes to pass, such things won't be so important. Now go, child."

Ash raced out of the cave, and the elder female was alone. Her kind expression began to melt and twist, to be replaced by unrestricted rage. She turned to the wall, the cave glowing brighter as Holly's spine began to glow blue in fury. But the stone still reflected no light, a circular void on the wall.

"Why?! Why would you show her the Wastes?! Nothing can survive out there!"

No response. Holly looked for any trace of color, but the stone was lifeless.

"You showed me the human city, you showed me her intentions, and now this?! WHAT AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?! SHOW ME!"

Nothing.

The Lady of the Watch slumped to the ground, her forehead pressed against the stone. Dragons could not cry, but her despair was beyond the point of tears. The world would continue to change, and yet again she was alone.

"Oh, my love…" she whispered. "You snake… We are both forsaken. Come home… please…"

"I need you."

Author's Note: I still really hate writing dialogue, but honestly the more I write it the more essential it becomes to the meaning of the characters. Words can often reflect more than actions into a person's thoughts, and hopefully as you read you can find your own themes and experiences to relate to in each character. On another note, I start writing my thesis this week so I wanted to get this chapter out as fast as possible before the dreaded homework comes knocking.