(Author's note: This is a bit of a surprise passion project. I was inspired to write this fanfiction after quite suddenly coming across a fan song on YouTube by the name of "Ashes of Berk" that called itself Hiccup's villain song, and after listening to it, a whirlwind of ideas and thoughts flooded through my mind. Because I have such an intimate knowledge of not only the movies, but the shows as well, I figured I might be able to work out a somewhat accurate idea of how the events of the franchise might turn out differently if Hiccup did, in fact, turn evil in accordance with the song.

So here we are. I will say that this will be a side project of mine. The reason I say that, and why I have pretty much gone dark for the last three years or so is because I have been working on my very own, original fantasy series based off of the HTTYD stories I had written with my characters, Ethan and Amy, who you may have been introduced to in Call of the Dragon Gem. Long story short, I invented them with the intent of inserting them into the timeline of HTTYD, but after a while, I realized how much original material I had made for them and decided to make a completely original, and publishable fantasy series.

In the two and a half years since then, I have invented an entire world of my own, written 70 pages worth of lore including history, locations, my own dragon species, mapped out four areas of my world with three more still to go, and written two drafts of the first book in the series with my current work being the first draft of the second book.

Of course, this is a huge endeavor, and I do intend on making this world (if all goes well when publishing eventually comes) my life's work. I've given myself a 10,000 year timeline to work with and have a rough plan of 15 books to explore key moments in that timeline over the next 50 years or so of a hopefully fruitful writing career. I know that is a huge prospect to be planning when I'm only 21, but I deeply enjoy this world and the characters that I've made. All this to say, I've decided to write this fanfiction as a side project to work on when I'm taking a break from my main work. And I decided to publish it on FanFiction to act as a sort of test with a small public audience to judge my writing skills as they are now. Looking back at my old work, that stuff's pretty cringey and not well thought out most of the time. So I'm curious to see what people think of my writing when I genuinely try to make it the best it can be, with the wording and the storytelling itself, as a test to see how good of an author I might actually be able to be. Long update, I know, but please, review and enjoy! And please feel free to message me with encouragement or questions. I'd love to talk about this side project, and the larger one as much as I can. I'll also be sure to link the song at the end of each chapter so you can listen to it yourselves.)

Part 1

Prologue

A child not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.

"I should've known. I should've seen the signs," Stoick fumed to himself as he stormed past Hiccup. "We had a deal!"

"I know we did, but that was before now," Hiccup stammered, following within his father's immense shadow as it moved deeper into the Great Hall. "It's all so messed up."

"So everything in the ring. A trick? A lie?"

The words cut Hiccup as he continued to try to explain himself to ears that he knew had already been closed.

"I messed up. I should've told you before now. Just…take this out on me, be mad at me. But please, just don't hurt Toothless."

"The dragon?" Stoick whirled to face him, his already booming voice echoing further within the hall. "That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?"

"He was just protecting me! He's not dangerous."

"They've killed hundreds of us!"

"And we've killed thousands of them," Hiccup fired back, banishing the usual stammer that overcame him when he spoke with Stoick. And to his surprise, Stoick went silent.

"They defend themselves, that's all. They raid us because they have to. If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves. There's…something else on their island, Dad."

Hiccup regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but it was too late. Stoick suddenly turned on him, his eyes relit with a new fire.

"Their island?" Stoick seemed almost unable to contain the eager intent behind his words. "So you've been to the nest."

"Did I say nest?" Hiccup swiftly tried to backpedal, but it was too late.

"How did you find it?"

Hiccup flinched back a step as Stoick drew even nearer.

"I-I didn't," the stammering returned. "Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island."

He came to regret these words too as Stoick suddenly stiffened, his gaze no longer fixed on his son. Hiccup could all but read his father's mind. For once, fear now loosened Hiccup's tongue.

"No, Dad, please, it's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against. It's like nothing you've ever seen."

Stoick's large hand only brushed Hiccup aside as if he were no more than a cobweb. Desperation seized Hiccup as he ran to prevent his father from leaving the Great Hall, desperate to stop him from the unknowing, yet suicidal course his mind was now set upon.

"For once in your life, would you please just listen to me!"

Hiccup grasped for his father's arm, only to find himself thrown back to the cold, stone floor of the Great Hall. Stoick turned to face him, his shadow completely enveloping his son, the fire in his eyes the only light shining from beneath his helmet.

"You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a viking." Stoick's voice now was quiet, yet somehow more powerful, the words cutting to Hiccup's core. "You're not my son."

Hiccup was struck as if from a blow, his mind failing to register his father's figure slamming the door to the hall, the muffled, yet still booming voice ordering the ships to be readied. The world crumbled from around him. Stoick was infuriating in his adherence to his ways. Trying to change his mind wouldn't have been easy no matter how things went down. But disowning him? Hiccup wouldn't have thought it possible. After his mother had died, he and his father were all they had for each other. Stoick had still always loved him in his own way…hadn't he?

Gods, why couldn't he have just been a real Viking and killed Toothless in the woods when he had had the chance? No, that would never have happened. He had never been like the others. He had never been a killer. But they didn't seem to care. It was the only way they knew, the only way they accepted, the only way they enforced. And if that was the case, then he wasn't welcome here.

Hiccup forced his head to clear. Now wasn't the time or place to think about this. His father's plan was plain. They were going to use Toothless to find Dragon Island. And if they woke up that…that Thing, they would all die.

He burst out of the Great Hall, racing down the steps as Vikings ran about, already carrying supplies down toward the docks. A strangled roar to the east turned Hiccup's attention in the direction of the arena, a roar which could only belong to Toothless.

Hiccup didn't know how many would be guarding his dragon as they brought him to the docks. Their numbers would not be few, he knew, as they transported the first Night Fury to ever be captured. He wouldn't be able to do this alone. He would need help, and there was only one person he knew he could still trust.

Even through the bustling crowd moving through the center of town, he could make out her form down near her house.

"Astrid!"

She turned at the sound of his voice as he rushed down the stairs toward her.

"Hiccup!"

"We have to get to Toothless!" he exclaimed.

"Hiccup, wait," she said. "You can't help him right now."

"Astrid, listen," he implored. "It's my dad. He knows about the island, and I think he's going to use Toothless to lead him there. I have to stop him, and the best way to do that is to free Toothless."

"Alright," Astrid replied. Just as before in the cove, there was no hesitation in her support of him. "Then what's your plan?"

Astrid kept hidden, waiting in a small grove of foliage just on the opposite side of the bridge that linked the small village rock with the larger island of Berk. Hiccup had said it would be easer to surprise the escort group before they got into town, where too many others might interfere.

She kept silent and still, as had been natural for her for most of her warrior's life. The art of stealth was one Astrid liked to think she had perfected, and sitting still in the bushes was of no bother to her. However, with Hiccup beside her and the circumstances as they were, she found herself strangely on edge.

Hiccup had not told her what had occurred between him and his father from the time they had left the arena to when she saw him outside the Great Hall, but something had occurred. The resolve that had emanated from him just now was the same she had faced in the cove after their return from the dragon's nest. It was a surprising attribute of his that she quickly came to respect. But now there was more. There was something he was hiding, and as much as she wanted to twist it out of him, they were too pressed for time.

They both noticed the appearance of several burly and well-armed Vikings over the hill leading toward the arena. Behind them, they pulled a large wooden cart upon which the black shape of Toothless was chained and muzzled.

Hiccup left the bushes and dashed for the Vikings along the main path, while Astrid slowly crept along the treeline. It seemed Hiccup wouldn't even need to come up with a distraction. His presence alone proved sufficient to occupy the attention of the others, though not in a very pleasant way.

Though she couldn't quite make out what all was being said, the occasional gesture of aggression more than spoke for itself. She could've sworn on Odin's name that she heard the word "traitor" uttered more than once.

Listening to them speak to Hiccup in that manner made her blood boil, yet she felt stifled. These were still her people. She would be labeled a traitor too if she were to attack them, even if she were merely to defend Hiccup's stance. Yet she knew that he was right.

This will have to do for now, she thought as she left the trees and headed for Toothless' cart, staying low and making no noise. Hiccup had told her not to worry about whatever restraints they might have the Night Fury in. They would certainly have him muzzled. All she had to do was remove that, and Toothless would take care of himself.

Pulling the thick, leather strap off of his snout, Astrid soon retreated back to the cover of the trees. An explosion sounded behind her, and splinters of the cart landed at her feet. When she turned around, the entire escort of Vikings were flat on the ground, and Hiccup had already mounted his dragon.

"Astrid, come on!" Hiccup implored, extending his hand toward her. But she hesitated.

"Hiccup…where are you going?" she asked.

"I don't know," he replied. "I'm not a Berkian. I'm not a Viking. I don't belong here anymore." Astrid's heart hurt to hear him repeat the curses that had been hurled at him since the arena.

"Hiccup, that's not true," she pressed. "You're more of a Viking than anyone else here. They need you to help show them the truth."

"They won't listen to me! None of them," he said. "Before I have a chance to say anything, they'll kill Toothless and probably me as well. No, Astrid. I have to leave. I don't have a choice. There's nothing left for me here. I don't think there was to begin with."

A crowd of Vikings had begun rushing across the bridge in response to the commotion of the explosion, weapons brandished.

"And what about me, Hiccup?" Astrid asked back.

"That's why I want you to come with me."

She hesitated again, looking quickly toward the oncoming mob before turning back to Hiccup. A desperate plea was in his eye, but he clearly could wait no longer.

Toothless suddenly shot into the air, the rush of wind almost knocking Astrid off her feet. She lifted her arms to shield her face, and as she looked up, the angry crowd stopping around her, Hiccup and Toothless were already a small speck out over the empty vastness of the ocean.

The ashes whisper stories the winds dare not repeat. A boy who once sought solace now commands defeat. They called me a dreamer, a fool with no claim. But I've forged my destiny, and I've claimed my name.

https/watch?v=OTRbIOtY5w4