Hey everyone! Here's a new update to the story, hope you enjoy it!

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Brothers

Chapter 46: The Dragon Eye

We returned to the Isle of Berk in haste as the day's events began to sink in…hard. Dagur had returned and now a big threat loomed over all of us.

But…all things considered; we have what Dagur wanted: the cylinder device. Hiccup (admiringly?) called it the Dragon Eye.

Gobber and the gang tried all they could to figure out what this mysterious object was and what it could do. While trying to find out how to open it, Gobber and the others found some traps within it.

While the humans tried to solve this strange puzzle to the strange device, the other dragons and I tried figuring out what exactly was said on that ship.

Johann…somehow, he fits the puzzle…but how? It can't all be a coincidence. M-maybe the trader is just a middleman…unbiased in affairs? I mean; to be a trader you must be those things to be successful in that profession…right?

No…something was not right, my heart told me something wasn't right… but even if we suspected foul play…we have no proof.

"So…you really think Johann sent Dagur to us, Flint?" Toothless had asked. He was sitting beside a boulder as the rest of the dragon crew surrounded us.

"How else did Dagur know where to go…the same time we did?" I raised an eyebrow at him before looking toward the others with a confident façade, "it seems too convenient, but why would Johann do it?"

"Maybe he had our best interests in mind?" Stormfly suggested, hopping closer…turning her head to see us. However, Stormfly herself had her doubts too.

"She has a point" Hookfang supported her statement.

"Even if Flint is right, we can't be pointing claws at anyone until we know for sure" Meatlug added, sitting on her hunches from a distance from the group…supposedly chowing down on some rocks nearby.

"Personally, I've always wanted to eat him" Barf said amusingly enough.

"You too?"

"We do share the same mind, 'ya know?"

"Oh, right!"

"Wait…you do?" Toothless said with his mouth open, but then he shook his head…getting back to the conversation at hand, "alright…this is what we'll do…keep tabs on good 'ol Johann…first moment he slips up, we'll go after him…agreed?"

The other reptiles didn't protest…they all nodded in agreement…almost in synch…as if unanimously. That just left me. I paced back and forth…thinking about it. Well…I suppose until we have evidence we might as well hold off. I soon nodded to seal the pact.

"Then it's settled" Tooth closed the meeting.

As the dragons broke away, I walked up to my Night Fury twin and said softly in his ear, "we ought to tell Hiccup about it, at least."

"And how do you suppose we do it?" Toothless breaks away with a raised scaly brow.

I simply gave a smug smile to him, "you'll write to him."

"Ridiculous. I can't write that well to him" he shook his head as if he had an itch, recoiling at the idea, but I continued, "I think you know enough. Come on, bud…try. I think you'll be surprised with the results." I gave an encouraging smile to him. He remained motionless, staring at me…considering the option. He then smiled back in response, "okay, I'll try."

"Attaboy!" I chuckled in my "now" deeper voice, slapping his back with my bat-like wing.

…

Time passed, and efforts to open the Eye fell short. Ultimately, Gothi would lead the group to find a way to open the device. She would take the team to Glacier Island. They eventually ran into a dragon with white scales and intimidating stature: a Snow Wraith. After some struggles, they managed to obtain a tooth from the reptile that would help in solving the Dragon Eye.

Why wasn't I with them? Well, it's because I decided to check on Galadriel and Belin…make sure everything is alright with them.

Once I arrived, the tree-filled island sprang to life: with its inhabitants welcoming my arrival.

"It's Flint!"

"The Night Fury has returned!"

I landed by the base of the half-destroyed volcano (now had dense vegetation on it) to be greeted by some regulars, as well as new faces. Belin the Terrible Terror was out on patrol it seemed…or was delivering a message to the outlying island chains inhabited by our kind. Our kind…ah jeez…thinking like a dragon again there, heh!

Anyway, I ascended the hill and entered the caldera to meet with the Ex-Queen again. She was lying on the ground…partially covered by the red haze. I walked up and sat beside her scarred head, "Dagur is back." I simply stated.

She scoffed, giving a loud snort, should not come as a surprise, we just needed confirmation. She said in my mind.

"Yeah, well…with that, we need to double down on our patrols and defenses…and we need to make sure Berk is well-defended also in-case Dagur and the Berserkers decide to attack again."

I'll notify Belin when he returns, Flint

"One more thing" I said…narrowing my green eyes to no one in particular, "there is this human…middle-aged…tall, brown hair…mustache"

No need to describe Trader Johann, I pulled his mental image from your mind already

I smirked, "two steps ahead, I like it."

If we suspect foul play, we will act accordingly

"Yeah well…we need him alive, Galadriel."

Say no more

I lie down, curling my long tail (with its two tail fins) beside my head, "it's been a long day…"

She gave me a weak, wholehearted smile to me. We both just rested there for several minutes.

Why do you have a longing for this…Dr. Pepper? Is the flavor truly gratifying? She asked me.

I chuckled in response, "I liked it. I mean, if I knew the formula off the top of my head…oh man, just imagine the looks on everyone's faces if they tried it! I miss the taste…"

I know

…

I found myself in a hole…not literally…it felt more like a prison. I didn't know exactly where this was…there weren't any visual depictions, it was more like a feeling.

I felt like I spent months here…but it feels longer than that. I felt like I was forced to fight…who or what, I wasn't sure. B-but, I wasn't alone. Someone else was with me, and they helped me through this nightmare. All I felt this past few "months" was pain…but he helped me endure. Without him, I wouldn't have survived…

What is this?

I woke up…lifting my narrow head to see the Ex-Queen still sleeping. It was another dream, but this one I wasn't sure what it was…but I decided to shrug it off…for now. I stood up and decided it was time to leave and return to the others, "Déjà vu…" I muttered silently before spreading my wings and leaving Dragon Island.

It took a while, but once I returned to Berk by nightfall, I found everyone had finished their mission on Glacier Island, but even with the tooth from the Snow Wraith they failed to solve the Dragon Eye puzzle. I ended up home and I saw Toothless/Hiccup in our room.

"WildWing, there you are, buddy!" Hiccup smiled, "how's Dragon Island?"

I nodded with a reassuring smile and that was enough. Toothless eyed me, noting a distinct micro expression I made before my reaction. Even so, he welcomed me as he usually did, and I made myself comfortable in my bed. I turn toward the older Night Fury, armed with a question, "did you write to him yet?"

"Haven't had the time…I kind of forgot…it's been a long day" he returned. I nodded in response, "fair enough."

"Don't worry, I'll tell Hiccup."

"It's fine" I finished.

Soon enough, Toothless and I got our beds warmed up for the night, and at that precise moment, Hiccup noticed the Dragon Eye shining purple! It illuminated some symbols on the wall not too far from him. Curiosity came back to the Viking, and he asked the older Fury to do a little experiment: the latter released a low-energy blast (and I mean 0.01% of Tooth's power!) The dragon's breath went through the Dragon Eye, finally catching my attention as my green reptilian eyes widened. Sure enough, we both saw it: a projection of symbols and Norse writing had shown up! The three of us looked in awe at what was in front of us, and we soon realized what we needed to do to get the Dragon Eye to work! Eureka!

"W-what is it?" I murmured at the strange details on the wall. I stood up and walked up to join Tooth's side.

"A guide or something…I can't understand most of it" Toothless warbled.

"Even I can't, to be fair. I don't think it's entirely Norse…I can't read what the symbols mean" I turn my head to him and give an embarrassed smile. Then, confidence came back as I pointed my nose to Hiccup, "but Hiccup probably can."

Speaking of the frail-looking boy, he understood why Dagur wanted the Dragon Eye and why it was a well-guarded secret: it has information for things far beyond our borders…beyond the known archipelago…

He would make his case to the others when he woke them up and summoned everyone to the domed training academy.

The Dragon Eye, in many respects, was a gateway into a world unknown to us. There are map charts, dragon species we've never encountered, and much more that were hidden inside…all stored in this tiny cylinder device. It's crazy because the Dragon Eye is almost a digital store of information…like a medieval smartphone or something! It's mind-blowing, to say the least!

I turned toward the other black dragon across from me as we walked into the dome that same night with everybody, "the Dragon Eye is centuries ahead of what humans have now in your time" I explained.

"What do you mean, Flint?" He tilted his head.

I smiled softly as I began to elaborate, "it's like the device that Sophia had in that vision, remember?"

"I…think so?" He shrugged. Tooth soon put two and two together…hey, if the Dragon Eye can do all these a thousand years in the past in his era…then Toothless shouldn't need to doubt my descriptions one bit! Hiccup seemed to share the same enthusiasm I did…if only he knew how easily information could be obtained within a few centuries…things he would never see…

Anyways, getting off topic here…the brown-haired Berkian shared his thoughts of the Eye to his father, Stoick the Vast, and the other adults that formed his inner circle. Some voiced their concerns…particularly around finding new dragons beyond our known borders as it posed significant risk having to travel into the unknown. Stoick made his case, supporting his only son…his only heir….

I am resting above the dome…looking at the humans through the chained "roof" of the arena. Toothless had left our group for some reason…I wasn't sure why…

I am nervous…Hiccup is suggesting we go out there and find out more about the Dragon Eye…that means leaving Berk and the Dragon Island behind. Granted, we would return at some point, but we have NO IDEA what is out there, and we're just going to go through full steam ahead. I guess I ought to not doubt Haddock's decision here…even his aging father is offering full support on the plan.

About an hour after, we (as in all of the teens, their dragons, and me) began to prepare for our long journey to the farthest reaches of the barbaric archipelago. We gathered enough supplies we could…we're going to need them after all. Spitfire the Deadly Nadder "volunteered" to come with us, but not Belin (he's the one who's sending Spitfire with us after all, heh.)

Still, there was one last thing we needed to do before we left on our journey, and I soon realized why Toothless had slipped out of our group like a snake trailing its next meal.

Turns out, the dragon went to the forge and got some things to write on…and he wrote the following message for Hiccup…the message I taught him to write for his best friend:

Don't trust Johann

When the Night Fury handed the sloppily written letter to Hiccup, the boy looked at the reptile with confusion…but he would never think to doubt his dragon.

And so, with that…Hiccup bore the face of a confident friend and leader, and he led Toothless out of the village square to join the others for the long flight. He mounted the Fury and made sure everyone had what they needed. Once that's set, Hiccup holsters the Dragon Eye and turns to Astrid (who gives a supportive smile to him.) I soon joined them, hoping that somehow Hiccup got the message. Tooth's expression toward me confirmed my wishes and I nodded.

What I hadn't realized was that from this point on…things be different…very different from what they used to be. I looked back toward Berk one last time to see all the ignorant (and happy) Vikings going about their day…and the wild dragons that patrolled or roosted in this place. I turned to face the large expanse of blue sea and blue sky…and the new world that awaited us. We launched ourselves into the sky and left our home to begin our new adventure…with all of us together again.

A new world awaits.