Chapter 19

Into the Abyss

A/N- Thank you for waiting. I apologize for the vague ending of the last chapter as I was still doing the research necessary to elaborate on the direction I'm heading in. This chapter will be much clearer and I will probably go back and edit the previous chapter once this story is over.

I also apologize for the late posting. Labor Day ended up being a busier day than I thought (my brother needed help moving some of his things into his new apartment building-my building conveniently- and that took most of the day).

I also had a bit of writer's block because I'm still working my research into these chapters.

Then Tuesday I had work and other things. And today was also pretty busy, so I've been writing in between my randomized scheduled items. I didn't want to rush the updates with a badly written ending so I took the time to wrap them up for most of this week.

I'm hoping this update is worth the wait.

Enjoy!

-Don

When Astrid was a child her parents told her tales of the Viking afterlife and the gods. They were simply stories that parents would slip into everyday life or as a lesson. But never had she heard them as raw and to the point as Stoick told them. Perhaps it was because he was once Chief of Berk he knew far more about the gods and their world than did the common warrior or villager.

Stoick had gathered the trainees of the dragon academy, Gobber, and a few other select Vikings to the great hall to discuss the situation. His expression was one of grim concentration as he spoke.

"I have gathered you all here for a few reasons," Stoick said, lifting a finger for emphasis, "One, because we are still in need of a plan to defend ourselves. Two, because we are still at war and three because my son, the chief, is missing." If Stoick the Vast was heartbroken, he was hiding it well under his determined gesturing and fist pounding on the table.

"Then we'll go look for him!" One of the Vikings shouted. There was a cheer of agreement but Stoick held up a hand for silence.

"Hiccup's disappearance is no accident," Stoick stated. "My daughter in law, Astrid, has something to share with us."

Astrid stood, "Hiccup disappeared after he fell into the water." Her words were followed by some gasps, murmuring, and scowls among the Vikings. "Toothless is with him." Stoick's brow went up at that. Apparently she had skimped on a detail that he found important.

"Astrid," Stoick said slowly, "Do you mean to tell me both my son and his dragon disappeared at the same time?" Astrid nodded slowly, unsure of what the former Chief was so worried about. His brow creased and he leaned heavily against the table.

"There is no doubt then," Stoick said slowly, "Hiccup has gone to Helheim's gates."

Astrid opened her mouth to object but Stoick silenced her with his booming voice, "Silence!" He turned to the rest of the gathered Vikings. "There were legends, and like a fool I did not heed them, of dragons who brought messages from the lands of the dead. That dragons were the soul companions of guardians of gods, spirits, and guardians of the dead alike."

Astrid remained silent. So Stoick knew that the Vikings were angering the gods by killing dragons. The dragons were warnings. It would follow then that each dragon represented a different type of guardian, god, or holy being. Astrid thought then of her Nadder. Why would the dragons bother to befriend the Vikings after so many years of hatred and violence between them?

All she could do now was hope to the gods that Stoick knew what to do. For Astrid did not know where to go from here. "We must consult the elder." Stoick said. "Fetch the elder!" Two Vikings hurriedly scrambled towards the big wooden doors to the meeting hall.

"Astrid," She turned to face the former Chief. His eyes were filled with apprehension, a look so foreign to him that, for one moment, she did not recognize the chief. Stoick the Vast was not known to betray his feelings or weakness. To her knowledge there were only three times he'd shown fear and hesitation. One was when Hiccup's mother had died. She was only a child then, but he looked broken. As did Hiccup. The second was a time Hiccup had spoken to her of, when his father had looked stricken for having told the younger Haddock that Hiccup wasn't his son. The third was the terror Stoick had when he couldn't find Hiccup after the battle of the Green Death. He looked everywhere and then fell upon his knees in defeat.

Now the chief seemed to be facing a similar sense of loss. Astrid did not want her answer to be the reason he'd fall. Berk needed their former chieftain to be strong in Hiccup's stead.

"Yes, Sir?" Astrid said.

"Tell me the truth, did Hiccup and Toothless disappear at the same time?" She nodded. Stoick heaved a sigh.

"Odin help us," He checked the door, and upon finding the messengers had not yet returned, he turned once more to Astrid. "We thought that all dragons were devils, evil, and vile creatures, Niddhogg be blamed. But some dragons are holy beings. I don't know when we began killing them, though once it began, we didn't stop. We were running blinded by bloodlust. Nary a one of us realized what we'd become," Stoick shook his head. "Hiccup's discovery made me feel shame for what I'd done."

Astrid lowered her gaze to the table, "I treated Hiccup badly. He was right all along. He was the one who found out the truth about dragons. He even found Toothless's family." Stoick pounded the table and stood up.

"Thor's hammer, that's it!" Astrid blinked in surprise. Stoick was beaming now. At that moment the doors opened and the elder entered with two out of breath Vikings in tow. He faced his fellow Vikings. "Pack up, we're leaving for the Land in the Mist."

Astrid leapt up, but ran to catch up with the Chief. His announcement was good in that it meant he had a plan, but she wasn't sure what it was. Astrid was an orderly person. She was more inclined to rules and protocols, whereas Hiccup was as unpredictable and unorthodox as they came.

"Hold on, the elder has something to say," The Vikings all halted to hear the older woman speak.

"Do not tread where you are not welcome. Let the dead lie," She said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tuffnut blurted.

"Yeah, if the dead are dead, then why should they care?" Ruffnut added. Astrid had already tuned the twins out. She was troubled by the words. But before she could dwell on them, she was stopped by her name on the air.

"Mom!" Astrid's face filled with relief at the sight of her daughter up and about. The days waiting for Autumn to recover enough to sit up were challenging enough on Astrid.

"I'm coming with you," Autumn said.

"Autumn, no," Astrid cut her off. "I have lost enough and you are in no condition to go anywhere."

Autumn stood her ground. "Vikings stick together. Isn't that what you taught me?" A large hand fell on her shoulder.

"Aye, Vikings look after their own. But that also means your mother wants to look after you," Stoick said. Autumn gritted her teeth. "You are all that's left of the Haddock line, Autumn. We need you to stay put."

"Here?" Autumn snorted.

"You know what he means," Gobber piped in. "You can help me in the stall." The old blacksmith grinned. He wasn't as nimble as he once was and his leg held him back more than it had in the past. Hiccup had given him an upgrade, but human bodies wore down in ways that not even a skilled smith as Hiccup or Gobber could mend.

"Fine," Autumn said and stomped off. Astrid started but Stoick held out his arm.

"Let her go, Astrid," He said. "One day she'll understand why she had to stay behind." Astrid watched her daughter amble over towards the stall. Even after all this time Astrid still didn't understand sometimes why Hiccup had left her. How could a fifteen year old comprehend what a grown Viking could not?

The Vikings gathered food, supplies, and weapons and then finally set out on their ships. Stoick had insisted, without much explanation that they take their ships, and a few were permitted to keep their dragons close by.

Soon Berk was growing smaller in the distance as the ships pulled away. They were first traveling to the Land in the Mist to talk to Kuuwaay and the knights. If anyone was familiar with the ways of the dragons, it was Kuuwaay, though whether or not he knew anything about the land of the dead or how to get there was unknown.

Stoick found Astrid standing at the stern. He shifted and said, "It's a hard thing: leaving those you love behind." Astrid turned to the former Chief. His eyes bore a tired expression. He placed his hands on his hips, a gesture that normally would show defiance and strength, but he lowered his gaze shortly after, betraying a sense of loss.

"Hiccup hated it when you left," Astrid said. Stoick's head shot up.

"He never told me that. I always thought he was relived when I was gone," Stoick said, frowning at the idea. He'd carried guilt about how much Hiccup had felt unappreciated, unloved, and moreover, like a waste of space. Stoick knew he was as much at fault for making Hiccup feel that way as anyone else. He'd only wanted to protect his son.

"He wouldn't have," Astrid said. Hiccup rarely talked about how his father made him feel in the past. It was probably because it was also a sore spot between Astrid and Hiccup as well. Sometimes she wondered if he'd ever forgive her completely.

The rest of the trip over was a quiet one. Once they'd reached the shores, they were met by a score of knights. The knights had patrols on dragons flying and had spotted the Vikings from miles away. They all were disheartened to hear of Hiccup's disappearance and were eager to help.

Stoick saved the specific details for when he could speak to their leader. It was not a light matter after all. The knights lead the Vikings to the ramparts where the dark form of Kuuwaay stood, keeping a watchful eye over the battlements. He looked up as Astrid and the others approached, his golden eyes flickering with the flames of the nearby torches.

"Greetings, Young Astrid," Kuuwaay said. "And to you, Chief Stoick of Berk." The former chief waved his hand.

"Former chief, my son is chief now." Kuuway's eyes widened and then fixated on Astrid.

"Ah, and this is why you are here. Hiccup and Ki'shna are missing," He sniffed. "There is more to this than I have heard the wind sing. Please sit. I apologize for the strange meeting place. This is one of the few places I can comfortably sit."

Astrid was not surprised that Kuuwaay didn't like being indoors. Even if the Night Fury could fit inside the castle, he was sure to be cramped no matter where he went. "Tell me what happened." Kuuwaay nodded to Astrid. The young woman met his eyes. Each retelling of Hiccup's disappearance took a toll on her that she was still struggling to grasp.

"He was poisoned by a stab wound. And when we were out flying," She swallowed, "He suddenly lost consciousness and fell into the water with Toothless. I couldn't find either of them."

Kuuwaay's brow creased, "You mean to tell me he disappeared beneath the water and was near death when he was poisoned?" The dragon shook his head, causing his glowing scales to dance and glow like the stars above. "By the wind and stars, this is strange."

Astrid gave Kuuwaay a long stare before posing the question she knew was on the minds of all gathered there. "Does this mean Hiccup has gone to Hel?"

Kuuwaay's ears twitched and flicked back in the same way Toothless' did when he was contemplating something. For Toothless it was cute. But on the larger dragon it struck Astrid as almost meditative or a sign of wisdom. "If he has, and I believe it is possible, reaching Hiccup may prove to be severely difficult."

Astrid gripped her ax and her blue eyes flashed with determination. "I can handle it."

Kuuwaay smiled. "You are a brave soul, Astrid of Berk. But bravery and physical strength will not be enough to reach Hiccup this time."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tuffnut blurted. Fishlegs shivered. Kuuwaay glanced down at the boy.

"Hiccup's not in the land of the mortal anymore," Fishlegs said. "We won't be able to get there without connecting with the gate to Hel."

Kuuwaay shifted, adjusting his wings and flicking his tail to point at the distant water. "It is said that many have tried to reach the gates by sailing for years. You will not find the gate simply by sailing." Astrid stood up and slammed her ax into the stones.

"Then how do we get there? Just tell us!"

"The gods want few things from mortals," Kuuwaay explained. "Sacrifices, loyalty, and a connection to the unworldly." Kuuwaay tilted his head back and breathed fire into the sky. The flames quickly formed smoke and then morphed into a familiar face.

"Korenth," Astrid breathed. The knight inclined his head to her respectfully.

"Lady Astrid," He said. "I wish I could have been brought here under better circumstances."

Astrid pushed aside her confusion for a moment in order to ask him the obvious question. "Yeah, how is that you are here?"

Korenth jerked his head across the wall to the form slowly growing larger in the distance, gold and brown colors revealed by the torchlight. It was Gormath. The lion was still alive, but seemed very weary, and broken.

Astrid opened her mouth, "Korenth, by broken, you didn't mean…"

He nodded. "We all have our halves. In life and death, and sometimes we must lose in order to regain what we have lost."

Gormath's glowing yellow eyes shone and he let out a mournful roar. It was a chilling sound. Nothing had sounded so full of loneliness. The lion had spent the past fifteen years alone.

His eyes met Kuuwaay's. Astrid looked from one to the other. Then she understood. "No!"

"It must be so, Astrid," Korenth said gently, "The ways proven to open the gates are those of pure intention. The gods will accept no less." Astrid's eyes stung. She blinked. The wind had picked up but she knew that she wasn't reacting to the dust. She averted her gaze.

"I want no part in this," She bit. For a moment she wondered if this is what Hiccup felt like. If Hiccup always felt like each death, each person he hurt, and each person who was somehow negatively affected by him tore a tiny hole in his heart.

What a heart he had. Astrid would never stop marveling at his heart. She shook herself from her reverie to find the Vikings, dragons, and Gormath were now making their way back to their ships. Astrid followed in somber silence.

Putting to words what she knew was to happen would taint the meaning, if there were indeed one to begin with. These customs, did the gods truly wish for them? Nay, it was not her place to question the gods.

Kuuwaay flew above the ships as they floated into the open waters. He gave a small hum to signal they stop. One boat floated out before the others. Gormath sat quietly at the bow of the boat, his eyes drooping, his mane wilted with age, and he lifted his head to growl at Kuuwaay.

The dragon gave pause as he let the smoke form of Korenth float down to Gormath where the smoke seemed to settle on the water. Then the smoke passed through the boat like it was a cloud. When it had gone past, the boat remained, but Gormath was lying still on the ground where he had sat once before.

Kuuwaay turned to the Vikings. "And now I shall send you on your way." His nostrils glowed just before a blue shot of flame struck the boat.

Astrid watched the glowing embers sinking beneath the waves in puzzlement. Her mind filled with questions. No time was left to ask questions before the ship burst into darker flames that crawled and slithered their way into the sky, leaving behind the smoke form of Gormath.

The lion was the last thing Astrid saw before a rumbling moan that stemmed from the very heart of the deep sent a massive swirling wave through the entire surface and then caved inwards, sucking their ships into the depths.

A/N- I'm going to continue to do research for this fic, meaning that it may take longer to get chapters up than I normally do and I am trying to do that as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality.

On the story choices: My research of Norse culture revealed no one true way to access the land of the dead. Though historical findings and archeological discoveries revealed that many Vikings died through some kind of ship burning or in a nautical fashion. This became a popular custom, especially for those of noble birth, and so I decided that I would have the characters access the gates of the underworld via a burning ship sunk at sea. The dragons are the piece that requires imagination. But what I did find fascinating was the amount of research that the HTTYD animation team at DreamWorks must have done in researching the Norwegian Vikings. There are some fun tidbits I noticed in both the first and second film that I didn't notice until I did some research of my own.

Anyways, I'll stop babbling now.

I appreciate everyone who has stayed with this fic and this series. You all are awesome.

See you at the next one,

-Don ^_^