Chapter One
A/N: Okie-dokie, here we are! For those of you who haven't read the prequel (entitled 'Bewitched'), it's okay to read this on its own. (Although it will be EXTREMELY helpful to read Bewitched first...it will make a ton more sense.) I'll try to explain things as they come but the most useful tool to you right now, is the opening narration. It explains basically what happened in the last fanfic...
And for those of who DID read Bewitched...WELCOME BACK! I hope you guys enjoy and thanks for reading!
Also...I'm in the process of making animated 'trailer' of sorts for Bewitched. (For my Graphic Animation class). So when I finish it, I'll upload to youtube and let you guys know :)
"This is Berk. About a month ago, we discovered that witches and spirits are more than just creepy ghost stories to tell around a campfire... A woman named Aragwen, chief of the village of Farfalee and a witch herself, tried to have me killed in order to revive her dead son, Hinrik, so she could impress some spirit they called the 'Dark One'. Hinrik's ghost possessed my body and, if it hadn't been for his own goodness, I wouldn't be alive today... He managed to save me but his mother is still alive, locked in our prison and awaiting the day when she can finally get her revenge. I just hope that day never comes..."
Drip...
Drip...
Drip...
Drip...
Somewhere off in the distance, water is leaking through the cracked ceiling of Berk's prison. Each drop rolls in one at a time, slipping off the edge of the roof and plopping to the stone floor almost in timed beat. One could almost keep rhythm to the monotonous sound.
But Aragwen is getting tired of hearing it. All day, everyday the water dips into her cell, puddling on the floor just at the foot of her uncomfortable, metal framed cot. She's also getting tired of eating the same thing everyday. It's some kind of bland porridge with half-stale bread and a cup of luke-warm water. Revolting. Back in her home land, Farfalee, she was a chief! She ate like royalty! But here... She shivers at the thought of this nasty little island that will someday be ruled by the brat who stole away her son: her best and only chance to impress the Dark One.
Hiccup! She grinds her teeth together at the sound of his name in her head. Over this past month, she's grown bitter toward Stoick's scrawny little son. How DARE he interfere?! How DARE he turn Hinrik against her?!
Suddenly, she sits up. Her blue eyes blazing with fury. Aragwen stands up in her little cell and goes to the bars. Peeking through, she squints into the darkness. Looking left, then right, then left again, she decides it's clear. There are no guards around.
Just wait, Hiccup... She muses, almost cheerily. You'll regret turning my dear, precious Hinrik against me... The witch drops to her knees beside the bed and gingerly reaches underneath, her slim fingers wrapping around something. She draws it out, cradling the object in her palm as if it were her life itself.
Which, in a way...it sort of is.
The tiny chunk of stone is nearly falling apart in her hands. It's one of the little bits that fell out from the hole in her roof. The very one where that terrible leak comes from. She turns it over in her hands, being very careful not to break it. It's so grainy and delicate. Almost like...chalk.
She smirks down at it. I wonder... She leans down, pressing the tip of her makeshift chalk into the floor. Just how much do you care about them...?
The gentle sound scratching chalk on pavement floats through the barren halls of the prison block. No one is around to hear Aragwen planning her escape...
"Hookfang, annihilate!" Snotlout jabs an enthusiastic finger at the stack of barrels sitting in the far corner of the Dragon Training Academy. His rebellious Monstrous Nightmare, Hookfang, glances up at him with big, uninterested yellow eyes. Shifting and even yawning, he lifts his massive neck and head, turning to face his target. "I said," Snotlout repeats. "ANNIHILATE!"
The dragon snorts, smoke spilling from his huge nostrils. He shifts his weight and crawls to his feet, snapping his jaws at his Rider. Then, with an irritated grunt, he shoots off a blast of flames. They swallow up the barrels in a fraction of a second, leaving nothing but cinders.
"Ha!" Snotlout folds his arms, grinning smugly. "Now that's some first class dragon training! Top that, Hiccup!" He steals a glance at his 'arch-rival', only to be slightly annoyed at the lack of awe on the other boy's face.
"Yeahh..." Hiccup rolls his eyes. "Nicely done, Snotlout. Fishlegs, you're up."
The chubby, blonde boy looks up at his friend with an uncertain look on his face. "Um, sure. Okay." He gets up and motions to Meatlug, his lazy Gronckle. "Come on, girl! Let's show them what we've got!"
Her eyes flutter open and she purrs at her Rider, wagging her spiky tail. Her wings buzz as they lift her to her feet.
"Okay, Meatlug..." Fishlegs says, slowly. "I need you to destroy those barrels...do you think you can do that for me?"
She eyes the barrels, which the twins have sloppily thrown into place. Her tongue slips out as if in focus as she awkwardly steers herself into position. Then, her throat trembles as a gurgling sound begins to well up inside it. Throwing her head to the side, she spews a flaming hunk of rock and lava at the barrels. They shatter upon impact, embers raining down onto the floor from twenty feet up.
"Yay! Way to go, Meatlug!" Fishlegs throws his arms around the dragon's neck, hugging her affectionately. "Who's my tough girl!? You!"
She licks his cheek, causing him to giggle.
Hiccup smirks at the two of them and shakes his head. "Good job, you two." He says, reaching up to scratch his own dragon's ear when he nudges his waist. Toothless, a jet-black Night Fury with emerald-green eyes, coos at his little human and nuzzles his cheek. His long tail flaps against the ground, smacking it impatiently.
"Hiccup," Fishlegs says. "I think you'd better go next. Toothless seems pretty eager to show off..."
The freckled boy chuckles in agreeance. "I guess you're right. Okay, bud..." He turns to face the barrels, a determined and thrilled glint in his viridian eyes. "Plasma blast!"
There's the distinctive screeching sound of a charging Night Fury...and then-
BAM!
The barrels literally explode into the air, flickering with flames and accompanied by a flash of purple light. Toothless drones and shakes his head, glancing sideways at Hiccup as if to ask, "did I do good?".
Hiccup grins at him and pats the dragon's head. "Good job, bud. As accurate as ever!"
Snotlout snorts and rolls his eyes. "Sure! But can your dragon do this?!" He spins around to face Hookfang, clearly wanting show off some more...but the Monstrous Nightmare is nowhere to be seen. "Hookfang?"
Hiccup arcs an eyebrow. How could there be five of them in arena and none of them notice a five-thousand pound, bright red lizard wandering away? He's about to voice his concern, when he feels Toothless's back rumbling beneath him. He turns, staring at his friend in confusion.
Toothless is growling, a fierce look on his face...
"Toothless?" Hiccup asks, gently. "What's the matter?"
The Night Fury looks at him, his ears folding back against his head. He whimpers at Hiccup. He's trying to tell him something.
"Toothless...?"
But suddenly, the dragon snaps back to attention. A terrifying roar bursting from his throat. He takes off running, quickly followed by Meatlug and Hoofang, who had been hanging upside down on the roof and staring outside with a look of suspicion.
"Hey, Meatlug!" Fishlegs protests. "Where are you going?!"
"Let's go." Hiccup starts running after them. There's a disturbed expression of his face. Toothless never goes anywhere without him... "Something's wrong." He decides. "We've got to follow them."
Outside, the air cool and moist. A heavy fog has settled over the island of Berk and it hangs over the ground, obscuring everything below Hiccup's knees. Normally, in this kind of weather, he is very careful. For Berk's terrain is anything but reliable. Jutting rocks and deep sink holes are not uncommon and Hiccup has twisted his ankle more than once in these hazards.
But today, he doesn't care. He sprints as fast as he can through the soupy mist, pumping his arms and trying desperately to keep track of where his dragon has gone. The only bad thing about a Night Fury...they are sometimes very hard to see in dark or obscured places, thanks to their gloomy coloration.
Thankfully, as he's running through the fog, Toothless is being very vocal. He roars and growls, as if trying to help steer his Rider in the right direction. And Hiccup easily follows his voice, ears perked for any sounds that could have caused the Night Fury to rush away like that.
But instead of hearing the sounds of a fight or even a dragon attack...what he does hear...is the rushing sound of a waterfall. Confused, Hiccup picks up speed. In this fog, he hadn't realized how close they'd gotten to it, but he knows this waterfall. It's the ending of a large river that snakes through the woods, dumping massive amounts of water over the edge of a sheer cliff.
But why would Toothless lead him here?
Just as he reaches the drop, he understands... "A-Astrid?" He whispers, eyeing her in shock. He'd wondered why she hadn't shown up to training...but he'd just assumed she'd been busy with chores...or helping her parents... So why is she...? "Astrid!" He tries again, his heart thundering in his chest.
The lovely blonde girl, who Hiccup had grown very close to over these past few years, is standing on the lip of the cliff. Her body wobbling dangerously. There's a dreamy look in her eyes, as if she doesn't believe this is real... When Hiccup calls her name, she doesn't react in any way. Other than, of course, lifting one foot and proceeding to step off the cliff...
"NO!" Hiccup screams, rushing forward in a blind panic. WHY WOULD SHE- His thoughts are interrupted as Toothless suddenly appears. The dragon slips his head and shoulder beneath Hiccup, scooping his Rider onto his back. Then, in an instant, the two of them are sailing down after her...
Hiccup snaps back into reality and steers Toothless closer. He reaches out, his fingers extending to grab her. After a few missed swings, he wraps his arm around her waist and throws himself backwards, tugging her limp body into the saddle in front of him.
But by now, they've nearly reached the ocean's thrashing surface. Sea foam sprays up into the air, soaking Hiccup's face and hair as he slams down on the foot pedal. "UP, TOOTHLESS!" He shouts, desperately. "NOW!"
And the Night Fury obeys. He fans open his wings, slamming into the wind and arching back into the sky at nearly a ninety degree angle. The furious ocean screams in protest as his wings hiss over them. Only a short moment later, the three of them explode back over the top of the cliff, spinning a few times before leveling off...
"Astrid..." Hiccup whispers, staring at the girl's unconscious face with terrified eyes. He touches her cheek, noting the abnormal coolness of it. "Hey, wake up." He doesn't actually expect that to work, so when her eyes suddenly flutter open, he can't suppress his gasp.
"Hiccup...?" She breathes, eyeing him curiously with tired blue eyes. "What's going on? Where are we?"
He frowns, disturbed. "You don't remember?"
She shakes her head. Their bodies are jolted slightly as Toothless lands. Fishlegs and Snotlout race over, staring at the two of them with wide, shocked eyes. "Are you guys okay?!" Fishlegs pants. "What happened?!"
Hiccup looks up at them, pale as a ghost. He doesn't protest when Snotlout comes over to help Astrid up, pulling her from his arms. His hands are shaking, his heart thumping against his ribs. He isn't exactly sure how...but he recognizes those symptoms.
A trance-like state, no memory of events afterwards, coolness of the skin...
A chill runs through him like icy fingers when he realizes what just happened. "Astrid just got pushed..." He breathes.
She flashes him a look from where she's leaning against Hookfang. "What?" She demands.
But Hiccup doesn't respond. He feels frozen, terror burning in his chest. Aragwen did this...but how? We destroyed her Tether to the Dark One...she shouldn't have been able to... He shuts his eyes.
"Hiccup?" Astrid asks, wobbling as she tries to stand on her own two feet. "Are you alright...? What do you mean I got 'pushed'?"
He gazes at her from the tops of his hard eyes. "We need to find my dad." There's a certain harshness to his voice that makes no one question his judgement. The other teens just nod and follow him as he hops onto his dragon and takes off in the direction of the village.
A/N: Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed!