Fury of the Sun

2. More to Berk than Meets the Eye

Chapter Two
More to Berk than Meets the Eye

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Soundtrack: 01. This is Berk
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It was just shy of midnight when I reached the island. Torches lit up a village nestled on the cliffs, houses of carved wood illuminated in the night. I circled it from above, drinking in the sight. This had to be the place.

I noticed dark splotches covering the roofs of many of the houses. I glided closer to investigate. It took me a moment to realise they were dragons. No! I screamed in my head. They must have already raided the place and killed the people here! The riddle boy was surely slain...

Then I noticed something peculiar. Nothing was on fire, or destroyed. There were no bodies, and sheep slept happily in crooked pastures throughout the village.

"Find the one who saved his home
But also saved the danger..."

I recited in my mind. He... saved the dragons? I guessed, but I could barely believe it.

I landed silently in a large courtyard rimmed by stalls and shops and my paws glided over the ground soundlessly as I explored the place. Dragons slept peacefully anywhere they could fit. I turned my head to look behind me, making sure I was alone. I breathed a huff of relief.

I turned my head forward again, and let out a surprised noise, dropping to the ground. A black dragon stood before me, the same type of dragon as I was. Through all my days, I had never seen another like me. Maybe he's a Former too, I thought. Maybe this is the one I'm looking for!

The dragon made a ruk-ruk noise in it's throat, and I recognised laughter. He was laughing at me! I growled softly and the dragon's amusement was replaced by cold watchfulness. I lowered my head in submission.

The dragon turned and walked off, beckoning me to follow. We reached a rocky outcrop that leant over the sea. A salty breeze stirred the grass there. The dragon looked at me curiously. He bent down and sniffed me, and I shifted uncomfortably. He looked confused and sat back on his haunches. He seemed to realise I wasn't completely dragon.

I yawned, my teeth showing briefly, and exhaustion hit me like a tidal wave. I flopped down onto the soft, dewy grass, and promptly fell asleep.

. . .

"Toothless, what are you doing, buddy?" A voice called, and my eyes shot open, slit-like pupils unfocused. I growled lightly and immediately leaped over the cliff-side, my wings close to my body. I pulled up close to the water and flew low across the waves, getting my adrenaline under control.

Fully awake now, I flipped over mid-air, rode the wind higher, and clung to the rocks of the cliff near the edge, so I might overhear the conversation. "Toothless," the same voice said in an exasperated tone. "Why are you out here?" he asked. A soft grunt was the reply.

So the dragon is Toothless, I noted. "Come on, then. Let's go for a spin."

The next thing I knew, black wings soared over my head and out over the ocean. I pushed off the cliff, my wings beating furiously as I gained altitude. I floated above Toothless, trying to understand what matter of object was on his back, until I realised it was a person. A person riding a dragon.

The boy upon the dragon's back... he had to be the one then. The Riddle Boy.

As though in recognition of my realisation, the sun split through the overcast clouds and shone warmly on my back. Now I just had to figure out what to do next.

. . .

Toothless reached a natural stone sculpture that stood out from the ocean, great rock pillars rising into the air. I watched from above as the boy and dragon skimmed across the waves and then rose high, gracefully circling one of the rough grey pillars.