How to Train Your Dragon 1. Prologue

_**Author's Note:**_ I welcome you all and thank you for taking time out the read my literary offering. I trust you will enjoy your stay.

How to Train Your Dragon is one of my favorite films, I have seen it over _thirty_ times in theater alone and countless times on dvd. So I couldn't help but see kinds of fanfiction was on offer and many I have found were well written and to my liking. I was also inspired by many to try my own hand at crafting a story for the HTTYD universe.

One story I would recommend is, **Dragonbreath**, by author darkdaylight. It is a wonderfully written story with a lovely mix of great narrative subtle emotions. It can be found here at www. fanfiction s/ 5978239 /1/

Currently this story is takes place an undetermined bout of time before the start of the film. It will be following much of the what was covered in the film with some deviations and twists of its own thrown in because of the new influences on events. I do hope you will all enjoy it enough to comment.

_**Summary:**_

The Isle of Berk, home to the Hairy Hooligans, a mighty tribe of Viking warriors. Berk is a land plagued by troubles. Whether they be raids from other tribes of Vikings or the raids of the mighty and ferocious dragons that roam the skies, or even those that originate from within their number. And yet they make the best of what they have and whatever happens, happens. But when someone from our world is somehow washes up on their shores how will the tribe react to the appearance of the outsider? And just what could it mean?

* * *

**Prologue**

The sun was slow to rouse itself from its nightly slumber.

Eventually dawn moved into to reclaim the sky as it returned to its usual light blue. Peeking over the horizon the sun cast the first rays of golden warmth on the island spread before it. In response many of the island inhabitants began to stir, awakening from their own respite to face what the new day would bring. And so it was the same for the occupants of the isle's sole village. This was the village of Berk, home to at least seven generations of Vikings belonging to the Hairy Hooligan tribe.

Once the sun had crept high enough the crows of roosters echoed throughout the village of Berk. Such obnoxious sounds having little trouble waking the community's residents as they reluctantly left their warm comfortable beds to start the day.

"Hiccup, wake up boy" a man's thunderous voice carried through the small house before reaching the ears of the intended recipient.

With a protracted groan the figure lying in bed gradually began to wake. The sheet covered figured rose as it moved to sit-up on the simple mattress looking like a bad ghost imitation. A moment later a hand emerged from beneath the cover, reaching up to take hold of a handful of cloth and gave it a good yank. The flimsy cloth fell away revealing the young Viking lad.

He sat on the bed, his shaggy medium length dark auburn hair matted and ruffled from the night of tossing and turning on the pillow. Eyelids peeled back allowing his pale green eyes to wander about his room as he yawned smacking his lips together in an effort to get some saliva flowing in his dry mouth. A light spackling of freckles broke up the fair complexion of the teen's thin face, but overall he was rather ordinary. Throwing his feet over the edge of the bed he moved to stand and stretch removing any tension from the night's rest. While not tall he was far from short and his lanky form was seemingly far removed from the other more burly appearing Viking teens. It was something that showed as the sleeping garments were obviously meant for one larger than he was as they hung loosely on his form.

With another yawn he strode acrossed the room making his way to the heavy trunk sat on the opposite side of the room from his bed. No sooner had he reached the bulky chest the sound footsteps approaching his door from the hall garnered his attention.

"Hiccup, are you up yet?" his father's voice cut through the wooden obstruction with little trouble.

The Viking lad turned to regard the door, "Yeah dad. I'm…up" he responded with a brief yawn.

His father didn't respond merely turning he walked away from the door and back down the hall. Listening to the retreating footfalls Hiccup returned to digging through the trunk for clothes to wear. Rising up the teen tucked the bundled clothing under his arm before using his left foot to shut the lid on the trunk. His selection in hand he turned crossing the room to toss the clothes onto his bed. Undoing the sash tied around his waist the sleeping garb slid from Hiccup's shoulders to land in a crumpled heap on the floor about his feet.

The brisk morning air was made to feel even cooler now with the loss of the extra layer of cloth to keep him warm. Even with his long thermals covering his lower extremities a drafty breeze to his nether regions still sent a shiver through his body.

Detangling the clothing bundle he was quick to grab his pants. Bending down he held them open inserting one foot then the other, then pulled them up to his waist where he fastened the ties but not too tightly as to be uncomfortable. Next Hiccup picked up the long-sleeved green tunic and slipped it on over his head letting it fall into place over his torso with the bottom edge falling to mid-thigh. Then came the simple brown sash to keep the bottom of his tunic from hanging loosely.

Finally came the last pieces of his ensemble. Kneeling down he withdrew a pair of boots from under the bed, the boots were made of softened leather upper and a multi-layered thickened outsole, with a black dyed fur insert that covered the top of the boot which insulated the upper leg. Taking a seat on the edge of his bed it was easy enough to slip them on over his sock covered feet.

Rising up from the bed Hiccup took a last glance about his room before making his way to the door and exiting the room.

In the hall his footsteps were barely heard on the heavy wooden floorboards in contrast to his father's thudding footfalls. At the end of the hall he descended the short staircase making his way into the main space of the house. Here pale green eyes looked over the assortment of decorations that adorned the walls.

Swords, axes and shields from battles long past. Various animal hides, all of which were from rather dangerous beasts, hung spread on nails or lay on the floor. All of these things had been passed down the family line with each consecutive generation adding to the collective accomplishment with their own trials and tribulations. However, to Hiccup they tended to serve a very different purpose. They didn't inspire him or fill him with pride for his lineage. Instead these artifacts served to remind the teen of his own failings at being a Viking and just how far he had to go before he could measure up.

Already seated on of the long benches was only other occupant of the house. Hiccup's father, Stoick the Vast, chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe.

"Bout' time you be getting up lad" looking up from the boiling pot before him, the Viking chief watched his approach. "Here," reaching aside Stoick retrieved a bowl into which he dished out a hefty serving "A hearty breakfast to keep your strength up for the day."

Hiccup moved forwards to collect his bowl from his father before taking a seat on the bench opposite him. The stew was the same as it had been the night before, lumpy and pretty bland. While it might not have been the best tasting thing in the world it was still edible. Especially when compared to some of the other dishes his father had tried his hands at making. A great leader and warrior Stoick have been, but alas the title of chef was not to be added to his repertoire.

Bringing spoonful after spoonful to feed their hungry stomachs the pair ate in an uncomfortable silence. It wasn't that they were not willing to talk, it was just the father and son didn't really know exactly what to talk about.

To the son, his father was a rather daunting individual. As the clan's chief, Stoick had garnered quite the reputation to the point where he was regarded almost as a living legend in his own right. With his imposing physique he was well known for his prowess. But more so he was known for his strength of will. If Vikings were considered stubborn, then Stoick was downright impossible. His determination had seen the village through lean summers and long winters. Once he set his mind on something he wouldn't stop until it was done and it took something truly monumental to change his decision. Hiccup's father was the epitome of what a Viking aspired to be. _But you see this was also a problem._

It was hard enough living in the same village as such a person. But being in direct relation to them was something else entirely. The biggest of these reasons was the near constant comparison between them and the expectations to live up to. But also it was because Stoick exuded such confidence and strength that it made him a rather intimidating individual to approach and talk to, especially for Hiccup whom confidence and strength were in short supply.

To the father, his son was something different to say the least. Hiccup was an oddity amongst the Viking village; he lacked the developing musculature of his peers giving him a scrawnier appearance than the others of his age group. But what really set the lad apart from the rest was what some called strange behavior. He was constantly thinking of all manner of things with some so abstract that Stoick couldn't grasp just what he was on about. Like the time Stoick took his son on an outing, the young boy didn't seem to pay a lick of attention to a word he had said. Instead Hiccup kept asking about legends of the forest like Ents, and when it came time to set up camp he would wander off to hunt for trolls. The Viking chief had tried several times to talk with his son about the usual stuff: dragon fighting, hunting, fishing, sailing even. Though there were some topics that even Stoick skirted about, like the topic of women. All that had happened then was a few random syllables and the pair had sat in a very uncomfortable silence for the next five minutes until they couldn't take it anymore and went their separate ways.

And it wasn't like Hiccup didn't show enthusiasm and desire to succeed as a Viking. It was just unfortunate that none of the lad's plans never seemed to work out the way he wanted them to. And this usually ended with the same result, him being left to run damage control and clean up any mess that was left behind by Hiccup's latest idea. Still Stoick could not fault his son for trying but it just seemed Hiccup was going about things all the wrong way at times.

As they sat contemplating what if anything to say to the other time seemed to pass by all too quickly and before they knew it they had finished the morning meal. Finishing the last of what was on his plate Hiccup moved to the back of the room depositing his bowl into the washing pail. A move that Stoick mimicked with his own before crossing to the room to wait by the door for his son to join him.

Opening the door the pair and stepping outside the pair was met the bright rays of the morning sun. The stark contrast between the fire lit room and out here forced them to squint until their eyes had adjusted.

With the house situated at the top of a small hill at the northern most part of the village gave a great vantage point to overlook the village below and much of the surrounding area.

Clearing his throat Stoick turned to his son, "Alright you best be getting down to Gobber." Hiccup merely gave a small nod of understanding as he slipped on the furred vest he carried. "Good, now off with ya." With a brief nod of his own Stoick watched as his son turned and strode down the old stone pathway that led to the village _'Odin, let the boy stay out of trouble for atleast one day.'_

**-x-X-x-**

Many of the villagers were already up and roving about, and just about all of them still carrying around groggy expressions. But all as they started to wake up fully the villagers started to get into the swing of things quickly falling into their usual routines. The anglers prepared for a day's fishing out at sea, the shepherds herding out to look after the flocks, hunters geared up for an excursion into the forest, while the rest just tended to the various things around the village.

Making his way along the main village thoroughfare Hiccup followed a path he had tread many times between the rows of houses that lined the sides. All along the way the teen made sure to say out of the way of the other villagers. No need to start the day off on a bad note afterall. But regrettably his day was about to get a taste of sour as the fates would not be so kind.

"Just where are you off to, Useless?" a voice called out from behind.

Hiccup halted, his shoulders sagging as he hung his head lower. Turning around slowly he sought to see who had addressed him as such. But in truth Hiccup needn't really look as he already knew just who it was.

Standing a short distance away was a small group of the village teens. In the forefront Snotlout sat on a crate and behind him stood the fraternal siblings, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, alongside a few others. All wearing the same sneer.

"Oh hey guys" Hiccup replied with a half-hearted wave "You know just the usual heading to Gobber's shop."

Snotlout hopped off the crate and the group slowly began to approach the lanky teen. "Well then better be sure not to strain yourself, Hiccup" Snotlout jeered "We know those hammers can be awfully heavy." Behind their leader the twins mimed struggling with a hammer.

"Yeah, with all those sharp blades lying around we wouldn't want you to end up like Gobber." At Tuffnut's comment the gaggle of teenagers broke into a fit of brisk laughter, however, their jovial mood was about be interrupted.

"Oh and what's wrong with being like me?" a voice cut through the group's mirth.

There was a quick intake in their breath as the laughter died out. The group lost their laughing expressions as they slowly turned to the right to see a rather unamused looking Gobber.

The older Viking had come from one of the path's smaller offshoots and now stood less than ten feet away. His arms were crossed over his chest, his head inclined slightly as he peered down at the trouble making youngsters. The typical easygoing manner in which he carried himself had disappeared entirely and now was replaced by the stern persona of a warrior.

"Uh we…uh…ah just…" Snotlout stuttered as he found himself caught in the elder Viking's glare.

"Mmhmm" Gobber's glare seemed to harden before he strode forwards. Leaning in close the Viking smith moving from teen to teen, "Go on now before I decide to add some new training dummies to my workshop."

Nodding vigorously the group did an about face and quickly scattered as they retreated into the distance.

Hiccup and Gobber remained long enough to see them as they rushed through the village. The Viking smith chuckled when Tuffnut had the fortune that as he ran he happened to go face first into a large log in the process of being hoisted. This effectively clothes lined the teen and laid him out flat.

"Pay them no mind, Hiccup" Gobber offered in reassurance. "Well shall we be off" turning he gave his apprentice a good solid pat on the back before moving off.

This good natured thump nearly bowled Hiccup but he managed to recover quick enough and with a barely audible sigh fell in line behind his mentor. The rest of the journey to the uneventful and the pair soon arrived at the smithery on the near the edge of the village. Upon entering the shop Hiccup glanced about at the myriad of weapons, tools and various other iron items that sat awaiting to be repaired and returned to their owners. As he moved to retrieve his apron his ears were met with the sounds of metal clanking. Sure enough Gobber had taken up his usual position by the large anvil, his normal hook prosthetic already replaced by a hammer variant which was being used to shape a lump of steel.

Putting on his apron Hiccup moved acrossed the workspace to take a position to aid Gobber. In doing so he couldn't help feel a sense of déjà vu, after all this was the same routine he had been a part of years now. Looking over he regarded his mentor and just how he had come to be apprenticed to him.

The older Viking's appearance was a bit of an unusual sight in the village.

Gobber had been a good friend of Hiccup's father for as long as anyone could remember. He was a seasoned veteran when it came to combating dragons, as evidenced by the missing portions of his lower right leg and his left hand. While losing a limb or two to the dragons would have had put most Vikings out of commission the same wasn't said for Gobber. He had simply improvised and made himself a replacement for each. But the damage had been done and with his lowered combat prowess the Council had placed him in charge of the armory and smithery. Though when the raids came about and things got a bit too hairy, Gobber was still one to charge into the thick of things and lend a hand in turning the tides.

So with him effectively being best friends with his dad and Hiccup needing some kind of role in the village it was little surprise this was where Stoick had placed him. Under his tutelage Hiccup had learned much and was quite thankful for that. And on a plus side it helped to give him an outlet for his high energy.

The lad wasn't allowed to dwell too long in memories before his mentor's voice dragged him back.

"Huh…wha" the teen responded.

"I said hand me that piece there" the Viking's prosthetic pointing the direction.

Gobber tracked the teen's movement as he sought the item his mentor had requested. The lad had been his assistant since he was waist high to the smith, placed there by Stoick as a way to keep the boy supervised and out of trouble. Hiccup made a fine assistant, eager and always ready to learn whatever lesson the smith had to teach. In his spare time the boy was typically tinkering with all manner of things. Gobber was proud that the teen had learned the lessons well and put them to use. However, his sometimes overzealous attempts to prove himself which combined with his unfortunate luck would undo his good intentions.

In the long run, putting Hiccup under his keeping seemed to do little good in keeping him from trouble. All it did was seem to give the boy a new medium in which to dabble and get into a whole new type of mischief.

Shaking his head the smith returned to the present as Hiccup approached. Holding out his hand the teen laid the tool in his palm before returning to his own work. Moving off Hiccup picked up another pair of badly bent swords and placed them over the coals. Then once more working the bellows he stoked the furnace with fresh air and the coals glowed brighter and hotter, this heat was quickly transferred to the metal readying it for Gobber to work with.

**-x-X-x-**

Being busy really helped one lose track of time and it seemed to just slip by without notice by the pair. Hours had gone by before Gobber and Hiccup had decided to stop for the day and go see about scrounging up something to eat.

Hiccup's own stomach was in agreement. Roving about he went about tidying up the workshop before hanging up his apron on the peg beside Gobber's own. Turning the teen left the shop behind as he hurried to catch up to Gobber as he made for the Great Hall and promise of lunch. Along the way to the hall, however, the pair's focus was sidetracked when a throng of villagers rushed passed them all heading in the opposite direction.

"What's goin' on?" Gobber questioned as he helped his apprentice steady himself after being bumped rather roughly by another villager.

When the older Vikings inquiries went unheeded gave both pause and piqued their curiosity. Choosing to hold off on satisfying their appetite the two turned and pursued the stream of other villagers as they made their way towards the harbor. Soon enough the two joined the amassed crowd standing on the cliffs overlooking the marina.

The crowd was alive with murmurs and discussions so much so one bled into another. Not content to just stand at the back of the horde both Gobber and Hiccup carefully made their way through to the front.

Here they found Stoick. The Viking chieftain stood away from the gathering near the edge of the cliff face beside the village Elder. The two villager leaders appeared to be discussing of importance judging by the look Stoick wore upon his features. Taking Hiccup by the arm Gobber towed the teen along behind him as he strode towards his friend.

"Stoick," the smith announced his approach "What's going on? Is it a raid?"

Stoick turned at the sound of his friend's voice garnered his attention. At this close a distance Gobber was better able to see the expression of uneasiness Stoick carried about his face. In all the long years the pair had known each Gobber had rarely seen such a look and could count all the times on a single hand. _Not that he had much choice in that matter._ But seeing the look now gave the Viking smith reason to worry.

Stoick turned taking a few steps back from his place besides the Elder. He regarded his friend for a moment before he even noticed the smaller form of his son standing behind him. "Tis' no raid, Gobber" the chieftain turned away looking back out to the sea and lifting his right arm pointed to a spot on the horizon.

Tilting their heads back both Gobber and Hiccup's gaze followed the direction of Stoick's gesture. It was then for the first time did they notice what the others had already been aware of for some time and was the reason for this commotion. It was sight that had them just as worried and entranced as the rest.

On the horizon something was gathering.

Where the divide between sky and sea met was a growing blackness. It was almost like a literal hole in the sky had opened up somehow. And now great masses of pitch black clouds moved in a spiral like pattern swirling out in all directions from a central point. The jagged edges were thin and wispy not like the typical thick bulky edges of a storm cloud. Below it cast shadows so dark that they seemed to swallow up everything beneath them as if it had ceased to exist. But most extraordinary were the enormous bolts of purple lightning that would occasionally light up the darkness for a scant moment before they too were swallowed up by the black abyss. Every now and again one would streak out from the spirals outer edge to cut a path acrossed the sky like a skeletal hand reaching out to grasp something.

This was no natural phenomenon; this strange thing was being conjured into the world by something. Something powerful.

The sight was as memorizing as it was terrifying. Yet there was something that disturbed the Vikings even more. Whatever this was, this dark storm, it was an omen of something but the question was what?

But what troubled Hiccup most was not the storm itself.

Blocking out the background noises of the murmuring crowds he had noticed the eerie silence that had overtaken the region. Gone were the sounds of the sea gulls or the sounds of waves crashing on the rocks below. Taking a few steps passed where his father and Gobber were locked in conversation the teen peered down at the harbor below. There were no waves. The sea had gone completely flat, even the gentle oceanic breeze had disappeared. All he could hear were the fearful whispers and chatter of the gathered villagers.

Squinting his eyes Hiccup tried his best to discern anything of the apparent storm,_ for lack of a better word,_ as he observed it as it continued to grow unchecked. The longer he stared at it the more noticed that it wasn't truly expanding but moving.

It wasn't drifting as a normal storm would have but actively moving in their direction. But with no wind to guide it, it went against everything they had ever seen before. It was like some great consuming hunger was stretching forth its gaping maw to devour all in its wake.

Turning away Hiccup looked back to his father, "What is it, dad?"

"I don't know, Hiccup" Stoick responded placing a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. He could read the anxiety clear on the lad's face before he returned his gaze to the horizon "I don't know."

Shifting unsteadily with her walking stick the Elder calmly strode passed the father-son duo to stand at the very edge of the cliff face. Allowing her weight to rest against the staff she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly she opened them again to look at the approaching shadows, gripping her walking staff tighter in one hand the Elder's other hand rose to point at the oncoming mass.

Watching this Stoick immediately held his own hand in the air to the crowd, who upon seeing the gesture quickly quieted down.

"Do not be fooled by its devilish disguise," the Elder's words echoed in the ears of those listening "It be no storm of nature but something powerful be its driving force." Once again gripping the staff she pivoted her gaze meeting that of Stoick, _"Something is coming!"_


	2. Ch 1: The unfriendly skies

**Chapter One: The unfriendly skies**

*BBZZZZZZ*

The harsh electronic trilling permeated the small room, echoing off the walls. Sunlight crept along the bed through the gap in the window shades. Combined they signaled the start of another day for the room's sleeping occupant.

Restlessly the individual under the bed sheets stirred. It wasn't long before a curled fist emerged from beneath the dark blue comforter to land a hasty blow on the annoying alarm clock. *Thwack* The digital device bounced slightly on the nightstand from the unkind impact. With its buttons mashed and internal mechanisms jarred the blaring noise it emitted was shut off for good.

Under the covers a body rolled over unable to return to the slumber which it had been awakened from.

Frustrated arms jerked the bedsheets from over its head. With low groan eyelids were peeled back to stare up at the sight that awaited them.

Large white fangs situated in a gaping maw, a pair of fierce red-gold colored eyes with their narrow slitted pupils stared down at him while a pair of wings were held spread out. Its red scaled skin bulged with tense muscles and the claws of its forepaws were held open ready to grab whatever the creature's prey was. All were the features of a being ready to attack.

But Adryk stared at it without a tinge of fear.

This was a very recognizable likeness that the teen had been waking up to for years now. And while at first there had been an initial adjustment period of waking up to it and seeing it but after awhile it sort of faded into the background becoming just another part of his surroundings.

Heaving a sigh he broke eye contact with the painted mural above his bed. "Another day" he mumbled throwing back the comforter and sheets.

Sitting up Adryk stretched raising his arms towards the ceiling before he arched his back and rocked his head from side to side loosening any tension in his joints. With a yawn his seemingly cold blue eyes swept acrossed the room looking for anything irregular. On a day like today he would have thought to see something new or out of place but there wasn't.

Posters of various sizes adorned the walls, with all possessing a common motif: _Dragons._

Like the largest poster beside his bed held the image of a majestic golden scaled dragon as it soared amongst the clouds. Another had a pair of black scaled dragons curled around a clutch of eggs, another a metallic blue scaled dragon perched on a cliff its wings spread and a mouth agape with a jet of fire being exhaled. Indeed it seemed that nary an inch of available space had been spared, but moreover it wasn't just posters. Row after row of dragon figurines sat on shelves with other assorted similarly themed memorabilia.

Even the bed's comforter sported an exaggerated silver dragon like figure embroidered on its surface.

Rising up from the bed Adryk strode acrossed the room and down the adjoining hall. Along the way he paused looking in on the empty bedroom belonging to his parents before continuing on towards the living room. Lingering just long enough to glance around he moved on to the kitchen where the teen set about pouring himself a bowl of breakfast cereal.

In going for the milk something stopped him. A piece of paper held on the stainless steel fridge fluttered in the slight breeze caused by the act of opening the door attracted his attention. Pulling it from the magnet he looked it over.

_Dear Son,_

_Happy Birthday,_

_Your father and I are sorry about not being here but we have been called out for an emergency meeting for upcoming mergers. We don't know how long these meetings will take and how long we will be gone. Hopefully we'll be back soon enough. Once we get back we promise to make it all up to you, anything you want._

_We checked it out and everything is setup for your present today. So you and your friends enjoy and have a great day!_

_Love,_

_Mom & Dad_

Taking the note in hand Adryk gave it a last glance before crumpling it into a paper ball and depositing it in the trash. Whereas others may have felt sullen over having their parents being so wrapped up in their business as to miss their birthday Adryk felt nothing about it. For this sort of thing had been the norm for his family for many years.

With his mother being a lawyer, who specialized in big corporate negotiations and takeovers, and his father, who sat on as a board advisor for the manufacturing company he worked for. As per expected with such occupations the two would often be required to work long hours, or take frequent and extended business trips which left their son in the hands of babysitters when he was younger. But once old enough the babysitters stopped coming and like now the teen spent the majority of his time alone in the house.

It was sort of an unspoken agreement between him and his parents. So long as he didn't break any laws, cause problems for others, or do anything detrimental to the house he was free to do as he pleased.

It was a situation without what some would call _perks_.

With his parents gone some eighty to ninety percent of the time it meant no one was there to hassle him about his school grades, his homework, or his chores around the house. He could watch what he wanted, listen whatever music as loud as he wanted, or sleep as late as he wished. He could also have his friends stay over as much as he wanted and no one was there to nag them or embarrass him in front of them.

Conversely, this meant that the opposite was also true.

It meant there was no one there to ask him about his day when he came home, no one to aid him with his homework when he needed, or talk about things that might be troubling him before offering him some advice. No one help when he was hurt or look after him when he got sick. More so he was alone when others were together like the holidays, or special occasions like today.

In the beginning he felt the isolation but as he grew it just became a part of his everyday life, something for him to learn to accept and deal with as he grew up.

Replacing the milk in the fridge he took his bowl in hand and strode into the living room where he took a seat on the plush couch. Reaching over he grabbed the remote in one hand and began to channel surf. His eyes looked over the on screen guide searching for something occupy his time before exhausting the channel listings and settling on some classic Saturday morning cartoons.

**-x-X-x-**

Hiccup glanced to the sky. The swirling mass of clouds continued to approach to Berk bringing with them the shadowy darkness.

It wasn't long after the Elder had spoken that Stoick took action. Immediately he saw to it that the Elder was taken to the safety of her home before he set about organizing the village for the forthcoming danger. The next action was to see to it that those too young or infirm were also taken away to safety while the rest were broken into groups, each with their own tasks. In the village most were seeing to it that the more prized and fragile belongings were properly secured.

In the meantime, as a way to keep him busy and out of the way Stoick had sent Hiccup with some of the other teens to the fields. Here the group was to round up the livestock and make sure they were safely returned to the barns. To be honest, much like the other teens, Hiccup found the task that while a necessity was a bit demeaning. But nonetheless he quickly went with the others to the fields.

Standing alongside the short wooden fence the teen surveyed the situation. Scanning the pasture Hiccup could that the cattle had already been gathered up leaving the sheep and a few young calves.

Just out in front of him Hiccup watched Snotlout and Glump as they ran about wildly chasing after the sheep. In the process the two managed to cause a group Fishlegs and Astrid had collected to scatter. This of course didn't go over too well with the blonde haired teen as she angrily stamped her foot with a huff before taking off to go recollect them. While further out in the pasture Hiccup observed Ruffnut and Tuffnut both doing their best to attempt to ambush a wayward calf.

However, apparently the siblings not aware of the other's presence as they approached from opposite sides. The outcome was predictable. As the two rushed the calf all they managed to do was spook the creature, which then sped off leaving the twins to collide with one another.

Watching the scene play out the teen's keen and inventive mind went to work analyzing the situation and seeking a possible solution. Idea after idea came to him and each was dismissed until finally he settled upon one. Quickly he turned making his way back to the barn, inside the teen examined the interior. After a few seconds he spotted just what he needed, a ram's horn hung on peg on the wall.

Taking the horn in hand and drawing his knife from his belt Hiccup began to make some modifications to the horn. Overall the alterations didn't take long for him to finish up, tucking the knife back in his belt Hiccup looked over his completed work.

Turning he strode back to the barn's entrance. Lifting the horn to his lips the Viking teen paused to take a breath, _'I hope this works.'_

Exhaling Hiccup emptied his lungs into the horn. As the air passed through it, the sound it produced was notably different. Thanks to his alterations the resulting sound was like that of a ram.

Upon hearing this the sheep in the pasture perked up giving a clear indication that they had heard. Reacting Hiccup took another breath before exhaling in a pattern giving the same sounds the rams use to call the herd. Sure enough the ewes obeyed as they turned to follow the sound back to the barn.

A wide smile formed on the brown haired teen's face as the wooly creatures drew near.

The sight of seeing the sheep all turning and moving towards the barn of their own accord left the other teens bewildered.

It wasn't until they looked towards the barn that they had their answer. There by the doors was Hiccup blowing hard into a horn the sounds of which were what was apparently attracting the sheep. Deciding to go with the flow Astrid and Fishlegs acted as guides making sure they moved straight to the barn. While the other teens were responsible for the rounding up of any stragglers that got away from the main group.

Slowly the wooly beasts obeyed their pied piper and were funneled into the large structure.

Only when the final sheep had crossed the threshold did Hiccup stop blowing the horn and shut the door. Turning back around Hiccup was met with the expressions of surprise on the other teens. They stood in silence as they regarded him for a moment. And for a second Hiccup thought that perhaps they might actually have a compliment for his quick thinking.

"You're lucky that worked" one of them stated "Otherwise we'd be chasing them with no help from you."

With those words things had been returned to the status-quo. As the others turned and headed off back to the village the brown haired teen remained a while longer. Going over the barn he made certain it was properly secured before with a small sigh he hung the horn back on a hook.

**-x-X-x-**

The mild amusement that Adryk received from the cartoons on screen was taken away by the incessant ringing of the phone. Distracted by the sound the lad glanced over his shoulder sending a glare to the phone. As a ringing phone must be answered he set his bowl down on the coffee table and made his way to the noisy device.

Pressing the mute on the remote he lifted the receiver from the base. "Hello?" a bit of his annoyance seeped through his tone.

"Hey now buddy" a exuberant voice on the end replied, "How's it going?"

Adryk returned to take his seat "Fine so far, I guess."

"You don't sound all that excited man." The speaker paused "You sure you're up for today?"

"Yeah, should be fun."

"Okay cool, guess we'll swing by at eleven and pick you up. Alright?"

Adryk turned looking to the clock on the wall taking note of the time, "Okay see ya'll then." Then the line went dead as both parties hung up.

Setting the phone down he again looked to the clock. At 10:27 that left him about thirty-three minutes to get ready. Taking the soiled bowl in hand Adryk made for the kitchen, there depositing it in the sink he quickly washed it and set it aside to dry. Backtracking through the house the teen found himself in his room again. Heading to the closet he shuffled about its cramped interior. Sorting through the rows of shirts and pants that hung on the rack his mind went through the possible combinations.

Deciding to just wear his usual attire he pulled a plain black t-shirt from its hanger alongside a pair of digital woodland camouflage military fatigues. From the closet Adryk made a brief stop off at his dresser to grab a fresh pair of shorts before leaving the room.

In the bathroom he tossed the clothes onto the countertop. Opening the shower door he leaned in turning the faucet handles to mix the hot and cold flows until a desirable temperature had been achieved. Shedding his sleeping attire he stepped into the shower shutting the shower door behind him. The heat from the water washing over him helped to relax his body as he stood under the cascade. Snapping to work Adryk went to work removing the night's buildup of oils from his skin with the help of a loofah and his preferred brand of body wash. Rinsing off the foamy lather his attention turned to his hair and applying a descent amount of shampoo soon had his head looking like the sudsy mess.

After washing the mess from his hair, he remained under the water for a few lingering moments before turning off the water. Sliding the glass door open he reached out grabbing his towel from its hook and set about drying off.

No longer dripping wet he wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out of the shower. Feeling the plush shag rug beneath his toes Adryk made his way acrossed the washroom to the counter. Reaching the waiting pile of clothes he paused looking himself over in the mirror.

Adryk stood at 5'11", his hair was a dark blonde bordering almost on a brown. For ease of management he kept it cut short, only a few centimeters in length in a style much like that of a military crew cut. While he possessed nowhere near the level of bulk as a bodybuilder, Adryk had a fair amount of definition and shape to his musculature. It was something he took some pride in; as physical training was something the teen devoted a fair amount of time a week towards. This obsession of his stemmed from the bullying he received when he was younger for being overweight. This also created very little tolerance for such behavior from anyone. Besides being in good physical condition had helped land him a spot on the football team in school and then on the soccer team in the offseason during the summer.

Shifting his gaze about his features Adryk noted, what many said was his most outstanding attribute. His eyes, many times people had remarked about the unusual color they possessed but more so the unsettling feeling they gave others. This was especially evident if he was to stare at somebody for any length of time.

Locking his gaze with that of the reflection the teen examined them for himself_, oddly enough something he never really paid attention enough to do._

The irises were a pale icy blue, leaning to the point of almost being white, a color that made his gaze seem cold, distant and seemingly without emotion. At times when combined when his lighter skin tone and a stoic expression gave him an almost harsh look. Indeed many a person had shared their thoughts on the matter as he grew. One of the more memorable ones was an old man who commented on them while he and his parents were on vacation. _"So unnerving those eyes, like looking in the eyes of death itself"_ he had said and after which the bloke had was given a lecture in manners from Adryk's mother. And yet Adryk agreed with most of the sentiments, such an icy color seemed rather out of place on a living person.

With a shake of his head he pushed the thoughts to the side as he moved on to getting dressed. Replacing the towel on its hook he was quick to slip on his undershorts before following them up by pulling up the fatigues. Grabbing his shirt from the counter he slid it on over his head and tucked the excess into the waistband of his pants then fastened the buttons on the pants.

A quick once over in the mirror and the teen was soon enough traversing the hall back to his bedroom.

Tossing the clothes he'd slept in into the laundry basket in the back of the closet Adryk bent down to grab the black combat boots that sat on a small shelf besides the door. Then in passing he retrieved a pair of padded boot socks from his dresser. No sooner had he just slipped the socks on when the doorbell echoed throughout the house. The classical ding-dong bordered on annoyingly loud, but not so much as the pounding on the door that came just after. All this activity served to alert the teen to the fact that his ride had promptly arrived.

And also they were apparently rather eager to get underway.

Sliding his feet into the boots Adryk could have probably set a world record for speed tying. Standing up he looked over his room making sure everything was in its place before he turned to head out. Just before crossing into the hallway he paused, doing a 180 he strode back into his room and over to his bedside. Reaching over he snatched his good luck charm from its resting place on the nightstand.

As the pounding resumed Adryk closed his bedroom door and hastily made for the front door. Upon opening the door he was greeted by his friend who barely said a word before he ran back to the waiting van. Making sure the door was locked up tight he too headed to the waiting vehicle.

**-x-X-x-**

Moving through the village Hiccup stopped to look at the sky.

His gaze turned immediately to the approaching disturbance. The anomaly had progressed a great deal in a relatively short time, now it sat just a few miles from their shores. But already the sky overhead had begun to darken as if its mere presence was draining the light from the sun. Strangely the winds had returned and were starting to increase in strength as a rare gust would erupt from seemingly nowhere to throw smaller objects around.

In stopping Hiccup was left in the middle of the trail and with his mind otherwise distracted he was oblivious to the goings on around him. It was a harsh bump from a passing villager that brought the teen back to reality. Gathering his wits he weaved through the roving crowds as he followed after the other village teens. Even from a fair distance he could already hear his father's voice barking orders.

Approaching a main intersection he saw his father. Stoick stood atop a crate, his arms a near constant motion as he pointed to various individuals in the crowds before he shouted orders and moved to the next person. "You there get down to the docks and secure those ships" Stoick's thunderous voice echoed above the crowds "We can nay afford to lose those vessels." Turning atop his pedestal the Viking chief was in time to see a cart come rolling down a street nearly knocking over several before colliding with a house.

"I said get those carts tied down" the command was reissued and this time the villagers took heed and obeyed.

Surveying the area Stoick was quick to spot the group of approaching teenagers. Leaping down from the makeshift podium he turned to the teens, "Is the livestock accounted for and secured?"

"Aye, we got them all" one of the teens answered as the others nodded rapidly in response.

"Good" the Viking chieftain gave a nod of approval. A streak of lightning pulled his gaze skyward for a moment before he addressed them again, "Now you all get back to your homes and get inside where it's safe." The response was what one could expect from a Viking teenager as they voiced their objection. This dissent was however quickly dismissed with a hard stare from Stoick as none dared risk raising his ire.

None but one that is.

Turning Stoick eyed the lanky teen whom had chosen to remain against his command. "Hiccup, you heard what I said. Get on back to the house" still the teen remained.

"Dad I can still help" Hiccup pleaded moving closer "I mean I can…"

"No, Hiccup" the lad's father interrupted, his hand held up to silence the boy. Leaving the boy's disgruntled gaze Stoick's own gaze looked towards the sky and the coming dark. The strange disturbance outer most edge was now stretching out atop the village taking with it the majority of the ambient light. More threatening was the fact that the occurrence of the bizarre purple lightning had increased tenfold and was more readily striking the ground.

Taking a step forward Stoick placed a hand on his son's narrow shoulder. "It's going to get dangerous, Hiccup. This storm is not natural and it looks to be gathering its strength, who knows just how bad it's going to get out here. Or just how long this is going to last." Hiccup looked up to his father watching as Stoick's face hardened, his stern authoritative persona came back to the forefront, "And I can't be worrying about you. Now get going."

Although he hated to admit it his father was right. The teen had already encountered some trouble remaining on his feet when some of the stronger gusts blew through the village. And if Stoick was correct, and he usually was, things were bound to get a whole lot worse.

Hesitantly and somewhat downtrodden Hiccup turned away from his father and began to make his way along the stone path weaving through villagers as he made for home.

Standing motionless Stoick watched his son head off. The Viking chief's feeling were still mixed on just how he should of handled the lad. _'Odin, look after him'_ the father said in silent prayer as the teen disappeared from sight. With the distraction his son offered now minimized he returned to his duties. Striding determinedly forwards he grabbed a length of rope from a wagon tossing an end to a passerby and began to lash a group of wagons down.

"You there," he shouted "Reinforce the east side of the village, the rest make sure the houses are secured."

**-x-X-x-**

So far the trip was going rather smoothly. The gentle vibration of the minivan as it sped along the highway was almost enough to lull its passengers to sleep, had it not been for the excitement of what awaited at their destination. Inside the vehicle the group of teenagers busied themselves with idle chatter about a wide range of topics. That is all but one teen who indeed looked to be close to sleep.

"So how did you talk your parents into letting you go skydiving for your birthday?" a ginger haired lad asked his enthusiasm rather obvious.

Lazily Adryk shifted his gaze to the speaker "As long as it keeps me out of trouble, they'll agree to just about anything."

"Geez I wish my parents were like that" a girl's voice commented.

Turning back Adryk shifted in his seat to recline somewhat before going back to staring out the window watching the myriad of road signs as they sped by.

"Hey, what's that?" the girl seated beside him interrupted his peace, her raised hand pointing to the necklace that hung from Adryk's neck.

Inclining his head he followed her direction. His gaze fell upon the thick braided gold chain but it was the object attached to the chain that was being inquired about. Hanging from a small metal loop was a pendant shaped in an eye with a diagonal S-shaped retaining bar. Mounted behind the bar a pale blue gemstone while mounted in the metal at the center of the blue stone a small but brilliantly red jewel. The red stone was cut thin like the tapered pupil of a cat or lizard. Around the eye were a pair of dragons, each one had the tail of the other held in their mouth's forming a circle.

Lifting his hand Adryk gripped the talisman between his thumb and forefinger holding up for her to see. "It's an amulet. Got it from a shop couple years back when we took a vacation to Iceland. The old shop keeper said it's supposed to watch over and protect its wearer bringing good fortune."

The girl extended her hand in an unspoken request to get a closer look. Gripping the chain Adryk pulled it up and over his head before holding it out and letting the girl lo take it. She reacted visibly with a bit of surprise upon feeling the weight and her eyes seemed to sparkle as she gazed at the pair of precious stones.

"Oh wow" she exclaimed "It's beautiful." Lifting her hand she returned the chain to its owner, "So do you believe all that?"

"I don't know" Adryk replied placing it around his neck. "But never had anything bad happen while wearing it."

Her curiosity satisfied the girl went back to chatting with another of the teens allowing Adryk to return to gazing at the passing scenery. While relaxed he subconsciously grasped the pendant in his hand gently running his thumb over the circling dragons metal bodies.

It wasn't too long before the group had arrived at their destination and pulled into the massive car filled parking lot. After several minutes of searching the driver had managed to find a spot to park. Once the doors had opened the passengers were allowed to disembark. Adryk was the last to get out and followed his fellow teens through the rows of stationary vehicles to the entrance of the airport's main terminal.

There standing just in front of the double glass doors was a man wearing a hawaiian style shirt with only half the buttons done up. In the man's hands was a makeshift cardboard sign, on it Adryk's last name was scribbled in black sharpie messily on its natural brown.

"That'd be us" the group's entourage spoke as he approached the waiting stranger.

The man took a moment to look over the group before he took the offered hand in a hearty shake. "Alright then, right this way my friends" he motioned in a sweeping motion beckoning them to follow him.

Falling in the assemblage of teenagers followed their new leader through the airport terminal and out the other side where a small bus sat waiting. Climbing onboard it was difficult in finding a seat as it was pretty much filled forcing some to stand, or to try an squeeze in besides these strangers. It appeared that this was a popular skydiving service.

With a rumble of the engine and a short drive later the bus came to a stop in front of one of the many large aircraft hangars that dotted the area.

The hangar doors rolled back slowly revealing the large twin engine aircraft that was parked within. The plane was most likely one of the old prop planes that had ferried people all over the skies before the advent of the jet planes.

It had an interesting paintjob. The belly of the aircraft was painted in a deep midnight blue with a speckling of small white spots, thus giving the mimicking appearance of the night sky. Traveling upwards the dark blue gradually turned into a rich golden yellow hue that covered the upper body. Overall the paint scheme was suggestive of the morning, night turning into day. The props were chrome plated and glinted brightly in the sunlight. Buffed to a high mirror shine they cast reflections of anything that passed in front of them.

As he strode passed the waiting machine his eyes were drawn up to the aircraft's tail.

Here their company symbol sat. A shooting star emblazoned with the ironic words _"Happy Landings"_ written underneath it in some stylized italics.

All around the plane members of the mechanic's crew circled the craft going over its every detail. The majority of this activity consisted mainly of just their routine maintenance checks. "Check the ailerons," a man wearing an old fashion flight jacket called out to the crewmember standing on the wing "The handling has been rather sluggish."

When he received a thumbs up signal the jacket wearing man turned and strode towards the waiting group. He spoke in brief with the man who had brought them here before they parted ways and addressed the group.

"Welcome" he said with a clap of his hands "I guess you all are ready to have some fun, eh? But first there is something we need to get through, so if you will all follow me."

Ushering the assemblage into a small room off to the side they were seated as the pilot proceeded to give the mandatory safety speech. The speech covered all the necessary areas from how to behave while in flight to proper jump educate. This included a dry run of how to perform the jump, parachute opening and landing procedures. Despite the promise of fun, so far the day had been seriously lacking in the subject. Luckily though as boring as it was, nobody wished to wind up going home in a bag.

Finally the long talk began to wrap up and they were again ushered into another room. Here they were lined up and made to walk by a long table, as they moved passed it they told the person behind it some simple information before being handed a backpack containing their parachute. As each person passed by the door to return to the hangar a waiting man handed each a small slip of paper with a large number printed on it.

Climbing up the short stairs the group filed into the plane one by one. "Huh, looked bigger on the outside" a dark haired gentleman remarked as he took his first step inside.

Inside it quickly became rather apparent just what the slips of paper had been for. The interior had been stripped to bare essentials with a open floored design. The seats had been arranged to travel along the walls in two rows. And printed on backrest of each of the red plastic seats was a large black number. These numbers no doubt corresponded with the slip of paper each had in hand.

Figuring that out each person then spent the next few minutes striding about locating their respective seats and getting strapped in.

With everyone seated a member from the ground crew stepped aboard. He strode about looking over each seat and inspecting the safety harnesses. Occasionally the man in the bright orange jumpsuit would pause to make an adjust to someone's harness, or give a good hardy yank to test it. From the cockpit the pilot could be seen looking back watching the proceedings. When the man gave the signal for the all clear the pilot was quick to return the gesture.

Once he had disembarked the passengers could hear the stairs being retracted followed by the loud click of the lock on the door as it was secured. In the background, amongst the trivial chatter that abound the pilot and co-pilot could be heard going over the preflight checklist.

The checks done the engines sputtered for a moment or two before coming to life with a rumbling growl. The twin mirrored props sliced through the air so fast all that could be seen was a solid circle created by the spinning metal. Slowly the aircraft crept forwards out of the hangar and out onto the tarmac on its way to the runway. There a short wait as a much larger jet liner sat on the runway readying for takeoff. Then once it was out of the way it was finally their turn to take its place.

A brief radio transmission between the pilots and control tower and they were cleared for takeoff.

The throttle increased, each engine guzzled more and more fuel as the RPMs climber higher and higher. The props cut the air pulling the craft along the well used tarmac. As it rolled along there were momentary shakes with each pothole but nothing too noticeable. And before anyone onboard really knew it there was a brief jerking sensation and the plane was airborne steadily climbing higher and higher.

**-x-X-x-**

The flight was going about as one would assume it would. Looking about it was clear the passengers were a mix of different experience levels, some were cool and collected, some were rather excited about the prospect of skydiving, and others were just plain nervous made obvious by their fidgeting or expressions. For the most part with nothing else to do they kept themselves busy swapping stories or just idly chatting. One guy seemed to take delight in teasing the obviously nervous lady seated acrossed from him.

Closing in on the intended jump site they still had about twenty minutes to go when things took a turn as it seemed the weather had changed its mind.

"Would you look at that" the pilot spoke raising the flip ups of his mirrored sunglasses. With his right hand he pointed to a gathering mass of billowing black storm clouds. "Where'd the hell those come from?"

"I don't know" his co-pilot responded. Reaching over he pulled a clipboard from besides his seat and began to thumb through the attached papers "The weather report didn't say anything about any storms being the area today." Setting the clipboard back in its original position "I don't like of them, Jim."

"Think we could go around it?"

"It's worth a shot, I guess" the other man replied as the two surveyed the skyline.

Turning the controls soon got the aircraft to follow suit as the plane began to gently bank to the left in an effort to avoid the brewing storm system. However, even with the wide birth the plane had given it didn't matter. The storm clouds expanded at an alarming rate far beyond what would be considered normal. Soon the entirety of the horizon had gone dark leaving the flight crew but one decision.

Reaching over the pilot flipped a small switch which keyed in his helmet microphone. "This is the pilot speaking," a man's voice spoke on the plane's internal speakers "I apologize but it looks like today's jump will be cancelled and we will be forced to RTB due to adverse weather conditions."

As to be expected the message was met with a collection of groans and muttered complaints.

"I don't get it, man. The news this morning said it would be a clear and sunny day" the woman acrossed from Adryk spoke.

The ladies comment attracted others "Yeah, well just chalk this up to another screw up for the weatherman."

"Last time I listened to a weather report it called for rain, so I dressed and then got baked as I stood outside in my coat and suit. Taught me never to pay attention to what some fool on the TV has to say about the weather."

These remarks earned more from others around the cabin including many a weatherman related joke and more stories of faulty predictions. All the while the jovial group was oblivious to the growing danger present just on the other side of the thin aluminum skin. As just outside the black mass of clouds had fully occupied the sky leaving completely blotting out any clear patches. In doing so the sunlight dwindled to almost nothing leaving the plane cockpit lit only by the neon glow of the controls. This lack of light and the much reduced visibility made navigation difficult as the pilots tried to make for the safety of the airfield.

"Even with the lights on its like nothing out there" the pilot spouted trying to peer through the veil of darkness.

With the storm had come the winds and now turbulence had increased dramatically as the powerful gusts began to buffet the plane. The sharp jarring motions would have surely thrown the passengers from their seats if not for the harnesses holding them put.

"Ooh, I'm gonna be sick" someone called out.

"Man, if we make it off this thing I swear never to ride a rollercoaster again" the teen seated besides Adryk spoke.

Adryk own grip had tightened on the seat's harness had tightened considerably. As anxiety took hold of him he could hear his heartbeat thumping in his ears along with a cold sweat on his palms and under his arms. Looking about the cabin he eyed the other's faces seeing their emotions play out. One woman in particular looked outright panicked, head tilted back, eyes held tightly shut and gripping her harness so hard her knuckles were turning white.

The small circular windows lit up by the intense flash of lightning.

In an instant a bolt of lightning had lashed out from a cloudbank, attracted by the metal hull it made contact with the right wing! The massive surge of power easily overloaded the electrical systems causing the engine to misfire and then sputter before it broke out in flames.

"Flame out on the starboard side engine," the co-pilot shouted his attention drawn immediately to the flashing red lights.

"Throttling back," the pilot responded gripping the throttle and easing it back.

The action siphoned off the flow of fuel to the engine which deprived of its fuel source was quickly extinguished. This however had a downside as without the second engine the plane's speed was cut in half. Traveling at such a reduced pace seemed to amplify the turbulence significantly. New shouts and screams echoed within the plane as it jostled about in the air. In the cockpit the pilot and co=pilot busied themselves at the controls as they fought to keep the craft steady in the storm.

It seemed that perhaps that they had succeeded when something happened to prove them wrong.

A sudden powerful gust thrashed the aircraft. This violent shake caused an aluminum thermos to tumble free of the shallow holster and land on the cockpit floor with a clank. The two men paid little mind to the freely rolling metal container as they battled the weather. However, this proved to be a bad idea.

When the plane was forced into a steep dive the thermos was propelled into the air and backwards at a fair bit of speed. In the process it ricocheted off the opened doorframe and sailed through the air passed several strapped in and frightened passengers to land a glancing blow against the temple of one young teen.

"Adryk!" several of his friends cried out around him.

With the blow from the hardened object came an immense bout of pain that rocketed through his body. Shortly thereafter he began to feel rather dizzy as edges of his vision grew blurry accompanied by a numb sensation that spread in his extremities. It didn't take long before his other senses became quite dulled and he soon found it difficult to focus. It was almost like the feeling one gets when they have been awake for quite some time and now the urge to sleep was gaining strength.

Though he tried to fight it off it was a losing battle. Adryk's eyelids grew heavy and heavier until they slid shut as he finally blacked out all together. His head drooped towards his cheat and the rest of his body followed suit and went limp. Sagging forwards against the harness straps his body placed a constant pressure on the straps and the buckles. Normally this would not have been a problem, but unknown to all present there was a microscopic flaw in the buckles.

The teen besides Adryk looked him over taking note of the trail of blood that trickled down from the gash on the side of his head. And yet aside from that there was little else she could tell about what condition he was in. Reaching over the girl did her best to hold him stationary as the plane would occasionally bounce.

Unfortunately with each fierce gust, the limp teen's body would be jarred forwards to pull against the harness. This repetitive motion caused the straps to be pulled harder against the weakened buckle. The strain exploited the inborn flaw in the plastic polymer causing it to crack. The crack grew as the stresses built up more and more. Then after several more minutes, no longer able to stand the constant jerking the buckle snapped in two. The nylon straps of the harness slipped free and without the buckle to hold the nylon in place the harness went slack.

No longer retrained by the harness Adryk's body was allowed to slip free when the next bit of turbulence struck.

As the plane banked sharply to the left the floppy teen slipped down along the seat only for the remains of the straps to catch under his arms. The two seated besides Adryk did their best to keep hold of him in place. But being restrained themselves and with the majority of Adryk's body resting on the cold aluminum there was only so much they could do.

A second bolt lightning ripped through the clouds to strike the aircraft.

Like the last time the surge of electricity ran rampant through the plane's electrical systems but this time it didn't affect the remaining engine. Instead it played havoc with the craft's systems as it overloaded some circuits and fried others. The already palpable panic reached new level when the malfunction of one such system became most evident. At the back of the plane there was audible click and then mechanical sounds as the rear cargo ramp disengages and allowed to open. With the cargo hatch opened the looser disrupted by the influx of the air currents were quickly picked up to whirl about the cabin. The majority of these items soon found their way out the opened hatchway.

Just about all now had a death grip on their harness straps, most prayed that was not the end and a few had seemed to have fainted from a fear overload.

In the cockpit the two pilots continued their valiant struggle to wrangle the aircraft back under control. _"Shit"_ the pilot groaned, the muscles in his arms starting to burn from the strain of fighting with the stubborn flight stick.

Through the murky gloom a dull light cut through the clouds to shine into the cockpit. Attracting the attention of the two men, the pair squinted straining their eyes to locate the source in the darkness. Then a shape began to stand out against the murk, it was the form of another aircraft but more so it was heading right at them!

Immediately the men went to work trying to prevent the approaching disaster.

Grasping the controls firmly the pilot fueled by adrenaline pulled back hard. With its single engine the craft was sluggish to respond, in an effort to correct this the co-pilot reached over pushing the throttle forwards. The act worked as the plane finally responded with the nose aiming skywards in a steep angled climb. The gap between their altitudes grew it allowed the other aircraft to pass underneath them harmlessly.

While the pilots began to celebrate within the cockpit with a collective sigh of relief, not everyone was out of danger.

Going into such a steep climb had had an unfortunate side effect.

As the angle of the floor grew steeper, Adryk's seemingly lifeless body was pulled by gravity backwards. When his arms slipped free of the straps all that held him in place was the girl in the seat beside him. But the dead weight of his body was too much for her to hold for long and when she could no longer keep grasp he slid along the deck. Those still conscious watched in horror as Adryk moved closer and closer to the lowered ramp.

Strangers and friends alike desperately held their arms out, hands trying to grab whatever part of him they could. By a stroke of luck, a man at the end of his row managed to snag hold of Adryk's left arm as he slid passed.

Observing it might have seemed that perhaps the teen was now safe. Yet on a day like today, not everything was as it seemed.

As if sensing it was in danger of losing its prize the storm increased in its ferocity. The winds thrashed the plane about wildly like a dog viciously shaking a toy. Such brutal movements caused Adryk to flop about like a ragdoll. Rolling, bouncing, and twisting all threatening to tear the teen hand free from the man's seemingly iron like grip. His palms sweating, his face reddening, all together he looked to be on the verge of tears as he did his best to hold tighter on the other's hand.

But all he could do was watch as Adryk's hand began to slip inch by inch through his fingers.

Until with a mighty grunt he lost his grasp all together! Helpless the other passengers could do nothing but gaze in horror as the teen's body slid the final few feet to rest upon the cargo ramp. Strangers screamed while his friends cried, all powerless to render any sort of aid.

Then the moment played out in slow motion as with a final bump of the plane Adryk slipped out over the edge of the ramp and out into the churning darkness.


	3. Ch 2: Turbulent waters

**Chapter Two: Turbulent waters**

Hiccup sat on one of the bench's in the house's main room, hunched over he watched the flames as they danced about in the fire pit. Occasionally the teen would make use of the nearby poker to knock the ash from the crumbling wood pile, or move some of the embers about. His mind was currently occupied by the single thought that ran through his mind over and over again.

It was concern for his father.

He hadn't seen his dad since he had been sent home from the storm preparations. And he didn't really expect to see him home anytime soon so long as that storm was out there. Not unlike with the Dragon raids, Stoick was always among the first to run into the thick of things. He was always there to take charge of any situation and see the village through any hardship which suited his lead by example style. To some such behavior may have appeared rather reckless or glory seeking. But in truth it was born from Stoick deep caring for the everyone in the village and his passionate desire to not see anyone getting hurt.

Hiccup understood this and knew that as chief of the tribe he was responsible for the village's well-being. Yet he still couldn't help but to worry for his father's safety at times. He knew Stoick could handle himself in a tough situation, after all there had yet to be a situation that Stoick wasn't able to reign in under his control.

But the teen knew that he was not as invincible as he seemed. As there comes a time when some things cannot be so easily overcome no matter how strong and determined a individual is. And such times as those can very easily spiral out of control and possibly end up with a dire outcome.

And currently Hiccup couldn't think of a circumstance that better fit that than this storm.

It was like no other the village had encountered before it, thus who knew just what to expect or just how bad it could get out there. This brought Hiccup's fears closer to the surface as new questions came with them. _'What if this time his father had bitten off more than he could chew? What if something happened to injure him or worse yet what if this time his father doesn't come home?'_

Such a thought sent a cold tinge down Hiccup's spine. Shaking his head the Viking lad did his best to banish such thinking from his mind _'No way anything like that could happen…'_

There echoed a sudden reverberating crack of thunder interrupting his thoughts. With that the eerie silence that lingered in the air since the start of the storm was done away with. The sudden disturbance had startled the teen so bad he nearly leapt from his seat.

Heart was thudding heavy in his chest, and his breathing was equally heavy. Sagging back in his seat Hiccup did his best to regain his composure after that scare. Lifting his gaze from the fire he looked towards the ceiling. That abrupt boom of thunder marked the first time he had heard that familiar rumble that often accompanied a storm. But why the sudden change, why hadn't he heard this before now when he had clearly seen the lightning streaking acrossed the sky earlier.

Again the deep rumbling roar of the thunder echoed the air resonating through the teen's core. But this time a new sound followed, it was the sound of the winds whipping about outside the house creating a haunting howling.

The mingling of the rumbling growl of the thunder and the crying howl of the winds gave new life to the storm. Indeed the turmoil made the storm seem more alive like some dreadfully nightmarish beast had come clamoring straight from the pits of Helheim itself.

After a long several minutes Hiccup turned his attention back to the dancing flames. Quite reminiscent of that fire, the concern and issues of before returned to spread acrossed his mind this time blazing brighter than ever.

**-x-X-x-**

Though only semi-conscious Adryk was keenly aware of the cold wet air and the fluttering noise his clothes were making. As the air rushed passed his ears creating a high pitched whistling and it was this noise that helped to rouse him. Though pain still had a tight grip on his body but the teen managed to open his eyes. Blinking several times his eyes lazily wandered about unable to make out anything of his surroundings.

Though dazed and confused it took but a scant few moments before he realized that he was clearly plummeting earthward.

With the direction the air was moving and the given way his clothing fluttered it was obvious he was on his back. This was a position that he had been warned against by the instructor as it was difficult to get out of it in freefall. Knowing this he knew he had to somehow reorient himself to face the ground once again. Otherwise he would be unable to deploy his parachute and would likely wind up falling to his death.

Yet there lied the challenge. Alongside the throbbing pain in his head was the fact that Adryk any movements to be complicated by the fact both his arms and legs were numb. It was similar to when a limb falls asleep. It didn't help that each time he tried to move resulted in a new surge of pain that made his want to stop.

Adryk did his best to ignore the pain as he tried to right himself against the wind. After several attempts he used the wind resistance to his advantage and managed to offset his weight rolling his body over. Now facing the proper direction he was free to make use of the parachute strapped to his back. Or atleast he would have been had it not been for another thing. In the process of drawing his hand up to grip the pull-tab a brilliant violet flash illuminated the sky around him.

It was then Adryk remembered where he was. He was in freefall through the storm which had overtaken the plane he had been on before somehow winding up out here. And now he had a new problem. If he were to deploy his parachute he would be now be nothing more than a floating target for any lightning to be attracted to.

And even if he wasn't struck by the lightning, the winds would surely throw him all over the place.

But there was an alternative. If he were to wait he could drop through the storm and then deploy the chute closer to the ground where the winds were less likely to affect him. However, this came with its own dangers. By deploying so late meant he was closer to the ground and thus had less time for the parachute to slow him. This could easily result in a very rough landing at best or grievous injuries and worse should it go horribly wrong.

So as it stood he was pretty much screwed with either decision.

Mentally the teen cursed the lousy choices that had been gifted to him. Feeling it was better to risk injury of a low altitude deployment than hang around and be thrashed by the winds and possibly zapped by a stray lightning bolt.

Though it seemed like an eternity since he started falling in actuality it had been but a few seconds. With the rain filled air rushing against his face Adryk was forced to squint lest he couldn't see at all. More flashes lit up the sky around him and still all he could see was the dark clouds all around him. But he knew somewhere under this thick blanket of clouds the ground was there and it was quickly rushing up to meet him.

Then the proverbial light went off in Adryk's mind as he recalled something, something rather important the instructor had told him. The AAD, _or Automatic Activation Device,_ was still active. The small safety device would automatically deploy his pack's reserve chute the instant its sensors detected he had gone below its preset altitude.

"Shit" the teen groaned as he whipped his head down to his chest while his hands began the search. Groping around he blindly felt around for the illusive device no bigger than cigarette lighter. As luck would have it he managed to locate the gadget in a small pouch on the left side of the pack near the waist strap. Fidgeting with the pouch he was able to pull the thing from its home and in the process yanked it hard enough to dislodge the wires.

Without those wires it was effectively disabled and no way it could carry out its purpose.

The second his grip grew lax the wind ripped the plastic box from his hands to be lost in the storm. But now with no way to judge his altitude the teen was in a very precarious position, one that could prove fatal. And as if that wasn't enough to contend with Adryk could feel the return of the weariness. It clawed at him as if to attempt and drag him back to unconsciousness. As it threatened overtake him once more he called upon desperate measures. Placing the side of his right hand in his mouth the teen bit down and with it this new rush of pain the weariness was made to retreat.

A burst of radiance and he could see that he had finally made it below the cloud level and able to see the ground below. Figuring this was as good a time as any he reached up with his left hand and gripped the tab on his shoulder strap. Closing his eyes he said a quick and silent prayer before pulling the ripcord as hard as he could.

Immediately the tab and attached cable pulled the release pin from its seat. With the simple metal bar removed the overlapped holes the parachute was allowed to slip free from its pouch. Catching the wind it quickly unfurled to its full size and set about slowing the teen's descent. Although he tried to brace himself as he had been instructed Adryk was still unprepared for the sharp yank the parachute gave as it caught the air for the first time.

With parachute open he became a plaything of the winds. The gale force winds tossed him about like a leaf caught on the breeze, sending him this way and that. Many times he thought that his parachute would collapse, or be ripped from his harness as he fought to guide it and keep it under control. At one point a particular forceful blast of air jarred him ripping the control line from his hand. This caused the teen to go into an uncontrollable and rapid spin. As queasy as it made him Adryk was able to grasp the line and regain his control.

Keeping a watchful eye on his parachute Adryk happened a glance at the ground below.

For the first time he was able to make out some details and they were not matching up. Something was off, terribly off about what he was seeing. The ground was _moving_. For this was not the solid earth that the plane had been cruising over just minutes beforehand. No, somehow in a way beyond comprehension he found himself floating over an ocean in the middle of a raging maelstrom.

**-x-X-x-**

The howl of the winds had somehow grown in ferocity; no longer did it sound like the howls of wolf but now screamed like the wailing of a banshee. Under the onslaught of the violent tempest outside even the sturdy walls of the cabin had begun to flex. With each thunderous boom the rafters would creak and more dust would be dislodged from its resting place above. The storm outside was indeed living up to his father's predictions.

Standing Hiccup moved acrossed the room to gather another log for the fire. As if the warmth and illuminating glow of its light would hold the storm at bay and protect against the darkness it brought with it. But the Viking lad knew it would do nothing against the elements but just having around seemed to give some level of comfort. Hiccup knew that as a Viking he should be like his father and master his fear of the storm, yet he just couldn't help it.

'_I can't let a storm scare me, I am a Viking,'_ that was the mantra he repeated over and over to himself. "I am a vi…" a sentence Hiccup didn't get to finish as a particularly powerful gust from the raging maelstrom flung the door wide open.

Giving a startled yelp Hiccup immediately turned to look at the flapping door. The winds burst into the room, the fire flickered and flames danced about threatening to go out entirely in the turbulence. Getting to his feet the lad strode to the door and grabbing the edge he attempted to force it shut. However, when the wind had thrown the door open it had apparently jammed it making it refuse to budge.

Moving behind the door he braced his right shoulder against the wood, planted his feet firmly and began to push.

It was rough going. The door was wedged pretty good and it didn't help to have the winds constantly pushing back, determined to keep it in place against his efforts. His feet slipped a few times but with a heave he managed to make some progress. Inch by inch the door moved closer and closer to the threshold and eventually it a mere foot from the frame.

Moving to the side Hiccup wedged his right foot against the bottom of the door like a doorstop. Then from his new angle he endeavored to pull the door the rest of the way. From here he could feel the rain soaking his clothing in the downpour and could barely see the goings on outside. He could make out the outline of the houses and specks of light flickering wildly in the stormy weather. It was by chance that Hiccup happened to cast his gaze skyward as a extraordinarily intense flash of lightning lit up the area clearly.

No sooner had he looked up as the flash occurred than he gawked in surprise.

There in the sky was an object little bigger than a speck. At first he believed it to be perhaps a dragon but that guess seemed off. It looked too small and the object was falling, not flying. Hiccup stared hard at the patch of sky but the gloom had swallowed it back up. Then a few shorter bursts of lightning arced acrossed the sky once again illuminating the heavens. The Viking teen searched in those brief moments, managing to locate it and watched as what appeared to be wings unfurled from above the thing.

But all too quickly for his liking it grew dark again.

The curious sight had left Hiccup in a quandary, his mind having forgotten about his current situation as a flurry of questions flooded him. A sudden blast of air served to remind him. The gust hammered the door causing it to push back giving his knee a good smack. Recoiling Hiccup felt the sting in his leg as the wind threatened to bowl him over should he let the door open any further.

Returning to his task Hiccup applied more pressure forcing the door tight against the frame. Reaching over he dropped a wedge shaped wood block on the ground behind the door before he used his foot to slide the wedge in place under the door. No longer feeling the wind fighting him he took a moment, placing his hands on the back of the door he braced himself his arms sagging a bit from exertion. Straightening up Hiccup hobbled backwards still feeling the sting in his right knee; no doubt it would be a bruise by tomorrow.

He moved until he felt the edge of the bench press firmly against the back of his legs. Dropping down onto the bench he continued to stare at the now closed door. His mind was quickly trying to work out just what he had witnessed.

"What was that? It couldn't be a dragon, could it? There's no way a dragon would risk being caught in a storm like this" the teen mused to himself. "No, couldn't be a dragon it was too small. But then again it was far away. But the wings didn't look right." Again and again he would propose a new theory only to find some kind of fault with it until he was left with but one remaining question. "If that wasn't a dragon out there. Then just what was it?"

**-x-X-x-**

Deployed so late the parachute was near helpless to slow Adryk's descent and he knew it. His speed was far too great to even have a hope for a measurably soft landing. Staring down passed his feet he could do nothing but watch the violently churning waters rushing up to greet him.

Though he was braced the initial impact was still bone jarringly painful akin to hitting solid rock.

Slamming into the water the force was enough to render the teen unconscious for the second time that day. Adryk bobbed around on the surface for a moment or two like a cork before silently slipping below the turmoil of the surface. Here was a far cry from what lie above, the deeper waters were calm and moved in an almost tranquil pace. With the water supporting his body, Adryk hung suspended in the depths as if nearly weightless. But it wasn't enough to stop him continuing to slowly sink ever deeper into the watery depths.

It seemed that perhaps this was to be his fate, to be just another nameless soul that had been claimed by the sea.

Something snapped inside the teen jarring him awake. His eyes opened only to feel the slight sting when met with the salty seawater. A gush of bubbles escaped from his mouth as the teen whipped his head upwards. Kicking his legs and thrashing his arms in wide arcs Adryk made for the surface and the oxygen rich layer above as fast as he could possibly go. The teen had no idea just how deep he had sunk but only that it was far enough to make it seem that he never got any closer to the surface.

Adryk's air starved lungs started to burn and his edges of his vision grew hazy forcing it to narrow.

As the seconds ticked by his field of view grew darker and his chest felt it was about to burst at any moment. Suddenly he felt the wind brush against the wet flesh of his hand as it broke the surface. His kicking turned into a frenzy emboldened by this new sensation.

Bursting through into the air the teen gasped. Bobbing about in the rolling ocean Adryk coughed and sputtered trying to keep the salt water from his mouth as he breathed in. Finally the burning in his lungs ceased with each lungful of air that entered his body and he relished each and every one of them.

With one problem out of the way the next one quickly raised its ugly head.

Doing his best to stay above the water he spun about trying to see over the crests of the waves. Only thought ran through his mind at this point; to find someplace safe and quickly.

A flash of lightning in the distance silhouetted what appeared to be a mountainous island. As mysterious and unknown as the island was it was certainly better to take a chance there than to try his luck with the ocean. All he could do was hope that the island's coast was not rocky cliffs as he prepared to swim for it.

Adryk only managed about a dozen feet or so when something yanked him backwards. Recoiling like a dog reaching the end of its chain he looked back, the cause became easily apparent. The parachute was still attached to the backpack he wore. Now instead of filling with air the silk cloth was filled with water and acted like a giant dragline. However there was another more immediate danger than being pulled about the currents because of the parachute. And that was the danger of becoming entangled by the many lines that still hung slack in the water that attached the parachute to the backpack.

Relying on the kicking of his legs to keep him aloft he busied his hands with the backpack's harness. Unfortunately while he was able to stay above the surface, barely, his parachute captured by the currents began to drag it and the human passenger away from the island and out to sea.

At last Adryk's hands found what he had been searching for, a pair of small nylon loops that hung from the bottom of the shoulder straps.

Slipping his thumbs through the loops Adryk yanked the pair downwards. The loops and the thin cable they attached to pulled the set of metal tabs which held an interlocked set of 3-rings. These 3-rings made up the safety release system, without the tabs in place the rings simply slid one through the other cascading freely letting the straps on the backpack separate from the pack. No longer connected to the rucksack the teen was free to move away while the oceanic currents carried the parachute and pack out to sea.

Though he may not have to worry about tangling in the cords and drowning, he was not out of danger yet. The sea was still a rolling cauldron of turmoil and only the island in the distance could offer safe haven.

Adopting a form he had many professional swimmers use Adryk set out for shore. His arms moved in alternating sweeps through the water while he kicked his feet to keep up the momentum. In the rough seas making any sort of headway was slow going and seemed almost impossible. Yet with each flash of lightning that lit the sky the island's promise appeared just that little closer and that was all that was need to spur him onward.

The hardest part was timing his breathing with that of his movements and that of the waves as they washed over him. As was to be expected from battling the stormy currents and the waves it wasn't long before Adryk's muscles began to ache and tire from the exertion. But still the teen pushed his limits knowing that it wouldn't be long before that ache would transform into a strong burning.

Gradually his pace began to slow as his stamina reached its peak and he'd burned through his energy reserves.

When a cramp attacked his right leg Adryk floundered as the muscle of his leg underwent painful spasms. The current now had the upper hand and jostling waves were quick to take away an progress Adryk had made. With his right hand he tried to massage the cramp from his thigh while attempting to swim sideways with his left arm and leg. But each stroke and kick took more energy than the last and his limbs grew heavier. It increased to the point where Adryk was barely able to lift them as his body protested and demanded respite.

When the pain in his head returned, the break in concentration caused him to mistime his breathing.

The wave washed over the teen forcing his head underwater making Adryk gasp and cough up the seawater that he had inadvertently swallowed. As he bobbed in the open waters staring through the gloom at the land mass a feeling of despair overtook him. It was hopeless to try go on, he was out of energy and his aching body was proof of that. All he was doing now was just forestalling the inevitable.

Before him a great wall of water rose higher and higher as it came closer and closer. And with a final gulp of air Adryk ceased resisting and let the waters take him.

As the water crashed over him, he was forced under the surface once more. Drifting downwards he turned his gaze upwards watching from this translucent world as the frothy waves passed by. The familiar feelings returned as he teetered on the edge of consciousness. As the teen seemed about to pass out for the last the time a new and bizarre sensation was beginning to brew in the pit of his stomach. A strange warmth welled up within Adryk's abdomen to radiate outwards and with it came an unusual sense of calm and contentment. The teen just accepted that perhaps this feeling of peace was just part of what was coming.

"_Come now, don't tell me you're calling it quits this easily" _a small voice whispered to Adryk.

'_Wha-Who are you?'_

The mysterious voice ignored the lad's response and continued. _"So far you're proving to be less than entertaining. I guess I'll have to do something about it this time but only this one time. Things are only just beginning and there is much to do."_

Before Adryk could think of a reply a new sensation stirred within him. With it came a renewed sense of strength that surged throughout his body seemingly invading every fiber of his being. The fatigue and pain that plagued him were simply washed away.

Returning to the world around him Adryk kicked his way back to the surface. Taking another breath the teen looked about before setting his sights back upon the distant shore. His eyes narrowed, filled with a new found determination to make it there. Not knowing just how long this break would last Adryk set off, his arms moving wide sweeping arcs and his legs kicking furiously. The ocean had lost none of its fight as waves pounded down on him. But still he kept going managing to take a quick breath between each new wave.

The island loomed ever larger with each glance and the thought of being able to set foot on dry land again urged him ever onwards. Gritting his teeth Adryk continued until last he felt the loose silt of the shallows pass between his fingers. With a surface beneath his boot clad feet, even semi-solid as the sand was, the lad strode determinedly through the waters before staggering out of the water and onto the beach.

Collapsing to his hands and knees he began to crawl away from the surf zone. Clawing at the sand like an animal he made his way up the beach trying to get as far from the ocean as possible. His breath was coming in ragged gasps and his heart thumped heavily in the confines of his chest. Each movement became a harder struggle especially when he was forced to crawl over the myriad of debris that had been washed up on the sand. He moved until Adryk felt it, like hitting a wall. He could go no further and was utterly spent.

Taking a moment he cast a glance over his shoulder.

In the darkness he could just make out the edge of where the waves crashed on the beach some twenty feet back. Twenty feet or twenty miles it didn't matter to Adryk, with how he felt now it may as well have been a thousand miles.

No sooner had he turned back before his arms were no longer able to support him. As they gave out he fell flat out on his stomach in the sand giving a tremendous sigh. Mustering the very last of his stamina Adryk heaved barely managing to roll himself over. As he lay there staring up at the raging sky above the results of his ordeal now moved in to make themselves known. It seemed like just about every part of him was in some degree of pain.

Exhaustion crept over the teen like a blanket. His eyelids began to feel heavy and drift closer together; his breathing slowed becoming shallower as he fought to stay awake. But this was not a battle he could win. The last sight Adryk saw before he was claimed by the realm of sleep was the clouds beginning to break up and the stars shining through the clear sky.

-x-X-x-

Stoick turned his gaze towards the sky. The storm had been raging like no other he had seen before.

The thunder's powerful booms were almost deafening to the Viking's ears and the flashes of lightning were extraordinarily bright. The strange purple lightning ripped through the air illuminating the pitch black sky, some stray bolts had already struck the village several times. One bolt had narrowly avoided striking the chieftain and instead had struck one of the village lamps, causing the thick trunk to explode in a shower of splinters while the upper portion fell away nearly crushing several others.

The rain fell in torrential sheets from the sky with force enough to leave a rather painful sting on impact with bare skin. The winds raged and howled with the ferocity of wild beasts, picking up anything they could and hurling it about. The powerful gusts had been enough to tear one of the large catapults easily from its mountings to topple over before being dashed onto the rocks below. The many pieces quickly became a new source of ammunition for the storm in the growing number of things being thrown about like a child having a temper tantrum.

Many times Stoick had been forced to shield his face from the pelting of small objects. But what more even he had to struggle against the winds, having to rely on his grip on a nearby object to remain standing lest he be borne off his feet.

All around him, Stoick could hear the creaking and groaning of the wooden houses as they were subjected to the storm's wrath. Every home had already been battered by the flying debris and he always had his eye out for any sign of something worse happening to the homes.

And it was that fear that was soon realized. In a brief moment of calm a new and terrible sound attracted his attention. It was the sound of wood groaning before cracking as it gave way all together. Looking up he watched as one of the carved ornamental poles snapped and crashed down on a nearby house. Under the assault the home's roof collapsed taking two of the walls with it.

"You men come with me!" the Viking chief shouted to four nearby villagers as he broke out in a full run.

The small band raced through the streets in the direction of the horrible accident. Upon arrival the group was greeted with the sight of destruction. A mangled pile of broken wood and fallen stones now sat where a house once stood. For a second Stoick and the others remained motionless surveying the extent of the damage. Then their ears were met with a weak noise, it was the sound of a child crying from somewhere in the rubble.

"Help" a muffled voice cried out from somewhere beneath the debris.

Without a moment's hesitation the five men rushed into the pile of broken wood searching for the voice that continued to call out to them. Piece by piece the men picked through the mess hoisting logs out of their way and tossing stones to the side. It was when the voice cried out once again that Stoick swung around honing in on the location. A large pile of debris was strewn against one of the free standing walls.

"Can you hear me?" Stoick called out placing his hand one of the fallen beams.

Though it was difficult over the background noise he was able to hear the faint reply, "Yes I hear you. Please help us."

Gripping the beam's girth Stoick attempted to lift the hefty timber by himself. When the stubborn log refused to budge he was forced to let go, turning around he waved his hand "Over here." Their leader's words immediately drew the other men to his side. Placing themselves about the heavy beam the group gave a simultaneous nod before lifting the log. They grunted with the effort but their combined strength was more than enough to move the log. Carefully they maneuvered to remove the beam and carry it a short distance before tossing it aside in the debris listening to the weighty thud.

Turning the men returned to their previous spot. The remaining pieces were far easier to deal with as Stoick pulled it away to pass if off to the next man in the line.

The last remnant was a large piece of roof thatching that had been pinned by a smaller beam. Without out of the way the source of the voice was uncovered. Huddled together in a small pocket that had formed in the debris was a heavily pregnant woman and a young girl. The child clung tightly to her mother, while her mother held her equally as close with one arm and with the other wrapped protectively over her swollen stomach.

"It's alright now" Stoick spoke in a soft tone "Take my hand."

The pair looked up at him with a tear streaked face the woman was quick to take hold of Stoick's offered hand. As he helped to stand the other men moved in to help escort her through the rubble of her former home.

After making it through and back to the stone pathway, Stoick turned to one of the rescuees. "Are you alright lass?"

The woman stood, her arms supporting her daughter's weight and trying to offer some shelter from the storm. Though still in a relative degree of shock she was able to nod in response to the leader's inquiry.

"Good" Stoick said his relief dripping clearly from his words. Turning he pointed to two of the other men, "These men will take you to the Great Hall, you two should be safe there."

Stepping forwards the pair nodded, one came forward and picked up the woman in his arms while his partner picked up the woman's daughter. Turning away they hastily made their way along the streets carefully ushering their precious cargo to safety.

Seeing them off the Viking chief left the rubble and returned to his previous duties.

Making his way through the village, Stoick continued to issue orders to those villagers that were still out and about. They could not prevent the damage done by the storm and all they could do now was do their best to minimize the devastation. It seemed that no sooner had Stoick been able to wrangle in one situation under control than another dilemma would raise its ugly head.

"Stoick," an rapidly approaching villager called out in an anxious tone "In the harbor, the ships."

Rushing through the streets Stoick made his way down towards the harbor. Reaching the cliffs that overlooked the port he stopped gazing down at the chaos below. At some point the ships had been ripped from their moorings by the storm. Now the tall waves threatened to swamp the ships and capsize them or worse to smash them to pieces upon the craggy cliff face. Moving around the docks below the Viking chief could see the men as they struggled with the rope lines in their attempt to wrestle the ships under control. Each wave would wash over the docks knocking some of them off their feet and placed them in danger of pulling them off the wooden platform and out to sea.

Racing down the ramps Stoick moved to lend aid. Drawing closer he could hear the grunts and shouts of the men, many calling out instructions or warnings to their compatriots. The men had snagged several of the lose ships with grappling hooks and were in the process of pulling in. It appeared to be going well when one of the lose ships, propelled by a rogue wave, cut in between the dock and the ship being towed in.

As the ship's bow caught the taught rope it began to pull the line as it traversed the harbor.

The men held the line for as long as they were able but were swiftly forced to forfeit their grip. As the rope was pulled through their hands some who didn't let go fast enough suffered nasty rope burns acrossed their palms. One man at the rear of the line, unfortunately had not been paying attention to where he had been standing and was soon yanked off his feet when a length of the coil rope ensnared his left leg.

His footing gone the man was drugged acrossed the wharf, his flailing limbs knocking over several others. While those that remained standing tried desperately to stop the man's skidding. Acting quickly Stoick snatched up a nearby hand axe and aiming carefully threw the axe at the rope managing to sever the line. As the man was helped to his feet again, the Viking chief spared only a scant moment to be assured of his well being.

Striding down the dock Stoick hoisted a coiled length of a heavy gauge rope over his shoulder.

In passing he handed the end of the rope to one of the villagers, the receiver fastened it to the pier as Stoick moved on. Reaching the end of the pier the Viking chief dove into the churning waters and swarm towards one of the nearest of the ships. Building up momentum he jumped from the water to grab the edge of the watercraft. Climbing aboard the vessel, shakily he stood for a second or so getting used to the rocking of the vessel. Striding along the deck he headed to the bow where he tied the other end of the rope he carried with him.

Once he was sure it would hold Stoick turned grabbing another length of rope from the piles of the ship's rigging. Turning away he made his way to the stern and attached this new rope. Then taking a quick breath he dove over the side and paddled for the next ship. After climbing onboard the Viking went about doing the process all over again. Tying a rope to the bow and then to the stern before diving over the side and heading for the next ship.

It wasn't long before Stoick had created a chain of ships, each linked to the one next.

Reaching the stern of the last craft Stoick tied the last rope to the rudder, Stoick turned picking up a nearby harpoon that lay on the deck. Lashing the rope to the head of the spear he drew back his arm and released the harpoon with a mighty throw. The harpoon cut through the whirling airstreams with little problem as it flew straight and true to his aim. The sharp arrow shaped tip easily embedded itself deeply within the wooden dock.

Seeing the spear strike the deck the other men rushed forwards.

Each of the men taking hold of a section of the rope and then lining the dock they worked to pull the ship in. One amongst them counted calling out in sequence as they heaved the taught line drawing the wayward vessels inline. Thanks to Stoick's handy work the Vikings were able to pull the ships in alongside the wharf where they were able to be secured once again.

Standing at the aft of the vessel Stoick held onto the part of the rigging while resting one of his boot clad feet on the side of the ship. While the men worked to tug the ships in, the Viking chief took the moment to find some respite from the strenuous exercise he had just finished.

Once the moorings were in place Stoick nonchalantly stepped off the ship and onto the dock with the others. As his foot touched the wood of the wharf his ears were met with jovial cheers and congratulations, but it was what he didn't hear that nagged at him. It was then something occurred to Stoick, for the first time he noticed that howling winds had all but disappeared. Turning he looked out to the sea, with wind the waves too had died down but were still powerful nonetheless.

The others too followed his gaze and watched as within a matter of minutes the great swells that once posed such a threat were reduced to little more than gentle ripples.

A rumble from the sky pulled the Viking's attention upwards. The great pelts of rain still fell washing over their faces and drenching their clothes, but like the waves in the harbor the downpour began to lessen. Soon it had dwindled down to little more than a light shower till it ceased to fall all together leaving nothing behind but the humid night air. All over the village the Vikings watched as what had once been an abyss of nothingness fade and the first traces of the night sky become visible. The veil of the storm was quickly being lifted away taking with all traces, until just like that it was gone entirely as if it had never been laving the bewildered villagers to stare up in awe. Even now Stoick could hear the soft mutterings of those gathered around him as they began to voice the myriad of questions that now plagued their minds.

Although they could have seemingly stood there for ages but with the storm passed they now had to see to the village.

Taking a few minutes to survey the ships looking for any major damage and checking their moorings a final time Stoick and the others turned making their way back up the wharf. Striding up the system of ramps they made their way up the cliffs to the village. Some of the villagers had started to come out of their homes, all staring tentatively to the sky. Others merely wandered with a stunned look about them as they bore witness to the damage wrought.

Though it was difficult, they had to get passed what had happened and start sift through the aftermath. Doing his best Stoick set to organizing the villagers into groups, making it clear the main priority was to seek out any that may be wounded and see to it that they received whatever care they required. Secondly was to start the lengthy process of cleaning up the mess.

As it stood the village was a far cry from what it had been.

The storm's fierce winds had done their work well. A pair of the catapults had been torn down and several homes had been destroyed while just damaging others to different degrees. In fact it looked as if nary a single building had been able to escape being touched in one way or another. The streets were cluttered with all kinds of debris; mostly it was bits of wood from the houses and other small structures but there was also a fair number of things from the island's forest that had been uprooted and deposited in their village.

Hours wore by like sandpaper as they worked on into the night.

"How many wounded?" Stoick asked of one from the cleanup crew.

The fair-haired man turned, "A fair number," he replied solemnly "Thankfully none were grievously so."

"Oh Odin be praised" the Viking chief recited in relief at the prospect of not having to bid a final farewell to any of their number.

"Alas, it's a pity our homes were not spared such loss" a woman commented as she tossed a large rock onto a cart. Her words spurred others to make their own remarks and soon much of the work had stopped as more and more stopped to join the conversation.

Stoick stood near the center of this mass of chatting villagers. His ears rang with their questions and speculations about what had caused all this to come about. Casting a glance at the moon he noted it traveled a distance acrossed the starry sky since he last looked. So much energy had already been expended in the storm and even more after the storm had passed. And now their fatigue was clearly starting to show upon the faces of the villagers.

Quieting the ensemble Stoick dismissed them, telling those lucky enough to return home and those who unfortunately could not were sent to the Great Hall for the night. Seeing as there was little they could do now the villagers obeyed and disbanded knowing there would still be more work to do when dawn arrived.

**-x-X-x-**

Though it was rare for him to meet them even Stoick had his limits. And with each sluggish footstep Stoick grew closer and closer to reaching those limits. After seeing the others off and a last round through the village he turned down the path that led home. As the Viking chief made his way along the well worn path a worrying sensation settled into the pit of his stomach. Earlier he had ordered his son back to the house before the worst of the storm had struck. And it was this that now had him bothered.

_How had the house faired? Was it still intact or had something happened to it? _ But as those question played through his mind a more deeply concerning question crept into his head.

_What about Hiccup?_

Such a thought caused Stoick to freeze instantly. _How often had the lad wandered off and what if he had done the same again? What if he hadn't gone home but instead tried to prove himself by sticking it out with the storm. Was he safe at home or had something befallen the teen?_

Clenching his fists the chieftain steeled his nerve and increased the pace at which he moved.

Striding clear of the village Stoick felt a great sense of relief to see that his home was still standing proudly as it always had on the same hilltop since before he was born. Yet that respite was short lived when his mind wondered just what he find inside.

Approaching Stoick's green-blue eyes roamed over the exterior. To him there didn't seem to be any appreciable level of damage he could detect. Of all the houses he had seen this night it seemed that his had fared the best among them. Reaching the top of the hill Stoick paused casting his gaze back to the village below.

The stars twinkled and the moon shone brightly above as if the whole nights ordeal had been but a bad dream. But in the pale moonlight he could see the proof that they were not so fortunate for it to be so. But even so they had not suffered so that they could not recover, they hadn't lost anything that couldn't be rebuilt. And like the dragon raids the storm had come and gone and the Vikings endured.

"No worse than she's seen before" he mused quietly to himself.

Moving forwards his hand soon rested on the front door's handle. As he gripped it the same trepidation returned and threatened to consume him as he thought about just what he might find waiting for him. Taking a breath he calmed his nerves banishing the anxiety from his mind.

'_Strange'_ the Viking thought as the wooden surface stubbornly refused to yield. Perhaps the house wasn't as untouched as he was first led to believe.

Applying a more forceful technique to the door the obstacle finally budged before opening entirely to allow him entrance. The soft glow from the fire pit lit up the room allowing Stoick to more easily look about the darkened space. It was here that the father found something that put his mind at ease.

Carefully closing the door behind him Stoick approached the sleeping teen.

Hiccup was slouched over, his back pressing against the wall while his head was inclined towards his chest. His left arm dangled on the bench seat while his right lay astride his lap and in his hand a long stick was loosely gripped. It appeared the lad had fallen asleep while waiting for his father to return home.

Standing several feet away Stoick took a moment to survey the teen for any signs of harm. Hiccup was relaxed and his breathing quite normal for someone in a deep sleep. Breathing a sigh of relief he moved forwards, stooping over the larger Viking scooped up the smaller one in his arms. Moving cautiously he did his best not to disturb his son's slumber as he made for the stairs. Navigating the staircase was difficult as several times his movements seemed to have awoken Hiccup, but the teen would merely mumble something Stoick didn't catch before drifting back to sleep.

The last hurtle came in opening bedroom door but he managed. Gently he placed Hiccup down upon his bed before Stoick covered him with the bed sheet. With a last glance back at the teen and bid goodnight Stoick turned and left the room making his way back downstairs.

Back in the main living room Stoick headed for the small cupboard at the back. From inside he retrieved a cod that had been caught not but an hour before the storm and a bottle of mead. Tossing another log onto the glowing embers the Viking took a seat on a bench. Getting off his feet Stoick let out a pleasured groan, it felt good to finally be off his feet. Taking a moment he lend back and stretched before reaching aside for a roasting skewer. Leaning forwards Stoick set the end of the skewer into a small eyelet which let the fish hang out over the fire to cook.

Pulling the cork from the bottle Stoick took a quick swing of the sweet tasting liquid before leaning back.

Basking in the light of the fire he did his best to relax. His eyes followed the dancing flames, watching as they would occasionally rise up to flicker acrossed the fish. The warmth had another effect besides helping to put the burly man at ease. The heat was already starting to dry out his clothes, that although still wet were nowhere near as soaked as they had been. Being lulled into such a state it didn't take very long for Stoick to begin to unintentionally doze off.

However, the smell of smoke and burning food helped to break him from his lethargy.

Sitting up Stoick grabbed one of the thick squares of cloth to protect his hand before he pulled the skewer from its holster. Holding the hot metal rod he gingerly gripped the fish and slid it off and onto a waiting plate. Not rotating the fish had resulted in an uneven cooking with the side facing the fire receiving a charred appearance. Satisfied it had cooled long enough he set about satiating his budding appetite. With the first bite came the soft crunch and somewhat ashen flavor of the over well-done exterior as he chewed. This dry crispy layer forced Stoick to take another gulp of his mead to wash it down.

Using the time Stoick reflected upon the day's events as he ate.

It was in the near silence of the room that questions began to worm their way into his thoughts. Looking about his home he began to wonder why it had been seemingly spared any damage from the storm. After all his home had been far more exposed to the winds as it sat alone on the hilltop, not sheltered amongst the other village buildings. Every building had some need for repair yet all he had to contend with was a mildly stuck door. Such an oddity got the Viking to ponder this deeply.

Still he couldn't help but be grateful for that when it could have easily been so much worse.

Setting aside the remains of his finished meal his hand again brought the bottle to his lips. Gulping down the liquid he pulled the bottle away with a small sigh as his gaze again fell on the fire pit. Its flames cast flickering reflections in his eyes. His mind turned now to the moments before the storm, to when the Elder had addressed him and the others.

"By Thor's hammer she was right," he spoke aloud "That twas no natural storm, eh even a blind man could see that." Then a more troubling recollection came to the forefront of his thoughts, "The Elder said something was coming."

At the time he had believed that she had merely been speaking of the storm itself. But now after it had passed was he allowed to contemplate the meaning behind the words. "If she wasn't talking of the storm… The what was it she spoke of?"


	4. Ch 3: Discoveries

**Chapter Three: Discoveries**

Begrudgingly Hiccup began to stir as the sounds of the morning filtered in. Sitting up he raised his arms over his head as he stretched with a yawn. Lowering his hands to his face Hiccup did his best to wipe away the sleep from his eyes.

As his brain began to wake up he glanced about his surroundings.

Surprise showed evidently on his face when he realized he was not in the place he last remembered being but instead someplace new. "How did I get here?" Hiccup questioned upon recognizing that he was in his bedroom.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary he threw back the covers. Inspecting himself he was mildly surprised to find he was still fully dressed though his boots had been removed. His puzzlement would have to wait till later. Moving to stand Hiccup scanned the room for his absent boots finding they had been placed side by side at the end of his bed. With his sock clad feet covered he turned straightening out the ruffled sheets before heading for the door.

He only just opened the door before he was nearly waylaid by the closed fist of his father. Luckily Stoick had stopped himself just short of smacking his son as the pair went to recompose themselves. "Uh hi there dad" the teen chuckled nervously "I guess I have you to thank for helping me into bed."

Stoick had just lowered his hand before his son began to speak. The older Viking cleared his throat, "Oh yes it was no trouble… If you're hungry breakfast is ready."

Hiccup gave a nod in response. With his message delivered Stoick turned and began to head back downstairs. Closing the bedroom door behind him Hiccup moved to follow the same path. Reaching the bottom of the stairs the Viking lad went straight for his usual seat. Acrossed from him Stoick took his seat while his outstretched hand offered up a plate for the taking.

Though he accepted the plate Hiccup made no move to eat just yet. Instead he stared at the plate resting on his lap "So dad… just how bad did it get out there?"

Pausing Stoick set his food laden fork back on the plate. "Many of the small buildings have been destroyed and on top of that several families' houses were ruined in the chaos." Stoick let out a pensive sigh "There are also many wounded in the storm, in fact we're lucky the number wasn't higher."

"Nobody… I mean d-did anybody" Hiccup tried to speak.

Stoick looked to his son easily understanding behind the boy's hesitation, "No. By the fate's hand it seems the valkyries won't be escorting anyone just yet."

Like his father, Hiccup felt a wash of relief, grateful that nobody had to suffer the loss of a loved one. Several minutes passed and the pair had returned their attention to slowly cooling food on their plates. Hiccup, still had other matters on his mind. The memory of what he had seen in the night sky had come back to torment him with questions.

"Hiccup, stop playing with your food" Stoick reprimanded watching his son fiddle with his plate like a child playing with his food. "Eat up before it goes cold."

Obeying Hiccup ceased the playing and proceeded to eat the majority of the morning grub. Washing it down with a hearty gulp from his beverage but still the question haunted him. Just what had he seen that night? Bringing his gaze up from the half empty plate he looked to his father "Uh dad?"

"Hmm" Stoick hummed as he looked to Hiccup from over his mug.

Hiccup opened his mouth to speak unfortunately he found himself without words. Internally he had begun to debate with himself about whether or not he should share with his what he had seen. Part of him said to tell his father about it as perhaps he would have an answer. But on the other side told him not to as his father may think it was just another of his tales and he may at worst get ridiculed for it. As everyone knew only select dragons would chose to fly in stormy weather but even they had their limits and yesterday's storm was certainly beyond those limits.

On the opposite side of the fire pit Stoick sat quietly. The older male watching the expressions of doubt and anxiety play out over his son's features with a raised eyebrow. _'What's going on with him?'_ Stoick pondered as he gazed on.

Ultimately Hiccup became aware of just how he must look to his father, with his contorted face and shifting expressions. Reacting he decided that for the time being he would let the topic drop. However, that would not stop his father's curiosity and he had to shift topics to something else. "Umm do you believe what the Elder said? You know about the storm not being natural."

A serious and contemplative expression dominated Stoick's features. The chieftain's own mind now was echoing with thoughts, some the very same from the night before. "In all my years Hiccup, I have yet to have witness such a bizarre occurrence" the Viking's gaze shifted from the boy to the glowing embers of the fire pit. "The way it came without warning, the strange purple bolts, or nary the fact how it just vanished from the sky" Stoick's tone was low underlying the seriousness "No something conjured it. But by what or whom… I cannot say."

Following that admission both parties fell into silence their minds churning away with even more questions and even fewer answers.

Finishing breakfast took a little longer than usual but they cleaned their plates nonetheless. Standing the pair set placed the soiled dishes in the wash basin and made their way outside. The father and son stood atop the hill just in front of the house their eyes focused out on the village below. During the night Stoick had seen the destruction but in the clear light of day the damages were more apparent.

In contrast this was the first time Hiccup had seen it. Though similar to the devastation left in the wake of a dragon raid, this was a different sort of damage. When the dragons raided buildings were burnt and things were more or less kept clean. But this wasn't like that, buildings were merely ripped apart their bits and pieces lay everywhere and already many of the villagers were roving about cleaning the mess.

Stoick placed his hands on his hips as he looked out acrossed the landscape. "This mess will take some time to clear away" he spoke with a gentle sigh "And the repairs even longer."

**-x-X-x-**

The teen strode close behind his father, the pair of them moving along the cobblestone pathway that led them through the heart of the village. All along the way their eyes surveyed the damages done to the various buildings. Now in person and under the sun's rays they could see them in greater detail than they had looking down from the hill.

One house caught Hiccup's eye.

At first glance the home looked to be more or less intact yet if one looked it became clear it wasn't as this was a façade. The house had been ripped almost cleanly in half, with the back half being ripped away. The building next to it had its roof completely peeled away and it now lay just behind it on the ground. Another had large hole where the front door once had been almost as if some monstrosity had tried to force its way inside. Scattered acrossed the street in front of them where the crumbled remains of a chimney after having fallen way from the home of its owner.

With the amount of debris cluttering the streets everybody had to be aware of where they walking lest they could trip over some bit or bob.

The villagers had organized themselves into the cleanup crews. The only exception was the children who were relegated to waiting outside the village at the Great Hall. The teens had been placed in charge of picking up the majority of the debris. While they could handle some of the larger pieces they were generally left to the adults for deposal. All the gathered material was then placed into the waiting carts to be taken out of the village for sorting and disposal.

Rounding the corner the father and son duo came upon one of the destroyed homes. The pile of rubble was unrecognizable to what it once was. What were once walls was now just broken logs, what was a chimney was now just scattered stones, and laying amongst the mess was the home's contents mostly buried. Roaming the pile of refuse was the family who had lived there, collecting whatever belongings they could managed to find.

Before Stoick could offer to lend a hand his attention was sidetracked.

"Stoick," a large dark-haired Viking called out as he jogged towards them. Turning Stoick regarded the man and with a nod acknowledged him. "We finished our inspection of the ships. It looks none have suffered irreparable harm."

The man's words brightened the chieftain's mood "Ah some good news."

Seeing the reaction to his message made the man hesitant to say the next part. When Stoick took notice he had no choice but continue "It appears during the storm the fish pens were taken down by one of the ships smashing into it."

"By Odin's beard," Stoick exclaimed his disposition taking a sour turn "How much of the stock did we lose, or are any there still left in the pens?"

"By last count, three quarters were gone."

If they could have Hiccup's ears would have turned red with the colorful language his father now grumbled. Forgetting about his nearby son Stoick turned his hand pointing out at several individuals before issuing commands to accompany him. The others mildly surprised by his manner of speech quickly fell in line behind him as the chieftain led them to the harbor.

"Okay, I guess… I'll see ya later dad" Hiccup called out "I'll just be around." The teen watched his father move off showing little sign he had heard what his song had said. "I guess then I'll head off to the workshop" before heading off Hiccup took last look around.

**-x-X-x-**

It didn't take long for Hiccup to make his way to the blacksmith's shop. His mentor had beaten him there and probably by a fair amount of time by the looks of things. Gobber strode acrossed the shop floor to deposit the smelting bucket on the hook over the glowing coals of the forge.

"Well good morning to ya lad," the blacksmith greeted with a glance at the teen's entrance, "It's good to see you fared well after yesterday's happenings."

Striding passed him Hiccup taking the lone leather apron from its peg on the wall. Adorning the apron Hiccup moved to take his place stoking the bellows as Gobber added the iron scrapes to the bucket. The teen worked the pump for a time until Gobber motioned for him to cease.

"That'll do" the smith commented noting the intense radiance of the coals.

Letting his hands drop from the long handles Hiccup turned moving off a short distance to lean on one of the shops support beams. Gobber continued his work occasionally looking up to shift his gaze to the bucket and its contents to the nearby teenager. As he studied the lad Gobber noted that his mannerisms and behavior seemed off when compared to his usual self. The most telling of these was the rather far off and concentrated look he carried.

He chalked it up to having to do with the last night's occurrence but still there was no harm in asking, "You alright, Hiccup?"

"Huh?" the teen fumbled as he pulled from his thoughts "Yeah, of course. Never been better."

The blacksmith raised an eyebrow at his apprentice's reply, but seeing as he didn't seem any worse for the wear Gobber decided to let the subject drop. For now anyways. Moving forwards Gobber used his tong prosthesis to lift the bucket by its handle and careful of not spilling any of its contents carried it acrossed the shop. Setting the bucket down he retrieved a set of molds from under a table, then with even more care than before went about pouring the red hotel liquid metal into the pour hole to fill the molds.

"I've seen that look on your face before lad" Gobber remarked. Figuring enough time had passed the smith decided to inquire of the teen, "It's always there when there is something going on inside that head of yours. Which usually means a bit of clean for me or your dad, so how 'bout telling me?"

With his mentor's words Hiccup lifted his head to meet with Gobber's gaze. Still he looked distracted as he fidgeted with his hands as he tried to find his words. "Have you ever heard of a dragon that flies during a storm around here?" the teen questioned.

"No dragon around these parts will fly during a storm, Hiccup" the smith chuckled. "Too dangerous. Why the thunder alone is enough to scare them from the air for days afterwards" Gobber turned filling another mold "At least something good came from that storm. Nope, I reckon we won't have to worry about any of them showing around here anytime soon."

Then a thought struck Gobber as he turned to his apprentice, "Come to think of it why do ask laddie?"

"Well it's just I saw something… during the storm… up in the clouds" Hiccup emphasized his statement by timidly pointing skywards.

Gobber's large frame shook with laughter, "Right. That's a good one, Hiccup."

With the lack of belief on the other's part annoyed the teen. "It's not a joke. I really saw something" the lad rebuked, tone showing conviction.

The blacksmith turned setting the smelting pot down. He eyed his teenage apprentice carefully before addressing him, "And just what makes you think what you saw was a dragon?"

"I was closing the front door when I caught a glimpse of something among the clouds in the distance." The teen paused briefly as he recalled the incident "It looked like it was freefalling but then it sprouted wings from its back."

"Then what happened?"

"Well after the lightning died down it got too dark for me to see it anymore" Hiccup responded.

The Viking smith cocked his head, his doubt clear on his features, "So you say you glimpsed something at a distance falling from the sky. In the dark. During one of the worst storms the village has seen in an age." Gobber returned to the waiting molds, "Can you see where I have trouble with this?" his words punctuated with the motioning of his hands in the air before him.

"Well of course," Gobber's nod of agreement was soon ended "When you say it like that anyone would have trouble with it."

The older Viking smirked with the boy's cheeky answer and with a shake of his head went back to the task in front of him. The teen waited for any further rebuttal from his older friend but when none came Hiccup turned back to lean against the beam. Still the question continued to nag at Hiccup from the recesses of his mind. _'Gobber's right, no dragon around here would have been caught out there. So then what did I see?'_

Both mentor and apprentice were soon interrupted by the approach of a tired looking Viking. "Gobber" he called out though still many feet away.

Both of the shop's occupants turned to see this man who called out. He was among the village's tallest, standing atleast a foot over Gobber, dressed in usual village attire while his face was rather unassuming. Save for the brown cloth of the eye-patch covering were his left eye should be and the long scar on his left cheek. His long auburn hair fluttered in the breeze and the short braid of his beard attempted the same.

Upon entering the shop the man paused to catch his breath. "Stoick needs your help with the sea pens" the newcomer directed the smith's attention with a outwards gesture of his arm.

"Very well" Gobber accepted. Turning about Hiccup watched as he replaced his current prosthetic with yet another of his designs. Removing his apron he laid it over the anvil and moved to follow the other man. The blacksmith halted at the threshold "Hiccup mind the shop this shouldn't take too long."

Receiving a quick nod Gobber turned and hobbled towards the harbor.

Taking off his own apron Hiccup placed it alongside his mentor's larger one. Stepping outside the shop he took a seat on one of the small wooden crates that were stacked out front. Reclining back he tried to make himself comfortable as he played the waiting game.

Boredom set in soon enough as time crept by. Leaning forwards the teen glanced at the sky taking note of the sun's position and read it as sometime after mid-day. Figuring if Gobber hadn't returned yet it must have been something serious and so would probably be preoccupied for a while to come. Standing Hiccup decided to go for a short walk to alleviate the monotony and perhaps use the opportunity to clear his head.

Turning he set off in a seemingly random direction leaving the workshop behind.

**-x-X-x-**

Hiccup had been walking for a while now and still his mind kept turning back to other things. Without meaning to the teen had apparently taken a road that led him from the village and now found himself on the beach.

The sound of the waves lapping at the shore was refreshing as it was relaxing. Overhead he could see the sky full of sea birds calling out to one another as they drifted about on the oceanic winds. Frequently they would dive down and land on the sands where they would precede to squabble over the many long stranded fish. Doing his best Hiccup tried to avoid stepping on any of the fish carcasses lest he have to deal with the pungent aroma.

Following along the contours of the beach, his gaze alternated between watching the ocean waves and the sands beneath his feet.

Green eyes scanning over the tidal zone seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Just like all the storms before it, this storm too had caused the ocean waves to bring all myriad of things ashore. Everything from fish, seashells, seaweed, to pieces of driftwood, all dredged up from the ocean floor by the turbulent waves.

However, this time there was something different hidden amongst the random flotsam.

As he rounded a turn where the beach merged into a cove he caught a glint of something. Cocking his head the teen looked again and again the something glinted in the sunlight. Puzzled Hiccup started towards this unknown object. It was obvious the sunlight was reflecting off some kind of metal object but what he couldn't say. Perhaps it was a goblet, or maybe someone's sword that had been carried out here by the winds and tides.

At three feet it became clear that the object that lay half buried was no goblet. Kneeling down Hiccup eyed the thing carefully; extending his hand he began to wipe away the sand. Freed of the soil Hiccup cradled it in his hands as he set out to examine it. It was much like a tall mug, a hollow cylinder about a foot long and five inches wide and around the top it had a set of winding grooves cut into it, while on the side a strange set of markings etched into its otherwise smooth surface. Another of the traits that amazed Hiccup was just how lightweight it was for being made of metal.

"Where did this come from?" Hiccup lifted his gaze from the thing in his hands to scan the cove for anything else. His eyes studied the shoreline, taking in every inch of sand searching for anything that didn't belong.

_There!_

A dark something lay not far down the ways partially obscured by one of the large beach rocks.

At first glance Hiccup thought it to be just another rock but as he looked at it the shape just wasn't right. Moving closer to investigate the dark object and with a clearer view he was able to see just what it was. The dark object was in fact a boot and it was still attached to its owner.

Hiccup stopped instantly, the metal cylinder he had been carrying fell from his hands as he scrambled to draw his knife. Edging closer, knife held out at the ready, the Viking lad peered over the top of the rock. Green eyes scanned over the body of the young man laid out on the sands. As he surveyed the other teen Hiccup couldn't help but stare at his manner of dress. The clothing style and materials were something that he had never seen before.

While the black shirt he wore wouldn't seem too out of place in the village, his pants were a different matter. Whereas all other sets of trousers he had seen were of a solid color these were made of several. These were covered in a mix of browns, greens, and black blotches creating an obscure pattern that closely resembled what one would see dappled upon the forest floor. His gaze then turned to the teen's equally odd footwear. They looked to be made from stained black leather with a thin length of black string lashed in a criss-cross pattern up the front of them. But what really tugged at his curiosity was the underside, with its strange textured outsole made from a unknown material.

Returning to taking in the sight as a whole Hiccup began to notice no outward signs of life. "Is he dead?" the teen mused.

Swallowing the lump in his throat Hiccup edged closer until within arm's reach. Closer Hiccup could now make out the slight rhythmic movements of the stranger's chest rising and falling, a sure sign of life. The unconscious young man coughed abruptly startling the anxious Viking lad making him retreat in a brief stagger, his knife now held out in front of him ready to defend himself. He waited as seconds ticked by, observing for any sign the foreigner was waking.

Again he grew bold and strode forwards, this time he carefully extended his right leg and using his foot nudged the comatose body. No response.

"Oh I gotta let the others know about this" Hiccup said aloud as he slipped the knife back into its usual place. Taking a last glance around the dark haired lad turned and made for the village as fast as his feet could carry him.

**-x-X-x-**

Hiccup had made it back to the village in record time. Though he might have stepped on a few of the fish along the way and then nearly been tripped up by the scattered debris. Now he weaved through the village, doing his best to avoid any run ins with the roving villagers.

As he made his approach to the blacksmith shop he could see his mentor had returned sometime during his absence.

Gobber stood in front of the smithery, arms crossed upon his chest and a none-too-pleased expression scowled on his features. "Hiccup," he barked at the sight of his wayward apprentice "I told you to mind the stall. Not going gallivanting off into thin air."

"I… I know…but" the teen gasped for breath finally coming to a halt.

"Easy now take a deep breath before you pass out on me lad" the smith spoke his hands miming for him to settle.

Hiccup did just that as he hunched over taking several deep breaths and exhaled just as deeply. Straightening himself up he looked up at the taller male, "I didn't mean to be gone for so long but you were gone so I figured I'd go clear my head. So I went for a walk and round up on the beach. As I was walking along I found some weird metal tube" the teen did his best to mime the object's description "Then I looked for anything else but instead of something else I found someone else."

Gobber stared perplexed by the fast talking youngster, "Wait, what do you mean _you found someone else_?"

"Laying behind some of the large rocks there's body."

Gobber processed the information. It couldn't be anyone from the village as everyone was accounted for, and surely no one was missed as Stoick himself had carried out the count. So then just who was it that Hiccup had found on the beach? "Are they alive or dead?" Gobber inquired his tone one of strict seriousness.

"Alive, but he wasn't moving any" Hiccup responded.

The older Viking took a moment to rub his chin before placing a hand on Hiccup's shoulder "Take me to 'em."

"Shouldn't we tell my dad first?" the teen posed as he hesitated, his hand pointing towards the harbor.

"No time for that, if they're hurt we need to help first" Gobber turned hobbling towards the beach "Now let's get going."

With that the teen turned and proceeded to lead the way. While Gobber's pace was limited by his mobility Hiccup's was not and this was fact he had seemed to forget. The gap between the two Viking's had grown but luckily for the blacksmith there were things to slow him down. One such was when Hiccup almost collided with a group of villager's carrying a load of wood planks for repairs. However, Gobber was quick to react.

Reaching out he plucked the teen from the ground with his prosthetic and corrected the boy's course as he set him back down. This time Hiccup moved at an easier pace.

Once on the beach their progress was further hampered by the sandy surface. The reason being as Gobber's didn't allow him fast travel as the loose material simply moved aside and attempted to swallow up the artificial limb. But nonetheless Gobber didn't let such a thing slow him down.

"Just over there" Hiccup called over his shoulder, right arm pointing the vicinity.

Slowing their pace considerably they moved carefully checking the area, both parties wary that there may be new surprises. But the beach was the same as Hiccup had left it with its scattered clutter and the alien metal tube still lying where he had dropped it.

"Hold up, Hiccup" Gobber spoke.

The teen did as told and hanged back while the older Viking moved over to the body. Kneeling down the smith examined the unknown teen, indeed Hiccup was right this lad was definitely not from the village. Reaching out he turned the boy's head to the side. The moist sand stuck to the side of his face but when his head flopped to the side he saw more than just sand was clinging to the side of his face. From his temple a path of crusty dried blood stretched down almost to his chin. A wound the smith examined using a hand to brush the teen's hair away.

"Hmm, a nasty bump to the head and he feels a might feverish" Gobber commented, removing his adorned helmet he leaned down placing an ear to the boy's chest. "Well his heart sounds strong. We best be getting him to a healer."

Taking hold of the unconscious teen's arm Gobber pulled him up before hoisting his limp body over his broad shoulder. Before standing up he snatched his helmet up and affixed it into its usual place on his noggin before turning to leave. With his passenger in place Gobber and Hiccup began the trek back to the village although his pace through the sand was further hampered by the additional weight forcing his artificial leg deeper into the loose soil.

**-x-X-x-**

Once back within Berk it wasn't long before the arrival began to attract the attention of others. Many a curious onlooker turned to watch as the blacksmith strode passed with the unknown individual slung over his shoulder like a hunter carrying a deer. Both Hiccup and Gobber did their best to pay them little heed as they strode determinedly through the streets towards the home of the village healer.

Striding up to her door Gobber knocked upon the wooden obstruction loudly, not even sure that she would be there in the first place what with the other injured needing tending to. Pausing briefly he waited for any response and when none came he started again. This time it garnered the response he had hoped for, well sort anyway.

The healer was quick to answer her door in an effort to ending the infernal pounding. She yanked the door open wide and without word glared harshly at the pair that stood on the steps to her home. Birna stood about as tall as Gobber did her svelte form leaned against the door frame. Her face betraying her weariness, no doubt a result from tending to the many injured from last night's storm. And though her eyes had much anger in them, there was an undertone of gentleness that still shone through.

Her expression of displeasure changed when she noticed Gobber's passenger. "What is it, Gobber?" she inquired her tone a mix between mild irritation and concern.

"Birna, the lad here is in need of your help" the smith replied with a gentle shrug allowing the passed out teen to slip into his cradled arms.

Stepping out on to the small porch Birna examined the peculiar young man. Her eyes drawn to the crusty gash on the side of his temple, "Very well bring him inside" Birna replied retreating from the door and further into the room.

With Gobber and his protégé trailed behind her through the threshold where Birna directed the blacksmith to a cot that lay against the room's far wall. Gobber did so, softly laying his cargo on the cot's thin mattress. He had nary a moment before being harshly brushed aside as Birna moved for a closer examination of her newest patient.

Taking a seat on a short stool besides the cot and began to look him over. Cupping his chin she tilted his head to the side eyes trailing over the dried blood, locating the source her diligent fingers traced delicately over the injury. "Not too deep, good the bleeding was not heavy" she spoke to herself before pressing the back of her hand to his forehead "Indeed he has a fever."

Shifting on the stool Birna cast a look to Gobber "Do you know who he is?"

"Afraid not lass," Gobber answered with a shake of his head "Hiccup only discovered him not long ago. Is there anything you can do for him?"

She stood quickly and the pair of males were even quicker to get out of her way. Striding crossed the room the dark haired woman approached a set of shelves upon which sat various small pouches, jars, and several small wooden chests. From the top shelf she retrieved a petite mortar and pestle before roving over the others to gather a myriad of ingredients needed in crafting the medicine needed. A dried newt, dried fish liver, a wide variety of herbs and a few things that gave the other two Vikings an uneasy stomach.

Taking her assorted goodies Birna then moved to a small table, here she went about mincing many of the herbs into much smaller pieces. That step out of the way all the ingredients were then added to the mortar and pestle to be crushed and ground into a fine powder.

As the healer busied herself, Gobber turned to the young lad that had started all this. "Hiccup, it'd probably be best if you alerted your father to this" he spoke in a soft tone. The wiry teen seemed hesitant as he watched the healer and her patient. "Go on now lad isn't much more we can do" with a nod he turned and left to deliver the news.

Satisfied with their condition Birna dumped the powdered mix into a miniature caldron to which she added some water before setting it above the fire. Taking a seat she stirred the contents slowly, every few moments alternating the direction in which her hand traveled.

"So what is it you're making?" the blacksmith asked peering over the woman's shoulder.

"A simple draft, it should help rid him of the fever," Birna spoke softly. Lifting her gaze cast a glance to Gobber "But the fever is high and it may not be enough. Only the fates will decide."

An uneasy silence settled in over the pair as time ticked by.

The mixture had begun to boil when the door to her home was briskly pushed open. The home's occupants immediately turned their attention to cause, their eyes falling on Stoick as he entered with a small entourage and Hiccup not far behind.

"Where is he?"

"Ah nice of you to join us, though you could have been easier on the door" the healer replied with sass "And keep your voice down for Freya's sake."

Stoick paid little heed to her abrupt tone as he moved to stand nearer the sleeping teen. Hiccup was mildly surprised by Birna's attitude and so chose to remain close to the door. The Viking chief stood over cot's occupant, his eyes studying his features and clothing.

Lifting his hand Stoick cupped his chin, "Any idea where he came from?"

"I don't know." Gobber responded giving a light shrug. "I've never seen any tribe with clothes like his."

"Hiccup, are you sure you didn't see anything else?" the chieftain asked as he turned to the Viking lad who stood on the opposite side of the room.

"Yeah dad," the boy was quick to answer "Gobber and I didn't see anything."

Stoick _hmm'd_ to himself "Still it would be best if we sent a search party to scour the beach and the surrounding waters." The proposal garnered a bout of head nodding from the gathered men as they mulled over the situation.

"Is it wise for us to be aiding this boy?" one of the other men inquired.

Another man stepped forwards his arms held imploringly, "Indeed, we know not where the lad came from or how he got here." The man paused "He could very well be a spy from another clan." His words started many a half-mumbled commentary from several gathered.

Tired of the turn the discussion was talking Birna stood quickly. Her rapid stance took some by surprise as she scowled at them, "Or he could a poor soul who got caught in the storm at sea. For all we know is he could be the sole survivor." The healer's heated words and blazing stare forced the others to avoid her gaze and silenced any who thought to dispute. With foolishness dealt with Birna turned lifting the small caldron and pouring its contents into a cup.

Stoick smirked as she strode briskly passed him and the others.

Birna was the compassionate sort most of the time, but she had a fiery temper. Those that would go against her were always perched on a razors edge of raising her ire. To run along with her temper she had a stubborn streak running through her, Birna would defiantly hold her ground against any argument no matter who it was with. With the way she acted sometimes, if any didn't know better they might mistake her for a chieftain.

The bedridden teen's cough brought focus back upon him.

Birna moved acrossed the room to the table setting the cup down for a moment as she filled a bowl of water from a nearby pitcher. Then she returned to her seat on the stool beside her patient's cot. Carefully she cradled the boy's head and gently moved him to sit up slightly. Pressing the rim of the cup against his lips the healer slowly tilted the cup allowing the liquid contents to trickle into his mouth. Though still unconscious he instinctive swallowed the liquid little by little as it filled his mouth until the cup had been emptied.

Next she set the cup aside and pulled a waded strip of cloth from her pocket. Dipping the cloth into the cool water she used the dripping cloth to dab away at the crust of sand and blood that covered his cheek. After each pass Birna swished the rag about in the bowl before ringing it out to remove the mess. Little by little she cleaned his face till she reached the original gash, here she was forced to apply more pressure to clear the gunk. With the wound cleaned and clear the healer then retrieved a mason jar half the size of an apple. As she removed the lid the room was quickly filled with a rather pungent aroma.

So aromatic was it that those that accompanied Stoick quickly left the room heading outside to get some fresh air.

Birna smirked over her shoulder in amusement of their weaker constitutions. Turning back around the healer dipped a flat bit of wood into the herbal salve withdrawing a good helping of the smelly goop. Then using the applicator she smoothed it over the gash making sure it was completely coated and after that she applied a strip of clean white cloth to cover and protect the recovering injury.

"I've done all I can, he needs his rest now" sitting back Birna set the jar aside. "Now the three of you time to be off."

Before the healer could rise from her stool the three remaining males turned and headed for the door. And a good thing they did lest they would have been forcibly ushered out. Outside the chieftain's entourage stood waiting, ready to continue their discussion about their visitor. But also some of the villagers had gathered in curiosity, all interested in discovering more about the recent arrival.

Turning Stoick looked the teen that followed behind, "Hiccup," at his father's call the teen approached "I want you to show the search party where you found the boy."

"Okay" Hiccup nodded enthusiastically.

While his father and mentor strode off heavily in dialogue followed closely by the other men, Hiccup stopped and looked back at the healer's home. Birna stood by the door for a moment, the woman gave him a gentle nod before closing the door. Turning back he rushed to catch up with his father.


	5. Ch 4: A new world

**Chapter Four: A new world**

Ever so slowly the teen began to stir, his sleep addled mind returning from the nether realm of sleep that had held him captive. Returning the waking world of the living Adryk experimentally started to move. Opening his eyes, icy blue orbs gazed at the ceiling but with a lack of focus he could make out little other than a dark blur. Prompted he reached up wiping his eyes attempting to clear the hazy from his vision.

With a last couple blinks his eyesight had returned to its norm. Now as he gazed at the ceiling he could make out the detail of the thatched roof and the timbers of the rafters that supported it. Realizing that this was not his room he turned his head and began to check things out.

The first thing Adryk noticed was how the room was lit. At the center of the floor sat a shallow pit, perhaps six inches deep, with ring of stacked stones creating a wall around its parameter. Inside the depression a collection of logs stacked into a step pyramid shape was alight with flame. The fire was the sole source of light for the room, its soft crackle and warm glow cast a homey and relaxing feel to the space around it. Lining the stone barrier were several large masonry jars, their plain appearance giving no indication of just what their contents may be.

Looking away from the fire he checked out the room itself. It was fairly large at fifteen by ten foot and of an open layout with no support beams to obstruct anything. The walls were made of logs, if not whole tree trunks that had been stacked one atop the other. This and the look of the ceiling rafters gave the teen the impression he was possibly in some sort of old fashion cabin. Apparently the cot he was lying upon was situated in a nook at the back of the room opposite the room's only door. Aside from his cot the room had little in the way of furnishings.

What looked to be a bear pelt was strewn out on the floor between him and the fire pit and a few ornate tapestries hung from the walls. Sitting not far from the cot a short foot stool with an empty placed upon it. On the wall near his head a medium height bookcase stuffed thick with books. There were actually so many books that there were many more simply laying about the room. On the left wall was a row of shelves, each one heavily laden with a collection of small jars, pouches, and small wooden boxes much like jewelry boxes. And again more books lined the end of the shelf. Below the shelf a good sized table with a several chairs tucked in against it. At the center of the table a hefty looking pitcher with short stack of plates and a set of cups sat besides the pitcher.

On the opposite side of the room things were a little scarcer.

Here there was nothing else of note except for the large and plain wooden trunk with sturdy metal hinges. And a few feet away from the trunk a wooden staircase that led up to the cabin's second floor.

'_Where the hell am I?'_ was the first thought that came to mind.

Well wherever he was, Adryk didn't plan to stick around for long. However, attempting to sit up the teen was struck by a sudden feeling of light headiness making him feel rather faint. Reaching up Adryk held the side of his head while propping himself up on his left elbow. As his right hand made contact it recoiled as a slight sting pierced his temple. Taking care Adryk slowly brought his fingers back up to his temple and gently ran them over the area. Again he winced when they made contact with the inch long lightly scabbed over gash hidden by his hairline.

For a moment his sat in complete bewilderment as he could only wonder just how he had come to get this injury. Then as if the light bulb lit up, a recollection of what had occurred came to him. Adryk could remember the plane and the storm, but after that things become rather hazy offering no explanation of what happened or just how he come to find himself where he was now.

At the moment he could only hope that wherever here was it didn't come with one of those reclusive weirdoes that one often hears about in urban legends.

With the dizzy spell worn off Adryk again tried to sit up. In doing so a new sensation pulled his attention to another matter, this sensation was the feeling of cloth sliding acrossed bare skin. It was then as he sat up and sheet fell away he realized that aside from the sheet and a deer skin cover he was completely naked! Lifting the sheet he gaped as he saw that indeed he was without a stitch of clothing.

Alarms blared inside the teen's head as he clutched the thin covering tightly to his waist "What the hell is going on here?"

"Ah, you're awake" a female voice interrupted.

In an instant the young man's head snapped up and sought the speaker. Looking to the stairs he found them, standing at the midpoint of the stairs was a woman. She looked to be in her mid-thirties or so with long auburn hair that hung down to the middle of her back. Atop the crown of her head a leather headband with a symbol of some kind was branded into the band's center. She wore a long sleeved brown linen dress that draped down to about mid-shin covering the leggings she wore underneath. Over the dress she had a emerald green overcoat with the sleeves cut off at the shoulder and waist held closed by a length of braided rope with the excess dangling freely, its end tied in a simple knot.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Adryk demanded in as calm a voice as he could manage. Yet while he may have thought himself calm, he was unable to mask the fear that snuck out with his words.

"Calm yourself child" the woman spoke doing little alleviate his nervous feelings. Undaunted by the partially covered teen she continued down the stairs and approached the cot, "You are in the village of Berk. My name is Birna, I am the village healer and you were placed under my care for your ailments. Since I told you mine, care to tell me your name?"

The teen stared up at her, hugging the sheet even tighter "Adryk. Now why am I naked, what happened to my clothes?"

"You have been asleep for nearly four days," Birna paused letting the information sink in "And removing them was necessary to bathe you properly."

Adryk's face immediately flushed with a deep blush as his cheeks were blaze with embarrassment at the thought of some stranger undressing him. Let alone the thought of them washing to his nude form whilst he was unconscious.

Birna had little trouble in determining the reason behind the color change in the teen's face. Not wishing to antagonize him further she turned away and strode towards the large chest near the stairs. Bending down she opened the lid and rummaged around its contents for a moment before standing again and closing the lid. With a bundle tucked under her arm she made her way back to the teen's bedside.

"Such strange clothing you have" Birna's outstretched arm offering up the items in question, "During your time asleep I washed your clothing for you. Otherwise you would have found them to be quite uncomfortable with the dried ocean salt."

The woman's words broke the trance of embarrassment and he was quick to take back his belongings. Setting them in his lap Adryk pulled the bundle apart making sure every piece of his clothing was there. Before attempting to get dressed he again looked up at the woman standing nearby. His expression telling her he was still not pleased about what was going on, but also that he would not dress so long as she was watching him.

Taking the hint Birna moved away to give the teen some space. Keeping her back turned to him she smirked, no matter what age or gender her patients were they all were always so embarrassed by undressing around her even if her care called for it.

"You're a lucky one, you know" Birna spoke as she tended to the fire.

Adryk paused; a quizzical expression on his features, to what was she referring to exactly. "What do you mean?"

Birna slumped her shoulders slightly, her voice taking a more somber tone. "I have rarely seen such a fever and even fewer times have those survived. Most of the time they simply burn with the fever until they can no longer carry the burden." Turning her head she cast a sideways glance over her shoulder to the teen "To have pulled through, the fates must have plans for you."

Adryk sat for a motionless taking the moment to allow the woman's words to settle in. As he thought about it he came to realize just how close he been to facing his own demise. The teen's mind ran, first the fall and then a fever, just how many times would he be snatched from death's grasp? In that moment Adryk thanked whatever there was to thank for his luck. But his thoughts were interrupted by the strange woman.

"Or perhaps you're just incredibly stubborn. And in that case you'll fit in perfectly around here" the healer smirked before turning back to the fire.

Regaining his composure, the teen was quickly reminded of his clothing status by a draft. Still he didn't like the idea of trying to get dressed when some stranger was sitting not but eight feet away from him. Alas but what choice did he have, unless he wanted to sit around naked in bed and hope that maybe she would leave long enough for him to get dressed at some point. So grabbing his underwear the teen did his best to discreetly slide them on underneath the blankets. Feeling less exposed now and his embarrassment waning Adryk unfurled his pants and sat up to swing his legs over the side of the cot. With his legs in the open he was fast to slide them into the open trousers, once pulled up to mid-thigh he leaned backwards and lifted his hips to pull the trousers up the rest of the way. Lastly he threw on the shirt over his head and tucked the bottom of the shirt into waistband of the fatigues before fastening the buttons.

Glancing about the vicinity he looked for the last article of clothing, "Where are my boots?"

Birna didn't move but merely gestured with a back turned arm towards where he sat. Taking it to mean they were around there looked but saw nothing until he leaned forwards checking the space between the cot and the floor. Indeed his boots sat side by side waiting, the tops of his socks tucked within the boots hung half out.

Retrieving his boots Adryk pulled the socks on over his feet followed by the boots themselves. After adjusting them for a snug fit he tied them tightly ensuring the laces did not come loose, and then bloused the bottom of pants around the boots upper section. Satisfied Adryk carefully moved to stand, faltering for a moment as he experienced a more mild return of the earlier dizzy spell.

Escaping his notice Birna had stood and moved in close to him. The healer placed a hand on the teen's chest fortifying his balance but also stopping him from going any further. "You'll not be going anywhere just yet" Birna said in a firm but gentle tone. Then with surprising strength Birna urged back into his original seated position on the cot. With a brief nod she turned moving off to the shelves on the wall removing a small pouch. Taking a cup from the table she poured some water from the pitcher into which she sprinkled some unknown powder and stirred the mix.

Adryk looked up at her as she approached holding out the cup for him to take, "You're still weak from the fever, drink this. It will give you strength."

When he didn't take the offering Birna gave a gruff and annoyed grunt. This sound combined with her pushing the cup towards him passed on the message loud and clear. Warily Adryk took the cup from Birna's hand.

Bringing it close to his nose the teen sniffed at the liquid. There was a faint and distinct floral scent and beneath that some kind of spice that sent his nose twitching. It did occur to him that he hadn't the faintest idea what she put in this cup. For all he knew it really could be something to make him better or perhaps something poisonous. Still keenly aware of the annoyed woman standing over him, Adryk brought the cup up to his lips.

'_Nothing ventured, nothing gained'_ the teen chanted in his head.

As the liquid flowed into his mouth and over his taste buds the flavor became apparent. The intensely bitter fluid overwhelmed his tongue before burning like a hot pepper. Twisting his face Adryk pulled the cup away from his lips with a sputtering gagging cough.

"Finish it," Birna commanded inching closer as his resolve wavered.

His eyes clouded over with tears from the burning in his throat, his face contorted to denote his disbelief that the woman was serious. But clearly her expression told him otherwise. Cringing softly he looked again at the cup of liquid in his hand then mustering his courage downed the rest of the liquid in one massive gulp. Almost instantly after the gulp the teen again found himself in the middle of a coughing fit as his throat contracted with the burning sensation. All while the bitter taste still lingered on his tongue and Adryk swore he would never be rid of it.

Birna smiled taking the empty cup from the teen's outstretched and shaking hand. She knew the effects the draft brought with it as he was not first to suffer under it nor would he be the last. But this would a necessary step in his recovery. Turning away she moved to the table this time filling the cup with plain water from the pitcher before offering it again to the teen. The lad took it without hesitation and quickly began to down it.

When he again held out the cup she took it back with light pat to his hung head.

Depositing the mug on the table she turned crossing the room to the door. Laying her hand on the handle she pulled it open but only enough for her to lean her torso half out the gap.

It was obvious she was now talking with someone on the other side of the obstacle but who remained a mystery. Instead Adryk focused on the sounds that now filtered into the room from outside. Sounds of clanging and banging like someone hammering, a high pitched whine like a bearing that needed oil, and distant shouts too far off to be discernable. Though his curiosity was growing the teen didn't want it to be too obvious.

Scooting over on the cot Adryk tried the simple maneuver of leaning over. Unfortunately all this did was allow him a better view of his host's back and a glimpse of the sky outside.

**-x-X-x-**

The starchy warm air of the Great Hall reverberated with sound. Jumbled words echoed off the stone walls as the gathered Viking leaders continued with their heated debate. Their individual voices disappeared, drowned out to become one amongst the cacophony of others.

The Viking elders gathered about the center of the vast chamber, encircling half the table that surrounded the fire pit at its heart. The majority of those there were locked in heated arguments, flinging remarks and accusations back and forth at each other like stones. In a rare moment they would lower their voices to a more normal speaking tone and act a bit more civil at allowing others to speak in turn.

"I say we should stick the foreigner on a ship and sail him back out to sea" a large Viking with an eye patch remarked.

"He's just a boy," a woman with fiery hair objected. Her disdain for the man's words showing clear on her face "The lad's no older than half the youngsters on the isle."

"Aye," the man next to her nodded in agreement.

Before any could manage a retort the red haired woman spoke again. "If we do that we may as well just put him to the blade now and end it. Because he will surely perish just the same at sea, is it not enough that he almost did if not for Stoick's boy."

"But we still have no idea where he hails from, or how it was that he ended up here?" another chimed in.

"Indeed Hoark is right," a lanky Viking with a bushy beard and long pony-tail answered. "We've scoured the shoreline as well as the surrounding sea only to come up empty handed. No debris, no supplies or any sign that there might be others that came with him." The man shook his head slowly "It's like he just came out of nowhere."

"Perhaps his vessel sank out at sea, or he was carried overboard to drift with the tides."

"Or maybe tis another reason" a hushed voice postulated.

Curious the others turned to the speaker "What do you mean?"

"I mean you remember the Elder's words." An older woman spoke, "How that storm came out of the blue to wreak havoc and now this boy suddenly turns up on our shores."

The man acrossed from her cocked an eyebrow as he regarded her words, "Just what are you getting at?"

"Maybe this is an omen."

With that statement the room was overtaken by an eerie silence. It was like someone had taken all the air out of the room. Indeed there were quiet whispers and mutterings as each reflected upon those words, the storm and the mysterious teen whom now rested in the village. Of course some dismissed such guesses as whimsy and sought their own explanation. But others were given pause as they contemplated the matter realizing that it may be more than chance that brought the teen to their village.

Stoick sat in his chair leaning on his left arm as he rested his chin on the top of a closed fist. The chieftain remained as silent as he had since the start of this gathering, his gaze drifting from person to person. If the Viking chieftain had his own thoughts on the subject only his own company did he keep.

Even as the others spoke of the newcomer and the possible recourses they could take, Stoick's mind followed its own lines. But at the mention of a possible relation between the teen arrival and that of the storm seemed to strike a chord with him. His mind skewed into a new tangent of thought revolving around this theory. The thought he gave to this, the more he saw there was indeed a strange coincidence that linked the two.

If the boy had been on a vessel that had gone down at sea then the storm would have carried the debris the shore alongside him. Let alone anyone else who may have been aboard before it went down but there hadn't been any just the lone teen.

_On the hand, _there was a chance that Inga was right and he had merely been thrown overboard. In which case there would be no debris or stranded survivors as the ship had not been lost and was still afloat out there somewhere.

Slowly he shifted his gaze to his left.

There seemingly dwarfed by the chair in which she sat was the Elder. She was the easily the oldest amongst their number, while he may be the tribe's chief and leader she still held considerable sway over the village. She sat eyes closed, walking staff draped acrossed her lap held in place by her hands resting atop it. The Elder had a serene air about her as she sat listening to the discussion at hand. The only clue that she was still among the living was the slow and rhythmic movement of her chest with each breath.

So calm the Elder seemed that if Stoick didn't know any better he could've sworn that she was asleep. But he knew the truth. Any time such a weighty matter came about the Elder was always present and while the others would busy themselves with arguments, she would simply take her usual seat and enter a sort of meditative trance, all the while still keenly aware of the happenings around her.

The long groaning of the entrance's massive doors drew Stoick's attention away. The squabble died down quickly as the participants turned seeking to see just whom had caused this interruption. A lone man made his way through the room, the short cape he wore bellowing behind him while the chainmail of his skirt jingled softly with each step.

As he eyed the man Stoick's hand fell away from his chin before he stood.

"What news do you bring?" Stoick inquired of the intruder.

The man stopped several feet out from the group, dropping to one knee he bowed in respect. "Birna says the foreigner has awakened and seems in well spirits."

The Viking Council glanced at each other before turning the attention to their chief. Stoick mulled over his response for a moment but before he could issue the order it had to be approved. Pivoting at the waist he looked to his left. The Elder remained like a statue for second or so, then slowly her eyelids parted as if aware of his gaze. Blue-grey eyes returned the chieftain's gaze and with a single gentle nod of her head the Elder gave her answer.

"Bring him to us," Stoick addressed the kneeling man "Tis time we got some answers."

The man nodded, "As you command." Then with a final bow, this time at the waist, he turned and strode out direction he had come.

**-x-X-x-**

After the discovery of the foreign teen things had been abuzz with gossip. But by now things had died down considerably since then and now village life had returned to the routine. Oh there was still the occasional bit of talk about the stranger in their midst. But everybody had gone back to focusing on carrying out the repairs to the village in wake of the storm four days ago.

Well all save perhaps one Viking.

Hiccup sat on one of the workshop's stools, his back leaning against the wall. By the expression he carried it was rather obvious his mind was preoccupied by other things. Ever the curious Viking, while the others had gone back to their daily lives, his thoughts still dwelt on the newcomer he had found on the beach.

After Gobber and he had left their charge in the healer's care, they had returned to the beach accompanied by his father and his search party. He was still rather surprised by his father's decision for him to lead the way. After he showed them to the spot of the discovery Stoick then directed the party to spilt up and conduct a thorough investigation. And search they did. Some marched acrossed the beach, some trekked through nearby forest all while the remaining took to small boats and combed through the shallow waters.

Only after every square inch was thoroughly sifted through did Stoick call off the hunt.

The only thing turned up by the lengthy search had been the same strange cylinder that Hiccup had found earlier. His father had examined it closely as did Gobber, who remarked on how such a thing could be made. Both had also noticed the bizarre etchings on the side of the tube and both were puzzled by their meaning. Rather than see it melted down in the smithery or simply tossed aside Hiccup asked if he might have it and Stoick agreed handing the item over.

The cylinder now resided in the teen's grasp, the fingers of his right hand running over smooth surface feeling the ever-so-slight dip where the markings were. Even in the days that followed the etchings remained as just as much a mystery as they had then. Much like a puzzle whose pieces were scattered Hiccup was determined to put it back together again. But for now the answer continued to stay just outside of his grasp, and he knew if there was an answer it lay with the other teen.

From the front of the shop Gobber kept an eye on his apprentice.

Hiccup had always been a curious individual, if not the most inquisitive person had ever met. He was not one to let a question go unanswered. However, this sometimes caused problems for the lad as his mind would become preoccupied to the detriment of his focus. Just like now, at every chance the boy had gotten he would return to staring at that same artifact he had found. His gaze so focused on it, daring not to look away as if at any moment it would come to life and relinquish its secrets.

"Hiccup," Gobber spoke breaking the lad's concentration. "Give it up lad. You've been staring at thing all morning" the blacksmith approached "It's time you get your mind back on the things that need doin' and off that ridiculous little thing."

At first the occupied teen paid little mind to his mentor's words but he knew the older Viking was right.

"Yeah," he sighed "You're probably right."

Rising from stool the teen moved to a nearby shelf and simply set the object down on it. And with a last glance back at the stubborn thing Hiccup went back to tidying up the polished and sharpened blades they had worked on that day. Each had to be put in their proper place. Those that had simply been mended were placed upon a long table to await for their owners to pick them up, while those that had been made were sorted.

Swords went to the racks; axes went onto wall mounted pegs alongside the warhammers, spears were collected and placed into a barrel while knives sat on shelves and the bolas were coiled and stacked together on a small table. Everything primed and ready for use at a moment's notice.

A knock at the shop's front interrupted the pair of smiths.

"Ragerd" Gobber greeted the other. Striding acrossed the shop the blacksmith approached the other sharing in a hearty handshake and pat on the shoulder. "Here for your sword, I take it?"

"Oh aye" the man nodded.

Hearing this Hiccup made his way to the back of the shop where the item lay. His eyes wandered over the wide assortment of items that lay on the table, everything from household items to tools to swords and axes. He rapped his fingers on the wood surface as he tried to recall just which one it was. The teen looked over each in turn, after awhile he settled on one towards the end of the row. Just to be sure he examined the insignia upon the hilt and sure enough it matched what he could recall.

Lifting the hefty blade Hiccup turned making his way towards the waiting party.

The talkative pair barely noticed the teen's approach as they carried on with their conversation. Coming a stop nearby he extended his arms offering the sheathed sword to its owner. The Viking smiled at the sight of the heirloom. Taking possession he held sheath with one hand while grabbing the hilt with the other. Pulling the blade from leather casing he inspected the newly refinished blade.

"Fine work as always, Gobber" he complimented before resheathing the sword.

Gobber accepted the other's words with a nod. As he opened his mouth to speak there was a commotion that distracted the trio. Curious the three Vikings left the shop behind as they made their way to the disturbance.

Some of the villagers stood gathered in small groups conversing rather loudly while others just continued on their way. As the trio approached they were cut off by a roving band of the village youths rushing acrossed their path.

"See here now" Gobber said apprehending one the stragglers "What's with all the ruckus?"

"Ah" the youth gasped as he found himself suddenly dangling in the air.

Hoisting the teen by his prosthetic hook Gobber rotated the lad until they were looking face to face. "Now what's the rush?"

"Haven't you heard?" the answer came from the blank looks he received. "They say that the stranger is finally awake and the Council wants to see him. So we're going to see him."

Watching the lad's eyes dart to the group he had been a part of retreating in the distance Gobber set him down. Without any words further the trio watched as the boy took following after the others. Rather knowingly the blacksmith's gaze turned to his apprentice. Indeed the boy's expression proved that the news had indeed piqued his curiosity as plain as the sun shines during the day.

"Go on lad" turning Hiccup looked back as if to clarify he had correctly. "The day's work is done and I know you're as curious as everyone else."

Taking off his apron Hiccup handed it off to the older Viking and with a quick nod of thanks he took off.

**-x-X-x-**

Looking to the cup in his hand the teen took another big gulp finishing off the glass of water. This was the third glass Adryk had drank since being made to down that awful concoction and still the taste lingered on his taste buds.

But he had to admit, though it tasted horrible it did seem to be helping him.

Listlessly he set the cup aside and turned his gaze upon the room's other occupant. The woman was seated on her stool next the fire pit, at the moment she was in the process of preparing something in a small pot above the fire. Her right hand held a long handled wooden spoon while she used her left hand to sprinkle measured amounts onto the spoon before mixing it in the waiting pot. Occasionally she would pause and take a quick sip to taste it.

Adryk inhaled deeply whatever it was she was making certainly smelt good.

As he looked her over he noted for the first time how out of place her clothing was. _'And she says my clothes are strange. Hers look practically medieval.'_ In fact her clothing reminded him of the old getups worn by people at renaissance fairs he had seen. Turning his thoughts away from her and her unusual clothes the teen instead did his best to figure out just where he was and how he had gotten here.

Adryk sat quietly hanging his head in his hands. He remembered waking up the morning of his birthday and journeying with his friends to the airport for their appointment. But from there his memory became fuzzy as if he was trying to watch a movie through frosted glass. He could recall being aboard the plane but after that the last memory he had was finding himself in the churning sea and somehow making it to shore before blacking out.

And that was the million dollar question. Just how did he wind up in the sea?

Adryk knew they should have been nowhere near the ocean. And yet by some means they were as sure enough he had landed in it. The more he thought about it the less and less sense it made which only created more and more questions.

With each new query it felt like he was once again in that ocean barely able to keep his head above the surface. Unable to answer even the simplest of them Adryk did the only thing he could. He shoved it all into the recesses of his mind. Deciding to focus on something else instead he again took to examining the room in which he had apparently been a guest for the last several days.

The majority of the room's contents did little to hold his interest for long. That is all except the short bookcase found on his left. He could see each of the three shelves was crammed with books of various sizes and thicknesses. There were so many books in fact that there were several small stacks piled at its base and a few piled on top.

The teen looked over the books themselves, they stood side by side, orientated so that their spines faced outwards. However, doing so served no particular purpose as none of them had any kind of writing or markings upon them. So there was no way of knowing just what sort of information lay inside them.

Casting a glance to his host briefly he looked back the books. Extending his hand he selected a tall one from the end of the middle shelf.

It certainly was a hefty tome, about a foot tall and nearly three inches thick. The book was hardcover and bound in a faded brown leather jacket, the soft leather had an odd odor to it like the smell of age. It was obviously handmade as apparent by the stitching along the binding of the spine. Looking it over Adryk couldn't help but wonder just how old this book was.

Again Adryk looked to Birna before he carefully opened the book to the first page. The pages were considerably thicker than normal paper and felt more like some kind of parchment like material. The edges had a slight discoloration to them with some of them looking tattered and dog-eared from years of use. The contents of the pages were seemingly well preserved, the hand written lines were scribbled acrossed the page looked in good condition with only a slight discoloring as the black ink was turning a sort of rust color.

The language of the book also spoke of its age. The words were laid out like any other book he had read before but the words themselves were written in some kind of runic alphabet that was a complete mystery to him.

He was mesmerized by the odd shapes and unusual patterns that were laid out on the page before him. And yet as he stared at them it felt almost familiar to him as if it hovered just outside his thoughts. The longer he gazed at the book the more he wished he could figure it out. Then something miraculous occurred. As his eyes traversed the written characters he began to understand what they said. Each letter produced the corresponding phonetic sound within his head before being combined to form words, words that he could understand.

As he read over the page Adryk couldn't keep his eyes from opening wider in astonishment.

Finishing the current page he quickly thumbed through page after page reading off a sentence or two from each until he reached the final page. Placing the book back in its spot he retrieved another but from another shelf. Opening the book he repeated the process scanning through the multitude of pages before setting it aside and repeating it for a third and fourth time.

Adryk sat with a blank stare on his face, his eyes locked on the book splayed open on his lap. His mind now filled with a new and dizzying array of questions. "What's going on, how can I read this?" the teen muttered.

But as he grasped for answers an odd realization came to him. Slowly his gaze shifted from the old tome to his seated host. _'If I can read it does that mean I can speak it?'_ after all logic would suggest that anyone who owned such a thing and could read it also was able to speak such a language.

Nevertheless before the lad could think about it anymore there came several heavy knocks at the door.

The abrupt noise startled the teen into jumping slightly in his seat, the book sliding from his lap to land on the floor. That over his head snapped upwards, his eyes locking onto the door.

Birna groaned, "Must everyone be so heavy handed with my door."

Setting the long spoon aside she rose with an exasperated sigh. Then with an expression clearly representing her mood she strode acrossed the room to the door. And with a harsh jerk she deftly opened the door.

The violent movement surprised the three men waiting on the other side. "What's the meaning of hammering on my house like that?" the healer demanded in a curt manner.

"The council wishes to speak with your guest" the largest of them announced.

Birna looked them over for a moment before moving aside and allowing them entry into her home. Carefully they moved passed the irate woman and made their way over the seated youth. Two of the men strode forwards while the third hung back near the Viking healer. The two men with their weird clothing and burly builds standing before Adryk was an intimidating sight for the teen and caused him a fare bit of worry.

"You're to come with us the elders want to meet with you" a brown haired man to his right spoke.

Adryk cast a quick glance at the three men. The thought of fleeing and trying to get away did enter his mind but for a brief second. With three of them in the room attempting to slip by them would be rather difficult to nigh impossible. They were no doubt strong judging by their builds and who knew just how quick any of them were. But more so what would he do once he got away? Go for help? God only knew just where he was and how far he would have to go for that.

Sensing the hesitation in the young man Birna approached laying a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up at her, the healer gave him a simple assuring nod. It was a small signal that told it would be alright and it would be best to do as he's told.

Even with the other's gesture it did little to sway his doubts. But nonetheless he slowly rose to his feet and moved to join the waiting party. The two men stepped aside to allow him to pass by before taking position to follow the teen. Crossing the room they were met by the third man at the door, who then turned and led the small group outside.

The outside world was a drastic difference from house's interior. His eyes so used to the soft light provided by the fire was unable to cope with the bright sunlight as it nearly blinded him. The brightness forced the lad to hold his arm up in effort to shield his eyes and give them time to adjust. Gradually they did so, adapting to the bright light allowed him to lower his arm once more. With his eyes clear Adryk gaped at the sight stretched out before him.

It looked like a rustic seaside village one sees in travel brochures or in history books. The village itself was rather quaint with a definite old-world feel to the many log cabins that made up the hamlet. It appeared that the town had been built upon a series of plateaus. This multi-tiered look gave it an almost staircase design with clear separation between each layer. To connect each layer were a series of ramps to allow free travel up and down, while bridges crossed any gaps in the ground.

But really caught his eye was the long stone staircase he could see at the crest of the village. The staircase traveled up for some distance leading to the craggy mountain peak that towered over the village before it. It was there the stone pathway disappeared into a gap at the mountain's base where it was flanked by a pair of stone statues of some sort. Above each statue was a bowl that no doubt held some kind of fuel judging by the lit fires atop them.

Snaking its way through the village was a central road, lined on each by the log cabin style homes. At the moment it looked like the hamlet had seen some kind of attack or something as some of the buildings showed obvious signs of damage while carts filled with debris made their way along the street. Not surprisingly all the people Adryk could see were all adorned in the same medieval style of clothing his host had been wearing.

'_This can't be real. Just where in the world am I?'_ Adryk thought to himself his gaze drifting about.

Feeling he'd been given enough time to adjust one of the men behind the teen patted the teen on the shoulder. Adryk pivoted looking back at the taller figure who gave a jerk of his head indicating it was time to be moving. Obeying the unspoken command Adryk fell in behind the leader as they made their way down the porch steps and onto the dirt pathway. Again the inclination to flee crept into Adryk's mind but yet again it was pushed away.

Now that he had gotten a good look at what beyond that woman's house, he knew now doing so would be meaningless. There was no point. Where would he go? He was a stranger in a strange place and angering the locals did not seem like such a good course of action.

Treading along the well worn trail Adryk kept his eyes on the back of the man walking before him, only occasionally would he spare a glance to the sides. When he did the teen noticed the odd stares he was receiving from those whom they passed by. After awhile it seemed that more and more people began to line the sides of the road to catch a glimpse of the island newcomer.

Indeed as word spread of the foreigner's waking and of his meeting with the council the more curious amongst the village showed up. First it was mainly the children being the most curious of all who came out, then slowly the older teens and some of the adults drifted in. All came see this newcomer for themselves.

And all the while Adryk was keenly aware of the many eyes watching his every step.

**-x-X-x-**

Hiccup made his way up the stone staircase. While he could have tried to see the teen as he was being led through the village, Hiccup knew it would be uncomfortably crowded. No, he knew the best place to see the other teen would be at the Great Hall and it seemed so did everyone else. As already he could see that a number of the other teens had come the same conclusion and now waited at the top of the stairs.

The other teens gathered about pedestal of the left statue basking the shade of the large stone figurine.

Taking note of the gathered crowd Hiccup slowed his pace. As he approached the top of the stairs he thought about joining the other teens but his presence was never really tolerated well with some of them. So instead of turning left Hiccup turned to the right moving to stand near the base of the opposite statue.

Leaning against the stone block he discreetly watched his fellow youths. Some of them he'd had little contact with so their names escaped him. And yet there were familiar faces that did stand out. Chiefly among them was a group of teens he'd had regular contact with on a near daily basis. Namely: the twins, Snotlout and two cohorts, the mild mannered Fishlegs, the healer's apprentice Svana, and of course there was, Astrid.

When Hiccup's eyes settled upon the memorable female form, she became the sole area of his focus.

Astrid sat on the steps, her right leg bent at the knee and drawn up behind her left leg. A large double headed battle-axe, a favorite of hers, lay stride her lap. The bulky weapon was held steady by her left hand while she made long smooth passes over its edge with the whetstone in her opposite hand. She paid no mind to the others about the area and focused on a task she often spent time on. All the time oblivious to the dreamy eyed look she was receiving from one of their number in particular. Occasionally she would pause to run her thumb acrossed the edge determining how much work still needed to be done.

With a brief sigh she set aside the axe, perhaps she had finished or just maybe she had grown bored with it. Astrid sat looking out at the horizon for a long moment before she turned her blue eyes scanning over the area.

Hiccup couldn't help but quickly avert his gaze, his face going flush when she looked towards him.

Though part of him wished to return to watching the object of his affections but he was not one for tempting fate. So instead he diverted his attention to what the rest of the crowd was up to. Luckily for him it seemed the others weren't bothered with keeping their voices down.

"Where do you think he's from?" a red haired girl asked.

"Dunno" seemed to be the common answer.

"Oh, oh I wonder if it's someplace far away?" Fishlegs spoke in a rather giddy tone. "But if its far away how did he get here? And why is he alone?" from there he broke down in to a quiet mumble as he gave voice to his thoughts.

It seemed the conversation was divided into two types, either those who speculated about where the foreigner had come from or those that talked about him specifically. And of those that talked of the foreign teen himself it was mostly the girls who spoke.

"I haven't seen him but I heard he's got some weird clothes" one girl commented.

"Oh I heard he was pretty good looking" another piped up. As the words left her mouth she was unable to hide the blush that turned her cheeks a rosy pink. It was a comment that earned the girl a poke and smirk from Ruffnut.

On the opposite side of things was what their male counterparts had to say.

"I don't get what's so special about this guy," Snotlout gave a smug _humph_ "I doubt he could compare to the greatness of myself." It seemed that the teen was up to his usual boasting, made especially clear when tried to strike a pose in an attempt to impress the nearby girls. And while he did get the desired reaction from a few of them there were others whom didn't care in the slightest.

"_There!_" someone called out, their hand pointing intently to the village. "That's them, they're coming."

With those words all eyes flowed to the indicated region. Emerging from the bustle of the village a group of four individuals moved towards the base of the long staircase. And while three were immediately identified as ordinary villagers, it was the fourth person that attracted their focus.


	6. Ch 5: The Tribunal

**Chapter Five: The tribunal**

Moving through the village Adryk did his best to keep pace with his escorts. However he couldn't help but to pause now and again as he stared at something things ranging from the damaged buildings to even the people themselves. It seemed he was just as curious about them as they were of him. However these respites from the forced march were unceremoniously ended with a light-handed shove to his shoulder from behind.

While they walked Adryk he did his best to learn the way they were taking from the healer's home. There was a simple reason for this. Should anything come to pass that caused him to flee he would need find refuge and the closest thing to that was with Birna. So it only made sense to be able to memorize the path.

After treading along the winding path and up several of the ramps they reached the top tier of the village. There were still quite a few dwellings up here but being on open ground allowed them to be more spaced out. It was as they approached the village edge he noticed that there was a fork in the road up ahead.

While the main path carried on beyond the village leading up the mountain and the massive set of steps before it. The smaller branch on the right didn't go as far. Instead the path snaked its way along almost perpendicular to the main coming to a stop at the base of a short hill. On the hill a much shorter set of steps led up to a single house that sat alone. The house being alone seemed somewhat odd when compared to the closeness the others experienced. Whoever lived there must like their privacy.

After what seemed like hours of silent marching the group reached the foot of the massive staircase.

Standing at the base Adryk stared up at the stone footpath. It was atleast two hundred feet long and separated into two halves by a short but level break at about the midpoint. As his gaze traveled along the cobblestone steps it wasn't long before his eyes fell upon the large stone statues atop their pedestals. They loomed over all like a pair of eternally silent guardians, ever ready at their posts to defend the village.

'_Guess these guys don't do subtlety'_ was the teen's thoughts on the impressive sights before him.

The respite from the long walk was brief as when his guides had felt refreshed they were on the move once more. Higher and higher they climbed with each stone step.

Adryk knew they were closing in on their final destination and as they drew nearer his anxiety began to mount within him. Atleast it wasn't bad though, this higher elevation did allow for a beautiful view over the village below and the surrounding area. At half way up he noticed that even out here his presence had attracted a crowd. Whilst the crowds of the village had been composed of either young children or the resident adults. This group looked to be mostly made up of the village teenagers.

The local adolescents were gathered about the base of the left statue. Perhaps they didn't want to deal with the crowds he'd attracted in the village streets and chose to wait for him further down the line.

In any instance it didn't really matter.

They definitely took notice of him as some jostled about with one another to get a better view. Before long they moved from the statue base to line the stairs. That is all but one girl who never moved from her chosen place on the stairs. As Adryk looked her over he didn't know which was more intimidating, the large axe her right hand rested upon or the fact that the girl probably knew how to use such a thing.

The female only moved to make way when the front escort motioned for her to do so. Striding passed her Adryk turned his head slightly to better examine this daunting figure. For a scant moment their eyes met and he noticed that hers were a blue that could rival the sky above.

When he'd passed his attention was back to the front. Now it was drawn to the gap in the mountain's face. And through the shadows nestled within he could see a pair of gigantic doors that just about dwarfed everything else in the village. The doors were old, their weathered surface was worn smooth from their time exposed to the elements. Yet still ornate engravings were still cleanly visible stenciled acrossed them, protected by how deeply they have been carved into the wood.

So entrancing were they that he didn't bother trying see the details instead he gaped at their sheer size.

'_They're huge.'_

At the top of the stairs Adryk was halted when the man that had been leading the way suddenly stopped.

He turned sharply placing his palm against the lad's chest. "Wait here," he spoke earning a nod from the teen. Lifting his gaze he looked to his cohorts "You two keep an eye on him. I'll speak with the council."

Pivoting he strode away and towards the pair of massive doors. Then to Adryk's utter amazement the man was able to easily part them with nothing more than but a light push on his end. After they had opened enough he disappeared into the darkened interior as the doors were closed behind him.

With nothing left to do but wait his other two escorts moved off to stand at the corner of the staircase and proceeded to strike up a conversation.

Adryk took the moment to let his legs relax. It seemed that not using them for four days had taken a bit of a toll. Not knowing when the other would return and his curiosity still niggling at him. Adryk turned away from the entrance and made his way to the stairs. The guards watched him carefully but made no move to restrain him.

The view was absolutely breath taking for someone who had grown used to cramped urban living and dreary city skylines.

He gazed out at the ocean as it dominated the horizon. The sunlight gleamed off the many wave crests as they made their way to shore. Yet the real eye catcher was the enormous rock outcroppings a scant mile or so from the coast. Created by countless millennia of erosion they looked like some ancient stone pillars but whatever they once held up was long since gone. In the sky above them seabirds glided about as they went about their daily scavenging. But Adryk's eyes didn't linger on them for long as he soon turned his attention green fields that surrounded the hamlet.

And milling around in the meadows were small herds of livestock. Judging by the shapes and colors it was easily enough to tell the large brown figures were probably cattle while the smaller white ones were probably sheep or goats.

As tranquil as it was to watch the fields Adryk soon turned his attention back to the village.

Repairs were still going on down in the village. Men stood upon propped ladders as they patched roofs while others worked to mend other bits of damage. Even from a distance the teen could make out a few bare wood frames of new buildings being put together. But even with this apparent damage and the work being done there was a certain beauty to it.

It all was a drastic change from the brick and mortar used in the modern structures he was so used to seeing. Whereas a modern city had a hard artificial look about it that set it apart from its environment. It was quite the opposite for this little hamlet. From the rustic look of the log cabin styled buildings to the green fields and fresh air that was so abundant. The village and the environment weren't separate. No, it didn't try to plow under and replace what was already there. Instead it was at peace with the natural world as the traits of the village and that of its surroundings combined into a picturesque sort of splendor.

It was in the peace of the moment that as he gazed out on the landscape. That Adryk felt the tension he had bottled up inside him seemingly melt away as the cool sea breeze wafted over him.

Exhaling softly he opened his eyes again. Looking out at the horizon a movement from his right caught his attention. It was quite subtle. Someone was standing by the base of the statue on his left had shifted their footing.

Inclining his head Adryk looked over the lone individual. He looked to be another village youth, who for some reason or another had chosen to stand apart from his fellow teens rather than with them. He had shaggy brown hair and a lanky build. From the distance Adryk could make few details of his face other than he seemed like any other teen. The green of his long sleeve shirt was a contrast to the beep brown of his furred vest and his pants looked almost like a pair of faded jeans.

Adryk turned at the creak of the old metal hinges as the doors behind him swung open.

**-x-X-x-**

The village teens milled about, their many eyes still gathered upon a single target.

They had watched closely as the foreign teen was made to march passed them. Each examined him, taking in his features as if to compare them with their fellows. The foreigner seemed to pay little attention to them as he passed and he stood gazing out from the top of the stairs. The Viking teens still remained but huddled together as they went back to discussing the previous topics.

"He doesn't look all that impressive" Snotlout commented "Rather scrawny, I bet I could take him."

"Yeah" Tuffnut jeered "That foreigner doesn't seem so tough. No challenge for the ultimate weapon."

Ruffnut rolled her eyes with her sibling's remark. "Ultimate weapon my butt. You could barely handle wrangling those sheep."

"That's only because you got in my way" the twin responded. And with those words the brother-sister duo descended into their typical routine of arguing. It wasn't too long before their simple argument escalated and the two were sent tumbling and rolling about the grassy hill as they wrestled.

Such childish antics earned many a head shake while others merely rolled their eyes.

The group's de facto leader spared them but a brief glance before returning her gaze to the stranger. From her perch Astrid had probably the best view of him as she looked him over in detail.

The first thing she took notice of was the unusual clothing he sported. While the style and color of his tunic wasn't all that different from what they possessed, yet his pants were another matter. The strange mix of forested colors dappled acrossed them in blotches of various size and shape. Below them were his boots. The only trait they shared with those of the village was general shape such as the same mid-shin height. But that was it. While their boots were rough, earth toned and fur lined for insulation, the foreigners were smooth and black as pitch yet they possessed a bit of a shine to them like sunlight glinting on water.

But his clothes were only a part of the examination.

Astrid judged him to be fairly tall, though the difference in elevations made it hard to get a good sense to scale. His dark blonde hair was closely cropped in a style she hadn't seen before as most Vikings tended to just keep it long but some kept it trimmed. Another thing that seemed to set him apart was his lean and lanky build. A form that reminded Astrid oddly enough of the lad, Hiccup, yet on closer inspection he did posses more muscular definition that of the other teen. Overall in the looks department he was nothing particular special. It was thin with a strong jaw line, but not gauntly, which made his cheek bones more prominent.

However, there was one feature that stood out. The boy's eyes.

The pale blue made them seem harsh and desolate like the vast icy snowdrifts of the northern sea. Indeed it looked as perhaps they had been carved from that frozen glacial ice. Gazing up at him, there was a brief moment when his eyes had met with hers. During the instant a small chill traveled along her spine. To the girl it felt as though she had just been plunged deep into the frigid waters of winter. Such intensity made Astrid think that had she held his gaze much longer then perhaps ice would have formed upon her.

'_Those eyes, they're so cold'_ she remarked.

She had little time to dwell on it as movement above garnered her attention. The foreigner had turned as one of his escorts returned from the depths of the Great Hall before he strode out of sight following the man.

Around her Astrid was aware of the sounds of shuffling footsteps through the grass. Turning to her left she was greeted with the sight of Fishlegs whom had moved to apparently get a better look for himself. He stood but a few feet away, a book held in his hands now held up close to his chest.

"So what do you think will happen now?" his question aimed indirectly at her.

"I don't know" Astrid replied "It's up to whatever the Council decides to do."

**-x-X-x-**

Passing through the threshold it took Adryk's eyes a moment to adjust to the darkened interior. Once able to see again he paused momentarily to look around but soon continued onwards for fear of another rough shove.

The interior was as vast as the massive doors would lead one to believe. The ceiling was high enough above to rival the height of a six story building while between the doors and the farthest wall one could seemingly fit a football field. Dotting the room were thick pillars that were probably carved from the stone that once occupied the cavernous room. Each pillar had a ring of four torches providing equal lighting. And the most incredible fact that swept Adryk's mind away was the fact all this had been done with simple hand tools.

In between the columns long tables were strewn about in orderly rows and alongside each a long well-worn bench. Their tops were scattered with goblets gathered about large pitchers, two full sets on either half of the table.

But the real attraction was what covered the walls.

Much of the wall was covered in a wide assortment of decorations. Pairs of swords and axes hung a X pattern, their blades polished to a mirror sheen. A variety of animal pelts with some large and some small and most were common deer or bear but there some Adryk couldn't identify. His gaze didn't linger on them for long before moving to the large colorful tapestries that occupied the most space on the walls. Every one of them was different from the last with a different story behind the image. Like the one of a group of Vikings in a longboat battling against a storm swept sea, or a lone warrior standing upon a rocky outcropping with a shield in one hand and a sword in the other. Poised to do battle with some mist shrouded creature, while above him and back left a valkyries sat atop a winged horse with her own sword held aloft and mouth agape as if sounding the battle cry.

In a place of wonders it wasn't long before something new stole his attention.

In the center of the room was a fire pit, gathered around which was a number of others, but it was what hung overhead that he stared at. A huge golden figurine of a dragon like creature with a sword thrust up through its belly hung by thick iron chains. The tip of the silvery blade was topped with crimson paint to create the illusion of fresh blood dripping along the blade's length. The chains were threaded through a loop on the ceiling then down to a winch on the wall. Probably to allow it to be lowered for cleaning.

When his guide came to a stop about ten foot from the Hall's fire pit, Adryk in his distracted movements barely had time to stop before crashing into his back.

The room was silent as the assemblage of tribesmen stood opposite the pair. All their eyes locked upon the oddly dressed lad who continued to gawk at his surroundings for a scant moment before attempting to compose himself.

"Leave us" a firm commanding voice spoke up from one of the group.

Acting on the command the attendant bowed briefly and without a word turned on his heels headed for the door. Adryk could hear the doors creak and just like that he was alone with this group of villagers. This Council was a near equal mix of genders, with a few more males than females, and despite their higher station they were dressed much like any other he had seen in this strange place.

Their gathered eyes roamed over him, each studying him. Adryk could feel it as good as if they were standing beside him and prodding at him with their fingers.

In turn the teen looked at them and found the one seemingly gazing at him most intently was the man in the middle. He was a large intimidating man with a ginger colored hair and a bushy beard. He wore a green sleeveless tunic that showed off his heavily muscular arms.

"Step closer boy" the man signaled with a wave of his hand. The man's voice held a distinctive accent and Adryk obeyed. Moving closer until he stood at the at the edge of the waist high circular table that surrounded the central fire pit. "What is your name, lad?"

"Adryk Sigurd," the teen spoke "Who are you?"

His brazen reply seemed to cause a bit of a stir as some amongst them began to mutter. Their quiet mutterings were ended with a quick glance from the original speaker "I am Stoick the Vast, chief of this tribe." As if to emphasize his words he gave his chest a hearty pat with a closed fist.

Adryk looked him over just like he had done to him. Stoick was a large man, tall and barrel chested with arms that were more akin to tree trunks with the thick muscle. His thick red beard had several braids to it and hung down to his chest. A set of bushy eyebrows sat above his stern looking face, his strong features and flat expression spoke of strict authority and a no nonsense attitude. Yet his eyes were tempered with a hint of compassion. Atop his head he wore a horned helm and a long brown furred cape hung from his broad shoulders, on his waist a wide belt with an insignia probably a family crest was etched on the buckle.

His expression relaxed some "There are some questions that need some answers." Stoick paused "How…"

"How did you get here?" a dark haired man to Stoick's left blurted out.

The sudden outburst earned him a harsh glare from his chief. This appeared to be all that was needed to put him back in his place. And yet none the less the question was still a valid one.

As the group stood waiting for an answer Adryk was on the verge of a panic attack. _'Oh shit. Think, what do I say? There's no way I can tell them the truth, these people don't look like even know what electricity is let alone an airplane.'_ Anxiety began to mount in the teen as a slight tremble passed through his frame. _'And if I did they'll think I'm crazy or something and who knows what they'll do. But I have to say something.'_

The room had gone deathly quiet with only the crackling of the fire and the steady thump of his racing heartbeat to be heard. Seconds ticked by and the Council looked to him expectantly as they patiently waited for his answer. However, judging some of their changing expression that patience may have been reaching its limits.

Adryk's mouth ran dry and his throat suddenly felt parched. "I-I don't really know how I got here" he croaked out before clearing his throat with a cough "The last thing I can recall was being in the water and swimming ashore. Then I awoke here."

Again the group turned to one another and the muttering whispers returned. As the gathered spoke amongst themselves Adryk could only cross his fingers hoping that they wouldn't call his bluff and instead buy his lie. For a moment he felt they had seen through his words as the hushed tones grew in volume and their movements seemed to indicate frustration.

"So then where do you hail from?"

The words brought a sense of relief with them but a part of Adryk knew that the issue was probably far from dead. And now he had the same problem and a new lie to fashion for their ears. Thinking Adryk decided the first place that came to mind. "Cimmeria" a location that had been gleamed from the contents of his extensive knowledge of fantasy works. _'Thank you, Conan.'_

"Hmmph, never heard of such a place" a gruff reply came from a man with a long ponytail. He smirked at the lad "I think you're lying to us. There's no proof of how you came to our shores and your words feel hallow. For all we know you could be from another tribe sent here as a scout."

"Oh enough, Boddi" a fiery red haired woman spouted, crossing her arms in annoyance. "Even before this meetin' we heard your thoughts on the matter and now you blather on. Look at the lad, he isn't a scout. To send one as young as he, in the midst of a storm would be pure lunacy and lest we forget if not for Stoick's boy he would probably be dead by now."

The woman's words seemed to quiet him down for a moment, "Oh aye, Aldis. Be ye one now to know how an enemy thinks?" His snide retort was met with an aggravated groan. "Be he enemy or not I still say we should be rid of it. He could bring ill fortune to the village."

It was like someone had opened a floodgate as others added their voice to the growing argument. Stoick stood in the middle of the half circle, he groaned dragging his right hand down the length of his face as those around him descended into chaos. Their loud voices carried throughout the room to echo off the walls and return as distorted noise. All the while Adryk stood quiet as a mouse around a cat looking on in bewilderment.

As Stoick shook his head readying to call for silence and an end to the argument a new sound entered the fold. It was a soft sound that to him echoed above the cacophony. The sound of soft footsteps and a light tapping coming closer and closer.

The sound stopped for moment before the tapping grew in strength. Strength enough, for the rest of those gathered to hear over the sounds of their own voices. Slowly they grew quiet as they recognized the meaning of the sound. Turning their heads the tribunal looked off to the space behind them and to the source. As a new stable mood settled over the group the foreign teen was left to wonder just what was the cause for this. Obviously the answer was there, but unfortunately he was unable to see it through the obstructing bodies.

When the room had gone quiet again did the footsteps start again.

Adryk watched, following the moving gaze of the village council. Then to the left a new figure emerged from behind the crowd and leisurely made its way around the parameter of the group.

She was an elderly woman standing perhaps just shy of five foot. Her long hair, having gone silver with age, fell freely about her shoulders. The creases in her brow spoke of a lifetime of experiences that had left their mark. There was also a slight droop in her cheeks despite the smile she wore and her right eye seemed capable of opening just a little further than the left did. It was feature shared by her eyebrows giving her a gently lopsided appearance.

The woman's clothing looked to be some of the finer sets he had seen as they had no doubt been assembled with great care. The cloth had been sewn together on the inside hiding the stitching from view, the materials were also of a finer grade appearing softer and lighter. The fur she wore acrossed her back were also of a high grade with no matting, no balding patches, or threadbare edges. Indeed the fur still had a healthy sheen to it.

She moved at her own comfortable pace seemingly not in a hurry. Each step being supported by the staff she leaned upon to ease the movements. The staff was impressively carved with a detailed figure of some kind decorating the top and though crooked was polished smooth.

It was clear with the response from the others that she was definitely someone important. To Adryk she kinda reminded him of the classic stereotype of the wise old mentor, carrying with her all the wisdom of her collected experiences. But a small glimmer in her eyes held mischievousness of youth.

"Elder…" someone spoke in a hushed tone only to fall quiet again as she held up her hand.

Still undaunted the woman continued forwards till she stood within arm's reach of the island newcomer. She tilted her ever so slightly as she looked him over, from his boots to the top of his head her eyes roamed. Extending her staff the Elder placed the end to the side of Adryk's knee and gave a light tap followed by a soft push. An indication she wanted him to do something but what had the teen puzzled.

As he gazed down at her puzzled the older woman stared back.

Luckily a small movement caught his attention amongst the others. The woman who had been defending him earlier was making a small gesture with her hands. As the teen looked on the meaning of this finally came to him. Slowly Adryk started to turn in place abiding by the older woman's wishes. As his rotation came full circle the Elder's next move came as a surprise. Reaching out the Elder took hold of his shirt and then with the strength of someone not even half her years pulled him down to her eye level.

The sudden yank threw off his balance and he had to fight his natural response would be to pull away and shrug off her hands. However, given the reverence the others were giving her such actions would not be met well with them and find himself joining the other hides mounted on the wall.

As she pulled harder Adryk dropped to one knee, his lower height better suiting her as she released him.

"A long journey lies behind you, young one. And the road ahead is shrouded in mists hiding it from prying eyes" she spoke in a soft yet haunting tone. "Yet there are twists in its path, be careful not to stray from its trail too far." Raising her hands the Elder gently cupped the sides of his face as she locked eyes with him, "I've never seen eyes like yours. So pale and cold like the fresh winter snow" her tone grew lower till not but a whisper "They conceal a great many things, but perhaps in time like the snow they will reveal what lies beneath."

The woman's strange worlds puzzled Adryk as to their meaning. _Just what was she referring to? Surely this woman couldn't tell he had been lying?_

Her gaze remained for a moment longer as she gave a small smile but no further words. Dropping her hands away from him she turned towards the unflinching faces of the room's other occupants "This one is no threat to us."

Stoick leaned forwards his hands resting on a table top "Are you certain, Elder?"

"Oh quite sure," the diminutive woman spoke with an amused tone. She cast a glance to the kneeling teen beside her "His arrival was indeed deemed by the spirits, powerful sorcery it was that brought this boy to our lands." The Elder closed her eyes and drew a deep breath, her body relaxing into a meditative state.

"Yet for what purpose the spirits will not say" she remarked as she communed with the spirits "But I feel it was not for ill."

And here at last came the crucible of the moment. Instinct told the teen that his fate would be decided on what the strange woman had to say. Anxiety welled up within as muscles tensed and his posture became much more rigid.

"He shall be allowed to stay in Berk" the Elder spoke after a long moment of silence.

With her words still ringing in their heads the other council members started up again. Finding their voices again some spoke up in disagreement as others tried to overtake them in volume. And yet as they descended into chaos, Adryk felt a sense of relief ease over him. Releasing the air from his pent up lungs he felt the tension leave his body, while he may not know how he came to this strange place something in the back of his head told him he was safe.

"Silence the lot of you" Stoick's mighty voice thundered cutting through the clamor. "The Elder has made her decision and we will honor it" his words emphasized by a fist slamming against the tabletop before him. His harsh tones and actions making it clear to any would-be challengers that he would not tolerate it.

Shocked by the outburst the others quickly fell in line and quieted down, some even taking a step back in trepidation of causing the ire of their leader.

"But where he stay?" someone asked.

"Aye," another spoke in agreement "And besides who would keep watch over him? He can't just wander the village at will."

"I know, I know" Stoick replied as he contemplated this new dilemma. "With the repairs to the village and what with our need to restock supplies for the winter, we have few men to spare for such a task." The Viking chief let out a brief groan, and those he could spare would surely resent such a task. "And I doubt many would be welcoming of having a foreigner staying in their homes."

"Oh I believe fate has already given you its answer" the Elder interrupted again gaining their attention.

"What do you mean, Elder?" Stoick inquired.

"Oh why I believe your son, Hiccup, is a suitable choice to act as the boy's guide" she answered, moving in her usual leisurely pace to retrace her steps.

A collective gasp was heard, some even doing a double take as if to make certain they had heard her words right. "Hiccup?!" the man besides Stoick sputtered, his drink spraying from his pursed lips onto the fire as he coughed to right himself.

"My-my son?" Stoick stuttered, showing that even he was surprised by her words.

The man referred to as Boddi turned to the older woman as she strode passed him. "You cannot be serious about this, Elder" the man's tone thick with disbelief "He's so… I mean this is Hiccup were talking about."

At this the Elder stopped, lifting her gaze to look him in the face. "I am quite serious," she paused to tap his abdomen with the top of her staff. When she spoke again her voice had changed taking on a edge to it "And I don't appreciate the questioning of my judgments."

"Forgive me" the admonished Boddi pleaded. "I meant no disrespect" dropping to his knee he bowed his head and lowered his gaze to the stone floor.

The Elder allowed a brief smirk before she moved on. Continuing she strode passed the others till she stood before Stoick, the burly man still with a look of bewilderment etched on his face. "Elder, my son may not be best suited for such a task" he addressed "What about one of the other teens? Surely they would be better able…"

"Be still your worries, mighty Stoick" the shorter woman's features softened considerably. "A simple guard is not what the boy needs right now" she shook her head "No, I have a feeling that perhaps a friend will do better." She gestured for Stoick to come closer and lowered her voice "Besides with your boy otherwise occupied the less time there will be for him to get up his mischief." She gave a light chuckle at her own plan and a light pat on Stoick's arm "Yes, yes I feel the pair will do well together."

Feeling their discussion had ended Stoick straightened up and watched as she continued on her way. He sighed briefly before allowing himself a small grin, "As you wish." _'She always was a clever one.'_

**-x-X-x-**

It seemed like an eternity had passed since the foreign teen had disappeared within the confines of the Great Hall. And yet the sun overhead had barely moved from its position still casting long shadows acrossed the ground.

At first the amassed group of teens remained about the stairs and the entrance to the Hall. But as boredom set in they had since moved off to mull about the open fields while some had gone back to the village. Growing restless with just standing there Hiccup had followed the others example and moved away from the statue's base. Now he sat astride one of the smooth boulders that lie half-buried in the soft earth of the hillside.

Leaning back he braced his arms behind him on the cool stone. His green eyes gazed out on the village and the sea beyond it. He watched the nearly hypnotic movement of the waves as the sunlight twinkled off their peaks and the fluttering shore birds as they danced amongst the wispy clouds above.

Turning his attention away from this looked about his immediate vicinity.

The other teens were not far off carrying on like usual. The decreased distance afforded Hiccup a much better chance to overhear their conversations.

"Did you see those clothes?" Fishlegs commented "So weird."

"Pffft, not very stylish" Snotlout remarked "How does he hope to impress anyone in those."

"Oh who cares about clothes," one of the girls rebutted "Did you see his face?"

"Handsome Indeed" another spoke giddily "But did you see his eyes?"

"Yeah, they were so…"

"Unnatural" a voice broke in.

At the interruption the other teens turned towards the speaker. Astrid sat on the grass staring out at the sea, her posture rigid with her back held straight and legs crossed. Her right hand rested lightly upon the long handle of the battle-axe at her side.

Ruffnut moved closer leaning over Astrid's shoulder, "Aw what's the matter princess? The foreigner too scary for you?"

Before the Viking teen would reply another stepped forward. It was Snotlout, full of his usual bravado. "Don't worry, Astrid. I shall protect you" he spoke clearly displaying his arrogance "If he tries anything, I'll…" Snotlout's words degraded into little more than a growl.

Astrid spared him little more than a glance and shook her head at a display of such idiocy.

"Well I saw nothing wrong with his eyes," dark haired Svana remarked "I thought they were nice." Her comment attracted the gaze of several others causing her to shrink away a bit from the others.

As the group carried on it was all lost on one Viking teen. Hiccup sat on his rock, his mind tuning out the mindless chatter of the others as it dealt with the thoughts in his head. Surprisingly few had anything to do with the foreign teen, while the rest were of a more personal nature and instead centered around a very different individual.

'_Lovely'_ was all that came to his mind when he looked at Astrid.

Hiccup did his best to keep his interest subtle or undetected. His pale green eyes traced over her form taking note of all the little nuances about her. Like how her fluttered in the breeze framing her face beautifully, how she would scrunch up her ever so slightly when she would concentrate, or how she kept her posture so rigid yet still fidgeted ever so slightly. And most of all the hard stare her eyes usual possessed but sometimes they would soften taking on a tender look.

As he looked on he felt a heat rise to his face and his heart sped up considerably.

"Hiccup!" a booming voice called out from above.

The lad snapped back to reality, his head whirling about to look for the speaker. Rising from his seat he looked to the Hall taking notice of the man who stood waiting at the top of the steps. Not wanting to keep him waiting Hiccup left his rock behind and made his way towards the Hall gaining the attention of the other teens in the process.

Hiccup's steps were slowed by the trepidation he felt creeping over him. _'Why I am being called? What could they possibly want from me?'_ the teen wondered as he made his way up the stairs. "What is it, Ulfnar?"

The large man shook his head, "I don't know" he responded before motioning to the doors "But you're wanted inside." His message delivered the man turned and moved away, returning to standing guard by the Hall's entrance.

Inside the Hall, Hiccup could clearly see his father and the village council gathered about one side of the central pit. And on the opposite side stood the lone figure of the foreign teen.

Adryk had watched as one of the guards was called over, something spoken to him and being sent off again. Now someone entirely new had entered the room and was making his way over. It was obvious the newcomer was male and his movements showed some bit of hesitation. Not that Adryk could blame him, after all when he had approached this assemblage he had been the same way and even now still felt some anxiety about being here.

After a minute long stroll the brown haired teen came to stand not far from where Adryk stood. The two shared a brief nervous glance before their attention was stolen by other activity.

"Hiccup," Stoick looked up from the quiet conversation of the huddled group. Taking a step back from the table he left the group and made his way around the perimeter following the same pathway as the Elder. The village chief peered down at the pair of lads that stood before him then to his son. "There are some things we have to discuss" he spoke softly then turned, a action mimicked by Hiccup. "This is the foreigner, Adryk."


	7. Ch 6: The ten cent tour

_**Author's Note:**_ I am very sorry about the long delay for this new chapter. However, things of recent did not permit me to make an update. Worst of all was the bout of writer's block that kept me from getting much done. I will be working hard to complete the next chapter and have it up soon as possible while I try to make amends for the long wait.

I would like to special thank you to, darkdaylight, once again as your review gave me much to think, and was very helpful. I have gone through the previous chapters and made some revisions here and there, which I hope all will agree that they improve the overall story.

I would also like to thank all who have given me feedback as to motivate me to write more and hope you all will enjoy this new chapter just as much as you have the older ones.

* * *

**Chapter 06**

Stoick stood silently observing the pair, his eyes ever watchful for any sign of hostility from Adryk. While the Viking's exterior may have appeared calm, inside he was tense emotions jumbled as he sat ready to jump into action should there be a danger of any sort to his son.

The two teens stared at one another. Icy blue eyes meeting with pale green, as each one attempted to hide any sign of apprehension from the other.

Neither made a move, the silence seemed to stretch for eternity between them, "Good to meet you" Adryk finally spoke.

"Uh yeah" Hiccup responded turning to look to his father "What is this about dad?"

The Viking chief moved decisively "You lads follow me."

Without a second thought, both of the boys were quick to follow the Viking chieftain's path to the Hall's exit. The iron hinges creaked gently as the large doors swung open, a cool sea breeze wafted in brushing against the occupant's skin a nice change from the warmer air inside. Passing through the threshold the three were greeted by the three men who had escorted the foreign teen. They quickly stood aside as Stoick led the teen's to the stairs.

Ahead a plethora of voices could be heard, whoever was there they were loud and there was a lot of them. Reaching the edge of the stairs, peering down they could see the gathering of figures mulling about halfway down the stairway. Men, women, teens and even some children paced about talking amongst themselves.

To Adryk it looked like the whole village had been called into attendance, and indeed they had.

It didn't take long for the villager's attention to be attracted to Stoick as he took up position atop the stone stairs. The multitude of overlapping voices made it nigh impossible to pick out any one in particular. The Viking chief held his hands aloft gradually the sounds began to die out until only soft murmurings were to be heard.

But even those disappeared as Stoick's gaze roamed over the faces present in the crowd. "I know you have all gotten word of the stranger who washed up on our shore several days ago by now. No doubt you're all curious to meet him," the Viking turned his left hand motioning for Adryk to step forwards.

The teen swallowed hard in effort to dislodge the lump that had settled in his stomach, _'Man I hate crowds'_ slowly he strode forwards to stand beside Stoick. As he looked out over the assembled villagers he was also keenly aware of the myriad of eyes that stared back at him.

"Indeed this lad is foreign to our lands. The Council has spoken of this at length, and it has been decided…" Stoick paused for a moment "It has been decided that young Adryk shall be allowed to stay in Berk."

The moment he finished the crowd rose in volume causing Stoick to once again call for their silence. "I understand that this out of the ordinary but the Council feels there is nothing to worry about. With repairs underway and having to restock our supplies we have few men to spare to keep an eye on him, yet the Elder has seen fit to name one who shall act as his guide around the village…" The chief paused his posture changed, minutely losing some of its confidence "My son, Hiccup."

What followed was a scene reminiscent of the Council meeting when the Elder had revealed her decision, as many in the crowd began to speak out in surprise.

Adryk cast a glance to his left where the aforementioned Viking teen stood. The lad was rather surprised by the sudden announcement, his mouth hung slightly agape and his eyes were opened rather wide. In truth the Viking teen looked more like he had been struck by lightning.

Given the reactions at the boy's selection Adryk's curiosity was piqued _'What's so bad about him?'_

Stoick narrowed his eyes at the gather villagers making his message quite clear; many in the crowd diverted their gaze attempting to avoid meeting their leader's harsh glare. "Now I have faith that my son will be able to carry out this duty without fail." The village chief cast a glance to the sky "Now let us not waste what remains of the day."

The mass of Vikings was slow to disperse as they returned to whatever they had been doing before being issued summons.

Stoick lingered atop the stairs for a few moments as he watched the villagers clear out. When the last of them had disappeared from sight he turned his attention to the two teens. Hiccup still stood unmoving seemingly as if perhaps his brain had ceased functioning. While the other teen stood not far off waiting for whatever was to happen next.

The Viking teen came back to his surroundings when a shadow passed over him blotting out the sun from view. Green eyes blinked several times as Hiccup looked up to see the familiar face of his father looking down on him.

"Wha-why'd she pick me?" the boy stammered "Why not one of the others?"

Stoick gazed down at his son, his mouth hung open for a brief moment before closing again as he searched for the correct words. "Her reasons are her own, Hiccup" the teen's father spoke placing a hand on his shoulder, "It's not our place to question the wisdom of her choices."

"But what am I supposed to do?" Hiccup looked to the other teen "I mean where's he going to be staying?"

The larger Viking followed his son's gaze with a quick glance, "He'll be staying with us for now." Stoick let out a brief sigh "Listen we'll figure this out later, but for now just show him around the village" his voice lowered "Be sure to keep a close eye on him."

The wry brown haired teen looked about to speak up only to be met with a look from his father, and understanding the meaning Hiccup rightly quietly down. Stoick turned to look to the befuddled teen standing a short distance away. Coming to a stop three feet from the teen the taller man peered down at Adryk.

The uncompromising stare, coupled with the chieftain's impressive physique was rather intimidating to Adryk, who was having a hard time meeting Stoick's gaze.

"The Elder seems to trust you lad" Stoick's accented voice spoke clearly "And I trust in her judgments, but if you pose a risk to anyone," the Viking's tone deepened until it was little more than a gravelly whisper _"I will not hesitate to be rid of you."_

Holding Stoick's gaze the teen took his words to heart.

Everything about this man spoke of the truth, he was not of the sort to make empty threats and there was no doubt in Adryk's mind that he was more than capable of carrying it out. "I-I swear you have nothing worry about" Adryk nervously stuttered.

"Good" Stoick replied curtly. Giving a final nod to both teens Stoick lingered a moment before he turned heading off down the stairs himself.

-xxx-

The pair of teens watched the Viking chief stride away from them, it didn't take long before was in the village below. Once amongst the other villagers he began shouting while his hands waved about pointing to various individuals and then in the direction he wanted them to go.

"So" Adryk addressed the Viking teen "You're Hiccup, then?"

Hiccup turned to face the other at the sound of his name "Yeah, last time I checked."

"Then I guess I owe you" the foreign teen spoke offering up his hand.

A puzzled look crossed the lad's face as he shook the other's hand "For what?"

"While I was in that little meeting I heard it was someone named Hiccup who found me on the beach," Adryk studied the lanky Viking teen for a moment "And since that's you, I just want to say thank you."

"You're welcome, I suppose" releasing the handshake the silence returned for a minute. "Uh…I guess I ought to show you around."

"Sounds like fun" a small nod accompanied the verbal reply.

Descending the stone stairs Hiccup led the way with Adryk following a mere step behind him. However they were not alone; trailing a fair distance behind them was a small group of teens. The teens followed just close enough to keep the pair in sight but not be noticed themselves.

The Viking teen was a dutiful tour guide, offering up information on range of topics. From who lived where, what they did around the village, to the meaning of the runic symbols carved on the various structures. Striding along Adryk scanned over the houses. Each was different from the next, whether it was but only slight differences or more drastic changes to the design. Each was unique to its owner.

He eyed the runes carved above the doors, the tribal patterns cut into the wood planks and poles topped with ornately carved wooden figureheads of creatures he did not recognize.

All along the path Adryk could just about feel the stares of the other villagers as he and his guide made through the village. But this time he wasn't sure whether they were staring at him or if it was his guide that was attracting the attention.

"So is Hiccup a common Viking name?" the blonde haired teen inquired attempting to make conversation.

"Great name, I know. But it's not the worst" he replied "Parents believe a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls." Hiccup turned to look back "What about yours? Never heard it of it before."

"Mine," Adryk paused giving thought to the question "It's pretty rare actually. It's derived from the name Drake, so it means dragon."

The mention of the word seemed to strike a chord with the Viking teen as he stopped mid-stride "Your parents named you after dragons. Why?" Hiccup asked watching as the other teen took a few steps passed him before stopping.

"I have no idea really," Adryk said noticing the look on the other teen's face "I guess it's because my parents are big on heritage. You know keeping old names alive in the family." He paused recalling something his grandmother had told him "I know my grandparents talked of how names reflect on their bearer's traits. Like how a person with a strong name will grow up to be strong that sort of thing."

Still the odd look persisted on the Viking teen's features. Feeling the awkwardness growing Adryk cleared his throat which seemed to work jogging Hiccup from his thoughts. From there conversation didn't progress much further as Hiccup returned to his tour guide persona.

It was not long until they came upon the Gobber's workshop. The first thing Hiccup picked was the unusual absence of his mentor _'He must be out helping with the repairs.'_

While the Viking teen stopped outside Adryk did not. Striding passed him the foreign teen decided to get a closer look at the rustic workshop and its wares. Inside his eyes roamed the workspace; there was a short half wall with a counter in front behind which was the usual allotments, a large anvil for working metals on, a furnace for heating the metals, and a rather large grinding wheel for sharpening. On the walls was a wide assortment of hammers with different sized and styled heads, alongside chisels, punches, files and rasps, saws, and tongs of various sizes.

Continuing on he moved to the back of the shop.

Here there was a long table along the wall with an assortment of sheathed swords upon it. In large wooden racks sat even swords alongside battle axes, and heavy looking maces. There were also barrels filled with spears like sets of golf clubs. The walls back here held an even wider assortment of items, long handled and short handled scythes, shears, more hammers, shovels, etc…

It was rather impressive to see so many tools, but even more impressive was the knowledge that they were all handmade and not mass produced factory stamped like Adryk was used.

Moving forwards the teen's fingers trailed along the top of one of the racks. He came to a stop when the hilt of one a sword caught his eye. The most interesting part to him was the wolf's head shaped pommel.

Closing his hand around the grip he lifted the sword from its place on the rack.

"Lighter than I thought it would be" he remarked looking over the full blade. Turning he faced the open space wrapping his other hand around the grip, the teen made a few quick swipes through the air listening to the sound it made as it sliced through the air.

Standing in the entryway Hiccup watched the teen strode about the smithery. He had to admit to feeling a small sense of unease creep over him when the foreign teen lifted a sword from the rack. However, that seemed to vanish as he watched the antics that followed.

"He acts like he's never held a sword before" Hiccup muttered to himself. Though he had to admit the only time he really held a sword was when they need to be sharpened so he would probably look just as ridiculous.

Performing a thrust of the sword Adryk came to a stop.

Looking straight ahead he could see the strange look inscribed on the face of the Viking teen as he stared at him. "Sorry…" the embarrassed teen coughed trying to get rid of the feeling "I guess we should carry on." Sheepishly he turned quickly placing the sword back in its resting place before striding passed Hiccup and out of the workshop.

-xxx-

Treading along the village's dirt and stone streets they left the smithery behind as Hiccup guided Adryk through the remainder of the village.

Along the way the duo were greeted by a familiar friendly face of the Viking healer.

A large satchel hung from her right shoulder no doubt filled with herbs Birna had just harvested from the forest. Upon seeing the two she smiled altering her course to intercept the teens paths.

"Was wondering if I would be seeing you again young Adryk" the smiling woman received a short nod hello from the aforementioned teen "Glad to hear the Council decided to stay." Shifting her attention she looked to the accompanying teen "I heard the announcement your father made of your selection by the Elder, congratulations Hiccup."

"I'm not so sure about that" the Viking teen responded unenthusiastically "I still don't know why she picked me."

Leaning in close she placed a encouraging hand on his shoulder, "Give it time things will become clear." Getting a small nod from the brown haired teen she smiled "Well I must be moving along. There are those in need of my talents and I still have to prepare these herbs."

Adryk eyed the satchel feeling his stomach churn at the memory of the bitter concoction she had him drink just that morning.

With short wave the older woman departed heading for home.

Picking up where they left of their journey soon took them to the cliffs overlooking the harbor. They spent a few minutes watching the hustle and bustle going on down below, the ships were moored at the dock as Vikings climbed about redoing the rigging for the sails. A short ways off the two could see Stoick directing things in between helping with the reconstruction of the fish pens.

Moving on they passed over a long wooden bridge to arrive at the arena.

The arena was made from a excavated depression besides a tall cliff. A iron cage in the form of a large dome covered the pit, while thick lengths of interconnected chains were in put place to cover the gaps left between the iron bars. To the south there was a ramp leading down into the pit, with one gate at the start of the ramp that raised up and another iron gate where the ramp met the pit.

While to the north there were a series of five doors of different sizes. Most interesting were the rather absurd locking mechanisms consisting of large steel belted logs threaded through like a dead bolt.

It seemed the only thing missing were some sweaty blood soaked gladiators fighting for the enjoyment of the crowd to make the scene complete.

"So what goes on here?" Adryk asked laying his hands on the iron cage.

"Many different things" Hiccup answered "But mostly it's for dragon training."

Adryk turned "What exactly do you mean by dragon training?"

"It's where we train to fight the dragons that raid our village" Hiccup replied noticing the expression of disbelief on the other teen.

'_He can't be serious'_ the foreign teen remained quiet regarding the Viking teen carefully "You're joking, right?"

"No…actually I'm not" Hiccup cocked an eyebrow "Don't they have dragon raids where you're from?"

Adryk turned away looking back at the strange doors in the pit below, "No we don't" _'There's no way there are really dragons here.'_

-xxx-

While the two teens stood chatting by the arena rim they were being watched. Gathered not far but out of sight stood the same group of teens that had been following the pair since the leaving the Great Hall.

"I can't believe the Elder chose **him**, of all people, to act as that foreigner's guard" Snotlout huffed his voice ringing clear with disdain. The burly teen crossed his arms as if to hold back his emotions.

"Yeah," Tuffnut added "Bet it won't be long before Hiccup blows it."

The comment earned a chuckle from Snotlout and a few of the other teens present. While some began to share jokes others moved to get a better view of their quarry.

"Lean musculature, probably relies stamina and speed more than strength" Fishlegs rambled off in his usual analytical manner "Hair cut short so as not to interfere with senses of sight or hearing. Also helps with cooling." The heavier teen's eyes continued to take in more details for his analysis "Clothing blends in well with shadows and woodlands, better to enhance stealth abilities."

All the while his commentary was garnering a collection of odd looks from the others around him.

"Must you do that out loud?" the normally silent Glump snapped.

At the other teen's outburst Fishlegs' head swiveled around. Gazing to his right he acknowledged the rather short tempered glares he was receiving from Glump and the equally intimidating Durfang. Turning back around the heavyset teen continued only this time he mouthed the words rather than speaking them aloud.

Ignoring the goings on between their male counterparts the girls in the group continued to watch undaunted.

"What do you think their talking about over there?" one asked.

"I don't care I'm more interested in whose talking than what their talking about."

"Come on, don't be rude" the raven haired Svana spoke feigning disinterest. However, her compatriots were not buying it for a second.

Ruffnut smirked "Well spying is being rude, so why don't you go over there and introduce yourself." She jeered giving other girl a gentle push.

Svana jumped in surprise doing her best to firmly plant her feet, "No way" she protested. Other girls giggled as the two carried on with their little pushing match, which as it carried on it slowly became apparent that Ruffnut was the strong of the two and forcing Svana to give up ground.

-xxx-

Overhead the sky began to slowly grow dim. The normal light blue making way for the dark oranges of sunset before giving way to the murky blue of the night.

"I guess since you're staying with us," Hiccup spoke taking note of the sky "Probably best we be heading back." Taking a step back from the arena Adryk nodded in agreement with the Viking teen.

The pair had a much easier time on the journey back as they retraced their steps. The fact that most of the trip was downhill didn't hurt either.

The village was much quieter now, the majority of the villagers having already turned in for the night. Though there were a few who remained out, some were sentries making their rounds keeping an eye on things whilst the others slept, and others were just villagers who hadn't quite made it back home yet.

Without all the extra eyes watching him Adryk felt much more at ease now.

Following the path through the village it seemed at first that perhaps they were heading back to the Great Hall. However, instead of heading straight up the stone stairs the two turned right at a fork in the road. This route was short and ahead Adryk could see their destination.

It was the same lone house on the hill he had seen earlier during his escorted jaunt to the Great Hall.

The house seemed larger than the other dwellings he had seen on the tour. The front seemed to possess a more elaborate setup adorned with more ornate carvings. High above the door a large wooden dragon head jutted out from the end of the beam that formed the spine of the roof. While just over the door two crossed dragon necks formed part of an arch which as it flowed down transformed into more carved figureheads.

As Hiccup climbed the steps Adryk hung back a moment "So who all lives here?"

"Just my dad and me" the Viking teen replied laying his hand on the door.

With the door opened Hiccup was quick to enter, however, Adryk still hesitated before finally crossing the threshold.

The inside was larger than the interior of Birna's house had been. Though it shared some of the same elements such as; the fire pit which lay in the center of the room surrounded by a patch of flagstone flooring, and the placement of the staircase. Stretched over the pit was a roasting spit shaped to look like a pair of horns with a cauldron hanging from their end. A trio of descent sized benches sat close to the fire pit.

On the left of the room a hefty looking trunk sat six feet from the base of the staircase. The stairs looked to be made from a single long tree trunk which had been shaped into stairs over time like a dugout canoe. Towards the back of the room a large basin sat on the floor a few dishes peeked passed the rim, there was a table with pitcher and two mugs atop it, and also what looked to be a cabinet with a stack of plates on top of it.

The right wall held most of the room's decorations. Several shields, a few crossed swords and large battle axe hung on hooks. There were also a collection of trophies adorning the walls.

As Hiccup proceeded up the stairs Adryk took the opportunity to move about and examine things more closely. There was the usual fare in the ways of animal hides like the bear pelt stretched out on the floor or the deer pelt on the wall. Yet there was one that caught his attention and held it more than any other.

One of its outstanding features were the peculiar shape as it was stretched out on the wall, but most of all was the fact it had scales. The hide looked reminiscent of a tanned crocodile hide but the colors didn't match with its muddied brown, nor did the texture with its many protruding scaly ridges and bumps.

The hide seemed to pull him in as if compelling him to touch it. Soon without even thinking about it his hand was being extended in an effort to fulfill this inexplicable compulsion.

Mere inches from his goal the sudden creaking of the floorboards caused him to whirl around. Hiccup was quite surprised the other teen's quick movements as he stumbled backwards nearly falling over one of the benches.

"Sorry…" Hiccup spoke regaining his balance "I didn't mean to startle you."

Adryk moved forwards to help the Viking teen "No, no it's my fault. Are you alright?"

Hiccup nodded "I'm fine" he retorted trying to play down the incident.

Turning the pair moved to take seats on the benches and settle in while they waited for the Viking teen's father to arrive. Their wait was not a long one as soon the door opened as Stoick entered the house. His left arm was bent at the elbow indicating he was carrying something over his shoulder, something that became visible when he turned to close the door.

It was the largest cod Adryk had ever seen before.

The Viking chief eyed the newcomer to his home carefully as he strode crossed the room. At the back of the room he laid the fish out on the table before he went about prepping it for cooking. Readied Stoick carried it over and impaled it on the roasting spit.

Taking a seat opposite the teens he awaited the meal to come.

The room was silent save for the scant crackle of the wood on the fire as the smell of cooking fish slowly began to permeate the room. If the silence between the father and son had been awkward before, now it was doubly so with the addition of the foreign teen.

Although he wasn't really all that fond of seafood Adryk's hunger would not be denied after three days of nothing but the bitter potions Birna gave him to rid him of the fever. Finally the fish was ready and after carving it up Stoick was soon handing out the plates.

Looking up from his plate Stoick looked at the two teens, "I take it the two of you didn't have any trouble today?"

Immediately Adryk stopped eating "No sir" he spouted nervously.

"No dad" Hiccup responded "Things went well enough."

"Good. Now if you're to be staying in Berk, Adryk" the Viking chief spoke pointing his fork at the other teen "You'll have to earn your share like everyone else. So it has been decided that starting tomorrow you will be joining Hiccup working at the forge."

Adryk looked visibly worried by the Viking's words.

After taking another bite Stoick continued "Do you have any experience in a forge?"

"No, I don't" Adryk replied unsure about just what was expected of him.

Stoick straightened up for a moment "Hmm, then this will be a learning experience. No matter my son will show you the ropes."

Finishing his meal Stoick stood depositing the soiled plate in the wash basin followed by the other two. Turning the chief approached the trunk sitting against the wall, opening the lid he began to dig through its contents. "You'll be sleeping down here so you'll need this" Stoick spoke over his shoulder.

Standing the Viking's extended offered up a bedroll to the foreign teen.

"Thank you" Adryk answered taking the bundle.

"Best be getting some sleep" Stoick spoke with a slight yawn "Be a busy day tomorrow."

With a bid goodnight the two Vikings soon made their way upstairs on their way to bed leaving Adryk alone downstairs.

The blonde teen stood unmoved for a second or so as he watched them leave. Once they disappeared from view he turned crossing the room he selected the more open area on the opposite side of the room. After some slight adjustments to the space he knelt down undoing the buckles and unfurling the bedroll. The bundle's contents consisted of a main sleeping mattress made of thickly stuffed quilt and a deer hide blanket which had a wool blanket sown the backside.

Really it was basically a Viking version of a sleeping bag.

Removing his boots he stuffed his socks in them to keep track of them. Sitting on the mattress Adryk pulled the blanket up over himself as he laid back. Although he was tired sleep didn't come right away as he stared up at the dancing shadows cast off the fire play out on the ceiling.

"A happy birthday this is. Oh man, what the hell am I doing?" the teen muttered "They're Vikings for crying out loud, I don't know anything about their way of life." He thought back to what had been planned out for him "Shit I don't know the first thing about forging."

Slowly his thoughts turned back to home "I hope my friends are okay, wonder if my parents have been told yet?" Then a startling realization came to him like bolt of lightning causing his eyes to open wider "How am I supposed to get home? What if I can't get back, what if I'm stuck here forever!"

"If I can't get back that means I'll never see my friends or family again."

Adryk quickly found it rather hard to breathe. It was as if a tremendous weight had been levied upon him and was slowly crushing the life from his chest.

At the same time he had an odd hollow sensation; it was as if someone had taken something very precious from him. Tears welled up stinging the corners of his eyes as thoughts of home and what all he left behind danced in his head. Imaginary scenes played out in head; people searching the area they thought he had perhaps landed after falling from the plane, his parents and friends awash with fear and worry about had happened to him, and then finally after their search turning up nothing everybody calling it quits believing him dead.

Adryk rolled over onto his right side curling up into a fetal position.

Doing his best he fought back the tears but it was a useless battle as they broke sliding freely down his cheek to soak into the cloth surface below. Nearly inaudible sobs escaped him causing his throat to feel sore as he choked them back. Squeezing his eyes shut he began to wish this was just a dream and when he opened them next he would awaken to find himself back home and in his own bed.

The fates were merciful that night. The teen's angst came to an end soon enough as he drifted off to sleep, and the chance to dream of better times.


	8. Ch 7: A dream or nightmare?

**Chapter 07**

_It was one of the most curious sensations that possessed Adryk now. The feeling of totally and utterly weightless as his body seemed to hang in the air like the astronauts in space. The teen's head swiveled around frantically as he searched for anything even remotely recognizable growing more concerned with each passing second._

_Nothing._

_There was nothing, nothing but a boundless white which looked to stretch outward for an unknowable distance in all directions._

"_What's happening?" Adryk spoke voice thick with anxiety "Where am I?"_

_The white backdrop was so pure it was nearly blinding to look at forcing Adryk to squint in his attempts to peer to through this void. To the floating teen it was as though he was in a world devoid of anything but the emptiness of the space he now found himself._

_It felt as though an eternity had passed before it came to an end._

_His gut lurched violently as Adryk was overtaken by a familiar feeling. It was the feeling of hurtling downwards at an unbelievable speed just like he had when falling through the storm during his arrival to world of Vikings. His heart raced, adrenaline surged in his veins causing time to appear to slow down even further. While his panicked eyes scoured the emptiness he happened upon something._

_This something appeared to be moving equally as fast to meet him._

_Instantly he knew what it was. It was the ground rushing up to meet him. Squeezing his eyes shut, gritting his teeth Adryk raised his arms up to shield his face as if it would offer any protection from the bone shattering impact. An impact that no doubt would mean an end to him._

_And yet the crash and pain never came._

_In its place he felt a gentle pressure cover the front of his body while the exposed flesh of his arms told him that whatever the surface that pressed against was hard, smooth and cold to the touch. At a snail's pace he opened his eyes moving his arms out of the way._

_Glancing about he found himself lying upon a stone tiled floor. The tiles appeared to be made from marble or granite, the stone itself was predominately white with little specks that looked like someone had spilled a pepper shaker. The white was a sharp contrast to the jagged streaks of black that ran through some of the tiles like bolts of lightning._

_Shakily Adryk got to his feet none too sure about the surface under the soles of his feet._

_Cupping his hands around his mouth, the teen shouted at the top of his lungs "Hello!" Adryk then paused to listen for any kind of response but there was none, not even a distant echo. "Is anybody out there? Can anybody hear me?" again, he waited. _

_Again, nothing. Not a sound._

_By all counts Adryk should have found himself terrified, but strangely he was not. Instead, he felt a odd sense of calm and peace settling over him._

_Tentatively he began to move. His head was on a constant swivel looking from one side to another as he surveyed the extents of the area. The stone flooring continued outward for a number of meters before just coming to an abrupt end. If not for the black speckles he might have walked straight over the edge without knowing it. Just above the edge there looked to be sets of frameless stain glass windows that hung suspended in the empty air._

_Between two of the windows a path made of weathered grey stepping stones floated outwards acrossed the sea of emptiness leading to a destination that lay beyond sight._

_Striding carefully to the edge Adryk leaned forwards peering down into the white void below then to the path. Each stone looked old perhaps bordering on ancient with a slight gap between them. Another survey of the area and it seemed that this floating pathway may have been the only avenue of escape from here was. But the teen was not so foolish as to take that first step upon those craggy stones, for the fear that the path might lead to a place even more bizarre and frightening than this one._

_While he stood gazing into the surrounding void he noted a change in what could be called the sky beyond his granite island._

_The air seemed to fill with electrical feeling that caused his hair to stand on end and his skin to tingle. Suddenly the white canvas was dotted with what looked like ebony stars. Bands of light, so bright that even the eyes of a god could not look into them for long, burned into the ivory tapestry. The lights danced acrossed the sky rearranging themselves to form luminescent runes for a brief moment before disappearing entirely._

_The runes were both eerie and magnificent, wonderful and terrible as Adryk gazed on struggling to read over the runes trying to decipher what, if anything, they said. Unfortunately, try as he might the teen could not make out a single word._

_It was then as the teen was preoccupied that the endless stillness came to an abrupt end._

_The impulsive commotion caused the teen to whip around searching for the source of the terrible noise. There he watched as the stones of the floating path first cracked then began to crumble like some great force was crushing them. The innumerable pieces were lost from view as they fell, cascading into the vast void below._

_Wary of the stones beneath his very feet might be next Adryk slowly started to back away. His feet shuffled along afraid that any harsh movement may cause their collapse. Gradually the teen's pace quickened until it turned into a flat out fun for safety. _

_With no outstanding features with which to gauge his progress he may as well have been running in place._

_Finally he slowed feeling he had managed to put enough distance between himself, the edge of the granite tiles, and the crumbling stone stairs which had become just a quiet rumble. Coming to a stop he hunched over resting his hands on his knees as he panted in effort to catch his breath._

_Calming down he was close to getting his breathing under control when another sound shattered the silence._

_Standing up straight the young man spun around trying to locate the source. Adryk could hear the reverberating sound of heavy footfalls on the stone growing in volume with each step. It was strange whereas before no sound carried an echo but these did almost as if they were bouncing off some unseen walls._

_Squinting a human like shape became visible against the white background. The figure was striding towards him at a languid pace, but it was enough to cause the cape it wore to flare out behind it. _

_An uneasy tension gripped Adryk, though part of him told him to run he stood his ground ready to face whatever was coming. After all with where he now found himself what good would that do, where would go? Perhaps whomever this was knew where he was, how he got there, or even how he might get back._

_But then another thought struck him like an icy wind sending a chill down his spine. Maybe this person was the reason he was in this place and they might be coming to do something rather unpleasant. This thought caused the teen to swallow the lump in his throat hard, and as his mind now wished his body to run unfortunately his legs refused to work._

_The mysterious figure came to a stop not taking another step._

_Without warning a incredible animalistic roar cut through the tension. Out of the far right corner of his eye a glimpse of movement caused Adryk to refocus his attention. A new much larger figure was approaching and it was clearly not human at all. It strode on four legs, its head held aloft by a serpentine neck and looking close the teen could make out what looked like a pair horns atop its head. Looking under its body a long tail could be seen trailing along the ground occasionally swaying from side to side with each step._

_However, the most fascinating and incredible feature was that of the large set of wings the creature held outstretched from its body._

_As Adryk's mind absorbed these features and assemble them an image took shape in his head, an image of something rather familiar. "It can't be…" he tried to tear his eyes from the forthcoming beast as if to deny its existence, "a __**Dragon**__."_

_Then as if someone had just flipped a switch, in the blink of an eye the bulky shadowy form simply vanished!_

_Blinking rapidly he performed a double take making sure he had seen right. When it proved true he turned to first figure only to that it too was nowhere to be seen. His breathing picked up pace as the second burst of adrenaline surged into his system. Muscled tensed readying to run, pupils dilated trying to take in every detail and his ears strained to detect even the slightest of sounds._

_As his anxiety grew he felt it, a jet of hot air brushing against the back of his neck. The teen froze instantly as his breath caught in his chest, mustering the courage started to slowly turn._

_The two beings stood motionless with no more than four feet separating them. The creature however was shrouded in a thick hazy cloud the color of damp ash which kept its body hidden from Adryk's sight leaving only a vague outline. Only the beast's blazing eyes were clearly visible through the fog. Gazing into its eyes the teen was reminded of the times he had looked at his own in a mirror, as great blue slitted eyes stared out of the haze back into his own. _

_However, there was a clear difference between them._

_The beast's eyes were not cold and seemingly lifeless like his own. No, its eyes were a fierce and majestic azure blue that blazed with a force which seemed to be barely contained. To mystified teen it was like staring into the heart of a raging maelstrom. Like a primal force of nature that radiated a power that would scorch anything in their path. _

_Time had for him had ceased to exist long ago. Under the intense and piercing gaze Adryk was frozen, unable to move even if he had wanted to. The longer the creature's remained focused on him the more he got the feeling they were looking at more than just his appearance. They almost gave the impression that perhaps they were gazing into the very core of his being as if eyeing his soul._

_It was a feeling that left him awestruck._

_Then inexplicably he felt another presence behind. A large hand clamped down tightly on his shoulder pulling hard in effort to turn him around._

"_Welcome..."_

-xxx-

In an instant the teen's eyes flew open as he bolted upright on the bedroll.

His chest heaved with each rapid breath while his heart thundered at a frantic pace. Reaching up he gripped his forehead feeling the cold sweat that dripped from his pores causing his clothes to cling to his body. Blue eyes wildly scanned the room for anything that might have changed since going to sleep. Gradually his breathing slowed returning to normal with a exasperated sigh.

As he looked around the room he couldn't deny the small part of him that had been hoping this whole thing was a dream and he would awaken back in his bed. But the teen wasn't so lucky as he sat on the Viking sleeping bag.

With another sigh Adryk ran his hand through his hair to rub at the back of his neck wiping away any sweat in the process. A quick glance to the fire pit showed it still burned though not as brightly as it once had been causing the room to take a darker more ominous look to it.

"Just a dream," Adryk murmured with a sigh of relief. Lifting his right hand he noticed the slight tremble it possessed, and then sluggishly he glanced to his left shoulder. Reaching up his hand lightly touched the place where the figure from the dream had seized him, "But it felt so real."

Throwing back the covers freeing his left the blonde teen heaved himself upwards to stand. Striding forwards he moved to the small stack of wood by the door to grab a few pieces from the top and place them on the pyre. The flames were slow to spread to the new fuel source but eventually they returned the room to brighter warmer look.

Turning Adryk moved to the table at the back of the room.

Grabbing a mug from a shelf he lifted the pitcher pouring the liquid contents into the glass. Setting the pitcher back down he quickly gulped down the refreshing fluid. The cool water helped to put him at ease releasing the pent up tension in his muscles.

Lifting his gaze he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the polished metal of a shield on the wall. At the sight of his own eyes the memory of the dream dragon's eyes flashed in his head "I think I need some air."

Putting the mug on the table he turned hastily making his way to the door. Doing his best to keep things quiet he opened the door about halfway allowing him to peer outside.

It was still obviously night, the midnight blue sky was clear of clouds giving a clear view of the stars and the full moon. The silvery moonlight did a fair job of illuminating the village and the surrounding area.

As a cool breeze wafted softly over him, he closed his eyes taking a deep breath.

Adryk repeated the process several more times. Taking a deep breath, holding it for a moment before releasing it feeling his heart slow further as his relaxation deepened.

Opening his eyes again the teen examined the village noticing the lights of the sentry's torches as they went about their patrols. Taking one last deep breath he stepped back closing the door as quietly as he could before returning to the bedroll.

Pulling the cover back over his legs he laid back.

As he lied there he did his best to recall the dream that had woken him only minutes ago. His mind was particularly focused to the two figures he had encountered. Doing his best Adryk tried to summon up all the details he could but the harder he tried to remember the hazier the images became. His frustration grew at the elusive answers to the teen he might as well been trying to catch smoke with his bare hands.

With a frustrated sigh he gave deciding instead to sleep on the matter. Little by little, his thinking grew duller as he drifted off back to sleep.


	9. Ch 8: First day on the job

**Chapter 08**

A rooster crowed in the distance.

As per the usual routine, Stoick was the first to wake. Sitting up he paused for a moment, though he should be used to it after all these years he could but wish for something rather unpleasant to happen to that particular fowl that roused him.

Climbing from his bed he stood. Raising his arms above his head he stretched out his limbs soothing any kinks that had been accumulated in his muscles. The feeling of joints popping was quickly followed by the feeling of relief as they reset themselves. Done with his stretches Stoick moved to the wardrobe where he gathered his clothes and dress for the day. Slipping on his boots the Viking left his room behind and proceeded down the short hallway.

Taking a moment he paused by the only other door on the second floor.

Giving a light knock he heard the movements of the room's occupant as he went about readying himself for the day. Satisfied he continued striding down the hall and the staircase that sat at its end.

The downstairs was just as it had always been with but one exception, which would be the blonde teen lying on his bedroll still asleep.

Stoick moved to stand over the young man, "Wake up lad" he spoke prodding the bedroll with his right foot.

In a typical teenage manner Adryk merely groaned in protest and rolled over. This caused Stoick to only prod a little harder succeeding in rousing the teen. With a yawn he stretched before moving to sit up.

"You best be getting used to this, days tend to start early around here" Stoick commented as he peered down at the teen before moving off.

Still rather groggy Adryk had remained unresponsive to the Viking's words. Pivoting he groped blindly for his boots with one hand while the other rubbed at his eyes. Retrieving them he pulled his socks from the boots and slipped them over his feet. The socks were quickly followed by the black leather boots in covering his feet.

Moving to his knees Adryk began rolling the bedroll back up before cinching the buckles tight on it. Standing up he approached Stoick with it who gestured for him to return it to the trunk it had come from.

Depositing the bundle he was met with the sounds of footsteps as the young Viking descended the stairs.

Closing the lid the blonde teen turned to greet the other "Hey."

Hiccup paused momentarily before remembering why this teen was there, "Oh yeah good morning."

The pair crossed the room together taking their seats on the benches to watch Stoick cook. The Viking paid close attention to the contents of the pan as it sizzled away every now and again adding something else to it. It smelled delicious as it wafted up the three humans even causing their stomachs to rumble in anticipation.

Shifting his attention from his preoccupied father, Hiccup observed the other teen. The blonde teen wore a rather blank expression on his face while his gaze was focused on the fire in front of him. However, the look in his eyes made him seem distant as if his mind wasn't really there.

His assumption proved correct as the remnants of last night's disturbing dream continued to plague the teen hanging on at the edge of his conscious mind.

"Alright lads eat up" Stoick interrupted his hands offering up plates of roasted pork similar to very thick bacon.

Stoick's words combined with appetizing smell coming from the plate on offer brought Adryk back to reality. Taking the plate in his hands he soon joined the other two in devouring the morning meal. His left over appetite from the three fast made him approach the meal with gusto, it didn't hurt that bacon was one of his favorite foods.

"Birna said you might have a strong appetite" Stoick commented as he and his son watched the foreign teen quickly gobble down the meal.

Finishing off the last morsel Adryk glanced about the back of the room looking for where to put the plate. The Viking chief took notice and with a slight nod indicated the washbasin with a rag hanging over the rim sitting on the floor.

Striding over he submerged the plate in the oversized bucket. Taking the rag in hand he cleaned off the plate as best he could before setting the plate aside to dry and wringing out the rag. He was about the return the rag to its previous resting place when he noticed the two Vikings approach. Handing over the damp cloth they mimicked his actions as they went the process of cleansing their plates.

Leaving the basin behind the pair moved to door, with a quick jerking nod Stoick indicated Adryk should follow.

Exiting the house the teens stood looking out the village that awaited below. "Now," Stoick addressed the teens closing the door behind him "I want you the both of you to head straight to Gobber's workshop." Shifting his gaze he looked to the blonde teen, "Once you're there he'll give your instructions for the day."

Receiving a nod the Viking chief strode passed the two only to pause on the stone steps. "Remember the Elder chose you for this responsibility" the teen's father spoke "Don't disappoint her." With those final words he turned and continued on down steps.

'_Right no pressure'_ the brown haired thought _'It's only the risk of alienating the person who could decide my future. What could go wrong?'_

-xxx-

The smithery was perhaps the easiest building to locate in the village with its wisps of white smoke rising from the forge.

As the duo drew nearer they could hear the clanking of metal and see the light showers of sparks that traveled through the air of the shaded interior. Stepping through the threshold Adryk's eyes were drawn to the large Viking currently hammering a red hot piece metal in to shape on the anvil.

At their entrance the Viking smith paused in mid-strike. Letting go of the iron billet het set the tongs aside, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the use of his forearm. "Ah welcome laddi" Gobber greeted Adryk "You look a might better shape than what Hiccup found you in. Good to see you up and moving instead of, well, you know."

Gobber's stature was much like Stoick. Fairly tall, barrel chested with thick muscular arms honed from all the time spent working in the smithery maintaining the village's iron works. Though bald he possessed a set of bushy eyebrows that were so thick they had seemingly grown together. Beneath them his bright blue eyes had a impish twinkle. The bridge of his nose was bent at an odd angle as a result of being hit one too many times, while a long braided mustache hung underneath.

The blacksmith's baldness was concealed beneath his helmet with its long horns. Covering his torso a goldenrod colored sleeveless shirt with a lace up "V" neck, the vest he wore over that seemed a bit too small for one his size. His pants were brown with stripes of light tan running vertically through them.

"Thanks…" Adryk trailed off his attention being pulled to the missing portions of the man's arm and leg. From the elbow down of his left arm was missing instead it was capped with a metal dome from which a hammer was mounted. While on the opposite side of his body it was the lower portion of his right leg that had been replaced with a wooden peg.

So entrancing the sight he couldn't help but stare.

It was a fact not lost on Gobber, but this was something the older Viking was rather used when meeting people for the first time. Still though it did occasionally annoy the smith but this time he merely shrugged it off.

Opening his mouth to speak Gobber quickly found himself grasping for a name, "Uh what was your name again?"

"Adryk, sir" the blonde adolescent replied.

"Ah right, well let's get to work shall we" Gobber turned hobbling his way to the bellows "Now over here is where you will be working."

Giving a glance to Hiccup, Adryk strode passed him to stand by the older Viking "What is it exactly I'll be doing?"

"Nothing to it, lad" the smith chuckled. "First ya take some of that ore from the crate and place in the bucket. Then set the bucket on the coals, once the ore turns molten you add more ore until it reaches this line" Gobber demonstrated freely. "Then ya just take hold here and move it up and down" laying his remaining hand on the long bellows handle he gave it a push downwards. There was hiss of air being moved in the forge as the coals flared up growing brighter with the sudden rush of fresh air.

Gobber relinquished the position, "Now you give it a go."

As Adryk moved to follow the instructions Hiccup spoke up "What about me?"

"Well since we only need one on the bellows. You'll be assisting me on the anvils" Gobber answered as he strode back to the large anvil "Go grab a hammer."

Surprised Hiccup was quick to grab a hammer from its pegs on the wall. Then taking his place at the second anvil he set about following his mentor's lead in shaping the raw metal into its intended form.

Adryk watched at the two Vikings set about mending, and shaping before he returned his focus to his appointed task. Putting his hands on the handle replicated Gobber's demonstration.

Unfortunately, the teen's chosen pace was working against him as the physical exertion was quickly starting to wear him down.

"No, no, no lad" Gobber interjected waving his arms "You're going about this all wrong. If you keep going like that you won't last the hour let alone the day." Taking a few steps closer the Viking smith mimed the movements of the bellows "Keep it slow and steady, okay?"

Adryk nodded fervently "Yes, sir."

As Gobber returned to his work Adryk implemented his advice slowing his pace considerably. Settling into a more sustainable tempo the three males soon found a routine they could work with. When the bucket was full of molten ore Gobber showed him how to pour it into the billet molds before repeating the process and smelting more ore. With Hiccup freed of the bellows it he and Gobber to have a greater output in their work.

The trio worked diligently paying to no mind to how long they had been there.

An interruption came in the form of some rather displeased yelling. Distracted by the sudden commotion Adryk put too much emphasis on the down stroke which caused the strong gust of air to propel red hot cinders into the air.

"Oww, oww" the teen cried out quickly moving away from the airborne embers. His hands swatted at the air for a moment before taking of the bottom of his shirt and fervently shaking it trying to dislodge any hot embers that may have latched on.

At the pained cry Gobber turned seeing the both the teen and the floating embers, "You alright lad?" The Viking strode over carrying a bucket of water.

"Yeah," Adryk seethed through gritted teeth "Just a little toasty" as he rubbed at the small red spots on his forearms that marked where the embers had made contact with his skin.

Wiping his arms down with the cool rag Gobber examined the markings, "You should be okay, we'll get you an apron tomorrow." Turning the smith glanced at the shadows outside the shop "Okay lads I think that's enough work for today. Let's grab something to eat."

Neither of the teens said a word of disagreement.

As Gobber and Hiccup removed their aprons to return them to their hooks, Adryk took the moment to relax. For the first time he noticed the sweat he had worked up since beginning as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a shirtsleeve. But this heat was something he was defiantly going to have to get used if he was expected to work there, _'Bet everyone wants to work here in the winter.'_

The blacksmith strode to the shops exit pausing in front of the blonde teen, "Not bad for your first day's work" he praised giving him a hearty pat on the shoulder. Then much to the teen's surprise Gobber removed the hammer from his lower arm then replaced it with a wooden mug attachment.

-xxx-

The trio left the smithery behind as they found themselves on the road to the Great Hall.

The heavy doors loomed ahead of them. This time though they didn't seem quite as imposing to Adryk as they had on the previous day. As they parted the small group was met with the boisterous racket caused by those already inside as they laughed at jokes and seemed to be making rather merry.

Indeed this was nothing like his previous visit.

Whereas before the room had been vacant filled only with empty seats and the quiet whispers of the Viking council. Now it seemed every seat was occupied by a warm body, the tables were littered with plates many with food still on them, goblets and mugs of various styles and even a few Vikings that appeared to have had a bit too much to drink as they lay hunched over passed out on the table tops.

There were loud conversations, hearty belly laughs and even some singing some of their favorite drinking songs in the background. For the most part the meal time crowd paid the newcomers no real mind instead concentrating on the food and merry making around them.

However, none of this was really the minds of the three newcomers.

Striding through the room they made their way to fire pit and the table encircling it and the food lying atop it. While the two teens moved at a slower pace as both dealt with the uncomfortable feeling of being surrounded by so many villagers Gobber didn't. In the time it took them to finally make it to the table the blacksmith had already selected his favorites and moved off carrying a hefty plate of his own.

The teens paused to look over just what foods were on offer.

Fresh breads sat in baskets their crusts a warm golden brown beside a wheel of cheese and bowls of cottage cheese. A large cauldron sat its contents giving off pouts of steam which on closer inspection it appeared to be a thick stew of some kind. Not far large slabs of roasted meat sat on platters ready for any to carve off as much as they desired. There was also a wide assortment of seafoods from salmon, boiled crabs and prawns to smoke eel and other unidentifiable types of fish.

One of the most noticeable things was the seeming lack of vegetables _'Well they are Vikings after all, guess they never heard of a salad bar.'_

By themselves the foods were delicious but together they were irresistible.

Grabbing a plate the Hiccup and Adryk set about making the tough decision of just what they wanted to eat. While Adryk went for a cut of beef, some bread and a couple of slices of cheese; Hiccup had decided on having some of the stew.

With food in hand Adryk followed as Hiccup led the way through the crowded tables to one that was mostly empty on the far side of the room. Even with the apparent abundance of the crowded voices filling the Hall, it seemed to be rather quiet between the two as they took their seats and began to eat.

Placing his mug back on the table Adryk cleared his throat to speak "How long have you been Gobber's apprentice?"

"Ever since I was little" Hiccup replied "Well, littler anyways."

"Are your shift normally that long?" letting go of the cup the blonde teen looked to his sore palms.

"That depends on how much work there is to do, sometimes we hardly get much work" the Viking teen answered. "However, with all the damage from that storm that brought you here things will probably be pretty busy for a while."

"Guess I'll have to get used to it" Adryk sighed returning his attention to his meal.

A few minutes passed as the two continued with their meal passively listening to the conversations around them. Taking a few more spoonfuls of stew Hiccup looked to the other teen, "So where are you from?"

'_Guess I couldn't avoid this forever'_ Adryk hesitated for a moment "I'm from a place called Cimmeria."

"Never heard of that" Hiccup paused to think "What it's like there?"

"It was a lot different from this place."

"Oh" Hiccup arched an eyebrow.

"Well" Adryk fidgeted with his hands "There were a lot more people than here and much more diverse in their looks. All living crammed together in huge towns that stretched outwards for as far as the eye could see, while the buildings were so tall they could block out the sun. With so many people things were often really crowded and while some people were still friendly, most didn't care for anything but themselves. So there weren't feelings of camaraderie like you have here" Adryk answered taking a moment to look over the seemingly jovial masses. "Usually it was just a cramped, dirty and noisy place to live."

"Does everyone dress like that where you're from?" the Viking teen inquired pointing to the other's clothing.

"Not really," Adryk paused "Clothing varies greatly from person to person really. These were typically worn by the warriors and hunters to help them blend in better amongst the wilderness."

Hiccup took a quick drink "So there really aren't any dragons where you're from?"

"Not to my knowledge" the foreign teen spoke, his voice still holding a tone of disbelief "But that didn't matter there were plenty of other dangers present to take their place."

Hiccup listened closely as the foreign teen spoke his homeland. His imagination worked in tandem with each word to paint a picture just what he was describing. The images conjured up were a stark contrast to what he was used in the village and he had to admit it didn't seem all that appealing a place to live.

Putting it out of mind the duo returned to their meals while much of the Vikings around them were beginning to leave. It was a short time later a group of teens entered the Hall, and because of the thinned out crowd the pair had good view of the teens.

Adryk's head turned slowly following their movements as they strode towards the table top feast. As his eyes looked over their faces he recalled seeing them as part of the group that had been standing outside the Hall before his meeting with the Viking Council. He continued to watch as they selected whatever struck their fancy before moving off to sit at one of the many half empty tables.

"Who are they?" the blonde teen asked gesturing to the group seated not far away.

Curious to see whom he was referring to Hiccup swiveled around. Following the other's gaze his own soon landed on the teens in question and he instantly recognized them. "Well the big guy there with the long fur tunic and the book on the table is Fishlegs; he's one of the smartest Vikings around. The one next to him is Glump and acrossed from them is Snotlout and the tall guy besides him is Gagarr."

Adryk examined the teens.

First was the one drawing the most attention to himself with his exaggerated movements, Snotlout.

Snotlout was a teen with a square jaw, thick chest and relatively thick muscular arms. His shaggy shoulder length brown hair was covered by his helmet, which was adorned with a pair of ram horns. But it both did little to hide the fact his ears stuck outwards like a pair of wings. The teen wore a dingy yellow colored tunic covered by a black ram furred vest, a pair of brown burlap pants, and faded brown leather boots.

Snotlout sat talking and laughing with the others but rather loudly in comparison. So loud in fact that Hiccup and Adryk could clearly hear him over the rest of the room's occupants. During one joke the boy's lips curled into his trademark sneer, however, the teen's missing front tooth disrupted this look making appear rather goofy in Adryk's opinion.

Next came the teen's compatriot, Gagarr.

Gagarr was rather similar in his appearance to Snotlout, perhaps from distant relations. He had the common brown hair but his was slightly longer and was pulled back into a ponytail. The teen was also a good head taller than Snotlout. Unlike his friend he had all his teeth but they were of a color matching the yellow of Snotlout's tunic. Gagarr was wearing a faded brown shirt with dark grey pants, and the leather boots covering his feet had been dyed black as well as lined with black sheep's wool around the top.

He held a tall mug in his hand which he would take gulps from when he wasn't seized by a hearty laugh. At one point he laughed so hard his drink sprayed from his nose, much to the disgust of some the table's other occupants.

Shifting his gaze acrossed the table Adryk looked over Fishlegs. He was dressed in much the same manner as had been outside the Hall the day before. The only difference being today it seemed he had forgone wearing his small helmet.

A thick tome lay splayed open on the table before the large teen, while plate sat off to the side. His eyes darted from side to side as he read through the opened pages. Reaching over he would occasionally take a morsel from the plate and deposit into his mouth all without really looking. Occasionally and somewhat disgustingly he would mouth some of the words whilst chewing. It came rather surprising to Adryk not expecting to see a Viking who liked books so much.

Glump was last.

The teen had short ginger colored hair and a slight pudge to his face. He was as tall as Fishlegs but not as heavyset with a more athletic build. He wore a long sleeved red colored shirt over which he had a patch worked cloth vest. With so many patches covering it there looked to be little of the original vest remaining. The legs of his green pants disappeared into the tops of his boots.

Adryk's attention was soon drawn back to Hiccup as he continued "And just down the table from them is the Twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut."

Indeed the two lived up the description. The siblings shared many a feature; their faces had similar shape being long and thin with a sharp jaw line, blue-grey eyes and blonde hair that almost matched the color of straw.

But the two also had some differences between them besides the obvious one of gender.

Tuffnut had a larger wider nose when compared to his sister, Ruffnut possessed much more expressive features especially her eyes, while her brother had a more animated face making a variety of faces during the length of his conversation. Then there were their hair styles. Both had the same length stretching down to almost to their elbows, Tuffnut allowed his hair to flow straight and free while Ruffnut's hung in several large braids. Two of which dangled over her shoulder's while a third larger one hung down her back, she also had two smaller ones sticking out just above her ears.

Their clothes were just another point of difference. But even here there were some shared features, the necklaces they wore around their necks with what looked to be a claw dangling from it, and their matching helmets with dual sets of horns mounted on them.

Tuffnut wore a short vest made from a deer pelt over a dark blue tunic and around her waist maroon belt with large metal buckle. A leather skirt with a tattered edge covered the upper portion of her grey pant legs while indigo dyed boots covered her feet. Ruffnut wore a faded blue-green tunic covered by a mossy green colored fur vest and pants that matched the color of his tunic. Around his waist a red dyed slash wrapped around his waist in lieu of a belt like his sister.

Looking on both Hiccup and Adryk couldn't help the slight chuckle as Ruffnut grabbed her sibling by the back of the neck and quickly guided his forehead to meet with the table.

"Who are those two?" Adryk asked pointing to the pair of figures keeping to themselves a little further down the table.

The Viking teen shifted his gaze following the other teen's outstretched hand. When his eyes settled on a familiar female form Hiccup found his mind becoming a little hazy as active thought left his head, and his heart flutter as a warm feeling passed over him.

In lieu of an answer Adryk received unexpected silence. Puzzled by the teen's lack of response he turned to see what was up with Hiccup. The brown haired lad appeared to be for the most part completely zoned out and a daydreamy look had taken over his face.

"Hey, you okay?" Adryk asked trying to break the spell on Hiccup.

"Hmm yeah I'm fine" the Viking teen spoke trying to gather his wits as he turned back to the blonde teen.

Somehow Adryk doubted that giving the teen a quizzical look "So who are they?"

Coming back to the original question Hiccup cast a glance back to the two figures, "Well the girl on the right is Svana and on the opposite side is…Astrid." As he spoke Adryk was quick to pick up on the slight pause and change present in his voice pronouncing the girl's name.

"Ah" the foreign teen replied the quizzical look leaving his face as he looked to the two girls.

She was the most recognizable of the group seeing as he had passed so close to her on his way to the Council meeting. Like Fishlegs she wore an outfit like he had seen her wearing before, but lacking the intimidating battleaxe this time. Astrid sat both hands wrapped around a mug from which she would idly sip from. She seemed as serious as before with her impassive expression. From time to time she would glance in the direction of the others and maybe say a word or two to the other girl, but mostly she just remained silent.

The other girl Adryk didn't recognize from those that were in the group, or at least he didn't remember seeing her.

Svana possessed shoulder length raven hair which she allowed to hang freely. Her bangs hung down obscuring part of the left side of her face from view, one strand had what looked to be beads interwoven on it. Svana's had soft expressive brown eyes instead of the common blue, and combined with her features made her seem more compassionate that Astrid. Around her neck a low hanging necklace with a pendant hanging from it. The tunic she wore was a faded violet long sleeve which came down just above mid-thigh and was held tight around her waist by a green sash. The shirt covered the top of her dark blue pants while a pair of deer hide boots trimmed with white fur covered the bottom.

Overall she seemed to contrast Astrid.

Whereas Astrid was harder to read with her straight-faced expressions and had an air of confidence and strength about her, Svana did not. While Astrid sat up straight with her head held high, Svana sat slightly hunched over her eyes looking more at the table than the others around her as she took the occasional small bite of her meal. With part of her face hidden from view by her hair it only added to the impression of her being shy and more withdrawn.

As Adryk and Hiccup watched the other teens carry on with their lively conversation their attention wasn't on what was approaching.

In the midst of a stupor, a Viking passing close by seemingly tripped over his own two feet. In his unbalanced movements the man stumbled backwards bumping into Adryk. On impact the teen was pushed forward into the table while the liquid contents of his mug sloshed and split.

The majority of the water poured out on the table but some of it found its way onto Adryk's shirt creating large wet splotch.

"Oh," the man grunted regaining his footing. "Sorry about that lad" he offered in apology helping Adryk straighten up, the man wobbled slightly "It seems the draft is a lot stronger than I had thought."

Then another word the Viking turned and continued on making his way to the exit, with a slight swagger.

Adryk shot a glare at the man's back as he retreated. Hands taking hold of his shirt holding it away from his body he stared at the wet spot.

"Here" Hiccup's spoke his outstretched hand offered up a cloth rag.

"Thanks" Adryk responded appreciatively. Taking the cloth he set about doing his best to absorb as much of the liquid from his clothes as he could, "Guess I'm lucky its only water." Sitting back the Viking teen regarded the other teen's remark as he watched him clean up. After setting the rag aside this quickly gained Adryk's attention "Something on your mind?"

"True those are your only set of clothes" Hiccup spoke aloud directing his comment to no one in particular. A few moments of peace passed before he spoke again "Hmm I have an idea. Follow me."

Hiccup quickly rose from his seat and when Adryk did not a quick jerk of his head emphasized his desire for him to follow suit. With a slight nod the foreign did so leaving their plates and mugs on the table the two headed for the exit, ignoring the pairs of eyes that followed them.

Leaving the Great Hall the duo began their descent of the stairs and to the village below.

-xxx-

Clueless as to where they were going Adryk trailed behind the Viking teen who was once again acting as his guide.

As they proceeded through the village they passed several of the houses still under construction, and the amount of progress the Vikings had made in the relatively short time since he had last seen it was rather impressive.

As they walked Adryk glanced to the sky. Judging by the position of the sun it was starting to get on late in the afternoon. It would be maybe another hour or two until the sun would begin to set.

Soon enough they found themselves standing in front of a house close to the outskirts of the village.

The house looked to be smaller than the others and its nearest neighbor was a good fifty feet away. An odd thing when compared to the others who typically only had fifteen to twenty feet between them.

Striding up the short staircase Hiccup knocked on the door. At first it seemed like perhaps no one was home but that changed when a muffled voice called out from within "The door is open, come inside."

"Whose house is this?" Adryk asked.

"This house belongs to Haldis, she's the village seamstress" Hiccup answered looking back over his shoulder.

Hearing his answer Adryk began to get the gist of why he had been brought there.

Following Hiccup through the door he looked about the cabin's interior. It was indeed smaller than the other houses he had been in, made to seem all the smaller with the clutter present lit up by light from the fire place and the candles mounted in holders on the walls. There was a fire place in a nook on the right wall, a chair and circular table sat in front of it and to the side a short staircase. Closer to the door was a rack with various rolls of cloth, each a different color. Strips of these cloths littered the ground which struck Adryk as being a bit of a fire hazard.

To the left a large rectangular table pushed up against the wall atop it a great myriad of items. At the center a tall candle sat on its holder, various lengths of different color string, several hides lay atop one another, and several shears which ranged from a small pair no longer than the teen's index finger to pair nearly ten inches long. Straight ahead to the back of the room a rope was strung acrossed the span of the room from which a heavy blanket hung cordoned off the area behind it creating a makeshift wall.

Hiccup looked about the space "Haldis, you in here?"

"No need to be so loud young Hiccup," a woman spoke from the other side of the heavy curtain "I may be old but my hearing is not gone yet." The curtain was drawn back revealing a woman slightly shorter than Hiccup was. Her brown hair pulled back into ponytail had streaks of grey running through it. She wore a green linen dress that fell down to mid-shin, over the dress a khaki colored apron with a large pouch on it. The shoes she wore resembled soft calf skin moccasins.

"So what can I do for you and your friend?" the seamstress asked as she approached.

"Well you see Adryk here is new here" Hiccup moved aside as Haldis stepped between them "And he's in need of some more clothes. As you can see my father's clothes would be too large for him and any of mine would probably be too small for him."

"Yes I see that" the Viking woman murmured.

She moved in a small circle around the blonde teen. Occasionally she'd extend her hand to tug at the teen's clothing before mumbling something inaudible to herself as she went. "Hmm, very well I'll see what I can do." Turning abruptly she strode to the cluttered table again mumbling to herself again as she began to sift through the mess.

"Ah" she spoke with a hint of excitement to her voice at finding what she had been looking for. "Now lad follow me" the older woman motioned as she moved back to the curtain.

Though still unsure he nonetheless obeyed, hesitantly Adryk followed the Viking woman to the back of the room. Ushering him passed the invisible line made by the suspended rope Haldis drew the curtain sequestering the teen and herself with a shroud of privacy.

With the two of them busy Hiccup took a seat as he waited from them to finish.

After making sure the curtain was fully closed Haldis turned to Adryk "Okay lad strip down," she spoke in a casual manner.

Adryk wasn't sure whether it was the casual tone or what she was suggesting that surprised him more. "What? Why?" the teen exclaimed.

"If I am to make clothes for you, I'll need your measurements of course, how else am I to work?" curiosity showed on the woman's face as she spoke _'Surely he's done this before.'_

The seamstress's explanation did little to calm the foreign teen's nerves as an uneasy silence settled over the room. Casting his eyes towards the floor Adryk stood motionless trying to decide whether his need for new clothing was really that great. _However,_ Hiccup did have a point these were his only set and if something happened to them just where would that have left him.

Casting an awkward glance from the corner of his eyes Adryk could tell by the expression the Viking woman now wore her patience was beginning to wear thin.

Looking back to the ground he took a deep breath and proceeded to do as the Viking woman had instructed. Sighing he untied his boots removing them from his feet and stuffed his socks into the opening before setting them aside. Pulling his shirt from the waist band of his pants it was the next to come off to lay acrossed a chair. Then with much trepidation the final garment, Adryk unbuttoned his pants before allowing the crumple around his ankles.

His face went bright red with his nervousness and embarrassment.

Pulling his feet free the camouflage trousers joined the shirt on the chair. With them gone it left the teen clad in nothing but his undergarments, which clamping his hands together in front of him was fact he tried to hide.

"I need you to stand up straight," Haldis commented on the slouching posture of the teen "Arms at your side."

When he reluctantly did as she requested did Haldis do anything. Turning she retrieved a small stool that sat to the side before making her way to Adryk's side where she set it down. Before stepping up she grabbed a long wooden dowel. Standing on the stool she held the dowel atop his head while rummaging around in the pouch on her apron with the other hand. Withdrawing her hand produced a spool of white thread with a small iron weight affixed to the end of the string.

Haldis slipped the spool on the wooden rod and slid it backwards till it made contact with the teen's forehead. Once in place she allowed the weight to drop to the floor.

The iron bit hit the ground with a thud signaling it had reach as far as it could go. Reaching back into her apron pocket the seamstress withdrew a small set of shears which she used to clip the white thread letting crumple to the ground. Taking the spool from the dowel she tucked it back in the pocket before removing the dowel from the teen's head. Stepping down from the stool Haldis set the wooden rod aside.

Turning her attention back to Adryk once more approached. This time she produced a spool of red thread which she wrapped around the foreign teen's waist line before clipping it to size.

Again and again she repeated the procedure. Measurements in length and width were taken for his neck, torso, chest, arms, legs and feet were taken with each a different color to set it apart. When the seamstress knelt down and began running a length of thread up his inner leg Adryk felt like his face was fire with the sudden rush of blood. To anyone looking he must have looked like cherry red tomato.

"All finished" Haldis spoke much to the relief of the teen, "These should be all I need."

Releasing a sigh of relief Adryk quickly grabbed his garments and began to redress, while the seamstress bent down to gather up the various strings scattered on the floor. It was a good thing Adryk had made sure to dress with such haste as without warning Haldis pulled the curtain back with a sharp yank.

The sudden movement attracted Hiccup's attention as he rose from his seat.

The Viking teen watched as the older woman strode to the table where she laid out the myriad of multicolor strings she had been clutching in her hand. Passed her at the back of the room he could see Adryk was pulling his shirt of his head before tucking it into his waistband.

"Everything go okay?" the Viking teen asked.

Adryk didn't respond but Hiccup could see the light blush on his face as it begun to fade. "Yes, yes everything is fine" Haldis replied as she turned around she brushed passed him as she strode over the rack holding the rolls of cloth. Standing before the rack she ran her hand over the many fabric rolls, "Is there any color you would prefer them to be lad?" she called out her fingers pausing on a roll.

The blonde teen looked up from tying his boots as the seamstress addressed him "Dark colors would be preferable." Finished Adryk stood approaching her "I guess like the ones I am wearing."

Haldis gave a quick shrug turning back to the rolls "As you wish." The Viking woman pulled several rolls from the rack carrying them over to be placed on the table, "Your clothes should be done in two days time. You can return then for them."

"Thank you ma'am" Adryk spoke.

But his words went unaddressed. "Unless you have anything else you would like me to make I have much work to do" Haldis said her attention now focused solely on the task that was laid out before her.

Turning the two teens made for the door where with his face back to normal Adryk cast a glance back to the busy Viking woman before striding out with Hiccup.


	10. Ch 9: Morning mysteries

**Chapter 09**

Adryk stretched as he began to stir under the blankets, hands instinctively coming up to rub his eyes attempting to rid himself of the night's lingering spell. Rising up he swung his feet over the edge of the bed allowing them to rest on the wooden floor.

Hunching forward the teen cupped his face in his hands icy blue eyes peeking over his fingertips. Lazily they wandered about his half of the shared room tracing along the walls to the heavy canvas tarp which spanned acrossed the width of the room. So far it had served as a more than adequate barrier between Hiccup's side and his own.

The two teens had been sharing the room peacefully for a couple of days now, and aside from the awkward initial adjustment period, Adryk had to admit he rather liked it. Sleeping in a bed again and even getting some privacy with the curtain. It was certainly better than sleeping downstairs in a bedroll.

This current arrangement arose when a still groggy Stoick had came down the stairs to start cooking breakfast. Reaching the bottom of the stairs he made his usual turn only to inadvertently trip over a still sleeping Adryk. It had been a painful awakening as the Viking's boot clad foot collided with the side of the teen's ribs. Feeling the sudden rush of pain jarred Adryk conscious with a yelp startling Stoick. In an attempt to dodge the rising teen he staggered away colliding with the wall causing one of the large pots to fall from its peg landing squarely on his head.

Luckily for the Viking chief, he was used to taking hard hits to his head by now. But still that fact didn't detract from the dull throbbing ache that followed.

After a few moments of regaining his composure Stoick decreed that no one would be sleeping in the downstairs room ever again.

The declaration, however, created a slight problem. Seeing that was where Adryk slept it sort of left him out in the cold, _so to speak_.

That was until Hiccup had suggested that the two of them could perhaps share his room. The suggestion was one that Stoick didn't respond to right away instead deciding to take the rest day to think on the matter before rendering his verdict. Finally at dinner that evening when the subject was revisited Stoick agreed. Stating that their house guest had proven himself atleast somewhat trustworthy and seemed to be getting along with Hiccup.

A day or so after Stoick was able to acquire an old bed for Adryk to sleep on rather than the bedroll. Though the bed came with a condition, that Adryk be able to move it into the house, up the stairs and into the room by himself.

At first it seemed a rather impossible task after getting a feel for the weight of the bed's frame. Then again it would be worth it to get off the floor with the flat uncomfortable Viking sleeping bag and onto an actual cushioned mattress. Gritting his teeth Adryk got to work moving the heavy frame.

During the move Adryk couldn't help but get the feeling this was some kind of test.

Especially given the expressions the Viking chief seemed to sport each time Adryk glanced at him. It sort of reminded him of the measuring stares the athletic coaches wore when they made him run the obstacle courses back in school.

Returning from his memories he could hear the howl of a particularly strong gust of wind outside. With the gust came the morning chill sending a shiver through Adryk, the chill was made all the colder with the return of his old sleeping habits. As with this new found privacy Adryk had gone back to sleeping in just the bare minimum.

Crossing his arms over his chest the teen rubbed at his upper arms in an attempt to generate some warmth and banish the cold.

Still what little warmth he received did little to help against the cool morning air. Standing he strode the short distance to the stool his clothing lay astride. Adryk sorted through the available garments laying the selected attire over his shoulder. With a satisfied nod Adryk replaced the rest before returning to the bed tossing down the chosen clothing.

Reaching down he took the midnight blue tunic in hand he looked it over. The tunic was one of several he received from the seamstress along with two pairs of pants. Though Adryk had to admit he much preferred wearing the military fatigues he arrived with.

The tunic was long-sleeved with a v-cut neck though it seemed Haldis had made it a size too big for his frame, giving it a somewhat baggy appearance as it fell abit passed his waistline. At first it took some getting used to as the linen-wool fabric mix itched against his skin, but after wearing it for a day or two and a thorough washing it had grown more comfortable. It actually was quite a intelligent design, the linen kept the tunic light and the extra size made it airy while the wool helped to give it durability and decent heat retention abilities. Together the combination managed to keep him cool when exerting himself and warm against the chilly winds.

After sliding the tunic over his head, his attention turned to his fatigues which he was as quick as ever to slip on. Pulling them up to his waist the teen tucked the excess material of his shirt underneath the trouser's waistband before quickly fastening the buttons.

Then teen's blonde head craned about as he searched for where he had left his boots. Finally he spotted them on the opposite side of the bed sitting against the wall. Hopping up he strode around the bed frame. However, in doing so he cut too sharply as the toes of his right foot clipped the heavy wooden frame. Instantly a surge of pain shot up from his foot causing him to seethe through clenched teeth. Lifting his foot from the ground Adryk clutched his aching toes in his hands in an attempt to sooth the pain away. Unfortunately the act had an unforeseen consequence.

His bending the knee of his only leg to stand on had thrown off his equilibrium. With no time to recover Adryk toppled over falling to the ground he landed with a heavy thud.

"Ahh-ooh" Adryk hissed through his teeth as he rolled over to once again cradle his aching foot, _'Shit that hurts'_ looking at his foot he tried wiggling his toes "Well atleast it doesn't seem like anything is broken."

Getting back onto his feet the teen hobbled over to the tarp. Peeling it back slightly revealed the other side of the room and its occupant. Gazing on it seemed that fortunately his misstep may have gone unnoticed as his roommate lay in bed seemingly undisturbed.

Satisfied he released the curtain and picked up his boots before carefully striding back to take a seat on the bed. Laying his right foot astride his lap Adryk examined his sore foot in better detail. With nothing permanently damaged he pulled his socks from the boots to slip them on before plunging his sock clad feet into the boots. Lacing up his boots Adryk stood plucking a grey furred vest which hung from a nearby nail.

After making his bed the teen crossed the room doing his best at being stealthy so as not to wake Hiccup. However, the squeaking of the door hinges seemed to make this a moot point. Flinching his gaze shifted to the sleeping figure checking for any signs of movement. After a tense moment much to his relief he saw none Adryk turned exiting the room trying to shut the door quieter than it had opened.

-xxx-

Hiccup's eyes fluttered open _'Where's he going?'_

Sitting up in bed he cocked his head as he stared at the door. This wasn't the first time Hiccup had awakened to find that Adryk had apparently woken sometime before him and left the room. At first he or his father would find the other teen simply waiting downstairs. Yet for the past four days Adryk would seemingly vanish in the mornings.

After the first of his disappearances Stoick and he had set out to search for him, Hiccup had half-expected a bit of a lengthy hunt. Instead it took a mere five minutes or so to track him down only to discover the teen was at Gobber's workshop getting an early start. To prove it was where he had gone Adryk informed Stoick of the sentry who after running into him had escorted him to the smithery. After checking with the guard the story checked out. If Stoick harbored any more suspicions he kept them to himself, covering them with a compliment to the lad's work ethic before heading off.

Still though it had left Hiccup wondering _'Was that all Adryk was doing? Just getting an early start?'_

Throwing back the covers Hiccup rose from bed deciding to find out for himself. Hastily he roamed about the room gathering his clothing and dressing as fast as he could. Though he was in a hurry as he made his way downstairs Hiccup still took care not to disturb his father's slumber. Once downstairs he looked about the room seeing no trace of Adryk.

Leaving the staircase Hiccup strode to the front door he opened it with equal speed.

It was still quite dark out with stars shining through the overcast skies, it was that strange transition period where night starts to end and day begins. The air was cool wafting up from the sea carrying with it the shore birds returning to their nests.

The teen's pale green eyes scanned the landscape below the hilltop.

His target was not far from the foot of the hill moving at a respectable pace following the stone path towards the village. Closing the door behind him Hiccup hurried down the path after the other teen. The brown haired teen trailed after the blonde hanging back just enough to leave a gap between Adryk and himself. The bit of distance allowed the Viking teen to keep Adryk in sight while at the same time it helped his presence go unnoticed.

Making his through the sleeping village Adryk kept an eye for any of the night patrols unlike he had the first morning. He also made sure to make as little noise as possible last thing he wanted to deal with a irate Viking villager. After all from what he'd seen most of the villagers were not what you would call early morning folk.

Spaces soon opened up as the village gave way to the fertile fields and the sounds of livestock.

An agitated bleat of a sheep gave the blonde teen pause causing him to turn as to ascertain the cause. The short wooly creatures wandered about the open field roaming between the piles of hay stopping every so often to take a bite.

Hiccup laid still staring out from his covered position as he watched the other teen for a tense moment.

When nothing seemed out of the ordinary Adryk turned away continuing onwards to his intended destination.

Letting out a sigh of relief the Viking teen rose from his hiding place. Rising from pile of grass he went about ridding himself of stray pieces that clung to his clothing. Looking himself over Hiccup was content he had gotten them all he returned to his task. The delay however had widened the gap giving Adryk a good sized lead forcing him to move at a faster pace.

Cresting a hill Hiccup stared down at the beach below.

Waves washed ashore continually renewing the sandy surface each time the waters would swell before ebbing and flowing back out to sea. It was the movements of the lone figure that strode along the shoreline that attracted his attention.

The other teen strode through what looked to be a debris field.

There were pieces of driftwood embedded in the sandy surface interspersed with rocks of various sizes. They ranged from small fist sized stones to large anvil sized boulders. Most strange were that some of pieces of wood were lashed together with lengths of rope creating short fences. Some of the fences seemed to be arranged to leave small gaps between them while others were made into longer walls.

Hiccup stood wondering how it all got there. As far as he knew nobody had ever settled on the beach, so what would fences be doing there?

Pushing the question aside he turned his attention back to what Adryk was up to. The teen stood on the beach just out of reach of the waves as he gazed out to the horizon. He lingered for a moment before turning away striding back to the scattered debris. Taking a long stick in hand he carved a long line in the sand before stabbing the stick into the loose soil.

Removing his vest Adryk hung it upon the upright stick. Then moving behind the line he had carved Adryk hunched over placing his hands on the line while bracing his feet looking like he was about push something heavy.

"What's he up to?" Hiccup mused looking over the scene. Then as he looked over the scattered debris it clicked together for the teen, Adryk had apparently at some point built himself an obstacle course and was preparing to run through it.

Adryk's sudden movement caught his eye as the blonde launched himself off the line. At a full run he moved down the beach. He weaved through the gaps in the small fences, vaulted over the larger fences before weaving through the stones as he made it to a pair of upright posts. Passing between them Adryk slowed pivoting on his left foot, the heel digging deeply into the sand as he turned. From his position Hiccup watched as Adryk now reran same course only in reverse.

Touching the starting again Adryk pivoted before setting off again.

Hiccup watched as he ran the course a third, then a fourth. By the fifth time Adryk's pace had become much slower as his legs quickly beginning to tire, several times his movements bordered on the uncoordinated as he nearly fell in leaping over the hurdles.

Crossing the start line for a final time he staggered to a halt. Hunching over hands placed on his knees, he could feel his heart thumping in his chest and his lungs expand with each ragged breath. The heavy breathing left a sore feeling in the teen's lungs each time they expanded. He continued to hold the position for a few minutes before finally straightening up.

Standing Adryk ignoring the slight burning ache in his legs, and strode towards some of the half-buried boulders retrieving his vest along the way. Taking a seat the blonde teen relaxed on the cold stone as best he could, feeling the misty morning breeze to blow over him, taking some of his excess body heat with it.

"So this is what you've been up to?" a voice spoke up.

Instantly the blonde teen's posture went rigid. At the sound of approaching footsteps squishing the soft sand his torso swiveled round to identify who was approaching. At the sight of the familiar Viking teen Adryk calmed allowing his posture to return to what it had been as he turned back to the sea.

"I figured it the mornings would be a good time to exercise" Adryk replied as the other teen took a seat. "What with no one to bother and the lack of distractions, plus the morning air helps me cool down afterwards." Leaning down he lifted a waterskin from its resting place at the boulder's base. Taking a quick gulp of the liquid contents he turned offering it up to Hiccup.

"Thanks" the Viking teen responded taking the offering "How long did it take you set up all this?"

"Oh," Adryk looked back at his little project "It took awhile, didn't help when that guard caught me walking about. Told him I was going to the workshop and he was okay with it but I didn't count on him escorting me." Adryk paused thinking back on it "Still being caught like that turned out to be a good thing, kept me from getting into more trouble" he chuckled lightly.

"So" Hiccup paused taking a second drink "Is this all you've been up to?"

A small half-grin appeared on Adryk's face "The first morning I had intended to explore the village but wound up at the workshop, still wasn't so bad. While I was there I tried my hand at learning to use a sword against those training dummies. Before you and your dad found me there cleaning" Adryk laughed looking to Hiccup "I probably looked like a damn fool to anyone who saw me."

Hiccup joined in with a chortle of his own sharing in the moment. Each understanding how it felt in their own way.

As the laughter died down Adryk continued "It was second morning when I started putting all this together. Didn't finish it till yesterday so today was the first day I was able to make use of it." Adryk's eyes settled on the ocean waves watching as they rose up only to topple over and flow up the beach. "Really been doing just about anything to keep myself busy…" his voice changed taking a forlorn tone as he spoke "To keep from thinking of home."

Hiccup turned regarding the other. Aside from the time he asked Adryk about his homeland this was the first time he had brought up the subject on his own. The fact still remained he was a stranger to their lands far from his home. Hiccup thought on it, if their roles had been reversed barring a clear way home he too would probably be doing anything to keep his mind off his predicament.

"It must be tough being away from your home" Hiccup said handing the waterskin back.

Adryk took the waterskin taking a quick gulp "I've been here awhile now." He paused recounting the time in his head "In a few days it will mark three weeks. So far things have been alright, though I could do without the odd stares from some of the villagers."

"Don't worry you get used to it" Hiccup jested attempting to lighten his spirits.

It seemed to help as Adryk smiled "You know, I gotta say this isn't how I pictured a Viking village."

"Oh how did you picture it?"

"Well" Adryk hesitated trying to find the words. "Where I'm from stories tell that Vikings were more or less wild men. They run about pillaging and conquering wearing nothing but bear skins, before going home to get drunk and celebrate. Glad to see those tales were clearly wrong." Looking to his side Adryk carefully studied the other teen's reaction hoping his words hadn't offended him.

"Well you can't always trust what stories tell" wisdom showing through with Hiccup's words as he spoke. "Besides just wait till you see the winter festivals" Hiccup spoke choosing to once again add humor to the mood "You might not think they so farfetched."

"Though there are some things I miss from home family, friends and a few other things" _'Oh indoor plumbing, oh how I miss you.'_

The Viking teen looked to the sea that had brought the other to Berk "Look I bet if we talked to my dad he could talk things over with the Council and get them to have a ship help you get home."

Adryk's smile was accompanied by a light chuckle this time "I appreciate the offer, Hiccup. Unfortunately I don't think having a ship would be much help getting me home." He paused casting a glance skyward _'Not unless that ship can reach eighty-eight miles an hour and comes equipped with a flux capacitor.'_ "Truthfully Hiccup, I wouldn't even know where to begin or which way would lead me home. For all I know it could be that way" the teen's extended hand pointing out to sea "Or it could be that way" the same hand moved to point in the opposite direction.

"Even if your dad and the Council agreed to help I'd probably just wind up lost at sea with a ship full of angry Vikings" Adryk turned to his fellow teen "Not really an experience I'd care to go through."

A somber atmosphere seemed to again settle over the two teens as they sat watching the waves. However, it soon gave way to the serenity of the beach for a time before being quickly broken by the sounds of the village roosters cawing in the distance. The bird's incessant racket acting as nature's alarm clock no doubt rousing the villagers from their slumber.

The teens pivoted in the seats looking back to the village "I guess we ought to head back" one of the teens ventured gaining a nod of agreement from the other.

-xxx-

The sun had advanced in the sky above returning it to its usual light blue appearance with wisps of fluffy clouds.

The two teens made good time from the beach to the village. Already many of the locales were up and beginning to move about with those outside seemingly ignoring the two as they moved passed. Just ahead the smithery sat where it always had. a lone figure moving about its interior.

Assuming the shop's occupant to be Gobber the two gradually slowed their approach as they mentally prepared their apologies for being tardy.

The individual seemed to take notice of their advance as he moved to meet them at the entrance. The lads came to a sudden halt when the figure stepping into the daylight revealed itself not to be Gobber but Stoick. The Viking chief stared down at the teens with a rather cross looking expression.

"Oh hi dad" Hiccup squeaked out.

It seemed he was none too pleased about waking up to find his son had apparently disappeared along with their house guest "Where have you been?"

"Been…" Hiccup began.

"We were down at the beach getting some exercise" Adryk interrupted "I figured we could do some warm-ups before we start the day. It was all my idea and I apologize for not alerting you to our plans." The blonde haired teen paused bowing his head "I promise it won't happen again."

Stoick stood silent and imposing, his left eyebrow held higher than normal. His gaze shifting from Adryk to Hiccup and back again as scrutinized their story.

As he did so Adryk began to worry the older Viking was going to decide to punish them and just what kind of punishment he might come up with. It seemed like an eternity had passed before he spoke again, "Aye you're right on that" he started "Tis one thing when a guest leaves the house, but when the guest and my son both disappear it's something else all together. From now on neither of you are to leave in the mornings without telling me about it."

"Yes sir" the teens answered in unison.

Stoick lingered for a few moments. Then with a final stare to make sure he had driven his point home with the two lads; the Viking chief turned away as he strode off making his way back through the village streets.

Hiccup cast a last glance to his father before he and Adryk made their way into the workshop. Before heading inside the duo inspected the drop off cart Gobber had recently placed out front of the workshop. Wheeling it inside the Adryk and Hiccup went about their usual routines, sorting ores by grade for smelting, cleaning and igniting the furnace, and sorting the cart's contents.

"Ah good to see you both getting such an early start today" Gobber's lighthearted tone rang out with his entrance.

The two teens were quick to offer up their usual greetings to the older Viking as he strode about the shop. Moving the west wall taking the leather aprons that hung there in hand Gobber turned handing one to each teen before donning his own. Taking his usual stance by the anvil Gobber paused as he laid his hand on his hammer prosthetic.

"I believe something different is on today's menu" the older Viking announced "Adryk come over here lad."

Obeying the teen turned taking his hands from the bellows as he strode to the indicated location. He moved at a cautious pace unsure of just what the older Viking had in mind for him.

Gobber turned striding a short distance to a cluttered table. The room's other occupants could hear their mentor mumbling something as he sorted through the mess. "No that won't do" Gobber said tossing a lump of something to the side "Ah much better." Turning Gobber faced the curious teens "Here ya go," his words were more a word of warning as the blacksmith tossed the object in hand to the teen.

The sudden movement caught Adryk off guard as he fumbled with the weighty object. Settled he looked to what he had in his hands, it was a steel bar which measured four inches long, an inch or so wide and just about half an inch thick. Lifting his gaze from the metal slab he looked to the Viking his question easily read on his face.

"Today I want you to make a knife out of that block" Gobber spoke moving away from the anvil.

"What really," Adryk's gaze returned to the cold steel block in his hands "I mean I thought that you would have had me studying to learn more about this before I actually did anything."

"Oh aye, you do have a great deal more to learn" Gobber replied as he strode to the teen "But what better way than to experience it firsthand. You can think of it as my way of seeing if you've got what it takes to be a blacksmith, even Hiccup here went through the same test."

Moving forwards Adryk placed the block on the anvil listening the small clank "Is there any particular style or design I am supposed to try or what?"

"No my boy," Gobber shook his head, adding, "It's your knife you'll be making; it's completely up to you. You can make it as complex or as simple as ya like."

His words gave Adryk pause as he once again regarded the steel bar. The workings of his mind ran through the various types of knives he had seen before and just how hard it would be to make one. Should he stick with a simple utilitarian design or should he perhaps try for something more complex in effort to impress Gobber? In the end Adryk decided to go for the simple design rather than risk failure with some complex stylistic design, especially considering his week or so of forge experience.

With a mental image of what he wanted Adryk gripped the block with a pair tongs before depositing it within the furnace. Then began the wait while the steel began to slowly heat. With such a small piece of metal it wasn't long before the block began to glow a bright orange. With care Adryk removed the block from forge to place it back on the anvil.

Making use of a shorter set of tongs to hold the block he picked up the nearby hammer. With a heavy swing the hammer came down on the glowing metal with a clank and small shower of sparks. As he repeated the process Adryk was keenly aware of both Gobber and Hiccup watching him as they worked.

Clank after clank rang out as the hammer struck.

A smirk grew on Adryk's face. He remembered seeing photos of blacksmiths in history class or in movies about medieval times and thinking how simple their tasks seemed, what could have been hard about hammering metal. No longer, now he was quickly learning just how un-simple it really was. The act of blacksmithing was obviously demanding physically but it also required a good level of mental concentration. The main thing right now he always had to be aware of was the position and angle of each hammer strike to ensure the proper shape and even balance to the knife.

The process was slow and repetitive: heat, strike, heat, strike. Rinse and repeat, though it paid off as the metal block became progressively longer and thinner with each hammer blow.

Time seemed to fly by from Adryk's perspective, his shoulder and arm were beginning to cramp but it seemed his task was coming to an end. Drawing back Adryk looked over his work for a final time feeling satisfied with it. Using the tongs the blonde teen carried the still glowing piece of metal to the quenching bucket. The water boiled on contact and a jet of steam left the surface with a quiet hiss as the red hot piece of metal was submerged.

After a short count the almost finished knife was removed from the water. No longer glowing the dripping dull grey knife was carried back to the anvil where it placed to await its final inspection. Wiping the sweat from his brow Adryk stepped away eager to hear what Gobber had to say about his work.

Though it was still rather warm to the touch, it wasn't so much that Gobber couldn't handle it. Holding the knife in hand Gobber looked it over noting its simple design, which considering it was done by a novice wasn't a bad thing.

The knife was well balanced about ten or eleven inches in length and little over a quarter of an inch at its thickest, possessing a single edge as opposed to a dual edge. The blacksmith noted that while the knife's spine and cutting edge were kept at a nearly straight angle the handle possessed a slight curvature to it, allowing it to better fit the hand's grip. The guard consisted of a simple peg style which marked the bottom of the edge and spine. Going from the top of the spine the knife grew towards the middle creating a small ridge before thinning back out to the blade's edge. The ridge gave the blade a squished diamond appearance when viewed head-on.

Most intriguing to Gobber was the peculiar tip the blade possessed.

While the majority of blades possessed a often gentle curvature where the cutting edge would slope to meet the tip, this one did not. Starting at the tip the edge slanted downward at a rather steep angle that created a secondary point where it met with the knife edge.

All in all the knife was a fair piece of work for a beginner. "Fair bit of work my boy" Gobber said moving to return the knife to Adryk "It's an interesting design, how exactly did you come up with that?"

"Figured it would be best to stick to a easy design it's based on a knife I had back home." The teen moved retrieving the knife from the smith's extended hand "So does this mean I passed the test?"

"I would say you have the makings of a bladesmith in ya" the Viking's words was accompanied by a hardy pat to the back "That is if you keep working at it."

Adryk paused with the Viking's words as something began to stir within him. It was an old emotion that had been pushed aside long ago and laid dormant ever since, pride. For the first time in years the feeling swelled becoming the dominant emotion. As it grew the teen couldn't help but contemplate it, it wasn't like this was the first compliment he had been given. He had received a veritable plethora of compliments in the past; from his parents when he was younger, from his teachers & coaches in school, and plenty more from his friends. Each one as flattering as the last.

However, as he grew older they became rarer forcing him to bury the emotion. Now with a few simple words this eccentric Viking blacksmith had unburied what he had forgotten and now it ran amuck with him. And now it left Adryk with a new question, _why did these words have such an impact where others did not?_

"Come on lads," Gobber strode to the wall returning his apron to its place "I believe it's time for a break." The Viking smith turned toward the shop exit stopping only to exchange his current hammer prosthetic for one with a heft beer stein attached.

Hiccup mimicked his mentor's actions hanging his apron before turning to follow. Casting a glance over his shoulder he noticed the other teen hadn't really moved from his spot. "Aren't you coming too?" the Viking teen inquired.

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up… I just have to take care of a few things first."

With a nod silent nod Hiccup turned following Gobber out the door. With the other two gone, it left the blonde teen in the workshop with nothing but his turbulent emotions for company.

-xxx-

Gobber turned away his plate loaded up with his usual fare. Moving through the maze of people, tables and chairs all the while determined not to let a single crumb fall. At his approach Stoick turned scanning the faces present for the blacksmith's apprentices.

Placing the hefty plate down the bald Viking took a seat at his usual table with Stoick and the others.

No sooner had he taken his seat when a voice spoke up "So Gobber, how are things at the forge with that foreigner?"

"Things are quite well" Gobber replied taking quick bite of the delectable looking roasted chicken "With the extra hands we're getting more done than before." Turning to his right the bald Viking looked to his friend Stoick "I tell you Stoick; that Adryk is a lot like your boy." The comment attracting looks from some gathered about the table.

At the mention of his son the Viking chief turned. "Of Hiccup?" he asked curious to his friend's answer.

"Oh aye," he blacksmith nodded "Those two are actually quite alike. Adryk seems just as quiet if not more so, I'd wager if you turned your back on him in the woods by the time you turned around he'd disappear with those odd pants he wears." Gobber paused in his line of speech to take a few more bites from his plate "The two are hard workers, quick to figure things out, good with their hands…"

"Not to mention sticks out like a sore thumb" the comment earned a quick glare from the blacksmith.

"What you say may be true," Stoick conceded as he thought on the matter. As he thought the surprising similarities became more apparent.

One of the other Vikings drank deeply from his mug before speaking "But still it remains Adryk is an outsider to this tribe, different."

"Exactly" Gobber replied with enthusiasm "It's the fact that both are viewed as outsiders, and do not act with the usual Viking bravado that gives them the most common ground. Besides its good to see that Hiccup has someone to talk with."

"And keep him out of the way" the same someone chirped up earning a brief round of chuckling from others.

"Oh aye, since the Elder put him on this task there hasn't been a single Hiccup related accident yet."

Gobber merely shook his head at the quip as he eyed Stoick. The Viking chief remained silent on the matter looking lost in contemplation for a moment before it was lost. His eyes wandered the room scanning the gathered crowd for form of his son and the foreigner. It took but a moment to spot the brown haired teen sitting at the far end of the hall, oddly the other teen was absent.

Looking on Stoick once again heard Gobber's words ringing in his ears. Stoick admitted to himself it was indeed good to see Hiccup had a friend to talk with, aside from his blacksmith mentor. So far he had to say Adryk might shape up to be a positive influence on his son, already he had gotten his son to join him in workouts even though they had left without telling him and caused him some concern. An added plus was the teen's sudden arrival had also managed to take away much of the unwanted attention typically reserved for his son.

The chief's gaze lingered on his son for a while longer before the growl of his stomach directed his attention away and back to his plate.

-xxx-

Swallowing the last morsel of food Hiccup reached for his cup to wash it down. Setting the cup aside the teen swung his legs over the bench in preparation to stand, hesitating a moment as he looked about the room for his seemingly absentee roommate. Looking about he wondered if perhaps Adryk had chosen to sit at another table.

For the briefest instant a small spoke up in the back of his mind. _'Who could blame him for wanting to sit away from the village reject?'_ the voice stated before being silenced.

Standing soiled dishes in hand Hiccup made his way to the large washing basin situated at the rear of the mead hall. While it was typical most diners would leave their used plates and mugs on the tables for whomever had been selected for cleanup duty that day. Having participated in the clean up on several occasions and after seeing the mess they had to contend with Hiccup chose to lighten the load by cleaning up after himself.

After a quick wash he set the objects aside to dry. Turning the teen's green eyes wandered about the room checking for any sign of his roommate. The meal time crowd had thinned out considerably from what it had started out as aiding in his hunt.

It came as a bit of a surprise when he was unable to locate any sign of the other teen. For a short time Hiccup wondered if Adryk had even come to eat or if he had gotten so busy he forgot about lunch. In a scene reminiscent of that morning Hiccup decided to set out in search of him.

Passing through the Hall's doors Hiccup stood atop the stoop surveying the village below. From his vantage point he could just make out the vague shapes on the beach representing the obstacle course Adryk had built. _'I wonder if he's down there again.'_

Continuing onward the brown haired Viking teen followed along the stone steps. As the brown haired teen moved passed the stone pedestals he was ambushed by a group of familiar faces.

"Hey look who we have here" a voice rang out.

It was Snotlout and the teen accompanied by the usual tagalongs. The twins stood just behind him to the right while his compatriot Gagarr followed at closer distance, sticking to the teen like a shadow stuck to its caster.

"Where are you going in such a hurry, Hiccup?" Ruffnut paused casting a glance around "Where's that charge of yours, I don't see him anywhere?"

"He's…" Hiccup began only to be interrupted by one of the group.

"What's a matter Hiccup did you lose him or something?" Gagarr jeered earning a bout of cruel laughter.

Snotlout approached the scrawnier teen "Or did the Council finally wise up and replace you?" He looked to the others as if boasting before he continued "Maybe now they'll pick someone who will better keep an eye on him."

Usually when such taunts would pass between two Vikings, one of them would then introduce the other to the floor.

So some might agree it was lucky for the group of hecklers that Hiccup was not the typical Viking. Though while it may have appeared that he took their comments in stride, on the inside it was a different matter. Even after years of listening to such remarks it still pricked his feelings like the stinging of an insect. Being as he was Viking there was of course that small voice which spoke to him demanding retribution for such a trespass.

Hiccup did his best to keep his composure from betraying his feelings as he stood listening to them as they had their laugh.

"Come on guys, let's go eat I'm starving" Tuffnut interrupted cutting short their revelry.

Hiccup could hear them make a few more comments until they disappeared from earshot. The Viking teen lingered for a few moments as he took the time to recompose himself before he followed their example and continued on.

The sky was turning a deep orangish red as the sun began its descent over the horizon.

Hiccup moved through the village his preoccupied by other matters. Ever since lunch he had, in a scene reminiscent of that morning, been out searching his absentee roommate. He had scoured the beach, searched the outskirts of the village by the woods, and even gone back to check through the house and nothing. He had even talked with a few of the Viking residents to see if they had per chance seen the teen, All turned up nothing.

"Oh come on, his outfit doesn't let him blend in that well" Hiccup grumbled kicking a small rock from his path.

It then seemed that the boy's luck had decided to interfere and not for the better.

The stone sailed a fair distance through the air before striking some unfortunate passerby in the back of the skull. As the pain washed over him the man released his grip on the end of a large log he had been carrying. Unable to deal with the full weight of the log the man on the other end was forced to let go as well. A spilt second later he yowled out in pain as the log fell on his foot, gripping his injured foot the man began to hop about groaning.

The log meanwhile had begun to roll down the inclined path.

The rolling mass then bowled down other villagers along the road before it knocked over a crate containing feathers and another containing few live chickens. Freed the fowl dashed about flapping their wings and clucking like madmen. Further down the path lay a final obstacle. A cart heavily laden with fish and fish parts rested at the bend in the road by the edge of short plateau overlooking the path on the tier below.

_*THWUMP*_

The log collided with the side of the cart accompanied by the sound of cracking wood. With the force of the blow the cart was pushed in the opposite direction, tipping over the contents where set free. In a disgusting mockery of rain the fish and fish parts rained down on the crowd below.

A cacophony of shouts and sour groans met the teen's ears causing him to tuck his head.

Rubbing the back of his head the man who it all started began to turn, his eyes smoldering in anger as he sought out the guilty party. Wisely Hiccup was even quicker with his reaction. With haste the teen ducked down the gap between two of the houses on his right. He lingered but for a moment to listen for any signs of pursuit before taking a sneaking off down the alley.

A short time later he found himself standing back in front of the workshop. _'Where is he?'_ scratching his head the teen let out an exasperated sigh as he strode into the small building.

Looking the place over it appeared someone had been through and cleaned up. Rather thoroughly at that. The tools had all been gathered, sorted and placed according to type. The furnace had been cleared of ash and any remnants of unburnt coal; it now sat clean as the day it had been built. Even the floor had been swept as well further adding to the unsoiled appearance of the workshop. "Someone's been busy" Hiccup mused as he examined the area. Turning he noticed the flickering glow coming from the back of the shop. It was there he found the teen for which he had been searching for.

Adryk sat hunched over on a short stool, elbows resting on his knees he looked to be holding something in his hands. Maneuvering himself around the Viking teen attempted to get a better view of what it was.

It was the knife Adryk had made spent the day working on. Though from what Hiccup could see he had apparently continued working on. The flat grip was no longer bare instead it was wrapped in leather, the edge had no doubt been sharpened, and near the base of the pommel a small hole had been struck. From the hole a thin braided strip of leather hung, its ends tied together to create a small loop.

Looking at it Hiccup had to admit the loop seemed a clever idea, with the loop around your wrist you would be less likely to drop the knife if you lost your grip on it. It would also make it harder for an opponent to disarm you.

Hiccup moved closer his opening to speak only to stop when caught sight of the other's face. The look he wore reminded him of that morning, but this look was different. Those icy blue eyes were focused on the knife cradled in his hands, their narrowed appearance and intense gaze made them seem all the colder and harsher to the Viking teen. His face looked to be contorted in a chaotic turmoil as if he was barely keep his emotions under control and that slightest disturbance may tip the balance.

As curious as this scene made the dark haired teen he knew better than to disturb someone in such a state. _Especially when said person was armed._

Quietly as he could Hiccup began to retrace his steps back out the way he came. Outside the workshop he looked about. He paused mid-step hearing the sounds of the commotion he had a small hand in _'Dad'll have his hands full so it's probably best if I make myself scarce.'_ Turning the Viking teen made for home, all the while making sure to draw as little attention to himself as possible.

-xxx-

Faintly Adryk was aware of the presence of another in the room but his inner turmoil held his attention. He continued to gaze at the knife as Gobber's compliment from earlier rang in his ears. Still he could not understand why those words have affected him so.

After Hiccup and Gobber had gone for a meal leaving him alone with his thoughts, Adryk tried to push them aside by putting the finishing touches on the knife. He had honed and sharpened the blade edge to the point where he could probably shave with it if he wanted. Before wrapping the handle an idea struck him.

Using the furnace he heated the pommel and used a hole-punch to put a quarter-inch sized hole near the bottom.

After cooling he proceeded to bind the handle with a leather strip for a better grip and to make it more comfortable to hold onto. Following that he cut a short strip of leather, braided it then fed it through the hole before tying it off to make a lanyard. A nice safety catch to keep him from losing it.

Looking over the now finished blade that same sense of pride returned to him.

That's when the words spoke to him and again he sought a diversion. Adryk moved about the workshop as if on auto pilot: cleaning, polishing, sorting and replacing items. Doing all he could to keep from dealing with his own emotions.

But that only lasted so long until he found himself sitting on a stool with nothing to do. And that is where he had been ever since.

'_What the hell is wrong with me?'_ the teen shouted in his head _'What am I doing.'_ Standing abruptly he briskly strode acrossed the shop stopping as he caught sight of his reflection on a polished shield. To anyone he would have looked the same as ever. Save perhaps his hair was just a tiny bit longer so as to be unnoticeable, but there was a difference. Locking stares with his likeness he did notice it, his eyes were still the same yet not.

He held the gaze for a few moments. Despite their chilly blue they didn't seem as cold as he had remembered them being every other time he looked at them. It was a strange sensation for him as he looked on.

Only the glint of the dying daylight caught by the shield broke this seemingly endless staring contest. "Shit," he said as he turned to look at the horizon from the shop's window realizing just how late it was getting. "I better get back to Hiccup's house. Oh I hope I don't get into trouble for this, I'd hate to see kinds of punishments they dish out here."

Grabbing a piece of thick leather Adryk wrapped the knife in it to act as a sheath until he could make a proper one. Tucking it into the waistband of his pants the blonde teen set off.

Heading for Hiccup's house he paused but for short stint as he stopped to look some action that was going on.

There were villager's moving about gathering up a large volume of fish that apparently had spilled out acrossed the road from an overturned cart on the plateau above. Though more attention grabbing were those who ran about chasing down chickens as the darted about trying remain free for as long as possible. Above all the smell was rather pungent, also some of the villagers appeared to have bits of fish or feathers clinging to the fur of their coats and vests.

Not wishing to delay and risk a harsh punishment Adryk continued onwards.

The teen came to a stop after reaching the bottom of the hill the house sat atop. His gaze locked on the door he began his ascent; each footstep seemed to grow heavier the closer he got to the door. Finally standing just in front of the wooden entrance he paused taking a breath to calm his nerves he reached out taking hold of the handle.

Adryk had half-expected to find Stoick sitting in the main room waiting to have some long talk or perhaps deal out a punishment for being out late. So it came as a surprise when the door opened only for him to find Hiccup sitting alone by the fire pit.

At the sound of the door opening Hiccup looked up, "Welcome back" he offered in greeting.

The other teen looked about the room with a seemingly worried look on his face, "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing really" Adryk replied moving to take a seat "I just kinda expected your dad would be here to lecture me about being out after dark."

Hiccup let out a nervous chuckle "He's not here at the moment probably busy with council business or something."

"You mean like that cleanup. I saw that on the way here what happened?"

"Don't know" the Viking teen answered feigning ignorance. "I bet you're hungry since you missed out on lunch" Hiccup spoke trying to change the subject.

After missing out on the earlier meals Adryk couldn't deny his body's desire for sustenance. At the mention of food he could feel his stomach begin to tighten and churn making its wants plain as day to the lad. "Yeah you could say that." He watched as Hiccup stood retrieving one of large pans from a hook, "Shouldn't we wait for your dad?"

"I think he's got his hands full right now" Hiccup replied placing the pan over the open flame on a shelf made from a set of bars that crossed the fire pit.

From there the teen looked on as the other strode to a small cupboard and gathered up cooking supplies. He dug through a few small sacks retrieving vegetables for a side dish, herbs for seasoning, and the main course of some rather good sized slabs of beef. Soon the sounds of meat sizzling on the hot skillet filled the room and the smell made Adryk's stomach groan with lust. Sitting back Adryk couldn't help but find Hiccup's cooking remind him of some of the cooking shows he had seen.

The Viking teen sliced, diced and chopped the vegetables and herbs adding them to the pan. The addition of some of the spices he on hand changed the aroma making the already appealing food come acrossed even more delectable.

Luckily it wasn't long before the meat had reached the proper color signaling its readiness. Removing the pan from the fire, Hiccup set it aside before placing its contents on their plates.

The food had barely begun to cool before Adryk had started to cut into it. The moment it touched his tongue he realized how hungry he apparently was, as that first piece was quickly followed a second. Then a third and so on. Everything from the texture of the meat to the flavorings of the spice was delicious.

"Whoa" Adryk paused "Gotta hand it to you, Hiccup. You're a great cook."

"Thanks" the Viking teen replied just swallowing his first bite "I actually do most of the cooking since my dad can barely seem to cook a fish properly at times."

"I mean it this is far better than what they were serving up yesterday" Adryk spoke nearing the end of his meal.

"Yeah, most Vikings aren't much for seasoning their food. They prefer just to cook it and eat it" Hiccup remarked earning a nod from the other.

With his hunger it didn't take the blonde teen long to finish his plate. After placing the soiled plate in the wash basin Adryk sat back relaxing as his now contented stomach began the process of dealing with the food.

Sharing good food and a drink it was only natural that conversation followed. The two teens conversed for a while, though Hiccup's curiosity still whispered to him to ask about what he had seen in the workshop he chose not to press it and let Adryk bring it up on his own if he chose to.

The pair were laughing with the joke that passed between them. However, their laughter died down as a strange new sound filled the air. The low deep bellowing of a distant horn reverberated through the room.

"What was that?" Adryk inquired looking to the door. Turning away the puzzled look on his face changed to concern when he observed the look about the other teen. Hiccup had frozen; his face appeared to have lost some of its color. "Hiccup?" the blonde lad asked concerned for his friend.

Hiccup didn't respond. The Viking teen had set his half filled plate and was up in a flash moving to the door. "They're here!" he exclaimed opening the door.

"What?" Adryk asked following suit "Hiccup, who's here?"

The other teen seemed to ignore the other's inquiry as he hurried down the hill. He moved as fast as his legs could carry him leaving Adryk standing atop the hill.

The sky had darkened considerably as just a faint trace of daylight lingered on the horizon and the stars began to signal the arrival of night. The foreign teen remained on the hill in front of the house watching as villagers below scrambled about. The horn was louder without the obstruction of the walls to dampen the noise. But the sound that intrigued him the most was the unusually loud flapping that came from the darkness above.

Before he could cast his glance skyward the village was lit up by an explosion of flames. Adryk recoiled in shock as another fireball fell from the sky striking one of the houses. The flapping grew in volume until the source came swooping down from the sky.

The creature was large its wings easily stretched thirty feet or more and its orange-red scaled body was just as long. Most disturbing was the fact the beast was not alone in the sky. The sight filled Adryk with a sense of awe, disbelief and fear. "No way" were the only words that he managed to utter.


End file.

How to Train Your Dragon, Adventure, Friendship