Crimson Coronation (HTTYD Dragon OC Insert)

[KingNecron101]

Crimson Coronation
HTTYD Race to the Edge Dragon OC-Insert​

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Prologue
The Midnight Sunrise
Part 1​

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"Erm, Hiccup?" A voice echoed through the central meeting area of Dragon's Edge though it went unanswered despite being occupied.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third stared at the pile of letters that littered the table, deep in thought. Toothless was sleeping outside, tired from running around with Stormfly in the morning.

Following the defeat of Trader Johann, it seemed as if their mission at the Edge had been completed. With the gradual increase in volcano activity and the decision to destroy the Dragon Eyes, it also looked as if there wasn't much need for their outpost anymore and a return to Berk had been imminent.

Then a surprise complication had ended up delaying them, seemingly out of nowhere.

A letter from Berk's Auxiliary Dragon Riders had arrived two weeks prior, penned by Spitelout and translated into more legible Norse by Snotlout.

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Hiccup,

It's Spitelout! Your father's stubbornness has been pissin' us all off. So, I decided to send this letter on my lonesome as the head of the auxiliary Dragon Riders! He didn't want ta say anything since it was such a tiny problem, but now it isn't so small. A couple of weeks ago, right after that whole mess with Traitor Johann (see what I did there) blew over things started getting a wee bit warmer.

Thought nothing of it at first. Hel, we even celebrated! Winter was coming and on Berk, but things are warmer? But it kept getting hotter, bit by bit and faster as a whole. Now a stray spark can light a whole hut aflame! Even the dragons have been actin' antsy. Not sure if even ya can do anything about the Thor damned weather, but I figured it wouldn't hurt ta ask.

Spitelout

P.S – Try and come back as soon as ya can. Would be nice to see my glorious Snotlout more often and maybe with ya back, Stoick can be less of a Vast pain in my arse. HA!

---

Somehow, the accent carried through even in writing.

The increase in heat was definitely unusual, but it hadn't seemed like something they could even try to investigate. Even antsy dragons could be explained away.

What had elevated the matter to something worth investigating were the other letters that had accompanied it via Terror Mail in the following days.

A message from Dagur and Mala stated a similar issue with the Berserkers and Defenders of the Wing. Other letters from nearby tribes and even places as far out as the Wingmaidens and the Northern Markets had sent similar messages to either them directly or an ally that had conveyed the information to the Dragon Riders of the Edge.

All bore the same telltale description of the problem. A gradual increase in heat that had grown increasingly drastic in the recent weeks.

Adding in the paradoxical seasonal factor, it strongly suggested some direct cause.

It even brought into question the situation at the Edge. The reactivation of their own volcano had been blamed for their heat situation, but if these reports held true then something else might be going on after all.

Fishlegs and Hiccup had been brainstorming possibilities, but it was difficult to know even where to begin investigating such a large-scale issue. Snotlout had been eager to go for a flight so they had sent him on a reconnaissance mission just to see if he could find anything. If the letters they were receiving were any indicator than none of them really had any hope of just getting lucky and running into the source of all this.

"Hiccup!" A light punch on his shoulder startled him as he turned around to see Astrid and a timid Fishlegs standing behind him.

"You scared me Astrid!" Hiccup laid a hand to his chest.

"Fishlegs called you, but you were basically in a trance." His girlfriend shrugged. "Sometimes you need a good smack to come to your senses."

"That sounds abusive." But she was right. He had been obsessing over this new problem for over a day straight now. "I was just lost in thought about this heat phenomenon."

"How interesting because so have I!" Tuffnut barged in, Ruffnut following close behind. "I have dubbed it the 'Great Warmening'. Because of our rampant starting of fires, we have turned the world into a giant oven that even snowfall cannot reverse!"

"Huh?" Fishlegs said what they all were thinking out loud.

"Which is actually cool, because if it keeps up Fimmbulwinter can't start!" Ruffnut added more context that continued to explain nothing at all. "Which means no Ragnarok, another badge on the belt for the Nuts!"

"Now it makes perfect sense." Fishlegs nodded.

After the many surprises of his life ranging from Dagur and even Viggo's redemption to Trader Johann's betrayal, the rivalry between Snotlout and Fishlegs over Ruffnut was not something he would have ever guessed. Deathsongs ensnared dragons less effectively than whatever hold Ruffnut had over those two!

The Norns worked in mysterious ways, Hiccup supposed.

"I can sense when my insight is not appreciated." Tuffnut huffed. "I'll be going to play some Muspelheim-Jotenheim with those who really get me. I say good day to you sir!"

"Tuffnut-"

"I said good day!" Tuffnut stomped away, more theatrically than with actual rage. "CHICKEN! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"I'll keep an eye on him." Ruffnut said, moving to the door herself. "I think's he is just worried about Chicken, the heat hasn't been good for her. She might just end up being cooked alive. Which would be tragic. Delicious, but tragic."

"And I think, uhhh, I'll-" Fishlegs started stuttering, his heading glancing to where Ruffnut had left every few moments.

"It's fine Fishlegs, I'll come find you if I make any breakthroughs."

"R-really?" The large boy let out a sigh of relief before turning to run after Ruffnut and by extension, Tuffnut. "Thanks Hiccup! Be sure to tell me everything!"

"So, the 'Great Warmening' is our best theory?" Astrid asked, air quotes and all.

"I really don't think that's the case." Hiccup had learned not to either overly indulge or utterly shoot down the twin's crackpot theories. Not only did they have their moments, but reacting either too strongly or not at all would end up provoking them.

As someone who had been a rather wiry unpopular kid, Hiccup had mastered the art of dancing around that fine line.

"Ignore their nonsense Hiccup." Astrid rolled her eyes and patted his shoulder gently. "Any insights from the letters?"

"Nothing of particular note." He sighed. "The area of effect is just too massive. What if it is just some freak weather incident that'll blow over in a little while?"

"And if it isn't?" Astrid asked.

Hiccup didn't have an answer to that since it was a good question. Even if it was just some weird weather, they couldn't afford to assume so. He just wished they had a proper lead instead of blurting out random guesses.

"You're right, of course." Hiccup said, leaning his head back onto Astrid. "Just wish we…"

The ground rumbled slightly, a familiar sound just like when they had first thought Viggo defeated.

"It's going to be a shame saying goodbye to this place." Astrid mused, seeming to be lost in thought herself. "But the rising heat and an unstable volcano?"

"I think we always knew this was a temporary arrangement, but…" Hiccup stopped mid-sentence.

Wait.

Maybe he had been looking at this the wrong way.

He shot back into proper posture and moved the letters around until he found the one he was looking for.

The joint letter sent by Dagur and Mala. Dagur's segment was mostly just info about the Berserkers and the Defender of the Wings, some talk about bonding with Heather, along with some rambling that he would parse through at a less busy time, but it was the next section that had the info he wanted.

Queen Mala's segment had an addendum which had covered the condition of the Eruptodon.

Due to time constraints, Hiccup had only skimmed it before moving on to noting down the details and consulting their notes.

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P.S – Regardless of the temperature, you will be happy to know that our new Great Protector continues to grow steadily and acclimatize to his new role. Strangely, it appears that even he has reacted poorly to the changes in the weather. He spends far more time in the volcano itself and is slightly skittish, nothing overly concerning as even the predecessor experienced similar bouts of oddness though I can't help but note it down in case it is related.

---

"And thank Thor you did Queen Mala!" Hiccup smiled.

He couldn't believe he had missed this! It was actual information beyond what they had been able to surmise or gather already.

"I'm guessing you have some good news then?"

"Not as good as I would hope, but we do have something of a lead." Hiccup explained. "The Eruptodon began acting oddly around the time the temperature started increasing. It's a pretty small detail, especially since it isn't exactly unheard of, but with the overlap in timing I think we can hypothesize that this is some kind of wide-scale volcanic disturbance."

"We were right the first time then?" Astrid asked.

They had written off their first explanation of the heat on the Edge being due to the reactivation of the island's volcano due to the other islands also being effected, but it seemed that might actually still be the case.

Only it was something that was effecting not just their own but several other volcanoes simultaneously.

"I thought Berserker Island, Outcast Island, and the Wing Maidens don't have volcanoes around them." Astrid had brought up a good counter argument though.

"The truth is that we don't know much about volcanoes in general." Where did all the lava come from? Were there dragons living in the deepest depths of such places? "And is whatever effect indirectly affecting them or doing so directly? And if it's the latter, is it something effecting each one individually or is there some connecting element to all the volcanoes in the Archipelago?"

"I think you'll need to pry lover-boy Fishlegs off Ruffnut to bounce those ideas off of." Astrid leaned down and kissed Hiccup's cheek. "I love you, but I just can't geek out like the two of you can."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Both." They both smiled.

"Gag." Blinking, both Vikings turned to the entrance where Snotlout sat atop Hookfang, a disgruntled Fishlegs in toe walking behind along with Meatlug. "You have your own huts for a reason you know!"

"Snotlout, you're back?"

"Ugh, Snotlout's back." Astrid smirked. "Why are you dragging Fishlegs with you?"

"Because I have stuff to report." Snotlout said, huffing as he got off Hookfang and walked in. "Hiccup and Fishlegs are the brains of the operation, so he should be here with our fearless leader braining about!"

"You just know that if she spends time with me, Ruffnut will-" Fishlegs began.

"As if!" Snotlout shook his head, at which Hookfang shot an incredulous expression at him. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

"Can we focus on the problem at hand?" Hiccup asked. "I'm sure that Ruffnut…will be impressed by whoever can actually help solve our current debacle."

He was not at all, but anything to get these two to be cooperative.

"I'll go first then!" Snotlout fell for it, obviously. Normally Fishlegs wouldn't have, but love appeared to dull the sharpness of his mind. Considerably.

"No, I'll go!"

Hiccup raised a solitary eyebrow.

"With what information, Fishlegs?"

Snotlout had been scouting so he had intel, Fishlegs hadn't even been there for Hiccup's brief flash of insight just minutes prior.

"Uhhh…"

"Ha!" Snotlout laughed. "Fishlegs: 0, Snotlout: 1! As in I won!"

"As gracious in victory as he is everywhere else." Astrid shook her head, ruefully and truthfully. "I guess Snotlout go share what he has learned then."

"Something is definitely wrong in the archipelago." Snotlout stated the obvious. "Don't look at me like that, I mean it! Really!"

"Details please." Hiccup could feel a headache coming along, a flash of sympathy for his father dealing with the likes of Spitelout the Illegible.

"Oh yeah, temperatures are definitely on the rise everywhere." Snotlout began. "Everywhere we went, the air was dry…crispy, actually. Lots of wildfires have just been starting, either due to random dragons or just how weirdly warm some of the places get. The Northern Markets' wilderness was in pretty bad shape. It was gradual enough that casualties have been at a minimum in most places."

"Minimum, but not zero." It was their reality, Hiccup supposed. The severity and widespread nature of the issue meant that loss of life was more an inevitability than a possibility, but there was a difference between the theory and practical reality. "No one from Berk?"

"No one from Berk." Snotlout confirmed. "All the training with Hookfang had the Dragon United Monitoring Brigade do a pretty good job."

"We're calling cleaning up your messes training now?" Astrid asked, bringing a smile to Hiccup's face and drawing a snort from Fishlegs.

"Hey, it gave them a lot of experience!" Technically true. "Anyway, the real weird thing was the Defenders of the Wing's island, Dragon Island, and the Burning Barrens, lots of shaking. Kind of like we keep getting, remind me why we are still on this death-trap of an outpost?"

"All places with high volcanic activity…" Hiccup turned his eyes to the consolidated map of the Archipelago and the new areas revealed in their exploration of the Edge. "Still, even accounting for these it can't explain the sheer breadth of the change."

"I see, your thinking this has something to do with the volcanoes Hiccup?" Fishlegs pondered. "In that case, we have to consider the magnitude of effect as well. The temperature change we are seeing is higher than some full eruption's effects on surrounding ambient heat."

"But the volcanoes aren't erupting yet, so what exactly is going on?"

"What he said." Snotlout nodded. "Ah, wait. I forgot one thing. Some of the water we passed over was bubbly, even though most of it was fine. Saw some fleeing Scauldrons because of it. It was a little strange."

Strange, but very distinctive.

"Of course!"

"It's so obvious!"

Fishlegs and Hiccup's eyes met and they spoke in synch.

"Underwater volcanoes!"

They laughed while Snotlout and Astrid shared a brief look.

"We knew of their existence, but outside of some specific fishing charts they weren't all that relevant compared to actual island volcanoes!" Fishlegs' voice rose in both pitch and speed. "But they are far more numerous! Which could account for the range, though the sheer strength of the effect is still a question. How could these volcanoes, even including underwater ones, raise the average temperature so high, quickly, consistently, and doing so everywhere all the while not erupting?"

"Let me stop you there Fishlegs, you got one thing wrong there." Snotlout snorted. "Yeah, the temperature everywhere is rising. But it sure isn't…"

"Quickly?" Hiccup questioned.

"Consistently?" Astrid suggested instead.

"Yeah, consisterently." Still wrong, but correcting him in one of these moods was a waste of everyone's time and energy. "It was rising everywhere, but it was definitely doing so slower this side of the route I patrolled. If you travel towards Berk from here-"

"South-west." Hiccup mumbled, making a note on the map.

"-it starts rising about four days past Berk."

"How do you know that Snotlout?" Fishlegs asked.

"I ride a Monstrous Nightmare, a dragon that sets itself on fire regularly." He flexed his arm. "Not only am I strong, but I've got a knack for noticing the signs that things are getting toasty."

"Fascinating, so there might be a source to the effect." Hiccup circled the south-west note he had made.

"Yeah, but south-west isn't a destination Hiccup." Astrid poked him in the chest hard enough for him to look up at her. "It's barely a heading. What if the source is subtle, hidden, or underground?"

"Muspelheim-Jotunheim." Hiccup snapped, the half-baked idea leaving his mouth even before fully forming.

"I think Ruffnut and Tuffnut are still playing." Snotlout said, scratching his helmet. "Though Tuff was pretty close to that cliff when I saw them. Does a Zippleback with one rider count or if it like, half points?"

"I think you need some time off Hiccup." Astrid checked his forehead as Hiccup groaned.

"No, the game is how we'll narrow down the search radius!" As a player got closer to a target, the other would yell Muspelheim while if they backed away the other would yell Jotunheim.

Why wasn't the game called Hotter/Colder, one may ask? The answer is that Gods were cruel and petty beings, so their Viking forefathers had chosen a stupid name that stuck to this day despite having every reason not to do so.

"We can coordinate the intensity!" Fishlegs understood the fastest, though he also picked up on the weaknesses just as fast. "But if the volcanoes are a medium, they might throw off tracking. Also, can we really depend on Snotlout's sixth sense for 'heat'? No offense Snotlout."

"Offense very much received Fishface."

"We don't need to depend on Snotlout's 'heat sense'." Hiccup shook his head. "There are many dragons who live in hyper specific environments, these temperature changes surely have them spooked. If we can cross reference the dragons that are fleeing from high temperatures with those that are travelling to them…"

"We can find a proper heading!" Fishlegs finished, his early schism with Snotlout forgotten in the moment.

"But won't a lot of dragons lose their habitats in the meantime?" Astrid asked. "We can help them out while tracking their movements, but I think the numbers are going to get out of hand. And the longer we delay, the more difficult it will be to manage."

"You are right, but the most straightforward solution is addressing the root cause." Hiccup frowned. "We can help a lot of the more standard dragons, but there are some with extremely strict requirements like the Snow Wraith. With the Auxiliary Dragon Riders handling relocation, we can focus on finding the epicenter."

"Well, that's it for me!" Snotlout yawned, stretching his arms as he walked back over to the equally lethargic Hookfang. "I'm going to go take the nap that I've earned. Snotlout out, see ya later. Let's go Hookfang!"

Hiccup watched absent-mindedly as the Monstrous Nightmare and his rider flew off. Snotlout had been flying for a while and came back with more information that he had hoped for, some rest was indeed earned.

"Can we address the Buffalord in the room?" Astrid asked, bringing both Hiccup and Fishlegs gaze to her. "While this could just be some freak volcanic activity, isn't there the possibility that this is the result of…well…"

"A dragon?" Fishlegs turned to look at Hiccup after acknowledging the theory. It had been an early explanation that Hiccup and Fishlegs had floated out before shelving. A dragon whose influence could be felt even beyond the archipelago? The sheer scale of such an effect put it beyond even the likes of the Red Death and maybe even the 'King of Dragons'. "We can't rule out the possibility, but none of the current events match anything in the notes we have. Not from the Book of Dragons, Bork's papers, or our Dragon Eye notes."

"Not that it rules it out." Hiccup scratched his chin. "The world is a pretty big place. There is always more to learn. Maybe, for better or worse, we are the first people to encounter something like this?"

"I, for one, really hope it is for the better if that really is the case." Fishlegs nervously brought his hands together.

"So do I Fishlegs, so do I."

---

Upon consciousness, the first thing I felt was an all-encompassing warmth.

It was comfortable, like a large soft blanket smothering you during a chilly winter.

Ironically, the sensation was soothing enough that a desire to fall into my newly emerged sense of drowsiness was overpowering.

I yawned, jaw wide and limbs stretching through the haze of warmth that surrounded me.

Yet despite the tantalizing siren song of slumber, the energy that flowed through my body and the aches from the maintained positioned incited an even stronger desire to properly awaken.

And so even amidst the comfortable heat, I began to shake and move about until the weariness abated to climb out of this place of sleep.

Rustle by rustle, the desire to fall back into dormancy abated.

Soon, so very soon, I'd be awake again.

I'd enjoy this while I could then.

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Author's Note: I was not expecting to write this, lol. I've been rewatching Race to the Edge and decided to try diving back into the HTTYD fandom for the first time in years and wow, there is a lack of variety in the fanfiction. Most of it is just varying shades of 'Hiccup Runs Away', 'Hiccup but gender bent or with a disability', 'Modern AU that barely vaguely resembles the cast', or just 'watching the movie' fics.

Be the change that you want, so I decided to try my hand at it since the only fic that really had my interest (a DnD dragon SI) died after the initial post. Hope this is enjoyable though I'm not sure what the update schedule will be like.

Most chapters will be mainly focused on the OC insert, just wanted to set the stage with a RTTE episode style beginning. The Prologue will be mostly the Rider perspective, and I'll definitely complete it sooner rather than later, the actual fic will come some other day though. It was initially going to be a single Threadmark, but it was kind of running on, so I decided to split it up. The first two thirds are done so I should post Part 2 relatively soon.

 

[KingNecron101]

Crimson Coronation
HTTYD Race to the Edge Dragon OC-Insert​

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Prologue
The Midnight Sunrise
Part 2​

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After their theory had been made, the Dragon Riders had spent the last two weeks helping dragons move to the best of their abilities. However, the temperature had only continued to rise.

Wildfires had gone from increasingly common to constant and even the Dragon United Monitoring Brigade was beginning to feel the strain, with the twins having taken the time to train even more volunteers.

Calling upon all their allies, from the Defenders of the Wing and the Berserkers to the Outcasts and Wing Maidens. Even with the greater numbers, helping all the displaced dragons find accommodation had been a harrowing task.

Right now, in Berk's Great Hall, Hiccup and Fishlegs were using the data collected to try and derive the heading for their investigation of the Great Heatwave, as Stoick the Vast had dubbed it.

Toothless and Meatlug sat on the side, staying silent but watching with rapt attention.

"So based on the direction that the wild dragons have been fleeing and the Firewyrm migration in the opposite direction, I think we can safely rule out the epicenter as being anywhere in the Archipelago itself." Fishlegs said, crossing out another island while Stoick and Gobber looked on, nodding.

They had moved their base of operations to Berk as the Edge's volcano had only continued to grow increasingly volatile while the heat in the Archipelago soured to record highs even by the standards of the warmest weeks of summer.

It had been a strange feeling saying goodbye to their outpost for good, but it had been the plan from the beginning. Their only return would be to pick up some of their things once the current crisis was resolved.

"Snotlout seems to have been right about the general direction as well, south-west." Hiccup added, making a mark at the corner of the Berkian segment of their world map. "At least, from our calculations that seems to be the suggested center of the effect. Assuming the volcanoes didn't throw us completely off track."

"Hardly convenient, but not surprising." Hiccup's father sighed. "The other tribes have been reaching out more often as well. We really need to do something about this, before all the crops and livestock die off. Even traders are becoming rarer, inside and from outside the Archipelago. A fire on land is dangerous, but at sea it might as well be a death "

"Well, what exactly is off in that direction?" Upon further inspection, Hiccup realized that the evidence was pointing to the barely detailed, practically empty segment of the map. Even the other edges of the map were significantly more defined. "It can't just be nothing, right?"

"Come on Stoick!" Gobber clapped Hiccup and Fishlegs on the back. "Now's not the time for secrets! End of the world's at hand! I always thought Fimmbulwinter would do me in, not this great heat! Plus, Fimmbulsummer just doesn't roll of the tongue as nicely."

"I know Gobber, but I think we know I'm not nearly as much of a storyteller as you are."

"Since your pulling my peg leg, how about I share the tale of the Sea of Cinders with the lads."

"Do what you will." Stoick waved away Gobber. "Son, I'll be out helping bring some more water for the fire suppression teams. We'll talk later, before you set out."

"Sure thing."

"In the meantime, I'll start regaling you about-" Gobber started as soon as Stoick had walked off.

"Wait Gobber." Hiccup stopped the blacksmith before he could launch into the story. "I think we should call everyone for this. Astrid, Heather, and Mala will be back soon, and I got a Terror Mail that Snotlout and Dagur have already arrived a little while back. We can grab the twins and find-"

"No need Hiccup." This time, Hiccup was the one interrupted as their friends entered the Great Hall with Heather at the forefront while Dagur and Mala hung back a few feet behind. Their dragons seemed inclined to wait outside. "We got everyone and came here as soon as we could!"

"Hiccup Haddock, it is always a pleasure." Queen Mala bowed, a gesture which Hiccup returned back.

"The pleasure is mine Queen Mala, without your words on the Eruptodon I don't think we would have put the clues together in time to act on."

"Brother!" Dagur cried out, though his hold on his newlywed wife seemed to prevent Hiccup from getting a Berserker tackle. No one was happier about Dagur's marriage than Hiccup himself. "We moved all the dragons we could! The rest were too nervous around Riders!"

"We'd have done more harm than good by trying to force ourselves into the situation." Heather elaborated. "Still, this is only a temporary solution. With how the heat is rising, even these new territories we found for the dragons are going to end up like their original ones unless something is done."

"Yeah, have you two managed to come up with any proper leads?" Astrid asked.

"South-west was a proper lead!" Snotlout glared at Astrid. "I resent the purposeful ignorance regarding my contribution!"

"I hate to say it with how it boosts his ego, but Snotlout was right." Hiccup looked around. "The evidence points towards the south-west section of the map beyond Berk. Which, according to my father and Gobber, is called the Sea of Cinders."

"Woah, that sounds so cool." Tuffnut gasped. "So, does the cinder start with a C or an S?"

"Obviously it starts with a Sea you muttonhead!" Ruffnut spun her brother's helmet around. "Sea of Cinders!"

"I was discussing the letter that started the word, not the word and the beginning of the title!" Tuffnut gestured back at Ruffnut. "Can you believe just how stupid that correction was?"

"Stupid, I'll show you stupid!" Ruffnut tackled her brother and began choking him.

"A-hh, v-victory is mine!" Tuffnut gasped in between being choked. "Y-your shift to violence means-ugh, that I won the argument!"

"While I love watching two half-pea brained idiots blabber on until the end of my shift, I think we should be focusing on the tale I'll be weaving for you sorry lot today. The almost forgotten legend of the Kingdom of the Wilderwest."

"Wait, a kingdom?" Snotlout asked, incredulously. A sentiment shared by the others as well. 'Trader Johann' had told stories about the large tribes that covered so much territory that a different term than tribe or clan had to be granted to them: such as empire or kingdom. "Those are real? And we had one right near the Archipelago? Why is this the first I am hearing of it?!"

Gobber struck his hook over Snotlout's helmet.

"I was getting there!" The blacksmith coughed. "Now where was I? Ah, yes. The Kingdom of the Wilderwest was the greatest Kingdom known to the Archipelago and the surrounding territories. While its founding tales are lost even to passionate historians such as me, the legend of its fall is another matter entirely."

The Great Hall had been mostly cleared out, having been repurposed into a large supply room, which allowed everyone to sit comfortably as Gobber got into his theatrical mindset.

"In the height of its power, the Kingdom of the Wilderwest ruled everything from the farthest edges of Vanaheim to the very foot of Asgard itself, if the legends are to be believed." Gobber shook his head, ruefully. "A proud, stubborn people. Our ancestors as well, no surprise there, haha! Even the dragons were hardly an issue for them! Why, some legends even say that they were tamed by the Wilderwesterners."

Was any of this true? If such a thing had happened, why had Hiccup's bond with the Toothless seemed so unacceptable at first? Unlike Snotlout, Hiccup knew to wait until Gobber finished. The answers would likely come on their own.

"But like all proud, stubborn people who do well for themselves…they tended to get unruly." Gobber tapped his hook on his own chin. "Arrogant, even. While they never really reached the stage of blasphemy, out loud, there were certainly some thinking: how much better could the gods be then us? But wise Odin could see into their hearts, and a punishment was doled out. In the days leading up their end, they were boiled alive by their sins."

Boiled alive, was that…huh, maybe it was?

"Punishment from Odin?" Fishlegs asked, voice trying to stay strong.

"Wicked!" Ruffnut laughed while Tuffnut held onto Chicken tightly. Somewhere along the line those two had stopped fighting and started paying attention. Hiccup felt his throat parch as the story continued.

"H-hurry up with your superstition Gobber!" Gobber smacked Snotlout again. "Ow, Ruffnut and Fishlegs spoke out as well?!"

"Ey, but you were closer and I still felt more like giving you a good old hit on the noggin!" It seemed therapeutic as Gobber was a lot happier after the act. "Anyway, in the end the Wilderwest could not escape judgement forever. One moonless night, a blood red star that would be called Surtr's Star fell from the sky and onto the Island of Tomorrow, the seat of the Wilderwest King himself, and brought ruin to the greatest Viking Kingdom."

There was a silence as the younger Vikings listened, attention fully gained and held as Gobber narrated the tale.

"It was Ragnarok come early!" Gobber bellowed. "Mountains blew flame like full grown dragons, islands sank, and the Island of Tomorrow was reduced to ash and lost to the ages. A few surviving families fled the end of their world with their servants and sworn warriors and settled in the Archipelago, the nearest 'safe' haven to one day become the tribes you know today."

The storyteller sat down as well, looking somewhat exhausted .

"We don't really like telling this story, you see." Gobber frowned. "We Vikings love tales of grand victories and entering into Valhalla with one hand on ours sword and the other around our enemy's throat to drag them along as well. This story? Just leaves a bitter taste in the mouth without a remedy, believe me…I asked Gothi!"

"I'm still lost, actually." Snotlout raised his hand. "You told this story, but I still don't know what this Sea of Cinders thing even is! You're killing me Gobber, killing me!"

"Knew I was forgetting something!" Gobber laughed. "The land of the Kingdom itself, the Island of Tomorrow, along with the surrounding waters became uninhabitable after 'Surtr's Descent', and that's by Viking standards. The seas are always boiling hot, the air is so dry that a stray spark can set an entire fleet of ships aflame without a moment's notice. The air is filled with smoke and other poisons that'll kill you from the inside out and everything else will kill you from the outside in. So it became known as the Sea of Cinders and no one with a sound mind has tried going there."

Everyone turned to Dagur, who looked taken back.

"Hey, at my worst I was Deranged, not suicidal!"

"I still don't get something, if dragons and humans coexisting wasn't unheard of in this story…why did we grow up hating them?" Astrid asked, changing the subject.

"Who knows the exact reason?" Gobber shrugged. "Maybe it emerged after we first landed here on Berk, once we kept getting into fights after a few generations the good will was gone and all that was left was a deep grudge caked in blood, theirs and ours."

"Perhaps it was an 'overcorrection', since the Wilderwest was 'struck down by Odin'?" Tuffnut hummed, a thoughtful expression his face. Either this would be a shockingly insightful comment or brain addling nonsense. How sincerely Hiccup hoped it was the former. "Maybe they just 'rejected' their past entirely, including living alongside dragons?"

"Or maybe some people just need a reason to keep going." Dagur said, everyone quieting down as their old enemy and current friend spoke softly. "Hate is a pretty convenient motivator, I should know."

Mala quietly hugged him and Heather patted her brother's shoulders while everyone else looked away, uncharacteristically introspectively.

"Eh, who knows how true the story is." Gobber waved his arms. "It's an ancient story that even our ancestors could barely bring themselves to remember. Even more recent nonsense, like the Lycanwing, is rife with yak dung!"

"But there is always some degree of truth in these stories." Hiccup reminded Gobber. "Lycanwing Island had the Dragon Eye lenses and so many other stories had some truth to them. Maybe this story isn't so different…"

"Hiccup, you don't mean…" Astrid picked up the train of thought fastest, faster than even Fishlegs.

"Yes." Hiccup nodded. "A lot of those folktales revolved around some species of dragon or another. Maybe 'Surtr's Star' really was just a meteor…or maybe it was actually referring to some kind of dragon."

"It would explain the resentment your tribes originally carried for the creatures as well, if their homeland was destroyed by one and they were then raided constantly by others." Queen Mala added, thoughtfully.

"That was the past though, right?" Heather asked. "Why does it matter? Finding the source of this heat is the real focus of our mission right?"

"Don't you remember what Gobber's legend said preceded the calamity?" Hiccup asked. "They were 'boiled alive' by their sins, which could be a more superstitious version of what is happening to us right now!"

"Which means that the dragon we may end up facing in the Sea of Cinders…"

"Could be 'Surtr' itself or a descendant." Dagur filled in what Hiccup stopped himself from saying, the room falling into silence for a moment after the fact. "Come Valhalla or even Hel itself, you can count on me brother! And Mr. Triple Stryke!"

"Same here!" Heather gave Hiccup a thumbs up. "As a Berserker and a Dragon Rider, you can count on Windshear and I."

"We're in as well, traveling to a lost kingdom and potentially clashing with an apocalyptic dragon?" Tuffnut said, looking back to a nodding Ruffnut. "Great material for our next travel guide!"

"Barf and Belch could also use a nice tan." Ruffnut added, continuing to nod along.

"You know you can always count on me Hiccup." Astrid walked closer and Hiccup gently gripped her hand. "Stormfly and I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"As a true Viking warrior, there is no way Meatlug or I would miss out on such a noble endeavor." Fishlegs announced, glancing at Ruffnut.

"Neither would me and Hookfang!" Snotlout jumped in.

"And here we have the prideful, but rather dull, Snotwing easily baited by the humble Fishtail." Tuffnut narrated. "A battle for the ages, provided the ages are easily entertained by such sad courtship efforts."

"I would love to provide aid, but with the volcanic activity being so unpredictable, I must remain with the Defenders of the Wing to aid the Great Protector." Mala sighed. "My sincerest apologies."

"It isn't a problem, better not to put all our eggs in one basket anyway." Hiccup waved away Mala's concerns. "If the worst occurs…I think we all can trust you to lead both our peoples and dragons to safety. Between you and my father, I think we can fly without any worries about the homefront."

"I am honored by your trust." Mala bowed again, less formally and more sincerely. A gesture Hiccup returned.

"One problem with that plan, Hiccup." The booming voice of Stoick the Vast catching everyone's attention. "I'll be coming with you. The Sea of Cinders is no ordinary stretch to be exploring. And if the hubbub about this 'Surtr' is true? Skullcrusher and I will be right up there alongside you."

"Dad, no!" Hiccup immediately shot down that idea. "Your still not fully recovered from the Flyer's attack. And even if you were, we have to think about the tribe!"

"Spitelout is more…"

"Now you're even lying out of your teeth?" Hiccup asked.

"Hey!" Snotlout held his fist up. "I mean, it's true, but still!"

"It's just…this sounds particularly dangerous son." Stoick let out a breath of air, looking more tired than Hiccup had seen him in a long time. "I'm just worried."

"It's an occupational hazard, we're Vikings remember?" Hiccup moved to his father. "The tribe needs Stoick the Vast, especially now. Don't worry, my father taught me well. I'm stronger than I look."

"Aye, that metal peg leg is pretty sturdy."

"That is not what I meant!" They both laughed and the tension bled away as suddenly as it had emerged.

"Alright son, you better come back safely or there'll be Hel to pay."

"Maybe this time I can lose a hand?" Hiccup joked. Was it fine to joke about this? "Gobber and I can be matching."

"For Astrid's sake, I hope your mug doesn't turn half as ugly as his!" Apparently, it was more than fine as Stoick finally let out the last chord of tension that was keeping him so stiff.

"I'm right here you know Stoick!" Gobber complained.

"Of course I did!"

Walking back, standing next to Astrid and his friends, Hiccup began to feel like this was just another obstacle to overcome.

The Red Death

Alvin.

Dagur.

Ryker.

Viggo.

Krogan.

And even Johann had all stood in their way and had been overcome.

They could do this!

Right?

---

In spite of the comforting warmth, awareness had continued to grow in me. The fog of confusion that accompanied wakefulness was gradually fading away and the urge to properly move about had begun to take hold.

Yet there was a hard sort of structure around the warmth. Not impenetrable, given how easily it gave way once pressed against, but there was an instinctual sensation that now was not the time yet.

An instinct I trusted, despite not really knowing what was going on at the moment.

With the return of higher order thought processes, many realizations occurred. The first and foremost being that this was certainly not my bed.

The second was more serious, that I had begun to suspect that my body had changed. Upon waking, the difference had been noticeable due to the sheer ease with which I had maneuvered myself, but as I moved about with more conscious thought it was clear that this body was different.

Bulkier, but in a muscular manner, with harder 'skin' and, most strangely, what had to be a tail and a wing. Not just prosthetics like cosplay, but genuine limbs that I could control. It was an eerie feeling at first, particularly the wings since they felt far more cramped, but with it an understanding that could chill even my currently heated body finally clicked.

I had been reborn as what I could only presume to be a dragon.

---

Author's Note: Next part will wrap up the Prologue.