#HTTYD/The Deep crossover

[headfullof-ideas]

Some doodles, featuring a reveal of who exactly two of the side characters I’ve made are

Now some people may have figured it out based on their looks and/or names alone. I wouldn’t know, I haven’t posted much about Bognut and Bjornhilde, and no one’s made any public guesses. But, Bognut is the Twins mother and Bjornhilde is Dogsbreath and Snotlout’s mother. They’re actually really good friends and made sure to live next to each other so their kids could be neighbors/childhood friends. They were already friends as kids, but now they bond over their garbage husbands and the fact their kids flew into exile on dragon back for reasons they don’t actually know. Fishleg’s mother, Minervyn, has been brought into their circle as well, though I don’t have an actual design of her yet beyond the doodle I made on my last napkin doodle post.

[marie-12205]

So i was analyzing the story of httyd/the deep crossover that i made of entirely in my head and i just realized that ant is the character that had the most attempts in murder by dragons or something bad happens to him,like

*is born without a leg

*almost gets kiddnap by a dragon when he was a baby

*almost gets kill by trying to free a dragon from getting kill by dragons hunters(truns into a disaster)

*gets lost in an island infested by dragons he has never seen or heard of

*almost gets kill by a dragon while he's there

*gets tranquilized by his own grandparents thinking he was an intruder

*gets kiddnapped by an "extinct" dragon

*is almost eaten by dragons

*a dragon brutally slaps him into a rock causing him to lose consciouness

*almost gets crushed by rock

*sacrifices himself to try to defeat berserker (he dose make it)

And probably more stuff i come up with.😂

[the-ghost-in-your-walls]

Watching httyd for the first time

[therentyoupay]

hiii kris! i am a long time fan and your fanfiction is probably the only fanfiction I still follow to this day because your right is just TEWWW GOOD. i wondered if you have ever envisaged what Astrid/Elsa meeting for the first time would be like? either modern AU or a crossover within their universes? i recently watched HTTYD 2 and noticed a lot of parallels and also a lot of differences between them - but ultimately thought - what would they even think of each other? how would they interact?

HI thank you so much. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🙏 ilu 💕💕💕💕 thank you so much for this super sweet ask and your SUPER SWEET WORDS.

also, GAH, i love this idea. i had definitely considered their potential interactions in the context of rotbtfd settings (and i briefly briefly played around with a modern/magical-realism/mermaid!au take on this in frosted sea glass, but as those who have read the story already know, elsa has a very complicated dynamic with the others, astrid included). but now that you've brought up this idea, with a specific focus on the two of them in particular...? how might a friendship begin? an alliance? i am intrigued, i am intrigued, thank you for this. 💕

I DID NOT MEAN TO WRITE ANOTHER FICLET/ONE-SHOT AHHHHHHHHHH

also, FULL DISCLOSURE, to be absolutely honest, if you’d asked me this question 4 days ago, i would have had a completely different vision/response. (maybe i’ll still write this other version one day???) however... 3 days ago, i reblogged a fanart of elsa with her own ice dragon, and it’s been living RENT FREEEE in my head ever since, so, therefore, my reply to this ask, in this moment, is HEAVILY INFLUENCED and very much inspired by this gorgeous fanart on twitter/X from @Kiddo_hah (which i found from a re-post shared by @humongoustreemoon). i, too, have reposted the fanart inside this ask for dramatic effect™ but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be sure to GO TO THE twitter/x POST (linked again at the bottom of the ficlet too) and like, reply, and share this glorious creation, especially since i don’t have a twitter myself, thank you thank you 💕💕💕💕

//

only honor ;

//

“I know, I know!” Astrid urged Stormfly forward, patting her neck and gritting through the unnatural chill, the sharp-like blades of wind on the skin not protected by her armor. “Almost there!”

Stormfly cried out—willing, trusting, but cold, and she ain’t happy about it—charging forward, her powerful wings slicing through the frigid air as they neared the towering ice fortress.

Her eyes catalogued potential weaknesses, entry points, barriers. It’s not like Valka’s old hideaway… The structure loomed on the horizon, its crisp spires piercing the bright white sky. It’s so… unnatural… 

Unliked the Ice Beast’s jagged spikes, these constructions were symmetrical—crystalline. 

Hiccup—where are you!

Astrid decided on their entry point and swooped down to surge through the crevasse —for better or worse.  

The biting winds were replaced with a bone-deep chill, and with a screech, Stormfly instinctively slowed their pace to mitigate the burn. Astrid’s armor was not comfortable, but removing it was not an option. What is this place? The deeper they ventured into the glacier, the more Astrid’s breath crystallized in the air. Impossibly, the bright ice around them shifted and shimmered as they flew past—as though the ice itself was breathing. 

As if it were alive. 

“I know, I know,” Astrid soothed Stormfly, but they couldn’t leave, not yet. “Don’t you feel that?”

And she knew the Nadder could; there, at the center of the structure, a pulse of power—something ancient and formidable.

Another Ice King?

Stormfly slowed to nothing more than a glide as they slipped into what could only be the deep core. This far inside the glacier's cavernous heart, there was no wind, no sound; only eerie, imposing, suffocating silence… save for the occasional cracks and bending twangs of the glacier, in the haunting song that only ice sing.

“Hiccup!” Astrid called out, unable to bear it, but although her voice echoed through the ice tunnels, there was no response. Astrid carefully surveyed the walls, searching for breaks, for sign of weakness, but the ice was immovable, vast. Astrid swallowed down the fear, the instinct to stay quiet, lest the ice respond, and crack, and break.

Was this a mistake?

—no. You’re here now. 

Face it.

But what she found within the heart of the glacier was neither the hulking form of an ice beast nor the hollow emptiness she had feared.

What she found—was a face.

At the core of the glacier was a throne of ice upon a frozen dais, delicate yet commanding... atop which sat a figure draped in flowing robes as pale as the snow. Her garments were soft and flowing and light—better suited for autumn or spring, rather than the deepest core of a glacier. Astrid knew, beyond all doubt, that this creature… was not human.

Not human, not human, how, how, not human—

Stormfly drew back, screeching a warning, as Astrid's keen, analyzing, calculating gaze took in the sight of the woman—a monster in disguise?���at the center of this impossible fortress. The woman—this being—stared back.

Despite the Nadder’s every instinct, Stormfly followed Astrid’s formidable will and took them to the icy floor before the impossible throne. Without letting her nerves overwhelm her, before she had the chance to doubt, Astrid dismounted in a single fluid motion, her axe at the ready; this deep into the glacier’s core, the metal was already showing signs of burgeoning frost.

Although she wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, exactly, she still hadn’t believed that the figure would rise from her throne. The woman lifted herself, her movements graceful yet commanding. Unnatural.

Astrid tightened her grip on her axe, ready to defend.

“You are lost,” said the woman. Her melodious, soft voice carried all throughout the cavern, against and through the reflective ice. All at once, the walls and floor seemed to shimmer with sunrise hues—glimmers of soft pinks, light blues, fresh lilacs. 

Her hair, as white as the frost itself, cascaded down her shoulders, crowned with intricate icicles that sparkled in the dim light. But it was her eyes—cool, piercing blue, as light as the glacial ice itself, and glowing with the same unnatural power—

“I am seeking someone,” Astrid announced loudly, fiercely, with more bravado than she felt. Not human, not human, not human— “A man, riding a black dragon. His trail led me here.”

The woman’s surprise seemed genuine, but Astrid wasn’t ready to trust.

(Who are you! What are you!)

“I’m sorry,” the woman said, with soft confusion, with (feigned?) sympathy. Astrid’s gloved hand, her cold and aching fingers, tightened over the wooden handle of her axe. The air was so cold, Astrid half-wondered if the metal blad might simply shatter at first contact. Stay calm, stay calm, not human, not human—

The woman's expression softened slightly, as if hearing Astrid’s very thoughts. 

“You are safe from me, warrior,” she promised, and Astrid carefully eyed the sympathetic slant of her brows, the reassuring tilt of her smile. Astrid inhaled, unsure, and exhaled, determined. “But you should not be here.”

“I’ll be on my way,�� the words left Astrid’s throat before she could piece the puzzle together, “as soon as you explain who… and what… you are.”

The woman’s smile disappeared; the soft line of her mouth flattened into something stiff, her gaze hardening, sharpening. The air seemed colder.  

“You must leave,” said the woman, soft yet unmistakably a command. “Your friend is not here. Leave at once and forget this place. I shall not be here if you return.” 

Thousands of questions begged to spill from Astrid’s lips, but the woman—the queen?—turned her back on her—Astrid’s hackles instinctively raised at the slight, at the offense, at the dismissal—and she glided across the perfect, unmarred ice back to her throne. Astrid stepped forward, compelled into action, as the woman lowered herself on the seat with an unnatural, eerie grace. 

“Please!” Astrid’s face twisted with confusion, with indignation, with annoyance, and—although she’d never dare—perhaps a tiny bit of trepidation. “You may not have sensed him, but I know he’s here. We were—that is—our home is under attack.”

The woman—she must be a Queen, she must have been, she must be—looked on, her eyes widening, as Astrid dared move even closer, approaching the dais. Astrid hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But there was something in the Queen’s presence—a strange, cold purity of truth that persuaded her to speak. 

Her instincts had never steered her wrong… so far.

“The carnage led us north, where we found destruction all through the frozen lands… There was a sign of struggle, a great battle—we thought… we thought the damage was borne from an Alpha—an Ice King,” she admitted. 

The queen’s smile was faint but genuine—and a little bit sharp.

“I am no Alpha. And I am no King.”

Astrid was in no danger, but its prospect hovered in the air, tingling on her skin, threatening the possibility.

“Please,” Astrid insisted. “I’ll leave you be,” she declared, not knowing if it was a lie. “Tell me what you know of the battle that took place outside these walls—who you faced, and how—so that I can find him. I’ll never return.”

From the way the woman’s brow raised archly, it seemed both of them seemed to sense the mistruth in Astrid’s claim; the Queen’s chin raised, considering; her keen eyes, defiant. Sharp. Astute.

Damn. Only honesty, then. No trickery.

Only honor, and duty, and valor.

“I will tell you what I know,” said the ice Queen. “But you will not like what you hear.”

Astrid swallowed, brow furrowed, and nodded. Her armor was growing frost, and it was starting to sting.

“I am bound to the ice,” she declared, and her expression slipped into something cold, something aloof. “As I have been, for an age… I know nothing of your politics, your land disputes, and I no longer care for anything beyond these walls. But I can confirm that when unwanted visitors encroach upon that which is mine—I shall respond in kind.”

“So… it was you?”

Behind her, the air itself seemed to shimmer, and then crack—like a frozen lake underfoot. 

Astrid’s breath hitched as she watched the very essence of the ice condense, swirling like a storm gathering strength. 

From nothingness, a massive form began to materialize— 

Astrid gasped escaped her, as Stormfly shrieked, as the unnatural surge of power took shape, coalescing into the distinct outline of a dragon.

Its form—its body?—a thing of haunting beauty, shimmering with unnatural, almost ethereal light as it slinked forward. The dragon's head was massive and menacing, its piercing eyes glowing with an intense, cold light. 

Its mouth was filled with sharp, ice-like teeth, lined within a jaw no doubt capable of unleashing a blizzard with a single breath. The ice demon of a dragon let out a piercing, shrieking warning call—to Astrid, to Stormfly, who was furiously cowering and spitting at the stranger’s might, unable to summon flames in so deep a cold—but from its horrible, beautiful maw, the ice dragon spat frost like sparks.

Astrid breathed hard, trying to keep her heartbeat steady as it leered forward, curling itself protectively around the throne and the woman upon it, its mighty claws never once gauged the perfect ice beneath. The beast's wings expanded, curling about the dais, each membrane almost translucent, laced with veins of ice.

Astrid was highly aware of Stormfly’s extreme displeasure, of Stormfly’s fright and distrust, even with her confidence in Astrid’s steady presence.

Look, Stormfly, look, she willed silently to the Nadder behind her, as she stared at the ice dragon's scales—a deep, frigid blue, glistening like frozen crystals in the pale light, rolling from deep indigos to pale lavenders. Don’t you see? Maybe this is what we were looking for—maybe she’s…

The ice around her rippled with power and, Astrid realized, in that moment—

She was the ice.

The ice dragon—is her!

Astrid’s heart raced. Is this—is she—an Alpha, after all? (A new, unknown species? Is she the dragon, or is it a part of her? An extension of her? The power emanating from this Queen and her dragon was unlike anything she had ever encountered. Hiccup! Did you see?

Were you here?

Do you know!)

“What are you? Who are you?” Astrid demanded, breath shaky, awed and alarmed as the ice dragon coiled more fully around the Ice Queen, radiating calm menace—and a deep, deep core of protection. Stormfly growled lowly, still clicking her displeasure, but fell briefly subdued when the veil of danger lessened... despite the ice dragon's dark, eerie presence. 

This is it! Astrid's mind whirled through the possibilities, the calculations. If they could convince her to join them—if Astrid could convince her that they should be allies—

The Queen’s gaze held hers, steady and calm, as she folded her hands delicately atop her lap, resting upon her knees. 

“I was once known as the Snow Queen,” she intoned, her voice steeped in quiet, ancient power, now impossible to ignore. “But those days are lost to time… and you, Dragon Warrior, stand in my domain. If you wish to find your friend, you must listen to the counsel, and the warning, I shall grant you.”

Ignoring her better judgments, yet heeding her instincts—

Astrid did.

//

please go like/repost/comment on, etc. this gorgeous fanart on twitter/X from @Kiddo_hah (which i found from a re-post shared by @humongoustreemoon). PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be sure to GO TO THE twitter/x POST and engage and spread the love, especially since i don’t have a twitter account myself, thank you thank youuuu~💕🙏🙏🙏🙏✨

[gumnut-logic]

Óen (Part 1)

Okay, I've been egged on repeatedly by the wonderful @idontknowreallywhy to have a go at this, but I'm a little nervous cos I've never written any HTTYD fanfic ever and am a bit short on the canon in my head, so be kind as I make up a pile of stuff as I go along.

This is a Thunderbirds Are Go and How to Train Your Dragon crossover and I'm chewing fingernails..

Many thanks to both @onereyofstarlight and @idontknowreallywhy for their support in this insanity.

This little bit is just set up so don't expect much, but I hope you enjoy it. My apologies to Toothless.

-o-o-o-

Hiccup Haddock III was an idiot.

Toothless, the midnight black night fury he was currently clinging to, no doubt agreed.

“I’m sorry, bud, you were right. We should have gone back earlier.” The words were whipped from his mouth by the raging winds, but as always, Toothless heard him regardless.

A deep rumble in the dragon’s throat, vibrating against Hiccup’s thighs, indicated agreement on all fronts.

Hiccup should have known better. He’d seen the signs of changing weather but had ignored them, convincing himself they had a few moments longer. Unfortunately, said weather had disagreed and whipped up one of those sudden storms that had Berk locked down and huddled away.

Except Hiccup and Toothless were in the middle of the ocean with no protection.

He grit his teeth against the wind, desperately attempting to help Toothless manage their flight. At first, he had tried for home, his dragon friend whacking him with an ear flap in annoyance…always listen to your dragon…but the conditions had changed so abruptly for the worse, that now it was a case of desperately trying to keep aloft and not slammed into the ocean.

They had tried for height, Toothless as always knowing exactly how high they were, in an attempt to get above the storm. But the thunderheads went on forever and they reached as high as Hiccup could go - Toothless could always go higher, but he didn’t seem inclined to do it carrying a frozen friend on his back.

Toothless snarled and then attempted speed, trying to get out of the squall. But Thor had other ideas and along with several lightning strikes that had Hiccup’s hair standing on end, despite the wind and now the sleet, it soon became a struggle to stay in the sky at all, much less attain any directional speed.

And now they were in trouble.

Astrid was going to kill him if he managed to ever see her again.

Dad…

Dad, as always was the reason he was out here in the first place. Just another day where father and son just couldn’t see eye to eye. Another day that found Hiccup fleeing on Toothless and no doubt Stoick the Vast ranting in the smithy with Gobber.

Ice bit into his skin.

Beneath him, Toothless growled in alarm as they were suddenly swept sideways and down.

“Toothless!”

His friend’s wings struggled against the gale, but were snapped back, his growl turning into a wail of pain.

The wind took them and Hiccup could do little but cling to Toothless as they were swept into a dark and violent maelstrom.

-o-o-o-

It was all sensation after that. Toothless fighting beneath him. Pain. Freezing everything.

Screaming darkness.

This was it. His own stupidity, not listening to his dragon, and forever being fearful of his father and the future. It all had finally done him in.

Hiccup the Idiot.

Saved Berk, but was too stupid to save himself.

A sudden yank upwards against the wind startled him. But before he could react something grabbed him.

What?!

He was lifted from Toothless. A tug as his safety line pulled then fell slack as if snapped. No!

NO!

He struggled but it was too dark and whatever had him, had a solid grip. “Toothless!”

The wind raged but he wasn’t falling. He attempted to fight himself free, but his arms were pinned to his sides and he couldn’t…

“Toothless!”

The wind whipped the name from his mouth.

Toothless was gone. He had to be. His dragon couldn’t fly without him. His thoughts swirled like the wind battering his senses and he clenched his eyes shut in grief. Toothless!

“You’re going to be okay.”

The words were heavily accented and heard mostly through whatever he was held against, and he only heard them because the winds were dying.

The winds were dying.

Hiccup flung his eyes open. He was flying. But not on Toothless. His heart lurched.

He was on another dragon, black and silver danced beneath a dark grey sky. In the distance the sun managed to peek through over a bunch of islands fading into the grey sea.

“Toothless!”

“Óen has your dragon. Don’t be worried.” There was such surety in that voice, Hiccup had to believe.

“Who?”

“Scott o’ Clan O’Treasaigh and Óen. We’re here to rescue you.”

-o-o-o-

Next

[conartisthaiji]

20 questions for writers

got tagged by @clementinecoastline thanks clem <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

84!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

313,665 (bitch. what)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

i've written for so many different fandoms over the years...these days it's mostly just life series, haikyuu, and qsmp though

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

5. hands, knees, please, tangerine (come on back to me)

4.scar's magical emporium for lost grians

3. i never get bored looking at you (because every time i see something new)

2. i'm in your bed, why are you in your twitch chat?

how to get over heartbreak

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

almost always!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

ooh i don't write a lot of angst (and also i barely remember anything posted before 2021) but. and we're gonna let it burn is pretty tragic like whenever i reread that one i'm like who the fuck let me write that.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

i typically write fluff so...pick literally any of my haikyuu fics! or emporium

8. Do you get hate on fics?

nope...fingers crossed it stays that way too

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

only once. it's friends with benefits.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

that would all the shit i wrote back in 2013. we don't talk about those days.

(it was frozen/rotg/tangled/brave/httyd if you didn't know)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

as far as i know, nope! fingers crossed it stays that way too

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

yes!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

YEAH me and @huiplash wrote a fic together but alas it remains incomplete. and probably always will LOL

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

god. i don't know. tokomaru from udg will always be special to me, these days i'm completely insane about griddlehark and scarian, bokuaka was really special to me when i was deep into haikyuu...oh and runayachi is now my personality trait on my hq sideblog. this is hard.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

GOD like all of them?

realistically it's the desert duo idol/exes with benefits au, but i'm loathe to delete the project because i'm obsessed with the ideas i've created for it. also maybe the goshihina six swans au, desperate as i am to finish that one...it's been sitting in my wips for two years now :,)

16. What are your writing strengths?

i write good dialogue i think!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

WORLDBUILDING i am so bad at worldbuilding. the characters are in there for the PLOT which is KISSING. also setting i suck at setting. but that's related to worldbuilding i think.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

honestly it's not something that i ever thought much about until the qsmp but i feel like if it's true to the character and you're comfortable writing in that language then yeah why not?

19. First fandom you wrote for?

first ever fandom was frozen, but on ao3 the first thing i ever published was actually for toradora!

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

and i'll never go home again is probably my all-time favorite thing i've ever written, but the pissever hs yuri au is a close second (even though that one is three fics. emotionally they are one though).

tagging @astrowaffles @strawberryclementine @verytendou and @reineyday

[randomositycat]

Wah wah wah my little pony x apothecary diaries will the madness ever stop NO

Inspired by this post [suirei doodle by liuphrog]

Was thinking... there are dark colored ponies in mlp from like black to gray to midnight blue or dark purple

So its not out of the question to do rhat to lil ol suirei >:3

But also.... if i colored her with the colors from thornapple flower since its associated with her

She might be white or cream

This art ^ (linked above) is so inspiri g for her hair (in terms of black + highlights) so i think ill doodle something up (eventually) and see if a darker body works better with the hair

And Night Glory would be her pony name bc Morning Glory but also httyd Night Fury,

It just makes srnse

(Also ngl she doesnt seem very morning to me lol)

As forrrr shisui.... i think im really sold on her being a changeling, i think if she made a ponysona it would be a changeling (one could argue that would make suirei a changeling but i dont want to design 4 designs so lol)

Was thinking something like Jade for her name... basic but idk... i forget how that came to me

changeling wise shed be a deep green obv so the name is very on the nose

Her ponyform i thinks would be a pegasus

I kinddaa wanted to do something where her pony name was *similar* to her name in essence, but clearly idk enough about gems

Designs wise... drawing blanks

Kinda want her to be pink............. i think itd be great if she were pink but we'll see

(It kinda easier to color hair first and choose a body palette to match rather than the other way around especially if the characters already have hairstyles)

[which tbh makes the klk mlp crossover designs so fitting bc ofc ryuko is a dark blue pony!!!]

[shadowwy]

Also, if any of you would be interested (feel free to request any ideas/aus/crossovers), here are some of the things I've had in my head for a while:

•Prompts(mainly what ifs):

1) what if Callum ate that apple? (P.s., I couldn't stop thinking of Snowhite in that scene 💀)

2) Ellis and Ava make a comeback

3) Harrow's side of the family and Damian's side of the family have a bigger role in Callum's and Ezran's lives (these would be mainly ocs cuz i legit only know about Atticus and i don't know what he's like)

4) exploring more on Skywing and Tidebound culture since we haven't seen much of them, we don't even know what the main ethnic(cultural?) groups are like.

• AUs:

1) reverse: humans are elves, elves are humans, and archmages and archdragons swap (Zym would become Leola)

2) genderbend: I'd do only one shots because I suppose nothing would really change, as sexism doesn't seem to be as big of a problem as it is in our world.

3) arranged marriage: what if Harrow, knowing about his incoming assassination, decided to arrange a marriage for one of the two princes (most probably Callum since Ezran is a child and Callum would have turned 18 in around 3 years)

4) arc 3: is Netflix doesn't do it, I'll do it.

5) nomadic Sarai: what if Damian and Sarai were part of a nomadic tribe and Callum had actually been(snuck) to Xadia before his mother remarried?

6) secret magic: humans did actually have magic, but the former king of the dragons, Anak Arow hunted them down, but a small faction remains, deep underground and the Orphan Queen was actually from there.

• Crossovers

1) Arcane: what if Silco also took in Callum and Ezran along with Powder? (I'll have to explain this au in another post as it is quite complicated)

2) Httyd: what if archdragons created Lycanwing humans to assist them, and Ezran is actually half Katolian and half Lycanwing because of Sarai? (Sarai and Callum would be full Lycanwings), this au it's way more elaborate and complicated, but it has a special place in my heart ❤️

3) Pokémon: it would be more about Legens Arceus as i have a really cool idea for Aaravos involving a Zorua

4) Ark: I'm not sure what map I'd base it on, maybe Ragnarok or The Island, I'd try to make it have funny moments here and there since I somehow glitch every 5 seconds in this fucking game

5) She-Ra: i had this dream where Aaravos had a wife (which i find very weird since I hc him as gay), Horvus, and she is literally She-Ra, but after Leola died, Aaravos and Horvus took down opposite paths, but were punished in similar ways, Aaravos in the Pearl, and Horvus in a Sword. (The Orphan Queen would be Mara)

And this is all for now! Let me know if you'd like to know more about these! ^^

Guys, I've been having way too many scenarios in my head recently. Would you guys be interested if I wrote a tdp fanfic?

I'll include whatever characters you want, probably even OCs, but I know I'll most probably add Aaravos, Callum, Runaan, and Rayla

[headfullof-ideas]

It took me a while to get through them, but I’ve done some more storyboards! I have a few others I wanna do, so we’ll see if any of them get done in the next few days

Enjoy

[marie-12205]

I finaly got ideas for ant's nightfury and armory desing and Fontaine's desing is still if progress of doing but for now i have ideas on ant and he will have the same color pattern like will.but i dont think i will do him this week because today shcool straded and i dont get any time after shcool because i need to finish a mural i was working on for shcool and when i get back home i get 0 motivation on drawing so i gusse i will work on him if i get a gap of free time or on the weekend .i also have to do Fontaine,Jacques and Kathryn nightfury and armory desing and i also remember to make jeffrey but he will be inspired from toothless from the book but with jeffrey colors wich i think is a good idea i didn't do roxy as a dragon because i have no idea on how her desing or color pallette would go.but i really want to work on ant and i was going to do start with nightfury ant since working on the nightfury desing are much longer and harder than drawing them as humans with armor but my mom got me distracted with something but will try to work on him as soon as i can.

Ant will get this pattern but the circles will be blue instead of orange and his body will have different tones of orange like will has of his desing.

Ideas for jeffrey

[kingofthewilderwest]

I like the new kids! Tom seems a mixture of Hiccup and Astrid, Jun isn’t a copy-paste Astrid and provides knowledge and myths beyond Viking history, Alex is a ray of sunshine who gives me aro/ace vibes, D’Angelo is unfortunately the weakest development wise in my opinion. I thought Eugene was obnoxious, but now he’s grown on me as that annoying, idiotic, comic relief brother carácter. I hate Buzzsaw. His motivations (?) are stupid. I like the parent cast, but I’m not a big fan of the dragon designs.

I also feel like some of the dialogue between the cast is forced and unnecessary, but I don’t mind the plot as much as I thought I would. Oh, also I’m starting to wonder if the realms are entrances to different worlds and not just supposed to be caves deep inside earth because they all have their own atmospheres and ecosystems. Plus doesn’t realms mean worlds? As in dragons are from a different world than humans originally, but the entrances are crossovers?

I enjoyed reading all this and I'm really happy to discuss things like this with other dragon nerds. I'm going to respond to topics with bullet points. Each one of these bullet points could be its own separate conversation. XD If anyone wants to keep babbling!

TNR Character Cast: Kids

The kids are good! I have appreciation for all, especially when considering their personality set-ups beyond the writer's execution. Each kid is built off good concepts.

Plus, the interests and beliefs each character has would allow for fascinating duo and team dynamics (did TNR do a better job handling it). For instance - Tom's impulsiveness contrasted with D'Angelo's rigidity and respect for regulations means the two have opposing values sets, the perfect set-up for interesting interactions.

I find Tom the weakest character concept because they bank too hard on the "Hiccup is Tom's ancestor" concept. Having your protagonist be a character who's conceptually copied off of your last protagonist, and where his main character conflict is a quest to find his ancestry (an external conflict as versus something that promotes internal character growth) is weak.

I love Jun's concept. She has tons of unrealized potential. *SHE* is set up with good character conflict. She has a mother who wants her to live in the practical world and a brother who doesn't share her interests, whereas Jun's greatest dreams and desires lie in mythology and mysticism. The fact that running into the dragons allows her to pursue her desires (against the desires of her mother, who's the head of the research facility) is way cool. And Jun being a voice for dragons in Chinese culture and the broader world of mythology makes great expansion to HTTYD-dom.

D'Angelo is a cinnamon roll, too good, too pure, to darling. The idea of a lawful good character and a character who has veterinarian knowledge is fantastic. I agree with you they haven't developed him as much as they should, especially the last few seasons. This holds true for all TNR characters, but especially D'Angelo.

Alex is a ray of sunshine in our hearts, but let's be clear: her character is one with fantastic darkness, too. That element helps make her refreshing. Like her saying, "Big business would exploit them [dragons], reducing them to a tiny column of profit margins on an ENDLESS SPREADSHEET OF DOOOOOOM."

I love Eugene because he's obnoxious! Give me all your obnoxious children! Give me your team tensions! His portrayal's a bit lame (and they partially intend that), but I can get down with the concept of a reincarnated wet rat pathetic Elvis Presley. I don't like how hard they've had him want to be leader (or the idea of "we need a leader" in this group at all). Also, I never am a fan of making a character be only comic relief. I want them to give Eugene serious and heartfelt moments, too.

The adult cast: Buzzsaw is so annoying he makes me wish Mildew were back. I do not like what they're doing with his character arc. Let's also bring up the angering stupidity of Evil Science Lady. In what world do scientists act like catty ten-year-olds? Please drop her into the abyss and forget she appeared on the show. Lots of the adult cast I have less attachment to, but their concepts are fine, and I like that we're following both a kid group and an adult group.

The dialogue is extremely poor in TNR. Agree with ya. I'm also in the same boat with you about plot: it's not something I care for, but I'm not offended by it as some people are (some things in S4 went over my very lenient allowances, though). I'm fine to chill and let things be as they are. Just sit back and get more Dragons content.

As far as entrances to other worlds: yes, that could be one explanation, especially banking on the underlying Norse concept of nine realms... but one of the things that's a hallmark of HTTYD has been its underlying realism. It's a world where dragons fill ecological roles and you can observe their evolutionary adaptations to survive in the world. HTTYD hasn't been a story of magical portals or other fantasy-driven elements. Ergo, having realms be literal would be stepping outside the worldbuilding boundaries we've had since the first movie, in my opinion. It'd be a way cool concept in a fanfic, but not something that I'd want to see in my official lore. Especially given the heavy focus on environmental adaptations to our world.

[headfullof-ideas]

OKAYWAITWAITWAIT, LEMME RAMBLE ABOUT THIS!! So, one of my WIPs that I’m not currently working on but will once I get through most of my two other massive projects (HTTYD/The deep crossover and Subnautica/the deep crossover), is an Assassin!Ant thing that started as a crack conversation between me and my brother that I got WAY into, but then I lost half the story I’d written and elected to not touch it until I emotionally recovered and worked on some of my other bigger projects. ANYWAYS-

In the story I was kind of doing a rewrite of the show, since things were already a bit different. But when I hit The Fossil, I also got really confused about the giant crocodiles. And a thing I do is if something doesn’t really make a lot of sense while I’m writing it, I have to find a way to make some sort of explanation to make it make sense. And so I came up with something for the giant crocodiles.

What I came up with was that the tunnel system under the island that the crocodiles were found in was actually a LOT bigger. It actually stretched across a chain of islands in the area Agnes found her fossil in, and that the part of the system the Nektons found their crocodiles in was just that crocs nest. The tunnel systems have multiple openings out into the ocean where the crocs go hunting and fishing for other, slightly larger than normal fish and assorted marine life (I also used this to connect to the giant seahorse that never shows up again). The mother crocs chose this part of the system because one of the entrances had collapsed, meaning she didn’t have to worry about an opportunist croc looking for an easy meal. There was only one entrance to this part of the system big enough for a croc to get through, and she was guarding it day and night (which is ALSO why she wasn’t at the nest when Ant was there)

I decided to headcanon that these crocs were also remnants left over from Lemuria, since the giant seahorse seemed to also be one (Doreus and Nereus’s statue depicts them riding one) and the crocs were endangered, which is another reason the Nektons got the local government to turn it into a marine reservation. The skeleton Agnes found was another large croc looking for food on land, where it got caught in a landslide and died (which is where the sinkholes eventually came to be)

Sorry for the big ramble but seeing this reminded me of the explanation I made for myself when writing a fic involving this episode and I HAD to share

I put The Deep on as background noise while I knit and both the 7yo and the cat sat down to watch with me.

[frost-queen]

Dead boy detectives

• Consuming darkness

The kissing booth - Noah

• Patch me up 

• Distance 

• Screw reputations 

• Don’t break the heart 

• Stressful nights 

• Sunkissed

• Prom idea’s

• The set-up 

Diary of a wimpy kid - Rodrick

• Tired of giving you all of me

Lucifer

• Me & the devil 

Hiccup Haddock - HTTYD

• Vicious pride 

• Headcanon (Sis!Reader)

Leo - The irrigulars

• Deep water 

Theodore ‘Laurie’ Laurence - Little women (2019)

• Scarlet fever

• My place is at your side (R!Bridgerton)

Pride & Prejudice

•  Bewitched you (Reader!Bennet x Mr. Darcy) 

•  Bennet sisters (Headcanon) Reader!Bennet 

• Being Lydia’s twin (headcanon) 

Peter Kavinsky

•  Notice me! 

• Middle of the night

Disney Encanto

• Familia headcanon (Juileta x Augustin daughter)

• Mariposa lead the way (Pepa x Félix daughter)

POTC - Jack Sparrow

• in love with you (prompt)

Alice in Wonderland

• Mad as a hatter (Headcanon)

The hobbit

• Lady of Mirkwood (Thranduil Headcanon)

• Intertwined branches (x Legolas)

Crossover (HP/ Shadowhunters)

•  Harry Potter / Shadowhunters: Hybrid ( Reader x Bill Weasley)

•  Harry Potter / Shadowhunters: Hybrid // Part 2 ( Reader x Bill Weasley)

•  Harry Potter / Shadowhunters: Hybrid // Part 3 ( Reader x Bill Weasley)

•  Harry potter / Shadowhunters: Hybrid final chapter part 4 ( Reader x Bill)

[twiafom]

(Again, using a translator. I suck at English classes, I barely know a couple of words, so sorry for the mistakes)

Hello! just to ask some data questions for some hijack stories/crossovers haha.

If you had to put some power to the guys (not counting jack and elsa) what would it be?

eso es todo por ahora, tal vez haga más preguntas más tarde (si te estoy molestando con algo, no dudes en hacérmelo saber y lo siento de antemano) ❤✨

—🥀🦋

no worries at all you're doing great!

this will probably be mostly httyd because i'm not well versed in the extended rotbtd (tho i think rapunzel's healing and light association are pretty well known, maybe there are some people here who have thoughts on merida powers?)

hiccup: i really like him having a fire and wind combo, the fire gives him contrast to jack but then the wind is a connection (and everyone has read otnwas (and if you haven't go do it) so OBVIOUSLY i have deep overwhelming feelings about wind spirit!hiccup). also alka's fire release hiccup naruto art is sick as hell

astrid: i've grown pretty attached to a thunder and lightning association for her! i blame hannah's thorstrid because it was extremely cool and it's going to become increasingly obvious that you can sell me on anything if the visual is cool enough. i'm shallow that way

the twins: illusion powers! something almost classically magical about it, i like them having an actual loki connection when i think about them having powers

snotlout: fire as well because i think it would be interesting for him to have a power similar to hiccup's that leads to him having a one sided rivalry and hiccup having an inferiority complex prior to character growth (i have no idea what kind of setting i'm thinking of here. au where everyone on berk has some sort of power? idk let's roll with it). so maybe there are different kinds of fire he and hiccup work with?

fishlegs: something stone and earth related for the gronckle and meatlug connection, probably earth manipulation! it also would be cool if he were able to work together with hiccup and snotlout to be able to create lava by combining their powers

and you totally aren't a bother, thank you for the ask! let me know if there was something else you were thinking of too, i know this was httyd heavy!

[gumnut-logic]

Óen (Part 2)

Part 1 | Part 2

Thunderbirds Are Go and HTTYD crossover.

And here we have more Tracys than the last part, considering the last part had only one line of Tracy.

Poor Hiccup, he found himself in one of my fics and that is never good for a character's health :D

Many thanks to the amazing @onereyofstarlight and @idontknowreallywhy for both encouraging and putting up with my crazy. We now know when lighting was invented :D

I hope you enjoy this bit of fic :D

-o-o-o-

He was being held securely by a man in a helmet.

Aboard a dragon who was rumbling reassurance beneath them.

But Hiccup was more concerned for his dragon. He attempted to peer over the edge and only found grey and churned up seas, getting closer as the dragon banked in towards the group of islands, now no longer in the distance.

Islands that were completely unfamiliar.

Hiccup blinked aching eyes. Where in Thor were they?

“Óen, take us to the infirmary and get Cóic to message Máthair Chriona and Virgil. We have a couple of patients.”

Hiccup turned to look at the man holding him across his saddle. He was tall, but Hiccup was used to that, everyone was taller than him. But this man was dressed in blue-dyed leather, almost head to toe, including a helmet with something shiny and clear over his eyes.

From what little he could see through it, those eyes were blue, topped with dark eyebrows, not unlike his father’s.

His father.

Oh, hel.

He was in so much trouble.

But before he could panic any further, the dragon back winged into land, hovering a second or two before the familiar thump of dragon on solid ground.

“Thank you, Óen. Good flying, my friend.”

Óen warbled and turned to look up at his rider.

Hiccup froze.

The dragon had blue eyes like his rider, but now they were on the ground and Hiccup’s brain could finally catch up…

“You have a night fury.”

The man snorted. “That I do.” He looked down at Hiccup before scooping him into his arms. “And we will be discussing that, I have no doubt. But first Virgil needs to see to your dragon and Máthair Chriona needs to fill you with distasteful brews.”

“What?”

The man turned in his saddle, sliding over Óen and dropping both himself and Hiccup off the dragon.

“Scott, watch that leg!”

Scott sighed deep in his belly as another man ran up to the two of them.

This one was dark-haired and dressed in working leathers. Hiccup blinked. The man was so obviously a blacksmith, Hiccup was grateful for just a touch of familiarity.

“Don’t you be worrying about me, Virgil. You have a dragon patient.”

Dark eyes frowned at Scott before flicking to something behind them. “Another night fury?”

Hiccup blanched. “Toothless!” He struggled in Scott’s arms and managed to unbalance the man enough to free himself. This, of course, resulted in Hiccup hitting the cold, hard ground with a thump that he would pay for later, but it also enabled him to finally see his dragon.

Toothless lay crumpled on the ground beside Óen, his wings half-unfurled and limp. Thank, Thor, he was awake and at the sight of Hiccup, his green eyes widened. He crooned at his rider.

Hiccup dug his heels into the dirt, pushing himself up and towards his dragon, stumbling enough to reach around Toothless’ broad head and hug him close. “Toothless, I’m so sorry. I was an idiot.”

The dragon grumbled at him, but there was an undertone of pain in his voice.

“What’s his name?” The smith had a deep but kind voice, accented as much as the blue rider’s.

“Toothless.” Hiccup looked back at the man who had taken a few steps closer.

“Looks like he’s strained himself.”

Hiccup turned to Toothless. There was ache in his dragon’s eyes. Pushing himself to his feet, he turned and looked to those beautiful black wings.

“You can trust, Virgil. He knows of the health of dragons and will help your Toothless be well.”

Hiccup turned to stare at the two men. The blue rider, Scott, had taken off his helmet. He had dark hair mussed by the leather and metal and strong blue eyes. He was taller than the smith, but there was an ease between the two of them that spoke of a long friendship.

Virgil edged a little closer. “May I take a look at him?”

Hiccup’s head hurt and Toothless was obviously injured. A quick glance at their surroundings and he realised that these people were not Vikings. The accent, the rough stone buildings, everything was unfamiliar.

Toothless crooned at him again.

Hiccup swallowed. His choices were few.

Óen shifted beside them and came up to his rider, nudging him with his snout in such a familiar way, Hiccup’s heart clenched. The night fury was definitely not Toothless. He was bigger for one thing and his scales switched colours as he moved, shifting between Toothless’ midnight black, a silver-grey, and an almost blue, depending on how the grey light from the sky hit him. The streaks of colour ran the length of his body and were mesmerising.

“Máthair, he is exhausted, as is his dragon. I fear a wing injury. We need to get them inside.”

He wasn’t sure which of the men had spoken. he couldn’t take his eyes off the big night fury.

Óen turned towards him, his electric blue eyes wide, a familiar croon, deeper than Toothless’.

Hiccup stared as the big dragon walked calmly up to him. Toothless warbled a greeting and there was something said between the two that Hiccup could not decipher.

Black scales shifted through blue and silver.

Toothless caught him under one arm and those silver scales caught the other.

There were worried exclamations and then nothing.

-o-o-o-

Next

[p-artsypants]

Edge of the Sky (1) - In Which Hiccup Meets his Fate

Ao3

The Miraculous - Gems created to tether the soul of a human to that of a god. Some may consider this a curse, and others a blessing.

Hiccup Haddock, son of the Jarl of Whiterun, found the Circlet of Night and was connected to the king of Dragons, staking his claim as Dragonborn. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, daughter of the newly appointed High King of Skyrim, found the Earrings of Creation. Astrid Hofferson, a Viking from a frozen world, found the Necklace of Flight and walked into a world not so different from her own. And Adrien Agreste, an intern from Paris, found the Ring of Destruction and was flung through time and space to a land that made no sense to him at all. These four souls, separated by time and distance, are brought together by the gods to fight a war on many fronts.

A Miraculous Ladybug and How to Train Your Dragon crossover, in the setting of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Hi! I may be a familiar face to many, and new to many more. I had been working on a Skyrim AU idea for both HTTYD and Miraculous for a few years now. I had art and chunks of both versions plotted out, but never could decide which one I wanted to do more, since they were both hefty but had similar plots. So I decided to combine them. I rarely do crossovers, and never with three fandoms. I apologize if it’s a little jarring, but I hope you still enjoy it. My goal is to create a story that requires no deep knowledge of any one of the three fandoms I’m exploring. I will hold your hand as we go, and hopefully everything will make sense. Feel free to ask questions, as that will help me develop the story more!

“Dovahkiin.” 

Hiccup’s eyes shot open, startled awake by an ancient, booming voice for the fourth time this week. Just like every time, it was at the break of dawn.

“Even on my day off?” He lamented. 

Well, if there ever was a day to investigate, it was today. 

Hiccup dressed and descended from his room in Dragonsreach, the palace of the Jarl of Whiterun. His father, Stoick, was the Jarl of the whole Hold of Whiterun. And so what was the 16-year-old son of the Jarl to do? 

Be an apprentice to the Blacksmith, apparently. 

Yes, since the day Hiccup could work, he was busy helping his mentor at the Skyforge. It was fulfilling work, if not monotonous, and he relished his days off. 

Days like today. 

“Son! You’re awake early!” Said Stoick with a boom. “I thought you’d sleep until midday!” 

“Yeah…uh, I have an errand to run, so I thought I’d get an early start.” 

“An errand? What would you possibly need? Where to?” 

“Uh…Riverwood. And nothing special, just…something that got waylaid there.” 

“At least come eat breakfast with me, lad.” 

Hiccup was not one to argue with his father, especially when the man was able to pick him up with one hand and throw him across the Cloud District. He had a feeling there was more to come. His father often preferred to handle news over meals. 

Hiccup obediently took his seat as the bread, fruits, and porridge were served. 

“I’ve received news from Solitude.” 

Hiccup sat up straight. “About the successor to High King Torygg?” 

“Yes.” 

“I thought it was settled on his wife, Elisif? At least until his son is old enough.” 

“I thought so too. His son Oleg was sent to Cyrodiil for his own safety in the wake of the attack. Apparently, Torygg had another son before he was married. Elisif mentioned him to the Moot, as a precaution, and they voted to elect him to the throne until Oleg is old enough.” 

Hiccup blinked. “They elected an illegitimate heir over Elisif?”

“That’s what I wondered as well. According to Spitelout, it was the Thalmor that preferred the man over Elisif. After all, she’s quite distraught over Torygg.” 

“I’m not surprised. Any idea what this new king is like?” 

“Rumor is that he is a baker from Helgen. What’s more, he’s married to an albino dark elf and has a young daughter.” 

“Oh. Good for him,” Hiccup shrugged as he drank his canis root tea. 

“I can’t imagine people respecting his authority. So, at the end of this week, we will be going to Solitude to meet him and show our support. I will need you on your utmost behavior, understand?” 

“Yes dad.” 

“Good good. So, what’s this errand you have to run?” 

Hiccup internally groaned. He had hoped his father wouldn’t ask. 

Stoick the Vast. He didn’t get his name without reason. The man was mountainous, and a good foot or two taller than most Nords. Hiccup, on the other hand, was the runt of the entire Hold. Maybe even all of Tamriel. Stoick wanted a proud warrior son, but instead was gifted with a toothpick. As such, Stoick was wary of his son going out and doing anything reckless. But Hiccup wanted to do whatever he could to make his father proud. 

It was a vicious cycle. 

“It’s…you know how you’re always telling me those little tasks you give me will help build character? It’s like that.” 

Stoick frowned. “This better not be a troll hunting errand. I thought we discussed that those beasts are too strong for you!” 

“No trolls! No fighting at all…if I can help it. I’m just…looking for something.” 

“What kind of something?” 

How to explain? ‘Dad, I’ve been seeing a Nordic burial mound in my dreams and keep hearing this booming voice calling to me.’ That certainly wouldn’t go over as well as he’d hope. “I’m looking for information. Does the word ‘Dovahkiin’ mean anything to you?” 

“Dovahkiin.” The same voice that always pulled him from his dreams echoed in his mind, clear as day in his waking life. He’d never heard it while awake, though he had never said the word aloud either. No one else seemed to hear it. 

Stoick gave a little chuckle. “Now I know you’ve been spending too much time in the forge. Gobber loves the Tale of the Dragonborn. I don’t know all that much about it, though.” 

“It’s a folktale,” said Spitelout, the Steward to Stoick. “‘Dovahkiin’ is the ancient word for Dragonborn. Dating back to the age when Dragons roamed Skyrim. The Dragonborn can speak the language of the dragons, the Thu’um.”

“I’ve heard that word before. Thu’um.” 

“You’ve probably heard it in regards to the death of High King Torygg. It’s also called a shout. It’s how Drago Bludvist killed Torygg. He used his voice, like a dragon would, and killed him.” 

Hiccup frowned. Killing someone by shouting at them? That made little to no sense. “So if the Dragonborn can do this…is Drago a Dragonborn?” 

Stoick chuckled with a shake of his head. “Don’t think about it too much, lad. The Dragonborn is a legend.” 

“But the shout—“ 

“No one knows how Drago learned to shout. He never explained. And now, since escaping the empire’s imprisonment, he stays holed up in Windhelm.” 

“The best place for him!” Spitelout shouted. “Let he and his lot rot in that frozen wasteland!” 

“If you want to hear the legend of the Dragonborn, I’d ask Gobber. He’s the best orator in town.” Stoick wiped his beard. “What does the Dragonborn have to do with your errand?” 

Now he had to lie. He had hoped being vague would be enough, but now he had to lie to his father’s face. “Just…taking the initiative to learn more about our history. The word ‘Dovahkiin’ was mentioned in some text, and I was unfamiliar with it. I was going to see if the trader in Riverwood had any books on it…since I already asked Belathor.” 

“Dovahkiin!” The ethereal voice echoed in his mind again. 

“Ah, good lad. Always wise to learn our traditions. Do you want your cousin to go with you?” 

“Oh, no no, I’m fine. I’ll take a shield and knife from Gobber’s.” 

“You’ll take your horse?” 

“Of course! Of course!” 

“Very well. I can’t say I’m fond of you leaving the city in the wake of current events, but Riverwood isn’t far. As long as you stay on the main road and return as soon as possible, I will permit your leave.”

“Thank you, dad.”  

After breakfast, Hiccup went out to the stairs outside of Dragonsreach. From there, he could see all the fields that surrounded the city, out to where the mountains began. Whiterun stood like a beacon in the middle of it all, with nothing but high walls to protect it. It was nothing like the mountainside Windhelm, or Solitude that was built upon a natural arch. But it was home. 

He closed his eyes and listened, doing his best to block out the chatter from the people below. 

“Dovahkiin,” he said softly. 

“Dovahkiin!” His summoner responded. 

He felt it then. He felt the call from a direction, south. Actually towards Riverwood. The city name had been a ruse to his father, but it might turn out to be where he went after all. 

Now with a direction in mind, Hiccup headed over to the Skyforge, the official forge of the Companions. 

“Morning lad!” 

“Good morning Severio!” 

“Morning Hiccup! Is Gobber done with my ax yet?” 

“He should finish today, Olfrid!” 

“Where are you going so early, boy?” 

“Morning Fralia! Just out and about!” 

The trip to Jorrvaskr was familiar and could be carved out of the stone by now. When Gobber spotted him, he laughed. 

“Did you forget you had the day off, lad?” 

“No, I just came to borrow a shield and a dagger.” 

Gobber gave a little nod and went to his inventory. “Off on some adventure, I bet.” 

“Something like that. My father said you're a fan of the Tale of the Dragonborn?” 

Gobber immediately stopped rooting around and broke into song, swinging the ax that was in his hand. 

“Our hero, our hero, claims a warrior’s heart! 

I tell you, I tell you, the Dragonborn comes!” 

Hiccup backed away from the scene in an effort to avoid getting hit. 

“With a voice wielding power of the ancient nord arts!

Believe, believe, the Dragonborn comes!

It's an end to the evil of all Skyrim's foes!

Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes!

For the darkness has passed, and the legend yet grows!

You'll know, you'll know, the Dragonborn’s come!” 

Several townsfolk and members of the Companions gathered around the Skyforge when they heard the ruckus Gobber was making. He was so loud, even Heimskr stopped his preaching and stared across the district. 

Hiccup regretted bringing the topic up. 

“Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin!

With a bindle of cheese! 

For the wine, for the food, 

May the guard’s horses be drunk!” 

This new verse brought many protests from the townsfolk. 

“That’s not how it goes!” 

“Are you trying to bring the wrath of the divines on the town?!” 

He yelled right back at them. “Alright, then you sing it!” 

There were some nonsensical mutters before people wandered away. 

“Yeah! That’s what I thought!” 

Hiccup slowly peeled his hand off his face. “What was that?” 

“You wanted the Tale of the Dragonborn, so I sang it. Though you should get Luka to perform it next time he’s in town. He’s got the voice of an angel.” 

“So…it’s a song.” 

“Aye. Though, based on a true story. Legend tells of a great warrior called the Dragonborn—“ 

“I got that.” 

“—who had the gift to speak with the dragons. Anyone can learn how to shout, as you heard about with Drago.” 

“Right.” 

“But it’s not easy. There’s a reason why no one but the Greybeards know how to do it.” 

“Wait, Greybeards? Who are they?” Hiccup asked. “Are they how Drago learned to shout?” 

“That’s the theory! Though no one can get confirmation. The Greybeards live up on High Hrothgar, on the Throat of the World. They’re completely removed from this world. So no one can talk to them.” 

“Okay, so…the Greybeards figured out a way to learn how to shout like a dragon?” 

“Exactly! Through centuries of study, and long days of practice, they are able to use a shout. But the Dragonborn, he can learn it immediately.”

“So…he’s just smart?”

“You’re missing the point, lad.” 

“It’s all so confusing! What is a shout anyway? How did Drago kill a man with his voice? That’s the thing I keep getting caught up on.” 

“Aye, that would be confusing if you think it’s a normal holler. But it’s not. The Thu’um, the voice of a dragon, is said to carry absolute authority. So much so, the very nature around the dragon bends to its will. The dragon yells ‘fire’ and fire comes from his mouth. He yells ‘stop’ and time itself comes to a standstill around him.” 

“Oh…that makes more sense then. So Drago yelled ‘death’ at Torygg?” 

“Not according to witnesses. The shout that Drago used threw Torygg across the room and he slammed him into a wall. It’s said that every bone in his body was shattered.” 

“That’s…that’s scary to think someone alive right now can do that.” 

Gobber went back to rummaging in the equipment trunk. “My favorite tale of the Dragonborn is when the city of Winterhold, before it fell into the sea, was attacked by a giant frost troll. The Dragonborn said, ‘you like ice? I’ll show you ice!’ and he turned the troll into solid ice. A single iron arrow hit it and it fell to pieces.” 

“I think you made that up.” 

“I embellished it, but it’s true!”

“So what happened to the Dragonborn? Was it just one guy?”

“I don’t know how many there were, but I would guess there was more than one. The stories span thousands of years. As for what happened? The last one died, and so did the dragons. So the divines didn’t pick a new one.” 

Hiccup couldn’t ask the question he wanted. ‘If the voice in my dreams is calling for the Dragonborn, does that mean the dragons are coming back?’ 

If he did ask, he might get a few more days off, but strict supervision on top of it. 

He held up a banded iron shield and a steel dagger. “Why do you ask, lad?” 

Hiccup blanched. “Don’t you have a shield that isn’t so heavy?” 

Gobber rifled again and pulled out a hide shield.

“How about one that doesn’t suck?” 

Gobber practically frisbeed the steel shield at him and pointed. “Now be on your way!” 

“Thanks Gobber! See you later!” 

Finally, he was free. He wasn’t the kind to leave the city very often. Occasionally, he’d go see the Khajit caravan outside the gates. But outside the walls of Whiterun, Skyrim was a dangerous place. 

There was a giant camp not too far from the gate and he’d heard tales from the guards about travelers getting too close and being punted into Sovngarde. 

He merrily went to the stables and obtained his horse, a black stallion named Thump. 

The joke here is when horses and cows get hiccups, it’s called thumps instead. 

Now, the courageous adventurer was off to Riverwood to face his destiny…or at least attempt to learn more about it. 

The safest route was the stone road. It wasn’t perfect, as many of Skyrim's most hostile would wait at the edges for the richest or tastiest. But taking the road kept you from wandering over a Spriggan clearing or Falmer cave. 

It was a pleasant summer day. Summer in Whiterun meant it was warm enough to not have to bundle in furs, and farmers could actually get a decent harvest of wheat, leeks, and potatoes. The sun was out, the sky was blue, and the elk frolicked through the tall grass. 

The road to Riverwood was sandwiched between two mountains, along the edge of a fast flowing river. Hiccup kept Thump at a steady pace until the village was in sight. 

Riverwood had all the essentials in a Skyrim town. A logging mill on the river, a blacksmith, the tavern, and of course the trader. 

Hiccup hitched his horse outside of the Sleeping Giant Inn, waved greetings to the quiet townsfolk before going in. 

A young woman with black hair swept around the hearth in the middle of the inn. She glanced at him briefly. “Welcome,” she said rather tersely. “What can I do for you, Stranger?” 

Hiccup tilted his head slightly at the girl. She must have been two or three years younger than him and she was working the tavern? “Uh, not to bother you, Miss. But I was just looking for information.” 

“I’ll tell you what I know. Or direct you to someone who can help.” 

“Does there happen to be a Nordic Burial mound nearby?” 

“You must mean Bleak Falls Barrow? It’s a little ways North from here, across the river. There’s a path that leads right up to it. But watch out for wolves on the road…and also bandits. The Barrow is mostly a bandit haven these days. Same bandits that robbed the trader I suppose.” 

“What did they take?” 

“Something about a Golden Dragon Claw. A trophy of his that he always had on display. Why do you ask?” 

“I…was just…” he cleared his throat. “My business is my own.” 

“Fine. So if anyone comes looking when you’ve been missing for a week, I don’t know anything.” 

“I mean…hopefully that won’t be a problem? Thank you for the information, Miss…?” 

“Kagami.” 

“Kagami. If it’s not too much…do you own this inn?” 

She scowled at him. “Does it look like I’m old enough to own an inn?” 

“Sorry, right right…I just…there’s no one else in here.” 

“I run the inn for my mother. She’s gone blind. But we don’t often have visitors, so it isn’t very hard work.” 

“Oh! Well, good for you. Um…” he started rummaging around in his pockets for money. 

“Please don’t bother. If you wish to buy some food or a room, I will accept your gold. Else, keep it.” 

Hiccup ended up buying some food for the road and leaving a generous tip before heading in the direction Kagami gave. 

The path winded up the mountain, becoming snowier and windier the higher he climbed. 

He came around the bend of the mountainside and saw it. The stacking layers of stairs, the towering, crumbling arches, the huge black door. All the things he had seen in his dreams. This was it, for sure. 

What he wasn’t prepared for, however, were the two bandits standing outside, guarding the place. How was he supposed to get in now? 

If there was one thing he knew about bandits, it’s that they weren’t exactly smart. He led his horse back down around the bend and opted not to tether it. 

“If you get in trouble, run back to Riverwood. I’ll find you.” 

Thump, being a horse, merely mosied over to a snowberry bush and began to eat. 

“Good enough.” 

He slowly crept up the path, staying close to the mountain wall to stay out of sight of the bandits. The front of the barrow faced the mountain, and so the bandits weren’t looking there, only off to the two sides. 

He took up a small rock and waited patiently. When the bandits had their backs to each other, he threw the rock at the smaller of the two. 

It hit him in the head, and made him yelp. “Hey! Who threw that?” 

Hiccup stayed out of sight behind a pile of rubble, where there was a tiny space through which he could see. 

“You threw that, didn’t you, you oaf?!” 

“I didn’t throw nothin! I bet it fell from up there!” He pointed at the ancient arches above. 

“Fell my ass! It hit me square on me head, it did! I betcha threw it!” 

“You callin’ me a liar?” 

“I ain’t callin’ ya for dinner!” 

And just like Hiccup had hoped, the two started brawling. 

Quickly, he stole from his hiding spot and darted to the nearest column. When he wasn’t spotted, he went to the next, and the next, until he reached the door, unnoticed. 

Thankfully, the bandits had the door propped open ever so slightly, and Hiccup, in his small frame, was able to squeeze inside. 

Inside, a large part of the ceiling had collapsed, making more rubble to hide behind. The room was bigger than the grand hall in Dragonsreach, all carved out of mossy stone and illuminated by candles and filtered sunlight. Besides arches for support, there wasn’t much other cover. On the other side of the hall, he saw a campfire, with three more bandits around. And beyond them was the door to the next part of the barrow. 

“Great,” he thought to himself. 

Being quick to hide behind the rubble, he watched and planned his next move. 

As he adjusted his stance, he stepped on something squishy. The corpse of a skeever, a rat easily the size of a dog. 

“Ew.” 

Looking around the room, he could see a couple more. Where had they come from? 

There. A hole in the wall up on a ledge. If he could find a way there…

He had a gross idea, but there was no other way. He couldn’t take these three bandits on. He couldn’t even take one! 

As quietly as possible, he skinned the skeever and made a grotesque cape from its hide. Luckily, he was the size of a large skeever, or this wouldn’t work. He donned the cape and scuttled over the far side of the room. There was a stone pillar he had to clamor up, but if he did it quickly and quietly enough—

“What in the name of Talos is that?!” A female bandit shrieked. 

He didn’t stop. He kept going. He just had to reach the hole! 

“Another damned skeever! They just keep coming!” 

An arrow whizzed by, plinking against the wall. 

“Don’t waste your arrows if it’s not attacking!” Someone else shouted. 

That gave Hiccup enough time to leap into the hole and out of sight. 

So far, so good. He only hoped this place had a back door to leave or he was in trouble when he left. 

The hole was formed by tree roots, which gave him extra cover. It led to a hallway alight with huge braziers. Again, there were skeever carcasses, and even a dead bandit. The path was quiet for now, so he climbed down and walked quickly, staying close to the wall. The hall snaked around, descending further and further into the earth. 

When he found another guard, there was another partially collapsed arch that he could squeeze through and avoid them. 

Then, he found a new type of obstacle. 

A lever and a portcullis. A series of podiums on dais. A puzzle. 

And three dead bandits covered in little darts, no doubt, poisoned. 

Above the portcullis, the same images on the podiums were visible. The middle one had fallen, and laid on the floor, still visible at least. 

From left to right, the pictures were of a snake, another snake, and a whale. 

The podiums were turned to three eagles. 

Hiccup had to stop and contemplate the sheer stupidity of these bandits. 

He turned the podiums to match the images on the door, and then, with heightened blood pressure, he pulled the lever. 

When the portcullis opened and he was not impaled with darts, he had to let out a relieved chuckle. 

On the other side of the door, there was a beautiful table with three vials of healing potions, a lesser soul gem, and an ancient Nordic bow and a dozen arrows on it. 

He hadn’t come here looking for treasure, but he wasn’t about to pass it up! Next to the table was also a chest with a handful of gold coins. 

Not bad! 

Once his treasure was secured in his bag, he spotted a spiral staircase going down further into the dungeon. 

“Dovahkiin,” he said quietly. 

“Dovahkiin!” The voice was now unbearable, rattling him to the core and nearly knocking him off his feet. 

No going back now. 

At the bottom of the stairs, the room was dark and dank, with lots of cobwebs in the corners. The webs got worse and more thick as the hall went on. 

“Not a frostbite spider, not a frostbite spider…” Hiccup chanted as he carried on. 

At the end of the hall, a door led to a large open room. He peered inside and his heart got caught in his throat. The biggest frostbite spider he had ever seen was hanging from the ceiling. It was easily the size of the dining room table in the great hall. 

“Shit.” 

This was going to be harder to solve. He almost wished the bandits were here instead. 

But! He had just acquired a new bow!

Taking a vantage point from the doorway, Hiccup took aim and shot the spider in the thorax, making it writhe and spit its poison everywhere. 

He didn’t stop. He shot arrow after arrow, missing half the time, at the foul creature until it stopped squirming and laid on its back, its legs curled up. 

“I am never dungeon delving again. Not if there’s more spiders!” He shivered. 

Moving into the room, he saw a few human sized egg sacs, one guess at what they held. 

By the door, a partially desiccated dark elf laid with an arm outstretched. In it was a golden statue, made to look like the hand of a dragon with three claws, likely the one stolen from the Riverwood trader. Hiccup pried it out of the bandit’s hand, with the intention of returning it, and moved on, hoping that his adventure was coming to an end. 

It didn’t get any more pleasant. The next leg of the journey held the crypt; walls lined with skeletons and mummified remains of his ancestors. 

“They’re all dead, Hiccup.” He whispered as his heart thundered in his chest. 

One footstep he took gave way underneath him, and he heard the sound of a hinge creaking. He couldn’t even consider what it meant before he was smacked fully with a spiked grate. The spikes tore into his skin and ripped painfully back out, puncturing his arm, side, and leg. 

He was thrown several feet backwards, skittering on his ass before he came to a stop, limbs akimbo and stunned. All the air had been knocked out of him, and he struggled to breathe, making sounds like a dying animal. His vision blurred from the impact as he laid on the ground, unable to do anything else. 

Then the pain set in. A burning, throbbing pain all down his left side. 

He peeled his eye open, watching his clothing rapidly turning red. This was not good. He had to do something, but what? He had gotten some healing potions earlier in the dungeon, right? He fumbled around in his bag as his pulse thundered in his ears. He was growing tired very quickly. He then grabbed a muted red vial, the color for healing he had grown accustomed to seeing at the healer's hut from all the blacksmith accidents over the years. He downed it and felt the liquid trickle down his throat and into his stomach. Within seconds, his vision flashed yellow and his strength returned. His puncture wounds healed for the most part. Now they were simply scratches. He considered taking another potion, but opted against it in case he got hurt again. He’d have to have Gothi look at his wounds when he returned. And he was going to return, damnit! 

Getting back up on his feet, Hiccup could now clearly see the round stone on the ground that had triggered the trap. 

“Note to self, watch out for pressure plates.”

The next trap he encountered was easier. A set of three swinging pendulum blades. This was just a test of timing. 

More mummified remains, and more feelings of uneasiness. Some of these remains were standing upright, with swords in hand, almost seemingly ready to spring to life and protect the barrow. 

Hiccup elected to stay quiet and move quickly. 

As he wandered over a waterfall and even a full cave, he wondered if the barrow filled out the entirety of the mountain. How long had it taken his ancestors to build this place? Why had no one gone in? Certainly if someone like him could make it this far with only a few scratches, then surely some stronger adventurers could clean it out. What a much more defensible fortress than Dragonsreach! There was so much space here too! They could have a whole city!  

The hundreds of dead bodies might pose a problem though. 

In the inner sanctum, Hiccup found the barrow in better repair, less ruins and more ancient architecture. And more stone coffins. After a while, he stopped appreciating the work that went into building such a mausoleum, and instead wondered where all these corpses came from. It was easily a city’s worth, but most were buried in armor and weapons. Were these all warriors killed in battle? Or just buried to look like it?

Maybe he really should read those books he told his father he read. 

Finally, he came to a dead end. A wide, arched hallway, with murals carved into the walls. Each mural depicted what looked like a burial. At the end of it all was a circular carving. 

It had three ebony rings, each inlaid with an ivory pendant. And like the podium at the beginning of the dungeon, these pendants featured animals. 

In the center was another circle, with three holes in it. 

Was this what he came for? Surely not. A door perhaps? But how to open it? 

The three holes were not aligned. The middle was higher than the others. 

“The claw!” He nearly shouted. 

Indeed, when he took the dragon claw out and inserted it, the claws inserted perfectly in the holes. But as he tried to turn it, nothing happened. 

“Another puzzle,” he lamented. 

Though he needn’t have fretted. Turning the claw over in his hands to study it, he found matching images engraved in the palm. 

Moth. Eagle. Dragon. 

He turned the rings on the door, excited that he could see the matching images. 

Now when he inserted the claw, it turned and clicked into place! 

The whole door shuttered, and the circular apparatus slid away and revealed a staircase beyond. 

The air was surprisingly fresh compared to where he had been, and he could hear running water. 

He was in another cave. A waterfall broke through the rock on the left and carved out a trench along the floor, but a bridge crossed it and led up to a looming feature. It looked like a curved wall, with old words on it. In front of it was another stone coffin, and an ancient chest. 

This felt like the place he needed to be. This was where the voice had been leading him. 

Cautiously, he approached the wall, and watched as it reacted to his presence. Three words in a language he did not recognize glowed, and beckoned him closer. Though he could not read it, he understood. 

Fus. 

What did it mean? 

The chest, now behind him, flung open, its lid banging loudly on the floor and disturbing the bats above. 

Hiccup looked inside, and saw a pile of ancient golden coins, jewels, and on top of it all, a golden circlet with a black stone. 

“Dovahkiin,” the circlet said, pulsing with each syllable. 

Hiccup didn’t even think about grabbing it. His body acted on its own, reaching in with both hands to take hold of the crown. It was beautifully crafted, and despite moldering for how many thousands of years, it was polished to a near mirror shine. It buzzed in his hands like a trapped insect, and sent tingles up and down his spine. He was compelled, and obeyed. 

Once the circlet was on his head, he felt immense power rush through him, down to the tips of his toes. It was so much, he blacked out. 

The place he was conscious of next had to be a dreamscape. It was black, with a rolling fog surrounding him. His body felt impossibly heavy, and he was unable to do anything except sit as a creature emerged from the fog before him. 

It was a dragon, but not what he imagined one would look like. It had a soft, friendly face, like a salamander. Instead of twisting horns, it had two earflaps. Its claws didn’t look any less deadly, though. 

 “So, Dovahkiin, you have finally decided to answer my call.” It spoke with a deep lulling voice, but didn’t move its mouth. 

“You were the one that called me?”

“Yes,” the dragon circled him. “I have been calling for the Dovahkiin for a long time. Two centuries at least. It seems you finally heard me.” 

“Well, I only started hearing you call last week. But, you really think I’m this…Dragonborn person?” 

“I do not think, I know.”

“But…Gobber said they’re supposed to be some ultimate authority or proud warrior. Look at me! I’m…I’m nothing.”  

“This Gobber is correct. As Dragonborn, you will learn the way of the voice as you grow. It matters little what you look like. The voice brings power and authority.” 

Hiccup let that digest. It would be nice to have people listen to him for once. 

“The people of Tamriel will look to you for guidance as an unbiased opinion. You will find yourself in the middle of many upcoming wars, as a voice of reason.” 

“Wars? What wars?”

“Is there no conflict in your time?”

“No, there’s…well, actually…the High King was just killed…but they appointed a new king. It’s…it should be all over, right?” 

“I have seen glimpses of what is to come. A war between men. A war between men and Dragons. A war between the arcane and nature. A war among families. A war among friends. And a war among life and death itself. They will all need your guidance.”

“What if I just don’t tell anyone? Surely people can’t just assume I’m the Dragonborn…unless I get a giant sign on my back or start glowing…”

“It matters little. There are those who are attuned to the changes in nature I am associated with. They are sensing your awakening now. Doubtless, the world will know tomorrow.” 

“Great. And I bet a hundred people are going to come at me with swords to try to kill me…or at least to take this circlet. The last thing my father needs is me bringing conflict to his front porch.”  

“The world will know the Dragonborn has returned, but not who he is. It will be up to you to stand up when the time is right. And you will. I have seen it in you.”

“How could you possibly know that? Who are you anyway?”

“I have been called many names. Each Kingdom in Tamriel has a name for me. My original name has been forgotten over the years. I will respond to the name you give me.” 

Hiccup blanched. “Oh, you don’t want me to do that. I’m terrible at naming things.” 

“You will have time to think on it. What do your people call you?” 

“Hiccup. My full name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, son of Jarl Stoick of Whiterun, but that’s a bit of a mouthful.” 

“The son of a Jarl? How intriguing!” The dragon opened its mouth then, in a mock parody of a human smile, though it had no teeth. 

“You’re toothless.” Hiccup stated in shock. It was more of a question, but not the way he said it. 

“My name is now Toothless,” the dragon nodded sagely. 

“No! No no, it’s not! Ohhh let me pick something else!” 

The dragon came close, the heat from its nostrils fanning Hiccup’s hair. “It is the name my soulmate has given me, why would I not like it?” 

“Because it’s dumb! I should have–” he stopped. “Wait, soulmate?”

The dragon nodded. “The circlet you wear binds a human soul to that of a god. We are now connected, in this world, and the next.” He leaned in and touched his nose to his chest. 

“You’re a god!?” Hiccup yelled. 

“Yes. As the Dragon god, I prefer the one that wears my crown to be Dragonborn, which is why I have been calling to you.” 

Hiccup grew increasingly more panicked as his actions began to stack up. “Dragon god? You mean the god of Lightning and Death?! You’re Akatosh!? But you’re–you’re the head of the pantheon!” 

“I am? How interesting.”

“I can’t wear this crown. I have to give it to someone more qualified! I’ve never even fought a person, let alone fought in a war!” 

Toothless walked around him, coiling Hiccup with his tail. “You cannot take off the circlet. It is bound to you, as I am. This is your fate. It cannot be passed onto anyone else.” 

Hiccup felt weak and leaned against Toothless for support. “I…I can’t believe this. I…you said some people are learning about me right now? Anyone bad? I don’t know if I could defend myself in a fight. And I wouldn’t want anyone to take a hit for me! By Talos, I renamed Akatosh Toothless!” 

“You are already on your way to becoming untouchable by mortal men. The Word Wall you read before donning the circlet taught you the word Fus, correct?” 

“Yeah…it means ‘Force’ right?” 

“Very good! Think about force as it is applied in the natural world. You push against Nirn, and Nirn pushes back. Fus beckons that force without the reciprocate. Now, I will teach you the other two words of the Thu’um.” 

Toothless roared at the ground and words appeared, in the ancient text just like the Word Wall. 

 Ro. Da.

“‘Ro’ in your tongue means balance. Combined with Fus, it gives precision to your Thu’um. ‘Dah’ means push. A thu’um that combines all three can be powerful and deadly. Be careful. I give you this Thu’um because I heard its echo in your world not too long ago. Someone else knows it.”

“That had to be Drago! He killed High King Torygg with a shout. My father said witnesses saw him collide with the wall and all his bones were shattered.” 

“As I said, the Unrelenting Force is a deadly Thu’um. It is also one of the easiest to comprehend. It does not surprise me that someone would know it. I do wonder where he learned it from, though. The Greybeards perhaps.” 

“Gobber mentioned them too! They live on a mountain or something?” 

“Correct. The Throat of the World. The tallest mountain in Tamriel. The Greybeards are monks that study the way of the voice.” 

“So I could learn shouts from them?” 

“Certainly. You will have to go to them. You can also learn shouts from Word Walls, like you saw not long ago. And I will teach you shouts when I believe you are ready…but I have been removed from Skyrim for so long with no one to talk to, I’m not sure if I remember them all.” 

“Are you going to be able to see through my eyes and talk to me whenever?” 

“For now, we will speak while you are asleep. As our bond grows, the more one we will become.” 

“I see.” 

“There is another group who is learning about you now as well. They will have to seek you out, as they are impossible to get to.” 

“Who?” 

“The Psijic monks. The Guardians of the Miraculous.” 

Hiccup frowned. “What’s a Miraculous?” 

“The crown on your head is a Miraculous. A jewel that connects the soul of a human, and that of a god. The Psijic monks have sworn to keep track of them, but these jewels often have a mind of their own. One of their order will seek you out, no doubt.” 

“Do they know any shouts?” 

“No. And it’s likely they will only take note of you before disappearing again. They are rather hands off.” 

“So…I should visit the Greybeards, and I’ll be visited by these…cystic monks.” 

“Psijic monks.” 

“Right. Anything else I need to know?” 

“All in due time, my Hiccup. Now, you should probably wake up.” He reared back and unleashed a thunderous roar right in Hiccup’s face. 

Hiccup startled awake for the second time that day, still on the floor of the cave in the burial mound. He glanced around, checking his surroundings. No bandits or skeevers or spiders had found him. He was alone. 

He absently went to scratch his head, and touched the circlet. He tried to remove it, but it was just as Toothless had said. He couldn’t take it off. 

“What am I going to tell dad?” He lamented. 

He considered this as he gazed over the pile of gold still in the chest in front of him. He earned it, after all of this. So he shoveled it all into his satchel, and then shouldered it. 

“Right. Now to figure out how to get out of here.” 

He looked back the way he came, lamenting the long walk and all that he had to sneak past. As he studied the room, he found another set of stairs not too far away, leading towards the wall.

He followed them, noticing that there was a lever built into a podium next to the wall. 

“Oh please be a back door…” 

As he pulled the lever, a doorway in the stone gave way to reveal a tunnel, and daylight glowed at the other end. 

“Yes!” 

Hiccup ran down the tunnel, elated to see the sky again, and proud to have finished his quest unscathed. 

But as he came out of the mouth, he smacked face-first into a bandit. 

“Well well. Isn’t this interesting?” He cracked his shoulder. “Told the boss it was crazy to patrol this back entrance, but he didn’t care. I should tell him he was right.” 

Hiccup panicked, looking for a way out. The tunnel had ended rather abruptly, and if the bandit hadn’t been there, he likely would have run off a cliff.

“So kiddo, whatcha find in there? Let me see that pretty crown.” 

It happened on instinct. The bandit reached forward, and Hiccup sucked in a lung full of air. 

“Fus Ro Dah!” 

The blast echoed across the landscape, making nature itself grow silent. 

The bandit ragdolled right off the cliff, being flung several feet before falling and rolling down the mountain like a limp sack of potatoes. 

Hiccup peered over the edge, only to see the body still and unmoving. 

“By the nines, I killed him.” 

Hiccup glanced around the cliff edge, looking for a way down. There had to be one if the bandit got up there in the first place. He found a steep, narrow path along the wall that he could shimmy down if he was careful. 

It led to a rock, which led to another rock, on and on, until he finally reached the road. 

Exhausted from the descent, he sat on a stone to catch his breath. The sun was now making its way to dusk, and night would be upon him soon. He had spent more time in that dungeon than he thought! 

He whistled for Thump, assuming it was pointless as his horse had either wandered to Riverwood or was still on the other side of the mountain. But fortunately, the blessed sound of horse hooves trotting across the ground graced his ears…shortly followed by another set, and then another. 

Thump happily galloped around the corner, followed by two Whiterun guards on horseback. That couldn’t be good. 

They all came to stop in front of him. 

“Young Master Hiccup, the Jarl has been looking for you. We are fortunate to find you alive.” 

“He’s been that worried about me? But I’ve only been gone a few hours.” 

“A few hours? No. We are nearing two days of your absence. We found your horse outside Riverwood and have been tracking it, hoping he would lead us to you. Luckily, he did.” 

Hiccup stood then, on shaky legs, and mounted Thump. 

“We will hurry you back to Dragonsreach, Young Master, you look wounded.” 

“Oh, I’m okay, I just—“ he glanced down to his side, where he was punctured earlier. In the light of day, his entire side was bloodied. “It looks worse than it is.” 

But nevertheless, the guards escorted him quickly back to Whiterun. 

When they entered the city gates, townsfolk started cheering. 

“It’s good to see you alive boy-o!” 

“Welcome back from the brink!” 

“Had enough adventure for one lifetime, huh?” 

Hiccup tried to shrink on his horse, but still saw every eye on him. 

When they reached Dragonsreach, he developed a lump in his throat that he couldn’t quite swallow. The second Jarl Stoick saw him, he came running with his arms open wide. “Son! Hiccup! You’re alive!” He effortlessly lifted Hiccup off the ground and embraced him. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” 

Just as quickly as he had been lifted, he was rushed over to Gothi, the healer and court magician. He was stripped of his bloody clothes and his wounds were examined. Stoick didn’t leave his side for a second. 

“What happened? Where did you go? Who do I need to put a bounty on?” 

“Dad, dad, please calm down.” He prepared to tell his father all about his fate as the Dragonborn, but couldn’t quite find the words. His father was already overly protective of him, and if he shared the truth about his fate, chances are he’d never be allowed to leave the city walls. Maybe even Dragonsreach. 

With the way his father was acting, that might be true no matter what. 

Hiccup decided to tell the truth, just not the whole truth. He sighed. “I found some information, and it led me to Bleak Falls Barrow.” 

At the name, Gothi pulled tight on a bandage, making him wince. 

“The old Nordic burial mound by Riverwood? What possessed you to go there!?” 

“I thought there would be some information about the Dragonborn there.” 

“And? Did you find what you were looking for?” Stoick asked with a grimace. He didn’t seem too indulgent at the moment. 

“Not…not really. I found the treasure in my bag, and then this circlet.” He gestured to his head. “It’s…we’ll it’s cursed, dad. I can’t take it off.” 

Stoick looked devastated. “Cursed? What is going to happen to you?” 

“Nothing, from what I gleaned. I just can’t remove it.” 

Stoick sighed. “I suppose that is enough punishment. Can you confirm, Gothi?” 

The old woman scrutinized the circlet touching the band before breathing in the stone. She tugged on it for good measure. No, for sure this wasn’t coming off. 

Gothi was a mute, and as such, she had to communicate her findings through writing. 

Hiccup and Stoick sat awkwardly as she scribbled out her message. 

“She says,” Stoick read her note, “‘this circlet contains a vast, intense power that sleeps. It does not seem malevolent in nature. I see no reason to try to remove it at this time.’” Stoick frowned. “No need to remove it? It’s a curse!” 

“Dad, let’s just see where this goes. She said it’s not malevolent, maybe I’ll be blessed with strength or magic or—“ 

“Common sense?” 

“Harsh.” 

“Look, Hiccup. You are the only family I have. Your mother went out on an adventure and never returned. I don’t want the same for you. Please promise me your adventuring days are over, alright?” 

“I promise.” 

No one noticed he had his fingers crossed.