The Gray Area (2/2) - A Viggo Love Story

Prologue

Two villages stood on opposite sides of an island: one on the east,one on the west. Both were not so different, but their people had been in a feud for generations. They were so immersed in their own warring that they paid no mind to the dragons that passed by from time to time. And neither village cared to bother the nesting grounds that reside on the far northern beaches of the ilse.

Because killing a dragon here...meant nothing.

A teenage boy, just barely a man, snuck quietly away from his village one night. He was tall and thin, with dark skin and darker hair. The Western village valued intelligence, and often used smart planning and tactics against their enemy. But this boy used his brilliant mind to escape through the night to a place where he didn't have to worry about any war or fighting. He crept silently toward the opposing Eastern village.

Another teenager, a few years younger and not yet a man, did the same as the other. He was slightly shorter, but much bigger, with pale skin and large muscles. Being part of the Eastern village, which valued strength and brute force, he was trained to grow into a strong Viking man who could crush the opposing village in his bare hands. But this boy did not want to fight people.

Inbetween the two villages, the boys met. They did so often, sneaking away from their rivaling villages to talk and grow their friendships. What had started out as an accidental run-in, grew into a strong brotherhood. The Western boy, being the son of his village's chief, planned to one day end the feud and unite their villages as one. He and his friend would rule together, and there would be no more fighting between their people.

But plans made without consideration of outside forces are rarely seen to the end.

The village that valued intellect looked to their horizon on the East and spotted a massive flock of dragons flying right to the island. Driven off their own island, these dragons were angry, hungry, and ready to claim a new home. But the village that valued strength faced their horizon on the West. They scouted storm clouds darker than night, tumbling toward the island like a rock slide in the sky.

Two separate villages, destined to be taken by two separate disasters. As dragons rained fire down on the Eastern village, a hurricane like no other took the Western. Smoke and clouds mixed in the air, making it impossible to see anything. But when everything cleared, not all was lost.

The two boys had been lucky enough to not be in their villages as the disasters struck. Having been met in the middle at the time, they dodged both bullets, barely. They both raced the the Western village. There, they found only one surviver: the Chief.

"Son!" He shouted, voice hoarse from the smoke that had scorched his lungs. The man stumbled toward the younger boy and wrapped him in a bone-breaking hug. "I'm so glad you're safe." When the Cheif released his son, his eyes landed on the second boy. Recognizing him as from their rivaling village, he demanded, "who is this?"

But the Cheif's son had learned to be smart from his friend, and quickly answered, "this man saved my life. I wouldn't be here without him."

The Chief's anger subsided, and he gave the second boy a kinder look. "...Thank you." But his face fell into fear as he looked back down to his son and asked, "where...where is your sister?"

The boy's heart plummeted into his stomach. His sister. He was supposed to be with her when the hurricane hit, but he'd left her alone to meet his friend. A heavy silence hung in the air, and nothing more was said. Nothing needed to be said; she was gone, and words would not bring her back.

The Chief forced himself to be strong about it, as he was with everything else, and left his ruined village without looking back. The three travelled to the Eastern village. There, they found only one survivor: the Chief.

The boy from this village had not lost anyone special in the dragon fire, for his parents had died long ago to sickness. And the Chief of this village was smart enough to realize that the feud no longer mattered. Yet his anger grew; now, they faced a new threat.

Dragons.

Having lost not only his village, but his arm as well, the Chief of the Eastern village proposed that the four stick together. Together, they could rebuild a whole new tribe; a stronger, smarter tribe. And together, they could conquer the dragons that had brutally destroyed the island.

And so the two boys' wish of having their village unite became a reality. But the former Chief of the West village was never the same after the loss of his daughter. He grew colder, and even more brutal. And his son would never outlive the guilt of not having been there to save her. He couldn't get vengeance on a storm, so he would take his anger out on the dragons that destroyed his friend's home.

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The long awaited sequel is finally here! This story will take place during the events of the second HTTYD movie. As the book progresses, please keep spoilers out of the comments. Rude or inappropriate comments will be deleted. I can't wait to start writing Sessa and Viggo again! Enjoy!