The Soul of a Dragon (HTTYD Fanfiction)

Chapter VII: Dragonfire

Disclaimer: I do not own How to Train your Dragon; rights belong to Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks Animation.

"Hiccup, you are not a viking. You are not my son."

Hiccup was banished and disowned in one, condemning sentence. He was dragged up to the cliff by a sniffling Gobber and a... Well... stoick Stoick.

He didn't give them the pleasure of pushing him. He decided to jump.

The air was cold and bitter. He wasn't ready to die! He still had to bring peace to vikings and dragons! He still had to save Toothless! He still had to free the dragons in the kill ring...

He had so much he still needed to do.

He wasn't ready.

Dragonfire erupted in his chest. He cried out in pain as it burned his back and shoulders.

He looked down and saw the ocean only feet away. Instinct forced him to open the wings on his back. Wings he hadn't had two seconds ago.

As he spead his wings he cried out once again. The wind resistance was painful. Painfully, he slowed and with a gentle but powerful thrust of his wings, he rose a few feet higher.

Cautiously, he turned towards the village, but by now everyone who planned to go to the nest were loading the boats. Hiccup knew they were off to their deaths. Even if they had banished him, he still hoped they would still learn.

Astrid was his best bet. He altered his glide. Soon Hiccup was above the Hofferson house. He backpedaled with his wings a bit before landing and managed not to go tumbling through the door. With his acute hearing, he could hear Astrid inside, muttering to herself.

Hesitantly, Hiccup opened the door, inviting himself in. Astrid looked up and gasped in disbelief at the sight of him. She, just like everyone else, had seen him thrown off the cliff to an inevitable death. Apparently not inevitable enough, because here he stood before her.

Without thinking, Astrid ran up and hugged him.

Hiccup was confused. Wasn't Astrid angry with him the last time he'd seen her. She certainly looked it back in the ring. Girls, he thought, impossible to understand. He smiled and hugged her back.

A few minutes later, Astrid returned to her senses. She only had one question. "How?"

Hiccup grinned and spread his wings. Astrid's eyes widened. His wingspan was at least twelve feet and a deep black. Pale, golden-brown scales sprinkled the limbs like the freckles on his face.

Astrid's voice wavered, "You're a halfling?"

Comically, Hiccup groaned. "How 'come everyone but me has heard or halflings?"

"Actually, some of my ancestors were halflings. It's not as uncommon as you'd think. Most important families on Berk are descendants of a certain god or goddess. The Hoffersons are descendants of Lady Sif. Anyone related to a god can be a halfling, though Loki's descendents are the most powerful."

"I heard a dragon in the ring say that I could be a descendant of Loki actually."

Astrid contemplated that, "It's possible; no one really knows who the Haddocks' ancestor god is. I doubt even Chief Stoick knows."

As an afterthought, Astrid added, "You must have come here for a reason?"

"Yes. I may have let slip how to... find the Nest. Obviously, he's leaving to fight the Queen."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Normally, yes, but the Queen's a Seadragonus..."

"That is bad."