Generations: Broken Prophesy Story

Chapter 14

Chaser awakens with a choked scream, looking about, he finds himself curled protectively around the still sleeping form of his partner. Earliest rays of sunlight set the hidden patterns of purple iridescence in her scales alight. Extending one of his wings, he shields his mate from the growing sunlight, giving her a few more minutes of rest. He watches her chest move in a slow gentle rhythm, while she sleeps, a cold chill grows in his heart as flashes of his night terror fills his thoughts.

"Is everything alright, love?" She murmurs quietly. "I can hear your heart pounding from here." Standing she stretches, giving him a look of concern.

"No, I'm fine, it was just a bad dream," he takes a deep calming breath, before retracting his wing. He nuzzles her face, then steps away, giving her space to wake up fully. The large sea stack had made for a good roost to rest for the night, but a knot of excitement tightened in Chaser's belly. "We are just a few hours from Berk. We should be seeing the harbor guardians, then the village itself in just a little bit." His excitement however was tempered by the memories of his nightmare.

"Are you sure it's safe? I've never had pleasant encounters with two-legs." She glances back to her belly. Chaser's eyes follow suit and he gives her a weak grin.

"I know you are worried, but they are family. Everything will be fine." Slipping his pack back onto his back, Chaser makes sure his cargo is secured before aiding Nyota in settling hers into place. Silently Chaser takes to the skies, unable to fully push aside the feeling of dread filling him, with Nyota following in close pursuit. "Maybe tonight we might see the Sky Ribbon! The clouds have been too thick the last few days, but the sky is clear and blue and I don't smell any storms coming," he says, trying to lift his spirits.

Following his instincts, Chaser leads them onward. With all the speed he can summon he leads Nyota past tall thin spires of stone, pods of sea-dragons and the welcoming sight of the stone guardians. His feelings of dread grow, as he notices the warm fires that filled the statues' mouths, are now cold and empty. "Something is wrong... Let's land over here," he calls out, as he changes directions and leads Nyota toward the large flat structure that is Gobber's forge.

"Is this normal?" Nyota asks, as the twinned dark-scaled dragons sail over debris and shattered ruins of homes.

"N... No... I Don't understand. This place looks like the stories my Grandpa used to tell me when I was a hatchling." Landing softly the pair approach Gobber's forge. The smith is already hard at work, the KLANG... KLANG... KLANG... of hammer against metal ringing out with a steady rhythm. The strong combinations of sweat, smoke, stale ale and smelted copper makes Nyota sneeze.

The hammer blows fall silent. Ignoring the icy knot in his gut, Chaser presses against the large double doors, using his head to push it open.

Looking inside Chaser is shocked by how much has changed in such a short time. Racks that once held farming and fishing tools are now filled with weapons. An axe, still glowing from the forge lies on Gobber's anvil. Pushing more of his body into the workspace, Chaser hears a quiet 'clop' before his world explodes in pain.

"HA!!! Thought ya' black scaled bastard could sneak up on ol' Gobber did ya'?" Chaser's head is rocked back by the force of Gobber's hammer. "We trusted ya' Ya' made us feel bad fir' 'ow we treated ya'. Ya made us love ya', and ya' turned on us. Betrayer!!!" The next blow lands squarely on his snout, a spray of blood and shattered teeth splatter the ground. There is a flash of purple and the attack is over.

Dazed, Chaser looks at the still form of his once family member. Nyota rushes in to check the extent of his injuries, but hisses in dismay, "Oh Chaser..."

Trying to open his mouth to reassure his mate that everything will be okay only rewards him with agonizing pain. Finding Gobber's old mirror, still hanging on its home on the wall, Chaser takes stock of the damage. Seeing the better part of half his snout caved in by the old smith's attack makes him want to retch, but being unable to open his shattered jaw would only make that a disaster. Already the swelling has started, and he realises it will eventually become impossible for him to breathe.

'Safety!!! I need to get Nyota to safety before it's too late!!' Chaser thinks. Looking at his mate's tear-streaked face he knows she already understands what is happening. A horn sounds. The silence of Gobber's hammer and the tell-tale explosion of a Shadewing blast has mobilized the town. Pushing past his mate, Chaser bolts from the forge with Nyota in close pursuit. A 'thwip' brushed just past his ruined face leaving an arrow embedded in the nearby wall.

'Thwip','thwip','thwip' a volley sail past his shoulder as he runs. Dizziness begins to cloud his vision as his breathing becomes more labored. Turning, he finds Nyota isn't following. Instead she lies motionless in the street behind him, an arrow buried deeply in one of her beautiful purple eyes. His feet kick up gravel as he slides to a stop. Turning he charges to where she fell, wrapping his body around her, where it takes only seconds for the village to descend upon them, with anger and fury. In the blink of an eye Chaser joins Nyota beyond the veil.