The Big Four and The Prophecy (Book 1)

16 - Will O' the Wisps

Will O' the Wisps

MERIDA

Merida thought it was safe to say that the case about the boogeyman was now officially closed. One thing she needed to investigate now was Hiccup. It wasn't a big deal, really. Merida just wanted to bust Hiccup from whatever he was doing secretly in the Forbidden Forest, which she knew is one of Hiccup's worst fears. The way she found him was rather beyond her expectations. She wouldn't even bother going further into the forest if it weren't for a blue flame that appeared just right before she was about to leave.

It was a wisp.

She never knew they were actually real nor that there were wisps in the forbidden forest. The will o' the wisps are spiritual, ethereal beings that represent past lives. They were said to lead one's fate and destiny. But once she reached out to the mysterious blue flame, it vanished, though another appeared a few feet away from her. It was then followed by a few more, making a trail through the forest.

As a child, she discovered the existence of the Will o' the Wisps while trying to retrieve an arrow in the forest. After that she longed to see at least another at her home. As years passed and none had ever shown themselves again to her, she had given up, forgotten even, until one showed up two days ago. Now she wasn't sure if it was real or if it was a dream.

A wisp leads a person to their destiny; how could Hiccup be her destiny? Was she strongly desiring to see Hiccup that the wisps had shown her the way towards him? Does that how the will o' the wisps even work?

Merida's mind drifted to professor Syrma's predictions. The professor had told her she had a clover, which she had learned meant "attack." Although that wasn't the main reason that kept her awake all night last night, it was professor Syrma's warning to her: "Beware of a bear. Do not follow the wisps."

Beware of a bear? What does that mean? Metaphorically beware of a bear? or Literally beware of a literal bear?

Perhaps if she could just go to the professor and ask her about it. So that's what she's done; Merida was currently on her way to the Divination classroom.

No matter how they were told not to worry about the boogeyman or the prophecy, she couldn't help but think about it. It was weird though, the prophecy had talked about a person skilled with archery, Merida for one was pretty trained in archery; it was one of her special gifts. That's something worth thinking about. But Rapunzel does have a point; who's to say it was them being referred by the prophecy? So if they say they do have those characteristics, they don't get to decide if it was them.

No one told her not to think about it though. Let's say that Jack was indeed the one with ice powers, and she was the one with the skills in archery. Who could be the one with the Golden Flower and the one with the Night Fury? She has heard of Night Furies from Astrid, how Berk was in keen search for Night Furies, to study about them. But so far, no one has ever caught one or seen one–

Her thoughts were cut off as she stumbled upon something hard that hit right at the tip of her shoes. There was a crystal ball on the floor. Merida recognized it to be one of Townend's orbs. How could this be outside the Divination room?

The door was surprisingly open, they would normally see it closed with a sign saying "Do not disturb. Crystal-gazing." This time, despite having the doorway wide open, it was still hanging on the doorknob. Merida thought she should still knock.

"Uhh...professor...Syrma?"

The room was no less than untidy just as it was during their classes. There was no sign of the old lady, not even her black crow–on second thought, no. In fact, the black crow was standing on a different stool. Only it wasn't a stool, she realized it was standing immobile on a bear statue–she hadn't noticed it was a wooden sculpture. She hasn't come close to Syria's crow before, but this one looked like it was a stuffed one and not actually Professor Townend's pet. Cautiously, she reached up her hand to touch it. Until it suddenly tried to peck her finger. She wouldn't have yelped out loud if it didn't say, "Staring is rude!"