The Gift Of Power | Wattys 2020 (Dance of Power Trilogy: Book 1)

The Decent Into Helheim Is Easy

The last chapter was more of a descriptive filler. Meant for character development and a bridge between time frames. It should get back to exciting and linear from here on out.

This chapter's title is my little twist on a quote from Milton's 'Paradise Lost' :) If you've read the Mortal Instruments Series, you will recognize it as the motto engraved at the entrance to the Bone City (sort of).

* Side note in case anyone was wondering: The only realms that really have any space in this first book are Midgard and Alfheim. So for perspective, Hiccup is either in Midgard, or off realm. I won't add any other worlds to this story in any great detail. He has now been away from Midgard for 5 years as per this newest chapter, and has only returned briefly because the Order has sent him there on a mission. Never interacting with any of his old friends. Though that might be about to change...*

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It had been two long years since Astrid's parents had sold her to Snotlout's family as if she were nothing more than livestock. She supposed that she could see her parents' reasoning, when she calmed down enough to try. It still rankled her though. She had been wracking her brain ever since that fateful afternoon. Desperate for any possible way that she might nullify the marriage contract. Without bringing shame on both herself and her family, of course.

Unfortunately, there just didn't seem to be any easy solutions to her problem. At least they still hadn't reached the nest. So far Gothi's fake vision had bought her two years of time, but Astrid wasn't sure how much longer she would have. True to his word, Snotlout and his father had been doing everything they could to remedy her freedom. Every couple of months she had perched on the cliff over the dock and watched Spitelout lead a small group of ships off on another search. Then she would return to her daily life as best she could, while waiting nervously for word, since she refused to accompany them.

After a few weeks the men would return unsuccessful. Sometimes all crammed onto one ship as the remainder had been wrecked in the fog. Then she would breathe easily again until the next search set sail. Astrid almost didn't want Hiccup to return now, despite Gothi's vision that he would. How would she ever explain to him that her family had sold her to the Jorgensons?

Would she be able to look him in the face and tell him they could never be together? He had waited too long and now her time was up. What would Hiccup do once he found out? Would he try to steal her away from his cousin, or would he just accept it and move on? Or had he already moved on and that's why he was staying away? She was more furious at him now than she had ever been. How had she fooled herself into thinking that these scars were healed?

Though nearly resigned to her fate and with little else to do, Astrid still spent many long nights replaying Gothi's vision over and over in her mind. Desperately trying to glean some insight from it. She knew the figure with the black dragon had to be Hiccup, but what was he looking at? What was he doing? Where was he, even?

Even more confusing was the green fire. What could it possibly mean, for it surely was only a symbol? Fire simply wasn't green, so it had to be a sign of some sort. So many riddles, and not a single solution in sight. Astrid now knew exactly what Gothi had meant by visions being confusing. It made her want to scream with frustration.

In all this time, the raids by the dragons had continually gotten worse. Add to that a few even-worse-than-normal winters, and the Vikings of Berk were getting desperate. Food and supply shortages were becoming more common and they were having to spend more and more of their meagre wealth on purchasing food from traders. They needed a solution to the dragon problem, and they needed it fast. Even Astrid, who had every reason to not want the nest found, had to admit that they couldn't carry on like this. She also knew what waited there to meet the sailors if they did manage to locate the nest. A terrifying dragon beyond anyone's imaginings.