Into the Unknown- Book II of the Journey Series

Chapter 18

===Heather===

Dagur, Skylar and I have been flying northeast all day, and I'm a little suprised how quiet my brother is. Usually, he's yammering like there's no tomorrow. Guess Mala made him shut up. Which is good because that was what I was dreading on this trip. Which gives me plenty of silence to think.

I started thinking about the idea of seeing Hiccup again at River of Memories when the face of beautiful woman with Platinum Blonde hair, sapphire blue eyes, snow white skin, rose red lips and voice like an angel flashed in my mind. It felt like a flashback -but it wasn't a memory.

I closed my eyes, and I saw her again. Her image was absolutely vivid. She looked so ethereal - like a Goddess of Winter. And she was standing on an island with a river flowing in its middle - The River of Memories.

She's who I'm supposed to be looking for. She must be the keeper of the River. But, why did it come to me now? How come I can remember her face even though we've never met? What does it mean?

"Hey! You okay, there sis?" Dagur's shook me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah. Just had a vision." I assured him.

"Of what?" He asked.

"The River of Memories and it's keeper." I told him.

"Guess that means we're close, huh?" Skylar pressumed, which actually made sense.

"Yeah, must be." I said half-heartedly, still thinking about that girl.

Suddenly, the dragons stopped and hovered.

"What is it, girl?" I asked her and she just growled worriedly.

And when I lookes up, I saw the answer. A huge storm was rolling in. And it did not look good.

"I'm gonna say it, Dad jinxed us on the storm. He said it, and now there's a storm. And a pretty bad one, at that." Dagur pointed out.

"For once, I'm gonna have to agree with you there, brother." I said without thinking.

"There's no island for miles. Not even a sandbar for us to land in. We're gonna have to fly through it. No use going back." Skylar advised.

"Let's go." And we flew head on to the storm.

The further into the storm we flew, the harder it was to keep going. I can barely see because of the heavy rain. Windshear can barely fly straight because of the strong wind. I can barely hear Skylar and Dagur beacause of the entire storm. Yeah, I am so blaming dad for jinxing this storm.

Out of nowhere, a huge wave came at us. And there was no where for us to fly out of the way.

"Oh crap." I heard Skylar groan before we were all submereged in water.

I fought to keep my head up as I looked for Dagur, Skylar and the Dragons. I tried calling out for them, but my voice was drowned by the sea. Suddenly, I see Windshear swimming towards me.

And I see Skylar and Dagur about to be rescued by Midnight and Sleuther -his Triple Strike, don't ask.

But, before Windshear can reach me, a pair of claws pulled me out of the water and away from her. She tried coming after me, but she was suddenly pulled under.

"No! Windshear!" I called out to her as I tried escaping the dragon's grip.

But no use.

When I looked up, I saw Skylar and Dagur carried by the arms in the claws of dragons, the same way I was. And they were calling out to their dragons that were pulled into the water the sane way Windshear did.

"Midnight!" Skylar yelled.

"Sleuther, No!" Dagur yelled.

I tried looking around at the swarm of dragons that took us to try and get us out of this. But what caught my eye is a hooded rider on the back of a four-winged dragon leading the flock of dragons that were carrying us to an island with a large mountain.

"Is it just me, or does that hooded rider look familiar?" Dagur commented and I just rolled my eyes.

They flew into a dark cave, and I saw only black. But I can hear beating of winga and roaring of dragons. Suddenly, I feel myself being flung unto a soft patch of grass. Then, two heavy bodies being thrown on top of me with pinpoint accuracy. And based on the groans, it's Skylar and Dagur.

"What did I land on?" Skylar asked.

"Me!" I said as I tried to get out from under them and breathe again.

"Gods, Dagur. What do you even eat?" Skylar asked him as I felt him get up from me.

"All meat, brother. And maybe a couple of pies from dinner last night that are still in here." I hear Dagur reply, with a burp on cue.

"Ugh, Gross." Skylar and I groaned.

"Man, I wish Midnight were here. She could get us out no problem." I hear Skylar say.

I agreed with him in my mind as I looked around.

My eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness. I saw Dagur and Skylar, weapons in hand and ready for anything. And I did the same, pulling out my new axe. It was still pretty dark and all I saw were silhouettes of the dragons that took us.

Out of nowhere, the hooded rider that brought us here. Jumped in front of us. His face was entirely covered, except for his eyes.

"Who are you?" I dared ask.

"What is this place?" I hear Skylar ask.

"Why did you bring us here?" Dagur asked.

He didn't answer any of our questions. And I can see his eyes just looking at us, trying to see of he can trust us or not when really, it's the other way around.

"Where are our dragons?" Skylar asked.

He didn't answer. Just pulled out a large staff from behind him. Twirled it and it made a ratttling sound. Roars came from all around as three large dragons flew in, carrying three familiar lumps with wings and tails. They set them down in front of us.

"Windshear! Thank the gods you're okay." I greeted her happily and she nuzzled me just as happy.

I glanced and saw Dagur and Skylar the same with Sleuther and Midnight.

Suddenly, I hear whistling. Like a flute, or maybe panpipes. Dragons all arounds us started lighting up the cave with the fires flaming in their mouths. And I saw the hooded rider more clearly. His entire body was hidden in a cloak and his face was masked. Only his eyes were seen. And they were green.

Windshear, Midnight and Sleuther began growling at him and wrapped their tails around us protectively. We stayed close to them in case anything happens.

He started walking towards us, while he was crouched down - like when a predator stalks its prey before it strikes. The closer he got, the louder the dragons growled and the more they wrapped their tails around us. Then, he did something that made me widen my eyes.

All three dragons were focused on him, growling and hissing as he got closer. Then, he did a hand gesture that got all three of them flopped on their backs and purring like cats that feasted on catnip.

He came towards Dagur, his face only inches away from my brother. And as nervous as I was, it was awkward as hell. I looked to Skylar and he was just as confused and awkward about it as I was.

I was startled with a gasp from the rider as he drew back from shock. It sounded like a woman.

"Dagur?" Could it be?" She asked as she drew her hood and mask down.

And I heard my brother gasp from shock.

"Mommy?" He looked appalled.

And so was I.

If he called her mommy, doesn't that mean.... she's my mother, too?

What in the name of Thor?