Frosted Scales - When Worlds Collide: A HTTYD X Frozen Tale

Dragonrider meets Ice Queen

Hiccup hit the cold, hard floor of the hollow cube with a dull thud. The walls allowed only a faint light to seep through, casting eerie shadows across the dimly lit space. When his feet made contact, he bent his knees to absorb the shock, instinctively lowering an arm to steady himself. The chill of the cube’s surface seeped through his boots, heightening his senses, already primed for danger.

Before his fall, Hiccup was alert, and his eyes quickly scanned the enclosed space, taking in every detail within the fleeting seconds. The cube was empty, barren, with only the oppressive quiet pressing down on him. He barely had time to process this before a sharp tingle shot up his spine and into his right arm. Reacting instinctively, he rolled left and forward, his body moving with the precision of a well-honed reflex, pressing himself against the rough, cold wall.

The cube was just large enough for him to stand, and with a quick glance upward, Hiccup sprang toward the hole in the ceiling. As he soared upward, he noticed something—a figure, barely visible behind a bolt of blue light that surged under him. The blast of light was clearly magic, but he did not have the luxury to ponder it. His thoughts instead lingered on the figure, a fleeting silhouette of mystery.

Sailing out of the cube, Hiccup landed on his belly on the frozen, rough ground outside, the cold biting into his skin. He scrambled to his feet just as the blue light struck the wall where his shoulder had been moments before. The impact exploded with a deafening crack, and a pillar of jagged ice erupted from the spot, tearing through the hole in the ceiling like a living creature. The ice continued to grow, twisting and crackling, as if fed by some unseen force, its sharp edges glinting ominously in the low light.

With no time to lose, Hiccup dove off the cube, narrowly escaping the ice’s relentless advance. His fingers found purchase on the flat, icy shore edge, and he clung tightly, the cold numbing his grip. A familiar sound split the air—a blast of Toothless’ plasma breath—striking the ice pillar where the hole had been. The impact sent shards of ice flying in all directions, narrowly missing Hiccup as they rained down like deadly hail.

Toothless swung back around, his powerful wings beating the air, and grabbed Hiccup with his front talons. With a swift motion, the dragon flipped him fully onto the shore. The moment Hiccup’s feet touched the ground, Toothless crouched into a battle-ready position, his body tense and coiled like a spring. Hiccup quickly picked up a nearby stick, holding it in front of him like a club, his eyes fixed on the cube that had now settled precariously on the shore’s flat edge.

The air grew thick with tension as both dragon and rider narrowed their eyes, watching the cube intently. The next thirty seconds were chaos. The cube exploded outward with a brilliant flash of blue light, washing over them in a blinding wave. Ice shards of all sizes shot out, glittering in the harsh light, turning the air into a deadly storm.

Hiccup’s instincts kicked in once more. Without a second thought, he leaped and tackled Toothless, the force of his movement propelling them both toward a nearby tree. The Night Fury, caught off guard by the sudden attack, yielded to Hiccup’s momentum. They landed in a heap, but Hiccup did not stop. He scrambled to his feet, urging his dragon forward, his voice sharp with urgency.

“Keep going, Bud!” Hiccup’s heart pounded in his chest, the cold air burning his lungs. But as he looked around for his companion, a wave of shock gripped him. Toothless was gone.

Peeking around the base of the tree for cover, Hiccup’s breath caught in his throat. The scene before him was surreal. There, in the midst of the chaos, was a woman—her blue dress tattered, her blonde hair wild and disheveled, the braid frayed and unraveling. A strip of blue fabric, possibly a blanket, lay at her feet, contrasting starkly with the snow and ice around her.