The Rise of Light (Book 3: Together Forever)

Night Falls

Rowan's POV

Hiccup and I were rushing to Night as he crashed painfully in front of us. Astrid had just woken up and was showing no signs of side effects, from whatever was on the dart, besides a massive headache.

"Night. Can you hear me?" I asked him as I crouched in front of him.

"Yeah. It hurts. A lot," he murmured as he opened an eye.

"What hurts?"

"My wing. God's forsaken arrow," he muttered

"Night. What happened?"

"Dragon. Downfall. Arrow. Wing. Hurts," he said as he nudged me with his wing. A long string of curses flooded out of Astrid's mouth, who was now kneeling beside me.

"This isn't good. There's no known cure for Dragon's Downfall. Not that I know of. Although, mom might know of one, though I don't know why she wouldn't've told me," I thought out loud.

"How long do we have?" Hiccup asked me as he brought a wet cloth to Night's forehead.

"At most... five days... If we're lucky... But I would say three..." I told them as Forestflame took off to tell Valka. "Night. We're going to have to move you to the Healer's hut." His eyes moved to mine. "Okay, you're not moving, Hiccup-"

I turned to my brother and saw that he had already shifted and was moving towards Night.

"Night. I'm going to carry you, okay?" Hiccup said as he stood beside his head.

"O-okay," Night gritted out and Hiccup picked him up gently and flew towards my hut.

When I arrived, Hiccup had already made Night comfortable, well as comfortable as possible with Night's pain.

"I'm going to go let everyone kn-" I cut him off.

"That's not-" Then he cut me off.

"He gave me a list of dragons he wants me to let know, don't worry," he replied and squeezed my shoulder. I rolled my eyes and huffed a laugh.

"There's my big bro, always knowing what I'm worried about," I told him and he winked at me before he shifted and flew off.

Night's POV

I stared at the wall. And the pain I was feeling had distracted me from everything that hed lead up to the arrow, that was until my Uncle asked me who I wanted to tell about my condition.

*Flashback*

Vera looked up at me, "Go ahead."

I blinked at her in confusion. "Go ahead and do what?" I asked her.

"I reached my decision," she replied before starting to walk off.

"That didn't explain anything, Verr," I replied passively.

"What do you mean? I said you could be mates, didn't I? Now, go!" she replied, practically shoving me off the cliff.

I was frozen in place until my tail slid off the edge. "R-really! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I shouted at her and tackled her to the ground. When I let her up she was giving me her famous death-glare, that usually, not unlike our Aunt Astrid, meant that death was actually on the way.

"You better go before I change my mind," she growled at me while swishing her tail angrily.

I nodded quickly before flying to the waterfall.

When I got there I didn't see Falcon waiting until it was too late and, unable to stop or turn in time, crashed into him, sending us flying across the rocks.

"Owww... What was that for?" Falcon exclaimed, indignantly.

"Sorry, didn't see you! I was just so excited!" I smiled broadly at him as I shook myself out.

"Oh," he said and looked away.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Just something I need to tell you..." he trailed off and I looked at him, expectantly. "I... I-I think we should..." he didn't finish his sentence.

"You think we should what?" I asked him curiously.

"Break up," he replied, not meeting my eyes. It felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest and I was left to die.

I nodded numbly, even though I knew he wasn't looking at me. I didn't trust my voice to not betray how hurt I was by that statement. And if that's what he wanted... then so be it.

The nothingness was consuming me as I took that arrow in my wing and shoved him out of harm's way.

The physical pain helping me to focus as I pulled the arrow out of my wing and flew off.

*End of Flashback*

I curled in on myself as Vera came up beside me.

"Where is Falcon?" she asked immediately as she knelt in front of me.

I curled tighter as the pain hit me again, ten-fold.

"I'm going to-"

"DON'T!" I interrupted her and bared my teeth. She blinked in surprise. "I don't want to see him. Ever." My voice cracked on the last word as she flinched away.

"What happened?" she asked me as she laid down beside me.

"I don't want to talk about it," I muttered.

"Okay," she replied hesitantly. "I'm sorry." My pain was momentarily pushed aside by my confusion. "This is my fault. I should've said yes sooner and then you wouldn't-"

"You don't know-!"

"You are hurt. And it is my fault. I failed you, Night! Don't you get it! I was supposed to protect you! It should have been me! I should be where you are now! It should be m-me..." she choked out and breaking down into tears. Her calm facade shattering completely as she collapsed into a sobbing ball of scales. And I was a fool for not seeing it before.

"Verr... It-it's okay. You didn't fail. None of us expect you to protect us. We should be protecting you-"

"Why? Because I'm female? Because I'm supposed to be weak?" she immediately went on the defensive.

"No. It's because you're our little sister. Because you're the youngest not because you're female. I would never treat a female like that, Verr, and you know that." She nodded in acceptance or acknowledgement I wasn't sure which or if it was both.

"I just want you to be safe. You're my brother, older or not. And seeing you dying..." she trailed off and I flinched. She was right, of course. I was dying. But I hadn't really thought of it before.

I looked at her and... for some reason... I told her everything. From meeting Falcon at the Waterfall to coming here. And she... just laid there, not interrupting, not saying a word, just letting me talk. And when I was finished, she nuzzled her head against mine.

"I'm sorry, Night," she told me as she continued to nuzzle my head as I let the tears fall.