Chương 27: Chapter 19: A Morning Walk
The morning sun broke over Berk, its rays glinting off the rooftops and the scales of dragons lazily circling above the village. Smoke curled from chimneys, carrying with it the comforting scent of woodfires and freshly baked bread. The rhythmic clang of hammers striking anvils mixed with the cheerful laughter of children chasing each other through the cobblestone streets, their games often involving playful dragons joining in.
Lyra walked at an unhurried pace, her boots crunching softly against the well-trodden ground. Her eyes darted to every corner of the bustling village, taking in its distinct charm. There was a rawness to Berk, a vibrant imperfection that tugged at something deep within her. She hadn't expected to feel so drawn to its energy.
Beside her, Astrid strolled with an easy confidence, her axe slung casually across her back. The morning breeze tugged gently at her blonde braid, and her sharp eyes flicked between Lyra and their surroundings. "You're up early," Astrid remarked, her tone light but curious. "Not many people beat me out of bed."
"I couldn't sleep," Lyra admitted, her gaze lingering on a pair of dragons perched on a roof, one playfully tugging at the other's tail. "There's… so much to think about." She gestured toward the busy streets with a small, reflective smile. "Berk feels so alive, in a way I didn't expect. Simple, yes, but vibrant. Every corner seems to have a story."
Astrid chuckled, nodding at a Terrible Terror darting between the legs of a group of children. "That's Berk for you," she said. "Chaotic, loud, and somehow still standing. We make it work."
Lyra tilted her head thoughtfully, her expression softening as memories surfaced. "Aether was nothing like this," she murmured.
Astrid glanced at her. "What was it like? Before… well, before everything?"
Lyra slowed her steps, her gaze drifting upward as she allowed herself to recall her home. Her voice was steady, but a tinge of melancholy laced her words. "Aether was… pristine. Every building crafted with precision, every street wide and paved, lined with runic lamps that cast a soft, otherworldly glow even in the darkest hours." She paused, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "The dragons weren't just part of the kingdom—they were its heart. They were our companions, protectors, and legacy. Our bond with them was woven into everything we did. You couldn't walk a single street without seeing that connection."
Astrid nodded slowly, picturing the world Lyra described. "It sounds beautiful. But… maybe a little rigid?"
Lyra's laugh was soft, but genuine. "You wouldn't be wrong. Aether prized perfection, sometimes to a fault. Everything had to be the best it could be, every action serving a greater purpose. Spontaneity wasn't exactly encouraged." She smirked, glancing sidelong at Astrid. "If someone had left a Gronckle stuck in a barrel, like that one over there, they'd have been lectured for hours on efficiency and responsibility."
Astrid followed Lyra's gaze, smiling wryly at the sight. Two villagers were struggling to coax a particularly stubborn Gronckle out of a fish barrel, their shouts mingling with the dragon's obstinate grumbles. The Gronckle seemed utterly uninterested in cooperation, stubbornly chomping on the few fish it could reach from its makeshift hideout.
"You won't find much perfection here," Astrid said, crossing her arms as she watched the amusing scene.
Lyra shook her head, a warm smile lighting her face. "And yet, it works," she said softly. "There's a kind of freedom in the way Berk operates. You embrace the chaos and still find harmony within it. It's… refreshing."
Astrid raised an eyebrow. "Refreshing? Coming from someone who grew up in a place as polished as Aether, I'd call that high praise."
Lyra chuckled, nodding. "It is. Aether was beautiful, but it could be… suffocating. Expectations were high, and tradition was everything. Every decision, every step, was part of a larger plan. There wasn't much room to just… exist. Here, everything feels freer. Less bound by rules."
Astrid tilted her head, studying Lyra for a moment. "I suppose that's true," she admitted. "But Berk has its own set of challenges. Chaos might seem freeing, but it can wear on you too. You've seen how much Hiccup has to manage just to keep things from falling apart."
Lyra nodded, her expression thoughtful. "True. I imagine every place has its burdens, no matter how different they might seem."
The faint sound of laughter and shouts carried over the morning air, drawing their attention toward the outskirts of the village. Astrid's eyes lit up as she recognized the source. "Sounds like the others are at it again," she said, gesturing toward the battlegrounds.
Lyra followed her gaze, and together they headed toward the commotion.
The group was gathered near the edge of the training grounds, their dragons circling overhead or lounging nearby. Snotlout was mid-sentence, his chest puffed out as he gestured dramatically with one hand.
"And then Hookfang and I dove straight through the flames—not a scratch on us! The other dragons? Toasted marshmallows. Perfect execution, as always."
Ruffnut rolled her eyes so hard it looked like they might roll out of her head. "Yeah, right. More like singed marshmallows. You barely made it through that last run before Hookfang started whining."
Tuffnut snorted loudly, doubling down. "If Hookfang hadn't bailed you out, you'd be a Snotlout-shaped pile of ash. What's next, you're gonna tell us you taught Hookfang to breathe fire?"
Snotlout glared at them, his chest puffing out even more. "I don't need advice from people whose idea of teamwork is seeing who can cause the most chaos during a maneuver!"
Hiccup, sitting on a log with Toothless perched behind him, was trying to keep the peace as usual. "Snotlout, it's not a competition," he said calmly. "It's about working together and improving your bond with your dragon. Right, Toothless?"
Toothless chirped in agreement, nudging Hiccup's arm with his snout in a way that looked almost smug.
At that moment, Lyra and Astrid approached, having heard the commotion from across the training grounds. Lyra's curious gaze flicked between the riders and their dragons, noting the intensity of the conversation. Astrid crossed her arms, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "What's all this boasting about now?"
"Oh, just the usual," Snotlout said, grinning with barely-contained arrogance. "Dragon maneuvers, daring feats, proving that we're the best dragon riders out there. You know, the basics."
"Best?" Lyra raised an eyebrow, her expression neutral but with a subtle edge of skepticism.
Snotlout caught the look and, emboldened by his audience, straightened even more. "Yeah, best. Got a problem with that, princess?"
Astrid groaned audibly, shaking her head. "Snotlout, don't—"
But Snotlout was already leaning toward Lyra, his grin widening into something both cocky and challenging. "What's the matter? They don't do dragon riding in Aether? Or was everything just a bunch of pretty parades with no real skill involved?"
Lyra's emerald-green eyes narrowed ever so slightly. The flicker of irritation that crossed her face was brief but sharp. When she finally spoke, her tone was calm, almost cool, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. "Is that so?"
"Absolutely," Snotlout replied with a flourish, his confidence blazing like a pyre. "In fact, I challenge you. Prove me wrong."
The group fell silent, all eyes snapping to Lyra. Even Hookfang paused mid-yawn, his gaze flicking between his rider and Lyra, as though sensing the tension that now hung in the air like a drawn bowstring.
Astrid's sharp intake of breath cut through the quiet. She stepped forward as if to intervene, her tone firm. "Snotlout, you don't know what you're asking for. Lyra's—"
Lyra raised a hand, stopping Astrid mid-sentence. Her gaze didn't waver from Snotlout, and her voice was steady, almost soft, as she said, "If that's what you want… then so be it."
Her words landed like a hammer, their quiet strength silencing even Snotlout's bravado for a moment. But only for a moment.
Snotlout's grin widened, mistaking her calmness for hesitance. "Oh, this is gonna be good," he crowed, already climbing onto Hookfang's back with theatrical flair. "Don't feel bad when I show you up. Berk's the home of dragon riders, after all. You're in our arena now."
Astrid pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, muttering under her breath, "He's digging his own grave."
Tuffnut leaned toward Ruffnut, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Do you think Hookfang knows what he's in for? Maybe we should warn him."
Ruffnut smirked, gesturing toward Hookfang. "Nah, he looks like he's already made peace with it."
Lyra approached Lexy, who had been observing the exchange with a predator's stillness. The Crystal Fury tilted her head, her blue crystalline scales catching the sunlight and scattering it in dazzling, fragmented beams. Her sleek form shimmered like liquid sapphire, each movement precise and fluid, as if she were carved from living ice. Her golden eyes glowed with an icy intelligence that made even the other dragons shift uneasily.
Lyra placed a hand on Lexy's neck, her fingers trailing along the cool, smooth scales. Her voice was low and calm, barely more than a whisper. "Let's show them, shall we?"
Lexy's wings trembled slightly, her muscles coiling beneath her crystalline skin like a spring ready to snap. A ripple of anticipation rolled through the onlookers as Lyra mounted with practiced ease. There was no flourish, no hesitation—just a quiet, unshakable confidence.
The rest of the group instinctively backed away, their eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and awe. Hiccup exchanged a glance with Astrid, concern flickering in his gaze.
"This is going to be… something," he murmured, his voice edged with both trepidation and fascination.
Astrid nodded, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her eyes were sharp, her lips pressed into a thin line. "He brought this on himself."
Snotlout, already mounted on Hookfang, grinned and punched the air. "Let's do this!" he crowed, his bravado thick enough to cut with a knife. Hookfang snorted, flames licking the corners of his mouth as his wings flared wide.
Hookfang launched into the sky with a powerful beat of his wings, a burst of fire trailing behind them like a comet's tail. Snotlout twisted in the saddle, calling over his shoulder with a smug grin, "Catch me if you can!"
He urged Hookfang into a rapid ascent, the dragon spiraling tightly as flames jetted from his mouth. The air shimmered with heat, waves of distortion curling around the path they carved through the sky.
Lyra didn't flinch at the challenge. Her voice was steady, a whisper only Lexy could hear. "Let's dance."
Lexy's wings snapped open, the membranes catching the sunlight and scattering it into a prismatic display of blues and silvers. Then, with a single, powerful thrust, she shot forward, a blur of shimmering crystal. For a heartbeat, she seemed to vanish, refracting the light around her in a dazzling display that left the air glittering like shards of glass.
Snotlout's jaw dropped. "Where did they—"
Before he could finish the thought, Lexy reappeared above them, her golden eyes locked on Hookfang like a hawk targeting prey. She dropped into a graceful dive, her wings tucked close to her body, slicing through the air with terrifying precision. Her claws extended, barely missing Hookfang's tail as she twisted mid-dive and looped effortlessly around them.
"Too slow," Lyra's voice rang out, cool and unhurried, carried effortlessly on the wind.
Snotlout gritted his teeth, his face flushed. "Come on, Hookfang! We're not losing to a flashy light show!" He leaned forward, urging Hookfang into a steep dive. The Monstrous Nightmare roared, flames streaming from his jaws in a molten torrent.
They dove through their own curtain of fire, spiraling tightly to gain speed. The flames roared around them, swirling in a cyclone of heat. Snotlout glanced back, his grin triumphant. "Bet you can't follow that!"
But Lyra didn't even blink. She whispered another command, and Lexy's wings flared just enough to catch a slipstream of air. The Crystal Fury tilted her body, twisting effortlessly through the currents. Her crystalline form refracted the fire, scattering it harmlessly in every direction.
The onlookers gasped as Lexy emerged from the flames unscathed, her scales gleaming with droplets of molten light. She soared above Hookfang, then suddenly dove backward, flying belly-up beneath him. For a heartbeat, Lyra and Snotlout's eyes locked.
Snotlout's smirk faltered.
Lexy snapped her wings closed and spiraled away in a rapid corkscrew, leaving a trail of frost-like mist that hung in the air like a ghostly ribbon. The cold mist shimmered with a crystalline brilliance, each droplet suspended like tiny diamonds.
Hookfang shuddered, his flames sputtering as the chill mist kissed his scales. He faltered slightly, wings beating harder to stay aloft. Snotlout's eyes widened, his hands clenching the reins. "Come on, buddy, shake it off!"
But Lexy was already preparing her final maneuver. Her wings caught a rising thermal, propelling her higher until she was a distant glimmer in the sky. The sun caught her crystalline scales, making her look like a star about to descend.
Lyra leaned close, her voice a soft murmur. "Let's finish this."
Lexy folded her wings tight against her body and dove. She plummeted like an arrow, the wind shrieking around her. The air crackled with energy, a thin sheath of frost forming along the edges of her wings. The ground rushed closer, the world blurring into streaks of color.
At the last possible moment, Lexy spread her wings wide, arresting her descent with a grace that seemed to defy physics. Her talons barely skimmed the earth as she landed, her form as still and poised as a statue.
Hookfang, trying to match the descent, flared his wings too late. He landed with an awkward thud, his claws digging furrows into the dirt as he stumbled forward. Snotlout tumbled from the saddle, landing flat on his back with a groan.
A beat of silence.
Then the training grounds erupted in laughter.
Ruffnut clutched her sides, wheezing. "I told you! Brutal!"
Tuffnut nodded sagely, patting Snotlout's shoulder as he struggled to sit up. "Five seconds longer than I thought you'd last, man. You're getting better."
Astrid smirked, shaking her head. "Maybe next time, think before you challenge someone who clearly knows what they're doing."
Snotlout scowled, brushing dirt off his armor. A flicker of doubt crossed his face, his eyes darting to Hookfang. He sighed, his voice low. "Yeah, yeah. Maybe I bit off more than I could chew." Hookfang huffed in agreement, nudging his rider with an almost sympathetic snort.
Lyra slid off Lexy, her gaze softening as she approached Snotlout. "Humility is important, Snotlout. Dragons bond with trust and respect, not arrogance."
Hiccup stepped forward, his tone gentle but firm. "We're all still learning. That's what matters."
Lyra nodded, her eyes sweeping over the group. "Berk's riders may be different from Aether's, but you've built something here—something unique. That's worth more than any duel."
As the morning sun continued its climb, the air buzzed with renewed energy. The Riders and their dragons drifted toward the training grounds, their laughter and chatter filling the air. There were more lessons to learn, more challenges to face—but they would face them together.
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