The Forgotten Haddock: Riders of Berk

Chapter 13: When Lighting Strikes

Chapter 13: When Lighting Strikes

Hiccup and I have been modeling dragon perches. He draws while I use pieces of clay to model my ideas. We've already dismissed using wood to make the perches. Wood and dragons don't mix. We'll have to use metal. My clay design falls down.

"More supports?" Hiccup suggests.

"Well they are dragons." Gobber says.

I mold new pieces into supports and put them on my model. This time, it stands.

A few days later, Gobber and Hiccup finished all the pieces. I thought we should use stone, but Gobber and Hiccup insisted on using metal. The villagers help stand them up and the dragons add the final piece. We set them up all around the island. Vision and I are doing the testing. Vision flies to one, but hovers over it. I can feel his distrust towards it.

"It's ok, boy. Take it easy." I say to him. He purrs and slowly lands on the perch. Everyone holds their breath in case of collapse. After nothing happens, the villagers celebrate.

"So we built this stuff so things wouldn't break?" Tuff asks.

"I don't understand you people." Ruff says.

"And they tricked us into helping them build 'em. I feel so used. And sweaty." Tuff replies.

That night, Gobber is eating with us. I'm cooking so Gobber doesn't move anything. I cooked when I could see and Hiccup and Dad can't cook for their lives. After I was blinded I had enough of their cooking so I placed every ingredient in a place and kicked Dad and Hiccup out of the kitchen. I hear their tankards knock together and Dad says,

"Perches for dragons. Some of your best work yet. Although we may need to move the one over the well." I stifle a giggle at what he's implying.

I can tell Hiccup is practically beaming. Excitedly, he says, "The perches are just the beginning. We could landing areas, maybe even stables in the caves under--"

"Easy son. Remember, Berk is still for people." Dad says. My eyes twinge in slight pain and I hear thunder from far away.

"Vikings before dragons." Gobber says. Toothless purrs indignantly. "Yeah, I said it. Deal with it."

"There's a thunderstorm coming. Not a bad one, but there will be lightning. I know my orders, I'll stay inside." I say. A sudden clap of thunder takes us by surprise. The three guys run outside.

"Wow, the lightning is hitting everywhere." I hear Hiccup say. I just continue making dinner.

"Lightning doesn't usually strike in the village." Dad says.

Gobber pipes in and says, "Thor must be angry. The only other time I can remember lightning striking Berk..."

"Barnstat" Gobber and Dad say together.

"Barn who?"

"Jürgen Barnstat. Drifter. Sailed into town. He was stealing from widows and old men." Dad says.

"To banish him, Thor sent a lightning bolt right to his helmet when he was fixing the mast on his ship to make his mistake. Hehehe." Gobber interrupts.

"By the time Thor was finished with him, our whole fleet was on fire." Dad adds.

"We shipped him off the island and Thor hasn't hit the village since." Gobber finishes.

"Threw him off the island?" Hiccup starts.

"That's pretty harsh." I finish. "And on what ship, I thought they were all burnt."