Four days had passed since Lucian began staying in Berk, and life had settled into a steady rhythm: training, smithing, reading, eating, and sleeping. Scauldy, the wounded Scauldron he had rescued, visited from time to time, keeping his distance but never straying too far. The peaceful pace was a stark contrast to Lucian's past life, and though he welcomed the calm, a part of him found it unnervingly dull.
Yet the books provided by his system made the quiet worthwhile. They contained comprehensive knowledge about dragons, far beyond what even the Vikings of today knew.
According to it, dragons were categorized into seven primary classes based on traits and abilities: Boulder, Mystery, Sharp, Stoker, Strike, Tidal, and Tracker.
The Boulder Class included dragons aligned with the earth tough creatures capable of consuming and melting rocks, which some then expelled as lava.
The Mystery Class was shrouded in, well, mystery. These dragons were stealthy, unpredictable, and widely feared not because they were the most dangerous, but because they were the most unknown.
Sharp Class dragons were elegant and dangerous, with bodies lined with blades and spines. Vain and prideful, many could shoot poisonous projectiles and regenerate them almost instantly.
The Stoker Class were fiery and aggressive. Most were known for their high shot limit and immense firepower, some even capable of igniting themselves in battle.
Strike Class dragons were few but exceptional: lightning-fast, cunning, and devastating in combat. Toothless likely belonged here.
Then there were the Tidal Class powerful dragons of the ocean. Most couldn't produce fire but generated electricity instead. They were often larger than average dragons and usually traveled in pods, like aquatic predators or migratory creatures.
Finally, the Tracker Class a newer classification that had replaced the outdated Fear Class. Unlike their predecessors, Tracker dragons were valued for their enhanced senses of smell and taste. They were born hunters, capable of locating anything across vast distances.
But dragon classes were only the surface. The books also detailed behaviors, preferred environments, nesting habits, egg incubation, bonding tendencies, and most fascinating of all, the life cycle and evolution of dragons.
Dragons aged like humans. They began as eggs, hatched into hatchlings, matured into juveniles, and eventually became adults. But for dragons who lived long and endured much, there was another stage: the Elder Dragons. These were the wise, powerful few, often capable of calming lesser dragons and acting as leaders or mediators—much like the Alphas.
As for evolution, dragons followed two paths: adaptive and natural.
Adaptive evolution occurred when a dragon changed to survive its environment. A prime example was the Speed Stinger, which developed webbed feet to run on water after generations spent in wetlands.
Natural evolution, on the other hand, led to two major forms: Titan Wings and Alphas. Titans were dragons who had unlocked their full potential: usually through overcoming great trials, bonding with a rider, or maturing through intense life experiences. Alphas, while rarer, could emerge from any species and rose through dominance, wisdom, and leadership. They were not born—they became one.
---
The night was calm, stars twinkling above Berk's watchtower as the Riders sat huddled around a crackling fire. Fish sizzled over flames, and a few chunks had already gone missing—Tuffnut was the prime suspect.
Lucian sat with them, a roasted fish skewered over the flames. Conversation drifted lazily until Tuffnut broke the silence.
He pointed a skewer dramatically. "Okay. Okay, everyone shut up for a second. We need to talk about him," he said, jabbing the stick at Lucian. "Mysterious guy. Golden eyes. Talks like he's always planning something evil. I bet he's a vampire."
"I'm not a vampire," Lucian said dryly, not even looking up.
"That's exactly what a vampire would say!" Tuffnut yelped.
"I knew it," Ruffnut gasped, eyes widening. "He doesn't sparkle. He's a cool vampire. Like, the murdering kind."
Snotlout rolled his eyes. "You two have the combined brainpower of a sea slug."
"He's a prince," Hiccup chimed in from the side, munching on his food.
Lucian nodded slowly as he chewed.
Tuffnut dropped his stick. "Wait—seriously?! You're royalty?!"
"That makes so much sense!" Fishlegs muttered.
Tuffnut gasped. "This explains everything! His broody eyes, his mysterious look, his whole I see through your soul vibe!"
Snotlout snorted, arms crossed. "Then why are you hanging out in a place like this? Shouldn't you be sipping wine and sitting on a golden chair?"
"I was exiled," Lucian said flatly.
That brought the group to a halt.
Ruffnut blinked. "Wait. Like, kicked-out-of-the-castle exiled? Or you-tried-to-steal-the-royal-cows kind of exiled?"
Tuffnut blinked. "Did you kill someone important? Like... your own brother or something?"
Lucian didn't respond right away. The silence grew heavy.
Then he spoke, voice calm and direct. "I did."
Fishlegs nearly dropped his dinner. "Wait—you're serious?!"
Tuffnut let out a strangled laugh. "Okay wait. Are we sure we should be letting him sit here with us? What if he goes all stabby-stabby in the middle of the night?"
"If he wanted to kill us, he would've done it already," Astrid said without looking up, sharpening her axe.
Lucian looked toward the flames. "In my kingdom, sibling relationships are… complicated. Nothing like Ruff and Tuff. When the throne is at stake, family becomes a threat. I was framed for the death of my second brother. They wanted me out of the picture, so they sentenced me to Grimmhold."
Tuffnut let out a low whistle. "Dang. That's dark. Even we haven't been thrown in prison... yet."
"We came close that one time with the flaming sheep—" Ruffnut began.
"—but that was mostly your fault," Tuffnut finished.
"I never made it there," Lucian continued. "The ship was attacked by a Thunderdrum mid-transit."
Fishlegs gasped. "Whoa! Thunderdrums are so cool! They're huge, right? I read they can—"
"—break your ribs with its voice. Its sonic blast ruptured most of the ship," Lucian finished for him.
Astrid studied him. "So what happened after? You swam all the way here?"
Lucian smirked faintly. "More or less."
Fishlegs leaned forward with excitement. "Is it true? That people from beyond the Archipelago can use magic?"
Lucian nodded. "Some can. I used to."
Ruffnut leaned in, eyes gleaming. "Oooh, were you a dark mage? Did you summon crows? Or like, shoot lightning from your mouth?"
"What happened?" Astrid shoved Tuffnut and asked.
"When I was exiled, they forced me to drink something called the Mana of Nothingness. It cuts you off from all magic permanently."
Fishlegs frowned. "That's... awful."
"It's common," Lucian said with a shrug. "Most people fear magic. They associate it with witches, curses... sin. In some places, being a magic-user is enough to get you burned alive."
Snotlout aksed. "And you were allowed to use it... why?"
"Because I was a prince. And in war, a magic-user is a powerful asset."
Fishlegs raised his hand, thoughtful. "So… are people born with magic, or can they learn it?"
"There's debate," Lucian replied. "Some scholars believe it's a gift from birth. Others point to the witches in the Moors, who pass down spells and rituals through teaching."
"I don't know…" Tuffnut said, rubbing his chin. "What if you secretly still got powers? Like, hidden deep down inside? Ready to awaken in a moment of emotional turmoil?"
Lucian tilted his head slightly. "You've been reading too many romance scrolls."
Ruffnut nodded solemnly. "He totally has. He cried at the last one."
"Not gonna lie," Tuffnut said, puffing his chest. "I bet I'd be great at magic."
"You'd set your eyebrows on fire," Ruffnut muttered.
"Already did that once," Tuffnut added.
Lucian chuckled softly. "Even without magic, Vikings are something else. I've seen warriors here swing trees at dragons or lift boulders like they were pebbles. Where I'm from, only a rare few have that kind of strength."
Ruffnut elbowed her brother. "We are pretty great."
The group laughed, and the tension slowly faded. The fire burned lower as the sky turned fully black, stars scattered like dust above them. The conversation wandered—from dragons and raids to dreams and favorite meals. And as the night deepened, they each peeled away to their homes, one by one.
Lucian stayed behind a little longer, gazing up at the stars.
______
[A/N: This chapter leans more toward an info dump sorry about that! But don't worry, the guessing game continues. Here's a hint, this time in the form of a riddle: ]
Half of grace beneath the wave,
Half of power kingdoms crave.
Rooted where the waters kiss,
Born of trade and mythic bliss.
Scales below and crown above,
A nation's emblem, strength, and love.
I stand where stories intertwine—
What beast of sea and land is mine?