Chapter 13: Mysteries Of Furies

The morning sun streamed through the windows of the Great Hall, casting warm light on the long wooden table where the Riders, Stoick, Gobber, and Lyra had gathered for breakfast. Plates of bread, fruit, and roasted meats filled the table, the hearty smell mingling with the quiet hum of conversation.

The adults sat at one end, with Stoick and Gobber debating plans for reinforcing Berk's defenses. Meanwhile, the Riders filled the other side of the table, engaged in a lively discussion about their latest escapades. Lyra sat among them, her plate untouched as she listened quietly, the warmth of the hall easing her lingering worries.

"So then," Snotlout declared, slamming his mug down dramatically, "I swooped in, Hookfang unleashed a burst of flames, and—BAM! Saved the day. Pretty sure I've got a new move to add to the Snotlout Special Techniques Handbook."

Astrid rolled her eyes, biting into an apple. "You mean the Handbook of Terrible Ideas?"

Ruffnut snorted. "Special techniques? Is that what you call flailing around and screaming until Hookfang gets bored and does all the work?"

Tuffnut gasped, clutching his chest. "Hookfang, how could you betray us? He's supposed to be the hero!"

"Hey!" Snotlout shot back, pointing a finger at Tuffnut. "At least I don't hide behind my dragon and call it 'strategy!'"

Hiccup shook his head, suppressing a laugh as he turned to Toothless, who sat nearby, gnawing contentedly on a piece of fish. "Toothless, what do you think? Should we make 'flailing and screaming' a certified battle move?"

Toothless paused, his bright eyes flicking between Hiccup and the arguing Riders before letting out a playful chirp, his tail thumping against the floor.

Fishlegs, ever the dragon enthusiast, leaned forward eagerly. "Actually, Toothless's movements are more than just playful. Did you notice how he uses his wings to balance during rapid turns? It's a unique trait among—"

"You called him a Night Fury earlier," Lyra interrupted suddenly, her tone curious rather than accusatory. She tilted her head, her silver-blonde hair catching the light as she glanced at Hiccup. "Why do you call him that?"

The table quieted for a moment, everyone turning their attention to Lyra.

"Uh…" Hiccup blinked, surprised by the question. "Because that's what he is? Toothless is a Night Fury—rare, fast, powerful. Isn't that what they're called?"

Lyra frowned slightly, her expression thoughtful. "That's odd. In Aether, we called them Lightning Furies."

"Lightning Furies?" Fishlegs echoed, his quill frozen mid-scribble. "Why would they be called that?"

"Because they're lightning elementals," Lyra replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She gestured toward Toothless, who tilted his head curiously at the sudden attention. "Plasma bolts, electro-charged flight—it's all connected to the element of lightning. That's what they were named for."

Astrid leaned forward, her brows furrowed. "Are you saying they're not actually Night Furies?"

Lyra hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Maybe they were once called Lightning Furies, and the name changed over time. Or perhaps their abilities diminished, and people forgot their true nature. After all, furies were known as Elemental Furies in my time."

"Elemental Furies?" Ruffnut repeated, her voice filled with fascination.

Lyra nodded, her green eyes alight with knowledge. "Each Fury species was tied to an element, allowing them to wield that element's energy directly. There were Lightning Furies like Toothless, but also Zephyr Furies for air, Flame Furies for fire, Water Furies for water, Earth Furies for stone, and Light Furies for light. They were all swift, intelligent, and masters of their respective elements."

Tuffnut leaned back dramatically, his hands on his head. "Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me there are Furies out there that can control air or water? Why don't we have one of those?" 

Lyra shrugged, her expression turning thoughtful. "I can't say for sure why you haven't seen them. Remember, I just woke up, and even in Aether, Furies were rare compared to other dragon species. They weren't common, but they weren't exactly 'gone,' either. Maybe something happened while I was… away, or maybe you've just been looking in the wrong places."

Fishlegs tapped his quill against his notebook, frowning. "So, they weren't exactly disappearing, but they weren't plentiful either. That's fascinating… and worrying. If they were already rare in your time, then it's possible they became even harder to find as time went on."

Astrid glanced at Toothless, her sharp gaze softening slightly. "That means Toothless is even more special than we realized. If Lightning Furies—or Night Furies—were already rare, it's no wonder Hiccup was the first to find one."

Hiccup reached out to scratch behind Toothless's ear, a fond smile tugging at his lips. "I always knew you were one of a kind," he said softly. Toothless purred in response, his tail thumping against the floor.

"One of a kind," Ruffnut repeated, her voice dreamy. "That's what they'll say about me when I tame a Flame Fury. Or maybe a Water Fury… Ooh, no—Earth Fury. Then I'll be unstoppable."

Tuffnut gasped, leaning toward her with wide eyes. "Earth Fury? Imagine if it could punch through mountains. You'd be… like… Queen of Rocks!"

"You mean Queen of Earth," Ruffnut corrected with a dramatic toss of her hair.

"That's what I said," Tuffnut muttered, squinting suspiciously at her.

Snotlout rolled his eyes. "Yeah, good luck finding one. You couldn't handle a Flame Fury anyway. It'd roast you before you even tried to train it."

"Better roasted than boring!" Ruffnut shot back.

Lyra's smile softened as she turned to Astrid. "Stormfly is a Deadly Nadder, right?"

Astrid nodded. "One of the best."

"Her spines are fascinating," Lyra said, leaning forward slightly. "Did you know she can adjust their trajectory mid-air? With training, you could use her spines for precision attacks rather than just general defense."

Astrid's eyes lit up with interest. "I didn't know that. I'll have to try it."

"And Hookfang," Lyra continued, glancing at Snotlout. "Monstrous Nightmares are known for their firepower, but Hookfang's flames could also create temporary fire barriers if directed correctly."

Snotlout's jaw dropped. "Barriers? You mean… like walls of fire?"

"Exactly," Lyra confirmed. "With practice, you could protect the team while still staying on the offensive."

Fishlegs looked up eagerly. "What about Meatlug? Gronckles are versatile, but is there something we're missing?"

Lyra smiled. "Her lava blasts are unique. If you combine them with her stone armor ability, you could create fortified positions mid-battle. Imagine using her as a moving shield."

Fishlegs's eyes widened with excitement. "That's incredible! I never thought of that."

The table buzzed with new ideas as Lyra continued offering insights.

Finally, Ruffnut leaned back, her grin wide. "Okay, I take it back. Nyx might be scary, but you're the best dragon coach ever."

Lyra laughed, her gaze drifting to the window where the faint shimmer of the barrier still lingered. "If you think I'm good, wait until you meet Nyx. He's in a class of his own. Understanding dragons isn't just a skill for him—it's who he is. The Aetherions had a unique bond with dragons. They could feel their emotions, sense their needs, and see abilities even the dragons didn't know they had."

Astrid tilted her head. "So… Nyx could see things in dragons that no one else could?"

Lyra nodded. "Exactly. It's part of his lineage, but also his experience. He spent years as a commander, working alongside dragons and riders in battle. He knows more about them than I ever could."

Hiccup smiled thoughtfully. "Sounds like someone Toothless and I would like to learn from."

Lyra's gaze softened. "He'd like that, too."

Lyra leaned back slightly, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as she considered the group's questions. "You know," she began, her voice light with amusement, "there was an interesting rumor among the professors in Aether."

The Riders leaned in, intrigued by the sudden shift in her tone. "A rumor?" Fishlegs asked eagerly, his quill poised over his notebook. "What kind of rumor?"

Lyra smirked faintly, her green eyes glinting with mischief. "It's said that Chaos was the first Fury—the origin of all the others. According to some of the more… enthusiastic scholars at Aether Academy, Chaos's mastery of all the elements wasn't just a quirk of its power. They believed it created the other Furies by splitting pieces of its elemental essence, each piece forming a new Fury tied to a single element."

The room fell silent as the Riders processed her words.

"Wait," Astrid said, her brow furrowing. "Are you saying Chaos… gave birth to all the other Furies? Like, it's their… ancestor?"

Lyra shrugged, her smile widening in playful amusement. "That's what the professors claimed. Of course, they had no proof—just theories and endless debates. But it became such a hot topic in the academy that Nyx and Chaos couldn't go anywhere without someone asking for samples of Chaos's scales or observing its every move."

"That sounds… intense," Hiccup said, his expression thoughtful as he glanced at Toothless, who was watching Lyra with wide, curious eyes.

Snotlout, leaning back with his arms crossed, snorted loudly. "Let me guess. Nyx just loved that, right?"

Lyra laughed, a genuine, melodic sound that lightened the room. "Loved it? Oh, he hated it. Nyx and Chaos got so fed up with the constant attention that one day, Nyx stormed into the Aether Academy and announced—very loudly, I might add—that if they didn't stop their research on Chaos, he would shut the entire academy down."

The Riders' jaws collectively dropped.

"He threatened to shut down an entire academy?" Ruffnut asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and admiration. "Okay, that's… kind of amazing."

"Of course he did," Lyra said, her smile turning slightly wry. "He was the King of Aether. He had the authority, and he wasn't afraid to use it. But, to be fair, the professors had gotten a bit… overzealous. They weren't just theorizing anymore—they were practically following Chaos everywhere, trying to measure its movements, test its energy levels, and analyze its interactions. Chaos couldn't take a step without someone taking notes."

"Sounds like Meatlug during feeding time," Fishlegs muttered, absently petting his Gronckle, who rumbled in agreement.

"What happened after that?" Hiccup asked, leaning forward slightly, his curiosity evident.

Lyra shrugged, her expression softening. "The heat died down pretty quickly. No one wanted to risk losing their positions, and Nyx's temper wasn't something to test. Chaos, however…" She smirked, her green eyes gleaming. "Chaos was smug for weeks. It practically strutted through the halls, knowing it had scared off an entire academic department."

The image of Chaos walking with an air of triumph through a grand palace made the Riders burst into laughter. Even Toothless let out a curious chirp, tilting his head as if intrigued by the idea of such a powerful Fury commanding respect with just its presence.

"So… is the rumor true?" Fishlegs asked, his quill trembling with anticipation. "Is Chaos really the first Fury?"

Lyra's expression softened, her gaze drifting as though she were recalling distant memories. "It's hard to say," she admitted. "The Aether professors were brilliant, but even they didn't have all the answers. What I do know is that Chaos is unlike any other dragon. Its connection to the elements, its intelligence, its sheer presence… whether or not it created the Furies, it is undeniably unique."

"And Nyx," Hiccup prompted, his voice steady but curious. "What does he think about all this? Did he believe the rumor?"

Lyra's smile deepened, and she leaned back slightly, her green eyes glimmering with nostalgia. "I think he said something like this: 'It doesn't matter whether Chaos is the first Fury or the last. What matters is what we do with the bond we've been given. The rest is just noise.'"

The table fell silent for a moment as the Riders absorbed her words.

"That… actually makes a lot of sense," Astrid said, her tone thoughtful. "Why waste time on what you can't prove when you've got something real to focus on?"

Hiccup nodded slowly, his gaze distant as he processed the idea. "It sounds like Nyx values what's in front of him more than chasing after what's uncertain. Practical, but with a deeper meaning."

Lyra chuckled softly. "That's Nyx. Always focused on what matters, not the grandiose theories or the endless debates. He values action, not just talk. And with Chaos, he knew their bond wasn't about proving a theory—it was about trust. Chaos wasn't something to be understood or tamed—it was meant to be trusted, just like any other dragon."

"Trust," Fishlegs murmured, his voice filled with awe. "That's… incredible."

"Yes," Lyra agreed, her voice tinged with pride. "It is."

Fishlegs scribbled furiously, his face alight with excitement. "This is incredible! If Chaos really was the first Fury, and Nyx has that kind of insight into dragons, then—"

"Then we still don't know for sure," Astrid interjected, shooting Fishlegs a teasing smirk. "But it makes for a great story."

Lyra chuckled softly, her gaze drifting to the window where the distant glow of the barrier still shimmered faintly. "It does," she agreed. "And for what it's worth, I think Chaos enjoys keeping everyone guessing. It's just… in its nature."