After eating with Elsa, I excused myself and left. "Distasi, how many points do I have?" I asked.
"Erik, you have over 100 million," she replied.
I smiled. Conquering this kingdom had given me the last points I needed. Now, I could finally revive Merida. I couldn't wait. It would take no less than three days to get back to Berk. I kept walking, a restlessness in my stride that someone looking closely might notice. Servants greeted me, and I nodded, continuing toward my destination. I wanted to return to Berk as fast as possible.
As I left the castle, I noticed Anna with Kristoff. They saw me and greeted me. I nodded and kept walking, but stopped when Anna stepped in front of me. I raised an eyebrow.
She gave a cheeky smirk. "So… you and my sister," she began.
"What's with me and your sister?" I asked.
Her mouth twitched, then she sighed. "There are rumors about you two," she stated.
I paused. "Those rumors are false. Don't take it the wrong way. Elsa is my type. She is strong-willed, has leadership, and has power that I admire… but," I paused.
"But what?" she asked.
I paused again, then spoke. "I already have a fiancée. And it also happens that my fiancée is also my type," I said with a smirk.
"But…" she stopped and sighed. "Well, I guess it is your choice," she stated.
"Well then, if we're done, I have something to do." I started walking away.
"My Lord, what are your orders?" asked a familiar voice, my second-in-command, Alvin, stepping forward.
"I am leaving for Berk at once," I commanded, my voice firm and resolute. "You and the others are to remain here in Arendelle and maintain order. I will return within two weeks. Ensure everything runs smoothly in my absence."
They nodded, accepting my orders without question. I then transformed and, not wanting to prolong this any further, launched myself into the air. I headed directly towards Berk, flying swiftly over the kingdom of Corona in the process, my mind set on one goal.
After three days of relentless flight, the familiar silhouette of Berk finally appeared on the horizon. My people seemed to notice me almost immediately; the resounding blow of the war horn echoed across the island, and the population began to gather. I landed swiftly, transforming as soon as my feet touched the ground, and headed straight for my home. They tried to greet me, but then stopped, sensing my restlessness, and simply followed, eager to see what was happening. As I reached my home, I entered, the people waiting expectantly for what would happen next.
I walked towards my room, tense and exhilarated. As the door opened, I entered, and my eyes softened. Merida was lying on the bed. I walked forward and sat on the chair near her.
"Buy the revival token," I commanded.
"It has been bought and has been sent to your inventory," Diastasi replied.
I grabbed it, my hand shaking slightly. This was what started everything. I then paused. I had been so busy with other matters that I'd forgotten to ask a crucial question.
"How does this work?" I asked.
"You might not like the answer…," Diastasi replied.
"What do you mean?" I pressed.
"It has a requirement. The god of death and life banded together to make this item. The requirements are as follows: Those who use this item cannot have more bad karma than good karma. The person this item is being used on must be a pure soul. If that has been met, the token can be infused into the dead body, returning the soul back, but will not revive until the last condition is met. You must sacrifice 10 evil beings to the token. And when all conditions have been met, it can be used," she explained.
"What's with the requirements?" I asked, a frown creasing my brow.
"Well, it's a long story—"
"Tell me," I commanded.
"…Okay," she conceded. "This token was created by the goddess of life and the god of death. Life loved pure souls because of their beauty. Every day she would watch over those with pure hearts. Witnessing the tragic endings of these pure souls, she grieved. Her brother, seeing her sadness, offered a solution. It was impossible to just revive only pure souls because it would bring imbalance to the cycle of karma. It needed an equivalent exchange, so together they made the token."
"But... I've done a lot of bad things…" I muttered, gritting my teeth.
"You may think so, but some of the people you've killed were set to do many evil things in the future, which gives you good karma. And your conquering of the archipelago, though it sounds bad, has prevented civilians and territories from ever being attacked because of your protection," she explained.
I paused; she was right. I'd always made sure to leave troops behind to protect my territories and even spread out dragons to ensure no unexpected variables.
I held the token in my hand and looked at Merida before infusing it into her body. I planned to bring her with me. I tried to bring her and the bed together into my inventory, but it failed. The bed disappeared, and my eyes widened as I immediately grabbed her before she could hit the floor.
I frowned. "What's happening?" I asked.
"Merida now has a soul, so you cannot place her into your inventory," Diastasi replied.
"I see…," I stated.
An hour later, I looked at my creation. It was a coffin made from the finest jewelry and woods. I had drawn and carved many runes onto it, enchanting it so it would not break, burn, freeze, or get wet. It would keep Merida's body clean and stop it from rotting.
I walked towards the bed, placed her into the coffin, closed it, and then lifted it, walking towards the door to leave the house. As I walked out, I finally noticed the people outside. I had been so focused on Merida and the coffin that I had forgotten about them.
"Daddy!" Moon yelled, a joyful sound I hadn't realized I missed so acutely. She launched herself at me, and I effortlessly caught her with one arm, the other securely cradling Merida's coffin. She clung to me, a warm, small weight against my chest.
I looked at the gathered villagers, their faces a mix of curiosity and concern. "Disperse," I commanded, my voice carrying clearly. "Return to your duties. Everything is under control."
They hesitated for a moment, then, seeing the resolute expression on my face and the silent, unmoving coffin, they slowly began to disperse, murmuring amongst themselves but obeying.
Moon, oblivious to the commotion, buried her face into my shoulder. "You're back!" she mumbled, her voice muffled against my tunic.
"Yes, Moon. I'm back," I said, a rare, genuine softness entering my tone. I carried her into the house, placing Merida's coffin gently in a corner of the main hall, out of the way for now. Then, I turned my full attention to my daughter.
"What do you want to do today?" I asked, setting her down but keeping a hand on her back. "Anything you want."
Her eyes, bright and wide, lit up. "Can we... can we go flying? Just us?"
A small smile touched my lips. "Of course."
We spent the entire day together. I transformed, and Moon clung to my back, her laughter echoing in the wind as we soared over Berk. We flew through the clouds, dove close to the waves, and even raced a few of the wild dragons. She pointed out places she liked, telling me about her games and her friends. I listened, truly listened, absorbing every word.
Later, we landed near the cove where Toothless used to practice. Moon showed me a new rock formation she'd discovered, proudly demonstrating how she could climb it almost to the top. I watched her, a quiet contentment settling over me. We skipped stones across the water, searched for interesting shells along the shore, and built a surprisingly elaborate sandcastle, though it crumbled quickly against the tide.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in fiery hues, we sat on a high cliff overlooking the ocean. Moon leaned against me, her head on my shoulder, tired but happy.
"It was a good day, Daddy," she whispered, almost asleep.
"Yes," I agreed, gazing out at the vast expanse. "It was a very good day."
The next morning, I gently moved Merida's coffin to a secure, private chamber within my home. It was still early, but my mind was already buzzing with the task ahead. As I stepped out into the main hall, a familiar scent of dragon scales and ink reached me.
"Took you long enough to show your face, son," a warm, amused voice boomed.
I looked up to see Hiccup, my brother, standing in the doorway, a wry smile on his face, Toothless's head nudging his side. Beside him, Valka, our mother, stood, her eyes soft with maternal affection.
"Hiccup. Mom," I replied, a rare, genuine smile spreading across my face. It was good to be home. "I had things to attend to."
Hiccup rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Always busy, aren't you? We heard the horn last night. Knew it had to be you."
Valka stepped forward, pulling me into a firm embrace. "We were worried, Erik. You've been gone for so long, and the whispers of a new 'Dragon King' reaching foreign lands... well, they sounded a lot like you."
"A lot has happened," I admitted, returning her hug. "I've… acquired a new territory. Arendelle. And a queen to manage it."
Hiccup's eyebrows shot up. "A queen? You didn't mention getting married."
"I haven't," I clarified. "Elsa. She's powerful. I've placed her in charge there for now. Her magic is immense, but untamed. She needs guidance."
"So, you've been busy training a queen, then?" Hiccup teased, a knowing glint in his eye. "Sounds like quite the adventure. Anything else you've been up to?"
I met his gaze, my own expression softening slightly. "There's something important I need to tell you both. Something that required the resources of a new kingdom to achieve." I paused, my gaze drifting towards the chamber where Merida rested. "I've found a way to bring Merida back."
Silence fell over the hall. Hiccup's casual smirk vanished, replaced by a look of profound shock. Valka's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief and dawning hope.
"Merida... back?" Valka whispered, her voice barely audible.
"How?" Hiccup finally managed, his voice strained. "Is it… truly possible?"
"It is," I affirmed, a flicker of fierce determination in my eyes. "But there are requirements. And I need your help to fulfill them."
I then explained the token's requirements: the user's karma, Merida's pure soul, and the sacrifice of ten evil beings.
"So, you need to find ten truly evil people?" Hiccup asked, his brow furrowed in thought. "That's... a lot."
"Precisely," I responded. "I also need a backup plan," I added, looking from Hiccup to Valka. "I'm about to embark on another conquest, and while I'll be searching for suitable sacrifices myself, I need you two to coordinate with my generals across the Archipelago. Have them actively search for individuals who are truly evil. The kind that meet the token's criteria for sacrifice. And," I emphasized, "I need you to devise a contingency. A backup plan, in case I don't find enough sacrifices during my conquest. Think outside the usual parameters. I'll be back as soon as I can, but I expect progress."
"A backup plan for sacrificing evil souls?" Valka murmured, her expression complex. "Erik, this is... a lot to take in."
"I understand, Mom," I said, my gaze unwavering. "But this is the only way. And I trust you both to understand the necessity."
They sighed, their expressions heavy but resolute. "Alright, Erik," Hiccup said, a reluctant nod. "We'll do what we can." Valka simply gave a tight, understanding squeeze to my arm.
With their agreement, I left with Merida's coffin, securing it carefully before preparing for departure. As I transformed, the familiar, exhilarating rush of power surged through me. Just as I was about to launch into the sky, a piercing scream cut through the air.
"Daddy!" Moon yelled, a tiny figure tearing across the ground towards me. "I wanna go too! Don't leave me!"
I landed, partially detransformed, my face flat. "No, Moon. This isn't a game. It's too dangerous."
But she wouldn't have it. She dropped to the ground, kicking and screaming, a full-blown tantrum. Snot and tears streamed down her face as she thrashed. My brow furrowed. I sighed, considering. There was practically no one in this world who could truly hurt me. What could possibly happen? The thought of her staying here, upset, versus the minimal risk...
"Fine," I conceded, gently scooping her up into my massive palm. She instantly quieted, sniffling, her small form barely a speck in my large hand, her arms wrapping around one of my digits. "But you stay close, and you follow my commands. Understood?"
She nodded vigorously, wiping her face with the back of her hand.
With a final, powerful beat of my wings, I ascended into the sky, Merida's coffin secured. Moon was held safely within my palm as we flew off, heading back towards Arendelle.