While I stood beside the injured Speed Stinger, I heard familiar voices echoing in the distance—loud, chaotic, and impossible to miss.
"HEY! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY SCREAMING DRAGONS?!"
"That's definitely not normal!"
The twins. And Snotlout.
A moment later, the sound of wings cutting through the air followed, and I knew Hiccup was coming back.
Instinctively, I glanced down at the Soul-Bonded Glaive in my hands. I didn't want to explain that yet… and honestly, I didn't even know how I would.
What if I just… think about it going away?
The moment the thought crossed my mind, the glaive dissolved into particles of faint blue light, fading into nothing as if it had never been there at all.
I blinked, staring at my empty hands.
"…Interesting," I muttered.
The weapon hadn't vanished—it felt more like it had returned somewhere else. Somewhere tied to me.
I had a feeling this glaive was a lot more special than I originally thought.
And judging by the approaching voices, I probably wouldn't have much time to figure it out in peace
Footsteps echoed across the platform as the riders regrouped, voices overlapping in confusion and excitement. Toothless landed with a soft thud nearby, folding his wings as Hiccup slid off his back.
"That was… weird," Fishlegs muttered. "Speed Stingers don't usually retreat like that."
"Yeah," Snotlout added, puffing out his chest. "Pretty sure I scared them off."
"No, you didn't," one of the twins said flatly.
I stayed quiet, kneeling beside the Speed Stinger as it shifted weakly, letting out a low hiss of discomfort. I ran a hand along its neck, and almost immediately, it calmed—its breathing evening out, muscles relaxing.
That's when I felt it.
Someone watching me.
I looked up—and met Astrid's eyes.
She was standing a few steps away, axe resting against her shoulder, her expression unreadable. But the way her gaze flicked from me, to the Speed Stinger, and back again told me everything.
"That dragon," she said slowly. "It's not attacking you."
"No," I replied. "It's injured."
Astrid took a step closer, studying the Speed Stinger with sharp focus. "Speed Stingers don't let humans touch them. Ever."
As if to prove her point, the dragon shifted again—this time pressing its head lightly against my arm.
A murmur rippled through the group.
Astrid's eyes widened just slightly before narrowing with intense curiosity. "How long have you known it?"
"…Not long," I admitted.
She crouched down across from me, close enough that I could see the faint scratches on her armor and the determination in her eyes. "Then that means it chose you."
The words hit harder than I expected.
Hiccup blinked. "Wait—chose you?"
Astrid didn't look away from the Speed Stinger. "That's a bond. Not training. Not force. A bond."
She finally looked at me, really looked at me, and something shifted in her expression—interest mixed with respect.
"You're not from Berk," she said. "And you're not a normal rider."
I smiled faintly. "Yeah… I'm getting that a lot."
The Speed Stinger let out a quiet sound, curling its tail slightly around my leg.
Astrid noticed.
And she didn't miss a single detail.
faintly heard one of the twins muttering behind me, something about how Astrid wasn't usually that nice to anyone. I didn't really care. My attention shifted to Hiccup, who was staring at me thoughtfully.
After a moment, he spoke. "It looks like you'll be staying with the Speed Stinger."
I nodded without hesitation.
Hiccup gave a small smile. "Yeah… figured." He rubbed the back of his neck. "We've got an extra cabin you can use if you want to stay here for the night."
I nodded again. "That'd be great. Thanks."
"Come on," he said, already turning. "Follow me."
Toothless chirped softly and led the way as Hiccup guided us across the Edge. The island was quieter now, the wind carrying the distant sound of waves crashing against the cliffs. We stopped at a small, simple cabin tucked slightly away from the main platforms—unfinished like most of the Edge, but sturdy enough.
"This should work," Hiccup said. "If you need anything, just shout."
"Will do," I replied.
After they left, I helped the Speed Stinger inside, laying out some padding for it to rest on. It carefully lowered itself to the floor with a tired hiss before settling down.
I lay down a short distance away, exhaustion finally catching up to me.
The Speed Stinger shifted, then moved closer, positioning itself in front of me—its body angled protectively, tail resting within reach, red eyes half-lidded but alert. As if guarding me.
I smiled faintly. "Guess we're really doing this, huh?"
The dragon let out a quiet, content sound.
As I closed my eyes, listening to the wind outside the cabin, one thought echoed in my mind before sleep finally claimed me:
This world already feels like home.
Sometime during the night, I drifted in and out of sleep, half-aware of the steady warmth in front of me. The Speed Stinger hadn't moved. Every time I shifted, I could feel it adjust slightly, staying between me and the cabin door.
Then, softly—without sound—a familiar sensation brushed against my mind.
A gentle chime.
My eyes fluttered open as translucent text appeared above me, glowing faintly in the darkness.
System Notification:
Dragon Bond Stabilized
Bond Status: Permanent
Dragon: Speed Stinger
Bond Type: Mutual Trust
A second line followed.
Passive Effect Unlocked:
Dragon Empathy (Basic) – You can sense your bonded dragon's emotional state and physical condition.
Warmth spread through my chest, deeper than before—not power this time, but something calmer. Something solid.
I looked up just in time to see the Speed Stinger glance back at me, one red eye open. I didn't hear anything, but I felt it—alertness, reassurance… and an unmistakable sense of protectiveness.
"…Yeah," I whispered, smiling. "I feel it too."
The system updated once more.
Dragons: 1 → Bonded Companion Registered
The Speed Stinger lowered its head again, resting more comfortably, finally allowing itself to relax. And for the first time since I'd arrived in this world, I slept deeply—without fear, without uncertainty.
Because I wasn't alone anymore.
And whatever tomorrow brought… we'd face it together