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*OPTIONAL: Listen to this movie's soundtrack music while reading the story. I recommend starting at the 26:22 mark. At "MARK 2" near the end of the story, please reset the music to the 0:59 mark and then continue the story from there.
"Smack!" Agghhh, what the heck. I really need to get a bigger bed. Almost every week I roll out of bed at least once and smack my face. I guess it's already ugly, but I would rather it not get uglier. Especially if I ever hope to talk to Chloe. Well, I better get up and go meet my best friends Fishlegs and Snotlout. It is almost time for us to enact our grand plan.
Early mornings in Agartha just do not compare to the upper lands of Earth. Down here at the core, we don't get any sunlight. It's always gloomy. There are no trees down here. It is as if the Jakartha Rocky Mountains collapsed into the core and lost all their trees along the way. The only light down here is artificial, and the light in the people. If there is one thing I love about moving down here to Agartha it is the people. Up on the surface, everyone is at war. Dragons have overtaken much of the known Earth, and all the humans are fortified in colossal fortresses.
Many years ago, our founders were digging for obsidian stone under the fortress Shadaa, and they discovered a tunnel that led to this open space we call Agartha.
The stories amaze me every time, and for some odd reason, there are no dragons down here. At least that we have discovered. I would knock on wood if there was any near me on this rock.
"Hey Hiccup, what are daydreaming over here?" snickers Snotlout. "Oh, I see that dazed look. You must be thinking about Chloe again."
"No, and don't act like you know my every expression." I joke back to him. "Besides, if our plan works, I likely will never see Chloe again."
"Hey, you should express your feelings to her before we leave!" Fishlegs shouts as he trips and rolls down the rocky hill to meet us. "Oof, maybe up on the surface rolling down a hill won't hurt as much."
Months ago, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and I decided we wanted to sneak back up to the surface despite our parents' disapproval. We just do not fit in here, especially me. All the people are nice and all, but it just does not feel like home. In school, they teach us how to live here: molding stone, growing food, and maintaining our light source. Which, I still do not understand how our light source works. All the while wars are raging on the surface.
Snotlout is the warrior of our group. He can slash and beat up any rock down here. Even with his fists. Fishlegs is fascinated by the dragons. He wants to study them and learn everything he can about them. Fishlegs even wants to know how they poop. Yeah, it grosses me out too. But the three of us are family. We grew up together, and while we are but teenagers, we feel like we have spent an entire life together.
Today is a big day. Today is the day that we plan to make our trip to the surface. Months of planning, and we finally have all the supplies and the confidence needed.
Everything is prepared. Snotlout has weapons and mechanical supplies needed for us to climb, and he packed plenty of backups and safety features. Fishlegs is carrying a lot of food that he secretly grew, and a little bit that he stole but we don't need to address that. I am carrying some of our personal items, and a giant crank rechargeable light on my back.
Late at night, we sneak out of the town and head for the tunnel. Each of us is feeling a mixture of excitement, fear, anxiety, hope, and guilt among every other feeling it seems. When the tunnel comes in sight, it looks like there is a blue hue emitting from the entrance. It fades as we draw nearer. This could be a positive omen for whatever comes next. Blue is often a symbol of hope in our culture, and I interpret the sign as encouragement of what we plan to do. We finally reach the tunnel and say a quick prayer. It's time.
I take my first step in the tunnel, and it feels....... thrilling.
When we reach the top... we cannot believe our eyes.
The fortress of Shadaa is in ruins. Only a few structures remain standing, and there are scorch markings everywhere. We carefully walk through the once-mighty fortress. Marks of battle are all around us. Fishlegs notices many dragon footsteps and wall markings from their wings and he studies them. Snotlout studies broken weapons and arrows notched in walls. I try to imagine what happened here. It must have been recent. Some areas are still warm, and there is no flora growing around the structures.
(*MARK 2*)
We near the edge of the fortress along a cliff overlooking a great ocean.
Snotlout hears a low growl, and he peeks his head over the edge... "WHOOSH"... A large dragon flies up and lands behind us with a great roar.
"That... that is a razorwhip." Fishlegs trembles. "They have razor-sharp wings and tail, and their head has a strong horn used for stabbing."
"We'll take this together!" I say as I draw my sword and we rush the dragon!
The dragon rises upon its back two legs as I slide low and slash its legs. Snotlout precisely shoots arrow after arrow at the dragon's back legs. Fishlegs shouts out commands and warnings as Snotlout and I switch back and forth from melee and ranged attacks.
The razorwhip notices Fishlegs, and slams his tail just narrowly missing him. I drop to my knees as Snotlout leaps off my back and furiously slashes an ax against the razorwhip's face. Injured, the razorwhip lets out an ear-piercing screech and flies away.
We reached the surface and won this battle, but we realize this quest is just beginning.
Our mission is to find surviving humans. We will survive this new world, and we will ensure humanity will endure.
Author's Note
My story Escape from Agartha is inspired by The Three Friends: the Monkey, the Dog, and the Carabao by Dean S. Fansler (1921). In that story, the three animals move from the city to the countryside to live a more solitary life. The three eventually encounter the antagonist of the story. The antagonist more or less bullies the animals a few times before they trick him. He later escapes and kills two of them. The monkey escapes and eventually takes revenge on the antagonist. From this story, I pulled the idea of going on an adventure as a team. Three close friends on a journey. I also pull inspiration from the movie series How to Train your Dragon.
I wanted to write a story about three friends on an adventure similar to The Three Friends: the Monkey, the Dog, and the Carabao. Unbeknown to me, I thought of the word "Agartha." I looked it up and loved the idea of that city. I added the character Chloe because I want Hiccup to have a love interest. I think it gives him more depth. My description of Agartha comes from me imagining what it might actually be like. I imagine it'd be misty-like. My description of the surface world is largely inspired by How to Train your Dragon. The tunnel to and from the surface was an idea to simply connect the two worlds. I chose to have Hiccup, Snotlout, and Fishlegs have similar backstories to give a reason for them to be friends. I ended the story on a cliffhanger because I want you, the reader to imagine what happens next. Where do their travels take them next? They have reached the surface and conquered their first dragon, but what is next for them?
What will make these three characters legends is their passion and drive to make others feel known, safe, and confident. In the future, they will fight for the good of humanity in many ways. For example, each character knows that feeling lonely or isolated can be like a sickness because they each have felt those feelings. It can eat away at one's character, and corrupt a person. Hiccup, Fishlegs, and Snotlout are just beginning their journey and one day they will become blue legends.
Bibliography
The Three Friends: the Monkey, the Dog, and the Carabao. By Dean S. Fansler (1921)
Image information: Hiccup via Toastpost on Kindpng.com
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