Eragon woke from a long night's rest underneath Saphira's wing. He got up and started a fire to make breakfast for himself. Good morning, Saphira said to him, opening her massive jaws in a yawn. Did you sleep well, little one? Eragon turned away from the fire and faced her. I did, SaphiraEragon said, cutting up chunks of rabbit meat to throw into his pot for morning stew. You?

I couldn't stop thinking about our recent battle with the Shade, Saphira mentioned. She stretched out her neck and then laid her head down over her giant paws. It concerns me. I feel as if something is not right. Eragon threw the pieces of meat into the pot and walked over to her. Care to talk about it? He said to her. She smiled slightly. For once you are willing to talk? she asked. I think this should be written down. Eragon shot an angry look at his dragon, but turned it into a grin. I have been a little neglectful of you opinions haven't I? he asked her.

It's alright, little one, Saphira said. All is forgiven. Eragon sat down in front of her and nuzzled her head. What is it that is troubling you?

The Shade is a very powerful creature, Saphira said. I cannot see how we destroyed him almost so easily.

You don't have a giant scar on your back, Eragon joked, lifting up his shirt to show emphasis. You distracted him while I made the final blow. We were just the lucky ones. Saphira shot out a small plume of smoke. Something is still not settled in my mind. Images of the Urgals' retreat in the Varden flashed into Eragon's thoughts. It was as if he was controlling them the whole time, Saphira said. I feel as if this was just a test Galbatorix gave us to see how much stress we can endure. Perhaps he is taking measure of how much we can withstand?

If he is testing us, Eragon said, unsheathing Zar'oc, he is in for a very long wait. He looked up to the sky to see the beautiful sunrise. "Have you ever wondered what is past Alagesia?" he asked her out loud. "This cannot be everything there is out there!"

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Galbatorix began pacing back and forth in front of Murtagh and his dragon Thorn. "All that Eragon does creates more agony for me!" He yelled. "If I can't have my men kill him, what else can I do?" He grabbed a goblet of wine and threw it at a nearby servant, smashing against his head. "Well?" Galbatorix asked. Murtagh cleared his throat. "I have an idea, your grace!" he said. "As we speak, Urgals are tunneling to this new continent called the United States. It is far from here. Thorn and I will bring them through the tunnel and I will close the entrance once they are through. They will be to busy fighting the Urgals to realize that they are cut off."

"If I had other riders," Galbitrox said. "I would seal you and him both inside to end my troubles. Do what you must, but If Eragon and Saphira cause me anymore trouble, my pain will rest on you and your dragon's heads."

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"Soldiers, on me!" A marine sergeant barked as a squadron of marines dismounted from a line of military humvees parked on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood California. "Radar shows that a large mass of something is digging through in this spot. We can't communicate and we know that they are not friendly so when the soil breaks, use those M-16's like God intended." He made the soldiers form a perimeter around the supposed entrance. "Sergeant," one soldier said, clutching an M-16A2/M-203 assault rifle. "Corporal John Conaway from EZ Company care if I join in?" The sergeant looked the soldier over. "A little young looking to be in the Airborne Rangers aren't you son?" The soldier was only eighteen dressed in the standard digital camouflage except he did not were the standard Kevlar helmet. Instead he had a small Nike headband with his blonde hair rolling over it as if it was a small golden waterfall. "If you join in," the sergeant barked. "You will have to cut that hair and look like a decent soldier. And what is with those swords, son? Plan on becoming a freaking samurai?" John smiled and raised his M-16 towards a nearby home where a small sparrow was perched on a wooden fence. One squeeze of the trigger and the sparrow exploded into a gushy, bloody ball of skin and feathers. "Sir," John said. "I am the best marksman in the Airborne. Now I strongly recommend that you do not patronize me about my looks and my choice of secondary weapons." John reached back to unsheathe two twenty-five-inch long swords that read DEMON CUTTERS on the hilt of them. "Specially made for me, sir," John said. "If things go ugly, you will defiantly want me next to you in close quarters. Now do you want me in or should I just start walking back to Fort Irwin?"

"You have serious balls corporal," the sergeant said, glaring at him. "You screw up once and I will take them and give them to the navy to play hacky-sack. Is that understood?"

"Yeah dude," John said. "But if I screw up, I won't be alive for you to take them."

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Eragon placed his saddle over Saphira and straddled her. "Okay Saphira," he yelled. "Let's go!" Saphira roared with delight as she leapt into the air, letting her giant wings compensate for the pull of gravity. I never get tired of this! He said to her. HIGHER!

As you wish, little one! Hold on!

Eragon gripped the handle of his saddle as Saphira began a vertical climb. Eragon felt as if he could have reached out to touch the sun. Suddenly, something caught his eye. "No." he said. "Saphira, it's Thorn! They are diving beside us!" Saphira rolled over on her back and dove toward Thorn and Murtagh with such speed, Eragon almost lost his grip. Within seconds, Eragon was beside his betraying friend. "Well, Eragon?" Murtagh said. "How is the Varden doing?" Eragon growled and so did Saphira. "I knew you couldn't be trusted," Eragon said. "We end it here!" Saphira turned her head and tossed a wall of flame toward Thorn, but Murtagh pulled him away quickly, avoiding the blast. "Follow him, Saphira!" Eragon screamed. "He can't get away!"

Something doesn't feel right, Eragon! Saphira said. Why is he running? Eragon was to enraged and hurt to think logically. Saphira, we can finally kill him. Nothing can stop us when we are together! Saphira agreed and swooped in low after the enemy Don't lose him, Saphira! He's moving pretty fast.

I am a lot faster, little one, she replied. Eragon reached for his bow and positioned an arrow on it."Brisingr!" Eragon yelled. His arrow began glowing a strange blue color as he took careful aim and let the arrow loose. Thorn quickly dove into an open tunnel to miss the tip as the arrow exploded when it missed its target. After him! He said to Saphira. Eragon reached into his quiver to pull out another arrow. "We have him cornered!"

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"I'm going to get on top of that building, Sarge," John said pointing behind him. "It will give me enough cover to where I can shoot and not be seen. If things get ugly, I will be right down okay?" He reached into the rear door of a nearby Humvee and pulled out a 308-sniper rifle. "Mind if I borrow this?" Before the sergeant could answer, John threw the strap of the weapon over his shoulder and ran over to the building.

John had to head to the rear entrance of the building and the only way to get there was through the alleyway. He thought nothing of it until a shiny blue rock caught his attention. The stone was barely hidden among a few pieces of paper but its blue color shinned too bright to be hidden. "What in the world?" John said, cautiously approaching it with his weapon raised. He gently kicked it. "I have never seen something like this before." Realizing that he was running low on time, John quickly scooped it up and slid the large rock into his backpack that fit in between his two swords. "I'll find it out later!" Suddenly, the ground began to shake. It was mild at first, like a tiny aftershock, but the shaking grew louder. "It's coming up!" he heard the sergeant scream. "Marines, prepare to fire." John ran up the stairs of the building as fast as possibly could, hoping to get a glimpse of what these things were. He reached the top and set up his sniper rifle. After minutes of fierce shaking, the ground subsided into a dead quiet. "What is going on?" John heard the marines ask. "This isn't good." He looked through his scope on his rifle to note the marines' positions. They were in the open standing around the entrance with their machine guns to their shoulders. "These guys aren't the sharpest tools in the shed," John said. He quickly whistled to grab the sergeant's attention. "Hey!" John yelled. "Have your men find cover! No one knows what is coming out of there!" The sergeant sent out the "okay" signal and pushed his troops back into more secure positions. John took his eye to the scope again and turned his attention to the spot where these unknown hostiles were to emerge, but nothing was there. "Christ," he swore. "This is like waiting for your own funeral…?" Suddenly, John saw a two-tone grey hand stick out from the soil. More hands began to emerge, pushing the dirt out of the way. John held his bearing and waited until he saw the head of whatever these things were. At once, the ground blew apart, sending dirt clogs and dust in every direction. Silence again. "Private Jackson!" John heard the sergeant order. "Get over there and see what's left!" He saw a skinny soldier, only around 5'6 approach the tunnel with his Winchester Riot 12 gauge shotgun to his shoulder. "All clear sir!" Jackson said. Suddenly, the private dropped his weapon and clutched his chest. He turned around to show the soldiers a long black arrow that was protruding from his heart. As the soldier fell dead, John watched as a slew of more black arrows flew from out of the tunnel impaling several marines. There was an eerie scream from the tunnel as the marines waited for a clear shot. The things rushed out from the tunnels. John cringed at the sight of these demons as they began screaming in an incomprehensible language. They were grey with fiery red eyes holding swords, spears, hammers, axes, and bows. "OPEN FIRE!" the sergeant exclaimed. Fire leapt from the barrels of the marines M-16's, M-4's and Squad Automatic Weapons (SAWs) causing many demons to fall to the ground. As five demons died, ten more rose from the tunnel. "What the hell?" John shouted. He took aim and sent a bullet into the temple of a demon, splattering brains all over its counterparts. John quickly pulled the bolt action of his rifle for another shot, but something stopped him.

Chirp chirp

"What was that?" John quickly took off his backpack and took his eye to his scope again. Another shot rang from the muzzle of his gun to the chest of the enemy, blowing it apart from the shoulders.

Chirp chirp CRACK!

John was running low on ammunition, so he reached inside his bag feeling for more rounds. Pain suddenly shot through his hand, as if something had bit him. "That stone wasn't in there!" John thought, as he pulled his hand out from his sack. An oval was burnt into his palm. "Can this day get any weirder?" He went back to his scope and focused again on the tunnel. Two enormous dragons bolted from the ground and began fighting above him. He saw that each dragon had a person riding it. One of which was a beautiful blue color. A ball of flame suddenly shot towards him from the blue dragon that was intending to hit the other one. John scooped up his pack and dove off of the building as fire encased it. He landed with a painful thud into a garbage dumpster. "I guess it can get weirder," he said to himself.

Chirp, chirp.

John unsheathed his two swords and tossed his backpack over his shoulders again. There were too many demons to destroy with so few marines. John saw these devils stab and slice at the hapless soldiers. "This wasn't a good idea," John thought.

Chirp!

John looked up to see the two dragons fighting above him. "Which one is on our side?" he asked. One of the dragons quickly dove back toward the tunnel. "I guess that answers my question. If that guy is a friend then he is one hell of a coward!" The blue dragon swooped down and attempted to follow, but the tunnel collapsed before it could get inside. "The demons are trapped marines!" John yelled to the soldiers left standing. "Lets regain control!" John ran up to a demon and thrust on of his swords into its neck, spewing blood on the street as it gurgled in pain. John sensed another demon was preparing to attack his six-o'clock (military term for behind him) so he parried the blow with one of his swords, and slashed at its stomach with the other, forcing the demon's entrails to fall to the floor. "Who's next?"

"JOHN GET YOUR ASS OUT OF THERE!" He looked up to see the blue dragon swoop in low for what seemed to be a strafing run on the demons. John quickly agreed that it was defiantly time to leave. He dove out of the way seconds before the beast opened up its mouth to torch the remaining demons. "Now to see what happened to that freaky rock!" John carefully dumped out his backpack. Ammunition clips poured out along with a blue dragon with red on the very tips of its scales and ivory spikes across its neck. The creature looked up into the sun and its scales glistened like a red and blue rainbow. "Why me?" John sighed.

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He tricked us! Saphira hissed. I knew following him was a bad idea. Eragon looked around at the men surrounding the dead bodies of the Urgals. They were dressed in odd armor with green and black mixed around their clothing. I doubt that this is Alegasia, Eragon said. He turned his attention to a man not much older than himself who was crouched over his knapsack. That is the man that was slaying them with blades. Saphira pointed out. Eragon unsheathed Zar'oc and told Saphira to land beside him.

Eragon dismounted Saphia and approached the man with Zar'oc in his hands. "You have outstanding swordsmanship," Eragon said. "Tell me. Where am I?" The man quickly gently scooped the dragon into his knapsack and turned to face him. "Welcome to America," the man said. "I am Corporal John Conaway of the Airborne Rangers…?

Airborne, Saphira said. Is he a rider as well? Saphira nudged Eragon in the back. "Are you a rider like me…?" Saphira nosed him harder. "Ugh…us?"

"No," John said. "My job is to jump out of perfectly good airplanes. I enjoy it though…eh…and your name is?"

"Eragon."

"Well Eragon, I did find something though. Maybe you could help me out?" John carefully placed his pack on the ground and opened it up. Out walked a small hatchling of similar color as Saphira, except this dragon had tips of red on its scales. Saphira's eyes brightened. Hello little one, Saphira said to it as she rubbed her head against its side. "Have you touched it?" Eragon asked. John laughed. "I think he bit me." John showed him the oval burned into his hand. "That is no bite mark my friend," Eragon said. "Welcome to the brotherhood of the Riders. What you bear now is the Gedwey insignia. It is a mark that the riders of our land bear. For the longest time, I thought that the only dragons that were left were of Saphira and Thorn…?"

"Who?" John said, now sitting down beside his dragon. "Saphira is my dragon," Eragon said. "She is beautiful, Eragon," John commented. "Thorn was the one you were fighting huh?"

"Yes," he replied. "He is evil and his rider is Murtagh, the son of Morzan. He rides for King Galbatorix and vows only to destroy us. You see we are the last Riders who fight for good. Now with us away from Alagaesia, I fear that all is lost."

"I'll be honest," John said. "I have never even heard of the place. Give me a guess on how far you went through the tunnel. How long did it take you?"

We traveled almost five leagues northwest, Saphira told Eragon. We flew for about six hours. Eragon relayed her thought to John. "Any twists and turns?" he asked.

"We never went straight," Eragon said. "As for you, have you thought of a name for your dragon?" Saphira leaned in towards the little hatchling and smiled. It's a male dragon, she said.

Saphira, Eragon said. We have some work to do with this person. Brom taught me so I must hand it down to him. Saphira snorted in his response. "Every rider must name their dragon. Saphira tells me that yours is a male so think hard about it." John thought for a split second. "Jovak?" he said. "It sounds pretty fierce for a male dragon."

"Ask him if he likes it!" Eragon said.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

"If all is done correctly, you should hear him respond." John turned to his dragon. "Do you like Jovak?" he asked out loud. Suddenly he heard a male voice inside of his head. It was small as if from a child, but yet strong in an unexplainable way.

I do!