Chapter 1: beginning of the end
Alex quietly opened the front door and stepped into the hall. He threw his schoolbag on the floor and hoped his family hadn't heard him if they were home. He didn't want them to see his face. He crept up the stairs and stopped. His sister's door was open. She'd probably talk to him if she was in a good mood and saw him. He'd have to take that chance. He ran past her door, glancing in and saw it was empty. Taking a relieved breath, he walked into his room and slammed the door. A little too loud.
"Alex? Is that you?" his mother called from downstairs.
"Damn it, " he whispered. " Yeah mom, its me." He prayed she wouldn't come up.
"How's school?" He closed his eyes.
"It was ok. I'm doing some homework, so I kinda can't talk right now…." He waited for a reply. It came after a minute.
"Really, then why is your bag down here?" He cursed. He'd forgotten about. He heard her coming up the stairs. He looked around his room franticly. There was nothing he could do. She knocked on his door.
"No! Don't come in!" he pleaded. But she ignored him and opened the door and walked in. Her black hair hung down loosely and her emerald eyes widened in shock at the sight of him.
"What happened? Your face………." she walked over to him and cupped his face. He sighed. He had a black eye and several bruises. His nose had been bleeding. He ran a hand through his black hair.
"Its nothing. Really. I just…….fell?" he said. She snorted.
"No fall could do this to you. Who was it?"
"Who was what?" He silently cursed as all his brothers and his sister walked into the room. Of course they'd be listening. Hoping to tease him later.
They looked horrified. They were all older than him. His brother, Jake, the oldest at twenty one. He was the youngest at thirteen.
"What the hell happened to his face? It looks more messed up than usual!" said his sister Ren, who was eighteen. He scowled at her, even though she sounded genuinely worried.
"It…….was some guys at school. They were only messing, though," he said, knowing they wouldn't believe him. His mother looked into his eyes sternly.
"Who did it , Alex?" He shrugged. She sighed and stood up straight. She never lost her cool, thankfully for him. But she looked angry.
"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine, but if it happens again, I'm ringing the school." She twirled around and walked past the rest of her children out of the room. They watched her leave before turning to face him.
Oh crap. Crap, crap, crap……………… he thought. His six brothers and Ren surrounded him.
"Who was it this time?" asked Ren. He gulped. They always got the guys who beat him up.
You think they'd learn by now! he thought angrily.
"Was it that Brown kid and his friend? I'd say they're the only gang who haven't beaten you to the pulp," said Eamon and Adam, his twin brothers. They were sixteen, and as mature as six year olds.
Like Ren, he compared.
"Mmm……." he grumbled. Will, his least favourite brother, who was fifteen, snorted.
"Obviously," he sneered in his annoying voice. Lucas, who was seventeen, hit him.
"Don't talk. Your voice is annoying," he muttered. " Alex, how many were there?"
"Five, " he muttered, blushing. Ren, Eamon and Adam looked at each other.
" Leo, stay with the midget, " Eamon said. " Jake, Luc and Willie boy, go and tell mom who it was and make sure she stays here. We'll go and…….negotiate with these…delightful children's elder sibling…………." Alex grinned. He did love his borthers and sister………..occasionally.
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"Eragon!" a voice shouted. He groaned weakly.
"Eragon!" it repeated, louder again. It was a familiar female voice. His eyes flickered open. His body ached. The wounds on his face were healed, yet the wounds under his armour burned. Roran, Nasuada , Angela, Saphira, Orik and Arya were all above him. He blinked. He was still on the battlefield of Uru'baen. He groaned.
"W-what happened?" Roran knelt down.
"Looks like he heard you, Arya Svit-kona," he muttered. "Eragon, are you ok?"
Eragon took a deep, painful breath.
"not really. What happened?" he said hoarsely. Arya answered him in a strange voice.
"You just killed Galbatorix. But when you pierced his heart, a strange black energy appeared and you fell to the ground, muttering strange names and something about a face." Eragon frowned, before remembering his dream.
"Oh, yeah," he said, attempting to sit up. He roared pain as he realized that his side was split open.
" I warned you! Get a stretcher," exclaimed Angela. She knelt down beside him as he writhed in agony, and Saphira comforted him.
You did well , Little one, you'll be fine, she said soothingly. Eragon's eyes widened as Arya knelt down next to him. She sheepishly placed her hand down on top of his shaking one.
Eragon's shock was washed away by another attack of pain. He roared again and Roran, Nasuada and orik came with healers and a stretcher. The healers placed the stretcher on the ground next to him, and rolled him onto the stretcher. Eragon was confused that Arya still held his hand. He felt a bit of amusement from Saphira.
What? he asked slowly.
Oh , nothing, she replied innocently. He wasn't in the mood to press her on the matter. His surroundings flew by as he was brought to the healers tent there he was placed on a bed and his armour removed. Angela applied different herbs and medicines to his wounds, and an elf healed them. All while he was watched by Roran, Arya and Nasuada. When they finished, Eragon waited for Nasuada to speak, but just as she began, everything went black and he found himself walking amongst his memories.