CLEAN UP

Eragon bent low over a dead body. The Varden had been picking threw survivors for three days now, and they haven't seemed to be making any progress. As Eragon was looking at the facial features of this particular soldier, he noticed the fear in his face as he was hunched over a sword.

He seemed to have been killed with his own weapon Stated Saphira as she touched his mind finally. She had been away hunting while Eragon assisted in the cleanup.

Aye, that he does,Eragon couldn't believe the stench that had set in all of a sudden.All of this sacrifice, and it didn't even matter. We made no ground or gave up any ground. Galbatorix's troops were well ready for our fight. Even with us there, it made no differenceEragon had been having a hard time with all of the deaths around him. He was constantly casting out his consciousness looking for survivors. But all he found was the remainder of Varden that hadn't moved back to the camp.

That may be little one, but it was a necessary battle. Plus, we found out about the other rider. We know who it is, and now we can work even harder to stop him She watched as Eragon stood up and shook his head. She could feel his emotions almost as if they were his own. She felt anger, disappointment, and even…. Fear.

It doesn't matter Saphira. We aren't strong enough to face Murtagh, my brother. He found out about his brother Murtagh when he fought him in the previous battle, and he was hurt to learn that he was the new rider that Galbatorix had control over. And if that wasn't bad enough, he also found out that his father was Morzorn, the rider who betrayed the other riders to Galbatorix, who in turn tracked down and killed them. And plus W\we did what we need to do; the only thing that we have left to do before returning to Oromis is help rescue Katrina. I promised Roran that, and Ill keep my word. He sensed someone approaching from behind him and automatically drove into their mind to find out their true intent. It was Roran.

" Hey Roran" Eragon said as Roran approached him, merely feet away.

" How do you do that?" Roran asked as he wiped the sweat off his neck. He had to been helping with the cleanup, along with the other members of their home village, Carvahall. The village was fine up until Eragon found Saphira's egg; in witch it attracted weird beasts called Ra'Zac. These were fouls, vicious creatures that ate flesh off of humans for food. They now work for Galbatorix, doing his evil bidding. These creatures chased off Eragon and Brom, only to later return to Carvahall in search of his cousin, Roran. When they returned they forced Roran to either be taken alive or unconscious, for the wanted information on Eragon and Saphira. They broke into Carvahall in the middle of the night and kidnapped Roran's wife to be Katrina. As they later found out, Katrina's father, Sloan, betrayed them, for he did not agree to allow Roran to marry his daughter. So, Roran wound up leading the village to Surda, a country that spent its time sabotaging the Emperor.

" I am a rider after all Roran, or did you forget" He said with a tiny chuckle. He approached Roran and put his arm on his shoulder.

" I didn't forget, and you look very tired. You need some sleep." He looked deep into Eragon's eyes; he could see the utter exhaustion in his face. " Lets go back to the tent, you're the only one who hasn't rested. Everyone else has had three or four breaks. Plus, I'm going to need you at peak condition for the Ra'Zac."

"Please" Eragon laughed weakly. " I could beat the Ra'Zac the way I am now, especially with my training."

Careful Eragon, don't get to cocky, remember what Oromis said about the unexpected. We may have been able to cream them before, but now we have to be able to use as little energy as possible, because Galbatorix could change his mind about us and send Murtagh, or he himself, to try and kill us. She finished with a slight growl witch arose the crows a hundred yards away that were feeding on the flesh of the dead. It also forced Roran to draw his weapon. He looked around startled.

" I still can't believe you are a rider." Roran chuckled in amusement, storing his weapon back in his belt.

" Do me a favor Roran…." Eragon paused in thought; he had been thinking this over ever since he agreed to accompany Roran to Helgrind. Without waiting for a response he continued, " No matter what happens, I need you to promise me that if there is trouble, and I ask you to hide, you will do so."

" I cant do that, I have to avenge Carvahall, and Katrina." He said with a growl

" I wont ask you to leave unless I since another rider, or magician, but I cant let you fight a magician or a rider, not yet. Promise me Roran."

He looked up at Eragon, looked deep into his eyes again and saw the anger, and fear, but he felt something else to, something deeper in the back of his mind. It was there, but he couldn't put a finger on what it was, It was a different feeling. He had lost track of time and searching Eragon's face, he saw that it had been minutes. " I promise"

" Good, now while me and Saphira rest, there is something I want you to do"

I feel what you are trying to do Eragon, but can Roran really learn his way around he sword in just a few hours. I mean it would be easier if we accompanied him while he trained, and even if he does feel confident, can we trust him guarding our backs with only five or six hours of training? She jumped up, and started to glide just over Eragon and Roran's heads, deep in thought.

It will be fine, plus the teacher I am thinking of will have him trained n no time at all, not to mention that you and I could take on Helgrind by our selves. Ill spar with him and if I feel he has no shot, ill give him a bow and put Wards around him, but that's just worst case scenario. Eragon lead the way threw the tents towards Roran's and his own lodging, looking up at the sky he saw it was roughly noon, and the sun was barely visible threw the thick clouds. The sky was an eerie red color with blotches of golden brown, leading the way; he found their tent in a little under a half hour. Opening the flap, he toward Roran, " Wait here for a second, ill be back"

" Ok," he said with a blank look on his face.

Eragon turned out of the tent and ran towards Saphira, Jumping a little higher than ten feet; he used her armor to climb the rest of the way up. Help me find Arya, he stated with his mind. She'll prabrobly be close to Nasuada.

I agree. As she jumped up off the ground Eragon opened his mind and let it briefly touch everyone around him. They soared barely twelve feet off the ground, and started to circle around the campsite. After a few minutes of looking, Eragon sensed someone in deep meditation. Pursuing deeper, he found himself instantly blocked out by a view of a pile of reddish brown dirt.

I found her; she is about two hundred and fifty yards to the East. Saphira turned very suddenly forcing Eragon to put his hands threw the holes on her saddle. As they approached her, Eragon jumped off without warning and landed on his feet, A drop that would have proved fatal a few weeks ago. He approached Arya, he found himself straitening his hair. He approached the spot he saw in her mind very slowly, trying not to startle her, but as he approached the pile of sand in the middle of three tents, he saw her no were to be found. He instantly cast out his mind again looking for her, he found her in a matter of seconds, but came across the same view of a pile of dirt when he tried to pursue her train of thought. He cast out for Saphira and found her flying high in the sky, almost out of his reach. Saphira!!! There is something wrong, I can't find Arya, I mean I sense her but when I try to pursue the thought, all I get is a image of the pile of dirt I'm at right now.

He couldn't believe his ears when she merely chuckled and responded, She was right to not allow you to try and woo her, your love for her has blinded you…. And with that she caught a gust of wind and rode it higher than Eragon's mind would allow him to go.

"What could she have meant?" He thought to himself quietly. All of a sudden he felt a cold blade against his neck. He cast out his mind one more time and only saw the pile of sand once again. " Who are you?" he asked with nothing but fear in his voice.