It was a familiar presence nearby that made Ayiana try to wake from the darkness that surrounded her mind. But what confused her is why she even felt him, had he not just died? Or did he manage to escape from death? She shook those thoughts from her mind; they were both impossible, and were only figments of memories and dreams that could no longer be fulfilled, for Galbatorix killed them, he killed them all! Her daughter, her chosen lover and his dragon, and possibly their son-by-choice and his dragon, all dead by Galbatorixs' hand.
With that thought held in her mind, Ayiana opened her eyes to her surroundings. 'What happened?' she thought. 'How long have I been out?' She tensed as she felt a finger of another's' mind brush against her own. Startled, she immediately shielded her mind from the invader, but then yet another familiar presence came to her, this one she recognized happily.
"Oh Kveykva!" she exclaimed. "I thought you were dead, or we both were!"
The large black dragon peered at her through one giant gray eye. 'Why did you fear so? Years have passed, little one, and we should do best to stay hidden until we learn of events that have passed during our slumber.'
Ayiana reached around Kveykvas' large snout in an attempt to hug her. "After what Galbatorix did to-" She stopped in mid-sentence, tears pouring down her cheeks by remembering what had happened to her lover. She looked up as Kveykva stood to her full height.
'Then let us avenge them, let us avenge all of the riders and elves who lost their lives defending us riders from one of our own.' Raising her massive head high she bellowed a loud roar challenging any of the wyrdfell that might still remain to challenge her, for with her anger she felt as if she could destroy the whole of Uru'bean and still hold most of her energy.
Ayiana felt pure joy and awe, as she looked Kveykva over. The dragons' scales shone like black diamonds, her claws, teeth, and talons were as white as ivory, her eyes shone gray and wisdom of over a hundred years of studies and battles shone bright in them, but most striking of all was the dragons' forehead; in the center of a mass of black scales loomed a single, shattered one, a scar she held onto since the day she hatched, was in the shape of an intricate bolt of lightning, and was her namesake, for Kveykva means lightning in the ancient language. When the large dragon extended one of her forelegs to allow Ayiana to climb into the saddle the elf jump with joy and bounded up the leg in a fashion faster than they had ever tried. After Ayianas legs were strapped tightly into place Kveykva stood, her knees taller than most of the trees around them, settled into a crouch, and launched herself high into the air. Once again the old feeling of weightlessness overcame Ayiana and she flung her arms out to her sides and laughed.
Looking back at her Kveykva said, 'Do not hold your joy for to long, young rider of mine, for I hear the sound of battle ahead, and dragons roars.'
Smiling, Ayiana loosened her sword, Sundavar, and leaned forward, extending her mind to learn who the riders are; she froze as she reached the mind of the stronger, for it was Oromis, and his dragon Gleadr, who were in the fray. With joy once again coming forth from her and her dragon, Ayiana mentally yelled to the two. 'Sons of ours by given choice, we are joyful you survived the fall! Be strong, our sons, for soon we shall join you in battle against the foul son of Morzan.' As she left the mind of Oromis, Kveykva sounded one of her loudest roars yet, as she sped faster to the battle.
But then suddenly an old feeling returned, the feelings of grief and lonesomeness. Once again she reached out for Oromis and Gleadr, but to her dismay, found only Gleadrs quickly fading thoughts.
'Gleadr, what has happened?' she asked with fight.
'Oromis is gone, but all hope is not, for I have given my Elundarí to their care. Fly fast, for he and his dragon, Saphira, are fast approaching Fienster for battle against the Empire.' With that they heard a mighty roar, and then silence once again filled their minds and hearts.
Allowing their anger and grief to give them speed the two broke past the edges of the forest Du Weldenvarden and flew directly over Gil'ead and saw the golden dragon on the ground, lifeless. With horror and dread heavy in their hearts they landed next to them, blocking the dozens of volleys of arrows sent by the elves to them. Jumping off of Kveykvas back she ran over to where the two lay, yelling a curse to Galbatorix in the ancient language that he shall pay for all the things he took from them, for only his death will please them now.
Looking up after a low growl from Kveykva, Ayiana noticed a proud elf running towards them, sword in hand. Standing up Ayiana unsheathed Sundavar and took a battle stance in case this elf chose to harm them. But as she neared them, something about her appearance made her lower her sword; running to them was the elven queen, Islanzadí.
Ayiana stood straight as the sheathed her sword; welcome to see Islandazís' face once again. The queen raised her sword as if to attack them but the moment she saw Ayianas' face, and the mark upon Kveykvas brow, the sword fell from her hands and she fell to her knees; the rest of the elves followed her act.
Ayiana and Kveykva nodded their heads, a silent action that said they all may stand; but only Islanzadí rose to her feet.
"We have no time for any kind of explanations, young Queen, but only wish for two questions to be answered; how long ago did we disappear and how many wyrdfell are left?" She asked Islanzadí.
The queens' face grew grave as she answered. "Ayiana svit-kona, and Kveykva brajskualar, you have been missing for a hundred years, and no wyrdfell remain alive, and only one egg is left; but it is guarded heavily by Galbatorix. Of the remaining riders there is only you, Eragon and Saphira, Murtagh and Thorn, as well as Galbatorix and Shruikan. You are alone."
Kveykva issued a threatening growl at Islandzadí. 'We are only as alone as we feel, little queen. Indeed we acknowledge how alone we are, by means that even you should know of, and yet you still feel deemed to tell us how alone we are. Yes, we always were one of the oldest and strongest of riders, and yes our minds were joined to another's, and upon his death, our daughters' death, and now the death of Oromis and Gleadr, our sons by spoken choice from when Oromis' parents died in battle, we have been reminded of this many times. I always knew I would be alone, queen, for I hatched from an egg, cracked in the war against dragons and elves, and as such was branded with this scar upon my head, a symbol of my utter loneliness.'
Islandzadí nodded and stepped back after Kveykvas speech, allowing the two to take to the skies and fly southeast, towards Fienster and the young dragon and rider who needed their help to destroy Galbatorix.