Empire
Summary: A new rider will soon be revealed in a surprising twist to the story. She will be untrusted by everyone in Alagaesia, but has great promise, despite crippling setbacks. Set as the 3rd book of the inheritance series. New characters and continuing plotline.
Action/adventure, fantasy
Introduction:
The moonlight cast eerie shadows upon the uneven ground as the hooves of a horse pounded relentlessly at a breakneck pace. Trees surrounded the cloaked figure who rode astride the steed, cutting in amongst the foliage and ducking beneath low-lying branches that threatened to dismount the rider. Dead leaves crackled beneath the flurry of hooves, the horse panting from exertion. A sheath shone in the dark, empty of its sword which the rider held upon their lap as they rode. The rider chanced a glance behind them swiftly before turning around again and urging the poor animal to pick up the pace as their cloak billowed out behind with a gust of wind.
The silence of the night was broken as a small army of twelve men on strong chargers raced behind. Their armor gleamed; their swords at the ready. Quivers of arrows and a bow each were slung across their backs. The black horses beneath them were exhilarated by the pursuit and raced forward with eagerness. Their shields bore the black symbol of Galbatorix, the king of Alagaesia. With a terse word, one of the soldiers instructed his men to spread out amongst the trees. Their powerful horses were swiftly gaining on the fugitive.
With every passing second, the gap was closing and the runaway was clearly in view. No arrows were shot, though each soldier was more than capable of catching the rider at this distance. When it was all-too-obvious that they were surrounded, the first rider reined in their horse. The mount reared slightly and stopped, wheeling around to face their pursuers. The hood dropped and long golden-brown locks of hair fell to frame the face of a girl of about sixteen, her jade green eyes cold and knowing, devoid of fear. She knew she was caught, but she would not go willingly.
"You truly have a death wish, girl. The king will not be pleased," sneered the leader of the pack.
"The king," she mocked, "is never pleased. The only pleasure he gets is from the cold-blooded murder he commits upon this land with a merciless hand and a monster at his side."
"Have you no shame? You won't get out of this unscathed," he stated matter-of-factly.
"I am already pained to be living within this cruel empire. Whatever more you cause will be of no consequence to me."
"You speak with a bold tongue. But can you fight as well as you speak?" The girl held her horse fast, the animal balked at the swords. She raised her own sword in front of herself, staring down the competition. Kicking her steed, they charged towards the man with a fury unseen before. She brought her broadsword down upon the man's shoulder, only to be blocked by his own weapon with deadening force. She twisted her own around to slice him in the side but the sword slipped down his armor harmlessly. He took the advantage and brought his own towards her head, which she ducked. The girl veered her horse around and blocked a blow from another solider to her right side with swift ease, taking his head.
Another of the king's men attacked from the left, and she stabbed him through the stomach. She took the inscrutable pause to quickly take the bow from her back and shoot two arrows at once to claim several more lives. Another soldier took this opportunity to slice her arm before she got the chance to block his blow. She hardly noticed as the crimson blood began swiftly pouring from the wound. As the fight continued, her blows came more slowly and she was unable to block many of the assaults. She knew she was overwhelmed. A true and efficient fighter, but it took more to take twelve soldiers at once. Suddenly, her horse reared wildly and fell on its side. Her right leg cracked numerous times underneath the immense weight, the pain blurred her vision and made the remaining soldiers swim before her eyes. The horse rolled to its feet quickly and was able to escape, leaving the girl completely vulnerable. She tried to get to her feet, but an incredible amount of pain shot through her leg and she collapsed in the dirt. The men sheathed their swords, knowing they would now be unnecessary.
"So the mighty fighter isn't so gifted after all, now is she?" taunted the leader.
"You now have…half as many men…as you set out with. You…do the math." She managed to say between gasps of tormenting pain. A malicious grin crossed the soldier's face as he harshly kicked her in the head for the comment. Pain exploded within her skull before everything went blissfully black.