A/N: I don't own Eragon, or its characters, or its plot, or anything from the book for that matter. This story is a side story from the major battle in the first book, in Fathern Dur.
Hope and Tragedy
Eragon stepped over the body of a fallen dwarf that lay with its axe in an Urgal, a massive one for a dwarf to bring down. Fires and fighting raged all around Eragon and Saphira as man, dwarf, and urgal fought to the death.
What trouble humans cause in their lives, however short they may be. Saphira remarked as she smashed aside an urgal with her claw. Such chaos and misery that can be created with simple words.
Eragon nodded and remembered. He remembered his uncle, dying in the fields of his home. He remembered Brom, dead by the foul creatures in the kings command. He remembered Roran, maybe dead at the mill. And he remembered all the torture he had seen on his travels. It made him sick. Why should the good people of Fathern Dur have to suffer for him and all the trouble that seemed to surround him?
Saphira heard his thoughts and cautioned Careful young one. This is too much for you to handle alone. You were only the breaking point, not the cause. Brom told us that this tension had been around for a long time.
No. It is my fault, it's all my fault. I let Brom get killed and now all the dwarves and men here. It's my fault! Eragon thought, then shut Saphira out of his head. He pulled the blood red sword from its sheath and charged forward into the fray.
It's…
He slashed at the first group of urgals he came to and had two killed before any of them knew what had happened.
...all...
Two more felt the power of Eragon's rage.
…my…
He blasted another one's head off with a burst of fire from his hand.
…fault!
He imbedded Zar'roc in their leader's helm and crushed the skull and horns of the massive beast. It was a ten foot Kull, but it felt the sting of the sword before it could react. Eragon turned and saw a large knot of urgals still climbing up from the hole in the ground. He took aim and blasted them with a burst of pure energy that threw each one to the back of the tunnel and sent him to his knees.
Saphira wheeled overhead and then trapped Eragon under her claw. Stop, stop fighting. Another burst like that will kill you as well. You aren't thinking. You will kill yourself before you avenge anyone. There is no point in fighting as you are now.
No! No I won't stop! Eragon threw the claw off him and leaped to his feet. He turned from his dragon and ran up the nearest defensive stake. A fire flew from his eyes, one so fierce that Saphira hung back with surprise.
Eragon leaped off the end of the stake into an urgal, killing it instantly. He used the momentum to dive into another and stabbed it through the gut. Another two were killed by a side to side blow that was closely followed by Eragon, who finished by disemboweling a fifth with a blot of fire. Zar'roc glinted happily as blood danced along its blade, as it had with its previous owner.
Saphira caught Eragon again and sunk her claws into the ground to keep him from getting up again. I've had enough. It seems the only way to protect you is to bring you back to the city. Either get on my back, or stay in my claw, it doesn't matter to me.
Saphira looked down at him when he didn't answer and saw a tear rolling down his cheek.
