The Vault of Souls

Full Summary: Post Brisingr AU, When the Varden and the Empire collide in an unplanned battle, Eragon and Murtagh find themselves lost deep within the Spine, unaided and with dangers and shocking discoveries stalking them in the shadows…

Author: xXJedi Knight BlazeXx

Genre: Adventure/Romance

Rating: T for safety and language, mainly in the Author's notes

Primary Pairings: Eragon X Arya / Murtagh X Nasuada

Author's Note: This is my newest Inheritance Cycle story and I hope that you like it. This takes place after Brisingr but it is not my version of the fourth Inheritance Cycle book because of the many things that happen that don't happen in the actual series, hence the AU at the beginning of the summary. Oh and this is going to replace "Somewhere I Belong" and "Far From Over" is officially on hold. So please review and here is the first chapter and I hope you like it.

One:

A Battle Unplanned

The landscape that surrounded the city of Feinster was filled with lush green forests and rolling hills. All seemed peaceful in the land but the sounds of troopers marching broke through the sincere silence and Eragon Shadeslayer glanced up sharply from his perch on one of the roofs of the house.

What was that? He wondered silently. His dragon was flying above the building and Eragon noticed that she was looking in the direction of the noise.

I think the Empire's troops are coming but that is strange, why are they getting ready to mass an attack when they barely survived the last attack? Saphira murmured silently as she stopped at the edge of the building before lowering her head. Let's find Nasuada and see what we must do.

I agree, Eragon replied, he quickly got to his feet before climbing onto Saphira's back and the great blue dragon spread her wings before flying over the city and heading straight the location of Nasuada's command post.

The dark skinned Varden Queen was standing outside of the building with Roran, Katrina, and Arya standing right beside her. Saphira circled before landing on the ground and Eragon leapt to the ground before walking over to join them.

"What's happening?" he asked. "I did not think the Empire would return after their last defeat here a few weeks ago."

"Aye, neither did I but that is what this appears to be," Nasauda said gravelly. "I think Galbatorix wanted to try and take Feinster back now that Oromis and Glaedr are dead."

"Because of Murtagh," Eragon murmured a bit sadly, he still couldn't believe his own half-brother had killed Oromis and Glaedr at the battle over Gilead a few weeks ago at near the same time as Eragon and Arya defeated the Shade, Varaug, here at Feinster.

Arya smiled sympathetically. "I am deeply sorry about your loss," she said. "But we have to face facts, Murtagh is working for the Empire, whether because he wants to or because he doesn't, but he is still working for Galbatorix."

You need to stop thinking about him, Eragon, we told him that he may be able to change his true name but so far, it has not been able to happen. If Murtagh is in this battle, I think we will face more dilemmas before this battle, if it is a battle, is over, Saphira said silently.

Aye, Eragon agreed. Shouts sounded and troopers hurried toward the entrance to Feinster.

Nasauda glanced up sharply before gazing at Eragon. "Are you ready to fight?" she asked her dark eyes narrowing slightly.

"Aye, what about you?" Eragon asked.

"I am ready," Arya said pulling out her elven sword before glancing at Roran. "I think you should take Katrina inside. She is expecting a child and we cannot risk her getting injured."

Roran hesitated but nodded before taking his wife's hand and hurrying away from the building. Nasuada pulled out her sword before glancing up at the sky and Eragon followed her gaze before narrowing his eyes as he scanned the skies. His elven sight allowed him to see the reddish outlines of beings far away and he instantly recognized the form of a dragon, the dragon wasn't dark and Eragon was glad Galbatorix wasn't taking place in this battle.

"Murtagh's with them," Arya said following his gaze and her own elven sight allowed her to see the red dragon.

"Aye, good luck, I fear you are going to need it," Eragon replied. Arya nodded and Eragon climbed onto Saphira before the sapphire blue dragon spread her wings before shooting into the sky. Eragon pulled out Brisingr out of its' sheath and gazed at the blade as it glittered sapphire blue, like Saphira's scales, in the sunlight.

Eragon and Saphira flew directly toward the red dragon as it came closer into view and Murtagh, his eyes narrowed, instantly called out, "I did not think you would participate in this battle, brother."

"I did not think there was going to be a battle today," Eragon called back.

"Galbatorix was once again displeased with my defeat at Surda and he has told me to bring you to him no matter what," Murtagh called.

"I will not become a slave to the dark King, not like you," Eragon retorted and Saphira roared an agreement before letting out a sheet of blue flame and Thorn, growling, instantly flew out of the way to avoid it. Eragon noticed, as he did when he was watching through Glaedr's eyes, that Thorn was missing most of his tail.

"I didn't have a choice," Murtagh sneered. "Galbatorix did whatever he could to break me and I couldn't stop him."

"You can change your true name, Murtagh, it is possible," Eragon replied.

Murtagh let out a barking laugh. "Even if I was able to change my name, I am sure Galbatorix has some sort of spell that will tell him if I changed my name or not," he snapped. "There is no hope for me, I have been thinking about your proposal but the only way I may change my name is to become something I am not and I cannot do that."

"What about letting go of the anger you have toward your father?" Eragon called. Murtagh snarled in fury before swinging Zar'roc at Eragon who instantly raised Brisingr to block the blow, sending a shower of sparks fly to the ground. Saphira and Thorn crashed into each other, their claws slashing at each other and their teeth bared in snarls of fury.

"I am not angry at my father, I hate him! After everything he put me through, I was glad when he was killed," Murtagh shouted back before swinging the ruby sword and Eragon blocked the blow.

The battle beneath them was getting rougher and Eragon noticed that many of the soldiers that worked for the Empire were still unable to make it into the city. The Varden were holding at the gate and, through his elven sight, Eragon could see Arya and Nasuada fighting side by side with Roran nearby.

"You don't mean that, Murtagh, think about what you are saying, you cannot hate your father, there must be some sort of other emotion in you that you feel toward your father," Eragon called back. The wind whipped at his hair and sent it flying into his face but he couldn't push it out of his face as he blocked another blow from Murtagh.

"How would you know? You never knew our father, you don't know what he put me through, how he made me suffer and tortured me. I told you of the story of how I got the scar from my father when I was only three years old," Murtagh shouted. "You never knew this pain, you were raised away from your father."

Tell him, Saphira said silently as she sank her teeth into Thorn's shoulder and the red dragon growled in pain before struggling to get free and when they did, a spray of blood appeared from the deep wound.

But… Eragon began silently.

Tell him, Eragon, he needs to know the truth, Saphira ordered silently.

Eragon took a deep breath. "Murtagh, Morzan is not my father," he said softly.

Disbelief shone in Murtagh's eyes. "What?" he asked sounding shocked.

"He is not my father, my mother was known as Selena but my father is Brom," Eragon replied in the same soft voice. They were currently flying above the mountain range known as the Spine and Eragon didn't know how they got this far from Feinster, he was too busy concentrating on the battle at hand.

Murtagh's eyes went wider, if that were possible, than before. "How can that be? Galbatorix was sure that you and I were brothers," he breathed.

"Aye but we are half-brothers, not brothers," Eragon replied. "I only found out about it just before the Battle of Feinster. So I have felt pain before, I never knew my father. I only knew him as the old storyteller that stayed at Carvahall and when he died, I never got to know more about him. We have both had our shares of loss and pain and anger and even hatred but you need to pull through it, you need to let it go, I let go of my hatred of the Ra'zac and you should let go of your hatred for your father."

"I…I can't," Murtagh protested, his eyes were wide and Eragon could tell that he was thinking heavily about what Eragon had just told him.

"Aye, you can," Eragon replied.

Murtagh lowered his head and Eragon was startled when a flash of pain shone in his eyes and he put a hand on his head. "Stop it!" he yelled suddenly. "Stop it, leave me be!"

"Murtagh…" Eragon began.

"Stop it, please," Murtagh cried. He raised his blue eyes to the sky above before turning to look at Eragon and swinging his sword rapidly at Eragon who moved to block but there was so much force behind Murtagh's attack that when the two blades clashed with each other, it knocked them off of their dragons.

Locked in battle with Thorn, Saphira could only watch helplessly as Eragon and Murtagh together fell rapidly toward the depths of the forest of the Spine that lay beneath them.

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: well, that was the first chapter and I know it was short

Darth: come on! Hurry up!

Blaze: hold on, I'm almost done!

Darth: hurry up, we're missing wrestling

Blaze: okay, okay, I'm coming, please review and I'll post the next chapter as soon as I possibly can