Tales of Alagaesia
Rise of the Shapeshifter King
Chapters
PROLOGUE:
Part 1. History of Alagaesia
Part 2. Forbidden Love
Chosen Ones
Accusations
Hunted
Growing Pains
Who Am I
The Journey
Its Just Magic
The Dragon Riders
King Roran the III
Thief
Duel of Cats
A Shade named Odrin Dark Elf
The Exiles
The Uprising War
Part 1. Fall of the Riders
Part 2. The Great War
Conquest
Rage of the Wild Dragons
Darkness Rising
The Capture of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Brightscales
Reign of the Shapeshifter King
On the Run
Epilogue: I Rule the World
PROLOGUE:
Part 1. History of Alagesia
It started with the dragon wars and from that conflict arose the Dragon Riders. Then the Wyrdfel and the rise of Galbatorix. He reigned over Alagaesia for the next one hundred years. Then he was defeated by Eragon and his dragon Saphira. They helped to rebuild the Riders of Alagaesia. Then enter the children of the foresworn and the Emperor Shau Ming of Shynendar. The Emperor sent his massive army to conquer Alagaesia, but the Alagaesians were able to ward them off and protect their lands from the invaders.
In the third generation came Roran (II) the Conqueror, who marched across Alagaesia taking Urubaen, Aberon, and all the lands in between. It started with the death of the house of Larkin. Disease had claimed the entire family and many believed that it was the wrath of the gods. Surda was given to a weak man to rule and corrupt nobles tore than land apart with their excessive lifestyle The corruption spread to Urubaen and the lands of the middle kingdom. In order to protect his kingdom from the warlords Roran II had to go to war. During this time the riders had gone to a distant land to help Eragon Shadeslayer in a war. When the last sword was sheathed the house of Stronghammer ruled all the lands of Alagaesia. Roran II moved his house to Urubaen and declared himself Emperor. He took Termorah of the house of Redbeard as his queen to solidify his power.
Of the old heroes Nausada Nightstalker remained leader of the council of Elders. Nolfavrel, Selena, Brom Oromis, Arya, Angela, Solembum and Ajihad. Despite the wars of Roran the Conqueror Alagaesia entered an era of peace and prosperity. Now five hundred years later Emperor Garrow II ruled the empire from the southern coast to the boarders of DuWeldenvarden and the coast.
Part 2. Forbidden Love
Not much is known of the werecats, save this; it is folly to ignore the advice of one. They are just as mysterious and powerful as Dragons, in the war they aided the Dragons against the Elves. In their human forms the werecats do not require food or sleep. The older a werecat the more powerful he or she becomes and the greater cat shape they can take on. Like Solombum who reached his three hundredth year and in human form was an adolescent teenager. In his cat form he was a tiger. They have the power of foresight and prefer to speak in riddles. Some werecats could touch magic and they all could speak the ancient language. Their natural abilities include the magical ability to kill with their claws.
In werecat society family members lived in clans, but the whole of the race is ruled by the werecat king. The main role of the werecat king is to watch over the vault of souls. His duties also included passing judgment on werecats who have violated the law. The most absolute law of werecats is to never ever mate with someone outside the race.
His name was Kar the night hunter and he dwelt in Aroughs in the governor court. He was over four hundred years old and as such he had to remain in his human form because his cat form was that of a leopard. Kar could also use magic and was born after the war of the conqueror.
He should have gone into the wild when he became a great cat but he was in love with the governor's daughter. A young woman of fifteen years old her name was Cassa. She too was in love with him, but betrothed to the son of the count of Dauth.
"Psst!"
It was midnight and Cassa was in her room, "Are you insane?"
"Is that the way you great the love of your life…"
She sighed, "I love you, but…"
He placed his finger on her lips, "But nothing… Do not force yourself to marry a man because your father demands it… Come with me… Let us leave this drab castle and explore the land… If you love me come with me…"
She hugged him, "I want to be with you…" He scooped her up into his arms and jumped out the window.
"Find her and bring her back!" Governor Faellen yelled to his guards.
"You won't be able to find them…" A woman said entering the room of judgment. She wore silver and gold armor and had twin swords strapped across her back.
"The red eyed woman…" the courtiers whispered amongst themselves.
"You are not welcome here red eye…" The chief spellcaster said.
It was Meera the Farseer, like Elva she was blessed by a Dragon Rider with a similar spell to the one Eragon used. "Your daughter has fallen for a werecat named Kor, there love is forbidden and when the werecats find out they will hunt them down and kill them…" She turned to leave.
"Wait will you help me…"
"I already have…" She replied without looking back.
Governor Faellen was friends with a Dwarf Dragon rider named Dexau and his silver dragon Servax. Faellen informed Dexau of the problem and he went looking for them. ("We should speak with the council about this…")
("Faellen is a friend and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him…")
("There is something you must know about werecats… They do not abide infidels… women or men who taint their species… They will kill her as well as the werecat… If we intervene… or if Faellen speaks out against them he will pay the price… The werecats have many taboos…")
They searched far and wide across the land flying low to the ground, "They are gone…" Kar said as the silver dragon passed overhead.
"I don't like this…"
"They aren't the ones I am worried about…"
"You have been hinting at a danger for a while now… What has you so afraid?"
He couldn't tell her about the laws of the werecats, he couldn't tell her that if the werecats found out they would hunt them down and kill them and all related to Cassa. Whatever happened he would fight to the death to protect her from whatever and whoever came after them. "If you love me… then please do not question me… I love you and I will protect you from your father, the riders, anyone who would try to come between us…"
"Can I least ask where we are going…"
"To the scattered isles…"
"You want to live among the exiles…"
The exiles were a group of elves and elven riders who followed Vanir when he was possessed by the Emperor of Shynendar and while Vanir was under the control of a foreign power the elves who followed did so out their fears and weaknesses. The riders had left long ago accepted back among their brethren Riders and pardoned by Nausada Nightstalker. Now only shamed Elves and humans lived on the scattered isles.
"It is the last place anyone would think to search for us…" They spent the entire day in the in a cave near the foothills of the spine. When the sun fell down behind the distant horizon Kar disrobed in front of Cassa.
She blushed, "Um… I thought we were to marry first…"
He smiled and handed her his clothes, then his body began to grow hair, his limbs began to lengthen and stretch. He became a leopard and with his mind asked Cassa to climb on his back. He sped across the land at a tremendous rate of speed. When they reached the shore north of Narda Cassa bought a small boat and they sailed to the islands. Kar built them a house away from the villages so they couldn't draw attention to themselves.
"I am pregnant…" Cassa declared after two months of living together.
Kar smiled and tried to express happiness with his face, but in his heart he was deeply afraid, because his child would be a Halfling. "That is wonderful…" Cassa was happy as hummed to herself while she did her house work. The next week Kar informed her that he needed to leave to take care of private business.
"Kar Night hunter… You are summoned to the Rock of Kuthian by order of Paneer Halfpaw King of Werecats and guardian protector of the vault of souls…" A glowing orb of floating light addressed him as he stood on a cliff in the spine.
"As the King wishes I obey…" Kar replied and the orb of light flew off. Kar smiled to himself because he would be considered as the next Werecat King and if he was chosen then no one could touch him or his wife and unborn son. ("I will become the king…"
Note from the author: I have been enjoying writing stories about Inheritance it is a unique tale a parallel to Star Wars if you will… I started Tales of Alagaesia and will update after I have finished Star Wars Mason Kell must die… I will be working on two stories at once… If you have been enjoying my stories I would appreciate all reviews good and bad… If you have any suggestions for Rise of the Shapeshifter King please make them…
Chapter 1. Chosen Ones
It was the time of the werecat king, the full moon and summer solstice. Three stars shone bright around the moon and so Paneer half paw sent three invitations out to three werecats, among them was the cat who would inherit his power and become King or Queen of the wercats. Solombum was one of the cats to receive an invitation so he set out with Angela the Herbalist towards the rock of Kuthian. The two of them were still in DuWeldenvarden and traveled south from Ellesmera towards the Hadarac desert. The werecat Maud traveled with tem because her sister was one of the chosen ones.
"How long will it take us to reach kuthian mommy…" The girl who asked the question was named Tala and she was Angela's daughter.
"Three weeks maybe more…"
"Sol…" She liked to call Solombum Sol which irritated the old cat who was in his human form. "…what will you do if you become the werecat king…"
"Create a spell to silence all little girls below the age of thirteen…"
Angela bent over laughing and even Maude who was in her jaguar form had to hiss a laugh. "That is not funny and technically I am over a hundred years old…" Angela often ate her and drank own concoctions and herbs so when she had a daughter the girl aged very slowly. Tala was very wise, but childish and like playing jokes on people.
"You are a hundred year old annoying little girl…"
"She immolates her mother when I was that age so be patient with her Solombum…"
It took two weeks to leave the forest and enter the desert and when they did Tala leapt into the air and flew up as high as she could and look out over the world. She was very curious because her mother had kept her hidden in Ellesmera since she was born.
("I see all the way to the ocean…) She said projecting her thoughts.
("That is good now get back down here before a wild dragon or windviper mistakes you for a featherless snack…") When she landed Tala folded her arms in front of Angela, "There are no wind-vipers in this area…"
Angela smiled, "You are right they hate the desert, but their favorite snack is dragon eggs…"
"And little girls who don't mind their mothers…" Solombum said.
"We will camp here tonight!" Maude declared.
Early sunrise they broke camp and continued deeper into the desert. Angela created water skins that never emptied so they always had water as they traveled. On the fourth day they ran across one of the desert tribes heading east towards an oasis for the summer months. Within a month they were staring at the base of the mountain.
"Behold the Rock of kuthian…" Solombum declared.
"Consider yourselves lucky humans for no one has ever witnessed the choosing of the king…" Maude said. Two lions stood at the base of the mountain and growled at the group. As they waited aMaude's sister arrived and another werecat in leopard form.
They greeted each other and that is a when an orb of light flew down to them, "Identify yourselves…" Everytime the orb of light spoke it flashed.
"I am Solombum son of Hermees Sharptooth… This is my friend, ally, and companion, Angela Capshroom and her daughter Tala Lightheart…"
"I am Kar son Leer Short-tale…"
"Feah sister of Maude Dreamwalker Daughters Isis the White…"
"You are welcome to the Rock of Kuthian…" When they reached the summit Paneer half paw was waiting in his human form. "Welcome on and all… Those of you chosen step forward and present yourselves…"
Solombum, Feah, and Kar took their cat shapes and presented themselves to the King. He walked up and down inspecting them, both mentally and physically. "From the time of the first dragons… We werecats have watched over this mountain… The great power of cats has been passed down to all those worthy to wield it… The three of you will be tested… These tests will strip you… tare down everything you think you are… Then we shall see what you are made of… You humans bare witness… but you must swear silence for the secrets of the cats are for no one…"
After Angela and Tala swore each of the chosen ones claimed a spot on the mesa before rock by scratching their paws in the dirt. "Solombum… the panther… He has no friends…"
Solombum and the other cats had to remain in there cat forms, ("Kar is a loaner… He has forsaken the company of others…")
Solombum was chosen first to be tested and the tests involved facing his worst fears. Being treated like an animal to which Angela couldn't bare to watch, because Paneer subjected him to the cruelest things imaginable that could be done to a cat. And finally he had to endure the humiliation of being shaved while he was a tiger. He passed the test and Angela sat beside Solombum comforting him.
"You shall be next…" Paneer said standing before Feah in her jaguar form.
Notes: apologies I had to combine the prologue with chapter 1 because of technical problems