Prologue

The Cycle of Violence

Anders saw it coming before the others. That in itself was strange. Not that he wasn't a good guard. But he was a young man in a small city, and his attention wandered time to time. Though Eoam was the main town on Beirland, the largest island off the south-western coast of Alagaesia, Anders felt he was too big for it. Perhaps it was the magic of the world that opened his eyes at that moment. All Anders knew was that something odd was going on.

He yawned as he glanced up at the sky. That was when he saw it—a light on the horizon, flying closer and closer. At first he thought it was a star, but the twinkling was too much, more like a flashing.

"Balfour," Anders said, looking sidelong at the man next to him. "You see that?"

"What?"

"That light."

Balfour squinted at the sky. "The star?"

"That's no star. It's moving. Fast."

"Shooting star?"

"It's flashing."

Balfour scratched his head. "I'll tell the captain," he said.

"Right."

As Balfour strode off towards the captain's quarters, Anders watched the object come closer. Was it some sort of magic? He straightened his back and brushed his hand over the hilt of the sword strapped to his belt. He'd never used a sword, except in practice. A sort of anticipation clenched at his chest, a sort of stifling he'd never felt before, and he couldn't tell whether it was eagerness or fear.

Within minutes, Captain Freeman was trudging up the muddy street towards Anders, Balfour not far behind. The captain had in his hand a small spyglass.

"Where's this star, then, soldier?" he asked, putting the spyglass to his eye.

"Not a star, Sir. But it's there." Anders pointed at the flying thing, and Captain Freeman focused in on it.

He stayed staring at it for a long moment, then slowly lowered the spyglass.

"Call out the guard, soldier," he said, turning to glare at Balfour. "I want every archer here at this spot. Now!"

"Yes, Sir!" Balfour saluted and ran off to collect his fellows.

"What is it, Captain?" Anders asked.

As soon as the words left his lips, he wished he could suck them back in again. Captain Freeman's eyes met his, and Anders knew from the way the captain held them wide open that he was afraid. And men will go to any lengths to hide fear.

But the captain didn't yell. He didn't hit him or order him fifty lashes.

Instead, he looked at Anders and said, "I don't know. I don't."

It took an hour for all the guards, off-duty and on-, to be rounded up and brought to Anders' post. By then, the flying thing had crossed over them and had begun circling above the city.

Even stranger, it was talking. Not in the common tongue, no, nor in Dwarvish, Elvish, or the language of the Urgals. It was speaking in a language none of them knew, but it was a distinctly human voice.

Anders could see it now, see it true. It was flying low to boom out its strange words. It looked like no star he'd ever seen. Indeed, it was more akin to a bird, but it was too big, and its movements weren't from nature. It glided above them, its long, outstretched wings never flapping, and, if he looked closely, he could see the light of the torches reflecting off its underbelly.

"By the gods!" Balfour said as it swept lower.

The soldiers all eyed it, drawing their bows and nocking arrows.

There was sweat on Captain Freeman's brow when Anders looked to him.

"Oh, blast it," the captain said as it took another dive at them. "Shoot it! Shoot it down!"

Anders knew it was futile. The thing was made of metal; that much was obvious. It was not alive. Their arrows might pierce its sides, but they would never kill it. All the same, he took aim with the rest.

"It won't die!" Balfour shouted after a few volleys.

"Magic!" Captain Freeman said. "All those who can use magic, shoot that thing down!"

Five guards ran forward, towards each other, knocking soldiers out of their way as they went. When at last they met, they formed a circle and began chanting. Anders sent arrow after arrow at the metal giant, waiting for the magic-users to cast their spell.

After a few seconds, a great golden ball of fire appeared in the center of their circle. It shot straight at the flying thing. A huge crashing sound thundered through the sky as the object exploded.

Pieces of blazing metal flew down towards them. Anders dove to avoid a great hunk of flame. It struck the ground where he had just been standing.

He got to his feet and looked back into the sky. It was empty of everything but the stars. There was no flying metal thing, but neither were there cheers. The guards looked to their captain.

"Good work, men," Freeman said. "It's over."

Anders was still looking up. When his eyes fell to the western sky, he took a step back.

"Captain," he said. No one seemed to hear. They were preparing to leave, putting away their bows.

"Captain!" Anders backed up several more steps, hitting another guard. This time they heard. This time they turned to look. This time they saw.

"By the gods," Balfour said again.

There, on the horizon, were thousands more of the metal beasts, flying towards the guards.

"Captain?" Anders asked. "Orders?"

The captain said something in a small voice Anders couldn't hear.

"What?"

His eyes met the captain's.

"Run," said Freeman.

The guards stared at him.

"Sir?" Anders said.

Spittle flew from the captain's mouth as he opened it once more and screamed, "Run!"

Freeman turned and sprinted away.

Chaos broke loose then. The soldiers followed their captain's lead, running from the monsters, from their duty.

Anders would have liked to say that he stayed to fight the impossible battle. He would have liked to have been a hero in his last moments. But the flying things found him fleeing with all the rest.

Eragon

Ready? Eragon said.

The corners of Saphira's mouth turned upwards in an imitation of a human smile. I should be asking you. You look as if you're about to face off against a hundred Kull without magic or weapon.

Can you blame me? It's been so long.

You still love her.

Of course I still love her! And you still love Firnen. Why aren't you nervous, too?

Saphira gave one of her claws a delicate lick. Because I am me.

Right. Don't know why I bothered asking.

A great rumbling came from her chest, and Eragon recognized it as laughter.

Do not worry. I'll be with you, she told him.

He nodded and put a hand on her leg, then took a deep breath and spoke the incantation over the mirror.

And there appeared the face of the elf queen, his fellow rider. A rush of warmth took hold of him when he saw her.

"Arya," Eragon said.

"Eragon."

"It is good to see you again."

"And you," she answered. "Greetings, Saphira."

Arya, Saphira said.

Saphira! Firnen projected his deep voice to them.

Saphira's head crept closer to the mirror's surface as she saw her mate.

Firnen. Her reply was deliberately calm, but Eragon sensed a deep excitement in her.

"I assume I know why you're contacting me," Arya said. "I'm glad you've at last found a resting place."

"Hopefully more than that," Eragon said. "With good fortune, Nyr Vroengard will become a new home, both to me and to the eggs."

"I wish you that fortune, then."

"Thank you."

There was a moment of silence between them. He would be lying if he said it wasn't uncomfortable. He hadn't spoken to Arya since he left Alagaesia. In other words, it had been over a year. A long year. A year spent at sea with no company but that of Cuaroc, the elves who had accompanied him, and, of course, Saphira. And now, here he was before Arya again, and he couldn't think of anything to say to her. He wished he could reach out to her, touch her, even for a moment. But scrying did have its limitations.

Eragon, Saphira said at last, and he came back to his senses.

He cleared his throat and said, "I'm sending Blodgarm back to Alagaesia to collect the eggs and Eldunarya."

She hesitated, then said, "Of course."

"Is something wrong?" Eragon asked.

Firnen answered in place of his rider. Why are you not coming yourself to take them?

Eragon looked at him. "Saphira and I must stay here. For the construction and for the raising of the new generation of riders."

We cannot return to Alagaesia, Saphira said.

Then we will come to you, Firnen said, shifting his weight into a crouching position, as though ready to fly over right away.

"Firnen." Arya rested her hand on his head. "We, too, must stay where we are." She looked at Eragon, met his eyes. "As much as we might wish otherwise."

"I'm sorry, Firnen," Eragon said. "Maybe one day we'll all meet again."

We will, Saphira added.

Firnen blinked at her.

"Eragon," Arya said. "Before you go, there is something more. You may not have heard…."

"What is it?" Eragon asked.

"There's been an attack. At Eoam. Everyone there is dead, even the civilians. No one knows who did it, but there are rumors that towns nearby saw flashing lights and explosions."

"Explosions? Was it magic?"

Arya shook her head. "I don't know. But they also found strange metal contraptions scattered around the city."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that trouble is rising once again," Arya said. "I think we shall need those eggs more quickly than we thought."

Eragon looked at Saphira.

"What do you say about this?"

We cannot wait for the Urgals and the dwarves to hatch their eggs. If something is threatening Alagaesia again, there must be more dragon riders to meet the challenge.

Eragon nodded. "I agree. Arya, could you send a representative of the elves to meet with Blodgarm and take a few eggs back to Ellesmera?"

"You would send the eggs to the elves before your own people?"

"If this truly is a threat, it would be nice to have riders who know what they're doing, who already have knowledge of magic and skill with the sword. If the eggs do not hatch for anyone in Du Weldenvarden, send them out to human cities second."

"And how many eggs should we take?" she asked. "You should be the one to choose, as you will be the one to train them."

His stomach jumped at the thought of teaching. But he would not let his fears affect his reasoning. "How about four? That seems enough."

"Four sounds like a good number to start with," Arya said.

They looked at each other for a long moment.

"That's settled, then," Eragon said.

"Yes."

"Arya…." He trailed off. I miss you was what he wanted to say, but he couldn't seem to get the words out.

"I know," she said. He glanced at her face, then gave her a small smile.

They said their farewells, and Eragon ended the magic.

We'd best start construction fast if we're to have students here, he said to Saphira.

Yes, she said. I wonder who will be chosen.

I don't know. All we know is that there will be four.