Disclaimer: I own nothing at all except a pen drive and many black marble notebooks.

Authoress' Note: This is second in my Requiem series, if any body cares. Explanation at the bottom of the page.

Requiem: Death of a Dragon

On a battlefield littered with the bodies of the slain and blasted with magical fire, a black dragon lies dying. His gigantic form, heaving with the effort of each breath, is ripped and torn by claws and swords. The once-glossy obsidian scales are dull with soot and slick with blood and filth. His eyes, red as pools of blood, are wide with pain.

A tall figure walks slowly toward the great Beast; a sword, red as pools of blood, is in his hand. It is a Man, but not just any man. This man is a child of Destiny, son of War, brother of Hatred, father of Peace, a Rider of Dragons. He is a man with many names: Shade-slayer. King-slayer. Death-slayer. Beast-slayer. His face is noble and beautiful and sad.

The Man has reached the Dragon. They stare deep into each other's eyes; Death hangs heavy on the still, stagnant air.

Have you come to make an end, Shining One?

I have.

All things must end, Bright One.

That is indeed so, World Eater.

The great Dragon rumbled deep within his battered chest.

No; call me not that. I am no longer bent on destruction against my will. Now that I am free of he who would eat the world, I would be free of the world. Set me free, Radiant One.

As you command.

A feeling of mutual understanding and compassion passes between two Beings in the graveyard silence.

A ruby blade flashes once; once is enough.

Dainer…

The burning light of two enormous eyes is extinguished; the cacophonous creaking of broken ribs ceases; the fire inside the Dragon has gone out. Two wisps of dark smoke trickled out of his nostrils and dissolve into the thick, heavy air.

As a Spirit is set free from the shackles of a Body, a single tear slides down the cheek of a Man. He is a man with many names:

Liberator of Captives.

Dragon-slayer.

Angel of Death.

Eragon.

-Finis-

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If anyone has no idea what just happened, let me clarify things a little. Eragon eventually killed the Ra'Zac. (Hence Beast-slayer.) Galbatorix has been slain by Eragon on the field of battle. Shruikan, the king's black dragon, has sustained numerous injuries. All the survivors have left the battlefield; Eragon alone walks among the dead. I mean, he's alive; he's not like a ghost or something. He's just wandering around looking at corpses and stuff. He has a short conversation with Shruikan, who explains a little about the relationship between himself and the king and compliments Eragon, calling him Shining One, Bright One, Radiant One. Eragon gives Shruikan the killing blow out of mercy, and because a Rider would not refuse a request from so great a Dragon. Even though Shruikan did the evil work of Galbatorix, he was perverted and changed by the king's evil arts. He did so against his will, molded into a Creature of ultimate Evil.

And if you know the Kiesha'ra series by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, especially Falcondance, you'll understand what I'm talking about when I say that when Anjay Cobriana died, his spirit was housed in the body of a Dragon. So, Shruikan's mind/spirit/etc. is the mind/spirit/etc. of Anjay Cobriana. When he is finally released, he is rejoined with the spirit of his love, the hawk Dainer. (Did I spell that right?) After all, what better form for a royal black cobra than a black dragon?

Okay, that really didn't make any sense at all. Oh well.

Please review,

because Seri likes reviews.

Please don't flame,

because one flame in a lifetime is quite enough for Seri, thank you very much,

and she doesn't like most flames.

Except for silly, stupid little flames;

these she shows to her friends and they laugh at them for hours.

So now you know the system.

So please review.