A small crowd was gathered in a red tent, surrounded by a small camp at the outskirts of the Burning Plains.
"The Varden is defeated." Nasuada's voice was small against the thick pre-dawn air, but it struck heavily in the hearts of all the others listening.
"So...it's true?" Arya asked. "Galbatorix has finally won..." The elf clutched her bow under her arm so tightly that her hands turned white.
Now Eragon spoke, Saphira's head stretched next to him through the tent's entrance. "Yes...Saphira and I found Alagaesia's last remaining Eldunari, but we were unable to keep them from him. Now he is more powerful than a god, and there...-" his voice broke slightly. "There is nothing more we can do." Arya put a hand on his shoulder, and he shut his eyes tightly. Angela's hands wound tightly around her huthvir, the double-headed spear.
"I think we all agree that to face the king in battle again would be suicidal," said Nasuada, her voice a bit stronger now. "Only dozens remain of the Varden's fighting force. The real question is, what can we do now? What is our course of action?" She smiled sadly. "I have no answers."
"You know I would fight them," Saphira said, her thoughts projected to all the others. "I would continue fighting until all our enemies lie dead before us, or we before them." Her claws kneaded the dewey ground outside the tent. Roran nodded in agreement, fists clenched.
"Yes," Arya told Saphira. "We know you would, but we cannot afford more lives. I don't wish to say this...but I believe the only path left open to us lies across the sea."
At this, everyone's eyes widened, but Orik spoke first. "And what would we find there?" he asked gruffly. "Only monsterous tempests, endless waves, and starvation. Or, suppose we did find land eventually...Who is to say its people would help us? I am with Saphira in this; if she or any of us are willing to fight still, I am as well."
Nasuada sat down on her wooden chair, looking more tired than Eragon had ever seen her. "To continue fighting is madness. We have no army left." Several people began to speak at once, and Nasuada silenced them with a piercing glare. "Our army is gone!" she repeated. "Surda can no longer help us...King Orrin is either murdered or in hiding somewhere, and most of Islanzadi's army is either dead or captured." She looked to Eragon for encouragement.
"Nasuada is right," Eragon said, looking sadly at Saphira as she growled in disagreement. "Galbatorix is more powerful than I had ever thought possible, and our only hope for freedom is to-"
"To run away like cowards," finished Roran coldly.
"Now is not the time to act for heroism," Arya turned to Roran. "It is the time to act for survival. Perhaps hope and help do lie across the sea, and I am willing to leave Alagaesia to search for them."
Nasuada stood again. "Then that is what we must do, difficult as it may be. Are you agreed?"
"Aye," Arya answered softly.
"...Aye," grunted Orik.
Eragon's voice broke slightly. "Aye."
"Aye..." Saphira voiced her thoughts reluctantly, but added, "I go against my heart, but I see no other answer." Eragon placed his hand on her muscled shoulder, sadness and determination emanating from both of them.
"Well, I do not agree." Roran spoke bluntly. "I told Katrina that I would take her to stay with the elves if I must, and I believe that that time has come. She and our child will be safe there, and I will stay and fight with the remaining elves, even if the rest of you have given up."
He looked to Arya, as if for her permission, and she nodded. "You and your child will be safer in Ellesmera than anywhere else in Alagaesia. I do not know whether my...whether Queen Islanzadi has survived, but she would gladly let you stay there." For a moment sorrow seemed to engulf her features at the fate of her mother and queen, but an instant later it was hidden again behind a mask of fortitude.
"But what of you, Angela?" asked Nasuada, turning to the witch, who was frowning and methodically twirling the huthvir. "We value your opinion greatly; would you stay, or go?"
"I believe you are correct, Nasuada, that departure is the best course of action, but it is not our only path remaining. If the elves are willing, I will escort Roran and Katrina to Ellesmera, then do my best to destroy Galbatorix and his Empire." At the surprised looks from all the others, she added, her voice steely, "There is nothing that will tear me away from my home. Besides, I may be able to do some damage on my own. I am much more...capable...than many of you seem to realize." She smiled slightly, the first smile Eragon had seen in days.
At a permissive nod from Nasuada, Angela and Roran left the tent to find Katrina and inform her of their plans. Even with the others and Saphira, the tent looked very empty once they had left.
"We should leave soon, shouldn't we?" Saphira asked Nasuada. After a moment she responded. "Yes...in seven days' time, we will leave for the coast of Surda; this will be enough time to arrange a vessel to take us...to take us onward."
Eragon almost choked; Seven days? He knew his mind was made up...at least it had been a few moments ago. But to leave Alagaesia, leave everything he knew and loved, possibly forever? Ellesmera, the Spine, Tronjheim, even the remains of Carvahall...At the thought of his old home his eyes burned. This would be worse, far worse, than losing Carvahall. He might never see this land again. And who knew what else existed beyond the endless ocean? He thought of Angela's prophecy, and sighed. It would come true after all, perhaps...
"Are you sure you wish to go with us, Orik?" Nasuada was saying, as Eragon forced his thoughts back to their conversation. "You are a king, after all, and responsible for the lives of many."
The dwarf scowled, clearly affronted, and tugged agitatedly at his beard. "I know my duties, Nasuada. But as much as I may wish to stay here, I feel that I must aid Eragon and the Varden any way that I can. I will leave my wife, Hvedra, in command while I am gone, though I can only assume that we will return."
Arya nodded at Orik's decision. "It is best that as few leave as possible," she said, glossing over the dwarf's cryptic tone. "We must be enough to crew a ship, but few enough to avoid detection or conflict. Nasuada, Orik, Eragon, Saphira, and I are the only ones departing, at least so far...I hope it is enough for us all to remain safe while at sea."
Arya and Nasuada continued to talk, while Eragon silently left the tent. Saphira moved to follow him, but sensed his strong desire to be alone and left him.
After leaving the meeting, Eragon wandered across the grass and sat idly on a hilltop, painfully aware of just how beautiful the land around him was, how dear it was to him. Could he leave it forever? And would he ever come back?
If only he had managed to recover the Eldunari! He still had Glaedr's heart of hearts, but even with its strength he had not been powerful enough to fend of the Empire. He was too weak. Always, always he was too weak. Looking down from the hilltop he took in the Burning Plains, saw the plateau where Murtagh had fought him, had defeated him, had spared his life. When would he be strong enough to truly make a difference?
Suddenly he stood up. A chillingly familiar shape had appeared through the hazy dawn air, red as blood and speeding towards him like an arrow. It couldn't be. It couldn't be! Not after all they had been through!
As the figure grew closer, there was no mistaking it. Eragon leaped down the hill and burst into Nasuada's tent. Nasuada looked up at him in surprise. "Eragon! What is-"
"Murtagh!" he gasped. "Murtagh and Thorn are coming!"
Arya and Nasuada paled. "Then we will prepare to fight," Nasuada said simply. None of them mentioned what the only outcome could be. There was no need to.