Dragon Riders The New Age
Chapters
Stranger
Mother And Father
The New Council Of Elders
Family
Marked Baby
Training
Disciples Of Galbatorix
Rising Evil
United Front
The Riders Of Du Weldenvarden
Vanir
Tortured Mind
Civil War
Sloan
Mysterious Rider
Brom Oromis
Duel Of Hunters
The Enemy Comes
The Battle For Ceneon
General Oram
The War Begins
Allies
Final Battle
The Wedding of Prince Garrow Lady Aletha
The Emporer Shaun Ming
The Emporer And The Shadeslayer
Eragon's Army
Elva's Quest
The Dragon Riders of Shynendarr
Rebellion
Aiedel and the Emperor
The Truth Revealed
Chapter 1. Stranger
"May you never find rest in this land… May you leave Alagaesia and wander the world alone…
This was the prophecy spoken by Angela the witch and later a curse placed on Eragon by Galbatorix before Eragon destroyed him while his mind resided in Shruiken's Eldunari. When the day finally came Eragon left under the compulsion of the curse laid on him. Before Eragon left the lands of Alagaesia, he helped to rebuild the order of the Dragon Riders leaving his half brother Murtagh in charge of the order. After Vroengard was rebuilt Eragon set out with his now wife Elva on board the dragon wing. The ship his cousin Roran and Jeod stole to escape the empire. Elva wasn't the only one to accompany him, his bond partner and dragon Saphira followed by swimming behind the dragon wing as it plowed through the great oceans. Also accompanying him was Galmore the green dragon who hatched for Elva and became Saphira's mate and father of the re-emerging dragon race.
They traveled for seven months aboard ship with a crew of two hundred. Captain Jasard commanded the dragon wing. Also from Eragon's home village Mandel and Darsen after much pleading with their families joined them. After three months at sea the dragon wing came upon some islands inhabited by a group of dwarves. Of the two hundred members of the crew Darsen and thirty others decided to stay on one of the smaller islands and there they built a village with help from the dwarves.
When they reached a massive continent they made base camp in the cliff of some rocks near the shore. A small spell made the dragon wing invisible and they camped in the cave out of the view of prying eyes. It was Eragon who decided that he should set out and explore the new land alone, because of everyone on board he was the most powerful, due to the fact that Eragon was bonded to three hundred Eldunari and he knew the name of the ancient language which allowed him to possess all magic.
Before he left Eragon learned that Elva was pregnant with twins, a boy and girl. He wanted to stay until the children were born, but Elva insisted that he leave and try to return within eight months. As he traveled Eragon learned that the continent they landed on was called Shynendor and it was ruled by a tyrant of a man. The inhabitants of Shynendor were all human and they spoke a variant language of dwarf. Eragon learned the language by pulling it from the mind of a villager during his travels.
It was winter and Eragon traveled the north lands heading back to the cave where his wife and friends were waiting for him. He had exactly one month to return before Elva gave birth and he had no intention of missing it. He sped across the snow laden landscape with the unnatural speed of an elf. As he ran Eragon thought about the prophecy or rather the curse placed on him more and more. As he ran a tear slid down his face freezing on his cheek. The more Eragon thought about it the more he realized that no matter what one day he would be alone and at some point Elva would have to lose him or fate would lend an evil hand and take her from him. As it did with his father Brom and mother Selena; ("Stop it Eragon… If Elva knew what you were thinking she would smack me across the head…")
Eragon stopped sliding in the snow kicking up a snow cloud as he spotted a storm in the distance heading towards him. "Barzul!" Eragon said using the dwarven curse word. He used his enhanced vision and spotted smoke at the base of some mountains in the east. He decided to head in that direction, because where there was smoke there was sure to be a village. He arrived at the village in a matter of minutes, because of the Eldunari he was bonded too. When Eragon neared the village he used magic to create the illusion of a horse. The two guards at the entrance bared his way until he gave an explanation as to why he was there. After buying his story Eragon entered the village named Hyworn and snuck behind a house to release the spell and walked until he came to an inn called the Snow Flower.
Inside there were people warming themselves by the roaring fire pit that sat in the center of the common room. Eragon had used magic to round his ears and face so that he looked human and not like an elf. It was during his time rebuilding Vroengard that Eragon prefected his transmutation techniques. He walked up to the bar and gave the inn keeper a warm smile and said in the twisted Dwarf language.
"Excuse me good sir… but have you a room to rent for the next two days…"
The man eyed Eragon suspiciously, "I do… what be your name sir…"
"Bromhammer…" Eragon said smiling to himself.
"I have never seen you around these parts before…"
"I have come from the city Vaecoth… I am on an important errand for my master…"
"Two days that will be sixty talents in gold…" Eragon counted out the coins and gave the man the money. "Do you require some food Master Bromhammer…"
"No thanks… but I will require a meal in the morning…"
Before heading up to the third floor Eragon looked around the common room just in case he needed to scry anyone with a suspicious look. He went upstairs and unpacked his sack. He was about to contact Elva when someone knocked at his door. He drew Brisinger from its sheath and cautiously approached the door.
"Who is it…"
"Its me sir the inn keeper… May I speak with…" There was a pause as Eragon tried to read the man's mind, but he felt an iron wall, not from the man himself, but someone else was protecting his mind. "I was told to come and speak with you…"
"Who told you to come speak with me…"
"The seer… He said a man by the name of Eragon Shadeslayer would come today to rent a room and he would refer to himself as Bromhammer…"
Eragon sheathed his sword, opened the door and pulled the man in, "What Seer…"
"He has lived in our village for many seasons… He is old… Older than this village… He helps us when he can…"
Eragon packed his sack, sensing he wouldn't be staying the two days he payed for, 'Take me to this seer…"
The inn keeper lead Eragon through the snow laden village to the village storehouse. The house is filled with grain from the harvest. The inn keeper led Eragon to the back of the store house and pulled up a trap door. He lit a torch and walked down three flights of stairs to a large underground room. The room had straw on the floor, four large book shelves lined the right and left walls. They were filled with scrolls, books, and tomes on many subjects. Several laterns lit the room and a white haired man sat behind a large oak table writing. He looked up pointing at the inn keeper flicking his hand. When the man left the seer waved for Eragon to come closer.
"Shadeslayer… Long have I been haunted by visions of your coming… Welcome…"
Eragon took a seat trying to decide if the old man was blind or not, because his eyes were white. It was staring into a cloud because he had no irises or pupils. "You have been waiting for me…"
"Yes… For who else can deliver us from the Emporer but the Dragon Rider who slew Galbatorix the oathbreaker…"
Eragon sighed, "You have me at a disadvantage sir… You know a lot about me, but I don't even have the pleasure of your name…"
"My name is Comean Aldonson… and I a seer and the lat of the Illuminatar… I shall tell you a sad tale Eragon Shadeslayer and a prophecy about you… Once the Illuminatar were the keepers of knowledge entrusted by the dragons to enlighten and educate the peoples of Shynendar… Then he was left on our doorstep… A young babe… No one knows where the babe came from, but he was raised as one of us… As time passed he became arrogant and power hungry…"
Eragon nodded, "Sounds familiar…"
"Yes it should…"
Eragon leaned in closer, "In all my travels I have seen no dragons in these lands…"
"He overthrew the Illuminatar and when the dragons tried to stop him he turned them all to stone…"
"What is his name…"
Comean lowered his head, "We dare not speak his name… His name is part of a spell… To speak it enslaves the user of his name to his will…"
Eragon sat back, "I see… and I suppose this prophecy fortels the emporer's distruction at my hands…"
Comean smiled, "And the wanderer shall come and free the clans… With his sword of fire he shall remove the head of the tyrant and bring about a new age of the riders…" Eragon didn't know what to say or how to respond. "Take heart Shadeslayer… The hand of destiny is upon you… You are meant to free us from the tyrant emperor… Go now... The emperor feels your presence and his servants come…"
Eragon tried to speak, "But…"
The seer raised his hand, "You can't help us now… Listen, learn, and then you will find a way to help us…"
As soon as Eragon left he ran through the snow towards the east coast. When he was fifty miles from the village a great explosion caused him to stop and turn. Eragon stood on a hill and watched as Hyworn was burned to the ground by the Emperor's immortal guard. A tear slid down his cheek as Eragon turned away and started running again.