3 SEQUEL!! Very exciting...By the way – this is set a few years (2 to be exact) after the first story :p just to let you know
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm telling you, I can't find him anywhere!" a brunette in her early-20's and dressed in a dark-green skirt, cream shirt, light-green vest and a homespun, green cloak explained exasperatedly to a man in his mid-30's.
"He's probably visiting her," he replied, running a hand through his light-brown hair and sighing.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, it's the second anniversary, the dark-haired teenager (who was about 18) clad fully in black and dark-blue clothing thought in his mind as he crouched next to a silver tombstone, Ane.
A fresh bouquet of roses, their petals colored silver by magic, was set in front of the grave. Ruzac's black eyes, now adorned by two vertical, darkened scars going from the top of his eyes and down his cheeks, were softened considerably from the newer, cold looks he usually gave everyone as he gazed fondly at the shiny gravestone. Ane's grave was atop the grassiest hill in Farthen Dur, where she could look over all the houses and most of the land around them. Ruzac, with the help of Winix, had chosen the spot.
"Ruzac," he heard his brother come up behind him, "there you are. Come on, we need to talk about where you're going with the egg next."
With an icy glare set into his eyes, the rider stood up, smoothing down his rumpled black cloak and dark-blue shirt. Every month, Ruzac would take a dragon egg from the dragon egg stores he, Ane, the traitor Terrwin and his innocent apprentice Erran (Ruzac had no idea where he had gone off to) had protected from the Empire.
Ruzac rode with Jake on Slate, his brother's dragon, back to the lone house that was built into a high, steep cliff with a large overhang acting as a front yard. He lived alone – Ruzac did, that is – ever since Ane had died and only left his abode if the leader of the Varden - Nasuada - or someone important needed to talk to him. Usually he only allowed Jake and Celia into his house. Jade watched from his roost on an outcropping that jutted out above the 2-story dwelling.
"There's a place about 100 miles from here," Celia said, spreading a map out across a stone slab that was used as and outside table in front of Ruzac's house, "it's a very poor place but I think you'll be able to find someone there."
"Money doesn't affect whether or not someone will be a rider," he reminded her, knowing she was doubtful because of the village's wealth.
"I know," she said hurriedly, "it wasn't like I was doubting it or anything," Ruzac snorted at that.
"Right…exactly where is it?" he asked.
"It's here," Jake decided to add to the conversation.
The older of the two brothers pointed to as minute dot on the map that was surrounded by a forest to the east and south and a huge expanse of an unknown desert to the west. Ruzac studied the terrain between Farthen Dur and the town, noticing it was mostly plains which gradually grew into the forest.
"So it would probably take me two days to get there if Jade and I flew, a week or maybe less to find a new rider – if there is one – and then give three days for a messenger dove to get here if I find the kid," Ruzac planned out how long it would take him to get there, "Alright, I'll get going then."
"Wait – now?" Celia asked surprised.
"Of course now," the boy sighed, going into the house and coming back out minutes later, a large pack, bedroll and both his and Ane's swords – Sh'kon and Angele – strapped to either sides of his belt.
Jade, time to go, he called the amethyst-scaled dragon with his mind.
Should we bring the horse? Jade asked, meaning Night, Ruzac's steed.
You mean Night? No, I'll send a message if I find a kid and the Varden can bring him to me, the rider had his actions planned and was reluctant to change them.
Very well, the dragon replied and Ruzac crawled up into the saddle.
"Have a safe flight," Celia said cheerfully and both she and Jake heaved themselves up into their dragon's saddles.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We're free! Jade growled amusedly as he soared over the rim of the huge mountain.
Yes, but we have a job so let's get going, Ruzac urged his companion in the direction of the town.
So, what's the town's name?
It's called Altair; a very small town, Ruzac replied and the flight continued in silence, only broken when the rider gave his dragon directions towards the small village.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
During the second day, Ruzac frequently kept his eyes out for the tiny settlement, but didn't catch sight of it until dusk settled in.
Should we keep flying? It's getting dark, Jade asked, having landed.
Let's go on foot – it will seem less threatening, his rider suggested and slipped out of the saddle, cradling a thick brown sack I his arms.
It was around nine o'clock at night by the time Ruzac arrived at the desolate town. Straw-roofed huts set on cabin-like structures stood side-by-side in small clusters. The area of the place was so small that the boy could walk from one end of it to the next in less than fifteen minutes.
Walking up to an inn, named the Dragon's Horn, Ruzac pushed open the door to see a full bar and at least five men swaggering drunkenly around the large room.
"I'd like to rent a room," he said, pushing ten crowns onto the bar's surface, he hated staying in public taverns but he would seem less suspicious if he rented a room.
"It's fifteen crowns a room," the man behind the bar growled, but Ruzac knew he was lying and just trying to get money.
"Look you filthy imbecile," Ruzac hissed, restraining himself from grabbing the man by the front of his shirt, "I've had a long, two-day flight over here so don't try forcing any money out of me."
"F-flew?"
The rider ignored him and instead dismissed himself with a sweep of his cloak's hems. He held the bundle containing the auburn egg protectively as he made his way down the narrow, dirty-looking halls.
"Ugh," he muttered scornfully at the rickety bed and termite-eaten bedside table, "disgusting, I'm not staying here." Jade, I'll meet you in the forest, and he crawled out the window – lucky he got one on the first floor of the two-story inn.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Such an annoying place that inn was, Ruzac growled, half-saying it to Jade as he walked down a shaded alley and cutting through town towards the dense forest that grew next to it. He had pulled the hood of his cloak up to hide his face from unwanted eyes – he was now very popular as the man who defeated lord Galbatorix, and it was easy to tell with the scars he had over his eyes.
He took a moment to look up at the clear sky – seeing many constellations. Seeing one shaped like a heart, he decided to name it.
I'm not sure if you already have a name, he said in his mind to the star, but I'll give you one anyways. Ane-
He froze his thoughts when he felt the pouch that was always tied to his side be cut off. There went the special energy-storing stone Celia gave him, a few pieces of paper and some dried fruits. Oh yes, every pickpocket wanted that.
Let's see who the little thief is, shall we? He thought sneeringly to himself and turned to see a small girl with long, golden hair and golden-brown eyes look frighteningly back as she duck behind the wall of another alley.
She won't get far, it's a dead-end, and the rider smirked.
"Ok, I know pick pocketing is fun and you get all sorts of treats when you do but hand it ov-"he stopped as he was interrupted for a second time that night.
The bag holding the dragon egg began to move a bit and a chink-ing sound could be heard.
Was it hatching? This girl-no! She couldn't be, could she?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good? Bad? Totally rocks? Totally sucks? No comment? I love reviews!
So, was this an ok starter chapter? I know it's short but it has to be that way in order for this story to work