A/N: there is one piece of information that I need to get out of the way before we begin. This story is a combination of multiple stories. I have taken pieces from, "How to Train Your Dragon, Thor, Defiance, Red Planet, Iron Man, and various other stories. I have used "Inheritance cycles" as the ground work. I have been working on this story for a little over a year now, and I hope you enjoy it, as much as I enjoyed writing it.
This story is rated "T" mainly for adult "references". No detailed scenes, or Lemons. There is a lot of fluff, and intimate moments between the main characters however.
I have already finished the first part, and the second is just about finished also. That being said. I will post the next chapter once a week. Every Saturday to be exact. This will allow you time to post reviews, and for me to see how my story is being taken. If I discover, that you thoroughly enjoy it, then I might post twice a week. Only time will tell.
It's been four years since the Varden, Elves, and Dwarves managed to kill Galbatorix, and yet, even though the fighting had ended it has taken its number on Eragon. After the war most of the soldiers returned to their previous lives, but Eragon couldn't rest.
During his time in the Varden Eragon quickly grew a reputation for being a fearsome and ruthless warrior. Raised in a life of manual labor, combined with a hatred for the empire that none have ever seen, made Eragon the only person, the empire's soldiers would actually run away from, not that it would do them much good.
More often for not Eragon carried his elven bow, queen Islanzadi gave to him personally, even though he wasn't an elf he still managed to gain the strength of them through years of farm work and weeks of working out. During his time with the elves he managed to learn more about them and even though their way of life is strange to him he still respected them in all manors, because like him, they are mighty warriors.
But what he loved most was learning about metal forging, from their master smith, Rhunon. The elf woman showed Eragon techniques and ways of forging metal that he never thought possible, added with his love for engineering has turned him into a master inventor. But all of this happened years ago, now Eragon has taken to being a bounty hunter / mercenary.
Eragon slowly rose from bed and walked out on the balcony to gaze out over Carvahall. He remembered his first contract over three years ago, how simple it was, a farmer lost two pigs to a wolf and he paid Eragon to hunt the wolf down.
He has come so far, from slaying wolves, to being the most well known mercenary in all of Alagaisia, on multiple accounts the new Queen, Nasuada, even hired him to clean up a few imperial soldiers that refused to join the new world and turned into bandits. Eragon is no longer a simple farmer, to think, if you would look at Eragon for the first time you would never have expected this battle hardened man was ever a farmer, and yet, he couldn't help thinking about the reason why he joined the Varden in the first place.
Several months before he left for the Varden, he was out on one of his hunting trips when he stumbled across the most amazing thing. A baby Dragon, at first glance he immediately hid behind a tree not knowing what to expect, but as he listened he heard a faint keening, unsure of where it was coming from, he decided to peek his head around the tree, that's when he realized that it was coming from the dragon.
After several moments he noticed that its wing was in an awkward angle and there was a small pool of blood under its side. Eragon then slowly approached the Sapphire dragon and kneeled by it, closer now Eragon could see that it was obviously injured and trembling. Unsure of what to do he placed his bow around his shoulders then gently placed a hand on the dragon's small neck.
Eragon could feel it tense its neck in preparation of an attack but Eragon gently rubbed it letting the young dragon know that he was a friend. Eragon then removed is cloth blanket from his pack and started to tear off strips, as he tore the fabric into strips he noticed the dragon slowly open its eyes to see what Eragon was doing but Eragon was too busy tearing the fabric to ay any attention.
After he had several strips of fabric Eragon gently started to feel around the dragon's wing, he found that the main bone was broken and the wing was dislocated, hoping he was doing right, Eragon placed both his hands on either side of the fracture and inhaled deeply before snapping the bone back into position. The dragon let out a guttural hiss as the bones reconnected, Eragon was glad that it was only a hiss.
He then felt with his hands as the bones lined up straight and cursed as her wing was slightly extended, this would make bracing it much more difficult. Eragon thought for several moments before, coming up with an idea. He immediately ran off into the shallow woods, only to return with several sticks.
Eragon then laid several sticks so that they made a slight "V" and lined up with the dragons wing, after that he tied the sticks together to make a solid "V" shape, he then repeated the process two more times. Then he connected the three pieces of wood together, until he made a brace that would hold her wing in the right position.
Finally after he got her wing secured he had to relocate it. Eragon slowly felt her bond and around the joint, he used barely noticeable presses to avoid hurting it more than he had to, after several moments he knew which way it had to go.
"This is going to hurt."
He said aloud before he pushed and snapped his wrist, relocating the wing back in place with an audible "POP". But the dragon didn't make any sign that it noticed and Eragon realized that it was unconscious, worried for the dragon, Eragon gently turned it over on its back immediately grabbed his water skin and started washing the blood away, Eragon then noticed several large cuts on its side and many smaller cuts and scrapes on its belly and side. Once the blood was washed Eragon took several cloth strips and started to bandage the dragon, after he stopped the bleeding and bandaged her wounds, Eragon laid his spare clothes out on the ground and placed the dragon on top of them so that her bandages wouldn't get dirty before walking off to get fire wood.
Eragon spent the next several weeks nursing the dragon back to health, and to his surprise these weeks where some of the best weeks of his life, he later found that the dragon could communicate to him with feelings and emotions, he also found that it was a female and that she was flying before she was hit by a gust of wind that pushed her into the ground. But when she was fully recovered she left them and returned to the wild.
The next week Eragon left for the Varden with Roran, Eragon told Garrow that he would be able to more good and help more people by doing this, and Roran, well Roran wasn't about to let his cousin run off on an adventure without him. Eragon was torn from his memories as he heard a loud knock on the front door; he walked back into his room before putting on a new tunic and trousers. Eragon belted on his steel sword that he made himself with elven crafting techniques before walking down the stairs and through the living room to arrive at the front door.
When Eragon opened the door he was delighted to see Arya, an elf that he had met in the Varden and had become close friends with.
"Arya, it is good to see you again, but if I may ask, what are you doing here?"
"Islanzadi thought it would be good for me to see you again, and bringing the supplies you requested was a perfect excuse."
Eragon smiled and stepped off to the side and held the door open as she walked inside, Eragon closed the door behind her. Arya walked into the living room admiring the craftsman ship of the room, but fixed her eyes on Eragon as he walked over to the fire place and pushed in several stones, a moment later the fire place split away into several pieces and roes out of the way exposing a large room that had several of the Dwarves Flameless lamps and a large chandelier in the center.
Arya followed Eragon in, and placed her bag down on one of his work benches. She then started to remove his requested items, a long spring that is made out of hardened steel, which he also gave specific detentions for, thirty elven bolt shafts, and a dark blue crystal, that Eragon asked to be a specific size.
"Here it is Eragon, everything you requested. Now may I ask what your newest project is?"
"It is not yet finished, but you can stay and watch as I finish some final tests now?"
Arya nodded her understanding and watched as Eragon walked over to a bench with a large object on it, Eragon removed the sheet to reveal a large wooden object. Arya had no idea what it was.
The object was boxed shaped and made of wood, there was a grip and what seemed to be a small trigger, right in front of the trigger was a large container that extended from the bottom, it also appeared to be a bit lager then the wooden shafts she brought. As she walked around it she noticed a small metal hole in the front of it and after closer examination noticed that there where spiral groves inside.
Confused she looked back to Eragon, who was fitting long metal rings around the end of the shafts, but each ring had a several fins that were slightly angled, she immediately made the connection.
"Is this device going to launch those?"
"Very good Arya, yes."
It took Eragon another minute before he finished with the metal fins, Eragon then glance over to Arya.
"Would you like to help?"
"What do you need?"
"I need you to charge that crystal."
As Arya picked up the crystal and started to channel energy into it, she noticed Eragon now adding round pointed metal tips to each bolt, they weren't arrow heads, but more of a training tip, except his were slightly longer and thicker at the back. When Eragon finished with his bolts he noticed Arya was still charging the stone.
"Alright Arya, that should be enough."
Eragon picked up the bolts and spring before joining Arya by the weapon. Eragon then undid a latch before sliding off the top of the weapon, Arya looked on with wonder as she noticed an indention in the wood, surrounded by a metal ring that was the same size as the crystal, there was also an opening.
She noticed that the opening was the same shape and in the same position as the container underneath. She knew this is where the bolts went but had to step off to the side as Eragon did something she missed and folded up a wooden flap that also held the impression for the crystal.
She watched as he took the spring and lowered it inside the weapon, she tried getting in for a closer look but Eragon stopped her.
"Now, now, Arya, I have to keep a few secrets."
Eragon then removed his hands and lowered the wooden flap, and clicked it in place. Then he moved his hand down to the handle and squeezed the trigger, Arya heard a spring stretch slightly, followed by a metallic "click". Eragon then released the trigger and squeezed it again to cause another metallic click. Satisfied, Eragon then loaded one bolt in and pressed it into place; he then picked up the crystal and gently set it into position.
A moment later the metal bands glowed bluish white as the magic flowed through them, Arya knew from what Eragon has told her in the past that this is called a channel. Eragon then lowered the cover and snapped it shut. Arya watched as Eragon nervously walked over behind it and placed his shoulder against the back part, he then nervously gripped the handle and lined his eyes up with a wooden dummy that had on heavy armor breast plate.
Eragon let out a hesitant sigh as he pulled the trigger. At the exact time Arya heard the click there was a loud electrical thud, as the bolt flew out of the end of the weapon faster than even her eyes could track, the only evidence that something actually left the weapon was the blue light, left in the bolts wake
"It worked! I can't believe it, it actually worked!"
Eragon shouted with pure excitement as he ran over to the target. The bolt managed to pierce the thick armor and embed itself three inches into the solid wood. Arya joined him by his side as she stared at the bolt in awe.
"How did you do this?"
"The energy from the crystal Arya, through much testing I found that if you channel the energy through a spring that it increases its power. This gave me the idea of this weapon, there is a minute space in between the bolt an a rounded piece of metal, when a connection is made, the energy flows out of the crystal in into the spring where it is amplified, when it hits the rounded piece of metal it, focuses that power into the bolt and sends it hurtling into the target."
Arya then pulled the bolt free of the wood and examined the tip, other than being a little bent it was till fine.
"Why angle the fins Eragon?"
"As the bolt enters the barrel there are groves inside that begins to spin the bolt and stabilizing it's flight path, making it more accurate than a bow and able to travel further than any Ballista."
Arya then handed Eragon the bolt and watched as he removed the metal tip and tossed it into a pile of scrap metal. Then returned to his bench and fitted another tip onto it, he was in the process of examining the tip when he heard anther loud knock on the front door.
Eragon quickly left the small work shop and closed the fireplace sealing Arya inside, she has seen his work shop many times before and knew of the way to open the entrance again. When Eragon opened the door he noticed an elder gentle man in his mid to late sixties, which for this time is considered unheard of, for a man to live so long. The man was wearing a travelling robe, with a medium sized white beard and a wooden walking stick that he immediately recognized.
Smiling to himself Eragon walked up to the old man and after a moment's pause greeted each other with a familiar embrace.
"Brom, it is good to see you again."
Eragon and Brom released each other and took a step back so to have room to speak.
"And you as well Eragon."
"Please come in."
"I am sorry Eragon, but I am on a tight schedule and only have time to tell you this. Not far from here, I have heard rumors of a ferocious beast, a blue beast that flies."
Eragon knew what Brom meant; he had told him of his reason for joining the Varden and even more times of how he rescued the young dragon.
"Brom, if it is her, then is it truly a wise idea to go searching? So much time has passed…."
"You can do whatever you wish Eragon, I only warn you for others have also heard this rumor and are preparing to search for her."
Eragon felt his heart drop slightly as he heard this. If it is true, and if it is her, then she could be in danger. If these people do find her and she kills them, then it would no doubt attract the attention of others.
"Where?"
"From what I've heard about twenty leagues west of here, deep in the mountains, I wish I could give you more but that is all I was able to find."
"Thank you Brom, and may you have safe travels."
"You as well Eragon."
Arya was in the process of examining the chamber that held the bolt when she jumped as Eragon opened the entrance and slipped inside before the entrance was fully opened, Arya noticed he had a stern unwavering glare as he picked up the thirty bolts and loaded each one into the weapon.
After he loaded them Eragon went over to his armor racks and started thinking, she on the other hand noticed the way the container was designed, it was made so that it would hold two rows of fifteen bolts but somehow it only allowed on into the chamber at a time, cycling between both rows, when she looked back over to Eragon she noticed he was already in full leather armor with thin steel plates on his chest, and he was in the process of lacing up his bracers.
"Eragon, where are you going?"
"An old friend of mine has been spotted not far from here, others are out looking for her."
Eragon then walked over to Arya and closed his weapon before picking it up, this was the first time he held it and was pleased to find it weighed no more than fifteen pounds.
"I plan on finding her first."
Arya was about to object but Eragon had already left the room, a moment later she heard the front door open and close again. She could go with him, but then again she knew how territorial wild dragons can be, and the only reason Eragon would be safe is because she would remember him, hopefully. But then again Eragon has an act for finding trouble in the most unlikely of places.
Eragon wasted no time as he made his way from his house and to his root cellar, after packing a bag of cured meats, cheese and two loafs of bread he left his cellar and closed it. When he turned around Arya was there waiting for him, fully armored and equipped with bow, and sword. Eragon recognized the look in her eyes and sighed as he reopened the cellar and filled another pack with canned vegetables and fruit, as well as two loafs of bread and an extra water skin.
When Eragon reached the surface he handed her the extra pack and bolted the cellar closed again, before running off into the woods with her by his side. Given he might not be as fast as an elf but he can keep running for hours, his record so far is seven.
It was sometime around noon time when Eragon had to stop and rest, as Arya sat down to take a few sips from her water skin she noticed Eragon using a tiny wrench to adjust a dial on the side of his weapon, after a few tiny turns he placed the wrench down and flipped it to its other side where he moved a lever back and forth. Arya could hear the faint sound of stretching metal as he moved the lever.
"What is that supposed to do?"
"Adjusts the power, as the spring tightens, the rate at which the power is amplified increases."
How Eragon knew this was beyond her, everything about that weapon was beyond her, never had she thought magic could be used like this and she knew no one else had either.
But Eragon isn't any normal human either, in more than a few aspects Eragon resembled an elf, but no elf can ever hop to posses his level of intelligence.
She remembered the first time she saw Eragon back in Farthen Dur. She remembers watching as Eragon grew from a farm boy into a might warrior, the countless hours he would spend training not only with the Dwarves but also the elves, no matter what his condition was, he always found a way to better himself.
Arya remembered sitting on top of the dragon hold watching him jog the entire distance of the cavern every morning as he became stronger, after his jog he would find his good friend Orick and they would train until noon. Slowly Arya and the other elves grew to respect him and eventually agreed to help him as well, to their surprise Eragon wasn't prejudice towards them and gladly accepted any counsel they offered.
Several weeks passed until he surprised them by beating Arya in a duel, and again by not gloating about it to the other humans or to them, instead he helped her up and thanked her along with the other elves for their tutorage. This earned him a great deal of respect with them, and she couldn't help but smile inwardly at the surprise of the trainers when they met Eragon, how a human could be as strong and have reflexes such as they do they couldn't understand, but they still found ways to bruise him.
In the beginning that was what it was about, but as Eragon continued through the beatings and steadily progressed. they too began to respect him. Now Eragon is held with high regards within Ellesmera even with Oramis and Glaeder, while training with Oramis and Glaeder, Eragon and them became close friends, and was the only thing that didn't surprise anyone. After he learned all that he was able to Islanzadi declared him an Elf Friend, and that he will always be welcomed amongst their people.
Arya was torn out of her day dream as Eragon stood to his feet and stretched his back, Arya knew that he was ready to continue so she too stood, not a moment latter, the two of them took off again, heading ever deeper into the spine.