Chapter One-
Murtagh took off after Ajihad tearing his sword out of its sheath as they raced into dark twisting tunnels of the Beor Mountains after the gruesome monsters called, Urgals. The battle against the Empire, in which Eragon had killed Durza, the shade, had only recently ended and the few remaining Urgals, needed to be cleaned up.
Up ahead there were the unmistakable sounds of battle. Murtagh rounded the corner in the smooth tunnel, just in time to slay a Urgal before it drove its curved deadly sword into the back of the unaware Ajihad, the leader of the Varden. Ajihad turned as he heard the Urgal's tormented scream behind him, he saw Murtagh with his sword raised, and smiled his thanks before turning and running into the thick of the battle. Murtagh followed him slashing Urgals left and right, and before he knew it the Urgals were fleeing back up the passage. Several men raced up the tunnel after them. The men that remained yelled in victory, clapping each other on the back, congratulating themselves that they had finally defeated the enemy once and for all. Murtagh grinned, pushing his dark brown hair slick with sweat from his face, and wiped the gore of battle off his sword before sheathing it. He saw standing in the back, the bald twins who he considered evil, incline identical heads whispering with their pale blue lips indistinct words, but he thrust them from his mind, they weren't worth his time. Ajihad came up,
"Murtagh, I am forever in your debt. Thank-you."
"Murtagh, who saved our leaders life!" Yelled one of the men. More cheers went up throughout the tunnel.
"Come lets go back and spread the good word that this long hard battle in finally over!" exclaimed Ajihad, clapping Murtagh on the shoulder as he led the way back up the tunnel.
I might now have the chance to be accepted by someone. Murtagh the son of the traitor, excepted after years of exile. Wait till Eragon hears about this. Thought Murtagh, gleeful.
As they exited the cave mouth Murtagh saw Eragon and Saphira waiting for them anxiously a couple hundred feet off in the distance. He saw Eragons face break into a smile as they yelled victoriously, then Eragons face fell, happiness replace by terror, as he shouted. " Urgals!"
Murtagh spun around so quick he nearly fell over. Then he saw as plain as day the unmistakable forms of the terrible monsters they had thought were defeated. For the second time in only a few minutes he drew is sword racing to Ajihads side. Fear swelled up inside him, how was it the Urgals, who were badly wounded, mange to kill the men who had went after them so quickly?
The Urgals had the advantage of surprise, and quickly cut down four men, there by gaining access to Ajihad. Murtagh jumped on a Urgal slashing him with his foot-and-a-half-blade, then whirling around to bring his blade through another monster. He was about to strike another when a suddenly his vision became blurred as an unnatural fog billowed around them. He turned around glancing everywhere for a glimpse of what was causing this fog, then he saw them, the Twins. They were muttering under their breath, palms raised, red deadly eyes staring right at him. He experienced a moment of pure terror, then the fog lifted. It was then he realized that the reason for the fog was so that the Urgals could over power the few men they still had left making him, and Ajihad the only warriors remaining. He took a warriors position ready to fight what ever he could, no matter what unearthly being the Twins conjured up. He faced the Twins, ready, tense, then as if invisible ropes bound him he fell to the ground unable to move. At a signal from a Twin a Urgal came and threw him over his massive shoulder and carried him back off into the tunnels.
Murtagh twisted, and flailed about in an attempt to break the monsters grip, but to no avail.
How did this happen? Why would the twins want me? The Urgal carrying him stopped next to a deep crevasse in the tunnel, and Murtagh was sure he was going to be thrown into the hole. For a brief second he could see into the pit, as the Urgal got close to the edge, and some stones fell in, disappearing into the darkness. Then the Urgal spun around as the sharp sound of feet filled the tunnel. The Twins appeared around the marble corner, fury plain on their faces. The Urgal quickly dropped Murtagh in an attempt to get away from the fury of the Twins. Murtagh was still bound by the invisible ropes, and unable to dodge the kick one of the Twins gave him in the thigh.
"I told you Ajihad was to remain ALIVE!" The Twin who had kicked Murtagh screamed at the Urgals.
"The plan was to grab the boy, and get out of there, then we could come back saying we were to late to save him, but we could remain in the service of the Varden, there by gaining more information for Galbatorix!" He lunged at a Urgal whispering something under his breath, and the Urgal fell over, dead. The Twin spun around staring wildly at the other Urgals who had started to back up.
"Now that Ajihad is dead the Varden will appoint a new leader, and everyone will think we are dead, or that we killed him ourselves. We can't go back."
At those words Murtagh went cold with dread, and realization.
Ajihad dead? No! Unexpected tears welled up in Murtaghs eyes as he thought about the brave man, who was the first to trust him. The man who had thanked him for saving his life, dead. Fury started to mingle with the sadness, as Murtagh remember Ajihads braveness, and honor. He looked at the Twins, the evil, treacherous Twins. He struggled against the magic ropes, thrashing.
I have to avenge him, I have to break free.
"Now that the Urgals," One of the Twins sneered. "have so successfully messed up our plan, it is time to 'dispose' of the boy."
Murtagh went still. The Twins walked up to him, and started to tear his shirt apart, they took his beat up vest and drenched it in a slain Urgal's blood, then they placed it beside the holes mouth to make it look as if the Urgals had thrown him over the edge. Then to Murtaghs surprise, a Twin took off his rich purple robe again drenching it in blood, then placed it near to his.
"It is better for them to believe we're dead then think we were traitors." Murmured the Twin.
He again stepped over to Murtagh,and with his brother started to murmur indistinct word, and Murtagh felt as if a blanket was draped over him, and presently went to sleep.