Chapter 1: Arrival
Eragon staggered. After weeks aboard the ship, Talíta, he and the elves had finally discovered a place to settle. They were in a valley between hills that declined to be tall enough to be honored with the title of "mountain". In the immediate surroundings of the valley, the landscape tickled even the widest imagination into submission. One could find every possible landscape next to another, blending flawlessly with each other. There were forests of all kinds, meadows and fields with grasses ranging from less than an inch in length to growing above Eragon's head. There even was a clump of small mountains a day's ride away by dragonback, as he had learned from Saphira when she returned from her scouting trip. This would be the ideal place to settle. "In fact, it is such a nice place that I might have settled here anyway, were it not for all that I left behind", Eragon thought, sharing a moment's grief with Saphira, for both of them had left their love behind in Alagaësia.
He had lost Arya, just when love had started to grow between them. Saphira had been forced to leave her mate behind, who was the dragon Arya was bonded to, just several weeks after meeting him. It had hurt them deeply, but they knew they had to continue. Since then, they and the elves who had decided to come with them had been searching for a place to settle, but always they had come upon a reason to continue. The first few days, they had not even bothered looking, as they were still too close to the borders of Alagaësia.
After more than two weeks aboard the ship they had found a place they deemed suitable. However, he and Saphira had encountered a flock of Fanghur that was large enough provide a challenge to them. They chased them away, but when Eragon had returned, he, Blödgharm and another elf had gone to investigate.
After climbing a hill, they had stumbled upon an entire colony of Fanghur. Eragon was confident they could chase the lot of them away with the help of the Eldunari, but, as Blödgharm had said, "Those Fanghur have probably lived here for centuries. It would be unfair to chase them away, and they're too much of a nuisance to live anywhere near to". Besides, as Saphira had told him, "We might not be far enough away yet. If I fly high enough, I can still see Hedarth at the horizon. I might be able to fly there within a few days, something a pair of hatchlings will be only too tempted to do." He had agreed, reluctantly, and boarded the ship again.
Several more times, they had seriously considered staying in a place that seemed perfect, and every time there had been something that spurred them on. Now they had arrived at the perfect place, Eragon was determined to let nothing stand in his way, since, as Angela would have said it, "I concern myself only with things that exist". As he had discovered, spending time away from people, with only a few elves and the minds of dragons as company, he discovered he started to think like the herbalist. He caught himself ever more often using verbal trickery even in his thoughts. "I guess this state of mind is the offspring of isolation. But then, what would isolation need to be paired with in order to produce it?" Eragon grinned to himself, and focused on contacting Blödgharm about the place he and Saphira had found.
"Blödgharm, we have found the perfect place. It is time to check the area".
"We are on our way, Shadeslayer". Blödgharm replied.
Eragon and Blödgharm soon agreed upon a plan. Eragon and Saphira would scout the area, looking around, and relay all information to one of the elves. Blödgharm would scout the area with his mind, and have the Eldunari ready to spring in if he should encounter something hostile beyond his mental strength. If he failed to conquer it, they would combine all their minds, and try again. If it failed, they would be in trouble, however unlikely it was that something other than Galbatorix or the Menoa tree could withstand the combined might of the Eldunari they had with them. Even so, he was cautious, as Solembum had warned him that there might be powers lager than Galbatorix in the world. This had made Eragon wary of any unknown magic.
Halfway through the scouting trip, when Eragon and Saphira had just finished inspecting the clump of mountains for anything unusual, Blödgharm contacted them. "Shadeslayer, Bjartskular, I have found something interesting, which I think you should investigate" he said, with an edge of concern in his mind, and communicated the location. It was behind a waterfall at the center of the clump of mountains.
"A good place to hide", Saphira said," we never saw there was something behind it. We should take great care entering. Did you find anything harmful?" she said to Blödgharm, who replied:" There is a constant presence of magic in the caves, but I cannot detect whether any spells have been cast. Nor can I see what is inside. You must proceed with the greatest caution possible. Who knows what lurks inside"? Eragon swallowed. He rechecked the wards around him and Saphira, casting new ones here and there. Then he stopped. It was time to enter.
Vapor. A thundering roar filling his ears, one more sonorous than Saphira could ever match. Then, the battering, more powerful than the waterfall at the entrance to Farthen Dûr. So powerful that no human being could have resisted it. Then it was over, and there was neigh but echoing emptiness. 'Little one, we are inside" Saphira said. "there was no magical trap of any kind, just that waterfall, to stop humans from walking in. We should continue". And so she did. Throwing one last glance at the frothing wall of water behind him, Eragon started after him.
Time wore on reluctantly. It did not want to continue, for fear of the horrific revelation that lay ahead. It was not so much horrific as beyond sentient understanding. What lay ahead of Saphira and Eragon was a piece of wild magic that would defy the understanding of most beings, however old and wise.
There was an arch. It was a gate that had the looks of those at the rock of Kuthian, but the glyphs were etched in stone, and looked like they were not made by human, dwarf, elf or Urgal. They looked mostly like they were worn into the stone by nothing but age. "These are the most improbable enchantments I have ever seen", Eragon thought. "They seem to have occurred purely by chance." However, the glyphs, though they were almost identical to the ancient language, were unreadable to Eragon. He decided then, to use the name of the ancient language to detect any hidden spells.
Eragon said the Word, and added several spells that danced and feasted at the presence of the Word. These were meant to trace the path of the enchantments placed upon the arch, and translate their meaning and purpose to the spellcaster.
It hit him hard. Eragon staggered, barely able to keep hold of his mind, as a combined wave of unconscious understanding and confusion racked him. How could it be? How was anything like that ever possible? He started to consult Saphira, but refrained when he felt the same emotions and confusion course through her. "I cannot understand the purpose and exact meaning of what you sensed either. There is only one way to find out, little one". "We must go through" they both thought.
With apprehension, Eragon moved a foot through the arch, ready to spring back, though he knew it would be futile as soon as any form of enchantment had been set off. Nothing happened. He moved through completely. He gaped. Behind the arch, there was an immense cave. No, the word cave failed in every aspect. This was a space like that in Farthen Dûr, but much larger. It could have held the hollow mountain the way Farthen Dûr held Tronjheim. "How could this be?" was the first thought that raced through his mind. The mountain wasn't much larger than your average peak of the Spine." "Little one, the enchantment of the arch, remember? It said something about changing the balance between time and space. It must have to do with this marvel." For marvel it was.
When Eragon looked up, he could discern a small disk of light, impossibly high above him. "The tip of the mountain must be enchanted, as it was solid enough when we landed on it". Eragon thought. Saphira joined his pondering, saying:" I did feel a shift under my feet, as if there was about to be an avalanche. It must have been the magic shifting me to the edge of the hole, without my eyes seeing the change. But let us not sit here and talk away. Let us fly, little one, and see the true extent of this marvel!