Author's note: Hello everyone! So ... this is my new story. For those of you who haden't already guessed that :b. Ehm .. it's about Eragon and Murtagh, obviously, though Murtagh is not in the first chapter. But don't worry! He'll be in the next. And all the following. I promise :] .. well, but basically it's about them meeting, and then they are forced to work together to defeat a new enemy. There's a bit Eragon/Arya in the start, and there might be more later, along with some Murtagh/Nasuada. I love Murtagh/Nasuada! :D

Please leave a review! I love reviews and promise to thank you for them in every chapter of this story :D .. so just to be safe, I thank those who will leave a review once they have read the first chapter. I am smart, right? :p

Enjoy! xD

Chapter 1
The new enemy

It was a bright day with no clouds and a beautiful blue sky. Not as blue as Saphira, though. Her beauty made even roses and elves seem like cows. Or maybe not elves. Arya was also beautiful, but in another way than the sapphire dragon. There was no wind at this day, and that meant that it was really hot. They were still in Feinster to keep control of the city. Nasuada, Orrin and the other leaders still needed to decide if the Varden and the Surda Army should stay in Feinster or return to Surda.

So when Nasuada summoned Eragon to a meeting, he supposed that was what should be discussed. He sighed. Arguing with noblemen was not what he wanted right now. He just wanted to be alone. Oromis and Glaedr were both dead, and he needed time to grief. It only made it worse that Murtagh and his dragon Thorn had been the ones to slay them. Everything seemed so unfair.

Little one, said Saphira gentle as he just remained sitting on a wall and gazing out in the horizon. Nasuada summoned you. She knows that our masters were killed, so she wouldn't call us in, unless she had a really good reason to. Trust her judgement, Eragon. We might really need to meet her now.

Yeah … I suppose we should. But Eragon still hesitated. Saphira stood by his site, and that was all he wanted right now. He would just sit here, look at the blue sky and think about all the things Oromis taught him. It could be more important than ever to remember such things.

Look, you're not the only one who mourns. Saphira winced visibly at the thought of their masters' death. I can't even describe how much I will miss them. Compared to them we are nothing, and I doubt that legends and heroes like them ever will fly in Alagaësia again. So much knowledge died with them, and if Galbatorix doesn't tell us it all before he dies - which I suppose is pretty unlikely - it will be lost for ever. But still, Eragon … we are all the Varden has right now, and they need us. We must be strong for them.

Eragon nodded slowly, still not wanting to move. Instead he asked: Do you think Thorn enjoyed killing Glaedr?

Eragon … Saphira sighed and touched his shoulder with her nose. But she did answer his question: To be honest I think he did. He has never known anything else than fighting, and except from Murtagh - who after all is his Rider - fighting might be all he has. He is build for fighting, if you noticed. But … she hummed gently and touched his shoulder again … I don't think Murtagh enjoyed that fight. He was nearly killed, and if Galbatorix hadn't broke into his mind and saved him, he would be dead.

I know, muttered Eragon and became bitter just by the thought of his brother.

But Eragon, this fight learned us a lot.

He looked up at his wise dragon. What do you mean?

This fight learned us that no matter how strong Murtagh and Thorn now are with all their Eldunarís, they can still be beaten. Oromis and Glaedr defeated them, and so can we. Murtagh is not beyond human strength and defiantly not beyond elf strength.

Yes … Eragon looked into the sky again, but the thought gave him hope. It did. You are right, Saphira. Thanks.

Saphira hummed. You're welcome, little one. Remember I will always be here for you, when you need me.

And obviously also sometimes when I don't need you, joked Eragon with a smile. Saphira roared, but happiness floated through her mind. Rider and dragon shared a moment together, only the two of them. That was one of the good things with being dragon and Rider.

"Eragon?" sounded a voice suddenly. Eragon smiled slightly. He had sensed Arya long before she was even near them, but he hadn't known what to response. They hadn't really talked that much since their battle against the Shade.

Eragon turned around to face the beautiful elf with hair as dark as the midnight sky and lips as red as blood. And a body as well-shaped as …

Eragon! Saphira interrupted his thoughts.

Eragon blushed. Oh … sorry, Saphira. He had forgotten that he still shared his thoughts with Saphira. And his thoughts about Arya were not the kind of things she was meant to see, when he considered she should be his conscience and all that.

"Yes, Arya Svit-kona?" he answered with a little bow.

"Nasuada summoned you." She shrugged. "I guessed that you might be a little late just as I am. Many thoughts have wandered through my head, and I can hardly tell what is right and wrong anymore. So I figured that you and I could go to her quarters together and … talk."

"Yes …" At first he was too surprised to really understand, what she was saying. Usually she was not the big let-us-talk-about-our-feelings-elf. She used to be dark and mysterious, especially to human beings. Saphira hummed low to help him recover. "Yes! Yes, of course. Saphira and I would be very glad to do so, Arya Dröttingu."

"Thanks." She smiled slightly at the sight of his confusion. "Come on. Let's walk."

They walked through the city together. Nasuada along with Orrin had chosen to stay at the castle and control Varden and the Surda soldiers from there. The city was almost destroyed, and many people stood outside their houses with nowhere to go. Nasuada had offered them all tents, but many were still too angry at the Varden for destroying their homes. Eragon understood them. Their city, their lives, had been used as a tool in the war between Varden and the Empire. At first Murtagh had come to their city and threatened them all, and then Varden had come and almost destroyed it. Of all the people in the world they had a reason to be angry.

Obviously Arya thought of the same as him. "They are mad at Nasuada, because she had to take the city. The houses and their family might be all they had, and we took it away from them."

"Yeah …" Eragon looked at a little red-haired girl who gazed at the ruins of a house with big, blue eyes. A tear rolled down of her chin. Eragon mentally winced and focused on Arya again. Saphira circled above them and followed their conversation. "We have to be careful, you know. As far as I understood, Murtagh has been here too. He might have threatened Lady Lorana, but I know him, and I know that he never would threat any of the citizens."

"Why not?"

Eragon shrugged. "He had no reason to. And despite of everything I don't think he is all bad, so he wouldn't do it of evilness. Therefore they might like him more than us, and that's not a good thing."

"I think you're right. So we have to be careful with the citizens and help them the ways we can." Arya hesitated, and Eragon knew why. He had mentioned Murtagh, his half brother. Since the death of Oromis and Glaedr Saphira had been the only one he spoke to about the Red Rider. "Eragon … I know you mourned about Murtagh, when we believed he was dead. But now things have changed, and we must look at this whole situation in another perspective. If it goes as I fear, you may have to kill him. You and Saphira together are the only ones who are strong enough to defeat him and Thorn. What would you feel, Shadeslayer, if you had the opportunity to kill him?"

"I would do it," said Eragon hard without even a hesitation. He had thought much about that thing, and he doubted it no longer. Murtagh was no longer his brother. He hadn't been that since the moment he swore his allegiance to the Empire.

Arya's eyes shined. "Are you sure, Dragonrider? Your answer might be important. Not just to yourself or me, but to all the free people in Alagaësia. One day will come where everything shall be sorted, and on that day you must be able to run a sword through his heart. If you can't, then we will all be doomed. Murtagh has too much power to walk free."

"And what if he survives?" asked Eragon sadly. "What if Galbatorix is killed, while he is still alive? He will be a free man, then. He and Thorn will no longer be bound by there oaths. What will then happen to them?"

"I am sorry, Eragon," said Arya low in a very serious tone. "But I think that he still has to die. The dwarfs want - and deserve - revenge for Hrotghar's death. The elves will have revenge for the death of Oromis and Glaedr. And the humans will wish revenge for the people he has killed and all the pain he has caused them. You will not find many - if any - who doesn't want him dead."

"So …" Eragon smiled, even though he was not happy. "There are no other ways for him, eh? He will die for my hand, or he will die for an executer's hand. And people will celebrate his death."

Arya obviously made herself hard. "Murtagh's own choices have led him into this. He and no one else - except for Galbatorix, maybe - is responsible for his fate. He could have died as a hero, but he chose to live as a traitor. And one day he will pay back for his mistakes."

"Yeah …" Eragon sighed and looked up at Saphira who circled around with a tale of birds following close behind her. "I guess you're right."

"Don't let it upset you." Arya laid a calming hand on his shoulder. "Pretend that you never met Murtagh. Then you wouldn't feel anything but hatred for him. Stick to that."

Eragon nodded, but did not answer her. He didn't know what to answer, he didn't even know what he felt about Murtagh. He just knew that he would wish he never had met him.

They arrived at Nasuada's quarters and was let in by her guards. Eragon thought bitterly that those guards wouldn't help much if a proper magician decided to attack her. The room, they entered, was lit up by lamps and light from the windows. Nasuada sat behind a desk and gazed at them with tired - but yet clever - eyes. Her expression showed nothing about her feelings. A map laid on the desk in front of her.

Saphira followed the scenario through Eragon. She looks very tired. I think something has happened. That's why you and Arya were summoned.

Maybe. Eragon looked around in the room, but there were no other people than him, Arya and Nasuada. But if that is the case, then I don't understand why no one else is here. I mean, shouldn't king Orrin know if a danger was threatening us? And Jördmundur?

Be careful, Eragon. Through their bond Eragon could feel that Saphira sneered at a young boy, who obviously was very annoying. Nasuada has become a smart girl - maybe too smart. Maybe she wants this mission to be quiet and not make panic within our troops. That's why only you and Arya must know. I don't think it will be a nice thing she wants you to do.

I shall be careful, calmed Eragon before he once again focused on the room, along with Arya and Nasuada. Two of the only women in the world he really cared about. Saphira's words had made him fear for what Nasuada would say to him.

Her first words did not calm him. Rather the opposite. "Eragon, Arya, no one except for my guards know you're here now, and they will not tell anybody. This is very secret, and no one - not even Blödhgarm and your other guards - must know anything about this. Understood?"

"Nasuada …" Arya looked confused. "What is this all about? And does Orrin know what you're about to tell us? I think it is a wrong decision to do anything without his permission, if I may say so. We don't need a war between ourselves too."

"I have the full authority over the army," reminded Nasuada sharply. "And I don't want to scare him, nor anybody else. But what I am about to tell you could very well be the downfall of us."

"Now I see why Orrin shouldn't know," mumbled Eragon sarcastically to Arya, who smiled shortly. Nasuada didn't heard him. Fortunately.

"A new enemy has appeared in Alagaësia." That message immediately destroyed Eragon and Arya's smiles. In his mind he heard Saphira sneer like a furious cat. Nasuada looked at them with her seriously dark eyes and continued: "We don't know much about them. Only that they have the ability to fly, though they are not dragons, and that they at the moment live near the Spine. And also …" She sighed heavily, "… also that Galbatorix - who fears this enemy as much as we do - has send his best man, the red Rider, to the Spine to try and kill this enemies or even better recruit them."

"How many of them are there?" asked Arya low with true sadness in her voice. Eragon understood her. A new danger was the last thing they needed.

"We don't know for sure. Maybe two, maybe ten. But we know that they are extremely strong, and they can use magic. If they decide to conquer a city, they would be able to do it. They could give us the victory … or they could give it to Galbatorix. Or they could simply choose to stay out of this war and try for themselves. We don't know anything about their motives either."

"And now you want Saphira and I to find them and try to persuade them to join the Varden - or simply kill them?" asked Eragon grimly.

"That was my thought." Nasuada looked at him, but he didn't want to meet her gaze. "Eragon, you are the only one who can do it. You along with Saphira. If you do this, you might save hundreds of lives. I know it is a dangerous task, but you have the power to do it. Trust me and yourself. I know you can do it."

"Maybe I can do it," said Eragon slowly. "But what about Murtagh, eh? If he finds them before me, I'll find them either dead or loyal to the Empire. And then he'll take me to Urü'baen, so I can be a slave to Galbatorix as well. He would want me to share his pain. I know him." Now it was Eragon who looked straight at Nasuada, and she who didn't want to meet his gaze. Something happened whenever Nasuada mentioned Murtagh. She became more sorrowful than he had ever seen her. "And if I find them before him, he won't just stay away and look. He will fight me, and without Arya, Blödhgarm and the other elves I think he would win."

"That's a risk we must be willing to take." Nasuada looked down in the ground. "Look, Eragon … I am so sorry. But only you have the powers to do this. If I could, I would do it myself. But it is you, not I, Eragon, who has killed a Shade and studied with a ancient Dragon rider. You did these things. You are our hero, our hope and our light. I beg you … do not fail us now, when he need you the most. Do this. Do it and succeed, and when we tell the people about your victory they will cheer. But we can't tell them now. I just beg you, Eragon … please, do it. Do it for me and for the Varden."

Eragon thought a while, but her words had convinced him. "Yes … yes, Nasuada, I will do it. Not only for you, not only for the Varden, but because it's the right thing to do. And if I meet Murtagh …" He smiled grimly, "… then that traitor will regret that he was ever born."

Like he doesn't do that already, commented Saphira dryly, but Eragon ignored her. Despite his roughly words did it still hurt him to talk of his half brother.

Arya looked at him, sorrow and also anger in her eyes. Nasuada nodded and smiled slightly. "Good, then. You will be leaving … now."

Author's note: So what did you think? Please leave a review and tell me if I totally screw up the characters, or if this actually might work :D .. and I apologize for the grammar mistakes! My computer dictionary isen't working :(