Author's Note: Much to Hisota's dismay, she doesn't own the original ideas for this story, as it sole belongs to Christopher Paolini. The ideas of control of elements of Hisota's original character belongs to Dragon of Twilight and were tweaked by ObsidianTheatre, as was the plotline in the fan fiction.
Unconsciousness finally released me from its suffocating cage. I struggled to open my eyes, the heavy lids threatening to once again lower my sight to that of a sense of darkness. Once I forced my eyelids to open, and stay open, my eyes commenced the action of processing the image of wooden panels above me. A ceiling of a house, a ceiling of a bedroom, the bedroom Jeod has met me borrow. I slowly sat up, my eyes losing focus as blood flooded into my skull.
S-Saphira? I murmured.
Eragon! She breathed. You're awake. Before I could ask what had happened, she already began to explain. Once you lost consciousness to whatever dust that girl blew into your face, I contacted Brom as quickly as I could. He came to the pub to get you.
And what of that Nymph? I asked.
Eragon, I'm not even sure that your conclusion of that woman being a Nymph is accurate. Saphira warned.
No! I'm positive, what other person have we ever met has had an appearance like her? And that powder she blew in my face, I'm sure that came from a plant, and her eyes, as she explained 'the element is represented within their left iris and her left iris was green! It isn't possible that it's just a coincidence. I remarked.
Saphira scoffed. To answer your question earlier, the 'Nymph', she said, emphasizing upon the word 'Nymph' as though she was mocking me, was gone before Brom got there. And we will soon find out if 'Nymphs' even exist. Before I could question what she meant by that, the door of my bedroom rasped open. Marching in was a frustrated – no infuriated looking Brom.
"I see you're awake, Eragon" he said, gritting his teeth. I didn't reply, fully prepared for the long, tyrannical scolding I was about to receive. "So, please, do care to explain to me why Saphira had to inform me that you had fainted, in a bar no less!" he nearly shouted. It seems as though Saphira hasn't told him, punishment for being so careless I assume.
Twisting my fingers around in my palm I winced. "I met this man in the tavern and he told me he wanted to tell me story, I sat down and listened to him and he told me about a race called Nymphs. After that, I asked him to tell me more, but he refused unless I buy him another beer."
"So you got in a fight with him?" Brom accused.
"No!" I said, "If I did wouldn't there be bruises on me? Besides I know better than to draw attention to myself." Brom harrumphed. I continued my defence.
"I was about to protest, but a woman in black interrupted me and told me more about Nymphs. The man was enraged and pulled off the woman's hood, and...and." I stopped, wondering how I'm going to explain her appearance. "She almost like a ghost! Her skin was pale, extremely pale! Like the clouds, and blue veins were dreadfully predominate upon her face and hands, but her eyes, one was purple the other was green. And the green one was the left eye! And she even told me that Nymph's element was embodied in the left eye! And then she blew some dust into my face, I breathed it in and...passed out." I finished. Brom gaped at me.
"Eragon, where ever you go, even unintentionally, you draw menace out. Fortunately the powder you inhaled wasn't dangerous... an old weapon used for escape, or capture." He sighed.
"Can you tell me what Nymphs are?" I asked. Brom groaned, and sat down beside me on the bed.
"What do you already know?"
See Saphira! I was right! Nymphs do exist!
"Only of the element and the price which they are used" I said.
Brom sighed, "It seems you know little about Nymphs. Nymphs were alive long before humans walked this land. What the man and woman told you were true, and I believe your assumption was correct, that woman is most likely a Nymph, their appearance is quite wraithlike. The Nymph's control of the elements does come with the price of their lifespan, and with that, if Nymphs went to war, they would have a huge disadvantage as if they use their power, say to make an ice spear, and that weapon was destroyed, then the Nymph's lifespan will be decrease.
With this knowledge, the Nymphs began to search for the answer to extend their life. And they learnt by taking an eye of another being, the natural lifespan of that being would be transferred into them. And who do you think Nymphs would target?" Brom asked. I shuddered.
"Elves, because of their almost immortal lives." I said. Brom nodded.
"But mere immortality is not what they were truly after. The Nymphs wanted the power of magic. And if they had succeeded, even the dragon riders will have reason to fear them and so, the Nymphs and the Elves went to war for quite some time, as expected the Elves came out victorious, and the Nymphs went into hiding." Brom finished.
"So there are still Nymphs somewhere out there?" I asked. "Were the Nymphs also included in the promise with the Dragons?"
"Before the appearance of the Nymph you saw, I thought the race was extinct." Brom said. "The Nymphs cannot use the magic of the Ancient Language, thus they cannot speak to Dragons and if they could...." I watched as Brom shuddered. "Is that the end of your questions?" He asked, "I thought you were about to have me up all night to answer your questions about Nymphs."
I shook my head. "I have a lot to think about."
"Well then," he said, getting up, "Get some sleep; we will have you becoming literate tomorrow." I nodded, as Brom shut the door.
What a world we have entered Eragon. Saphira conveyed. I agreed.
Nymphs, and Elves, and Dwarfs, Dragons, Werecats, Witches and Dragons! If we make it out alive, that is an impressive feat.
Saphira hummed. Sleep little one, pondering upon these topics will keep you awake for hours. I nodded, my eyes already closing. Despite being unconscious for most of the day, my body demanded that I rest properly, and on my free will.
That night I dreamed of flying ghosts, dancing Elves with swords parrying soaring icebergs and up rooted trees. Of Werecats and drunk men, of seeing that Nymph's face again, and of flying in the sky upon Saphira.
Author's Note: Hisota thanks all who have read her first chapter of this story, and hopes that they will continue following her fan fiction!