The storm bewildered Lightbringer and his elven companions, for lightning was streaking across the dark sky that had been azure the day before, and rain was thundering hard onto the deck of the Talita. Their ship was far from shore, out of sight and out of reach, stranded in the tumultuous ocean that had their seacraft crashing and heaving with the waves. Their sails collapsed in the gusting wind, and their hull was groaning from the sheer force of the maelstrom. Thunder boomed and deafened the crew, who had to yell and scream through the clamour. Water was entering the ship; it was sinking.
Lightbringer stood at the bow, rain pelting at his brow, deep in silence and concentration. While the elves ran about the deck, bailing water and tying down cargo, the ship's captain was the only calm in the storm, even as he grabbed onto the helm with a grip tighter than a vice. The ship's first mate, the wolf-elf Blodhgarm, came to him several times, beseeching him cast his magic and quell the storm, but the Lightbringer refused, as he continued to stare out into the raging sea. The first mate could not see what his captain saw, even with his elven eyesight, and the crew soon gave their captain up for useless.
But Lightbringer had not given up on his crew, and he would not give up on them until Lord Angvard himself rose from the twilight and took their souls. For Lightbringer had a sixth sense that the elves did not - a dragonsense - and in those moments he saw through the eyes of his bonded partner, Bjartskular, who flew above the storm and watched from the sunlit realm. Beyond the curtain of rain, beyond the towering waves, was an island twice larger than Vroengard itself. He bid his crew to hold out, and weather the storm, as he sensed the island grow closer and closer, as if drawn by their need.
Waves broke against the ship. Water rushed onto the deck and erupted from below, as lightning struck the mainmast and splintered the wood. The Talita keeled towards her starboard side, and the crew scrambled to magick the ship back to seaworthiness, but the storm had already claimed the ship for her own - already it was half gone into the waves. Finally, Lightbringer saw it was time, and gave the order to abandon ship.
Hours later, the crew of the Talita found themselves washed onto some sandy shore. Lightbringer had been first to awake, and found their ship wrecked upon the rocks. And as the rest of the crew awoke, they were in wonderment of what they saw: the whitest sand and the greenest trees, the tallest cliffs and the clearest sea. Their captain took in the sight and the air, and spreading his arms out wide, he turned to address his loyal crew.
"We have found it," said he. "We have founded this island of New Vroengard."
- From Tales from the Talita: The Legendary Discovery of New Vroengard
81XX AC
Second Week of Spring
Ayduin, Son of Ganelien, Rider to Navi
His master led him down a cobblestone road away from the castle, a steep cliff falling away to their right. Forest swathed the land as far as he could see, and clear water gurgled in the brook below. A fire had been lit at the top of a distant tower. It reminded him of a place in Du Weldenvarden on the eastern shores of Rona Lake, where strange beasts roam the hills and the air is unperturbed. They say those patches of forest is where dormant magic remains as strong as in the olden days. New Vroengard seemed like that, its magic running deep the roots of the island, and he could feel it in the life essence that pulsed around him… life took magic from the earth, and death returned it, rising and falling in steady rhythm. The elves of his House were highly attuned to this cadence of life.
It trickles through the soles of my feet and upwards. Don't you feel it too, Navi?
It makes me want to fly, said the dragon.
She took to the air just beside him, keeping in pace despite her underdeveloped wings. I wonder where Wayne-elda is taking us, he said to her.
I don't know either.
The memory of being first introduced to his master was still clear as day to him - they had met only earlier this morning, after all. He did not know what to make of Wayne, who was one of the few humans he had ever met in his lifetime. His master took kindly to him, though he seemed a little strict, but what master is not strict with their pupil? His mannerisms were like a soldier's, disciplined and unyielding, yet his master still had a look of warmth in his eyes. That was something Ayduin had observed in nearly all the humans he had met. And his master minced no words in spelling out his expectations for his apprenticeship. "The Queen tells me you are an intelligent fellow. Perhaps I shall see some of that intelligence shine through today."
That hadn't been reassuring. But Wayne told him a bit of his own history - that he had once been a carpenter boy from Feinster - and Ayduin decided that he could be as good of a Rider as any woodworker. Besides, he was Arya Dröttning's best student, so he was the most prepared for any evaluation Wayne would make of him.
"Ayduin," Wayne now called. "Come this way."
He followed his master down a second path that branched from the road, towards a wooden building at the edge of an open field. There were a few people out on the field, and the ringing clash of wood and metal told him that this was a training ground for the young Riders. The wooden building was an armoury. Wayne gently pushed open the doors, which had been left unlocked.
"No flying inside, now," his master said to Navi. The dragonling quickly complied, walking in after him. He closed the door behind them. The inside of the building was brightly-lit, with lanterns lining the walls. There were racks of training swords and plain iron armour on wooden stands. A cloth banner with the Rider's emblem adorned the far wall.
Then a voice suddenly rang out. "Who goes there?" said the voice.
"Wayne, son of Kaine," said his master. "Who there speaks?"
A raven-haired youth stepped out from between the racks of weapons, a bundle of wooden swords gathered in his arms. A grey towel had been thrown over his shoulder. The jeweled pommel of a sword at his hip glinted under the dim lighting.
A Rider's sword!
The youth placed the swords on a nearby rack, then twisted his right arm over his chest in elven greeting. "Atra esterni ono thelduin, Wayne-elda."
"Mor'ranr li'fa unin hjarta onr. Terrin, what are you doing here? I expected you to be preparing for the expedition."
"Beric-elda told me to clean up the armoury and take stock of the inventory. Preparations will have to wait, unfortunately."
"Gotten into his bad books again, I see."
He shrugged. "I don't believe I have done anything untoward, ebrithil. But Beric-elda knows what's best for me, and I shall follow what he says." He picked up his bundle of swords. "Please excuse me, Wayne-elda. I still have more weapons to store."
Terrin walked past him. Ayduin turned to look at the youth, and he nearly flinched when he turned back. The boy (surely he was no more than eighteen) set his intense gaze upon him.
"Oh, are you new here?" he asked. "What's your name?"
Ayduin twisted a hand over his sternum. "I am Ayduin, of House Rilvenar. I arrived on the island just this morning," he answered. The Rider considered him for a while, his faint blue eyes seeming to stare at something behind him.
"Hm. Well, it is nice to have met you, Ayduin. My name is Terrin. I look forward to our next meeting." Terrin readjusted his grip on the sword bundle, and continued to walk to a flight of stairs leading up to the second floor of the armoury. His footsteps reverberated through the wood.
Wayne had remained silent for a while. Then he sighed, shook his head, and motioned for Ayduin to follow him again. He had many questions for his master as the older Rider went looking through the racks of weapons.
"Who was that, ebrithil?"
His master threw a wooden sword at him, and he caught it in midair. The scabbard came after. "Terrin is one of the older apprentices, your senior." Ayduin thought it strange to think of the younger boy as his senior.
"An apprentice who carries a Rider's sword?"
Wayne didn't answer immediately as he took down another sword from the top rack on the wall. "He is a… special case. In name, yes, he is a full Rider, and the Elders found him worthy of a brightsteel sword, but after… the Elders thought he still had much to be desired, and had him apprenticed to the White Wolf, who is possibly the only man who can keep that lad in check."
"So Beric-elda is this White Wolf."
"Yes. Beric is the Swordmaster of the Order. He is stern, even scary. I myself do not enjoy spending too much time with him," Wayne chuckled.
"That is rather unusual. I have never heard of full Riders being apprenticed to a new ebrithil before."
"It certainly is. Come."
Wayne led Ayduin back outside to the training field. The other apprentices were still hammering away at each other. Ayduin jumped back as one of them stumbled towards him, falling onto his back. His sparring partner immediately pointed his sword at his neck. "Dead," he pronounced, then extended a hand to help his partner up. "Darys, Theomund, get back here now!" called their master from across the field. The two hurried off.
Turning back he found his own master waiting, wooden sword in hand. "Are you done watching?" Wayne said, summoning back his attention. "Ayduin, am I correct in assuming you have learnt some swordplay from Arya Dröttning?"
"Aye. I have."
"Combat stances, guarding, basic techniques?"
"Yes. To all of those."
Wayne nodded. "Very good. Assume on guard position." And he did.
His master in contrast was wielding his sword up over his shoulder. Artosvald. Bearwield. "Let me explain what is going to happen. As I know all apprentices differ in combat ability, I make it a point to assess their abilities before teaching them anything. Now, I need to assess your ability in swordplay by sparring with you. If you have paid attention to Arya Dröttning's teachings, then you should have no problem passing this first test. Do you understand?"
"Yes, ebrithil." He tightened his grip on the sword. Vindrvald. Windwield.
They should name a technique "dragonwield".
Skulblakavald is a bit of a mouthful though.
"Good. Ayduin, on guard!"
Their swords struck just seconds after that declaration, and Ayduin immediately leapt back after that first blow. His master was much stronger than he was. Each blow he made against him would be effortless for him, but Ayduin would struggle to parry each strike. And he knew that already, even before the fight began, just from the way his master held his sword. That's why he went with the wind.
Ayduin reset his stance, gripping his sword with both hands, blade angled to the side. His master held his beside his head. They circled each other for a few moments, both swordsmen looking for an opening. Ayduin rushed forward, making a low sweep towards Wayne. His master parried the attack and Ayduin immediately disengaged, hopping to the right and making another low sweep. Again his attempt was fended off again, and again he jumped away. Attack, parry, and move. Small but quick blows.
Wayne was back in the on guard position. "Are you sure you know only the basics, Ayduin?"
"Yes, ebrithil."
His master smiled. "This is interesting, Ayduin-vodhr. Interesting indeed. On guard!"
81XX AC
Second Week of Spring
Rin, Daughter of None, Rider to Telamon
"Where is that elf?!" Melik said, thumping his fist on the table impatiently. Obec stood to look around, but found that Ayduin was nowhere in sight. "Maybe he got lost."
"Him? Get lost?" Melik scoffed. "He is the smartest of the four of us. If he cannot read a bloody map of this island then I do not know how any of us can survive here."
"Language, Melik," Obec warned. "Arya-elda has already spoken to you about it."
"'Spoken to' is a nice way to put it..." the dwarf muttered, unconsciously touching the back of his head.
As the two continued bickering over Ayduin's whereabouts and the morality of cursing, Rin sat quietly near the end of the table, her face impassive. Telamon was stretched out next to her on the bench she sat on. Her first day of apprenticeship with Eleone had been mundane. Her ebrithil was pleasant and respected her silence, but hadn't asked her to do anything overly difficult. Summoning wind and drawing water from the soil was nothing she couldn't handle, so she passed the first test of her apprenticeship easily. Eleone had seemed slightly surprised at her level of skill, but Rin guessed it wasn't particularly extraordinary since her ebrithil had not mentioned it to her.
She rested her head against the table, watching Riders stream into the dining hall. It wasn't much of a hall, since there weren't actually any walls, or even a roof. It was more of a dining square. But no one seemed bothered about calling it a hall, so a dining hall it would be. The place had no walls so that the dragons could poke their heads in easily. Rin wondered what would happen if it rained.
A bell rang from somewhere else in the castle, two sonorous chimes. That was the afternoon bell that marked noontime. Lunch would begin very soon. Obec yelled, and Rin lifted her head from the table.
"He is here!" said the Urgal. A small figure was dashing towards them. Rin shook her head as Ayduin drew up to meet them.
"What the blazes happened to you?" Melik asked.
"I had a sparring match with Wayne-elda," Ayduin replied. He held a hand up to a cut on his face. "Waise heil." A greyish glow surrounded the cut, and it instantly closed up.
"Match did not go well, huh?" said Melik. "Now sit down, we have been waiting for blo- for ages." Obec gave him an approving smile, which Melik returned with a sneer.
Ayduin moved to sit, and Telamon hopped off the bench to give him space, joining the other three dragons who were mingling about in the grass.
"How does lunch go here?" Obec asked. "Where is the food?"
Ayduin motioned over to a long table in the middle of the dining hall. "Food will be placed on that table, and Riders have to queue to get their food. You can take as much as you want. By convention, one person from each table takes food for the rest. The Riders on kitchen duty will be refilling the plates when necessary." Obec and Melik continued to stare at him. "Remember? The Riders do not employ servants."
"Aye. Simple enough," said Melik. "As long as we get food. Anyway, Ayduin, what happened during yer match?"
"Well," said Ayduin. "As you've succinctly mentioned, it did not go very well. Actually, it was better in the early part of the match."
"What did you do?"
"I got careless. I did not consider that Wayne-elda could switch his wielding technique in the middle of the fight. Once he had disarmed me of my blade, I was soundly defeated."
Rin watched as a group of Riders walked into the dining hall, wheeling in carts of dishes. Looks kind of expensive.
More expensive than you're used to?
Yes.
The Riders who were already seated in the hall had all twisted around to look at the central table being set. Fifteen dishes in all, for the four-and-sixty Riders present. One of the dwarven Riders who had brought the food in produced a small bell, which he tapped twice to sound a high pitched chime. "Lunch has been served. We will wait for the arrival of the Council."
The dwarf meant the Council of Elders, of course, the twelve high seats of power that led the Order, who were wisest of the Riders and legends of the land. At their head was Alagaesia's most famed war hero, the Lord-Commander Eragon Shadeslayer. Rin had seen one fairth of him and his dragon Saphira Bjartskular, hung up in the hut of Oromis the Wise where they had received lessons from the elven queen (who was also on the Council.)
Ismira Katrinasdaughter now came striding into the hall, the first Rider they had met upon their arrival on the island. "Very sorry for the wait!" said she, and the Rider ran up to the still empty table at the front of the hall. "Our meeting just ended. The others shall arrive shortly."
"Wait, that woman is on the Council?!" Melik hissed at Ayduin.
The elf nodded. "She is Mistress of Apprentices. Ismira-elda oversees all of our training."
Melik slapped his forehead.
The rest of the Council came streaming in, alone or in pairs, seating themselves around the Council table. When a man with white hair walked in, Ayduin gave them another lesson on the Order: "That's the Swordmaster, Beric the White Wolf. They say his skill with a sword is unrivaled, unless he is matched up against Lord Eragon himself." The white jewel in his sword's pommel had a threatening glint.
When there were three seats left vacant at the table, Ismira took the bell from the dwarven Rider and rang it. "Lunch begins," she announced. Melik promptly stood up. "I'll get the food!" he dashed off to the central table where other Riders had already lined up.
An older, silver-haired elf took the empty spot where Melik had been. Rin blinked at her as she pushed her braid behind her back.
"You are…" Obec started.
"Don't you remember me?" Lyra said, giving the Urgal a small smile. "I'm Lyra. I'm the apprentice you bumped into on your way to the castle. I apologize for earlier, I was rushing off to meet with my master, Moor. He is not one to wait around." She addressed the other two apprentices at the table. "Ah, but I realize I have not properly introduced myself."
She twisted a hand over her chest in traditional elven greeting. "Atra esterni ono thelduin. My name is Lyra, of House Haldthin. My father tends to the gardens of Tialdarí Hall, serving the Queen herself. My mother is a weaver. I have been on New Vroengard for nigh on four years now. My partner Kaoris is a deep purple dragon, but he is not here. He hunts."
Ayduin returned her greeting. "Mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr, Lyra. I am Ayduin of House Rilvenar. These are my companions, Obec of tribe Ahgrat, and Rin, who hails from Teirm. Melik over there is from clan Ragni Hefthyn," said he, gesturing towards the dwarf's empty seat.
"Teirm, you say?" Lyra said. "I have visited the western coast but twice. The ocean is very beautiful."
Rin said nothing. She didn't know how to reply that strangely talkative elf. Lyra could probably compete with Ayduin for most superfluous elf on New Vroengard.
Unperturbed, the senior apprentice continued to talk. "Did you know that you're the first batch of apprentices to have all four races represented? I was rather interested when I heard the news. How has your day on the island been so far? Obec, I've heard your master can be rather strict."
"He is," said Obec. "But Noum-elda seems to be a good teacher."
"Really? Apparently, Noum used to send his apprentices foraging even if they were just a minute late for his lessons."
"Foraging? What sort of punishment is that?" Ayduin asked.
"One of the worst punishments an apprentice can receive," Lyra said. "You go out into the forest from dawn till dusk and collect as many of the plants that the kitchen needs."
"How is that bad? I did that in the Spine, sometimes," said Obec.
"Obviously, you have never been to the forests on this island."
Rin turned to Telamon, the white dragon still lying next to her. He had declined to go with the other three dragonlings to find food, choosing to stay with his Rider instead.
Telamon, I am so very bored.
Just wait for the dwarf. He will arrive with the food soon, if he doesn't start gobbling it up himself.
She looked up at the high table where the Council dined. There were still three vacant seats around the table. To whom did they belong to? Markedly, the Lord-Commander was not present. None of the other seat occupants looked similar to the fairth she had seen in the hut of Oromis the Wise. That left two more identities for her to ponder over. The Elders spoke to each other in quiet, hushed tones, as if they were afraid someone might overhear their conversation. Their faces had the eternally concerned look that most leaders had.
A scuffle broke out at the food table, drawing her attention away from the Council. "You got a problem with that?!" someone growled.
"Did that dwarf get into a fight again?!" Obec grumbled.
Melik, it seemed, had gotten into a fight with another Rider lining up for food. "I was here first, bastard!"
Obec stood. "What's going on?" asked Ayduin.
"He's arguing with some human," Obec replied. "Black hair, blue eyes, looks like the loner sort."
Lyra groaned. "That's Terrin. Of all people, your friend had to pick a fight with him."
"Look, dwarf, you will get in line like the rest of us," a cold voice said. Obec seemed like he was about to walk over when his own master, Noum, waded into the crowd to break up the fight. Noum did not look very happy.
"Both you fools, stop it!" he growled. "Stupid! Fighting in the middle of break. Go back to your tables. I will send both of you to foraging if you try this idiocy again."
Rin coughed. He is out of his mind. Melik returned to their table with a dark expression, nearly flinging the plate of food he was carrying onto the table with a clatter. Dwarves were well known for their ability to curse, and Melik was turning into a primary exhibit of that. "Melik, remember what Arya-elda said," Obec warned. The dwarf turned to quiet muttering. "Piece of… pushing me away… " Rin pretended she could not hear him.
"So, this Terrin. I met him before my spar with Wayne-elda. Who is he, exactly?" Ayduin inquired. Lyra sniffed.
"Terrin? He's one of the most talented Riders in our Order. He completed his apprenticeship in record time, became youngest to graduate, even got assigned to an expeditionary unit." She leaned in to whisper. "But he's also an arrogant, self-righteous bastard who's always showing off but acts lonely and victimized anyway. Just because he's the son of Eragon Lightbringer doesn't give him the right to look down on the rest of us."
Eragon Lightbringer has a son?
It appears so.
Eragon Lightbringer has a son… and his mother is… wait, you don't think it could be…
It is possible. But it seems out of place.
Lyra shifted uncomfortably when she noticed the four of them staring at her. "Don't give me that look, what does his parentage mean to you?"
"That son of a b-"
"Melik!" Obec warned. The Urgal shook his head. "I never knew the Lord Rider had a son."
"He never really talks about that, so most people from the mainland don't know. And while Terrin likes to flaunt his talents, he hates us talking about his parentage too." She smiled. "So if you ever feel up to annoying him again, just mention his father's name and he's sure to get into one of those dark moods of his."
"Has the boy ever been favoured by the Council because of this?" asked Ayduin.
"No, not really. In fact I think the Council doesn't really like him."
Rin raised an eyebrow at that. The son of possibly the most powerful man in Alagaesia, disliked by his father's own Council? Even Riders had to have some bias. It wasn't a fair world, not even on New Vroengard. What had Eragonsson done?
A bell rung to signal that half of afternoon break had passed, and the four Riders realized they had yet to eat anything. As Lyra returned to her own table, they quickly took a share from the food Melik had brought back. Rin gave a few pieces of meat to Telamon, who bit into them appreciatively.
Ismira, Mistress of Apprentices, came to stand at the front of the dining hall again. "Shur'tugalar, there is an important announcement to be made." The Riders turned to face the Council member, who was now standing with their masters: Wayne, Keori, Noum, and Eleone.
"What the blazes is going on?" asked Melik through a mouthful of food.
"As some of you may already know, we have welcomed four new apprentices to join the Order just this morning." Cheers and whoops around the area. "Now, this is just a quick introduction so you won't be confused if you bump into them. These apprentices are Ayduin, Melik, Obec, and Rin. Fortunately, they are all seated over there, so it is easy to point them out. Perhaps you can find out more about them later." Each of them waved as Ismira called out their names, save Rin, who had put up a stoic front. She wasn't liking all the sudden attention on them.
"Their ebrithilar are the ones standing beside me. Wayne to Ayduin, Keori to Melik, Noum to Obec, and Eleone to Rin." Their four masters nodded.
"As part of Tuatha du Orothrim, the four of them will be undergoing one month of training before they are sent to their first Tempering, and by passing it they will be formally inducted into the Order. That is all." Ismira returned to the high table, and their masters dispersed.
"Tempering the Fool's Wisdom," Ayduin translated, predicting the other three's questions. "It is the first stage of a Rider's training."
"What is this 'Tempering' she was talking about?" asked Obec. "Are we not Riders already?"
"It is probably just a formality," the elf reassured. "They can't possibly fail us this early into our apprenticeship."
Whatever the Tempering was, Rin wasn't too troubled by it. She and Telamon would train hard for it, and when the time came, maybe she'd surprise Eleone again.
A/N: Yes, I know how late this is ;-; I blame school!
To SUVIctorium: Yea, the use of tense was quite bad, I apologize. Roran and Orik have already passed away. That whole italicized part was referring to the first ten years following Eragon's departure from Alagaesia.
