I know i haven't updated in awhile but between juggling three baseball teams, social life, school and several other fanfictions that are under developement, i haven't had to much time to work with this and will most likely update a lot less frequently then what i did before. Another thing this is the second reboot of the story. For those of you who read the first version you know my writing is getting somewhat better each reboot. Enjoy.
Maxwell was in shock when he fell out of the other side of the portal. Barbra. Tears sprung to his eyes as he fought to keep his sorrow from affecting his decisions. Pull it together man … wait am I falling!
"Shit!" His curse was drowned out by the howl of the wind as he descended through the sulfuric clouds. The situation shocked Maxwell out of his emotions. Maxwell welcomed the stress because unlike so many others stress granted him unmatched clarity in thoughts and in actions. With a clear head Maxwell pulled out of his dive and stayed suspended among the noxious clouds.
Priority one is locating your surroundings. He check the air around him. Atmosphere composition is similar to earth but there is nowhere on earth where there are sulfuric clouds. Maxwell flew above the clouds to see the sun rising. Okay the only way it can be dawn here is if I am either on another world or in a different time. Maxwell checked for any radio frequencies. Pure back round radiation pre-tech era of location. Maxwell used sonar to see the landscape without revealing himself. Relatively flat but with too many abnormalities, there are two groups of people one is very massive another is small, fortifications indicate this is a battle field roughly medieval era one group is charging a battle is beginning. I need more information. Maxwell switched to ultra-violet and was blinded by the pure light that permeated everything.
"Increase tolerance." Maxwell said firmly shutting his eyes until the light stopped penetrating his eyelids. Cautiously he opened his eyes and saw that the ultraviolet did permeate everything but the true source of the intensity was several objects moving on the plain below. "Increase tolerance." He could now see the forms of the objects that were moving and they appeared to be humanoid with the exception of two things one on either side that glowed far more brightly than any other. "Increase tolerance." He could see the two objects looked like…Dragons? No way that is. A series of flashes caught his attention in the form of several balls of energy being exchanged between the armies and flares of ultra violet around the intended targets followed by a quick dimming. Magic? An ear splitting roar reached Maxwell's ears. Yep, that's a dragon. Do I descend or do I just let the battle unfold? I need more information. Maxwell switched to infrared and saw the very ground was on fire. Sulfuric clouds, dragons, magic, and burning ground. It can't be. Maxwell plunged back through the cloud layer to reveal he was right. He had arrived at the burning plains of Alagaësia.
Maxwell floated there shocked for several moments until a particularly loud roar snapped Maxwell out of his trance. What now? You know what this could work this could actually work. I always wanted to be in this world. Granted the tech and lifestyle is middle ages but this could still work. If only… No ifs focus on the present. I do want to fight but not take orders. I'm going to be my own entity. But before I enter this battle I have to be sure I can at very least protect my mind. Maxwell created mental walls but quickly tore them down realizing it would not hold against an enemy such as a Murtagh who would happily take him instead of Eragon. If I'm going to win any battle. I'm going to have to play by my rules. So… mental battle is simply trying to find the inner monologue right. Maybe if. Maxwell began running a random collection of half thoughts over and over through his mind until he was confident that they would hold against Murtagh at least long enough to either run or attack.
And without further adieu. Maxwell plummeted through the clouds using his own boosters to accelerate his descent toward the empire. 50, 40, 30, 20, now! Maxwell pulled out of his dive just enough to keep the g-forces from making him pass out with awesome effects.
Maxwell saw the ground beneath him ripple extending outwards about thirty feet in every direction before stopping and returning to Maxwell who was still sinking into the earth. When the wave hit Maxwell the ground exploded sending dirt and flaming peat twenty feet into the air and continued exploding farther and farther away from Maxwell in a flaming wall of dirt. Maxwell wiped off the dirt from his helmet to be able to see his destruction.
The end result of slamming into the ground at such a high speed was a crater roughly sixty feet across and twenty feet deep. The only casualties of his descent were empire soldiers at least that was what he could tell from the mangled and in other cases burning bodies all wore the Empire's emblem. Around the crater the fighting stop as everyone waited for both the smoke and the dust to clear-Maxwell could still see them.
Maxwell rose from the crouch he dropped into and drew both his swords. He took a deep breath then started to make his body panic. You are about to die. You are about to die. Sure enough time slowed down for Maxwell as the body's natural defenses prepared to try and overcome the dangerous situation Maxwell tricked it into believing-He had practiced the technique to be able to run the suit at full speed without having to guess at where he might end up. He jumped from the crater and cut down every empire soldier in reach. His slashes were made while moving cutting through multiple soldier per stoke in a graceful dance that meant death to every soldier in the area. The empire troops were hit so fast that they would continue for several seconds more before realizing they were struck and promptly collapsing into the pieces Maxwell cut them into. Maxwell moved to fast to notice the sickening plops of organs hitting the ground. He moved to fast to notice the blood mist that marked his progress through empire ranks. Maxwell never looked into the faces of those he slaughtered because he knew if he did he would never be able to forget their faces for as long as he lived. To him the soldiers were faceless dummies with no life, no thoughts. He killed with impunity because to him they were all but frozen in time.
Maxwell weaved his way deeper into the empire's lines before he made his first mistake by looking in to the eyes of a boy no older than fifteen. The boy was terrified of what he had to do and what might happen-Everyone could see all he wished for was a chance to return to his home as if nothing ever happened. He did not see Maxwell as a figure coming towards him, he saw a blur of black then a tingling sensation in his neck before realizing he was dead. The look of shock forever etched into his face as it rolled into another soldier's head who did not even have a chance to look at his death. No don't look Maxwell don't look. Maxwell could not resist and started to watch the faces of the people that he killed. A boy slightly older than himself eager to fight. A middle aged man battle hardened with indifference to everything. A man who fought to be able to return to his wife. Maxwell could not take it anymore and blasted off the ground fighting back tears. He looked down at the devastation he had caused. A zigzag of fallen bodies and red mist. Body parts caught in his upswings still hit the ground. He fought the urge to gag. Don't throw up that will only make things worse than they are. You did what you had to do. They must die to be an example so others may live. For the greater good. After all what did I expect for this to be enjoyable. Maxwell calmed himself and found the adrenaline rush had subsided and the chaotic walls he had erected were actually stronger than what he had started with. Interesting. Maxwell turned his attention to the fighting below and saw the confusion his attack had caused on both the Empire and Varden ranks-the Empire was looking for the killer that tore through their defenses and the Varden were looking for their savior but neither were finding him. I can't do that again. Maxwell decided to use aerial assaults instead.
Maxwell aimed for the center of the empire before accelerating down into the ground creating a gaping crater only slightly smaller than the first crater. The devastation caused by the smaller one however was far more because unlike the first hit which had been in the open fields the second struck the tents which were full of potentially deadly objects when dropped from a height. He repeated the process again and again until his knees could take no more abuse then flew back into the sky. Aerial assaults are out of the question and I can't attack on foot for another fifteen or so minutes while my adrenaline refills. Maybe I should jus- A small pushing sensation in the back of Maxwell's mind interrupted his thoughts and quickly realized it was a mental probe.
He lashed out with everything he had at the probe feeling it retreat quickly only to be replaced by another probe that was distinctly different from the first one yet eerily similar. Again Maxwell lashed out with everything he had and it retreated. Maxwell's mind was now on high alert and he did a quick search in Ultraviolet to see if he had company. It just so happens that he did. A dragon was fast approaching using a cloud to hid it's approach. Maxwell flew above the cloud and saw a gigantic blue dragon heading towards him. That was probably their probes I smashed. He streaked down towards them leveling off right in front of Saphira's face. Maxwell could read the surprise off her alien face just as easily as he could read a book. She tried to stop but was flying to fast to stop in time before colliding headlong into Maxwell who stopped her fairly easily. Maxwell looked at her riders face and saw the shock written even more clearly than on Saphira's face.
"Eragon." Maxwell stated and waited for his response but they were to busy trying to take in his strange armor so he continued. "There is another dragon rider behind enemy lines who will attempt to kill the dwarven king when he arrives. He will succeed if you do not challenge him before then. Good luck." Maxwell dove back down into the battle to watch it unfold from a magical perspective.
The empire had a major advantage over Varden forces in terms of magicians and magician power. For every one Varden spell caster there were four empire spell casters but reading the books let Maxwell know that the only real reason the Varden's spell casters were not instantly defeated was because they all mobbed one spell caster when they were found were the empire simply allowed the spell casters to fight their own battles. The empire's troops also were heavily protected by wards were Varden soldiers were only protected by basic and skimpy wards. How did they win the battle in the book? From every stand point the Varden were at a huge disadvantage even with the poisoning there was no way it was possible for the Varden to have won it. I guess they must have had a lot of dwarves.
Maxwell saw Eragon descend back to the battle below to continue the fight. That is when an idea struck Maxwell. If they are frightened by a dragon rider why not a completely unknown who would most likely be mistaken for a god? Maxwell smiled. This better work.
Maxwell descended over the battle and hovered some fifty feet from the ground. Archers from the empire wasted no time and began to fire arrows that simply bounced off his armor. Maxwell was glad now that he had taken the time to add speakers to his helmet even if the original reason was to deafen enemies. "Soldiers of the empire, I know the majority of you have been forced from your homes. I know you wish nothing more than to return to your life as if nothing had ever happened. Now is your chance to flee. For those who fight to protect their families you have my sympathies but ask yourself this. What good is it to die in a battle that makes no difference in the outcome of this war? What good is it to leave your families alone to fend for themselves in these troubled times? Galbatorix will not protect them. I know to what levels his cruelty will go. He care not of his people. He cares only for himself. I know there are those of you who believe he truly has the best intentions for his people and he is a just ruler but ask yourself this if he is so powerful and is so wise and kind then why does he not ride into battle with you? Why has he sent his runt instead?" Soldiers shifted uneasily as the battle came to a standstill. The silence was absolute until one man broke ranks and fled. After that chaos ensued as comrades turned against one another and any more started fleeing. Your turn Murtagh.
The red rider detached himself from the land and Thorn let out a mighty bellow that was answered by a fast approaching Saphira. The Empire regained some of it's composure and began fighting the Varden despite it's sudden size reduction. Saphira floated next to him. Maxwell felt Eragon's questioning stare. "This is your battle Eragon I shawl not intervene." Saphira then shot forward to confront Thorn.
Maxwell turned his attention to the battle below him. After all was said and done the empire lost roughly half of its forces from Maxwell's little speech and looked on the verge of collapse. That went a lot better than I expected to be. No for the finishing touches. Maxwell rose slowly ignoring the occasional arrow and mental probe until he was well above the cloud layer then plummeted once again to the earth. This time instead of creating a crater Maxwell stopped himself fully in mid-air creating a shockwave that flattened everyone in a seventy foot radius. Adrenaline rushed back into his system and time slowed. He was again the blur of death but unlike before he had a steely resolve not to look into the face of the men he killed. Instead he focused his attention on his footwork as he whirled through the remnants of the Empire. That is when for the first time a spell was directed at him.
"Deyja!" The cry came from an unknown source making Maxwell feel tingly like he was wearing a shirt full of static but he did not die. Maxwell continued slicing through soldiers when his mind was hit with a mental assault. It was simply and direct-a full frontal attack that lacked any type of finesse. His wall destroyed the attack and most likely the mind behind the attack because unbeknownst to him Maxwell's chaos was now growing exponentially as the thought process perfected itself making the thoughts more and more fragmented. To any mind but his own his mind was a fire-it consumed anything that it touched leaving the ashes of once whole thoughts. The agony created was only equal to the agony of physically being burned alive. Maxwell thought nothing of his new found weapon and continued to slice down men until there were simply none left to kill. Bewildered Maxwell looked around searching for any remaining forces but found the remaining forces were being handled by Varden forces. He looked at the sky and saw that the sun was already beginning to descend. How did the time past so fast. It was only… Maxwell realized he must have never left the his adrenaline high and had actually spent hours intent on his mission to kill all those that remained or he had left the adrenaline high but did not notice it's passage. Eragon. Maxwell launched himself into the air switching to UV to search for them. He knew he had changed a whole host of things by his speech but the main difference was the end time of the battle. Maxwell noticed the Varden's solemn faces. That's when he heard the lamentations of a dragon. Eragon either died or he took him during the battle. That thought was quickly put out by the discovery of three weakened forms on a plateau.
He descended on the plateau taking in their appearances. Eragon was sporting many bruises and cuts with one or two possibly being life threatening. His armor or more accurately the hunk of twisted metal that was once his armor laid discarded to the side. Saphira was considerable worse than Eragon from a healing perspective since her wounds were proportional to her size and yet she was in about the same boat as Eragon but her armor was not removed. She had curled around her unconscious rider protectively. Arya was also on the plateau in blood stained armor from the battle and weeping over Eragon's limp form-her once impenetrable façade was now a distant memory. Maxwell checked once more with Ultraviolet to confirm there were three presences instead of two-there were three presences but Eragon was quickly fading. Saphira raised her head and growled at the unwelcome intruder revealing she had lost an eye during the battle-she blamed both herself and the new being who did not answer their calls. I could not have changed things that much. Maxwell quickly doused the flames of chaos that shielded his mind.
"Arya, Saphira, Eragon is not dead yet." Arya turned looking hopefully that there might be a way to save Eragon-the look of hopefulness and the despair she had just showed meant they were more than friends but not yet lovers. Saphira on the other hand was so consumed in grief his words did not reach past her ears and she continued to growl. "Arya I am going to need your mind for the process." Arya without hesitation extended her mind to Maxwell who moved quickly and effectively through Arya's memories of the ancient language before tapping her magical strength and casting the spells.
The first spell artificially pumped his heart. The second started moving his diaphram. The third started to heal his wounds both of battle and the results of death. The last spell was designed to target any bacterial growth that may have occurred since his death. After everything was said Maxwell quickly realized Arya did not have the strength to sustain the spells nor did she have any energy to give to Eragon. Maxwell handed Aren to Arya who immediately began to drain it's massive reserves to fuel the spells while Maxwell, through Arya's mind, began pouring energy into Eragon's form. Fifteen minutes passed and Aren's energy reserves were almost empty. That is when the heart started to beat on it's own, his diaphram contracted by itself, and the first flicker of a mind appeared. Saphira stopped her lamentations and roared with joy before adding the little energy remaining from her into Eragon's rapidly growing mind. This not enough energy. Maxwell started to transfer his own energy into Eragon with unintended results. The moment the first trickle of Maxwell's energy hit Eragon his heart stop as well as his diaphram and laid unmoving once more with the little thread of being torn away. Arya and Saphira instantly reverted to mourning but to make sure Eragon had indeed died Maxwell switched to Ultraviolet. The instant he did he was blinded by a light far stronger than what he had experienced when he first came through the portal. He shrieked in agony stumbling backwards yelling to increase the tolerance. Eragon was an explosion of raw energy straining against it's physical restraints.
The power was the product of the meeting between two opposites, Maxwell's life force and Eragon's life force-Eragon represented the rest of the beings in Alagaësia and Maxwell representing the beings of earth. The only comparison possible is when matter meets anti-matter. The energy released could move mountains, drain oceans, reshape the world, and also tear apart the body that contained it-If Eragon had received more than a trickle of energy or if he had still remained human the blast from the energy would have leveled upwards of fifty square miles. Luckily for everyone -Maxwell included- Eragon only received a trickle and he now was partially elven all that was missing was channeling the energy into a meaningful task. A task that Maxwell instinctively knew.
"Vakna!" Maxwell commanded half expecting nothing to happen.
Eragon lurched upright, yelled something about Arya and Saphira ,and bolted straight for the edge of the plateau throwing aside limbs both scaly and non-scaly with apparent ease. Arya and Saphira laid in the places Eragon so casually threw them frozen in shock. The impossible had occurred before their very eyes-A man was resurrected through magic. Even Maxwell was momentarily shocked from actually succeeding in resurrecting Eragon but quickly realized Eragon's distress and caught him in a flying tackle just short of the edge. Eragon began convulsing from the pent up energy hell bent on being released. This spurred Arya and Saphira to take action and immediately rushed to Maxwell's side.
"Take his energy. Hurry, it's killing him!" Maxwell urged.
Saphira was the first to act diving into her newly resurrected rider's mind draining massive amounts of raw energy but doing little to quell the surge of seemingly endless energy. Arya closely followed immediately transferring the massive reserves to Aren and using it to heal Arya's and Saphira's extensive injuries. Aren quickly became saturated as did Eragon's belt but there was still no end in sight. All injuries were healed but still Eragon lay convulsing.
"Use his energy to turn this entire plateau to diamond." Maxwell commanded still restraining Eragon's flailing limbs that nearly carried enough strength to launch him off the cliff.
Arya hesitantly released the spell. The effects were instantaneous. The entire plateau turned the purest diamond ever discovered and Eragon's energy was reduced back to manageable levels-The energy was still enough to force Eragon's skin to shimmer from the magic but enough for Eragon to remain in control of his body.
"Welcome back to the land of the living Eragon. Not that you ever truly left…" Maxwell said offering Eragon his hand.
"Thank you. What happened?" Eragon asked taking in his surroundings.
"I was foolish." Maxwell answered simply inspecting his gore covered armor while Saphira barreled over Eragon in a bone breaking embrace and emanating pure happiness. Arya stood off to the side trying to regain her composure before facing Eragon. Maxwell raised an eyebrow that was covered behind the mask. Well that explains a lot. Maxwell then busied himself with gently blasting off the gore from his armor. When he was done he was surprised to see Arya had somehow gone from caring and loving to indescribably angry.
"How could you Eragon be so…" Her anger cut off the rest of her sentence in an apparent effort to calm down but failing. "foolish as to try and spare Hrothgar when you yourself had no energy to stand let alone cast a spell against an opponent who has already bested you?"
Is Arya really that bi-polar? Maxwell thought about it then looked into Arya's eyes which had not yet completely fallen to the false anger Arya whirled herself into. Nope, just an extremely good actress. At this rate she will drive even Eragon away. "Simple. I told him Murtagh would attempt to kill the dwarven king if Eragon failed to defeat him or more accurately engage him." Maxwell intervened.
She opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it and closed it.
"Say what you wish to say." Maxwell prompted. I could get used to this.
"It is not my place." Arya answered ever so formally.
"It is now." Maxwell countered.
Arya realized she could not divert Maxwell's attention away from the response she had chosen not to say. "I would have asked if you had any knowledge of Eragon's stupidity.
Maxwell chuckled. "It so happens I do that is why I freely admit I was a fool for entrusting him with that particular piece of information."
Eragon reddened but quickly asked the first and to him the most important question in his mind. "Are you a god?'
Maxwell turned to face Eragon slowly. "No, I am as mortal as you once if I do not use magic to grant immortality." This had to be one of my worst ideas this day.
At this Arya decided to 'correct' Maxwell's view upon magic. "Magic cannot-"
"It is possible."
"But-"
"You attempt to extend life without fully understanding the principles of the body that is why I was able to revive Eragon. I understand." At this Arya closed her mouth. "I understand what moves the land and all of it's inhabitants. I do not claim to understand everything for there are things of which I am yet ignorant of." Maxwell cut across once again.
"Strange one thank you for saving my rider I would not know what I would have done without his presence for this I am forever in your debt." Saphira spoke to Maxwell. A thought popped into Maxwell's head and lingered longer than it was possible to keep completely shielded from Saphira's mental presence-Maxwell knew exactly what Saphira was planning to do and knew that being on a plateau with a lethal fall would have made it difficult if not impossible for Arya to stop her with the state they were both in. Saphira decided the best course of action was inaction to Maxwell's thoughts.
"In that case Saphira I must admit to needing a favor."
"I will do anything."
"Stop thinking you are in debt to me and enjoy the gift of those close to you for as today demonstrated even those who you hold the closest to your heart may not see the next sunrise." Maxwell gently pushed Saphira out of his conscience.
Maxwell turned his attention back to his surroundings and found a thoughtful elf starring at him.
"How would it be possible?"
"I will not say but as today has proven to all, even those who you believe to forever be at your side will one day depart for areas unknown be it in this world or the void beyond." Maxwell said leaving behind a very confused elf, a grateful dragoness, and a newly resurrected rider. This is definitely going to change everything. Well let's see Arya now has had a taste of losing Eragon. Saphira is probably not going to let Eragon out of her sight and most likely try to pamper him. That is when a thought hit Maxwell. No it won't happen. Can it? If it does happen. Maxwell shivered trying to avoid thinking of the repercussions. If it happens odds are Arya will end up dead one way with a fifty-fifty shot of Eragon getting caught in the crossfire. I guess this means I am going to have to prevent it from happening unless… Maxwell knew he would be playing with fire if he attempted the solution his mind continued giving him. Only if all else fails.
Maxwell continued flying aimlessly until his stomach gave a mighty grumble. Maxwell quickly ruled out flying back to the Varden to grab some food-his image as something so powerful and unknown that commands all would be tainted if he relied on food from the Varden. Maxwell switched to infrared as he flew clear of the burning plains and onto the rolling forests.
The forest itself was very loosely composed with clumps of trees here and clumps of trees there. It was inhabited by relatively few species. Robins darted between the trees above the groveling hogs. Rabbits sat in the protection of their burrows leaving only when food was needed because wolves had taken to prowling both night and day. A bear was searching through the stream for the salmon swimming just beyond his vision. The forest would have been a peaceful forest had it not been swarmed by the deserters of the empire. What had started as a mass confusion ended in the formation of groups of former soldiers sharing a common goal, be it live on the land free of both the Varden and the Empire-This groups was made primarily of youths who had nothing to return to-, become a band of vigilantes to roam the lands enforcing justice as they saw fit-these groups were of men who desired to protect what family remained-, or simply become allies to the Varden. All in all the forest was a disaster area.
Fractional rivalries had started between the separate groups and was quickly escalating in to a full scale battle that no party could truly afford. Making matters worse, the unified remains of the Empire's armies were approaching the forest in all due haste. Of the fractions, the remains of the Empire's army dwarfed any one of the warring fractions and would almost certainly wipe out any resistance in the forest if they did not first become in tangled in the chaos of the battle. Give me a break! I leave one battle only to be caught up in another. Is it too much to ask for a little bit of peace on this world? Wait a second this is not my battle. I am just going to snag a deer and get out. That is going to be exactly what I am going to do, in and out. Maxwell redoubled his efforts on finding a deer that had not fled the battle but seeing none Maxwell descended on a camp not yet destroyed by the fighting. It was a small camp set up by no more than five men how judging by the still roaring fire had been among the first to flee. They had apparently arrived early enough to snag a deer which currently laid half eaten and fully cooked. There was no one in sight. Maxwell quickly moved to cut off several strips of meat and a few logs of wood before taking off into the darkening sky. Back to the Varden or more precisely that now completely diamond plateau.
Maxwell flew as fast as he could while carrying non-aerodynamic objects back through the burning plains and onto the plateau. The meat was turned stone cold from flying at such a high speed so to remedy the problem Maxwell rubbed the logs together until they both caught fire heating the meat back to it's prior temperature. Probably not the best meal I will ever have but at least it is warm. Maxwell removed his helmet and began eating the flavorless meat.
Strips of meat gone, Maxwell replaced his helmet and pondered the true extent of his predicament. How could I return? But now that I am thinking about it should I return? A million little reasons popped into his head but none held his attention like returning to learn of Barbra's fate. What if she is still alive being tortured to reveal the secrets of my tech? What if when I return I have to live the rest of my life as a fugitive? What if… No what ifs are worthless the only things that matter are the what ares. Earth is my home and as such I will return after this world is through one of it's greatest ordeals no matter what the cost. Maxwell fell asleep thinking of the energy required to teleport him back to his world but deep down he knew it was all for Barbra.
I feel like my writing is somewhat chaotic and hurried so i will work on improving it for the next chapter.