A/N – Sorry I took sooo long to update – I had a basketball day camp and I never got back till late last night. I got some really good reviews so thanks! If you have any question about the story just ask me! I don't know how often I'll be able to update because of homework but hopefully I won't have much! )

Lynne xx

Disclaimer – I do not own Eragon (Even though I never put a disclaimer in the Prologue - oops)

Chapter 1

5 Months Later

Eragon sat on the available seat and waited for his commander to start speaking. Patience was an important skill in the army – if you weren't prepared to wait for the right moment then you could die.

"Thank you for coming, Roran," Eragon had given his name as Roran in the hope that it would be harder for anyone to track him down if he had to leave in a hurry. "I understand that you have been the soldier every commander dreams of and for that I'm going to give you another promotion. Congratulations, Sergeant!"

Eragon was speechless. I thought you had to be in the army for at least 6 years before you could become a sergeant. But when Eragon voiced his thoughts his commander simply replied that the army liked to distinguish a proper soldier from the riff-raff early on.

"Thank you, sir. Will I be given a platoon to command? Or do you think I'm too young for that just now?"

"I'm afraid you won't be given a platoon just yet. We want to make sure you have good leadership skills first. So to test you we'll put you in charge of the guards at the prison in Gil'ead." Eragon's commander leaned forward and said in a much quieter voce, "I must warn you that there is a very nasty character expected there with a prisoner – Durza. Do not get on his bad side – he can do things you've never dreamed of…"

"Thank you, sir. I'll do my best to keep to your advice," Eragon replied shakily. As soon as he was dismissed Eragon walked towards the section of the barracks where the stranger's messenger was staying.

The messenger was a middle aged man who was slightly overweight and almost always slightly drunk although he never had a problem memorising messages.

"Excuse me, kind sir but would you tell our 'friend' that I have been promoted to sergeant and that I have been transferred to the prison in Gil'ead. Also that I'm sure something is going on there since I was just warned that an… 'odd' man named Durza might be bringing a prisoner there." Eragon had had to lean down to whisper in the messenger's ear as he was sitting down.

The messenger looked up at him and nodded expressionlessly. Eragon turned and left that section of the barracks and made his way to his own part.

Thoughts of who and what exactly Durza was floated through Eragon's mind. There was a small forest just outside the camp and Eragon decided to take a walk through it to clear his head.

Eragon was used to walking through the Spine although this forest was only a small fraction of the Spine's size.

Eragon's attention was caught by the hopping of a large hare and he wished that he had brought his bow and arrow here as it would have made a nice change from the mess hall food.

Just for practice Eragon stalked the hare to see if he had lost his skills. As the hare neared a small clearing Eragon paused to watch it nibble on a plant.

The hare looked up, startled and bolted as a loud explosion blasted through the air. Eragon stumbled backward as a fiery wind blew past him and tripped over a tree root.

As Eragon struggled to his feet he looked at the clearing which was now scorched and had a faint smell of burning.

Eragon was mildly surprised that he hadn't noticed the biggest change first – there was a well polished blue stone lying in the centre of the clearing with tendrils of mist and smoke gently caressing it.

Eragon slowly edged closer to the stone and gently nudged it with his boot. He jumped back in case anything happened although nothing did.

Eragon walked more confidently towards the stone and warily picked it up. Again, nothing happened.

The stone's surface was very smooth and unblemished. It was a dark blue in colour except for the thin veins of white that decorated it. It was oval shaped and about a foot long. It weighed about several pounds although Eragon got the impression that it should have weighed more.

What is this? Is it safe? What is it for? How did it get here? All sorts of questions whizzed through Eragon's mind but he knew none of the answers.

Eragon was very suspicious about the stone. He wondered why it appeared here and who it was for.

I guess I should be heading back to camp now – before anyone gets suspicious. Eragon took off his jacket and gently wrapped it about the stone in the hope that no one would ask him what it was. It was his day off tomorrow so he would go into town and ask some questions.

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Far Away…

"WHERE? Where have you sent it?" Durza snarled at the woman sprawled on the ground.

"I would never tell you !" Arya whispered back

Arya covered her ears as Durza howled his rage at her.

"You will pay for this!" Durza whispered back menacingly.

A/N – What do you think? REVIEW! D