Chapter Two: Power
Eragon
Eragon could hardly believe it. There was another Dragon Rider! And one that was obviously much more experienced and more powerful than he was. The fact Lena was able to move as smoothly as she could in such heavy armor showed that she possessed great strength. Her armor was terrifying, though when he asked her about it, she told him that while she loved a good fight, not many would be willing to fight something that looked like a monster straight out of a nightmare.
Her potions were rather impressive as well. A single sip from the vial she had tossed to him and he felt ready to take on Shruikan in a wrestling match, though Saphira had told him that it wasn't a very good idea, which he agreed with. Lena had placed Arya upon Ophelia's back, a thin fur laid across the black dragon's neck to keep the elf's cheek from being rubbed raw, even as the woman had quickly and carefully constructed a canopy from animal hides to keep the sun off the elf woman's back, before jumping into the impromptu saddle herself.
She was definitely experienced in traveling through many different climates. He could definitely see her being the new leader of the Dragon Riders, though he was extraordinarily surprised when she claimed to have no idea what he was talking about. He had explained it as Brom had many times before, the woman's eyes lighting up with wonder as he spoke, nodding and asking questions at just the right time, unlike how he just kept cutting people off. They had been traveling for several hours after he had finished explaining the Riders when a thought hit him.
"Earlier," he began, drawing Lena's golden-green gaze to him. "You mentioned that a friend of yours was in the Beors. How do you know that?"
The woman blinked and jolted in her seat. She reached down into a small pouch on her belt and pulled out a gem of some sorts and tossed it to him. Once it rested in his hands, he saw that it appeared to be a large amethyst with a gold setting wrought with odd symbols he didn't recognize. The gem itself had a bright golden light aimed in the direction they were traveling in, pulsing lightly.
"I made that to keep track of Serana," said Lena, drawing his eyes to her. "We've been close since the first day we met, and after her crazy dad tried to kill her, I made that to make sure she's safe and sound and to ensure I can always find her." She sighed, a look on her face that reminded Eragon of the way Roran used to look when he thought of Katrina.
"Wait…you two aren't…?" he asked sheepishly, ducking his head as she pinned him with a look.
"Aren't what? Lovers? We are. Why? Is that a problem?" her tone turned a bit cold and he shook his head quickly.
"No, not at all!" he waved his hands in surrender as she watched him carefully. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly and she shook her head.
"Kid, forget what you think is proper. Love is love. It doesn't make sense, it isn't proper or orderly. You love who you love. You can control who you're friends with, but not who you fall in love with. When I met her, I was supposed to kill her." She said in a matter of fact tone. Eragon gaped at her.
"You were supposed to kill her!?" he repeated. She nodded.
"Yup. She's something called a Vampire. Vampires are nearly immortal beings that need to consume blood to survive. Most prefer to hunt and kill innocent people, and so a group known as the Dawnguard was formed to hunt them down. But Serana isn't like that. She loves the speed and strength that comes with being a Vampire, but only ever drinks from willing donors. When I met her, I had been tasked by the leader of the Dawnguard to enter a place called Dimhollow Crypt and slaughter any and all blood-suckers I came across. And most gave me ample reason to kill them. But she was different," her voice turned wistful as she looked toward the sun. "When I found her, I could feel the light and innocence in her. She looked at me and I just couldn't do it, so instead I helped her get home, her crazy dad offered to make me a Vamp, but I turned it down. I thought that was that was the last time I would see her, but she showed up at Fort Dawnguard a few days later to help us take down her father. From there, I fell for her. Hard."
Lena pinned him with a look that could've burned right through stone. "She is possibly the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I would die to protect her. It's my fault we're here anyways. I was stupid and reckless, and I triggered something that should've been left alone. So here I am, looking for the woman I love." She chuckled lightly. "Damn, I sound like such a cliché idiot right now."
Eragon shook his head. "No, you sound like my cousin, Roran. He's the same way with this girl from our village, Katrina. I don't doubt she's important. What do you think she'll do about her…hunger?"
The woman shrugged. "Hopefully, she'll drink from animals until I can find her. Going for too long without blood can drive a Vampire feral. Knowing her, if she's desperate, she'll entrance some dumb bandit bastard and drink from him or maybe do that to some homeless guy. If it's the former, she'll drain the guy dry. If it's the latter, she'll take enough to hold her over without killing him, heal him and wipe his memory of the incident."
Eragon nodded, mulling over the information in his head as Murtagh spoke up. "So…you fell in love with some kind of monster?"
Lena gave the older boy an indecipherable look. "And what makes a monster? Their appearances and biological needs or their actions? According to anyone else, Saphira or Ophelia would be monsters simply because they're big, scaly and breath fire once they get old enough. But you and I know that they are not monsters. Vampires may not be normal, this is true. But Serana chooses to drink either from donors, from animals or from the homeless, and she always treats their wounds to ensure they don't have Vampirism force upon them. Her actions are not those of a monster, but those of a person making the best of their situation without bringing misery to others. Take care of who you call monster."
Her voice had lowered to the point it was almost a whisper, but the tone said she would seriously injure anyone who spoke ill of her lover.
After that, they fell into comfortable conversation, Lena speaking about her many adventures, though it felt as though she was leaving some bits out and in turn, Eragon told a bit about his life in Carvahall. During that time, Saphira and Ophelia flew off to hunt, leaving Arya behind on Snowfire while Lena walked alongside the horse. Murtagh let Eragon ride Tornac as the younger man was stumbling along. Both teens were rather surprised as the female in their party kept walking, dressed in heavy black armor yet keeping pace with them easily.
When they finally stopped, it was at the edge of a small pond to let the horses drink. Eragon was sitting on the ground, idly plucking stalks of grass as he watched their new companion clear her massive sword, a weapon as long as she was tall up to the shoulder. It was a terrifying thing to behold. The blade itself was similar to a serrated pincer, both sides sharpened to razor edges. The pommel of the weapon was crescent shaped and just as sharp as the blade. The crossguard was the same black as the armor, with the same crimson glow emanating from the weapon. What caught his eye was the sparks of black-red lightning jumping from one spot on the metal to the next. It was a weapon created for destruction. His own weapon, Zar'roc, was an elegant weapon, a wine-red one-handed longsword. The only problem he had with it was the grip was too short for his fighting style.
The steely rasp of a sword being drawn had both Lena and himself jumping to their feet, the former swinging her weapon as easily as he would swing a stick as he drew his own blade. Eragon searched for the enemy, but saw only Murtagh, his longsword held ready. He pointed to the hill ahead of them, where a tall, brown-cloaked man sat on a sorrel horse, mace in hand. Behind him was a group of about twenty horsemen. No one moved. "Could they be the Varden?" asked Murtagh.
Lena answered. "No way in hell. From what you told me, they're still leagues from here. Look at the way they're sitting. They're waiting for a fight. No doubt they're either bandits or slavers. Either way, they'll die before they can lay a hand on us." She turned to the two teens. "You two stand by Arya, I'll take point. And whatever happens, you protect her. Kill anyone who comes close to her." Her tone said that they should listen to her, so that's what they did.
Eragon couldn't help but stare at the armored woman. The entire time they had chatted over the past day, not including that short stern talking to she had given Murtagh about the nature of monsters, she always had a jovial feeling about her, her voice filled with joy and mischief. Now she sounded like a soldier, alert and ready for battle. Her sparking sword was held in hand, the tip just barely touching the dirt.
"Should we try to outrun them?" he asked as he draped a blanket over Arya, causing Lena and Murtagh to look at him. Murtagh shook his head.
"It won't do any good. Snowfire and Tornac are fine war-horses, but even with Lena's potion, they're exhausted."
"And I can't give them anymore, unless you want their hearts to explode from the strain." Lena cut in as she turned back to the horsemen.
Murtagh nodded. "Besides, look at those horses. They're meant for running. Even if the horses were in top shape, we wouldn't get a mile before they ran us down. Besides, they may have something important to say that we can use. You'd better tell Saphira and Ophelia to hurry back,"
"She's already aware of the situation." Lena said. Eragon blinked at the woman in confusion for a moment before he realized she must always keep her mind open to her dragon, to keep her updated. He cursed himself for not thinking of it before he called Saphira, explaining the situation to her as he felt her return. Don't show yourself unless it's necessary. We're not in the Empire, but I don't want anyone to know about you.
Never mind that, she replied. Remember, magic can protect you where speed and luck fail. With Lena, you stand more of a chance, since she is obviously an experienced fighter and powerful magician. She'll keep you safe. He grumbled a bit as he felt her race toward them, but he knew she was right. Just from her stance, he could tell Lena had been in many a battle, probably on a much larger scale than twenty men against three. Yet another reason that she was a better choice as the Leader of the Riders.
The band of men watched from the hill.
Eragon nervously gripped Zar'roc. The wire-wrapped hilt was secure under his glove. He said in a low voice, "If they threaten us, I can frighten them away with magic. If that doesn't work, there's always the dragons. I wonder how they'd react to two Riders? So many stories have been told about their powers… it may be enough to avoid a fight."
"Don't count on it," Lena snarled as she stared at the horsemen. "There will be a fight, showing our dragons will just make them want to catch us more. We'll just have to kill the lot of them, both to keep them from reporting our position to the man in charge, and to keep them from taking anyone else." Her voice had lowered into a low rumble, her hand tightening around the grip of her sword. "People who attack others for profit or to take away that person's free will don't deserve mercy. Kill them all before they can put chains on us."
Eragon stared at the woman, feeling just a bit afraid of her. This wasn't the woman he had enjoyed talking to over the past day, but someone else entirely. He flinched as the man on the sorrel horse signaled with his mace, sending the horsemen cantering toward them. The men shook javelins over their heads, whooping loudly as they neared. Battered sheaths hung from their sides. Their weapons were rusty and stained. Four of them trained arrows on the three companions, though they had a hard time aiming since their horses seemed to be terrified of Lena.
Their leader swirled the mace in the air, and his men responded with yells as they wildly encircled the campsite. However, again the horses refused to get close, all the animals were whinnying in fear as they laid eyes on her. Eragon shared a look with Murtagh, who only shrugged in confusion as the leader shouted for his men to control their animals. Once the animals calmed down enough for the men to properly surround them, the man release his reins and examined them. Eragon and Murtagh stood on opposite sides of Snowfire, their blades raised to keep the men away from Arya as Lena raised her blade ever so slightly, the sparks black-red lightning increasing in number and speed.
While the man took in the demonic looking warrior before him, he shook himself and gave a self-confident smile. "Well, these are better than the usual dregs we find! At least we got healthy ones this time. And we didn't even have to shoot them. Grieg will be pleased." The man chuckled.
At his words, a sinking sensation filled Eragon's gut. Though whatever suspicions he had were shoved out of his mind as all the horses baring Snowfire and Tornac started to panic, and this time he could feel what the animals were feeling. Primal rage and hate boiled off Lena like a bonfire, washing over the animals and driving right into their minds. As Eragon looked to the woman, for a split second he thought he saw something. Two things. The first seemed to be the shade of a dragon, massive and terrifying, its fiery eyes filled with so much hate and rage, it shot terror into his bones. The other was smaller but just as terrifying. A massive black wolf seemed to stand behind Lena, it's blood-red eyes glowing maliciously as it growled at the men.
Then Eragon blinked and the shades were gone, but the Dragon Rider was certain he had seen them, and that Lena was responsible for them. The man in charge cleared his throat as the animals calmed, and spoke again. "Now as for you three, if you would be so good as to drop your weapons, you'll avoid being turned into living quivers by my men." The archers grinned suggestively; the men laughed again.
Murtagh shifted his sword and cracked his neck. "Who are you and what do you want? We are free men traveling through this land. You have no right to stop us."
"Oh, I have every right," said the man contemptuously. "And as for my name, slaves do not address their masters in that manner, unless they want to be—" he was cut off as a serrated blade severed his head from his shoulders in a blur of black metal. The men cursed but were unable to move as Lena leapt from horse to horse, blade flashing as she either slew the slavers or knocked them from their horses. Arrows were loosed, but clattered off her armor without leaving so much as a scratch. What slavers were thrown from their horses all stood and clumped together with their weapons raised as Lena spun on her heel, left hand lashing out to unleash a maelstrom of black-red fire at the archers, who screamed as they were burned alive.
Murtagh and Eragon could only gape as they watch the faceplate of her helm slide open and heard her Shout three words at the clumped spearmen.
"FUS…RO DA!" she roared, the sound of thunder echoing across the land as the men were blasted off their feet, those closest to the woman turning to a fine red mist as the pressure wave hit their flesh. The rest were flung back as though the gods themselves had slapped them aside. From their screams, Eragon knew every bone they possessed had been shattered.
Lena threw her head back and roared in a rumbling tongue, "Meyz ruz! Los daar pah hi piraak?!"
The only responses were the cries of dying men as the warrior woman lowered her blood-stained blade as her shoulders heaved with her breath. She had killed twenty men in as many seconds, with more power and skill at her disposal than he had ever even imagined before.
Eragon stared at the woman as her breathing slowed and she quickly snapped her blade out, the blood and bits of flesh being flung from the blade as she quickly but carefully bent down to yank a bit of cloth of the leader's tunic. With that she sat down and began to clean her weapon, avoiding looking at her companions in the eye.
Eragon shook his head and stomped forward as the dragons landed a short way off, Ophelia looking horrified at the carnage her Rider had wrought in such a short time. "Is your brain rotten?" he demanded of the woman, who pointedly ignored him as she continued to clean her blade. "Why did you kill them?"
Lena sighed and placed her blade on the ground. She reached up and pulled her helm off, and Eragon was surprised to see her face was completely blank, no emotion whatsoever. "Anyone who takes a person's free will from them does not deserve mercy, Eragon. People like that are what is wrong with the world. I have a friend back home, named Kisisa. She was a slave for years before she discovered her magic and fought her way free. But those bastards took her from her friends, her family. Beat her bloody because she talked the way her people did until she had to change herself to survive. When we met, she was angry and scared, lashing out at anyone who got close because of how those slaver bastards treated her. I made a promise, to her and to myself, that I would kill any and all slavers I came across, to make sure no one ever went through what she did."
She raised her eyes to Eragon, her face unreadable. "Do I enjoy killing? No, but I will kill every single person who thinks they have the right to take a person's free will from them. That said, those men," she nodded to the dead and dying slavers. "Them I enjoyed killing. I will not be a slave to anyone ever again. And so long as I have the power to fight, I will slay anyone who thinks to try and control me. They were threats, to me, to you and Murtagh, and to Saphira and Ophelia. I eliminated those threats. Call me a monster if you wish, I'm used to it. But do not berate me for protecting you and yours the way I've been doing for years!"
She took a deep breath and rubbed her face. "That being said, I'm sorry you had to witness that. It was not my intention to frighten or alienate you."
She stood and slipped her massive blade back onto whatever sheath was hidden under her quiver. "Can we please just go now?"
She didn't wait for his answer, and he had nothing to say as he mulled over her words in his head. She led the way, walking alongside her dragon in silence for the next several hours. The leagues melted away before them as though wings had been attached to their feet. They turned south, between two outstretched arms of the Beor Mountains. The arms were shaped like pincers about to close, the mountain range so big they were over a day apart, but appeared to be closer than they were. It was as if they were in a valley made for giants.
When they stopped for the day, Lena did not speak as she ate only a little, most likely at the urging of Ophelia. As soon as she finished, he watched as the woman moved toward her dragon and crawl under the black wing, curling up like a child against the belly of the reptile as the dragon shot him a pointed look before curling around her Rider protectively. He still hadn't been able to get Ophelia to speak to him. Saphira told him that she seemed to be shy, and had barely said more than a few words to the blue dragon. Murtagh shook his head and looked to the youngest of their party, not counting the dragons. "I'll take the first watch," he said as his eyes flickered to the black dragon curled in a ball at the edge of the camp. "You get some rest." Eragon didn't say anything, simply nodding and moving to Saphira. She raised her wing and allowed her Rider to lay next to her, reveling in the warmth that emanated from the fire in her belly.
Do you want to talk? asked Saphira.
Not right now, he replied quietly. Give me some time to think; I'm…confused.
She withdrew from his mind with a gentle touch and a whisper. I love you, little one.
And I you, he said as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift away.
The next morning, Saphira took off with both Eragon and Arya. Eragon need to get away from Lena for a time, his mind still racing from the day before. As the icy wind blew, he shivered and pulled his clothes tighter. He could probably as Lena if she could 'enchant' his clothes to resist the cold. He looked to the sky and nearly scowled as it appeared that it would snow. As Saphira ascended lazily on an updraft, she asked, What are you thinking?
Eragon contemplated the Beor Mountains, which towered far above them even as Saphira flew high above the ground. That was murder yesterday. I've no other word for it.
Saphira was silent for several minutes as she flew. When she responded, she said, To us, that may be. But you heard her. She is not from Alagaësia. The rules of her homeland may very well be different. She has said that she does not enjoy killing, though she also said she enjoys a good fight. Meaning while she enjoys the thrill of battle, the act of taking a life hits her very hard. She tried to do the right thing. By your standards, it was hasty and ill considered, but it is all she knows. If it were up to me and we were not committed to helping Arya, I would hunt down every slaver and tear them apart!
Eragon nodded miserably. Yes, but those men didn't stand a chance against her. She killed them as easily as I would take a few steps! If it had been a bit fairer, then I wouldn't have such a hard time of it, but she outmatched them in almost every single way. She was faster, stronger and her magic was impossibly powerful.
Saphira looked over her shoulder at him. Little one, you know as well as I that while we know little of Lena, she is a good ally to have. If what she says is true, then she has been enslaved before. The strength and ruthlessness you saw could very well be from that time and from her promise to this 'Kisisa' she told you about. If the slavers had fought you and Murtagh, the result would have been the same. We both know that few can match the two of you with a blade. Yet you seem to believe it would've been more just or honorable in a mismatched duel.
I don't know what's right! He admitted, distressed. There aren't any answers that make sense to me anymore!
Sometimes, said Saphira gently, there are no answers. Learn what you can about Lena from this and forgive her. She has given no reason for us to distrust her and has even helped us move further than we would've on our own. If you cannot forgive her, then at least forget. She has not removed your head yet, yes?
Eragon frowned as he thought back to the shades of the Dragon and Wolf that he saw behind her, the terror the horses felt as they approached the woman. There was more to her than met the eye, but he would not pry until it became clear if she was dangerous to them.
He shook himself like a horse trying to rid itself of a fly, before he looked over Saphira's shoulder to check Murtagh and Lena's position. A patch of color further back along their route caught his attention.
Camped by a streambed they had crossed late yesterday were the Urgals. Eragon's heart skipped a beat. How could those monsters be on foot and still catch up to them? Saphira saw the Urgals as well and tilted her wings, brought them close to her body and slipped into a steep dive, splitting the air as she descended. I don't think they spotted us, she said as she leveled out.
He sure hoped not. He narrowed his eyes at the column of Urgals and shook his head. Their chieftain must be driving them at a breakneck pace, he said.
Yes—maybe they'll all die of exhaustion.
As they landed back at camp, he spotted Murtagh and Lena crouched near a small platter with a bunch of vials and what appeared to be flowers and bowls of odd substances, with Ophelia watching close at Lena's shoulder. Lena was saying, "—so you crush these together after about twenty seconds and then add them to the mixture. Just make sure they're a fine powder before you do, that is very important." She dumped the contents of her bowl into a large yellow vial, which released a poof of gold smoke before she sealed the bottle. "And that is how you make a potion to increase your physical strength for a short time. This one will last about three hundred seconds, but you'll be strong enough to lift and throw your horse during that time."
Murtagh shook his head in disbelief. "And this…'alchemy' is a common practice in your homeland?"
Lena gave a light laugh that sounded like crystals tinkling in the wind, a pleasant sound to his ears. "Skyrim isn't my homeland, but yes. Potions like this are a treasure hunters' best friend when they're in an old ruin and there's too much to carry out on your own. Ask me how I know."
She handed Murtagh the vial. "Best to hold onto that for now, never know when you'll need an extra boost of strength."
Murtagh looked at the vial in awe before he bowed his head. "My thanks. Do you think you could teach me more of this when we have the time? And…maybe some of that magic you used?" he finished sheepishly, causing the woman to throw her head back with a laugh.
"No need to be so nervous. I was a teacher back in Skyrim, so I'd be happy to show you a thing or two. So long as you show me how you managed to get past my guard a little bit ago."
They dueled while I was gone? Wait…did she say she was a teacher? Eragon frowned in confusion before he shook his head and moved toward the pair. Lena perked up as Ophelia tapped her shoulder with her snout. The woman turned around and gave a wide smile at Eragon that made her look a bit…insane.
"Hey, you're back!" she exclaimed as she tossed a second large yellow vial to him, which he juggled for a second before he looked up at her in confusion, causing her to laugh. "Strength potion. Just in case you need to hit something really hard without worrying about hurting yourself."
Her slightly mad grin faded as she saw his face and she stood quickly. "What happened?"
"The Urgals are overtaking us," he said as he pointed back toward the column.
"How far do we still have to go?" asked Murtagh as he put his hands against the sky and measured the hours until sunset.
"Normally? … I would guess another five days. At our current speed, with Lena's potions, only two. But unless we get there tomorrow, the Urgals will catch us and Arya will certainly die."
Lena cut in. "Not exactly. I have a few potions that can help us and the horses move faster, and I took the liberty of examining Arya's blood before you left so I could make a vaccine for her. It's not perfect, but it'll buy her a couple more days. I'd use my Restoration magic, but without knowing the Skilna Bragh intimately, I'd do more harm than good."
Eragon nodded for a moment. "Be that as it may, we need to get to the Varden as soon as possible. The only way to do that is if we don't stop for anything, least of all sleep. That's our only chance."
Lena nodded as she began to rummage through her pack again as Murtagh's face twisted into a scowl. "How can you expect to do that? We've already gone days without adequate sleep, and Lena doesn't have a horse. Unless you Riders are made of different stuff than us mortals, you're as tired as I am. We've covered a staggering distance, and the horses, in case you haven't noticed, are ready to drop. Another day at that pace will kill us both. That's with Lena's potions."
The armored woman nodded as she spoke up. "He's right. Potions that restore your stamina, you can drink like water and be fine. But the one's that increase your stamina and your speed puts an enormous strain on your body. Meaning I can't give either of you more than one for the next week or so. We can't split up either, or we'd be run down. I can't just leave my armor behind, but Ophelia isn't strong enough just yet to carry me for more than an hour or so. I think…"
Eragon nodded. "And that's with normal Urgals. Somehow, those ones are faster on foot than we are on horse and dragon back. If we did split up, you'd be run down before you got too far, as Lena said. The only way to evade them is to find sanctuary with the Varden."
I don't want to force Murtagh to stay…but I can't let him be killed either. Not to mention that Lena is still a mystery to us. He thought as he watched Murtagh fidget nervously as Lena moved to the horses and gave them both a small biscuit to recharge their strength.
"I'll escape later," said Murtagh abruptly. "When we get to the Varden, I can disappear down a side valley and find my way to Surda, where I can hide without attracting too much attention."
"So you're staying?"
"Sleep or no sleep, I'll see you to the Varden," promised Murtagh as Lena gave a wide grin.
"Awesome, now about me not having a horse…" her grin turned mischievous.
Lena
Lena couldn't get the image of the boy's jumping out of their skins as she summoned Shadowmere out of her head. As soon as the black horse stepped out of the shadows, both boys had bounced three feet in the air as Lena threw her head back and laughed, doubling over as the black horse cantered to her side. Once she had gotten control of herself, she was shocked to see that Shadowmere was no longer the stocky Skyrim horse she was used to, but a horse of the same height, but built instead for running. (A.N.-Shadowmere looks like a large black North Swedish Horse now. Why? Because magic, that's why.)
She quickly explained that Shadowmere was a spirit horse gifted to her by an old friend and mounted the horse, patting her neck as she did. Lena had insisted that Arya ride with her, so now the elf girl was leaned against her armored chest, head rolling back and forth as they rode and as the poison continued to try and take the girl from the world and into the Void. Thanks to the potions she had given Eragon, Murtagh and the horses, they were making good time. But not enough. According to Saphira, just before she had met up with them, Eragon had spoken to Arya via a mind link, at which point the elf had shown him the way to the Varden. However, the elf's mind was much different from any he had touched before, and as such he made a few mistakes here and there that cost them precious time. They gradually angled toward the foothills of the eastern arm of the mountains, looking for a valley for that supposedly would lead them to the Varden. Midnight arrived and passed without any sign of it.
When the sun rose the next day, Eragon and Murtagh were pleased to see that the Urgals were far behind, while Lena herself was a bit disappointed, as she had wanted to test the Urgals' mettle.
"This is the last day," said Eragon with a wide yawn. Lena chortled as a large bug flew down his throat, causing the boy to choke for a moment before he spat it out. He cleared his throat as his face turned bright red. "If we're not reasonably close to the Varden by noon, I'll take Arya and fly ahead. Murtagh, you'll be free to go wherever you want then. Lena, if you're truly heading to the Varden, then you'll have to bring Snowfire with you as you go."
Lena nodded as she pressed a small block of ice to Arya's forehead, frowning at how fast the frozen water melted. The young woman's eyes wandered uneasily under her eyelids, as though she was suffering from a nightmare. Lena cursed her inexperience in the mental magic Eragon had explained to her. She would've made the nightmares go away so that the girl could sleep soundly.
Later that morning, after going around a particularly large mountain that sort of reminded the werewolf of the many mountains in Skyrim, Eragon spotted a narrow valley at the same moment she did. As he pointed the valley out to Murtagh, Lena turned around and blinked in shock at the fact that the Urgals were a little more than a league away. She grounded her teeth as the Wolf within her clawed at the barriers keeping her contained, the Beast wanting nothing more than to run free and tear the brutes apart. While Lena was of the same mind with her feral counterpart, she squashed the thoughts of spurting blood and tearing flesh as Eragon spoke up.
"If we can slip in there without being seen, it might confuse them."
Murtagh looked skeptical. "It's worth a try. But they've followed us easily enough so far."
"These guys are as tenacious as the Thalmor back home. If they have mages with them, I'm going to lose my mind!" Lena growled as they turned their horses toward the valley.
"What are 'Thalmor'" Murtagh asked. The woman scoffed.
"A bunch of High Elves who think themselves so superior to everyone else, it gives them leave to attack anyone they suspect of opposing them, even if they don't have any evidence." She growled out as they approached the entrance to the valley. As they entered, they passed under knotted branches of the forest that occupied the mountain range. The trees were tall, with cracked and creviced bark that was almost black, dull needles of the same color, and knobby roots that rose from the soil like Draugr knees. Cones littered the ground, and Lena was surprised to see that each of them was the size of a horse's head. Sable squirrels chattered from the treetops and eyes gleamed from holes in the trunks. Wolfsbane hung from the branches like tangled green beards.
Fun fact: Lena had always loved the forest. Even before she became a werewolf, the Forest was where she would go to find solitude and to clear her head. But this place…it made even the Wolf feel uneasy, and because of that, Lena pulled the unconscious elf girl closer to her chest. The forest was older than any she had stood in before, and much less friendly. The forest only grew denser the further in they went, forcing Saphira and Ophelia to take off.
Without a clear path to follow, they were forced to travel through the thick underbrush, which slowed them even more. Lena attempted to give Arya more of the vaccine she had made, but she couldn't get the elf to swallow. They were running out of time.
As they moved, Lena became aware of someone watching them. She frowned and looked around, but saw no one. "Hold on a minute," she called out as she carefully twisted in the saddle, eyes narrowed as she searched the brush for their stalker.
"What's wrong?" Eragon asked as he and Murtagh reined in their horses.
"We're being watched. I just can't tell from where. Give me a second," Lena's faceplate slid back and she took a deep breath. "Laas…Yah Nir!"
The world faded away for a moment as Aura Whisper took effect, before everything came back all at once. She could see everything, every speck of life from the large birds overhead to the tiny rodents and insects underfoot. Her eyes swept around, passing over Eragon and Murtagh, both of whom were glowing bright red since they were alive and unharmed. Looking down, Lena cursed as she saw the dull red of Arya. They needed to pick up the pace. Shaking herself, she looked around and almost immediately spotted their stalkers. Many blobs of short lifeforms stood along the cliffs, just out of their lines of sight. In this place, it had to be the Varden, though the shape of the watchers…Dwemer!?
She nearly cursed something fierce before her sight returned to normal and she turned to her companions. "Up on the cliffs, a bunch of Dwemer watching us."
"Dwemer?" both teens asked at once. She shook her head.
"Right, you'd probably call them dwarves." She said as she threw a glare up to the cliffs, even as she dug her heels into Shadowmere's sides. Her faceplate slid closed as she passed the two teens.
"You don't sound particularly happy about that." Murtagh said as he pulled Tornac up next to her.
"The dwarves back home were a bunch of traitorous filth. A race known as the Snow Elves sought refuge with them a thousand years ago when the Nords started hunting them down. The Dwarves blinded them and made them slaves." She growled out as she kept an eye on the ridge line. She had always hated what had happened to the Falmer, especially after she had fought them the first time. When she had fought the Falmer at the temple of Auriel, Serana had had to calm her down to keep her rage from unleashing the full force of her power. The Snow Elves had been a beautiful race with such potential, only to have that potential torn away when the Dwarves enslaved them and forced them to become what they were today. It made her blood boil with hate.
They all fell silent for a time as Lena broiled in her anger, her eyes flicking up to the ridge with her hands clenching and unclenching as she tried to calm herself. Downside to having the Blood and Soul of a dragon on top of being a werewolf? One hell of a temper.
She snapped out of her angry revere as Eragon spoke up a few minutes later.
"The Varden are hidden at the end of this valley. If we hurry, we might get there before nightfall," he said as he turned to Murtagh.
The older boy grunted, hands on his hips. "How am I supposed to get out of here? I don't see any valleys joining this one, and the Urgals are going to hem us in soon. I need an escape route"
Lena spoke up. "Don't worry too much about it. Mountains like this always have another way out. You might have to climb for a bit, but you'll find a way out."
Eragon swung out of his saddle as Saphira landed close by, causing a great many birds to take off in a hurry. "I'm going to fly with Saphira for a while. We'll meet you up ahead."
Lena nodded as Murtagh grunted. "Don't fly too high up," she said, causing the boy to look at her. "The higher you go, the less air there is. Go too high and you'll both pass out."
She looked over her shoulder to Ophelia. Fly below them and make sure the idiot doesn't do anything stupid.
Very well. I will catch them if they do pass out. The black dragon replied.
The Dovahkiin grinned under her helmet. Thank you.
Both dragons took off, the blue with a teenager on her back, leaving Lena to keep moving with Murtagh and Arya.
After several minutes of silence, Murtagh spoke up. "So why do you really hate the dwarves?"
Lena spared him a glance and sighed, reaching up to remove her helmet. "Because every time I think about them, I think about what my people are becoming."
She reached up and moved her black hair away from her pointed ears. "My mother is half-Altmer and half-Bosmer; High Elf and Wood Elf. My father was a Nord, a human native to Skyrim." She let her hair fall and looked to the gaping Murtagh. "Millenia ago, the High Elves were the pinnacle of civilization, not through war, but through their knowledge of magic and engineering and how they shared that with the world. But in recent years, they've become arrogant and cruel, treating almost everyone around them like they're little more than animals. And I hate it. My people are just one atrocity away from becoming as hated as the Dwemer were in their time. Every time I meet a High Elf with that same arrogance, I just want to…AARGH!" she growled as she clenched her metal clad hands into fists. She let a breath out as she tried to calm herself. "It just makes me so angry. The Dwarves had everything they ever could've wanted. An empire that spread under all of Tamriel, automatons that served their every whim and resources that the world above could only dream of. Yet they enslaved an entire race just to prove they were better than everyone else."
"The High Elves are the foremost practitioners of magic in all the land, but they still treat people like tools, to be used and thrown aside like trash. And every time I look in the mirror and see the parts of me I got from my High Elf blood, I see the potential of me becoming the same damned thing, and it terrifies me."
Warmth filled her mind as Ophelia wrapped her mind around Lena's, filling her with such love and devotion that Lena couldn't help but smile softly. You are far better than the Thalmor could ever hope to be, little one and not because you have stronger magic. Because your heart is pure and filled with light. The black Dragon whispered. You could never be like them.
Lena shook her head, though she was giving a small smile. Thanks, Ophelia.
The dragon gave a mental nod before her emotions shifted to embarrassment and the dragon gave an eyeroll.
Eragon went too high, didn't he? The Dragonborn grinned as Ophelia nodded in response, pulling at her mind. Curious as to what the black dragon was doing, she let Ophelia pull her along until the werewolf was looking at the world through the eyes of a Dragon. The world looked much different than what she experienced when she Transformed. When she changed to her Wolf, the colors of the world were so much more intense. Here, the blacks and reds stood out far better than any other. She watched in amusement as Eragon seemed to completely ignore what she had told him as he had Saphira go higher and higher until he slumped over from lack of oxygen. The Blue Dragon descended quickly as she realized something was wrong. As Eragon sat up groggily, she grinned to herself.
Using Ophelia as a booster, she reached out carefully with her mind and tapped on three times on the barriers around his mind. Once the teen tentatively lowered them, she shouted. DIDN'T I TELL YOU NOT TO GO TOO HIGH?
Lena nearly roared in laughter as the teen jumped in his saddle and nearly fell off. The boy rubbed his head as he replied. Sorry, he replied sheepishly. I thought if we could get to the peaks, we could get a better view of the Urgals.
And because you couldn't reach the peak, you thought it a genius idea to keep going up? Tsk tsk tsk. That's a good way to get yourself killed. Get your ass back here and don't do anything stupid on the way. She pulled back to her body, giving Ophelia the mental equivalent of a hug as she did, and opened her eyes with a short laugh. Murtagh gave her a look.
"What's funny?"
Lena shook her head. "Oh, Eragon ignored my advice against flying too high and passed out. I just scared the crap out of him when I yelled at him. He should be on his way back now."
Murtagh couldn't help but chuckle, though Lena could tell something was bothering him. "Alright, Mr. Grumpy-Pants. I told you why I was angry. Now you tell me why you don't want to go to the Varden."
He blinked as his gray eyes met her gold-green. They stared at one another for several moments before he sighed. "You just going to keep asking about it until I tell you, aren't you?"
Her face split into a wide grin. "Yep! Now spill it."
He let out a bunch of air and rolled his shoulders. "My father…used to serve the king. If I go to the Varden, they'll expect things of me that I can't give them. At best, they'll lock me up and throw away the key. At worst, they'll kill me on sight."
Lena scowled and scoffed. "They'll damn well try!"
He blinked in confusion as she continued. "You are not your father. You are you. Do you serve the king?"
Murtagh shook his head quickly and Lena nodded. "Then it doesn't matter who your father is. Serana's father was a megalomaniac who was obsessed with blotting out the sun while her mother was obsessed of watching him fail. All Serana ever wanted was to live her life in peace. She wanted her dad to give up his obsession and her mother to come home. She wanted a family and normal life, well as normal as you can get as a Vampire. She has no interest in blotting out the sun and she would never want to watch anyone fail unless it put her friends in danger. Now, if you did serve old Galby," Murtagh snorted at the immature, disrespectful nickname, "that would be a different matter entirely. However, you aren't. They try anything, they'll have to deal with me!" she put her thumb to her chest as she grinned maniacally.
"If there's one thing I excel at, it's protecting my friends!" she said as she gave a confident smirk.
Murtagh smile softly and nodded. But as he opened his mouth to speak, Saphira landed close by, an exhausted Eragon in the saddle. Lena groaned. "I thought I told you not to do anything stupid!"
The teen winced slightly as he shrugged. "The Urgals have entered the valley. I tried to distract them but forgot a very important rule of magic, and it cost me a great deal."
The boy yelped as a pebble hit his head, and he looked up to see Lena glaring at him. "What part of 'don't do anything stupid on the way back' didn't you understand? I mean seriously, you should've just dropped boulders on the bastards, rather than try to use magic from a mile away."
Eragon blinked as his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "H-how did you know!?"
She snorted and shot him a look. "I'm the head of a school for magic back in Skyrim. I know magical exhaustion when I see it. The only way for you to get as tired as you are so quickly is if you tried to use magic with your target over a mile away."
She tossed him two vials, one blue, the other green. "Drink those. And you stay here. Ophelia and I will deal with the Urgals."
Eragon shook his head. "Saphira said they're larger than any we've seen."
Murtagh cursed, his hand clutching the pommel of his sword. "That explains it! If you're right, then those are Kull, the elite of the Urgals. I should've guessed that the chieftain had been put in charge of them. They don't ride because horses can't carry their weight – not one is under eight feet tall – and they can run for days without sleep and still be ready for battle. It can take up to five men to kill one. Kull never leave their caves except for war, so they must be expecting a great slaughter to be out in such force."
Lena shrugged. "Eh, I've fought bigger. Giant back home stood between eleven and twelve feet tall and can knock an Orc several hundred yards with a single blow. I've killed a couple hundred on my own. Killing a few hundred short giants will be fun!"
She slid off Shadowmere and carefully pulled Arya off the black horse. With a knicker, the horse melted into shadow as she was dismissed. Lena carried Arya over to Snowfire and carefully put her in the saddle, Eragon leaping to stand by the horse quickly as Lena backed away. "You two focus on getting her as far away as you can. Ophelia, Saphira and I will go and cut their numbers down a bit. Just get Arya out of here as fast as you can."
She didn't wait for them to speak as she moved to Ophelia and hopped onto the Dragon's back, excited to get into the air as she unclipped Ember from her back as she readied a pair of arrows, smirking as she felt the flame enchantment take hold of the arrows. "Let's go!"
Both dragons roared and took to the air, the half-elf screaming in joy as she took to the sky with her dragon. Lena could tell that Ophelia had gotten much stronger over the past few weeks as she rose into the air with no problem at all, looping in the air to head back toward the Kull.
"WHOOOHOOO!" whooped the Dovahkiin as the wind whistled passed her helmet, the air slipping into her helm and blowing her hair all over the place.
I hope you have a plan other than shoot them with your pointy sticks, Saphira growled as they flew overhead.
Lena grinned. Of course, I do. While I fill them with flaming arrows and fling fireballs at them, you and Ophelia will drop boulders on their heads!
Lena felt Ophelia chuckle beneath her as Saphira's eyes went wide. That…could actually work.
Of course, it will work! I came up with it! Lena cried arrogantly. We won't be able to take them all out before dark, but with the three of us, we can cause a lot of damage.
Both dragons banked to the right and quickly descended to the Beartooth river below. Saphira grabbed a mid-sized boulder while Ophelia grabbed two smaller ones, one between her hind legs and one between her forelegs.
Lena grinned as she nocked a pair of Daedric arrows, the tips catching fire as the rested on the bow. They silently passed over the Kull horde, Lena tracking them with her bow. Steady…steady…NOW!
Twin trails of flames shot straight downward, followed closely by three boulders and two massive balls of fire. The arrows hit first, slipping between the branches and setting two Kull on fire, the brutes screaming as their flesh was cooked. Then the boulders hit. There were muffled cracks as the stones plummeted through the forest top, smashing to the ground and scattering the Urgals even as their comrades were crushed. However, those were blown to kingdom come as the black-red balls of flame hit the ground and detonated, blasting those hit directly to ash while those closest to the blast were set alight, the Urgals scrambling to avoid being caught on fire as well.
Lena grinned maniacally as the Urgals tried to spot their assailants, to no avail. Saphira's dark blue scales hid well in the dimming light, and Ophelia was invisible against the blackening sky. The only hit to their location was the dark red glow from Lena's Daedric armor, but at their current height and speed, there was no way the Kull would spot them. Let's get more ammunition, said Ophelia with a gleeful, bloodthirsty tone.
Lena grinned. Sweetie, I think you're coming into your Dragon side.
The dragon huffed in annoyance as she banked around, Saphira hot on her tail as they went for more stones.
It was hard work, but they were able to slow down the Urgals a great deal – it was impossible to stop them all together with the numbers the brutes possessed. The warrior woman contemplated creating one massive fireball to bring the valley down on their heads. But she decided against it since others would want to join the Varden later. So, she settled for blowing them up. Thanks to her Aura Whisper, they were able to keep at it even after the dragons could no longer see them. However, even with her enhanced magic, the Dragonborn need to rest after several hours of continuously bombarding the Kull with her Fireballs, Lightning Bolts, and Icy Spears.
Just as they were turning around, Eragon contacted her. Take a respite and come on back. The day is almost over, and I fear Arya's life is measured in hours, if not minutes.
Lena nodded and relayed the plan to Ophelia, who nodded and turned back toward the teens. As they flew, Lena's beast eyes caught a glimpse of a line of white not too far ahead of Eragon and Murtagh. Her heart leapt in joy. The waterfall! It's not too far ahead!
Ophelia touched her mind and the Dragonborn opened her mind to her partner. Do you think that the Varden know we're here? Maybe they'll send troops out to aid us.
Lena smiled at her naiveté and shook her head. Don't count on it. If it were me, I'd make absolutely sure we were allies before even sending archers out to slow the enemy force. Right now, all we can do is stay close to Eragon, Murtagh and Arya.
The dragon nodded and followed Saphira to her Rider. However as they approached the boys, she once again heard arguing.
"—didn't you tell me this was a dead end?" Murtagh was saying as he jabbed a finger at Eragon, ignoring the Dragons as they landed and the woman leapt from her saddle.
Eragon bristled as Lena moved past him to check on Arya. Creating an orb of light, Lena cursed as the elf's pale and gaunt face came into view. They needed to move, now!
"All I knew was were we had to go, not what lay between. Don't blame me for choosing to come." The farm boy said, his eyes narrowing at his friend.
"We don't have time for this!" Lena said as she began to lead Snowfire toward the waterfall. The boys ignored her.
Murtagh's breath was hissing out between his teeth as he furiously spun away from Eragon. The farm boy himself stood with tense shoulders and a vein throbbed in the side of his neck. He stood with his hands on his hips, impatience rising.
What is going on? Ophelia asked as she looked between the two.
Boys being idiots, that's what. Lena growled as she let the golden light of her healing magic wash over the elf in an effort to keep her stable as the boys continued to argue.
"What's your quarrel with the Varden? It can't be so terrible that you must keep it hidden even now. Would you rather fight the Kull than reveal it? How many times will we go through this before you trust me?" Eragon demanded of Murtagh.
They do realize we have Urgals pursuing us, right? Ophelia asked with a tilted head. Lena sighed.
"Murtagh, you have to tell him. Don't let him walk into the arms of the Varden without knowing how they will react to you." Lena said as she continued to pour healing energy into the Elf.
Eragon whipped his head around. "She knows!?"
Lena nodded. "I can be very persuasive when I want to be. Plus, it was trade of info. I told him why I was so angry about the dwarves, he told me why he didn't want to go to the Varden." She shrugged. "Seemed like a fair deal at the time."
Murtagh looked from Eragon to Lena and back, his breathing hard and fast. He looked like a cornered wolf. He paused and looked to Lena. At her nod, he took a deep breath and in a tortured voice, said "You have a right to know. I … I am the son of Morzan, first and last of the Forsworn"
Lena watched as Eragon's mouth dropped open and she stepped forward. "Before you jump to conclusions, he isn't working for the king. He just wants to be left alone."
Eragon shook his head. "You are his heir?" he asked in a low whisper, slowly reaching toward his sword.
In a flash of black metal, Stormfang was at his throat, black-red lightning sparking along the serrated blade as Saphira roared in anger and Ophelia took a position behind her Rider, teeth bared in warning. Lena didn't blink. "Don't start a fight, Eragon. You've seen what I can do. I really don't want to have to hurt you. Just hear him out before you decide how you feel."
Murtagh cut in. "I didn't choose this!" he cried, anguish flowing off him in waves. Lena lowered her blade as she turned to the teen just in time to see him pull his tunic off and turn around. "Look!" he pleaded.
Lena gasped at what she was seeing. Against the tanned and muscled skin of Murtagh's back was a knotted white scar that stretched form his right shoulder to his left hip. Her eyes narrowed even as they bled from golden-green into bloody crimson. Whoever was responsible for that scar would die painfully.
"See that?" demanded Murtagh bitterly. He spoke quickly, sounding relieved to have his secret out in the open. "I was only three when I got it. During one of his many drunken rages, Morzan threw his sword at me as I ran by. My back was laid open by the very sword you now carry – the only thing I expected to receive as inheritance, until Brom stole it from my father's corpse. I was lucky, I suppose – there was a healer nearby who kept me from dying. You must understand, I have no love for the Empire or the king. I have no allegiance to them, nor do I mean you harm!" he pleaded franticly.
Lena calmly returned Stormfang back to the sheath on her back and moved to stand by Arya. Eragon took a shuddering breath. "Then your father," he started in a faltering voice, "was killed by…"
"Yes, Brom" said Murtagh miserably. He pulled his tunic back down just as a horn sounded behind them. Both boys jumped as a growl erupted from their female companion, her eyes glowing blood red in the shadows of her helmet.
"We need to move. NOW!" she snapped as she started running, leading the horses along as Ophelia took up a position on the riverbed.
The boys followed her, exchanging glances as they moved along. Lena ignored their conversation as she fought to rein in the Wolf. The dragons, Eragon, Murtagh and Arya were her Pack now, and she'd fight to the death to protect them. But she still had to find Serana and get the hell back to Skyrim. So she had to stay in control for just a little while longer.
Eragon came up alongside her, huffing as he attempted to keep up. "Lena, what's wrong?"
"Arya is on the brink of death and you idiots are worrying about a dead man rather than your own skins, what do you think is wrong?" she snapped as she pushed Snowfire's reins to his hands. "Focus not on the past, but on the present. Murtagh is not his father, so stop acting like he's about to attack you."
The forest ended and they pulled the horses to a stop. They all stood on a pebble beach directly to the left of the mouth of the Beartooth River. The deep lake that Eragon had called the Kóstha-mérna filled the valley, blocking their way as the water gleamed with flickering starlight. The mountain walls restricted passage around the lake to a strip of shore on either side that were no bigger than a few steps wide. At the lake's far end was a broad sheet of water that tumbled down from the black cliffs above.
"Do we go to the falls?" Murtagh asked tightly as he looked around the lake.
"Yes." Eragon took the lead and picked his way along the Lake's left side as Lena stayed back to cover their rear. The pebbles underfoot were damp and covered in slime, making walking over them a pain in the ass for those who were unused to such terrain. There was barely enough room for the two dragons, who were trapped between the sheer valley wall and the water. Both had to walk in two feet of water.
They were halfway to the water fall when Urgals began spilling out of the forest like black liquid.
"URGALS!" Lena cried as she drew Stormfang, the serrated blade humming with electrical energy. One of the brutes motioned to the dragons with guttural words and the horde immediately split, going along both sides of the lake. Lena growled as they approached on her side. Without a thought, Ophelia took to the sky alongside Saphira, whom Eragon called out to. Both dragons dived at the Urgals with bellowing roars, the brutes attempting to scatter as the black and blue reptiles caught a pair of Kull between their talons and carried them off into the night sky. The remains fell into the lake a moment later, torn to shreds. The Kull continued along Kóstha-mérna undeterred. With smoke streaming from her nostrils, Saphira dove into the water as the Kull fired arrows at her. Ophelia roared and spewed black fire from her maw, roasting the Urgals as she passed.
With a feral grin, Lena's faceplate slid apart. "Bo ruz, zu'u fent hi fin suleyk do fin Dovahkiin!" she roared as she took a deep breath. Reaching deep within her soul, she drew on the power that all dragons possessed. The power of Fire. "Yol…Toor Shul!" A torrent of flame left her throat, torching the Urgals closest to her as they attempted to strike at the black armored woman. They screamed as the flash of searing pain washed over them and they were turned to ash as the blast blew right through them.
Her faceplate slid home as she charged, her blade flashing as she cut through the closest Kull, the brute's head exploding as the lightning travelled through him. She continued, her blade flashing in the starlight as she spun and kicked, slashed and stabbed, every movement cutting an Urgal or two to twain. Her arms twinged in pain as arrows hit Ophelia's wings, which only increased her rage as she surged forward, causing the Urgals to focus on the more immediate threat. She nearly took Murtagh's head off as he joined the fray, his blade moving as a silver blur as he pushed the Urgals back alongside her.
Out of nowhere, about twenty of the Urgals fell into the lake, howling as they clutched at the bones sticking out of their legs. Lena's armored head snapped around to see Eragon sagging in exhaustion as the magic took its toll. She cursed and threw a fireball toward the Urgals as she fell back to the farm boy. As she approached, Murtagh shouted to Eragon, "What now? We can't stay here!"
"I don't know! This is where we're supposed to be!" Eragon responded desperately
"Why don't you ask the elf to make sure?" demanded Murtagh as he sheathed his sword, snatching his bow from Tornac's saddle the same time Lena stuck her blade in the ground and pulled Ember off her back, loosing a trio of burning arrows into the Urgal horde at the end of the valley, setting three of them aflame as they climbed over their fallen brethren.
"Now?! She's barely alive! How's she going to find the strength to say anything?" the farm boy snapped back as he too brought out his bow to fire on the incoming Urgals.
"Stop bickering and figure it out!" Lena snapped as she dropped Ember and snatched Stormfang from the ground to block a Kull's axe. To a normal person, the blow would've shattered their arms. For her and her Beast Blood, it only made her strain a bit before her boot swung up to kick him right in the daddy bags. (A.N.-Guys, you know what I'm talking about.) The Kull's eyes widened in pain just before her blade took his head off. "I'd rather not fight the whole damn army!"
There was silence for a moment before Eragon called out, "The Varden are on the other side of the lake. We have to go through the waterfall!"
"Then make it quick! I'll hold them long enough for you to get through!" she shouted back as she unleashed a maelstrom of black-red flames to keep the Urgals back.
Ophelia, go with them. Stay close to Murtagh and make sure the Varden to try to use him as leverage! she called to her dragon, who nodded in response.
Don't die…please, the dragon whispered as the horses jumped through the waterfall. The Dragonborn nodded, knowing Ophelia would hear her affirmation.
Using Telekinesis, Lena blasted the Urgals back enough to retrieve her bow and make a run for the edge of the lake as she saw her dragon's tail disappear through the thundering water. With a war-cry, she leapt into the water.
The waterfall pushed against her, almost pinning her to the waterbed before she got her feet under her. She thanked Akatosh that her Water Breathing enchantment held as she looked around. She spotted Eragon a few meters ahead, struggling to reach the surface as the torrent of water pushed him down. Thanks to the weight of her armor, she was able to walk across the bottom of the lake and grab the boy by the arm even as a Dwemer reached him. The dwarf gasped, letting loose a mass of bubbles as he beheld her, the half-elf ignoring him as she grabbed the back of Eragon's tunic and nodded to the stocky man. The Dwarf nodded in return and swam back the way he came, Lena right behind as she pulled Eragon through the water.
The Dwarf gasped as his head broke the water and Lena came up with him, Eragon breathing heavily as his head exited the water. As he gasped for breath, the dwarf spoke in a gruff voice. "Akh Guntéraz dorzâda! What were you thinking? You could have drowned!"
Eragon jerked up as he heard the voice. Lena took that moment to examine the stocky being. He was as all dwarves were, short and stocky, with a long braided beard the color of tree bark. He wore a chain-mail jacket cut off at the shoulders to reveal muscular arms. A war axe hung from a wide leather belt strapped around his waist. An iron-bound oxhide cap, bearing the symbol of a hammer surrounded by twelve stars, sat firmly on his head. Even with the cap and heavy metal boots, he barely topped four feet tall, which nearly made Lena giggle.
"Barzul, but I wish I could join them!" he said, staring out of the cavern they stood in at the battle outside.
Eragon drew Zar'roc and looked around as she spotted the dragons further in the cave. Murtagh stood next to Ophelia, who was growling at a bald, beardless man dressed in purple and gold robes. The man looked decidedly unhappy with the black dragon. The man turned his attention to her and Eragon.
"Don't even think about using your magic. Else I will kill your dragons, and –" he was cut off as Lena's rage flared and he was yanked off his feet via telekinesis. He choked as her hand wrapped around his throat, her taloned gauntlet cutting into the flesh of his neck. The man struggled until he spotted the red glow of Lena's eyes.
"Threaten my dragon again, and I will kill you where you stand. Do I make myself clear?" she growled, eyes narrowing as he nodded quickly. With a scoff, she tossed him aside and made her way to Saphira, who had Arya strapped to her chest. They were safe from the Urgals, but they were trapped as well as the stone doors swung shut with barely a whisper. Lena sighed. Damn it.
A.N. Okay, so somebody asked me what Lena looked like. Put simply, she looks like Katie McGrath with a tan, pointed ears and gold-green eyes rather than just green.
And if you don't know who Katie McGrath is, watch Supergirl on CW or Merlin on BBC. She plays Lena Luthor in Supergirl and Morgana in Merlin.
Fus Ro Da: Unrelenting Force
Meyz ruz! Los daar pah hi piraak?!: Come then, is that all you possess!?
Las Yah Nir: Aura Whisper
Bo ruz, zu'u fent hi fin suleyk do fin Dovahkiin!: Come on, let me show you the strength of the Dragonborn!
Yol Toor Shul: Fire Breath