Strength of A Dragon's Heart

The cloaked stranger smiled warmly revealing herself. Aeri saw it was a nymph from the Varden. She seemed friendly. Hainana wondered why the Varden had sent her to help.

"They wanted somebody to help the new Dragon Rider learn how to use her powers, to be able to stop the new threat that might hurt the kingdom. My name is Amel." she told them.

Aeri was curious as she saw Amel stroke Hainana but he was a little hostile. He didn't know how to trust anybody except for his mother Seraphia and Aeri.

"Don't worry I won't hurt you.

I promise." Amel told him.

"I want to but the only one I trust is Aeri. She's not like other humans who'd want me gone or want my magic just like the sorceroress who wants my mother's magic to take over the kingdom.

I'm not so sure." he told Aeri. She understood as she stroked him.

"Don't worry we can trust her.

She reminds me of Brom, the one who taught my Dad how to be a Dragon Rider.

I just feel it." she whispered in his ear.

"Okay I will trust her..... for you Aeri." he replied seeing her smile.

It made him feel good seeing her happy. But he noticed the nymph staring at him.

"You two must bond, join your hearts together and your magic and you shall be stronger enough to stop whoever has taken your parents. They were a powerful team and brought Galbortix down before but this new foe seems more powerful." she told them.

Hainana looked nervous at the nymph's words. He'd never tried joining his heart before with anybody and he was a little nervous.

"Aeri are you sure you want to do this?

I know we will be powerful if we don't bond our hearts together.

But it's your choice.

You are my Rider after all." he told her.

Aeri then closed her eyes and focused on being with Hainana but then the nymph saw her go into a trance.....

She was in the deeper, darker parts of the forest and felt dark magic come from a cave as she went into it and heard weak roars. She could tell it was Seraphia, Hainana's mother but she gasped seeing her father Eragon. He was very pale and weak.

"Please..... Aeri..... help us." he said weakly.

"H-How can I help?

I may be a Dragon Rider but I'm still learning from Amel a nymph from the Varden." she asked him scared but trying not to show it.

"By becoming as powerful a Rider as I was when I was your age.

Go now.

I am proud of you Aeri." he said as everything faded.....

Hainana saw her eyes open with great sadness in them and wondered what was wrong.

"It's nothing.

Please don't worry about me." she told him softly.

"But Aeri I'm your dragon and I care about you.

Please I can sense something is wrong from within your heart." he told her. Aeri had no choice but to tell him what she'd seen in the vision.

"Okay I'll tell you. While trying to join my heart with yours, I had a vision where I went into this cave and our parents were there in cages but weak, very weak.

My father said he wants us to help him and Hainana's Mom by being a powerful Dragon Rider like he was when he was my age and told me to leave." she explained softly.

Hainana's eyes were wide after hearing that.

"No wonder I felt sadness from her heart. But how can we help our parents if we don't know how to be powerful or join together?" he thought but Amel had heard his thought.

"Don't worry you will learn as Eragon learned from my Uncle Brom. He taught him to be powerful and to protect the kingdom he cares about.

Joining together is called Dragonis Heart. It's where Rider and Dragon make a powerful bond through their hearts once they trust each other and themselves. The reason it's a little hard is because Hainana has fears about trust but we will help.

Without Dragonis Heart working, the new threat will be too strong and you will perish." she explained as they made camp for the night.

"Aeri..... I'm sorry Dragonis Heart won't work because I'm afraid to trust but I'll do anything to protect you." he told her.

"It's okay Hainana I know you'll try hard.

I believe in you." Aeri replied to him as she heard something growl as a Razoc appeared lunging at her as it's claws hurt her.

Hainana growled as he took care of it by breathing ice and encasing it but smashed it into pieces.

He saw Aeri grit her teeth in pain.

"Aeri are you okay?

I'm sorry I failed to protect you." he said with crystal tears in his eyes.

"It's okay Hai.

It was an accident.

How were you to know that thing would attack us?" she replied as Amel used her magic to cure the wound the Razoc had given her. She noticed Hainana was quiet as they ate and looked pretty sad as Aeri fell asleep.

"You're scared about what happened, aren't you?" she asked.

He nodded sadly.

"Don't worry Aeri knows it wasn't your fault.

But maybe you should learn Dragonis Heart." she replied to him as he closed his eyes and focused on Aeri and protecting her no matter what. Suddenly he was engulfed in light but was worried.......

"Don't be afraid Hainana.

Come to me." a gentle sounding voice told her as he went further into the light.....