Nearly a month after Eragon's departure from Algaesia, Saphira was still picking up signs of mourning from her two-legged friend. It had been hard, leaving Arya, Roran, and Algaesia behind, for the both of them. Not to mention Fírnen, who Saphira missed more than she had thought she would. Still, Eragon and Saphira had grown even closer, if that was at all possible.
Saphira, come look at this, Eragon told her. She swooped down from the sky and landed with a thud in a grassy clearing that Eragon was currently investigating. They'd come a far way from Algaesia and its river system, but they'd found a new one and were following its routes to see if they could find any promising land.
The river they had been following cut through the meadow and then plunged down a huge cliff into a gaping chasm in the earth. The meadow was twenty acres easily, if not more, and the chasm below was at least five miles long and two wide; there was no telling how deep. Most interesting of all, though, were the crystals along the edge of the chasm that shimmered with reflected sunlight.
"It's breath-taking, is it not?" Blödhgarm commented. He and the other elves that had decided to come with Eragon on his journey were busy setting up camp for the night. "I would sure like to live here. Well, honestly, I'd settle for anywhere permanent at this point." He laughed at his own joke.
The evening sun turned the river water red and the crystals in the chasm glinted like rubies. "I wonder what lurks down there," Eragon said. "Perhaps it's a resource that we can take advantage of."
A silver-haired elf peered over the edge of the cliff at the deep ravine. "Well, I'm not curious enough to go into something that deep and dark; I'd fear of never seeing the sun again!"
Eragon shrugged. "Perhaps that's so, but I'd like to get a closer look in the morning."
Blödhgarm grinned. "I'll come with you. Maybe there'll be something to eat down there." Despite the elf's predatory appearance, Blödhgarm and all the other elves were vegetarians, so they hadn't had much to eat since very early in the journey.
The Rider scoffed. "I doubt it, but I'd be glad for the company. Now, for dinner." Eragon unpacked the pan and some supplies from Saphira's rapidly emptying saddlebags and placed them by the campfire that one of the elves had started. He cracked one of the eggs over the pan and started to cook it over the warm flames.
Blödhgarm looked at the egg in mild repulsion. "I think I'll go gather something for the rest of us. You can enjoy that, Eragon."
Eragon looked up with a sheepish grin, shrugging as he flipped the egg over to see if it was done. Of course it wasn't; he should have known this by now.
The blue elf turned and started to walk towards the grove of small trees further upriver, presumably for any sort of food. Most of the elves followed, but a few stayed behind to keep watch.
Eragon, do you think that we should make a permanent settlement here? It would be an ideal place: lots of water, safety from the cliff, and plenty of farmland. Saphira settled down closer to the fire and stretched her long neck out to get a better look at the area around them.
The great blue dragon got a wave of insecurity from the Rider. I don't know. Something seems… off, Eragon replied. We'll know for sure in the morning when we investigate further.
A long while later, Blödhgarm and his patrol returned with a variety of roots and herbs to boil over the fire. Saphira had to admit that it smelled delicious, but she knew her senses betrayed her and that it was just plants. Night fell over the land like a blanket, and soon the party was asleep.
The next morning, dew was soaking through the bedroll and even the protection and insulation that Saphira's wings created could not stop Eragon from shivering. He quickly changed into some dry but travel-worn clothing and peeled himself out from his blankets.
A few of the elves were already up, and Eragon nodded to them in greeting as he went about waking himself up. The fire had died down to embers and then gotten soaked by the rain last night, so Eragon had to start a new fire to warm up the camp.
Saphira yawned, creating a mild wind storm. Are you ready to go yet? I could use a good flight, she told Eragon.
Let me get something to eat first, the Rider responded. He quickly shoveled some of last night's soup into his mouth and started to put on Saphira's saddle. After only a moment, the dragon was prepared for flight and Eragon clambered onto her back. "Are you coming, Blödhgarm?"
The elf nodded, and he climbed up Saphira's tail to join Eragon on her saddle.
Saphira stretched her back like a cat, and then she flapped her wings once or twice. Are you prepared? she asked. The Rider nodded, and Saphira took off into the morning sky.
They circled overhead for awhile, and then the dragon turned to go further downstream into the chasm. Saphira dove sharply into the pit, and the force of it pulled Eragon's cheeks back.
The waterfall from the river was still cascading downwards; Saphira followed its descent, and still they couldn't see the bottom. The crystals all around were fading out of vision as the sunlight was left behind.
Then, the crystals reappeared and they could see light coming from below them. There was a large lake of water at the bottom, and the crystals hung down from the top of the cavern like giant fangs. Saphira landed at the edge of the lake, near the place where light was coming through. It feels like sunlight, Eragon, the dragon said.
Eragon nodded. "Blödhgarm, what do you think? Saphira says that it is sunlight, but that could not possibly be the case; we are too far underground."
Blödhgarm cocked his head to listen. His brow furrowed in confusion. "It is warm, but that defies logic, does it not? Unless it's lava."
"Aye; we should probably see where it's coming from," Eragon said.
They dismounted and walked along the bottom of the cavern to the source of the light. Saphira had been right; it was sunlight, shining over a range of snow-white mountains.
Blödhgarm breathed out heavily. "Where in the world are we?"