I am warning you right now:
There are MAJOR spoilers ahead.
So, please beware and don't say I didn't warn you!
Rhys POV
I had no idea what the suff that filled this 'well' could be. It looked like water, but felt like nothing I had ever imagined water could feel like.
And then - pop! We came out.
It seemed as if I had been pushed, because I landed on the floor of the cave. This place was bigger than the one back home had been, and the stone was darker. White crystal formations grew out of the walls, floor, and ceiling.
Jay landed beside me, then Eragon fell to the ground.
"Onyx?" I wondered, "Are you here?"
"Yes..." My sister's quiet voice answered.
I pushed myself up off the floor. Onyx was standing on the other side of the well, where a gargantuan crystal stood. Inside of it, a dark shape...Like someone - or something - had been trapped.
"Onyx?"
"Sis, what are you doing?"
Looked like the boys were up and observing the situation. But she ignored them.
"Mani...Did we do the right thing? What will happen now?"
"Onyx...First of the four...You have brought the power together..." A voice said, coming from the crystal. "Place your hand upon this prison, and I will be freed. But beware of the power about to be released.
I could see something in my sister's eyes. Like she couldn't leave this alone, no matter what was really going through her mind.
Onyx placed her hand upon the crystal.
In the same moment, it shattered, bits going everywhere, and a loud roar echoed from outside the cave.
Onyx POV
The flash and blast that came from the exploding crystalseemed to snap me out of the trance-like state I had been in since coming back through.
Onyx! Are you okay? What were you thinking, going in there like that? My dragon's voice roare in my mind, very angry.
Vrangr, I'm sorry...But look. Just...Wow...
Standing among small shards of glittering white crystal was Mani. She looked to be about twenty-five. Her smooth black hair reached almost down to the sone floor, accenting her pale skin. She was looking at the floor, as if she could not beleive that she had been freed.
And, I noticed, hardly spread out behind the woman, were beautiful, frosty white wings. Just like mine except fot the color.
Mani looked up slowly. I stared for a moment before snapping out of it. An ugly scar stretched from the top of her right eye to the botttom of her left ear. What wound could leave that kind of mark, even with healing, must have caused much pain. But her sky blue eyes still glittered with satisfaction.
"You...You have done well to release me and complete your task, Dreamer." She said to me, snd then to the others, "Come forward. What I have to say now is for all of you to hear. And I mean all six."
I looked back to the dark stone wall with it's small opening, where Saphira and Vrangr waited. But it wasn't there. "That wasn't actually real. what you thought to be a wall was actually a physical manifestation of a mental barrier. Come, dragons Saphira and Vrangr. You would whant to know just who your Riders are."
Careful with this. I don't really trust her. Vrangr said, slowly creeping forward. The cave was actually bigger than I had assumed, both of the dragons were able to easily fit inside.
Eragon, Rhys, and Jay stepped up so that they stood in the same line as I did. I took Eragon's hand, to reassure him as well as myself, because I had no idea what Mani was going to do next.
"I shall start this story at the beginning...When the first four came...It was me, Adurna, Deloi, and Kuithan.(Alert alert! Future spoiler!) We were born at a time...thousands of years ago. When the Grey Folk still dominated this land and magic was in the mind. There were two worlds then, as there has always been. One for Order, and the other for Chaos. Kuithan came from the world of order, where instead of progress, magic caused meyhem.
"Back then, there were four holes in the barrier between the two dimmensions. Magic leaked from this, the Chaotic world, to the Ordered world. A precious few from that place, Kuithan included, were able to accept the things that made our race powerful. The others were fearful. On a simple trip to visit Deloi's family in the next village over, we discovered the way to the world of order. Upon our arrival, we fond that the magic from our world had caused so much distruction, almost everything had been wiped out. Nobody there knew how to control it, and so distruction had come to those who tried to wield the power. All, except Kuithan. For some reason, he knew. He had an exceptional understanding of those around him.
"So the three of us, along with Kuithan, tried to travel that world and salvage what civilization was possible. Ancient civilizations that you learn about today, such as the Maya, are examples of our sucess. But eventually Adurna felt, from past experiences, that if we did not find a way to slow the release of magic into the world of order, our efforts would be meaningless. Deloi agreed, because he knew that all over people were still misusing what magic they could.
"It was then that the four of us returned to the Chaotic world in search of a way to bind the magic. But that world had fallen into despair while we were gone. Almost everything was dead. But Kuithan managed to capture the attention of those left behind. They agreed to assist us if we would help them. So, every remaining Grey focused their power onto a spell. That spell would bind the Ancient Language to our magic, and as a result, restrict the magic from going into the other world because it was not known there.
"But there were bad sides to the spell. The other Grey Folk were drained of their ability and links with the world. And also, each of the entrances between the worlds needed a guardian. So we separated, watching, trying to make things better. My power was anchored here, my very self seeped into the cave. We could not leave, or the spell would be broken and the worlds would revert to the way they used to be. Over time, I and the others became sealed in our respective places. We could not move or communicate. But that wasn't the end of our legacy. Every two thousand years or so, a flaw in the spell either allows this world's magic to become a little to concentrated, and someone abuses that power. This time it has been Galbatorix that discovered the dark magic. Nothing has been as bad as him. But in between, the energy will leak through to the other world, causing natural disasters and war and famine. The Order starts to dissapate.
"Each time, my power, Adurna's power, and Deloi's power manifests in three from the safe world. Kuithan's ability chooses one from the unsafe world. The three usually have some sort of link, be it blood or friendship. But then one, always the one that carries my abilities, ventures into the world in need of assistance. They help, and eventually bring over the other two. That is when the final events begin to unfold.
"And that is what has happened here. You four are the newest manifestations of our power. The Grey Folk were more linked with the land than any other race. Some were like me and you, Onyx, those of the sky. All of them had wings. Others were like Rhys, masters of the sea. And then more were like Jay, linked with the earth and plants. And Eragon, your power is perhaps the most formidabble of them all. You are one of the spirits. You can heal, and understand, and have a link with the main races of the Chaotic world.
"Jay, you are the Earth. You stand for patience and the present, knowing what is going on in any place with nature, anywhere. You will also discover that the rocks, soil, and plants will conform to your wishes with practice. Your power comes from Deloi.
"Rhys, you are the Sea. You stand for faith and the past, remembering what has happened and being able to sense what a person has done. In time, you will come to know the true extent of your ability with water. Your power comes from Adurna.
"Onyx, you are the Sky. You stand for possibilities and the furure, seeing what is to be through dreams and watching the world above. You have already experimented with your power to control storms and other weather patterns. I am the source of your power. You were able to bond with Vrangr because she brought you closer to the sky.
"Eragon, you are the Spirits of those who have gone before and those who still walk the earth. You stand for the heart and mind, and your healing ability will and does surpass that of any other spellcaster. It is only you that had a connection with all the other races and the ability to being them together. Your bond with Saphira is your link to another race.
"Together, all of you have your own power, and ours as well as ours if the situation requires. Your destiny is to save this world. Each one continues to fall, because nothing can stay good forever.
"But you cannot do this without first letting each of us go and letting your true powers be released. If it is not done, you cannot help in the way everyone needs you to do. But your true powers will change your body, make you more like us. Any abilities discovered along the way may slightly change, too. Grey Folk are primary powers, and we are the last.
"So now I must ask. Onyx, will you accept your destiny and let yourself become what it was meant to be?
The story had amazed me. I'd had no idea what could have happened, and even with these explanations I felt more...whole. Like the need to know what I was had finally been satisfied.
Vrangr...
It's okay. I know. The agreement from my dragon was all I needed to hear.
"Yes, Mani. I am ready."
The woman nodded slowly. "Then, show me your mark."
I used to have the standard Gedwey Ignasia on my right palm, but during the Ageati Blodhren, it had become a detailed silver comet spiraling from the top of my forearm and ending on my palm. Most of the time I had it covered with a simple fingerless black glove that Oromis had said came from here.
"Onyx Rider," She spoke in the Ancient Language, "You bear my mark, and carry my sword and glove. You see things that no others do in your dreams, and dominate the sky with your wings. You were born to humans in the world of Order, and yet the power chose you. You have started to become one of the last living Grey Folk. Your powers will change, and your body will change. Both forever. Are you willing to become the sky?"
"I am."
Mani held her hand out to me. I took it with my marked one, and then it began.
Like at the Ageati Blodhren, silver-blue fire arched down my arm. But this time, it burned. I wanted to pull away, but was locked in the position. Mani's eyes burned into mine.
The fire started burning my wings, and I had to let them out. It felt like my body was being turned to ash. I couldn't concentrate on anything but the fire.
My eyes shut tight. This couldn't last much longer...Make it stop, make it stop!
And then, it did.
What...
"I have done what I can. It is impossible for me to leave this cave, so you all must venture out. Speak nothing of your true powers, though you may tell the truth of your change in appearance. Now go. It is up to the four of you to win this war. Where you must go will become clearer eventually...Leave...Go..." The last words came in a whisper.
I backed away a few steps before turning to the others.
Their eyes widened in shock.
Just what had Mani done?
Another long chapter!
I wrote most of this in one day.
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