Chapter 4 already? Okay, here it is. =]

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours before the rain showed any sign of letting up. It is just light enough now. We should go before it gets any worse, Saphira thought quietly. Eragon took the cape from his saddle and pulled it over his shoulders. He hoisted himself onto Saphira's back and took off quickly.

"Maybe if we can get above the storm clouds!" Eragon shouted over the weather. Saphira shook her head, and Eragon could sense her distaste, but she was gaining altitude rapidly. As they neared the storm clouds, the air got thicker and wetter. Saphira fought her way through them, and just as Eragon thought they were going to go on forever, he was blinded by golden light.

Above the rain and wind, the sky looked normal. The clouds were like white mountains surrounding them, and the sun was bright. By its position in the sky, Eragon could tell that it was late afternoon, but creeping into the evening quickly.

They flew along slowly, listening to the thunder below them. Saphira spotted a break in the heavy clouds, and tucked her wings in close to her and dove through it, just as it was closing. They were immediately consumed by rain and wind; the storm had fallen into a steady beat of rainfall. It wasn't heavy enough to keep them from flying, but Eragon's vision was limited to just in front of them. He once again used Saphira's vision to see, and what he found terrified him.

There was a shape off in the distance. It was something large, and it clung to the side of a mountain. Without the element's torrent, it was a mass of red with an elongated body and wings. Eragon knew exactly what it was; he just didn't want to admit to himself.

Saphira slowed and halted in the air, staring in the direction of the other dragon. It was nowhere near them, but it seemed to freeze as well, waiting for something to happen. Eragon narrowed his eyes against the storm to try and see his opponent clearly. What do you want to do, Eragon? Saphira asked him slowly.

Do we even have a choice? He asked her. She shook her head solemnly. Then we fight! His voice had taken on a new vigor, and Saphira snarled and showed her sharp, deadly teeth. Then she opened her mouth and let loose a magnificent roar. Her mouth was set into a permanent snarl as she started forward towards the other dragon. It jumped off the rock and into the air, freefalling into the canyon until it was fifty feet below Saphira and Eragon.

Saphira pinned her wings in and dove at the other dragon. Eragon was close enough now to see details; like the other creatures disturbingly crimson scales. Saphira did not let up on her dive, and the other dragon made no move to dodge it. Instead, it turned up to face her bearing its teeth as well. They collided with so much force that Eragon was nearly thrown from Saphira's back, and into the constantly growing river in the canyon.

The two beasts sparred with each other; bashing with their armored tails, clawing, and trying to bite each other fiercely. Eragon noticed that the other dragon had a spiked club on its tail, and made a note to keep clear. Eragon unsheathed Zar'roc, and jabbed it at the other dragon. But he was too far away to make contact, so he waited, watching helplessly as Saphira battle the red dragon. She clawed at its belly ferociously, and her teeth finally found their mark on the other dragon's shoulder. She pierced his armor with ease, digging in with terrible force and thrashing her head.

The other dragon screeched in pain and anger. He narrowed his eyes and dove into her neck with his own bite. Saphira let go, and it was the other dragon's turn to thrash its head. Eragon felt a wave of nausea, before Saphira put up the mental block, trying to keep Eragon from feeling her pain.

During this horrible display, they all never noticed that they had begun to fall. The two dragons were still connected, fighting their hardest, and they along with their riders were plummeting down to the river. They broke apart, but not before it was too late to pull up and continue their flight. The other dragon hit the ground heavily, its rider thrown into the river. Saphira crashed close by, and had Eragon held to her chest, covering him with her wings as the impact of the ground shook them.

Saphira rolled onto her stomach, and pushed herself up feebly. She nudged Eragon with her nose, helping him up. She let her wings fall at her sides, resting on the ground, for she didn't want to waste her energy. Eragon, who was leaning on Saphira's shoulder, wiped the rain and blood from his eyes. He looked up at Saphira's neck; blood seeped from the hemisphere of puncture wounds and stained her armor. It ran all the way down her shoulder and leg, until it mixed with the rain water in the grass.

The other dragon jumped to its feet, blood running down its shoulder as well. It ignored the wound. The dark blood blended in with the dragon's scales almost perfectly. The bigger dragon snarled at Eragon and Saphira; then limped over to the river and stuck its nose in the water. When he came back up, he held his rider's collar delicately between his teeth.

Eragon gasped and staggered backward. He stared in shock and horror at the girl that the big red dragon had pulled from the water. Before he fell backwards, Saphira was behind him, and instead he fell onto her shoulder. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head, then looked back at the other rider. Sure enough, it was Aries.

The big red dragon laid her down gently in front of him. She had scrapes all over her face, just as Eragon did. He didn't know how long she had been under water, but she was unconscious. Eragon pushed away from Saphira and started to run towards her. Saphira blocked his path with her head, and he nearly ran into her. Eragon! Her voice was pleading and tired.

She needs help! I can't just let her die! He told her, shoving past her. She didn't try to stop him, only followed as close as she dared. Just as Eragon was about to drop to his knees next to Aries, her dragon put his head low over her body protectively. He snarled at Eragon and snapped his teeth.

You're pathetic! He heard a deep, angry voice say. She is your enemy! What kind of Dragon Rider are you? Eragon then realized that the voice belonged to Aries' dragon. He stayed in his position, protecting her.

Eragon stopped. He took a few small steps backward. The dragon had a point. What was he doing? Aries betrayed him, and the rest of his people. She sided with the terrible king; and had tried to kill him. If he were smart, he would slay her and her dragon with Zar'roc, then go home to tend to his and Saphira's wounds.

But he obviously wasn't smart. He didn't want to kill her, especially now. Then the voice returned. We were sent to either recruit or kill you. He said that you wouldn't want to come back with us, but we didn't rule out the possibility. But now—he paused, and blew dark smoke from his nostrils into Eragon's face—I don't think that He will want you around. You're a spineless coward is what you are. No good warrior wishes well to his enemies. I will not let her die, but you shouldn't come near her. it only drives my point further.

Eragon, who had froze staring at the creature standing over Aries, was now filled with hot anger. His skin boiled with it, and he clenched and unclenched his fists in an attempt to keep calm. No one had ever insulted him like this.

The big dragon growled and continued his speech, obviously pleased with the result he was getting. I think, for the sake of the Empire, I'll kill you my—he stopped midsentence.

"Enough, Asmyin. Having the courage and nobility to care for one's enemies shouldn't be frowned upon." Neither Eragon, nor Asmyin, had noticed that Aries had woken up. They both looked down. She was sitting cross-legged under Asmyin's nose.

"How much did you hear?" Eragon asked, suddenly embarrassed. He was glad his face was red with anger still, so she wouldn't see him blush.

"I heard enough. And I'm glad you have a big enough heart to try and help me." She stood up, walked out from under Asmyin, and unsheathed her sword. "But I don't."

Eragon looked wildly around for Zar'roc. It was in the mud near Saphira. He muttered a spell in the ancient language that brought it to his hand quickly. He felt slightly dizzy for a split second, but it passed and he readied himself for a battle. He started walking to the right; circling. Aries followed his movements with her catlike green eyes. When Eragon had first seen her, she had been just a beautiful girl, with a lot hidden beneath the surface. Now what was hidden was showing itself as she circled him, a dark crimson sword pointed straight at his heart. Her feral, heartless expression crushed him to pieces.

Pull yourself together, Eragon! She won't go easy on you. Saphira warned him. Both she and Asmyin stayed back; they knew it wasn't their fight. Eragon was the first to strike. He brought Zar'roc above his head and put all his strength behind it, bringing it down with a heart-wrenching cry. Aries blocked it expertly with her own sword, holding it horizontally above her head with both hands on the grip.

She pushed his sword aside, letting it fall. Before Eragon could regain control of the blade, Aries drove hers at his thigh. It made contact, making a sharp noise as it smashed his armor. She pulled it back, holding it defensively, waiting for an attack. Eragon ignored his throbbing leg and went for Aries' side. She blocked it and aimed for another blow. Eragon blocked that, and then neither of them made a good hit for quite some time.

Before long, Eragon and Aries were practically cut to ribbons. Where there wasn't cut, it was most likely bruised. The crippling blow for Eragon, though, came after nearly an hour of sparring. Both Eragon and Aries were tiring, but Eragon was held down by his emotional shock and grief. Aries found an opening, and struck his thigh again. But this time, she put all of her force behind it, and muttered something in the ancient language.

Pain surged through Eragon's leg and coursed through his body like fire. His legs buckled and he fell to the ground. Aries' lip curled back in a sneer as she stood over him. The sword was still in her hand, but she didn't lift it. She didn't make any movement to finish him off as he writhed in burning pain on the muddy ground.

Eragon stared up at her helplessly, waiting to die. But instead, Aries sheathed her sword, and her eyes softened. "I hate this," she muttered. She looked back at Asmyin; he was scowling at Saphira. Then she looked down at Eragon. "I'm going to leave you here for someone else to find. I'll tell my father that I left you for dead, though his disappointment that I don't enjoy suffering will be evident. You must not be seen by the Empire for a while, but I don't think you will be doing anything but healing."

"So… you're not going to kill me?" Eragon asked cautiously, biting his lip. Aries stared at him pitifully, pain in her eyes, and she shook her head slowly.

This is madness! Asmyin grumbled, but didn't move a muscle. Aries walked over to him and jumped into the saddle. "I shouldn't see you again, Eragon Shade-Slayer, but that doesn't mean I won't." She called back to him as Asmyin left the ground easily—despite his wound—and carried her away. Through the fog of fatigue and pain, Eragon sensed that there was more to her words.

Saphira wasted no time rushing over to Eragon. I told you, she started angrily, I told you! She was all wrong when we first saw her! When she saw Eragon, though, her voice softened. But you were blinded by emotion, and couldn't see or think clearly. Come, little one, let's get you home.

Eragon didn't answer her with words, but sent her his gratitude. She lifted him carefully by his clothing and placed him in the saddle, and he mustered the strength to tie the straps so that he wouldn't fall off. Saphira took off towards home, making the flight as bearable as possible for Eragon, who was fading in and out of consciousness. He barely remembers getting back to the Varden. He vaguely remembers Tarrow meeting them on the ledge and getting Eragon to his bed.

R&R?