Vampire Rider
Vampire Rider
Chapter three:
The Rider Revealed
Several weeks had gone by since Murtagh had found Shiri, and both he and Thorn trusted her completely by now. He wasn't entirely sure what she saw on Thorn's back leg, but he knew that he couldn't see it in the first place, and that they fascinated her, whatever they were. Thorn had gotten used to her walking around and around his body to try and find anything else that looked like whatever she saw on his leg.
And then, Murtagh's worst fear came true. Galbatorix demanded that Murtagh and Thorn come to the palace and prepare for another attack against the Varden.
Soyala had been in the Varden's camp for some weeks now. She had been learning a few tricks from Saphira a half foot smaller then her. It had surprised everyone at how quickly she had grown but she had shrugged it off since she didn't know herself.
Today she was stretching her limbs out while yawning since she had just gotten up. It was night now and most of the camp was asleep, if not the whole human part of it already was. Saphira was also up since it was only at night that they could do some training and have fun.
Tonight they were going to have a contest to see who can out fly the other, a race in air basically. Walking towards the edge of camp they both crouched down in the sands. On the count of three, Soyala said as Saphira nodded. One.
Two
Three! They both thought as they shot up into the air and raced towards the end; the scouting party's camp.
So far they were tied, but Saphira's size gave her the advantage and she pulled ahead. Saphira, wait! I see horses, and they're going towards the camp that we just left! Saphira stopped and turned around.
Sure enough, there were horses going towards the main camp. These horses were clearly Galbatorix's men that were looking for an ambush. We must wake the camp.
Murtagh found Shiri, staring out over the village below. "Hey? Are you coming with or what?" She turned and stood up at his question. "Where are we going?" She asked. Murtagh smiled at her and helped her up into Thorn's saddle. "You'll see." He said as Thorn rose. Shiri gasped, and held his one hand tightly.
"I just realized that I don't like heights." She squeaked. He smiled and leaned forward, sheltering her with his much warmer body. "Relax; I'll make sure you don't fall off." He said as they shot off towards the Varden's camp. "Just trust me."
Soyala and Saphira made a mad dash across the desert and towards the camp. For every wing beat that they made, the horses got half a mile closer. It didn't help either that they were closer to the camp then they were.
Saphira, you know as well as I do that we won't be able to make in time.
Yes, but we must try.
If we try to hard we will be too tired to fight. You are faster then I am so you will go warn everyone, I will try and hold them off. My fire breath has a farther reach then yours and if I go towards them for a few more seconds, they will be in range to die in a fire pit.
Saphira was a bit reluctant to go along with this plan but they both knew that this was their only option to save the people long enough for them to gather their weapons and charge into battle. How long can you hold them?
As long as you need Saphira, I'll hold them till you get within striking distance of their men.
With this, Soyala turned towards the men and started to get her fire ready.
Thorn looked at Murtagh as he talked with Shiri. A faint amusement crept across his head as he watched Murtagh. He had to admit, for someone who was older than him, Murtagh was blind. Thorn had already figured out that the girl was vampire because of her strange half smile.
"Come with me." Murtagh said suddenly extending his hand to Shiri. "I can convince Thorn to carry us both, and it will keep you safe from the king for a while at least." Shiri blinked as Thorn yelled at Murtagh in the confines of his mind. Are you insane? I can carry two people yes, but I'm not taking a girl to the battlefield! Especially when you keep thinking things like trying to hide her from the king! Thorn screamed at Murtagh. Please, Thorn, I'm asking you pleasantly, rather than telling you what to do. Thorn stared at his rider. You're not letting me out, are you?
No, not really. Thorn sighed and crouched down. Murtagh turned his attention back to Shiri. "Come on." He held out his hand. Hesitantly Shiri took it and Murtagh smiled as he helped her up onto Thorn's back. I foresee deadly consequences in this. Thorn grumped before he took off.
Soldiers screamed as fire hit them. Soyala had landed and was fighting off the first group of soldiers that were headed towards the Varden's camp. Their magicians soon found out that their water spells couldn't out the black fires. Soyala roared, as one of the soldier's swords pieced her right front leg. Pushing off the ground, she flapped her wings as she gathered her fire into her mouth. Bits of the flame appeared beside her mouth as she summoned up more and more of the fire. Opening her jaws, the fire shot out as she flew over the scouting party. Screams could be heard for miles, as the Varden approached the black flaming battlefield. The remainder of the scouting party soon fell to the Varden as Soyala landed.
Murtagh leaned in a little farther so that Shiri could reach behind him to retrieve the edge of his cloak that was caught on Thorn's spikes. He decided that she looked rather interesting when she blushed, mostly because her face seemed to get really pale before she actually blushed. Thorn was still fairly grumpy, but wasn't moody enough to try and assorted tricks out of pure desire to torment Shiri and Thorn.
As Shiri finally snagged the edge of the cape she straightened and pulled her arm in, letting Murtagh lean back. She held the edge of the cloak, unsure of what to do now. Murtagh smiled and pulled the cloak around her. Icy wind enveloped them both as Shiri went pale again.
They had been riding for nearly a day, and now dawn of the second day was creeping up on them again as Murtagh glanced at the smoke rising on the horizon. It took him a moment to realize what he was seeing as Shiri turned her head back towards the front. She looked at the smoke sadly and then shook her head, her expression sad but acceptation the facts she couldn't change.
"Come on, we'd better land, and fast. Something isn't right here." Murtagh said, for both Shiri and Thorn. Thorn didn't respond, but Shiri's hands grabbed the top edges of the saddle and held on tight as the dragon started his decent. They landed with a soft thud, and Murtagh looked around.
Murtagh looked around, and saw that some black flames still lingered and that most of the place was glass, black glass. "What magic did this?" He whispered out as he moved about slowly. Shiri was following Murtagh's example and looking around. Summoning up some water, Murtagh directed the spell towards the water and to his horror; the flames grew stronger and bigger. Shiri saw this as well while Thorn made his way over. Sniffing the fire he snorted. This isn't fire that comes from magic.
"What? Of course it's fire summoned by magic! Nothing else could have done this!" Shiri yelled as she pointed around the black glass battle field. Thorn shook his head. I smelled a dragon, a female dragon to be more accurate. These flames came from a dragon that is not Saphira. Murtagh glanced around and shook his head. "No dragon should have this kind of power, not even the King's dragon has this kind of power."
Shiri looked at the flames; she slid down and walked up to them. With a calm precision she stuck her hand into the flames to feel only icy dampness unlike any other. She pulled her hand out as Murtagh leapt forward with a strangled cry.
Her hand was unharmed and he stared at it. "I don't advise trying it, it still hurts." She looked around. "And I can safely tell you anyone touches by these flames on a large enough part of their body is dead. There isn't any hope for any of them."
Murtagh pulled her back up to the saddle, putting his cloak back around her. "How can you tell?" She turned her head. "The flames are cold. That kind of temperature for more than a few seconds will burst all the blood vessels in and around the flames. It's a painful thing I'd imagine."
Soyala flew into the air, but didn't charge into the battle. She was only there to make sure that neither Rider died, and with them their dragon. This was the first time she had seen two dragons fighting. Saphira and her had done a few mock fights, but just to teach Soyala what to do and what not to do when fighting another dragon. One thing that she had learned was the fact that size counted. Saphira had been able to subdue her a few times before she had started to use her own size against her. Both had found out that Soyala's body was more flexible and could twist and turn in ways that made it look as if she were missing a few bones.
Sniffing the air, she caught the scent of a female human and flew around the battling dragons to find the source.
Soyala saw Saphira dive at the red dragon-Thorn if she remembered his name- and Eragon shouted something in the ancient language. The other Rider yelled something and Thorn spun. The scent of the female spiraled in the air. Looking closely she could just make out a female on Thorn's back, holding Murtagh's other sword with a strangely gentle calm expression.
Eragon shouted in the ancient language, and missed the first few times. As Saphira dove by Thorn, Shiri took a swipe at the dragon's scaled hide, causing a faint gash on Saphira's side. Saphira twisted and Eragon shouted, and his spell hit Shiri. She slipped in the saddle, one hand catching the edge, the other loosing her strained hold on the leg buckle. Murtagh swore as he grabbed her arm. Thorn, can you get us some space?
I can try, but Saphira may be too close.
Soyala hovered in the air a half mile away from the battle. Thorn tried to do something that made it look as if he were trying to move away from Saphira, but Saphira closed that distance quickly and managed to get him to spin out of control and towards the ground.
She saw the female fall and the scent rushed at her. Turning her vision to far sight, she studied the female, and something clicked in her head. Her eyes widened as she roared. Alyia! She cried out as she flapped her wings and flew towards the falling figure. Thorn got control back, but he was too far away to catch the girl and Saphira was to high up to do much good.
Tucking her wings in, she allowed the momentum of her flight to carry her a bit further before her weight worked the air and made her fall towards the ground; and closer to the falling person.
Stretching all of her legs out, she flipped onto her back and caught the figure on her belly with her front legs making sure that she didn't fall. Allowing herself to fall further, she flipped backed again and spread her wings as she landed. Putting the girl back onto the sand she backed up a few steps for breathing room. Up in the skies, the dragons resumed their fighting.
Murtagh saw red as Shiri's somewhat startled body slid off of the saddle and into the dense black smoke. He swore and turned to face Eragon, already halfway onto Saphira's back. Eragon fought Murtagh off, barely managing to defend himself against Murtagh as Thorn flew underneath Saphira to attack. "Bastard!" Murtagh roared as Eragon managed to free himself from the straps.
Shiri stared at Soyala/Steph. The explanations made no sense to her, but she had figured out that Steph was technically alive, that she was probably dead, and that the glowing mark on her hand, plus the sudden half-inch increase in her height was probably due to the fact that she was not like the other Dragon Riders. She stared at Soyala/Steph.
"Well, my life just got a whole lot more interesting." Shiri said. If you think that's bad you should have seen the deer! By the way, why are you here, Alyia? Shiri frowned. "It's Shiri." She corrected absently as she stood up. "And I'm not real sure. I remember crying because you were dead, and that someone came up behind me, and then I fell." She thought this over. "Oh well. Are we going to stop the fight or what?" She asked turning her mood around. You can't fly. Soyala said. Shiri coughed slightly. "I know, but you can."
