BEST OC Maker: Hey guys, first off I'd like to say that the Prophecy of 4 wasn't mistranslated by Angela, the Riders call it Prophecy of 8 because for them, the rider's dragons thought that it should count in the name of the prophecy. Also Alex isn't part of this prophecy, she has another big role to play, enjoy the chapter!
PS: I'm considering make a chapter centered around the dragons on the near future, tell me what you guys think about that in the comments
Artur was too surprised and confused to move, thankfully Aedan was nearby.
"Skulblaka rïsa(Rise dragon)!" The older rider made his dragon float inches above Artur's head, finally the teen and his dragon rushed to Aedan's side, Midnight then was gently put down on the pavement. Wings spread open and his feet scattered around him, his large black head laid on the ground the only movement coming from him were his chest rising and falling from his breathing.
"Midnight will be fine, physically at least, his pride however," Aedan shook his head at the blacked out dragon before getting his sword out, a large one hand sword that was purely black, however like Midnight's scales, the black color seemed to reflect sunlight slightly, a black gem, an opal to be exact was on the sword's hilt, the sword's name was written on the blade with small marking in the Ancient Language, Sverd Sundavar(Shadow Sword). Artur immediately decided he wanted lighter versions of the Rider's sword, two of those to be exact.
Around them townsfolk ran in panic, Chetowä was now riding Aiedail and trying to make them evacuate, meanwhile the nidwhäl kept his fearsome rampage.
"Alright any bright ideas?" Artur asked Aedan. The sea serpent kept destroying the port while Aiedail tried to stop him with her blasts of fire, Chetowä's mouth was a blur as she used all sorts of magical attacks on the beast, air blades, waves, fire, even a lightning bolt or two. However nothing seemed to stop the ancient beast.
"Nidwhäl are supposed to live far in the ocean, mostly on the way to Dras' Shur'tugalar(City of the Dragon Riders), and there's one living in the ocean between Vroengard and Teirm, I think that's him, the same Eragon-Elda and Sapphira BrightScales met once, my best guess for the reason he emerged was because that ship entered his territory, but now he sank it, I'm not sure why he keeps on attacking now though," Aedan frowned, Midnight was slowly awakening with a throbbing headache.
'Such destruction, yep the Nidwhäl are certainly related to the dragons,' Arucane commented whit a hint of pride, and a tiny, nearly unnoticed spark of fear. Artur was never one to fear living creatures, once his father took him to hunt in the Spines and he was attacked by a huge bear, however he didn't feel fear then, another time during the Games he saw some Kull, however all he felt for them was curiosity and amazement, when he was younger he was afraid of the Ra'Zac, they were his boogeyman, however he stopped fearing them a long time ago. Heck even that weird not-sure-what that attacked him, Alex and their dragons back in New Carvahall didn't scare him, however the Nidwhäl had a different effect, it's only emotion was hunger, to eat the weak and run from the strong, never before he saw such horrible beast with such simple yet feral instincts.
The Nidwhäl unleashed another loud roar/hiss before managing to bite Aiedail's tail, the she-dragon roared in pain as she unleashed a searing blast of fire at the Nidwhäl, the sea serpent wasn't accustomed to fire so he flinched and hissed before releasing her. Due to dwelling on the dark and cold depths the beast wasn't used to be set on fire, nobody is actually now that I think about it.
'How dead are we?' Arucane muttered sarcastically, Artur ignored the fiery dragon's sarcasm before getting his two swords out, not that they would be much useful against the fearsome beast before him but at least it was better than panicking and running away.
'My head..' Midnight spoke in their minds, his head throbbing as he stood up in the stony ground, his eyes blinking as he tried to shake the headache away. Aedan tightened his grip on his sword and frowned. Then an arrow zoomed past them and hit the Nidwhäl's eye, the beast roared in pain, the riders and dragons turned to see Alex, Nuanen standing besides her looking at the Nidwhäl.
"So, what in the Hadrac Desert is that?" Alex asked seeing the Nidwhäl, Arucane just used his mind to send the information Chetowä had given him and his rider to her, Artur wasn't very skilled with mind tricks besides talking to Arucane so he just let the dragon do it. Alex's eyes widened at the information entered hers and Nuanen's brain.
'That thing is so not related to me,' Nuanen stated firmly, looking disgusted at the sea serpent. Arucane snorted in amusement at her reaction.
"Where's Gwen and her dragon?" Aedan asked Alex, the red haired girl was too busy looking at the Nidwhäl to listen, so Aedan asked again before she heard it.
"Back in the citadel with Lord Risthart, her uncle," Alex replied, Aedan nodded with relief before turning to the Nidwhäl and the ruined port. There were no more civilians in the area, unless you count the cat sprinting away as he looked at the area.
'I checked already Aedan, there are no more civilians around,' Midnight told his rider, Aedan nodded before jumping on his dragon.
"The one time I forget to bring the saddle..." Aedan crushed as he sat on the dragon's back, careful to avoid the spikes. Midnight snorted annoyed and turned his large neck to the younger riders and dragons.
'Get back to the citadel, tell Lord Risthart to bring more archers, we need to send this beast away,' Midnight ordered, spreading his wings already, the dark membranes stretching before he gave a powerful flap of his wings.
"Why not just kill it?" Alex wondered, Nuanen released a low growl of annoyance when she stepped on a puddle of whine that was a leaking from a nearby barrel.
'The Nidwhäl are few and far between, it would be wrong to kill them,' Arucane scanned the memories Chetowä gave them before answering, Artur frowned, never before he felt so useless then now. As they made their way towards the citadel suddenly a bunch of thugs surrounded them, the older ones seemed to lack certain body parts and were dressed in black. However that's not what Artur frowned at, but at their leader.
Ugly certainly defined the creature, with smooth black beetle like shell and hunching over, the creature was mostlty covered however Artur caught a glimpse of menacing eyes staring through the hood, the creature also had two short and sharp blades coming out of his wrists.
"What's that thing?" Alex questioned out loud, Artur tightened his grip on his swords, he heard the story of how his father and uncle teaming up to save his mother enough times to know that the creature before him was the same that killed both of his grandfathers, the same that came after Sapphira and the same that were worshiped and dwelled in HellGrind, he was face to face with his childhood boogeyman, a living and breathing Ra'Zac.
"Ra'Zac," Artur spat the word like an insult, Arucane almost immediately got a stream of memories from Artur concerning his uncle and father and their clashes against the Eaters of Men.
'Well, he's ugly alright, I've seen beetles who looked prettier,' Nuanen decided as Arucane sent the memories to her, Alex had little knowledge about the creatures besides the fact they played a large role in Carvahall's destruction.
'You've only seen a few at my house,' Alex pointed out, Nuanen snorted like she didn't care.
"Let's just agree he's the ugliest thing we've ever seen," Artur decided as the thugs began to edge closer, Artur deduced they were Priests of HellGrind, which meant they really hated Dragon Riders, Queen Nasuada and the other rulers had banished their vile religion from their queen/kingdoms quickly enough.
"Kill one pair, keep the other alive, but let them suffer as much as possible," The Ra'Zac hissed, the soldiers drew out their scimitars, daggers and short swords. Alex got an arrow from her quiver, Nuanen growled, despite being small she could still fight, Artur got in battle stance, Arucane didn't bother to get ready, he just released a swift blast of fire and set the Ra'Zac's clothes on fire.
"No! What sorcery..." The Ra'Zac hissed however, he seemed to have been carrying some sort of highly explosive oil because what was only a burning ugly as heck beetle became a blasted beetle, the black-robbed priests were blinded and those near the Eater of Flesh were sent flying back.
'Snalglí Togira(Crippled Giant Snail),' Arucane used the insult in the Ancient Language that Aedan had thought him, and Chetowä scolded him because of that later. The remaining priests looked intimidated by Arucane, who decided to play bad cop and had smoke freely coming out of his nostrils.
'I'am Arucane! The Living Inferno! Those who mess with me shall suffer from awesome explosions!" Arucane announced while firing a plume of flames out of his mouth, the show scared the priests into running away with their pants smoking.
'Suckers,' Arucane sneered, Nuanen rolled her eyes.
'Show off,' The black she-dragon's words passed through their heads, Arucane smugly smirked at her, his flame colored scales gleaming on the sunlight, smoke ceased leaving his nostrils.
'Jealous of my firepower? Just wait 6 more months and you will have a bit,' Arucane snickered, no doubt the infant dragons would keep on arguing, however an angry roar coming from the docks reminded them of their goal. As they returned to running towards the citadel they saw Teirm's military already marching forwards, it wasn't anything empire sized, but still plenty of soldiers.
"Riders? What are you doing here?" The captain, a man who had a large black beard going covering his entire neck and wearing an eyepatch over his left eye, his body was rippling with muscles and he carried a large two-hand sword on his right hand.
"Aedan sent us requesting more archers, that Nidwhäl doesn't enjoy having his eyes stabbed," Alex told them, Mr. Eyepatch nodded and barked some orders. Quickly multiple archers split from the ranks and went to position themselves on the rooftops near the docks.
"Return to the citadel kids, under attack or not thieves would love to rob inexperienced Riders," Mr. Eyepatch warned them before barking orders for the soldiers keep on moving. As they neared the citadel they saw saw Gwen arguing with an older woman that as Arucane would describe, looked like a chameleon vulture being observed by a very drunk and high on drugs person.
"I'm a Rider now mom! You can't make me give it all up!" Gwen shouted at the older woman, who wore extravagant and overly exaggerated clothes worse than that creepy lady from Hunger Games, wait no this one was somehow worse. The silver hatchling cowered behind Gwen.
"Riders are the reason we are so poor! We used to be on the greatest nobles in Teirm when Galbatorix ruled, now thanks to your dear riders we are nobles only in the name," The noblewoman growled, Gwen stood her ground glaring angrily at the woman.
"So that's why you want me to marry some stupid noble kid?! I'm not your money insurance!" Gwen exclaimed angrily, the silver dragon trembled in fear of the older woman's stare. Gwen was shaking as well, but not in fear, just good old raw anger. Artur thought that maybe they should avoid the wrath of the two females, however it seemed Arucane had a death wish. The black dragon went to the nearest tree and grabbed a leaf, he carefully set it on fire before blowing it towards the older woman, immediately the ugly clothes began to smolder before sparks slowly began to appear.
'Really?' Nuanen asked her fellow dragon who just snickered, as Gwen and her mother kept arguing the only one besides Artur, Alex and their dragons that noticed the fire was the silver hatchling, her moony eyes looking at the smoke.
It took 5 hole minutes until Gwen's mother realized her dress had caught on fire, quickly the woman jumped on the nearest source of water, one of those wooden things horses drank water on. Seconds later Midnight's dark shadow passed over her, followed by Aiedail's as the dragons landed. The noblewoman vanished into one of the manors with a scorned look on her face.
"We drove it away, the Nidwhäl will think twice before attacking Teirm again," Aedan smiled, only then Gwen realized Artur and Alex were there all along. She frowned slightly at them for a second before turning to Aedan.
"We will continue as scheduled however, we will be heading for Dras Leona tomorrow," Chetowä reminded them and turned to Gwen.
"You have the rest of the day to pack and get ready for the journey tomorrow, say bye to family and those dear to you, I'm afraid you won't see them in a while," Chetowä told her, Gwen gave a curt nod and frowned at the word family. Artur and Alex returned to their quarters after that.
I'm his quarter Artur was mulling over everything Chetowä had thought him about Nidwhäls, Arucane was doing the exact same thing while laying on the window like a lazy cat, Artur was on his bed just laying there in deep thought.
'Kings of the Deep,' Arucane's mental voice broke the silent between them, well kind of since technically he didn't speak and... Oh you got my point.
"You figured out what that part of the prophecy means?" Artur turned to the dragon, who was now looking outside, the townsfolk were finally leaving their homes and some workers were already fixing the port.
'Nidwhäls are the most powerful beings in the ocean, so doesn't it make sense they're the Kings of the Deep?' Arucane pointed out, as the sun sunk into dusk the light reflected by Arucane's scales resembled a dying flame. Artur once again realized just how amazing dragons were.
'Damn right we are,' Arucane snorted, literally reading Artur's thoughts. Artur frowned at Arucane's theory, it made a LOT of sense now that he thought about it.
"What about that Ra'Zac? Do you think he could be related to that Nidwhäl? Aedan did say he was acting strange," Artur made the connection, Arucane snorted.
'Maybe, doesn't matter much know, I blew him up and it was awesome! Did you see those limb-missing idiots running away with burning britches, it was so funny!' Arucane laughed, Artur couldn't help but smile as well. His first meeting with a Ra'Zac, his childhood's self worst nightmare, and the accursed man eater exploded. The duo them returned to trying to process everything Chetowä had taught them about Nidwhäls in those select few seconds.
Gwen was mad, that's a fact, earlier that day she acted calm, but she was scared that the young male rider she had robbed would have reported her and bust her one chance to be a rider, Gwen thought back on what happened that day...
Gwen couldn't believe she had just robbed a Dragon Rider, after he left her alone she went to an alley on the outskirts of the city, Teirm didn't have the gigantic amount poverty and corruption that Dras Leona used to have, however there were beggars, Gwen gave them the crowns she had acquired to some friendly beggars and poor friends of hers before making her way home.
Gwen lived on a 2 stories tall mansion, however the large house that was once one of the most beautiful houses of Teirm now seemed like a shadow of it's former glory, just like the Auditore Family. Gwen was born 6 years after the war so she never knew the pampering her older sister and brother had gotten.
Gwen never met her father who died fighting for Galbatorix and she hated her mother, who hoped to make her marry some young and rich nobleman so the family could be wealthy again since her sister was already married and widowed, her husband had been rich when they married but the fall of the Broddring Empire made him as poor as her own family. Gwen rarely saw her brother, who had a very strained relationship with her mother since they never got along. So Gwen was pretty much her mother's only hope to become rich again.
Unlucky for her Gwen was her total opposite, major tomboy who hated dresses more than anything in the world, she had no patience for courting and was always off into some adventure, all she ever wanted was to be a Dragon Rider, ever since she was saved by the mysterious man with the blood red sword and the large crimson dragon, the rider only gave her his title, the Red Rider. However if there was something her mother blamed for their current state, was the Dragon Riders.
When she arrived at home that day she saw a rich nobleman named Nicholas Kellynor and his son, Jameson Kellynor leaving the house, Jameson had a smug looked and winked at her as she passed by him, she gave him a fearsome death glare. Gwen frowned when she began to guess why would they be on her house, her mother's proud and joyful expression when she entered the house made her even more apprehensive.
"Why was Kellynor and that idiot son of his here mom?" Gwen questioned, she said the word 'mom' like one would curse their worst enemy. The older woman gave her an evil smile.
"Now now dear, that is no way to treat your future husband," The woman told her, saying the word 'dear' just like Gwen said the word 'mom', Gwen cursed loud and clear at that information, her mother frowned.
"Watch your done, we just signed it, your marriage is in a month," Mrs. Auditore told her, Gwen cursed loudly again, now she knew that she had to get a dragon that day or she would never have another chance.
Gwen wasn't crazy clothes like her mother, however she still had to wear an accursed dress and barely escaped from wearing high heels, she just wanted to go already. As the sun went higher in the sky the edgy family made their way to the festival, despite her mother hating everything related to dragons and their riders, that commemoration was important that every person in Teirm come, Gwen saw some of her friends in the audience, pick-pocketing some arrogant nobles.
"Gwen Auditore," The elven rider called, her mother was going to stop her, however just as she had planned with her friends earlier that day, one of them sneaked behind her slammed the pommel of a dagger on one of her mother's temples, knocking her out, then he brought her out of the audience who was already looking at Gwen touching the eggs.
Gwen walked up the wagon and saw the rider she had pick-pocketed earlier looking at her, his dragon as well, eyes glinting proudly, she held his gaze for a second before advancing to the wagon.
After she touched the first two eggs, she was starting to lose hope, however then she saw the dark silver egg. Gwen heard about a strange ore that attracted metals, a magnet, however she never saw one. Now she felt like a bolt near a magnet, that egg was calling to her. Gwen touched it and then cracks began to appear on the gem like object, she smiled, she watched as the egg hatched and the small silver dragon emerged, and walked towards her, Gwen watched as the little dragon put her head into her palm. The feeling of cold was immense, however Gwen managed to take a deep breath and stay standing as the crowd cheered, more for the hatching then for a new rider, they all knew how happy her mother would be.
However at that moment Gwen was too busy admiring her dragon and her Gëdway Ignasia to worry about anything else, she was a Dragon Rider, she was free.
After the ceremony was over Gwen was the only one to become a Rider, the elven woman went towards her, the large amethyst dragon walked after her, the younger riders seemed rather bored now. The other riders joined them.
"Tomorrow we will be leaving, out next stop is Dras Leona and then Ilirea were we can meet the new riders of the other races and Queen Nasuada herself," Chetowä informed them, the male rider with the black dragon turned to the other riders.
"We will wrap things up here, you two can go back to the citadel," Aedan told them, the teen she had robbed seemed displeased, his dragon seemed equally mad, however they didn't argue as they headed back in the large building.
After that Chetowä made some questions to her about her health and feelings about dragons, Gwen answered with quick and simple questions, the silver dragon was trying to play with Aiedail, who just snorted amused.
'Chetowä! Nidwhäl at the docks! Hurry!' The male rider shouted in their heads, Gwen held her head for a moment, confused at the word Nidwhäl. Chetowä however just had a worried expression, Aiedail stood up and nudged the younger dragon towards Gwen.
"Get in the citadel, we will return briefly," Chetowä warned her as she moved with one quick motion and jumped on Aiedail's back, the amethyst dragon spread her wings and flew into the air with the might of a grown dragon, flying towards the docks.
With her newly gained status of a Dragon Rider, getting in the citadel was easy, she picked the guest bedroom that supposedly was where Chetowä should be, however it seemed the elven woman didn't even enter the bedroom, which was clean and untouched.
Gwen fell on the bed and began laughing of relief, she wouldn't be some money-gainer for her mother of the mother of Jameson's little brats, Dragon Riders had more freedom than any other high ranking being, even Kings and queens, bounded only by their laws and their duties.
The silver dragon looked confused at her before nestling herself on the window, her silver scales gleaming on the sunlight, she heard rushed footsteps outside but she ignored them. Gwen fell asleep soon after.
About an hour or so Gwen woke up with a startle, she was being dragged out of the citadel, her newly bonded dragon following her captor confused, it took a few seconds until she realized that the captor was her mother.
Quickly she slammed her elbow on the woman's back, she rolled in the ground before standing up with a scowl, her mother scowled as well. Both females glared at each other so angrily that sparks began to appear between them, they were right outside the empty citadel.
"You are coming home, and getting rid of that thing," Mrs. Auditore growled and spat at the silver hatchling. Gwen looked just as outraged. As they argued angrily and didn't notice Artur and Alex arriving, only after 5 minutes her mother's 'dress' caught on fire and she began running, Gwen turned confused to Arucane, who had a smug look on his reptilian face, and well the rest is history(story actually but you get the point). Gwen just hoped that as Dragon Rider, she would never have to see her mother and the Kellynor ever again.
Author Notes:
BEST OC Maker: I'm trying to improve my writing, this chapter was pretty much my try at that, tell me if you guys preferred it in the comments, also next chapter you guys will meet another rider of the Prophecy, as always read, REVIEW because that's what gives me the will to write and Stay Sharp!