I do not own the Inheritance Cycle or any of the characters.

Wasted Work

Eragon opened his eyes and saw that Arya was sitting on a log by the fire, barely awake. He got up and helped her lay down. Then he sat against Saphira.

"How're the wings?" Eragon asked.

"Finally healed," Saphira said extending them and sighing in relief.

Eragon nodded and they waited patiently for Arya to wake up. When she was awake, she looked around.

"Saphira's healed," Eragon said. "She can fly us back now."

"It'll take two days," Saphira said. "But I can do it."

Arya nodded, relieved, and Eragon climbed onto Saphira then helped Arya up. Saphira stretched her wings then leapt into the air and began to fly east. As they flew, Arya and Eragon both enjoyed the feeling of flying. Eragon could feel the feeling of pure joy at being able to fly again coming from Saphira. After about eighteen straight hours, Eragon could feel Saphira getting tired and was about to tell her to land when a roar sounded above them.

Saphira and Eragon both knew it was Murtagh without having to look, and Saphira spun and flipped to fly toward them. Eragon and Arya both drew their swords, and as they past Murtagh, they swung at him. Eragon managed to slash his thigh and Arya cut the strap of his saddle causing him to fall but Thorn caught him. As Thorn passed over them, he swung his tail and smashed Arya in the head. Arya flew away from them as fast as if she had been launched by an explosion. Saphira roared angrily and Eragon leapt off of Saphira after Arya before she could get too far away. He caught her, and just before they crashed to the ground, Saphira caught them with her forefoot then carefully landed.

"Arya!" Eragon said.

He healed her and she groaned then opened her eyes and they widened. Eragon was about to say something when she began to scream and hit him.

"Let me go!" Arya screamed.

"Arya!" Eragon said. "Calm down!"

She didn't calm down at all, if anything, she got more desperate. She began to hit him with anything and everything she could reach including a rock. luckily she hadn't noticed the swords.

Eragon sighed and, in the ancient language, said, "Please calm down Arya. I mean you no harm. Please!"

She continued to hit him for a moment but they had suddenly lessened in strength then she stopped.

"Who are you?" Arya asked in the Ancient Language.

"Eragon," Eragon said. "I am the last Dragon Rider aside from Galbatorix and my half-brother Murtagh, who serves Galbatorix. Please, try to remember."

Arya tried but suddenly her head hurt and she couldn't recall any memory at all with much clarity. She groaned as her head began to hurt and Eragon's heart fell.

"Please allow me to attempt to fix your memories," Eragon said. "I promise I will not cause you any harm."

"Okay," Arya said.

Eragon entered her mind and froze. The room of mirrors was completely destroyed. The walls were crumbling between rooms and pieces of mirror containing memories of Eragon were spread throughout all of the rooms. Eragon took a step forward and accidentally stepped on a mirror shard. It glowed then faded and several other pieces did the same. A few mirrors repaired themselves. Arya could remember who she was, that she was friends with Eragon, and who all of the other elves she knew were and what their fates were. Aside from that, the other mirrors were so completely destroyed that Eragon would need a century straight to simply get one percent of them back in order. He hoped Blodhgarm would be able to help but for the moment, he had done everything he could.

He withdrew then, in the Ancient Language, said, "I have repaired your memories once before not long ago. The damage then was extensive but compared to this, your memories then were arranged in neat piles. I don't think the damage can be fixed anymore than I already have this time. Blodhgarm may be able to help but I can't."

Arya nodded and they climbed back onto Saphira. Saphira continued and after a few more hours, they could see the Varden marching forward at a snail's pace. Saphira landed in front of the army and they all stopped. Eragon got down then he and Arya made their way to Nasuada and Islanzadi. They knelt then Eragon stood and made the hardest report of his life.

THE END

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