ONYX

She sat on the bench next to old-man-Brom-tree waiting for her Rider. She was confused why she had left in a weird device she didn't recognize. Old-man-Brom explained to her in simple terms. She had begun to understand some words and their meaning but it still frazzled her at times. She could feel the flames that had yet to exist stir in belly at time and she would try to let loose a jet of flame but none came. She sufficed with smoke and making smoke rings for her entertainment. She had learned some plants and words that day and now she just wanted to be with her Rider Arya. Arya had been the name of an Elven ambassador many years ago but she had fallen in war. She learned other things to that day, some which didn't mean anything to her or her training but to her Rider. She was forced to swear secrecy which puzzled her. She jumped off the bench when she saw the 4-wheel-car come over the hill. She set aside the thoughts and went to greet her Rider.

ARYA

I was barely out of the car when I heard Onyx's excited roars. She landed on my backpack kneading it with her paws. I laughed and Mrs. Donaldson did as well.

"You're lucky she likes you already." She admonished. I smiled and scratched my dragon's head when she made her way down my arm wrapped her tail around it to keep from falling.

"Should I put my stuff away and meet you down here?" I asked. She nodded.

"Yeah, your first bit of training will be swords." She replied. I dashed up the stairs noticing the extra discomfort because the added weight of my bag. I changed into comfortable jeans and a long sleeve shirt and went downstairs again with Onyx gliding next to me. I reached the bottom when a thick branch at least 3 feet long was thrown my way. I barely had enough time to catch it.

"Defend yourself!" Mrs. Donaldson barked.

"I don't know anything about swords!" I protested.

"Learn." Was her reply. I mirrored the stance she had and corrected whatever she told me to do.

"Bend your knees, pull your elbows in closer!" She demanded. Then lunged and touched my shoulder. I managed to get her on her knee at the end. Whether it was a fluke or not I didn't know. I took a swing for her shoulder but last minute changed my direction and went for the knee. She blocked it with a smile. I paused wondering if we were done but realizing it too late she soon had her weapon under my throat.

"Dead." She removed the fake weapon a moment later. "Keep it, we'll do this everyday from now on. You did well for someone who didn't know much. I see Marching Band has done well with upper body strength and a little lower body. You will gain muscle as time wears on." I bowed my head in response and put the stick in a shed that had various weapons and other things I assumed were for combat or practice. I saw a bow and a quiver of 2 dozen arrows which Mrs. Donaldson grabbed and led me to a target a few paces behind it.

"Shoot." She instructed handing me the bow. When I closed my hand around it I realized it wasn't one I was used to or had used. It seemed to hum with energy. It was smooth and a deep ebony. It looked old but no sign of wear and tear on the bow itself and the string. The wood seemed to fragile but when I gave a test tug on the string it barely budged. I knocked an arrow and pulled the string with all the strength I had and let it go. It missed the bulls eye by an inch which pleased my instructor.

"Do it again until you get at least 12 bulls eyes." She instructed and moved to a bench not far off and watched. I did as she told me to do. It didn't take me long because after each shot I learned more about the bow and adjusted to it. I went and grabbed the arrows and went back to Mrs. D. She nodded in approval.

"Good." She complimented. I bowed to her something I remembered Brom mentioning on his trip to visit my class. "You've done well. I hope you continue your ethic for the rest of your training."

"How long until I'm done?" I asked. She smiled.

"Not for a long while Hun, not for a long while." She replied. "Let's go see Brom and see what his plans are." We walked up to Brom's tree with Onyx on my shoulder. She sent me images of what she learned and use a few words as well. I sent her images of what I did when I returned since she had gone hunting. Onyx seemed proud of the rabbits she caught and I had to laugh at her excitement. Brom was vigourisly scratching words on parchment when we came in a covered it quickly. I narrowed my eyes at him and he shrugged. He and Mrs. D talked in the ancient language which irritated me.

"If I am going to be a Rider, I need to know what's going on in the realm of the Riders." I said cutting into their conversation. They both looked at me then at each other. Brom nodded.

"There's been sightings of a Shade, most believe he is working for the king." Brom explained. Onyx hissed flattening herself on the table as if she were going to attack.

"What's a Shade?" I asked

"A Shade is someone who allows dark spirits or unintentionally summons spirits stronger than what they can control and they take over their body. Their skin turns such a shade of white it looks transparent. Their eyes and hair are the color of blood. Not many escape alive after slaying one. It's a good omen if you do." Mrs. D explained.

"So you think, or the people who have seen this Shade, has sided with the king?"

"Yes." Brom replied.

"Will he come after me and Onyx?" I asked. The room went silent and I wondered if they would answer. Mrs. D had taken a seat and was studying the grain of the wooden table as if it were more interesting than the conversation. "Will he come for me or Onyx?"

"He may he may not. If he is working for the king he will. The king will want to try to make you join his side. He'll promise you power and parts of the lands to rule yourself but only to be fooled. He knows if you reach the wrong people, in case the Varden or elves you will be a threat." Brom replied.

"Who are the Varden?"

"The Freedom Fighters. People or crazy or mad enough to fight against the king. Most flea to Surda where that are an independent country with an unsteady treaty with the king." Mrs. D answered. "We hope you join the Varden, else we would have to leave you."

"I'll join them." I told them. Brom nodded seeming relieved. We sat there in silence for a moment.

"How big is the king's empire or kingdom?"

"It takes up most of Alagaesia except for," He started as he stood and rummaged around for something. He finally unrolled an old piece of parchment with the whole land of Alagaesia on it. "except for the Hadarac Desert and Surda. He has not found the elves but they rule their own forest so lets say he doesn't own Du Weldenvarden. Those are the three sections he cannot rule without overstretching his troops which I believe he is coming close to if he has not already. If he had a Rider under his command, he could expand his boundaries." He pointed to each of the places he mentioned. The desert with dunes of sand, Du Weldenvarden with acres of trees and Surda a small country on it's own.

"I won't join him." I said. Brom and Mrs. D looked at me.

"If he captures you, you may have no choice. You can only resist him for so long, he is the master of manipulation and mind control. He can and will make you do something won't or will not do freely. You must avoid capture." Brom said gently. I looked at him.

"I've lasted this long being verbally abused by my parents. I can go against a king for a few days." I said slowly. He and Mrs. D looked at each other, a joyous glint in their eyes.

"We have a fighter." She whispered. Brom nodded curtly and went on explaining some more things about the Empire and the king himself. His dragon had been killed and demanded another from the Elder council who denied him one. He stole a dragon from it's Rider, killed the Rider and twisted the dragon's mind. It was a 'twisted relationship from the moment the Rider was killed' Brom had said. When he had finished a long lecture about the king and Mrs. D had long ago left to go home we finally broke for dinner. I helped him whenever I could feeling guilty for him to do it himself.

"How will you and Mrs D break up my training?" I asked.

"She will train you where she can in arms, I will be more of a literary teacher and teach you about the races of Alagaesia and the land itself plus some strategy so you know what to do and when to do it so you make no foolish mistakes. Eragon, will train you in magic but only the basics. That harder stuff will be left for your teachers in the elven lands." He replied. I nodded.

"What are the elves like? Mrs. D acts more human and I understand why but what do they really act like? Are they as small as people think?" I asked.

"Fair Folk in Alagaesia, are tall, raven haired except a few, very strong and flexible as well as fast. They are rather a strange race, it is not uncommon for them to twist the truth or only tell you parts of it for you cannot lie in the ancient language. You shouldn't anger one because like the Riders, they can live for extended amounts of time and in a world when you need allies, it's dangerous." He replied taking out his pipe and lighting it. "The elves excel in a lot of things. Magic, armory, fighting. Even the weakest elf could defeat you in a duel. So be prepared to lose if you go against one. Both sexes are trained to fight and both go to war. They are not the females of our race who flea at danger unless they fight. In other words, they are magical beings whose blood flows with magic."

"How will Onyx affect me?" I questioned.

"Your appearance will change as well as strength, speed, some flexibility. Your ears will have a more apparent tip and your facial features will angle more." He replied. So much change was expected in my life.

'All will be well Little One.' Onyx told me. Her voice reverberated through my mind like a voice through an empty hallway.

After dinner after I had helped Brom put the dishes away after washing them I went back to my tree to study for my Interval Test in band. Onyx came and looked at my laptop screen to see what I was doing and asked questions in her broken speech.

'They seem difficult Little One.' She said.

'They are but once you understand and find ways to remember them it's easier.' I told her.

'Why must you learn these?' She asked.

'It will make me a better musician.' I replied with a smile. She snorted.

'If intervals will make you a better musician than following a rock lizard will make me a better dragon.' She quipped. I had to laugh at that and moments later she did. Her laugh always caught me off guard. It sounded like a broken growl.

That night before I went to bed Brom warned me to close the membranes on the tree because a storm was coming that night. I was worried how the tree would hold. I didn't know how long it had been house or it could withstand as a house. I closed them all and made sure the papers in the study were in drawers or held down by something. It held, though at times I thought it would snap at any moment. Onyx slept next to me, flicking her tail as if she was dreaming.

The walnut like object woke me again. I grudgingly got out of the bed and dressed while unhooking the membranes and checking for any damage which I was glad to see none. Even though they were thin, they did the job and held. Brom knocked at my door a while later.

"I talked to the school. As long as Onyx behaves, she will be welcome to be with and when she is bigger she'll be able to hang around the campus. As soon as she doesn't break it then she can stay, but if she breaks it then she may have to leave unless otherwise noted." He said. Onyx did a little flip in the air.

"How will I conceal her?" I asked.

"Why would you conceal her? You are the last Rider. Let the world know and be proud!" He replied.

"I don't want to attract unwanted attention."

"It's good that you are thinking about precautions but the king nor his minions would go after you when your dragon is young. He will wait until she can at least defend herself and they can justify she fought back." Brom advised. "He isn't that stupid and it will give him time to decide if you are a threat or not."

'Hear that? You're coming to school.' I asked my dragon. She licked my cheek with her barbed tongue.

"The Riders have indeed risen." I heard him say as he descended down the wooden steps.