Well work has officially picked up steam to the point of insanity. That said its a good kind of insanity where I'm doing things I want to be doing. AGAIN! GO VOTE! ALWAYS VOTE!
Now onwards...
Couple of things - First off there is now an encyclopedia with basics covering the Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Urgals. Please go look at this encyclopedia if you wish to have a visual idea of the world/need to know any original or book content. Book content is bold and original content is not. Secondly there will be things in the encyclopedia that are original and that WON'T be explained in the chapters so if anything confuses you, please go there. The same goes for my profile where there is a character/voice list. Thirdly I will be adding a dictionary as well for the original content so no more end notes. Fourthly and Finally please know that next week's update will be late. I am going to Nevada for a work trip for 5-6 days and won't have time to go over the chapter as much as I would like to before posting. Therefore I will be posting probably Monday (March 7th). I know this is late, but it's the best I can do.
Responses:
catherine10 - I'm glad you're enjoying!
Naerys Targaryen - I am thrilled you're enjoying this. Yeah the Depth Reaches are one of my favorite creations and I look forward to exploring them for a bit. However the surface world will be seen again soon.
Mad Hatter - I understand what you're saying. The thing is that in the books Eragon and Saphira were turned into warriors. They have trained to be survivors in TtE. The difference here is that the strength they possessed in the books hasn't developed yet, but cunning and guile has. On top of that they have required unique skills that, while dangerous, will be useful in the future. I promise Eragon won't be so wimpy and that his hulk moment is coming soon. Thank you for the critique. Keep it coming!
P.S. this chapter is short and is part 1 of the seventh chapter, but it's primarily to set the stage for the second part as well as introduce a new location and new characters.
'If fate,' thought Eragon as his head throbbed painfully, 'could please be so kind as to stop knocking me out I'd be forever thankful. At this rate one of Angela's slaps and I'll be drooling permanently for the rest of my life.' He slowly opened his eyes. He had lain awake for an unknown amount of time. He had had trouble remembering the events until he finally recalled being knocked unconscious by the shocks of a great black net. He was surprised then to find himself propped against the side of the ship they had all seen, bound in black rope that tightened anytime he moved significantly.
He looked about, eyes narrowed. The roof of the cabin had purple erisdar, flameless lanterns, in the shape of skulls of some creature he couldn't place. His pack lay a good distance away as did his weapons. He inched upward slightly and the ropes tightened. He groaned in frustration. 'If only I could,'
'I wouldn't do that if I were you,' sounded a deep and majestic voice in his mind. He whipped his head so fast the ropes tightened again. A great white sabretooth cat stalked towards him, red eyes alight. 'Here,' it said as it came to him. It made an odd gurgling sound with its nose and mouth, breathing on him. The ropes lessened, but didn't fall. 'Now you won't end up strangling yourself by struggling though you cannot escape. Do not attempt that by the way. I'd be honor bound to stop you.' The cat then curled up on the deck, lay his head down, and inspected him. Eragon threw up mental shields, focusing on memories of Saphira. The cat seemed amused and grinned.
'A brave attempt, young Rider, but I do not seek entrance to your mind. I merely find myself bored.' Eragon looked at him; for he was indeed a male by tell of his voice, with incredulity.
'Since you seem intent on being rude, which is surprising for the witch would have taught you manners I thought, knowing her, but alas…I shall start.' He pulled his head up and bowed it. 'I am the weresabre Huulthraem, Master of Ages, last scion and Elder of the Snowmane Tribe, and chief adviser, majordomo, to The Night Queen.' He looked at Eragon and waited. After a while he said with amusement, 'The proper thing to do is to say hello and introduce yourself back.' Eragon jerked slightly as if startled.
"Umm," he was cut off with a hiss.
'Think your answers lest the queen hear us, she is inside looking over matters of state that sorely need attention since she's been gone.'
'I do not give my name to my enemies willingly.' Eragon closed off his mind again. Huulthraem rolled his eyes.
'It will be discovered before long, Rider, for the Night Queen is not to be denied. Fortunately for you I am still inclined to help. She won't listen to me and…" He trailed off, clearly exasperated and annoyed with this so-called Night Queen. He shook his great head and turned back. 'In a few hours' time, for the spells on this ship ensorcell it with great speed, we will be at the capital of the Shadow Elves. This great settlement, Neth'Anyar, is well hidden and well-guarded. It was crafted from the remains of a cul'gata, a settlement, that by your hearts quickening reaction I know you know what it is. It has been expanded from its original form and shape and is now the greatest of homes of The Night Queen's people. Your companions are ill-equipped to find it. Conversing with me and understanding what I have to say will go a long way in ensuring your safety.'
Huulthraem then curled up, closing his eyes, content to ignore Eragon it seemed. The rider retreated deep within himself. He immediately thought of his companions. Saphira's reaction would be to struggle till free and then devour her enemies. He smiled lightly, but knew that wouldn't be possible. He then thought of the others and came to a conclusion.
'Okay…what would Murtagh and Angela do…Murtagh would strategize and Angela would tell me to breathe." Eragon did just that, closing his eyes, and envisioned the world around him. He tried to reach out to the world with his mind but felt his way blocked. 'Magic,' he thought grimly. He breathed again, and as he did he flashbacked to a sparring session with Murtagh…
Eragon groaned as he was knocked flat on his back again. Murtagh stood above him, breathing heavily, not exactly unharmed himself. "Again," he said. He stalked away as Eragon slowly got up from the dirt and retrieved the two newly made falchions. A rather nasty fight with a wolf that had left him battered and bruised, with three claw marks on his upper left arm for a permanent reminder, had necessitated the switch. Angela had introduced him to a fighting style she told him was name Gur'khagan. She had then revealed her huthvir, a weapon that dwarf priests used, and taught Eragon the way of Durgrimst Quan, the dwarven religious clan.
The northern woods and high mountains weren't suited to open arms combat. It required stealth and dexterity. On top of that greater constitution was needed to handle the larger foes as Murtagh now demonstrated. He inspected the falchions. At first they seemed to be large skinning knives, the handles made of large walrus tusks that served as pommel, grip, and the end guard carved of well treated cast iron. The blades shimmered, the water rippled steel perfect for taking blows. However Murtagh still bested him in an open field. Eragon stood his own with a regular sword and Murtagh routinely couldn't best him, but neither could he best Murtagh. However now…He groaned again. "This is pointless," he called out. Murtagh laughed.
"You're not looking at the field. I watched your sessions. Gur'khagan and the Way of the Quan should've provided you at least a crucial lesson in knowing what you're looking at." He marched forward, gripping Eragon by the shoulders. "Look at the world around you. Tornac taught me that my first lessons in Uru'baen. It is ever more important now that you learn a new style. I already know how to fight in close quarters, but you being a rider means you must know more. On top of that remember what Angela said."
Eragon sighed, but recited her words. "The King already knows the fighting styles you employ, but by learning mine you may trip him up just yet." Murtagh nodded and told him to take his stance again.
Eragon pulled back from the memory and breathed deeply as he calmed himself like Angela would. 'Look at the world around me,' so he did. He was in uncharted territory, literally, and his mind was blocked. Trying magic wasn't possible and an escape attempt would be dangerous as the weresabre had mentioned he'd stop him. On top of that there was an elf, and an alleged queen at that, so escape was absolutely out of the question. On top of that he had no weapons and was physically bound. He could attempt to break the bonds, but he didn't know his captors strength or power. He imagined it was formidable considering they had captured him. He breathed again coming to a decision.
'Evan, my name is Evan.' He directed the thought to the weresabre who flicked an ear, not waking, but responded.
'You lie.' Eragon was taken aback, throwing up mental shields. The weresabre shifted, stretching and yawning, revealing just how long his fangs were. Eragon's forearm was about two inches shorter than them. He gulped.
'She taught you to observe though…good, then I may speak with you.' The weresabre padded forward and sat directly in front of him. 'You are in grave danger.'
'Tell me something I don't know,' Eragon bit back. The weresabre cuffed him in the head with his massive paw.
'Don't be glib with your elders,' Huulthraem growled out. 'The Queen doesn't care what happens to you, but she is not the one who wishes to bring you harm...at least not much as her foe. To her you are a means for an end, as is her rule over the Sundavr Alfakyn, the Shadow Elves, but she is therefore not without reason. Reigning and ruling take a specific kind of temperament. However a great revenge burns inside of her Rider, revenge greater than anything I have ever seen, and for that she is prone to foolishness.' He looked at the cabin as Eragon thought. Finally after a time he decided to venture.
'Where are we currently and where is this great city you mention?' At that the weresabre seemed delighted and launched forward with information.
'We are sailing on the main body of The Ganga River and yes it really named Go in the Ancient Language. As to where the city is hidden…' he trailed off and projected images of the river sailing a few more leagues, then veering off to a tributary slightly to the right, and ending at a massive plateau with a single pathway leading inwards form the shore.
'The name of the cul'gata that it was built from is long lost, but this area of the Depth Reaches has always been known as Masram'mele. It comes from two words that mean, roughly, a physical state, a country of sorts, and merry. So essentially we're in happy land.' Huulthraem seemed incredibly amused by this and made noises to that effect. Eragon felt that this place was anything but happy. However he decided to press ahead with his plan of gaining as much information as possible.
'I thought all elves lives in Du Weldenvarden,' and at that statement Huulthraem seemed to take on the countenance of a man standing beside a deathbed.
The weresabre sighed, 'no, no young Rider, tis not the case. It is a tragic tale, one I witnessed, but I suppose without it I wouldn't have had so many interesting adventures at my advanced age…" Huulthraem curled up. 'Long ago, only a century or so after the elves arrived from Alalea, a young explorer discovered an entrance to the Depth Reaches. The entrance lay underneath a settlement that became the city then called Illirea and now Uru'baen. The elf in question became obsessed with exploring the reaches below and many agreed. However the elves blood ran hot then. They encountered a vicious species in these lands, beings akin to spiders, and entered into a violent series of skirmishes. These creatures, the Voranarch as they are called, broke the surface once in retaliation. They slaughtered half the elves in Illirea.' Eragon sat, white in the face, with shock but wanting to know more.
'The Elven Lords and Ladies as well as Arseathehl, the King at the time, blamed the elves who wished to explore for making such an enemy appear. I disagree with their reasoning, but alas. The arguments quickly grew so fierce that threats and bloodshed were inevitable. The fear was understandable in a certain context or the elves still remembered the grave mistake that had forced them to sail east to the land above us.'
'So the elves who were explorers, a small group in comparison to the millions of Alfakyn at the time, permanently split and disappeared beneath the earth. The elves of the surface soon, within the centuries, forgot of their lost brethren and assumed them dead. They sealed any entrance to the Depth Reaches they could find. Since they were more akin to your species then they had short memories and soon forgot of their lost brethren. Those who came down here began to live of their own accord and developed their own culture. That is how they arose, the Sundavr Alfakyn, the Shadow Elves.'
After that Eragon began asking question after question. Huulthraem seemed pleasantly amused at this and was glad to answer as many questions as possible, such as the species that built the waystation.
'They were called the Asdhur, but only one remains of their race. I know her and she is unnaturally powerful as well as old as I am. Were she to die all pure bloods of their race would be gone. As it is it matters little. They will never rise again.'
Eragon continued to ask about them, but Huulthraem refused to reveal much of their history close to and surrounding the time of their fall. Eragon asked more of the Shadow Elves and of their Night Queen. Huulthraem revealed much of their history and how they differed, such as using stone and roots instead of wood to build the majority of their structures, to their struggles against the Voranarch. 'The Shadow Elves consider this their home now, just as much as the Voranarch, so they fight with ferocity. However their lack of unification up until two years ago was a constant problem. Politics is so incredibly trying between them.' This was another topic he wouldn't discuss in detail. Eragon surmised that the Night Queen was a recent addition. On and on they went, Huulthraem being quite forthcoming.
'You're much more talkative than the werecat the Night Queen harmed.' Bitterness crept into his voice. Huulthraem expressed his exasperation.
'Again, I am not allowed to speak of what she wishes only that you are in danger, but not from her. That said I am truly sorry for hurting your dragon and for Her Majesty's actions. As for my inclination to speak…I am old and have experienced great loneliness and sorrow. The years have taught me that you don't need to speak long with great words, but you should speak with those it matters to converse with. It keeps the madness at bay. Besides, good manners and decent conversation is what anyone needs.'
And so they talked and talked, the Ganga River being cut through at the ship sailed along at a breakneck pace. 'If she is a queen why does she travel alone and in such a plain vessel,' asked Eragon as he looked about. Huulthraem hummed.
'Because she is an excellent hunter. She could not traipse around with her guard and hope to take you, no. Not even I was supposed to come, but I felt it best. As for this vessel you are correct. This is a basic elven clipper, though smaller than the surface versions. The royal galleon is fiercer and far deadlier.'
Before Eragon could inquire again about another topic the doors to the cabin flew open. Out stepped the Night Queen, as Eragon had been told she was called, and looked upon them both with contempt.
She wore a viridian cloak, her black hair with the single silvery streak visible under her hood in the violet light of the erisdar. Tawny, but ashen, skin seemed to be as tight as a drum on her lithe frame. She marched forward with liquid grace. Her greaved boots, gauntlets, bracers, vambraces, and pauldrons all seemed to be made of bone. Eragon made out twisted designs that were revealed to be thorny vines entwined with skeletal animals. Her pauldrons were carved in the shape of stag skulls, including the horns which gave her an even fiercer appearance. Her sleek black leather pants and corset were tight, matching hide stitching visible up the sides. Floating around her were three flaming werelights, all a fel green color.
"Enough education," she bit out. Eragon's hair stood on end at her echoing voice. "We arrive soon and I have much to ask our guest." She removed her gauntlet, revealing her sharp matte black claw-like nails. She launched forward with unnatural speed, her palm coming flat against his forehead, and he cried out in pain as a mental probe, colder than ice, began to dig its way in. He immediately pushed back with such force he knew she was surprised. Her visage tightened and her eyes seemed to glow. "Submit," she whispered and began her attack anew.
An hour later the Night Queen was clearly exasperated. Eragon felt somewhat vindicated as sweat poured down his back. Angela was absolutely beyond skilled in other things besides potion making and fortune telling. One of them happened to be fighting with her mind. She was a master mental combat tactician. Eragon had spent hours fighting her mind, Murtagh's, Saphira's, and even Solembum's at times. 'I may not be able to control my fear or my memories, but I can ensure my mind is guarded,' he thought viciously as he took one of her mental tendrils and curled it in on itself.
Huulthraem observed with both exasperation, interest, and no small amount of amusement. 'The child is strong, yet you won't submit.' His liege lord flicked his mind away and he grumbled, laying his head on his paws, eyes flickering back and forth, as he watched the struggle. During a lull he finally found his chance. He sprang up and roared, launching his own mental wave, 'enough!' They both blanched. Eragon looked at him while the queen merely stared at Eragon with anger.
'The child is strong in his own mind when it comes to defending it. You have to meet with the council as soon as you return. You cannot keep them waiting. If you harm yourself doing this, causing a delay, or refuse to stop you could very well cause rumblings about your rule. Think, Your Majesty, think! You may be young in the surface race years, but you have always been wise. Do not abandon wisdom now!' The elf woman seemed to be ready to lash out but, as if water had washed over a shore, her face iced over. She became blank. Her eyes closed and she breathed a few times before opening them and walking to the bow. Huulthraem followed her. Eragon took this time to breathe heavily and calm his mind. The mental combat was trying and causing his memories to leap forward and his fear to build.
He continued to focus on Angela's lessons though as a distraction and as a method to help him perform, but he was weakening. Any more prolonged combat and he'd be forced to give up. Just as he prepared to focus on a singular memory of flying with Saphira in the southern most reaches of the northern Spine a large nose nudged against his arm.
He opened his eyes and Huulthraem stared back. 'She will stop…for now.' He then turned and went through the open cabin doors. 'We are almost at Neth'Anyar, rest now rider. I fear you will need even greater strength than already demonstrated.' Eragon was dismayed at the statement, but took the weresabre's advice and retreated deep within his mind, allowing his fear and memories to wash over him. One by one he began reciting a small mantra to himself.
'I am fearful, but I will overcome. I am fearful, but I will overcome'
Eragon awoke as two hands pulled him up, a blindfold going around his eyes. He felt the presence of Huulthraem in his mind. 'Just do as they command. Do not attempt to struggle.' With that Eragon went lax, letting the two pair of hands guide him to what was clearly a gangway and off the boat. His feet met pebbles and he listened around as the sound echoed off cavernous walls.
Eragon had been ensorcelled asleep. He had recognized the word, but knew that attempting to fight it would do more harm than good. Besides, he could use the rest. Before long though he was awakened. He was in an oval cage being carried by two guards. The only visible parts of them were their snow white skin on their upper arms, their fingers which ended in claw like nails, and the skin around their purple eyes. They were completely ensconced in gray hide wrappings and dark purple cloaks.
An elf woman, shrouded by a black cowl, pulled away from his cage. Eragon imagined she was the one who woke him. He was no longer bound by the black rope, but by hard stone shackles. He wondered how they were made for they seemed unnaturally well carved, almost as if molded like clay. He closed his eyes and attempted to sense the world around him. Small green crystals glowed around him, four set into the roof of his cage, blocking him. His face set in a scowl.
Then he noticed the cage wasn't made from wood, stone, or metal, but from…brambles. Thick vines, a dull muddy brown-gray, with thorns the sizes of his fingers were netted around him. He looked about. Besides his two guards and the cowled woman, at least a dozen more accompanied them. Six bore glaives, blades as black as night, and all of them bore what seemed to be crossbows. The Night Queen walked ahead with languid grace, Huulthraem next to her. Four elves, marching from each corner about her, were clearly her royal guard given their raiment.
High walls of stone advanced on either side of him, so high he couldn't see the top. The only light surrounding them were torches of purple flames and the Night Queens three fel green werelights. Just as Eragon thought he should slumber some more they began marching up hill. The steps of the warriors shifted and he realized they were on stairs. Sure enough they came to a great trapezoidal shaped door, a massive ceramic gate, easily fifty feet tall, opening as they approached. They marched through, the gates closing the moment the last of the procession was through. A plane of stone with stalagmite clusters here and there expanded before them. They were following a well-worn road, he realized, of greenish stone.
They walked to a set of stone crags rising from the floor a few hundred feet in front of them. Another set of ceramic gates, twenty feet high were in the middle of the crags. The gates opened before the queen and upon entering Eragon realized they were in a great courtyard. The natural clusters of stalagmites were now at regular intervals, forming the bases of watchtowers that speared the sky. A wall that seemed to flow from the earth spread along on either side of the crags, a thick net of brambles covering the top. Lavender color fires burned in massive braziers every few feet.
Shrouded soldiers, most wielding glaives and crossbows, immediately dropped to one knee as they passed. Siege weapons with great three bladed disks in slots, ready to be fired, were pointed outward. Eragon realized well over a couple hundred defended this wall. They marched along the green road, coming to an archway where the commander, for his cloak was green unlike the black of his compatriots, bowed and spoke with the Night Queen. After a few moments another ceramic gate opened. The gate was set in between two hexagon shaped towers, lights visible in the arrow slips. As the procession marched forward Huulthraem went to the wayside and sat. He then began to walk again beside the cage. His consciousness reached to Eragon as they passed through it and along a short path before passing under a natural arch of stalactites before stopping at the ledge of a cliff. Eragon gasped at the sight before him.
'Welcome, Rider,' said Huulthraem, 'to the Shadow Elves' capital of Neth'Anyar."
They crossed a bridge with no railing, clearly not of elven make, and under another archway of natural stalactites that had formed over a gate between another set of hexagon shaped towers, but these ones were sharpened and chiseled. Eragon imagined they could be loosened to devastating effect on the enemy below. A massive bramble wall encircled the city. The vines were thicker than ancient oaks he had encountered in the Spine, the thorns larger than Tornac and Snowfire. Seven towers, three on each side at the periphery of the city, of gray stone rose and were cupped with rounded domes. The seventh and final in the center of the city possessed a pinnacle roof of amethyst. They walked down massive steps into the city, for it lay in a carved stone bowl in the earth. Erisdar hung from great curling vines of bramble that sprung from the earth at regular intervals and illuminated the streets. The buildings were tall, the hilt-and-gable roofs getting smaller as they ascended. Walkways of twisted black stone could be seen peeking this way and that in a crisscrossing design. The coloring was all gray and black with the ruddy brown of root wood seen at intervals. He noticed something though and that was the lack of people. He looked at Huulthraem.
'She ordered the streets to the council chamber cleared. The people know we are back, but she must speak with her advisers first before addressing them.'
The closer they got to the city center he noticed the make of building changed. Blue and green tinted buildings of rectangular shape appeared, with some seemingly slanted to one side or shorter than they should be. The streets became more difficult for him to navigate with his eyes.
'The Asdhur took pride in their mathematical abilities and as such their settlements reflect that. They were lovers of geometric shapes. This particular cul'gata was in the shape of a six pointed star, hence the confusing streets, which made sense to them due to their…equations.' By his tone it seemed Huulthraem thought it ridiculous. Eragon agreed. They were soon on a main avenue, three ziggurats of a saffron colored stone rising on either side. They came to what was clearly the council chamber. An octagon shaped building of black marble; the ridging of the roof rising to the great tower which Eragon now saw had brambles crawling upwards from its base. Twin doors opened and the procession passed through.
Eragon was dumped unceremoniously onto the floor of a circular chamber at the top of the tower. They had taken a stone lift upwards, panes of lavender glass showing him glimpses of the underground city. He soon realized how small it was. It was larger than Therinsford, the great shambling village south of Carvahall, but it would have easily been dwarfed by Teirm. It was somewhat less than half of the coastal cities size. The six pointed star shape was easily picked out from above with the rest of the city beginning in a clean circle at the outskirts.
He stood slowly, looking down at the floor carved of a strange light blue wood that was almost white. He picked his head up and looked around. Eight seats, four on each side, were filled with people who were probably of importance. The seats were sharp and angular, as if made from thin pine trees that bent towards to defend themselves from loggers. One of the seats was empty. He noticed it was rather large, round, and cushioned. He had his answer when Huulthraem trotted past and curled up on it. 'I should've guessed,' he thought with some amusement.
Just as he decided to inspect the other council members, for it was clear that's what they were, music filled his ears. It was light, but definitely there. The sound of drums, pipes, horns, the sound of two gongs clashing together, and something he couldn't place. The council members stood, bowing, as twin guards stepped forth. Huulthraem quickly entered Eragon's mind and translated their words.
'Announcing Her Majesty, The Dark Lady Arya, Grand Mistress of the Ghost Striders, Lady Protector of Neth'Anyar, and the Night Queen of the Shadow Elves,' the soldiers banged their glaives against the floor. The Night Queen, Arya, strode in. The music hit a crescendo as she came to her throne. Eragon stared and slowly felt shock hit him like an ox. Her throne was the skull of a dragon. The lower jaw had been split open and each piece lay on either side of the throne with the teeth holding tallow candles. The remaining skull had been refashioned into a seat that was indeed fit for a queen. The wing bones rose behind her, the spaces in between draped with green silk, and she slumped into her chair. The other advisors sat themselves down more gracefully. Arya smirked.
Her echoing voice rang out, "well let's get started then."
If you'd like to hear the music Eragon hears when Arya is introduced go to youtube and type in "Lith My'athar" and go to the first video. At 1:00 is where you should start and at 1:10 is when Arya appears. This is what Eragon hears as she enters the council chamber.
Next Chapter: Shadow Elves, Weresabres, and Arya Oh My! Well Eragon is in a bit of a pickle. Arya has finally appeared and she is definitely no friend. On top of that she's a queen of her own faction of elves! Now the question is what is going on with the others. Saphira is desperate to find Eragon and Angela feels that soon she will be forced to reveal much more of herself than she'd like, but most of all what will happen with Murtagh...
End Notes: These will no longer be happening. The encyclopedia and accompanying dictionary will provide all information.
