AN: Welcome back to another exciting chapter! This time things really start to get interesting as Murtagh takes Amber back to his master. Eragon and Arya are with Avery and she has to make a final decision, stay or go. Please read and review it super helps! Thanks for stopping by enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not owning anything!

Chapter 6

Murtagh

I walked carefully trying not to jostle the bundle in my arms. The usual fiery war within me raged as I tried to fight the bonds that tied me to him. Thorn was a presence in my mind sharing the pleasure pain in my head. Pleasure in fulfilling his orders. Then there was the pain because of what I had just done. She was a heavy weight on my soul but her body was light. I was not sure what the plans were for her, and I didn't want to find out. Asking questions only seemed to cause more trouble.

"Murtagh, it is time to depart." Thorn stood in a clearing and I mounted up swinging effortlessly into the saddle with a natural grace I didn't think I could possess as a boy. My father Morzan seemed to always find fault with me. Stand up straight, stop gawping and the beatings especially when he caught me with his sword. The scar twanged a little in a ghost pain that was never there.

Thorn launched himself into the sky and I shifted making sure Amber would not fall. I looked at her face and once more felt a stab of regret at what I was doing. Yet the darker side of me reveled in it. Galbatorix, tyrant of tyrants, killer of dragons and others alike, knew what I was since he had my true name. The darkness in my soul, the longing for a family, my blood lust, and my brother. The name gave all of that away and I was left a charred and empty husk.

"The way you moan about would put a bard off his breakfast. Unless you have a better way, shut up." I jerked in surprise and shock. Thorn had never spoken to me this way. I frowned wanting to thump him, but how did you go about thumping a being ten times your weight and size?

"You do not, I am tired of your moaning and self-pity, it has gotten you nowhere, will never get you anywhere. So the best we can do is deal with it and hopefully find a better way." His words shook me. I had not conversed with him very much and only really knew he could speak because of the fame and intellect of the dragons.

"I am sorry; we have not talked with each other." I wanted to run at this point, once more the coward. Thorn angled his head back to look at me with one ruby eye. Smoke curled from his nostril and I tensed.

"Stop fussing, I could no more harm you than myself, dolt. It is only time that we truly speak with each other." Thus went the journey from their world to my own. I finally realized that I was not alone in this and there may be a possibility of saving myself but it would involve changing my name, which seemed impossible. Hope had been kindled in me and I would hold to it.

Eragon

We ran, Arya and me on foot, Avery on Becket. Saphira lurked in the cloud cover that was provided and we all hoped that Avery was wrong. She had been sleeping for hours when she awoke and said she would join us but her friend was in danger. I used a little magic and shook off the disguises we had made. Now we ran and I could make out the dorm building since it was lit up like a bonfire, though luckily it was only the electric lighting they had here in this world. That is when I smelled blood and veered to the right.

"Little one I smell blood it is ahead." A little grotto lay ahead and the smell grew stronger. I lifted a hand and we all stopped, somehow Avery had kept up and stopped immediately sliding off Becket.

"Is it her, is she safe?" I bent and looked at a small puddle which had collected underneath a stone bench. A half bloody footprint directed me where she went. We made our way to the forest and I found more bloody footprints behind a tree. Another set of footprints incased in very familiar boots was also there.

"Murtagh," I hissed, seeing red. I wanted to find him and kill him.

"Eragon we are too late, he has her, and they are gone." Arya said her voice cool and calm. Avery dropped to her knees keening a sound so inhuman that it had my hair standing on end. She hit the ground and tears slid down her cheeks.

"She is most distressed, I am coming down." Wings flapped and Saphira landed but Avery noticed nothing in her mind locked in torment.

"This is my entire fault, all my fault, all, my, fault," She pounded the ground with every word. For a moment her eyes went to vertical slits and her face took on stark lines.

"Avery," She whirled on me.

"No, you do not speak." Her anger frightened me which was telling something. Tears ran thick and fast but rage was under it all.

"He came from your world, he took her, and you didn't kill him before this, now I will. I'm coming with you." She stood hands fisted and eyes blazing with emotion.

"You may come but we cannot say if you will see Amber again. Murtagh will pay in blood for this I promise you that Avery. If you will come with us then prepare. Do you have any weaponry or aught else you need before taking leave?" Arya once more cool seemed to calm Avery.

"I have nothing to take, nothing that matters." She looked at her horse eyes sad.

"The beast may die if he comes yet it is his choice; show her how to communicate with him." Her voice rumbled in my head.

"He may come with, though if he does he may be killed for our realm is not at peace. He would be much safer here." Avery turned to her horse eyes uncertain and torn.

"If you wish speak with him. I will show you." I touched her mind and guided it through the steps to contacting the horse. Her eyes grew wide as she made a connection. Then they focused and she asked in so many words what he would like.

"He wishes to stay here though he will miss me." I watched as she put her forehead to Becket's.

"Goodbye my friend." Tears spilled from her eyes and one landed on the horse's dark coat. She gave the horse a hug and then stepped back.

"Go home." She backed away more and Becket broke into a run. Arya cast some sort of magic on him as he left. I sighed and went to Arya's side preparing my mind for the magic to come; it would take the both of us to perform this spell.

"Ready?" I looked at her as she breathed in deep.

"Yes follow my lead." It irked me to do so but I nodded and walked five paces away from her. She held her palms out to me and mine out to her. We chanted words in the ancient language as I caught them from her head. Saphira helped as well leading her strength to me. Soon light sparked between us and grew in a swirling nothing the portal formed. Larger and larger and larger, threads of light blue, green, gold, purple, red, and other colors melded with the white of our magic. Soon it was of a size that even Saphira would walk through. We stopped feeding the spell our magic and let it hang in the air. I looked at Avery's eyes and saw the portal reflected in them, wide and fearful.

"They will not remember you." Arya said placing a hand on Avery's shoulder in comfort. Tears and heartache gleamed in their depths.

"How do you know?" Her voice was shaky, but not timid; good she would need that strength for the coming times.

"I placed a spell on Becket to make those forget about you and Amber until you return. It spreads like water through the earth and will reach everyone before this night is through. There will be no one to worry about I promise you." Avery looked steadier after that and took a deep breath.

"Alright let's go so I can find Amber and kill Murtagh." Her eyes sparked with fury as she gazed deep into the heart of the slowly spinning vortex. She strode forward not looking back as she closed in on the portal. She paused and breathed again as if on the precipice of a great cliff about to jump. I could see how this was so and felt for her being made to cross into a different realm. She twitched her lips into a half smile and then stepped forward into the portal. I breathed in not knowing that I had been holding my breath. Arya went next; I had memorized that stride and the way she looked in the forest. Now another woman had caught at my heart and now she seemed up a hopeless whisper to my heart. She looked back at me and then into the darkness. We had learned so much here and now we were leaving with what would hope to be our best chance at saving ourselves from the Empire.

I considered all the paths that I would take and hope that Avery would be at the end of one of them. Winning her heart would be a great battle within itself.

"The portal will be closing soon and if you don't stop such head talk I might be tempted to singe you." Saphira huffed and I stopped talking not feeling like getting burned. I hurried towards the portal and walked through feeling the same pinpricks of sensation as a blinding light passed and went. I staggered and straightened with an effort. I quickly moved on not wanting to displease Saphira anymore. She came through after that and then the portal was gone.

In the east a brilliant sun was rising across Nasuada's encampment. We stood about a mile away across the river but I could see it with my enhanced eyesight. I was home and the war was begun. We had no time to lose.