Chapter 7: Friendly Competition
Eragon was dreaming, he was sure of it. Him falling off of Shurtugal Tower, crying over Arya's shoulder, her telling him she loved him and not to mention Saphira's rash behavior. None of this made sense to him; it was all a dream that would be over any minute. However, when he opened his eyes he was befuddled.
In Lyra's room he was, lying in her bed with many people encircled around it. Murtagh, Mathias, Lyra, Grifka, Luxor, and Blodgarm stood around it. To his right he saw all the bonded dragons on Lyra's landing balcony and on a nearby desk lay Glaedr's golden eldunari. Everyone looked concerned and worried as they looked at him and to his left. Before anyone could say anything, Eragon also looked to his left and there Arya lay in the bed with him, both of them were fully clothed. At the same time it seemed she had woken and she also turned her head to him as he to hers. For a brief moment they looked at one another and smiled, the next moment they had expressions of fear.
Both of them jumped out of the bed on their respective sides shouting "What happened?"
Murtagh laughed and said "That's what we would like to know! Me and Lyra found you two collapsed on the nearest walkway deep in the night. You both needed more energy to survive, you would have died otherwise. So we brought you here, all of us nursed you both and it is the afternoon of the next day. I can't imagine you both hurting yourselves that way so the popular theory here is that you had too much faelnirv and exhausted yourselves with magic. And perhaps, other activities?"
Eragon laughed then said jokingly "I don't remember what happened, but knowing Arya, it wouldn't surprise me if that was the case." Upon hearing this Arya jumped over the bed, approached Eragon and put her fist underneath his chin with an unreadable expression. Then she flicked the bottom of his chin with her finger so hard that Eragon's head snapped backwards from the impact.
"Youch! What was that for?" Eragon said.
She then laughed at him saying "I wouldn't do that Eragon, you think little of me?"
"Well you almost did, ten years ago" Eragon said.
"Things were," she hesitated, "different back then"
"Oh were they now?" he teased her, amused.
"I'm sorry to but in here," Mathias said. "But that move Dragonslayer did just now was amazing! If I had the speed of an elf I would do that to Grifka every day."
Hearing this, Grifka used his right foot to stomp on Mathias's left. Mathias then crouched down to Grifka's level as he grabbed his left foot. Then Grifka pulled his sword Hulvosk halfway out of its sheath, just enough for the hilt to bash Mathias's head. The force of the blow knocked Mathias right back up to his full height again. He groaned in pain after this.
Good move little one, Grifka's orange dragoness Jileen said to him.
"Mathias, you shouldn't do what Arya did just now and neither will I" Lyra said. "It's her move, you doing so would be shameless mimicking."
"That doesn't mean you won't come up with your own move" Luxor said. "Like this one" Luxor then gently kicked Mathias's right leg with his left, getting Mathias to lose balance and fall. Then when he was on the ground, Luxor brought his right leg around him in a wide vertical circle, landing on Mathias's crotch. Lyra then helped him back up as he groaned even more in pain than before.
Hardly able to talk after such a blow Mathias croaked "You are all evil."
The turquoise dragoness of Lyra, Emerith then spoke saying You said you were going to hurt Grifka every day. Grifka was defending himself and Luxor was only defending him the way I see it!
"You are right about one thing Mathias," Grifka said. "Arya's move was excellent, I doubt anyone could do it any better."
Oh I could do much better said Saphira, moving one of her massive claws toward Eragon.
"No no no not you not you Saphira!" Eragon said in sheer panic while backing away.
Why not I'm sure you'll be fine she said again while still advancing her claw.
Stop this Saphira! Glaedr suddenly said.
I wasn't going to, you all need to relax, Saphira said.
It seems to me we have been blabbering about nonsense for too long, Luxor's velvet dragon Fraethr said.
Agreed, said Glaedr. We still don't know what happened last night Shadeslayers. Do you both remember nothing?
Arya then looked at them all saying "Wait, I remember what happened." We were on the top of Shurtugal Tower and fell. Eragon cast a spell to slow us down to land on the ground safely. With this spell he spent almost all of his energy, bringing him close to death. And so I tried to contact Firnen and Saphira, though they did not answer." She glared at the two dragons she referred to. "I then carried him to the castle, exhausting myself mostly because of the great doors, making it almost to this room before losing consciousness."
Eragon was greatly touched by her efforts to save him. After opening the great door, he doubted he would have been able to carry Arya half that far up; she must have been driven to save him. But she said that they had fallen from Shurtugal Tower which would mean that it couldn't be a dream. He knew that Arya would never lie like that, which would lead him to assume that everything else that happened on the tower wasn't a dream either. Tears threatened to take over Eragon again, but he kept them in, not wanting to make a fool of himself in front of everyone.
Everyone bombarded Arya and Eragon with questions as to what happened. Eragon said to them in the ancient language "These are events we can only discuss with Saphira, Firnen, Murtagh, Thorn and Glaedr. Everyone else leave us now." Those who were not mentioned then left the room without any other questions. Once everyone was gone, Arya and Eragon told them everything that had happened on top of the tower.
After they were done explaining, Eragon asked Saphira "Why did you do this?" Saphira didn't answer, instead she simply looked at him with annoyance on her face. Eragon then shouted in anger "WHY!"
Firnen and I thought it would have been good for you two, and of course you know the other reason said Saphira.
And may I ask, what is this other reason you speak of? asked Glaedr. Firnen and Saphira then explained their desire for Arya and Eragon's potential children to become riders of their children.
Firnen then said I never thought of the act as rape Eragon. From your story, it seems like she would be willing to mate after you both realized we weren't coming. At the time we were far away, mating ourselves and were going to check on you an hour before morning. Unless you did mate, at that point we would come to get you both immediately. Even though we were far away, we would have known if you did this.
Saphira then said We weren't going to just leave you two there for good. We would have taken you both down no matter what had happened, but little one you had to make another stupid decision. With that extra time you had together alone, we thought nature would play its role.
A few moments of silence then Murtagh said "You did the right thing Eragon. I know I wouldn't have been able to do the same if I was in your position. I would have given in."
Thorn then spoke Firnen, Saphira, though your intentions were not as severe as they first thought, your riders' trust in you has been cracked. Never do things like this again, you must work to rebuild their trust.Reluctantly, they agreed with Thorn.
"What do you think of all this master?" Eragon asked Glaedr.
I will speak my thoughts, but without Murtagh and Thorn, it is none of their concern Glaedr said.
"As you wish master," Murtagh said. He then jumped onto Thorn and they flew away from the castle.
You call yourselves bonded dragons! Glaedr roared to Saphira and Firnen. I never thought you would fly this low Saphira. Even though you say you would have picked them up before morning, you weren't there when your riders fell! You weren't there when your riders nearly passed into the void! As for nature, let it do what it does at its own pace. Speeding up that process causes nothing but trouble. Understood?
Yes master Saphira and Firnen said.
As for you two he said to Arya and Eragon. What you did was rash and foolish! You both nearly died last night to preserve your future happiness. I would much rather have had you both stay up there and do what you could in order to safely get back down again. You are both far too important for that and your dragons as well. Had you have died Alagaesia could have been thrust into chaos!
"But master!" Eragon interrupted. "We could not have done this, we would be unfit to perform our duties. That bond would devour us!"
Glaedr made a motion in his mind that would have sounded like a sigh if he had a body. You don't know that hatchling! Though it matters little now, do as you will. But I don't ever want to see you both in the state you were in only a few hours ago. Never again risk your lives for a petty reason like that again.
Eragon and Arya nodded, then Arya asked him "And what of my true name? Do you have any idea how it may have changed?"
I do Shadeslayer, though it would be best for you to figure that out on your own Glaedr said. Arya opened her mouth, ready to argue against him, but held back and said nothing.
That is all I have to say on last night's events said Glaedr. I am very disappointed with you all, do not fail like this again.Eragon then got on top of Saphira and Arya got on Firnen, all of them then jumped into the air.
I'm sorry for what we did Eragon, Arya, Firnen said. We should have thought of what was best for you two and not for us.Saphira mentally agreed with him.
"It is not as bad as we had feared, we had thought you weren't coming at all," Arya said.
"And we are still alive right?" said Eragon. "We will move on and learn from this with Glaedr's advice in mind;" everyone agreed.
Saphira then changed the subject saying Murtagh and Thorn are planning to have a flying game with the other riders and dragons in an hour. I say we join in, how about you all?
"We will be there Saphira," Arya said to her.
The wind was gentle and the sun shined on all that day, perfect for a flying game. Murtagh and Thorn were flying around, scoping the area in which everyone would fight soon. A league or so below them was a massive crater filled with water. Forming the perimeter of the crater were cliffs thousands of feet high where the mountains continued to climb in all directions. Above this crater-lake the riders and dragons had fought each other in practice battles over the years. It was a league east from Mirandel.
Not only would the riders and dragon compete today, for there were only seven dragons total. To even the numbers, a brown wild dragon by the name Ridar would be joining them. Everyone was there except for Eragon, Saphira, Arya and Firnen.
"They're sure taking their sweet time to get here aren't they?" Murtagh said to Thorn.
Indeed, I suppose they are talking of what happened last night.
"Eh, you are probably right brother. That would make sense. Though still, we have been waiting an extra half an hour for them. If they're not here within ten minutes, I say we start without them."
No need little one, said Thorn while pointing with one of his mighty claws at two approaching figures. One blue and one green, saying That must be them.A few more minutes they waited before the four made it to them. All the riders and dragons then dismounted on a nearby cliff to discuss the game and form teams.
"Took your time didn't you?" Murtagh asked Eragon.
"We had to talk about some things-" Eragon said, but Murtagh interrupted him saying "I don't blame you brother, it's just a tease."
Thorn then said But you really did take oh my, Thorn was then suddenly silent, his head was following something in the sky and had his utmost attention. Oh my is she fine! Everyone turned to see what Thorn was looking at; to their surprise it was a very dark red dragoness, flying above them. Look at how she soars through the air, the pattern of her flight is the essence of beauty. And the shimmering of her scales, they are glorious!Murtagh and everyone else burst out laughing and Fraethr leaned his head against Thorn as he laughed only as a dragon could.
"Get her attention then!" Murtagh said. Without a word Thorn jumped high into the sky and let out a great roar that harmed everyone else's ears. The dragoness looked at the direction of the roar and hovered in place. Thorn then began to fly around in elaborate patterns, letting lose an inferno here and there.
Murtagh chuckled then said to Eragon "He's flexing his muscles as well."
"Quite the charmer he is," Eragon replied.
After a minute or two Thorn flew back to everyone else while the dragoness landed on a nearby cliff and sat there. Thorn said Her name is Altenna, and she has agreed to watch me compete!
Alright Thorn! Firnen said.
"Yes way to go brother." Murtagh said. "Though how did you learn to speak wild dragon?"
It's actually very simple, for a dragon that is, Thorn said. Very instinctual, and the way she used it. She is so untamed, wild and free.Thorn stared at where Altenna sat, opened his great mouth and after a few moments, gallons of saliva dripped out the sides. Again everyone laughed, Murtagh then went in front of Thorn and after much effort got his attention again.
"Alright brother alright! Just don't fail in this competition and we'll see what happens!" he said to Thorn.
Alright then! Thorn said as he slowly redirected his attention towards everyone else.
"To keep things simple," Murtagh said, "I think we should simply have a battle. No missions or objectives, let's just pretend to kill each other. Say, ten collective hits to a pair and then they are out?" He then looked at Ridar saying "Oh and you get ten hits too. Does this sound agreeable?" Everyone nodded, "Alright then let's all make our life flames then." He explained the wording to them all and they cast their own flames, each the color of their dragon. Murtagh cast a second one for Ridar. Everyone also blocked not only their blades, but also the claws, spikes, tails and teeth of their dragons. They also cast many flame wards around everyone. "So here's how it's going to work, your flame will be in front of you at all times so you will know how much life you have left. When your flame dies, you are out of the game, period. Whichever team lasts the longest wins."
"Yes, but what will the teams be?" Arya asked him.
"How about this? Me, Thorn, Mathias, Kes'thara, Luxor, Fraethr, Lyra and Emerith against Eragon, Saphira, Arya, Firnen, Grifka, Jileen and Ridar?"
"No complaints here, I am sick and tired of playing against Arya" Eragon said.
"Exactly my brother! It will be just like old times. Say, our team starts at the north end of the crater cliffs, while the rest of you start at the south?" Everyone gave mubles of "sure," "yeah," sounds good, or yes!
"Then let's get to it." Murtagh and Thorn then flew with his team members to the north of the crater-lake.
So what's the plan? Fraethr asked Murtagh.
Murtagh answered "I say we all split up and focus on one pair. Me and Thorn will go after Eragon and Saphira, and how about Lyra and Emerith go after Arya and Firnen? All of us there seem to be at similar skill."
"We've got Grifka and Jileen," Mathias said.
Why do you insist on fighting with him so much? Kes'thara asked him.
"We'll worry about that later," Murtagh said.
"That leaves Ridar to us then," Luxor said to them.
"Aye," said Murtagh.
Remember dragons, don't think, feel, said Thorn. That is the way to be one with the sky and it is especially true during a fight.The dragons mentally agreed with him, as determined to win as their riders. Once they got to the far end of the north side, all dragons and riders rotated around to face the other four. There was a great distance between the two teams; Murtagh guessed it would take a minute and a half for them to meet up.
Murtagh gave a mental shout READY!
A second later he heard one from Eragon saying READY!
Thorn then gave a great roar, carrying Murtagh quickly towards their rivals. Soon after, the three dragons behind them let out roars themselves. The opposite team responded in kind and for half a minute the cries of all the beasts echoed throughout the crater-lake. To Murtagh, their rivals appeared to be growing larger and larger, until finally they were almost on top of them. At this point all the riders gave great shouts instead of the dragons, until they finally all clashed.
Thorn flew straight for Saphira, attempting to claw at her, but Saphira flew away above him. She then corkscrewed around in the air to bite Thorn from the side, but Thorn dodged away to the right. At this moment Murtagh was close enough to attack, so he struck at Eragon with Zar'roc, which met Brisingr. As soon as the blades touched, the two dragons flew too far away for the riders to hit each other. Thorn flew higher and higher, then dove at Saphira, attempting to pounce on her. Saphira then stopped flapping her wings and began to fall, with Thorn pursuing her. A blue inferno from Saphira then engulfed Thorn and Murtagh, blinding them. As a counterattack, Thorn then blew his own flames back at them, Murtagh hoped it had blinded them as much as they were. Though their answer was soon given as Thorn was slammed on his right by one of Saphira's claws and Murtagh whacked by Brisingr.
That was embarrassing, Thorn said to Murtagh.
"This fight is far from over, we still have eight hits left" Murtagh answered him looking at the red flame in front of them. Thorn flew again towards Saphira, this time he was the first to blow flames at her. Saphira flew high over the flames and was going to land right on Thorn, so Thorn redirected his flames towards where she now flew. For a moment it looked as if she was engulfed with flames, however, from the inferno leaped Eragon, who landed on the top of Thorn's head. Eragon then began to hack at Thorn's head, scoring three hits before Murtagh met up with Eragon. He and Eragon fought for an intense while, Thorn flying as steady as he could to make sure Murtagh didn't fall. Saphira was flying high above them, which gave Murtagh an idea. He unleashed a flurry of blows at Eragon, eventually Zar'roc met Eragon's stomach so hard that he fell off of Thorn. Downwards Saphira went to catch her rider, but she was intercepted by Thorn and Murtagh. Murtagh knew she had no choice, she would have to save Eragon as best she could and so wouldn't fight them at this time. That's when Thorn and him scored a good four hits on her, three from Thorn's great claws and one from Zar'roc before they let her go. Saphira let out a roar of rage as she flew away from them to catch Eragon.
Murtagh and Thorn knew it would be some time before they came back, so they examined the fights around them. The fight between Arya, Firnen and Lyra and Emerith seemed to be evened out, Arya was being superior with the sword, but Emerith was superior with the air. They then found Mathias, Kes'thara and Grifka and Jileen fighting. They also seemed to be evenly matched. Luxor and Fraethr however, seemed to be winning against Ridar because he had no rider to help him. Saphira had caught Eragon at this point and had begun to climb the air to meet Thorn and Murtagh again.
"We are tied, they have five hits and so do we," Murtagh said. "Time to end this." Thorn agreed mentally and dropped through the air towards Saphira. This time, both great beasts clashed into each other, both taking a hit and bounced away. The two great dragons then began to swipe at each other with their claws, each swipe being dodged however. There were a couple of times where Murtagh was close enough to swing Zar'roc at Saphira or Eragon, though both times he missed.
At one point Luxor spoke to Murtagh saying We have defeated Ridar and will help you in your fight Kingsbane, Firescales.
All help is appreciated Greathorns, Murtagh said.
How many hits do you have left Fraethr asked them.
Only four, Thorn said, but then he was hit by one of Saphira's claws. Now three.
We have four left, Fraethr said. We will be there momentarily. And because Luxor and Fraethr were coming to help, Murtagh and Thorn fought more defensively. Thorn kept his distance and only attacked when he was confident he may score a hit. When Fraethr and Luxor arrived, they all tried to surround Saphira, though it proved nearly impossible. Saphira flew too fast and aggressive for them to effectively pin her in. Fraethr then let out an impressive inferno which engulfed Saphira, Thorn then took the opportunity to attack. And to Murtagh's surprise they scored a couple of hits on them. Murtagh then noticed that Thorn fought with renewed determination and confidence from then on and was able to keep up with Saphira's speed and technique. Fraethr then let out more flames to blind Saphira and Thorn seized the opportunity to finish her. Saphira saw this one coming though and smacked Thorn with her claws and tail two times.
Fraethr! Draw them away we have only one more hit!Thorn said.
I'm right with you Thorn, said Fraethr, heading towards Saphira.
Lyra then spoke to them saying Arya and Firnen have bested us.
Fantastic, Thorn said.
Watch out for them, they are dangerous Murtagh said to them all. Fraethr attempted to strike Saphira from the front, but she flew around him and bit his tail. Holding him in place, Saphira struck Fraethr two more times and Brisingr hit him once.
Hold Shadeslayer, Bjartskular! Luxor said. You have bested us. Though right as Saphira let go of Fraethr's tail, Thorn came from below her and smashed her belly with his head spike. She roared in pain from the contact and fell on top of Thorn. Murtagh then slashed at her and Zar'roc met Saphira.
"You have bested us brother and Firescales!" Eragon said to them. Just as they were flying away though, Murtagh felt a great sting on his back and was knocked forward. When he righted himself up in the saddle he saw Firnen and Arya hovering right next to them.
He realized that Tamerlien must have hit him and said "Woah hold up there you have defeated us Dragonslayer and Peacewings!" Firnen and Arya then wordlessly flew away to the final fight between Mathias, Kes'thara, Grifka and Jileen. Murtagh, Thorn, Eragon, Saphira, Luxor and Fraethr then flew together to the cliff where they started. There Lyra, Emerith and Ridar watched the fight.
"That was great fun" Murtagh said to Eragon. "However that last shot Arya got on me was easy, she got us unawares."
"Thorn did the same to us when we got Fraethr," Eragon said back to him.
"That's true, I guess we're no better than" Murtagh said. They all landed on the cliff and watched the last of the fight. Though it wasn't much of a fight, Mathias and Kes'thara were trying their very best to fly away from Grifka, Jileen, Arya and Firnen most of the time. Eventually they bested Mathias and Kes'thara, then they came back to where they started with everyone else.
"Did anyone really think that their team wouldn't win?" Mathias asked them all.
"No doubt at all," Grifka answered him. Mathias approached him in anger, but was interrupted by Jileen.
Don't start this please Jileen said to them both. It was a fun time and we all improved, let's not fight amongst ourselves.
If you'll excuse me, Thorn said to them all, then flew towards Altenna. Upon seeing him approach, Altenna flew towards him and they started to fight.
Murtagh then whispered to Eragon in a forlorn voice "If only it were that simple huh?" Eragon wordlessly nodded as they all watched the two dragons' instincts take over.
