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Chapter Seven: Crossroads
Veor looked up at the sky above him, the clouds were beginning to clear. The dark blue dragon next to him was about his size. As he rested his head against her rough scales he breathed out. He was not a dragon rider, nor could he ever truly go down that path. He was the thief, the cut-throat, the enforcer, all of these were in his nature, he was no hero.
No, he thought, I'm not a hero, I'm not a villain either though. Who am I? I am the outcast, the broken, the walker in the dark. I am what I have been and will choose to be. Perhaps someday, perhaps someday that might be a rider, but for today, for today I am just Veor.
The knowledge of his true name had helped him dearly in his confusion. His dragon was not safe, and for whatever reason he would do everything he could to protect her. He understood ever so briefly his role, he was not a hero, but he was not the villain. Perhaps, he thought I will be the one to do what I must when the time comes.
Myrker blocked his opponent's sword sending them stumbling back. He had risen quickly in his ability to duel, ranking right below the elves, who he was told he had no chance of beating. He had also gained an extremely complex and powerful mastery over the ancient language, and had risen quickly in that aspect of his training as well. In fact his noble birth had aided his progress in every way he could imagine, from his ability to study ancient texts, to his knowledge of strategy and tracking, due to his seemingly superior education he was ranked constantly either among the elves, or right behind them.
He was glad for it as well. Many of the older riders had taken notice of him, allowing him to gain sway over some of them, others thought him too arrogant, it did not matter to him much.
He had begun to wonder his purpose. He wasn't willing to sit around as many of the other students seemed to be, in fact to him it seemed that he was the only one there who truly wished to fight. Large portions of this he blamed on Eragon, it seemed in a way that the riders were far too willing to allow the Varda-Gramarye to do their duty, as if Eragon's fear of the ruin that could be unleashed were he to return would appear if there were to many dragon riders as well.
If so let it be, perhaps then the riders might return in force.
Think before you speak Myrker.
I was thinking, or had you forgotten?
I mean this, you hold too much sway, if we are to rebel then let it be so, but think this through carefully, if this ends badly the only victory shall be for those who wish the riders gone.
Myrker sighed, Umaroth was right, and Myrker did know it. He could easily command his forces against those loyal to Eragon, but in doing so in victory or defeat he would face too many losses to take control in the way he wanted.
So he would wait and plan, if it came to it he would strike, and he would strike deeply, and swiftly, cutting apart the riders before they could respond.
Torr and Soha looked over the tavern, a couple chairs were knocked over, horse tracks lead to the tavern, and away from it, a fire had been lit, but it had been cold for a number of days.
"Well, he was here, and I think he lost the eggs here as well." Torr said, after looking over everything he knew.
"Why do you presume that?" Soha said, returning from a stable where she had found a battered down stall and a couple piles of hay.
"Look at the floor, two sets of boots entered, presumably the thief and the buyer. So the two sat down at that table, where the chair is knocked over, a couple feet away the footsteps leading our appear, and those are great strides, he was running. Wagon tracks less here with two horses, and a third horse ride alone from a different direction. Well the wagon leads away, but in the direction the lone horse came, and the line horse leads elsewhere, beyond that the wagon tracks leading here were lighter than those leaving."
"So you're saying the elf ran, but didn't take the eggs."
"Correct. He would need the wagon to hold both eggs, based off the average size of a horse's saddlebags, and this horse didn't seem under much strain either here or leaving. I think whoever hired him learned that he had hatched an egg, and grew angry, thus the hasty departure."
"So we follow which set of tracks?"
"Do we want the eggs or the thief?"
"As of right now? The thief, he has a dragon now, that makes him one of the most dangerous threats we could face."
"So we follow the lone horse."
The two exited the tavern, the winter's winds had died down, and the sun lot the sky once more, the air was still chilly however, and frost covered the ride, and the leaves of the trees. The two climbed onto the backs of their horses and began again, traveling at full pace after the lone rider.
Veor sat in the snow his hand on his dragon's head. He liked it out in the woods, there was no one to bother him, he could look into the minds of those around him without seeing only their darkness. He felt the sunlight shift the shadows of the trees in a strange manner, he breathed in again, trying to focus, it was about time he learned to accept the calm, the storm was boiling, he knew that, he felt it, but he could do nothing to stop it, whatever the wyrd had chosen it had chosen, he was a single being, a leaf in the gale, he would fall wherever he had to, and he would hope that he would survive.
The cold wind's made his hands feel numb, and his cloak did little to protect him. The horses seemed afraid of the shadows in the trees, and he understood why. Wolves dwelled out in forests, they hunted in packs and would willingly kill a horse for food. The unsettling cold and darkness in the trees played into a growing fear Veor had, every time he moved he saw in the corner of his eye Wyrda standing there, smiling, his thin lips spread across his pale skin, and his eyes blazing as red as blood.
Perhaps I've gone insane, he thought as he sat there in the cold, rubbing his hands together, or perhaps, for the first time ever, I am genuinely afraid, no, not the first time. Perhaps the last though.
Vëor
Who thought that? I can tell you it wasn't me.
The dragon looked up at Veor, her blue eyes glowing like starlight, her scales shining like Gems. The dragon titled it's head to one side.
Vëor
I see you learned to talk, anyway I'm Veor, I haven't used that other name for ages.
Veor.
See, now you're getting it.
Veor.
Ok dragon. If you like my name so much perhaps you'd like one of your own. Lenora, not that I know much about her, but you are a female dragon, and so the name can belong to you.
Lenora.
Yes, that was the name I said.
Yes.
Oh good you can actually talk.
Of course I can.
Veor smiled and rested his hand once more on Lenora's head, with a smile he drifted back into sleep.
Myrker was waiting to meet Eragon, an honor that very few riders had, being among the best of the human riders he was offered a chance to meet him, and it was a chance he wouldn't ignore. The sound of thunder tore through the air, or at the least Myrker had thought it to be thunder, it soon became clear that it was not, the great dragon whose scales shone like polished gems, spread her mighty wings as she flew towards them. Myrker thought her to be the largest being he had ever seen, and then he realized how likely that was, she was over a hundred years old and dragons kept growing for the entirety of their life.
Myrker sat still upon Umaroth's back watching as Eragon climbed down from Saphira's back, his elf-like features prominent and strange for one who seemed, while elf-like, so human.
This is why I gave you words of caution, that is who you would fight were you to rebel. Do you think you could defeat him, or that I could defeat Saphira.
No, not alone.
Eragon began to speak, he spoke with something richly human, not with the accent of the elves, his accent also reflected his home, Carvahall. He spoke like a farmer's child would, which Myrker found strange, he found deep within his mind he expected Eragon to speak like an aristocrat, instead he found the voice of one who was humble.
"Welcome, I have looked upon you and decided you to be the best of the riders here, so I offer you now, your blades, choose your blade wisely, then you may go to Rhunön, in the Du Weldenvarden, and she shall forge the blade to fit you better.
"Before that time though I wish to warn you, you may feel that magic and your blade are all you need. That pride will be a great weakness, we are not gods, a blade can still slay you, a spell can still end your life. Remember this, and also remember that you are the servants of the people, not their rulers, nor their masters. Do not use your power for yourself, that is the path of the Forsworn, and it is why they were all slain. Now, find your weapons, for as riders you shall need them."
Myrker smiled, looking through the lined up blades of white hue, those were his options for a blade, he continued to look through the blades until he found a blade of a bleak white color, the gem at the bottom of the blade was clear, and it fit into his hand perfectly. He lifted it, swinging it in a wide arc he smiled. It will do, the balance is right, it fits in my hand, and it is the color of your scales Umaroth.
Then take it, for every rider needs a blade.
"A fine sword indeed, Islingr, the blade of Vrael." Eragon said, as he approached.
"I am honored to hold such a blade. I am also honored that you approve Shadeslayer." Myrker replied, bowing his head slightly when he saw Eragon standing behind him.
"You have shone yourself adept enough to hold such a weapon, and I think that you have a great future, though whether it is for better or for worse I cannot tell."
"Please, explain your meaning."
"I meant no disrespect to you Myrker, you are young and proud, I simply wish to warn you that your pride could be your downfall, do not let it guide your actions, or cloud your judgement, such is the flaw in many who were destined for greatness."
"I understand now Shadeslayer. I apologize for my abruptness. I shall try and let logic guide me, and not my pride."
"Good, you have great possibilities, I have seen your training, you are a master of the blade, and I have also heard tell that you are extremely powerful with magic. Were you to have ears more sharp, I might think you to be of elven blood."
"I am honored to have caught your notice, you advised me to head to Rhunön so the blade might be reforged to better fit my style of fighting."
"That is a long journey you and some of the others shall make, when you arrive Arya, shall help you finish any training I could not give you."
"When do we leave?"
"You have the rest of today to prepare, you can leave tomorrow morning."
"Very well Shadeslayer, I should prepare for my departure."
Myrker nodded, and sheathed the sword, attaching it to his belt, he once again bowed his head before turning away, smiling he climbed onto Umaroth. He noticed the gem at the bottom and reached for it with magic, there was very little energy inside, but he could feel the potential in it, he quickly seeped a little bit of his energy into the blade.
Torr and Soha rode quickly across the trail, they had begun to lose the trail of the single horse, and as they rode they found it was harder and harder to see the trail. There was no clear way to pick the trail up.
"We've lost him."
"Well, he's smart, we can give him that." Soha said angrily.
"Fine. So where would he go, he's a thief with a dragon, where would he hide."
"Would he hide? I mean if you've just stolen a dragon egg, and are a fully trained elf already, well you make your move don't you."
"Fair point. So, he wouldn't be hiding, he'd be striking. Oh gods he's going to Fell Edoc'sil."
"I still have a map, but the quickest route that we could survive would still take months."
"I go over the Hadrac then."
"It's official you've gone insane. And you mean we go over the Hadrac."
"No, I let you come this far, but a trip over the Hadrac is too deadly, I'm unimportant, if I die the world keeps spinning, if you die the world will fall into chaos. Anyway I can draw the water from the earth, I just need to avoid the sun, also I'm crossing in the winter, I can survive that much more easily."
"I'm going with you, you half-wit. You need me. Now, we need to move fast if he switched to dragon back this might be the only way to catch him."
"I can't let-" Torr began.
"You can, and will. Also I have the map to Fell Edoc'sil."
Torr and Soha began to ride at their fastest pace towards the Hadrac, in a vaguely South Eastern direction. Torr looked over worriedly at Soha.
