Chapter 7
"What do you want with me?"
Eragon stared hard into the deep eyes of the once-powerful king, searching for some kind of explanation. The old king had returned five minutes ago, and had done nothing but sit and stare at him, carving a block of wood into an intricate design Eragon had sworn he recognized. He wasn't sure how long he'd been the captive of him. Staring into nothing but darkness for so long, he had lost all perception of time. The king must have finished his carving, because he put his knife down, and held up the wood to examine his work.
"You know I have no idea how I did this," he said to Eragon, still keeping his eyes on the wood. "I've never carved in my life. Maybe a few times, but nothing like this."
Eragon continued to stare at him, not saying a word.
"Well, I shouldn't say never. I used to carve, but that was a long time ago. A long, long, time ago... It almost feels like another lifetime when I think about it."
"Why haven't you killed me yet?"
Galbatorix looked at Eragon with amusement, letting out a soft chuckle. "Why, Eragon, I didn't think of you as the suicidal type. Why are you so quick to die? I thought you loved Saphira more than that."
"Oh, why are you keeping this up. Why else did you lure me here, and shackle me to this wall?"
Galbatorix looked at Eragon for a moment, displaying a blank expression. Then he started laughing. "You think.. You think the light was meant to lure you to me?" Eragon said nothing. "Well aren't we thinking a little highly of ourselves, hmm? Eragon, those lights had nothing to do with you and Saphira. This-" he gestured at Eragon, "-is just a... let's think of it as an 'added bonus' for my efforts."
"That still doesn't answer my question," Eragon replied, hiding all emotion from his voice to not appear asak in front of him. "Why are you keeping me alive? If you don't want to kill me, then what the hell do you want with me?"
Galbatorix simply sighed and sat up. In a split second, he was in front of Eragon, face-to-face. He grabbed Eragons face and pulled his face close to his own.
"Now, tell me. Why would I kill you?" he whispered in his ear, causing Eragon to cringe. "...When I can use you for so much more."
***
Saphira felt the rush of wind play along her wings as she flied around the base of the mountain. The mountain was much, much bigger than she had imagined, it taking her over twenty minutes to make it all away around. She wasn't flying as fast as she could be, though, as she was trying to find some way inside it, as she and Luna suspected Eragon was inside. As far as she could find, however, there was no way inside at all. Saphira heard movement beneath her, and looked down to see Luna beneath her. Maybe she has found something, she thought, as she began her descent and landing.
'Small-paws, tell me you have found some way in,' she said to her, full of hope.
"I'm sorry Saphira.. I've looked all around here twice, and I can find no way inside to the base of this mountain." She looked down, frustrated they were getting no more closer to their goal.
'Nor have I. Are you positive that Eragon is in here?' Saphira asked her, politely.
"Yes, of course I'm sure. Just.... I don't understand how he did..." She looked away from the mountain, back into the forest. "There must be another way... Maybe there's some sort of underground cavern or system that he used to get in there..."
Saphira thought about this. That would make sense... This is a large mountain, most likely it had been a volcano at some point of time, so long ago. There would probably be hollows from the heat and magma... 'You might be right, small-paws. There's definitely not any clear entrances on the sides of the mountain itself...'
Luna shrugged and began to pace, deep in thought. "Any idea's how we would go about looking for this?"
'Hmm... maybe...' Saphira sat and thought for a second. 'What do you know of the history of this mountain, and the land around here?'
"Not much," Luna replied, "I think there used to be some big volcano in this land, long ago, although it hasn't been active for quite a time..." She looked at the mountain, and then back at Saphira. "Think this is it?"
'Yes, it's a definite possibility. It's easily the largest mountain around here.' She stamped her paw on the ground. 'And, that would mean that your theory might be right. So what we should be looking for-'
"-are leftover signs of heat escaping the ground from the caverns created by the magma," she finished, getting excited that they had something to go on now.
'Exactly. I'll start with the north side, you stay here at the south. We'll meet back here in an hour?'
"Sounds good," Luna said, as she jolted away from Saphira to begin her search.
***
"You aren't going to succeed in this," Eragon spat, watching the king as he paced the room. "You've lost your dragon, your empire and your Eldurnari. You're powerless, and you're stupid enough to kidnapped the Rider of a Dragon? If you were smart, you'd release me now, and run away as far as you can from me and Saphira."
"Oh, on the contrary, I hope she finds us. None of this will work without her." Gabatorix turned and smiled at Eragon. "The only problem is, it's impossible for her to find us on her own."
"You think my Saphira can't track?"
"No, no, I'm not questioning your Dragons abilities. She could be the greatest tracker in all of Alagaesia, and she would die searching for us here."
When the king returned to pacing, and said no more, Eragon became frustrated. He decided to just ask the obvious question. "Why can't she find us?"
"Ah! Glad you asked." He walked to the middle of the room, and while smiling at Eragon, outstretched his arms. In a flash the entire room was illuminated, and he could see that there was no exit. The walls where smooth, and after looking at them for a moment, Eragon realized there were patterns moving slowly inside the walls. Patterns that looked almost like-
"Like the lights-in-the-sky?" he asked, walking close. "Like the drawing Saphira drew? Like my carving?" He put his had on the wall next to to Eragon. "You see, right now, we don't technically exist."
Eragon stared at him, dumbfounded. How can we not exist? "That doesn't make any-"
"-sense? No, not really. But what does make sense?" Galbatorix turned around and walked over to pick up his carving on the floor. Examining it, he began his track of pacing again. "Those lights are a very different kind of something. The most amazing thing I've ever seen. I found them in these strange caverns underneath that mountain while I was running from the Varden, after you destroyed my hopes and dreams." His smile changed, into one that caused Eragons hair to stand on end. "It was the most amazing thing. I touched the light... and I felt it run through me, envelope me. Before I knew it, I was in a strange room, just like this one, with no exits. But, watch."
Galbatorix turned around, and walked over to the wall on Eragons right-hand side. Eragons vision blurred for a split second, and when he gained focus only a fraction of a second later, he saw there was a large, open doorway on that wall now, and inside he could hear water rushing, like a water. He felt a breeze roll in, carrying the scents of various plants and greens."
"This is my world, Eragon," he said, turning to him. "I can choose who and what enters, and what the world looks like around me. I am a god, here." He laughed, and began to walk into the newly created room.
"What do I have to fear of a silly Dragon?"
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.... I don't know xD
