Sorry about not having updated this any sooner. End of school wrap-ups, vacation, and other stories got in the way. So... Did anyone see the Skyword Sword trailer and pictures yet? -squeals in excitement- Yay, a serious sequel to TP at last! There's also a touched-up edition of OoT being released. Also, yay! Now if only Chris Paolini could give us something for IC rather than a guide book...

Song of the Chapter: Rachel's Song- Vangelis

When Eragon had been ripped through that magical barrier and had been painfully transformed into a dragon, he had originally assumed he had been pulled into an alternate world. One where the malicious monsters and perpetual Twilit gloom were normal. He had never expected he hadn't left Hyrule at all, or that the kingdom had been plunged into such a cursed state. Still, even after meeting Midna and receiving a partial explanation on the current state of affairs, everything was so surreal. As if he was experiencing just another vivid dream instead of reality.

Now he was having his first encounter with his first Hyrulean since the descent into Twilight, and had just realized the full implications of this darkness upon Hyrule's inhabitants. Midna's foreboding allusions to this had been nothing compared to seeing it in the flesh. Eragon's turmoil of emotions, that ranged from shock to cold horror, was so chaotic he didn't even try to describe them. All he truly felt was his fiery blood chill to ice and his blue-gray eyes bulge in disbelief.

At first Eragon had only noticed a floating bluish orb of light. Curious, he had cautiously ventured closer to examine it further. The more he had concentrated it, the more clear the full image became. Around the glowing orb the transparent silhouette had slowly taken shape. The man was short and round, both of these features obvious even as he huddled into himself fearfully. From the armor he wore and pike he still gripped, Eragon assumed the man to be one of Hyrule Castle's guardsmen. Driven on by morbid fascination, the dragon had tentatively ventured closer to the strange phenomenon.

Oblivious to the conspicuous green dragon standing mere feet from him, the transparent guard continued to stare blindly ahead. Even with his new sensitive hearing, Eragon could just barely hear the soft tingling noise that must have been the specter's armor clattering from the strength of his shivers. Beneath that clamor, barely audible, was a soft whisper as the man muttered aloud to himself.

"What happened to the others, to the Princess? Am I the last one left alive? Am I all alone down here with those creatures still hunting for me? Oh, Goddesses, what horrible fate has befallen our poor Hyrule Castle? And to our beloved Princess Zelda? Can you hear my prayers for deliverance now or have you abandoned your favorite Hylians to this darkness forever?"

Eragon shook himself vigorously, eager to rid the guardsman's desperate and hopeless rambling from his head. Cautiously, he dared to lower his mental fortifications enough so he could extend his own probing mind. Spreading out mentally, one of his paws also slowly reached out toward the transparent shape of the guardsman. What would he touch, if he could contact with the being at all?

His mind now fully extended, all the green dragon could sense was the shadow beasts and Midna's own calculating mind. His physical touch had a similar result of finding only nothingness, although he did feel a slight draft where his paw brushed against the actual form of the man. Apparently the spectral man must have felt something too for he jolted back in surprise, frantically muttering to himself.

"That warmth... O, Farore, have you answered my prayers? Have you come to grace me with much needed courage during this hour of darkness? Or this merely a sign of my approaching demise-"

Growing frustrating at his invisibility, Eragon loosed an inquisitive growl. His theory was that if he could listen to the spectral man, than he could also hear sounds the dragon made. But not even such a guttural rumble elicited a response of awareness. Believing he was still in the presence of an unseen divinity, the guardsman continued to implore his elusive observer for assistance.

Eragon turned beseechingly to the Twili that still perched upon his back. Midna's expression revealed only neutrality, whatever emotions running through her golden eyes expertly veiled. The gaze that returned his own offered nothing.

What is he? he bravely ventured.

Midna sighed, her stoic features unchanged. "That is a spirit of your realm, Eragon. One that clearly escaped the gruesome demise his comrades met earlier."

The green dragon's blue-gray eyes widened in astonishment. According to the legends the superstitious chose to believe in, spirits were the restless souls of the dead that were unable to pass on into the next world. Caught forever between one plane of existence and the next, spirits aimlessly wandered a land no longer welcome to them. Oblivious even to the realities of their deaths, the spirits were doomed to haunt the world forever, invisible to the eyes of the living but still present and suffering quietly.

Eragon had never been the sort of person to believe in such farfetched tales. Especially since his lessons with Oromis and Glaedr had crushed any lingering beliefs of gods or an afterlife in him. But what if the ghosts of the dead had existed alongside him all along? His mind couldn't detect the spirit's consciousness, but his new keen senses could. Could his previous assumptions upon the matter have been incorrect?

The guardsman is... dead?

Rolling her eyes, Midna was unable to contain her groan of exasperation. "Superstitious light-dwellers. Always quick to jump to the supernatural for conclusions. This pathetic man is more than a restless dead soul. But they are similar. This man is trapped in a world he doesn't belong in, unaware he is dangerously flitting between two polar opposites. He is unaware to substantial beings like you and me, but can still see, and is still a potential victim of, the shadow beasts. Virtually everyone underneath this Twilight's influence has been transformed into such cursed states."

Shuddering at the consequences of those dire words, Eragon dared not to muse upon them. If all beings in Hyrule were now spirits, than that meant Saphira was one too. Another piece of fair game for those spiteful monsters he'd sensed. Instead, he shifted focus away from it.

This Twilight is your natural habitat, right? If... my kind of people can not tolerate such surroundings, how do your people fare when out of their element? When they're forced to live in sunlight as mine in darkness? And why was I turned into a solid dragon instead of just another human spirit?

"My people aren't as oblivious to their conditions nor as weakened when we're in your realm," Midna answered scornfully. "True sunlight will burn a Twili or another inhabitant of the Twilight Realm, and if one is not careful, they shall perish from too much radiance. So we are forced to seek shelter in the shadows until the dusk hours or nightfall before it is safe to emerge. But we are still solid. Still haven't been diminished to a pale version of our former selves." She scratched her chin thoughtfully. "Then again," she mused,"my tribe doesn't often get trapped in a corrupted world."

Corrupted? What had happened to Twilight just spilling from one world into another? Internally grumbling at yet another complication, Eragon left the quivering spirit behind and continued to pad forward. Then again, it would have seen abnormal if Midna's realm was actually populated with the same hoards mindless monsters that now plagued Hyrule.

Reaching the edge of the stone floor that dropped several feet to create a channel sewer waste could flow through, the green dragon cautiously peered over. Splashing through the shallow pools of water were chattering little creatures. Their red markings and jet-black skin resembled those of the first monster Eragon had encountered, but thankfully these shadow beasts were many times smaller.

Unhesitatingly, the dragon leaped gracefully into the channel. Just as they had earlier, the shadow beasts scattered whenever he came to close for comfort. Eragon snarled in revulsion at the cowering abominations, taking care to keep his mind separate from theirs so that senseless violence wouldn't spill over into him.

"Look at them," Midna muttered. "Those things were once normal light-dwelling rats. Before this darkness got to them, that is. Whatever magic that is fueling this darkness is not of the Twilight Realm and I doubt it originates from here." The Twili female waved her hand. "Well? You want to get out of here before you return to your original size? Clear the way!"

Inhaling deeply, Eragon eagerly obliged. He hated the unnatural feel of these corrupted creatures and both sides of his split mind urged him to destroy the shadow rats. The same instincts that allowed him to travel efficiently on four legs also aided his fire-breathing. On his first try the green dragon unleashed a controlled torrent of flame at his targets. The plume of fire was blindingly bright and not as hot as Saphira's raging infernos, but the brilliant light was still enough to vaporize the shadow rats into ash.

Midna, who had ducked behind his broad serpentine neck and had flinched away from the searing radiance, now cautiously emerged from her shelter once Eragon had shut his jaws. Both blinked, silent for several moments in utter astonishment of what had just occurred. With what seemed like characteristic style, Midna was the first to break the quiet. "He breathes light instead of fire," she muttered under her breath. "Of course."

Wisely pretending to not hear the comment, Eragon continued on his journey through the dungeons. Something sensible inside told him it would be best for his reluctant passenger to blow off some steam before attempting to question her again.


Thankfully, Eragon's dragon instincts guided him in the air as well as one the ground. Unfortunately, his awkwardness in such a new shape coupled with the nerve-wracking realization of flying on ones own power hindered his progress. To put it mildly, drunken ducks had more grace while airborne. If such delicate wording wasn't used? Well, Eragon would have been the shame of his new race if dragons had not been almost completely eradicated.

Midna, clinging desperately to his spike and screaming commands into his poor ear, did little to help the situation. "Make a left, you overgrown lizard! No, not your left, my left. Flap! Remember to flap! Straighten your course before you plow us into a tower!"

Wheeling wildly around the uppermost spires of Hyrule Castle, the disoriented green dragon struggled to regain his bearings. But he was positive from his new senses that Ordon Village was south of Castle Town. So why listen to his bossy companion and continue to circle aimlessly about? Eragon was silently debating whether or not to buck Midna off, when the stubborn Twili at last provided a suitable explanation for his insatiable curiosity.

"Do you want to be changed back or stuck as a dragon for eternity?" she snapped heatedly. "I can't transform you back into your scrawny human self, but I know where to find someone who might know how. She even lives close by!" At Eragon's dubious glance, Midna huffed. "Look, Eragon, she's the wisest mortal being in the entire kingdom. If she can't find a way to change you back, then there wasn't one to begin with."

Eragon was disenchanted enough with blind faith to observe his odds logically enough to draw the most likely conclusion. Even if she is nearby the Twilight got at her. She is little more than a shadow unable to see or hear or make contact with us in any possible way. Your aid can be of no use to my current state.

"She's different from the other light-dwellers. Much like you are, only she wasn't turned into a beast."

Resigning himself to her wishes, he turned sharply to the left and flew at the opening in a tower his passenger had directed him at. Several mutated birds trumpeted in alarm as they swerved to avoid his massive form, but Eragon paid them no mind. They were of no threat to him. Flaring his wings as he approached the window, the green dragon managed a clumsily landing and tumbled gracelessly into the small hall. Midna had leaped off of his back and hovered in by herself as if she had foresaw his blunder.

Thank you for having faith in me, Eragon remarked flatly as he untangled himself and climbed to his paws. You could have warned me back there of the difficult landing.

Midna shrugged blithely and once again fell upon his back. "Some things you're gonna have to learn on your own. Judging distances while in flight and learning to land properly, for instance. You can't be a pathetic winged lizard for the rest of your life."

Snorting irritably, Eragon concentrated on his surroundings. He was on a staircase with two doors at either end. The bottom one was most surely locked to ensure this mysterious prisoner was isolated to the top of this tower. The door at the top landing, however, was partially open. There was someone on the other side. His sharp ears could hear the crackling of a fire and his nostrils twitched at the pleasant aroma of jasmine. This elusive person was surely a woman wearing a delicious perfume. (Eragon's dragon side refused to admit such a thought had subconsciously slipped out.)

Lowering his mental barriers, he expected to at least feel a slight mental presence to indicate this woman. Eragon felt nothing. His physical senses all assured him she was just feet away but his mind had been fooled.

Who exactly had Midna directed him to? Shielding your thoughts and emotions from an intruder was one thing. Concealing your mind so not even a highly trained Dragon Rider could notice your presence and making yourself virtually invisible? Such a masterful level of training and power went beyond what Eragon had ever seen before. If this woman proved hostile, did he have the power to protect himself without his own magic?

"Stop hesitating," Midna demanded sharply as she kicked her legs ineffectively into his sides. "This spell isn't going to last forever."

Decision made for him, Eragon swallowed his fear and grudgingly moved forward. He nudged the door open until he could slide into the room beyond. Braced for an attack all the while, the green dragon had a flare of intense flame waiting in the back of his throat in case it was needed.

If the magnificent bed on the room's far side and ornate decor was anything to go by, the elegant quarters suggested the room's occupant was of noble standing. Adorning one of the walls was a massive picture of three triangles positioned in a way a fourth triangle was formed between them. Beneath the triangles was a pair of unfurled wings. Eragon's knowledge of the land extended far enough that he recognized the symbol as the Triforce, which was both the crest of Hyrule and its Royal Family and signified the three Goddesses.

Standing at the far side of the room was a cloaked figure gazing forlornly out a window to the Twilit world around the tower. The person was entirely concealed by their cloak, but Eragon could tell from their slender frame and small stature she was most likely the woman he was searching for. The jasmine scent confirmed it. Hearing the creak of the door opening and the clack of a dragon's claws on stone, the cloaked figure slowly turned around. For a moment both she and Eragon remained deathly still, sizing each other up as if fearing a confrontation.

At last the woman turned her head in the general direction of the imp upon the green dragon's back, and the green dragon just detected her small gasp of surprise. "Midna!" a feminine voice exclaimed in soft disbelief. "What in Farore's name are you doing here?"

The Twili female cackled sardonically, leaning against the golden spike in front of her. "Eeh hee eeh! You remembered my name. What an honor for an insignificant little creature such as myself."

The cloaked woman pointedly ignored the verbal jab, craning her head up to gaze at Eragon. The green dragon lowered his head (for his serpentine neck still allowed him to tower over her) to meet her face eye to eye. "So," she murmured thoughtfully, "this is the one for whom you have been searching for."

Already, Eragon could tell what direction this conversation was going. Determined not to remain in the dark about matters that personally involved him, he growled slightly. Pardon my rudeness, he snipped in tersely. I would still like to know what the hell is going on here, and who you are!

The cloaked woman recoiled in obvious surprise. Obviously she had not thought him capable of speech. "Forgive me, I had no idea you could communicate while in your current form. Your mastery of the talents of the mind is impressive. Wherever did you learn your skills? In these days it is an almost forgotten art."

Eragon could feel her delicate touch brushing inquisitively on the edges of his mind, requesting permission to enter. Feeling the unnatural power behind the woman's touch, he strengthened the barriers around his memories and dug his claws resolutely into the ground. Past experience told him it was wise to keep his status as a Dragon Rider secret for now. I would rather not say at the moment.

She nodded, somewhat reluctantly respecting his wishes for privacy. Apparently she had the same infernal curiosity he did. "All right. We can move on to your questions. I am sure you are brimming with them. Your predicament is quite unbelievable and I doubt you got any answers before this meeting." The woman glanced reproachfully at Midna as she said this, who merely shrugged apathetically. "Please, just tell me your name before we start."

Eragon, he replied without hesitation.

"Eragon," she echoed in bewilderment. "An uncommon name, but a strong one nevertheless. Let me tell of the story that got all of us sucked into this predicament. It deserves to be told." She inhaled deeply, beginning a tale that held even Midna entranced.

"Though you may not believe it, this Twilit hell was once the very same land where the power of the gods long ago slumbered. It was once the blessed kingdom of Hyrule. But that prosperous land has been transformed beyond recognition by the dark king that controls this Twilight. Hyrule has been turned into a world of shadows, infested by cursed beasts who despise the light."

The woman carefully placed both of her gloved hands on Eragon's snout, simple touch magnifying their mental connection a hundredfold. One important section of her mind lowered their impressive barricades, a welcome invitation to experience a personal memory she was dying to show him. Eragon cautiously ventured in and allowed himself to be carried away. He closed his eyes, becoming immersed in a recollection of events so vivid he felt as if he were actually there.

He is in a magnificent throne room of such elegant design he is positive even the proud elves would have been envious of it. Towering above the throne and the room below was a massive golden statue of the Triforce. Surrounding it where three majestic stone women holding onto their individual pieces. Din, Farore, and Nayru, watching over their kingdom from above.

Below, the beauty of the room is all but forgotten. Armored knights are spread out in formation around the throne beneath the towering sculpture. Their swords are unsheathed and their shields held high as they braced for the doom surging ever closer to them. Many of them are clustered around a fair young woman barely out of adolescence. She too held an elegant blade, and the fierce glint in her intelligent violet eyes showed she knew how to use it.

She refuses to flee in face of the rapidly approaching death. Her men tremble so violently their armor clanked. But they did not falter from their task, though they muttered desperate prayers of salvation to their Goddesses. The woman knew her men were not exactly the fighting force neighboring kingdoms envied. Still they had not abandoned her side when they had been needed. Unlike their cowardly comrades that had sneakily departed far earlier, these brave souls would stand by their leader's side until the very end.

She felt sorry her best men would be lost in such a fruitless endeavor.

Black smoke came rolling in mere seconds later, throwing the throne room into utter darkness and choking out the fresh air. Shadow beasts came eagerly pounding out of the smoke, rushing forward in a powerful onslaught. Her valiant knights brandished their swords and charged into battle to meet their hideous foes.

The unholy beasts were too swift to be evaded. Pouncing upon individual knights, the creatures kept one gruesome hand on their victim's throat to choke the very life out of them. The seething mass continued forward, sparing not a single man from their wrath. She swallowed nervously, she and her personal guards still maintaining their ground while their companions slowly had their breath forced out of them.

On the steps leading up to her throne, the shadow beasts halted their merciless advancement. They turned expectantly back toward the black smoke and watched expectantly as their leader emerged from the churning cloud.

He was a tall man, humanoid in build. Garbed in black robes marked with similar aqua markings as Midna possessed, the king of the shadow beasts wore a massive helm to conceal his features. Two false eyes stared emptily out from right above where his head should have been, chilling the young woman the depths of her soul. The unknown man calmly advanced, flanked by two creatures who were presumably his personal guards. Unlike their common brethren, these two special beasts wore silver masks instead of the usual black. Upon their masks was an insignia of two lines twined together. The vaguely familiar symbol sent a shiver of unease down his spine.

Walking right up to the foot of the stairs to where the young woman and her surviving guards cowered, the man and his shadow beasts stopped. From his calm stance he seemed completely unperturbed by the strangled sounds of the dying man around him.

"It is time for you to choose," he stated with the mild air of one discussing the weather. "Surrender or die." He chuckled in amusement. "Oh, yes. Quite a decision to make, for yourself and all the land and people of Hyrule."

Trembling from nerves, the young woman glanced to her dying men and then to the sword in her hand. She was silently contemplating whether she could manage a surprise attack on the Twilight king and kill him before his guards ripped her limb from limb. Her violet eyes once again flickered up to the helm of the impassive king, who laughed once again.

"Life? Or death?" he asked simply.

Her remaining guards turned pleadingly toward her, silently begging her to think of their lives and those of their families. How could she selfishly ignore the desires of her subjects in the desperate hope of beating the incredible odds to sink her sword into this man's side?

Grudgingly, she opened her hand and allowed her blade to fall with a deafening clatter that shattered the silence that had pervaded the throne room. The somber clang of metal against stone sounded ominously hopeless, as if it heralded the end of the kingdom her family had ruled and protected since its very creation.

Along with her blade and almost overwhelming desire to fight came the fall of the entire kingdom. She closed her eyes in defeat, unwilling to see the corruptible Twilight spreading its tendrils over her beloved Hyrule and turning its many colorful inhabitants into mere spirits.

Despite her bests efforts to prevent such a catastrophe, Hyrule had fallen under her command.

Jerking himself out of the memories, Eragon's blue eyes fixated on the mysterious woman in astonishment. She had experienced such unbelievable hell? Had the power to command the armed men he had seen? The noble blood to live in a grand castle? Gods, who was this woman? Surely it couldn't have been...

She answered this question herself. "And so that was it. Without a fight or even knowing what was happening, the people of Hyrule all became spirits. I was powerless to stop it." Her sorrowful voice suddenly strengthened, pride shining through like the sun through overcast skies. "But though perpetual twilight covers this land and the tyrant Zant considers himself supreme here, I am still ruler of this land." Gloved hands rising to her hood, she pulled it back to reveal her identity at last. Eragon couldn't help but gasp at the sight beneath. "I am Princess Zelda Hyrule, sole heir of my father the King."

Her face was pale and angular, her fine features proof of her royal lineage. Light brown hair cascaded down her back, though much of it was still tucked into the cloak. Adorning her head was a slender gold circlet that proclaimed her high rank. Zelda's eyes were a striking violet, but it was what they held that intrigued Eragon more than their unusual color. Her eyes carried the sorrow of a seasoned general that had lost many men by his own human mistakes. They also emanated a fathomless wisdom that far belied her tender years. Zelda could have only been several years older than Eragon, but she seemed experienced enough to rival even Islanzadi in wisdom.

For a moment, Midna's composure crumbled to reveal her sadness for the young Princess beneath. But that weakness swiftly vanished when she sniffed. "Don't be so melodramatic," she snipped to Zelda. "Is eternal twilight really all that bad? I, for one, find it quite pleasant." She chuckled darkly. "You of all people shouldn't long for that harsh light, as you subjected your realm to this. This was a decision of your making, Twilight Princess."

Violet eyes flashing at the title, Zelda restrained her surging emotions. When the shock died down, her gaze softened with sympathy and confusion as she looked Midna straight in the eye. "Midna, this is no time for arguments. Even now the shadow beasts still search for you." Her violet eyes became sharp. "Why is this?"

Turning away, Midna shrugged. "Eeh heh," she chuckled weakly. "You tell me."

Bristling uneasily at the undeniable tension in the air, Eragon once again inserted himself into the conversation. You had no other options save death, your Majesty, he softly told Zelda. This King Zant offered you no other way to protect your people. Twilight is a far better choice than death. Any other compassionate leader in your position would have done the same.

"Indeed, it is." Zelda's eyes briefly flickered over his form. "Forgive me for withholding the information you desperately require for so long. What do you want to know?"

The green dragon did not hesitate. Everything.

Returning to her old self, Midna scoffed. "There's not enough time for that, idiot. Ask only the important questions!"

Quelling the urge to roast the little imp, Eragon obeyed, voicing the utmost worry on his mind. Can you change me back?

Zelda shook her head. "No. It is the Twilight that binds you to your dragon form, and only its removal can guarantee the restoration of your humanity."

Eragon sighed. He should have known as such. What about your condition, your Highness? Why was I transformed into a dragon while you remained unaffected? Surely I would be more of use in the body I was actually born in!

"My natural magics grant me only enough strength to oppose the corruptible influence of this Twilight. I am only strong enough to resist, not to rise against Zant's tyranny. You, however, do." At the green dragon's confusion, the Princess of Hyrule quickly explained: "In the legends of this kingdom, the strength of a dragon is nigh unmatched. Only the strongest of foes have the slimmest of chances of besting one in battle. Perhaps in this form you have the power to oppose Zant and his shadow beasts." Her violet eyes eyes darkened. "The power I do not have."

Unable to contain his growl of frustration, Eragon's claws left marks in the stone floor he gouged at. But why did this happen to me? Why wasn't I turned into a mere human spirit? How in the hell am I supposed to save Hyrule? This isn't even my homeland! Thinking of his comrades and his unfinished business back in Alagaesia with the Empire, he began to grow desperate. I have people of my own to protect and duties of my own to uphold!

"Let me see your paw, Eragon. Please."

Alarm and suspicion spreading, the green dragon only dug his claws deeper into the stone. Did Zelda know of his true identity? Or did she merely suspect he may have been a Shur'tugal.

Testing out his theory, Eragon offered his left paw instead of his right. There should have been no gedwey ignasia on that paw. Nothing except the green scales and thin golden lines that covered the rest of his form. It wasn't until Eragon had raised his paw, however, that he noticed something that definitely hadn't been there before his unexpected change of species.

Emblazoned on the back of his paw were the three golden triangles of Hyrule's Triforce. It was on the exact same spot where the light had erupted from his hand and saved him from being devoured by a shadow beast. Even now it glowed with a soft luminescence of its own. Eragon eyed the Triforce marking in awe. Where had that come from?

Smiling slightly, Zelda held out her own left hand. As it neared his odd new mark, something began to glow beneath her silk glove. There, shining vibrantly just beneath the threads of the glove, was a golden Triforce identical to his own. The two crests glowed ever brighter as neared each other, driving back the chill of the darkness with their own heavenly radiance.

Eragon's wide blue eyes met her own gaze. Their violent depths shone with untold knowledge, the timeless wisdom and familiarity there captivating his bewildered mind.

"There is all the proof you need to assure your identity," Zelda stated sagely. "Only those chosen by the Goddesses themselves bear these sacred crests. We are bound to this land as much as they are. Your heart and soul belonged here since the moment of your birth. That is why my storm summoned you to Hyrule. It was bringing back its Chosen Hero to his kingdom. Finally calling a lost spirit home."

Countless questions whizzing frantically about his mind, Eragon didn't even have the concentration to form an intelligible thought. Not that there was time to. Just as Zelda gave her cryptic revelation the Princess of Hyrule cut him shot.

"Time is running short," she said swiftly. "The guard will be making his rounds to my tower very soon. Both of you must leave before he or someone else spots you." Zelda turned her gaze to Midna, a silent message passing between them. "Midna, I trust you'll do what is needed."

The imp huffed imperiously. "Yes, yes. If I have the time." She kicked Eragon's green sides, her command clear. "Come on, Eragon. Time to return to your pathetic Light Realm."

Reluctant to leave the Princess and his only source of reliable answers behind, it was several moments before the dragon grudgingly obeyed Midna's order. Sliding out of the room and climbing onto the ledge of the open window, Eragon unfurled his wings in preparation of lifting off.

"No!" Midna barked, a tremor of panic in her voice at the terrifying idea of yet another reckless flight. "We'll be taking a faster, safer, and much more direct route back to that village I you were transformed outside of. Just get onto that roof there. I need room."

Rolling his eyes, Eragon leaped onto the green roof just below the window. Midna levitated up from his back and right into his face. He snorted warningly at the uncomfortably close contact. Yes? he demanded angrily. What is it you want now?

"When we get back to the Light Realm, I need to know what you plan on doing then. 'Cause I won't help you transform back until I'm sure of your intentions." She leaned in closer, single little fang bared. "Well?"

Well, what? Eragon snarled. Ordon Village and the rest of Hyrule are in danger, and apparently I'm the only one capable of saving them now. Ilia and Colin still need to be rescued from those green monsters. I can't just can leave everyone like spirits with those shadow beasts hunting them!

Midna jeered challengingly at his words. "Can't you? After all, you do have those 'people of your own to protect and duties of your own to uphold'."

He recoiled at that barb. Alagaesia hadn't stopped needing its only free Dragon Rider simply because he had gotten lost in a distant land. Nasuada was still planning an offense against the Empire. Galbatorix was still a constant threat. Reconciliations were still to be made with Roran. Oromis and Glaedr were still waiting for their students to fulfill their ancient oaths and return for further tutelage...

But Alagaesia was no longer his only priority. Eragon had grown close to the people of Ordon Village, and he could not abandon them in their hour of need. Innocent young Colin and Ilia had been taken by vicious brutes. Twilight a stranglehold over all of Hyrule. People were unwittingly trapped as spirits in a cursed realm, easy prey for hungry shadow beasts. Saphira was among those lost souls, her usual strength no match for those monsters.

Hyrule needs me first, Eragon answered. And under no circumstances will I leave Saphira behind!

Midna snorted. "Then I guess Hyrule can thank this Saphira. Apparently its champion wouldn't be staying around if his girlfriend wasn't also in mortal peril."

The green dragon had begun to snarl at that jibe, but was once again interrupted from his display of rage when a swirling vortex of cyan and black chose to suddenly appear in the sky right above him. Eragon had just enough time to loose a startled roar before disintegrating into a bunch of particles that were sucked up by the swirling portal.

Midna hovered there for a moment more, glancing up at her portal and the dragon that had just vanished into it with distaste. "Foolish light-dweller," the Twili muttered with a devious smirk. "Your senseless devotion to them will one day be your death. But not until I'm finished with you. At least your urge to protect all those in danger will make you easier to control."

Then the little imp also vanished, warping herself and her cumbersome passenger to their destination. The portal closed in on itself, leaving behind no evidence that it or the beings had taken had ever been there.

Next chapter: Eragon returns to the Light Realm... still trapped in a dragon's body? Forced to be a temporary errand boy to Midna, our Dragon-Rider-turned-dragon has his skepticism of divine beings shattered. Because no amount of logic can disprove the giant, transparent, glowing goat spirit that is Ordona. And Saphira's situation from where we last saw her? Bad, to worse.

1. Yep, Eragon breathes light while in the Twilight Realm, not plain old fire. Why? 'Cause dragon-fire on its own isn't strong enough to hurt the shadow beasts, and Twili and those of their realm have been shown to have remarkable weakness for pure light. In the Light Realm he'll breathe normal fire though.

2. I tried to switch the whole meeting Zelda scene around a little. After all, Eragon can talk, and he's not exactly the kinda guy to quietly sit back and let two strangers decide his fate. Not like that will help when talking to the Princess of Wisdom for the first time, though. Zelda always comes off as a bit cryptic to me ^^

3. This plot will not be focused solely on Hyrule. Alagaesia has a plot of its own to offer, and we'll be seeing characters like Murtagh and Galbatorix real soon. Oh, and Arya. But just wait and see what outlandish theory I came up with involving Ganondorf and Galby :D Both wreaked havoc around a hundred years ago, than Ganondorf was sealed away by OoT Link. Around this time Galbatorix managed to eradicate an entire race of overpowered elf-human Dragon-Rider guys and almost wipe out massive, fire-breathing dragons. Yet now he can't summon the power to crush on itty-bitty rebellion and their teenage brat of a savior? Coincidence? I think not!