Disclaimer: Nothing from Paolini is mine. Everything else is.

A/N: Hey, thanks for your reviews! Since I left off with such an evil cliffie, I thought that I would update soon. I hope I didn't scare anyone too badly! I also want to remind you that Murtagh is my favorite character. Would I really kill him off? Lol! Enjoy!

Chapter 10: "I Know You"

We're almost at the pier. Saphira said, projecting her thoughts to her Rider, the elf, and the red dragon. Are you ready?

Yes. Eragon replied with determination, his hand already at resting on his sword hilt. We're ready.

Then, he looked over his shoulder at Aianna when he heard a soft but sharp intake of breath, and he was scared to see that tears were falling from her black eyes. "Aianna, are you all right?" Eragon asked gently.

Aianna didn't answer him. In fact, he wasn't sure he she had even heard him at all. Her fearful eyes were only on the pier, for a dark feeling had risen in her heart…

"Aianna?" Eragon repeated nervously.

Suddenly, Thorn roared loudly in pain and dove deeply, his wings buckling as his eyes closed tightly.

Thorn! Saphira cried, diving after him quickly. Hold on… she added to Eragon and Aianna in warning.

Eragon immediately knew what she meant. He grabbed onto Aianna's arm to hold her steady just as Saphira maneuvered her way underneath Thorn to catch him.

Saphira shook a little under the red dragon's dead weight while making sure that he wasn't crushing the two people on her back at the same time. But she soon got comfortable with the awkwardness and was able to guide him down to the ground. Eragon and Aianna jumped down from her back and watched as the blue dragon laid the red dragon gently down on the grass.

Thorn, what's wrong? Saphira asked anxiously.

But the only answer she received was another loud roar of pain from the dragon. Even if Thorn had been able to answer her, he wouldn't have been able to describe what he was feeling. The pain he was experiencing was so intense that he felt as if his back had been torn open. His thoughts were scrambled and disordered due to the pain, but there was one thought that stood out above the others.

Murtagh…

Saphira lay down next to him, laying her head on his neck as a form of comfort. She could feel his heartbeat racing against her, and she growled sadly. But when she heard his single thought, she gasped. Of course…

The blue dragon raised her head and sniffed the air, growling with worry. Something happened to Murtagh. Saphira said, addressing her thoughts to Eragon and Aianna. I smell blood. Hurry and find him.

Eragon quickly drew his sword and looked back at Aianna, seeing that she looked pale. Knowing that Murtagh was going to be in as bad as shape as Thorn, he sighed when he knew what the best thing to do would be. "Why don't you stay here?" he suggested gently, laying his hands on her shoulders and lowering her so that she was sitting down on the grass. "I'll find Murtagh."

"Will you be all right on your own?" Aianna asked, struggling to hold back her tears.

The Rider gave her a kind smile. "I'll be fine." Eragon answered. "Just relax, and I'll be back before you know it." Then, he nodded to Saphira and ran as fast as he could toward the pier.

Saphira growled softly as she laid her head gently on Thorn's neck again. She hoped that both Riders were going to be all right…

Suddenly, she gasped when she realized that she wasn't feeling anything against her side. Saphira quickly raised her head and looked down on the red dragon in horror.

No!

Xxxxxxxxxx

Murtagh opened his eyes and found that he was lying on the floor of a dimly lit room. He slowly sat up and looked around, confused. Where am I? he thought, rubbing his throbbing head.

Suddenly, he began to recognize some of the things around him; the stone walls, the wooden table, the carpet he was sitting on… He gasped, realizing that he was in Morzan's castle… the home he had lived in with his parents.

The Rider slowly got to his feet and looked into the mirror on the wall next to him, seeing that he was still his nineteen-year-old self, which made him feel even more confused. Wasn't he supposed to be in Melian? What had happened?

Then, he heard footsteps come from the next room, and a woman entered. Her fair hair fell down past her shoulders and her bright eyes didn't show any surprise when she saw him. Instead, she gave him a warm, loving smile.

Tears came to Murtagh's eyes when he saw her. "Mother…" he whispered.

Selena laughed a little as she began to walk toward him. Suddenly, she stopped and her eyes widened in fear as she looked over her son's shoulder.

Murtagh quickly turned around to look behind him, and he gasped when he saw the shadowed form of his father standing in the doorway, his eyes gleaming as he twirled Zar'roc tauntingly in his hand. The younger Rider looked down at his side and anxiously saw that Zar'roc wasn't there. What was going on? His father grinned at him, which sent a cold chill through him. "I would avoid this if I were you, boy." Morzan muttered, raising Zar'roc.

The nineteen-year-old knew what was coming, and since he was not armed, he did the only thing that he could think of. He ran towards his mother, hoping that if he at least made it to her, he would be safe.

But he was too late. He heard the soft sound of the blade cutting through the air as the sword was thrown, and he suddenly felt the blade slicing his back open. The pain was so intense that Murtagh believed that this event was actually happening again. The last thing that he knew was hearing his mother's crying screams.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Sarin looked down on himself, seeing that his body had also grown larger during his transformation. He was liking this power that he had acquired more and more… Then, his deep red eyes moved to the motionless Murtagh lying at his feet. He saw the gashes from his claws that ran down his back, but the third one from the bottom was much deeper than the other three…

He slowly reached down one of his large hands and placed it around the Rider's waist as he picked him up, limp in his hand. Sarin turned him over onto his back and used one of his fingers to hold up his head. The nineteen-year-old's face was deathly pale, his black hair contrasting greatly with his skin. The shopkeeper realized that his hands must have also been more sensitive in his new form because he could feel Murtagh's racing heartbeat…

"Brisingr!" (fire)

Sarin howled loudly in pain when the blue flames engulfed his arm, and he dropped Murtagh back to the pavement. He angrily looked behind him, and he snarled when he saw another boy standing a few feet away with his sword drawn. He looked a little familiar to him, like someone he knew, but the shopkeeper knew that he had never seen him before.

The boy was glaring at the beast in front of him, but then he gasped when he saw the Rider at its feet. "Murtagh!" Eragon cried in horror, wondering how he was going to reach him.

The shopkeeper then lunged at Eragon when he saw his hesitation, his claws outstretched. The Rider raised his sword, managing to slash his side as he avoided the creature's attack. The wolf landed and turned to prepare to lunge again, but it suddenly cried out in pain and moved to the cover of the shadows as a bright light hit it.

Eragon looked behind him and saw an elderly woman standing on the abandoned street by the edge of the pier. She was leaning on a dragon head cane and wore a small, shriveled head around her neck. She looked familiar to the Rider, but he just couldn't place from where.

"It's probably on its way back to Galbatorix now." the old woman muttered sadly. "But I don't see why it had to be him…"

"What was that thing?" Eragon asked, shakily putting his sword away. "The creature was huge!"

The old woman's expression darkened as she began to limp forward. "Morzan's hound from Hell." she answered darkly. "It is a creature different from others for it has two forms. Man by day, wolf by night. It brings death wherever it goes."

The last sentence caused Eragon to panic. "Murtagh!" he shouted, rushing over to where the older Rider lay. He knelt down by his side, laying his hand on his brother's cold cheek. "Murtagh?" Eragon asked fearfully, shaking him a little. "Murtagh?!"

But he got no response. Eragon gently rolled his brother toward him and cringed when he saw the four claw marks on his back through his ripped tunic. Then, he noticed that the third one from the bottom was deeper than the others. The Rider slowly lifted his tunic a little, and was horrified to see that one of the creature's claws had opened up the scar that Murtagh had gotten from Zar'roc years before.

The old woman stood nearby, eyeing the wound sadly. I… I may have to use magic to save him after all…

Eragon then set Murtagh gently back down on the pavement, bending over and laying his head on his brother's chest to listen for his heartbeat. He was horrified when he didn't hear one.

"No…" Eragon whispered, looking at his lifeless brother with tear-filled eyes. "You can't be gone… Please, Murtagh…"

Hearing his words, the old woman suddenly rushed forward with surprising speed and knelt down by the older Rider's side, pushing Eragon out of the way. She placed one of her wrinkled hands over Murtagh's heart and closed her eyes, whispering something that Eragon didn't recognize. Suddenly, Murtagh began to cough as he took a deep breath. Color began to return to his face as he stirred a little, but then lay still again.

Eragon was shocked yet relieved that Murtagh was breathing again. "What did you… How did you do that?" he stammered as he sat up.

"Your brother was never truly dead, Eragon." the old woman said, looking at him over her shoulder. "His body may have been, but his mind was not. I have a feeling that this was the same way that Galbatorix brought Morzan back to his state. It just took the king longer because he wanted to mold Morzan the way he wanted him to be with dark magic.

"But if you want your brother to stay alive, then you'd better get over here and help me bring him to his dragon. I can heal him, but only if we are at my shop."

Ignoring the feeling of wonder that he had at how this woman knew his name, Eragon quickly rushed over to her and gently lifted one of Murtagh's arms and put it around his neck as he carefully lifted him to his feet. The elderly woman slowly pushed herself up with the help of her cane, and she nodded at the younger Rider.

"Bring him to Thorn and Saphira. I will meet you there shortly."

Eragon nodded back at her, taking Murtagh with him back the way he had come. How does she know about us? he thought to himself as he ran, the older Rider's head lolling limply against his shoulder. Who is she?

As he continued to run, Eragon knew that it didn't really matter… as long as she kept to her word and saved Murtagh.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Saphira laid her head on the ground, growling sadly. She had just found Thorn again, and now… someone had taken him from her. She wondered how Eragon was dealing with the loss of Murtagh…

Aianna sat near her, tears falling from her dark eyes. Saphira had explained to her what had happened to Thorn, but she couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that Murtagh was… she couldn't even think it. He had to be alive! Sa… Saphira…

The blue dragon gasped and quickly raised her head, recognizing the deep voice immediately. She looked down on the dragon that was lying next to her, and she smiled when she saw that Thorn's eyes were open and looking at her. Thorn! Saphira cried happily, nudging her head against his neck in relief. You're alive…

The red dragon growled happily as he slowly raised her head and nudged her back. Yes… Thorn replied, his voice still sounding a little weak.

Seeing the sudden movements out of the corner of her eye, Aianna gasped as tears of relief sprang up in her eyes. Thorn was alive, which meant that… Murtagh was also alive!

The elf looked up when she heard footsteps approaching them. "Eragon!" Aianna shouted, getting to her feet and running over to him. Her eyes faltered when she saw Murtagh's limp form leaning on the younger Rider…

"We have to get him to a shop." Eragon told her quickly. "I am not sure which one, but an older woman told me that she would heal him." Then, he looked at the red dragon. "Thorn, do you have enough strength to carry Murtagh?"

Not for very long. Thorn answered as he slowly got to his feet with some help from Saphira. But I can try…

"I will give Thorn the strength that he needs to get to my shop." a voice suddenly said from behind them.

Eragon looked over his shoulder and saw that the old woman had caught up with him. "Agatha!" Aianna exclaimed. The younger Rider looked at her with confusion. So, Aianna knew this woman?

The old woman nodded at her. "Eragon, you and your dragon must go back to the town to weed out and destroy the rest of Morzan's soldiers." Agatha said. "I will have Thorn send Saphira directions to my shop once you are done. Aianna, you come with me. We have some things to discuss, child."

Aianna slowly approached Eragon again and gently took Murtagh from him. The younger Rider looked like he could protest, but he stopped when a wrinkled hand landed on his shoulder. "Do not worry, Eragon." Agatha muttered kindly. I will take good care of your brother."

"How do you know about me?" Eragon asked, turning to face her completely. "How do you know that Murtagh is my brother?"

Agatha's face saddened. "You will find out in time, dear. Now go. The people of Melian need you."

Eragon looked back at her for a moment and then nodded as he headed back toward his dragon. Come on, Saphira. Thorn will be fine until we return.

I fear for Murtagh. Saphira muttered as she got as low to the ground as she could so her Rider could climb on her back. He does not look well…

He will be fine. Eragon said, convincing himself more than the blue dragon. Now come on. Let's hurry.

Saphira roared loudly in agreement. Then, with one last look at the red dragon, she took off into the night sky.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Agatha gently laid Murtagh down on the bed, having Aianna hold him up in a sitting position as she removed his tunic. Then, she turned him over so that he was lying on his stomach, eyeing the four gashes running along his skin warily. "Waise heill." (be healed) Agatha muttered, her Gedway Ignasia glowing as she placed her hand on his back.

Three of the lines instantly began to fade and vanished, but one, the third one from the bottom, remained. Agatha's eyes narrowed as she looked at it.

Morzan's scar. she thought as she placed her hand lightly on it again. There is dark magic within this. If I can find the right spell, I bet that I can counter its magic, or at least stop its painful effects so that he can use magic again…

Then, the older woman looked at the elf with her. "Come, dear. As I look for the spell I need, we can talk."

Aianna looked sadly down at Murtagh, then slowly followed the shopkeeper out of the room into the main part of the shop.

Xxxxxxxxxx

"So… Sarin is a wolf working for Galbatorix now?" Aianna asked quietly in disbelief as Agatha pulled some ancient looking books out from under the counter.

"I am afraid so." Agatha answered heavily as she flipped through the faded pages. "But do not fear, child. One thing that we can be thankful for is that it was not Murtagh that got bitten. I know it must be hard since your other brother is dead, but there is always a lighter side to every situation…"

Aianna leaned on the counter, suddenly feeling weak. Sarin had hated the Empire. Now, he had joined it and had nearly killed Murtagh. She knew that she would have to ask the Rider what exactly had happened when he regained consciousness.

Agatha continued to look through her book, and her eyes brightened up when she saw the spell she wanted. "Ah, here we go. There's the spell I'm looking for…"

Suddenly, the door to the shop opened and Eragon limped in, giving them a weak smile. "All of the soldiers are gone." he announced. "Saphira and I destroyed them."

"Is she out back with Thorn?" Agatha asked without looking up as she put her books back under the counter and leaving only one out.

"Yes." Eragon answered.

"Good. I do not want her wandering around town…"

Through the entire conversation, Aianna only continued to stare at something that Eragon was holding in his arms. "Aie!" she finally cried, running over to look at the body of her brother.

The Rider's face saddened as he watched her. "I'm sorry, Aianna." Eragon muttered. "He was dead when I found him."

The elf took a deep breath as tears began to fall from her eyes. "I know." Aianna whispered, her words catching Eragon off guard as she ran her thin fingers over her twin's pale, cold face.

The old woman sighed and hobbled over to them, placing her hand on Aianna's shoulder. "I think that is enough talking about this for tonight. We will bury him in the morning." Agatha told them. "Eragon, you come with me, dear, and I will show you where we can put his body for now. Aianna, you go back to Murtagh, child. We will be there shortly."

Agatha then led Eragon to the back of the store. The Rider was shocked when he saw the large dragon skull, but then he was steered into an almost empty back room. The only thing inside of it was a wooden table in the center of the floor.

"Lay him there for now, dear." Agatha muttered, gesturing to the table. "As I said earlier, we will bury him tomorrow…"

Eragon did as he was told and slowly turned to face the shopkeeper. She seemed so familiar to him; her facial features and even her mannerisms matched someone that he once knew… someone that was painful to think about…

"I know you." Eragon whispered, slowly walking over to her.

Agatha looked back at him, confused. "What are you talking about, Eragon?" she asked as he approached. "I have never met you before tonight, dear…"

"I know, but you look like someone that I used to know." Eragon answered, looking into her lined face carefully. "Do you have a sibling… a brother?"

The elderly woman sighed and turned away from his inquisitive gaze. Now she could definitely tell that he was related to Murtagh…

"Very well. I did have a brother, but he sadly passed away not long ago." Agatha said softly. "My brother's name… is Brom."

A/N: Again, I hope I didn't scare you guys too badly with Murtagh. I could never kill him off! Lol. Anyway, Agatha isn't all that she appears to be, is she? I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and your reviews are always greatly appreciated! Thanks!