I only own my own OCs. And again, not so sorry about the cliffhanger. Mental speech in ' ' and ancient language at the bottom. Please review and hope you like Chapter 10! And POV stands for 'point of view.'

(Arya's POV)

Vraela never moved. She barely breathed. She lay in a wagon pulled by her horse, her long, silver hair splayed out around her. It was easy to believe she had died, from her looks at least, but she was there. No matter what, though, she looked like she was to be set in the ground for burial. How did the Eldunari keep such a hold on her from so far? They moved closer to Uru'baen every day, though, and if anything, Vraela looked more pale ever step closer. I sighed. She didn't deserve this after seven years of imprisonment. Once this war ends, her life must be the best the world can give.

Blodgarm walked up and asked, "Anything?" I said, "Nothing good. She still looks worse. I still believe we should have sent her the opposite way. We are making it easier for the Eldunari to control her. Are you still certain of your thoughts?" He shook his head and said, "Who is sure of anything in these troubled times? Besides, we must await for Eragon. Why did we let him go to Vroengard alone?" I pointed out, "He had Glaedr, the smartest creature alive, and Saphira, the most ferocious dragon of this time. I would worry about the inhabitants if I were you." I didn't believe my own words, though. I worried about Eragon. If he died, and I never told him how I feel...

Blodgarm's mood seemed to darken again. He grunted, "Yes, but after the magic unleashed there, no man alive, dwarf, elf, human, or even Urgal knows what, well, things live there now!" I knew when Blodgarm got like this, there was no changing his mind. I just changed the subject.

"Have you had any progress finding a way to help Vraela?" Blodgarm said, "No, I haven't. But you risked enough when you dived to the very bottom of Lake Leona! You may have placed a spell on yourself to breathe, but no one wants to lose two elves in one day." I roared, "You would have lost two elves! Just help me find a way to wake her..." And we argued this way for a long while.

(Vraela's POV)

Black. Cold. Shadows.

All I could feel, see, hear. Nothing seemed to be real. I felt so cold. I saw black, and shadows of deeper black. This must have been some hateful torture Galbatorix thought up. I felt all my past sorrows again and again, never ending, always stronger. But after what felt like eternity, a white form appeared. The Eldunari didn't hold my mind anymore. I spoke for the first time in a while, "Who... Who are you?" He said, 'From Vrael. He loved you. You will meet me soon, but you may know, that I... I am Umaroth.'

And before I could say another word, he faded, and I woke up. Everything was blurry, but I could still see a bit. I made out Arya and Blodgarm, arguing at the foot of the wagon I lay in. I tried sitting up, but only groaned at my pained body.

Arya saw me wake up, and yelled, "She's awake! Yaela! Get the water! Are you alright, Vraela?" I nodded gently and asked, "How long?" My voice was the opposite of its usual soft, musical tone, cracking at vowels and scratchy. Arya said, "Long enough. We're about fifty leagues from Uru'baen."

I said, "Will one of you help me up?" Arya put a soft hand on my chest, and I saw that the hole still hadn't mended from my dream, a special thanks to Galbatorix. I pushed her hand away lightly and said, "I have been still for too long. Please. I wish to see Emerald."

As if I'd called her, she was soared out of the sky and landed a few feet away, sending Silver Wind into a frenzy. I asked her privately, 'Emerald! Are you okay? I haven't felt you in so long...' Words couldn't describe how much a part of me she was, so we just caressed each other with our minds, soaking in each other's presence.

After awhile, Yaela ran up from the wagons behind, caring a water skin. She held it to me, but held onto it, knowing I'd lose my grip and drop it. The water made me feel refreshed, and I managed to swing myself over the short sides of the cart. Arya reached out to steady me, but I said, "I'm fine. Thank you, though, Arya. But I don't remember what happened after I hit the water."

Emerald laid next to me, and I sat on her foreleg, as Arya began, "Well, when you fell, I dove after you and did as spell as I fell to soften the impact of when we hit the water. You, well, you sank to the very bottom of Lake Leona. It took a good while and strong magic to reach you. Blodgarm is still saying I was too reckless."

I said, "Well, you were! But there are no significant words to explain. my gratitude." Arya accepted my thanks, but I saw something was bothering her. I asked, "You look upset, Arya. What troubles you?"

She looked close to tears as she looked away and said, "Well, it's... Nasuada. Eragon... he chased Murtagh halfway to Uru'baen, but Murtagh pulled many Eldunari out, and they... they overpowered him." I quickly stood, fell, and after righting myself, asked (extremely panicked), "Where is Eragon? Is he here? Did he return from fighting Murtagh?"

Arya said, "It's alright. Eragon isn't here, but he's safe. He has gone to Vroengard." I yelped. Vroengard? "Is he an idiot? I went to Vroengard once with Galbatorix. The grubs alone cause the worst sort of death! How stupid must you be to go there, especially when the siege is so close to Uru'baen! We need Eragon!"

Arya was about to answer, when we all sensed a massive amount of minds approaching from the northwest. I felt one brush against my mind, and I saw... "Eragon!" I clambered clumsily into my saddle, and said, "I can take one of you with me."

Arya and Blodgarm had a quick stare-down, but Arya won. She leapt gracefully and gently from Emerald's foreleg, shoulder, and swung of a spike onto a niche. I quickly said, "Brakka skuls." The scales under Arya softened, and we flew to greet Eragon.

We saw Saphira in the distance, and when we did, Emerald doubled her speed. Once we were close, Arya practically leapt off Emerald and to Eragon. I felt another pang of jealously, seeing Eragon so happy with someone else. I felt the other minds pressing, and I asked, "Eragon! You are well, I hope?" He said, "Yes, of course. You look better, also."

I asked him, "But, I ask you this: I see only you and Saphira, and yet I sense at least one hundred here. Would you explain?" He nodded, but then frowned. "I... I can't remember. But they are Eldunari. We found them on Vroengard, hidden... somewhere..."

I wanted to press him, but it seemed he truly didn't know. I suddenly felt a familiar presence. "Umaroth! You are a dragon!" Eragon put up his hands as a signal to stop. He said, "Wait. You already know Umaroth?" I answered, "Umaroth was my father's dragon." Eragon rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed at his bad memory.

I spoke with Umaroth until sunset, and even on the way back to the caravans, I talked with him about the villa on Mt. Utgard and Vroengard in the old days, before the Fall. As we spoke, all the times I'd forgotten or forced out of mind from sadness, they all returned.

The evening faded to night, as I sat with Umaroth's pure white Eldunari in the wagon, and we spoke for a longer time than I can remember, until Umaroth said, 'We should stop. I need no rest, but you do.'

And so, I stopped Silver Wind, ground tied her, and lay to sleep. I said, 'Good night, Umaroth.' He said, 'Sleep well, daught- um, Vraela.'

Brakka skuls= reduce scales