Two days after Harry, Hermione, and Ron left for Uru'baen, Eragon and Roran mounted Saphira to go to Helgrind. Not only was the distance from Aberon to Dras-Leona than to Uru'baen, but also Saphira was much faster than plain old walking. But they weren't going to hurry too fast, like the mad dash to the battlefield only a couple of months before.
Roran sat in front of Eragon, as a safety precaution. This way, Eragon could grab hold of Roran quickly should the older cousin fall. This way, too, Roran could hold onto the spike in front of him.
"Flying's great, but the first time can be scary," Eragon warned as Saphira prepared to launch herself into the air. Shifting her weight and bulk to her hind legs, she sprang into the air, and pushed her opened wings down.
Roran suppressed a scream as the ground moved away at a dizzying speed. Saphira circled, gaining altitude, until she was high enough to give the adoptive brothers a good view of the land. Fields of crops lay out below them. On the horizon, there were a few cities from the world that Alagaesia had melded into.
As time went on, however, Roran grew less afraid, and actually began to enjoy the flight. Eragon had told Saphira to fly easy, to get Roran used to flying before they even go to a faster speed.
Flying straight like this is boring, especially at this pace, Saphira told Eragon.
I think it's alright to go faster now. Just don't do any fancy acrobatics. I'm not sure how well Roran will be able to hold on, Eragon replied.
Saphira immediately did a quick barrel roll. Roran did scream this time, a scream of delighted terror. Roran was like a little kid on a roller coaster ride for the very first time. Eragon was about to reprimand Saphira when Roran twisted around, a grin on his face for the first time in the months since Katrina had been kidnapped.
Saphira, you just lightened up Roran's mood, Eragon told her.
Good. There's nothing more fun than aerial acrobatics, Saphira replied.
They continued on, passing over the hot plains of Surda, stopping to eat when they got hungry. It would take a couple of days to get to Dras-Leona, total, and Eragon hoped that he wouldn't arrive too late or too early. The Ra'zac had to be in their lair. That was what their mission hinged on.
The way to Helgrind was uneventful, Saphira flying high enough not to be spotted below by anyone who glanced upwards. Once they came close, Saphira exercised caution in her flying. No more wild acrobatics.
As silently as possible, Saphira flew them to the top of Helgrind. They circled it, looking for the entrance, and finally found a cave large enough for Saphira to enter on the north side. Saphira landed on the ledge in front of the cave, and Eragon and Roran dismounted. Saphira followed the adoptive brothers inside.
It was high noon, and inside it was dark. Eragon warned Roran that they were in the Ra'zac's element, even though it was bright and sunny outside. They were trespassing on very dangerous ground.
Eragon could see in the dark better than his cousin, a result of his change. But he was still surprised when the tunnel suddenly turned into a cavern large enough to house the two Lethrblaka, the Ra'zac, and little else. It was a very tall cavern, though. On either side of the cavern slept the Lethrblaka. Their black hides made them hard to distinguish this far from the light.
Saphira, Roran,Eragon said to the both of them with his mind, we need to draw them outside. Let's head back down the tunnel halfway before they scent us. And then, we'll wake them and run outside. It's too tight for us fight effectively here. Roran, we should probably mount Saphira before waking them up…
He didn't get to finish his thought because at that moment one of the two fearsome, ugly beasts woke up. Eragon, Roran, and Saphira held their breaths simultaneously, half hoping that it would only yawn and go to back to sleep, absolutely hoping that it wouldn't notice them. No such luck.
With a deafening, heart-numbing screech, the Lethrblaka woke the Ra'zac and its mate, alerting them to the trespassers. It was useless to run, and the tunnel was definitely too tight a space to fight. They had to face their fears and fight inside the cavern.
With blood rushing, Roran and Eragon gave wordless battlecries, while Saphira roared her challenge. Roran Stronghammer charged, hammer out and ready to use. Eragon had his replacement sword out, and charged a split second after Roran. Saphira allowed the humans to go first, then, she charged as well, only exhaling flames when she knew her Rider and his cousin wouldn't get singed.
As it turned out, the Lethrblaka and the Ra'zac weren't quite prepared to fight in their own home. They were stunned that anyone would get this far into their home. They recovered quickly, though. It was going to be a tough fight for the Shadeslayer, Stronghammer, and Saphira.
Eragon slashed with his sword, Roran smashed with his hammer, and Saphira blew fire at their foes. The Ra'zac leapt and one slashed Eragon across the cheek, while the other tried to get Rorans back, but had gotten Saphira's tail when she blocked the blow. The Lethrblaka were trapped in one place, but they slashed and pecked at the intruders.
It grew hot and sticky in the cave, but it was a fight to the death, neither side was going to give up. Saphira continued to blow flames at her opponents, despite the discomfort of her Rider. She put some nasty burns on one of the Lethrblaka, while the other jabbed at her wings with its beak.
Eragon whirled around when the taller Ra'zac jumped behind him, managing to block the blow with his blade. The Ra'zac hissed, and Eragon merely grimaced. Eragon slashed at the Ra'zac in a wide circle, getting the side of one of the Lethrblaka before the blade could even hope to make contact with the Ra'zac. It dodged, at the last second, and jumped while Eragon was still recovering. As it was landing behind Eragon yet again, Roran smashed its beak with his hammer.
A strange, gargling howl of rage, pain, and possibly fear sounded through the cave. Eragon followed up Roran's attack with a slash of his own, neatly cutting off the Ra'zac's head. Unfortunately, the other Ra'zac had also slashed, at Roran. The Ra'zac's blade slashed down Roran's arm. Luckily it wasn't the arm he used to wield the hammer.
Roran also howled in pain, but he moved as he did so. Eragon had already plunged his sword into the Ra'zac. Roran smashed in the Ra'zac's head.
All the while Saphira was trying to keep the Lethrblaka's attention on her, somewhat succeeding. Her face had peck marks, blood dripping from puncture wounds, and some along her neck. Eragon was painfully aware of Saphira's pain through the bond they shared.
The Ra'zac have been taken care of, Eragon reported to Saphira.
Then help me fight these monsters, little one, Saphira replied. She slashed again at the big beast near her.
Eragon turned towards the one closest to Saphira, and rammed his sword into its body. Unfortunately, his sword wasn't long enough to kill it that way.
Use your magic! Saphira ordered, exasperated. Eragon had forgotten that he could use magic.
Uttering "Brisingr," Eragon lined his sword with fire, and sliced the hot blade down the Lethrblaka's body. Roran leaped at the head, hammer swinging. The hammer connected with beak yet again. Once Roran was out of the way, Saphira lunged and locked her jaws on the Lethrblaka's neck, piercing arteries and veins. Blood oozed and dripped from the wounds her teeth were in, and she let go. The wounds on the monster's neck bled profusely, and it started to die.
The other, seeing all of its family dead or dying, tried to flee. Saphira blocked its way. It hissed and lunged its beak at her, but pain in its midsection made it stop. Eragon was drawing his sword out of the wound he created, and Roran smashed its tail. Eragon then proceeded to slash his sword towards the neck of the beast, and Saphira, while it was momentarily distracted, lunged for its neck. She held for a moment, and then let go.
It is done, Saphira told Eragon.
"Where's Katrina?" Roran asked.
"Let's have a look, see if there's anymore caverns in the back," Eragon said, trying to keep his voice optimistic. It's been a long time since Katrina had been captured, and he feared the worst.
Stepping over or around the Ra'zac bodies, the two humans went to take a look. In the very back of the cave, there was another, smaller tunnel. Eragon and Roran walked through, and found themselves in another cavern. Chains dangled from the sides of the cavern walls, and from two of them, Eragon saw two limp forms. He quickly strode over to them, and noted their breathing.
"Their still alive," Eragon said.
"Katrina!" Roran ran to her, trying to wake her.
With a moan, Katrina woke. She seemed disoriented, if only for a second, and then she screamed.
"Katrina, it's okay, they're dead. The Ra'zac are dead. As are those horrible beasts the rode," Roran tried to reassure her.
The screaming woke the other figure, the figure of Sloan. He took one look at who was with them, and immediately began to beg for release. Eragon ignored him.
"Katrina! Stop it!" Roran all but yelled, pleading with her to actually see him and here his voice.
The screaming faded, and a tentative "Roran?" could be heard. Katrina had finally heard him.
"Yes, love, it's me. Eragon and I came to rescue you," he replied, emphasizing the pronoun.
"And what about me?" Sloan demanded.
"Traitorous coward, you've no idea how much anguish you've caused our family. Garrow would still be alive if you hadn't opened your mouth to the Ra'zac the first time they came to town," Roran hissed at him.
"Besides which, Saphira cannot carry more than three, and that's pushing it," Eragon said.
"But you can't just leave me here to die!" Sloan said.
"I could," Roran said.
"I couldn't," Eragon said. "Katrina comes with us. We'll let you out of your bonds, but you'll have to climb down this accursed mountain yourself."
Eragon first released Katrina first, using his magic to open the lock. Roran carried her out to Saphira, all the while telling her what a brave, beautiful woman she was. Once Roran and Katrina were on Saphira, Eragon released Sloan. Sloan glared at Eragon, but the Rider paid no mind. Instead, he strode to where Saphira was already leaving the large cavern. The smell of smoke and burnt flesh assaulted his nose again.
Once on the ledge, Eragon mounted, and Saphira took off. Katrina screamed a moment, then she subsided. Saphira wheeled away, heading south. Sloan hadn't even reached the ledge yet before he couldn't see them anymore. Eragon sighed relief. The last thing they needed was Sloan following them.
Saphira landed them as soon as Helgrind was only a bump on the horizon. She was exhausted, bleeding, and so were the two male humans. Eragon summoned the energy needed to heal Saphira. He didn't know if wounds caused by the Lethrblaka would heal slowly or not. It was better not to take any chances.
"What about us?" Roran said when the peck marks on Saphira's face had closed up.
Eragon only uttered the spell to heal Roran's wound next. Katrina was watching, oddly fascinated by the closing of the skin under Roran's leather. Then, Eragon healed the slice on his cheek. He was even more exhausted when the healing was done.
"Ra'zac wounds take a long time to heal naturally," Eragon said. He looked at the sun's position, and cursed.
"What?" Roran asked.
"We'll have to stay here for the night. We're all too exhausted to move," Eragon said. "We need the rest, but the sun is sinking fast. We won't have time to move on before it grows too dark."
Roran and Katrina hugged. They were so glad to see each other once more. They also exchanged a tender kiss that made Eragon a little envious. Why couldn't he find a female that is to his and Saphira's liking and human? He remembered Arya's rejection clearly.
You'll find a mate, little one, Saphira reassured him.
How can you be so sure? Eragon asked.
Because, out of the many human females out there, there has to be one that is compatible,Saphira said.
Eragon didn't push the matter. Saphira was so firm in her belief, Eragon had to wonder, privately, if the dragon had someone in mind. He didn't dwell on the thought, though, for night was coming, and their rations were running low. He sent Saphira to hunt for not only herself, but for Roran and Katrina as well.
As she took off, Roran asked apprehensively, "Where is she going?"
Eragon replied, "To get some meat. For you two as well as herself."
"Aren't you going to eat, too?" Katrina asked.
"I don't eat meat anymore. It just doesn't feel right to me anymore," Eragon said. "There's still some fruits and bread left in the saddle bags. That should be sufficient until we reach the safety of Surda."
"You've changed quite a bit, Eragon," Katrina remarked.
"I had to, to survive," Eragon said, ending the matter.
Saphira came back, a deer dangling from her forearms. Eragon wouldn't look as Roran took care of cleaning and carving the doe. The smell of roasting meat soon reached Eragon's nose.
The humans ate in silence, no one wanting to disturb the peace that surrounded them. After they finished eating however, Eragon told the others that he'd take first watch.
Roran agreed, and said he'd take second watch. Saphira volunteered for third watch. As everyone else settled down to sleep, Eragon paced, watching the night. There was still just a tad of light in the sky, not enough to make any difference.
He wondered how they were to get Katrina home. Just because Saphira flew them here didn't mean she could last all the way to Aberon. Eragon supposed that they'd have to walk it. He wasn't going to leave his cousin or his cousin's fiancée behind.
That settled in his mind, he began to wonder how his other friends were doing on their mission. Surely they would be in Uru'baen by now. He wondered if it was the right thing to do, to send these three on such a dangerous mission. Well, if all goes well, they'll make it home before him.
Dawn came, and Eragon told them that they would have to walk. When the lovers asked why, Eragon explained that while Saphira was strong, she could overstrain herself carrying three people.
So, the three humans and dragon traveled back to Surda. The trip was uneventful. Saphira did carry the humans part of the way, but she tired easily under the weight.
They finally reached Aberon, and Eragon headed straight towards the rooms in which the wizarding trio had stayed.