The Exiles Chapter X
Reunion
Three Months after Chapter IX
Eragon flew high above the Beors, near the peak of a huge, hollow mountain not unlike Farthen Dur, except this one was named Necrgrind, which meant the Gate of Corpses in the ancient language. It was named so because it was the site of the bloodiest battle between Galbatorix and his Forsworn against the Riders.
Eragon looked to his left and saw Aliya on her purple dragon, Xenophon, and Altair on his, Xerxes.
Flashback……………..
Altair grasped the yellow egg, and it gave a violent shudder. Altair sharply drew his hand back and the egg cracked. A baby dragon reared its head, and cooed. Altair just grinned, and Aliya hugged him. Eragon clapped him on the shoulder, and laughed. Suddenly, Altair's black scimitar glowed, pulsated, then changed colors, from black to yellow.
End Flashback……
In the space of three months, Altair's dragon had grown to nearly half the size of Saphira. It was near unheard of, except for Galbatorix's first dragon, Zephyra, who grew even faster. Xerxes was a natural flier, cutting the wind like a peregrine falcon in a dive, and flying ten times faster. Saphira had taken a liking to Xerxes, but only as a friend. Xerxes reciprocated her feelings, but he showed no romantic interest in her either.
A howl blasted out of the mountains, and a red dragon spiraled from their left flank. Another huge, lumbering, red dragon shot out of the clouds to their right, seemingly faster than its size would allow. One of the riders was unpleasantly familiar.
"Murtagh!" roared Eragon in fury.
The other rider, however, did not seem familiar. His dragon was the larger, and it was easy to tell that the dragon was a male. The rider was also male, since no woman could stand six and a half feet tall. He was an expert, and wielded a crimson red blade. Zar'roc.
I think it's Morzan. It's Morzan. Oh, gods. Eragon's thoughts came quickly almost faster than he could process. He broadcasted his thoughts to the other four, riders and dragons. He quickly laid out a plan for them.
Eragon corkscrewed to the right, to meet the strange man, who looked uncannily like Morzan. Saphira and the red dragon met in a fury of talons, wings, fangs, and claws. They pushed at each other with their legs, blue on red, but the red dragon was too powerful for her. Eragon, without asking Saphira, jumped off of her and landed on the red dragon. He bellowed in fury and charged the red rider. Turning around, the rider positioned Zar'roc in front of him expertly. As Eragon's blue blade met the Rider's red, Eragon hooked his fingers under the helmet that blocked the rider's face. He ripped it off, and it went flying towards the ground. He saw the face that had eluded him for many years. He had a scar that went from above his eyebrow to his lips, giving him the impression of an impish smile. His face was gaunt, and his hair was in the exact fashion of Murtagh's.
"Hello, my son," hissed Morzan with a cruel smile.