A/N: I'll keep this short and sweet - First, sorry for the long wait.
Secondly, sorry for any bad grammar or spelling. It's been a while since I wrote, this, but I did re-edit, but still no guarantees.
I feel really bad for not uploading this when it's been done for such a long time. I'm actually already on chapter 13. Sorry guys. :(
Some of the small details throughout the story have changed, so I'm sorry if it gets confusing anywhere.
Also, in case you guys didn't know, Book 4 - Titled Inheritance, is set to come out November 8th this year.
After it comes out I will crank out a few more chapters for here, and then start putting up the rewrite. Any and all info in the new book will help me decide what to do from here.
And I don't know about you, but I'm really excited to read it!
Anyways, here's the new chapter:
Story:
Chapter 10: The Values of Training.
"What I am about to show you is called the Rimgar, or the Dance of Snake and Crane. It is a series of poses that we developed to prepare our warriors for combat, although all elves use it now to maintain their health and fitness. The Rimgar consists of four levels, each more difficult than the last. We will start with the first." Oromis's voice was strong and full as he spoke to us.
At the mention of the Rimgar, Eragon seemed to become rigid, and looked as though he was going to throw up. "Are you okay?" I couldn't help but to ask the question, and not just out of curiosity.
Before Eragon could answer Oromis told him to relax, but all he managed to do was unclench his fists. "I asked you to relax, Eragon. You can't do the Rimgar if you are as stiff as a piece of rawhide."
"Yes, Master." Eragon let his arms hang loosely by his sides as the rest of his muscles seemed to relax.
After that Eragon and I stood on the square of dirt next to each other as Oromis stood in front of us and directed us through many odd poses. Most of the poses tested our flexibility; they were gentle so that they didn't put too much strain on the body, but at the same time they were tough enough to work up a sweat. As we worked our way through the many poses I was glad that I had put my hair up before coming; I'd have to remember to put it up or bring a hair tie with me each day.
When we were finished with the Rimgar we went to the stream by the house to "wash the sweat from our limbs" as Oromis put it. I went farther upstream then Oromis and Eragon to get a bit of privacy whilst we washed. The water was cool but it was nice. My hair was soaked though, so I took it out of the ponytail to let it dry out.
Oromis then led us deep into the forest, until we reached a hollow where the trees leaned inward, obscuring the sky. In the middle of the hollow there was a white stump that Oromis instructed Eragon to sit on. While he went and instructed Eragon to do something I was left standing at the edge of the field. I used this time to pay more attention to what Nyte was doing; Glaedr had been testing him on certain aerial maneuvers and as well as his flexibility, by doing something that was oddly familiar to the Rimgar.
I was tempted to ask Nyte how he was liking his training so far but I figured it was best not to disturb him, so instead I just quietly listened while I waited for Oromis to return. Only moments later Oromis returned and had me follow him deeper into the forest, and farther away from where Eragon was left. Several minutes later we reached another sort of clearing, though this one was slightly smaller and instead of a stump in the middle there was a small patch of wild flowers.
Oromis instructed me to sit in the middle of the patch of wild flowers, cross my legs, and close my eyes. I did as I was told, and listened intently to hear what his next instructions would be. From my left I heard Oromis's voice, in a soft whisper, say, "I'm going to tell you exactly what I told Eragon, though my expectations are different yet the same; Eragon had a teacher before me, and has been a rider longer then you have. This is your first time formally training, although, you are an elf, mostly, so you should adapt to this quicker. I have faith in you."
There was a slight pause before he relayed his instructions, "Open your mind, Kyra. Open your mind and listen to the world around you, to the thoughts of every being in this clearing, from the ants in the trees to the worms in the ground. Listen until you can hear them all and you understand their purpose and nature. Listen, and when you hear no more, come tell me what you have learned."
Everything went silent after that. I waited a few moments and listened to my surroundings to see if Oromis was still there or not - I hadn't even heard his footsteps when he left. I sighed slightly and folded my hands in my lap before lowering the barrier around my mind. I let my consciousness flow out and clash with the consciousnesses of all the living beings in the clearing.
It was very similar to the feeling I got when I opened my mind up to more than one 'person' at a time. When I did this I could always feel a slight tinge of life from everyone else around me - it was almost like I could see their minds but couldn't enter them, like the walls around their minds became see-through.
As I started to lower the barrier around my mind and let it drift farther and farther into the clearing I was able to start seeing the minds, or conscious's, of all the living creatures around me. At first I could only see a few - there was a bumble bee on a flower to my right, a small cluster of ants by a flower to my left, and even the occasional spider here and there. As the minutes ticked by I was able to see more and more of the creatures around me.
There were, for the most part, only insects around me. Thousands of ants, beetles, spiders, grasshoppers, bees, wasps, caterpillars and various other insects swarmed the ground, bushes, flowers, rocks and trees that made up the small clearing. The insects moved in swarms, choreographed to the will of the leader, moving as one. There were stragglers here and there of course; ones that either got lost or separated, or ventured out on their own for another purpose. I couldn't detect a definite thought process from the insects, only instincts.
Half an hour rolled by before I let my mind open farther and reach the edges of the clearing. I started to sense more then just the insects now; there were birds high in the tree tops and soaring through the air, squirrels raced each other across the ground and up the trees, and occasionally I could feel a larger animal lurking at the edges of the clearing, near enough to sense but far enough to not know exactly what it was. The larger creatures lights were starting to drown out the insects making it hard to concentrate on both at one time.
I let go of my focus on the insects to concentrate on the other animals, to understand them. The first were the birds; they were odd, that's for sure. Some of them worked together in groups, catching prey and building nests. Others were alone, flying through the sky or perching on branches. Even though the birds didn't have actual thoughts they had more than just the basic primal instincts that the insects had. They had feelings, deep feelings that were their own and could be identified as such. The squirrels were the same. Their feelings were prominent as they raced and played with each other.
I could feel them, the feelings that flowed through the squirrels and birds. I could feel the excitement, the happiness, the hunger, the joy. I could feel the heart beat quicken as one squirrel closed in on the other, I could feel the rumbling of a birds stomach as it eyed an insect on the ground and closed in for the kill, and I could feel the strain on another birds wings as it soared higher and higher into the sky. I was even able to feel the weight and tension of the unborn babies that rested inside the female squirrel. The sights, the sounds, the feelings, they were all foreign to me, but the longer I paid attention the more familiar they became; my own senses were leaving, and it was like the animals feelings were becoming my own.
As the day grew on so did my concentration; I began expanding it again, paying attention to smaller details, and more animals at once, as well as concentrating on the insects again. It took a while, but I was eventually able to know exactly what the birds, squirrels, ants, bees and other insects were doing all around the same time. Some of the birds left, flying high into the sky and then soaring away, but others came to replace them. The squirrels on the other hand stayed the entire time; it seemed as though this clearing was their home.
I stayed like this for who knows how long, listening and paying attention to the life around me. It was peaceful; my mind was far away from all worry or pain, and for once I was completely relaxed and felt that I truly belonged. For a brief moment in time the world ceased to exist to me and all that was left was the small clearing and everything that it contained.
My small sense of security washed away with one sudden burst of light; the larger creature that had been lurking on the outer edges of the clearing had finally jumped in, blinding my senses momentarily. The creature was a feline of sorts, possibly a mountain lion. Its light outshined the light of all the other creatures, completely drowning out the insects, leaving only it and the squirrels, seeing as it managed to scare the birds away.
As I dove into the being of the feline I could feel its deep hunger and its overwhelming desire to kill. Before I could move my world came crashing down on me; the creature pounced, its claws slashing through the upper body of the nearest squirrel. Its small body writhed with pain, caught in the felines grasp; it could no longer escape and was going to die. The feline sunk its teeth in, delivering the final blow.
"NO!" My eyes flew open, my consciousness violently drawn back to the confines of my own mind, and all my muscles tightened. I leaned over, tears streaming down my face as I vomited from the pain.
"Kyra? What happened? Are you okay?" Nytes voice floated in my head causing me to snap the rest of the way back to reality. I had to wipe away the spit and vomit from my mouth before I could respond, still letting the tears flow.
"Nyte…" I paused to look up and across the clearing. The feline was eating the remains of the squirrel, not bothered at all by my presence. Sighing and wiping away my tears I resumed talking to Nyte, "I was able to feel it; everything the squirrel felt I felt. I felt its skin being ripped from its body, I felt its bones being crushed and I felt its muscles being torn. But, more than that, I felt its terror, and I felt its last breath leave its body. It was horrible."
"Pull yourself together Kyra," Nyte's words made me realize that I was crying again, and that my body was shaking slightly. He gave me a few minutes to clam myself before continuing, "I was able to feel a small amount of it through you, but it must have been terrible to experience it firsthand like you did. But feel better, okay? I guess we now know why elves don't eat meat, right?"
Nyte started to laugh and I couldn't help but to join in, even though it really wasn't that funny. "Thanks, Nyte. You're my hero." I laughed again, glad that Nyte decided to keep contact with me while we were training.
"Well, you should probably head back to Oromis. You've been gone a considerable amount of time, and Eragon returned to him ages ago. You are falling behind!"
"And what about you? You're just talking to me instead of training with Glaedr!" I was able to tell that I had caused him to lose his focus while training. I'd have to remember to apologize to Glaedr for it sometime.
"Hey, I am a good multi-tasker, unlike a certain little half elf I know" There was a slight pause as he nearly crashed into a tree, "Well, I'm still better then you. Though I should pay more attention to this lesson, and you need to get back to Oromis. I'll talk to you later."
With that our connection faded, but was still there, and as I made my way through the forest I was able to concentrate on what Nyte was learning from Glaedr. He had him doing all sorts of aerial maneuvers that would help to avoid arrows and other air borne objects while in battle. Nyte would have to do some of the same ones over and over again to make sure that he got it right; one false movement and it could be fatal for the dragon, or his/her rider.
It was interesting, listing to Glaedrs lesson through Nyte. I smiled to myself as Oromis hut came into view, and I found Oromis and Eragon both inside. The smile quickly faded though; there was a foul aura in the air and Eragon especially seemed upset. They may have just finished talking about something upsetting, so I waited, just inside the door, until Oromis beckoned me farther in.
"And what did you hear and see, Kyra?" At first I was hesitant to share, with both Oromis's and Eragon's eyes on me, and the thought of the kill fresh in my head. That passed though, and after a deep breath to calm my nerves I began to recount all that I had heard and seen. As I spoke I closed my eyes, which helped me to recount everything clearly, and not a single detail escaped my explanation.
When I came to the final details I opened my eyes and watched as Eragon's face twisted in horror at the way I described my encounter with the feline and the squirrel. I let my words trail off at the end, not knowing what to say or how to wrap it all up.
There was a pause before Oromis spoke, "I can see that you are greatly affected by what happened. This is understandable, yes, but it is all a part of life. You needn't let it bother you so much. It's natural that it would, and thus is why we elves don't hunt for living creatures."
"Other than that, it seems as though you had a rather fulfilling day. It's still not good enough, but it was better then what I hoped for, for your first time. Like Eragon you will have to meditate in that clearing for one hour every day. Unlike Eragon, I think you will only need to do it a few more times before you grasp this part of your training well enough. Now, explain to me what you know of the ancient language so far. I don't expect you to know much of it, all things considered, but something is better then nothing. Also, do you know how to read and write, in this spoken language, and or in the ancient language?"
I explained to him all that I knew of the ancient language, making me realize that my knowledge of it was seriously lacking. "When it comes to reading and writing I'm fairly good in the human tongue. The family I grew up with taught me. Though, when it comes to the ancient language I've only read and wrote it once, and that was on my own. When I saw my mothers' grave for the first time there was writing on it in another language, at the time I didn't know that it was the ancient language though, and it took me forever to figure out what they meant."
I expected Oromis to be irritated, angry even, at my lack of knowledge and experience, but he was neither. He calmly took account of all I said and then gave me a quill and then sat me down next to Eragon. He quickly briefed me on what he had already taught Eragon and then continued the lesson as though I had been there the entire time. At first it was hard to keep up, but as we continued I was able to catch on and follow along well enough.
By the time we finished the lesson it was late evening. We moved outside the hut just in time to meet the dragons as they returned. The moment they landed I bounded up to Nyte and hugged his neck; he lowered his neck for me and nuzzled the side of my face. I hadn't realized how much I had missed him, and how amazing it was to be by his side again.
Our reunion was cut short when Glaedr invaded my mind to ask a question, "For what reason must a dragon fold only one wing while executing aerial escape maneuver six?"
The question caught me off guard; I hadn't expected to be asked what Nyte had been taught throughout the day. I was suddenly grateful that we kept our connection linked like we did. Even though it was an easy question, and one I knew the answer to, it took me a bit to form the words in my head. "To throw off the balance of their body just enough to escape without causing damage to their or their riders bodies. If they were to fold both wings the balance shift would be too great and the possibility of escaping any and all oncoming air borne projectiles would be very small."
Glaedr nodded, and padded away, seemingly pleased with my answer. He went to Eragon and asked him a question as well; one that was a good deal harder than the one he asked me. When Eragon couldn't answer it I could feel the anger rolling off of Glaedr. As Glaedr spoke with Eragon Oromis came up to Nyte and me and asked Nyte a question, "How many squirrels, and what genders, made their home in the small clearing a short distance from here, what is their favorite past time, and why were their numbers depleted by the end of the day?"
Nyte moved his head, and I released my grip, so that he could stare Oromis in the eye as he answered the questions seriously. "There were two squirrels, one male and one female. They liked to chase each other around, like they were playing tag, to pass the time away. One of them died, the female, by the end of the day because she was caught and killed by a feline of sorts. Though, in all reality more than one died, considering the two squirrels had been mates and the female was baring unborn children."
Oromis nodded and smiled faintly, also seemingly pleased with Nytes' answer, and then turned to ask Saphira a question. She too couldn't answer the question, just like Eragon. I was able to see the anger in Oromis's eyes as he spoke to the lot of us. "Eragon, Saphira, I am disappointed. After everything you two have been through together I would have thought you'd have learned the most basic rule of being Shur'tugal; Share everything with your partner. You need to mingle your consciousnesses until you think and act as one. I expect the both of you to know what each other is taught. As it is Kyra and Nyte, a younger dragon and rider then the both of you by a good few months, who didn't even have a mentor, know this better than you. You should both be ashamed."
"What about our privacy?" Eragon's words reminded me of the discussion that Nyte and I had the night before.
"It isn't about privacy, Eragon." I threw my thoughts in, before anyone else could speak. "You and Saphira might have two separate bodies but you share the same soul. There should be no secrets between a rider and a dragon; you should always share your thoughts, feelings and experiences with each other, especially while training or learning new things. To be a true dragon and rider privacy is not something that should even be thought of. It may seem unfair, but it is the truth."
I added, to Nyte alone, "Thank you for that lecture last night, and thanks for letting me steal your words. I think I'm starting to see the real importance to our connection."
I paused and looked at Eragon, who at first was speechless, and then looked a bit ashamed. It was easy to guess that he had fully processed not only my, but Oromis's earlier words as well. Saphira didn't look all too happy either. At one point she even stomped one of her feet and glowered at Eragon.
"You are wise, little flower. You don't need to thank me though. Last night I was just speaking my mind, as you just did. We have a strong connection, yes, but we still have a lot to learn, about each other and the world around us." Nyte cooed slightly as he spoke to me and nuzzled my shoulder.
After a few minutes Eragon spoke aloud, "We're sorry, master. We won't disappoint you again."
"See that you don't. You will be tested tomorrow on what the other learned." Oromis paused, before revealing two small wood baubles nestled in the middle of his palm. He handed one to Eragon, and then one to me. "As long as you wind it properly, this device will wake you at the right time each morning. Return here after you have bathed and eaten."
I held the bauble in my hand for a moment before pocketing in and giving my thanks to Oromis, as did Eragon. Both Saphira and Eragon were quick to leave, tension still running high between the two of them. It saddened me to see another dragon and rider with such ill will between them.
As soon as they were out of sight I turned to Oromis, who was eyeing me questioningly. "…Ebrithil, may I ask you a question?" My voice was unsteady, but it was something that I was dying to know from the moment we met.
"Did you not just ask a question, young one?" There was a pause, and a slight laugh from Oromis, before he continued, "Yes, you may ask whatever you want Kyra."
Taking in a deep breath I steadied myself before asking, "Master, you knew my father, didn't you?"
The moment the words left my lips I knew that the question was a taboo and shouldn't have been asked. There was an immediate change to Oromis's demeanor; his eyes swirled with a mix of emotions, his body stiffened, and even his face seemed to contort into what looked like pain. "….Yes, I knew your father."
I bit my tongue, holding back my next question. I didn't want to hurt Oromis, or dig into forbidden territory, but eventually my curiosity proved to get the better of me. "How did you know him, Master?"
A sigh escaped Oromis's lips and he placed a hand gently on my shoulder and looked me in the eye, "That is a story for another time Kyra. I promise that I will tell you, and soon too, but not yet."
His hand slowly slipped from my shoulder and his eyes dropped. It was easy to tell that this was going to be a touchy subject. "I understand. Thank you Master. I'll take my leave now. I look forward to training with you tomorrow." I bowed slightly before mounting Nyte.
As we flew away I let my thoughts race and roam, and mingle with Nytes'. Our feelings mixed together, and no words were needed to know exactly what the other was thinking or feeling. By the time we got back to our little abode the light was starting to fade from the sky. We ate our food in silence, and then crawled into Nyte's bed together, and drifted off to sleep, side by side, with not a word spoken.
That night a terrible storm raged through Ellesméra, waking Nyte and I in the dead of the night. After pulling back the huge current to close off the room, we were able to drift back to sleep with the noise of the storm as our lullaby.
In the early morning the bauble woke me up, and I quickly bathed and ate, excited for the day of training with Oromis. Nyte was also excited for the day of training, so we were both quick to make our way there. We arrived at Oromis's home at the same time as Eragon and Saphira, and before landing Saphira and Nyte looped around each other, nearly touching.
After dismounting our dragons Oromis greeted us and Glaedr moved to take off with Saphira and Nyte like the day before, stopping only to quiz Eragon on yesterdays lesson. Also like the day before I gave Nyte a quick hug before he left, and reassured him that I would keep in contact with him during the days' lesson. He still seemed reluctant to go, unlike Saphira who easily left while full of excitement.
Oromis motioned with one finger, "Wait here." We watched as he strode into his hut to get something. When he returned, sword in hand, I realized that Eragon too had his sword with him today. "Today we will skip the Rimgar, and instead cross our two blades, Naegling and Zar'roc. Kyra, not only do you not have a Riders Sword, but you have no sword at all. I will have a sword made for you soon, but it will not be a Riders Sword. For today, after Eragon and I spar, if Eragon is willing enough, you may use Zar'roc to spar with me. Is this fine with you, Eragon?"
Eragon paused to look me over, probably worried about me being able to properly wield a sword. "Yes Master, that is fine with me."
"Good, now draw thy sword and guard its edge as your first master taught you." Oromis held his sword in hand, his stance in a ready position, as he waited for Eragon to do as he was told. Eragon, slowly and reluctantly, drew his blood red sword and whispered a few words in the ancient language. A blue glow appeared between his fingers and followed the blade of his sword as he moved his hand up and down it.
This was my first time seeing Eragon use magic. It was a small amount of magic, but I could feel his energy, feel his aura, and it seemed oddly familiar in a way. I pushed these thoughts out of my head as I watched Eragon and Oromis's swords clashed. Moving a few feet back I planted myself on the ground and studied intently as they sparred with each other.
I would have thought, with Oromis being as old as he is, and Eragon looking like an experienced fighter, that Eragon would have had the upper hand. I couldn't have been more wrong. The young dragon rider was a poor match for the old elf. Oromis, being of elvin blood, was much stronger than any human, even being as old as he was. It was also apparent that he had many years worth of battles beneath his belt.
It was so enticing, sitting and watching as they battled each other. Watching as Eragon struggled to hold his own against his opponent, and watching as Oromis shot out tips to help Eragon while easily holding his own against him. Each time the swords clashed together I could feel my heart beat quicken, and my veins pulse. I could feel the excitement welling up in me, and could easily recount every time I had sparred with someone, be it the recent sparring with Jak, the old neighborhood boys, or even Jason.
On one hand the thought of battle intrigued and excited me. The thought of crossing blades with another person, and giving it your all to be the last one standing, or just giving it your best to prove your worth, brought about amazing feelings. On the other hand though, battle meant death and destruction. A lot of ill will and feelings come from battle, and many times death, which was not a pleasing thought at all. I was eager to spar, but not to fight for real. As similar as the two things are, they are still two completely different concepts.
I brought my full attention back to the fight just in time to see Oromis's features twist in pain, and Eragon leap at the opening. As he leapt at his chance to get the upper hand on Oromis, Eragon experienced his own dilemma and toppled to the ground in pain.
"Are you okay, Master?" I was quick to my feet, and even quicker to leap to Oromis's aid. He dropped his sword on the ground and kneeled over, the pain obviously hard to bare. I moved to help him, and at first he resisted, but eventually he let me wrap my arm around him and help him to a nearby stool.
"Thank you child, but I will be alright." Oromis's voice was heavy, but barely so. Nodding I moved to help Eragon, who was now curled in a ball on the ground, eyes closed shut, with vomit spewing from his mouth. "Leave him be. He will be fine in due time. There isn't much that we can do for him at this point."
"Yes Master." It was hard to just stand there and watch Eragon writhe with pain, so I turned back to Oromis, who seemed to be doing much better. I rattled my brain, trying to pick out an appropriate question to ask, feeling that I should get at least one or two of them out of the way. I decided on the simplest one for now, "Master…You said that you would have a sword made for me, but it wouldn't be a rider's sword. Why is that?"
"All the Dragon Rider Swords ever to have been made were all made by one elf; Rhunön. After the last war she vowed to never again make weapons, and thus the production of riders' swords was halted. It may be sad, but it is the truth. So, we will have to make you a good sword, but it will never be even close to the power or durability of a rider's sword. Now," He paused to stand up and grab his sword, "Take up Zar'roc, and we shall see what you can do."
I raised an eyebrow for concern, but followed Oromis's instructions nonetheless. When Eragon had dropped to the ground he had lost his grip on his sword and it had tumbled a few feet away. As I navigated around Eragon and the mess that he made, my stomach twisted in knots; I couldn't bear to see him in so much pain, and I felt bad about just leaving him there.
I turned my gaze from Eragon to his sword, Zar'roc, and reached out to grab it. The moment my hand grasped its handle I let go, and jumped back. It felt like I had just been struck by lightning. "Is something wrong?" I could hear the faint sound of concern hidden in Oromis's voice.
"No Master, everything is alright." It was a complete lie, but I didn't know how to explain it, so I felt it was better to leave it be. I bent down and picked up Zar'roc, and this time the feelings that flowed into from the sword were a lot smaller, and more bearable. The first time I touched the sword I could feel an immense amount of malice coming from it. Zar'roc, misery, truly lived up to its' name.
The sword felt heavy and awkward in my hand, completely out of place. There was a slight frown upon my face as I returned to Oromis and waited for further instructions. "You will protect Zar'rocs' blade as Eragon did. The phrase to use is Gëuloth du knífr. You'll run your thumb and forefinger the length of the blade and it shall be protected." As he explained he also showed me by following his own instructions with his blade.
"Magic. Right. I thought I wasn't supposed to use any until my arm is fixed. What should I do?" I let my thoughts drift, knowing that Nyte would be the only one to hear them, and even then I didn't expect him to answer. Oromis knew of my dilemma, so of course he wouldn't ask me to do anything too absurd. "Gëuloth du knífr." I let my energy flow, and let the magic come. A purple star appeared between my thumb and index finger, and bounced back and forth between them as I ran my fingers along Zar'rocs' blade.
Once the blade was protected the purple star faded out of existence and a small throbbing leapt into my right arm. I could feel the blood pulsing out of it, but it wasn't all that bad. Nowhere near as bad as it had been in the past.
"Ready?" Oromis was standing at the ready, waiting for me. I nodded, and our fight began. Our swords clashed quickly, and I could feel the strength that Oromis had put into his blow. It was obvious that he was going easier on me then Eragon, either because of his own earlier fit of pain, or because he thought less of me. Either way, it bugged me.
I put a lot of force into my blows, and sped up my movements, but still Oromis held back. "Come now, Master. You do not need to pull your blows. I know that you are much stronger than me, but please don't think so little of me." I grinned as I spoke, spinning around Oromis and his oncoming blows, almost dancing while I moved.
"I see, you want me to treat you as an equal, to Eragon, at least? I give you points for being able to concentrate on speaking and battling so well at the same time. But do you really think you are ready for stronger blows and quicker movements?"
Our swords met again, and I could feel that Oromis had put more force into it, but I didn't back down. "Even if I'm not ready, I will still take them." The earlier excitement I felt from watching Eragon and Oromis's battle was coming back to me. My blood was starting to dance inside my veins and my mind was starting to lose control.
My emotions started to wash away, and my concentration on the battle was absolute. My blows began to carry more power and gain speed, as did Oromis's. Slowly but surely our battle became fiercer, and our moves more strategically placed. Never once did I lay a single blow to Oromis's body, but neither did he lay a blow to mine. It was like we were evenly matched, which I knew couldn't be possible.
We continued like thus for a good half hour, our movements as fluid as dance moves, and each move was perfectly placed, like it was all choreographed from the beginning. Our battle came to an end though when Oromis had another fit of pain. Seeing all his features tense up, his face scowl in pain, stopped me in my tracks.
I couldn't bare to attack him when he was disadvantaged as such so I dropped Zar'roc on the ground and stood there, staring, waiting for his features to relax. "You should have attacked while you had the chance. While in real battles you can never show your opponent such sympathy, you need to be ruthless while attacking."
His words surprised me, but I stood my ground and defended what I had done, "Master, there is a difference between sparing and all out battling. When sparring the only things that should be at stake are ones' dignity and a few bruises and broken bones. But when in real battle there is so much more at stake; your life, your opponents' life, and the lives of those around you, or those that you are protecting. While sparring I will not take advantage of my Master while he is in pain from something other then our sparring. It is wrong, I won't do it."
Oromis sat himself down on the stool as he listened to me speak. When I was done there was a look of happiness, or maybe pride, in his eyes. "You speak well Kyra. You have a kind and strong heart, and a very sturdy mind. Your abilities with a sword aren't bad either, and what is more impressive is your ability to adapt and change. You have great potential as a rider."
Words of praise from Oromis, they just somehow didn't feel right. Thankfully I didn't have a chance to speak on this matter again for Eragon started to moan himself back to life. He sat up, with a horribly disgusted look on his face as he looked over the contents of his now ruined clothes, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Are you alright?" It was kind of a stupid question, but I asked it anyways, while picking up Zar'roc and moving closer to him.
"Bit my tongue." He spat out another mouthful of blood as he spoke, and tried to wipe away some of the dirt, muck, and vile from his clothes.
I knelt next to him and placed Zar'roc in a clean patch of dirt beside him. "Ah. Thank you for letting me barrow your sword. Though I can't fathom how you can stand to wield such a sword all the time."
It took him a second to register what I had said. "…Wait, does that mean that I missed you and Oromis sparring? Damn." His face scrunched up a bit as he spoke. "What, was Zar'roc too heavy for you?"
"It's not the weight of the sword, Eragon. It's the feelings, the energy, which the sword carries. It has such a malicious aura emitting from it. Makes make stomach twist in knots. How can you stand that?"
"What are you talking about? Zar'roc is a fine sword. I don't feel anything bad about it." To prove his point he picked up the sword and waved it around a bit. "Feels just like a sword to me."
This puzzled me. Was I crazy? I was starting to think so until Oromis spoke. "Eragon can't feel what you can, Kyra. It surprises me that you can feel that from Zar'roc though. Not many can actually feel the energy or aura of things and people like you can. You are indeed unique. I'm sure that the more you tap into your magic the more you will be able to feel and sense these sorts of things."
"Now, the both of you should get washed up. Eragon will go to the clearing, and Kyra to the flower patch, and you will both meditate there for an hour. Once you hear no more you will return." At that Oromis turned and left to enter into his hut.
Most of the rest of the day went smoothly and quickly after that. Eragon and I bathed in the river and then meditated in our respective areas for an hour or so. When we returned to Oromis we learned that the main point of the meditating was to strengthen our minds. After that we ate, talked a bit, and learned more of how to read and write in the ancient language.
Oromis gave each of us some scrolls to take back and study in our free time. Just as we were leaving his hut Eragon asked about working with magic. Oromis agreed and led us outside to the greensward by the Crags of Tel'Naeír. Oromis had me stand back and watch as he and Eragon tossed a ball of water back and forth using magic. At first I could only feel the energy flow from Oromis, since it was so overpowering, and Eragon was hardly trying.
Eragon was obviously overly cocky; he thought that he'd be able to handle a 'simple ball of water' so he let his guard down, and was smashed into the ground and then soaked by the ball of water. After a few times of getting knocked down he became infuriated, and summoned up a lot of energy and carefully thought over the words he would use in his spell. As his energy built up I was able to feel it over Oromis's. I could feel the differences in their aura's, in their beings; feel how they were so unique, they were two completely separate people so their energy's were also completely separate and unique.
Though, there was an odd sense of familiarity to Eragon's energy, like I've felt something eerily similar to it before this. As Eragon released the energy and flung the ball of water back at Oromis, and closer to myself, it clicked in my head as to what was so familiar about Eragon's aura. My right arm started to burn slightly as Eragon's magical energy passed by. It was similar, not the same, but very similar to Murtagh's aura, and the aura the lingered in my wound.
Did this mean that Eragon had some malice in him? Or was there some sort of kinship between them? I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Eragon had said they met on their travels and became friends, how could they be related? Maybe I was wrong about it. Maybe I could talk to Oromis…Or better yet, survey Dylan and Jak and see how their auras were.
My thoughts were knocked back on track as Eragon entered into another fit and Oromis seized up. Eragon's fit was small, but Oromis seemed to be doing much worse. I moved to his side and waited for him to respond. After Eragon was better he knelt before us and hanged his head low, "I am sorry, Master. I have pushed beyond my rights today. Please forgive me."
It took a few minutes for Oromis to respond, "That is alright, Eragon. This is the end of our lesson for the day." Almost like they were cued to, Glaedr, Saphira and Nyte flew over the tree tops and landed around us. Once again Glaedr asked Eragon and me about the lessons he taught Saphira and Nyte, and Oromis in turn asked them questions. This time we were all able to answer the questions, not just Nyte and me.
"Tomorrow," Oromis sounded tired, "When you wake there will be elves outside of your homes to take you to the training grounds where you will each be taught proper swordsmanship. Afterwards you will come back here for the rest of your daily training."
"But master, can't we train with you, as normal?" Eragon was obviously saddened by the thought of training with someone else.
"No buts, Eragon. I have nothing left to teach you in that matter. I am old, and crippled, I cannot spar against you young ones as often as you shall need. No go, and enjoy the rest of your day."
There were still a few hours left in the day, as I noticed. I nodded to Oromis and bid farewell to everyone as I mounted Nyte. I didn't have any plans for the day, but a little rest and time to ourselves couldn't hurt, as well as some studying. Just then Eragon seemed to remember something important, or happy, as he quickly said his goodbyes and was on his way.
As Nyte and I flew back to our new house we discussed the day's events. Nyte was happy with our progress, but sad that we had to train separately and see each other so little. "They are training me as a dragon and you as a rider… But, when will they train us as one?" I wondered the same thing, and hoped it would be soon.
Nyte dropped me off at the base of the tree when we arrived, instead of taking me with him through his opening like the night before. Instead there was a pleasant surprise waiting for me at the trees base, and Nyte must have known. "We heard that you were getting off early today so we figured we'd stop by."
"Dylan!" I quickly hugged the boy that had spoken, and then turned to the one who had remained quiet, almost looking as though he was embarrassed. "Jak," I embraced him next, "It's so good to see you two." I smiled for a moment, and then backed off a bit and scowled. "You two have a lot of explaining to do."
"We're sorry, Kyra. We should have told you everything before we came here. Please forgive us." Jak spoke quietly and bowed his head as he did so. Dylan copied his brother and bowed his head as well.
"It's…Alright. I understand that you guys are secretive and untrusting. But please, I want to know everything. Please trust me." I could feel my features lighten as I spoke to them. How could I stay angry at them? It just didn't feel right. The mistrust hurt, but I couldn't hold the anger.
Jak tenderly placed a hand on my shoulder, "We came today with the intentions of explaining everything, and answering any questions you may have. There is a private garden not far from here that we can go to so we can talk. I think it's a place you will like. Nyte can't come but will you come with us?"
I sighed a little and contacted Nyte before answering Jak, "Nyte? Would you be alright with me going along with them? I don't want to leave you here alone though."
"It is alright, little flower. I knew that they wanted to take you away for a little while. I need to get out for a little while anyways so that I can go hunting. All these berries are giving me a stomach ache. Go have fun little flower."
"Thank you Nyte. Good luck hunting." I turned back to Jak and Dylan and nodded. "I will go with you. Lead the way my friends." A faint smile touched Jak's face, which in turn made me smile.
The two boys led me far deeper into the woods – away from the path that lead to The Crags of Tel'Naeír, as well as away from Ellesméra.
End of Chapter 10! ((Up next: Chapter 11: Talk amongst Friends.))
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