The Cycle Reborn
I don't own any of the Inheritance Cycle, a car or any significant amount of money… I got nothing; I don't even own my computer.
I also don't own any ideas or characters that creep in from other stories, comics or films etc. I do not own Harry Potter, DC comics, Marvel Comics, anything, I mean it, and I'm broke…
Cry Havoc! And let slip the Dragons of War!
Eric gasped as a nimbus of light surrounded Rayden's body, looking away, Eric watched as a glowing set of runes appeared on the wall, only for a brief moment. Staring into the centre of these runes, Eric heard a chilling voice fill his mind, repeating the same phrase, over and over again;
"In the end you will fail to save that which matters most."
_***_{}_***_
"Damnation! Why do I always faint when something big happens? It gets a tad boring after a while." Rayden spoke to the rooms inhabitants.
"Well big brother, maybe if you didn't mess with the laws of magic, things wouldn't get so messed up around here." Eric spoke, his thoughts still focused on the strange voice that plagued his mind.
"Quiet Eric, Rayden how do you feel? Any pain or nausea?" Eragons spoke while he ran several diagnostic spells on the new Rider to assess his current condition. "You've had quite a rough time my apprentice."
"So, I'm your apprentice again? Aren't your worried I'm going to go dark and destroy the world?" Rayden sneered, brushing past the Elder Rider, who upon hearing Rayden's words hung his head in shame, "Ever since we arrived, you knew there was a darkness in me, you knew I was holding something dark in my soul." Rayden accused, weeks of pent up anger bursting through the dam.
"Yes, I knew that there was an evil in you, what I did not know was how it would manifest itself, would it control you, influence you or simply dissipate after time." Eragon spoke, his blue eyes piercing into Rayden's. "I didn't want to get close to you, because if that evil had taken over you, I would have been forced to kill you, or at least order your execution. That, my Apprentice is why I hid from you." Eragon shouted, before collapsing against the wall.
Silence filled the room, Arya shifted slightly in her seat, the weight of her pregnancy tiring her. Standing slowly she moved over to comfort her husband. "Perhaps, Rayden it is best if you and your family return to their quarters. Now."
"I... I'm sorry I didn't mean to lose my temper."
"That's fine, young rider, go home now." Arya said, smiling slightly as she wrapped a slender arm around Eragons' slouched form.
_***_{}_***_
Pushing the heavy door to their quarters open, Rayden walked straight through the common room onto the balcony overlooking the training grounds and the sea. Resting on the stone bench Rayden simply stared out over the calm waters, noises from below drifting upwards, most lost in the wind.
"He'll be alright, won't he?" Eric asked as he and Jóni watched from the doorway, Rayden sat as a silhouette against the early morning sky.
"Of course he will, he's had a rough time lately, especially with the news today." Jóni replied, smiling down at the child. "Besides, he's got you, me and Taalion to smack him around if he doesn't come out of it."
Smiling Eric stepped into his own room, giving his brother and sister-in-law some privacy. Jóni moved out onto the balcony and sat down behind Rayden, pulling him down onto her lap.
"Are you alright? I've never seen you so angry, even in Ellesméra." Jóni said as she ran he thin fingers through Rayden's brown hair. "Is it about Ren, or Eragon?"
"Both, I think, it's just all this pressure has been pushed on me so fast, Taalion, Magic, a destiny, even you and Eric. It's all getting to be too much." Rayden spoke softly, leaning into her touch. "I'm not complaining, of course, I know how lucky I am to have you all. It's just when I walk into the mess hall, or the arena I can see the other watching me, judging me. I overheard two of the trainers talking about how I seemed a lot less impressive than the prophecy foretold."
"Hush Rayden, they don't know the extent of your abilities, remember, it was your choice to keep the Order in the dark about your unique control. Eragon said it would be safe to reveal it after your inauguration. After the task you performed, I'd say that's quite soon." Jóni said, "After that you do whatever you want with your powers, you'll be free to build spells and add then to the Orders archives."
"I know, I'm scared of what they'll think of me and how they'll treat me, they already look down on Eric, they see his gift as unnatural and unholy." Rayden said, pulling away from his wife. "Sometimes I worry that he resents me for taking him from his home and from all the familiar surroundings of Ilirea."
"Never, he will never resent you, I see, as does Eragon, Arya and J'onn, you are his brother and his mentor, and you will always remain a source of hope and happiness in his life. Now enough worrying, it's late, come to bed."
Neither noticed the small boy quickly slip out of the room.
_***_{}_***_
"What troubles you strong-mind?" Taalion asked as he settled in the clearing he used to rest when not training. He had taken his Riders heart-brother here when he smelled sadness and distress on the boy. "Are you not pleased that Rayden is well?"
"What? Of course I am, it is just I don't know if he's going to be alright. What ever happened in there, it scared him, and I'm worried Ren is going to hurt him." Eric said, curling into himself and snuggling closer to the large dragon. "If Ren is a copy of Rayden, that means he has his power right? I mean Eragon thinks Rayden could be more powerful than the Tyrant was with the aid of the Hearts."
"Your fears are not unwarranted youngling; however, do not forget that which allow your brother to wield his power so well, his mind, his creativity and his ingenuity." The dragon spoke, wrapping a thin wing around the boy, "This Ren possesses neither the heart nor kindness to properly wield the power, yes he will be stronger than a normal mage, but he will not match your brother"
"Are you afraid Taalion? I mean about what's to come, I heard rumours from the other Riders, ancient evils are stirring, and darkness is creeping into Alagaësia. The old Surdan king and Queen have fled and seem to be corrupted by something powerful." The young telepath said, watching the stars twinkling softly against the navy sky.
"Aye young one, something evil is stirring, I feel it in my bones, a great evil will sweep the land, though do not forget, we have two things they will never have." Taalion said, with wisdom that came from his curious sentient state in the egg for many years.
"Oh? What's that then?" Eric asked, turning his curious gaze towards the dragons' great head.
"You and your brother, for I have never met nor heard of humans as stubborn as you two in all the histories of this world." The dragon snorted, shuffling to get more comfortable as he stood guard over his Riders most precious treasure, aside from the elfling of course.
_***_{}_***_
"Stop fidgeting Rayden, you'll be fine, Eric and I will be there for support, as always." Jóni said, helping Eric with the final adjustments to Rayden's armour. "Now, you remember that you have to reply in the Ancient Language, don't you?"
"Jóni I'll be fine, is Taalion ready?" the soon-to-be official Rider asked, peering towards his silver dragon who grumbled as several aids attempted to straighten the armour Eragon had provided when they met in the Capitol. Apparently, the silver beast was not happy about having pieces of metal strapped to his hide.
"I know my love, but this is your initiation into the order, it's my duty as your wife to worry." The elf woman spoke as she circled her husband looking for any flaws in his appearance.
"Yes well apparently it's a brother's job to laugh and make fun of me." Rayden said, pointedly staring at Eric who was sniggering as Jóni picked at each detail of the black armour.
As he was glaring at the young telepath he noticed an aid enter from the side door, bowing slightly to those present he announced that the Rider Council was ready for them. At his announcement, the assembled aids dispersed, leaving the small family alone with the remaining man who motioned for them to follow through a set of ornate ivory doors.
When the party entered the long chamber they were greeted to the site of the entire Order standing on either side of a clear path towards a raised portion of the room, at which stood the Elder council, Eragon, Arya, Saphira and Fírnen, along with the original New Riders.
Moving forward, Rayden and Taalion proceeded up the path, while Jóni and Eric followed behind. As they moved towards the Elders, Rayden watched Eragon carefully, watching for some sign of anger at his actions during their last encounter. He was surprised to find only pride and joy in the eyes of his mentor, deciding that if the Elder Rider could put the incident behind him, so to would Rayden.
"Kneel, Rayden Wiseaxe, Taalion Silverbreath." Eragon spoke when the pair reached the foot of the stage. "Today you shall be ordained as Dragon Riders, in front of your friends, family and colleagues, before we begin however, I must ask are there any present who would deny these two this right?" Eragon finished, looking up at the assembled crowd, after a moment of silence Eragon continued, smiling down on the pair once more.
"Rayden and Taalion, you have faced trials both as a whole and as two halves of that whole, on behalf of the Rider Council I am pleased to announced you both have passed these trials and are worthy of being ordained as a member of our Order." Eragon continued, raising his hands over the kneeling pair. "You have been deemed worthy to join our Order, know you must take the oaths of entry, are you ready?"
"We are." The pair replied, heads now held high.
"Do you swear on your life and magic to uphold the laws of this Order?"
"We do."
"Do you both accept the responsibilities of that of a Dragon Rider?"
"We do."
"Do you swear to ensure justice is upheld wherever you may go?"
"We do."
"Do you swear to honour the creed by which we live?"
"We do."
"Then repeat after me, we do hereby swear that our lives will be given to ensure justice is spread to all who may need it." Eragon spoke in the Ancient Language.
"We do hereby swear that our lives will be given to ensure justice is spread to all who may need it."
"We swear to honour the ways of our predecessors and swear that we will never attempt to turn on our friends and allies."
"We swear to honour the ways of our predecessors and swear that we will never attempt to turn on our friends and allies."
"Finally, we swear to pledge our lives and souls to the Order."
"Finally, we swear to pledge our lives and souls to the Order." The pair spoke, neither of them flinching as a bright nimbus of energy cocooned them, signalling the magic had accepted their oaths.
"Very well then, by the power vested in me, as my right as Elder Rider of the Second Order of the Dragon, I Eragon Bromson, name you Rayden Wiseaxe a Dragon Rider." Eragon said, placing a hand on Raydens' head.
"And I Saphira Brightscales do hereby proclaim you Taalion Silverbreath to be Dragon within our most prestigious Order, as my right as Sky Queen." Saphira announced to the assembled crowd before breathing onto Taalion with a wisp of pure magic, strengthening the bond between the Dragon and his Rider.
"Rise now, Rayden and Taalion, the 56th pair of our Order, you are now and forever shall be Dragon and Rider." Eragon said, smiling as the pair bowed to him before turning towards the crows behind them and bowing once more.
_***_{}_***_
Hours later as the celebrations were at their peak, the hall doors burst in and a phantom like image of the Elf King approached the Head Table. As it moved towards the Elders, the music and games ceased, all watching in silence as the elf approach Eragon.
"Please Elder Rider, hear me speak, it is with great sorrow that I bear this news, Du Weldenvarden has been breached. Our eastern most villages have been destroyed, our people slaughtered." The wraith cried, fear obvious in his eyes.
"Who was it that attacked you? How did they bypass your wards?" Eragon asked, panic lacing his tone.
"They did not bypass them milord, they tore right through them, as for our attackers, they were gone when we arrived, though the left a message, a message for you. Under the sigil of the disgraced Surdan King, it read;"
"I have returned to claim what is mine and punish those who denied me my right. Pass this on to the thrice-damned Eragon Shadeslayer, I will find you and I will bring back Tyranny to Alagaësia. The Legion Rises, with the Tyrant at its Head."
"My lord what does it mean?" one of the Riders asked Eragon.
In halted breaths he answered,
"It means, Galbatorix has returned, and that he will lead an army, he and Orrin, against our Empire. We must prepare my friends, War is coming to Alagaësia."
_***_{}_***_
Okay so two things,
I'm sure you'll have noticed I changed my author name, less of a mouthful than Dragon Rider of Hogwarts, plus I may not write a Potter fic…
I almost did not write this chapter which is why it's so short, someone very close to me passed away and I didn't have the heart or interest in continuing, I also don't know when I will return to this story, this chapter was finished last week, but circumstances put the upload on hold. I will return just please don't expect any uploads soon after this.
Sincerely the newly christened,
C.M McBride