Did you miss me? *upside down smile emoji*
Okay, hi, to anyone who may still read this story. It's been over two years since an update. When I began this story it was during the 2016 Election and I worked for Sec. Clinton (not directly of course, thousands worked on the campaign). I then returned to D.C. (I split my time between NY and DC) after what was, for me, a devastating loss. (If you like Trump...tough, I hate him and I will go toe to fucking toe with anyone. Politics isn't just my profession, it's in my blood.)
My parents are politicians *another upside down smiley*. So basically work took over and then climbing the latter took over...and then my father passed away. He passed in the summer of 2017 and it was an absolutely devastating blow, unlike anything I'd experienced. My father was ill, but still we didn't expect him to pass that soon. On top of that he was an attorney, a prominent local politician, and a writer. Losing him made me go off. I stopped writing, stopped going to the gym, everything.
I guess I'm writing this to show you, the reader, that life gets in the way, but it doesn't have to be the end. I finally had the wherewithal and time to sit down, go back through my notes, consolidate, and get back to this story. So I AM BACK! There will be a ton of content flowing from me in due time and I'm excited to begin this story anew. I've also returned to writing in more ways than one and just got a huge promotion so...working from home has it's benefits. So watch out for new stories!
The encyclopedia will be heavily updated AND I'll also be posting simultaneously on AO3. I'll post my handle there in the next chapter. I hope I haven't pissed y'all off too much. I look forward to continuing this with you.
Yours Always,
VermillionQ
Saphira swung low to the river, the catamaran buzzing along underneath her, propelled by an unnatural wind created by Murtagh. 'Where are you little one,' she roared mentally for what seemed to be the millionth time. She was exhausted, her wings ached, yet in her chest lay an even deeper pain. She could not hear the partner-of-her-heart-and-mind Eragon. She could not sense him. Her scales itched and her soul burned.
'Saphira, I know you burn with want to see Eragon again, but please, the Voranach could sense us any moment, we must be careful,' the herbalist and witch Angela tried to soothe the great drake, but all she got was a flick of a mental tendril and a deep grumbling. Murtagh adjusted the sails, Solembum draped around his shoulders. His face was set in a grim determination as they sped onward. They had been doing this for over a day now, speeding along the water, resting on outcroppings or alongside the shore at night. Whenever they took leave the next morn, they usually heard distance grunts and chitters.
"Urgals on one side, eight-legged demons on the other, Angela we need a breakthrough," he grunted out. She raised an eyebrow at him, but nodded with a grim expression.
'I hate to bring this up, truly, but we could always open...a door.' Angela stared wide-eyed at her companion of many years.
'I'd suggest never suggesting that to me again.' Solembum merely blinked at her, but she could tell this wasn't the end of the conversation. She couldn't help but flash back to the conversation she had had with Solembum, the conversation that sealed their fate...for the time being.
"You cannot be serious, where's the fun in that!?" Solembum merely flicked his tail as she closed the hatch of one of her casks. Rain lightly pitter-pattered the windows of Angela's home, the sound of the sea a light whoosh in the distance.
"They will need our help," Angela turned and inspected as the human-form werecat pulled on a gray tunic. "And my guess is that they aren't exactly going to head to the Varden. Murtagh will resist."
Angela scowled, 'yes, the forsworn son, literally. I guess I'll need to figure out how to handle that one...eventually.' She fingered her chin, lost deep in thought.
"I suppose...training him could be exciting, plus we do know, somewhat, what the north holds...but still...being that close to the entrance is bound to..." She trailed off deep in thought. She heard a tinkle of a bell as SOlembum opened the door of her home, revealing a dark expanse of plain on the other side.
"Well?"
"Angela!" The witch startled out of her reverie and looked at the swordsman. He scowled. "Any ideas," he ground out. Before she could respond Saphira spoke to them.
'I need rest,' and cut off contact. They angled towards a tiny isle, barely anything more than another outcropping of rock. The great dragon landed with a heavy thud. The swept her tail around and set herself down, a great sigh heaving from deep within her. Her three companions set about making camp, careful to steer clear of the clearly-hurt dragon.
Ad they ate dried fruits and meats Murtagh kept throwing out ideas that Angela, reluctantly, shot down. Finally Murtagh cursed and kicked at a rock, "gah! What in the blazes is magic good for if we can't use it to track him!? We don't have time to sit here and," he yelped as Angela tackled him in a bone crushing hug. He was surprised by her strength, but even more so by the noises of happiness she was making.
"You steel swinging princess, that's it! That's why he's been sick!" She suddenly became animated, gabbing back and forth about formulas, time, and what sounded like "wound."
A great dragon's roar echoed in their heads and they both groaned, Solembum hissed. 'Explain.' Saphira's tone brooked for no argument. Angela stared and slowly nodded. She prepared three mugs of tea, Solembum shifting to join them. When it was ready, she sat, arranging herself, before informing her companions.
"I taught Eragon how to visualize time. Visualize it, and shift it. What he did was visualize the way he perceives reality, and shift it to another. It's a dangerous technique that requires mastery over muscle and blood, something he hasn't mastered. However, he can, in short bursts, move reality in a quickened state. When we fled Tordsed, he wounded himself by attempting something he couldn't for he had not the mastery for it. He attempted to move as I can, in short bursts, by altering his own minds perception. What he did was release his own mind's deep, subconscious memories. He opened up a steady stream into his own mind, allowing the facets of his personality and memory to war amongst his head." She had finished speaking in a high octave, obviously excited at the prospect of having potentially figured out her apprentices illness.
Two blank stares met her, Solembum merely sipped his tea, blinking at the fire. Angela scowled. "Well weren't you two paying any attention!"
'I believe, and I'm sure that Murtagh does as well, that we didn't understand a single word that just passed between your lips.' Murtagh nodded. The herbalist sighed and pinched the bridge between her nose.
"Our minds are complex things and not everything is experienced every moment of every day. Eragon opened the barrier between the conscious and the unconscious because he didn't fully understand what to do. He tried to shift reality and his mind shifted, but didn't reconnect. It created a time wound, his memories are invading his normal consciousness. That's why he's been suffering."
"While this is all well and good to know, how does it help us find him?" Murtagh crossed his arms, irritated that Angela's tutelage had resulted in, again, another mess. The herbalist smiled.
"Because a time wound is easy to track, it's a blazing beacon if you know what to look for. More noticeable than Saphira on a warm summer's day. Smoke curled upward from Saphira's nostrils.
'Doubtful.' Angela began to drawn symbols in the rocky soil. Soon a large ritual circle full of odd runes and intersecting lines surrounded her. She removed her poinard and Cut her hand. Her companions watched with great interest as she let the blood drip down on the ritual circle.
She spoke then in a language none of them recognized. As she did an acrid smell filled the air, like hot metal, or thick blood. "Is this magic," whispered Murtagh to Solembum. The boy-form werecat looked at him and shrugged. Suddenly Angela gasped, her head snapping backwards, her eyes pitch black. She then collapsed.
Murtagh wiped a cloth across the Herbalist's forehead as she slowly came to. She smiled at the concern of the swordsman and patted his cheek as her vision cleared. "All's well, dearie." She slowly sat up. Solembum was in her lap, purring heavily as he saw his friend come to.
'You frightened us there,' Saphira brushed her snout across Angela's head. The herbalist smiled tiredly and took the water Murtagh offered,
"A worthwhile price, considering a trail is laid clear for us now that it's done," she motioned at the pitch black sky above them, fluorescent lichen veins spearing the hood of the great cavern. Saphir cocked her head to the side, slightly bird like.
'Care to explain what path," she motioned with a claw. Angela looked at her before making a noise in realization.
"Ah, yes, well, here." She pulled out a piece of glass in a golden ring. The glass was purplish and sparkled ever so slightly. She handed it to Murtagh. He took it gingerly and slowly brought it up to his eye. He gasped. He ran over to Saphira.
"Look," and he held it up to her great eye. Though she could see little of it, there was an unmistakable gossamer strand of gold arcing away from them. Saphira slowly grinned, baring her great fangs.
'Well done, Angela, well done.'
They followed the trail like a pack of bloodhounds, a renewed sense of vigor filling them. They knew they had a chance now. As they sped down the waterways, Angela and Murtagh cast out mind and, in Murtagh's case, spells. Glyphs of following, finding, locating, filled the air as Murtagh tried to conceal them and find his friend. Angela would occasionally yell out directions to Saphira with her mind, peering through the looking glass.
'STOP,' everyone blanched as Angela's thoughts burst through their heads. Saphira banked hard and swooped over head.
'What is the meaning of this,' growled Saphira. She was irritated at being stopped when they finally had a way to find her partner. Angela harrumphed and motioned at the face of the cliff wall they were currently passing.
"The trail says to continue through there, and she pointed straight at the rock wall. She handed Murtagh the glass and he looked. He scowled for there it was. The golden threads continued straight through the wall, never stopping. "I wonder…" He looked as the Herbalist trailed off, staring straight at the bare face of the edifice. Murtagh stared too and then looked at Angela, something dawning on him.
"Angela...you don't think…" She nodded, her curls bouncing, a smirk on her face.
"Oh yes I do, Murtagh." She looked upward at Saphira swooping overhead. Murtagh and Solembum watched as the dragon slowly, almost gingerly, dipped her wing towards a section of the cliff wall. They heard a yelp of surprise as Saphira's wing dipped right into the rock. And Angela cheered.
"Tally-ho!' Angela gestured at the rock wall and tapped the side of the catamaran. It rushed forward, Murtagh bracing for an impact but none came. They passed through the illusion, not even feeling it. They found themselves in a well carved passageway, intricate designs covering saffron colored hexagonal pillars, climbing to the top. Chartreuse colored moss clung to the pillars and fell in rolls to the water way below. The travelers were forced to stop as they came upon a metal gate...with green werelights flickering above the spikes. Murtagh immediately unsheathed Zar'roc, Angela matching his movements with her poinard and Albitr.
Saphira alighted on a carved ledge, mirrored on the other side, and her tail twitched like a cat waiting to pounce. Murtagh looked at Angela and she at him. "Armor," they said in unison.
They garbed themselves as quickly as possibly, not wanting to wait any longer than necessary. Angela whirled her huthvir around her head, making sure it was able to hold up in battle. Solembum at her side. She got confirmation from Murtagh and Saphira before motioning the catamaran forward. As it came to the gates she gave her huthvir to Solembum and unsheathed Tinkledeath. She raised it to chest height and stabbed forward at the gate. Poisonous blue sparks flew from where she struck, causing her to grunt at the magical pushback. Slowly though she cut through metal and magic, cutting out a perfect hole for her to push the gate open. She sheathed the translucent blade.
Without a word the companions continued forward, the catamaran gliding through the passageway. As they continued the unmistakable sounds of battle reached their ears...and the chittering of chelicerae. 'Voranach,' hissed Solembum.
They came out of the passage and came upon a great sea surrounding a massive mesa, Angela and Murtagh gasped as they beheld a great city surrounded by a bramble torn wall with a great stone bridge reaching across the gap to reach it, though currently the cries of battle filled the air and the smell of blood and fire filled the air. A massive port, wicked looking ships sailing by it, was set at a carved series of ledges right beneath the bridge. They watched in awe as the ships fired ballistae upon the hulking swarm of leg and limbs that were the Voranach.
'We need a plan, especially if Eragon is here.' Saphira hovered just above them. Angela looked through the glass and nodded.
"He's here alright, aboard one of those ships it seems. Murtagh, we need to get closer. Bow range I think." He nodded tersely, slinging his bow and knocking an arrow. They proceeded forward, quickly, wanting to make sure they got to their friend in time. As they got closer, Angela hissed in pain, grabbing her head.
"Angela," asked Murtagh, concerned. She slowly looked up and narrowed her eyes and muttered.
"As if from a dream…" She then roared in fright as a massive, hulking Voranach surged from beneath the waters, overtaking the ship. "Murtagh, that's where Eragon is! He's on the ship." The swordsman swore explosively and urged the catamaran forward. Before he was within rage they heard a massive roar and looked upwards. Saphira hurtled pass them, the air thundering beneath her wings, suddenly a massive torrent of fire blasted the creature. Soon other pieces of the Voranach fell through the air and Saphira roared her triumph.
An overwhelming sense of joy filled Eragon. He cast out his mind at once. 'SAPHIRA!' The response was almost instant and overwhelming.
'ERAGON!' Tears sprung to his eyes as his mind melded with hers once more. A rush of emotions, joy and worry being the most pervasive, filled them both. Huulthraem nudged his side, Eragon turning to him. The weresabre smirked, in his own way.
'I'm thrilled that you've been reunited with thine dragon, but there is a battle to win here Argetlam. Tell your companions to come aboard, there's knife work to be doing here.' He then reeled back and roared his challenge to the Voranach