Chapter 10

Fight Amongst Family

Eragon was surprised to hear Thorn. Glaedr said he wouldn't be able to fly well for a few weeks! What is he doing on the battlefield? As he walked out of the tent he looked up and instantly knew that Murtagh and Thorn were in no fit condition to fight. Thorn's shortened tail was drooping and Murtagh was severely slumping in the saddle. It was at this time that Arya found her way next to Eragon, but she was not looking at the red dragon and rider. She was looking at Eragon with worry on her usually expressionless face. She quickly hid it as Eragon turned to her. "Arya, I am going to have to do what we did the last time we fought. Do you think that you could stay connected to us and lend us strength if we need it?"

Arya hesitated. After a moment she said she would. "Eragon, I..." she started again, but Saphira landed next to Eragon interrupting her. To Arya, she could see that Eragon was hesitant to leave, as he wanted to hear the rest of the sentence, but after a moment he resigned himself to his fate and hopped up on Saphira's saddle.

There was no time for either of them to put on armor, though Saphira still had her saddle on. The elves were to afraid of awakening the mighty dragon and angering her to attempt to take it off after she collapsed. Eragon felt a familiar musical mind brush up against his defenses and let her in. As soon as he did that he also felt the vast and wise consciousness of his master. Glaedr are you sure you are up for this? We understand if you do not want to. We are all sorry for your loss and are here for you if you need us.

No Eragon, I will not be staying with you for the fight. I was just going to give you this. When his master said this, he felt both him and Saphira overcome any lingering symptoms of exhaustion they had and Eragon had to transfer what was left into Aren.

Thank you, Master. With that Glaedr left their minds and returned to deep within himself to go back into mourning of the person he loved most.

Eragon and Saphira leveled off a few yards in front of Thorn and Murtagh and Eragon was shocked to see the state they were in. Murtagh had both dried and fresh blood his armor and clothes, some of which had dripped onto Thorn, though he could barely see it even with his enhanced vision. Eragon could tell that Thorn was sharing Murtagh's pain because whenever his wings flapped down it moved Murtagh and they both winced.

Murtagh spoke first, in the ancient langauge, "Eragon we are not here for you. Please stand aside so we can fulfill our mission and return to be healed." Eragon could tell that he was struggling to talk due to his pain.

Eragon was shocked. Does he really think that I am going to sit back and watch him kill people? Why is he in this state? What...

"Eragon you have to stand aside. Our mission is difficult enough without you here." Eragon had never heard Murtagh beg before.

"Murtagh you know I will not watch as you kill people... and what is your mission this time, if you are not here for Saphira and me?"

Anger showed on Murtagh's pain filled face. Impatiently he responded, "I have to kill... a few elves, then I get to return to that crazy so called king. Brother, didn't you like the gift I sent? Is it not worth the lives of a few elves?"

Now it was Eragon who was angry, but surprised that Murtagh was able to send the egg to them. I can't believe that he doesn't value life. This isn't even putting someone out of their misery when they have an unchangeable life threatening condition. Eragon thought to himself. He could feel Arya's anger and... fear? He made a mental note to ask her about it later.

Eragon answered, "I'm afraid I can't stand aside and watch you kill, brother" putting emphasis on the last word. "I think that you should know that Morzan is not my father, Brom is." Murtagh looked as if those words hurt him more than the obvious condition he was in. Eragon continued, "If you want to hurt the elves then you will have to fight me first."

Murtagh sighed. He knew what was coming. Yet another of fate's cruel jokes. Make me think that I have a brother that shares the cursed Morzan name and find out that we do not have the same father. It all goes hand in hand with the rest of the events of my life. "So be it, we have beaten you before we will do so again." With that he unsheathed Zar'roc and Thorn flew at Saphira.

Remember Eragon, you do not have armor on, you must be careful. Some small worried voice was talking to him but he payed no attention to it as Saphira was gaining altitude to avoid getting hit by Thorn. She barely cleared Murtagh's blade that was pointed up at her soft belly. Saphira turned quickly and dove down at Thorn, hitting him behind where Murtagh was seated. She dug her talons into Thorn's scaly back and started to pull. Thorn roared in pain as bubbling blood started to trickle down is immense frame. As she was doing this the riders were trading blows.

Every one of Murtagh's blows were considerably weaker than the last time the two had fought. Eragon thought, Its almost as if he has slowed down to a faster than average human. His wounds must really be serious. Why would Galbatorix send his most precious slaves to battle in this condition? He blocked Zar'roc from coming down on his shoulder, saving his life by a matter of inches. It seemed to Eragon, that after each strike by Murtagh he would get slower or weaker.

Saphira broke off from Thorn to halt her decent and both dragons barely missed crashing into the unforgiving ground. Murtagh was franticly trying to heal Thorn's rather large wounds, but Saphira didn't give him the time to utter a spell. She rammed into Thorn's belly then maneuvered around them to gain altitude. This time she allowed for Murtagh to stop the bleeding on Thorn's wounds and fly up to meet her.

When Thorn leveled off in front of Saphira, Eragon noticed that Murtagh was the one bleeding now and he looked paler then normal. It must be all of those days he spends in his cell away from the sun.

This time it was Thorn who charged. As their dragons were grappling for position over one another, Eragon and Murtagh were fighting each other, looking for an opening or mistake made by the other. Eragon used his inhuman speed and slashed across Murtagh's chest, but at the last possible moment he angled his blade down and made a deep gash in Murtagh's thigh. This time both Murtagh and Thorn howled in pain. Thorn was having his right hind leg bitten by Saphira while she dug her talons into his soft belly.

They broke off this time and were fighting to gain altitude. Murtagh healing Thorn of his wounds and Eragon healing Saphira's. Eragon noticed that Saphira only had a few minor gashes which she could have easily fought through, while Thorn was being mortally wounded. I guess not having the last part of your tail really is a handicap. Though neither of them were in a fit state to fight.

As they leveled off for a third time, Murtagh spoke, "I see your new blade as finally seen rider blood, as it was made for." To this Eragon responded, "It is not made for killing riders, it was made to bring a new age of peace in this land. To take from the king what he as taken from his empire."

After Eragon finished Saphira flew towards Thorn at a speed that Eragon had never seen from her. Thorn looked surprised also as Saphira turned upside down and raked his belly again opening up many deep gashes as long as Thorn. Thorn was in so much pain that he stopped using his wings. Both he and Murtagh dropped like stones towards the outskirts of the elves camp.

Murtagh, using all of the remaining power in his eldunari that he brought with him to help him on his impossible mission to slow Thorn's decent and heal his underside. As the energy was running out, Thorn opened his wings and glided down to the ground. Saphira who was following did the same and landed thirty feet in front of Thorn. Both riders got off and the dragons took to the air again and started circling each other in the heavens above their riders.

Eragon could tell that Murtagh was having trouble breathing and standing, and was about to offer him mercy and let him go back to the capital. As soon as Eragon opened his mouth, Murtagh yelled, "No this ends today one will fall and one will walk away!"

Eragon sighed but all pity towards Murtagh vanished as he was charged by his half brother. Eragon felt like he was Vanir and Murtagh was himself before the Blood Oath Celebration. Eragon easily blocked Murtagh's flurry of blows. As they broke apart they heard a deafening triumphant roar from Saphira and Thorn came crashing down shaking the earth. Murtagh dropped Zar'roc and ran over to Thorn, who had many broken bones from his fall and was struggling to breathe.

Eragon could tell that they were having a silent conversation, because he knew that look all too well. Murtagh turned to Eragon and Saphira who had just landed next to him. "Just kill us. We don't have the energy to heal him, the elves won't care, and if you do somehow heal us than we still have to complete our mission before we go back to that cursed place." As much as Eragon wanted to save his half brother and friend he knew what Murtagh said was true. Both he and Saphira advanced on the fallen rider and dragon. They were going to kill them at the same time, so that neither of them would have to feel as Glaedr does.

As Saphira was about to clamp down on Thorn's neck and Eragon's sword was inches away from Murtagh's heart, Murtagh changed. His eyes turned black and his voice changed. "Stupid boy!" With that Galbatorix threw Murtagh at Eragon, impaling himself in the process. With Murtagh's dying breath Galbatorix hit Eragon harder than he had ever been hit before in the chest. Eragon heard many bones breaking and a roar before he lost consciousness.