im sorry this has taken so long my life got in the way and this chapter blew out of proportion so i split it into two parts the other part should hopefully be out before wednesday
"Talking"
Mind link
Thinking
Zar'roc walked out onto the black balcony up the small staircase at its edge and out onto the large obsidian dragon head that jutted out from the side of the balcony. He fixed his eyes on the endless expanse of night sky and extended his senses casting his mind out to the six secret buildings hidden within Dras-Leona. Touching the stones that they held the large green crystals known as amplifya he drew on their power and cast his mind's searching touch out further until his consciousness covered Alagaësia like a blanket.
In his mind's eye Zar'roc saw the army of Varden approaching Stronghammer. He saw the five vayash moru trying to stop them. He saw Eragon pushing them aside. And he saw one thing that no one else could he saw the thing that floated above Eragon his Shtriga was feasting off the wrath that poured from Eragon.
Zar'roc smiled and started to pull back then a psychic scent caught his attention. His heart quickened and his pupils became reptilian slits as he growled low in his throat. His mind homed in on the scent and attached a tracer cloud to it before he broke the connection.
Zar'roc took a deep breath and locked the rage away. He pulled up his sleeves and looked down at his wrists "rayzelos" he muttered. As he did the skin on his wrist turned a gleaming gold. The gold rose from his skin becoming a seamless manacle and as he watched the veins of pale green stone appeared as well.
He snarled at the manacle as he felt a resonating pulse between it and the ring in his pocket. "Vade" he said and the manacle vanished.
Zar'roc turned once more to the night sky this time looking to the north as he smiled a feral smile. "Now it's my turn" he said quietly. "To take what you care about most" and with that he walked back into the citadel.
Eragon, Eli, and Murtagh came to the top of the hill followed closely by Thorn and Saphira.
"That is Stronghammer Castle" Eli said gesturing to the large fortress below.
Murtagh raised an eyebrow at it "there's no wall" he said. "And you said it would be imposable to enter" he said.
Eragon frowned as he saw something. Scattered all around the large castle were hundreds of tiny black objects. "What are those" he asked.
"Those are the reason the city is impenetrable" Eli said. "They are demonic gates. Each is a mirror that contains a demon that attacks anything that comes near it" he said.
"Still it doesn't seem like a good defense" Eragon said.
"There is also a dome that incases the castle" Eli said.
Eragon started to say something but stopped as he heard hoof beats. He turned and saw five men on horseback riding towards them.
The leader a man of about twenty with green eyes auburn hair and ghost pale skin leapt from his horse as they drew near. "Eli what are you doing here" the man demand as the others stopped and dismounted.
"Lord Daryl" Eli said bowing.
The man's emotionless face didn't change "I'll ask you again what are you doing here" he said. "I gave you specific orders to stay away."
"Yes you did but I am more than just your soldier I am also one of the Varden and we are here under the command of the Eragon Shadeslayer to rid the land of Malachi" Eli said.
Daryl turned to Eragon and shot him a dagger sharp glare "you fool you would bring him here now of all times" he shouted as he returned his attention to Eli. "He is the only one with even the slightest chance of defeating Zar'roc and you would send him to his death."
"If you're talking about the demon gates I have a plan" Eragon said. "I grew up in Carvahall and there is a network of tunnels that run under it. If we use them we can sneak into the castle and attack it from within" he said.
Daryl threw up his hands in exasperation "that's what I'm talking about" he shouted. "The outer defenses are nothing compared to what is inside."
"We already know about the Krul" Eli said.
"Krul" Daryl laughed bitterly. "There is far more then Krul behind those walls" he said.
"What do you mean" Eli asked.
Without turning Daryl pointed at the large cloud that seemed to hover over that castle "that isn't a cloud" he said.
Eli seemed to pale "you don't mean" he asked.
"Yes demons all of them and they've taken some of my best men" Daryl said. "And that's just the beginning. They are just the low level soldiers there is a rumor that Malachi has a Archdemon in there and the means to release it" Daryl said.
"That's imposable he would need the blood of a pure soul to summon a Archdemon" Eli said.
"I heard he stole the girl from Giller" Daryl said.
"It's a lie it has to…" Eli started but stopped as Eragon said "no it's true I saw something take a girl from Giller's tower."
Eli turned to him fear plain in his eyes "then we are doomed" he said.
"No it will take time to release the beast" Daryl said. "But that's not what you need to worry about" he said.
"What could be worse than a Archdemon. The only thing worse would be if you told us Zar'roc himself is coming here" Eli shouted.
"The leader of Malachi's army is what is worse" Daryl said. "I've seen him myself he rides a shadow serpent he has no face only a mask and he can possess a person with only a touch" he said.
"That is the stuff of legends Daryl" Eli said.
"Aren't we as well" Daryl said gravely.
Eli gulped "then there really is no hope for us" he said.
"What if we work together" Murtagh said. Eli and Daryl looked at him in surprise. "If we combined our forces we might have a chance" he said.
"What do you think" Eli said.
"The human makes a good point" Daryl said. "It will take two days to summon the rest my people even then the odds are less than good" he said. Then looked at Murtagh and then to Eragon.
"What do you think" Eli asked.
Eragon pushed past them and looked down at Stronghammer Castle as the thing whispered in his mind. "Gather everyone you can in the next few hours we attack at sunset" he said before he turned away from the castle and walked back down the hill Saphira right behind him.
Zar'roc silently passed through the door to his bed room invisible within the skintight shields he wore. He smiled when he saw Elena rummaging through her jewelry box. Then the smile turned into a grimace as the thought of the ring in his pocket and the shackles around his wrists and how they were connected with Elena.
Silent as a stalking cat Zar'roc approached Elena. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to sneak up on me" she said.
Zar'roc stopped dumb struck for a moment before he lowered his shields. "How did you know I was here" he asked.
Elena turned to him and place a finger on his pendent "I'm as connected to you as this jewel I could feel your presence even behind the shields" she said.
Zar'roc nodded smiling.
Elena smiled back then frowned "why are you still here shouldn't you be at Stronghammer" she asked.
Zar'roc grimaced "I have something I need to…" he trailed off as he saw a strange glowing silvery jewel laying in the middle of her jewelry box. "What's that" he said pointing to the jewel.
Elena turned and frowned at it "don't you remember you gave it to me you said that it needed to be protected" she said as she picked it up and held it out to him.
Zar'roc reached out to take it but recoiled as his hand got close. "A memory stone" he hissed.
"What" Elena asked.
"I locked something in there" Zar'roc said. "Something I wanted to forget and I gave it to you so it would be safe" he said to himself as he remembered.
"Here take it" Elena said.
"No" Zar'roc said as he took a step back. "I locked that memory away for a reason it isn't time yet" he said and with a flick of his wrist sent the stone back into the box.
Elena shrugged it off "what were you saying earlier" she asked.
Zar'roc gulped "I was saying that there was something I needed to do before I go to Stronghammer" he said.
"What is it" Elena asked.
"Do you remember" Zar'roc asked. "Seven hundred years ago in Lengi."
Elena shuttered but nodded. "Why do you ask" she asked.
Zar'roc sighed and looked away as he thought about what had happened to them and how he would have preferred the lie he had told Nasuada.
He had told her that after he became a rider he was sent to kill Dorothea and that she had tried to use Terra against him so he would wear the Ring of Obedience. But that was a lie. The truth was that he had been enslaved by Dorothea for centuries long before he became a rider. Trapped with her by the two most powerful things.
"What exactly did they tell you happened to me" Zar'roc asked after a long pause.
"They told me you had been ringed by Dorothea and that they had tampered with your memories" Elena said. "They told me you did whatever Dorothea asked because the ring was too strong" she said.
Zar'roc laughed a harsh bitter laugh "they tried the ring on me" he said. "And Dorothea lost an army because of it" he said.
"Then how…" Elena started.
"They had you I had no choice they told me I had to put them on or they would…" Zar'roc stopped unable to bear the thought of what they would have done to Elena.
"Put on what" Elena asked.
"There are only two things that can bind someone like me" he said. "You and these" Zar'roc said as he pulled back his sleeves revealing his wrists as the green veined gold shackles appeared.
"Those aren't…" Elena started.
"The Shackles of Obedience" Zar'roc finished. "Sealed with soulramite so they would only open when they broke me" he said. "They never did."
"What does this have to do with what you have to do" Elena asked.
"Vade" Zar'roc muttered turning the shackles invisible again as his eyes glazed and he smiled a cold predatory smile. "She has crawled out of her hole" he said. "I know where she is and it's time I finish this once and for all" he said his voice dropping to whispering croon.
"Where" Elena asked.
"Draga" Zar'roc said.
"Then I'm com…"
"No" Zar'roc interrupted. "I would sooner die before I let you step one foot in Lengi" he said.
"But…" Elena started but was silenced by the look in Zar'rocs eyes.
"I do have something I need you to do though" Zar'roc said.
"What" Elena asked. Zar'roc reached into his pocket withdrew the ring and dropped it into Elena's hand. She stared at it the small silver ring was adorned only by a Black jewel chip and three symbols. She gasped as she recognized them they were the symbols for pain, control, and death. "This is the control ring" she said.
"For my shackles" Zar'roc said. "That is the only weapon that she has against me and I can't let her get it" he said.
Elena nodded as she understood. Taking the chain that held her Raven jeweled pendent she passed the ring through it attaching it to the unbreakable chain.
Zar'roc nodded "I'll take care of things in Lengi then I'm going to Stronghammer…" Zar'roc said stopping midsentence as he got to the door. "Elena if I don't come back find Saetan he'll take care of you" he said and before Elena could say anything he vanished.
Zar'roc appeared in the middle of the Draga slums. Sending out a quick mental probe to make sure no one was watching he pulled up his hood and spun a web of shadows over his face. Then giving the area one last mental sweep he slipped his hands into his pockets and began walking.
He'd never liked Draga never liked the tall stone buildings that shouldered against one another blocking out the sun. Never liked the concrete roads and the concrete sidewalks with the stunted dusty trees growing out of circular patches of earth cut out of the concrete. Oh there were a thousand things to do here theaters, music halls, museums, places to eat. All the things a long lived, arrogant, and useless people like the Lengani needed to fill the empty hours. But Draga. If he could be sure that a few particular members of the Blood would lie crushed and buried in the rubble he would have already torn apart the city apart without a second thought.
Zar'roc pondered where his target could be hiding as he entered the richer section of the city.
As he was walking a youth's shoulder bumped his "watch where you're going" the young man said his voice having the distinct tone of a Blood Aristo who had never worked a day in his life.
Zar'roc stopped smiling to himself.
"Didn't you hear me" the boy said.
Zar'roc turned the mask of shadow gone giving the kid an unobscured view of his face that was now cloaked in the demonic mask of the Verteer. "What was that" Zar'roc crooned as smoke and flame slipped from between his dagger sharp fangs.
The boy's legs shook with fear for a moment before he put on his bravest face "you can't hurt me" he stammered. "I'm an Aristo."
"Really" Zar'roc asked his unearthly voice rising slightly as if in surprise.
"That's right" the kid said some of his arrogance returning.
The demonic mask frowned "it would seem you're correct my lord" Zar'roc said and extended a hand. "My apologies."
The kid cautiously took the hand and they shook "see that it doesn't happen again" the boy said before he turned to walk away.
Zar'roc did the same replacing the mask of shadows as he turned. He smiled as he heard a thud a few moments later.
"What did you do" the boy shouted as he stared at his hand that had aged becoming old and wrinkled just like the rest of him.
Zar'roc didn't look back didn't say anything. All he did was give a long cold laugh as he felt the Lengani crumble into dust.
Satisfied with the results Zar'roc became invisible as the others on the street rushed towards the pile of ash. He turned a corner still probing for the psychic scent he know all too well when he heard a woman's shrill shriek. Zar'roc spun looking down the alley he stood next to.
Zar'roc snarled silently as he saw two heavily muscled Lengani Princes each wearing an Opal jewel.
The bigger of the two was holding a girl by the throat.
She had brown hair and blue eyes. She wore a white servant's dress and looked about Evi's age.
The other drew a long bladed knife and held it in front of the girl's face "scream again and this will be the last thing you ever see" the knife wielding Prince said. The girl nodded as best she could.
"Please o Darkness help me."
Zar'roc blinked as he heard the thought it had been sent out on a Purple thread. "A Lengani who respects the Darkness" he thought for a moment before he rushed forward. His invisibility and shadow mask burst apart as a bolt of power shot from his hand and severed the arm that held the girls neck.
She yelped but pulled the hand from her throat and dove behind a pile of boxes that populated the back of the alley.
The Prince snarled and covered the stump of his arm as he and his companion turned to Zar'roc. "This has nothing to do with you leave now" the knife wielding Prince said.
"It has everything to do with me you scum" Zar'roc said and started walking towards them.
The knife wielder rushed forward and plunged the knife into Zar'rocs heart.
Zar'roc stopped looking at the blade and the hand that held it. With a flick of his mind Zar'roc broke the man's wrist and flung him aside as he drew the knife from his chest and tossed it away.
"What are you" the one armed Prince asked as he started to back away.
"I am Judgment. I have come to judge your pathetic people and I find you wanting" Zar'roc said as he rushed forward his hand a black claw.
He seized the man by the throat and snapped it in one clean motion. Using the momentum Zar'roc tossed the corpse aside and went for the other man. His claws sliced through the Prince's chest gripping the man's ribs like a handhold.
Zar'roc hauled him to his feet and slammed him against the wall "where is the High Priestess" Zar'roc snarled at the half conscious man.
his head lolled to one side as he turned to Zar'roc "I won't tell you anything so go to Hell" the Prince said and spat a globule of blood at Zar'roc.
It froze and fell to the ground before it could touch him. Zar'roc smiled as he loosened the Sadist's leash "you will tell me" he said. "How long you wait depends on you" he said as he set five spells into place on the man. The first three would keep his heart, lungs, and brain working well the other two would keep him conscious and increase the amount of pain he felt.
Zar'roc called in his black Agiel and lightly placed the tip on the man's forehead. He screamed and screamed until his vocal cords snapped and he coughed blood. Zar'roc pulled the Agiel away and healed the man's voice.
"Ready to talk" he asked his voice full of satisfaction.
"She's in the old SaDemoni Hall" the man wailed. "They rebuilt it but you'll never get past the defenses" he said.
Zar'roc smiled "thank you" he said and with that he tore the man's ribcage from his chest. Blood and organs dripped out as the body crumpled without any support. Zar'roc released the spells keeping the Prince alive as he tossed the bones away and turned to walk away towards SaDemoni Hall.
But he stopped as he heard a small whimper. He turned around changing the Verteer mask so it only covered his mouth with a smooth plate like mask. He walked to the end of the alley and pushed aside the boxes revealing the girl curled into a tight ball her arms covering her head. Zar'roc knelt and tapped her shoulder "it's okay" he said. "They're gone."
The girl cautiously peeked out from under her arms she squeaked in fright when she saw him and tried to wriggle away.
Sighing Zar'roc stood up and turned away "you don't what my help fine" he said. "May the Darkness embrace you" he said before starting to walk away.
"You still believe" a small voice asked before he could take the first step.
Zar'roc turned and saw the girl was now sitting upright her eyes looking at him with curiosity. "Believe in what" Zar'roc asked.
"The Darkness and Istra" the girl said.
Zar'roc smiled warmly "I do more than believe" he said as he turned back and knelt by her. "Are you hurt" he asked.
"I'm fine" the girl said.
Zar'rocs eyes shifted down to her neck and the ugly black bruises that the Prince's hand had left. He stretched out a hand and she flinched back. "Shhh" he said. "It's okay little witch I'm a friend remember."
She nodded and let him come closer.
Zar'roc placed one finger on her throat and a small stream of power passed from his finger into her healing the bruises and several smaller injuries he felt.
"Thank you" she said as she got up and dusted herself off.
"Lengi isn't a safe place for people like us" Zar'roc said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold coin with his crest embossed on both sides. "For centuries the High Priestesses have persecuted those who choose to believe in the Darkness instead of their own twisted ideals" he said as he handed the girl the coin and looked down at her Purple jewel. "Take this. Ride the Winds to the first Coach station outside Lengi and give them this. They will take you somewhere safe where the Darkness is worshiped freely."
The girl hesitated for a moment "I can't leave there are others like me. Without me holding them together they'll fall apart and die within days" she said.
"How many" Zar'roc asked.
"About a dozen" she said.
Zar'roc nodded and called in a pad of paper and pen. He quickly scribbled a note and bound the paper shut with a special kind of tangled web as something prickled in the back of his mind.
He quickly shoved the coin and note into the girl's hands and turned to walk away as he got to the end of the alley he stopped as she asked "and you're really a follower of Istra."
Zar'roc smiled to himself for a moment before he said "I'm much more then that" as he said it he swept aside his coat revealing Nemisis' hilt.
The girl gasped as she recognized it. "Who are you" she asked.
"I have gone by many names" Zar'roc said as he lowered the rest of his mask and turned to smile at her. "And if you're lucky Sasha you might just learn a few" he said.
"How did you know my name" Sasha asked.
Instead of answering Zar'roc only replaced his mask and resumed his walk. "If they give you any trouble tell them the Prince sent you" he sent back to her as he dropped out of sight.
Zar'roc turned a corner and inspected the structure as he approached. The massive gray hulk was formidable just as Saetan had designed it. High walls and watch towers ringed the building and three large jewel powered crossbow turrets sat among them.
Zar'roc went invisible before the guards could see him. Inwardly laughing he casually walked by the two hulking Red jeweled Warlord Princes as he passed through the gate unchallenged. He passed another set of Warlord Prince Guards and only when he came to the large ornate front door that was shielded from the guards' vision by large ferns did he drop his invisibility.
He knocked and waited. A moment later the door open and a butler walked out. "Yes how can I help you" he asked.
Zar'roc smiled evilly at the man. He was a Purple jeweled Warlord tall and so thin he could have passed as an animated scarecrow with graying hair a pinched face and a high voice.
"I am here to see the High Priestess" Zar'roc said.
"Do you have an appointment" the butler asked.
"No but I am an old acquaintance" Zar'roc said.
"Your name" the butler asked.
"Adjuramus" Zar'roc said.
The butler's eyes widened and he pitched forward clutching his chest as his heart burst, his brain turned to ash, and his jewel shattered.
His face emotionless Zar'roc passed a hand over the body. Green and black flames rose and consumed the butler in moments. With a wave of his hand Zar'roc swept the ash aside and walked inside.
Eragon Murtagh and a small group of soldiers crept through the ancient tunnels their way lit by a small ball of light.
"Stop" Eragon whispered as they came to a ladder and a pool of light. Everyone was silent as they waited for the sounds of marching feet above them to stop.
Eragon sighed when the sound faded and began to climb the ladder. He pushed open the metal grate at the top and climbed out. He bet down and pulled Murtagh up and then helped the rest of the soldiers. When everyone was out Eragon finally noticed the area around him.
The ground was muddy from the downpour of rain that came from the dark demonic cloud above their heads. Dozens of dead bodies lay in the mud scattered around the courtyard. Then he turned to the large platform that sat over the door to the inside. Hundreds of skulls dangled from it clacking against each other in the wind.
"You lived here" Eli asked.
"Yes" Eragon said.
"Explains a lot" Eli muttered.
Eragon turned to say something but stopped as he heard something like dice rolling in a cup.
Everything became silent as the sound came again and again and again each time getting faster and louder.
Eragon looked up at the balcony. "You" he said as he glared at the little girl in the ragged black robe.
Lith smiled down Eragon as she shook the thing in her hand. Eragon looked at it and saw that it was a skull sealed with black wax.
"Welcome home Shadeslayer" Lith said as her eyes turned pitch black her teeth became fangs and she turned into the old hag. "Here's a little gift" she said and threw the skull with lightning speed.
Eragon bent down plucked a discarded short sword from a body next to him and threw it at Lith. the blade spun through air flashing silver in the light of the fires that burned in the yard.
Lith howled as the sword pierced her chest and she fell backwards. Black smoke burst from her throat and shot at Eragon with malevolent intent.
"Archangele defende nos in praelio et" Eli shouted. An inhuman shriek echoed as the smoke hit the ground in a burst of flame. At the same time the skull Lith threw hit the ground and burst apart.
Eragon spun as he heard something whistling through the air. He raised his shield just as a stream of smoke shot past his head. "What the…" Eragon started as he saw dozens of streams of smoke shouting down from the cloud.
Each flew into a fallen body filling its mouth and eyes. Then everything stopped. A cacophony of laughs came from nowhere.
Eragon looked down and steeped back in shock as he saw the bodies pushing themselves out of the mud.
The men smiled evil smiles as their eyes became black and they picked up their discarded weapons.
The one closest to Eragon leapt at him swinging an axe.
Eragon's sword flicked up spearing the man's heart. Black smoke burst from his mouth as he died. The smoke lunged for Eragon as he remembered the words. "Archangele defende nos in praelio et" he shouted.
The smoke shrieked and vanished in a burst of fire.
"What are these" Eragon shouted as he sliced open another man and muttered the spell.
"They're demon's" Eli shouted. "They can take over a body and use it like their own."
"And the spell" Eragon asked.
"An exorcism it sends them back" Eli shouted.
He and Eragon turned as they heard the gates to the inside of the castle opening. Two of the Varden ran at the man as he came out and faster than thought they were on the ground dead.
The anger boiled in Eragon as he saw the man. He was strong dressed all in black with the exception of the brown mask that seemed to be sown to his head. Eragon couldn't see the man's eyes all he saw was two dark holes over a mouth that had been sown shut. He brandished his two swords the silver of the blades stained with blood.
"Eragon get out of here open the gate" Eli shouted.
"How" Eragon asked.
"The white stone" Eli said pointing to a large glowing white stone that was set into the wall to the side of the gate. "Destroy it" he shouted.
Eragon ran ducking under swords, axes, and spears as he went he skidded to a halt in front of the white stone. He raised Undbitr calling on its power as he prepared to strike. He stopped and leapt out of the way as he heard a sword singing through the air.
He spun just in time to see the masked man wrench one of his swords from the mud.
Eragon ran at him as the markings flared on Undbitr's blade. The man blocked with one sword as he tore the other free and flicked it up towards Eragon's throat. Eragon side stepped and slashed. The man blocked locking their swords together at the hilt as he slammed his other sword down like a hammer tearing Undbitr from Eragon's hand.
To Eragon time seemed to slow as the man's swords turned on him then he remembered something he had seen Zar'roc do. Eragon's right hand shot out his fingers and palm pointing forward "please work" he thought as he touched Aren with his mind. Power shot from the ring through his mind and out of his hand in a lightning fast blue pulse. The wave threw the man back and shattered the white stone.
Eragon sighed with relief as the gates started to groan open but he tensed and snatched up his sword as he saw the masked man get to his feet.
"Eragon go inside and find Malachi" Murtagh said. "Saphira, Thorn, and I will handle him"
"Right" Eragon sent back and ran slashing and pushing people out of his way. He ran through the stone arch stopping in the center of the chamber as he looked around. Two arches left this room one led upstairs the other down. Eragon moved towards the stairs that would take him up but stopped as he heard screams from below. He turned and ran down the stairs into the dungeon.
Thanks to all for your reviews
Next time: Zar'rocs want of revenge is tempered by his need for knowledge during an interrogation, dark secretes of Eragon's past and why his soul is damned come to light as he tries to fight the forces of Hell and his own family, and siblings return from the long forgotten past revealing the truth of Zar'roc and the gods.
Please read and review