I guess you guys didn't take me very seriously. But here ya go. I am incredibly impatient to get this chapter up. I had it typed and ready the same day as the last Update. But please, I really want those of you who haven't reviewed yet to review. So I'm putting this chapter up.

Chapter Nine:

The Ra'zac

Adurna woke early again the next day and found that only she and Eragon were in the room. She looked at the wall, where a note was scrawled. It read:

Eragon and Adurna,

I will be gone until late tonight. Coins for food are under the mattress. Explore the city, enjoy yourselves, but stay unnoticed!

Brom

P.S. Avoid the palace. Don't go anywhere without your bows! Keep them strung.

Adurna left the note up on the wall so that Eragon could see it when he awoke and reached under the mattress and pulled out a bag of coins. She slipped her bow across her back, buckled Aiedail on her side, and then put her cloak on. The weight of the blue sword on her side made her feel safe and protected unlike when she had just her bow.

She waited patiently for Eragon to wake up but finally started to grow impatient and prodded him awake with her boot. He sat bolt upright and glanced around before glaring at her. "What you do that for?"

"You slept to long," she answered simply. He got up grumbling and read the note on the wall.

He grabbed his bow and said to Adurna, "You got the coins?"

She nodded and they left the room together. They wandered around the city together, looking at anything that caught their interest. When they grew hungry they bought lunch and ate it, sitting on a curb. Both Eragon and Adurna were laughing, trying to predict what Brom was doing at that exact moment.

It was a miracle! They were actually getting along….It was unnatural.

Their guesses keep getting more and more farfetched until, "I know," Eragon gasped. "He just found a lovely lady friend and has decided to elope!" His tone was serious, or as serious as it could get considering how much they had been laughing. Adurna, who had just been able to finally calm herself and was taking deep breaths, burst out laughing again.

When they finally got up off the curb and walked away, they were both red in the face from the lack of air. Later, after they had wandered around a bit more, they heard an auctioneer rattling off a list of prices. Their curiosity aroused, they headed towards the voice and arrived at a large platform with a group of richly dressed people that was colorful and boisterous. On the platform were ten men.

Adurna cocked her head. What was going on?

The auctioneer finished his list and motioned for a young man behind the platform to join him. The man climbed awkwardly onto the platform as there were chains dragging at his hands and feet. Adurna immediately realized what was going on. They were selling slaves. She gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to use magic to knock the auctioneer senseless as he said to the crowd, "And here we have our first item." Adurna narrowed her eyes at the auctioneer as he said item. "A healthy male from the Hadarac Desert, captured just last month, and in excellent condition. Look at those arms and legs; he's strong as a bull! He'd be perfect as a shield bearer, or, if you don't trust him for that, hard labor. But let me tell you, lords and ladies, that would be a waste. He's bright as a nail, if you can get him to talk a civilized tongue!"

The crowd laughed and Adurna noticed that Eragon ground his teeth in fury. His lips started to form a word and he raised his right arm, which had been newly liberated from the splint. His gedwëy ignasia glinted in the sunlight and Adurna quickly grabbed his wrist and thrust it down. He seemed to realize that the slave would not be able to get away even if he did free him because he glared at the auctioneer as he started the bids.

They watched as the slave was sold to a hawk-nosed man. Adurna gapped in horror as the next slave was brought forth, a little girl no more than six years old, wrenched from the arms of her crying mother. Tears spilled down Adurna's face as she watched the little girl being parted from her mother.

Mother…

She clenched her eyes shut, trying to rid the vision of the little girl and her mother from her mind. But their cries were still audible as she felt Eragon lead her away. She could tell that he was upset too, and she buried her face in her hands as she heard him punch a wall in fury. Then she felt him pat her on the back, trying to comfort her. It was a long time before Adurna's sobs stopped, and she looked up to see the cathedral. She shivered as she read the inscription on the iron-bound doors.

May thee who enter here understand thine impermanence and forget thine attachments to that which is beloved.

She shivered again, the feeling of being stalked stronger then it had been before. Eragon slowly climbed the steps, Adurna following him. He stopped at the door for a moment before pushing it open and entering. She followed him and looked around the cathedral. The ceiling was so high that Adurna felt no larger than an ant and the place had the silence of an old tomb and was just as cold. Stain glass windows depicted scenes of anger, hate and remorse and Adurna looked down at her hands, which were bathed in a pale light blue that she thought would have matched her eyes perfectly. The two Riders slowly walked down the center row, and when they reached the great stone alter, Eragon knelt, as if to pay homage to it.

Adurna seated herself on one of the benches and crossed her legs, closing her eyes in the process. She sat there meditating for the longest time until she felt Eragon rise and she stood up, stretching her cramped muscles. A roar suddenly came from Eragon's mouth and she whirled around, hand flying to Aiedail. She drew the sword in reaction to what lay before her. The Ra'zac stood at the entrance of the cathedral, swords drawn. She hissed, the unearthly sound filling the cathedral as Eragon's roar faded away and she tensed, like a cat ready to spring. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Eragon snatch his bow from his back and nock an arrow. He loosed it, followed by two others.

The Ra'zac dodged the arrows and hissed, running up the aisle, cloaks flapping like wings. Eragon reached for another arrow as Adurna raised her sword to charge. Then to both their horrors a line of soldiers filed into the cathedral and she saw a field of crimson uniforms outside the doors. Adurna raised her sword and began to move forward to intercept the soldiers and the oncoming Ra'zac, but felt Eragon grab her arm and flee, dragging her behind him. She followed, sheathing Aiedail, sense finally coming to her head and she ran through the corridor, stopping at a locked door. The patter of the Ra'zac's feet became steadily louder and Eragon rammed against the door in an attempt to break it. He raised a hand and barked, "Jierda!"

The door splintered and the two ran through it, aware that the Ra'zac were right behind them. They sped through several doors, bursting in on a startled group of priests. Shouts and curses followed them and the priory bell tolled in alarm. They dodged through a kitchen and past a pair of monks and then through another door. They came out onto a garden surrounded by high walls with no other exits.

The two Riders turned to leave but stopped as there was a low hiss from one of the Ra'zac as they shouldered the door aside. Desperate, Eragon ran at the wall and jumped while Adurna was close behind him. Eragon's fingertips just cleared the wall as she jumped. Even with her elven abilities, she only just managed to get half of her body over the stone wall.

She heaved herself up a little higher and swept a leg over the wall, straddling it. Adurna glanced at the Ra'zac, who were prowling into the garden, swinging their heads from side to side like dogs looking for prey. She turned back to Eragon, who was struggling to get over the wall. She took hold of his arms and pulled, successfully getting Eragon up and over the wall. She fell with him, landing on her side with a painful thump and staggering up, sprinting away from the stone wall with the male Rider only just able to keep up with her.

She could sense the Ra'zac running behind them and dodged through the crowds of people. They ran for over a mile before they stopped and ducked under a wagon, panting.

How did they find us? Eragon asked her through mind-speech, not daring to speak aloud.

I don't know, she said, looking around at the feet that walked past them. They shouldn't have known where we were.

Unless something happened to Brom, Eragon pointed out.

Adurna contacted Vanilor, saying, The Ra'zac have found us. You must warn Brom.

There was a pause and then, He'll meet you at the inn. Don't stop moving, the Ra'zac could be anywhere.

Adurna severed the contact and both she and Eragon rolled out from under the wagon, running to the Golden Globe and packing their belongings quickly. They saddled the horses and led them out to the street. Brom soon appeared and he swung onto Snowfire, asking, "What happened?"

"We were in the cathedral when the Ra'zac just appeared behind us," Eragon answered, getting onto Cadoc. "We ran back as fast as possible but they could be here at any second. Saphira and Vanilor are going to join us once we're out of the Dras-Leona."

"We have to get outside the city walls before they close the gates, if they haven't already," Brom said. "If they're shut, it'll be nigh impossible for us to leave. Whatever you do, don't get separated from me."

Both Adurna and Eragon stiffened as ranks of soldiers marched down the street. Brom cursed and lashed Snowfire's reins at the same time Adurna lashed Shadowstar's and they galloped away. They nearly crashed several times and Adurna looked up into the sky to see Evandar, his white feathers gleaming as he flew over head. When the gates came into view, Adurna pulled Shadowstar to a stop, looking at the gates in dismay. The gates were already half closed and there was a double line of pikemen that blocked their way.

She heard Eragon exclaim, "They'll cut us to pieces!"

"We have to try and make it," Brom said. "Adurna, you and I will deal with the men, but you, Eragon, have to keep the gates open for us."

Both young Riders nodded and spurred their horses forward. The horses snorted in fear but Adurna kept Shadowstar going, urging him toward the pikemen. She and Brom raised a hand each and Brom spoke words that made half the men fall to the side while Adurna spoke words to make the soldiers fall unconscious.

Eragon cried out, "Du grind huildr!" which made the gates stop with a grating sound. The crowd and guards fell silent and with a clatter of hooves, the three sped out of the cities walls. They galloped forward, Adurna's only thoughts on getting out and away from the city. The magic had tired her a bit because of all her excursions that day but she kept riding on and soon they were out of Dras-Leona.

The dragons were hidden behind a grouping of trees and as they approached, Adurna saw that both Saphira's and Vanilor's tails were whipping about, though Vanilor's seemed more violent. "Go ride them," Brom told them. "And this time stay in the air, no matter what happens to me. I'll head south. Fly nearby; I don't care if either Saphira or Vanilor are seen."

Adurna quickly mounted Vanilor who said, Hold on, before launching himself into the sky, the figure of Brom and the horses galloping down the road becoming farther and farther away. Are you alright? he asked.

I think so. My side hurts, but I think it's only bruised.

Vanilor growled. I will kill them myself. If it weren't for my obligation to protect you, I'd go back and kill them.

Adurna smiled, thankful for once for her dragon's protectiveness. The wind grew steadily stronger and lightning flashed in the distance. They flew as long as they could until they were forced to land and Eragon and Adurna dismounted. Brom stopped the horses and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The wind's too strong," Adurna answered.

"It's not that bad," objected Brom.

"It is up there," Eragon pointed up at the sky.

Brom swore and handed them the reins to their horses. They trotted away, Saphira and Vanilor following on foot, though they had difficulty keeping up with the horses. The gale grew stronger until they had to wrap their scarves around their heads to stop dirt from getting in their eyes and Brom's robe flapped in the wind and his beard whipped about as if it had a life of its own. Adurna's hair flew around in the wind and tangled and she ended up braiding it so that it wouldn't fly into her eyes. Evandar, who couldn't follow them on foot like the dragons, had taken refuge in Adurna's cloak, head tucked into the crook of her arm. She hugged him close, trying to stay warm.

But soon darkness forced them to stop and they made camp behind two boulders. Dinner was cold because it was too dangerous to light a fire. Saphira and Vanilor sheltered them from the wind and Evandar had finally climbed out of Adurna's cloak and was sitting on her shoulder. After the sparse dinner Adurna said, "This is so frustrating! In a matter of hours we have gone from the hunter to the hunted."

"Yeah, how did they find us?" Eragon asked.

Both Riders looked intently at the old man as he answered, "One of the palace servants warned me there were spies among them. Somehow word of me and my questions must have reached Tábor…and through him, the Ra'zac."

"We can't go back to Dras-Leona, can we?" asked Eragon.

Usually Adurna would have said no and then some insulting comment after it, but she was to tired and worn out to spare any energy to annoy Eragon. Brom shook his head. "Not for a few years."

Eragon held his head in his hands. "Then should we draw the Ra'zac out? If we let Saphira or Vanilor be seen, they'll come running to wherever they are."

Absolutely not, human, Vanilor said before Brom could even open his mouth. That thoughtless act would only endanger us even more, blockhead. The Ra'zac are sure to come after us with fifty soldiers behind them. I will not allow you to endanger Adurna and me even more by doing that. It was amazing. Vanilor had seemed to have taken up Adurna's post of insulting the blockhead temporarily since she couldn't do it. She would have laughed if she had the energy to do it. He was doing the job very well.

"Vanilor is correct," Brom added. "At any rate, this isn't the time to discuss it. Right now we have to concentrate on staying alive. Tonight will be the most dangerous because the Ra'zac will be hunting us in the dark, when they are strongest. We'll have to trade watches until morning."

"Right," Eragon said, standing. He hesitated and squinted at something at the edge of camp.

"What is it?" Brom asked him while unrolling his blankets.

Eragon stared into the darkness a little longer before turning back. "I don't know. I thought I saw something. It must have been a bird." But as he walked back to them a dark shape suddenly leaped out of the shadows and tackled Eragon, hitting him in the back of the head. Adurna leapt up and dived behind a boulder as Brom started to unsheathe his sword but toppled to the ground as a second shape attacked him and knocked him unconscious. Vanilor growled and moved to stand in front of Adurna but one of the black figures got there first and grabbed her by the back of her shirt, holding her against its chest. It poured something down her throat, forcing her to swallow it. Immediately, she felt powerless and weak, and when she tried to reach for her magic, she found she couldn't find it. Her attacker hissed, "Better not attack, Dragon," as Vanilor made to pounce. "I'll kill your precioussssss Rider if you do."

A chill ran through Adurna as she realized that the figures were the Ra'zac. There was a hissing and clicking from its mouth and its companion, which she realized was the shorter one, came forward with chains. "You will let ussssss bind you or sssssshe diessssss."

Vanilor growled, showing his fangs, but allowed the smaller Ra'zac to bind him. Saphira snarled at the Ra'zac holding Adurna as he tied her hands behind her back and moved to Eragon and Brom, tying them together. "And you too, Dragon," he said to Saphira. "Or I kill him asssss well."

When both dragons were chained up, the smaller Ra'zac administered the same liquid that they had to Adurna to the other two males. She struggled against her bonds, trying to break them, but they were too tight. "It isssss futile, half-breed."

Adurna snarled at them, again surprised that such a sound had come out of her mouth. The Ra'zac that had called her half-breed leaned down and unbuckled Aiedail from her side. When it noticed the symbol on the sheath, it hissed to its companion and both Ra'zac stood over her, hissing and clicking. Then the taller Ra'zac leaned down and…smelled her? It stood there, sniffing her for a few seconds before it drew back, saying, "You sssssssmell like your father."

Adurna was still struggling against the ropes, but stopped as the Ra'zac said father. She stared at the Ra'zac and it made a chuckling noise. "Oh, yesssss, your father. And like your mother too, though not asssss sssssstrongly. Elf ssssscent issssss not assssss ssssssstrong on you."

She was about to answer when Eragon stirred, opening his eyes and then wincing as he looked into a lantern placed in the middle of camp. He struggled against the ropes holding his hands behind his back and then turned his head to look at Brom. The Ra'zac walked toward him and Eragon turned his head back and looked up at the Ra'zac. Adurna thought that he was trying to do magic but because of the drug that the Ra'zac had administered to all of them, couldn't.

The Ra'zac laughed chillingly. "The drug is working, yesss? I think you will not be bothering us again." Eragon and Adurna turned their heads to Saphira as the second Ra'zac fitted a muzzle over her head. Adurna saw that they had also tried Evandar up, his wings pinioned to his sides by thick ropes. Adurna hissed again at the sight of her friends tied up, but the Ra'zac ignored her as it said, "She was most cooperative once we threatened to kill you," he turned to Adurna, who was trying to stand but couldn't because of the ropes around her ankles. "Don't move," the Ra'zac hissed at her, putting its sword at her chest. "Stay still. I would hate to have to…kill you."

He turned back to his companion, who was rummaging through Eragon's bags. It pulled out Zar'roc. "What a pretty thing," the Ra'zac said. "For one so…insignificant. Maybe I will keep it. Or maybe, if you behave, our master will let you polish it." He turned it over, and screeched as he saw the symbol. The other Ra'zac rushed over and the stood over the sword, clicking and hissing. "You will serve our master well, you and her, yesss."

He glanced over at Adurna and then back at Eragon as the male Rider said, ""If I do, I will kill you."

They chuckled coldly. "Oh no, we are too valuable. But you…you are disposable." A vicious snarl came from Saphira, one not unlike the one Adurna had released earlier. Smoke came from her nostrils but the Ra'zac didn't pay any attention to her. Their attention was diverted to Brom as the old man groaned and rolled over to his other side. One of the Ra'zac grabbed him by his shirt and thrust him effortlessly into the air. "It'sss wearing off."

"Give him more."

"Let'sss just kill him. He has caused us much grief."

The taller Ra'zac ran a finger down his sword. "A good plan. But remember, the king's instructions were to keep them alive."

"We can sssay he was killed when we captured them."

"And what of thessse two," the Ra'zac asked, pointing his sword at both Eragon and Adurna in turn. "If they talk?"

The other Ra'zac laughed shrilly and drew a long, wicked dagger. "They would not dare."

There was a long silence, then, "Agreed."

They dragged Brom to the center of the camp. Adurna wrenched at her ropes at the same time Eragon did. "None of that now," said the tall Ra'zac, poking them both with the tip of his sword. Adurna's thoughts suddenly flashed to the dagger she used for whittling wood in her boot. How could I have forgotten it? Now if only she could reach it. She tried to reach down to her boot, but couldn't. The Ra'zac nosed the air, sniffing something. The thing he smelled seemed to trouble him.

The other Ra'zac growled and yanked Brom's head back, sweeping the dagger toward Brom's exposed throat. But at that moment, a low buzz sounded and an arrow pierced his shoulder. He howled. The second Ra'zac dropped to the ground, nearly avoiding a second arrow, and scuttled over to his wounded companion, hissing angrily.

Brom staggered to his feet and both Eragon and Adurna yelled in unison, "Get down!" Brom wavered, then tottered toward Eragon. More arrows whizzed into the camp and the Ra'zac rolled behind the boulders nearest Adurna. There was a pause, then more arrows came from the opposite direction, catching the Ra'zac by surprise and several arrows buried into them. With a wild cry, the smaller Ra'zac fled in the direction of the road, kicking Eragon in the side. The taller one hesitated for a moment and then swooped down and grabbed the dagger his companion had dropped. He hurled it at Eragon, and as he passed Adurna, kicked her in the head.

A ringing filled her ears, and she closed her eyes, succumbing to sleep.

Remember, Review! Please?

Signed,

V.H.