AN: Hello again, first off: Disclaimer I own nothing as all source material and inspiration belongs to Christopher Paolini.

Bitter Revelations

Dragon wing's soared over the dark sky of Alagaesia, rain clouds surrounded the area as large drops of water poured into the morning sky. The dragon let out a great roar as he dove down below the clouds, to the sight of death and war. Men and beast clashed as rain pelted both sides with brutal force. As dragon and Rider dove down a bolt of flame came flying towards the Rider and his dragon. With a simple wave of the Rider's hand, the flames dispersed into nothingness. Volleys of arrows rocketed towards the beasts, many finding their mark between the creatures weak armor, bring them down. The Rider looked for his king among the masses, looking down he saw his fellow warrior's battling against the foul beasts and their strange weapons, though the beast were strong and fierce the combined forces of Alagaesia fought hard and with all they held to force their enemy back.

Finally the Rider saw his king, his silver armor shown as if the sun was still about; around him bodies fell to the ground as he cut through them with his sword and trident. The Rider gestured to his right as another Rider came into view; the pair of Riders swept down to join their king. Removing themselves from their mounts the two joined in the ground battle as there dragon's began to dive into the heart of the enemy lines, blasting flames throughout their ranks.

Moving forward the pair reached their king as he slew one of the beasts. His armor was smeared with blood and grim, as did his sword and trident. The pair rushed forward joining the king as the two drew their weapons, the one a sword and double sided battle-axe and the other a shield and spear with a long blade extending from the tip. Together the three used their superior power and skills to destroy whole ranks of their enemy, but the beasts were not there true targets. That which controlled the very minds of the beast was who the three sought after.

"There!" the king yelled as he blasted apart an enemy, the king positioned his trident toward his target as he released a great burst of power. The blast made contact with his enemy, who was readying for a fight. As the king battled the beasts before him, his Riders charged the dark controller of the beast. The being blasted his own energy at both Rider's, each one knew how to handle their enemy as they dodged the blast of power easily moving ever closer to their target. As they moved closer the being summoned more beast to his aid him. This posed little threat to the pair as they quickly blasted and cut through the new creatures, as their target began to ever slowly move away from the battle.

From behind the Riders, the king rushed forward, he was determined to not let his enemy escape this time. With an enormous amount of energy the king ripped apart the beasts around him, quickly rushing after the dark being. The being moved out of the mass of his creations as he moved into open ground. The king followed as he hosted his trident up into his right hand, with all his strength he hurdled his weapon at the being like a javelin. The being turned around only to catch the trident before its bared ends bored ever harmfully into his flesh. The being let lost a cackling laugh, "You never do learn." The dark being yelled at the king. The king returned his glare as he yelled back, "You can be surprised what a man can learn from the likes of you!"

With that the king released his reserves of energy into his palm, much to the dislike of the being before him. Crushing the energy in his hand the king sent a link of energy strait to his weapon that the being held. The resulting explosion caused the dark being to fly far away from the main battle. The pair of Rider's were still caught up in battling the beast but the sight of their king fighting the dark being finally gave them the strength to end their petty fights and join their king.

Their king himself rushed after where the being had been sent, grabbing his trident from where it had been dropped after the explosion. The king found the being, but not how he expected him to be.

The being himself was a dark creature; he bore a pure black set of armor and a long cloak that flowed out behind him. The being rose from where he was blasted, before him stood the three nuisances that had cost him much of his power. He laughed, though the three had caused him pain he was happy that now he would finally be rid of them. The Riders flanked their king as they prepared for the worst.

The being raised out his arms as dark energy began to flow out from his cloak. The king and his Riders backed up as the beings feet left from the ground as he hovered above them. The being laughed as his laugh turned into a hysteric mess, his dark energy seeped out from within him as it formed an aura of energy around him as he prepared for his finally move. "We have such history together, my King!" the being hissed as more of his energy began to flow around him.

The ground beneath the king and his Rider shook violently, the beings dark powers began to consume the life energy of the very area that surrounded the king. In the face of the dark powers of the being the king stood strong. "What are you doing you monster!"

The being laughed from above the king, his energy began to pour into the ground below him as he continued to heckle the king, "You will soon see. I will always be above you! All ways and forever, until the end of time!" with that the being pulled all his energy together as he smashed it into the ground below him. The king and his Riders ran back as the explosion ripped apart the very ground below them apart. As the blast expanded it pushed the three warriors backwards, separating them apart.

The king quickly regained his barring as his vision blurred for the impact of the explosion. The dark being stood over him, as something moved behind him. The being before him hovered over him as he grabbed the king hoisting him into the air, his hand tightened around the king's throat. The king cried as the dust behind the being fell away. The simply began to laugh, "You think that our power was the only great force. You are such a fool. I have waited so long for this moment, for this one single moment. And now it is finally here!" Behind the being a large figure rose up, the king could do nothing but stare in horror.

"What in the name of Alagaesia is that? How does such a thing even exist?" The king shook as the horror in front of him unfolded. They were all going to die…

Murtagh awoke with a startle. His body ached as he rose from his slumber, his mind still raced around the strange dream he had had. He had been having the same dream since the death of the king, he knew it meant something but he could put together what the vision truly meant. He had thought his vision was of what the battle with Eragon the First and his brother's Shades was like but there where to many details out of place.

There were two Riders there and the army that was what Murtagh thought was Eragon's brother were not Shades but some dark creatures that the evil Shade controlled. But the placement looked right, the desert grassland like environment matched closely to what the Hadarac Desert was now, Eragon told him and Arya that is was a lush grassland plains before their battle destroyed it, turn the grassland into a desert. Murtagh could not come to grips with his dream; he did know why the same dream kept recurring over and over.

Putting the dream away Murtagh emerged from his tent into the early morning air, the Varden had generously allowed him his own residence to sleep in and to house his various belongings, though they were rather few. What little Murtagh could call his own he had looted from his quarters in Urû'baen the previous day.

Murtagh ran his hand over his chin as he felt the small hairs of a growing beard. Returning to his tent Murtagh shaved and cleansed his face with magic, looking through what little cloths he owned Murtagh settled with a dark black tunic, as he was just to do. Leaving Murtagh checked his great dragon as Thorn was still resting from his battle with Eragon the previous day.

Murtagh sighed as he strapped Zar'roc to his belt, its new sheathe shinned in the early morning light. After its transformation with his new Grey Folk powers Murtagh had choice but to fashion himself a new sheathe, he was versed in many blacksmithing and leatherwork techniques that he need to make his new slightly curved sheathe. Finally Murtagh headed off, he and Arya agreed to meet the previous day to practice with their new powers, but he wished to see his brother first.

The consul had agreed to hold Eragon captive until his memories return or at least he seemed more stable around the Varden. Much to Murtagh's and Arya's dismay the consul of leader demanded that some form of a spell or something was used to subdue Eragon's powers. While he personally thought the idea undermining he could not disagree with the fact that without Eragon being physically unconscious they held no control over him, nor could they even really control him if he got lose again. So he and Angela used a chemical potion that the dark king had shown Murtagh in how to suppress normal magic of Riders and magicians to prohibit Eragon's magic. With Angela's help he was able to find a dosage that should be able to suppress even Eragon's Grey Folk powers, but the unpredictable nature of the Grey Folk powers made it hard to know if the potion who even work. The lack of anyone waking him up in the middle of the night because his brother had escaped made him believe that the potion had worked and the Eragon was still contained with the bars of his cell.

As Murtagh enter the city he walked pass many of the Varden, the population of the army was slowly making its way into fully moving into the ruined city, rebuilding and clearing off the sights of war had already begun as citizens worked hard to rebuild their previous and future homes.

Murtagh finally neared the build that was chosen to house his brother. The guards that were posted outside looked tired and needing of some rest and food. Though most of the Varden still did not trust him and Thorn, most of Nasuada's Nighthawks had seen what he did the previous day, most now had a mutual respect for him; some even seemed to give him so actually form of respect.

"Give yourself some credit my Rider, you did slay the kings dragon and help slay the king, they are sure to be those that feel you have earned your place among them" Thorns thoughts were kind to him, he really hope that the Varden could except him. He knew what he was, part of him was a monster like his father, but there was also the same honorable warrior like his brother. He wanted more than anything to become that person. "Us Thorn, they well respect us."

"Morning" Murtagh greeted the two guards, one snapped up to attention while the other remained slouched over, seeming practically asleep. Seeing this Murtagh mentioned how the chiefs were preparing breakfast, "I can handle my brother; please I will inform your master that you two left on much need leave." The guards remained standing; Murtagh shrugged his shoulders, as he moved for the door. It was so hard to be respectful when the world around you hated the image that he had created under the king for himself.

Inside the stone building prison bars separated the small area into two cells. Dim light was given off by a lone candle in the middle of the cell. Shadows from the outside light cause most of back of the cell to be concealed in the blackness of the still early morning. A cot remained right in the center of the cell, as its user laid upon it. At the sight of his visitor Eragon rose from his cot to greet whoever was there to torment him next.

He had received a lovely visitor the previous night. A dark haired elf who he meet earlier that day. He had tried twice to kill her, but was foiled both times. Once by the Rider before him and then by his pesky dragon. The elf had insisted they knew each other, but he thought not of it. He did not think of much, he could not remember really anything about himself; all he knew was that the one who claimed to be his brother and the one who claimed to be his friend both chased after him, weapons draw. That said more about exactly who they were in his mind set than any actually words did.

Murtagh gripped the bars of his brother's cell, as Eragon rose up walking towards the bar. "Good morning brother." Murtagh again welcomed his brother, but Eragon would see none of it, snorting he pushed of the claim of his so called brother.

"Why don't we just cut out the crap your about to give me, we are both intelligent people here. Well I can really only speak for myself, but no matter." Eragon's lips parted ways for a dark grin. Murtagh had seen that very grin on the king so many times; every time horror would soon enter his life, as the king would inflict pain or torture upon his mind and body. Now his own brother wore that same smile, Murtagh fought with himself. This person before him could not be his brother; he look like Eragon and he moved like him, but the one in front of his eyes was not his brother. This was the person that Eragon swore to fight against, the person who Eragon would show mercy even if there was none to give. "By the Riders, who are you?"

Eragon only smiled more, "We are no brothers, we look nothing alike and we act even farther apart." hard laughter broke through Eragon's words as he turned around only to being to pace around his cell. Every word he spoke was like poison escaping his lips, ever phrase was a blow to Murtagh's stomach.

"Look at you. In the company of elves and dwarfs, what in the name of this land even are you? Oh that's right… you're a Rider, which means your nothing but someone's loyal lap dog!" Eragon's smug expression sent nothing but irritation through Murtagh body.

Murtagh's knuckles whitened as he gripped the bars harder, only to have Eragon continue his rant as more and more malice left from his words.

"You best hope is I never get out of here, you may have found a way to suppress my magic, but I will find a way out. And when I do mark my words, you will have wished you killed me when you had the chance. I will rain holy war upon you! I will consume every moment of your life until I have finally kill you. Or even better yet, I will find that she-elf you care for so much and kill her in front of you. Only then will I remove your head from your body, ending what is left of your pathetic life!"

Eragon yelled at Murtagh from the top of his lungs, the pure hatred in his voice enraged Murtagh. He was right, this person was not Eragon. This person was full of nothing but hate for everyone around him. Eragon had taken it too far; he was placing himself into a dark whole, threatening not just Murtagh's life but Arya's as well. This made Murtagh's blood boil to a point of little return. He knew that Arya was the only really salvation for his brother, Murtagh had seen the way his brother protected her before she even spoke a word to him, and even more so over the multiple engagements they had over the war.

Murtagh slammed his fists around the metal bars his temper was spiking inscrutably high after Eragon's threat. "Listen to me brother you will do no such thing, if you even try to harm her I will…" Murtagh's harsh words stopped, Eragon eagerly awaited his scolding from Murtagh as he smiled ear to ear.

This is what he wants, Murtagh thought to himself. Eragon wants me to explode, to loss hold over myself, to loss control. Eragon want everyone else to feel as lost as he is. Murtagh's stopping caused Eragon to waver; his smile fell as he scowled towards the Rider before him.

"Come on! Finish it. You'll do what? Huh? What will you do to me?" Eragon became unstable yelling to the top of his lungs once more as he tried to get some reaction from the Rider. Eragon gritted his teeth as Murtagh just stood there with his head held high. "Tell me!"

"No." was all that Murtagh said before Eragon exploded. Rushing the bars Eragon grabbed Murtagh by the throat as he squeezed with all that was left of his strength. Murtagh reasonably pried Eragon's hand from his throat quite slowly using his superior strength all the while remaining calm as to not stir Eragon anymore. Eragon growled with rage as Murtagh tossed him to the ground.

Fixing his tunic Murtagh began to step away towards the exit to the cell. Grasping the handle Murtagh turned around one last time looking at his brother as he laid on the grown rage still filling his eyes. "You are better than this Eragon. You are better that all of this. I know this because you were the one who taught me that I control my own life. That I did not have to become a simple element to a much larger equation. You taught me that we are each our own person, that we are in control of our own fate. But right now you are not that person. You have become the person who you would have sworn to defeat. The person that cannot even handle his own pain to the point that he simple shuts of his humanity."

The last line of Murtagh's speech seemed to give some reaction out of Eragon as Murtagh moved away from the door and back to his brother. "The others think that your loss of memory is a choice out of your hands, that may be true, but you are still in control of yourself Eragon. I think you hold the key to our freedom, to your own emotion. You pretend that you do not care about the people around you. Even without your memories you are Eragon, who you are does not change just like that. You have done this to yourself, you've locked away your emotions because you don't know how or what to feel anymore, because you can't remember. Because you are afraid. But I tell you, Eragon it is okay to feel, to caring once more. You try to provoke me so I will lash out against you because that is what you want; you want me to seem like a threat to you so you can shut me out. So you can shut your emotions out. Your emotions that make you who you are."

Eragon rose up from where he previously laid. Scowling at Murtagh Eragon grasped onto his cell bars resting his arms on them. "You think you know about me. You know nothing! I do not hold my own keys, but that matters not. Even if I could remember who I am and who all of you are I won't! I wouldn't want to remember the likes of all of you!"

Murtagh let his brother's word simple wash over him, he believed in what he told his brother and he knew that Eragon was trying to get a reaction out of him. Trying to stir up the rage and anger that he held within him, because Eragon wanted that. He wanted everyone around him to seem harmful and hateful towards him, because it would only allow him to shut off his emotions towards them all the more. No, he would not give his brother that way out, he could not allow that of himself. His brother had lost everything around him and almost his own life. He lost so much that he was willing to shut everything away to prevent the pain that he had to feel.

It was selfish, his want to have his brother back, by all means Eragon should be allowed to lock away his pain, he lost his soul mate. He could only image what would happen if he himself lost Thorn, what that would do to him, but Eragon was not him. No, Eragon was so much stronger that him. So if it was selfish that so be it; he need his brother, so did Arya, and so did all of Alagaesia. They were all about to be covered by darkness, and there only hope was covered by that very darkness currently.

They need Eragon, and Eragon need to return to himself and cast away this person that he was now, this person that was not him. Murtagh again headed for the door as Eragon yelled again. "He will never come back! I am not Eragon!" Eragon's statement hit Murtagh hard, but Murtagh knew he needed to just leave, the longer he stayed the longer his brother had to spark something within him. Sill Murtagh was scared and he feared for his brother.

Exiting the building Murtagh head for the hill outside Urû'baen, were he and Arya chosen to meet to practice with their new magic and power. He did fear ever so deeply that his brother was not going to return to them. Angela had not a clue as to how to help his brother, no one did. Angela's on thought was to simply let Eragon's mind recover at his own pace. But Eragon's pace was to be too slow; they need him to be ready for the Shades return, for Eragon the First's brother's return.

Making his way up the hill Murtagh thought's still churned as he saw Arya resting on the ground. See wore one of her normal tunic and leggings as the Dautherdert laid between her legs. "Morning" Arya rose as she saw Murtagh walk over to where she laid. Murtagh quickly noticed the dark lines beneath the elf's eyes, she look exhausted from the previous days, who could really blame her.

"Are you okay to practice? Do you need to get some rest?" Murtagh tried to be as polite as possible but Arya seemed to be immediately irritated by what he said. Her eyes narrowed into a dark glare as she circled Murtagh with the Dautherdert draw and ready. Clear she was ready to start the practice with the new powers but Murtagh spoke before she could lung at him.

"I saw Eragon this morning." Arya's eyes grew urgent at the mention of her Rider, noticing this Murtagh quickly continued. "The potion work on him, he seems to be taking a strong disliking to it, but he really has little choice to it. Anyway, I'm guessing you spoke to him recently? He seemed put off by his last visitor." Arya moved to her previous spot as she knew their conversation would keep them from any practice for the time being.

"I was with him last night, and yes he was put off. The constant yelling and hatefulness caused by head much pain. I cannot say I did not try to spark his memory, but he would have none of it. It seems that with his memories gone so too has his emotions, at least the positive ones that I would normal associate with him. His memories hold the key to all of this, but I can't seem to trigger them anyway I try."

Murtagh took in what Arya had just said, all night with Eragon, no wonder he was in a foul mood. Murtagh though that he should share what his theory on the matter was, and how he told Eragon it to. "I don't believe that. He may have lost his memories, but he didn't lose his emotions." Joining Arya Murtagh sat by her side as the pair overlooked the ruined city. "He doesn't know us, he doesn't know anyone. But most of all he doesn't know himself. How can he, his mind is protecting him from the pain he would have to be feeling if he had his memories. But those memories don't control his emotion. A person is still the same person even with their memories. Who they are becomes a part of them, that they hold within themselves regardless of their past. He just acting like your kin."

"My kin?" Arya question, her eyes starting to form her now famous glare.

"Yes, your kin. You elves withhold your emotions from the outside world. You still have emotions just choice not to show them. Why is this?"

Arya thought on the question for a moment before answering it. "I suppose it's because we don't want the people around us to us those emotion to harm us. I guess we do it to protect ourselves. I did that, for a long time. I withheld my emotion. I put on a mask, so no one would really know what or who I was and what I felt." Arya eyes open wide as she spoke.

"See, that's just what he's doing. He's hiding his emotion, at least the positive ones because he fears everything around him. Aggression to the unknown is a normal reaction to an unknown atmosphere. He's protecting himself, his mind shields him from the pain of his memories, and his lack of emotion shield him from reemerging his past. He's trying to build up a wall, a wall he can us to protect himself from the pain of his past. Just like you did…"

Arya's eyes returned to their cold color as Murtagh again acted as if he knew her. "You don't know anything about me Murtagh!" Murtagh just smiled as he chucked a little, "You sound just like him you know. Just like Eragon." With that Arya looked away from the Rider as her cheeks began to get hot. Why does he do this to me! Arya quickly thought to herself.

"I know more about you that you would think. I know that you were just like Eragon is now. Not with the memory lose, but with the lack of emotion, except for anger. After what you went through in Gilead, with Durza I see why." At the mention of her capture Arya's head bowed down onto her knees as she tried to forget her days during and after Durza. "I get it. I really do, the torture, the want to forget it all, and more than anything the need to shut away your emotions out of fear. Out of fear that someone will use those very emotions against you. It's destructive, like an endless loop of pain and torment into this cycle of self-destructive nature. Lucky for us we had someone to help us realize that there's more to life than that pain." Arya slowly looked up to see Murtagh as the wind picked up blowing both his and her jet black hair into their faces.

"He saved us without even meaning to. Just with that I owe him my life. And you gave him your life." Murtagh turn to look into the elf's deep emerald eyes, the same beautiful color as her magic. "You claim that I do not know you, but it is you that do not know me. The Varden does not full trust me, but I can live with that. It's you that I need to trust me. Arya I need you to trust me. We are in this together."

Arya let out a deep sigh as she took in what Murtagh said; despite her best efforts Murtagh, in just a few days, seemed to get fully under her skin, just as his brother had. Maybe he was right he did seem to pick her apart more than any other person had before her and she knew nothing about him. How could she full trust him when he openly emitted she knew nothing about him. Did that mean all the façade of the King's evil Red Rider was just that a façade? Or did it mean that he was who he really was?

Before she could speak Murtagh started again this time speaking even quieter than before, "Your elf by blood. Your kin don't give off or show emotions, not even with your own kind. But your different Arya, I final see what it is Eragon sees. What he see in you. And I she what you see in him." Arya was being blown away by the words Murtagh was saying, the façade he had was not that of the Kings Rider or even of the man that Arya met so briefly in Farther Dûr. Murtagh was so much more like his brother than even he would give himself credit.

"How did he help you Murtagh, you have fought with him more than you knew him. How is it that he saved you?" It was Murtagh's time to be silent as he looked away, staring into the sky of the morning horizon.

"I would say there were two times in my life when Eragon really saved me. First was before we ever met. Back before I was a Rider, during the time when we travel with you and Saphira to the Varden, trying to save you from the poison Durza gave you. At a point we came across some slave traders, both myself and Eragon detested slavery, and we sought out to free the slaves from their captures. We did just that, and after we kill the slavers there was one left, the head slaver was left, unarmed and defenseless. Eragon thought it right to spare him as he was unarmed and defenseless, But me being me at the time removed the slavers head. I gave both myself and the slaver no honor in that action, and Eragon saw to it to make sure I knew that.

Eragon would not have known nor would many who even know me now, but I try to hold myself to a higher standard of honor, both in battle and in life. But throughout my life I have been forced to break that which I would hold high, and this point in my life was one of my lowest points. I argued with Eragon about what I did which caused a rift between us; I thought that I was in the right because I did not want to admit to myself that which I had done. For a while on the journey me and Eragon did not speak or interact together at all. The longer it lasted the longer I grew hard; I looked at what I had become and where I was. I hated it, I hated it all, but most of all I hated that I knew I could not change. I was in no position to change, I have always adapted to my circumstance, and I was never allowed the opportunity to be that morally high held person I wanted so badly to be."

"And the second?"

"The Varden gave me a chance to become that person, a chance to prove that I was an honorable man, that I could become something great. But that greatness I strove for found another path for me. I was capture and brought to the King were I became his sworn Rider, destined to battle my own brother. The only person I ever felt any feeling of loyalty towards. Natural after I was told we were brother it made my rage even greater, the King used the dark powers he held to manipulate me and Thorn. Thorn was forced into a body that was not really his and I had a spell upon me that would heighten my emotions, but only select emotions. Jealously, hatred, and rage above all else.

The King used me like a trained dog to battle Eragon, and I was nothing but happy to oblige. Every time I battled my brother I could feel myself wasting away to nothing. I hated it, every moment of it I hated it. I could do nothing against it, though I wanted peace with my brother the kings spell brought forth nothing but my rage. I thought myself lost; Thorn could not help me as he too was bound to the king. I would have been lost if it was not for Eragon telling me how to change my name, how if I truly wanted to be a better person then I could be.

I had never known I could do such a thing; the king had left that out of his teaching for obvious reasons. So I strived toward my goal to break away from the king, ironically it was Nasuada that would helped me with my change. After I captured her we were able to bond, I tried to help her through her torture, as I myself went through much of the same. With the pain that I caused her I was able to push myself to finish my change, well to a point. Though Nasuada was able to help me I think it was when I enter the throne room to see the lot of you and my brother being pinned down that made me final crack. I was finally free and I was done with being the king's loyal dog."

Murtagh finally finished his speech as he coughed loudly. The sun seemed to already be above them, the day was in full swing and there was much for the both of them to do. Arya knew it would be best that they began their practice, but a last question hung over her head. Something that Murtagh had said about her earlier.

"You said that you see what I see in Eragon." Arya turned so the she and Murtagh were again face to face as they sat not inches from one another. "What do I see?"

Murtagh looked deep into her eyes, the moment seem tense as Arya stared him down. The two sat there gaze locked until Murtagh had his wits about to finally speak. "You love him."

It was all that need to be said, for all of Arya's locked away emotions and all of her concealment it was Murtagh of all people who saw right through her, right to how she truly felt for Eragon. Murtagh saw it just it just as she herself did. The Rider who was just her sworn enemy was able to pick apart her closes secret. She tried desperately to keep a straight face, refusing even to move away from looking into Murtagh's eyes. She refused to give him any ground, to believe in his claim. All she could think of where the Kings words to her after he had broke Eragon's mind. That she was a weakness to him, not that it mattered anymore. Eragon could care less about her now; he would not even look at her as if he held her with any emotion other than hate.

Fear began to once again seep into Arya's mind as she thought of what was to become of her love for Eragon now that Eragon was gone. The King had shown that even in his darkest moment he still cared about her, but now with Saphira gone everything would change. Even if Eragon could regain his memories were would that leave them.

She was still in the same boat, she and Eragon still had a war to win, and any relationship would be a distraction from their duties. But now she would have to live with that full knowledge of what it was she felt for him. I was much easier before as she could dismiss her feelings as just friendship, but now she knew and there was no going back from that. And what if she did confront him, would he even accept her, she had rejected him multiple times, why would he even care now.

Thankfully Murtagh broke their glance as he rose up from where the two had been sitting breaking Arya's thought stream. Drawing Zar'roc Murtagh began to swing the blade around as he ready for their much need practice. Arya joined beside him as she readied the Dautherdert.

"I got a few things we can try, but I want to hear how you think we actually control our power?" Arya question Murtagh before he could get hasty. Murtagh's brow immediately furrowed as he thought on what to say.

"I don't really know, I just think what I want and my power or energy does just that." Arya laughed at his seemingly childish tone as Murtagh sent a friendly glare back at her. "Do not mock me elf." He yelled back playfully, "Try yourself, how to control your own power then." Murtagh challenged. Arya replied by raising her blade above her head as to challenge Murtagh. "I think my power is greater than yours. I think that you are right, as to how we control our power. We control it with our very wills and I, dear Rider, have a greater will than you."

Arya's taunt worked as Murtagh's previous smile was lost behind the now serious tone of his blank expression and posture. Raising Zar'roc Murtagh accepted the elf's challenge as the two began to circle one another.

Murtagh waited quietly as his thoughts turned back to what he knew of the elf and how to defeat her. He could recall the duel that his brother and the elf had back in Further Dûr, but aside from hearing of the elf and seeing her fight Shruikan, he had never actually fought or seen the elf fight. He figured she trained with Eragon, and knowing his brothers level of swordsmanship, he was able to place the skill of the elf before him. He knew his greatest advantage would be that he wield a sword, a weapon he was quite familiarly with, even though the actually blade and hilt were slightly different. While Arya wielded a weapon that she never before had dueled with. Still he did not want to underestimate the power of the Grey Folk that she wielded. He had seen her us that power to great effectiveness against opponents that could also wield such power.

The pair continued to circle until Arya finally stopped; lowering her spear Arya extended out her left hand as she open her palm up. Murtagh readied himself for what was to come, but Arya struck fast. As fast as Murtagh rushed the elf, Arya already had a hold over him. Her wires of energy began to flow from out of her hand as they reached out towards Murtagh trying to rip Zar'roc from his grasp. Quickly Murtagh grasped Zar'roc as he slashed at Arya's tendrils of power. With much relief from Murtagh, Zar'roc cut through the tendrils, but this feet was short lived as more energy pour from Arya's palm encircling her body in a shield of vines and wires.

Murtagh aggressively continued towards the elf as he cut through more and more of her energy trying to get to the source itself. Rushing forward Murtagh caught a glimpse of the elf as she staggered back, thinking Murtagh concluded that the energy that he had cut throw must have weakened the elf as it was a bond of her own energy that he destroyed. Hoping to prey on this Murtagh sent a blast of his own energy right at the retreating elf. Though layers of wire like energy bared the way between Murtagh blast and Arya, the blast easily cut through the layers nearing ever closer to its target.

With Murtagh blast nearly about to hit Arya, she quickly raised up her spear hoping her own Grey Folk weapon would deflect the blast. Putting her will into her weapon the Dautherdert was able to absorb much of Murtagh's blast; the rest pushed her backward some distance. As the dust of the explosion blew away Murtagh struck at the elf. Zar'roc cut through the air as if it was an arrow, Arya with only seconds to recover blocked the blade with her spear's shaft, not once fearing the spear would break or be damaged.

What followed was a series of violent attacks from Murtagh that left Arya primarily on defense. With each blow both Arya and Murtagh began to truly understand the amount of power they each possessed. Each blow caused the ground beneath them to shake furiously and the air around them became thick with dust and dirt from the ground. Zar'roc finally found its way around its target's flank as Murtagh pivoted directly after a blow at Arya's head, causing the elf to think fast. As an idea hit her head she quickly acted lowering her arm to where Zar'roc would strike her neck. Even though it was a sparring match and she knew Murtagh would not actually harm her, she was not ready to admit defeat. Conjuring as much power as she could Arya formed a barrier of energy at her neck. Zar'roc never struck the barrier as Murtagh stopped Zar'roc just as it hit Arya's shield of energy.

Without almost meaning to Arya thrust her arm back at Murtagh causing Zar'roc and her shield of energy to rebound towards Murtagh. The violent backwards motion of Zar'roc caused Murtagh to let his sword go as it was ripped from his hands taking Murtagh with it. Arya quickly smirked as Murtagh's finishing blow backfired sending both Murtagh and Zar'roc to the opposite side of the hill. This did not satisfy Arya as she yearned for a finishing blow to rub in the fact that she had best the Red Rider. Rushing over to Murtagh Arya struck her blade at the unarmed and exposed Murtagh.

Her blade pointed down directly at Murtagh chest, "Dead!" She smirked as Murtagh laughed himself. "Look again, elf!" Much to Arya's surprise Murtagh was indeed not dead; right were her blade pointed towards the center of the Rider's chest Murtagh had his palms holding of what would be a lethal blow, as his palms formed to create a pool of his energy that withheld the Dautherdert from reaching Murtagh's body. Knowing that continuing her attack would be frugal, Arya releasing the pressure rushing back to her left, preparing for Murtagh to rush after his sword.

Tilting to the left, were Zar'roc currently rested, Arya awaited as Murtagh slowly rose up from the now carded ground. Laughing slightly Murtagh moved forward towards Arya a blank expression still holding on his face, "I must say I'm impressed. Your power shows much more resilience than I originally thought I truly have underestimated your prowess, but I am afraid that I must end this little dance of ours." With a smug smile and new found energy Murtagh rushed the ready elf. Arya hesitated slightly as Murtagh rushed her still unarmed, until just as he was upon her Zar'roc flew into his palm. With swing after swing Arya could tell that Murtagh meant to put away their battle. Each blow was practically perfect in execution as Murtagh landed and parried each of Arya counter attacks; still no blow was able to pierce the experienced elves defenses.

Murtagh continued his attack as Zar'roc struck faster and faster forcing Arya little room to maneuver around Murtagh. The furry of his blows forced Arya into a purely defensive stance that would not allow her even a single advance in their battle. Breaking his furry of attacks, Murtagh sent a large mass of energy at the elf's flank, forcing the elf to ignore Murtagh for only a moment. But a moment was all that was needed.

Arya quickly swiped the Dautherdert in front of Murtagh's blast, cutting the blast of energy in half. As quickly as physically possible Arya pivoted around to intercept Murtagh's move. As she turned Zar'roc came into her vision immediately, the weapon's blade was about to be thrust into her midsection. Acting more on instinct that any other thing Arya swiped the Dautherdert to her side, trying to force Zar'roc with it. Murtagh simple pulled back Zar'roc for an instant resulting in the Dautherdert to miss Zar'roc completely. With her back exposed Murtagh easily rushed behind the elf wrapping his arm around the elf's arm that held the Dautherdert while Zar'roc remained on her throat.

With her weapon wielding arm locked in Murtagh's iron grasp and Zar'roc at her throat Arya had nothing left to do put drop her weapon in defeat. As soon as the weapon hit the hard ground Arya's arm was released and Zar'roc returned to it's sheathe. Arya remained their looking down at her weapon in shame. She had lost to Murtagh, to Murtagh of all people. She remained there until Murtagh came into her field of view, Arya knew to expect a smug smile upon his face, in light of his victory, but there was no such emotion on Murtagh's face.

The Rider seemed conserved more than anything else, reaching up to touch her shoulder. The contact quickly made Arya flinch backwards from the unwelcomed contact. Without a change in his appearance Murtagh picked up the Dautherdert holding it out to the Arya. Arya would not take her weapon though; instead she stood there, sulking as if she was but a child again.

Finally giving in Arya reached out taking her weapon. Rotating the shaft in her hands Arya looked at her weapon with a critical glare. How could I lose to him? He's nothing more than a human. Young, childish, and not nearly as strong as me. Arya questioned herself rigorously, she was among the best of all elven warriors, she was the one who would school anyone who would dare challenge her ability. What have I become.

Murtagh seemed to be waiting as Arya finally looked up from where her head was previously set. Murtagh's look of concern still registered on his face as Arya looked back at him. "Are you okay, I didn't do any damage?" Arya's eyes darkened to a point that she had been before, Murtagh was just like his brother all right. Both were one of the few people to insight the amount of rage and anger in her that only her mother could.

"No Murtagh, I am an elf. I have lived for almost one hundred years and I am not easily harmed. I am not one of your weak and fragile mortal women that both you and your brother seem to think me." Arya bitterness seemed to be portrayed quite well as Murtagh himself seemed to lock up in his own anger.

"I never said you were weak or the likes of a mortal woman those claims you gave yourselves. As for what I said, I only asked if you were hurt when we dueled which a reasonable question to ask. The ferocity and strength that both of us posses could lead to severe damage, we both know that. This kind of power is highly dangerous and if either one of us was to slip up for even a moment we would both be in risk of permanent harm."

Arya head practically exploded, now she was pissed. She was right that Murtagh and Eragon were similar but it was clearly apparent that there was one huge difference. While both brothers respected her individualism, Eragon would never call her out on her faults. Eragon was always supportive, even when she was wrong. Murtagh here was questioning almost everything she said, forcing her to ask questions about herself that she never need to ask or wanted to ask.

Hosting the Dautherdert up Arya began to yell as if challenging Murtagh against his morals, "You want to talk to me about morals and caring. You don't know anything about. You are just some punk kid who was exposed who he really was when a mad king turned him into a Rider. You haven't even lived yet. You know nothing; this great power that was given to you is a waste. You are nothing but a shadow of what your brother is!" The utter hatred in Arya words hit Murtagh like daggers.

The words sent him back, but he stopped, drawing his sword raising it up to where the Dautherdert was as if accepting Arya's challenge. "Your right! I'm not my brother. I'm not some love sick puppy dog that is swayed by your every whim, just so I can be dragged around and tormented by the very person that I love. No, I'm not that person. I actually question your words, I question you because I do see, and I see better than even you. That's the truth of it. You dragged my brother around on a rope, toying with his emotions acting as if you gave a dam about him! I guess I was wrong about you; you don't give a moment's piece about him! Your age give you no wisdom, all I makes you is and old woman with a whim to torment men."

A loud crackle of thunder quickly broke through the atmosphere, the clear morning skies soon became dark with rain clouds, but this would not stop the pair as Arya angrily rushed Murtagh, yelling back at him between blows. "This coming from the so called brother that tried on multiple occasions to kill his own brother! No single good deed will ever outweigh a life time of murder and betrayal!"

The sky became filled with lightning as thunder followed suit, yet still the pair continued their spout with each other. "Then please show me dear princess, how it is that you have helped my brother, because you can't. You have only harmed him and you know this. You are nothing but a…"

Murtagh stopped, enough of his word had been said, and he knew it. Everything Arya said was true. Unlucky for Murtagh Arya was still trying to fight him; soon a foot from Arya's kicked landed in the defenseless face of Murtagh sending him to the ground. More thunder struck the grounds as Arya brought the Dautherdert over Murtagh's neck. "Your right." Was all Murtagh said to his defense. Arya could have lower her weapon and Murtagh would have been dead, he was done fighting.

Arya realize this as she moved away from Murtagh as to let him up, "What!" She was still hysteric from the arguing and the thunder made it hard to process everything.

"I said your right, I am all those things and I can't change that. All I can do is work with what I have now Arya. You and I have been nothing but honest with each other. And I thank you for that, because it needs to be said." Arya was speechless, she did not except that kind of reaction from Murtagh. Once she saw what she really thought about what she said and how she acted, it was not like her to act out in rage. She did not understand were that anger and rage came from. "Murtagh I'm… I don't know where that came from…"

Thunder struck again, but this time it was to close, both Arya and Murtagh hit the ground as lightning struck the ground were they had sat before atop the hill. In a current daze Murtagh saw that Arya was not moving, rushing over to her he saw that she was bleeding from the back of her head as she had hit a near my rock. Quickly healing her wound Murtagh looked back at the impact sight only to be startled back once again.

At the center of the impact sight stood a figure. The figure bore a dark black cloak with a hood upon his head. The shape of a sword could be made out on his back and it seemed as if the figure wore some sort of armor. But what frightened Murtagh the most was the aura of dark energy that surrounded the figure. Murtagh got such a bad feeling from it that he knew what the figure was, and it frightened him.

Pulling down his hood the figure revealed long black hair that flowed freely into the wind of the storm. Red eyes gleamed deeply down at Murtagh and Arya as the figure slowly walked forward.

Standing Murtagh readied Zar'roc realizing what stood before him, the Shade before him did nothing but smile.

His cracked lips finally parting into a smile as he looked down at the fallen elf. Sighing he turned back his attention to Murtagh. "Such an unfortunate turn of events; I truly did enjoy playing with the two of you." The Shade's dark smile turned into a series of laughs as the sky above the Shade and Murtagh circled into a dismal oblivion, just as the first drops of rain poured from the sky into the darkness of the morning air.

AN:

So… Sorry for the late update, I have had a very hard time writing this last chapter, I think this finally version is like the 4th or 5th draft, it's been hard. This chapter marks the true start of the relationship between Murtagh and Arya, which is funny considering how they end up fighting. Also got to see what Eragon is like now, hopefully he will get better or will he? Note that the next chapter was originally part II of this chapter but I just got really long for I moved it to Ch. 12 which means for content for all of y'all which is good I think.

Again sorry for the late update hope it's worth it. I think it will be.

Happy New Year.

See y'all soon! Thank to all my followers and reviewers!