Chapter 11

Cellular stared at Ray as he once again showered with praise from his victory over Arya. Ray would never change thought Cellular. "Your Rider seems to be liking the attention" said Saphira as he silently slid next to Cellular. "Oh Saphira"! shouted Cellular in surprise. "What are you doing here". "I've come to watch your Rider eat up the crowd from his pompous looks". "It's true, Ray can be a bit pompous" said Cellular.

Saphira looked at Cellular his eye was open but it had a thin slit down the middle, it was turned white and gave him a renegade kind of look. "You ever been in a dual"? asked Saphira. "Me, yeah but generally all the other dragons would beat me up and laugh at me. I barley made it through intensive training if it weren't for Ray.

"Even the much smaller females"? asked Saphira. "Well um yes but they're pretty fast too you know". "I'm sure they are" cooed Saphira. Ray continued on his victory rants for a while longer before Cellular told him nobody was left to admire him.

Cellular decided to engage in conversation as carefully as he could with Saphira. "So, Ray tells me Eragon found your egg in the Spine"? Of course the mission briefing told Cellular this but right now Cellular was trying to look cool. "Oh, and when did he get the time from recovering to tell Ray this". "Umm… well".

Saphira laughed which made a low rumble that scared some staring children away. "Don't worry Cellular, yes Arya was the bearer that would travel between the Varden and the Elven Kingdom in search for a rider". "But on one particular journey she was ambushed by the Shade Eragon recently killed and she transported the egg to the Spine where Eragon found it".

"I see" said Cellular. "Shall we go meet Eragon" Cellular asked Ray who was finally winding down. "Sure, it's about time I meet the Rider of our mission". "Don't talk about her that way"! said Cellular, raising his voice. Ray was too stunned for a comeback, "Ok man, shish I mean fine let's meet Eragon".

So a slightly defaced Ray and the two dragon's went in search of Eragon. "He's watching Ajihad and the other's return from their hunt" said Saphira.

So they went to Eragon's direction where he was staring into the distance. Eragon turned and said something private to Saphira, then turning back to Ray he said aloud "I don't think we have been properly introduced, I'm Eragon Shade slayer" he said the last word awkwardly as if it was new to his tongue. "Ray Nilsson, operative number 78976 at your service". Eragon nodded and then turned to Cellular "So Saphira isn't alone after all, from what she tells me you are both qualified dragon and Rider and the future riders sent you, so do we overthrow Galbatorix or does he die in the years to come"?

"Eragon, we are only here for Saphira really, we have probably changed the Timelines enough already so we want to just stick to what we read in the legends about you".

Eragon blinked in surprise "Legends, so we do win then". "Well kind of but that could change now that I'm here". He nodded his head then looked up, "So since you are the more older, experienced Rider does this mean you will lead and command us"?

Ray blinked for a moment, it was so tempting to lead the Rider's, but that was Eragon's job and the least thing they needed was for him to choose a decision that Eragon couldn't make and tip the scales in the war. "Technically we are here for Saphira, besides I was born in the 1200s so I'm too old to lead" joked Ray.

"But you have training beyond my level and equipment as well" said Eragon. "Isn't there someone who could teach you"? asked Ray. "Well there was a vision and Arya wants to take me to the land of the elves, where a teacher is said to be waiting for me".

Ray began to nod when Cellular urgently said "Something's wrong on the plains". Everyone looked and they both saw that Ajihad was galloping away with his guards frantically when Urgal's jumped them from a hidden tunnel.

Ray responded immediately by leaping onto Cellular and drawing his Pistol. Cellular took off, Eragon and Saphira a few seconds behind them. The fight was in the Urgals favour and soon the Urgal's were escaping back into the tiny tunnel. Ray and Eragon jumped off, Eragon gasping in pain as his back wound opened up again.

Ray looked at the mangled bodies and at the cave, he saw Eragon holding Ajihad's head as he whispered his final words. Eragon sniffled slightly as other's turned up. The soldiers cried and in general everyone was tremendously sad. Eragon looked around before crying out "Murtargh and the twins are not among the bodies". "They have been taken into the caves for torture or something worse" proclaimed Arya.

"I'm going after them" said Eragon drawing his sword and wincing in pain at the effort. Immediately Saphira was there saying "No you are not, you won't make it a few metres without help". Eragon looked around frantically until Arya stepped forward "If you wish I will go Shade slayer". "Please Arya, find them" pleaded Eragon. "I'm going too" said Ray.

"That won't be necessary Ray" said Arya rather flatly. "Look I was tracking these guys across Alagesia for weeks I think I know what I'm doing, besides I wasn't asking for permission"! he said, summoning a werelight and checking his Pistol was loaded.

Arya brushed past him and they entered the tunnel together, both scanning the walls "We should talk with our minds to avoid detection and put out that light"! said Arya. "I can see bits in the dark but my eyes aren't that finely attuned" said Ray. "Oh and why is it that some one ten times stronger than me can not see in the dark" asked Arya coldly. "Look every dragon Rider after the test at the age of eight is given shots up until sixteen years old that enhance genetic structure to improve reflexes, strength, stamina, agility so it's a natural thing to be beaten by me".

He wasn't sure but he was almost positive Arya scowled at him through the thick dark. They continued on, scanning for minds until they came to a split in the tunnel. "Take right, I'll take left" said Arya.

So they went there separate ways, Ray scanning for minds everywhere he went. He felt a faint presence and came upon a dieing Urgal with a large hole through his body. Ray pondered what could have made that hole when he heard a sound behind him, he struck up a werelight around him and had to hold his mouth to not cry out in panic.

Worms, hundreds of hundreds of Worms were everywhere he looked, they were about twelve feet long and a quarter of a metre wide with Razor teeth at there heads and purplish Skin all down there body. They hung too the ceiling in large clumps and Ray saw now that his light was stirring them as one slid off the wall and onto the floor.

Ray knew too late that it was the stupidest things he had ever done but he couldn't help himself. He fired his Pistol and the shot went through the Worm with a horrible squelch to which it shrieked a loud shriek that could be faintly heard from the exit where Eragon, Saphira and Cellular patiently waited.

The worms wok up and slithered off the walls, Ray began to breath hard as he waved his hands and engulfed some worms in flames to which they were unaffected and simply made angrier. He began to run towards the tunnel entrance, firing off shots wildly as he went. The worms could wiggle fast though and soon some were upon him. Drawing his laser sword he sliced a few before sprinting for an exit. He saw the daylight so close and in direct daylight most of the worms turned back.

But three, the ones he'd set on fire, were still coming on to him. He sliced one but at the same time another attacked, he killed it with magic but then another plunged onto his face. He cried out as Razor teeth scarred his face before hearing a shrill and the sound of a worm dieing. He registered Arya before his face was covered in purple blood and he couldn't help but retch.

"Advanced reflexes hey, couldn't save you from them could it"? "Arya, thank you, now please don't tell anyone I was beaten by a worm and help me up, I haven't found anything". "I know me neither, but I'm still spreading the word about the worm".