Scattered Ashes
Orin aan zii fen haalvut faaz.
SPEEDY UPDATE! Lets get this started because after the last chapter, I'll guess that you guys and girls will want some peaceful scenes for Spider followed by violence and utter anarchy for the enemy to suffer.
Quintain Apprentince of Alduin: I am so sorry that he has to die for plot points but on any other day I would agree with you, he does seem to be a match.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"Glaedr, I know that it's a nice spot, even a blind man could appreciate it." Spider said to the golden dragon that towered above her. She and Glaedr had left Oromis and Eragon to practice magic together because Glaedr apparently had something to show Spider.
"Give it a moment Spider, you will see why I have brought you here." was all the great dragon would say, so Spider took some time to enjoy the scenery.
The clearing Glaedr had brought her to was beautiful as a small lake in the centre held the reflections of the forest in it's waters. A gentle breeze blew through the clearing, causing small ripples in the water, distorting the reflections.
The tree's surrounding the clearing afforded no view in or out, they were completely hidden from sight unless someone was to walk in. This was unlikely since so few even knew of this particular spot.
It happened slowly but eventually, birds of all colours and species flocked to the clearing and took it in turns to drink from the lake whilst others stood and waited, it was an enchanting scene that looked like something from a fantasy tale.
"Would you spend some time with me here Spider, despite what happened, I do enjoy your company." Asked Glaedr as he gave her an intent stare.
"Yes, I think I can spare some time."
"Wait, so you had this great city that had buildings big enough to fit entire dragons and you could be teachers to others who joined the order?" Spider asked after hearing about Vroengard from Glaedr.
"There was different types of building from the different races, the elves had more natural housing whereas the humans used other materials to build with." Said Glaedr, creating a clearer picture of Vroengard for Spider as she had never heard of such a thing.
"This may sound like an odd question, but why did Vroengard fail? It seemed to have a good structure, enough to last for centuries." Spider questioned Glaedr, causing the golden dragon to snort in slight anger at the memory of what had happened.
"It was Galbatorix." He paused and Spider motioned for him to continue "He gathered those known as the forsworn and lead them against us, they were able to cut off our communication and because no one had reported the betrayal other than myself and Oromis, everyone refused to believe anyone dare oppose them. It was their undoing in the end."
"I'm sure. It may not seem like much but I do have a tale or two to distract you from the anger you feel from the memory." Spider suggested and received a nod from Glaedr. "Well, there was once some land that I owned and I built a farm on it. Not a very big one but it supplied me with a steady income for a few years before I decided to give the land back to the Jarl under the conditions that half the profits go to the poor in the region."
"I can only assume that this was not what happened for this to be worth telling." Said Glaedr.
"You're right, The Jarl said something along the lines of 'There was a loophole in the contract.' and he sold it to some nords. They refused to uphold the deal I made with the Jarl and so I took matters into my own hands." Spider gained a small smile at the fond memory. "The Jarl soon found that his position was taken over by his rival and the farm owners were unfortunately, driven off by a freak dragon attack. The Jarl had to rely on the profits of the farm so that he could eat as he soon became a rather poor man, and how much more humiliating is it that you are supported by the very thing you tried to be rid of?"
"A fitting punishment spider, I would have killed him and be done with it, but you have given the Jarl a fate that non would take kindly to."
"Indeed I didn't." She said. "Now, would you tell me more of the dragons here? I wish to know more differences to the dragons I'm used to other than the extra pair of legs."
"I can see we have much to discuss." Glaedr stated as he shifted into a more comfortable position.
"Absolutely Not!" Spider said in a voice that wasn't quite yelling at them but wasn't too far off at the same time. "It's practically suicide if you two fly out there to fight."
"We must Spider, for if we can sow the seeds of doubt then Galbatorix will be more likely to make mistakes." Said Oromis
"Listen to him Spider." Glaedr asked of her and immediately she got suspicious.
"You took me to that clearing to soften me up didn't you!" She accused.
"I won't admit to a thing unless you tell me it worked." Glaedr replied and saw Spider try to talk only to stop and start again a few times before she finally found the words.
"It worked." She could sense his smug/cocky feelings from a mile away. "Before I change my mind you better tell me now else I'll probably force you to stay." Spider said and gained the equivalent of a chuckle from Glaedr.
"I'd like to see that." He spoke only to her.
"I'm sure you would." Spider said to him before turning to Oromis, "Alright, we'll go now and you can fill me in on the way, no sense in delaying the trip any longer."
Days had passed since Spider was in the elven city, Ellesmera. She now fought beside the group of elves that had scaled the walls of the city of Feinster against the city's soldiers, sworn to protect it.
Spider could have lost herself in the flow of battle, block, slice, parry, repeat. But she was more creative with her newfound cannon fodder, she was practicing using her magical abilities whilst still doing melee combat and found it challenging yet equally rewarding when a soldiers head exploded as another was cut in half.
Before she knew it, they were all lying dead. Spider was never one to stick around a battle scene and quickly moved on, even as Eragon stayed to talk with Arya and presumably 'catch up'.
She didn't have time to waste talking so Spider went to her target, the city gates.
The soldiers numbers had been depleted after Durnehviir had paid the city a visit but they still held together and were giving the Varden as good as they got.
A trio of people in dark robes were in front of the looming gates and were seemingly casting a spell whilst waving their arms in the air and swaying. Spider had no time for them or their petty spell and so, made herself known by punching a nearby house with an armoured hand and cracking the structure, causing the spellcasters to turn in order to face her.
She gestured with her sword that they should move and they headed the advice as they practically flew deeper into the city, dark cloaks flapping in the wind behind them. I'll deal with the pests later. Spider thought as she approached the gate that now had around fifty soldiers in gleaming armour that had streamed out of the guard towers.
"Never shall you pass, foul demon! This is our home, and we shall not allow urgals and elves and other inhuman monsters to enter!Begone, for you shall find nothing but blood and sorrow in Feinster!" One of the soldiers, probably the captain, shouted over to her.
Spider didn't really care and just kept walking towards them, until an arrow was fired at her and merely glanced off of her demonic armour. She looked over the frightened faces of the soldiers and decided that their maybe a way to end this without bloodshed.
"I am Spider PoisonBlood. I can assume from the recent looking damage to the city that it was caused by my dragon." This got the soldiers attention. "If you think he was powerful, then imagine what I can do."
Fear had different shades, some were subtle and others were vibrant and in your face. These soldiers looked as if they had seen Lucien and Saphira just as they were about to tear them apart. In a way, they were right.
"You can either fight with me, or die against me. It is a simple choice." She said and awaited their response
"We may not have pledged ourselves to the king, but Lady Lorana has. What will you do to her then? Capture her? Kill her? No we will not betray her trust and allow you to pass, nor the monsters clawing at our walls-"
"NOT!" Spider interrupted the captain, "Another word." She strode up to the group of soldiers who were too frightened to raise their weapons in defence. "I have read the history of your land and I don't see how you can dare to call them monsters when it is you who have allowed a tyrant to control you, he allows slavery and kills those who stand against him, is this how you live? I have seen how little he cares about anyone but himself. It is you who are the monster by allowing his reign to corrupt not only your lives, but the lives of your children without a fight!"
Spider could see she had gotten through to the soldiers and pressed on. "Now you can fight for yours and your children's freedom or you can die as nothing more than the Kings pets!"
Cheers came from the soldiers, but there was one issue the captain still wasn't happy with.
"And what of Lady Lorana?" he asked.
"She will be freed from her oath if it kills me." Spider looked the captain straight in the eyes when she said this, and he gave her a small nod in gratitude. "Now open the gates, I will see to your Lady."
At this point Eragon, Arya, Saphira and the elves had shown up and were very confused as to why the city guards were helping them. "I'm just great at speeches." Spider says nonchalantly and proceeds to tell them that she will be making her way to the tower in order to ensure Lady Lorana's safety. She left before they could argue.
I hope this Lady Lorana will be understanding enough when I meet her. Spider thought as she proceeded to slaughter another batch of guards that tried and failed to stop her.
They didn't last long and Spider soon found herself inside a large room with a vast amount of oil painting. They weren't to Spider's liking with old, bearded men that only seemed to know how to scowl and expressionless women.
Spider stopped at the portrait of on particular woman and thought to herself, Now she needs to get laid! As she studied the woman in the painting. She then turned to notice the layout of the room.
A row of tall wooden shutters set within the northern wall opened onto a balcony with a stone balustrade (It's a railing). Opposite the window, near the far wall, was a collection of small round tables littered with scrolls, three padded chairs, and two oversized brass urns filled with bouquets of dried flowers.
A stout, grey haired woman garbed in a lavender dress sat in one of the chairs. She bore a strong resemblance to several of the men in the paintings. A silver diadem adorned with jade and topaz rested upon her head.
In the centre of the room stood three magicians, two men and a woman were facing each other, the hoods of their robes thrown back and their arms extended out to each side, so that the tips of their fingers touched.
They swayed in unison, murmuring an unfamiliar spell in the ancient language . A fourth person sat in the middle of the triangle they formed, he said nothing but grimaced, as if in pain.
Spider walked past the spell caster's and pulled up a chair beside the grey haired woman and sat beside her to watch the magicians. "Are you Lady Lorana." She questioned and received a nod in return.
"That I am. And can I assume that you are the demon of the Varden?" Lady Lorana asked without turning to face Spider.
"It looks as if I have been given yet another title, I'll have to remember that one, I rather like it." Spider replied.
"I do not know how, but they plan to summon a Shade and hope that it will cause much sorrow and misery for the Varden. That means it will also be released upon my people, can you stop them? As I fear can not help with my oaths preventing me from raising a hand against Galbatorix or his servants."
"I can help with the oaths as I believe it will be as simple as putting you under illusion magic." Said Spider, gaining a puzzled look from Lorana. "Allow me to explain. Galbatorix controls you using your true name, now if I put you under some kind of illusion magic then it will change your entire mindset to that emotion I wish you to feel, therefore changing your true name." Spider paused for a moment to see if that had sunk in and Lorana motioned for her to continue. "Then once the magic is over, you will be changed by the experience, meaning your true name will change yet again."
Lady Lorana only nodded and Spider readied a calm spell for her and just let the magic take it's toll. Thirty seconds later the spells effects had ended and Lady Lorana stood from her position and turned to Spider. "Thank you, but what will be done about them?" She asked.
"Go and order your troops to surrender, I will take care of the shade should it appear." Was all the woman got before Spider turned her attention towards the door where Eragon and Arya appeared on the stair way in.
"Go ahead Lorana, end this before more bloodshed occurs needlessly." Spider spoke with an air of authority that demanded to be listened to and Lorana didn't need to be told twice if it was going to protect her people.
"Would you two be so kind as to tell me what a Shade is before I have to kill one?" Spider asked and was surprised at the look of shock on her allies faces.
"A Shade?" Eragon asked, clearly off put by the turn of events.
"Yes, they're summoning one." Said Spider as she took a sip of some wine she had found on a nearby table.
"A Shade," Arya started. "is a very powerful spirit that only a few have ever encountered and lived to tell of it. In order to kill them, they must be struck in the heart otherwise they will regenerate." she said with an air of doubt that Spider could just take on a Shade.
Eragon suddenly collapsed on the stone floor. "What's wrong with him?" Spider inquired.
"I believe he is seeing what Glaedr sees but I am unsure as to how they are able to communicate." The elven maiden replied
"You know, he looks kinda cute when he sleeps." Spider said shamelessly and saw a tinge of red on Arya's cheeks. "Ah, so the stoic elf can have feelings for a dragon rider."
"I do not!" She started a little to quickly "have feelings for Eragon."
"Oh please, I'm not blind Arya and neither is everyone else." She said and saw a small look of shame on the elf's features. "Is this about him being half human or.." Spider stopped as the elf looked away. "You broke the poor boys heart didn't you."
"We are at war and can't afford to have a relationship if it is something Galbatorix can use against us." Arya spoke confidently, though their was a hint of regret in her voice.
Spider stood up and approached Arya. " Let tell you a tale. I found my husband when I was supposed to be fighting a God of destruction and thought to myself, 'I may die at any time in the days to come, yet he has accepted me and divines help me I love him for it.' He was only a dock worker in Windhelm but I didn't care, because I loved him. On our wedding day, Alduin came to Riften himself and threatened to tear him limb from limb."
Arya was about to interject that this proved her point when Spider stopped her with a glare. "At that moment I didn't care that he was a world eater, I fought him for all I was worth in nothing more than my wedding dress and mark my words, he was luck to escape with all his parts, missed by an inch."
Spider looked the elf dead in the eye and said "Arya, there is nothing that will make you fight harder and with everything you have than love. Not even a god could beat it." Saphira had joined them and the magicians appeared to be finished with the spell when the man in the centre morphed slightly.
He now had crimson hair and maroon eyes. The Shade rushed to Arya and held her by the throat as Eragon began to stir.
Eragon was curled up into a ball, tears streaking his face and he gasped as he pulled himself up off of the floor. He could see Arya being held aloft by the new shade and Spider had drawn her sword.
"Our name is Varaug." The Shade stated, "Fear us!" Arya made a kick at the monster but it made no difference as it attempted to enter the minds of everyone present. They all felt a burning pressure build up against them and struggled against it. Now he's just pissed Spider off.
"That's it!" She said as she unleashed her full might upon the Shade and watched in sick amusement when the creature screamed and wailed in agony as her dragon's tore at the shades very consciousness, shredding everything that makes up the shade within it's own mind.
"I take back what I said before. I fear nothing. Not even something as petty as you." Spider advanced on the shade and heard it's screams get louder the closer she got. "I hold the power equal to a god. You mean nothing to me and will be shown how I deal with pests."
Spider's closing words to the Shade caused him to stop screaming for a moment before he suddenly exploded. Only a still beating heart remained of the foul being. "This is going to make a nice trophy." Spider said as she picked up the heart and pocketed it. She turned to see the other's staring at her. "What?"
Spider stood on the balcony in the room that she had fought the Shade and looked out over the city of Feinster. It had a subtle beauty to it, with the siege that it had so recently gone through. She stood just thinking over the events that had happened.
Lady Lorana remained in charge as per Spider's request/command. She was fair with her people and valued them above her own needs. A rare thing and should be rewarded. Spider had given her a ring that will, when she is put under oath, cast a calm spell over her.
She had been told by Eragon that Glaedr had been killed in battle, along with Oromis despite her warnings, they still went and she let them. Galbatorix used Murtagh and Thorn as if they were puppets and slew them both. She knew that they were not to blame as it was the dark kings doing. Another failure to add to the list.
Spider swore her first binding oath in the Ancient Language. It was Galbatorix who killed them, and it will be Galbatorix who dies for them.
…...
This is the End of Brisingr and I will update again when I've read through the parts of Inheritance I need to write about again (it won't take long so don't worry).
Also, what happened at the start with Spider and Glaedr, well it's up to you what other things they did with the time they spent together.
Thanks for reading.