Naz was about to protest, but then she realized it was of no good. Eragon was already on his way, and she knew he would not stop. She followed as he took the lead and stared with eyes popped outward at the majestic hallways surrounding her. Many other paintings continued onward in the narrow corridor until they reached upon an arched closed doorway. It was huge and painted with a deep dark brown color. Eragon muttered a low mumble as the door flung open outwards.
An immense amount of space sprang outwards into the courtyard. Several trees were stationed amongst the grass, and few flowers were in sight. The area appeared bare and empty, as if it was designed for another purpose. As Naz continued to walk, she found that in some area the ground sank below as a huge pond sat above it, reflecting the various colors of the spectrum. Most interesting, Naz discovered, was a fair small house that grew directly from a pine tree. The two-story house was formed at the base. Both stories were made in a pentagon shape although the second level was smaller in size than the first. The entire building was made of a thick light brown wood, and the front door was tinted with a mysterious dark navy blue.
"Did you make this?" Naz asked, coming to a halt.
Eragon turned his back to face her, for he had raced her forward. "Aye, I sang to the tree to grow in that manner."
"I see," Naz said, choosing her words carefully and trying to sound imposing, "I forgot to ask you if your ability to use magic still stands on Earth, but I got my answer now."
Eragon nodded. "My use of magic here is far greater than in Alagaesia. It alarmed me at first, for some spells that required little amount of energy released quite a large amount of magic. Maybe it is one advantage that helps me fight the Azari, but seriously, not to live with. For example, I once began with a spell to heat my tea that ended with a small area getting blown up."
Naz chuckled. "What?" Eragon asked, irritated.
"Nothing. Just funny to imagine your face all burnt because of tea."
"It didn't. My wards protected me. Anyways, let go of the idea to see me burnt because of tea. I know how to control my magic now." Eragon said, allowing himself a grin.
"Ah, what a misfortune." Naz said ironically.
Naz and Eragon walked in the large field for a few more seconds until Saphira came into sight. Naz finally came to an answer for her curiosity and concluded that the courtyard was solely made for Saphira. "That explains the bareness," Naz thought. Eragon ran towards Saphira and hugged her neck, while Naz stayed behind awkwardly swinging from side to side. When Eragon was done with Saphira, he turned to Naz and made a gesture with his hand. "Come," he called.
Naz walked towards him. Suddenly, she heard a voice in her mind.
"Good morning, little one."
Before Naz had any time to respond, she found herself being lifted off the ground. Hovering up, she was. She looked down and found the ground far away down. Her heart was pounding, and she knew she could fall at any minute. She panicked and began to cry aloud, searching for Eragon with her eyes. Next thing she knew, she was sitting on Saphira's back. Sparkly blue scales surrounded the brown saddle she was laid on. She looked beneath her and glanced Eragon standing on the floor. She shot him a puzzled look, and a smile extended upon his face. Now, she understood what was happening. Eragon had used magic to lift her from the ground and onto Saphira. What, she could not get on alone?
"That was so not funny. You're such an ass." Naz exclaimed
"Hey, hey. Calm down now. Was just trying to help." Eragon said with a grin that he could not contain anymore, thus soon he burst into a laugh.
"I tried to stop him," Saphira hummed in her mind.
"I know," Naz replied.
"What on Earth are you trying to do?!" Naz shouted again at Eragon.
"Something you never see on Earth," Eragon responded. He climbed onto Saphira's back and sat right in front of Naz. "Oh my god, just tell me where the hell you want to take me!" Naz cried when Eragon was fully secured on the dragon. "You'll see," Eragon said, "now hold on to me tight."
Naz refused to do or say anything. "For the love of Guntera, hold on to me tight!" Eragon exclaimed.
"Fine! Gosh, don't scream," Naz yelled. She wrapped her arms around his back, careful for them not to slip away. In an instant, Saphira was preparing for takeoff. She spread her wings, and in any second could be soaring in the sky. "This is it," Naz thought. Her feelings about flying now were of excitement and fear. Sure, she's been on planes before. But this time, it was real. She would really experience what flying feels like. The air would rush into her as her hair flew backwards. A prospect many people wish, a prospect she herself never thought existed.
Seconds passed.
Nothing.
One minute.
Still nothing.
Suddenly, Saphira hopped into the air. She escalated her weight in the sky, ascending up at the same time accelerating her speed. Some minutes later, she passed above the clouds as they hung there like a white sheet of cotton below her. Wind did indeed rush towards Naz, but she found it really frustrating. It kept blowing her hair and blocking her eyes, preventing her from the possibility to visualize the scene surrounding her. From
time to time, the hair would blow away allowing her to be astounded with what she found. She had never been in such a high elevation through her whole life. She still held tight on Eragon's back, for falling could very easily be done, she thought. The sky itself never seemed to be so clear to her. It was vivid blue, with not a single sound except for the flapping of Saphira's wings.
Naz allowed herself to embrace this moment. She thought she could never experience this again, or worse, never want to. In every second of the flight her heart was beating fast of fear of what lies below. What if she fell? Naz always lived with a concept in her mind that she isn't important. That she does not deserve to face tremendous experiences like that one. Riding on a dragon, it was too much. She was still trying to get herself familiar with the whole situation. She agreed within herself that this could pretty much change her; maybe even to the way she wanted. But was she ready for such a change? That, she kept for elaboration on later times. After a few minutes, Saphira seemed to be getting to her destination. She slowed the flapping and headed towards the ground. She landed with a loud thuck that caused the floor to tremble beneath her. As she slammed her tail, several animals ran away for their lives, escaping for a shelter where they could safely rest in. Naz, still glued to the saddle, could not believe what she had her eyes laid on. The place Saphira landed in, it seemed like heaven itself. Eragon jumped off the saddle and leapt to the terrain.
"Observe, milady," he said with a teasing gesture as he made a slight bow.
The place, aye, was paradise shaped. It was a field with a green grassy ground that extended quite long and large enough to fit two fully grown dragons. The grass lessened as it approached the damp mud that hung on the bank of a long river stretched far in width. On its opposite side, the river was walled by the flank of a huge mountain in which it was covered by moss entirely. The only side where the river was free from any fortifications enfolding it was the right, where it made a slight curve downward and continued to flow onward to unknown mystical areas. . A high cliff enriched with a deep brown color that could have been easily mistaken for black stood enclosing the whole of the river's left side, the side where the water originally began to flow from. From the cliff poured a waterfall eighty meters high and fifty meters wide thrashing wildly into the river below, with a speed faster than a thousand horses galloping. Where it was still a field, bushes, willows, elms, pines, and many more diversities of trees scattered among the grassy ground. A variety of flowers spread amidst the soil, coloring it with the beautiful shades of bright pink, red, purple, yellow, and even blue. Some of the blossoms were mixed with a variety of imposing colors. Plenty of birds stood in their nests that were hung on branches covered with moss and lichen tuning the environment with their constant chirping. Squirrels hurried after each other between several bushes screeching as if in the sense of fear.
And Naz did truly observe. It was as if someone fastened her shoes to the ground, for she could not proceed a single step forward. Other people might say that this was a normal landscape, a classic scene they witness every now and then. But to Naz, to Naz it was something divine. True she has seen similar areas, but never like that. Something about the place felt friendly, like it was calling to her. Like it was home. It was indeed strange, to get such a feeling. As if you know someone you've never met before. Never heard of before.
As she stood there, observing, she heard a loud cry behind her. A cry of Eragon's, she now noticed, saying "Defend yourself!"
~AN: Sorry it took so long, and sorry it is kind of short. If I compiled the upcoming events with this one, it would have been too much and taken a lot of time. Anyways, I really appreciate your reviews! Enjoyy~
