Chapter 12. Civil War

The Elves gathered together before the thrown of Tialdari hall. Everyone who supported Vanir stood with him and his riders and everyone who supported Arya stood with her.
"Great Queen I come before you and ask that you be bold and remove humans from the blood oath…"
"Vanir son Teiden… as a rider you have gained much prestige and honor… and it saddens me that you have broken ties with Murtagh Brother of Eragon Shadeslayer… Yes he is the son of Morzan first and last of the foresworn, Murtagh has proven himself a friend of all the people of Alagaesia… As such I see no reason to remove humans or Dwarves from the oath…"
Vanir sneered in disgust and he pointed his hand at Arya, "Do you hear her words… Are these the words of true and wise Queen… No… It is time for change… I say Arya Drottiningu is no longer fit to be our Queen… It is time she stepped down…"
Arya smiled, "And if I refuse?"
He smiled back, "Then I and my riders shall remove you…"
The Elves loyal to Arya drew their swords, spears, bows, and arrows. "You would dare shed blood in Tialdari hall… In the very streets of Ellesmera…"
"I will if you do not step down…"
"As long as I have breath I rule here…"
"Then our new King or Queen will begin their reign with blood…"
The arrows zipped back and forth as wards erected on both sides stopped some of the arrows. Swords clashed and spears shook as elf fought against elf. Arya had ordered her Elves to wound and cripple as much as possible and if they had to kill then do so. Arya severed the arm of an elf she faced, she spun around slashing another across the chest. When Arya completed her spin she was standing before Vanir. They crossed swords and in a matter of eight seconds she managed to knock him to the floor. That is when the wall smashed in and the dragon Invore rushed in with his mouth open. Invore snapped at Arya taking her sword hand. An elf lord pulled Arya away as he ordered a retreat. Vanir and his elves tried to pursue, but Angela appeared from out of nowhere and showered the elves in a blue mushroom powder. The powder created a wall of magic that got bigger the more Vanir and his elves tried to get past it.
Arya and her elves retreated from the city towards the desert and it was Gilderien who stood in the path they retreated on. "I am Gilderian keeper of the flame of Vandil, and Prince of the House of Miolandra you shall not pass traitors and oath breakers…"
With one swing of his flaming sword Gilderian caused an earthquake opening up the ground, and splitting it open. He had cut the very ground in half and now a chasm separated the pursuers from their prey. Vanir jumped on Invore's back and they crossed the chasm, after trading words with Gilderian Vanir and thirty Riders fought the fire keeper. Gilderian was flash of lightening with every swing of his sword. He disarmed four Riders at once, then he threw two dragons a yard away. He unleashed a flash of light blinding all the attackers that came at him. Gilderian's strength seemed limitless as he battled a never ending wave of Elves and Riders. The Emperor possessing Vanir had enough so he lifted the water in the river enchanted it with a spell and dropped over seventy percent of the river on the fire guardian.
The enchanted water weakened Gilderian sending him to his knees. Vanir had a Rider's binding amulet placed on his neck and shackled the fire guardian in steel chains. And just in case Vanir placed the elf in a mage's infinity circle or the magical equivalent of a black hole.

"My lord… Arya and her followers are heading west along the boarder of the forest…" An Elf said reporting.
"They run towards the King of the North… Roran Stronghammer will shelter them…"
"It we fight the King of the North all the allies of Alagaesia will unite against us…"
"Yes that is why we will attack the city of Carvahall… Then King Roran will surrender Arya to protect his people…"

While Vanir prepared to march on Carvahal Arya and her Elves ran towards Cueneon. They stopped at Isentar Lake to rest before continuing on, it had taken them four days to run that distance. Because of her injury Arya had to be carried all the way on a shield.
"Just look at this…" Angela said.
"Can you restore it?" Rhuenon asked.
"It has been a while since I restored a lost limb but yes… Tuning in with an Elf's essence is the hardest part of the healing process…"
Lord Fhoruim stood over them, "Can you hurry… We cannot linger here for long…"
"I will try…"
Arya was breathing heavy, "Lord Fhoruim… Warn the other Elven cities and see who is still loyal…"
"Dragon!" Someone screamed.
A sigh of relief was felt when the dragon was Thorn and Murtagh upon his back. Murtagh aided Angela with his vast reserves due to his Eldunari. He helped to restore her arm and they all made their way to the castle of Cueneon.

"I come from the city of Silthrim..."An Elf named Xiruss said, "Vanir has declared martial law throughout all the Elven cities… and he has placed spells over the Menoa tree…"
Murtagh, Nausada, Roran, and Arya stood over a map in Roran's war room. "Vanir will march on Carvahal…" Murtagh said.
"He thinks to ransom the people and make me turn Arya over to him… Vanir will be sorely disappointed… Before he left Eragon placed powerful wards over Carvahal…"
"Then we ride out to face him…" Nausada said.
"No those spells will hold… When he turns away he will march on Cueneon… His forces will be depleted… So we make him fight our war…" These words were spoken by Murtagh.

Three days had passed and during that time Vanir's army lay siege on Carvahal which was now a sprawling city from the village it had been. There was a wall that went around the entire city. As King Roran kept a standing army of five thousand troops under the command of Count Horst. Horst and his archers stood on the wall watching the elves brave Eragon's barriers and wards. As they crossed the barrier they were either drained of their magic and aged until they died. Or they were turned to stone and any magic the elves cast at the barrier was consumed making the barrier stronger.
"Milord it is useless… This magic is to great for us…"
"Eragon… We must withdraw and attack Cueneon itself… Prepare to march!"
Two days later Vanir's army and his Riders left Palancar Valley for Ceuneon. "They leave milord… What are your orders?" Horst's chief steward said.
"Keep the army at full alert and send a messenger bird to Ceuneon…"