Chapter 12:
"Saphira, are you all right?"
Don't worry about me! Eragon sighed in relief as his partner-in-flight appeared through the thick fog that had fallen over Berk, flying alongside Hookfang. Just figure out what happened to the Elves and why we forgot about them!
"Some explanation is certainly in order." Eragon called as the Monstrous Nightmare glided forward. "Where have you been, Blödhgarm? Why are you with Snotlout? And where are the rest of the Elves?"
"One query at a time, Lord Shurtugal." The dark-furred elf craned his neck to watch Saphira as she flew over them.
"I found them!" Snotlout shouted back in response. Hookfang dipped his right wing and angled sharply for the Berkian village "When Astrid and I were imprisoned on the Blatqnn, he and his buddies were in the next cell over. They told us quite a story about you and your homeland, and all kinds of cool stuff about magic and elves! Is it true you can set things on fire with a word!"
"Snotlout, not now!"
"Right! So after the fighting broke out on the beach, I ran back and sprung these guys. Figured they could give us a hand!"
Blödhgarm seemed…less than thrilled about owing his rescue to one of the most obnoxious Dragon Riders in existence and refused to add anything more to his story. Eragon looked back across the beach in search of Menafora, but she seemed to have vanished amongst the Berserker forces. He did, however, notice Chief Dagur being dragged kicking and yelling by his own men, who also seemed to be pleading with him to calm down. Where is Hiccup, then? He'd lost track of his friend as soon as the fighting had broken out, all Helheim breaking loose as Astrid would've put it.
"The rest of my people have followed Snotlout's directions and made their way to the village ahead. I, however, insisted on discovering whether you were safe, so I came with on…Hookfang, was it?"
The Monstrous Nightmare snorted in response and began descending into the village square, which was now teeming with warriors and wounded men and women. As he scanned the crowd, Eragon couldn't see anyone he recognized. Hiccup didn't seem to have made it back from the battle yet. None of the Berk Riders could be seen, Snotlout the exception, of course. I hope Astrid is safe. If Snotlout's here, then she must be. "Menafora was been keeping your magic suppressed somehow, wasn't she." He surmised. "But how was it you were caught? And why couldn't I remember—"
"The explanations can wait, Eragon-elda." The dark elf cut him off, his eyes slightly wider than usual as he caught sight of Berk's dragons circling through the sky and weaving their way through the villagers. Since Galbatorix's genocide of every dragon who opposed him, Blödhgarm had once upon a time given up hope of ever seeing another dragon besides Glaedr-elda. Then Saphira Bjartskular had come to them, and then Queen Arya's Fírnen. But never would he have thought it possible to see a sky filled with these magnificent creatures. Dragons of every shape and size and color flying together, even in the midst of this battle, was truly a sight to behold. He admired the sight as long as he could before he remembered the gravity of the situation and continued, "Right now, the people of this island have fought a fierce battle. Treating their wounded takes precedence."
Right, of course. Eragon nodded grimly as Saphira landed in the square ahead of them, followed by Hookfang. With the Elves still recovering the use of their magic, it would be up to him and the Eldunarya to… By Hrothgar's beard! That's what she was after!
Eragon? Saphira questioned.
"Menafora was after the Eldunarya, probably the eggs, too!" Eragon explained, leaping from Hookfang's shoulders. "If she means to conquer the Archipelago and quickly, then she'd need an insane source of energy. What better place to find it than with the Heart of Hearts of a hundred dragons?"
"As well as the young life of unborn hatchlings." Blödhgarm bowed his head in a nod. "That's what she declared when she attacked us. As soon as she—"
"Eragon!"
Eragon whirled around, his hand flying to Brisingr in case of danger, then froze as he saw it was Fishlegs hurrying toward them. Blödhgarm leapt nimbly down from Hookfang and stepped in front of him, but Eragon placed a hand on the Elf's shoulder. "No, he's a friend."
"Eragon, thank Thor!" Fishlegs cried as he approached. "You've gotta come quickly! Hiccup, he's…"
"Whoa, slow down there, Fish Face!" Snotlout joined them on the ground. "What's that idiot cousin of mine done now? Gotten himself captured again?"
"It's bad, Eragon!" Fishlegs carried on. "He went over the cliff when Dagur threw a spear at Toothless, and he's been in the water, and—"
Eragon's heart dropped into his stomach. "Fishlegs, calm down. Where is Hiccup?"
The chronicler of the Berk Riders took a deep breath and let it out. "H-he's at Valhalla's gate. I mean, Gothi's with him now, but she doesn't think he'll make it. But he will be okay, right? You can save him with magic, can't you?"
Eragon was startled by Fishleg's knowledge of magic until he remembered Hiccup had told the other Dragon Riders in his circle whilst describing the plan to free Astrid and Snotlout. Gods, that felt like a lifetime ago after everything that had happened. "Take me to him! Where is he?"
"This way, come on!" Fishlegs shouted and, with a speed impressive for a man his size, he turned tail and dashed through the village square. Eragon followed suit, as did Snotlout and Blödhgarm. Here there were wounded men, there there were children fetching bandages and herbs, over there he saw women organizing defense measures should the Beserkers attempt another attack. Unlikely as it was, but the mad tribe had done crazier things or so he'd heard. Where was Hiccup? And where was Toothless? Was the Night Fury okay?
If Dagur hit him with a spear… Eragon grit his teeth in frustration. I did this. I was the one who brought the eggs to the Archipelago. I'm the reason Menafora attacked this island.
Fishlegs led them further into the crowd until they came to the forge, where they found the wise woman, Gothi, and the smith, Gobber, standing over the kneeling, gigantic frame of Stoick the Vast. Gothi was gravely shaking her her head and Gobber was asking if she was certain. The wise woman began scratching something in the earth, as Eragon had seen her do before, but the pair of them cried out in alarm as Eragon arrived, crashing to his knees beside Stoick.
Hiccup lay on the ground before him, a broken mess of bruises, cuts, and broken bones. His arm was mangled, his armor soaked in blood, and a trail of blood was running from the corner of his mouth, stark red against his blue-white skin.
"Holy Frigga." Snotlout breathed.
"Shadeslayer?" Stoick's menacing voice barely registered in his mind. "What are you doing—"
Without hesitating, Eragon reached out and felt Hiccup's neck, checking for evidence of a heartbeat as Master Oromis had taught him long ago. He found it quickly, but it was lacking in strength and regularity and he knew he had little time to act. "Saphira, I need your help."
Of course. Ignoring questions and accusations alike, his magnificent dragon extended her neck over the Berkians until she too was at Hiccup's side, her connection with Eragon growing stronger and stronger. Ready?
"Waíse heill." Eragon murmured, and the gedwëy ignasia began to gleam as he willed the shattered bones and torn muscles to knit themselves back together. Puncture wounds in vital organs close and cuts faded, much to the astonishment of his audience. No one spoke as he and Saphira worked, not until the last of their friend's life-threatening injuries had disappeared.
"So Hiccup was right." Stoick said, awestruck by the display, once he'd finished. "You can use sorcery."
Eragon did not respond, unable to convey tactfully that it was magic, not sorcery, he practiced. It didn't matter, not really. He leaned over Hiccup as his fellow Rider began to open his eyes, blinking wearily at the mist and the morning sun. "Wha…"
"Are you coming back to us, Hiccup?" Eragon asked.
"Hiccup!" Chief Stoick reached out to his only child, his massive hands hovering over him as though unsure whether to hold him or if the slightest touch would shatter him like fragile glass. "Hiccup, are you all right? Are you injured anywhere?"
"What happened to me?" Hiccup's voice was faint. "Last thing I remember—where's Toothless?" He cried, bolting upright and startling all of them. "Dagur, he…oh, Frigga, he killed him! He threw a spear at us and killed him!"
Eragon's heart went cold. Toothless had died? Was that true? He stood up in alarm as Hiccup made a move to rise, sweeping the blanket back and screaming for Toothless. Gods… "Hiccup, I…"
"Hiccup!" Eragon whirled around as Astrid sprinted past him, going to her lover immediately and throwing her arms around him. "Hiccup, it's all right! Toothless is just fine. Calm down, calm down." True to her word, Toothless came bounding forward, pushing his muzzle straight into his rider's face.
The relief on Hiccup's face was overwhelming. He threw his arms around his best friend's neck and buried his face in his black scales. The dragon rumbled low in his throat, brushing his muzzle against Hiccup's cheek, then slid his way behind him, curling his body around the pair and drawing them close with his tail. Eragon watched as his friend's face seemed to melt into one of absolute relief and love of both Toothless and Astrid. In one arm, he held her against him while the other was wrapped awkwardly around Toothless' neck. "Thank Odin. Oh, thank Odin and Frigga, Thor, Bragi, Idun, and even Loki. Gods, I'll even thank Loki."
"It's all right, son." Stoick nodded, finally taking his hands. "It's been a terrible morning, but it's all right now."
"Yes." Astrid whispered, burying her face in the crook of her friend's neck. "Everything's fine, Hiccup."
"But how?" He asked, pulling away yet still keeping a hand on her arm. Toothless grumbled worriedly and nuzzled his head. "I saw Dagur kill him."
"Yeah, um…" Astrid trailed off. "There's someone you ought to meet."
Eragon's heart jolted at his core. If Hiccup claimed Toothless had been dying from a battle wound and the Night Fury was perfectly unharmed, then that could only mean… At the sound of footsteps behind him, Eragon slowly rose to his feet and turned to face Murtagh.
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Author's Notes: I know this is a short chapter, and I'm sorry for that. But this was a good place to end it. The next one will be longer.
As for my lack of updates recently, let's just say I'm going through a lot of personal stuff right now. I am infinitely grateful to those who've supported this story as much as they have. You guys are the reason I got this far and the reason I will continue to work on Bond. I couldn't have done it without you.
Thank you.
AutumnMobile12
Disclaimer: I don't own How to Train Your Dragon or the Inheritance Cycle.
