Disclaimer: I do not own the original Inheritance Cycle characters.

A/N: This chapter is going to have a very touching moment at the end and if you guys want to know what song plays in the background it is called The Host of Seraphim. It's from the movie the Mist. But yeah, let me know if any of guys came close to or actually cried during one of the scenes in this chapter (you'll know what scene I'm talking about soon enough.)

Chapter 12

Sapphire looked up when a shadow passed overhead and her eyes widened. 'How...?' Standing slowly to her feet, Sapphire watched as Mordecai landed on the ground a few feet away from her and turned back to his human form. As soon as he locked eyes with her, his knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

"Mordecai!" Running forward, Sapphire knelt down beside him and watched him as he was breathing a little too fast.

"Where...is...Allia...ne...?" Putting a hand to his forehead, she realized that his temperature was way down.

"Let me take you inside. I believe you're not well." Narrowing his eyes, Mordecai struggled to push himself up.

"Where is she?" Looking down, Sapphire sighed.

"The dragon demons came, and said that they were declaring war because you had been killed. They said they would go back...if we gave them Alliane. They wanted her to come with them to help them repopulate the race. Mordecai, you have to bring her back to me! She's not ready for the responsibilities of a parent yet!" Putting a hand to the back of her head, Mordecai kissed her forehead tenderly.

"I will do anything for you...my queen." Sapphire looked into his eyes, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Mordecai? How are you still alive?" He smiled sadly at her, his dark blue eyes seeming darker than usual.

"I don't know." Closing his eyes, he added in his mind, 'But I know I don't have long left...' Standing up with a little difficulty, he looked at Sapphire.

"I'll bring her back. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Don't let them take her again. Ever." Turning back into his demon form, he stretched his wings out and gave a loud shriek. Aiden and Nathanel came running out in time to see Mordecai jump into the air.

"Mother, was that...?"

"Yes Aiden. You're father is still alive." None of them noticed the sorrow cross Nathanel's face for a split second as he looked away.

"Where is he going exactly?" Sapphire turned to them, looking much more alive than she did moments ago.

"He's bringing back Alliane."

~Demon world~

Alliane groaned as she was put into a really wierd outfit. To her it resembled the elven dresses, except this one held much more jewelry on it. Her head was weighed down by a emerald tiara, with diamonds in it. Gold bracelets were on her wrists, and her ears had silver hanging from them now. Cerian walked in and looked at her.

"We're going through the best of candidates for you. Don't worry, we'll pick the one with the best qualities for you."

"You mean the one with the best qualities for you."

"No. I meant what I said." Alliane rolled her eyes.

"Well the way I see it, is that you're picking the one I am supposed to mate with, not giving me any type of decision whatsoever! If I don't like the guy, I will refuse to submit to him!" Crossing her arms, Alliane leaned back in her chair.

"You agreed willingly to come here."

"I know. But I was never told that you ugly old farts would be choosing the one I'm supposed to do the dirty with. Jeez, can't a girl even pick who she wants as her first boyfriend?"

"Doing the dirty, as you put it, is needed for the continuation of our kind." Alliane let out an annoyed breath of air.

"You know what? Screw you. I've changed my mind."

"What?"

"I've. Changed. My. Mind. Got it? If not, then too bad. I'm going to back to my mother." Standing up, Alliane made her way across the room, but was slammed into the wall by Cerian.

"You are not going anywhere until you have brought us more females!" Cerian started to lean forward, and Alliane's heart started thumping wildly. Not because she was turned on or anything, but because she was terrifyed. As that moment the other wall caved in and a familiar dragon demon roared at Cerian in anger.

"Release her Cerian!" At once Cerian moved away from Alliane and looked at the demon.

"Lord Mordecai? You're alive!" He knelt down quickly, inwardly scolding himself for letting his anger get the better of him. Mordecai turned to Alliane.

"Father...?" He knelt down silently, but with a little trouble.

"Get on." She obeyed him and he jumped into the air, only to land where the other dragon demons were. Alliane watched with raised eyebrows as they all knelt down on the ground, be they either in human form or dragon form, at the sight of him growling angrily at them.

"I order you guys to never go to war against Alagaesia for any reason! Nor do I want you forcing Alliane to abid by your wishes, just to simply repopulate the race! These are my last orders to you as king!" With a swing of tail, which hit all of them, Mordecai jumped up into the air. By the time they were in Alagaesia, Alliane could feel her fathers' strength slowly disappearing.

"Father, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Alliane do not blame yourself for pushing me. As long as you're seeing clearly now, you are forgiven."

"I am." Leaning her head on her fathers' neck, Alliane listened to his normal rapid heartbeat. After about ten minutes, she heard the beating starting to slow down.

"Fa-" At that moment, Mordecai's wings tightened and they both went crashing to the ground a few feet away from Sapphire, Aiden, and Nathanel. Upon impact, Alliane had been tossed off her fathers' back and she landed in soft grass, while Mordecai made a small crater. Standing up, Alliane was instantly pulled into her mothers' embrace.

"Oh Alliane! We're glad you're back!" Sapphire looked to Mordecai, only for her face to pale. He had returned to his human form, but he looked paler than he did earlier. Nathanel was by his side now, with his fingers against his brothers neck.

"He's still alive. His heartbeat is very slow Sapphire. I don't think he's going to make it." Shaking her head, she squeezed her eyes shut.

"No. He's lived through worse than this!" Running to his side, Sapphire pulled him closer to her, so that she was hugging his head. Alliane, Aiden, and Nathanel were sitting near her. When a hand touched her cheek, Sapphire jumped in surprise. It was Mordecai.

"Sapphire, Alliane, Aiden there's something I need to tell you. Ever since I had my own body, the best things in my life were you three. If I could change anything, it would be that I could've spent more time with you guys. Even you Nathanel. Even though we are twins, we were never that close." Nathanel shook his head.

"No Mordecai. We've always been close. Remember, you spent most of your life inside me." Mordecai smiled weakly.

"Yes. I remember. Strange isn't it, when someone wants something so badly, they have to be prepared to give up something in return." Nathanel narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"I don't understand."

"I'm meaning that I wanted to keep my family safe. I wanted that so badly, that I'm..." Mordecai's voice trailed off as his breath hitched in his throat.

'Arian!'

'What is it Sapphire?'

'It's Mordecai! He's dying! I need your help!'

'Ok, I'm coming.' Sapphire kissed Mordecai on the cheek softly.

"It's going to be all right Mordecai, just hang in there." Mordecai looked at Aiden and Alliane and smiled warmly at them.

"Anything new in your lives?" Aiden nodded.

"I'm a DragonRider now. My dragons name is Malakai." Mordecai nodded his head and looked at Alliane, but she only shook her head and looked as if she was trying not to cry.

"Nathanel?"

"No." Mordecai reached a hand out for his twin, who after a moments hesitation grabbed his brothers hand.

"I want you to do me a favor Nathanel."

"What?" Mordecai pulled him closer and whispered something in his ear so no one else could hear them. Nathanel's eyes widened slightly in suprise and he pulled away from his brother, who was smiling sadly at him.

"Protect them...brother." Nathanel saw with horror that Mordecai's eyes were starting to glaze over now.

"Mordecai!" Arian finally landed a few feet away and approached. He knelt his head down and looked at Mordecai closely.

'Why does this happen? I'm brought back not that long ago, and you decide that it's time for you to die...Mordecai you fool.' Smiling up at the dragon, Mordecai chuckled softly.

"Someone has to be a fool in this family. Sapphire?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." He looked at Aiden, Alliane, and Nathanel.

"I love all of you." Aiden and Alliane looked choked up now, but Nathanel still looked like he was in shock from what Mordecai had asked of him not that long ago. None of them said anything for a few hours. They just sat there or stood there around Mordecai, who had silent tears going down his cheeks. When Sapphire finally looked up, she realized the sun was setting.

"Mordecai look the sunset. Mordecai?" Looking down, she saw that Mordecai had closed his eyes and had gone very limp. Arian leaned foreward and nudged Mordecai with his nose. No response. Arian threw his head back and roared for his friend. Sapphire, Alliane, Aiden, and Nathanel all bowed their heads and prayed that he would be at peace. Standing up, Nathanel looked at the setting sun.

"I say we do not ask Eragon to resurrect him." Sapphire looked at him in confusion.

"What do you not want him back?" He looked down at her.

"He told me that he does not want to come back...and he told me to make sure you three are always happy. He gave me his job." Sapphire's eyes widened. 'So Nathanel is going to replace Mordecai?' Aiden slowly rose and walked away. Malakai was at the edge of the trees waiting for him. Sapphire looked at Mordecai's body once more as another stream of tears consumed her. The final battle against Nicolae would be fought without Mordecai by their side. As she cried her heart out, she felt Nathanel wrap his arms around her. Together, as two people who loved and cared about Mordecai, they would kill Nicolae.

All right review! That last part with Mordecai brought me to tears just typing it! If you guys reached the point of tears, let me know in your reviews. Forgive me to those of you who wanted Mordecai to live, but this is how the story is going to unfold. And no, there will be no plot twisters where I bring him back from the dead. Review please (click the button! It is calling out for you!)