A/N: Wow guys. I'm REALLY sorry it has taken so long. I was in the hospital, and my sister moved to london, etc., etc. I also forgot my password to my account for a while... and after reading that last chapter, another sorry. That is bad. But I'm back, getting motivated again and ready to get this thing moving! Read & review!
Also, people keep asking me how Arlandria is more powerful than Eragon. She isn't in terms of strength. The sparring part was just a way to get them to kiss, not a reflection of a battle where they were actual enemies. I said she could beat Arya, however, because she wouldn't fight fairly. Arya has a much stronger sense of honor than Arlandria. I think Arlandria would win because she wouldn't fight fairly. I guess I didn't explain that enough.
Hope you like this chapter! Tried to be better, let me know how I did!
Chapter 20: Under the Ground
Arya's feet barely made a noise as she slowly crept through the low lit streets of Esthenia. Warmth radiated from the sides of the buildings and the cobblestone streets. The night was an inky black. Devoid of all color; no shimmer or shine to be seen, save a slim crescent cut from the velvet canvas of the night sky. The slender crescent revealed a shining white, as if some other worldly being was standing behind a black curtain, shining a light through. Besides the slim figure of the moon, the sky was a dark, matte black. No signs of life could be seen, and everything was still. There were no clouds in the sky but the stars had refused to shine. Arya would have much preferred a breeze, the stillness was unnerving, especially since she was already on edge. She moved around every corner quickly always hoping to turn one and find who she was looking for.
The longer she had patrolled the streets, she began to prioritize where the best places to look were. She had decided to dedicate most, if not all, of her time to patrolling near the most important places in Esthenia. The Grand Library, the Apprentices' Barracks, the Armoury, and the Treasury, which was in a cave that's entrance was located in the section of the city in which the majority population were dwarves and extended down into the ground behind the dragon caves. Some nights she would climb the cliffs where the dragons holds were, for this was the most important part of Esthenia. She easily could have scaled the massive face relatively quickly since there were so many dragon holes and hand and foot holds were nearly everywhere, but she made it a personally issue to go to every cave and make sure nothing was amiss. Diligence was one trait Arya had never, and would never, be lacking in.
This dark night she was creeping along the side of a street, moving towards the Treasury. She made sure to keep to the inside edge of the building that were on the same side as the crescent moon, keeping her in darkness as much as possible. She wore tight black felt leggings and calf high leather boots were strapped securely to her feet. Her tunic was a deep purple and it ended at her elbow. She had on tight, brown leather bracers that continued and ended in gloves. The fingers of the gloves were cut halfway, revealing the almond skin of her graceful appendages. The leather around the glove portion of the specialized bracer was well worn and broken in, making it pliable which gave her the ability to move her hands in any direction without interference. Just below the wrist the bracer became a very hard leather that was polished and shined in the light. The bracers had many dents and marks on them from where she had blocked and parried when using these. She had been given them when she was a child, by her father Evandar, before he left this world for good. Throughout the years she had used them and would simply increase the size as she got older. The many years they had seen, she had augmented them with hundreds, if not thousands, of different spells for such things as keeping them water and fire proof, nearly impossible to cut through unless using a riders sword or Tinkledeath, that strange weapon Angela the Herbalist came to possess, and various other properties. They form fit her arms perfectly. Every curve matched the contour of her flesh. She glanced down at them and smiled.
Maybe not the most glamourous of armor, She thought to herself, But things aren't always what they seem.
She quickly checked the rest of her equipment. Earlier in the night she had climbed the cliffs, checking on the dragons. They didn't mind for they knew she meant no harm to them or their kin. She had decided to don her form fitting leather vest, strapped up the front with thin bands of black cloth. She had shoulder straps on the vest and on her left shoulder was a long, thin dagger. On her right hip she had a short sword and across her back hung her bow and quiver. She had taken out the normal swan feathers she used and replaced them with crow feathers so they were less noticeable in the dark. On her left thigh she had a small coil of rope strapped on the outside. On one end of the rope was a large, razor sharp spear tip. Between her back and the quiver that housed her arrows was a hatchet, the handle of which stuck over her right shoulder. She had pulled her hair into a ponytail and attached a deep, black hood to her vest. It cast a shadow over her fast to just past her nose.
She had to admit to herself that she was over prepared. She did not care though. This little game of cat and mouse had become personal, and personal to Arya was very personal. She had made her way towards the treasury after she had climbed the cliffs and checked on the dragonholds. As she admired the buildings she noticed the differences of culture in the city.
The buildings in Esthenia where the majority of the population was human, the buildings were moderately sized, maybe 3 stories on average. Modestly built and they looked humble. The mainly elven portion of the city seemed to flow with the natural context of the landscape. All the buildings fit into the scene without disrupting the natural order of things. As one made their way toward the mainly dwarven district of the city, the buildings got progressively lower and wider.
How different we all are. Each one of the beings that resides within this city has his own experiences, Arya thought as she began striding down the street again towards the outskirts of the city, no two people have ever experienced anything exactly the same. I am glad he taught me to let other people in...
She shook herself and pushed those silly thoughts from her head. She had a job to do, and he certainly wasn't doing anything. She often caught herself wandering towards the base of his tower, making sure he had not been infiltrated. Not that he couldn't handle himself, but Arya had other reasons for checking on that dwelling place besides Eragon.
The tops of the buildings were now only ten feet above her head. The dwarves had built many of there buildings like icebergs; only one tenth is shown on the surface. Instead of building up like the humans, or in flow with what they had like the elves, they built a small part above ground and the rest tunneled into the ground. Many houses had interconnecting tunnels, dead ends, passageways that went in circles, trap doors, and secret rooms. Many human inhabitants had nickname that part of the city, "The Labyrinth", due to it's notorious reputation of having people needing to be found because they have gotten lost. Human seemed to be the only race that ever got lost though, for the dwarves knew the passageways like the inside of there eyelids, and the elves could almost always used there heightened senses to find their way out. Arya normally used her sense of smell to navigate her way through the tunnels. She had traveled the route to the Treasury so many times over now, that senses were not necessarily needed to guide the way.
Her stride was swift and silent as she came up on the city wall, towering over the low roofs of the dwarven buildings and dominating the landscape. As she neared the wall, she took a quick right. Her emerald eyes darted left and right, looking for any disturbance in the stillness of the night. She made her way along the wall until she reached a curious nook in the wall where it veered of at a right angle. To any normal citizen, it would just look like a turn in the wall. Arya stepped closer and peered at the seem, her eyes searching for what she was looking for. She quickly spotted the small notch about 5 feet up the seem between the two adjoining section of the city wall.
Well that's that. I guess I should look around before I go in... Arya absentmindedly thought to herself as she began to look around the surrounding area, looking for some clue or hint that someone had been here before. She walked to the building that occupied the corner of Esthenia closest to the crack. She slowly walked toward the open door. She peered inside, her elven eyes not needing a light to see through the darkness. The building was abandoned, four stone rooms sat empty, and quiet. She turned to leave, and as the wind brushed past her face, she caught a curious smell. She swiftly turned back into the room pulling the hatchet out from her back and faced the open space in front of her. She nervously spun the handle of her hatchet in her hand as she walked forward. With her free left hand she unhitched the rope and spear-tip from her left thigh.
She took a deep breath and slowed her heart rate. She made her way through each of the rooms and didn't find anything. In the last room she saw the latch that led down into the tunnels. Without a good reason to go down there, she would rather not. She didn't mind, but the tunnels weren't the most pleasant place to be. You aren't here to be comfortable, her conscious reminded her. She shrugged it off and kept moving. Carefully, she sheathed her hatchet and reattached the rope dart. She then walked back out and towards the crack.
I guess someone was eating fruit in there earlier... She pondered and pushed the thoughts aside. She strode up to the crack and put her right middle knuckle in the small nook in the stone and pushed. Small cracks started to spread out from the nook like a spiderweb. They etched along into a rectangular shape, fully of criss-crossing lines and geometric patterns. Arya stood patiently as each shape in the intricate design started to sink back into the wall and stop at different depths. After a minute of shifting and morphing stone, a regal arched double doorway laid before Arya. She reached out her leather gloved hand and pushed. The thick stone door swung inward effortlessly, and moved on it's hinges without a sound. Arya took one last look over her shoulder before she stepped over the threshold and into the darkness of the Treasury.
"My lord," Davis said with a deep bow, coming dangerously close to tipping over forward, "they have landed near Belatona."
"Good. Take your brother and go give them a warm welcome." Synn replied without turning toward his servant.
"We do not have dragons..." Davis said nervously.
Synn spun around quickly and looked him in the eye.
"Did I ask if you had dragons?"
"No My Lord." Davis replied, swallowing.
"No, I didn't. Now do what you are told." Synn replied with a sharp tone to his voice.
Davis quickly turned on his heels and headed out of the tall, black spire of Helgrind. Many of Synn's followers had chosen to take up residence in Dras Leona, but Synn had chosen to live in Helgrind because it was more comfortable for him. Davis, being Synn's unwillingly but loyal right hand man, was forced to make his camp outside of the giant, depressing monument of human mutilation. He walked through the short, sun baked grass towards the small campsite. After he had been recruited by Synn, he undoubtedly was much stronger than any normal human. He could move faster, jump higher, and was stronger than he ever had been before. His body had become emaciated and you could see bones but it seemed that everything besides his bones was pure muscle. The physical changes were one thing, but he still felt human in his head. Something about his transformation had changed him physically but in his mind he still felt human. Sometimes he hated the things he had to do, but he had no control over his body. He was connected to Synn, and Synn's word was law.
His skin had a pale, ghostly look to it. His eye sockets were sunken in and he had dark bags hanging below his eyes. After the recruitment, he rarely needed sleep. His skin looked like too much wax spread over a skeleton. It had a dull, but shiny aspect to it. When he looked at himself he thought he looked undead. That is why Synn had all his followers wear full attire and masks.
He strode into the middle of the three tents that were set up, and laying on the ground with his head propped up on a log, was Davis' brother Thornton. Thornton was much bigger than Davis, so he didn't look quite as emaciated, but was still dangerously thin by human standards. Thornton had always been bigger than Davis, but he didn't possess the mental advantages that Davis was more than blessed with. Throughout his childhood he was often considered the smartest and most intelligent person in town, even as a child. He had a knack for math and science.
Thornton on the other hand was more physically capable than Davis growing up. He was a big kid, always the first in every sport. He stood taller and broader than Davis. Wide shoulders and thick limbs. While the transformation had increased Davis' reflexes and agility, Thornton's strength was now to a ridiculous level.
"Get the fuck up," Davis kicked at his brother who didn't move.
"Why?" Thornton asked casually.
"Because I fucking said so." Davis said as he started to gather up his things.
"Not good enough," Thornton said as he closed his eyes and leaned back into the log.
"Synn has sent us somewhere, so if you want to sit on your fat ass and disobey him, then be my guest." Davis said as he shoved what provisions he would need into his sack. Thornton quickly got up and started to do the same.
"What do we have to do?" Thornton asked his brother has he strapped his mask on.
"Bring your weapons. We are going to hurt some people." Davis slung his bag onto his back and began to walk out of the campsite. He knelt down and pick up his sword and walked away.
"Yes!" He heard Thornton said with glee. Davis gave a small smile; his brother had always enjoyed hurting people.
Water burst up from the surface of the water as a head emerged, soaking in shaggy black hair. Jack inhaled a deep breath of the cool air as he tread water in the cold depths of Leona Lake. Jack looked up to the sky, expecting to see an array of clouds. A frown creased his face as he found only blackness, apart from the slim crescent of the moon. He had trouble sleeping, being disturbed by bad dreams, so he had decided to go for a late night swim. He floated on his back and slowly stroked his way along. Something seemed odd about this night. Although the water was cold, the air was very hot. He shouldn't have been cold but he felt goosebumps rise on his skin. He looked toward the bank. He didn't expect to see anything but for some reason he felt like he should look over there.
He spent a moment observing the trees and the shore and studying their shadows. After awhile he turned away and began to swim back towards the shore where they were camped. As soon as he turned his shoulder away from the trees, two black shadows crept up a tree and into the branches with supreme stealth. Jack wouldn't return to the camp he had left.