Chapter 25. The Emperor and The Shadeslayer

Eragon sped across the land on foot heading towards the dark fortress. He wanted to face the Emperor alone, so he left the cave without telling Elva or Saphira anything. Eragon wanted to end this conflict quickly, but Elva had wanted to raise an army and fight the Emperor in a long drawn out fight.
When he reached the eye of world Eragon stood for few seconds watching the fortress. There were no guards on duty or calvary patrolling the countryside. He ran to the lake and across a bridge into the courtyard. No one greeted him, but his mind was touched by Ming.
("Welcome Shadeslayer… I am Shaun Ming… please join me in my throne room…")
Eragon walked through the fortress passing suits of armor and despite the fact that they were empty the heads of the armor still followed his movements. As Eragon walked through the fortress he sensed no servants or slaves in the fortress. When he came to the entrance the doors opened of their own accord and his boots echoed as he walked across the floor. Eragon's steps slowed as he approached the throne, because of a large white vail like thing behind the Emperor.
There was a familiar rumbling sound that only a dragon could make and smoke billowing behind the throne. Eragon flinched at the monster of a dragon behind the throne. It was ten times Saphira's size, its scales were white, its spikes and claws were black like marble. An eye opened and it stared at Eragon with a growl.
"Now… now… Turroc… he is our guest… would you care for some refreshment Shadeslayer?" Eragon remained quiet as he stared him down. "…I consider it bad manners not to speak when someone asks you a question."
"You tried to invade Alagaesia… my home land you will die…"
Ming jumped up, "You come here alone without your dragon… or help from your child wife and dare threaten me… I am no shade… and neither Arya or Sapphira are here to save you…"
"You underestimate me Emperor…"
"It is you who underestimate me… Destroy him…"
The paintings of warriors and other creatures moved free of the paintings they were in and walked across the marble floor towards Eragon. The suits of armor came to life as well drawing their swords. Eragon stood surrounded and he drew Brisinger, he swung left and the living painting became large pieces of paper. He was flanked from behind by three suits of armor, but Eragon leaned backwards and cut all three in half. He stabbed his sword into the floor and unleashed the energy in the jewel destroying all that attacked him.
Eragon thought the word of power cupped his hands together and threw a ball of magical energy at Ming. He swatted it aside with his hand and it was absorbed by one of the jewels on the wall.
"Tell me fool… do really think you are the only one in the world who knows that word… It was taught to me by the Illuminitar…"
With his mind Ming grabbed Eragon in an invisible vice and because they were evenly matched in magic it came down to who was the most inventive with the ancient language. Eragon broke the hold and with a wave of his hands he pulled the tiles up into pillars encaging Ming. He threw his ams out to the side and smashed them. Both men threw their hands at each other unleashing beams of pure magical energy. Eragon dove to the side as Ming broke through and blasted him. Eragon inhaled his breath and started blowing. His breath became artic as he froze Ming in a pillar of ice, but the ice melted as Ming's body burst into flames. Ming chanted in the ancient language and Eragon's shadow stood up and grabbed him. Eragon was quick to think as he created a spell that absorbed all the light around him and killed the shadow. Eragon resorted to attacking Ming's mind, they grappled with each unable to dominate the other. Then Eragon melted the throne with a spell and encased Ming in a mound of molten gold. He tried to hold him, but Ming phased through and escaped from the golden prison.
"Enough!" Ming screamed throwing a net of electricity at Eragon. He tried to block the magical attack, but he could not. Eragon hit the floor writhing in pain. "It is called the agony of life… You are feeling every hurt that you have ever received both physical and mental… it is amplified a thousand fold… It is a spell of my own creation and I have been saving it just for you…"
Eragon felt the guilt of Garrow's death, the sorrow of what he did to Elva, the pain of his legs the first time he rode Sapphira. He felt the pain of when Durza laid open his back and all the pains he felt throughout his life. Arya's past rejections, leaving his fanily behind and all the times Durza's curse sent him to the ground.
"You will go mad Eragon… and then you will die…"
Boom the castle shook and Turrac who had been sleeping the entire time they were fighting opened his eyes and sat up sniffing the air. Boom the castle shook again and dust fell from the ceiling. Boom again and a roar accompanied this one. Turroc opened his mouth and released a long winded roar and that is when a whole was smashed through by Saphira and Galmore. Elva was ridding Galmore and Aieda was riding Saphira.
Elva pointed a clawed hand at Eragon, "Steirn Risa…" Eragon left the floor and floated up to Elva.
"Mother go! I will hold him off…"
As Galmore and Saphira took off Turroc stood to his full height, opened his massive wings and leapt into the air. His roar shook the ground and scared wild life for miles around. He chased Galmore and was about to catch him when Saphira rammed into the monster of a dragon. She clawed his wings until he bashed her with his massive tail.
"You have a family off fools girl…"
"You are the fool… How does it feel to know all your special servants are dead and your army was defeated…"
Ming laughed, "I am going to enjoy making you my concubine…"
He drew his sword and charged Ming who blocked and parried, but Aiedel danced to the side and kicked him I the throat. Ming stumbled backwards and spun around swinging his sword. Aiedel ducked and dropped kicked him in the chest. When he hit his back she felt the dragon Tarroc returning. Aiedel vanished in a bright flash.
"I want them all dead… Hunt them down and bring me their rotten corpeses…" As he ranted into the air Ming was giving orders with his mind.

Eragon awoke to Elva's carring face, "Oh good you are awake because now I am going to kill you… What did you think you were doing going off by yourself like that?"
"I have seen my share of blood and war so I was trying to put a quick end to this battle… Elva he knows the name… The true name of the ancient language…"
"We are going to have to train in order to face him my love… and you may not want to admit it but an army is what is needed…"
"Where is Saphira?"
"She and our daughter are off on an adventure together… Galmore has gone with them…"

Eragon spent the next three days recuperating from the agony of life spell and trying to find a way to block or counter it. His counter spell involved using the true name of the ancient language. Then Eragon implemented a spell that involved his sword, its true name, and the name of the ancient language.