And so the battle has begun...

Briar shielded her face as arrows rained down on them. She and Dwervevindr were in one of the battalions as the dragon had been forced down due to an arrow through the wing. It had made a large tear and he couldn't fly. It had happened when he went to light the first ditch on fire. She called on the magic and shielded the wing and herself as she healed the tear. Once it was done, she jumped back into the saddle and Dwervevindr jumped into the air with a roar and a burst of fire. Briar could feel the rage from her dragon and she let it affect her and fuel her. She and her dragon became one as they flew through the air. They lit the second and third trenches as they flew overhead. As the fires burned, Briar looked for Eragon. He and Saphira were in a group of defenders. Arya was with them. She looked back at the tunnels and saw the Urgals surging forward having used the dead and burned bodies of their brethren. The pickets confused them and Briar and Dwervevindr took the opportunity to try to burn a few more of the enemy. Before they could get close, Urgals turned and fired arrows at them. Dwervevindr flew out of their reach as the Urgals broke through the first lines of defense. There was a roar from the men and dwarves below and the two armies met on the fields.

Briar knew they couldn't use fire anymore or risk burning the Varden. Dwervevindr dove for the back end of the Urgal army. Dwervevindr ripped apart three Urgals and she cut two others in half before the dragon shot back into the air and to safety. She saw Eragon and Saphira pulling up from a similar dive. They looked at each other and nodded before going and attacking another tunnel each.

"There seems to be no clear leader." Eragon said. "I can see the individual clans, but they ignore each other. They must be receiving orders from elsewhere."

"You are sure you do not see a standard that is the same among them." Briar asked, looking for one herself and only seeing what Eragon was seeing. None of them could see where this leader could be hiding either. Briar relayed the information to Ajihad and then gave Eragon orders to assist Hrothgar. She was ordered to help Jörmundr. She landed next to Arya and the two of them fought their way through to soldiers who were being overwhelmed. When it was safe to, Dwervevindr burned the Urgals in front of him while Briar protected his sides.

The fighting wore on one hour after the next. The Varden's numbers were quickly being depleted and there was still no sign of the end of the Urgal tide nor their leader. The energy in the topaz had been used long ago and Briar's body was covered in bruises from where the Urgals had struck her, trying to incapacitate her. They had never tried to kill her. It made her think that maybe she were a prize for whoever their leader was. If they were under the control of Galbatorix, that would explain it. Durza and Murtagh would have reported her to him by now. She could no longer hide in the shadows that were home to her.

She shook her head to clear it and kept fighting. The Urgals fell around her and she stepped on them to get a better vantage on her opponents. She and Dwervevindr took flight again to survey the area and to catch their breaths.

"There are loud noises from under the city!" One of the Twins erupted into her mind and she growled in frustration. "Have Arya and Eragon collapse the tunnels they are trying to excavate." Then they were gone. Briar set her face into a grim line and relayed the message to Eragon. She saw him and Saphira jump to Arya and then take to the air. Saphira seemed to be having a hard time flying. Dwervevindr made to help when a light blue blur darted from the tunnels and towards her. She braced for the impact as Dwervevindr swerved to avoid this new threat. She peeked out from behind her shield when they weren't hit.

A much older Rider than even her father was sitting atop her dragon, watching her. Briar lowered the shield and sat up in the saddle, making sure the straps were tight around her legs.

"I had hoped your father would be out here." The Rider said and Briar adjusted Undbitr in her hand. "Guess I'll have to settle for you."

"You'll only end up killing me. And I doubt Galbatorix would appreciate that." Briar shot back. She was wanted by Galbatorix. She couldn't let that happen.

"I'll make sure to be careful." The Rider grinned and the dragon shot forward and the dragons collided. The impact jarred Briar and she was barely able to block the other Rider's sword with her shield.

Dwervevindr and the dragon clawed back and forth while the dragon dragged them higher into the mountain. Dwervevindr, being so much younger, was helpless. Briar was just as outmatched against the Rider. She was able to match her blow for blow when it came to blocking the attacks, but that was only due to the fact that she could keep up with her thanks to Arya and her father. But she was having a hard time trying to injure her opponent. She blocked every one of Briar's attacks with ease. Briar had her mind carefully blocked but didn't dare try to break into the Foresworn Rider's mind. Not with having to block her attacks since the wards had worn off. Dwervevindr finally broke free of the dragon's claws and backed away. There was blood streaming down his front where the dragon's claws had gotten through the armor. Briar was in the same state. In her tiredness, she had missed several of the other Rider's attacks and had paid the price for it.

"You've got spunk, Girl." The Rider said as she leaned back in her saddle, taking her feet from the straps and propping them up on the front of the dragon's saddle. "And talent. Your father has taught you well. The Twins truly underestimated you and your power. But there is still so much you need to learn. Once you swear fealty to Galbatorix, you'll learn. And then you'll be of great use to him." She shrugged. "Maybe I'll take you on as my student and teach you."

Briar said nothing and urged Dwervevindr to attack again. The young dragon swooped low and then shot upwards, knocking the Foresworn pair to the side. Briar swept her blade upwards and only managed a scratch to the Rider's face as she was able to block in time. The impact of the block jarred Briar's arm and she received a deep gash along her left arm, the light metal being cut by the Rider's light blue blade. The two dragons charged each other and the fighting began again. Below, Briar heard Saphira roar and saw what she thought was a jet of fire. But she couldn't be sure as Dwervevindr moved to avoid his opponent and Briar needed to block the attack from its Rider. Briar blocked with Undbitr and the Rider's blade skated up the blade and they locked. The two pairs remained like that for a few minutes, pushing against each other.

"You know that this is worthless. That there is no point in fighting. Galbatorix will soon have you and your young friend. Durza was a fool to think he could capture the two of you in Gil'ead. I'm glad I was the one to fight you. I always wanted to be a teacher. You, Murtagh, and your young friend, a new generation of Riders under command of the king. Yes, if Durza doesn't screw up again." Briar saw a mad gleam appear in the Rider's eyes and knew she needed to get away. Eragon was in trouble. Briar pushed back and the blades slipped free. The Rider's blade found an opening in Briar's armor and went through her shoulder. Briar's scream echoed through the mountain and Dwervevindr pulled away from the dragon and flew quickly away. Briar saw Arya mount Saphira who jumped into the air to aid them.

"No! Help Eragon! Durza comes for him! This whole fight was a distraction." Briar said to her as the pair rounded the city, trying to come up behind their opponents. Briar placed her shield on the saddle and switched Undbitr to her right hand because of the wound in her left shoulder. The light blue dragon and its Rider were ready for them and the four met in a thunder of roars and the clash of metal. The two Riders traded blows and Briar even managed another scratch or two. But she received worse. The armor didn't hold up against a Rider's blade and Briar received several gashes on her sides, arms, and chest. She was losing blood and her left arm was hanging limply at her side, blood streaming down it. She couldn't even use it to support her blade when she blocked the other attacks.

There was a loud crash followed by an unearthly scream and shadows flying from Tronjhiem. Briar and the Rider both looked and saw a large hole in the top of the city. The Rider reached for Briar who tried to block. The Rider pushed Undbitr out of the way and grabbed Briar's left arm, right where Durza had wounded her in Gil'ead. Beneath her, Briar felt Dwervevindr shiver before she saw a large wall of fire and heard another scream. The Rider let go of her arm and everything went black.

*insert evil maniacal laugh* thanks for reading and please review.