Lesson 3: Flying
A/N: Thanks for your reviews on the previous chapter :)! Whoever the Guest Review was from, know that you put a big smile on my face! I know these chapters might be going a bit slower in terms of events but I promise the pace will increase soon! (Also AryaxEragon, MurtaghxNasuada chapters will be coming soon as well!)
Fall had settled in turning the green leaves of some trees to yellow and red. Rain showers were now common. If Tristan had thought that running in the heat was tough, running in the rain was a lot harder. It made his clothes stick to his skin, chilled his bones and turned the mud slippery, leaving much room for mistakes and slipping.
The time they run each morning had not increased but the distance they covered, had. Today, when the young riders reached the clearing in which they sparred, they didn't even need to catch their breath.
"We are getting better at this" he said happily to Rikon who nodded.
"Indeed you are, but today we shall do something different and change the usual groups you practise in. Today you will spar with someone who is more or less experienced than you" Octavian said and smiled widely, showing them an array of straight, white teeth.
The Master of Sparring moved around them, pointing at certain people, pausing, then rearranging them, then pausing again. After everyone was in groups he looked at his students with a satisfied expression.
"Now remember. Try to be easy on your opponent but, without, however, being too easy on them. Sparring should never be easy" he said and smiled again.
Tristan looked at his opponent who was no one else than Adrian. The elf pressed his lips together and Tristan wasn't sure what to make of his expression. Octavian gave Adrian a wooden sword which the elf looked at with a grimace of distaste.
Other sparring groups included May and Kayla, then Maya and Maurine and Laer and Gas.
Tristan felt something touching his shoulder and he turned around to see Adrian glaring at him. He was in a fighting position, his legs apart and slightly kneeling to the ground while on his right hand he held the sword.
"There are things I need to attend to later on, so if you don't mind…" he said in an almost polite tone.
Tristan nodded and went into fighting stance as well. They started circling each other until he decided to make the first move. Adrian moved to the side, counteracting his blow and managing in the process to kick the sword from Tristan's hands. His fighting style reminded Tristan of Maud's but the elf wasn't at the same level just yet, even though no one could deny he was very good.
Adrian motioned to him to pick up his word. Tristan did just that, but this time he waited until the elf attacked first. It made no difference to the battle's outcome, however, as Adrian made an intricate move, pressed his hand in a spot just above Tristan's arm and Tristan dropped the sword.
Their fight continued but it was pointless since Tristan had no way of beating the elf. It did not matter whether Tristan attacked first or not, the result would still be the same. Sometimes he got hit in the ribs, other times in the chin. He hated Adrian for this, because he was certain the elf could easily beat him without causing him injuries.
They weren't fighting long but Adrian suddenly dropped the wooden sword on the ground.
"Come on, pick it up" Tristan said to the elf but Adrian looked at him in a solemn manner and shook his head.
"I don't need to" he replied in an almost arrogant tone.
Tristan attacked him but the elf somehow blocked him and wriggled away from his reach. He hit Tristan at the side with a punch and then smiled.
Tristan coughed and narrowed his eyes at the elf. This time Adrian attacked first and again Tristan was thrown on the ground, mud covering his trousers.
The elf turned his back to him and walked away.
"Where are you going?" Tristan demanded. Adrian did not give him a reply just walked to Octavian's side and whispered something to the Master of Sparring. Octavian shook his head and Adrian walked back.
Adrian's lips had formed a tight line and this time he hit Tristan with what appeared to be full strength. Tristan was trying very hard to counteract his blows but it wasn't working. Bruises were already covering his whole body and at some point he started spitting blood.
"Enough" Octavian said and walked to their side. He looked at Adrian sternly. The elf's hair hadn't even moved from its usual position.
Octavian helped Tristan up.
Tristan coughed and then realised that every one of the students was looking at him. Gwen was sitting at a corner, her black hair in a ponytail and he couldn't discern much from her expression. He felt embarrassed and ashamed and tried to clean his dirty hands on his shirt but then thought better of it.
Adrian was looking very smug at that moment and Tristan wished he could punch him.
You need more training, that's all, Vertigo said in his mind and Tristan saw his dragon biting the tail of Adrian's dragon, who let out a small moan.
Adrian's eyebrows pressed together and Tristan managed a small smile.
"Riders… Stop fighting amongst yourselves! You are here to train in order to be able to fight the real enemy. Five riders have been sent back to Alagaesia to protect the people there and give them and you a chance. I expect more from you" Octavian said in a serious tone, his arms crossing over his chest and his muscles flexing.
Adrian nodded and Tristan looked on the ground.
"I apologise ebrithil. I know how much is at stake" the elf said, moving to the back of the group and at that moment he appeared to be in regret.
Kayla, Rikon and Laer quickly walked to where Tristan was, with Kayla pushing her way through, a concerned expression on her face.
"Are you all right?" Rikon asked and Tristan quickly nodded but his friends still looked troubled.
"Your lesson is done for today, riders. I hear that you have other lessons to attend to" Octavian said and smiled to them, showing them once again his white array of teeth.
"Does he mean the Rimgar? It's way too early for that" Rikon said, looking at the sun, which was not even in the middle of the sky yet.
"No, we are going to have a flying lesson today" Gwen said as she approached them and kneeled next to Tristan. Her expert fingers traced the edges of some of his cuts and bruises and he tried not to wince in pain. A black curl fell in front of her face and Tristan felt his breath quickening.
Excited?, Vertigo asked in a teasing manner.
For flying, yes!, Tristan replied but Vertigo smirked.
And for other things as well, I guess. Like the pretty human rider next to you, the dragon said and Tristan tried not to blush.
"So I think that sums up the fact I need more training" he said casually, trying to make a joke out of his situation and smiling to Gwen.
She whispered some words over his wounds in the ancient language and Tristan felt the pain lessening. He watched his flesh stitching back together and where cuts, blood and bruises stood before, now there was only smooth skin.
"Or maybe someone just needs to be a bit more gentle next time" the human dorm master said, eyeing Adrian who was doing something else at the moment.
"Maybe I will be put in the same group as you next time so you will be able to teach me better!" Tristan said and smiled to her.
He did not expect her to smile back but she did.
"Maybe" she replied and led the riders down a path they had not previously taken. All the young riders were in the group apart from Adrian.
"Where did Adrian go?" Kayla asked and looked behind her shoulder.
"He said he had some business to attend to" Tristan said and waved his hand.
"He appeared to be quite troubled today. Maybe this is why he was behaving in such a manner" Laer replied.
"Is that not how he always behaves?" Tristan asked, rising an eyebrow and smiling in irony.
Ahead of them Maya and May were laughing amongst themselves at what appeared to be an inside joke.
"Aye, but elves are peculiar I am telling you" Rikon said, looking at the twin girls and started scratching the beginnings of a new beard.
Soon they reached a hill which overlooked the valley in which the riders' dorms and Glieonard were. Their dragons were waiting for them and Eragon and Saphira were there as well.
"Riders, welcome. Ride your dragons. The elves and the dwarves of the shore have gifted us with leather saddles. They are already strapped on your dragons' back. In time you will learn how to make these yourselves but for now it's time to fly!" he said and rode Saphira.
Tristan run to Vertigo's side and admired the leather, smooth saddle.
Let's hope my legs will be okay at the end of this. Last time we flew I had to bandage them three times!, he said.
We shall see. And if not, I am sure the human rider won't mind healing them, Vertigo said and he almost smirked.
Tristan ignored the burning sensation on his cheeks and climbed onto the saddle, using one of Vertigo's thorns for support. In the last couple of weeks, he and Vertigo had flown together as often as they could and Tristan was slowly starting to get over his fear of heights.
The rest of the riders were on their dragons as well, all apart from one.
"Kayla, will you not join us today?" Eragon asked the girl and she looked at him and then Aiedail, who was pacing impatiently.
"I will wait here" she answered calmly and Eragon's brows pulled together, a sad expression on his face.
"You will attend Mirin's class for history lessons then and Aiedail will join us for flying. Your day cannot go to waste" he said in a more serious tone.
Tristan was surprised by the fact that Eragon was not pushing his sister to ride her dragon. It probably would not be right but still he did not understand his sister's behaviour and he was certain that once she flew with Aiedail she would change her mind about being a dragon rider.
"This, I can do" Kayla replied and took the path back to Glieonard and the dorms.
Gwen and her dragon, a copper coloured male named Saturn, walked next to where he was.
"I think you should talk to your sister once we get back. I am a dorm master, this is true, but I do not think I could persuade her to be more open. No matter what troubles her it is not good to abandon her relationship with her dragon" she said and pointed to Aiedail, who was waiting impatiently for them to fly and swinging her tail from side to side as smoke was rising from her nostrils.
"I know" Tristan said and sighed as the dragons took off.
Flying with so many dragons around him was an amazing, exhilarating and slightly scary experience so he soon forgot about Kayla and her dragon problems. Sometimes, Laer and Rikon would fly close to him and they would start conversations about the most obscure things. Soon though, it became apparent that flying was not all fun, but business too.
Eragon was instructing them on how to keep their balance and how to do intricate moves while flying on their dragons. The last part was particularly scary as they had to walk on the saddle while flying at least 5 km above land. Even the older riders and elves were not completely confident when walking on the saddle so Tristan took courage from that and tried his best.
Saturn was flying next to him and Gwen seemed unsure whenever she walked to her dragon's head and back.
"Try to keep your feet closer!" Tristan shouted at her but she rose her eyebrows. Saturn flew closer to them.
"What?" she asked.
"Feet, closer!" he told her again and as she did so she regained a bit more balance. She smiled to herself.
"Thanks!" she shouted back, sounding surprised.
"It's all about the toes. You just place your right toe in front, keeping your strength on this one and then…" Tristan said but then he started losing his balance. His upper body was wobbling and in that moment both his legs shot up in the air and he landed on his saddle with just his lower body.
"Orgh" he moaned and his eyes snapped shut.
Stop trying to show off. You are making a fool of ourselves, Vertigo groaned.
Maybe if you were flying in a straighter line this wouldn't have happened, Tristan replied.
Hey, don't blame this on me!, the dragon argued.
Gwen was smiling and Saturn flew closer to them.
"Are you okay?" she asked him and Tristan nodded.
"Just an unstable landing, that's all" he replied, smiling back.
An unstable landing happened when he was a baby, actually, Vertigo said, speaking to Gwen's and Saturn's minds.
The human rider and dragon laughed while Tristan tried to casually smile back.
Riders, follow the flying pattern, Eragon said, speaking to the riders' minds.
Tristan nodded and to his disappointment was placed further back, away from Gwen but close to Rikon and Laer.
Hope he asks us to race today, Vertigo whispered in his mind.
That would be quite interesting actually. Shall we place bets on who will fall from their saddle?, Tristan asked.
Cruel, but I like it. My first guess… You, Vertigo said happily.
They continued playing the guessing game but in the end they did not race and simply landed back to the hill they had started on and walked to Maud's shed to do the Rimgar and then to their dorms for sleep.
It was an exhilarating day but he was happy to be back in his bed.
What do you think of Gwen?, he asked Vertigo.
The dragon yawned.
All humans appear the same to me. You obviously find her interesting enough, however, he replied.
Tristan stayed silent for a bit but then couldn't keep himself from asking another question.
Do you think she sees me as cool and handsome?
She probably sees you as a clumsy baboon.
Seriously?
Goodnight, Tristan.
….
Murtagh looked at his fellow riders. One was an elf, the other a dwarf, then a human and last an urgal. They appeared well trained and experienced.
Yet he would rather be alone with Thorn.
It's just for a bit, the dragon said in a reassuring tone.
I better hope so, the red rider replied.
He stared at the black markings left on the trees in the forest. They were the same as the ones made from the shadown wyrms' black liquid jets.
We always arrive too late. The enemy seems to be one step ahead of us, he said annoyed and punched the bark of a tree, leaving a mark.
There are signs of battle, Melor said.
But no dead bodies, Stoic added.
Whoever was here was either killed or taken, Ingrid, the female human rider said.
Murtagh was certain that they had been taken, but he did not want to say so to the riders. They probably guessed as much already, but in the short time he had been with them he knew that Stoic, had had a close relationship with one of the riders that had disappeared in Alagaesia and he didn't want to spark the Urgal's anger just yet.
They did not attack further into the elven territory. We should inform the riders, the elf said.
Murtaugh watched as the elven rider, Findet, whispered some words on top of a water puddle and the face of a young elven male rider appeared. He was surrounded by some of the elder riders but his anxiety was evident. He probably hadn't been with the elves long enough to know how to conceal his emotions.
"The elven territory appears to be intact. They only attacked at the outskirts of the forest" Findet said.
The elven male instantly relaxed.
"You can head back to your dorms now, Adrian" one of the elders said and as soon as the young elf left, Findet talked to them about the rest of the things they had found. What worried them the most was that the wyrms had managed to come very close to Du Weldenvarden. Even Galbatorix had known well enough to stay away from the elven territory.
Murtaugh was playing with the end of a wooden stick when he felt the familiar feeling of dread and horror settling over him.
Prepare yourselves!, he shouted into the riders' minds just as a giant shadow wyrm appeared.
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