Um…yeah. Don't kill me. Please? I really do value my life, what with the promise of what is to come…so, no hunting me down and chasing me with pitchforks? Pretty please. If you do, you won't be able to read the next chapter that will explain all. And you won't be able to hear about Alavar…I really do love him. Based off one of my friends…
Enough with my babbling. I tend to do that when I'm afraid of being killed. Faridust even considered it after this chapter. And she's my twin for heaven's sake! You'd think being related to me would stop her, but NO.
Chapter Twenty-Five:
In the End
A cold chuckle filled the banquet room, and Adurna's heart sunk as ice crept into her veins. "I'm afraid it is far too late for that."
The three spun around. Rana and Durza stood at the end of the room. In each of their hands was a pale sword, Durza's marred by a long, thin scratch and Rana's glimmering evilly in the light cast off by the torches hung from brackets on the walls. Each unclasped the brooch that held their cloaks, the garments fluttering to the floor.
Both had bodies that were like a runner's, thin and compact, but Adurna remembered Brom's warning and knew that the Shade's appearances were deceiving. The memory of Rana with her hand wrapped around Adurna's throat, slowly throttling her, came to mind and she had to repress a shiver.
"So, my young Riders, do you wish to test yourselves against us?" sneered Durza, all traces of false politeness gone now. "I shouldn't have trusted the captain when he said that you ate all your food. I will not make that mistake again."
Adurna's hand immediately went to Aiedail, now buckled to her right side, but Murtagh said quietly, "I'll take care of them." He put down his bow and drew his sword.
"No," Eragon said under his breath, eyes trained on Durza. "They want us alive, not you. I think we can stall him for a short while, but then you'd better have a way out for us."
"Fine, go," said Murtagh to the two of them. "You won't have to hold them off for too long."
"I hope not," Eragon said.
Slowly, the two Riders advanced, both fully unsheathing their swords. Aiedail glinted brightly as Adurna took stance several feet away from Eragon. After that moment, everything Eragon did went unnoticed by Adurna as the female Shade smiled evilly.
"Foolish," Rana said with malice in her voice. "Do you really think to defeat me, daughter of Elvenbane? You are weak and I strong. Not even your mother was capable of killing me, what makes you think you can?"
Adurna stared at the Shade's face, waiting for any sign that might show Rana's next move, and not daring to do anything else. She couldn't use magic yet, and she knew that Rana knew that key element was gone. Oh, why swords? Why not bows and arrows? Those would be so much more useful for me right now.
Before either of them could move, however, the ceiling suddenly boomed and shook violently. Dust came billowing down from the wooden planks, coloring the air gray and settling in Adurna's hair. Screams echoed, and the sound of clashing metal rang from above. Several inhuman roars followed along with more yells. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Durza launch himself at Eragon, and Rana was a split second behind him.
Adurna was just barely able to get her sword up in time to block the blow that Rana sent to her chest. The swords met with a jarring force, and Adurna felt her hand and arm go numb from the attack. Gods, I didn't know she was this strong!
It didn't take long for Adurna to figure out that Rana was toying with her, and she doubted that the female Shade was even putting half her true strength into the fight. She's waiting for me to wear down so then she can defeat me! Well, you got another thing coming.
Rana aimed at her hip, and she parried, whipping around and using the two things that Brom had always said were her advantages. Eragon may have had his skill, but she had strength and speed as her allies, and she wasn't about to abandon them. The next time their swords met, she pressed hard against it, unsettling Rana enough to sweep down and get a small nick just above her knee. Rana's eyes blazed with fury, and she pressed even harder against Adurna as she made to slice her ribs and instead met the blue blade.
Terrible screeches sounded from above, much like iron spikes being drawn across rock. Three very long cracks split the wood beamed ceiling and shingles fell from the slate roof above through the cracks. She tried her best to ignore them, but had to dodge and roll to the side as several of them fell down and just barely missed her. She rolled to the side again and got up, but Rana met her there and cut her just above her right hip. Crimson blood flowed lightly, though not enough to be worried about.
Durza had just disarmed Eragon, the male Rider falling to the floor with the force of the blow. Adurna was now pressed against the wall with no place to retreat, trying desperately to defend against the attacking Shade. The Shade's sword came hurtling at her head, and she ducked, the blade imbedding itself in the wall right next to her head. Rana's scream of fury followed as black hair rained down to the stone floor. Rana pointed the pale blade at her throat, pressing so hard against her flesh that a thin trail of blood flowed from where the swords tip was pressed. Rana kicked Aiedail from her hand and grinned triumphantly.
The screeching sounded again, louder than before. Whatever was going to happen, it was getting closer.
Durza observed them dispassionately. "A powerful piece you both may be in the game being played, but I'm disappointed that this is your best. If the other Riders were this weak, they must have controlled the Empire only through sheer numbers."
Adurna was panting heavily as she turned her head in time to see Eragon shaking his. "No, you forget something."
Eragon's eyes flickered to hers briefly and she immediately caught on.
"Oh, and what might that be?" Rana asked mockingly, her sword lowering slightly.
There was a thunderous reverberation as a large chunk of the ceiling was torn away to reveal the night sky. "The dragons!" both she and Eragon yelled, and Adurna batted away the sword at her throat and rolled out of the Shade's reach. Rana snarled and swung her sword viciously. She missed and lunged, falling onto Adurna. The two grappled on the floor, swords forgotten. Chairs were knocked to the stone floor as Rana ignored the screaming Durza and wrapped both her hands around Adurna's throat again, squeezing.
"I didn't do the job last time, but I will this time!" she shrieked, tightening her hands. A strangled chock came from Adurna's mouth and her eyes bulged, lips beginning to turn blue. Her hands scrabbled at the Shade's thin fingers, trying with all her might to pry them off. Her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and her vision started to go black…
Rana's cackling was all she could hear as sound also began to fade, the screeches from above getting harder and harder to hear…
So this was how she was going to die, under a mad Shade intent on strangling her. This wasn't how she thought things were going to end…
The world spiraled into blackness, the Shade's laughter ringing throughout her mind…
