I'm sorry that I keep throwing things at Eragon. It's just that… he was so immature in the first two books, so I decided to twist him into something I like. Well… I swear that I really, really want to jump to part two of the story (where Eragon doesn't feel so much pain), but two people are getting in my way: Arya and Murtagh. The two people have their own things to finish before I focus on Eragon again. Oh, and don't get any ideas about Arya and Murtagh together. I like it somewhat, but it's not going to happen in my story.

Enough of the blabbering. On with the story!

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Murtagh winced as one of his wounds cracked open again. The punishment for betraying the king was always harsh. He wearily healed the wound with magic, but the gash didn't seal together completely.

Murtagh? The king has given us a new mission.

Murtagh groaned. What is it, Thorn? He had been hoping that he could rest a while in the palace.

He says that his scouts have found a small camp of Varden soldiers near Furnost. Galbatorix wants you to lead a small group of the Imperial Guard to find out what they are doing, and then kill them all.

Very well. It doesn't look like I have a choice, does it?

Thorn sighed. What do you think? Meet me outside the city gates as soon as possible.

Murtagh belted on Zar'roc and began packing his things.

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Furnost was a small city that was faring quite well under the Empire. The Varden had so far deemed it to be no use, and the people there were not poor.

Murtagh sat on Thorn, thinking over the events in the past few days. It wasn't a pleasant thing to do, but he had to. I have to clear up my mind and find out what is going on in the Varden…

Suddenly, a soldier came before Murtagh and kneeled. "My lord. We were on our way to the Varden camp when we discovered something most unusual. Captain Therodev has already sent men to investigate, but he would like you to come as well."

Murtagh nodded and leapt off Thorn. I doubt that anything would be unusual now, Thorn.

Thorn chuckled and growled. Go on, Murtagh. I'll wait here.

Murtagh followed the soldier toa small sandy plain just four leagues north of the city of Furnost. It was a common thing to look at, until he saw the vultures.

Four vultures were circling over a crumpled body lying in the sand. The small group of the Imperial Guard was staring at the body a good longbow shot away, with looks of shock on the soldier's faces.

"What is this all about? Why don't the men go save the man lying there?" snapped Murtagh.

"Sir, look. It's happening again."

A vulture suddenly swooped down on the man, but immediately squawked and flew upwards as though hit by an unseen object.

Murtagh took a few steps closer and saw the fierce flare of crimson eyes that only belonged to one man in Alagaesia.

Eragon.

"Men! Carry him to my tent! Now!"

"But sir, he's a shade!"

"He won't harm you! But if you don't hurry, I will!"

Murtagh ran over to his brother lying in the sand. Eragon grinned weakly and spat out two stones in his mouth. "About…about time you showed up."

"Gods. How long have you been shooting stones at them like this? Why don't you use magic? Why can't you move?" Murtagh saw a thin scar running from under his right eye to near the corner of his mouth. "And how in Alagaesia did you get that scar?"

Eragon croaked, and Murtagh assumed it was a laugh. "I've been doing this for a day at least…spitting out stones at the son of whores, because… my neck is the only thing I can move now. Feel my joints."

Murtagh ran his fingers over Eragon's wrist and knees, and to his growing horror, they seemed to be cracked into small pieces. "But why can't you heal yourself? And you didn't answer the question about your scar."

"I know my limits… fairly well, Murtagh. The time and energy it takes to heal broken joints is extremely large, and I would almost… be on the brink of death when I've finished. Then the Vault… would take over." Eragon clenched his teeth. "I would rather die than let that happen. And my scar… I don't want to talk about it. I will only say that the one who did it gave me more pain than the scar itself."

The soldiers gently lifted him up from the sand and carried him to Murtagh's tent.

Murtagh ground his teeth. Why do these things happen to him?

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There I go again. Please do not curse me for doing something like this again to poor Eragon… it's just that when I was running in my mind the "People that Murtagh Care For List" there was only Thorn and Eragon in it. Nasuada is not possible for what I have in mind. So yes, the following chapters are almost completely about Murtagh. Eragon is just the unfortunate fellow who strings the plot together by getting severely injured.