When Lynde arrived at Bloodwrath's cell she was surprised by what she found. There were two gemstones outside the room next to the door, one yellow and the other a whitish blue. Artsanna was disturbed by them for a reason she would not tell Lynde, but that not her main concern. The stone door was open and inside she saw what Baeguirn had told her of; a gemstone that was solid black like a starless night on top of a stone pedestal.
Lynde drew her sword Shield Breaker and went through the doorway. She was afraid of the stone and what Baeguirn said it contained. She did not know why or how Bloodwrath was put into the stone, but if it was necessary and in her power, she would destroy it.
She was doubtful Bloodwrath even knew she was there until he found her. His voice came upon her unexpectedly and shouted a terrible war cry. She fell to her knees and tried to fight, but he was too much. Instead of pure hatred he had something else with him as well; pride or something like it. He had broken so many others and now he would break her. But she would fight him to her last breath if she could.
She fought him away with a sword forged of her will. Each swing made the sword more powerful and lighter. She fought Bloodwrath to a standstill at which point he spoke to her. You need not die, he said. If you agree to be my emissary to the outside world, I will spare you pain. All you need do is submit to my will and be changed by it.
That didn't appeal to Lynde; the thought of being altered by this monster was disgusting to her and she would rather die than be his pawn. She also would rather live than die, but if it was a choice between living a life under his command and dying under her own, there was no competition. I will fight you until there is nothing left of you, Bloodwrath.
At first Lynde sensed anger from Bloodwrath, but then he began to laugh. He laughed and laughed like she had said something funny. He soon stopped and said in an amused tone, If only you knew who I was. Changing a name makes it so difficult to be recognized, but I did not choose my old name so I wanted to choose a new one. But alas, it makes you confidently reckless with your life. I shall tell you why you should fear me, child. He then said in a low voice, The name I was branded with by my Rider was Shruikan.
Lynde's stomach sank. All strength left her limbs, but she had an overwhelming urge to run. She knew that name and she knew who was behind it. She sensed Artsanna's fear as well and it was just as bad as hers. They were not facing just any mad Dragon; they were facing Shruikan of the Black Fire, Dragon of Galbatorix! If there were words to describe the kind of fear Lynde felt, she did not know them.
Good, Shruikan said, be afraid. Be very afraid. At his command she suddenly felt the urge to do the exact opposite.
She mustered her courage and stood again. She built up her defenses and tried to snap Artsanna out of her own fear. If there was one thing she would never do, it was to obey evil.
She had defied the Shade Council when they tried to make her do what they wanted, and this was just like that. Shruikan wanted to bend Lynde to his will, but she would not let him. She couldn't let him break her. She would be strong; however strong enough to defeat this evil.
Shruikan laughed at her again and said, What is this? The child puts up a fight again? You must be joking.
She stood resolutely in the face of this evil with only one question on her mind. Why did they let you live?
Shruikan laughed and said, It was their mistake. Your Elders let me live. Eragon wanted to kill me, but they talked him out of it. They believed I could be "saved". He laughed again. They were fools; optimistic fools! But Eragon knew I had to be caged if it was true, so here I am. Once there were many here, but now there are only me and Baeguirn with the wardens trying to keep us in line. But no cage can keep me contained. Part of me slipped out and now it does not matter if you get away or not, for my revenge is already in motion and it cannot be stopped by any one girl and her Dragon.
How? Lynde asked, feeling fear slip into her again.
A Rider will be my tool of vengeance; one that put me in here.
The thought of a Rider being corrupted by this thing was too much, especially if it was one of the Elders. She immediately asked, Which one?
It does not matter, for you can do nothing about it. Suddenly Shruikan broke through her defenses. They were weak from the fear that Shruikan had inspired in her, and now he was able to be inside her mind and do as he pleased. She trying to fight him with her sword of will, but he shattered it. He held her mind by the throat as he said, Now you shall become like him.
Artsanna tried to fight Shruikan away from Lynde, but it did no good. Shruikan was too strong to be overcome by either of them. As all looked bleak, Shruikan began to withdraw a little. A new warrior had entered the fray, and his voice betrayed his identity. Back away from them, Shruikan, Baeguirn shouted.
My old friend, Shruikan said, what brings you here?
You are no friend of mine, Shruikan, Baeguirn said. Now fall to our might.
Now that Baeguirn was here and Lynde was freed, they and Artsanna fought Shruikan back. Lynde then felt the presence of many others; the wardens! Now that Shruikan had started to lose, the wardens could fight without fear.
They were on the verge of winning when Shruikan said, I will not be caged again! He then slashed at them all with his anger, and many of the wardens fled. They began to prepare defenses for a counter attack, but Lynde knew what had to be done; Shruikan had to be killed for the sake of all. It did not matter what he knew of evil plots; the black Dragon had to die.
Lynde stood and approached the stone that contained Shruikan. She raised her sword to fall upon the stone, but then the ground began to shake. What felt like an earthquake shook the cavern, causing rocks to fall from the ceiling and the floor to give way. She had to jump back to avoid a boulder from crushing her.
She was afraid of what might happen if she tried again, but she felt support from Artsanna. She waylaid her fears and gave her strength. But no matter what strength she had, she could not navigate the cavern with the earthquake. This is no earthquake, Lynde, Artsanna explained. It is Dragon magic. That changed little for Lynde, but then she began to see a way around the falling boulders and sinking floor. Artsanna was showing her what she already saw but failed to notice. She now had a path.
She charged into the cave in, sword in hand, jumping onto a bit of floor that remained. She then leapt from there to a nearby boulder that had temporarily stabilized. She couldn't stay long though as it began to roll towards the new sinkhole in the floor. She jumped off that and landed on another section of rock, this one more solid than the last.
She then began to feel tired. All the exertion from the day had weakened her severely and she had to rest before she could move on, no matter how dangerous it was. But Artsanna gave her more energy and greater strength than she had before. She no longer had to rest, and set herself back towards Shruikan.
She jumped from her resting place, and leapt from platform to platform until she got to Shruikan. He could no longer run from her; this would be the end.
But Shruikan wouldn't go quietly. Get back from me, girl! He yelled and stabbed at her with his mind. Artsanna and Lynde blocked it together and forced him back. Defiant he said, You shall not be rid of me so easily! Even if I die, my revenge shall come upon this world!
Lynde ignored the threats or pleas or whatever they were and said, Then let me be rid of your voice! She swung Shield Breaker into Shruikan's stone and it cracked. She swung again, her hand guided by Artsanna into the crack, and the stone shattered in two. For a brief moment she thought that was done, but there came an explosion from the shattered stone and she went flying backwards with metal chucks whizzing by her.
She landed on the hard stone and she began to slip from consciousness. She had done what had set out to do, no matter what the intentions of the Elders were. She had destroyed Shruikan and now, whether it was her will or not, she would rest. She closed her eyes and saw no more of this place.