Chapter 38

The floor to his left opened into a stairway leading to a dark void. He stepped down the first step and paused, looking back at the battle.

"NO!" Galbatorix shouted, running towards Eragon with his sword held high.

Vanir and Goroth were just as before, both fighting so fast it was hard to keep track.

Eragon contacted Vanir with his mind, knowing that the elf was the most likely person in the room to hold Galbatorix off. Keep him from following me, Vanir. Please!

The elf abruptly spun away from Goroth, swinging for the King as he passed by. Soon, he was in a fight with both the Shade and the King of Alagaesia.

Eragon turned away, climbing down the steps as quickly as possible. It was dark. Too dark. He could not see a thing. Everything was cold. His whole body was chilled. As he reached the last step, he looked up just in time to see the entrance close. I wonder if it will open back up for me, he thought. But enough of that—I came here for a reason.

Voices suddenly filled his mind—pleading for freedom. Frantic, desparating cries for help.

He shook his head to relieve the pain that was suddenly in his mind. "Stop… please stop!" he said.

Immediately, the voices ceased. But he could still feel the presence of many souls—thousands of them, all full of hate and despair.

I'm a Kuthian Master now… they must obey my commands. Eragon stood up straight, sorting out a few words to say in the ancient language. Through Nasuada's interpretation of Elva's words, he knew what he had to do. "As the Kuthian Master, I hereby declare that all who are in this vault, and all who reach its gates from this moment on, will be given a chance to change their heart—to cross into the other realm."

A sudden roar filled the dark chamber, rattling his bones. Cries of joy erupted from the prisoners of the Vault. Rapidly, he could feel many souls fading away, already taking him up on that offer.

As the roar grew louder, Eragon was forced to clap his hands over his ears. He sank to his knees, hoping it would stop.

In the chamber, Vanir felt the floor shake and heard the roar. He paused, fighting to keep his footing as the stone trembled furiously.

Goroth, trying to catch him off guard, suddenly lashed out at him.

Vanir blocked her blow with difficulty, stepping back.

"NO!" Galbatorix shouted, looking over at the vault. He turned to Vanir furiously, thrusting his sword right for the satchel at the elf's side.

Vanir blocked the blow frantically, fighting to keep up with both of his opponents.

Goroth let out all of her fury, charging at him full force while Galbatorix persisted with his attack on the satchel where he knew the dragon hatchling was held.

Eragon regained his composure as the roar faded away. He reached out and was surprised to find that there were still souls within the vault with him. "Why are you here?" he asked in the ancient language.

The voices, as one, answered reluctantly, as if forced, "We are not fit for the other realm. You may set the rules here, but not there."

He hesitated, realizing what that meant. Of course the other realm has no place for those who are still evil to the core… that means Galbatorix still has souls within this vault he can use. I have to make the door one-way so that no one can use it—so that no spirits can escape into the world and cause havoc.

Above, Vanir still fought with Goroth and the King, managing to keep up with their attack.

Finally, Galbatorix got fed up with the swordfight. He tossed his sword away, pointing his hand at Vanir's satchel and speaking one of the words of death.

Immediately, Vanir felt the consciousness of his dear little hatchling fade from his mind. He cried out, dropping his sword and sinking to his knees.

Goroth stood back, looking quite amused as Vanir opened his satchel and took out the limp little body that used to be his baby dragon.

Vanir clutched the hatchling to his chest, begging to wake up and find out it was all a dream. But he did not wake up. The emerald little dragon made no acknowledgement of his calls. It remained still.

He laid it carefully back on the stone floor and looked up at his opponents. "You have defeated me," he whispered.

"Not me," Nasuada said from right behind Goroth. With that, she drove her sword through the Shade's back and into her heart.

Goroth's eyes widened with shock as the life faded from her body.

And then there was pain. Nasuada felt Galbatorix pry into her mind, much harder than before. His fury was unbelievable.

She put up her very best barriers, but they would not last long. Vanir… she called with her mind, careful not to let her guard slip.

He was still kneeling over his dragon, face frozen in an expression of devastating grief.

Vanir, please help. As an elf, you're the only one who can stand strong against his mental attacks. She felt her defenses slipping. Please! For the Varden—for your dragon.

He looked up and their eyes locked. Vanir nodded, standing up slowly and glaring at the King.

The elf must have attacked Galbatorix mentally, for the pressure in Nasuada's mind lessened some, and the King turned to face Vanir.

Man and elf stood five paces apart, each concentrating so hard on the mental battle that sweat began dripping from their brows.

Nasuada staggered backwards, heaving from the effort of keeping the King out of her mind. Where is Eragon? She felt her hands brush up against the rock of Kuthian and turned around.

The stairway was open once more, Eragon climbing out of the depths of the vault.

"You're alive!" Nasuada breathed, flinging her arms around his neck.

Eragon held her to him for just a second before breaking away. "Nasuada… I… Well, the next step is closing the door, but the spell requires that…" He looked away, noticing the surroundings.

"What is it?" she asked, "If it takes too much energy, I'll help."

"Saphira's hatchling," he whispered, eyeing the emerald dragon. But his eyes were not filled with sorrow so much as revelation. "I understand it now…"

Solembum's words from Dras Leona came flying back to Eragon's memory. As the end draws near, you will be forced to close a door that shall never again be opened. It will consume you. In order to save the dragons, you will have no choice but to allow another to grow close with Saphira. It is the only way they both can survive with such grief.

"You understand what?" Nasuada asked, frustrated.

Eragon turned to her, gripping Nasuada by the shoulders. "There is no time. I have to close it, but if something happens to me, I want you to—"

"But what is going to happen to you?" she asked, fear showing in her eyes.

"Just… just tell Vanir that the only way they can survive is if they bond with one another." He took a long look into Nasuada's eyes, realizing that it would be the last one.

"I don't understand," she said, shaking her head. "Eragon, what are you hiding?"

A lump rose in his throat and he looked away, unable to meet her gaze. Suddenly, he could hardly keep himself from crying. Memories of his childhood came back; images of himself and Roran as children. I'll never see him again. I won't live to be an uncle, nor will I be a father myself… but what hit Eragon most was the fact that he would never see Saphira—never feel her consciousness brush his.

Tears filled his eyes. He swallowed hard, saying shakily, "Tell Saphira I love her, okay? I fully expect her and Barzul to have many more hunting trips together. And, Nasuada, I love you."

Without waiting to see her reaction, Eragon turned to the rock of Kuthian, thinking, If I don't do it now, I might never get the courage. Forcing every word out of his mouth before he could think, he murmured in the Ancient Language, "May no evil escape this vault."

The rock of Kuthian began shaking violently, and Eragon felt his energy dwindling.

"NO!" Nasuada cried, rushing to him.

Eragon sank to the floor, vision fading quickly.

The last thing he heard was Nasuada's voice, crying, "Don't leave me!"

He heard no more.

Vanir suddenly felt Galbatorix's defenses grow drastically weaker. Also, the attack from the King's mind was suddenly nonexistent.

Galbatorix cried out, looking towards the Kuthian rock.

It shook back and forth rapidly. Then, quite suddenly, it broke in half.

The elf renewed his efforts to break into the King's mind, trying so hard his whole body trembled.

Galbatorix reinforced his defenses, making them a little stronger, but nothing compared to before.

Vanir attacked with vengeance. This was the man who killed his dragon before it was three hours old.

Abruptly, the King cringed, his barriers weakening just enough.

The elf broke into his opponent's mind. He found the reason for Galbatorix's sudden weakness: Shruikan was injured in his fight with Saphira.

As was appropriate for a "wizard's" duel, Galbatorix reached for magic, attempting to blind Vanir with a flash of light.

Vanir, knowing the King's intentions before he acted, parried with a spell of darkness. He then sent a ball of flame straight for Galbatorix's eyes.

The King quenched the flame with a shower of water and dirt, but not before Vanir had his next move ready.

As swiftly as possible, Vanir used magic to levitate Galbatorix's sword in the air and drive it between his ribs.

Nasuada sobbed, tears running down her face. She knelt next to Eragon, touching his cheek. Every part of her still had hope that he would recover from the spell and wake up. She reached for his consciousness frantically, trying to pick up the faintest sign of life.

Nothing.

"But why?" she sobbed, "First Father, then Murtagh, now you!"

Vanir stumbled to the opposite side of Eragon, kneeling by his fellow Rider's body. Sweat drenched his hair, and he breathed in short rasps. "He died closing it?"

She nodded, unable to speak.

"Se mor'ranr ono finna, Shur'tugal. He has saved us all."

Barzul's consciousness reached for Nasuada's.

She leeched to his connection, glad for the comfort of his mind.

You've done it! He said. Shruikan just fell!... Nasuada, what has happened?

Nasuada started to explain, but Barzul broke in.

There's something wrong with Saphira! Concern ran through their link. She's fallen to the roof of the castle…

Vanir felt Saphira's mind, weak as it was, reach frantically for any life form in the rock chamber. Where is he? What happened?

He felt a wave of emotion coming from Saphira. It was not an unfamiliar sensation to feel the pain of losing a close companion. She felt just as he did at that moment. A piece of himself seemed to have vanished forever.

Saphira Bjartskular, do not despair. Your Rider has made it possible for peace to reign in Alagaesia. I will have you two appropriately honored, vel einradhin iet ai Shur'tugal.

"Vanir," Nasuada said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, "you have to contact Saphira. She's reaching for her Rider. You two can fill each other's weaknesses."

Vanir grimaced. "Bond to another man's dragon? That would be… sick. Like I was betraying a fellow Rider. Only Galbatorix was that demented."

"It was Eragon's final wish," she whispered quietly, looking back down at Eragon's body and choking back a sob. "The line of dragons must go on." Silently, she reached for Saphira. Already, the dragon's mind was fading. Don't give up, Saphira. Eragon wished for you and Vanir to live.

I don't know if I want to, the dragon said faintly.

Think of Barzul, Saphira! He couldn't live without you!

Barzul Knurlar… Saphira's mind sparked a little at the name. Someone has to complete his training…