Free Riders

Author's Note: Eragon is not mine. Char, Blaster, and Saranya are. Comment as you see fit.

Chapter 49: A Volcanic Issue

After talking with Arya, the five non-elves wandered through Farthen Dûr, conversing with the dragons. Since Char didn't have a dragon to speak with, Sara, albeit reluctantly, allowed Char to speak with her like Blaster could. Soon, everyone's thoughts turned to Murtagh, who was leaving momentarily. They all had lunch in a corner of the kitchens, then went over to the southern entrance to Tronjheim.

Sitting at the entrance, his warhorse Tornac loaded with enough supplies to get him to Surda, was Murtagh. His bow and sword were with him but properly secured. He looked up from checking Tornac's hooves, and exclaimed, "You made it!"

"Of course," Blaster said.

"Nice to see you again," Eragon added. Char merely nodded.

"I am surprised," Blaster said. "I would have thought that you would have been driven out of here much sooner than now, and with less supplies than you currently have."

"I expected the same thing," Murtagh replied. "But, Brom put a spell on me that made it so that, so long as I stay out of the dwarven realm, then I will forget everything about this place. Even if I do enter this place again, but forcibly under someone else, I will not be able to recall exactly where Tronjheim is."

"Aren't you upset that you have to leave?" Eragon asked.

"No, it is for the better," Murtagh said. "The people here wouldn't be at ease around me, knowing my true identity, and you know that there will be people who wouldn't limit themselves to harsh looks or words. So, I will leave and take temptation away from them. But enough about me. I want to know what's happened with you guys before I leave. The last bit of knowledge I can hold before I forget all about this place."

They told him about the past few days, including the encounter with the Twins in the library and some of the vague details of the meeting with Arya. Murtagh reflected on this for a moment before saying, "I suspect that Arya is more important to all of us than we all know. Consider what you've learned about her: powerful in magic, as I am sure she would have summoned silver's essence if Blaster hadn't, a master of the sword, if she is to be believed, and, most importantly, she was chosen to guard both Saphira's and Sara's eggs until it somehow swapped hands. Even among elves, she cannot be ordinary."

"Agreed," Blaster said.

"Well, I should get going if I am to make it to Surda by late tomorrow," Murtagh said.

"Then, farewell, my friend," Blaster said. "May your travels be uneventful."

"Have a safe journey," Eragon added.

"Don't forget about us too much," Char added, jokingly. Murtagh stifled a laugh, then climbed on to Tornac.

"If I ever meet you again, I hope it is on the same side," Murtagh said. With a final wave, he lightly spurred Tornac and trotted out of Tronjehim.

FRFRFRFRFR

Blaster woke from his meditations with a start, forgetting that Char was sleeping at his side. She roused herself a few seconds later. Eragon was heard in his cave, shouting in pain from something that Saphira had done to him. Sara too was awake and looking out of the cave. Isidar Mithrim glittered there with a thousand different colors, illuminated by its girdle of lanterns.

At the entrance of the cave stood an agitated dwarf, wringing his hands. "You must come, Argetlamar! Great trouble—Ajihad summons you. There is no time!"

"What's wrong?" Eragon asked.

The dwarf merely shook his head, his beard wagging. "Go, you must! Carkna bragha! Now!"

Blaster didn't have enough time to activate his translator and try to translate the dwarven language, but if the dwarf said "Great trouble", then it was all too clear. He belted on Cratona, holstered his pistols, shouldered his bow and arrows, and readied the saddle. So much for a good night's sleep, Sara muttered, crouching low to allow Blaster and Char on her back. Eragon yawned loudly as both Saphira and Sara launched from the cave.

Orik was waiting for them with a grim expression when they landed. "Come, the others are waiting," he said quickly. He led them through Tronjheim to Ajihad's study. Along the way, Eragon plied him for questions, but Orik kept saying, "I don't know enough myself—wait until you hear Ajihad."

The large doors to the study were opened by a pair of burly guards. Ajihad stood behind his desk, bleakly inspecting the map. Arya, Brom, and a man with wiry arms were there as well. Ajihad looked up when they entered. "Good, you're here. Meet Jörmundur, my second in command."

They acknowledged each other, then turned their attention to Ajihad. "I roused the eight of you because we are all in grave danger. About half an hour ago, Murtagh returned with a dwarf out of an abandoned tunnel under Tronjheim. The dwarf was bleeding and nearly incoherent, but he had enough sense left to tell the dwarves what was pursuing him: an army of Urgals, maybe a day's march from here."

Shocked silence filled the study, first from the fact that Murtagh was back, and secondly that they had Urgals breathing down their backs. Then Jörmundur swore explosively and began asking questions the same time Orik did. Arya, Brom, Blaster, and Char remained silent. Ajihad raised his hands. "Quiet! There is more. The Urgals aren't approaching over land, but under it. They're in the tunnels…we're going to be attacked from below."

Blaster shouted over the din that followed. "Why didn't we know about this sooner? How did the Urgals find the tunnels in the first place?"

"We're lucky to know about it this early," Orik bellowed, silencing everyone else. "There are hundreds of tunnels throughout the Beor Mountains, uninhabited since the day they were mined. The only dwarves that go in them are eccentrics who don't want contact with anyone. We could have easily received no warning at all."

Ajihad pointed at the map, and both Eragon and Blaster moved closer. The map depicted the southern half of Alagaësia, but, unlike the map Jeod gave to Brom, it showed the entirety of the Beors in detail. Ajihad's finger rested on the section where the Beors met with Surda's eastern border. "This," he said, "is where the dwarf claimed to have come from."

"Orthíad," Orik exclaimed. At Jörmundur's puzzled inquiry, he added, "It's an ancient dwelling of ours that was deserted when Tronjheim was completed. During its time it was the greatest of our cities. But on one's live there for centuries."

"And it's old enough for some of the tunnels to have collapsed," Brom said. "It is possible that it was discovered from the surface."

"I suspect Orthíad is now being called Ithrö Zhâda," Ajihad said. "That's where the Urgal column that was chasing Blaster and Sara was supposed to go, and I am sure it's where the Urgals have been migrating all year. From Ithrö Zhâda, they can travel anywhere they want in the Beor Mountains. They have the power to destroy both the Varden and the dwarves."

Blaster bent over the map, as did Jörmundur. "Do you know how many Urgals there are?" Blaster asked. "Are they being augmented by Galbatorix's troops? Unless we know that, we cannot plan an effective defense."

Ajihad replied unhappily, "We're unsure about both those things, yet our survival rests on that last question. If Galbatorix has augmented the Urgal's ranks with his own men, we don't stand a chance. But, if he hasn't because he still doesn't wish for his alliance with the Urgals revealed, or for some other reason, it is possible we can win. Neither Orrin nor the elves can help us at this late hour. Even so, I've sent trusted runners to both of them with news of our plight. At the very least, they won't be caught by surprise if we fall."

He drew a hand across his coal-black brow. "I've already talked with Hrothgar, and we've decided on a course of action. Our only hope is to contain the Urgals in three of the larger tunnels and channel them into Farthen Dûr so they don't swarm inside Tronjheim like locusts.

"I need you, Eragon, Arya, Brom, and Blaster, to help the dwarves collapse extraneous tunnels. The job is too big for normal means. Two groups of dwarves are already working on it: one outside Tronjheim, the other beneath it. Eragon, you and Brom will work with the group outside. Arya and Blaster, you'll be with the one underground; Orik will guide you to them."

"Why not collapse all the tunnels instead of leaving the large ones untouched?" Eragon asked.

"Because," Orik said, "that would force the Urgals to clear away the rubble, and they might decide to go in a direction we don't want them to. Plus, if we cut ourselves off, they could attack other dwarf cities—which we wouldn't be able to assist in time."

"There is also another reason," Ajihad said. "Hrothgar warned me that Tronjheim lies on such a dense network of tunnels that if too many are weakened, sections of the city will sink into the ground under their own weight. We cannot risk that."

Jörmundur listened intently, then asked, "So there won't be any fighting inside Tronjheim? You said the Urgals would be channeled outside the city, into Farthen Dûr."

"Correct," Ajihad said quickly. "We cannot defend Tronjheim's entire perimeter because we don't have enough forces for it. So we're going to seal all the passageways and gates leading into it. That will force the Urgals out onto the flats surrounding Tronjheim, where there's plenty of maneuvering room for our armies. Since the Urgals have access to the tunnels, we cannot risk an extended battle. As long as they are here, we will be in constant danger of them quarrying through Tronjheim's floor. If that happens, we'll be trapped, attacked from both inside and out. We have to prevent the Urgals from taking Tronjheim. If they secure it, it's doubtful we will have the strength to roust them."

"And what of our families?" Jörmundur asked. "I will not see my wife and son murdered by Urgals."

The lines on Ajihad's face deepended. "All the women and children are being evacuated to the surrounding valleys. If we are defeated, they have guides who will take them to Surda. That's all I can do, under the circumstances."

Jömundur struggled to hide his relief as he asked, "Sir, is Nasuada going as well?"

"She is not pleased, but yes," Ajihad said. "The Urgals will arrive in a matter of hours. We know their numbers are great, but we must hold Farthen Dûr. Failure will mean the dwarves' downfall, death to the Varden, and the eventual defeat for Surda and the elves. This is one battle we cannot lose. Now go and complete your tasks. Jörmundur, ready the men to fight."


With the Urgals on their doorstep, is it possible to survive this? Will Blaster be called to duty for his rank? It won't be long before we get to the final chapter. The epic 5-part finale continues...