I am not JK Rowling or Christopher Paolini. They are the gods among humans who created these characters. I am not making money here.
A/N
Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, and seasons greetings. Did I cover all the PC terms? Okay, first allow me to apologize for the long wait in my update. Christmas is coming up, and I am invested in the holiday arrangements with my family, so I haven't had the time to write the way I want. Hopefully, this little chapter will make up for it. A Christmas review would make a nice gift. Hint, hint.
Chapter 14
Nasuada's face seemed to freeze in shock after Eragon explained what happened. Eragon himself could barely believe it. Harry, his friend, was gone. Taken by his own worst enemy. Further, the Shade was his namesake. The original Rider. The first Rider. And now he, Eragon, would have to take up arms against another Rider who fell to power.
"Eragon, return to Illiria immediately. We will have to plan carefully how to proceed. I know you command the Riders, but I am still giving you an order. Have every available Rider return with you. Then I think it is time our allies emerged. These corpse soldiers have been wreaking havoc, there have been dozens of sightings of Ra'zac. We need the Riders Eragon. " said Nasuada. She seemed on the verge of either anger or sadness.
" Your majesty, I will join you in Illiria, but I can't commit the entire order to this battle. It has taken years to return the Riders. Murtagh, Arya and myself will be your Riders, but I am sending my students back to Alaé." said Eragon, not looking to undermine Nasuada, but to assert that the Riders were His to command.
Nasuada gave him a tiny smile before saying," You have learned to be a leader Eragon. Yes, the Riders are yours to command. I was making a suggestion that would benefit all of us, but I understand your point. Arya is back in Ellesmera, but I will send word to her. Oh, and Eragon? You should know that two days ago, Roran reported for service. I have named him my chief commander under Jormundar, who will serve in an advisory role. "
For a moment, Eragon was stunned. Roran and Katrina now had three children, two boys, including Ismira. The crops from Palancar Valley were some of the best in Alagaisia, but at the first sign of a threat, Stronghammer was to ride again.
" I will be in Illiria in two days Nasuada, because frankly, I think time is valuable right now and I don't know how long Harry will be kept prisoner."
"May the gods watch over him." said Nasuada formally, before Eragon ended his spell.
"*************************"
After the bowl was clear, Eragon raised his voice and said, "You can come out now Elva."
With a faint rustle of leaves, Elva appeared beside him and said, "Harry Potter will be alright. But we do need to hurry."
Eragon studied the Witch-girl. After Elva's timely arrival in the fighting when Harry was abducted, Elva had literally run off, chasing down the Ra'zac and Inferi that had attacked them. Four hours later, she had returned covered in blood that varied in black, red and verdigris green. Almost as soon as she had entered the clearing, Elva had passed out and did not move until the sun had risen.
"So tell me, where did you learn how to fight like that?" Eragon said now as he handed her a bowl of stew and some bread.
"Wasn't easy. Even with my ability to sense other people's pain, I knew I was at a disadvantage if I had to fight. Words are powerful, but they are not as effective as a weapon of steel. So I went to the sparring field in Illiria and asked to be taught. The field instructor was hesitant, but I was very persistent and persuasive.
After almost five months of every day asking to be taught, he finally relented and agreed to teach me.
When I had done all I could do among human teachers, I accompanied Vanir to Ellesmera and studied with an elf. I am very proficient with a sword and deadly accurate with a bow." said Elva between large mouthfuls of food. She looked over her shoulder at the large glittering hills that were Saphira and Severus.
" Where is my sword and armor? " she said.
Eragon reached behind him and produced her sword, one that Eragon recognized as having belonged to Angela.
"This is Tinkledeath isn't it?" he asked, handing over the deadly weapon. Eragon remembered well how effective it was at cutting anything.
"When I asked Angela to help me get to Harry, she gave it to me and said that of everyone who has ever wielded this sword, I was the one most deserving of it, for I was using it for the defense of my heart." Elva explained as she stood up and buckled the belt over the lámarae and leather tunic she wore, which also served to conceal her feminine figure.
" Your armor is in my saddlebags. Durgrimst Ingeitium made it didn't they? " said Eragon, having recognized as well the craftsmanship of his and Orik's clan.
"Aye. Orik was kind enough to have it made shortly after my last birthday, as a gift. He had heard of my training and believed that only dwarf armor would serve me well."
As Elva turned to face the trail, she was startled by Severus. The bronze and black dragon had his head only feet away. He looked at Elva with his large obsidian eye, then spoke so both Eragon and Elva could hear.
" Eragon, I would be honored to carry this one to battle. Much like my Rider, she has known many hardships. While at one point you were lost because of your power little one, you have surpassed it and became something more. You ARE a Rider. My teeth and claws are as your own. "
With that final pronouncement, Severus dipped his long snout and tapped Elva's bare left arm. With a gasp, she dropped to the ground as Eragon watched in surprise. On her left hand, a bright glow appeared, blinding them both.
When the light faded, there on Elva's left palm was a mark like Harry's scar. Eragon faced Elva, bowed his head and said, "Welcome to the Riders, Elva Bladeheart."
"Bladeheart?" said Elva in an awed voice.
"You fight not for glory or for defense of others. You fight for your own heart and happiness."
Elva looked at Eragon with awe, then her vision blurred and for a moment, she was sitting on a bed, in an unfamiliar room. As the strange vision faded, she heard Eragon say, " Elva? Are you alright? "
"*************'***********"
Roran stood at the head of a table in a windowless room with Jormundar, Nasuada, and several other captains in Nasuada's army.
At the moment, a burly commander named Brok was speaking.
"I saw what those nightmares did. And I don't just mean the Ra'zac! But as bad as they are, it's nothing compared to those, those... Fear creatures! My whole detachment was frozen with fear."
Nasuada spoke from her position to Roran's right.
"Rider Harry called them dementors, captain. He said there is a way to beat them. Unfortunately, now that he's been abducted, the only one who knows how is Eragon. Thankfully, he is on his way here as we speak."
"If I may, your majesty?" said Roran. Nasuada indicated that he could proceed.
"Eragon said that the dementors and even these other corpse soldiers were frightened off by fire. Could not the elves create or use fire spells to keep us safe? I will not sanction an attack until we have protection from these terrors. Lord Vanir, is this possible? " Roran inquired of the dark haired elf.
" It is possible Roran-elda. But I would actually need to see one of these dementors. "
" Vanir, if it please you, and I can get approval from Queen Arya, I will personally accompany you on a mission. " said Roran.
His experience as the Earl of Palancar Valley had taught him how to work with politics and when he could use it to make his decisions.
" Roran Stronghammer, I would be honored to fight by your side. I once had my doubts about humans, and particularly, your cousin. But between you and he, my views are different." said Vanir, twisting his hand over his sternum in the elves peculiar form of respect.
'Now if Eragon would get here.'
Nasuada turned her attention to Falan, the new Prime Minister of Surda, who had been sent to fill in for King Orrin.
" Falan, any word of Orrin. I trust that he is in fine health?"
"Oh but of course your majesty. Orrin had pressing matters of state in Aroughs and said that he would join when it was sorted out." said Falan, and Roran knew instinctively the man was lying.
Roran thought to himself as the meeting turned to discussing how to best use and deploy their resources. But based on the look in Nasuada's eyes, she was thinking the same thing.
Harry groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He felt as if he were spinning really fast and everything appeared blurry. Then, as he regained his senses, Harry realized that he was not wearing his glasses.
"Aw, you are awake Harry Potter? I was afraid you had been damaged." said the cold, cruel voice of Voldemort. Something obscured his poor vision for a moment, then Harry could see again. He was in a circular stone room with no windows and an ironbound door with a ruby the size of his fist. Eragon had explained how jewels could hold energy, so Harry guessed it was enchanted to keep prisoners from escaping. He was shackled to the ceiling with thick heavy chains that Argus Filch would have died for. There was no furnishings in the room, save for a wooden chair against the far wall.
The man who stood before him looked nothing like the Voldemort he knew, nor did he bare resemblance to Tom Riddle. But he was also very handsome, in a rather rugged manner. He was tall, muscular, but his eyes, only Voldemort had eyes like that.
Harry stared at him, his hated enemy who refused to stay dead.
"Eka weohnata Ono vergari, eka tháet otherum!" said Harry defiantly.
I will kill you, I swear it.
Voldemort shuddered at the sounds of the Ancient Language as though they made him uncomfortable.
"You can swear to kill me in that cursed tongue Harry Potter, you will not succeed. Soon, I will kill that foolish Sundavor, and I will be unstoppable. This new land will kneel at my feet, or I will destroy it. Eka tháet otherum." said Voldemort with a sinister laugh that echoed as Voldemort drifted out the door.
Luna Lovegood sat up in bed with a start. As she sat there, breathing hard, she looked down at her left hand as it itched and tingled. Shining in the middle of her palm was a silvery mark in a shape she would know anywhere. Before her eyes, her room wavered and for a moment, she was looking at a tall, well built man flanked by two dragons, one sapphire blue and the other black and bronze. Then the stranger said, "Elva? Are you alright?"
Luna Lovegood quickly got out of bed, crossed her room to her desk and started writing a letter addressed to Ron and Hermione.
A/N
So there it is. With the writing and finishing of this chapter, I can now tell you that the battle you are waiting for will happen in chapter eighteen. Please continue to read and review. I promise you, it's gonna be good.
KJC Reilly