The next day the quartet were traveling- Eragon with Brom on the ground and Axel with Saphira in the air- the boy had a sudden curious thought. «Have either of you seen the ocean?» his mental voice was projected to their entire group, though he was talking specifically to Axel and Brom. the Black Robin's wings stilled as he took to gliding through the thermals in the skies beside Saphira, thinking on the younger male's sudden inquiry. «The oceans in my world were the only places the Isoforms couldn't corrupt,» Axel finally answered, feeling Eragon perk up in attention. «I lived by one before I became… this. The waters were a blue as deep as the sky, or as green as the most vivid emeralds…But above all, it's an untamable force that can sweep you away and drown you without feeling any remorse.» Brom's answer was a bit more emotional as he answered Eragon, however.
«The sea… it's emotion incarnate… love, hate, dismissal, cruelty and tenderness thrashes under it's waves. It cannot be contained and cares not for those who disrespect it's rules. Do you remember, Axel, Eragon, that I told you two the Elves came over the sea?» Eragon nodded and Axel hummed in the link. «though they live far from the coast they still retain a deep passion for the ocean. It's inspired some of their loveliest ballads and songs.» Axel dipped as he left a thermal and began flapping to retain his height, getting a slight huff from Saphira in amusement at his inattentiveness. «Have you heard of any songs they made?» the Black Robin asked, curiosity in his tone. Brom grunted in confirmation. «Yes I have… it is called Du Silbena Datia. I'd have to translate the verse I know from the Ancient Language so the wording isn't really perfect. I also don't remember much of the tune, but what I do have would give you two an idea.»
Eragon seemed to give the impression of sitting up in eagerness and Axel chuckled at his emotive state.
Axel, Eragon, and Saphira fell silent as the old man sang. His gruffness seemed to fade away as he let the words flow from the song of the ocean, and Axel found himself rising and falling with the rise and fall of the melody.
O liquid temptress 'neath the azure sky,
Your gilded expanse calls me, calls me.
For I would sail ever on,
Were it not for the elven maid,
Who calls me, calls me.
She binds my heart with a lily-white tie,
Never to be broken, save by the sea,
Ever to be torn twixt the trees and the waves.
As the last notes of the song faded into silence Eragon spoke. «That was beautiful…»
Saphira noticed how quiet Axel was and turned to look at him over her shoulder. «Did your world have any songs depicting forces of nature as well?» Eragon perked up at this also, his mental eye turning to Axel as the older man was put on the spot. «…not for a long time.» was Axel's reply as reached for his iPod and began flicking through his playlists. «The most people made were songs about the fear and sadness of leaving their families behind to fight, or the anger of the invaders… Me being part of the Black Robin Project, I wrote more songs about falling from the sky.»
The three listeners fell silent at Axel's explanation for several moments. «Would you honor us with singing one of yours for us, Axel?» Saphira asked softly. The wind flowing around them brushed Axel's hair from his face, revealing the cloth they used to conceal his patch of scaly skin over his eye. The winged warrior blinked before looking over at Saphira while feeling Brom's and Eragon's own curiosity. «…You guys could probably do without hearing one of those-.» «Please?» Eragon interrupted Axel's attempt to refuse.
The boy, despite his small confrontation with Axel yesterday about his opinion of the Ra'zac's tools, did look up to the man even if he hadn't known him as well as he'd wanted to… maybe it was because it was their similar circumstances- the hope of the world on their shoulders, alone and pretty much the last of their kind… destined to fight in a war they had wanted nearly no part in… Eragon was broken out of his thoughts when he felt Axel sigh into their four-way link. «Fine. I never really got around to naming it, so forgive me if you wanted to know what it's called…»
A moment of silence followed before Axel's voice began to flow through their link. Low and mellow, tinged with sorrow and exhaustion yet awe and determination, the Black Robin began to paint yet another picture of his life before he fell into Alagaësia...
Learning to Fly by Hills x Hills
Well I started out,
Down a dirty road…
Started out… all alone.
And the sun went down,asI crossed thehill,
And the town lit up, theworld got still…
I'm learnin' to fly…
But I ain't got wings.
Comin' down…
That's the hardest thing…
Well the good old days may not return…
And the rocks might melt…
And the sea may burn!
I'm learnin' to fly, but I ain't got wings…
Comin' down… that's the hardest thing!
Well some say life will beat you down…
Break your heart,
And steal your crown.
So I've started out for God knows where.
(Ooh) I guess I'll know,
When I get there!
I'm learning to fly, around the clouds,
But what goes up must come down…
I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings!
Well coming down…
That's the hardest thing!
As Axel's voice faded from their minds Brom spoke up. «That has given me much to think about, Axel… you know the matter of loss and gain very well it would seem.»
The Black Robin smiled mirthlessly in the bond and to the air. «So I do, old man… so I do. I wrote that because I wanted a reminder that for all my paths that led me here, the choices others and I had made, there is no going back. Whatever decided to make me what I am now… made sure I could never be fully human again.» Axel looked at Saphira and he saw her blue eyes looking straight into his red ones. «Remember you two… be careful of the choices you make- they can effect not just you, but everyone and everything of you're not careful…»