Hey guys I am back for Chapter 37!
Its crazy how far we have gone!
Hopefully everyone is doing ok!
The final steps are here!
Arya's POV
Despite the circumstances, Arya was incredibly glad to see Saphira. Eragon had clearly been affected by her absence and to see him laughing and smiling in such dark times brought warmth to her heart. Besides, an extra dragon was never a bad thing in a fight.
Saphira was exhausted from her journey but Eragon quickly shared the memories of their past few weeks. Saphira seemed less perturbed than they were. She seemed to shudder as she learned of Folir's role in Veres's death but her only real comment was
"I am glad to see the both of you are safe. Many dark beings walk these lands and it is our jobs as dragon and rider to eradicate such threats as this shade."
Arya was not surprised at her directness. Saphira was always the type to do rather than sit and talk.
"Something we have in common, I think" Arya thought to herself
Eragon spoke to Arya in a hushed voice
"I can take watch now; you should get some sleep. We can talk more of our plans tomorrow"
Arya didn't even try to argue. She lay down and was almost instantly engulfed in a dream.
Arya once again found herself upon the mountain overlooking the city of the riders. She shivered slightly in the cold and looked around. There was no figure anywhere in sight and for a moment she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Maybe this is a normal dream?" She wondered to herself as she looked once more for the figure.
She knew the moment she thought it that she would regret it. A cold laugh echoed from behind her and she spun around. The figure stood there, dressed in the very same hood. The difference was Arya could see his eyes. They glowed an unnatural maroon color in the growing darkness around them. She could still not see his face, but she could guess what Dathedr looked like under the hood.
He walked toward her calmly and stood only a foot from her. He looked her over and seemed to smile although Arya didn't see it.
"Time has not been kind to you" he muttered "And yet you continue to fight the inevitable"
He paused and leaned in closer. Arya tried to move away but found she was unable too. His hot breath tickled her skin as he whispered into her ear
"I believe one final message is in order…..I shall see you soon, Arya Svit-Kona"
And suddenly Arya stood alone on the mountain.
Arya woke with a start and found Eragon leaning over her with a concerned look on his face.
"Are you alright? You were muttering in your sleep."
"I am fine Eragon" She replied shortly
Arya shook her head slightly to shake the wariness from her mind.
"Dreams?" He asked worriedly
She nodded and his worry deepened
"It is nothing to be concerned with Eragon. I have had these dreams before and nothing has resulted from them"
Eragon still looked concerned but turned away and walked up the stairs to release Folir from his bonds.
Arya stood and glanced around, trying to shake the worry from her mind.
Saphira was nowhere to be seen in the growing brightness of the sunrise. Arya hoped she was staying out of sight. Dathedr had been unpredictable and violent and Arya very much hoped that she was safe.
As though reading her mind (Which he very well could have been) Eragon said from behind her.
"Saphira and Firnen are on the Crag's near Oromis's hut. I figure they will be safe there for a short time"
Arya turned and nodded as she watched Folir walk down the stairs. Despite her words the night before she couldn't help but wonder if she had made the correct decision to spare his life. Arya felt an odd sense of both admiration and sorrow whenever she looked upon the elf. She couldn't imagine the anguish and fear that was a constant companion in his golden eyes. Folir's ability to even remain somewhat sane despite all that had befallen him was commendable enough. But to continue to show sympathy and care to a world that have given him neither of these things was truly awe inspiring.
When Folir drew level to Arya, she noticed a small object pinned over the center of his chest that hadn't been there the day before. It was a silver rectangle only a few inches long and two inches wide that lay flat against his chest. It almost looked like a incredibly small and thin bar of silver. Arya asked about it and Folir gave her a grim smile.
"That is an invention of my own design."
He unpinned the object and held it in his hands.
"Ganga" He muttered softly
The object expanded and almost faster than Arya could see, a small silver dagger shot out and embedded itself into the wall with a soft thump. Folir moved forward and retrieved the dagger. He rearmed the weapon to the pin which shrunk again, and he repined it to his chest.
Arya was intrigued by this invention but couldn't help but laugh softly
"It truly is an ingenious design, but you put it backwards, you're going to….stab…yourself" Arya trailed off. She had looked to where exactly the small dagger was pinned as she spoke, and she realized that this wasn't by accident. The dagger was pinned directly over his heart.
Her face grew stony as the true reason for the weapon became clear to her.
Folir gave her a hollow smile
"I have enchanted this so that only one of us can activate the dagger. If I am taken again, you have a safeguard."
Arya nodded and Folir stepped past her to the balcony. Eragon stood next to her as she watched Folir look around the surrounding forest as though taking it all in.
Eragon spoke in a bitter voice as he watched his former student
"I hate this"
Arya reached up and gently ran her hands through his hair
"Which part?" She asked gently
Eragon looked at her and gestured to their surroundings
"All of it."
He sighed
"This was supposed to be a time of peace and yet it feels as hectic and dangerous as any of the times we were at war"
Arya spoke to him comfortingly
"Until the time the mad king was killed, I had lived my entire life in times of unrest and war. I have come to conclude in that time that true peace is short-lived. You must do what you can with the limited amount given."
Eragon looked at her with raised eyebrows and said in a jokingly formal tone
"You continue to show yourself worthy of the title Svit-Kona, Arya Drotting"
Arya laughed at him and the tension that had been in the air a moment ago was gone.
"You do not need to call me Queen anymore seeing as I am stepping down as soon as Dathedr is defeated"
Eragon gave her a sly smile
"You are my queen, Arya, weather you sit upon the throne or not. So, the title is justified"
Arya rolled her eyes at this and was about to respond when Folir reentered the room.
"Something is happening" He said shortly as he pointed to a figure running toward the tower.
Eragon's eyes darkened and Arya retrieved her sword from the table as they made their way to the staircase leading down to the ground.
Arya could feel Firnen and Saphira take off and rush towards them as they descended the stairs. It would be several minutes until they arrived.
They made it to the bottom of the staircase and a figure lay slumped against the staircase, breathing heavily. It took Arya a moment to recognize the figure as Kayla.
She was covered in dust and grime and her clothes were torn and burnt. Her body was covered in small cuts and bruises. Her hair was singed, and her elbow was bent at an odd angle. She was coughing violently, and it was clear she was injured fairly severely
She remained slumped against the wall as Arya rushed to her.
"What has happened?" She asked desperately
Kayla lifted her head with a groan and was able to choke out
"Your home….has…been…..ambushed"
She erupted into another coughing fit and fell to a siting position. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell unconscious.
Folir leaned down and began to administer aid to her but Arya had only one concern in mind.
Arya looked into the direction of her ancestral home and could see smoke rising in the sky.
Arya was about to run but Eragon grabbed her shoulder roughly
"Wait! we need a plan!"
Arya shook off his hand and spoke in an impatient and desperate voice
"My people are in danger! I must help them!"
With that she began to run. She heard Eragon call after her, but she ignored him. She heard gasps from several elves as they recognized their supposed dead Queen as she ran past but she didn't care. Blood boiled in her ears as she ran, and terrible scenarios ran through her head as she quickly grew closer and closer to her home.
When she arrived, she was glad to see the building still standing. Part of the building was charred, and small pockets of flame still remained inside. The door lay on the ground and as Arya grew closer, she could hear swords clashing and screams of the injured coming from inside the house. Arya drew her sword and cautiously entered the damaged house.
The inside of the house was in complete chaos. About a dozen elves were locked in deadly duals with each other. It was impossible to tell who's side each fighter was on Blood soaked the floor and Arya knew several elves were certainly dead. She didn't see any bodies, but she didn't have time to think about it as a blade shot toward her head and she parried instinctively before driving her sword into her opponent's gut.
Arya withdrew her sword and started to turn away to look for another opponent when a sword swung at her that should not have been there. She rolled instinctively and the blade cut her shoulder as she rolled. She quickly got to her feet and looked at her opponent once again.
The wound from his gut was bleeding profusely but he seemed to pay it no mind. His pale skin looked almost dead and he stared at her with empty, unfeeling eyes with an expressionless face.
"They can't feel pain" She thought as she parried another blow from the elf.
In the next few minutes, Arya was able land over a dozen injuries upon the elf, but he simply kept moving with his blank expression and dull eyes. Arya accumulated several minor cuts but was otherwise unharmed. Finally, after several minutes of dueling, Arya was able to step inside his guard and shove her sword straight up through his chin and out the back of his head.
Arya was breathing heavily as she turned and looked around at the fighting that remained. Many bodies now lay upon the ground and it was clear one side was winning but she wasn't sure of who's side it was.
Only one duel was still in action across the room. Two elves were fighting a familiar elf. She had her back to Arya, but it was clearly Niduen.
Relieved that she was still alive, and that Arya now knew who the enemy was, Arya moved forward and engaged one of the elves attacking Niduen.
He gave a surprised look at her and said
"But your alive!" He shouted both in shock and surprise as Arya swung her sword at him and he parried.
Arya swung again but the elf locked his blade with hers and with a flick of his wrist Arya was forced to release her blade which clattered to the ground. Arya drew her dagger and dodged a swing from the elf before stepping in and stabbing him in the chest.
His eyes grew wide and to Arya's surprise he toppled to the ground.
Arya made sure he was truly dead before turning to where Niduen fought. Niduen stood over the groaning soldier who was clearly beaten. He was groaning in pain for a moment before Niduen's sword came down on his neck. Niduen didn't move after killing the soldier and Arya moved until she stood only a few feet from her and asked
"Niduen, are you alright?"
Niduen turned to face her and Arya saw her face clearly for the first time in the fight. Arya took a step back and let out a gasp of horror.
Half of Niduen's face looked as though it had been blown off. Arya could see bits of exposed skull and muscle while her face was covered in blood. Arya could also see the hilt of a knife sticking under her ribcage. Arya wasn't a healer but even she knew that Niduen should have been unconscious or dead from her injuries.
Arya saw her one intact eye meet Arya's and she could see the very same empty stare in her eye that the first soldier had held.
"Niduen wha-" She started before Niduen swung her sword
Arya dodged instinctively and began to retreat but, in her shock,, she was to slow to dodge the second blow. The flat of Niduen's blade struck Arya's head with such a force that she was thrown backward into the wall. Arya heard her already injured head hit the wall with a sick crunching noise and she slumped against the wall. Her vison began to grow fuzzy and dark as she tried to raise her knife to defend herself.
Through her blurred vison. Arya could see Niduen's half destroyed face moving slowly toward her. She didn't have the energy to move away, the darkness invading her mind seemed so much more inviting.
A dragon's roar was the last thing she heard before the darkness finally took her.
I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
I am curious to see if anyone can guess what was happening with Niduen and the other elves Arya fights. Let me know what you think happened to them. My only hint is they aren't traitors.
We are coming onto the final stretch!
Stay safe everyone!