Chapter 5

Garrow observed Carvahall from his high vantage point in the spine, for nearly six months now there had been peace ever since Morzan had fled in pursuit of Eragon, he had feared that once his nephew had escaped Morzan and his vicious brute of a dragon the pair would turn and lay waste to the village but that had not yet happened and life had nearly returned to normal with the exception that Garrow and Marian were still staying with Horst and his family.

Behind him he heard a branch snap and he wield round his hand flying to the hilt of his sword, he let go when he saw Baldor pushing his way through the undergrowth wielding a short sword that he was using to clear he brush out of his way.

Garrow watched as Baldor finally broke clear of the last of the tangling vines, "you startled me lad."

"I'm sorry Garrow but father sent me to find you."

"Is everything ok?"

"I think so but I know that some of the elders came over this morning, they're worried that the forsworn and maybe even Galbatorix will come back and wipe us all out."

Garrow sighed he knew this would come the lull had put them all on edge "very well let's head back." As he turned and began walking towards Baldor, he heard the one sound he had dreaded from high above came that shattering bellow of a dragons roar, he whirled round and looked out, his eyes searching the sky intently until he spotted them descending upon the valley.

Two enormous dragons, one was a dark blue almost black and the other was a dull muddy brown as they drew ever closer to the ground Garrow paled and before he knew what he was doing he was running, behind him he heard Baldor crashing through the underbrush, but he paid no heed Marian was in Carvahall and he knew he could not let either of the forsworn into the village no matter the cost. His mind raced now, contriving spells he might use if conflict was inevitable. He made the decent from the forest in a fraction of the time it had taken him to climb to his lofty lookout, Baldor he knew was far behind him now but he pressed on, rather than wait for the villagers to clear the over turned and stone filled wagons out of his way he simply drew upon the strength that had lain dormant for so many years and jumped, easily clearing the barricade to the stunned disbelief of the villagers on watch but once more he didn't stop he sprinted through Carvahall's main road sliding to a stop in the mud to stand beside Horst and Sloan both of whom were looking through small gaps in the log wall.

"About time you made it back." Came Horst's gruff voice.

"Aye I doubt we can do much to fend off this pair as well as their dragons." Said Sloan.

"Is Marian safe?" Asked Garrow.

"Safe as any of the rest of us she's up at the house with Elaine and the children."

"Good." Garrow looked at the two men whom he had grown close to in the past six months, helping Horst in the forge and providing a fresh supply of game to Sloan. "Whatever happens next stay out of this as much as you can, you're no match for either of them and I doubt I am either but I will do what I can."

Both men nodded and retreated slightly. Garrow them climbed on top of a wagon and stared at the two as they dismounted and walked forward flanked by their snarling dragons.

Both figures were tall and slender one was male with silver hair and the other was female with hair that was a dark shade of blue black. As they approached, they saw Garrow who had now drawn his pale sword Uluthrek and stopped, it was the woman who smiled at him and spoke first. "Ah Garrow so nice to see you once more my love, it has been far to long. You have no idea how overjoyed I was when Morzan returned with word of your survival, I was so desolate when my brother brought word to Galbatorix that he had slain both you and Ophelia over Fienster." She studied the look of disbelief on Garrow's face for several seconds, "I see you do not believe me my love but it is true I did mourn for you."

"Please stop calling my that Formora, whatever affections I had for you died a long time ago," he looked at the other elf, "and you Enduriel my nephew used to look up to you so much when you were both training how could you betray him as you did?"

The male elf smirked "Eragon was a pathetic child he doted upon my every word, and as for how I could betray him." He shook his head, "No it was not I who betrayed him Garrow but rather he who betrayed me, when the elders of our order became corrupt and lazy Eragon as well as the rest of his family including you chose to side with them instead of joining us, think about it if you had all seen the truth that I myself along with Formora, Kialandi, Morzan and the others have perhaps Ophelia would still be alive today."

"Enough with this," shouted Garrow, "why have you come here?"

Formora laughed hysterically, Garrow mentally thought it was a laugh of the insane.

It was Enduriel who finally answered his expression one of boredom, "we have come to fulfil Morzan's promise to you and dear Eragon, we have come the slay you all." He paused for a few seconds to let these words to sink in before he continued "though I was told to give you this offer, Galbatorix in his benevolence has decreed that you be granted a chance at clemency for your crimes of harbouring enemies of the crown, you shall all be sold into slavery every man, woman and child, and you Garrow shall swear oaths of fealty to Galbatorix at the palace in Uru'baen. And soon there after your son shall join you."

Garrow looked up as Enduriel finished speaking, over head dark storm clouds were roiling heavy with their burden of rain, he smiled to himself, as he leapt from the wall, he saw Horst, Sloan and several other men converging on him looks of horror and worry on their faces.

"What are we going to do Garrow?" Asked Sloan as the first dull boom of thunder echoed through the valley and Garrow smiled once more.

"I assume that nobody has any intention of surrendering to the empire to become slaves?" Every man shook his head, "very well then stand clear of the wall this could get violent." And as the heavy rain began to fall in great soaking drops, he vaulted back to the top of the wall and glared out at the two forsworn who still stood on the road "you have called for our surrender for our supposed crimes, and you want me to bow down before the greatest traitor Alagaësia has ever seen, well here is our answer." He pointed Uluthrek towards the sky and in a great booming voice that resonated with tremendous power he shouted a single word and the dark clouds burst with light followed by a titanic, crackling blue-white fork of lightning came crashing down from the heavens and struck Enduriel and Formora before it branched off and struck the dragons, both riders stiffened as the lightning bypassed their wards the two dragons writhed in pain before they collapsed. The forsworn however were still standing though they were breathing heavily, Enduriel grimaced at the pain but Formora's face was livid with blind rage. She drew herself up erect and cast off her smouldering cloak which hissed angrily as it landed in a rapidly forming puddle on the road, she raised her hand and pointed a finger at the wall from the end of which sprang a crackling bolt of energy that streaked towards the wall and Garrow who stood atop it. Thanks to his training as a rider he reacted with an agility borne of centuries of practice, he sprang backwards off the wall and landed in a crouch. With barely enough time to cover his face the wall exploded in a hail of shards and splinters, as he lowered his arm he saw the two forsworn dart forward he only just managed to block Formora's blade and struggled to hold her off, when he saw Enduriel creeping round to flank him he gave ever so slightly to allow Formora a fraction closer to him before he used his entire strength to force her backwards and turned to face Enduriel, rather than duel the male elf he simply curled his hand tighter around Uluthrek's hilt and smashed his fist into Enduriel's temple as he staggered back Garrow flinched as a stinging probe thrust at his mind, he raised his free hand and clutched at the side of his head before he drew up a solid wall comprised of his family, of Roran, Eragon, Murtagh, Selena, Brom, his fallen dragon Ophelia and finally, Marian and his love for all of them though the overriding and strongest love was that of his love for Marian. Its was this that repulsed Formora as she attempted to invade his mind once more.

She hissed at him, "A wife? You have a wife, and she is pregnant, perhaps she is the key to making you submit."

At this Enduriel looked at Formora, "Stop playing Formora and get her then."

She grinned, it was an evil grin full of malice and hatred and without another word she began running through Carvahall pushing aside anyone in her path. As Garrow made to move after her Enduriel caught his arm and wheeled him around, as he did he brought Uluthrek up to block the stab Enduriel aimed at his stomach, the blade still sliced through the chain mail shirt and bit deeply into Garrow's side growling in pain Garrow relinquished his sword to the dirt and balled his fist and once more smashed Enduriel in the temple, this time the blow landed in the precise point Garrow had wanted to strike the first time and he watched as Enduriel's eyes slid up showing only the whites before his eyelids closed and he fell with a soft splat in the mud unconscious.

Without pausing to heal himself Garrow began running ignoring the keening of women and snatching the spear from Albriech's hand as he passed the young man, when he finally caught up to Formora she had just reached the top step that led to the porch outside of Horsts house, without a second thought Garrow threw the spear which buried itself in Formora's chest as he began to climb the stairs she turned and he saw the top six inches of the spear protruding from her breast she smiled at him and blood ran down her lips which only served to intensify the madness in her eyes. As he reached the porch her legs gave way and Garrow caught her as she fell, he cradled her gently and when she reopened her eyes all traces of the madness that fevered her mind were gone.

She raised a hand and cupped his cheek, "Help me Garrow, please." As she spoke tears welled in the corner of her eyes and he felt his old emotions stir and come to the surface, he took hold of the haft of the spear that was preventing her from finding any small comfort and snapped it with his bare hands so only a few inches stuck out. He pulled her closer to him then and looked into her face which was pleading, she attempted to speak once more but words failed her, and silent tears rolled down her cheeks, he raised a hand and slowly passed it over her eyes saying, "Sleep now dear one, let not this ruined world trouble you." As he watched her eyes closed once more sending a last solitary tear coursing down her cheek, as he gently laid her on her side so as not to aggravate her wound further, he saw Enduriel mounting the steps and as Garrow turned to face his foe he felt a sudden blinding pain explode behind his eyes and heard the ominous crunch as his nose broke before the blackness of unconsciousness closed in around his mind.

As Garrow slumped backwards hitting the back of his head against the door frame of Horst's house, Horst and Sloan as well as half a dozen other men arrived to see Enduriel stoop and cradle Formora in his arms with both of their swords laid across Formora's chest, when the forsworn saw the new arrivals, he growled but without a word he fled.

When Garrow came to he noticed Sloan was sat beside him, the first sound to assail his ears was the mournful keening of women.

"What happened Sloan?"

The butcher looked uneasy and avoided the question, so Garrow decided to investigate himself, he pushed himself up and swayed alarmingly for a second before he felt Sloan pull an arm around his shoulder and support him down the steps and onto the road, after a dozen or so steps Garrow slipped free from the butcher and began making his way down the road until he reached the wall where Formora had blasted a hole. When he arrived, he saw a scene that could only have come from his nightmares, there in the middle of the road cradled in his mother's arms was young Elmund he was impaled through the chest with a giant splinter of wood as thick as his thigh, at twelve years old Elmund had reached the age where worries about him growing into manhood had passed and now, here he lay another victim of the empire. Kneeling beside the boys distraught mother Garrow laid a hand on the boys chest and prepared to bless him when he felt something that startled him, the boy was still alive, he looked at Elmund's mother who had her head bowed over her son silently shaking. He immediately began pouring energy from his own body into that of the boy, after a minute the boys eyes fluttered open and Garrow heard his mother gasp.

Garrow looked at her "I can save him Lenna, I'm already sustaining him with my own energy."

The look of hope in Lenna's eyes was undeniable she then looked to her husband, and Delwin moved to stand by her, "Can you truly save him Garrow?"

Garrow nodded "I can but it will take a great deal of energy."

"Whatever we can do to help."

Garrow nodded before carefully preparing the spells he would need, once he was ready, he took a firm hold of the piece of wood and with a sickening sucking noise Garrow pulled the wood free and as it came out, he began to softly chant under his breath drawing energy from Lenna and Delwin as well as augmenting the spell with the energy he had stored in Uluthrek's pearlescent moonstone pommel.

After an hour the wound was completely healed with no signs of it existence save the hole in the young boys shirt, as he allowed the magic to fade away Garrow leant backwards resting on his haunches, as he looked around, he saw first Lenna cradling her son and Delwin holding them both tight, around them stood their other five younger children and around them stood the other villagers and finally his eyes rested upon Marian who had come to share in the villages mourning, she was radiant in her pregnancy as was Elaine who was stood beside her. He smiled to himself, it was a weary smile for he had used an extraordinary amount of his strength even though he had drawn some from Lenna and Delwin was a minuscule amount compared to what the spell had needed for the wound was a near impossible task for the ordinary human body to survive.

Garrow watched as many villagers began to frown and look around and it took him several seconds to realise that he could also hear what they heard, the heavy, thud, thud, thud as great quantities of air were compressed. As he realised what the sound was and he went even paler than he had been when he had finished healing Edmund.

He had time only to shout two words and he prayed that everyone would hear him. "GET DOWN!" He saw Delwin look at him before he threw himself over his wife and son pulling the youngest children, a pair of twins, down as well. Others too began to drop and cover loved ones however Garrow only had room for one person in his mind, Marian, and he pulled himself up ignoring the screaming agony of his own body, before he began moving towards his wife. He made it no more than three feet when the sound of snapping timber and the twang of taught rope could be heard and he was forced to the ground, as he looked up, he saw his very worst fear Enduriel had crushed the net that Eragon and Garrow had sung into covering the village as well as half a dozen houses including a portion of Morn's tavern, as he watched to bat like creatures landed on roofs flanking Enduriel and on their back were hooded and robed figures holding drawn recurved bows.

Enduriel leapt from the saddle with a dull wet splat, his midnight blue, curved sabre in his hand, he looked around for several moments as Garrow and the others struggled to regain their footing until finally his eyes fell upon the two pregnant women and his grin was one of pure evil he swooped down on the pair his cloak billowing out behind him like a pair of foul black wings and he scooped the pair of women off the ground before he leapt from the ground to the porch of the tavern and then to the roof finally he leapt into the saddle, when he was settled the two bat like creatures flew off and Enduriel's dragon leapt high opening his translucent midnight blue wings and as he began to flap to gain altitude he craned his neck and shot a jet of fire into the village Garrow laid his hand upon Uluthrek's moonstone pommel and readied himself to shield everyone from the fire should Eragon's wards fail. Fortunately the wards held because after only a few seconds the midnight flames dissipated and as the last flames flickered out of existence Garrow saw Enduriel flying off do the valley, quickly he followed Enduriel's path first onto the porch of the Seven Sheaves and thence to its roof where he watched the dragon and its allies fly for two miles before they landed.

Without pause Garrow leapt from the taverns roof and began to run through town, behind him he heard several sets of running feet and he briefly looked to see Horst and his two sons as well as Sloan following him, he paid them no heed instead he carried on running until he reached the place where the villagers had picketed all the towns horses. Without pausing to saddle one Garrow swung himself onto one of his draft horses, Brugh, around him the others did the same, Horst mounted on his grey mare, Baldor and Albriech on matching roan stallions and Sloan who had pulled himself onto Garrow's other horse Burka, not stopping to remove the gate that fenced of the area Garrow spurred his heels into his horses side and the animal reared at the shock before taking several long strides before clearing the fence and continued to run down the valley with Garrow guiding the horse and those of his companions with his mind whilst soothing them in the ancient language.

Finally after fifteen minutes of hard riding they reached a large copse of ash trees where they left the horses and Garrow bound they with a simple spell to stop them straying. Then he and the four other men with him began to make their way cautiously through the trees, until they arrived at the far edge and could see a large campfire around which was pulled a large log that was being used as a bench, upon which sat Marian and Elaine their hands and feet were bound and a gag was in each of their mouths behind them crouched the two dragons of the forsworn and at the furthest end of the log sat Formora the hood of he cloak drawn up before her knelt Enduriel who was examining her chest presumably the area where Garrow's spear had gone through her. From across the fire came a low hissing voice that sent chills down Garrow's spine "And what are we to do with the spare? Asked the smaller of the two black hooded figures drawing a curious, leaf shaped sword from under its cloak. The taller of the pair also drew a leaf shaped sword and said "I say we kill the spare" and it started moving around the fire to Elaine, Garrow reacted with lightning speed as Horst made to break from cover he grabbed the powerful smith by both arms and used all of his strength to restrain him beside him he saw that Sloan, Albriech and Baldor were silently wrestling in the dirt, one of the brothers managed to get in a lucky punch that Garrow knew would result in Sloan having one hell of a black eye.

"Calm down Horst we can't fight them all if those things in the black robes are what I suspect they are, then I stand no chance against all four of them and the dragons, never mind you and the others. And then Elaine and Marian both die."

This made the smith freeze, "Very well Garrow." He moved silently and pulled Baldor off Sloan hissing at both of his sons.

He then moved back to Garrow's side and carried on watching as Formora leapt up her sword whistling as she ripped it free of its scabbard slicing across the strangers sternum drawing a line of blood that was a strange metallic blue, green colour.

"We aren't going to kill either of them. They will both come with us."

"Enough of this." Said Enduriel "We need to leave I've expended my magic healing Formora, and Garrow will soon be baring down upon us if he's not here already."

"Very well but what shall we do about these inbred retches."

"For now nothing, we shall regroup with our brethren and then return and raze this place to the ground. The next time we our here we shall take no prisoners." Said Formora

With that she stood and walked over to Marian and Elaine and passed her hand in front of them and the two women slumped against each other, she then picked up Marian and mounted her dragon and after securing Marian in front of her she fastened the straps around her legs, beside her Enduriel did the same with Elaine. Once the dragons took to the sky, the two hooded strangers mounted the batlike creatures and as one they began flying south.

When they were out of sight Garrow rose and exited the cover of the trees and drawing upon his magic he extinguished the fire, he knew he had made the right decision for now. Around him gathered the others and in Horst's face was the same loss and despair that Garrow knew was mirrored on his own. "We need to get back to the village there's a lot to be discussed."

Horst nodded walked back to where they had left the horses followed by his sons.

Sloan looked at Garrow, "What were those things Garrow?"

Garrow sighed "They're called the Ra'zac. Centuries ago they terrorised the land and the eventually the riders had to step in, took many years but finally we thought we had wiped them out, it would seem that Galbatorix has found remnants of their race and enlisted their help."

"What can be done about them?" asked Sloan

"Nothing, there is no way to defeat them without the help of the riders the same goes with the forsworn." He looked around at the valley he had called home for thirty years, "I believe it's time that we were reunited with our children."

Sloan looked at Garrow "What about everyone else."

"Trust me my friend I have a plan."

Together they headed back to the horses, as one the five men rode back towards Carvahall in silence. When they arrived Horst and his sons went home whilst Garrow and Sloan headed for the Morn's tavern where they found Gertrude helping those that had been wounded first when Formora broke the wall and then when Enduriel crushed the net, most of the wounds were minor but Garrow leant a hand where he could, but eventually he had to stop and took a seat on the steps of the porch of the seven sheaves. He looked up when he heard someone sit down next him, and was surprised to see Horst, he hadn't seen the smith for the last four hours but now as the darkness of night began to close in, he sat beside him holding two large flagons, he handed one to Garrow before taking a long draft, he wiped the foam from his beard before he spoke.

"What do we do Garrow? We have to get Elaine and Marian back."

Garrow also took a long draft and looked around at everyone around them busy trying to clear the wreckage of Enduriel's attack.

"Do you trust me Horst?"

"I must admit when you held me back before my faith in you was shaken but yes Garrow I trust you, with my life and that of my wife and unborn child."

Garrow nodded, took another long draft and stood, "Come." He said and he began to walk he heard Horst and many others follow him, as he passed others he repeated his single word message until finally he reached the opposite side of Carvahall where the over turned wagon still guarded their flank when he arrived he stopped and turned he then raised a hand and whispered a few words in the ancient language and from his palm sprang a soft white werelight that hung suspended above him a cast a soft radiance over everyone. He looked at them all the stress of the past twenty four hours was drawn upon every individuals face.

"We have lost so much this day, and we will lose so much more in time." He began. "Our only hope is to strike back at what curse and wanton fate has laid upon us. If we stay here in this valley, we will all be killed, when the Forsworn first arrived they offered us a choice to surrender and become slaves to the empire or die." He looked around gaging the crowds reactions, "Today we have defied Galbatorix and the Empire and for that we will be made to suffer. I do not say this to scare you, I say this because we must all make a decision one that will change our fate forever. Today we nearly lost a young man one who's future was so bright before it was nearly extinguished by the forsworn." He looked at Delwin and Lenna who stood at the forefront with Elmund before them. "We now know the true nature of the Empire and Galbatorix a truth I already knew. Galbatorix and his forsworn are a blight upon the world, they destroyed the riders, my family, and the greatest friend and love I will ever have." It was here that Garrow's emotions threatened to get the better of him he looked at the werelight as he steadied himself. "They are foul demons, not content to simply grind us under their heels. If we do not act, we, our children and all our descendants will wallow in sadness, slavery and solitude, to be no more than playthings for Galbatorix's amusement." He looked to Horst and Sloan who were stood next to each other, Horst nodded ever so slightly, and Garrow returned the gesture. "Unless we have the courage to resist the evil, we could all die here alone and forgotten. My son Roran and Sloan's daughter Katrina have already left the valley to seek out the Varden and join them in their fight against the empire. We cannot stay here and wait for Galbatorix and the empire to destroy us. I for one will step from my grave and let my enemies bury themselves in it."

"And how will you go about that?" Asked Delwin

"I will leave Carvahall, cross the spine and take a ship from Narda and sail to Surda from there I will join the Varden and take a stand with them against Galbatorix, alongside Roran, Katrina and what remains of my family, for the rumours of free riders in Alagaësia are true and it is Roran and Katrina who are those riders along with my nephews Eragon and Murtagh. I know many of you have met Eragon when he assisted in constructing the defences around Carvahall earlier this year, and now the Varden have four dragons and six riders and once I join them, they will have yet another rider." He looked at the shock at this last statement and in a slightly lower voice he said, "I do not wish to go alone," he met the eyes of every single person "come with me, let us take this opportunity and repass to break free, we can make a better life for ourselves and our families. Let us not be bound by the shackles of the empires rule."

No one spoke, in the distance the crashing sound if the Igualda falls in the far distance cut through the pure silence.

"A hundred years from now the bards will sing the lay of Carvahall, of how we did not submit to the rule of a tyrant king. Let nobody forget that we were the only Village in the entire empire to defy the empire. There was once a saying amongst riders and dragons that one had the heart of a true dragon, and though none here are riders as I look out at you all I know that each of you has the heart of a true dragon. We do not have to live in fear anymore, we could live happy and prosperous lives. This age is about to end, I will be marching in two days, come with me if you wish, but I know where my future lies and I will leave here whether you come or not." With that he made his way through the crowd and as he passed the last of the villagers, he extinguished the werelight leaving them all to find their way home by the light of the full moon.

Garrow returned to Horst's house where he let himself in and made for the kitchen where he procured a loaf of bread and some cold stew and began to eat in silence and in the dark. Eventually Horst and his sons along with Sloan arrived, quickly the smith lit several candles which filled the room with soft yellow light.

The first to speak was Albriech, "That was amazing."

"Aye, I'm sure you could have convinced a dragon to give up eating meat or maybe persuade an urgal to cut of its horns."

Garrow snorted "I highly doubt that." He looked at Horst and Sloan. "What do you think?"

"You know where I stand." Said Sloan "Ismira crossed the spine and went to join the Varden as has Katrina and her dragon. I have nothing left here; it is time my family was reunited."

Horst grimaced at the end of Sloan's statement but made no comment "I will come with you it will cost me most of my tools but Elaine is worth that sacrifice as for my boys they are men now and may do as they please."

"You know we'll never abandon mother we will both join you, if you had said you were leaving immediately then we would have taken our spears and followed you then." Said Baldor and Albriech nodded vigorously in agreement.