A/N: Hey to everybody. I'm really not sure of that stupid rule anymore…I haven't heard the latest. Anyway, about Eragon and the bone-casting thing…Marie's past isn't fully unveiled but just so y'all know ahead of time, her parents were nobles from Surda before they moved to Alagaesia to help Jeod. So, there's your noble birth. Still not telling you if she dies or not. There should only be 2 chapters left. I'll try to update tomorrow but with school and Eldest and then mutual afterwards…well, I'm a busy woman. We'll see. Anywho, I hope you like this chapter. Not much romance at all. More expressing the relationship between Oropher and Marie. Well, here you go!
Chapter 24: Oropher
Harsh sounds arose Marie from below. She was in Angela's room on a bed but the noises were loud and harsh to her head.
You must stay here. A voice said. Marie turned her head slowly as to not cause pain and saw Solembum. You will be killed if you leave.
I won't move. Marie said back, surprised that even her mind voice could sound so weak. What is going on?
War. Urgals are approaching in the tunnels…Oropher is with them, said Solembum.
Marie's heart ached at the sound of her dragon's name. It pained even more that he might be killed in the battle. I will rest. Where is Eragon?
Preparing for battle of course. He's a Rider, did you think he would not fight? asked Solembum as he licked a paw.
No…I just thought he'd come by…that's all, Marie said. She frowned. This could be Eragon's last night too.
I'm sure he would've if he wasn't busy. I must leave you now Rider. Remember, stay here. The werecat left with a flick of his tail, shutting the door behind him.
Marie must've sat there for hours listening to the sounds of the men and dwarves prepping for battle. If I was well, I'd fight by Eragon's side.
Marie sighed and drifted off to sleep. She dreamed about war. She dreamed about Oropher, attacking and killing everything. She tried to reach out to him but she couldn't. He blocked her every opening.
A yearning swept over her as she woke to the sounds of yells and clashing, feeling hot in the head. Her whole body appeared to be pulsing with her heartbeat and she ached hard. She tried to stand but realized that would be a temptation to leave. Looking down at her clothes, Marie realized that she was still in her leggings and shirt. Her boats were lying by the door. Her sword was there too.
Marie's thoughts wandered to Oropher as loud roars could be heard.
Flashback
"Oropher…" Marie said quietly. Eragon nodded, seeing that she really wanting to get it off her chest. Marie stood and began pacing. "It's just that, I don't know what to do without him! He was my best friend and I don't know if he'll ever come back and I just…I feel useless without him…there's this empty space in my mind where he used to be…I need him, Eragon…"
"I don't know if I can get him back though…" Marie mumbled.
Marie…that fire changes one's mind. Not one's heart. If you truly love Oropher and he truly loves you then your bond was never broken…just a dent that needs to be mended. Oropher's true spirit is fading away. Slowly but steadily. You need to be prepared to bring him back when you see him and do it with your heart, mind body and soul…he will come back…if he hasn't lost faith in you…
Marie grasped her locket tightly and then looked at her gedwey ignasia. He belongs to me…and I belong to him…
Marie stood abruptly, ignoring her body's protest and yanked on her boots. She sheathed her sword on her buckle and pulled up her hair.
Marie threw open the door and raced out using her heart to lead her out of the passageways. Luck was on her side as she ended up on the staircase. She looked to the stairs that almost disappeared below her and then she looked to the slide.
It was exhilarating but she couldn't enjoy the speed and the rush when her mind shot to her plan. Suddenly she felt herself slipping and suddenly realized that she was flying through midair. Luckily she was close enough to the ground that with a tumble and thump she was back up running again.
Marie felt like she was in a trance. She was running, consciously having no idea where she was going but she knew at heart. Suddenly a wide battlefield opened up before her. Urgals, twenty feet tall, men and dwarves were all fighting. Axes swords, bows and arrows. All kinds of weapons were being used.
Her heart jumped to her throat as she looked to the air about three miles away. Oropher and Saphira were fighting. Marie immediately reached out to him.
Oropher! It's me, Marie! She cried. Oropher's mind was hurt and confused and angry. He hesitated before Marie felt an intense attack.
"Ugh!" Marie groaned and she fell to a knee grasping her already throbbing head. She breathed deep and stayed there for a few minutes before looking ahead of her.
She had to get through a raging battle to get to her Oropher. And somewhere out there was Eragon. If he found her…she would be dead…in a sense. If she couldn't get through this battle, she would be dead…literally. But getting Oropher back was…worth it.
Marie broke into a run racing through mini battles. A club suddenly swung down in front of her. She quickly ducked and twirled, rolling over a body of a man. She got up and ran on stopping abruptly as a spear crashed down right in front of her. "Oh!"
She faced the Urgal and pulled out her sword suddenly thinking of something. Putting her hand on her sword she said, "Brisingr."
To the Urgal's amazement, the sword light on fire, engulfing the entire blade in swirling red-hot flames.
"Ahh!" Marie screamed a war cry as she charged at the Kull, shoving her blade through it. It's scream cried out as it became alight with flames and began racing among the battle frantically, the magical fire leaping from Kull to Kull. Marie smiled and raced on, shoving her flame blade into any Urgal she saw.
Suddenly a man leaped in front of her. An Empire follower. Marie and the soldier clashed swords, Marie's with her flaming one and the soldiers with a normal one. As the metal slammed together, the soldier's sword began to melt.
He stared at his sword in shock and Marie swiped her flaming blade across his neck, bursting into a sprint before she could see what her work had done.
Marie's head began pounding hard. Her muscles were starting to ache. Her throat and insides were burning.
Oropher and Saphira were diving through the air slashing each other with their claws and slamming their tails against one another.
Saphira spun around and whacked her large blue tail in Oropher's face. Marie's heart screamed as her dragon shrieked in agony. But it stopped with horror as Oropher shot forward and sunk his teeth into Saphira's leg. Saphira roared in pain as blood dripped out of her foot.
With a new burst of speed Marie took off, now dodging attacks instead of blocking. The fire on Marie's sword faded, leaving the blade silvery and sharp.
Marie felt like she was running in a dream. A horrible dream. The noise of battle around her was deafening. The cries of falling men and Urgals, the hearts being ripped out. The clashing of hard metal and the dull thump of the sound of bodies hitting the floor. Screams of terror so loud, Marie could almost hear the cries of the men's families when they found out their loved one was dead. To add to the horrific noise, Oropher and Saphira were always screaming. You could hear their angered calls even when you closed your ears. You could hear the sickening sound of their claws breaking the other's scales. You could smell their blood that was poring from the sky like rain.
Marie just wanted to close her eyes and go back. Go back to the Hadarac desert where she and Oropher had actually been happy-together. Go back to when Brom was alive…go back to when her parents were alive.
Pain was spiking through Marie's body. She couldn't escape it. Fear was also etched into her soul every time a blade or spear or axe dropped in front of her. Overwhelming sadness engulfed her generous heart anytime a man or dwarf fell before her. Pure fury and hatred streaked out of her body and mind when she looked a Kull in the face and she usually killed them.
As Marie was running, an oh-so-familiar voice was heard not far off-Arya. Marie spun to see her back. The elf was using the ancient language every now and then and was striking the Kulls with her sleek blade as if they were nothing. Jealousy suddenly drowned her as she caught sight of the back of Eragon's head. She saw him look protectively over at Arya before resuming his fight. Understandment struck her though as she watched him look to the sky with a worried, distressed look as Oropher and Saphira battled on.
With a yearning sigh, Marie raced off into the battle before Eragon could turn and see her and then she continued to fight her way towards Oropher.
She looked up and saw the dragon's swooping and dipping, chasing each other as if in play-but their eyes were different. They showed anger, determination and fury.
Oropher suddenly dived really low to the ground, his golden eyes set before him.
I will get to you…