A/N SO SO SO sorry that it was down for a while. Now it is back up!Thanks 2 Jessi Brooke for reviewing! I'm not so tired now, so this chapter will b longer.
Disclaimer (and for the last chapter, oops I forgot!): I have captured Eragon and now he is mine! points to empty room with a blasted off door Shoot, darn you Saphira…well, I guess not, false alarm.
Chapter 2
Alone
Galbatorix sat on his black throne in Uru'baen. He leaned back and smiled humorlessly. The Varden were walking right into a trap. He had sent all of the Forsworn except two to Du Weldenvarden to attack the Elves two days ago. He knew that they would send all reinforcements to their allies. While Farthen Dur was unoccupied, his two best Forsworn would get into the city and attack it from within. They would poison food and water stores and force the Varden out into the open where the rest of the Forsworn could easily attack.
Shruikan, his huge black dragon snorted, an undulating finger of smoke curling towards the ceiling. They are stupid, he commented, they are walking into our waiting open arms.
Indeed. But consider, Shruikan, that there are many place for error. They could be caught going into Farthen Dur, considering that not every single man woman and child will be gone. So we must be cautious. I only wish I could go myself.
That would much, much too risky. The Empire would be a floundering, headless worm without you.
I know. I feel so useless, just sitting here, looking important. I want to root out the Varden myself. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
The black doors at the end of the hall banged opened and Morzan entered followed by a younger looking Elf, Ferawin. Her silver hair flowed down to the bottom of her back; she had pale skin, full lips and piercing silver eyes. Both were clad in black armor with Galbatorix's emblem of a twisting flame embedded on the fronts. The two strode up the center of the hall and knelt before Galbatorix. "Rise," he said.
They stood and Galbatorix addressed them, "I suppose you are wondering why you were not sent to Du Weldenvarden with the rest of the Forsworn two days ago. It is because I have special duties for you. You must fly to Farthen Dur, speak the password and kill the sentries before they can examine your minds. You must infiltrate the city, and poison food and water stores. Am I understood?"
"Yes, master." They said in unison.
"Then go, ready yourselves. You fly in twenty-four hours!" he bellowed. Both of the Forsworn bowed at the waist, turned and left the hall.
Brom and two other Riders prepared their dragons for the long flight to Uru'baen. It was a long flight, but it was their best chance to catch some of Galbatorix's soldiers unawares.
Brom tightened the straps on Saphira's saddle while the two other Riders, Baerthien and Elthane readied their mounts. Baerthein was from a poor family within Farthen Dur. Brom knew that she would do anything to protect her family from harm. Elthane was from Kirtan, a city deep within Du Weldenvarden. He had a rather sad look on his angled features, since he would rather be in the north, fighting for his home land. Brom knew this, but he was one of the best Riders fighting for the Varden, and he could not be spared from this flight.
"Are you ready?" Brom asked. "Aye," said Baerthien, determined. "Aye," sighed Elthane, glancing to the north before turning his full attention to Brom. "Favorable wind," Brom said in the ancient language. A westward wind immediately whipped itself into being. The three dragons threw themselves into the sky and veered toward Uru'baen. They would fly west over the Beor mountains, following the Beartooth River, until they reached Tudosten Lake. They would land at Furnost for a rest, and then continue north to Uru'baen.
It was early morning, the sun's rays just starting to reflect off Uru'baen's black walls. Galbatorix was sitting in his black halls, immersed in thought. Shruikan dozed next to the dais on which the throne was perched. The king was shaken out of his thoughts by the banging of the doors to the hall. A sentry sprinted up the hall and collapsed at Galbatorix's feet. After several seconds of observing the man, he said, "Rise."
The man, unable to disobey his lord, rose from the floor and said, "My lord! There are three dragons flying from the south! Thought you would want to know!" He fell on the floor in a crumpled heap. Galbatorix jumped from his throne at this news and screamed, "GET ME MORZAN AND FERAWIN!" He killed several of his guards with magic. The rest hastened to obey his orders.
Morzan and Ferawin stumbled into his presence still tying boots and lacing shirts. They went down on bended knee before their king. "RIDERS ARE COMING TO URU'BAEN! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO FINISH SOME OF THEM OFF! NOW GO!" he roared. He killed several more guards with magic before the two traitorous Riders left the room. They looked at each other before sprinting off to ready their dragons for combat.
Ferawin dashed to her chambers deep within Uru'baen. She skidded around a corner and opened her reinforced door with magic. She burst into her high ceilinged room, and too her wardrobe, were she kept her always oiled and ready armor. She called to her large green dragon, Sulmurz.
Wake up, Knurlheim,using a Dwarven term meaning "stone head".
What now? ,grunted Sulmurz.
There are three Riders flying for us and my lord wants Morzan and me to stop them. I don't know what to do. I've never really been disconnected from the Riders. Her heart sank. I never meant to be one of Galbatorix's killing machines.
Suddenly, a searing pain burst through her head, obliterating all thought. She collapsed, writhing, on the floor. She had forgotten Galbatorix was always and forever inside her mind. She was never alone.
After the pain receded, she stood, all traitorous thoughts gone. She turned a hard face to Sulmurz as she strapped on the dragon's armor and her own. She drew her long, slim, twin swords, Grish'urz (Blood) and Sag'rurz (Darkness) from their sheaths. She took a deep breath and carefully went through several combat moves with them, mentally preparing herself for battle. She belted her swords to her back and she and Sulmurz headed for the dragon hold of Uru'baen.
Brom approached Uru'baen from the south with Baerthien and Elthane in his wake. The glided upward on unspoken concent, toward the highest tower of the fortress. They circled the tallest tower at different speeds once, twice, thrice, and on the fourth time, they saw two dark figures emerge from the depths of the tower. Beside them were dragons.
It looks as though we have walked into a trap, my dear friends, said Brom.
Yes, indeed, it does look that way, confirmed Elthane.
We should retreat, said Baerthien urgently.
They would just follow us and kill us from behind, Elthane. Brom agreed.
Then it looks like our only option is to stand and fight, and there are only two of them and three of us, so we have an advantage. Brom voiced what was on everyone's minds. They agreed reluctantly. Brom recognized one of the forms standing beside his dragon. He was Morzan, head of the Forsworn under only Galbatorix himself. The other he did not know.
The two simultaneously jumped onto their dragons and took flight. They flew at Brom and his companions with drawn swords and a perfectly executed attack plan. The three Riders hastily warded off the attacks. Ferawin dived at Elthane and Baerthein, beating them lower and lower with the sharp edges of her twin swords. She wounded Elthane and his dragon carried him gracefully to earth and defended him against stray blows. Ferawin quickly descended on Baerthien. They fought and fought, back and forth until Morzan ended the duel with a quick sword thrust in the human Rider's back. She died right in the saddle and her dragon roared mightily and flew away from Uru'baen forever. The Varden Riders combined their strength and attempted to break through the Forsworn's defenses. The attempt did not fail completely, but both sides were drained of power. This continued until they were near the open floor atop the wall of Uru'baen. In one final try, Saphira combined her strength with Brom's and hit Morzan and his dragon squarely with a blast of flame. Morzan detached himself from the dragon saddle as he fell and leapt away with inhuman speed. The dragon hit the rock floor with an amazing crash that made miniscule cracks in the black granite. Morzan managed to slow himself a little, with the last vestiges of his magic, so the crack he made as he hit the ground was not as loud.
The scene that followed stirred pity for Morzan in even Brom's heart. Morzan flung aside his sword and crawled to where his beloved dragon lay on the floor with rent armor. He lay his hands on his dragon's sides and he felt the broken bones. He ripped the black metal off of the dragon to expose the bone sticking through the thick hide. After several moments, the Forsworn Rider was forced to sever his mental contact with his beloved friend companion and soul mate forever. A second later, Brom felt the great presence of the dragon leave the world, never to return.
Morzan closed the huge black eyes of his dragon with careful fingers. He took a deep breath. Brom and Saphira watched raptly. A growl grew deep in Morzan's throat and he suddenly blasted Saphira with all of the energy of the rage of his dragon's death.
Not being prepared, she flew backwards and hit the stone wall, her armor cracking and bending between her bulk and the stone. Blood dripped from the open wound. Before Brom could react, Morzan came at him in a fury, striking again and again and Brom parrying every blow. They were exactly evenly matched. They fought furiously for minute upon minute. Unnoticed by Morzan, Saphira dragged herself to behind him. Without warning, she seized him in her teeth and threw him across the floor. Brom sprinted to the wounded traitor and slammed his sword through him, embedding it in the stone, killing Morzan.
Brom stared, dumbstruck at his fallen enemy. He was dead. Morzan. Brom attempted to retrieve his sword from the black granite, but was unable to.
He was interrupted by a tendril of thought, so thin, so vague, that he hardly noticed it, Little one…..Brom….help me…
Shapira! He rushed over to her side and took off her armor. No…don't leave me now. I need you.
I am fading, little one, you must always be strong, never give up fighting for what you believe in. Never ever….
Don't say that, don't say you're goodbyes now, I'm going to save you!
If you try to use that much magic again, you'll die. I don't have much time left, you must sever the contact! Do it now! Or else I will drag you with me when I pass into the void.
NO!
You must….please!
Alright, I love you Saphira.
And I you, little one. As my last wish, I wish you to assist the next in the generation of Riders, as I feel there will be a fall in the Riders, but there will be another….Eragon….Goodbye Brom.
NO! no…no… NO!His shout was physical as well as mental. He felt his strength being dragged as her presence entered the void. With much pain, he severed the contact with his lifelong companion. He felt her slip away from him, but her memory would always be strong.
A/N Please let me know if you think the rating should be changed! I am trying to decide. The next chapter might not be up for a while since my comp is not working.