A/N I hope to have more reviews this time… I was sad that I only had 3 reviews… PLEASE review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Eragon or any characters from it. At least not yet….buhahah

Chapter 3

The Secrets of the Past

Ferawin lay wounded on the black stone of Uru'baen. Her breathing was shallow and she could consentrate on nothing except the pain of the gash from Elthane's sword that swept from her right shoulder, across the top of her chest and down her left side. Her mind was a blur of black and red streaks of pain. An image of Galbatorix appeared in her mind's eye.

He said, "You are dead, Ferawin-svit-kona."

He withdrew from her thoughts, leaving her to die alone, to escape being dragged with her into the void. Ferawin's vision cleared somewhat. Suddenly, unexpectedly, she saw Morzan attack Brom and they fought until Brom's dragon threw Morzan across the courtyard. Brom killed him with a sword through the throat. Several seconds after, she felt the great the great presence of Saphira leave the world.

Brom stood as Ferawin watched, and performed the funeral rites with tears pouring down his face. Saphira's great body was consumed in turquoise flame and was reduced to a sparkling green dust, which infused itself with the glowing mark on Brom's hand, the gedwey ignasia. It became blindingly bright, then dimmed back to its normal glow and shimmer.

Brom turned back toward the entrance of Uru'baen, preparing to leave. Ferawin was terrified, she couldn't die in Galbatorix's fortress, alone. She cried out, "Wait!"

Her voice was barely a whisper. This time her cry of anguish was mental. Help me! I can't die alone! I won't hurt you. I promise…help…please…"

Brom hesitated, then turned back to her. No one could lie in the ancient language. He walked slowly to her side. Unending blackness crept into the edges of her vision. "Help me! I'm going to die. I must tell someone…"

"Tell me what," it wasn't a question. Brom's voice was heavy with despair.

"I never meant to… The Riders were my family…I never meant to….betray them…I plead…your…forgiveness…and plead that… you sit with me while…while I die…I never wanted to…die…alone…That is all…I ask of you…Death is…what I...deserve…is it not?...eternal darkness…"

Her eyes began to flutter close. Brom ever so gently probed her mind, and found no evil there. Only traces of Galbatorix. That was not her fault. He unbuckled her black polished armor. He winced when he saw the wound inflicted by his dead companion through her black tunic. He knew he did not have the strength to heal her.

Then he felt strength seem to emanate from within his very soul. He looked at his gedwey ignasia. It was glowing a gentle turquoise, the exact color Saphira's scales had been. He smiled wanly, knowing that she would always be with him. He used part of this new strength, part of his own to mostly heal wound. Nature would have to take its own course to heal the rest of it. Even with Saphira's strength, Brom was still too weak to heal it completely. He left a twisted scar, to remind her always that she had betrayed the Riders.

Ferawin felt the pain recede a fair amount from her wound. If this is what dying is like, it feels a lot like living. Her vision was returning. She blinked up at Brom, confused. "I healed you," he said.

Her eyes widened. "Oh," she said. "Where is Sulmurz?" she asked.

Brom gestured to the rights where Ferawin's dragon stood, watching all of the events with a confused gaze. Ignoring the pain she still felt from her wound, Ferawin heaved herself to her feet and limped over to Sulmurz. She leaned against her dragon and hurriedly explained all that had happened to him. Sulmurz touched Brom's brow with his nose. He said, I weep for your loss and I thank you for your gift of a second chance.

Ferawin found her swords among the wreckage. She kneeled in front of Brom. "I must swear eternal fealty to you, Brom-elda, for you have saved me from the void."

Brom took the swords, flipped them over and handed them back to her. "Now you must go. Go far away, but stay in Alagaesia. Stay in hiding until the next Rider emerges. When that time comes, you must do all you can to help him or her. Look for Eragon."

"How will I know when the time comes?" she asked.

"You will know. Now go and relearn the secrets of the forgotten past."

"I will, I swear it on my word as a Rider," she said in the ancient language, binding her forever more.

Brom walked to Sulmurz and he repeated Ferawin's words in the ancient language. "Can you carry two people?" he asked the green dragon.

Yes, I can. Where is it you wish to go?

"I will go to Palancar Valley and hide there until the time comes for me to show myself again."

Alright. Ferawin and Brom climbed atop Sulmurz's back and he spread his magnificent wings and took flight to the clear North, not to be seen or known for 15 years.

A/N: Short, but I don't have much time, with school, fencing and all. But have no fear, winter break is near, so I will be able to write longer chapters. I am hoping that I have more reviews this time. I luuuurve my reviews, but anyone else who read my story and didn't review is just poopy. I won't update until I have 5 reviews, so REVIEW ALREADY! 