Hey Guys, I am back for chapter 21!
Hopefully everyone is having a good day!
I am really excited for your guys reaction to this chapter it is going to be interesting!
Chapter 21 here we come!
Eragon's POV
Eragon sat on Saphira overlooking the city. He marveled at just how much they had accomplished in the near decade away from Alagaesia.
"It has grown to a respectable sized city" Saphira said to him proudly
"It has, all our work is paying off" Eragon replied
Eragon felt as though everything was going right for him for the first time in his life. The wild dragons had begun to hatch more often and there were now over a dozen wild dragons living in the surrounding areas. His first students had become full riders and had left to help aid the people of Alagaesia as they felt they needed to. On top of it all Eragon had never felt closer to Arya or Saphira. Arya and Eragon talked weekly and the loss he normally felt when she was gone had dulled somewhat with the constant communication.
It had been nearly two years since they had seen each other and Eragon could not wait until they met again. Things had changed between them and Eragon couldn't be happier about it. He wanted to ask her exactly what their relationship was but decided to wait until he saw her in person before asking.
Saphira heard his line of thought
"You are still nervous around her?" She said jokingly
"I doubt that will ever change" he replied with a smile
"Bah! Your human relationships are too confusing!"
Eragon laughed and was about to respond when a glint of a dragon sparkled off the horizon. His laugh died in his throat as he said
"Look! Someone is approaching" Eragon said looking to the western horizon
"Friend or foe?" Saphira asked as she took off
Eragon focused his eyes on the approaching dragon and caught a glimpse of red scales
"I don't know" He responded tensely
"Let's find out, then shall we?"
Saphira and Eragon left the city limits and flew directly at Thorn and Murtagh. Eragon wanted to ensure he knew of their intentions before allowing them to access the city. By unspoken agreement Saphira flew slightly higher than Thorn to give them an advantage if there was danger.
Once they were close enough to see each other Eragon pointed to a small clearing in the jungle and yelled over the wind
"Land there!"
Murtagh nodded as Thorn dove for the clearing
Saphira dove with him as Eragon wondered
"Why has he returned now?"
Eragon was glad to see his half-brother but he didn't really know who Murtagh was anymore or what his motivations were now.
Saphira and Thorn landed in the soft grass as Eragon and Murtagh dismounted their respective dragons.
Eragon regarded Murtagh warily trying to discern if he wished them harm. He doubted it but he could not afford to be wrong.
"So, you have returned brother" Eragon said slowly
"I have" Murtagh replied stiffly
There was tension in the air as Eragon spoke again
"May I ask why you have returned?" Eragon asked kindly
"I bring news that I feel you should know as well as fulfilling a promise I made to you so long ago"
Murtagh studied him
"You don't trust me, do you?" He said bluntly
Eragon smiled at him
"Do not take it personally. I do not know you and as it is my duty to protect this city and all that reside in it. Add in our history and it shouldn't be shocking I am wary, should it?"
Murtagh smiled as well
"No, If I was in your position, I would do the same"
Then speaking in the ancient language, he said
"I nor Thorn have any wish to cause harm to anyone unless they endanger the dragon riders or the dragons. We wish to join you in your effort to rebuild the worlds greatest race and become teachers for the new era of riders"
Eragon smiled at the declaration and pulled Murtagh into a rough hug
"I am glad to see you both and we would be happy if you joined us."
Murtagh pulled away and gave him a small smile
"Is there somewhere we can go and catch up? I am woefully unaware of the events of the last decade"
Eragon nodded and gestured to follow him
They took off and landed at the entrance to the city
Murtagh's eyes went wide when he saw the full extent of the city
"It amazing!" he gasped
"Aye that it is brother, Now come, it grows late, and we have much to talk of"
Eragon led the way to a small tavern and sat down.
He ordered drinks for Murtagh and himself.
They talked deep into the night and each became more and more inebriated. Eragon spoke of his journey to Mount Arngor and the process of building the riders. Murtagh was disappointed to learn he had missed the first few riders to be brought into the new order, but he perked up when he learned that there was a dwarf rider whom Eragon was training at the moment. Eragon also spoke about Arya and their relationship but left out Kayla completely.
Murtagh looked happy for him but Eragon could see the jealousy he tried to hide.
Murtagh spoke of their journeys in the north and what they had learned. Eragon was very impressed with Murtagh's maturity and wisdom and he supposed he had spent the time figuring himself and his morals out.
"So, you said you had some information that you needed to tell me" Eragon said slurring his words slightly
Murtagh nodded and explained that there were rumors a shade was roaming the land. He mentioned that Surda was planning to try to leave the empire again which worried Eragon as he had no wish for the peace they had worked so hard for be ruined once more.
"Perhaps Orrin is not as loyal as we once thought"
Eragon was shook out of his thoughts at his next words
"The main reason I wished to come was to deliver the news that the elven queen was in danger, No one else knows this but I overheard a group of elves near the northern edge of Du Weldenvarden speaking about an attack on the queen. I knew you were close to her and I didn't know who I could trust so I came to you directly"
Eragon began to ask questions but Murtagh held up his hand
"I don't know any more than that Eragon, I lost them when they entered the forest again."
Eragon felt like throwing up all the beer he had drank
"You don't know anything else" he said frustrated
Murtagh shook his head sadly
"I tried but I could never find them again"
Eragon nodded "I am sure you did all you could, we will worry about it in the morning, tell me, how the travel was here?"
Murtagh spoke of some of the challenges on the way to the rider strong hold.
Eragon zoned out thinking of Arya and if she was aware of the plot against her. He doubted it,
"she would have told me…..right?"
Eragon was pulled out of his thoughts as Murtagh mentioned an elf he had met in the desert
He told him about how she had been attacked and Murtagh had convinced her to let him live. Eragon felt proud for how far Murtagh had come since his days when he had first met Eragon. It wasn't until Murtagh mentioned that the elf seemed slower than any other elf he had seen before that his interest was peaked.
"What do you mean slower?" He asked curiously
Murtagh shrugged, spilling beer onto his shirt
"She moved slower and moved more attentively as though she had been injured and hadn't recovered properly"
Eragon asked curiously
"Did she say how she had been hurt?"
Murtagh shook his head
"She didn't say exactly how it happened, but she said she was there to get revenge."
"Did she say who she wanted to get revenge on?" Eragon asked
Murtagh thought for a moment
"No, although she did tell me a very odd story about why she wanted revenge"
Murtagh began to tell him what she had said and the more he talked the more horrified he became.
"She lived!" he thought shocked
"How did she survive the fall!"
"Wait a second…. Revenge?"
There was only one person in all Alagaesia who Kayla would want revenge on
Suddenly Eragon felt the ring on his left finger vibrate slightly and fear shot through him
He stood quickly, flipping the table they were sitting at, and sprinted out of the bar toward his room.
"Eragon wha-" Murtagh said as he attempted to follow him
Eragon didn't answer as the ring vibrated again and he poured every ounce of energy on getting to the room as fast as possible.
Fear threatened to overwhelm him as he bounded up the stairs and burst into his room with so much force that the door flew off its hinges and hit the ground hard and he hurried to his mirror and spoke the words
"Draumr kópa"
An image appeared but it did nothing but heighten his growing fear
Arya lay on her back on the stone ground in her house. Her head was raised staring at three masked figures who all had swords pointed at her throat. There had clearly been a fight as tables were broken and a body lay behind the figures although it is unclear who the body belonged to. Arya looked banged up. She had a large gash across her eye and her face was swelling slightly.
As Eragon watched a fourth figure approached and stood in between the other three. Eragon heard Arya gasp as the figure removed her mask and Kayla's face emerged.
Eragon faintly heard Murtagh enter the room behind him and freeze at what he was watching
"ARYA!" Eragon yelled in fear, tear streamed down his face as he understood the gravity of the situation
They met eyes and Arya mouthed
"I love you"
Eragon saw acceptance in her eyes. She understood she probably wasn't making it out of this
Kayla looked slightly shocked at Eragon's appearance in the mirror, but her features grew hard as she drew back her sword
"NO!" Eragon screamed out
Kayla swung her sword at Arya's mirror and the image was shattered
The screen went blank as Eragon fell to the ground
Wow I am depressed just reading this
I promise this is the last cliff hanger for a while!
Ironically this is probably my favorite chapter so far!
Hope you guys enjoyed!
What side is Kayla on?