Hey guys Chapter 28 is here!
Thanks to SpaceForceEOD for the review!
IDK- I can see where you are coming from and in many ways the Eragon of my story is more confident and is more greatly respected than the one we see at the end of Inheritance. However, he is still only in his late twenties. Compared to the dragons or elves he is young although he is wise. I never felt Eragon would be the type to ignore the council of those he trusts even if he disagrees with them.
Thanks for all the support!
As always if you have constructive criticism let me know! I want to improve my writing!
Onto the chapter!
Eragon's POV
Eragon awoke abruptly as the sun rose through the window and the birds chirped outside. He raised his head from Arya's chest and spent a moment to study her. Her breath rose and fell evenly, and she looked very much the same as before. Her black hair was tied back, and her face was as smooth as ever. She could have been sleeping. Under normal circumstances this would be a dream come true to have her so close but the knowledge of her condition as well as what he would be forced to do later in the day weighed heavily on his mind. He rose and as he had before, kissed her on the forehead before speaking.
"I must go now, Arya Drottning. Stay strong, this will be your final week of torment, I swear it."
He felt a slight shudder as he spoke in the ancient language and his oath bound him. One way or another Eragon would end her suffering, for better or worse.
Eragon rose and left the room without looking back. He wasn't sure he would have the strength to leave if he did.
He made his way to the dinning hall and ate. All around him there was lively chatter and joy. He could not join in on their merriment, however, His thoughts continued to stray to the events that would transpire by the time this day was over. He shuddered, still wondering if he could go through with what they had planned.
An image suddenly appeared in his head, unbidden. He recognized the scene as Wyrden's funeral, the only elf funeral he had ever seen, but as he looked upon his face, he instead saw Arya's face staring back at him. Her dead eyes were open and unseeing and there was an expression of pain upon her face.
Eragon shook his head trying to rid the morbid thought from his mind. Despite his desire to rid the image from his mind Eragon found newfound conviction in it as well.
"I won't allow this vison to come true" He swore to himself
Nevertheless, the image haunted him throughout the day as he prepared for what could very well be his last day on this earth.
He and Saphira took Glaedr's Eldunari for one last flight
Saphira was still unhappy with the plan and brought up every argument she could to dissuade them. Both Eragon and Glaedr simply stated that their minds were made up and nothing could be said to change them.
"It is reckless Eragon! If you fail, you will fall into the void and all would be lost for the order!"
Eragon sighed, he had already prepared for this possibility and had spent the morning writing instructions for the future of the order and his wishes for his funeral. The scroll was locked in a desk in his room and he hoped that it would never be seen by anyone other than him.
"The order would not be lost; we have three full riders and a nearly full rider as well as the Eldunari and plenty of eggs. The order would by no means be over should I pass into the void"
"And what of me, Eragon? If you fail you will be abandoning not just your duties, but me as well!"
Eragon was troubled at this. He hated the idea of leaving Saphira and felt horrible that this could be their last day together, but he knew with certainty he could never forgive himself if he backed out now.
"I too hate the idea of leaving you my partner of the heart, but do not forget that Arya and Firnen share the very same connection we do. More than that they are the two people in the world closest to us."
Eragon became more stern
"I will not stand by and watch them die! Not when I have the power to do something about it! …..You know this" he ended in a softer tone
Eragon calmed himself, his tone had turned sharper than he had wished, and he had no wish for them to fight on such a day.
Saphira spoke again and it seemed the fight she had moments before had vanished replaced by sorrowful acceptance
"You are correct…. Part of the reason I hatched for you was your selflessness and kind heart. If I cannot persuade either of you then I will do all I can to help you succeed. But know this Eragon, should you survive this ordeal there will be much to…. Discuss"
She ended in a cold tone that told him she was still furious at him.
Eragon wanted to comfort her but he knew the only way she would feel better was if he survived first.
He turned to Gleadr
"Master, in the vison Valdr sent me it showed an elf muttering a spell of sorts. Can you teach me what I must know to ensure your sacrifice is not useless?"
Gleadr seemed very relaxed considering the circumstances and when he spoke there was a measure of liveliness that had been absent since Oromis had passed.
"No matter the outcome, my death will not be pointless. I understand the odds are against us in this matter. A chance is all I wish to give you. What you do with that chance is up to you"
Glaedr paused and answered the second part of the question
"I can teach you the necessary magic to ensure the physical effects of the poison is extinguished. There are two spells that must be cast before the Eldunari is smashed and one directly after. The first spell is designed to protect you from the explosion of energy released from an Eldunari being destroyed. It is worded as such.
Glaedr spoke several short lines in the ancient language. Eragon repeated him several times until he had memorized the spell completely.
"Very good, the second spell is designed to absorb the energy produced, it is this power that you use to cast the final spell."
As before he repeated another phrase in the ancient language which Eragon quickly memorized. Eragon had always been good at memorization and this way of learning reminded him of learning under Oromis in Ellesmera.
A thought struck him
"Master, if energy is all that is needed to perform such spells then wouldn't hundreds of Eldunari be enough to perform the spell without your death?"
Glaedr spoke
"I wondered when you would ask this question." He said sounding amused
"You would think that hundreds of Eldunari would be enough, but you would be wrong. The final spell that is to be cast is a nexus spell."
Sensing Eragon's confusion he explained
"I am surprised you have never come across any mention of them in your studies. A nexus spell is a spell that, unlike a normal spell, requires more than simply energy to be performed. You can pour any amount of energy you like into a nexus spell, but nothing will happen. Every attempt to cast one with only energy has ended in death. They are incredibly rare, but more than one spell caster has accidently created one and died as a result."
Eragon though about the many spells he knew of. None were nexus spells that he knew of.
"How do you create one?" Eragon asked curiously
"It is random as far as we can tell. No new spell has any greater likelihood of being a nexus than another."
Eragon asked another question
"What is the extra thing needed to perform the spell?"
"Normally it is the death of a magical being or plant. In a few cases a birth of a magical being has been sufficient as well."
"What makes this energy that is released so different?"
"No one knows, Eragon, some of the more spiritual elves theorize it is a remnant of the beings' soul but we cannot detect it and so we cannot prove or disprove their theory."
Eragon nodded and was about to ask another question but Glaedr stopped him
"Enough Eragon, there is much to do and little time to do it. We do not have time to answer every question you have" He said sternly although not unkindly
He continued
The final spell is meant to rid the body of the poison. It is a long and difficult spell. Be warned Eragon, this spell can only be used once. If you are interrupted or mispronounce any part of the spell it will not work properly, and everything will be lost. Once you start this spell you cannot stop.
Glaedr then spoke the spell, it was one of the longest spells Eragon had ever heard and it took him nearly thirty minutes to memorize it in its entirety.
Finally, Eragon had repeated all three spells to Glaedr several times before he felt comfortable enough to move on.
Saphira began to land as it was already late in the day and dusk would fall soon. In only a few hours Eragon would be implementing the very spells he had just learned.
"I will stay with Saphira until the time is right"
Eragon nodded as he dismounted Saphira, he asked one final question
"Master, do you know anything about what I am to expect once I have entered Arya's mind?"
Glaedr spoke in a slow tone
"I unfortunately do not. No one knows what you will find once you enter. There is one thing you must do, you must not have your mind connected to anyone when you enter, even Saphira, if you do then the poison could spread to them regardless if you succeed or not."
Eragon nodded and made it clear he understood
He watched as Saphira carried Glaedr back into the sky and tried to forget what he would have to do to him in a few short hours
Eragon had a tough time hiding his emotions at dinner that night. The mix of sorrow for Glaedr's sacrifice, frustration at how the universe was forcing his hand to choose between his love and his mentor, nervousness at what he was about to attempt and hope that it will all be worth it in the end was overwhelming and more than once Eragon felt tears in his eyes and anger in his heart. Thankfully, everyone seemed to understand that he was to be left alone and so he was. Dinner was a somber affair as though the group could sense his foul mood.
Finally, Eragon stared at his empty plate as many rose and began to tend to their affairs. It would be a very small event because only the rider's and elves knew of Arya's presence on Mount Arngor. He wished to keep the fact she was with them from her enemies in Du Weldenvarden so that they did not have any reason to suspect Arya's potential survival of the assassination. It would also make it easier to focus on his task ahead if he knew that the least amount of people were in danger.
"Shadeslayer….. it is time"
Eragon took a deep breath to calm himself and nodded before standing. He slowly exited the hall and began to walk down the familiar path to the small clearing where he had stood only a day before lamenting that Arya was gone. Now that he was certain there was a chance for her survival, he was determined not to squander it. He muttered to himself the three spells Gleadr had taught him over and over again as he walked.
It was truly night by the time he arrived at the clearing along with the few others. Murtagh had arrived only an hour before along with his students and stood at the entrance to the clearing. Eragon stopped in front of him. Murtagh spoke in a somber tone
"I am sorry, Eragon, You do not deserve the sorrow that has befallen you"
Eragon nodded
"Thank you for being here, brother, it means much to me that you are present on such a day"
Murtagh gave him a thin smile
"Of course, brother, the fates have not been kind to us, have they?"
Murtagh laughed in a quiet and bitter tone
Eragon merely shook his head
"He doesn't know how right he is" he thought to Saphira, but she refrained from answering as she flew with Glaedr's Eldunari above him
"Murtagh, can you promise me something?" Eragon said in a serious voice
Murtagh looked at him and his expression changed as he recognized his tone
"Of course, Eragon"
"If anything happens to me, will you take the mantle of Head Rider and care for this place and the future of the riders?"
"Eragon why-"
"Just promise me Murtagh" he said somewhat forcefully
Murtagh studied him closely, He glanced toward the forest where Arya would be carried into the clearing and he seemed to understand
"Very well, you have my word as a rider"
Eragon relaxed slightly
It was better if Murtagh thought that he had asked because of the circumstances of Arya's supposed death. Eragon hoped Murtagh never had to fulfil his oath.
Eragon stepped away from Murtagh and stood in front of the water. The full moon reflected upon the clear water and cast a faint glow upon the clearing. The golden lilies that littered the ground glowed brighter and the waterfall seemed to flow faster.
"So similar to the scene all those years ago and yet it feels so different" He thought to himself as he observed his surroundings
The joy of that night seemed so long ago
Eragon turned back toward the clearing entrance to see two elves escorting Arya's prone body upon a small cot woven with grasses. Her face looked peaceful and calm, betraying the battle that continued in her mind. The elves carried her to the center of the clearing and placed her down upon the grass.
Eragon's chest tightened at this and his nerves returned. The small group of riders and elves gathered several yards from where Arya lay. Eragon entered the group as the elves began to sing. Their beautiful voices echoed slightly around the forest. Every color seemed more vibrant and the moon glowed brighter at their melodic song. They sang of loss and despair but also of hope and freedom. Eragon shut his eyes and focused on his emotions, trying to keep them in check. He couldn't stop the tears that streamed from him. To others it looked as though he mourned the loss of Arya, Only Saphira knew his tears were not only for her. When their voices finally faded into the night Eragon opened his eyes.
Arya still lay upon the grassy cot, but the cot now lay upon a rectangular black rock with a flat top that rose to about Eragon's waist. The light from the moon glinted off of the stone and illuminated Arya as though she was basked in moonlight.
Blodhgarm sperated from the small group and spoke first as he stood in front of Arya. It was a very impersonal speech as he spoke of her accomplishments and her sense of duty to her people.
"The very people that may have killed her" Eragon thought furiously
It wasn't long but it was a good summary of her many feats in her relatively short life. Eragon hated that everyone was referring to Arya in past tense, as if her heart didn't beat only a few feet from them. Eragon tuned him out as he focused on the task at hand. He reviewed the spells he would use and confirmed with Saphira that everything was ready. Finally, Blodhgarm motioned for Eragon to speak. Eragon walked forward as Blodhgarm melded back into the crowd. Eragon knew once his speech was over, Blodhgarm would cast a spell to stop her heart and allow her to pass into the void.
He didn't have much time
He strode forward until he stood a mere foot from where Arya lay. He slowly bent down and wiped the hair that had covered a part of her face before turning to face the crowd.
If anyone in the crowd had truly known Eragon then in that moment, they would have quickly realized he was far too nervous for a simple speech. Although everyone there were friends and allies, they didn't know him like Arya or Saphira did.
"Another reason to succeed" He thought to himself
"Is everything ready?" He asked Saphira through their mental link
"Yes, I will await your word"
Eragon knew without seeing that Saphira and Firnen were hovering about twenty feet directly above him. He could hear Saphira and Glaedr begin to say goodbyes to each other, but he tuned them out as much as he could.
Eragon began to speak, partly because it was expected and partly to distract him from what would happen in a few moments time.
"Arya Drottning is one of the greatest beings I have ever met. She is a great and noble queen as well as a fantastic rider and an even better friend. Her feats of heroism and valor are known throughout Alagaesia and beyond. Behind her stoic face she is kind and compassionate. She will not shrink from what must be done nor will she give mercy to these who did not deserve it. Her actions remain a large reason any of us are here today. She saved my life several times over and expected nothing in return. She is selfless, always putting others before her own wellbeing. She is the greatest friend I have ever known."
Eragon paused and collected himself before continuing
"Throughout my life I have learned that the easiest paths are rarely the correct ones to follow. When I first met Arya, she was in a very similar situation that she lies in now. It would have been easy to leave her to the mercy of Durza. Easy to ignore a stranger I did not know. But I took the hard path, I made the hard decision; to save her at great risk of both mine and Murtagh's life. I regard it as the greatest decision I have ever made, for I was rewarded with a greater friendship and love than I ever thought possible."
These words flowed from Eragon without thought. He wanted no regrets left if this could be his last moments.
Eragon could feel Saphira's fear and concern begin to rise as his speech was beginning to end. His voice rose slightly
"Since that moment, she has been at my side to offer support and guidance for every great and terrible event that has befallen me. She has never given up on me and I have never given up on her."
Eragon paused and took a deep breath. He met eyes with Blodhgarm and Murtagh who both stood in the back of the crowd. He grinned slightly at them and spoke
"And I don't intend to start now"
"Spahira now!" he shouted mentally
Saphira grasped Glaedr's eldunari in her front claw and dropped it towards Eragon who caught it.
He quickly spoke the two spells Glaedr had taught him before placing the ancient dragon upon the stone in front of him and swinging his sword.
Time seemed to slow down. So many things happened at once and Eragon noticed all of them. The crowd gasping in shock, Murtagh's expression as he understood what Eragon had said, Blodhgarms shocked expression as they both surged forward to stop him. Mostly though he focused on Glaedr's voice in his head
"Farewell Eragon. May the wind be forever at your back"
"Farewell Ebrith-" was the only thing Eragon was able to say before his sword made contact and the Eldunari shattered
The release of energy blew everyone back several yards. It was so bright Eragon was temporarily blinded and fell to his knees. Although blind, he felt the power condense around him as he struggled to reach forward and find Arya's prone body. He made contact with her neck and began to speak the final spell Glaedr had taught him. As he spoke, his vison began to return, and he could hear people beginning to rise to their feet with faint groans. He increased the speed of his chanting trying to finish the spell before anyone could act. As he uttered the last syllable his sight fully recovered, and he felt the energy leave him and enter Arya. At the same time, he felt arms begin to grab him from behind and drag him away. At least four sets of hands held him down as he struggled to get to Arya.
"No!" He thought desperately as he struggled to break free
He reached his mind out to Arya's trying to connect them, but it was hopeless. Too much was happening for him to focus
"Saphira! I need you!" He yelled desperately
He saw a shadow pass over them and heard a yell of pain as suddenly he felt the hands let go of him. He quickly stumbled forward to Arya and kneeled before her, placing his hand on her temple.
"I love you, dragon of my heart" He said to Saphira before severing his connection to her.
He looked down at Arya, barely noticing her steady breathing or her rejuvenated color as he enveloped his mind in hers and his awareness of his body ceased.
What did you guys think!
Sorry for getting this out a day late but it ended up much longer than expected!
Next chapter we will learn much about Arya!
Thanks for your patience guys!
Review and let me know what you think!
Till next time!
Stay safe Y'all!