Hey guys!
I am back!
I have officially survived my first year of college! Exams went very well, and I am happy to be on break for a few months.
Thanks for being so patient with this story through the last few weeks. I have a ton of time to write now and I plan to complete this story in the coming weeks.
I hope you enjoy as we reach the end of this story!
As always, leave a review if you enjoy!
Here is chapter 42!
Arya's POV
"Not all of the dead truly die"
The shades last words before the attack echoed in her mind as her senses began to return to her. Her throat burned and scratched as her breaths came in large gasps. Arya's eyes opened groggily, and she sat up slowly. Small pieces of rubble fell from her torso as she pulled herself to a sitting position.
Dust hung in the air like fog obscuring her view to only a short distance in any direction. Through the dust Arya could see elves briefly illuminated by the flickering lights of small fires and flashes of spells as she caught brief glimpses of fighters scattered throughout the room.
Who they were fighting, Arya didn't know.
Dathedr was nowhere to be seen
A sharp pain made her glance up through the ruined ceiling. Through the smoke Arya could just make out the shapes of three dragons in the darkness as they dueled high above her.
"There are no other riders in Alagaesia save for Moroth and he certainly didn't ride on a red dragon."
Unfortunately, Firnen was too far for Arya to gather more than general feelings but from what she could feel, Firnen was feeling terrible sorrow and pain.
Arya wanted nothing more than to aid Saphira and Firnen against whomever was attacking them but there was nothing to be done. Arya could only hope that Firnen and Saphira could handle the threat.
Arya pushed her worry for her dragon to the back of her mind. It wouldn't help either of them if she became distracted.
The smoke from the fires was beginning to mix with the dust and Arya coughed involuntarily.
"That explains my throat" She thought to herself
Arya pulled herself to her feet dazedly. Her head pounded and she struggled to focus as she grasped her sword beside her. The weapon felt heavy in her hands and she struggled to raise it as she stumbled towards the figures.
As she moved, she caught glimpses of the many unmoving bodies scattered around her. Many elves had been crushed by falling debris and their bodies were covered in rubble and massive slabs of marble. Arya forced herself to keep moving, there would be time to mourn later.
Out of the corner of her eye Arya saw movement. A blood-stained arm stuck out of the rubble and was waving wildly only a few feet from her. Arya stumbled over to the poor elf and began to shift the rubble surrounding them. Arya moved quickly and after several moments had cleared enough rubble to grasp the elf's hand and pull them free. The force of Arya's pull caused them to fall to the ground and Arya lay for a moment as she tried to catch her breath before slowly getting to her feet.
Arya had only gotten to her feet for a moment before something slammed into her and knocked her back to the ground. Stunned, Arya was surprised to see the elf she had just saved leap at her again. Arya kicked the elf back and rolled to her feet.
"Why would she attack me?" She wondered as she tightened her grip on her sword
Her question was almost immediately answered as she met the elf's eyes and familiar blank eyes stared back at her.
Arya felt herself grow cold as she stared into the face of one of her advisors who had been alive only minutes ago. The color hadn't even drained from her face as she drew her dagger and leapt at Arya once again.
Mentally cursing the shade's dark magic, Arya stumbled back and only just got her sword up to block the elf's dagger. The dagger flew from the elf's undead hand, but the elf's body pushed Arya into the wall behind them. Arya hit the wall painfully and felt her sword slip from her grasp on impact with the hard wall. The elf rushed her and Arya instinctively sidestepped and embedded her own dagger into the back of its head. The elf went still at once and Arya withdrew her blood-soaked dagger from elf and retrieved her sword from the ground beside her.
Arya stared at the elf for a moment before turning and surveying the fight in front of her. She couldn't make out much through the dust, but she now understood why the shade had waited for her extra elves to arrive before collapsing the building. More elves meant more casualties and more undead for the survivors to deal with as well as dividing their forces against him.
Another spasm of pain made Arya glance upwards once again to where the dragons continued their deadly dance.
"What dragon could stand up to both Saphira and Firnen for so long?"
Unfortunately, she was fairly sure she already knew the answer. She had a hunch about the dragon's identity and prayed that Folir would never have to come face to face with him. She wasn't sure his damaged mind would be able to handle it.
An arrow brushed past her cheek and a new cut joined the dozens of others she had accumulated. Arya turned quickly as another arrow slammed into her gut. Her wards stopped her from being impaled but the force dropped Arya to her back. Her gut burned and Arya was certain several ribs had been broken.
Arya forced herself to her feet as four more elven undead advanced toward her. Far too many for Arya to handle in her current condition. Arya raised her sword and winced as her ribs throbbed painfully. If she was going to die here, she would die fighting.
Arya leapt forward with a hoarse cry and swung at the first elf who parried and swung at her gut. Arya was able to dodge the blade and parry a blow from another elf.
Arya's body worked unconsciously as she stabbed, parried and evaded the elves attacks. For several minutes Arya was able to hold her own despite her injuries and was even able to decapitate one of the elves and bury another in rubble using magic, but her injuries and overall exhaustion was starting to catch up with her. Her movements started to slow as the fight progressed. Twice her wards saved her from a lethal blow and Arya could feel her wards starting to fail as she became more and more exhausted.
Arya was slowly backed toward the wall behind her. Finally, her luck began to run out, the hilt of one of the elves swords smashed into her wrist and forced her to drop Tamerlein for the second time. Arya groaned in pain and rolled as she drew her dagger and threw it at one of the elves.
The dagger flew past the elves guard and sunk into his forehead. The elf slumped to the hard ground with a soft thump. Although the attack had worked Arya regretted her decision. She now stood unarmed and exhausted against the final undead elf.
Arya had no energy left. Using magic would likely kill her but it was her last resort and at the very least there would be one less undead for the survivors to deal with.
"If there are any survivors" Arya thought to herself
The elf moved toward her and raised its sword. Arya burrowed deep into her consciousness and accessed the ever-present magic within her. Arya's mouth began to move in preparation for the spell that would likely kill her when the elf that was attacking her suddenly collapsed several feet from her.
Arya stared in confusion for a moment as she slumped against the wall and released the flow of magic.
Two living elves emerged from the haze and despite her condition Arya couldn't help but smile as she recognized Kayla's familiar form. The elf looked worse that she had when Arya had last seen left hand was heavily bandaged, and she had gained several more cuts, but she was alive and for that Arya was grateful.
The second elf Arya did not recognize. Much of her appearance was hidden by the layers of dust, grime and blood that covered her body but as they locked eyes her brown irises conveyed a softness and kindness that seemed out of place in the battle that raged around them.
Kayla reached down and removed the arrow lodged into the back of the corpses head. Arya pushed herself off the wall and groaned slightly as she stood on her own power, her adrenaline was starting to fade and her pain was beginning to increase.
The other elf approached her and gently pushed her into a sitting position. Arya wanted to protest but she didn't have the energy to fight the elf. With a few sentences in the ancient language Arya felt energy pour into her body and her pain began to lessen.
"Thank you-?" Arya trailed off as the elf gave her a warm smile and said softly
"Enya, My Queen"
"Thank you, Enya,"
"Enya… something in familiar about that name" Arya thought to herself as the healer continued her work. She couldn't quite place where she had heard it.
Finally, the energy flow stopped, and Arya gingerly pulled herself to her feet. Her ribs still throbbed painfully but it was no longer the agony she had endured over the last few minutes. Her headache was gone, and her mind felt clearer than it had before. Arya still felt tired, but the energy Enya had given her soothed her muscles and calmed her thoughts.
Arya approached Kayla who had her back to her. Her head was down as she stared at the undead elf she had just killed.
Arya stopped a few feet behind her and noted the tightness in Kayla's shoulders as she surveyed the elf.
"I am glad you live"
Arya was slightly taken aback by Kayla's tone. She sounded glad but at the same time Arya could sense a deep anger behind her words. Kayla's hand balled into a fist and she held her sword tightly.
Arya's gaze followed to the body on the ground that Kayla was staring at and felt her guilt rise as she understood the source of Kayla's anger.
Arya placed a hand on her shoulder and said simply
"You have every right to blame me for what has happened here, but now is not the time to express it."
Kayla's hand tightened on her sword and for a moment Arya thought she was going to attack her but instead she released her sword and nodded reluctantly.
"We need to end this, now" Kayla said darkly as she turned toward Arya
Arya nodded in agreement
"Do we even know where Dathedr is?" Enya asked tiredly
Arya turned towards the elf. The few patches of exposed skin were pale, and her arms shook as she leaned against the stone wall. Clearly healing Arya had taken a great deal of effort.
Arya and Kayla shared a look of concern and Arya couldn't help but feel guilty. In healing Arya, Enya had made herself vulnerable.
"Enya, perhaps you should rest-" Arya began but Enya shook her head
"I will not leave while I can still help save others" She paused and continued
"Besides, I made a promise"
Arya's curiosity rose at this but her tone made it clear she would not say more than that so Ayra decided not to argue further. They needed to stay focused on ending this fight.
"The shade is close"
Kayla seemed doubtful and began talking about how Dathedr was probably long gone but Arya wasn't listening.
Arya turned toward the direction of the throne through the dust and smoke. The dust seemed thicker in that direction. She couldn't see anything more than a few feet, but a slight chill crept up her spine, as though the shades eyes were on her even then.
"He is still there, waiting for me" She thought with certainty.
Arya felt as though she was in a trance. She began moving slowly through the dust, but Kayla grabbed her shoulder.
"How do you know he is still here?" she asked and for the first time her eyes shone with concern.
Arya shook her head
"I can't explain it but…. I know he is still here"
Arya shrugged her off and walked slowly into the dust. Kayla seemed to still have doubts but both Kayla and Enya followed her toward the center of the battle.
The dust enveloped them and immediately their eyes and throats began to sting. The dust was denser here and even with elven eyes Arya could hardly see anything as she squinted and coughed and tried to shield her eyes with her hand.
The sounds of fighting grew louder as they moved until it seemed as though fighting was all around them. Arya often caught glimpses of movement or a flash of light, but they disappeared as fast as they appeared.
Twice an arrow whistled past them before disappearing into the dust again and Arya stumbled over at least a half dozen bodies. Each body had wounds to their head and Arya felt her heart sink lower and lower as she moved.
"Every one of the fallen was one of our own just a short time ago" She thought sadly
As Arya continued forward the dust began to lessen and suddenly Arya was standing only a short distance from the now destroyed throne. As Arya gasped for breath Kayla emerged next to her, her breaths coming in large gasps. Enya was nowhere to be found but Arya couldn't worry her now. The air here was much clearer, whether it was simply a coincidence or the shades doing, she wasn't sure.
"I wasn't sure you would survive" A familiar voice mused ahead of them. "But I am grateful you did."
Arya's eyes snapped up
The shade stood directly next to the destroyed throne. His back was to them as he bent and picked up a charred piece of wood from the throne. Behind him a massive pile of rubble covered what Arya assumed to be a doorway.
"A relic as old as the elves themselves. So much history, destroyed in a fraction of a second"
He sounded almost wistful as he dropped the wood and slowly turned toward Arya and Kayla, both of whom had leapt to their feet with their weapons drawn. Kayla's grip was tight and Arya could sense her impatience.
"Tell me Drottning, as the last of your family. Does it weigh on you knowing that once you are gone from this world, your family is as well?"
Arya's blood boiled and her voice held an edge as she responded
"My bloodline may die, but my family will live on regardless of my fate tonight. True family is chosen, not assigned at birth"
The shade chuckled at her response. Next to her Kayla gave Arya an odd look that Arya couldn't quite decipher.
"We are more similar than I thought Arya Drottning"
Arya's eyes filled with revulsion. "How could I be similar to such a monster?"
The shades face fell as he continued
"There was a time when I thought as you do now" The shade said sadly "Like you, I grew up in a time of war.I was never close to my real family. The war ended and I made my new family from the ashes and devoted my life to it. I felt closer to them than I ever did my own family"
The shade sounded almost the first time Arya realized something. "There is something different about this shade. He speaks as though he once lived, As though the spirits were once flesh and blood "
The shade seemed to ignore them
The shades fist tightened and his face contorted with rage as he spoke almost to himself.
"I created them, fought for them, killed for them, lost everything for them….
And when I finally return home….. how to they repay me? They changed, they forgot me. Betrayed me…"
The shade continued to mutter to himself and his face twitched and shook as Arya watched with morbid curiosity. She had never seen the shade lose control as he was now.
As suddenly as it started the shade's face grew still and his maroon eyes seemed to bore into her own
"I have plans for you Drottning" The shade said menacingly "You are the key to everything"
Arya's mind raced at his words but before she could process what he had said, she heard Kayla laugh next to her.
The sound was so out of place from their current situation that Arya glanced away from the shade to her companion.
Kayla held a slight smile on her face as she drew her sword.
"So much planning for so little reward." Kayla said mockingly "This ends now"
The shade smiled in return at Kayla
"I suppose you haven't told her about who your parents really are?" The shade said with a scathing smile as he gestured to Arya
"I'm surprised she hasn't figured it out… how does the saying go?"
The shade rounded back to Kayla
"Blood always tells"
Kayla shouted and leapt at the shade.
"NO!" Arya shouted
But Kayla ignored her. She was done waiting
Kayla's sword swept towards the shades heart, but she was far too slow. The shade stepped aside easily and without even drawing his own sword, grabbed Kayla and threw her into the stone wall over twenty feet away with such a force that part of the already damaged wall crumbled and collapsed on top of her.
Arya watched with despair as no movement came from the new pile of rubble. Arya wanted to rush to her aid but knew it would be foolish. Arya lifted her sword as the shade drew his own and turned back to face her.
"Alone at last Drottning"
Eragon's POV
The feeling of dread never left Eragon as he watched Arya march off towards the throne room. A shake of her head was such a small gesture, but it felt like a punch to the gut as Eragon turned away and followed Folir down the steps into the crypts below the palace.
In retrospect it was a poor place to be when dealing with a necromancer. Eragon and Folir fought through at least a dozen of the undead elves as they made there way through the twisting stone corridors and staircases. Throughout the entire time the feeling of dread grew stronger and stronger. His instincts screamed at him to go back even as they descended lower and lower. Folir seemed on edge as well. He kept glancing upwards as they moved as though sensing something above them.
Eragon felt his connection with Saphira grow more and more strained as they continued to go deeper until eventually, he could feel nothing of her presence in his mind. Eragon felt his dread grow stronger then. How Folir could even function with such a loss was astounding to Eragon.
Traps were everywhere as continued deeper and deeper underground. They slowed their progress considerably as they had to disable each trap before continuing.
Despite the many number of traps Eragon couldn't shake the feeling Dathedr was messing with them. Many of the traps were either non-lethal or so obvious that only a fool would be killed by them. In comparison to trying to enter the king's palace in Urubaen it was laughably easy.
Finally, they entered a small room. The room was dark with stone walls and a floor. The only light shone from two torches that hung on the wall on either side of the room. Inside the room seemed to be a study of sorts. There was a desk and chair with ink in one corner and a bookshelf on another.
"Do you think it is here?" Folir asked as he stood at the doorway
"It must be" Eragon responded "Why protect something this badly if nothing is there?"
Eragon and Folir spent several minutes scouring the room for any sign of the egg. Eragon even used magic to try to locate it but to no avail.
Folir suddenly shouted as Eragon was double checking the bookcase. Eragon spun around to see Folir standing with one of the torches pulled down and a small alcove that opened in the wall. Eragon moved closer to the small opening and peered inside. It was the size of a small basin and only a few inches deep. Eragon peered into the alcove and felt his heart sink as he reached out and pulled out a small scale like these found on the outside of a dragon egg.
"It was here" Eragon said as he held up the scale
Folir wasn't listening, he was glancing above them.
Eragon was about to ask what Folir was looking at when a massive boom echoed throughout the entire palace. The entire palace shook and dust rained from the ceiling as both Folir and Eragon were knocked to the ground.
Right as Eragon hit the ground he felt a slight nudge in the back of his mind and his sense of dread peaked.
Immediately a thought invaded his mind
"Arya is in danger"
Eragon leapt to his feet and pulled Folir up with him.
"We need to get back!" Eragon shouted desperately
Folir nodded and they both pushed at the door but it refused to move. Eragon glanced through the small slat in the door and groaned. The entire hallway had collapsed and blocked the door.
Eragon and Folir tried several more times to open the door but it refused to move. Frustrated, Eragon punched the nearest wall. To his surprise he heard an echo resonate through the other side of the wall.
"Its hollow!" Folir said excitedly
Eragon drew his sword and with a shout of "Brisingr" The sword erupted into flames and he began to cut through the stone wall like butter. Within a few minutes he had cut a big enough hole for both of them to exit through.
Eragon sheathed brisingr and climbed through the small opening. He found himself standing in a narrow hallway with stairs leading upwards. Folir climbed in behind him.
"Probably an old, forgotten staircase." Folir said as he landed on his feet
"Come on we need to hurry" Eragon said desperately
His dread was growing stronger by the second.
They hurried up the stairs as fast as they could. Even at elven speeds they were so deep that it took longer than Eragon would have liked to reach the top. As they got higher the dust in the air grew thicker and thicker and forced them to slow slightly.
As they finally reached the landing Eragon swore loudly. Part of the wall had collapsed on itself causing a small mountain of rubble to cover the door that would have otherwise been there.
Eragon could sense Arya's consciousness through the wall. She seemed to not be moving and he could sense Dathedr only a few feet from her.
Eragon suddenly froze in fear. He suddenly knew what he would find on the other side of the wall. A desperation Eragon had not felt since the attack on Arya consumed him. Without thinking of the ramifications of his actions, Eragon reached deep within him and roared
"Jierda!"
The rubble exploded outward with loud explosion that sent dust and debris flying into the throne room. The dust dispersed quicker than it should have and the sun that was beginning to rise caused the entire scene to be basked in a faint orange glow but Eragon hardly noticed. He only had eyes for the two figures in front of him.
Several bodies lay at their feet. Dathedr stood over a kneeling Arya. She looked as though she had been through hell. Dust covered her body and mixed with the copious amounts of blood that seeped out of a dozen or so wounds scattered throughout her body. Her left arm bent at an odd angle and her sword hung limply at her side. Only her eyes remained clear as they met his.
No fear could be seen through her emerald eyes. Their eyes locked for only a moment, but they conveyed a thousand emotions.
Time seemed to move in slow motion. He saw Dathedr's head turn, saw his lips form the words Eragon already knew he would utter
"Too…..late….shadeslayer"
but nothing registered except the green eyes in front of him.
Dathedr leaned down and whispered something to Arya that Eragon didn't catch. Arya gave Eragon a soft smile as Dathedr drew back his sword.
"I love you" Eragon heard faintly in his mind. Whether it was real or not, he didn't know.
Dathedr's sword swung forward into Arya's gut and Eragon's world slumped to the floor.
Wow tough chapter to write.
I hope you enjoyed regardless of the ending.
Thanks for everyone's patience with this story. I did very well on my exams and will have more time to write.
I hope you guys enjoyed and I will see you soon!
Very close to the end!
As always review and let me know your thoughts!
Lawld01