Vermal watched as Tronjheim rebuilt itself. Many races may look down on dwarves, but they could not insult their industriousness. The stone gate was nearly complete, and many buildings and apartments had been repaired well enough that the cities people could return to their homes. However, the Varden's forces still lingered. Food stores were running low, and among the poorer districts, dwarves were in open revolt. In the middle and higher castes, the dwarib were still calm and peaceable, but the continued presence of the human and elf forces put even the most tolerant dwarib on edge.
"It seems everything has played into your hand." Vermal turned away from the massive hole that was carved from a circular and hollowed-out stalagmite that hung high above the underground metropolis. In the chamber, his uncles, various first sons, and their first sons sat on a long table. The one that spoke was named Fermen Nyste, a dwarib with a gray beard and a thin nose. Fermen's head was bald, and Vermal could see his shined reflection off of the pale skull of his kinsman.
"Yes. Better than I had expected. Our agents have done well." Vermal stated as he took his place at the head of the table. He was the Eoitog of the Nyste, a merchant leader. He led them in trade endeavors, marriage alliances, and investments. Due to the wealth the Nyste had invested into the Royal Bank, he was next in line to the Throne should Prince Orik and the King die. Due to this, he had become the de facto Prime Minister as well, managing various kingly duties when the Gun-nam was occupied with other matters.
"The attack was unexpected. But we adapted, like we always have." Nune Nyste stated with a strong voice. He was Vermal's cousin, and nearly twice as ambitious. Young and handsome, he was a threat to Vermal's own desires. Vermal did not know how to deal with Nune just yet, but Vermal knew he had to remove the young eharib before Vermal himself was caught in an elegant trap concocted by his crafty cousin. Vermal narrowed his eyes at Nune, who sat uncomfortably close to the head seat.
"Yes. The poor are agitated beyond repair. After the Varden forces leave . . . they will be ours to claim. Loe, have you put together the numbers for the relief effort?" Vermal inquired. Loe, an older uncle, nodded dumbly.
"Yes. We have successfully been able to evade the food distribution act. We still have more than enough food. Once the Varden leaves, we will be able to feed the poor of the city." Loe affirmed.
"And they will be indebted to us. To our cause." Vermal smiled, stroking his chin.
"Eoitog Vermal . . . . news from the South Sea." The youngest Nyste, a glorified messenger boy named Keo rose his tiny and shaken voice.
"Our ships . . . have been destroyed." He declared, lifting a piece of parchment as his hands shook uncontrollably.
Vermal's alarms went off immediately.
"Destroyed? Let me see the paper before you sodden it with your disgusting sweat."
Keo passed the sheet down, and each Nyste eyed it quietly before handing it off to the next one. Finally, it arrived in Vermal's hands. He looked down at the tattered and ripped sheet with critical eyes.
I do not know if this will reach the capital. As I write this, I watch our merchant ships burn. Corsairs with black flags began attacking us early in the month, and what started as small skirmishes that we could throw off have turned into full-scale naval battles that we constantly lose. The message gulls we send are shot down almost immediately by marksmen. Beyonders, by the look of them. I hurry to write this message because one of our trade ships burns black smoke, which may cover the gull long enough to reach Kamal. They seem to be attacking every dwarven trade fleet, not just ours. I do not know how the ships in the Dragon Sea fair . . . but we have already lost millions. What's more . . . it seems they are paving a way towards our colonies. I have no idea how they were discovered. I fear that they will reach the settlements before reinforcements arrive. The colonies are largely forgotten, as dwarib no longer care to relocate to them, but still, a sizable if not stagnant population live in the New World, and if these pirates reach them, they will discover what we are building. They will discover the weapon.
Send help- Oarfin Seawave
Vermal looked up from the paper, and saw the expectant eyes of his family members.
He reached into his robes, and pulled his dagger from a concealed sheath. With a snarl, he stabbed at the wooden table, screaming as bits of precious overland oak sprayed about them. He stopped, his hair in disarray as sweat fell down from his forehead.
"Someone in the South has made a grave mistake."
(LINEBREAK)
Eragon stepped into a very different city.
Olan had been ruined. Buildings that were black and charred clung to the earth like starving men gasping for air, while once-proud cathedrals bore smashed windows, with doors that were hacked and broken into. Soldiers patrolled the streets, while hungry-looking homeless huddled underneath blankets while men pushing carts dispersed rationed meals.
"It feels wrong leaving all of this behind." Eragon said as they rode past. His original party had grown from just Brom, Arya, and Saphira. Aerion had decided to join them, considering the Empire's renewed offensive blocked their way to the North. The Xoshan elf girl, Elonubum, had joined them as well. Surprisingly, Prince Orik had demanded to come, having grown sick of the underground world he would soon rule.
"It is for a greater cause. What you see here will be all of Alagaesia if we do not increase our own strength." Arya responded, her horse nickering as wind blew old ashes into their faces. Lord Yorbar himself was not even present- He had relocated the capital to a nearby settlement that was untouched. Olan was policed by the military now, and rebuilding efforts were depressingly slow. King Orrin had requested the help of the dwarves, but they refused, saying that they must focus on their own before they came to the aid of the humans.
Saphira walked with the horses, nearly as big as them now. She looked at the destroyed city with wide eyes, the entire area underneath the shadow of the great mountains behind them.
"What is it like? Du Welden Varden?" Eragon inquired as they came to the massive hole the Shade had created months ago. It was unrepaired, a breech as large as two massive storehouses that broke the uniform appearance of the great walls of Olan. Arya's eyes livened up slightly as she answered Eragon.
"Peaceful. There is always music playing, at least in the High Elven prefectures. Fresh water travels across the lands with elf-made springs and tributaries, so even the poorest of us have clean drink. Food is plentiful, and white pillared structures line cobbled roads that move over raised hills and low valleys like a beautiful pale river."
Their horses stepped over the broken wall easily as they stepped between two gigantic stone slabs. The spirit within Eragon seemed to move as they slowly made their way past the wall, and Eragon could feel it looking at the ruined barrier. It spoke then, slowly within Eragon's mind, speaking that strange tongue that filled him with unease.
"Pft. What you must see is the Xoshan wood marches. Much more magnificent than the boring Laen settlements."
Elonubum flashed Eragon a wicked grin.
"Maybe during the summer fertility , I could show you." She winked at Eragon handsomely, and he blushed as Arya regarded the brown-skinned elf with annoyance.
"And how would you do that with the Sealed ravaging your vaunted woods?" She challenged. Elonubum's smile crashed into an angry grimace as her dark eyes narrowed.
"They said that the Sealed were being held back. Even during war, we always celebrate Summer Fertility. That is the one shared thing among the elves. I believe even the Sealed will halt their attacks during that time." Elonubum stated, her voice losing volume. Arya didn't respond, and Elonubum fell back somewhat, slowing her horse to the point that now Arya and Eragon led the front of their small fellowship.
"That wasn't very nice." Eragon said quietly. Arya gave him a side-ways glance, and then returned her eyes to the flat fields before them.
"I do not have time for the lusts of Xoshan elves, and neither do you." Arya said with finality. They rode silently for a time, and Saphira took off, flying high into the sky as her wide wings spread like sails. Eragon saw a small smile curl at Arya's lips, a sort of youthfulness in her beautiful face that Eragon had never seen.
They passed through rolling hills and flat valleys, and Eragon remembered some places as they had passed them on their first journey to Olan. All of that seemed so far away, some distant memory as new challenges came forth to test him. They came upon the hill that overlooked a large portion of the valley, and gave a beautiful clear vista of the Mountains that hid Olan from view.
"So much changes in the lives of men. But it seems the environment remains the same." Aerion reflected wistfully. Eragon heard Brom grunt in agreement, and the young Rider felt his heart gladden. Brom was alive. That was all he could have ever asked for. Eragon wondered where Roran was, wondered if he was well. He knew that Roran would be fighting against this Morzan, and he hoped with all of his heart that Roran would emerge victorious. Eragon remembered the burned body of Garrow, he saw the faces of the countless dead who were murdered in Caravhall. He saw Katrina, Roran's muse, blush as Roran spoke to her, and he smiled as he realized he had been the one who goaded Roran to speak to her. All of these things were in the past however, and now Eragon knew he must look towards the future.
"Can we stop for a moment?" Eragon asked. His party halted behind him, as Arya continued going on for a few paces, before finally turning in annoyance.
"What could be so important that you must delay our journey?" She demanded. Eragon smiled sadly, dismounting.
"We've been focused on the war that we've forgotten a part of ourselves." Eragon bent down and plucked a blade of yellow grass from warm dirt.
"I never buried Garrow." He said, his eyes growing watery as Brom and Aerion joined him on the ground.
Eragon bent over, and dug a small hole at the top of the hill. Beyond, hundreds of miles away, the tall mountains watched as the sun set slowly behind the jagged shoulders of the tall rock. The sky was painted in a cast of dark orange, the last vestiges of light focusing in on Eragon's hand, bringing a heavenly color to the grass he held between his fingers.
"Goodbye, Garrow." He said softly, dropping the yellow grass into the hole. He raised himself up, looking at the various beings that surrounded him. Saphira landed near Eragon softly, looking at him with concerned eyes. Brom bent over suddenly, picking up a sliver of grass. He nodded gravely at Eragon, and then dropped it into the hole.
"For countless loved ones and many more innocents." He said softly. Aerion did the same, adding another blade of grass to the hole. He named no one and uttered no words, but his eyes shone beneath a veil of water.
Elonubum wiped her eyes with her tanned arm as she placed grass into the hole, smiling with beautiful sorrow.
"Brother." She rasped, and Eragon's heart leapt for her, remembering the bear he had ridden during the battle. Prince Orik regarded the hole with grave respect, before placing two blades of grass in the hole.
"My society does not respect secondsons. But I lost two during the fight against the Shade's horde." He stated softly.
Suddenly, Arya brushed past Eragon, and glared into the hole. Her eyes counted the pile of grass within it, before she added her own.
"Evander. I will avenge you. I will return honor to the name Valbhorethlian."
They stood in silence as their horses snorted at bugs that came with the growing dark. Eragon raised his eyes and saw the last beacon of light vanish beyond the massive mountains, and he let out a cry as tears wrenched themselves free of his eyes. He sobbed silently, not bothering to wipe his cheeks as they were stained and wetted. The grief of his life hit him all at once. Garrow, Caravhall, and countless other tragedies. The faces he had seen as he and Brom passed by towns ravaged by Urgals, and the sadness in the starving citizens of Olan. He heard a rasp, and opened his eyes to see Arya crying as well. She turned away from him, but Orik approached the center of their semi-circle, which had formed around the hole. He delicately brushed dirt over the makeshift burial, and then rose to his full height.
"My people have a song for the departed." He said. The dwarf Prince opened his mouth, and slowly a beautiful melody sprung forth, dancing on his tongue before they drifted from between his lips. His song seemed to sway and waver beautifully in the air of dawn, rising high and then low, moving between ears with ease and grace. When he finished, all of them had tear-stained cheeks, even Brom. The song evoked sadness, but there was more. Within it a small glimmer of hope was found, hope that Eragon was determined to grip onto. He would not allow himself to fail. He would grow stronger, and he would assist the Varden and avenge those that had fallen. His heart was filled with determination, determination that Saphira could feel. The Spirit could feel it as well, and Eragon allowed himself a smile as he felt the being shy away from Eragon's courage.
Just then, a figure stumbled upon them. A man with bright blue hair and tattered clothing approached, moving so silently that none of them heard the man until he was right next to them. Eragon reached for his weapon as his allies followed his action, and the blue-haired man raised his hands.
"We – I mean no harm." He said hurriedly as Arya pressed the point of her blade at his pale throat.
"My- My name is Cambion. I mean no harm."
Arya looked at the being, and then firmed her grip on the blade she held.
"Look. It's a Shade. The skin. The hair." She commented.
Eragon could see it now. There was an unnatural paleness to the Shade, and the hair was too blue to be dyed. The Shade looked at Eragon knowingly, and he felt the Spirit within him jump with anger. Eragon doubled over as the Spirit racked his body, attempting to move his muscles so that he would strike the Shade.
"I can help you, if you allow me. I can help you control it." Cambion said as Eragon rolled on the ground.
"Vaenis domanu." Cambion whispered, and the Spirit within Eragon calmed. He slowly rose, helped up by Prince Orik, who held his axe ready with his free hand.
Arya lowered her sword slowly from Cambion, and the Shade looked at her neutrally.
"He needs me." Cambion stated. Eragon knew that well enough. Before Arya could respond, he answered for their entire party.
"You can come with us." He granted, and Cambion smiled, almost handsomely.
Arya sheathed her blade violently, frowning at Eragon.
"I will leave you to explain to the Laen why you bring a Shade among them." She said as she mounted her horse. Eragon shook his head and grinned as he stepped into his saddle, girding his horse as Saphira took up space beside him. Cambion did as well, looking at Saphira with interest.
"A dragon. A queer sight." Cambion said conversationally. The way the Shade spoke and how human yet unhuman it was caused Eragon to erupt in laughter. After a few moments, Brom did as well. Soon, everyone began to chortle with joy, and even Arya graced them with a long suffering smirk . Cambion looked around, dumbly, and began laughing too- but even the way he laughed was off, causing them to be thrown into another fit. Finally, the humor subsided, and Arya urged her horse onward. Behind them was death and destruction. Ahead of them, the same horrors waited, but with those terrible things, hope shined.
"Let's go." Arya commanded, and with that, the newly formed fellowship made their way east, towards the homeland of the Elves.
THE END
(A/N) Well, I actually never thought I'd finish this. The first rewrite is done. I want to thank everyone that enjoyed this, despite my rushed chapters, continuity errors, and spelling mistakes. I will continue the rewrite series with Eldest, but I want to basically go through every chapter and correct any errors and then finish the lore, so it may be about two weeks until I start Eldest. SO DON'T UNFOLLOW! THE STORY ISN'T FINISHED! Anyway, for those of you who stayed, congrats. It only gets better from this point onwards.