RA'ZACUL

Galbatorix could not see. His vision was nothing but blackness. He rotated his head, disorientated, attempting to find his bearings. He stumbled about drunkenly, blind to what was around him.

"You must be wondering where you are."

He heard Alauinel's voice over what seemed to be a great distance, and then felt hot air press against his face. He waved his sword at the ghastly intrusion, but the air did not cease, and in fact increased in its fury.

Galbatorix, this is bad Shruikan echoed within Galbatorix's skull.

Can you see where we are?

The King felt the rage of his dragon increase.

No, I cannot. I sense something, but it rather faint.

I believe I know what she has done . . . but I would rather not think she has truly reached a level capable of this.

"Alauinel," Galbatorix began, holding his sword before him in a useless and blind defense.

"Have you discovered where we are?" Her voice tittered beautifully as she spoke.

"I was not filling your head with foolish threats, Galbatorix. I have gained dominion over a part of hell."

"So this is what I believed it to be. Death Magic. You truly are a fool, Alauinel."

"You are the foolish one, My King. You are in this world by my terms. I could snuff you out in an instant. But I want to show you something." Alauinel's voice bellowed despite her quiet tone, and there was power behind her words, spells unspoken but rather embedded in her very speech.

Galbatorix's eyes slowly became aware, as if a torch had been lightened before him. Adjusting to the darkness, he saw that he was standing in what seemed to be a scorched field, and in the distance large mountains loomed, dark clouds withering as they were impaled by stony spires. In the sky a low orange moon grew. Hot wind blew all around him, parting his hair and forcing his breath back into his mouth.

"This is the graveyard, Galbatorix. The one found-" Shruikan's voice shook.

Galbatorix's mouth tightened.

"Vroengard." He finished.

A cloud suddenly formed itself into a funnel, twisting as it reached the ground. Within it, as the ebony wisps parted, Alauinel and her dragon, Osorion, stood.

"Ah, so you do remember. It has been a long time since you have been here, hasn't it?" Alauinel asked.

"How are you doing this?" Galbatorix could even see the ruined fortress of the riders, still defiantly standing between the long dead volcanic mountains. Scarred and black, it refused to truly die, even to the end.

"We are not actually on Vroengard. But we are where spiritual death occurred." Alauinel spoke easily, as if she were not fighting Galbatorix, but instructing him. She moved, circling him, while Osorion prowled behind her.

"When one dies, depending on their power, they leave an imprint on the world. A mark that cannot be seen by the living. Here, in this realm, Hell, the place where they died is perfectly mirrored. An anchor, if you will, to lock them within Hell's grasp. People usually refuse to let go of their home, or whatever cause they were fighting for. Hell replicates all of this, and uses attachment to keep souls trapped within its maw."

"Galbatorix . . ." Shruikan warned, moving closer to his side. The ground began to quake, veins of red cracks splintering the rocky earth beneath them.

"I wonder how many you killed that day, Galbatorix." Alauinel offered him a small smile as she stepped back.

"Osorion, I believe it's time we took to the skies."

The dragon transformed into its true body, green and small and wired with muscle. Bug-like wings sprouted from a shelled back, and an armored head poked from within a oval-shaped chassis. Mandibles chewed on nothing as reptilian legs and forelegs clawed at the earth. A thick tail, which ended in two stingers, swayed behind Osorion as Alauinel lifted herself on top of his hard shell.

"You killed hundreds. And many of them have not forgotten. No, they will never forget, I fear." Alauinel grinned as Osorion's wings blurred in flight as he rose. The creases on the ground grew deeper, and the blood-light became brighter, more intense. Roars and the clash of battle rose from within them, growing louder and louder until-

Shruikan grabbed Galbatorix, partially transformed, and shielded them both with his massive wings as a large quake erupted, spitting jagged rocks the size of horses into the air, welcoming them back down in festivals of dirt and debris, accented by ear-splitting shocks that would have rendered Galbatorix deaf, if not for Shruikan's intervention.

"You fought them with your Forsworn. I wonder how powerful you'll be on your own, my King." Alauinel, humor in her magnified voice, called from the dreary skies.

Shruikan opened his wings, and Galbatorix stepped from outside them. A large pool, no, lake, of blood bubbled before him and his mount. Hands, swords, wings began to rise from within. Dripping with blood, dragon riders, fully armed and armored, rose. Their dragons as well, scales shining with cardinal sheen.

There were dozens. And then hundreds. And then even more. They slowly climbed from their unholy bath, movements slow at first, but then growing faster as long sleeping souls were forced to fight their final battle once more.

"You have no honor, witch." Shruikan turned and gave Galbatorix a red-eyed look. The King, in turn, nodded as he held his sword high.

"Transform, Shruikan. I will not be holding back either."

Past the undead army, Galbatorix glared at Alauinel, who floated harmlessly above.

"I am not the same warrior I was one hundred years ago. Consider each year . . ."

Galbatorix's pupils constricted and became slanted, while his body suddenly bulged with muscle. Teeth within his mouth sharpened, and his skin began to harden as scales connected themselves together underneath his armor. His sword glowed with black fury, while Shruikan doubled over.

The first line of undead warriors charged, dragons belching flame while riders threw spells, arrows, and even swords.

Galbatorix pointed his sword at the writhing mass, and a sable ball formed at its point. The ball then launched itself into the center of the group, and men, elf, and dragon screamed as they were sucked into a bellowing black hole. It doubled in size, before finally expending all of it's energy in a magnificent, towering black inferno, a blaze that pierced the clouds and seemed to reach the moon. Rings of air formed around the blast, slowly rising as the heated energy dissipated, leaving nothing in its wake.

"Consider each year a proportional increase of my power." Galbatorix finished. From her safe steed, Alauinel laughed.

"This might be more interesting than I thought. Come at me, O'great King."

Galbatorix charged, as Shruikan became a mass of undecipherable size.

"Shruikan . . . may be larger than you remember." Galbatorix finished as the ground rumbled, while two bleach white talons, the size of Uru'baen's castle, crushed the earth at both sides of him.

"You will not survive this." Shruikan's voice warned, a voice ageless, and full of violent terror.