Alauinel's sword shook in her grip. Atop her dragon, she watched as the battle unfolded below her. Hundreds of Riders and their steeds brought back from the grave swarmed Galbatorix and the gigantic Shruikan, the latter making the dragons look like mere flies. The duo repulsed wave after wave; reducing Alauinel's army to ash.

A sharp pain shattered through her muscles, causing the elf to fall forward in her saddle.

This isn't working, Osorion commented, fear shaking his voice.

You need to conserve your magic. They are too strong for these illusions.

Alauinel's eyes settled on Galbatorix as he vanquished the last of her pawns. Shruikan's citadel-like body shifted, causing tremors to roll through the ground. He unfurled his ebony-blazoned wings, the underneath of which were a deep red, and with one mighty flap blew away the dust that had gathered.

"Are you finished?" Galbatorix asked, his eyes narrow slits, due to his resonance with his dragon.

Alauinel smiled down on him.

"I see your skills have not faltered. This was nothing but a test." Alauinel responded. She steeled herself against her fear, anchoring it deep within as she guided Osorion downward. His talons dug into the earth with a thick chop, as the buzzing of his wings silenced. Shruikan's shadow lorded over them, basking Galbatorix in a black hue, his eyes glowing in the darkness.

How am I going to defeat him?

"The real battle begins now." Alauinel parted her lips with a small smile.

How am I going to survive?

Alauinel felt Osorion's thoughts prod into her own.

Challenge him to a one on one duel, I have an idea.

Alauinel nearly laughed at the thought of facing Galbatorix herself.

What is it? She asked.

I can use Dae Galbeg on Shruikan, while you distract Galbatorix.

Do you believe that will work?

It'll have to. I just need time . . . Once I have Shruikan with Dae Galbeg, you'll need to finish it.

Alauinel reached for her sword arm and held it tightly to keep it from shaking as Galbatorix strode out of Shruikan's shadow, cape billowing behind him.

The toll that Dae Galbeg will have on us . . . including the damage that this spell itself has inflected on my body . . . we may not survive, Osorion.

Alauinel jumped from Osorion, who began to shift back into his human form.

It will not matter once Golhlobor arrives. These two are our final obstacle. Once they are removed . . .

Alauinel swallowed, and reached for the clasps that held her cape, undoing them, and allowing her cape to shift away in the wind.

"What are you doing?" Galbatorix raised his head, and Alauinel saw scales forming on the sides of his neck.

He's already taking on Dragonskin. This won't be easy.

Dragonskin, as Alauinel knew it, was a phenoma wherein a Rider, once fully synchronized with their dragon, begins taking on features of the creatures. Their ability, already supplemented by magic and the brand of a Rider itself, becomes even more heightened.

"Lets settle this the old way." Alauinel said, g lacing up at the towering Shruikan above them.

Galbatorix raised his eyebrow; and a low, horrifying, roar came from Shruikan.

"Nonsense. You came to us to fight, you cannot create the terms. We will destroy you, together." He roared.

"Galbatorix, as a former Forsworn, you owe me this right. Combat without our Dragons." Alauinel ignored Shruikan, despite the effect his speech had on her.

The Human King's face was unreadable, and silence passed between them as easily as the air.

"I will grant your request." He said, finally. He turned to Shruikan.

"Stand down."

"Galbatorix-"

"Shruikan, stand down. I want to kill this witch myself." Galbatorix's eyes settled on Alauinel.

And then he vanished.

Alauinel's senses became aware in less than a second- her magic amplifying her sensory abilities. Every rock, every particle of dust was accounted for-

But Galbatorix-

Alauinel gasped as she felt hot steel sear through her arm. She saw Galbatorix's blade before her eyes caught sight of his body, but she moved away, if not out of instinct but fear.

But she was too late.

His sword caught her at the elbow, and Alauinel opened her mouth wordlessly as she saw her sword arm fall to the ground in a splash of blood.

Alauinel-

Focus on Dae Galbeg! Alauinel barked to Osorion as she crouched, narrowly avoiding a strike that nearly took her head.

I can compensate for his speed- I simply wasn't prepared Alauinel said to herself, blonde hair trailing after her as she dodged and weaved between Galbatorix's blows. She rolled to the ground, landing on the soles of her feet as Galbatorix bore down on her.

"Sie Enden," She whispered, and her speed increased while Galbatorix struck the black dirt with a furious roar. Alauinel sped for her sword, which was still in the grip of her bisected arm. Tearing fingers that were no longer hers free, she turned just in time to catch Galbatorix's blade with her own. The impact sent a shockwave through their surroundings, two opposing magic forces crashing into each other with the power of a thousand men.

"Grasen Auf" Alauinel yelled as strength surged through her one arm, pushing Galbatorix away, and slashing at his face. He vanished, her blade passing harmlessly in the air, and then reappeared to her unarmed side. Still enchanted by Sie Enden, Alauinel was able to turn with magnificent speed, meeting Galbatorix's blade. But the strength of his blow sent her flying across the field, tumbling through the rocky landscape as Galbatorix bounded after her. He jumped into the sky, pointing his sword at Alauinel, as she looked up at him with wide eyes, her fear visible for the first time.

"Treyna!" Galbatorix bellowed, lighting sputtering from the tip of his blade and hurtling down to the earth. Alauinel dropped her sword and caught the electric current with her hand. It burned through her body, but she trained the current through with magic, directing it away from her vital organs and out of her wounded stump. The power of the attack, now free, exploded the ground in a bedlam of sound and destruction.

"You used Sie Enden to increase your speed," Galbatorix said as he ran through the dust.

No,

"You used Grasen to increase your strength, at the cost of your magic."

I can't move.

Galbatorix parted the dusty visage before Alauinel, and struck his sword through her stomach.

Alauinel slumped backwards as he drove his blade through her, until the cold hilt touched her skin.

"But that isn't enough to defeat me."

Blood trailed down Alauinel's mouth as she gasped for breath, her vision fading.

She closed her eyes, and felt Osorion's magic coursing through her.

Without that, she might've died.

Without it, she would have lost.

"Dae Galbeg" Alauinel whispered as a portal opened behind Galbatorix. He turned in time to see Caomhim wielding a spear of ancient design and wicked cruelty in the grasp of his ghastly, skeletal limb. Shruikan cried in unison with Galbatorix as Dae Galbeg struck the Human King. Caomhim pulled the spear out of Galbatorix's body, and with it, Galbatorix's magic. The human roared in fury, and Shruikan shook earth and sky to move to his master's aid- but as he did, he grew smaller and smaller.

Galbatorix recoiled from his blade as he fell backwards, groping his wound as eldeena- his power source, the eldunari of the dragons- fled his body and into the Dae Galbeg spear.

"Dae . . ." Galbatorix's face contorted in pain and disbelief.

"Galbeg," Alauinel finished, crawling upwards to her knees, Galbatorix's sword still jutting from her back and she held the hilt in place.

"The ancient Laen Elf spear used to seal Dragons before the taming. I found within our tombs; it was one of the wards guarding Golhlobor." She looked past Galbatorix to see Shruikan, now almost human, crawling to his master. Behind him, however, Osorion lay nearly lifeless, also reduced to his human appearance.

"But the price of such a power . . ." Galbatorix trailed off as he fell to his back.

"Dae Galbeg consumes the user, using their life force to counteract the power of the magic that flows through Dragon's veins. It eats their dreams, their desires, their future . . . priceless components of life to create a void of entropy that is strong enough to seal even the greatest of dragons." Alauinel laughed weakily.

"I am not the one who used the skill, though I did supply the magic, along with Osorion. No, it was your dear Caomhim whom I entrusted with Dae Galbeg. I was hoping to use it on Golhlobor . . ."

Galbatorix's eyes widened, anger coursing through them. He opened his mouth- but no words came out. His body shook violently as the last of his magic was siphoned, and carried over to Dae Galbeg, which still was in the skeletal grip of Caomhim. Shruikan too, had stopped moving- his long black hair gently rustling in the wind.

Alauinel shuddered as pain racked through her, coughing up blood as the last of her own magic reserves destroyed the illusion of Ra'zacul, returning them to the throne room of Urubaen. She stared at the floor, aware of nothing but the dripping of blood from her wound as her eyesight went dark. Caomhim returned as well, but Dae Galbeg was swiftly destroying his body as it began to return to the otherworld.

If I could receive a parcel of that magic- of Galbatorix's magic-

But she could not. She couldn't move, and she was forced to watch as Caomhim wordlessly vanished in a crumbling vortex, Dae Galbeg consummating its final pact.

Alauinel felt her death approaching. She fell to her side, and looked up to the segmented windows above her. She saw faint movement, and squinted her eyes to create a somewhat clearer picture.

A flock of ravens had decided to rest upon the spires of Urubaen's castle.

She reached her hand out to them, and with the last of her strength, ate away at their life force to strengthen her own.

Alauinel smiled, fading into unconsciousness as her strength returned.