BRISINGR

ARYA thought that the battlements were colder than usual. She walked along them as she tended to, green eyes watching the wavering flames that still clutched ancient forests. The night was quiet, foreboding a doom that she could feel but was unable to articulate.

Eragon and the others had one more day. She was fully prepared to do what she needed to for the sake of her people, but when the time came, would she be strong enough? She didn't love Eragon, not truly, but yet-

She found herself more often than not thinking about the boy, finding herself smiling at his blissful ignorance and headstrong determination. He was a fool, but his heart endeared him to her in a way that many humans had failed to. The prospect of a being like him being lost to her forever...

The Elf Queen dashed her thoughts, breaking them across a slab of cold and resolute will. It didn't matter what she felt anymore. She was no longer independent.

I will not break as Evander did.

Arya's eyes widened as a flash zipped past her. She instantly turned on her heels, scuffing the stone walkway she stood upon as her sword flashed to life in the dark of night.

I can't sense anything-

"So- this is what you truly look like." A voice spoke to her, emanating from an ember of light sitting upon stone.

Arya frowned, slapping her palm against the flat of her sword. She released a powerful mana that dispelled illusions, emitting a wave of air that shook the ponytail tied behind her head.

The figure didn't attempt to flee or evade the spell, it simply stood.

Arya's mouth contorted as her grip on a wavering blade went slack.

Before her stood Islanzadi.

She recognized the armor her mother wore, but there was something else. Her face was more angular, somehow younger. Instead of green eyes, Arya saw purple ones. And the hair that framed Islanzadi's beautiful visage was no longer dark like Arya's- but blonde.

Arya's former mother smiled warmly, an emotion unbecoming of the former Queen of Elves.

"Your confusion is.. it's almost delicious to me. I've seen that face scattered on so many pieces.." Islanzadi spoke, but it wasn't a voice Arya knew.

The creature stepped forward.

"My thoughts are finally beginning to make sense. I was... a jumble of things. A Laen, a Sealed. A Laen again, and even a Ceryani. Those bodies contorted and deceived me- but I was still driven by one goal. The longer I wear this body the more at home I feel, but I know this is not where my search ends." Its speech was eloquent, slow yet inviting.

It looked at Arya with eyes of familiarity, but at the same time there was still a ring of distant confusion that clouded them.

And yet- it had spoke of two Laen and a Ceryani-

Arya wasted no time. The Elf launched herself towards her enemy, sparking her sword against the ground. She pulled magic from within her, generating licks of lighting that danced upon the edge of an elegant blade.

"Treyna Gasia!" Arya bellowed, pointing her sword directly at this new entity. A bolt of electricity jumped from the blade and towards Islanzadi's captor. A mischievous smile formed on borrowed lips, almost mirroring an expression Arya herself had worn multiple times in her youth.

Islanzadi's hand raised, and within it a head snapped into existence. It bore long ears and dark hair, streaks of blonde running through neatly combed locks.

It was Oromis.

Before Arya could scream, Oromis's mouth opened as the entity forced it to devour the lightning that Arya summoned. The head moaned lustfully as it feasted upon Arya's mana.

"The thoughts within me still... feel incomplete. As if written upon parchment with dwindling ink. But you.."

Islanzadi suddenly jumped backwards as a plume of blue flame spat across the battlements.

Saphira!

Arya looked above, spotting Eragon's dragon as she swooped downwards like a diving hawk. If Saphira was here, then that meant Cambion directed her.

Arya instructed the Shade to patrol Gillendel's perimeter astride Saphira. His sensory mana proved useful in detecting Sealed attacks, and keeping the Ra'zac at bay. In fact, He and Roran had more than proven their worth to her.

"Arya! Back away from her!" Cambion screamed as Saphira grew closer. Islanzadi's borrower smirked, pouncing towards Arya as a third arm broke free of Islanzadi's armor, just below her natural left. Unnaturally pale fingers flexed towards the stone below. A broken sword- a rider's blade, appeared within the hand's grip.

Arya saw with cooled horror that it was the very same blade Oromis had worn for as long as she had known him.

Saphira landed on the battlements, shaking foundations hastily erected. She unleashed another torrent of flame towards Arya's unknown attacker. The being laughed, throwing Oromis's head backwards as it began to suck the air that carried Saphira's attack harmlessly between purple lips.

The Elf Queen charged again, an expression equal parts surprise and jubilant glee painting Islanzadi's face. Arya leapt over Islanzadi, trading blows as a broken sword attempted to cut open pulsing calves.

Arya landed before Saphira, righting herself as Islanzadi giggled almost girlishly.

"I came as fast as I could." Cambion said above her.

Are you alright? Saphira spoke to Arya directly.

I'm not injured. But this.. Arya responded.

She felt apprehension from Saphira's consciousness.

Cambion felt something and directed me here. The way he explained it.. this creature is the work of dark mana. It's a spell often used by Shades to possess corpses. He said that the spell's arithmetic was purposefully split- changed by the Sealed to allow Gholobhor to inhabit a still living vessel.

Almost as if Cambion could hear their conversation, he answered.

"But this isn't Gholobhor." He said coldly.

Islanzadi leveled purple eyes directly towards Arya.

"No, not Gholobhor. My name.. I can't hear it. Not quite. But every time I look upon you I feel as if it's dancing upon my lips. There is another name however- Vizcelia.. yes. That one." Vizcelia ran a hand through her blonde hair as a fourth arm sprouted from the right side of her back.

"It is so good to finally see you, Arya. I don't know you, but for so so long you were nothing at all. Now I see that Islanzadi has made you Queen. A fitting gift from her." Vizcelia crouched, and then pounced once more.

Saphira roared as she swung her tail, whipping it across the air. Vizcelia deftly maneuvered mid-air, slipping past Saphira's attack as she landed right in front of Arya.

Purple eyes bore into Arya's soul-

But Arya was no weakling. She pushed Vizcelia's thoughts out of her mind, slashing any dream of illusion into nonexistence as she waved her blade, felling Vizcelia's third arm.

Vizcelia chortled in surprise, ducking downwards as another blast of flame erupted from Saphira's roaring maw. Arya's army had begun to stir, and soon more than four dozen entered the battlements, blocking Vizcelia's flank.

Vizcelia eyed Arya between a veil of golden locks. Her face seemed to change again- it was distinct from Islanzadi's, but at the same

time it bore a familiarity that unnerved Arya to the foundations of her being.

Vizcelia blessed the Queen of Elves with a handsome grin.

"This has been interesting, Auresame. I'm rather disappointed. After all these years you simply grew to give off the same stench Evander did."

Vizcelia snapped her fingers.

Arya's skin screamed of its own accord as magic was felt amongst currents of air. She turned, horrified as Gillendel erupted in sound.

Sealed Elves suddenly appeared between empty homes and Elven war tents. They stabbed black blades and spears into sleeping and unprepared men and Elves, while others engaged the Laen warriors who had come to assist Arya on the battlements.

"The entire Sealed army.. is here.." Cambion's voice, usually devoid of emotion, was marked with such surprise and horror that it truly brought the revelation of their reality into grim context.

Arya shut her eyes, forcing the magic that Islanzadi and Oromis had trusted within her to power ancient runes- give her the strength necessary to teleport her and the rest of her people to safety-

"Thank you, Arya." Vizcelia spoke as Queen's horror climaxed. She felt mana well from within Vizcelia, a deafening cry that bellowed from the creature's pores.

The spell Islanzadi prepared to transport Arya and the others was now being fed directly into the monster before her.

Cries filled the air as Arya's army was cut down. Arya screamed in anguish, holding her blade with both hands as she charged for Vizcelia.

The creature's body began to dissipate in the wind. As it left, its voice rang within Arya's own mind.

When I return for you, I will show you exactly how Evander died.

Arya stumbled forward as her sword cut nothing, crashing against stone while her army fell- bloodied under the light of a mocking moon.

NEXT CHAPTER: 5/22 (Tomorrow! I'm sorry!)