-BRISINGR-
A/N: Thanks again for the continued support. This chapter is a part one kind of deal- it's actually been super hard to write. Figured I'd update since one person asked. Anyway..
BRISINGR.
RELIEF, so distant to Arya, tempted emotions that were fanned by cues of despair.
The only thing that kept her going was Orrin's message.
"We have found a solution- found a way out thanks to Angela and the rest of her Impori horde. Survive for a little while longer, Queen of Elves," he had said, using his characteristic excited tone.
Arya felt unsure heeding the human King's words then, thinking that she had wasted the only opportunity they had to send word to the outside world.
But then-
She felt Eragon and Saphira before sharp eyes saw them. There was something more; directly below and further ahead-
A massive beast, writhing with arms that were alight in flame, struggled onwards. As it toppled burning markets, the being cut itself on broken daggers of marble stone.
It bled profusely, releasing baleful howls that threatened to overtake even the wind.
Arya's gaze was suddenly forced upwards as the sound and sight of Thorn's fire exploded across the sky-
Directly onto the massive, wriggling demon.
The creature's sobs shook Rethulianel and all the earth around it, knocking Arya off balance. Her eyes instantly flexed onto the dark warrior that challenged her.
Sensing weakness, It took the opportunity with jubilation.
A sable blade whipped across its chest, then pointed for the Queen.
The banshee shambled forward with unnatural speed.
Arya!
The Rider and his azure Dragon broke free from a gate of low-hanging smog, Gillendel's dying gasps taking shape in the fiery wind.
Eragon's voice bellowed within Arya's eardrums. She winced, setting sharp brows as a bloodied crown shifted upon her sweat covered forehead.
Eragon's hair whipped about a head that seemed to be surrounded by fire itself- it was only then Arya realized it was his magic.
Anger and rage enveloped Eragon to such degrees Arya felt a pang of sadness.
He doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve any of it.
Arya closed her eyes, briefly and inadvertently, before her attention was drawn back to bleak surroundings.
Crashes of tumbling earth clambered to deafened ears from below. Sing-song voices of the Sealed warbled upwards, gifts of deserted, ruined streets.
Focus, Arya snapped. Movement encroached at the corner of her vision, dragging the Elven Queen to a new level of alertness.
"So they've come," the voice of Arya's attacker crackled like lighting lingering in the air-
She blinked.
The creature was beside her, cold hand resting on her shoulder. It was tall, thin. It wore a cloak and hood- but instead of a face, six eyes stared at her from a wavering mirror embedded in pale flesh.
Red hair dangled from either side of the creature's pupils, swaying rhythmically to the destruction that licked the wind.
It moved with a slight humor, a quick confidence that added to its unsettling appearance.
Before, she might've been afraid.
Arya sensed a feint, ignoring the apparition that held her shoulder as a shrieking sword cut from her right. Arya spun, sword clanging, rattling vision blurred by exhaustion. The creature kept up the assault, slicing for her arms, her legs. Arya defended successfully, using her blade with cold, emotionless accuracy. However...
The Elven Queen gritted her teeth, boots scraping across Rethulianel's ancient stone.
She was being pushed back.
Arya ducked. She felt heat harmlessly swim above her back, crashing into Rethulianel's curving and speared battlements. Saphira's fire webbed across the darkened stone, her wings fanning Arya's dark hair across a scarred jaw.
Eragon jumped from Saphira, sword above his head. He thrust his arm outwards, lighting cracking within his palm.
The shadowy warrior twirled unharmed from the smoking aftermath of Saphira's blaze. As Eragon alighted, he snapped his fingers.
"Trenya Obhûlon."
Visible surprise shuddered from the being. It jumped backwards, holding its sword close to a thin side as it ran across stone.
Saphira rounded before it, sliding across Rethulianel's layered rock. She spun her tail outwards, slashing it downward while Eragon advanced from behind.
The creature jumped in a panic-
The sky darkened.
Four strikes of lighting howled from the heavens, meeting the creature across the torso. The corpse fell, twitching in death while pockets of small flame were smothered by roaring wind.
Arya's eyes widened.
"Eragon!" She watched the Rider roll beside Saphira. The smoke between Rider and Dragon shifted-
A telltale point of a sword cut through dirtied air.
Eragon ducked, twirling his wicked blade forward into a stabbing jab.
Evil steels crossed. The sound of blades greeting was an almost gleeful, violent scream.
The creature laughed, air parting.
"This will be much more interesting than Tronjheim, boy." The dark creature's pupils grew larger in excitement.
Eragon roared, sliding his sword free and then twisting it into the hood of the being. It vanished in smoke-
Arya's alarm's instantly went off. The body that Eragon punctured with lighting...
It was gone.