Rune felt the warmth around her. Soft, wonderful. A comforting warmth, like the dragonfire hidden in Thorn's chest. She could just curl up beside it…
But no.
The warmth grew. It was uncomfortable now, making beads of sweat form on Rune's brow. She twisted, trying to find a better position, away from the heat.
It danced, intensified, It was a burning, a scalding. Rune tossed and turned. She had to get away from the burning. It licked over her skin, make her throat ache and hiss.
Rune could feel a scream rising in her throat. But nothing came.
Everything was red, angry. The flames danced around her, biting her skin, making ever breath sting in her lungs.
She tried to scream again, tried to run, get up and flee from the hating heat, but she could do nothing. The pain and heat was all she knew.
Then nothing.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Rune, wake up! Thorn nudged her with his snout. Rune!
She didn't move.
Thorn pushed her out of the way as a branch fell from a tree above. The flames licked at his flank, but he ignored them. Snatching her carefully in his mouth, like a mother cat, the red dragon darted away.
Elves darted back and forth. Water flew through the air, and calls of "Blöthr du brisingr!" and "Adurna!" echoed. They were drowned by the crackling of the fire.
Shruikan had teamed with Slate and Saphira, who were beating back the fire with powerful wings.
Thorn! Saphira cried. Help us!
Shruikan shook his head. It is too far gone, he said. Come. Let us fly.
We are not abandoning everyone! Slate yelled, beating at the flames with a renewed intensity.
Clasped in Thorn's jaws, Rune stirred, moaning. Thorn set her on the ground.
"Where is Eragon?" she asked.
The Rider materialized from the flames. He saw Rune and helped her up. The fire reflected in his eyes, and his head was wild.
Rune felt the heat around her, trying to choke her. Eragon held her close as she cried.
"Come, Rune," he said over the roar. "We don't have time!"
She wiped away her tears. "Where's Súndavar?"
"I don't know! Head to the lake! Islanzadí and Arya are there."
She shook her head. "Not without you!"
"I'm trying to find anyone who was left behind."
"Where's Shay? Vanir?"
"I haven't seen either. Rune, please. Saphira will take you to the lake."
Rune shook her head. "No!"
"I don't have time to argue with you," Eragon snapped. He darted into the fire again, quenching those in his path.
"I'm going to find Shay and Súndavar," Rune told the dragons. She stumbled off in the direction of Súndavar's tree.
The Shade boy was running down the stairs. He hugged her tightly. "What happened?"
"I don't know. Eragon told me to head to the lake. I'm going to find Shay."
There was fear in her voice, but determination too.
"Shay can take care of herself. Eragon is right."
"Then you go."
Súndavar shook his head. "I'm going with you. Someone has to keep you from hurting yourself."
The two ran off. Rune tried to ignore the smothering heat, but it was everywhere.
Shruikan was waiting for them. Go to the lake. Your friends are fine.
Súndavar mounted Slate. "Come on!"
Shruikan stretched out his neck. Let us fly.
Rune clambered awkwardly onto his back. The two dragons took to the sky.
A scream echoed from below them. A scream of terror and pain.
"Land!" Rune demanded. Shruikan kept flying.
"Land or I'll jump!"
Go, Shruikan bid the other dragon and his Rider. We shall catch up.
Shruikan spiraled out of the sky, in the direction of the scream.
The house it came from was aflame. Rune jumped off Shruikan and ran towards it.
"Hello?"
Another scream.
Rune kicked the door. It crumpled. She ran in, trying to keep low.
Two children huddled in the room, pinned to the wall by flames. One was a girl, only about ten, the other a small boy who couldn't have been older than five or six. Hope glittered in their eyes when they saw Rune.
"Stay there!" Rune cried to them. Taking a deep breath, she passed through the fire.
It scorched her legs, burnt her hair and her face. She ignored the pain, resisting the urge to scream in agony.
The girl was crying.
"Hush, we'll be okay" Rune bid, helping her to her feet and grabbing the little boy. She propped him against her hip. "On the count of three, okay?"
The girl nodded.
"One…two…three!"
Rune pulled her through the inferno, out the open doorway, and into the clearing. Shruikan came forward. The girl trembled, but put on a brave face.
Rune looked around wildly. Something didn't seem right…other than the fact that the forest was burning around her. There!
Beneath the Menoa Tree. A small form laid sprawled on the ground. Rune couldn't make out who it was through the dancing flame.
She lifted the boy onto Shruikan's neck, then boosted the girl up.
"What's your name?"
"A-a-Alanna," the elf child bleated fearfully.
"Alright Alanna. I want you to hold on as tight as you can," Rune instructed. "Don't let go, no matter what happens."
Alanna nodded bravely.
Go, Shruikan, Rune demanded. I'll be fine.
The dragon snorted, but didn't protest. Alanna, the little boy, and Shruikan vanished into the night sky.
Rune darted to the figure beneath the Menoa Tree. She was shocked at what she found.
"Shay?"
The girl at her feet didn't stir. Her hair was hidden with a hood. Rune shook her, and the hood fell free. Blonde hair streamed onto the ground.
The young woman rolled over, before coughing. Rune helped her to her feet.
"Who are you?" Rune asked, disturbed and confused.
"Lily," she gasped. "I'm Lily." She staggered against Rune. Rune tried to support her, but stumbled back, against the Menoa Tree.
In a rush, she heard—no, felt—a thousand screams. The forest was screaming. Pain. White pain, red pain, black pain. She was burning, being consumed by it. It was everywhere, everything.
"It is dieing," she cried. "It's dieing!"
Lily pulled her away from the tree.
"I don't know who you are," she said, "But let's go!"
Rune still heard the forest's screams in her mind and heart.
Run, daughter.
Lycona.
Rune took her advice. She squeezed Lily's forearm, and the two ran in the direction of the lake.
Around them, Ellesméra burned.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The story finishes in:
Child of Hope and Betrayal