Welcome everyone to chapter 27!
This ones gonna be pretty short, just Amira reflecting and Eragon missing her.
I hope you enjoy and let's get right into this!
Eragon sighed as he sat with Saphira and Percy.
Not sure what to do now that the threat of the giant had been taken care of, Percy had suggested they "just sit and chill for a bit", and the Rider had soon discovered that it meant sitting around and doing absolutely nothing. At first Eragon had listened as the demigod talked about and described his world but after thirty minutes, he felt his attention beginning to wander.
Twelve days had passed (in Alagaesia) since Amira had gone missing and Eragon felt his heart grow heavy with each moment. The fact that Murtagh had disappeared the day before as well didn't help.
Thorn came back from scouting and reported that his Rider had been sucked into a large wind-portal. The same thing having happened to Amira, Eragon knew what had happened. It goes without saying that the Red Dragon had not been doing well since.
'First I lose the girl I consider my little sister then days later my brother. What is next?' Eragon asked Saphira with a sigh. The blue dragon wrapped her tail around her soul-partner and laid her head beside him.
'I do not know. But remember that this will not be forever; we will get them back one way or another.' She assured him. 'For now, you must be strong. For both their sakes.'
"Yo, Eragon? You okay man?"
The Rider looked up at Percy's question.
"Apologies, I was lost in thought." He apologized. Percy nodded.
"It's all good. I was just saying that there might be a chance to talk to Amira or Murtagh." He repeated with a sly grin. Eragon straightened.
"What! How?!" He quickly demanded, eager to know any way to contact them.
"When we were battling Polybotes, Annabeth appeared in an Iris message to try to warn us." the half-blood said. "Course it was too late but I was thinking that since I was able to receive one then I might, might being the keyword there, be able to send one."
Eragon nodded slowly. Percy had already explained what an Iris message was so he was familiar with that.
"I mean… it's worth a try." He agreed.
Percy reached into his pockets, praying he had a drachma. The gods must have felt bad because he found a single one in his back pocket. He got up then looked around. They were currently sitting in a forest. A small stream flowed by about a fourth a mile away so he summoned a bit of water over and formed it into a mist in front of them.
"Um, you got a light?" He asked, trying to find a way to make a rainbow as it was nearing dark.
"Ignasia garjzla vel thornessa rakr." Eragon chanted, standing as well. A light shone from his hand onto the mist and a rainbow appeared.
(Shine light upon this mist)
"Who do you wanna call?" Percy asked.
"Amira." The Alagaesian's answer was immediate and he nodded, tossing the coin into the rainbow while crossing his fingers.
"Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering. Show me Amira Moraow on Earth."
There was a very tense moment of silence when nothing happened then the two let out a breath they didn't know they were holding when the rainbow began to shift.
The mist shimmered until it cleared to show a familiar purple-haired girl. She was sitting on a low couch on a balcony wearing a tank-top and shorts. She was turned away, gazing at the night-covered city. Percy frowned, not recognizing where she was.
"Amira! Amira, are you alright?!" Eragon exclaimed, rushing to move in front of the mist. Amira said nothing, apparently not able to hear them, and his face dropped. He sighed.
'At least I am able to see her and know she is alright.' He thought sadly as he watched his apprentice.
"Eragon…" The blue rider's head snapped to Amira as she sighed quietly, her purple eyes gazing off into the night sky.
"Amira? Can you hear me?" He asked hopefully. He then realized she was only talking to herself.
"If you could only see me now, you would be so disappointed." Her voice was quiet. She didn't seem aware that she was talking. Eragon frowned; why would he be disappointed? Amira continued. "Being truthful, I guess I am glad that you are not here so you cannot see what a mess I have made. I do not have to see your look of shame and disappointment. I am so sorry… *sigh* As your apprentice, I was supposed to learn and obey your teachings but I- I seemed to have only done the opposite."
Amira shifted so she sat with her legs pulled to her chest, tanned arms wrapped around her. She shook her head slowly, long purple hair swaying in the warm breeze.
"I made it all the worse as I have dragged Hazel's innocent self into this mess as well. I just… if only I had not let go. Had I not fallen into that wind-tunnel then I would not have come here and this entire thing may never have happened. We could start our lives in a world free of the Evil King's reign. But… I did. And now I have to try to find some way to fix this." Amira shook her head again. She looked like she was holding back tears. "I feel so stupid! Not only did I lose my partner-of-soul but I have lost the trust of my friends as well. Well, my former friends."
Eragon furrowed his eyes as he tried to decipher her words; she said she lost her partner-of-soul but that could only mean… His brown eyes widened and he looked at the young girl in shocked horror.
"Eragon..." Amira sniffed, brushing her hair from her face and wiping away a tear. "What should I do? Tartarus is so strong and I do not know how I will beat him. I wish there was a way to resist his orders but I can find none."
Percy saw her rubbing her left wrist and recognized a black symbol that looked tattooed onto her. It was then his turn to widen his eyes. There was no way she would have-!
The former Rider sniffed again and wiped her eyes, taking several deep breaths. She looked behind her into what Percy assumed was the room the balcony was connected to. Eragon's heart broke as Amira failed to see the Iris Message, even though she was looking directly at them.
"She is so sweet. I do not deserve what Hazel has done for me. I do not deserve anything right now." She muttered sadly.
"Yes, you do Amira!" Eragon argued despite her not being able to hear him. "Things may be bad but remember what I have told you so many times: you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
Amira blinked. She paused for a second then frowned.
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think…" She muttered. A glimmer of hope appeared in the Blue Rider's eyes as he heard her repeat his words. "Braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. Smarter than you think."
A small smile came to Amira's lips and she closed her purple eyes, placing her Gedwëy Ignasia over her heart.
"Thank you, Eragon. I will come home to you..." She promised.
Tears came to Eragon's eyes and the Iris Message began to fade until she disappeared from his sight.
And that concludes the twenty-seventh chapter of A Strange and Different Land!
Thank you all for reading and I hope you chose to continue the story. Please feel free to leave a review. Criticism, advice, compliments, or corrections are welcome.
Have a good one and I'll see you later!
