Hey everyone!
Things are going to get more and more AU from here on out as the plot speeds up towards the start of the Rider war. As always let me know what you think in the reviews.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
I woke up to shuffling outside the guest tree I was staying in. Shadowhunter was still nestled into my side. As I got up I went about finding the bathroom, I wanted nothing more than to take a shower for the first time since waking up in this world. Let me tell you, after so long, it was absolutely heavenly. After the shower I decided I didn't trust the oils they provided and muttered my morning spell to clean myself and my clothes anyway.
After dressing and strapping my sword and dagger on my waist and lower back I decided to see if Brom made it home last night. Branching my mind out, I felt him in the tree next to mine and saw him already up and dressed.
Plans for today? I mentally asked as I was walking outside with my cuddly companion padding up beside me.
You have already had too long of a break from your training, we will continue today. You need to improve with the sword. Brom said opening the door to his tree.
"It's only been a day since we sparred."I responded once we met at the road. "I don't think the sword will be my choice of weapon. The original Roran used a hammer and was a natural at it." I continued to explain my reasoning.
"Well it can't be any worse than your swordplay. Was it a warhammer?"The cheeky old bastard responded. Shadowhunter seemed to snicker at his comment.
"No, he literally used a blacksmith's hammer. I would like to try the warhammer instead, seems more practical for the future."I said after ignoring his comment and my traitorous companions snickers.
"Then we will have to see about acquiring one for you."Brom said after some consideration. He started walking to where I assumed the training fields were.
"I have been meaning to ask you. Do elves have currency?" I said following him.
"Originally they had no need for a currency, beyond trading with the other races. Being able to provide for themselves with magic allowed this. Most of the time they trade. Someone makes clothes in exchange for furniture or something of equal value. It wasn't until the humans were included in the pact that they adopted the coin system humans use. Even now it isn't uncommon to see them trading with one another. To answer your question, they will accept coin if you don't have anything else to trade but will often ask for a favor at a later date, they are a very political race." Brom finished as we were walking into the training grounds.
"Interesting." I said pondering on what he told me.
Deciding that it was time to focus and train, I looked around the racks that housed the different weapons around the fields. There were multiples of every type of weapon you could want to practice with. They even had heavier versions of the originals to help with getting used to the weight of the weapons. Magic is OP when in the hands of a whole race.
Deciding on a generic warhammer, I picked it up and found Brom stretching with Zar'roc already drawn and in his hand. Shadowhunter found a nice spot under a shade tree to watch.
"Get used to the thing first and then we'll start." He told me as he warmed up.
After some time of getting used to the heavy weight, I decided that on of my hands were better served along the middle of the hammer so that I could spin it to parry and lead into an attack afterwards. I didn't want to rely on wide sweeping attacks, I wanted speed also. Warding my weapon to do less damage I signaled I was ready.
After circling each other I decided to start the engagement and led with overhand strike which left me open along my right side. Brom deflect my attack and then used the opening to his advantage with a simple swipe that would have left me dead in a normal fight. I saw this coming and used the momentum from my overhand strike to spin my weapon so the head of my hammer deflected his attack before it could touch my ribs.
Zar'roc was sailing towards my neck as he recovered from the blow. We circled around each other, trying to find an opportunity to attack. Eventually I decided to make the opportunity, a wide sweeping attack was parried and countered, which saw Zar'roc flying through the air after I disarmed him. I easily slid into my next move and stopped my hammer right before I hit him in the sternum, signaling the end of the spar.
We both stared at each other dumbstruck. "I guess I'm a natural?" I said unsure.
"That was the fastest you've ever beaten me in a spar, again!" He shouted as he picked up the rider sword.
The rest of the morning flew by with us sparring and trying different techniques with the warhammer. He won most of the bouts as is expected, the first spar was mostly due to him underestimating my ability with the weapon. At the end of the day it was obvious I was a natural at the warhammer, my footwork was on point throughout all of the movements and I was able to give him a run for his money in a lot of the spars. With more experience and hopefully the changes I would make to my body, I would become a monster with the warhammer.
Our spars eventually drew a crowd once word got out that two humans were sparring. There were no less than 50 elves along the sidelines watching and conversing at the end of the session. Most seemed to be fairly young, but there seemed to be some older more influential elves in the crowd.
We have a guest. Shadowhunter told me.
Sure enough, a brave young looking elf walked up to us. "Would either of you like to continue sparring?" He asked.
My eyes narrow at the disrespect of him ignoring the traditional greetings. "We have finished for the day, maybe tomorrow." I responded also ignoring the greetings.
"I understand, I thought to test my mettle against a great warrior. Are you sure I can not tempt you?" His voice changed slightly when he called me a great warrior.
I believe that was sarcasm. Shadowhunter supplied from her shade spot.
My eyes hardened, but I did not respond.
"Will I have to resort to underhanded tricks? I'm sure it wouldn't be much of a contest, but I would like to see the best of what your race has to offer." He continued after a moment.
I am going to enjoy this. I thought as I stood up. "Very well, have it your way."
Be careful, he obviously is trying to embarrass us in front of the crowd. Brom told me as I got up.
We were standing opposite of each other with whispers echoing through the crowd. The tension was obvious between the two of us. "Could I have the name of the elf I am about to face?" I said throwing my hammer down and out of the way.
He noticed me discarding my weapon and unsheathed his own. "You may call me Vanir. Will you spar with no weapon?"
He wasn't this disrespectful to Eragon, was he? I thought while confirming that it was indeed the same elf that sparred with Eragon in the books.
"This is all I will need." I replied as I drew my dagger out of its sheath on my lower back and whispered the spell needed to blunt it. "Are you ready?" I continued as I got in a ready stance.
He said nothing and began the spar with a grin, sending some testing strikes towards me. I deflected and parried every one of them with my dagger, he was obviously holding back and testing my defenses. He was outrageously fast also, I could tell that he was holding back but was matching my speed easily.
Suddenly he started putting in more effort, his strikes becoming faster and stronger as he began the spar in earnest. I kept my cool as I waited for the right moment, but it was obvious who the better was. I could barely keep up and at times it felt as if he was toying with me.
The right moment came about 3 more engagements after the spar truly began. He stabbed toward my mid section in the same manner he had been doing the whole spar and I reacted by stepping in to his guard, grabbing his arm and hip tossing him to the ground with me still standing. Still holding on to his arm I twisted it making him drop his sword, I then brought my knee to his chest and my dagger to his throat signaling the end of the match.
"I win." I said as I stared into his shocked eyes. I released him and made my way back towards Brom.
The crowd was dead silent, obviously expecting me to be soundly beaten by the talented elf. As I sat down I could see he had stood up and was staring at me while collecting his discarded weapon. After another few seconds of our stare down, he nodded his head and left the grounds with what dignity he had left.
"Well that was interesting. Go clean up and we will go see my master again." Brom said in response to our spar.
As I watched his retreating figure, all I could think about was how lucky I was for him to underestimate me and how easily he could have defeated me. At any second if he took me seriously, his speed and strength alone could have overpowered me, not to mention his obvious sword skills.
I need to lessen the gap, I need to make the changes soon.
(A/N: From this point on, assume the elvish greetings are being used unless I say otherwise.)
"Brom told me you have something you need my help with." Oromis stated after we had sat down in his house again. Brom said nothing in response, instead looking towards me to explain.
"Yes, I want to make changes to my body, to improve it more specifically. I already have the spell designed." I said after sipping my tea.
"My first thought is to tell you absolutely not but the fact that Brom is entertaining it is making me consider the possibility." Oromis stated."It is not uncommon for elves to change things about their appearance but I am not sure any has tried to go beyond our already impressive physical abilities. Human riders have the changes happen over a long period of time, typically hundreds of years and never saw the need for it. Do you have the spell written out?" He asked after pondering my idea.
"Yes, here it is." I said as I handed the spell over. "My people had our biology mostly mapped out. I probably have more knowledge on the subject than anyone alive in this world." I continued while he looked over the wording.
"You even have the mindset it requires written down, but this means you must be the one to cast the spell. It depends on the knowledge of your biology. If you were to feel any pain and get distracted, you could cause irreparable damage. Any deviation could be terrible." Oromis said after a few minutes of looking over the wording.
"Yes that is true, that is why I would want you two, Glaedr also if he is willing, to be connected to my mind to help me concentrate and not let my thoughts slip while I sing. To guide me if you will." I said in response to his objections.
"The wording itself seems to work, you have made it vague enough to rely on will in some parts and extremely accurate in others to make specific changes. I hate to admit it but I can't find any faults in the wording, it could work." He relented after another long pause of consideration.
"However, you want to do these changes across multiple sessions yes? I would advise against it." He continued.
"Why? Wouldn't it cut down on the risk?" Brom stated finally contributing to the conversation.
"Maybe, but it also gives us more chances to make mistakes. There is just as much if not more risk doing it over multiple sessions." He finished as he set the paper containing the spell to the side.
"Is this truly necessary?" Oromis asks as he turns back to me.
"I need every advantage I can get, I know too much. If I am defeated and captured then Galbatorix will have all the knowledge I do. This mitigates me being captured in battle or otherwise, it's necessary." I responded.
"You will memorized the words and be able to recite them to me as long as I deem necessary, then you will walk us through every change so that we understand exactly how to guide your mind in the process. Only then will we do it, and we do it in one sitting, no more." Oromis seemed to decide.
"Wow, I never expected you to agree." I said as I processed his words.
It took me a month to convince them that I was ready, I had memorized everything and they knew exactly what I was going to change. Today was the day we would make the changes.
It was mid day when we all gathered at the Crags. We had prepared a spot next to Oromis' house that had a bed where I would lay while I sang. Islanzadi, Shadowhunter, and Dathedr would watch and make sure we didn't need help. Glaedr had also agreed to help.
As I laid down I noticed that Brom and Oromis were getting into a meditative position in their seats. No backing down. I thought as I reached my mind out, first to my necklace which would provide the energy, second to Brom, Oromis, and Glaedr.
Is everyone ready? I asked
Everything is in order, we have prepared ourselves. Let's get it done. Brom supplied.
Pulling on the energy I need I started to sing, my will guiding our minds to body and making the changes.
Not once did we waver, not even when I could feel my muscles shifting and becoming denser. I was not aware of anything but singing the changes into being.
I kept singing until I felt everything settle, when I opened my eyes the sun was setting and our guests looked to be exhausted.
As I took stock of everything I noticed Oromis and Brom standing up to stretch, no doubt sore from sitting close to 5 hours. Then I noticed how great I felt, every movement was easy and exact.
"Everything seems fine." I said as I muttered a diagnostic spell under my breath, the information telling me that my vitals seemed perfect.
"How do you feel, anything out of place?" Oromis called out so me during the middle of his stretches.
"Amazing, I have never felt this way before in my life." I answered.
"Come, now is as good a time as any to teach you the rimgar, it will help you get used to the changes." He told me.
I stumbled as I stood up It seems I finished my growth spurt. I grew at least another 2 inches, standing at about 6'3. My legs looked like they belonged on a soccer player, very muscled and very defined. My chest and shoulders had gotten wider also. I didn't gain a lot of mass on my arms or upper body, instead it seems like they were incredibly dense.
"It worked, I can feel it." I said as I approached him and got ready for some yoga.
"Copy my stances, lets see if it afforded you any flexibility." He replied as he led me through the motions of the rimgar.
A/N: Hey guys let me know what you think about Vanir, did I make him too out of character? Review please!