Hello everyone,
Authors note at the bottom to explain my absence. I'm fine, everything is fine. Life just gets hectic sometimes.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
I sat down with a sigh, ignoring the creaking in my back from my wounds.
"You did this to yourself." Arya told me in response to my sigh, as she plopped down behind me and opened up the container of balm Angela made me.
I slid the shirt off of my back and held in the winces, out of pride, so she wouldn't think me weak.
"I didn't realize I wouldn't be able to heal it, nor did I think I would be riding all day with these wounds." I replied more snappily than I wanted to be.
I actually did wince when she started rubbing the balm over my back. "Cold." I gave her a weak excuse.
"Mmmmm hmmmm." She answered knowingly.
Quit whining. It's annoying my ears. I heard Shadowcat say in my mind from her position on my bed.
"You know Angela is willing to do this, you don't have to?" I asked her.
"I know." Was her simple response.
We sat in silence for a while. If you can call me wincing in pain every time she applied the balm onto my wounds silence.
"How is Du Gata Vrangr?" I asked her.
"They are still learning, Eragon and Brom were surprised at how well you trained them. They were shocked to learn some of the secrets you told them." Arya answered and I could have sworn I heard a question in there somewhere.
"Aye, I understand why they would react that way. But ignorance could get them killed. At least with the knowledge, they might save just a few more people." I revealed my main motivation to her.
"I agree with you. For too long, humans have viewed magic as something unnatural." She agreed. "I see now, your kind might have more to offer the world than mine does."
Wasn't expecting that. I whispered to Shadowcat, and myself, in response.
"What makes you say that?" I asked her.
She finally finished rubbing down my back and stood up from behind me. I didn't rise with her.
"There is no sense of urgency for a people who are not touched by time. The evidence has always been there, but you have opened my eyes to the truth. In the past, humans advance through the ranks of the Dragon Riders faster than their elven counterparts. They would eventually level off with my race, but only once they realized their immortality. Brom is a perfect example." Arya answered and once again I realized how well spoken and knowledgeable she is.
"I see what you mean, talented as a Dragon Rider, so much so that he earned a teacher in one of the wisest and most powerful Elders of the order." I supplied.
"And then tragedy struck, his loss of his partner led him to realize that he is now subject to time's mercy, once again." Arya interrupted me.
"And when the Thirteen levelled out, he rose above them." I interrupted her, pleased with the conversation.
"And had a and in every single one of their deaths." She finished for us. "He may be the most important living being of the last century."
That fact hit me like a ton of bricks. Brom really is the key to all of this. Bane of the Thirteen, Saphira's thief, father to Eragon Shadeslayer. Wow.
"Indeed." Arya said, and I realized that Shadowcat must be connecting us, without me realizing it.
Thump….Thump…...Thump...Thump.
I felt the beats of air before I heard them. Saphira. I told myself as I reached my mind out to confirm the source of the sound.
I found Eragon and Saphira, high in the air, circling over the camp.
Out for a nightly stroll? I asked my cousin once he let me in his mind.
Aye, something doesn't feel right. Eragon told me and then opened his anxiety to my mind so that I might feel it.
My heart rate spiked immediately. What do you mean? I asked in response as I realized I had stood up and unsheathed my dagger, holding it in my right hand.
Saphira says she can't hear any of the wildlife in the area. He answered. And there is a faint scent on the wind. I don't want to risk sending my mind out to search.
I looked towards Arya and she met my gaze with her own, her sword was drawn also.
Ok I'll handle…
Panic shot through our link from Eragon's end. Red scales, diving, fast. Murtagh is here! He mentally yelled as I felt Saphira dive, chasing after the other dragon.
I moved immediately, bursting through the flap of my small tent with my dagger in hand. My eyes found the sky, to try and find the red dragon.
It took me all of two second to see the streak of scarlet flying directly towards me. The sun had already set for the night, but the campfires of an entire army glittered off of his scales. Off in the distance, I heard the sounds of stomping, and then metal on metal.
"Arya, Shadowcat, incoming!" I yelled as I reached out to my necklace and embraced the power stored inside.
As I yelled, I heard the shouts of my soldiers rallying behind me, none of them realizing the threat in the air.
I didn't panic about the soldiers, they were too well trained. Sure we would lose some with the initial shock of the attack, but we would form and repel them, I knew it.
For now I have to survive a dragon. I realized as they got closer and closer. It took all of six seconds since I first saw their presence, for Thorn to close the distance.
I readied the spell to stop them from turning me to mush on the ground in front of my tent. Luckily for me I didn't have to.
Just when it looked too late to pull up, Thorn's wings snapped out and caught the air. Three flaps later, he landed in front of us and roared.
I'll never get used to that. I thought to myself as the roar rattled me to my core. The sounds of fighting increased throughout the camp.
"Murtagh ...what brings you here?" I asked him cheekily in the Ancient Language as he dismounted from the red scaled dragon.
He didn't answer until his boots hit the ground. "I ...am here to kill you, cousin." His answer seemed strained, like he didn't mean it.
"Is this Galbatorix's form of punishment?" I asked curiously, not at all worried about the threat.
"One of many." His answer came swiftly and angrily. He unsheathed Zar'roc from his side and gave it a few test swings.
Blue scaled streaked down from the sky as I replied. "You will not succeed tonight, surely you know this."
"I hope you are right." Murtagh told me as he closed the distance between us.
Thorn leapt off the ground and took to the skies, Saphira followed him.
Don't interfere. I told Arya through our mental link, not wanting her to get in the way, or worse, kill Murtagh.
Murtagh wasted no more time as he swung an overhead strike at me. I avoided the strike without raising my dagger and my back groaned at the fast movement. He pressed me and his speed increased.
The next blow I parried with my dagger and stepped inside his guard to grab him by his arms. I twisted his weight to my hip and threw him to the ground underneath me. My hands went to grab him so that I could maneuver behind him.
I heard a whisper and was thrown into the air, off of him. I twisted my body to soften the landing. I wasn't successful and landed on my back, instantly opening most of my wounds and drawing out a groan from the pain.
I heard footsteps and reacted by jumping up and parrying another blow from Zar'roc and creating distance to gather my wits.
"Impressive, to get through my wards." I commented to buy myself time and try to draw information out of him.
"You can't imagine the magic I know." He bit back to me.
"Hmmm… maybe… What I really want to know is why Thorn left you alone, in the middle of my domain?" I asked seriously.
Doesn't make any sense. I thought about the situation. Who lands in the middle of the enemy camp to engage in one on one combat? And why would Thorn take off, to leave his bonded to my mercy?
"I don't need him, to kill you." Murtagh answered me in the Ancient Language.
He engaged me with a thrust that I weaved out of the way.
Fuck. I thought as my back gave out and I stumbled to the ground.
I rolled right to avoid another thrust.
I heard a grunt as I stood up. I looked to find the source and saw Brom standing next to me with his foot extended and his sword in hand.
Murtagh rolled on the ground and jumped back up after being spartan kicked from Brom.
"Leave, boy. Your soldiers are being killed as we speak." Brom commanded. "You'll find no success with this foolish raid."
Murtagh looked warily at the old Dragon Rider and adopted a stance.
"Don't kill him." I told Brom as he adopted his own sword stance.
I walked over to where Arya was watching. The two of them circled each other, Brom with an ease that betrayed his skill, a far cry from Murtagh's tense stance.
Murtagh attacked first with a much faster speed than how he attacked me. My brows furrowed, trying to figure out the puzzle laid before me.
Brom parried and his sword zipped up, faster than I had ever seen the old man move, only to meet Murtagh's own parry. The two then began the fight in earnest.
It didn't take me long to realize that Brom was the superior swordsman, which was saying a lot considering Murtagh's prodigal skill. Brom picked him apart, a nick to the thigh, another to the arm, in less than seven moves since the duel began.
Murtagh created distance, surprised by the turn of events.
"Don't be surprised, better men than you have tried, and failed. Including your father." Brom taunted.
Murtagh's face twisted in rage at being called inferior to his father, a man he hated more than anyone in the world. He gave in to the bait and attacked in anger.
Brom parried once, grabbed the wrist of Murtagh and elbowed him in the nose, breaking it. Murtagh's forward motion came to a halt and he dropped to the ground without Zar'roc. I mentally applauded Murtagh for not passing out.
Murtagh whipped around to find two swords at his throat. He crawled backwards on his ass away from the swords, Brom didn't pursue.
"Prone to anger, just like your father. His greatest weapon, and his downfall." Brom lectured, his tone of voice completely different to the earlier taunt.
Bane of the Thirteen. Arya commented in my mind at the masterful manipulation and swordplay Brom displayed.
We were interrupted by the sound of a horn blowing. My head whipped to my left at the sound, so did Brom's.
Murtagh whispered again and Zar'roc flew out of Brom's hand and into his own. A roar sounded out in the night.
Murtagh began laughing then. "It was nice to meet you, Stronghammer."
My face twisted into a frown before I realized what was happening.
Galbatorix. I realized as Thorn dropped down and scooped up Murtagh, to fly off into the night.
Eragon and Saphira followed, hot on their trail.
My mind reached out to them in horror, not wanting them to be so close. I expected them to be ripped out of the sky with magic, or teleported straight to Galbatorix himself.
Luckily I was wrong. Do not pursue! I told them in panic as they let me in their minds.
We can capture him. Eragon countered.
I relayed my thoughts and feelings about the situation, to try and get him to realize the danger. Let them go!
Saphira banked and started heading in this direction letting the red dragon and rider fly off in the night.
"What just happened?" I asked aloud.
"What the fuck just happened?!"
"The soldiers are calling them the Laughing Dead." Jormundur told me.
I sat in my tent listening to the report from the night before.
"Three hundred men, three hundred men managed to cause that much chaos last night. They fought like mad men, no sense of self-preservation. And when we cut off a limb, they laughed it off and swung with the other arm! We lost good men in the confusion." He continued.
I knew all of the information already, but I needed to hear it from someone who experienced it to explain my knowledge of them.
"Killing blows only then?" I asked speeding up the conversation.
"Yes, that's what it took." He responded.
"Anyone important die?" I asked him.
"Two legionnaires, they have already been replaced. Two council members…"
"Important. I said anyone important." I corrected him.
He just glared at me in response. "Nothing we can't handle. Nasuada handles most of the day to day logistics now anyway. She is gaining a reputation again." Jormundur told me.
"That's fine, I have bigger problems right now." I told him waving away the comments about Nasuada. "Have the spies spread rumors. Rumors of Galbatorix twisting men with black magic, not normal magic, black magic. We don't need the people afraid of magicians, just of Galbatorix. Tell them we prevailed over them and beat back the red Dragon Rider." I finished.
Jormundur nodded to me and walked out of the tent, off to take care of more problems.
I sighed heavily and rubbed my eyes, tired from the days activities.
"I can't piece it together." I heard someone say from behind me. Eragon.
I turned to face him. Brom and Eragon stood behind me in the tent, watching me deal with the problems the raid brought.
"Piece what together?" I asked him.
"They accomplished nothing. Right? Then why?" Eragon answered me confused.
I sighed once again. I have to stop doing that. I realized.
"We haven't told you yet, but right before Murtagh left, he said 'It was nice to meet you, Stronghammer'." I told Eragon.
I waited for him to think through that particular problem. It didn't take him long. "He was being controlled? By who?"
"Galbatorix." Brom answered from beside him. "It's the only thing that makes sense."
"Aye. I thought the same." I agreed with a nod.
"Galbatorix is in Uru'baen, how could he possibly have the power for that?" Eragon asked incredulously.
I looked to Brom, waiting for him to answer. Brom just stared at me, unmoving.
"That is not for us to disclose." Brom finally said aloud, his face betraying nothing. "Oromis must be the one to tell you that."
I just shook my head and tried not to laugh. Fucking secrets…
Eragon looked like he wanted to demand an answer but he knew he wouldn't get any answers out of Brom, unless Brom wanted him to know.
"But that still doesn't explain why." Eragon spoke more to the room than any one of us.
"He was here for me." I answered. "He claimed he wanted to kill me, but his voice was strained when he tried to use the Ancient Language. Almost like he had to convince himself it was the truth."
I paused for a second. "I am an unknown, a player that popped up out of nowhere and cost him two major battles and a lot of soldiers. Sometimes you need to see the man in front of you to get a true feel of him." I answered as if it explained everything.
"It's the reason our duel felt so ...off. He was unfamiliar with Murtagh's body, combined with the distance and the power he was using ...it's a wonder he could even speak, let alone duel two elite warriors." I commented, showing them my thoughts.
"Aye. Galbatorix doesn't care for the three hundred men he sent, he barely even cares for Murtagh, and even that is an attachment to the male red dragon. He was here to scout out the competition, to see why his Rider failed so bad. No doubt, he took note of how Saphira flew, through Thorn's eyes. The maneuvers she uses are only learned after a few lifetimes in the air, or by personal instruction. He'll know for a fact Oromis survived now. We have lost an edge." Brom threw his two cents in.
Eragon just stood there for a moment. He looked like he wanted to say something but he bit his tongue.
I decided to talk for him. "You need to go." I said simply.
Eragon obeyed and started to move towards the door.
"No, that's not what I meant." I said. "What did Solembum tell you that day in Angela's shop?" I asked him.
"How do you know about that?" Eragon asked me.
"Shadowcat." I lied quickly. "Now answer."
"'Listen closely and I will tell you two things. When the time comes and you need a weapon, look under the roots of the Menoa tree. Then, when all seems lost and your power is insufficient, go to the Rock of Kuthian and speak your name to open the Vault of Souls.' That's it, that's all he told me." Eragon answered.
"Well, you need a weapon don't you?" I asked him. Brom mumbled to himself.
"Yes, I was going to ask you about that soon." Eragon answered. Brom still mumbled, almost like he wanted to say something but forgot what about.
"And has Oromis left Du Weldenvarden?"
"No, I can't scry him yet." Eragon told me, giving me all the answers I need.
"Good. He'll have the answer for your earlier question. Get your weapon, and the information, and meet me at Feinster in time for the battle. Think you can do that?"
"Aye, I can be back in time." Eragon answered me.
I turned to Brom to see what was going on with my old teacher. "Are you ok?" I asked him.
"The second part of what the blasted cat told you, say it again." Brom told Eragon.
"'Then, when all seems lost and your power is insufficient, go to the Rock of Kuthian and speak your name to open the Vault of Souls', that part?" Eragon asked him.
"Yes, yes, now where have I heard that name before? Kuthian ..." Brom said aloud but trailed off mid sentence.
Wait what were we talking about again? I asked myself trying to think back to the conversation.
"What are we talking about?" I asked aloud. What the fuck is going on?
"Eragon needs a weapon, dimwit." Brom barked at me.
"What no, we're talking about the Rock of Kuthian and the Vault of Souls." Eragon corrected him.
What is Eragon talking about? I looked at him confusedly. Eragon just looked back at us in wonder, before he spoke again.
"Ok, what is going on!?"
A/N: Short chapter I know.
I was having a bit of writers block on how to get to Feinster to be honest. I've decided that I don't need too much in between now and then because I have set myself up this way. It's all according to plan, no plot questions or anything. Just the best way to do it.
That combined with the holidays, has left me busy as can fucking be. No excuse, just letting y'all know what it is. I'll get better. I know you guys say that it's ok to miss every once in a while because people get busy but I honestly disagree because I have put myself on a very strict schedule, and I need to follow it. So I'm being hard on myself. Deal with it.
Anyway, sorry for the short chapter, things will pick up soon.
Thanks for bearing with me.
Let's talk in the reviews.