A/N:
Chapter three, out at last!
Hope you like it, even if this series is not profitable to me in any way, shape, or form. Outside of reviews. Reviews make me happy.
In moments, the two were back in the battle. Beside Saphira was an aquamarine dragon bonded to a younger human whose sword parried blow after blow from a red rider. Eragon knew the two riders rather well. They had been apprenticed to his old master, Oromis. Now they were enemies.
"Morzan," Eragon growled, slashing out at one of the Forsworn, an elf named Glaerun, as the male tried to defend Morzan's side. Glaerun, vulnerable to the blow as he went to defend his master's favorite servant, fell away to the side, yelling out in pain as he cradled his side, blood beginning to seep into the elf's clothing.
Morzan and Brom parted, both distracted from the other as Eragon came to the battle. Brom was panting with exertion but it appeared as if Morzan had hardly been trying. The red rider bore a sneer as he looked to Eragon.
"Ah, the Lord Eragon has come to grace us with his presence!" he said scathingly. Eragon only stepped closer to the two riders, his pace slow and control as Saphira joined the aquamarine dragon in the air to fight Morzan's dragon. Unphased by his new enemy's confident pace, Morzan gave a mocking bow, flourishing his bloody blade as he bent at the waist.
"Enough of your games, Morzan. I have not the patience for your silver tongue."
"Silver tongue? Oh, sir, you flatter me," Morzan returned, straightening out of his bow. As Eragon came to stand hardly six feet away, Morzan's eyes narrowed and he lifted his blade towards Eragon. "I was never one for silver... A sword of steel is without character. A silver sword is a toy, an innocent plaything... No. I was always tempered more for a weapon of color, and what color is more fitting?" Lifting his blade, dyed both through Rhunon's crafting and with the blood of those he's already slain, Morzan grinned. "Why want for a blade that lies to itself? A weapon of war, to be painted red in its quest- should it not already be hued so?"
Eragon did not deign to reply and instead darted forward using his speed, still superior to the human rider's, to catch the red rider off guard. Morzan recovered quickly, though, and leaned away to avoid the blow, holding his red sword at an angle to parry the blow. Brisingr and Zar'roc clashed with a flurry of sparks even as Eragon whirled to kick out at Morzan's knees.
Glaerun, healing himself with the strength of the Eldunari Galbatorix had entrusted to him, attempted to rejoin the fight and come to Morzan's assistance but Brom circumvented him easily. The two pairs of riders fought with all of their strength and skill until a pained roar rang above them. Attention stolen for just a moment, Brom was powerless to fight off Glaerun's advancing sword and could only turn to reduce the damage struck as Glaerun's sword caught his leg, wounding him. Though the wound was not fatal, it left Brom wide open for a following blow. Seeing his ally's state out of his peripheral vision, Eragon kicked Morzan back, forcing the red rider to skid backwards some feet. Eragon abandoned Morzan to recover as he leapt between Brom and Glaerun. Catching Glaerun by surprised, Eragon did not make the mistake of leaving him alive as he did the first time. With careful and precise blows, Eragon dispatched the traitor with minimal effort, his limbs fueled by the rage of another comrade wounded for the sake of Galbatorix's hunger for power. Glaerun's sword fell to the ground half a moment before the elf himself fell, gurgling as his own blood filled his lungs. The gurgling died quickly and Glaerun moved no more.
Another roar rang out above, this one stained with anger, but was soon echoed by a low keening. Eragon and Brom were all but helpless to watch as Brom's young aquamarine dragon began to fall towards the rocky ground below. Saphira freed herself from her enemy's claws with a vicious bite to the red dragon's right hindpaw and dove towards her wounded ally, manipulating her body to help support the wounded dragoness's frame as the two continued downward at a safer pace. Eragon raised his right hand when Morzan's dragon recovered from Saphira's harsh bite, knowing that the red dragon would try to attack while Saphira was so vulnerable.
"Garjzla!" he called, summoning the energy from within himself. A bolt of light erupting from his palm, arcing and flying upwards with a loud crack and a burning smell, striking the red dragon at the joint between his body and his left wing. The muscles about the joint, Eragon knew, contracted and spasmed the moment the light struck, forcing the dragon from his target as he tried to stabilize his flight. The task, however, was difficult enough that by the time he had regain full use of his wing, Saphira and Brom's dragon were already mere feet from the ground.
An angered yell alerted Eragon to Morzan's approach and Eragon deftly blocked the rider's blow. Morzan's eyes, usually calm and calculating, were clouded with rage and Eragon knew that the rider did not much appreciate having his dragon even temporarily wounded.
"Brom," Eragon called, jaw clenched from the effort of keeping Morzan back. Even though the rider was human, he was still exceptionally skilled with a blade and nearly able to match Eragon blow for blow. There was no doubt in his mind that Galbatorix had used gramarye to improve his human followers' bodies so that they could be a match to their elven opponents. "Go to your dragon! Saphira will help keep her from harm in the meantime, but you must get to her before her wounds take their toll."
Brom could hardly nod before staggering away, all but ignoring his injured leg as he limped towards where the two dragonesses had touched down, leaving even his sword behind in his haste to get to his partner's side.
"Has the prodigal son's cunning left? I had believed that you would have tried to use Brom to distract me in order for you to attain a killing blow," Morzan chuckled darkly. "It is a shame you sent him away. He might have been the only way you could have hoped to overpower me."
"I have only need for my sword to defeat you. Do not treat yourself as a threat to me," Eragon said calmly, knowing that he needed to spark the human's temper to force him into lowering his guard. "A servant existing only for the pleasure of his master's poisonous favor; you are a mere child who has forgotten his place in this world. Allow me to remind you of your insignificance, little one."
As predicted, Morzan's eyes narrowed dangerously. His broad shoulders straightened as his muscles tensed with rage. With a wordless growl that sounded more animal than human, Morzan launched himself at Eragon with a ferocious downward strike. He was too invested in the strike for his own protection, however, and Eragon easily sidestepped the blow and skirted around his defense to launch a stab at Morzan's lightly armored underarm. The blow struck but only lightly as Morzan fell away from the attack but Eragon's goal was accomplished. Morzan, his right arm hanging uselessly at his side, switched his sword to his left hand with a snarl of anger. He could heal it, but not without opening himself to another attack.
"You-"
"Hush, child. Your lesson has not yet been learned," Eragon said to add insult to injury, hiding the exertion the quick attack awarded him. Despite his injury, Morzan only roared in anger once more and rushed forward, wielding his sword expertly even with his non-dominant hand.
As Zar'roc struck Brisingr once more, Eragon knew that he simply did not have the energy to absorb so strong a blow again. Shifting his style, Eragon focused on parrying each blow Morzan sent him, biding his time until another opportunity opened for him to strike. The next time Morzan was overextended, the sapphire blue blade shot out once more, nearly missing. The blow that was intended to remove the rider's usable hand clashed with the hilt of the red sword itself. Its wielder was not unharmed, though. Morzan all but dropped his sword as the tip of his ring finger was cleanly sliced off by Eragon's blade. Enraged and pained, Morzan surprised Eragon with a kick, catching Eragon in the knee and nearly breaking the joint. Eragon fell to the ground, unable to support his weight on his protesting leg. Refusing to be bested, however, Eragon kicked at Morzan's ankles with his good leg, forcing the red rider to stumble back.
Before either rider could recover, a roar rang through the air so loudly that both Eragon and Morzan looked up into the sky. As they watched, a white dragon so massive that it could only be Umaroth was entangled by three smaller dragons, dragons of the Forsworn. With their combined efforts, Umaroth was slowly beginning to lose. Then, with a turn of fortune, Umaroth seized the tail of the largest of the three between his jaws and bit down with all his strength. Eragon and Morzan both watched as the dragon's tail fell away with a rush of blood, causing it to rain blood on the ground below. The dragon fell away in agony, roaring as it clumsily sank to the earth, unable to fly properly with nearly a third of its tail gone. The remaining two dragons flew around Umaroth cautiously before deciding that neither of their tails were worth the sacrifice. Umaroth decided otherwise, however, and gave chase to the others as they tried to escape. A wild dragon came to his aid, but was swiftly shot down by a beam of light originating from somewhere below.
Returning focus to their opponents, Morzan watched as Eragon struggled to his feet.
"It may not be today... It may not be tomorrow... It may not be for a hundred years," Eragon ground out slowly. "But I will see you be defeated. You and your comrades, your precious master, your partners and your own servants... I will watch as you fall and I will think of this day with a smile on my face."
"Not if you are dead," Morzan grinned maliciously. He held up his left hand to show Eragon his damaged finger. "Be proud, Vraelson, that you've dealt me even this much damage. I can assure you that each time I see my hand, I will think of your death here on this day."
Morzan and Eragon both raised their swords for what would be the final exchange only to pause as a bright beacon of light began to shine in a single beam up towards the sky.
"Thuviel," Eragon managed to say before running off, ignoring his opponent in his haste to get to Saphira.
Following the path Brom had cut with Undbitr, Eragon was among the group in less than a minute. Leaving no time for explanation, Eragon summoned all of the energy he could from the surrounding area, himself, and Saphira, throwing up a barrier around him, Brom, and the two dragons. The barrier was set not a moment too soon as a horrifyingly bright flash of light passed over and through their protected dome before disappearing without a trace as quickly as it had come.
The fall, Saphira said softly as Eragon's shield fell away. The forest that they had once been surrounded with was all but destroyed, turned to dust and ash in the face of Thuviel's sacrificial spell.
Eragon, half-delirious with exhaustion, only now noticed Brom. The man was hunched over his dragon, his entire body shaking. Eragon was about to speak before noticing how very still the aquamarine dragon was against the grassy earth. His throat tightened and he looked to Saphira. The sapphire dragoness lowered her head in sorrow.
Her injuries were too great... Brom arrived in time to hear her last words, but no sooner... Rakta has changed, his heart has focused only on rage and I fear that this was Morzan's doing, his goal, from the beginning. I know that Brom suspects as much as well.
I will speak to him, but we must leave here now. Spending time here is dangerous after Thuviel's spell and we must regroup with anyone who remains.
Shall I search for them?
If you could... Find whoever remains and tell them that we will regroup at Edoc'sil.
I shall return soon, Saphira murmured, gently touching Eragon's shoulder with her snout before backing away and taking to the sky. As she flew away, Eragon knelt beside Brom, laying a hand on the man's shoulder. Eragon had no idea where to even begin to speak. He was startled when he did not have to speak first.
"She said... She wanted me to live on," Brom said, his voice breaking. The human fell into silence and the grief on his face was so profound Eragon had to swallow so that he could force out the words.
"She lives through you, Brom... Each day that you live is a day that she will be remembered by those who loved and knew her best."
"Lives through me?" the man asked, his voice giving way to anger as his fists tightened at his sides. "What good is that? If she lives through me now, then her life is more tortured now than it was yesterday! What am I with half of a soul? What am I to do now that-" Brom stopped speaking suddenly, shaking violently as he bowed his head, bringing his face even closer to his fallen partner's.
"I do not know the grief that you feel, Brom-"
"No, you don't!" Brom interrupted angrily, snapping his head to glare up at Eragon. When their eyes met, however, something in his anger fell away and Brom was reduced to a broken shell of what was once an aspiring rider. "What am I now? Without her... I..."
"... I was made to watch as the youngling apprentices were slaughtered. I may not know your pain as my own, Brom, but I have felt so much through those apprentices... I carried Kuarai to Sainya's side as she died, her last wish to be with her partner. I held her as she died and carry her last words for her sister in my heart, her words to her father in a letter. I felt her despair for Sainya..."
"I have nothing left," Brom whispered. Eragon tightened his hand on the man's shoulder, clenching his jaw.
"You have your life. You have your memories. There are many who were not so fortunate. Channel your grief, your rage, into something great. Galbatorix and his Forsworn live still. We must fight against them for the sake of those fallen and for those subjected still to their cruelty.
"You cannot allow yourself to fade away, Brom. That would only taint her memory and her sacrifice. She loved you; never forget that."
Few have survived... Galbatorix and his Forsworn have retreated for now, but we have little time. Vrael... Vrael has been wounded, Eragon. He lives, as does Umaroth, but few others escaped Thuviel's spell or the Forsworn. Those that have are already sent onward to Edoc'sil.
Good.
How fares Brom?
Grieved, though I fear that will soon fall to rage. He will want vengeance against Morzan for this, but hopefully he will chose to bide his time until we have been granted enough time to recover.
In the meantime, we must leave the island. As she spoke, Saphira touched down close to Eragon and Brom. She exhaled a hot stream of air towards the two as if in warning.
"Brom, we must leave."
"I can't just leave her," Brom said, shaking his head. Eragon resisted the urge to sigh, knowing that Brom's grief was too raw for him to think clearly. Eragon circled the dragoness and, summoning what energy he dared, Eragon manipulated the earth to make a shielded dome with a single entrance around both Brom and his fallen partner.
"This is the closest to a burial that we can afford... We must leave," Eragon said to Brom through the doorway. Brom stood reluctantly, kissing his fallen partner between her closed eyes before turning away, walking quickly to Saphira. Eragon, hesitating for a moment, knelt and picked up what he recognized immediately as an aquamarine scale. Murmuring a quick spell to preserve it as it was, Eragon slipped the scale into his pocket, planning to give it to Brom once they were in less dangerous territory.
He closed the dome off, encapsulating Brom's steadfast companion in stone so that the wildlife could not ravage her. Lamenting that he had neither the time nor the energy to give the rest of the fallen a proper burial, Eragon returned to Saphira, deftly climbing into the saddle. After ensuring that Eragon and Brom were both secure, Saphira took a deep breath before taking off once more, her powerful wings slicing through the air.
A/N:
Little fighting, little maiming, you know how it goes.
Obviously it's a work in progress, but I've been working on my fight scenes because, at least to me, that's one of my weaker points. Big fights and romance are my weaknesses... But, anyway! I'd really appreciate it if you guys could tell me how you felt with the battling. Any advice or recommendations of authors who seem to know what they're doing would be welcomed.
Now, in the course of this story, thanks to the fact that I've gone and made Eragon older than Brom (remember, Brom's not his father. They are in no way related to each other outside of being riders in the old Order.) I couldn't very well name Brom's dragon Saphira I and Eragon's Saphira II. So, as my headcanon for the purposes of this story, I'm going to call Brom's dragon Cyranis because, from what descriptions I've had of her, she was an aquamarine dragoness to begin with. So I took the word 'cyan' and added a few letters.
In case you're wondering, I'm thinking that Cyranis is pronounced Sigh-rah-nis. I know some people get concerned over that. Don't really get that, myself. If I can't verbalize a name, I usually just replace it with something. For the longest time, I didn't even bother trying to say Galbatorix which, in hindsight, is actually hilarious seeing as it is written out in the back... The funny thing is that I just called him Trixie.
I should really be asleep now. I just uploaded the first three chapters to a Naruto fanfiction and, in one of those A/Ns, debated the significance of temperature in reference to a damn. Because, really, when people say 'hot damn,' would a freezing damn be better or worse? A mild damn? A room temperature damn?
THESE ARE THINGS I WANT TO KNOW.
If you have a response for me, please leave it in that funny little review box.
Until next time (since I'm realizing that this A/N is getting to be ten percent of the chapter)
Sue