From White to Black

by Opifex the Singer

Prequel to Skade and Black Dragon. This one tells Galbatorix's backstory. I changed it to make it a little less Star Wars. Enjoy.

30. The Forsworn

Chapter Thirty

The Forsworn

Morzan was waiting for him at the new camp they'd set up, tucked away in a little valley in the Spine. The storm had died down by now, and Shruikan set Galbatorix down at the edge of the camp, circled overhead a couple of times and then came down to land by Idün. Morzan had already re-lit the fire and was cooking something over it, and when Galbatorix came to join him he said; 'There you are, sir! We were getting a little worried.'

Galbatorix sat down by the fire. 'Hello, Morzan. How did you go?'

'We did it, right enough,' said Morzan. 'You?'

Galbatorix touched his arm and winced. 'I killed her. Bitch landed a few blows on me, though.' He rolled up the sleeve of his robe and inspected the wound. It was crusting over by now, but watery blood was still oozing out of it. He muttered the healing spell over it and sighed in relief. There was still a silvery scar there, and he ran his thumb over it and said; 'Huh. A memento.' He pulled the sleeve back into place, and took Calathiel's sword from his back, dumping it by the fireside. 'Thought this might be useful. In case either of us loses our sword, or if we need money or something. These things are valuable. And look what else I found.' He reached into his robe and brought out the egg.

Morzan whistled. 'That's a lucky find, sir,' he said. 'Where did you get it?'

'She had it with her. It must have been fathered by her dragon. I'm assuming you killed him?'

Morzan nodded. 'It wasn't easy; he was a strong one. But I hit him with a few spells and Idün finished him off. Had to kill his mate, too.'

Galbatorix tapped the blue egg's shell. 'Poor thing's an orphan now. Well, we'll take care of it.'

'So how did you go, sir?' said Morzan.

'She was up on the dragon roost,' said Galbatorix. 'Shruikan dropped me off and she didn't see us in the dark. I took her by surprise. She put up a good fight, but you got her dragon not long afterwards, which gave me the chance to finish her off. I killed a few guards, too, and that idiot Lord Aisling.'

Morzan blinked. 'Why? He can't have been a threat.'

'No. But with him dead, Dras-Leona won't have a replacement governor straight away. There'll be plenty of unrest over that. And Aisling might have been an idiot, but he was well-known. A very prominent supporter of Vrael. Now he's dead, and Calathiel too, and I made sure some of the survivors saw me. The story will spread about how the Great Betrayer appeared out of nowhere and killed a fully-trained rider, along with one of Vrael's most powerful lackeys, and then vanished again completely unscathed. In the middle of a storm. With a black dragon that also came out of nowhere.'

Morzan paused to mull this over, and then grinned. 'You're a cunning one, all right, sir.' He prodded the chunk of meat that was spitted over the fire. 'I think it's ready. Want some?'

'Yes please. I feel like I haven't eaten in days.'

Morzan hacked off a few slices and passed them over, spitted on a dagger blade. 'There you go. I think it's a bit burnt, though…'

Galbatorix accepted it. 'Listen, Morzan; a few months ago I was so desperate for food that I ate my own gloves. A little bit of charring isn't going to bother me much.' He ate, chewing gratefully at the meat, which was indeed burnt, but which, to him, tasted delicious.

'So what do we do next?' said Morzan.

Galbatorix swallowed his food. 'The same thing,' he said. 'Again and again.'

And that was how Galbatorix began his war against the riders.

Following the deaths of Calathiel and Aisling – which created exactly the kind of stir that Galbatorix had predicted – fear slowly began to take hold of the riders that survived.

Two more riders were killed within the space of a few months. One was found dead in his private chamber, with signs of a struggle but not a mark on his body, his face locked into an expression of agonising pain. Later it was discovered that his dragon had been killed as she slept on her roost, her body showing the signs of having been attacked by at least two other dragons. A second, sent to replace Calathiel as governor of Dras-Leona, was attacked in the air by both the Great Betrayer and his accomplice, who killed both her and her dragon in broad daylight, fully visible to the people in the city below, who saw the two corpses go tumbling out of the sky. Later on a third rider was killed, and this one survived long enough to speak of the last thing he had seen before his throat was ripped open. 'Black eyes,' he said, the blood gurling in his chest. 'Black eyes, black dragon. He spoke – spoke – said… funeral rites…'

Those were that rider's last words. His body was taken back to Ilirea to be entombed, and so that Vrael could see the latest victim of the Great Betrayer.

And in spite of everything the riders tried, nothing they did could put a stop to it. The most powerful and experienced riders were sent to all parts of the country, to search for the two traitors, but all of them failed. Three more failed to return to Ilirea, and their remains were not recovered for some time. Every member of every race was on the lookout. Even the wild dragons had agreed to do what they could. All of them failed. It was like trying to find a pair of ghosts. One day they would be seen near Teirm, the next they would be in Du Weldenvarden, and after that they might be spotted heading in the direction of Orthíad.

The common people, witnessing this new evidence of weakness from their ruling class, became increasingly restless. In some places, in small towns and villages whose people had greivances against the riders, open rebellion began to break out. People began refusing to pay taxes, claiming that if the riders could not catch a mere two rebels then they did not deserve the right to take their subjects' hard-earned wages. The elves and the dwarves were mobilising to help their rider allies, but the humans, who after all made up the majority of Alagaësia's people, did not do so. They were not slow to notice something important about the victims of the Great Betrayer: all of them had been elves.

The rift between elvish and human riders began to widen. As Vrael became more and more paranoid toward humans he succeeded in alienating them further, and even more so when he shut himself away in Ilirea and refused to speak to anyone save his fellow elves.

And Galbatorix, hearing of all this, knew his plan was working. Little by little, the riders were losing control over the land they had ruled for a thousand years. Sooner or later, something was going to happen that would change everything. And, nearly two years after his escape from Ilirea, it did.

It was early evening, and Galbatorix was sitting on a large rock formation in the Beor mountains with Shruikan by his side. He and Morzan had chosen this spot as a new temporary hideout the previous day, and Galbatorix was taking this opportunity to have some time in just Shruikan's silent company. Morzan was at their camp below and Idün was perched on a mountaintop, hidden among the rocks, keeping watch.

Galbatorix sighed. Ever since he and Morzan had begun their vendetta against the riders they had both lived fraught and unsettled lives. Always moving, never safe, unable to show their faces near civilisation. They had been living on the run for over a year, and it was exhausting. Morzan had taken on the same lean, wary look as the friend he now looked to as a master, and Idün had become savage and restless, like the wild dragon she now more or less was.

It was a life that suited Shruikan well, however. The black dragon had continued to grow steadily and was now close to the size Laela had been when she died. He remained fierce and unpredictable, but he and Galbatorix now understood each other very well and made a formidable team. Shruikan's presence did a lot to keep Galbatorix steady and focused. He could still feel the pain of Laela's death inside him – sometimes unbearably so – and at night he was often tormented by nightmares where he saw her plead with him to save her, only to die while he watched, helpless. But Shruikan helped him bear his pain and grief. The black dragon's natural calm soothed him, and his anger and fighting spirit protected him from despair. As long as he was there, Galbatorix knew he would never give in, never lose his way, never forget what it was that drove him on and gave him a reason to live. He no longer had any doubts about what he was doing. He had accepted his fate, just as Arthryn had told him. I am the destroyer, he would remind himself before an attack began. I am the shadow that comes in the night, I am the fear that lurks in their souls, I am the Great Betrayer.

It gave him a dark thrill.

Now he sat in silence and watched the stars begin to come out. It was still light, but the Northern Star was already visible on the horizon and, further down, a watery yellow sunset was beginning.

He couldn't see Morzan from his vantage-point. The camp was hidden among some trees not far away from the heap of rocks, and there was no sign of smoke from the black fire Galbatorix had lit. But from time to time he made mental contact with Idün, and she reassured him that all was well.

But then, as the air slowly grew colder with the oncoming night, the red dragon's mind suddenly radiated nervousness. Galbatorix let her into his mind so she could speak to him, and she said; 'My Lord… something is happening below.'

'What is it?' said Galbatorix, already reaching for his sword.

'It's all right,' Idün said hastily. 'I don't think there's any danger, but… Morzan says he has just captured two people.'

Galbatorix stood up. 'What people? Who? Where are they? Are there any others?'

'They surrendered to him,' said Idün. 'They're… they know the ancient language, they promised they wouldn't attack. He's taking them to you right now.'

Galbatorix moved to the edge of the rock and was in time to see Morzan emerge from the trees onto the patch of grass below. Sure enough he was accompanied by two people, both women, who were walking slowly with their hands raised to show they were unarmed. Galbatorix blinked, wondering who they were, and then he saw something that made his heart skip a beat.

Both of them were carrying rider's swords. One green, one brown.

Morzan brought his prisoners to the base of the heap of rocks, and all three of them looked up at Galbatorix.

'Hello, Morzan,' Galbatorix called down. 'Who are these people?'

Morzan nudged one of his prisoners, the one with the green sword. She glanced at her companion, and then knelt, bowing her head respectfully. Her companion did likewise.

'My Lord Galbatorix,' the one with the green sword said, her voice carrying strongly up toward him, surprisingly resolute in tone. 'We have come to find you.'

Galbatorix sat down, cross-legged. The rock-heap was not too tall, and he could hear them easily enough. 'Who are you?' he said. 'Use the ancient language.'

The two women stood up. The one with the green sword took hold of her companion's hand and said; 'My name is Tranah Fenixdaughter, and this is Strein Daretborn. We mean you no harm.' She spoke the ancient language with a confidence that suggested she had been fluent in it for some time.

'What do you want?' said Galbatorix.

Strein, the one with the brown sword, spoke for the first time. 'We have come to join you, Lord Galbatorix,' she said. 'If you will accept us.'

They were both human. Galbatorix saw that easily enough. Tranah's hair was short and she wore a plain green tunic and trousers. She was square and stocky, with a broad, freckled face and green eyes. Strein, beside her, was a little taller and slimmer, and had dark blonde hair and brown eyes. They were both older than him, and had a certain toughness and authority that suggested they were senior riders.

'You want to be set free from your vows?' said Galbatorix.

Strein nodded. 'We both do,' she said. 'We've wanted to for a long time.'

'So you want me to undo your oaths,' said Galbatorix. 'What will you give me in return?'

'We'll fight for you,' said Tranah. 'We'll take oaths to serve you.'

Galbatorix fixed them both with a powerful stare. 'Why?' The question was asked in a flat, direct way, as if it were etched in stone.

They hesitated. But Tranah gripped her companion's hand more tightly and spoke up. 'Because we were also betrayed by the elders, and we know about the things they have done. They committed a crime against us, and we want revenge. We talked it over and decided that you were the one to lead us.' She lifted her hair away from her ears, revealing that she, like Morzan, had cut off the pointed tips. Strein had done the same.

'We will fight for you, Lord Galbatorix,' she said. 'Only set us free, and accept us.'

Galbatorix jumped down from the rock, landing neatly in front of them. 'What did the elders do to you, Tranah? And you, Strein. What did you… see?'

Strein glanced at Tranah. She seemed to be preparing herself. 'We were in love,' she said in a low voice.

Galbatorix blinked. 'With who?'

'It started in Ellesméra,' said Tranah. 'It was the Blood-Oath celebration. Our dragons… the magic got into them and they mated. We weren't prepared for it. It affected us as well. And we… it happens sometimes. Our master had told us that. If you don't block it out, sometimes… it was only meant to last for that short time. But it didn't.'

Galbatorix realised what she was trying to say. He looked at the two of them as they stood there, hand in hand, and felt revolted. But he said nothing, and kept his face steady.

Morzan was less discreet. 'Get the hell out of here!' he shouted. 'You perverts!'

Galbatorix raised a hand. 'Morzan, no. Be quiet.' He looked at Tranah and Strein again and said, 'So the elders found out about it, did they?'

Tranah nodded. 'And they… we were both whipped. And then they separated us. Sent us to opposite sides of the country and wouldn't let us return for years on end. It was… being away from Strein… I couldn't bear it. I nearly killed myself.'

'And you came to me because you think I can help you punish them for doing that to you.'

Strein nodded. 'No-one else would accept us, but we thought you would.'

Morzan had gone very red in the face. 'Sir, you can't seriously be thinking of…!'

'Shut up, Morzan.'

Morzan fell silent, glaring at him.

'Leave us,' said Galbatorix. 'Go back to the camp and wait for me there. Now!'

Morzan didn't miss the sudden sharpness in his voice. He left, muttering resentfully.

Tranah watched him carefully until he was out of earshot, and then gave Galbatorix a pleading look. 'Please,' she said. 'Don't be like them. You're our only hope.'

Galbatorix said nothing. He watched the two of them, deep in thought. It was plain enough that they loved each other. The way they looked at each other, the affection in their faces, the absolute trust and harmony that lay between them… they had come here to see him, both fully aware of the very real risk that they could be killed by either him or by the elders, but they were taking courage from each other. His first reaction to them had been horror and revulsion, but now, seeing this, he wondered why he should have felt that way.

'Please, my Lord,' said Strein. 'I love Tranah. We're hurting no-one. Why shouldn't we love each other? What's wrong with it?'

The earnest entreaty in her voice brought a memory back to Galbatorix. He thought of Skade, her golden eyes looking into his, her hands in his hair, whispering to him. My sweet one. My Galbatorix.

At long last he spoke. 'Do you love her?' he asked Tranah. 'Do you… what does it feel like? Tell me that, and be honest.'

Tranah hesitated. 'It feels like…'

'When I'm with Tranah, I feel complete,' Strein broke in. 'I feel safe, as if nothing could ever hurt me.'

'-You feel like she's the reason you breathe, the reason you sleep, the reason you wake,' said Galbatorix. 'When you look at her you feel as if you could do anything. And even though you've been taught all your life that what you're doing is wrong, you can't help it. Because you know it was meant to be, and if you can't be with her, then you want to die.'

There was a silence.

'Yes,' Tranah said softly. 'It's like that.'

'How did you know?' said Strein.

'Kneel,' said Galbatorix. 'Both of you.'

They obeyed. Galbatorix spread his right hand over them and began to speak the words of the spell. The two riders shivered as they felt the magic move through them, and when he was done Galbatorix said; 'Your oaths have been dissolved. You're free.'

Tranah's worn face split into a great smile. 'Thankyou, my Lord,' she said. 'A thousand times, and with all my heart. Now let me return the favour.' She placed her hand on her chest and spoke in the ancient language. 'I swear to serve you, Lord Galbatorix, to fight beside you with all my strength, until you release me or until death takes me. I swear this by my heart, my soul and my blood, and may I be struck down if my oath be broken.'

Strein repeated the oath, and afterwards she and her beloved stood up and bowed low to their new master.

Galbatorix held out a hand, and Tranah shook it formally, followed by Strein. 'I'm honoured to have you with me,' said Galbatorix. 'Truly.'

'And we shall be honoured to fight by your side, my Lord,' said Strein.

'Where are your dragons?' said Galbatorix.

'They're waiting for us back there,' said Tranah, pointing back into the woods. 'We had to leave them behind so you'd see us as less of a threat. I'll call to mine now.'

There was silence as the two riders reached out for their partners, and then they and Galbatorix waited for them to come. A few minutes later, a pair of dragons – one brown, one green – appeared over the treetops. They landed on the grass and their riders went to meet them, reassuring them with touch. Shruikan leapt down from his perch on the rock heap and swaggered toward the two newcomers, his head laid low and his wings half-spread in a gesture of aggression. The two dragons turned to face him, both hissing warily. They were bigger than Shruikan, but displayed obvious fear of him. The black dragon snapped at the green one and she shrank away, dipping her head in submission. Evidently pleased, Shruikan proceeded to cow the other with a stare and a snarl, then lifted his head and roared.

From her perch on the mountainside overhead, Idün roared back. The brown and green dragons joined their voices with hers, and the roars rose into the darkened sky, loud and ferocious, carrying over the mountains. Once Galbatorix would have urged them to be quiet, lest the noise give away their position, but not now. He felt his own spirit rise inside him with the sound of Shruikan's roar, and fought down a wild urge to bellow at the sky along with him. It was a moment he would remember for the rest of his life.

He led Tranah and Strein to the camp, where Morzan was sitting by the fire, eating an apple.

Galbatorix bade his new followers sit down with him, which they did, albeit with some glances at Morzan.

Morzan spat out an apple seed. 'What're those two doing here?'

'Tranah and Strein have joined us,' said Galbatorix. 'I've released them from their vows and they have sworn to serve me.'

Morzan went purple. 'What? Are you insane? Those two, following us around? You must be joking.'

Galbatorix shot him a warning glare. 'You'll be polite to them, or I'll make you regret it. These women are riders, the same as us. And I'll take a moment to remind you that they're more experienced than both of us put together. I consider it an honour that they chose to come here.'

Morzan was mortified. 'But – but-,' he spluttered.

'But nothing,' Galbatorix snapped. 'Apologise.'

'But I-,'

'Now.'

Morzan knew better than to argue. He glanced quickly at Tranah and Strein. 'I'm sorry,' he muttered.

'That's better,' said Galbatorix. 'Now… Tranah, Strein, this is Morzan Drasborn, my friend. And don't let the scowling put you off; he's perfectly harmless. Right, Morzan?'

Morzan scowled. 'Don't make fun of me.'

But his embarrassment defused the situation very nicely. Tranah and Strein laughed, and the tension drained out of the atmosphere. The two women embraced and kissed passionately, then hastily pulled apart, looking at Morzan and Galbatorix. Morzan looked away in disgust, but Galbatorix said; 'There's no need to worry about that any more. Never be ashamed of who you are, and never be ashamed of who you love. Someone very special taught me that, and even if I believe nothing else, I believe that.'

Morzan was sulky for much of the evening, but cheered up a little when Strein volunteered to prepare the food. Tranah, perhaps sensing that it would be bad for there to be tension between herself and Morzan, sidled over to him and attemped to engage him in conversation. He was resistant at first, but Tranah quickly proved to have a strong will, and by the time the food was ready she and Morzan were talking animatedly. It turned out that both had been born in Dras-Leona and in fact had some acquaintances in common, and when Morzan accepted a bowl of food from Strein he was behaving much more pleasantly.

Galbatorix, watching all this with some amusement, settled down to eat. As he was about to take the first bite, he paused and looked up. 'Do any of you know what day it is?'

Strein paused to think about it. 'Uh… about two weeks before the day of the Sixth Hatching, I think.'

Galbatorix blinked. 'Huh.'

'What?'

'I didn't even realise it until just now,' said Galbatorix. 'It's hard to keep track of time out here.' He smiled. 'Today's my twenty-first birthday.'

The addition of Tranah and Strein marked the beginning of a change in Galbatorix's fight against the elders. The two newcomers were indeed senior riders; they had trained alongside Carina and both had experience in combat and leadership. Galbatorix quickly came to appreciate their help; they had plenty of advice to offer and could predict the actions that the elders would probably take ahead of time. Of the two, Tranah was the bolder. She had a forthright, no-nonsense manner which perfectly matched her dragon, Aedua, who was solidly built and an aggressive fighter. Strein was quiet, even shy, but had a quick mind and was a cunning strategist. Galbatorix had accepted her and Tranah initially out of sympathy, but the more time he spent working with them the more he saw how valuable they were becoming to him. They both acted respectfully toward him, but unlike Morzan they did not need constant direction; they were able to work independently of him and were not afraid to argue with him or suggest a better course of action if they did not like the one he came up with. It was Tranah who advised him to actively seek out new followers rather than wait for them to come to him, 'Because there are plenty of other riders out there who feel as we do. Some of them are exiles, others are harbouring grudges against the elders. The elves are being more and more unfriendly toward humans, even human riders, and it's creating a lot of dissention. Human riders who are already resentful toward the elders will be pushed over the edge. They'll come and join you, my Lord. I promise you that. You have no idea how inspirational you are. A human who dared to defy the elves, who cut his ears and rebelled against the elders, and who managed to make them all look like fools again and again, and to kill elvish riders and get clean away when you were supposed to be a solitary fugitive barely managing to stay alive. You've become a legend. And that will bring followers to you.'

She was right. The day after she and Strein had taken their new oaths, the four riders left their camp in the Beors and moved on. Strein informed Galbatorix that a new governor had been placed at Teirm – three of them, in fact. All elves. The riders were taking no more chances, and according to Strein it was now forbidden for any of them to travel without at least one other rider for protection.

'But it won't help them,' she added confidently. 'Not with four of us working together.'

They planned their attack carefully, and well. Galbatorix and Shruikan showed themselves in the countryside not far from Teirm, making sure plenty of people saw them. The ploy worked. It drew out not just one of the riders based at Teirm, but all three. Unable to resist the temptation of the prospect of finally killing the Great Betrayer, they rashly flew out to hunt for him. As soon as they were well away from an easy escape route, the trap was sprung. Galbatorix, Morzan, Tranah and Strein attacked, ambushing the three elves at a mountain pass.

It worked perfectly. The riders were all killed after a short but vicious fight, and afterwards their killers vanished once again, leaving only silent corpses to tell the tale of what had happened.

It was an important victory for Galbatorix. Soon word would spread of the Great Betrayer's latest battle and how he had, once again, got clean away. And now he was no longer working with just one ally. Now there were three, and two of them were well-known and highly respected riders with long records of good leadership and valour in battle. He had gone from being a solitary and elusive assassin to the leader of a group of dangerous rebels. This was beginning to turn into a true war, and one the elders were still unable to fight effectively.

After the deaths of the three riders, which came to be referred to as the Teirm Assassinations, they fled to an isolated spot in the Du Weldenvarden forest and lay low there for a few days. During this time Galbatorix contacted Durza again. He rose early one morning while the others were still asleep, and slipped off into the forest to a spot where there was a small pool of water by a river. He sat down by it and splashed his face, then spread his hand over the water. 'Draumr kópa.'

The pool went dark. He concentrated on Durza, and after a few moments the vision appeared. The Shade was sitting somewhere in what appeared to be an abandoned farmhouse, meditating by a fire. Galbatorix had seen him do this plenty of times in the past. It was the closest Shades ever came to sleep. What Durza was actually doing was drawing more energy from the fire to replenish his internal store of magic, something only a Shade could do.

Durza looked up sharply a few moments later, staring out of the pool at Galbatorix. My Lord. It is good to see you. I have important news.

'Where are you?'

Not far from Gil'ead. I have been into the city, in disguise. News has already reached us of what happened in Teirm. Congratulations on your victory, my Lord. They have begun calling you the Riders' Bane now.

'What's your news, Durza?' Galbatorix asked tersely.

Durza blinked slowly, like a lizard. There are three riders being kept prisoner in the city, he said.

'What? Are you sure?'

I have not seen them, but there are three dragons chained up in the castle and I could sense that they were bonded. There are two senior riders ruling the city, both elves. I suggest you investigate this. If you free the prisoners, they may choose to join you out of gratitude.

Galbatorix thought it over carefully. If there were other riders being kept prisoner in Gil'ead, it could only mean that they were in serious trouble. Normally a rider who was in some sort of strife would be recalled to Ilirea for punishment. If these three had been actually thrown into cells and their dragons chained up, if they were being treated like common criminals…

His instincts told him that something was up. He had better act quickly if he was going to, and even if the prisoners proved useless it would be another opportunity to attack the riders and demonstrate his power.

'I'm coming to join you,' he told Durza. 'Wait for me.'

Durza nodded. I will keep an eye on the horizon, my Lord.

The vision faded away, and Galbatorix stood up, dusting the leaf-litter off his robe. He returned to the camp, his boots making virtually no sound on the forest floor. Moving silently didn't take any effort any more; he had been doing it for so long that it had become second nature.

The others were awake by the time he returned to the camp. He rummaged in a pack and found a stale loaf of bread, then sat down by the fire to toast it. 'Good morning, everyone.'

Morzan yawned and mumbled something.

'I've got news,' Galbatorix went on, ignoring him. 'We're going to Gil'ead.'

Tranah paused in the act of taking the lid off a flask of water. 'Why?'

'My source has told me there are three riders being kept prisoner there,' said Galbatorix. He still hadn't revealed Durza's existence, and whenever he shared some piece of information gained from him he simply referred to him as "my source". The others were curious but respected the need for secrecy.

Strein rubbed her eyes. 'What? Riders?'

Galbatorix nodded. 'Apparently they're locked up in the castle, and their dragons are outside in chains.'

There was a muttering from the other three. Shruikan stirred and growled softly.

'No-one should ever chain up a dragon,' said Tranah. 'What were they thinking?'

Galbatorix shrugged. 'Who knows? But it's got to be something serious. Now, there are two senior riders in Gil'ead, both elves, once again. I say we launch an assault on the castle. Direct, open, and brutal. It will demonstrate that we're not afraid of them, and nor are we afraid to attack in daylight.'

Strein looked dubious. 'Risky.'

'You don't win wars unless you take some risks,' said Galbatorix. 'We outnumber them four to two. Shruikan can summon up the storm again, which will put them at a disadvantage.'

'It could work,' said Tranah. 'If we plan carefully.'

'Morzan, what d'you think?' said Galbatorix.

Morzan grunted. 'I think it's a good idea. I'm not gonna leave those poor devils in a dungeon to rot, or worse. If we set 'em free, they'll join us, sure thing.'

'I agree,' said Strein.

'Then it's settled,' said Galbatorix. 'Does anyone here know the layout of the castle?'

'I do,' said Strein. 'Here, give me that stick.' Tranah passed it to her, and she used it to scratch a rough outline of the castle in the dirt, indicating the layout of the towers and defences, and how the city fitted around it. '…as far as I remember, the dungeons are just under here, the training yard is here, and this bit here is the banqueting hall. And there, right on the West wall, that's the dragon roost. And there, this patch here on the North side, that's the barracks. If we come in from here and here, we should have them surrounded. What do you think, Galbatorix?'

Galbatorix examined the crude map and scratched his beard thoughtfully. 'The dragons will be roosting if we attack in the evening. Tranah, Strein, you and I will attack them. If we can take them out, the battle will be over before it's begun. But if the riders are close enough to get to them before we can do that, we back off and hit them with magic. Shruikan will call up the storm, which should keep them grounded. As for you, Morzan, you and Idün break into the dungeons. Tear down the outer wall. The more damage we cause, the better. Get them out of there, fast as you can, and get them to help you set the dragons free if you can. If all goes well, I'll come to help you. Understood?'

The others nodded. 'I have an idea,' said Tranah.

'Out with it, then.'

'Aedua's more than strong enough to carry a heavy load,' said Tranah. 'And Talziri too. If we can find some good-sized boulders, we can drop them onto the dragon roost before we attack. If we hit our target, it should be a perfect way to cause some damage and put fear into them at the same time. If we're lucky we might even kill one of them.'

Galbatorix mulled it over. 'That's a good idea, Tranah. If we only had the materials we could use firebombs instead.'

Tranah shrugged. 'Why not just use magic? Set them ablaze before we drop them. It should have more or less the same effect, especially if they shatter when they land.'

'Perfect,' said Morzan. He grinned. 'Knew you'd come in useful, Tran.'

Tranah nudged him hard in the ribs. 'I thought you'd like that idea. My Lord Galbatorix, what do you think?'

Galbatorix nodded. 'That's a great idea, Tranah. We'll do it. Does anyone else have anything to add?'

'I'm not sure I like the idea of goin' in to get the prisoners out on my own,' said Morzan, while behind him Idün rustled her wings nervously. 'Can't one of you come with me?'

'We can't,' said Tranah. 'We'll have our hands full dealing with the elves.'

Galbatorix paused as a thought occurred to him. 'Well,' he said slowly. 'There is something…'

'What?' said Morzan.

Galbatorix hesitated, and then decided it was time to take the plunge. 'My source is close to Gil'ead right now. We're going to meet him before we go in. He can help you.'

They looked interested at that. 'Who is he, my Lord?' said Strein. 'Another rider?'

Galbatorix shook his head. 'Not a rider, no. I'm a little hesitant about this, to tell you the truth. You won't like him. But he's very powerful in magic, more so than a lot of riders, and he's sworn an oath to work for me. If I ask him, he'll help us.'

'Well who is he if he's not a rider?' said Tranah.

Galbatorix hesitated over this, but finally decided it would be better for them to know the truth before actually meeting Durza in person. 'He's a Shade,' he said at last.

Their faces fell. 'What?' said Morzan.

'A Shade?' said Tranah. 'You must be joking!'

'I'm not,' said Galbatorix. 'His name is Durza.'

'But… how on earth did you get a Shade to take an oath of loyalty?' said Tranah.

'Durza hates the elders just as we do,' said Galbatorix. 'They've been persecuting him ever since he was bor – uh, came into being.'

'Well of course they have!' Morzan exclaimed. 'He's a bloody Shade, for the gods' sakes! How could you even contemplate working with one?'

'I don't fully trust him,' Galbatorix admitted. 'But we need all the help we can get, and Durza has proven very useful. He's been sending me all the latest news. That's how I've known about what's going on out here.'

The others muttered. 'I don't like this,' said Strein. 'I don't like this at all.'

'Why not?' said Galbatorix.

She looked at him as if he'd just grown a second head. 'Are you mad? Shades are evil.'

'Oh,' said Galbatorix. 'Really? How do you know? Have you ever met one.'

Strein hesitated. 'Well…'

'See?' said Galbatorix, as if that settled it.

'No, not really,' said Tranah.

'Well, I've spent time with Shades,' said Galbatorix. 'Two of them, to be exact. And do you know what? They were lovers.'

Morzan stared at him. 'What?'

'It amazed me too,' said Galbatorix. 'But it's true. Rangda and Durza, two Shades in love. I saw it with my own eyes. It threw my whole perception of them into confusion. If Shades are evil, how can they feel love? No, Shades aren't evil. I don't even believe there's any such thing as evil, at least outside of stories. They're different from us, that's all. But, of course, the elders don't like things that are different, do they?'

There was silence, and Galbatorix looked challengingly at his three fellow riders.

'All right then,' Tranah said eventually. 'If he's sworn loyalty to you, I trust him. But don't expect me to try and be friends with him.'

'I really don't think he cares about that sort of thing,' said Galbatorix. 'He's very emotionless.'

'If he'll help us, I'll let him do that no argument,' said Morzan. 'I just hope you know what you're doing, Galbatorix, because if he turns on you…'

'Durza found me when I was nearly dead from starvation,' said Galbatorix. 'He could easily have killed me then, but he didn't. And not even Shades can break oaths made in the ancient language.'

'But what about the spell you used on us?' said Strein.

'Durza doesn't know how to use it,' said Galbatorix. 'Only I do. No-one else. I can promise you that.'

'All right, then,' said Strein. 'Just watch your back.'

'Oh I will,' Galbatorix said grimly. 'I don't think I need to learn that particular lesson again.'

Once they had eaten they packed up the camp, and once they had concealed all signs that they had been there they saddled up and departed.

The flight to Gil'ead was a relatively short one, and thankfully it was uneventful. They halted at the very edge of the forest, among some abandoned farmland, and there Galbatorix found the collapsing house where Durza was waiting. The Shade had sensed his presence and stood up to welcome the four riders. He bowed to Galbatorix. 'My Lord. It is good to see you again.'

'Hello, Durza,' said Galbatorix, warily scanning the inside of the building for any sign of danger.

'You can relax,' said Durza. 'There are no people for miles. So…' his blood-coloured eyes turned toward Morzan, Tranah and Strein, who tensed automatically. 'These are the followers you have told me about.'

Galbatorix nodded. 'This is Morzan, and these are Tranah and Strein. Morzan, Tranah, Strein, this is Durza.'

There was an uncomfortable silence, but then Tranah came forward and inclined her head politely to Durza. 'I am pleased to meet you, Lord Durza,' she said. 'Forgive us if we are impolite to you, but…'

'I am used to tasting fear in others,' Durza said in a flat, metallic voice. 'Do not apologise for this, Shur'tugal. The good opinions of other people mean nothing to me. Now, have you made your plans, my Lord Galbatorix?'

Galbatorix nodded. 'We're going to free the prisoners, and kill the elves at the same time.'

'Tell me your plan,' said Durza.

Galbatorix did so, quickly and efficiently. Durza listened, emotionless as always, taking it all in. 'So what would you have me do, my Lord?' he said afterward.

'You'll help Morzan to set the prisoners free,' said Galbatorix. 'Idün will carry you.'

Morzan looked aghast when he heard this, but before he could protest Galbatorix added; 'And you'll do what he tells you to do, understood?'

Durza nodded. 'I hear and obey.'

Morzan was unable to stifle a grin. 'All right, then, Shade. Let's go.'

They left the farmhouse with Galbatorix leading the way, and in spite of the fact that the landscape was deserted, they were careful to be stealthy, running between patches of shelter until they reached the relative safety of the forest. There the dragons were waiting for them. Without further ado they took all their excess baggage and hid it, keeping only their weapons. Galbatorix got onto Shruikan's back and secured himself with the leg-straps of the saddle he'd made for him. Once Tranah, Strein and Morzan were mounted and Durza had settled himself behind Morzan – much to Morzan's apparent discomfort – Shruikan took off and they followed.

The four dragons flew as high as they dared, beating their wings hard for extra height, and once they were high enough to avoid being spotted from the ground they set off toward Gil'ead. It was past noon by this time, and when Gil'ead appeared on the horizon it was beginning to grow dark. Galbatorix looked ahead at the city as it drew ever nearer, and estimated that they would reach it within less than half an hour. 'All right,' he told Shruikan. 'It's time to begin.'

Shruikan shared a feeling of excitement and aggression. 'Time to bring down the storm.'

Galbatorix melded his consciousness with that of the black dragon, and, working together, they began to summon up the power that was in Shruikan's blood.

The sky over Gil'ead grew darker and darker, as clouds began to gather. The first flashes of lightning flickered amid the greyness, and Galbatorix breathed in deeply, preparing himself for what was to come. Aedua and Talziri, the green and brown dragons, descended at full speed. Swooping low over the ground just outside the city, where there was a quarry, they each seized a man-sized boulder and flew up and over Gil'ead. Shruikan followed from above, as fast as he could go. Below, the castle was within striking distance. They could see the shapes of the two dragons up on the roost. Aedua and Talziri flew over the castle, then wheeled around and came back. As the passed over head the second time, they let go of the boulders, which dropped, bursting into flames in midair.

Their aim was perfect. The two boulders struck the dragon roost right in the centre, and exploded in red-hot shrapnel.

Shruikan did not wait to see what effect this had had on the two enemy dragons. The storm closed in, and the black dragon folded his wings and dropped out of the sky like an arrow. He hit one of the dragons square in the back, and his claws ripped deep into her body, breaking her spine almost instantly. She screamed and folded up, still alive but unable to move her hind legs, and as her companion rushed to attack Shruikan, Aedua and Talziri got him from behind.

The two roosting dragons didn't stand a chance. Shruikan finished off the one with the broken back, and Aedua and Talziri made short work of the other.

It gave Morzan all the time he needed. Idün landed at the base of the Western wall, and Morzan and Durza jumped down. They had discussed what to do during the journey, and without hesitating they raised their hands and hit the wall with a combined blast of magic. Massive cracks spread over its entire surface, from the ground up to the ramparts, and then Idün charged forward. She rammed her head into the stone, and the wall collapsed inwards with a deafening rumble. The red dragon thrust through the rubble with her claws, exposing the dungeon corridor beyond. But the attack was not going to go unchallenged. Soldiers poured out of the gate not far away, and ran to attack. Morzan and Durza were ready for them. Durza blasted the front ranks with magic, killing a dozen of them almost instantly. When Morzan came to fight beside him, the Shade said; 'Go! I will fight them alone – find the prisoners!'

Morzan nodded and dashed off.

From his vantage point up on the dragon roost, Galbatorix saw what was going on. He scanned the castle below and eventually spotted the training yard. There, sure enough, three dragons were sitting together in a huddle. 'There they are,' he told Shruikan. 'Let's go.'

Shruikan kicked off from the roost and flew down to the yard, landing not far from the three chained dragons. There was a contingent of guards there, but they fled as soon as they saw the black dragon. Galbatorix let them go. He jumped down from Shruikan's back and approached the three dragons. They were much smaller than he had expected – too small to be ridden, in fact. Each was about the size of a donkey. They could only be about four or five months old, at the most. There were chains on their wings and legs, and more around their necks, which were attached to a massive iron ring set into the wall. When they saw Galbatorix coming they blinked and cringed away from him.

Galbatorix halted at a respectful distance from them, and reached out with his mind. The three dragons had magic bound around their minds, trapping them inside their own heads and preventing them from speaking, but Galbatorix focused his own magic and dissolved them. Almost instantly, he was rewarded with a rush of thought that flowed straight into his mind, making him wince. But he let the three dragons in so that he could hear their voices, which he did.

'Thankyou! Oh, thankyou!'

'Please, help us!'

'Set us free! They'll kill us!'

Their voices were eager, but frightened. Galbatorix signalled mentally to them to calm down, and when they fell silent he said; 'Where are your riders?'

'In the dungeons-,'

'They're going to kill them! Please, help them, I'm begging you.'

'Don't worry,' Galbatorix said quickly. 'My friends are doing that right now. Listen to me. We're going to have to get out of here quickly. If you want to escape, then do exactly what I tell you. Understand?'

The three dragons nodded vigorously. Without futher ado, Galbatorix stepped forward and spoke a spell over the chains, which broke and fell away. The dragons shook them off gratefully, stretching their wings and nuzzling each other joyfully. Then they turned to Galbatorix, waiting for his command. He ran back to Shruikan and climbed back into the saddle. 'Follow us,' he told the dragons.

Shruikan took off, and the three dragons followed. They flew up and over the walls, dodging the arrows that were being loosed at them, and once they were out of range Galbatorix pointed East. 'Fly away,' he told the dragons. 'Don't stop until you're well out into the countryside. I'll bring your riders to you. Understood?'

The three dragons weren't happy about that. 'No,' one of them said. 'I'm not leaving without Tuomas.'

'I'm not leaving either,' the second one said.

Galbatorix sighed. 'All right,' he said. 'Circle overhead. Make sure you stay out of range. When we fly out of here, follow us.'

They agreed to do that, and Galbatorix directed Shruikan to fly down to the West wall, where the gaping hole created by Morzan and Durza was now at the centre of a fierce and nasty fight between the soldiers from the castle and Tranah and Strein, who had gone to join Durza. Aedua and Talziri were swooping low over the castle, snatching bowmen from the ramparts and sending them tumbling to their deaths, and using pieces of rubble as missiles to wreak as much destruction on the castle as they could.

Shruikan landed by the hole in the wall and charged at the soldiers, decimating them. The rest, seeing sense, ran away into the city, and the black dragon returned to the hole in the wall, where Tranah and Strein were resting from their exertions. Both were wounded, but neither one seriously, and Durza was leaning against the wall by the hole, expressionless but a little paler than usual.

Galbatorix got down off Shruikan and went to join them. 'Where's Morzan?'

'Still inside,' said Tranah. 'I'd better go help him…' without waiting for an answer, she climbed over the heap of rubble and vanished inside. Galbatorix was about to follow her, but a moment later she returned. Morzan was with her, and following him at a respectful distance were three teenage humans; two boys and a girl.

Morzan was carrying a rider's sword with an orange blade. There was a cut on his forehead, but he was grinning with triumph. 'Got 'em, sir,' he said to Galbatorix. 'Now let's get out of here. You three, this is Lord Galbatorix. You do what he tells yeh, understand?'

Galbatorix wasted no time. 'One of you, go with Morzan. You, go with Tranah. And you, come with me.'

The three teenagers hesitated, but the girl came to Galbatorix, prompting her two friends to separate, one going to Tranah and the other to Morzan. Morzan lifted his new companion onto Idün's back, and once he had joined him in the saddle he glanced down at Durza and said; 'Sorry, mate, looks like there's no room for you.'

'I will go on foot,' Durza said briefly. 'I will see you again later.' Without waiting for an answer, he loped away into the city.

Galbatorix hurried to Shruikan and bade the dragon kneel, which he did. Then he turned to the girl and said; 'Climb up, don't be scared.'

The girl glanced at him. She was pale and sweating, evidently terrified.

'It's all right,' Galbatorix said gently. 'He won't hurt you, I promise. Here, let me help you.' He took hold of the girl's shoulders and helped her into the saddle. She clung onto Shruikan's neck, causing the black dragon to shift and growl softly. Galbatorix got up behind her, reaching around her to take hold of the rope around Shruikan's neck and hold her in place. 'Just hang on,' he said.

Shruikan took off. Below, Aedua and Talziri had returned for their riders, and Tranah had persuaded her charge to climb onto Aedua's back. Talziri and Aedua took to the air, following Shruikan and Idün, and the four dragons flew up and away from Gil'ead, buffeted a little by the wind, but flying with confidence. The three small dragons saw their riders and followed, and so Galbatorix made his escape from Gil'ead, leaving a scene of destruction behind him.