Let's see…yes, I changed the category to Tragedy/Romance because I was planning on making it a tragedy anyways and both Ruzac and Eragon are in love with Ane 3 and there's only…3 chapters left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sorry this is such a short fic but I'll make a sequel if you want! Wait for the last chapter or the chapter before though – I mean it, it could change the whole way you think about this fic --;
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"Brisingr!" Ane yelled, directing a stream of shimmering, silver fire at a group of soldiers.
Winix quickly flew to the side to allow her friend to start a new assault on more of the Empire's ranks. A silver blade glinted in the sunlight as Ane unsheathed her sword.
Need any help? Eragon asked from the opposite end of the Varden's army.
No, I think Winnie and I can handle it, she replied, Eragon had been checking up on her like that ever since the first minute of the battle, concentrate on your side-
While they were talking, a herd of pike-wielding empire soldiers had snuck up behind Winix and stabbed her in the tail and hind feet. Roaring in pain and rage, the silver dragon struck out at anything near her.
Winnie's hit! Eragon-, Ane stopped when a new – but familiar – presence entered her mind.
Guess who?
"Ruzac," Ane breathed and watched as Jade landed heavily on a group of enemy soldiers, and quickly took back to the air, ripping through the lines of men all the while.
You're back, Ane said relieved, if she could've hugged him she would have.
I figured you'd need help, Ruzac replied, but I'm here for another reason as well.
And I don't even know what it is, Jade grumbled while crunching a few people in his jaws, ugh, you humans taste disgusting.
Just keep going, Jade, it'll be over sometime…hopefully soon, his rider said cheerily, but it was fake happiness.
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"You know your orders?" the outline of a regal-looking man and dragon could be seen facing a bowing man wearing all-black with some crimson and a dragon the color of steel. It was impossible to tell where they were, except the walls around them seemed to be made of large flaps of tent canvas.
"Yes, your majesty," the man stood up, a malicious grin showing off fierce, pointed teeth, "King Galbatorix."
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Where are they?! Ruzac yelled in his head, effortlessly slicing out with the lilac blade he was using.
If you would tell me who I could probably help you find whoever it is, Jade offered, his teeth, claws and lower scales were drenched in blood – quite a fearsome fight for a lowly, mortal human with only a sword or spear to defend himself with.
Wait a minute, the dark-haired rider squinted his eyes at the horizon where a shape was making its way into the sky. Adrenaline began coursing through his body more than ever when he recognized who it was, THERE! Jade! On the horizon!
His partner rumbled in response and sped towards where Ruzac was pointing. It soon became clear as to whom the cursed boy had wanted to meet.
Hello, Ruzac, the scarlet-haired rider's sly voice slithered into his mind.
You've aged more than I thought, Ruzac replied spitefully, glaring at the 30-year old man, brother.
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"Haha, brother, wait up!" a small boy, about 6 years old with messy black hair, called as he chased and older boy through their family's wheat fields.
The tallest, a boy who was somewhere in his late-teen's, stopped and lifted the younger boy up so he could see over the tall plants. He gasped in awe as everywhere he could see was swaying golden wheat fields. Off to the side, near a small hill, was a small, 2-room farmhouse and a barn where they lived.
"Brother, can we play dragon and rider?" the small boy asked and his brother set him on his shoulders.
"Sure, Ruzac; do I have to be the dragon again?" the older brother asked.
"Of course you do silly brother! Because I'm going to be a rider when I grow up and need to get used to riding a dragon!" the young Ruzac said cheerfully, not knowing the truth in his words.
"Alright, but we need to go back to the house before Mom gets worried," his brother said.
"Then what are you waiting for, Jake, FLY!" Ruzac squeaked enthusiastically and his brother, Jake, took off running towards the house, the younger brother smiling and laughing all the while. He made a wide half-circle around the far side of the field, however, giving Ruzac the opportunity to look out at the sunset that glinted off the lake that was near their house.
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He was the one Ruzac had waited so many years to meet once more…
"…if you fail to meet these requirements your house will be torn down and all belongings or other select items will be taken…?" a man in his late 30's and with a thick brown beard growled as he read an official paper from the Empire.
"Where are we going to find 50 more crowns tonight?!" Jake demanded, "The taxes are too high these days!"
"We know, son, but it is what the king says and we must obey it," his father sighed unhappily.
"I won't stand for it," Jake hissed and walked out the door, slamming it after him.
"Jake, wait!" his mother, a woman with beautiful blonde hair and wearing a faded pink dress with an apron, cried after him, "The empire is rumored to be enslaving child-"
"It'll be ok, love," her husband said softly, pulling her into a loving embrace.
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He was the one…
"…And I shall take over your castle and restore peace to the land!" Ruzac quietly yelled triumphantly to himself as he drew pictures in the dirt of a castle and stick-figure soldiers and a dragon. There was an arrow pointing to the stick-figure on the dragon's back saying "me".
He looked up when he heard the front door slam shut and Jake stomp down the old creaking steps. Ruzac, with his young, 6-year old mind ran up to him, thinking he wanted to play.
"Hey! Jake, want to play 'take over the castle' with me?" he asked happily.
"No," his brother growled venomously, causing little Ruzac to back away.
He stormed into the wheat fields, Ruzac following as quietly as possible before stopping in the middle behind some wheat stalks with Jake just a few feet away from him. His brother stood, looking up and the quickly-darkening sky and watched as the moon slowly rose.
"Ruzac," Jake said, catching the younger boy's attention, "Don't tell anyone about what I'm about to do, you promise? Repeat after me: Vel einradhin."
"Vel…einradhin?" Ruzac repeated, hoping he got it right and wondering how his brother knew he was there.
"Very good," Jake said, then became more serious, "Spirits of the dead come to me and lend me your power. By the graves of my lost ancestors I swear not to die until the king is dead," Jake chanted, closing his eyes.
Ruzac watched in growing horror as black, human-looking shadows weaved out from in between the wheat. They walked up to Jake, inspecting him for a moment before immediately plunging into his body, making him collapse on the ground.
"Brother!" Ruzac screamed, and was about to run up to him when he jerked up, his hair oozing into a bloody red color along with his eyes.
"Come here, little brother," Jake said coolly, his red eyes boring into Ruzac's own black ones.
As if in a trance, the younger brother walked up to his brother. Jake watched until the toddler became close enough and struck out his hand which was glowing with swirling-black magic.
"Jierda orum hjarta's mor'ranr; Se zar'roc tauthr ono eom Helgrind," (Break this heart's peace; may misery follow you to the gates of death) he growled and the black magic formed into the shape of three claws around Jake's hand. He slashed at his younger brother with them, meaning to blind his eyes, but Ruzac seemed to snap out of it just in time to dodge the sinister magic, but not completely.
The youngest of the two screamed as black magic burrowed its way into his body by means of the now-blackened wound. It had not bled at all, strangely enough, but instead immediately scarred the boy's face with three claw marks. Jake laughed evilly while making his way towards the house.
"Brisingr!" he yelled, smiling like a child who had gotten away with stealing cookies from the cookie jar.
Dark-grey flames immediately engulfed the house, lapping away at the already-crumbling wood. Ruzac's parents had no way of escaping the crazed flames.
"Mom, Dad," he whimpered, then looked at Jake, "You're not my brother!" he screamed, still holding a hand to his eye – his cursed eye.
Jake turned to look at him, smirking evilly, "Of course I am – I, Kile, cannot possibly live and not have another of my bloodline. Listen carefully, Ruzac, for I will not say it again: if you wish to avenge our parents, hate me. Hate me to your hearts content and learn magic as the next time we meet, if you do not side with me, I will not hold back from trying to kill you."
With that he disappeared into the shadows of the twilight. Ruzac watched in amazement when he saw a charcoal-grey colored dragon lift up from the far-side of the fields. It focused a silver eye on him, sending a strange sensation up his spine – like the feeling you get when you feel someone watching you but, when you turn around, they aren't there. It stayed there, even after the dragon had left.
'Brother,' Ruzac whispered in his head, then shook it, 'no, he's not my brother anymore – he said his name was Kile – my brother's name is Jake. Didn't father say something about someone saying they were someone they weren't…schizophrenia? But…that dragon…He had a dragon!' he suddenly realized, 'So that means he's a rider! He can't be my brother then…plus he had red hair and eyes!'
Ruzac did not notice how tired he was becoming, and collapsed on the ground. The last thing that he could see before falling unconscious was ghostly-looking fire glinting hellishly off the golden stalks of the wheat fields and smoke billowing up from the now-unseen house, making it look like the plants were exhaling the deadly grey clouds. There was one final thought he had prior to completely blacking out.
'They're dead…'
who had killed their family, and sentenced his own brother to be forever cursed…
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"So, ya wanna fight do ya?" a drunken man growled dangerously at another drunk.
"I c'n win ag'nst ya any day!" the other hollered loudly, swaying so much he almost fell down.
The two men kept babbling with intoxicated slurs while the bartender and store owner tried to settle them down. One of them shoved both man and woman away. It was then that Ruzac opened the door. Seeing the two men about to tear eachother apart, he stepped between them. He had on Terrwin's (one of "the group's" members) coat since the taller of the two said that Ruzac would probably need it more than him – and that Ane would kill him (Terrwin that is) if she found out he (Ruzac) was out in the cold without a coat .
"Okay, okay, let's settle this without violence," he said calmly, "Why don't both of you go back home?"
"Bah, get outta the way kid!" the second drunk roared and took out a knife.
"Oi, oi, put that thing away before you hurt yourself!" the first drunk, who already seemed to be recovered slightly enough to speak without as much slurring, jeered while everyone skittered away.
"You son-'f-a!" the blade-wielding drunk man hollered and brought the dagger down into the man's chest.
Except it sliced through thin air.
The targeted drunk had fallen over – unconscious. A figure wearing a heavy hooded cloak watched from his position at the table. After picking up his pack he walked up to Ruzac, grabbing the boy's hand before the kid murmured any of the anchient language to disarm the man.
"He's fainted," he said as the guy fell over, the voice oddly familiar, "Just leave it."
"Not for long," Ruzac said, motioning towards the said adult as he started twitching a bit.
"Brat – you got in m' way!" he yelled, sitting up and trying to grab at Ruzac.
"Jierda!" the mysterious stranger barked when the main was a mere few inches away from Ruzac, and a crack filled the air as the man's head snapped unnaturally backwards.
The force of the magic had pushed the hood off of the stranger's head and now everyone could clearly see him. He looked to be in his mid-20's, but all the customers of the small shop stared in growing horror at the fiery-red hair that grew in a messy mass on the man's head and the blood-red eyes that glared spitefully at everyone around him.
"Shade…," the storeowner, a dark-haired man with a beard said shakily, and then yelled, "SHADE! RUUUUN!"
Chaos ensued as everyone struggled to get out the door. There was a creaking sound then a shattering crack as half of the roof was torn from the building. Innocent people were knocked out by large pieces of debris and covered up while others were slain instantly by sharp roof tiles.
Looks like I found dinner, a dark-grey dragon growled happily, smirking as the people, who were now buried under the rubble, stopped breathing one by one.
You can eat after, Kile said, Dear brother, Ruzac, I would like you to meet Slate, my partner.
A pleasure, Slate's growling voice said.
Ruzac was too shocked to speak. Instead he called the only names he could think of at the moment.
JADE, TERRWIN, ANE!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?!? He screamed in their heads, sending them a mental picture.
A wave of alarm was sent through their link from Jade, I am coming, he hissed worriedly and sent Ruzac a video of buildings rushing underneath him with amazing speed.
It only took a few seconds for the amethyst-colored dragon to arrive. Slate, who was too big to fit into the small tavern, spotted him first.
Puny hatchling at 5 o'clock, he hissed, laughing, amusedly.
When Jade arrived, he immediately bared his fangs. Slate and Kile both burst out laughing at the fact that Jade was only about three feet taller than Ruzac, while Slate was at least 40 feet in height – courtesy of being over 200 years old.
"How are you still alive?!" Ruzac demanded at his dark brother.
"I can ask you the same thing," Kile replied smoothly, "Simply, I cursed myself to the same fate as I cursed you – to live and not age as a normal human would – thus the meaning of 'may misery follow you to the gates of death'."
"You're a monster," Ruzac said shakily, drawing the sword he had hidden under his coat, "I hate you and I always will! Brisingr knifr!"
Sheen made up entirely of flames materialized, with Jade's firepower helping, over the violet blade; it was formed by magic so it did not burn Ruzac or Jade if they touched it.
"Impressive, little brother," Kile congratulated, and unsheathed his own, smoky-grey sword, "but you'll have to do much better than that; Adurna!"
Water sprouted from the jars behind the destroyed tavern's bar and doused the flames on Ruzac's sword. It was harnessed by magic so I was able to put out the fire. Ruzac's raven-black eyes shined with anger as he mumbled something in the anchient language.
"Knifr fram," he snarled and the amethyst blade grew much longer at alarming speed, barely giving Kile enough time to dodge it.
"Jierda!" the shade barked but Ruzac was able to get up a shield in time.
"Brisingr, Adurna, Deloi!" Ruzac gasped and shards of broken clay pots, water, and some of Jade's flames rushed and almost collided with Kile.
"Letta," he said, and the elements froze in mid-air, "Jierda," they dropped to the ground, the clay crumbled to dust, the water evaporated and the fire became nonexistent, "Malthinae," Ruzac was forced to the ground, unable to move.
"I will let you live this time," Kile said, jumping on to Slate's back, "Farewell, brother."
Ruzac watched a second time as his corrupted brother flew off, defeating him yet again. He heard the patter of feet and saw three familiar faces as his eyes wavered in and out of focus.
"Roo!" a 12-year-old version of Ane gasped, silver locks askew in worry as she and two other boys ran up to him, "Roo! Are you ok?"
Terrwin (who was in his early-20's) and an 8-year-old golden-haired boy arrived with her. The older of the three – Terrwin – gave him a "how'd you get into this mess?" look before kneeling down near him along with Ane. Erran, the 8-year-old, stood off to the side, not knowing what to do.
"Ane…?" Ruzac whispered weakly, before losing consciousness and being taken back to "The Group's" hideout that was hidden at the foot of the Beor Mountains.
He was the being who Ruzac had once loved as a brother, and now hated as an enemy.
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O.O um, um, was that an ok place to stop? I feel like I'm terrible at ending things but that may just be me…I was trying to write those little parts in between the flashbacks all…dramatic-y or whatever you would call it… and I'll most likely have more up by at least tomorrow for anyone who reads it :D (I definitely know daydreamin' angel reads it haha – you're the greatest!)
Again, thanks everyone for reviewing! XD again, I didn't add too much to this chapter b/c I posted it too early then…well…here it is! I changed what happened in some of it though…