What's this? Only two reviews? What about the 5-8 reviews I normally get per chapter? Is everyone on vacation or something?

Broadway Babe: I'm not a fan of Taang or Zutara but there will be some in the story. I'm not saying that they'll end up together or anything so keep an eye on pairings. Hey, I hate Suki too!

Almostinsane: Don't worry. The annoyance will go down during this chapter and the rest.

Warnings:

Rating: PG-13 (T)

Graphic violence

Language

Pairings: Tykka, Zutara, Kataang and Taang fluff, Arygon, Saphira/Blade, and Mursuada

Character death

Where we left off: Aang just drank poisoned water and everything's a total mess. Sokka's having these "strange sensations" for Ty Lee.

I DON'T OWN AVATAR OR ERAGON!!!

"Oh, come on. You heard them, just behind the veil, didn't you? They were just lurking out of sight, that's all. You heard them."

Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 8

Eragon's Message

"How could this happen?" asked a tearful Katara.

The Nine were gathered around Aang's bed in a circle. The boy was sleeping soundly, as if nothing had happened to him the day before. Katara stayed by Aang side practically the entire day, like a mother standing by her sick child.

"Eragon said he's fine, Katara," said Zuko, putting a hand on her shoulder. Sokka's hand went to his machete. Although he knew Zuko wouldn't do anything with him around, you could never be too careful. "You should get some sleep."

Sokka's little sister looked at Zuko, then back at Aang. "I can't leave him, Zuko. I'm sorry, but I just can't."

Sokka, you've been here for HOURS, said Blade. It's not healthy.

"Those dwarves are my new best friends," said Azula sarcastically.

Katara burst into tears again. Everyone glared at Azula.

"What time is it?" asked Ty Lee.

"I'm not sure; we're so far underground that I can't tell," said Iroh.

"But why the heck would the dwarves want to poison Aang?" asked Katara.

"They weren't aiming for Aang," piped up Ty Lee. "They were going for Sokka. I saw it myself. Aang just got the water accidentally."

Everyone looked at her.

"But why would they want to hurt Meathead?" asked Toph.

Ty Lee shrugged. "How am I supposed to know?"

Sokka… It was Blade; he sounded kind of scared. A sudden urgency came from him. Get. Over. Here. NOW!!!

"Sorry, guys," Sokka said. "I've got to go. Blade's calling me."

He got out of Aang's apartment, and broke out into a sprint in the hallway. Why? He had no clue, but something inside him told him that something was wrong.

When he reached the apartment where Blade contacted him from, he ran in and slammed the door. It was small; only tall enough for Blade to fit through. Everything was quiet.

Too quiet…..

Blade growled in the corner closest to Sokka; crouched down as if to attack. Something shifted in the darkest corner of the room, and a pair of red eyes glowed. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up; Sokka unsheathed his machete.

A white and gold blur shot out and pounced on him, making him slam onto the floor so hard he lost consciousness.

000

When Sokka first came aware of his surroundings, he stood up and realized he was in a white, bleached-out city: entire homes and buildings intact in this mysterious place. The ground he was standing on was like snow and glowed white.

The only thing he saw were dragons…Blade-looking dragons, all with the same features: white scales and gold claws and wing membranes. Some were gliding in the white sky; some perched on homes and buildings staring at him. The only thing that was different was their eye color: this one's were blue, the other red, and silver and gold. All of the dragons had the ghostly resemblance of a human or elf Rider on him.

Where the—?

He heard a grunt next to him; Blade had landed next to him on his side. He hoisted himself to his feet.

Where do you think we are? he asked, marveling at the city.

Hey, your guess is as good as mine, Sokka replied.

A shadow of a dragon fell over them and landed in front of them. It was the white and gold blur that attacked him in the apartment. Sokka unsheathed his machete in case it attacked. An elf Rider was on him, but he wasn't as transparent as the others. In fact, he looked alive, aside from the silvery wisps coming off of him. He had a white sword sheathed at his hip. The dragon looked like any other dragon in this weird place, except that it had red eyes.

Blade went into his crouch and snarled. The white dragon just stared at him, and Blade stopped, going into a sitting position.

Who the heck is this person?

"I am Eragon," the elf replied.

Sokka jumped in surprise. "What?"

"I am Eragon."

"No," said Sokka. "Some guy who has a blue dragon is called Eragon. There can't be two people called Eragon!"

"A two thousand year time difference can make all the difference in naming people. I'm Eragon."

And I am Bid'Daum, said the red-eyed dragon.

"Okay," replied Sokka, nodding his head in slight understanding. "So why'm I here?"

"This is Vroengard and this is the capital of Dragon Riders, Doru Araeba."

Now Sokka vaguely remembered something from one of Eragon's lectures, someting about Vroengard being inhabited by ferocious beasts.

"But if this is Vroengard, then-"

"The ferocious beasts that now live on our beloved island were the children of our dragons that were crippled in their eggs why Galbatorix and his Forsworn ravaged the place. And I was the first Dragon Rider who found Bid'Daum's white egg abandoned in the forest during the Dragon War."

If Bid'Daum was a white dragon then...Sokka knew why Bid'Daum had red eyes; he was an albino dragon.

Eragon went over to Blade and asked, What is your name, dragon?

Blade, he replied.

The Dragon Rider nodded in agreement. "Blade. It fits him well."

Sokka had no clue what to say but mumbled, "Thanks."

Eragon faced him. "I already know you."

"Huh? How?"

"Remember that dream you had? The one about Hei Bai - the Spirit - being slayed by Galbatorix in the Spirit World - your Spirit World, not ours. Well, that wasn't a dream. It was real. With myself being dead I am invisible in other Spirit Worlds than my own. Galbatorix being mortal still, he is visible. I sent that to you to know the true power of Galbatorix."

Sokka's face went blank and a shiver ran up his spine. That wasn't a dream. "How did he get in there?"

"Have you heard of the Vault of Souls?" Eragon asked.

Sokka shook his head.

"It's a place within the Empire that allows a very powerful magic user entrance between the spirit worlds of different universes, which if a certain spell is used, can be able to enter into the land's physical world."

"But why would Galbatorix want to kill Hei Bai?" Sokka never had a special bond with the panda spirit; in fact, Hei Bai had kidnapped him and thrown him into their Spirit World. But just the fact of a Spirit getting killed sent Sokka a couple of shudders. What if Galbatorix went after a particular Moon Spirit...

"Because when a Spirit's body - including a mortal's soul - is killed, its spirit is separated into a million particles of light, and powerful, energy. Galbatorix somehow takes control of those particles and turns them into energy for himself and Shruikan. That is how he is getting stronger each day. When he can't get enough power in the physical world, he goes into the Vault of Souls, kills a few of the Spirit World's inhabitants, and turns their energy into power for him. Who knows how many worlds are in chaos from Galbatorix's hunger for power."

Sokka felt nausea rising in him.

"The most we can do is stop Galbatorix as soon as possible. That is why I'm here.

"I've been watching your training from the skies of Valhalla - our Spirit World - and you haven't been improving at all. You aren't taking your training seriously; neither is Blade - well, he's been progressing a little more than you I have to say."

Ha, ha! Blade snorted.

Bid'Daum growled; he flinched.

"And what does my training have anything to do with you?" Sokka demanded.

"I've taken matters into my own hands, and I've decided to train you after twilight."

Oh, geez, thought Sokka, even more lectures. "Okay..."

"When darkness falls, I will come to you in dreams and visions to train you in the Ancient Language, swordplay, and magic."

"Two trainers at once! That's -"

"Impossible, you were going to say. It's not; a few students of mine have gone through this before. Eragon - your original mentor - knows many spells, but there are secrets that even he does not know."

"Like what?"

"The Vault of Souls. It is so wonderful yet terrible; one is able to communicate with the dead through there, but when the wrong soul enters -"

"The dead die," finished Sokka.

"Yes. That is why training is not a game, Sokka. This is war that we are talking about. Spirit's are falling victim to the usurper. If we don't beat him soon, then the physical world will die."

Didn't I tell you to take thing seriously, Sokka? Blade said.

Shut up!

"And Bid'Daum will teach Blade the draconic secrets."

Wow, Sokka thought sarcastically as Bid'Daum and Eragon were talking to each other. Two trainers at one time. Now I'll be totally sleep deprived by the time I get out of this world.

"Sokka, unsheathe your blade," said Eragon, pulling out his white sword. "Your training has begun."

Sokka took out his machete. Within a few seconds of sparring, Eragon had disarmed Sokka.

"Gee, that was fast," said Sokka ironically.

"You sort of lost the touch of how to use a sword."

"Actually, it's a machete, so technically -"

"Let's do it again; this time, I'll show you how to properly disarm an opponent."

Blade and Bid'Daum flew off into the skies for their training. Sokka's swordplay lasted for hours until he almost disarmed Eragon but Eragon tossed his machete away at the last second. The main thing that had driven Sokka through it all was the fact that Galbatorix was stalking Spirits and killing them: his main concern was Yue.

"Well, that was a start," said Eragon after the what seemed to be the millionth time.

Valhalla: If you know Norse mythology, then you gotta know this one. Vahalla is the hall of the dead, and since Eragonverse is based off of Scandinavia, I thought that this would be a proper name for the Spirit World.

Yesssssss! Done! This had better be good! I was suppose to be working on a book report for this. Shorter than the last but still good.

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