A/N: Finished exams - on holidays now!! (Yay!!) New chapters should be posted ASAP (well... as long as it takes to write them!) so keep an eye out! *See note at bottom of page

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Disclaimer: I'm NOT Christopher Paolini - as everyone should know by now! :P

----- Eragon's POV ------

"Can you help us take down Galbatorix?" he asked Jarnunvösk again.

You do not know what you ask! Jarnunvösk replied with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't have to. We have to defeat him! If we don't… Alagaësia won't exist anymore. Please."

This is important to everyone's survival, including yours, Saphira gently added.

After a long pause, Jarnunvösk murmured in Eragon and Saphira's consciousness, I exist in my heart of hearts but I am not truly living. I will lend my strength for your cause. You must make a promise in return though.

"Anything!" Eragon cried out.

Break my heart of hearts after you have defeated our enemy. He killed me, and I will not willingly help him now. But I hatched to him… so I feel a mental itch to protect him… be quick in killing him. I might have the urge to protect him, and I don't want that anymore than you do.

Should we? Eragon whispered to Saphira.

If this is the price for the help we desperately need. But I have as much aversion to shattering his heart of hearts than you do, Eragon.

I don't know…

If it brings him peace, then I say that we should.

"We swear," Eragon spoke for both of them.

Thank you. Call on me when you need my strength, and I shall not fail you, Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Brightscales.

--- Arya's POV ---

Galbatorix opened the seemingly ordinary treasury door and strode inside. Gold glittered in piles among the room, with a diamond and ruby studded necklace on the ground. None of this mattered though to Arya or Galbatorix – Arya because she was focusing all her remaining energy on keeping her mind shielded, Galbatorix because his focus was on something much more than jewellery. Galbatorix walked over to where Arya had found the emerald egg, looked around the area, then swore.

"Where is it!! MURTAGH!!!" he screamed. Arya jumped.

"Yes, Master?" Murtagh muttered in sarcasm, rolling his eyes.

This was beyond Galbatorix in his present state though. "WHERE IS MY EGG!?!?!" he roared.

Arya winced at his volume, moving a small hand to her temples very slowly. Her head was throbbing from dehydration, her legs would have long given away from exhaustion if not for Murtagh holding her up, and every part of her bruised, battered body was screaming in pain. Even this small movement caused Arya to clench her teeth together to stop from making a sound.

"ELF!! WHERE IS MY EGG?! WHERE IS IT?!" Galbatorix yanked her from Murtagh's grip and repeatedly beat her, until her elbow was at an awkward angle and she was screaming in agony.

"I know you took it Arya. You or Eragon. And since Eragon isn't here… well, you get to suffer for my loss!"

Arya didn't even react to this statement. How much longer will this go on? I long to die, for the pain to end! But I can't just die, I must live! For others, if not myself…

Finally, her vision faded into the familiar darkness. I'm sorry, Eragon.

------- Eragon's POV ---------

"Well? Do you have his help?" Nasuada demanded eagerly as Eragon walked into her pavilion.

"Yes, my Lady."

"That will make takingUrû'bean so much easier," Nasuada sighed in relief.

"Maybe… we will have his strength along with Glaedr's but Galbatorix has many more Eldunari than the Varden! We can't fight Galbatorix with the Eldunari's strength helping him."

"If – when – we start this battle, I planned to get some of the elves to search for the Eldunari. The Varden will be fighting outside the castle, along with the dwarves and elves."

"And us, Nasuada?"

"I'm going to try and keep you out of the main fighting – " Eragon opened his mouth to protest but she held up a hand and continued " – so you don't use your energy up. You will be fighting Murtagh and Thorn along with your guards and when you defeat them you will fight Galbatorix. Hopefully by then, the Eldunari will be found, and you will be able to kill him."

"What about Arya? We can't leave her there!"

"If she is still alive we will get a team of healers to her immediately."

"I want to save her."

"That's not wise, Eragon. And you know just as well as I do that Arya will tell you the exact same thing!"

"Nasuada… I had a dream. It was like… other… dreams I've had before. I defeated Galbatorix – but Saphira was killed, and I ended up killing myself."

"Do you think it is of what is to come?"

"I don't know… all I can do is wait and see. When do you plan to attack?"

"We are very, very close to invading. I did say this coming month….. but it is more likely by the end of the week, we will be fighting for our survival."

Eragon then turned to Saphira, a troubled look on his face.

We fight…

So be it… we shall tear Galbatorix limb to limb!! Then I get all the silverware!!

What IS it with you and silverware!? But yes, we shall have the battle that is destined to come.

Will we survive this battle, is yet to be decided. All we can do is fight, you with sword and magic, me with claw and fangs, and hope we defeat the greatest enemy of all.

Are we ready?

Are we one, Eragon? There in lies your answer.

We are one. So we are ready?

Yes. And we have something that Galbatorix doesn't have.

And that is…?

The other. We are true dragon and Rider.

Eragon smiled at this. We're on our way, Arya. He would save her, even if it cost him his life.

--------- Galbatorix's POV --------

I lost the egg! No… MURTAGH lost the egg. The traitor!! He shall PAY. And as for that elf… Arya – I'm sick of her mind games. Time to use some force and find the teensy little elves!

"MURTAGH!!"

"Yes, Master?"

"Bring me that elf! NOW!!"

It brought Galbatorix a joy to see Murtagh's face wince, then say in a monotone "Yes, Master," and left the room. He laughed in pleasure. After nearly a century of him taking the throne, his plan was almost complete. The Riders – senile old fools! – were just obstacles. Same with Eragon Shadeslayer. His dragon was a different story. Saphira Brightscales was the last female dragon in existence. His plan needed her alive – unfortunately. But Murtagh and Thorn – easily disposable. It didn't hurt to have a slave that was a Rider though. He put on his most angry expression, hoping to scare the elf when Murtagh carried her in the room.

Her beauty – once an entrancing thing, was now in pieces. Her face had little colour, sporting several bruises and cuts. The rest of her body did not fare much better. He had broken her bones, cut her, tortured her with such skill – and she did not speak a word. But today would be different.

"Wake her," Galbatorix demanded in a lethal tone.

"Arya," Murtagh said. She stirred from her light slumber, and glared around with bleary eyes. In a quick movement, Galbatorix had seized the elf woman and held her to him.

"Eragon is coming. You will help me defeat him! Even though I don't know your true name, you will be his defeat! Don't think Murtagh hasn't reported your love for him. You will be the one to slay Eragon Shadeslayer!!" That is a pretty good plan, but of course, all my plans are unexpected, creative – and lethal. I can finish off her later.

"No… I won't…" Arya whispered in fear.

"Yes – you will!" he laughed. "Slytha" he added as an afterthought. There would be plenty of time to break her mind – which should be quite easy because of her torture.

"Keep her awake, Murtagh. She must be as weak as possible."

"But you just –"

"Think, Murtagh! Your dragon should really blow fire on your head sometime – that might get you to think! Put her back in her cell, and make sure she is awake at all times. No food or water unless absolutely necessary for her to live."

"Yes. May I be excused, Master?" The end was spoken in a sarcastic tone.

Galbatorix narrowed his eyes, and in a few seconds, Murtagh was screaming in agony. "Now you may be excused." He watched as Murtagh left the room, his feet dragging him onward to Arya's cell.

The plan is almost complete.

A/N: Just as a note - in Galbatorix's POV - he puts the blame on everyone else. He is very cunning, but he's insane (as demonstrated in The Fallen Dragon's Tale).

Here is the sneak peek for Chapter 9 of Elven Hope (thanks to bolkite for pointing that I'd missed this in the original posting of this chapter :) )

Eragon stared at the landscape overlooking Galbatorix's castle. This day had haunted his nightmares and his dreams ever since he had become a Rider.
The result of this battle would be Galbatorix's downfall.
He refused to think of the Varden's downfall, for fear that it would come true.

Anywho... read and review :) Xoxoxo

*Next chapter will be posted in a few days (hopefully before Christmas!) This will be one of the last chapters :( since the story is beginning to conclude. Sorry for the huge delay so far :(