Brom walked with Saphira to his large living quarters. The only thing he could think of doing at that moment was running as fast as he could into

a lake of freezing water. The tapestries had devoured every bit of logic left in him, and he would enjoy himself destroying them. Saphira had

disliked the task as much as he had, for she had flown for hours straight while he worked them. Now it was time to enjoy themselves at the

Grand Festival, one of the greatest festivals in the Riders history. Occuring only once every 500 years it was shere luck he and Saphira were

here now, to experience it. Legend had it Vrael, ancient as he was, had been at the to over 30 of these grand festivals. Brom could not consider

living that long, it was to far-fetched. He walked into his room and began to wash, wrinkiling his nose at the smell of sweat that prevaded him."

Gah, the last time I took a bath must of been ages ago." Saphira grunted,"You would of took one four days ago if not for that blasted Morzan. I warn

you Brom watch yourself around him." Brom ignored her, he could not understand why she didn't like Morzan. What was not to like? He was the

strongest apprentice ever. Gifted with strength and speed usually meant for elves and the like. Brom certainly liked him, no matter Saphira's

opinion.

An hour later, after he had bathed, he doned his finest elven tunic. Saying," Now that is better." Just then there was a loud pounding of the

door. He wondered if it were Morzan again. If it were he was afraid that Saphira might eat him out of frustration. Without thinking he rushed to

the door, feeling as if something were pulling him there. He swung the door open, and gasped. There was an elven woman, not looking much

older than him, although it was hard to tell with elves. She was of middleing height, slim, and hair as blonde as the sunrise. On the whole she

was the most beuatiful being Brom had ever seen, like a rose in a garden of crab grass. She looked at him with eyes that reminded him of a

tiger, they seemed to enter your mind of their own accord. She said with a voice of honey,"Atra esterní ono thelduin," To that he replied rather

clumsily,"Atra esterní ono thelduin." She smilled and said,"Un du evarínya ono varda, I am Lindra daughter of Sundre. I am to test you in the

sword, that you may be ready for the Grand Festival." Brom looked at her in astonishment. Why would they want him to fight a woman. She did

not let him answer but spun around and jumped the fourty feet to the ground. She landed with suck force Brom wondered that she did not

double over with pain. He considered doing the same but decided against it. Pointing at his sword he said,"Koma Svero," And the sword shoot at

him. Grabbing it out of the air he walked down the stairs. He found Lindra standing tall with a practice sword in hand. She raised it at him, and

groaned as he realized he had grabbed an empty sheath. Just then a metal object flew past Brom's head, it was his sword. Saphira had droped

it when she felt the emarrasment coming from him. He picked it up and faced Lindra. She said," Understand this is not a real fight, I am only

trying to access your skill." With that she jumped at him and swung her sword. The force behind her arm threw Brom back two yards. Then she

jumped to the side, poking Brom on the knees. Brom had to do something or else she was going to make an utter fool of him. He tried swinging

in return but she simply held her sword by her side, stoping him with the side of her sword. He next tried trikery, falling to one side only to thrust

when she looked down at him. She flung the side her sword and threw his aside. Finally he resorted to magic, yelling,"Binda Alfrinn." She

immediately constricted. She looked at him calmly, as if she was accessing the threat he posed. The she said in a low voice,"Slita." Brom felt the

magic slip from his grasp, she had torn the fabric of the spell. She shook her head, and a second later he was floating two feet above the

ground. She said," If I were you're real adversary I could kill you right now, seeing as I won't, you pass." She realesed him and he crashed to

the ground. She threw him his sword and without another word leaped into the trees, jumping on the branches. He looked after her with

wonder, the fight was over so quickly. He looked down and swore as he saw the state his favorite tuniq was in. Filth covered the fabric, not a bit

of it was clean, except for the very hem of the shirt. He cleaned the fabric with magic and walked to the room he and Saphira shared. He found

her asleep, surprisingly, he mustn't of been more than a few minutes. He looked outside and found the sun rising. He gasped, he and Lindra had

been fighting all night. He said," That's impossible. The Grand Festival! It will be starting soon." He wook Saphira hurriedly and ran to change his

tunic. She was standing and stretching when he came back. Examining his memories of the previous night she said," You fought well." He

replied," I fear not, but we can talk about whlile flying, come on." She lowered herself lower to the floor to let him climb on her back. She took off

and said," You fear you made a fool of yourself last night, do you not." He muttered outloud," I'd rather not talk about it." She growled and flew

higher," Something is wrong, there is smoke in this air." Brom looked forward and said," Skublakas ven." He saw through her eyes, seeing nothing

of interest. Then something occuried to him, he had not yet seen an Urgal here. That at first made since, seeing as the Riders lived here. But

they were a long ways from the Grand festivals clearing. Could there be Urgals down there? Then he had an idea, he was almost two months

into training. He and Saphira could take a small group of Urgals. Besides, if there were Urgals, the Riders needed to know about it. He told

Saphira to go to where the smoke was coming from. She said," Are you crazy? They will butcher us!" He ignored her," Just go." She growled and

flew faster. In a small clearing about forty feet accross, were fifeteen Urgals. Brom smilled, drawing his sword. They had seen Brom and Sapira

long before they had seen them. They had all stood and drawn their weopons. Saphira landed on the other side of the clearing. Brom leaped off

and faced them," How is it that a band of such revolting creatures can go unnoticed?" What looked like the head Urgal stepped forward saying a

gutteral tone," You were foolish to come here Rider. Leave well enough alone!" Brom didn't like the tone he had used," If I were you I would not

talk to someone who is powerful in such a manner." They grunted," If that is so then you should run. For we are Kull." Brom didn't know what he

was talking about, maybe just certain clan. He barked," Kull or not, you will die here." He ran at them, Saphira growled and slithered forward. He

had not seen them as they were until that moment. They were enormous, the smallest was ten feet tall. The Kull he had talked to was over

fifteen feet, and thick as tree in the shoulders, chest, and legs. This was not a fight he was certain he could win any more. Then he realized that

they were running at him, determined to kill the Rider who had insulted them. It felt as if an earthquake was running at him, and it might as well

of. Saphira jumped ahead of them, slashing with teath sharp as a sword. The lead Kull raised his huge club and swung it. The blow struck

Saphira on the side of the head, sending her sprawling to the left, blood gushing from the wound. Brom screamed with the agony she felt. He

ran for her, but a Kull grabbed and hurrled him accross the clearing. He flew into a tree, leaving a hole a foot deep. He fell to the ground, blood

pouring from his mouth. As he watched Saphira raised her head and jumped for them. He screamed hoarsly," N-No, Saphira don't!" It was to late

she jumped at them. The lead Kull saw her coming and drew a sword, he thrust, and cut her wing clean open. Brom screamed," Saphira!" She

fell on her side and tried to kick at the Kull, he raised his club and bashed her leg, breaking it. Brom tried with all his might but could not get up.

He crashed to the ground and said," Stop, you're going to kill her!" The Kull looked at him and laughed. He laughed. He was killing Saphira and

laughing about it. Brom felt the magic flowing through his mind," Deyja!" The magic was to much for him though and before the spell consumed

him he ended it. The Kull laughed again and said," Well you were just a disapointment. Now watch as you're dragon DIES!" Saphira growled, but

could not do anything, but lie there and watch as her doom approached her. The Kull raised his sword and yelled" Die!" The sword never

reached it's target. Lindra grabbed the sword out of the Kull's hand jabbed it into the ground, using the hilt, she lifted herself off the ground and

kicked the Kull in the face. Dropping to the ground she pulled the sword free and slashed straight through the Kull, cutting him in two. Before the

others could react she ran at them. She stoped and spun around so her back was to them and elbowed one in the gut. Then she spun around

and kicked him in the back on the neck, killing it. She jumped and threw the Kull's sword through the head of one. Landing she jumped forward

and grabbed the hilt. Cutting him lengthwise to the ground, she threw the sword through another Kull. It went straight through and went flying

into the forest behind them. Then she said,"Böetq brisingr." And lit five aflame, taking advantage of the confusion she jumped forward and

punched with all her strength. The Kull went flying and she drew her sword, beheading another. Swinging her sword in a loop, Lindra cut a Kull's

arm and leg off. Then she elbowed him in the chest, breaking a lung. Two Kull remained, as she stood up to her full height they began running.

Saying," Du einradhin, Deyja." And killed tham with a blast of magic. She showed no sign of fatigue at the battle, no sign that it was much of a

problem to fight fifeteen Kull single-handedly. Actually Brom had just barely realized that she had killed the Urgals, for all he could see was

Saphira. She had been holding her head up, but she had just laid it down. Lindra walked over and said,"Skublaka, Waise Helli." Mending the torn

musceles took over five minutes, in that time Brom kept in constant mental contact with Saphira. When it was done Saphira rose and looked at

Lindra. Then she lowered her head and touched her. Then she looked at Brom with a look of outrage," What did you think you would gain by

mindlessly attacking them? You almost cost Saphira her life. The club blow ruptured the part of the brain that controls movement. That could of

paralyzed her! And the cut in her wing only made it worse, they destroyed the flying arm. She might not even be able to fly as we speak. Then

there's her broken leg, I can not heal that wound, it will have to wait for nature to take it's coaurse. Which will take months. You fool!" He

coments stung him, more than the hit on the tree. She said," You're injured, Helli," His back, which felt broken, began to mend. He stood up, and

Lindra said," I was coming to see what was taking you so long to arrive. Come on they will be starting soon. Congradulations, you are holding

up the entire Rider population, including me!" She spun around and walked toward a large white dragon. She climbed up on him," We will see if

Vrael can heal Saphira. You can't ride her right now, it will be a struggle even carrying her own weight." He said," Then how am I going to get

there?" She sighed," You can't run can you. I guess you are going to have to ride with me." He walked over to the dragon, who eyed him

curiously. He climbed on behind her," Hurry up!" she said. The dragon took off and they headed to the Grand Festival.