Chapter IX
Christal's Training
I woke Christal the next morning to start her training, "Oh, yeah let's get started," she yawned still waking up.
She woke up completely then we started.
"Alright first I'll teach you about magic. Do you know the rules to magic?" "No, not really, magic has rules?"
"Yes, magic can effect you if you use spells your body isn't ready to use, some will make you weak or dizzy, others will make you pass out, and some others that are used before you are ready, will kill you."
"That's not good."
"No, death is not what we're aiming for, right now just stick to the spells I tell you are safe."
"Okay, go ahead."
"Do you know what brisingr means?"
"No."
"It means fire, do you even know what you said against the Lethrblakas?" "No."
"You said jierda, it means to break or hit."
"Alright keep going."
"Okay, these are some spells that might just leave you weak, adurna, it means water, brisingr, means fire, kvistr, means branch, got it."
"Yes, so these are ones I can use?"
"Yes, but these that I'm just about to tell you might make you faint, and should only be used as a last resort."
"Alright, go on please."
"Okay, kveykva, means lightning, jierda, means break or hit, and waíse heill, means be healed."
"Okay, do you know the ones I should never use?"
"Well, one, waíse heill, but only if you try to bring people back to life, it will never work and it will kill you still."
"Oh, well ones I can use?"
"Brisingr, adurna, and kvistr."
"Alright, thanks."
"You're welcome, I would end up sharing that with you anyway, but this is more proper."
"Okay, well what about talking with our minds, I heard it could be dangerous, so why do we do it?"
"Well, it's only dangerous if you don't know how to defend your mind from enemies."
"How do you do that?"
"You put up barriers that protect your memories."
"And how do you do that?"
"You think of something hard like a dragon scale or a brick wall."
"I still don't think I could do it."
"Well maybe you should learn if you try to attack me and I'll show you how. Just relax and try to think of attacking me."
"But I would never…"
"Just do it, you can't hurt me."
I closed my eyes Christal immediately tried to attack me, but I quickly put up a barrier of magic around my memories. Christal recoiled as I did this because my barriers were so strong. I tried a small, feeble attack on her; she didn't put up barrier quick enough. I saw flashes of her memories, there were two people a man and a woman, there was a bright flash of black, and a girl about nine or ten running away from something invisible to me.
Enough! yelled Christal making me open my eyes.
Her face was pale and covered with sweat.
"I'm sorry I only did a small attack and I thought you would block me, I didn't mean to hurt you," I said.
"It's alright, I just- I- I just don't want to think about those."
"That's what scrying is."
"What is scrying?"
"What I just did to you, it's where a person tries to see other people's memories, but I only tried it feebly and not intending to hurt you, people who want to make it hurt and do it strongly can hear words or voices and actually hurt you badly."
"Really?"
"Yes, and besides you could've stopped me with a barrier, you didn't have to yell."
"Really, how could I though?"
"Think your words, make it clear to your enemy that you don't want them to go there, but don't say it."
"Oh."
"Do you want to try again?"
"Yes, this time I'll try harder to put up barriers."
"Okay, and I'll attack a little harder, I won't hurt you though."
I closed my eyes once more, and again Christal tried to attack immediately. It was a stronger attack, but I am trained so I blocked it easily. I went to attack her, but she put up a feeble barrier. My attack went right through it, this time I saw her dragon bursting from it's egg, her dragon grabbing her up into the air away from a house. This time I was hearing words. As her dragon was taking her up I heard him yell, I have to take you away from here, and Christal yelled back, "No, take me down, they'll get killed, no!"
I also saw the same woman and man from before, but this time they were lying on the floor of a house.
STOP! yelled Christal.
I opened my eyes, and now she was on her knees, her face as white as snow. "I'm sorry, I can't control what I see, until you do something."
"I… know…I…just can't… take that," she gasped.
"Alright enough for today, you need some rest and a break from this," I said.
"You're right, good night."
"Good night."
I trained Christal for the next two days, and every time I saw her memories they always ended at the man and woman before Christal yelled for me to stop.
"Hey, Amber?" she asked.
"Yes?"
"Is my dragon alive?"
"See for yourself, I can't do anything."
"Can't dragons understand human speech?"
Ellestygia once again made her jump, and I heard her words, We're not stupid!
"Ellestygia cool it!" I yelled.
"I know that you aren't, Ellestygia, I just wondered whether my dragon could hear me or not."
"Well normally he could, but I don't think, being like he is, he would hear you."
"I'll try my best," she said and sat down on the ground.
She swayed a bit, but I caught her as she fell backwards. I sat down and talked to Ellestygia about what I had seen in Christal's memories.
In at least ten minutes Christal sat up straight.
"What did he say?" I asked when she had walked over to me.
"Well at first he was crying 'Alone, I'm alone, she's gone!' Then when he finally let me talk to him it was more like Christal, I can't believe… you're alive. Then I asked why he wouldn't wake up he said this, I thought you were dead, so I just withdrew to myself. Why was that?"
"Well."
I paused and looked at Ellestygia, and she gave me a nod, "A Dragon Rider will live until time takes it's toll, or is killed in battle, if their dragon dies."
"Okay, so if a dragon dies it won't kill the Rider?"
"You got it, but if a Rider is the one to die," I paused again. Ellestygia finished my sentence.
…the dragon follows.
"WHAT! So if I die my dragon will die as well?"
"Yes," I said.
"That's horrible!"
"Oh it gets worse, well the news of it all, if you are hurt severely the dragon feels the pain also."
"That's really horrible!"
"I can tell you some things that you might want to avoid to help you to stay uninjured and alive."
"What are they?"
"A magician's duel, is when two magic users get into a fight only based on using magic against each other."
"So like fighting a Shade?"
"Yes, but a Shade, I think, would be a lot harder than beating a young inexperienced magic user."
"You're right, I think, but can we sleep now I am so tired?"
"Sure, but we will move on tomorrow, and will postpone our training until further notice."
"Got…it," she yawned. We lied down next to our dragons, and I quickly fell asleep.
In about the middle of the night I woke from the sound of rustling leaves and cracking twigs. I rolled over a grabbed my sword, but quickly put it down because the commotion was Fricilly getting up and shaking lose his limbs. An unknown conscience touched my mind, so I put up protective barriers immediately.
Amber, it's just me, Friciey! said the unknown conscious.
Who? I asked still in alarm.
Oh dear she did it again, didn't she? To you I am Fricilly, he said.
Oh, well that makes sense, but why did you say Friciey?
Well Christal won't listen to me enough for me to tell her my name together, so she calls me Fricilly not Friciey.
That's different.
Yes, well, that's Christal. I told him what I had been doing with Christal, and then withdrew.
Tobascco touched my mind quickly afterwords.
You know this is getting old, I said sarcastically.
What's getting old? she asked.
Never mind, where are you?
About ten miles away, she said, but there are soldiers coming I can see them traveling during the day.
SOLDIERS! I exclaimed, I'll have to get Christal, her dragon, Ellestygia, and myself out of here!
DR...DR...DRAGONS! Those things are so-so-so scary, and they've eaten horses of my heard before!
I promise, they won't eat you or in anyway try to harm you, I said in the ancient language.
Okay, see you soon, she said and withdrew.
It took me a few minutes to wake Ellestygia.
Wha…at? she yawned smoke spilling from her mouth and nostrils since she could not breathe fire yet.
"Oh get up, unless you want to serve Galbatorix for the rest of your life."
What! she said jumping up quickly.
"Yes his soldiers are ten miles away or less," I replied.
How do you know this?
"Tobascco was talking to me and she said that she was about ten miles away, and that Galbatorix's soldiers were not far behind her."
SOLDIERS! We need to go, now.
"Yes, we need to get Christal and Friciey out."
Who?
"Fricilly."
Oh.
I woke Christal, and Ellestygia woke Friciey.
"What?" moaned Christal, "wake me later."
"There won't be a later if you don't get up now!" I whispered loudly.
"Okay, okay, okay, I'm up!" she said.
When she was getting up slowly I grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.
"Get on Friciey now!" I said, then I saw her confused face and just as she opened her mouth I added, " don't even ask, your dragon!"
"But… why?"
"There are soldiers not far from us, and you will follow Ellestygia back to Ellesméra."
"SOL…"
"Don't even say it!" I said getting annoyed with the same remark.
I told her everything I was taught about riding a dragon.
"I'll be right under you so don't worry about the soldiers, and one…"
A snapping twig broke my words away from my mouth. My heart was pounding as I retrieved my blade from the ground.
The snapping got closer, and I was trembling from head to toe. Then a strawberry brown horse appeared out of the brush.
"Tobascco!" I said breathing a huge sigh of relief.
Just like the dragons, Tobascco was a horse that spoke in a telepathic sort of way, There is no time for greetings, Amber, the soldiers are right behind me, she said.
I jumped on her back taking her warning that there was no time for greetings.
"Alright, Ellestygia, lead the way," I said.
She walked, then bounded, and flew toward Dras-Leona. I saw Christal's white, frightened face as Friciey began to walk, "Don't worry you'll do fine," I reassured her feeling a bit of nostalgia.
Friciey bounded into the sky following Ellestygia.
"Come on, Tobascco, let's ride," I said, and she bounded into a full gallop.
Chapter X
The Dragons' Escape
We rode for hours before I saw the dark, death-like peaks of Helgrind. I contacted Ellestygia, who was above me, with my mind,
Ellestygia, will you come down for a bit?
Why?
Don't you need a rest, I know I do, and I think Tobascco could use a few minutes too.
Okay, I'll tell Friciey.
How do you know his real name?
You do get to know things about each other when you fly for hours with them.
Ah, okay, see you soon. I withdrew.
What did she say?
"Oh, we're going to stop for a quick rest in Dras-Leona."
But there are soldiers, we can't afford to stop, especially in Dras-Leona.
"Well we all need a rest, so we are going to stop."
Tobascco soon hit a cobblestone road as soon as I withdrew.
I still don't like this, I mean look there are so many people here and… never mind the people there are so many soldiers here too. It's not safe for us, so at least put on your cloak, said Tobascco.
Fine I will, but don't worry about safety we've got two dragons…
That's what I'm afraid of, that they'll see the dragons.
But we are stopping here, so they won't see us out of the town.
Yes, but who knows, someone could see us.
If they get close I'll just use a spell so we turn invisible, I can handle it.
Fine.
I know you are just trying to… I started to say but a roar muted the rest of my words.
Seeing what caused the roar I yelled, Ellestygia, get out of the sky, now!
Seconds later Ellestygia landed beside me and four feet from Tobascco. What is it.
Be quiet, Ellestygia, I said with my mind, where's Christal and…
The roar issued again, and suddenly a blood red dragon with white crescent shaped horns was flying straight toward us.
Ellestygia, leave now! I said.
No! I won't leave you in danger's grasp!
"Fine, if you won't leave," I said, "then I'll have to do this. Garjzla letta!" Just then, Christal and Friciey landed behind us.
"What did you…" she stopped as she saw us turning invisible.
"I said garjzla letta," I snapped at her, making her and Friciey turn invisible too.
As the red dragon flew over us I saw that it was Thorn, and atop him was Murtagh, who had both been described in Eragon's stories. Murtagh jumped off Thorn and walked toward us until he was inches from Ellestygia's body.
She was on the verge of growling at the traitor, Ellestygia, don't even think about it, heck don't even think thinking about it!
Murtagh turned and walked to Thorn, who bounded into the air. In seconds something invisible picked me up and flung me on it's back while flying. It was Ellestygia who had picked me up, but we were still invisible so I couldn't see her.
I called to Christal with my mind, Stay there and don't move I'll come back to get you, don't follow us!
I was surprised when she replied, How can I follow you, I can't even see you?
As we were following Thorn and Murtagh the color on Ellestygia's scales was returning and I could see my legs.
Ellestygia, your color is returning, I can see you.
Well, I can see that too-quick-to-hatch dragon and his traitor of a Rider, she snapped, and they are heading to that too-dark-for-life city Urû'baen.
Well where else would disgraces to Riders go?
They could leave Alagaësia and never return! she growled softly.
Her answer shocked me. I knew of Eragon's fortune telling, only because of his vivid stories, and she did not, but she still said it.
How do you know that phrase?
No answers now, Amber, we're gaining on them! she said excitedly.
Why are you so…
My words were cut off as her saddle's color came back, and I did not know how it got on her, then my question was answered. All of her color returned and I saw that I was not riding Ellestygia, but Saphira. Eragon was sitting behind me smiling, We told you we would come, little one, said Saphira.
"Well that explains some things," I said aloud because Eragon was there and I didn't have to talk with my mind, "but where is…"
"Ellestygia, is right under us, see," said Eragon.
I looked down, and sure enough Ellestygia was flying under Saphira, her eyes narrowed and glaring at Thorn.
"Can I get on her, no offense, Saphira?" I said wanting to ride my own dragon.
Sure, little one.
Before she could lower herself closer to Ellestygia I jumped down, off of her and glided through the air between the two dragons. I said a few spells then landed softly on Ellestygia's back where I normally sat.
"Did you miss me?" I said grabbing the neck spike in front of me.
Ellestygia let out a roar so loud I had to cover my ears. Thorn looked over his shoulder, and now Murtagh and Thorn were aware of the dragons chasing them.
"Oh now you've done it!" I yelled annoyed that if she had done that they would have never known we were chasing them.
Hold on! she yelled.
I quickly grabbed her neck spike.
Multiple things happened at once, Saphira jolted fire at Thorn, and I saw Eragon and Saphira's faces as Thorn blocked Saphira's flame with his own. I gripped Ellestygia's neck spike harder as she dove and spiraled under Thorn.
"Eragon, go back, I won't have you get hurt!" I yelled.
"NO!" he yelled back.
"GO, NOW!" I yelled.
"FINE, but I can't help you if you get hurt!" he yelled.
Saphira tucked under Thorn and flew off toward Ellesméra.
"Come and get us!" I yelled at Murtagh and Thorn.
Ellestygia, to the Hadarac Desert!
She flew as fast as she could toward the Hadarac Desert where I knew we could beat them.