Shadowscale

Eragon's eyes opened slowly. He was sore to the extreme, unable to move without pain. It felt as if he had fallen from a great height, and just barely survived. He felt odd, but alive.

'Sundavrskular,' whispered a voice into Eragon's mind. 'Shadowscale.'

'What?' asked the Shadeslayer, unsure whom he was speaking to.

'My name is Uriax,' stated the voice. 'I was lost in my own mind, but now I have returned. The tortures inflicted by the traitor-king drove me to madness, but your awakening has restored my sanity.' Eragon began to feel the presence of the other elders. They all seemed to be in awe of this voice, and he could understand why. It was immensely powerful, and felt older than anything the young rider had ever known.

'Awakening, ebrithil?' asked Eragon. 'I am afraid I do not understand.'

'Of course you do not,' stated Uriax. 'Few of us do, and those who do barely scratch the surface of true understanding. In order for you to understand, you must first experience change as you did one month ago.'

'One month?'

'Indeed. You have been asleep for some time.' Realization suddenly dawned on Eragon. He had been asleep for a month, and did not even remember what caused it.

'Ebrithil, what happened to me?' The rider received no answer, but was given something else. A massive surge of energy rushed through his body, expelling the aches and pains. He felt fresh, but still strange. Standing up, he felt the elder dragon willing him to walk outside. Not questioning, he did.

Walking through the forest, he came across a clearing he had often meditated at. However, to his surprise, a massive crater filled the area. He felt strangely pained upon seeing it, as if looking at a blade that had cut him.

'Step into the crater,' ordered Uriax. Obeying his elder, Eragon walked to the center of the crater, an odd feeling in his heart as he came closer. Once he was at the center, the feeling turned to a tugging at his heart, as if something was trying yo burst out of his body.

'Uriax, I feel-' before he could finished, he keeled over in pain, falling to his knees.

'Eragon, you must unleash yourself. Forgo this human body for now, and experience true power, if only briefly.' At his words, Eragon's instinct kicked in. Without thought, he released a miasma of pure, magical energy.

And then, his change began.

His body began to deform, bones growing and snapping to different positions, while new ones formed to create entire limbs where once was nothing. His skin grew pale and soft while new layers of hard material grew over it. It did not hurt, but was the strangest feeling he had ever experienced.

Once he had grown truly massive, his new layer of "skin" blackened and became almost crystalline, shining brilliantly in the sunlight. His scales. His skular. They were black as a shadow on the darkest of nights.

Shadow. Sundavr.

Enormous wings grew from his back, and his eyes turned to a brilliant blue. Black spikes and horns grew from him, talons replacing his nails.

Eventually, his transformation was complete. The elders could only watch in awe.

'Sundavrskular,' said Uriax. 'Welcome. It had been a long time since one of your kind came into this world.'

Short chapter. Long wait. Life problems. Sorry.