Chapter 11 – Prophesies

Two weeks had passed since they had arrived to the Varden, and everything was routine. He woke up, had breakfast, sparred with Arya, had lunch, and then went exploring Tronjheim before having dinner and finally going to bed. It was getting boring and repetitive for Eragon. The one interesting thing that happened was when he was exploring the markets and he came up to a little shop that had strange things all around.

- Begin Flashback -

He went in and looked around and was about to leave seeing as there was nobody but stopped as he sensed someone looking at him. He turned around to find a pair of red ayes fixed on him and was about to get closer when he was stopped by the voice of a woman.

"Didn't they teach you to knock before going inside someone's home?' she said "But I guess the great dragon rider has no need for things such as manners"

Eragon was taken aback by the tone of the woman who upon closer inspection couldn't be anything else but a witch. Nevertheless he proceeded to apologize. "I am sorry, I thought this was a store not a house" he was a bout to leave when he felt a deep voice resonate in his mind.

"Wait!" the voice said, and as he turned around he realized that the red glowing eyes belonged to a big black werecat "Angela, read him the dragon bones, I want to see what his future holds." Eragon was surprised, from what he had heard about werecats they didn't express a lot of interest in other creatures unless said person was interesting in some way to them. The fact that this werecat wanted to know about his future was showing to him to say the least.

"Are you sure Solembum?" Asked Angela and Eragon could see that she was surprised by the werecat's request "Alright, if you say so, now sit here boy and let me read you your fortune"

Eragon sat down and quietly watched as the witch retrieved a small bag and sat down in the chair in front of him. She took the dragon knuckles in her hands and saying words in the ancient language cast them. Eragon didn't know what the symbols meant or what they were, he was just paying attention to what Angela was going to say next.

"This is one of the hardest fortunes I've ever gotten from someone, but I'll start with the easy things first: This first sign here is a serpent eating its tail which I haven't seen before but points to infinity or immortality. Whether this means that you will live forever or that you will only have an extraordinarily long life, I'm not sure. Whatever it foretells, you may be sure that many years lie ahead of you. Now the bones grow harder to read, as the rest are in a confused pile. Here the wandering path, lightning bolt, and sailing ship all lie together - a pattern I've never seen, only heard of. The wandering path shows that there are many choices in your future. I see great battles raging around you, some of them fought for your sake. I see the mighty powers of this land struggling to control your will and destiny. Countless possible futures await you - all of them filled with blood and conflict - but only one will bring you happiness and peace. Beware of losing your way, for you are one of the few who are truly free to choose their own fate.

The next bone is easier to read and perhaps a bit more pleasant. An epic romance is in your future, extraordinary, as the moon indicates - for that is the magical symbol - strong enough to outlast empires. I cannot say if this passion will end happily, but your love is of noble birth and heritage. She is powerful, wise, and beautiful beyond compare. Now comes the most important part of your future. You will be one to rule and unite many races, but before doing so you will prove yourself morally incorruptible for without moral conviction you will lose yourself in your power." Taking a deep breath Angela finished her fortunetelling and got up "Do you want some tea before you leave?" Eragon agreed and she went to prepare the tea. Eragon was still thinking about the prophecy, so deeply in fact that he didn't notice when the werecat named Solembum jumped onto the table.

"Listen closely and I will tell you two things. When the time comes and you need a weapon, look under the roots of the Menoa Tree" he said as his eyes focused on him "Then, when all seems lost and your power is insufficient, go to the rock of Kuthian and speak your name to open the Vault of Souls." after finishing his talk he went back to his corner, laid down and closed his eyes like he hadn't said anything to begin with.

-End flashback-

Eragon had spent the next few weeks thinking about both prophecies; he hadn't talked about Angela's with anybody except Saphira. He had asked Arya about the Menoa Tree since it was in Ellesmera but she said she had no knowledge of any weapon under its roots. But the thing that was making him the most anxious was the part about him uniting the races. Even though he was who he was, Werewolf King and Dragon Rider, he still felt like he was not ready for such responsibilities. Add that to the fact that he hadn't been able to phase for a few weeks and his anxiousness levels were through the roof, he couldn't find anything to let off some steam, sparring with Arya was barely doing the trick and he felt that any little emotion would make him burst out of his clothing. Luckily he had Saphira who always sent waves of love and peace across their bond, and Arya who always did her best to help him. His pack seemed to have better luck managing their emotions, he attributed that to their experience and self-control.

He was brought out of his contemplation by a knock on the door to his and Arya's room in the Dragon Hold. He slowly got up from under Arya's lithe form, trying his best not to wake her. He grabbed a tunic and quickly threw it on. He opened the door to find Orik waiting for him.

"Good morning Orik" he said "what brings you here?" Over the course of his stay at the Varden he had befriended the son of the Dwarven king Hrothgar. He liked the fact that the dwarf didn't judge him on the basis of him being a human or a dragon rider but took the time to get to know him as a person. Due to this fact they had become fast friends.

"Morning Eragon, there is an emergency meeting, Ajihad is calling you, Arya and Saphira. Brom should already be on his way," he said.

"Alright, do you know what the meeting is about?" he asked

"No, but I suggest you hurry down, there hasn't been a lot of emergency meetings, and the fact that this is one means that something has happened."

"Alright, we'll see you there" he said and bade Orik goodbye. He went back inside and immediately woke Arya up. They proceeded to change and fifteen minutes later Saphira was flying them down to Ajihad's studio. The guards let him into the room while Saphira poked her head through one of the windows. Inside the room were Orik, Brom, Ajihad and his pack. They all had serious looks in their faces reinforcing the fact that something unexpected had happened.

"Ajihad, Brom, what is wrong?" he asked, completely disregarding manners seeing as it was an emergency.

"Our scouts" began Ajihad "have spotted a massive army of urgals moving towards us and at the pace they are keeping the will be here in two days"

"Urgal clans don't work together," said Eragon "I find it hard to believe that they, at the same time, all decided to attack the Varden"

"That's the thing" said Brom "there are reports of them being led by a man with red hair and red eyes, we assume that he is the shade that had captured Arya" Out of the corner of his eye he saw Arya slightly flinch at the mention of Durza, he subconsciously moved closer and was happy at the fleeting smile that danced across Arya's lips.

"So what are we going to do?" asked Orik

"I don't know," said Eragon "but one thing is for sure, in two days we'll have a battle upon us".