AN: I have to say thank you to my wonderful beta LOTRRanger and Unique Fantasiser. Just saying chapters 3,4,5 are already written and with the Betas, so expect updates soon, tomorrow for Chapter 3

Chapter 2

It had been three days since they had been bound to the service of Edhellhach. He was not a cruel person, but he was crazy – that what was for sure – searching for a way to resurrect his dead dragon. He wasn't unnecessarily violent; he didn't prolong fights when he didn't need to. But he was tough. He wouldn't give any quarter, except that of becoming his warriors. Captain Ohtar certainly respected Edhellhach more than he respected his old commander. Edhellhach worked with the men – he didn't hold himself as a supreme master while the men died for him. If one of them was going to die in battle, Edhellhach would spring to their defense. If that was out of conserving his small army or whether it was out of a paternal protection for them, Ohtar couldn't tell. It was the same result to the men. Edhellhach wouldn't let them die, unlike other commanders who were happy to see the men fall as long as their goal was accomplished. Since they had been forced into servitude, another score of men had joined. Edhellhach was training them in telepathy, so that they would not be helpless if, no, when they came across another magician. Now that they had three dozen, they were going to start patrolling small areas of the Spine.

Captain Ohtar took a platoon of twelve men to look for the jewel. From what he had heard, it was a large emerald jewel, with half-a-foot diameter, enchanted to hold massive amounts of energy. It was said to have been used by Vrael himself at one point, but it was thrown into the Spine so Galbatorix wouldn't be able to use it, as it could hold it's own against several Eldunari at once. Edhellhach had explained the Eldunari to Ohtar and his men, and they swore in the Ancient Language that they would not speak of it. They had thought the concept strange, if useful.

After walking for half an hour, they began to notice strange things in the forest. Trees seemed to shimmer into and out of existence, small animals appeared and disappeared, and they began to wonder. Could they be nearing the location of Mir? No, there was something wrong about the magic here. It seemed dark, too dark for a jewel used by the leader of the riders.

Black flames grew out of the ground, ripping apart the illusion. A man with crimson hair and maroon eyes, unaffected by the flames, stood in the middle of the flames. His face was deathly white, with the appearance of a death mask or a polished skull that had its skin pulled back to give the appearance of life. His body was thin and compact, and he wore a cape. His teeth were filed to points and he had narrow lips. He wore a dark maroon robe. As a weapon, he wielded a thin but extremely sharp sword that bore a long scratch. The man gave off a dark aura. He smiled, twirling his blade around. "You are the fools who left the Empire," he stated darkly.

"How do you know who we are?" Ohtar responded nervously, drawing his blade. He sent a mental message to Edhellhach: Edhellhach! There's a dark man here, a powerful magician, but he doesn't seem human.

Ohtar quickly received a response: I'll be there soon. Stall him.

The dark man smirked, "I know who you are because all the other soldiers were ordered to stay out of this area of the Spine. And before you ask, it was I, Durza, who ordered them out."

The soldiers started quaking in their boots. They had heard of him. Durza was a Shade, a sorcerer controlled by spirits, Galbatorix's right hand, and the cause of many people's deaths. As Durza looked at each one in turn, they felt a powerful mind beat at theirs, quickly tearing down defenses, but not invading their minds. Durza was toying with them! Ohtar thought quickly, the only way to stand a chance of defending themselves was to stand together. They united their minds, to form a formidable defense against Durza's onslaught. Durza merely smiled in return as his onslaught doubled. Again, their defenses were torn down. Just when it seemed that Durza would break the final barrier into their minds, two more minds added themselves to their defense. Edhellhach and Narlhug were now within mind distance and would arrive in no time. With their help they managed to push Durza out of their minds and into his own. Now Durza stopped smiling, and his defense doubled once again, but he was still held at bay.

Durza snarled, "I grow tired of this! Brisingr!" He pointed his blade at one of the soldiers and flaming arrows shot out from his sword and battered at the soldier's wards. As his wards began to falter, the man's mind stopped helping them attack Durza. Durza smirked once again "Brisingr!" A huge ball of flame launched itself at the soldier.

"Adurna!" A watery wall sprouted between the two, and Edhellhach landed just behind it.

Ohtar saw this and renewed his attack on Durza. They were going to survive! Durza and the Indlvarn, Rider with only an Eldunari, charged at each other. Their blades swung too fast for Ohtar's eyes, but he heard the blades swing at each other and clash with the force of thunder. Then he felt a falter in Durza's mind before he saw what happened. Durza had tripped and Edhellhach brought his blade down and Durza was gone. They had won!

Edhellhach looked disappointed, despite their victory. "I was almost too late to protect you. You and your men could have died."

Ohtar, however, was glad, "But we did not and Durza is dead." His leader looked grim.

"No, he rolled as I struck." Edhellhach shook his head. "I missed his heart and he will return, more powerful and with his soldiers this time. He wasn't trying to kill us. He was gauging our strength, and now he knows how long it will take me to rescue one my groups, and that the rest of the soldiers won't arrive in time. We have won the battle, but we gave him the information he came for."