AN:Thanks to Unique Fantasiser and , I'm going to continue writing this, even if I do slow down due to...school. Unique Fantasiser and LotRRanger=awesome betas, but LotRRnger has disappeared. If anyone has any ideas as to something I should do with the plot, tell me and I might include them.
Durza stood shamefacedly before Galbatorix.
"Durza, I gave you one thousand men to fight two hundred and you failed?" Galbatorix's voice rose in anger, "Yet you expect me to let you live despite this horrendous failure?"
Durza quietly interjected. "My lord, this was the first force, other than the Riders, that with both mind and body fight. If only we started dispersing magicians among the foot soldiers, we would stand a chance of defeating these traitors."
Galbatorix paused and thought. "That would be a good idea, Shade, test it out against these rebels and if it works we'll implement the idea throughout our entire army."
Durza bowed his head. "Of course my lord, and how many troops may I take this time?"
"Take five-thousand of our troops, and five hundred magicians." And with that Galbatorix dismissed Durza.
As Durza left, he felt both shame at his failure and anger towards Galbatorix. One day Galbatorix would repent having berated Durza.
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Edhellhach punched a tree in frustration, he had been so close and then Ohtar decided that no, he and his men didn't need to move northward because winter would come soon.
He felt a voice in his mind. Little one, do not trouble yourself, if you force them to travel, they will resent you for it and you will regret it.
Narlhug had felt Edhellhach's anger and was trying to calm him down.
Edhellhach took several deep breaths and then answered. Then what would you suggest I do?
After thinking his answer through, Narlhug responded. Heal them of their wounds, give them any energy they might need, they are your men and they will respect you for it. Besides they have no other magicians to heal them.
Thank you, I'll go do that. Edhellhach walked back into the camp ready to heal the soldiers and give them any energy they would need to survive the upcoming winter.
As he had healed each man, he was given respect in turn. He was the first commander who had cared for his men, and had them healed by his own hand. There were a few that were harder to heal, but with Narlhug's assistance he successfully healed all of them. Then only Ohtar was left, Edhellhach nodded his head at Ohtar. "You faced a Shade and survived with only a scratch in your side?"
Ohtar smiled. "A little more than a scratch, Edhellhach."
Then Edhellhach grinned. "Really? All I see is a thin white line."
As he looked down at his side, Ohtar realized that Edhellhach was indeed kind, and was well on the way to redeeming himself in Ohtar's eyes. The only thing Edhellhach could to gain all of Ohtar's respect was to release the Guardians from their oaths, but first they would need to prove themselves in Edhellhach's eyes.
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It was nearly a week into their journey southward towards Utgard when they reached the Anora River and Imperial Troops.
The officer of the Imperials nervously asked. "Who are you and why do move this way?" The Guardians could tell that the leader of a mere hundred was terrified of facing the force that outnumbered eight to one.
"Who wants to know?" Edhellhach retorted.
The officer indignantly responded, "The King and his men."
Edhellhach faked a sigh of relief.
"It is good then, me and my men," he indicated the Guardians, "We were sent as reinforcements against the traitors."
Now the officer was thoroughly confused. "Why do come out of the north, I thought the backstabbers had run there along with the elf?"
Edhellhach smiled. "We received word that they were headed south, towards Rivstak'baen. Can you and your men lead us there?"
"Of course, but first you have to allow our magician to examine your mind." The officer smiled.
The Guardians murmured among themselves, if the Empire was now integrating magicians to the normal troops and not just the elites, how would they survive?
Edhellhach merely grinned. "But of course, and you know that I must examine your men's minds."
The officer nodded and signaled for his magician to step forward. "Examine the leader's mind first."
Edhellhach stood and waited for the contact of the magician's mind. When he did feel the magician's mind, he took over it and forced the magician to proclaim, "They are our reinforcements."
The officer and his men relaxed, and with that the defenses around their minds fell, and they were captured by the Guardians, without any struggles.
After examining the new Guardian's minds, Edhellhach learned that Brom's group, the Varden, had decided to begin attacking the Empire. For their sake, he hoped that the Varden had integrated magician's into their forces, because if they hadn't they would be destroyed with a word from any Imperial spell caster. Then he realized that there were only two magicians in the ranks of the Guardians, himself and Guladan, the spell caster that had just joined. Edhellhach decided that he would need a way to either train more magicians or recruit more. He gave orders for Guladan to 'screen' the Guardians to see which would be worthy candidates for learning magic.
Thinking back to Narlhug, he realized that there was a chance that if Narlhug could be restored, there might be a possibility for Saphira, Brom's dragon to return.
With the help of dragon magic and the energy in Mir, there could be a chance to create a semblance of a physical dragon, but the matter of Saphira's spirit would be much harder. Since Saphira hadn't 'gone into' her Eldunari it would be nearly impossible for her spirit to control the body Edhellhach could create, if it was even possible. Then Narlhug suggested If you could design a spell that would fashion her consciousness out of Brom's memory, you might be able to bring her back.
Edhellhach sighed. Then it wouldn't be the real Saphira but only Brom's memory of her personality if a spell would allow us to create a consciousness. The only being who's consciousness is brought forth into the world by magic is Guntera, the dwarves god.
Would the dwarves teach you how to summon forth …? Narlhug was quickly interrupted.
No, they believe that it only works because Guntera is a god. Edhellhach suddenly sprang up. The Vault of Souls is sure to have a way to bring back Saphira's soul.
But where is it?
-is that better? I made a few changes to the first section. If it feels like its moving quickly its because I can't think of what to put in in-between some chapters, I don't feel very confindent in my ability to write dialogue.