I posted this chapter earlier but I was made aware that there were a few mistakes. Things that didn't work with the plot line of Eldest, so I fixed it up and changed somethings so hopefully it is ok now. Hope you like it, please review and let me know if it's ok.
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Elsha and Tori walked along the roads of the Varden, it was full of activity, there were people everywhere packed things away and loading wagons full of their belongings.
"What's everyone doing?" Tori asked.
"Leaving" Elsha explained "Since Galbatorix knows where we are Lady Nasuada has decided we need to leave. We were attacked not too long ago by the new rider, Murtagh"
Murtagh… "Oh" That was all Tori said.
"Is everything alright Tori?" Elsha asked cautiously.
"Everyone really hates him huh?" Tori looked Elsha in the eye "Murtagh"
"Well, of course" Elsha was oblivious as to why Tori was there, all she had been told was that she was to be protected by the Varden "After all he's done, and he is the son of Morzan, he can't be trusted"
"But he's not-" Tori was interrupted by a woman's terrified scream.
"It's the red rider! He's back!" she screamed. Everyone and everything erupted into utter chaos.
"Run for your lives!"
"Stand and fight!"
"Hide the children!"
"Argetlam!"
"Call for Eragon!"
Tori ran towards Thorn, "Thorn!" she screamed as loud as she could. She looked to her left and saw several men readying arrows and aiming them at Thorn.
"NO!" Tori cried she ran over to them and pushed their arrow points in another direction "Don't hurt them!" she yelled.
A loud cheer erupted from the crowd as Eragon flew out atop Saphira. She flew towards Thorn, teeth barred. Thorn turned and saw her, he let out a mighty roar and flew in the other direction, Saphira continued to chase him.
Murtagh looked down at the people bellow trying desperately to spot Tori, and then he saw the all too familiar multi-coloured hair. He pointed her out to Thorn. As soon as Thorn saw her, he barrelled towards the ground, Saphira close on his tail.
People screamed and moved out of his way when they saw him coming in for the landing, everyone except for Tori who ran forward smiling. Thorn landed with a hard thud and growled angrily as he was immediately surrounded by armed guards.
Murtagh climbed off Thorn's back and ran quickly toward Tori. She smiled and ran into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Thank God you're ok" Tori said refusing to let Murtagh go.
Murtagh smiled and held her closer "I'm glad you're safe"
"Hold your fire!" They heard some one call to the guards. Tori let go of Murtagh and turned to see Eragon, Saphira and Nasuada approaching.
"Hello brother" Murtagh said.
"Murtagh" Eragon said, eyeing him warily. There was complete silence, not a single soul made a sound. "Tori come here" Eragon said at last.
Tori looked from Eragon to Murtagh who was still holding onto her. Murtagh kept his eye on Eragon then nodded and pushed Tori forward slowly "Go"
Tori took a few steps forward and glanced back over her shoulder at Murtagh and Thorn, Murtagh looked scared.
It was then that Nasuada spoke "Seize him!"
"No!" Tori cried and turned back to get to Murtagh. Murtagh backed up against Thorn who was thrashing his tail around angrily, the guards were closing in…
Tori pushed her way past them…
Murtagh spotted her and yelled something she couldn't make out…
A guard grabbed her around her waist, holding her back as she reached out to Murtagh…
Murtagh grabbed her hand…
There was an amazingly bright flash of yellow light…
Everyone stepped back and shielded their eyes…
When they turned back Thorn, Murtagh and Tori had disappeared.
Murtagh pulled Tori close to him, the guard who had grabbed hold of Tori was still pulling at her waist.
Thorn was the first to realise they were no longer at the Varden. Murtagh, did you do this?
Tori kicked the man in the face, he cried out in pain and stumbled back holding his bleeding nose. Suddenly there was a deafening monstrous roar. Thorn, Murtagh, Tori and the bleeding soldier spun around to see what had made the noise.
Tori looked around, they were standing in a huge cave, she scanned the cave, looking for the source of the noise. Suddenly-
Thud! The ground trembled
Thud! It happened again.
Thud! The noise got louder, something was coming. Something big.
Thud…Thud…Thud.
And then they saw it. Thorn growled quietly and stepped infront of Murtagh and Tori. Tori gasped and grabbed onto the front of Murtagh's robes, her eyes wide with shock. Murtagh pulled Tori closer to him protectively. The guard forgot all about his bleeding nose, he screamed incredibly loud and raced around the cavern trying desperately to find a way out when he couldn't he began to cry hysterically.
"Oh do be quiet" The thunderous voice boomed. The guard stopped immediately. "Honestly, humans these days"
"Hush Draco" said a much softer voice.
Tori looked up again, the deep voice had come from…
…a dragon. He was at least ten, perhaps fifteen times larger than Thorn. His scales were a brilliant shade of green and several thick black spikes ran down the length of his neck and tail. The dragons eyes were a deep red-brown colour, they were stern but not unkind. His legs were very thick and looked incredibly powerful, as did his beautiful claws and teeth.
The second voice belonged to a small figure standing beside the green beast. A woman. She had an olive complexion and white silky hair that flowed down to her hips. It was impossible to guess her age. She wore a blue single-shouldered dress and a gold chain around her waist. Her ears were pointed and her eyes were a brilliant blue.
"Greetings" The woman said "I am Gaia, this" she motioned to the enormous dragon behind her "is Draco"
"What the hell is going on?!" Tori asked .
Her question went unanswered as Murtagh asked "You're a rider?"
Gaia shook her head "No, the bond Draco and I share is very different to one which a rider shares with a dragon. I was young when I found Draco, only 68" she began.
"How is that young?" Tori whispered.
"She is an elf" Murtagh whispered quickly before returning his attention to the woman.
"He was only a day or two old and he was wounded. I brought him into this very cave and nursed him back to health. As he grew I became attached to him and we became very close, Draco even began to see me as a mother. When he was healthy again I tried to send him back to live with the other wild dragons but they sensed that he was different and rejected him. He soon came back to me and we have not parted from one and other since"
Murtagh was about to ask another question but Gaia spoke again.
"We agreed it would be best not reveal ourselves to the other elves, so we stayed here, everything we needed was here so we found no reason not to stay. We lived happily and peacefully until one day the attacks on wild dragons begun. Draco had grown to become alarmingly big, much larger than the other dragons and together we managed to save the ones that had not been killed. Soon we became their protectors, that was many, many years ago and to this day we have kept the remaining wild dragons well hidden"
"But I thought there were no more wild dragons left" Murtagh interrupted.
Gaia smiled softly "We must be doing quite well then, wouldn't you think?"
"This is some heavy shit" Tori breathed.
"We watch over all and make sure everything is as it should be" Gaia continued but was interrupted again.
"Wait, how is it that you can say that, what about Galbatorix? How can things be as they should be when he-"
"I am well aware of what Galbatorix is doing and Draco and I are in the process righting his wrongs, which is precisely why the three of you are here"
"What do you mean?" Tori asked.
It was then that Draco spoke "We interfered in a spell Galbatorix cast into your world Tori…"
Draco told them about the ancient spell Galbatorix cast on the comet to link the two worlds together. He had cast the spell to draw power so he could conquer all of Alagaesia, instead he and Gaia had managed to alter the spell. Instead of bringing power they managed to change the outcome.
"But why me? Why am I the one who came?" Tori asked.
"To be honest, we don't know" Gaia answered "But I've been around for a long time Tori and if there is one thing that I have learnt it's that magic may work in mysterious way but it always works" She smiled softly.
Tori seemed happy with that answer, Murtagh on the other hand wanted more. "Wait, I still have many questions"
Gaia nodded for him to go on.
"How is it that Draco can speak? How have you hidden the other dragons? How many are there? Do you have the power to overthrow Galbatorix? If you could alter his other spell is it possible that you could break the hold he has on me? Will you be able to get Tori home? Is she going to be safe here? W-"
"Whoa, ok Murtagh I think that's enough for now, maybe after she's answered those first fifty you could ask a few more" Tori smiled, Murtagh shut his mouth and looked from Tori to Gaia.
