Disclaimer: I do not own Christopher Paolini. If I did... *sighs*
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, but I got bashed up by a nasty Writer's Block and Procrastination. Yeah, I know. Stupid, huh? Anyhow, here is the next chapter ~
~ Chapter 6: Battle Plans
"So how will it happen?"
"Huh?" Christopher Paolini asked, blinking in confusion.
When he had woken up ten minutes after fainting out of sheer surprise, joy, and happiness – Christopher and Tenga had gone right to work. Tenga had been exploring the vast library left over by the Dragon Riders for ages so he knew his way around. Still, there were hundreds – if not thousands – of books that he hadn't read yet.
So Chris had started exploring this section of the mammoth library while Tenga searched through the already-known books for anything that might help him write Book IV and other books about the Cycle. At first it was fun, but then the work proved tedious for all the ancient manuscripts were extremely dusty and worn out. They only survived thanks to a set of complex spells in ancient elvish that preceded the Ancient Language.
Needless to say, they were exhausted when they finally called it a night and were back on the ridge Chris woke up on. Now they sat opposite a crackling wood-fire that heated a pot of boiling stew. Of course, Chris was used to better food but it was a staple diet and the young author began to wonder how Tenga had gotten a hold of all those ingredients for there was even venison in the stew. His mind had been wandering when Tenga asked his rather unexpected question.
"How will what happen?" Chris asked in confusion.
Tenga heaved a long-suffering sigh making Christopher bristle.
"How will Galbatorix be slain!" He explained exasperatedly. "How will the Empire fall and a new kingdom rise up? How will the Riders be restored? And how will peace be brought to the land? How will Eragon find true love and how will the elvish population be spared from extinction? How will Murtagh and Thorn be freed from their True Name slavery? How will..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Chris exclaimed, holding up his hands for silence. "How do you know all that?"
"How do you think?" Tenga asked with a toothy grin that made Chris shudder.
"I don't know," Chris admitted reluctantly.
"The answer is simple," Tenga grinned. "I am a variable."
"And?" Chris prompted.
"My role has not yet been decided upon so Fate deemed me worthy of knowing all this to help you," Tenga explained gently as if he was saying something obvious to a toddler.
Chris took a deep breath to calm himself.
"Listen," He said, feeling rather annoyed and affronted. "I don't care about 'Fate' or variables, I care about finishing the Cycle and getting back home. Now you can help me do that easily without all the stupid riddles, or you can die a very painful death."
"Sorry," Tenga chuckled smugly. "I am a Variable and as such you cannot kill me until you finish Book IV. And you can't do that unless you return home which is unobtainable without my help."
Christopher just smirked and flicked his fingers, materializing his sword from the Void out of thin air. It appeared in his hands in seconds, and he grasped it savouring the familiar metallic touch. A gasp from Tenga's direction told him the trick worked.
"Impressive," Tenga breathed.
"I try," Christopher said modestly.
"But how?" Tenga asked, sounding clearly flustered.
"Author Powers," Christopher replied. "You of all people should know. I am the Author of The Inheritance Cycle and as such control it."
"But then why?" Tenga demanded.
"Why what?" Chris asked, confused and a tad bit frightened at the swift mood change.
"Why wait around all this time?" Tenga growled. "Why not act here and now so that all this knowledge can be used freely and without fear of demons swooping down on you the moment you touch a book?"
"Because I must finish Book IV," Chris snapped. "I need plans. I need to write epic, Braveheart-style battle scenes. I need Galbatorix to be defeated in such a way so that it won't look like a kid's story. I need strategy. Get what I'm saying?"
"So that's why you're here?" Tenga asked although it sounded like he already knew the answer to that.
"Yes, to make a long story short that is the reason," Chris agreed.
Tenga nodded reluctantly.
"Okay, my bad," He muttered. "Well, at least these books should help. In the mean time, I think a visit to an old friend of mine is in order."
"Who?" Christopher asked curiously.
"Not who what," Tenga corrected.
"How do you mean?" Chris asked.
"I must visit the Oracle Obelisk," Tenga said, then added upon seeing Christopher's confusion. "It is a tall pyramidal tower covered in ancient runes. It possesses the soul of an oracle witch named Shay who worked on the behalf of the Dragon Riders during the Golden Age. But when Galbatorix rose, he killed her as she refused to reveal his future."
"What?" Christopher gasped.
It could not be possible. Not Shay. Not his Shay! Then again, Brom and Saphira the First had visited him in the Void and they were dead in the books. Oddly enough, Christopher could not bring himself to cry. These were fictional characters after all. Still...
"What happened to her?" He asked finally, sensing that Shay's story was not over yet.
Tenga's eyes darkened and he answered grimly, "To twist the knife even further, he used Dark Magic to force her soul into the Obelisk. He then cast a series of spells which would force her to answer whatever anyone asked. Shay can speak with anyone she wishes but hardly feels like doing so, not having a body. Over time, I managed to befriend her but the dark magic influencing her soul has not been easy on her. Shay is dying."
Once again, Christopher's heart wrenched but he struggled to subdue his raging hormones. He had been sent here for a purpose and he could not allow himself to get sidetracked by this. All of a sudden, a loud roar shook the earth dislodging some dust and tiny stones from the ceiling.
"What the heck was that?" Chris yelped, bolting upright with all thoughts of remorse forgotten.
A smell of smoke wafted up his nostrils and he glanced down warily. His suspicions were confirmed – during their conversation dinner had been forgotten and was now a heap of smouldering charcoal. Unfortunately for his furious stomach, another loud rumble sounded causing him to nearly lose his balance. Tenga sprang up cursing vehemently, much to Christopher's surprise and cast about as if searching for something.
"Tenga!" Chris yelled as another rumble shook the walls. "What's happening?"
"Orb!" Tenga cried, heedless of a now very frustrated young author. "Orb! Where are you when I need you? Orb!"
A strange wiring noise filled the air and Christopher's eyes flew open in surprise as a small crystal ball surrounded by a golden glow peeked into the room, floating in the air. As bizarre as it sounded, Christopher felt reluctance and annoyance emanate from the Orb as if it was alive! At last, the orb floated through the air towards Tenga.
"Get over here, dratted sphere!" Tenga cursed, plucking up the orb in his hands.
A startled squeak sounded from the Orb and immediately Chris knew this was no normal device.
"Show me who is trying to enter the labyrinth!" Tenga commanded in a harsh voice, making Chris sigh.
Tenga was such a drama queen.
"No, it can't be!" Tenga raged, catching Christopher's attention and making him very worried. "They can't be here already! The wards... They..."
A low growl emanated from the Orb and Tenga glared at it.
"Yes, yes, I know," He hissed. "I forgot to replenish the wards thanks to our friend but you could have warned me!"
A strange hissing sound came from the Orb.
"Okay, you made your point," Tenga sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I apologise for treating you like normal magic. Happy now?"
The Orb made some strange clicking sound that Christopher could only identify as reluctantly appeased, and the look of relief on Tenga's face confirmed this.
"Yes, yes, of course," Tenga rambled. "You will get five more Willow-the-wisps than usual. Anything else, your grace?"
Christopher could not resist a wry grin at the evident sarcasm, for it was now obvious – if it hadn't been already – that the Orb was very much alive and that the old man Tenga was actually communicating it.
More like arguing with it, Christopher added, making a mental note to remember this for later.
But another roar like an earthquake reverberated through the cavern system toppling several books from the shelves.
"My library!" Tenga shrieked, making Christopher grimace. "Okay, enough, Orb. I have things to do, places to be, yada, yada, yada! Savvy? Thank you!"
With that, he chucked the Orb into the air as if it was just a piece of trash. A myriad of negative vibes emitted from the Orb which were directed to Tenga, and Chris knew they had to be curse words in Orb-ish.
"News?" Chris asked, not wanting to wind up with an actual argument.
"Bad news," Tenga sighed, looking a million years older. "Eragon, Saphira the Second, and Arya are trying to get in here."
"How is that bad?" Christopher asked, now thoroughly bewildered.
"Because the Warlocks are after them!" Tenga snarled.
To Be Continued...
A/N: So the plot thickens! Once again I am awfully sorry for the delay and very thankful for your reviews. I realise I might have taken CP's relationship with Shay a little too fast but then again, in the Void there is no time so a thousand years could pass while it feels like five minutes. CP looks as old as he does when he entered the Void though, so no worries about that. Anyhow, the next chapter should come soon accompanied by some action! Do tell what you think by means of a comment or PM, as your reviews are the lifeblood of this story. And, as always...
...Stay tuned!