Chapter 11. Shattered Heart
("We have done all we can here now we should travel to Urubaen...") The orb said to Tymen.
"Why not wait until the Varden attack? If they knew about you perhaps they could help us change your name."
"No Galbatorix has begun his search anew for another rider… We must…" The orb stopped in mid-sentence because it felt the soldiers coming. "Quick hide us the soldiers are coming…"
Tymen quickly hid the orb underneath the pillow and sat on the bed. The door opened and in came several soldiers. "What is the meaning of this?"
The soldiers said nothing as they relieved him of his amulet and held his arms so he couldn't move. The thudding of boots across the wooden floor echoed through the hall. The footsteps belonged to the captain whose eyes were black as tar even where the whites are. One of the soldiers handed him the amulet. The soldier was possessed by Galbatorix; he crushed the amulet in the palm of his hand. The captain went to the bed and reached under the pillow. ("Galbatorix!") The orb cried.
"Bring him!" The possessed captain said.
Murtagh was in the dragon hold with Thorn going over the latest reports on the Varden's movements. The army was one days march from the city. "What is the meaning of this…" Murtagh asked when the soldiers entered the hold. They didn't respond but stepped to the side for the Galbatorix possessed captain.
Murtagh stood up and dropped to one knee; "My lord…" Thorn hissed when he struck Murtagh across the face the force of the blow sent him to his back.
"You think the two of you can escape my will…" Thorn roared and tried to attack the possessed soldier, but he pointed a clawed hand at Thorn and held him in place. "I am Galbatorix and you are mine for ever…"
"What are talking about…" Murtagh said rubbing his face.
The Galbatorix possessed soldier snapped his fingers and the soldiers dragged Tymen forward. "Perhaps this will refresh your memory…" He then reached into his robe. "…Or maybe this will."
"I am sorry… I failed you…" Tymen said.
("We failed…") The orb said.
Murtagh watched in horror as the Galbatorix possessed soldier absorbed the energy in the orb. Murtagh's memories and a chance at freedom faded away. The soldier then shattered the orb in his hand and began chanting in the ancient language. Murtagh and Thorn's true names were added to the incantation and he cast the spell.
"There now… if the two of you even think about betraying me you will suffer the greatest pain in life you have ever felt…" He released Thorn and then returned his attention to Murtagh. Using his true name, he ordered Murtagh to kill Tymen.
"I am sorry…" Murtagh said standing up unsheathing Zarroc and walking towards Tymen. Tymen took a deep breath and held his head high as the blade came down on his neck. His body went limp as his head thudded to the ground.
"Very good…" The possessed soldier said.
"How did you find out?" Murtagh asked.
"That is my affair… Now listen to me…" The Galbatorix possessed soldier told Murtagh that Eragon was ready for the spells he would use and he told him how Eragon was able to defeat them. Together the possessed soldier and Murtagh came up with a new plan. Then Galbatorix gave Murtagh two more eldunari, they were red and amethyst.
As Galbatorix left the soldier's mind, he laughed causing Muratagh to turn his rage on the fifteen soldiers. He raised Zarroc and killed each one; when a few of them tried to escape he cried "Letta!" In the ancient language.
("I am sorry…") Thorn said when the slaughter was over. He didn't reply and left the dragon hold to meet with the spell casters. He summoned them with his mind and together he trained them in a new plan to capture Eragon. Despite Thorn's pleas Murtagh ignored him for the rest of the night and secretly he blamed Thorn and Eragon.
Urubaen:
Elva sat in the window in pain at the misfortune she was causing. She drank from an enchanted bottle of liquid Angela had given her and it eased the pain. What she did was necessary to help the Varden and dragons.
The door burst open and in walked Casmuss. He did not hide his contempt for Elva and he let it show on his face. "Lord Galbatorix wants to see you… Hurry girl we don't have all day!"
Elva followed Casmuss out of the room down the hall and to the thrown room; where Galbatorix and Shruiken were waiting along with Hurmon.
"It would seem the information you gave me turned out to be true…"
Elva curtsied; "As I said your majesty… I want my revenge and now Murtagh will succeed… I only ask that when you bring Eragon here; allow me to reveal myself to him. I want him to know the price he pays for not keeping his word…"
Galbatorix stood up, walked down the steps and stood in front of Elva. He grabbed her around the throat and raised her up until she was eye level with him. "Kill me… I welcome death if only to escape this life I have been forced to live…"
He placed her down gently; "You will swear loyalty to me in the ancient language…" He told her what to say and in the ancient language Elva said.
"I swear on my life to use my power to serve Galbatorix and aid him in making his dream to rebuild the dragon riders come to true upon pain of death…" Elva could make such a vow because she believed in her mind that in order to serve Galbatorix and bring the riders about she had to betray him. She had also sworn in the ancient language with Angela's help that she was not bound by any pledge she made to Galbatorix.
Pleased with what she had said Galbatorix walked back up to his thrown. 'Leave me… I will summone you when I have a task for you to perform…" Elva bowed and left his presence.
Casmuss tried to convince Galbatorix to kill Elva but he was confident he could control her.
("I know what you are witch child and why you are here…") Shruiken said to Elva in her mind.
Elva grunted; ("Are you going to betray my secret…") She replied sitting in the window in her room.
("If I were I would have done it by now… You were right I have no love for Galbatorix… But by him I have done many great and terrible things. I am more powerful than any dragon that has come before me… Our fates are bound, but he can release himself from that bond anytime he wishes…")
("The two of you share a twisted relationship…")
Shruiken grunted; ('May the blessings of all dragons be on you little one… And now a warning… I can't help you anymore for Galbatorix's power weighs down on me… Tread carefully from this day forward…")
("I will…") Shruiken broke contact and Elva went for a walk in garden under guard of course. At dinner Solembum brought her food and they were able to talk without distraction.
It was midnight and the remaining spies were finally able to meet together in the stables of a sympathizer. A noblemen who was a distant relation to and descendant of King Abernost. His family changed their names with Brom's help and when the riders fell they had been secretly living in Urubaen ever since.
"Someone has betrayed us…" The leader of the spies said.
"Impossible!" A woman declared. "I have been searching for the past two days and…" She sighed. "I could find nothing… but I know this… We were not betrayed…"
Just then the window was flung open and one of the male spies was about to close it when a large strange looking cat leapt up onto the window seal. It hissed at the man when he tried to run it off. As the cat leapt down the window closed and the cat transformed into a boy.
'A werecat…" One of the men said.
The other woman in the group stepped forward; "This is no mere werecat… His name is Solembum and he travels with the witch Angela…"
"Here me mortals…" Solembum explained why he was there and what happened to their comrades. They were angry and even expressed that anger, but Solembum explained that it was necessary because of what was about to befall the Varden. "This is the only way…" They agreed to help him and he informed them that he would contact them when the time came.