Chapter 22. Magic, Swords, and Wings
While Galbatorix was marching on Feinster; Eragon and Saphira with Glaedr's help was preparing Galmore and Elva to help them fight the two riders. Galmor and Elva had to train faster and harder than Saphira and Eragon did. To speed up the process Glaedr had Saphira and Eragon poor their knowledge into their minds, then they were tested on what they had retained. Everyday Eragon and Elva practiced stretching, swordplay, and magic while Saphira and Galmore practiced arial combat. Then Eragon and Saphira would duel them in the air. Because Elva had the strength of an elf she could pratice spells that only elves could cast. She learned quickly and in a matter of days she had mastered spells of manipulating energy like light, magnetism, heat, water, earth, and wind. She was a master singer in the ancient language and when she sang the elves would come and listen to her beautiful melody.
Saphira was in a loop trying to get an advantage on Galmore, he had looped in the opposite direction and they were closing in on each other. At the last minute Saphira opened her wings spun around and bashed Galmore in the side of his head. The wards Elva erected protected him, but it still hurt.
("Dead again…") She arrogantly said.
("This was much easier when we could anticipate your moves…") He grumbled.
Eragon had invented a spell that prevented Galmore and Elva from sensing what would make them happy, so they couldn't anticipate any misfortune that would beset either of them. "You have to expect the unexpected…" Eragon said. "Like you Thorn is young, but he has experience… We will both be outmatched facing our opponents, but we have the element of surprise… Brom said to me in Saphira's mind to try to learn how your enemies think and take in information… then you can use that against them…" Saphira and Galmore started flying towards the ground where an elf named Nearo was waiting with Glaedr's Eldunari.
("You are a harsh teacher Falmetongue…") Glaedr said. ("I don't recall being as rough with you…")
Saphira grunted; ("Yes but I did tell you not to go easy on me because Shruiken would be bigger than me and I needed to hold my own against him…")
Glaedr laughed from within his Eldunari; ("Even so… try not to kill Galmore before he has the chance to face Thorn…")
Eragon looked up at the sky the sun was getting ready to set; "Okay that is all for today… Remember only use spells we have taught and don't try anything new… You have the strength of an elf, but you can still kill yourself with spells that take more energy than is in your body…"
"We won't…" Elva said.
"Pratice writing in the ancient language and if the two of you must fly remember stay low to the ground…"
"And stay in the south…" Elva said mockingly, "…Yes we know."
Eragon watched as Elva jumped onto Galmore's back and they took off.
("You seem at odds Eragon what troubles you…") Glaedr asked.
He sighed; "We ask too much of her… If it weren't for me…"
("Eragon!") Saphira warned.
("I can't help it… if not for me Elva would not be in this position…")
("And Galmore's egg would still be in Galbatorix's possession… Eragon… Galmore and Elva chose to fight of their own free will… I too wish they would flee to Tronjheim or one of the Elven cities and be safe…")
"Fate is not a kind woman…" Eragon said. "…I curse the girl then she rescues Saphira and I from Galbatorix and now she fights…"
("And now she fights… Stop blaming yourself Eragon…") Glaedr grumbled.
("Yes you are giving me a headache…") Saphira said.
He smiled; "I shutter to think what Galbatorix will do when he finds out about Galmore and Elva…"
("We will deal with that when it comes up…")
Galmore flew through the air climbing up and up; when he reached his limit he closed his wings and dove for the ground. The wind whipped Elva's hair as they dove. He pulled up a thousand feet from the ground and leveled off.
("Eragon is worried about us…") Galmore said.
Elva grunted; ("Everyone is worried about us… I wish…")
("What do you wish?") He asked when she fell silent.
("I wish he and Saphira would not have put that spell up… then we could help them better…")
("You find Eragon appeasing…") She struck Galmore on the neck; ("Deny it if you wish… but I find Saphira pleasant as well…")
("I am a child…")
("With a woman's mind and body… Do not deny yourself because of your ages…")
(This is not something we should be focusing on at the moment… We are about to face two riders more powerful than any of us…")
Galmore shook her in the saddle, ("You know as well as I do that this battle will end in our favor…")
Elva said nothing as she considered the impressions for the upcoming battle. They both knew that the varden would be all right after the battle, but how it would happened. ("I have been thinking about it and I believe Glaedr knows something and he isn't telling us…")
They flew for another hour before returning to the city and when they returned, Elva practiced the ancient language in her room.
The next morning at sunrise Saphira, Eragon, Galmore, and Elva practiced ariel combat. Then they worked with magic and swords; they were in the middle of a match when an elf ran up to Eragon and told him that the empire had entered the countryside of Feinster.
The allied leaders met together one last time to discuss their plans to fight Galbatorix and his army.