Chapter 23. Battle of Fate
As they planned, the elves and dwarves took the frontlines in the upcoming battle. A line of dwarves then a line of elves; the human soldiers were lined behind the wall with the gates to the city opened. The elves had been working diligently to give the humans strength and speed equal to theirs. The urgals were stationed two miles east of the city along with King Orrin and his calvary. The elven cavalry was with them as well and they would flank Galbatorix's army when they received the word from Trianna.
"I never thought I would die in battle with an urgal…" Orrin said on his horse next to Nar Garhzvog.
He looked at the king with his yellow piggish eyes; "Nor I a human…"
Orrin smiled, "I am honored to go to war with you… I do not know much of urgal society, but you are great spokesman for your people…"
Nar Garhzvog raised his head in respect; "You honor me and I consider myself lucky to go into battle with you…"
The sky turned black as the clouds gathered and the sky rumbled with thunder and flashed with lightening. Galmore and Elva were hidden behind the wall surrounded by elves.
("I am only three years old and I am about to fly into battle on my Dragon…")
Galmore snorted; ("What a battle it shall be… I am with you and we are one…")
Elva was dressed in armor provided by the elves; she had used magic to color the armor green to match Galmore's scales. The sword she wielded was given to her by the elves as well and Arya had provided her with a bow she sung herself into shape.
Eragon was dressed in his armor sitting on Saphira's back, she too was in her armor ready for battle. He looked at Arya who was now queen of her people. Nausada sat next to her, then Orwick who nodded, Roran and Trianna.
The sky rumbled again and a drop of rain splashed on the armor plate in front of him. Eragon held his hand out as his keen eyes spotted a rain drop he caught and screed Brom's tomb. With Glaedr's help he was able to erect wards around the tomb so that no one could disturb it. ("Great now the elements are against us…")
Saphira stuck her barbed tongue out; ("We can use the weather against Shruiken…") She gave him an idea of freezing the water on Shruiken's wings.
("Clever…) The words stopped in his mind when a shout came out of the darkness from the north. The sound was accompanied by the bashing of swords and spears against shields. Then trumpets sounded in the distance to announce the march of the empire.
Torches flickered in and out as the rain started pouring down in great sheets. The empire had come, but this time they were outnumbered by the varden at two to one. The armies taunted each other in the relentless rain, then the empire grew quiet and a trumpet sounded. it reminded Eragon of the same trumpet that sounded on the burning planes. As he expected Thorn and Murtagh flew out of the darkness and hanged in the air halfway between the two opposing armies. Murtagh sneered at Eragon in anger and Thorn looped around and landed in front of the empire's army. Thorn roared and released a jet of flame into the air.
Eragon slowly drew Brisinger from its sheave; ("Here we go…")
("Glaedr tells me that we will win this battle…") Saphira said.
Eragon sighed; ("How… did he tell you some secret spell that will kill Galbatorix instantly…")
She snorted a blast of flame from her nostrils; ("Don't be disrespectful…")
("I am sorry… its just that everyone seems fit to tell you their secrets before revealing them to me…")
Saphira was about to respond, but another horn sounded and Eragon took a deep breath. Shruiken came flying out of the darkness and when Eragon layed eyes on him he gasped because the black dragon was dressed head to tail in a silver and gold armor.
("Well…") Saphira said sarcastically, ("…this will make things more difficult.")
Eragon touched the minds of the elven and urgal spell casters assigned to him. ("No it won't we are going to win this battle remember…") She jostled him in the saddle. Eragon took a look at Arya, Nausada, and the others.
"ERAGON!" Galbatorix cried from Shruiken when he landed beside Thorn. "Eragon… If You and Saphira return to me I will let your friends and the races of Alagaesia go… Help me Saphira and Eragon to rebuild the dragon riders… Return what Elva stole from me… I know you are in the city Elva… I forgive you…"
Eragon gritted his teeth, ("Remember the plan…") He said to Saphira. He used magic to amplify his voice. "Keep your twisted words false king Saphira and I will never serve you… Surrender yourself so that you may be properly judged for your crimes against the races of Alagaesia…"
Galbatorix laughed the laugh of a mad man, "Now you shall know my power… you and all who fight with you shall tremble before my might… and they shall die…" He removed an orb from his saddle and threw it into the air. The orb stopped a hundred feet in the air and began absorbing all the energy Glaedr, the elves, and urgals were channeling to Saphira and Eragon.
"Great… We will have to compromise then…" The elves and others ended their magic.
Shruiken roared a roar that shook the ground and frightened every animal in a five-mile distance. Saphira responed with her own roar which wasn't as loud. She leapt into the air and started flying towards Shruiken and Galbatorix. He and Murtagh started laughing at their bravado. Galbatorix raised his hand into a claw getting ready to cast the spell that would capture them.
Nausada and Arya looked at each other the allied warriors prepared to charge the empire's ranks and that is when Eragon shouted with his mind. ("NOW!") A trumpet blew and it was accompanied by a roar, a great dust cloud blew up from behind the wall and a green dragon rose into the air spewing fire from his mouth. Murtagh looked at Galbatorix, but he was too transfixed on the Pinked eyed rider on the dragon; Elva smiled at him.
"Impossible!" Galbatorix shouted.
"My lord, look out…" Murtagh screamed.
Galbatorix failed to respond as Saphira and Eragon closed the distance. Eragon leaned to the side and slashed galbatorix on the shoulder with his sword. As Saphira passed overhead she bashed him in the head with her tail.
("It worked!") Eragon shouted with his mind as Saphira unleashed a flame of fire from her mouth on the empire. The troops started running and breaking ranks as Saphira cut a flaming path into Galbatorix's troops
Nausda and Arya smiled as Galbatorix recoverd from the bloody attack. The wound Eragon gave him healed and he shook his head to clear it. He looked back at the destruction Eragon and Saphira caused then he looked at the green dragon and Elva. "Kill the green dragon and its rider… we shall deal with Saphira and Eragon…" Shruiken jumped into the air and as he did Galbatorix said in his mind; ("Murtagh that is the girl who betrayed your secret… unleash your wrath on them both…")
Murtagh couldn't believe his eyes either, not only had this girl stolen the egg and tricked Galbatorix, she was now a dragon rider and the dragon was almost as big as Thorn. ('Did they force the egg to hatch?") Thorn asked.
("I don't know, but I will pull all her secrets from her mind before she dies…")
Galmore and Thorn pumped their wings faster and faster to build up speed; they slammed into each other biting and clawing at one another. While on the backs of their respective dragons Elva and Murtagh exchanged blows with their swords. Murtagh managed to slash Elva on her upper arm, she responded by slashing him above the eye. Thorn drew blood from Galmore who bashed Thorn in the side with the spikes on his tail puncturing his wings. Galmore reared his head back and blew fire in Thorn's face, but Murtagh's wards protected him. They were thirty feet from the ground when both dragons released each other and flew back up into the air making figure eights around each other. It was Dainor and the elves who healed their injuries. As the two dragons passed each other in the air, Elva and Murtagh slashed at each other with their swords. Murtagh managed to slash Elva on the leg, Elva managed to slash Thorn's wing and slash Murtagh in the side. The two dragons looped around and slammed into each other again.
Saphira reared her head back for the third time causing the archers at the rear of the army to scatter and run for cover. She was about to take out one of the catapults when Eragon looked behind him.
("We've got company…") Saphira pulled up into the air and climbed as high as she could. With Shruiken right behind her and gaining quickly. He was unnaturally fast, faster than even Glaedr when they practiced ariel combat with Oromis. Saphira turned in the air and Shruiken slammed into Saphira, it felt as they had been hit by a mountain. Eragon was raddled but he recovered quickly and fought with Galbatorix while Saphira desperately wrestled with the much larger Shruiken. The black dragon managed to wrap his mouth around Saphira's neck and immobilize her.
"The two of you are mine boy…" Galbatorix said gloating. He tried to attack Eragon's mind but the jeweled circlet on his head protected Eragon's mind from Galabtorix. It had been enchanted by Dainor to absorb all mental energy directed at Eragon.
("I can't get free…") Saphira cried.
The distraction caused Eragon to lose brisinger. He ducked a swing from Galbatorix and placed his hand on Shruiken's armor. "Heat the metal this dragon wears…" He cried in the ancient language. The metal plates of Shruiken's armor grew so hot that the dragon released Saphira and roared. Saphira took the opportunity to slash Shruiken's wings as she plummted towards brisinger, which was still falling through the air.
Galbatorix had to work quickly to make a spell that would remove the armor from Shruiken's body. Then they dove towards Saphira with his wings tucked to the sides of his body. ("Brisinger come to my hand…") Eragon cried in the ancient language. When the sword returned to his hand Saphira pulled up with Shruiken chasing them through the air.
As the four riders dueled each other in the air Nausada gave the order to attack the empire while their forces were in disarray. Arrows whizzed overhead and tore through the ranks of the empire and the elves and dwarves slammed into the confused disoraganized body of troops. The battle was in favor of the varden for the time being, but it was General Rang, who got his forces back into lines and the empire counter attacked. When Nausada noticed the shift she had Trianna contact Orrin's spellcaster. Orrin and the elve's calvary along with the urgals charged the empire flanking them from the left. To ensure they would keep the ground they had gained Nausada ordered the troops behind the wall to attack as well. It was a back and forth battle and despite being outnumbered the empire held their ground.
Thorn was now chasing Galmore, ("I am getting tired… it is time…")
Elva agreed and attacked Murtagh with her mind; it was overwhelming to him. Thorn murged his mind with Murtagh and it eased the pain but she continued the onslaught.
("Her mind is powerful… it's incredible…") He said.
("We need to put an end to this now…") Thorn replied.
Murtagh pointed a clawed hand at Elva and cried; "Barzel…" in the ancient language, a ball of red energy flew from his palm. The wards around Elva held up, because they were powered by Glaedr, while the magical attack didn't kill her it did weaken Elva.
("We have to get them to chase us…") Thorn said.
("Right… head towards Shruiken and Galbatorix…")
Thorn broke off the chase and started flying in the direction towards the spine. Galmore noticed and started following them. ("No Elva don't!") Dainor yelled, but it was too late. The elves tried to follow from the ground leaving Glaedr behind. Thorn looped around and Murtagh pointed a hand at the elves on the ground and killed all twenty elves.
("You will pay for that…") Elva yelled with her mind. Elva sheathed her sword and took out her bow, she nooked an arrow and shot empowering the arrow with a spell. When the arrow was six feet from him, Murtagh turned in his saddle and he cut the arrow in half with Zarroc.
Murtagh unleashed a flash from the jewel in Zarroc; there was a bright red flash and they were gone. ("Where did they go…") Elva asked. Galmore yelped as he was bitten on the tail, he used the blood from his tail and sprayed Thorn in the face. Elva stopped the blood flow and sealed it with a spell. ("I have an idea…") Elva said remembering the move Eragon used on the burning plains.
("Don't even think about it…") Galmore yelled with his mind, but it was too late. Elva cut the strapes off her legs then she released her arms and junped out the saddle.
Thorn and Murtagh smirked recognizing the maneuver, but Elva made it her own. Instead of attacking from the side she went up and over Murtagh, she reached out with her hands and grabbed Murtagh by the head. She pulled herself into the saddle behind him, then she unsheathed her sword and stabbed through the saddle into Thorn's back missing the spine by inches.
Thorn roared in pain; ("Get her off…")
Murtagh tried but Elva wrapped her arm around his neck and squeezed. Elva took her free hand, drew a dagger, and stabbed Murtagh with it; at the same time she attacked Murtagh's mind. He summoned every dragon he was bonded with and slowly he pushed Elva out of his mind. She stabbed him again only this time she stabbed him in the thigh.
Murtagh grabbed her dagger hand and elbowed her with his other arm. His first blow knock the wind out of her, the third blow broke a rib. Elva started to fall out of the saddle and as she did; Elva grabbed her sword and with a spell she threw the dagger into Murtagh's back. The blade went into his back scar, she had worded the spell to circumvent his wards.
("Catch me!) She yelled with her mind. Galmore dove towards her and caught Elva with his claws.
Murtagh used his enchanted jewel on Thorn first then he used it on himself. ("Are you alright?") Thorn asked.
He breathed a sigh of relief; ("I am now… Lets get that little witch…")
Thorn looped around and Murtagh pointed a clawed hand at Galmore. A red ball of energy shot from his palm and struck him in the back the force of the blow left a red veined mark on Galmore's back; he roared in pain as slowly spread over his scales.
Concern eminated from Elva but she didn't have the strength to heal him and they were too far from the Elves to get help. Galmore slowly glided to the ground and as he did Thorn swooped down on his left wing and slashed it leaving a huge tear in it. Galmore roared in pain as he turned his back to the ground in order to protect Elva as they hit the ground. He slid several feet tearing up the ground and stopped; he had dropped Elva after three feet. When Elva landed she twisted her leg and her shoulder was dislocated.
Shruiken chased Saphira through the air and she and Eragon remembered what Thorn and the spellcaster did to them at Belatona. She closed her wings and tucked her head and tail into a ball and dropped allowing Shruiken and Galbatorix to fly by them. She opened her wings and started chasing Shruiken Eragon strung a bow and placed a spell on the arrow then he unleashed it. The arrow zipped through the air feeding off Galbatorix's wards and plunged itself into his shoulder. The rain had eased but it was still pouring, Shruiken pulled up into a cloud and Saphira followed, but when they emerged Shruiken and Galbatorix were gone.
("Where did they go…") Eragon asked looking up and down, left and right. They both stretched out with their minds and they found nothing. ("I don't sense them at all…")
("Neither do I…")
Saphira looped around again and as she leveled out Shruiken tackled her from the side and they all fell out of the sky. Eragon and Galbatorix fought each other from the backs of their dragons. Saphira tried to break free, but she could not. Fear gripped them both as they quickly approached the ground. They hit the ground with a thud, but neither dragon died or was injured. Saphira and Shruiken trashed back and forth on the ground, but no matter what she did Saphira could not push Shruiken off. Eragon jumped free before they hit the ground and when he looked up Shruiken had Saphira pinned to ground.
He drew his sword; ("Get off of her Shruiken or I swear I will make you suffer…") He shouted with his mind and voice. Shruiken sneered at him and a burst of flame shot from his nostrils. As Eragon approached them Galbatorix walked from behind Shruiken and smiled.
"Put your sword away boy… you are no match for me…"
("Galedr…I need help…") He shouted with his mind, but there was no response. He gritted his teeth and started walking towards Galbatorix.
He laughed and drew his sword Avaless; "I will play along…"
Their swords met in mid air, Galbatorix fought with one hand. Saphira watched helplessly as they fought back and forth against one another. Eragon used every move in his arsenal and at first Galbatorix was just toying with Eragon, but when he managed to cut Galbatorix on the hip, he changed fighting styles and held his sword with both hands. Eragon rolled to the ground and tried to remove his left leg, but Galbatorix raised his leg and spun around. Their swords hit together and they pushed against one another.
Eragon smiled and yelled; "Brisinger…"
His sword burst into flames, Galbatorix yelped and jumped back as Eragon started gaining ground on him. He slashed Galbatorix again only this time he caught him on the upper arm. Galbatorix face twisted as he was slowly being beaten. Galbatorix managed to cut Eragon on the shoulder and kicked him in the gut. Eragon jumped over his leg into a role and came up on his feet, when he turned Galbatorix was charging him. Eragon spun around and caught him in the face, he spun his flaming sword from left to right and attacked with a renewed furousity. Eragon managed to wrench Galbatorix's sword from his hand and he slashed Galbatorix across the chest dropping him to his knees.
"Brisiger sar Togath…" Galbatorix yelled his spell it empowered his hand and every way he waved his hand Eragon's sword dragged him. It was as if Eragon's sword had a mind of its own. Saphira watched as the sword dragged Eragon through the dirt into a small pond of water and stuck into a tree. Eragon tried with all his might to pull the sword free, but it wouldn't budge.
Galbatorix laughed; "You are a better swordsman than your father… I will give you that… and your sword… I may keep for myself. Now yield boy… You cannot match my power…"
Eragon released his sword and turned to face Galbatorix. He had two weapons left, magic and his mind. He decided to use magic Eragon exteneded his mind in every direction towards plants and trees he included all the jewels left in his belt of Beloth the wise and his ring arwen, Galbatorix made no attempt to stop him. He combined all twelve of the killing words into one spell and pointed his hand at Galbatorix. He whispered the spell and a blue ball of energy sprang from his palm, as the ball of energy struck Galbatorix stuck his hand out. There was an explosion and when the blue light faded Galbatorix was still alive and laughing.
("That should have killed him…") Eragon said to Saphira.
("Eragon listen to me run and run hard and fast… get away now… it makes no sense for the both of us to be captured again…")
('I will not leave you…")
("Go…") She yelled, but he would not listen.
"Tell me my young rider what did you hope to accomplish with that piece of magic…"
Eragon had only one weapon left and that was his mind; he gathered his mental strength and prepared to attack.