Chapter 24. Mysterious Warrior
The rain was still coming down muddying the battle field and the battle between the empire and the varden's allies was a back and forth struggle that started to turn in favor of the empire when the painless ones joined the battle and this time there were thousands of them.
"Roran…" Nausada screamed riding up to him; "…I need you and your knights to take care of those laughing fools…"
"We are ready to serve my lady…"
Roran blew his horn and the Knights of Stronghammer responded immediately riding up to Roran from every corner of the battle. "Knights… The painless ones have joined the battle… Lady Nausada has asked that we destroy these foul servants of Galbatorix… Lets show the varden they can die…" Roran let out a scream leading the charge on snowfire's back. They charged the line of warriors loppimg off heads to ensure death. Roran jumped off Snowfire's back and tackled three soldiers, armed with a sword and his hammer he killed soldiers two and sometimes three at a time.
("I… am… coming… Galmore…") Elva said in her mind as she crawled on her stomach in the mud.
When she was in range, Galmore reached out with his claw and pulled her under his chest ("My body will shield you from his attack…") Overhead Thorn and Murtagh circled them in the air like a giant vulture.
("We will face them together…") Elva said.
Galmore looked up and that is when Thorn began to dive towards them. Murtagh pointed his hand at Galmore mouthing a spell, but it wasn't Thorn that held Galmore's attention it was a ball of brown light with white tendrils coming up behind Thorn. As the ball got close to them it was getting bigger. When Murtagh noticed it he tried to counter the strange magic but it was too late. The ball of light engulfed both Thorn and Murtagh and stopped in the air; when the light faded they were unconscious and fell to the ground like a leaf from a tree. Dragon and rider hit the ground with a soft thump.
Galmore looked this and that way, but he didn't see Saphira or Eragon.
"What happened?" Elva asked out loud.
("I know not… something or someone attacked them… Maybe it some sort of wild magic…") Elva got up, limped towards Murtagh and Thorn drawing her sword. ("What are you doing?")
This time Elva spoke with her mind; ("I am going to end this…")
Galmore watched as Elva approached the two and when she was twelve feet from them a brown dragon dropped out of the sky with a huge thud and roared at Elva. The sight of the dragon startled her and Elva fell backwards. What was even more amazing was the black robed rider on the dragon's back. The dragon was brown, his wings looked like dried parchment or a scroll. His fangs, spikes, and claws were ivory white. The rider had a hood on his cloak, his eyes could be seen but there was a cloth covering his mouth and when he spoke his voice sounded as if it echoed in a mountain.
"Thorn and Murtagh shall not die by your hand…" The rider climbed down out of the saddle and walked up to Elva. In the ancient language he said; "Waise He te'lul eth Nor Shurtugal…" His spell healed all of Elva's injuries and restored the energy she used fighting with magic.
"Who are you…" elva asked as the mysterious rider helped her up.
The question was ignored and he walked pass Elva and used the same spell on Galmore, but instead of using Shurtagal he said Skulbulba. Waves of energy flowed over Galmore and the red wound that was spreading over his body began to heal. When Galmore stood up strait and tall Elva ran past the man and hugged him.
("I thought I was going to lose you…") Elva said.
("And I you…") Galmore replied humming.
She released him and looked at the robed man and his dragon. "Who are you…" She asked again.
"There is no time for that… Eragon is in peril and we must go to him…"
"We can help…" Elva said climbing onto Galmore's saddle.
"No you cannot help… You must return to the varden and aid them in their battle…"
Elva tried to object but Galmore convinced her it was best; ("What about them…") Galmore asked after she agreed.
The man looked back at Murtagh; "He is a victum in all this… If Eragon can kill Galbatorix then he will be free… Remember that… Now go and tell no one of our presence until we have returned with Eragon…"
Galmore jumped into the air with Elva looking back at them. The brown Dragon walked to the side of the robed rider. ("We need to hurry…")
He patted the dragon on the side and turned his attention to Murtagh; ("The two of you will sleep until your master awakens you…") He said and jumped on the brown dragon and off they took.
The battle waged on and both sides had suffered great casualties, the rain had slacked up but it was still pouring in a drizzle. The battle changed in favor of the varden when Galmore and Elva landed in the battle and started pushing the empire back. Several of the allied leaders rode up to Elva and tried to question her about Eragon, Murtagh and such. Arya even tried to question her mentally, but she only gave vague responses and assured them that Eragon was fine.
Saphira was trapped beneath Shruiken and she watched helplessly as Eragon stared down Galbatoorix. "Surrender boy… There is no way you can match my power…"
Eragon summoned all his mental might and empowered it with the energy stored in the jewel imbedded in the circlet on his head. He unleashed that mental power at the same time he leapt at Galbatorix, he caught him out of the air by the neck. "Stupid boy…" He said and unleashed his mental power on Eragon. The force of the mental blast shattered the enchanted jewel protecting Eragon's mind. Eragon struggled to protect his mind, but he could not keep Galbatorix out. In a last ditch effort Eragon kicked Galbatorix in between his legs. He yelped and threw Eragon nine feet, where he lay on the muddy ground writhing. The blow sent Galbatorix to one knee, but he quickly recovered and started walking towards Eragon.
Saphira's whinning turned into a growl of shock when a wall of flames ignited in front of Galbatorix. She was stunned even more when a brown dragon dropped down behind the wall of flames with a black robed rider on his back.
Galbatorix's face twisted; "You… This is impossible… You should be dead…" He screamed in rage.
The black robed rider pointed a clawed hand at Shruiken and yelled a word in the ancient language she did not understand. A shaft of brown light with white tendrils sprang from his palm and struck Shruiken. The blast caused the dragon to fly twelve feet, then he struck a tree, hit the ground and slid another five feet. Shaken up Shruiken couldn't move; Saphira watched the warrior leap off the saddle and flip over the wall of flames. He landed in front of Galbatorix drawing a sword with a brown velvet pummel and gold wiring' there was a brown jewel imbedded in the pummel. The blade was an irredescent brown like the color of sand. Their swords struck with a resounding clang and Saphira watched the black robed rider, fight Galbatorix and hold his own. They fought back and forth with swords and their minds, Galbatorix ducked and struck the rider in the face. He responded by jumping up and kicking Galbatorix in the knee, he responded by swinging for the rider's legs. He flipped over Galbatorix who spun around swinging his sword Avaless. The black robed rider thrust forward, but Galbatorix parried and wrenched the brown sword from his hand.
"You should be dead…" Galbatorix kept screaming the whole time they were fighting. He thrust forward, but the rider stepped to the side and spun around sliding on his knees. He grabbed his sword off the ground and threw it. As the sword spun in the air Saphira saw him remove a strange looking dagger from his belt. he whispered something in the ancient language filling the crystal blade with brown energy. Galbatorix stepped to the side and caught the blade by the pummel. "You are a fool boy just like your master…"
The rider threw the crystal blade, "No Galbatorix… you are the fool…" The crystal blade hit him in the upper thigh with a thud.
Galbatorix dropped both swords and yanked the blade from his thigh, but it was too late.
"What are you going to do old man… fight me or tend to that wound…"
Galbatorix picked up his sword cursed the rider in the ancient language and ran past Saphira in the direction Shruiken was thrown. A few minutes later he and Shruiken were flying back towards Feinster.
("Don't you touch him…") Saphira screamed with her mind, but the rider ignored her and with a wave of his hand he extinguished the flames. The brown dragon stepped to the side and allowed the rider to pass. He grabbed Eragon by the head who was still writhing in the mud.
"Eragon… hear me and clear your mind…" The rider said in the ancient language. "Waise He te'lul eth Nor Shurtugal…" Waves of energy flowed over Eragon healing every cut and bruse. The magic even restored the energy he used fighting with magic. It even restored the jewels on his belt of Beloth the wise and his ring arwen.
Eragon blinked twice at the hood covered man and then he noticed the brown dragon. He jumped back looking for Galbatorix and when the man didn't make a move against him Eragon eased off his fighting stance.
"Who are you…" He ignored the question, healed Saphira, and fixed her armor with magic. Eragon ran past the man and hugged her around the neck. ("That was a close one") He said. As they talked the rider went to the tree and released brisinger from the tree it was in.
("Yes it was and the next time I tell you to run please listen…")
He released her; ("I would never leave you…")
Saphira snorted; ("What about when you left me to deal with that oathbreaker Sloan…")
Eragon laughed, ("That was different…")
("What about him…") Saphira said.
They both turned their attention to the brown dragon and his rider; "Who are you?" Eragon asked.
The black robed rider threw Eragon his sword, "My name is Jaerden and this is Draco, we have come to you at this time Eragon Shadeslayer to give you and Saphira the one thing that will aid you in your fight against Galbatorix…"
The empire was slowly losing ground when Elva and Galmore joined the battle. The allies pushed them back north inch by inch, but fear gripped them all when Galbatorix and Murtagh flew on their dragons overhead, but instead of attacking they flew north. A horn sounded and the empire began retreating; the varden let out a thunderous cheer as they ran off to the north.
"My lady…" Roran screamed running up on Snowfire, "…Shall we pursue?"
"No we still outnumber them let them go… Besides we need to locate Eragon and Saphira…"
That is when Arya ran up and informed them that she had been calling out to Eragon and Saphira with her mind, but she didn't sense them nor did they respond. They all tried to question Elva, but she couldn't tell them anything.
"Look Elva we need to know…" Orwick was cut off as a thunderous cheer went up from the varden.
"Look…" Arya said pointing.
Eragon flew on Saphira's back and the cheers of the allied forces turned to ahs and oohs at the sight of the brown dragon following them. When Eragon landed he wanted to laugh because of the expressions on their faces. As the brown dragon landed Saphira and Eragon approached Nausada and the others, explained their fight with Galbatorix , who the new rider and dragon were and how they were rescued.
"He helped me and Galmore as well…" Elva said.
They all approached the rider and Eragon introduced them; "Everyone this is Draco and his Rider Jaerden… Draco, Jaerden may I introduce Nausada my liege lord and leader of the Varden…" He introduced Jaerden and Draco to each and everyone of the leaders and he in turn greeted each of them in their respective languages, he even spoke Dwarf and Urgal.
"Who are you… and where do you come from…" Arya asked.
Jaerden smiled beneath his mouth cowl; "My tale is a long one and I shall reveal it to Eragon… I have come for Eragon and Saphira they must journey with me to the one place that will put them on equal ground with Galbaotrix…"
"Why should we trust you… you could be a servant of Galbatorix…" Arya said.
The brown dragon roared in anger, but it was Glaedr who touched everyone's mind. ("Draco and Jaerden are honorable… Eragon must go with them in all haste. They will be fine…")
("Glaedr you knew… you knew of their existence?")
Jaerden spoke up; "Both Oromis and Glaedr knew of us and like them we have our…" He rubbed his chest; "…Infirmites."
"Why show yourselves now?" Nausada asked.
"Eragon will tell you that as well when he returns... For now time is against us… The wound I gave Galbatorix will take time to heal even for one as powerful as he is…"
Arya took a few more steps closer and Draco growled a warning; "The two of you must swear in the ancient language that you have not come to betray us in anyway upon pain of death…" They swore at the same time. Arya sighed; "It is up to you Saphira and Eragon…"
"We will go…" They said at the same time.
"Good…" Jaerden went to his saddle and removed three objects, one of them was wrapped in a white clothe. "I was planning to free Eragon and Saphira myself, but Elva did that…" He walked up to Elva and handed her the object wrapped in the white clothe.
"What is this?" She asked.
"A rider should have a rider's sword…" She unwarapped it and inside was an elaborate green sword.
"I know that sword…" Dainor said.
Eragon gasped because the sword had four emeralds imbedded in it; three in the cross guard and one in the pummel. The emerald in the pummel was the same size as the one in the center cross guard. The two remaining emeralds on the end were smaller and the same size as well. The pummel was wrapped in gold wiring and the cross guard was gold as well. The blade itself had a leaf designs; ridges going up and down both sides of the blade. The insignia had been removed.
Elva unsheathed the blade and it shimmered like water that had been disturbed when Galmore came near it. He snorted; ("This sword is surrounded by a great sorrow…")
("Its magnificient… I was meant to wield it…") she turned her attention to Jaerden; "Thank you what is it called?"
"It has had several names; you will have to give it a new one…"
He gave her a belt similar to Eragon's; "This is the belt of Serra the strong and like Eragon's it will store energy in it for later…" Then he handed her a scroll; "This scroll contains twelve spells… The first two are ancient spells and if used properly they will give you the magical strength of any enemy you face… but the spells only last for one day… the next four spells are wards and they will protect you from the strongest magic in the world… The last six are death spells extremely powerful and very dangerous… With them you can slaughter entire cities…"
"Thank you…"
"It is time to go…" Jaerden said jumping up into the saddle on Draco…"
"What about food and supplies…" Arya shouted.
"We will fiind everything we need in the wild and I have some supplies as well…" Draco crouched low; "One more thing… Don't worry about the clan Az Swell Rak Ahunin… Draco and I took care of them in the desert…"
Without waiting for a response, Draco leapt into the air and a few seconds later Saphira followed with Eragon looking back at them. The gathered leaders stood stairing until they were out of sight and as soon as they were gone the rain ended.
"I hope we did the right thing…" Nausada said.
Arya looked at her; "So do I…" She sighed then called out with her mind; ("Glaedr we need to talk…")