Saphira was lying on the ground next to Eragon, unconscious. Across from them lay Galbatorix in a similar state.
But what sent dread deep into Ayianas' heart was the ghostly figure stalking towards Eragon; Kuthian himself.
"Don't!" Ayiana yelled as she stood up and ran over to Eragons' side. Within a few moments Arya was standing next to her, the rest of the two armies seemed to be ignoring the scene before them.
"The dwarves and elves are coming!" cried a voice in the distance.
"Please, Kuthian, don't take Eragon and Saphira." Arya begged.
"I came for two and two I shall have." Kuthian replied in a ghostly voice. "One of you take place of one of them?"
Ayiana and Arya looked to each other.
"I'll do it." Ayiana told Arya. "I don't have any family left."
But Arya shook her head at Ayiana as she bent down and picked up the Rock from Eragons' limp hand and took a step towards Kuthian. "I will take the place of Eragon Bromson." She said. She stood tall and proud, like the royalty she was born into.
"Arya, no! What are you thinking?" Ayiana asked her.
"It was my job to protect Saphira while she was in the egg, Ayiana. I failed in my duty with that. This is the least I can do to make up for my mistake." Arya said without looking back to Ayiana.
Ayiana dropped to her knees as Kuthian spoke once again. "And who be you to take place of Eragon Bromson in Vault of Souls?"
"Arya Dröttningu, daughter of Queen Islanzadí, of the elves."
"Your request is approved." Kuthian said as he walked forward to Arya. Extending his arm, Kuthian touched Arya on her arm. Arya fell to the ground, lifeless. Then Kuthian walked to Galbatorix and touched his arm as well. The old king stiffened at the touch but soon his soul was in the Vault of Souls.
Ayiana watched in horror as Kuthian did this, tears rolling down her face as she placed a hand on Eragons' shoulder, feeling as if that would help protect him. Eragon was still alive, and she intended it to stay that way.
Fear constricted her throat as Kuthian walked over to them. The ghostly figure bent down and merely grabbed the Rock from Eragons' hand. Then the figure disappeared and the sounds of battle returned.
Ayiana looked at Eragon as he stirred under her hand.
"W-what happened?" he asked, looking around. Saphira seemed to be in a similar state as she lifted her head and looked around. Kveykva soon joined them and chased away anyone who came to close to the group.
Ayiana felt her grief, fear, and relief mix together as she looked into his face. "Oh Eragon, are you all right?" she managed to ask him as she gave him a huge hug, with tears filling her eyes.
Eragon seemed surprised by her actions. "Yea, of course. What happened? Galbatorix threw you both to the ground so Saphira flew over to help. After that I can't remember a thing. What happened to Arya?" He asked as he looked over and saw the elf on the ground.
"Eragon, you opened the Vault of Souls when you were not ready. Kuthian came to take you and Galbatorix to the Vault. Oh, Eragon, Arya sacrificed herself so that you might live!" Ayiana told him weakly.
'Galbatorix must have invaded your mind, Eragon, and learned a little bit about the Rock of Kuthian. He must have forced you to open the Vault before you were ready.' Saphira said.
"That would explain why he took Galbatorix as well. We might have won the war, but I feel as if we have lost." Ayiana said. More tears blurring her vision as she walked over and sat by Aryas' side. Eragon joined her there, both weeping freely. They both turned their heads around when they heard a growl come from behind them; Shruikan was waking.
'What happened? Where am I?' They heard him ask.
'All shall be explained later.' Kveykva answered.
The battle finished before any of them knew it. Only when Ayiana looked up and saw the distraught face of Islanzadí did she realize the war was over.
"What happened here?" asked a blood-soaked Orrin riding over on his charger.
"Oeì. I think we would all like to know that." Grunted Orik.
Ayiana nodded as she wiped the tears from her face and cleared her throat. Weakly she told them of how Galbatorix had caught her and Kveykva in a spell and thrown them to the ground; how Eragon and Saphira flew over to help them; how Galbatorix broke into Eragons' mind and learned about the Rock of Kuthian and forced Eragon to use is even though he was not ready; how the Rock summoned forth Kuthian to take the souls of Eragon and Galbatorix to the Vault of Souls; how Arya thought it was her duty to save Eragon and Saphira because she failed to protect Saphira while she was still in her egg; and how Kuthian accepted her offer and took off with her soul and Galbatorixs'.
"Please, everyone, can you leave?" Islanzadí asked.
Unable to speak, everyone slowly left her alone. Eragon and Ayiana were the last to leave.
"Where is Murtagh and Thorn?" Eragon asked, looking around.
"Over here! Say, you think you can explain what happened to Thorn?" said a voice behind them.
Ayiana and Eragon turned around and saw Murtagh walking towards them, Thorn right behind him, back to the size he should be at that age. Murtagh frowned when he saw the look on Eragons' face.
"What happened brother?" he asked.
'Arya gave her life for Eragons'.' Saphira told him.
"Well, I guess pushing those horses and forcing me to go to the Varden paid off then. If she saved your life; it seems like she paid off a debt she owed you, Eragon." Murtagh pointed out.
"But why in this fashion?" Eragon weakly replied.
"Aye." Murtagh said, holding onto a weeping Eragon.
They all stared and looked up as Shruikan approached them and reached out with his mind.
'Do not bother her now with your woes. She saved your life when you saved hers. She gave herself to Kuthian to save you and Saphira. Eragon, nothing happens by chance, nothing is coincidental in this world. As this shows, you saved her life so she was destined to save yours, no matter the cost. Aye, truth is scarier than lies, but it's the truth that saves lives, and lies that takes them. I was Galbatorixs' slave for a hundred years, and I'm glad to say that what he did was his own downfall, unfortunately he ended up taking the elf with him.' Shruikan told Eragon.
"This is not our place, Eragon, let us return to Ellesméra with Islanzadí and the rest of the elves. That is our place. I shall train you, Murtagh, and Alanna in the old ways. Eragon, what is done is done, you cannot erase the past." Ayiana said.
"Islanzadí will never trust Murtagh there." Eragon said.
"Then we shall rebuild Doru Araeba. Eragon, we can rebuild the riders because of Aryas' sacrifice. She gave her life to the riders." Murtagh said.
Eragon nodded, "Then let us return to Islanzadí and hear her insight on this."