DISCLAIMER: The Inheritance Cycle is not owned by me. Christopher Paolini owns that universe which he created.
Edge of Oblivion
Chapter VII - Morzan
Dawn announced itself with light that slowly fought back the darkness. Sephyr and Paine were already awake, each eyeing the other as their respective riders finally stirred from their slumber.
Morzan stretched as he rolled onto his back and then sat up. His back felt somewhat stiff from sleeping on the hard ground, even though he had covered it with a blanket for him to rest upon. It had been a long time since he had slept upon soil before. He looked over at Brom with a neutral expression. The other rider was also shaking the cobwebs of sleep from his mind, it seemed.
"How far are we?" he asked, the first words he had spoken since Brom had told him about his knowledge of the Shade's whereabouts.
Just thinking about the Shade riled his anger, but he suppressed it with great effort. He would unleash it soon enough, and Durza would know the fury of Morzan, the Dragon Rider.
Brom rubbed his short beard, "Only a few hours. We shall be upon them by mid-day if we so choose, but I feel it would be best to wait until nightfall to preserve our element of surprise."
Morzan's eyes narrowed at that and he felt the anger rising up in him again. "You want to wait? Night or day we will have the advantage of surprise so long as they know not of our approach until we are upon them!" He tightened his hands into fists as he spoke. "The more we wait, the greater the chance he will have left. You said so yourself that you are not sure if the Shade will still be there. If we leave now, and should the blasted Shade have gone we can at least hunt him down for his tracks and scent would still be fresh upon the ground."
He could not believe that Brom would want to wait. Just like the damned elves! he scowled in his thoughts.
Paine interrupted then, saying, Calm, Morzan. We may yet need his assistance and it would be wise not to offend him. And he is already helping us find that evil Shade whom you seek, is he not?
His solid reasoning served to soothe his anger and he softened his demeanor a little.
Brom's expression was unreadable for once as he looked at him. Then he assented by saying, "Then let us ride."
They flew low, hugging the mountains as they wove their way through them in the hopes that they would not be seen so quickly. Sure enough, after the sun had passed its zenith in the sky Sephr angled to descend with Paine quickly following suit.
Morzan's heart fluttered slightly as he anticipated the battle to come. He had grown even stronger since their last encounter, though he had no doubts the Shade had as well. But his thirst for vengeance, his anger, would be strong enough to overcome the Shade - or so he hoped. His hand dropped unconsciously to the hilt of Zar'roc as they got closer to the ground.
As they landed, Brom turned on his saddle and looked at Morzan. "There is a camp of Urgals at the base of the mountain before us, and it is set up in front of a cave where my source tells me the Shade resides."
Morzan's heart started beating faster. The anticipation and anxiety welling up inside of him was increasing at a rapid pace. Vengeance was close at hand.
"Then let us tarry no further," said Morzan as he gritted his teeth and Paine moved to fly.
"Wait!" cried Brom, but it was already too late as Paine flew into the sky and Morzan ignored his calls. "Damn!" he yelled as he gripped his saddle, "I guess we won't have a plan of attack other than to attack." Brom sighed as he indicated to Sephyr to follow the red dragon, who had already loosed a roar of defiance.
A simple enough plan, Sephyr said.
Echoing across the mountainside was the sound of multiple Urgal horns as the large warriors, caught by surprise, leaped to their feet with weapons in hand. Paine had already loosed a torrent of flames at several of the big tents, igniting them and the Urgals inside as they howled in agony and died. From his saddle Morzan launched magical attacks, killing some Urgals with ease as their spellcasters had not readied themselves. A few more were struck down as Paine landed on a group of three Urgals, crushing them under his weight, and then he lashed out at two more close by with his menacing claws.
Arrows loosed at them deflected off into random tangents as they hit the barriers Morzan had erected around himself and Paine, and he drew Zar'roc then as he yelled, "DURZA! I COME FOR YOU!" Paine bellowed a roar that shook the trees and seemingly the very mountain.
Sephyr finally caught up to them and flew around the camp, setting fire to anything else that was not already burning and with a sweep of its tail as it flew by sent four Urgals flying into the air with deep gashes from his sharp tail spikes. The Urgals, who had numbered roughly sixty before were already down to about two dozen and they had retreated towards the cave entrance.
Morzan smirked, "Urgals retreating? Never have I seen such cowardice," he said out loud to Paine who sent a feeling of smugness and triumph back through their link. With his urging Paine bounded over to the cave entrance and inhaled mightily before opening his jaws and unleashing a stream of fire into the cave. He held the stream for half a minute before he closed his jaws and growled. Blackened stone revealed itself where it had not been moments before, evidence of the intense heat that Paine had released.
Surveying the scene, Morzan grinned with satisfaction and then dismounted from his dragon. Smoke filled the air as well as the stench of Urgals and burnt flesh, but he did not seem to be affected.
Sephyr landed behind Paine and in a matter of seconds Brom was at Morzan's side. "That was incredibly foolish, jumping in without a plan and without at least scouting what we are up against," said the younger of the two as he looked at Morzan with a neutral expression.
Morzan shrugged, "It worked."
Brom did not reply as he peered into the cave, the entrance was too small for their dragons to enter. He had not realized the implications of that until that moment, and he did not like it at all. To be separated from their dragons would be to take away a large part of their strength, perhaps that was why the Shade preferred to stay within the depths of a cave where no dragon could reach him. A feeling of great unease settled in his stomach.
Morzan had already taken a few steps into the cave, Zar'roc drawn and ready to strike, when Brom called out to him. Annoyance flashed on the older rider's face as he turned.
"What is it now, Brom?"
Brom explained to him his misgivings.
Morzan shook his head, "Are you so afraid, Brom? There are two of us, and not even a Shade can fight against two powerful riders, with or without dragons. Now let's go before he finds a way to escape from our grasp!" He turned and with a muttered word a shining orb of light materialized in front of him and then floated upwards, casting a faint yellow light that illuminated the dark recesses of the cave. Several Urgals lay dead a few paces ahead, burnt to a crisp and their bodies still smoking.
The other rider hesitated for a moment, turning to look at Sephyr, and then he too entered the cave.
-xxx-
They had followed the stone passageways of the cave as it twisted and turned. They went ever deeper into the heart of the mountain, and with each step Brom's fear and apprehension grew. His eyes darted from shadow to shadow, wary of any traps. Undbitr was held tightly in his hand, ready to defend and to kill.
Morzan, meanwhile, did not share his fears. If anything, as they went deeper he got more excited. He could feel magic in the air, dark magic, and he knew the Shade was close. He could also smell the Urgals and for a brief moment he wondered how many had survived and how many had hidden in the cave. He knew that they were most probably walking into a trap, but with Brom at his side, the two of them could face any challenge. They were strong enough.
"I don't like this," muttered Brom as they emerged into a larger cavern. So large that the light from the orb could not reach the other side and so it seemed the cavern stretched endlessly into darkness. There were strange echoes in the cave, from the dripping of water to the whistling of the wind that blew every now and then. There was also the sound of shuffling and on occasion slight whisperings.
Morzan stiffened. He thought he saw some movement ahead. He brought Zar'roc up a little higher as he slowed his forward movement. They were walking towards the middle of the cavern, darkness surrounding the bubble of light that the orb was able to create around them.
Then a lone figure slowly appeared out of the shadows before them.
Morzan's grip on Zar'roc tightened to the point he thought he heard his knuckles crack. "Durza," he spat.
The Shade smiled, revealing his sharp teeth. Amusement showed on his face, and it angered Morzan. How could he be amused?
"We meet again, riders," the same drawl spoke with calm. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this most unpleasant visit?"
Brom and Morzan said nothing, but neither did they move to attack. They both felt that there was something wrong. Not even the Shade was armed, with his hands clasped behind his back. It was almost as if he wanted them to attack. What he was playing it, they were not sure.
"I know I am a striking sight to behold, but that does not mean you should hold your tongues," the Shade said with a hint of annoyance. "In any case, I know why you are here. You have come to avenge her death, yes?"
Morzan visibly bristled at that, and the rage ignited within him once more. He grit his teeth and moved Zar'roc to a better position so as to strike. "You will die today, Shade. And it will be by my blade," Morzan stated simply.
The Shade merely laughed lightly, "You may try."
Morzan leaped forward and closed the distance between them, Zar'roc swinging through the air. Brom reached out his hand, "No! Morzan!" But again he was too late.
The Shade moved with incredible speed, stepping aside from the slashing red sword of Morzan and unclasped his hands behind him, revealing his blade that he had kept hidden. He smiled again, and the it served to infuriate Morzan even more. He wanted to destroy the wretched red-haired monstrosity, and his desire to do so was so great his muscles quivered from the tension and energy welling within him. He was so focused on the Shade he failed to realize the appearance of Urgals all around them, and though he could faintly hear Brom yelling his name he paid no attention. There was, in his mind, only him and the Shade.
They circled each other for a moment before Morzan pounced again, his sword slicing quickly through the air. But the Shade was faster and parried his blow with ease, and the next, and the next one after that too. Morzan fought, putting forth all his energy and skill, and still he could not get past the Shade's defense. He gritted his teeth as he blocked a counter-attack that shook his entire arm from the force of it. Durza was not only fast, he was strong too. Far faster and stronger than Morzan had anticipated. A momentary thought bubbled within his mind that he might not live through the fight, but he squashed it and let his rage consume him once more.
No, he thought, I will not be bested.
He let loose a war cry as he went at the Shade again, and a look of surprise flashed upon the deathly white face before it disappeared and he returned to his taunting smile. Red eyes buzzing with a maniacal energy. Morzan began to move faster and hit harder, for the Shade had to work harder in fighting, but still the Shade had the upper hand and forced the rider into a hasty retreat.
"You cannot win, rider," said Durza as brushed aside some stray red hair that had fallen across his face. His red eyes glinted in the faint light of the orb above them. "But why fight me, if you can join me?"
Morzan scowled at him, "Join you?" he spat, "Never." And he quickly said a spell that would hold the Shade in place. He felt the drain from the spell almost immediately after he cast it, and the Shade's eyes widened in surprise. Then they squinted as Morzan stepped closer, visibly tiring as the spell drained so much since the Shade was fighting back against it. He drew energy from Zar'roc, which contained a massive amount, and he managed to hold the Shade still because of it. He stood before it with a smile of triumph.
He raised Zar'roc and slowly hacked at Durza's body, and the Shade though inhuman still felt pain and he hissed. Large gashes bled profusely, and still the Shade did not move. Morzan drew energy from Zar'roc again to sustain the spell. He was getting dangerously tired from it, but he was almost done. He looked straight into Durza's eyes as he spoke, "That was for nearly killing me."
He then pointed the tip of his sword over the Shade's heart. "And this," he said, "Is for my wife."
But just as he was about to thrust the blade deep into Durza's heart, something rammed him from the side and sent him sprawling to the ground. Delirious, he suddenly grew extremely exhausted and in his mind he realized the spell was still active. He cancelled it with great effort and regret, for it would have killed him had he not done so. He tried to move, but the effort was too much for him. He could not even find it in himself to draw more energy from Zar'roc, and slowly he lost consciousness. The last thing he felt was the cold stone floor of the cavern, and in the distance echoing were the sounds of battle.
-xxx-
Brom ran through the tunnels, his breathing uneven. He had cuts and bruises all over, but no major injuries thankfully - which was a miracle considering the Urgal force that had ambushed him. And it seemed, only him. For Morzan had gone after the Shade and not one Urgal went to help, all of them concentrating on Brom.
His mind was racing. The sounds of rallying Urgals echoed behind him. Turning, he sent a few spells down where he had just come from, eliciting a few cries of pain and several thuds. He felt the drain of the spells, but he was not so affected by it this time around. Still he could hear more Urgals. It was almost as if the very earth had spat them out and they were coming through the tunnels to the surface. Towards him.
He could not go back to find Morzan, no matter how much he wanted to. The other rider had to fend for himself until he could return. Bringing the Urgals to the surface would even the battle and he knew he would win it easily with the two dragons. It was going back in to find Morzan that worried him.
Soon enough, he neared the entrance to the cave as light shone through from its mouth. He squinted, his eyes feeling some pain as they adjusted to the sudden brightness. Paine was there, and Sephyr. They had moved farther down the small slope that led to the cave, and their heads swiveled up upon his arrival.
Where is Morzan? exclaimed Paine, red eyes boring into him and teeth bared. I can feel him in pain!
Brom shook his head, "We were separated," a pained look in his eyes, "There were too many Urgals for me to do anything. He can take care of himself, besides you would know if he was..." he did not finish the sentence. He finally spoke, "Once we thin them out I can go back in and find him."
Almost as if on cue, Urgals streamed from the mouth of the cave. Some of them slowed, taken by surprise at the sight of two large dragons, but they continued their charge. Though it would prove to be a grave mistake for them as none survived the ensuing battle. Paine killed most of them in his rage and desire to find his rider.
Sephyr looked at Brom with concern as his rider looked tired, Are you sure you are okay?
Brom nodded, a grim expression on his face, I will be fine. It is Morzan I am worried about, and with that he turned to Paine. "I will find him and return him to you," he stated to the red dragon with a determined look.
Paine watched as he went back inside, You had better. Thoughts of tearing up the mountain to search for his rider entertained his thoughts.
-xxx-
Morzan stirred. Slowly.
There was darkness. Then he realized it was because his eyes had been closed. Opening them slowly, he found himself lying face down on the cold, stone floor of the cavern. His thoughts were a haze as he tried to remember where he was and what he was doing there. Ever so slowly, he turned onto his back. He groaned as his head began to hurt. With a start his mind remembered what had happened.
Reaching for Zar'roc, which lay a foot away from him, he slowly got onto his feet. Wobbling for a moment, he did not know what happened to Brom and he dared not reach out with his consciousness lest the Shade attack him in his weakened state. Sapping some energy from the jewel of his trusty blade, he felt a little better.
His lighted orb, he realized, had disappeared. In its place was a larger, brighter orb. It was stationary high above him, and he realized that it managed to bring light to most of the cavern, though dimly in the distant parts. He wondered who had set it up, and before he could even think on the answer to the question, a voice spoke behind him and startled him.
"You were lucky to survive," said a low voice. "Not everyone who faces a Shade and passes out in the fight manages to escape unscathed. But you can thank me later."
Spinning with Zar'roc up in front of him, Morzan saw that it was not Durza. The man was clothed in armor of fine steel and make. He seemed preoccupied with his thoughts as he sat upon a large, but relatively smooth rock formation. Long black hair, somewhat unruly, went to just above shoulder-height, and his eyes seemed black and dark.
"Who are you?" asked Morzan, confused. He had not moved from where he stood roughly fifteen paces away.
The stranger let out a grunt, "I am the man who saved your life."
"And I thank you for that," Morzan replied, "But what were you doing in these caves in the first place?" His eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.
The dark-haired man waved a hand, "This cave, I heard, was where the Shade was staying. I came here to slay it. Alas, in order to save you I could not land a killing blow in my haste. It has receded into its spectral form, and shall return again in time, but as of right now it is no more."
Morzan shook his head, Zar'roc lowering ever so slightly as his mind processed the information. The Shade lives! His thoughts then turned to the realization that he had failed. I could not defeat him, he thought, Where was Brom? He should have helped me! Indeed, he looked around and wondered where Brom was. It was then that he saw the lifeless bodies of many an Urgal littering the cavern floor and scattered towards the entrance. Morzan knew it was not he who had done that. Had Brom left him here to die?
He could not fathom why he would do such a thing. This was his thanks? This was how he was to help me? To bring me so close to achieving victory, and then leaving me to die here as soon as I fell? his thoughts raged. He turned to the stranger, "Did you see what happened to my companion?"
The man shook his head, "Unfortunately, no. There were Urgals attacking him and he fled. No doubt he has returned to the surface by now, or is dead."
Finally, after a moment of silence Morzan lowered his sword and walked closer to the stranger. Warily, he stopped about five feet away. It dawned on Morzan that the man looked strangely familiar. "What is your name, stranger? So that I may give you a proper boon and praise for saving my life."
The man gave him a wear smile, finally looking up into Morzan's different colored eyes. He stood to his full height, which was about two inches taller than Morzan, who was already quite tall. "My name is Galbatorix."
Why does that name sound so familiar..? I feel like I have seen him before, and yet I cannot remember where or when, he thought. He nodded, "Very well, Galbatorix. I thank you for saving me, you may ask for a boon and if it is within my power I shall grant it so that I may repay this great debt."
Galbatorix stepped forward, and his closeness made Morzan feel suddenly cautious. His right hand poised to strike with Zar'roc, should the need arise.
"I have but one request of you, Morzan," he spoke.
"How do you know my name?" asked the rider in shock, taking two steps back and raising his sword to point at Galbatorix.
The dark-haired man grinned, "Because we met once, in Vroengard if you recall. You were but a novice then, still in training... ah, so many years ago." He began to pace, "You see, I used to be a rider. Just like you. Well, I still consider myself to be one, but..." and he paused.
Morzan's mouth slowly opened and closed, then he realized who he was talking to. "You lost your dragon..." he whispered. He remembered now.
Galbatorix nodded, sadness enveloping his features and eyes for a moment, before they were wiped away as quickly as they had come. "Indeed. It was very... difficult, to say the least. And when I asked the elders for a new dragon, they denied me. They denied me my return to happiness. They denied me a chance to fill the gaping hole that fills my every waking moment." His voice had begun to be laced with venom. "You cannot imagine how it feels to walk around with an enormous piece of your soul missing. The one being who you spent many years with in intimate contact with each other's minds suddenly gone. The only thing to answer your voice were the shadows in your dreams..."
"But, I persevered. Instead of going mad and killing myself, I made myself stronger. And you, Morzan, you respect strength, do you not?"
Morzan nodded slowly, but said nothing.
"Well, rest assured it has been a long and tumultuous journey, but I succeeded. I am stronger than I ever was," there was a glint of pride in his eyes, and the way he spoke belied a vast self-confidence. Morzan could not help but believe him. "As you can imagine, I am very much disillusioned by the leadership of the riders. They are too soft, too elven, and because of that they are unworthy. How else can you explain the continued havoc of the Shade? How else can you explain their refusal to grant me another dragon? I am sure that if I had been an elven rider they would not have hesitated so.
But because I was human," he emphasized, "They did not help me."
Morzan was enthralled by his speech, Zar'roc in his grasp but hanging loosely at his side as he listened. His words rang true to Morzan's very core.
He stopped pacing and turned to Morzan, and in a very serious manner spoke with a powerful voice, "I intend to take over the riders and overthrow the elven elders. They are unworthy of their titles. I intent to remake the Dragon Riders into the powerful, feared presence they once were in Alagaësia. I intend to fill the hole within me by taking the dragon they refused to give and then, when I am finished, I shall bring up the race of man. I shall make humanity the dominant race in Alagaësia. Too long have we been fearful of Elves and Dwarves. Too long have we suffered, especially with the elven elders' lack of action to help us when we needed them."
There was a momentous pause, and Morzan found he had been holding his breath.
"Too long have we let the histories of Alagaësia be shaped by those races that came before us. Now, there is a chance for humanity to rise up and take what has been denied of us by the fearful elves: dominion of Alagaësia." Galbatorix took a step forward, he was a mere two feet away. His eyes radiated power and standing at his full height Morzan was awed by his presence. "But in order to do this, Morzan. I will need help. Help from those riders who are sympathetic to our cause. And if you join me, you shall be my right hand in the new age to come. Together, Morzan, we can shape the histories and bring forth the Age of Man. All you would have to do, is swear an oath of fealty to me."
Morzan was stunned by all the information coming at him, by the grand visions Galbatorix had laid out. Within him he felt an urge to comply, to bow down and join this man who seemed to have fate and destiny in his hands. It felt right. He hesitated for a moment, knowing that such an oath would be nigh impossible to break, but he believed too much of what Galbatorix had said. He thought those very same things, though to a lesser degree. And he did not have the vision that this man had. No he did not. And it was a magnificent vision, one that Morzan felt he would be proud to bring about.
This was his chance at greatness, at truly shaping the world. Without pause he finally dropped to one knee and moving Zar'roc horizontally he placed its other end flat on his left palm and presented it to Galbatorix. His eyes gazed downward as he raised up the sword so he could not see the great smile that had spread across Galbatorix' face. Morzan's very core told him it was the right thing to do. He would help Galbatorix achieve his grand schemes, and in the end the world he wanted would be reality.
He felt Zar'roc's familiar weight leave his hands, picked up by the man before him, and using it Galbatorix tapped him on both shoulders and instructed him words in the ancient language to bind him. An oath so strong Morzan knew to break it would mean certain death. He could feel the magic working in the words, and as he finished he felt a both a great weight and great excitement within him.
Galbatorix returned Zar'roc to him then and grabbing him by the shoulders he raised him up. Looking into his eyes, Galbatorix told him, "Now you must keep everything that has occurred between us a secret. We are still not ready to act."
Morzan nodded, "As you say, sire."
Galbatorix beamed at him, "Good. Now, I must be off. Your companion searches for you, I can hear him running and feel his presence. He shall be here soon."
He turned and walked a few paces away, then stopped and without looking at Morzan asked, "Do you think he can be persuaded to join us?"
Morzan did not know for sure. "Perhaps," he responded, "But I personally do not believe so."
"Find out his mind on the matters I have talked about. See if he would be sympathetic to us, and then if you think it right ask them to join with us. Do so with any others you think may join us, and when they agree you must try and reach me so we can arrange for the oaths to be made. We cannot have any in our ranks who are disloyal to the cause. Understood?"
"As you will."
And then Galbatorix disappeared further into the cave, taking one of the many passages that entered into the cavern. His already dark form easily disappearing into the dark embrace of the mountain deep. A moment later, Morzan could hear footsteps echoing through and his name being called out.
Turning on his heel, he walked with a steady pace towards where they had originally entered the cavern. As he did so, the light that had been shining high above extinguished himself, forcing Morzan to recreate his smaller orb light.
They met a few seconds later, with Brom rounding the corner and stopping abruptly first with sword raised then he lowered it and smiled. "You are alive!" he exclaimed rather happily. "I had thought that perhaps I was too late..."
Morzan shook his head and gave him a fake smile, "It will take more than a Shade to kill me."
Brom nodded, then his gaze snapped to Morzan, "So did you kill Durza?"
"No."
"What happened?"
"I managed to wound him mortally," Morzan managed to say as he realized he had not come up with a story of what had happened, "but I was unable to pierce his heart. He has become a spectre again, no doubt searching for a new host to inhabit and he will return soon enough."
Brom looked at him with a somewhat confused look, "And are you hurt?"
"Nothing that magic and some rest won't heal," he replied as he started to walk back to the surface, Brom quickly following.
The other rider was not entirely convinced that was the whole truth, but there was no way of knowing what had actually happened. Besides, there was no Shade and Morzan was alive. And Brom knew he would not have made any pacts with the Shade, his hatred for Durza was without equal. So he decided to accept Morzan's story.
He finally gave him a grin, "So you fought and bested a Shade again, eh? Though this time you didn't almost die."
That made Morzan remember that night, and he became irritated by that.
Brom realized his mistake and quickly apologized.
The older rider waved his hand, "It is of no consequence. The past is the past." Though he himself did not believe such words, it was more for Brom's benefit than his. He still could not and would not forgive Brom for his grave mistake, but he also did not want to alienate him. Not since his new master had asked him to try and recruit Brom, and not since Brom may yet help him to finally defeat the Shade.
So much had happened in the span of a few hours. And though he was still processing the information, one thing was clear to Morzan: the Age of Man was coming.
Leading the charge would be Galbatorix. And at his right hand side would be Morzan.
A/N: The story after this will start to focus more on Eragon. These first few chapters are intended to set the background of the greater story to come. I expect this fic to be 100,000+ words! An epic, if you will. haha I hope you are as excited as I am.