Chapter 18

Eragon estimated around two to three hundred Riders as the two forces of dragons charged at each other. They would be outnumbered for a little more than two to one. He also didn't know how well they fought. If he did, it would give him a better understanding of whether his graduated students would manage to hold them off. Eragon reached out with his mind to the sixteen auxiliaries they had left behind. He told them to call for reinforcements from Edoc'sil deloi and to tell them to come quickly. He also told them to come and join the battle because of the lack in numbers.

Just as Eragon severed the contact, Saphira dived sharply underneath a dragon a little smaller than her. She flipped upside down and raked her claws deep into its belly. The gore from the other dragon splattered all over Saphira's flank but they ignored it. The dragon roared in pain and arched its neck backwards. Saphira then flexed her head around and took hold of the dragon's neck in between her teeth. Another roar of pain echoed the first and Eragon took this moment to jump onto the other dragon. The Rider drew his sword and swung at his thigh, because he had the higher ground. His wards blocked the blow and he attempted to land one of his own. The blade slid like butter across the Riders wards, but Eragon landed a punch to volley his miss.

The Rider made a gurgling sound from his neck, where Eragon had punched him. He didn't wait for anything else.

'Thrysta!' he shouted and the Rider went flying through the sky, falling to his death. The dragon was thrashing wildly now. Eragon jumped onto Saphira before she crunched down into the neck of the dragon, breaking a few bones and ending its life.

They dispatched a few more pairs in this manner. Eragon could often see Rya firing enchanted crossbow bolts into a few dragons from the ground with Moonstone standing next to her. Eragon tried to ignore her and continue fighting, but he couldn't. There were only four beings in Alagaesia he actually cared about. And she was one of them. The others were Murtagh, Arya and Saphira. After every Rider and dragon he slayed, he looked back at her. In the disarray of battle, he couldn't find Murtagh or Arya. While he looked around for them, two dragons approached. Saphira snorted then charged forward. She flew between the two of them and tilted to the side. She clawed one and whipped the other with her tail, tearing the scales off it. The dragon who she had raked went tumbling towards the ground. The remaining one which she had whipped with her tail flew higher and turned around to confront her again. Eragon didn't try to mount the dragon this time. He pulled out the bow queen Islanzadí gave him before he left for the battle of the burning plains. He took aim and fired. The arrows could either pierce the wings, or the area where the scales had come off. He aimed for the body where the missing scales provided no cover from the flesh. The arrow hit true and the dragon cried once before falling a few feet. It stopped its fall by flapping its wings laboriously. Eragon aimed again, this time at the left wing. He fired and the dragon fell to its impending doom. He looked around. He estimated around fifty Riders left on the opposing side and he counted three dead on the ground from his own order.

Eragon frantically looked around. He hadn't seen Arya or Murtagh through the whole battle, nevertheless, he continued felling the hostile army. When there was only one left, Eragon watched as Blodhgarm mutilated his face by digging his sword straight through his cheek. He landed and looked around. He was devastated by the amount of dead dragons lying on the floor. Whether or not they were evil, it felt wrong to massacre such majestic creatures. He continued his search for his half-brother and his mate.

He found Murtagh quickly. However, Arya was nowhere to be seen.

The Riders were cheering at their first victory as the peace-spreaders of Alagaesia. Eragon was panicking. Where is she? He constantly asked himself.

He tried asking Saphira. Have you seen her?

She was also twisting her head from left to right. No little one. I can't find them. What troubles you troubles me, and if I don't help sort out the source of the problem, then a half of your soul is a lie to you.

Everyone started congratulating him and mourning the few that died. Eragon was in no happy state to accept congrats. Sometimes, he would see a head which looked like her but ended up being someone else. He raked his hair with his fingers in frustration. He was beginning to sweat.

Saphira suddenly lied down on her belly and ordered him to climb onto her back they launched into the air and began encircling the remains of the battlefield. They looked towards the mountain. The sun was setting so it was hard to see, but Saphira managed to make out two figures on one of the mountaintops. Eragon released a heavy sigh as they neared the shadows, Eragon recognised the shape of the curves of the smaller one and relaxed himself. They landed on the mountain and Eragon jumped off his beloved dragon. He approached his dear elf, but before he could cover ten feet, Arya mounted Fírnen and he took flight, leaving a very disheartened Eragon to his thoughts and the blue dragon that was twice the size of Saphira approaching him with a Rider atop it.

I'm kind of sad, because according to fanfic I didn't get a single view today. I'm also really sorry that the last couple of chapters have been super short. I've been away from home for the last week or so, and for the next day. After tomorrow, I'll be doing my usual 2K chapters. Anyway, leave a review and I'll upload the next chapter tomorrow.