Chapter 20

The end or not?

I'm sorry, but my last year of school is coming and I've developed a cold from being up all night and leaving my windows open. In the UK, at night, it becomes quite cold and now I'm not feeling well. If there is anything crazy in this chapter please excuse me. I also have a problem with my laptop. I know what happened but it will take me a few days to fix it. I need to take off the frame of my screen and the plastic covering for the pixel display. Anyway, here is the last chapter.

'Eragon…' she whispered. 'Eragon I'm so sorry.'

He tried to speak but only blood spluttered around his neck. It had been cleaved open by the lightning bolt. Arya sobbed and put a hand to his good cheek.

He needed to communicate with her. He prodded her mind with his and she granted him entry.

Arya. I need you to take me to Glaedr. He will know what to do. If I can even survive.

Yes Eragon.

Ignoring the blood, she gently lifted him up with both her hands under him and took him to Fírnen. She then helped him climb onto the dragon before Fírnen went to Saphira's limp body and lifted it up. He then flew off. Arya began healing him but couldn't even repair his face before getting tired. He was mutilated. Suddenly an image of Murtagh and thorn entered his mind.

Eragon lay on the floor. Someone screamed his name but he didn't care. Mounting Thorn, he chased after the evil blue Rider. His brother had been killed in front of his own eyes. He wanted revenge. The storm clouds that had taken out Eragon were still swirling in the sky above him. They neared the piece of maggot spawn. The Rider heard Thorn and turned around. Murtagh screamed before raising his sword above his head.
'Thrysta!' he shouted. The man fell off his dragon and Murtagh jumped off Thorn. To slow his fall he said a spell and landed on his feet. He ran towards the man, sword raised above his head. He would avenge Eragon or die trying. Murtagh raised his sword to deliver a downwards strike. The man simply raised his arm and deflected the blow off from his gauntlet and punched Murtagh in the gut. He winded and his knees buckled. The man was ridiculously strong. Murtagh tried to ignore the pain, but the man kicked him in the face from his kneeling position. Murtagh screamed in agony as he went flying backwards through the air. He landed twenty feet away from where he had initially received the kick. He looked up at the Rider. He vanished and startlingly reappeared directly in front of him. Thorn roared in pain somewhere above him. Murtagh wanted to help but the bones in his arms were broken from trying to soften his fall. The man laughed and pulled out his sword and before giving a chance for him to speak, made to lop off his head. Murtagh closed his eyes and silently accepted what was going to happen to him…

Eragon awoke suddenly and began coughing and spurting blood from all over his wounds. Arya was holding his liver and stomach in her bare and bloody hands. She immediately turned towards him after hearing his awakening. She touched his mind with her mental probe and communicated with him. According to her, they were only a few minutes or so away from where they kept Glaedr's Eldunari in Du Weldenvarden. Eragon needed help and quickly. They arrived at the building in the forest made specifically for the Eldunari. Eragon didn't remember anything that happened next as he fell unconscious due to loss of blood. Whether or not he would survive would be confirmed if he ever woke up again…

A tingly feeling spread across his chest as he opened his eyes. He was lying down on a floor. Panic began to sweep through him. Had he died? He couldn't feel any more pain.

'Relax Eragon-finiarel,' a calm and familiar voice soothed. It sounded like a long lost memory. As if he was living a dream. He looked around. Sitting about him were, Arya, Rya, Fírnen, Blodhgarm, Saphira and Glaedr's Eldunari on a plinth. There was another figure but Eragon couldn't believe it. It was impossible. There, seated among the small crowd was Oromis. He tried to rub his eyes, but just before he did so, he saw that his left arm was totally pale and hairless. Although he was half-elf, he could still grow body hair, but at a slower rate than humans. It was totally unscarred and wasn't flawed in any way. He looked on the other side and saw it was also unscathed. He looked around in confusion. He was shirtless and there was a gold coloured gem on top of where his heart was. He couldn't feel any problems inside him either.

'Oromis-Ebrithil?' he asked tentatively. Everyone other than Rya looked around the room several times. A simple smile crossed his old master's face.

'Eragon? Are you feeling Ok?' Arya asked.

'Yes why? And how is he here?' he asked pointing towards Oromis. Everyone looked towards the elf but then looked back with a confused expression on their faces.

'How is who here Eragon?' she inquired with a worried voice.

'Oromis-Ebrithil! How is he here?' Eragon exclaimed.

'He isn't here Eragon. He passed into the void over two centuries ago. What are you talking about?' Arya said exasperatedly.

'Eragon, please, do not embarrass yourself any further. Remain silent. Glaedr will explain,' Oromis calmed him.

Glaedr's booming voice then brought everyone's attention away from Eragon.

No lady Arya. He is right. He can in true fact see Oromis somewhere in this room.

The mental conversation was open to all and so everyone could hear the answer Arya returned.

How Glaedr Elda? How can he see someone that is dead?

When a Rider dies, their souls go to the gems that Rhunön inserts into the pommels of the swords she makes for them. They are similar to Eldunari, however, the gem must be inside the person who wants to communicate with them. You put Oromis's gem into him. Now, as you can see, they heal the person you put them inside. Every time Eragon receives a wound on his own skin, it will be replaced with Oromis's skin instantly. Although it is my Rider's skin, Eragon will feel the pain if it gets cut again.

Eragon grew worried. Would he look like half of someone else for his whole life? Eragon worded his concern and Glaedr replied.

Eragon, if for example your arm gets cut off, it will be replaced with Oromis's one. Then, your body will gather up the nutrients it needs over time and gradually reclaim your original arm again. The same goes for your organs. Your body will gather the resources it needs and then it will rebuild your own ones. Think of this as a second chance at everything you do. You can also recuperate faster with healing spells for your skin but internally, it will take longer. There is also another advantage to this. Gems of the elves can contain limitless amounts of energy. Your body, can generate limitless amounts of energy. Normally you need to reach your mind out towards the gems to store energy into them. This however, is now a part of you. Every bit of energy your body can generate will be inserted into the gem after your body has reached its initial capacity, meaning, over time, you will be continuously generating energy and it will be constantly funnelled into the gem. You don't even need to reach for it, it will constantly be at your command. As for you being able to see Oromis is something special. Only you can see him. Nobody else. Not even Saphira. Think of it as a gift. He will be able to show you many things. He will also be able to take control of your body if you are attacked in your sleep or when you have no control over yourself. He can see everything behind you as well. He can also be a vessel for your magic, but you need to supply the energy. This is indeed a mighty gift for your bravery as a Rider. Use it wisely.

But how did it get here for Arya to put it inside me?

When your master gave you the belt of Beloth the wise, he replaced one of the gems with the one inside you now, in the case that something like this should have happened to you. You lost it but it was found by Zenith and now Rya had it, and that is why she is here with us. No Rider or dragon knew of this until they died. We however, are the only dragon and Rider to know of this before death came to us and now we share the knowledge with all the beings in this room.

And with that, he closed his mind off to every person in the room. Silence dominated the company of humans, dragons and elves, until Rya eventually shattered it with a question.

'Who is Oromis?' She asked.

Eragon sighed before answering her. He explained how he first heard of him during his sleep after killing Durza, right up to his death in Gil'ead. They then dispersed. Oromis then followed Eragon into Arya's room and they sat on the bed. Eragon then asked him a few questions about his new state. After that, he healed as much of his skin as he could. There was only a little bit left before he became too exhausted to carry on. He then opened his mind further so Oromis could communicate with Saphira through their link, though she could not see him. The sun had set. They all stayed silent for a while before Oromis randomly spoke up.

'Congratulations Eragon! It seems you are now the mate to one of the most beautiful elves in the forest, considering you are in Arya Dröttning's chambers.'

Eragon blushed like a cherry before looking away. Oromis chuckled lightly and closed off the topic. A few seconds later, Arya burst into the room. She ran towards him and embraced him like a restraint. Oromis simply got up and walked out of the room after she began furiously assaulting his mouth. She couldn't see him and the elf didn't want to take advantage of that. She broke off and took off his tunic. She then looked at where his body had previously been marred and sighed gratefully. She then slapped him hard on his cheek. His face didn't hurt however. He looked towards the mirror on the far side of her room and saw that the section she had slapped had turned as white as Oromis's skin. He looked back at her. The two of them wearing shocked expressions.

'Eragon…' she whispered. 'You have a second chance at everything. I think your normal skin will return after the usual time it would take a bruise to heal passes.'

Saying this, she continued her assault on his mouth, only stopping to take his broken armour off. They then spent the rest of the night lavishing in each other's presence on the same bed.

The morning brought him his slightly darker face back. Eragon tried to contain his laughter as Saphira peered through the window and continuously commented on Arya's frame and body. This was the first naked human or elf she had ever seen other than Eragon during his travels with Brom. Oromis eventually walked into the room after spending the entire night outside. He looked away from Arya's sleeping form as he made his way over to Eragon. He looked at the ceiling the entire time they conversed, until Arya began to stir. She stayed where she was for the next hour until the sun rose. They started to get changed when Arya asked about everything that happened during his encounter with Oathbreaker. Before Eragon could say a word, he remembered that Murtagh had attempted to avenge him and died in the process. He silently mourned his brother before recounting everything that had happened the previous day.

'Eragon… he said that you need to become more powerful. I don't know of any human, elf, dwarf or urgal more potent than you already are except for one person.'

Eragon sat up excitedly. 'Who?' he asked eagerly.

'In the wild, he is known as the Mystery Master,' she explained. 'Nobody has lived to tell the tale of crossing blades with him. He hunts Shades to pass the time, however, he isn't written in history as the five who have managed to kill shades because we don't know if he even exists. If he does exist and if you do find him, he may teach you, or he may take your life before Oathbreaker does. Either way your demise is certain if you cannot gain his help.'

And that is the end of the story. I hope you enjoyed and- SHUT UP!

I won't end the story there. It was just a joke. I planned this for a long time. I will do something special with the title of the story before I upload this and the next story, will be published tomorrow as the next part. Thanks to all those who have read my story until here. If any of you have any questions regarding the gem system, leave it as a review and I will try and answer it in the story through the plot or answer through private messages or as a header for my chapters.

I appreciate it a lot and I thank the lot of you that have heartened me enough to not end this here.

Thanks to the all of my reviewers:

Elemental Dragon Slayer
Sebastiaan Asselbergs
Shadow Wolf Dreamer
A UK reader
Rider of Alduin
Crow
Guest
Alex
fdquesada
Anonymous
Akraccess
Zion
Boomshock5678
And lastly, my first reviewer, xXxGhostRiderxXx

Thanks to all of those who followed this story and the lovely people who checked this as their favourite.

I will next see you all in the next part.