Twin Sapphires
By
Ragnorokrising
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Chapter One: Soaring Beasts and Flaming Claws
Brom and Oromis drank their tea while watching a fifteen year old Eragon and an eighteen year old Murtagh fight with swords. They were using some of the Rider swords as well as multiple styles to improve. "Spell prohibition lifted." called Oromis. Eragon jumped into the air and pointed his palm at Murtagh. He called upon his energy and searched for the words. He remembered a smell he had read in a tattered old scroll and smiled at his half brother.
"Brisingr!" the flames flew forward and connected with the black blade Murtagh wielded. Eragon landed backwards from Murtagh and pushed backwards. His hands landed on the ground and he lifted himself backwards, onto Murtagh's shoulder. He kicked Murtagh in the chin, causing him to stagger back. Murtagh jammed the blade into the ground and pulled his stomach back as Eragon's palm flew forward.
"Ha, you missed!"
"Thrysta vindr!" he whispered and a hard ball of air coalesced between them and struck Murtagh in the middle of the stomach, tossing him thirty feet across the plateau. Eragon picked up the black sword and the orange sword he was using and sheathed them. He gave Murtagh the black sword and they went back up to the hut.
"Eragon," said Oromis in a voice filled with both anger and astonishment. "Where did you learn that spell?"
"I found it in an old tattered scroll when I was exploring the forest one day. I found a lot more. Why? You seem angry I used it."
"It's considered a forbidden spell son." answered Brom while handing both of them some fruit. "It uses air and water moisture from the air to blast the enemy away but if you are in an area with dry air, it uses your own body moisture and blood for the spell." Eragon took a bite of his apple and moved to sit down, but a large explosion resounded through the air. A pair of large craters with black dirt and rising steam formed in the rock. Eragon, Murtagh, Brom and Oromis crept over.
"NO! This is not good!" yelled Oromis. "I must tell Queen Islanzadí immediately!" he ran out as fast as he could while Glaedr backed away, growling.
"Dad, what's going on?"
"Yeah Uncle Brom, wanna explain what scared Oromis?" Eragon and Murtagh turned their gaze upon Brom, who was shuffling through the things on Oromis's study table. He pulled out a square slab with the picture of a man with dark red hair and black leather around his neck. He had pale skin with small wounds decorating it at random spots.
"This is the Shade Durza. Oromis made this one earlier this week. I made this one." he placed the picture of Durza down and picked up a new one. Eragon gasped as Murtagh hold his shoulders. Eragon wanted to stand up and take every one of the Rider swords as well as the Eldunarí and jumped on Saphira's back so he could go kill Danzo with the most powerful of the forbidden spells he learned.
"Eragon, please just calm down." pleaded Murtagh. Eragon clenched his fist. In the picture, his childhood friend, Arya, lay on the ground in a twisted position with Durza looming over her. He turned his head on the craters and stood up, much to Murtagh's, who always assumed he was stronger, surprise. He walked into one and placed his hand on the blue oval shaped stone on the ground.
"Please, please hatch for me so I can save Arya." he whispered. "I don't think I can go on without her." a single tear streamed down his cheek and landed on the blue surface. A light haze surrounded the egg. Cracks began to form around it until it shattered. A small blue lizard like figure with two leathery wings crawled on the ground and let out a squawking sound. It went up to Eragon's still outstretched palm and touched it with the snout, making a white explosion shoot Eragon backwards.
"Eragon, Eragon, wake up already!" Eragon opened his eyes and grunted as a searing heat hit his right hand. He lifted it up to the light and gasped. There, on his hand, was the mark of the Dragon Rider, the Argetlam symbol, the gedwëy ignasia. His little baby dragon was curled up on his chest, taking a nap.
'Man, I never thought dragons could look cute.' he thought to himself.
'Hehe, thank you mister.' said a little voice in his head. He noticed the dragon was looking t him with what he presumed to be a smile.
"Was that…you?" he said. It nodded.
"Eragon, this is the last female dragon." said his father. "Other then my own dragon that is." he scratched her ears, making her smile again. "Maybe you should name her now." Eragon looked at her.
'Would you like the name Selena? She was my mother. I never knew her but Murtagh did and it would mean a lot to him.'
'It's a pretty name, but shouldn't it be fiercer Young Student?' Eragon was surprised when he heard Glaedr's voice in his head. He tapped his chin, different names coming to mind. He wanted something powerful, yet beautiful. A mental light bulb came on over his head.
'Master, what about the name Sapphira? Its different then my father's dragon's name and is powerful, but it's beautiful and is a tribute to everything she's done for me.'
'Sapphira…as in sapphire-uh? Not Saphira, where it's pronounced suh-FEAR-uh?'
'Yes master.'
'…I like it young one, but you must get your brother's and father's approval as well. I have told Oromis and he agrees, as does the queen.' Glaedr left Eragon's mind in silence as the aged dragon flew high above with Saphira. (I can't have two dragons with the same name now can i?)
"Murtagh, dad, I have a name. Glaedr, Oromis and the queen like it and approve but Glaedr said I should get your opinion."
"What is it Eragon?"
"I chose something I thought was beautiful, yet fierce and powerful."
"What is it son?"
"I also wanted to thank Saphira for what she's done and-"
"SON, WHAT DID YOU CHOOSE!?"
"Calm down, calm down." he said, holding his hands in a defensive way. "I chose Sapphira, with two P's." the little lizard squawked again and ran up Eragon's pants leg. He started to dance around, trying to shake the dragon out or something. Brom and Murtagh started to laugh but Sapphira poked her head out of the front of his shirt and jumped through the air and down Murtagh's shirt. He started to do a dance like Eragon's until Sapphira came out again and jumped on Brom's head.
'POOOPPPY!' she thought, allowing al to hear her. Saphira and Glaedr dove down to see Brom, who was rolling around trying to get a large swirl of white debris off his head. The dragons started to laugh as Sapphira ran over to hide behind them.
'Saphira, I think she thinks you're her mother.' said Glaedr with a hint of laughter. Saphira hit him with her tail and as it swung back, Sapphira jumped up and bit it. Saphira roared and started to spin in a large circle, making every one laugh. She stopped and glared at them.
'What's so funny?'
"We've just never seen a dragon chasing its tail before!" laughed Eragon as Murtagh rolled on the ground. Brom was no better and it was really get Saphira angry. She sent a huge pillar of fire into the air, startling them all. They all gulped, except for Glaedr and Sapphira, and decided that was it for the night. So Eragon and Murtagh rode with Brom back to the tree house that once belonged to Vrael, leader of the Dragon Riders.
"Put the swords up for the night. But be careful with them." he went up into the stairs to the office as Murtagh placed the black sword on the rack. Eragon did the same with his and pulled another of the wall were they were held. It was a black handle in a black sheath with the ancient language runes for Darkened Light on it. He pulled it out of the sheath and flipped it in his hand, showing the white blade. A ruby of white lay in the pommel. The handle was just long enough for Eragon to wield with both hands and not touch the pommel. The blade was about two and a half thumbs width and about two and a half feet wide.
"What is it with you and that sword?" asked Murtagh as he slumped into the chairs the elves had.
"I don't know, it's just my favorite I guess." he sheathed it and placed it gently on the rack where it came from. Then he grabbed a golden sword with a scale patterned sheath. "This one seems to fit you well, thought I like it." he tossed it to his half brother, who caught it and pulled out the sword.
"Watch it will ya. This was Vrael's blade." he got up and placed back on the wall. He turned around to see Eragon sitting in his chair. "Get up now."
"Why should I?"
"I'm older, that's why."
"You're also uglier and dumber as well."
"Why you little-" Eragon dodged a lung from him with a role and instantly knew what was happening. Murtagh reached for the sword he used on the cliff.
"What's wrong, too weak to use the sword of Vrael? I thought you said you were gonna become one of the best Riders. That is, if you become one." Murtagh growled and grabbed the golden weapon. Eragon smiled at his brother and drew the black and white weapon. Murtagh held the sword behind him as he ran forward. With a single leap he jumped over Saphira's bed and landed in front of Eragon. He jammed the blade forward but Eragon caught the sword under his own. Murtagh pushed it off and went for a horizontal slash only to be blocked.
"Agh, I show you! I'm gonna beat you this time!" he started to slash, faster and faster, beating down on the white blade. As he brought it down once more, Eragon whispered a spell and caught Undrbit as it flew through the air from its place by the stairs. He crossed the swords together and blocked the golden blade. Murtagh whispered his own spell and brought a black sword, dark green sword and navy blue sword to his side. He slipped them in his belt and started to increase his attacks. Eragon ducked under a slash and criss-crossed Undrbit and Darkened Light at his throat. Murtagh pulled his leg up and nearly kicked Eragon in the groin, but he pulled back.
"One sword each, one more attack." said Eragon as he placed Undrbit back in its place. Murtagh gripped the blade in his hand tightly and placed the new ones against the wall. Murtagh sheathed the sword and held it vertically in front of his face, muttering a long incantation under his breath. Eragon placed the sheath, or scabbard as it is sometimes called, over the pommel in one interlocked weapon. He began to chant as well but he cut his finger on the blade, dragging it down. It fell into the sheath which began to glow. Heavy winds bombarded the house as thunder struck out outside. Red clouds swirled in the air as Sapphira hid in a corner. Saphira was woken up as Brom hurried down the steps.
"No! Stop this!" he was too late. Murtagh flipped the sword into a reverse grip and flew at Eragon's direction, a golden glow with streaks of red running up the arm. 'Murtagh's using one of his father's spells!' panicked Brom, trying to find a solution to stop the madness in front of him. Eragon finished his spell as well and held up a long blade made of white metal. Brom ground his teeth. 'Of course he would be drawn to that sword! He activated the power the original owner placed.' a light bulb lit up over his head and he named a spell whiel flying forward as they did. The two brothers tried to stop as Brom ran forward.
"I can't," began Eragon.
"STOP!" yelled Murtagh. A blast of air rocked the tree house. A soft hum and resounding clang from where the swords met filled the air of Ellesméra. Murtagh and Eragon dropped down to the floor, the spells having exhausted them. Brom stayed where he stood, his body shaking from the blows and the power he had just took control of. When his idea hit him, he whispered a spell to call Zar'roc and Undrbit to his hands and spread his mind out across Ellesméra to the Crags of Tel'naeír, where he and Oromis had hidden the Eldunarí, and drew as much strength a she could from them. He finally managed to pull his arms down from the position he had blocked both strikes with and staggered to the steps, a great wooziness starting to over come him.
'Brom, that was a bull headed move.'
'If I hadn't stopped them we would lost the swords of Vrael and Eragon, the first Eragon. I don't know where these two got there knowledge of forbidden incantations either. I found that scroll and no incantation on it was that long.'
'What are you saying?' Brom turned his head to look Saphira in the eyes. He didn't other to say it in his mind. There was no point to that since it would just delay time.
"I'm saying I think Galbatorix has a spy in Du Weldenvarden. And I think he's feeding these spells to Eragon and Murtagh in hopes they'll join the Empire." outside the door, a small elf woman listened. She immediately took off, but this alerted Brom to her presence, her heavy steps booming to his ears. She reached the bottom to come face to face with Saphira. She turned to run but Brom appeared with his two swords.
"Lord Argetlam, I did not mean to disturb you."
"And where are you going at this hour? You should be at home." his eyes narrowed and she grabbed her head in pain as Brom overwhelmed her defenses. "Thorta du ilumëo! Are you or are you not a spy for Galbatorix?" she very slowly nodded her head.
"H-how did you know?"
"For one the elves only speak in the Ancient Language, not the language of humans, and if they do, it is because they are speaking with a human who has little knowledge of the language." he grabbed the woman by her throat and dragged her like a rag doll onto Saphira's sattle, where she began to struggle. "Letta." she froze in place as Saphira and Brom took off. They flew high over the forest to where the queen stayed. Saphira landed in front to the door and crawled in very carefully as Brom dragged the woman again. He threw her to the floor in front of Islanzadí. Four elves armed with short swords steppe din front of her.
"What is the meaning of this Brom?"
"Murtagh and Eragon got in a fight with Vrael and Eragon's, the first Eragon, sword. I stopped them and realized some one had been feeding them forbidden spells. This woman is not an elf, but a human or some other foul creature enchanted by Galbatorix to look like an elf."
"In other words, she's a spy for Galbatorix?"
"Yes milord, I believe so. I invaded her mind earlier and saw her emotions when she saw Oromis. She planned to leave tonight to tell Galbatorix so he could sweep over the forest and attack." the elves picked the woman up and dragged her away.
"Thank you Brom, you saved us a great deal of trouble. Now, there is something else we should address."
"Is this about Eragon and Sapphira?" she shook her head quickly.
"This is about Eragon having his own Rider's sword."
"But I thought Rhunön was the only one who knew how to forge them and took an oath to never make another blade with her hands again."
"Yes, with her hands. I have found a solution. Have her take control of Eragon's body and forge him a sword."
"But we have plenty of Rider swords." the queen narrowed her eyes slightly, taking on the appearance of a feral jungle cat ready to kill its dinner.
"Yes, but those are not made for Eragon. When Murtagh hatches the red egg, he shall have a sword for himself as well."
"How can you be so sure Murtagh will hatch the red egg?" she smiled and pulled out a friath. Brom took it and gave a quick scan. "When was this made?"
"About a month after Murtagh became eighteen." Brom handed it back to her, revealing a picture of Murtagh holding a red dragon hatchling on his shoulder.
"I shall see to it."
(In the Tree House)
"Murtagh, I'm sorry about earlier."
"It's okay Eragon. I let my jealousy get the better of me and we paid for it." both boys sighed in unison. Eragon carved a small figurine of a black crow flying forward while Murtagh finished his raven carving. They cast a spell to add color to the carvings. Eragon's became black with white tinges. Murtagh's was red with gold streaks.
"Did we say the spell right?" Murtagh went back through the spell quickly and scratched his head in confusion.
"We said 'add color to this prophecy carving' by accident. Its some sort of prophecy I guess." they both shrugged and placed them in their pockets. Eragon decided to feed Sapphira. He grabbed a haunch of venison and tore it to pieces, giving each to the baby lizard. When he finished feeding her, his father came in.
"Good news, he got some information on Galbatorix." he turned a chair around and straddled it. His gaze fell on Eragon. "And we'll be getting you a Rider's sword."
"But we have all these."
"Yes, that is true," answered Brom while Murtagh started to drift off. "But they aren't made for you. Queen Islanzadí and I have agreed that eventually you will be allowed to own and learn the name of the first owner of the black and white sword when you have finished your training and have mastered your own created style. Now, get some sleep you two."
(A Few Month's Later)
Eragon and Brom finished a sparring match on the Crag. He wiped his sweat from his brow and gladly took a cup of tea from Oromis. Up in the sky, two blue spots and one gold circled. They started to fall until they revealed them selves to be three dragons. Sapphira held her head up high, as if she was very proud of something. 'Some one seems happy.' she did the curl of lips he had come to see as a smile as Saphira spoke up.
'It seems,' she said, making sure every one could hear her thoughts. 'Sapphira is a natural flier. I don't think I've met a dragon that can do the advance flying techniques so easily and at such a young age.' Sapphira raised her head higher into the air. Oromis smiled at her while Eragon and Brom went to their dragons and began to clean their scales. Murtagh hung his head in sadness behind them, feeling as if he doesn't belong there.
"Murtagh is something wrong?" he lifted his head up to see Oromis standing in front of him.
"I just feel some what left out since I'm the only one that's not a Dragon Rider. I've had to watch Brom and Saphira since I was a child and I've wanted to be a Rider myself since then. And these last few months had me watching Eragon and Sapphira grow close and become one being almost. I just wanted to have my own companion, so I can right the wrongs my father committed." he closed his eyes so he could calm down and when he opened his eyes, Oromis was disappearing inside his hut.
"This may help you accomplish that dream Murtagh. If it works." he came out of the small space with a red stone in his hands. He gave it to Murtagh, who nearly dropped it as a reddish aura surrounded the egg. It cracked to reveal a small baby dragon, with red scaled. It bit Murtagh's hand, leaving a red gedwëy ignasia on the palm. It snorted and a small burst of fire momentarily shot out.
"Incredible, I've never seen a dragon that was a natural fire breather." Murtagh was surprised to hear Brom say this. "What's his name?"
"Thorn?"
"Thorn…I like it."
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Translations
Thrysta vindr-Compress the air
Thorta du ilumëo-Speak the truth
Letta-Stop