A/N: I'm so sorry for how long it has taken me to update this story. I've just been so busy lately. My teachers are really piling on the homework this year. I won't be able to update again for about two weeks because I'm going on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition and won't be around a computer for a bit. Anyway, I'd really like to thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Any reviews would be greatly appreciated.
Aura landed lightly on the roof of the castle and peered over the edge. Ready?
I guess, Vanir replied uncertainly.
Without waiting a second longer, Aura threw herself from the top of the building and plummeted through the air with her wings tucked tight against her body. A primal yell of fear flew from Vanir's mouth as it widened in horror.
Aura, open your wings! He urged in her mind, but the only response he got was an amused grin and a small chuckle. Aura!
Vanir, relax.
They continued to fall, speeding up, and Vanir's fear of splatting into the cobbles of the street and steps only heightened. Aura enjoyed the wind rushing and pushing against her scales, drifting under them, slipping under the thin membranes of her wings, despite the fact that they were pressed as tight to her body as she could manage. At the last minute, thought, she flared her large wings and slowed enough to land safely, albeit heavily, on solid ground, a trembling Vanir gripping her neck in a strangle hold.
You can let go now, she told him serenely, already finding it hard to breathe.
Yeah, let go… Vanir unlocked his hands and slid from her back, wishing he had convinced Aura to just go with Arya Dröttningu, Eragon, Saphira and Groenur to train.
A scream of pain rose through the air, and Aura hissed as she smelt the tell-tale tang of blood.
On my back, now, the purple dragoness commanded. Vanir obeyed without hesitation and sprang athletically up one of her legs and gripped one of her ivory spikes. Aura rose into the air with a few strong flaps of her wings and from their aerial position they watched in horror as the men that were being gathered to fight and were staying in camps in the cities barracks crumpled amidst a horde of battle-crying armoured men. A thin mist of red blood filled the air as swords sliced through the unprepared men of the alliance between the humans, elves and dwarves.
We have to do something, Aura!
In answer, she leased a monumental roar, drawing the attention of everyone in a five mile radius.
As they watched, someone separated themself from the body of the small army that had somehow snuck into Urû'baen without anyone noticing. It was a woman with wild, stringy red hair and a pale face. A Shade.
Aura landed with a boom directly in the path of the Shade. She looked up at Vanir and Aura, her face filled with contempt.
"Ah, if it isn't the Rider who isn't a Rider and the dragon that's too tame to be wild."
Aura roared in fury and flames escaped her maw, scorching the air around the female Shade. Still caught in her anger, Aura barrelled forwards, jostling Vanir, and snapped at the place where the Shade had just been. Confused, the dragon turned full circle, searching for the Shade, who then reappeared on Aura's back and kicked Vanir from his seated position. Drawing her sword, she positioned it aloft Aura's back and managed to keep her balance, despite the purple dragon's continued bucking movements.
Without thinking, Vanir knocked her down with a force of magical wind through unconscious magic and drew his sword too. The Shade prowled around them, baring her teeth, seeming just as fierce as Aura. Charging forwards, the Shade managed to cut across Aura's nose and foreleg before she even knew what was happening. Aura growled in pain, and tried to slash the ginger-haired woman with her claws but was unsuccessful. Stepping closer to support Aura, Vanir held his sword warily in front of him, closely watching the Shade with hawk-eyes. They both ran forwards simultaneously, swinging their swords in flashes of silver, the light spurting along their lengths. They met in a clash of metal, and Vanir flexed his arm muscles, hoping to use some extra strength to dislodge the Shade, but nothing happened. With a thrust, he disengaged, and mounted a new attack, ducking as Aura launched over the top of him, bowling the Shade over and standing above her, her teeth glinting menacingly. Vanir hurried over and levelled his sword at the Shade's heart. But it was never going to be that simple.
The shade, rolled and slid through the gap between Aura's front and back legs, and in a movement so quick it couldn't be followed, her sword ran through Aura's wing, almost entirely separating most of it from her side. Vanir gasped as he felt enormous amounts of pain rush through the mental link between the two of them. Aura staggered and large droplets of cherry-red blood fell from the wound and splashed onto the floor as she wailed in pain.
Impulsively, Vanir ran, bearing his sword aloft, only concerned with revenge for Aura's wounds. Somewhere along the way, she had also been cut across her chest, and part of one of the claws on her wing had been severed. In a flurry of movement, he found himself parrying, attacking and hurling his sword with all him might towards the Shade. It was a surprise when he felt the cool touch of metal on his innards. Looking down, he saw his own blood on the blade as it was pulled from his stomach and he fell to the floor, clutching his belly in agony, gasping for breath. The shade stepped over him and walked calmly up into the castle, returning only a few minutes later in the company of Nasuada Nightstalker, Islanzadi Dröttning and King Orik of the Dwarves as Eragon and Arya arrived with Saphira and Groenur. But it was too late and there leaders had to be taken away under knife point.
Vanir was growing numb when Eragon reached him and pooled his reserves of energy together, and let them flow through into Vanir as he sealed the wounds both on the inside and outside whilst Arya worked on Aura. They both made it through, although Aura insisted upon retaining her scars, and nothing could be done for her missing claw. Without magic, they both would have passed into the void. The only consolation was that they would have been together.