"ERAGON!"
It had been twenty days since Eliana had left, and quite a bit had changed in the enchanted forest. Wild carnivores had started showing up, giving Bid'Daum competition and new foods to try. Eragon's own vegetarian diet became more of a fast or starvation; edible plants were hard to find. He had eaten his second meal of meat two days ago, on the eighteenth day since Eliana had gone.
To top off the lack of food, or change in diet, Eragon had been having dreams. And they weren't just your average "I can fly" dreams, they were "This is so real I must be dead" dreams. The dreams all started out the same, with him flying on Bid'Daum, the mysterious maiden riding behind him, her arm tucked securely around his waist. They were flying over a smoking battlefield, orange, bloody, covered with the bodies of dead elves, dead dragons, dying elves, dying dragons gasping for air. But the air wasn't fresh oxygen—the smell of burning corpses was already permeating the entire area, and as Eragon flew it was all he could see, all he could smell, the heat billowing into his face, the hiss of the fires smoking into his ears.
"It's too late," the maiden whispered into his ear. "You've come too late." He always wanted to turn and face her, to ask how this had happened, but he never could.
The carnage around him was too great.
The stench was too strong.
The unsung lament was too loud.
And the courage in his heart had died.
He would weep, recognizing familiar faces, and Bid'Daum would moan underneath him. They flew towards a giant rock, and would land upon it, each in their own loss. This was where the dream always took one of two directions.
The first time the maiden had taken him aside and comforted him, telling him all was not lost. He never saw her face, only black gloves wiping his tears away.
"There is still hope while both races still live," she would say. "Take heart, and follow your destiny. This is only a setback, Eragon." And as his eyes cleared he could see a golden lily with little red rubies instead of a stem. Hope would fill him, and though he awoke with a desolate heart, he could feel the smallest strand of hope wrap around him infinitely.
But other times as he fell off of Bid'Daum the maiden didn't fall with him. He would stumble blindly along the red rock, until he came upon a fallen dragon, surrounded by the shells and broken bodies of unhatched younglings. And in the middle of the broken shells, he would find Eliana's shredded figure, caked with blood and long cold.
"Their destruction is your fault," the maiden would say. Eragon would turn to her, but her face was always covered in a black, rounded helmet. "You have failed destiny."
Those nights were always the worst, because not only were his dreams excruciating, but when he awoke in the mornings... Let's just say the daylight didn't ever make anything any better.
"Eragon, where the devil are you, you sneaky little twerp!" There was only one person who would use such derogatory terms to call attention to herself, and that was Eliana. He had been sitting in a tree, talking to Bid'Daum while Bid'Daum hunted, but he severed the connection to take a closer look.
"Up here," he responded, jumping out of the tree and landing lightly on the ground.
"Eragon!" Eliana whipped around to face him and burst out grinning. "Technically you're down here."
"Nice to see you too," Eragon smiled. "What have you been up to?"
"There's no time, we—or you I suppose—have to leave as soon as possible. There's a huge battle about to begin!" Eliana's grin transformed into a grimace of worry. "This is big Eragon. I mean thousands are going to die. Thousands."
Eragon had already called Bid'Daum, who was already rushing to meet them. His smile faded too, and he wondered if that would explain his dreams, or if he would meet the maiden by the river.
"Thanks, no pressure, right?" Eragon rolled his eyes and sighed. He took a better look at Eliana and was surprised. Her hair was unkempt, he clothes were caked in mud and leaves, her face looked ragged and tired, but her posture was still proud as ever. "What happened to you?"
"If you want something done you have to do it yourself, no matter the cost," Eliana chuckled, a small smile reappearing. "I suppose I had better be giving you directions."
Oh no. You're coming along. It was Bid'Daum, and with a bugle of delight he crash-landed some twenty feet away. You're back!
Uh, no I'm not coming along. Speed is of the essence. And without another word she began showing both dragon and boy the quickest route.
But if we get lost, Bid'Daum whimpered trying to convince Eliana to come with. We'll be too late.
You might be too late even if you fly in the straightest line possible at speeds no elf can ever run. Eliana cut back professionally, although Eragon sensed she wanted to join them. No. I'll be looking for an HQ, someplace where we can learn everything we need to know without being noticed by the Queen. Here, she took off her satchel and tossed it to Eragon. You're going to need it.
"What's inside?" he asked, slinging it over his own shoulder.
Pants, Bid'Daum snorted. Thick, leather pants you can wear while riding me, since apparently your skin isn't that wonderfully thick, like mine.
You should be going, I wish you the best of luck and— Eliana paused, observing the scene as though for the first time. Good luck. May your winds be favorable.
Bid'Daum nodded, and roared. C'mon, Eragon. Let's go! Get those pants on and let's be on with it!
Pants! Here! Bid'Daum, I can't change here... Eragon turned red, redder than a rose.
Eliana laughed, and saluted the dragon and his boy. I'll be on my way then, she smirked. She turned and bounded out of the forest.
Now will you put those pants on? Bid'Daum snorted.
I'm working on it!
Soon enough the pants were on the rider of a beast so purely white that at a great distance he looked like a super-fast cloud. Or a flurry of snow. Or a snow-man on a motorcycle. You choose.
Bid'Daum was flying as fast as young dragon can fly in stealth-mode, and Eragon was doing his best to hold on to his sword and stay seated on the reptile.
We really need to make a saddle for you, he grumbled to Bid'Daum.
I will never wear a saddle. Bid'Daum snorted, smoke puffing from his nostrils. I would be a disgrace to all of dragon-kind!
I think you're exaggerating, Eragon wrapped his arms around the dragon's neck as he dove below the clouds to see where they were. Eliana's directions were very helpful—if only Bid'Daum could see where he was going.
We should be coming upon the battlefield any moment now, Bid'Daum grunted, pulling back through the clouds. Eragon was already soaked from their first dive, but the second left him dripping with moisture.
Um, what exactly are we going to do when we reach the battlefield? Eragon asked, suddenly realizing a fatal flaw in his plan.
You mean you don't have any idea what we're supposed to do besides show up? Bid'Daum asked incredulously. You really are making this up as you go, aren't you?
Eragon swallowed, thinking fast.
Yeah.
Joyful. Bid'Daum sniffed the air, and then without warning dove through the clouds.
"HOLY—" Eragon's scream was cut off by sheer velocity. The satchel was flung open, and Eragon's other pair of pants fluttered far behind them, slowly falling at its own pace.
Great, he muttered, his thinking doubly cloudy. So we arrive and fly along the frontline—
And get shot at and die, Bid'Daum snorted.
How would you know anything about battle? Eragon snapped, frustrated more by the fact that Bid'Daum was right than by the fact that a reptile had foiled his plan.
Magic, Bid'Daum snorted sarcastially.
Wonderful. Then how about we fly visibly out of range?
Meaning? Bid'Daum rolled his inner eyes.
We fly so that everyone can see that we are weird, but out of firing range.
Bid'Daum snapped out of the dive, just above the hilly ground.
That means we'll need to be higher, smart one, Eragon suggested grumpily.
I've got my own ideas. Bid'Daum replied. And my own suspicions that Mommy was too late in the telling.
"Mommy," Bid'Daum!
Ahem, Eliana.
Despite the chaos that Bid'Daum was hinting at, Eragon let loose a huge laugh. Mommy? Eliana? Oh she will be thrilled to know.
Don't tell her! Bid'Daum growled, and Eragon could feel the vibrations through his leather seat.
Yessir.
The hills dropped suddenly, revealing an empty plain. Empty as in nothing on it was alive.