Chapter Twenty-seven
Everything Old is New Again
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
The sword hilt was slippery in Aragon's hand as Thelduin trailed Teclian down towards the clearing.
In his left hand, along with the wrist bow was the enchanted spike, and on his lips a spell to light up the night bright as the noonday sun, and surrounding him was a ward to filter the effects of the Ra'zac's breath.
Despite all these advantages,-and the chain mail armour he was wearing,-over his first encounter with Ra'zac, Aragon could feel his heart hammering with fear, and he was jumpy with adrenaline, and every instinct screamed for him to run away as fast as his legs could carry him.
I'm right here Aragon. Thelduin said.
That, Aragon realised, is what's going to keep me here fighting.
Having said that, Thelduin angled down and around the clearing, so she'd come in on the opposite side to Teclian.
The old dragon was gliding in as stealthily as it was possible for a two-hundred-year-old dragon large enough to level a castle to be.
Thelduin waited until Teclian had announced his presence with a thunderous roar landed, and Elmïra and the elven rangers she'd brought with her to dismount, before she landed to let Aragon off.
It was still eerily quiet as Aragon nodded an acknowledgement to Elmïra senses alert for-
An ungodly reek filled the air, followed by a piercing shriek that nearly unmanned Aragon, and had the elves clutching their ears in pain.
Teclian launched himself back into the air, and Aragon saw a pair of ra'zac stalking among a cowering group of armed and unkempt men he and Thelduin had identified as the slavers, dealing death-blows with their claw-like hands left and right.
Before they spotted him, Aragon snapped his left arm up, and fired a pair of bolts at the two monsters.
In a testament to the hours of practice he'd put into his aim, both bolts bit home, one buried to the fletching in the haematite orb of an eye of the right most ra'zac, and the second one being a much more utilitarian neck-shot.
Both creatures went down, the left one writhing in pain until Aragon stalked over and decapitated it.
Behind you! Cried Thelduin, and Aragon spun around, and just barely got his sword into position to hack off the hand of yet another ra'zac, this one much bigger than the first two.
In the background, Elmïra and her rangers were fighting more of the creatures,-evidently so many humans in one area had attracted every ra'zac for miles around,- and Thelduin was grappling with a gigantic, hairless, dragon-like monstrosity with giant leathery wings. A lethrblaka.
High above, Teclian was roaring, and sending bursts of fire through the air, and every now and then a shriek of pain, or a crash of a falling body heralded the death of another lethrblaka.
The ra'zac in front of Aragon lashed out with it's good arm, and Aragon went sailing through the air as it struck him, before fetching up against a tree, it came rushing back at him, but was intercepted by a short bolt to the shoulder, before losing its second hand as Aragon attempted to impale it through the chest.
In retaliation, the ra'zac stuck it's head out and bit Aragon's upper left arm.
The pain was indescribable, and Aragon bellowed in agony, before taking the opportunity to reverse his grip on his sword and drive the blade through it's side and out through it's left shoulder.
The ra'zac didn't relinquish it's bite as it died, and dragged Aragon to the ground, trapping him under it's body, completely helpless.
Thelduin! Shouted Aragon in desperation, as yet another ra'zac scuttled into the clearing, and made right for him.
'Istalri!' He shouted desperately, and the slaver's campfire spat a gobbet of crackling fire which caught the ra'zac in the small of it's back, causing it to shriek in pain.
'Risa!' Aragon commanded, and the tele-blades rose out of one of his belt pouches and begun to circle with deadly purpose.
'Jierda!' Aragon commanded, and the blades impaled the ra'zac.
Next, Aragon contacted Thelduin, and through her eyes, commanded the tele-blades to blind the lethrblaka she was wrestling.
The blades whistled through the air and struck home in the beast's eyes as swift as arrows, eliciting an ear-splitting shriek from the lethrblaka which was loud enough to shatter a pebble by Aragon's head.
This was cut abruptly short as Thelduin seized the abominable creature by the neck and bit into it's spine before thrashing her head from side to side to snap it's neck as she'd kill any regular prey.
As the lethrblaka fell, Aragon saw that she'd taken a deep puncture wound to the shoulder during the struggle.
With another command of Jierda, he impaled yet another ra'zac that thought it could make a meal of him.
Then a pair of giant ra'zac stepped from the trees and before he could take them out, roughly siezed Aragon.
He bit his tongue in half suppressing a scream as the flesh was torn from his left arm by the movement.
Thelduin bellowed in outraged agony at this, and leapt after the two ra'zac as Aragon used what little motion the grip of the two creatures allowed his right arm to stab the right-most ra'zac in the knee, causing it to stumble and drop him, the pain of this causing Aragon to blackout.
He awoke a few seconds later as a wash of terrible heat passed just above his head, followed by dozens upon dozens of high agonised shrieks.
Aragon attempted to get back up, but gasped as another wave of excruciating agony washed over him and he blacked out once again.
He was in the middle of a deep, dark blackness.
For a while, he thought he was dead, but a little while later discarded the notion, as he obviously still had enough awareness to think. He hadn't been able to think when he'd died that first time.
Then, a while later, he began to feel warmth, and then the softness of a mattress underneath him and soft sheets, which convinced him he was in fact alive, but try as he might, he couldn't wake up.
Then, at last, a ravening hunger and a burning thirst broke through the spell and he stirred, fitfully, and with many an aching muscle to full wakefulness, before agonisingly pushing himself into a sitting position only to discover it was the middle of the night.
He swore quietly, the expletive coming out as an unintelligible croak.
'Mmph…?' The sleepy query made him glance around, and he saw Jarren had dozed off on a chair beside his bed.
The other rider sat up in his seat and rubbed his eyes.
'You finally decided to wake up, eh?' Asked Jarren, before yawning cavernously.
Wanted to before but couldn't; how long was I out, and how long until I can get a drink or something? Asked Aragon telepathically to save his dry throat the strain.
Jarren's eyes glazed for a second, then refocused.
'Five minutes, give or take, you've been out in the bed for about a week, and Elmïra and her rangers took about two hours to mop up those ra'zac and slavers, all up, you've been out for about a week and three hours.'
What ab-
Thelduin made contact with Aragon so fast and so hard, for a moment he was dimly aware of her tail entwined with that of another dragon and a comforting wing across her back, along with her breaking the contact in her rush to confirm for herself he was alright.
Aragon! She exclaimed in relief.
I missed you to. Aragon said, with a small smile.
Before he could ask what'd happened after he'd stabbed that ra'zac, Elmïra came in, bearing a tray that had evidently been hastily loaded, and bearing a bowl of steaming gruel and a glass of water.
'Don't you dare complain Aragon, Oromis' orders; you're weak and still recovering, it was all Oromis, Vrael and Eragon could do to repair your arm, and heal your burns.' Elmïra warned.
So saying, she unceremoniously placed the tray on his lap, then drew up a second seat, sat down, crossed her arms and glared at him. 'Eat.' She commanded implacably.
Aragon had just begun to obey the order when Thelduin flew in through the window, changing her size as she did, and would've wrapped herself around his neck if Elmïra hadn't have intercepted her.
'Wait until after he's eaten Thelduin, and even then be gentle, he's still got a week of enforced rest before he can do anything strenuous.' She admonished Thelduin.
So, what happened after I blacked out? Asked Aragon.
I breathed fire. Thelduin said proudly, evidently immensely pleased with the development. It had been something of a sore point with her for months, since Infernia, Marinæ and Khârn had developed the ability.
'When you went down like you did Thelduin came and saved you, bit one of those ra'zac clean in half, then lit the other one up like a bonfire on midsummer's eve, shortly after that, one of the rangers got enough time to cast a spell that blinded the ra'zac and incapacitated them long enough for us to rout them; after that, I stopped you losing too much blood when Thelduin told me what'd happened, and after mopping up we came back here. We had to keep you out cold while Eragon, Vrael and Oromis repaired your arm, which is why you were out so long, but you've been sleeping for three days.' Elmïra explained.
Aragon downed his glass of water in one go.
'Anything else happen I might be interested in?' He asked.
'Faith broke Morzan's nose after she told him she wasn't interested in him; apparently he wouldn't take no for an answer.' Jarren said.
Privately, the news cheered Aragon.
'After you're done resting up, the Council wishes to speak with you.' Elmïra said patiently. 'Now, Jarren, I think we've intruded on Aragon's time enough, and you must be exhausted yourself.' So saying, she shepherded the protesting Jarren out the door, before closing it behind her.
I was so worried, I thought I'd lose you again. Thelduin said immediately afterward.
So, what have you been up to this past week, and who were you keeping company with before? Asked Aragon curiously, fairly certain that it'd be Anarch.
Oh, this and that, learning things from Teclian, hunting with Saphira…
Keeping company with Anarch?
No, he's taken a fancy to Vernaugr. Thelduin said dismissively, referring to Formora's partner.
Then who were you just with? Asked Aragon.
Mor'ranr. Thelduin said, equally as dismissively. You mightn't believe it, but Faith has spent a good deal of time keeping watch here in case you stirred, and of course, Mor'ranr has been keeping her company, so… She shrugged with the same indifference.
You really liked Anarch didn't you? Aragon asked.
It doesn't matter, it isn't as if us dragons pair for life. Thelduin replied.
Aragon considered continuing to tease Thelduin about it, but then thought better of it. It'd be in very bad taste to keep that going when she obviously was still tender about it.
Laying back down, he fell back to sleep, half in his own mind, half in Thelduin's.
The next week passed far too slowly for Aragon's liking, but at long last, Elmïra began to school him in magic herself, relieving at least some of the tedium.
He also got visited nearly every day by Jarren, Sarah, Brom or Faith.
Thelduin was also another balm for his growing frustration, taking his mind with her while she flew, giving him a new perspective on flying with her.
Soon enough however, Oromis pronounced Aragon fit to rise, and the next day, he was up and after completing the Rimgar and an hour and a half attempting to re-hone his martial arts skills, he washed up, dressed in his finest clothes, then he and Thelduin hurried off to the meeting hall.
When they arrived there, it took Aragon nearly a half hour to detail what had happened during his recent misadventure, and for Thelduin to give her version of the trip.
After that, Vrael posed several questions regarding the trip, which they were both expected to answer.
When at last Vrael had run out of questions, Eragon spoke up.
'You've come a long way Aragon.' He said at length.
The others nodded in agreement.
'Not many with human-level strength who survive slaying their first ra'zac.' Observed Dalemor.
Aragon refrained from mentioning that technically, he'd killed one before he'd been apprenticed to Elmïra.
Again, the others nodded in agreement, and from the corner of his eye, Aragon saw Elmïra quirk him a small, knowing smile.
'You've got an uncanny knack for attracting bad luck Aragon.' Oromis observed.
'And yet, you've also got a knack of surviving every misadventure that comes your way.' Vrael added.
We believe, that you've passed this little test. Bid'Daum said, fixing Aragon with a pure white eye.
And that you're ready to move on in your training. Umaroth said, the smaller white dragon nodding once.
Aragon bowed in acknowledgement.
'You've still got a long way to go though.' Elmïra added.
And don't I know it. Aragon thought to himself, and got a wry chuckle from Thelduin as a result.
THE END.
Well.
That didn't go exactly according to plan all up, but then writing is organic, and organic things have a tendency to evolve.
It is with a huge idiot grin, and an immense amount of satisfaction that I write this last Author's Note for this story.
I've still got about sixteen chapters to write, and I'm going to insert a scene somewhere around nine or ten where Aragon and Thelduin encounter the Snalglí for the first time, but these things will have to be edited in, and might take a little, though the eagle-eyed reader will have noticed that the edit has already begun, and is already up to chapter nine.
Still, back on topic, Merry Christmas to everyone, and thanks to Hideout Writer and Forsaken By All for reviewing this chapter.
And a very big thank you to everyone who reviewed this story, or who followed it.
It is with a heavy heart that I do this last sign off for this story, but I'd still like a review or two, even if you're reading this after the fact.
'Til next time:
No One-liners!
Fin.