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"We'll organize and resume our attack in the morning," Eragon told them all. "Get some sleep."

Staria nodded, gave a tired smile to Veyna, and departed. Kyra retreated a few steps and glanced at her sister. Veyna joined her silently at the next campfire over. For a while they just say there, neither hostile nor amicable. They both knew there were things they needed to talk about, but neither could bring them up. Finally, Veyna ventured, "Thank you for saving us."

"You're welcome." Kyra looked up at the stars. There was silence for another minute or so. "I half expected you to rescue me."

Sensing they were no longer discussing Rasib, Veyna replied, "I wanted to, so badly. But you broke the code."

"To the void with the code!" Kyra cried out, voice still in a whisper. "We're sisters, Veyna! We're supposed to have each others' back no matter what!"

"I wasn't so sure anymore, Kyra!" Veyna retorted. "We hadn't had a conversation in months!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Kyra responded softly after a couple seconds.

It took her a moment, but Veyna relented, "I'm sorry too."

"I missed you. I wished you would visit."

"I couldn't; I would be too tempted to free you."

"Nice to know," Kyra smiled.

Veyna picked up a large leaf from the ground, fingering it. "Brisingr," she ordered. A tiny flame began to work its way through the leaf, carving until an imperfect likeness of Soetrí's face stared up at them. Mini fire extinguished, Veyna stared at the art in her hand. "I knew you were trouble when you walked in," she told it as she ground him under her foot.

The tiniest hint of a smile grew on Kyra. Just then, Istalri and Nuaen returned from their evening hunt, hunger sated. Most of all Istalri wanted to have a nice long rest, but Veyna first asked her: How's Nuaen?

Better.

All better?

Better.

Is she almost back to her old self?

Almost.

Veyna smiled as Istalri's emerald wing closed around her, her dragon's warmth spreading over her like a thick blanket. Goodnight.

Goodnight, little one.

0==]=======

Battle nerves woke them early the next morning. Veyna greeted Kyra with a smile, but soon wandered off into the trees, Istalri falling into step behind her.

Stay away from him. Veyna turned to face her beautiful dragon, the being she loved most in the world. Istalri nuzzled her, comforting her from the ugly wondering of who would survive.

It's funny, Veyna reflected to herself. Until now, I knew death was possible, in reality. But it never seemed a real threat. It was never really going to happen. How naïve we all were. Please, Istalri, stay away from Rasib.

Istalri dipped her head, eyes full of concern for her Rider. Of course she had heard everything Veyna had been thinking. Their bond ran deeper than anything, seeping through every piece of their consciousness. Veyna patted her dragon's shoulder, wishing they could've flown into battle together. But it was too dangerous. The idea that Rasib might try to split them again was stuff of nightmare—that anyone could tear apart a connection built on trust, love, and magic was earth-shaking.

Arya had confirmed that, based on the incantation of the evil spell, it had to be performed in the proximity of both the dragon and the Rider. Thus Istalri and all the other dragons were going to attack the energy bubble to weaken Rasib instead of fighting inside with their Riders. Of those that were left, only six groups could be formed. They would find out soon the groups, when Eragon and Arya had finished debating over it in the small infirmary tent. Murtagh was in there as well, she could hear his loud voice in the quiet morning.

Though it was early in the morning, most of the Riders were alert and awake when they returned to camp. Some milled around restlessly while others had their heads in their hands or were quietly meditating. A few were attempting the Rimgar, although most were too sore—like Veyna—from the previous day to do it.

She and Kyra hadn't talked since the painful exchange of last night. It was mutually understood by both parties that, until the threat was vanquished, all other matters such as theirs would have to be a second priority.

"Shur'tugal," Arya hailed them. She paused, waiting until they had all assembled before her. "Eragon?"

"Rasib is our target," Eragon told the silent group. "Until he is gone or taken into custody, destroying the castle or capturing the worshippers within is futile." He gestured to half of the group. "Nevertheless, they are obstacles to reaching the Shadow Menace directly. Your prerogative will be to round up and keep a hold of them. Murtagh will be going with you, follow his orders as if they were my own. As you know, the dragons will already be waging the battle from the outside. The will take on Shuke if necessary. I will place a ward on them that may or may not protect against Rasib's spell, but we mustn't take any chances. Staria and I will be hunting Rasib along with Kyra and Veyna." It was a credit to the Riders' discipline that there were no indistinct mutterings that Kyra—who had betrayed them all, only redeemed a few days ago—was charged with one of the most important tasks. "Arya will ride Fírnen and direct the dragons," Eragon continued. "I will direct you, our inside operatives, and the two of us will coordinate our attacks. Any other connection to your dragon is dangerous—do not make one under any circumstance."

"Eragon," Tamos spoke up. "How will we get through the black energy field?"

"I will use the name of the ancient language to get us all through," Eragon answered.

"But I thought you said he knew it as well, that it didn't work?" Staria pointed out.

"It did for a few seconds," Eragon replied, "The few seconds each time should be enough to get us all through in pairs."

Staria nodded and raised no more objections.

"Are we all ready to go?" Eragon asked.

A general murmur of assent emanated from the assembly. He locked eyes with Arya and nodded. Wordlessly she mounted Fírnen, who rallied all the other dragons with him. Like a multicolored hailstorm, the dragons rose into the air and out of sight.

Staring after their partners, the Shur'tugalar started their loping run for the castle, hoping for a stealthy approach. No one spoke as they neared the obscured fortress.

With the flick of Eragon's hand, he—using the Name—commanded the blackness to dissipate. When the shield wavered, Veyna took a deep breath and ran through…straight into a wall.

She staggered backwards, the sharp tingling reminding her that the energy field was right behind her. Blood was flowing freely from Kyra's nose, and she suspected that it was from hers as well. With a quick spell, Kyra healed them both. The next pair ran straight into the twins as they burst through, looking surprised.

After setting the disoriented pair back on their feet, Veyna gestured upwards to Kyra. The elves crouched, then sprang up, landing lightly on the rooftop. About a foot above them, the black bubble stretched all the way to the other end of the castle. Looking up at the black tinted sky, she could make out a collection of dragons clustered around their leader. Suddenly, she spotted Istalri break off from the pack and barrel straight toward the shield a few yards away.

Istalri's POV

The sun was reaching a forty-five degree angle with the earth as Istalri shot forward in the early morning sunlight. Behind her, pink-wild-beauty-Nuaen swooped and dove, peering at the black mass below them. Ahead, sapphire-dazzle-Adura was descending down toward it. Taking her cue from Fírnen, Istalri folded her wings and dive-bombed straight into the energy bubble. She bounced backwards, extending her wings to catch herself as she fell. Returning to her previous height, she could see that all of her comrades had begun swiping at the field, but it showed no signs of wavering. Tucking her wings, Istalri spiraled for the magical barrier once more.

She wondered where partner-of-heart-Veyna was right now. Had she reached the black-shield-bubble yet? Were they providing enough of a distraction for Eragon to let them through undetected? Queen-of-the-sky-Saphira dove at the energy field, shrieking a taunt to Shuke. The rest of them took up her call, daring him to come out and face them. Thorn flapped his powerful wings, reeling around to face the barrier once more.

All of a sudden, a dark mass shot out of the bubble. Shruikan-son-dark-Shuke turned to face them, decidedly smaller than both Saphira and Fírnen but larger than herself. If not for the manic fire in his eyes, he would have made a very capable member of the Order. He flew effortlessly at them, his roars for them to free themselves were scrambled by his lunacy; he was virtually incoherent. Feeling a pang of sadness that they had to fight him, Istalri shot in an emerald blur for his right wing.

….our story nears its conclusion…