Chapter 11: The Transformation/Edoc'sil
(A/N: Change of plans: This chapter and what was going to be the next one have been put together because it was just too short to publish alone (Thus the fact that it seems to have two titles.) That means only two more chapters after this plus an epilogue.)
Ialana awoke the following morning with a vague feeling that something was wrong with her, something was different. She felt...stronger. Angrier. With a lust for blood. She examined a strand of her hair, and it was a much, much darker red.
Then she knew what had happened. She had known it had to happen, eventually. Her human side had been all but entirely vanquished. Ialana had become a complete Shade. The feeling that she had been betrayed by the one she loved yet again had been the last straw, and her almost-literal demons had won out.
There was only one human thought left in Ialana's mind, one thing - Eragon. That one word in her mind set off what seemed to be an argument between two separate people. Eragon. I have to find him.
That is completely stupid. Why would you want to find him?
Because he wants to help me, save me.
He failed.
Magic failed.
And if he sees you now? Why would he trust you?
Perhaps he won't.
And if he doesn't?
Then better for me to be destroyed than all these others.
Ialana suddenly found herself running, running back to the place where Eragon had last stayed. The problem was he wasn't alone. I can send a message to his mind. I am stronger now. But when it was harder and harder to get a grip on a human thought, she only managed to get one clear thing across - I am here. That was followed by a rapid barrage of images and conflicting fragments of thoughts, then something even she couldn't make out, but it seemed to be It's too late.
Then he was beside her. "Ialana. Why have you come? I can't just leave behind my scouting party."
"Eragon...I need"- she barely got the words out - "a weapon of some sort."
"What?" Then, he looked closer at her. "Oh. No. This is not happening."
"Eragon. It's already happened."
"Then how can I trust you with a weapon?" Ialana's anger at him was rising. "Unless you plan to-" He stopped. "You can't."
"Better I am lost than all of these with you! I am too strong, Eragon, too vile, too dangerous..."
Eragon seemed to be shaking his head, probably out of shock. "Ialana..." Then, something seemed to dawn on him. "I - know. I've guessed it."
"What?"
"Your true name. You are Edoc'sil. Unconquerable."
Edoc'sil. Unconquerable. "I am," she said quietly, silently slipping Eragon's knife out of it's sheath.
But the rage building up in her could and would no longer be controlled. Without time to think of it, Ialana attacked Eragon.
(A/N: Updating often. Please review.)