Free Riders

Author's Note: Eragon is not mine. Char, Blaster, and Saranya are. Comment as you see fit.

Chapter 16: Dragon Riding

As soon as Eragon's feet touched the ground, Saphira's tail whipped them out from under him. Before he could stand up, Saphira had him pinned. He yelled at Saphira, wondering what she was doing, and struggled to get up. However, Saphira kept him pinned.

I'm going to get off Samson, Blaster said to Sara. I will trust you enough to not pin me to the ground like Saphira has.

You have my word, Sara replied, then repeated it in the ancient language.

Blaster hopped off Samson and strode over to Sara. I am sorry about what has happened. Trouble seems to attract to us as if we are magnets. However, you can be rest assured that I can fight my way out of most of my troubles.

I am aware, but I am not so sure, Sara said. Her anger was beginning to rise, even with Blaster rubbing her neck. But, you seem to have no care for me.

I do, Blaster said. Therefore, upon my word, I shall ride you tomorrow.

You will? Sara asked.

Am I not a Rider? Blaster was about to speak when Eragon finally found words again.

"She wants me to ride her tomorrow," the boy said.

"Well," Brom said, his eyes twinkling, "you have saddles. I suppose that if the four of you stay out of sight, it won't be a problem." Saphira's gaze switched to Brom, then back to Eragon.

"But what if you're attacked or there's an accident? We won't be able to get there in time and…"

"It's worth the risk," Brom said, hiding a smile. "You need to learn to ride her anyway. Think of it this way: with the four of you flying ahead and looking at the ground, you'll be able to spot any traps, ambushes, and other unpleasant surprises."

Remind me to give you something before we go to sleep, Blaster muttered to Sara. She nodded, then took to the skies. Saphira soon followed, releasing Eragon. He grumbled as he returned to Cadoc and followed Brom, Blaster behind on Samson.

It was dusk when they made camp. As per usual, Eragon and Brom sparred before dinner. With Brom leading and Eragon ready to earn a point to tie, Eragon delivered a powerful blow, enough to snap both sticks as if they were twigs. Blaster dove to the side to avoid getting nailed with one of the many pieces that whistled into the darkness. He sat up as Brom tossed what remained of his stick into the fire.

"We're done with these," Brom said. "Throw yours in as well. You have learned well, but we've gone as far as we can with branches, and there is nothing more you can gain from them. It is time for you to use the blade." He removed Zar'roc from Eragon's bag and handed it to him.

"But, we'll cut each other to ribbons," Eragon protested.

"Correction, we'll cut each other to ribbons," Blaster corrected. "That is, if it's alright with Brom for me to take his place."

"By all means," Brom said, "However, you both again forget magic." He withdrew his blade and turned it so that the firelight glinted off its edge. He placed a finger on either side of the blade and focused intently, increasing the depth of the lines on his face. He did nothing for a moment, then uttered, "Gëuloth du knífr!" and a small, red spark jumped between his fingers. He ran those fingers along the length of the blade, the spark flickering back and forth. He then twirled it and did the same thing to the other side. When he was done, he removed his fingers from the metal, the spark vanishing as he did so.

Brom then held out his hand, palm up, and slashed with the sword. Both Blaster and Eragon jumped forward, but were too slow to stop him. They were astonished when he raised his unharmed hand with a smile.

"What did you do?" Eragon asked.

"Feel the edge," Brom said. Both Blaster and Eragon touched it, and felt an invisible barrier about a quarter inch wide and slippery under their fingers. "Now you do the same on Zar'roc and Cratona," Brom instructed. "Your blocks will be a bit different from mine, but it should accomplish the same thing."

"So long as it can be reversed," Blaster said.

Brom smiled and nodded before instructing the two how to pronounce the words and coaching them through the process. It took Eragon a few more tries, but he soon had a sufficient block on Zar'roc. Blaster took a few less tries than Eragon, but his blade was just about a foot longer than Eragon's. Eragon felt confident, and took a fighting stance, while Blaster calmly lowered himself into his. Before they started, Brom admonished, "These swords won't cut you, but they can still break bones. I would prefer to avoid that, so, Eragon, don't flail around like you normally do. A blow to the neck could prove fatal."

Eragon nodded, then struck at Blaster without warning. Sparks flew from the blade and the clash of metal was heard as Blaster parried. The alien smiled, because he knew that Eragon was not used to the weight of Zar'roc yet. Blaster swung and rapped Eragon on the knee, the latter unable to move Zar'roc fast enough.

They continued until dinner was ready. By the time they had stopped, both had some large welts, but Eragon had amassed a good handful more than Blaster. Eragon marveled in the fact that Zar'roc had taken a beating, yet it hadn't been scratched or dented.

The next morning, Brom was getting Sara ready for Blaster. Having woken up before Eragon, Blaster decided to relish in the fact that he would be the first to take to the skies. After installing a micro computer into Saranya's brain, he tested it out by having her look to due north and then due south to ensure that the internal compass was working right.

"Navigation, check," Blaster said, going through a checklist as Brom prepared the saddle. "Wings, check. Body, check. Legs, check. Fuel levels…uh, you did eat recently, right Sara?"

Check, Sara said, sustaining a belch.

"Preflight checklist complete," Blaster said. After Brom had finished with Sara's saddle, Blaster got on. He pulled out his bow. "Ready when you are."

"Remember to grip with your knees and guide her with your thoughts," Brom said. "And stay as flat as you can on her back. Nothing will go wrong if you don't panic."

"I've been in the air before, Brom," Blaster said. "Just haven't been on dragon-back yet." He tightened the bands around his legs. Once he was happy with their tightness, he said, "Clear for take-off."

With a powerful beat of her wings, she jumped into the air, and began to rise rapidly with an additional three strokes. She flew steadily and effortlessly. Bank to vector 1-9-0, 32 degrees, keep climb angle at 22 degrees, Blaster instructed, and she did just that. The river below shrank to a wispy grey line, and the clouds floated around them. Level off at 6-3 hundred feet.

Sara leveled off high above the plains, the trees below no more than specks next to the grey line that was the river. The air was thin, chilly, and perfectly clear. "Beautiful," Blaster mused. Sara suddenly tilted and rolled completely around. Once everything was level, Blaster muttered, "I don't believe I told you to perform a downward corkscrew."

It is one of the basic maneuvers I will do if I am attacked in the air, Sara replied.

Okay, then, Blaster replied. Switching to attack and defensive maneuvers. Sara growled. I will tell you where enemies are, and you will go there. Alright? Sara growled again. Incoming bogie at 1-5-0, level 2-4 hundred. Deck: 1-3 hundred. Clear to engage. Sara banked, then dove down to the level that Blaster had indicated. She swiped at an invisible enemy, and then disengaged, content that she had defeated it. Two bogies on our six. Weapons active. Evasive maneuvers.

Sara started banking, then began to climb into the air. She began to dive and just narrowly missed striking Saphira, who had just joined in, doing a downward corkscrew to avoid getting nailed by Sara. Sara pulled out of her dive just low enough to blow over Brom, causing the horses to nervously prance around. Once they had climbed back up, they hooked up with Saphira. Disengage tracking computers. We're done for the day.

"Hey, Eragon!" Blaster shouted over the wind. "You doing okay over there?"

"Not entirely," Eragon admitted.

"Just relax," Blaster said.

If you want to see how I see things, you should relax, Sara said.

"Easy for you to say," Eragon replied.

Blaster shook his head, then relaxed. Sara's mind soon tugged at his, and he found himself being pulled from his body. His vision blurred and distorted, but he soon found himself looking through Sara's eyes. Everything was slightly distorted, as any dark colors were more muted, but the brighter colors stood out. Blaster felt the joy coming from Sara, and loved this freedom to go anywhere she wanted in the sky. When they were at a high enough altitude, Sara looked back at Blaster. He saw himself, a blank expression on his face. Though he could see himself, he still felt when Sara strained against the air, and when she'd use updrafts to rise.

Blaster allowed Sara's mind and his own mind to merge until there was no distinction between the two. They dove together, their tail whipping in the air. As the ground got closer, they opened their wings and pulled out of the dive and into an impressive loop before climbing again. It was then that their minds separated.

That was absolutely amazing, Blaster said. Remind me to do that again sometime.

She grinned.

They all talked to each other, after Eragon and Saphira had likewise split apart. They exchanged thoughts and talked as if they were old friends catching up. The dragons would describe how they used hills and trees for cover, and how they could hide themselves in the shadows of the clouds. They all scouted the trail ahead for Brom, which proved to be more arduous than Eragon expected. They needed to be very close to the path to see it, risking detection.

Around midday, Blaster could hear an annoying buzz, and thought someone else was infiltrating his mind. He threw up a barrier around most of his thoughts, but left his ability to communicate open.

Who is this?

Brom, a voice replied. Relieved, Blaster lowered his barriers.

Tell me you have something interesting to report, Blaster said.

I'll tell the two of you once Eragon lets me in, Brom replied.

Give me just a minute, and you will be able to chat with him, Blaster replied. He grew a mischievous grin, then told Sara to fly slightly into Saphira's path to distract Eragon. It worked, and Blaster could hear Brom yelling at Eragon. Finally, Brom showed them where he was, and both Saphira and Sara dove out of the skies. Eragon strung his bow and drew several arrows. Blaster merely strung his bow, not even attempting to withdraw his pistols.

When they had reached Brom, he was standing in a clearing, waving his arms. They both jumped off their dragons when they had landed, Eragon expecting trouble. The horses were tied to a tree on the edge of the clearing, but Brom was otherwise alone. Eragon trotted over and asked, "What's wrong?"

Brom muttered a few curses, then said, "Don't ever block me out like that again. It's hard enough for me to reach you without having to fight to make myself heard."

"Sorry," Eragon said. Blaster showed up seconds later, declaring a clear perimeter.

Brom snorted. "I was farther down the river when I noticed the Ra'zac's tracks had ceased. I backtracked until I found where they had disappeared. Look at the ground and tell me what you see."

Blaster spotted it almost instantaneously. Numerous Ra'zac prints overlapped each other, and Eragon leaned in for a closer look at them. The tracks were only a few days old. Atop the tracks were long and thick gouges torn into the ground. They looked familiar to Eragon, but it was Blaster who spoke, recognizing them immediately.

"Looks to me like they have used this location to take off," Blaster said. He knelt to investigate further. "The only creature I know of that can make these gouges are dragons. But I would highly doubt that the Ra'zac would be worthy enough to ride on a dragon. They wouldn't consent. So, unless they are very skilled at taking flight themselves, are able to make even their tracks invisible, or they are hiding right here, they must have flown off on another flying steed of some sort."

"Very observant," Brom said.

"I am very good at deciphering tracks," Blaster said. Again, ninja training at work. Thanks, Yuffie.

"However, if they do have flying steeds, that makes it a might impossible to find them," Brom added.

"What do we do?" Eragon asked. "Saphira and Sara can't track them through the sky."

"Even if they could, we'd leave Brom in the dust," Blaster added, more to himself than to anyone else.

"There is no easy solution to this riddle," Brom said. "Let's have lunch while we think on it. Perhaps inspiration will strike us as we eat."

Blaster pulled out some of the meat he had left from Horst. They ate in silence, staring into the empty sky. Blaster thought about his next mission, finding Char and getting out of this reality next chance he got. His biggest issue, however, was trying to find out where his best friend and fiancé was being held. Blaster thought of every possible way to get to her, but none he was sure would work.

"I have considered every trick I know, every word of power within my grasp, and all the skills we have, but I still don't see how we can find the Ra'zac," Brom said, finishing his meal. Eragon slumped against Saphira in despair. "Saphira or Sara could show themselves at some town. That would draw the Ra'zac like flies to honey. But it would be extremely risky."

"You got that right," Blaster said. "If the Ra'zac did come, they'd most likely bring soldiers with them. The king himself might be interested enough to come himself, and that would mean certain death for all of us."

"So now what?" Eragon asked, throwing his hands up. He began to talk to Saphira.

Got any ideas? Blaster asked to Sara.

Not really, she replied.

"Well, this is all up to you two," Brom said. "It is your crusade."

Eragon ground his teeth in anger and stalked away towards the trees.

Will they pick up the trail? Why are they unable to find Char? Most importantly, what happens next? Find out next chapter in Free Riders. New chapters expected Tuesdays and Fridays.

If there is anyone who does not like the new Tuesday/Friday layout, feel free to suggest a better time table. Otherwise R&R. And please, no flamers.