and so the bloodshed begins...
claimer: i own everything that isnt in eragon or eldest, if it's in brisingr then it's not my problem..
63.-Secrets unearthed
Even as I ran I could feel my mind slowly slipping away, the forgotten warnings of what happens to full Shifters that cause the werewolves to kill them came suddenly flooding back in my brain. My human mind was diminishing, memories fading into nothing but instinct. I skidded to a halt, Dorran stopping beside me, his eyes brightening and becoming wilder as he looked at me, his mouth parted slightly to drink in the scents around him in the glands on the roof of his mouth.
What is it? He asked, except that he didn't talk with his mind, but with a flick of his ear, the same way how whatever animal we were now would communicate with each other.
We..are..not..ourselves, I growled back, grinding out each word deliberately, determined not to lose the only thing I had left of my old self, my humanity.
Dorran looked at me, his furred face confused, his gleaming black pelt shimmering in the sunlight.
What do you mean? He asked, cocking his head to one side to ask, still not using his mind or actual words. I signed and morphed, standing up straight and stretching my arms. But the animal in my mind was still there. Dorran stared at me in surprise, as if he hadn't expected me to suddenly turn into something else. But then he morphed too, shaking his head forcefully as if to clear it of wild thoughts. In our human forms the urge and instinct wasn't as strong and we could think somewhat better, but not like our old selves.
"This is going to be a problem." I whispered, sounding out each word carefully before completing the whole sentence.
Dorran nodded and we made our way through the woods, walking this time, thinking that if we morphed again or even ran at elven speed we would never be able to gain back our minds.
My finger trailed the hilt of my sword absentmindedly and I felt the metal shudder suddenly. I touched the sword again, this time pinching the sheath between my fingers and felt them vibrate and grow week, as if it was sucking the life from them. I stopped and unsheathed the weapon, examining it as Dorran stopped beside me, his expression as puzzled as mine. The carved moons on the blade were glowing slightly, as was the diamond on the hilt. I looked closer at the jewel and realized that there was some sort of silver mist swirling inside.
Dorran peered over my shoulder, "That's a soul." He stated, his voice breaking the silence of the forest and whispering in my ear.
I shuddered and he took a step back, as if afraid that his closeness had scared me. I rolled my eyes at him, showing that it was ridiculous of him to even think such a thing, and went back to examining the sword. Intrigued at Dorran's exclamation I placed a finger on the diamond and watched, mystified as the tip glowed silver. If what Dorran said was true, then the sword had somehow absorbed the soul from my body. I reached inside my chest and separated the dragon soul from the mass of souls next to my heart and sent it through my fingertip and into the diamond, watching as the mist inside began to move faster as another joined it.
I tried to morph into a dragon and found that I couldn't, then placed my hand on the diamond once more and extracted the dragon soul, then morphed into my dragon form as if nothing had happened.
After morphing back I added more souls and slowly felt my mind become my own again and I sighed with relief.
"So that was what the sword was for…" I whispered, staring at the mass of silver that illuminated the sword even more.
"Maybe that it also what the necklaces were for too." Dorran said, fingering the Shifter talisman at my neck, causing goose bumps to rise every time he brushed my skin.
I nodded, realizing that with my sanity, Dorran's had returned too. Dorran shook his head and we both morphed once more, relieved to see that our minds stayed as they had been before. We ran on, heading towards the wolf camp once again. Dorran hid in the trees as I rushed to Tala's house, bursting open the door, startling both her and Faolan who had been sitting at the table, presumably talking.
"Tala, Nasuada and Queen Islanzadi have scheduled a siege on Urû'baen today to finally fight for our land and overrule the King, do you wish to join us? We would have a better change with the aid of the werewolves as well. I am sorry it's such short notice and-"
"Kalanie, Faolan has told me all about it and the werewolves are assembling themselves as we speak. We will join the rest of the forces in the war and will leave in a couple of hours." Tala interrupted me, glancing over at a group of teenagers polishing an intricate collection of gleaming metal that I assumed was wolf armor seeing as the vast sheets of silver looked too large and oddly-shaped to fit a human.
I nodded to her and turned to Faolan, "Do you also plan to join us?" I asked him, fingering my sword and seeing images of exotic creatures flash through my mind as I went through each soul, memorizing the ones that seemed best for battle.
The werewolf rolled his eyes sarcastically, "There's no force in the universe that would keep me away!" he replied, showing a hint of fangs as his mouth opened wide.
I grinned and sat down, waiting impatiently for the warriors to ready themselves for the upcoming war.
After a few hours a wolf entered, his furred brow adorned in a metal head guard with holes in the top for his ears and two leather straps, one running under his jaw and another just after the ending of his mouth. The rest of his body was protected by huge plates of metal on his back, underbelly, and legs, the overall sight igniting the sense of battle in me with excitement.
"We are ready." The dark brown wolf growled and Tala stood, gesturing for the young werewolves that had been cleaning her armor to put it on her as she morphed.
"Then let us go and save the land." Tala replied, her armor strapped on in a matter of seconds with the aid of the werewolves' speed.
I nodded and we made our way out, Faolan meeting us at the doorway after being absent for a few minutes while he got himself ready with similar-looking armor.
"Are you ready?" he asked, not just meaning the battle but also the fact that I would have to face the fake Dorran, the one who Faolan still believed to be his actual brother.
"As I will ever be." I replied, then morphed and ran off into the forest, Tala next to me and the rest of the pack following close behind, heading towards the battlefield.
Dorran, how are you going to fight if the imposter is still our there and pretending to be you? I thought urgently, my claws tearing up the earth, readying them with the prospect of ripping flesh in the battle.
I suppose I will just have to kill him myself then, Dorran replied, his voice low and growling savagely.
I sighed, as much as I looked forward to the thought of battle and fighting for the well-being of the land, I couldn't stand the deliberation of someone getting hurt, or worse.
These warriors are fully aware of what they are getting themselves into, and if they do die, then they die with honor and their memory will never be forgotten, Dorran whispered into my mind but I still felt the anxiety pricking my paws.
But what worries me is the thought of just how many people that fight for their land will never be able to actually see it in happier times, I whispered back, looking around me to watch the determined wolves running through the thick undergrowth. How many of them would make it back to these woods alive?
Do not be afraid, we fight, and die, for what we truly believe in with no other judgment to sway our decision, another mind reached mine and I looked to my right to see Tala running beside me, her golden eyes boring into mine.
I nodded, silver orbs melting into gold, I know, I replied.
Tala looked ahead suddenly as we reached the rise of a hill, the entire pack lining the edge to look down onto the scene below.
The sun was sinking blood-red over the dark castle, the sight having been blocked before by the thick canopy of trees.
My claws sunk into the fragile earth and with my fangs bared a growl rose in my throat.
We had arrived.
not much to say except...
PLEASE REVIEW!!
it's coming to the last chapters people, review ur butts off please !! :P
-Firesilk:D
