I do not own Eragon or Eldest. If I did, it wouldn't be so successful.

A large pair of big, chocolate eyes flicked open. Light brown curls brushed past them. Their owner tried to move his arms to get the hair out of his way, but was stopped by a hard pull coming from above him. This was accompanied by the loud clank of metal against metal. He looked up to see a pair of chains that were welded to the wall. He looked down their lengths to find them, sure enough, attached to cold, metal shackles on his wrists. He pulled hard on the chains, but to no avail.

Across from him sat a beautiful, copper-haired girl. She looked thin, as though she hadn't been fed well. Her face was dirty, but there were no blemishes or wound on it. She had her eyes closed, but, since he knew her, he knew they looked like the color of a crystal spring never seen by man or beast. Her rosy lips were dry and cracked and tiny beads of deep, red blood covered the cracks. Her arms looked pale and weak, like they hadn't rested for months. Small, purple splotches told a horrific tale. The boy winced. It was all his fault.

The suffering she must have endured… he could only imagine. He had been wounded by their captors once. It took him weeks to heal. He swore the skin they kicked still looked purple, though it was nearly a year ago. Before his brother betrayed him, before he found out he was a monster's son, before this girl was imprisoned. What he faced then seemed trivial compared to now.

Then, he and his brother were friends. Then they were true brothers…but hadn't known. Now that they had, they were enemies. It wasn't fair. He took a moment and curse Thorn for hatching for him. He cursed Galbatorix for holding him prisoner. He cursed his brother for not being stronger. He cursed many people, but mostly, he cursed himself. For not seeing through the twins. For not moving fast enough to save him. For giving up too soon. For not having the courage to kill him. For smiling every time he heard his name, despite the situation. And, lastly, for bounding with him.

He moved his eyes on, finally, when he heard something slightly stir. He gazed on his cousin. He couldn't help but smile. To him, they weren't cousins, but rather brothers. His curly, brown locks seemed a bit dirty. He imagined his brown eyes open for a second, staring at his beautiful fiancé, who slept next to him. He reflected on how much he'd changed. His muscles were huge now. A slight beard grew on his face. And, when his eyes were open, he had a fresh soldiers look. He's seen some blood, but not enough to harden him…yet.

Of course, his cousin wasn't the only one who's changed, he reflected. He now had the look and abilities of that of an elf. He was now a hardened dangerous warrior, a powerful spell caster, and most significantly, a Dragon Rider.

He looked around the dark room. Soft, red lights, similar to the ones in Farthern Dur, gleamed. The room was around twelve feet from floor to ceiling. The width was maybe seven feet, the length around fifteen. It was a typical dungeon. The air was stale and no breeze came to relieve the hotness of it. He figured they were still in Helgrind.

Suddenly out of the corner of his eye, something stirred. He turned to face the motion; friend or foe. Instead of a large, shiny shell, cloaked all over, and foul breath of the Ra'zac, the girl's tired blue eyes opened. They made a happy, confused, tired, sad, and fearful smile upon seeing the young boy.

"Who…Who are you?" she groaned with a bit of an apprehensive look in her eyes. She knew an elf when she saw one. And, as far as she knew, the elves were on her side. But there was something… different about this one. And something familiar…

"How are you feeling, Katrina?" She froze at the sound of her name.

"How do you know my name? Wait…Eragon?" he nodded at her. "….how…when…"

"We came to rescue you, Katrina."

"Nice job." She smile, "Wait…we?"

She turned and for the first time noticed her fiancé. Her eyes lit up. She grabbed him, sticking to him like a magnet with a magnet. Eragon couldn't help but smile. She really did love him.

She squeezed him tightly and gave a worried frown when he didn't wake He seemed still thoroughly out cold. That worried Eragon. Not just that either. Dried blood cracked on his skin. A hug, blackish purple bruise adorned his head. He'd clearly been hit…and hard…

"Oh no, they're back!" exclaimed Katrina.

"Who's ba…" Eragon paused to hear the loud thud of wings

Then came the most unearthly sound he'd ever heard. It was kind of like the roar of a dragon. Beside him, there came a low rubble in response and he realized for the first time, his dragon was here too. Her scales were a beautiful burnished sapphire. Even in the low light, the gleam of her scales screamed, "Notice me!" Long white spikes ran down her spine, except for the gap Eragon was meant to ride in. It could carry two or three passenger in this spot. She was around fifteen feet tall and, from her head to the tip of her tail, twenty-seven feet long. She had to scrunch up in the tiny space. Cruel chain held her beautiful neck down. She yawned, her mouth gaping and displaying her six inch fangs. Katrina gaped as she noticed their giant friend. She would have fainted if she hadn't already seen the lethrblaka, who looked much scarier then this.

Saphira! I missed you. He said to her with a toothy smile. Behind him, Katrina made a disgusted sound. She was clearly not too found of dragons.

As have I. She replied, giving a similar gesture. Katrina had to really hold it in to keep from shrieking.

Eragon groaned. His head hurt from speaking to Saphira; which was very strange.

How are you feeling, little one. She asked, sensing her rider's discomfort.

Better then any other time I've gotten capture actually. My head hurts a little, but I'll live.

Something hit him. He shouldn't be able to talk to Saphira. Unless they didn't drug him. But what motives did they have for not drugging him? Was it some sort of test? He wondered if he should dare try magic. He reached out for it. The familiar barrier was there. He broke it down. So far so good. He had a little trouble with the word, but then one came to his mind that was just what he needed.

He uttered a simple word, "Jierda."

The chains broke! He ran to Saphira. Nice thought, little one. She said as he uttered, "Jierda." And broke her chains.

Then he swiftly moved to Katrina. She sat, gazing without an end at the sapphire dragon before her. She seemed very frightened. No matter what Eragon did, she wouldn't move. Her chains broke just the same. Eragon, noting she still wasn't moving, shook her shoulders.

"Katrina! Come on! We have to move." She shook out of it and moved alright; she moved as far from Saphira as possible. Eragon rolled his eyes as he uttered the final spell to free them all.

Then he focused. He heard the drips of cave water on the floor. There was the clank of steel on rock and the groan of slaves as they worked their backs off. Finally, taking up most of the noise, was the sound of a fight. Six were involved. Three fought like humans, three like dragon. Four on two, or so it sounded like. The two were winning. Where were all those noises coming from? His keen ears realized most of the noise was coming from the west wall. One of the figures ducked and rolled toward the door; only to be stopped by a beast's blow. They were in the middle of a war! They'd needed a way out and fast!

Saphira, tap your tail against every wall but the west one. I want to see if they are hollow and, if so, if any of them are thin enough for you to break through.

So Saphira tried all the walls while Eragon tried, mostly in vain, to calm Katrina.

"What is that thing?" She asked. Saphira started to give her a warning but stopped when Eragon glared at her.

"A dragon."

"I can see that, wise one. But what's it doing here? And what in Alagaesia is it doing?"

"Ah-"

The south wall is hollow. And it's less then two inches thick. Saphira said proudly.

"Katrina, take Roran and get yourself out. Saphira," Eragon gestured to her, "will take you. Wait for me by Leona Lake."

Katrina started to protest, but Saphira grabbed her. She started screaming and Eragon heard an increase in the noises outside. Saphira easily broke through the thin wall and burst out of the mountain.

Be careful. She yelled back.

Eragon reached for his magic and said, "Esto roti el'vo." And in front of him, the rock turned to liquid and began to mold. Soon it took the shape of a sword. He took it and assumed a battle stance that was firm and steady. Outside he heard muffled screams, shuffling, metal clanking on metal, and then…nothing. He heard nothing….

A large portion of stone moved suddenly. And there, in Helgrind's dungeon, stood a fair skinned elf with eyes like evergreens and hair like molten onyx. Arya.