The Last Dragons
Chapter 9; The Final Two
Caleb smiled happily as he soared through the air on Lucus' back. The last month and a half had been great for Caleb, he didn't have to worry about hiding his real identity or Lucus from onlookers. They sailed as fast as the ship could handle around the south western coast of Alagaesia heading for the southern islands which they would pass to reach Surda.
Each morning Caleb and Lucus went for a fly for several hours, and they were normally back before all of the Villagers were awake though Jeod and Roran could both be counted on to be on the deck waiting for him when he returned. His flight had one major purpose besides recreation and practice for Lucus, from the altitude of several miles he could see the surrounding ocean clearly from the coast all the way into the distant ocean and that not only gave them a good idea of their progress but also meant that they had good warning if any other ships approached them.
Lucus was just wheeling around to return to the ship when Caleb noticed something out of the corner of 'their' vision. Since their separate minds were merged completely Caleb could experience Lucus' strange vision as if it were his own and that meant better acuity and being able to see details at a much greater range. In this case two nimble looking ships about ten miles away, just out of view of the Dragon Wing.
'Let's get back to the ship.' Caleb commented knowing it was pointless to attempt to speak through the rushing wind at this altitude and speed.
'I'm already doing it.' Lucus told him grumpily at having to cut his flight short.
'I'll make it up to you tomorrow.' Caleb promised.
Lucus grunted his agreement and smoke shot past Caleb bringing a smile to his lips. Lucus was now nearing six months and he was already a fearsome creature. Smaller then he remembered Saphira to be at seven months when he saw her in Eragon's mind east of the Beor Mountains but he was stronger than she was then. Caleb had to guess on comparisons but he could imagine that Lucus was far more nimble than she was because of his slimmer bulk but just as strong. Caleb and Lucus theorised that it was because their bond. Saphira had taken to Eragon's human advantages, muscle and bulk whereas Lucus was absorbing Caleb's Elven strengths like his litheness, speed and strength. It made him smaller but far more like a predator.
Caleb jumped from Lucus' bare back as he swept over the quarterdeck and landed gracefully as the Dragon did a complete circuit around the large ship before diving into the water and vanishing to find a dolphin, small whale or school of fish to feed upon. Lucus still hadn't gotten around to making a saddle for Lucus and even though they couldn't possible attempt a battle without something more secure for Caleb to hold onto the elf had enough balance and strength to prevent himself falling off for the time being. There hadn't been an opportunity to fashion a saddle especially with Lucus' rapid growth.
"You are early." Jeod pointed out.
"We decided to cut our flight short lest we be spotted by the two ships chasing us." Caleb retorted with a smirk as he stretched his body like a cat did.
"We are being pursued?" Uthar exclaimed looking over his shoulder at the horizon behind them. "How long have you known this?" He rounded on Caleb angrily.
"Calm yourself, Captain." Caleb raised his hands placating. "We only noticed them fifteen minutes ago. They are still far beyond your visual horizon. They will intercept us tomorrow at noon at their current speed."
"How can you know that from a single look?" Uthar glared.
"There is much that I can do that a human cannot." Caleb pointed out before pointing off to his right, over towards the unseen coast to the south east of them. "They are approaching from ahead of us."
"Then we should change course to pass to the south of the Southern Islands." One of Uthar's men suggested.
"To what purpose?" Caleb countered. "They would still chase us. We should continue on this course until we reach our destination."
"What about when they catch us?" Uthar demanded.
"We fight them." Caleb pointed out simply. "Three hundred men verses two small ships of perhaps fifty in each."
"Trained soldiers!" Uthar snapped. "With Magicians too I'd wager."
"And we have a Dragon and his Rider." Roran joined the conversation with an evil glint. Caleb knew that he'd see every small battle as a piece of his revenge until he rescued Katrina and that was fine by Caleb as long as he didn't get too arrogant.
"Indeed." Caleb pointed out. "There is not a lot that two small ships can do against a Dragon and an Elven Magician."
Caleb bowed slightly before withdrawing from the quarter deck and down onto the slightly lower midships section and then up again onto the raised foredeck. Roran and Jeod followed him like they did each morning and as he stopped Roran handed him Aidail and drew his own sword that one of the sailors had gotten for him. Caleb didn't fly with his sword since it was unnecessary and without a saddle to strap himself in he was worried about loosing it through some clumsy act on his part.
He blunted the sword with a spell in the Ancient language before doing the same to Roran's sword. They'd practice with the swords for an hour before moving onto Roran's hammer that he preferred. Roran had been content to simply learn to fight with the hammer and even though Caleb knew how to wield a hammer in a fight he didn't want Roran to be clueless about sword fighting for two reasons. First was that it would give Roran an insight into his enemies tactics and give him a chance of defending himself and secondly if Roran was disarmed it was far more likely that he would pick up a sword from a nearby corpse in a battle then a hammer of some kind.
Jeod always watched their sparring out of his own curiosity into the abilities of Caleb and to give a few pieces of advice to Roran when he needed it. Caleb wasn't too troubled by this since he hadn't really fought against many people even if his own training was far beyond most.
It wasn't until half way through a fight between Caleb and a hammer wielding Roran that he felt one of the wards drawing power from him. He'd placed a ward over himself, Roran and Jeod to prevent anybody from Scrying them and now the one on Roran was sapping his magic at a rate that he wasn't used to.
He backed away from the fight and held up a hand to stop Roran from attacking him again and was rewarded for his action as the young man backed away with a confused look on his face. Caleb never backed away from a fight and he knew for a fact that the Elf couldn't possibly be getting tired. He, however, was absolutely exhausted from two hours of intense fighting every morning against somebody with mythical strength and agility.
Caleb frowned as the drain on the ward on Roran faded and he looked up at Roran and Jeod. "Somebody was attempting to Scry you Roran. I placed a ward on yourself and Jeod that prevents such an action and whoever it was has retreated."
"Who was it?" Roran asked.
"There is no way to tell." Caleb told him.
"What about Eragon?" Roran asked. "If he is a Dragon Rider too then surely he could do it."
"It is possible and even likely but it could also be any number of Magicians that have seen your face in the minds of the soldiers in Carvahall, Narda or Teirm." Caleb argued before suddenly stopping as he felt another drain, this time on himself. "It has returned though they are trying to scry for me."
Caleb registered the drain on his ward. Whoever it was, he or she was rather powerful since he was expending a lot of magic to prevent it so it couldn't be any of the Magician's under the employ of the Empire. It could possibly be Islanzadi but she wouldn't be able to scry Roran having never seen him, though she could have taken the image from Eragon's mind. But Islanzadi wasn't likely to scry for Caleb if she could use the dream spell on him though after what Caleb had done to her the last time she might think twice about that.
In the end though Caleb's power was greater than the other though only by a small margin, though the difference was greater more because of training and experience over sheer power levels. Whoever it was had put a lot into the spell to try to punch through his wards and if it had happened before his blending with Lucus and the changes to his body and magic that had occurred then whoever it was might have been able to break through them.
"I believe that we should finish early." Caleb told them and sighed as a wave of tiredness overwhelmed him. Preventing that scrying had taken a lot from him, more then he was used to expending in his life time. He'd only used such power a few times, when he had transported the egg, trapped Islanzadi's mind and now this.
"Are you ok?" Roran asked as he sheathed his own sword leaving the bluntness to be removed later.
"Whoever was scrying you was almost as powerful as me or is more powerful but held back a lot of power." Caleb admitted. "It has tired me out for the moment. I will regain my strength in a few short hours."
"Who does that leave as suspects?" Roran asked. "Eragon?"
"Possibly or the King himself." Caleb admitted.
"Or possibly Queen Islanzadi. Or a group of Elvish Spellcasters working together?" Jeod suggested.
"But don't you need to have seen me to scry me as well?" Roran argued.
"Either the King of humans or the Queen of the Elves could have taken the image of your face from the minds of another." Jeod pointed out.
"I will attempt to contact Eragon tonight once I have revived fully." Caleb promised Roran who had looked so hopeful at the idea of it being Eragon.
"Will he not simply block it with a ward?" Jeod asked.
"My method is a spell known only to the Elves and it has no known defence though even the weakest of people can end it. I only need make contact." Caleb told the man simply. "It will only work if he has left Du Weldenvarden though I can't see why he would have."
Caleb and Roran spent most of the day chatting as they sat far out on the bowsprit. Mostly they talked about what would happen once they reached Surda but also what they would do when Eragon finished his training and ventured back into the world. For Roran it was a matter of demanding Eragon's aid in rescuing Katrina but for Caleb it was far more complicated. He knew that he had no choice but to admit that Eragon and Murtagh were true brothers as opposed to the brotherhood that Murtagh and Caleb had shared. But if the King had told Murtagh the truth he could not risk Eragon not knowing and being caught off guard by the knowledge in the future and Eragon would have to know if Caleb had any hope of convincing Eragon and Saphira to come with Caleb and Lucus to rescue him from the King.
As night approached Caleb could see the small top sails of the two small boats if he used Lucus' eyesight over his own and he was satisfied that they could not possibly catch up to them until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. Caleb slipped back onto the deck and told Roran to guard him. Even if he could sense minds like the Kings or the Ra'zac in the dream spell he couldn't sense a normal human and that made him very vulnerable even through the simple deflecting ward he kept around him at all times.
He muttered the spell under his breath so that nobody would hear it and closed his eyes before searching out for Eragon's familiar mind and to his surprise, concern and relief found it in the centre of the Hadarac desert amongst a small set of crags, the same place that Caleb was supposed to have met them six months ago after escaping Uru-baen with the two eggs.
He smiled at the Rider as he found himself standing opposite a heavily armoured and heavily armed Eragon in the middle of a sea of harsh sand under the hot glare of a desert sun. Eragon had changed in appearance, he was more Elflike but Caleb decided he wouldn't mention it if it wasn't offered to him. A growl rippled through the air as Saphira appeared looming up behind Eragon. Caleb's smile just grew greater.
"Not exactly the welcome I had in mind." Caleb spoke simply before remembering that Eragon had been training in Du Weldenvarden all this time. He clapped his fist and brought it up to his collar bone as he switched to the Ancient language. "Atra esterni ono thelduin."
Eragon's eyes widened even as Saphira closed her flared wings and settled onto her hunches. "Mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr."
Caleb decided it was only right to speak the last line, normally only spoken when greeting a highly respected Elf. Caleb had already given his respect by speaking the first line of the greeting but he figured it wouldn't hurt even if Eragon was already preparing to continue the conversation without it. "Un du evarinya ono varda."
This time Eragon did seemed shocked and he frowned and instantly the scenery shifted to that of a small log cabin that seemed to have grown out of the tree it was perched in. Caleb looked around the space. A bed sat at one side with a raised dais large enough for Saphira to sleep on. A table sat against another side with numerous doors leaving it. "I hardly expected you to continue the greeting. Or even be the one to begin it, Caleb. If I had had another second to recognise you I would have begun it."
Caleb grasped his hands behind his back and smiled at Eragon and then Saphira. "You are Shur'tagal, Eragon-Finiarel. There is non I would respect more than somebody in you situation." Caleb told him. "You have just been trained by the Elves, I can not neglect to show you the right respect to you now."
"I don't need you to honour me, Caleb." Eragon countered. "If anyone should be honouring another it should be me to you. Your magic is still more powerful than mind as is your knowledge of spells even if I am the Dragon Rider. Therefore it is me that should be showing reverence to you, Caleb-Elda."
Caleb chuckled at Eragon's words wondering whether he should simply tell the boy now that he was also a Dragon Rider. He decided against revealing Lucus without his Dragon's permission which he couldn't gain whilst in this spell. "How about we return to our old conversations?"
"You mean me and Saphira being suspicious of you and worried that you were out to kill us?" Eragon asked.
"Were you?" Caleb laughed again. "It was hard for me to convince you of who I was when you had so little knowledge of magic."
"Have you two finished this pointless argument?" Saphira's voice rumbled through Caleb's head and he grinned up at her from her place on the raised dais.
"I apologise Saphira, I have been concerned about Eragon since he entered Du Weldenvarden." Caleb admitted.
"I'm sorry you had no way to contact us. We asked the Queen about you but after what you did to her we couldn't ask again." Eragon looked at him as he spoke the words but Caleb just grinned. "We decided we would wait until we left before trying to contact you again."
"And you did." Caleb nodded.
"Your wards are impressive, we scryed Roran several months ago and saw you with him so we asked the Queen for help." Caleb said. "After what you did to her I decided to try scrying Roran before you but I didn't think you would have warded him as well."
"There are many in the Empire that wish to find Roran, the reward for his capture is not as great as our own but still enough to put him at risk." Caleb told him. "I'm sorry for what I did to Islanzadi but I was angry at her for abandoning me. I will apologise to her the next time I see her."
"I think it is her that should be apologising." Eragon told him. "It was her that abandoned you. How did you do what you did?"
"Saphira has the ability to trap somebody within her own mind even when they use this spell, she did it to me along time ago and I decided to mimic its effects when Islanzadi attempted to enter my mind. Thus I trapped her." Caleb sighed. "The spell, however, reacted to my emotions and burnt her. It nearly completely drained me of my magic but I believe that some of her own magic did that actual burning in question."
Eragon looked shocked for a moment and sat down on the bed. Caleb crossed over to him and sat beside him. "You cannot have finished your training, Eragon. Why have you left the protection of Du Weldenvarden and who is the other mind with your party for surely Arya Drottningu would have followed Saphira into this dream to protect you."
"I was scrying the leader of the Varden, my liege-lady, when I discovered that Surda is about to be attacked by the Empire, I had to do something. Islanzadi is going to attack the north with the Elves whilst I join the Varden to protect Surda." Eragon told him. Caleb hissed and stood up.
"It's folly, Eragon. Surda can't withstand the Empire's armies even with the Varden's help." Caleb told him but Eragon simply continued ignoring his words.
"A dwarf called Orik, my clan brother, is travelling with me. Arya returned to the Varden just after the Blood-Oath Ceremony."
Caleb hissed again and backed up violently at the reminder of the missed Ceremony. He covered his pain by chuckling. "A Dwarf as a clan brother and the leader of the Varden as a liege-lady. You don't do things in halves do you Eragon."
Eragon stood and glared at him in irritation. "I had no choice." He snapped.
"The Dragon Rider that defeated a Shade had no choice?" Caleb raised his eyebrows up but his voice softened as he sighed. "I know you are new to this world outside of Palancar Valley, Eragon, and I promise that as soon as we meet I will protect you as much as I can but things are getting strange for me as well."
"Is this how you have become more powerful?" Eragon asked surprising Caleb, "Islanzadi and Arya think that you have delved into the darker side of magic like the King has done. I think Arya believes you are still working for the King."
"Then they are both idiots." Caleb snapped before sighing again, he was silent for a time before turning to look at Eragon. "Myself, Roran and most of Carvahall will wash up in Surda in three days. I shall try to meet you, I doubt finding you once word spreads that you are there will be hard."
"You mean we'll finally meet?" Eragon grinned.
"It is not a meeting I am looking forward to, Eragon. As much as I want to meet you in person and help you I fear that my appearance will cause as many problems as it will solve." Caleb sighed not being able to lie to him right now.
"I don't understand." Eragon frowned.
"You will in time but for now just be careful. There is no point in me bringing Roran to you if you get yourself killed." Caleb told him with a concerned look on his face before he cut the connection and found himself back on the Dragon Wing with Roran.
Roran looked at him expectantly. "Your cousin is on his way to Surda. It wont be long beofre you can see him."
"And beat the crap out of him." Roran put in pointedly.
"If Saphira lets you." Caleb pointed out in amusement and watched determination spread across Roran's face. Caleb would pay gold to see Roran try to get passed Saphira to get at his cousin.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
The next day
Caleb watched from the quarter deck as the details of their two chasing ships got clearer and clearer, they would be in long arrow range within a few minutes right about when Caleb had guessed.
"I can do this two ways." Caleb muttered to Jeod though he knew that Uthar and Roran could hear him also. "I could reach out now and kill the Magicians on that ship though I'd rather wait until they made the first move and then we can hope they retreat."
"And if they don't?" Jeod asked.
"I'd then have to kill all of the others in the same way." Caleb admitted. "The alternative would be to wait until they are closer and destroy their ships."
"Which would be the least taxing on you?" Roran asked.
Caleb thought about it, the difference in strain between the method of destruction he had in mind and connecting with all of the one hundred sailors minds and then killing them was quite large. "Probably the first option but I'd rather give them the choice."
"Would they know that you are here?" Jeod asked.
"Undoubtedly." Caleb assured him, "I'm not masking my presence and I'm sure they can sense me though they have not attempted any attack yet."
"I'd prefer to do this with the chance of as few deaths as possible." Uthar told him. "Give them the choice to flee."
"Do you wish to ask them politely now then, Captain Uthar before I kill their Magicians?" Caleb asked with a raised eyebrow though he was being serious.
"You give me your word you will let the sailors flee once their Magicians are killed?" Uthar asked feeling pity for the sailors only following orders.
"I will give them that chance, I promise you." Caleb assured him. Caleb waited as a message was raised to the top of the mast, obviously some sort of ultimatum to the sailors of the chasing boats. Caleb knew it was pointless when his Elvish hearing heard the sounds of laughter floating with the wind from their pursuers.
"They are about to enter arrow shot, Captain Uthar." One of their own sailors commented.
"Let them make a move please, Caleb." Uthar pleaded.
"One move is all I shall allow." Caleb told him before reaching out with his magic as he sensed a spell forming on the decks of the ship. Without a seconds pause six arrows flew from the decks of the ships and arched into the sky boosted by magic to ensure their arrival. Caleb felt the magic in them and cast his own spell. "Letta orya thorna!"
His own magic instantly stopped the spelled arrows in flight and as soon as he released the magic they dropped into the water where the magicians' magic faded away as it tried to set fire to the water. Caleb didn't give the Magicians a chance to cast another spell and lashed out at the minds of the two Magicians that he had sensed over two hours ago. He connected with the first mind and felt the second try to attack his own to spare the other. He quickly poked back and was rewarded as it retreated from him before he directed his attack on the first again and broke through before casting one of the death spells to stop the Magician's heart.
He doubted that the second had even realised that his partner had died so quickly before Caleb's own strike broke through the man's mind and severed the blood flow to his brain.
"The choice is theirs." Caleb muttered to show that the Magician's were dead. Uthar nodded to show that he was grateful that Caleb hadn't simply just killed them all and they waited for two minutes as people ran around the decks. Caleb saw the detail first though it was obvious to everybody else just as quickly. People were running around the decks.
"They are preparing a volley." Roran warned before turning to make sure that all of the defenceless villagers were below decks until they were needed. Caleb sighed and looked at Uthar since it was his ship that he was standing upon.
"Do it." Uthar nodded at him.
Caleb surprised himself in not even having to concentrate that hard to find the minds of the forty seven soldiers and sailors on the closest of the two ships and he killed them all in the same way by slicing through their brain stems. Gasps arose from around him as they saw the men collapse onto the deck or down into the water from the top of their masts.
The ship began to slide to port away from the second ship as whoever was steering let go of the wheel. Cries were going up from the second ship as they watched their comrades in arms collapse dead but Caleb had given them ample warning in the form of his countering of the arrows and quick despatch of their Magicians.
"They are not pulling away." Jeod commented. Caleb had to hand it to their courage though he wasn't sure if they weren't just being plain stupid now. Maybe they believed that the reward set on his own and Roran's head was worth this risk. No fewer then twelve arrows arched into the sky with deadly and practiced accuracy and Caleb sighed as he raised his hands to use the spell he had originally planed. He knew the attack would use up more energy then simply killing them the same way but he was half eager to find his limitations and it was an easy spell to alter along the way from using massive amounts of magic to using very little.
"Reise du Adurna!" Jeod snapped his head around as he recognised one of the words, or possibly all of them since they were commonly known to most Magicians in the Empire's employ. Two pillars of water struck up from the sea between the two ships and the rapidly thickening tendrils smacked the arrows off course and even into several pieces that were swallowed up by the water as the two columns rose higher then even the Dragon Wing's highest mast. They seemed to twist around each other in a strange dance that betrayed Caleb's inner amusement before they started to tip down away from the Burning Wind and towards the pursuing ship which was rapidly trying to turn.
It was simply too late for anything that the Captain of that boat had planned and just as the ship had turned ninety degrees to port the two columns of water stuck it on the foredeck and quarter deck forcing it to shatter into thousands of pieces as hundreds of tons of water ripped through it like just as much stone.
Caleb didn't expect there to be any survivors and it was with a cold expression that he turned to report as much to a group of very shocked sailors and villagers before telling Roran that he was going to rest and to come and get him when it was time for supper.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Two days on
Caleb stared out over the front of the Dragon Wing as it sailed up the Jiet River towards the border between Surda and the Empire. Caleb could already see the sun vanishing under hazy clouds but they weren't usual clouds they were smoke and Caleb could easily see the orange light lighting it from below as the sun lit the entire area in a dull orange. This was truly the ultimate setting for a battle of this magnitude.
They had arrived in Dauth, a coastal city in the estuary of the river, and been told immediately by the welcoming Governess that a great battle was about to begin the very next morning by her estimation and that she was willing to accept them into her city. Roran had managed to convince the majority of the men in the village to sail up the river with him to give help to the Varden since he knew that Eragon would be there and no matter how angry he was at Eragon he wanted to help him, especially if it meant the downfall of the Empire.
Caleb turned to Roran as they passed a turn of the River, soon they would be in view of the battle, already he could hear the sounds of battle. A roar caught his hearing and he grinned. "I can hear Saphira." He told Roran, "It's time for me to go. Stay with the ship and don't get hurt."
"Is that concern for me or Eragon mental health?" Roran asked just like he had before Narda.
This time Caleb grinned at him before checking that Aidail, his daggers and his bow and quiver were all in place for a major battle. "Keep yourself safe, Roran-Vor." Roran frowned at the strange word. "It is an honorific used when greeting a close friend."
Roran smiled at him before grabbing him in a hug. "I'll see you after this, I owe you, Caleb-Vor."
"You owe me nothing." Caleb told him before reaching out with his mind and Lucus spread his wings and burst from the water. Caleb vaulted himself off of the railing and grabbed a hold of Lucus' neck and pulled himself onto his Dragon's back. He heard a cheer go up behind him and he was glad that no matter what happened now between himself and the Elves, Varden, Surda or Varden that he would always have the Villagers of Carvahall behind him.
Lucus and Caleb flew as low to the ground as possible, since it was in fact day he didn't want to be seen as a silhouette against the sky even darkened by the cloud as it was. He had no intention of taking Lucus into the battle with him despite Lucus' rather vocal argument against the decision. In the end Lucus had been forced to concede that in this sort of battle he would be an easy target for enemy attacks without armour and Caleb would be forced to protect them both from every small attack. Caleb mission didn't have anything to do with the battle as a whole, he'd help if he could but his main task was to find Eragon and protect him so that if the Varden fell here today he and Eragon could survive and flee to the Elves. It wasn't courageous but it was necessary.
They parted ways about a mile behind what used to be the Varden camp and Caleb slowly drifted south again to find a hiding place close enough that he could be at Caleb's side in an emergency but not so close that he would be caught up in the battle. No doubt he'd settle in the forest on the far side of the River since the battle couldn't spread across its fast flowing and deep water.
Caleb jogged into the battle proper even as he pulled up his cloak. Earth works gave him a view of the battle before him and he had to admit he had never seen something so chaotic. His training was in magic and its uses and not in its application in battle and even though he knew how to do it this scene still came as a shock to him.
He swept his eyes across the battle along with his mind and felt minds back away from him hastily on both sides of the battle. There were clearly two sides below him but they no longer stood on clear sides of the field. They were mixed to an alarming rate with small pockets of soldiers surrounded by many others. The Varden had obviously been losing but only slowly and that was impressive since they were facing a much larger army. Eragon's presence had clearly done what it was meant to in striking fear into the enemy but sheer numbers were still taking their toll on the Surdan and Varden army. A group of Dwarves fought in a large group on the North side of the battle and they looked far fresher to the fight than the others so had presumably come more recently to the battle.
From Caleb's position on the North of the battle he could only just see the blue shape that was Saphira though her presence was reiterated every once in a while as she roared before lunging in to attack. Caleb could just about make out a small figure fighting just under her wing and it could be none other than Eragon. Caleb smiled a real smile at the first real glimpse at his mother's son but he knew that as long as Eragon was focusing on the battle Caleb could go unnoticed.
He wondered for a moment why none of Du Vrangr Gata, the mislead Magicians of the Varden, had tried to attack his mind yet even though it stood open to attack in his current state but he figured that they were gathering their forces before attacking him. Even as he contemplated that Saphira leapt up from the ground and into the air.
'She's beautiful, Lucus.'
Caleb's eyes shone more violet then they normally were as they merged their minds into Caleb's body so that Lucus could aid him more closely but more so that Lucus could finally see another of his own kind. A deep welling happiness spread from Lucus filling the void that they both had. Caleb missed the presence of Elves and Lucus missed the presence of Dragons. They were truly bonded in heart, soul, mind, magic and body.
Caleb smirked as Eragon and Saphira wheeled away to the south away from Caleb presumably towards the approaching Dragon Wing. He wondered what kind of a shock Roran and the Villagers would receive when Eragon and Saphira swooped down on the ship from above. Caleb just hoped that Eragon got a good look before Saphira melted the ship with her fiery breath. Caleb used the distraction to slip down into the battle. It wasn't so intense here and he was able to slip through quite easily. He deflected strikes with Aidail constantly and without mistake but only killed those dressed in the uniforms of the Empire. Soon the soldiers around him from the Varden began to accept him as an ally appearing in the heat of battle.
Caleb was making his way through the battle when a heavy thudding reached his ears. He reached out and snapped the neck of a nearby Imperial soldier who was trying to attack him before listening carefully. Saphira was to the south approaching slowly but this new sound came from the west, from the Imperial lines.
'It's not me!' Lucus told him in horror and Lucus looked over at the western horizon from a small rise in the ground and he gasped involuntarily as a large red Dragon rose slowly above the western lines. It's larger body was distorted by heavy armour but Caleb could recognise that colour anywhere. The last egg had hatched.
'Oh god, it can't be Murtagh.' Caleb gasped out in his mind. 'Please don't let it be Murtagh!'
He felt a pure rush of love and sympathy flood across his bond and he pulled himself up. The lines had been drawn, all four of the last Dragons had been hatched and he was the only one to know it. Caleb noticed with dawning horror that the red dragon was heading straight towards him and Eragon, even aware of the new threat, was still over the southern side of the battle. Caleb began drawing magic up into the strongest ward he had even as he pulled the strongest mental shielding he had up around him.
'It's not aiming at you, look down.' Not concentrating on more than his magic for the last few seconds meant that it was Lucus who had noticed that Caleb stood slightly above and no more than five metres away from the head of the Dwarven army led by a large Dwarf who was protected by Dwarven Mages and powerful looking soldiers, clearly a very important Dwarf. The enemy Shur'tagal's plan became clear to him. The entry of the Dwarves had turned the tide of battle ever so slightly in favour of the Surdan and Varden armies but if the Dwarf below him, the Dwarf King, was killed then the Dwarves would be ineffectual in the battle.
A bright beam of orange light burst from the red Dragon and it's Rider and streaked across the ground. Caleb reacted instantly throwing his own magical ward across onto the single Dwarf just as the magical beam struck him. Saphira roared in the background even as Caleb fed as much magic into the beam as he dared lose. Around the King his Mages dropped to the ground dead, willing to give up their own lives in favour of leaving one last drop of power in their wards to save their King. Caleb wouldn't let them die in vain.
The King dropped to the ground in shock as pain wracked his body and Caleb moved to his side as soon as the beam of orange magic faded. He ended his ward even as another roar that wasn't Saphira's split the air followed closely by the more familiar one. Caleb slipped passed the overly concerned Dwarven body guard and knelt beside the King. He looked pale but he was still alive.
"My Mages?" The King gasped at one of his bodyguards as Caleb ran a hand over him and muttered a spell to check for damages. He wondered vaguely why he hadn't been attacked before realising that half of the bodyguards were watching him along with the majority of the Dwarven army. The battle had fallen into a dangerous quiet presumably as people turned to look at the two Dragons in the sky.
"They are all dead, my King." The gravely voice of a Dwarf told him.
"How am I still alive?" The King demanded before finally noticing Caleb and trying to struggle up.
"Rest, King Hrothgar." Caleb told him as he lowered his hood to show his Elven features. "My ward saved your life but you will still be tired."
"Who are you?" Hrothgar asked with a frown.
"A friend of Eragon and Saphira." Caleb told him before standing up. "I would continue to attend to you but I must help Eragon." Caleb turned to the body guard that he had heard speak. "Please remove him from the battle and make sure he rests. He will regain his strength in a few days time."
The body guard looked torn between defying the orders of an Elf and doing what he felt was right for his King. Eventually loyalty and concern for his King overrode any innate suspicion against an Elf.
'That took a lot out of you.' Lucus commented as Caleb raised his hood and slipped once more into the battle. He could feel the mind of Du Vrangr Gata probing the edges of his now closed shield and he lashed out at each of them, one mind shoved backwards and Caleb had to retreat slightly from it before he lashed out again. A small battle began where Caleb evidently had the disadvantage of having to protect himself in battle and defend from the entirety of Du Vrangr Gata. With Lucus' mind merging further with his own and helping though it was an easier matter by far.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Meanwhile
Arya sat on her horse beside Nasuada with Trianna on the far side. She had seen that the magical attack from the new enemy Rider had been thwarted by some extremely powerful magic, magic that was greater than even her own. With the exception of the two Riders now fighting above the battle this new presence was the most powerful. Du Vrangr Gata must be scared out of their minds. Arya glanced past Nasuada, the Varden's leader who was staring up at the aerial battle in concern, and looked to the concentrating leader of the Varden's Magicians.
The woman came back to reality and called for Nasuada. "There is a powerful mind holding up against our combined force." She reported without fear as Arya would have suspected.
"A Magician?" Nasuada asked.
"Without a doubt. One of my men has seen him, a cloaked and hooded figure that has been killing soldiers with ease." Trianna told her.
"Who's soldiers?" Nasuada asked logically.
Trianna concentrated for moment before reopening her eyes. "Only the Imperials."
"What do you think, Arya?" Nasuada turned to the Elf even as Trianna glared as she was ignored.
"A powerful spellcaster cannot be allowed to travel through the army unchallenged." Arya told her simply. "Killing off Imperials could just be a ploy to get close enough to kill you."
"Can you enter his mind and find out his purpose?" Nasuada turned back to Trianna who shook her head.
"We've been trying, he just attacks back with overwhelming force." Trianna almost looked at Arya for help but the Elf was already straightening to help.
"I will assist you." Arya let her mind drift across the minds around her following Trianna's own mind until she found a mind that was repelling dozens of others without difficulty. She reached out carefully but her probes was repelled, she pushed harder just as all the others did and the foreign mind was forced to retreat though it was obvious that the mental attacks of Du Vrangr Gata were still no concern for him. She attacked relentlessly and almost believed that she would win before a iron tight shield came down around the man's mind that she couldn't even begin to penetrate. As she made the mistake of probing the shield a violent lash of power hit her own mind and broke straight through her unprepared shields. She had never seen a being attack whilst defending their own mind so absolutely.
Flashes crossed her mind and she struggled to eject the foreign mind before it could do any damage. She began to cast a spell knowing that it would only be moments before this man ended her own life.
"Peace, Arya Drottningu. I mean you no harm or I would have already killed you." She was shocked, not even in the mind could somebody lie in the Ancient language. "We have met once before. I have promised to protect Eragon but you are delaying my attempts to help him. Leave me be and order the humans that claim to be Spellcasters to do the same or I'll kill them all to do what I must to keep Eragon alive."
The presence retreated and Arya gasped in air having forgotten to breath whilst an intruder was in her mind. She turned to Trianna. "Order Du Vrangr Gata to ignore him immediately before he kills you all."
"Kills us all?" Trianna asked without doing as ordered. Nasuada turned on Arya in surprise at her desperate tone.
"He overcame my boundaries and proved himself in the Ancient language. We are safe from him if we withdraw our attacks against him." Arya told the leader of the Varden who turned to nod to Trianna who in turn notified the others of their orders.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Consequently
Caleb had followed the battle in the air even as he headed for the far side of the battle. Murtagh and his Dragon were fresh into the battle and that was giving him an advantage that evened the odds against Eragon and Saphira's greater training, size and strength. Saphira was also far more manoeuvrable in the air.
Caleb watched as the two Dragons settled on a sheer crag that was cut off from the battle on all sides and Caleb broke into a run. He had to do something to stop the two before they killed each other. Murtagh wouldn't be attacking his own brother if he wasn't under some sort of oath to the King and Caleb knew that Murtagh would rather give his own life then take that of his own brother unwillingly. Even though it was Caleb's fault that Murtagh had had to be learn of Eragon's true identity from the King instead of from him.
Eragon though was in the worst situation, all Murtagh would have to do was let the truth out and Eragon would be out of this fight, captured by an Oath bound Murtagh and taken to the King to serve him. The situation was Caleb's fault and he would rather risk his own life then see everything fall into the King's hands. He just hoped that his plan would work and that it wouldn't get himself and the one person he truly loved killed.
Caleb scaled the side of the cliff with a simply piece of magic and landed on the top in time to see Murtagh trap Eragon under a spell. Saphira was under a similar spell and the Red Dragon was unaware of Caleb's presence as it lingered to one side watching Saphira with pained eyes. Caleb almost smiled before reaching out to the Dragon, forced to carry out the King's orders or abandon Murtagh. All that was missing from this battle was Lucus and it would be a true sight to see.
The red Dragon rounded on him as Caleb reached out with his mind to speak to it and it almost attacked before Caleb lowered his hood and simply stared at it. He couldn't afford to concentrate on what Murtagh was doing to Eragon and instead concentrated solely on the Dragon that wanted to attack him.
'Please don't stop me from helping Murtagh.'
The red Dragon obviously recognised him from Murtagh's own memories but a cloud of smoke still wafted over him as it snorted in irritation. 'You betrayed him by keeping his brother a secret.' The Dragon's voice was angry and Caleb wasn't surprised.
'Our mother made me promise not to tell him.' Caleb almost sobbed, this was where his betrayal came to light and then he'd truly be alone. A warm feeling spread through him and he realised that Lucus was watching everything from his mind even while staying hidden from everyone in the forest a mile away to the south. Not completely alone then. 'I couldn't tell him that he had a brother living a happy life while we suffered at his father's hands.'
'It hurt him to find out about Eragon.'
'It hurt me more over the years to lie to him. To keep a family from Murtagh.' Caleb almost sobbed but drew up on Lucus' strength. 'I'd gladly die if I could take him back to that time and let him live with Eragon, to have a true brother rather then a fake one like me.'
'You are his brother.' The red Dragon told him and Caleb flinched at the admission. Did Murtagh still think of him as a brother?
'I failed him and I betrayed him even though we are bound against it, all I can do now is stop him from killing his brother or taking him to Galbatorix.' Caleb told the Dragon.
'He is bound by an Oath and I cannot counter it either.'
'But Murtagh and I are bound by an older Oath, born from loyalty and love, a more powerful one. I betrayed him so all that is needed is for him to take his revenge and it will force my magic to end this all.' Caleb told him as he turned squarely to face Eragon and Murtagh who were still oblivious to his presence though Saphira wasn't and he guessed Eragon knew as well if she did. He raised his hood and braced himself as Eragon seemed to become overwhelmed at something that Murtagh had said.
"You're lying!"
"I am your brother." Murtagh stated simply in the Ancient language though it was halted and unsure, he didn't know much. Caleb swallowed a lump. Now everyone knew of Caleb's mistake. He started walking towards Murtagh and pulled Aidail from it's sheath just as Murtagh turned around.
"You're wrong, we're nothing alike."
"No, Eragon, you two are the same but Murtagh is not who he should be." Caleb spoke softly and Murtagh turned to face him but with his hood up Caleb knew that he wouldn't be able to recognise him in time. Caleb spun forwards with Aidail behind him to hide its easily recognised features and he heard the Dragon behind him roar in anger. Caleb and Murtagh met in the middle but Caleb never once tried to fight him. Their swords met with a loud ringing and Caleb recognised Eragon's sword, Morzan's sword, against his own.
Murtagh pushed against his sword in anger having still not recognised him and Caleb twisted his sword out of the locked position letting his brother's attack slide passed his own block. Murtagh's eyes widened at the sudden end to the battle and Caleb let Aidail fall from his suddenly limp fingers as he glanced down at the sword sticking out of his right lung and passed his heart. Murtagh stared at the sword on the floor at Caleb's feet, the one he had commissioned, designed and gifted to him and pain unlike any Caleb had ever seen on Murtagh's face erupted from his brother's core.
Caleb staggered slightly and fell to his knees. 'Stay where you are Lucus!' Caleb ordered feeling that his bonded wanted to come to his rescue.
"Caleb! No…" Murtagh shook violently. "It's not you!"
Caleb struggled to reach up and yanked down the hood of his cloak to reveal his face. He could feel blood running down from the side of his mouth and he spit it out before he could choke on more of it.
"No…" Murtagh gasped again as he staggered back another step. "What did I do? I didn't know it was you!"
"You didn't do anything I didn't deserve." Caleb told him. Caleb collapsed onto his hands as his magic ripped through him and watched as Murtagh was sent onto his knees. The Red Dragon roared in anger feeling pain over his bond and Caleb shut off all contact with Lucus as pain filled every part of his body as his magic began to tear into himself. Murtagh would be far worse off as his own magic and the Caleb's magic that formed the unbreakable oath took its revenge on Murtagh for stabbing him.
Caleb flipped over onto his back and let out a wild cry of pain that sounded almost like a roar of a dragon to him but even as his body seized up he looked over to Murtagh who was in the same position as him except the red Dragon was in the process of scooping him up and lifting off from the ground. Caleb rolled his head around to the other side and saw Eragon force himself to his feet and over to Caleb's side even as the newly unrestricted Saphira roared in defiance to everything that had just happened.
Eragon knelt beside him and Caleb could see all the emotions in his eyes. Anger, betrayal and a need for revenge on some level but over it all confusion and pain. "I am sorry, Eragon. I never meant to hurt either you or your brother but I could not tell either of you. I did not want to lose Murtagh to his real brother and I did not want you to distrust me knowing I was raised alongside Murtagh and under your father." A pain shocked him into silence for a second before he continued rambling in the Ancient tongue hoping that Eragon could understand his rushed words. "Please forgive Murtagh for what he did, he had no idea and no choice over his actions. I deserve this and I would take away his pain too if I could find another way of breaking his oath to the King. Forgive my brother…your brother…Eragon."
Caleb only just got the last words out before pain ripped through him again before it settled leaving him utterly exhausted and bleeding to death slowly in the middle of hell.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Later
Caleb woke instantly, his body ached badly but as an Elf there was no waking period especially since Elves didn't really sleep. The fact he had been unconscious was immediately evident and his eyes flashed open as he surveyed the cream coloured canopy above him. His mind, clear though it was, had a murky feel to it that took him a few attempts to understand but when it did he growled low in his throat sounding surprisingly like Lucus did when he was irritated. They'd drugged him.
'Caleb!'
'Don't worry, Lucus, I'm still alive.' Caleb told him. He received a flash of an imagined scene from Lucus' head and almost chuckled as he watched Lucus tearing through the Varden Camp setting things on fire as he tried to get to him. 'The thought is appreciated, Lucus, but I'd rather not have you shot down.'
'I wouldn't be shot down, I'll burn all the arrows!' Lucus announced.
'You can't breathe fire yet, Lucus.' Caleb told him simply. He received another flash though this time it was a present vision through Lucus' eyes as he looked over a ring of charred trees circling where Lucus was. 'You breathed fire?'
'Yes, when you cut me off.' Lucus' voice was irritated.
'I'm sorry to cut you off but I didn't want you to feel the pain.' Caleb told him.
'Did the plan work then?'
'I think so. The red Dragon took off with Murtagh but he was on our side but trapped in the King's service just like Murtagh was.' Caleb felt a wave of happiness spread across his bond. 'I know, Lucus. I'm glad too but we'll have to see if Eragon and Murtagh don't kill me for what I kept from them.'
He received another imagined flash of Lucus crouching low to the ground in front of Caleb protecting him from Murtagh and Eragon. Caleb chuckled and set a grateful feeling back across the bond. Caleb glanced around the room realising that not only had they forced him to forget any association with the Ancient language, a serious crime against the Elves, that their alliance didn't permit, but also that they had chained him to the cot he lay on with manacles around his wrists and ankles. His weapons were also gone, probably summoned from him with magic so that they didn't miss any of his hidden daggers.
The rest of the tent was empty except for a small table near the door with a chunk of bread and a jug of water on it, both undoubtedly spiked with the drug not that he could reach it anyway. He reached out with his mind for the first time since awakening and felt now fewer then fifteen minds close by retreat behind shields. More minds were around him, at least another twenty that he couldn't attack without going through the mind trained ones. He was guarded by almost forty soldiers and magicians, probably from the Dwarves, Varden and Surdan armies combined.
Six of the minds came closer and he turned to see four of the Magicians walk into the room along with two very burly looking soldiers in blood stained armour. Caleb glared at them as the two soldiers walked forwards to unchain him from the bed as the four Magicians stood watching everything he did. He was forced to keep up his own shields as they kept a mental eye on him knowing that he couldn't attack them from within without any knowledge of the Ancient language. They thought that at any rate. His problem was that it would take him too long to concentrate on his magic to cast anything without risking killing himself. They did have him trapped except for one thing that they had overlooked.
They picked two very strong humans but neither of them had Elvish strength. As soon as he was unchained from the bed he twisted his grip and grabbed the arm of the closest human and threw him clean over the cot and into the side of the tent.
"Letta!" One of the Magician's snapped and Caleb felt weak bonds weigh him down as the human stood up again and helped his partner to secure the chains together so that Caleb could be led.
He growled at the magic restraining his body knowing that it would only take a fraction of his own magic to break through it if he could access the words needed. "You idiot of a human." Caleb couldn't help but snarl as the two soldiers pulled him off of the bed and the Magician released her bonds so that he could stand on his own feet. He felt a pain in his chest and realised that they hadn't fully healed him. A sword wound straight through the chest would have killed a human but not only was he an Elf but he was a Dragon Rider, but still it was very painful and without his own magic he couldn't heal himself.
Was Eragon so mad at him that he hadn't tried to heal him or even speak out for his treatment. An Elf drugged and barely healed being dragged through a Varden-Surdan Camp was ridiculous.
"Keep your mouth shut." The Magician snapped.
"I'll do whatever I want. You have no way to kill me!" Caleb snapped back as he allowed himself to be led out into the sunlight, diffused as it was by orange clouds, and they were joined by the whole thirty-eight members of his guard.
"You are defenceless." The woman told him.
Caleb actually laughed but it wasn't a nice laugh, it was the same laugh that Murtagh had always used when talking about his father and their abuse at his hands. Many of those around him flinched at the sound that came from an Elf. "I'm an Elf, chains and this pitiful drug is not enough to stop me from killing you." To prove his words he lashed out with his mind and watched in amusement as all of the Magician's retreated behind their barriers as well as his two burly captors still holding their chains that led to his joined wrists and chained ankles.
It only took them a few seconds to realise that he couldn't do anything to them without the Ancient language and they forced him back behind his own shields just as one of his guards smacked him over the back of the head with the end of the chain. He felt blood on the back of his head as it cut into the skin and he growled at the man.
"Nasuada wished to interrogate you as soon as you were awake." The woman told him.
"Then I insist that Arya Drottningu, Eragon and Saphira and Roran Garrowson are there." Caleb told them simply.
"You are in no position to give orders." She snapped.
"The King of the Dwarves may not agree with you." Caleb snarled out even as they started dragging him through the crowds. Caleb could just about make out Saphira a long way off to the side and he sent a pleading to her in a burst of his mind that was instantly battered back into his own head. He didn't know if his mental prod had gotten through though and he didn't want to risk Lucus just yet to make sure that it had.
He was led to an large rectangular tent with no sides and forced inside. Soldiers surrounded the tent even as Magician's filled it. On the far side of the tent Arya sat on a chair beside a dark-skinned lady that he assumed was the leader of the Varden. Next to her and her equal was a heavily tanned man from Surda that Caleb recognised from descriptions in Uru-baen. The King of Surda.
Behind the three stood a Kull ranked Urgal, the largest of the Urgals. Caleb watched him for a moment before directing his gaze around the room at his guards. "I suppose I am supposed to be impressed by this?" He asked. "A royal greeting." He chuckled. "King Orrin of Surda. Princess Arya Drottningu and you must be Nasuada, current leader of the Varden."
They just watched him for a moment and he was forced to walk forwards towards them with a sharp push so that they didn't have to raised their voices at him. "I had expected a harsh welcome but this is nearing the same treatment that I received from King Galbatorix after I stole the Silver Egg from his private vault."
A shimmer of nervousness ran through the room as they heard this and Nasuada stood. "Where is this egg you speak of?"
Caleb laughed. "Far beyond your pitiful reach now, human!" Caleb snapped irritated by his position. "Where is the King Hrothgar, Eragon and Saphira?"
"They are not needed for this questioning." Arya spoke up quietly.
"I would have some harsh words for you, Arya Drottningu if I could speak the Ancient language." Caleb snapped with a glare and was rewarded with another shove in the back. He reached up and the guards flinched as he brought his chained hands over his head and onto the back of neck. He brought them back to show the blood staining his fingers.
"You are in no position to make demands." King Orrin told him.
"I'm a trained Elvish Spellcaster. Arya knows well enough that it would only take me a few moments to free myself and kill everyone in this room." Caleb snapped as he glared at her.
Nasuada turned to look at Arya, still seated in her seat. The Elf woman waved a hand dismissively. "I could kill him before he managed it."
"And betray your own mother by murdering me?" Caleb smirked at her, "I think not."
"What is he talking about?" Orrin asked.
"A matter between Elves." Caleb told him completely disregarding the man's rank. If they planned to treat him as an enemy then he'd do the same. He heard a thud from behind the ranks of soldiers and he grinned as the crowd split and an irritated Eragon walked through into the room. He was wearing plan brown trousers and a white shirt and behind him was a rather pale and shaky Roran who took one look at Caleb and tried to run to him to check he was alive.
"I asked to be informed once he awoke." Eragon turned to Nasuada.
"Your protection was not needed." Nasuada pointed out.
"That was not the point." Eragon snapped at his liege-lady even as Caleb snorted.
"Eragon is the only one here that could stop me from killing you all." Caleb snarled out and the young man turned to look at him.
"Please calm down, Caleb." Eragon told him. "You can't blame them for doing this, you are a danger to them."
"I saved the life of the King Hrothgar." Caleb snapped. "What other proof do you need?"
"Nobody saw that happen." Eragon told him.
"But she felt it." Caleb snapped a nod in Arya direction. "And so would these human Magicians if they knew the first thing about magic! I'd even promise my loyalty to you if they hadn't broken the alliance with the Elves and drugged me!"
"You are not a member of the Elvish community and therefore the rules do not apply." Nasuada told him calmly.
"Then I have no obligation to help you in this war." Caleb told her simply.
"We can't trust you." Orrin told him deeming to seem at least pleasant.
"I am not the one that has chained and beaten an Elf who has done nothing to harm you." Caleb snapped.
"And I have already vouched for him." Roran suddenly spoke up obviously feeling rather shy in the presence of so many important people.
"You are but one man who speaks with one voice." Arya told him. "You have no training in magic or war. A farmer's son from the north."
"I speak with the three hundred voices of the refugees that he helped to save including Jeod, a Varden spy." Roran's voice rose but Caleb quelled him with a look.
"Easy, Roran-Vor." The word slipped off of his tongue before he realised it and a smirk spread across his lips as he heard Arya gasp and stand quickly. Another word came to him even as Arya raised her hand to attack him with her magic. "Thrysta!" He snapped and the air around him exploded outwards sending his two guards flying across the room. The manacles shattered under the spell but he found himself weighed down by Arya's magic before he could grasp at any more of the words still out of reach of his brain.
"The drug is wearing off." Arya stated simply as Caleb probed her magic. It would take too many words to break the spell and not enough of them were available to him.
"Stop this." Eragon snapped standing in front of Caleb. "I have already spoken for Caleb. He has kept an eye on my safety for over a year, he was raised by my own mother and he has done nothing but be abused in this fashion."
"By your own words he was also raised by Morzan alongside the very Rider that tried to kill you yesterday. He was also raised by King Galbatorix." Orrin spoke up, he hadn't even stood from his chair.
"And trained in magic by the Queen of the Elves." Eragon countered. "He rescued one of the Eggs."
"Stop it Eragon." Caleb told him. "It's pointless. If they don't want my help in this war then so be it."
"How can we trust anything you offer when you won't even give us the last egg?" Nasauda asked.
"The last egg does not belong to the Varden. You are arrogant to believe that." Caleb snapped.
"Then who does it belong to?" Orrin asked calmly. Caleb shot Roran a look that was half a smirk and half an order to remain silent. Roran half smirked back at him.
"The egg belongs only to its Rider." Caleb spoke simply. "And that Rider will not fight with the Varden with this kind of attitude."
"How do you know who a Rider would fight for?" Nasuada demanded. "Eragon fights for us."
Caleb snorted. "I would not fight for you with this treatment. Please give my regard to King Hrothgar and if you don't mind I wish to leave."
"We are not done here." Nasuada told him.
'Lucus, fancy that entrance now?' Caleb asked in his mind knowing that his Dragon was flying above the clouds ready to react to the slightest threat against him. He felt relief spread through his mind and he turned his attention back to the room. "We are very much done here."
"You have no means of escape." Arya told him logically. "Even if you escaped my spell you would be run down in minutes. You cannot outrun horse or Kull."
Caleb began laughing but this time it was the musical laugh of the Elves. "I don't need to run, Arya Drottningu as I am no longer just an Elf, nor am I a human or Dwarf. Eragon and Murtagh are the only kin I have now." A Dragon's roar split the air from not two hundred feet above them and Roran and Caleb were the only ones to not flinch. Eragon was evidently listening to Saphira since it was Nasuada that cried out for a report.
"The Dragon has returned!" One of the guards yelled. Arya looked shocked and so did the majority of the room. Caleb lashed out with his magic and the newly returned Ancient words using all of Lucus' might to severe Arya's spell in her distracted state and he spun to Eragon who was about to run out to Saphira to fight this new Dragon.
Caleb grabbed his arm in a vice grip. "Lucus won't hurt you, Eragon. He's just coming for me." Caleb's eyes flashed with the distinctive look of a Rider blending fully with his bonded Dragon. Eragon clearly recognised that look.
"You're a Rider?" Eragon gasped. "Did you know this, Roran?"
"Of course I did, I've been travelling with him for six months." Roran laughed at the chaos around them and Caleb spun on his heal and strode out and away from the panicking soldiers who seemed to have nearly forgotten about him. Nearly that is.
Four Magicians confronted him as he tried to leave the tent which was being surrounded by archers, Magicians and soldiers alike in an attempt to protect them from the this Dragon. Caleb lashed out with his mind and the four collapsed to the ground as he broke through their defences and cast a spell to knock them out. Another roar split the air and Lucus came to a hover above a tent just within arrowshot. He threw out a gust of fire and the tent erupted into flames. Clearly Lucus' revenge for Caleb's treatment.
Archers drew their bows and fired but Caleb was just as fast. "Letta orya thorna!"
The arrows shuddered to a halt even as they left the bows and as soon as Caleb released the spell they dropped to the ground. Lucus roared again at the attack, pointless as it was and dropped to the ground like a stone. He landed just beside Saphira and all of the men on the ground ran for cover expecting a massive attack not seeing that Saphira was merely watching the silver Dragon as his scales reflected all of the orange from the Burning Plains and clouds above. Lucus sent a blast of fire at the nearest human soldiers and they ran for cover even as Caleb strolled out towards him with Roran at his side. Eragon headed for Saphira at a run even as she flared her wings to warn Lucus from killing any of the humans. Lucus simply dipped his head at the elder Dragon.
'Eragon, this is Lucus. My Dragon.' Caleb announced with a grin as he stopped just under Lucus' chin. He'd had to tap at Eragon's shields but had been permitted entrance to speak after only a second. Lucus' wings were still outstretched and his head twisted to watch everyone there.
'Why didn't you tell me of this?'
'I didn't have a chance after he was born and I didn't have his permission the last time.' Caleb told him seriously. 'I'm going to try to find Murtagh, come with me if you want.'
'I can't leave the Varden.' Eragon told him.
'It doesn't matter what just happened. We'll come back and they'll realise that they can't risk alienating me further.' Caleb told him before swinging himself up onto Lucus' back despite the cries of outrage and shock around him. He spread out his mind as he watched Eragon do the same.He spread out his mind to all those there and projected his thoughts very loudly. 'Perhaps you shouldn't have treated an ally like this.' He knew that King Hrothgar would be infuriated with the other leaders and rulers when he heard what had happened. No matter which way you spun it Hrothgar owed him for saving his life.
"Wait!" Caleb looked down at Roran as he ran up to Lucus' side. "What about the Ra'zac?"
"Stay with the Varden, Roran. We'll come back for you I promise." Caleb promised him loudly. He nudged Lucus with his mind and Lucus leaped up into the air far higher than Saphira did at the same moment. "Gath!" Caleb's loud spell and the almost visible ripple that spread from him in all directions sent the soldiers looking for cover and Caleb saw Eragon looking at him in confusion since all he had said was unite. Eragon would learn that the words spoken really only guided the spell. When he had said unite he had concentrated on all of his daggers, his sword, his quiver and his bow and they all came to him at his command regardless of where they had been locked up or how many people tried to stop them flying away. He caught them all deftly and after slotting his daggers in their sheathes where they belonged he belted on Aidail and slung his bow and quiver over his back.
He waved at a shocked Eragon before letting Lucus take over, it wasn't long before the two dragons and their Riders were far away from the joint army below them.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
End Chapter
Translations;
"Atra esterni ono thelduin." - May good fortune rule over you.
"Mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr." - Peace live in your heart.
"Un du evarinya ono varda." - And the stars watch over you.
Shur'tagal - Dragon Rider.
Finiarel - Male honorific for a young man of great promise.
Elda - Gender neutral honorific of great praise.
Vor - Male honorific of a close friend.
"Letta orya thorna!" - Stop those Arrows!
"Reise du Adurna!" - Raise the Water!
"Letta!" - Stop!
"Thrysta!" - Compress/Thrust!
"Gath!" - Unite!