Dear Readers,

The beginning of this story is under reconstruction. When you read a chapter that has nothing at all to do with what you have just read, please keep in mind that is the previous version of the story and I am redoing it as quickly as I can. I apologize for the inconvenience. I am not trying to confuse you! Later on, after chapter 35, things mostly fit together with the revised chapters of the story.

This is Chapter 32, revised.

Thank you and enjoy!

DragonRider2000

Sasha stared into the fire, and prodded the flickering coals with a stick. She knew that the light would leave her blind in the dark, but Kabarak would warn her of any danger long before it came upon them. Her thoughts were in a jumble, mixed with increasing worry and urgency.

They were camped at the entrance to the tunnel that led to the home of Sacar's uncle. Sacar had demonstrated how the tunnel opened and how the lights came on earlier, just after they'd set up camp, and Sasha couldn't stop wondering who the builders of such a thing could have been, and what had the original purpose of the tunnel been?

Would Sacar's uncle be as willing to help them as Sacar believed?

So many questions and not enough answers. Sasha was not the kind to play against time, but ever since leaving home that was exactly what they'd been doing. Everything pointed to time being against them, but so far they had managed to come out ahead.

For how much longer?

Sasha's gaze moved slowly to the prone, gaunt figure of her cousin, stretched out by the fire. Her vision flickered and blurred, a combination of the firelight and tears.

She had only felt so helpless once before and she had vowed to herself never to be so helpless again.

Life was a funny thing.

Taya could not physically live much longer. The little they could do for her was becoming not enough, and between her coma-state and the poison eating through her, Sasha had no idea how she had survived for so long already.

Kabarak gave her energy, but you needed more than just energy to survive…

'Her will is great. She will not give up.' Kabarak had told her, and he was right. Taya was fighting, hard. She wasn't giving up easily.

What was going on behind the wall of her mind? What was she experiencing, if anything? The whole thing was a puzzle, and Sasha was beginning to despise puzzles. Especially puzzles with missing pieces.

The hardest question to answer filled her thought, and she shrank away from the unknown possibilities.

Would Taya be able to make it to the Varden? That road was still long and stretched far ahead of them.

Was there enough time?

And would someone, good or bad, stumble on them before they reached sanctuary and healing?

Sasha closed her eyes. Too many questions.

Eragon shook his head in the dark, still bewildered by what they were doing.

At Vanira Dacoryn's request they had pushed on into the darkness of the night, and Eragon had not had time to get his bearings and figure out where she was leading them. Besides, she had not given them a very good reason for this request, merely a hard stare at Arya. But before Eragon or Roran could protest, the elf princess had agreed with Vanira, and without a word they pressed on, only stopping to rest the horses and eat a light dinner.

The whole thing reminded Eragon of when he and Murtagh had crossed the Hadarac desert, sleeping in the saddle, riding when it was cool. But they had had a good reason to do that…

What was going on? Why did Arya trust this strange elf so much? They already knew that she was very powerful. But there was more. He knew it. He just didn't know what 'it' was. The day before Vanira had said something about 'not being too late.' But the comment had been out of context, and when Eragon had asked her about it, she seemed to genuinely not remember.

Since Vanira had joined them, Eragon had finally given up asking Arya for answers. She was as close mouthed about Vanira as she was of her own past.

To try to take his mind off the whole ridiculous thing, he tried to think of something else… and found himself thinking of Tanyel Cavrona. It had been a while since he'd thought about her. He wondered how her trip was going.

Yet again he found himself wondering who she was. Between Tanyel and Vanira, anyone was liable to have a massive headache. He rather hoped that they never met each other. What a powerful, confusing pair they would make.

He really did wish that Tanyel had accompanied them from Dras'leona. He'd liked her, and she would have made a great ally to the Varden.

Where was she now, as he travelled by night at the heels of a suspiciously powerful elf? Where was Tanyel Cavrona? Would he ever find out?

Only the silence of the dark land seemed to answer. He would have to wait to find out.

He really did hate waiting.

Taya opened her eyes and looked up at the shadowy figure standing above her, and she made a face at him.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever coming back, Morzan. But I can't say that I've missed your gloating."

Morzan stared down at her in distaste. "You have been doing an admirable job blocking me from your mind. You have a strong hold against the poison. I doubt your father figured on that."

Taya's laugh was without mirth.

"I doubt it too. He has never been able to see me for who I really am. I am merely a nuisance to him and I've somehow managed to slip through his fingers… he hasn't figured out how, yet."

"You look at yourself as very smart, don't you." Morzan sneered, and Taya shrugged.

"I am still alive." She shot back, targeting the fact that Morzan was dead and only a part of the poison running through her veins.

"But for how long?" He replied coldly, and he began walking slowly around in circles, his hands clasped loosely behind his back. "You're holding onto a hope that your family," he spat the word, "can outrun time. They do not even know how little time is left. You're nearly at the point of no return. But you will never admit that you have been defeated."

"Naturally." Taya replied, but she was troubled. He sounded too sure of himself. Did he know…?

"I'll outlast it." She said confidently, leaning back on her hands in order to more easily walk in circles around her. "I'll outlast it for however long I have to."

To her surprise and trepidation, Morzan threw back his head and laughed. It was not a forced laugh but a confident one. He truly believed that she had no idea what she was saying.

"Ohh, princess." He said, shaking his head and still laughing a little. "How wrong you are." He stopped suddenly and bent down close to her face. Taya leaned back further, but he followed.

"You only have three days left by the hours of the sun and moon." He hissed, and after a second he withdrew and resumed his circles. "Before the end you will be so weak that you will not be able to block anything that comes at you… that is what he is waiting for. That moment is closer than you think."

"I… I don't believe you. You're just saying that to try and break me." Taya defended, but it was a pitiful attempt and she knew it.

Morzan chuckled. He seemed to have grown taller, darker… more menacing.

"As you have said before, I come to gloat. And I do not gloat in vain, little princess. Three days. They would have to sprout wings in order to get you to the Varden in that amount of time."

"You've had your gloat." Taya glared up at him, trying to gather enough strength to stand. "You've had your fun, now go! And leave me alone to suffer in peace."

"What would be the fun in that? Now that you are defenseless... I would like to see you make me go."

Fire leapt up around them, and Morzan stepped back in surprise as she sprang to her feet, her green eyes alive with fire akin to that around them. Her hand was raised as if to strike, and her voice was coated in disgust.

"Go. I might be weaker than a kitten, but this is my mind and I want you out of it! Go!" She nearly yelled.

Morzan didn't shrink away from her. He looked mildly surprised, and then he simply faded away, leaving her as the only one in the burning glade.

Taya stayed standing, though her arm dropped to her side. She was shaking, and staring unfocused into the flames around her.

She was doomed.

She was desperate. She didn't want to die. Yet what could she do? She was helpless… or was she?

Someone had to know that there wasn't much time left. If it drained her, it drained her. They needed a warning. She needed another chance.

Taya closed her eyes and with every ounce of energy she could must she thought of her group, her family, any of them… whoever was closest to her.

I can do this.

They needed a warning. And she was going to give it to them.

Raya awoke with a start, bolting upright and looking wildly about.

The land was a dull grey as morning dawned, and Raya slowly relaxed. But the voice… in her mind she could still hear the anguish in the voice from somewhere in her dream.

THREE. Three… day…

Three day what?

Raya shook her head blearily, and looked over at Taya. Three day…?