Hello Everyone! Thank you all so much for your support with this story. You have helped me through countless writers blocks, helped me start this story back up countless times, and stuck with the story even when I wouldn't update for long periods of time. It is awesome to know that there are people out there who enjoy this story as much as I do, and want it to continue as much as I do.

Even with 'Inheritance' published, this storyline will remain the same.

We are at the close of Daughter of Light and Darkness, the story of Taya Corsallen. Her story is not ended though, as there is still much for her and her companions to go through and to do. I hope you will all continue to enjoy this story and see it to it's 'ultimate' finish.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Christopher Paolini and the Inheritance Cycle.

"Where once a good man walked, a shadow of him now travels." Taya Corsallen, Chapter 42.

Breaking Point

There was one way Galbatorix could win. Since his rise to power and the destruction of the Dragon Riders, one faction had stood in his way.

The Varden had harried, harassed, attacked and fought against him from the beginning, never seeming to die, to crumble under his fist as he had at first thought they would. They had grown in strength and determination instead.

Two of their most important leaders were dead; when Ajihad had been killed in Farthen Dur, Galbatorix had been sure that the next leader would be weak, and controlled by the Varden's council. Murtagh, when brought back to him, had no idea if Ajihad had a chosen successor, or who might be chosen to lead the Varden.

Neither he nor Murtagh had expected Ajihad's daughter, the regal Nasuada to become the leader of the rebellion, and lead with such strength. She was wise, and understood the ways of leadership.

The Varden must be crushed, Galbatorix said. Eragon and Saphira, the pair that had eluded him for so long and had been allowed to grow in strength and power, must be captured. And the woman named Taya Corsallen must be found and taken care of, and the last dragon must be recovered; at all costs. He could not afford Murtagh's failure again to capture Eragon and Saphira. He would not allow Taya Corsallen to continue to defy him.

With these instructions and strong oaths binding them to Galbatorix's every word, Murtagh Morzansson and Thorn flew into the slaughter.

There was only one way to crush the Varden: crush its leader.

Taya and Kabarak were only slightly worried about fighting Murtagh. Undoubtedly the pair had grown in strength, as Thorn's size looked intimidating enough against the sky, and about the two there was something far more potently evil than before. This was what worried Taya the most, because she did not know what the darkest side of Murtagh could and would do. They also didn't know Galbatorix's ultimate plan for this fight.

Eragon had blocked her from his mind at the beginning of his fight with Murtagh, something which Taya was furious about. Eragon knew Murtagh well enough to know he had to have something planned, and she might be able to pick up a hint from him, who knew him better than Eragon.

The whole suicide attack on the Varden must have a greater purpose. She'd said that before. Why would Galbatorix waste needed troops to attack a town he knew would not fall?

The answer suddenly dawned on her, and Taya's skin tingled eerily.

For a much greater purpose. She'd been saying it all along, but now, in the battle, she suddenly knew that greater purpose.

The Varden and Surdan leaders would not sit by and watch. They would be in the thick of it, fighting by their soldiers to win a battle for their people. With not as many distractions for Murtagh and fewer targets, he had a great advantage over the Varden.

Eragon! She screamed frantically with her mind, pushing against the other riders mind to force his attention her way. Kabarak, having seen her conclusion, shot forwards like an arrow, gaining on the other riders quickly.

As she screamed at him, Eragon and Saphira rolled to the side to avoid a mortal blow from Thorn's heavily armored tail, and by doing so they put themselves in range of Thorn's front legs and Murtagh's direct power… only because the latter had maneuvered just so, in a way Taya had never seen before.

Wounded and bleeding both, Eragon and Saphira hovered a moment to regain themselves, and Taya heard on the wind an unearthly cackle. Eyes wide with fear, Taya watched as Murtagh's hand came up, pointing downwards.

Through Kabarak's eyes, they saw just who Murtagh was aiming for. Lady Nasuada, unhorsed sometime during the fight, was battling the strongest fighters almost back to back with King Orrin. Around them were their numerous bodyguards and magical protectors, and they were in the thick of the battle. Taya looked at Murtagh, wondering how he could do such a thing… but she did not see Murtagh at all.

Saphira roared in protest and dove at Thorn, but not before an eerie light shot from Murtagh's outstretched hand.

"NO!" Eragon yelled as the dark magic fell towards the ground on its deadly path, unable to be stopped. Saphira dodged Murtagh and dropped like a stone, and everyone's attention was diverted, so no one saw what really happened.

The bolt of deadly energy was pushed suddenly off course, and hit the ground just to Nasuada's side. Dirt and bodies flew off the ground as the energy impacted and the earth seemed to explode under the fighters' feet. Smoke rose from the ground and dirt fell from the sky, obscuring the destruction for minutes.

There were shouts of pain and shock, and the screams of the dying echoed hollowly from the area, chilling those who heard it to the core.

Suddenly, Saphira pulled sharply up from her free fall, and they all saw why. Nasuada stumbled from the smoke, wavering on her feet, staring at the sudden destruction with blurry eyes and bleeding head. She was obviously very badly hurt, but very much alive. She was supporting King Orrin, who was doubled over but he too was alive.

Out of Murtagh's mouth came and awful scream of hate and rage at having failed once again, and the sound sent shivers up Taya's spine. Almost… there…

Seeing that his liege lady was alive, Eragon and Saphira began to ascend back towards Murtagh. Only, Murtagh had a different idea.

"MOVE ERAGON!" Taya bellowed with all her voice power as Murtagh's hand came up again. Too late did the evil pair sense the green dragon, and as they heard the command, they turned sharply to the side.

The green dragon's aim was true. Like a boulder Kabarak slammed into Thorn at his fastest speed, and somewhere inside Thorn there was a sickening crunch. The red dragon seemed to buckle under the force, and he fell, his wings flailing as he tried to slow and regain his broken body.

In rage Kabarak followed, his talon's ready to rip flesh from bone. Kabarak's emotions mixed with Taya's, and from her own hand fire shot forward, engulfing the other pair.

Yet out of the fire Thorn rose like a ghost, his armor bloody but his body magically healed. All along the ground there was sudden silence as the Red and Green pairs faced each other.

Off to the side hovered Eragon and Saphira, torn between helping their fellow Dragon and Rider and protecting their leader.

Eragon, Saphira. Taya projected into their minds, her voice surprisingly calm and easy-like. The two instantly let their barriers down for her.

Go aid Nasuada. She must be protected, especially now, and healed. Murtagh is mine.

Taya… Eragon tried to protest, still torn. Nasuada's bodyguards were now very few, as those who had placed wards on her were either dead or incapacitated.

Don't sit there like a target! Taya suddenly snapped, anger boiling inside her at their hesitation. We have already saved your lives once.

"GO!" She yelled, and they obediently went, realizing they were not needed in the sky any longer.

Taya felt Murtagh's boiling hatred for them as Eragon and Saphira escaped, adding to his anger that he had somehow missed the Varden leader. Now he was even more dangerous, as was Thorn, who was fueled by Murtagh and their double failure.

One thing was for sure; they'd found the last dragon. And he was not what they'd expected.

"You seem confident that you can fight me by yourself, Rider, even when you have a second, more experienced rider and dragon on your side." Murtagh sneered, although he was thoroughly puzzled.

"Maybe I just wanted to see the look on your face when you were defeated by someone other than Eragon and his elfin spell-casters." Taya retorted. Her helm muffled her voice, causing it to sound less feminine. She was thankful for that.

"Unlikely." Murtagh growled. "Cockiness will only kill you quicker, Rider, and your dragon will be that much easier to take with us."

Taya's fingers clenched into a fist, and a deep growl rumbled in Kabarak's throat.

"The same could easily be said for you, Rider. I think you are much too confident in your own skills. Black magic will only help you so far. Even with Galbatorix as your master! We've already seen you fail today!"

Instead of letting himself be goaded, Murtagh started laughing. The sound was totally unexpected and unearthly. Taya froze.

"The times Eragon had defeated me are few, and I let him get away each time. But now that is not possible. Only one person in Alagaesia can defeat me, and that is the King himself! You have no chance against me. To save yourselves the trouble and excruciating pain all you have to do is come to my side. The Varden cannot win. They have had their chance, and they lost it miserably. You are fighting for a dying cause."

"Better to fight for a dying cause than fight for a cause that is the cause of the deaths of others." Taya spat. "There is no honor, no strength, and no future in your position. You are hated and despised, reviled by all those around you. There is no true power in fear; that you find elsewhere."

"Do not preach to me, you little traitor!"

Did he know who she was? Only in her mind was there a reaction to what he said. He couldn't know who she was… there had no chance for him to know… there was no way.

"I will preach to you if I wish. You do not have the strength to stop me. You never have." She said quietly, defiantly.

Thorn snorted angrily, and Murtagh stiffened, his face paling.

"We shall see about that. If you insist, we will do this the hard way."

She felt his mind stretching out to hers, and before she could do anything Kabarak's iron scaled consciousness battered Murtagh aside like dog batting at a toy.

Surprised, Murtagh jerked in the saddle, and Thorn veered to the side as Kabarak struck at him with his tail.

Then Thorn met Kabarak's next attack with astonishing force. Kabarak did not waver though, and fought the older more experienced dragon valiantly. Neither rider had very many chances to strike at one another due to the dragons furious fight, but Taya was worried about being accidentally knocked out by Thorn's tail, which he was using constantly. Kabarak was using his tail as well, but he was for some reason using his full body more than just a few of his limbs. This seemed to confuse the other two. When Thorn realized Kabarak's attack method, he switched his own… only to find him always going head to head with the green dragon.

There were no more words spoken during the dragons fight. Again, there was no chance for words.

Thorn tried to push Kabarak towards the ground, but instead Kabarak bored himself right up into Thorn's chest, sending the older dragon backwards, Kabarak on top of him.

Taya's striking opportunity came when Kabarak came up nearly touching Thorn's side, and Istallae came down at Murtagh like a falling star… only Zar'roc was there to meet it. As if in unspoken agreement the two dragons' ceased movement for a moment, although they growled threateningly at one another as their riders hacked at each other.

Soon Taya was irritated. Maneuverability was limited due to her legs being strapped to the saddle, and in this type of fight Murtagh had the greatest advantage, and he knew he had it.

She could never touch him. Thorn would move ever so slightly when it looked like she would actually hit Murtagh, whereas Murtagh managed to wound her several times.

Screw this! She said to Kabarak, and as she seemed to strike for Murtagh's vulnerable legs, Kabarak suddenly smashed against Thorn's side, allowing Taya to slice her sword across Murtagh's arm. Her sword sliced through his gauntlet and blood poured from the wound.

Thorn roared in pain as Kabarak clawed at his underbelly, and he swung his tail viciously, trying to hit Kabarak in the head. Kabarak swung away, hovered for a second, and then he flitted down and around, up and then back; each time scoring a hit on Thorn.

Elated, Taya goaded Murtagh on. "How does it feel to see your own blood, Red Rider?"

The other pair froze.

"To feel someone other than your precious master harm you?" She continued, and Kabarak circled the pair. "To be harmed by someone completely unknown on the back of the last dragon, and to know you will never be able to capture them? You never-"

Thorn arched his neck and out of his giant maw came a massive fireball that seemed to grow in size and intensity. Taya and Kabarak dodged it easily, but it followed them instead of dissipating and Taya, instead of being afraid for their lives, grinned beneath her helm.

Fire…

Black magic was mixed with Thorn's fire, she knew. Only, fire did not phase her, not even tainted fire. Murtagh did not know this, of course. How could he?

With a muttered word and a thought, the fire chasing her and Kabarak suddenly changed course when they flew close to Thorn. It was obvious that Murtagh and Thorn had thought to use the fire as a distraction and land their final blow on them right there, but instead Murtagh had to quickly release the magic holding the fireball before it could incinerate them, and the flame disappeared just before it reached them.

Again they were at a stalemate; only, Thorn and Murtagh were silently raging at being thwarted yet again.

"That was impressive, Rider. You must know a little bit of magic if you could alter that fire's course. Very impressive."

Taya didn't reply. They were trying to figure out what their next course of action was. Kabarak was scratched up, but not badly, and the thing that hurt Taya the most was her legs, and she wasn't about to unstrap them.

"You must know some magic," Murtagh said again, his tone of voice mocking. "Unless others somehow managed to make your dragon grow… unless you too know black magic. Yes, that could be. How else could he have grown so quickly?"

He could not have said anything that would have offended them more, and Thorn realized this as a mistake just as Taya and Kabarak reacted.

With all her mental power combined with Kabarak's, Taya smashed her way into Murtagh's mind, tearing his barriers down like a feral bear tears down a camp. At the same time Kabarak flared his wings and shot his own fireball at them, but he followed the fire and passed through it, coming out of the smoke almost on top of Thorn.

Black magic? Taya screamed into his mind. Only a coward uses black magic, Murtagh Morzansson! Only a coward revels in the unearthly power it gives him, because he is not strong enough to hone his own talents, and so lets others do it for him! We are here today to fight you, with no help from you! It's been a long journey to get here, Murtagh, and we will not let you control us or defeat us! You have become too sure of yourself, Morzansson. It's time for that to end.

It's time for you to know the truth about yourself!

His mind was a whirlwind of panic. He had no control… and Galbatorix knew it. Taya could feel Galbatorix, and she instantly found their connection and darkened it… and on the outside she slammed her fist against Murtagh's face with all her strength.

In that moment, she saw herself in his mind, a picture, a memory of her furious before him not long before he had left for the Burning Plains. She was angry at his complete acceptance of his magical abilities, and his enjoying how he would reveal himself to Eragon. He remembered how insulted she had been when he'd said she was weak because she despised the power of black magic. She'd had tears in her eyes when he'd said it, too.

She was still connected to Murtagh when Thorn's tail, aimed for Kabarak's haunches, glanced off of her helm, snapped the chin strap and tore the helm from her head. Pain shot through head, neck and back as the concussion of the blow slammed her to the side and blood gushed from the deep cuts the helm had made as it was ripped away.

Kabarak wavered unsteadily, feeling her pain and seeing his own vision waver because of it. Murtagh felt her pain too, and they all heard the thought Taya had started when she had been struck.

She could no longer see the man she loved in you… I could no longer see the man I loved.

Taya was leaning over the saddle, pressed against Kabarak's neck, fighting to remain conscious. Her connection with Murtagh's mind had shattered, but none of them knew that Galbatorix was still in the dark.

Kabarak had ascended higher when Thorn had struck, taking her out of their view. He was ever so slowly moving, keeping one eye trained on Murtagh and Thorn, and trying to help her stay conscious and get her strength back.

The main thought running through her exploding head was that now Murtagh knew exactly who she was. Only, he would never believe it…

Her eyes shot open, and her body quivered. She could feel strength flowing back into her screaming limbs, could feel past the pain. Oh, he would believe it was her this time!

Kabarak chuckled over their mental link, pride flowing across their link as she pushed with all her might against his neck, shoving herself painfully into a sitting position.

Murtagh stared at her in complete horror. His body was rigid in the saddle as he watched her straighten and her head come. Her dark green eyes locked with his black ones, and they stared like that at one another for a long minute.

Taya felt blood on her face, slowly trickling down the side of her head and her neck. She could feel the wetness of blood all over her, and as she looked slightly down at Murtagh, she vaguely saw the blood on her saddle and the stain it made against Kabarak's glimmering green scales.

Taya? Kabarak queried softly.

I'm alright, Kabarak. Battered, bloody and dazed, but I'm alright.

"Hello, Murtagh." She whispered, and her voice carried on the wind across the distance between them, sounding eerie in their ears. Murtagh's dark eyes were wide with fear as he stared at her.

"I can imagine you never thought you'd see me again, at least not under these circumstances, Murtagh."

Taya's long copper hair, let loose by the absence of her helm, tossed about her shoulders and across her face, contrasting against the deep emerald of her dragon, and sticking slightly to her bloody face and neck.

"The last dragon hatched for you." He said just loud enough for them to hear, and his tone matched his expression. Pain flashed across his eyes, a pain that she understood. She'd felt that same pain before.

Taya nodded ever so slightly.

"Had this happened before…?"

She understood his unfinished question perfectly. "Yes, he hatched for me before you found me in Dras'Leona. Kabarak survived without me for a very long time before the glade… in fact I think he is the only reason I survived as long as I did. Do you remember the glade?"

"Are you trying to frighten me?" His voice darkened and turned ugly.

Taya narrowed her eyes at him, obviously annoyed. "Frighten you? Hardly, Murtagh! You know how easy it was for me to defeat you in the glade, and that was without direct contact with my dragon and after I had come out of a coma. No, I am not trying to frighten you."

"At least now your overconfidence during our fight makes sense!" Murtagh snapped, although he said it to make a point to himself. "I couldn't imagine how the Varden could possibly put up with someone like that… Do they know who your father is?"

"Did they know who yours was?" She shot back defiantly. "The way I heard it, you didn't want to go to the Varden because of your heritage, and would have gladly kept it a secret from everyone. Only, Ajihad recognized you, which was inevitable. He didn't trust you and so he threw you into a comfortable room. But he let you out before the battle of Farthen Dur, for more than one reason. In my case, I wanted to go to the Varden because of my heritage. I wanted to help them pay my father back for all he'd done. I also immediately told them who I was… but I am also the last Dragon Rider, and I traveled with Eragon and other Varden before I came to them. See? It was a very different scenario. You ran away- I ran to. They may still not trust me completely, and I'm sure they never will, but Murtagh, the Varden did not, and could not, detain me and heavily interrogate me because they needed us; they needed us badly. On top of that, we swore an oath."

"Oh, I am so impressed," Murtagh growled, "playing up to the Varden leaders. How lovely. Your father will be so happy to know that you were raised so well by your mother."

Heat colored her cheeks as the pages of her mother's diary came back to her, and Murtagh started in surprise as his shirt sleeve burst into flame beneath his numerous wards, burning his army slightly.

Murtagh stared across the distance between them, for the first time completely uncertain. Her expression beneath the blood that covered her face was stony, while her eyes were blazing with rage. The tables had turned. He could see her face so clearly because of Thorn's eyes, and he knew she could see his expression just as clearly. She looked like one of his darkest dreams come to life, what with the blood on her face, her armor and the mighty dragon beneath her.

"At least I care, Murtagh." She replied coldly. "At least I do not murder others from a distance. Eragon said it before, and I will say it again: you are a coward."

All of a sudden, a smile began to spread across his face. The smile sent a shiver up her spine, and she stiffened when a dark chuckle escaped his lips. He shook his head ever so slightly, as if he was talking to a child.

"Let me show you just how destructive a coward can be, Corsallen." As he spoke, he lifted his left hand, pointing with careful aim towards the battlefield below. Cold fear froze Taya in her saddle as her mind processed the gesture, and the meaning of his words and the triumphant look in his eyes.

Kabarak roared in protest and with all his wing strength he shot forward and turned sideways to Thorn, and a ferocious, blood chilling yell came from Taya as she launched herself across the open space between her and Murtagh, propelled by Kabarak's movement.

Astonishment and fear were etched on Murtagh's face as Taya slammed into him, her sword sheathed and a dagger in her hand. Only Murtagh's legs being strapped to the saddle saved them both from plummeting to their deaths. Murtagh seemed to fold beneath her weight, and her dagger instantly found his neck.

Thorn roared in anger and fear, but Kabarak growled and spoke for the first time to them all.

This is not our fight anymore, Thorn, partner of Murtagh. This is Taya and Murtagh. If you try to interfere, she will make sure you both die a painful and inglorious death… you and I, Thorn, will defend our riders to our own deaths, but neither of us will endanger them either. I do not believe that any of us wish to die today.

Wisely said Kabarak, partner of Taya. Thorn replied grudgingly. So it is. But if she makes a move to kill him, what you say will mean nothing to me.

And vice versa. Kabarak retorted firmly, snorting a little bit of flame. We are all at a cross-roads in this fight.

"There are no cross-roads here, Kabarak." Taya hissed. Her face was inches from Murtagh's, her knife still pressed against his throat. "If he had acted more quickly and actually done the deed he was set in doing, there would be no man alive to call Murtagh Morzansson."

And to Murtagh she said chillingly,

"If you had but finished that thought, or done the deed, you would be dead. In this I am not overconfident, and you should know me well enough to know what I say is true. My family is my life, Murtagh. If they die, so do you." She was shaking with fury and adrenaline, and Murtagh could see that one wrong move from him or Thorn would send her over the edge and would see them both dead.

This woman might indeed be Taya Corsallen, but he knew better than anyone the consequences of crossing her… and he knew those consequences now more than ever as he stared into her cold, furious green eyes.

"Understand, Murtagh, that if I can save your life, I can also end it. This is the ultimate breaking point. There are now two people who can defeat you, and you had better hope that Galbatorix makes you stronger, because the next time you and I meet in battle, that will be when everything is decided. The war is coming to an end; Murtagh - Galbatorix is coming to an end. Eragon is growing stronger too, and the two of us together with Saphira and Kabarak will be able to tear you apart."

A little bit of her blood dripped onto his leather jerkin, and in the air all was silent except for the beating of the dragons' wings and the two fighters' labored breaths.

They stared into each other's eyes, both relentlessly cold. Neither would back down to the other. Both were powerful, but neither truly wished to kill the other.

Something near Taya's throat caught his attention, and his eyes fastened on a gem that was constantly changing colors… from emerald to ruby.

Taya knew what he was looking at, but she did not look away from him.

"I still care." She whispered, and Murtagh's eyes narrowed and he spat unforgivingly,

"Maybe you care too much!"

His words cut her like a knife, and she flinched as if struck.

"Perhaps," She whispered, not trusting her full voice, "perhaps I do care too much. At least now I know that you do not care at all." She took the knife from his neck, catching his stricken expression and seeing her look reflected in his eyes.

"You came here for many reasons, Firestone. You have failed in every one of them, not by your own fault, but by my own. I sent you magic off course when you tried to kill Lady Nasuada and King Orrin. I stopped you from overpowering Eragon and Saphira. I know Galbatorix will be furious, and it pains me to send you back to him, knowing the punishment he will give you. But what you came to do is not possible. I stand before the ranks as a sentinel ready to fight, to save. You have always known me to be that way; only now, I am a rider. Our fight here, in the sky above Lithgow, was a test. It will not be so again. Only next time, for your own good, do not use fire." She paused, and her voice hardened ever so slightly. "And never speak of my mother like that. You and I will never be able to compare to her, and if you only knew who she really was, you would never dare to speak wrongly of her. Even the evil part of you would not dare. Remember this, Firestone. And remember the flame."

He stared at her aghast, his eyes wider than before, and he was silently asking, pleading her to tell him what she was going to do next. He knew she would do something. Taya took a deep breath and said softly,

"Take him home, Thorn." And after the smallest pause, to allow him to understand her words, she sent him into darkness with a simple word and he slumped forward.

Thorn stayed very still as Kabarak edged close to him, and with ease Taya stepped onto his back, sitting straight in the saddle and holding on with one hand. It was quite impossible for her to strap her legs to the saddle again. She looked over at Thorn.

You had the chance to kill us, Taya. He said almost questioningly. You could have ended the fight right here for good. Why didn't you?

How could I? She replied sadly. She sheathed her dagger, unsheathing her sword at the same time. She did not let her eyes stray to the limp figure on Thorn's back. Maybe he is right, Thorn. Maybe I do care too much.

The red dragon snorted, and moved slowly away.

Taya and Kabarak hovered in the air, watching Thorn fly away faster and faster until Thorn was shooting away like an arrow. Then Kabarak tucked his wings and dove. As they fell and she held on for dear life, she thought of Murtagh's expression. Maybe he did care, she thought, but her feelings towards him were hard. Maybe he did care, but not enough.

With a fire in her heart, Taya leapt from Kabarak's back as he touched the ground on the battlefield, and she stared around her with flashing green eyes. There was one more thing she had to do before this battle was over.

The battle was in its last throws, as it was obvious with the defeat of the Red Rider in the air the imperials knew that they were doomed. And when Thorn had flown away and the green pair had stayed, they knew they had actually been abandoned to their deaths. To the Varden and the Surdan's complete surprise, the enemy forces turned to fighting them with every last ounce of their strength; all they wanted was to go out fighting, and that was what many of them did. Beside Kabarak, Taya ran to where Murtagh's deadly bolt of magic had struck, which was now the center-point of the battle.

The first person Taya recognized was Captain Behl. The man was a horrible sight, but he was still fighting with all his strength… and in seeing Behl, Taya also found exactly who she was looking for.

Zen Drayson was fighting off four Varden Soldiers, one of which was one of Nasuada's bodyguards. The sadistic grin on Zen's face as he fought them sickened Taya, but her heart was still aflame with rage at Galbatorix and wounded by Murtagh. There was no softness in her as she looked at the man before her whom she had called her friend.

This had happened to too many people she knew… it had to stop.

Kabarak had moved away to help somewhere else, knowing that his presence would ruin Taya's plan. So only the fighters who had been pointedly watching her saw her approach Zen's fight. One of those fighters was Weston Kliviyan.

As she came into view between the other fighters Weston could not believe his eyes. Catching only glimpses of her at first, he would have sworn he was seeing her ghost, because of the way she flitted between fighting men and weapons.

No one deterred her, not even the imperial soldiers. They quailed at the sight of her, and rightly so. Covered in dried blood and gore, her long copper hair knotted and uneven, her armor scratched and her sword glinting in the light, she was truly terrifying. She seemed to glide across the ground, her long strides eating the distance between herself and the fight. Weston knew he should be imagining her, because otherwise that would mean that she was the last dragon rider… Yet as his mind formed the thought, he realized just how right, how possible and probable it felt. The nagging thought in his mind disappeared. It had been her all along.

No matter what, the purpose of her direction was obvious. Weston attempted to fight his way closer, to see her closer, to see her fight Zen. He was very close when he felt a stabbing pain in his leg as something smashed into him and he fell to the ground, on his face. There was a grunt, and then another something prodded his shoulder. He held perfectly still, hardly breathing. His attacker seemed satisfied, and moved on.

Weston lifted his head and saw that Taya had stopped. He could not see her face, but by her body posture he knew how enraged she must be.

He remembered all too clearly the days she would return from the king's hall flaming mad and how rigid, tense and ready to snap she had been. This he saw now.

In that moment he was glad he was not in Zen's position.

One of the men fighting Zen noticed the silent figure on the edge of fight and faltered a step. Zen's face lit up as he saw his opportunity and he whirled towards the man, who realized his grave mistake.

"Zen." Her voice was hardly loud enough to hear over the din of the fighting, but a few people closer to her paused. Zen however, continued forward, catching his distracted opponent as the man attempted to pick himself back up.

"Zen." She called a little louder and this time he seemed to hear, but the second passed and as he was about to strike downwards, Taya Corsallen's commanding voice resounded against their eardrums.

"Lieutenant DRAYSON!"

Zen Drayson jerked to a halt, his blood turning to ice. Shivers ran up and down his spine. Held in place by that command, he could only stare at the man he had been about to kill. Everyone seemed to be frozen in place, all except Captain Behl, who with his only good arm sprang forward to end the fight with this deadly opponent.

Behl.

He recognized the voice in his mind, and he lowered his sword, backing away. He looked over at Taya, who without looking at him nodded.

Taya stepped forward to where Zen could see her, and all was quiet. Zen's eyes were wide as he beheld the tense figure of Taya Corsallen.

"Hello Zen." She said quietly, her voice echoing in his mind like a gong, and it seemed to him as if those two words were more like a sentence than a greeting.

Taya stopped directly opposite of Zen, as the man he'd nearly killed had stepped quickly away when Zen had stopped.

"It has been a very long time since we last saw each other face to face." Taya kept her voice low and tried to sound calm. She knew that this was a totally different Zen Drayson than the one she knew and considered a brother. This man only slightly resembled 'her' Zen in appearance. The thing that was so unnervingly different about him was his face; even when he had been angry or in a fight there had always been a certain boyishness about him that gave away his happy-go-lucky nature.

As she looked at him she could find no trace of that young man. In his place, in the place of the boyishness and the happiness, there were signs of bitterness and resentment, of hardness and of a lurking evil that Taya had long feared. It broke her already wounded heart to see this Zen on the outside. To her it was an example, like Murtagh, of how talented Galbatorix was at twisting good men and squeezing the goodness out of them to make them his most powerful soldiers.

"What happened to you, Zen?" She asked, cocking her head like she used to do when she asked him a question. "Are you not glad to see me alive? Is that not what you have wanted for so long, to see me again? Yet now you stand there as if you are seeing a ghost."

Zen's blue eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" He growled. All fear was suddenly gone from his eyes. "How do you know who I am? I do not know you."

Surprisingly Taya was not surprised or the least bit phased by this. It was the least she'd expected.

"I am not a ghost of your mind, if that is what you are thinking. I am very real and very much alive… contrary to what Galbatorix has told you. He lied to you Zen, about everything. I stand here as proof of that."

His eyebrows shot up. "Oh? How is that?"

"The Varden didn't kill Taya Corsallen, Zen." She watched as his face blanched. "They never even knew she existed until a few weeks ago. Tell me. How can a government kidnap, torture and murder someone they do not know even exists? He must have picked you apart easily, Drayson, if you aren't smart enough to see when someone is lying through their teeth to you, or to think for yourself."

"I don't even know what you are talking about." Zen replied coldly.

Taya took a step forward, and he stepped back.

"Yes you do. Don't lie to me. Somewhere deep down you know who you are and you know who I am! What is the first name that you thought of when you saw me just now?" Her voice raised in volume. "Who was the first person you thought of who could have known your name? You know this, Drayson. You can never forget it, no matter how hard you try. That you would even do this to yourself and to all the other Hljodhr's for me…" She spat, "that sickens me, Drayson. And if," her voice dropped again as she took another step forward, "you are brainwashed enough to continue not to accept me as who I am, I swear I will do all in my power to get you back. If that means fighting you now and taking you prisoner and locking you up in a cell, I will do it."

"I will die before I let you take me prisoner." Zen snapped, his sword arm twitching.

"No, you won't." Taya replied, measuring the distance between them. "I won't let you. And until you find yourself and come to realize I really am Taya Corsallen, you are my prisoner."

"You are NOT Taya Corsallen!" He screamed, and launched himself at her. She danced away, her sword flicking through the air to meet his as he wildly slashed at her.

Taya knew suddenly that someone very experienced had been practicing with Zen, as he turned into a ferocious attacker. Now she knew why there had been four men fighting him; a single man would meet his end very quickly. But she had been the one to really teach Zen sword fighting… at least this style of sword fighting.

And suddenly a new idea dawned on her and she began switching her tactics to defensive only. Zen, thinking she was retreating, came at her with eagerness; and was met with a solid wall of defense. Surprised, he backpedaled, and she went after him life a wolf. He blocked her well enough, but even his new skills were limited to that of a rider… and did he even know she was the green rider?

Their swords clashed loudly as they slammed into one another, striving against each other.

"Before this is over, Drayson," she whispered to him through clenched teeth, "I want you to know two things. One," she shoved him backwards with all her might and suddenly switched her fighting style. Without thinking he did the same and Taya smiled.

"One, you are now fighting me using the Style of Velustr, and undoubtedly you will recall just how vulnerable that leaves you against this," she slashed, and at the last minute, as he started to block where her sword should have been, she sent him careening backwards as her sword came up, knocking into his sword with tremendous strength. As he lay flat on his back, she stepped up to his side, alert for a dagger.

"And two," She removed her right glove, revealing her Gedway Ignasia. "I, Taya Corsallen, Lady of the Hljodhr Evarinya, am the last Dragon Rider."

"That I will never believe." He snapped, and heaved himself at her, a knife flashing as he attempted to stab her. Taya's right hand flashed out and caught his wrist. The knife's blade cut her hand as it fell from his grasp.

In one last desperate attempt to hurt her, Zen struck at her with his free hand. She let the blow land, and it hit her solidly in the jaw. Her head snapped back, and excruciating pain shot down her spine as his blow and Thorn's mixed together. One of the cuts on her face started bleeding again, and she dropped Zen's weight because of the pain in her back, and she stumbled away from him, shaking.

Zen fell back to the ground, his head slamming against the hilt of his sword. He lay there dazed and unmoving, while Taya stood over him, one of her hands pressed over her open wound. A Varden soldiers ran forward to help her, but she waved him off.

"Bind his hands and feet, please; very tightly. He knows how to work himself loose. Then move him to somewhere where we can easily find him after the battle is over."

The soldier hesitated, eyeing Zen, and then he looked over at Captain Behl who had remained to watch the outcome of her fight, as had many others.

"Do what she says, soldier." The captain nodded, and quickly the man bent down and rolled Zen over. He was very careful to tie him tightly, in such a way that would be very near to impossible for anyone to untie or work loose.

Where's a horse when you need one? She thought, looking down at Zen, and realizing it was going to be hard to walk very far.

Excuse me? Kabarak huffed. What am I here for?

Fighting. She retorted. And keeping me alive, it seems. And then she jumped when she heard a triumphant cheer rise into the air. At first she thought that the last few imperials had killed someone important, but then she realized there was no one else fighting. Confusion swept over her as she turned to see Kabarak not too far away, flicking his tail about like a cat.

What happened? She asked him, looking around again. A lot of her anger, all of her rage, was gone. Her fight with Zen had been the last straw and she had been able to let out her feelings in that fight. Now all she felt like doing was lying down and sleeping… except now there was so much more to do.

You fought Zen Drayson for a long time, Taya. The battle was already very close to the end when you began fighting him, and now we have won. There are not as many prisoners as we might have guessed. But then, there are still those who are wounded. Kabarak explained calmly.

The wounded. She thought, staring at the battlefield. I can't believe that it is over… but I am very glad it is.

"TAYA!"

She looked around quickly at the familiar voice, utter relief coursing through her as Raya ran towards her. Her sister jumped into her arms, hugging Taya with all her might. Although it hurt and made her feel as if she was going to collapse, Taya held onto her just as tightly.

"Oh my gosh, I am so relieved you're alright!" Taya cried, and Raya squeezed her tighter.

"I was so scared that something would happen to you, I never really thought about myself! With you going up there to fight Murtagh, I was petrified."

Taya's mind suddenly flashed back to that awful moment when Murtagh had leveled his hand at the ground, ready to kill one or more of her family… Raya could have been the one to die if she had not reacted with Kabarak.

"You were not far from my thoughts this whole battle, Raya. I'm so glad you are safe. What about Sacar? Sasha?" She asked, very slowly releasing Raya. The younger girl pointed, and Taya saw the two racing towards them.

"I just got here first." Raya grinned. Taya laughed, although it hurt. As Sasha raced up, Taya hugged her tightly.

"I'm so glad you're alright." She breathed, and Sasha took a deep breath.

"It's hard to believe it, but we all made it! Are you hurt badly?"

Trust Sasha to say that. Taya said to Kabarak.

"No, not too bad. Don't worry." She let go of Sasha, trying not to wince. Sacar raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief.

"Well, you don't look too good either. You look awful." He said sarcastically, but he hugged her just as tightly as the girls. Taya shook her head.

"I guess it's obvious. Life wouldn't be the same without you, Sacar."

"I know, it wouldn't be. But you can't sell yourself short either. We all made it!"

"Very true, very true." Taya replied, stepping back and looking at the three of them, smiling slightly.

"Oh, Taya," Sasha said quietly, and Taya's eyes flashed to hers, catching the apprehension in her cousins voice.

"I ran into a Hljodhr Evarinya. He had a star on his jerkin, and at first I thought it was odd, and then it dawned on me that he could be a Hljodhr. So I saved him from a two way death, and then I asked him if he was a Silent Star. His reaction was enough to tell me that he was.

Taya's heart was pounding. "What did he look like? Could you tell?"

Sasha's face screwed up as she concentrated, and she outlined him as best she could.

"It must have been Larel. That is good." Taya glanced over at Zen again. His eyes were shut, but she was sure he was conscious.

"Kabarak and I are going to take Zen into Lithgow. We will be back shortly."

"Lady Corsallen?" Captain Behl came up to her and asked.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Eragon and Saphira brought Lady Nasuada and King Orrin to Lithgow shortly after you began fighting the Red Rider. They were both badly wounded, Lady Nasuada a little more than the King. I am sure she would appreciate it if you reported in to her."

"Thank you, Captain Behl. When the day is over and as many of the wounded as possible are taken care of, I certainly shall report to Lady Nasuada. If she was badly wounded, it is not my place to interfere with her recovery at this time. In the meantime, we all have work to do."

"Yes, Lady Corsallen." Captain Behl saluted and began giving out orders to the soldiers nearby.

Sasha, Raya and Sacar watched as Kabarak gingerly picked Zen up in his talons, and the man began cursing in surprise. Quickly Taya murmured the same spell she'd used on Murtagh, and Zen's body went limp.

It was a slow process, but Taya made it onto Kabarak's back. She waved to the three as the dragon flared his wings and took off, flying quickly to Lithgow, which was not a far flight.

They landed in the courtyard and Taya grumbled as she dismounted as carefully as she could. Two guards jogged up and saluted, and then stared curiously at the limp form of Zen in Kabarak's talons.

"I am only stopping to see that my prisoner is safely secured in the dungeon." Taya explained and her words earned her strange looks from both. "He's extremely dangerous." She said, and they took the hint. Picking the unconscious man up, the two guards, followed by Taya, proceeded into the castle and to the dungeons. Taya's choice of lodging for Zen was a stone cell with an iron door, and once he was safely inside, she shackled his right hand to the wall and sealed the shackle with magic.

"So much security, Lady Rider? Is he really that dangerous?" One of the guards asked as she shut the heavy door and locked it with the key and magic.

Taya sighed. "I am certainly not taking any chances. Galbatorix is a strong mind twister, soldiers. Even the kindest of men can succumb to his power. This we know, and this is what I am cautious about. My task is to untwist this man, to help him find himself again. In a way I was the cause of his downfall. I hope I can be the cause of his return."

She began her way back up to the courtyard, the soldiers accepting her statement and then plying her with questions about the battle.

"We know Shadeslayer brought Lady Nasuada and King Orrin back, but we don't know how they were wounded so terribly. Can you tell us?"

"The Red Rider."

They were silent.

"The battle is over now. The Red Rider is defeated, as is the imperial army. We have won. But the number of wounded is great, and they will need transport to the city for care."

"It is good to hear that from you, Lady Rider. News of the battle's end has reached us, and wagons and carts are already being assembled and beginning to make their way to the battlefield. We will be lucky though to get many here before nightfall, though. The battle was long." They stopped in front of Kabarak, who lowered his head to stare at them with deep emerald eyes.

"I am relieved I am not the first to tell you. In light of the approaching evening, I must return to the battlefield. Thank you for your help, soldiers."

The two men bowed, and watched silently as she laboriously climbed back onto Kabarak. He stretched his wings and launched himself into the air, flying swiftly back to the battlefield. He landed by Raya, Sasha and Sacar, who were helping as best they could to find and separate the dead and the wounded. It truly was an awful task, and no one looked well as they walked among the fallen. Taya wrapped her arms around Raya, who had tears streaming down her face.

So much death... to those who had never experienced battle, seeing all the dead was terrible, and enough to shatter the strongest persons resolve.

"I have to find Sade and Marthl. Will you help?" Taya asked them quietly, and they all nodded. "Thank you. I know it's awful, and it will be worse looking closely. But I'm fairly sure I know where they fell. They will both have a star on their armor, on the left collarbone." She told them what the two men looked like, and they set off on their search.

As she walked among the bodies of the fallen, Taya found quite a few wounded men, and by the time she and the others came to where Sade had fallen and found his body, she had used a great amount of energy healing major wounds. If it was not a life threatening wound, she would kindly tell them to hold on and that a soldier would come get them and a wagon would take them back to the city.

Kabarak came and took Sade's body to the edge of the battlefield while Taya led the others on the search for Marthl. He was harder to find, but they finally did, and it was Raya who found him. Looking down at Marthl, Taya realized with a pang that it would be all but impossible to find the other Hljodhr Evarinya. If any of them were dead, it would be that much harder to find them, having not seen where they fell. If they were wounded, there was still a chance.

Eight Hljodhr's left to find. She told Kabarak, who came to get her and Marthl, knowing what she wanted to do. That is Melcar, Ayda, Weston, Raneck, Larel, Larton, Kell and Xackzan.

"I'll be back soon." She told her companions.

Sasha nodded. "We'll keep looking." And then Kabarak took off. As they flew, Taya closed her eyes and let out a great sigh, anxious for her friends. Kabarak looked back at her and said reassuringly,

We'll find them, Taya. We will. The others are looking. But this is not the time to dwell on it.

As he said this, he landed gently beside a group of trees on the edge of the city, which Kabarak had chosen as a perfect place to bury the two Hljodhr Evarinya. It was weird, looking down at Sade and Marthl, who had been apart of her family in Uru'baen, and knowing that they were now dead. With their eyes closed, they looked almost asleep. But without the rise and fall of their chests, there was an eerie stillness about them that chilled her.

Without digging tools, she used magic to carve their graves in the earth. She did the work slowly, methodically, and then with Kabarak's help she formed two large stones into tall smooth markers.

As she did this, it seemed to hit her just what she was doing. She couldn't fight the tears, but she didn't stop her work.

Taya found one letter on Sade, addressed to his family. He must have written it just before the battle, because it had no date. Her throat tightened as she looked at the letter, and then she pocketed it. She found nothing of the sort from Marthl, but from around his neck she withdrew a black and light blue pendant necklace. She stared at it, and then slowly put it around her neck. As she did so, she saw the delicately etched A on the back of the pendant, and she wondered at it.

Then with Kabarak's aid she laid them both in their separate graves beside one another. As she covered them, she thought of how strange it was for these two men to be there beside one another. Marthl and Sade had both been quiet men, and Taya had never seen them interact with each other very often. Yet, they had been very much alike in personality, so it seemed fitting to her that they be buried next to each other.

Taya planted the smooth stones upright in the ground, and kneeling in front of one, she began carving into the stone with magic. Kabarak snorted behind her as she finished the first stone, and then she moved to the second. She carved slowly, unwilling to make even a little mistake.

When she was finally finished and stood up, on the headstones the two men's names were delicately engraved, as was how and when they died, and who exactly they were.

The two stones read:

Sade Feist.

Major of the Hljodhr Evarinya.

Died fighting for what he believe in,

on the plains of Lithgow.

Although he left family and friends behind,

He will always be remembered and loved,

And his memory will not fade.

Marthl Duven

Lieutenant of the Hljodhr Evarinya.

Died fighting on his home ground for what

He knew was truly right.

A quiet man: a good man.

Although he didn't think it possible,

he will always be remembered by those who knew him.

He was faithful and loyal to the end.

Saphira told me of what she did with Brom's tomb. I don't know about diamond, but I can try to do something for them. Kabarak ventured softly, and Taya's eyes widened, and then she smiled.

I think they would be honored. She whispered back.

His majestic head snaked forward, and touching his nose to the head stone, he closed his eyes.

Taya felt the air thicken with magic, and she watched in wonder as the stones shimmered and changed slightly in color.

Then he touched the mounds of dirt, and Taya's eyes widened as the mounds sank and a cover stone of silver formed over each. On each, chest high was a star above a line of flames and beneath that, a detailed sketch of the Hljodhr Evarinya crest.

Is it enough? He asked hesitantly, turning his head to look at her.

Kabarak… solid silver?

I thought it would be more fitting that diamond. He confessed, and Taya choked out a laugh.

It is. Thank you, Kabarak. Yes, it is enough. They never would have dreamed of being so honored.

She knelt down on one of the cover stones and inspected the crest. "A star above the flame." She said softly. "It's fantastic, Kabarak."

He snorted appreciatively and she stood again, looking down at the silver graves. As she did, something inside her seemed to fall away, and she sighed deeply.

"You have not died in vain, you Silent Stars." Her voice seemed to echo off of the silver graves. "What you truly fought for will never be forgotten. We will always remember… and we will miss you."

Kabarak nudged her shoulder, and she stretched out her hand and laid it on his neck.

We made it, Kabarak. We made it through the fight with Murtagh: we made it through the whole battle. The Varden have won again, and you and I have ruined Galbatorix's agenda.

He will not be happy. Kabarak agreed. I sympathize with Thorn, going back to Uru'baen defeated like they were, with the news that you are the last rider.

Yes, he will be furious, and that is saying it lightly. Just the fact that we are so powerful will infuriate him. We know that after every one of Eragon's fights with Murtagh, Murtagh and Thorn have grown stronger. That means that we rival Eragon, Saphira and many of the elves. I don't know how that is possible, but today I am glad of it.

We hardly used magic, though. Kabarak reminded her. You wouldn't let him, but I don't doubt that we would have been fighting harder than that if he had. We were lucky, a lot of the time.

Of course. But they don't need to know that. She paused, looking out across the plain. The battlefield was a long, dark blotch on the plain, and the tension of the battle suddenly flitted away like a bird taking flight.

They had won this battle. There was another yet to come, but not yet. They had survived their first battle, coming out of it in better shape than Taya had dared to hope.

Many things were yet to be decided, out of fear and out of trust, but those things were tomorrow.

Today, they were victorious.