The darkness within.

A/N: While writing this chapter I was listening to Everybody wants to Rule the World by Lorde… For some reason I felt like it fit with this chapter so go ahead and listen to it if you want!

At the last moment, Tristan watched Onyx dropping low and Laer catching Gwen's body into his arms. Tristan exhaled loudly, just as Saphira flew past them to face the giant brass male who was still holding onto Saturn's wings.

If she exhales fire she will hurt Saturn as well!, Tristan shouted in Vertigo's mind. They helplessly watched the situation unfolding in front of them, as Onyx flew to where they were.

Tristan saw Eragon quickly whispering some words and then Saphira let out the biggest jet of flames the young rider had ever seen. The brass male tried to fly away from them, shielding his eyes with his wings, but the flames kept on coming and they scorched his skin. A protective layer stood around Saturn who let out a growl of pain, as the other male released him and he unsteadily flew towards Gwen, who was in Laer's arms.

Aiedail managed one last attack on the brass coloured male before Saphira let out another jet of flames.

Riders, is everyone here? We are heading back!, Eragon repeated to them and this time they were all there and started flying away from Ramirblanka, fast.

Saphira and Eragon healed dragons' and riders' wounds in mid-air and their speed increased, but all dragons were tired and they were not going as fast as they would have liked. Some wild dragons were still following them, but they did not appear to be causing as big a threat as before.

By the time they reached Dis Atilan, the sky had turned black and some stars shone from between the clouds. As soon as they landed, Tristan rushed to Gwen's side, who was still unconscious and in Laer's arms. Eragon was kneeling on the ground, examining her injuries.

"She is alive, right?" Tristan quickly asked, just as Rikon and Adrian approached him.

Yes, she is alive. She will wake soon, Saturn answered in their minds and his muzzle gently touched Gwen's head. When the dragon took a step back, Tristan knelt on the ground. His palm gently caressed Gwen's cheek and then he paused, realising that both Adrian and Saturn were watching him. He cleared his throat and quickly walked to Vertigo's side, keeping his gaze on the ground.

"Riders… I owe you an apology. The wild dragons should have been notified of our arrival and the Eldunari should have made preparations. I have visited Ramirblaka before, but never have the wild dragons behaved in such a manner" he said and he appeared both regretful and perplexed. "Head back to your dorms. Your training will continue as per usual tomorrow"

Eragon walked to Saphira's side, climbed atop her and flew towards Glieonard.

The young riders walked back to their dorms in silence. Maurine had the expression of a terrified doe and Rikon was trying to reassure her that everything would be okay.

Tristan rubbed his hands against Vertigo's scales, absentminded, while he kept stealing glances at Laer's and Gwen's directions. He was glad Gwen was okay, but still he couldn't shake that cold feeling that was seizing his heart.

I have concluded that I don't like wild dragons, Vertigo said in a thoughtful tone.

"I don't think that this is their usual behaviour. Something must have happened in order for them to behave in such a manner" Adrian said, approaching them. Tristan wasn't sure he wanted to be near the elf at the moment.

"Do you think it was due to the eggs? Maybe the females were protecting them…" Rikon said, but the twin girls, Maya and May shook their heads in unison.

"It was…"

"Not just"

The females" they said, but still, it did not answer the original question as to why the dragons had been so aggressive towards the riders.

They continued walking along the path, until the elves and urgals parted ways with the rest of the riders. Maurine and Rikon said goodnight as well and then Laer, Gwen, Gas and Tristan reached the human dorm.

Just before they walked inside, Gwen awoke with a startle and looked around her, perplexed. She took tentative steps forward, then her feet wobbled and Laer put a protective arm around her. It felt as if a small dagger pierced Tristan's heart and he tried to look elsewhere, but his eyes stayed locked on the human.

"Saturn?" Gwen asked and as soon as she saw her dragon, she exhaled in happiness. She pressed her arms around the bronze dragon's head and Tristan did not want to interrupt their moment. He headed inside, walking next to Laer. For a reason he could not fathom, he was feeling uncomfortable around the rider, something he did not like. Usually, it was easy conversing with Laer. A growing suspicion had settled in his heart and he did not like it at all.

Just ask him, Vertigo said in his mind, but the dragon sounded distant and not his usual care-free, relaxed self.

I will. Are you okay, Vertigo?, Tristan inclined and the dragon moved around the stone structure in an agitated manner.

Wild dragons appear stronger. And free. They can do whatever they want, whenever they want, without any consequences.

Tristan looked outside his window to where Vertigo was, his jaw dropping in surprise.

Do you want to be like them? Is that what it is?, he asked.

No. I am just trying to understand how it would have been like if I grew in the wild. Would I have become the same dragon? Would I be like… Them?, he asked and his tail swung to the right hand side.

I think that no matter where you had grown up, you would not have behaved in the same way they did, Tristan said and tried to reassure his dragon but Vertigo was lost in his own thoughts.

Tristan sighed loudly and paced inside his room for a while. Sleep did not seem to be coming easily to him tonight. He opened the door of his room and walked across the hall. He gently knocked on the opposite door and waited, but no one answered. He knocked again, but nothing. Tristan opened the door and walked inside the room, only to find it empty. Laer wasn't there. When he went to knock on Gwen's room she wasn't there either.

His previous suspicion grew bigger and his heart twisted as hate and another feeling he did not recognise, rose in the surface. He went back to his bed but he could not go to sleep and when he heard someone walking inside, he instantly got up. Gwen pulled her curly hair back and looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Tristan?" she asked, in surprise, and he nodded.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked her and she nodded to him and smiled.

"Yes. It's just that I was not expecting to be attacked by...dragons" she replied, puzzled. She walked back to her room and said good night. He did the same but again he couldn't sleep. When he heard another person walking inside the human dorms he rushed to the hallway.

Laer jumped slightly when he saw him and raised his eyebrows.

"Why are you up so late?" Tristan asked him in a serious manner.

"I could ask you the same" Laer replied and Tristan pressed his lips together.

"I couldn't fall asleep, you see, and I needed to talk to you" he answered.

Momentarily, Laer appeared troubled and alarmed.

"What is it that you wish to speak of?" the rider asked him.

Since there was no easy way of saying this, Tristan blurted it out.

"Do you have feelings for Gwen?"

Laer's eyes grew large.

"Feelings? I… No!" he said and he stared at Tristan, shocked and bewildered. He took in a loud breath of air. "Trust me when I say that I have no interest in… Human… Females" he added and smiled to him.

Tristan raised both his eyebrows.

"Then where were you tonight?"

"Sleep couldn't come easily to me, either. Not after today's events" Laer said and he sighed. Then he looked at Tristan with a serious expression. "I know you have feelings for Gwen and even if I did harbour some emotions for her I wouldn't jeopardize your situation" he added in a reassuring tone.

Tristan let out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding.

"You are right, my friend, but I had to know" he said and smiled back to Laer in relief.

The rider nodded.

"I understand" Laer said and then he looked at the dark sky. "Shall we make one more attempt to sleep?"

Tristan laughed and nodded, saying good night and heading back to his room.

…..

It was night time and the riders had not yet returned, something Kayla found peculiar. It did not bother her much though since it gave her time to practise magic.

She had a golden goblet in her hand and at the moment she was trying to practise a spell she had seen many riders do before her.

"Dramr kopa" she whispered. The water withered, ripples formed, faces almost appeared and then all too quickly they disappeared.

She sighed exasperated and fell on her bed. It had been more than two months since she had last spoken to her mother! Kayla could always ask Eragon or some of the older riders to help her with the spell, but she wanted to do this alone. She knew Tristan had had contact with their mother, a few weeks ago after the riders had returned from their flying lesson, but she had not been present. Another indirect message from Eragon to persuade her to ride Aiedail.

Kayla picked up the golden goblet again. In front of her, the book of magic spells was open on the page with the spell that would allow her to see and converse with the person she was thinking off.

"Dramr Kopa" she repeated, holding the cup more forcefully. The water's surface rippled again and this time it took the face of her mother. Kayla exhaled in relief as she watched her mother's sleeping form. She was in her bed, in their house in Arhan and everything appeared to be normal. She smiled to herself happily, but soon she realised something. Without breaking the spell, she turned her gaze to the book.

"…the spell allows the caster to only see the person they are thinking off but not their surroundings. More experienced magicians can also converse with the person in question…" Kayla read and then stopped.

She shouldn't be allowed to see where her mother was. Not really. She concentrated on the water's surface again and she watched her mother's chest rising and falling, rising and fall-

The water rippled and her mother's form disappeared. Black, intricate markings were spiralling at the edges of the goblet and in the middle, faces she did not recognise, started appearing. Alone, a hooded person stood. The figure was in a stone room, in what appeared to be a tower and was chanting something. Unexpectedly, it paused. It looked around, raising objects and then allowing them to fall.

"I know you are here, somewhere" it whispered and its voice made the hairs on Kayla's arms rise. Her breath started coming out uneven and the figure turned around and faced her. The figure laughed.

"I can see you, you little –" it started saying but then a loud growl sounded from outside the window where the figure was and Kayla saw a gigantic shadow wyrm flying.

Kayla screamed, felt her control on the magic quivering and the golden goblet fell on the ground, black liquid spilling all over the floor. She looked around in her room, alarmed, still feeling the gaze of the creature on her. She was unable to shake the feeling of uneasiness.

Suddenly, she heard a noise from outside and she rushed to her window, her heart beating inside her chest furiously. The whoosh of air from flapping wings greeted her and momentarily she stood there frozen, her heart beat almost stopping, as a memory started rising to the surface. Then, she heard her brother's casual voice and she exhaled in relief, as she realized that it was only the dragon riders.

She quickly wiped the floor from the black liquid and heard the riders entering their rooms. Kayla went back to her bed and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. Aiedail's presence however didn't make this possible, as the dragon was restless.

Kayla inhaled deeply trying to shut everything and everyone out of her mind, but Aiedail's emotions started clouding her own.

The dragon was angry, disgusted and close to terrified.

You should have been there!, Aiedail suddenly screamed inside Kayla's mind and the girl instinctively covered her ears which, however, did nothing to stop the mental voice.

For a moment, Kayla was stunned. The dragon always wanted to gain access into the girl's mind but usually kept her emotions to herself.

An image was projected to Kayla, one which she was not fast enough to block. In this image, Aiedail was being attacked by a huge brass coloured male, who was demanding access both into her mind and body.

More images came, some showing dragons attacking the riders.

I… I did not know, Kayla whispered, surprised.

How could you? You have blocked me from your mind, from your thoughts and from your presence! You never fly with me… A dragon and a rider are only as strong as their bond is! I was… Weak, Aiedail said and let out a pained, angered growl.

Kayla took a few deep breaths. She realised with horror, that she wasn't the only one facing problems. And this feeling of helplessness… She knew that feeling well.

Did he…? Did the male…?, Kayla started asking, but the dragon growled a negative answer.

Some of the younger dragons and Saphira stopped him on time, Aiedail said and she scratched her talons on the rocks of her structure. This made a shrieking noise and Kayla had to close her ears in order to block it.

I am-…, Kayla started and then paused. What was she? Sorry? The dragon came close to her window and Kayla was faced with Aiedail's accusing glare.

You should have been there, the purple dragon repeated and Kayla felt her heart twisting, as a turmoil of emotions jumped inside her chest, both her own and from the creature facing her.

….

Melor shrieked in pain in what appeared to be the hundredth time.

"Can you not do anything about his situation?" Murtagh demanded.

The dwarf's shoulder was covered in blisters and black smoke often rose from them.

"It's been three weeks already since the attack. Why are his wounds not healing?" Murtagh asked again and his hands turned into fists.

Arya gave him a solemn look.

"This is a type of dark magic the healers and I have not encountered before"

"But you are elves! You know more magic spells than anybody else! You should know what to do!" he said again.

Arya's eyebrows rose.

"With your experience in dark magic, maybe you should have a go at healing him" she said and rose from her sit.

Murtagh went to reply but Thorn stopped him.

Stop. Arguing won't help solve the situation, the red dragon said.

As long as he stops screaming I will be happy, the rider replied and walked out of the room. They were in a building located at the outskirts of Ellesmira, as the rest of the elves would not allow him entrance to their city.

Surprising.

The other three riders had been summoned to Ilirea because another attack had occurred. He would have gone with them, but he hated having everybody's judgmental glares on his shoulders. He was also dreading to face Nasuada. Last time he had seen her from up close, they had decided to end their affair. She was steadily growing older, he was a dragon rider, she was the queen, the people in Alagaesia despised him… So many reasons to stay away!

Suddenly Arya looked at the skies, perplexed, and then the lake's surface near them, withered and took the shape of Stoic.

"We are outside of Ilirea, Murtagh! The shadow wyrms attacked again but they have riders with them! Ingrid is injured! Send for help, tell Erag-"his voice said but he was cut off.

Murtagh rode on Thorn's back without further due.

"Murtagh!" Arya shouted.

"Tell Eragon to send for reinforcements. I doubt he will listen to me, but you might actually have a chance!" he said as he flew high, losing himself between the clouds and hoping he could make it to Ilirea on time.

Nasuada, he thought and Thorn flew faster.

A/N: Hope you liked the chapter! Don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav, it will only take a minute! Next chapter will be called: The Red Rider.