Chapter 49 – Certain Agony of the Battlefield
"TRISTAN!" her scream pierced the afternoon, misty air and she ran to him.
Kayla ran towards her brother, despite the sword blades of her surrounding enemies aiming towards her, despite the fires exploding from the dragons licking her skin, despite the magical protective spells and the other, darker powers surrounding her.
She ran to him despite everything.
Kayla, no! Aiedail shouted in her mind, but in that instant there was only one thought in her mind and that was of saving her brother.
She couldn't have told whether Vertigo or her reached Tristan first but she caught him before he fell. Blood was gushing from his chest wound and mouth. His eyes were closed and she couldn't see him moving.
Her heart clutched and her hands shook, as her fingertips reached his neck to find a heartbeat but there was none.
Behind you, Kayla! Look, behind…, Aiedail said in her mind and the girl put a protective barrier around herself and her brother.
Fire surrounded her but she ignored the heat of it and the loss of energy. Instead she looked to Tristan and shook him slightly.
Tristan, she spoke into his mind.
There was no reply.
Tristan?
Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes and she dug her finger nails into her skin.
Kayla placed her hands over his wound and concentrated, imagining the flesh of his body stitching itself back together, the bones elongating…
Don't you dare die, Tristan!, she screamed into his mind with every ounce of strength she had and felt the sudden loss of energy.
A blade brushed centimetres away from her skin and she turned around to see her brother's attacker standing above her, after managing to break her protective barrier. She was breathing heavily from the loss of energy and annoyed, she rose to the air, staring directly into the Shade's eyes.
He was young, a mere boy of fourteen, fifteen, but that didn't stop her from attacking his mind. There was little to no energy left inside her, but magic was her only weapon, her only defence, her only power. The Shade's dark eyes were ancient as he attacked back with a similar manner of power, but as Kayla lashed at him, using every trick she had learnt from Maud, Idel and the Masters of Training the Shade fell back.
The boy stumbled and fell to the ground, looking terrified, his eyes a watery blue-brown colour. He rose his hands to the air, but she pushed Hûthvír in him, nevertheless. He had attacked her brother. He deserved no less.
Too late she realised that Hûthvír had torn through his stomach only, and not his heart. Irritated, she went for another blow, but something stopped her. She looked back to identify the person stopping her but there was no one.
Kayla went to step forward but she couldn't.
She pressed her lips together tightly trying to push through the invisible wall but there was no power left inside her. There was no consciousness present in her mind other than her own, either.
Aiedail!, she screamed, trying to locate her dragon but she was locked in place.
Once, getting rid of the purple dragon may have been her dream, but now it was her nightmare.
Was Aiedail dead as well?, she wondered and liquid started falling from her eyes, realising that with Tristan gone as well she would be alone.
She tried to locate a consciousness, any consciousness, but there was nothing.
Where was everybody?
Kayla squinted her eyes trying to discern the shapes in the smoke surrounding her and saw the riders locked in place just as she was. The dragons were bound on earth as well, unable to move forward or backward. Vertigo was standing mere inches away from Tristan, his paw extended near the boy's head, desperation present in his eyes. A silent growl seemed to escape his lips.
When she located Aiedail, standing next to Rikon, she almost let out a sigh of relief. Only she couldn't, her lips were locked in place and Aiedail's thorns rose on sharp ends, her only response.
It was then, that she saw the figure approaching them, clad in a dark hooded cloak. Kayla could discern a pair of dark eyes glowing from below the hood.
Not a Shade, then.
He hmphed as if in disappointment when his gaze met Kayla's and he walked to where she was, picking Hûthvír right out of her grasp. The Shade standing directly below the blade, crawled away from him, in what appeared to be fear. The hooded figure only shook his head.
"You should not have attacked him. Look at him, he is only a boy. A boy who killed your brother no less, but he was following my orders" the figure told her and smiled.
She felt the blood running quickly through her veins and she made an attempt to move but the figure only laughed. He examined the blade in his hands and his brows creased.
"Would you like to tell me where the herbalist is? Do not attempt to pretend not to know because I know this belongs to her" the figure said and Kayla pressed her lips more tightly together.
Even if she could she wouldn't have told him.
The figure laughed and snapped his fingers together. Growls escaped Aiedail and Kayla could see the intense pain her dragon was in. He palms sweated, her heart beat faster and she swallowed.
Tell me, the voice commanded.
Kayla looked at Aiedail's pained but set gaze, and stayed silent.
The figure shook his head again and went to stand next to Idel's dragon. He was a beautiful beast, silver and diamond shining under the deem light, but when Hûthvír pierced his heart, he collapsed onto the ground all the same. The elf's gaze turned into one of horror unable to look away from her dragon.
The figure opened up the dragon's chest to bring out his heart out and with a gasp that very much resembled ecstasy he let the heart explode into a million pieces.
Stop it!, Kayla shouted in his mind, tasting the salt from her tears.
"He is already dead, sweetling. Your dragon's turn is next if you do not tell me where to find the herbalist" he said.
Kayla saw the movement of a shadow before he did. Angela jumped upon the figure with Tinkledeath in her hands. The sword twisted and turned like a partner in a complicated dance but the man met her blows with a smile fixed upon his face.
"Unless you use your true power against me, sister, you stand no chance in beating me" he said but the herbalist ignored him and continued attacking him with her blade.
When she pushed his hood back and sliced his cheek he let out a gasp of surprise. If Kayla could, she would have done the same. Behind the hood lay the face of a man she knew, or rather had seen before, in the water goblet of her room.
He had goat horns above his ears and a mane of dark hair that reached his shoulder blades. Kayla could tell that he was not human but he was no elf, dwarf, Urgal or werecat either. Even though originally, from the voice, Kayla had thought he was male, now she was having second thoughts.
A sharp nose started from between his hawk-like, dark eyes and stopped right above his full lips. His figure told her nothing of whether he was female or male. He could be either.
In his hands, he was holding a medium sized blade of white colour and he stopped each and every one of Angela's blows. Despite the trickle of blood running from his cheek, he was laughing whilst the herbalist was panting.
"Are you afraid that what happened to him will happen to you, dear sister?" he asked her and let out a blast of power towards her direction.
It caught Angela full on and she fell to the earth, trembling.
Air rushed into Kayla's lungs, anger filling her thoughts. The spot of energy in the back of her mind came to life, filling her thoughts and in a single explosion of energy she fell to the earth, coughing. Aiedail's consciousness stirred inside her and she saw the purple dragon flying high.
Kayla's eyes turned into slits and the rain droplets turned into daggers attacking the figure. Idel's and Maud's words of stating her intentions in the Ancient Language were long forgotten.
The figure let out a scream of pain and when Aiedail's fire fell upon him, he stopped it and started laughing. Whereas before his attention was on Angela, now it turned to her.
"Water magic… How curious" he said and before he could utter another word Kayla rose from the earth and run to his direction, the rain falling from the skies turning into a downpour and attacking him.
For a second, he looked scared before he replied with his own blast of energy.
Kayla did not have time to spare and she went back to her brother, swallowing hard and desperately searching for a sign of life.
There was none.
She turned to him, the eyes of the dragon riders on her, warning her to flee but she stayed put.
"Why?" Kayla asked him, her hands clenching into fists as tears fell on the ground, making the wet patch of earth wetter.
The figure cocked its head on the side, looking at her in a curious manner.
"Why? Why does the sun rise in the west and set in the east? Why does the rain fall on our skin? So many questions. You will have to be more specific"
"Why are you attacking us? Why did you kill my brother?" Kayla asked him, her lower lip trembling, mirroring the movements of some small rocks next to her.
He kneeled on the ground and brushed his hands over the wet grass.
"Can you not feel the earth weeping, child? The creatures in Alagaesia are sucking the life out of it faster than a bee sucks nectar. Soon, there will be nothing left. Energy cannot be destroyed, child. Surely, your teachers must have taught you this much. But with humans multiplying faster than rabbits energy… is reduced. Why do you think your brother died? He was useless, not even an ounce of magic in him. You… You, on the other hand are far more special. You inherited what he did not"
Kayla felt sick. "You are killing people to get more power?"
He put his thumb on his chin. "In a way, I assume yes. Though I do so hate killing dragons. They are such majestic creatures… A few years ago they were almost extinct and now… Look! So many of them around… And yet they are bound to useless riders. Like him" he said and in one instant he was next to her, kicking gently her brother's head.
She could feel the moisture in the air bundling together and engulfing the figure. Her hands were tightened together. If she let go, he would explode. He must have known as much but he simply coked his head to the side.
Have you never wondered why you are so powerful? Do you not wonder, why you alone were able to escape my magic?
Kayla swallowed.
Have you never been tempted by the power? Wanted to explore more? This island, these people.. They are keeping you prisoner. Ask Angela. She could have killed me, if she wanted to. Yet, she was too afraid to use her magic. She could not. You can.
I will not be tempted by you. You are the definition of evil. You are the definition of dark. I will not associate myself with the likes of you.
He started laughing, bubbles escaping his mouth just before the water around him dispersed.
"You think everything is black and white? You think everything is good and bad? How wrong you are… Most would consider what your master did as evil. Tying the soul of an unbound dragon to the riders' will? Blasphemy. The wild dragons and eldunari sensed this, although some made the same absurd decisions as him. And the eldunari, the spirits, deities you hold in such high esteem? Where were they when all of this destruction and horror were taking place? They were able to use their power to conceal secrets, move land and water… Yet they decide to stay dormant, hidden away… " he said.
"Galbatorix was no more evil than any of the leaders in Alagaesia. If you knew the choices they had to make… Choose between life and death. Choose between the destruction of one city or another. One city with loved ones and one city with hundreds of people. What would you choose? It is not all as clear cut as you may think.
The riders that have sided with me… They have done so with their own free will. I do not wish to kill the riders, no, I do not. I wish to remove a considerable amount of the population in Alagaesia, simply because their numbers are growing and they are like vermin destroying everything in their path, killing the earth and plants. Can you not hear the earth's cries, child? Its being plunged again and again without its will, object to the races that rule over all other creatures. Some of them may be friends and family, but still useless. I wish to remove some of the rider elders, yes, but that's simply because they are weak and senseless and they make absurd decisions" he continued.
There is no black and white, younglings. There is only grey.
"How can you be anything, but? You use Shades and Shadow wyrms, the very definition of evil and darkness, the definition of black magic" Kayla said.
He looked angry at that, his eyes sparkling even though the light was slipping away.
"You think I enjoy using Shades for my doing? I had no choice in that" he said in disgust. "You think I have the power to control the Great King? You are gravely mistaken"
He twisted his hands and suddenly the air she was breathing became uncomfortably warm and moisture fell from her skin. Aiedail blew fire on their attacker but a shadow wyrm and a shade went to attack her dragon.
She willed the rain to fall harder and engulf her. It did just that and the warmth disappeared. Kayla run to her enemy and she produced a dagger from her boots. She went to attack him but he stopped her with Hûthvír.
"Who are you?" she managed as she felt the heels of her boots, brushing against the dirt as she tried to maintain the blade of her dagger in a straight position. Her hand was trembling but he had killed her brother. He would kill her, Aiedail and the rest of the dragon riders and dragons if she stayed idle.
In one movement of his he threw her to the side and she fell to the earth hard. Vines grew from the earth and bound her down, tightening around her.
"Who am I? Have you not been listening?
Our numbers are declining and we are but a dying race, although wise and ancient as some might recall. I have had many names and lived many lives. I am the line which stands between the good and evil, black and white. Some have called us Gods, others Grey folk. Some have worshipped us, others have scorned us. Nevertheless we are the creators of this land, creators of this world, and the creators of all races.
Creation, however, requires energy. And with each creation, a small part of energy abandons us until we have less and less. Until we reach a point when we are no more than spirits, watching everything but unable to do anything to alter the events that take place. Existence in this world diminishes, each passing year becomes an eternity and then we fall into deep slumber, some never to awake again…" at this Rikon fell to his knees while Adrian watched him with a grimace.
"But the human species had taken over everything. The earth weeps, can you not feel it? The elves I respect, but their numbers too are declining. There are but a few left. Dwarves? I thought once, they could become strong, but they are weak, vain and greedy like the humans. Urgals? They kill and destroy everything. I fought for Galbatorix. I fought for his cause. For years I was his ally. His plan was not perfect, but he aimed to make a world were dragons would exist, protectors of the earth. Dragon riders would be few but worthy. The previous generation was corrupt.
I expected more of you, so much more. Who do you think helped Eragon against his fight with Galbatorix? The Eldunari? The spirits? Useless little mongrels. They only appear when it suits them. It was I, but it was only a fool's hope. I expected the dragon riders to be able to change the fate of this land, but you are useless! You think you have power just because a dragon has chosen you? Dragons should be out in the wild, bound to no one. This is their nature and you cannot go against it. And see now what has happened? Your number is declining as well. Magic will soon be lost as Urgals, humans and dwarves take over the land like termites, like vermin, but even they have their use and you don't! Soon everything will be but a dessert, a living hell!" he said, breathing loudly as if he had just finished a sparring match.
You are too young to understand. You have not lived as long as I. Watching them repeat the same mistakes again and again and again. There is peace now but soon there will be war and then peace again and then war. The land bleeds again and again just because your kind is greedy!
I thought that your leader could have changed this but he is weak and foolish tortured by his human emotions and needs. Who does he think he is to change the laws of nature? You would think that the Eldunari would stop him from making these stupid decisions but they have been deep in their slumber for far too long. No, I intend to fix these problems. Join me if you must since I can't let you live. I am not going to let you and the other creatures repeat the mistakes of your ancestors. Not again" he whispered and turned around to pierce Angela's chest with Hûthvír.
The herbalist screamed, a high pitch shriek that rocked through Kayla.
The girl felt a tingling sensation on her skin as the herbalist's consciousness disintegrated into nothingness. The earth rocked with every drop of blood that spilled from her skin. Air started blowing on her face and all through this, the dragon riders stayed put in place, frozen by a spell.
Aiedail was still blowing fire above her, fighting against three Shades now. Kayla wanted to go to her but her priority was the person in front of her, who had murdered her brother, Angela and would no doubt extinguish the rest of the riders as well.
As Angela's last breath left her lips, Kayla managed to crawl to her, despite the vines holding her tightly. The herbalist grabbed her palm where the Gedwey Ignasia symbol was. She spoke words, but words Kayla did not understand. They were in an ancient language, a language more ancient than the Ancient Language.
A calm smile was on her lips.
Make the wise choice, Klifa,
Energy rocked through all of them suddenly, a sudden blast, similar to the feeling Kayla got when the boundaries broke.
"Rest well, Gokukara. You have lived long and well" the figure said, approaching her but Kayla was already on her feet.
"How many more will you kill?" she demanded.
"Enough to restore the balance. Once the Grey Folk meant to do just this, until Helzvog decided to create his own race and make things… Complicated"
"The people in Alagaesia?" Kayla asked, her hands beginning to tremble once again.
"Some of the elves and dwarves will be spared. The rest… Will die" he replied in a matter of fact type of tone.
This was all Kayla needed.
Water sprung from the earth, destroying whatever vines had held her prisoner. Then she directed the flow of water to him. This held him in place just as he had done with the earth's vines. Kayla picked up the dagger from the ground and attacked.
Someone grabbed her wrist. Her enemy laughed.
"Let me go!" she screamed and went to attack again, but whoever it was held her wrist tighter, causing her to drop her dagger.
Angry, she turned around and screamed, water crushing onto her attacker. Too late, she realised it was Laer. He was choking in water but she didn't have time for him. She turned back to her enemy, reaching for another blade from her left boot.
"Kayla… Stop" Laer said.
It was only then that Kayla realised that everything around her was shaking as if an earthquake was happening. Water from underground caves was exploding almost everywhere around her, the sea water was dancing in twirls and the rain was falling hard.
The riders were able to move again, though they were all trying to protect themselves from the force of the water. Even Aiedail was desperately trying to stay in one place, but rain and wind both were doing her no favours.
A gasp escaped her lips and Kayla tried to stop whatever she was doing but the energy was too much for her to control.
"Its your fault!" she said, screaming to her attacker who was rocking on the ground in laughter.
"Gokukara tried so hard to stop what happened to Angvard from happening to her that she forgot… You"
Kayla run to him, dagger in hand once more, but somehow Laer had managed to escape her attack and stood before her.
"Don't do this. You can control it" he said.
She felt her heart beat quicken. "He killed Tristan! He is planning to kill the rest of the riders! Let me kill him! Where do your loyalties lie, Laer?"
For an instant, Laer smiled. "Loyalties are complicated. This is my song, though"
He pushed Kayla to the side and fell upon the enemy with his two handed, serrated sword. The blade went straight through the person and came out the other side, the hilt almost touching the chest where no blood came through.
The person stared at Laer with an open mouth of surprise.
"Missed me, Ahno?" Laer asked and pushed the blade deeper.
"This… Is… Not… Over" the person named Ahno, said. "There are forces… Greater than I. You should… Thank Eragon for that. The boy rider. Awakening spell? Everyone… Will awaken. Everyone… Has"
Laer pressed his lips tightly together, hate clouding his features. "Send my regards to Ai"
He pushed the hilt of his boot against the man's body, took his sword back and with a single blow tore the man's head away from the body.
Kayla was staring at him with an open mouth. By then almost all the riders were able to move again and were fighting against the remaining Shades and Shadow Wyrms, not that there were many of them left. She was still shaking, the water still spinning around her and as Laer approached her, his dark hair dripping with blood, she stepped back, a wall of water standing before her.
Do not come any closer, she warned and Laer stayed put in place.
Do not be afraid of me. I will not hurt you.
Are you an enemy or a friend?
I am both. Let me help you.
No.
Can't you see you are destroying this land?
Kayla shook her head, stubbornly. Tristan is dead.
All the more reason for you to live. Do you know the story of Angvard? The god of death he is called.
It is no time for stories, Laer, Kayla said just as a spring of water exploded next to his ear.
He took a step forward, completely ignoring what she had said and done. Angvard was one of the magic users that nearly destroyed all of Alagaesia. This was before the time the Grey Folk bound Magic to the Use of the Ancient Language. Then, things were more complicated. The surviving Grey Folk used their language, the Ancient Language, to bind magic so that it was controlled by speech. The powerful language also prevented the speaker from lying. It is not known how they completed the spell, but many of them pitched in to ensure success. Because of this enormous change in the nature of magic, the energy toll was great, and the Grey Folk were consequently diminished as a people. In addition, they, whether by purpose or accident is not clear, left a method of altering magic and the Ancient Language through the Ancient Language's true name.
He said the name, then, the true name of the Ancient Language. Kayla knew what it was as soon as he started reciting it, the complex structure of words familiar in her ear. Slowly, she felt the energy inside her calming. Aiedail was able to land on Dis Atilan and she rushed to her, offering her support.
You can do it, the she-dragon simply said.
It was enough.
With each breath Kayla took, the force of the water subsided.
When the energy spot at the back of her mind seemed to have reduced in size she fell to the ground, next to Tristan.
Aiedail's muzzle brushed her back while Vertigo was gently nudging Tristan but was getting no replies. He would rise to the air for a few seconds, only to return soon after, growling, sniffing, growling again.
By then, both Gwen and Adrian were standing next to her, above Tristan. Gwen began to cry when she touched Tristan's wrist but Adrian looked in the distance.
"He is dead" he said in a single sentence and Kayla was not sure whether he was referring to her brother or the enemy lying next to him.
There were still Shades left around them and the Masters of Training were trying to restrain them until one ran to them and attacked Laer. It was so unexpected that all the riders turned to him and in one single moment the Shade had done something and Laer disappeared with him.
Kayla jumped on the earth where Laer had been, unable to comprehend what was at play.
"Invisibility spell?" Gwen asked but Adrian quickly shook his head as Kayla tried to look for Laer.
"Laer?" she asked, confused and surprised both and when no one replied she fell to the earth once more, tightening her grip around Aiedail's muzzle and crying.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who left reviews on the previous chapter, Best OC Maker, HowtoBook101, shurtugalKevin, Tessa, MaryLeaves, Anon zzzzz. I apologise for the late updates, I will try to have the next chapter ready within the next two weeks!