Chapter 50 – Road to Nowhere – The end.
Pale colour.
Cold skin.
Colourless eyes.
Empty soul.
Vertigo's thoughts sounded loud and clear through his connection with Mars. The blue-grey dragon must have been at least fifty miles away from Dis Atilan, yet his words still echoed throughout the minds of the Dragon Riders making both dragons and riders stand on edge.
The fact that there were still Shades present was not making things any easier and when one of them moved, Adrian bound her in place in a single movement of his lips. He had not forgotten what had happened to the last rider who had taken the Shades for granted.
"What shall we do with this one?" he asked in disgust looking down on a female Shade with the Gedwey Ignasia symbol on the inside of her palm.
Grohn took in a deep breath while Rikon cursed under his breath.
"Kill her, I say. Kill her and get it over with" Rikon whispered, any compassion gone with his dragon's death.
"Unless there is no other way, Riders do not kill" Mirin said, taking quick steps towards their direction.
"She is already dead, tormented by dark spirits and the fallen. It will be a favour" the dwarven boy offered, deep in thought, and kneeled on the ground to get a closer look at the Shade.
Before anyone could do anything to stop her, the Shade had risen and within seconds was holding a knife against Rikon's throat.
"Move and he dies" she whispered with a voice that sounded like it had come from a million dialects.
"Kill me, then. It will be a blessing" the dwarven boy said and kicked her in the stomach, hard.
Somehow, he escaped her embrace and rolled on the earth, producing a finely engraved sword from his shoulder. The female Shade was covered in dust and bound to the earth once again, but she had a big smile fixed upon her face. She put her fingers inside her mouth and whistled loudly. Her white hair which was tinted at the edges with red and pale-pink fell to the right hand side of her face, while her smile widened. A rustle of wings sounded from afar and in the distance, the shape of a white-pale pink dragon, came into sight.
The riders knew that if the Shade climbed on her dragon, it would be the end of it. It was Octavian who made the first move and fell with full force on the female Shade. The Shade screamed in an innocent, young girl voice, but Octavian pinned her arms to the side and Mirin whispered words that bound the Shade's arm together.
The white, pale, pink dragon came closer, but Octavian's look and a silent trail of words made the creature hiss and move back.
"Do we kill her, now?" Rikon asked, exasperated, his sword arm raised, but Mirin shook his head.
"She has information. And a dragon. We need her alive for now"
"What about this one?" Adrian asked, pointing at the dark skinned boy who had killed Tristan.
He walked close to him and saw the boy breathing deep and slow, obviously in pain. The wound on his chest, from where Kayla had injured him with Hûthvír, was still bleeding. He was mumbling in an incomprehensible language.
The elf took a deep breath and forcefully grabbed the boy's right arm. The silver light of the Gedwey Ignasia symbol momentarily glowed and the boy opened his brown eyes to scream. He crawled back away from Adrian and produced a small dagger in defence.
"Take the two Shade-riders to the prisons in Glieonard. We will question them later. The rest. Kill" Octavian said.
Mirin pressed his lips together, obviously not comfortable with this decision. There were another five Shades left, all of them young, no older than sixteen human years of age and obviously they had not been Shades for longer than a year.
Rikon was the first to dig his dagger into one of the Shades' hearts, the silent hiss audible in Adrian's ears.
Mars twitched his tail in an impatient manner.
This is wrong, his dragon said.
Adrian couldn't agree more.
There is nothing rider-like or dragon-like in killing bound creatures. It is different when a dragon attacks and the victim fights back, resists or attacks first, the elf said in Mars's mind.
"This is for Fiord!" Rikon screamed and decapitated another Shade. "This is for Maurine. For Gas. For Tristan and the countless other you have killed"
When he finished the names, all the Shades were dead, their dark blood sprayed on the earth like ink. Their eyes and facial expressions were filled with fear. Rikon's eyes were only filled with anger and sadness.
Grohn went to put a hand on his shoulder but the dwarven boy shook it off and run back to Glieonard.
Follow him, Grohn. We don't want him to do anything stupid, Adrian advised and the Urgal did as he was bid, running after the dwarven boy.
In a way, Adrian was glad to be alone. Since, Octavian and Mirin had taken the prisoners back to Glieonard only Maud remained. Somewhere. She had not been seen during the fight and Adrian wondered where the Werecat was hiding. In all his training he had never once managed to best her in sword-fighting. He hoped she wasn't dead.
Adrian started slowly. He could have dug the graves by using magic, but there was not much left in his reserves and besides, keeping his body busy was a way not to think of what had happened. Soon, Mars landed next to him and helped him dig deeper graves.
Whatever elves and dwarves of the shore remained, came to help. Blodghram was one of them. The elf had been his first friend on the island when he had arrived and he soon decided that it was easier to have someone with him.
Until the break of dawn none of them had exchanged a word.
All of the Shades had been buried in one place. Friend and dragons were to be buried alone, though for the latter they would require the help of other dragons as carrying them would be a task impossible for the ten of them, exhausted as they were after the battle.
Adrian had made a grave for each of the riders. He had found the carcass of Gas, half of him gnawed on by a wyrm or dragon he did not know; then Maurine with her pale cheeks and blood stained lips, her eyes large and blue staring in the distance; Idel, the elven Master of Magic and many more elves and dwarves of the Shore who Adrian had never met before, only seen briefly.
When at last, he reached Tristan's body, he paused. Everyone else around him, human, Urgal or dwarf had been allowed to grieve, but elves did things differently. No doubt, the riders would hold a ceremony for all of the dead riders but Adrian kneeled on the ground and brushed his fingers against Tristan's lips.
Atra mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr. Un du evarínya ono varda, Vor, Shur'tugal Tristan, Adrian whispered.
When the sun's rays broke into the horizon he was alone, as the elves and dwarves of the Shores has retreated to their homes.
His clutched his fists and he felt the first tear drop from his eyes. His throat felt sore.
The last time he had cried had been in Ellesmera, holding the arms of a white-haired elf, named Bivorn. Bivorn had been his closest friend, his lover, his comrade, his family. When Mars had hatched for him he remembered the joy in Bivorn's eyes, mirroring his own. They had both been so happy that day, watching the baby dragon take his first steps and then his first flight into this world.
They had both known it would not last long, though.
Adrian would never exchange Mars for anyone or anything in this world, but deep inside him, he often wondered whether a small part of him blamed the dragon for being separated from Bivorn.
Maybe if Mars had not hatched for him he would have still been in Ellesmera, sword-fighting against Bivorn and then in the night sleeping next to him. He guessed Mars must have known this, though the dragon had never acknowledged it and neither had he.
It had been a very long time until he had felt the stirrings of another interest. Adrian brushed his thumbs over Tristan's hair and then gently laid him inside the earth, after cleaning his wound with the spring water which ran from the mountains. He placed Tristan's bow, or rather what remained of it, next to him. The bow which was gifted to Tristan from Eragon, Queen Isazlandi's bow, Adrian put in a casket next to Tristan. The Masters would know what to do with it, later.
Eldhrimmer O Furhernard , sun abr deloi. Eldhrimmer nen ono weohnataí medh solus un thringa. Eldhrimmer un fortha onr fëon var. Wiol allr sjon. Sé mor'ranr ono finna, Adrian sung.
When he returned to Glieonard, morning had arrived. The sun shined shyly through the clouds and shed light on the horror that lay below. Most of the buildings had been damaged. The human and the elven dorms were destroyed and many of the houses near the Shore had been taken in the hurricane.
He found Kayla inside the Grand Hall of Glieonard with Aiedail at her heels. She was staring in the clear blue water of the lake, which stood as entrance to the vault of the eggs below.
Adrian did not need to make his presence known. No doubt Kayla had sensed him even before he entered the Grand Hall. Her eyes were red, her finger nails bitten. Her right arm circled the water.
"Draumr kópa" the girl said and the water changed momentarily to show her a fleeting image of a woman and then water, the ocean, the rivers and the lakes.
She let her hand fall loose and cursed under her breath.
"Draumr kópa. Sjon eka Tristan" she said and again, the water changed, a fleeting image of a boy appeared in a dark room and then disappeared.
Kayla splashed the water annoyed and rose, looking straight to Adrian. "This is useless. I have used every ounce of strength I have had trying to find him, trying to find my mother but I can't see them!"
"Your brother is dead, Kayla. As for your mother, I know not where she is" Adrian replied gently.
She breathed deeply and looked at the water again.
"I asked to see Laer as well but do you know what I see? Scales and horns and monstrous things and… Blood"
"The second sentence of your spell was wrong. You said See me Tristan. You need to say Show me Tristan. Maybe that's why the spell for Laer didn't work" he offered.
Kayla shook her head angrily. "I have used different phrases of the Ancient Language. Different combinations. I even tried to see him without using any words from the Ancient Language but the results are always the same..."
"Have you tried seeing Onyx, Laer's dragon?"
The girl rose from the water, her hair wet and plastered to her forehead. "It doesn't work the same with dragons. If Onyx was my dragon then … Maybe. I can't see Onyx. He departed as soon as Laer disappeared. So did Vertigo. And Tristan…"
Kayla stopped there and took a deep breath.
"There is one more person you haven't yet looked for" Adrian offered.
She rose her eyebrows. "He is dead. The herbalist said so herself"
"I got a vision from Arya Dröttning during the battle. Maybe I am wrong but I believe Eragon is still alive"
She laughed. "Even if he is still alive, what can he do, that we can't? The enemy crushed him in the battle above the Unknown Waters. You did not see what I saw"
"Arya is still my Queen. And Eragon, the Dragon Rider Leader. I will not abandon them" Adrian said.
Kayla said nothing to that.
"I depart tomorrow, at dawn. You and Aiedail can join me, if you want. Two are stronger than one and a mission is a good distraction"
He had reached the Gates of the Grand Hall before Kayla called out to him.
"Wait" she said. "Have you spoken to Octavian and Mirin? Has anyone managed to locate Maud?"
"I thought you believed the Dragon Rider Masters had nothing more to offer us?" he asked her gently and when she did not answer he continued. "I have. They plan to interrogate the Shades and I would rather not be present when they do this"
Kayla slid from the pond's edge and walked to him in lean strides. "Why? Are you afraid of the blood? Or is it that you are averse to their pain?"
Adrian pressed his lips in a tight line. "Interrogation requires torture. Torture requires pain and slow movements, accurate measurements… And I am afraid that if I stay in the same cell with either one of them I will kill them"
Kayla nodded at that.
"Rest well, today. You will require your strength for tomorrow"
…
When she woke there was no moon in the sky, something that suited them well.
She met Adrian at Eragon's tower. Most of the other riders were asleep and did not see or hear them. If they did, they were wise enough to say nothing.
All apart from Rikon who met them near the Grand Hall with a sword clanging against his back, his expression stern.
"Take me with you" he told them. "I need to return to Alagaesia"
"We are not going to Alagaesia" Kayla said.
"You are going somewhere near the Beor Mountains and that is all I need. I will find my own way from there"
"Dis Atilan is the Dragon Rider island" Adrian told him.
Rikon glared at him. "And I am no Dragon Rider. The only thing that is left of me is the title of the Bastard son of King Orik. If not for that, I would take my own life as there is nothing else left for me. But someone needs to lead the Dwarven Clans and I do not trust the likes of Az Sweldn rak Anhûin. I know I am young. I know I often behave foolishly but I promise not to disturb you from your journey, wherever that may be"
"You will ride with me" Adrian said and Mars lowered himself to the ground.
For all his big words, at first, Rikon appeared reluctant to ride Mars. The dragon waited patiently for him and when at last, he did, Adrian sat behind him.
Kayla, show me the images you got from Eragon and Arya. I will try to locate them, Adrian offered and she did as she was told.
When Aiedail rose into the air, the girl could feel the cold, morning air slap onto her face. She shivered. The purple dragon flapped her wings steadily following Mars's pace and soon, despite the fact that she had slept the previous night, her eyelids began to shut.
We should have rested more. Going on a rescue mission is not a good idea when neither of us can fight, Aiedail said.
True, though if I had stayed put in one place, bound on a bed and you on earth knowing that Tristan's death was my fault I would have …
You are not to blame for his death. Neither am I. Or anyone else for that matter. Tristan died in the Battle and bravely. We won because of him, Adrian said into her mind and Kayla pressed her lips tightly together.
She had forgotten that both Adrian and Rikon were present in the mind conversation with Aiedail. Rikon's mind, however, was far away from their talks and whereas before his presence had been a bright spot in their minds, now a smaller, darker spot remained.
Losing a dragon… Kayla could not imagine what Rikon must have been going through. It had led Galbatorix to madness and no doubt Bron as well, despite the fact that Bron had aided in retrieving some of the eggs stolen by the tyrant.
If Aiedail had been lost to her and Kayla had found that her mother was dead as well she would have surely taken her own life. For that there was no doubt.
It would a coward thing to do, the purple dragon said and Kayla recoiled, as if she had been slapped.
If I was dead, would you not have done the same?
If you died in battle then I would do everything in my power to avenge you, yes with death at the end. If you died under other circumstances I would again do anything in my power to try to stop what had happened to you from happening again, yes with death at the end. But knowing that there are still enemies to be fought, still people who may die because of them, this would only make me go against them. Do you not wonder why Vertigo did not take his own life? Fall of a cliff or rise to the highest altitude so he can fall towards the sea and crush? Dragons can take their own life, I assure you.
It is for revenge, Kayla said in the end.
And for love, Aiedail added. Tristan had many friends on this island and you, who loved him as much as Vertigo did. He must know this. And he knows that when the enemy comes again, he will return to defend the riders.
Kayla gasped, suddenly, realisation hitting her.
Vertigo is in Ramirblaka, isn't he?
Yes. At least that's the most logical explanation, Adrian said.
He has royal blood running through his veins. Royal blood gives him power, Mars added.
He plans to become the wild dragon leader, her dragon said, letting out a loud breath of air in the process.
Indeed. Though if he succeeds you would do best not to go against him or spurn him in any way, Mars advised.
And why is that?, Kayla wondered, but her dragon had grown silent.
Aiedail is Vertigo's sister by blood and fire and if she goes against him, Vertigo or the wild dragons will think of it a challenge to their leader with domination as a goal.
Even if Aiedail disagrees with something, you mean?, Kayla asked, not sure if she understood what the dragon was saying.
Mars glared at them.
If we meet the wild dragons again it would be best if Aiedail stayed silent.
This is ridiculous!, Kayla exclaimed.
Yet, it is the way dragons do things, Aiedail sighed, then paused. What Mars says is true. I stayed inside my egg for far too long and have forgotten certain things. The wild dragons, however, remember. This is why, when last we visited Ramirblaka, the Wild Dragon Leader tried to mate with me and offered me a place with them. By mating with me he would have secured his dominance over Vertigo or any other dragon who tried to take the leadership.
Rikon roared into a sudden, humourless laugh.
And there, I thought, that dwarven politics were complicated!
Kayla and Adrian both smiled in return and after this, they continued their journey in silence. Adrian had used the images that Kayla had shown him to locate Eragon and Arya, though at the moment only sea lay ahead of them.
As the day grew darker and colder, Mars edged to the right, chasing what remained of the sun. Aiedail had started flapping her wings in a slower manner, edging closer to the sea and Kayla could see Mars struggling to stay upright with the added weight of Rikon.
We shall need to find land, soon, Kayla told the riders.
They nodded and looked in the distance and around them, using their dragon's eyes. As Kayla looked, she located a Nïdhwal and let out a small shout in terror. The Nïdhwal's eyes had somehow found hers and it was looking at her in an intelligent way, as if it was trying to tell her something or gain access into her mind.
The latter, Kayla concluded as she felt the creature's dark consciousness probing into her own, until at last, she threw it off of her.
We continue ahead, not back, she advised as she felt more Nïdhwals coming towards them, curious and hungry.
And so they did, until Adrian spotted land.
We are near the Dawning Gulf, he said, looking at the map he had taken from Glieonard's Library.
Kayla nodded, sliding from Aiedail's back and landing on the soft sand.
Rikon had already started setting up tents and had built a fire, feeding it with dried leaves and broken tree branches.
As Kayla extended her consciousness she realised there was little life around them. A few trees and maybe birds but not much else. At least, there were big puddles of water from a recent rain and Aiedail and Mars kneeled on the ground to drink big gulps of it.
Kayla passed the oats, dried nuts and fruits to Rikon who threw them inside a boiling pot of water. The fire crackled underneath them and soon the smell of porridge reached her nostrils making her mouth water.
Aiedail growled, annoyed.
There is no game in this part of the land. I was looking forward to consuming deer or mountain lions.
There are still sharks in these waters, though and I did see baby whales and lion-fish, Mars offered.
Aiedail shrugged and took to the air once again, happy to have been relieved from the weight of carrying food, water and her rider.
Don't go too far away. Remember, the Nïdhwal still loom in these waters, Kayla advised and Aiedail let out a small growl.
I have not forgotten our cousins.
They came back with two lion-fish and one shark. The dragons offered to share some with their riders, but all declined. Kayla had been in the minds of animals far too often to be able to swallow their flesh, Adrian had never eaten the flesh of another animal and Rikon retched at the sight of the bloody shark.
"The dwarves will not trust me if I cannot share their meat and mead" he said, in a thoughtful manner. "They shall think of me more as a rider and less as a dwarf"
"Yet, you are still the son of King Orik" Kayla said, in a gentle voice.
"Bastard Son of an Adopted Son. Much power this title gives me" he said in a humourless manner.
When the sun came out the next day, the riders had already set off. Much to Adrian's displeasure they were still a good day's ride away from the Beor Mountains and even though they were near the Shores, none of them resembled the vision Kayla had shared with Adrian.
Still, they continued forward and Kayla used the pot they had prepared their porridge the previous night, as a mirror for her uses. She put some sea water inside and whispered the words.
The image of Arya and Eragon hiding under some palm trees reached her. The elf rose her head, sensing the magic and Kayla spoke to her.
"We are searching for you. Are any of the dragons with you?"
Arya's brows pulled together. "Firnen is here, though he is not able to fly for long. Saphira is here as well though she shall not be able to fly"
"Could you ask Firnen to fly toward us? Or fly around the place you are at?"
"Yes"
The image blurred and Kayla threw the sea water back inside the sea.
As Aiedail flew in a steady rhythm the girl closed her eyes and extended her consciousness. She extended her consciousness on the next island that lay near them and then the next and the next and the next.
With every mile her magic crossed, she felt a little bit of her energy reserve diminishing. Yet, when at last she came upon the bright consciousness of a dragon, she paused and opened her eyes.
"I know, where they are. Follow me" she commanded and Mars followed Aiedail.
They reached them just as the sun cast dramatic shadows in the horizon. The dragons landed easily on the sand and tried to locate the riders. Firnen pointed at a sand hill on their left.
As Kayla came closer she saw an opening in the hill and entered. Inside, it was a lot cooler and Arya lay on a bed of leaves next to Eragon who had his eyes closed.
"Drottingu" Adrian said, kneeling in front of his Queen.
Arya waved this away. "Do you have water? Food?"
Kayla nodded and just like the previous day, Rikon started cooking a porridge. Adrian passed the waterskin to Arya. The Queen of the Elves drunk a single sip of water and then gave the rest to Eragon who gulped and retched it all up.
"Brasung" swore Rikon who had been a moment too late at seeing Eragon's situation.
Kayla kneeled on the ground and placed her arm on Eragon's shoulder, closing her eyes.
"His consciousness is far away. I can do my best to heal his legs but they shall not grow back. Where is Saphira?" she asked.
Arya pointed outside, but Aiedail was already standing near the grand dragon. Saphira was covered in sand and part of her had been used to make the sand hill.
She is alive but … Broken.
The dragon's wings lay in an unnatural position, there was a deep gush running through her lower body and her front leg had been cut in half.
I didn't have enough… Enough energy to heal her, Arya said.
Kayla doubted anyone did.
Healing Eragon was easier.
We shall set off tomorrow. Eragon can ride with me and Arya can ride Aiedail. Kayla…?, Adrian started.
Yes. I will be all right, she replied.
Aiedail was not at all happy to part with her rider, but Kayla assured her she would be right behind.
It was a lie.
Kayla ate well that night. She had four bowls of porridge, filled with nuts, dried fruit and melted honey and then when she felt she could have no more she gave herself an hour before she ate another two bowls. She drank water as well and asked the riders to leave most of the food and water with her.
Aiedail and Mars caught four lion fish and one baby whale though the latter was hard to carry in the air so they had to drug it back to land.
They gave the whale to Saphira and shared the lion fish amongst themselves. When the next morning came, Kayla bid the riders goodbye and ate another five bowls of porridge mixed with rice and honey.
As the sun rose Kayla used her magic to create a tower of sand so they could be protected from the heat.
How strong do you feel?, she asked the sapphire dragon.
Saphira blinked at her.
Strong enough.
Kayla gave Saphira another carcass of fish the dragons had caught and ate it in silence.
I will need to draw upon your energy as well. And break your wing bones again since they have healed in the wrong angle.
The dragon did not even blink at her.
Kayla sighed and as night time came, she began the task of healing her. She began with the simple injuries, the gash in Saphira's stomach and the stump of her missing leg. For these injuries she used Saphira's energy.
Then, she looked at the wings and brushed her finger over the bones, trying to trace the shape.
Don't torture me human! If you need to break my bones, then be done with it!
Kayla took in a deep breath and concentrated. With a single spell she broke the ligaments that held the bones together and the dragon growled loudly, shaking her upper body in pain.
"Sitja stull, Saphira Skulblaka" Kayla said and she did.
This will not keep me still for long, human.
The less you fight the more energy I will have left to heal you.
She growled and Kayla broke another bone. When the wing bones were shattered, Kayla began the long process of stitching them back together. She followed the natural pattern of shape she had felt in Aiedail, the pattern she remembered from Saphira when she flew in the air and a pattern similar to Vertigo's as both dragons had been keen flyers.
The right wing was more badly damaged and she used more energy for that. The left was in a better condition so she healed it some and then when no more energy was left inside her, she crumbled to the ground, resolving to finish her work on the morrow.
Throughout the whole process Saphira had stayed still, without Kayla needing to use another spell.
Thank you, human-girl. I shall not forget this.
Kayla waved this away and dipped a piece of stale bread in her porridge and smothered it with honey.
You can thank me tomorrow when I heal your other wing as well and you can fly.
And so she did.
When Kayla was finished with the left wing, Saphira was more than happy to fly, but the girl paused, studying the shape of the bones, feeling her way over the wing. Saphira growled since Kayla had only fixed the bones and not the flesh above, so the dragon's wounds were still sore to the touch.
Tomorrow, Kayla advised. I suggest you attempt to fly tomorrow but only a little so that the wings don't fester and the muscles grow strong again. Do not take it too quickly.
That day, Kayla willed a whale to land on the shore, something she was not too proud off, but something Saphira appreciated.
The great dragon ate the whole whale while Kayla picked at her porridge. She felt weak and she ran her finger over the water remaining in the pot in a slow manner. The movement calmed her and helped her think of things other than her dead brother.
Do you not wonder, why you are so capable in magic?, Saphira suddenly asked her.
Kayla stood closer to the fire.
All the time, she replied in an honest way.
Then she sighed. Angela told me I had the blood of Gods running through my veins. She told me this, just before the Battle in Dis Atilan. I did not believe her, mainly because I didn't believe Gods existed. But then the hooded figure revealed to us that he was a descendant of the Gods and so was the herbalist. I often wonder whether I am the same but I look like my parents and none of the two had any magic. If my father did, he would not have died when I was young and my mother would have used the ways of magic to earn more money.
Do you not think that either one of them was hiding their true power as Angela often did?
Kayla bit her lower lip. Possibly, though Tristan was my brother and magic did not run in his blood in the same way it does in mine.
When did you first learn that you had such a power?
Kayla looked on the ground, remembering. It must have been when Aiedail first hatched for me, though at the time I thought it was because I had become a dragon rider. When I was younger I had found a book in the library, concentrating on the ways of magic, though when I had tried it for myself nothing had worked and I had given up.
The next day Saphira was strong enough to fly a few inches, before she landed unsteadily again. Her missing leg was making landing a challenge. The dragon tried again, in the afternoon, and again the next day and the day after that.
Slowly but surely, she was becoming stronger, yet Kayla missed Aiedail and wanted to return to Dis Atilan as soon as possible.
Saphira sensed this and made more efforts to fly, despite Kayla's warning.
After a fortnight, Saphira was finally able to fly over the sand and hunt her own food which included sharks, lion-fish and the occasional giant squid. When she brought the squid on land, Kayla let out a small scream since the creature was almost as large as a six month old dragon.
Squid is chewy but quite tasty after it has been roasted. Take some, Saphira offered but Kayla shook her head and prepared her bowl of oats, fruit, nuts and honey though she had to admit she was growing bored of having the same meal every night.
How was flying today?, she asked the dragon after the end of her meal.
Uneventful, Saphira replied as she tore the head of the squid splattering herself with black ink. Oftentimes I feel like a baby dragon making its first steps at flying. I am not as good as I used to be but … I am growing stronger. Soon I believe I will be able to make the crossing to Dis Atilan.
Not Alagaesia?, Kayla wondered.
The dragon blinked at her.
You said before that you met the herbalist, Angela. As it is, Angela made a certain prophecy. Descendants of the Grey Folk have great powers, it appears, and one of these is the ability to predict events or gaze into the future.
Kayla played with Hûthvír's edge in her finger, remembering. I did not know there was a prophecy for Eragon.
Oh yes, there was, though it, at last, has come to be. Prophecies are tricky that way. They warn you of impending events but don't tell you when they will happen making you worry and wonder about them but unable to change them. Sometimes, it is better not to know a prophecy, Saphira continued and gazed at Kayla intently.
The girl sighed. I never believed in prophecies, if truth be told. I still don't, though there are a lot of things I didn't believe to be true and have come to be so. However, a man makes his own fate. Each decision will lead him into a certain path, like a river splitting into smaller streams only to later connect together at the end and join with the sea.
Wise. Though for Eragon the prophecy came to be true, Saphira said.
Kayla started running stones across one of Huthvrir's blades, sharpening it. So… Will you share this prophecy with me then?
The great dragoness blinked at her. I can do better than that. I can show you.
The memory started playing at the edges of her consciousness and Kayla watched, silently. She saw Eragon in a shop in Teirm and across him stood Angela with her curly, bouncy hair, her air of authority and crazy nature. On her right hand side, a big black cat purred.
"This is the first time I have ever seen it come up in someone's future. Most of the time it's the aspen or the elm, both signs that a person will live a normal span of years. Whether this means that you will live forever or that you will only have an extraordinarily long life, I'm not sure. Whatever it foretells, you may be sure that many years lie ahead of you…"
"…Now the bones grow harder to read, as the rest are in a confused pile. Here the wandering path, lightning bolt, and sailing ship all lie together - a pattern I've never seen, only heard of. The wandering path shows that there are many choices in your future, some of which you face even now. I see great battles raging around you, some of them fought for your sake. I see the mighty powers of this land struggling to control your will and destiny. Countless possible futures await you - all of them filled with blood and conflict - but only one will bring you happiness and peace. Beware of losing your way, for you are one of the few who are truly free to choose their own fate. That freedom is a gift, but it is also a responsibility more binding than chains…"
"…And yet, as if to counteract that, here is the lightning bolt. It is a terrible omen. There is a doom upon you, but of what sort I know not. Part of it lies in a death - one that rapidly approaches and will cause you much grief. But the rest awaits in a great journey…"
"…Look closely at this bone. You can see how its end rests on that of the sailing ship. That is impossible to misunderstand. Your fate will be to leave this land forever. Where you will end up I know not but you will never again stand in Alagaësia. This is inescapable. It will come to pass even if you try to avoid it…"
"…The next bone is easier to read and perhaps a bit more pleasant. An epic romance is in your future, extraordinary, as the moon indicates - for that is the magical symbol - strong enough to outlast empires. I cannot say if this passion will end happily, but your love is of noble birth and heritage. She is powerful, wise, and beautiful beyond compare…"
"Now for the last two bones, the tree and the hawthorn root, which crosses each other strongly. I wish that this were not so - it can only mean more trouble - but betrayal is clear. And it will come from within your family! You shouldn't fret about what has yet to occur. The only way the future can harm us is by causing worry. I guarantee that you'll feel better once you're out in the sun."
The prophecy came to an end and Kayla smiled, a humourless smile.
Eragon was afraid of the prophecy, she thought.
In a way, Saphira agreed.
His fate was to leave Alagaesia and never to return again. Or rather not stand in Alagaesia again. Fate is cruel.
Yes, I suppose it is. Eragon can return to Alagaesia if he so wishes though he will never be able to walk again. The lightning bolt caused our downfall and our injuries though that day the weather changed in unnatural ways.
As if it was controlled by an external force? Yes… Maybe Urûr still exists and was playing a cruel trick on you. If the Dwarvish legends are to be believed then Dragons are stronger than Urûr since they contain both the power of the heavens and fire in them. Dragons can manipulate weather as well if they so wish and alter their surroundings in interesting ways.
Indeed. Though we can hardly control this power.
You are not the only ones, Kayla said thoughtful and gazed at her hands, sighing.
…..
It was another fortnight before Saphira was ready to go and even then, Kayla had taken good care of storing energy in some of the precious stones residing on Huthvrir. She had also alerted the riders of their coming return by gazing into the looking water. When Aiedail had come, storming into her view, Kayla had smiled but the dragon was not so pleased.
Arya had translated for her, though the expression Aiedail bore, said it all.
"I shall return soon" she had said but even so the dragon looked betrayed.
Maybe she is afraid that I will abandon her now that I am no longer under the rule of Eragon, she thought.
Maybe she is right. This thought had crossed Kayla's mind more than once. Now, that she was here with none of the riders, she could do whatever she liked. And she did have a very special mission in mind, one that required her being alone. If Aiedail was with her then her plan would fall into pieces.
It wasn't easy to hide a dragon.
This was the main reason why Aiedail couldn't be with her and why following Onyx's path would lead her to Laer. Kayla was certain that the black dragon had followed his rider, to the ends of the earth if needs be, because that's what bonded dragons and bonded riders did.
She sharpened Hûthvír's blade once more, loudly, debating.
If Kayla didn't tell Aiedail what was happening and where she had gone, the dragon would follow her. If she did, the dragon would follow her again, all the same. She picked up the cup of water, staring at it for a long time, only to throw the water out of the cup.
She was as close to Alagaesia as she could be. She was in a dry island near the mainland, near the tall mountains, were Rikon had climbed no less than a month ago to return to his people. If the wyrms, Shades, Laer and whatever other creature was with them, were hiding, they would be hiding somewhere in Alagaesia or somewhere in the East of Alagaesia. And if she meant to find Laer, kill the Shades and wyrms that remained, take revenge on her brother and save Alagaesia there was only path ahead of her.
True, travelling on a dragon would make things a lot faster but riding a dragon was the surest way to get her killed. That and bringing Aiedail with her would act as a way for the enemy to hold leverage over her. There are only two people that mattered to her most in this world, Aiedail and her mother. By being by herself, the riders' secrets remained safe.
You are troubled, the dragon, next to her, said.
Kayla hmphed.
You miss your dragon, your soul-mate, your friend.
In the same way you miss Eragon, yet oftentimes you have needed to stay apart.
Saphira growled. Not oftentimes. Once. And that was enough for us never to want to separate again. We are stronger when together.
Yes. Stronger but weak. The partner of your soul, and reader of your mind is also your weakness. And the enemy knows it. The great Red Rider and his rider Thorn were under the power of Galbatorix for this exact reason. When you go against your enemies you must play their game. And whether Laer was taken or went with them willingly, finding him will lead me to the enemy.
To revenge, Saphira added.
Kayla nodded, staring at the fire intently. And saving people like my brother, good people, people who do not deserve to die simply for someone to gain more power. Even the Shades who were turned…
Her fists clutched. Then, she released them and filled the pot with water, running her finger along it.
Taking a life leaves its marks. No matter how strong you are. Murder is just a part of life, like breathing. You had never done it, before the Battle had you? Taking someone's life?
Kayla shook her head. They were Shades, yet had been young humans no older than I before. It was not fair.
I am glad you feel awful, Saphira said, flexing her wings.
Her eyes were blurry from the un spilled tears as she turned to look at the dragon.
You are great to talk to, she said, the irony thick in her tone.
When their death stops to affects us… That's the moment when you know something has gone terribly wrong.
Kayla had to laugh. A dragon feeling guilty for killing?
Saphira took a step back, obviously insulted. You forget I share my thoughts and soul with a rider. I know how he feels when he takes a life. I know the damage it can cause. To me, all of you are nothing else than ants. I can step on you if I want. I won't feel much guilty afterwards but Eragon will and that is what stops me.
Is that how wild dragons think?
Most. Some are wiser.
My brother's dragon has joined the Wild Dragons. Tristan died and Vertigo… Left.
Saphira's eyes looked pained for a second.
I cannot imagine the torture he must be going through. But a dragon needs a sane mind to lead, if that is his intention, and it appears he has put himself in a most grievous position.
He has royal blood.
I know. Yet it will not be enough. Wild dragons respect royal blood but one cannot lead without exercising a certain level of… power.
Kayla said nothing to that. She knew all too well what type of strength demonstration Vertigo had to show the wild dragons. Brutality.
Her finger continued running along the water. Out of habit she whispered Dramr Kopa and her brother's name. The water rippled and changed until it turned into her brother's face, dirt surrounding him. But then the image changed, quickly, and she came upon dark cells.
"Tell us everything you know"
"I know nothing, please you must believe me! This is not who I am, this is not me…"
"Silence!"
A whip cracked and a cry of pain echoed in the cell. The prisoner's face was hidden in the darkness and she could not have said who it was. But, then, the prisoner started laughing, a terrible, ominous laugh.
"You think this is over? This is only the beginning. They will come for you, all of them and I will be their leader. Soon, soon…"
The water returned to its original shape.
Kayla cursed and walked in quick steps back to the sea. She couldn't even trust her powers anymore. Whatever these images were she could not make sense of them. If she used too much of her power, however, then she threatened to destroy this world. She had to find a middle ground.
For Tristan, she thought but tears started falling from her eyes again. She felt a warm paw on her back and she turned around to see Saphira, her large eyes sparkling under the starlight.
No matter how we live or die we all end the same. In silence. All of our hopes and dreams in life become mere echoes of a tale cut short. But if we are lucky enough, our stories live on. Our song finds voices in the hearts of those who remember us and love us.
Kayla nodded, wiping her tears. She went to the sea water and stared at her reflection, her long, blonde hair, her blue-purple eyes, which now looked dark, the curvature of her lips and nose. She took a dagger from the backpack and slowly, but, surely started slicing the skin of her face.
She pressed her lips together as the blood fell on the sea, but never once did she stop the blade from sinking deeper. Her nose was another matter entirely. She used a spell that cracked her nose in a single moment, the pain almost making her faint but she kept her eyes open, nevertheless. More words left her lips and whereas before her skin was teared, now it begun stitching itself back together, the bone in her nose changing shape, her cheekbones almost disappearing, huge cheeks appearing on her once slender face.
Kayla washed the dagger before she proceeded with her hair but that was the easy part. She cut her hair up to her chin, making her look almost manly, and then she whispered words that made the flesh around her body thicker, rounder, curvier. Lines appeared between her eyes and on the sides of her mouth, making her look a decade, if not more, older.
She stared back at her reflection but there was nothing of her old self left. She looked like a common human woman, no more. A dangerous human woman, yes, but common, nowhere near pretty. Kayla strapped Hûthvír on Saphira's back and placed daggers at the heels of her boots and at her back.
I would be glad if Hûthvír was returned to Dis Atilan. To Maud. She is a skilful fighter and Hûthvír seems like a weapon she would like, she said to Saphira.
For once, the leather pants felt tight around her legs and she knew that she would need to find another pair to replace them as soon as she reached a city.
It appears I have need of a ride… But only until the Beor Mountains. I believe I can find my own way from there on, Kayla told Saphira.
The great dragon had not spoken once, while Kayla finished her task. She had looked worried in the beginning but something she had seen in Kayla, must have given her no reason to doubt her.
I will report back to the Riders as often as I can… Aiedail will not be happy but explain to her why I have done this. Tell her not to follow me. Tell her to continue her training. Tell her to be safe…
No matter what I say, she will come after you, Saphira said.
Kayla swallowed. Then bind her. In a cage, with big chains…
Saphira growled. This is not right.
Is there another choice?, Kayla asked.
Saphira said nothing.
When the sun signalled the start of a new day Kayla was already at the top of the Beor Mountains in an area called Galfni.
The great dragon stared at her in silence.
I bid you give Eragon my regards. And tell him my … Wishes.
Saphira kneeled on the ground and touched her paw to Kayla's forehead.
You have given me back my wings and my health. You saved my rider. I thought there was no way I could ever repay you. But you have asked me to chain a dragon to the earth, an unforgivable act. This price I will pay, but no more. I wish you the best of luck in your journey. May the stars watch over you and peace live in your heart.
Then the dragon turned her back to Kayla and she flew away, slowly at first but gaining speed in the process until she was only a speckle in the horizon.
…..
Atra mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr. Un du evarínya ono varda, Vor, Shur'tugal Tristan. May Peace live in your heart. And the stars watch over you. Friend, Dragon Rider Tristan.
Eldhrimmer O Furhernard , sun abr deloi. Eldhrimmer nen ono weohnataí medh solus un thringa. Eldhrimmer un fortha onr fëon var. Wiol allr sjon. Grow O Furhernard , son of the earth. Grow as you would with the sun and rain. Grow and put forth your flower of the spring. For all to see.
Sé mor'ranr ono finna. May you find peace.
A/N: And this is the end! I am probably going to go back in the beginning and edit grammar, spelling and structure and start writing a second fanfic, so stay tuned for any new instalments. I know there are many questions that haven't been answered and many parts of Alagaesia that have been visited only once, so I intend to do a bit more of that in the second part. I hope you enjoyed this fanfic and if you have time, leave a review :). Many thanks to everyone for all the reviews so far, for BEST OC MAKER for being my betta and helping me edit certain chapters, for the drawings posted by HowtoBook101 and generally for everyone who has read this fanfic.