Chapter 8

An extra chapter for the end of the week. I won't be updating again for another 6 days, so it though 'why not?' Because I finished the extra revision I normally do, I decided to do another chapter since I don't really have anything to go over which I don't know. This chapter will probably be shorter than usual: most probably less than 2 thousand words.

'Where'd he go?' she asked him. She was still wearing her blue silk, but had a bow, a sword, and a belt of weapons around her slim frame.

'He went to make a few alliances. He didn't mention when he would return, but made it seem clear that he would, in time, come back,' he replied.

'Hmm… it would have been good to have him, but I guess we all have things to do. Eragon, I'm not sure about my sources, but I don't think there are more than fifty forest elves left in Du Weldenvarden,' she informed him gently.

'What? Fifty! Was it Oathbreaker?' he asked urgently.

'No. This attack was not hosted by Oathbreaker. It was in fact charged by King Kulkarvek. He was supposedly dead, but it seems he is in fact alive. Do you remember that urgal army you told me about?' she asked.

'Yes.'

'I have a feeling that very army was the one that had attacked Du Weldenvarden. I have vowed to train you, but we do not have time. We will return to Ellesméra; on the way, and once we are there, I will teach you everything I know. I will increase your skill with a blade, but it will take several days. I will do this before we leave,' she told him.

'But we need to get going as soon as possible,' Eragon protested.

Du Dröttningu didn't seem to care, and the last thing he saw was her palm pass over his eyes.

Eragon awoke and shivered. He was naked on a large bed. His clothes were on a chair at the side of the room. There were sheets which were in an untidy bundle near the base of the bed. He looked around the room he was in. It was a bland place with only a window. Outside, he could see a blanket of snow on the invisible barrier made to keep the rain from landing in the city. He quickly stood up, but stumbled and fell to the floor. What had she done to him? He felt awkward and unstable. He attempted to stand up again. He managed to keep his balance this time, but felt extremely groggy. He threw up on the floor, and wiped his lips. What was wrong with him? He got dressed painstakingly slowly, and donned his armour. Upon wearing his helmet, he felt much better, although he still felt as though he was drunk. He trudged over to the other corner of the room, and equipped Brisingr, a belt the same material and style as, but not colour of Du Dröttningu's belt. It contained throwing knives, shurikens, and two sheathes for a dual wield katana. Du Ebrithil had shown him how to use them on his second week. He had seen how effective two swords were when he had seen Murtagh's memory of when he and Rya had fought outside Daret. Eragon lumbered over to the door and found it locked. He decided that there must be a good reason as to why, so he decided to try and get used to walking, running and jumping.

After five minutes, he had managed to get control over his motions. He had noticed that he was faster, stronger, and was reacting faster than usual. His senses remained undiminished, but his physical features had been enhanced. Eragon got bored, and walked over to the window in his room. There was no latch, or way to open it so he elbowed the glass: shattering it, and jumped out. His room was located on the third floor of a palace-like structure. He was in an alleyway, and decided to walk towards the main street.

Once he was in the open, he did not find anyone. The entire city was empty. Eragon tried to look through the windows of some of the buildings, but no one was there to be seen.

Eragon?

Recognising the voice immediately, he responded accordingly.

Yes ebrithil?

Go to the main gate of the city. It is to your left. My daughter will soon cut off the energy keeping elements from the sky from touching the ground, meaning that the snow will fall as soon as you are out of the city.

Eragon immediately left for the city gates. It was open, and there was a sea of blue stretching as far as he could see. Once he was close enough, Eragon saw what the blue colours were. It was an entire army of elves, lined up in their columns, prepared for a march. He stepped outside the city walls, and jumped in surprise when the doors closed behind him. He hadn't yet seen Du Dröttningu, so he took the time to contact Saphira through her Eldunarí. He took out the blue stone from his pocket, and reached his mind out towards it. The anguish that had once prevailed within the Eldunarí was now replaced with anger. His vision flashed, and Eragon suddenly found himself floating in the sky next to sunrise and sunset.

A dead ugly-face-urgal hung between her claws. Twenty more nasty-breath-maggot-kull were bathed in blue-fire-death. Rider-student-Matthias fought on the dust-dirt-ground next to rider-student-Maximus.

His vision returned to him again, just before another urgal was ripped apart within her jaws. The first thing that he saw was Du Dröttningu. She had a beautiful appearance usually, but when she wore weapons, she looked more like a warlord than anything else. She had an axe strapped to her back, two swords, an elven bow and knuckle-dusters on her hands.

'Are you ready Eragon?' she asked him.

'For what? Are we leaving with all of them?' he asked.

'Yes. From what we know, the urgals are currently attacking Ilirea. The riders that came with you are currently engaged in battle to retain their rule over the city. They are losing, even with the aid of Saphira and the forty other riders.' She then turned to the army of elves and addressed them.

'Today, we march forth to Alagaësia!' her voice was magnified by magic. 'The elves of the forest are dead. There are only a few of them left. We are marching to aid the rest of the races within Alagaësia to prevent them from being endangered. Now, I have a question for you all. Have I ever mistreated you?'

The army replied in the negative in unison.

'Do you trust me to lead you into battle? I have been ruling over you for three centuries after I was adopted by the king of this city. When he died, I took over the rule. During this time, have I ever broken any of your trust?'

The army repeated their earlier response.

'Then march forth towards the south, where the battle awaits.'