Chapter 13

I found myself a beta reader! Hopefully there shouldn't be any more missing letter or spaces.

Thanks to guest and Sebastiaan Asselbergs for leaving a review.

Eragon felt like a shepherd. The floods of humans and elves that were passing by made him feel like something close to a famer herding a flock of sheep. A few leagues to their north was the Edda River. Along with him and his Riders which were six hundred and seventeen in number, there were: four hundred thousand dwarves, altogether from each clan; five hundred and fifty thousand elves left from after the war against the urgals; every human in Alagaësia and Surda, amounting to about ninety thousand. Every race other than the humans had seemed to prosper. The reason why, Eragon couldn't figure out.

There were barely enough people to fill Teirm. Most of the humans had died during an attack of fourteen fanghur on the group. The elves had taken out most of them with bows, but eventually Saphira had been needed to go and pick off the remaining four in case of another attack.

He was also in a bad mood because Saphira had returned with missing scales and gashes all across her face. She reported that the army of Oathbreaker was less than a league behind them and that it was only because of the uneven ground that they still hadn't noticed them. The group had needed to pick up the pace after this message.

When Eragon had inquired about the wounds on her, she had told him that she attacked them for a good few minutes hindering their progress. She had also confirmed that Oathbreaker wasn't among them.

Eragon had used a scrying mirror to contact the Riders and request that they send everyone they could spare. To his delight, the person he spoke to was Blodhgarm. When he had asked about Selena, his friend said to be patient.

Eragon spat on the ground infuriated. Everything on this migration was going wrong. He was worried about what would happen if they were unlucky enough to be spotted by the army they were evading, but moreover, his daughter. Blodhgarm hadn't told him anything about her which had annoyed him more than anything else. Eragon had opted to stay behind and kill as many of their pursuers as he could. He had boots which allowed stepping on water so he could essentially run all the way to Edoc'sil deloi if he needed. Saphira had acceded to remain with him, but Eragon forced her to go since she was large enough for a good few humans to travel on her. The dragons would relay all of the humans first, and then take the elves. The water elves could travel by themselves, so there was no need to take them.

All of the elven nations other than those of Du Dröttningu's had made the mistake of assuming that they were sending reinforcements only for war. They hadn't considered the fact there would probably be an evacuation due to the fact that they were sending such large masses of soldiers.

Eragon continuously thought about how stupid they were, but then remembered that they hadn't yet heard of Oathbreaker. Du Dröttningu had recovered from her crazed maniacal attacks on Du

Ebrithil and confessed that she was in fact in love with him during their stay in Farthen Dur while the dwarves were preparing to leave.

Du Ebrithil had accepted her after taking permission from Oromis through Eragon. He had been afraid that it was because of his father that Oromis was dead. Eragon had reassured him of it by telling him that Galbatorix had also been Brom's father and that he had taught him.

'Ebrithil! We are approaching the Edda River,' Maximus announced through the babble of the humans and dwarves. The elves were so much more organised and could hold their tongue much longer than other races could.

He nodded to show he understood. 'And I noticed about half a league away,' he whispered to himself. Arya sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder from her horse.

'Eragon,' she whispered.

'Yes dear?'

'I miss Fírnen. I haven't sat on a horse since he hatched for me and now it just feels so wrong… like it's a bad memory to show what I've lost,' she said with a melancholic tone.

'Do you want to sit on this one?' he offered.

'No. I'd rather sit on you,' she said before chuckling. She sighed and continued. 'It won't make a difference. The one I love is gone. No beast is the same as a dragon. I have never heard of another dragon hatching for a Rider. Even if it were possible, it wouldn't be the same. Some things you experience are meant to be just for that time. When Fírnen hatched for me it was an event that has light only upon that instance. To watch it happen again will be too hollow. Like a mockery at my loss.'

Eragon wanted to make her laugh. He wanted to do anything that would make her happy again. He lifted her off of her horse and pulled her onto his lap.

'No! Eragon I didn't mean it!' she giggled.

'Would you rather be on the horse?' he asked.

'I'd… no. I wouldn't. No one else can take this position so I might as well take advantage of it.'

Eragon looked around for Rya. He found her walking behind his mount.

'Don't you have something to ride?'

'No. The last donkey was taken by a dwarf. Even if it wasn't taken I will never ride a donkey in my eternal lifetime.'

'Where is Moonstone?' this time Arya was the one to speak.

'Training with Saphira. Uncle I still haven't had a single lesson with you. When will we start?'

'I'm sorry Rya. I've been busy lately so I haven't had the time. I had to leave and after I returned we had the war against the urgals. Then I was engaged in that fight with Du Dröttningu, and during our stay with the dwarves Arya wanted me all to herself which was a bit selfish of her, but I- ow!' he shouted as he received a slap from his mate.

'What was that for?'

Arya leaned closer to his ear before whispering, 'She had feelings for Murtagh, and now he's dead. When she asked me I had no answer so I went in search for his body. I found him beheaded on the west foot of the spine with large craters around him.'

'Uncle. Can I use that horse?' Rya requested.

'Yes. No one else is using it. In fact, I may as well give you a lesson now. Actually… we may not have time,' he said darkly looking back from his horse.

'Why what's wrong?' Just as she finished her question she looked back and understood what he meant.

Behind them was a thunder of dragons flying towards them at a breakneck speed. An alarm was sounded as he saw Saphira and Moonstone fly towards them from in front and land near the horses. The animals reared up in fear, but Arya reached into their minds to soothe them. Eragon jumped off and mounted Saphira as fast as he could. Arya came running towards him holding a Dauthdaert. Eragon took it from her and put it into a slot specifically made for it. Saphira leaped into the air while he strung his bow and aimed at his first target. He let the arrow fly. The Riders were wearing clad black armour, so the only place he could aim for and hit his mark was between the helmet and breastplate. The Rider jerked as the arrow embedded itself inside his neck. He fell off and his dragon flapped even faster to avenge its Rider.

He prepared himself for the insane manoeuvres Saphira commonly used for her kills. She flipped and flew under the dragon, scratching its belly with her claws and teeth. After they emerged from under it on the other side, she bit down on its tail and hung onto it while the dragon flailed in spasms of pain. Finally she let go, but lunged forwards and broke its wings in one bite. Sixteen others from the opposing team were remaining and Eragon felt a bit surprised. A bit earlier there had been about thirty, and only four of them while the humans were mounting the dragons. Matthias rode up to him and gave him the bad news that seven Riders had gone back to call for reinforcements.

Eragon cursed loudly and told his student to finish off the rest of them and return to the ground before the fresh assault arrived. A gnawing sense irritated him at the back of his head. He constantly thought they would be attacked by the time most of the Riders came. Only eighteen had come and gone, but there was no trace of the rest.

He looked back towards the direction of the Beor Mountains and dread ruled over his conscience as a total of six hundred dragon flew towards them.

This chapter may be up later than usual, but I don't know how much longer. This is the first time I am using a beta reader so things may not work out at the fastest of rates.