Eragon

His conscience was hazy and his body unstable. What was Angela doing here? What was going on around him? Why was everything so chaotic? Eragon uneasily approached Angela and circled around her slowly until he was directly face to face with her. His fear grew as he got a clearer view of her appearance. Everything was fine except her eyeballs were missing and her skin was paler than anyone he knew. She was muttering words in the ancient language. As difficult as they were to make out, his proficiency allowed him to quickly decipher what she was saying over and over again.

Beware of the four corners of the diamond… Beware of the four corners of the diamond… beware of the four corners of the diamond…

What? What is she saying?

Again she repeated herself, and again. Eragon focused his attention to the forest again. The darkness shook him to his very core. The thickness of the evil that he could feel emanating from the depths of the trees was almost permeable. His senses suddenly heightened as the light from Angela's flame died. Eragon's snapped his head back to where the herbalist had been standing but found nothing or nobody but complete lack of light.

Rya

The night had been a soft one as Rya rubbed sleep out of her eyes. She looked up into the red sky for a moment before glancing around for everyone else. They were all wake, staring at nothing in particular.

Hold on. What happened? Why are we here?

She immediately felt a rush of fatigue before giving in to her exhaustion.

Eragon

His only guide was his hearing. Nothing else was visible to him. The sound of the waves of the oceans was his only sense of direction. Holding out his arms in front of him to ensure he didn't bump into anything. Even with his elven sight the thick fog of blackness completely washed out his vision. The sky was a complete black with no stars or moon to guide him in any way. As he neared the sound of the waves, his vision opened up the sky to him. Confusion and fear instilled itself further into his soul as a red sky with the opening of what seemed like an eye stared down at him.

What's this red eye? It doesn't look friendly. Where's Saphira? Where's everybody?

The red eye continued to observe him as he picked up the pace due to his reborn sight.

Finally. I can see again. But do I really want to look at that thing?

Ergon emerged from the forest and found himself at the edge of the ocean. Anxiety crept through the limbs of his body as he saw another eye staring at him. Looking up he saw the very same staring down at him through the thin clouds that seemed to be the only separation between him and that stray organ in the sky. Looking back in the direction of the island, he could see that there was a sudden black cloud hovering above the centre of the forest. Curiosity was playing with his mind and he almost wanted to go back inside to investigate, but he n=knew better than to give in to these strange foreign thoughts. Foreign thoughts. These weren't his own. Whatever he was doing or thinking was being manipulated by something strange. Eragon felt as though he was just a passenger on board his body with someone else piloting it. As difficult as it was to understand, he knew he had to focus in order to maintain control over his conscience. He needed a companion. Eragon drew his sword and cut his hand in order to call Oromis into his mind… blood began gushing out from his hand and Oromis didn't appear. Healing himself, he dreaded the thought of having to traverse the island on his own under such strange circumstances. Why hadn't his master appeared? Whatever was going on, he'd have to overcome it alone…

Rya

Rya awoke once again but before she looked around, remembered what had happened before the last time she had fallen asleep. She had looked up into the sky and before she knew it, was knocked out. She looked around the clearing they were in.

We've been here for five days. What are we doing?

Before she could think of an answer, Arya stirred beside her and opened her eyes. Rya grabbed Arya's head before she could look up at the eye.

'Rya what are you doing?' Arya asked between a yawn and a sigh.

'Don't look at the sky. How long have we been here Arya?'

'I don't… know…' she replied, emotion beginning to fill her face.

'Exactly. Now, think about what you've been doing here since we arrived. Nothing. We've sat and slept. How are we not hungry? How are we not bored? How are we not concerned with about the migrants? Arya?'

The elven queen shook her head slightly before she looked around and replied, 'I don't know… what are we doing here?'

Eragon

He moved as swiftly as he could. While he ran, he realised something he should have realised before. Where were the inhabitants of the island? All the dragons? All the animals? All the riders and elves? No one was to be seen. But maybe he already knew that. Or did he not notice how all of this took place? His mind blurred slightly as an image of Angela came into his mind.

Argh! Why can't I stop seeing that bloody witch? But… I just saw her. How could I forget? She was…

Eragon's mind suddenly blanked. Why was Angela popping up in his mind?

I just saw her! Why do I keep forgetting?

Eragon could see the minaret-like opening of the Rider's Hall. He immediately remembered the blue rider that had attacked him and the other blue rider that had saved him. He needed to become more aware of what was going on around him.

He continued to sprint towards the palace before he stopped dead in his tracks. To his right, a rustling sound made him unintentionally draw Brisingr and take up a fighting stance. He slowly stepped forwards towards the source of the noise before he saw three elves and two humans walk out from the treeline. Arya!

Rya

The silence of the clearing made it difficult not to panic while they waited for the last person to wake up. Du Ebrithil was sharpening his sword whilst Blodhgarm comforted Arya regarding Eragon. Du Dröttningu was the only one still asleep. Rya sat beside her waiting for Eragon's new teacher to wake up but it seemed to take forever. Rya looked over at Arya who seemed to be suddenly faint. The three others were instantly at her aid. Her body began shaking violently and a white froth started to bubble up inside her mouth. Rya felt a hand suddenly pull back before a flurry of blue robes collected themselves beside Arya. Du Dröttningu began chanting a spell to ease the pain of whatever was overcoming Arya. A red beam of light took all of them by surprise as Arya's body started to float in the air. All of them took their hands off the queen's body as the light from the eye penetrated her chest and made her body glow green. A thundering crash echoed through the sky sending shockwaves through the sky blowing trees around and uprooting small ones. Arya's body dropped back to the floor but not before Du Ebrithil managed to catch her.

'What happened to her?' Rya asked.

'I don't think any of us know dear,' Du Dröttningu replied grimly.

Du Ebrithil put her down and felt for a pulse. 'She's alive, but barely. She needs help.'

Blodhgarm spoke up, 'Then let's go. My queen is in danger. I will carry her.'

'As you wish Blodhgarm.'

Blodhgarm lifted Arya off from the ground. They all then turned towards the palace and ran at a breakneck pace. The forest seemed disturbed by something and the uneasiness crept through the others as well. Rya looked around and could see the worried expressions each of her companions bore. Something aside from everything they had already experienced didn't seem right. Everyone had just completely glossed over the beam of light from the eye. Whatever was taking place around them all was having strange effects on all of them. They continue to sprint towards the border of the trees. Rya was running alongside Blodhgarm. She could feel the rest of them pulling ahead as her exhaustion slowly took over, causing each stride to carry her less further forward than the last. Eventually she stopped, gasping for breath. The other three stopped and looked back at her awkwardly.

'I'm… sorry…' she said between each breath, 'I don't… think… I have… the same… amount of stamina… as all of… as all of you...'

Just as she finished her sentence, Arya took a random intake of air before exhaling as though exasperated. Her body was limp and she was gasping for as much air as Rya was.

'Arya Dröttning,' Blodhgarm said, as though greeting her.

'Blodhgarm? Where are we?' she asked.

'We are in the forest Arya, you passed out and we've had to carry you this far,' Du Ebrithil replied.

Rya snapped her eyes to Du Ebrithil, once again someone had completely glossed over what had truly happened.

The next three words struck quite hard on all of them.

'Who are you?'

Du Ebrithil and Blodhgarm exchanged worried looks before Blodhgarm set Arya down on the ground.

This time Rya spoke up, 'Arya? We're your friends, don't you recognise us?

'N-No, I don't.'

'Arya Dröttning, this isn't the time for games, we must leave this forest, strange things are taking place that we are not completely aware of yet,' said the wolf elf.

'Why are you calling me Dröttning?'

Dread filled Rya from to toe to top. What was Arya saying?

'You're… our queen Arya… what' wrong?'

'My mother is the queen. Stop playing around with me Blodhgarm. You know very well I do not like to associate myself with her. Why are you all staring at me like that?'

'Arya, how old are you?' Du Ebrithil asked.

'What is it to you? I don't even know you. Who are you?' she retorted.

Du Ebrithil replied calmly, 'Just a little curiosity.'

'If you must know, I have almost aged one century,' she replied calmly, before continuing, 'I have an important task to take care of so could you all please leave? I was told yesterday that I am to travel to the humans again at first light.'

'Arya…' Du Dröttningu started, 'Eragon already has the dragon egg. The war is over. He slew Galbatorix. Right now Alagaësia is in danger from another threat.'

'What nonsense are you talking about? Is this some sort of trick Blodhgarm? You know very well I do not care for the joy of the elves whilst other races suffer at the hands of the mad king.'

Du Ebrithil muttered under his breath before walking up to Arya and chanting a sell to put her to sleep.

'We must keep going. As sad as this is, now isn't the time to deal with it. We must continue. Rya, are you ready?' he asked.

'Yes, let's go.'

They all continued as a group, this time at a slower pace for Rya to keep up. As they ran, she thought over about everything that had just happened. This was among the grimmest events that had taken place since the eye had appeared.

As the four of them continued their trek, the end of the treeline became visible. They all rustled through what remained of the forest and emerged into the slightly brighter darkness. In front of them stood a fearful Eragon prepared to attack.

I'M BACK(AGAIN).