I do not own the Inheritance Cycle or any of the characters in the books.

Recruits

About three hours after nightfall, Arya finally drifted off to sleep and Eragon carried her back to her palace and then to her bed. He laid her in it then pulled the covers up over her. Then he gently kissed her forehead and left. When he got outside again, Garzhog was waiting.

"News," Garzhog said. "There are fewer Riders now. I killed many. We have exactly five to deal with. We need assistance."

Eragon nodded and Used a spell to turn a pool of water into a two way communicator. Murtagh was visible on the other end.

"Eragon?" Murtagh asked. "What do you want?"

"We have five new Riders over here and we know for a fact that they're not friendly," Eragon said.

"How do you know?" Murtagh asked.

Eragon pulled his sleeve up and showed him his injuries. Murtagh gaped and Eragon grinned wryly.

"I have more," Eragon said. "Those were just the least severe. Arya was tortured too but hers was a massage compared to mine."

"Okay," Murtagh said. "I'll be there soon."

"Bring two eggs," Eragon said. "The stone colored one behind you and the purple one at the foot of your bed."

"Why those?" Murtagh asked.

"Call it a hunch," Eragon said.

"If you say so," Murtagh said. "On my way."

"One other thing," Eragon said. "The Rider that tortured us is a Kull. There are also Ra'zac and I've seen one Shade."

"How?" Murtagh asked.

"Kull because they're urgals," Eragon said. "The others, your guess is as good as mine."

"Okay then," Murtagh said.

Eragon swiped his hand through the image and the spell faded.

"Where was the shade?" Garzhog asked.

"I glimpsed him in the group that we fought in the air," Eragon said.

"Oh," Garzhog said.

Eragon sat on top of the palace and waited and Garzhog went to train. After a few hours, the sun began to rise just as Murtagh arrived.

"You didn't sleep did you?" Murtagh asked.

"No," Eragon said stretching. "Ready to go to war?"

"Not by a mile," Murtagh said. "Who are the eggs for?"

"Orik and Nasuada," Eragon said. "Purple to Nasuada and stone to Orik."

"How do you know they'll hatch?" Murtagh asked.

"I told you it's just a hunch," Eragon said.

Murtagh used a spell to send the eggs to their targets then got on Thorn and told Eragon he would meet him later. Then he flew off and Eragon knew he was going to see Nasuada. Eragon smiled and slid to the ground shortly before Arya walked out.

"Good morning," Arya said.

"Good morning," Eragon said.

"Did I hear Murtagh?" Arya asked.

"Yes," Eragon said. "He came to help us clean up the rest of the Riders. There are five. He brought two eggs that I'm sure will hatch for Nasuada and Orik. I don't know how, though."

Arya yawned then looked around.

"Where's Garzhog?" Arya asked.

"Training," Eragon said. "Come on. We're going to see Orik."

"I assume Murtagh went to see Nasuada," Arya said.

"Yes," Eragon said.

Arya nodded and they went to a large field and found Garzhog training with his sword by sparring a group of elves. He held his own well but the elves were clearly toying with him. Arya and Eragon had Saphira and Firnen land and slid to the ground.

"Time to go Garzhog," Eragon said.

Garzhog sheathed his sword and bowed to the elves then climbed onto Belgabad. Eragon and Arya remounted and the three flew into the air then toward Farthen Dur. They landed outside the front entrance then their dragons flew in through the top. Eragon and Arya went in first and gave the dwarves a fair warning about Garzhog. When the dwarves promised not to kill him, Eragon told him to come in mentally and a moment later a Kull with an eye patch exploded out of the water with Garzhog held by the throat.

"You," Eragon said coldly.

"Me," the Kull said. "My name is Ragnarok. It's very nice to see you again. Now...deyja."

The twelve dwarves behind them dropped dead and Eragon drew his sword.

"Oh joy," Ragnarok said. "I love fighting."

Ragnarok charged forward and Eragon blocked his slash then tripped him and drove his sword into the ground where Ragnarok should have been. Ragnarok had moved faster than Eragon expected and was currently fighting Arya.

"Enough of this," Eragon said. "Deyja."

Ragnarok stiffened then fell backward and collapsed in a crash. Garzhog groaned as he stirred and stood.

"Thank God he's dead," Garzhog said.

Just then, Orik arrived to fight the intruder but stopped when he saw Eragon.

"Oh," Orik said then looked at the dead Kull. "I assume he killed my guards?"

"Yes," Eragon said. "He was a Rider. Not one of ours though. Did you get the egg?"

"Yes," Orik said. "And it hatched into a dragon statue."

"You should probably check again," Eragon said.

They all went back to Orik's office and found a tiny stone dragon racing around the room with several dwarves trying to catch him. The dragon seemed to be enjoying himself because its tongue was hanging out of the side of its mouth and it was panting like a dog.

"It's alive," Orik observed.

"Did you already get the gedwey ignasia?" Eragon asked.

Orik showed him his right palm where the ignasia glowed faintly. Orik walked into his office and the dragon scrambled up his leg to his shoulder. He petted its head with his finger and it pressed its head against his finger.

"Good...um," Orik realized he didn't know if it was a boy or girl.

"It's a boy," Arya said. "Boys are more playful."

Eragon smirked and Arya glared at him guessing what he was thinking. Eragon raised his hands and looked at the disappointed looks on the dwarves faces.

"How long until his dragon is old enough to carry someone?" Eragon asked.

"For a human or the like?" Arya asked. "A few months. You should know that part. For a dwarf? A few weeks."

"How long until it can fly on its own?" Eragon asked.

"About one week," Arya said.

"Okay," Eragon said. "Listen, Orik, we'll be needing your help so as soon as your dragon can carry you for a prolonged period of time, meet us in Ellesmera."

"You got it," Orik said. "See you around."

Eragon was half surprised that he was practically kicking them out but shrugged and the three of them left. They flew toward Nasuada and Murtagh. They landed outside her residence and Murtagh met them outside.

"You're late," Murtagh said.

"We went to see Orik," Eragon said.

"Oh," Murtagh said. "So, her egg hatched."

"Orik's too," Eragon said. "He's going to meet us in Ellesmera."

"I will too," Murtagh said. "I'm going to stay here a while."

"Don't make me any nephews while I'm away," Eragon said grinning.

Murtagh rolled his eyes then Eragon, Arya, and Garzhog took off and flew back to Ellesmera. It would take a while before they were ready but Eragon was prepared to wait because he knew that the end was near.

THE END

Read and review. Trying to decide the species of the leader of the evil Riders. Please help.