I do not own the Inheritance Cycle or any of the characters.
Wounded
Eragon didn't even need to say a word before Saphira sped up. She flew faster than ever before and when she landed in Ellesmera, Eragon was running before she had even touched the ground. The entire city was in ruins. There were dead elves everywhere but Eragon saw no sign of Firnen or Arya. Finally he reached the remains of the palace and saw that it looked like it had been blown up from the inside. Eragon saw that Blodhgram was laying beside the ruined throne and was alive and reaching for his sword as if he thought there were still enemies nearby.
"Blodhgram!" Eragon said.
"Shadeslayer," Blodhgram said relaxing slightly.
"What happened here?" Eragon asked.
"Ambushed," Blodhgram said. "Six Riders. Kull not dead. He survived your spell somehow. He took Arya. The others...destroyed the city. I...killed them. Burned them and their dragons to dust. One of them...managed to...stab me. Don't waste your energy trying to heal me. I already tried and failed. Rescue Arya. They took her to the castle you were held in before."
"Where's Firnen?" Eragon asked.
"They took him with her," Blodhgram said. "Please go!"
Eragon was about to then a thought occurred to him. He had never tried to heal himself. And there was something in his tone that Eragon recognized.
"You love her don't you?" Eragon asked.
Blodhgram stared at him incredulously for a moment then his gaze fell and he nodded.
"Please don't tell her," Blodhgram said.
Eragon healed him in a couple of words and hauled him to his feet.
"You're going to help me save her," Eragon said. "Come on."
They both climbed onto Saphira and Saphira flew them to the castle. When they landed, Eragon and Blodhgram both flashed off of her and into the castle.
"They're in a hurry," Orik said sliding to the ground.
Saphira shot into the air and began fighting the Kull's dragon. Orik ran inside and barred the door just before a Ra'zac grabbed him and slammed him into the wall. Orik smashed Volund into the side of its head and it smashed into the wall. Orik finished it off by splattering its head on the wall then ran ran through the castle looking for the others.
"Arya!" Eragon called as they ran through the castle slashing Ra'zac ever so often.
Eventually they got to the last torture chamber and Eragon smashed the Kull into a wall just before he could execute Arya. Eragon stood and slashed Arya's shackles and Blodhgram carried her out of the castle while Eragon fought the Kull. About a minute after they got out, Eragon smashed out of the wall. Arya ran over to him and Blodhgram intercepted the Kull. The Kull began to easily outfight Blodhgram until Blodhgram got a lucky slash in and wounded him. The Kull kicked Blodhgram away then climbed onto his dragon and the dragon took off. Blodhgram leapt onto the dragon's tail before it could get away and climbed until he was close enough to punch the Kull. He did so and the Kull grabbed him by the shirt.
"Goodbye Arya," Blodhgram said to himself. "Waise neiat!"
Eragon and Arya both clearly heard the spell and looked up just as Blodhgram turned his body, clothes, and weapons into pure energy and exploded. Eragon used a shield spell to protect himself, Arya, their dragons, and Orik who had just arrived. When the spell had finished and it was safe to end his own spell, Eragon let the spell end and Arya fell to her knees.
"He killed him," Eragon said.
"He should have used his sword," Arya said.
"He couldn't," Eragon said. "I used a killing word and the Kull got up and walked away. That spell was the only way."
Arya didn't cry like Eragon had worried she might. Instead, she stood and walked over to Firnen. As she was climbing up onto him, she gasped and fell and Eragon caught her. Blood was spreading across her abdomen. He pulled her shirt up enough to see what had happened and saw that she had a gash that hadn't healed properly and couldn't be healed. He used a spell to slow the bleeding as much as he could then wrapped the wound. It was still bleeding badly but would no longer be fatal.
"Saphira," Eragon said. "We need to go somewhere we won't be found."
Saphira flew Eragon and Arya to Du Weldenvarden but to a place so deep and thick that it would be nearly impossible to navigate in a rush. Eragon slid to the ground and gently set Arya down then built a fire and set up a tent.
"Are you okay?" Eragon asked.
"No," Arya said. "Blodhgram was like a brother to me. I can't believe he's gone."
"He didn't think of you as a sister," Eragon said. "He loved you."
Arya stared at him for a moment then burst into tears. Eragon comforted her as best he could and eventually she calmed down. She clearly was far from okay but she had at least stopped crying. Eragon knew full well he had failed in his oath but decided that was because he didn't say it aloud.
"I'm sorry," Eragon said. "Truly."
"I know," Arya said. "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known that the Kull survived your spell."
Eragon knew she was right but it didn't help his guilty conscience any.
Eragon took a deep breath and, in the ancient language, said, "I swear to you that I will never let you be hurt again. I will protect you from all harm."
Arya sat up then smiled and kissed him. She turned so that she was straddling his lap and wrapped her arms around him but a flash of pain shot through her abdomen and she gasped but held back her scream. Eragon forced her to lay down then smiled.
"Guess there won't be much excitement until you're healed," Eragon said.
Arya smiled back and nodded then fell asleep.
THE END
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