An arrow whistled by his head from a house further up the street shearing through what little remained of his wards and burying itself in the side of a house.

"Damn it!" Eragon exclaimed after he narrowly avoided the arrow. The Varden had for several days been trying to take control of Fienester by sweeping the city, forcibly removing the resistant foes. The battle of Fienester was over, but there was still large groups of rebels fighting back against the Varden. Eragon had been appointed to lead a squadron of soldiers that's job was to rout the enemy forces closer towards the Citadel. They had been unsuccessful for the most part as archers fired upon the squadron as they were moving through the streets at the least expected moments. Eragon's squadron already had five soldiers shot and killed by them and a dozen more injured by both arrows and surprise ambushes.

"I think it's time to fall back to the Citadel, we can't continue the strategy unless we..."

Eragon was about to say more when suddenly another arrow flew through the air and hit him in his left arm. A soldier directly behind who Eragon thought his name was Anthony sighted and shot at the assailant who was in the process of reloading his crossbow. The arrow traveled through the air for only a brief second before it hit its mark causing the man to tumble off the second story roof and fall to the ground several feet below.

Eragon stared in shock at the arrow in his arm until he realized what he needed to do. He grabbed the arrow with his right hand, and with gritted teeth he pushed the arrowhead through until it was about even on both sides. Eragon then broke the shaft of the front of the arrow in half, and pulled he pulled both half's out.

Eragon whispered,"Wasie Heile." under his breath to close up the injury, and he then wiped the blood of his hands onto his pants. "I really need to replace my wards." Eragon muttered out loud as he walked towards the man that had shot him.

He was laying face down on the ground with a growing puddle of blood growing from his chest. The arrow had broken underneath him as he could see part of the shaft that had killed him laying next to him. Eragon knelt down next to the man as he flipped him on to his back. He saw nothing special about the man other then there was a vertical scar starting at his mouth that continued up to his left eye.

"Rider Eragon, are you all right?" Anthony asked him who had approached him while he was investigating the body.

"Yeah i'm fine, my arm is just a bit sore." Eragon said to him. Most of the squadron had gathered around him while four or five were keeping watch of the rooftops.

Eragon! A shout erupted through his mind causing him to wince at the force from his beloved Sapphire who had just returned from hunting. How is the sweep of the city going?

Not very well, we continue to get ambushed every few hours, I have already lost over fifteen men today from injuries and death. Eragon said to her in a sad voice.

Well, at least you were not injured Eragon. Sapphire said to him showing him an image of the city from above through their mental link.

I was shot by an arrow just a couple of minutes ago in my arm, but am now fine, Eragon said to Sapphire showing her an image of his now fine arm.

Well why did your wards not protect you from the arrow? Sapphire asked him as she landed in the Varden camp.

Well, I haven't had time to replenish my wards since the battle, Eragon admitted to Sapphire.

What! she exclaimed. Why have you not, it's not like you have not had time to replace them! With that, Sapphire ended the conversation.
Eragon shook his head promising himself to replace the wards, and talk to Sapphire as soon as possible.

"Sorry about the lapse in concentration, I was talking with Sapphire about matters. But as I was saying before, I think we should head back to the main body of the Varden to rest and regroup." Eragon said to the group who were looking at him curiously, then followed by a collective sigh from the group.

"Okay, move out!" Eragon shouted.