Chapter 4

Preparing for Battle

Eragon watched Undulf run the forge. He moved back and forth between the forge and Odahviing. He measured every part of the dragon's body. He hammered metal into shape and melted ore. The rhythmic pounding of metal lulled Eragon into a calm state. He watched the Nord through his eyelashes. Eragon closed his eyes and slept.

"Eragon!" Undulf's voice awoke him. He leapt to his feet. He looked around and his eyes landed on Odahviing. The dragon was covered in armor. There was a large plate on the top of his head, his body was covered, and on his tail was a huge metal spike. His wings where left uncovered just like Saphira. Odahviing looked at his armor and moved around on the ground. The armor flowed with even the slightest moventment of his body.

"Well done Dovahkiin. This metal shall prove useful in battle." He said. The Nord nodded.

"Shur'tugal!" Eragon turned and saw a dwarf running towards him. "Shur'tugal my King and Ajjhad have requested your presence. Eragon grabbed Zar'roc and jumped onto Saphira. Undulf climbed onto Odahviing and they ran to where Ajjhad and Hrothgar where waiting.

"What have we got?" Undulf asked.

"A dwarf came running out of one of the tunnels covered in blood and said that there was an army or Urgals coming this way." Ajjhad informed them.

"Urgals? What is an Urgal?" Undulf asked.

"They are big, ugly, horned, beasts." Eragon said. He hated Urgals after what he had witnessed at Yazuac. "Ajjhad what do you want us to do?"

"You and Arya are going to have to collapse some the tunnels that lead out of Farthen Dur."

"Why do we not collapse all of them?" Eragon asked.

"Because, Farthen Dur rests on the tunnels and if we sink them the entire city will sink with them. We also want to funnel the Urgals to certain points so they don't end up sneaking up behind us." Ajjhad explained.

"Ajjhad, I can help collapse the tunnels." Undulf volunteered.

"How? If you can't use the same magic that Arya and Eragon can?" Hrothgar asked. The dragonborn smiled.

"Just you wait and see." He said." First lead me to the first tunnel." They followed Orik ,who glanced at Undulf the whole time, and they came to a large tunnel.

"How do you plan on collapsing this tunnel. Please enlighten us." A dwarf sneered. The large man turned and glared at the dwarf.

"First, I will use the Dragon Aspect Thu'um." Undulf took in a breath and yelled "Mul Qah Diiv" Undulf's armor glowed and suddenly there was a ghostly image of armor around him. "This Thu'um gives me the strength and a few other traits from the dragons." Undulf walked up to a part of the tunnel that had a slight crack. He smiled and he punched the crack. Eragon watched in amazement as the cracked widened and he heard the sound of stone breaking. Undulf calmly walked out of the tunnel and it collapsed. The dwarves cheered and lead them to another tunnel where he punched another crack and the tunnel sank. In a few hours Undulf, Arya, and Eragon had collapsed dozens of tunnels. After they where done they where lead one of the tunnels and told to wait. Eragon was counting his arrows when Saphira bumped his arm.

"Look." She said. Eragon turned and saw Murtagh riding towards them on his war horse Tornac. His eyebrows rose as he looked at Undulf and Odahviing. Orik swore and jumped to his feet.

"It is ok. Ajjhad let me out so I could help in the fight." Murtagh explained. Orik opened his mouth to protest but Ajjhad walked up to them.

"It is true." He said. He turned and looked at Undulf, Eragon, Odahviing, and Saphira. "You are not like any men I have commanded. But, I would recommend that you stay on the ground, you would be prime targets for the Urgal archers."

"Sorry Ajjhad, but that wont be possible." Undulf stated. "Odahviing is a fearsome beast on the ground but a dova is at it's most deadly in the air. Odahviing could probably out fly even Saphira." Odahviing nodded in agreement. Saphira snorted and rolled her eyes and Eragon stifled a chuckle. Ajjhad hesitated then nodded and walked off.

They waited for several hours in which Eragon counted his arrows, recounted all the spells he knew and practiced his swordsman ship. Undulf did likewise and he also explained more about Thu'ums to Eragon. The dragons slept. Finally war horns sounded and Eragon knew the fight was about to begin. Undulf climbed onto Odahviing and the giant blood red dragon took to the air as did Eragon and Saphira. They discovered that Undulf hadn't been boasting when he said that Odahviing was a talented flier. He twisted, dove, and several other complicated maneuvers.

"Odahviing lets show them what those from Skyrim can do!" Undulf's booming voice echoed over the sounds or battle. Odahviing roared and dove straight towards the Urgal arm. With a bellow he unleashed a fiery inferno that engulfed several dozen Urgals. Eragon saw Undulf jump off Odahviing and land on the ground. The Urgals turned but the Nord sent six of them flying with a Shout and then spun around and stabbed an Urgal through the head.

"Want to join in the fun?" Saphira ask.

"You bet." Eragon said. They flew down and landed next to Undulf crushing several Urgals as they did. Eragon chopped the head off a Kull and then leapt off Saphira. Out of the corner of his eye he saw four Urgals two of them Kull charge him. He swore and turned to face them when suddenly one of the Kull was lifted into the air. Eragon looked up and saw Odahviing had it clutched in his talons. The Urgal struggled helpless in his grip before Odahviing flung him across the battlefield. He turned his gaze back to the three remaining Urgals. He stabbed one in the gut and the other in the throat. The only one left was the Kull. It swung its axe and knocked Zar' Roc out of Eragon's hands. He jumped back to avoid another swing. He tried to reach his sword but before he could Undulf charged forward and shouted "Yol Toor Shul" and a fireball engulfed the Kull. It dropped roaring in pain. Undulf nodded at Eragon and he saw there was no fear in his eyes. He eyes sparkled like a dragon ,who is hungry for battle. He charged forward and in a single move chopped three Urgal heads off. Eragon soon lost track of Undulf but wasn't worried the Nord could take care of himself.