Took me long enough eh? Well…my schedule has been terrible (still is), but I'll do the best I can. Thanks for staying with me everyone!
Disclaimer: If you've seen it somewhere else, I don't own it.
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Days seemed to flow together for Ryan as his training proceeded. Day after day, night after night, his teachers pressed him, pushing Samanya and him ever harder in preparation for what the two of them knew and the others felt would be the beginning of the end. Swordsmanship, magic, mental warfare, Ryan was trained in them all, their abilities honed as sharp as Oromis and Glaedr, and by extension the elves, could make them.
Ryan and Samanya could feel the weight of responsibility and dread for what was to come creeping up on them. This new feeling only pushed them harder. They pushed past what they would have once considered their limits, physically training their bodies and minds with a single-minded determination, swearing to themselves that, when the next battle came, they would be ready. All they waited for was Eragon and Saphira's inevitable return from the dwarvian lands and then the great battle at Feinster.
The constant training and mental stress, however, only contributed to the exhaustion that they had both been nursing since the long journey that had been their trip to Ellesméra. Their bodies felt nearly ready to drop from exhaustion with or without their consent. It even got to the point that Oromis and Glaedr gave them a precious day off to rest a couple times, which were quickly spent sleeping and doing other things that required as little effort as possible. But those days quickly flew by and passed into memory as they returned to their training the next day.
Their daily routine stayed mostly the same throughout their entire training. It started at first light with the two of them waking up before heading over to the practice fields for a couple hours of swordsmanship training with Captain Turyan, who had proven to act as condescending as Vanir had when Eragon had been in training. After Ryan had gotten thoroughly bruised and battered, the pair traveled to where Oromis and Glaedr resided to, in Ryan's case, continue training in magic, mental combat, and the other ways of a Rider, while Glaedr took Samanya off to train her in everything any dragon needs to know.
There is a maxim that says that only in adversity does man truly become acquainted himself and Ryan and Samanya quickly found that saying to be more true than they wished. The stress, the exertion, the exhaustion had begun to get to them in ways they had not anticipated…and in ways that were not entirely welcome. There was one event…one for each of them.
The first event occurred early one morning during Ryan's daily swordsmanship training session. Turyan had apparently decided to make this day one of his worst, insults and arrogance dripped from his tone as he goaded Ryan on throughout the entire session. Ryan had previously ignored his comments, thinking that the elven captain was using a technique that professional military trainers have used since the advent of war. Today, however, was different. Ryan's exhaustion had begun to catch up with him. He arrived irritable, his mind sluggish, his body sore. The limit of what he could take from the elf's mouth grew very small. His anger and frustration at the elf continued to build like a dormant volcano. It was a volcano that manifested itself in a way that Ryan and Turyan never anticipated.
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Ryan hit the ground for what seemed to be the thousandth time that morning, his teeth gritting in a grimace of pain. His sword lay a few feet away, also lying on the ground as Captain Turyan stood over him, sword pointed down at the young Rider's neck.
"Pathetic", Turyan said, his voice dripping with disdain, "why two humans were chosen as Riders over all of us elves is beyond my understanding. Even the lowest warrior of the Varden would be better qualified as a Rider than you and your pitiful abilities."
Ryan only growled in frustration as he reluctantly rose and picked up his sword from the ground. His body groaned in protest at the movement, his mind railing at him to rest. Ryan struggled to make his body obey his commands. His sword lay limp at his side as he turned to face his opponent once again.
I can't take much more of this, Ryan thought as he wearily raised Garzjla to the ready position. Ryan didn't have to wait another moment before the elven captain was upon him, sword flashing in the sun. Ryan barely deflected the first charge before being beset by a quartet of quick strikes that seemed to flow together. Ryan blocked the first three but the fourth broke through his defenses and landed on his sword-bearing shoulder slowing Ryan's response just enough to give the elf the opportunity he needed to land a left hook on the Rider's cheek, sending him staggering. Ryan recovered from his disorientation a moment later only to feel the elven blade resting lightly against his throat. The elf chuckled at him.
"Weak, just like the rest of your race. What are you even doing here, child? I thought you were here to learn how to fight, not how to learn how to be someone else's punching bag.", Turyan said with a arrogant smirk on his face. Ryan quickly pushed away the fine silver blade before retorting.
"At least we didn't spend the last hundred years hiding in some forest like cowards!", Ryan yelled, anger starting to break through the weak walls that held back its alluring influence. Ryan barely had time to duck under the punch that was sent his way in response. The reprieve was only temporary as another punch met him on his way down, sending him reeling backward. Ryan quickly rolled backward out of his fall and back to his feet, finding that Turyan had discarded his sword in favor of his fists.
"Very well then, young one, if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you shall get.", Turyan replied before closing the distance between them in a split second and lashing out with a vicious roundhouse kick. Ryan swiftly blocked the kick and replied with a punch of his own. The elf effortlessly deflected the blow before grabbing the Rider's arm and twisting it inward. A strike to the Rider's elbow followed soon after. Ryan could hear the CRACK! of the bone in his arm a moment before he let out a yell of pain. Turyan, however, didn't stop there. He followed up his strike with three quick punches to the Rider's gut before finishing with an open palm strike to the face, breaking Ryan's nose.
Ryan dropped to the ground instantly, his mind whirling in an overload of pain and disorientation. For a moment Ryan just lay there, staring at the sun until lucidity returned to him. I will never submit, not to him! Ryan swore to himself as he rolled over and tried to push himself to his feet with his one good arm. A kick to the ribs met his effort, rolling him back over onto the ground on his back.
"You need to learn your place, child. You have neither the right nor the understanding to understand our decisions.", Turyan said in a scolding tone.
"And…what gives…you the right…to…to judge us?", Ryan mumbled through the pain that clouded his being.
"Child, I have lived since before your grandfather's grandfather was ever born. I have seen every characteristic and emotion of man. I have seen more death and suffering in my time than any of your kind could ever imagine, most of it caused by your people in your recklessness and love of war. This is what gives me the right.", Turyan replied.
"Ignorant…arrogant…fool.", Ryan mumbled, a smirk on his face all the while. "You…and your people…know nothing. You…may be able to destroy bodies…states… kingdoms…but my people…we can destroy worlds. You fight with steel….and the strength of the earth…but we fight with fire…and the might of the stars. We have seen more death and destruction on a…", Ryan paused for a moment as blood came forth from a series of strong coughs, "scale that Alagëasia…can scarcely imagine and moreover…we have learned from it."
"Hahaha!", Turyan laughed, "your people can destroy worlds! Hahaha! your people can barely destroy themselves! And the stars! Ha! None can touch them! Let alone harness their light! Who do you think you are? Some prophet? Some baseless visionary whose words are nothing but empty air?"
"No…", Ryan replied calmly, beginning to recover from the disorientation he felt, "not a visionary, a relic…a relic of a time and land far beyond this one. I am only an bystander who found himself drawn into something bigger than he yet understands." Ryan's mind began to calm as he continued to speak, the very air around him seeming to extend his sight, the natural bluish wisps of magic in the air painting him a picture of the world around him in his mind. Ryan could feel his heartbeat slow, his mind begin to yield to the calm that had replaced the anger that simmered there only a moment before.
"And this is what gives you the right to judge that which you do not understand?", Turyan snorted. "Just the fact that you stood watching this mess before getting yourself involved?" Turyan's expression, though, began to change to one of curiosity as he felt magic beginning to concentrate in the air around them, as if waiting for something to call for it.
"On the contrary, it is you who do not understand us, elf. You call us weak, yet we have stood alone against Galbatorix since his rise to power. You call us fools, yet my people have a greater knowledge of the world and its workings than you can hope to achieve in your lifetime. You call us bloodthirsty, yet we show compassion and mercy to those innocent or who oppose us in this war. Elves may consider themselves superior to man in both body and mind, but I tell you that we are both more alike than you think."
Turyan began to reply after Ryan finished, however, the Rider was not listening. Ryan felt a mass of energy and knowledge bring itself to his awareness. His eyes closed as his mind yielded to the sensation that surged through it. He felt his pain begin to fade as a single thought burned in his mind. Fight him. he thought as a single-minded determination flooded his veins. His mind felt as if some missing part of it had rejoined the whole. He moved to stand.
Ryan turned his head just in time to see a kick from the elven captain head his way. Time seemed to slow as adrenaline flooded his veins. He knew instantly what to do. He instantly lashed out with his previously broken arm to deflect the blow before sliding away and kicking out with one of his legs, sending the elf falling to the ground. Ryan quickly rolled to his feet as Turyan did the same. The two combatants stood a few yards away from each other, Ryan sensing the confusion in Turyan's eyes as Turyan noticed the utter lack of emotion in Ryan's. The Rider's fists lay up in a fighting stance as his cold, calculating gaze scanned over his opponent. The elf was stunned at the change, before the young Rider's movements and thoughts were betrayed by his stance and expression, now he betrayed nothing.
Meanwhile, Ryan began to circle the elven captain like a practiced predator. Information flooded through his thoughts as, this time, he consciously decided how best to confront his opponent. Weak points, strength, fighting style, he accounted for it all. After only a second of contemplation Ryan dashed forwards, lashing out with a cobra-quick punch that his opponent barely deflected. Turyan's eyes went wide for a moment in surprise at the Rider's change. Turyan replied with two punches of his own which the Rider block with just as much ease as Turyan had deflected Ryan's earlier. The pair continued to exchange blows as Turyan analyzed the "new" person that stood in front of him. The Rider's movement seemed to flow gracefully, unlike the emotion-driven, predictable movements of before. He acted like a trained soldier, if a bit…unrefined.
Where did this come from? Turyan thought as their match continued. Punch, block, kick, block, the cycle continued for several minutes until Ryan managed to land a blow to Turyan's face, stunning the elf long enough to allow Ryan to hook his foot around the elf's legs and push, sending Turyan to the ground. The scene ended with Ryan knelt over Turyan's body, fist raised in preparation to strike. Turyan only closed his eyes and smiled.
"Good job", he said, conveying the satisfaction that he felt at Ryan's work.
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And so of Ryan finally gained full access to his instinct. While, previously he only had access to the information it contained, now he could consciously act on the information. Ryan quickly learned to access and use this vast library of knowledge on demand but the problem quickly became controlling it. The presence constantly rested at the edge of his thoughts, and it was all too easy to lose himself to it. For the first few days after the fight Samanya and Oromis had to shake him out of the meditative trances that he would occasionally lapse into. Once he learned how to properly control the instinct, however, his learning proceeded at many times the pace that it had previously.
Samanya's training was just as intensive, her ancestral knowledge and instincts helping her to push on as fast as her Rider. One thing, however, that continued to elude her was breathing fire. She had tried, with Glaedr helping, on multiple occasions to breath fire, however, all of her attempts failed. The frustration of not being able to do something that every dragon was born to do from infancy pushed her harder. She relentlessly searched her instincts and ancestral memories for any reason that could be why she couldn't awaken her inner fire. They found no reason for or solution to the problem, but Samanya continued to press on, insisting on trying until she figured out how to do it. Day after day of frustration followed, until, one day, something changed.
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"Why won't this work!", Samanya yelled in frustration as yet another attempt at firebreathing failed. "I am a dragon! Not just a dragon, the daughter of the king and queen no less. So why can't I do something that any hatchling can?"
"I don't know, Samanya", came the calm voice of her Rider, "and I don't think that constantly yelling into my head makes the situation any better."
"Shut up!", Samanya replied, venting her feelings on her Rider.
"I would, except your yelling makes it hard to concentrate.", Ryan said with the same calm as before. Samanya only responded by abruptly shutting off the link between them, cutting off anything more that her Rider might say. A sigh of resignation escaped her maw as her eyes dropped to the ground, feeling shame at her inability to do something every dragon from first to last could accomplish. She sat on her haunches as Glaedr looked over her, racking his brain for something, anything that could help. Suddenly an idea came to him. He quickly conferred with Istarli, who resided within a saddlebag on his back and who also agreed that the idea was worth a try.
"Young one?", Glaedr said, trying to get his student's attention.
"Yes?", Samanya replied, her voice uncharacteristically soft.
"There is one more thing we would like for you to try."
"And what might that be?", Samanya asked, showing a small glimmer of hope.
"Stand.", Glaedr ordered. She stood. "Now, close your eyes. Forget everything that troubles you. Cast it everything aside." Samanya exhaled before doing so, trying her best to do what her teacher instructed. "Focus on your inner fire. Feel it as it rages inside your chest." She felt the burning sensation that she had touched so many times before in her previous attempts. "Set aside your anger, your grief, your sorrow. Let peace, contentment, and calm consume you." Samanya paused for a moment in surprise, Glaedr hadn't taught her to use this way before, quite the opposite in fact. She thought about asking her mentors about it but then refrained, thinking that, if it worked, it'd be better to ask afterwards. "Remember everything you love, everything you live for, everything you'd fight for, everything you'd die for." Samanya delved into her memories at Glaedr's words, thinking of the Varden, the elves…her race, her future…her Rider. "Lose yourself to those thoughts…" Samanya suddenly stopped listening to her teacher as her mind went blank. A small smile crept onto her face at the memories of her and Ryan when she was naught but a hatchling, memories of everything they had shared, and memories of everything they believed.
Suddenly the sage dragoness felt a pressure growing in her chest. Unlike the other times, she didn't push the feeling upwards, she let it grow. The pressure slowly moved its way up her chest, into her neck, and started to collect behind her maw. Her eyes flashed open as instinct pushed her forward…she was ready.
Glaedr watched as Samanya's maw opened slightly, revealing a green tinted ball of white flame collecting within. The ball grew bigger and brighter until Samanya could hold it no longer and with a loud roar she breathed the ball out. The white sphere flew fast and true towards its target, a large stone that they had set up for this very purpose. The fire hit the rock and, for a split-second, nothing happened, but then the ball exploded, spitting superheated rock fragments and licks of flame in all directions. Glaedr's eyes went wide as the smoke cleared and he could see the effect of Samanya's action.
A large portion of the stone had been obliterated, the remaining jagged edges glowing an angry red from the heat. The ground below the stone lay burnt and blackened. Glaedr turned back to his sage student, turning to see a smirk on her face as she observed her work. With a final, triumphant roar she stood on her hind legs before breathing a large tongue of green flame, celebrating her discovery. Glaedr and Istarli smiled at the young dragon's antics before the thought hit them.
What was that? they thought simultaneously.
"Congratulations, Samanya Survyasdaughter. the two elder dragons said, casting aside their questions for a moment.
"I did it! I did it!", Samanya yelled in response, talking to both them and, through the newly reopened link, her Rider. Glaedr's smile only grew larger while Istarli chuckled inside the gold dragon's mind. It felt, refreshing, to see Samanya behaving like such a hatchling, considering how serious and frustrated she had been over the past several days.
"Now, do it again.", Glaedr asked.
"Of course.", Samanya said with a wide smile and newfound confidence. Samanya started to do the same thing she had before, although this time she did it much faster. Glaedr, however, wasn't trying to see if she could do it, he was trying to see how she did it. Glaedr stretched out his mind towards his student, sensing how her mind called for her inner fire. He sensed the air around Samanya charge with magic for a moment before she loosed another ball just like the first, with the same effect as the first as well.
Interesting, Glaedr thought, her dormant magic seems to be more influential than a normal dragon's. Glaedr then shook himself back to the present, where Samanya stood looking at him expectantly.
"Good, now that you've awakened your inner fire we can move on. Now try…"
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Ryan and Samanya's training continued without further incident. The pair learned at an exceptional rate, their determination and willingness to learn making up for the lack of training time.
The sense of foreboding that the pair had felt since a arriving continued to grow. Ryan and Samanya swore that they could feel Eragon and Saphira getting closer to returning to Ellesméra every hour. It came as no surprise to them, then, when Oromis told them a week later that the Blue pair were only a day's flight outside of the elven capital. So when Ryan and Samanya returned after Ryan's morning swordsmanship training session to find their teachers sitting in a conversation with the Blue Rider and an exhausted Saphira, they were as prepared for what was coming as they possibly could be.
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Ryan gazed over the blue sky and the bright sun that hung high in the sky as he rode on Samanya's back, their destination Oromis' hut, where Eragon and Saphira had immediately headed to once they had arrived back in Ellesméra. The pair flew on, their link silent and calm. Everything they had done, every ounce of effort they put forward, led up to these coming days.
The clearing marking Oromis' home appeared fairly quickly and the pair instantly noticed the blue and gold dragons laying in it, along with two humanoid figures sitting in two chairs by a table nearby. It also appeared that they had arrived at a bad time…
"You know what?", Eragon bellowed, completely ignoring the landing of the Sage Rider and dragon.
"Sit." Oromis ordered. Eragon instantly complied, righting his fallen chair and sitting back down. Ryan and Samanya stood a little ways off, knowing what was going on and giving the others the space they needed. The two then ignored the conversation, waiting until they were called for to intrude.
Meanwhile, Ryan and Samanya gazed out at the horizon, having a small conversation of their own.
"The calm before the storm.", Ryan said
"As long as we're together, that storm will only be for our enemies, Ryan, never forget that.", Samanya replied, turning her head to give her Rider a loving gaze with one of her burning green eyes. Ryan placed his hand on her snout before replying.
"I'm not worried, relieved would be a better word I think. At least now we'll know for sure where we stand. Now, we can actually make a difference." The Sage dragoness nodded at his words. The pair stopped speaking, silence reigned for minutes upon minutes as they stood in each other's mental embrace, content with the world as it was. The pair barely noticed when Eragon left towards the edge of the Crags of Tel'naeír, Saphira following shortly after, and Oromis went inside his hut to retrieve some soup for them all.
"Young ones," Glaedr suddenly said, "come take a seat, there is much to discuss, and some of it is best for you to answer." The Sage pair nodded and made their way over to the table in front of Glaedr. Eragon and Saphira reappeared soon after, both giving Ryan and Samanya a nod in greeting that was replied in kind. Oromis then returned with the bowls of soup and the Riders stayed silent as they ate. After finishing Eragon and Oromis talked aboutEragon's mother for a few more moments before drifting towards another topic, the Eldunarí. Ryan merely sat by, appearing to listen while actually not since he already knew everything that would be said.
"And are you not surprised by this?", Eragon suddenly asked, looking at Ryan expectantly.
"No.", Ryan answered plainly after focusing his thoughts.
"Why not?"
"Because we already knew.", Samanya said, answering Eragon's question.
"And how did you two come to know of this?", Saphira asked, her voice curious. Ryan glanced over at Oromis before asking something of his own.
"Have you told them?", Ryan asked.
"No", Oromis replied, "we felt that it would be better if you told them."
"Very well.", Ryan said before his looked up at the Blue pair and began to tell the story of his and Samanya's journey to the elven capital. From the village, to the attack of Andlát Datia, then their escape and the final run into the forest, with Samanya adding some things in here and there. The two told the others everything, especially about Istarli.
"Sounds like you two had quite the trip.", Eragon said with a small smile. "And beating a member of Andlát Datia is no small feat either. It's good to see that you both still made it here safely even through all that." Eragon turned his attention back to Glaedr and Oromis before asking, "So Istarli is here I assume."
"That would be correct, Eragon Shadeslayer, although it is Elder to you, not Istarli.", the disembodied dragon said.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Elder", Saphira said, her voice respectful.
"To you as well, both of you.", Istarli relied with a hint of contentment in his tone.
While Eragon and Saphira conversed with the elder Eldunarí and talked about what they were going to do in Ellesmerá, Ryan debated telling the others something, something regarding what Galbatorix was working on in his black castle.
"Later, before we leave maybe, but not now. Let them rest, they have enough to think and worry about without adding that to it.", Samanya whispered in his thoughts, sensing the source of her Rider's dilemma. Ryan silently agreed with her words then turned his attention back to Eragon, who was talking about the "weapon" underneath the Menoa tree.
"…underneath the Menoa tree?", Eragon was saying. Ryan thought about things for a moment before thinking that it would be a better idea to tell the Rider what the "weapon" really was. Samanya quickly agreed and Ryan cleared his throat to get the others' attention.
"It's brightsteel," he said to Eragon, "the thing you search for is not a weapon but a clump of brightsteel hidden underneath some of the Menoa tree's roots." The others stared at him for a moment before regaining their composure.
"And how might you know of this?", Saphira asked. Ryan gave Oromis a small knowing smile before he replied.
"I cannot tell you, not yet." Ryan said, chuckling slightly, "Besides, it is only one secret among many. I just thought I'd save you the trouble of looking." The blue pair nodded slightly in acceptance, starting to get used to the fact that the Sage pair wouldn't answer their questions, Ryan wasn't finished, however, as he glanced over to Oromis before asking, "May Samanya and I take our leave? There is much for us to do if we are all leaving soon."
"There is nothing else. Go do what must be done, we leave as soon as Eragon and Saphira are ready.", Oromis replied, giving Ryan and Samanya a nod as well.
"We will be waiting.", Ryan replied, adding a short bow before striding over to Samanya and swiftly climbing into her saddle before she took to the sky. As Samanya flew them both back to the city, Ryan stretched out his mind to find Rhunön, the most famous elven blacksmith, who he had asked almost as soon as he had arrived in Ellesméra to produce a suit of armor for him.
The armor had been a product of both Ryan's imagination and Rhunön's wisdom and experience. The armor began as a modified version of the Roman lorica segmentata armor with added greaves and bracers to provide better protection. Ryan had decided to forgo a helmet, however, citing its restriction of vision and hearing as a greater cost than the benefit of better protection. Ryan, though, added a few extra things as well, asking for a leather shoulder strap to carry a small crossbow and a quiver with a few arrows to preserve his pistol and its ammunition for truly critical situations. He also asked for a knife and sheath, just in case he lost his sword, to be attached to that shoulder strap. Lastly, Ryan had asked for something that he thought…perhaps a little extravagant and yet he thought could be extremely useful. The item was a right bracer mounted hidden blade to use in a situation where some…subtly might be required. Samanya had chuckled in Ryan's mind when he had asked for the blade, thinking of where the idea had come from and thinking the entire thing a bit…childish.
Regardless, Rhunön had completed the armor and its modifications almost a week before, using other elven blacksmiths for the items that she could not produce on her own. Ryan, however, had left the armor in her care, waiting to retrieve it until Eragon had returned and it was time for them to leave. Ryan hadn't even seen the armor set yet, though from Rhunön had told him it was something to behold.
It only took Samanya a few minutes to reach Rhunön's forge where Ryan, who couldn't stop smiling, dismounted and entered with Samanya following close behind. The smell of charcoal and feeling of immense heat greeted the Rider and dragon as they walked inside. The sound of clanging drifted from within the building, indicating the elven smith was hard at work.
"Rhunön elda?", Ryan called in a gap between the clangs.
"One moment.", came the elf's reply from deeper in the building. Ryan stood patiently by the entrance while Samanya had her head stuck inside. They only had to wait for a few moments before Rhunön appeared from behind her smithing equipment. "I assume you are here for your armor?", she asked as she wiped her hands off on a rag.
"Yes.", Ryan answered.
"Come with me.", Rhunön ordered, waving him forwards. Ryan followed her as she moved her way around her equipment and tools to a small room, which contained a variety of finished goods. Everything from tools to more armor could be found in the room that Ryan found himself in. "There you are, completed as you asked. Some of my best work I must say, although a bit less satisfying than making the Rider's swords.", she said, indicating towards a collection of armor pieces laying on a nearby table and her voice sounding…wishful as she finished. "Go ahead and put it on so I can fit it to you.", she added as he started to walk towards his new armor.
Ryan held up the chestpiece, which looked much like the Roman armor that it was inspired from, a greenish tint lay on the outer edges of all the plates and the plates themselves gleamed a subdued silver. He pulled it over his head after which Rhunön began to adjust the straps so that it would fit it better as she gave him a bit of information about the armor, telling him about the magical spells that had been cast over the metal to make it stronger, more durable, lighter, and resistant to rust and wear. After the chest piece finally rested snuggly on Ryan's chest, next came the leg greaves and bracers, which were single pieces so Ryan could put on and adjust them on his own. Rhunön looked over the Rider after he had finished, giving a small smile after seeing Ryan's expression of satisfaction with her work.
"Thank you very much, Rhunön elda.", Ryan said, turning his head to face the elven smith.
"Just come back to us alive, Ryan Williamsson, and I will be satisfied.", Rhunön replied with complete seriousness.
"I will do my best.", Ryan said with a small nod of respect. A knock suddenly came from the front of the building.
"Samanya," Ryan began to ask his dragon, "who's at the door?"
"It's Eragon and Saphira," she replied as Ryan and Rhunön made their way back to the front door, "they seemed to have found the brightsteel much quicker with your advice."
"Good.", Ryan replied, finally seeing Eragon and Saphira's head sticking through the front door. "Eragon.", Ryan offered with a nod of greeting.
"Ryan," Eragon replied, studying the Sage Rider's new armor, "the armor looks impressive."
"You can thank Rhunön for that. She couldn't have designed a better armor set.", Ryan said, rolling his arms and shoulders, reveling in the lightness and flexibility of the armor. "Did you have much difficulty finding it?"
"No, it was just where you said it was. The hardest part was getting the Menoa tree to give it to us…she didn't feel particularly good about being disturbed.", Eragon added, seeming to shake a little in memory of what had occurred.
"Found what?", Rhunön asked, working her way past Ryan to see what they talked about. Her eyes went wide when she saw the ball of metal that rested in Eragon's hands. "Where did you find that?", she asked the Blue Rider. Eragon's eyes flickered over to Ryan as he responded, "Under the roots of the Menoa tree."
And this is where I take my leave. Ryan thought nervously as he shuffled his way out the door before Rhunön could ask any questions. He quickly mounted Samanya and the pair took off back to their home, both of them laughing at what they imagined to be Rhunön's expression at the moment all the while. Once they arrived back at their simple yet nice home that had served them well since their arrival in Ellesméra. There the pair finally fell to the confortable embrace of sleep, their minds dreamless and calm, anticipating the lack of rest and wear of war that was to come…
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The dragon and Rider awoke early the next morning and quickly raced to get themselves ready for the coming storm. Samanya's saddle was put in its place, Ryan quickly put on his armor and strapped on his sword belt, shifting the sheath so that it rested diagonally on his back with his pistol and its ammunition strapped to the left side of his hip. After they were both prepared, the pair flew over to Oromis' hut, where they found both him and Eragon already waiting for them.
"It is good for you both to finally join us.", Oromis said in greeting as Samanya strode over to the group with Ryan on her back.
"We're ready when you both are.", Ryan replied, sensing Glaedr speaking to Samanya also.
"Then let us be gone from here.", Oromis replied, his eyes sweeping over the four others in front of him, "I have heard from Islanzadí that Nasuada has laid siege to the city of Feinster, and the Varden have great need of you…all of you."
"We have spent too long in Ellesméra", Saphira added.
"Perhaps," Glaedr responded, "but it was time well spent." Oromis quickly bounded up into the saddle perched on Glaedr's massive back, who turned towards the edge of the Craigs of Tel'naeír to take off. Oromis, however, had one last thing to add.
"As we fly," he began to say, "we can review the lists of true names that you have both learned in your time here." Eragon now mounted Saphira as well and the sage and sapphire dragons turned to follow their golden mentor.
"What did Glaedr talk to you about?", Ryan asked Samanya.
"He just wanted me to tell you that he had given Eragon and Saphira his Eldunarí," she replied with a mental shrug, "nothing we didn't already know would occur." Ryan gave a small nod and gave a small smile as he looked out over the edge of the Craigs. He watched as Glaedr unfurled his massive wings and jumped off the cliffs, leveling out several feet above the sea of the forest trees below. Samanya and Saphira followed close behind, Ryan giving a small whoop of joy as they plummeted downward. As the three started to pick up speed and the sea of forest trees began to zip by below, Saphira let out a ringing roar, one that was soon joined by another from Glaedr and Samanya.
Samanya's roar, however, sounded different from the rest. It traveled far further and carried an undertone of a strength and determination that was feared long before the Dragon Riders were ever known. A roar that all of the land had once heard…a roar that many an enemy of peace had listened to before their abrupt end.
It was a roar that Alagaësia had not heard for nearly a hundred millennia…
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R&R!