Disclaimer: If you've seen it somewhere else, I don't own it.
This certainly took be awhile, eh? Sorry, between graduation and all the other end of school year things times got hectic around here (and a bit of writer's block thrown in for good measure). I wanted to get this up and posted before I go on vacation for you all.
So without further ado, here you go…
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As swords clashed and blood flew between Galbatorix and Ryan, Vasir remained standing in the black of nothingness, watching the blue and green stars above pulse with energy, feeding the Rider the strength he needed to accomplish his goal.
It is a pitiful few. he thought as he gazed over them. There used to be millions…billions of us. But so many have gone… Vasir sighed, watching Ryan barely dodge a swordstrike to the midsection. Where did you go, Patriarch? he asked mournfully into the darkness, Where did you take them? Why did you leave us here? He stared for a few more moments into the darkness, praying for something, anything to answer his words. His sigh of defeat was all that could be heard in the engulfing darkness.
Reaper stood alone in the great sanctuary, the grave of those who survived the Great Cleansing, while his Assassins, his memories of warriors long dead, had gone to help defend his charge from the black king's mental assault.
"At least we're free again.", a voice said, belonging to a glowing green sphere that reshaped into a female Neomorph as it grew close to the ground. The figure was slightly taller than Vasir and appeared more built. She also wore Assassin armor and had a small smile on her face, the usual red eyes of the armor being replaced by shining amber orbs. "And this youngling," the ghostly apparition gestured to a portal where the battle between Ryan and Galbatorix could be seen, "shows some promise…wouldn't you say, Commander?" A smile grew on Vasir's face.
"Perhaps," Vasir said, turning his head to face the figure, "but he is still young, ignorant…and soon his knowledge will not be able to help him."
"He'll survive…just like us.", the figure grabbing his shoulder in reassurance, "He'll adapt, he'll learn, and he'll thrive, just like the rest of us when we were young, though, I can't really remember such a time.", she finished with a small chuckle. Vasir snorted in amusement.
"Really Giana? I seem to recall you never growing up.", Vasir joked lightheartedly, while the female, Giana, moved to stand beside him.
"Only because I had to compensate for you," Giana said slyly before giving a small lick to the side of Vasir's neck, "and besides, I seem to recall someone saying that it was one of my most endearing qualities."
"Very true." Vasir agreed before lowering his voice. "Is there any trace of the others, any sign of Patriarch and Matriarch?", he asked wishfully.
"None and I've searched as far outward as I could, even examining Outposts Fells and Edur Deloi, but I've found nothing, not even a whisper of a consciousness." Vasir sighed in frustration
"Why would they make it so that not even we could find them? They knew of the prophecy. They saw it. They spoke it! So why the secrecy? Why the isolation? Why am I still stuck here while the rest of you get to leave? Why am I still to remain here ALONE?", He growled in anger. Giana pulled him so that they could face each other fully, her eyes boring into his amethyst ones.
"Everything has a time and place, you should know this more than anyone. You have stood here, silent and alone for many millennia while the rest of us slept overhead. What are a few more months or years to that? Then when your task is done and the youngling has made us whole…then we can finally rest together in peace." Giana comforted, her voice soft and gentle.
"I know…", Alyass whispered, his voice pained, "but with every passing day it gets harder. I sometimes find myself asking why we continue to do this, even so long after the last of us have returned to the earth. Why should our blood be spilled because of the foolish mistakes of others? Why must our agony be prolonged for a race and land that has all but forgotten us? Why…" Giana's finger silenced him, lightly resting on his lips, her body closing so her face rested only a few inches from his.
"That…", Giana whispered, "that is something that only you can answer and, maybe, the youngling is not the only one who shall learn from your partnership, perhaps, in the end, you shall find something worth fighting for…even if it is even reuniting with me in death."
As Giana's last words melted away into the darkness, so did she, her body dissipating and her star returning to the sky above, while her other half mournfully stared after her before leaving the black realm and rejoining the fight that raged both outside, and inside his young charge's mind…
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"Ghost Eye! this is Striker 2-4, I need immediate air support at grid Alpha 7 Delta 5, over!", a Marine yelled into his radio as his comrades weapons fire crackled all around him. Machine guns and rifles fired nonstop at Galbatorix's massive army, whose endless tide of bodies had stalled at the Marine defensive lines around the cities. Weapon's barrels glowed a dull red from the constant firing. "Jackson!", the Marine then called, the man in question turning his head slightly in acknowledgement, "hit that tower with your launcher!", the Marine leader indicated one of the many siege towers arrayed in front of them.
"Sir!", Jackson replied, sliding off his SMAW launcher and loading a rocket.
"Saber 1, this is Ghost Eye, I'm directing a heavy to you, callsign Rough Rider, he'll plow the road for you.", a voice said over the radio.
"Roger that…", the Marine yelled before being loudly interrupted by a yell of "Backblast clear!" and the Whoosh! of a rocket launch as Jackson fired his launcher. The round flew straight and true, exploding on impact and demolishing the top half of the tower. The Marine lieutenant took this in for a moment before continuing, " tell him to come in perpendicular to our position and aim for the rows of catapults at grid Alpha 8 Charlie 3, over."
"Request relayed, support in thirty seconds, Ghost Eye out.", the man at the other end finished. The lieutenant turned and yelled at his men.
"Heads up Marines! Heavy bombing run, thirty seconds!", he yelled before returning to fire his rifle. All around him the walls of Hope shook with the impact of catapult stones and the mass firing of weapons. The ground below the city's walls was soaked with the blood of the black king's fallen. Artillery craters littered the landscape, which had lost it's previously green fields of grass, turning into a mass of brown mud and dismembered bodies.
"10 seconds.", a voice said calmly over the radio. The voice stayed silent for a few more moments. "Five seconds.", it spoke one last time. The Marines barely had time to duck their heads before the whistle of falling bombs could be heard as a B-52 passed high overhead. The earth groaned and shook from the force of the resulting explosions. The great roar drove needles into their ears. Fountains of dirt flew skywards from the impacts, shielding the effect of the run from view for a moment. The Marines cautiously peeked their heads over the lip of the wall to find the latest attack wave practically annihilated, the pieces of their bodies and siege machines joining the thousands of others on the landscape.
Rest was not to come, however, as the king had decided to try a new tactic. A massive hoard of dragons soared towards the city. Ryan, however, had found a counter for that too.
"Flak batteries, prepare to engage!", Ryan called over the command channel. Across the city, men sprang from buildings to rooftops, ripping tarps away to reveal everything from four barreled 20mm guns, to 40mm Bofors cannons, to the heavy 90mm dual-purpose artillery weapons, which also served as artillery support for the city. The barrels of dozens of gun batteries swung outwards, shells were loaded in the chambers, hands eagerly held triggers and lanyards, waiting for the order to fire at the dark clouds of dragons.
"Fire at will!", and as one the guns opened up, seeming to sheath the city's rooftops in flame. Flak shells raced towards the approaching enemy before detonating among them, metal shards flying from the gray puffs they made in the sky. The dragons continued to run the gauntlet of steel as the shards scythed through them. Dozens, hundreds fell, but the rest continued on, a lucky few breaking through only to drop from the sky due to Marine machine gun fire. But then another army of ground troops appeared, marching towards the city with their siege equipment and, with most of the artillery occupied with the dragon threat, there wasn't enough firepower left to stop them…
"To all forces defending the city of Hope, I am Blade, my forces are incoming, watch your fire.", a new voice spoke over the radio. Instantly as the new voice grew silent the whine of aircraft could be heard. The Marines jerked their heads towards the sounds, beholding a formation of VTOL aircraft the likes of which they had never seen. The craft drew close to the inside of the wall, while others landed in open courtyards. They opened their cargo bays to reveal dozens of Neomorphian soldiers, who quickly took up positions alongside their Marine counterparts. Other transports dropped tanks, other vehicles, and self-propelled artillery for the fight. Sleek, heavily armed, and nimble gunships raced overhead, soaring to engage the flights of dragons with their missiles and miniguns. Futuristic fighters and bombers roared with them, some dropping odd canisters that seemed to disintegrate anything in their path upon impact, while others fired missiles and laser cannons.
Meanwhile, as Ryan stood in his command center, surveying everything with a critical, yet stunned eye, Vasir standing by his side and another Neomorph, Blade, on the other side of the holographic table, he looked questioningly at Blade.
"What is all this?", he asked. Blade nodded over towards Vasir, who turned his head and replied.
"It is what you will become."
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The flash and clanging of sword blades mixed with roars of anger and pain over the city of Gil'ead. It was a battle that many down below watched in awe. A battle fought between two minds backed with such power as Alagëasia had not seen in a hundred years. It was a battle where the tendrils of magic flowed effortlessly between the two sides. The very world around them served as their weapons. Then, once they had tired of testing the other's knowledge of magic, the two Riders collided in a brawl of blade and fang. Both sides staked everything on the hope that the other would collapse before their own energy would run out.
Swords clanged off shields or armor, magic faded against wards or flew away at an opponent's command. Down below the two Riders the world had stopped. The battle below became silent as the two sides retreated to their respective lines. The elves stared up in amazement at the sheer power that was casually flung about above them. The Imperials stared up in wonder; amazed that anyone could stand against their king for so long. Yet what was readily apparent to both sides was that the two Riders were evenly matched. Blow for blow, spell for spell, the two sides matched the other. It seemed as if both wished to test the limits of the other's strength and knowledge.
It was a fight Ryan knew he could not win, if not for the dozens of Neomorphs that fed him energy and advised him over the course of the fight. Others did the same for Samanya, whose fangs and claws had drawn as much blood as her opponent. Samanya, however, was finding it difficult to match Thorn's superior speed and agility. Glaedr's larger body granted her more strength and allowed her to take more damage, but the change in forms confused her fighting style, which helped Thorn-Shruikan score several damaging blows in the first few minutes of their fight. As she grew used to the larger body of her mentor, however, Samanya began to give back every wound she got, matching the black dragon move for move, the few dead Reona that remained with the Neomorphs assisting her.
Oromis, Glaedr, and Istarli had decided to remain silent after quickly informing Islanzadi of the situation. The elder Rider and dragons watched in amazement as the previously inexperienced Sage Rider matched Galbatorix's every action. They watched impotently at the mental battle that raged in Ryan's mind, fascinated with the great machines and creatures that fought within.
The two dragons finally clashed once again, Ryan deflecting a blow to head before slashing towards his opponent's midsection. The blade was easily batted aside and countered by another blow. So the battle had become to Ryan, block, counterattack, parry, strike, it felt like a cycle that would never end.
"You certainly are an interesting one.", the black king yelled as the two separated once again. "Such power, such skill, it has been a while since I have had the pleasure of a challenge."
"I think you find me much more than just a challenge!", Ryan taunted. Galbatorix chuckled darkly at the Rider's words.
"Haha, such confidence, and coming from such an inexperienced child," Gabatorix's eyes bored into Ryan's own, "I can sense the others within you speaking, directing, supporting…What will you do once they are all used up? What will you do once their power ceases to flow through your veins?"
"And what makes you think I'll run out before you?", Ryan asked with a smirk.
"You really think that you can match my strength and knowledge? You are a fool, child, a fool who does not know the powers that he meddles in.", Glabatorix replied with the same self assured tone.
"Really? And yet I know so much about you, O king. I know who you are, what you've done. What makes you so different from what you call me? You deal with Shades and Ra'zac and abominations of men and for what!..."
"For the peace and security of all of Alagëasia! The Riders, the elves, and now the Varden, all of you seek to subjugate the good people of the Empire to your will. All of this death, destruction, all of it is on your hands!", the black king yelled vehemently.
"…And what of the Riders? What of the dragons? What of Jarnunvösk? How many have died due to your foolishness! How many have suffered due to your simple inability to accept your own failure and grief?", Ryan snapped. Ryan barely registered a battle cry before the red dragon was on them again, with Zar'roc flashing downwards in a series of savage strikes. Ryan swiftly brought up Oromis' shield and sword to block the strikes before replying with his own. A blur of strikes and counterattacks flew between them as one tried to unseat the other. Below them their dragons viciously clawed and bit at the other, creating deep gashes and gushing wounds that flowed with sticky, red blood. The blows that traveled between Riders were just as deadly and, since their wards had long since been depleted, each connecting strike cut into armor and flesh.
And, although Oromis' elven body was fast, Murtagh's body, momentarily enhanced by the king's magic, was faster, it was all Ryan could do to keep up with the whirlwind of blows the rained down on him. Finally, Galbatorix did something unexpected. First he feinted high, drawing Ryan to guard his head, before striking low at the straps that held the Rider in place in the saddle, cutting the one that held his left foot. Ryan desperately hung on to the front of the saddle, barely deflecting another blow, and his mind starting to panic as he started to slide off. It was a long way down.
"Samanya! take us down!", Ryan was barely able to yell before Galbatorix managed to cut the other strap and Ryan dropped from her back. A roar of anger and fear from the green dragon was cut short at the black dragon lunged forwards once again, holding her in place as she desperately tried to escape.
"Focus, youngling!", Vasir commanded to Ryan as panic seized the Rider's mind. It didn't work, even with Vasir and the other Neomorphs screaming in his head, all Ryan saw was the rapidly approaching earth.
"Do something!", Vasir tried one last time, again with no effect. Ryan could feel his frustration in his own mind, growing by the second at the Rider's inaction. "Child!", he yelled in insult to the young man as he used his own magical strength to push the Rider's frozen consciousness aside to seize control of Oromis' body only a few hundred feet off the ground. Ryan could feel the power and knowledge radiating from Vasir, who effortlessly turned so he was parallel to the ground and spread his arms and legs, which slowed the fall some. Then, in the last few seconds before impact, he tilted feet first and cast a spell that Ryan had never heard of before on the ground below. The magic acted like a trampoline when hit, absorbing the fall's energy and bouncing him back upwards a few feet, only for him to roll out of it when the ground approached once more, finding himself to only be a couple dozen yards outside the city's walls, faces staring in awe at the display.
Ryan watched impassively in his mind at the entire event. Vasir had just saved them from a fall from over two thousand feet, albeit with an appropriately large energy drain, and he didn't have a scratch on him.
"We were trained for orbital drops, youngling, and how to land even if our pods were hit.", Vasir said, sensing the Rider's unspoken question. A vengeful roar then echoed from their left. Vasir turned to behold Samanya plowing Shruikan into the ground before rolling off and running to his side.
"Ryan! Ryan, are you all right?", she cried in worry.
"I'm in here," Ryan replied calmly, "Vasir took over for a little bit, couldn't have chosen a better time too. How can you do that anyway?", Ryan asked.
"Later!", Vasir snapped, seeing their opponents rise to their feet a few yards away.
"You survived.", came Galbatorix's cold voice. "Most impressive for a whelp as yourself." It was Vasir who replied to the king's words this time, his voice laced with anger and contempt.
"You do not speak to a mere whelpling,dauthleikr."
"Ah…so the child's defenders finally see fit to grace me with their presence. Might I ask the identity of whom I am speaking with, O great one?", Galbatorix said with a mock bow.
"I am but a ghost, a silent sentinel, a harbinger for what was and is yet to come. Heed my warning, you shall submit or you shall burn."
"I think not, your empty threats and pathetic skill does not frighten me. Besides, I already know so much about you…", the king added with a smirk before striking out with his mind, finding Ryan, who had found himself in charge of mental defense, off guard. In those precious few moments Galbatorix was able to overrun one of Ryan's smaller memory databases…and see what lay within.
Fragmented memories. Flashes…Eragon. Saphira…his fight through the desert trading town…the forthcoming battle at Dras Leona…his knowledge of the Eldunarí…knowledge of Galbatorix's use of The Name…Kuthian…
"No!", Ryan screamed as he quickly mounted a counterattack, driving the king away from the database. Vasir cried in challenge at the intrusion, closing the distance between the Riders in the blink of an eye, blade slashing downwards at his opponent's throat. Galbatorix moved to deflect it but found his blade being steadily pushed downwards regardless. The king's eyes barely displayed surprise at the turn of events, the emotion being buried deep underneath layers of mental defenses. What other secrets is this whelp hiding? he thought as he redirected Vasir's strike left and spun out of the way.
"Well, well, well, quite the stash of secrets you possess are quite extraordinary. It does not surprise me that you know of my Eldunarí, but you know of my project, now that is quite interesting…your sources must be very well informed indeed.", Galbatorix taunted while deflecting Vasir's blows. "And what's this about a store of Eldunarí at this…Rock of Kuthian, now that is quite startling, especially for them to have remained hidden from me all this time…"
"It shall not matter, your fate is sealed, no matter the power that you amass. Forces beyond your knowledge and power have come to reclaim what was lost long ago. You rule because we allowed it, and you shall perish because we demand it.", Vasir snarled.
"Such talk for one who has nothing left to hide. I assure you, once I find your precious Eldunarí, I will personally find you and, only after ripping away everything you hold dear, I will end your pathetic life in that you have my promise.", Galbatorix sneered while slashing at Vasir.
"You know nothing of us, child. We know your every secret, while you fumble in the dark.", Vasir replied with a sadistic smile, easily deflecting the king's blow and giving the man a quick kick to the stomach, forcing the king back. A flurry of strikes soon followed with Vasir steadily gaining ground through his greater experience.
Meanwhile Ryan, with newfound determination, was accomplishing much the same in Murtagh and Thorn's minds…
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Ryan sat silently while the whir of helicopter blades surrounded him along with Blade and five of his Marines, using one of them as avatar of sorts so he could intervene in the situation himself. His blood was up. All of them felt the anger coil in their stomachs at what had occurred. Galbatorix had violated their most precious sanctuary and that would not pass without retribution.
Their Blackhawk was but one of the many aircraft, both Ryan's and Neomorphian, that clouded the skies of the Red Rider's consciousness. Their vengeance being wrought in the weapons or troops they brought to the fight. Much the same was occurring in Thorn's mind, with Samanya leading the fight there.
The mission of this particular group was simple: infiltrate the king's headquarters and kill the king's avatar within, thus releasing his current hold on Murtagh, allowing Vasir to easily defeat the Red Rider. So, while the rest of Ryan's forces went in guns blazing, this group's helicopter carefully stayed low to avoid notice before rising up above the castle's walls and allowing the group to fast rope down into the keep's inner courtyard. The precious few seconds of surprise was all it took for them to hit the ground and find cover from enemy arrows. One of the Marines, unfortunately, was hit just moments before reaching the protection of a few wooden barrels and dropped with a silent scream. The survivors returned fire with Ryan personally downing four within the first five seconds.
Blade, however, worked differently. He didn't rope down from the chopper with the others, he jumped out…he didn't seek cover with the others, he stood his ground…and, when the first red and black soldiers began to charge, he met them.
Perhaps met is too weak of a word. Ryan thought as he watched Blade effortlessly rip through the soldiers, using sword, pistol, fangs, and clawed hands to destroy any that opposed him. His efforts were fluid. He moved like water. Every movement had a purpose and the skill he executed them with far exceeded any Ryan had seen before. As Ryan watched the dead Assassin tear through the enemy, he also noticed that the fire on his team had slackened…this was their chance to get inside.
"Somebody get that door open!", he ordered, pointing out a small side entrance to the keep.
"Sir!", two Marines responded. One quickly rushed up to the door and shot away the locking mechanism, after which the other kicked in the door and the two went in guns blazing. "Clear!", came their cry.
"Fall back into the keep!", Ryan said, waving his men inside. "Blade let's go!" The Assassin turned to glance at him for a moment before giving a bloody fanged smile and nonchalantly throwing two grey spheres towards the enemies around him. The spheres blew in balls of fire and superheated metal, shredding any close by and allowing Blade to reach the others inside the doorway.
"You two, cover the doorway! Make sure no one else gets in behind us!", Ryan yelled, pointing out the two he wanted to stay. He then turned to Blade. "What next?", he asked.
"Galbatorix's avatar is undoubtedly in the throne room, Murtagh as well, other than that…", Blade stared into Ryan, seeming to be studying the Rider, "these are your men, I shall follow you." Ryan nodded.
"Let's go then." Ryan, Blade, and two Marines ran deeper into the structure. They occasionally ran into one or two soldiers inside, but a quick burst of rifle fire easily put them on the ground. Upwards they climbed until they reached a floor that opened up into a tall and wide room with pillars lining the path to two large wooden doors that rested on the other side. Two dozen soldiers littered the room.
Ryan signaled the others behind him, huddled on the sides of the doorway. All four pulled out a grenade, pulled the pin, waited for a nod, then tossed them in. Four bangs marked their detonations as the team rushed in. Seven had fallen to the grenades, four more quickly dropped from rifle fire. A volley of arrows answered a few seconds later, dropping another Marine with an arrow through the eye. One hit Ryan as well, although it hit his Kevlar chest armor and was quickly broken off then tossed away without a second thought. The three remaining of the group darted behind the pillars and fired back, killing several more. Soon after, Ryan became absorbed in the fighting and barely registered a battle cry before a sword handle collided with his face, sending him to the ground. Two soldiers stood above him ready to finish the job…
Blade intervened. He grabbed the sword arm of the first man and pulled, opening the man up for Blade to sink his teeth into his neck and twist, breaking it. The second man followed soon after, sword arm broken and the sword itself shoved through his chest. Blade only took one more moment to kick Ryan's rifle back to him before rejoining the fray.
Ryan frantically grabbed his weapon and stood, only to find that only five soldiers remained; two fell to his rifle, the other three to a combination of sword strikes and pistol rounds from Blade; and the last Marine dead.
"Everyone alright?", Ryan asked. The other two nodded. "Good, let's finish this.", he added heatedly, before jogging up to the doors and shoving them apart.
The room that met his eyes was simple, decorated with a few noteworthy items, like a fragment of a red dragon eggshell, which lay in glass containers along the sides. Two men stood at the head of the room, one was young, tan, and had long brown hair, undoubtedly Murtagh; while another was tall, bald, and wore black armor…
"Why, welcome honored guests, we have been waiting for you.", came the king's unmistakable voice. Blade snarled before snapping up his pistol and firing at the man, only for the rounds to ricochet off in various directions. "My, my, my, it seems that no one cares for proper pleasantries anymore."
"Perhaps I would consider it if you weren't digging in places where you don't belong.", Ryan retorted angrily.
"You cast away my offers of peace, you consort with known rebels, you conspire for my empire's destruction. You have made it necessary…", the king tried to say.
"Silence!", Blade roared before rushing the king. Galbatorix reacted with orb of fire, which was quickly sent away into a nearby wall. The two combatants blades then met in a flurry of sparks.
Murtagh tried to intervene, but a stream of bullets dissuaded him. He turned to find Ryan, his rifle up and ready.
"Drop it.", Ryan snapped, his body tense.
"You know I can't do that.", Murtagh replied neutrally.
"Worth a try.", Ryan said monotone before firing again as Murtagh dashed forward. Only a few rounds managed to leave the barrel before the Red Rider closed the distance. Ryan shifted the rifle as Murtagh slashed downwards, catching the blade in between the rifle's magazine and pistol grip. He then redirected the blow to his left before thrusting the rifle butt into Murtagh's face, stunning him long enough for Ryan to discard the rifle and draw his own sword.
"Are you here to kill me?", Murtagh asked as they began to duel.
"I'm hoping it doesn't come to that.", Ryan said sincerely while ducking under a blow and slashing left.
"What choice do you have?", Murtagh blocked Ryan's attack before stepping back for a moment.
"There's always a choice.", Ryan replied, stepping forwards to attack. The fight continued, both combatants giving everything they had, one because his oaths required it, one because his heart demanded it. Ryan knew that the only chance Murtagh had at being free again required his victory and, at the vary least in Ryan's opinion, the Rider deserved to choose his fate, no matter what it may be.
As the fighting progressed Ryan began to feel Murtagh weaken, the fight with Oromis earlier having drained much from him. Ryan pressed harder, struck faster, and attacked smarter, looking for the opening that would allow him to finish the fight. The opening came when Murtagh shifted just a bit too slow. Ryan capitalized on the mistake by bringing his sword down on Murtagh's head, distracting him when he pushed the sword to the side and delivered a hard kick to the Red Rider's knee, breaking it with a loud Crack!. Murtagh dropped with a shout and the pommel of Ryan's sword met his face on the way down, knocking him unconscious.
A crash sounded from the side as Murtagh hit the floor, Ryan jerked around to find Galbatorix on the ground a few yards away, blood streaming from several wounds and his sword knocked away from him. Blade stood close by in much the same condition, ready to finish the job.
"You are finished," Blade hissed, "leave now, or I shall do it for you."
"Haha!", the king cackled, "very well then, you have won this round youngling.", he said, turning to Ryan. "But hear this, your victory here does not matter, my power is absolute. I know of your precious secret at Kuthian and I assure you that your precious 'hope' shall soon rest in my hands." He turned his attention to Blade, "I go now, but always remember, everything has a price." Galbatorix quickly channeled a massive amount of magic into his hand before tossing it at Ryan at an incredible speed. Ryan barely had time to stare at the orb as it raced towards him.
Blade roared and reacted in the blink of an eye, jumping in between the attack and the Rider. The orb exploded, blowing the Neomorph into the far wall as Galbatorix cackled and faded away, ceding victory to Ryan and his allies.
Ryan dashed over to where Blade's body lay and watched as it dissipated, a blue, glowing, ghostly apparition of Blade rising from the ground. Blade looked up.
"It is done.", he said, smiling.
"It's done.", Ryan smiled back as he helped the Neomorph to his feet.
"Excellent work, youngling,", Blade said with newfound respect, holding out his hand for a shake, "I must say I had my doubts about you, but…you show promise, maybe in time you'll make a proper warrior."
"Coming from you, it's quite an honor.", Ryan replied, shaking Blade's hand
"The honor has been mine.", the two dropped their hands.
"What will happen now?", Ryan asked. Blade gave the Rider a small smile.
"Things change.", Blade began as a portal appeared, showing the final moments of Vasir's battle with Murtagh. "We return to where we belong…power shifts…fortunes are altered…and everything you are becomes something more."
"Something more?", Ryan asks with curiosity…and a bit of anxiety.
"Peace, youngling, what shall come shall allow you to become what all of Alagëasia needs...", Blade's voice quieted to a whisper, "…what we need." The two watched in silence for a moment as they saw Vasir disarming Murtagh's defenseless body before knocking him out, leading to the portal fading to blackness.
"Our time here is done," Blade said with a sigh. He faced Ryan once more, "Good bye, Ryan ********, and good hunting."
"You too, Blade.", Ryan replied, waving his hand as Blade moved away. Blade spoke one last time as his body began to dissipate away.
"My name is Uri Sartim, and when all of this is over, come find me and we can talk of better times." As the final words drifted out of Uri's mouth his body disappeared, along with every other Neomorph that inhabited Ryan's mind except for Vasir, who radiated sadness at their passing. Ryan and Vasir returned to Ryan's own mind, where something awaited them.
The Neomorphs had gone, but not without leaving one last gift for the Rider, one that would change him, for better…or worse…
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Eragon watched the Green Rider intently, Arya by his side. The Shade, Varaug, had given them quite the fight, but luckily they had escaped without anything too major. Only trace amounts of magic and a sword marked the creature's passing and Eragon was all too happy for it.
What he wasn't happy about was the Ryan lying apparently unconscious before him with Samanya in much the same state close by. The two were alive, much to their relief, but their astonishment at realizing that Ryan and Samanya had directly intervened in a battle dozens of leagues away, with a power matching the black king himself, and also won said battle. It shocked them that one so young and inexperienced could possess such power…and then anger came at Ryan's hiding of it. The anger began to die down as they continued to watch the Sage pair fight through small glimpses from Glaedr's Eldunarí. They didn't see everything, but they saw enough to pacify them for the time being.
But, just when they thought things couldn't get any stranger, a symbol began to glow on Ryan and Samanya's chests. Blue for Ryan, green for Samanya. The symbols looked the exact same and began to beat as if in rhythm to their hearts as Eragon, Saphira, and Arya could only look on in amazement.
Lines of light began to arch out from the symbols, looking to trace the veins that rested beneath the pair's skin, they too pulsed in sync with the symbols. Then as the pulsing began to grow faster Eragon felt Ryan's mind stretch out to him.
"Eragon… ask Oromis and Glaedr…Kuthian…must go…the king.", Ryan whispered, sounding as if in great pain. The connection faded out as Eragon desperately tried to hold onto it, but the Sage Rider's mind was slippery and, a few moments later, it vanished altogether. Eragon frantically checked for a pulse, finding a weak beat but one nonetheless.
Then a concentration of magic the likes of which the Blue Pair had never felt began to collect around both Ryan and Samanya. Eragon jerked his hand away from Ryan's body as it intensified. Light crackled like lightning from points of their bodies as the magic grew until it encircled the two in balls of white light, moving and twisting as if it were alive. The light around Samanya ceased first, seeming to absorb into her body, which appeared much like normal…
Ryan, however, was a different story. The light around him began to lengthen and contract inwards towards his body. The form began to change to a being with four toes, four fingers, and approaching six feet tall. The orb began to glow brighter…move faster…arc more often and with more power until, with one bright pulse of light, it dissipated.
Eragon, Saphira, and Arya reopened their eyes, squinting from the effects of the bright light as they tried to see what had become of Ryan.
Eragon rubbed his eyes one last time to rid them of the spots in his vision before glancing over to where Ryan lay…
…what met his eyes was a creature the likes of which he had never seen…
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Meanwhile, deep within the heart of Urû'baen, the black king mulled over current events.
The loss of Murtagh and Thorn, along with their Eldunarí, is regrettable, Galbatorix thought, but this knowledge of a place where dragon eggs and Eldunarí just lay waiting to be claimed…this far outweighs the loss. the king smirked in triumph, Murtagh and Thorn shall soon be dead, by the hands of elves or Varden it does not matter. Honor and their foolish sense of justice will demand it.
Galbatorix stood from his throne and paced a few steps, his hands clasped behind his back in a thoughtful pose. The power of the youngling cannot be ignored, however, steps must be taken to ensure he does not threaten my authority. The ones who help him must be dealt with as well…but perhaps more slowly, the knowledge they could give could be most beneficial.
"Captain!", he yelled.
"Sir!"
"Send for Shade immediately."
"Yes, my lord!", the captain swiftly departed to carry out his orders as he smirked in triumph.
Yes, things shall turn out quite well…
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MAGICAL ANOMALY DETECTED…SCANNING
SEARCH COMPLETED…IDENTIFYING SOURCE
ERROR…SOURCE NOT FOUND
COMPARING SIGNATURE WITH KNOWN USERS…MATCH FOUND
IDENTIFICATION : CLASS 1 SIGNATURE…COMPARING CLASS 1 USERS
SPECIES #005 (RECLAIMER) – 54% MATCH
SPECIES #004 (FORERUNNER) – 67% MATCH
SPECIES #001 (SKULBLAKA) – 91% MATCH
SPECIES #002 (VARDASKUL) – 99% MATCH
RERUNNING COMPARISON…RESULTS COMFIRMED
OPERATION SENTINEL STATUS : IN PROGRESS
STATUS CHANGED : COMPLETE
OPERATION RISING SUN INTIATED…
WELCOME BACK, GUARDIAN.
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R&R!