I had no idea how to edit stuff, so I deleted and reposted this chapter that has some fixes and a better ending. The previous ending was really bad, so I guess this worth the effort for what is to come to the plot.
With only one thing in mind, Eragon dashed through the buildings of Feinster with all the speed he could muster. Every second could spell the death of another soldier of the Varden who could not resist the relentless onslaught enforced by the King. If there were any Varden that could stand such powerful opponent: it was him.
When he reached the battlefield his heart almost skipped a beat the moment his brown eyes locked on a robed man who seemed to be toying with the helpless men. Everything he had done, everyone he lost had led to this particular moment. Brisingr stood firmly in his hand, ready to slash the tyrant everywhere it would sneak; anger and fury welled up in the unflinching gaze of Eragon. Yet, as every other human, he couldn't help but feel the fear accumulating in him like a vile poison. To keep his thoughts coherent and not let his courage falter, Eragon clenched his teeth and picked up a fallen bow and an arrow in one hand along with two swords that he hung on to his belt. Unlike Galbatorix, he still had the element of surprise, and with a little fortune, this fight would end before it even begins.
After taking a deep and reassuring breath, Eragon used a spell to give himself enough power to jump on top of a building that offered him an upper view of the fight. Suddenly, the King disarmed the guards, apart from one who stood away from the fight. Unexpected as it was, Eragon knew he could use this opportunity to strike swift and decisively, but not before telling the guards mentally to run away. With alacrity, he placed the swords on the roof and moved the arrow to his right hand.
"Brisingr," he whispered while nocking the arrow carefully. You meet your end here, Galbatorix. "Risa!" Eragon murmured, sending the two swords flying towards his enemy with speed immediately before he fired the arrow upwards in his direction. With unflagging fortitude, Eragon jumped off the building and readied his sword for the battle that would end it all.
Right after the dazzling flames dissipated into nothingness, Eragon slashed with his sword in a flurry of fast attacks, hoping that speed alone could overcome the king after the fiery explosion and expose a flaw in his defense. Much to his dismay, the green blade moved with impressive alacrity, intercepting all of Eragon's attacks. It was as if his training had all been in vain, yet it was too fast for him to lose his hope.
Gritting his teeth, Eragon performed a quick slash at Galbatorix's exposed arm, almost sure that his fast thinking would turn the tides of battle. His sword collided yet again with the king's blade, but Eragon was aware that something like this would happen: with a quick move, Eragon folded his body as he pulled his sword into a spinning slash. Brisingr moved like a blur through the air, the sharp blade ready to cut anything in its path.
A resonating clang made Eragon's sensitive ears protest at the unpleasant sound as the indestructible blue blade met another one of its kin. Then, not even a moment after the king managed to defend himself against such a quick strike, a powerful blow made Eragon's head explode with pain as Galbatorix brought his arm to the side and smacked the young Rider with the back of his hand.
Reacting on instinct, Eragon rolled on the ground, planting a safe distance between him and his enemy so he could recover from his dizziness.
"You disappoint me, Eragon. I had higher expectation from the last free Rider, knowing that Oromis trained you personally. Quite the irony, I must say," he said before pulling off his hood, revealing the face of the one who was feared throughout Alagaësia.
"That old fool seems to have taken his last secrets to his grave, rather than sharing them with the Varden's last hope," Galbatorix continued on an amused tone and grabbed his robe with one hand, throwing it away. From his lower position, Eragon clenched his teeth and strengthened his grip on Brisingr when he saw the face of Galbatorix, the one Rider who killed an entire order.
Much to his surprise, Galbatorix looked imposing and somewhat charismatic compared to the image he had previously formed mentally from the fragments of rumors. Even if his ominous emerald eyes sparkled with frightening strength that was enough to send chills down anyone's spine, his dark hair was well groomed and the almost perfect face made him look just like a normal human. Still, mistaking him for one was an error, because even if his looks were not exaggerated, his expression still inspired a feeling of uneasiness, like he was the vessel of an ancient and mysterious power. His chin was hidden beneath a short, black beard that was finely trimmed.
Frowning deeply, Eragon maintained his composure, "This is just the beginning, Galbatorix. You have no idea what I am capable of." A smile of defiance stretched across the King's face when his words reached his ears. He seemed quite pleased with Eragon's courage and determination.
"Your naivety amuses me, Eragon. Just because a dragon hatches for you, pride and aspiration towards the absolute crawl their way so fast to the top of your ideals?" he laughed chillingly, but Eragon did not falter. An unbendable will and unyielding principles were the only barriers that protected everything he treasured the most.
"Saphira chose me because of what she had felt when I touched her egg. She hatched for me willingly and was not forced into slavery when she was young, like your dragon!" he snapped vengefully. Contrary to his beliefs, Galbatorix did not even move a face muscle. His impassive expression denoted no sadness, no remorse, no feelings… Was that the product of the past he experienced? A calm reply snapped Eragon out of his musings.
"Still you cling to your misguided principles. You consider yourself one of a kind, when in fact, another person could be here in your place." Eragon felt the painful stab of doubt edging at the back of his mind. Ever since Saphira hatched for him, he never doubted the power of the bond that formed between them. N...no, he's doing it on purpose; he tried to reassure himself while he began crawling away from the dark, indomitable presence in front of him.
"Saphira loves me! My friends care about me!" The harsh tone was laced with the sweet hesitation of doubt, making Galbatorix sketch a sinister grin.
"Love… you call it sincere, I call it a blissful lie. It deludes your mind from what really matters by offering you nothing but false promises," said the king solemnly, the distance between him and Eragon shrinking with each of his slow steps.
"I will not believe any more of your lies, traitor! What do you know about companionship when every bond you form is one of slavery?" The king's merciless glance made Eragon gulp emptily, his courage wavering before the stoic presence that was now a few feet away from him.
Summoning his wits, he almost shouted with conviction, "You brought only suffering upon the people of Alagaësia, and everyone despises you for that!" After taking one more step, Galbatorix stopped and pointed the tip of the sword towards the helpless Rider who still crawled on the floor like a helpless prey. "Haven't the Varden done the same? How many lives were lost because of your pitiful rebellion?"
No fast answer came. Galbatorix's words were like poison coated arrows meant to destroy his inner defenses and make him vulnerable. After inspecting his immediate surroundings for anything that he might use to surprise the king, Eragon replied to buy himself more time, "It's all because of your doing!" He continued to withdraw until his hand made contact with a cold, bloodied surface. He barely suppressed a yelp of shock when he turned his head around and saw the dead elves, their previous serenity washed away by death's embrace.
"You should see yourself, Eragon," Galbatorix chuckled, summoning Eragon's awareness in an instant. His heart was pounding and a thin layer of cold perspiration made slithered down his temple, but his grip on Brisingr never lessened. "A youngling such as you can not hope to comprehend the reality of this conflict. It's far above your capabilities for now," Galbatorix added mockingly while his eyes shifted towards the dead elves. Then, much to his surprise, Eragon noticed something; he had never seen a person looking at someone with such disgust and contempt.
"Such arrogant little insects deserve to be squashed without hesitation." His hateful tone unnerved Eragon even more, up to the point where he felt that he couldn't take this mental torture anymore.
Galbatorix pointed at the dead elves with one hand, a smug look on his face, "Your precious feelings/sentiments will not be of any help when the cold grip of death will grab the ones you treasure one by one, until the veil of darkness would consume everything. And then you will remain alone."
"Stop it! I will not hear any more poison-coated words, you cold-blooded murderer!" snapped Eragon as he jumped onto his feet, lunging at the king with pure hatred in his heart.
Galbatorix smiled bitterly, assuming his usual fighting stance before Eragon even swung at him. Such an impulsive attack was obvious to him, and fear lodged into Eragon's heart when he slowly accepted that Galbatorix could read him like an open book. Maybe this was what he wanted all along, to trap him in a point of no escape.
Soon enough the two blades clashed again in a mighty blow that resonated through the area. Letting his rage and his hatred towards the king guide his blows, Eragon pulled his sword back, unleashing its destructive force in a mighty slash as soon as he was close enough. Although the powerful hit was easily countered by the king, Eragon slashed and hacked with unnatural strength and speed, pouring everything he got to slay this vile-tongued killer.
The king quickly parried each blow without allowing Eragon to find the slightest flaw in his defense. After he leaned his shoulder to evade a vertical slash, the king retaliated with his own attack, forcing Eragon into defense as he rushed to evade the incoming blow, which would otherwise decapitate him. Eragon barely had time to protect himself from the green blade when it flew into his direction. Using his skill and finesse, he briefly blocked it with Brisingr before jumping to the side. Pulling his body into a roll, the young Rider disengaged from the battle.
Curses! He's as powerful as I could ever imagine: he's stronger than anything I've fought before and his speed easily matches that of an elf, not to mention his skill with the blade, Eragon thought while he retreated to a safe distance from Galbatorix, who eyed him with a small, evil smile on his face.
Eragon's brown eyes looked everywhere around Galbatorix to see if there could be something around he could use to his advantage, and he immediately spotted something. Bloodied corpses of fallen soldiers littered the ground around Galbatorix, some of them being placed in such a position that created a corridor of death from the main gate towards this spot. Eragon was horrified to see how many have succumbed to the deadly green blade that lay in the possession of the most powerful man in Alagaësia.
This act of cruelty only strengthened Eragon's resolution to bring this man down and put an end to this senseless killing. With his eyes fixed on a sword that lay near the corpse of an armored soldier, Eragon quickly gathered his wits as his grip tightened around Brisingr.
Eragon burst into a run, using all the speed he could muster to get to the fallen sword. He was almost there when, without notice, the same green blade whistled through the air, coming dangerously close to his shoulder. Without thinking, Eragon dropped on the ground and skidded a small distance on the tough, rocky surface.
The glimmering white sword of the guard was within his reach and Eragon quickly extended his left hand to grab it. Clang! A powerful sound came as the blue and green blade clashed once more, this time dangerously close to Eragon's chest as he managed to parry yet another blow that could herald his end. However, all things were not good for him, and Eragon groaned in pain as his arm was not only bad positioned, but also under a lot of strain as Galbatorix pressed his sword down, its tip almost reaching Eragon's neck.
"Thrysta vindr," Eragon whispered, adopting a desperate measure to escape this dangerous position. Suddenly, the body of the dead guard twitched before it rammed into Galbatorix's legs, making him withdraw his blade due to the sudden contact, forcing him to back off few steps
Using the distraction to his advantage, Eragon quickly got up and lunged at Galbatorix, trying to take advantage of this short moment of disruption. With his sword readied, Eragon performed two quick slashes at Galbatorix's torso, followed by a quick thrust to his neck. It all happened much faster than any normal human could comprehend, but Galbatorix was different. After he gracefully evaded all of the attacks directed at him, he unleashed his own series of fast attacks, which made Eragon stagger backwards.
The deadly sword cut through the air with incredible speed, and Eragon was barely holding his ground as he struggled to block all of the incoming blows. Panting and with his wrist aching badly due to the force which the two swords collided, Eragon attempted to disengage and retreat from the fight, but Galbatorix was giving him no such options.
Eragon saw his opportunity the moment when he locked swords with Galbatorix, and, acting as his instincts told him to, he gathered his strength and pushed the king's blade with all his force before attempting to flee. Eragon gritted his teeth as his opponent did not even falter under the force he applied. After a tense, exhausting moment in which Eragon's muscles burned with pain, the king quickly retracted his blade. The moment could not have been worse, for Eragon yanked his sword downwards due to the force exerted by his arms on the blade and offered the enemy the much sought vulnerability.
Eragon gasped in shock as Galbatorix smiled in an evil way before he slashed at Eragon's chest. Eragon quickly moved his sword to defend his exposed body, but this simple mistake spelled his end. Brisingr was not even half way from its counterpart when a spurt of blood was released the moment when the sharp tip cut through the fragile skin.
A loud scream of agony escaped Eragon's throat, which was replaced by a gagging sound as he felt the air being drained out of him when a powerful force hit him in the stomach. Eragon's body rolled on the ground like a mere boulder before he stopped, another shout escaping him as he couldn't resist the tremendous amounts of pain he was going through.
Drops of blood splashed on the cold stone, dying the ground red where Eragon's shivering body lay. I have… have to, thought Eragon, the same structure of words repeating itself in his confused mind endlessly. He couldn't truly grasp the situation he was in or how he even lost the upper hand. Everything happened so fast, and the slight of moment of carelessness exposed a flaw in his defense that led to this moment.
Not long before the king struck him, Eragon felt a familiar presence brush against his mind, yet he did not dare to open his mind, even if that meant being cut off from Saphira. The feeling of helplessness and despair was only subdued by one of fear, for the king could launch a mental attack at any time in an attempt to subdue him.
No… I must do this without Saphira's help. I must, thought Eragon bitterly, almost in the brink of crying. Saphira's presence was the thing he missed the most in a moment like this, yet she was not here to share and alleviate the suffering he was going through. Eragon released a loud cough; his breathing was rapid and irregular, complementing the sudden shivers that racked his body the moment he made contact with the tough ground.
Eragon raised his head, his gaze fixing on the king whose malicious green eyes looked at him with pity while a small, pleased smile brightened his features. His sword was sheathed by now, and Eragon realized that he's probably the target of some wicked game that the king decided to start the moment he visited Feinster.
The bastard ended the life of Oromis and Glaedr as soon as he had the opportunity, killed countless Riders yet he dares not to finish me off? I will show him that he is greatly mistaken by underestimating the power of a Rider, thought Eragon as he placed a shaky hand on the gems embedded into his belt. Then, in an almost inaudible whisper, Eragon began to chant in the ancient language, feeding the spell with the energy from the belt of Beloth the Wise.
A groan of pain escaped him as he felt his chest sting with intense pain while the muscles and the skin stitched together. Then, as sudden as it began, the spell ended, leaving only the red stained cloth as a remainder of the battle wound.
Galbatorix clapped his hands enthusiastically at his glorious comeback, "You know, Eragon, for a moment I thought that you would remain on the ground like the worthless, pitiful excuse of a Rider you are. It is faint-hearted weaklings like you who remained inside the city, wasting away their miserable lives as they dared not to fight the eventual threats that arose during the time of the Riders. Cowards like you are the reason why the Urgals were left unchecked for so long," he reproached angrily, unsheathing his blade.
"I know what happened to your dragon, Galbatorix. It was because of your recklessness and tempered nature the reason she perished. It's your own fault that you couldn't protect her, not that of the other Riders!" spat Eragon.
Fury began to well up in Galbatorix's eyes when he received such a defiant answer from a simpleton, "You know nothing about what happened, boy, save for what those arrogant elves imprinted in that thick skull of yours with their trickery." Just when Eragon tried to reply, Galbatorix cut him off, "You blame me for what happened, yet you still live in the deception conjured by Oromis."
Eragon clenched his teeth, rage boiling inside him as he couldn't take his eyes off the dark king, whose imposing stature and half-wicked smile was driving him insane. Eragon's left hand aimlessly touched the dusty ground behind him while his attention was focused on Galbatorix for fear that the king might take advantage of his lack of attention should he turn his head away from him. He could feel something cold and smooth as his fingers clenched around the metal object that resembled a blade. The metal of the sword screeched as it was dragged on the stone floor, but Eragon could not care less as he turned the sword around and grabbed it firmly by its handle.
A stray arrow whistled through the air at an incredible speed before it bounced of harmlessly, inches away from Galbatorix's neck. The king simply grunted and turned his head around. By doing the same out of sheer instinct, Eragon realized that more guards must had hidden behind the buildings.
The sound of something crashing into a solid object, followed by a loud scream of pain that appeared to come out of nowhere chilled the blood in his veins. Even stranger, it all seemed to happen unnaturally fast, for the king's lips did not even whisper the faintest sound.
A cold chill ran through Eragon's spine, realizing that Galbatorix just did what was probably the most risky achievements a spell caster could attain: using a spell and directing it towards something with only his mind. It seemed like a trivial thing to do at first when Vanir first used this to defeat him in Ellesméra, but after he learned from Oromis about all the risks and the implications this method had, Eragon realized how difficult must it be to focus and succeed in casting a spell.
"Surprised, Eragon? I sometimes wonder if those elves actually taught you something," Galbatorix said tauntingly, a smirk spreading across his face.
"They did, and I will use this knowledge to bring about your demise", said the Rider as he quickly got up and charged at the king. Galbatorix also readied his blade as Eragon dashed towards him with inhuman speed, slashing furiously with both of his swords. Surprisingly, the king easily blocked, dodged or parried most of the relentless blows directed at him, but Eragon knew he had a slight advantage over his foe while he brandished his weapons with expertise. Galbatorix sidestepped while also leaning his body as the glimmering steel blade passed inches away from his shoulder, while the blue blade quickly made its way from the right, aiming at his torso. A loud clang followed after the impact between Brisingr and the green blade, while another one was heard shortly after another hit that was supposed to slice at his neck was deflected.
Eragon pressed on as hard as he could, even though fatigue started to slow down his movements. His swords moved through the air like mere glimmering shadows, yet none of his hits managed to reach his mark as his opponent skillfully avoided all the attacks directed at him. For a man his age, Galbatorix was surely agile.
After another one of his attacks was parried by the king's blade, Eragon thrust Brisingr forward after Galbatorix parried the attack from his other sword, which was meant to slash at his calf. It seemed like the attack would succeed, for Galbatorix could not have enough time to either dodge or parry the lithe blow, but again, he was no mere human, and Eragon clenched his teeth in frustration the moment when the king jumped to the side, flicking his sword at Eragon.
The Rider barely had time to notice the green sword that cut through the air, aiming at his exposed neck. Using the speed and finesse of an elf, Eragon leaned his body backwards, evading the sharp edge by a hairsbreadth. Then, he quickly whirled around and slashed at the king with both of his swords.
Galbatorix planted his sword sideway, easily blocking the two blades, which smashed into his own, creating a loud metallic noise. Eragon did not falter, and soon enough he resumed his attacks with renewed vigor, doing everything he could to best his opponent. Quick slashes, thrusts of his swords, body movements combined with fast attacks, none of these seemed to have any effect on Galbatorix, who stood his ground without acquiring the slightest scratch.
With a quick flick of his sword, he yet again parried the common sword that struck at his exposed leg, but this was not all. By brandishing his weapon with the expertise of a master, Galbatorix made a quick slash, then rotated his wrist and spun around to imbalance his opponent.
The green blade slid all the way towards the base, catching the handle of the sword. Then, with a quick and powerful movement, the king yanked the blade out of Eragon's hand, who barely had the time to comprehend what just happened. The strength and the cunningness of this move caused the dead soldier's sword to fly away from Eragon's weak grip. He had no time to marvel or question himself how it happened, however, as the same green blade came again at him, forcing him to back off slightly.
Immediately after Eragon's retreat, Galbatorix caught the blade in his hand, rotating it and performing a few slashes to test its capabilities. A faint grunt of confirmation escaped him as his lips widened into a small smile and his eyes fixed on Eragon, a cold look in his imposing stare.
Eragon breathed rapidly, trying to recover some of his lost strength. He felt his arm muscles burning due to the repeated strikes and parries. The grip on his sword was also weak, for the powerful grip on Brisingr's handle made his hand feel slightly numb.
I cannot keep this much longer on my own. Without Arya and the other elves, my chances are slim, thought Eragon as he realized just how much weaker he was without the others lending their aid whenever he needed to face more powerful opponents. Brom saved him from the Ra'zac and he had Arya and the thirteen spell casters when he managed to drive Murtagh back. But who would be here to help him this time?
Eragon clenched his teeth as Galbatorix darted towards him, his eyes denoting a killing intent. With each passing second, Galbatorix would most likely lose his patience and unleash his true powers. Still, Eragon possessed one advantage over his enemy; surprise. If I don't get rid of one of his swords, he will overpower me, he thought while parrying a swing aimed at his chest. His biggest fears finally came true, for in the next moment, Galbatorix jumped back and assumed a peculiar stance. "Lets see if you can catch up with me this time, " the king shouted and headed straight towards him, his Rider sword hidden behind his back and the common sword placed horizontally in front of him.
When he was close enough, Galbatorix brought the green sword in an upper slash while he flicked his right arm to the lower parts of Eragon. Confused and greatly overwhelmed by this sudden change in style, Eragon bended backwards and parried the green sword, but the onslaught did not end here.
After bringing both of his weapons from the sides in a cross, which Eragon barely parried, Galbatorix gracefully swung his left blade and stabbed with the other at his chest, but not before he performed a whirlwind that scratched Eragon's forearms. By bringing his sword to his right to parry a dangerous thrust, Eragon couldn't evade his opponent's twist, who used momentum from his previous strikes to swivel on his right leg and then lunged at Eragon, landing on his unprotected left side.
By not mustering enough speed, the Rider couldn't block the green sword that penetrated his left shoulder or parry the other blade that scraped his thigh. Even if he howled in pain, his opponent had not finished his dance of steel. Seizing the advantage, Galbatorix crouched and landed two slashes on both of Eragon's legs and then twisted his left arm past Brisingr to scrap his cheek with the green blade. Overwhelmed with pain, Eragon could do little to block the fast, unrelenting strikes that seemed to come from nowhere. Too…fast, he thought while he gritted his teeth. He could barely stand up and the pain coming from his left shoulder paralyzed his left side. And the worst had not even happened.
With no sword to constrict his movements, Galbatorix performed a double thrust at Eragon's arms and then spun around, sending the green sword through his left side ribs and planted the handle of the other sword in his chest, drawing what little air he received out of Eragon. "Thrysta vindr," the king whispered. If that was not bad enough as it was, the Rider was then slammed against the wall of a building by a very powerful force that welled up in front of him and detonated with devastating effect.
Eragon's vision flickered as he felt his conscience leaving him. Every part of his body throbbed with pain, a thin layer of blood slithered across his face and the feeble grip on Brisingr was about to let go of the weapon that served him so well. Time slowed down around Eragon, creating an eerie realm just for him. Was this his end? Eragon did not know, nor could he do anything that might change this terrible prospect.
His conscience halfway gone, the reality merged with the imaginary, and he could no longer make out what was real and what happened in his mind. The image of the dark king in front of him was nothing but an obscuring presence that grew fainter by the second. "I… can't…I don't…" his lips whispered incoherently.
His life flashed before his eyes, from the moment he found Saphira's egg until this very end. He saw Brom taking the dagger that was meant for him, Oromis being killed by the one he failed to kill and Glaedr's desperation and terror when his partner faded away. But from all these memories, one seemed particularly vivid. It was a lesson about the powers of the Belt of Beloth the Wise and how he could use the nature's energy that surrounded him to fuel up the gems and then tap into their power.
By struggling very hard to remain conscious, Eragon twitched a limb. I..cannot..give up…I must…fight…until the end. With one last great effort, Eragon opened his mind to the environment, allowing his conscience to drift freely. The vegetation bolstered with life energy, but it was not available to Eragon. Not in his current state, at least. Aren… By using the energy stored inside the ring, Eragon muttered the words needed for the healing spell. The blue ring glowed with frightening intensity, and in the next moment, the Rider could feel his powers returning as tissues and muscles were being stitched together once again.
With his plan embed in his mind, Eragon was about to use every resource he had at his disposal, even if this would spell his demise. But first, he needed to contact Saphira, and Eragon knew that she wouldn't be pleased with his recklessness. The moment he opened the link, the dragoness viciously assaulted him with warnings and words filled with concern, but the time for it was not now.
Saphira, if you keep worrying about me, then I will surely perish and the whole Alagaesia will succumb in darkness. I need you to do the move we two practiced, alright? The dragoness reluctantly agreed, much to her displeasure.
"You are full of surprises, Eragon. I almost thought that you would actually die there," Galbatorix said chillingly, readying his two swords. After spreading his mind to funnel the power of the surrounding plants into his belt, Eragon replied with conviction, "This surprise will be the last, you have my word for it."
Even if his actions created a death zone in the surrounding environment, the gems of his belt were full, and Eragon was ready to unleash his final attack that would kill the tyrant. By tapping into the power of the belt of Beloth the Wise, Eragon could feel the power surging through him. He was tempted to use it to heal all of his wounds, but then his offense would suffer. However, a decision had to be made, and fast.
With a speed greater than his previous, Eragon lunged at the king and unleashed a series of fast thrusts with only one purpose. Galbatorix, as usual, parried them all, but that's exactly what Eragon wanted him to do. Making use of his current stance, Eragon ducked under the green sword and whirled around just in time to intercept his other weapon.
"Brisingr!" Eragon cried. The name ignited his sword in dazzling blue flames, making it a formidable weapon with exceptional capabilities. Due to the force exerted by his whirlwind, Brisingr easily cut through the metal of the steel sword, but was intercepted by Galbatorix's other sword before it caused further damage.
"Quite impressive, Eragon," the king cackled and swung upwards, then used his other hand to land a backhand in Eragon's face. The Rider whimpered in pain and slashed defensively at his opponent's legs, but to no avail. Saphira! He cried mentally.
Until she would arrive where she was supposed to be, Eragon kept the unsuspecting king busy by defending himself and occasionally stabbing at him. After dodging a thrust, Eragon summoned half of his strength into one single spell "Thrysta vindr!" he cried. Immediately after, a powerful force coalesced out of thin air and blasted the king, sending him flying through the broken gate, right where Saphira was laying in waiting. The sapphire dragon growled fiercely as she assumed an offensive position, ready to rip the puny human to shreds. As soon as Galbatorix's form made contact with the ground, a powerful tail swipe prepared to intercept him.
Normally, the momentum and the force of the blast would render anyone unable to move, but somehow Galbatorix evaded Saphira's tail swipe, along with all of the other attacks that followed. I will handle it Saphira, just provide me the fire, Eragon told her before he rushed towards the king to allow his dragon enough time to fly away. Saphira roared viciously and clawed at Galbatorix one more time before she flapped her massive wings and gained altitude.
"So beautiful and fierce. I wonder why she hatched for a weakling like you," Galbatorix said with disgust as he rolled on the ground, easily evading the deadly claws that would otherwise rip his body apart. Eragon wasted no time in engaging him and charged, but the king was expecting him. After he sidestepped the initial charge, Galbatorix twisted around, performing moves that Eragon had become familiar with. By now, the king seemed bored of toying with him, and this peculiar feeling instilled fear into Eragon's heart. What if his plan would fail?
Do it now, Eragon! Together, we shall purge the land of this evil blight, Saphira roared before she unleashed a torrent of flame above the area where the two combatants were fighting. By acknowledging her reply, Eragon focused his power to contain the fire and create a huge fireball that would fall on top of the unsuspecting king.
The drain on his energy was substantial, and the only way to keep make it happen was Aren. Without further thinking, Eragon channeled the magic within the ring and muttered the final words that would end the incantation.
Vanish in the fiery explosion, Eragon thought as he brought down the fireball with great speed, but not after he pushed Galbatorix in its direction by using the same spell he used before. The unsuspecting opponent collided with a tree right before a sapphire orb of flame descended on top of him, exploding into a powerful blast that incinerated everything around. The circular blast of heat spiraled around the fiery core of the fireball, burning the nearby vegetation and sending the loose bolts of the gate flying.
"Argh" Eragon screamed and dropped to his knees. The toll this magic had taken was great, and most of his wounds still pestered him. His whole body pained him, but a feeling of serenity engulfed him when he gazed at the purifying blue flame that kept burning. Only the ashes remained of the once tyrant king of Alagaesia.
"Hasn't Oromis told you to always be on guard?" A harsh, deep and cold voice came from behind. "N..no..it…BHOA" Eragon's face wrinkled the moment he felt a searing pain penetrating his right side. After glancing below with hesitation, he noticed a sword protruding from his lower belly.
Galbatorix withdrew his weapon from his as fast as he drove it through the defenseless Rider. When this happened, Eragon collapsed on the ground, his breath faint and irregular. Feeling his pain, Saphira began to descend, but he was too weak to respond to her or warn her not to let herself captured.
"She's coming… rescue… Eragon. Too bad I have a saying in that." Eragon could barely make out what Galbatorix said. With his mind almost fading into nothingness, he slowly moved his head to watch Saphira with the corner of his eye. He didn't have the power to make out what happened, but one thing was certain: Saphira was getting farther and farther away from him.
Before Eragon closed his eyes, he noticed Galbatorix approaching him. After he crouched, he reached towards his ear, whispering, "There is no love, only true power. You will come to realize that later."