Chapter XIII of Shadow, a work of fan fiction based on Christopher Paolini's InheritanceCycle.
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Gïrnięn gritted his teeth. The undead flying leeches, the Volans Scolopendra, were swarming, getting ever closer to Cïtirinus and Jinaë. Cïtirinus released bouts of yellow flame, trying to scorch the relentless monsters. Flying past the tongues of flame spurting up from the peaty ground, the Volans started biting at Gïrnięn, trying to suck his blood even in death. Gïrnięn slashed out with Solus-harmr, arcs of golden light carving through the dark clouds of Volans. The bloodsuckers, however, just kept coming. What was even more, Shadow was present in Gïrnięn's mind, his dark peals of giggling reverberating through Gïrnięn's troubled brain. Gïrnięn felt something warm latch onto his neck, finding a major artery and slurping the blood out. Screaming out a strangled spell, Gïrnięn threw the thing off, quickly pressing a hand to the incision that the creature had made. If only he could shatter their bodies, then he could be free from the Volans' vigorous assault. Quickly, Gïrnięn muttered vaetna. The Volans suddenly halted, twitching uncontrollably. After about five seconds in this state, the swarm splattered into nothingness, a tongue of fire leaping up just as it happened. Jinaë glanced at him.
"Tell me you didn't scatter their atoms."
"I did."
Jinaë groaned. "We need to get out of here."
Gïrnięn looked up, confused. "What? Why? Wait…"
Jinaë stared him fiercely in the eye. "We. Need. To. Leave. Now."
Daunted, Gïrnięn mounted Cïtirinus, and the yellow dragon spread his wings and leapt into the sky. Gïrnięn looked back to see massive explosions happening, infernos drifting up towards them.
Through tightly clenched teeth, Gïrnięn asked, "What happened?"
Jinaë stared at him so fiercely Gïrnięn thought he would fall off Cïtirinus. "All organic beings are composed of a few basic elements. The main one is carbon. Then there's hydrogen and oxygen and other stuff." She pointed at a fiery cloud drifting upwards. "Oxygen and hydrogen are highly flammable, while carbon and its compound with oxygen, carbon monoxide, are slightly flammable. Carbon in the form of soot, anyway. Since hydrogen is lighter than air, it drifts upwards, not exactly helping us."
Cïtirinus and Chrosiuä weaved between rising pockets of flaming hydrogen, twin streaks of light weaving through a fiery inferno. After a considerable period of silence, Shadow returned.
Ssss… So… I see your plan has backfired on you… but, bad pun aside, that was an incredibly… how shall I put it? …idiotic move.
Gïrnięn wanted to scream. Shadow was always there, his cynicism and darkness penetrating the deepest abysses in Gïrnięn's mind.
Oh, and let's not… forget, shall we? You still haven't… responded…
Gïrnięn had tried to put that off, what with the Volans and the ride to the Burning Plains, but he knew he couldn't any longer. He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out the polished obsidian skull, the tortured spirits dancing inside of it. He sensed Cïtirinus' alarm.
Just what do you think you're doing?
Shadow's dark voice snaked through their conversation, filled with the same dual hate and charisma it somehow simultaneously carried.
Why, replying to Lord Letæst, of course… Do you have a problem? Because I can settle that right now…
From out of nowhere, three minds snaked out from nowhere, tackling Cïtirinus' mind simultaneously, working in perfect harmony, one clearly dominant over the other two. Given the chance, Gïrnięn dived into one of the weaker minds. As he entered, he was immediately overwhelmed by a torrent of abstract emotions and thoughts, out of which he was able to salvage the idea of sunshine and rainbows and universal friendship. Naïveness stained the unknown entity's mind, and flashes of blue permeated the whole thing. Pulling out before it could sense him, Gïrnięn delved into the other weaker mind. A seemingly infinite flow of thoughts filled with hate, wrath, envy and destruction swamped Gïrnięn's mind. Bitterness at everything was this mind's main driving force. It literally hated everything. Quickly pulling out before the darkness consumed him, Gïrnięn finally searched the most powerful mind. This mind was more easily navigated, everything packed up tidily. Gïrnięn wandered around until he found a drawer of memories, quickly diving in and retrieving as much information as he could. Suddenly, a cold and emotionless entity sensed him.
Ssss… You've searched the others, I see… We had to disentangle our minds to conquer this… monstrosity of a sibling… That was not a logical move, to delve into the mind of a dragon… especially the mind of a hydra…
Hydra?
Ssss… My mind is slipping these days… Though it won't matter very soon… Nox must do this… He… enjoys… torture… Though it is too lengthy… leaves too many chances for the victim to escape… It would be most logical for me to dispose of you… But no… I shall tackle my brother… and hope that Nox has the wits and strength to dispose of you accordingly… and leave less… clues…
Gïrnięn tried to flee as soon as the unemotional entity left, but something dark pounced on him. The mind he sensed before—the one filled with hatred, was trying to grasp him.
Ssss… My defenses were penetrated too… easily… I won't do that again… And now… for even daring to get past my defenses… You will be punished… for that!
The dark entity—Nox, as heard from the emotionless entity, tried to carve Gïrnięn's consciousness to pieces. Fighting back, Gïrnięn found a grip in the entity, only to be thrown off by the endless ocean of hatred, giant waves, spikes in its consciousness permeating his.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! NOW YOU SHALL DIE EVEN BEFORE MANIA DISPOSES OF YOU! YOU. WILL. DIE!
Gïrnięn slipped out from underneath the entity's mind, diving into the naïve mind. Thoughts of rainbows and sunshine and unicorns flooded him, but it was better than the darker entity. Nox had sensed him—and was approaching.
I SHALL FIND YOU! COME OUT, YOU CUR!
Nox crashed into the naïve entity, the latter welcoming him with thoughts of hugs.
Hey Nox! What's up?
WHAT'S UP? HAND OVER THE LITTLE COWARD!
Now, now, that's not nice, Nox. Apologize at once. Come out, darling, so he can properly apologize to you.
The thing pushed him out from the folds of its consciousness.
First good thing you've done in years, Dies. Now, I shall… dispose… of this little mongrel here…
Gïrnięn snapped when Nox set his mental tendrils on Gïrnięn's mind. Suddenly, he released all his pent-up anger, the emotions he had been harboring for so long—resentment at Shadow, resentment at Nox and Dies and the other entity, resentment at the Volans Scolopendra,resentment at Lord Letæst,resentment at Eragon, even resentment at Fate. The rage that had been boiling and churning gushed out, propelling Nox back into his brain and dispersing Dies' consciousness. Finally opening his eyes, he noticed something rushing up at him. A blazing inferno rose straight into his face.