Chapter XX of Shadow, a work of fan fiction based on Christopher Paolini's InheritanceCycle.
Every Friday, a new chapter will be published, so keep checking!
Reviews. Please. I may discontinue this story soon and start out in another fandom. For now, I'm shortening the chapters. So please, reviews.
The way Gïrnięn stays invisible is that he basically wraps himself in an intangible mirror that reflects all light away.
Gïrnięnjolted awake, out of breath. The nightmares had looped and merged until it was just one big churning cycle of horror. And even though he knew what was going to happen each time, he progressively grew more and more terrified. What the nightmares revealed were much scarier than anything as simple as monsters or danger. They revealed secrets from Gïrnięn's past… Secrets much darker than he ever could've anticipated. He knew that even thinking the wrong thing would release the dracolich.
Ah…
Shadow's sickly voice flowed like a river of poison through his mind.
You are scared of Thanatorphis?
Thanatorphis… the name sounded dark and sickly to Gïrnięn, like a term someone would use for supernatural carrion. The thought of the giant bone creature sent shivers down his mind.
But no matter. You are finally awake… Letæst believes that you should be dealt with… immediately.
Without warning, Shadow's four separate strands, Dies, Nox, Rationales, and Machinus started circling Gïrnięn's, revolving faster and faster and wrapping tighter and tighter, trying to gain dominance. Nox's harsh voice grated against him.
Once we gain control of you… We can make you suicide in so many fun ways!
Dies whispered in his ear, the sweet, angelic voice sounding demonic.
Don't you worry, sweetheart. I'll make sure you'll never die. Therefore, Nox cannot kill you! Even if he decapitates you, you can still run around doing whatever you do.
Rationales laughed, the voice sounding practiced and restrained.
Yes, sweetheart, don't you worry… Dies can give you a living hell to exist in. Think about it! Immortal yet mutilated, just like that elf whom you killed…
Killed?!
Machinus' mechanical voice was riddled with what seemed like amusement.
That last spell killed him. When he didn't have enough energy for the spell, it simply used the heat energy generated from his body. He died of hypothermia. Isn't that a joke?
Gïrnięn shuddered.
Letæst never shares his secrets, Rationales hissed. Half of his force have no idea how to draw energy from their surroundings.
Nox purred into Gïrnięn's ear. And you know Letæst, yes?
Gïrnięn never even felt Shadow worming into his mind, seizing every nook and cranny it could find, taking full control of him. Eyes glazed over, Gïrnięn stumbled away from the room, slipping into the hallway. Though guards patrolled everywhere, a simple spell that deflected light rendered Gïrnięn invisible. As the castle staff hustled around, Gïrnięn passed unnoticed by anyone, so that even if someone noticed light being reflected, they would simply assume it was another experiment King Orrin had gifted to Queen Nasuada.
Rationales sent waves of disapproval through Gïrnięn's now suppressed mind.
Security is too lax here. The castle should have more corridors, more shortcuts that lessen the crowd enough for things like this to be noticed.
Dies sniffed.
Be nice.
As the other three strands of Shadow argued with itself, Machinus carefully directed Gïrnięn down the hall. Finally reaching the throne room, Machinus removed the invisibility spell.
Queen Nasuada's eyebrows shot up when Gïrnięn suddenly materialized in the throne room.
"Well, Gïrnięn, you could've asked for an appointment, but since you're here anyways… I see you've made a great recover-…"
Things happened too fast for Gïrnięn to comprehend it fully. One second Nasuada was on her throne, the next she had her sword stuck in a wall of ice. The guards, who had started forward, froze in place as if glued down by an invisible force. Shadow's voice, not completely dissonant, yet not completely harmonious, buzzed in a four-part harmony.
"Queen Nasuada… What a nice little prize…"
Suddenly, a messenger ran into the throne room, panting. He froze the second he saw the situation.
"What?" Shadow snapped.
The frightened messenger squeaked out a message.
"My… my… lord, a red dragon has been spotted on the horizon…"
The messenger suddenly landed against a wall, cut in half. Shadow snarled.
"The Traitor has returned."