Chapter 23

I figured it'd take at least a day before word reached the king if he didn't sense the immense magic that was discharged. So I had Eragon and Murtagh push their horses as fast as they could without killing the beasts. Saphira flew high and as a forward scout while I watched from the rear for any would be pursuers, and while I could sense camps, none were making it in our direction.

We came across a small village near the edge of the desert at noon the next day, having traveled the rest of the night and most of the morning. Both Eragon and Murtagh entered it while we hid outside at a distance to glean the rumors and gossip that was passing through as well as getting more skins of water. When they met back up, both of their expressions were worried but neither spoke up until the village was well outside of our sight.

"Three traders from Gil'ead were there." Eragon stated. "Weaving tales how the world came alive and punished the city for allowing a shade to reside there. How the ground quaked and split, everything caught fire on its own. The 'Silver Wraith' is a vengeful spirit of the dragons that rose from the grave to wipe humanity from the land."

I gave an approving growl at that one.

"They're also calling you Earthrender now. The whole Empire is talking about the Slaughter of Gil'ead."

"They can call me whatever they choose, did you get what you needed? Did anyone suspect you?" I growled, my eyes watching the distant horizon behind us which still had no pursuers.

Eragon shook his head. "Not as much as we wanted, water this far out is expensive, so is food."

I just grunted and moved over to them and laid on my belly.

"Water and food we can gather amongst the dunes. It will be small game however, and I'm sure the tribes that call the sands home have sources of water."

"They do but such wells are so well hidden, only those that know of them, can find them." Murtagh spoke up while he checked the elf they had laid beside a tree trunk. Saphira had tired herself out and was now deep asleep in the shade of the same tree.

"Hidden from the eyes of humans perhaps, but nothing in this land is hidden from me. We'll have water."

A curse from Murtagh made Eragon join him. Seems they found all the wounds from her torture. Fiori watched on from my eyes as Eragon went about healing her, guilt radiating over the link.

"I was wrong to keep you from saving her Fledgling… I feel responsible for her condition."

I sent her my reassurance and a mental embrace. "She is strong to remain healthy after all that happened to her, and we saved her now, teach. We can make it up to her starting now."

We were discussing our plans to cross when I stiffened and a chill passed down my spine. The dread was easily sensed by Saphira, rousing her, and the others grew worried.

I no longer sensed Shruikan on the ground.

"We need to move NOW! The king just left his palace and my guess is to Gil'ead to see the extent of the damage and while I made sure the tracks left by your horses were erased, I cannot do anything for a scent trail. Quick, gather everything and fill my satchels or lash to me but keep three skins of water each on yourselves."

Eragon and Murtagh burst into a flurry of movement, rushing to do as I said but I could smell the fear on them.

"Eragon, leave Murtagh to deal with the transfer and get the elf back in Saphira's saddle."

He fumbled with the items in his hands, dropping them on the ground then rushed to his partner's side who was laying and waiting to accept Arya. It took him longer than usual due to his trembling hands but once he was done he went back helping Murtagh.

"Are you sure about this Wrathion? The horses can carry some of this."

Rumbling, I shook my head, unfurling my wings and giving them a few flaps to limber them up.

"Yes, the less weight the horses have, the faster they can go and the less they struggle in the sand. I can bear this weight. Lash Brom to me as well. I'd rather not risk him falling off."

Both took any leftover rope and did just that and the moment they stepped clear, I leapt into the sky followed by Sahpira.

Now I really wished we had an army chasing us, It'd be far better than the threat of the king chasing us himself.

Turns out I could track Shruikan while he was flying. Such a huge being with equally massive wings driving down made for some very strong pressure hitting the ground so I knew the moment they arrived at the former city. By then we were three leagues into the desert. We also passed quickly over the Ramr River directly east of the former Gil'ead instead of traveling south and crossing after the city of Bullridge like the group did in the book. I figured it was far too much risk and we would've crossed paths with the king if we did. Crossing was much easier as well, all I had to do was raise interlocking stones to allow the horses to pass over then let the impromptu bridge crumble back into the water. Once we entered the fringes of the desert, Saphira and I reveled in the heat, our human friends, not so much. The sun sapped their strength and sand got into their eyes. I advised them to wrap their faces to help and for the most part, it did. When night fell we had turned more southward and reached a small rocky spur from the ground. It was big enough to give shade from the early sun so we stopped to rest. I remained amongst them long enough for them to take some food from my packs before flitting up to the peak to keep watch. The dead quiet made the conversation below me easily carry to me. They had pulled Arya free and laid her out on blankets. Their tempers were short from the little sleep and the brisk pace I kept them on if the argument building was any indication. "Rest you two, we still have some distance to go and we are safe for the moment, but I am afraid the only choice we have now is to reach the Varden then get Murtagh to Surda. Yes Murtagh, I understand you do not want to go there, but you'll have my word if anyone tries to lash out at you or tries to invade your mind, they'll find out what a dragon's stomach looks like from inside. Even if it's the leader of the Varden himself."

I rumbled, the last part meant for Murtagh personally when I saw him leap to his feet to glare up at me.

"They will learn that if they show no respect then they do not deserve it in return. I will not allow us to become prisoners, but I will allow them one chance and only one." Murtagh stared up at me in surprise for my promise and reluctantly nodded.

"I… I will trust you. You're the only one to show me kindness even knowing who I am."

I snorted and gave him a nod and ignored the confusion Eragon and Saphira was showing. Well It's Murtagh's secret to share, not mine.

"Eragon."

I waited until he was finished talking to his partner and gave me his attention.

"Tomorrow morning you need to try to enter the elf's mind. She should know the way to the Varden. When you do, be warned to stay focused. An elf's mind can be dangerous and you can become lost. I would do it but I fear the shock of a dragon's mind might do more harm to her. When you do, I suggest doing the elven greeting, did Brom teach you it?"

At his wary nod I continued.

"Good. Then tell her you are a rider and a friend in the ancient language. She'll trust you enough then. For now, you three get some sleep, I'll wake you should anything happen."

I watched as the two tired humans and a surprised dragoness settled down and drift off to sleep.

"Fledgling?" Fiori spoke up after an hour had passed, my eyes locked in the direction we came.

"Yes, teach?"

"Did you mean your promise to the boy?"

"I did. So much has happened to him. So many hated him for the sole reason for existing. The world sees only Mozan's son instead of the boy himself. I hope letting him know he matters would help him in the coming hardships he will be forced to endure.. And I hope he'll do it willingly."

"Little one?"

"He's fated to be like his father… just like Eragon is. Only Murtagh will not be heartless like his sire."

At her confusion, I opened that part of my mind, telling her of his future connection to a red dragon, the role he played as the king's servant against his will, and the help he gives in bringing the king down. I left out Oromis and Glaedr's deaths because not only was it really Galby that killed them but the place it happened no longer existed. I let her think it over for a while as I focused on the capital. Shruikan just landed back at the castle and I let the tension fade from me but kept my guard up. The king might be done looking for now but his army wasn't.

"You want him to willingly go to the egg-breaker and become his servant? Why?"

"To be our ears within, to start, and I need someone within who could easily enter the room with the remaining eggs, and if they are there, your fellow enslaved kin."

"Why would you need someone to enter the room?"

"There's a lot of rooms in that castle and it's hard to tell which they are in, but if someone was to enter said room.. tap their foot a certain amount of times, then I'd know which it was.

"But why fledgling, What would it accomplish?"

"A stealthy raid of the eggs and heart-stones teach."

I grinned inwardly at having shocked my mentor into silence and I busied myself with following a group of horsemen skirmish eight leagues east of us.

"You think you can actually get them?"

"I'm willing to try, teach, if nothing else I could make a tunnel and let someone in to grab them if my plan doesn't work. Might help, taking away most of his power."

"And what is the other reason, little one?"

"The king seeks the name of all names, and if he succeeds. I want Murtagh to learn it."

"And If he turns down the offer? What then?"

I shrugged my wings and turned my eyes and senses southward.

"Then I'll simply use a golem to peek into every room to find the eggs and as for the name, without our kin's power to back him, he's just another magician. It would be easy to simply invade his lone mind once we reach him and rip it from his head."

I heard her rumble her approval at causing him pain.

"We have a distance to travel, young one, do you have any plans going forward?"

"Further Eragon and Saphira's lessons if we're not pressed for time. They need to know what they're about to walk into."

Morning came all too soon. After a cold breakfast of bread and water, I left Saphira in charge and flew out to where the skirmish was. Fortunately the winning party didn't bother with any of the corpses and so after grabbing two of the dead horses, I returned to the group and dropped one next to Saphira and making the other horses jittery from the sight. By then, Eragon was done contacting the comatose Arya.

"She isn't doing well Wrathion. Not counting the physical torture she endured, there were multiple attempts to forcibly break her mind and the the poisons."

"Poisons!? As in more than one?!"

At Eragon's nod I growled and slammed my tail down. Another deviation indicating this isn't the exact same as the books.

"How bad is it? Was she able to identify them?"

He nodded again and closed his eyes while he recalled her words.

"One meant to stop natural healing, another to make her blood flow more, a third that attacks the nerves making them burn, a fourth was something to make you see things mostly living nightmares, but the worst was a deadly poison called Skilna Bragh. She'll die if she doesn't get the antidote."

"Was she able to give you directions to the Varden?"

"Yes, but she said she could only last another eight days without treatment."

I sighed pausing in my own breakfast. "Then we have to hurry. We will go at a decent pace and I already found a hidden well. It'll be our first step. Once there and we all have a drink, I want you two to douse yourselves with water. Being wet might help with the heat somewhat. Arya will be fine, it is cooler up in the currents."

Getting nods from my three charges, I went back to eating.

Once Saphira and I were finished and Arya was back into Saph's saddle, we made our way to where the hidden well was. Along the way, Eragon had asked where I got the dead horses from and my answer put him on guard. I also decided it'd be the perfect time to continue teaching Saphira how to read and see how well Eragon could at the moment. At first he complained about how confusing it was but once I began the mental lessons, he quieted down to a grumble about why Brom hadn't tried it in the first place.

Since Saphira had gotten pretty good at reading without stumbling over words, I gave Eragon more of my focus. Wasn't just reading skills either. I sent him images and he had to name them in the ancient language, those he didn't know or pronounced wrong, I corrected and had him repeat them until he no longer had issues, and thus our brisk pace passed the days by. Arya was repositioned to Saphira's belly like she was in the book, but unlike the series, I walked with them at night, Cadoc lashed to Tornac, who was lashed to Snowfire, who was in turn, tied to the spikes of my tail. With Saphira being our eyes in the sky or at the rear. The only time we stopped was for food, water, or when Saphira requested rest. Speaking of the dragoness, I began to improve her strength along the way. Raising boulders of varying sizes and weights and having her carrying them for a certain distance in her claws or on her back. She struggled a fair bit but she was determined to get stronger. Days flew by and the only exciting things to happen were sighting the Beor mountains on our third day on the sands and a run-in with a group of tribesmen. That was another point to this being different. Instead of them being slavers, like the book, these were simply a group of travelers who politely and cautiously traded with Eragon and Murtagh for some of the hides our human friends had from the few times we brought back kills to them.

It was on the sixth day that events somewhat returned to normal… as far as I thought at least. Our group had finally reached where sand gave way to grass in the early morning and my charges were taking a moment to enjoy the cool softness of it and letting the horses have something other than scrag offerings. I let them enjoy it for a few moments while tracking the army four leagues west of us, and marching steadily in our direction.

"I will allow you to rest for a few moments, but then we must resume our journey." Both boys instantly protested.

"What!? Have mercy on us Wrathion!"

"We're tired! Let us have a few hours of rest!"

I huffed, turning my head sideways to look down at them with an eye.

"I want nothing more than to give you half a day's rest, but the legion of Urgals four leagues west of us and marching at a steady pace in our direction makes that impossible. Only a moment's rest for now."

Both of them leapt to their feet, looking panicked and quickly retied Arya to a confused Saphira before remounting their horses.

"Thought you wished to rest?" Receiving no answer as they took off, I simply chuckled and took off after Saphira. Perhaps I should've been far more serious than I was but after days of no action and only lessons, a part of me wanted to fly out there now and cause havoc. Ever since my "episode" in Gil'ead it was like this part of my mind wanted conflict. Thankfully it was merely whispers and after the third day, I privately conversed with Fiori, and now have her watching my back… mentally speaking. Eragon took the lead since he had the directions and we moved closer to the base of the mammoth Beor mountains. I'm sure the others would have wished time to take in the scale of them but with the trouble following us, we had to focus on outrunning said trouble.

Fortunately, due to the path we took, we came to the valley's opening sooner than I thought and we quickly turned into. I suggested we remain near the base when Eragon mentioned we were looking for a small crevice with a small river leading into it. Sure I could've annihilated the forces, but I wanted to save my powers. Besides If the watchers of the Varden from their hidden lookouts that we passed by were to see me take out an entire army, then we'd never get in. Didn't mean I wasn't going to do nothing however. Lucky for us, only a fraction of the army were following us. The rest had stopped, probably at the dwarven city they took over. I ended up landing and helped carve a path for our ground bound friends through the steadily growing forest and be their eyes in the dark as the massive mountains blocked the sunlight. I also crafted two independent golems to take what I cut and piled it up in our wake while Saphira remained airborne to be our scout. By now I could sense where we needed to go and proceeded to head for the narrow gap. The moment we passed within the opening, I dismissed my golems and pulled upon my power. The rock face on either side rumbled then broke, falling to fill the gap, then seemingly flowed and melted together forming a seamless barrier thirty feet high. Giving a satisfied snort, I turned back to my companions. Eragon was looking relieved while Murtagh was staring at the wall in surprise.

"What? Still surprised even after seeing what I did in Gil'ead?"

I shook my head and went past him to resume clearing a path. Saphira eventually rejoined us once we came to a thundering waterfall. I knew we were here then due to sensing the disciplined movement of beings in the hidden tunnel. Eragon went and spoke the phrase needed but after a long moment, nothing happened. Eragon looked devastated.

"Is… is this not the right one? It looks like the memories Arya gave me…"

I huffed. "This is the correct place. I can sense the hidden tunnel and the welcoming party fidgeting just beyond the door."

"Then why have they not opened it?" He and Murtagh were looking around while Saphira was sitting on her haunches, eyes closed and still as a statue save for her tail which was doing its rhythmic twitching. Must be trying to sense the same thing I was.

"They are afraid. Just beyond their doors there are two dragons, and while Saphira is fierce on her own, there is a larger one present as well."

Eragon scowled. "Then do they also see Arya? We need to get in."

I nodded as Saphira came out of her trance with a shake of her head then glared at the waterfall. Heh, guess she could sense them too.

"They will open Eragon. By their own volition, or by ME."

I spread my mental voice to those in the tunnel, letting a growl in my mental voice. I walked around the waterfall and sat right in front of the door and stared right where I felt them.

"We have a sick elf in need of treatment. I have no desire to keep this game of yours going. the fifthteen within WILL open this door, or I will. You have until the count of ten."

I started to count down as the rest joined me, looking nervously about.

"One"

"Two…"

"Three…"

"Four"

"Five…"

No one within moved, no doubt thinking I was bluffing but I could feel the doors and their workings. Lucky for them, it was entirely stone and so I didn't need to break the doors. I gave a sigh when I reached the last number.

"Ten… very well. So be it…"

The entire ground and cliff face started to rumble as I poured my power into the stone making up the gears and willing them to move. At first just a crack formed, but then the two massive doors began to swing inward revealing a cluster of soldiers with spears pointed in our direction standing in the center of a massive tunnel lit by red glowing crystals in stylized braziers. There was a tall bald man in silk robes with his back to me yelling loudly at the gatekeepers so he didn't see me but the rest of them did. Before the gates opened, I had decided to make a… very impressionable, first impression. My eyes glowed brightly under my horns, spectral flames wisping from the corners, my runes also glowed save for the one on my chest. When the doors opened and I started walking, I channeled some of my power into my paws, making the ground rumble with each step. It had the men and dwarves in the group grouping closer and clenching their spears in white knuckled grips.

"What is wrong with you imbeciles?! Who gave the order to open the gates?! The beast is bluffing! Close those infernal gates now!"

I grinned inwardly. There was no mistaking it, this was one of the twins. He was so far into his tantrum, that he completely missed me approaching. To add to the effect, I purposely let my legs brush against the closest spears, shattering them on my reinforced scales. The rat kept hurling insults at his men until my two forepaws slammed down on either side of him. He then spun around and backed up in order to look up at me. I had to give him credit, even going pale, and with fear in his eyes he still glared up at me and met my eyes. That was fine, while everyone's attention was on me it allowed my friends to enter. Once I felt all of them within, I allowed the doors to close.

"Well this is fantastic! Now the beasts and the outsiders are here! Listen here you dumb lizard, I'm in charge here and if you value your friends you'll behave. No one enters without having their mem- Mmpf?!"

I gave him my biggest feral grin, making every last of my large teeth were on display as I made stone flow up from the ground, wrap around him and covered his mouth.

"Silence, rat." I rumbled, giving the bound and gagged twin a nudge with a claw, making him fall back. I chuckled inwardly as he seemed to turn red in the face and tried to get out of his imprisonment. I turned to the rest of the group who now realized I wasn't alone. Saphira was crouched down in front of Eragon who had dismounted Snowfire, her wings spread and a snarl on her muzzle. Murtagh was behind me on the side out of their view.

"Now then. Is there anyone amongst you that is more civilized than the insect?" I sat in front of the soldiers, making them flinch but eventually a dwarf shuffled forward, upon his head was an iron cap with a hammer surrounded by twelve stars. So Orik was here just like in the books.

"Aye, I believe we can be civil, dragon. What do you want?"

I pointed at Saphira.

"We have a sick elf who was poisoned named Arya. I'll let the rider and his dragoness named Saphira hand her over and inform you what has stricken her."

Gasps and surprised mutterings erupted and the yet unnamed Orik muttered a few dwarven curses as Saphira and Eragon approached, revealing the comatose Arya strapped to her belly. 'Orik' assigned five of his group to take her, quite reluctantly might I add, from the faintly growling 'ness. I do not blame them, she is quite fearsome, and to get the list of poisons and the cure for the most deadly of them then rushed her away while I talked to 'Orik'.

"My name Is Wrathion, dwarf. And the being behind me is named Tornac."

Murtagh, Eragon, and Saphira looked at me in surprise and sent them a quick "quiet" to cut off any corrections that might come from them. I did feel the gratitude from Murtagh though.

"Mine name be Orik, son of Thifk, dragon, and let me be the first to say how much it means to see not one but two new riders."

My three companions looked at him confused and I laughed out loud.

"Nay, the only rider is Eragon and his partner Saphira. Our other human friend is merely traveling with us."

A few of the humans in the remaining group gulped nervously. One piping up. "S-So, you're a.."

"I am a free dragon, little human. Unbonded, unrestrained, and answer only to myself, indeed."

Orik grunted. "Well you seem more… amenable than what the stories say."

I lowered my head, letting him see one of my large eyes and a large grin. "I am when I need to be, dwarf, such as right now. But make no mistake, I will not take to being insulted…"

I turned my head to the still bound twin, squirming and rolling on the floor. "Or threatened. We are here hoping to help your people. If there is no respect then we will gladly leave and let you and your people fight the Empire on your own."

My mentor was loving this. Nothing but amusement and approval radiated from her from the moment of my epic entrance, to how I was handling the situation.

Orik cleared his throat. "Ahem, yes, that is understandable."

His eyes then went to the massive gem on my back and it was easy to see the glint in his and every other dwarfs' eyes.

"Quite a large jewel you have there dragon, it is truly a sight to be seen."

At the mention of Brom's entombment, Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh, and I hung our heads. Saphira let out a mournful keen and Eragon fought against tears trying to form. Murtagh looked upset, having gotten close to the old man. Orik and the rest of the Varden were taken aback by our reactions and my group looked at me to explain. I sighed, my mental voice surprising them again with how much I let my sorrow fill it.

"Our journey was long and full of danger… and one of our group suffered the most, little dwarf. This 'jewel' was the best I could do for him. I meant to save him but if It appears beyond possibility then at least.. I gave him a…"

The men looked at each other, and the Dwarves looked on in awe while I struggled to finish my sentence. Orik, probably the bravest dwarf in the land, actually gave my right leg a pat, albeit rather cautiously.

"Who is this man that you all honor so greatly?"

I glanced at Eragon out of the corner of my left eye. I suppose It would be fine to speak of who he was to some extent. Eragon knew who Brom was by the time he reached the Varden but still.. "I would rather not repeat myself on what is still a painful matter. We ask for an audience with the leader of the Varden, Ajihad and the mighty Dwarven king Hrothgar." My companions looked confused at me while the group of men and dwarves stared at surprise, probably trying to understand how I knew those names, but suddenly I was so tired and didn't care at the moment.

"Aye, I think that is manageable, but you will have to release him first. Even If no one has any objections to it, it'd still give a bad impression to see one of us bound."

I growled, turning my eyes to the paler, sweaty man. No doubt he tried to 'dispel' his bindings and exhausted himself.

"I rather like his silence, don't you? What if you carried him? Let it serve as a message to others about what happens when someone insults a dragon mage."

The members of the Varden swallowed nervously at the reveal of what I was. Of course there was no such thing. I only controlled two elements and even the pest I had bound is more of a mage than me, but let them think otherwise, it'll keep them too focused on the lie and let the truth pass unnoticed. There were no arguments from the soldiers, four rushed over and picked the twin up and took position up front. Eragon and Saphira were behind them, followed by the rest of the Dwarves. Murtagh and I were behind them much to the displeasure of the dwarves and lastly the rest of the men behind us. Orik hurried to the front of the column and at his signal, we walked into the darkness.

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A/N: First let me say…

I'M SORRY!

I honestly didn't intend to take all this time, I just ended up getting distracted by so many little thin- Oh Shinies!

Oops, where was I? Oh right.

I am truly sorry for keeping you waiting. I know many of you have been waiting on this particular chapter and now that you have it, I hope you enjoyed it. I sorta flubbed it at the end (mainly because it was 4 days after I started it that I managed to drag my tail back to it.) so next will be better. No Saphira at the end of this one but there will be in the next one.

Now, I really cannot remember If I had mentioned this yet because I'm still getting asked this. Wrathion is ⅔ as big as Glaedr main body wise, but his wingspan is the same as the golden dragons. His larger wingsize, and the brutal workout made Wrathion one hell of a long distance flyer and great at carrying massive weight. Plus his stamina levels are huge. Thank you drill sergeant Fiori.

Thank you Jordan and undead for your Insight and your eyes.

AND THANK YOU MY READERS AND FOLLOWERS!