Chapter 16

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! Please no more! Stoooop!"

I just snorted from my place over on the cliff edge, watching the city while Saphira continued to 'punish' her rider. For a newbie she was a quick learner in the ways of torture. I guess I gave pretty good instructions, of course, teaching someone with talons the art of tickling was a challenge itself. Now Eragon was squirming under her paw while her other lightly poked and scritched his sides, the cliff top filling with his giggles.

"Yes! I promise I won't tease you two anymore!"

Aah success! With a grin, I turned to face them just as she was letting him up, panting and heaving from his bout of laughter.

"Who even taught you that?!"

At that I started to laugh, flashing a grin when he directed his glare my way.

"Oh, I should've known! What other strange ways have you been teaching her?"

I only laughed harder.

"Nothing she hasn't asked me about, effective is it not?"

He ignored me and chose to lay against Saphira once she got settled.

"I met with that herbalist today, She has a werecat with her! I thought they were just legends! And there's something about her, she knows what's happening, says she's older than she looks, knows words of power, and can tell peoples' future."

"She tell you yours?"

He nodded and began to tell us of his meeting with bothe the witch Angela and the werecat Solembum. How he found out about his mother and she had her fortune told, and when he got to his, I had offered to butt out but with his permission to listen in, he continued. The fortune went as it did in the book… and that worried me. Did anything I did not matter? Or is it because I haven't Intervened and because I wasn't meant to be here? Nothing was clear at my point. So focused was I that I completely missed the advice he got from the werecat until I heard my name.

"What do you think, Wrathion? Do you know what he meant? Do you know of these places?"

Oh boy, now how can I weasel my way out of this predicament?

" The Menoa tree Is protected by the elves, deep in their forest, BUT!" I raised my mental voice as both Eragon and Saphira leapt to their feet. "You do not need a weapon, do you Eragon? You have Zar'roc, a blade with no equal. And at this moment in time the elves are sequestered and would more likely kill you for just passing into their borders. As for the rock, I do know of it and I tell you now you are not ready. The air itself is deadly and both of you will die within minutes upon reaching it. I should know, I hatched there."

With that my eyes went to Saphira, I saw her frown in thought, no doubt, going through my memories I had given her. She had the smarts of the pair it seems when I saw her eye widen and looked at me. Eragon had his back to her so he didn't realize she figured it out. He did glower at me though.

"If it was poisoned then how did you live?"

I tapped the inert runes covering my scales.

"I hatched, adapted to the world. These markings ward me against all poisons and thus let me survive. You have no protection and I will not tell you where it is or what it looks like. You are not ready."

He stopped as he opened his mouth to probably argue but he stopped and looked back at his partner. I could see they were having a debate between themselves and with the dragoness being the victor, Eragon sighed and faced me again.

"Alright, we'll trust your judgment, not like we could win against you anyways"

I gave an amused grin and decided to change the topic.

"Did you ask her My question?"

He grimaced and nodded.

"She grabbed me and shook me, demanding how I knew that name. When I told her I learned from a friend I was traveling with and that friend wanted to meet her, she was very interested, and sent me along to see when you'd like her to come and where."

I hummed and thought for a moment. Clearly she knew what the name meant and possibly even met my summoner. Now usually you wouldn't trust someone who ripped you from your world, but to have them knowingly and willingly give up their life to pull it off? Either they were very determined… or crazy. Yeah, more likely just crazy, just like Angela. Which made me wonder if craziness was a requirement for Grey Folk. I shook my head to bring myself back on track. "Let her know she can choose when and where. That I do not want to interrupt her schedule."

After a nod from him, I let myself fall over the cliff's edge and into a glide down to the sands below and sat on my haunches to look out on the rippling waters.

"Teach?"

"I am here Fledgling, what is troubling you?"

"Do dragons believe in fate?"

She took some time before replying.

"Not in the way men view it. The idea that someone or something else has control over what happens to us is abhorrent in our minds. Instead we view the idea of fate as a sense, somewhat like our instincts but more in our souls. Men view it as some inescapable power that they must embrace. That you cannot change the outcome, but we've seen proof ever since the first of our kin soared these skies. Take our war with the elves. If it was fate that we would kill each other then how was an elf able to bond with one of us? It is the same the other way around. Why was a war needed to make a bond? Before that foolish elf that hunted and killed one of us, our two people had no need to fight. Such a bonding would have been far easier then. Why the question, young one?"

I nodded as I listened to her then asked if she was listening to Eragon and when she said no, I filled her in.

"I see, I think? No, I do not see the problem."

I chuckled at her confusion.

"The part where he has a death in the family. I saved Garrow, but did that not matter? And I know I can save Brom but the fortune didn't change from the one I knew of. Does it mean they'd die anyway?"

"Oh fledgling, everyone passes on and while you have or will save others, you cannot be everywhere at once. You have such a kind heart, do not let yourself worry about 'what-ifs'."

I gave a heavy sigh, smoke rolling from my muzzle, and sent my gratitude to her. At that moment, Saphira landed with Eragon and we both watched him disappear around the bend towards the city gates. That night I tried sleeping again. Unfortunately, my worries made my nightmares come back. First it was the usual, the forest of the spine on a moon and starless night, fog crawling on the floor. I would be walking through the trees when a sinkhole appears in front of me, revealing a hidden pit, then four blackened and worm riddled corpses crawled free wearing burnt armor and wielding broken spears and partially melted swords and lumbered towards me, moaning and cursing at me.

"Murderer"

"Monster"

"We were innocent!"

"Heartless"

And like last time, I was unable to move as they took their time stabbing and hacking at my body, one even working at prying and ripping scales off to twist their weapon into the weaker hide underneath.

"You don't belong here."

"Fake!"

"Pretender!"

What was new were three urgals, the first was headless but still swinging a spiked club, the second was flatter with twisted limbs and shattered bones showing at odd angles and 'flowing/holding' onto my rear legs. The last, was the kull, it was only his upper half crawling towards me, entrails dragging behind and a great axe with a shattered head gleaming wickedly then slicing at my wings. The scene that haunted me the most though, was when the scene went from the forest of spine to a white stoned city with what remained of a rock overhanging a portion of it, the rest was resting within the city amongst rubble of a castle and dozens of city blocks. The once proud white wall barely existed with the parts that did having deep gouges of dragon talons or massive spears of stone imbedded within. I would be standing there in the center now, slowly getting cut up while I looked upon a pile of bodies, most burt, others maimed. At the bottom would be a massive black dragon with parts of his center mass and skull missing staring at me with cloudy eyes. Next to would be a golden dragon missing a leg or rather legs, wings, and tail missing which led to a red with his head missing. I didn't need to look back to see it was impaled on the main gate with another spear. The other was a upper half of a green dragon embracing the still and partially burnt remains of very familiar dragoness. All around these were bodies of humans, elves, dwarves, werecats, and urgals. And there, at the top, leering down at me was a solid black dragon with bright, glowing red eyes and runic markings was a dragon the size of the black at the bottom. Around his neck were various heads and all were glaring at me.

"See what you're capable of? Come Wrathion, give in to your desires or you will die!"

And just like last time, I jolt awake, heaving air and smoke after the specter lunges towards me. I panted while looking at our temporary roost. Saphira was sound asleep close to the edge, probably fell asleep stargazing again. The moon was at its peak telling me it was or either close to midnight. With a relieved sigh I collapsed onto the stone, my sides heaving and my heart trying to launch straight out of my body. The next instant warmth suffused and surrounded me and I felt an almost ghostly presence hug me just as I heard Fiori croon and send soothing images into my mind.

"Be at ease little one, it was only a night terror. Take slow deep breaths, that's it."

I did what she said, closing my eyes. It helped when I felt an invisible head nuzzling my own. Only now I realized just why she was chosen as the hatchery caretaker. That realization made a question, I just had no idea how to ask. The decision was taken from me when she asked her own question. I should have known with her mental presence this close to me I couldn't hide anything from her.

"You have a question, young one?"

"Did you… have any hatchlings of your own?"

I winced when she fell silent and still. I still felt her all over though.

When I was about to apologize for mentioning it, I got an answer that would have been unheard of if it wasn't mental and full of sadness.

"Yes… I had an egg once… At the behest of its sire, a bonded dragon, I let the order have it. Eventually it hatched into a beautiful purple. A blend of my red and his blue.. A charming, and fierce dragoness."

I really felt bad for bringing it up, but my mental voice wouldn't shut up.

"Whatever happened to her? Did she get killed during the fall?"

The depression increased along with… anger?

"No… no, She passed long before the fall. The egg-breaker got her killed by his pride."

I began to tear up as her heartache crashed repeatedly along with images Of a purple dragoness flitting about my vision. I realized this was Fiori's memory of her hatchling playing with a human, her rider. Only when Fiori focused on him did it dawn on me. I watched as the young Galbatorix managed to get her to stay still long enough for him to saddle, a joyous smile on his face. I knew who this was!

"Jarnunvösk…"

Fiori's acknowledgement made me try my hardest to return the mental hug.

"T-that was the day of her death… When he returned without her, I tried so hard to sink my teeth and claws into him. I was then escorted to Doru Araeba to oversee the hatchery and he was barred from going there."

"I never forgave him for his part in her death."

"I know the feeling. I had resentment for a doctor for not treating my mother just because we didn't have enough. I took to working aftershool to help raise it.. But she passed before we had enough."

Heh, that seemed to enrage her more.

"WHAT?! Healers demanding payment to help people?! They should be grateful I do not have a body anymore and cannot reach your world!" It touched me that she'd feel angry for me.

The rest of the night we talked and reminiscing on pleasant memories of lost loved ones and grew all that closer for it.

The next day I decided to try my claw at whittling.. Literally, as in, I had a tree felled and was slicing it with my talons. Saphira looked at me funny until I answered her unspoken question.

"I need to do something, or else I fear losing my mind just sitting here wishing that time passed faster."

She agreed and a moment later, she asked if I'd teach how to read. Seeing no reason not to, I agreed and began to teach her by showing a letter, what it meant, then had her practice drawing it in the dirt, while I cut away at the tree. Truthfully I had no design in mind, just letting my talons do as they wanted. We were on "G" when Eragon contacted me and told me Angela would like to meet me at noon in a glade not far from us, he even had an image courtesy of Solembum. I thanked him and resumed my impromptu lesson. By the time noon was almost upon us, Saphira had familiarized the alphabet.

I then gave her a list of words to try to write, ten times each, grabbed the bag with Fiori within and made my way to the glade.

I paced within secluded glen as noon arrived, the mossy ground canceling my heavy steps even as my talons constantly churned the ground with my of things going wrong, that I was making a terrible mistake. I was beyond nervous, so much so that I never noticed my illusion activating, cloaking me as a shrrg. Neither did I sense the witch's and werecat's approach. That is until I heard a voice exclaim and a feline hiss causing me to wheel around and face my visitors.

"Oh! Well now this is a surprise! Here I was ready to let some fool of a man have it, but instead I see a dragon! Just as well because I forgot to bring something to give." I noticed solembum give her a funny look while I just looked confused.

"Well? Don't be shy, you can stop that illusion, can't you?"

At that I realized what happened, my glamour reacted to my emotions and made me look like a wolf. Unsurprisingly, she can see right through it but the werecat couldn't. Interesting. I mentally canceled it and inwardly grinned as Solembum's gaped and Angela just kept talking.

"There now, That is much better. Goodness, a dragon fully capable of using magic, and a very unique one at that! Are you by chance that boy's partner?"

I couldn't help but snort in amusement and shake my head. Of course Angela wouldn't be fazed from suddenly meeting a dragon.

"No? Oh I was sure when he made that hint of himself that he'd be a rider. I know you're not Brom's, That poor man would never allow himself to ride another dragon without it being necessary. Well-"

She stopped speaking when I laid down and started to write out 'Do I have permission to speak to you?' in the dirt. It took her a moment to read it upside down, but not that long.

"Of course you can speak! Unless you prefer to bark or quack instead. You certainly don't seem the type to croak."

That set me off, I began laughing and smiled when I noticed the merry twinkle in her eyes and her cheeky smile. I wiped my writing away and wrote instead 'permission to speak to you with my mind wise one? And would you like to sit?' I stretched my left foreleg out, paw down.

"Look at that Solumbum, so polite! Well how could I refuse such an offer? These old legs aren't used to standing for so long and you have my permission to 'talk' to me. Honestly there are many who could learn a thing or two from you. Ah well, maybe once that brat is gone from that throne." She made her way over and settled herself on what I considered my "thumb" claw. To make it more relaxing, I curled my others, my "index's" arch acting as a back rest, letting her lean back against. Once she seemed settled I reached out, keeping my connection to her surface thought only.

"Thank you, and you hardly seem over thirty summers."

I grinned at her blush and kept going.

"The boy who visited you is indeed a rider but I am not his partner. A dragoness named Saphira is. I'm but a simple Wild. My name is Wrathion"

She tittered as she pulled knitting needles and some unfinished… thing out of who knows where.

"Oho! A dragoness hm? Got your eyes on her do you?"

Dragons do not blush, but from the way she was grinning at me made me feel like my body was trying its hardest.

I just huffed and laid my chin on the moss below. That was when Solumbum chose to join us by leaping onto my head and promptly curling up between my horns.

"Come now, I was only teasing. You seem to already know who we are. Why is a wild, untamed spirit like yourself traveling with a wanted dragon rider, his dragon, and one of the king's most hated enemies if not for companionship?"

I sighed. Right to the whole reason for this meeting.

"Furu."

Just like that, the happy atmosphere turned into a tense, somber mood. She stopped her knitting after the utterance of that name made her miss several stitches. Her smile was gone and her eyes held a sharp seriousness in them that suddenly had me feeling quite thirsty.

"So, It was you who had that boy ask about him."

I sent my acknowledgement instead of nodding and disrupting the dozing werecat.

"He's the reason I'm here, I'm… I'm not from this world. He used some spell that pulled me here and gave me the form you see now, along with my strange use of magic.

But the spell cost him his life in the process. The ones who aided him are how I knew of him and the reason for me being here. They then took me in and trained me how to use this body."

She had slumped back, her face stricken with grief.

"So.. he's gone then?And he actually went through with his idiotic plan hm? He was the last of the old ones, young drake. For him to.."

She shook her head and wiped her tears. It took her a while but eventually she gathered her composer and smiled again, albeit it lacked her usual merriment.

"Thank you, I suppose that accounts for why you are remarkably well mannered for such a dragon. What reason did he bring you here for I wonder."

I tried to reply, honestly! But she chose to scratch my eye ridge at that moment and by the stars it felt like I was in heaven! My eyelids closed one after another and I gave a loud, rumbling hum. I accidentally disturbed Solembum when I tilted my head, getting that side closer to her and making her giggle.

"Oh my, that feels good hm? Has no one done this to you yet? Poor drake."

"Nngh, n-no, why does it feel soo good?! "

She just laughed and gave me a firm pat on my jowl. And no… I did not whine for more scratches.

I did not sulk either when I replied to her earlier question.

"From what I was told, he had a vision of a new dragon and rider who would end the black king's rule but he felt they needed a guardian of sorts that had no connection to that traitor and could protect them. So a solid year before the destined partners met, I got summoned here. I trained and practiced until they bonded and then I went to watch over them… Good thing too, the king sent the ra'zac after them."

There was a menacing hiss from my head and a scowl that looked very out of place on Angela.

"Those monsters? They'd probably kill those two instead of capturing them. Did you fight them?"

"No, then I knew that even if they looked frail, I still stood no chance. No, I simply outsmarted them."

At her questioning glance, I grinned and shared everything I did. Her eyes lit up and devolved into another laughing fit. I knew she shared it with Solembum because his purring grew louder and I felt approval from him. After she calmed down, she happened to see the sun was starting to set.

"Oh bother, never enough time in the world when you have pleasant company."

She got off my paw and straightened her skirt and shawl while Solembum leapt from my head to stand beside her.

"It was wonderful to meet you, Wrathion, but I do need to return before the gates close, otherwise the potion I left will overboil, gain life of it's own, and run amuck eating everyones shoes!"

I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Will that even happen and why shoes?"

She gave me a wink and started to walk away.

"Never know what will happen when your Experiment! And of course shoes! Afterall, how else would a goop monster get all the soles it wants?"

My draconic laugh followed her out of the forest.

….

Saphira

"I saw you, during my first flight.. How long have you been here?"

He gave a nod, agreeing with her.

"I arrived shortly after your rider arrived at the village with your egg."

She saw Garrow throw a curious glance towards no! what was his name? I do not think He told me yet! Ooh I hope I didn't miss it!

She shook herself mentally to refocus on the drake as he continued explaining things.

"My purpose here was to keep you out of the black king's grasp and I am glad my efforts have been a success so far but he knows where both of you are now. I'm afraid we must flee to safer skies when your rider wakes. I know I'm no match for those Ra'zac and would be our end if the king and his traitorous dragon decided to fly here to fetch us himself.. Or his shade. We're putting the entire valley at risk." She kept her eye on the man, The Ra'zac she knew were those monsters and the king was an even bigger one. The last she had no understanding of but Garrow seemed to know and was afraid, Agreeing with him. Even this big, strong, scary drake was wary, maybe she should be too.

Said dragon then looked up and around, she followed his gaze and noted the day was almost over, and he seem to agree with her thoughts. Thoughts that abruptly ceased when He stood fully up and she found her eyes staring straight at his chest, she was suddenly aware how big and how close he was. Craning her head up and at the underside of his, she nervously stepped back then diverted her gaze to her rider's guardian.

"Wow, he's so big, he could probably carry you on his back without even noticing you were there! He looks strong enough that he would pin you with a single paw!"

There was that voice again. Ever since she hatched, that voice had been with her, she knew quickly it wasn't her partner. He didn't know how to read the wind, the proper way to track and hunt prey like a dragon, or exactly how her tail should move to send her in a roll or to angle her wings to turn sharply. And her partner didn't have a female voice. Never did that voice put her in danger, in fact it often seemed to help her stay alert. She also remembered it was the voice that warned her of those demons.

"It is getting dark, let's return to the watch, get my bag, then move to my camp near the falls. That way we can be close to the village. Do you need a lift?"

She flinched when she thought the male heard that voice's comment, but when she looked, he was talking to the man Garrow. Right, humans are clumsy in the dark and he was older than the stable younger humans.

When he stated he would like that, she let her eagerness get the better of her.

"I'll do it! You can ride on me."

She could feel the amusement from the other dragon. As she followed the other dragon, that voice commented on wherever she was looking at him.

"Just look at those back legs! Thick and all muscle! And that flank and tail!"

The voice Kept drawing her attention to certain parts of the male that by the time they reached the mentioned camp, Saphira swore that Summer was here and she just couldn't stop herself from drooling just a tiny bit. It was then She learned his name, She returned the courtesy but if he was here to protect her and her rider then he probably knew her name.

Wrathion… What a strong name.

" fitting for such a handsome, fierce, and dependable drake."

….

AN: 4,428 words not counting this part… I can honestly say this chapter sorta got away from me for a bit and upon reaching this part, I thought of breaking it into two different chapters then I thought "eh, too lazy to chop" haha. So lets see.

I originally planned to do the nightmare the night after Yazauc but thought it was too soon, then when my words found themselves at Teirm I realized I need that scene soon for a future scene. Lets talk about it because I have been getting DMs about him. Wrathion is a human inside a dragon. All the reservations, ideals, humility, and desires of a human, a barely adult one at that. Now there's the dragon body, A fierce, emotionally driven apex predator. Now if you combine them, you with get alot of his negative emotions with the natural boost typical of dragons when expressing one emotion or another.

The nightmare.

The kid is traumatized, plain and simple. He has killed seven setiant and free thinking beings and led another deliberately to his death AND he knows it won't be the only time. He honestly needs a good, long, hug session. Do not worry

His two halves will come to an agreement eventually.

Now, about Fiori…