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Disclaimer: I do not own The Inheritance Cycle. I only own the OC Michael/Ancalagon.
It was dark in Eragon's cell when he sat up with a start, electrified. The wrinkle had shifted! He had felt the magic at the edge of his consciousness for hours, but every time he tried to use it, nothing happened. Eyes bright with nervous energy, he clenched his hands and said, "Nagz reisa!" With a flap, the cot's blanket flew into the air and crumpled into a ball the size of his fist. It landed on the floor with a soft thump.
Exhilarated, Eragon stood. He was weak from his enforced fast, but his excitement overcame his hunger. Now for the real test. He reached out with his mind and felt the lock on the door. Instead of trying to break or cut it, he simply pushed its internal mechanism into the unlocked position. With a click, the door creaked inward.
When he had first used magic to kill the Urgals in Yazuac, it had consumed nearly all of his strength, but he had grown much stronger since then. What once would have exhausted him now only tired him slightly.
He cautiously stepped into the hall. I have to find Zar'roc and the elf. She must be in one of these cells, but there isn't time to look in them all. As for Zar'roc, the Shade might have it with him.' He realized that his thinking was still muddled. 'Why am I out here? I could escape right now if I went back into the cell and opened the window with magic. But then I wouldn't be able to rescue the elf... Saphira, where are you? I need your help. He silently berated himself for not contacting her sooner. That should have been the first thing he did after getting his power back.
Her reply came with surprising alacrity. Eragon! I'm over Gil'ead. Don't do anything. Murtagh and Brom are on the way.
What about you and Ancalagon?
I'm on the city outskirts, waiting, Ancalagon is providing distraction for the archcers.
Before Eragon could reply, the sound of footsteps interrupted him. He spun around, crouching as a squad of 6 soldiers marched into the hall. They halted abruptly, eyes flicking between Eragon and the open cell door. Blood drained from their faces. Good, they know who I am. Maybe I can scare them off so we won't have to fight.
"Charge!" yelled one of the soldiers, running forward. The rest of the men drew their blades and pounded down the hall.
It was madness to fight 6 men when he was unarmed and weak, but the thought of the elf kept him in place. He could not force himself to abandon her. Uncertain if the effort would leave him standing, he pulled on his power and raised his hand, the gedwëy ignasia glowing. Fear showed in the soldiers' eyes, but they were hardened warriors and did not slow. As Eragon opened his mouth to pronounce the fatal words, there was a low buzz, a flicker of motion. One of the men crashed to the floor with an arrow in his back. Two more were struck before anyone understood what was happening.
At the end of the hall, where the soldiers had entered, stood a ragged, bearded man with a bow. A crutch lay on the floor by his feet, apparently unneeded, for he stood tall and straight.
The three remaining soldiers turned to face this new threat. Eragon took advantage of the confusion. "Thrysta!" he shouted. One of the men clutched his chest and fell. Eragon staggered as the magic took its toll. Another soldier fell, pierced through the neck with an arrow. "Don't kill him!" called Eragon, seeing his rescuer take aim at the last soldier.
"Are you daft, boy?!" The familiar voice made Eragon spin around to see Brom emerge, wiping his sword clean of blood as he walked up to him. "They'll kill you without a second thought if the King thinks you're better off dead! This is no time to be merciful when they wouldn't give you that option."
"I need to know where my weapons are! And they have an elf trapped here!" Eragon hurriedly said, that last bit causing Brom's eyes to widen before he whirled on the remaining soldier and grabbed him.
"Where's the boy's weapons? And the elf?" Brom demanded.
The man clamped his mouth shut.
Eragon's palm glowed ominously as he reached for the magic. "That was the wrong answer," he snapped. "Do you know how much pain a grain of sand can cause you when it's embedded red hot in your stomach? Especially when it doesn't cool off for the next 20 years and slowly burns its way down to your toes! By the time it gets out of you, you'll be an old man." He paused for effect. "Unless you tell me what I want."
The soldier's eyes bulged, but he remained silent. Eragon scraped some dirt off the stone floor and observed dispassionately, "This is a bit more than a piece of sand, but be comforted; it'll burn through you faster. Still, it'll leave a bigger hole." At his word, the dirt shone cherry red, though it did not burn his hand.
"All right, just don't put that in me!" yelped the soldier. "The elf's in the last cell to the left! I don't know about your sword, but it's probably in the guardroom upstairs. All the weapons are there."
Eragon nodded, then murmured, "Slytha." The soldier's eyes rolled up in his head, and he collapsed limply.
"You should've killed him, Eragon." Brom said with a look at the young Rider. "He wouldn't have shown you such mercy."
"I know." Eragon nodded, then smiled at him. "I'm glad to see you again."
"You too, Eragon." Brom said with his own smile. "When we heard of what happened from Ancalagon, we came searching for you. He's busy providing a distraction for most of the soldiers, flying around out there and avoiding their arrows. Now, since there's an elf here, we'll need to rescue her quickly."
"There's something else..." Eragon swallowed. "A Shade is also here."
"A Shade?!" Murtagh exclaimed as Brom stiffened with worry. The old man swiped a set of keys from his pocket and walked over to the cell door the guard indicated. After finding the right one, Brom swung the door open. A single beam of moonlight slanted through the window, illuminating the elf's face with cool silver.
She faced him, tense and coiled, ready for whatever would happen next. She held her head high, with a queen's demeanor. Her eyes, dark green, almost black, and slightly angled like a cat's, lifted to Eragon's. Chills shot through him.
However, upon seeing Brom, her eyes widened as did Brom's. "Brom?" The elf said weakly.
"Arya?" Brom was just as shocked. However, Arya then proceeded to tremble and collapse, causing Brom to rush and catch her before she hit the floor.
Murtagh and Eragon entered the cell. "She's beautiful!"
"Not the time, you idiots!" Brom snapped at them while gathering Arya in his arms. He then quickly contacted Ancalagon, who he could hear roaring outside. Ancalagon, we've found Eragon and an elf!
Good, now get out of there! Go the way you came in! I'll pick all of you up and fly to where Saphira will be waiting. We can't afford to delay any longer. Ancalagon responded before the fortress shook, Ancalagon most likely knocking a piece of it off to take out some soldiers.
"Come on!" Brom jerked his head to the boys and rushed out the cell with them behind him. "We've get your sword, Eragon, then we leave."
After they went upstairs and paused in the banquet room so Eragon could have something to eat and regain his energy, and found the room Zar'roc was in, Murtagh handed it to Eragon and they proceeded to start looking for their way out.
"Let's just hope the Shade doesn't find us." Murtagh said worriedly.
A cold chuckle filled the banquet room. "I'm afraid it's far too late for that."
They spun around. The Shade stood alone at the end of the room. In his hand was a pale sword with a thin scratch on the blade. He unclasped the brooch that held his cape in place and let the garment fall to the floor. His body was like a runner's, thin and compact, but Eragon remembered Brom's warning and knew that the Shade's appearance was deceiving; he was many times stronger than a normal human.
"YOU!" Brom roared, passing Arya into Murtagh's arms and took out his sword before he attacked the Shade with a ferocity Eragon hadn't seen before."You are responsible for the elf's condition! A quick death for you would be far too merciful! I knew I should've killed you that time in Furnost!"
Durza sneered coldly as he defended himself. "A mistake that will cost you your life, old man."
Their swords clashed and clanged, while Eragon and Murtagh could do nothing but watch helplessly. They knew that Brom may be the best chance against the Shade. The sound of footsteps caught their attention and they saw soldiers arriving.
"Stay back!" Durza ordered with a heavy glare before grunting as Brom managed to shove him back, then swung his sword. Durza stumbled back, lifting a hand to his cheek where a single cut laid and he chuckled as he looked at the blood on his hand. "Not bad... for an old Rider."
What?! Eragon's eyes widened in shock as he looked at Brom, who did not take his glare off Durza one bit. Brom was... a Dragon Rider? Why didn't he tell him?!
"Tell me, Brom, do you really think you can defeat me... and save him at the same time?" Durza asked with a curel smirk as his eyes flickered to Eragon, causing Brom to tense. "If he won't serve the King, then he will die."
"You won't harm him, Shade." Brom spat. "The King won't get his hands on him or Saphira."
"Or the black dragon flying around out there?" Durza added with a grin. "And who said it would be me that would kill him?"
Brom frowned, but then his eyes widened when he saw a dark-clad figure emerge from the shadows behind Eragon, sword raised.
"NO!" Brom charged fourth and shoved Eragon out the way before gasping as he felt cold metal pierce through his flesh.
"NO!" Eragon shouted in horror when seeing the sword impaled through Brom.
He wasn't the only one who had been watching and was in shock.
Ancalagon had been flying around, his role basically playing distraction as he drew most of the soldiers out, the archers trying to shoot him down but their arrows bounded harmlessly off his scales while he kept flying around. Sometimes, he knocked them off with his tail, or smashed through a tower to block the barracks for reinforcements.
He had also kept his mind connected with Brom's, to keep an eye on their progress and see when they'll make it to the rendezvous point where he'll pick them up and meet up with Saphira. However, worry strucked him when they ran into Durza, but Brom had told him to stay focused on his task while he handles Durza.
Neither he or Brom or had been expecting the dark-clad figure to strike from the shadows, nor had Ancalagon anticipated Brom pulling the exact same thing he did in the movie and take the blow for Eragon.
Brom! Brom! Listen to me! You're going to be okay! I'll get you out of there! Ancalagon said frantically as he diverted his course to fly to where he knew his companions would be.
No, Ancalagon... this is it for me. Eragon's too weak with that drug in him, and Arya's in a coma. Brom said weakly as Ancalagon froze in the air, just frozen in fear and horror... and feeling useless. Besides, don't act like you didn't see this coming... You may have prevented my original death, but the story remains the same.
What? Ancalagon blinked as a tear fell down his cheek.
While I was connected to your mind... I had to take a peak inside, and what I found... I did not expect. Don't worry, I didn't tell any of them. I suppose when you rescue my Saphira, you'll tell her I tried. Take care of her… and take care of young dragoness traveling with you, won't you? Just because you're human at heart... doesn't mean you should let that get in the way of being happy with the one you love...
Brom...? Ancalagon pressed as he felt Brom's mental contact retract from his mind. The black dragon shook his head, unable to believe this was happening. He had changed the story! He stopped Brom's death at Leona-Lake! He had changed the story, so... why was it happening now?!
Soon, the shock and horror of the situation faded away... replaced by a dark anger and rage as Ancalagon started to see red, feeling nothing but a darl, burning desire to see this wretched, stinking city burn!
And burn it shall! Ancalagon roared and unleashed fire on the city walls, burning a squad of archers whose screams filled the air. Snapping his gaze to where he sensed his companions, Ancalagon flew and bashed right through the walls, startling Eragon, Murtagh, Durza, the soldiers and the dark-clad figure.
"Well, well, the black drag-" Durza was cut off as Ancalagon lashed out and smacked Durza aside into the wall.
"Master!" The dark-clad figure shouted, then summoned a sword and swung it at Ancalagon who roared pierced through the figure's chest with a claw, then scooped him into his mouth, his teeth ripping him apart as Ancalagon chewed and crunched, spitting out the remains afterwards.
"Ancalagon!" Eragon looked at him, tears streaming down his face as he held a weak Brom in his arms. Not saying anything, Ancalagon scooped Eragon, Brom, Murtagh and Arya into his palm before taking off into the air as Durza howled in rage.
Ancalagon flew well over the city and towards where Saphira would be waiting. The dragoness perked up upon seeing them, but was struck with worry when seeing Brom's state.
However, Ancalagon caught everyone's attention as he flew off... going back towards the city.
"Where's he going?" Murtagh frowned.
"Ancalagon!" Eragon shouted, but the black dragon did not turn around.
Then, before their eyes, they watched as he dive-bombed the city and shot fire out at it.
"He's attacking the city!" Murtagh breathed.
Saphira tried connecting to the male dragon but his mind was blocked, but she had felt nothing but rage, anger, bloodlust and darkness from him. Nothing but desire to see Gil'ead burn, the soldiers burn, leave the city nothing but ruins for everything.
There was no common sense in Ancalagon's thoughts, it was as if he had been consumed by something else.
BURN! Ancalagon roared as he shot fire into a catapault, destroying it to smithereens. There was no sense of humanity in control anymore. The black dragon was consumed with anger and darkness, and it gave him access to something he did not know of.
By his very will and command, the shadows came to live and shot sharp spears out, impaling the soldiers in rage. Even the shadows of people weren't save as shadow-made hands shot out and ripped the throats or heads off the one casting the shadow.
The screams of Gil'ead filled the air as the shadows attacked them, while Ancalagon hovered in the air and continued to spread fire and death. But he wasn't finished there. When he stopped breathing fire, his chest seemed to light up again and then... he shot a beam of lightning from his mouth, striking several parts of the city and destroying it.
Coming to a stop in the air, the black dragon's glowing eyes gazed down at the screaming and burning people below with glee and delight as they died. He then inhaled deeply, and then...
"MAH LOK YOL!"
The sky rumbled and thundered, the ground shook, and then fire proceeded to rain down from the sky itself. Huge meteors falling, striking Gil'ead with such force that the city was crumbling.
Ancalagon grinned with savage joy as he watched the city become ruins, the soldiers and people who live here dying... they deserved it. This stinking city deserved to burn and be destroyed. They had earned the wrath of the Black Death, and this was their reward for such.
Suddenly, a sapphire-coloured dragoness slammed into him. STOP!
Saphira hugged Ancalagon tightly, her tail wrapping around his, her forelegs securing themselves around his sides while her hind legs wrapped around his, and she buried her face in his neck, tears streaming down her face as she tried to get through the rage and the darkness, to reach the dragon she loved.
Stop, Ancalagon! Please, enough's enough! She sobbed as Ancalagon stared at her. I... I don't want to lose you! Come back to me! Please!
She looked into his eyes, feeling terrified at the lack of warmth in them, seeing nothing but rage and darkness. However, it seemed something had gotten through as he closed his eyes, and she heard a groan from him before he blinked his eyes open, the glow having died down and he looked at her, albeit confusedly.
Saphira? He asked.
Saphira nodded with a sob and hugged him tightly. She felt him stiffen in shock as he witnessed the destruction around them. Gil'ead was no more, nothing but ruins that burned.
We... we should leave. Ancalagon said numbly, getting a nod from Saphira, and they flew off to meet with their companions, leaving the ruins of the city that was once known as Gil'ead...
And that's it for this chapter. I tried to make this as dark as I can, especially when Ancalagon's rage took control and he was consumed by darkness. Do remember, in the first chapter, he was warned of giving into the darker desires of being a dragon like killing for sport, for the spillage of blood and taking pleasure in it, destroying with no reason... this was what he had been warned against and he had given into it due to how angry he was at how saving Brom seemed to matter little if he still couldn't prevent him from dying.
Yeah, I was hesitant to do this myself, but I feel like that would be a great twist on things.
And in Ancalagon's rage, he accessed power that he couldn't access before namely because of his anger and rage driving him. It's one of those circumstances where, after being consumed by anger, the MC uses a power he did not know of but is able to use it normally without the anger or however that stuff goes.
Let me know what you think in the reviews.
And by the way, just because I had Ancalagon destroy Gil'ead doesn't mean I'm copying Dreams of Fate. You could have many stories with a similar idea in destroying a place, long as it's done differently and I did that.
Also, it seems the view stats are back to normal, though they aren't instantly going to whatever number they should be at after being frozen for so long, so most of my chapters have like 10 or 20 views each. So, if it's possible for you all to re-read my stories and get those views up and running.
Thank you.