Circa 2705BBRW / 5297AC

"So… Why are you here?"

Decades had passed, yet Vyke's death still felt like it had only happened yesterday. Without purpose or drive Lansseax had drifted through that time like a sailor upon the sea. She had not joined, nor had she contributed anything to the development of the races that inhabited this land. Though… That wasn't entirely true. Despite her best efforts she had been dragged into conversation and interaction with this land's inhabitants, and though she would always deny it it was because she genuinely… missed interaction. Vyke had received her personal blessing, but each of her devotees had received a dragonbolt blessing of their own. Despite being lesser, no one species was without potential. So, sometimes against her will, she found herself as a teacher. One of the aspects of her tutelage was the Ancient Language, something she had learned from a near-extinct species the new children simply called "The Grey Folk." She could… empathize with them in a way, and the survivors were the one species she genuinely did not mind interaction with. Due to their folly and their magic, all life was nearly extinguished by their hand, and through painstaking effort they tied their magic to a language brimming with power. Through her efforts and their cooperation they refined it into its current form. They had the right of it at first, and it functioned in a similar way to some incantations. "Let this stone rise into the air" would result in exactly what the caster said, raising a stone into the air. It was fundamentally correct, but it was painfully lacking to her standards. With a gentle claw she guided them in the right direction, and now every single word was imbued with power. It followed the same principle as her own reality altering magic. Instead of the incantation, one simply needed to say "stenr reisa." More complex things required multiple words, but before it had nearly required a full speech. And as time went on she found herself teaching the elves the language as well. By this point the Grey Folk had largely ceased to be, and only their descendants remained.

The elves almost revered her, and she both understood and did not understand why. She was a being beyond them, more so than they realized. They only knew the wandering mourner, they had no idea what she really was. They conceived theories and guesses, though she cared not. They were simple curiosities at best, and minor annoyances at worst. Her "lessons" were simply teaching them the way the world worked, and how magic worked. They knew of it as a concept and had understanding to some extent, but she revealed truly how powerful and important it was. Through her lessons and their own understanding they weaved cities through the very forests themselves, influencing the ways the trees grew and imbued the great forest with magic. Multiple times they invited her to walk among them, and every time she had refused them. Simple curiosities were, still, ultimately beneath her. They satisfied her need for brief conversation and nothing more. Unfortunately much of her advice was rarely heard unless it benefited them. In that instance, they were nearly as vain as dragons.

And on that topic, it was ironically the dragons that she had the least connection with. They were so utterly alien to her, "not-kin" was truly the greatest way she could describe them. She was a great curiosity to them, and they were incredibly persistent. She taught them little, as they very easily picked up her own lessons, and the only thing they ever seemed to be interested in was the topic of herself. She always declined, and when they were persistent enough to challenge her? Well… with the majority of her power restored she was the single most powerful being on this continent. There was little else to say, they were not of her own lineage and so they were inherently lesser than her. A facsimile of her own kind, a baseless copy. In a way they were almost insulting, but she couldn't fault them for existing, she was above that way of thinking.

But it was not the greatest disappointment of her decades here. She had almost forgotten, but peace was an abnormality. Conflict was the true state of the world, and despite the warnings of his people a young elf decided to hunt a dragon. She had lectured elvenkind of the intelligence of species greater than themselves, but in their ignorance they didn't believe her. She never bothered with those elves after that, but in a way she wished she had pressed harder. For the dragons retaliated, and a mere hunting trip had escalated into a war of equal extermination. It was disappointing that seemingly wise races would reduce themselves to this, but such was the nature of lesser beings. So she retreated to the west, and turned a blind eye to the senseless slaughter. She told herself that she didn't care, and that was that. Until…

"You know why…"

Lesser as it was, Lansseax had utilized the magic system she had helped to develop. She had created a small and humble abode of wood and earth. Outside of it she tended to a small garden, consisting of flowers from every corner of the continent. Mixing her own magic with the ancient language she formed water from the air to water them, pointedly ignoring her latest nuisance.

"No, I don't. Furthermore, you aren't sure either." She sensed the person behind her stiffen, uncertainty radiating from his mind. Standing up she finally turned to face him, regarding him with a neutral and bored gaze. It was an elven male a few inches taller than herself, dressed in traveling clothes. He was young for his kind, with eyes that must have been bright and full of curiosity, once upon a time. Now they were full of anxiety and hope in equal measure. "Your kind always seeks my wisdom, but they only utilize it when it suits them. So heed my wisdom; leave. There is nothing for you here."

"Please!" The elf spoke as she turned away. Despite herself she paused. "You're a dragon, right? That's why you never visited our cities, why you left when this war started?" She regarded him coolly, not providing an answer.

"And how have you arrived at this baseless conclusion?" For the first time she truly regarded the elf, the boy, in front of her. Like all elves they were ageless, so the only way to tell was in their eyes. This elf was young, or rather he was young for their species. It mattered not, him being decades old meant he was but a babe to her. Decidedly not worth her time or care.

The elf had at least the courtesy to look somewhat embarrassed. "A hunch, good lady."

Lansseax blinked. "A hunch," she parroted back to him. It was beyond irritating, though the only evidence of it was a slight furrow to her brow. It was irritating because if he was to be believed, he was the only elf to ever guess her somewhat true heritage, and it was because of a baseless assumption. She turned away to inspect her garden, "what a ridiculous notion, choosing to guess where your peers dedicate years of research."

"You haven't refuted me," he stated. He still hadn't moved, hands clenching uselessly at his sides.

She paused though, and then cursed herself as she resumed her inspection. Elves were sharp, and they had excellent eyesight. If he missed the way she hesitated he was a fool. "Why are you here?" She repeated.

"We've been—"

"Why are you here?" She asked more forcefully.

She heard a sigh, and for a good moment the only noise was a brief gust of wind blowing through the area. "My people and dragonkind are senselessly killing each other, and I want to stop it."

"Aye," she affirmed. "It's a war of extermination, ending only when one side disappears entirely. Not uncommon, honestly."

"That doesn't bother you?" The elf asked, shocked at her cavalier attitude.

"You deduced it yourself that elvenkind are not my people, and as I've stated before… Elves rarely heed my wisdom lest it suits them." She finally stood and moved to the other side of her house. Annoyingly, the elf followed.

"Then what of your kind?! If my people win you'll all be hunted to extinction!"

"My "kind" are fools who escalated a mistake into a war. Rather than attempt diplomacy they retaliated, and you should know that when your people attempted such a thing my people ignored them. Foolishness begets extinction, in this case. Besides," she faces the elf again. "You're an elf, shouldn't this result please you?" She took a handful of flowers and put them into a small bundle.

He looked like he was struck, and after a moment of stunned silence she moved to turn away. His response, however, surprised her. "Of course not… Life is sacred, the thought of two intelligent peoples warring, slaughtering each other, is abhorrent! My people destroyed a nest of eggs, and your people burnt down cities that had nothing to do with the war. It's nothing less than madness!"

"Madness you say?" And suddenly a chill spread throughout the air. She began walking, and caught in her turbulent wake the elf followed without realizing. "You know nothing of madness's frenzy. You have yet to see what madness can wrought, what it can do to even the most sensible of minds, the kindest of people, the bravest of men. Madness, true madness, would bring the world to its knees and life as you know it would cease to exist. Your skirmish is nothing but a footnote in the skeins of time." As the chill faded away her eyes only had one target. The elf meanwhile blinked, and the chill was replaced by an oppressive and weighty sadness. The sensation of loss and grief was nearly overwhelming, and the elf touched his cheek to find a solitary tear.

Lansseax, unbothered by the weight, continued forward and placed the small bundle of flowers at the foot of a weathered spear. A number of large and sharp stones surrounded them in a circle, and all sound simply ceased to be outside of his own heartbeat. He was surprised that the cold and indomitable woman before him was acting nearly reverent. And finally his mind broke through the fog that had permeated his brain since arriving here. This was a grave, she was paying her respects.

"Who…"

"His name was Vyke. A fool, like yourself. He too believed that life was sacred, and that needless loss was something to be avoided and even condemned. That thinking… was what led to his death." When the elf remained silent she continued speaking. "See before you the path you tread. Kindness is naught but a contrivance. Conflict is the natural state of the world, competition; life's filter."

"That's not true!—"

"If it wasn't true," she cut him off, "then dragons and elves would be at peace…"

There was a long and deep silence between them until; "if he were still alive, would Vyke want it to continue?" A chill much deeper than before spread across the field. It was then that Eragon remembered that dragons were incredibly proud creatures, and that it was foolish to consider that this fact didn't apply to the being before him.

"You presume much," was her considerably restrained response.

"I… don't think so. You called him a fool like myself, so if that's the case then I think… he would've tried to stop the fighting… He hated suffering, didn't he?"

The hastily closed wound in her heart ripped itself open. "Yes, he did…" Vyke was a veteran of the wars in the North. He fought alongside Godfrey, and though he did that willingly he despised the violence. There was a reason why he was expected to be Elden Lord, there was a reason why he was excellent friends with Godwyn the Golden. And that brought another thought; if it were Godwyn and Fortissax here instead of her and Vyke then this land would have already arrived at its Golden Age. But they weren't, and her Vyke was dead. If he were still alive, would he think the same as her? Of course not, the man sought out the Three Fingers when he learned of his Maiden's fate. "Vyke was selfless to a fault. If it meant he could save someone he would lay down his life to do so… But I am not so selfless." Gently she touched the blade of Vyke's spear. It had been decades, but her scales were doing their job without failure.

Standing again she turned to face the elf. "What can you offer me that I do not already possess? I have my peace and my isolation, a comfortable abode, and a lack of nosey elves and dragons."

The elf swallowed thickly and she waited out the time it took for his mind to think and process. She already knew his answer when his mouth opened. "I have nothing to offer. I am in no position to make a demand. You are the only person I thought would listen."

"There so you have an answer. If none of your kind would listen to you then, how would you convince them now?"

"Assuming your true nature… Showing our peoples that peace is possible would be a stepping stone. If one person can see that peace is possible, then more may listen."

"An uncertain future… Is this one you would stake your life on?" After a moment of silence she continued. "There will be resistance to your peace, and in the insanity of war your own kin may attempt to take your life." The revelation shocked him, but she saw an understanding bloom as well.

"Why fight so thoroughly against peace?"

"You are a child of peace, and they are children of war. Asking that question proves that you cannot understand the mind of a bloody warrior. Why fight against peace? War is all they want to know. So just as you cannot understand them, they will not understand you. They will not want to understand you." Her head tilted to the side, expression never changing from her neutral stare. "I ask again; is this uncertain future one you would stake your life on?"

There was a brief silence before… "if it meant that the slaughter would end? Yes, I would." There was a fear in the elf's eyes, matched in equal parts with resolve. Elf and dragon stared each other down before Lansseax sighed and closed her eyes. Of course she'd help him in the end, because that's what Vyke would want her to do. But to do the impossible she would need to force the world to play by her rules.

"You're as much of a fool as he was… Very well." She took the few steps forward needed to place herself within arms reach. "What's your name?"

"E-Eragon, good lady." Her head tilted at his stutter. Was it her form that distracted him? Or was it shock? No matter…

"Kneel before me and hold out your hand, Eragon." He blinked once before complying, and when he did so she took his hand in hers. If she was truly doing this, what would she bestow? A dragonbolt blessing? Would she make him an apostle? "Do you, Eragon, dedicate yourself to an uncertain future of peace? Will you stand against the adversity before you, even if it means your life?"

"I will," he answered unwaveringly. Clouds gathered overhead, thunder rumbling in the distance. In her mind the beginnings of a spell took shape. Not something from her time in The Lands Between, but something truly new.

"Will you defend those who cannot defend themselves? Will you choose to be a symbol to rally behind?" A storm grew overhead, circling around Vyke's grave.

"I will," he answered unwaveringly. He winced though when a slight tingle spread across the hand she was holding.

"Then to this end I stand beside you, partner of your heart, partner of your mind." For a moment he registered entirely new senses, colors became sharper, and his mind tried to interpret two different perspectives, but before he could make any sense of his his hand erupted into pain. It was like he had grabbed molten metal.

'Steel yourself, Eragon, if this pain is enough to break you then your vow may as well be void.' A voice spoke into his mind, and despite the confusion he did so. He grit his teeth and opened his eyes, meeting the dragon's and noting that their combined hands were glowing and sparkling with red lightning. When the pain reached a fever pitch she released him and he collapsed to his rear, gasping for air. Gentle yet firm hands steadied him as the pain turned into a dull itch, and when he looked at his palm he saw the shape of a four-winged dragon holding a two-pronged spear. He saw the woman observing an identical mark on her own hand.

"What… did you do?" He asked, slowly recovering from the ordeal.

"Something new…" Looking at him, he heard her voice even though her mouth remained closed. 'I have forged a bond between us, a link deeper than any known to the world.' Speaking aloud she continued, observing her own mark. "And a tool as well… If you want to convince your people, then a willing unbreakable bond shall do so."

"I… didn't know what you were planning." When she shot him a glare he felt her annoyance. It was an incredibly odd sensation, and now that he had picked up on it he noticed the world seemed… different, somehow. Colors were slightly sharper, and the magic he had felt in the air was practically tangible. Time Magic, he somehow knew, or at the very least a power that dealt with time. His hearing was better as well, as was his sense of smell. In general every one of his senses was just… more than it was before.

"I told you, we are partners of heart and mind. Subconsciously I'm sharing my own senses with you, so what you're experiencing is a fraction of what I perceive. With practice we will be able to fully share our senses, allowing me to see through your eyes and vice versa. If need be, I can also grant you my own energy, meaning your magic is also likely greatly enhanced." She rattled off the effects like it was one of her lessons, and not something nearly inconceivable.

"That's amazing!" Eragon exclaimed.

"I am indeed," she stated before standing up. Before his eyes four stony wings sprouted from her back and a long tail slipped out of her robe. When she turned to face him her eyes were slitted and horns sprouted from her hair, and despite her usually neutral attitude a small smile graced her features. She held out her hand to him, "come, of partner mine, let us bring about your uncertain future."


This took a bit longer than I wanted, but that's why I don't have an update schedule. I want to get these chapters to 4000+ words but for now they'll probably sit around 3000 until I get my footing again. A few lore things here that may seem different, but essentially you're witnessing the "true" story as it unfolds. Over time and as things get forgotten it will look more familiar, and that discrepancy may even be a plot point. Don't worry about it too much, because Lansseax's influence on the Ancient Language will have no major impacts on this story. Besides, that's a footnote compared to the glaring change in lore.

That's right, Lansseax has officially replaced Bid'Daum, and is THE creator of the Dragon-Rider bond. Once again that will be refined to something more familiar, but right now she has the "trial version."

Now to answer your reviews.

-ParkerThomas: I'm glad you're interested! And I'm happy to say that things will definitely change, but in a way that amplifies IH's story instead of replacing it. This will not be a Lansseax destroys all story, even if she probably could. I wish you luck in Elden Ring! Who knows, maybe you'll find our main character if you haven't already XD

-Sir Natehaniel: I'm glad you see potential here! I definitely have some fun plans for it.

-Guest: No plans on stopping anytime soon!

-Onetimejester: Glad you're enjoying it!

-antonioranza: As you probably noticed, he's definitely mentioned, but I'm not sure if I'm bringing anyone else from Elden Ring.

-Ardyn 1997: She has indeed shown up before humans, and regarding worship? The Urgals kind of do, or at least she will become a deified figure to them. The major reaction to her true power will come in time.