(Previously on 'A God in Alagaësia' :)
At this moment, Erik went deep in thought : should he give her his former name or take the name of the being he is reincarnate as ? Truthfully, it was a new life for him so, logically, he should claim another name. After a second of thought, he internally nodded to himself before looking back at Saphira who was still waiting for an answer.
"I am called Valhir… the Volibear" he said to the young Dragoness with a small smile on his face
00/(Present Time)/00
The moon was shining in the dark sky of the night and Erik/Valhir was sitting a few feet away from the blueish form of Saphira. Laying on the bed of mosses and leaves, the young Dragoness was curled around herself with her head hidden by one of her wings while the muscular white form of Erik had his back pressed against the cavern wall.
Our furry hero was deep in thought and could occasionally be seen glancing at the seemingly sleeping form of his guest.
"I can't believe it...I'm standing next to Saphira ! Damn, this is a dream come true !" he was thinking to himself with slight excitement.
After all, he was standing next to his favorite character in the Inheritance Cycle Books !
But then he quickly shook his head
"Damn Eric, you act like a fan-girl!" he reprimanded himself before going back in thought.
"With Garrow dead, Eragon will go after the Ra'zacs along with Saphira and Brom…"
But then a question passed through his mind
"Should I go with them ?"
Erik would be lying to himself if he said that he wasn't looking forward to go on an adventure but he was hesitant to leave his home without any protection. He grew to love those woods after living here for weeks and was not looking forward to leave them.
But then he remembered Garrow's state, the destruction the Ra'zacs caused and the way Galbatorix ruled over the people of Alagaësia. The King was the type of person Erik hated more than civilization : arrogant, greedy, tyrannical, manipulator… Galbatorix had to be destroyed… he MUST be destroyed !
"Yes… I will !" he said to himself sternly with a firm nod as a fire of determination burned in his blue eyes.
With another glance toward the sleeping form of Saphira, Erik decided to join her and made himself comfortable before allowing Morpheus to take him in his arms.
00/(Time Skip)/00
Two days had passed since Saphira and Erik/Valhir met and the two got to know each other a little better. The young Dragoness was curious of the large beast that had allowed her into his home (despite having attacked him on false ideas) and And Erik answered all her questions without flinching.
Of course, he had lied about some point such as him coming from the North and having left his home after the death of his father. Erik preferred to guard his past identity a secret as he thought it was better for no one else to know the truth.
Apart of this, Saphira and him had a great time together : he would take her to every places he knew in his territory, they would hunt and spar with one another whenever the young Dragoness wanted. Erik knew that she was probably a bit miffed at having lost their 'fight' during their first meeting and didn't mind it much as he was having fun.
The childish part of him felt overjoyed at the chance of being near his favorite character but he managed to hide it pretty well. The last thing he wanted to was to being interrogated by Saphira about why he was so happy to be near her.
Speaking of Saphira, she'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't enjoy spending time with the huge bear-like creature and was proud to count him as a friend. Obviously, Eragon would remain her best friend and partner but Valhir followed closely behind him.
But like all good things, it had to come to an end…
'I have to go… Eragon wants to leave and pursue those things...' Saphira said to Erik as the two of them stood at the entrance of the cave.
"I understand… I will join you later..."
The blue Dragoness nodded her head in acknowledgement before spreading her wings. She was about to take off when Erik/Valhir stopped her
"Wait ! Don't forget your promise !"
Saphira turned her head to look at him with a hint of exasperation
'Of course I won't forget ! What do you take me for ?'
I'm pretty sure you are all wondering what is this promise, huh ?
Then here is the answer: Erik had asked Saphira to not tell anything about him to her rider and when asked why, he simply said he was going to come with them so he prefers to present himself to Eragon… and also because he wanted to see what face the young Rider would make at the sight of him (a comment that earned an amused snort from Saphira).
"A Hatchling ?" Erik retorted with a grin on his furry face.
The Dragoness growled at him at this before retorting 'Don't forget about yours ! If I don't see you at the proper time, I will hunt you down before taking you with us by force if necessary !'
"As if you could lift me, hatchling~" Erik couldn't help but replying with a grin.
Saphira growled at him again before taking off without saying anything. Erik snorted in amusement at this but then, silently watched as she disappeared into the distance. Once she was fully out of sight, our hero released a deep sigh before gazing at his cave with sorrow and sadness.
"I'm really going to miss this place..." he internally began to say in a sad tone before adding
"But its like it is going to disappear anywhere… I can still come back..."
But surely, it wouldn't hurt to enjoy his territory one more time, right ?
00/(Time Skip)/00
"It is time..." Erik said to himself with a sigh as he stood at the entrance of his cave.
Two days had passed since Saphira left the cave and she apparently chose to stay close to her Rider's location. Not that Erik couldn't understand as she, Eragon and Brom were about to leave to start their journey. During those two days, Erik had patrolled his territory many many times, making sure to leave his scent around.
Last night, he enjoyed a great feast ! Honey, fish, and meat in abundance. He wanted to taste the delicacies of his home before leaving. He had a bit of trouble to sleep at first but then he managed to.
As Erik was prepared to climb down the mountain, his blue eyes scanned the view before him and his heart ached greatly. He will miss this place : the cave he had lived in, the lakes and rivers he used to swim in, the woods he loved to walk through… It was hurting him to leave his home but he knew it was necessary…
Shaking his large furry head, Erik took one last glance at his home… before climbing down the mountainside on all four. As he moved away from his cave, he felt that his steps were getting heavier and heavier, as if the world itself was forcing him to stay in his domain.
Once he reached the base of the mountain, Erik took one last glance at his cave, pain and sorrow were shining in his blue eyes, before galloping through the forest, heading straight to the place where Saphira, Eragon and Brom would possibly meet: Garrow's destroyed farm.
At the same time, in a clearing, stood Saphira, Brom and Eragon. The young Dragoness was curled up on the ground with her head lowered down but her eyes were looking at the two humans beside her. Not long ago, Eragon, her beloved Rider, had built a fire before making some food for both him and the other human.
Soon enough Eragon served the bowl to Brom before the two of them ate in silence, under the sharp eyes of Saphira who was still watching them. The young Dragoness was thinking about Garrow and was saddened by his death. She had always wanted to see the man who raised her Rider but thanks to those creatures, it would never happen.
She wanted nothing more than to find them and tear them apart with her teeth and talons but she had to stay with her rider… Saphira didn't want to leave him alone with Brom as he was a complete stranger. Ignoring the fact Brom and Eragon were talking, her thoughts turned to another individual : Valhir.
Two days had passed since she had last seen him and so far, there was no sight of the massive White Beast. Sometimes, she thought she saw him from the corner of her eyes but it was never the case. A part of her was disappointed by the absence as he had been a pretty good company but, deep down, she wondered of Valhir would really live his home to come with them to this quest.
She wouldn't blame him if he had chosen to stay behind.
However, her thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound coming from nearby : the sound of something running… right toward them. Hearing this, she straightened up, catching the attention of the two humans beside her who looked at her with curiosity.
'Saphira ? What's going on ?' Eragon asked her through their bond.
'Someone's coming...' she answered simply.
"What ?!" the young man shouted in alarm and stupor.
"What is it ?" Brom asked the boy with a frown of confusion.
"Saphira said that someone is coming !" Eragon answered the man with a pale face.
Brom's face hardened at those words and he pulled out a red-bladed sword with golden pommel before looking at the direction Saphira was staring. For a moment, the trio stood there in silence with Brom ready to fight while Eragon was nervously looked at the woods.
Soon enough, they heard it : the sound of something running. And from the way it was amplifying, they could all tell that whatever it was, it was heading straight to them.
"Could it be the Ra'zacs ?" Eragon asked the older man with nervousness.
"No… the steps are heavy… It is something else… something bigger..." Brom answered with gritted teeth as his hold on the sword tightened.
Suddenly, the ground slightly shook and a massive figure came out of the bushes. Eragon's eyes widened when he saw the Beast and beside him, Brom looked shocked.
The Creature before them was unlike anything they had seen before : it was a massive and muscular built bear-like beast with glowing blue eyes and a body (minus the limbs) covered in white fur . The claws looked like dark blue ice and there were strange runic words on its upper arms and over its left eye… along with what looked like lightning bolt patterns on its outer lower torso. The strange marking also coated its outer thighs (which made them look like armored plates). The fur on its head and neck was strangely fashioned : in fact, it was made into a ponytail (in the back) and two long braids (which were draped in front of its large shoulders) decorated with metal ornaments, also featuring glowing blue runes.
When the Beast went to stand on its hind-legs, Eragon paled even more : this creature, whatever it was, literally stood around 13 feet at most in height ! The White Beast stared at them for a moment and Eragon could swear that those eyes seemed to look THROUGH them until it raised its head back to release a thunderous roar that echoed throughout the area.
'So he came...' Eragon blinked when he heard Saphira's comment and glanced at her with a frown.
The young Dragoness, unlike him and Brom, was completely calm and was, in fact, looking at the Beast with… relief ?!
He was about to ask her about it when Brom spoke to him in a hurried tone "Eragon, get back !"
The old man had his teeth gritted as he glared at the being before them, his grip on his sword was so tight that his hand turned almost white. Eragon looked away from Brom to look at the Beast who stared at the old man with… amusement ?!
But then, his thoughts were interrupted by Saphira who had stepped forward to approach the White Bear-like Being and for a moment, Eragon thought that they were about to fight… but what happened next shocked him.
'So, you decided to come...' The Blue Dragoness asked it with a hint of relief in her tone.
"I did…I gave you my word after all, didn't I ?" The Bear responded to her and its deep voice (which was clearly masculine) caused both Eragon and Brom to jump back in surprise, not having expected it to speak.
'You did, indeed...' Saphira retorted with a huff and she received a small grin from the white being before her in response to it.
"So… this is your Rider ? Eragon, right ? " The Bear-like Being asked the Dragoness as his blue eyes looked at Eragon who stiffened when those orbs landed on him.
He felt like a mouse caught by a cat.
'Indeed...' Saphira answered proudly and fondly with a nod of her head.
Eragon gulped nervously under those scrutinizing shining blue eyes but then, wanting to make a good first impression, stared back into them with defiance… which wasn't easy considering the difference of size and the fact the Beast before him could kill him easily.
"He doesn't look much… but I can sense something in him..." the White Beast declared after a few seconds of silence.
Eragon, who had bristled in indignation at the first part of his statement, blinked at the last words and shot a brief glance toward Brom and Saphira to see their reactions : the older man, while still looking at the white Creature with distrust, seemed curious about it while Saphira was staring at him with an equal expression on her face.
That and he could feel her curiosity through their bond.
He would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't curious as well. Being a young man, Eragon couldn't retain it and looked back at the White Beast, opening his mouth to ask
"What do you mean ?"
The young Rider tried not to flinch when those blue eyes landed back on him but calmed down when he saw no dark feelings shining through them.
"You carry a flame inside you… no… not quite… It is but a spark…" the Bear-like Being answered in a mysterious tone as he looked at Eragon… or through Eragon.
Eragon frowned in confusion and shot a glance toward Brom who looked just as confused.
"I don't understand..." the young Rider said to the Beast when he turned his head to face him again.
"Not yet perhaps, but one day, you will..." The White Creature answered in a deep tone.
Eragon was about to ask more when the Beast sharply turned his head to look at Brom with clear anger before roaring
"Don't you know it's rude to try to get into someone's mind, old man ?!"
Much to Eragon's admiration, the storyteller didn't falter under the Beast's anger and retorted in a voice filled with distrust
"I have never seen such a being as you ! How do we know you don't work for the king ?!"
At these words, the White Beast let out a terrible roar that made everyone present, even Saphira, step back, frightened by the amount of anger and rage it contained. Above them, the previously clear sky was now covered in dark clouds and Eragon could hear thunder rumbling overhead. Brom's face turned deadly pale as the rage was aimed entirely at him and then he stiffened when the Beast looked back at him with narrowed eyes.
"How dare you think I would work for someone as pathetic and arrogant as the King ?! And how dare you think I would bow to someone like him ?!"
Brom backed away from the Beast, his face pale at the amount of rage in his tone. Not far from him, Eragon and Saphira watched the scene with bated breath, not wanting to draw the Beast's wrath against them.
"Let me tell you this, old man : I bow to no one ! EVER !"
At the last word, the thunder above them boomed louder than ever which caused Saphira, Brom and Eragon to jump in fear.
"Did I made myself clear ?" the Beast icily asked the storyteller with a menacing growl.
"Y-Yes..." Brom spluttered quickly with a short nod of his head.
Eragon and Saphira watched as the Creature huffed in satisfaction before taking deep breathes to calm down. Miraculously, the dark clouds that filled the sky disappeared seconds later, leaving the sky completely clear. Brom was watching this with shock and Eragon was just as stunned.
What of Saphira ?
She was just as shocked as the two humans. Despite being with the creature for two whole days, not once did he mention that he could control thunder !
She was about to ask about it when the Beast talked again
"My apologize for that but I hate it when people always assume worst of me..."
He was talking to the Dragoness and young Rider, all the while ignoring the storyteller.
"It's okay…" Eragon began to say only to be interrupted by Saphira.
'Don't apologize, I would have done the same...'
The young Rider shot a little look at the Dragoness but then shrugged. He would be lying to himself if he said that he would enjoy having someone constantly thinking bad about him. But he could understand why Brom would think as such of the Beast : he was massive, he was intimidating and he was clearly strong. The fact that he somehow knew Saphira was equally suspicious…
Speaking of which…
"Wait a minute ! How do you know each other ?" Eragon asked both the Beast and Saphira with narrowed eyes.
The two glanced at one another before the Dragoness turned her head to look at her Rider.
'We met the night after we found Garrow… I staid with him for the following two days until you called me...' she explained to the young man through their bond.
Eragon stared at the Dragoness with wide eyes before looking at the White Beast who nodded his head to show it is true. But then the sound of someone clearing its throat caught their attention and the trio turned their heads to look at Brom who had a grim expression on his face.
"The Ra'zacs won't wait for us..." the storyteller declared firmly as he was now sitting on a saddle, riding his horse.
Eragon nodded his head in agreement while Saphira and the Beast snorted loudly. However, before approaching his own horse, Eragon turned his head to stare at the White Bear-like Creature
"Are you coming with us ?"
"Yes… I promised Saphira to and I'm not one to break my promises !" The Beast retorted in a stern tone while crossing his large arms over his furry chest.
'Really ? I thought it was because you were internally afraid that I would come find and drag you by force~' Saphira couldn't help but commenting with a toothy smirk.
Eragon watched as the Beast shot her a playful grin of his own before answering "Nah ! Even if you had chased after me, you wouldn't have been able to lift me up anyway… I am far too heavy for you, hatchling~"
'Stop calling me a hatchling !' The young Dragoness hissed at him with a hint of annoyance in her tone.
"Make me, hatchling~" the Beast retorted again with a toothy grin.
Eragon swore he saw Saphira's left eyebrow twitching in annoyance and decided to step in before things would get ugly.
"May we know your name ?"
At those words, the Beast and Saphira turned their heads to stare at him. Brom, too, was watching and there was a sparkle of curiosity and interest in his cold eyes.
"I mean, if you are going to travel with us, we need to know your name… don't you think ?" the young Rider quickly explained with sincerity in his tone.
A short silence followed as the White Beast thought about it but then, much to Eragon's delight, he nodded his large furry head.
"Indeed…" The Beast said before adding with a stern and firm tone while straightening a bit.
"I am Valhir…but you can call me Volibear..."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Valhir..." Eragon answered politely and the Beast nodded his head in response.
Brom grumbled something under his breath but then quickly, pushed his horse away when everyone glanced his way. Eragon frowned at him before going after the man, leaving behind the Dragoness and the White Bear-like Beast. Valhir growled at the retreating form of the storyteller but then huffed as he went on all four.
"I hate this guy already..." Valhir grumbled to Saphira who snorted in agreement before taking off.
He watched her go for a moment before turning his head to look at the area where his territory was located.
"I will return one day..." he promised to himself before running after Brom and Eragon.
The Journey had just begun…
(To be continue…)
Note : what do you think of the story so far ? Tell me your thoughts by sending me reviews or private messages !