They arrived about ten minutes early, finding their seats in the reserved box near Nasuada and Murtagh. Roran was competing in the first event, but he would be up to sit with them for later games. The first game was single combat. The rules were simple. You could choose one weapon, and the goal was to incapacitate your opponent. Killing was not allowed, and the match would only end when a competitor was incapacitated or disarmed and forced to yield.
In three rounds of the Games, they had only one death, and it was a stroke of horrible luck for the competitor. During the jousting event, a man named Bandin from Surda took a shard of wood through the eye, and it pierced his brain. The healers could do nothing for him. He died upon the impact of the lance. Since then, the lances were warded to break only into large pieces in an attempt to prevent another from meeting Bandin's fate.
"It's about to start!" Nasuada said to everyone.
Orik was out near the center of the field where five competitors from each race began pairing off. The opponents were chosen at random.
"Welcome to the fourth meeting of the Games!" Orik's voice boomed from the center of the field. "Today we praise those who have honed their crafts. Today we lift up the warriors of Alagaesia! Without further ado, let the Games begin!"
The crowd had reached an estimated 30,000 and the excitement was palpable. Merchants were selling trinkets and snacks, children cried out the name of their favorite warriors, and the people of Alagaesia let out a deafening cheer at Orik's words. "Begin!" Orik's voice boomed, signaling the start of the tournament.
Eragon only knew Roran out of the group of competitor's, so he kept his focus on his cousin. Roran had been paired up with another human in his first round, which was a stroke of good luck. It was easy to tire quickly during the tournament, so starting against one on equal footing in terms of strength and speed was ideal. Eragon would put his money on Roran versus any man.
Arya was watching two of the elven competitors intently.
"Dusan and Alanna," Arya thought.
"The elf children we met long ago in Ellesmera?" Saphira asked.
"Yes," Firnen answered for Arya. "This is their first time competing."
"Ooo!" Eragon grimaced. "Roran just took a slice to the shoulder."
The man he was fighting had chosen to wield a scimitar, giving him a bit of a reach advantage over Roran's hammer.
"At least it was his left," Arya said. "I've seen him recover from worse."
Roran was circling his opponent, keeping him at a distance now.
"Aye," thought Eragon, a picture of his cousin after the battle of the burning plains and another after their fight with the Ra'zac flitted through their minds.
Roran's opponent charged him, but he was too slow, and he managed to break the man's finger with a quick rapp of his hammer.
Arya shared a memory of her own from the last Games when he had taken third.
Roran's face was battered and bloody, but he refused to let go of the kull's neck. It was a wonder he didn't have brain damage from the knocks he took as the kull thrashed his body around in an attempt to dislodge him.
"Oof," Eragon winced. "Half his face came off. Explains how he got so ugly in the last few years," Eragon joked.
"I'm telling him you said that," Saphira said, her voice rumbling with laughter. "Now pay attention. He's close to winning."
Indeed, after Roran broke the man's finger with a heavy blow of his hammer, his grip on the scimitar was weakened. All that was left for Roran to do was disarm him, and he accomplished the task with apparent ease. Everyone in the box cheered at his first victory. Soon after, Dusan won his bout with an urgal. Alanna was not far behind as she bested her dwarf opponent with a midair strike to the leg, forcing him to yield or die of blood loss.
"Alanna's strike was well-placed, and the height differential made that match weighted in her favor," Firnen said. "She expended much less energy than her opponent."
"Don't let the dwarves hear you say anything of the sort Amber Eyes," Arya thought. "They're quite sensitive about the subject."
In between bouts, the winners of the first rounds would receive healing of any major wounds, but cuts and bruises were left to heal on their own. Whoever made it to the final round would be bruised and battered indeed.
Eragon and Arya decided to grab something from the bountiful table of food at the back of the box. There were delicacies made especially for them that took their roots in dwarvish culture but had obviously been modified to exclude meat. Eragon's stomach growled when he smelled the mushroom stew, and he happily helped himself to some. Arya chose a hefty roll of bread, a few strawberries, and an apple.
"Your stomach is making mine hungry," Saphira said to Eragon.
"Ah the hatchlings," Eragon said knowingly.
Arya seemed confused.
"Pregnancy sometimes makes dragons that are bonded extra sensitive to their Rider's feelings and emotions," he thought to Arya. "It's akin to morning sickness in the way it comes and goes."
"Yes," Firnen said from their perch overlooking the stadium. "We must go hunt Emerald Eyes."
"I'm sure Orik could arrange for you to have something prepared by the kitchens," Arya thought.
"No." Saphira said. "It's something mated dragons must do often together as their young form in the egg. It is our way."
"Ah, I didn't know," Arya thought.
Umaroth interjected then.
"There is much you still do not know of dragons and riders," he said. "You have done well to make steps to correct this."
"Thank you Ebrithil," Arya thought back. "Your earlier words to me regarding our duty to the order were difficult to accept, but I see now the wisdom in them. I am eager to raise the dragons and complete my training in Arngor," she replied humbly.
Eragon beamed at her thoughts. He still couldn't believe she was coming.
They tuned back into the Games when Murtagh and Nasuada shouted that the third round was about to begin. Roran had already won his second fight along with Dusan and Alanna. "Stronghammer!" Could be heard in a chorus throughout the stadium, and those in the box joined in, chanting his name even louder. As a well-known figure to most of the races for his feats against the Empire, he was clearly the crowd favorite.
"His opponent looks fierce," Eragon said to Nar Garzhvog in the urgal tongue.
"That was good urgal Firesword!" Garzhvog replied. "You have been practicing! Yes that is Yak Yuk from the Drovnik tribe. He is known for being one of the largest kull of the Drovnik, though he is not the tallest. He is young still, but has strength on his side. He competes today to win the heart of a dam he has set his eyes upon. Stronghammer must fight hard to beat him for his will in this is strong."
Like many of the urgals, Yak Yuk had decided to forego a formal weapon in favor of his horns. At 9 feet tall, Roran would have a hard time reaching anything vital. They squared up, and it began. Roran attempted a blow to the kull's leg, but Yak Yuk swung for his head at the same time, forcing Roran to hastily block a massive grey fist. They traded fists and blocks, circling each other. Yak Yuk managed to get in a few blows to Roran's gut and face before Roran claimed a well-placed rapp to his shoulder.
"He just fractured that shoulder," Orin said.
Yak Yuk stepped back from the hit and bellowed with rage. Lowering his head, he charged. Roran couldn't avoid his horns in time, and his lower left torso took the brunt of the impact. Struggling to stay on his feet, Roran made the most of his remaining strength and his opponents lowered position, cracking Yak Yuk over the head with a loud thwack of his hammer.
The crowd roared at the victory, and everyone in the box cheered, even Garzhvog, though he looked a little disappointed for the young kull.
"He has many more chances to win glory friend," Eragon said. "'Tis only the start of the Games after all."
"I swear he had to have planned that," Eragon thought to Arya.
"He did something similar last Games," Arya confirmed. "You have that trait in common….Sacrificing your body for victory, she clarified."
"He barely made it out of that one!" Murtagh commented. "Whatever they're paying the healers, they should double it."
"I think I saw a bit of his guts on the field," Eragon joked back.
Nasuada, Orik, and Hvedra couldn't stop laughing then as the two made a myriad of jokes at Roran's expense. Garzhvog looked confused by their mocking of the winner, and Arya had her mask mostly in place, but a twinge of her amusement could be seen in the slight curve of her mouth. She was clearly trying hard to suppress a smile. "Shhh," Arya said. "I'm trying to watch." She was focused intently on the match between Dusan and Alanna. Both of them wielded hand and a half swords, so their weapons held no distinct advantage over the other.
"Whoever wins this one will face Roran in the final match," Arya said. "They have trained together their whole lives. I truly do not know who will win. Dusan is stronger, but Alanna is swift."
Dusan began by baiting his sister. It was obvious to Eragon and Arya but not to the untrained eye. He was leaving himself open intentionally, but Alanna wasn't taking the bait. They circled each other, and Alanna made a dash to her right, feinted, then slid to the ground, thrusting upwards where Dusan had just been.
"That was almost over right there," Eragon thought. After twenty more minutes, Alanna was declared the winner.
After another five minute break for the competitors to heal, it was time for the final bout between Roran and Alanna. Sadly for Roran, the match did not take long. Alanna was infinitely faster than him. Her elven speed made it difficult for him to block her blows, and she ended the match with her sword to his neck.
"Well," Eragon said. "I did say he could beat any man. I said nothing about him beating an a woman, or an elf for that matter."
Murtagh burst out laughing, and Arya swatted his hand in mock disapproval. Even Garzhvog laughed now. It was deep and throaty. His people as a whole were much more comfortable with jesting about the loser of the competition. Their culture revered violent warriors, especially the winners.
After the main event, many of the people from across Alagaesia wandered the market or went for an afternoon nap. Everyone was always there for the start, but now only those who wished to watch the archery and weight-lifting competitions remained. There were many more events throughout the week, so Eragon and Arya decided to go for a walk around the market.