Eragon felt a burning sensation as Yaela's face appeared in the mirror once again, her expression tight with emotion as she held Glaedr's Eldunarí. She focused on the gem, a faint light emanating from its surface as she relayed the ancient dragon's thoughts.
"Eragon," Yaela began, her voice now carrying the deep tones of Glaedr, "why do I sense such unease? What is this you wish to tell me?"
Eragon hesitated, glancing at Oromis, who nodded encouragingly. Eragon's voice trembled as he spoke. "Glaedr, something has happened... something you may not believe. Oromis is here, with me."
Yaela's lips parted, the dragon's thoughts flooding through her, his disbelief tangible. "That cannot be. Oromis is gone, Eragon. You know this."
Eragon swallowed hard, repeating in the ancient language, "He is here, Glaedr. Oromis stands beside me."
For a moment, there was silence. Then Glaedr's thoughts, relayed through Yaela, emerged, trembling with emotion. "Oromis... is it true? How can this be?"
The room grew heavy with anticipation, each breath held in the air as Glaedr began to speak, though his voice came only through Yaela. His words, laden with disbelief and longing, struck with the force of a tidal wave.
"No. This cannot be. You... are not real," Glaedr's thoughts, sharp and raw, played out across Yaela's face. "You died. I felt it, I was there when you fell."
It was strange seeing his dragon's emotions portrayed by the elf. Oromis stood silent, his face a complex weave of emotions—grief, love, and a hint of sorrow that ran deeper than time itself. The bond between him and Glaedr, one forged by centuries, pulsed with a deep ache of loss that could never be fully healed. Oromis had to pause, steadying himself, his eyes bright with the unshed tears that threatened to spill over.
"Glaedr," Oromis began softly, his voice barely a whisper through Yaela, "it is me. Not a memory, not a vision. By some twist of magic, I have returned, bound to the Crags of Tel'naeír, but alive."
Yaela's voice faltered as Glaedr's thoughts surged forward again, laced with a combination of disbelief and deep, agonizing hope. "I do not understand. How can you stand before me when all I have felt for so long is your absence, the cold void where our bond once thrived? I have mourned you for years." His words shuddered through the air, a heart laid bare.
Eragon stood nearby, his heart aching for the dragon. He could feel the weight of Glaedr's grief, the suffocating sorrow that had marked his every word since Oromis's death. But this moment—the impossible reunion—was filled with emotions so strong they threatened to break them all.
Oromis took a deep breath, reaching out with his mind as much as his voice, speaking again through Yaela, "I do not know how or why, Glaedr-vodhr, but I am here. And I have heard of your journey... your decision to remain with the Riders, guiding them, nurturing them in my absence." Oromis's voice broke, heavy with gratitude and sorrow. "You stayed true, old friend. You have done what I could not."
There was a long pause. The air felt taut, as though the world itself held its breath for what would come next. Then Glaedr's thoughts, almost a whisper, came through Yaela once more, soft yet filled with the vastness of their shared years. "I have lived without you in agony, Oromis, but I have endured. And now... you are truly here."
The emotions in the room were palpable, rippling through everyone present. The sadness of Glaedr's solitary years, his silent grief, mixed with the impossible joy of being reunited—though not entirely. He could not sense Oromis's physical presence through the bond, yet knowing he was alive tore through Glaedr like a storm.
"I wish I could feel you again, as we once did," Glaedr said through Yaela, his grief intertwining with hope. "But I will take this, Oromis. It is enough... for now."
Oromis's smile was gentle, though his own sadness was clear. "It is enough, for now, Glaedr. We will find a way to make it more."
Eragon's heart pounded as he watched the ancient bond, once shattered, begin to mend. The connection between Oromis and Glaedr was still there, and though time had separated them, their loyalty and love remained as unbreakable as ever.
The conversation between Oromis and Glaedr reached a point of raw vulnerability, yet beneath the overwhelming emotion, there was strength in their reunion. Even though Glaedr could not physically feel the bond between them as he once had, the mere knowledge of Oromis's return was enough to reignite hope in the ancient dragon. This shared moment of joy and sadness was a testament to the enduring nature of their bond, and the two of them seemed to find solace, however incomplete, in the certainty of each other's presence.
After a long silence, Glaedr, still speaking through Yaela, broke the tension with a quiet question, almost a plea. "Oromis... in the time you were gone, did you see anything beyond? The place where we all must go? What waits for us after death?"
His voice, as relayed by Yaela, trembled with longing and uncertainty. It was not a question Glaedr had ever dared to ask of anyone, not even the Eldunarí who had experienced death of sorts. But now, here was Oromis—alive, returned from the threshold of that final journey.
Oromis hesitated, the weight of the question pressing on him. He sighed softly, looking at Eragon and the dragons before answering with careful, measured words.
"Glaedr-vodhr, what I experienced... was peace. A place beyond pain and conflict, though fleeting. It is as if I glimpsed a part of something vast, something beyond comprehension. But it was brief, and now I am here once again, tied to this world."
His gaze softened, his eyes filled with both grief and reverence for the unknown. "What lies beyond is still a mystery, but I believe that peace awaits us. It was comforting, even in its brevity."
Glaedr's response came slowly, his thoughts steeped in contemplation and acceptance. "It is enough to know you felt peace, Oromis. Perhaps when my time comes, I will feel it too."
Oromis closed his eyes, nodding slightly. "You will, old friend. When that time comes, you will not be alone."
Silence sprang between them as everything of import had been shared that could be. They all sat there until Yaela began to speak again.
"Eragon," Glaedr said through the elf. "I know it was not your intent...but thank you. This means much to me."
Eragon inclined his head.
"It is a gift to see you greet your Rider once more," Eragon said sincerely. "I never thought it possible, but it seems our fears of my growing power are justified. We have much to work on."
Redirecting his attention to Yaela, Eragon said, "I want you to send the swiftest pair we have to Ellesmera with Glaedr's Eldunari."
Yaela nodded. "I will send for Zella and Gath Nosu at once," she said. "But Eragon...people can't know."
"Swear her to secrecy for the time being," Eragon said. "I'm aware of the significance of this magic, but for now nothing matters but testing the limits and reuniting Rider and Dragon. We'll sort out the rest later."
Yaela looked like she wanted to say more, but she left the conversation there.
"Very well," she said. Then the pair vanished from the mirror as she cut the connection.
As Eragon put down the mirror, he realized that, despite the challenges ahead, this moment between Oromis and Glaedr was a victory. And though he was uncertain, he felt, for the first time, that perhaps some old losses could still be undone. With that idea in mind, Eragon thought to consult his old master about another pressing issue. Perhapshe he could advise him on how to handle the Sloan situation.
He yawned. It would have to wait. He was exhausted, and Oromis fared no better. The events of the day were more than enough excitement for them all. Bidding Oromis goodnight, Eragon and Arya returned to their dwelling on foot while Saphira and Firnen retreated to a cave they had been frequenting for the past couple of days.
Eragon missed Saphira's presence, but he knew she deserved to enjoy her time with Firnen as they grew their family.