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Archangel Xireon Chaos God: How the heck would it be therapy for Daemon?

Shaonics6: You know, I have contemplated Daemon and Saphira having hatchlings at some point, but that subject is currently up for debate at the moment. Nothing is confirmed there. And trust me, this ain't gonna be a slow-burn thing between Daemon and Saphira.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Inheritance Cycle or The Elder Scrolls.

He saw a young woman, bent over by sorrow, chained in a cold, hard cell. A beam of moonlight shone through a barred window set high in the wall and fell on her face. A single tear rolled down her cheek, like a liquid diamond.

Eragon rose with a start and found himself crying uncontrollably. The dream had been so real, it felt like he was actually there. He had no clue who this person was, where she was, but he knew...she saw him.

His crying hadn't been quiet, as Daemon rolled over in his bed and noticed his friend's distress. "Eragon, what's wrong?" Eragon didn't respond, only continued to sob quietly. Now growing worried, Daemon got out of his bed and walked over to sit beside his friend, putting an arm around his shoulders. Without warning, Eragon latched his arms around Daemon's neck and laid his head on his shoulder, continuing to cry.

The Dragonborn was now more worried now, but remained quiet. His grip tightened on Eragon's shoulders and all he did was offer the shoulder to cry on. Under normal circumstances, this might have been awkward for the two friends, but after everything they had been through so far, they had become much closer than that, and right now, Eragon just needed the comfort of someone he cared about.

It was then that Saphira's warm presence entered Eragon's mind, as did Daemon's, and they offered their warm feelings to chase away the darkness, despair and dread within the young Rider. He felt Saphira's love, and Daemon's, his new little family.

Hush, little one, Saphira whispered gently. We are with you, always.

The cool wind caressed his scales as he stared out at the landscape from his place atop a mountain ridge. The valley before him was quite a sight to behold, just as the many other places he had seen in his adventures and travels. Normally, when he'd view such a beautiful sight, he'd feel at ease and just stare out but that was not the case this time. No, something was... missing.

The ones he cared about. He wanted to share this view with them.

But they weren't here. They were taking the other way around. A part of him regrets having to leave them, but he had no choice. He had to get their precious package to it's destination on time. But even still, the pain of having to leave them, leave her, would not fade away.

For the first time in a very long time, he was alone.

He missed her. He wanted her with him. He wanted to be at her side.

Her pleas for him not to leave her haunted his every waking moment. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her eyes pleading with him, the tears running down her face. It made his heart wrench. How was it that they had come to this? Strangers to best friends to... to... what were they now?

Why did he always have to go through with this? Why could he not be selfish for once and have what he wants? Why be so... selfless? A part of him whispered that he should care for no one's wants and desires but his own, but he shoved that voice to the back of his mind. There was no point dallying on 'what ifs' and the choices he had made.

He closed his eyes, a part of him wishing that when he opens them, he'd be back with them, lying at her side.

Wherever you are, he whispered to the breeze, please be safe. Come back to me... The only answer he got was the lonely sound of the leaves as they danced in the wind, as it whisked away the moisture running down his cheeks, and carried it across the valley floor below.

Daemon's eyes shot wide open and he inhaled deeply before exhaling sharply as his eyes welled with tears that fell on their own accord. He raised a hand and wiped them away, frowning a little. What kind of dream was that? it made no sense. But the aftermath of it was frightening him. He reached out with his mind and felt Eragon's presence in the room. Then he felt Saphira's far away, and he managed to calm himself down. He wasn't alone. It was just a dream.

Yet why did it feel so... real?

His thinking was brought to an abrupt halt as he felt anguish from Saphira, and despair from Eragon. He rolled over as he heard his friend crying.

The fire crackled softly, the warmth of its glow brushing gently against her scales. The darkened mountains rose like ancient sentinels, wrapping her in their silence and security. They were safe—for now. Her partner, the one she had come to cherish in ways she had not thought possible, lay curled beside her, his body a comforting presence in the chill of the night. Yet, a strange heaviness weighed upon her heart, a void that no amount of peace could fill.

Why was she unsettled? Was it the distance between her and him? The distance between their minds seemed so much greater than it had before. She buried her head deeper into the softness of her companion's side, closing her eyes to the sound of the wind howling through the peaks. Love him as she did, it just wasn't the same as sleeping next to...him.

Had she truly developed such deep feelings for him? Her heart ached at the thought. He had become more than a friend to her. She had come to see him as part of herself, her kin in this endless fight. And yet, in the stillness of the night, the ache of longing whispered something different.

Could she have truly loved him in that way? Was it even possible to love him as her own, as a dragon loves its true mate?

A sigh rumbled from her chest, the sound swallowed by the night air. It had been his decision to part ways. He had volunteered, though every part of her had fought to keep him close. She had even convinced her partner to accept the idea. It was the only way. She had said as much.

She had looked into his eyes, felt the weight of his resolve. I have to go, he had said, the words cold with inevitability. She had nodded, a finality in her own voice as she whispered, I know, but that doesn't make it easier.

He had smiled, yet she knew the humor never reached his heart. And then... he had turned and walked away. Never once looking back. Her heart felt hollow at the memory. Was it that simple for him? To walk away so easily? Or was it that he had never truly seen her for what she had become to him?

The wind carried her thoughts upward, to the sky, where stars blazed in the night. Was he beneath them too? Was he looking at them from wherever he was, sharing the same silent sorrow she felt?

I swear to all the gods and ancestors, I will tell him, she thought with a fierce resolve. If the fates ever bring him back to me, I will speak the truth. She closed her eyes, her mind drifting into a sad melody, her silent prayer blending with the wind. It seemed to answer her, brushing softly across her wings, leaving a moisture behind that sent a shiver down her spine.

With a sudden gasp, Saphira's eyes snapped open. The dream lingered, its heavy emotion threatening to pull her under once more. She shook her head, trying to dismiss it as a mere vision—a trick of the mind. But it felt... too real. The loneliness, the loss, the coldness. The sorrow... Was it possible for her to feel such a thing? She was a dragon! Strong, ancient, unshakable! Yet here she was, feeling... broken.

No, she couldn't allow herself to be consumed by it. She had to be strong—for Eragon, for their allies, for those who depended on her. With a steadying breath, she reached out with her mind, finding the familiar warm and comforting embrace of Eragon and Daemon's minds of Eragon's thoughts, both of them calming her. Their shared bond reassured her, grounding her in the here and now.

But then... there was something else. A ripple of unease.

As the bond between them deepened, she realized they, too, were shaken. They had been dreaming of something dark, something that mirrored her own feelings. Fear, longing, heartbreak... It was all there, echoing in their thoughts. Could it be? Had they shared the same dream? One that just moments ago, they all tried to convince themselves didn't happen. And that more than anything,worried her, and brought all the hurt right back to her again.

The heartbroken person/dragon in her dreams couldn't have been her...could it?

And that's it for this chapter. Bit dark and depressing, wasn't it? Well, I wouldn't say dark but it sure as heck was depressing.