Answers to reviews:
Guest: Thanks, dude.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Inheritance Cycle. i only own the OC Michael Draven;/Ancalagon.
Ancalagon immediately knew something was wrong as he landed with Saphira, who was frantic with worry as she looked around for her Rider. Ancalagon searched between the houses and soon found the... unconscious Rider?
That's not right. Ancalagon frowned before shaking it off and called to Saphira. I found him!
Saphira ran over, uncaring of if she destroyed any houses in her pace, and found her unconscious Rider which caused her to whimper and nudge him softly before rage consumed her as she snapped her head up. Where are the ones who did this?! I'll rip the flesh off their bones!
They're dead. Ancalagon said, spotting what remained of the Urgals that attacked Eragon and Brom, destroyed as a result of Eragon's attack, his first use of magic. But this was wrong. In the book, when Eragon used magic for the first time, it sapped nearly all of his strength out of him and he fell against a wall... but he did not go unconscious afterwards.
That was in the movie.
The damn movie comes back to haunt me. Ancalagon rolled his eyes before he focused. Eragon was unconscious, as was Brom. He needed to do something before Brom bled to death.
What did this? Saphira asked, spotting the remains of one of the Urgals.
Eragon did. Ancalagon answered.
Eragon did this? Saphira asked, surprised.How?
I will explain later, but first we have to get both Brom and Eragon to safety. There may be more assailants coming.
Saphira gingerly picked up Eragon and draped him across her back between her spikes, her saddle still being at their camp.
They left the scene of devastation, walking along the street, searching for Brom. They found him a few streets away, slumped over in Snowfire's crimson-stained saddle, his life-blood flowing freely from a deep gash on his left arm.
Ancalagon knew, without even looking at the wound, that it was serious. He'd seen enough medical shows to know that one did not lose that much blood and recover easily. They had to treat it somehow, but being a dragon... Ancalagon wasn't sure he'd be able to do it. If he was human, then yeah it would be easier, but trying to bandage someone as a dragon? Yeah, that wouldn't be easy.
Saphira, wake Eragon up! Brom needs his wound bandaged before he bleeds to death! Ancalagon said quickly, looking at the sapphire-scaled dragoness.
Saphira nodded and nudged Eragon gently, but he did not stir.Little one? Eragon! Wake up! There was a stir, but Eragon still did not awaken. Eragon!
No matter what Saphira did, even if she nudged a bit roughly, Eragon still did not awaken. He was alive, that she knew, but he would not wake no matter what she did.
Ancalagon, I do not know what to do! He will not respond! Saphira said, her voice filling with panic.
Ancalagon snapped his gaze over, frowning. This was not right. This shouldn't be happening. If h Was this because of his presence? As a result of him being here, the story was changing in some ways? He shook his head. He should stop thinking stuff in the book will happen as they did. That was a book, this was reality. He needed to accept that fantasy and reality were two entirely different things.
Reality could often be disappointing.
He shook his head, glancing at Brom. They needed to do something before Brom died of his wound. He glanced at Saphira, remembering a significant part of the bond between a Rider and their dragon. They could lend each other their energy and strength!
Listen to me Saphira; you have to feed him energy, and fast! Ancalagon said, realizing that in order for Eragon to emerge from his exhausted state caused by the use of magic, he had to receive energy to replace the spent energy.
What do you mean? How did I do that? Saphira asked, tilting her head.
Ancalagon almost roared in frustration. Never mind, I'll do it! He moved forward when Saphira crouched over her Rider protectively, eyeing him.
No. Explain now. What has happened to him? Saphira demanded.
Ancalagon sighed impatiently. He used magic and exhausted all of his energy, which is why he's in this current state. He needs energy to replace the energy he spent, and since you don't know how to do it then I will. He saw hesitance on Saphira's part and, in a very human-like move, placed his front paws on her cheeks like two hands on cupping someone's cheeks. Trust me, Saphira. Please.
Saphira stared into those silver eyes of his, seeing no signs of deception in them, only a plead for her to trust him. To trust that he will help her Rider.
Please help him .She said softly.
Ancalagon nodded as he dropped his paws .I will. I promise.
Ancalagon delved into Eragon's mind, searching for the barrier that Christopher Paolini himself often described as containing one's magical energy. What he found caused him to mentally furrow his brow in puzzlement.
Instead of a solid wall in Eragon's mind, a fractured, glowing sphere floated in the void, cracks spider-webbing across its surface. Ancalagon reached for it, curious at this new development, but right before he could encounter the barrier, a bright flash emitted from its surface, striking Ancalagon's probing thoughts, driving the dragon's mental presence from the young rider's unconscious mind. Before he exited the dark realm, flashes of his former life scattered in all directions as motes of light. Ancalagon cursed, attempting to snatch at them as his mental form tumbled through the darkness, but could only manage to recapture a few: his knowledge of future events, the elves, and his true nature. The others dissipated into the blackness, absorbed into Eragon's empty mind.
Once back in his earthly body, he flinched at the pain that the strange energy had released. His head throbbed, as if someone was pounding on his brain with invisible mallets.
Ancalagon, what's wrong? Saphira asked as Ancalagon backed away from Eragon's dormant form, shaking his head to clear the ache.
Something... unexpected. Ancalagon said, musing about the odd reaction that his efforts had elicited from Eragon's mental defenses. Saphira, tell me, are you able to enter Eragon's mind right now?
Saphira turned to Eragon, was silent for a moment, then returned her gaze to Ancalagon. Indeed, but he still isn't responding. What, can't you?
It appears that I cannot. For some unexplained reason, when I attempted to reach into his mind, I was repelled by a sudden blast of mental energy, almost like a defense mechanism.
What do we do now? Do we have time for me to learn how to transfer energy? Saphira asked, worry returning to her voice.
Ancalagon glanced over to Brom, seeing the old man's skin was pale. Time was running out.
No, we don't. We're just gonna have to improvise. Ancalagon said seriously and turned to Saphira. I'm going to need your help.
What do you need me to do? Saphira asked, equally as serious. If it was to help her Rider, she'd trust Ancalagon to keep his promise to her.
I can do what needs to be done if I use you as a bridge into Eragon's mind. Connect to it, I will do the rest. Ancalagon said. Hurry Saphira, we don't have enough time. Brom could die any moment from blood loss!
Saphira nodded and followed his instructions. She connected her mind to Eragon's, told Ancalagon this which gave him the signal to do what he needed to do. This time, Ancalagon kept his memories behind a mental wall that he hoped was secure enough to contain any memory seepage. He had never attempted to create one before, but he hoped that it would keep stray memories safely inside. It occurred to him that he would need to build up very strong defenses in his mind, given this world's mages and abilities to enter one's mind... sometimes by force. And if his path brought him before Galbatorix himself, or the elves, he'd need to ensure they couldn't go poking around his head and taking what they wish, learning of what he knew. He noted to get started on working on that once he was done here.
Saphira seemed to have done the same with part of her mind as well. He could feel Saphira's curiosity at the cordoned-off portion of his mind, and also felt a curiosity about hers as well, but didn't have time to take the tour. Ancalagon dove through her mind and straight into Eragon's weakly pulsing mental vault.
Before Ancalagon entered her mind, Saphira blocked off part of her memories, mainly the secrets that Brom had confided in her, as well as her thoughts about Ancalagon. She wasn't ready for him to know what she felt when she was with him.
As Saphira felt Ancalagon arrive in her mind and head towards her Rider's, she became curious of what lay in the silver dragon's memories. Overcome by her curiosity, Saphira tried to sneak into the memories, only to rebound off of a hastily erected barrier much like the walls in her own mind, but a bit weaker. Filled with curiosity, she tried to find a way past the obstruction by circling its perimeter. At some points, the barrier was thin enough for her to catch glimpses of what lay on the other side. The images did not make sense: Horseless carts that moved at a ridiculous pace; massive steel bird-shaped objects soaring through the air, wings unmoving; and on more than one occasion, glimpses of a dark-haired boy, face obscured, hunched over a blue book. What does this all mean? Saphira asked herself. One thing was for sure, Ancalagon's story about being found by a human several months ago... was a lie.
Why would he lie about his origins? All this did was add more mystery to Ancalagon, and Saphira wanted to know more and solve said mystery. A part of her wanted to confront him on lying to them, to her. But that may make things worse. He would not be happy that she tried to poke around his memories without his permission.
She suddenly felt a twitch from Eragon's mental presence and turned towards the faintly glowing sphere that was Eragon's mind. It was no longer faintly glowing, but now burning with an intense light, its ferocious illumination cutting through the deepest shadows that filled Eragon's unconscious mind.
Ancalagon's silver mental form coalesced from the now brightly-lit sphere, just ahead of a column of fire, fleeing for his life. He fled through Saphira's mind, dodging and weaving to avoid the pursuing flames, but to no avail. The torrent of fire gained on him with each passing moment. Ancalagon managed to reach his mind and quickly withdraw from both Saphira and Eragon's.
But as soon as he came back to the physical world, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and everything went dark, but not before he heard a panicked, terrified female voice cry out his name...
And that's it for this chapter.