Disclaimer: I do not own the Inheritance Cycle. I only own the OC Michael Draven/Ancalagon.

"Murderer…."

"Destroyer…."

"Abomination!"

"Devourer!"

"Death!"

"Monster!

Not again. Ancalagon said quietly as he heard the whispers, the taunts, the insults of the dead. Once again, he was back in total darkness and looked around before freezing at a very familiar sight.

Piles of bodies laid on top of each other, and at the top of it all… stood the silver dragon who reveled in the destruction and the bloodshed he caused, while the remains of a city were ablaze behind him in the background. At the base of the pile… was the skull of what was clearly a dragon, with slight signs of sapphire-coloured scales.

Saphira… Ancalagon whispered as he took a step forth but stopped and shook his head. This is just a dream. It's not real!

Oh, but it is real… His own voice responded to him and he looked to see the darker version of him descend from the pile towards him. Now that he could see him closer, he saw the blood drenched over the scales, dripping from the teeth, and the signs of darkness, bloodlust and complete evil in the eyes. You can choose to deny it, but you know… we are the same being. I'm just what you refuse to accept is now part of you!

No… no… Ancalagon shook his head. You're not me! I refuse to admit it!

The dark dragon growled. And that… is where you fail. Embrace it, Michael. Embrace what you now are. Accept it!

No!

The dragon's anger grew and his eyes darkened. EMBRACE WHAT YOU ARE!

No! Ancalagon snapped awake with a startled growl, but let out a whimper when pain flared up in his neck.

"Easy, Ancalagon." He snapped his head down to see Angela standing there, her hands raised in a placating manner. "Don't move too much or you'll hurt yourself."

Feeling something wrapped around his neck, Ancalagon turned his head as best as he could and saw bandages wrapped around his neck, where he had been bitten by Durza's creature made from dark magic. The blood loss had weakened him and the last thing he remembered was dropping out of the air. Ancalagon turned his head and looked at Angela questioningly.

"You were found unconscious in a pool of your own blood. You were rushed here and I healed you quickly but put bandages around your neck as best as I could." Angela explained, getting a small nod from Ancalagon. "You'll be fine after a few days, but don't go getting yourself into another fight."

No promises. Ancalagon said cheekily before he got to his feet and moved out of the large room that he had been confined to, only to be tackled by a sapphire-blue blur the second he was out of the door. He grunted as he fell onto his side, and would've reacted but heard the sobs of Saphira and he looked to see the dragoness crying as she held onto him. No words were needed as Ancalagon held her, both of them sharing their feelings of being united again, their fear ebbing away. Saphira had no doubt been beside herself after finding him in his state.

I thought I lost you! Saphira sniffled, burying her snout into his shoulder.

Never. Ancalagon promised softly, just holding her close. His heart was light and fluttering as he held her, and he knew what the feeling was, the depths of his feelings for Saphira.

He loved her.

And he had to tell her.

Come. He said quietly, getting to his feet. We need to talk.

Saphira nodded in agreement and followed him. Along the way, she explained what had happened; Eragon had killed Durza, the Urgals had retreated. But Durza left a wound on Eragon's back in the process of his defeat, causing Ancalagon to close his eyes as he knew what that meant. Saphira had been beside herself, seeing her Rider hurt, Ancalagon bleeding out, she thought for sure she'd lose both of them in one night. Ancalagon just held her close as they walked until they finally came to a large room that would give them privacy.

So what- Saphira started to turn and address Ancalagon, when something happened that she did not anticipate.

Ancalagon darted his head forward and pressed his lipless maw against hers in a kiss.

So startled and caught off guard, Saphira fell backwards, taking Ancalagon with her. But the silver dragon did not relent as he kissed her like his life depended on it. Saphira was so shocked at what he was doing, though she recognized the affectionate display, having seen it amongst humans and through her Rider's mind between his cousin and the woman he loves. It stunned her because… it meant Ancalagon felt the same for her as she felt him.

Overcoming her shock, even though dragons did not kiss and she wondered why Ancalagon would do it, she kissed him back anyway, pushing against his maw with a hum leaving her. Their jaws opened slightly, tongues darting out to meet in a battle of dominance. As their heated and passionate kiss continued, Saphira found herself very much enjoying this display of affection and couldn't wait to keep doing it more.

Soon, Ancalagon broke the kiss and pulled his head away slightly, just staring at her with such love in his eyes that Saphira's heart melted and fluttered.

Ancalagon… She started. What was… why did…?

I can't deny how my heart feels anymore, Saphira. Ancalagon said softly, raising a paw to caress her cheek. Recent events have made me realize how short life can be… and how close I could come to losing you. To losing my friends.

You will never lose me. Saphira said softly, her tail caressing the underside of his.

Perhaps… but that doesn't stop the fear of the thought consuming my mind. You… are in my very soul, my heart, and I don't want to let you go. Ancalagon said with such strong devotion and love that a tear leaked from Saphira's eyes. Saphira… I love you.

There it is… the words he had wanted to say to her.

Oh Ancalagon… I love you too. Saphira darted her head up and kissed him passionately, with Ancalagon responding with equal passion and bliss.

However, their instincts knew what was to come next and demanded that it happen. They've chosen each other... all that was left was to make it official.

Wordlessly, Ancalagon got off Saphira so she could clamber to her feet. They left the room quickly and took to the air once they were out in the open.

Saphira flew high up into the sky, and spread her wings wide to catch the air to allow her to hover. Ancalagon was only a second after her as he too emerged through the clouds, coming up right behind her, taking in the sight of her for a breath-taking minute, before he circled around her, rumbling to her in a way she had not heard before. Saphira immediately followed, continuing to circle him, the two spinning and spiralling until it was no longer clear who was chasing who. They sailed through the air, their chase smoothing out and then building again, simply playing with each other. Saphira would do impressive loop-de-loops over Ancalagon, and he would circle around her, or dive beneath her and turn so that he was flying on his back and facing her, kicking at her legs with his. They said not a word, as if it might break whatever enchantment lay upon them.

Saphira began to feel something build within her, it started in her chest and with every wingbeat it grew, flowing out along her belly and through her limbs until she felt it in her fingers and toes. It was a fire, a fire that had never been created like this before, it burned her insides but not with pain, but with an exotic pleasure that she had never felt inside of her before. At least, not of her choosing.

Her blood was burning in her veins, it caused a liquid heat in her stomach that grew and grew until she thought she would catch fire. In that moment, she felt alive as she had never had before, as if there was true energy and true purpose in all her movements. It was a fever that burned through her soul, it left her breathless, and it made her see the world around her as if it were a stranger. Every time she looked at Ancalagon, she felt as if the world were being born anew, and she was helping to create it with the fire inside of her. And as their eyes met, Saphira could see that it was the same for him also, his eyes were dark and burning like two flames inside his head as he gazed at her, and she felt unashamedly thrilled by his stare alone.

Saphira let loose a booming trumpeting call. A sound the likes of which she had never produced before erupted from her jaws, and although she had never uttered it before, it was like she understood the call that was announced inside of it. Her cry echoed for miles, throughout the dwarven city beneath them, announcing to all who would listen to her cry for what she had always longed for, and begged for anyone to answer her. Ancalagon immediately roared back to her, his own cry racing through the air and shaking her with its ferocity, answering her call and declaring himself one with it. Saphira felt her insides lift with elation, a joy and excitement filling her the way nothing else ever had before. Their chorus of cries echoed around the landscape, so caught up in each other were they, that the rest of the world seemed to fade away. Saphira then tucked her wings against her side, leaned her body backwards, and dropped like a stone back through the clouds towards the ground.

She fell with such speed that the wind howled in her ears and stung her eyes, the ground racing to meet her faster than even she had thought possible. At the right moment, she snapped open her wings and leveled off, flying as fast as she could, a primal need inside of her to go as fast as was possible, beating her wings frantically as she began to map a course in her mind before climbing back and circling in the air, rising high in the air before, at the peak of her ascension, she would fall into another dive and begin it all over again. She did not have to look behind her to know that Ancalagon was following her, his wings beating furiously as he raced after her. Saphira kept her lead, knowing that this was part of the ancient game, to see if he had the iron in his bones and the fire in his belly to match her. She could feel the heat of his breath against the tip of her tail as he snapped his jaws at her, though she kept herself just out of reach, her muscles working tirelessly in an attempt to keep herself ahead. It was exciting her to have him so close but she was making him work for every inch he got. Though she wanted him to catch her, she wasn't going to make this easy for him.

As she neared the highest point of the mountain for the third time, she heard Ancalagon snarl as he began to beat his wings as hard as he could, the strength in his every strike enough to make Saphira marvel at it. But as he did, Saphira felt it in her bones: the end of the chase was at hand, the final rise would be the last, and something deep and ancient would be ignited. As she neared the height of her climb, she held out her wings to catch the air so that she would hover and a single moment would hold her suspended before she would fall back into the dive. It was the only chance Ancalagon would have to strike. And he did not waste it.

As she slowed, he did not, continuing to beat his wings with strength as he brought himself up in front of her, chest to chest and face to face as he suddenly latched onto her. The talons on his feet locked with hers tightly as his wings folded in so that they wouldn't tangle with hers. Their combined weight forced them into a dive, Ancalagon pulling backwards until their weight brought them down until they were racing noses first towards the ground. Saphira kept her eyes ahead, even as she felt Ancalagon shift as he reared his head back, before lunging forward and biting at the soft scales between her shoulder and neck. His teeth sank into her flesh, her blood bubbling from the wound and pooling into his mouth and across his tongue. Saphira roared at the sudden white-hot sensation that pierced through her, and she expected to feel pain…

But it was not pain she felt.

She kept her eyes wide and fixed on the ground that was rushing to meet them, wondering as to why Ancalagon was not coupling with her completely. She could feel that he was holding back from her, keeping his instincts at bay, growling savagely with the force of the effort. He kept his teeth buried in her skin, each beat of her heart sending a new pulse of the white-hot feeling through her body and down to her core. Saphira was panting, her need and want evident as she felt the ground coming dangerously close to meet them, so little time left for Ancalagon to even start the final act, let alone finish. But somewhere deep down, something of her rational mind seemed to know what he was doing, and slow understanding built inside of her, and she was practically shaking with excitement.

When it seemed as if they were about to crash into the ground, only a hundred feet in the air, the both simultaneously pushed themselves away from each other, breaking apart and flying in opposite directions. Saphira arched her back as she leveled at an almost right angle, almost tearing her body in half as she did so, her talons raking the earth as she realized how close she had come to death. And it was exhilarating.

Her shoulder throbbed and she felt a small trickle of her blood slip down her shoulder, but she ignored it. They landed in the clearing, perfect for them, and the lake was nearby for them to have a drink from. As soon as they landed, they took gulps out of the lake.

It's... it's done. Saphira panted, feeling her wings were tired from that. She lifted her head, her sapphire-blue eyes meeting Ancalagon's silver ones. You are mine, my mate.

And you are mine, my mate. Ancalagon said and nuzzled her with a gentle growl.

They gazed at each other, before Saphira stepped towards him, her chest pressing against him, and pressed her maw against his in a lipless but passionate kiss. It was a kiss Ancalagon readily returned, pushing himself onto his back and bringing Saphira down with him so she was sprawled out on his chest, their mouths never breaking contact. They held this embrace for a while, then finally pulled back.

My mate... He rumbled to her in a way that stirred the iron-hot blood in her veins, making the desire for him burn hotter than ever before. But she held back, wanting to enjoy this moment before they'd give into the next stage of this dance.

My mate... She purred, nuzzling his neck softly then started to nibble and lick at a spot that made Ancalagon purr in content. They lay like that for several more minutes, simply staring at each other, their entwined tails moving back and forth through the grass behind them.

You are mine. Ancalagon whispered.

And you are mine. Saphira whispered, and the two just nuzzled each other. After a few minutes, Saphira sighed and reluctantly pulled away. As much as I would like to finish this off, I must check on my Rider.

Ancalagon nodded in understanding. They could hold themselves back from... finishing the mating ritual, but he had a strong feeling that Saphira will continue things on after they have seen Eragon. But, there was a nagging thought in his mind that bothered him and he sighed. If he was going to be committed to Saphira, and she to him... then she deserved to know who he really was.

Saphira, there's something I have to tell you...

There you go. Ancalagon and Saphira have become official mates. And Ancalagon is telling Saphira the truth of who he is.