Before The Fall {An Eragon Fanfiction}

Chapter 31- Confronting Death

When I awoke, it took me a considerable amount of time to remember what had happened. My head throbbed as I swayed back and forth, as if unable to control my movements. I refused to open my eyes until I got my wits about me, though, afraid that my attackers would know that I was awake. Instead, I kept completely still, allowing my mind to calm down and remember the situation I was in. It took all of my strength to focus on the past and not try and figure out where I was at the moment; there would be a time for that later.

'Focus Talia, focus,' I said to myself, trying to organize my thoughts, 'I was in the town square. The egg ceremony was going on. I was attacked from behind- no, wait, I stepped forward first. Why did I step forward? The figure! The figure in the black cloak disappeared. And they must have attacked me when I stepped forward and revealed myself. They knocked me out and now I'm... where am I?'

Once I regained my senses and organized my thoughts, I finally felt the sting of rope cutting into my skin. My eyes snapped open as I realized there was nothing beneath me except rope and empty space, but what I saw took a moment to comprehend. I was encased in a large net hanging from the ceiling of a fairly large room. I quickly felt my waist for my sword, but was disappointed to feel nothing but my own hip. Whoever had attacked me had obviously been smart enough to take my sword.

Suddenly, my mind groggily realized that something else was also missing. It felt as if a piece of my heart and soul had been snatched from me, and, in a panic, I began to thrash around wildly in the net.

'Vascar!' I shouted into open space, 'Vascar where are you?'

But I could not touch his mind. He was blocked from me, as if someone had trapped me in my own mind. It was terrifying, and despite the pain from the ropes digging into my skin, I continued to flail in a vain attempt to escape my confinement. Knowing that I was trapped physically and mentally made my blood run cold, but I fought all the harder because of it. I would get back to Vascar. Who knew what had happened after I was knocked unconscious. My mind immediately turned to the dreadful thought of what the figures in black might have done to Oromis, Brom, or Morzan. Had they tried to attack the new rider? Or, I shuddered thinking about it, had they attacked the egg couriers?

My body began to tremble as an immense fear descended over me. I was helpless and completely clueless as to where I was or who took me. I was terrified to be separated from Vascar.

With one final lash of my leg, I quit struggling against the ropes that surrounded me, it had done nothing but exhaust me. But, as I hung limply from the ceiling, I realized that something other than sweat was dropping down my side. Reaching under my tunic, I felt a warm liquid beginning to seep into the fabric of my shirt. As my fingers brushed the skin beneath it, a sharp sting of pain blossomed up my side, causing my teeth to clench in pain. I pulled out my hand a stared in awe at the dark red blood staining my fingers. My blood.

I pushed away the panic that was threatening to overwhelm me. Lifting my tunic, I stared down at my side, smeared with blood and sweat. But, beneath the blood, I knew there was some type of wound, I was just unsure of the type of wound and how I had received it.

Taking my hand, a quickly wiped the blood away from the tender area. At the contact of my hand, the injured skin throbbed in protest and caused me to groan in pain. I carried on despite the pain lacing up my side, knowing that I needed to know the severity of my wound. When I had finally wiped away the blood, I could finally see the injury which had released so much blood. A cut about a hands-length long trailed down my side, starting at the bottom of my ribs and ending just above my hip. I took a sharp intake of breath as the blood continued to seep from the cut. It didn't look too deep, but I was at a loss to where the wound had come from.