The Rise: Eldunari

Chapter 3- Tidings of Evil.

The excitement only grew as the day wore on as Eragon learnt the names of each new villager. He had been saddened to hear of the death of some of the villagers he had once knew, but he relished the chance to impress upon their descendants. Word got out of his arrival to neighbouring towns and soon hundreds of people arrived at Carvahall to catch a glimpse of him and Saphira. The innkeepers had never had such good business as the taverns overflowed beer as well as people. For the most part, Eragon sought to keep to Roran, Katrina and Saphira, however he always politely talked amongst the villagers.

The festival commemorating the Rise was a month away as preparations began to take full swing. All over Alagaesia, people will be celebrating the dawn of the new era of Riders. Whole villages temporarily migrated across the lands to Surda, Ilrea or Dras-Leona, where celebrations were most monumental. Eragon departed Carvahall with Saphira temporarily to meet Orik, his foster brother from the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum and king of the Dwarves. He had sent a message to him, asking to meet at Bregan Hold. The wind bit at Eragon's face as he flew with Saphira, but even after all the years of being a Rider, Eragon relished every chance he flew with Saphira. We are almost there little one, wake up
Eragon stirred from his nap as they descended from the clouds. He could vaguely see Orik on a Feldurnst, and a greeting party ready to welcome him.
"Eragon!" bellowed Orik "after all these years!" He clasped Eragon in a brotherly embrace.
"Indeed it has King Orik." Eragon was glad to see him. They had been through wars together, fighting side by side against the mad King, and their bonds of friendship meant that Eragon could trust him. Furthermore, it was his predecessor, King Hrothgar, who had adopted Eragon into the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum. An unprecedented act.
"There is no need for such formalities, Eragon! We're family you know that."
"Dragon Saphira." Orik bowed, acknowledging her presence.
King Orik.
"What brings you here Eragon? You've disappeared for seven years and now you show up?"
"I will explain in time Orik. Is there a place we can talk in private?" Eragon said eyeing Orik's personal guard of ten fierce looking dwarves, each with Ascûdgamln. They were not intimidated by Saphira's presence nor her Rider, however, they regarded Eragon with a respect.

The party journeyed through the forests surrounding Bregan Hold. Eragon greeted dwarf children as they clambered towards him and Saphira.
Do you remember the last time I was here, Saphira?How could I forget Eragon? Every time you leave me, you always run into trouble. Then was no different. Eragon chuckled, recounting the journey he took to ensure Orik was elected King of the Dwarves. Orik led them to his hall- a structure made of stone and marble, with the Dûrgrimst Ingeitum symbol carved on a plaque at the main entrance. Fires lit braziers as the cold had spread even towards the far south. Orik dismissed his guards as they filed out of his hall, but staying respectfully, just out of earshot, but close enough should danger befall their king.
"So, Eragon. What has happened to the Riders since you've left?" Orik inquired. Eragon could sense the excitement in his voice, however, Orik maintained a stoic demeanour. Quickly, Eragon and Saphira retold the story of the happenings on Vroengard since departing all those years ago.
"And then, they arrived. In small numbers at first, but eventually their force was formidable enough to claim much of the wildlife on the island, leaving the land barren. They came like a swarm of locust, gnawing at the lifeforce of Vroengard. It took Saphira and I, the Eldunari and our most experience students to fend them off. I redoubled the wards around the island, but the destruction was too much." Orik listened intently, hanging onto every word Eragon said.
"So this is why you've returned?"
Indeed Orik. We have come to warn Alagaesia and the races of the impending threat. "Good luck trying to disrupt the peace. The Varden remain under Nasuada's command, but they have taken a liking to times of peace. I doubt even you, Brightscales and Eragon will be able to stir the soldiers once again. As you know, the elves have receded back into Du Weldenvarden. We have not heard from them except for the ambassadors Vanir and Nari. The news took Eragon by surprise as he struggled to hide his emotions. Orik noticed.
"You have not spoken to them?"
"The elves at Vroengard did not inform me of this. Other than that, I have not spoken to anyone from Alagaesia." Eragon saw Orik's surprise as he knew the question that lay in his mind, on his lips. A twinge of sadness hit Eragon, as memories resurfaced.
Little one... Saphira began.
" What of the dragons and their Riders? Is it wise to leave them unattended?"
"The Eldunari and I invented a spell to keep Vroengard hidden, but we fear that it will not last forever. They will return, and when they do, it won't be safe for the riders anymore." The news of the events caused a deep furrow in Orik's brow. He tugged at his beard as he pondered.
"The dwarves, as ever, will answer your call Eragon. But do you think that the rest of Alagaesia will?"
"We will have to hope" replied Eragon plainly.

Eragon stayed two more days in Bregan Hold, before departing for Ilrea. The frost had become close to unbearable, so he casts spells around him and Saphira to keep the air around them war. Still, ice managed to bite at his cheeks. The journey was plain. Eragon and Saphira had gone over a plethora of plans in their mind as to how to deal with the oncoming threat. Their bond as Rider and dragon had grown over the years, and with every passing day, Eragon learnt more about Saphira, as she did him. Finally, when Ilrea came into sight, Eragon felt the presence of thousands of minds. He shielded himself and Saphira with an invisibility spell, as he wanted to come into the city unannounced. Darkness clouded the city, but the hustle and bustle of preparations had been in full swing. Taverns and inns were full from thousands more people flooding into the city to partake of the events. Saphira flew towards Nasuada's castle. It was heavily guarded due to the previous attempts at her life. However, the people, in the past seven years had accepted Nasuada, and allowed her to mend the eons of oppression they had undergone. Swift as a cat, Eragon leaped and landed on the balcony outside her chambers overlooking the city. as Saphira landed soft as a feather onto four surrounded pillars of stone.
Nasuada. Saphira called.
Saphira? Is that you? Surely not... where are you? Your balcony, come, Lady Nightstalker, we have much to discuss.A few minutes passed as the door leading to her chamber opened. Nasuada stood out, gaping along her balcony in search of Eragon and Saphira. Eragon ended the spell as he and Saphira shimmered into view. Nasuada gaped at the Rider and dragon before her.
"Eragon..." she stammered. Eragon smiled and embraced her.
"Lady Nasuada, it has been a long time." he replied. She reciprocated his embrace for a few moments. He smelled of pine needles and fresh air.
"Come inside, we have a lot to talk about imagine.. or is this a cordial visit?"
"Perceptive as always, my lady." They ventured into her chambers which were surprisingly large. Saphira squeezed through the doorway with ease as they settled at a round teak table that stood in the centre of her room. Saphira curled up around the table, forming a protective ring around the two chairs, but not before lighting a fire in the braziers. The room shone with a healthy glow.
"What has happened these past seven years Eragon? I haven't heard from you since you departed Alagaesia!" Eragon began to recount the occurrences, and finally, when he had reached the point of the attack, Nasuada asked, "What of Arya? Have you heard from her?"
Saphira hummed and spoke to Nasuada.
We have not heard from Queen Arya since our departure, my Queen. Nasuada nodded silently. She poured two crystal goblets of whisky from the dwarves- the finest in the land. She tentatively handed Eragon a glass as he sipped.
"Vroengard came under attack about a year ago." he said quietly. Nasuada almost spat her drink.
"What? Who? Why?"
"I confess, I do not know much about them, but I know that they are a force to be reckoned with. We lost two dragons to them."
"Who are these people."
"Nay, not people. Beasts more like, spawned from the darkness of a distant land."
"How did you stop them?"
Eragon and I-"...fought them off with the help from-"
Our most experienced Riders-"...Samuel-"
Yazhgra and-"Laetri, and their dragons."
The Eldunari helped as well.
"I see... what were they like?"
"Many wore hooded cloaks. The beasts they rode had wings as black as night, and teeth as sharp as thorns. They each bore a sigil of a red snake, intertwined around a scythe."
"What of the Riders and their dragons?"
"We shielded the island from sight, however the spell is only temporary. The magic throughout Alagaesia has fluctuated, and it appears these beasts in cloaks are the ones controlling it."
"My spellcasters have not noticed anything."
"Because we have been shielding them from it."
"What would you have me do?"
"Prepare. Stir the Varden. It needs to be done." Nasuada seemed to consider for a moment.
"Peace is lucrative, Eragon. Surely you know that." Without a word, Eragon stood, reaching into a pouch on his saddle along Saphira. He reached and grasped at a small chest, and opened it with the words "mor'arm." At first Nasuada could not see what was inside when it hit her. A decrepit arm, scarred and burnt lay lifeless. It smelled of decaying flesh and rotten eggs. Appalled, Nasuada forced herself to observe it further. She saw that it bore the sigil of a snake and scythe branded onto the palm of the hand. Heated iron. Nasuda recognized it from the time when Galbatorix tortured her in the Hall of the Soothsayer. Eragon shut the chest with the arm in place, and placed it in the centre of the table.
"This is greater than what we had faced before my queen," Eragon began. "if anyone can stir the people, you can. Send envoys out to all the races, but let me deal with the elves."
Eragon rose from his seat, as did Saphira. "We will be back in two weeks."
May your sword stay sharp, Lady Nasuada. Goodbye for now.Wordlessly, they departed, before Eragon turned and said, "I'm really glad to see you are well Nasuada, I have missed you." Nasuada swore she could have seen the faint glimmer of a smile on his face. With a whoosh, Saphira dived off the balcony, with Eragon on her back. Silently, she expanded her wings and glided towards the heavens as Nasuada watched from her room. Her heart began to race, as adrenaline flowed in her veins for the first time in seven years.