Redemption - Fourth Wing

61. Aifos' song - Epilogue

Song choice:
Orpheus's song
-The Sandman (tv series)

Chex's Pov
For a moment, I thought I was back in my eggshell.
I was warm, pressed against a hard surface, with my tail tucked between my forelegs.
But the sunlight was way too bright, and my back felt oddly naked, as if there was no shell against it.
Slowly, I cracked an eye open, and saw navy blue scales glinting under the sun.
A purr I hadn't heard for days greeted me, -Hello, Little One.-
-Sgaeyl,- I breathed, and she dipped her snout down and pushed it under my jaw.
She rumbled her gratefulness and entwined her daggered tail with mine, -Have the winds always been behind your back, Little One?-
I leaned on her weight, basked in the warmth of her presence, -Most of the times. I have been lucky.- A beat, -I missed you.-
-As we you.-
We breathed together, and I saw that the cave was the largest of our den, closest to the sun.
In this easiness, it was natural for me to look for my bonds; but if my mind was a soft as a bird's wing, Aifos' own was the absence of their song I'd come to know and love.
It startled me up to my feet, and hazy memories barreled in my mind - Ronny's howls of pain, the strain of calling up magic's Name of Names, the wind howling behind my wings during freefall.
Last thing I remembered was Ronny's claws stretching out towards me.
But... But I couldn't find his mind.
-Ronny!- I screamed, and half opened my wings and spun around so hastily that Sgaeyl had to duck away from my swordtail.
-Ronny, where/-
-He's dead, Golden One.-
I stumbled, and whirled around, teeth bared, -No! I saved them! Saved them both!-
Tairn's sigh was slow, and he seemed to be as large and as old as he'd seemed to be in my eyes back when I just managed to break free from my egg.
-No, I/- A sharp intake of breath, -Tairn! I saved them! I used magic and I saved them!-
-You saved one of them, yes. Your mate grieves still, but breathes and lives because of you.-
For a moment, I wished to shrink in on myself and call up magic again and bring my friend back to life, and change Tairn's memories so that he could walk back up here and say, -He's alive, I'll show where he is, he's just resting,- because I could do it, I had magic under my claws, I could do everything and anything, I could reshape the world to my will and I screamed, and fire burned in the deep of my throat, crimson and angry and hot and-!
A quiver from Aifos' mind.
It was tiny, and ashamed, but I picked it up nonetheless, and suddenly every fight was drained from my body.
Fire cooled out, and I slumped my neck and tail and my wings skimmed on the ground.
-Little One,- whispered to me Sgaeyl, -We are all proud of you. Your manouvre on the battlefield was... Remarkable.-
I said nothing.
Was this nothingness what Ronny had felt, during Galbatorix's domain, everytime he limped back in Uru'Baen and his tyrant complimented him on his battle skills?
But Sgaeyl's eyes were golden and full of sadness and affection for me, and she was my guardian.
Tairn's wing opened up and fell on my back, -Come, Golden One. I want to show you something.-
We walked out of the cave, and his wing was a steady weight on my back.
We took a narrow turn, and the light started to dim already, I could feel my scales darkening to copper.
-How's... How's your leg?-
-Your sister's gone,- he said instead, -Her relative came to collect her. Silver One's managing.-
His voice was clipped and cold, and his jaw was set.
-There are journeys which must be made on our own,- it was the only thing I could say, lowering my eyes to our claws, both black, but so different in size.
And yet mine had wielded pure magic, while his could never.
Why was there a bitter taste in the back of my tongue?
Silence fell, so much that we could count the tickle of water drops, the ticks of our claws; the path narrowed up to the point that I had to take a couple of steps back, and Tairn had to duck his head and tuck his wings in.
But even so, his horns scraped the ceiling above, and his morningstartail the walls around us.
Then, the road turned left, and in front of us yawned a cave, by far not the largest, but definitely the warmest, and oddly enough a bit tilted on the right.
I was sure I'd been there already, because I had vague memories of a slight difference in level with which I always entangled my legs and tail, in the weeks right after my hatching.
-This is the nesting cave,- rumbled Tairn, -Where you and your sister hatched.-
I hummed, and watched my guardian marching towards a leather bag laying in the middle of the cave.
Gingerly, I followed him.
-Silver One's squadmates costumed the bag for us under my request,- he said, -Come closer.-
After a brief split of hesitation, I took a step forward, and stretched out my neck to sniff at it. It smelled of leather and smoke, but underneath all of it there was a scent to which my heart skipped a beat.
It was known to me, beloved.
But... But how?
Carefully, Tairn's talons untied the bag, and tilted it to me.
Brown gleamed beneath it, and I lowered my snout until I could glimpse a smooth, oval surface, warm and bright, its brown colour a sight for sore eyes.
My eyes flicked between the Eldunari and my guardian, whose tail laid around his talons, -He was a great asset. His death was honourable.-
The tip of my snout brushed the shell, but Ronny's mind refused to move, as still as a lake without any winds.
-Ro?- I whispered, -That's me, Chex. Aifos is waiting for you.-
Silence.
-Ro?-
-Give him time, Kuldruscul.-
I gasped and whirled around, with bared teeth and flicking swordtail. I half spread my wings, and Tairn rasped a snarl and drew Ronny's Eldunari against his chest, a talon wrapped protectively around the leather.
Saphira's sapphire scales were still gleaming from the recent sunlight, and Tina flicked her tail in greeting, even if her breaths were a bit heavy, whereas Saphira's were collected.
As if she hadn't flown a whole ocean to reach out to me.
-No need to worry, Ramrskular,- Saphira said to Tairn, her voice low and vibrating, -We did not fly for you.-
Ramrskular
Strong scaled.
It suit my guardian, whose upper lip was curled up in a snarl.
-Where are your Riders?- I asked, and Tina shrugged, -Left them with a blue dragon. She didn't seem that convinced, tho. Went all growly and shit.- She scrunched her snout, -Hopefully they won't die.-
Sgaeyl.
Tairn growled, his golden eyes narrowed, -You are not part of the Vale. And you aren't Irids.-
Saphira tilted her head, -Indeed we are not: we come from Vaeta, and we are of the Alagaesyan race. Surely neither of these names is foreign to your ears.-
My guardian stepped around me, head dropped low and teeth bared, but before he could speak, my voice cut among his gurgling growls.
-I know why you're here, Saphira-Elda.-
-I did not expect otherwise,- was her answer. Her blue eyes were steady in mine, and her spikes were white and sharp, -You broke the most important law Alagaesia agreed upon, right after you left my students' supervision. Surely, you were aware of the consequences of such an action.-
I snapped my head up, and the copper of my scales gleamed golden at the light of her scales, -I was. And I would do it again. Aifos lives.-
-You decided life for yourself,- she went on, taking a step towards me, -As if the sky has never been hollow.-
-We fly it,- my teeth's snap was sharp, -It has never been empty.-
Her tail flicked, -No. You have proved such, at least.-
Tina made her way towards the leather bag, but bared her teeth at Tairn's warning snarl. I turned around and opened a wing, -Let her, Tairn. She was his friend.-
He hesitated, his pupils narrow, but at last he chuffed and took half a step back, -A single shift I don't like, white dragon, and I'll burn you to ash.-
-Whatever. Got for myself a good deal of protective shields for this fuck-ass journey, your fire can't do shit against me,- Tina huffed, and then pressed her snout against the bag.
Her inhale was deep, -I hoped I'd see your ass again, Ronny. Instead, you had to fall from the sky, huh, old man?-
Again, silence.
I lowered my head, and Tairn sniffed my cheek, -He'll wake up, Golden One. But it can only be at his time.-
I dragged a shaky breath, and after a press against my guardian's snout I straightened up and met Saphira's patient eyes, -My punishment is exile, is it not?-
Just as she was about to answer me, Eragon's mind slipped in ours, -Come over here. The wind told me the funeral's about to start.-
My shoulders rippled, but Tairn called me, -Golden One, he's yours now.-
I turned, and barely breathed at his claws gently wrapping the laces behind my forelegs, across my chest. Its weight settled on my left side, right below my wing, which immediately folded around the Heart.
-Come on, Chex!- exclaimed Tina, and as I slipped back in the narrow pathway, I found myself pressing on the right side so that the Eldunari could have more space to breathe.
As if it could still breathe.
Tairn was behind me, and when we walked back in the cave, Sgaeyl whipped her head towards Saphira and Tairn and snarled at them. Tina growled back, and Tairn blew a puff of hot breath between my horns, -Females.-
I chuffed a laugh, and the two Riders fretted towards their dragons.
Tairn stepped towards his mate, who hissed and sniped at him, her daggertail flicking nervously, -These Alagaesyans, always thinking they can fly whichever sky they wish.-
Tairn huffed and pushed his snout against her cheek, and I watched Elsie coming up to me and patting my foreleg, -Fricai onr eka eddyr. Ganga fram.-
(I am your friend. Go forward.)
I tightened my hold on Ronny's Eldunari, -Alfr lifa.-
(He lives.)
Her eye tracked out the loops across my chest, and after another rub on my scales she balled on her heels and scrambled on her dragon.
Eragon turned on the saddle and met my eyes; we exchanged a sharp nod, then Saphira unfurled her wings and took off to the sky through the large opening right to the Vale.
Tairn huffed, and Tairn shoulder-checked me, -Come on, golden boy.-
We flew, and at first I had to adjust to the slight imbalance of weight; Sgaeyl dipped down and brushed my wing with hers.
Sunlight glinted on her navy blue scales, and Tairn picked up his speed to try and catch up on Saphira, who dipped down with a scoff.
The wind slightly changed, and brought over to us the softest melody I'd ever heard.
"Eka ethgri gedwei Aiedail
Und gala brunhvitr draumr"
(I invoke the shining Morning Star and sing of a white-browed dream)
I shivered, and dipped down my left wing to better catch the wind. It propelled me forward, and my golden scales glinted over Tina's black spikes, Saphira's sapphire scales.
"Eka ethgri maela mol
und melthna silbena"
(I invoke quiet change and melted sighs)
The melody curled down, and I followed it. My wings were soft when they spread open, and the grass was littered by drops of rain still.
Leaves on low branches brushed my horns, and I peered between trees.
Aifos was sitting down, their back curved and their curls distraught.
They looked so lonely, I took a step forward, but I couldn't move past it.
Ronny's corpse laid in front of them, still great, still beloved, and his Eldunari remained still and stiff,
"Du Silbena Datia
gala du eld draumar"
(The sighing mists sing of the old dreamers)
Sunlight glinted on the four dragons circling above us, fell on both Aifos and Ronny; but if Aifos kept their head bowed, a cherry sheen gleamed on Ronny's scales.
My heart quivered at the sight of his scales as smooth and shining as mine, as Saphira's, as they should've been.
He looked so beautiful, I would share this memory of mine with his Eldunari, no matter how long it'd keep drowning in its slumber.
I'd keep it pristine and would smile at him.
Would smile at Aifos right now, should they turn and seek my eyes.
Their breath was shaky, it rippled between their shoulders,
"Nen ono weohnata,
Ristvak'baen"
(as you will, Place of Sorrow)
And lights rippled around me. Only when they hovered on Ronny, their soft buzzing almost singing below Aifos' voice, I realised they weren't lights, but rather Fallorinia moths
The moths lowered down, touched Ronny's corpse, made it glow with its lights, with the sun.
Aifos tipped their head up, their neck bare for me to see,
"Thorta du ilumëo,
Togira Ikonoka"
(Speak the truth, Cripple Who Is Whole)
The Eldunari rippled in the bag, against my left flank.
I almost didn't breathe, in case my breaths annoyed it to silence again.
"Se mor'ranr ono finna,
Eki gedwei Eldunari"
(May you find peace, my shining Heart of Hearts)
A whisper, a ripple forwards; the wind rustled between leaves, kissed Aifos' naked neck, whistled around the moths.
Flowers curled around Ronny's corpse, and the earth rolled around him, as gently as a mother.
Aifos pressed both their palms on the soft earth, and the moths quivered on their hair, on their scarred forearms.
They were so ethereal I could've admired them until my own bones would feel the earth's call as well.
The Eldunari's voice was rough with sleep, -Kid?-
I saw their gasp before hearing it: their raised shoulders, the quiver of their back muscles, the wideness of their eyes when they turned towards me.
Towards us.
I smiled at them, and through me, so did Ronny.
Their lips were plump and parted and surprised, and I leaned on my left flank and raised up my wing.
They scrambled up, half ran half limped towards me, and stood on their tiptoes,
-Ro...-
Their fingers were shaky and shy when they brushed on Ronny's shell, and I remained still in that position until my muscles burned and I had to straighten up again.
Aifos' eyes were as shining as droplets of rain at dusk.
A sapphire gleam caught our eyes.
Saphira rustled her wings, and her blue eyes held my golden, their brown.
I rolled back my shoulders, flicked my tail, -The sky's wide, and we are young and beautiful. We will not go back to Alagaesia with you: we'd rather see for how long the other skies have been hollow.-
Saphira's nod was slow, and Aifos' hand was warm on my foreleg.
Twigs snapped on my right, and I immediately flung my wings around both Ronny's Heart and Aifos.
Tina tugged her horns away from a branch, and Elsie coughed leaves, -You move like a hippo today, girl!-
-Ah, shut up!-
Saphira blinked at her, and Eragon rubbed his forehead with a slow sigh, "Yes, Tina?"
The white dragon rubbed her snout with a claw, and Elsie threw us a white-toothed grin, her eye stitched shut winking at us, "What if they get lost, Eragon-Elda, huh? The sky's so fucking wide, Chex doesn't have that great of a self preservation instinct."
-Ehy!- I sniped at her, but Aifos' low chuckle thrummed in my heart, sang in my ribs.
It was the sweetest sound for which I could get lost over and over again.
Elsie snapped her hands up, and Tina snorted at me, -Those ain't lies, golden boy! You did have a rather close meet up with a Nirwhal.-
I found myself sputtering, -T/that was different!-
Tina barked a laugh, and Saphira snorted smoke, -You have been flying long enough to be independent, Tina and/-
-And Elsie,- said Eragon, his wrist twisting on his chest, -Atra esterní ono thelduin. Mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr. Un atra du evarínya ono varda-
(May good fortune rule over you. Peace live in your heart. And the stars watch over you)
I dipped my snout in a nod, -Atra du evarínya ono varda, Ebrithil-vodhr.-
(May the stars watch over you, honored teachers)
Elsie clapped, and Tina shook off her body some inexistent leaves. Aifos leaned their forehead on my leg, and Ronny's mind rippled with amusement, but remained quiet.
Tina chuffed and twisted her head to bark at her Rider, -You got the maps, girl!-
"Oh, fuck, you're right, you're right!"
As she rustled around her saddle, I looked up, saw Tairn's black scales and Sgaeyl's blue ones.
Ever since I learnt how to fly, we all knew a day would come when I'd seek skies of my own.
I was just three, but the wind was mine now, and I'd fly for my mate and my friend.
I'd find my sister, and tell my guardians of every sky we'd flown, of every sunlight glinting on our scales, and they'd realise I'd always remained the same feathertail who'd rolled upside down in its egg before hatching.
Aifos tipped their head up, their eyes brown and large and beautiful, and I purred and kissed their lips with my snout.
-_Atra garjsla lyfhta eka vindr,_- murmured Ronny.
(And the light lifts us to the wind)
"_Atra garjsla lyftha eka vindr,_" echoed Aifos.
The wind whisked past us, and I tracked it with my eyes.
I'd tell my guardians of the stars.

A/N
Heyy lovelies!!
Thank u all from the bottom of my heart to have followed the trio's journey!! I hope u liked reading about them as much as I did writing their story!
But don't worry, I'll keep updating Desire and Amop so it won't be the last time you'll be hearing from me 😆
Have a nice dayy