Before The Fall {An Eragon Fanfiction}

Chapter 9- The View Of a Lifetime

The entrance hall was filled with students just finishing with their lesson, making me have to shoulder my way through the masses to reach the other side. Vascar, tired of having his tail stepped on, flew above the people, smoke rolling out his nostrils onto everyone directly below him.

Finally, I make it the the wall farthest from the entrance. Standing on tiptoes, I attempt to spot him coming, but finding one person in this chaos was impossible.

But lucky for me, it was not just one person. In through the giant whole in the ceiling flies Jarnunvösk and on her back sits Galbatorix, causing almost everyone's eyes to turn to him. As she lands with such force that shook the ground, humans and dragons alike part to allow Galbatorix and his dragon to pass. He was a formidable force to cause people to part so easily for him, even riders with years on him.

At first I forgot why he was here as I continued to stare in awe with the rest, but then, as he started to approach me, I shook myself out of my daze and started walking towards the mighty dragon. He smiles seeing me coming and extends a hand down to help me up the side of Jarnunvösk.

I oblige, and am completely aware that the eyes of everyone in the hall was now on me. Luckily, Jarnunvösk takes off quickly, Vascar trailing behind, and heads for the wide open blue skies.

There was something completely different with this flight compared to the one I took with Glaedr and Oromis. My heart felt light and free with my arms around the man in front of me. Jarnunvösk dipped lightly through the cloudless sky as Vascar sits on her hips, having decided to tag along for the ride instead of trying to keep up.

At that point something presses up against my mind, and it wasn't a dragon. Quickly drawing back into the farthest corners of my conscious I sit and try to push it away, but instead of leaving, a clear voice rings throughout my mind.

'Talia, it's me, do not worry.'

'Galbatorix?!', I say in disbelief, slowly creeping out of the corner of my conscious that I had been hiding in.

He chuckles in that seductive voice, making it obvious who it was before answering, 'yes, I figured this would be easier to talk, instead of trying to yell over the wind.... At least until we reach our destination.'

'I did not know that this was possible, to touch the mind of creatures other than dragons.... And where are we going?'

Turning around in the saddle, he looks me straight in the eyes as he says, 'you think I would reveal the surprise that easily? Patience Talia', and then he smiles his broad smile.

Shaking my head, I turn away and peer over the side of Jarnunvösk towards the ground below. We were so high up in the air that we could easily be considered a hawk, the city below looked about the size of Daret. The second that thought flits through my head, I hear Jarnunvösk say something to Galbatorix. It was the first time I had heard her voice before, and it was very musical and wise. I felt like I could trust anything she said.

Except, to Galbatorix, she said mischievously, 'ready?'

'Ready? Ready for what?', I ask worried, and as if in answer to my question, Jarnunvösk tips her head down and sends us into an almost vertical plummet towards the earth.

Holding in the shout building in my throat, I wrap my arms tightly around Galbatorix, and Vascar quickly squeezes in between us to avoid being launched off of her back during the dive. From in front of me, Galbatorix lifts his hands into the air and laughs as Jarnunvösk shows no signs of slowing down. Closer and closer the surface creeped, and I could hardly keep the image of the hard ground out of my head. When I could finally see actual details in the city, Jarnunvösk let's her wings snap open and back-flaps hard, causing us to go shooting back upward, finally leveling off with the giant shelf over hanging the city.