Curse of the Phoenix

Ch.54 -Isolation

Eragon~

I hadn't slept at all. Not once. The shrieks kept me awake, and once they stopped it was too late anyway. Murtagh, Thorn, Saphira and I were alone. None of the seven dragons were in sight. Something had happened when the shift happened to their riders.

My only guess was that the phoenix had done something to their minds, judging by what Iara had said. Only to the seven, not their dragons.

Grimm had taken off, he was the only one I saw leave. I didn't know where he went, but somewhere in the mountains, away from everyone and everything.

Last night, Murtagh and I were silent. We gathered wood and made a fire. Then we slept, with our respective dragons, both lost in thought.

Now it was morning. The dragons were silent as well. Not roaring, barely even speaking to us, always watching the sky. Murtagh and I were sitting across from each other, around the ashes of last night's fire.

I spoke first.

"What do we do now?" I whispered. Even the slight sound seemed loud. Strange.

"We find a way to fix this. It has to have a weakness. Everything does."

"We might die in the fire."

"Well do you have any other ideas?" He snapped.

"I don't, but im not ready to die on this island." I said.

"Those kids are our future, don't you think i care about that too? We aren't any help if we're just sitting here, Eragon!"

"I know that! But we can't go and do something stupid! Have you ever fought anything like this?"

"I haven't! We have nothing to use against this enemy. Didn't we both do plenty of stupid things during the war?"

"And look where it got us!"

"I am! It got us on this island, free from the king! We have to do something!"

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"I have no fucking idea!" With a snarl Saphira's tail whipped out and knocked both of us onto our behinds. Just like so many years ago. Thorn watched.

Thorn and I have had enough of your useless bickering! You two are dragon riders, and there are seven of your comrades that are in need of help! Calm down and find a way to fix this, and stop fighting amongst ourselves! Eragon, Murtagh had a point, we cannot just stay here and do nothing, but neither must we be reckless.

Saphira... I complained.

I care for them too. We all do. Now, why don't we sit and think? With that she turned around to face us. And Thorn began to speak.

This is just another challenge. It can be beaten. We know the phoenix did something to their minds, and that also affected the seven dragons. We know that the dragons probably will not help us.

We don't know how to fix this. I complained.

Then find a way! Think! Be creative! Saphira said.

I can't! I yelled with my thoughts. I finally stood up, brushed the dirt off of my pants and started walking back towards Doru Araeba.

"Eragon where are you going?" Murtagh asked.

"I don't know...somewhere I can think. I won't go far, and i'll be careful. I'll be back later." I said, before I was swallowed up by the forest, leaving Murtagh to the dragons.

Farther into the woods I found an older path, though I was hardly able to focus on the scenery while watching the skies. I stopped when I got to a creek, before turning around and heading back. Murtagh was in the same hunched up position, shoulders square and glaring at the ground.

"Any luck on your walk?" He said.

"No. You?"

"Of course not." There was a bitter hint to his voice. I watched as he reached over and plucked a blade of grass, before meticulously ripping it apart and throwing the pieces to the side. An action borne of boredom, my only guess.

It was still mid day. We couldn't go back to the castle, that was burned. We couldn't go into Doru Araeba, the phoenix was there. We probably weren't even safe here, on the island dwelled seven half-mad dragons, and seven werecats. We didn't know how to help them. And we were alone.