Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Forty-Two: Radiant

"Rhunön is done my rider." I blinked my eyes open and stiffly got off Alethea. Rhunön had two swords wrapped in cloth in front of her. I walked over to where she was standing and looked at the fabric covering the two swords. She really had finished them.

Saphira and Alethea settled their massive bodies near the forge just as Eragon trotted over to us. I looked at Rhunön again, there were dark bags under her eyes, and the lines on her face were heavier than before.

"I have done the impossible," she said, the words hoarse and broken. "I made not one, but two swords when I swore I would not. What is more, I made them in less than a day, and with hands that were not my own. Yet the swords are not crude or shoddy. No! These are the finest swords I have ever forged. I would have preferred to use less magic during the process, but that is my only qualm, and it is a small one compared with the perfection of the results. Behold!"

Grasping the corner of the cloth, Rhunön pulled it aside, revealing the swords. Eragon gasped as my jaw nearly dropped. She had done so much in the hours we had been sleeping. I picked up my sword and slowly turned it in my hands. Its scabbard was a pearlescent white and had vines winding around the top.

I gripped the pommel and pulled the sword out of its scabbard. The sword felt like I was holding a small branch. The metal gleamed diamond and pearl white in such a way it almost felt like it was transparent. I flicked my wrist around and the blade made barely any sound as it sliced through the air. It was perfect.

I drew out the dagger master Oromis had given me and felt the two weapons in my hands, light as a feather. I would be able to move fast enough that my enemy would realize what was happening until too late. I put both blades back in their scabbards and turned to look at Eragon's blade.

It was just as beautiful, the color matched Saphira's scales perfectly. Eragon swung it around and made some lunges at imaginary enemies.

"Here," Rhunön said and pointed at a bundle of three iron rods planted upright in the ground outside the forge. "Try it on those."

Eragon took a single step toward the rods. With a yell, he slashed downward and cut through all three rods. The blade emitted a single pure note that slowly faded into silence.

"Are you well pleased, Dragon Rider?" Rhunön asked.

"More than pleased, Rhunön-elda," Eragon said bowing to her. "I do not know how I can thank you for such a gift."

"You may thank me by killing Galbatorix. If there is any sword destined to slay that mad king, it is this one."

"I shall try my hardest, Rhunön-elda."

"Khensamel, draw your blade and do the same." I looked at the other three rods of metal and whipped my sword out to cut the metal quickly and return my sword to its scabbard. The three of us looked at the three rods that were still standing until the tops slid off and fell to the ground.

"I didn't even realize you had moved," Eragon said in awe, I sent him a smile.

"That is the point Eragon. I won't be seen until it is too late."

"Well, you finally have a sword of your own, which is as it ought to be. Now you are truly Dragon Riders! Before you leave, one last thing remains for you to do,"

"Oh?" She flicked a finger toward the swords.

"You must name your blades so I can mark your blades and scabbard with the appropriate glyph." Eragon walked over to Saphira, started a conversation before I turned to Alethea.