Andlátkyn; Vandr Sanses unin Alagaësia

Shadows

Nightmare growled at the persistent knocking on his door, wishing whoever it was would leave him alone, panicked aura or not. He wanted to sleep, and he didn't care for the dwarvish voice calling out "Carkna bragha!". It stopped. He settled back down to rest.

Then he was abruptly lifted off his bed. "WHAT THE-!" He started cursing, going so far as to slip into multiple different languages to get creative. Of course, the object in question holding him in the air was fire. "Arucane, there better be a good reason you woke me in this fashion." He snarled. Sinead gave him a worried look, unfazed by the voice.

"I'm sorry, Alalëa. You were sleeping in when we are needed. Verrunsmal. Fyrn. The Urgals are approaching Farthen Dûr, coming to take the helm of giants. You are needed, Daéda Dwerva." He stared at her. Then scoffed. "Put me down, you oversized candlelight."

She smirked as she set him on his feet. "That's actually kinda funny. But seriously, hurry. Me and the others will be waiting. Don't delay, for the Varden are in need of the haldthin. I sense that the Urgals are not alone." She stared at him seriously. "Ajihad's study is where we are meeting." Then vanished into a wisp of fire and embers.

Nightmare groaned into his hand. It was early, he could tell. He despised waking early, but if there was danger for his family, friends, and allies, then he will wake. He changed into his cleaner clothes and rolled his shoulders before teleporting where he needed to go.

Ajihad was behind his desk, studying a map whilest worry lines etched into his graven face. Arya and a wiry-armed human stood with him, Error, Geno, Cross and Dust also present. They glanced over, skeletons waving the Lord of Darkness to come. "Thank you for arriving on such short notice, Lord Nightmare. This is Jörmundur, my second in command."

Nightmare approached, dipping his skull at the new face and studying the map with the others. "Where are they coming from?" He asked, earning a few surprised looks from the rest. At that moment, Eragon and the rest of the Wyrdaí Islingrya entered the room via the door. Chaos ran over to hug Error, scared and confused. "Daddy, what's happening?" She questioned as Ajihad introduced Jörmundur to the new arrivals.

Then he addressed everyone. "I aroused the 16 of you because we are all in grave danger. About half an hour ago a dwarf ran out of an abandoned tunnel under Tronjhiem. He was bleeding and nearly incoherent, but he had enough sense left to tell the dwarves what was pursuing him: an army of Urgals, maybe a day's march from here."

Everyone fell dead silent in shock. Then Red, Dust, Killer, Error and Jörmundur swore horrendously as everyone began asking questions. Arya, Nightmare and Horror said nothing. Chaos closed her eyes for a few seconds, but when she opened them again, they were filled with determination.

Ajihad raised his hands to shut them up. "Quiet! There is more. The Urgals aren't approaching over land, but under it. They're in the tunnels… we're going to be attacked from below."
"How the fuck are we supposed to fight 'em in the tunnels?!" Red yelled through the noise of the others.

Eragon called out a question. "Why didn't the dwarves know about this sooner? How did the Urgals find the tunnels?"
"We're lucky to know about it this early!" Orik shouted back. Everyone quieted to hear him. "There are hundreds of tunnels throughout the Beor Mountains, uninhabited since the day they were mined. The only dwarves who go in them are eccentrics who don't want contact with anyone. We could have just as easily received no warning at all."

"Shit." Killer whispered as Ajihad gestured at the map, the others gathering closer. It was the southern part of Alagaësia, except the Beor Mountains were in detail rather than vague. Ajihad pointed at something touching Surda's eastern border. "This is where the dwarf claimed to have come from."
"Orthíad!" Orik gasped.