Eragon (Paolini, Christopher) (z-lib.org)

Hrothgar has taken charge of the battalion to our left. Ajihad leads the one
ahead of us.”

“Who commands this one?”

“Jörmundur.” Orik sat with a grunt and placed his war ax on the ground.

Saphira nudged Eragon.Look. His hand tightened on Zar’roc as he saw
Murtagh, helmed, carrying a dwarven shield and his hand-and-a-half sword,
approaching with Tornac.

Orik cursed and leapt to his feet, but Murtagh said quickly, “It’s all
right; Ajihad released me.”

“Why would he do that?” demanded Orik.

Murtagh smiled wryly. “He said this was an opportunity to prove my
good intentions. Apparently, he doesn’t think I would be able to do much
damage even if I did turn on the Varden.”

Eragon nodded in welcome, relaxing his grip. Murtagh was an excellent
and merciless fighter—exactly whom Eragon wanted by his side during
battle.

“How do we know you’re not lying?” asked Orik.

“Because I say so,” announced a firm voice. Ajihad strode into their
midst, armed for battle with a breastplate and an ivory-handled sword. He
put a strong hand on Eragon’s shoulder and drew him away where the
others could not hear. He cast an eye over Eragon’s armor. “Good, Orik
outfitted you.”

“Yes . . . has anything been seen in the tunnels?”

“Nothing.” Ajihad leaned on his sword. “One of the Twins is staying in
Tronjheim. He’s going to watch the battle from the dragonhold and relay
information through his brother to me. I know you can speak with your
mind. I need you to tell the Twins anything,anything, unusual that you see

while fighting. Also, I’ll relay orders to you through them. Do you
understand?”

The thought of being linked to the Twins filled Eragon with loathing,
but he knew it was necessary. “I do.”

Ajihad paused. “You’re not a foot soldier or horseman, nor any other
type of warrior I’m used to commanding. Battle may prove differently, but I
think you and Saphira will be safer on the ground. In the air, you’ll be a
choice target for Urgal archers. Will you fight from Saphira’s back?”

Eragon had never been in combat on horseback, much less on Saphira.
“I’m not sure what we’ll do. When I’m on Saphira, I’m up too high to fight
all but a Kull.”

“There will be plenty of Kull, I’m afraid,” said Ajihad. He straightened,
pulling his sword out of the ground. “The only advice I can give you is to
avoid unnecessary risks. The Varden cannot afford to lose you.” With that,
he turned and left.

Eragon returned to Orik and Murtagh and hunkered next to Saphira,
leaning his shield against his knees. The four of them waited in silence like
the hundreds of warriors around them. Light from Farthen Dûr’s opening
waned as the sun crept below the crater rim.

Eragon turned to scan the encampment and froze, heart jolting. About
thirty feet away sat Arya with her bow in her lap. Though he knew it was
unreasonable, he had hoped she might accompany the other women out of
Farthen Dûr. Concerned, he hastened to her. “You will fight?”

“I do what I must,” Arya said calmly.

“But it’s too dangerous!”

Her face darkened. “Do not pamper me, human. Elves train both their
men and women to fight. I am not one of your helpless females to run away
whenever there is danger. I was given the task of protecting Saphira’s egg . .
. which I failed. My breoal is dishonored and would be further shamed if I

did not guard you and Saphira on this field. You forget that I am stronger
with magic than any here, including you. If the Shade comes, who can
defeat him but me? And who else has the right?”

Eragon stared at her helplessly, knowing she was right and hating the
fact. “Then stay safe.” Out of desperation, he added in the ancient language,
“Wiol pömnuria ilian.” For my happiness.

Arya turned her gaze away uneasily, the fringe of her hair obscuring her
face. She ran a hand along her polished bow, then murmured, “It is my
wyrd to be here. The debt must be paid.”

He abruptly retreated to Saphira. Murtagh looked at him curiously.
“What did she say?”

“Nothing.”

Wrapped in their own thoughts, the defenders sank into a brooding
silence as the hours crawled by. Farthen Dûr’s crater again grew black,
except for the sanguine lantern glow and the fires heating the pitch. Eragon
alternated between myopically examining the links of his mail and spying
on Arya. Orik repeatedly ran a whetstone over the blade of his ax,
periodically eyeing the edge between strokes; the rasp of metal on stone
was irritating. Murtagh just stared into the distance.

Occasionally, messengers ran through the encampment, causing the
warriors to surge to their feet. But it always proved to be a false alarm. The
men and dwarves became strained; angry voices were often heard. The
worst part about Farthen Dûr was the lack of wind—the air was dead,
motionless. Even when it grew warm and stifling and filled with smoke,
there was no reprieve.

As the night dragged on, the battlefield stilled, silent as death. Muscles
stiffened from the waiting. Eragon stared blankly into the darkness with
heavy eyelids. He shook himself to alertness and tried to focus through his
stupor.

Finally Orik said, “It’s late. We should sleep. If anything happens, the
others will wake us.” Murtagh grumbled, but Eragon was too tired to
complain. He curled up against Saphira, using his shield as a pillow. As his
eyes closed, he saw that Arya was still awake, watching over them.

His dreams were confused and disturbing, full of horned beasts and
unseen menaces. Over and over he heard a deep voice ask, “Are you
ready?” But he never had an answer. Plagued by such visions, his sleep was
shallow and uneasy until something touched his arm. He woke with a start.

B ATTLEUNDER
FARTHENDÛR

“It has begun,” Arya said with a sorrowful expression. The troops in

the encampment stood alertly with their weapons drawn. Orik swung his ax
to make sure he had enough room. Arya nocked an arrow and held it ready
to shoot.

“A scout ran out of a tunnel a few minutes ago,” said Murtagh to
Eragon. “The Urgals are coming.”

Together they watched the dark mouth of the tunnel through the ranks of
men and sharpened stakes. A minute dragged by, then another . . . and
another. Without taking his eyes from the tunnel, Eragon hoisted himself
into Saphira’s saddle, Zar’roc in his hand, a comfortable weight. Murtagh
mounted Tornac beside him. Then a man cried, “I hear them!”

The warriors stiffened; grips tightened on weapons. No one moved . . .
no one breathed. Somewhere a horse nickered.

Harsh Urgal shouts shattered the air as dark shapes boiled upward in the
tunnel’s opening. At a command, the cauldrons of pitch were tilted on their
sides, pouring the scalding liquid into the tunnel’s hungry throat. The
monsters howled in pain, arms flailing. A torch was thrown onto the
bubbling pitch, and an orange pillar of greasy flames roared up in the
opening, engulfing the Urgals in an inferno. Sickened, Eragon looked

across Farthen Dûr at the other two battalions and saw similar fires by each.
He sheathed Zar’roc and strung his bow.

More Urgals soon tamped the pitch down and clambered out of the
tunnels over their burned brethren. They clumped together, presenting a
solid wall to the men and dwarves. Behind the palisade Orik had helped
build, the first row of archers pulled on their bows and fired. Eragon and
Arya added their arrows to the deadly swarm and watched the shafts eat
through the Urgals’ ranks.

The Urgal line wavered, threatening to break, but they covered
themselves with their shields and weathered the attack. Again the archers
fired, but the Urgals continued to stream onto the surface at a ferocious rate.

Eragon was dismayed by their numbers. They were supposed to kill
every single one? It seemed a madman’s task. His only encouragement was
that he saw none of Galbatorix’s troops with the Urgals. Not yet, at least.

The opposing army formed a solid mass of bodies that seemed to stretch
endlessly. Tattered and sullen standards were raised in the monsters’ midst.
Baleful notes echoed through Farthen Dûr as war horns sounded. The entire
group of Urgals charged with savage war cries.

They dashed against the rows of stakes, covering them with slick blood
and limp corpses as the ranks at the vanguard were crushed against the
posts. A cloud of black arrows flew over the barrier at the crouched
defenders. Eragon ducked behind his shield, and Saphira covered her head.
Arrows rattled harmlessly against her armor.

Momentarily foiled by the pickets, the Urgal horde milled with
confusion. The Varden bunched together, waiting for the next attack. After a
pause, the war cries were raised again as the Urgals surged forward. The
assault was bitter. Its momentum carried the Urgals through the stakes,
where a line of pikemen jabbed frantically at their ranks, trying to repel
them. The pikemen held briefly, but the ominous tide of Urgals could not be
halted, and they were overwhelmed.

The first lines of defense breached, the main bodies of the two forces
collided for the first time. A deafening roar burst from the men and dwarves
as they rushed into the conflict. Saphira bellowed and leapt toward the
fight, diving into a whirlwind of noise and blurred action.

With her jaws and talons, Saphira tore through an Urgal. Her teeth were
as lethal as any sword, her tail a giant mace. From her back, Eragon parried
a hammer blow from an Urgal chief, protecting her vulnerable wings.
Zar’roc’s crimson blade seemed to gleam with delight as blood spurted
along its length.

From the corner of his eye, Eragon saw Orik hewing Urgal necks with
mighty blows of his ax. Beside the dwarf was Murtagh on Tornac, his face
disfigured by a vicious snarl as he swung his sword angrily, cutting through
every defense. Then Saphira spun around, and Eragon saw Arya leap past
the lifeless body of an opponent.

An Urgal bowled over a wounded dwarf and hacked at Saphira’s front
right leg. His sword skated off her armor with a burst of sparks. Eragon
smote him on the head, but Zar’roc stuck in the monster’s horns and was
yanked from his grasp. With a curse he dived off Saphira and tackled the
Urgal, smashing his face with the shield. He jerked Zar’roc out of the horns,
then dodged as another Urgal charged him.

Saphira, I need you!he shouted, but the battle’s tide had separated them.
Suddenly a Kull jumped at him, club raised for a blow. Unable to lift his
shield in time, Eragon uttered, “Jierda!” The Kull’s head snapped back with
a sharp report as his neck broke. Four more Urgals succumbed to Zar’roc’s
thirsty bite, then Murtagh rode up beside Eragon, driving the press of
Urgals backward.

“Come on!” he shouted, and reached down from Tornac, pulling Eragon
onto the horse. They rushed toward Saphira, who was embroiled in a mass
of enemies. Twelve spear-wielding Urgals encircled her, needling her with
their lances. They had already managed to prick both of her wings. Her
blood splattered the ground. Every time she rushed at one of the Urgals,
they bunched together and jabbed at her eyes, forcing her to retreat. She

tried to sweep the spears away with her talons, but the Urgals jumped back
and evaded her.

The sight of Saphira’s blood enraged Eragon. He swung off Tornac with
a wild cry and stabbed the nearest Urgal through the chest, withholding
nothing in his frenzied attempt to help Saphira. His attack provided the
distraction she needed to break free. With a kick, she sent an Urgal flying,
then barreled to him. Eragon grabbed one of her neck spikes and pulled
himself back into her saddle. Murtagh raised his hand, then charged into
another knot of Urgals.

By unspoken consent, Saphira took flight and rose above the struggling
armies, seeking a respite from the madness. Eragon’s breath trembled. His
muscles were clenched, ready to ward off the next attack. Every fiber of his
being thrilled with energy, making him feel more alive than ever before.

Saphira circled long enough for them to recover their strength, then
descended toward the Urgals, skimming the ground to avoid detection. She
approached the monsters from behind, where their archers were gathered.

Before the Urgals realized what was happening, Eragon lopped off the
heads of two archers, and Saphira disemboweled three others. She took off
again as alarms sounded, quickly soaring out of bow range.

They repeated the tactic on a different flank of the army. Saphira’s
stealth and speed, combined with the dim lighting, made it nearly
impossible for the Urgals to predict where she would strike next. Eragon
used his bow whenever Saphira was in the air, but he quickly ran out of
arrows. Soon the only thing left in his quiver was magic, which he wanted
to keep in reserve until it was desperately needed.

Saphira’s flights over the combatants gave Eragon a unique
understanding of how the battle was progressing. There were three separate
fights raging in Farthen Dûr, one by each open tunnel. The Urgals were
disadvantaged by the dispersal of their forces and their inability to get all of
their army out of the tunnels at once. Even so, the Varden and dwarves
could not keep the monsters from advancing and were slowly being driven
back toward Tronjheim. The defenders seemed insignificant against the

mass of Urgals, whose numbers continued to increase as they poured out of
the tunnels.

The Urgals had organized themselves around several standards, each
representing a clan, but it was unclear who commanded them overall. The
clans paid no attention to each other, as if they were receiving orders from
elsewhere. Eragon wished he knew who was in charge so he and Saphira
could kill him.

Remembering Ajihad’s orders, he began relaying information to the
Twins. They were interested by what he had to say about the Urgals’
apparent lack of a leader and questioned him closely. The exchange was
smooth, if brief. The Twins told him,You’re ordered to assist Hrothgar; the
fight goes badly for him.

Understood,Eragon responded.

Saphira swiftly flew to the besieged dwarves, swooping low over
Hrothgar. Arrayed in golden armor, the dwarf king stood at the fore of a
small knot of his kin, wielding Volund, the hammer of his ancestors. His
white beard caught the lantern light as he looked up at Saphira. Admiration
glinted in his eyes.

Saphira landed beside the dwarves and faced the oncoming Urgals.
Even the bravest Kull quailed before her ferocity, allowing the dwarves to
surge forward. Eragon tried to keep Saphira safe. Her left flank was
protected by the dwarves, but to her front and right raged a sea of enemies.
He showed no mercy on those and took every advantage he could, using
magic whenever Zar’roc could not serve him. A spear bounced off his
shield, denting it and leaving him with a bruised shoulder. Shaking off the
pain, he cleaved open an Urgal’s skull, mixing brains with metal and bone.

He was in awe of Hrothgar—who, though he was ancient by both the
standards of men and dwarves, was still undiminished on the battlefield. No
Urgal, Kull or not, could stand before the dwarf king and his guards and
live. Every time Volund struck, it sounded the gong of death for another
enemy. After a spear downed one of his warriors, Hrothgar grabbed the
spear himself and, with astounding strength, hurled it completely through

its owner twenty yards away. Such heroism emboldened Eragon to ever
greater risks, seeking to hold his own with the mighty king.

Eragon lunged at a giant Kull nearly out of reach and almost fell from
Saphira’s saddle. Before he could recover, the Kull darted past Saphira’s
defenses and swung his sword. The brunt of the blow caught Eragon on the
side of his helm, throwing him backward and making his vision flicker and
his ears ring thunderously.

Stunned, he tried to pull himself upright, but the Kull had already
prepared for another blow. As the Kull’s arm descended, a slim steel blade
suddenly sprouted from his chest. Howling, the monster toppled to the side.
In his place stood Angela.

The witch wore a long red cape over outlandish flanged armor enameled
black and green. She bore a strange two-handed weapon—a long wooden
shaft with a sword blade attached to each end. Angela winked at Eragon
mischievously, then dashed away, spinning her staff-sword like a dervish.
Close behind her was Solembum in the form of a young shaggy-haired boy.
He held a small black dagger, sharp teeth bared in a feral snarl.

Still dazed from his battering, Eragon managed to straighten himself in
the saddle. Saphira jumped into the air and wheeled high above, letting him
recuperate. He scanned Farthen Dûr’s plains and saw, to his dismay, that all
three battles were going badly. Neither Ajihad, Jörmundur, nor Hrothgar
could stop the Urgals. There were simply too many.

Eragon wondered how many Urgals he could kill at once with magic.
He knew his limits fairly well. If he were to kill enough to make a
difference . . . it would probably be suicide. That might be what it took to
win.

The fighting continued for one endless hour after another. The Varden
and dwarves were exhausted, but the Urgals remained fresh with
reinforcements.

It was a nightmare for Eragon. Though he and Saphira fought their
hardest, there was always another Urgal to take the place of the one just

killed. His whole body hurt—especially his head. Every time he used magic
he lost a little more energy. Saphira was in better condition, though her
wings were punctured with small wounds.

As he parried a blow, the Twins contacted him urgently.There are loud
noises under Tronjheim. It sounds like Urgals are trying to dig into the city!
We need you and Arya to collapse any tunnels they’re excavating.

Eragon dispatched his opponent with a sword thrust.We’ll be right there.
He looked for Arya and saw her engaged with a knot of struggling Urgals.
Saphira quickly forged a path to the elf, leaving a pile of crumpled bodies in
her wake. Eragon extended his hand and said, “Get on!”

Arya jumped onto Saphira’s back without hesitation. She wrapped her
right arm around Eragon’s waist, wielding her bloodstained sword with the
other. As Saphira crouched to take off, an Urgal ran at her, howling, then
lifted an ax and smashed her in the chest.

Saphira roared with pain and lurched forward, feet leaving the ground.
Her wings snapped open, straining to keep them from crashing as she
veered wildly to one side, right wingtip scraping the ground. Below them,
the Urgal pulled back his arm to throw the ax. But Arya raised her palm,
shouting, and an emerald ball of energy shot from her hand, killing the
Urgal. With a colossal heave of her shoulders, Saphira righted herself,
barely making it over the heads of the warriors. She pulled away from the
battlefield with powerful wing strokes and rasping breath.

Are you all right?asked Eragon, concerned. He could not see where she
had been struck.

I’ll live,she said grimly,but the front of my armor has been crushed
together.It hurts my chest, and I’m having trouble moving.

Can you get us to the dragonhold?

. . . We’ll see.

Eragon explained Saphira’s condition to Arya. “I’ll stay and help
Saphira when we land,” she offered. “Once she is free of the armor, I will
join you.”

“Thank you,” he said. The flight was laborious for Saphira; she glided
whenever she could. When they reached the dragonhold, she dropped
heavily to Isidar Mithrim, where the Twins were supposed to be watching
the battle, but it was empty. Eragon jumped to the floor and winced as he
saw the damage the Urgal had done. Four of the metal plates on Saphira’s
chest had been hammered together, restricting her ability to bend and
breathe. “Stay well,” he said, putting a hand on her side, then ran out the
archway.

He stopped and swore. He was at the top of Vol Turin, The Endless
Staircase. Because of his worry for Saphira, he had not considered how he
would get to Tronjheim’s base—where the Urgals were breaking in. There
was no time to climb down. He looked at the narrow trough to the right of
the stairs, then grabbed one of the leather pads and threw himself down on
it.

The stone slide was smooth as lacquered wood. With the leather
underneath him, he accelerated almost instantly to a frightening speed, the
walls blurring and the curve of the slide pressing him high against the wall.
Eragon lay completely flat so he would go faster. The air rushed past his
helm, making it vibrate like a weather vane in a gale. The trough was too
confined for him, and he was perilously close to flying out, but as long as
he kept his arms and legs still, he was safe.

It was a swift descent, but it still took him nearly ten minutes to reach
the bottom. The slide leveled out at the end and sent him skidding halfway
across the huge carnelian floor.

When he finally came to a stop, he was too dizzy to walk. His first
attempt to stand made him nauseated, so he curled up, head in his hands,
and waited for things to stop spinning. When he felt better, he stood and
warily looked around.

The great chamber was completely deserted, the silence unsettling.
Rosy light filtered down from Isidar Mithrim. He faltered—Where was he
supposed to go?—and cast out his mind for the Twins. Nothing. He froze as
loud knocking echoed through Tronjheim.

An explosion split the air. A long slab of the chamber floor buckled and
blew thirty feet up. Needles of rocks flew outward as it crashed down.
Eragon stumbled back, stunned, groping for Zar’roc. The twisted shapes of
Urgals clambered out of the hole in the floor.

Eragon hesitated. Should he flee? Or should he stay and try to close the
tunnel? Even if he managed to seal it before the Urgals attacked him, what
if Tronjheim was already breached elsewhere? He could not find all the
places in time to prevent the city-mountain from being captured.But if I run
to one of Tronjheim’s gates and blast it open, the Varden could retake
Tronjheim without having to siege it. Before he could decide, a tall man
garbed entirely in black armor emerged from the tunnel and looked directly
at him.

It was Durza.

The Shade carried his pale blade marked with the scratch from Ajihad.
A black roundshield with a crimson ensign rested on his arm. His dark
helmet was richly decorated, like a general’s, and a long snakeskin cloak
billowed around him. Madness burned in his maroon eyes, the madness of
one who enjoys power and finds himself in the position to use it.

Eragon knew he was neither fast enough nor strong enough to escape
the fiend before him. He immediately warned Saphira, though he knew it
was impossible for her to rescue him. He dropped into a crouch and quickly
reviewed what Brom had told him about fighting another magic user. It was
not encouraging. And Ajihad had said that Shades could only be destroyed
by a thrust through the heart.

Durza gazed at him contemptuously and said, “Kaz jtierl trazhid! Otrag
bagh.” The Urgals eyed Eragon suspiciously and formed a circle around the
perimeter of the room. Durza slowly approached Eragon with a triumphant
expression. “So, my young Rider, we meet again. You were foolish to

escape from me in Gil’ead. It will only make things worse for you in the
end.”

“You’ll never capture me alive,” growled Eragon.

“Is that so?” asked the Shade, raising an eyebrow. The light from the
star sapphire gave his skin a ghastly tint. “I don’t see your ‘friend’ Murtagh
around to help you. You can’t stop me now. No one can!”

Fear touched Eragon.How does he know about Murtagh? Putting all the
derision he could into his voice, he jeered, “How did you like being shot?”

Durza’s face tightened momentarily. “I will be repaid in blood for that.
Now tell me where your dragon is hiding.”

“Never.”

The Shade’s countenance darkened. “Then I will force it from you!” His
sword whistled through the air. The moment Eragon caught the blade on his
shield, a mental probe spiked deep into his thoughts. Fighting to protect his
consciousness, he shoved Durza back and attacked with his own mind.

Eragon battered with all his strength against the iron-hard defenses
surrounding Durza’s mind, but to no avail. He swung Zar’roc, trying to
catch Durza off guard. The Shade knocked the blow aside effortlessly, then
stabbed in return with lightning speed.

The point of the sword caught Eragon in the ribs, piercing his mail and
driving out his breath. The mail slipped, though, and the blade missed his
side by the width of a wire. The distraction was all Durza needed to break
into Eragon’s mind and begin taking control.

“No!” cried Eragon, throwing himself at the Shade. His face contorted
as he grappled with Durza, yanking on his sword arm. Durza tried to cut
Eragon’s hand, but it was protected by the mail-backed glove, which sent
the blade glancing downward. As Eragon kicked his leg, Durza snarled and
swept his black shield around, knocking him to the floor. Eragon tasted
blood in his mouth; his neck throbbed. Ignoring his injuries, he rolled over

and hurled his shield at Durza. Despite the Shade’s superior speed, the
heavy shield clipped him on the hip. As Durza stumbled, Eragon caught
him on the upper arm with Zar’roc. A line of blood traced down the Shade’s
arm.

Eragon thrust at the Shade with his mind and drove through Durza’s
weakened defenses. A flood of images suddenly engulfed him, rushing
through his consciousness—

 

Durza as a young boy living as a nomad with his parents on the empty
plains. The tribe abandoned them and called his father “oathbreaker.” Only
it was not Durza then, but Carsaib—the name his mother crooned while
combing his hair. . . .

 

The Shade reeled wildly, face twisted in pain. Eragon tried to control
the torrent of memories, but the force of them was overwhelming.

 

Standing on a hill over the graves of his parents, weeping that the men
had not killed him as well. Then turning and stumbling blindly away, into
the desert. . . .

 

Durza faced Eragon. Terrible hatred flowed from his maroon eyes.
Eragon was on one knee—almost standing—struggling to seal his mind.

 

How the old man looked when he first saw Carsaib lying near death on
a sand dune. The days it had taken Carsaib to recover and the fear he felt
upon discovering that his rescuer was a sorcerer. How he had pleaded to be
taught the control of spirits. How Haeg had finally agreed. Called him
“Desert Rat.”. . .

 

Eragon was standing now. Durza charged . . . sword raised . . . shield
ignored in his fury.

 

The days spent training under the scorching sun, always alert for the
lizards they caught for food. How his power slowly grew, giving him pride
and confidence. The weeks spent nursing his sick master after a failed spell.
His joy when Haeg recovered . . .

 

There was not enough time to react . . . not enough time. . . .

 

The bandits who attacked during the night, killing Haeg. The rage
Carsaib had felt and the spirits he had summoned for vengeance. But the
spirits were stronger than he expected. They turned on him, possessing
mind and body. He had screamed. He was—I AM DURZA!

 

The sword smote heavily across Eragon’s back, cutting through both
mail and skin. He screamed as pain blasted through him, forcing him to his
knees. Agony bowed his body in half and obliterated all thought. He
swayed, barely conscious, hot blood running down the small of his back.
Durza said something he could not hear.

In anguish, Eragon raised his eyes to the heavens, tears streaming down
his cheeks. Everything had failed. The Varden and dwarves were destroyed.
He was defeated. Saphira would give herself up for his sake—she had done
it before—and Arya would be recaptured or killed. Why had it ended like
this? What justice could this be? All was for nothing.

As he looked at Isidar Mithrim far above his tortured frame, a flash of
light erupted in his eyes, blinding him. A second later, the chamber rang

with a deafening report. Then his eyes cleared, and he gaped with disbelief.

The star sapphire had shattered. An expanding torus of huge dagger-like
pieces plummeted toward the distant floor—the shimmering shards near the
walls. In the center of the chamber, hurtling downward headfirst, was
Saphira. Her jaws were open and from between them erupted a great tongue
of flame, bright yellow and tinged with blue. On her back was Arya: hair
billowing wildly, arm uplifted, palm glowing with a nimbus of green magic.

Time seemed to slow as Eragon saw Durza tilt his head toward the
ceiling. First shock, then anger contorted the Shade’s face. Sneering
defiantly, he raised his hand and pointed at Saphira, a word forming on his
lips.

A hidden reserve of strength suddenly welled up inside Eragon, dredged
from the deepest part of his being. His fingers curled around the hilt of his
sword. He plunged through the barrier in his mind and took hold of the
magic. All his pain and rage focused on one word:

“Brisingr!”

Zar’roc blazed with bloody light, heatless flames running along it . . .

He lunged forward . . .

And stabbed Durza in the heart.

Durza looked down with shock at the blade protruding from his breast.
His mouth was open, but instead of words, an unearthly howl burst from
him. His sword dropped from nerveless fingers. He grasped Zar’roc as if to
pull it out, but it was lodged firmly in him.

Then Durza’s skin turned transparent. Under it was neither flesh nor
bone, but swirling patterns of darkness. He shrieked even louder as the
darkness pulsated, splitting his skin. With one last cry, Durza was rent from
head to toe, releasing the darkness, which separated into three entities who
flew through Tronjheim’s walls and out of Farthen Dûr. The Shade was
gone.

Bereft of strength, Eragon fell back with arms outstretched. Above him,
Saphira and Arya had nearly reached the floor—it looked as if they were
going to smash into it with the deadly remains of Isidar Mithrim. As his
sight faded, Saphira, Arya, the myriad fragments—all seemed to stop
falling and hang motionless in the air.

 

 

T HEMOURNINGSAGE

S natches of the Shade’s memories continued to flash through Eragon.

A whirlwind of dark events and emotions overwhelmed him, making it
impossible to think. Submerged in the maelstrom, he knew neither who nor
where he was. He was too weak to cleanse himself of the alien presence that
clouded his mind. Violent, cruel images from the Shade’s past exploded
behind his eyes until his spirit cried out in anguish at the bloody sights.

A pile of bodies rose before him . . . innocents slaughtered by the
Shade’s orders. He saw still more corpses—whole villages of them—taken
from life by the sorcerer’s hand or word. There was no escape from the
carnage that surrounded him. He wavered like a candle flame, unable to
withstand the tide of evil. He prayed for someone to lift him out of the
nightmare, but there was no one to guide him. If only he could remember
what he was supposed to be: boy or man, villain or hero, Shade or Rider;
all was jumbled together in a meaningless frenzy. He was lost, completely
and utterly, in the roiling mass.

Suddenly a cluster of his own memories burst through the dismal cloud
left by the Shade’s malevolent mind. All the events since he had found
Saphira’s egg came to him in the cold light of revelation. His
accomplishments and failures were displayed equally. He had lost much
that was dear to him, yet fate had given him rare and great gifts; for the
first time, he was proud of simply who he was. As if in response to his brief
self-confidence, the Shade’s smothering blackness assaulted him anew. His
identity trailed into the void as uncertainty and fear consumed his
perceptions. Who was he to think he could challenge the powers of
Alagaësia and live?

He fought against the Shade’s sinister thoughts, weakly at first, then
more strongly. He whispered words of the ancient language and found they
gave him enough strength to withstand the shadow blurring his mind.

Though his defenses faltered dangerously, he slowly began to draw his
shattered consciousness into a small bright shell around his core. Outside
his mind he was aware of a pain so great it threatened to blot out his very
life, but something—or someone—seemed to keep it at bay.

He was still too weak to clear his mind completely, but he was lucid
enough to examine his experiences since Carvahall. Where would he go
now . . . and who would show him the way? Without Brom, there was no one
to guide or teach him.

Come to me.

He recoiled at the touch of another consciousness—one so vast and
powerful it was like a mountain looming over him. This was who was
blocking the pain, he realized. Like Arya’s mind, music ran through this
one: deep amber-gold chords that throbbed with magisterial melancholy.

Finally, he dared ask,Who . . . who are you?

One who would help.With a flicker of an unspoken thought, the Shade’s
influence was brushed aside like an unwanted cobweb. Freed from the
oppressive weight, Eragon let his mind expand until he touched a barrier
beyond which he could not pass.I have protected you as best I can, but you
are so far away I can do no more than shield your sanity from the pain.

Again:Who are you to do this?

There was a low rumble.I am Osthato Chetowä, the Mourning Sage.
And Togira Ikonoka, the Cripple Who Is Whole. Come to me, Eragon, for I
have answers to all you ask. You will not be safe until you find me.

But how can I find you if I don’t know where you are?he asked,
despairing.

Trust Arya and go with her to Ellesméra—I will be there. I have waited
many seasons, so do not delay or it may soon be too late. . . . You are
greater than you know, Eragon. Think of what you have done and rejoice,

for you have rid the land of a great evil. You have wrought a deed no one
else could. Many are in your debt.

The stranger was right; what he had accomplished was worthy of honor,
of recognition. No matter what his trials might be in the future, he was no
longer just a pawn in the game of power. He had transcended that and was
something else, something more. He had become what Ajihad wanted: an
authority independent of any king or leader.

He sensed approval as he reached that conclusion.You are learning,said
the Mourning Sage, drawing nearer. A vision passed from him to Eragon: a
burst of color blossomed in his mind, resolving into a stooped figure
dressed in white, standing on a sun-drenched stone cliff.It is time for you to
rest, Eragon. When you wake, do not speak of me to anyone,said the figure
kindly, face obscured by a silver nimbus. Remember, you must go to the
elves. Now, sleep. . . .He raised a hand, as if in benediction, and peace
crept through Eragon.

His last thought was that Brom would have been proud of him.

 

“Wake,” commanded the voice. “Awake, Eragon, for you have slept far
too long.” He stirred unwillingly, loath to listen. The warmth that
surrounded him was too comfortable to leave. The voice sounded again.
“Rise, Argetlam! You are needed!”

He reluctantly forced his eyes open and found himself on a long bed,
swathed in soft blankets. Angela sat in a chair beside him, staring at his face
intently. “How do you feel?” she asked.

Disoriented and confused, he let his eyes roam over the small room. “I .
. . I don’t know,” he said, his mouth dry and sore.

“Then don’t move. You should conserve your strength,” said Angela,
running a hand through her curly hair. Eragon saw that she still wore her
flanged armor. Why was that? A fit of coughing made him dizzy,

lightheaded, and ache all over. His feverish limbs felt heavy. Angela lifted a
gilt horn from the floor and held it to his lips. “Here, drink.”

Cool mead ran down his throat, refreshing him. Warmth bloomed in his
stomach and rose to his cheeks. He coughed again, which worsened his
throbbing head. How did I get here? There was a battle . . . we were losing .
. . then Durza and . . .“Saphira!” he exclaimed, sitting upright. He sagged
back as his head swam and clenched his eyes, feeling sick. “What about
Saphira? Is she all right? The Urgals were winning . . . she was falling. And
Arya!”

“They lived,” assured Angela, “and have been waiting for you to wake.
Do you wish to see them?” He nodded feebly. Angela got up and threw
open the door. Arya and Murtagh filed inside. Saphira snaked her head into
the room after them, her body too big to fit through the doorway. Her chest
vibrated as she hummed deeply, eyes sparkling.

Smiling, Eragon touched her thoughts with relief and gratitude.It is
good to see you well, little one, she said tenderly.

And you too, but how—?

The others want to explain it, so I will let them.

You breathed fire!I saw you!

Yes,she said with pride.

He smiled weakly, still confused, then looked at Arya and Murtagh.
Both of them were bandaged: Arya on her arm, Murtagh around his head.
Murtagh grinned widely. “About time you were up. We’ve been sitting in
the hall for hours.”

“What . . . what happened?” asked Eragon.

Arya looked sad. But Murtagh crowed, “We won! It was incredible!
When the Shade’s spirits—if that’s what they were—flew across Farthen
Dûr, the Urgals ceased fighting to watch them go. It was as though they

were released from a spell then, because their clans suddenly turned and
attacked each other. Their entire army disintegrated within minutes. We
routed them after that!”

“They’re all dead?” asked Eragon.

Murtagh shook his head. “No, many of them escaped into the tunnels.
The Varden and dwarves are busy ferreting them out right now, but it’s
going to take a while. I was helping until an Urgal banged me on the head
and I was sent back here.”

“They aren’t going to lock you up again?”

His face grew sober. “No one really cares about that right now. A lot of
Varden and dwarves were killed; the survivors are busy trying to recover
from the battle. But at least you have cause to be happy. You’re a hero!
Everyone’s talking about how you killed Durza. If it hadn’t been for you,
we would have lost.”

Eragon was troubled by his words but pushed them away for later
consideration. “Where were the Twins? They weren’t where they were
supposed to be—I couldn’t contact them. I needed their help.”

Murtagh shrugged. “I was told they bravely fought off a group of Urgals
that broke into Tronjheim somewhere else. They were probably too busy to
talk with you.”

That seemed wrong for some reason, but Eragon could not decide why.
He turned to Arya. Her large bright eyes had been fixed upon him the entire
time. “How come you didn’t crash? You and Saphira were . . .” His voice
trailed off.

She said slowly, “When you warned Saphira of Durza, I was still trying
to remove her damaged armor. By the time it was off, it was too late to slide
down Vol Turin—you would have been captured before I reached the
bottom. Besides, Durza would have killed you before letting me rescue
you.” Regret entered her voice, “So I did the one thing I could to distract
him: I broke the star sapphire.”

And I carried her down,added Saphira.

Eragon struggled to understand as another bout of lightheadedness made
him close his eyes. “But why didn’t any of the pieces hit you or me?”

“I didn’t allow them to. When we were almost to the floor, I held them
motionless in the air, then slowly lowered them to the floor—else they
would have shattered into a thousand pieces and killed you,” stated Arya
simply. Her words betrayed the power within her.

Angela added sourly, “Yes, and it almost killed you as well. It’s taken
all of my skill to keep the two of you alive.”

A twinge of unease shot through Eragon, matching the intensity of his
throbbing head.My back . . . But he felt no bandages there. “How long have
I been here?” he asked with trepidation.

“Only a day and a half,” answered Angela. “You’re lucky I was around,
otherwise it would’ve taken you weeks to heal—if you had even lived.”
Alarmed, Eragon pushed the blankets off his torso and twisted around to
feel his back. Angela caught his wrist with her small hand, worry reflected
in her eyes. “Eragon . . . you have to understand, my power is not like yours
or Arya’s. It depends on the use of herbs and potions. There are limits to
what I can do, especially with such a large—”

He yanked his hand out of her grip and reached back, fingers groping.
The skin on his back was smooth and warm, flawless. Hard muscles flexed
under his fingertips as he moved. He slid his hand toward the base of his
neck and unexpectedly felt a hard bump about a half-inch wide. He
followed it down his back with growing horror. Durza’s blow had left him
with a huge, ropy scar, stretching from his right shoulder to the opposite
hip.

Pity showed on Arya’s face as she murmured, “You have paid a terrible
price for your deed, Eragon Shadeslayer.”

Murtagh laughed harshly. “Yes. Now you’re just like me.”

Dismay filled Eragon, and he closed his eyes. He was disfigured. Then
he remembered something from when he was unconscious . . . a figure in
white who had helped him. A cripple who was whole—Togira Ikonoka. He
had said,Think of what you have done and rejoice, for you have rid the land
of a great evil. You have wrought a deed no one else could. Many are in
your debt. . . .

Come to me Eragon, for I have answers to all you ask.

A measure of peace and satisfaction consoled Eragon.

I will come.

 

 
 
END OFBOOKONE

 

 

THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN
Eldest,

 
 
BOOKTWO OFINHERITANCE

 
 
P RONUNCIATION
Ajihad—AH-zhi-hod
Alagaësia—al-uh-GAY-zee-uh
Arya—AR-ee-uh
Carvahall—CAR-vuh-hall
Dras-Leona—DRAHS-lee-OH-nuh
Du Weldenvarden—doo WELL-den-VAR-den
Eragon—EHR-uh-gahn
Farthen Dûr—FAR-then DURE (durerhymes withlure )
Galbatorix—gal-buh-TOR-icks
Gil’ead—GILL-ee-id
Jeod—JODE (rhymes withload )
Murtagh—MUR-tag (murrhymes withpurr )
Ra’zac—RAA-zack
Saphira—suh-FEAR-uh
Shruikan—SHREW-kin
Teirm—TEERM
Tronjheim—TRONJ-heem

Vrael—VRAIL
Yazuac—YA-zoo-ack
Zar’roc—ZAR-rock

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

IcreatedEragon, but its success is the result of the enthusiastic efforts

of friends, family, fans, librarians, teachers, students, school administrators,
distributors, booksellers, and many more. I wish I could mention by name
all the people who have helped, but the list is very, very long. You know
who you are, and I thank you!

Eragonwas first published in early 2002 by my parents’ publishing
company, Paolini International LLC. They had already released three books,
so it was only natural to do the same withEragon . We knewEragon would
appeal to a wide range of readers; our challenge was to spread the word
about it.

During 2002 and the beginning of 2003, I traveled throughout the
United States doing over 130 book signings and presentations in schools,
bookstores, and libraries. My mother and I arranged all the events. At first I
had only one or two appearances per month, but as we became more
efficient at scheduling, our homemade book tour expanded to the point
where I was on the road almost continuously.

I met thousands of wonderful people, many of whom became loyal fans
and friends. One of those fans is Michelle Frey, now my editor at Knopf
Books for Young Readers, who approached me with an offer to
acquireEragon . Needless to say, I was delighted that Knopf was interested
in my book.

Thus, there are two groups of people who deserve thanks. The first
assisted with the production of the Paolini International LLC edition
ofEragon, while the second is responsible for the Knopf edition.

Here are the brave souls who helped bringEragon into existence:

 

The original gang: my mother for her thoughtful red pen and wonderful
help with commas, colons, semicolons, and other assorted beasties; my
father for his smashing editing job, all the time he spent hammering my
vague, wayward thoughts into line, formatting the book and designing the
cover, and listening to so many presentations; Grandma Shirley for helping
me create a satisfactory beginning and ending; my sister for her plot advice,
her good humor at being portrayed as an herbalist inEragon, and her long
hours Photoshopping Saphira’s eye on the cover; Kathy Tyers for giving me
the means to do a brutal—and much-needed—rewrite of the first three
chapters; John Taliaferro for his advice and wonderful review; a fan named
Tornado—Eugene Walker—who caught a number of copyediting errors;
and Donna Overall for her love of the story, editing and formatting advice,
and keen eye for all things concerning ellipses, em dashes, widows,
orphans, kerning, and run-on sentences. If there’s a real-life Dragon Rider,
she’s one—selflessly coming to the rescue of writers lost in the Swamp of
Commas. And I thank my family for supporting me wholeheartedly . . . and
for reading this saga more times than any sane person should have to.

 

The new gang: Michelle Frey, who not only loved the story enough to
take a chance on an epic fantasy written by a teenager but also managed to
streamlineEragon ’s pacing through her insightful editing; my agent, Simon
Lipskar, who helped find the best home forEragon; Chip Gibson and
Beverly Horowitz for the wonderful offer; Lawrence Levy for his good
humor and legal advice; Judith Haut, publicity whiz of the first degree;
Daisy Kline for the awe-inspiring marketing campaign; Isabel Warren-
Lynch, who designed the lovely book jacket, interior, and map; John Jude
Palencar, who painted the jacket art (I actually named Palancar Valley for
him long before he ever worked onEragon ); Artie Bennett, the doyen of
copyediting and the only man alive who understood the difference
betweento scry it andto scry on it; and the entire team at Knopf who have
made this adventure possible.

 

Lastly, a very special thanks to my characters, who bravely face the
dangers I force them to confront, and without whom I wouldn’t have a
story.

 

May your swords stay sharp!

 

Christopher Paolini

 

 

A BOUT THE AUTHOR

Christopher Paolini’s abiding love of fantasy and science fiction

inspired him to begin writing his debut novel,Eragon, when he graduated
from high school at fifteen. Now nineteen, he lives with his family in
Paradise Valley, Montana, where he is at work onEldest, the next volume in
the Inheritance trilogy.

You can find out more about Christopher,Eragon, and Inheritance
atwww.alagaesia.com .