Sja Fram [Inheritance Cycle | Eragon Fanfiction]

Chapter XXXI: The Varden

"It's dark," Eragon began, "so I might have missed something, but... no."

Murtagh swore explosively and came to a stop, I whistled softly for Istal to stop. "Are you saying that the only place I can go is to the Varden?"

"Yes, but keep running. The Urgals are almost upon us!" Eragon responded, not knowing the truth of Murtagh's dilemma.

"No!" Murtagh responded angrily. He stabbed a finger at Eragon. "I warned you that I wouldn't go to the Varden, but you went ahead and trapped me between a hammer and an anvil! You both have the elf's memories! Couldn't you tell me this was a dead end?"

"We knew where we had to go, not what lay in between," I said.

"Don't blame us for choosing to come!" Eragon angrily said. Murtagh spun away furiously. "What's your quarrel with the Varden? It can't be so terrible that you must keep it hidden even now. Would you rather fight the Kull to reveal it? How many times will we go through this before you trust me?"

There was a long silence. "Murtagh," Eragon said earnestly, "unless you wish to die, we must go to the Varden. Don't let me walk into their arms without knowing how they will react to you. It's going to be dangerous enough without the unnecessary surprises."

Murtagh turned to Eragon. "You have a right to know," he said in a tortured voice. "I... I am the son of Morzan, first and last of the Forsworn."

There was a crashing sound as Saphira barrelled through the trees from the river. She reached Eragon's side, her fangs bared, and tail raised threatening. Istal pulled to my side, and I loosened my sword in time with Eragon.

"You are his heir?" Eragon asked. Saphira snarled and I bared my teeth at her in response. "Umaroth, you knew this?"

"Yes," I said bitingly, "I also know we can trust him."

"I didn't choose this!" Murtagh cried, anguish twisting his face when Eragon turned to face him. He tore off his tunic and shirt to bare his torso. "Look!" He pleaded, and turned his back to Eragon.

I flinched at the site of a giant knotting white scar, stretching from Murtagh's right shoulder to his left hip. "See that?" Murtagh demanded bitterly. He spoke quickly now, as if relieved to have his secret finally revealed. "I was only three when I got it. During one of his many drunken fits of rage, Morzan threw his sword at me as I ran by. My back was laid open by the very sword you now carry – the only thing I expected to receive as my inheritance, until Brom stole it from my father's corpse. I was lucky, I suppose – there was a healer nearby who kept me from dying. You must understand, I don't love the Empire or the king. I have no allegiance to them, nor do I mean you harm!"

"Then your father," Eragon said uneasily, moving his hand away from Zar'roc's pommel, "was killed by..."

"Yes, Brom," Murtagh said, pulling his tunic back on.

A horn rang out behind them. Istal, go! I cried. "We don't have time for this, run," I told the others.

"Your tale is hard to believe," Eragon said between strides. "How do I know you aren't lying?"

"Why would I lie?"

"You could be–"

Murtagh interrupted Eragon quickly. "I can't prove anything to you now. Keep your doubts until we reach the Varden. They'll recognize me quickly enough."

"I must know," Eragon pressed, "Do you serve the Empire?"

"He doesn't," I stated.

"You don't know that," Eragon said. "He could be an assassin."

"Maybe," Murtagh replied shortly. "You can't really know, can you?"

The forest ended, and the horses halted. We were on a pebble beach directly to the left of the mouth of the Beartooth River. The deep lake Kóstha-mérna filled the valley, blocking our way. The water gleamed in the flickering starlight. At the lake's far end, a broad sheet of water tumbled down a black cliff into boiling mounds of froth. The mountain walls restricted passage around Kóstha-mérna to a thin strip of shore on either side of the lake, both no more than a few steps wide.

"Do we go to the falls?" Murtagh asked.

"Yes," Eragon said, taking Snowfire's reins and leading the way. He picked his way along lake's left side.

We were halfway to the waterfall, each of us leading a horse, when Murtagh warned, "Urgals!"

I cursed, spinning around. By the shore of Kóstha-mérna where we had been a few minutes ago, hulking figures streamed out of the forest. The horde split around both sides of the lake, leaving us without an escape route.

I drew my sword, "Run!" Murtagh barked. Saphira attacked the Kull, trapping them while we struggled to get to the waterfall.

We were almost to the waterfall, when Saphira was forced to retreat. The white wall of water gushed down the cliff, pounding the rocks below with a fury that sent mist spraying through the air to run down their faces. Four yards from the thunderous curtain, the beach widened, giving us room to manoeuver.

"What do we do now?" Murtagh demanded coldly as the Kull rushed forward, only a hundred metres away.

"I don't know. Let me think!" Eragon cried, before pounding the cliff next to the falls. He shouted, "Aí varden abr du Shur'tugals gata vanta!"

Nothing happened.

Eragon tried again, "We're trap–"

Saphira leapt out of the lake, landing on the beach and preparing to fight. Tornac and Snowfire neighed loudly, trying to bolt. I reached out with Istal, forcing them to stay. An Urgal raced out from behind Eragon and Murtagh threw his sword, killing the Kull. Murtagh quickly grabbed his sword before retreating to where Eragon and I still stood.

Eragon used his magic, and twenty of the charging Urgals fell into Kóstha-mérna. The Urgals raced over the fallen companions. Saphira pulled in front of Eragon, Murtagh, the horses, and I, as arrows flew towards us.

"What now?" Murtagh shouted. There was still no opening in the cliff. "We can't stay here!"

Eragon looked around wildly. "I don't know! This is where we're supposed to be!"

I cast my mind to the memories. "Eragon! On the other side of the lake! We need to go through the waterfall!"

"We'll never get the horses through there, even if we can hold our own footing!" Murtagh said, looking at the violent deluge blocking our way.

"I'll convince the horses to come," I said.

"Saphira can carry Arya," Eragon said.

"It's better than being hacked to death," Murtagh said with shrug. He cut the elf loose from Snowfire's saddle, and Eragon caught her.

"Now!" Eragon cried. He and Murtagh heaved Arya onto Saphira saddle, and secured her legs in the saddle's straps. Saphira soared over the lake, arrows clattering off her belly.

I planted images into Tornac and Snowfire's mind, showing what would happen if they didn't swim through the waterfall. I backed it up by using the ancient language, and Istal chased the pair through the thundering downpour. I sheathed my sword and leapt forward, the water slamming down on my back and forcing me to the bottom of the lake.

I shoved myself forward, swimming with strong strokes towards the lakeshore. I reached the shore and stood up, just in time for a bunch of men and shorter men – dwarves – to surround me. I reached for my sword before my eyes went to Murtagh, who had a dagger at his throat. I let my sword go and stood still. One of the men stepped closer and held his sword to my throat.

"Stop!" The man holding a dagger to Murtagh's throat said to Eragon. "If you use magic, I'll kill your lovely friend here, who was so kind as to mention you're a Rider. I'll kill the other one too. Don't think I won't know if you're drawing upon it. You can't hide anything from me." Eragon opened his mouth, "None of that!" The robed man snarled, pressing the dagger harder against Murtagh's throat and breaking skin. "If anyone says or does anything I don't tell you to, he will die. Now, everyone inside." 

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