Age of the Dragon 3: The Eye of the Storm

Fang's wings beat with frantic energy as she tried to make up for the lost time. Fallyn had fallen deep into a trance as she sought the hidden energies and powers that would stir up the storms that would push them further and faster. Winds kicked up and gave Fang the added boost she needed, though the rumble of thunder was not far behind. Dark clouds swirled around them as black smoke began to billow ahead. Fang could hear the pained howls of an unfamiliar dragon, and the frustrated growls of Glaedr. They were so close - so when she heard the anguished roar of Glaedr, she felt as if a cold stone had been dropped in her belly. She could sense the momentary panic well up inside Fallyn, only to be washed away by the tranquillity of Isana's song as she tapped into the ancient magic.

The crack of thunder and lightning elicited an excited roar of anticipation as she climbed higher. Soon she could see the red dragon as it brought the golden low, and while sorrow and anger filled her belly to see the old dragon falling from the sky, she could also feel her life-partner's pity for the ones he had done it. Beating her wings a little faster, Fang was soon upon the smaller red dragon, and he gave a frightened roar as she crashed into his side. She rolled away, avoiding his tearing claws, even though the barriers of magic would have protected her. She was careful of Fallyn, who continued to chant in the strange tongue of ancient magic that was not the language the elves here used. The storm followed them closely, and the red laboured in the twisting winds to escape. Fang rode them, knowing that fighting the storm would do little more than exhaust her, and trusting her Rider to guide them through it.

"You were dead!" she heard the Morzan-son-Murtagh cry out. "He watched you fall from the sky himself!"

Fallyn did not answer, so deep was she in the song, so Fang gently wrested control of Fallyn's voice from her.

"A trick, hatchling, to protect herself from your master," Fang intoned, her voice sounding richer than Fallyn's. "We were forced to trick many in order to survive and remain free."

"If you'd only shown yourself sooner-"

"We would be as you are now," Fang warned. "You are not our enemy, hatchlings, but we will battle you if you stand as one with him."

Fang could feel the questing thoughts of the red, and while she doubted he would be able to do much harm - she could sense that Isana's song had silenced the Eldunari that had assisted the hatchlings so far - she was loathed to allow him insight into her mind.

"Go, lick your wounds and prepare yourselves," she ordered as she felt Fallyn's magic release its hold over the storm, which was now free to act on its own accord. "I will not battle a wounded foe. It tells me nothing of my own strength."

After a moment's hesitation, Thorn then brokenly flew away.

"Thank you, Fang," Fallyn spoke tiredly. "Come, let us see to our fallen comrades before we do as they asked of us."

"Of course, my heart," Fang hummed, diving towards the corpse of the golden dragon. "We also cannot allow his sword to fall into enemy hands."

"No, we cannot," Fallyn popped open a bottle of glowing blue liquid, drinking it with an expression of distaste.

Fang sensed the tingle of magic as it ran through Fallyn, followed by a spike in the music of the lyrium in Fallyn's body.

"We have learned much here," Fang commented. "It seems the Egg-breaker believes himself a god - though his power is broken in the presence of lyrium."

"Its song can drive you mad," Fallyn agreed. "Those vulnerable to the nature of magic are more likely to be driven to distraction by the physical nature of magic."

They soon found the blade and returned it to its sheath, and Fallyn waited until the battle was won. When all the elves gathered around the dead Rider and dragon, she sang.

Hahren na melana sahlin

emma ir abelas

souver'inan isala hamin

vhenan him dor'felas

in uthenera na revas

vir sulahn'nehn

vir dirthera

vir samahl la numin

vir lath sa'vunin

Fallyn lingered only long enough to speak with the Queen, informing her of Oromis's last wishes of her - that she remain separate from the Varden and Elves, regardless of what occurs to him or Eragon, forcing Galbatorix to turn his attention to three locations.

To keep secret the ones that come on swift wings from across the sea.

The queen was unhappy but agreed. With parting words and the transfer of enormous amounts of energy from Oromis's sword to her own, Fallyn set off on her mission.

The lingering notes of the dirge she had sung, echoing in her ears.

Vir lath sa'vunin.

Fallyn felt her heart quicken as she thought of the sad duo.

She did not want to kill them.