22 Chapter 22

After many hours of celebration and mourning most everyone has vacated the main hall and either returned to their duties or gone to sleep. Ajihad directs Eragon, Brom, Saphira, and Orik into a private room with a sound dampening enchantment so that their conversations can remain confidential. 

Once everyone is seated around a small stone table, Ajihad clears his throat.

"Eragon… How soon till you leave for Du Weldenvarden?"

Eragon shrugs his shoulders. "It depends… I could leave tomorrow morning at the earliest as I need more training and the elves are my best bet at getting strong enough to stand a chance against Galbatorix. I got lucky that the shade didn't just outright kill me when he had the chance. I need to be stronger for when I fight him again.

Brom nods in acceptance. "I will stay here and keep an eye on the Varden while you are gone. You have long ago mastered everything that I taught you so you must seek a new teacher. I'm sure the elves will find someone that can help you reach new heights in both sword and magic."

Orik strokes his beard. "And when you are done learning from those tree-loving folk we will be here, ready to march to war. I say this in the name of Durgrimst Ingeitum that the dwarves will be united in your quest to slay the mad king."

Eragon looks around the table at everyone with determination and hope glinting in his eyes. "I won't let your kindness and heart go to waste. The next time you see me, I will be strong enough to end the betrayer's life and free Alagaesia from his tyranny. That reminds me… I made these for you all."

Eragon pulls a small box from a storage compartment in Saphira's saddle and places it on the table. He lifts the lid from the box and inside are five rings made of a silver alloy of his own invention. Each ring has a different colored gem on top that is fairly large in size when compared to the rings.

First he takes out the ring with a sapphire and hands it to Brom, he then gives Ajihad the rings with a topaz and an emerald and Orik receives the rings that have a ruby and an amber. 

"The topaz is for you Ajihad, whilst the emerald is for Nasuada. As I would not like to cause a misunderstanding, you must be the one to give it to her." 

Ajihad laughs heartily at the thought. "I would not be opposed to you marrying my daughter but I agree it is not the time nor the place for such things. Maybe once the war is over…" 

Eragon shivers under Ajihad's gaze before turning swiftly and presenting Orik his rings. "The amber is for you Orik, whilst the ruby is for Hrothgar."

Eragon walks back to his seat and spreads his arms wide. "These rings are a gift and a message, letting everyone know that you have my favor. Each one has powerful enchantments that I spent weeks formulating. Whilst you wear them, your bodies will heal most injuries, your health will improve, any poisons in your system will be expelled, and you will even be protected from spells with a barrier that drains the energy of hostile spells into the gem. You will have to feed the enchantments with your own energy or have someone else fill them as my storage of energy was completely spent during the battle." 

Both Ajihad and Orik's eyes widen in shock upon hearing the effects of the rings. Brom just shakes his head and sighs heavily before placing the ring on his right middle finger. Within moments he feels a warmth flow through his veins as the ring takes some of his energy and begins the process of restoring his body. Some of his joints pop and his muscles relax, causing him to slouch in his chair slightly in bliss.

Following in his footsteps, Ajihad and Orik put on their rings and a minute later they are slouching as well, their bodies feeling all the tension from the battle fading away into nothingness. 

Orik looks at Eragon with admiration. "This is a wondrous gift, master Eragon. Hrothgar and I graciously accept your gifts. We would be honored to call you friend." 

Eragon shakes his pointer finger from side to side. "None of this master business anymore, got that?" 

Orik chuckles. "Of course, friend Eragon. If it were not so frowned upon in our culture, I'm sure Hrothgar would adopt you into Durgrimst Ingeitum, making you my foster brother." 

Eragon nods, Saphira holding back from laughing at how right he truly is. 

Ajihad stares at his ring for a moment before looking up at Eragon. "I thank you for your gift, for trusting me, and for thinking about my daughter's safety. When the time comes, I will not hesitate to lay down my life for you, as will all of the Varden. For if you fall, we all fall." 

Eragon nods soberly, the thought of how many lives will be lost in the coming war weighing down on him. Saphira nudges his back with her snout. 

"Don't worry, We will be prepared to defeat him when the time comes. While we can't save everyone, if we get strong enough, we will save far more people than if we had run off and failed trying to kill him." 

"You're right as always, Saphira. I'm so glad you're with me, making sure that I don't wallow in self doubt or forget what I am fighting for. Without you I would have most likely turned into someone far worse than Galbatorix." 

Saphira gives a condescending huff. "I know. The knowledge from your previous world would make taking over this world child's play. No one would be able to oppose you… And you still might reach that point anyway. Once we finish everything here we must go over the ocean to the west and hopefully find out why you were sent here." 

Eragon's brow furrows. "That has been bugging me a lot lately, but I digress. And it seems that everyone is waiting for us to finish our mental conversation…"

Saphira looks at everyone with a stern gaze, their faces turning away from hers as they don't want to make eye contact for some reason. Ajihad clears his throat loudly.

"The Varden cannot thank you enough for what you have done for us. We shall be waiting for your return." 

Brom walks over and wraps his son in a hug. "Stay safe out there and watch each others backs." 

"I will Brom. By the way... can you make sure someone keeps an eye out for Roran? He should be on his way to Surda by now."

Brom releases Eragon from the hug and looks him in the eyes. "I will make sure he arrives safely, I promise. Now get going already. You have to prepare to leave while we hold down the fort... May fortune smile upon you."

…

Once the meeting is finished, everyone leaves to get some rest. Saphira heads outside to hunt for the last time in the bountiful forests hidden in the valleys around the mountain while Eragon wanders towards his room at a leisurely pace. 

As he passes by a series of rooms and hallways he spots a familiar tuft of black hair streaking down one of the hallways. A smile adorns his lips as he follows the werecat through a maze of corridors, Solembum always staying just close enough for Eragon to see where he went. 

Soon enough he enters a room and finds Angela sitting in a rocking chair in an otherwise barren room with a basket full of mushrooms. Eragon speaks the word for stone and forms himself a chair that faces hers and sits down. Solembum strides over to her and rubs his head against her chair before sitting down on the floor.

Angela shifts through her mushrooms for a while before looking up at him. "I may have known you were special when you entered my shop but I was not expecting this. A young dragon rider with a brilliant mind whose destiny is to end the mad king's reign. Stories will be told of your exploits, if you manage to survive that is…" 

Eragon smirks. "It's good to see you two, Angela. I take it your journey here was not without its share of perils yet here you sit, as if always in the place you need to be…" 

Angela smiles. "Oh, I am always where I need to be because I am here. That and I like to be where big events are happening" 

Eragon scoffs. "How philosophical of you…" 

Angela's smile widens further. "Oh come now, don't be like that. I haven't even asked you what the difference is between a toad and a frog yet…" 

"Frogs have big bulging eyes and smooth, slimy skin whilst toads have smaller eyes and thick, bumpy skin." 

Angela pouts. "See? You're no fun. All that otherworldly knowledge and you remember such trivial facts…"

Eragon reflexively grips the arms of his chair with enough force to shatter the stonework, small pieces of stone and dust falling to his sides.

Angela holds her hands up in mock surrender. "Now now there, calm down. No one else knows about it and there isn't anyone spying on us so your secret is safe." 

Eragon takes a deep breath to calm himself down. "So you're not just a soothsayer are you?"

Angela shakes her head. "I'm afraid not dear. You will find out what I am eventually so don't let it get to you. Now… Are you ready for your next line of prophecy?" 

Eragon sighs heavily. "I don't really have a choice now do I? Lay it on me." 

Angela leans forward and looks him dead in the eye. "First, you must head to Du Fells Nangoroth in the center of the Hadarac desert. There you will find one half of a set of rings of great importance to your journey. Then, when your time on this continent is up you must dive below the waves and find a gem of blazing light that burns all those with evil in their heart. And finally, when the foul spirit is forever slain you must dive down deep into the earth and battle the unending horrors of the abyss to find the second ring. Once you place the two rings upon your fingers will your true journey begin." 

Eragon sits completely still, processing and imprinting her words into his mind. He mulls over the prophecy for a few minutes before shaking his head and giving Angela a small smile.

"Huuu… This is a lot to take in… You never make things easy now do you?"

Angela chuckles softly. "If your journey was easy could you really enjoy it? I think not… You should head on back now, you have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow."

Eragon sighs heavily. "Of course I do… Always a pleasure to see you Angela, Solembum."

Solembum looks up at him and yawns, revealing his sharp fangs. "You as well… Good hunting, dragon rider."

Standing up from his chair, Eragon leaves them and heads back to the Dragonhold. Saphira is still out hunting so he just lays down and stares at the ceiling whilst thinking to himself. 

"I knew Angela was secretly a powerful person but I never suspected she would know that I had knowledge from another world. Even in the novels it is hinted that she is more than she appears. And what is with this prophecy? I have to find two rings and some kind of gemstone for my true journey to begin. Are you telling me that this is just the tutorial? This whole world and whatever is across the sea is just a stepping stone in my journey? Who is pulling the strings of my life like it's some kind of sick puppet show?"

Eragon massages his temples. "I guess there is no use in trying to figure it out now. I might as well just focus on the present until I get more information. But if I find out that some god or entity is just playing around with souls like they are marbles I will stop them with all the power at my disposal." 

With firm resolve, Eragon makes a vow that will define him for centuries to come and promptly falls asleep, not knowing that the 'entity' that sent him here is smiling down at him from beyond the stars.