Chapter Four: Rage

Eragon

Eragon jolted upright as a growl sounded in his ear, shaking his bones with its depth. Saphira was still asleep, her eyes wandering sightlessly under her eyelids, and her upper lip trembled, as if she were going to snarl. He smiled softly, then jumped as she growled again.

She must be dreaming, he realized. He watched her for a minute more, before he carefully slid out from under her wing. He stood and stretched. The room was cool, but not unpleasantly so. Murtagh lay in the far corner on his back, his eyes closed.

Looking to where their otherworldly companions were, the teenager had to slap his hands over his mouth to avoid laughing out loud. Ophelia was sprawled out, legs pointing in every which way with her tail bunched up against the wall. Despite her vicious appearance, the fact her tongue was hanging out of her mouth like a dog that had passed out whilst panting ruined her terrifying visage. Lena was hanging upside down from her dragon's neck, the woman evidently having clambered atop the reptile in the night and was now hanging from her legs as her hair fell haphazardly around her face as she snored loudly.

Eragon took several deep breaths to keep from roaring in laughter as to avoid waking three dragons at once from their slumber, before he carefully moved away from Saphira's sleeping form. Once he was far enough from Saphira, Murtagh stirred.

"Morning," he said quietly as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"How long have you been awake?" asked Eragon in a hushed voice as he moved to sit beside his friend. And the older teen was his friend, he realized as he sat down. His heritage didn't matter. His actions did.

"Awhile. I'm surprised those three didn't wake you sooner," Murtagh replied with an amused smirk as he nodded to the dragons and…Dragonborn. That would take a while to get used to.

Eragon shrugged. "I was tired enough to sleep through a thunderstorm. And all things considered…" he left the statement hanging as Ophelia and Lena both snorted rather loudly in the same moment, causing both teens to cover their mouths as they laughed. After a few minutes of suppressed chortles, they sat in silence for a few minutes before Eragon spoke again.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"No. It's impossible to tell in here."

"Has anyone come to see us?"

"Not yet."

The two teens sat in silence from there as Eragon thought over everything he had learned the night before. First, Lena was a Dragon in human skin. Well, half-elf, half-human. She was a werewolf, the leader of a school that taught Magic, an assassin, a thief, a mercenary, a treasure hunter and Tomb Raider, and a soldier. She had been enslaved in such a way that there was no way for her to escape without outside help, tortured without being about to fight back. She was from another world entirely. And the whole reason for her existence was to hunt and kill rogue dragons. That was the part that had kicked him in the teeth. With how close she and Ophelia were, the thought that Lena's whole purpose was to kill dragons; rogue or otherwise; had thrown him for a loop. And yet after everything she had been through, she was still strong and wise and filled with hope and laughter. It was…inspiring to say the least. It also explained the shades he had seen behind her during their encounter with the slavers. As a being of magic, her Other Sides would have come out to drive fear into her enemies. He wished he had something like that.

On the topic of Murtagh… I've been carrying his father's sword, which would have been his…inheritance. We're alike in so many ways, and yet our outlook and upbringing are totally different. He thought of Murtagh's scar and shivered. What man could do that to a child?

Saphira lifted her head and blinked to clear her eyes as she yawned expansively, her rough tongue curling at the tip. Has anything happened? she asked as she shook herself. Eragon shook his head. I hope they give us more to— she stopped as she saw her fellow dragon and her Rider. Saphira gaped for several moments before she began to roar in laughter. Eragon had seen her laugh before, but those were usually just loud chuffs that sounded funny. As Lena had said in one of her stories of Skyrim, Saphira was losing her shit. The dragon was laughing so hard, her tongue was hanging from her maw as she drew massive gasps of breath. The dragon couldn't keep herself upright and ended up on her back, rolling back and forth as she continued to roar in laughter. Eragon and Murtagh shared a single look before they too started laughing out loud, both boys doubled over as they chortled loudly.

"Aaah!" CLANG! Came the sound of falling metal as Lena jolted awake and fell from her perch, landing on her head with her legs over her as Ophelia jolted from her sleep and rose her head sharply, crimson eyes flicking back and forth before they landed on the sapphire dragon, confusion filling them as she watched Saphira roll on the floor laughing loudly.

Lena groaned as she pushed herself out of her uncomfortable position and rolled into a sitting position to stare at her three companions blearily. The Rider and Dragon exchanged confused glances before looking back to their companions as though they were crazy. It took a while, but they finally calmed down enough to breath properly as the armored woman stood with her arms crossed as she waited for them to catch their breath.

"What the hell was so funny that Saphira was losing her shit?" Lena asked with a raised eyebrow, her lip twitching in amusement as the blue dragon ducked her head in embarrassment. Rather than explain it, Eragon reached out with his mind and carefully tapped on the barriers around her mind, for the first time noticing how different it felt from Brom's. Now, he could recognize how draconic her mind felt, with the hint of a midnight forest laced through flame, wind, filled to the brim with magic.

Lena tentatively lowered the barriers around her mind and Eragon swiftly shared the memory with her.

Within moments, the Black Rider and Dragon were roaring in laughter as well as they saw how supremely stupid they looked as they slept. Having already laughed their hardest for the day, the two teens and blue dragon watched in amusement.

Their merriment was cut short as the door slid open as the door slid open and two dozen warriors marched in. Of course, their seriousness was ruined as the men and dwarves watched the warrior woman and dragon laugh like a pair of crazy people. Orik and the Bald Man stared at the two as they attempted to calm themselves before the dwarf looked to Eragon with a look that asked, 'What is wrong with them?'

Eragon just smirked and gave an innocent shrug before the Black Rider finally stopped, gasping for breath and giggling madly as she pushed herself to her feet. She cleared her throat as she stood tall. "Sorry about that," she said as Ophelia continued to try and calm herself behind her Rider. "Ophelia told a hilarious, yet terrible joke, sooo…" The woman gave what Eragon assumed was supposed to be a charming smile, though it was ruined by the chortling dragon behind her.

Lena Nirvana

Lena cleared her throat and elbowed the side of Ophelia's massive head to get her to shut up. With a great heave of breath, the Dragon shoved her laughter down as a gout of smoke streamed from her nostrils.

I'm sorry, but we looked so stupid! Ophelia said, amusement still lacing her tone as she coughed a bit from the smoke in her lungs.

I know we did, and laughter is great, but now it's time to be serious.

Lena turned to the dwarf, expecting him to speak, before her face soured as Baldy stepped forward. "You have been summoned by Ajihad, Leader of the Varden. If you must eat, do so as we march."

Lena raised an eyebrow at the man. He was acting oddly polite, considering what she did to him the night before. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Eragon and Murtagh standing close together, watching the man warily as Saphira took up a position behind them. Lena shrugged and donned a shit-eating-grin. "Very well. Take me to your Leader, Baldy!"

The teens and dragons snickered behind her as the man's face turned bright red.

"Where are our horses? And can we have or weapons back?" Eragon asked.

The bald man looked at him in disdain before Orik stepped around him. "Your weapons will be returned to you soon, lad, don't worry. As for your horses, they're in the tunnel waiting for ya. Come on, now."

Lena nodded to the dwarf before donning her helm and brushing past the bald man, Ophelia growling menacing loudly at him as she passed, Eragon, Murtagh and Saphira following. They moved back into the room with the porcupine, walking passed it before she had a chance to determine what metals it was made of or what gems were used for the eyes. When they reached the massive tunnel through which they had arrived the night before, the bald man was standing next to Orik, who was holding the reins of Tornac, Snowfire and a random sorrel horse. The dwarf held out the sorrel horse's reins to Lena, but the half-elf simply smirked and shook her head.

Her helm's faceplate slid open and she put her thumb and first finger in her mouth. She gave a hard whistle and smirked as Shadowmere cantered out of the shadows, shaking her mane as she came to stand by her rider, eyes glowing bright red as she stared at the humans and dwarves before her. The guards and bald man all jumped in shock and stared as Lena pulled a brush from the saddle bags and quickly went about brushing the spirit horse down. With a smirk, the woman swung up into the saddle, running her hand through the spirit horse's coat as she whinnied in appreciation.

Lena shot a glance at her companions and grinned widely under her helm at their smirks. The bald man cleared his throat and stood straight as he looked to the teens. "You will ride single file down the center of the tunnel," he instructed, looking oh so important as he did. Lena rolled her eyes as Ophelia walked to stand by her side. As Eragon started to climb onto Saphira, Baldy shouted, "No! Ride your horse until I tell you otherwise."

Eragon shrugged and took Snowfire's reins. He swung into the saddle and guided the horse in front of Saphira just behind Lena and Ophelia. Murtagh pulled Tornac behind Saphira with a blank expression. The bald man examined their line, then gestured to the guards, who divided in half to surround them, a dozen on either side, giving both dragons a wide berth.

After looking over their line once more, Baldy nodded and clapped twice before walking forward. Lena tapped Shadowmere's sides lightly, spurring the horse forward as she reached up to remove her helmet. She had a feeling of what was happening and preferred to be ready for it. As one, the group moved forward down the tunnel, Lena staring at the architecture as they moved toward the heart of the mountain. The hoof-beats, claw clicks, and footsteps of the horses, men, and dragons echoed through the tunnel as they moved. While Lena was examining the excellent workmanship of the tunnel, she began to notice two things: Baldy was prodding at the barriers around her mind and a growing discomfort in her chest. It felt as if she was having issues breathing, as though her armor was being pulled tight.

She blinked as she realized it was in fact coming from Ophelia. Turning in her saddle, she froze as she noticed how rigid the dragon was. Every muscle the black-scaled reptile possessed was pulled tight, her eyes dilated and wings slightly spread. Lena pulled Shadowmere to a halt, causing the line to stop as she leapt from the saddle.

"What do you think you are doing!?" the bald man barked angrily as Lena began walking toward her dragon.

"Ophelia is claustrophobic," she said simply as she moved to Ophelia's side, shoving past Baldy as he attempted to block her path. Orik's face paled at her words, no doubt realizing that a dragon having a panic attack in such a place would be a bad idea. He barked a few short words in dwarvish as Ophelia lowered her head to her Rider, the woman pressing her head against the dragon's snout as she sent warm waves of comfort to her partner. She was getting a bit better at the Mental Magics.

What happen, Ophelia? Lena asked as she wrapped her mind around the dragon's. You were fine last night.

So much was happening, I did not realize how uncomfortable I was until we started walking, Ophelia whimpered in reply as she gave a small whine.

Lena blinked in surprise as the dragon whine like a frightened hound. In the nearly five months they had been together, Ophelia had never been afraid of anything. Now she felt so…broken.

The werewolf grinded her teeth together. Listen to me, love. You just need to last long enough to get out of these tunnels. I don't doubt there is an opening up ahead, she said as she pulled her dragon into a tight hug. Just breath slowly and deeply and you'll be fine.

The black dragon took a deep breath and nodded, her body relaxing slightly as she began to take long, deep breaths. Her Rider gave a short nod and returned to Shadowmere, shooting Baldy a smug look as she stuck her tongue out at him from her saddle. The man's face reddened as Eragon and Murtagh chortled behind her.

The rest of the journey continued without issue, the ragtag group moving in silence as the horses walked at a brisk pace down the unerringly straight corridor. Every now and then Lena would look back at her male companions. Murtagh was straight faced as his eyes flickered left and right, no doubt looking for any sign of betrayal from the Varden. Eragon looked anxious, which was understandable given the circumstances. He was just some farm boy with a seemingly impossible destiny thrusted upon him. He had lost his uncle and his mentor, and was now inside a mountain that was occupied by a rebel faction, the leader of which they were now going to meet.

To Lena, it was just plain ironic. She had fought tooth and nail to put down Ulfric's rebellion, and here she was, planning to work alongside a rebellion on a whole other world. The Gods had one heck of a sense of humor. She was only hoping that this 'Ajihad' could help her find Serana. And she hoped beyond hope at her lover was safe. But the light in the crystal said something was severely wrong with the Vampire, and that had the Werewolf worried sick. Luckily, she was an expert at hiding her emotions, so as not to worry her companions. A trick she had picked up from the Thieves Guild.

The half-elf was shaken from her thoughts as her sensitive eyes caught a soft white light far ahead of them. She could feel Ophelia's body loosen even more at the sight of sunlight. The light increased in strength as they approached it, and Lena could tell that the masterfully crafted marble pillars were meant to build up suspense for visitors. Lena couldn't help but grin. These Dwemer were far different from the ones back home.

Scores of lanterns hung between the ruby and amethyst laced pillars, suffusing the air with liquid brilliance, an effect she had seen only a few times before in crystal caves. Gold tracery gleamed from the pillars' bases like molten tread, as carved raven heads arched over the ceiling, their beaks open in mid-screech. At the end of the hallway rested two colossal doors of the finest Ebony, rectangular openings carved in the metal to let the light through. The doors were accented by shimmering silver lines that depicted a seven-pointed crown that spanned across both doors.

The bald man raised a hand. Lena was tempted to keep moving just to piss him off as she pulled the shadow horse to a stop. Baldy turned to them and pointed to her and Eragon. "You will ride your dragons now. Do not attempt to fly away. There will be people watching, so remember who and what you are."

Lena stuck her tongue out at him and chortled at his red face. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly the most serious person around. And if Ophelia wants to fly after being in that damned tunnel for so long, I say let her. Not much any of us can do to stop a twenty-ton dragon." She said as she leapt from Shadowmere, the horse nickering and trotting into the shadows to return to the spirit world as she made her way to Ophelia as Eragon moved to Saphira.

Reaching out to touch Eragon's, Saphira's and Ophelia's minds, she said, They're trying to show us off. Smile, wave a bit to the people, do something, ANYTHING friendly to lessen their fear. Because they do fear us, make no mistake.

Lena refrained from donning her helmet, aware that her demonic looking armor would only serve to terrify the masses more than they most likely already were. Best they see her face to settle their nerves.

Ophelia shook herself as Orik and the bald man retreated to either side of the black dragon, far enough back so that she was clearly in the lead, with Saphira coming up close behind. The doors began to open, more light spilling through as they glided outward with barely a whisper. Lena narrowed her eyes to protect them from the searing sunlight. When her eyes adjusted, her jaw dropped open in awe.

They were inside a massive volcanic crater, easily a hundred times larger than Blackreach. The cavernous walls narrowed to a small, ragged opening far above, easily about thirty miles up from Lena's estimate. A soft beam of sunlight fell through the opening, illuminating the crater's center, thought it left the outskirts in a hushed twilight that reminded her of dusk in Solstheim, minus the volcanic ash from the Red Mountain.

The crater's far side, hazy blue in the distance, looked to be ten to fifteen miles away. Absolutely massive icicles hundreds of feet thick and thousands of feet long hung leagues above them like massive Icy Spears. If any of those fell, anyone struck by one of those behemoths would be dead in an instant. Anyone close by would be frozen solid. Further down the cavern walls was massive blankets of mass and lichen that covered the stones.

Lower down, a wide cobblestone path extended from the doors' threshold and ran straight to the center of the crater, where it ended at the base of a snowy-white mountain that glittered like an exquisitely formed, uncut diamond lit up with a thousand different lights. The mountain was about a mile high, so it looked much smaller that everything around it.

"Look well, Riders, for none of your order has set eyes upon this for night over a hundred years. The airy peak under which we stand is Farthen Dûr—discovered thousands of years ago by the father of our race, Korgan, while he tunneled for gold. And in the center stands our greatest achievement: Tronjheim, the City-Mountain built from the purest marble." The doors slid shut behind them.

"By Akatosh…this…is the most incredible thing I have ever set eyes upon," Lena whispered as she stared at the City-Under-The-Mountain. She turned to Orik with a grin upon her face. "Even if things go sour, I thank you for the chance to witness this, Master Dwarf."

Orik and all the dwarven guards smiled widely at her words as she turned back around in her saddle. That was when her eyes fell upon the crowd. The dense sea of people clustered around the tunnels entrance, lining the cobblestone pathway until about half a mile from the city. Humans and Dwarves alike stood silent as the grave, staring at the dragons in what appeared to be both awe and terror. She could see children in filthy clothes, hardy men with scarred knuckles, women in ragged, homespun dresses and stout, weathered dwarves who finger their beards. There had to be a few thousand at the very least, all squashed together as they attempted to get a better look at the Dragon Riders with the collective expression of a wounded animal when a predator was nearby and escape was impossible.

Lena put on a warm smile, pulling her Wolf and Dragon back into herself to keep anyone from doing something stupid out of fear, before she raised her gauntleted hand to give a short wave before Ophelia started forward slowly, her head swiveling back and forth as her crimson, gem-like eyes scanned the crowd curiously.

A single cheer broke the silence. Some clapped loudly. For a single, brief second, every thing was silent as Lena braced herself. That was when a wild roar swept through the crowd, a wall of sound smashing into her sensitive ears as she gritted her teeth.

"Well done," said the bald man as Lena rubbed her ear. "Now start walking." His tone was snide and superior. Lena smirked as her right hand glowed bright red.

A split second later, Baldy was dancing on the spot, hooting like a drunken monkey as the crowd began to roar in laughter. Eragon and Murtagh shot each other confused glances before they both looked to her. Lena shrugged innocently as Baldy tried to pick through a dwarf's beard. Ophelia and Saphira snorted smoke as they chuffed in amusement. At the sight of the black clouds, the crowd quieted and shrank back for a moment, before they resumed cheering, much more enthusiastic than before.

Ophelia's head reared back as her head turned left and right in confusion as Lena chuckled. You're a natural, young one. She said with a light smile as she nodded to the crowd.

I didn't even do anything. Ophelia looked at her Rider with a confused expression.

You didn't really have too. These people grew up on stories of the Old Riders, it's natural for them to be enamored with Dragons. Lena replied as she gave another short wave.

Lena kept her head on a swivel, her time with the Dark Brotherhood having taught her to always be aware of her surroundings as she examined the crowd. The humans were outnumbered by the Dwemer a couple hundred to one…and many of the short beings glared resentfully. A few even turned their backs, though most stayed to stare at her Daedric Armor. Lena smirked. Best way to win a dwarf's respect: Forge something they've never seen before, with materials they've never even heard of.

The humans had the appearance of Nords. Hard, tough folk, most of whom were armed for war. The men all had either daggers or swords at their waists, while the women usually had concealed knives here and there. They held themselves proudly, but with a deep abiding weariness. The few children and babies she could see clearly stared at the Dragon Riders with large, awe-filled eyes.

Just from looking at these people, Lena could tell they had all been through Hell, and they would all fight to the last to defend themselves.

The Varden had found the perfect hiding place. Farthen Dûr's walls were too high for a dragon to fly over, and the only way they could break through the hidden door was if the enemy had a few hundred Legendary-class Destruction Mages all firing all at once. And that was if they actually found the doorway.

The crowd followed closely behind them, giving the dragons plenty of room to move. Gradually the people quieted down; to the relief of her poor ears; though their attention remained on the Riders. Looking back, Lena saw that Murtagh was riding stiffly, his face bone white. Lena frowned slightly.

They neared the city-mountain, and Lena could see that the white marble of Tronjheim was highly polished and shaped into flowing contours, as if it had been poured into place, which gave the werewolf many ideas for a new Keep. It was dotted with countless round windows framed with elaborate carvings. A colored lantern hung in each window, casting a soft glow on the surrounding rock. She couldn't spot any turrets or smokestack, which was a major defense oversight if she ever saw one. directly ahead, two thirty-foot gold griffins guarded a massive timber gate—recessed twenty yards into the base of Tronjheim—which was shadowed by thick trusses that supported an arched vault far overhead.

When they reached Tronjheim's base, the gate rumbled open as hidden chains slowly raised the mammoth beams, revealing a hall with walls lined with fluted pillars of blood-red jasper. Between the pillars hulked statues of creatures that looked like Falmer, Giants, and trolls to the Dovahkiin.

A four-story-high passageway extended straight toward the center of Tronjheim. The top three levels were pierced by rows of archways that revealed gray tunnels curving off into the distance. Clumps of people filled the arches, eagerly watching Lena, Ophelia, Eragon and Saphira. On the ground level, the archways were barred by stout doors. Rich tapestries hung between the different levels, embroidered with heroic figures and tumultuous battle scenes. Lena scowled at the battles. Such bloody affairs were nothing to celebrate or commemorate. Such things should stay in the past where they belonged.

A cheer rang in their ears as the Dragons stepped into the hall and paraded down it. Lena grinned and raised her right fist in the air with her forefinger and thumb sticking out, her own personal salute. The crowd roared in approval, though many of the dwarves ignored her.

The mile-long hall ended in an arch flanked by black onyx pillars. Yellow zircons three times the size of a large man capped the dark columns, coruscating piercing gold beams along the hall. Ophelia and Saphira stepped through the opening side by side, then stopped and craned back their heads, humming deeply in their chests. Lena frowned slightly at the reptiles.

They were in a circular room, about a thousand feet across, that reached up to Tronjheim's peak a mile overhead, narrowing as it rose. The wall were lined with arches—one row for each level of the city-mountain—and the floor was made of polished carnelian, upon which was etched the same symbol that was hammered upon Orik's helm—a hammer girdled by twelve silver pentacles.

The room was a nexus for four hallways—including the one they had just exited—that divided Tronjheim into quarters. Lena nodded at the efficiency of dwarven architecture. Much better than the maze of tunnels and mines left by the Dwemer. The halls were identical except for the one opposite the companions. To the right and left of that hall were tall arches that opened to descending stairs, which mirrored each other as they curved underground. That was when Lena looked up. Her mouth dropped open again. To her left, she heard the boys gasp as they beheld what she and the dragons had.

High above her head, the ceiling was capped by a dawn-red star sapphire of monstrous size. The jewel was twenty yards across and nearly as thick. Its face had been carved to resemble a rose in full bloom, and so skilled was the craftsmanship, the flower seemed to be alive. A wide belt of lanterns wrapped around the edge of the sapphire, which cast striated bands of blushing light over everything below. The flashing rays of the star within the gem made it appear as if a giant eye gazed down at them. Having been to Sovengarde; where the Aedra had a habit of poking their giant faces into the sky; it was a bit disconcerting.

Despite that, Lena could only gape in awe even as her Thief instincts kicked in and she started making plans for how to steal the massive gem. Plans best left until she had a few hundred fellow thieves to aid her in the heist.

The Dragonborn was shaken from her thoughts as Orik spoke up. "You'll need to go on foot from here."

The crowd above booed at his words, at which the Dwarf only shook his head with a light chuckle. Eragon and Lena leapt off their dragons as Murtagh swung off Tornac. A dwarf with auburn hair and a quad-braided beard took the horses by the reins and led them away. Both Riders took up positions by their dragons, with Saphira prodding Murtagh between the two reptiles. Ophelia barely gave the teen a cursory glance before Orik led them across the carnelian floor to the right-handed hallway.

They followed it for several hundred feet, then entered a smaller corridor. Their guards remained despite the cramped space. After four sharp turns; right, right, left right; they came to a massive cedar door, stained black with age. Orik pulled it open and conducted everyone but the guards inside.

The companions entered an elegant, two-story study paneled with rows of cedar bookshelves. Lena was drooling at the massive number of books within the room, just waiting to be read. A wrought-iron staircase wound up to a small balcony with two chairs and a reading table. White lanterns hung along the walls and ceiling so a book could be read anywhere in the room. The stone floor was covered by an intricate oval rug. At the far end of the room, a man stood behind a large walnut desk.

He had the appearance of a Redguard, his skin the color of oiled ebony. The dome of his head was shaved bare, but a closely trimmed black beard covered his chin and upper lip. Strong features shadowed his face, and grave, intelligent eyes lurked under his brow. His shoulders were broad and powerful, emphasized by a tapered red vest embroidered with gold thread and clasped over a rich purple shirt. He bore himself with great dignity, exuding an intense, commanding air.

Having stood in the presence of God-level beings and ancient dragons that could kill her in a second, Lena wasn't impressed.

The man spoke, his voice strong and confident: "Welcome to Tronjheim, Eragon and Saphira. I am Ajihad. Please, seat yourselves."

Ajihad turned to Lena then, his eyes narrowing as he beheld her and Ophelia. "I am afraid I have no knowledge of a second free Rider. Brom mentioned nothing of you in his letters, my lady."

Lena stood straight and gave a short bow, her eyes never leaving Ajihad's. "I am Lena Nirvana, of Skyrim. I never met Brom. Ophelia and I joined these three misfits while they were travelling through the desert. That being said, I am honored to meet one of your stature, Ajihad."

The dark-skinned man seemed to look her over for a moment before he hummed in approval and motioned for her to sit. As she did, he looked behind them with a confused expression. "Orik," he barked. "Where is the Twin?"

Orik opened his mouth to explain when the subject of discussion came barreling through the doors, tackling said dwarf to the ground with a monkey screech. Orik blanched in surprise as the bald man started picking through his beard.

Lena couldn't hold herself any longer. Her head reared back as she roared in laughter, her voice echoing through the room as she wrapped her arms around her stomach. Ophelia was chuffing in amusement, puffs of dark smoke blasting from her nostrils as she watched her Rider roll back and forth in her chair as Ajihad stared at her as though she were stark raving mad.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he roared, eyes darkening in fury as the Dovahkiin continued to laugh at the sight of her (minor) foe acting like a drunken monkey.

"I-I'm sorry," she wheezed as she tried to calm herself, Eragon and Murtagh shaking their heads in amusement, even as they sighed in exasperation. "I couldn't help myself! He was just so…arrogant and condescending, I had to take him down a peg or two."

Ajihad was not amused. "You will undo your witchcraft on—" His voice boomed through the room, a tone that expected, demanded to be obeyed. He cut himself off as Lena's mirth immediately faded as her eyes hardened at his tone. The man must have seen the fire in her eye as she stared him down with a look that had made Elder Dragons turn tail and run.

"I will undo my magic when he and that twat hiding behind the pillar apologize to me and my friends. I told the one hiding behind the pillar that I would allow no one within my mind but those I trust absolutely. Or at the very least, someone more trust worthy than them. He didn't listen and tried to force his way in. The one who thinks he's a monkey right now was probing my mind the entire time we were walking over here. He's lucky I didn't just turn him to ash."

Ajihad's eyes widened as he turned to the pillar in question to see a man identical to the man hooting like a chimp staring at the armored woman with fury in his eyes.

"My primary reasons for being here," Lena's voice pulled Ajihad's eyes back to her, "Is to ensure Eragon and Saphira's safety and to find a close friend of mine. That being said, from what I've heard of the Black King, I am looking to ally myself with the Varden." The man seemed pleased with her words, though his face soured slightly as she continued. "However, I will not be a part of the Varden. I have no interest with politics. I will not be ordered about like a hound on a leash, nor will I be at a person's beck and call simply because they think themselves my better."

The man looked infuriated for a moment before his let loose a long breath and waved a hand at the Twin who was not currently eating bugs off the floor. The man's face turned bright red as he sputtered in outrage, but a single glare from Ajihad had the man stepping forward, grumbling with every step.

He seemed to chew over his words for several moments before he opened his mouth. "My brother and I…apologize for our actions. Had we been aware that one as powerful as yourself was before us, we would've been more cautious—GRRK!" he choked as a black taloned gauntlet wrapped around his throat and the werewolf lifted him off the ground with ease.

"That is not an apology, little man." Lena growled as her eyes bled to crimson. "That is essentially you saying that the next time you try something stupid, you won't be so straight forward."

The man's face was turning purple as he scrabbled at her metal-clad hand. Turning to Ajihad, her face was set in a scowl. "This is how your people apologize to those they have wronged?" the woman scoffed as Eragon and Murtagh gaped at her. "He should have stopped himself at 'our actions'. Cause now he's on my 'Will kill for looking at me the wrong way' list. It's a very short list."

Ajihad stared at the woman's crimson eyes silently before her hand opened and the Twin fell to his knees, gasping for breath. "However, even if he did screw himself royally, he did apologize so…"

She raised her right hand and snapped her fingers, a small spark of black-red energy snapping the air as the Twin eating the bug choked as his mind came back to him. Slapping a hand over his mouth, he quickly stood and made for the door, gagging disgustingly as he bolted.

The woman seated herself, eyes fading back to golden-green as she made herself comfortable with a self-confident smile on her face as she watched the Leader of the Varden with hawk-like focus.

They sat in silence for several minutes, Ajihad, Eragon, Saphira and Murtagh staring at the armored woman as though she were insane. Ophelia was impassive, as she was more than aware that her Rider could have done much worse to the bald magician.

Finally, Ajihad spoke. "You have placed me in a difficult position by refusing to be examined. You were allowed into Farthen Dûr because the Twins led me to believe they could control you and King Hrothgar vouched for you. Seeing as the Twins are both powerless to stop you, that makes my job harder than it needs to be."

He turned to Eragon and Saphira. "You, I allowed because Brom constantly sent us letters, informing me of your allegiances and goals. They aligned with the Varden's enough to allow you in without examination and—"

"You shouldn't be poking through people's heads anyways." Lena interrupted, eyes narrowed at Ajihad. "That is the ultimate infraction on a person's privacy, for the mind is an individual's greatest sanctuary. Only those the person in question trusts without a doubt should be allowed with that person's mind. Otherwise, you are no better than the Black King."

Ajihad nodded tiredly. "You think I do not know this? I would much rather allow people in without intruding upon their minds. However, we have had so many assassins and saboteurs enter the Mountain that we have been left no other choice."

"It's called keeping them under observation via magic. The instant they contact the Traitor for orders, you know who they are and you can deal with them." Lena said simply, looking at the claws of her gauntlet with disinterest. "Considering that I'm the head of an Assassin's guild back in my homeland, I know all the best spells for keeping track of targets. And how do you know that they," she motioned to the Twin, who had retreated to the shadows beneath the pillar, "Aren't working for the king themselves?"

The man scowled at her insubordinate tone, at which she shrugged nonchalantly. "I get it, you have to be careful about who you let in. But tearing through their minds and letting those two idiots get it into their heads that they can do whatever they want is not the way to run a rebellion."

"And what would you know of running a rebellion!?" Ajihad snapped, his fist slamming on the table top.

"Considering I helped put down a rebellion back home, a great deal," she replied simply, not even flinching at the man's outburst. "You run a rebellion by giving people a reason to hope. Not by filling their heads with false promises or delusions of grandeur. But by telling them the hard truths and proving that you are trying to be better than what you fight against. It's not perfect, but it is far better than letting those two idiots force themselves upon everyone who comes through the door."

Ajihad seemed to mull over her words for a time before he sighed in exhaustion. "We will continue that specific conversation at a later date. You," he turned to Murtagh. "I take it you are unwilling to be examined as well?"

"If it makes you feel better, once Arya is awake, I'd let her take a peek at my brain. Just a peek though, not enough to learn my deepest, darkest mind you." Lena cut in as Murtagh opened his mouth to respond. She shot him a look that said 'Don't speak.' He nodded in understanding "From what little I've heard of the elves, she is much more trust worthy than the Twins. Or you could just ask me what you want to know. I make a point not to lie as much as possible. And when I make a promise, I try to keep it."

Ajihad gaped at the woman. Understandable considering she was going back and forth like that little toy one of the Riften Orphanage kids had; the little wheel on a string. Whatever else that might have been said was postponed as Lena felt the pouch containing the crystal heat up. Her carefree grin faded in an instant and she quickly undid the drawstring before pulling out the tracking crystal. Her blood ran cold. The once golden light was now a dim yellow, the light fading fast. Her lover was dying. "Serana…" the name slipped out before her head turned to her dragon.

Sensing her Rider's thoughts, Ophelia stretched her mind out in search for the dying vampire. I have her! She is several halls over, in much pain. The dragon's eyes widened before she roared in fury, shaking the room as Eragon, Murtagh and Ajihad covered their ears, Saphira backing up quickly in shock. THE TWINS ARE TORTURING HER!

WHAT!? Lena snapped as she looked toward the pillar the Twin had been standing under. Somehow, he had slipped out without her realizing it. She cursed profusely before she made for the door, ignoring Ajihad's call for her to stop and Eragon's to wait for him as she unleashed a blast of magic strong enough to blast the massive doors off their hinges. Ophelia pushed Serana's location into her mind and off the Dovahkiin ran, boots clanking as metal struck stone.

Hang on Serana!

Serana Volkihar, Daughter of Coldharbour

Serana was starving. She was bleeding. She was dying. When she had arrived in Tronjheim, it had been easy to avoid detection, having woken up in a back alley and gone from there, picking up the gist of her current situation as she listened in on the citizens. She had kept her head down and only ever drunk enough to keep her sated for a week or so, wiping her donor's memory and healing the wound to keep from forcing Vampirism upon them. It had worked too, until she had woken up about a month ago chained to a wall with a set of Twin mages standing before her. Apparently, she had fed from one of their underlings, and they had managed to track her down and capture her as she slept. And yes, Vampires do sleep. They just don't sleep as often as mortals do.

Over the past month, they had tortured her, tried digging into her mind, tried to bind her to them as Lena might bind an atronach to her. Not that it had worked. It wasn't all in vain though. They had talked about how the Black King would reward them for bringing her power to him. Fucking traitors… Serana may not have been from Alagaësia, but even she knew that the Black King was a tyrant that needed to be stopped.

Lena… she thought numbly as one of the Twin's dragged a knife along her arm, her vampiric blood flowing out of the wound to be gathered in a large barrel. They had discovered the power of her blood about three weeks in, after seeing her forcefully heal herself after one of their sessions and had set about collecting it the next day. I wish I could see you, Lena…

Without blood, she had been growing weaker and weaker. She was terrified of dying. She had never been more scared in her long life than she was at that moment. Not when Lena had opened her coffin, ready to bring Stormfang down to cleave her in two, not when they fought a dragon together for the first time and Lena took a barbed tail to the chest. Not when Lena had turned into a seven-and-a-half-foot-tall werewolf and had torn apart a gang of bandits who had thought to threaten Serana, and not when Lena had taken Miraak's disgusting sword through her chest during their final fight against the wanna-be god.

Serana hissed in pain as the other Twin joined in, dragging a serrated blade across her stomach, allowing her cold blood to pour down her abdomen, not bothering to keep his filthy hands to himself as he groped her breast.

That was when the presence hit, filling her mind and wrapping around her like a warm cloak, washing the pain away like the ocean washing away the sand on a beach. She tried to block it out, but she was too weak, and the presence too strong. But it didn't attack. Instead, she felt horror and concern bloom from it, before it was replaced by such powerful fury, had she possessed the strength, she would've shied away from it.

Hold fast, Serana, it said, sounding like a young woman as it wrapped around her mind tighter. Help is coming.

Who…who are you? She asked tiredly, her eyes drifting shut as her cold heart fluttered from the loss of blood.

I am Ophelia, the woman responded proudly, her voice soothing, the fury held at bay as she kept the pain of Serana's body away. Help will be there in three…two…one…

BANG!

The door was torn off its hinges as a familiar voice roared in fury, powerful words blasting from her maw. "GRAVUUN DO EK!"

Her eyes fluttered open, her heart soaring at the sight of familiar Daedric armor, the crimson eyes glowing in the shadows of the helm filled with familiar fury as her savior's clenched fists caught fire. Black-red flames that could only be described as Hell-Fire licked the ebony metal, hissing and spitting as Serana's lover poured her rage into the magic.

"ZU'U FEN KRII HI FAH DAAR!" Lena roared as she charged, her Voice shaking the room as her flaming fist collided with the closest Twin's face, the man's skull deforming around her fist as his flesh melted, the man dying instantly. At his death, his Twin screaming in agony at his brother's death. Serana's lover whirled on him as he cried out in some unknown tongue, a shockwave striking the warrior woman as the man cast some kind of spell. Unfortunately for him, Daedric armor had a natural resistance to all kinds of magic and he hadn't taken the time to put his magic together correctly, so his spell splashed against the Daedric metal harmlessly and fizzled out.

Lena roared in fury as she tackled the robed man, her heavy armor crushing them man's bones as she landed on top of him, her hand wrapped around his throat. Serana could only watch in morbid satisfaction as the enraged werewolf tore the man's head clean off, showering the armored woman in a spray of crimson blood that had Serana's stomach growling, before her lover threw her head back and unleash a roar worthy of a millennia old dragon.

The werewolf growled as she dropped the man's head, her shoulders heaving as she caught her breath. As if just realizing she was there for a reason, Lena whirled around and ran to her lover's side, tearing off her helm and tossing it aside as her crimson eyes faded back to that beautiful golden-green the vampire had come to love so much.

"Serana…" Lena choked out as she arrived at the Vampire's side, her fingers already working at the chains. "I'm so sorry I took so long to find you. Don't worry, I'll get you down and you'll be just fine."

Serana's arm fell limp as the first shackle was undone, a moan of relief falling unbidden from her lips as she felt her body try to seal the wounds. Her eyes fluttered close as her breath rattled from her chest.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING—" roared an unfamiliar male voice before he cut himself off, obviously cut off guard by the carnage.

"By the gods…" came the voice of a much younger male.

"I don't think the gods had anything to do with this," muttered a third, this one deeper than the second but higher than the first.

The vampire could only guess the three men had followed her lover as she had run to her aid. She didn't have much time to think about it as her right arm was freed and she slumped forward. She would faceplanted had Lena not caught her and gently lowered her to the cold stone floor, a flick of her wrist causing the barrels of blood to catch fire.

"Serana…?" Lena whispered as her armored hand brushed the vampire's blood matted hair out of her face.

"You saved me," rasped the vampire as she licked her lips to wet them. "Just like you always do."

"I made a promise to you, didn't I?" the woman sobbed. "I swore to protect you, no matter the cost. And when I make a promise…"

"You keep it…I do know how to pick 'em." Serana finished with a pained smile.

Lena gave a choked laugh as a dark-skinned man appeared over the woman's shoulder. "I will summon the healers. Keep her alive until then."

Lena nodded numbly as she cradled Serana close to her.

Eragon

Eragon stepped aside as Ajihad rushed by, the man's brow furrowed into a deep scowl as he ran off to the nearest conscious guards. His friend had torn out of Ajihad's study like a bat out of hell, rushing through the maze of tunnels with impossible speed as she barreled through anyone who had tried to stop her. Eragon and Murtagh had rushed after her, the dragons coming up behind them and Ajihad behind them, following the trial of unconscious bodies until they heard the Roar. Eragon had only ever heard Saphira roar like that, and she hadn't caused primal fear to pump through his veins.

They had come to the doorway to find Lena working at the shackles of a pale skinned woman with raven-black hair and molten gold eyes dressed in naught but a ragged shift, the woman's ivory skin covered in fresh slashes that oozed blood. The Twins were both dead on the floor, one with his face caved in and the flesh around his skull scorched, the other missing his head entirely, his skull discarded across the room with a horrified expression frozen on his face.

Eragon felt his eyes warm as Saphira began to look through them, surprise reverberating through her mind. She told us that she was a dragon in all but body but…I don't think I believed it until now, she whispered across their bond. Eragon agreed with her. Lena had been efficient when killing the slavers; brutal, but efficient; either cutting them down, blasting them to ash or using her 'Thu'um' to demolish their bones. This was just…brutal. Primal rage and fury had fueled this attack.

He watched as Lena held her lover close, and from what he could see, she was as beautiful as the older woman had described. Jolting, he quickly pulled off his jerkin and moved to his friend's side, holding it out to the armored woman as he came alongside her. "Here," he said. "Use this to keep her warm until Ajihad gets back."

Lena didn't respond, instead snatching the jerkin from him and wrapping it around Serana's shoulders. The ivory skinned woman shuddered and leaned against the Dragonborn.

"You made friends," she rasped, her elegant voice scratchy and hoarse. "What a surprise."

"You say that as if I'm not a sociable person," Lena responded with a choke laugh.

Serana gave a short chuckle, before a short coughing fit set in. "Only when you're tired. Or drunk."

"That was one time, Dii Sil." Lena shook her head in amusement. Amusement that was quickly crushed as the ivory-skinned woman began coughing up blood. Lena cursed on the spot.

"You need to feed." She said as she began taking off her gauntlet.

Serana shook her head. "No! Not from you…never from you," she whimpered.

"Mey Vahdin, if you don't feed, you won't live long enough for Ajihad to get here. You know that I'm not skilled enough at Restoration Magic to fix this. My magic may not be able to heal you, but my blood can." She snapped, her tone filled with concern as her left gauntlet fell to the stone floor with a clang.

With one swift movement, the talons on her remaining gauntlet sliced through the flesh of her wrist, allowing blood to flow freely as Lena held her wrist before Serana's mouth. "Now drink. Before I force it down your throat."

The Vampire seemed to hesitate, torn between feeding as much as she could and refusing outright. For a moment, Eragon thought she would refuse. He was proven wrong as Serana grabbed the offered wrist and brought it to her mouth. Eragon caught of a glimpse of razor fangs where her canine teeth should've been before she bit down over the bleeding wound. He and Murtagh watched with sick fascination as the woman began to drink deeply, her eyes rolling back in her head as the hot blood rushed down her throat. Almost instantly, she began to look much better. While still ivory-skinned, she no longer looked as though she were a corpse. Her wounds were no longer pouring blood and the smaller cuts seemed to be healing on their own, leaving unblemished skin in their wake.

Lena on the other hand looked terrible. Her bronze skin was pale, her face drenched in sweat. Her golden-green eyes were dull and her breathing was heavy. But she didn't stop the Vampire. Eragon tried to move forward to pull Lena's wrist from Serana's mouth, but a strong hand stopped him. Looking back, he saw that Ajihad had returned with five gray robed individuals, two of which were dwarves, all of whom were staring at what was happening before them. Ajihad himself was watching the Vampire feed with critical eyes, taking in every detail and cataloguing every aspect of the act for later questioning.

After what felt like ages, but was probably only a few more seconds, Serana tore her mouth away from Lena's bloody wrist, looking far healthier than she had a few moments before. Lena on the other hand looked terrible. Her bronze skin was bone white, her gold-green eyes dull. Her face was gaunt, drenched in sweat and she was breathing heavily as she slumped slightly, only to be caught by her ivory-skinned lover.

"Damn it, Lena!" Serana cursed as she pushed up the Dovahkiin. "I told you to let it be."

"And I told you that you wouldn't last three more minutes if you didn't feed," the elven woman rasped. "And you and I both know that my blood is much better than some random guy of the street."

Serana shook her head as Ajihad snapped his fingers and the group of gray robed men moved forward, the two dwarves laying Lena down flat as the humans began chanting, their hands glowing yellow, brown, and gray. Eragon watched from his position by the door, Murtagh by his side. After several minutes of silence, Lena began to look much better and her breathing was much smoother.

The three humans shuddered as they finished their healing, leaning back on their hands as they began to breath heavily. The two dwarves asked something of Serana, the ivory-skinned woman nodding slowly as she laid down next to the Dragonborn, the dwarves immediately getting to work as the woman stared at her snoring lover.

A tap on his shoulder had Eragon turning to see Ajihad, who was motioning for him to follow. With a silent nod and a glance at Murtagh, he followed the man out into the hall.

"Explain what I saw in there," was all Ajihad said, his voice low.

Eragon shot a glance at the door, where he could just barely see an unconscious Lena laying in the floor, a line of drool dripping from her mouth as she snored quietly. Technically, it wasn't his responsibility to tell, but seeing as Lena wasn't able to and Ajihad was Leader of the Varden…

"Lady Serana is what is called a Vampire. From what Lena told us, Vampires are immortal beings that need to drink blood to survive. Seeing as she was being tortured and was having her blood drained from her, I can only assume that she required a large amount of blood to stay alive long enough for you to arrive with the healers. She didn't want to drink from Lena, but Lena was insistent that she feed."

Ajihad mulled over the tidbit of information for several moments before he looked Eragon in the eye. "Is she a danger to the people of the Varden?"

Eragon quickly shook his head. "No, sir. Lena assured us that Serana has no interest in hurting those who don't deserve it. From what Lena told us, Serana's father caused more than enough pain, and she only wants to live her life as best she can."

Ajihad fell silent for a time, eyes locked on the unconscious woman as the healers cast a few more minor spells over her. After several more minutes of silence, the dark-skinned man nodded slowly. "Very well. I welcome you and your companions to the Varden. Explanations will come later, when all of you are well enough to speak with me. Until then, you and your dragons shall stay in the Dragon Hold. Your weapons shall be returned to you soon, and as soon as she is able, Arya will test you on your skill with magic and with a blade."

Eragon gaped at the man, but nodded slowly, deciding that it might be best to keep quiet in case he said something stupid, which seemed to be a running theme with him. Ajihad nodded in return. He cast a final glance at Lena's unconscious form, before he turned and walked down the hallway, the dragons shifting to make room for him as his guards took up positions alongside him.

Eragon let out a long breath. That went better than expected.

AN: Okay so multiple things before we end.

1: A guest asked me what i meant by 'faceplate slid open'. Put simply, my younger brother asked me how the Dovahkiin used their Shouts without blowing the front of their helmets off. So it gave me the idea that Lena made a function that allowed her to use her Thu'um without destroying her equipment. By opening the faceplate of her helm.

2: I understand that the magic in my story seems to be a bit...off compared to the game. That's because in Skyrim, you constantly hear about people being turned into animals or driven insane with magic, but you can't do it since everything is all practical to your journey. Hell, that Dark Elf from the College of Winterhold (whos name I can't remember for the life of me) turns you green and then into several different animals. Is it really so hard to make some jackass with imagined power think he's a drunk chimpanzee?

3: Before you start complaining about the vampirism thing, the one thing I have always hated about Skyrim Vampires is that they get weaker as they drink and stronger as they fast. Which makes no sense whatsoever. So I realigned the Vampire thing with mythology and went from there.

4: And for those of you who are no doubt going to rail on me for killing off the Twins- out of all the characters in the Inheritance Cycle, i hated them the third most, right under Durza. They were cruel and power-hungry and arrogant beyond belief. They nearly got Eragon killed multiple times during the Battle of Farthen Dur, killed Ajihad and stole Murtagh and betrayed the Varden over and over with nobody even knowing they were traitors. So yes, I killed them brutally and swiftly, so that they would get what was coming to them early on. Don't like it? Tough, its my story.

Anyways, sorry for the lengthy note, onto the translations!

Dragon Tongue Translations:

GRAVUUN DO EK!: Fall from her! (Its the closest thing i could get to 'Get away from her!)

ZU'U FEN KRII HI FAH DAAR!: I will kill you for this!

Dii Sil: My Heart

Mey Vahdin: Fool Woman

Thank you for reading and have a nice day!

P.S. Anyone who can point out all the little Easter Eggs i put in from other games gets virtual cookies and i will mention you at the beginning of the next chapter. PEACE!