CHAPTER 1

It has been three days since Oromis and Glaedr were struck down by Murtagh under the control of Galbatorix and Eragon had continuously been trying to contact Glaedr through his golden eldunari. Eragon was at a loss of what to do, he had lost his teachers and he was now once again a lone rider. He had lost the person who he relied on for advice and guidance and he felt at a loss for what to do at his hopeless situation. Glaedr was the only one remaining of his teachers and he was yearning to speak with him. He wanted to receive the comfort of being under the guidance of one of his teachers once again. He was standing in front of a lake just outside the varden's camp with the golden dragon's eldunari cradled in his arms.

Glaedr elda, Eragon kept trying to communicate with his late Master's dragon. Glaedr elda please speak to me. Eragon hugged the dragon's eldunari closer around his chest as he reached a tendril of thought and penetrated the dragon's consciousness trying to bring the dragon out of seclusion and elevate its suffering. He gasped as he immersed himself in the dragon's consciousness and found himself surrounded in a torrent of anger, anguish and an immeasurable sadness. Tears stung his eyes as memories of Oromis surged through to him from Glaedr through their mental link and his own memories of the times he spent with his master back in Elesmera mixed with them. He felt his sanity ebbing away as he slowly started to lose himself in the midst of the golden dragon's torment, coupled with his own anguish; he let loose a scream of pain and loss and started crying uncontrollably. He felt Saphira tugging at his consciousness trying to pull him into her mind and comfort him but his pain and rage made Saphira withdraw her attempts as if stung. He heard incomprehensible voices and felt a pair of hands wrench the golden eldunari from his grip as he fell forward on his knees, tears streaming freely down his face. At the same time he felt the pair of hands, much gentler and smoother than the earlier, wrap around his neck from behind pulling him into a tight embrace. By the sweet scent of crushed pine needles, a scent he only knew too well, he recognized it as Arya as he allowed himself to slowly calm down and regain control of his emotions.

He did not know how long they stayed there, barely moving an inch. After what seemed like hours he heard Arya speak to him as if from a distant land, "That's enough now Eragon." He opened his eyes to find himself and Arya huddled together with Saphira's tail circled protectively around them. Saphira was looking at him with a forlorn look upon her face while humming sadly. "Saphira has been trying to reach you all this time as have I." Arya whispered, lips brushing barely on the tip of his ear which caused his heart to give an involuntary flutter. They stayed in that way for a little more until he felt her gently push him against Saphira as she got up to go. For one mad moment, he felt like asking her to stay and half opened his mouth, but Arya said "Get some rest Eragon. Tomorrow we are to meet with the new Elven spellcasters that the queen has dispatched in an attempt to counter the strength of the eldunari the dark king and his minion possess." Eragon briefly nodded in acknowledgement as he leaned against Saphira and watched her walk away with Glaedr's eldunari wrapped in her travelling cloak.

Little one, don't worry too much about Glaedr. He is far older and wiser than any being I have ever encountered and I am sure he will not be this way for too long and abandon his pupils. We also have to remember that Glaedr has been hurt in the worst possible way a dragon can be and he will need all the time he can get in order to recover, Saphira gently remarked through their mental link.

Saphira…I know I have asked you this question once before, but do you regret having picked me as your rider? I hate myself, at times of great need I always fail to protect those important to me and I am weak, weaker than Murtagh and Galbatorix who is far more powerful than both me and Murtagh put together.

Emanating outrage Saphira broadened the contact between them. Don't you ever question me on my judgement again Eragon! Do you think so little of the time I spent inside my egg waiting for the correct person? Arya had exposed me to every single one of the varden and to every elf in Ellesmera and I did not deem it fit to be bonded with any of them. Do you think you became my rider by pure chance? Never forget that.

Eragon's face broke into a grin when she finished and could think of nothing to say. He cuddled closer against his faithful dragon and sighed contendly and Saphira, humming contendly, draped a wing over him and wrapped her tail protectively around him. And together they drifted off to sleep.

Eragon.

Eragon looked up but all he saw was pure darkness around him.

Eragon.

Eragon looked around nervously, the voice that he kept hearing in his head sounded strangely familiar and yet he felt himself trembling slightly. He could not sense ill intentions from the voice but he was still unnerved by the sheer power that seemed to emanate from the voice.

Behind you.

Eragon whirled around to find a tall figure, wearing a grey tunic with its hood drawn over its head. The figure was surrounded by a violet aura and it had a Brisingr strapped to its waist.

Took you long enough. Eragon could feel the mirth flowing from the stranger as he recognized the voice to be that of a man.

Wh…who are you?

Why…that's an interesting question but what is more interesting to me is, who really are you shadeslayer?

I don't follow. What is it you want from me? I am the last free dragon rider of Alagaesia and I am the rider bonded to Saphira.

Ah yes, I knew that already and yet you have only introduced a part of yourself.

Speak not in riddles, who are you? How is it you know about me? And how is it you came by my sword?

You really have no idea do you Eragon? Although I can sense the answer forming in your mind I will answer you. I am your past, present, and future Eragon. No matter how much you try to deny my existence I will always be here. I am the part of you that you refuse to accept within yourself. Everything you hide from those around you, everything you fear that you think will turn you into a monster. You are weak Eragon and you cannot deny it. Your heart is weak. You refuse to take control of the power that resides within you for fear of harming those around you and you still feel compassion for you enemies. I am everything that you fear you might become.

Realization dawned on Eragon's face as he numbly looked at the man before him.

The figure laughed. It is not quite the time for you to reach out to what I have said Eragon. You will have to come to terms with what you are and embrace it. You are still not prepared, or more specifically, you cannot handle the power that sleeps within you. Just remember you and Saphira do not make up your whole being, there are still two parts of yourself you are missing for you to truly be yourself. Now wake up, I believe the others are worried why you do not respond to their cries. With that the figure vanished leaving Eragon to fall back through the infinite void surrounding him.

"Eragon! Eragon!" He felt a pair of hands shaking him.

"Eragon please wake up." Arya's frantic voice pleaded, her flawless face twisted in worry. He opened his eyes and he found Arya right in front of him with Saphira staring down at him.

"Wha…what's going on?" Eragon tried to sit up, but found that he was feeling faint as he realized most of his energy was drained.

"You fool what were you thinking? You were channeling a spell that was draining your energy at a massive rate. If Saphira had not contacted me you would have died in another few minutes." Eragon had never seen Arya look so furious in the time he had spent with her. He looked up at her bright green eyes and he saw anger, pain and other emotions he could not bring himself to describe. Her usually emotionless mask that was always present on her face was not present at that moment. "Your mind was completely blocked off to the point that even me and Saphira's combined efforts couldn't breach through your barriers guarding your mind."

"I...I had a dream, except, I don't know how to describe it, it did not feel like a dream." Eragon's feeble attempts to get up were shattered as he felt a wave of nausea wash over him and felt his legs give way under him. Arya's face softened as she helped the rider sit back up against Saphira and gave him a sip of water from her canteen.

Little one do you mind sharing what you saw with me and Arya? I couldn't feel your consciousness the whole time, your mind didn't feel like you the whole time we were trying to breach your defenses. Saphira remarked through their link.

I don't quite understand myself Saphira, but…Eragon left the thought hanging and turned to Arya. "If you find it agreeable I will share my memories with you and Saphira of what I saw."

"Yes shadeslayer, you may." Arya replied putting her emotionless mask back on and lowering her barriers allowing Eragon to enter her mind. Eragon poured memories of all he had seen to their minds. Nobody spoke for a few minutes after Eragon finished sharing his memories and he was quite content of the silence which allowed him some time to think.

Little one the figure you saw in your dreams, somehow he seems familiar. I do have a feeling that I know who it was you saw as do you. Do you feel like sharing what you know with Arya?

No Saphira, I am not sure about my suspicions and a part of me hopes that my conclusions are wrong. Eragon winced as he was reminded of the words the figure spoke to him, "you and Saphira do not make up your whole being."

"Arya, what do you think?" Eragon asked the elf who hadn't said anything during the exchange between himself and Saphira. He looked up at her face and he saw that she was blankly staring at a space between the trees in front of them with a worried look on her face.

"Arya?" Eragon repeated in a slightly louder voice than before.

Arya looked at Eragon and gazed at him with such intensity that he felt uncomfortable. "I honestly don't know Eragon." She said guardedly and at once Eragon knew she was hiding something from him.

She may know more about this than she wants to let us know, Saphira remarked privately to him. Eragon sent her an equivalent of a mental nod as he looked at Arya thinking whether he should question her farther or not.

Suddenly, Eragon felt Blodhgarm contact him. Sorry for disturbing you shadeslayer but the new elves have arrived and they request you and Arya's presence as they bear a message from the Queen.

Thankyou, I will be there shortly.

"Arya it seems the elves have arrived and they request our presence."

"Let us go." With that Eragon climbed onto Saphira and held out his hand to Arya which she accepted, surprising Eragon slightly and settling behind him drawing her hands around his waist.

Fly my beautiful dragon, fly! Eragon laughed as he felt the joy Saphira felt at his words. She pushed off the ground and roared sending a stream of blue flames to the air and he smiled as he felt Arya's hands tighten around him making him the tips of his ears warm considerably.

AN: I hope this is a good start for a story that will encourage people to keep reading and that this story will be an enjoyable experience for you guys that take the time to read . I had the idea for this story for a long time since I began reading fan fictions of Eragon after I got over my disappointment at the ending of Inheritance. My story is set right after Brisingr and I will try to make the characters as close to Christopher Paolini's characters as possible other than the original characters I will introduce later in the story.

Also I apologize in advance for my English as it is not my first language and this is my first fan fiction.

REVIEW! :D. I don't expect to be praised but your feedback will let me improve myself and hopefully make reading the future chapters more enjoyable to you as the reader.

I will be updating within the week so stay tuned :P. And thanks again for taking the time to read this ^^