Luna Note: Hello, readers! I'm really really really sorry for the epically long hiatus. But before I go rambling on about anything, go ahead and read.

DarkDramaLady Note: I follow those words, but before you read, here is a little refresher:

Previously on Vrangr *Dramatic music plays in the distant background*

Calypso and Caesar, two orphaned twins, become Riders of Silba and Obsidian under supervision of Lanadra and journey to Farthen Dur, where they meet two other new Riders, and then begin on the way to the Land of Dragons. They are unexpectedly attacked by two Shade Rider-dragon pairs, and while Calypso, Silba, Caesar, and Obsidian get away, Lanadra and Rimume's body perish, Rimume's Eldunari having been carried on by Caesar. With a little help from Murtagh and Thorn, they manage to make it to the Land of Dragons, where they continue training. In the last chapter, the two pairs have been called to meet with Eragon about something.

Chapter 20 – Caesar

"That's all for now. Thank you for getting up early to come and meet with me. Silveria and Kaito will be waiting in the sparring field. I will see you in a week, then, and good luck." Eragon-elda dismisses us with a wave and a smile.

It seems that the Presentation wasn't the only test that we would go through. There is another Test as well, dealing with four major physical skills – magic, swordfighting, aerial combat, and overall flight. Usually training for this is done with the Egg Legionnaire, but Silveria and Kaito have volunteered to assist us due to the deaths of Lanadra and Rimume. The Test will be done on the day of our fourteenth birthdays. Until then, all classes will be private prep for the test.

The first class for Calypso and me is swordfighting. Calypso got a new sword yesterday, and it's my turn today. Silveria leads us to the armory at the edge of the sparring field. It's enormous, with every weapon I can imagine in it. Most of one wall is dedicated to swords of every size and shape: thin rapiers, curved katanas, wide broadswords, almost dagger-like shortswords, and more. There is a sword hung on one wall that looks like Lanadra's. I reach out to pick it up, but Silveria snatches my hand away.

"Never touch that, Caesar, if you want to live."

"Okay… why not?" I ask.

Silveria looks at me with a pained expression. "Some magic is just too powerful for us to handle."

Shrugging the foreboding sentence off, I go to the main sword wall and pick a random sword. It's too long. Next I grasp a thicker, shorter sword, but the balance is still too far off. I return it carefully to its rack and pick another. An hour later, I've finished half of the wall. Another hour after, the rest of the swords have been picked through, to Silveria's frustration.

"Perhaps a different type of weapon, then," she says while walking over to another wall, this one filled with war hammers, maces, and other less conventional weapons. "It has happened. Why, even Thundul-vodhr carried a staff for years before he got a sword, and even now he prefers a good strong staff to his falchion. Here, try this."

"No," Calypso, who had so far said nothing, interrupts. "Caesar's talent is with a sword. We used to pretend we were fighting each other when we weren't working in the store, and whenever the stick he used represented a sword, he did very well. With other weapons, not so much."

Silveria paused and studied me for a second, then slowly nods. "There's one more sword you could try for now," she says slowly. She goes to a dark iron chest in the corner and whispers a spell to the lock. The lid flies open and Silveria pulls out a thin, bright, almost transparent sword. "It used to have a name, but not anymore," she says as she cautiously hands the sword to me. "Its actual name died with the legendary witch Angela. I think Eragon knows it, but he won't say. Now, be careful with that, Caesar. It can cut through everything but its own scabbard. No one with less than twenty-seven years of Riding is supposed to be allowed to handle it."

The sword, whatever its name, is beautiful and perfectly balanced. It feels like an extension of my arm. I take a swing at nothing in particular. Silveria and Calypso both have to leap back to avoid the tip. Silveria shakes her head. "Perhaps you should just continue to use your training sword for now," she says. I don't have much choice in the matter. Still, I swing the sword once more just for the sake of it, accidently slicing through the stone wall.

"Oh, uh, sorry about that," I stutter. Silveria just chuckles amusedly and motions for me to sheath the sword and give it to her, which I do. We head back to the sparring field. Lanadra says that I am to fight against Calypso now. At this announcement, she quickly raises her hand.

"Can we use magic?"

"No, I think not. Good Riders rely on both magic and the sword when they must fight. You need to develop strength in both. Now begin!" We attempt to do as she says, but Silveria stops us as soon as we form up to begin. "No, not like that, Calypso," Silveria chastises, adjusting Calypso's grip and stance. "Now, continue."

Silveria interrupts us at least once every couple minutes for the rest of the session, mostly correcting Calypso, who, by the end, is near tears. She really is oversensitive, but Silveria's still pushing it too far. Still, I'm hardly thankful when Pyxila comes in and saves us.

"Caesar! Calypso! What're you guys doing?" she calls from her vantage point on top of Firaks.

"Training, if you haven't noticed," I grumble, and though Pyxila obviously couldn't hear, Calypso glares at me as if I'd just insulted Eragon.

She turns and smiles up at Pyxila. "We were just finishing a training session with Silveria. Why? What's up?"

Firaks lands and Pyxila slides off, mindful that her sword, oddly unsheathed, doesn't hurt her dragon. "Ren and I have our Test today," she explains, "and I was hoping to get some practice in beforehand. Caesar, are you up for it?"

I glance around, but Silveria has already vanished. Oh, that's great. "I suppose I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

"Nope."

"Just don't kill each other, okay?" Calypso sighs before backing up to give us room. Obsidian, in the back of my mind, seems amused.

What? I snap at him.

Oh, nothing. Just something Firaks said.

Firaks? What is it? I ask the orange dragon, more curious than annoyed.

Caesar, I'd recommend focusing on my dear Rider instead of on me. Just don't focus too much.

What? I ask, but he has already broken the connection. So I turn back to Pyxila. "Would you-" I begin, intending to get Firaks's thoughts out of her instead, but she lunges at me instead of letting me finish, and so the fight begins.

Detachedly I note that I never blocked the edge of my sword, but the fight never really turns either way enough that one of us can draw blood. We fight for what I think was about half an hour, and then she, Firaks, Ren, and Quake, the latter two having arrived soon after we began, are summoned away to get ready for the formal Test.

"At the very least, you respect her, don't you?" Calypso says after they leave. I do not answer her.

Luna Note: Again, people, I'm really sorry this took so long. A good friend of mine introduced me to an anime called Hetalia and I was instantly hooked. I'm working on two or three Hetalia stories (not online yet) as well as Vrangr right now, but I promise I shall follow through on this story. Anyway, this chapter was over 1,100 words! I'm rather proud of its length, though I'm sorry it was more of the armory. Secondly, thank you as always to reviewers live-love-learn-laugh, AwesomeDragonGirl, PullPush, Revan Remasked, Melty-chan 93, sniperpal, and Sparxius. If it weren't for you all I might have abandoned this. Finally, I need some help with a decision: what should Ren's sword be named? I've gone through the entire list of Elvish words, and nothing fits. So it's your turn to give input. Enjoy that! Review and tell your friends! Oh, wait, one last thing: check out my oneshot, Eternity, also on DarkDramaLady's account (or should be soon). I wrote it for a friend with relationship trouble, so it's so fluffy it could be a pillow, but it's technically in pre-war Alagaesia, so there you go. Thanks! Until we meet again!

DarkDramaLady Note: Yes, a big big thank you to all the reviewers, especially Sparxius. I shall be getting Eternity up later today, it's truly adorable and you should all read it. Review this chapter tell us what you think. I don't know when the next chapter shall be up soon. That's up to Luna to decide. so ta ta for now!