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His cloak pulled tight around his shoulder he kept his hood over his snow white hair as he walked along the narrow road. He never liked being this close to such a large city, but he needed supplies and rations. He thought it would be futile to try and cover his face with a large Dragon following him. Every step she took sent a dull thud into the trees, annoying him more and more.

"Must you be following me so closely?" he asked, keeping his voice down. Sayareth huffed and picked her head up slightly.

"We're so close to the city, I worry for your safety." she thought to him, "It's getting dark now regardless, Seik. If someone comes, I shall take to the sky. No harm done." Seik sighed as he stopped and turned to her, taking her nose in his hand.

"I appreciate the guesture, but if someone finds us together it will mean even more trouble." he said, "We're supposed to be in hiding. Do you want Vanthem's men to find us?"

"I will see them before they come." she said. Seik sighed again and turned around continuing on. He didn't get far before he spotted a house across a ravine. Below a small river flowed between them. He stopped, watching the smoke coming from the chimney.

"Should we continue this way?" she asked.
"I'm not sure." he said, leaning over the ravine. He heard a quiet rumble as several stones broke free from the ground below. He thought nothing of it until the ground gave way beneath his feet and he fell.

The world seemed to spin around him as he rolled and slid down the ravine, catching the odd branch and jagged rock. The darkness made the confusion even greater as he fell. Behind him, Sayareth chased him down the hill, calling his name as she went. There was an almost silence as he slid off the edge of a small cliff, and plummetted into the water below. Sayareth stopped at the edge, staring down at the water a few feet below as worry gripped her heart, which rose into her throat when she noticed a woman bathing in the same place. Baring her teeth, she groweled at her, then jumped down into the shallow water to fish out her rider. She pulled him to the side of the stream and checked him over, hoping he was alright yet wary of the woman nearby.

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While Halt was having a dreamless sleep, he suddenly felt an odd sensation on his cheek... what was it? why did it feel so good? Focusing on the sensation, he quickly realize he was pulling himself from the peaceful slumber. Grumbling he closed his eyes tight to retreat back into the perfect darkness. But that only woke him more, and brought more grumbling along with it.

He finally and reluctantly opened his eyes. He was in his room... well his Mentor's room, and Bed, that was passed down to him as if he was his mentors eldest son...he basically was, for his mentor, Albrick, never had a son...only a daughter...Vanya.

He slid his right hand from the pillow beside him down to the bed, to find no warm body next to him, only the remainder of fading warmth. He Jumped out of bed, thinking the worst. But saw Draken sleeping peacefully... so it wasn't the case.

His eyes clenched shut and his teeth clenched as the pain from his wound shot through his body. It was better than yesterday, and he noticed that he was standing quite normally.... just to be sure he will cast a healing spell on it to finally seal it. But that will be later today. For now, he will have to look to where Merion and Adriana were.

Out of habit, he grabbed his sword and clipped the belt to his waist then stepped out of the hole in his wall. He stopped, realizing what he just did and looked back to it. He sighed at the sight. Unlike the other homes around here... this was built by a Dragonrider long ago, handed down to each apprentice all the way to him. Someday it might be Merions... or Adriana's... depending on what happened in their battle with Vanthm. He would have to repair it in time...

He made his way over to Klassh, and as he walked, Klassh's large eyes slowly opened, looking directly at his rider. " Sleep well? You twiterpaited idiot?"

Halt raised his eyebrow and said softly, "I did, thanks for ask...." He heard the crumble of the rocks to his left. Klassh and Halt turned their head simotamiously, just in time to see a Purple Dragon flying down the ravine. Suddenly Klassh roared into Halt's, Draken's and Merion's minds. "I feel Adriana down there!"

Halt didn't even think, his body already sprinting towards the edge. Ignoring his screaming pain in his side. As his left foot reached the edge of the cliff, he jumped forward, arms out wide as if believed he could fly.

Klassh had already jumpped into the air, making a wide arc before shooting down the cliffs face, flying past Halt, only to open his wings just as Halt twisted his body, so he was falling feet first, and landed on Klassh's back. Halt didn't see Adriana, but Klassh did. Darting towards her and landing Just behind her to her left. Bareing his teeth at the purple dragon, who seemed much younger than himself. Halt quickly moved up Klassh's Neck and stood on top of his head, Much like Merion did when he tried to 'intimidate' Both Halt and Adriana when they first met. He didn't see the Dragons rider, so he didn't know that he wasn't consious.

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Adriana heard the Dragon coming before she saw her. The heavy footsteps caused the land to shift and rumble, causing deep ripples in the stream that surrounded her. Cautiously Adriana lowered her body deeper into the water, her red hair twirling around her limbs much like a mermaid’s would. As if to hide she backed herself into a corner of the stream, and watched in the direction of the sound. At first…she considered the thought that it may be an army walking in unison towards her. However, the sound wasn’t THAT big and she could only hear the steps of four very large limbs.

The chaos all seemed to happen at once. At the top of the cliff-like ravine drop she saw a boy trip, and sank herself deeper into the water as he tumbled down towards her. Would he ever stop tumbling? No, his body didn’t stop until he was splashing into the same stream pool her own naked body was in. Instantly, the sound of the Dragon was out of her mind and she shot forwards to try and save the boy from drowning.

Just as she was about to reach him, something else splashed into the water. Something…bigger. Moving backwards she stood up, not at all worried about her exposure, and stared the large purple dragon in the eye. A soft smile crossed her features, since it was possibly the most beautiful Dragon she had ever seen, but then she narrowed her eyes and scowled when she was growled at. As a Rider, with experience with Dragons, she was not at all convinced nor intimidated.

Almost instantly she felt wind at her back, and without looking she could feel that it was Klassh. The breeze he caused made her shiver, and all of a sudden she was aware of her nakedness. And she was aware of Halt nearby. For a brief moment her slender body, and all its glory was visible to everyone looking. Now self-conscious she turned towards Klassh and slipped behind his front paw shyly, deciding to search for her clothes before she confronted anyone.

After finding her clothes she began to put them on behind the shelter of Klassh’s legs. Sighing softly she closed her eyes, when dressed, and she could see an image of Draken behind her eye lids; soaring at a high speed to where all the excitement was. So many thoughts were going through her mind. First Ki and Kalib disappear, and then they are blessed with yet another Rider and his Dragon. Where have they been hiding for so long?

“Don’t be afraid, we wont hurt him…” She understood the source of the Dragons anger. She was afraid for her Rider. Adriana, after speaking out loud, stepped out from behind Klassh…and tried to not look too embarrassed about her body having been previously exposed. Why did this all have to happen while she was bathing?!






Vanthm, almost perfectly magically intoned with everything around him, kept an inner eye on Mutt from inside the castle as the youngling practiced his first lesson. It was, perhaps, the hardest lesson he would be asked to learn by himself. At the boys struggles, Vanthm would smirk, but then he would go back to what he was doing before; which was harassing a poor maid in many different ways.

Her screams could be heard through the hallways, and he took pride in how loud he could make her yell. Sometimes, secretly, he would pretend that his young female victims were Adriana…and that he was once again breaking and torturing her. There was no doubt in his mind that he would one day, get his evil hands on her once again.

The maid, her white uniform now completely blood stained, gave one last choking cry and scream before she finally let herself die off. Vanthm chuckled sickly, and pushed her limp body away. They were no fun after dead. Leaning forwards he licked a trickle of still-warm blood (yes I know, sick.) off of her cheek…and then turned his concentration back on his apprentice.

Concentrate. Be calm. How do you expect yourself to succeed if you get so frustrated? Now…clear your mind and try again. He sounded so smooth and kind, just then, for such an awful evil person.

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“Don’t be afraid, we wont hurt him…” the woman said. Sayareth still kept her giant arms wrapped around her rider, nervously eyeing the other dragon and now the man standing atop it's head. He was obviously another rider, but the woman might be one, but she wasn't sure. Regardless, Seik needed help. Help her giant claws were unable to give. She hesitantly, uncovered Seik and gently lifted him to place him next to the woman. Again her heart lept into her throat when she saw the several wounds over his body. He was breathing though which was obvious to her, since she was still breathing as well.
"P-Please help him." she said in her mind, unsure if anyone besides Seik could hear her.

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Seik smelled smoke. He had been woken by his parents in the middle of the night and told to run. He did as he was told, as Ra’zacs stormed his village. He ran and never looked back. The smell of smoke and blood filled the air and he felt like he was running though a thick soup of fear. Up ahead, the mouth of a small cave appeared and he ducked inside, tired of running. Once in side, he made his way to the back and laid down to rest.

When he woke, he found himself staring at a large purple stone, perfectly smooth all around. He still smelled smoke, but he took the stone as he left the cave. Standing on a hill overlooking his village, he saw the terrain scorched beyond recognition. Tears streamed from his eyes as he turned and ran away once more, just as his parents told him.

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"P-Please help him."

Adriana peered down at the limp body of the young Rider. He was bloody, and perhaps even broken from his fall…but his damaged body and presence meant more hope for the Land. With proper training he could become just as good at Halt and herself. She just hoped this wasn’t another ‘Kalib and Ki’ situation.

In the back of her mind she knew that Ki and Kalib had ran for it. She just hoped that Kalib would make the right decisions for Ki, and that they would (somehow) live peacefully.

Adriana dropped to her knees beside the young boy’s side. Her long hair was still damp, and small drops of water dripped down onto the young Riders skin. Briefly she glanced back at Klassh and Halt. Halt was still, perhaps, recovering from his own injuries…and Merion wasn’t there yet. Also, Merion would need his strength to concentrate on his training. Somehow, the fact that she was probably the weakest link in the group didn’t cross her mind. The poison, though only seen as purple veins under her clothes and under her skin, still coursed through her body…acting as Vanthm’s liquid spy at her weakest moments.

She turned her attention back to the boy, just as Draken landed with a loud boom behind Klassh, and touched her hand softly to the boy’s cheek. So that she could concentrate she closed her eyes, and sent only good healing energy into his body. Cracked bones snapped out loud as they mended back together, and blood retraced back into his wounds as his sores began to heal.

Within a minute she pulled away, exhausted but satisfied with the results. She opened her eyes, and gasped. Everything was black…she couldn’t see. Actually, she could no longer hear either. To the others, her eyes were opened…but they weren’t their normal meadow green shade. Her eyes were bright blazing red. Adriana breathed in, and realized that she couldn’t smell either. She tried to look around…but then she noticed something.

There was something in the back of her mind, and after a moment she knew that it was Vanthm. He had taken advantage of her brief weakness while she healed the boy, and now he was taking over her senses so that he could try to pin point the resistance Riders location. Through the poison in her body he could enter her mind, and when she was weak he could control her. He could now, through her, see the tree’s around them, small the nature that surrounded them, and hear the birds chirping above them.

Throwing her hands over her eyes Adriana began to scream, attempting to block Vanthm from seeing the others faces or to hear what was around them. Her voice echoed off of the trees, and made all living creatures (including some plants) shiver. She most likely looked like a mad woman, but Draken picked up on what she was doing and entered her mind. It was a small mental battle, but eventually Adriana and Draken both managed to scare Vanthm away…and as soon as her mental shields were back up, she uncovered her eyes and peered at everyone around her.

Everything had happened so fast. The boy had fallen down a ravine while she was bathing, Klassh and Halt had showed up, she healed him, and within five minutes of all of these events Vanthm took advantage of her moment of weakness and gained an advantage. He now knew that there was another Dragon in their group, and he had also smelled the surrounding area around them.

“Did you get him?” Adriana was speaking to Draken, and in response to her answer he chuckled out loud (which came out as a slightly scary growl) and nodded his head. Worried, Adriana avoided any looks from Klassh and Halt and gently shook the boy she had just healed. So many thoughts were rushing through her head.

Where was Merion? She didn’t know if he had perhaps showed up while she was concentrating on healing the boy. How crazy could they all possibly think she was, for closing her eyes and screaming at the top of her lungs? Should she try to avoid telling them all what had happened? Had Vanthm pinpointed their location? How had he entered her mind like that, anyways?



(This post is getting’ pretty lengthy, I’ll leave it there.))






“You are merely concentrating on one species…beetles. You need to pay attention to the world around you. We will try again tomorrow. Call your Dragon for his dinner…and then we will have a discussion inside.” Vanthm sounded a bit annoyed, but he hadn’t expected Mutt to get it on the first time. Rarely did Rider’s get their first lesson completely right the first time.

Vanthm was sitting in his throne room, thinking about his new apprentice and how to defeat the resistance Riders. Just when he reached out his mind, to try and feel any weakness in Adriana, he noticed a great amount of weakness in her mind. Rider’s rarely allowed themselves to be so vulnerable, and it only happened on occasions such as healing or when knocked out.

He jumped into her weak mind like he was a cat after a dying mouse in a mouse trap, and forced her body to briefly give in to his will. Back at the castle his eyes were closed, but through her body he opened her eyes as made them his own. He then was able to force her airway to share what she smelled with him, and her ears to allow him to hear what she was hearing.

For a few seconds he peered around, seeing trees, smelling freshly baked bread in the distance, and hearing birds with distant chatter from a nearby town. A normal human wouldn’t be able to pick up the sounds and smells he could, considering that the town was at least a mile and a halt away.

“AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” All of a sudden all he could hear was a high-pitched scream, and all he could see were the palms of Adriana’s hands. He knew that they were her hands. He knew her body so well. Then, he felt another presence in her mind right beside him. It was a large angry presence, and when he felt heat on his face he realized it was Draken. Instantly he pulled out of her mind, and opened his eyes in the castle to look at his hands...

His hands were burnt and charred, as well as his face. Draken had used the link between Adriana and Vanthm to, somehow, send fire magically at Vanthm’s face and body. The Dark Lord chuckled, both impressed and enjoying the stinging pain that the burns were causing. He bent his fingers, allowing the top layer of charred flesh to fall off his knuckles. Clever Dragon...

Lagian, I have underestimated the enemy. Vanthm chuckled, and motioned for a maid to approach him and begin to clean him up. I am very impressed…And I think I may know where they are… In a way, Vanthm almost wished that he could somehow manipulate the minds of the Dragon Riders to be on his side. They were growing more and more advanced with their magic.

(Please tell me if any of this doesn’t make sense. I tried to explain but I was a little vague in places. ^_^ Sorry for the lengthy sucky post. Lol. Oh, and here is a site that Donta found. It has a few spells. In the books they did mention spells at times, but other times it was unspoken magic. Use it as you wish. List of spells - Inheriwiki, the Inheritance cycle wiki))

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Seik groaned as he slowly came to. Before him were two faces, Sayareth and a strange woman's face. It took him a moment to register he had been found and he jumped towards his dragon, crawling backwards quickly until his back hit Sayareth's massive chest.

"Sayareth, what's going on? What happened?" he demanded in his thoughts. Sayareth wrapped her arms around him, gently holding him against her chest.
"You are alright! Thank the gods!" she thought to him. Seik calmed down and eyed the woman from behind Sayareth's massive arms. He then saw the other dragon and the man standing atop it's head.
"Other dragon riders?" he asked.
"It seems so." she said, "They seem like friends."
"They always do." he thought, then spoke aloud, "I remember what happened. I fell, right? You must have saved me. You have my thanks, but I must ask, do you follow Vanthm?" Seik put a hand behind his back while Sayareth kept her arms loosely around him as if for protection. He knew he shouldn't use magic in his weakened state, but he was unarmed as it was.

"Reisa" he whispered, lowering his mouth below the sight of the woman behind Sayareth's arms. His gear, which was still mounted on the saddle on Sayareth's back, shifted slightly as she moved, seemingly normal as she adjusted her wings, but beneath them, a dagger fell from his bag and began floating under her wing, out of sight. Once the dagger's handle fell in his hand, he leaned back against Sayareth's chest to regain his strength, but kept the expression on his face the same as before. He could feel his gedwëy ignasia tingling underneath his fingerless gloves.

The next move was now theirs. He was ready for anything. His feeling on uneasiness seemed to be shared by his dragon.

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Klassh lowered his head so Halt could walk off it and into knee high water. He was slowly making his way over to Adriana when she suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, covering her eyes. He was to shocked to move, wondering why in the world she would do that!

Then he mentally slapped himself in the face. Vanthm. Rushing over to her, He quickly lowered himself to one knee and gripped her arms gently, but firmly. "Are you alright Adriana!?" He whispered softly to her.

But by that time, the boy had woke up and had retreated to his dragon, hiding behind the legs of the dragon, watching them, and no doubt talking with his dragon.

He then heard the boy say as he eyed Adriana carefully, with genuine concern on his face... the first real caring emotion Adriana or Merion would of seen.

"I remember what happened. I fell, right? You must have saved me. You have my thanks, but I must ask, do you follow Vanthm?"

He Glanced at the boy. Then said, "If we were boy, You and your dragon would be dead by now. And I can tell you are not with the mad man... seeing how you didn't call him 'Lord' "

He felt a slight sensation of magic coming from the lad. He was performing a simple spell. Though what at the moment was hard to tell.

He looked back to Adriana and said, "We should go back... Are you well enough to ride Draken?"

He waited for her answer and after wards, helped her up, then saying to the new rider, "Follow me to my home. We will be soon having breakfast..."

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Merion had rushed to Brisinger as Halt screamed into their minds that Adriana is in trouble. Easily jumping from his perch in his tree onto his dragon, they launched off and followed the two older dragons.

His eyes shot up at seeing the other dragon. Why were there so many popping up now??

He didn't land, but Brisingir slowly flew in circles around the three dragons and their riders, Merions eyes rarely leaving the new and strange dragon. He also was frightened by the sudden scream that came from Adriana, Was...it the posion working?

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"Are you alright Adriana!?"

Adriana peered up at Halt, her damp hair falling forwards over her shoulders and face. She had a fearful look on her face, and her skin as freezing to the touch. It was clear that she was a little shocked. To answer his question, she gave him a subtle nod and then peered back to the boy. There were scratch marks on her face, from her own nails, where she had clawed her skin while blocking Vanthm from her mind.

"I remember what happened. I fell, right? You must have saved me. You have my thanks, but I must ask, do you follow Vanthm?"

She was glad to let Halt answer for her. Her throat was throbbing, from the screaming, and she was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to get words out at the moment. It was frightening, to know that Vanthm could enter her mind at any moment of weakness.

"If we were boy, You and your dragon would be dead by now. And I can tell you are not with the mad man... seeing how you didn't call him 'Lord' "

Adriana didn’t notice the presence of magic around the boy, but Draken did. The large green and gold Dragon perked up, almost glaring at the boy as he tried to scrutinize the situation. No doubt the young Rider was preparing himself for a fight.

"We should go back... Are you well enough to ride Draken?"

She allowed him to take her arms and help her up, and tried to put a small smile on her face. On the bright side, they had defeated Vanthm in that small fight. “Yes, I’ll be fine.” She strolled over to Draken, curiously glancing over her shoulder at the boy. In a way she wished that she was back in bed with Halt, snuggling against him and forgetting about her problems with the Dark Lord of the land.

"Follow me to my home. We will be soon having breakfast..."

Halt’s words were in the back of her mind, since so many newer and more important thoughts were flooding into her head. Draken lowered himself to the ground, to help her onto his back, and then took off into the air as soon as she was secure.

Ki and Kalib have vanished…It would be best if we didn’t go after them right now. Kalib wouldn’t come back willingly, and now that Vanthm may know where we are…we might want to consider leaving…soon. Draken spoke into Adriana, Merion, Brisingr, Klassh, and Halt's minds all at once.

In two minutes they arrived at Halt’s, beaten and broken, home. It had been a nice ride. For the first time she had looked over the Elvin city of Du WeldenVarden, and noticed that all the houses looked the same as when she first left it some many many years ago. Children played in the streets, and parents took care of the houses…all of them unaware of the fact that one of their guest Rider’s had focused Vanthm’s attention on their city.

As soon as Draken’s feet touched the ground, Adriana slid off and turned to peer at the sky. Would the new Rider follow?

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Seik lowered his defense at the offer of food. If they were enemies, they wouldn't invite him into their home. He glanced up to Sayareth who gave him a simple nod, then shoved his dagger in his belt behind his back. He barely had enough strength to climb atop the saddle, but hid his wariness from the strangers. They may not be enemies, but he didn't trust them yet. He trusted the woman over the rest, mostly because she was the one who showed compassion and healed him. He cursed his clumsiness to have put him in this situation in the first place. He did, however, need to eat as his supplies were depleted.

"Fine. I will follow." he said, but they were already high in the sky. He heard Sayareth's giggle in his head and sighed as she took flight and chased the other riders.

Sayareth soared high over the house the rest had landed in, on the edge of an elven city. He was heading for this city anyway, but never planned on such an entrance. Seik, had always been one for subtly and silence, hoping to remain unseen and alert the followers of Vanthm. Now, he was landing in plain view where an entire district of a city could see him. It took a lot for him to accept Sayareth's feelings. She wanted to trust these people, he could feel that strongly from her. He always trusted her instincts before, so he wasn't going to stop now.

Seik slid down from his saddle and glanced over the hut before stepping forward and pulling his hood over his head. In the distance, he could see several children playing, seeming to look in their direction. Seik looked back to Sayareth, one last look of doubt.

"Go on." she thought. Seik sighed again, as he had done many times before. Perhaps it was becoming too much of a habit.

"You'll have to forgive me." he said to the woman. Now that he looked, he noticed the pointed ears, but it made no difference to him, "I've been in hiding for a long time. I've learned to distrust people too quickly. I am Seik. This is my companion, Sayareth."

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