A Young Rider's Story(Eragon FanFic)(Under Editing)

Chapter 11 Times Up Give Up

A/N Only when I'm the computer will the talking in the Riders and dragons minds be in Italics.

Eragon's POV

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I wasn't as interested in the Games as I thought I would be. I had loved the idea when I had first thought of it, and Saphira had agreed.

My mind kept wandering and playing around with other ideas and I couldn't concentrate. The constant nudge of Saphira's mind against mine was the only thing that reminded me I was supposed to be judging. But even with her help, my mind was busy with activity even though nothing was bugging me or troubling. My mind just kept whirling around and around.

'Eragon,' Saphira nudged me again.

I looked up and the two young Riders in front of me stared at me expectantly. I nodded for them to begin then went back to my thinking.

'Do you need a break little one?'

'Yes,' I responded with a heavy heart. It wasn't like me to give in so easily.

Saphira cast her thoughts out to the battling Riders, stand bye Riders, and dragons that I needed a break.

The two Riders in front of me broke, but were grumbling as they did, scowls were slapped onto their faces. The rest of the Riders separated into small groups to talk amongst themselves.

'What troubles you?' Saphira asked encouragingly, swiveling her head back to look at me, fixing one huge sapphire eye on me.

"I honestly don't know," I whispered to her. "I have been thinking of nothing but I'm thinking of everything. I'm rethinking, reliving, every aspect so far of my life with you. It's like... I want something to be on my mind."

'Maybe it's a sign from the Eldunarí. You know how they sometimes can reveal prophecies that they themselves don't fully understand.'

"You may be right. Let's put the Games on hold while I go to the Eldunarí chamber. Maybe they'll have some answers," I conceded.

Saphira again cast her thoughts and the Riders looked stunned at her words. I strapped my legs in the saddle, as they were hanging loose.

'We must tell Celest and Fírek before we do anything urgent,' I informed Saphira.

She gave a nod of her big scaly head and unfolded her wings. She pushed from the ground and left the Riders staring aimlessly behind us. She flapped down into the other arena, buffeting everyone with wind. She landed smoothly and I unbuckled my legs before dismounting and racing over to Celest.

"What's happened?" I asked as I noticed a Rider sprawled on the ground with magicians at his side.

"This one," she said pointing a menacing finger at a Rider I knew by the name of ZaCar, "Threw him across the yard when he knew he was going to lose!"

Celest sounded furious and for a good reason. The magicians had the scrawny Rider on a carrying cushion and slowly hoisted the cushion up onto their shoulders, and stalked away.

"You," I said speaking to ZaCar, "Go with them and sit down in my cave. Wait for me to return. Celest, I must make a trip to the Eldunarí chamber. When I get back I'll deal with ZaCar. Until then the Games are on hold."

Celest nodded still glaring at ZaCar's back as he disappeared with the medics through the entrance of the arena. The dragons held back the dragon of the toothpick Rider, while ZaCar's dragon was obviously the growling gold male sitting not far from the other dragons in the shade if a tree from the outside if the arena. He then took off after his Rider when he saw me looking at him. I ignored the dragon and walked back to Saphira. I heaved myself up her leg before swinging my leg over the saddle.

"Farewell, until I tell you to continue the Games," I said.

'If I continue the Games,' I silently added to myself.

Celest nodded and Saphira took off, flapping her leathery wings until she left the arenas behind us.

As she sped across the island, Saphira and I talked about the Games and the small Rider who had gotten hurt. Wind separated my hair that was longer than usual. Trees sped away bellow us and they seemed as if they would fall into the sea at the other end of the island.

When we arrived at The Rider's Place (Or as the Riders, called it Camp or Base) we noticed that the new Riders were playing with their hatchlings or trying to practice spells. I smiled as I remembered I had once done the same thing when my adventure had first begun.

I dismounted Saphira before I made my way over to the Riders' Hall.

I walked across the stone courtyard and a few of the Riders waved or said hello. Now in a good mood, I waved back giving a smile.

When I entered the hall and noticed the torches were the only thing in the hall, illuminating the stone. Nodding to myself, I rushed to the very end of the hall where a staircase was formed, leading downwards. I followed the path and Saphira walked behind me, barely able to squeeze through.

'If you get any larger you won't be able to fit through any doorway.'

'Be quiet,' she replied with a snarl, taking it the wrong way.

I just laughed. As I walked the torches became less common until we were encased in darkness. I felt may way around the stairway until the stairs stopped and a large door blocked my way. I pushed open the heavy door with the help of Saphira's head and I walked through.

Saphira was too big for this no matter how hard she tried, so she settled down to wait for me and put her head down on her claws.

'Please be careful. Fre'on like to cause Riders confusion and pain,' Saphira warned me.

I nodded to her and shivered at that Eldunarí's name.

Fre'on had been a dragon of a Rider who had died when he was only a hatchling, he had foolishly given his Eldunarí away for safe keeping to his Rider and when the tragedy happened, he left for the woods and was mistaken for a squirrel. He was shot down and killed and he was trapped in his Eldunarí.

Luckily for him, a Rider found him and he was put with the other Eldunarís. Fre'on was the smallest of the Eldunarí and the most immature. He had learned to talk before he died so he liked to confuse Riders and go into their minds and cause them pain.

This had happened to me only once before, Gleadr stopped him. Gleadr had been my own teacher, Oromis's dragon and was all I had left of my beloved teacher. The door swung shut behind me with a large thud and I walked into a large cavern with the sparkling gems of the Eldunarí. The floor was covered in soft straw, for the comfort of the gems.

'Hello Eragon. We have been expecting you,' said a familiar deep voice.

"Hello Gleadr," I replied.

An instant later I was greeted with a sizzling burning pain in my mind, as if my brain was boiling. My back arched backwards in pain and I let out a moan. It felt like my mind was sizzling and being torn apart with acid.

'Fre'on! It's Eragon you fool! If you wish to be smashed I suggest you stop!' Gleadr scolded the trapped dragon.

The pain in my mind stopped instantly. I looked around for the light blue gem and noticed the sparkles of amusement inside the gem of Fre'on. His laughter boomed in my mind as he chuckled at me.

'You call yourself a Rider?!?! You're pathetic! You looked like you were about to pee your pants!' echoed the squeaky voice.

I narrowed my eyes, there was no use encouraging his behavior.

"You said you were expecting me, why?" I asked Gleadr.

I heard whispers, muffled by one another, evaporate from the gems.

'We have a sort of "prophecy" for you, Gleadr announced.

"What is it?" I prompted.

In unison they all answered, 'Blood will be shed, a Rider will become a hero while an old hero will perish. The time is up, you must give up. The time to strike is upon you.'

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