For Alagaesia: Epilogue: Inheritance

The soaring dragon flying into Alagaesia from the eastern ocean was a unique blend of blue and green, sort of like the ocean itself, looking blue in one part and green in another. Against the clear blue sky, she appeared like a jewel. But the Urgal children watching the dragon failed to notice the person riding the said dragon - they were miniscule in comparison to the magnificence of the dragon. Besides, there had not been a dragon rider in ages in Alagaesia. The only rider on the council of advisors, Murtagh had long since lost his companion. However, his act of defying the elven queen herself to fulfill the wishes of lost dragons caught in immobile forms, to finally relieve them of the pain they had endured for a century was the stuff of legend in Urgal traditions.

For Alagaesia: 97. Fate beckons

It was a warm and sunny late spring morning, nearly two years after the return of wild dragons. Most of them had grown to be majestic and powerful dragons. They weren’t all powerful though: some were meek and yet they were wise. Some were just plain relaxed even when slurs were thrown at them. Not everyone of them had the temper of Saphira or the eagerness of Indra. This served to remind Eragon of how dragons were an entire species that was decimated in the war - every dragon - the meeker ones, the scholarly ones and the brave ones had been culled by the cruel King. But they were now back and would soon populate every nook and corner of Alagaesia as equals of the other four species.

For Alagaesia: 96. Five Species, One Country

The only outside affair that Eragon, Saphira, Arya and Indra actively involved themselves in nowadays was the matter of the Eldunari. Unfortunately, not a single one of them had broken out their stupor after decades of effort. Eragon’s elven guard stood watch over mount Marna dutifully and could not but be alarmed as they felt the mountain be consumed in the rage and sorrow that emanated from the Eldunari.

For Alagaesia: 95. Peace, at last

That life was a mixture of calm and storm was known to Eragon and his companions. But after a storm that had lasted since the arrival of Galbatorix on the scene, first as the future usurper claiming their happy lives of old and then as the century long tormentor of Alagaesia came a calm that altered their world view like nothing had ever done before.

For Alagaesia: 94. The Ups and Downs of Life

The first thing that Eragon did after securing the future of the Eldunari was to scry Nasuada to inform her of the death of Alagaesia's tyrant. He knew that such news would by itself lift the spirits of Murtagh's party like never before. They could even enjoy their journey through the heart of Alagaesia into the Du Weldenvarden with the knowledge that their tormentor would not come chasing behind them into those green canopies and that they could lead a free life henceforth.

For Alagaesia: 93. A long road to recovery

Watching the sun rise and kill the darkness of night was always fascinating. But doing that holding Arya’s hands and leaning on her shoulder was an entirely different experience. He could only describe it as heavenly. Having gained Islanzadi’s blessings, he did not think there was anything that could ever separate them again. They had eternity ahead of them to relive this moment. An involuntary smile lit up his face when that thought came to him. Eternity: to feel the pleasures of love.

For Alagaesia: 92. His life's purpose

In a way he was glad that Galbatorix’s body had burst in a riot of energy and nothing remained of him. Otherwise, the sense of basic etiquette would have forced them to cremate him, which he was loath to do after suffering so much on account of the king. Besides his new found respect for Shruikan would never have allowed him to treat the king’s body equal to that of Shruikan.

For Alagaesia: 91. Edoc'sil

The birds and trees told them of a black dragon ridden by a man with even blacker heart fleeing towards the Spine. The passage of evil had left its mark on the land. And the land gave them the directions they needed. Alagaesia herself was set on getting rid of the disease by which she was afflicted in the last hundred years.

For Alagaesia: 90. A drop of fresh water in the sea

Only when the accursed black sword was pulled out of her body and she twitched did he snap out of the stupor he was in. She was alive! She could yet be saved!

The sky, that he was seeing, was in a riot of sorts. The three dragons were spitting fire on each other so vehemently. Saphira and Indra were trying to make their way to the ground where their beloved riders were dying a certain death. Shruikan, being the domesticated dragon that he was, was trying hard to fulfill his master’s orders; that of keeping the dragons in the sky at all cost except when one or both of them could be killed.

For Alagaesia: 89. Sacrificial tendencies

“So, you came back with a means to defeat me, did you?” Galbatorix’s mocking voice rang across the city and its surroundings.

Neither Eragon nor Arya nor their dragons replied the unnecessary question. They were too shaken to do so anyway.

For Alagaesia: 88. Kill me! Free me!

‘Are you sure Saphira?’ Eragon asked for the third time and this time unlike before he only received a grunt in response instead of her perfectly calm assurance that she wasn’t in the least bit upset that she had no role to play in his past life.

For Alagaesia: 87. For Alagaesia - Another life

Eragon could not wrap his mind around what he had heard.

When all seems lost and your power is insufficient, go to the rock of Kuthian and speak your name to open the Vault of Souls.

The words of Solembum were still fresh in his mind, even after more than three years since he had heard them first uttered. Three years! For three years he had searched; in the greatest libraries of Alagaesia and with the most informed people in the land - but to no end. And here he was being casually introduced to Kuthian’s rock; to a great rainbow-coloured eldunari.

For Alagaesia: 86. Tasting free air

Never had she felt as distressed as now in her life. Her father’s death, unexpected as it had been, had happened in mere minutes. Her capture and subsequent breaking had been a long period of pain dulled by its longevity. But the doom and gloom that surrounded her now were too much to take.

For Alagaesia: 85. A rock in the Spine

Having reached near the Varden’s main encampment, the two dragons and their riders had resolved to check out what it was that they were given by Nasuada and Murtagh. Eragon was been put-off hearing Nasuada’s explanation (which Arya repeated) that it was just an empty bit of parchment but seemed to have a history of its own as it had belonged to Vrael from whose remains on Ristvak'baen, Galbatorix had retrieved it but recently.

For Alagaesia: 84. A friend in need

Saphira and Indra flew on ahead of the marching army behind them. The news that Nasuada had been subjugated by Galbatorix and made to lead his army only served to anger the two dragons. Eragon had mostly come to the conclusion that it was entirely Nasuada’s fault that this had to happen. Living under the protection of Galbatorix’s sworn slave was bound to land her in trouble. If only he knew that it was because Glaedr tried to protect him that Nasuada was caught in this unwitting position!

For Alagaesia: 83. Rebirth of a reluctant monster

The march to the black city of Galbatorix was among the gloomiest weeks he had ever spent in his life. For all the impressive speeches Roran delivered, the mood of doom and gloom never seemed to be lifted. The elves who were already known for mood swings of an unfathomable degree had fallen into a melancholy of sorts and their sadness seemed to rub off on the Humans and the Dwarves.

For Alagaesia: 82. A life of agony

Soft cotton always was her favourite. There was a time in Tronjheim when she always slept in the softest and neatest cotton bed in the city. The fabric wrapped itself around her like a dear lover clings onto his beloved after he comes back from a tiring day of work. And she loved the feeling.

For Alagaesia: 81. Confession

Every part of him literally ached; right from his bones to his heart. His last and only remaining father figure had left him to fend off in the world alone. With none to guide him, how was he to do anything? Whom would he consult next for troubles ranging from Galbatorix to Arya?

For Alagaesia: 80. The ultimate sacrifice

Would someone turn their perfectly purposeful life into animal existence knowingly? The answer to this question was trivial in the sense that it would be so unanimous that the asker would think why they posed it in the first place. But it won’t be the case if the question was posed to Nasuada, the former leader of the rebellion against the evil ruler of Alagaesia. This was the thought that played out in Nasuada’s mind every night before she went to sleep in the makeshift bed Murtagh had made for her.

For Alagaesia: 79. A golden act

‘It isn’t over Eragon! Not yet! Take my strength. You promised me that we won’t take defeat lying down,’ Saphira’s renewed plea rang in his mind. Amidst the torrent of pain caused by the crushing of his bones by the air - rivalled only by the pain he had felt in the dungeons of Uru’baen when Galbatorix used Elva to gain access into his mind - Eragon somehow managed to respond to his dragon.