KittenRebecca - Good try. You got the first date right, but second was a bit off. You got the tenth new moon instead of the ninth. Even then, you were a day off. The tenth new moon of the second year from the first date you gave, (which was correct), was April 26, 1998. Good work, though. You were the only person to attempt it so far.
Shawnpickett - Thanks for catching that. The reason I did that is that the name Aries was also used by the Romans from time to time. The two names were perfectly interchangeable, and, quite frankly, `Aries' sounds better.
Athenakitty - Nope, sorry. Harry will not be getting back to Hogwarts any time soon. This fic has a time frame of about 2-3 years. So far, we've been through about 5 months worth. No long chats with Hermione and Ron for a long time, and Harry is only doing well with the potion because his Animagi Master, Ceris, actually wants Harry to succeed.
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The Draconis Saga
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Chapter 7
Ra'zac Stalking
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Harry walked slowly up the spiral staircase of the Dragons' Tower. In his hands, he carried a box full of the various potions ingredients that he would need for tonight. In his belt, he carried a long, shining, silver dagger. It glittered in its sheath in the moonlight that filtered in through the windows, sending sparkling bands of light into the rest of the staircase.
He came up around the last curve in the tower, moved up the last step to the short landing that stretched to the door leading to the parapet outside. He put the box under one arm, opened the door, and stepped outside in to the cold night air. It was mid December, and the sky was clear, but almost completely dark. The stars stood out like small, luminous, white beads in the midnight blue, velvet sky. That was the only light out here. There was no moon. Only the stars and the faint glow that came up from the city below him. It was late, and the valley below him was almost completely dark and quiet. The only noise left was the roar of the waterfall in between the cliffs.
He blinked and concentrated slightly. Instantly, his eye colour changed to a brighter, lime green. Night vision. He looked around him, inspecting what he had not been able to see with his normal eyesight. He had learned this handy little trick from Jakob, his formerly human Master whose job was to teach him how to control his Dexzarani skills.
~*~Flashback~*~
This morning, he would be having his first class with Jakob. He walked slowly down the hallway to the Master's rooms, wondering what would be in store for him in the days new class. Rounding a corner, he entered a small room, quite like his Animagi and Metamorphmagi classrooms, but with out the wooden platform.
The room was empty. He walked inside and sat down in the soft, red armchair in front of the desk. He was just beginning to wonder when his teacher would arrive when he heard a swish of disturbed air behind him. He turned to look at the door and could of sworn he saw a shadowy ripple move across the room.
He was about to decide that it must have been nothing when the door suddenly slammed shut in front of him. He moved to get up, but he never got that far. A voice suddenly spoke behind him, almost scaring him out of his wits.
"Did you miss me?"
He whirled around to face the desk. Behind it, there was a man about two inches shorter than himself. He was dressed completely in black, except for the silver clasp on his cloak and the buckle on his belt.
Harry gaped at him. "How did you do that?"
Jakob smiled. "How, you say, did I do that? Well, that's quite simple. I am a Dexzaran, like yourself. We are a rare species, aren't we?"
Harry did not answer.
"Well, no matter. My point is that we wield extraordinary power, Astyan. We have increased control over magic. We are faster. We are stronger. We are smarter. We can do things no human or wizard could ever hope to accomplish through sheer will power, and we have many traits and talents which help us become the most dangerous sentient species in the world."
Harry did not say anything, so Jakob continued.
"I am here, Astyan, to teach you how to control your powers. You have already dealt with speed and strength in your first three months here. Magics are not to be taught by me, but old Osthato, and knowledge can only be gained through study and experience, neither of which have any place in this class. That leaves me to teach you how to control your many skills. Any questions so far?"
"Yes. What, exactly, are our `many skills'. No one's told me as of yet."
Jakob smirked. "We do have many skills, Astyan. Hmmm…you ask me to list them. Well, our eyes can be changed at will to detect either less or more light, or to see other kinds of light. Infrared, for instance, or night vision. We can also walk unnoticed and unheard unless by one of us or a spell. As well as that, we can, in rare occurrences, control an element of nature to some degree or other. Aside from that, there are the other increased traits that I already mentioned, which, I should add, also includes an increased sense of hearing. Does that suffice?"
Harry nodded.
"Good. Today, we will begin to learn the basics of the vision changes. Now, we will start with the easiest, which is night vision…"
~*~ End Flashback ~*~
He was brought out of his thoughts as the door banged open behind him, announcing the arrival of two people, one whom he had expected and one who he had not. Aumar and Mathias came out onto the parapet. Mathias, too, held a container full of potions ingredients in his arms.
Harry looked over at them and smirked as Mathias jumped back in surprise at Harry's eyes, whose pupils were still glowing a radioactive green. Harry blinked, and his vision returned to normal. Mathias eyed him warily and then set down his container. He joined Harry in sitting on the ledge around the parapet, and they looked at Aumar expectantly.
He gave them a completely blank look. "Well, get to it. You know what to do."
They set up their cauldrons and began to prepare their ingredients one the rough wooden chopping boards they had brought with them. One pint of water, three centilitres of snake venom, 14g of diced Lýcariön scales, 6mg of powdered dragon bone, three werewolf hairs, 2g of dried bat droppings, four cat claws, 16 chopped parrot feathers, and 8ml of essence of Kryono later, the potion was almost done. All that was needed was a drop of their blood.
Harry pulled the silver dagger out of his belt and held it over his hand, waiting for the clouds to clear and for the toll of midnight to come. Mathias finished his potion as well and sat, waiting, just as he did. Aumar stood behind them, he, too, watching and waiting.
As if on cue, the great bells in one of the castles towers began to toll out the call of midnight. On stroke, then two. On the third, the clouds moved away from the new moon, though they could not see it. As it did, the area over their potions began to glow a deep, navy blue. The non-existent moonlight showed as black rays of light, refracting off of the tendrils of steam now issuing from the cauldrons.
Harry put his hand over the cauldron in front of him and made a small cut with the dagger in his palm. Immediately, blood began to spill from the veins under the skin. He cupped it in his hand and slowly dripped a bead of crimson blood into the concoction that was swirling below him. It sizzled and the potion began to swirl faster.
The second drop fell in. The potion began to slow, now. Sparks flew out of the top of the cauldron in small spurts.
The third drop fell as though caught in time. Ever so slowly, if fell through the space between his hand and the simmering liquid of the potion. It shimmered and spun as it fell. Then, everything seemed to speed up again. The glimmering bead of blood impacted, sending little ripples through the now calm, but acid green, fluid below him. In the steam above it, the black light of the full moon still shimmered.
He took a small vial out of his box of supplies and filled in to the brim. Glancing at Aumar for a second, he moved the potion to his mouth before tipping the contents back into his mouth.
He turned to the Animagi Master.
"Now what?"
"Now, we wait. It could be a matter of seconds, or it could be one of minutes. It is different, you see, from person to person. It will appear within the hour, though." He turned to the elf sitting beside Harry. "Have you drunk yours, Mathias?"
He nodded.
Aumar sighed. "Good…," he said absently. "Good…"
They waited, and waited, and waited. Soon twenty minutes had passed since they had taken their potions, and still nothing had happened. Harry watched the last people save themselves turn out their lights in the city below them. He blinked his eyes again, and the pupils in his eyes changed colour again. He scanned the city below him using his night vision. He watched as the guards at the city gates changed posts.
Suddenly something flickered through the darkness on the other side of the gates. He focused on it, and the environment around it brightened. It was an Elf. He rode a dark horse, and wore dark clothes, but the shape of his ears were a dead give away.
The guards at the gates spoke to him for a few moments before the bolts were drawn back and the gate opened. The elf rode in and disappeared below them at the entrance to the fortress. He was contemplating who the person might have been when he was brought violently out of his thoughts at a loud gagging sound coming from behind him.
He spun around and found himself watching Mathias, who was doubled up and kneeling on the ground, choking. He gave a loud yelp and cried out in pain before fainting onto the cold stone floor. Mist of all colours was seeping slowly out of his skin. It met in the air before him and solidified suddenly, leaving a three dimensional picture in front of them.
It was a large black bear. Sleek black fur covered its large body. Its eyes were a golden yellow, and its muzzle was a deep brown. Sharp teeth stood out in two curved arcs in its large jaw. Harry had just begun to admire what an amazing creature was before him when the beast dissolved into nothingness.
A few seconds after the mist vanished, Mathias stirred and opened his eyes. He let out a groan and rolled over onto his back. Rubbing his eyes, he looked up at them.
"What happened to me?"
Aumar helped him up. "Your form came upon you, but you tried to block it out. Tell me, what did you see?"
Mathias took a deep breath and steadied himself. "I was a bear. I was moving through the forest. I could feel everything around me. Which way the wind was blowing. How the ground felt under my paws. Everything. And I could see it all perfectly. The greens of the trees and the carpet of brown leaves on the forest floor. It was so vivid…" He trailed off.
Aumar smiled down at him. "Good for you. I'll need you to remember exactly what it was like in your vision. Tomorrow, I'll begin to teach you how to transform parts of your body. After another few weeks, I think you should probably be ready to attempt a full transformation. Now. Go down to your quarters and get some sleep."
Mathias nodded.
Aumar turned to Harry. "It naver takes more than half an hour, Astyan. It should be any minute now…"
And then, he felt it. It was like his blood had been chilled. The sensation ran through his veins, making him shiver. The cold pressed on his lungs throat, making him ant to choke and cough. He looked up at Aumar for some sign of instruction.
Aumar turned to face him. "Don't resist."
Slightly apprehensively, he relaxed and took a few deep breaths. The cold sensation lessened, but it was replaced by a prickling sensations all over his skin. It was as though someone were prodding him with blunt needles.
He was overcome with a sense of drowsiness for a few seconds, but he fought it off. He wanted to be awake when it came. As suddenly as it had been brought on, the sense of great tiredness washed off of him. In its place was a sharp, terrible pain. It lasted only for a second or so, but when it ended, he was aware of a sensation of being sprayed by water. Some sort of gas seemed to be seeping from his skin, and with it came a feeling of being deflated like a balloon.
He was not aware that he had fallen unconscious.
He was running full tilt through a forest. The fir trees rose on either side of the sloping mountain path he was following. The dirt under his paws was soft and brown, the product of the many leaves that had fallen to the ground the previous autumn.
The snow had been cleared away from the path, leaving large white mounds on either side of the track. All the better. No one could see him in the snow.
A cold blast of wind met him in the face, bringing the sent of his prey. It would not be long now. No one could escape him. They were all brought down eventually.
The path levelled out in front of him. The ground under him slowly thinned to a hard rocky ledge. He stopped at the edge and looked down. There was a river below him. Large boulders stood like lily pads in the frozen waters. He threw his head back and sniffed.
The sent was stronger now. He searched around him, looking for a clue. There. A bush on the other side of the bush was swaying. He could feel which way the wind was blowing with his whiskers. But it was the wrong way for the wind.
He leapt nimbly down the boulders to the river side. He stopped, sitting down for a moment, searching for the best way to cross. His white fur blew around a bit in the wind. His amber eyes trailed quickly over the area before him and calculated the easiest way across.
He crouched for a moment before leaping onto a large log that had been trapped between a few of the boulders. It was wet, and he sunk his claws into the wood to insure he didn't slip off. He wouldn't like that. No cat would. He moved off to the other end of the log. At least that got him half way across. Now it was just a matter of frog hopping the boulders in the river until he got across.
After a moment of jumping, he arrived at the other side of the river. He sniffed again and moved off through the trees at a brisk pace. He perked up his ears and heard the laboured breathing of his prey. He sped up.
The sounds of running increased ahead of him. His prey knew he was on to him. He sped up.
Just ahead, he picked out the robes of his prey in the distance. The space between them was closing rapidly. The man, hearing his approach, slowed and then turned around to face him.
He slowed as well and slunk up to face the man in front of him. He could not see the man's face, but he knew who it was.
The man spoke, the fear evident in his voice with every word.
"Please, my Lord! Please. They tricked me! Please, Lord Astyan!"
He crouched and gave out a loud growl, displaying his many razor sharp teeth. His eyes narrowed. He moved closer to his enemy.
"Please! Give me another chance! I'll never fail you agai-"
He never finished his sentence. The Snow Leopard leapt onto him, knocking him to the ground. It sunk its teeth into the flesh of the man's neck, severing the spinal cord and the carotid artery.
The man never felt a thing.
He transformed back into a man. The fur became armour; the paws became arms and legs. He stood straighter, bringing his cloak around him and putting up his hood. His emerald green, slitted eyes glowed under the hood.
He had never like traitors.
The vision dissolved. He stirred, opening his eyes quickly and getting to his feet. Aumar sat beside him. He had obviously been waiting for his student to wake.
"Did you have the vision?"
Harry nodded. "Was it real?"
"It may have been, but then again, it may not. The visions sometimes show things that have been, things that are, and sometimes, things that have not yet come to pass. Tell, me, do you remember what animal you were?"
"Yes, Master. A Snow Leopard."
"It is the same as the image that came out of you, then. Good. Now, I think we are done for tonight. Go to bed, Astyan. You have other classes tomorrow. I will see you three days from now. You must remember the vision. You must remember what it was like. We will begin to train in your transformation then. Good night."
---~*~---
They stayed in the fortress of Tarnag for two days, restocking their supplies as well as taking more than they had before, as they would not be arriving in any cities for a while. They left for Hedarth, which lay on the Edda and Âz Ragni rivers on the third day, and they had expected to arrive there in just under two weeks travelling.
It was the sixth day, and they were ahead of schedule. They had passed the area where the Âz Ragni forked into two smaller rivers the day before. Eragon flew high above Arya and Murtagh, who rode the two horses.
Eragon and Saphira swooped low over their two companions on the ground.
"How long until sundown, Arya?" Eragon yelled down to them.
She looked to the western horizon, which was glimmering in the orange light of the slowly setting sun. The peaks of the mountains seemed to shine in the reflection of the blinding orange and red hues.
"I'd give it about an hour, Eragon. We should come in sight of the other side of the bend in about that time. We'll stop then. You should be able to see it up there about twenty minutes before we do. Warn us when you can."
Eragon nodded and Saphira beat her wings until they had risen to a normal flying hight. He scanned the horizon carefully, looking for the glimmer that the other side of the river they were following would present. The River went into a massive U-bend, and they had crossed the river earlier that day. They would camp out when they sighted the other side of the u-bend.
It was Saphira who caught sight of it first. Her Dragon's eyes found the glint of the water before any of theirs did. She sent a message down to Arya and Murtagh, who slowed, ready to begin to set up a camp for the night as soon as the sun went down.
They arrived in Hedarth on their tenth day of travelling. Being four days ahead of schedule, they gave themselves two days rest before restocking their supplies and continuing. Their next destination would be Ceris, a small Elvin village on the edge of the forest and near the river Edda and not far from the banks of Lake Eldor. Following the river from Hedarth, they determined that it should take them roughly six days to get there.
They were pleasantly surprised when a mariner, who fished in the Edda, offered to take them most of the way there, which would cut down their time on foot by about half. They agreed, and with a fee of a few gold coins, the man set a time for them to arrive at the docks the next day. Saphira, who the town did not know about, decided to fly above them.
They arrived at the docks at dawn the next day. The glow on the horizon was just turning faint tinges of orange when the boarded the boat, a wonderful 20ft ketch that the man said he had helped build when he was a boy.
"It was me father's ye see. Me an' a few old scallywag friends o' me father built it when I was only round about nine." He grinned, his face wrinkling in his old smile, revealing crooked and yellowing teeth.
They packed their things aboard and the old mariner untied the lines from the dock and pushed off with a long wooden pole. After they had gone out into deeper water, he conscripted Murtagh and Eragon into helping him with the rigging.
By the time the sun had risen far enough over the hills to bathe the landscape in golden early-morning sunlight, they were well under way.
The river was huge. It stretched for at least a mile or two from side to side, and it stretched off into the distance in front and behind them, the blue waters winding in and out of the hills and forests and fields. They learned from Arya that it was the biggest river the Kingdom, even though this area of territory was largely untouched by Galbatorix and his minions.
Around mid-day, they ate a small meal of meat, cheese, and bread as well as some fresh water. The old fisherman let out his long nets after he had eaten before returning aft to the wheel, where he chatted with Murtagh, who seemed to have taken a deep interest in the life of sea-faring.
Before long, the rhythmic rocking of the boat had sent everyone except the old fisherman into slumber.
They disembarked at dawn the next day. They had arrived at the two-thirds-of-the-way point late the previous evening, and the fisherman, who had later introduced himself as `Tenebrus, good sir!', had very generously invited them to sleep on his boat for the night, as he would be setting off in the morning anyway, and there was `no sense at all in setting up a camp when you've got a perfectly good floating one right here!'. Eragon also suspected that the old mariner had wanted to have further conversation with Murtagh.
The next morning, they unloaded their things and gave the old man a few pieces of gold for his trouble, which he politely refused but took anyway. As soon as the old ketch disappeared into the distance heading back for Hedarth, they put their things back into order and called Saphira down.
They set off into the shimmering desert horizon, careful to stay near the river.
They slowly disappeared into the distance.
So they are bound for Elvin Country… Interesting… Master will like to know…
A figure wearing a sand coloured cloak stood, brushing the grains of dirt off of his clothes. It pushed back its hood, revealing a face like that off a human, but only discoloured. He had no mouth, but a cruel, sharp beak.
He brought a long arm out from the folds of his cloak and muttered a word in the Ancient Language. He snapped his clawed fingers. Long tendrils of grey magic shot out from his hand, engulfing him in the writhing, almost living strands. With a loud crack, he vanished.
---~*~---
In Urû'baen, the capital city of the Kingdom, another crack was heard.
Galbatorix looked down from his high window in the Palace, watching the cloaked figure enter the palace gates.
Sooo… My Ra'zac have finally found something…
He chuckled quietly.
The King had found them.
---~*~---
A/N: Well, there's the seventh chapter. Please give feed back… yaddah, yaddah, the usual. Sorry about the wait, but I was having a bit of trouble planning this chapter and then a bit of writers' block when actually writing it…
The next one should be up sooner and around 5K words. This chapter was roughly 4200. Expect the next chapter around Christmas. I'll make an extra effort to get out two, maybe three (if I can wing it) 5K chapters out in the Christmas Season. My little present to you all, as I know it's infuriating most of you that I can't make regular and convenient updates…
Anyway, review, review, review. Put in questions, comments, anything that has to do with the fic and is actually constructive…
May thine quills stay sharp and your mind just so!
Cheers!
SilverDagger
[Last updated - Sunday, December 05, 2004]
[Words in this chapter - 4,240]
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