The Shades of Dragons: Onyx (Eragon)

Chapter 5

Damien -----> 

“How do you know?” Eragon asked me, his eyes narrowed slightly but a gentle smile was still on his lips, which made me relax the muscles that had tensed up from his rather hostile sounding words. With a giddy laugh I pecked my dragon’s head, making him snort our and flick his tail slightly. “Because he told me.” I told the rider, making him stumble back slightly in shock before my dragon let out an angry growl as he stood up on his four paws, his black tail twitching as did his wings. Saphira growled deeply within her throat, making the ground shake beneath my feet. The blue dragon abruptly stopped growling and moved her massive head down to touch the tip of her nose against the smaller dragons head. My dragon shook his head but stopped growling non the less and I could feel his content through our bond. Eragon came to stand beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders to give me a sideway hug. Looking up I smiled slightly in content.

“You can think of a name for him while we continue our way to Ellesméra.” Eragon stated as he removed his arm from around my shoulders and headed towards his bag. With a sigh and a shake of my head I smiled fondly at my dragon as he gave Saphira a little push with his head before he made his way back to me. With a wide smile I moved my hand up to rest on his left front leg. “How are you feeling?” I asked him through our shared bond, still giddy with the knowledge that he could talk to me. My dragon gently pressed his snort against my belly, his breath washing over me and successfully making me fully relax. “Itchy and hungry, but content.” I grinned as his masculine voice filled my mind and I knew that it would take a wile before I wouldn’t burst with happiness every time I heard his voice. I laughed under my breath but moved my hand to scratch against his black head.

“Are you ready to go?” Eragon’s voice snapped me out of the content state of happiness I was feeling being connected to my dragon and with a roll of my shoulders I looked over at Eragon and nodded at him. The old rider smiled and strapped the saddle on to Saphira before he fastened our bags to the saddle and jumped down to help me up as I moved to stand beside him.  I moved so that I could place my foot in one of the stirrups and one of my hands tried to grab a hold of something to lift me up with but after a few failed attempts I growled under my breath in annoyance. Eragon moves so that he hand his hands against my hips a second before I was lifted up in the air and with little to no effort I managed to get seated in the saddle, Eragon moving to secure my legs in the straps on the side of the saddle before he as well leaped up as got seated behind me and secured his legs as well.

Well secured and seated I found myself looking down on my dragon and with a realization I smacked myself in the forehead for my stupidity and began to unclasp the straps around my legs when my dragon gave out a little whooping sound before he flew up and landed safely in my lap, making me giggled out and wrap my arms around his growing frame as Eragon began to clasp the straps around my legs again. “Now we’re ready.” I laughed slightly and tightened my arms around my dragon as Saphira’s body tensed up before we were up in the air with wind blowing harshly against us. I could hear Eragon mumble skölir (shield) before the wind stopped twirling around us and I could breath normally again.

“Eragon?” I hesitantly asked, my hands twitching against my black dragon’s scales as I waited for a reply. As Eragon grunted behind me I smiled slightly before letting my brown eyes wander around so that I could gather my swirling thoughts. “Can you tell me about the other riders?” I asked, my voice sounded more like a mumble than I would have liked to admit but I relaxed as I felt Eragon nod slightly.

“There are eleven riders counting you and me and I think I’ll start from the oldest dragon rider to the youngest.” He started and I could instantly feel myself wanting to turn around to come face to face with him but being strapped to the saddle I had to do with only hearing his voice. “There’s Murtagh, who’s my brother, and his red dragon Thorn. My wife Arya and her dark forest green dragon Fírnen, who’s also Saphira’s mate.” My eyes widened slightly at that and I could feel my dragon’s curiosity blend together with my own. “Then there’s Diana and her white and silver dragon Níra. Now Níra is mated to Thorn, my brothers dragon.” I nodded absently as I felt myself connect more and more with my dragon the longer Eragon spoke. “Now there are the twins, Damien and Damon as well as their twin dragons Niana the purple and Manarí the pink.” I almost lost the grip of my dragon as Eragon’s voice filled my mind but I managed to get a hold of him before he started slipping from my grasp. “Now what’s special about Niana and Manarí is that they are the daughters of Thorn and Níra.” My dragon yowled lowing in my lap and the curious sound made me chuckle lightly under my breath. “Now come two of Saphira and Fírnen’s hatchlings as well as their riders. First is Selena and her dark blue dragon Ragnor. Then there’s Edric and his light green dragon Ohen.” I nibbled on my bottom lip as I concentrated on Eragon’s voice as he spoke in a calm and collected voice inside my head and I could feel Saphira’s mind touching my own. “Then there’s Gary, mine and Arya’s son.” I could feel my eyes widen in slight shock and just stared blankly in front of me before my dragon buffed his head against my stomach and successfully breaking me out of the shock stated I managed to find myself in. “He turned out to be a dragon rider five years ago and the dragon that hatched for him was one of Thorn and Níra’s eggs. His dragon is called Amber and is a deep dark red.” I nodded absently again but took in the information given to me so that I could go through in later. “Last but not least there’s Raymond.” All air in my lungs was forced out of me at the sound of my older brother’s name. My mind flew back to the last time I saw him and I had to force the images away to prevent the pain and loss I felt every time I though of him. “Continue please.” I whispered to Eragon and he hesitated slightly before nodding. “Raymond turned out to be the rider of the golden brown dragon Cannitha, one of Saphira and Fírnen’s eggs.” I swallowed, trying to get the lump in my throat to vanish but with no luck. “ The let’s not forget about our youngest rider. You.” I couldn’t help but to laugh at his words and within seconds I was once again content with having my dragon in my arms.