The Truth About Lies (An Inheritance Cycle Fanfiction)

The Prophecy Fulfilled

"Get that thing away from me!" I screamed, staggering backwards on my hands and knees. "Now!"

"But... it is destined for you," Asron said, confusion masking his face in the dim firelight. "It has been written in the stars for thousands of years."

"I don't care," I growled, slowly getting to my feet. "I don't want to have anything to do with that thing." A year ago, I would have been more than happy to accept Asron's offer, but now... so much has changed. I started to edge my way towards the door, planning my escape.

"I need to go," I said, keeping a wary eye on the old man. "I'm sorry; I can't stay here any longer."

As I turned to leave, Asron spoke quietly, catching me off-guard. "What is it you fear, Tabatha, daughter of Adelaide?" I stopped mid-step and slowly turned to face him.

"How do you know my name?" I whispered. "And my mother's?"

"I told you," he said firmly. "It has long been written by the priestesses of old." He gestured for me to take my seat at the table and he set down the glittering egg in the middle of it. And although I was loath to be in the same room as the egg, something—and I'm not sure what—compelled me to stay and hear the old man's story. Reluctantly, I returned to the table and sat across from the old Rider.

"Tell me," he began, "what is it you fear?" I stared long and hard at the egg, knowing deep down inside what it was that terrified me so, but not wanting to admit it. Finally, I took a deep breath and let the truth escape from the confines of my heart.

"I'm afraid of becoming my father," I said softly, focusing on the crackling sound of the fire instead of the pain welling inside my chest.

A knowing light came into Asron's eyes. "Ah," he replied, "I thought that might be it." After a brief pause and a heavy sigh, he continued. "Allow me to tell you a tale, Tabatha Adelaidesdaughter." I nodded but kept my mouth clamped firmly shut.

"Long ago," he said, "in the lands far to the east from here, there lived a tribe of powerful sorceresses. This tribe consisted of only women and their daughters, for they were beloved by the goddess Ashola, and therefore had no need of men. Every woman within the tribe was crafted from the elements of nature—fire, water, earth, and air—by the goddess, and took on her likeness. The most striking feature of these women was their violet eyes." I felt the breath catching in my throat as I thought of myself, and then of Lord Braeden's admission that mine were the same as my mother's. This story was becoming more mysterious, but I knew I had to stay to hear the end of it. "One day," Asron continued, "the leader of the tribe, the High Priestess, prayed to the goddess on behalf of the women of the tribe. Some of them had become unhappy in their seclusion, and wanted to see more of the world. Ashola loved her daughters very much, so she would do anything she could for them. She allowed them to venture west, into Alagaesia.

"Ashola continued to protect her sorceresses as they began to settle in different towns and cities, apart from each other. They retained their powers, and were well respected as herbalists and healers. It was not uncommon for some of these women to become Riders. The combined powers of the dragons and the goddess made such women forces to be reckoned with. But then, Galbatorix destroyed the Riders, taking many of the sorceresses as well. And there was one whose mother was a sorceress and father, an elf; her name was Formora and she betrayed the other sorceresses to join Galbatorix and become one of the Forsworn. Galbatorix was intrigued by her, as she had both the powers of a Rider, and that of a sorceress of Ashola. It was she who prompted him to seek out your mother.

"For you see, Ashola was outraged at the loss of so many of her daughters and, through the High Priestess, vowed to create a sorceress more powerful than any who had come before her, so she could exact Ashola's revenge and kill the king."