Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Nineteen: Iridescent

"Yes, unfortunately, this is something that you must overcome yourself." I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Thank you for listening Master." I went back to meditation and waited for Eragon to arrive. The two arrived much later. Oromis ran his fingers over the stitching and leather.

"Brom was always clever with his hands. Use this saddle when you must travel with great speed. But when comfort is allowed—" Oromis disappeared into his hut before walking out with a large molded saddle. "—use this. It was crafted in Vroengard and imbued with many spells so that it will never fail you in time of need."

Eragon staggered around after the saddle was placed in his hands. Eragon inspected the saddle and asked about straps of leather attached to the saddle.

"Those secure your wrists and arms so that you are not killed like a rat shaken to death when Saphira performs a complex maneuver." Glaedr rumbled as an explanation. Oromis helped Eragon take Saphira's current saddle off.

"Saphira, Alethea, you will go with Glaedr today, and I will work with Eragon and Khensamel here."

"As you wish," Saphira crowd before launching into the air. I smiled when I got an image of Alethea sighing.

"Learn well and have fun," I said before Alethea joined Saphira and Glaedr and the three of them disappeared to the north. Oromis wasted no time and marched us to a square of hard-packed dirt beneath a willow tree at the far side of the clearing. Eragon and I got in our squares as Oromis stood across from us.

"What I am about to show you is called the Rimgar, or the Dance of Snake and Crane. It is a series of poses that we developed to prepare our warriors for combat, although all elves use it now to maintain their health and fitness. The Rimgar consists of four levels, each more difficult than the last. We will start with the first."

Next, to me, Eragon got stiff as a board of wood.

"Relax," Oromis said gently. Eragon jerked open his hands and let them hang limply at the end of his still rigid arms. "I asked you to relax, Eragon. You can't do the Rimgar if you are as stiff as a piece of rawhide."

"Yes, Master," Eragon said with a grimace and reluctantly loosened his muscles and joints. I could tell that he still wasn't completely relaxed.

"Place your feet together and your arms at your sides. Look straight ahead. Now take a deep breath and lift your arms over your head so that your palms meet... Yes, like that. Exhale and bend down as far as you can, put your palms on the ground, take another breath... and jump back." Eragon and I did what he asked.

"Good. Breathe in and bend up, looking toward the sky... and exhale, lifting your hips until you form a triangle. Breathe in through the back of your throat... and out. In... and out. In..."

We went through the stances, and my arm only shook a little bit, Eragon was showing no signs of pain much to my relief. We continued through the first stage without stopping, and by the time we were done Eragon and I were covered in sweat.

"Let us wash the sweat from our limbs," Oromis said, addressing Eragon. "Khensamel, continue your meditation here."

I sat down and got into my meditative position as Oromis and Eragon disappeared. I went through the different light sources around my general vicinity. I felt Oromis return after a while, Eragon must be meditating. I continued to meditate until I felt Eragon eagerly make his way back to the clearing.

"And what did you hear, Eragon?" Eragon described what he heard, and I sighed, he didn't understand. "Is that all?"

"I...Yes, Ebrithil."