Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Twenty-One: Iridescent

The blow knocked him sprawling on the turf, where he lay stunned, blinking as pulsing lights swam across the sky. I tried to cover my giggles, but Eragon still heard and shot me a look.

"Yes," Oromis mused. "A better word might be letta or kodthr." He finally turned to look at Eragon and raised an eyebrow with apparent surprise. "Whatever are you doing? Get up. We can't lay about all day."

"Yes, Master," Eragon groaned as he got to his feet. When Eragon got back on his feet, Oromis had us manipulate the water in various ways—shaping it into complex knots, changing the color of light that it absorbed or reflected, and freezing it in certain prescribed sequences none of which proved difficult for us. The exercises continued for so long that Eragon's initial interest faded and was replaced by impatience and puzzlement, not really surprising though.

"Master, I know all of this. Can we not move on?" The muscles in Oromis's neck hardened, and his shoulders were like chiseled granite for all they moved.

"Will you never learn respect, Eragon-vodhr? So be it!" Then he uttered four words from the ancient language in a voice so deep that their meaning escaped Eragon. Eragon yelped as he fell to the ground, unable to move his legs.

"Free yourself," Oromis commanded.

"Losna kalfya iet," Eragon said before he started to stumble around.

"Foolish, very foolish. If I had committed more to maintaining my spell, that would have killed you. Never use absolutes."

"Absolutes?"

"Never word your spells so that only two outcomes are possible: success or death. If an enemy had trapped your legs and if he were stronger than you, then you would have expended all of your energy trying to break his spell. You would have died with no chance to abort the attempt once you realized that it was futile."

"How do I avoid that?" asked Eragon.

"It's safer to make the spell a process that you can terminate at your discretion. Instead of saying release my calves, which is an absolute, you could say reduce the magic imprisoning my calves. A bit wordy, but you could then decide how much you wanted your opponent's spell decreased and if it were safe to remove it entirely. We will try again, Khensamel, continue with your exercises."

I continued to shape the water as Eragon tried to free himself, the minutes started to tick by, and the water started to waver. I was getting tired from continually using magic.

"Ebrithil, I beg your pardon." I turned my head to see Eragon kneeling in front of Oromis. Our master did not indicate that he had heard. From the north came the faint offbeat thumps of Saphira, Alethea, and Glaedr's wing strokes as they returned for the day.

In a low, distant voice, Oromis said, "We will begin anew tomorrow, with this and other subjects." From his profile, Eragon could tell that Oromis had regained his customary expression of impassive reserve. "Is that agreeable to you?"

"Yes, Master," Eragon replied.

"I think it best if, from now on, you endeavor to speak only in the ancient language. We have little time at our disposal, and this is the fastest way for you to learn."

"Even when I talk to Saphira?"

"Even then."

"Then I will work ceaselessly until I not only think but dream, in your language."

"If you achieve that," Oromis said, replying in kind, "our venture may yet succeed." He paused. "Instead of flying directly here in the morning, you will accompany the elf I send to guide you. He will take you two to were those of Ellesméra practice swordplay. Stay for an hour, then continue as normal."