Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Fifty-One: Brilliant

Orrin scowled and looked as if he was going to continue arguing, but Glaedr preempted him.

"They did as I asked, King of the Surdans. The Eldunarí are the greatest secret of our race, and we do not share it lightly with others, even kings."

"Then why have you chosen to do so now?" demanded Orrin. "You could have gone into battle without ever revealing yourself."

"Because the Eldunarí are the key to defeating my father," I said in a tight voice. "Eragon, might you share our experience at Vroengard?"

Eragon recounted the story of our trip to Vroengard, including our encounter with the storm at sea and the sight we had witnessed at the very top of the clouds. Arya and Blödhgarm seemed the most interested in that part of our story, whereas Orik was the most uncomfortable.

"Barzûl, but that sounds a nasty experience," Orik said. "It makes me shiver just to think of it. The ground is the proper place for a dwarf, not the sky."

"I agree," Saphira said, which caused Orik to scowl suspiciously and twist the braided ends of his beard. Resuming his tale, Eragon told of how we had entered the Vault of Souls, though he smartly refrained from divulging that this had required our true names. And when he, at last, revealed what the vault had contained, there was a moment of shocked silence.

"Open your minds," I said. "We do not lie."

A moment later, the sound of whispering voices seemed to fill the air, and I felt the presence of Umaroth and the other hidden dragons surround them. The elves staggered, and Arya dropped to one knee, pressing a hand to the side of her head as if she had been struck.

Orik uttered a cry and looked about, wild-eyed, while Roran, Jörmundur, and Orrin stood dumbfounded. Queen Islanzadí knelt, adopting a pose much like her daughter's. The elves seemed most affected by the revelation: Blödhgarm stared into the air with an expression of joy and wonder, while Arya continued to kneel. Islanzadí beamed with a triumphant radiance.

"By Morgothal's hammer, this puts a new twist on things! With their help, we might actually be able to kill Galbatorix!" Orik exclcaimed.

"You didn't think we could before?" Eragon asked, mildly.

"Of course, I did. Only not so much as I do now." Orik replied, defending himself.

"I didn't. ... I knew that you and the elves would fight as hard as you could, but I didn't believe you could win. Galbatorix has defeated so many Riders, and you and Mal are but two, and not that old. It didn't seem possible." Roran said, looking at Eragon.

"I know."

"Now, though ..." A wolfish look came into Roran's eyes. "Now we have a chance."

"Aye," Jörmundur said. "And just think: we no longer have to worry so much about Murtagh. He's no match for you and the dragons combined."

"Umaroth says that you have devised a battle plan. Do you intend to share it with us, Shadeslayer?" Orrin asked, speaking up.

"I would like to hear it as well," Islanzadí said in a kinder tone.

"And I," Orik said. Eragon and I stared at them for a moment, then we nodded. Eragon turned to Islanzadí.

"Is your army ready to fight?"

"It is. Long we have waited for our vengeance; we need to wait no longer."

"And ours?" Eragon asked, directing his words toward Orrin, Jörmundur, and Orik.

"Mine knurlan are eager for battle," Orik proclaimed. Jörmundur glanced at King Orrin.

"Our men are tired and hungry, but their will is unbroken."

"The Urgals too?"

"Them too."

"Then, we attack," I stated.

"When?" Orrin demanded.

"At first light." For a moment, no one spoke.

"Easy to say, hard to do. How?" Roran said, breaking the silence. Eragon explained. When he finished, there was another silence. Roran squatted and began to draw in the dirt with the tip of a finger.

"It's risky."

"But bold," Orik said. "Very bold."

"Choosing safe paths will not win us this war," I said, looking at the group. "If we can catch my father unprepared, even a bit, it might be enough to tip the scales." Jörmundur rubbed his chin.

"Why not kill Murtagh first? That's the part I don't understand. Why not finish him and Thorn while we have the chance?" I coughed a little and Eragon took over.

"Because," Eragon replied, "then Galbatorix would know of them. We would lose the advantage of surprise."

"What of the child?" Orrin asked harshly. "What makes you think that she will accommodate you? She hasn't before."

"This time she will," Eragon promised. The king grunted, unconvinced.

"Eragon, it is a great and terrible thing you two propose. Are you willing to do this? I ask not because I doubt your dedication or your bravery, but because this is something to be undertaken only after much consideration. So I ask you: are you willing to do this, even knowing what the cost may be?"

"I am. It must be done, and we are the ones to whom the task has fallen. Whatever the cost, we cannot turn away now." As a sign of their agreement, Saphira and Alethea opened their jaws a few inches and then snapped them shut, punctuating the end of his sentence.

"I will not stop until my father's empire crumbles to the ground," I said in a steely voice. Islanzadí turned her face toward the sky.

"And do you and those you speak for approve of this, Umaroth-elda?"

"We do," Umaroth replied.

"Then here we go," Roran murmured.