Andlátkyn; Vandr Sanses unin Alagaësia

Tarnag

Several groans echoed as everyone glared at the bright light pouring into the tunnel as the doors swung open. Saphira hissed and arched her neck to peer outside.
Two days.
It took two days to make their way through the endless passageway and arrive at the other end. The eternal dusk had laden them with silence, tremendous and heavy. Only so much was said during the dense quiet. Only the sound of footsteps, dragonic and humanoid alike filled the gaps of conversation.

…

Nightmare had felt a little irritated with Eragon when the boy had decided to join him in supper with Arya to learn more of the elf. His annoyance made no sense, so he brushed it off as they spoke at the time.
Or rather, ate near each other in silence.
When the Rider asked about her aversion to meat, Arya responded simply.
"You will never again consume an animal's flesh after you have been trained, or if you do, it will be only on the rarest of occasions."
The King of Negativity pondered the reason behind this as Eragon scoffed.
"Why should I give up meat?"
"I cannot explain with words, but you will understand once we reach Ellesméra."
…

Why the conversation flitted across Nightmare's consciousness was beyond him, but his eyelights flicked over to where the elf stood, admiring her regal air and lack of fear for the company she kept. It continually baffled him how unafraid of him she always remained, showing only honest respect in both behavior and mind. It was a conundrum he couldn't solve and that bothered him.

Those thoughts were tossed from his mind as he approached the ledge their team stood upon.
It was a vein of granite jutting out from the earth, over a hundred feet above a purple-tinted lake that shone under the light of the morning sun. Just as Kóstha-mérna had, the lake spanned the length of the valley, touching the flanks of the mountains on either side. Across from them flowed the Az Ragni, weaving it's way north until it's distantly poured into the plains.
To the right, a few paths could be glimpsed through the mountains and the left beheld a terraced city known as Tarnag. For the most part it was mostly farmland, scattered with stone halls, mostly empty. But further up was a series of tiers, buildings entwined with each other until it all stopped at the milky white dome. Whatever the cathedral was for, it was very much impressive.

Orik already knew the question they wanted to ask. "That is Celbedeil, the greatest temple of dwarfdom and home of Dûrgrimst Quan- to Quan clan- who acts as servants and messengers to the gods."
Do they rule Tarnag? Saphira inquired. Eragon repeated Saphira's question.
"Nay." Arya answered for them as she slipped past. "Though the Quan are strong, they are small in numbers, despite their power over the afterlife… and gold. It is the Ragni Hefthyn- the River Guard- who control Tarnag. We will stay with their clan chief, Ûndin, while here."

With that, Eragon, Saphira, Orik and the skeletons followed the elf off the granite cliff and into the rugged forest towards the city. Orik leaned in close to Nightmare and Eragon, whispering. "Mind her not. She has been arguing with the Quan for many a year. Every time she visits Tarnag and speaks with a priest, it produces a quarrrel fierce enough to scare a Kull."
"Arya?" Eragon asked in disbelief.
Orik bobbed his head somberly. "I know little of it, but I've heard she disagrees strongly with much that the Quan practice. It seems that elves do not hold with 'muttering into the air for help'."

Eragon fell thoughtfully silent and stared at Arya's back as they made their way down the mountainside. Nightmare pondered it himself, until he reached the conclusion that she was an atheist and held no appreciation for religious practices. Which was somewhat of a relief to him.
He took a deep breath and enjoyed the outside world. The birds, the bees, the chattering of cicadas, the gentle sun, the peace of mind in his team, the scent of the forest.
Even he knew to enjoy such things, for many AU's back in the Multiverse did not have such gifts. And a peaceful forest was something Nightmare quite enjoyed. His castle had been situated in one, after all.
He could feel the pulse of life in the trees, junipers and pines, in the deer scampering through the woods, in the ferns and flowers, in the mice and rabbits scampering in the undergrowth, the hundreds of birds, and the moss. He had caught up to Arya, only a few paces behind her and faintly aware of Eragon and Orik chatting.