Klader
The drake bois
"Dragons... They need no introduction. The stories. Myths. The legends. That is all they are. That is all you have heard. It is not until you meet one in person. The fear you feel. Your body trembles. The awe you admire. Breathless when you see their beauty. The power you can feel. You feel helpless next to them. You can see it in their eyes. The age. So many untold stories. So many experiences. A wise mind but a young body."
The story so far.
Valadir. A young bold dragon. Full of hope and spirit. Once again running for his life. The dragon was always on the move. Next to no sleep, no permanent shelter and covering his tracks. While he was eating lunch, a group of thirty hunters tracked him down and chased him. However, they were prepared and quickly cornered him. It appeared it was the end for him. They had him to the ground.
It happened quickly. Yelling, screaming, roaring, death. Steel met blood. By the time he got to his feet, it was over. The only ones standing are him and these creatures he had never seen before. The resembled dragons yet they stand like men. They had the features of dragons. Triangular head. Over-sized wings. Tails and scales. They dressed in armour. They looked a bit ugly if he's honest with himself.
A big one. Probably the leader approached him and bowed. He explained who they are and what they're mission is. Drakes, they called themselves. They came from the southern mountains. Specifically the Drakken mountain range. So the stories are true. These mountain monsters exist. He had heard rumours and stories of others travelling into them and never returned. The few that did, didn't get far in and often lost limbs and their sanity. These drakes claimed they stirred from their home after hearing reports of the rapid rate of dragons dying. They said they owe the dragons from past deeds long ago. That they admire their kind, however, they kept to themselves. They were ignorant of what was happening behind there borders. Hence why they didn't help earlier.
Valadir didn't know what to think. It seemed so unreal. Is he dreaming right now? They did save his life so he does kinda owe it to them. They offered him to join them back to the mountains. He quickly agreed. He doesn't have anywhere else to go. No home. No possessions besides the few items in his backpack. Besides a little protection can always help. The leading drake revealed himself to be Eragon and apparently, he's a king. They seem to be overdoing it now but whatever. Valadir will go along with it. The dragon picked up a longsword, belonging to an elf that almost kills him with it and carried it inside his backpack for protection during the journey.
Valadir travelled with the group of twenty-two drakes. It was a long two months of travel. The first night together was peaceful, merry even. From there on it went downhill. On the first day of flying, they were attacked by griffins. An all-out air battle. Eragon, Valadir and two others managed to escape the battle. The rest kept the enemy busy while they fly further down to make a safe landing. It was not so. The chosen bay landed at was already occupied. A trap. Humans charged at them from all corners. Outnumbered six to one. However, the drakes a bigger, stronger and faster and stood their ground. Their fearlessness proved well. Only one drake fell to steel. An honourable death. Defending the beloved dragons. It was gruesome. Bloodstained the sand and water. The survivors reeked of war. Valadir had never seen such a sight. So much death and yet, he still expected more. The others finally caught up to them with losses of their own. Most had injuries beyond the ability to fly. Walking was the only option left. They still had a fair ways to go. During that day, Valadir was introduced to the drakes’ telepathic powers. They could communicate themselves with their thoughts, and Eragon requested the dragon’s permission to link their minds so they could talk that way when using the voice wasn’t an option. The dragon agreed with the condition that Eragon didn’t spy on his thoughts.
Three weeks past on foot. No one had directly attacked them however traps have been laid. It is as if the enemy knew exactly where they are going to be. Another two fell to these traps. They moved slowly along the shoreline. Watching every step they take. Valadir learnt a lot of their kind. He mainly spent his time with Eragon. He learnt about their culture. That they lived in carved out mountains.
The party finally made steady progress. Reaching a landmark that told them they have to move inland. They set up next to the beach for the last time. Eragon took Valadir away from the others to tell him what to expect in the mountains. As much as he would be safe. Like here, there are many politics involved. They will play on his mind. Physically safe. Mentally you have to stay guarded.
A trap sprung. A green shield enveloped them both. Eleves charged at them. poison darts flew at them. Eragon and Valadir were quickly subdued and the others couldn't hear them for the shield stopped all noise and movement. To the others, it was another quiet night. The two reptiles fell unconscious and powerless.
Both woke to the sound of wheels, horses and muttering. Evident they were trapped and bonded. Their captives, a group of elves. Thirty of them. They travelled for two weeks, heading west. Fed only the night's scraps, laced with the herb to keep them drowsy and weak and only having each other to pass the time. Each day was mind-numbingly dull. On their first night, both reptiles had a vision of Valadir, around twice or thrice his usual size, being some sort of highly regarded guardian, sitting atop a golden pyramid. After they woke up, they discussed their opinions about the vision, with Valadir feeling a bit depressed since that looked a lot better than the scenario he was currently stuck in, and it looked like people respected him a ton. Eragon, on the other hand, insisted on keeping focused. On the last night before arriving at their destination, they learnt they were being sold. Dragons were too scarce to be killed, now they were more valuable for fights in the arena in the nearby city, which had a nasty reputation. Both prisoners felt sad, with Eragon telling the dragon that it was a high honour to have been by his side for so long and that he considered the dragon a friend. He couldn’t say goodbye to his mate. Valadir was about to cry. He joked with Eragon about this scenario happening, but he didn’t actually think it would happen. He didn’t want to spend his last days fighting for the entertainment of a crowd that didn’t care about him. Realizing that that was their last chance of escaping, they noticed how their chains were loose due to them losing weight because of the scarce amount of food they were given. They carefully freed themselves. The dragon ripped an arrow off of his elbow that was stuck since the day they were caught and used it to disarm the lock and open the cage, while Eragon opened it by force. Their newfound freedom fueled their bodies of explosive power. One by one they cut down the elves until once again, all was deathly silent. They killed a horse and cooked it to fill their bellies.
While Valadir cooked the horse, Eragon caught a glimpse of a fox with deep blue eyes that were watching them from the forest around them. This fox morphed itself into a human girl. It retained the ears that of a fox and they counted nine tails. This creature revealed her name is Crystal and had been keeping a watchful eye for the past week. They reptilians decided it meant no harm say they sat with it. Crystal is a kitsune. Eragon thought they didn't exist. A story made up for children. Despite Crystal's youthful appearance, she is nine hundred and ninety-eight years old and had many answers. She belongs to an organisation called the Guardians. A very secret group that roam the land and defending it from threats. However, one slipped right under them. They named them the infesters. She explained how they turned the majority of sentient life on their continent as their host. They have these small creatures that poison the mind and dwell in it. Commanding the host's thoughts, emotion and actions. Not everyone has these creatures in their brain. Most don't contain this small infester. They use a strong telepathy skill to influence others around as well. People who have their magical prows are immune to it as well as already protected minds. Also, they seem to not affect any reptile. Mainly people in power have it. She also told them how she tracked their origin. On a large island in the west. Why they are here she has no answer but she is certain that it is their goal to eliminate all fire breathers. She isn't sure why either. She also knew about the vision they had earlier. It was caused by a spirit, a prophecy for Valadir. After reaching safety, he would have to go back and strike back at those evil beings, and for that, he would need to grow in size. She also told the dragon how she saw him hatch from the egg, and according to her, he was a bit mischievous in his first years. He had kept a loose eye on him since that point on, watching him without the dragon even knowing of her existence. She knew about the prophecy since he was born but not revealing it to him in order to not disrupt the future.
Eragon deemed Crystal not a threat and allowed her to travel with them. Both winged reptiles could finally fly. Crystal hopped of Valadir's back for the ride. They travelled a couple of days further towards the mountains.
They flew over their last plain before they would reach the sea. They flew high up where no bow can reach them. From the ground, they appeared as dots. To their trained eyes, they can see everything happening below They would have reached the sea early afternoon if Valadir hadn't spotted a familiar sight. An orange stain amidst the green of the forest. A friend of his surrounded by a group of hunters.
They dove straight down and caught the hunters be surprised. They quickly killed them all with ease. Valadir and his friend Wolnir haven't seen each other since the day hunters started killing them off. A year. A happy moment for them both. Crystal tended to Wolnir's wounds then they all left as quickly as they arrived.
Late afternoon they stopped by the sea for rest. In a healthy forest. To regain their strength before the final stretch. The dragons and Crystal scouted their surroundings to see if the area was safe, while Eragon looked for a place to rest. They didn’t plan to eat in order to not attract attention. In the end, the drake discovered a cave. It looked perfect for all of them. However, he picked up on the scent of a bear. Still, this opportunity is too good to skip. The cave went surprisingly deep. Right end the end was the bear, sleeping. Eragon tried to go for a silent kill, but the bear realized and proceeded to defend itself, but in the end, it was defeated. He called the others to the cave and they ate raw for the night. Excluding Crystal. She ate wild berries. The night was eventful. They rested in peace.
Early morning they continued the journey over the sea. Midday they saw the mountains. That gave them renewed energy to finish the last stretch.
They touch ground in the evening. Two drakes protecting the border guided them to a nearby outpost. It is more of a well-hidden fancy hideout in a mountain. It is placed in the outer mountains. Small but, still large enough to hide an army. It was on their way where Eragon gave the dragons their respective titles, which was given by the leading drake when a dragon did a remarkable deed, or when the leading drake got to know a dragon for a certain amount of time. Valadir was given the title Unbroken for his resilient will during the two months he spent with Eragon trying to go to the mountains, while Wolnir was titled Brightscaled because of his physical appearance.
The dragons were surprised by the formality the drakes had. Especially Valadir. After the time he had spent with them already, he expected them to be more animalistic. They are very sentient and intelligent. Even though this is just an outpost, much detail and craftsmanship have been put into it. They cleaned themselves in hot baths. Ate until their bellies are full. They were also given their own sets of armour that day. Wolnir’s set was particularly shiny, like a mirror and with slits so his hair was visible, while Valadir’s one was black and more aggressive-looking, and he was given back his sword in a more presentable state. Clean, polished and with a new sheath. They were given a room to sleep in. A cozy place with a couple of big red cushions and a lit fireplace to warm them in the winter night. Halfway through the night, the dragons were stuck by nightmares, bringing them to tears and being up to Crystal to comfort them. That’s where Wolnir learnt of Valadir’s prophecy.
The next morning they had a later start. They bid their farewells and flew deeper into the mountain range. If they were on foot it would take them days to reach their next location. In the air, less than half a day. Early afternoon they reached their final destination. The Golden Mountain. The heart of the drakes home. A huge mountain carved over hundreds of years into one gaint fortress. Stone metal towers protruded from their sides. A towered and well-armed stone wall protected its circumference as well as three main gates, equally separated from each other. One faced the valley of flowers while the other two face smaller valleys between mountains. The mountains name comes from all the gold and precious metals that surround the buildings that are built into the mountain. It is if it is laced with it. It reflects much of the sun like a beacon. For Eragon, it's a welcome sight. Finally home and safe. However, there was one more obstacle for the drake to overcome. His mate. He had gone against her will, and upon reuniting she was absolutely pissed. When things calmed down, she introduced herself as Lenera, and was eager to show the dragons around. The place was immense, like a whole city condensed there. A maze protected the entrance. The pair of drakes guided the dragons to their new, elegant rooms with a pretty sight of the valley, a studio, bathroom and bedroom. Wolnir, Eragon and Crystal flew to a small village full of kitsunes, and amongst them, there was her tribe, and she was eager to reunite with her people. There they met the kitsunes’ leader, Elijah, who explained over some tea to Eragon and Wolnir that they worked in the shadows, striking at evil and that the parasites were too scared to attack them in the mountains. The kitsunes survived because they weren’t a target. The drakes weren’t attacked because of how they distanced themselves from the rest of the world. The dragons were an easy target since they were scattered and they mingled with everyone, and that there were dragons still out there, fighting for their lives. Wolnir was presented to the kitsune that watched over him, and he learnt that every dragon was watched in a way, and was gifted a flower crown and a pair of elegant bracelets, one for him and one for Val to wear so they could keep track of each other's location. They then went urgently to the hospital since Eragon’s brother was in grave condition. He had been attacked by humans. Wolnir waited outside while Eragon, Lenera and Crys went inside. After he was stabilized, Eragon and Wolnir went back home, while Crys went back to her people.
Valadir, in the meanwhile, spent his day speaking with the guards stationed outside his room and visiting the jeweller so he could arrange a gift for Wolnir since his hatchday was approaching, and also an appointment for both dragons for a new set of armour.
When the friends reunited, Wolnir gave the bracelet to Valadir and told him about the things he was told while keeping the hospital thing private. Valadir felt guilty about being there pretending nothing was wrong while the rest of his spices was dying. He burst into tears and it was up to Wolnir to calm him down. After dining and sleeping, Valadir reunited with Eragon, and that’s when the dragon told the drake that he had problems with the prophecy. He didn’t understand how the dragon could be that selfish. He went away to attend to more important matters while Lenera took Valadir to the training ground to refine his skills for the upcoming war against the parasites. Wolnir tagged along, just to watch.
Valadir’s first test was a straight, one-on-one fight against Lenera. The dragon won but was berated for his attitude, which further made him doubt the future. His flying skills were then tested, and he aced all of the flying tests which made his instructor very exited. After spending most of the day training, Valadir was exhausted and decided to go have something to eat alongside Wolnir. That’s where they met Seranata, Eragon’s sister. She was aware of Valadir’s distaste for the prophecy, and thus proposed an alternative that would allow him to take matters in his own paws. She gave him a ring and left, leaving Valadir unsure about what to do. Even if that sounded like a great idea, he wasn’t sure if that was the right decision. He was getting the feeling he would get used, just like he thought Eragon was using him now. After eating, Valadir took the ring, hid it in his paw without putting it on and, along with Wolnir’s company, went to look for Crystal in order to ask for her advice.
- Watt Tylar
The story so far.
Valadir. A young bold dragon. Full of hope and spirit. Once again running for his life. The dragon was always on the move. Next to no sleep, no permanent shelter and covering his tracks. While he was eating lunch, a group of thirty hunters tracked him down and chased him. However, they were prepared and quickly cornered him. It appeared it was the end for him. They had him to the ground.
It happened quickly. Yelling, screaming, roaring, death. Steel met blood. By the time he got to his feet, it was over. The only ones standing are him and these creatures he had never seen before. The resembled dragons yet they stand like men. They had the features of dragons. Triangular head. Over-sized wings. Tails and scales. They dressed in armour. They looked a bit ugly if he's honest with himself.
A big one. Probably the leader approached him and bowed. He explained who they are and what they're mission is. Drakes, they called themselves. They came from the southern mountains. Specifically the Drakken mountain range. So the stories are true. These mountain monsters exist. He had heard rumours and stories of others travelling into them and never returned. The few that did, didn't get far in and often lost limbs and their sanity. These drakes claimed they stirred from their home after hearing reports of the rapid rate of dragons dying. They said they owe the dragons from past deeds long ago. That they admire their kind, however, they kept to themselves. They were ignorant of what was happening behind there borders. Hence why they didn't help earlier.
Valadir didn't know what to think. It seemed so unreal. Is he dreaming right now? They did save his life so he does kinda owe it to them. They offered him to join them back to the mountains. He quickly agreed. He doesn't have anywhere else to go. No home. No possessions besides the few items in his backpack. Besides a little protection can always help. The leading drake revealed himself to be Eragon and apparently, he's a king. They seem to be overdoing it now but whatever. Valadir will go along with it. The dragon picked up a longsword, belonging to an elf that almost kills him with it and carried it inside his backpack for protection during the journey.
Valadir travelled with the group of twenty-two drakes. It was a long two months of travel. The first night together was peaceful, merry even. From there on it went downhill. On the first day of flying, they were attacked by griffins. An all-out air battle. Eragon, Valadir and two others managed to escape the battle. The rest kept the enemy busy while they fly further down to make a safe landing. It was not so. The chosen bay landed at was already occupied. A trap. Humans charged at them from all corners. Outnumbered six to one. However, the drakes a bigger, stronger and faster and stood their ground. Their fearlessness proved well. Only one drake fell to steel. An honourable death. Defending the beloved dragons. It was gruesome. Bloodstained the sand and water. The survivors reeked of war. Valadir had never seen such a sight. So much death and yet, he still expected more. The others finally caught up to them with losses of their own. Most had injuries beyond the ability to fly. Walking was the only option left. They still had a fair ways to go. During that day, Valadir was introduced to the drakes’ telepathic powers. They could communicate themselves with their thoughts, and Eragon requested the dragon’s permission to link their minds so they could talk that way when using the voice wasn’t an option. The dragon agreed with the condition that Eragon didn’t spy on his thoughts.
Three weeks past on foot. No one had directly attacked them however traps have been laid. It is as if the enemy knew exactly where they are going to be. Another two fell to these traps. They moved slowly along the shoreline. Watching every step they take. Valadir learnt a lot of their kind. He mainly spent his time with Eragon. He learnt about their culture. That they lived in carved out mountains.
The party finally made steady progress. Reaching a landmark that told them they have to move inland. They set up next to the beach for the last time. Eragon took Valadir away from the others to tell him what to expect in the mountains. As much as he would be safe. Like here, there are many politics involved. They will play on his mind. Physically safe. Mentally you have to stay guarded.
A trap sprung. A green shield enveloped them both. Eleves charged at them. poison darts flew at them. Eragon and Valadir were quickly subdued and the others couldn't hear them for the shield stopped all noise and movement. To the others, it was another quiet night. The two reptiles fell unconscious and powerless.
Both woke to the sound of wheels, horses and muttering. Evident they were trapped and bonded. Their captives, a group of elves. Thirty of them. They travelled for two weeks, heading west. Fed only the night's scraps, laced with the herb to keep them drowsy and weak and only having each other to pass the time. Each day was mind-numbingly dull. On their first night, both reptiles had a vision of Valadir, around twice or thrice his usual size, being some sort of highly regarded guardian, sitting atop a golden pyramid. After they woke up, they discussed their opinions about the vision, with Valadir feeling a bit depressed since that looked a lot better than the scenario he was currently stuck in, and it looked like people respected him a ton. Eragon, on the other hand, insisted on keeping focused. On the last night before arriving at their destination, they learnt they were being sold. Dragons were too scarce to be killed, now they were more valuable for fights in the arena in the nearby city, which had a nasty reputation. Both prisoners felt sad, with Eragon telling the dragon that it was a high honour to have been by his side for so long and that he considered the dragon a friend. He couldn’t say goodbye to his mate. Valadir was about to cry. He joked with Eragon about this scenario happening, but he didn’t actually think it would happen. He didn’t want to spend his last days fighting for the entertainment of a crowd that didn’t care about him. Realizing that that was their last chance of escaping, they noticed how their chains were loose due to them losing weight because of the scarce amount of food they were given. They carefully freed themselves. The dragon ripped an arrow off of his elbow that was stuck since the day they were caught and used it to disarm the lock and open the cage, while Eragon opened it by force. Their newfound freedom fueled their bodies of explosive power. One by one they cut down the elves until once again, all was deathly silent. They killed a horse and cooked it to fill their bellies.
While Valadir cooked the horse, Eragon caught a glimpse of a fox with deep blue eyes that were watching them from the forest around them. This fox morphed itself into a human girl. It retained the ears that of a fox and they counted nine tails. This creature revealed her name is Crystal and had been keeping a watchful eye for the past week. They reptilians decided it meant no harm say they sat with it. Crystal is a kitsune. Eragon thought they didn't exist. A story made up for children. Despite Crystal's youthful appearance, she is nine hundred and ninety-eight years old and had many answers. She belongs to an organisation called the Guardians. A very secret group that roam the land and defending it from threats. However, one slipped right under them. They named them the infesters. She explained how they turned the majority of sentient life on their continent as their host. They have these small creatures that poison the mind and dwell in it. Commanding the host's thoughts, emotion and actions. Not everyone has these creatures in their brain. Most don't contain this small infester. They use a strong telepathy skill to influence others around as well. People who have their magical prows are immune to it as well as already protected minds. Also, they seem to not affect any reptile. Mainly people in power have it. She also told them how she tracked their origin. On a large island in the west. Why they are here she has no answer but she is certain that it is their goal to eliminate all fire breathers. She isn't sure why either. She also knew about the vision they had earlier. It was caused by a spirit, a prophecy for Valadir. After reaching safety, he would have to go back and strike back at those evil beings, and for that, he would need to grow in size. She also told the dragon how she saw him hatch from the egg, and according to her, he was a bit mischievous in his first years. He had kept a loose eye on him since that point on, watching him without the dragon even knowing of her existence. She knew about the prophecy since he was born but not revealing it to him in order to not disrupt the future.
Eragon deemed Crystal not a threat and allowed her to travel with them. Both winged reptiles could finally fly. Crystal hopped of Valadir's back for the ride. They travelled a couple of days further towards the mountains.
They flew over their last plain before they would reach the sea. They flew high up where no bow can reach them. From the ground, they appeared as dots. To their trained eyes, they can see everything happening below They would have reached the sea early afternoon if Valadir hadn't spotted a familiar sight. An orange stain amidst the green of the forest. A friend of his surrounded by a group of hunters.
They dove straight down and caught the hunters be surprised. They quickly killed them all with ease. Valadir and his friend Wolnir haven't seen each other since the day hunters started killing them off. A year. A happy moment for them both. Crystal tended to Wolnir's wounds then they all left as quickly as they arrived.
Late afternoon they stopped by the sea for rest. In a healthy forest. To regain their strength before the final stretch. The dragons and Crystal scouted their surroundings to see if the area was safe, while Eragon looked for a place to rest. They didn’t plan to eat in order to not attract attention. In the end, the drake discovered a cave. It looked perfect for all of them. However, he picked up on the scent of a bear. Still, this opportunity is too good to skip. The cave went surprisingly deep. Right end the end was the bear, sleeping. Eragon tried to go for a silent kill, but the bear realized and proceeded to defend itself, but in the end, it was defeated. He called the others to the cave and they ate raw for the night. Excluding Crystal. She ate wild berries. The night was eventful. They rested in peace.
Early morning they continued the journey over the sea. Midday they saw the mountains. That gave them renewed energy to finish the last stretch.
They touch ground in the evening. Two drakes protecting the border guided them to a nearby outpost. It is more of a well-hidden fancy hideout in a mountain. It is placed in the outer mountains. Small but, still large enough to hide an army. It was on their way where Eragon gave the dragons their respective titles, which was given by the leading drake when a dragon did a remarkable deed, or when the leading drake got to know a dragon for a certain amount of time. Valadir was given the title Unbroken for his resilient will during the two months he spent with Eragon trying to go to the mountains, while Wolnir was titled Brightscaled because of his physical appearance.
The dragons were surprised by the formality the drakes had. Especially Valadir. After the time he had spent with them already, he expected them to be more animalistic. They are very sentient and intelligent. Even though this is just an outpost, much detail and craftsmanship have been put into it. They cleaned themselves in hot baths. Ate until their bellies are full. They were also given their own sets of armour that day. Wolnir’s set was particularly shiny, like a mirror and with slits so his hair was visible, while Valadir’s one was black and more aggressive-looking, and he was given back his sword in a more presentable state. Clean, polished and with a new sheath. They were given a room to sleep in. A cozy place with a couple of big red cushions and a lit fireplace to warm them in the winter night. Halfway through the night, the dragons were stuck by nightmares, bringing them to tears and being up to Crystal to comfort them. That’s where Wolnir learnt of Valadir’s prophecy.
The next morning they had a later start. They bid their farewells and flew deeper into the mountain range. If they were on foot it would take them days to reach their next location. In the air, less than half a day. Early afternoon they reached their final destination. The Golden Mountain. The heart of the drakes home. A huge mountain carved over hundreds of years into one gaint fortress. Stone metal towers protruded from their sides. A towered and well-armed stone wall protected its circumference as well as three main gates, equally separated from each other. One faced the valley of flowers while the other two face smaller valleys between mountains. The mountains name comes from all the gold and precious metals that surround the buildings that are built into the mountain. It is if it is laced with it. It reflects much of the sun like a beacon. For Eragon, it's a welcome sight. Finally home and safe. However, there was one more obstacle for the drake to overcome. His mate. He had gone against her will, and upon reuniting she was absolutely pissed. When things calmed down, she introduced herself as Lenera, and was eager to show the dragons around. The place was immense, like a whole city condensed there. A maze protected the entrance. The pair of drakes guided the dragons to their new, elegant rooms with a pretty sight of the valley, a studio, bathroom and bedroom. Wolnir, Eragon and Crystal flew to a small village full of kitsunes, and amongst them, there was her tribe, and she was eager to reunite with her people. There they met the kitsunes’ leader, Elijah, who explained over some tea to Eragon and Wolnir that they worked in the shadows, striking at evil and that the parasites were too scared to attack them in the mountains. The kitsunes survived because they weren’t a target. The drakes weren’t attacked because of how they distanced themselves from the rest of the world. The dragons were an easy target since they were scattered and they mingled with everyone, and that there were dragons still out there, fighting for their lives. Wolnir was presented to the kitsune that watched over him, and he learnt that every dragon was watched in a way, and was gifted a flower crown and a pair of elegant bracelets, one for him and one for Val to wear so they could keep track of each other's location. They then went urgently to the hospital since Eragon’s brother was in grave condition. He had been attacked by humans. Wolnir waited outside while Eragon, Lenera and Crys went inside. After he was stabilized, Eragon and Wolnir went back home, while Crys went back to her people.
Valadir, in the meanwhile, spent his day speaking with the guards stationed outside his room and visiting the jeweller so he could arrange a gift for Wolnir since his hatchday was approaching, and also an appointment for both dragons for a new set of armour.
When the friends reunited, Wolnir gave the bracelet to Valadir and told him about the things he was told while keeping the hospital thing private. Valadir felt guilty about being there pretending nothing was wrong while the rest of his spices was dying. He burst into tears and it was up to Wolnir to calm him down. After dining and sleeping, Valadir reunited with Eragon, and that’s when the dragon told the drake that he had problems with the prophecy. He didn’t understand how the dragon could be that selfish. He went away to attend to more important matters while Lenera took Valadir to the training ground to refine his skills for the upcoming war against the parasites. Wolnir tagged along, just to watch.
Valadir’s first test was a straight, one-on-one fight against Lenera. The dragon won but was berated for his attitude, which further made him doubt the future. His flying skills were then tested, and he aced all of the flying tests which made his instructor very exited. After spending most of the day training, Valadir was exhausted and decided to go have something to eat alongside Wolnir. That’s where they met Seranata, Eragon’s sister. She was aware of Valadir’s distaste for the prophecy, and thus proposed an alternative that would allow him to take matters in his own paws. She gave him a ring and left, leaving Valadir unsure about what to do. Even if that sounded like a great idea, he wasn’t sure if that was the right decision. He was getting the feeling he would get used, just like he thought Eragon was using him now. After eating, Valadir took the ring, hid it in his paw without putting it on and, along with Wolnir’s company, went to look for Crystal in order to ask for her advice.
