Lords of the Sky (Isyrdia)

[David Lightningsword]

The events of the past few months troubled both David and Zeus. Ever since the Fall of Galbatroix, there future was un clear, and surprises popped up from every corner of the earth. First came Heralda's Eldunari as soon as David and Zeus had returned from their mission for the Varden along with Brenton. Next came the assassins who had wanted to take Brenton's life, and had just narrowly failed. Then they had gone off to Gil'ead along with Auran and velethan, and a few other elves and ended the source.

That had not been all though, for on their return voyage, then ran into none other than Clarissa, Daughter of Galbatorix and her magically enlarged dragon Vervada. Then he went and got Clarissa to fall for him, which sent his own mind racing. What should he do? What COULD he do. Zeus was against it, he had some notion that she was using him to get into the Varden and kill Nasuada or Eragon or someone along those lines. Heralda was taking the side that Vervada chose Clarissa for a reason, and no dragon chooses evil. David did not know what to think.

So he had refrained from being with that pair since their return to Uru'baen, for he had no idea what to do about them. Right now though him and Zeus were flying high in the sky, enjoying eachother company, not a care in the world but eachother.

[Quetzal]

Arlyn glided through clouds, relishing the feeling of the wind flowing with him. He and his Rider, Isrydia, were of the Air Branch, and as such the skies were a little more favourable to them. The air moved smoothly around them, helping them. Up here Isrydia wasn't bothered by the lack of leg below her right knee. She was strapped in tightly to the saddle so not to fall. Balancing on the dragon's back had been difficult at first, but she had quickly learned to adjust and now it was just as easy as when she had had all her limbs. Flying stopped it getting in the way. Walking was slowed and awkward with a crutch. She had been intending to go and see someone about building something to act as a replacement, but had yet to think of someone up to the task of creating such an object capable of functioning in the high levels of physical activity she needed it for.

"That's Zeus and David, isn't it? The egg that hatched just after the battle," Arlyn pointed her mind towards a black shape. It was too small to be Emiryal's black dragon, so it had to be that younger one. They flew lower to meet them.

Isrydia had not spoken to David before, since after becoming a Rider he'd quickly gone away on some mission or other, and between the battle and his leaving she'd been in bed recovering from her injuries. "Hi!" She shouted, then, realising it would be hard to hear her and she didn't know how to earn the wind's favour quite well enough to make it carry her voice, touched his and Zeus' minds instead. "Hello," she said, should they let her, "my name's Isrydia, and my dragon is Arlyn. You're David and Zeus, right? I hear you went away on some mission lately. How did it go, if you don't mind me asking?"

[David Lightningsword]

Zeus tasted the air and tasted another dragon and female rider close to them. Had been had the rough upbringing dragons like Saphira had, where almost every dragon he had met was hostile, he would have roared a challenge. Instead though, he knew they were over Uru'baen, and if he had been the bigger dragon about to attack the smaller one, he would have given the smaller one no chance to form a plan of attack, so he knew the other dragon was friendly. So he circled with the larger dragon. "Do you reconize them little one?" Zeus rumbled in the privacy of his connection with his Rider David.

David replied "Isrydia and her Dragon, Arlyn. They have been with the Varden for a while. Not longer than I.. but a while." He heard her faint voice, but was unable to detirmine what she was saying due to the thunderous booms of the flapping wings of both white and black dragons a like. He then felt her mind touch his and allowed her in without chalenge. If she so chose to attack, she would find herself fighting not 2, but 3 minds, for Heralda was always with them.

So he replied to her "Well met Isyrdia, Arlyn. You are correct, we have been on a couple missions since Zeus Hatched. Both went better than expected. How do you fare?" He noticed her missing limb, for he knew it was no longer there. He may have been but a footsoldier during the battle. Yet he was a foot Soldier whom had eyes and USED them. He was hardly as blind as some may have thought.

Zeus himself conveyed his greetings as well to both dragon and rider "Well met Arlyn of the White Scales. Rider Isrydia." Heralda herself stayed hidden, for she was not sure how informed these Riders were of the Eldunari. David only knew for Heralda had wished to travel with the grandson of her rider, and her child. Normally it would be a long time before the heart of hearts were ever mentioned to Riders.

[Quetzal]

Arlyn was pleased the other Rider and dragon recognised them and flew over. Things were a lot safer to dragons and Riders these days now the Empire weren't constantly looking to expand their army or kill the opponent's, but there was still a definite wariness. Total peace and a sense of community as he had heard of before the Fall was held off by the fear of the past century. The other dragon was black, a Fire or Earth Branch colour, but flew with grace more like the Air Branch. "Well, thank you. Things have been much safer since the war ended,"

[/b] Isrydia replied to David.

The other two were very polite. It was still odd to be treated with formalities and respect, even after all their work, since Isrydia felt she was still just her, the same girl she'd been before Arlyn had hatched. "You fly well, Zeus. Have you joined any of the Branches yet?" Arlyn asked the younger dragon. He was curious whether he had decided to pursue the Air Branch or go with his scale colour. The branches still needed work, with the lack of unity war brought, but they were getting there.[/blockquote]

[David Lightningsword]

David and Zeus could sense that the two were evaluating them. David was used to this, as He was used to being sized up. Ever since he had joined the Varden with his father people had been trying to determine if David Zeusson would live up to the power and the stature of Zeus Kronosson. Of course David had proven by now that he had, and in many ways surpassed his father. He had called attention to himself in the battle of Farthen Dur when he had called lightning down with magic to strike his sword and took on a bunch of Urgals with that lightning. He was a warrior that few could match in combat, and knew more of the ancient language than most of the Du Vrangr Gata. However he was nothing compared to the Riders. Even now that he was one.. he still had lots to learn. He replied to the woman on dragonback with "In Uru'baen perhaps, yet the outside world is still dangerous. Zeus and I have encountered a few foes in our times away from the city." He did not tell her what, or show her using this mental connection. For the showing part would require a more intimate connection, and the explaining part was best reserved for a talk on the ground.

David felt Zeus hum at the white Dragon's compliment. He then heard as Zeus responded "I have inherited the skills of my mother, Heralda dragon of Kronos. I also inherited her love for the winds. However We have yet to join a branch." Personally David was confused about the branch thing, for Brenton had never mentioned it to him, and Heralda had not really mentioned the branches, except to state that her and Kronos had been in the air branch. Thus why He had named his sword Kveykva... the sword that David now carried on his hip.

[Quetzal]

There were always dangers in the outside world besides the Empire. The Empire had made up a lot of them before, but the others were still out there. Weird creatures she didn't know about, old magics in ancient places long forgotten, any number of evil things out there ready to kill. She didn't questions what the enemies were, sensing his unwillingness to share more. That was sensible, she wouldn't want to trust a stranger with a strong enough mental connection to share more complex memories with, nor would she want to share something that had greatly upset her if the issue was more to do with personal troubles.

"You know who your mother is?" Arlyn exclaimed in surprise. He had never heard of a dragon before who knew their parentage. Before the Fall, of course, but nowadays few people knew the eggs' histories. They were stolen and hidden far too often to keep track. "If you have a love for the winds, you ought to consider joining the Air Branch. That's the one Arlyn and I are in. The colour of a dragon's scales usually determine their branch, and Arlyn's being icy blue meant either Air or Water. We felt more comfortable with Air. Your black scales suggest Fire or Earth, but of course there are exceptions," Isrydia explained.

[David Lightningsword]

"Stick a paw in your maw why don't you?" Heralda scorned in the privacy of her, Zeus's and David's mental connection. She was not sure how much the hatchlings.. for Arlyn and Isrydia were that in her mind... Most of the Riders and Dragons alive today were hatchlings in her mind, Knew about the Eldunari. So She said "Lie until they force the truth out of you. I am not sure if their masters have taught them of the Eldunari." Zeus made note of that and then said to the ice blue dragon "Eragon found some records in Galbatorix's possession. My mother was bonded to David's Grandfather and fell to Morzan's blade 50 years ago"

David listened silently to Isyrdia's advice. He knew little to nothing of the branches, as Brenton had yet to teach him, and all he knew were from stories. However he gathered Kronos and Heralda belonged to the air branch, for Heralda once had a body built quite like Saphira's, and while Zeus was more bulky he was still able to cut through the air with ease. Also there was his black curved sword Kveykva.. which was lightning in the ancient language.. it was once his grandfather's blade. So he stated "I have not decided which branch I wished to belong to, yet the air branch seems like a good fit. Given my heritage, my blade and my name, it seems apropriate. How does one go about going a branch?"

[Quetzal]

Isrydia and Arlyn didn't think twice about the explanation given for Zeus knowing his mother. It was logical David knew his grandfather had a dragon who gave an egg to the Riders. A lot of records were found when Uru'baen was searched, and these records might have been confirmed by some recognition or similarity one of the pair felt. It wasn't out of the question they would just know somehow their connection. As well as making sense it was a huge coincidence, the chances microscopically small of a dragon's descendent pairing with her Rider's descendent. It made for a nice story. "It's incredible how something so unlikely happened. I think it's quite sweet how your two bloodlines became such team twice," Arlyn said.

Joining a branch... they weren't entirely sure. "We joined the Air Branch when they were first re-made. The Elders, Anurin and Valinor, led the new members to the Air Citadel where they initiated us and gave us some basic training. I suppose you would have to go to him. The Air Citadel is in the sky surrounded by storms, so you'd be unlikely to reach it without being a member of the Branch. Find Anurin and Valinor and they can teach you." But how to find those two? They hadn't seen them in a while. Then again, they hadn't been to the Air Citadel in a while. He could be training new initiates there. "You could try reaching the Citadel, and perhaps if you truly are meant for the Air Branch you can make it without official membership or training. Your best hope is finding Anurin and Valinor. If I see them or anyone who might, I'll pass on the word. In the meantime, Arlyn could try teaching Zeus a little so you might reach the Citadel without help," she offered, though unsure it would work.

[David Lightningsword]

Heralda was pleased with what she heard through Zeus's mind. So her child was as quick thinking as she had been, and was intelligent enough to come up with a valid story that was easy enough to explain and was easily believable. With that she became silent again, watching, but not commenting.

Zeus was pleased his lie had been taken so easily, without explanation. It did not answer the outstanding question of the other pair knowing of the Eldunari, however at least they weren't left with the awkward position of explaining everything, so he said "Heralda and Kronos were robbed of life as a pair too early by Morzan.. and ultimately by Galbatorix, so it was deemed fate and fair that their bloodlines continue the bond within myself and David. David wields Kronos's old blade.. and due to shortness of Riders, basicaly holds the old position. It is only right."

David was interested in joining this branch, it seemed he was deemed inherited all Kronos had. He now had his own black dragon, granted different name and gender, with a slight design change... same position, same sword, it was only right he be in the same branch as well. So he said "Any help would be appreciated. Although Zeus is pretty well versed in the art of flying, and could probably reach this citadel on his own."

[Quetzal]

So many had been killed by Galbatorix and the Forsworn. Well, that had to have been the case to reduce the Riders to a dwindling number in hiding, believed for a century to be zero. Too early even for many to give up their Eldunari. The world would be a different place had the surviving Riders not almost all been driven to despair at the total loss of their partners. Isrydia did indeed know about Eldunari, having met Glaedr and seeing Grazael, Brenton's dragon and practically a brother to Arlyn, killed but live on in such a stone. It was hard to avoid knowledge when you knew a couple of prominent Riders who had uncovered Eldunari in Uru'baen on top of the ones they had in their possession. However, just as David didn't know if Isrydia knew about them, she had no way of knowing if he knew. He was a newer Rider after all, and had been away so had less time to get to know the discoveries made here.

Arlyn did wonder whether Heralda might have left an Eldunari. Killed so early she may not have done, but in those troubled times many dragons gave theirs up in fear of being hunted down. "That does seem right to me. Fate indeed. Some memory of the connection must have helped Zeus know you were supposed to be his Rider, and something must have drawn you to Uru'baen and to the eggs after the battle. Amazing how much they discovered down there, huh? Eragon showed us a few of them. Of course, a lot are damaged beyond repair, but I heard a few could be salvaged. Anyway, I'm sure Heralda and Kronos would both be proud if they could see you," he hoped they would catch onto what he meant by what was discovered in the Empire's stores, and let his tone show he thought there was a chance Heralda might well be able to see them in a way. He didn't know whether or not to tell them upfront. For one thing, if it turned out Heralda had perished before releasing her Eldunari, or worse, if it had been captured and driven mad, it would be cruel to raise their hopes. For another, he didn't know whether they should know about Eldunari yet. David was a Rider so had to know sooner or later, but he didn't know if the time was right then.

David was confident he could reach the Citadel, but Isrydia knew the storms around it too well to share in that. "I'm not so sure. The turbulent winds protecting the Citadel allow Branch members to move far easier through it than non-members. It's all designed to only allow members in, regardless of how good a flyer the non-member is. A welcomed guest, I'm sure might find it easier too. You should be able to get near enough to announce your arrival, though, if Zeus is as you say. I expect you'd be allowed in if someone saw in your mind you wanted to join. Everyone's keen to expand the Branches," she said. Having the wind barriers calmed to accept a Rider who had yet to be initiated into the Branch or hitching a lift with a Branch member were the only methods of entry she could think of. The whole point was that the Citadel was protected from intruders even if those intruders were old, experienced, and excellent fliers. After all, there were plenty of non-dragon flying beasts that came into that category and were far less friendly.