Blue and GB knew they were late as the Rider helped the skeleblaster slide into the saddle, tails twitching anxiously. Carrot watched uneasily, having no idea how to help.
"What happened?" He referred to the late arrival.

"We had to explain something rather complicated to.. I don't know, 400 kings and queens? It is good that all now have mirrors, but my goodness there are still so many. They have to be addressed in sections at a time." Blue hurriedly explained.
"Any chance I could be clued in?" His brother asked while GB indicated a loose strap.

Tightening it, Blue sighed.
"The bond between dragons and Riders only includes elves and humans. We are a close mimicry, but not true Riders. Not quite. Now, you are aware that dwarves and urgals also exist in this world, as well as now.. all monsters. Eragon and I intend on amending the spell of the Riders before we leave for the empty lands." He straightened then, meeting his brother's gaze.
"You will be able to witness this in person, Papyrus."

Carrot's sockets were wide, a faint glimmer of orange there.
"Is.. is that a good idea?" He mumbled.
"I see nothing wrong with it." Blue hummed, the pair striding out towards the courtyard where the dragons would be taking off.
"It is to ensure future peace and stability. The bond tempers the natural aggression of the races and extends their lifespans. The humans and elves here are proof of this. You can see the varying stages of the gradual change, though it is harder to see when it degrades as the race declines. With only so many dragons alive now, much of what the other two races have become has also regressed."

He glanced over at his brother to see him frowning thoughtfully. Blue dared to smile a little. It was nice to see him caring. Normally the other would shrug or ignore things entirely. A piercing wail jolted him out of the moment, the pair surging up to see what was going on.

In a second, they turned the corner to see a bewildering sight. Roran, Eragon's cousin, was standing shirtless, his wife Katrina held back by the boy himself as she thrashed, child in arms as a woman approached the man with a drawn sword. Saphira, Draco and Fírnen were still, watching tensely.

They caught up just as the woman stopped before the father. "Keep out of this!" His harrowed, rough voice snapped. GB froze uncertainly, glancing at Blue. He only gestured helplessly.
Draco thankfully came to the rescue, explaining quietly.
She's here to demand a blood price for her dead husband.

Blue froze as she pressed her weapon to Roran's chest, GB stiffening with a faint hiss of alarm. Her whisper was audible to everyone save for the new queen and her guards.
"I loved Quimby. He was my life, and he died because of you."
"I'm sorry." Was the only reply.

"Birgit. Please..." Katrina's heartbroken cry echoed across the courtyard, falling silent save for the confused wailing of the infant in her arms.
The woman, her name Birgit, pulled her sword away.
Instead, she took his right hand and pressed the blade against it, slicing evenly without once taking her eyes off his. Roran winced, but otherwise didn't move. Blood began to drip from his palm.

She stopped, holding it there for a few seconds before she backed away, lowering it. He clenched his hand into a fist and pressed it to his side.
Birgit lifted her chin. "I have paid my price. Our quarrel is at an end."

With that, she spun on her heels, snatching up a discarded shield as a previously unnoticed boy anxiously followed her out of the courtyard.
Then, and only then, did Eragon let Katrina go, whereupon she rushed to her husband frantically.
"You stubborn, pigheaded fool. Here, let me see."
"It was the only way." He murmured distantly.

Blue finally let out a sigh, tension falling from his shoulders as GB continued to stare at the exit Birgit had departed from.
"Eragon, you should heal this." Katrina called.
"No, this is one scar I'll keep." Roran argued quickly.
"Is there a strip of fabric I can use as a bandage?"

Stepping forward, Blue hesitated when Carrot placed a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw his brother not even looking up at him, but at the scene in horror. He placed his own hand over the other.
"It's alright. She lost the love of her life for him. She only wanted to avenge that in some way."

"You deal with these people?" Carrot whispered.
"They believe in paying blood debts. It is simply not our way, Papyrus." He gently peeled the hand off and strode towards Eragon. Carrot rushed to keep up as Roran's hand was being wrapped in a torn strip of cloth.

"Now, shall we leave?" Arya asked, regarding Blue and GB briefly.
"Alright." He faced his brother then, the others heading for their saddles. "You have to go with Draco." He reminded. Carrot glanced at the large dragon, who blinked at him.
"You're sure I can't join you?"

"Yes, I am sure." He lowered his voice then. "You have to know a name only you can know in a language you do not yet understand. You cannot follow us." Blue explained.
He blinked then, realizing what he meant as his shoulders fell. "..Oh. Damn." He regarded Draco again, who was content to ignore him and converse silently with GB, who trilled softly.

"Okay but how exactly do I do this?" He finally asked, clearly not happy with the situation.
Draco then huffed, equally displeased as he lifted him with blue magic.
"Wh- hey!" Carrot yelped, flailing before he was set between two large shoulderblades, clinging to the broad spine below. "Never again!"

GB outright chortled at that, Blue holding back a grin. "Oh, you'll be alright! It's easy to hold on! He just needs to refrain from spinning for any reason!"
"What, no giant saddles for Draco?" Carrot snarked.
"He's Riderless, he doesn't have any!"
"Of course he doesn't, why would he ev-" He cut off with a scream as Draco launched into the air.

At that, Blue finally laughed, covering his face in guilt for his sibling's terror.
I'll see you in Ellesméra! Draco called with a roar.
We'll be there! GB trumpeted back.

As the skeletal dragon circled higher, Arya called out her goodbyes as well, Roran and Katrina settled in Fírnen's saddle behind her.
"Farewell, Nasuada! Farewell, Blue and GB! And farewell to you, Eragon and Saphira! We will expect you in Ellesméra!"
Farewell! Fírnen added, voice still shockingly deep as he took off, huffing as he fought to carry the extra weight on his smaller frame.

Blue hesitated, about to hop in the saddle when Eragon was already buckled in.
Both skeleblaster and human looked at him expectantly, Saphira busy bugling after Fírnen.
"One moment." He excused, then he bolted to the queen, her and her guards tensing in alarm before he threw his arms around her.

She gasped in surprise, then hesitantly returned the embrace. Blue finally looked her in the eyes, studying her face.
"I never know when I'll see you again." He murmured, feeling the weight of wyrda on his shoulders.
"I am sure we will meet again someday." She smiled, a genuine smile, not the aching lonely one she had been giving before after her rescue from Galbatorix.

Behind her, the small starchild approached, finally standing again and staring with her vivid purple eyes. Blue smiled down at her, seeing Beats close behind. With that, he stepped away, melancholy touching his gaze.

"I'm sure Eragon has already offered this, but I will extend my hand as well. Whenever you feel that you've done enough for Alagaësia and it's people, you will always be welcome wherever we shall settle. It's bound to be incredible, whatever we will build now that we are all together as one people in one world."

Nasuada smiled again. "You are correct, Eragon has offered me such, and I thank you for your kindness. Go. They're waiting for you." She nodded at the rest with a few unshed tears. Blue walked backwards toward GB.
"Then may you live long and leave a legacy of the ages, Your Majesty."

That said, he climbed into the saddle, GB nodding to her before launching off the cobblestones. From there, the group shouted their farewells to Eragon as well. Saphira leapt up and took flight, forcing Eragon to face forward and turn his back on them.
Blue couldn't help but grimace at the scene. He could feel GB's sadness as well.
So they flew.

Emerging from under the shelf, they caught sight of a flash of gold on the top, recognizing familiar gold leaves gleaming in the sun, the darker purple ones beneath the top layer visible as only a deep shadow. It seemed Cicállaé had come to see them off.
Blue smiled at the sight even as something twanged inside. GB hummed, turning eastward to the castle where Galbatorix's captured Eldunarí were being held, watching as Saphira appeared and turned to follow.

Very little was spoken between them, the four simply flying in silence for the half hour trip, occasionally glancing at the seemingly endless sprawling campgrounds alongside the Ramr before that too, faded into the distance and the estate appeared before them.

Upon arrival, they notified the elves there of their planned departure, so that they could begin to gather the Eldunarí so they could begin the transport towards Sílthrim. Once there, they would wait on the Riders so that they could all travel to the lands beyond Alagaësia, save for two elves who would stay behind, Uthinarë and Laufin.

They found Ink there again, simply.. meditating in an abandoned bedroom. They had only found them because they sensed a foreign yet familiar presence.
When he opened his sockets to look at them though, they saw pale, blueish white and charcoal gray eyelights before he blinked and they were normal.

"I think I remind him of someone." He stated mysteriously before standing and walking with them. Blue had shared a look with Eragon as they remembered the Eldunarí he had become oddly obsessed with.

"Do you have Sobedr with you?" Blue asked, grateful he'd remembered the name. Ink only smiled softly and wandered ahead of them. It was when Blödhgarm spotted the god and frowned that they knew, approaching. He asked Ink to return the Eldunarí, to which he'd startlingly shaken his skull.

Even the elf seemed surprised at that, pausing as his fur rippled, Ink continuing.
"No, he likes me. I don't want him alone. He doesn't want to be alone. It hurts. Nothing feels real.." He trailed, swaying for a moment as he hummed.
"Lost part of myself.." He mumbled before returning to the present, suddenly alert.
"We have to go back. I'm still needed. I should go." He started forward, but was stopped by Blue grabbing his arm.

Those.. eyelights that stared back weren't him, and Blue realized that the moment they disappeared again.
"Please." Ink stated simply. Blue continued to stare, then slowly straightened.
"We cannot leave an Eldunarí unaccounted for." He explained softly.
"He forgets this is real every time I leave. I start forgetting when I leave. I don't want to leave him. He's not dreaming. I'm real. I'm helping. I want to help. Berry, please. Just let me help."

"We can't let you take an Eldunarí." Eragon pointed out. Blue winced, agreeing. "You have to choose. He's right."
Ink stared, face blank for a while.
Then he sat down on the floor.
"You're staying?" Blue spluttered in surprise.
Ink shrugged, mute and staring vaguely ahead.
"You care that much?"
At that, he nodded haltingly, still not looking up. Eragon was visibly unsettled at the behavior, but was able to school his features. "Would you prefer to help gather the Eldunarí if you intend to stay?"

Almost robotically, Ink stood again, his paintbrush acting as a cane as he smoothly unfolded his limbs.
"Alright." He stated, facing Blödhgarm but not looking up at him. Eragon regarded the spellcaster uncertainly, and the elf clasped his hands.
"Very well. This way, Eld Aldanarí."

Blue resisted a flinch at that name. Creator. Ink already had an elven given name. How much had he been visiting this castle?
It was too late to ask, for now Ink was already working, swathes of his namesake appearing and swirling, iridescence gleaming in shadowy areas as more vibrant, shifting hues appeared on illuminated spots.

He shared a look with Eragon, who swiftly turned to look back at the prismatic magic. Never had Blue seen it so.. colorful before.
How much had Fate been controlling Ink before? Could he really even say he knew the god?
...Could Ink even say that of himself?
The thought was unsettling.

They eventually decided there was nothing more to do here. Ink and the elves had it handled now. The plans were made, now was the time to act on them.
Thus, the Riders departed.

They flew northwest, heading for Doru Araeba, intending to make a stop somewhere before that. With them traveled multiple Eldunarí, including Umaroth and Glaedr, his Rider stored alongside him in the pseudo-inventory floating behind Saphira.

Blue and GB likely would have been able to teleport them nearer, but they had the distinct feeling that this would be the last time the pair could gaze upon Alagaësia. So they watched the prairie pass beneath them, admiring it all as the four spoke of simple subjects, catching up after a few months of separation and busywork.

So they enjoyed making camp in a gully that night, continuing the mild conversation until all four were laying down, staring at the sky. The talk shifted to the plane of thought, the camp falling silent save for the crackling flames. Strange insects and animals fluttered and rustled in the dark until dawn.

Late afternoon the next day they found the Urgal village that had appeared by Lake Fläm. There, they met Nar Garzhvog and the kull threw a feast for them in their honor. The common drink was a wine made of tree bark and berries that tasted like spoilt cherries and was stronger than anything else they'd ever had.

As unpleasant a flavor it was, Blue still gleefully challenged others to outdrink them, only to start feeling fuzzy and confused after around.. fifty something mugs.
GB and even Eragon were astonished at the fact that Blue actually could get drunk, and only after an absolutely ridiculous amount of alcohol. As it was, he was only buzzed.

After that discovery, they decided to retire for the night, GB still snickering at Blue as he shook his skull and pondered just where exactly his limit was.
He woke up with a vicious skullache.
Eragon dared to grin at his shared misfortune.
Blue scowled lightheartedly. He could still deal.

Upon getting ready, the pair of Riders followed Garzhvog to the leaders of the village, the Herndall. The twelve elders dwelled in a low, round hut that was filled with juniper smoke. GB had to shift into his smaller form just to join them as the single entrance was barely big enough for Saphira's head to fit through.

The dams were old, incredibly old, their bodies withered and their horns smoothed by years. Toothless jaws worked absently, and several of them were blind. They were dressed in robes depicting clan patterns, as well as staffs with patterns the Riders knew nothing of.

And thus, they began the meeting discussing games to be held between the races, games to test speed, strength and agility so that urgals could win what glory they needed to earn their places in their society. Every race would take part in them, King Orik and Queen Nasuada having given them their blessings, with Arya likely to follow.

At this suggestion, the Herndall spoke amongst one another in their home tongue for a while, appearing agreeable. Eventually, they turned and the eldest of them, whose horns were nearly worn to nothing amidst her stark white hair spoke, to which Garzhvog translated.
"Yours is a good idea, Firesword and Deathhammer. We must speak with our clans to decide upon the best time for these contests, but this we will do."

Then another pointed out. "We like this, Deathhammer and Firesword, but we do not think this will stop the wars between our peoples. Our blood runs too hot for games alone to cool."
And that of dragons does not? Saphira questioned.

One of them tapped her withering horns, Garzhvog still translating as she spoke.
"We do not question the fierceness of your kind, Flametongue."
"We know that your blood runs hot and heavy." Blue began. "Hotter than most." Eragon added before continuing.
"Which is why we have another idea."

Silence fell between the Herndall as the two explained, not even moving. Even Garzhvog seemed unsettled by this, grunting softly in the silence that followed, the dams staring mutely, only the sightless still blinking.

Then on the far right, an urgal broke the silence by shaking her stick, a pair of stone rings rattling upon it as she spoke in thickly accented English.
"You would do this for us, Firesword? Deathhammer?"
"We would." The pair answered simultaneously.

"If you do, Firesword, Flametongue, Deathhammer and Deathtongue, then you will be the greatest friends the Urgralgra have ever had, and we will remember your names for the rest of time. We will weave them into every one of our thulqna, and we will carve them onto our pillars, and we will teach them to our younglings when their horns bud."
Garzhvog resumed translating for this, though his voice was reverent as he spoke.

"Then your answer is yes?" Eragon asked.
"It is." The kull hardly needed to translate to understand this. After a pause, Garzhvog added.
"Firesword, Deathhammer, you do not know how much this means to my people. We will always be in your debt."
"You owe nothing." Blue assured.
"We only wish to keep us from having to go to war."

After this, the conversation lasted not too much longer beyond that, and soon the Riders were leaving again, the village growing smaller behind them as they continued toward Vroengard.
They will make good Riders. Saphira decided.
Definitely. GB agreed easily. Blue grinned at that.

Thus, the rest of the flight to the island went uninterrupted, the clouds remaining light as they flew. They arrived at the same nesting house as before, Saphira practically trembling with anticipation, remembering her eggs.

Before that, they wandered the place, finding the odd shadow birds and the centipede worms that they learned to be called burrow grubs from Nasuada.
Blue was mildly astonished when one of the birds landed on his skull as he picked up one of the grubs.

Eragon also ogled at him before deciding upon a name for both, using the name of names to make it official: sundavablaka and íllgrathr for the birds and burrow grubs both.
They returned from that short trip, GB shuddering as they described it later.

Dawn came, and with it, they rose again, heading to Moreta's Spire, the Rock of Kuthian. Waiting for them, somehow unsurprisingly, were Life and Abyss. Swaddled in soft fur-feathers were dozens, no, perhaps several hundred eggs, each barely peeking out of a matching sack.

"How." GB was the first to speak, bewildered. Life smiled behind a paw in amusement, Abyss swaying slightly before he returned to himself. As he made to speak, they noted Reaper hovering up high at the top of the spire. He waved, and Abyss answered.
"It wasn't easy, but we knew this world needed more of its dragons. For now, this should work."

"But.. how?" Eragon questioned.
Life continued to smile, the grasses around her shooting up just a little bit higher. Abyss sighed, regarding a few of the eggs.
"Their spirits were lost, and all of these were ready to let go of their old lives. Normally beings are reborn via the natural order, you know how that works, but in this case, leaving them to that cycle would lead to an extinction. As we said before, 250 eggs is not enough. It would inevitably lead to incest and dragons would die out for good. Have you ever heard of species bottlenecks? They rarely ever survive long past those."

He ignored their confusion to lift one of the eggs, a gentleness in his gaze. His baggy sleeve fell down his arm as he traced the shell, revealing the previous gaping cracks to be sealed with a strange, faintly cyan membrane. Not healed, but not open to the elements either. Colored lights still pulsed beneath.

Life spoke then. "Your kind should survive now, with these 568 eggs."
"That's a lot." GB squeaked, sockets and eyelights wide with shock.
"..That would be a little over 800 altogether, I think." Blue mumbled.
"818, if you count your eggs." Abyss nodded to Saphira.
"Very close to a thousand eggs." GB wheezed.
"You won't be alone. They may be other species, but there are other dragons that can raise hatchlings as well." Abyss pointed out.

"Like Draco's kind?" Eragon asked.
"They are not the same. Their children grow up far slower than dragons of Alagaësia." Blue added.
"No, not them. Though they can help. I mean the other dragons. The ones that speak through magic and wield it in strange ways. They are closer. They will help. I'm sure the Eldunarí can agree."

Umaroth spoke up.
We are in your debt, Memory-Spirit and goddess Life, for giving our kind a greater chance at survival than before. However, some of us are uncertain of this plan of yours. We will need to better understand these other dragons to trust them.

His eyelights flashed, and he grinned. "We can share their forgotten and still living memories with you, if you would allow it." He offered.
Very well, we will take these memories as you share them. However, now does not appear to be the time or place for such.

Life nodded at that, turning and padding away, vanishing into a swirling portal of emerald and yellow-green. Abyss hummed, the hundreds of eggs floating up and bundling together as they slipped deeper into their bags.
"I asked Error to make these, by the way." He mentioned of the sacks while floating them towards Saphira. She eyed the eggs with baited breath.

Eventually Eragon was able to amend the spell and began to transfer the massive pile into their pseudo-inventory.
"I knew the weaving looked familiar!" Blue grinned, admiring the work.
"Does he know what it was for?"
"Yes. I was surprised how quickly he made them, too... and I think I'm in his debt now?" He smiled a little more nervously.
Blue laughed. "That very well could mean he'll force you to babysit Chaos during an incidental sugar rush. I'd be careful."

Ignoring the ensuing look of terror of the small one's face, Blue changed the subject. "You seem much more you, though. Have the spirits let up their pressure on you?"
Abyss blinked, hesitating before he finally answered.

"Uh. Yeah. They've begun to accept he's dead and gone. Creating the eggs helped. I think they were afraid of their kind being lost forever all because of one human. I'd be angry and grieving too. I can do something about it, though." His voice shifted uncannily to something other, eyelights deepening to a slightly bluer hue.

They were back to aquamarine in a blink, though, and he grinned. "We should get back to business." He pointed out that Eragon was done, turning around and facing the spire. Blue glanced up to see that Reaper was gone, SoulAbyss beginning to state their name at the rock.

Thus they spoke their names, Eldunarí included, and the vast doors opened, granting them entry.
Down they went, into the depths beneath Mount Erolas, where Cuaroc aided in bagging the eggs therein and setting them in caskets that were then set on the floor, joined by the five heart of hearts that had elected to stay behind last time.

However, Saphira's clutch lacked caskets of their own, to which Abyss gave a wry smile and produced 8, all matching and swirled with white like bone.
"These are special." He explained. "They're basically pocket inventories. Some AU's can do that. So don't be alarmed when they look empty." He warned, setting a cushioned egg inside the first bag.
Indeed, it appeared just as flat as before despite the egg clearly vanishing inside.

Saphira reached closer, eyeing it dubiously as she sniffed. I can still smell them. She noted.
Abyss nodded, setting it against the pile and continuing with the rest. A few of them he regarded in concern, but otherwise bagged them without a word.

Thus all of the eggs and Eldunarí were sent to the warped space behind her, where she turned to study the area almost longingly.
Then they returned to the surface, Cuaroc stomping after them on heavy metal feet. On the short trip, Abyss casually mentioned that there were many people that could one day improve his metallic body. Remake it in lighter, studier metals, give him the ability to speak and more.
The dragon man only briefly glanced at him at the offer, then continued to face forward. Abyss shook his skull at that, taking flight when they reached the entrance and vanishing not long after.

Saphira clasped Cuaroc in her talons and flew, GB following. Even though they were heading for Du Weldenvarden, they still did not take the chance to teleport, choosing to watch the scenery pass by below.

Over the sea, then across the mountains of the Spine, where Eragon was given the last chance to glimpse his childhood home, if only from high above. Blue looked upon it in fascination. It was strange to know someone so well and find their home so alien to his own.

They camped by a stream after that, chatting lightly. Cuaroc was silent, eerily so. Blue mentally compared him to Cross when the other was guarded, to which Eragon snorted and shook his head, GB chortling softly.

After that they were able to cross the Bay of Fundor, camping by another stream. From there, they passed Ceunon, it's architecture reminding Blue of Japanese buildings, which he gladly shared memories of with Eragon and Saphira, GB adding a little of his own thoughts.
They camped at a pond that night, frogs and crickets echoing around them.

The next morning, they flew for an hour until Du Weldenvarden's wards drove them to the forest floor, walking for a short while until passing the barrier, whereupon they took to the sky once more. Very little changed in the forest stretching out below them, save for a lonely mountain and the elven city of Osilon.

By late evening, they arrived at Ellesméra, gliding to the earth. There, the other dragons were waiting, joined by Arya, Roran, Katrina and a very anxious Carrot.
All four dragons roared at one another, spooking all the birds surrounding them for several miles at least.

Both Riders dismounted, Roran and his wife charging at Eragon as Carrot rushed to Blue. GB quickly took the chance to clack skulls with Draco gleefully.
"Are you okay??" Carrot demanded nervously.

"Papy, I'm fine." He assured, watching as his brother stared at the silver dragon man standing at attention near Saphira.
"That is Cuaroc. He guards the eggs. Since they are in a sort of not quite inventory of Saphira's, he is with her." He explained before changing the subject.
"Now, how has Ellesméra treated you?"

"It uh. Woo. Uh." He turned sheepish. "We actually visited this dwarf mountain in a mountain first?"
"Tronjheim? It's very beautiful as well." Blue nodded, turning to help GB out of his saddle.
"It's all just.. wild. You've seen that place? That's an Underground!" He breathed.

"Did you know that the city mountain has held the entirety of the dwarven kingdom in times of hardship in the past?" Blue suggested.
Carrot blinked in shock, then recovered. "With how big it is, I can see it. The mountain around it, Farther.." "Farthen Dûr." Blue reminded.
"Right. That. It.. it's bigger than anything I thought possible. I don't know how it's possible. It shouldn't be possible."

Blue grinned at his sibling's quiet excitement and went on to greet Arya, admiring her new.. queenly appearance. From there, Saphira and Fírnen took off for the Crags of Tel'naeír as Draco and GB flew on towards their temporary nest of eggs.

Then Arya guided them through the forest to a prepared feast, whereupon Carrot finally let out a low chuckle.
"Y'know, I could get used to this." He pointed out.
"I wouldn't, you're simply dining beside honor." Blue pointed out quietly with an amused nudge.
"Nah, I do that every other week." He winked, referring to their old king and queen.
"You know things are done differently here."
"Yeah, they throw Gyftmas level dinners every other day."

"Oh shush, you, before you insult someone."
"I can barely imagine an elf getting offended, really."
"An angry elf is not a sight you want to behold." Blue stated evenly shaking his skull as he remembered Vanir's former superiority complex. Now the elf was the ambassador.

During the feast, Blue managed to catch up his brother to events that occurred while they were separated, both those of the past week and that of the previous months before. He left out things like the Eldunarí and certain specifics of Alagaësian magic.

Eventually, well after midnight, Blue said goodbye and retreated to the tree he and Eragon had resided in while they were in training. He stared at it for a long while, just studying the living structure.
When they left Ellesméra, would he ever be able to see it again? He wasn't sure. He doubted it.
His home was gone. He never got to say goodbye.

His Soul twisted at that. The last glimpse of home he ever had was Ink's cringing face as he fell.
He didn't blame him, he couldn't have known, but he did treat the other just the barest bit more distantly now. Every time he saw Ink, he was reminded of how he was abruptly torn from his home- yet simultaneously, he could see the drawn hollowness of utter loss of the god's face.
He couldn't blame Ink, but neither could he forget his own loss.
Emotions are complicated.

"Is this where you stay when visiting the elves?" Carrot's voice rose up behind him.
"It is." Blue sighed. "Those few months were nice, training here. I struggled once or twice- I did get mana poisoning, after all- but I love to learn, and the history of Alagaësia is quite fascinating. I could better myself here, Papyrus." He went quiet for a minute, hesitantly stepping forward.

"..You know, when I first beheld this tree, it was with the knowledge that GB and I were considered a full dragon and Rider by the elves. Islanzadí stood right where you are now." He nodded at his brother, who awkwardly stepped away from the spot, then closer to his side. Blue chuckled at that, then looked back up at the great pine.

"You should go to sleep, Papyrus. It's late, and there's more work to do tomorrow."
"Like what?" Carrot huffed, a little annoyed at the prospect.
"Research on the original spell that bonded dragons and Riders, looking into the amendment that was added, all of that. It is no simple process. We also have to consider the effects our magic may have on it, and that is not a realm anyone understands much of. So go on back to Tialdarí Hall, get some rest. Call me if I am not here in the morning."

"Y'know my phone's d- mirror. Right. The mirror." Carrot finally started walking backwards, gripping the reflective looking glass in his phalanges as he shoved his hands in his hoodie pocket.
Blue smiled and shook his skull at the sight, finally starting his way up the stairs.
His brother watched him until he was entirely out of sight, then reluctantly teleported away in a flash of orange.

The next morning, he found Eragon conked out in the room beside him, the dragon and skeleblaster nowhere to be found- both had mates to hang out with at the moment. While GB and Draco were glad to catch up after a few months apart, Saphira did not have much time to enjoy with Fírnen.

After bringing the tray with their given breakfast into the room, Blue had his fill and left for Oromis' hut, knowing there were a few scrolls that might help them in their task there.
Not long after that, he returned to an awake and eating Eragon, who nodded to him in greeting.

Soon, the pair fell into a rhythm of reading books and scrolls- a majority of which were sourced from Galbatorix's library and brought to Ellesméra. Often, Carrot contacted Blue, a little anxious to not hear from him for too long. The calls lasted for a while when Blue started reading aloud to his hopelessly confused brother. Though by the end of the first day he was understanding random words and a phrase or two and kept asking why it switched to English at random. Blue only smiled mysteriously each time.

By evening, they came down and ate alongside Roran and Katrina, Carrot joining them despite always avoiding Roran. The man's hollowed eyes unsettled him, much to Blue's disappointment. War was not kind to its soldiers, and Roran was but a mortal. By no means average, but a mortal nonetheless.

The second evening had the two humans staring at Carrot when he replied to an innocent question from Blue. The looks unnerved him before the Riders burst into snickers. Blue finally explained how monsters naturally understood the ancient language, and the process was often unnoticed at first.
It was then that Carrot realized what happened and went still in shock.

The first thing he said on the call the day after that was for Blue to please tell him if he switched languages unexpectedly. It led to the elder brother explaining that the switch was usually activated by being addressed in the ancient language. The more one learns, the easier to differentiate it became.

At the end of that third day, Eragon felt ready to bring the plan to Arya and her advisors.
So on the fourth morning, they met with the elves to explain the plan.
That meeting dragged on throughout the entire day as they debated, only ending late that afternoon.
The council convinced, they broke to eat.

What startled the two Riders as they ate alongside their family was the abrupt appearance of Classic in their midst, the original swaying with wide, bewildered sockets as he gripped his Toriel's paw, his brother holding him up.
"What just happened." He demanded before falling against his brother and passing out.
Blue was too busy choking on a pastry as Carrot spat out watered down honey in shock.

A few minutes later, Classic came to again, Blue having had a chance to slowly explain the simple version of what was about to happen.
Thankfully the former queen understood a part of it, having been among those that had been told of the coming spell. Unfortunately there was only so much she could understand before feeling overwhelmed. They were reduced to Carrot snapping his phalanges and comparing Riders to the Royal Guard, but without any one leader and having dragons.

Thus, with the unexpected guests, they approached the clearing where the dragons and thirty incredibly old elves stood gathered at the roots of the Menoa. In the center of the clearing stood the Caretakers, Iduna and Nëya.

Seraphim strode out of the woods then, for some reason Sci walked with him, gazing up at the titanic pine in awe as Color blinked beside him. From the opposite side of the clearing appeared Alter, a gaggle of children that were not at all normal with him. His eyelights were heather purple. A glowing Asriel skipped beside a young Papyrus, who held hands with TK, who spotted and waved at Classic.

Life emerged behind the Riders, gently greeting the original Toriel- much to the shock of the older woman. They chatted softly, the goddess including the first Papyrus as well. Classic had fallen silent, staring intently at the Caretakers with cerulean eyelights burning brighter than usual.

Toriel gasped as the pair in the clearing disrobed, revealing their nude, tattooed bodies. Eve emerged from a pool of glowing cyan water then, her ethereal white hair fluttering about as she looked upon the gathering.
It was then that it clicked for Blue.
The deities. All the deities were appearing here, finding their way across the world. Something was drawing them here. Was it Wyrda? Was it Destiny? Was it both??
He wasn't sure.

There was no time to question, it was time. He and Eragon began to sing, the elven elders adding their voices as more hosts of deities appeared. Gods were joining them. Vibrant strings lowered from the great branches above as Error studied the scene in distant confusion. Fresh stood around his shoulders, sockets wide and eyelights bright.

The Caretakers began their dance, moving their bodies as one, the humming of dragons filling the air. The musical god, Beats, also appeared amidst the vast boughs, trilling along before adding his words to the song. Reaper appeared behind Life, his own brother and Geno on either side as they watched.

Now the strange dragons, wyverns and birds began to appear around them, rising from the trees as their eyes glowed, drawn by the strange magic. Drawn by Wyrda, he had little doubt now.

Blue felt a strange power swelling within, something of Unity. The deity did not explain, only twitched in breathless excitement within. A few moments later, he realized.
This moment. This spell. The magic. They intended on uniting races, in a magic so unbelievably powerful that it altered a part of the world and how it functioned, all in one instant. Just the act of beginning the spell drew in everything with any amount of presence of magic, all that felt its pull.
It united them in this moment.
This was Unity.

He almost stumbled over his words at that understanding, but swiftly recovered, stepping forward. That same instant, Unity seemed to take it as permission, visible arcs of cerulean light emerging from him and weaving between those gathered there.

That seemed to trigger a mirrored reaction out of all the rest of the deities, whorls of colored light spreading around the vast tree. They moved on to color the darkening sky, lighting up the forest in ethereal hues.

The music intensified, growing louder, faster, the Caretakers spinning ever faster, the air almost choked with varying magics.
It reached it's height, a shimmer running through the inanimate tattoo before it flashed, a blinding light coalescing above the pair as the spirit rose to meet it. The two collided, blinding the crowd.

As the spots faded from their sights, the memory of dragons was revealed. It was solid, each scale hard and crystalline, as though each colored scale were a different Eldunarí. The end of its tail ended in strands of light, still tied to the Caretakers below.

Its eyes opened, burning with light. Blue both understood and did not.
Keeper of Memory, of spirit. SoulAbyss became the vessel of the dragon spirit, spurred by the dead dragons he carried within himself.

After a moment of collecting themselves, Eragon called out to the physical spirit. Asking that they entwine the fates of dwarves, of urgals, of monsters with that of dragons.
The dragons of the fallen Multiverse around them hummed.

The spirit spoke with thoughts that echoed into the physical world.
"Do as you will, Kingkiller. If it will help ensure peace throughout Alagaësia, we do not object."

With that blessing, both Riders turned to the book in Eragon's hands, now sharing it. They spoke together, using the magnified well of strength of Unity and that of the dragons and deities around them, they spoke the name of names in their minds.

That said, they began to speak aloud, voices in sync as they cast a spell to alter the world. Such magics had not been called forth in Alagaësia in centuries, and much of the magic was also new. It attempted to bind races of magics that did not blend well together. Power seemed to clash, something twisting the the fabric of the world. Their strength began to drain.
Unity was barely strong enough. The magic of the Multiverse did not want to meld with that of Alagaësia.

Suddenly, Classic stepped forward, blue and silver light swirling around him as a vast, inconceivable consciousness shrouded around them.
Tԋҽ ƈԋσιƈҽ ιʂ ɱαԃҽ. Lҽƚ ƚԋҽ ɯσɾʅԃ Ⴆҽ ƈԋαɳɠҽԃ.
Blue was shocked at how much the voice reminded him of Unity, only blander, lacking much emotion, becoming hard to identify as a result. The greatest difference was simply the amount of weight it carried.
I αɱ ƚԋҽιɾ ԋҽαɾƚ. Unity murmured, though neither Rider could understand. There was a flicker of feeling from the vast deity, of recognition and some form of affection.

The world warped, and something seemed to just.. snap, and the great spell continued on.
The compact between dragons and Riders was reforged. The words began to echo, radiating outward on the rolling waves of sheer power, twisting the luminous veins of magic, of deities with each wave. The sky was glowing above them, hundreds of voices chanting the words as they flowed through them, Unity providing the link between them all.

And then the last words echoed oppressively across the forest, the dazzling lights pulsed slowly back to darkness. The night remained, only occupied by the great spirit that was the Memory of Dragons and the Soul of the Abyss.

Slowly, the crystalline scales melted away, some dissolving into glittering white dust that faded away as the rest pooled into glowing cyan water, collecting in a bowl between roots. The multicolored spirit remained, now insubstantial as it returned to the elf women, Iduna and Nëya.

The Riders almost collapsed right then and there, holding each other up as they both laughed breathlessly.
Classic was unfortunately not so lucky, tipping over and almost faceplanting before Blue miraculously caught his hood.

He came to out of shock, stumbling upright again with a gasp.
"What- it- I just-" He stuttered, swaying and blinking at the swap.
"That." Blue explained. "Was the power of deities."

Classic stared for a moment longer, then slowly regarded his own hands, sparks flickering between his phalanges. Blue regarded his thankfully gloved hand, seeing that arcs of blue light still flashed there. In fact, his radius and ulna were glowing faintly.

"Sans, are you alright?" Classic's brother approached, to which the original stumbled back.
"Not sure I'm safe t' touch, bro." He explained nervously, holding out sparking hands.
"..Geez, what even was.. any of that?" He questioned absently, glancing back at the tree.

"That, my friend, was a spell to alter the world. That, was a spell to υɳιƚҽ our races." Blue told him, smiling euphorically.
"Your kind can become Riders too." Eragon added.
"You know I have no idea what that means, right?" Classic pointed out anxiously.
"Don't worry. You will understand in time." Life spoke, striding up with the nervous and displaced former queen.

"Sure, I guess." He muttered, lowering his hands until they were stiff at his sides. A spark flared off his skull as he stared at Blue. "So is the glowing normal?"
The swap glanced at himself again. "Not usually. Then again, I don't think I have ever felt Unity so powerful. It's a little strange."

Everyone fell silent then as the new queen, Arya, stepped forth from the crowd, regarding all new arrivals that had watched the ceremony.
There was a pause, then she declared a feast for the occasion. Eragon winced at that, Blue hissing through his teeth with a straight face.
"That's fine. We can sit down and eat."

Facing Classic and his brother, Carrot finally edging closer to the conversation, Blue offered.
"Would you like to stay for a feast with the elves?"
"Oh is that okay?" The original Papyrus asked.
"Of course! I will warn you though, the language spoken by the elves sort of sinks into your mind. It's magic, you see, it unintentionally calls to us."

"I am not sure I understand." The Toriel stated.
"Don't worry, my brother can explain well enough. Can't you?" He faced Carrot, who suddenly looked like a deer in headlights.
"...I barely know what's happening, bro."
"Well your understanding is close enough to theirs that you can better explain, I think. Besides, the two of us are tired. I'd rather leave this in your capable hands."

"Worry not, young ones. I will help." Life's gentle voice reminded them of her presence. Blue inclined his skull at that, and finally he and Eragon turned away, heading to follow Arya as she moved towards the tables, food already being placed upon them.

They both sighed faintly when they found their seats, meeting one another's gazes.
Blue realized with no small amount of joy that he saw Eragon as a brother. An incredibly accomplished and very young brother, but sibling nonetheless. The understanding broadened his smile a little, Unity granting him the energy to get through the night.

Though.. for everyone of the gods and deities he had spotted so far here, he had yet to see any sign of Cicállaé.
That was a little strange.