"What is this? Can it be...after a week, right on schedule, an...an update?"

Why yes, it is! xD I don't think I say this enough, but thank you, all of you, who read this story! I love you people so much! With over 80 comments, 20,000 reads, and 300 votes, this is definitely my most popular story. I'm working hard to get updates out either sooner or longer, because I really wanna finish this volume so that I can move on to some other projects (like my original works) and so that I can move on to the second volume and Niaomi: The Journey. (:)

But for now, enjoy this next part - DELIVERED ON TIME, WOOP!!! :DDD

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“Calm down, Ren,” Nathan tried to sooth her. “Your brainy beau can surely figure something out.”

“Gravity might work faster,” she replied, her face beginning to turn red from the strain.

“Okay, okay, I have a plan, but it’s risky... ”

“Riskier than staying here indefinitely?”

Nicholas had the respect to not show any signs of irritation from Renata’s clipped response. “Duly noted. So, the plan is that I’ll jump over to a patch about five feet right of your position. When I touch the ground, the blue and orange will surely shift enough that your circle will be obscured; that means as soon as I land, you have to push up with enough force to propel yourself into my arms. This will obviously require precise timing, because your hands leaving the ground will surely cause the colors to shift. However, if done at the same time - ”

“It might be enough to keep the blue and oranges relatively stationary, since they’ll be pulled in two directions at once,” Ren finished with a sigh full of tension yet relief. “It’s our best bet, so let’s do this. Just make sure you catch me, alright?”

“Always,” Nick promised. He stretched out his legs before falling into a crouch. “To raise our chance of success, we should probably do a mind-meld. You up for it, love?”

“Ready when you are.”

Silence reigned for only a few moments before Nicholas made his move. Eragon expected them to take more time, but there was no sign of readiness: he was simply there one second, gone the next. The mirror’s focus expanded to capture the graceful leap the boy made across the chamber’s deadly floor, feet forward in preparation for the landing. As soon as his boots began to touch the ground, Renata’s hands were leaving it, muscles bunching as she flung herself towards her beau, tilting her body so that he could safely catch her in the cradle of his arms.

Making sure not to shift his feet, Nick clutched the blonde closer, finally releasing all the fears he’d held as he kissed her forehead before focusing on the next task in front of them - reaching the others. They were only slightly closer than Ren had been before, but with their precarious position it was dangerous for them to try and jump to safety. So Nicholas began to run, darting and dodging with a fluidity that made Eragon think of a dancer, sheer and effortless grace. It seemed like only a second had passed until they reached safety, where their three friends quickly embraced them.

“That was amazing, Nick,” Niaomi said, giving her youngest brother a tight hug and a warm smile.

“You both were,” Nat corrected as he clapped Renata’s shoulder once she’d been set back on her feet. “That was some great teamwork.”

Rose said, “Only to be expected,” but the relief in her voice belied her words. “Now that that particular hurdle has been crossed, let’s continue onwards.”

Her twin hesitated slightly as they approached the dark passage, still wary. At Nick’s sideways glance, she squared her shoulders and followed the others into cavern. The “door” reformed behind them as she stepped inside, shutting all of them in the darkness. Ren’s voice spoke up in a higher-than-normal pitch. “I knew this was a bad idea!”

Niaomi’s tone sounded amused as she replied, “Calm down, Ren. I’ll give us some light soon enough.”

“How? We can’t use - ” A warm orange glow arose, the fire burning brightly around the girl’s hand and cutting off Nathan’s words.

Nervousness was still stamped on Renata’s face. “Are you sure you should be using your element?” she warned quietly. “After this you’ll only have three left.”

“The only other option is trapezing through the dark, and I don’t really think of that as an option considering how things turned out the last time.” Niaomi’s words made the other girl sigh but nod in agreement. “However, you’re right about preserving the elements, so let’s move fast and maybe I’ll still have some fire left by the time we emerge.”

The mirror’s image clouded, the gray skies swirling before they cleared as Niaomi’s voice spoke in the reminiscence, sounding a bit strained. “I think we’ve reached the end, guys.”

“Great,” Nat smiled, but it vanished when he saw his sister stagger in front of him. “Hey, Nia, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she replied as she gained her balance, eyes closing briefly as the flames on her hand flickered. “Let’s hurry up and get outta this place.”

“I second that,” Ren murmured as the five walked out of the tunnel and onto a precipice.

The ledge was not very big, stretching a few yards in front of them before it dropped into an ever darker abyss below. The cavern wall extended upwards to a distant and smooth ceiling, while in front of them was the vast unknown.

Niaomi tried to brighten her fire to see past the darkness, and almost collapsed with her efforts, sagging to the ground before Nathan caught her. “You can’t go on like this,” he warned her, but she brushed aside his words as she staggered to her feet.

“I have to. Let’s go.”

As they walked forwards, the fire managed to illuminate a bridge that spanned the wide gap, which extended in either direction as far as Eragon could see. The construct was much more rickety than the first they’d crossed on their journey, attached to two wooden stakes and made entirely of rope. Parts of the bottom had snapped, leaving gaps in the walkway that led to the dark plunge below.

“I don’t like this,” Renata said as soon as she saw the bridge.

Niaomi’s voice was less patient than it had been before. “Well, I don’t see any other choices we can choose from. Besides, the bridge is glowing orange, so it’s safe.”

“Wait, it is? You still have the ‘color-sight’?” Ren demanded.

The other girl’s voice was definitely crosser as she queried back, “Why wouldn’t we?”

“Because it was the chamber’s light that changed your eyes, and now that we’re gone the color-sight should be, too.” Gray eyes narrowed as she studied the others’ irises. “I didn’t notice at first because of the firelight’s reflection, and because your eyes had stopped glowing. Do all of you see the bridge as glowing orange?”

“Yup,” the other three said together.

“There you have it, Ren,” Niaomi said as she turned back to approach the bridge. “Now let’s go.”

“I’m still not sure. This sight is imperfect, if memory serves, and I think we should try to find - ”

“Gods, Renata!” The volatile shout instantly silenced the girl, and all stared at Niaomi in shock, who was glaring at Renata with flashing silver eyes. “Can’t you quit being a coward for just one second so that we can move on?!”

Nicholas’s shock turned to slight anger. “Now wait a second, Niaomi. That was uncalled for.”

“Of course you would say that, since you’re courting her!” his sister replied viciously, the fire flaring with her rage. “She’s been whining ever since we got to that chamber of light, and I’m sick of it; it’s not like she has a trial to be afraid of!”

“What?” the other girl interjected.

Niaomi rounded back on the blonde. “You heard me! You already faced your trial, back in the chamber, and you failed. Dear old Nick had to save you - actually, that may have been the trial itself. Seeing if you could get saved by someone since you’re too weak to do it on your own!” Ren’s face was white by the time she was finished. “Now, for those of you not too afraid to come, I’m crossing the damn bridge. And for those of you who are afraid, I hope you’re not also scared of the dark.”

Leaving everyone in utter shock, Niaomi stormed towards the bridge. Three sets of white irises turned to look at Renata, who stood silently before raising her chin, pursing her lips, and following her god-sister’s lead. Nick silently joined her at her side; Rosaminda went to touch her twin’s arm before pulling back with a sigh and letting her beau led them both after the rest of their group.