This marks the end of the Reminiscence Arc and the end of the five Riders time on Alalëa. The end of this part also marks the beginning of Niaomi: The Journey, of which the first chapter will be posted after I finish this volume.

Good-bye, Alalëa! Good-bye, to all the lovely creatures (besides the bondmates and pegasi, of course)! Good-bye to all the islanders...for now. ;)

And now, lovely and ever-so-patient readers, part 77 of Destiny...

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Before the sound could fade away, Niaomi was running toward the beach. The view stayed on her as she burst through the forest onto the sand, pausing for just a moment to scan the sky and waterline for a sign of Niom and Vanilor. All that could be seen were the two Lethrblaka, both frantically flying to reach the shore. Eragon assumed that Liress had been using magic to stave of their fear of water, and now that she was no longer with them, it had resurfaced.

Making sure the purple scarf was tightly knotted, the girl shucked off her tall black boots and waded out into the water. Once it was reached halfway, she raised her left hand to her head and said, “Vindr, sitja unin aí böllr yfir iet hjalmstallr eom atra eka ørindi.”

The words blossomed at the bottom of the mirror in English, “Air, stay in an orb at my head to let me breathe,” as Niaomi dove under the waves. The water around her head swirled due to her spell, and she swam further out to sea, calling in her mind for Niüle. The bottom of the coastal floor steadily sloped downwards, and the clarity was so great one could see for miles in either direction. Some ways up ahead the water churned as two large masses thrashed around, indistinct in the haze of bubbles and blood.

Niaomi swam toward the fight, making painfully slow progress until a series of clicks and whistles sounded from behind her. Niüle circled once around her before sliding up beneath her, offering his dorsal fin. After she’d grabbed it with both hands, he took off, slicing through the water at an incredible speed, breaching every so often to breathe before slipping back into the ocean.

As they drew nearer, the masses came into definition. One was Vanilor, his tattered wings beating the water as he tried to rise above its surface. The other was a long, serpentine creature with fins sprouting from its chest and long tendrils sprouting from the bony crests on its head. Eragon could feel Saphira’s surprise, just as great as his own. “What is that beast?” asked Nasuada, her voice tight with distress.

A Nïdhwal, Saphira answered gravely.

The Nïdhwal’s jaw was fastened onto Vanilor’s left foreleg, the rows of needle white teeth puncturing past his layer of scales and the creating the source of all the blood. It seemed the sea serpent was doing more thrashing than the dragon as it tried to rip the flesh from his bones. Vanilor was attempting to gnash at its head, but only managed to grab the tendrils.

As Niaomi and Nïule drew nearer, they could see Niom swimming around in between the two great creatures, his sword hacking and sawing as he tried to dislodge the sea serpent’s grip. Eragon could make out the signs of an air-breathing spell around Vanilor’s and his Rider’s head.

With all the strength her mind could muster, Niaomi sent out a call to her father. Dad!

Looking up, Niom’s eyes widened as he saw his daughter speeding towards him on the dolphin’s back. Nia? he asked in a tired mental voice. Is that really you?

It’s me, Dad, she answered back, a few yards away from where the struggle took place. This far is good, Nïule. Thanks for the lift.

The dolphin chittered at her with gratitude, jetting away as soon as Niaomi released his dorsal fin. It must have taken great fortitude for him to have resisted his instincts that warned him away from the threat the Nïdhwal posed. Niom swung his sword at the beast’s snout, but the water slowed his movements and the scales deflected his blow. You need to get out of here, Nia.

I’m not leaving you behind, the girl responded in turn, swimming closer and holding out her left hand to concentrate. The sapphire ring began to glow.

You can’t help, Niaomi! The harshness in Niom’s voice made her pause, and stare at him in shock. A Nïdhwal’s grip is legendary in its inescapability. Your powers are useless.

So then why are you still trying to free Vanilor? Why not hack off his leg instead?

Because he won’t survive the blood loss, as weak as he already is from our fight with the Lethrblaka. But I will not abandon him.

And I will not abandon you! Niaomi’s ring lit up once more. I can sustain the breathing spell while you two focus all your energies on killing the Nïdhwal.

The sound of a loud ring resounded through the water, and a large ripple moved past them, the force of the current strong enough to move them. The ripple kept moving until it seemed to hit an invisible barrier farther out to sea, transferring its kinetic energy so that the barrier extended the ripple along its surface.

Niom stopped his hacking, slowly swimming forward to float in front of Vanilor’s head. The dragon opened his eyes, pain clear in the steel depths yet understanding as well, along with the infinite amount of love Eragon recognized in Saphira’s expression each time she called him “little one”.

What’s going on? demanded Niaomi, the light of the ring flickering as she lost focus.

Her father looked at her and smiled. Your mother performing the spell, 'Alalëa'. It’s time for you to go now, Nia.

No! I said I’m not leaving you behind! She swam forward in broad strokes, avoiding the Nïdhwal’s thrashing body and tendrils to reach Niom. Surely Mom will transport you, too.

She doesn’t have the energy to transfer a dragon, and I cannot go without Vanilor. You know this, and so does she. He reached out to Niaomi, hugging her tightly before pulling back to stare into her silver-flecked violet eyes. Niaomi Analísia Leafësdoter. My one and only daughter, besides your dear god-sisters. Give them and your brothers my love. Tell them to stay strong. You stay strong.

Please, Daddy, Niaomi sobbed, gripping his hands as he put them to her face. You can’t die. I can’t lose you both. I can’t!

You’re strong, Nia. So much stronger than I ever gave you credit for. Stroking her cheeks, Niom pressed a kiss to her forehead, closing his eyes for a moment and letting the pain he felt flash across his face while his daughter could not see. Nick, Nat, Ren, Rose - they will all be there for you, and you must be there for them. I love you all so very much. You’ve made me prouder than anyone could possibly be. I know you five have what it takes to free Alagaësia, our beloved homeland.

Niaomi tried to shake her head, but he wouldn’t let her. Nia, just promise me one thing.

Anything.

Promise me that you’ll find Nass. Promise me that you’ll find my sister, and tell her what happened to me. She’ll be with the Varden. Promise me.

Sucking in a breath of air from her bubble, she whispered inside his head softly, I promise, Dad. I love you. But this can’t be the end - I won’t let it. I won’t let you go, won’t let you die. That I promise as well.

Ah, Nia, her father sighed with a tired smile. There is one lesson you must learn...don’t make promises you can’t keep.

Before Niaomi could respond, Vanilor let loose a savage roar and moved with blinding speed, smashing his jaw onto the sea serpent’s head. The Nïdhwal gave one final thrash before it died, and the weight of the beast pulled the dragon down. Catching his foot in one of the stirrups of Vanilor’s saddled, Niom let himself be pulled down and away from his daughter.

Daddy, no! she screamed in a mental voice so loud everyone in the pavillion winced. Niaomi began swimming after him as serpent, dragon, and man quickly sank.

Good-bye, my precious daughter, my most beloved husband. I love you. I love you all.

The girl paused for a minute, for it was not her father’s voice, but her mother’s, faint and almost inaudible. By the way Niom’s eyes widened, Eragon could tell he’d heard it, too. With the last of his strength, he yelled back, I love you, Leafë! I love you, my children!

Pushing forwards once more, Niaomi strained to reach her father. No, Daddy, please!

Niom looked up into his daughter’s frantic face, his arm trailing above him as hers stretched out to meet him. It seemed that, for just a moment, their fingertips had managed to touch when another ring echoed, and Niaomi vanished in a ripple as her father closed his eyes.

(A/N: See the picture to the side if you want your heart to break even more.)