The dwarf arrived in Ellesmera around midday. He was rather tall for a dwarf, maybe around five foot, but he looked taller because of the large pack that hung from his back. Every step he took the pack clanged with the sound of tools inside, giving the impression that he was carrying weapons. His brown beared stroked the floor like a broom, and whatever hair he had was covered by a metal helmet with a curled-up dragon insignia on it.

As he trod through the elven city it became clear that he had walked a very long way. His legs faulted slightly with every step and his breath was laboured. An elf walked up to the dwarf and placed his hand on the dwarf’s shoulder. The dwarf stopped and looked up at the elf.

“What are you doing here?” asked the elf in the dwarven language.

“I be looking for the rider with the golden palm,” replied the dwarf with a thick accent.

The elf was surprised as he looked into the dwarf’s eyes. At first glance the elf would have thought he would have just reached a century in age, but his eyes were much older. Older even then the elves. It was then that the elf began to feel nervous.

“He’s not here at the moment,” replied the elf, eager to end the conversation, “And won’t be for a few days.”

“Then I wait,” replied the dwarf.

* * *

Logan lay back on the saddle, his eyes closed.  The afternoon air brushed past his face, cooling him against the warm golden scales below him. His now long brown hair flopped wildly in the wind and the golden sword Kuldr tied nicely on his back. Behind him was the pack that held the reason for this flight. Under the flap, barely visible, was a dragon egg. It was a yellow colour, not quite the gold that was Sashi.

“Hey Logan!” came a voice from the side of him.

He looked over with a smile at Aeila and her dragon Hirador. He couldn’t help but think that white and gold matched up quite nicely with each other. Sashi looked back at him as she caught on to his thoughts.

{‘You know I can here you,’} she said.

He nodded and patted her flank, {‘Yes, yes I know, its true thought. Gold and white to go together quite well.’}

She snorted, {‘You only think that cause you like the rider one top of him.’}

Logan shrugged, {‘It still works.’}

The golden dragon snorted and looked forward again. Logan and smiled and looked forward again. Sashi flapped her wings slightly faster, getting in front of Hirador and challenging him to a race.  Hirador matched her speed and the two dragons raced forward.

They were flying across Alagaesia to Kausta, Logan’s hometown, to deliver the year’s eggs there. It was the last town to deliver to. The elves that were supposed to bring the eggs were attacked and most of them killed. None of them new what killed them, for the survivors had gone mad. It was a relief that they had bought back the dragon egg.

When Arya had asked for volunteers Logan had instantly put his hand up. He had wanted to go back to Kausta for a while now. He hadn’t seen his family for over a year and he was beginning to get slightly homesick, and Arya had also said that they were going to Eragon’s new land soon, so it would be the last chance he got.

Aeila had volunteered to go with him. They had become very close the past year and he was beginning to think that something other the friendship was blossoming between them. Just thinking about it made him blush slightly.

“So Logan,” called the elf over the wind, “How long until we get to Kausta.”

Logan looked down at the mountains below. They were at that moment flying over the spine, and had been for over a day. It was so much easier flying over the dense forest the trudging through it. That day alone Logan has spotted nearly ten things that would kill him in the spine.

He looked back at Aelia, “Not long now, maybe three hours, or four.”

{‘Three hours and ten minutes, flying at this speed,’} His dragon said to her.

“Thanks Sashi!” she said.

Sashi snorted her acknowledgement.

Three hours and five minutes later the city of Kausta grew into view on the horizon. Logan took a deep breath as he saw his home city. He knew his mother would definitely be surprise to see him. In the back of his mind he could feel Sashi talking to Hirador excitedly about Kausta. She had fond memories about the place, even if there were only a few of them.

As they approached the city Sashi let Logan access her eyes, and he watched them approached as a dragon. He always enjoyed sharing her vision. Colours were so much more prominent and everything was clear. He could see the urgal on top of the hill, the wolf pack that stalked through the trees after a deer. He saw the people in the courtyard pointing excitedly at the sun dragon that was approaching them with the white dragon hot at her heals.

The two dragons circled above the city for a while as they slowly made there way into the courtyard. The humans below them spread out to make room as the dragons landed. Logan slid off of Sashi’s back easily and landed on the floor. Many people were staring at him in disbelief as they saw the prince of their small coastal town return. They all recognised him for he had been a popular figure before he left, though he doubted they would recognise his now slightly pointed ears, longer hair and his now slightly ruffed up beard.

His name began to pass through the lips of many of the people there as they stared at him. Aelia walked up to his side and smiled at him.

“It looks like you were missed,” she said.

“I think I was,” he laughed, and waved at the crowd, “Yes, it’s me.”

The crowd instantly erupted into cheers and yells, “Logan is back! The prince is back!”

Sashi nudged him, {‘They don’t expect you to stay do they?’}

{‘I don’t know,’} replied Logan to his dragon, {‘But I know I can’t.}

She nodded, satisfied. As much as she loved Kausta, she was eager to explore. She wasn’t a dragon to stay in one place for too long. Logan new she was getting terribly excited for the journey to dragon valley, Eragon’s home. She wanted to meet Saphira, so called the greatest dragon of all.

Logan also wanted to meet Eragon, but not for the same reason as her. He had only seen Kazra the first once since the time where he revealed that he wanted Sashi, and then it was far away. Logan had instantly told the teacher he was with, but when he looked back the shade was gone.

He rubbed the scar on his throat, the one that Kazra had caused in their second encounter. It still ached every now and then, but nothing to bad. The elves that had healed him had found they couldn’t fully heal the wound. They said it was similar to the wound Eragon had had before he became half elf.

There was a movement in the crowd and they parted, revealing the women that had raised Logan since he was born.

“Mother!” yelled the prince with joy as he scooped his mother up in a hug.

She laughed, “What are you doing back so early? You said it would take a couple of years.”

He smiled, “I found a small pocket of time, but I won’t be able to stay for long.”

He jumped up on Sashi’s leg and grabbed the bag that contained the egg, and revealed it. Regal gasped with surprise and smiled at him.

“Well, you are the barer of good news aren’t you,” she said with a smile, she looked at Aelia, “And who is this.”

“I’m Aelia,” she said a little shyly and gave a small curtsey.

Regal nodded and gave her own curtsey, “I welcome you to our small city town Aelia. Any friend of Logan is a friend of mine.”

The young elf nodded with a smile. Regal looked back at the huge golden dragon behind her.

“And I take it this is Sashi,” she said.

Sashi lowered her head down to Regal’s level and snorted in her face, {‘That I am, mother-of-my-rider.’}

Regal lowered her head in respect to the large beast, “You have grown much since you were a hatchling. I’m sure you kept my son in his place.”

She nodded her head, {‘Well your son can be difficult sometimes.’}

Logan barked a laugh, “Me, difficult?”

The two females gave a knowing look to each other before they both laughed. Logan rolled his eyes and changed the subject.

“So, do you want to start the ceremony or will you two talk all day,” he said.

Regal nodded, “You have a stand for it, don’t you?’

Aelia nodded and climbed up Hirador’s leg and grabbed the stand for the egg, and slid back down the dragon’s leg. She placed the stand in between the two dragons. Logan placed the egg on the stand and stood back.

“Let the ceremony commence!” Regal yelled over the clamour of the crowd.

The crowd lined up and began to slowly move forward, touching the egg one by one. As they did so Logan and Regal caught up about what had happened during the year that the prince had been gone. Aelia joined in the conversation after a while and the dragons watched the proceedings, making sure no one took the egg.

The line continued to move at a slow pace through the rest of the day. It was nearly dusk by the time the last person finished with the egg. Logan sighed; he really thought another Kausta rider would join their ranks.  He picked up the egg with a sigh, it must have been meant for a different species. As he was about to put it away a call made him stop. He turned around.

Two urgals were walking through the now empty pathways. One was huge, probably a kull, and draped in bear skin. The other was smaller yet looked older. It had scars covering its face along with what looked like a wolf skin covering its lower body.

Logan frowned, he didn’t mind urgals but it was strange to see one in the city. The urgal games weren’t until the year after. He looked down at the egg, maybe they wanted to try for it. His suspicions were right.

The two urgals stopped in front of him, and bowed in respect.

“Hail, rider of the golden dragon,” the older one said in a gruff tone, “And hail the rider of the white dragon.”

Logan and Aelia looked at each other, and the prince stepped forward.

“What is it you want?” asked Logan, “To try for the egg?”

The older one nodded his head once, “But not me, my son was told he was to become a rider three years ago. Yet any eggs that have come to our village have failed to choose him.”

Logan looked up at the kull, feeling slightly small under the huge urgal, “And you wish to try for the egg?”

The urgal nodded his great head, that seemed a little too big for his neck. He also noted the huge long sword that was strapped to the kull’s back; along with a shield that he doubted even an elf could carry.

“What is your name?” asked the prince.

“Urgrat,” replied the kull, his voice even deeper and rougher then his fathers.

He looked back at Sashi, {‘Do you think they should try for the egg.’}

{‘I don’t see why not,’} replied the golden dragon, {‘We don’t have much urgal riders, and I don’t think any are kull.’}

He looked at Aelia, who shrugged.

“You may try,” he said to the kull, “But don’t be surprised if the egg does not choose you.”

Urgrat only nodded and walked up to the yellow egg. He placed his hand on its surface, and waited. Logan sighed and was about to tell the kull that the egg was still unhatched, when there was a shriek from within the shell. Both dragons, humans and urgals jumped in surprise. Aelia let out a small cry of surprise.

The egg began to rock back and fourth, the hatchling inside eager to get out. Urgrat’s eyes were alight with joy as cracks began to run down the egg’s surface and it split open, revealing the small yellow hatchling. It yelped with joy and nuzzled the urgals large hand. The kull gasped and pain as the Gedwey Ignasia appeared on his palm. He collapsed to one knee, taking deep breaths.

His father cried out in alarm and rushed towards his son, but Logan stopped him.

“They are bonding,” he said, “It’s very painful for most riders.”

The father nodded and took a step back. After a while Urgrat got back to his feet and looked at the hatchling. It squeaked and jumped at him, causing him to catch it with surprise.

Logan smiled, “Congratulations, go back to your village and rest up for the night, we leave tomorrow, early.”

The kull nodded as the hatchling moved to his shoulder. His father and him left the city with the new born hatchling. The riders and their dragons then made there way to the mansion where Logan once lived. They stayed the night there and got up early in the morning. Goodbyes were said between them all and the two riders flew out of the city to meet with the new rider.

The kull and his father were waiting just beyond the gate. Urgrat had a huge pack on his back, nearly as big as the urgal himself and the yellow dragon sitting on his head. The two waved up at the dragon riders as they descended to the ground.

{‘You sure you want to carry him?’} thought Logan to Sashi, {‘He’ll be very heavy.’}

{‘Heavy for you maybe but I’m a dragon,’} she said, {I’ll be fine… but Hirador can carry his pack.’}

He laughed and pattered her on the head, {‘I’m sure that can be arranged.’}

Logan slid off his dragons back. Urgrat bowed slightly to him, a little awkward because of the pack on his back.

“Give the back to Aelia,” he said looking at her with a small smile, “Hirador and her will carry your pack. You ride with me and Sashi.”

The hatchling walked up to Sashi and tilted her head in interest, sniffing around her feet. Sashi studied it with contempt, and growled slightly when it suddenly latched onto her claw. She flicked her paw and the hatchling fell back and sneezed, before growling at her and attacking her claw again.

{‘If the whelp bites me while I’m flying, or even does anything remotely annoying, I’m throwing him off,’} she decided.

{‘That’s a bit harsh don’t you think,’} said Logan, {‘And how do you know it’s a him?’}

{‘Only males can be this annoying,’} she stated.

The comment caused Logan to laugh. The small party looked at him with surprise. Logan muffled the laugh with a cough and looked back at them.

“Okay, we ready to go?” he asked.

They nodded their heads. Logan swung himself onto Sashi’s back once more and gestured for Urgrat to follow. The kull looked at his father, and said something in his own language. The father replied and suddenly the two embraced, causing even Aelia to gasp in surprise.

Urgrat then let go of his father and walked over to Sashi, climbing onto her back. The golden dragon grunted slightly at the sudden extra weight of the kull. Urgrat moved closer to Logan and wrapped his arms rather awkwardly around the prince’s waist. His yellow dragon climbed up Sashi’s side and onto his rider’s shoulder.

The great golden dragon unfurled her wings and thrust herself into the air. Urgrat grunted in surprise and tightened his grip around Logan. The poor rider grunted as he felt the air squeeze out of his lungs.

“Urgrat… a little… to tight,” he gasped.

The kull heard and loosened his grip on the human. Logan took a large breath. Hirador followed them into the air, taking a little longer to take off into the air then he usually did because of the extra weight. Before long the dragons were flying high in the sky. The baby hatchling chirped with excitement, perching himself on Urgrat’s shoulder. Logan smiled.

* * *

It took them three days to get back to Ellesmera, a little longer then it had been to get there. The extra weight of the urgal and the pack had tired them out quicker then usual and Sashi had demanded frequent rest stops. Hirador didn’t fair much better, but together the two dragons made it.

As soon as the entered the forest Logan could feel something wasn’t right. He didn’t know why he felt that way, maybe it was the absence of noise from the forest or the strange sighs that swam through the trees but he didn’t know, but something was definitely wrong.

He looked over at Aelia and the worried look on her face confirmed his suspicions. Something was wrong. Logan reached behind him and drew Kuldr from its scabbard, while Aelia strung her bow and knocked an arrow.

“What is wrong?’ asked Urgrat, easing his own giant great sword from its sheath.

“I don’t know yet,” replied Logan, studying the trees down below, {‘Can you see anything Sashi?’}

{‘Only fleeting movements,’} replied the dragon, {‘There is something down there.’}

Logan took a deep breath and prepared himself to use magic. He didn’t have any ranged weapons on him so a sword would be useless in his current predicament. Gruish, the yellow hatchling, was hidden in his rider’s shirt, his small whimpers breaking the silence.

The two dragons finally reached Ellesmera, and Logan was surprised when the familiar mind of Gilderien the wise didn’t stop them on their way in. Sashi let out a deep-throated growl that rumbled through the forest, accompanied by Hirador’s own growl. Logan felt them talking.

{‘Aelia want’s to know if we are to land,’} said Sashi.

He thought for a second, it could be dangerous but if they stayed up in the air it would be useless.

{‘Tell her yes, but keep your guard up,’} he said.

Sashi relayed the message to Hirador. Logan looked back at Urgrat.

“We’re landing, keep your sword ready,” he said.

The kull nodded. Slowly the dragons glided to the ground and landed with soft thuds. The riders slipped of their dragons’ backs, weapons at the ready. Logan spread out his mind, trying to find what was there, but he couldn’t find anything.

Gruish stayed on Sashi’s back, seeing it as the safest place at that moment. Urgrat looked up at his dragon and nodded slightly to him. The hatchling yelped back, his tail curled around his small body.

{‘Logan, look out’!} yelled Sashi suddenly.

Logan jumped out of the way as he felt something cold near him. He rolled and was on his feet once again and found himself staring at what looked to be a cloud of mist. He stared at it for a few moments, his mind trying to comprehend what had just attacked him. A hollow looking face slowly formed in the mist, causing Logan’s heart to jump to his mouth. He swung his sword at the creature but it just passed through it like it was in fact mist.

The creature suddenly screamed and a white tentacle shot from its form, wrapping it around Logan’s sword arm. The human screamed in pain as a coldness similar to that felt during a rider and dragon bonding pieced his arm. Golden fire shot from above, engulfing the mist creature. It screamed again, this time in pain, before the mist departed. Logan looked up and his dragon in thanks.

{‘It’s not over yet, look,’} she said, gazing forward.

Logan looked and again his heart jumped. Coming from the trees, surrounding them, were hundreds of the mist creatures. He carefully picked up his sword and looked down at his arm. It looked as if to have been burned, leaving a wirily scar that ran around his arm.

He looked over at Aelia, “What are they, ghosts?”

She shook her head, her face white with fear, “Worse, they are spirits, though of a kind I have never heard of before.”

Urgrat snorted, “Whatever they are they will die by my blade.”

“No, they are not harmed by steel,” said Logan, “Even my rider’s blade did nothing but anger them. It seems they have a weakness to fire though, and maybe to magic.”

Aelia nodded and replaced her bow on her back. She put out her hand and yelled fire in the ancient language. A white fireball shot from her palm and towards the spirits. Sure enough, one of them was hit and quickly burned to death. This caused the rest of the wraiths to rush forward at them. Urgrat cursed in his own tongue and back up to Sashi, knowing he would not be of any use in this fight.

Logan sheathed Kuldr and put out both his hands, “Jieda!”

The wave of spirits was stopped as the invisible force of magic hit them backwards. They were quickly bathed in gold and white fire as the two dragons lit them up. The screeching caused Logan to put his hands over his ears and grit his teeth. He looked over to Aelia to find her shivering on the floor, her own hands over her pointed ears. He then realised that an elf’s hearing was much more sensitive than a human’s. It must have been torturous.

“We need to get out of here!” he yelled, running to Sashi.

The golden dragon was still pouring out her fire at the spirits but Logan could feel her straining. Dragons couldn’t unleash a continuous barrage of fire for long without it beginning to burn away at the saliva that coated there mouths and protected them from the heat.

Logan leapt up onto Sashi’s back, only to cry out in pain as he felt the latch of another tentacle around his waist. The spirit dragged him off Sashi’s back and he landed on the ground with a thud. It floated over to him, the hollow face staring at his own. A sword suddenly swished through the wraith’s head, causing it to screech angrily and look at the assailant.

“Brisingr!” yelled Logan, thrusting his hand forward.

A golden fireball hit the spirit and burned it to nothing. The grey hand of an urgal appeared in his vision. He gripped it and Urgrat hauled him to his feet. Logan smiled at him.

“Thanks,” that was the second time someone had saved his life from one of those things that day.

He grunted and got to his feet, trying to ignore the searing pain that surrounded his waist. He saw another spirit rushing at Urgrat, he thrust his hand forward once more and said the first word that came to his mind.

“Kevykva!”

A yellow lightning bolt shot from his palm and shocked the spirit into dissipating. Logan smiled at the urgal and they both hurried to Sashi. They hurried onto her back; Gruish seemed to be screaming at them to hurry up.

{‘How’s Aelia doing?’} asked Logan.

Another presence replied.

{‘She isn’t doing good,’} said Hirador, {‘But I have her, lets go.’}

The two dragons flapped there wings and launched into the air, but didn’t get far as the white whips of the spirits wrapped around there legs and began to pull them down. Sashi roared in frustration and spewed fire at the creatures below. The more she burnt down the more whips wrapped around her legs.

The dragon roared in pain and Logan shivered as he felt it through their bond. She beat her wings as hard as she could but was struggling to get up. Hirador suddenly broke free of his and flew up, he started to breath fire at the creatures below but they just through whips at him, trying to take him down once more. The dragon growled and backed out of reach, but they were also out of his range as well.

“Fly!” yelled Logan, “Get help! We’ll survive for as long as we can!”

Aelia looked down at him, sorrow in her eyes. Hirador eventually turned away and flew as fast as he could. Logan took a sigh and prayed to whatever gods were out there to help him survive this.

As if in answer a presence hit his mind, {‘Get your father’s sword.}

Logan frowned.

{‘Your father’s sword,’} it said.

Logan shrugged; he was willing to try anything now. He looked through the trees and sighed with relief as he noticed that they were near his tree cabin.

{‘Sashi, can you get me close enough to my home,’} he said, {‘There is something in there that may help.’}

Sashi nodded her head and began to power towards his house. The spirits below still had her rather tired up but she was still able to control her direction somewhat. Logan quickly replenished his energy through Kuldr’s gem and looked over at the urgal.

“Follow me,” he said.

The kull grimly nodded, his face a mask of fear. Once Sashi was close enough Logan leapt off her back and onto the balcony of his living quarters. The large thud of Urgrat landed behind him, followed by a yelp as Gruish followed his rider. The three ran inside, Logan going to where he knew his father’s sword was.

His eyes widened in surprise when he saw it. The blade was glowing a fierce white light and energy was warping from it waves. The vibrations it was letting off almost made it fall of its stand. Logan hurried to it and grabbed the hilt. As soon as he touched the sword energy shot through him and he gasped in surprise. He slowly hefted the sword from the stand; the blade’s light was now glowing all the more brighter.

“What is this?” he asked.

With this energy he could crush mountains with a wave of his hand, level cities even, but why hadn’t it given him this energy before? Sashi’s cry brought him out of his thought process as they eventually succeeded in pulling the dragon down.

Logan rushed to the balcony and looked over the edge at Sashi, who’s fire now lit up the forest. With a cry of anger he jumped off the balcony, almost ten metres from the ground. He ignored the surprised voice of Urgrat as he landed in the midst of the swirling mists.

They screeched out as the blade passed through them, cutting them into ribbons. Logan moved in a blur, slicing through the mists like they were flesh and bone. His sword was pulsing with power, so much in fact that the spirits were starting to back away from him. Suddenly they started to flee, one by one running away from the human with the glowing sword.

As the fled the sword began to loose its glow and get less powerful, until there was only one left. The sword was dim now, and the power all but gone, but it still cut through the last wraith with ease. Logan fell to his knees, huffing in exhaustion. Everything that had just happened was a blur to him. He looked down at his father’s sword and it glinted in the pale light.

Urgrat burst through the door that led up into his tree house, “That was amazing!”

Logan smiled at him, too exhausted to say anything. He then looked over at Sashi, who was unconscious on the ground. He crawled over to her and placed his hand on her head. He noticed some of her scales were hanging loose and the skin underneath was burned.

“Sashi?” he said.

The dragon’s eyes flicked open and Logan felt her presence awaken in his mind.

{‘Logan?’}

“Its me,” he smiled.

{‘What… what happened?’}

“The spirits are gone,” he said with a smile.

Sashi nuzzled him and carefully tried to get up, growling in pain as she felt it pass through her. Logan carefully pushed her head back down.

“Just lay still, hopefully the elves will come back soon and they will heal you,” he said.

She nodded slightly and closed her eyes again. After about an hour the familiar roar of the white dragon Hirador. He appeared over the trees with all the other dragon riders behind him.

Aelia let loose a sigh of relief when she saw Logan, Urgrat and Sashi on the ground, but her heart flew to her throat when she saw Sashi unconscious. She directed Hirador down and the rest of the dragon riders followed. One by one they landed in the clearing to meet Logan and the urgal. Ayra was there as well, Firnen towering above the rest of the riders.

The elf queen slid of Firnen and ran over to Logan, “What happened, is Sashi alright?”

Logan nodded, “She was just knocked unconscious, She’ll be fine in good time.”

Ayra nodded and looked at Urgrat, “And I’m taking it this is the new rider?”

Logan nodded again.

Ayra looked at him before asking the important question, “What happened, how did you defeat all of the spirits.”

He looked down at the sword in his hand, and decided not to tell the full truth, “This sword was able to cut down the spirits easily, so I used it and it turns out once they meet up with something that can actually hurt them they fell away easily.”

Ayra nodded, frowning, “Will you let me look at the sword.”

Logan handed her the sword hilt first. She took a couple of swings with the sword and frowned, “It feels unbalanced.”

“Not to me,” replied the prince.

She sighed and handed the sword back to him, “Come, we will heal your dragon, and someone wants to meet you as well. A dwarf by the name of Torik.”

* * *

Kazra the first watched from the Crags of Tal’neair. The surviving spirits fled from Ellesmera as fast as they could. The shade grunted in annoyance, the human had become harder to defeat then he thought, and he still had the sword.

Kazra placed his hand where he remembered the sword piecing the place just a little left of his heart. It had been close to killing him, to close. He didn’t want to see that blade again, yet the human had it.

With anger he thrust his hand forward, “Silsra!”

It wasn’t a word in the ancient language, but the effect was so much more prominent. A huge explosion cracked the top of the mountain, and the shade felt a little more satisfaction. That dragon would be his; he didn’t care if he had to face that sword again. Sashi would be his.