So, I know this is supposed to be the next chapter of Niaomi, but I haven't finished it yet! Instead, I'll give you guys a sneak peek at the edited version of Destiny (see cover and trailer above), which is beautiful if I may say so myself. But first, a shout-out to Tallgirl23, who became my 150th fan! Check out her awesome works by clicking the external link down below.

Alright, this new and improved piece of the full edition is basically a much better version of the first part of Destiny, where Niaomi enters the scene. Without further ado, here it is:

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Tired, battle-worn, and worried about his teachers, Eragon Shadeslayer was not in the best of moods for a meeting. But as Lady Nasuada's vassal, he could not ignore her summons; however, as an irate sixteen-year-old, he could be - and was - annoyed by them.

But as a Dragon Rider, you should - and must - put aside your own feelings to attend to your duties.

He could not ignore her words, regardless if they had not been said aloud. Sighing, Eragon conceded that his dragon was right, as usual. Saphira Bjartskular hummed throatily, pleased by the direction of his thoughts. She was fresh from combat herself, but he'd made sure to tend the worst of her scrapes. The holes in the membrane of her delicate wings had been the easiest, and Arya had helped him with the deeper wounds.

Wincing at the bite of pain his heart felt remembering the elven princess's cool attitude, Eragon pulled back the tent flap before him and entered the red pavillion. Nasuada was seated at her desk near the back, sorting through the large jumble of papers hazardously arranged atop it. A round oak table with eight or so chairs took up most of the space in the middle of the large tent, while still managing to give Saphira enough room to push in her angular blue head. The leader of the Varden glanced up at him through stray strands of her mossy black hair, and he bowed as courtesy demanded. "My lady."

She leaned back with a sigh, waving him to a chair placed directly in front of her. "How went the rounding up of the last of Galbatorix's troops?"

He grimaced as he took the seat, remembering how the skirmish had turned into a miniature battle once he and the small party of the Varden that had accompanied him realized the soldiers could not feel pain. "As well as could be expected when dealing with the Laughing Dead."

Nasuada's brow furrowed, but she nodded still. "Of course. The true reason I summoned you was to discuss Oromis's and Glaedr's disappearance."

"I have told you all there is to tell," Eragon replied, frowning slightly. "They were in the midst of battling Thorn and Murtagh when Galbatorix assumed control of Murtagh's body and struck Oromis. Glaedr was flying down to find help when a brilliant light bloomed from the two. Then it was gone, along with my and Saphira's teachers."

"But where did this light come from?" she asked, the question obviously rhetorical. Her brown eyes were narrowed in contemplation. "Galbatorix would be the most obvious choice, but clearly it cannot be him since he wished to slay them both. Has the connection with Glaedr's Eldunarí been reestablished?"

"Not yet, though it still glows, giving me hope that the two remain alive."

Before Nasuada could continue the interrogation, the whoosh of the tent flap signalled someone's arrival. The scent of crushed pine needles alerted Eragon to who the newcomer was before he turned to see. Striding forward was Arya Dröttningu, princess of the elves in that she was their queen's daughter but not the heir to their throne. She gave a slight nod as she came to a stop beside Eragon, her slanted green eyes betraying nothing. "I have come as you have asked, Lady Nasuada."

"All of you are so proper today," the other woman sighed, rubbing her temples lightly. "We're all friends here."

"Yes," the elf replied, sparing Eragon a quick glance before focusing on Nasuada. "Friends."

He managed to ignore the sharpness in his chest as their lady said, "I'm sorry, but I just held a meeting with the Council of Elders, which went as well as ever."

A brief flash of amusement flitted over Arya's face before she took the seat beside Eragon's that Nasuada gestured her to. "Why have you called me here, Nasuada?"

"Have you managed to receive any news from Islanzadí about Oromis's and Glaedr's disappearance?"

"My mother has not been very...forthcoming with information." She shrugged slightly, giving Eragon a brief peek at the indigo yawë tattooed on her left shoulder. "I have no idea as to why that may be, but she has only told me that we will all soon learn the answer."

"Cryptic replies are never the most useful." Nasuada sighed once more, rubbing her the scars on her forearms - a testament to her fortitude in the Trial of the Long Knives - before rising to her feet. "I must now go out for yet another meeting, hopefully with more productive results. You two are free to go, unless you'd like to accompany me?"

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline the offer: Horst has asked me if I would take a look at his wife, Elain." Eragon shook his head, remembering the worry he'd seen on the blacksmith's face. "She's having some trouble with the pregnancy to my understanding."

"I see," Nasuada replied, moving towards the exit while the two followed. "And you, Arya?"

"Unfortunately, I have some other duties I must attend to. I wish you luck with your meeting."

Grimacing, the dark-skinned woman answered with, "I'm going to need it." As they swept out of the pavillion, the six Nighthawks on duty came to attention. A mixture of Urgals, humans, and dwarves, the bodyguard was Nasuada's attempt at convincing the races to work together, or more specifically, convincing the human and dwarves to overcome their semi-biased hatred of the Urgals.

"My lady," said Garven, the leader of the Nighthawks. "The messenger has arrived with your horse just as you requested."

"Thank you, Captain," Nasuada said with a gracious smile. "Well, I shall be on my way."

Eragon and Arya nodded respectfully as she walked towards her mount, Battle-storm. The elven guard who'd been waiting discreetly nearby shifted closer to Eragon, the one they were sworn to protect. However, he was focused on a particular elf that was trying to make her escape.

Have caution, Saphira warned as he called after Arya, who paused but did not turn to face him.

"Yes?"

Unnerved by the lack of warmth in her tone, Eragon blurted out, "Thank you for helping with Saphira."

I am not some beast that one would need help with, the dragon protested his words, lifting her head haughtily. By the barely hidden smiles on Blödhgarm's and the rest of his guard's faces, he realized that Saphira had spoken aloud for all to hear.

The tips of his pointed ears reddened as Arya finally turned to look back at him in light amusement. "No need to thank me, Eragon. I am always willing to help Saphira...and you."

She spun to leave once more, but this time Eragon was not the one to stop her. A large, roughly triangular head swung around high above them to face the north-west, sapphire blue eyes fixed upon the clouds just beginning to roll in. The wind is growing stronger. A change approaches.

"What kind of change?" he asked Saphira aloud for the benefit of the rest.

The kind that alters fate itself.

Hearing hoofbeats, Eragon turned to see Nasuada mounted upon Battle-storm, glancing towards him. "I heard Saphira," she called. "Is there something to be worried about?"

"I'm not quite sure y-"

"Nasuada!"

The semi-distant shout came from the direction that Saphira still gazed, and all turned to the source. Squinting his eyes, Eragon saw a disturbance in the clouds, something white flashing and making the rounded shapes disperse into thin wisps. The movement was repeated a few seconds later many yards closer, near enough for Nasuada to be able to see and ask, "What is that?"

Before anyone could try to answer her question, the figure burst into view, and all stood still in amazement. For somehow, flying towards them was a horse - a horse with a coat as white as the clouds it had come from, swooping towards them on widespread wings. The Nighthawks soon broke out of the haze and formed a tighter circle around Nasuada, but uneasy mutterings sounded. "What is that creature?" asked one of the dwarves, raising his shield and causing the sunlight to glint off the glyphs that spelled their motto in the ancient language: "Loyalty. Skill. Courage. Nighthawks."

"It's a phloÿn," breathed Arya, surprise and disbelief clear on her striking face. "But it can't be here, not in Alagaësia."

"Why not?" the Rider asked even as he looked back at the flying horse. There seemed to be a person sitting astride it, darkly featured and hard to see from this distance.

"Phloÿnar, or pegasi in the human tongue, are creatures native to Alalëa," Blödhgarm explained, naming the ancestral home of the elves. Eragon's gaze flickered to see the leader of his twelve elven guardians staring upwards with slanted yellow eyes. "How did it get here?"

"Nasuada!" the same clear voice called, and the pegasus shot towards them at a steep dive. Its rider stretched out an arm and pointed. "Nasuada, look out!"

All turned to look at Battle-storm's mistress, who followed the direction of the finger and turned in her saddle to look behind her. A swath of dirt stretched down from the hill for less than a mile before the line of tents began. Movement came from the right, and suddenly the silhouette of a cloaked man sprang upwards into view and made a throwing motion with its arm. The Nighthawks raised their weapons in defense, but Eragon's sharp eyes saw the glint of a dart as it hurtled towards Nasuada.

He leapt forwards, knowing even as he moved that he was too slow. The dart flew towards his liegelord with impossible speed, and his fear drove a dagger into his heart as he cried out a warning. Beside him, Arya moved forwards as well, but neither was going to make it.

"No!" that same voice shouted, now just behind them. A white-and-brown blur tackled Nasuada off from the horse, twisting around to shield her as they landed on the ground with a thud.

The dart whizzed by before turning in midair and heading for the fallen woman once more, but her savior raised her left hand outwards towards it. A golden light bloomed outwards from the palm, forming a shield into which the tiny missile struck. The impact let made a loud boom that had the elves and Eragon covering their sensitive ears, and the dart evaporated into a sinister black cloud that quickly dispersed as the light faded.

Looking at the person who'd saved Nasuada from the assassin, Eragon was astounded by the exotic appearance of the woman who was now rising off the ground, helping the other to her feet. She was tall, as tall as he, with hair as black as midnight. It was arranged into a messy bun held in place by two hairsticks, one a gleaming gold and the other a dark onyx, and her skin was the same sable color as Nasuada's.

A chain link bronze circlet was set on her brow, five evenly spaced gems dripping down from the front above long bangs and slanted eyes that were a startlingly purple shade, like Elva's. However, unlike the Farseer's, they were distinctly warmer and filled with a smattering of silver flecks. Along with her tapered ears, they seemed to indicate that she was an elf, but her features - though sharper than his - were not as sharp as Arya's. Her white cloth tunic only had one sleeve and a rounded neckline that did not expose her ample bosom, and the only piece of armor she wore was a set of bronze spaulders topped with soft brown leather that was strangely grooved.

Light gray breeches covered long legs tucked into knee-high black boots made of hardened leather, and jewelry adorned her: ten teardrop hoop earrings all a different shade dangled from her ears, a dark velvet choker with a golden heart-shaped locket hung from her neck, a ring glittered from each one of her fingers, and a charm bracelet wrapped around both of her wrists.

Clasped round her slim waist was a strip of leather that looked almost exactly like the Belt of Beloth the Wise that he himself owned. It had the same black leather and coiling Lianí Vine design but contained white accents where his were blue. On the left side it held a bronze mirror and large dagger, and on the other were two more shielded weapons: a smaller knife and what appeared to be an elven sword from its pommel. He wondered if it held gems within its folds as his own held sapphires.

As the woman stood next to the Varden's leader, Eragon was stunned to see the similarities in their appearance. Besides for their skin, Nasuada also shared with the other the same curly hair, though her savior's was significantly darker - indeed, closer to Arya's shade than to hers. However, the two also had the same strong jawline and full lips. The ones of the stranger tilted upwards in a smile. "Thank the gods that you are safe, Lady Nasuada."

"Who are you?" Arya asked, her eyes hard as her hand hovered at the hilt of her sword.

Before any more questions could be asked or any answered, the woman spun around to stretch out her right hand towards where the assassin had lain in wait. The hooded man suddenly fell out of the bushes, landing with a thud that signalled his death. Grimacing in disappointment, she turned and offered them all an apologetic shrug. "He killed himself; however, I was able to pull some knowledge from his mind. It includes the locations of several other members of the Black Hand, though they are apt to change at any moment. We must hurry and route them out."

Her voice was like honey, smooth and sweet. It was not as alluring as an elf's, yet had a distinctly elvish quality about it in the entrancing way she spoke. Eragon probed her mind but found it heavily defended. Arya's frown grew as she again asked, "Who are you?"

The stranger bowed quickly and said, "Pardon my rudeness. My name is Niaomi Dragonseer, and I have come to assist the Varden in overthrowing Galbatorix."

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What do you guys think of that? Be sure to comment your thoughts below! And the next chapter of Niaomi will be out within the week...I hope. Gotta work on my poor, untouched Sunset first off. :P

Even though this wasn't the update you all were expecting, I hope you enjoyed this interlude nonetheless! Thanks for continuing to be such amazing readers. :D

Ciao for now,

Nikkisha16

PS: How'd you guys like to have more interludes every once in a while about the new version of Destiny or even the second volume? :3