"Glaedr, I want you to stay as still as possible," Harry spoke, looking up at the giant, golden dragon. He held a big pile of unused metal in his arms and he knew without using his innate phoenix empathy, that Glaedr was very curious. Murtagh stood next to him and so did Thorn and Shruikan. They were all in front of Oromis' hut on the cliff on the outskirts of the elven city so that they could have enough room to work.

Eragon, Arya, Orik and Queen Islanzadi were all in attendance too, along with the queen's guards and Eragon's sparring partner. They were all giving Harry, Shruikan, Oromis and Glaedr room but it felt like the whole of Ellesmera was in attendance. Or at least everyone who knew about Oromis and Glaedr. Everyone wanted to see how Harry was going to give Glaedr a prosthetic limb.

I will try, young Rider.

Harry dipped his head in a nod, peering over to where Shruikan was. "Shruikan, could you try to help him? I need him to be absolutely still."

Shruikan blinked, his pale blue eyes looking at Harry with so much affection and love that he was nearly balled over. I do not know if Glaedr would trust me with this. What about Saphira? She's clearly the-

Glaedr let out a growl, glaring at Shruikan. You did not have a choice, Shruikan. I trust you in this. I trust you with the life of my Rider and the others.

Shruikan turned to look at Harry, who shrugged and smiled.

"Is there anything I can do?" Murtagh asked, speaking up for the first time this morning. "I feel as if there is a great flood in my mind and nothing to do with it."

Harry grinned. The ghostly spirit dragon had done good work as they had discovered earlier. Murtagh had access to his magic. "This procedure will take great attention to detail and finesse. Otherwise, yes."

"Murtagh, since you are leaving with Harry and Shruikan…" Eragon trailed off, glancing down at his feet momentarily before looking up. His hand was on the blade at his hip, the red Rider sword that Brom had given him. The sword that had belonged to Murtagh's father, Morzan, and had matched the color of Morzan's dragon.

Murtagh exchanged glances with Harry, who gestured at Eragon, before turning back to Glaedr. He kneeled at the golden dragon's feet, dropping the pile of metal onto the dirt ground, and began to whisper. He drew runes on the metal with his hand, the gedwey ignasia glowing on his left palm, the magic falling down like rain and covering each piece of metal. Shruikan gave over his energy over to Harry, adding to the project, as dead metal became living. Finally, he cut a small sliver of skin on his right palm, smeared some of his blood over each metal.

It took nearly twenty minutes for Harry to enchant the metal, the living, changing metal moving under his hands. He was dimly aware of gasps, of sharp inhales behind him. Oromis's eyes were wide as he peered down at what Harry was doing. Glaedr was quiet too, little sounds of interest leaving the dragon's throat.

"What…" Arya trailed off, gasping when Harry drew up with the finished product. It looked like a dragon's claw, more specifically, it was the same golden hue as Glaedr's scales. It was as big as Glaedr's other limbs, the living, metal claws kneading the air. "How… did you do that?"

That is no magic I have ever seen.

"Living metal," Harry spoke, breathing heavily, looking to where Murtagh was now holding the red sword. Zar'oc. In the ancient language, the sword's name meant misery. "It was an almost dead skill where I come from and I learned it from the last High Elf in my country. Being a phoenix helps with it, as my blood can animate the metal just as well as magic can."

Oromis stared at him, his eyes still wide with awe. His skin was slightly pale, the disease eating away at him. "Will it grow with him?"

"Yes, it will. I will have to… merge it with Glaedr's mind and magic but yes. It will," Harry explained, glancing at the elven queen. Queen Islanzadi's awe was subtle but still there, her shoulders stiff and her eyes intent on him. He gathered the living metal in his arms and stepped over to Glaedr, hesitated for a moment before sitting down in front of the dragon. "If you would, Glaedr, lay down. I can reach you better that way."

Glaedr lay down with a loud thump, propping his head on his whole, left limb and watched him. Harry nodded and placed a hand on the dragon's right limb, which ended at where a human knee would be. Shruikan came over and lay down right next to the golden dragon, laying one large black wing over Glaedr's back.

"Okay, here we go," Harry spoke, scooping up the living metal and placing it right in front of Glaedr's stump and began to chant. It wasn't the ancient language he was speaking in but in Latin, the language of the magic he grew up with.

Glaedr let out a loud roar, writhing in place, as the foreign magic flowed into his mind. Shruikan leaned into the golden dragon, placing more of his not inconsiderable weight onto Glaedr to hold him down.

"I am sorry about this, Glaedr," Harry whispered, peering up into the golden dragon's eyes. "I need you to be conscious for this otherwise it won't work."

"Dear one, don't block me out," Oromis murmured, stroking Glaedr's scales.

It is too much pain for you to bear for me. I can take it. If if means I have a new limb, I can bear it.

Glaedr gave Harry a determined look and he continued, murmuring the enchantments and spells under his breath.

Murtagh watched as Harry attached the living metal to Glaedr's stump of a leg. Thorn was standing right next to him, his red eyes intent on Glaedr and Shruikan. The golden dragon was occasionally letting out pained growls but otherwise wasn't moving. Saphira and Firnen were watching too, standing by their respective Riders.

As they watched, the golden metal within Harry's hands hovered in the air and edged right up to Glaedr's scales, melding with the dragon and the limb. An hour went by as the two different magics flowed into each other, syncing and molding to one another. With Thorn's help, Murtagh could see both magics, the energy that flowed from the metal and the energy that was Glaedr.

Look closer. You can see the runes that Harry is placing.

Murtagh nodded idly, squinting, and was suddenly drawn into Thorn's mind. Dull colors became vivid and smells became a lot more… loud. As he and Thorn peered down at the magic that Harry was wielding, he could see the distinctive runes and wards. He didn't know what each one of them meant but he could… sense one, the biggest, for protection.

Murtagh's stomach growled and Thorn sent him back to his own body. The midday meal had come and gone while he had been distracted and Harry was still working.

"Are you… almost done?" Murtagh questioned quietly, not wanting to disturb the man too much. But if he was hungry, Harry would be too.

We are.

He looked into Shruikan's eyes, as the black dragon turned to peer at him. You were given the sword of your father.

Murtagh glanced down at the sword that was now at his hip, the red blade that had probably made the long, sharp cut at his own hip. Murtagh had spent a week abed after Morzan had thrown the Rider blade at him in anger and the servants had not been sure whether he would make it or not.

"It deserves its' name," Murtagh remarked, sighing. "Zar'oc."

Shruikan leaned down, his head right in front of Murtagh's. You are its' wielder now, young one.

Oromis backed up a pace several minutes later, watching as Glaedr took a step back from Harry. The other man blinked, breathing heavily, but Harry did look satisfied, content. Shruikan too removed his wing from Glaedr's back and stepped away.

How does it feel, my friend?

Glaedr peered down at his new limb, the metal claws kneading in the dirt. Glaedr had laid down with three limbs and now stood up on four, as he put weight on his limb and tested it out. He roared out his joy and took off, beating his wings until he was up in the air and speeding up, up, up.

"Well, I'd say that was a success," Harry commented, grinning widely.

Oromis smiled, feeling the wonderful joy coming from Glaedr as his life partner flew with ease for the first time in several years. "Thank you, Harry."

"You're welcome, Oromis. It was the least I could do."

"You are Shruikan's Rider."

Harry turned to look behind him as he was packing up. An elf man stood in front of a group of six elves, some male and some… For some, it was hard for him to tell their gender. Elves tended to use magic to shape their face, shape their bodies, to be more beautiful. There was at least one elf that looked more like a wolf than a humanoid being, to his knowledge.

"Yes. What of it?"

Shruikan turned to look at the elves as Harry was pulling out the saddle that they used for travel.

"We are to come with you to the Varden and guard you, Shruikan, Murtagh and Thorn. The Queen asked this of us."

Harry's eyes widened but he nodded anyway. It was a good idea since Murtagh and Thorn were just fledglings in the eyes of Shruikan and Glaedr. And who knows what they would encounter with the Varden. "What is your name?"

"I am Loren."

Thorn and Murtagh are on their way.

"It'll be a tight fit but I think we'll all fit," Harry offered, glancing to where Shruikan was looking. Eragon, Saphira, Thorn, Firnen, Arya and Murtagh were coming towards them and Murtagh had a pack on his shoulders, Zar'oc on his hip. "We're going to Surda, if I'm not mistaken."

Loren turned around to confer with his people and Harry jumped up onto Shruikan's back to lay the saddle. Thorn had had his first flight a few days ago but the red dragon wasn't up to flying a long distance.

"Be careful, my friend," Eragon spoke. "Say hi to Nasuada for me."

Murtagh nodded, looking up at Shruikan and Harry. The elven guards had already introduced themselves to him and Harry was making ready for the trip. "You be careful too. Your back's been healed and you're already looking like an elf."

Eragon laughed. "You will too, eventually."

"How long did Riders live anyway?" Murtagh asked, his eyes widening at the thought. "No one's told me that before. I know Galbatorix has lived a long life but he doesn't have a dragon anymore."

"I asked Oromis. He said that Riders can live for hundreds of years, if not forever," Eragon spoke, shrugging uncomfortably.

"Forever?" Murtagh repeated.

The ancient dragons lived for several years without Riders, before the bond. Afterward, we shared our magic with the elves and then the humans. You will share our life.

Murtagh looked at Thorn, the red dragon peering up at him before loping over to Shruikan and jumping up into the air. Thorn landed on Shruikan's back, curled up and propped his head on one side of the saddle.

"Ready to go?" Harry called down at them.

"Yes. I am," Murtagh answered, shouldering his pack and walking up Shruikan's wing to get onto the dragon's back. "Can Shruikan really carry all of us?"

"The elves are light," Harry explained, reaching down a hand to help him get aboard. "Besides, it's not like we're going to travel all the way south in one afternoon. We'll stop for the evening and start your training too."

"Magic?"

"We're traveling into a war zone," Harry said, running a hand through his hair and staring intently at Murtagh. "You should know how to use the abilities you have."

"What if I fuck up? What if the king tries to-"

"Murtagh, I will not let anything happen to you or Thorn," Harry whispered, drawing him in with the hand that he was still holding. "I promise you that."

Murtagh leaned into Harry, their foreheads touching, before he pulled back a little, glancing at Thorn. Fingers came under his chin, tilting him up for a kiss. Harry's lips touched his briefly and he let out a strangled moan, melting into the other man's arms.

Someone cleared their throat, startling them both into pulling apart. Murtagh took a deep breath and another, trying to calm his racing heart. Harry stared at him then winked.

"Okay, Shruikan. We're set."

Shruikan slowly stood up, shook out his wings then took a step off of the cliff, racing gravity then leveled out, flying over the forest below them.