The Tale of the Grey Rider:

The Fall

Chapter One

Betrayal

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inheritance Cycle, nor anything else that I may reference in this fan fiction.

It came as little surprise to Aragon when he learned of Morzan's treachery.
In the two years since he'd first met him as Oromis's apprentice, he'd done absolutely nothing to improve his standing in Aragon's eyes.
If anything, it had slipped.

First, Aragon had learned from his fellow apprentice,-a sharp and fiery young woman of his own age who went by the name Faith Encarmine,-that he'd attempted to rape her prior to an incident where she'd broken his nose.
Then he'd become a Rider-in-full, despite that, though it was no surprise, as Faith had felt no desire to turn Morzan over.

This peculiar move was one that Aragon vaguely understood himself, the two of them having become shur'tugal after having lived some time as street urchins, and having developed mistrust for authority figures as a direct result,-a mistrust not entirely dispelled by their experiences as Riders, having both originally having difficulty becoming Riders in the first place.

After the latter, Morzan had dropped off the face of the Earth to Aragon's mind, though he still found Thelduin,-the strange, grey, long-bodied, wingless dragon he was bonded to,- moping occasionally at the absence of Anarch, Morzan's partner.
Aragon didn't like Morzan, and Morzan didn't like Aragon.
But somehow, Thelduin and Anarch had formed a friendship despite this, though it had originally began as an infatuation that hadn't played out.

Still, he hadn't spared Morzan more than a minute's thought in the preceding two years, being too busy learning magic, studying this that or other, practicing sword-craft or his accuracy with his wrist-bow, or learning from Eragon the Scion, the First Shur'tugal, the form of unarmed combat he'd spent seven years studying in a parallel world.
Still, it had certainly become a talking point.

'He always was a sorry bastard.' Said Jarren Miles, he'd been born at sea, and spent the first fifteen years of his life on board his father's ship, before being accepted as a dragon rider.
'Yeah, but a traitor? I didn't think he was that bad.' This was Sarah Coburg, the daughter of a blacksmith and a seamstress in Tierm, she'd been accepted as a rider at the same time as Jarren, and they were both apprenticed to Eragon the Scion.
'He always was rotten,' Aragon said thoughtfully, he, was the same age as Jarren and Sarah, and had joined the riders at the same time, but unlike them, had nearly been kicked out, due to the prejudice of one senior Rider, now dead for a little over a year and three quarters.
'And look at who he's fallen in with.' This was Faith, and she sounded rather thoughtful.
'Yes, suddenly that treachery becomes all the more personal.' Aragon said in a tone dripping with hate.

If he disliked Morzan, then Galbatorix,-the rat-bastard Morzan had thrown his lot in with,- could consider himself hated with a passion as far as Aragon was concerned.

'And now they've split for parts unknown.' Jarren said.
'And stole that poor bastard's dragon away.' Aragon added darkly.
'Poor thing.' Sarah said with genuine regret.
Best not to dwell on that one's sorry wyrd. Advised Mor'ranr, Faith's partner.
In Vroengard's pale, late winter sun, Mor'ranr gleamed like polished onyx, as black and mysterious as midnight.
Silence fell over the group.
Aragon examined his three friends, noting how they'd changed over the past year or so.

Jarren had continued to bulk out, taking after his father in that regard, and the first evidence of a beard was becoming visible on his cheeks and chin.
Sarah was showing every indication of taking after her own father in height, but her delicately featured face hadn't changed much, though these days there always seemed to be a playful glint in her green eyes.
Faith was still as darkly alluring as ever to Aragon. The last seven months of decent meals, hard training and safety had reduced the tautness of her bearing, and erased the traces of malnourishment from her, though she still bore a few of the scars from her previous existence,-both from as her time as a slave and her time on the streets of Dras Leona.
His line of thought lead him to think on how much he'd changed.

He'd had a haircut for one, so his hair no longer hung into his eyes, and he'd filled out a bit, though not to the same extent as Jarren.
He'd grown a few inches putting him only five inches below being six feet tall.
He'd also begun to sprout the first precursors of a beard.
But, he still felt his most obvious change was his change in bearing.

When he'd first become a rider, he'd hid his own insecurities behind a façade of cynical amusement and mocking confidence, but since then all those nagging doubts had been swept aside by his training, making him feel confident about himself.

'It's good to just sit down for a while.' Jarren said with a sigh of contentment, recalling Aragon back to himself.
'Eragon been working you hard?' Enquired Faith curiously.
'Yeah, you've got no idea Faith, and I'll be glad when this 'Final Test' is out of the way.' Jarren said.
'Tell me about it, it's just been practice, practice, practice since I turned seventeen.' Aragon replied.
'Well, it is kind of important, if we're to prove we're ready to become Riders-in-full, we need to be ready for whatever this final test entails,' Sarah said reasonably.
'Yeah, but being woken up at the crack of dawn to practice more, and falling asleep practically when the moon sets? Gods, even Infernia is beginning to say that things are getting out of hand.' Jarren said.
'Only because you're so grumpy when you're tired.' Sarah said, punching him lightly on the arm.
Aragon kept his peace and his own observations to himself, particularly considering what Elmïra had told him that morning…

'Where're they anyway?' Asked Faith after a moment.
'Thelduin led them off on a snail hunt.' Aragon said, letting a faint note of distaste enter his tone.
'I wonder if any o' them Snalglí are going on an Aragon hunt?' Jarren said, with an evil grin, referring to an incident involving Aragon's first encounter with one of the giant snails.
'Oh dry up Jarren.' Aragon scoffed. 'Way I heard it, you decided to sunbathe on one's shell, fell asleep and woke up a couple of miles from where you'd found the blighted thing.' He replied.
'Well they do look kind of like rocks when they're in their shells like that.' Jarren began defensively, but gave up as Faith and Sarah burst out laughing.

That night, Aragon and Thelduin met Elmïra and the other senior riders present at a cave in the base of a cliff on the north side of the island.
'This is the final test?' Asked Aragon, eyeing the dark cave opening.
'Maybe we should pass over him this year Vrael,' said Elmïra thoughtfully.
'I don't think so, it's gotten to the stage where I've decided to give anyone apprenticed to you special provision for being apprenticed to an uncouth mistress.' Vrael replied.

Aragon sighed internally.
'Atra esternì ono thelduin.' He said, touching his fore and middle fingers to his lips.
'Mor'ranr lìfr unin hjarta onr.' Replied Vrael.
'Un de evarìnya ono varda.' Finished Aragon, deciding the optional third line was warranted under the circumstances.
'Or, perhaps you should've just been more insistent on courtesy instead of being brusquely impatient.' Vrael said as an aside to Elmïra.

Aragon gave Thelduin a brief, pained expression, then looked back to the Riders.
You'd think they'd be done with the by-play by the time we got to these sorts of serious matters. Thelduin said despairingly.
When you're a couple of centuries old, I guess you've gotten used to having all the time in the world. Aragon replied wearily, resigned to having to put up with the masters' antics.

'This is indeed the final test Aragon.' Said Eragon gravely.
'What item that one of you mislaid do you want me to retrieve?' Asked Aragon wearily. He could just see where this was going.
Eragon gave him a peculiar smile.
'Not quite what you're thinking, slytha!'

I am evil.

First chapter and there's already a cliff-hanger.

But, that's one way to capture interest.

And this is indeed the not-so-long-awaited sequel to The Tale of the Grey Rider.

As this is both a continuation and a brand new story, I'll break one of my rules and thank everyone who reviewed on the previous story while I was writing this.

The people I wish to thank are:

For Favouriting: Fionn Rose.

For the Author Alert add: Fionn Rose.

For reviewing, I'd like to thank: Hideout Writer, Forsaken By All and Zman.

'til next time:

No One-liners!

Merry Christmas!