Concentration. (Open)

[Arandur]

Arandur stood across from Eragon, staring the older Rider straight in the eyes. "I am young, but by no means a hatchling! I have done this before, and I will do it again!" He shoved Deloi into the ground, deeper than Eld Moi. Suddenly, Arandur muttered under his breath, "I wish I didn't have to go first." He stepped to the left of Deloi, then to the left, then forwards, then back, quickly running from place to place. He repeated this twice, then, as he was moving forward, grabbed Deloi in is right hand and threw himself at Eragon.

"Forget the spar. I want see how good we both are." He growled as he ran forward, Deloi hanging by his ankles.

M'tachi sent an amused thought to Eragon. Sorry. I should have told you that he wasn't in the mood for a real spar. But you'll beat him, so it doesn't matter. He's too hotheaded to win a fight like this against you, and he knows it. Still, even I have to wonder at his lack of protocol....

Arandur ignored his dragon, and, when he was about a foot from where Eragon stood, brought Deloi up in a sweeping arc towards his friend's chest.

[Eragon Ládin]

Eragon sniffed at his friend's behavior, but he wasn't surprised by it. He watched closely as Arandur ran place to place, leaning on his sword as if he were utterly bored, and nothing out of the ordinary was occurring. He watched him grab his sword in his hand, and still didn't make a move. Some would call Eragon's fighting style a bit foolish; at the last possible second, Eragon took the point of his sword out of the ground, bringing it up for white to meet silver. It met with a clang that shook his bones. Eragon easily parried Arandur's blow.

Eragon was focused enough that he didn't hear M'tachi's words, nor Arandur's. His mind was completely on the duel he was participating in.

[Arandur]

Arandur pressed hard down at Eragon as their blades locked, gritting his teeth. Then, suddenly, he broke their stalemate and shifted his weight to his right side, feigning a dash to that side. A strange feeling of deja vu encompassed him as he threw himself to the right, pretending to commit to that direction.

"You can't expect to win if you can't feint, Arandur. No, no, faster, and be lighter of your feet. If you are grounded then you can't move fast enough to pull it off. You spar a lot, I know, and so these battle techniques aren't what you're used to, but I swear that they will save your life someday. Do me a favor, and don't get killed..."

Arandur's eyes widened as he recalled his Elder's words, but he lost no time at all. As soon as he almost reached the point of no return, the point at which gravity would take over and carry him downwards, committing him unwillingly to the right, Arandur pulled hard with his left calf, yanking himself back from the very brink. The Rider felt himself rush through the air as he spun on one foot to Eragon's left. Then he stopped spinning, hitting the ground with his left foot and taking off running on his right. Bringing Deloi up across his left arm, Arandur slashed at Eragon's exposed side, aiming deep but knowing his friend would block it.

[Eragon Ládin]

Eragon smiled as he blocked the blow easily. He watched as Arandur went to the right, not anticipating what trick he had in mind. He was suddenly distracted as Bid'Daum's mind reconnected to his with full power. He lost sight for a moment as he saw out of the dragon's eyes.

Bid'Daum! No! Eragon said, but he knew it was too late. He slashed based on where he last saw Arandur's sword, and hoped for the best. He regained his own sight just in time to see Deloi sinking into his side. Eragon inwardly cursed as pain consumed him.

Eragon, hold on! Bid'Daum said, realizing what was going on now. Eragon felt despair and panic float through the bond as he dropped his sword to the ground, grabbing onto his side with one hand as he collapsed into the grass. He could feel the blood pouring from the wound, but managed to stay alert.

[Lindariel]

Lin watched as the two Riders went off to fight. "One of you will get hurt!" She called, but neither seemed to hear her. She sighed, leaned on her staff, watched the apprentices. Slowly, her attention turned to M'tachi, and then to Arandur, and, in turn, to Eragon. She watched as Arandur ran at Eragon, and as Eragon blocked the move easily. When Arandur feinted left, a small smile crossed Lin's lips.

That smile was erased as Eragon failed to block the blow, ending up on the ground, staining the grass red. She cursed, not under her breath, but loudly. Running over to where the two Riders were standing, Lin stared at Arandur accusingly. "You." She said icily, then slapped him hard across the face, hard enough to send him stumbling back a few steps. Then she bent to Eragon. "Roll over." She commanded, and then looked at where Deloi had cut into his side. The healer ran a hand above and below the wound, then snorted.

"You'll live. Get up." The elf gave Eragon her hand, in case he needed it. "I can't do a thing if you're lying down like that. But I also couldn't see what was wrong without you stretched out like that." Suddenly, she pointed to Arandur. "Go watch your apprentices. It was no fault of yours, but I would rather be alone." She turned back to Eragon, and smiled grimly. "If you don't want to walk all the way back to my rooms, I would suggest you call your dragon."

[Arandur]

Arandur stared in shock as Eragon failed to block the slash. It had been one of the most basic techniques that the apprentices had learned, and he failed to understand how his friend had allowed it to hit. He knew that he played on the dangerous side when he sparred, and said so to M'tachi as the dragon tried to remind him of this. Nonetheless, Eragon was head of the Dragon Riders. Arandur, at least, was in shock when he had fallen to the ground. Dropping Deloi on the ground, Arandur started to take a step towards his friend, but was intercepted as Lin slapped him hard across the cheek. He stumbled back a few paces, wincing, and put a hand to his cheek. There were five perfectly straight slashes across his cheek from where Lin's nails had sunk into his skin. They weren't deep, and it was not a shameful thing to be slapped by the cantankerous healer, but they smarted.

Arandur stared one last time at Eragon, apologetically, mouthed, "I'm sorry." Then he wandered back to where the apprentices were fighting, prompted by Lin's cold stare.

You didn't mean it to hit. M'tachi's voice was slightly stunned, but calm and reassuring all the same.

But that's the way it turned out, so it doesn't matter what was meant to happen.

That's not true.

It is. It is and you know it.

[Eragon Ládin]

Eragon's eyes dashed from Lin to Arandur and back, before he began coughing up blood, increasing his white dragon's alarm. He attempted to speak, but he knew the pain was overcoming him. The last thing he saw was Lin's hand held out towards him, and she said something he did not comprehend.

Then he fell into the void, with no Bid'Daum there to comfort him. His mind was completely blank and confused. Who was he? Where was he? What happened? What is this place?

Eragon struggled within himself, refusing to let go to whatever was holding him on.

Bid'Daum flew onto the sparring grounds, immediately spotting Eragon. Grief flew throughout his mind, and then slight relief when he spotted Lindariel. He landed smoothly, very close to his Rider, and then looked to Arandur, M'tachi, and Lin.

My fault, it was my fault. I had him blocked from my mind all day...I just came back into his mind when you were sparring, and I fear I connected back too strongly...he saw from my eyes, essentially becoming blind when you striked. MY FAULT He growled, a huge tear falling from one eye as he felt Eragon's pain.

[Lindariel]

Lin watched cooly as Eragon lost consciousness. Then, as Bid'Daum arrived, she tore her attention away from the Rider to stare at the dragon. His words seemed to rush by her mind, incomprehensible, and she licked her lips, trying to catch ahold of the words, trying to understand the dragon. When she finally figured out what the white dragon was saying, anger flew into her visage, and she glared up at Bid'Daum ferociously.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, Bid'Daum! The last thing I need is a blubbering dragon. My word, the saddest sight in all of Alagaesia is a dragon who can't keep his emotions under control. I say, shut your mouth and stop your whining!" The healer accented her sentence by slamming her staff into the ground on 'whining'. Glaring up at the white dragon with barely controlled anger, Lindariel pressed her lips together into a tight line.

"Now. If you have controlled yourself, you can do us all a favor by flying Eragon and I to my quarters. Arandur and M'tachi will stay here, to watch the apprentices." She glanced for a moment at Arandur, who was nursing his cheek, and M'tachi, who seemed to be consoling him. Lin turned her gaze to Eragon, then knelt down beside him.

At her throat was a small silver clasp, and this she undid, pulling the cloak that it fastened from across her back. The fabric billowed around her for a moment, then settled down as she began to fold it into a more useful shape. Once the cloak had been folded enough so that it covered Eragon's wound, she wrapped it around his waist, and tied it tight. Standing up, Lin pocketed the clasp, and shrugged her bare shoulders, as if getting used to the absence of cloak. Long ago she had cut off the sleeves of this particular tunic, and the frayed edges produced a very appealing effect.

"Now, if you would be so kind as to carry your Rider and I to my rooms?" Lin looked expectantly at Bid'Daum.

[Eragon Ládin]

Bid'Daum shrank back from Lin's scolding, but attempted, at least to listen to her. He was still filled with guilt. And despair. He nodded when Lin requested transportation.

Of course. Here, he said, getting down on his stomach for easier access to his back. However, it would still be hard, due to how humongous he was. The largest dragon alive, actually. Concern for Eragon showed through his eyes and thoughts as he examined his Rider. Why had he been so foolish? To accept a spar, without even a shirt to minimize the damage Deloi gave him. No matter, really. Deloi would have cut through a shirt just as easily. Why didn't they dull their blades at least??

[Lindariel]

Lin grimaced slightly as the large white dragon shrank back from her scolding. She hadn't meant for it to be that harsh, just effective. Oh well, she supposed. So long as it worked. Reaching down to Eragon, Lin lifted him with a slight grunt. He was heavier than she wished he was, but that didn't matter. Holding him like a baby, Lin smiled at the irony of the situation. Then, she walked to Bid'Daum and looked up at the enormous white bulk. "This will be hard." She said, then bent her knees and jumped.

Since she was carrying Eragon, and she had no wish to hurt herself, Lin only landed on one of Bid'Daum's large knees. But even that was a ways off the ground. From there, she somehow managed to scramble up, with Eragon, and to settle herself on top of the white dragon. "Thankfully," she said softly, "I still know how to ride a dragon, even though I'm not a Rider. Okay, then, Bid'Daum. To my rooms, please." Lin looked down at the Rider in her arms. He looked so childlike, so quiet, so peaceful right then. Suddenly, on an impulse, Lin pressed Eragon tighter to her chest. Then, only to herself, she thought something completely uncharacteristic for her.

I won't let you down, Eragon. I swear.

[Eragon Ládin]

Bid'Daum watched as Lin exhibited her good old elf strength. It would have been like him lifting another dragon his size. Seemingly impossible. He wasn't thinking much about that at the moment. He was more concerned at her not hurting Eragon while she jumped. He let out a small breath of relief when they were both on his back safely.

Standing, Bid'Daum nodded to Arandur, M'tachi, and the apprentices, before his wings flapped, and he lifted off into the sky, towards Lin's quarters. The force of his wings were so great that he could barely hear any other sounds in Vroengard. He landed in a short time in front of Lin's quarters.

//character out//

[Lindariel]

Lin breathed out softly as Bid'Daum took to the air. She liked the ground much better than the air, and the sea much better than the ground. She was not a Rider for a reason, she realized as she stared at the ground flying past with every beat of the white dragon's wings. When they reached her rooms, Lin licked her lips, anticipating the smells and sights that were so familiar to her, yet so alien to any other that ventured within her domain. In her rooms, she was in control, and, needless to say, Lin liked that.

//Lin out//

[Flynda]

Flynda was sitting. Just sitting. Her rider was not listening to her. That should explain everything.
M'tachi was explaining the things that certain herbs and stuff need to survive. It just sounded more scientific.
Flynda never really paid enough attention in her lessons. She knew she should try harder, and she did, she just got distracted. By a ladybug, a blade of grass bending gracefully and silently in the wind. She got distracted easily.
She tried one last time to contact Maërina... Even if she WAS distracted, she could at least speak to her partner-in-mind.
Cmon!! the least you can do is talk to me! Please? M'tachi is blabbering on about something or other...
She was partly disappointed in herself, what dragon couldn't break through her riders mind-shields?

(Sorry if a bit OOC .. I had a hard time thinking of things to write )

[Maërina Könungr]

Maërina was slightly distracted when Eragon was carried off the field by the huge dragon, along with that shrew healer. That was when she heard Flynda calling her.

Oops! Sorry....she frowned to herself, troubled that she had blocked her dragon out like that. She bit her bottom lip. I definitely didn't mean to block you out...I'm really sorry...isn't Aren cute? she asked, her mind immediately switching to something else. And did you see that spar between Arandur and Eragon? I was busy with Aren here, so I unfortunately didn't get to see it. Eragon isn't a very good fighter...her voice drifted off as she pondered on this while still fighting Aren.

[Flynda]

Oops! Sorry... Thought Maerina. Don't worry said Flynda smiling. I definitely didn't mean to block you out...I'm really sorry...isn't Aren cute? Maerina asked. I honestly don't see it myself... but maybe thats because I'm a dragon.. Replied Flynda uncertainly. And did you see that spar between Arandur and Eragon? I was busy with Aren here, so I unfortunately didn't get to see it. Eragon isn't a very good fighter... asked Maerina. I didn't get to see it, because M'tashi though it was more practical to learn about what makes the jujube plant tick.... But Eragon has been under alot of.. Well, I dunno but he seemed pretty down when i last saw him. Maybe he just wasn't up to battle. she concluded