804 Dirt Digger

Arthur stared at his reflection in the mirror. It was a face he didn’t recognize. Yet, the name that the women called him left his lips, time and time again, like a mantra that enchanted him.

“Eragon…”

It felt foreign but belonged to him, like a keepsake from a long-lost friend. The face was the same, with deep black eyes and disheveled hair. However, Arthur saw misery in them.

“What do you think?” asked his sister as she walked into the room, wearing a white dress. She seemed radiant with a bright smile as she twirled, and Arthur felt the rage subside. Eragon raised his hands and held hers, staring at her with a smile.

Arthur blinked, and the scene changed. The white dress turned red, and the woman was on the ground. The castle was gone, demolished to the ground, and everyone was killed except for Eragon.

His wrath burst out of his chest like ancient fire, burning his skin until it was black. The white dress in his hand was soaked, but the blood started vaporizing under the flames. His sister smiled as she caressed his cheek with her bloodied hand.

“Smile, Eragon. After all, you are alive,” she said. “I wanted to see your children and wife and watch you grow old. I will always do, from the afterworld. Sing me the song, brother.”

After that, the woman closed her eyes. Arthur could hear Eragon sing her a solemn and sad lullaby. However, she seemed to like it, even smiling as she died. The destroyed castle, lined with corpses, also listened to the lullaby.

“Here comes the brave sailor, from far, far, away,” sang Eragon to his smiling, dying sister. “Here comes the pretty mermaid, from deep, deep, below. Here comes the shining sun and the sinking moon, all to say goodnight, dear, so the night will be over soon.”

As his words ended, so did the spark of life within his sister. Eragon stared at her and sensed her fading warmth before he let out a howl toward the sky, which turned dark because of his heart. Arthur could feel the waves of wrath wash over him, slamming themselves to his walls.

The wrath was too strong, almost making him lose his mind. It broke apart all the restraints over his mind and threatened to overtake his consciousness. Once again, Arthur was pushed to the pa.s.senger’s seat while the wrathful being took control.

“Kill them all,” said Eragon. “Every human and every creature. Destroy heaven and earth, and leave nothing for fate. Kill everyone, even those you hold dear. Kill them before they kill you.”

“I will kill no one,” replied Arthur. However, the wrath burned strongly within him, and his words received no answer. Instead, Eragon kept repeating his words, all while showing him different visions.

Arthur soon realized that Eragon was not a single person but many. The following vision belonged to a mother who lost her child to the cold after being denied entry by a city. The one after was of a child whose father was flayed alive for stealing to support his family.

Eragon was not one, but every wrath this world hid. He was a being that carried not only his wrath but all the ones dying under snow or rain. He was wrath itself, not a carrier of it.

“Kill them all.”

The voice repeated in his head, but Arthur denied it. The desire to kill those who caused every injustice to others boiled vigorously within him, blinding his reason. He wanted to destroy everything this world had to offer, but a golden figure appeared.

“Don’t let wrath overtake you, Arthur,” said the voice behind him. His blinding mana eradicated the dark feelings, but Arthur couldn’t look back. Instead, his eyes were glued to the countless visions ruining his sanity. “Remember who you are.”

“Who am I?” asked Arthur, and the last vision began. It was of a boy who opened the doors one day to a group of warriors who ravaged his home looking for his father. The boy screamed as his mother and brother were dragged out of the house of their childhood. “Who am I?”

The boy screamed at the awakeners who took their home, threw them out, and told lies about his beloved father. Tears gathered in Arthur’s eyes as he watched the vision unfold, a second after the other, reliving memories that he once had.

At school, the boy was labeled a traitor’s son and bullied daily by the righteous awakeners. Finally, he left because he couldn’t endure the whispers behind his back and seeing his mother’s blistered feet.

Then, he dug, and dug, and dug. He dug as if he would dig himself out of the misery, stress, loan sharks, banks, guilds, and bad things they said about his father. However, there was never an exit, except for the occasional luck that kept him alive.

“Is this who I am?” asked Arthur as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. His face morphed in rage as the vision continued, showing him what his father did and what he learned. “Am I a G.o.dd.a.m.n dirt digger?”

The black flames left Eragon and started invading his body, but Arthur was too distracted by his rage. His lips bled, as did his eyes, and the golden figure reached out to him. But instead, Arthur stepped forward to the image of his father after the battle against Amelio.

“Is this who you wanted me to become?” asked Arthur as he reached out toward the vision and tore it apart. “A G.o.dd.a.m.n broken mess of a monster?”

The black flames started crackling, turning into black lightning that blinded his eyes. It covered his body, bit by bit, as wrath consumed him. Finally, the golden figure was pushed back, as Eragon became in control.

***

Marvi stared at the knight, Alan, drinking with the gobkins. They were laughing and dancing, even while their lord fell ill. Although he knew they were trying to lighten the mood, he found it disrespectful.

“You are glaring again, Marvi,” said Queen Ruki, compelling the shadow man to turn toward her. “You have been glaring all your life, so why not stop now?”

“Old habits never die, my queen,” said Marvi while saluting. “How are your injuries from the fight?”

“We heal, and it reminds us that we are no longer humans,” said Queen Ruki as she stared at the gobkins. “Do you envy them for their lives, Marvi?”

“I envy them for their carelessness.”

“Then, you don’t miss being a human?” asked Queen Ruki, making Marvi pause. He would lie to say that he didn’t wish to be reborn every day and escape this cold boy, but he was a liar.

“No, my queen.”

“I remember my death,” said Queen Ruki as she traced the wounds on her chest. “It was a beautiful day to die, and my last thoughts were about whether I would be reborn. I have been, just not the way I expected.”

“We retain our memories, while others forget who they are. So while we hold no beating heart, we carry the memories of our past, making us the true reincarnations.”

“A fine sentiment to hold, but I miss getting hungry and eating,” said Ruki as she placed her hands on the ground. “All I can do now is swear loyalty to our savior and serve him until I perish.”

“Our savior,” repeated Marvi with discontent. His loyalty toward Arthur knew no bounds, but whether Arthur Silvera was himself was different. A day ago, all of them fought against that wolf of destruction, who turned out to be their savior.

Queen Ruki raised a shadow from the ground, turning it into another shadow warrior. Marvi stared at her fascinating ability with awe, not even daring to envy her.

“Why are we the only two, my queen? Our Lord could have revived more of us, building himself an army, but we are merely two.”

“An essence is a rare thing to form after one’s death, and unless he hunts down humans, Our Lord cannot summon more shadows beings.”

Marvi was silent before he sensed a presence outside. Their vessel was hidden deep between the mountains, and no one should be able to find them. However, someone was approaching.

“Go find out who it is,” commanded the Queen, and Marvi nodded before he dissolved into the shadows. Then, he left the Runic Dome to appear before the woman wandering through the mountains.

Her attire was bizarre, and her hair was tied into a bun. She seemed unaware of his presence, but her aura told Marvi that she wouldn’t be an easy foe to take down.

“I came here looking for my sister,” said the woman, making Marvi frown. “Her name is Suyin, and she accompanied Arthur Silvera before he disappeared. I know you can hear me.”

Marvi left the shadows and stood in front of the woman, his hand tightly holding his blade. She turned toward him with a blank expression, and her eyes squinted.

“You aren’t a human,” said the woman, and Marvi nodded. “Tell Arthur Silvera that the Bloodflower is here for her sister.”