Chapter 18

(Arya POV) 

Arya leaves the training field and heads back to her room. After shutting the door she leans against the wall and slowly slides down till she is sitting on the floor. Her cheeks are flushed and her mind is in total disarray. 

"What was that? My heart skipped a beat and all I could think about in that moment was nestling into his embrace, taking in the warmth of his body." 

Arya takes a few deep breaths before shakily getting up and splashing her face with water. "There is no way that I have fallen in love with him. I am over one hundred years old and he has only just started adulthood… I will need time alone to think about this. I will leave for Ellesmera on the marrow." 

Having sufficiently calmed down, the fatigue of their fight claims her consciousness and she passes out in her bed. 

…

(Eragon POV)

Once Arya leaves the training field, Eragon sits down on the ground and begins healing his bruises with magic. The sounds of combat return to the clearing as the men and dwarves resume their training, now filled with determination from the spectacle they just witnessed. While resting, Eragon goes over the fight in his head. 

"I may have won the fight but in real combat I would have died twenty times over in the first minute. My armor performed admirably, not even receiving a scratch because of the enchantments placed upon it, but I can't rely on tanking sword swings like that in the future. My speed is clearly what is most lacking. I could barely keep track of her sword. I have built up enough muscle to deal considerable damage but any more would just make me slower."

Eragon rubs his temples in contemplation. "Maybe I have to alter my body if I hope to keep up… I was planning on telling Brom about my dream and the possibility of the urgal attack, might as well add asking him about body alteration as well."

With his injuries now fully healed, Eragon stands up and walks back into the city. It takes him over an hour before he finds out that Brom is currently in a meeting with Ajihad and the council of elders, a group of individuals that govern the Varden and advise the current leader. Unfortunately, they are now just a group of corrupt and greedy people that try to undermine Ajihad's authority at every turn. 

Not wanting to disturb their meeting, Eragon tells the guard to inform Brom that he will be in the library waiting for him then spends most of the day contemplating what body alterations would be the most effective to apply to himself. Enhancing his muscle and bone density would give him a major increase in his speed and power. He could add a layer of graphene to his skin or cover his bones with graphene or ceramic, increasing his already high defense. Improving his eyes, ears, and other senses will increase his perception. Eragon writes down these options and many more, organized by how dangerous they are to apply. 

After furiously writing a few ideas that popped into his head, he looks up and sees Brom staring at him from across the table. Startled, Eragon clutches his heart as he had a mild heart attack. 

"Brom!!! I didn't know you were here yet. You scared me." 

Brom smirks. "You need to be more aware of your surroundings. If I had been an assassin you would be dead right now." 

Eragon tilts his head in contemplation. "Well… First they would have to get past my defensive spells that I keep active at all times. Then they would have to disable or remove my enchanted items that passively heal me and expel any poisons in my body. The third layer of defense being a very angry dragon." 

Brom raises an eyebrow. "You have at least thought this through which is good… Let's shelf this discussion for another time, you wanted me for something?" 

Eragon grabs his parchments and stuffs them in his pack. "Not here. We need a more private location."

Brom, noticing the severity in Eragon's expression, nods and motions for him to lead the way. The father son duo leave the library and head to a secluded location where Eragon uses one of his newest creations. From out of his pack he takes a silver mask with a bright yellow topaz in the forehead and places it on his face. The mask is a smooth featureless face with eye holes and a narrow slit for a mouth. Activating the enchantment, Eragon designates Brom as someone that can hear his voice.

"Can you hear me Brom?"

Brom looks at Eragon quizzically. "Of course I can hear you. What is the mask for?" 

"It makes it so that only people that I designate can hear my voice. It has a few other smaller features but that's not important now. I had another vision." 

Brom's demeanor changed instantly, him knowing that Eragon's visions have proven to reveal future events.

Eragon takes a deep breath before going into detail about the upcoming urgal invasion of Tronjheim then the army attacking Teirm from the sea. Brom listens calmly while periodically clenching his fists. Once Eragon is finished, Brom stands there in contemplation for a few minutes before responding. 

"If what you say comes to pass, the time table for defeating the king has to be raised. The urgal attack is most likely facilitated by Galbatorix but this unknown enemy from the sea… That is what truly worries me. We cannot afford a war on two fronts, or the worst case scenario of them joining Galbatorix's forces. I hate to say this but you might have to flee to the elves and continue to train. I'm sure Queen Islanzadi would welcome you." 

Eragon looks at Brom with confusion. "What do you mean I have to leave? I should be here to help stop the urgals from destroying the Varden. Once that is done you should come with me to the elves." 

Brom smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Eragon… You don't need this decrepit old man telling you what to do anymore. You need to make your own choices and 'leave the nest' as it were." 

Eragon looks down, taking shaky breaths and trying not to cry. "Brom… Finding Saphira's egg and finding out you are my father were the greatest things to ever happen to me. I was a farmer's son that had little to no aspirations for the future. Now… Now I am a dragon rider. I have powerful magic and limitless possibilities for growth. But the one thing I truly want is being taken from me. I don't want you to go…"

Brom smiles softly before wrapping Eragon in a hug. "I know, son. I have made many mistakes in my life. The biggest is not being in your life sooner. Not being there when you needed me. Unfortunately, time has passed, rendering my body ill fit to travel much farther. You will stay until the urgal threat has passed then travel to Du Weldenvarden is that clear?"

Eragon sobs in the crook of brom's shoulder, his emotions overwhelming him. Saphira does her best to calm his roiling sadness.

"Eragon… You are not alone anymore. Even when Brom passes, he will live on in your heart. Your friends and family will always be right next to you when you need their guidance." 

Eragon takes a few shaky breaths to calm himself down enough to talk without sputtering. "Thanks, Saphira. I know that you will always be there for me." Eragon disengages from Brom's embrace. "I will do as you say father. But not because you told me to, but because it is the correct decision in my mind."

Brom sheds tears as well as he looks proudly into his son's eyes. That's the spirit. Now you go and prepare yourself in the way that only you can. I will deal with the political aspect. For one, the twins need to pay for betraying the Varden. I might need your help in dealing with them." 

"You know you can count on me Dad. Just say the word." 

With firm resolve, Brom and Eragon leave to prepare for the coming conflict. 

…

The next morning, Eragon stays in the dragon roost with Saphira and goes over his notes for body alteration. He never ended up asking Brom if it was alright but now he realizes that he doesn't have a choice if he wants to defeat Galbatorix and the unknown man in black armor. With him and Saphira brainstorming, half the day vanishes before he has a comprehensive list of all the changes he is going to make to himself. The main focal points are as such.

Create a layer of graphene under his skin. 

Coat his bones in a mixture of graphene and ceramic, leaving the marrow untouched. 

Increase his muscle and bone density by around 15%. 

Overall enhancement of his five senses. Mainly sight and hearing.

Increasing the effectiveness of his organs. Lungs for better oxygenation of his blood, larger and stronger heart, ETC. 

Then the final touch, forcing his body to accept the changes by telling his body to 'adapt' to these changes.

These are the alterations that he is willing to do at this point in time. Any more and he might damage his body beyond repair. With Saphira guiding him and the host of gems at his disposal that have around seventy days worth of his mana regeneration stored in them, Eragon lays down on the floor of the Dragonhold and begins casting the spells. He segmented the procedure into multiple parts just in the off chance something goes wrong. 

The first thing he does is add the graphene layer into his skin, drawing the carbon from the materials he procured for this operation. A powerful itching sensation floods his senses as the layer of graphene is inserted, pure carbon being weaved into graphene and adhered to his flesh. His skin turns a dull blackish gray color whilst still keeping its flexibility. 

Once the itching stops, he looks at his arms and smiles. While the color is quite ugly, that is a problem that can be fixed later when he alters the pigments in his skin. Next he increases his bone density and coats them with ceramic and graphene. This time, Eragon screams in agony as he feels pain as if his bones are being shattered and reformed into something stronger. Luckily he is wearing his mask, silencing his cries from all but Saphira. Her face scrunches in pain feeling the anguish of her rider but she gladly takes some of the burden from him through their mind link. 

It takes Eragon half a day of rest to recover from having his bones coated before he starts to systematically alter his organs and senses. His heart grows bigger and beats more rapidly, his lungs take in oxygen far more efficiently, he adds a second inner eyelid to his eyes. In the end, if he didn't alter his appearance to better resemble his old self, no one would be able to recognize him. 

Then he casts the final spell, forcing his body to accept the changes. Eragon panics as the spell drains energy from him at a rapid pace, quickly using up more than 80% of his stored up energy, including his gems. A mind numbing sensation nearly makes him pass out but Saphira is there in his mind, strengthening his willpower. His body, which was naturally rejecting the foreign objects inside it, forms a more symbiotic relationship. Blood vessels weave through the graphene layer under his skin and the ceramic over his bones fuses with the marrow, something that shouldn't be possible becoming a reality. 

Once everything is over and Eragon gets a better hold on himself, he stands up and looks in the mirror. 

To say that Eragon is shocked by his looks is an understatement. What once was a sixteen year old boy with a well defined figure has now become a man with the body of a Greek god. Massive rippling muscles lay beneath the surface of his graphene skin that has had its pigmentation changed to a rich tan color. His height has increased to a staggering 186 cm, or 6ft 1inch in American measurements. His chiseled jaw and well defined facial features give him a handsome, rugged look. Saphira nods in approval of his new look. 

"Now that is a body fit for my rider. I no longer have to worry about you dying on me. Wounds that would kill a normal human are nothing but a scratch for you."

Eragon flexes in the mirror, not really registering Saphira's words as he admires his body for an uncomfortable amount of time. Saphira gets annoyed by this and smacks him with her wing, sending him flying across the room. Still unused to his body, Eragon cartwheels his arms in panic and smashes his arm into the ground, burying it elbow deep in the stone with little resistance. His body stops mid air with him being upside down as if he was just doing a handstand. Once he reorients himself, Eragon calmly gets back to a standing position and fixes the ground before turning towards Saphira.

"That wasn't very nice." 

Saphira snorts, a small gout of smoke leaving her nostrils. "You can admire yourself later. You still planned on making Roran that metal arm and you should send a message to Murtagh while you're at it." 

Eragon nods as he dusts off his clothes. "Then that's what I am going to do. But first… I need to get used to this new body. I didn't even feel any pain when my hand went through a foot of solid stone. I can't be breaking things just because I don't know my own strength." 

"Fine… Go test out your body then. I will go hunting in the meantime." 

Saphira bounds over to the exit of the Dragonhold and leaps into the open air, flapping her wings to gain altitude. Watching her go, Eragon sighs before beginning to test the limits of his new body. He makes some dumbbells out of stone and lifts them with ease. He shrugs his shoulders and decides to head to his forge to lift some ore instead.