Chapter 7: A New Beginning

"Hmm...?"

Eragon woke with a start, the soft glow of dawn filtering through his small window. He lay still for a moment, feeling a comforting warmth nestled against his chest. He glanced down, his breath catching as he saw the large blue egg he had held through the night, nestled securely in his arms.

The cool, smooth surface gleamed in the morning light, and his heart skipped a beat. He had waited for this moment for what felt like an eternity. Now that it had finally come, he couldn't contain the smile that spread across his face.

Carefully, Eragon sat up, still cradling the egg. "Soon," he whispered to himself. "Very soon, you'll hatch." He rubbed a thumb over the egg's surface, feeling a strange sense of anticipation build within him. "I'll wait for you, Saphira. Then, once you're here and grew big and strong, we'll leave on another long trip. Just you and me." He smiled at the thought. "We'll hunt, we'll explore, and no one will stop us. We will have the most amazing adventure, you will see."

He had learned much over the past year, including not to make the same mistakes as the original Eragon. There would be no showing the egg to the people of Carvahall, no trying to sell it in exchange for food. He wouldn't be so foolish as to attract the attention of the Empire or the Ra'zac. As long as he kept his secret, no one would come to Carvahall looking for trouble.

Satisfied with his plan, Eragon tucked the egg safely into his pouch. He grabbed his gear and slipped out of his room, heading to the kitchen where Garrow and Roran were already eating breakfast.

"Morning," Eragon greeted as he sat down at the table, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.

Garrow glanced up from his plate. "Morning, lad. Hungry?"

"Of course" Eragon nodding his head, sat down next to Roran and grabbed some bread.

A few silent minutes passed while eating before Eragon said "I'm going to head out for some trip in the woods."

Roran raised an eyebrow but said nothing, while Garrow simply nodded. "Do what you need to do, lad. But don't push yourself too hard."

"I won't," Eragon promised, standing up once he finished eating . "I'll be back by evening."

The day passed much like the others and soon nine days flashed by.

Eragon spent hours training in the woods, his mind constantly returning to the egg nestled safely in his pouch. The excitement of what was to come kept him going, though there were moments when he grew anxious, wondering when Saphira would finally hatch. His heart would race with anticipation, only for him to calm himself again, reminding himself that dragon eggs didn't hatch on a whim.

As the days ticked by, he remained patient, though each morning brought a new surge of anticipation. He knew from what he had read that dragon eggs could take time to hatch, especially without the touch of magic to awaken them. Still, it didn't stop him from hoping that today would be the day.

And on the tenth morning, his patience was rewarded.

Eragon woke before the sun, the room still cloaked in darkness. He lay there for a moment, feeling something different in the air, though he couldn't place what it was. Slowly, he sat up and reached for the egg, his heart racing as he felt a soft vibration under his fingertips.

He froze, barely daring to breathe. The egg was shaking.

Crack~ Crack~

A crack suddenly appeared on the surface, spreading like lightning across the blue shell. Eragon's eyes widened in disbelief, and he leaned closer, watching in awe as a small, clawed foot pushed through the crack, followed by a head covered in gleaming blue scales.

The egg split open with a soft sound, and there she was—Saphira. She was no larger than a cat, her tiny wings still folded against her body as she wobbled onto the bed, blinking up at Eragon with wide, sapphire eyes. Her scales shimmered in the soft light of dawn, and she let out a small chirp as if to greet him.

"Y-you hatched..." Eragon's heart swelled with a joy so intense it was almost overwhelming. He reached out, his hand trembling as he touched her tiny head. The moment his fingers brushed her scales, a flash of light erupted from his palm, and he gasped as he felt something surge through him.

A burning sensation spread across his right hand, but it wasn't painful. It was more like an intense warmth, and when he looked down, he saw the mark—the gedwëy ignasia—forming on his skin, glowing faintly before settling into a pale, silver sheen. The bond between him and Saphira had been sealed.

The feeling that followed was indescribable. Eragon's mind was suddenly filled with a warmth, a presence that wasn't his own but was now a part of him. He could feel Saphira's emotions—her curiosity, her affection, her hunger. It was as if their minds had fused together in a bond deeper than anything he could have imagined.

"Perrr~"

He stared at his hand in wonder. "Amazing," he whispered, awestruck. He looked at Saphira, who was now nuzzling his hand with her small head, purring softly. "I can feel you... in my mind. This is incredible."

Saphira chirped again, and a wave of hunger washed over him through their bond. Eragon blinked, realizing what she was trying to communicate.

"You're hungry," he said in realization, as he gave her the meat he always kept in his pouch before standing up quickly. "Wait here. I'll get you something to eat."

Saphira ate the meat slices as she watched him with her large eyes, tilting her head as if trying to understand his words. Eragon chuckled softly. "Stay put, alright? I'll be right back."

He slipped out of his room and rushed to the kitchen, his mind still buzzing with the excitement of what had just happened. He grabbed some dried meat from the pantry, trying to keep his expression neutral as he greeted Garrow and Roran.

"I'm going on another hunting trip," he said quickly, stuffing the meat into a pouch. "I'll be gone for a few weeks."

Garrow raised an eyebrow. "So soon after the last one?"

"Yeah," Eragon said, glancing toward the door. "I feel like I need to stretch my legs. Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

Roran snorted, shaking his head. "You're not even going to eat breakfast first?"

"I'm not hungry," Eragon replied hurriedly.

Roran exchanged a look with Garrow, then grinned. "Not hungry? Since when have you ever turned down food?"

Eragon forced a smile. "There's a first time for everything."

With that, he hurried out the door, making his way around the house to the window of his room. He climbed inside quietly, finding Saphira waiting for him, chirping softly.

"Shh," he whispered as he wrapped her up in a cloth. "We have to be quiet. Let's get out of here."

Saphira blinked up at him, making a small sound, but she didn't resist as he carefully climbed back out of the window and took off into the forest, running as fast as his legs would carry him.

After a few minutes of running, Eragon slowed down and carefully placed Saphira on his shoulder. She wobbled a bit, but then settled in, watching the trees with wide, curious eyes. "Now it's just the two of us," Eragon said softly, stroking her tiny head. "I'm going to take care of you, Saphira. We'll go to the Spine, and you can stay with me there while we figure everything out. The Spine is where I found you by the way"

As they walked, Eragon couldn't help but talk to her about Roran and Garrow, explaining why it was best to keep her hidden for now. "It's for their own safety," he murmured. "The Empire would come after us if they knew about you. We can't let that happen. Not to them, and not to the village."

Saphira chirped softly, tilting her head as if listening, though Eragon knew she couldn't fully understand him yet. Still, it was comforting to speak to her, to share his thoughts with the small dragon perched on his shoulder.

Before long, they arrived at the cave Eragon had used during his training trips. He set Saphira down on the ground, watching with a fond smile as she began to explore her surroundings, sniffing at the rocks and leaves with her tiny nose. Eragon busied himself setting up camp, occasionally glancing over at Saphira to make sure she didn't wander too far.

Once the camp was ready, Eragon sat down in front of the fire pit he had prepared though he still didn't light it up with fire. He gathered a few dry twigs and placed them in a small pile in front of him, his heart racing with excitement.

"It's time to test this magic," he whispered to himself.

With a deep breath, he extended his right hand, focusing on the twigs in front of him. He focused his mind and intent on what he want to happen for a few moments. "Brisingr," then he said, his voice steady.

Instantly, he felt a pull from within him, and the mark on his hand glowed faintly blue. The twigs caught fire in a burst of light, flames licking at the air as they burned brightly in front of him.

Eragon couldn't contain his excitement. He jumped to his feet, grinning widely. "Yes! It worked!"

He turned to Saphira, who was watching him with wide eyes. "Did you see that?" he exclaimed. "I did it! Magic is real, and I can use it too from now on! Yesss!"

Saphira tilted her head, blinking at him with those large, curious eyes. She chirped softly, and Eragon couldn't help but laugh. "I guess you don't understand much of what I'm saying, huh?" he said, crouching down to pet her. "But still, that was amazing!"

Eragon grinned to himself, standing over the fire he had just conjured. The thrill of casting magic coursed through him, but what caught his attention more was how little it had affected him. He had expected the spell to drain more of his energy, but to his surprise, the pull had been minimal, almost insignificant. 'It's true,' he thought joyfully, 'my current body really is strong.'

His hand flexed as he stared at the mark of the Dragon Rider, marveling at how, despite the effort he had felt from the magic, his stamina remained mostly untouched. 'It's gratifying to know all my efforts this last year were not for nothing' he mused with satisfaction. His year of grueling training had pushed his body to a level far beyond that of ordinary humans. Now, even the cost of magic seemed easy to bear—a benefit of the superhuman strength and endurance he had painstakingly cultivated.

As the fire crackled in front of him, Eragon's excitement began to simmer down, replaced by a small pang of disappointment. He sat back on his heels and let out a long breath. "The problem is," he muttered to her, "I don't know any other words in the Ancient Language." He ran a hand through his hair, frowning. "If only I knew more, I could do so much more with magic."

For a brief moment, he considered trying to use magic without the Ancient Language, but something in his gut warned him against it. He wasn't ready for that kind of risk. Magic was dangerous—he knew that much—and without the proper knowledge and training, he could unintentionally end up hurting himself or Saphira.

"No," he decided out loud. "I'll stick with what I know for now. There's no sense in doing anything reckless." He glanced down at Saphira, who had begun to wander around the small clearing, investigating every nook and cranny with her tiny nose. "For now, I'll just focus on training—and on keeping you safe and hidden."

Eragon spent the next few hours working on his regular training routines, feeling more invigorated than ever with Saphira nearby. The little dragon seemed content to explore the area for a while before returning to watch him, her eyes bright with interest. Eragon couldn't help but smile at the sight of her. She was his responsibility now, and though the weight of it was daunting, he couldn't imagine being happier.

After a while, Saphira began making small noises, trying to roar at him, though it came out more like a series of squeaks and growls. Eragon stopped mid-swing with his sword and chuckled. "You're hungry again, aren't you?"

He set his wooden sword down and walked over to her, reaching into his pouch for the dried meat he had brought. "Alright, alright, let's take a break, here you go" he said, holding out the food.

Saphira eagerly took it from his hand, gnawing on the meat with a ferocity that made Eragon laugh. "You're going to eat me out of house and home at this rate," he teased, watching her devour the food with gusto. "I guess I'll have to go hunting again soon. I didn't bring enough meat for you, little glutton."

The day passed in a peaceful rhythm of training, caring for Saphira, and preparing the camp for the night.

As the sun began to set, Eragon decided to head down to the nearby river to wash off the sweat and grime from the day's exertions. He picked up Saphira, who chirped happily as he carried her along. "Let's get cleaned up," he said, chuckling as she nuzzled against his chest.

When they reached the river, the water was cold and clear, reflecting the fading light of the setting sun. Eragon undressed quickly and waded into the water, not caring about the chilling water as his Cold Resistance made his body completely resistant to this kind of low temperatures by now. He set Saphira down on a nearby rock, but the little dragon was too curious to sit still.

Splash~ Splash~

She padded up to the water's edge and dipped her snout in cautiously, then quickly pulled back, shaking her head vigorously as though she couldn't quite understand why the water was so cold.

Eragon laughed. "Come on, it's not so bad once you get used to it," he encouraged her.

Saphira didn't seem convinced at first, but after a few more moments of observing Eragon splashing in the water, she finally gave in. She gingerly stepped into the shallow part of the river, and her eyes went wide with surprise at the cold sensation. She made a little snorting sound, but after a moment, she began paddling through the water, her small body causing ripples to spread out around her.

"Haha we can't call this having fun if I don't spray some water at you!" They spent the next half hour playing in the river, with Eragon splashing water at Saphira and Saphira doing her best to splash back at him with her tiny limbs. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and for the first time in a long while, Eragon felt completely carefree. He laughed freely, the sound echoing off the trees around them, and Saphira responded with her own chirps of happiness.

By the time they left the river, Eragon felt rejuvenated. He wrapped Saphira in a dry cloth and carried her back to their campsite. She snuggled against him, warm and content after their fun in the water. Once they reached the cave, Eragon laid her down on a bed of soft furs he had prepared for her and then crawled into his own makeshift bed beside her.

As they settled in for the night, Saphira curled up against his side, her scales warm and smooth beneath his hand. Eragon smiled, feeling a deep sense of peace as he stroked her. "Good night, Saphira," he whispered, his voice soft and full of affection.

Saphira chirped softly in response, her eyes closing as she nuzzled closer to him. Eragon couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth in his chest as he watched her drift off to sleep. He knew that the days ahead would be challenging—they had to remain hidden, and he would have to learn much more about magic and the responsibilities of being a Dragon Rider—but for now, all that mattered was that he had Saphira by his side.

With one last contented sigh, Eragon closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him, the sound of Saphira's soft breathing a soothing lullaby in the quiet night.

---

[Pain Resistance Level 134]

[Radiation Resistance Level 146]

[Fatigue Resistance Level 158]

[Abrasion Resistance Level 123]

[Heat Resistance Level 132]

[Blunt Force Resistance Level 94]

[Oxygen Deprivation Resistance Level 67]

[Vertigo Resistance Level 60]

[Irritant Resistance Level 23]

[Cold Resistance Level 135]

[Poison Resistance Level 37]

[Sleep Deprivation Resistance Level 140]

[Alcohol Resistance Level 12]

[Cut Resistance Level 22]

[Hunger Resistance Level 69]

[Pressure Resistance Level 18]

[Dehydration Resistance Level 58]

[Sickness Resistance Level 3]

[Virus Resistance Level 3]

[Sensory Overload Resistance Level 42]