A Blade in the Sand

[Tismri]

Pandora's face was set stonily at Tally's suggestion. The girl had no idea what sort of disaster the thing would bring. After seeing firsthand what effect the box had upon those who opened it, as well as those close to them, she would never wish such a travesty upon anyone. Even the troubles the Ismalian royals were experiencing--especially the young princess' torture--likely stemmed from the time Allecia stole the box from her and tricked the queen into opening it some years ago.

She was relieved when Tally's attention turned away from the box and toward what lay outside. She put the box away while the girl was distracted, hoping she would just forget about its existence. She stood and turned toward the cave entrance, seeing that the storm had indeed settled. She smiled at her young friend's enthusiasm.

"Of course, Talia. I would be more than happy to help you find it." She stepped outside and gazed out over the vast desert, a terrestrial paradox. It never changed, yet constantly shifted. She stretched her wings and tail, enjoying the freedom. "I do not believe it is far from here. I might be able to spot the location better from above." She glanced back at the girl and the dragon with a wide grin. "Care to join me?"

[Trinn]

Erath and Tally followed Pandora out of the cave. With the whipping winds and stinging sands settled, the sun set to scorching them. Tally preferred the burning sun to the stinging sands. She took a deep breath of the desert air. Erath ambled around, dragging his tail along the sand as he went and creating a marvelous track. The tracks probably wouldn't last long, not with the way the sand shifted constantly.

Wiping a hand across her forehead, Tally felt a small bead of sweat. She hastily removed her traveling cloak and drudged through the sand to get to Erath. He had all of their traveling bags, and she didn't feel like dragging the cloak around in this heat. She turned at Pandora's voice and was taken aback by the woman's grand wings. "You mean you can actually fly with those?" she asked without thinking, before slapping a hand across her mouth. "I'm sorry." she muttered, abashed. "It's just, I thought they were maybe more for decoration." Erath swung his head around to look at her and sighed deeply. Oh be quiet! Like you knew any better!

I did. He declared, and raised his head haughtily. Frowning, Tally finished stuffing her cloak into the knapsack, perhaps a little rougher than needed. "Anyway, we would be glad to join you!"

[Tismri]

Pandora gave a light laugh at Tally's astonishment. It was a musical sound that she had inherited from her mother, although it was heard much less often. She stepped back, then gave a running leap to become airborne.

"It does take some magic to maintain flight," she admitted, "but not nearly as much as it takes for a person without wings." She flapped her wings to gain some altitude and gazed out at the landscape below. The shifting sands had changed much of the surrounding area, but the rocks beneath, or even above in the case of the caves, remained stalwart landmarks that helped her identify their location. So many memories returned to her of this desert, and what these sands had witnessed. The dragon roars still echoed in her mind as the battle replayed itself for her. She thought carefully of where the two Riders of old had fallen. All traces of the ancient skirmish were now buried, but she knew what she was looking for.

"There," she said, pointing at a wide patch of seemingly ordinary sand. About a half mile to the west of the spot lay a series of ever growing sand dunes, and another group of dunes were to the south.

[Trinn]

Tally watched in fascination as Pandora took a running leap before becoming airborne. It was an unusual sight, to see an apparent human soaring through the sky on dragon wings. After a while, the wings were the only visible shape, and one might confuse her for a young dragon or bird. Climbing up to Erath's saddle, Tally grabbed his neck spike and hugged her legs tight to his sides. She didn't bother strapping her legs to the saddle. Hopefully they wouldn't be flying for long.

Erath raced into the sky after Pandora, climbing quickly with mighty sweeps of his wings. He barked out at Pandora, feeling gleeful to be flying with such an unusual companion. Tally looked down below, searching for anything unusual. She frowned at the spot that Pandora pointed out. "Are you sure?!" she shouted out to the woman, "Those look like ordinary dunes to me!" It was true. There was nothing unusual about the spot that Pandora pointed out. Nonetheless, Erath began his decent.

He landed in a spray of sand, nostrils flared and neck arched. He was ready for danger. If this is where the weapon lay, then it would be no surprise to find enemies here. Tally dismounted and stumbled in the thick sand. She held a hand over her eyes to shade them from the sun as she looked about. "Pandora, I don't see anything." she said softly, feeling down trodden.

[Tismri]

Pandora smiled at the glee of the young dragon. She'd not had a flying companion in many years, and his enthusiasm was infectious. She nodded as Tally asked for confirmation and began her descent to the location she had specified. With a few gentle flaps, she placed her feet on the ground. As the girl expressed her disappointment, Pandora gave a sad smile.

"Look carefully," she told Tally. "What do you think causes those dunes? The sand has been building up against them for many years, hiding their true forms. Beneath the sand lie Meyneth and Zanza. Many years ago, when Galbatorix's uprising first began, there were others beyond the Thirteen Foresworn who were secretly fooled by his lies. Zanza and his Rider, a young elf named Tamriel, were one such pair. Their friends, Meyneth and her Rider Joran, attempted to make them see reason. Disagreement escaladed into argument. Argument escaladed into blows. Blows soon became a full on battle. It was here, in the Hadarac Desert, before Galbatorix's destruction of the Riders' order was complete, that these four friends struck each other with killing blows." She gestured at the surrounding sand.

"A few years ago, Tamriel's blade, Gulia, was uncovered by a lonely young Rider. It was by pure chance that the wind had uncovered it in time for her to discover it. Or perhaps the blade remained true to its name. Joran's blade remains here." Though the sands seemed endless, Pandora knew the secret to finding the lost sword was simple. She gave Talia a hint. "Every Riders' blade is made with a large jewel in the pommel. These jewels were always used to store as much energy as possible, in case of an emergency. Even with their strength spent, it is unlikely Joran would have managed to completely expend its contents."

[Trinn]

Tally listened enraptured to the tale that Pandora told. This, then, was the spot of an ancient battle. And those dunes were no dunes at all. They were burials. That the two pairs had succeeded in killing each other amazed Tally. Their power and their convictions must have been great indeed. But when Pandora uttered the name Gulia, Tally felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. That was the name of her mothers sword. She had always known that mother's sworn was a lost blade, not made for her mothers hand though it served well enough. How she had found the blade though, Tally had never known. A tremble racked her body when she realized exactly where she stood and the sheer importance of it. History was repeating itself, and Tally felt she was being carried along exactly as fate had envisioned.

Tally looked at Pandora with widened eyes, eyes that burned with hurt, excitement, wonder and disbelief. "Of course." She said to Pandora, understanding. Closing her eyes, Talia reached out her mind, searching for the blaze of energy that would tell her where the fallen riders sword was. The sword of Joran.

The energy that shone from the sword was easy to find. It was the only sort of life for miles, and it burned like a beacon on a hill. Tally's eyes snapped open and she pointed. "The blade lies there." She whispered. Placing a hand on Erath's leg, the two of them walked together to the patch of sand that hid the blade. The sand here was dense, and Tally understood again that these were no ordinary dunes. She knelt and began to dig through the grains, slowly at first, then faster. Suddenly her fingers struck something smooth, and Tally pulled back her hand sharply. What she had uncovered was the stark white of a bleached bone. Whether the bone belonged to dragon or man, she didn't know. Erath suddenly raised his head and keened a sorrowful note. Tally closed her eyes and waited for him to finish. It was only right that they pay homage to these fallen riders.

Erath cried out three times before falling silent. He seemed infinitely sad and was confused by his own sorrow. Somehow, I know that Meyneth and Joran are ok that we take the sword. And as if the dead were offering the blade to them, a gust of wind brushed the sand back further to reveal a glittering gem. Reverently Tally reached out and brushed her hand against the gem. It was the color of amber, but lighter than Erath's scales. She gripped the pommel and drew the rest of the blade from it's resting place.

The blade rippled in the sunlight. It was the color of light honey, dainty and frail in appearance. The hilt was made of wood but wire wrapped. The cross guard scrolled out and down fancifully. It was a short sword, perfect for Tally's reach and fighting style. The grip melded to her palm wonderfully. She examined the sword carefully, touching the edge and finding it still razor sharp. "Esterni." Tally said aloud, reading the glyph etched into the blade. "Good fortune." Tears began to sting at Tally's eyes again. "May luck and good fortune find you." She said, repeating a common phrase among the Celesti and the Ayati. The irony of it made Tally feel light headed. "This... this is almost too much to believe." She said, and sat back on her heels, holding the sword up before her. Fate was playing tricks on her. She didn't mind, as long as it led to victory against the shades.

[Tismri]

Pandora stood in respectful silence at the dragon's lament. She remembered the very battle of which she spoke. She knew the Riders and dragons personally. They were her friends, some of the only ones she'd had. The memory of the bitter hatred that had so quickly formed between them stung in her mind. Deep in her heart, Pandora blamed her mother. She'd somehow had a hand in causing Galbatorix's madness, though she wasn't sure exactly how. Beyond that, she knew Allecia had whispered lies to them all from time to time, twisting them to this confrontation. The battle that occurred represented everything the Fiend truly lived for: the conflict of the moment that would leave an impact upon eternity.

She smiled as she heard Tally's quiet, awed voice. Something about the situation she was in now made her feel accomplished. As if she had proven something to herself.

"Wyrda has a way of making itself known," she said. You see, Mother? You do not hold fate in your hands as you believe.

[Trinn]

"Indeed, and with resounding clarity." Tally agreed. Taking the sword firmly by the hilt, Tally slashed out experimentally. The blade slid through the air effortlessly, almost humming as it sluiced the wind. "Amazing!" she exclaimed, twirling the blade gleefully. Compared to the rusted metal she had become used to wielding, Esterni was much and more than she ever could have expected. Erath stood by and watched, and her happiness was his happiness. After she felt she had the feel of the sword, Tally went over to the saddlebags and fetched out a cloth. She carefully wrapped the blade and tied it securely behind the saddle. The sword's sheathe had not been found, and she did not care to disturb the bones of dragon and rider any more. A sheathe she could find in any city. "Pandora, I am in your debt. You helped show me the way to my destiny. Would you care to accompany me back to my home? Although I am already in your debt, I know that you would be a great asset to planning our attack against Katriana. Would your lend me your knowledge now?"

[Tismri]

Pandora smiled, although sadly, as Tally swung the sword, testing it. Though the strength and arc were different, she remembered how Joran would test the blade in the same way before beginning a duel. She quickly buried her feelings on the matter, bringing herself back to the present. She considered Tally's request of her for a few moments.

"I suppose I shall," she replied. "I'd be happy to lend any assistance I can offer; I will do what I can to right the wrongs that have been caused to this world." She was still cautious with the thought, knowing it would always take a while these days to convince people to trust her. Still, with Tally and Erath vouching for her, it may not take as long as she feared.

[Trinn]

Thrilled, Tally reached and grabbed Pandora's hand. "Thank you, truly. I feel that with your aid, we surly have a chance of victory now." Erath too felt elated. He swung his tail about and burbled some draconic speech. "I'm sorry, Pandora. You looked almost sad a moment ago." She glanced back at the mounds. "Did you know them?" she decided to ask. If Pandora had truly lived for as long as she claimed, then it would not be surprising to learn that she had had dragon rider friends from before the fall. The fact that Pandora had known of this place and these rides must mean something. Erath quieted down too and became still, waiting for their new friends reply. "I'm sorry if I pry too much." Tally added. "I hate to see sorrow. It makes me sad even if I don't know a person very well."

[Tismri]

Pandora was almost surprised when Tally reached out and grabbed her hand. She rarely made any sort of physical contact with anyone these days, and the simple touch was a comfort she hadn't realized she was missing. But the pain in her heart returned when Tally asked about her relationships with the Riders. She gazed at the great mounted under which were buried two fine, young dragons; their lives were stolen much too soon, as were their Riders.

"It is all right," she assured your young companion. "I appreciate the question; I have not been able to speak of them for many years. Yes, I knew them well. They were all my closest friends for a time, when the Riders were in their fullest glory. When they were not training at Vroengard, the five of us were nearly inseparable. Tamriel was kind and compassionate. Like you, she hated to see suffering of any kind. It turned out to be her downfall. She sympathized with Galbatorix after he lost his dragon and the elders refused his request for a new one. Zanza was incredibly protective of her, and he had a fiery temper that was not easily quenched. Joran was the most level-headed. He was thoughtful and just, and he knew what he believed to be right, and stood by his beliefs to the very end. And Meyneth was just as fierce and protective as Zanza, but she had a merciful and self-sacrificing nature that, in the end, brought about the final demise of all four of them." She paused and considered, remembering the years the five of them had spent together. They had been her last, true friends.

"They were all good people," she stated. "But so easily open to the power of suggestion, and influenced by the whispered lies they heard. One simple disagreement brought about their destruction." The hand that was not held by Tally became a tightened fist, anger joining her sorrow. "I will do everything in my power to see that such a tragedy never befalls this world again," she vowed.

[Trinn]

Tally felt dismayed by the story Pandora told. How could close friends be so easily torn apart? Yet hadn't Glory been whisped away by whispered lies? Her elder sister was good at heart, but just like Tamriel, she had been misguided and trapped in Katriana's army. Soon, Tally hoped, Glory would be free. "I am very sorry for your loss, Pandora. A tragedy like this is hard to understand, but it leaves a legacy for the rest of us to learn from. At least that much we might take comfort from." Tally folded her arms and gazed at the mounds. It somehow didn't seem right to just leave without marking this place somehow. An idea sprang to Tally's mind and she set to work.

There were a few crags that rose up nearby still, lonely spikes separated from the rest. Erath sprang into the sky and tore off the top portion of one of the pillars, and then returned it to Tally. Thinking carefully of the phrase she would need, Tally formulated just the right sentence before saying it aloud. The words of the ancient language rolled off her tongue, and soon words began to form on the slab that Erath had retrieved for her. "Here rest the Dragon Riders Tamriel and Joran, and the great dragons Zanza and Meyneth. Friends until slain by the lies of Galbatorix. May they know peace and fellowship again in the afterlife."

The work took more out of Tally then she expected, and the words had finished scrawling into the stone slab, Tally sat down and wiped sweat off her forehead. The spell had also shaped the stone into a smooth and rounded stone tablet. Erath retrieved it and set it between the mounds. "It's not much," Tally admitted, "But I think it is better than nothing."

[Tismri]

Pandora watched curiously as Tally worked, wondering what exactly she had in mind. Her sympathies touched her, though her sorrow was nothing mere words could fix. When the young Rider's work was done, Pandora gazed at the work with tears forming in her eyes. All this time, she had been the last to remember these friends. Most of the Riders of the time never knew what had happened to them, and in the chaos of Galbatorix's uprising, they had been all but forgotten. But this child who never knew them gave a memorial that had always lain in her heart. She brushed their names with care.
.
"Thank you, Talia," she replied, greatly moved. "You have given them a gift greater than anything I could ever present, and I can never repay. You have my eternal gratitude." Her hand lingered over Galbatorix's name for a moment before she turned away. "And now we should leave this place. We have what we came for, and honored the dead. The needs of the living call to us now." She took another running leap and was in the air in moments, letting the warm air lift her up as she waited for her friends.

Perhaps Tally noticed, or perhaps she didn't, but Pandora had made a small edit to her memorial. In truth, it was not entirely Galbatorix's fault what had happened here. He likely didn't even know either pair personally. There was someone else who had truly manipulated them, and Pandora could still imagine the lies that were told to them that guided them to that very moment.

In place of the name "Galbatorix," the memorial now read "Friends until slain by the lies of the Fiend."