In Eragon as a Mage

Leo adjusted the straps of his pack, the weight of the elk meat and hide dragging against his back as he began the descent from the ridge. His body ached from the hunt and the night spent under the stars, but the thought of returning home with such a bounty drove him forward. The Spine seemed quieter today, the usual rustling of leaves and calls of distant creatures replaced by an eerie stillness.

He paused to catch his breath, glancing up at the sky. The midday sun was hidden behind a shroud of clouds, casting the forest in muted hues of gray and green. He adjusted his grip on the sled's rope, preparing to move again when a soft, melodic voice drifted through the trees.

"Lost paths and broken trails,

A life hangs on fragile scales.

Will you heed the call of fate,

Or let the forest seal his fate?"

Leo froze, his heart quickening. He knew that voice.

"Luna?" he called, scanning the forest around him. The trees stood still, their shadows stretching long and dark. The air seemed heavier, charged with an unseen energy.

From the corner of his eye, he saw her—Luna Heartreach. She stood just beyond the tree line, her figure barely more than a silhouette against the forest. Her blind eyes gazed into nothing and everything all at once, her presence ethereal and otherworldly. The light seemed to bend around her, her long white hair glowing faintly in the dim forest.

"You return from the hunt, burdened with triumph," she said, her voice soft yet resonant. "But the Spine whispers, and it beckons you to turn from your path."

"What do you mean?" Leo asked, stepping toward her. He stopped himself, remembering how she seemed to fade if he got too close. "What path?"

Luna tilted her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Not far from here, a young soul struggles. The forest tests him as it once tested you. His bow is weak, his steps falter, and the wolves circle. Will you leave him to the dark, or light his way with your flame?"

Leo frowned, the weight of her words sinking in. "You're saying someone's in danger? Where?"

She didn't answer directly. Instead, she turned and pointed into the trees to his left. "Follow the wind's breath and the river's song. The hunter waits, but not for long."

Leo clenched his jaw, glancing at the heavy sled behind him. The supplies for his journey home couldn't wait long in the wild, and the path back to his cabin was already treacherous. But Luna's words carried a weight he couldn't ignore.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked, but when he turned back to her, Luna was gone. The spot where she had stood was empty, the forest as silent as before.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had learned not to doubt her riddles, as cryptic as they were. If she said someone was in trouble, she was likely right.

Unfastening the sled's rope from his waist, he secured it beneath a low-hanging tree branch, covering the elk meat and hide with leaves to mask the scent. Then, with his bow in hand, he followed the direction Luna had indicated.

The forest grew denser as he moved, the air colder and more foreboding. He kept his steps light, his ears straining for any sound. After several minutes, he heard it—a faint rustling, followed by a muffled cry.

Leo quickened his pace, weaving through the trees until he came upon a small clearing. There, he saw a boy about his age, though leaner and shorter, his dark hair damp with sweat. The boy was backed against a tree, his bow trembling in his hands as a pack of three wolves circled him. The largest wolf snarled, its teeth bared as it prepared to lunge.

"Eragon?" Leo said, recognizing the boy from Carvahall.

Eragon's head whipped toward him, his face pale with fear. "Leo!"

Without hesitation, Leo raised his bow, drawing an arrow with practiced ease. He let it fly, the arrow finding its mark in the lead wolf's side. The creature yelped, collapsing to the ground as the other two wolves turned toward the new threat.

Leo nocked another arrow, his movements fluid and deliberate. The second wolf charged, but it didn't get far before his arrow struck it in the chest. The final wolf hesitated, its ears flattening as it growled lowly.

"Go!" Leo shouted, his voice firm and commanding. The wolf snarled once more before turning tail and disappearing into the forest.

Eragon slid down the tree trunk, his bow falling from his hands as he stared at Leo with wide eyes.

"Are you hurt?" Leo asked, approaching him cautiously.

Eragon shook his head, his voice shaky. "N-no. Thank you. I thought they were going to—" He stopped, swallowing hard.

Leo offered him a hand, pulling him to his feet. "What are you doing out here alone?"

"I was trying to track a deer," Eragon admitted, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "But I lost the trail, and the wolves found me first."

Leo studied him for a moment, then sighed. "The Spine isn't a place to wander without knowing what you're doing. It's dangerous, even for those who've lived here their whole lives."

"I know," Eragon said quietly, his head hanging low. "I thought I could handle it."

Leo placed a hand on Eragon's shoulder, his voice softer now. "You're lucky it was me who found you and not something worse. Come on, I'll walk you back to the main trail."

Eragon hesitated, then nodded. "Thank you, Leo."

As they made their way back to the trail, Leo couldn't help but think of Luna's words. The Spine tested everyone in its own way, and today, it had tested Eragon. Perhaps it was fate that he had been there to help.

Leo crouched next to the first wolf he had killed, a blade in hand as he began to skin the creature with practiced precision. The forest was quiet now, the tension from the earlier attack fading into calm, though the memory of it lingered. Nearby, Eragon watched intently, his eyes darting between Leo's swift movements and the other wolf carcasses scattered in the clearing.

"You don't waste anything, do you?" Eragon asked, his voice a mixture of curiosity and unease.

Leo shook his head. "Wolves don't come around often. Their pelts are valuable, and their meat can be used to bait traps. Even their teeth can be made into something useful."

Eragon frowned, kneeling beside another wolf. "I've never seen wolves this big before. They must've been starving to attack like that."

"Or desperate," Leo replied, glancing over his shoulder at the boy. "The Spine has been quiet lately, but predators always find prey when they're hungry enough. You were just unlucky to cross their path."

Eragon looked down, guilt flashing across his face. "If you hadn't shown up..."

"But I did," Leo interrupted, his tone firm but not unkind. "Dwelling on it won't change what happened. Just learn from it."

Eragon nodded, falling silent as he mimicked Leo's actions, carefully working on one of the wolves. His movements were clumsy compared to Leo's, but he was determined to help.

The work was nearly done when something caught Eragon's eye. A faint glimmer peeked through the dirt and leaves near the edge of the clearing, where the largest wolf had fallen. He furrowed his brow, setting his knife aside as he crawled toward it.

"What's this?" he muttered, brushing away the debris.

Leo glanced up, his knife pausing mid-cut. "What did you find?"

Eragon didn't answer immediately. He dug into the earth with his fingers, his breath catching as he unearthed a smooth, oval object the size of a football. It was pale blue, polished to a glassy sheen, with faint streaks of white swirling across its surface like frozen lightning.

"I don't know," Eragon said, his voice barely above a whisper. He struggled to lift the object, surprised by its weight. He held it up, the strange "stone" catching the muted light filtering through the canopy. "It feels... strange."

Leo straightened, wiping his hands on a cloth before moving closer. His gray eyes narrowed as he studied the object in Eragon's hands.

"Let me see," Leo said, extending a hand.

Eragon hesitated for a moment before handing it over. As soon as the gemstone touched Leo's hands, a faint, almost imperceptible warmth radiated from it, sending a shiver up his spine.

"It's not just a stone," Leo said quietly, his voice laced with suspicion. He turned it over in his hands, noting the unnatural smoothness and the intricate white streaks that seemed to shift faintly in the fading light.

"What is it, then?" Eragon asked, his curiosity growing.

"I'm not sure," Leo admitted, handing it back. "But it's too perfect to be natural. Someone carved this, polished it. It must've been worth a fortune."

"Why would it be out here?" Eragon asked, frowning. "Do you think someone lost it?"

"Maybe," Leo said, though he wasn't convinced. He gestured to the clearing. "Or maybe the wolves killed whoever had it. Either way, you found it, so it's yours."

Eragon blinked, surprised. "Me? You don't want it?"

Leo shook his head. "I don't like the way it feels. It's... heavy, but not in weight. You found it, and things like this tend to end up where they're meant to be. Besides, I'm not one for shiny things."

Eragon stared at the object, his fingers brushing over its surface. "It's beautiful," he murmured.

"Maybe," Leo said, standing and returning to his work. "But beautiful things can be dangerous, especially out here."

Eragon frowned but didn't argue. He tucked the massive gemstone into his satchel, though its size forced him to leave the flap half-open. "I'll show it to Garrow when I get home. Maybe he'll know what it is."

Leo gave a faint shrug, finishing the last of the skinning. "Just be careful with it. The Spine isn't known for giving gifts without strings attached."

Eragon glanced at the satchel, his expression thoughtful. "I will."

As the two worked together to gather the pelts and teeth from the wolves, a strange sense of unease lingered in the clearing. The forest felt as if it were watching, the air heavier than before. Neither of them spoke much, their minds preoccupied with the strange discovery.

By the time they finished and packed their spoils, the sun had begun its slow descent, casting long shadows across the forest floor. As they started their trek back to the main trail, Eragon couldn't shake the feeling that the blue-and-white gemstone in his satchel was more than it seemed.

And Leo, though he didn't say it, couldn't shake the sense that the Spine had just revealed another of its secrets—one that might change everything.