Eragon

This summary section includes Chapter 21: “Daret,” Chapter 22: “Through a Dragon’s Eye,” Chapter 23: “A Song for the Road,” and Chapter 24: “A Taste of Teirm.”

As they travel for several more days toward the village of Daret, Eragon spends time levitating the pebble and also fights Brom with sticks in the evenings. When Brom and Eragon finally enter Daret, it seems to be just as deserted as Yazuac, but there are no dead bodies to be seen. In the center of town, they find themselves surrounded by archers who want to know their intentions. The travelers claim that they only want to buy supplies. The town’s spokesman, Trevor, agrees to give them what they need. He explains that the village is fearful of Urgal attacks. Trevor asks the travelers to convey a message to the capital, pleading for protection from the invaders. Later, Brom confides to Eragon that it seems the king doesn’t care about the Urgal attacks at all.

That night in camp, Saphira insists that Eragon spend some time learning to ride on her back. He promises that he will do so the following day. Instead of training with sticks at the end of the evening, Brom says that Eragon is ready to fight with a sword. He produces an impressive weapon that was forged by elves. It is called Zar’roc. Then, Brom enchants Zar’roc and his own sword so that they can’t cut an opponent’s skin while he teaches Eragon how to wield his weapon.

The following morning, Eragon mounts Saphira’s saddled back, and they take off. At first, he is dizzy and nauseated by her dives and climbs. She explains that he needs to get used to these necessary battle maneuvers. Eventually, the consciousness of dragon and Rider merge so completely that Eragon experiences the world through Saphira’s eyes. By the time their minds separate once again at the end of their flight, the boy feels exhilarated and no longer fears riding the dragon.

Eragon then receives a mental message to meet Brom by the river. When he arrives, the old man shows him tracks that prove the Ra’zac flew away on the backs of some unknown creatures that weren’t dragons. On the ground nearby, Eragon finds a flask with the remains of a poisonous substance used by the Ra’zac to torture their victims. Brom recognizes the substance as Seithr oil and knows that it was purchased in one of the coastal cities. The sales record can tell them the home location of the Ra’zac. In the town of Teirm, Brom knows a merchant named Jeod, who might be able to point them in the right direction.

As the travelers descend from the Spine mountains toward the coast, Brom says they should use false names to hide their identities. He will be known as Neal, and Eragon will pass for his nephew Evan. Two days later, the travelers arrive in Teirm. In his entire life, Eragon has never seen a fortified city as big as this one. The guards at the gate ask their business, and Brom passes for a country bumpkin who has come to visit a friend. The travelers are allowed to proceed, and they stop inside a tavern to ask directions to Jeod’s house. Initially, the owner wants a bribe for the information, but a friendly patron named Martin directs them to the merchant’s home. They learn that many of Jeod’s ships have been attacked by pirates, so it has become difficult for him to move merchandise. Martin confides that the ships disappear as if by magic.

This summary section includes Chapter 25: “An Old Friend,” Chapter 26: “The Witch and the Werecat,” and Chapter 27: “Of Reading and Plots.”

When Brom and Eragon go to Jeod’s house, the merchant takes them to a private place to talk where they won’t be overheard. Eragon learns that the two older men shared a long history and were involved in covert activities that caused Brom to drop out of sight for 20 years. The travelers explain that they are seeking the Ra’zac and need access to the city’s shipping records. Jeod says that these are kept by government officials, and he doesn’t have access to them. Eragon asks about scrying, a form of remote viewing, but Brom says that this can only be accomplished if you’ve previously seen what you’re looking for.

The two old men concoct a plan to gain access to the shipping records. They will need Eragon’s help, but he says he never learned to read. Brom spends a week teaching him the basics. During this time, Eragon frets about Roran’s wellbeing. Brom says that before the travelers left Carvahall, he sent a note to Eragon’s cousin, warning him to leave. Further, Brom points out that Galbatorix may want to persuade the new Dragon Rider to join his forces. He is unlikely to harm Roran if he can use him in the future for leverage.

The following morning, Eragon learns that the two older men have left for the castle to talk to the records administrator, so he has the day to himself. To kill time, he walks into the nearby shop of an herbalist. While there, he encounters a werecat. Eragon finds it very easy to converse with the animal. When Angela, the shop owner, enters, she realizes that her pet has been talking to the young visitor. She says this is very unusual and offers to cast runes inscribed on dragon bones to read Eragon’s future. He realizes she is a witch and is hesitant to know what lies in store but consents.

The runes show a complicated future with many tragedies, battles, betrayals, and choices. They also reveal an epic love story between the young Dragon Rider and a highborn lady. At the end of the reading, Angela cautions, “Beware of losing your way, for you are one of the few who are truly free to choose their own fate. That freedom is a gift, but it is also a responsibility more binding than chains” (204).

Before he leaves the shop, Eragon receives two final pieces of advice from the werecat. If he should need a weapon someday, he will find it under the roots of a Menoa tree, and he can regain lost power by speaking his name at the Vault of Souls. Eragon is puzzled by this cryptic message but is grateful for the forewarning. Back at home, Brom informs him that reasoning with the castle bureaucrat did no good, so they will find another means to access the shipping records.

That afternoon Eragon tries to nap, but he has a vivid dream of a beautiful young woman being held captive in a dungeon. When he awakens, he learns that Brom and Jeod intend to break into the castle’s records room to find the information they need. They succeed in gaining access but are almost caught by the castle guards. Later that night, they return home to assess what they have learned. By process of elimination, they figure that the shipments purchased by the Ra’zac originated in a town called Dras-Leona.

This summary section includes Chapter 28: “Thieves in the Castle,” Chapter 29: “A Costly Mistake,” Chapter 30: “Vision of Perfection,” Chapter 31: “Master of the Blade,” and Chapter 32: “The Mire of Dras-Leona.”

The following morning, the travelers say goodbye to their host and continue their journey. As they ride, Eragon asks Brom about his past with Jeod. The old man says that they were once part of a resistance movement. There is a power struggle in the country between a group called the Vardan and the king’s forces. Referring to Eragon, Brom says, “Your very existence is the focus of their battles. The Varden and the Empire aren’t fighting to control this land or its people. Their goal is to control the next generation of Riders, of whom you are the first” (224).

While Galbatorix succeeded in destroying the remaining dragons, he kept three eggs. When they hatch, he intends to control their Riders too. Brom was once aligned with the Varden, who attempted to steal the eggs, but they only got away with one—Saphira’s. Brom was instructed to train the next Dragon Rider whenever the egg hatched, but he never knew who had possession of the egg itself. Someone must have tried to send it to him by magic, but Eragon found it first. Even though Brom informed the Varden about Eragon, he isn’t ready to bring the new Dragon Rider to his allies until Eragon’s training is complete. For now, their mission is to find and kill the Ra’zac.

When they stop to camp for the evening, Eragon goes to a nearby stream and slips as he tries to cross it, breaking his wrist. In the muddy bank, he sees the footprints of Urgals and rushes to warn Brom. By then, a dozen Urgals confront them and demand that Eragon go with them. Their master wants him taken alive. Eragon uses magic to stun the Urgals and give Brom time to escape.

Drained after the encounter, Eragon remains in a stupor for two days. When he awakens, Saphira and Brom are gone, so Eragon waits for their return by scrying in a puddle of water. First, he receives an image of Roran. His cousin appears to be well, though he seems careworn. Next, Eragon scries for the imprisoned woman he saw in a dream. Much to his surprise, she appears and stares directly at him as if she knows she is being observed. Eragon is shocked because scrying supposedly only works for people and objects one has seen before, and the woman only appeared to him in a dream.

As he ponders this conundrum, Saphira returns with Brom. The old man gives him a lecture about using magic. It depleted Eragon’s energy for two full days. Further, the boy is told that he should have killed the Urgals instead of stunning them. Brom was forced to track down and kill as many as he could, but three escaped. If that weren’t bad enough, Eragon’s attack on the Urgals has probably alienated Galbatorix completely, leaving no room for future negotiation.

When Eragon is sufficiently rested, the travelers continue their journey for a few weeks. Eragon’s broken right wrist forces him to use his left during his combat training with Brom. The result is that he becomes just as adept with a sword in his left hand as in his right. Once Brom teaches him all about swordsmanship, the discussion turns to magical battles. This is much more dangerous because the combatants enter each other’s minds. Brom advises, “Once you’ve progressed, I’ll start teaching you the necessary methods. In the meantime, if you ever find yourself facing a wizards’ duel, I suggest you run away as fast as you can” (245).

For a few more days, they continue to travel along the shoreline of the vast Leona Lake until they approach their destination of Dras-Leona. A mountain of rocky spires dominates the landscape. It is called Helgrind and is an ominous sight. The city that lies nearby is filthy with many beggars. The travelers leave the outskirts and journey on to the prosperous center of town. They find lodgings at the Golden Globe and plan to start hunting the Ra’zac the next morning.