Erais had to admit she was a bit uncomfortable as she walked over to the bed. Sure she slept next to him before, but it had been on the ground, and most of it was by chance. She carefully took up the extra space and felt quite sleepy almost instantly. It was a rare treat for her to sleep in a bed, the past few years she spent traveling everywhere and slept on the ground more often then not. It certainly was strange to be lying on something soft, but her muscles relaxed and it was comfortable. "Mm, yes, goodnight." She said half asleep before slipping into a very pleasent sleep.

Erais woke up after a while. She assumed that Daidrea had already been up for quite a while since there was food on the table. She stretched and was pleased to have had such a good nights sleep, but something plagued her mind. She didn't know what it was, but something sort of didn't feel right, something felt out of place. Curious, she ate the food and went in search of Daidrea. She found him in a bigger room meditating. Seeing this, she didn't want to disturb him, so she moved quietly outside to see if Mesaraih was up yet.

Erais saw him sit on a low branch. She walked over to him and leaned against the trunk. "So, how'd you sleep?" she asked him. She wondered if he was getting the same feeling she was that something was out of place. She just couldn't shake the feeling off, and she wished she could. Cautiously, she looked around, but nothing seemed out of place, it just felt out of place.

"That's good to hear-" Erais cut herself off as she heard what he said. "Wait, what do you mean you 'feel weird'?" she asked instantly curious. If they were both experiancing the same unsettling feeling, then something was up. That wouldn't be good, they'd have to investigate the camp ground where she had been held quickly. It might hold clues, and if they waited too long, then any remains might have been wiped clean.

Erais felt a pit form in her stomach at his words. "Morning," she responded to Daidrea dully. What he said next made her stomach drop. Somethings up, if we can all feel it, keep you're mind open. Erais told Arden as he quickly became well alert to the surroundings. "It's not nothing, if we all feel it-" Erais stopped for a moment, "we need to get to that camp as soon as possible, it might have some clue as to this out of place feeling." Erais said while going over to Arden to retrieve her sword.

Erais didn't feel up to riding Arden, she felt that if she ran, it would help clear her head. Even though Daidrea had been able to remove the poison from her system, it had left something behind. She wasn't sure what it was, if it was good or bad, but she had to clear her head. She wasn't even sure where the camp was since she had been so heavily drugged, but there was an invisible force pulling her to a place in the woods. It was almost unbearable and she found herself a bit restless trying to stand still. As the seconds went by, the pull became stronger and to the point that she couldn't take it anymore. "Come on," she said before taking off into the woods, running extremely fast, not because she wanted to get there quickly, well she did, but it seemed as if she didn't get there soon, she'd explode.

Erais kept bolting desperately through the forest, trying to get rid of this feeling that was making her mind ache. It wasn't until she heard Daidrea's voice that she was able to stop. The pain increased in her since she was no longer moving. She saw the battle inside of Daidrea and could see Aerdiad start to surface after being supressed for so long. Erais felt her feet starting to move, but she stopped them.

She looked pleadingly at them both, finding that it was tearing her heart to shreds as she said this next part. "I can't," she said defeated, not able to stand the pain anymore before abandoning them both and running fast to the direction she was being pulled. She felt tears sting her eyes as she hated herself. She hadn't been strong enough to stay and help Daidrea, she was weak and couldn't do it. Couldn't fight this, this thing in her head. I'm so sorry, she sobbed, knowing that Daidrea stood little chance against Aerdiad when he was this powerful.

Erais could feel her heart thud painfully in her chest as the pain in her head increased. As the minutes passed, she pushed herself forward and harder. The pace she was running at was much more faster then she had ever dared. The ground beneath her disappeared behind her, but much more lay ahead. She dodged through the trees at a dangerous rate. When it felt that her head was going to explode from the force of the pain, it disappeared instantly as she burst into a clearing.

Her sides heaved with gasps as she tried to gain her breath back. Her head was slightly dizzy from the effort at having to push herself so far. The fact that the pain was gone, was enough to make her smile in relief. Looking around, she saw the remains of a camp here. There were broken chains next to a big boulder. The stench of something foul in the air caused her to believe something had died here. There were small remains of a few dead fires.

She was curious and wanted to stay, but more pressing matters were at hand. Aerdiad had been given some sort of power shot to start gaining a hold against Daidrea. Erais quickly began to exit the clearing, but every step she took away from it, her head got the same splitting pain, causing her to shriek in agony and run back to the clearing. She was breathing heavily again as she sat on the ground exhausted. She held her head in her hands as it throbbed dully. What's going on? she asked herself. Whatever it was, everything that was going on, seemed to be attached to these strange creatures.

Erais heard the distant screams of Daidrea as he got closer. She had tried to leave the clearing several times, but each time was a failed attempt. As soon as Daidrea was dropped in the clearing she darted over to him. He looked terrible as she came to his side. "Daidrea?!" she asked in panic while looking at him frightened. The moaning that came from him only made her worry more. "You can fight this!" she told him while gripping his hand as he seemed to be in a lot of pain. Please go away Aerdiad, she pleaded into his mind.

Erais was shocked to hear what Aerdiad had said. The fact that it wasn't him causing this gave her a bit of hope. Alright, but I need to get in there if I'm to help. She told him, hoping that he wouldn't object. He was still evil and she'd rather have him gone, but if he was helping them, then she guessed she'd have to put up with him for now. She knew that the source was some vile and disgusting liquid that she'd been force fed. It's got some sort of drug like affect, but still has another affect entirely different. She told him, and explained what she knew about it. Since you can both destroy it, maybe I could reabsorb some of it while you defeat the rest, then tackle what I took on? she suggested.

Erais was a bit nervous at what he said, but he didn't know her. She currently had a darkness in her, so technically she could absorb it on her own, but this seemed a much safer way. Alright, give me more then I can handle. Erais knew this was dangerous, but if she took a large part of it, then they'd be done with what was left quicker. She just hoped she'd live through it as she plunged herself into Daidrea's mind. What she met there was a shock and she instantly had to start fighting against the darkness, even though she wasn't apart of him, the new evil was willing to take hold of any host.

"I undstand that, just hurry up," she growled at Aerdiad, he was really getting on her nerves. Erais watched as he grabbed some of the thick black stuff and shoved it into her stomach. She toppled over and disappeared from Daidrea's mind. The pain was too great to hold onto his mind. It exploded in her mind like burning coals. She clenched her teeth hard as she felt the last of it absorb into her mind. It was a strange thing, but she could feel certain things inside of her being changed, literally. It leeched out of her mind and started to creep over her whole body. She wanted to scream in pain, but didn't want to distract Daidrea or Aerdiad. They needed to get rid of it in him. Her whole body was being burned inside out as she couldn't fight it off. She felt like this was her death. Soon it was too much of a burden and she collapsed in her own mind, the thing too powerful to handle on her own.

Erais gasped as she could feel it enter her blood stream. She could barely tell that Daidrea had come over to her. She did feel a bit more calm, but when she opened her eyes, there was a wild look to them. As the moments creeped by, she could feel it getting closer to her heart. "Daidrea!" she screamed out as the pain intensified as the thing drew closer to her heart. Erais looked about wildly, but was in too much pain to register the fact that she wasn't alone anymore. Too much... She whimpered in her mind as her mouth seemed to have been sealed shut. She was scared as she knew it was about to enter her heart, it was to far in her to stop now.

Erais was slightly aware of slight wet substance on the tips of her fingers. She didn't know that it was Daidrea's blood, if she did, she might not have dug her nails in his back so hard. "But...the-...pain..." She gasped while gripping him tighter. "M-my..." she was struggling as it began to enter her heart. "Heart," she wheezed as it gripped her. The pain was worse then anything she'd ever gone through, and she'd gone through a lot. She would rather die right now then suffer through more of this pain. It pulsed through her heart, she could feel it tighten and kept giving stabbing pains. Soon she could almost feel it start to slow down. It's too much! she screeched in her mind as she let go on trying to stay conscious.

She went limp in Daidrea's arms, but the pain didn't cease. Her nails had dug deep in Daidrea and there were fair sized gashes in his back now. Since the black substance was in her heart now, it had full access to her whole body. Since her heart was pumping faster then ever, trying to get it out, it was dispelling the thing throughout her that much quicker. Her heart rate was getting high enough for it to start being dangerous now.

Erais' eyes snapped open the moment the dark matter was gone. She gasped and bolted upright. Her eyes had streaks of dark in them, her whole body throbbed and pulsed from the remaining pain. Some of the dark matter had been given enough time to latch onto her body and soul. She looked around, a shean of sweat covering her body. She saw Daidrea, and by the looks of it, he'd taken it back. There were dry tears on her face as she got up. She began to sway and get dizzy as she tried to walk over to him. Her vision began to get cloudy and her mind started to go black as she started to fall.

Erais eye fluttered open again the moment she was braced against Daidrea. "You know, that was a bit stupid of you, I was handling it." She told him sternly, but weakly. She tried her best attempt at glaring at him, but it didn't work out so well. Taking a deep breath she let her eyes close, but not aftering seeing he wasn't using his left arm much. "You should have let it stay with me, you've been through enough already. With Aerdiad, and this other thing combined in you, trying to take over your body, you were being very idiotic." Erais said to him while opening her eyes to look at his face.

Erais knew she couldn't have handled it, she knew something would have gone really wrong if he hadn't taken it out of her. She honestly didn't want him to know that she couldn't have handled it, she didn't want to appear weak in any way, she wanted to be able to handle just as much as he could. She merely rolled her eyes slightly at what he said. So far she hadn't known she'd caused some damage to his back, so when he glanced at his back it made her curious. She tried to sit up on her own, but felt very woozy again and had to lean against him. "Now you know how I feel when you're in pain," her voice came out weak again as her head began to spin.

"I don't care, it still makes me feel weak," she said, closing her eyes to try and dispel the dizziness in her mind. "I guess now we're square, we both know what its like for the other when we are in pain." Erais said while opening her eyes again to look at him. This time she was able to sit up without getting dizzy, but she had to do it very slowly. She moved so she could see his back and was shocked. "W-what happened?" she asked him alarmed.

Erais was shocked that she'd been the one to do it. "Oh," was all she could saw, she couldn't quite comprehend it. "Daidrea I'm so sorry," she told him sincerely. Feeling terrible for doing that to him, she turned her face away from him. Lately it seemed every time they were able to be together, something messed it up. Is fate trying to tell us something? she thought mournfully, refusing to look at his face.

Erais sighed as he held her, she felt much better, but so many doubts clouded her mind. "You can't know that for a fact," she told him in an undertone. She closed her eyes as he kissed her, enjoying the moment. She smiled back at him best she could. "But don't you ever get the feeling that...maybe, maybe we weren't supposed to happen? What if all of this is fate trying to get us apart?" she looked at him, searching his eyes for an answer, not sure if she would get an answer she'd want to hear.

Erais looked at her hands as she spoke, a silent tear ran down her face. "I know its stupid to have these little thoughts, especially from what we've been through together, but that's why. It seems like everytime we try to be together, something goes wrong. I don't know, what if we weren't even supposed to meet?" she said. Her dark eyes flashed over to him, she noticed that he was gripping his right arm a bit. "Daidrea, are you okay?" she asked him worried.

Erais didn't like it when he turned away from her, she just watched him walk away. She knew she should go after him, one, she'd probably regret it later if she didn't, and he didn't look good. She knew he was lying, he was definately not fine. "I have these doubts, and I'm sure I'll still have them, but I will always love you," she whispered to him, not entirely sure if they were audible enough for him to have heard them. She watched him walk away, feeling tears of her own begin to form. Her experiance with trying to leave the camp site before was still fresh enough in her memory, she didn't want to dare leave the camp, for fear of the pain.

Erais sighed and looked in the direction Daidrea had disappeared. She got to her feet slowly, only a little bit of dizziness hit her. She began to walk in the direction where Daidrea had disappeared. After a few moments she saw him. She slowly walked over to where he was. "Daidrea, I'm sorry," she said to him while sitting next to him against the tree. "No matter what happens between us, I'll never regret meeting you." She told him with a soft smile.

Erais turned her head and listened to his question. Thinking it over, she wasn't really sure. "If you were gone, and he'd still take me, I guess so." She said. She didn't know for sure if she would, if she'd rather just be alone, or if she really would go back to Mesaraih. "I couldn't truly ever say unless I was confronted by it. I can tell you now, that I wouldn't ever leave you, maybe in a life or death situation, but otherwise, never." She told him with a smile. "I always look forward to seeing you again, even if it means that there are strings attached." Erais said with slight humor, referring to all the havoc that goes on when they are together.

Erais was a bit startled with his sudden departure, and a little upset that he just took off. Oh well, I'll see him again. She thought to herself with a smile and stood up. He is his own person after all, she gave a soft good-bye and let it carry on the wind as she walked back into the deep part of the forest. She was heading off to find Arden, then decided to head into the heart of the Empire. Maybe she'd find something out about those odd creatures, and the small bit of darkness that was dormant in her.

OC- Going to pull Daidrea out for a little and bring in my other character in.

IC- Kuja was walking down a hall in the great castle keep of the Empire's capital. He walked over to a large door with two guards in front. He stopped in front of them for a moment and they stepped aside. Continueing on, he pushed through the doors entering a large chamber. And there stood in a short distance next to a window was Galbatorix.

Kuja spoke, "You called for me?" The dark emperor turned, "You're late." Kuja crossed his arms, "Oh? Forgive me then, if I had known that it was urgent enough for me to be immediatly here then perhaps you should inform the one who sent me to do so."
"Silence, I have no time for your sharp tongue." Kuja bluntly replied, "Well what is it, your not the only one with business you know." Galbatorix looked at him blankly for a moment. "I have just gotten word of strange happening in Du Weldenvarden. It seems that some "dark" creatures were found there and they were killed. I would assume that would be something you did."
"You assume correctly, they were something I brought from the dark plain, I used them for scouting. However due to their "nature" it is rather difficult to control them."
"If you wanted scouts you should have used my men."
"Hmph.. your men are useless to me, they are weak. Why would I use pawns when I can use knights?"
"That's besides the point! Because of your foolishness you may have roused the elves on being on alert. Now it will be more difficult to deal with them."
"Calm yourself, they were not totaly useless. While they were there they managed to catch a very powerful human, a rider I would assume. They had dosed her with dark magic, now she will be heading into the empire to find answers. My plan was to capture the rider. I need more information however, all I know at this point that it is a rider, nothing more."
Galbatorix remained silent for some time. "So, how do you plan to capture this rider?"
"All in good time my lord, my plans are begining to unfold very soon."
"Very well, do not fail to do so. Now leave."
"As you wish", Kuja said bowing. He turned around and left the chamber. He went into the dragons den to get Selris. Walking in he saw in one corner of the huge room was Shurikan sleeping. In the center of the room was a large case holding a dragon's egg. Kuja looked around, where is he..
He went over to the balcony and found Selris sitting on his hind legs looking out in the distance.
"Selris, we are leaving, we have a job to do." Selris made no reply but laid down on his stomach. Kuja climbed on his back and they took off. Where are we going?
Du Weldenvarden for starters.

Ooc - Oo this will be fun and interesting.

Ic -

It took Erais a while, but she finally found Arden in a tight thicket of trees... fast asleep. Typical, she said good humorly with a smile and manuvered her way through the trees to where he was situated. Finally she was able to move to the front of his claws. Alright sleeping beauty, wake up! she said and attempted to shove him. It sort of worked, it moved his front claws, but she slipped and toppled into his chest. Arden's head shot up for a moment, his eyes opening lazily. Hey, it worked! Erais said surprised and smiled up at him. Yeah yeah, I'm up. He stood up and stretched. How in the world did you get tangled up in here? she asked him with a confused expression. Uh...? Arden was just as confused but shrugged and started to wiggle his way out.

Erais quickly clambered out and stood laughing while he struggled out of the thicket. After a rather long while he was able to stumble out, the ground shaking lightly in the process. So, where are we off too? Arden asked her as she began to mount him. Well Daidrea said he had to go, that there was something he needed to take care of. So I guess we're going to head to the empire and look for answer of what those things were. As usual it's going to be dangerous, but the little bit of dark that is stuck to my soul could grow. I don't know, and I want answers. Erais explained as Arden began to walk through the woods, since there wasn't a clear enough space for him to take to the sky.

Finally Arden was able to spot an opening in the vast canopy after a long time of just walking through the forest. He shifted his weight as he began to lift his heavy body into the air. After clearing the forest, the air started to smell clean again. It's not that the air beneath the canopy was polluted or anything, it just smelled strongly of earth and fungi. We should be nearing the edge of the forest soon, I know of a small village where I can stay in a warm bed. I can also ask around if anything unusual has happened lately. Erais told Arden as he drifted through the air.

Erais was right, there was a village, probably the closest to Du Weldenvarden without actually being in it. He of course had to take refuge in a dense part, and grumbled about it. Stop whining, you're the one who is getting huge not me. Besides, it's not like you couldn't scare anything that came across you. Erais attempted at consoling her dragon as he started to tromp into the forest after landing in a clearing barely big enough for him. I don't care, it will be lonely and I'd much rather sleep next to a fire on a very full belly. His thoughts began to fade away as Erais walked opposite of him.

Soon she was picking up thought patterns from the village folk. That was one thing she would prefer without. When having experiance and hard training like her, reading someones thoughts, especially if they were simple folk, was terrible. She quickly turned off the part of her mind and was soon able to see the tree thinning and a few huts come into view. Now she had to be careful, there was no way she could pull off looking like a peasent women of any sort. No, everything about her screamed highly dangerous. Sighing she pulled her cloak over her and entered the village, hopefully she could get some useful information.

Erais continued to walk through the village, the people instinctively shrinking away from her in fear. You shouldn't be fearing me, she thought dismally as she continued to try and figure out where the inn was. It was a small village, but naturally, since she couldn't get directions, it was very difficult to find. Stopping she closed her eyes and began to take calming breaths. I'm a rider for goodness sakes! I can find a stupid inn by myself! she thought bitterly to herself and opened her eyes. Resenting, she let her mind wander and touch on a few. Instantly her attention was drawn to a slight commotion taking place.

Quickly she walked through the village to the point where the angered thoughts were, as well as the sounds. When she came to though, everything seemed to have calmed down, well, somewhat. The Empire Soldiers were still a little ticked off that a man had knocked out their captain. She chuckled softly, serves you right, she thought. Looking around she noticed a man that matched the description from the thoughts. Instantly she became cautious, she sensed that he could be extremely dangerous.

Erais' head snapped to where the men came out, one of them shouting at him. He didn't look to happy at being knocked out. The captain finished shouting and drew his sword. Erais figured this was a very bad idea, but if this man had enough guts to knock out a captian of the Empire, he might be a friend. Erais drew her sword as well and walked foward, her dark eyes flashing dangerously. "Hello Empire scum, I do believe you have else where to be." In this moment as she spoke, her whole aura changed darkly and she became very threatening as the dark inside of her was threatening to surface. "You either leave, and you'll be spared." She began to say. "Well most of you." She added as an after thought with a slightly evil grin. "Or, I'll just take you all out. Your choice." Erais said in a sickly sweet, but dark and dangerous voice.

Erais felt anger boil in her for some reason as she saw that they didn't back down. She wasn't sure how it was happening, but her anger was being channeled into the dark side of her and and soon a dark substance was gathering around her hands. Soon she was quickly slashing away at the men, not even giving them enough time to block her attacks. She hacked away at them, killing them almost instantly as she plunged her sword into them, each time hitting their hearts. They had no way of protecting themselves.

Erais! Arden's voice thundered in her mind. Stop it right now! he had a bad feeling of what might happen if it got to out of control. He couldn't just go in and get her, no, that information would travel to the Empire like a wild fire. Erais you need to calm down. He continued to speak in her mind, but she payed him no heed as she continued her assault on the captain, he was the only one left. But out Arden! she yelled back at him as her sword sliced the captain's head off in a clean cut.

Now that the men lay dead, Erais was able to calm down. The dark substance that had spread over her as she had killed ruthlessly had disolved back into her body as she was able to gain full awareness of what she had just done. Looking at the mangled bodies on the ground and hearing the soft and frightened whimpers of the village folk made her stomach churn. Her sword fell from her hands as they shook too violently to hold onto it. She knew she'd killed people before, but never so brutally and cruelly. Erais? Arden asked tentitively, afriad for her. Erais merely cut him off from her as she stood horrified looking at the mess she'd made.

Erais only stood there horrified, barely hearing anything that was said to her. The village folk had calmed down and were in the inflicted slumber, but still she could not move her feet. What have I done? she thought to herself as she stood there frozen. It didn't matter that the people wouldn't remember, she would. She'd forever remember that she was no longer who she used to be, she was possessed.

Arden couldn't take it anymore. It didn't matter to him right now that it was dangerous for them to be seen, he wouldn't let Erais just stay there. After all, this man was much mroe powerful then he had led them to believe. After witnessing what he had done through Erais' mind, he didn't want her anywhere near him. He quickly thundered through the forest and found an open space in the canopy to lift off. A small voice in his head told him that this was a bad idea and to stay as far away from Erais as possible, but a much louder voice was screaming at him to get her.

He lifted off into the sky a bit clumsily in his haste and quickly flew to where the village was. Luckily since it was dark, he wouldn't be noticed much. Erais if you don't start moving now, I'll come in there and get you myself. He had to force his way back into her mind, but she understood. Erais began to move away from the scene and soon was running. She'd completely forgotten about the man and just ran falt out to where Arden was, an ominous feeling washing over her that something terrible would happen soon.

Erais didn't notice the dark creatures appear and come after her, she was focusing on getting to Arden and getting out of her. The memory of the bodies made her shudder, but it was gone as the man appeared in front of her sword raised. On instinct she drew her sword, but when it killed the dark creatures that were about to kill her, she lowered her sword. "Just because I have it doesn't mean I want it, and just because I used it doesn't mean I know how to get it to surface!" she replied hotly. "You're right, I don't trust you, I can find my own way." She said coldly and began to walk again. Even though she'd helped him earlier, didn't mean she wanted to see him again. That and she didn't want to be around him when he reminded her of what she'd done.

Erais listened to what he said. The story of the elf rider sounded extremely familiar, but her mind was too exhausted to try and put too much thought on it. "I'll only refuse help from people I can't trust." She glared at him as she spoke. Her mind began to race, she didn't want that to happen again, and she didn't want it to get worse. Already she could feel it wanting to resurface.

Arden stay away for now. Maybe he can help, he seems to know about dark magic. You can keep an eye on my if you want, but keep a huge distance between us. He's plenty powerful. She spoke to Arden as she quickly jogged forward to catch up. "Wait!" she called. "Would you really help me?" she asked him with a slightly hopeful voice.

Erais shook her head. "No I don't want it, I've seen what it does to people. It tears them up. I want it GONE." She said. She could survive without it just as she has always done. Her thoughts strayed to Daidrea for a moment. Erais knew what happened if something evil in you lived there too long, maybe this man could help Daidrea get rid of Aerdiad altogether, and the darkness that he'd absorbed from her. "The pain it causes is much greater then the power it gives." Erais spoke, missing Daidrea a bit. "No matter, if you're going to help me, I suppose I should know your name."

"I don't care if its saved you, its caused me too much pain. I just want it gone." Erais said as memories flashed in her mind. She quickly shook the thoughts away as they began to walk. "Well Xaldin, I don't fully trust you, and I probably won't for a long time. So if I seem uptight or slighty strange at times, then its for good reason." Erais still got the impression to run, but she just figured it was because he knew dark magic, not because he was a very dangerous threat to her. "Where are we to go then?" she asked him. They had stayed there too long. Galbatorix might already have sent men on the way. Or worse, the dark creatures could have been summoned again. Erais shuddered involentarily at the memory of being their captive.

"Heh, trust is earned, not given as they say." Kuja thought for a moment while looking around. He remebered going by small forest on his way here. He mentally showed Erais the place, "We will stay there for the night. It should be safe place for your dragon as well."
She looked shocked at what he just said. "What? I can tell that some ones a rider when I see one." Kuja turned towards the road, "Well lets get going then."
He began running down the road.

"Yes it is." Erais agreed. She stopped in her tracks and looked at him a bit horrified. Erais you should get out of there, I don't like this Xaldin one bit. Arden told her. Just stay away, I'll be fine, as long as we stay seperated, nothing too bad can happen. I don't like him either, but he seems like the only one who can help right now. Just keep as far away as you can, but still in range for communication. Erais told him while trying to think of something to say to Xaldin. For her and Arden, they could be miles apart since they had been through so much.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Yes, I had a dragon, but she passed away. I'm an ex-rider." Erais decided to keep any hints of Arden hidden. Luckily she had had a previous dragon, it would make a good cover story. Erais was a bit tense, but began to run to catch up to him. Hopefully this will be over soon and I can get on with my life. She thought to herself, completely ready to just be rid of the blackness hooked to her soul.

"It must be a coincidence then, for my dragon is dead. I know several riders, and we have a knack for running into each other a lot." Erais had an uncanny ability to lie through her teeth so convincingly, she'd escaped many evil men. It was impossible to tell whether or not she was telling the truth or lying, over the years neither one mattered to her anymore. Also, her mind was so fortified from her life that there were parts closed off even to her. There was no way anyone could penetrate her mind fully, unless she was extremely and heavily drugged.

With what Xaldin had said, Arden decided to leave Erais alone for now and easily made his presence disappear. He knew he'd have to be gone a lot to have her story fool proof. "Not really, there are a few, but I wouldn't die if I didn't get an answer. I just want to know why someone of such darkness is willing to help me get rid of this evil thing?" Erais said truthfully. It was a constant thing plaguing her mind. She sensed so much evil and so much danger from him that she wanted to know what his real intentions were.

Erais listened to him, confused until he cleared it up. "Really? Full elf, what's his name?" she asked him becoming more and more curious about this Xaldin person. "I still can't trust anyone with it. Just because you think you destroyed it, doesn't means its gone. I've had enough experiance with that. You can never fully destroy part of your personality. It's who you are and it might be locked away forever, but never destroyed." Erais said as her mind dwelt on unpleasent things. When he told her he just felt like helping her, she didn't buy it.

There was something about him that made her know he wasn't to be trusted. Then why am I still sitting here? she asked herself, but came with an easy reply. Because you want to hope that you'll be rid of this poison. For all she knew, he was the dark being that summoned those creatures to drug her. He could be here merely to just further the process along.

The Door to Darkness? The name alone sent shivers down her spine, her whole body screaming at her to run. Every instinct that she possessed was bashing her head, but for whatever odd reason, she wanted to believe she could be rid of this. She definately didn't want to develop a split personality. "Yes, traveling there will be hard." Erais was surprised that her voice didn't betray any of her feelings. Only her eyes gave away what she was feeling.

She was settling against her tree when he said his brothers name. Her head snapped up as something gripped her spin in a tight embrace, sending the most awful pain through her. "W-what?!" she asked him unbelieving. Daidrea had a brother? After thinking a moment, she remembered vaguely him mentioning it, but the brother he had mentioned was very evil. Her eyes darted about wildly as her mind tried to find something that would disconnect them. "Daidrea? Is...your brother?" she asked him completely flabbergasted, stuttering slightly.

Erais' heart was thudding against her chest almost painfully. "That...he..." she stuttered for a moment as she was trying to regain firm footing. "He told me he's only ever had one brother, that he knows of, and...if...that means..." Erais was shaking slightly. "Your name isn't Xaldin." Was all she could say as she was trying to figure a way out of her situation without too much fuss. "Dark magic?" she paused for a moment, but remember what he meant. "Yeah, sure that's it. It's all a stupid dream." She mumbled to herself as she lay back on the ground.

However, her eyes refused to close. She did not want to be anywhere near him right now, and she feared she had just sunk herself into too much trouble. She had no way of contacting Arden, and it wasn't as though Daidrea would stumble across them. All she could do for now was pray.

Erais had spent the worst night of her life on that hard ground. Well maybe it wasn't the worst, but it was pretty darn close. Her mind ran through so many things that could happen. All she knew was that this half breed wasn't who he said he was and was obviously doing this for some other reason then, 'I feel like it'. Her mind was too exhausted to stay awake, but she was too stressed to sleep fully. So instead of one or the other, she'd come to one that was half between. It allowed her to rest, but still think coherently.

"It's Aras," she lied dully as she sat up. "Nothings wrong, I just had a crappy night." It was in truth, except the fact that everything was wrong. All she could do now was play along and hope for an escape. "So you haven't had any contact with Daidrea for 90 years?" she asked to clarify. Hopefully he didn't get wind of anything that was going on with him. If so, she could ignore the fact that she was in love with his brother and hopefully make it out of this alive.

"Not exactly," Erais muttered with a slight smile. "Of course, I'm completely ready to be rid of this dark matter. The sooner the better," she said, in more ways then one. For a while she just followed him, almost afraid to speak, but she didn't like so much silence. Normally she was arguing with Arden about something or just simply chatting. "So how long until we get there?" well it was something to talk about. Since it was daylight, she could see his features better, and for a moment she wondered if that was even what he looked like.

"Yes, lets hope we don't run into any trouble." She said, pushing the dooming thoughts out of her mind. She didn't need to worry about that right now. They continued to run, she wasn't expecting him to talk at all, but what he said sent her into a panic. "Well-um-I" What could Erais say? She couldn't just flat out and say why, it would be strange for one thing, but it also might put her in more danger. So instead, she just routed to stay silent. Ignoring him, she refused to answer his question. After all, he wouldn't know anything if she stayed silent.

Erais continued to travel on with him in silence. It was bothering her like nothing else, but she prefered it over talking with him. "I'm not that young." She mumbled, but for a moment didn't know what to say. After all, she couldn't betray Oromis' life to him. "Yes, but he died a very long time ago. I've taken to training myself after he'd passed on. Though I know how your brother feels. Losing your dragon is more pain then I can bare at times." Erais said as they continued on.

Erais looked at him skeptically as they headed over to the cave. She knew that one wrong move and the Empire would be on their tail. "I fear you because you have lied to me!" she said in a slightly raised voice. Her emotions were starting to get the better of her as she began to spill her worries to him. "You are not Xaldin! I know Daidrea and I know that he has a brother full of dark magic, but more importantly evil! Since you're obviously his brother and have said so, you want to do more harm to me then help me!" she exclaimed while gripped her hilt out of instinct. Her eyes flashed as she eyed him carefully.

Erais looked at him, getting nervous, but held strong. "Yes I know him. I've known him for a long time now." She said a little harshly. "I follow because I have a slight hope that you will help me be rid of this. I do not want to fall into the path of dark! I've seen what its done to Daidrea and it hurts me! It causes him too much pain and he's in a constant battle to keep it locked away!" she said in exasperation. Arden, if you can hear me, please come close. I do not want to be alone right now. She called out in hopes he would hear her.

Erais wasn't sure if that was a good thing that he got "attached" to her a little, but so far it seemed like he was still willing to help. "I have, but he left long ago to keep me safe. I don't think he can hear me, as far as I know, he's somewhere in the middle of the Hadarac desert." Erais said. When a silverish looking dragon landed on the ground, it frightened her slightly. She'd never truly seen such a huge and intimadating dragon before. She turned back around and her face went deathly pale as he spoke his name. "Then answer me this last question, what were you going to do since you obviously weren't just helping me?" she was afraid of the answer, but she wanted to know.

"Yes it does matter, it matters to me. I need to know how close I was to becoming something I'm not. I won't know that you're still letting me go until you actually do let me go." Erais pointed out, but had the odd feeling she should at least be truthful to him with her name. "My names Erais by the way," she told him, not knowing why she was trusting him with so much information when it was obvious he worked for Galbatorix. "If you are helping me and letting me go, then it is obvious that you aren't full of evil and can change."