((I would have updated sooner but I quite literally slept through my alarm, lol. Going through some shit at the moment, hadn't slept in like two days before conking out this morning. Also, goddamn, rest in peace Technoblade. Live on in glory beyond this world.))

Blue was  finished recounting the discussion from before to GB and Draco as the pair curled around each other by the time they spotted Eragon and Saphira returning from the cliffs and their own experience of sharing a memory.

The skeleton almost ran to the boy when he saw the tear streaked face, but paused when a claw hooked into his bandana.
He turned to see GB gazing at him quietly.
He's fine. The skeleblaster stated, pulling him closer.
"I still want to-" He was cut off by a metallic snort.
Give him space, man.

"He's crying, GB!" Blue argued, just about pouting. Draco shifted then, cracking open a socket to peer at him.
He just got to watch a memory video thing of his dad trying to be his dad, 'course he's cryin'. He needs privacy in some things.

Blue sighed, rubbing his humerus nervously. "I.. I don't know what's gotten into me." He admitted as Eragon sat down at the outside table, Saphira resting her head beside him.

You miss your bro? Draco asked.
"Well of course, we all miss our brothers- but what does that have to do with-" And according to you just now, you said you were thinking about him.
He paused, mouth agape before he shut it again.
"Well.. yes. Are you suggesting what I think you are?" He questioned, somewhat surprised.
You miss being a brother. GB stated with a sad smile, Draco huffing in agreement.

Blue could only stare at the ground, seeing his emotions laid plain before him.
"I.. I don't like separation. It is not who I am- not what I am. I don't know what he's doing without me. I don't know how he's doing without me. And I know he doesn't take the best care of himself much of the time- what is he doing in my absence? I don't know! The uncertainty kills me inside at times." He was hugging himself now, legs unsteady on the ground as his tail curled around his left fibula.

GB rose to a half crouch then, pressing his snout to Blue's skull with a dull clack in an attempt to comfort.
He knows you're alive, and that's what matters. It won't be long until we finally kill Galbatorix and he shows up. We're waiting on our bros too.

He slid his gloved hand over the smooth bone with a look of regret.
"But he's not like your brothers. They can keep on hoping, keep on waiting and maintain themselves, but mine, he.. he can't overcome his misery." His voice dropped to a whisper.

But doesn't he have others looking out for him? Draco pointed out.
He has your Undyne, Alphys, Toriel, Asgore, even Fr- Chara. Wouldn't they help?
He briefly considered the possibilities, the knot of unease loosening at the thought.
"He can't tell them what happened to me."
Can't he? GB fired back.
"What?" He blinked.

I mean, can't he? By now it's probably become evident that the Multiverse is collapsing, right? People are vanishing from AU's into someplace else and leaving behind others who don't know what happened. So why would keeping it a secret matter anymore? The point is moot. He shrugged, sitting up.

"I.." Blue stared hard at nothing at all, thinking as his face gave way to fear.
"Because of Fate, GB. Because changing the norm they created could be seen as an act of defiance against them- Fate could ruin-"
How do you know what an incomprehensible bitch would react?

Blue's eyelights flashed cerulean as he looked away. "It.. comes from being around Ink so often." He excused, hugging himself again.
Now both dragons were gazing at him, eyelights intense as they saw through the lie.
Did you.. meet Fate? GB slowly asked.

"No, I never met them directly. I've walked in on them.. abusing Error physically once, but I had the fortune of never truly encountering them." He explained softly.

Why do I get the feeling that you're hiding something, then? Did you see something you shouldn't have? Draco prompted.
"Well I did just tell you of my experience of witnessing something I was not meant to see." Blue pointed out distractedly.

Blue, what's wrong? You're starting to concern me here. You've never kept us in the dark before, why now? GB asked, a hint of a plea in his words.
"I.." He hesitated, staring off to the side.

Your lights are a deep blue. Draco noted.
That have anything to do with it?
"Not-" He shook his skull, eyelights flickering between shades of blue and silvery white.
"Not really."

Finally, he took a deep breath and met the gaze levelled at him.
"Fate was never the only deity of the Multiverse."
The pair of dragons blinked.

. • ° ° • .

Blue quietly stacked his bowl over Eragon's, drumming the sides in the desire to immediately wash them when Oromis spoke.
"Would you like to see a fairth of your mother, Eragon?"
Both of them stopped, surprised as the boy found his voice.
"Yes, please."

The skeleton stared intensely as a thin slate was unsheathed from the depths of the white robe, exchanging hands and giving him only a glimpse of white and red roses, a black bracer on an arm and a glimpse of hair.
Then Eragon stared at it awhile.

Blue could only sit back and watch as the human delicately touched the thin stone, mouthing a familiar word in silence before the elf chose to speak once again.
"Brom gave me the fairth for safekeeping before he left for Carvahall, and now I give it to you."

Unable to look away from the likeness, Eragon asked. "Would you keep it safe for me as well? It might get broken during our traveling and fighting."

There was an unexpected hesitation on Oromis's part. The pair looked up, spotting the elf's forlorn expression.
"No, Eragon, I cannot. You will have to make other arrangements for the preservation of the fairth."

Blue resisted the temptation to ask why, noticing the same query on the tip of Eragon's tongue before their teacher continued.
"Your time here is limited, and we still have many matters to discuss. Shall I guess which subject you would like to address next, or will you tell me?"

Hesitantly, Eragon set the fairth upside-down on the table and clasped his hands together.
"The two times we have fought Murtagh and Thorn, Murtagh has been more powerful than any human ought to be. On the Burning Plains, he defeated Saphira and me because we did not realize how strong he was. If not for his change of heart, we would be prisoners in Urû'baen right now. You once mentioned that you know how Galbatorix has become so powerful, and all the skeletons have sensed it somehow from the dragons. Will you tell us now, Master? For our own safety, we need to know."

"It is not my place to tell you this." Oromis responded simply. Blue noted an inexplicable pull towards the great gold dragon, glancing over as Eragon began to question who they could ask when Glaedr's great golden eye opened.
It is mine.. He spoke then, staring them down before he continued.

The source of Galbatorix's power indeed lies in the hearts of dragons. From us, he steals our strength. Without our aid, Galbatorix would have fallen to the elves and the Varden long ago.

All the skeletons present abruptly pulled back, eyelights burning with great intensity as Eragon was lost to confusion.
"I don't understand. Why would you help Galbatorix? And how could you? There are only four dragons and an egg left in Alagaësia… aren't ther-"
"Souls." Three voices spoke at once, cutting him off.

Blue stood then, phalanges tight on the edge of the table as he forced himself to meet the dragon's gaze.
"You have Souls. Like we do."

Perhaps so. The elder rumbled, blinking.
As many of the dragons whose bodies Galbatorix and the Forsworn slew are still alive today.
"Still alive..?" Eragon puzzled before it began to dawn on him.
"You have Soul hearts like monsters?"

No. Glaedr corrected, shifting his head to face them with a deep scraping of scales. Ours are more solid, and do not behave as such. But in essence, they have many similarities.

He went on to explain.
We carry within our chests a hard, gemlike object, similar in composition to our scales, called the Eldunarí, which means "the heart of hearts". When a dragon hatches, their Eldunarí is clear and lusterless. Usually it remains do all through a dragon's life and dissolves along with the dragon's corpse when they die. However, if we wish, we can transfer our consciousness into the Eldunarí. Then it will acquire the same color as our scales and begin to glow like a coal. If a dragon has done this, the Eldunarí will outlast the decay of their flesh, and a dragon's essence may live on indefinitely. Also, a dragon can disgorge their Eldunarí while they are still alive. By this means, a dragon's body and a dragon's consciousness can exist separately and yet still be linked, which can be most useful in certain circumstances. But to do this exposes us to great danger, for whoever holds our Eldunarí holds our very soul in their hands. With it, they could force us to do their bidding, no matter how vile.

Eragon spun to face his partnered dragon, asking a question that went unheard to the others, only privy to her reply as her scales lifted and she moved her neck like an enchanted cobra.
I have always been aware of my heart of hearts. Always I have been able to feel it inside of me, but I never thought to mention it to you.

He seemed to demand something of her, unheard. She only scrutinized him.
Would you think it worthy of mention that you have a stomach, Eragon? Or a heart or a liver or any other organ? My Eldunarí is an integral part of who I am. I never considered it's existence worthy of note…. Saphira then unexpectedly shielded her thoughts from the others, leaving them in the dark as the conversation turned entirely private.

She growled softly, then moments later her Rider scowled and faced their teacher.
"Why didn't you tell us of this sooner?"
The elf simply removed the stopper from the flask to pour himself more wine, then answered.
"In order to protect Saphira."
"Protect her? From what?"
From you. Glaedr answered.

The human flushed red, stuttering until the dragon spoke again.
In the wild, a dragon would learn about his Eldunarí from one of his elders when he was old enough to understand the use of it. That way, a dragon would not transfer themself into their heart of hearts without knowing the full import of their actions. Among the Riders, a different custom arose. The first few years of partnership between a dragon and a Rider are crucial to establishing a healthy relationship between the two, and the Riders discovered that it was better to wait until newly joined Riders and dragons were well familiar with each other before informing them of the Eldunarí. Otherwise, in the reckless folly of youth, a dragon might decide to disgorge his heart of hearts merely to appease or impress his Rider. When we give up our Eldunarí, we are giving up a physical embodiment of our entire being. And we cannot return it to it's original place within our bodies once it is gone. A dragon should not undertake the separation of their consciousness lightly, for it will change how they live the rest of their lives, even if they should endure for another thousand years.

After a long moment, Eragon questioned. "Do you still have your heart of hearts within you?"
Blue immediately slapped his arm at the ridiculous lack of awareness before they were hit with a wave of heat as the dragon snorted.
That is not a meet question to ask any dragon but Saphira. Do not presume to put it to me again, hatchling.

Eragon awkwardly apologized with a seated bow before moving on.
"What… what happens if your Eldunarí breaks?"
"Death." Blue impulsively answered before he slapped his hands over his face.

Glaedr blinked at him before responding to the question in full.
If a dragon has already transferred their consciousness to their heart of hearts, then they will die a true death.

Blinking again, he went on.
Before we formed our pact with the elves, we kept our hearts in Du Fells Nángoröth, the mountains in the center of the Hadarac Desert. Later, after the Riders established themselves on the island of Vroengard and therein built a repository for the Eldunarí, wild dragons and paired dragons both entrusted their hearts to the Riders for safekeeping.
"So then Galbatorix captured the Eldunarí?"

"He did, but not all at once." Oromis replied.
"It had been so long since anyone had truly threatened the Riders, many of our order had become careless about protecting the Eldunarí. At the time Galbatorix turned against us, it was not uncommon for a Rider's dragon to disgorge their Eldunarí merely for the sake of convenience."
"Convenience?" Eragon echoed.

Anyone who holds one of our heart of hearts may communicate with the dragon from which it came without regard for distance. The whole of Alagaësia might separate a Rider and a dragon, and yet if the Rider had with him his dragon's Eldunarí, they could share thoughts as easily as you and Saphira do now, that Eldgath and Istalrfreohr so naturally emulate. Glaedr explained.

"In addition, a magician who possesses an Eldunarí can draw upon the dragon's strength to bolster his spells, again without regard for where the dragon might be. When-" Oromis cut off as a hummingbird zoomed in from the forest, feathers glittering as a strange green aura gleamed around it, sipping at the juices of a crushed blackberry amid the fruit bowls, briefly setting down on the rim, bouncing as it's gaze flitted between those present.
Then it launched back into the air and flitted away.

Oromis continued where he left off.
"When Galbatorix killed his first Rider, he also stole the heart of the Rider's dragon. During the years Galbatorix spent hiding in the wilderness thereafter, he broke the dragon's mind and bent it to his will, likely with the help of Durza.
And when Galbatorix began his insurrection in earnest, with Morzan by his side, he was already stronger than most every other Rider. His strength was not merely magical but mental, for the force of the Eldunarí's consciousness augmented his own."

His gaze flickered to the trees briefly before he went on.
"Galbatorix did not just try to kill the Riders and dragons. He made it his goal to acquire as many of the Eldunarí as he could, either by seizing them from their Riders or by torturing a Rider until his dragon disgorged its heart of hearts. By the time we realized what Galbatorix was doing, he was already too powerful to stop. It helped Galbatorix that many Riders traveled not only with the Eldunarí of their own dragon but also with the Eldunarí of dragons whose bodies were no more, for such dragons often became bored with sitting in an alcove and yearned for adventure. And of course, once Galbatorix and the Forsworn sacked the city of Doru Araeba on the island of Vroengard, he gained possession of the entire hoard of Eldunarí stored therein."

Blue couldn't help but blanch at the thought as Oromis continued.
"Galbatorix engineered his success by using the might and wisdom of the dragons against all of Alagaësia. At first he was unable to control more than a handful of the Eldunarí he had captured. It is no easy thing to force a dragon to submit to you, no matter how powerful you might be. As soon as Galbatorix crushed the Riders and had installed himself as king in Urû'baen, he dedicated himself to subduing the rest of the hearts, one by one."

GB curled in tight against Draco's side, the larger curling himself around him with worry as Oromis still went on.
"We believe the task preoccupied him for the main part of forty years, during which time he paid little attention to the affairs of Alagaësia- which is why the people of Surda were able to secede from the Empire. When he finished, Galbatorix emerged from seclusion and began to reassert his control over the Empire and the lands beyond. For some reason, after two and a half years of additional slaughter and sorrow, he withdrew to Urû'baen again, and there he has dwelt ever since, not so solitary as before,but obviously focused on some project known only to him. His vices are many, but he has not abandoned himself to debauchery; that much the Varden's spies have determined. More than that, though, we have not been able to discover."

Now left to ponder, Eragon was silent awhile. GB softly hummed to Draco, who responded in kind as Saphira edged closer to her Rider.

Finally, he frowned and spoke up. "Why is it I've never heard mention of the hearts of dragons in the stories of old? Surely if they are so important, the bards and scholars would speak of them."

The elf spread his hand over the table.
"Of all the secrets in Alagaësia, that of the Eldunarí is one of the most closely guarded, even among my own people. Throughout history, dragons have striven to hide their hearts from the rest of the world. They revealed their existence to us only after the magical pact between our races was established, and then only to a select few."
"But why?" The boy questioned.

Ah, often we despised the need for secrecy, but if ever the Eldunarí had become common knowledge, every low-minded scoundrel in the land would have attempted to steal one, and eventually some would have achieved their goal. It was an outcome we went to great lengths to prevent. Glaedr explained.
"Can a dragon not defend themself with their minds or magic within their Eldunarí?" Blue finally pointed out.

The great dragon's eyes glimmered. An apt question. Indeed, a dragon who has disgorged their Eldunarí but who still enjoys the use of their flesh can, of course, defend their heart with their claws and their fangs and their tail and with the battering of their wings. A dragon whose body is dead, however, possesses none of those advantages. Their only weapon is the weapon of their mind and, perhaps, if the moment is right, the weapon of magic, which we cannot command at will. That is one reason why many dragons did not choose to prolong their existence beyond the demise of their flesh. To be unable to move of your own volition, to be unable to sense the world around you except through the minds of others, and to only be able to influence the course of events with your thoughts and with rare and unpredictable flashes of magic; it would be a difficult existence to embrace for most any creature, but especially dragons, who are the freest of all beings.

"Why would they, then?" Eragon asked.
Sometimes it happened by accident. As their body was failing, a dragon might panic and flee into their Eldunarí. Or if a dragon had disgorged their heart before their body died, they would have no choice but to continue to endure. But mostly, the dragons who chose to live on in their Eldunarí were those who were old beyond measure, older than Oromis and I are now, old enough that the concerns of the flesh had ceased to matter to them and they had turned in on themselves and wished to spend the rest of eternity pondering questions younger beings could not comprehend. We revered and treasured the hearts of such dragons on account of their vast wisdom and intelligence. It was common for wild dragons and paired dragons alike, as well as Riders, to seek advice from them on matters of importance. That Galbatorix enslaved them is a crime of almost unimaginable cruelty and evil.

Blue involuntarily shuddered before Saphira deigned to speak.
Now I have a question.
They regarded her as she lifted her head.
Once one of our kind becomes confined to their Eldunarí, must they continue to exist, or is it possible for them, if they could no longer endure their condition, to release their hold on the world and pass into the darkness beyond?

"Not on their own." Oromis answered.
"Not unless the inspiration to use magic should sweep over the dragon and allow them to break their Eldunarí from within, which to my knowledge has happened but rarely. The only other option would be for the dragon to convince someone else to smash the Eldunarí for them. That lack of control is another reason why dragons were extremely wary of transferring themselves into their heart of hearts, lest they trap themselves in a prison from which there is no escape."

The dragon pulled her lips back briefly at the thought before asking another question.
How many Eldunarí does Galbatorix hold in his thrall?
"We do not know the exact number, but we estimate that his hoard contains many hundreds."
She shuddered.
So then, our race is not on the verge of extinction after all?

The elf paused, then his partner spoke.
Little one. Even if the ground were covered with Eldunarí, our race would still be doomed. A dragon preserved within an Eldunarí is still a dragon, but they possess neither the urges of the flesh nor the organs with which to fulfill them. They cannot reproduce.

Her tail twitched and she snorted.
I am not so ignorant as to believe that Eldunarí could beget offspring. However, it comforts me to know I.. we are not as alone as we thought…. Our race may be doomed, but at least there are more than 6 dragons alive in the world, whether they be cloaked in flesh or not.

"That is true, but they are as much Galbatorix's captives as Murtagh and Thorn."
Freeing them gives me something to strive for, though, along with rescuing the last egg. She dipped her head.
Something we can all aim for. GB pointed out.

Eragon rubbed at his temple and finally posed the question.
"There is still something I don't understand."
"Wherein lies your confusion?" Oromis asked.
"If Galbatorix draws his power from these hearts, how do they produce the energy he uses?"

Pausing, he glanced around, then waved at the swallows in the air. "Every living thing eats and drinks to sustain itself, even plants. Food provides the energy our bodies need to function properly. It also provides the energy we need to work magic, whether we rely upon our own strength to cast a spell or the strength of others. How can that be, though, with these Eldunarí? They don't have bones and muscles and skin, do they? They don't eat, do they? So then, how do they survive? Where does their energy come from?"

Oromis practically grinned at this.
"From magic."
"Magic?"
He nodded. "If one defines magic as the manipulation of energy, which properly it is, then yes, magic. Where exactly the Eldunarí acquire their energy is a mystery to both us and the dragons; no one has ever identified the source. It may be they absorb sunlight, as do plants, or that they feed off the life forces of the creatures closest to them. Whatever the answer, it has been proven that when a dragon undergoes body death and their consciousness takes up sole residence in their heart of hearts, they bring with them however much spare strength was available within their body when it ceased to function. Thereafter, their store of energy increases at a steady pace for the next five to seven years, until they attain the full height of their power, which is immense indeed. The total amount of energy an Eldunarí can hold depends upon the size of the heart; the older a dragon, the larger their Eldunarí and the more energy it can absorb before becoming saturated."

"Hm." Blue huffed aloud thoughtfully before Eragon concluded.
"Galbatorix must have given Murtagh several Eldunarí. That's the only explanation for his increase in strength."
The elf agreed with a nod. "You are fortunate Galbatorix did not lend him any more hearts, else it would have been easy for Murtagh to overwhelm you, the Wyrdaí Islingrya, Arya, and all the other spellcasters with the Varden."

"I doubt he could have overpowered the gods." Blue retorted.
Oromis inclined his head toward him.
"Perhaps not, but we cannot be sure when the force of so many dragons has yet to be targeted at such a powerful being before. We cannot accurately measure who indeed has more brute strength."

Seconds ticked by before Eragon thought of yet another question.
"Aside from Saphira's heart of hearts, and Glaedr's, are there any Eldunarí that Galbatorix hasn't captured?"

His face creased as he answered.
"None that we know of. After the fall of the Riders, Brom went searching for Eldunarí that Galbatorix might have overlooked, but without success. Nor, in all my years of scouring Alagaësia with my mind, have I detected so much as a whisper of a thought from an Eldunarí. Every Eldunarí was well accounted for when Galbatorix and Morzan initiated their attack on us, and none of them vanished without explanation. It is inconceivable that any great store of Eldunarí might be lying hidden somewhere, ready to help us if we could but locate them."

"You're.. sure?" Blue asked, unsure of even his own question.
"I'm afraid that I am; there is no hint of a spare Eldunarí." Oromis assured.
Blue frowned, but refrained from speaking further, only sharing a puzzled look with GB and Draco.

"One last question." Eragon piped up yet again.
"When either a Rider or a Rider's dragon dies, the surviving member of the pair would often waste away or commit suicide soon afterward. And those that didn't usually went mad from the loss. Am I right?"

You are. Glaedr confirmed.
"What would happen, though, if the dragon transferred their consciousness to their heart and then their body died?"

The ground juddered as Glaedr moved.
If a dragon experienced body death and yet their Rider still lived, together they became known as Indlvarn. The transition would hardly be a pleasant one for the dragon, but many Riders and dragons successfully adapted to the change and continued to serve the Riders with distinction. If, however, it was a dragon's Rider who died, then the dragon would often smash their Eldunarí, or arrange for another to smash it for them if their body was no more, thus killing themselves and following their Rider into the void. But not all. Some dragons were able to overcome their loss- as were some Riders, such as Brom- and continue to serve our order for many years afterward, either through their flesh or through their heart of hearts.

After a beat of silence, Saphira glanced at the others in question.
Have you any questions? She silently quested.
Damn, he's out of questions? GB replied. Blue shot him a look before shaking his skull at the cerulean reptile.

She faced their teacher then.
You have given us much to think about, Oromis-elda.
Eragon only nodded absently with her.