Everyone spun around to face the creepy skeleton in shock, even Nightmare.
"How did you know?!" He demanded.
Horror tilted his skull, looking thoughtful.
"I don't really know. I just... smelled it on him? I felt it. Ever since we learned about the Wyr-Forsworn, I kept thinkin' of Murtaugh every time Morzan was mentioned. Except it felt sad. Y'know? I figured it out pretty easily after the other clues came out." He shrugged, his eyelight flickering to silver briefly before going back to blood red. "I told ya, Boss, I can feel his past carving out his future."

Eragon was backing away from Murtaugh slowly, the skeletons heard distant crashing as Saphira hurtled towards them. "You knew?" He glanced at Murtaugh. "You are his heir?"

The other screamed in anguish. "I didn't choose this!!" He ripped off his shirt, clawing desperately. "Look!" He pleaded, showing off his back. There was an ugly white scar there, stretching from his right shoulder to left hip. Some of the group hissed at the pain that he must have endured.

Murtaugh began talking, fast and desperate. "See that? I was only three when I got it. During one of his drunken rages, Morzan threw his sword at me as I ran by. My back was laid open by the very sword you now carry, Eragon. The only thing I expected to receive as inheritance, until Brom stole it from my father's corpse. I was lucky, I suppose- there was a healer nearby who kept me from dying. You must understand, I don't love the Empire or the king. I have no allegiance to them, nor do I mean you harm!" He was frantic, spit flying as he rushed out the words.

Eragon lifted his hand from Zar'roc, unsettled. "Then your father..." His voice broke. "was killed by..."
"Yes, Brom." He put his tunic back on, looking dead inside. Horror twitched as he stared hard at the human, then at Eragon, one hand reaching up to grip his broken skull as he zoned out thoughtfully. Nightmare was on edge, sensing the other's mind swirling mysteriously as though something was... awakening...? bonding? It unnerved him that he couldn't tell what it was.

They were all on foot, trotting briskly as a horn sounded worryingly close behind them. Eragon made arguments with Murtaugh about what he could be actually there for until Nightmare cut him off sharply. "Stop."
"He's telling the truth." Dust told him.
"How can you tell?" Eragon hissed back.
"Because Judgement." He answered simply.
Killer walked beside him. "We're Judges. And we've been made bad guys because of stuff we can't control. Murtaugh should consider himself lucky."
"He still has a chance to make his own decisions and path." Cross finished, his face stony.

Eragon didn't argue with that.
They arrived out in the open, the lake Kóstha-mérna filling the valley. They made their way around the beach to the waterfall, slipping on the slimy pebbles.
Then, Error hissed. "They're here!"

True enough, Urgals were flowing out of the forest behind them, pointing at Saphira and the skeletons. Dragon growled, as did Horror, while the rest readied themselves and to arrive at the waterfall.

"Run!" Murtaugh cried, taking off as Eragon drew Zar'roc and followed. Blueberry jumped up and went after them, intent on protecting the humans.
The rest of the company faced the incoming horde as the Kull filed down the beach.

Saphira dove underwater, disappearing into the depths as Dust, Killer and Error teleported to the other side of the lake, the whole team preparing to fend off the army.

Blue and the humans made it to the cliff, Eragon pounding with a stone on the rock face and shouting the entrance code desperately.

Nightmare snarled at the Kull as they came within reach, he began impaling them left and right while Cross and Horror cut them down, XChara appearing briefly to snarl and distract the enemy. They were a menace to the Urgals, until Nightmare shrieked as a well-placed blow sliced off one of his tentacles, the appendage dissolving as soon as it fell away.

He snarled at the ugly humanoid, then snapped it's neck with his other tentacles, the lost limb regenerating already in this miserable land.
They killed off fifty Urgals by the time something happened.

Arrows rained down from above, slaying entire droves of Kull. Nightmare chuckled, now aware of the archers in the cliffs. He glanced across the lake to see Error smiling back at him.

They quickly faced Eragon and Murtaugh's direction, only to realize that not only were they on the opposite side of the lake now, but someone held a dagger to Murtaugh's throat. Nightmare growled and teleported Cross and Horror over.

He stormed over to tear the other apart, but the bald one shrieked in a most unpleasant voice.
"Stop! Release all magic immediately and do not reach for it again, or I'll kill your lovely friend here, who was so kind as to mention you are a Rider and you the leader. Don't think I don't know if you're drawing upon it. You can't hide anything from me."

Nightmare let out a deep rumble, punctuated by a growl from Saphira. The robed human pressed the blade closer to Murtaugh's throat. "Release your magic, skeleton!"

"I am working no magic, you belligerent cretin." He snapped back, tentacles lashing angrily.
"Do you take me for a fool?! I sense you sapping the determination of the men here, cease at once before I remove his head!"
"That is my natural state, you moron!"
"Fine, then! We shall see about that when you have been tested."
"Very well." Nightmare growled, ready to destroy this insulting creature for his insolence.
"Now, everyone inside."

They followed, Error glitching harder as he grew angrier. Nightmare rested a tentacle on the glitch, who jumped, then relaxed.
They entered, Horror staring at one dwarf in particular jealously because of his war axe. The massive doors closed shut with hardly a creak.
They were inside.

"This way." The bald human snapped, Nightmare forcing back his rising fury. They headed down the corridor, past carvings and statues until they entered a room big enough to comfortably house Saphira.
"There's an injured-" Eragon was cut off by the bald human. "Do not speak! It must wait until you have been tested." He harshly shoved Murtaugh into one of the soldiers, who put their sword to his neck.
"Now remove your weapons and slide them to me."
Eragon reluctantly complied, then the infuriating human glared at the others. "You as well!"

They were confused, a few angry. Cross hesitantly pulled his giant knife from his inventory, looking at Nightmare for confirmation. The goopy skeleton indicated Murtaugh with a tight expression. The monochrome placed his blade on the floor. Nightmare glared at the others, who didn't want to part with their belongings.

Muttering curses, Killer began drawing out knives from literally everywhere on his person and piling them with the other blades. Blue delicately laid his bone hammer with the others.
Growling furiously, Horror cradled his axe, refusing to part with it.
"Horror." Nightmare snapped. The other hissed at him, clinging to it tighter.
"If you don't give up the axe right now, I won't allow vengeance for you." Nightmare warned.
Horror whimpered, then let Dust peel his phalanges off the handle.
"Axella.." He whined as it was added to the pile.

The human pointed at Nightmare, Error, and Dust. "You didn't put your weapons down!"
"My weapons are my magic." Dust told him irritably.
"My weapons are magic as well." Error gave an insane grin.
"I haven't used weapons in centuries. I am the weapon." Nightmare rumbled.

The bald human and dwarves all tensed, raising their own weapons. One dwarf stood up and raised his hands. "These skeletons do not seem to be a threat, but if you keep angering them they very well may be, Egraz Carn! Are you blind? Because they come to us bearing a Dragon Rider and elf! Can't you see she is not well? If an elf is allowed to die Ajihad and the king will have our heads!"

The robed human's eyes blazed with anger, then he calmed. "Of course, Orik, we wouldn't want that to happen." He snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Remove her from the dragon."

Two humans sheathed swords and nervously faced Saphira. She watched them. "Quickly, quickly!"
They removed Arya from the saddle and one suddenly shouted. "It's the dragon egg courier, Arya!"

"What?" The bald one burst. Orik's eyes widened, then the robed one's eyes bored into Eragon. "You have much explaining to do."
The Rider returned the stare. "She was was poisoned with the Skilna Bragh while in prison." "And requires Túnivor's Nectar at once." Nightmare finished.

The bald man's face screwed up as he went still. Nightmare sensed him speaking to someone else in his mind. There was something unnatural about this human. Twisted. Wrong.
He spoke.
"Very well. Take her to the healers, and tell them what she needs. Guard her until the ceremony is completed. I will have new orders for you by then."

The doors opened to let them go, everyone watching, but then something screeching came nearer. The men backed away into the room in sudden terror, then a whitish blurr burst into the room and flew at the bald man without warning. Nightmare could've sworn the aura was familiar, but couldn't recall where. The thing latched onto the human's arm and made vicious snarling and growling sounds.
On impulse obviously, he threw it off.
It was a beaten and bloody Temmie like human of some kind, one ear looking as though it had been mauled off.
"WHERE'S DADDY?!?!" The feminine axetale Temmie/human shrieked.

"... Chaos?!" Error stuttered, just as shocked as everyone else. The Temmie/human spun around, her eyes bulging at the sight of the glitch.
"DADDY!!!" She screamed, launching herself into Error's arms. The only thing he truly didn't mind touching, once he knew it was her.

The two embraced, strings falling from Error's sockets as he cried tears of joy. "I missed you so much!" "I did too!!!"

"Get that creature out of here!" The bald human wailed in rage. Nightmare got up in his face. "Leave Chaos be." The other only returned glare, and Nightmare sensed a jab of fear from Murtaugh. The blade on his neck had tightened, drawing blood. Nightmare saw this, then whispered so only his boys and Chaos with keen hearing and the human could hear.
"Now you have crossed me."

The room fell into silence as he moved away, staring into the other's eyes long and hard. After a split second of maintaining the same, the other looked away angrily, clearly realizing that it showed him his worst fears.

He pointed at Eragon stiffly. "Step away from your dragon and approach me. You will be tested first." In confusion Eragon complied, until he was made to stop about a yard away.
"Now remove the defenses from around your mind and prepare to let me inspect your thoughts and memories. If you try to hide anything from me, I will take what I want by force... which would drive you mad. If you don't submit, your friend will be killed."

"Why?" Eragon questioned, appalled. "To be sure you aren't in Galbatorix's service and to understand why hundreds of Urgals are banging on our front door." He growled. "No one is to enter Farthen Dur without being tested."

After a bit of mindless worrying on Eragon's part, he bowed his head and said he was ready.
"Good, then-" "You'd better not harm him, Egraz Carn, else the king have words for you."
"Only if he resists."

Eragon's eyes rolled up into his head as he gasped in pain, Nightmare growling as he knew it was intentional. He was going to let this insolent mortal in his mind next. He knew the human would stand no chance against the full might of his ancient mind of magic.

Several minutes passed in silence, tense and full with sounds of Eragon in pain.Then the Rider was released, collapsing forward as Orik caught him. "You went too far! He wasn't strong enough for this."
"He'll live. That's all that is needed."
Orik grunted angrily. "What did you find?"
The other only gave silence in reply.
"Well, is he to be trusted or not?"
"He... is not your enemy."

There were several sighs as everyone was relieved. Eragon's eyes opened again, and he shakily sat up. Orik kindly helped him to his feet. Rider and dragon both glared at the bald one, who ignored them and faced the rest.
"Why don't I go next?" Nightmare interrupted before someone else was selected, crossing his arms impassively.

The human twitched, then relented. "Fine." He barked sharply. He faced the King of Negativity unknowingly, not heeding Blueberry's desperate warnings not to do it, folding his hands and sending a driving spear at the dark one.

Nightmare easily blocked it, now having full access to the other's mind. He laughed.
"ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟꜱ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ɢᴏᴅꜱ?" He asked in a hollow, echoing voice.

He ripped the small, crude consciousness and threw it into his own, the human staggering as he was internally enveloped by a truly vast, alien awareness.

Surrounded, with no escape, by lucid and eerie artifacts of bygone eras from thousands of worlds. Terror, hate, depravity, madness, sadness, agony. And most importantly, a fiercely pulsing magic. In his world back in the Multiverse, it was called grammaryé. Here, it was vanyalí. And it was potent, and contagious.

ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ, ᴍʏ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴢÍʟʟᴀɴᴅʀ ᴄɪᴄÁʟʟᴀÉ. ʜᴇʀᴇ, ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴀʟᴀʟËᴀ Äꜰᴅʀᴀᴜᴍʀ. ɪ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅꜱ. ᴡᴏʀʟᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ. ʀᴀᴡ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴʀᴇꜰɪɴᴇᴅ. ᴡᴏʀʟᴅꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʀɪꜱᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴀʟʟ. ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇꜱ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ, ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇꜱ ᴅᴇꜱᴛʀᴏʏᴇᴅ. ʙᴇɢɪɴɴɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇɴᴅ. ʏɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴀɴɢ. ɪ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴇʜᴀᴠɪᴏʀ, ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ. ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴋɪʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ꜱᴏ ᴄᴏɴꜱɪᴅᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴠᴇʀʏ, ᴠᴇʀʏ ʟᴜᴄᴋʏ, ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ. ɪ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ꜱᴘᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪꜱᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴍᴇ. ꜱᴏ ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜɪꜱ: ɪ ᴀᴍ ɴɪɢʜᴛᴍᴀʀᴇ. ʟᴏʀᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴅᴀʀᴋɴᴇꜱꜱ, ɢᴜᴀʀᴅɪᴀɴ ᴏꜰ ɴᴇɢᴀᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ, ʏɪɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴋᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ. ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴀ ᴋɪɴɢ, ʙᴏᴜʀɴᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ɪɴᴄᴀʀɴᴀᴛᴇ. ɪ ᴀᴍ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏʀʀᴇᴄᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀꜱ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴍɪꜱᴀʟɪɢɴᴇᴅ; ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ. ɪ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴅ ɴᴏ ʜᴀʀᴍ, ᴜɴʟᴇꜱꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀʀᴍ ᴏʀ ɪɴꜱᴜʟᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ. ᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜱᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ꜰᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴇʜᴀᴠɪᴏʀ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ.

The human fought against him weakly, his consciousness fading faster and faster in the front of his blazing mindscape. A strange helper, much like the first, was also screaming. Nightmare reached a tentacle of dark thought to this other mind and gripped it as well, seizing control of the individual's body to see two alarmed dark-skinned humans and a skeleton wearing white and a red scarf...

"Geno. I hope you can inform a leader that I am very disappointed in these humans. They have shown nothing but disrespect and insolence to me, my team, Error, Blue, my Rider, and most especially, the human companion. I am only sparing them because it is not their fate to die here." He looked at the male human before speaking again.

"You have the aura of an authority. I will say this once. We refuse to allow filthy, ignoramus, dauthleikr, humans into our minds. We are here as allies. Discipline these cursed twins and I will pretend this never happened. And," He paused, liquid negativity dripping from both human's eyes as he forced himself deeper.

"I would like to thank the dwarf named Orik. He has an honest Soul, and saved Eragon's life when the rest of us were distracted." He retreated somewhat, like a thorny vine that hooked on the flesh and ripped out entire chunks with it.

"Thank you for listening, and Geno? We will be waiting. Eka eitha." He released the pair from their torment, whispering one last thing in their minds as he did so.

Ono eru mïnen, eka aurboda ono eom eitha Farthen Dur unin du verrunsmal.

He returned to reality to find his team encircling him protectively, as the rest of the humans in the room were in a panic. The bald man had collapsed on the floor, convulsing and spewing black fluid from all the orifices in his face.

Chaos giggled, taking advantage of the side effect from falling through the Void to hug more of her Daddy, he had been the reason why she fell through the Void, she was looking for him. She didn't mind the more humanoid form even if she had to wear pants now, because it meant that she could now have better hugs from her Daddy.

Nightmare picked up the body with a tentacle and offered it lazily to the team's captors. The guards stared at it warily in confusion.
"Oh, for the love of- take him!"

The humans grabbed the limp form as it slumped into their hands, dragging him away like Nightmare was the plague.
"What devilry is this?" Orik cried at him.

Nightmare kept it short and blunt. "I possessed his twin through him and informed the authorities of their insubordination. Don't try infiltrating an immortal's mind, humans and dwarf. It can easily prove lethal."

By now the humans calmed down enough to explain that they would be keeping the team in the room until they were declared safe. Nightmare agreed with them, except they'd better talk to Geno before all else. That prompted Error to stand up and stare hard at the goopy skeleton.

"Geno's here??"
"Yes, I saw him through the human."
"Red and Fresh's here too." Chaos said. "He, Geno, me and Reaper fell into the Void at the same time but we got separated from Reaper, we don't know where he is. Red, I don't know why he's here." She sighed. "I didn't even realise that I didn't fall through the Void alone until now. I was so worried about you Daddy, I spent most of my time worrying about you, hoping that you were okay and that I would see you again. I was so scared that I would never see you again that I let my fear take over me and blind me to what was going on around me."

"Oh Chaos." Error hugged her. "It's okay now. I'm here." He paused, glancing around absentmindedly. "I didn't think I would ever see you again, either." He muttered quietly.
"Why do you look like a human?" He added a little louder. Chaos shrugged.
"I don't know. I just showed up here looking kinda like a human. I blame the Void."

Error hugged her again, his glitches briefly flicking over to her before returning to him.
"As long as you are safe."
"Yee!" She chirped, squeezing her adopted parent. "But you too, Daddy!"

The humans had left by now, except for two at the entrance. "Chaos, you have to leave them." One ordered. She stared at them pleadingly. "But I just got my Daddy back..."

"Hey." Horror spoke up unexpectedly.
"You can watch our weapons for us. I don't trust no human on Axella's handle. Could ya do that for us, kiddo?"

Chaos turned her puppy eyes to the creepy skeleton. She considered this.
"Okay.." She said defeatedly. She nuzzled Error one more time before tearing herself away.
"Wait." She faced him, confused.

Error reached into his inventory and pulled out a woven necklace, rubbing the threads fondly.
"I don't wanna lose you again. Take it. I was making it when we fell in the Void for you anyway."

Chaos's eyes went wide. She gingerly took it, a few tears were in her eyes. "Thank you, Daddy. I love you." And walked away, grabbing the ridiculous amount of weapons and Horror's axe with ease, handling Axella with care.

Horror and Error followed her to the entrance and gazed after the humanized Temmie with longing and affection until the door closed. Then everyone sat on the floor.

"Murtaugh... Error... you have some explaining to do." Eragon started slowly.
"It's a long story."
"We're not going anywhere."
"I don't wanna talk about it without Chaos here."
"There probably won't be any time for it tomorrow." He said.
Both Murtaugh and Error sighed.

"Alright.." Error began, initiating a long night of storytelling for the whole company.