Arriving in the Vault of Souls, Eragon used magic to dry himself off since Saphira once again insisted on taking the water route. After banishing the cold of the river from his body, they made their way to the chamber that the Rider had prepared for the Eldunarí. Even here, inside the mountain, Bloëdhgarm, Eragon, and his Soul-Bound had done a lot of work. Several smaller and larger chambers had been perforated into the rock walls and secured with various spells. The two largest chambers at the foundation were intended to serve as meeting rooms and the like, and were already furnished with several chairs and stone tables. However, the chamber of the Eldunarí was located at a mid-level point near the upper entrance of the mountain and was equipped with every conceivable protective spell that had come to the Rider and the Eldunarí's minds.

Upon their arrival, they were greeted by many brightly shining and active dragon souls. Normally, they emitted barely noticeable light as they were more preoccupied with themselves than their surroundings, but for some special reason, almost all of the Eldunarí were particularly engaged in a conversation. When the dragon-rider pair was noticed by the present dragon souls, countless spirits rushed into them. Eragon couldn't defeat so many Eldunarí at once, but he effortlessly closed off his mind to them, erecting an impenetrable mental barrier blocking their path.

Visibly annoyed that their kin had mentally besieged their Rider without warning, Saphira merged her mind with that of her Soul-Bound and launched a counterattack. The Rider pair had become so skilled at engaging and winning mental battles that the Eldunarí were noticeably astonished when Eragon and Saphira were able to launch a counterattack. They divided the attacks and defenses among themselves with such expertise that after Eragon slightly lowered his protective wall, Saphira created a shield around both of them. With the release of the pressure from the attack, Eragon gathered himself and effortlessly began to break down the protective barriers of individual Eldunarí. As the Dragon Rider shattered the seventh barrier, he began to wonder why they were attacking him in the first place and why he found it so easy to overcome them. Before he could even think about it, the pressure on Saphira's shield subsided, and the two of them sensed that someone wanted to communicate with them but couldn't due to the mental barrier.

"You are an exceptionally good team, Master Eragon and Mistress Saphira. We are more than impressed."

"What was the purpose of this attack? I hope you have a good explanation for it, Master Glaedr."

"We were testing you. We wanted to see how strong you have become and confirm our theory regarding your condition."

"And did it have to happen so directly? Have you at least come to a conclusion regarding me?"

"Partly, but we can only confirm it when you personally regain your memories of the incident and we examine you thoroughly afterwards."

"Recovering the memories is one thing, as Saphira can simply share hers with me, but why do you need to examine me as well? Didn't your little attack already show that I am strangely much stronger than any of you?"

"That is not our focus during the examination. We merely need to meticulously examine your memories and closely observe your physical body. If our suspicion is correct, your current strength is nowhere near its peak."

"I will become even stronger? How is that even possible? Even Galbatorix, with his countless enslaved Eldunarí, wasn't much stronger than I am now, and he already possessed immense power."

"We will try to understand that during your examination. Mistress Saphira, would you please restore his memories?"

"But first, you should apologize for your disrespectful behavior towards us. Even though you are ancient and wise dragons, I detest attacks of such magnitude on me and especially on my Rider!"

For Eragon's taste, Saphira growled in a way that seemed almost too threatening, as he was certain that the Eldunarí would never truly harm him. However, after a massive wave of apologies and remorse swept over them, the blue dragoness calmed down a bit. Urged by Glaedr, she meticulously pieced together every detail of the memory of that evening, making sure to include every feeling she had received from her Rider at that time in the memories.

Yaela truly loves me, I can feel it. Her mind is filled with affection and love for me, but there is also a familiar feeling of loneliness lurking in the depths of her emotions.

Arya...

Why is she deliberately destroying our friendship? She knows perfectly well that...

Arya...

On the other hand, I can understand her as well. I would give anything to be close to Arya, to express my sincere feelings to her, or maybe even to embrace her.

Arya...

She pushes me down. At this point, I don't even care anymore because our friendship is beyond saving.

Arya...

I feel a gentle, almost pleasant touch on my lips. Granted, I'm not opposed to this kind of expression of feelings, but not from her! Please!

Arya...

Why does she detach herself from me so quickly? Has she realized the consequences of her actions? But she seems more eager to continue.

Arya...

What is this? I've never experienced this feeling before. My thoughts are fading. Yaela suddenly looks very frightened and keeps backing away.

Arya...

Why is everything suddenly getting dark, and why is thinking becoming more and more difficult? And above all, what is this strange sensation?

Ar...

Darkness.

Shocked and sweaty, Eragon looked at his dragon companion. After she had awakened his memories, she also showed him hers so that he could see what was happening to him. Through these memories, the Dragon Rider became aware of several things all at once. His love for Arya would never waver, his friendship with Yaela was nearly destroyed, and there was definitely something seriously wrong with him.

"What was that white smoke?" he asked.

"That's one of the things we want to investigate in your examination, among others. I would like you to dissolve any protective spells and mental barriers within you while we examine you."

"Master Glaedr, I am aware that something is wrong with me, but I don't see why you should take over the investigation. I would like to try to figure it out myself for now. I also understand why you insist on doing it as quickly as possible, and I must tell you that you have nothing to fear from me."

Silence. The Dragon Souls had not expected this reaction from him, but it was justified. After witnessing his current power, they wanted to prevent the Dragon Rider from using it too quickly and falling under its influence.

"Very well, as you wish, Master Eragon, but we still want to begin the examination in an hour. Most of us believe that you will never abuse this power, but with such a vast source, some become suspicious. As you know, too much power has led to a King of Betrayers."

Reluctantly, the Rider sat in a cross-legged position on the platform in the lake and closed his eyes. He knew that Glaedr didn't really mean any harm, but it hurt him more than he wanted to admit that he no longer enjoyed their complete trust.

"Saphira, I need your help with this endeavor. My true name has changed several times since we arrived on Ostmond, but I never really had the time to rediscover it. If I knew my current true name, my condition wouldn't be such a big secret anymore."

"And why do you need my help? Finding your true name shouldn't be too difficult for you with your knowledge."

"I'm aware of that, but I don't actually want to reveal it to the Eldunarí. I have a strange feeling that they will also search for it when I lower all my protective barriers."

"That's a serious accusation, Little One. Are you sure they will really be searching for your innermost self?"

"You witnessed their distrust yourself. They are afraid of me. Of us. We have become too powerful for a Dragon Rider and his soulmate. With my true name, they could control us if they don't agree with one of our decisions, and I want to avoid that."

"You are right, but do we really have to go that far?"

"Yes, I apologize. After I rediscover my true name, would you seal a part of it within yourself so that it doesn't become fully known to them?"

"If that's what you truly want, yes, but consider one thing: if I seal a part of your essence within me, you won't be able to name or pass on your true self without me."

"I know."

Arya...

Eragon focused and delved deep into himself. He repeated his true name from the past to get a clear picture of his former life. In his mind's eye, the old farmhouse in Carvahall appeared, and he watched himself, Roran, and his uncle Garrow working in the fields. The sun hit the three workers directly on the back of their necks, and sweat dripped from their bodies. Eventually, the landscape shifted to a forest, and he observed himself silently stalking a fawn as quietly as he could. A bright white flash startled the fawn, revealing a sapphire-blue dragon egg. The forest vanished, and a sequence of images appeared, showing him and Brom hunting the Ra'zac. Then his heart skipped a beat as he saw Arya in the dungeons of Gil'ead. Wild fury overcame him when he caught sight of Durza, but before he could further dwell on his thoughts, it disappeared.

As if his heart was being cut out with a blunt dagger, he saw Arya riding Firnen back toward Ellesméra, leaving him aboard the Thalita. Eragon now reviewed the events during their journey and their daily life on the island, focusing especially on how he currently felt. During his repeated examination of the memories he received from Saphira, he studied the feeling of emptiness he had experienced back then. For some reason, after a while, it seemed somewhat familiar to him, and he tried to recall where he had felt something like it before. He sat motionless for a while until it suddenly dawned on him, and Saphira fidgeted uneasily. This feeling of emptiness wasn't actually emptiness but another source of magic, different from what he usually used. Fear overcame him as Saphira conveyed almost the same feeling from her side, confirming it. Dragons regularly and unconsciously used this source of magic because it was the only magic they could truly control.

Dragonfire.