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Raising
his right arm to his side, his hand a hooked claw, Oromis proclaimed, "Adurna!"
Eragon watched as a
sphere of water coalesced from the brook by the hut and floated through
the air until it hovered between Oromis's outstretched fingers.
The brook was dark and
brown under the branches of the forest, but the sphere, removed from it,
was colorless as glass. Flecks of moss, dirt, and other bits of detritus
floated inside the orb.
Still gazing toward the
horizon, Oromis said, "Catch." He tossed the sphere back over his
shoulder toward Eragon.
Eragon tried to grab the
ball, but as soon as it touched his skin, the water lost cohesion and
splashed across his chest.
"Catch it with magic,"
said Oromis. Again, he cried, "Adurna!" and a sphere of water gathered
itself from the surface of the brook and leaped into his hand like a
trained hawk obeying its master.
This time Oromis threw
the ball without warning. Eragon was prepared, though, and said, "Reisa
du adurna," even as he reached for the ball. It slowed to a halt a
hairsbreadth from the skin of his palm.
"An awkward word choice,"
said Oromis, "but workable, nevertheless."
Eragon grinned and
whispered, "Thrysta."
The ball reversed its
course and sped toward the base of Oromis's silver head. However, the
sphere did not land where Eragon has intended, but rather shot past the
elf, whipped around, and flew back at Eragon with increased velocity.
The water remained as
hard and solid as polished marble when it struck Eragon, producing a
dull thunk as it collided with his skull. The blow knocked him
sprawling on the turf, where he lay stunned, blinking as pulsing lights
swam across the sky.
"Yes," said Oromis. "A
better word might be letta or kodthr." He finally turned
to look at Eragon and raised an eyebrow with apparent surprise.
"Whatever are you doing? Get up. We can't lay about all day."
"Yes, Master," groaned
Eragon.
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