That night, Ryan didn't sleep much.
Ayeden's words plagued his mind.
Against his will, he focused on the clan that abandoned him.
They wouldn't accept him after all this time.
Throughout his life, he had never heard of a half-Elf being contacted.
On the other hand, he had never heard of a half-Elf with magic.
Maybe they only cared about that power.
The slippery way Ayeden spoke let Ryan know that he wouldn't get any real information from him.
Ryan tried to calm his mind.
The only picture that could help him fall into slumber was a mess of red hair and a blue lizard playing games.
He would sit next to them, and they would be happy to see him.
In a flash, a controller would be in his hands, and they would play the day away.
The smile would cover his face, then darkness would come.
That darkness was interrupted by a spotlight on him.
Slowly, he saw Aeriath approach him.
He waited for her to get close.
"Young man. Who are you?"
Ryan frowned, but relaxed when he remembered what Ayeden said.
"My name is Ryan. I met a record of you on the island."
She pointed behind him, and as he looked, he saw a beautiful dark wooden chair.
"Please sit. I wish to understand what happened."
Ryan took his seat, and as he looked up, he saw a table with two cups.
She picked up her cup.
"Please drink."
"Thank you, Aeriath."
For a second, he saw a look of surprise on her face.
"It seems that my mirror opened the prison for you. It is odd, for you seem like a fitting candidate to be an inmate."
Ryan clenched his teeth for a moment, but decided to nod.
"Not long ago, your words would be true, but we have a mission to meet the Elves."
She listened while taking small sips from her cup.
"What do you hope to gain with the Betrayer? What if his Clanfather won't see you?"
Ryan placed the cup back on the table.
"It affects all of us. If they don't help, we all die."
She stopped mid-sip.
"What do you mean? What is such a great danger that it would touch the Elves?"
Ryan explained the portal and the story of the Changeling he fought.
"That truly is concerning. I must share this news with my Clanfather. I misjudged you, Ryan."
As she was about to stand up, Ryan shot up.
"Before you leave. I have a question."
She stopped and nodded.
"What do you wish to know?"
Ryan took a deep breath.
"Ayeden said I am part of the Farstep clan. Would they accept me?"
She was quiet for a few seconds longer than he would have liked.
"No. The Elves do not accept anything shy of what they perceive as perfection. The Betrayer was punished for not playing his role and nothing more."
She turned and walked away.
Before Ryan could say anything, he was awake, his hand reaching in the sky.
As he rubbed his face, he felt tears.
He took a few deep breaths.
Ryan needed to understand these Elves.
They see themselves as perfect, but they fathered many half-Bloods like himself.
The sadness he felt slowly turned into anger.
That anger was dissipated by what Bell's reaction would be.
She would probably want to fight them all by herself.
A smile slowly reformed on his face.
The answer Aeriath gave him bordered on cruelty, but it was honest, and he now knew where he belonged.
He didn't sleep again that night.
The faces of his real family had to be burned into his mind and soul.
The old man with the jacket and Eena serving drinks.
Eragon was playing games, snorting flames when he lost.
The memory of Bell sleeping on his arm, while he suffocated on her messy hair.
When the others woke up, the thought of the Elves wasn't that of a clan; it was of a means to an end.
Ryan got out of bed and followed the other men to the breakfast table.
They all ate in silence.
When they were done, Ayeden was the first to speak.
"Ryan. Are you ready to walk the Twilight Path?"
Ryan nodded, and without a word, he made his way to the twin green gems on the floor.
He felt the power in himself flow into the gems.
For a moment, he saw a hundred paths that all blended into one.
Then the familiar feeling of being transported hit.
The journey siphoned a lot of his power, and just as he thought he wouldn't make it, they stopped.
He fell to his knees, and the world started going black.
The last image he saw was of one green and one amber gem in the ground.
In the darkness, he saw a blue inferno; it was Eragon's magic.
As he opened his eyes, he saw his friend standing over him.
He took a few breaths and stood up, and turned his attention to Ayeden.
"What do these gems mean?"
Ayeden took a few steps forward.
"I commend you, Ryan. Not only can you walk the Twilight Path, but you also found the Sunset Path. It leads to our people."
When Ryan spoke, there was no emotion in his voice.
"They are not my people."
He made his way to Eragon and Grizzly.
"These are my people. As soon as we finish our mission, I will leave and never look back."
Ayeden stared at him for a moment.
"I understand. After you have rested, I shall take us to my people."
Ryan went to bed and fell hard on his back.
He was so out of breath that he was heaving.
A weight sat down next to him, and he heard a familiar voice.
"We are your people now? Don't we get a say?"
Under his closed lids, Ryan rolled his eyes at Eragon's words.
"No, you don't. I already decided."
He heard a deep rumble as the Draconian laughed.
Eragon then gave Ryan some more of his magic, and he felt the fatigue fade as more entered his body.
Ryan took a deep breath and sat up.
"Thank you, Eragon. I am ready to go."
Eragon nodded and got up, and Ryan followed close by.
They made their way to Grizzly.
He was leaning against a wall, smoking a cigarette.
When Ryan came close, he flicked his cigarette into the centre of the circle.
"How are things? Do you need more time?"
With a small smile, Ryan shook his head.
"No, I am ready."