The Battle of Ilirea was one of the last battles in the Dragon War. It was fought by Galbatorix and the Forsworn in the hopes of gaining the Eldunarí found in Ilirea.
Forces[]
Ilirea was left almost unguarded as most of the Dragon Riders were out on missions or had gone to Vroengard to consult with Vrael in person. Thus few of the Dragon Riders were present. Vrael, once contacted by Oromis and Glaedr, ordered every Rider and Dragon within a few days travel to defend the city. Likewise, forewarned by Oromis and Glaedr, the Eldunarí were all removed from Ilirea and sent to Vroengard for safekeeping. Among the defenders were Arva, Naudra, as well as at least one other Rider. There were numerous Elves and humans present due to the peace of the Riders and also because it was the capital of the Broddring Kingdom. The Dwarves of the Dûrgrimst Az Sweldn rak Anhûin were present as they had volunteered their greatest warriors to Vrael's aid.
Galbatorix and the Forsworn had with them an untold number of Eldunarí that they had seized from dead Riders which gave them an edge over the Riders of the city, since the Eldunarí there were sent to Vroengard.
The Battle[]
Many of the Riders were returning from missions, responding to summons by Vrael to defend the city. The Riders, Elves, along with their allies attempted to fortify the city against assault. But with most of their strongest warriors absent from the fighting, the Forsworn with Galbatorix defeated the defenders in a surprise assault mere hours after Oromis and Glaedr, along with their pupils Brom and Saphira I, fled the city.
During the confusion of the fighting, Arva was mortally wounded by Kialandí upon the battlements. As Arva lay dying, he gave his sword to his sister Naudra who managed to fight free and escape to Ellesméra with another Rider, although she died soon afterwards.
The battle went poorly for those attempting to hold the city. The elves holding it were slain except those who fought free to flee the city. Almost an entire dwarven clan was annihlated. Most of the Riders who fought to defend the Rider facilities there also perished in the fighting. The Wyrdfell emerged victorious though they failed to achieve their goal of capturing the Eldunarí.
Aftermath[]
Their purpose defeated, Galbatorix and the Forsworn left the city to capture more Eldunarí and continue their campaign against the Dragon Riders. But this battle caused the elves to muster their forces in Du Weldenvarden under King Evandar. They would march upon Ilirea, resulting in the Battle of the Plains of Ilirea.
It was also after the Rider's defeat at the Battle at Doru Araeba and Vrael's death at Utgard Mountain that Galbatorix later returned to Ilirea to depose King Angrenost in a deadly coup which heralded the start of the Broddring Empire.