Shruikan was the black dragon of King Galbatorix in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. Shruikan was Galbatorix's second dragon, as Jarnunvosk, his first, was killed by Urgals. Galbatorix pleaded with the Council of Elders for another dragon egg, but was denied a new one. The rage of being denied, along with the turmoil of losing his dragon, led Galbatorix to turn Morzan and his dragon evil and steal Shruikan as a hatchling after killing Shruikan's Rider. Galbatorix then bound Shruikan to himself with dark magic. Shruikan made an appearance in Inheritance while Eragon was battling Galbatorix. He is described to have a blue-white iris the color of a high mountain glacier, and is even larger than Glaedr in size, with spikes on his back as thick as ancient oak tree trunks. He was also so powerful that he could easily kill Saphira with a single swat of his paw and his footsteps could be heard a mile away. When the witch-child Elva studied him, she informed Eragon that he was beyond madness and was the most miserable thing she had ever seen; if he was allowed, he would have killed every living creature in his path and burned every plant until none were left. He is killed when Arya impales him through the eye with the Dragon-killing lance known as the Dauthdaert while Saphira and Thorn held down his head. His body is burned into nothing but a broken skeleton when Galbatorix kills himself in an explosion that destroys his palace.
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Shruikan
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