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Blood and ashes! Ryvin swears, spinning around in annoyance. Looking down at her neck, the glass key swings about, its glittering features somehow mocking her with its inability to leave her side.
Easy Analin says, stepping forward. I would have prefered to have held one of these anyways. Tower ownership and all she says, picking up the marble key.
Fia steps forward and grasps the granite key. It's surprisingly heavy, as if the weight of a mountain sits upon it. Fia pulls out a length of leather cord and wraps it around the key, knots the ends, and slips it over her head. Better to be around the neck than lost on the floor from a pocket.
The three female channelers turn and stare at Argrand. Bristling a moment at the sight of three women staring at him, Argrand resists the urge to run away. [i]it's nothing. just my imagination[/b] he thinks to himself, reaching out and grasping the oak key. A slight smile overtakes his face, It's warm, like wood a pleasent spring time day.
looking around at everyone, Analin takes a final inspection making sure everything is in order.
we are going to the north of Tar Valon. There is an old marble quarry that was used to help construct the White tower. There is plenty of cover from the land side, but it abuts the river. We must be quick, lest a passing river boat see us emerge from solid rock. Are we ready?
everyone nods, shuffling closer together.
The horse nickers and bobs its head.
Turning, Analin approaches the marble door and concentrates a moment. Upon the door, an image of a short open field leading down to the river appears. the wind blows the grass and tall cattails to the side in haphazard gusts.
The door swings open and the smell of fresh air fills the room.
Keelix, ryland, rhoekk, landa and argrand all leap forward through the door, securing the area. the ladies follow a moment later, lifting their skirts and rushing hard out the door.
the sound of birds chirping, frogs croaking, and the horse neighing fill your head as you look around.
The marble door that you walked through was cast into a massive marble block that stands guard towards the river. Standing 12 feet tall and 10 feet wide, its weathered features show a long suffering facade upon the mortals that stand before it. Slowly, the image of the door recedes, leaving behind a sad square stone face. It's suffering is shown to be that of a crack set within the center and spider webbing out.
That was impressive Analin says again, breaking the silence.
make perception checks dc 20
Ryvin curses - then acts decisively. "Alathea, Keelix Fiallain."
Respectively, Ryvin hands her named companions the marble, granite and oaken Keys. "Keep them hidden. Now. Let's get going."
Ryland crouches as he exits the portal. The wolf lord breathing in the scent of the area and reaching out his mind in an attemp to find any of his brothers in the area.
Fia follows Ryland out from the portal and stuffs the granite key inside her blouse. Her eyes scan their new surroundings, looking for any sign of life or movement.
Perception
Argrand hides his key in his jacket pocket.
Dengorin steps through near the back, hand on his sword, and scans the area as he wonders aloud, "Truly, the Aes Sedai do have the most marvelous abilities. I have no seen it's like before. From one spot to another instantly."
As you both begin to look around the area, you begin to hear a slight buzzing noise. at first you thought it was a simple bee or hornets nest, but looking around, you do not spot anything. But it's there, at the edge of your hearing, tickling the back of your brain. It always sounds like it is just coming from behind you, or to your left, just out of eyesight.
Ryland suddenly drops to a knee, his hand touching his forehead.
You cast your mind out, searching for wolves, and are driven to your knee as the cacophony of images assaults your mind. Old and young, male and female, hale and injured, all howl out the same message. shadowkiller is captured! shadowkiller is chained! shes of fire and flame must die! He of sword and spear must die! Man must die! DIE!
Far off in the distance, a lone howl is heard.
a second howl is picked up, this one across the river.
a third, to the south.
a fourth
a fifth
ten
twenty
a hundred
a thousand
The howls come from near and far.
Keelix drops to his knees as well, and both men howl out in agony.
***
Jasper sits next to Egwene, pouring a cup of Tea.
We have been over this Amyrlin. I can provide for 30 full asha'man to be bonded with your greens. that is all the M'hael has given me permission to utilize he takes a long drink from the cup.
Egwene snorts You have total autonomy. Everyone knows that you are second to the M'Hael. You can muster more men, and he would condone it. she says picking up her cup. Thank you for the refill. She mummers.
Nodding, jasper smiles. Indeed. he says simply.
Off in the distance, a lone wolf howls. Dozens return the call. Then hundreds.
Jasper and Egwene both look at each other.
*****
At various towns, villages, hamlets, and cities, all hear the howl. Long, powerful,. Those men and women with the quirk to potentially talk with wolves feels the emotion within. Several fall over dead from the shock of the images pushing past their block. Others have bloody noses. Some think themselves mad and commit suicide.
Around the westlands, the wolves howl, and begin to rectify a mistake...
starting with a small group of individuals near the white stone on a land surrounding by dangerous water to swim after high sun.
"What is happening?" Ryvin asks in an urgent tone as she struggles to get Keelix back on his feet.
"What is it? Fia asks at nearly the same time as Ryvin as she crouches next to Ryland and prepares to embrace the source.
Ryvin embraces the Source outright.
"Be ready to head back to the Hub at a moment's notice," she warns.
Looking about, you spot a couple of wolves lurking in the tall grass. between 100 and 200 meters away.
Wildly turning his head about, Dengorin asks, "What do be happening? Why do these wolves approach us?"
A tremor of fear creeps into his voice, having seen wolves hunt before. He draws his sword, wishing for a spear or something to provide distance.
"What is that damn buzzing sound, do you all hear it?"
At the sight of the wolves approaching, Fia embraces the source. She tilts her head listening for the buzzing...
Ryland stumbles to his feet and holds out his hand to Fia. "They come. My brothers come to release the Lord Dragon. We must help them but you all must stay close to me and Keelix. The wolves will kill everyone in thier way."
Ryland shakes his head and looks towards the wolves. I am Blooddancer! Theses two legs are my pack! We will help you free Shadowkiller!
"Talk them down," Ryvin says, urgently. "They might have a shot if the Dragon was in transit, but even if all the wolves in the world attacked the White Tower, they'd be ground into mincemeat for the vultures to feast on!"
Ryland shakes his head. "Thousands of my brothers have come. They seek to kill everyone! I will try to stop this but I fear it is to late. Many will die today....human and wolves alike."
Seemingly for the first time, Dengorin notices the similarity between Ryland's and Keelix's eyes and the wolves'. Confused about what is happening, he lowers his sword and tries to appear non-threatening to them.
Dylan reaches his mind out again to his wolf bothers as hid nose begins to bleed.
I stand with Longfang! Let us try to free Shadow killer! Do not do this! These two legs do not know what they do! Many of you will die and so will many two legs that do not need to!
Argrand tries to steady his mount as the wolves howl.
"Wolf brothers? I can't say I have heard of such a thing before. If that keeps us from having to fight these slavering packs though I am pleasantly surprised to learn of them".
Argrand unconsciously steps closer to Analin Sedai, perhaps not even realizing what he has done.
Analin secures the marble key so it can't slip out of her pocket and nods at Ryvin. "They have no chance of taking the Tower, but if we can get over the bridges and through the gates before they make it to the shining walls they will make a very impressive distraction." She looks at Ryland. "Can you slow them long enough for us to get into the city? We don't want the gates shut before we get inside."
Shadowkiller must be free. Shadowkiller is in danger. Shadowkiller is leashed. Shadowkiller must be free to defeat Heartfang.
"If they are allied to the battle against the Dark One, I would not waste their lives on a distraction," Ryvin says, visibly horrified by the very notion.
For as long as we remain on this false world, we are all no more than a distraction... thinks Fia, but does not give voice to the opinion, but instead looks anxiously at Ryland.
a bustle of movement, a flash of brown, and suddenly Landa is driven to the ground in a shout of excitement.
Whatever tripped him is gone.
"I hear the humming as well; it's like a distant swarm of bees. I... I can't place the direction; it sounds like it comes from behind, but then it is still behind when I turn." He turns his head this way and that as he speaks, seeking the origin of the sound, "It is a grating sound... And it grows tiresome."
When the wolves start their howling he looks about, an arrow on the string of his bow, his hand groping for a veil that is not there in his wetlander disguise. He glances down, finally realizing why he cannot seem to find what he is looking for. With a barely heard curse he returns his other hand to his string, looking for any dangers. When he sees the first if the wolves, he pulls the bow back to full draw for a moment, but then relaxes it when he sees they are not attacking.
Blood and ashes, I cannot kill with my face uncovered, but wearing a veil would distroy the disguise. Maybe a... what do the Borderlanders call it? A scarf? I'll have to find one quickly...
As Landa goes down he spins again, the arrow ready to loose at any danger.
Slow to push the mental weight of the wolves back enough to function as a man, Keelix comes baack to himself being half supported by Ryvin, and muttering to himself, "...no, no, no, not good, you will die, no, no...". He steadies himself, then rises to his full height. He turns at Landa's cry, and snarls at the intruding wolf.
Analin shrugs. "Wolves, no matter how many of them there may be, have no chance of taking the White Tower. If they are determined to attack, we may as well put their deaths to some advantage."
Ryland shakes his head. "They do not seem to be reasoned with. Many will die today."
"We should begin to move forward. If we can free the Dragon he will be able to lead the Wolves away and prevent needless death. If we are not then we will care little for the wolves if we are dead".
A moment hangs in the air as the howls continue. until one by one, they stop.
The wind has stopped blowing.
the grasses and trees stop moving.
animals, near and far, have ceased in all activities.
The only sound is your harsh breath, the thudding of your heart in your chest. the creak of leather, and tinny clang upon your shoes.
Landa, from his prone position, stays down, his head snapping around to look at everything at once.
A pressure fills everyone's mind, like a severe migrane.
a voice sounds out. a lone voice, yet thousands and thousands strong.
Longfang and Blooddancer. You stand with a she of fire and flame. you walk amongst two legs that have met the Shadowkiller. Longfang, your words are true. But to us, mean little. The shes of fire and flame have collared Shadowkiller like a common dog.
howls fill the air.
this shant be so. Yet, we are filled with something that is new to our way of life. and we act like pups fresh from the b+#+~es teat. Our time for action is near, but we must be wise like the Elder Alpha who chooses when to strike.
across from where you all stand, several of the tall narrow pines and maple trees sway, as if being pushed aside. Out from the glen steps a wolf. But this is no ordinary wolf.
It stands as tall as a horse, with fangs as large as shortswords. its hair is short and thick; upon it's back it mounds up and lengths providing a guard upon its back and neck. Eyes the size of dinner plates glint in the sunlight, it's gaze looking at everyone present before finally stopping upon Longfang.
we shall go. Together. To meet with these shes of fire and flame in the land of white stone. we shall seek the unchaining of Shadowkiller.
The horse that Angrand sits upon neighs a hoarse neigh, and then falls to its side, unconscious.
Keelix tilts his head a little back and to one side, baring his throat slightly in a gesture of respect and deference. He then turns to the others and speaks in a tone that allows for no alternatives, "He will be coming with us to free the Dragon."
"When I was a little girl, there was a metcenary in my Da's team who loved to sing and tell stories," Ryvin says in a quiet voice. "Once when he was drunk, he told us a story about Grandfather Wolf. Great is his wisdom, mighty his strength, terrible his cunning and sharp are his teeth. The forest is his and the trees move aside to give him free passage. ... That mercenary cried after he told us that story - and then he keeled over dead."
Acrobatics
Argrand just barely manages to leap off of his steed.
He grins sheepishly and looks to Keelix, "I'll not argue with him if that is what he wants".
Argrand reaches down to soothe his steed and ensure the poor creature is not harmed from the fall.
Analin shrugs. "We need to get the city ahead of them. The gates will be shut as soon as anyone sights a tenth this many wolves, much less that one."
"I miss Amorial," Ryvin says, gloomily. "He'd have known a secret way into the Tower big enough for all of us, or he could have pretended Mr. Big over there was his mount - and everyone would have believed him."
"Amorial has merely woken from this dream, there is no need to lament for him. Each of us will wake when our time of dreaming is over."
"On another note, I need a scarf. And as I stand here with an arrow at the ready, it occurs to me that should I need to loose an arrow for any reason while in your white city, this bow might attract altogether too much attention. Bolts of lightning might be more common around Aes Sedai, but I fear even they might grow curious about their origins should they suddenly grow even more commonplace..."
come, we move. the Wolf speaks in a command.
the pressure of the migrane lessens as the large Wolf turns and begins to stride south.
several dozen wolves rise up from the surrounding grass and shrubs, and begin to slowly follow the Wolf.
"Maybe I'm lamenting for me because I have to miss him," Ryvin grumbles. "Don't shoot in the city at all. It's too easy to hit a bystander. Use bladed weapons, knives for preference, or your fists unless you have no alternative."
Keelix nods, beckons to the group, and begins to pace after the wolf.
Attempt to discern the location of the humming.
Perception
Dengorin remains still as the unseen and unheard byplay between the wolves and Ryland and Keelix. At the news the wolves would be accompanying them, he looks between the others with a look of confused acceptance. He stares in awe at the large wolf, and follows the others as they begin walking towards Tar Valon.
Handing Rhoekk a scarf from his bags, he says, "I do no know how it is among the Aiel, but mourning the loss of a friend do be a common occurrence here. Especially one of the Ogier. They do be quite peaceful and gentle."
"Amorial was... my friend. I miss his presence, his steadfast nature. But we too will wake, given time. Our time now must focus on those that still dream. It would not honour our friend to lose our focus, and thus be awoken on his account."
Rhoekk moves out a few steps, turning his head this way and that, also trying to track the source of the sound.
focusing upon the odd humming, you twist and turn your body every which way, until finally your annoyance gets the better of you and you stand still and take a deep breath to regain a sense of calm.
Feeling with your body along with your hearing, you pick up the source of the humming.
Argrand reaches down and removes the item from his waist band to insect it. Odd, I don't remember it doing this before...