as you hold it in your hand, you feel it vibrate and an ever so slight glow emanate from it.
Rhoekk reaches back to touch the haft of the spear, feeling it vibrate against his skin.
His eyes meet Argrand's, "Items of the power?"
"I have had it for some time but it has never really, well, done anything before..."
"What's the holdup, boys?" Ryvin asks, looking back at the men.
Upon rhoekk touching the spear, it gives a brilliant flash of light. At the same moment, Angrand's smaller item gives off a similar flash, but a different hue. Both items vibrate with such intensity that it falls out of Angrand's hand, and slides free of Rhoekks back pack.
both hit the ground at the same time, and where other items that fall tend to roll and bounce about before settling, these two items hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Looking down upon these two items, you see two words emblazoned upon them. Toh and Carai
"Hmmm. Anyone know what Carai means? I am not familiar. Can any of you As Sedai look at this item that just sprung from my hands? I know it is a san'greal but it seems it has just awakened to its true purpose.."
Breathing deeply, Dengorin suddenly feels his usual vigor return to him. His color returns to normal, and he seems to have more energy.
"I do no know what those do be, but I do feel as good as I did before those Trollocs did capture me."
"I do know the Old Tongue," Ryvin muses. "Let me think..."
'Obligation'," Ryvin says, pointing at 'toh'. "'For honour'. Small wonder they're a pair." The latter while pointing at 'carai'.
Analin looks appraisingly down at the items. "Amazing," she says, simply.
Keelix glances back just before he enters the trees behind themassive wolf, his yellow eyes glinting in the dim light, "Come, the Dragon awaits us."
"We need to talk to Mr. Big before we get to the walls," Ryvin says, jogging up to her Warder. "Anyone catches sight of him, he and his little friends need a disguise or we're in deep sheepdip. Think they'd agree to hide out of view?"
"If they are unwilling to even slow it seems unlikely they will agree to stop and allow us to craft disguises for them. I think our best use of them is to get to the gates before they are spotted and take advantage of the deep sheepdip they cause when they arrive."
"These are not simple animals, that seems abundantly clear by now. If we lead these gents, especially Mr. Big, to their deaths, the sheepdip is going to hunt us down."
The intense pressure returns to everyone's heads.
we shall enter with you as a pack stalks prey. the Wolf says simply
Fia grumbles and rubs her temples. "Is it always like this?" she asks Ryland.
Rubbing his head, Dengorin finds himself wishing for a glass of wine - although he had begun to enjoy a good ale.
"Press forward is the only way I see. Whether this entourage will help or hurt our cause I suppose remains to be seen".
the group with their odd escort, begin to travel south at a intent pace. Not fast, not slow, but with purpose.
Making no sign to hide, the large Wolf spends its time walking next to either Ryland or Keelix. Angrand, to his horse's relief, spends its time at the back of the group, upwind of the Wolf.
Every so often, a wolf will be seen far down the road that the group travels upon. And then it disappears in the thick grasses.
Fia follows along behind Ryland and the wolf...
The movement overland is a surreal experience.
Normally a trade route road would be populated with people and wagons, and small hamlets and throps. But instead all you see is blurry fields of grain and prairie grass.
Looking around, trying to make sense, you suddenly notice something odd after a strange blurry sensation happens. Not 50 feet behind you there is no trace of anyone having walked upon the road in days. and suddenly your tracks pick up, as if you had fallen out of the sky.
tell everyone to relax. this helps us move faster and more stealthy The Wolf says, as if that simple line is explanation is enough.
Several more blurrs occur and suddenly you are surprised to see the large White Tower looming high above you. You stand upon a road that leads into one of the many towns that surround Tar Valon. Off in the distance, perhaps 1Km away, you see a bridge leading into the city proper.
The Wolf moves forward, while the honor guard of wolves disperses, hiding as suddenly as they were standing there.
the trek into the town is filled with shock and fear. The sight of the massive Wolf causes some children to recoil in fear, and others to suddenly scream in pain or delight.
Longfang, Blooddancer. my presence causes those dormant to the minds of wolves to suddenly unlock, opening to their presence. We must hurry.
near and far, screams of children and mothers echo amongst the buildings. A chilling sound that rattles the nerves of even the hardest of warriors.
Purposely the group moves on, and approaches the bridge. For a long moment the Wolf examines the structure. A slight whine is heard from within it, and suddenly it reaches out its foot and steps down upon the bridge. url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L28CnhmeAD4] Lifting it's head up, a ghastly howl errupts from its throat[/url]
As the wolf howls, several guardsmen run out onto the bridge from the island of Tar Valon. They cautiously approach and stop 50 feet away. One of them with a gold knot upon his shoulder, steps forward and raises a hand, since the howl is so loud talking is drowned out.
Finally the Wolf ceases its howl, and the man lowers his hand.
Send someone forward. he shouts in a commanding voice.
Fia turns and looks at the Aes Sedai to see what she would do.
Dengorin finds the strange travel somewhat dizzying, but chalks it up to more of the Aes Sedai's wonders. As they travel through the town and the people recoil in fear, he finds himself thinking, Fortune prick me, this may be the most foolish thing I ever did do.
As the wolf's howl ceases and the guard asks someone be sent forward, he looks at the Aes Sedai as well. After all, the guards would surely allow her to pass.
Ryland looks at Fia shakes his head. "No, it hasn't been like this since I was young and first spoke with them."
Ryvin shakes herself after the eerie journey has ended.
'Light! Not like Traveling in the old legends at all. More like -- but we are awake! Wide awake! Light!'
Upon the guardsman's call, Ryvin glances at the others.
'Best hurry up and browbeat or charm this fellow, or we are in deep...'
Very casually, the Wilder unlimbers her body, and then starts to perform a series of surprising acrobatics in place -- all without her expression changing even a hair.
"Have you never seen a traveling menagerie before, then?" she calls to the guard. "With all its wondrous beasts and performers?It's dangerous out on the road. Is there no safety in Tar Valon for honest folk showing their skills and charges any more?"
Analin steps forward, gesturing for Landa and Argrand to follow. She makes sure her Aes Sedai features and serpent ring are clear to see. "Do we stop innocent travelers at the gates now, captain ? These people have been traveling with me for mutual safety." Not an untrue word spoken, and it wasn't her fault if a listener assumed the unrelated question and statement were related.
Argrand steps forward, his face remaining passively aggressive. He spent many years as a guard for Royalty before becoming an A'shaman, the attitude of such a job is not that much different from a Warder, at least in his experience so Argrand has the face down pat by now.
Forgive me, Aes Sedai. But recent events have occurred that forced us to step up security. We would have stopped you at the gates the Captain waves his hand behind him to the large opening in the city wall But when we saw the large-the man gulps and continues beast walking with the group, we felt it wise to stop it here and see if it is another Seanchan ploy.
Argrand cocks his head, "Seanchan ploy? Have they come this far inland to attack the White Tower?!"
aparently a Seanchan warrior of massive size was able to disintegrate one of my fellow guardsmen. All that is left of the body was fine dust. But they took him to the WHite tower for questioning after capturing him.
Argrand looks skeptical, "This reeks of a spectacular story borne of little truth man. A man of massive size wielding the One Power? How was he brought down, by the Aes Sedai?"
The captain looks at Argrand and is about to reply when he stops and looks closer at Argrand. Then he turns his attention on Landa, and then looks back at Argrand.
You travel with an Aes Sedai and yet mock her ability? I was tempted to allow you to pass, but now i fear that I must put all of you under confinment until someone from the Tower can vouch for you....ALL of you.
He raises his hand and makes an overhead circular motion. Immediately 3 other guardsmen rush forward while the 4th runs back to the gates.
The captain points at Argrand, Seize him, and keep him separate from the others. Put him in the north tower, and the others in the south. Once done, send to the Tower for someone to vouch for an Aes Sedai.
one of the soldiers speaks up Ummmm captain!
The captain looks up and sees the Wolf approaching on silent paws. It's maw hangs open baring its teeth. its fur on its back stands on end, making it look 3x its size in girth.
Approaching the Captain, it gives a low deep growl that vibrates the bridge, causing it groan and strain.
The Captain, to his credit, maintains his composure and stands his ground, although a noticeable wet spot grows upon his trousers.
Swallowing, the Captain says quickly let them through! and steps out of its way...
Argrand stops in front of the guard, "For your information I was not mocking her, I was mocking you and your outlandish story. Still I commend you for doing your job the proper way here at the gates, I too was a guardsman once. Tis not an easy task". He then pats him on the shoulder and moves onto the bridge standing flanking Analin Sedai on the side that Landa does not take.
"For the record, Mr. Big here is most definitely NOT from the Seanchan lands. I saw those nasty freaks from a distance. No, Mr. Big is a local lad, he is. Him and his family," Ryvin says.
As the Tower guardsmen move forward to arrest them, Dengorin tightens his grip on his sword, glancing at Analin Sedai for an indication of what to do.
When the wolf steps forward and growls, causing the captain to yield and allow them to pass, Dengorin calmly walks by the captain and guardsmen. Once past, he says in a low voice, "Stories of our entrance will spread quickly. It do be wise for us to hurry."
Fia nods. "Agreed, wetlander.
Unlike the rest, Analin is not pleased by the bridge captain letting people through by intimidation. She waves the others through the gate while she stands and questions the man. "Your name, captain."
Captain Ja'maal of the First Watch, Ma'am.
Fiallain continues walking across the bridge.
Keelix keeps pace with the large wolf.
Ryvin keeps pace with Keelix, grinning insouciantly at the guards in passing.
Rhoekk does his best to avoid eye contact with the guards as he passes, but without being obvious about it. He keeps silent, lest his accent give him away.
He hustles up with the others, eager to have the guardsmen behind them.
Horns blare loudly from within the city. First from one side of the city, and the tone is quickly picked up throughout.
Hustling along the bridge, you see the large stout gates made of Iron and wood, begin to ponderously swing shut.
Analin, recognizing the tone, screams for all to hear THE HORN SIGNALS THE LOCK-DOWN OF TAR VALON!
Rhoekk moves to dash forward and slip inside the gate. Already planning what direction to move once inside the gate, in order to assess his surroundings and secure the area against threats, he is rather shocked when his feet catch upon something, and he goes down in a heap. Unused to wetlander garb, he steps upon the hem of his cloak (Ridiculous garment, why do wetlanders insist on wearing them?, and tangles himself within it, ending up with his dignity looking down at him from where he left it.
Ryvin breaks into a dead run, cursing every step like a docker, and just barely manages to slip through the gate before it closes. As soon as she is on the other side, she reaches for, but does not yet embrace saidar...
Already one of the nearest to the gate, Fia breaks into a run and easily slips inside, hoping that the others would be quick enough to follow. The very last thing she wanted was to be stuck inside this city.
Argrand charges forward with Analin Sedai trying to be in if she is in and out if she is out...
Reflex