Amorial turns to Ryland, "I think it best if I wake up now. My presence here is a mistake..."
Fiallain glances over. "Why do you say that Builder?"
Amorial stares at the ground, well what would be the ground if this were anything more than a dream, "My presence here appears to be drawing whatever that thing I encountered was. Else it may not have been here at all, even now it may well know you are all present here. I think it is best if I wake up now..."
"What thing?" Ryvin asks.
Amorial shrugs, "I do not know what it was". He sighs, "It is best if we discuss it when awake I think Ryvin".
"What else do the wolves say Ryland? Is this thing nearby?"
Keelix turns to the others to Fia, his attention mostly on the wolves, "I do not think it is close. I will try to find out."
It is near. it roams the land. it is anathema, one that shouldnt exist. worse than any other shadowspawn. the images that press upon your minds are that of something that is black yet not, a presence, an entity. cloaked in shadow, yet able to walk this realm with ease. yet, deep down, amongst all the emotions that the wolves show, one simple one is constant.
curiosity.
Fiallain looks at the two wolf brothers expectantly.
"All they say is it should not exist. As if it is unique. They are curiouse because of this...yet it is stronger than the shadow spawn they know of. It is close, we should be wary."
Keelix nods in agreement with Ryland, "And they do say it is near. So be on high alert. Hopefully they can give some warning if it comes closer, so pay attention to the wolves."
"I'm sorry, but when the wolves speak, all I hear is headache," Ryvin says.
The wolves, sensing the resolve within keelix and ryland, howl, and then relent, as if compelled to silence.
"Now, how do we wake me up?"
"Note how this feels," Ryvin says as she places a hand on Amorial's chest. "If it works, you can try to use it to get yourself out, the next time you're here."
That said, the Wilder focuses, pushes and wills....
and with a gasp, Amorial awakens from his slumber.
"Pay attention, friends," Ryvin says. "In the Dream, your willpower trumps ALL. Even if you can't channel, if your will is strong enough, you can fake it and do everything else. F'rinstance...."
In the sky overhead, the substance of the air and the clouds twists itself into something that looks at first like a ribbon of gold and crimson. As it weaves and curls closer to the ground, it proves to be one of the creatures seen on the banner of Rand al'Thor: a Dragon.
"See?" Ryvin says as she guides the creature in with an effort of will. "If your will is strong enough, you can create; you can fly; you can do anything in here. But you need to keep control, or this world can maim or kill you, or just blast the mind right out of you."
Fia looks thoughtful at Ryvin's words, then frowns as she concentrates - willing herself to levitate a foot or so off the ground.
Fia you easily levitate off the ground.
Ryland watches fia float and shakes his head.
Anything?
The boarderlander closes his eyes and begins to concentrate...
He ponders on whether he should tell his friends once they wake.
Ryland's face elongates as he drops to all fours as his form shifts. A large gray wolf stands where the boarderlander did...and it laughs.
Fia blinks at wolf-Ryland and then laughs softly. "Well done! Now, we all need more practice, but what about this thing that scared Amorial off?"
"No idea," Ryvin admits. "We'll need to talk to him more when we wake up. Speaking of, I suggest we make that our next exercise. If things go pear-shaped, you need to be able to get out of here at a moment's notice."
Fia nods agreement. "Then I suppose we should all wake up. Show me what you did to Amorial again?"
"Alright, come back down here," Ryvin says, beckoning to Fia. "Gents, play close attention; I'm going to do it to you as well in a moment. Remember how it feels. Fia....?"
Ryvin reaches out with a hand and pushes at Fia's shoulder -- and simultaneously wills at her.
Fia wakes, sits up, and looks about for Amorial. "The others should be returning shortly."
Ryland turns a circle and jumps into the air as he laughs.
Fia awakes to find Amorial looking even more worried than when he left the Dream State.
Fia frowns and walks over to him. "What is wrong?"
Amorial turns to Fia, "Why are you back so soon? Were you attacked? Are the others alright?!"
"No, they are fine. Watched over by the wolves, by all accounts. They should be right behind me. Now, what is going on? Or is this something we should all hear?"
"Very amusing, lads," Ryvin says. "But there's one thing you should keep in mind...."
".... I've been at this for most of my life."
Keelix grins a wolfish grin at her as she forces him out of the Wolf Dream with no resistance from him.
In the real world, Keelix sits up...
...and promptly disappears completely.
Back in the Wolf Dream Keelix reappears directly in front of Ryvin, a grin on his face. He picks up the conversation as if he had never disappeared, "Aye, you may have been, but the wolves know a few tricks that you may not."
Ryvin grunts, then shrugs.
"Fine. Just keep it in mind; if a Darkfriend with the knowing gets their hands on you.... they might have tricks, too."
Ryvin focuses....
.... and sits up in the waking world.
As Ryvin wakes up she sees Amorial's ears fold back as he replies to whatever Fia asked him, "You should all hear this and you should all hear it from me..."
Argrand mutters under his breath, "Good, maybe they can start contributing to the cause too..."
Ryland sits up from the dream, a grin on his face as he looks over at Fia. "I could fly!"
Fia returns Ryland's grin with one of her own and goes over to sit next to him. "Impressive! We'll have to practice again soon, but for now Amorial has something he needs to tell us. I believe we are all here, builder. Please continue."
Amorial sighs and begins, "I was, am dead. Yes my friends, the Amorial you knew no longer exists, at least not in the physical sense anyway. Somehow though, my mind has been able to remain intact, I believe it is because I am Ta'vern.
My death would likely not have happened, or at least not in the manner and time that it did happen had I not journeyed into this, or any other, mirror world.
Why am I Ta'vern? I suspect it is because the Lord Dragon placed me on the path of this quest to find the Gray Man. Much rests on locating this mythic being and until I do, I cannot rest...
Well I suppose I could but the Wheel would not doubt weave its will upon me and compel me to move forward.
Though my mind is mine own, my body belongs to the Dark One. To sustain, I need sustenance. That is the second reason that I believe I am Ta'vern, for what other sort of being could only survive by consuming the raw essence of the One Power...?
I am very sorry I lied to you my dear friends. To Argrand I revealed the truth as I needed a source of energy to complete my quest. Also I have a theory that perhaps as I consume his power, the Madness that may effect him will be delayed. Or perhaps I made that up to convince him to aid me, I do not know.
Now I see that it was a mistake to assume that my change would present no danger. You see as long as I am with you all in the Dream, I am endangering the Mission. My Mission, it pains me to say.
As you all appeared in the Dream somewhere else, I appeared in a dark place and interacted with a dark being.
A powerful dark being, he claimed me as his own. I assume him to be one of the Forsaken or perhaps even the Dark One himself..."
The Ogier's ears become fully flat in shame and he looks at the ground unable to speak further.
Ryland's grin slides from his face, replaced by a look of steadfast determination as he slowly pulls his stone sword from its sheath and holds it in front of him as he locks eyes with his friend. "What now Fia? What do we do now?"
Ryvin makes a face.
"Blood and ashes!" she curses. "There's a fine wrinkle. How do we cut that bond?"
"I am not certain that we should just yet." Fia muses softly as she steps in front of Ryland's sword... I am going to have to teach him to use a proper weapon...
The Aiel peers up at Amorial, studying him closely.
"Assuming what you believe and said is true, then it is only your body that 'belongs' to this... whatever this thing is? Your mind is your own, and your mind is, I presume, what controls your body, so I do not see how you 'belong' to the Dark One, Builder. So stop looking so dejected.
How certain are you that your mind is yours alone, Amorial? Has this 'being' compelled you to act against your will? Have you sworn oaths to it?
You are the only one here who knows much of anything at all about our quest. Without your knowledge I fear we will be mostly blind."
She turns to look back at Ryvin. "So I would not go cutting just yet. If that 'bond' or whatever is what holds him here, well then... we may blind ourselves."
Fia turns back to Amorial and reaches out as if to touch him. If he feeds from Saidin, is he consuming the taint as well? Is that the danger, that he will himself go mad?
Amorial's ears perk up, "I... I had not considered that. Indeed, the figure asked me to join him and I refused and fled. No Oaths have I sworn, an Ogier's word is bond enough and my answer to that thing was a resounding NO. I suppose that makes me of free will. So much as a Ta'vern can be anyway.
Still, if my mere presence attracts attention from such a being then it puts you all at jeopardy. Perhaps there is a way to hide my presence in the Dream?"
Amorial's ears perk up, "I... I had not considered that. Indeed, the figure asked me to join him and I refused and fled. No Oaths have I sworn, an Ogier's word is bond enough and my answer to that thing was a resounding NO. I suppose that makes me of free will. So much as a Ta'vern can be anyway.
Fiallain smiles warmly and nods, squeezing the Ogier's arm lightly.
"That is more like it, Builder. Have no fear, you will still spit in Sightblinder's eye."
Still, if my mere presence attracts attention from such a being then it puts you all at jeopardy. Perhaps there is a way to hide my presence in the Dream?"[/b]
Frowning, Fia glances at Ryvin. "I am not sure. As malleable as the Dreamlands are, I would think that there would be such a way to do this. However, I have little practical experience or even knowledge of the place. Do you know Ryvin? I think much would depend on the abilities and talents of our enemy."
Ryland frowns at Fia and cocks his head to the side for a moment before sheathin his sword.