Ryland inhales deeply through his nose.
Perception:
The wolflord walks to the wall and begins to sniff the wall trying to find where the smell seems to be the strongest.
Perception Scent:
one who has failed jasper snaps back to rhoekk no. just us two. Kodokura, restrain yourself. we are liable to destroy this house. jasper instructs kodokura.
while you sniff about looking for the strongest source of the smell, your hand presses upon three books.
suddenly, the wall in front of ryland swings open, release a fresh wave of great cooking smells. you see a a large dinning area, and you can catch the sight of a larger cooking oven, where two black pans sit roasting upon the surface. heat waves lift up from the black surface, providing a waving illusion to the oven area.
set near the oven and counter tops stands a wooden island. a large mound of left over cabbage and carrot tops and apple cores and potato skins are heap, set next to a large knife.
Even as you take all this in, a man glides into the kitchen, a long sword in one hand, a short sword in the other. He is dressed in leathers with a metal plates like the scales on a lizard. his hair is shorn short, and his face has several scars crossing it. his mouth is set as he steps next to the central island. His movement has placed him between you and a door opposite, set between the large oven and a washing basin. the door sits ajar, and a single low light flickers inside, casting large shadows within.
That is far enough the man growls in a voice that sounds like it belongs on a file grating against a steel rod. Who are you? he demands.
True to being a brown Litheene pockets any of the books not held by others. With most of them already being read, she starts on "The creator, the wheel, and the pattern", skimming through it looking for the nature of the OP and possibly anything similar to it.
Over hearing the conversation with Chen she chimes in after his exchange with Ryvin. Chen ... you may have seen it upon my features, but I was born in Seanchan. And I was damane. In fact, I know about the Adam more than most in Seanchan would, even among the Suldam, and I made them for the Empire.
I happened to be of the low blood, and studied history before being taken, so I know why Seanchan turned out the way it did. The people there saw the use of the power as a true weapon. They did not have neither the White Tower with it's oats, nor Aeil honour to guard them. And that is the tragedy of Seanchan.
But the way of Seanchan, unlike that of the tower, is false. For one, it is false for being based on lies. Those you acknowledge as Suldam can channel. I can prove that. In fact, an Adam would not work otherwise. The reason Seanchan achieved stability is because it fought for one, not because of the adam, for the Suldam, especially with damane who only they can control, are not a lesser weapon. They just happen to not unleash upon the populace, something the Aes Sedai don't do either.
Litheene finger skim through the book, without looking up. In addition, Seanchan is LUCKY. The horrors you saw do not exist in Seanchan because you have no prison of the Dark One looming over you, spewing them forth. And this luck won't last either, for the One Power, and with it the damane, the force that in fact holds Seanchan together, is being wiped out, because of lies and ignorance. How many damane are there in Seanchan? How many of us channelers do you see here? And Seanchan has more people. The Adam has one faith as it's ultimate conclusion, the end of the One Power. And with it, the triumph of the Shadow.
With the wall swinging open, and the man revealed, Litheene finally puts the book in her pocket, her eyes focusing on him, as she silently embraces the source.
Alathea hangs back as the wall swings open, unsure of what might wait on the other side. She looks through, again curious at the strangeness of the kitchen in, all comforts aside, what should have been a cave. But when the strange man appears, she slips past her companions towards the front and takes a place behind Ryland. In response to his question, she replies, "We mean you no harm. We are travelers, and we are unsure as to where we find ourselves, or how, yes? Can you tell us where we are?" Sketching a small curtsy, she smiles cautiously and adds, "My name is Alathea Neribar."
"Ryvin Altessar," Ryvin replies, staring the stranger square in the eye - and lowering the tip of her sword to the ground. "We came in because it's lousy with Shadowspawn outside and the city's likely to get blown up," she says in a dry tone. "We weren't planning on staying long enough for that. Now who are you?"
a confused look comes upon the man's face. what city?
shifting his body slightly, he turns so that his longsword is between you and him, and his other sword is raise up behind his back, hidden.
my name is syrio
"Well, it looks, smells and sounds like Manetheren," Ryvin says, shrugging. "Endlessly returning from the blood-soaked past, only to die again in the fires of saidar." The Ebou Dari smirks a bit. "I know that might seem hard to believe -- for a man who isn't living in a house that seems to lie outside the Wheel, if what Fifi there said can be believed."
My name is Litheene Sedai. You are not of Manetheren? Where are you from then, Syrio? When did you come to be in this place?
"We are in a ter'angreal, apart from the normal flow of time." The woman who emerges from the room beyond the open door is carrying a cloth sack and a pair of eggs, which she places on the counter next to a mixing bowl and spoon. She doesn't give the newcomers a second glance until her items are safely set on the counter, her bearing conveying absolute confidence.
When she does turn to look at the group, it is instantly recognizable to those familiar with the White Tower what she is- an Aes Sedai. She wears the Great Serpent ring on her right hand and her heart-shaped had the ageless look of a woman who had sworn on the Oath Rod. Her almost white, blonde hair is jumbled up on top of her head and she has flour dusted on her green dress, but in spite of these homey touches there is no doubt she is a full sister.
"Peace, Landa." The possessive way she reaches out and puts her hand on the dangerous looking man's shoulder makes him her Warder. She gives each person in the room a quick glance, sizing them up, and frowns at Litheene. "Release the Source, girl."
Her slight frown continues as she looks over at Alathea. "Why do you have Accepted out of the tower, Alathea? And why does she feel free to embrace the Source without your permission?" She glances down at Alathea's hands and her frown deepens as she looks back up at Alathea's face. "Where is your ring, Alathea Sedai? Usually newly raised sisters hardly ever take it off."
Ryvin barks a laugh; not a particularly mean one, but still a laugh.
"Accepted, nothing," she says, the glow of saidar constant around her. "Tell me, Aes Sedai, how long have the two of you been here? Studying the phenomenon of Manetheren's endlessly recurring doom, I take it? Brown Ajah? Do you have any idea of what is going on out in the world?"
My name is Litheene Sedai. You are not of Manetheren? Where are you from then, Syrio? When did you come to be in this place?
The Aes Sedai in the green dress turns to look at Litheene. "Don't be ridiculous. Claiming to be a full sister is worthy of penance, if not stripping of the ring, girl. Do not let me hear you say such a thing again." She looks back at Alathea. "I don't care if this girl is your friend or your charge, Alathea, but the Sitters will hear of it if you cannot control an Accepted."
Ryvin barks a laugh; not a particularly mean one, but still a laugh.
"Accepted, nothing," she says, the glow of saidar constant around her. "Tell me, Aes Sedai, how long have the two of you been here? Studying the phenomenon of Manetheren's endlessly recurring doom, I take it? Brown Ajah? Do you have any idea of what is going on out in the world?"
The blonde Aes Sedai calmly looks over at Ryvin. She has still not embraced the Source herself, in spite of facing two women who held it. She did not seem worried in the least. "There are no brown sisters here that I know of. And yes, I am quite aware." She looks back at Alathea. "Are you collecting wilders and runaways? Is that what you are doing traveling the Ways?"
The ways? That would explain a lot
Litheene's face remains expressionless. Without revealing her Angreal, she momentarily draws deeply on the Power, and then releases it. The whole thing taking a split of a second.
Without the ageless look, her face nonetheless shows the emotionless expression of Aes Sedai.
Realising she is dealing with a sister unhinged by the recent turmoils, Litheene decides it's best to step forward.
Peace sister. When you say you are aware, are you aware of Manetheren or the Seanchan? Which time do you fare from?
Amorial closes the books he is reading and places him in his satchel.
"If we are not foes, perhaps we can join you for lunch and perhaps you can inform us of your name Sister". Amorial bows to her in the Cairhienian fashion, "I am Amorial Suth of Stedding Tsofu".
Kodo holds grimly to saidin, ready to react to any sudden movement from a female channeler - though his face is the picture of icy calm, his eyes dart from wilder to Aes Sedai.
"Accepted, nothing," she says, the glow of saidar constant around her.
Alathea closes her eyes and sighs in frustration with her companions' words. Shaking her head, she says, "You have me mistaken, Aes Sedai. You seem to have the advantage of knowing of me, but I do not know you, yes? The Wheel has woven for all of us," she motions to include her companions, "a strange skein, and one that I do not fully understand. Will you speak with us all so that we may clarify our situations?"
Not necessarily following the details of the conversation, but noting that there were now two unknown persons present, at a distance, and at least one likely a channeler, Rhoekk quietly stows his spear and buckler, transitioning to his white bow, and drawing a couple of arrows. He does not make any aggressive moves, and does not knock the arrows, instead letting the bow and arrows hang in his arms with a deceptively casual air.
Sometimes I wonder if I have woke from the dream and simply never noticed. Things get stranger and stranger day by day, and I have no choice but to accept them...
"If we are not foes, perhaps we can join you for lunch and perhaps you can inform us of your name Sister". Amorial bows to her in the Cairhienian fashion, "I am Amorial Suth of Stedding Tsofu".
The blonde Aes Sedai smiles in response to Amorial's greeting. "Your name sings in my ears, Amorial Suth of Stedding Tsofu." She gives him the smallest of bows, a mere nod of respect. "I am Analin Mendiana, sister of the Green Ajah. We would be glad to share what we have."
She looks back at Alathea, her smile fading. "And you are the mirror image of Alathea Neribar, of the Red. Though now that I think on it, her hair was much longer than yours the last time I saw her and she tends to..." Analin makes a vague gesture at Alathea's long petticoats, then shakes her head. "Well. It is no matter. You are not Aes Sedai."
Analin looks back at Litheene, her smile entirely gone now. "You have Tower training, but you are barely old enough for the ring and are clearly far from swearing your oaths. The Wilders can do as they will, but I will not ignore a runaway. You can accompany me until we can return you to the White Tower."
Litheene looks Analin in the eyes for a second. Two second. Three second. Finally she speaks If the wheel will, we will travel together. I will however travel as my duty calls me. Were you to prevent me from doing so, I doubt my Ajah would approve of such. If you have claim over my identity sister Analin of the Green, you are welcome to bring it up to them, and tell them that an imposter is wearing a Brown's shawl, claiming to act in their name. If you truly believe so, the oats will not prevent you from speaking such wrongness before them
She looks over the meal, noting the time spent preparing it You are either unaware, or unconcerned, with the impending destruction of Manetheren. If it is the first, then know we are in danger, and a battlefield rages out the only entrance we know of, scarce a time for squabble. If you are aware, and the time stasis of this place protects it, we will be glad to speak and learn, and mostly rest. Some of us are injured fighting the eyeless, and require attention, while others spend hours fighting for their lives
RYVIN! HAVE YOU NO MANNERS AT ALL? jasper says to ryvin in a tone similar to a father scolding a disobedient daughter. must everything be a war with you? This lady, and Aes Sedai and her warder, stand before you, with no hint of malevolence or ill-will, and yet you cannot offer a single courtesy. Shame on you.
Turning to Analin, Jasper says from the back, just a head amongst other heads and bodies.
Analin Sedai, I am Jasper of Camelyn. And this here is Kodokorua. We are members of the Lord Dragons Asha'man. I must say, that what you are cooking smells delicious. I dont have anything to contribute in the way of food, but I am sure that we can come to an arrangement?
Turning to Alathea Litheene notes She knows your double The RED sister Litheene thinks without saying. We heard of her the implication is obvious to those who heard Jasper's previous admission. The woman before us is probably an Elaida's loyalist.
Seeing Jasper come forward, Litheene watches carefully, to see how the newly found sister will react to the Asha'man.
"I've said my name," Ryvin says, shrugging at Jasper. "I figured the rest of the niceties could wait until we could be sure we weren't going to be wiped out of existence by the destruction of Manetheren, then dragged back into it for an endless loop."
The Ebou Dari does not appear to be particularly embarrassed or ashamed.
landa looks hard at everyone, his gaze making contact with rhoekk last. A look of knowing and understanding, like one immediately recognizing an equal. but he directs his comment to Litheene.
Accepted Litheene, you and this group keep refering to a battle raging on outside. what battle? the only battle we saw when we entered was a Hawk attacking a rabbit in the valley below.
"You are correct, Aes Sedai--I am not of the Tower, and you know of the mirrors of the wheel. But just as I am a mirror of the woman you know, so too is Litheene Sedai from the mirror world I am from, and there she is Aes Sedai. Newly raised, yes, but still Aes Sedai, yes?"
Alathea glares at Ryvin. "What is said cannot be unsaid, yes? You may feel as you wish about the Tower and those who serve it, but will you at the least be civil? Your enmity towards the Aes Sedai, even those you have never met, serves none of us well, yes?"
Litheene looks at Landa, her expression as of one facing a child yelling meaningless obscenities. When did you come in then? What was the year outside, and how long did you stay? From the moment we entered we had little more than 5 hours until the destruction of Manetheren. A pattern anomaly brought the great battle back to live. As you can see upon us Litheene glances over the group, covered with blood, some their own, some black blood of fades we weren't fighting rabbits.
"You are correct, Aes Sedai--I am not of the Tower, and you know of the mirrors of the wheel. But just as I am a mirror of the woman you know, so too is Litheene Sedai from the mirror world I am from, and there she is Aes Sedai. Newly raised, yes, but still Aes Sedai, yes?"
Alathea glares at Ryvin. "What is said cannot be unsaid, yes? You may feel as you wish about the Tower and those who serve it, but will you at the least be civil? Your enmity towards the Aes Sedai, even those you have never met, serves none of us well, yes?"
Ryvin's eyebrows rise noticeably.
"I've said something that offends? Please tell me what it is."
Alathea shakes her head and waves a hand towards Jasper. "Did you truly not speak to offend, Jasper would not have reprimanded you. It is not just here, either! Every time the Tower is mentioned, you scoff. Every time we meet an Aes Sedai or one of the Tower, you are defiant for no good reason. Not every Sister is the one who took you to the Tower against your wishes, yes? You may have been wronged, but blaming all for the crimes of a those who wronged you serves no purpose. You may feel as you wish, but by the Light, must you always lash out so?"
"On my honour beneath the Light," Ryvin says, very mildly, "I did not intend to 'lash out', just then. And I was not scoffing at the Tower, but at the irony of Litheene Sedai being addressed as 'Accepted'. By my reckoning, she's a fine Aes Sedai, one of the best I have ever met."
The Ebou Dari briefly studies the plating of her gauntlets and rubs them against her skirt. "Nor," she adds while regarding the new shine on the metal backing, "do I equate every Aes Sedai with the... person who brought me to the Tower. She was a demanding woman, to be sure, brusque to the point of rudeness, but as I went with her without complaint, she was almost civil."
Ryvin quirks a quick smile at Analin. "No fear, ma'am; I'm not a runaway. They gave me the boot, so there's no need to worry yourself about dragging me back. Not that they'd be overly chuffed at having me, now would they?" Ryvin briefly sweeps a hand down from her neck to her boots.
you remember in the conversation with lord aelorn, that he stated that whenever one of the cursed is killed, then the time loop occurs. it could be inferred that unless someone dies, then the loop doesnt occur and the area is free of being seen as manetheren
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Litheene looks Analin in the eyes for a second. Two second. Three second. Finally she speaks If the wheel will, we will travel together. I will however travel as my duty calls me. Were you to prevent me from doing so, I doubt my Ajah would approve of such. If you have claim over my identity sister Analin of the Green, you are welcome to bring it up to them, and tell them that an imposter is wearing a Brown's shawl, claiming to act in their name. If you truly believe so, the oats will not prevent you from speaking such wrongness before them
Analin looks steadily at Litheene. "Tell me about your test for the shawl, then, Litheene Sedai."
"You are correct, Aes Sedai--I am not of the Tower, and you know of the mirrors of the wheel. But just as I am a mirror of the woman you know, so too is Litheene Sedai from the mirror world I am from, and there she is Aes Sedai. Newly raised, yes, but still Aes Sedai, yes?"
The blonde Aes Sedai looks back at Alathea. "Mirrors of the Wheel or no, there has never been an Aes Sedai as young as this young woman. If she knows anything of the Tower she should know that at her age most women are still novices, and that claiming the shawl is a criminal offense," she glances back at Litheene for a moment, "and a ridiculous pretension in the face of someone who has worn the ring for any amount of time. I do not know what she has told you, Alathea, but she is no Aes Sedai."
She looks over the meal, noting the time spent preparing it You are either unaware, or unconcerned, with the impending destruction of Manetheren. If it is the first, then know we are in danger, and a battlefield rages out the only entrance we know of, scarce a time for squabble. If you are aware, and the time stasis of this place protects it, we will be glad to speak and learn, and mostly rest. Some of us are injured fighting the eyeless, and require attention, while others spend hours fighting for their lives
"As I said, we are outside the flow of time, here. I believe no time passes in the real world for those who rest in this place."
Turning to Analin, Jasper says from the back, just a head amongst other heads and bodies.
Analin Sedai, I am Jasper of Camelyn. And this here is Kodokorua. We are members of the Lord Dragons Asha'man. I must say, that what you are cooking smells delicious. I dont have anything to contribute in the way of food, but I am sure that we can come to an arrangement?
For her part, Analin Sedai seems unperturbed by Rylin's cheeky attitude. She smiles and inclines her head in Jasper's direction in the middle of the group. "All are welcome around our fire, as it were. Please, come sit and eat. All credit for the food goes to Landa, though. He is the cook in our little..." her smile faltered for a moment before she recovered and quickly changes what she had been about to say. "I was just about to start baking a cake. There should be more than enough for all of us, unless you have another half-dozen people or another ogier with you." Her small smile makes it a joke; she clearly thinks it outside the realm of possibility that there could be another ogier with the group.
Ryvin quirks a quick smile at Analin. "No fear, ma'am; I'm not a runaway. They gave me the boot, so there's no need to worry yourself about dragging me back. Not that they'd be overly chuffed at having me, now would they?" Ryvin briefly sweeps a hand down from her neck to her boots.
Perhaps surprisingly, Analin gives Ryvin a smile in return. "There is no shame in being asked to leave the Tower. Not every woman who can channel is comfortable with the rigors of our sisterhood. I am glad you learned to control your abilities, regardless of how you learned."
She looks back at Litheene, smile disappearing again. "I will not stand for someone claiming sisterhood when it is clear they have not earned the honor, however."
Litheene looks at Ryvin, recalling her recent incident.
My friends still trust me. Despite falling to temptation, Ryvin sees Litheene in me, rather than the monster she felt through the circle. And for the first time in a long while, Litheene feels relief of a burden she wasn't aware she held.
Thank you Ryvin, your trust is greatly appreciated. Especially you, one among the few who felt what I fight to avoid And no one will drag you anywhere as long as I stand, neither the Tower, nor others Litheene's glance is icy daggers towards the Seanchan.
As of now however, it turns out we might still be in harms way, so I think the first think to focus on is our impending death. An answer to your question from before, Ryvin, I need a few more minutes With that Litheene embraces the source again, yet draws only a small amount, indicating no intend to fight, and turns again to carefully observe the surrounding room.
With the clearness of the power sharpening her wits, she recalls Aelorn's words. This place. If none dies here, it will be outside of the abnormality, or curse. If Analin is right, those facts together mean we still have our 5 and a half hours or so. Which brings up the reasoning we discussed before - the need to rest and regroup.
At the question about the test Litheene looks at Analin again, allowing her features to project weariness of the conversation. Alathea KNOWS I was raised not by virtue of my witness, but that of hers. Harsh as the training was, runaways do not go fighting myraddral instead. And Accepted aren't sent on joined missions with Asha'man to fight fades wither
Litheene smirks I wish I was still a cuddled accepted of the tower, but I have duty. If you think yours is to apprehend me as an imposter, you are welcome to do so. I won't even bother to resits, as if you go outside with me shielded in tow, you'll be overrun rather quick.
Or, you can show the wisdom to realise that other worlds are NOT as yours, and that our common interest now lies elsewhere
I see no need to try and prove myself further. If you wish to cross another sister, you know the tower law. Given what I said, it would be wise of you to be sure before you judge me false