Bormanes isn't even subtle about arming himself, his short sword out as Manwhen identifies them as the Norden. "What predicament is that? And where are you from?"
"Shara?" Guesses Isa, but says nothing as she did not want to draw attention to herself. It was a wild guess of course, and one that did not make a lot of sense. She had no idea if it could even be true, but the woman didn't sound Seanchan, nor did she sound like any wetlander Isa had heard speak. She certainly wasn't Aiel! No, that is foolish, how would a Sharan be of the Tower?
As the conversation went on, the Aiel's hackles rising, she thrusts her wonderings aside as she silently and slowly circles around, trying to keep out of direct view of the Aes Sedai. This would likely to turn violent and experience had taught her that it was almost always better to maneuver to the flank or behind a dangerous opponent. Whatever, whoever she is, her actions name her traitor. Breaker of the Dragon's peace.
Still embracing the Source from the flight up the hill, Lucius begins to gather Fire to himself, weaving it into an attack but not releasing it just yet.
’Deal with them? I wonder what that means?’ Not understanding the Seanchan captains logic, Elathras turns to focus on the conversation at hand, in just enough time to hear Manwhen’s confession. ’Blasted Aes Sedai, figures she was part of a cover up. A seanchan attack?’
While Bormanes continues questioning Manwhen, Elathras turns to the captain, placing his hand near his sword hilt. ”Did you know about this betrayal?”
As he waits for the captain’s response, he hears Manwhen tell Bormanes that they are the ’Norden’ ’Norden whatever it means, this isn’t going to end well. I need to be able to fight and I can’t do that with this arrow in my shoulder.’ Realizing there was going to be more trouble, Elathras grasps the arrow in his shoulder breaking it off as close to his armor as possible.
”Blood and bloody ashes.” He lets out a gasp and a curse as the wound starts to bleed again, he draws his sword, attempting to watch the Seanchan captain and the Aes Sedai at the same time.
The Seanchan captain snorts at Elathras's question. If i did, do you think id be up here with you? his answer has the note of finality, as someone who no longer wishes to speak about the subject. But Elathras notices the not to subtle movement of the fighters left hand dropping to his sword hilt, his thumb curling under the blade's guard, allowing the captain the ability to quickly draw and strike should the need arise.
Dear sweet Bormanes.Manwhen laughs, more to herself than to anyone else. Her breath is shallow, and her face grimaces in pain at the sudden movement. Her Aes Sedai calm cracks momentarily, showing a shockingly human emotion upon her stately face: Pain. For all her time and training, her confidence and aloffness, pain reminds her that she is still human. Has anyone told you that its very normal these days to discover not one but two or more family members can channel? she says.
Bormanes stern gaze burns into Manwhens, and she sighs. dìoghaltas a ghabhail air an fheadhainn a bhrath sinn
Gus faicinn an saoghal a 'fulang
Gus an Solas a chur gu dorchadas
Gus an riaghladh dorcha a bhith air an fhearann
Gus an saoghal a sgrios
Bormanes attempts to identify what language she's speaking, even as he says, "Yes, yes, my sister could learn to channel, so it's possible I can, too. Whatever. Why did you want to kill us?"
Bormanes's knuckles were white, he was gripping the hilt of his sword so tightly. He would have killed the woman already, but he wanted more answers first.
Bormanes: you recognize that the language is nothing youve ever heard before.
’well, that at least sounds honest.’ Nodding ” Death is light as a feather; duty, heavy as a mountain” Eh Captain?” he turns from the Seanchan, moving slowly toward Barmanes and Manwhen ’So now we face a dark friend Aes Sadai, as if one of the other Ajah’s wasn’t bad enough. I wonder if the sul'dam and damane will be able to stand against her once we are dead.’ when Manwhen recites what sounds like a poem, Elathras listens trying to recognize the language, if not the words.
Manwhen looks at Bormanes to make it look like the seanchan invaded. gives greater credibility to the story if Tar Valon Operatives were killed.
Bormanes strongly considers jabbing his sword through her heart, but instead, he looks at Dalia and Lucius. "Can either of you block her from channeling?"
Lucius shakes his head with a sharp negative motion.
'Blood and bloody ashes, I never thought I would be close enough to a blasted Aes Sadai with a drawn sword that I could kill her. Let alone have a reason to do so.' having drawn near, Elathras breaths a barely audible whisper, "So what are we waiting for?"
one of the restless Seanchan Damane screams out
The others, seeing this, scream and rush out the back of the large room.
'Look out? How much worse can she be.' As the Senchan provide a distraction, Elathras charges Manwhen, flowing into winter leopard, striking at her turned shoulder.
Bormanes struck with the short sword, with Elathras's assistance, to try and stop her from channeling.
Having no weapon in hand, no knowledge of how to shield someone from the Source, and already taxed himself more than is safe for one day, Lucius knows there is little he can do to stop this traitor from doing whatever she is doing. He will save who he can, if the Light smiles upon him. "Come! There is little we can do here!" He grips Dalia's wrist and attempts to rush out of the hut with her.
He had no clue what they meant by saying she was opening herself up to more than she should, but he did know he didnt want to be anywhere near when whatever was about to happen happened.
"Blood and the bloodiest of ashes!"
He cursed loosing the arrow he had drawn out of reflex almost at seeing the others charge in. The moment he loosed however he made a straight dash for the door herding anyone in front of him out if he had too.
the attacks fall upon Manwhen, an arrow burying itself into her side, while Bormanes' sword clips into her shoulder. Manwhen gasps suddenly, her body going rigid, then relaxing. from her chest a small spurt of fire erupts, casting up a harsh flare of warmth that makes everyone near her step back in shock and surprise. As fast as it happens though, the flame dies off, leaving behind a seared hole in her frame.
Manwhen's eyes stare at Bormanes, the flicker of life held within a few moments longer. Hatred and fear fill those eyes. Fear of Death, yet Hatred. Hatred that Bormanes had never experienced in his life. Hatred for him, for who he represents, for who he was and would be. For a brief moment, Bormanes feels Manwhens presence, a cold embrace that delves deep into the soul, leaching out any warmth that was contained. The eyes bore into his skull, searing the last light of recognition that Manwhen has for Bormanes, before the light of her life leaves her body.
Clearly missing the woman as she turns towards Bormanes, Elathras flows into the next attack as he sees the searing flame. 'What the blazes? What could do that to an Aes Sadai?' His motion slows to a stop. Elathras looks from the hole in her chest, to the damning look the dying woman is giving Bormanes, before the light in her eyes flickers out. turning toward Bormanes, he gestures towards the hole in the corpse asking, "Did you do that?"
Breathing heavily, still shaken from Manwhen's gaze and the hatred he'd felt from her, from the chill of her glare, Bormanes merely shakes his head in response to Elathras's question before walking over to a bench and sitting down. "I don't know what that was. Dalia once told me that if someone draws too much of the One Power, they can kill themselves and possibly destroy some of the area around them. I guess if you stab someone or shoot them with an arrow when they do so, it does that."
Wide-eyed, Isa slowly lowers her bow, and after a moment her veil also. Walking over to the once-Aes Sedai, she stares for a moment before softly asking the two men, "So... what now?"
Now, we talk a loud voice intones suddenly, and the Ogier that saved your lives steps forward out of the shadows.
Where once there was a healthy looking, if somewhat haggard looking, Ogier, now stands something that can only have originated from a gleeman's tall tale.
An arm hangs limply at his side, apparently hanging by a skin thread. His face appears to be partially burnt off, exposed bone glistening white in the faint light of dawn. His armor hangs upon his body, torn in places, rent and dented in others. The massive axe he weilded has lost it's innate blue hue that denoted a Power-wraught weapon.
He stumps up to a table, his legs askew, one foot missing completly while the other appears to be pointed the wrong direction. Tossing his axe upon the table with a heavy thud, Amorial shakes his body a little and his armor falls to the ground, ruined beyond repair.
i will miss that armor. You! Come here The ogier commanded, a subtle tone of desire triggering a want to help him flashing briefly across your minds.
one of the sul'dam step forward, her eyes glazed over, and a slight smile to her lips. she steps up to him, and her mouth hangs open, as if silently moaning in pleasure. Amorial steps up, places a hand (if you could call it a hand, as it is nothing more than a charred remain of bone) upon her breast. The woman sighs deeply, obscenely, and suddenly her head lays back, her eyes roll, and her legs buckle.
Slowly at first, but then with a quickening tempo, the ruined creature that was Amorial begins to regrow the parts of his body that were destroyed in the battle with Jasper.
The charred ruin of a hand is the first to appear. The bone structure regrows from the chunk, then red muscles and finally skin. His arm, hanging, suddenly turns upon itself to the proper angle, and small strands of muscle and sinew form in the gap. With a sickening wet popping noise, the arm is reattached to the stump, and fills itself in to a proper, nominal arm.
all over the Ogiers, nay, the creatures, no that isnt right...the Things body, the repair continues, until finally the thing that is Amorial stands whole before you.
Unfortunately, the sul'dam before him suffers a fate far worse, yet infinitely more enjoyable than one could imagine. Her mouth gives voice to excitement and pleasure that makes a whorehouse sound like a quiet library. Yet, for the pleasure she feels, her body takes a toll. Her hair, once vibrant blonde, phases to pale yellow, to dull white, to finally falling out. her skin, slightly tanned and in perfect health, loses its vigor, begins to sag and wrinkle upon her body. Her breasts, perfect for her figure and age, sag horribly. All over, her body appears to age hundreds of years in the space of a moment.
As Amorial sighs in relief and regret, the sul'dam sighs her final sigh, shakes slightly, and breaths a final breath before the stillness of death takes her.
Amorial gently cradles her body and lowers her to the floor, a mere token of respect of the life he has taken from her.
A single tear falls from the thing's eye, blotting the ground with a single wetspot.
Folding her dress around her body, Amorial glances over the body one last time and finally stands, the weight of his actions heavy upon his broad shoulders.
And now you see me for the monster I am. The monster i have become, due to the touch of the Dark One. Amorial says to everyone.
Lucius stands at the doorway, mouth agape, speechless at the horror of the spectacle he has just witnessed.
'Now we talk? How is he even still walking? Miss the armor? He'll be missing more than his armor, he lost a foot and he will loose that arm as … by the light, what is he doing?' Turning and watching the Ogier step out of the shadows, Elathras watches as the thing limps into the room tossing his weapons, dropping the armor and putting his hand on the woman. 'Blood and bloody ashes, If Manwhen served the dark one who does this Ogier serve? Monster may be too gentle a term. If he is touched by the dark one why would we treat with him?' His eyes widening as the ogier finishes, Elathras grasps his blade in both hands, shifting his stance so he was ready to defend against the ogier's height. Looking from the corpse of Manwhen, to the shriveled carcass that had been sul'dam, looking toward the Ogier. "Monster, if we would not suffer the black Aes Sadai to live, what makes you think we will let you?"
because i am already dead. the ogier...thing...replies in a serious tone. if you hadnt noticed...i had suffered some wounds that should have killed a normal ogier. perhaps youd like to test this out?
Bormanes gawks as the heavily wounded Ogier comes into the room, somehow not dead. His gawking turns to shock and horror as the Ogier - no, creature - appears to drain the life out of the sul'dam. He looks from the corpse to the monster, then to Elathras as the other threatens the monster, then back to it. Coming to a decision, he wipes his sword upon Manwhen's dress, then sheathes it and puts a hand on Elathras's arm. "I suspect that any attempt to kill him will result only in your death. Save your strength, and fight another day."
Taking a deep breath and stepping forward, he says to Amorial, "How did you come to be this way?"
Sighing, the creature takes a final look at Elathras and then glides over to a bench and sits down upon it.
That is a long story wrapped into an even longer story. But to give the short short version: My name is Amorial Suth, and as the common folk will say, one of the Dragon's Companions.
The name of the creature twings a distant memory in the back of your head, but its the name Dragon's companions that makes you do a double take.
Stories from when you were a child come flooding back, about an ogier, some aiel, and others who saved the Wheel itself. The Dragon fought the Dark One for control over Creation, but it was these companions, these select few, who saved the Wheel upon which Creation itself spins. An aiel who became the next Car'a'corn, a firebrand aes sedai who single handedly has saved hundreds of damane from the collar, a wolf brother who seeks the greatest of adventures, a borderlander who loved an Aiel, an Aiel wise one who was betrayed and consumed by the Dark One himself...the stories go on and on.
He wasnt sure what to make of any of this, what he did know was that he wasnt happy about any of it either. His eyes widened at the monstrosity that looked ogier and he gagged a little when the creature somehow drained the Sul'dam to ... to...
"Blood and ashes..."
He whispered harshly sliding close to his friend Elathras but keeping a lane clear for his arrow if death was to come to them all today. Seeing what that creature did to the Seanchan woman he had no doubts they would all die if it turned violent, but he wasnt going to go quietly if it were his time.
'One of the Dragon's companions, that's a story I'd like to hear, better tone it down. anyway he's right, what are we going to do to that thing, even with the Seanchan's help it couldn't end well.'Turning as Bormanes rests his hand on Elathras sword arm, he winks "I figured you Norden would handle him. Or maybe he'd blow up like the Aes Sadai."
'At least Jair is keeping his wit's about him, hopefully we'll get out of this alive.' smiling at Jair, "Blood and bloody ashes is right."
'May as well get as much information as we can.' Sheathing his sword as the creature sits down, he shrugs and asks, "So can you at least tell us which side your on and what the blazes is going on?" taking a seat as well, "And what the heck is a 'Norden'?"
Bormanes whispers, "I have no idea what a Norden is."
Once Amorial reveals who he is, Bormanes' jaw drops. Stories of the Dragon's Companions, who had saved the wheel itself, had been popular in Cairhien - indeed, noble families often tried to tie their ancestors to them for status and prestige. That he should meet one was incredible...but how was it that such a venerated person could be such a monster.
He left Elathras to ask the questions he wished to, waiting for further answers before chiming in.
I am on the side of Light...No, that isnt correct. that is to... amorial waves his hand in the air as he looks up towards the ceiling, searching its dusty vaults for the right word. To limiting. My experience in dealing with the Grey man has opened my mind to greater potentials that exist beyond Light and Dark. I guess you could say that I am on the side of Balance. Without Light, there is only Darkness. With only Light, there is no Darkness. Each can exist without the other, yet together, in harmony, they create something more.
Looking down from the rafters above, his eyes alight upon Elathras. I know not who or what the Norden are. It is strange. I know the Old Tongue, and several dialects of the language that were spoken during the Age of Legends, yet never in all of my readings have i encountered the word, or the base phrase of Norden.
"Who is the 'Grey Man'? Are you referring to the Soulless?" Bormanes asked, not sure what to make of this.
What does he mean on the side of 'Balance?' I don't think he's a creature of the Dark One, but with his taint being what it is...
Isa's eyes were as wide with shock as any of the wetlanders, her people's storied stoicism deserting her at the sight of the sul'dam being drained of life. Worse, for a split moment before the sul'dam stepped forward that Isa herself had felt a desire to 'help' this creature. Light! Could that have been her lying on the ground now?
Rattled as she has not been in a long, long time, it was all she could do not to raise her veil, but she forced herself not to and instead content herself with silently sliding off to the creature's flank.
Light, souless, a grey man? balance? What are they talking about? And what does any of it have to do with us? Can he truly be one of the Companions?
Trying to will her heart to slow its racing, she tries to concentrate on the conversation.
"And if you don't know what a Norden is, did you know what the Aes Sed... what she intended? How did you come to be here at just this moment? And who was that other man, the one you fought?"
Lucius finds his voice finally, though it still holds a bit of the horror at what this "Ogier" did, "The man he fought below was Jasper Firewyn, a traitor and renegade Ash'aman, though it pains me to admit he was once one of us. He hunts us out of spite because he was not made our leader, and destroyed our chapterhouses in Tear and Cairhienin. He was very powerful - from what I felt when he channeled he was even more powerful than my order truly understood - and very dangerous. I am curious to know if you defeated him, if you killed him, or did he escape?"
Nay, Cairheiner. You think of the Gray men, people who give up their souls to the Dark One to obtain power, only to find that said power is limited to those deadly missions that is needed by the Forsaken...well, that were needed. The Grey man is a being who ensures that the wheel continues to spin, no matter what. Trollocs win a war, the Wheel turns. An army of Aes Sedai and commoners destroy the Trolloc army, the Wheel Turns. A bird is born, the Wheel Turns. A young child dies, the Wheel Turns. The Light is concerned about creation, while the Dark, ergo the Dark One, is concerned about him-Its-self, seeks to undermine creation, or to remake it how It chooses. Unless the Dark One wishes to destroy the Wheel upon which the weave of creation is woven, then the Wheel turns. No matter what happens, the Wheel will always turn. That is what i mean by Balance. I have seen the center of the Wheel, and it was incredible.
as for how i came to be here, and why; for years, the Aes Sedai have been using this place as an exchange point for spys. It actually started a couple years after i settled here in Weathertop. At the time, the tension between the western lands and the Empire was growing, and i knew whoever controlled Weathertop would have an advantage. so to keep things even, i took control of this place. I had been for years travelling around with my companion, who kept me fed and helped fend off the Yearning, but i really couldnt settle down to work on my books, or publish my experiences. there were too many distractions. Two years after i settled down, an Aes Sedai and Asha'man came here to talk about the possibility of using this as an exchange point. i agreed in exchange for having one channeler stay with me for one year. What you saw just now is the very extreme of what my need to feed can cause. i hate doing it, but when i must, i must. I feel terrible, and as such i should hope that i wont have to feed again for several years, unless Jasper shows up again.
which brings me to Jasper. I knew about jasper the moment he stepped foot into this Little blight. I knew all of you were here. You see, the little blight is bound to me, much as i am bound to it. It is my safe haven, and now my prison. I fear that i could leave, but in doing so i would die, or worse, survive in such a weakened state that i couldnt even feed.
Jasper though...well, he has been here before. was actually one of the first ones to stay with me. He was smart....way way to smart. He was the one who helped me publish my paper on portal stones and multi-world travelling. We would discuss so many things, what the various worlds were like, how they were different, how the same. then we bore down into what would cause a secondary world to come into existence, if it was always there, like a shadow, until an event or events created it into a reality like our own.
One day, Jasper decided to investigate the portal stones. I had an old map that showed the location of 3 portal stones that were in less populated areas. There were a couple others, one down in tear, another in Rhuidean, cairhein, tar valon, and so on. Jasper went out and inspected 10 stones in total. He found that each stone had 128 individual markings upon them, but each stone had different markings. we surmised that these stones were then links to other realms that were similar and some that werent. Stones with a greater number of symbols, we surmise, led to a realm more like ours. So with more random symbols, with fewer similarities, led to realms that an event happened that changed it so much that its no longer like ours. The Dragon once reported a realm where everyone had died, except for Trollocs. The linked Portal stone only had 12 markings similar to that found in tar valon, while the stones between tear and rhudiean had 98 similar markings....Sorry, i digress. Jasper came up with this idea of multi-realm strength, that in the realms that closely link to ours (and those that dont), that if you exist here, then chances are you exist out there as well. But, the energy, Saidar and Saidan, are spread between you evenly. If you remove one, then the spread becomes less spread. Remove another, then it contracts, so on and so on. He came up with the idea that if you removed all other versions of yourself, and you were the only one, then all that Saidar and saidan would then be directed towards you alone.
Isa’s head felt like it was spinning. A companion that traveled with and kept this Amorial ‘fed’, little blights and being prisoner to it, keeping balance between light and dark, portals and multi-world traveling, strange markings similar and dissimilar….. it was a lot to take in, and much beyond her. Shaking her head, she focusses in on what seemed the most important, or at least most immediate.
"So this Jasper would travel to these... other worlds to hunt the other Jaspers in order to become more strong in the Power here in this world? Do you know why he came back here? For you, or something in the tower? Or was it tied to whatever she was up to?" She nods at the dead Aes Sedai.
After glancing around, she adds, ”And is he gone?”
Looking as Isa, he nods. Well, according to the theory, this world is the Normal or real world. All the others are just alternates. or perhaps we are an alternate to another. It is a difficult concept to explain in one setting. If we had 5 years, you could have a better understanding. The ogier chuckles to himself.
As for why...well, yes. i do have an idea. Actually, it was I who gave him that idea.
Amorial shakes his head and runs his hand through his long hair, before giving it a slight tug. A small patch of hair tears off from his scalp without Amorial giving it a passing notice.
One night i had postulated that it would be possible, if one was strong enough, to be able to mimic what the Aes Sedai did on accident in the Age of Legends...He means to release the Dark One again.
Bormanes, who had been quietly trying to absorb all this, explodes with, "Release the Dark One? Why? What possible reason could he have to do so? And where is he now?"
'So somewhere out there is an Elathras who stayed home and ran the tavern, I wonder if I go kill him if I can pour a beer better.' Distracted by his own thoughts, Elathras refocused when Isa asked about jaspers survival, 'That does seem to be relevant.' Turning as the ogier points out that he had postulated that it would be possible to release the dark one, 'I thought he said he wanted balance, how would releasing the dark one maintain balance?' Looking from Amorial to Bormanes. He nods, "Yes, and what does any of this have to do with us?"
sheer dumb luck amorial answers elathras. but, now the world, nay,all the worlds now have a chance. because all of you survived.
Jasper is strong. very strong. on par with the Dragon. more so, id hazard to say. but he isnt strong enough to pierce The Pattern. He needs a focal point. He needs to reassemble the Bore
i dont know where he is, but i know of a place where he needs to go.
.
"Where is that? If this Jasper is still a threat than the Wise Ones should be made aware of what is happening. The Aes Sedai and Asha'man as well."
"Agreed. There are a lot of people who need to be told about this. We also need to tell them that the attack on Kandelmar is not Seanchan, but part of a plot by Jasper, as well."
"I am going to hazard you are about to tell us there is no time for that."
He muttered. Like Elathras he was trying to wrap his mind about what the strange and scary Ogier was saying. An immensely strong male channeler had discovered a way to make himself stronger by absorbing other hims throughout the weave on other alternate places that he existed? He couldnt wrap his head around that but he supposed it was possible.
"I was paid to accompany the Aes sedai and her uh apprentice until their business was done. I dont break my word, blood and ashes as foolish of me as that sounds, so until you say so I go where you go."
He said nodding to Dahlia.