The man stood on a balcony, overlooking a shoreline where the waves hurls themselves upon the rocks far below. The thunder of the waves vibrates the stone balcony and standing mansion. The room he stands in is ornate for this time period, wall screens from beyond the ayrth ocean depicting old wars and deeds of heroics, spears from cairhein with tassels denoting house colors, along with swords and paintings from Tear. A wine rack, standing waist high, runs the length of room, every slot holding dark bottles, some wrapped in layers of gauze.
The man himself turns, and the two others standing within the room are startled by his appearance; commanding, charismatic, and yet something else shocks them. Black flecks float across his eyes at a rapid speed, the sheer amount almost turning his blue eyes black, yet they do not hinder his sight. His broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long powerful legs are wrapped in black clothing, tinged with a slight red color at the seams.
We have a problem. He says simply. the two cringe in fear.
There is an unexpected development in my plans. These outsiders, may alter the pattern in an unexpected way, and i despise surprises. Walking past the two figures, he passes through an otherwise solid wall, dismissing the illusion of a solid wall.
Heading into the hidden room, the man flicks his gaze upon the torches hanging on the wall; moments later they spark into flame, providing illumination within the smelly, dank room.
The two people, no strangers to torture, blanch at the sight of the figure upon the table. Held down by leather straps, arms and legs held wide denote dislocation upon the major joints. Various cuts and lacerations cover the body, causing it to be colored a bright red sheen.
The person, a woman, who is strapped to the table moans, from the sudden light, and the movement of air upon her body, firing pain through nerve endings. She moans again.
What we have here is someone who broke one of the tennants of the Dark Lord. One who thought she was above our Lords rules. But, as she experiences now, she is not, and this is a costly mistake. For not only did she travel here, but she brought along others. Ones who may be a threat to my plans. In their attempt to return to their own realm, they may upset what i have wrought to date.
The man pulls a knife, a vile sort of darkness surrounds the blade, a taint upon the metal itself. The man walks up and lays it upon her naked flesh; she writhes silently in pain as the blade seems to do more than damage her, instead it corrupts and then decays her flesh upon her calf. Dried drops of flesh fall to the table below, causing the two women, hardened by the vileness of being Forsaken can be, blanch at this sight.
Lanfear, Moghedien, you both displease me. Find these outsiders and return them to their own land. But! do not kill them. I do not know what sort of affect that will have upon the pattern. Do not fail me, lest you suffer this fate as this oustide Aes Sedai brought upon herself.
The sun was setting low on the horizon as Fia turned to walk towards the hut and the others. Her chest and ribs seemed on fire, bruised and sore from her brush with death earlier. Her heart beat faster at the thought of the tight crushing weight of the buildings trapping her. Of all the careless, stupid ways to go... She hoped her ribs were only bruised and not broken. She would not seek healing, at least not unless she started to slow the others down. The pain would be a lesson and a reminder.
Moving to check on Matt and Alathea, she considered embracing the source to try to weave the flows of spirit, water, and air to aid in their recovery, but thought better of it. She wasn't sure how safe they truly were here. Besides their rescuer had said that Alathea should awaken by morning. If he was wrong she did not, well then she would try to bring her around herself.
She moved on to Matt, a thought tickling her mind. What was it he said when he burst back into the stable? He had seemed to think Ryland had done something to alert the guards... and yet Ryland had been sleeping with the rest of us in that loft. How could he have, unless...? She glanced at the borderlander then walked over towards him. Ryland? I would speak with you."
Taking her friend over to the side, she asks simply, "Did something happen in the loft back in the stables? Cauthon seemed to think you had done something, yet you were with us the whole time."
The man speaks again to Kodokura, speaking a line that is very much a slap in the face to the former asha'man.
You are not a man, unless you are whole. Those around you only see you as a hindrance, a half-man. Try all you will, the one you care for doesnt see you until you are wholewith that, the man slips into the crowd, disappearing from sight.
When the group reaches the shack in the riverbed the leaden-eyed Shienaran lays Alathea on the ground gently near the firewood, then half-collapses wearily beside her. After a moment, he stirs himself once more to see that she is covered and has at least some kind of makeshift pillow before hunkering down once more in a cross legged position by her side, eyes lowered.
As night falls, and the fire is kindled, Kodo barely moves. He stares vacantly into the flickering flames, his eyes hooded.
Son, you will be reborn, and become more powerful than what you once were... The strange man's voice whispers through his mind, teasing him with possibilities.
No! I am but a piece of meat, waiting to die! Don't torture me with hope! I cannot feel it. Leave me...
But the voice is relentless. Have faith, there is one who can heal you, and she lives. She will find you when you are at your most desperate. have faith in yourself, the creator, and the Mistress....
Faith. I remember that, like I remember seeing a shadow on the wall. Faith in my power, faith in the Light... Now there is nothing. Have faith in a Mistress I've never met..? The flames flicker in Kodokura's black orbs, but reflect no heat.
You are not a man, unless you are whole. Those around you only see you as a hindrance, a half-man. Try all you will, the one you care for doesn't see you until you are whole
Kodo's eyes slowly close under the weight of those remembered truths. Of course she doesn't see me. I am invisible to myself. A ghost. A ghost that hasn't realised he is dead yet.
As the day's travails catch up with him, Kodo lays down, his back close to Alathea, his face against the dirt of the riverbed. His breathing deepens as he slips away into sleep.
Lay down, ghost. Lay down and die...
Ryland nods his head at his friend before holding up his hands. "I should have known not to do it because of what we had been told, but I heard another Wolf Brother and answered him. I have only spoken to wolves, never another Wolf Brother. I guess he could figure out where we were because of that. This is still all so new to me and I do not understand any of it. That and in my dreams my sword is a man and teaches me sword forms. " The woodsman laughs a little manically before running his up his face and through his short cropped hair. "What is wrong with this world Fia? I think it is all about to make me insane."
Fiallain nods, taking in Ryland's words. "This place sets me on edge as well. Everything seems opposite from what is right and what is real. But we must still do what we must and not let that affect us, no matter how wrong this place may be." From her tone it seems she is speaking as much to herself as to the woodsman. The Aiel tilts her head, eyeing her companion curiously. How do you speak with wolves anyway? And this wolf brother, was he also in your dreams as with the sword? Or did he speak before you slept? I ask because there is another place, a world of dreams, only there they are more real than our normal dreams. The wise ones know it and make use of it, speaking to others through it and even entering it when asleep. The wise one Inorial spoke briefly of it between ordering me to go dig and fill holes. It was a skill I was and intend still to learn."
Can the wolfbrothers touch this dreamworld, or am I simply leaping to silly conclusions that aren't there because of the strangeness of this place? If he is touching that world, or being drawn into it, it would be well to know. Perhaps we can help each other learn. Or guard our backs.
She eyes Ryland intently a moment before continuing. "Do your dreams feel odd here? As if they were more real than they should be? What of the one with the man teaching you the sword?"
"The man is the sword, the one we recovered before we came to this world. Only now it speaks to me in my dreams." The Boarderlander shows her the sword, now a Warder's sword on his hip. It changed to this after my first dream. It says it is to protect the Dragon at the final battle and I must learn to use it properly to do so.
As for the Wolf brother he spoke into my head when I was holding guard at the loft when we changed. I have had dreams where there was wolves that protected me from things. As I said, I do not know how any of this works."
Light she must think me as crazy as an Asha'man now.
A wetlander sword that becomes a man claiming that he was to defend the Car'a'Carn at Tarmon Gaidon? Coming from another, I would think him either mad or full of tall tales. This is beyond strange! Did it truly change in form? I did not pay it much heed before...
I have never heard of such a thing as this sword that can teach one to use it in his dreams. I still wonder if it is connected to the Wise One's dreamworld somehow? Fia asks cautiously. It is unfortunate there is not one nearby whom we could ask. It must have been powerwrought, I would guess. I wonder if Alathea might know more than I. She was studying at the tower after all.
And also the wolves protect him in his dreams? Coincidence? Fancy? Something... else? So much we don't know...
the night sets upon the Cairhein grasslands, leaving you all to wonder what has just happened within the last 24 hours. From being in your own world, with the other half of your group, attempting to find out who and what happened to the inn keeper, and to find the grey man, to now in a land, a world, where the female channeler is despised due to saidar being tainted.
The small fire, built for cooking than illumination, pops as grease from the meats falls into the hot coals. Small lanterns provide illumination throughout the small shack along the small river that courses through the dominating landscape.
One by one, you all drift off, leaving Rhoekk to stay awake and provide first watch...
.. only to have him as well fall asleep...
You all stand upon the hill that overlooks the small shack. A dull light pervades the landscape, neither bright nor dark. No shadows are cast, as if it is a cloudy day.
Looking to your left and to the right, you see everyone standing with you. Ryland, RHoekk, alathea, kodokura, Fiallian. Yet, Ryland appears different. Sitting next to him is a wolf, the largest that you have ever seen. Its head stands at shoulder height when it sits, its large golden eyes the size of platters, its teeth as long as a dirk. Its fur is golden, matching the same hue as its eyes. On the other side of Ryland stands a man, skinny yet strong, wearing a nobles outfit, made of the finest silk. A sword, a warders sword, hangs sheathed upon his side.
So, you are them? A voice, a voice distorted, twisted, tainted, speaks from afar, yet sounding next to your ear.
Glancing about, you spot a figure standing upon the hill top directly south of your location. The figure is wrapped in robes and a binding rope. Around its wrists a rope is tied off three times upon each wrist, binding the figures' arms to its sides. The dark cowl of the hood moves subtly, and it takes you a moment to realize that it is looking at each of you.
Your exploits preceed you, foreigners from afar. You helped kill several dozen citizens within cairhein when you escaped, and you are stirring things up when you did escape, since no one has ever done that before. Perhaps you are ta'averen?
within the blink of an eye, the figure stands next to kodokura, who involuntarily gasps as he sees into the shadowy hood.
One stands with you that is needed in the mountains. He is the key. One amongst you is the Alpha of Alphas amongst all the wolves, one is the greatest warrior of the land, one shall lead her people to awaken from the Great Dream, and one shall forsake everything to achieve balance. And yet, the figure turns, staring at kodokura there is one, one who i speak to, that is worse. He is a half man, not a warrior, not a poet, not a singer nor even a farmer. the very ground despises where you step; and any seed planted by him withers in the ground, dying. His destiny is unknown, for he is not part of the pattern, and anything he touches becomes unraveled from the pattern. His fate is worse than the wasting sickness the dark one has placed upon saidar. BUT the figure whirls around, pointing at everyone
but, he musnt give up hope. For, to achieve balance, one must have opposites of equal measure.
the figure turns and looks at Kodokura again, then disappears.
The landscape shifts, and suddenly you all awaken in the shack, the stench of decayed flesh filling the shack.
Ryland leaps to his feat drawing his warder's sword spinning around as if the woodsman was in search of something to attack. "Burn me! Tell me you all had the same dream I did! Fia! Tell me you did!"
"Peace, Ryland," Fia replies, much more calmly than she actually felt. Her gaze sweeps the group, taking them all in. "I did. I would wager we all did. I would also wager that we were just in the dream world I spoke of earlier. But how and why? And who was that in the robes?" and what is that stench? Wasting sickness?
Seeing Alathea conscious, she smiles at her. "It is good to see you awake my friend."
Kodokura struggles to his feet wearily, his eyes on the dirt.
...The very ground despises where you step...
Face blank, he looks down at Alathea. Seeing her eyes open, his expression softens momentarily, before returning to its stony aspect. "How do you feel, Alathea Sedai?" he asks, holding out a hand to help her up.
Alathea opens her eyes tentatively. Her body aches, and her mind still swims with her dreams. But such things are unimportant now. She looks into Kodokura's eyes, then looks about the place in which she finds herself. After finding no immediate danger, she relaxes and returns to looking at Kodokura.
"I am well, I think." Raising her hand, she brushes his cheek. "But you, how do you feel?"
His destiny is unknown, for he is not part of the pattern, and anything he touches becomes unraveled from the pattern...
Kodo's eye twitches as Alathea's fingers near his face, almost as if expecting a blow.
His fate is worse than the wasting sickness the dark one has placed upon saidar...
As she touches him, he averts his face slightly, and raises his arm as if to move her hand away, but... the warmth of her skin against his cheek cuts through the numbness that pervades him, and stays his hand.
...but, he musnt give up hope. For, to achieve balance, one must have opposites of equal measure...
The words ring in his head without making sense, but one thing does. He moves his hand up to gently hold Alathea's hand against his face for a moment, before releasing it, and looking her in the face. "Aye, I'm alright," he murmurs. The hollowness in his eyes doesn't match his words, but there yet remains the merest flicker of life, of hope, within.
Kodo turns to the others. "Surely we are far enough away to risk Healing? Alathea Sedai could use it, as could he," he growls, motioning towards Mat.
I would gladly do what I can to heal them, should we as a group decide to take the risk, or should Alathea request it. I have been watching Cauthon as well and do not think he is in immediate danger. I was going to wait until whomever is meeting us tomorrow arrived to get their opinion before blindly touching the source." She watches the pair a moment before going over and squatting in Aiel fashion in front of Alathea. Peering critically at the other woman's pupils she asks with a faint smile, You've had a long day. Would you like healing?
Alathea shakes her head. "Light, I feel like I've been trampled by a herd of pigs, but I do not think that Healing is wise, yes? Not with our escape from Cairhein so recent, and with us so close to..." She trails off and looks about, trying to get a glimpse at where she is. "Where are we? We cannot be far out of the reach of these Children, yes?" She shakes her head. "No, we must not risk the saidar until we are safely away from Cairhein."
Fiallain nods in agreement with Alathea. "My thoughts exactly. Though we are outside Cairhien, we are less than a day's stroll from the walls. We are in a shack South by Southwest of the city. As we were retreating we were helped by a crowd that seemed led by an old man who told us to come here. I suspect he knew Cauthon. Said we couldn't let him die. Something about 'hope of salvation'. Oh, and he said there should be someone coming to meet us either tomorrow or the next day. This person should be then leading us to the next hut." She peers at her friend suspiciously. "Are you sure you'll be alright? You don't look so good."
The next morning brings a hazy dawn, fog lies thick upon the land, only to be baked off when the sun crests the horizon. The shallow river, where once it appeared to be knee deep, is now ankle deep. As the sun reveals its full orb in the sky, the heat magnifies, turning your dwelling into a sweathouse.
The stink, having lingered through the night, intensifies as the sun beats upon the roof, and the heat cooks the inside.
You must. He brings harm to the Dragon a mans voice pleads.
No. You must search on your own. Tell the other wolfbrothers that the Alpha has arrived, and he alone may request our help the wolf snaps off, before a final snarl severs connection inside your head.
Fia rises early, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She gets up and checks on her self-appointed charges. The heat did not bother her much. Nor even the stink that much. She was suddenly tired of being cooped up in cities and wetlander buildings and felt a need to have open sky above her again. She informs whomever might be up of her intentions, then peeks out the door, and if it looks clear, slips out of the door of the hut.
Ryland sits up and looks around, his mouth slightly open as he turns his head slowly from side. As if in a daze he gits to his feet and walks out side. "Fia. I heard the wolves. I am going to try to speak to them. If I go insane please put me down."
Without waiting for a response the woodsman walks a safe distance from the hut and sits on the ground. "I am Blood Dancer. Can you hear me?"
"I think it's me that's supposed to go insane, at least in this world." Fia grins then nods at Ryland and follows him, taking up a position where she can watch the surroundings as he does... whatever he planned to do.
"Are you sure this is wise Ryland? Last we knew, they were helpinf hunt us. Or at least the wolfbrothers were. Why would this be any different now?"
"Here, let me take a look at your wounds," Kodo murmurs to Alathea.
Having cleaned a large gash on Alathea's leg, Kodo rips the sleeve off his shirt to fashion a makeshift bandage for the wound. "You need to look after yourself better," he says wryly as he gently binds her leg.
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[dice=Heal]1d20+4
Having cleaned a large gash on Alathea's leg, Kodo rips the sleeve off his shirt to fashion a makeshift bandage for the wound. "You need to look after yourself better," he says wryly as he gently binds her leg.
Alathea smiles at Kodkura's joke and tries not to wince as he wraps her leg in bandages. But when he finishes, she does not smile. "I will look after myself better if you do the same, yes?"
Kodo leans back from his handiwork, squinting critically at the dressing. "Well, it won't do you any harm," he mutters.
Alathea smiles at Kodkura's joke and tries not to wince as he wraps her leg in bandages. But when he finishes, she does not smile. "I will look after myself better if you do the same, yes?"
Kodokura nods absently, eyes still on the bandages. "As you say, Alathea," he murmurs in a somewhat noncommittal fashion. He shakes his head at his efforts. "Apologies, Mistress. I'm no Healer, but there's not much I can do without some herbs for a poultice at least. Or, the Power..."
Alathea smiles again. "You did as well as you could, Kodokura." Appraising her leg, she shakes her head. "There is not much to be done, anyway. Some wounds need to heal on their own, yes?"
The wolves refuse to respond, but those others do.
Who is that? Blood dancer you say? where from? a voice shouts out.
Blood dancer. Rare name. Rarer how you came by that. Large battle...for a Dragon too another voice, oily, slick with intelligence.
Ach, I can smell da smell of madness upon dis one, lads. another voice, odd yet distinct, cries out from afar.
Hunt! we must hunt! Come hunt with us! a voice, near, powerful, sounds within your mind, echoing, enticing.
Will:
Ryland tries not to answer the other humans and attempt to contact a wolf.
Alathea smiles again. "You did as well as you could, Kodokura." Appraising her leg, she shakes her head. "There is not much to be done, anyway. Some wounds need to heal on their own, yes?"
And some wounds don't heal at all. Kodo nods resignedly. "We'll get you somewhere safe soon, Alathea Sedai. Hang in there."
Alathea smiles again. "You did as well as you could, Kodokura." Appraising her leg, she shakes her head. "There is not much to be done, anyway. Some wounds need to heal on their own, yes?"And some wounds don't heal at all. Kodo nods resignedly. "We'll get you somewhere safe soon, Alathea Sedai. Hang in there."
Kodo stands and places his hand on Alathea's shoulder for a moment, and despite himself, closes his eyes and reaches out to the Source. The terrible emptiness is there, waiting for him, threatening to swallow him whole and never let him go...
With a mental wrench, Kodo slams the door on that part of his soul once more. He opens his eyes, feeling shaken, but when he sees the bruised and battered young woman before him looking so determined and resolute, he tightens his expression to push his own pain away. He pats her shoulder gently and turns away. "I should see if I can do anything for this one," he says, gesturing to Mat.
He is putting on a good face, but he still hurts as badly as ever. What can I do?
Alathea nods at Kodokura's suggestion, and pulls herself into a seated position to observe. "That wound, there," she points, "That is not too serious. I would start with that one, yes? It needs to be cleaned, then bound with clean linen..."
After aiding as much as he can tending to the wounded, Rhoekk moves back to a watch position, standing ready for anything that might appear to be tracking them, and waiting for the team to ready itself to move.
Looking over Matt, you bandage his head, poke and prod his body, and overall, he is healthy, aside from the headwound. He is just unconscious at this moment.
Rhoekk sits near the top of the hill, his head barely rising above the wild wheat found upon the fields. The wind blows, and before his eyes the last of the tracks that marked his groups passing where blown out by the wind. Far out on the horizon, to the north, he sees a group of horses with riders upon them, riding from the east to the west. Yet, the surrounding area appears to be devoid of life, no birds, no crickets or grasshoppers, no chipmunks nor field mice skittering through the tall wheats. The lack of wildlife seems to unnerve him a little.
Rhoekk watches the horsemen, gauging to see if they might be part of an effort to find the group, or merely passing by.
Fia continues to scout and guard Ryland's back while the woodsman converses with the wolves.
Ryland stands and wipes sweat from his forehead as he looks over at Fia. "East. That is all the wolves said. I may have alerted others though, so we need to move soon."
Fia nods and rises from crouching amid the grass. "Rhoekk will be out here keeping watch. I will go and find him. One of us should scout to the east to see what the wolves speak of. Do you think they wanted us to go to the east? Or was it a warning that something comes from there?"
Ryland shakes his head and shrugs. "Of that I am not sure but it did not feel like a warning. I think we should go that direction."
She nods again. "Let's go talk to the others then. There is still the person that is supposed to meet us here as well."