The Wolf lord bends at the waist and begins to lope back to the farm house.
Upon seeing the shape in the sky, Keelix gathers what game he has found thus far and begins heading back to the farmhouse, making his best possible speed.
Fia nods at Ryland, grabs her skirts in her fists and runs .
Litheene is happy to see Vala talking about her sword mastery and regain her confidence.
After they finish setting up defenses, she takes out 40 coins, setting them before her, and holds a dagger in her hand. Splitting them into 4 pile, she inscribes the letters: A, R, F, L, on the left side of each heads. All the coins in each pile get the same inscription, each pile with a different letter. She then inscribes an arrow in the middle, to the right of the letter on each coin, and then more letters right of the arrow. For each pile, the letters: RY, V, KE, S, L, F, RL, A, KO, RH appear on the right.
When she is done, Litheene calls up Ryvin, handin her the pile starting with R on the left. These are yours. Familiarize yourself with them, then use them as trace tokens to give the others. If we are split, especially if we try using Traveling, those will be of at most importance. The left mark the giver, the right the receiver. We will also make sure that all of us know how to use the trace weave. If Kodokura can use the Saidin version, I'll make more coins for him.
Litheene looks at her pile of coins for a while, feeling them with spirit, until she is confident in her ability to trace them. Afterwards, she gives coins to Ryvin, Rhoekk and Vala, bidding them to hold to it, and explaining it's importance. I know we have the bond she says to Vala But with all the other things happening recently, it won't hurt to be extra careful.
Speaking of which, we still don't know where we are. The trace gave me an idea though Litheene weaves again the tracing of Jasper, and tries to sense the direction and location of him, regarding to herself, probing on the net of spirit that delves the pattern.
"Does making these into trace tokens a weave of some sort?" Ryvin asks, slightly dubious as she eyes the coins. "They kicked me out when I was still a Novice, mind... Most of what I know, I figured out myself."
After this brief exchange with Litheene, Ryvin turns to Vala.
"So... how about a lesson?" she asks, sounding eager. "I'd like to start as soon as possible. I think we've all seen the Power is not the be-all and end-all in every situation. I'd like to be ready."
No, the weave is needed to find them Litheene shows Ryvin the Tracing of Jasper, as the spirit web spreads into the Pattern. Using this weave you can locate another person. However, it has limited distance and time, that is greatly amplified should the person have a trinket you gave them. You need to familiarize yourself with the coins to "feel" for them, and have a connection with the coins to help you focus during the weave. Worst case scenario, you might be able to find the trinket itself if it was lost, helping to gather information of the whereabouts of the person.
Looking at Ryvin she smiles."I would love to teach you a few things. I don't know how well I can teach you maneuvers right now but I can try" She says as she than looks to Litheene.
"Litheene does this mean its a more accurate ability for the other channelers to find any of us? I ask because couldn't our enemies do the same?" She asked interested in how the whole thing works.
Well, Litheene considers I doubt it will allow other channelers to find us. It can be seen as a weaker form of the bond for locating purposes. The Trace weave allows to try and find a known person. If the person holds an item given to him by the one weaving, then it will help the weave. But another user of the weave will not gain the benefit.
Litheene tenses as she sees others rush in for the farmhouse We you attacked? she calls, embracing Saidar, and looking for any sign of danger.
Kodo enters the house in a rush, blowing hard, his face flushed, hand in hand with Alathea. "There's... something... overhead. Winged beast..." He coughs, his thin chest convulsing. "We must... hide... prepare for..." he wheezes, trailing off into another hacking cough.
Burn this frail body! Kodo rages internally. I'm no good to anyone if I fall over from lack of fitness...
"No, but there was a huge... I'll call it a lizard... flying in the air as a bird, heading Northwest." Fia calls ahead in response to Litheene's question. Seeing that everything seemed fine here, she slows a bit as she nears the building.
"Those with me in that other place already carry something of mine for just this purpose. But I will add these coins for the rest of you."
Alathea stands close to Kodokura as he gives his breathless report and looks at Litheene and Ryvin curiously. Are they expecting the Dark One himself to come and attack this place? But then, if what Kodokura saw is trouble, their preparations might not be so overwrought. She takes the coins that Litheene gives her without comment, then slips them into a belt pouch.
Upon hearing Fiallain corroborate Kodokura's claim, Alathea lets out a breath that she'd been unaware she was holding. How could I think that he was seeing things? But...how can I not? With a squeeze to Kodokura's hand, she asks her sister, "You have seen this flying beast too, yes?"
"Yes." Fia replies simply. "It is why we have returned so soon. In case it meant trouble. It could also be why there has been so little game. It had the look of a predator."
Just sayin. ;)
Noticing Alathea's sense of relief at Fia's confirmation of the creature, Kodo stiffens, his head half-turning towards her. Looking at her sideways, he murmurs, "I saw it. It was real. I'm not mad." Though his voice is soft, there is an intensity to the words, the last two almost a growl. His eyes flash briefly, then he frowns and looks away, releasing her hand as he does so.
Hand on his sword hilt, the asha'man moves to the door frame, peering out at the sky while obviously attempting to stay out of sight. "What defences do we have?" he asks, businesslike.
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Alathea's face flushes, though even she can't decide whether she's angry or embarrassed. She reaches for Kodokura's hand but stops herself, then steps away from him, glaring.
As Litheene hear the description of what she clearly recognizes as Raken, the word escapes her lips. You saw a Raken. Considering the size of Seanchan, and the randomness of our travel, it is likely we are on the west side of the ocean. Her tone goes flat and business like right from the middle of the first sentence. Breathing slowly, to not over stress her body, she considers. If anything, we have edge over the Seanchan, and at least the Adam is not the same threat as it was. She avoids indulging her emotion which boils at the though of using the other power, and to fight Suldam, exquisite! The rage and lust are carefully kept at bay inside.
Raken are beast used by Seanchan forces. Did you see it carrying a scout? Litheene describes the uniform of the Fists to her companions.
Litheene nods hearing about Fia's use of trace objects, quietly acknowledging her.
In response to Kodokura's question she points at the surrounding defenses. Those places, there, there and ... there, are fortified with air. Same for the building. The ward against Shadowspawn will protect everything except our sleeping area. We need to fill it with bags or light to avoid Fades. Air protects the holes in the building and above the whole area as well. Everything's inverted naturally. Ryvin really knows well how to fortify a place
Vala slowly got to her feet and looked at Litheene and than to the others."If we are in Litheenes place a birth than they use their female channelers as weapons right?' she asks as she steels her face despite the struggle with her body.
"So we are well prepared to take a siege, but we will still need to fight in melee. So I saw we alternate watch schedule and keep alert until we figure out where we are and what we do from here" she says before she succumbs to her own body and slides down to sit on the floor.
"We also have trenches filled with stakes," Ryvin reports. "But if we're in the seven-times-bedamned Seanchan homelands, we need to get out of here and fast. A pack of damane could rip through these defences the way I'd rip through a sheet of paper!"
"I could not tell if it carried anyone Litheene Sedai. It moved too quickly back into the clouds.
Fia remained silent through most of the following exchange. Her experience with Seanchen was limited to only what had been encountered at Jareen's estate, and in that encounter it had been the Aielman working with Jareen that had been most difficult to deal with... though such was only to be expected of course. Well, him and the black sister, she amended to herself.
She did nod however at Ryvin's suggestion to leave. If this beast was a scout, then it would be best to not be where a potential enemy expects you to be.
What was that? Alathea didn't deserve that... Am I mad? Somewhat ashamed and unsure how to deal with Alathea's reaction, Kodo turns to the immediate danger. "I can't be sure, but I didn't see a rider." He thinks briefly over the little he knows of the Seanchan. "So... Female channelers are at risk of being captured and enslaved, yes? How well prepared are their channelers for men like me?"
"That depends," Ryvin asks. "How prepared are you to ward off a dozen attempts to shield you at a time? I never saw damane link, but they act like trained dogs. They'll hammer a target as a team."
Kodo turns to Ryvin, obviously not enamoured of her blunt and negative stance. "Yes, but if we are linked, they will struggle to shield any of us. And it would be a simple thing, what with our angreal and our combined power, to simply... cut them off." His voice is cold as he speaks of Stilling the enslaved channelers.
"True," Ryvin concedes, cocking her head and narrowing her eyes as she considers. "Tsss. If we're to fight damane, though, I'd prefer to do it from ambush. Cut them off before they can get a hit in. There will be soldiers as well. There always were, when they still had me on the leash and we had to go out."
For a moment, Ryvin fingers the heavy, and above all spiky dog-collar she has been wearing ever since Mazrim Taim's palace. It seems to be an unconscious gesture, just checking whether it is still there.
"So if any enemies come at us, it'd probably be best from a strategic viewpoint to hit them with something big and lethal from ambush," she continues, her voice clinical. "Such as the largest Fireball we can muster with a link and those 'greal.
Did you guys find any good spots to look down on the surrounding country from? Knowing where the enemy is coming from would be highly useful, if we're not leaving. And if we are leaving... I recommend we hurry, so the residue will have time to dissipate. We don't want those filthy, soulless sul'dam getting a whiff of inversion or Traveling."
"We are waisting time defending this farm. We will not stand against a large force for long and they will bring more to reinforce them. We must remain mobile to survive."
"Yes, Even if we could withstand them at first, if they come in numbers they will simply pin us down here while they get reinforcements. We have no food and little water and will quickly tire in any sort of siege. Ryland has the right of it. If we fear an attack, then we need to move."
"Do either of you know how far those things typically roam when scouting? If we knew that, we could have a general sense of how much time we have, assuming it saw us.
Kodo also nods at Ryland's words. "Good point, Ryland. But move to where? Would it be possible to Travel somewhere?"
Damane can't link. The Adam is a link, of sorts, and prevents another one. If we link, they will have a hard time succeeding, but it is not a sure proof defense. Taking down the Suldam however, or removing the bracelet, will incapacitate a Damane. It should also be noted that Suldam have the potential to channel. A women must have, to hold an Adam. Perhaps it is possible to sever them, rending an Adam "unheld" so to speak, and the Damane powerless. This might just as well sever the Damane however, I never heard of such an attempt. Litheene eyes the skies, somewhat distracted as she speaks.
If we wish to travel, I can open a Gateway to any other known location at once. But ... it sounds weird, for a Raken to fly without a rider. I would think it is best to have at least a vague idea of were we are first.
Kodo frowns, considering Litheene's words. "If we are possibly under attack, and we have the means to get to somewhere safer, and you are concerned about the Seanchan learning the weaves for Travelling, wouldn't it make sense to get away from here immediately? If we stay and get attacked by damane, are we willing to stay and die to protect that secret? What do we gain by staying and learning where we are? That is a high risk for no discernable reward - a poor strategy. I say we go, and go now, even if it's to the den of Aes Sedai that is Salidar." While Kodo's words remain cool and calm, there is certainly an alert stiffness to his demeanor - he appears much like a coiled spring, waiting to be unleashed.
Because knowing were we are might affect how best to protect the said secret. Specifically, it is unlikely that the Seanchan will be able to discover it if we do decide to flee, as it requires familiarity with Traveling weaves, knowledge about inverted weaves, and the actual Gateway. We might give them a step on the road, which is bad, but not catastrophic by itself. If on the other hand, we are in Shara, or somewhere else unknown, then we have no idea of what knowledge people here posses, if there are people, and thus might actually reveal more to them by our attempted escape. As much as I am in favor of getting away from Seanchan, Gatewaying ourselves blindly around might not be a good call. Litheene's eyes keep scouting the skies while she speaks, her voice slow, and breathing slightly heavy, as if she ran, even though she didn't.
Alathea nods in agreement with Kodokura. "He is right, yes? We have no reason to be here other than that we found ourselves here, and no explanation why if we are asked. We have made this place into a fortress with enough saidar, I would guess, to be felt from miles away. It is only a matter of time before others come to investigate. I do not wish to be here when they do, yes? We do not have to Travel to do so, but we should not stay."
Kodo sees Alathea's expression as she fumes, and flushes himself a little. I need to apologise. Later, not right now, and not in front of everyone...
As Alathea speaks, Kodo relaxes a little. She's far too sensible to let my outburst interfere with important matters like this. He returns his focus to the possible emergency at hand.
Still coughing gently under his breath, Kodo turns to Litheene, a quizzical expression on his face. "I don't understand - if we leave now, isn't that the best way to protect your secret?" He then notices Litheene's strange demeanor and heavy breathing. Light, she looks as if she's about to pass out, or like she's... with a man. "Are... are you alright, Lady?" he enquires politely.
Apparently needing something to occupy her hands, Alathea idly twists her hair into a loose braid. Throwing a considering glance at Kodokura, she says, "If we are found here, we will have to answer many difficult questions? Better to find another shelter or somewhere we can blend in, yes?"
Kodo nods at Alathea's words, even as he eyes her hair stylings uneasily. "So, we go then? By foot if not Gateway?" He looks to the thus far silent others for their opinions on the matter.
" If we travel By foot I will doom you all" She says with her stern cold voice."I feel odd, my body unused to the babe inside me. I can do little more than spectate right now. However i do say we need to move,but I don't think I can keep up if we go at to swift a pace" she admits.
"Don't fret so, teacher," Ryvin says. "I think we can bring you along without any difficulty."
Ryvin starts to channel, layering veils of Air in mid-air and inverting them as she channels, until the construct takes the form of an easy chair. A chair on wheels...
Litheene's eyes drop from the sky, looking in Kodokura's, as if seeing him there for the first time Yes, yes I am fine. I just did not sleep very well. Maybe we should flee? I am tired but then images flash across Litheene's mind. The Suldam that trained her, the cells, escape, like a rat running away, the fear. And then the monster in the laboratory. The pitiful creature, that others were so afraid of, covering in pain and fear, killing itself, sub-servant to her might. Only it's face is the face of the Suldam ...
Litheene shakes her head, and her usual composure returns. Maybe you are right. Maybe it is best to Gateway ourselves to somewhere else. Any preferable locations?