Basic Elemental Manipulation - Lesson 1 [Repost]

[Kalthandrix]

Muirenn

 

OOC note: This is a closed thread. The following people are allowed to post:

1. Vykor

2. Noy

3. Vael

4. Ged

5. Hal

 

IC:

 

Etienne sat in the inn's common room, now used for a general mess hall, at a table alone. He had been instructed to take the newest batch of soldiers and introduce them to life at the Farm. It was a task he secretly enjoyed, but would never let on to anyone else. Being Cairhienin, he lived for rules and regulations, for perseverance in the face of certain defeat. And it certainly took perseverance to deal with the clod-footed farmers and half-rate mercenaries that generally turned up to serve in the "Lord Dragon's Army". It was definitely enough to drive a man to drink. But, he reflected, that was probably one of the main reasons he was often chosen for this duty. As much as he drank anyway, it probably didn't matter.

 

The long table was set only for one, but with brass candelabras along the center, which would likely come as a surprise to those who would be joining him soon. But not to any of the other residents of the Black Tower, who sat as far from the table as possible. They knew what was likely to happen this morning. Despite it being the morning meal, Etienne had a pitcher of spiced wine next to his plate, perfectly heated. He thought that Marden, the weaponsmaster, likely could keep up with him in terms of drink, but no one else around here seemed to have a well enough trained liver. The man himself would likely be as much of a surprise. Short and stout, he was Cairhienin to his toenails. The black coats of the Tower suited his Cairhienin ideas of fashion, sober and stark, the sword and dragon pins on his collar being a necessary flamboyance. Having been well into his fifth decade when he had begun to channel, he still looked the part, although oddly enough, he had noticed that recently the lines on his face seemed to be fewer in number. He sat as the table with an air of one absolutely in command of his surroundings, making him seem inches taller, a silver haired lord of the manor.

 

When the first soldier arrived, he waited as the man stammered something about this being his first lesson, and asking if he was Asha'man Etienne Tremares. Etienne set down his fork carefully, and wiped at his mouth with a napkin, then turned to the unfortunate first arrival. He noted that many of those in the common room were also eagerly awaiting the spectacle to follow. Most had been in the exact situation in the past several months.

 

"Boy, when you address a superior officer, you are to salute and offer your name and rank. Speak when given permission to speak, and only after you are recognized. Now. If you do not know the proper forms, go find someone who does to teach you, my eggs are getting cold," and with that he returned to his meal, the redfaced soldier going off to learn. He returned within a few moments, and saluted properly. Etienne gestured with his fork for the boy to sit, and he did. Etienne then continued to eat while waiting for the rest to arrive, going through the same ritual with each.

 

When all had arrived and were seated, Etienne again made use of his napkin, and set it beside his plate. It was time for him to entertain the masses for a few moments. Quickly, the plate and napkin were whisked to the kitchen on flows of Air, the pitcher lifted itself to pour another cup of wine, which was perfectly heated to the correct temperature. The candelabras lit themselves in quick succession, and a rag flew back from the kitchen, wet itself, and wiped down the spot on the table where Etienne had eaten. After sending it sailing back again, Etienne stood to address the gathered soldiers.

 

"You have likely been told by your mentors or friends that drawing too much of saidin too quickly can hurt or kill you. If not, you've now been suitably warned. That said, I don't give a damn. I've been instructed to make you into soldiers in truth, and to do so you will be pushed hard. Harder than you have ever been in your lives. And certain amount of casualties in such rigorous training are to be expected. If you make it through, well and good, one day you will also have the sword and dragon on your collar. If not, then you were never meant to, and are worthless to our cause. Any man who channels lives on borrowed time to begin with. If it is your lot to die during training rather than succumb to the madness later, then so be it.

 

From this point on, your life as soldiers revolves completely around saidin. You will get nothing that does not come from the Power," he waved his hand and a breeze whooshed down the table extinguishing the candles. "This includes light, food, water, clean quarters, everything. Welcome to your new life.

 

"To begin, you must learn to provide light for yourselves. At the rate you will learn today it will likely be very dark by the time you return to your quarters and finish up here. It is not acceptable to lose a soldier to a broken neck because he tripped over his own feet in the dark, or was stumbling around the tables here. So, light your candles," Etienne demonstrated how to wrap a thread of fire around the candle wick, and then snuff it out again with Air or Water. "Practice this weave. It will likely be very easy for most of you. As well, there is another method if you do not have a candle at hand," he raised the open palm of his hand, and a ball of bluish tinged light formed just above it. "This weave, while useful, requires Air to function. Fire for light, Air for fuel, and to keep from burning your hand. This may be more difficult for some of you who cannot use Air well. Practice it too. When everyone is done, we will see about breakfast."

 

OOC: RP your entry and try to give a description of your character. RP attempting the three weaves shown.

 

jasonr

 

ooc: how un-Noy like, but if there is no one else, I will kick this thing off.

 

IC: Noy was extremely nervous, this was his first class where he would really use Saidin. Sure, he had lit candles a few times with Isha, but never anything serious. Noy tried not to tell many people that he was Amadician, whenever he did, they always gave him blank, untrusting looks, and backed away. They were not intimidated, but cautious. After all, what would an Amadician be doing here?

 

Noy had tried to refrain from asking questions, but it was his nature to do so. Only when he was uncomfortable with where he was or doing did Noy stop the ceaseless questions. Noy could easily avoid notice, since he was of average composition. He was 5’11, weighed 210 pounds of mostly muscle, especial from the hard work that Isha had been heaping on him and Vykor, his fellow mentee. Noy had jet-black hair, and deep brown eyes, that seemed to know more than his years. Once you held a conversation with Noy you could see that it wasn’t so.

 

Not that Noy was naive, or immature, it is just that you could see that he is not wise beyond his years. He wasn’t less wise than others though; the average man would call him, well, average. Noy was very skittish when he approached Asha’man Etienne, and said “Uh… a-are you A-asha’man Etienne?†Light Noy had even stuttered! He never stuttered.

 

"Boy, when you address a superior officer, you are to salute and offer your name and rank. Speak when given permission to speak, and only after you are recognized. Now. If you do not know the proper forms, go find someone who does to teach you, my eggs are getting cold," Noy assumed that he in fact was Etienne, he didn’t add the honorific when speaking in his head, it just hurt his brain thinking of all the ranks. Noy never had to think of ranks or honorifics when he was working his farm.

 

Thoughts of his farm brought up thoughts of Mara, his wife, who he had abandoned when he was dragged to the Tower. “The Light help me,†Noy thought. He had abandoned his wife and inborn child to the mercies of the world. Noy’s only family was Mara and his parents, neither could work on the farm he owned. He ruthlessly shoved down those thoughts; there was nothing he could do about that.

 

He looked around at the others in the Inn helplessly. One grinning man, a Dedicated, by his silver sword pin, showed him what to do. Noy was very grateful to this man, for he would learn to control Saidin, and something like not getting his greetings right would not stop him. Noy was desperate to learn of Saidin, he did not think even Isha knew that. Noy was desperate to gain control of his power and be able to take control of his life again. In Noy’s mind, the only way to become the master of his own life, would be to learn to control his gift, as Isha called it.

 

Once Noy came back to the table and saluted properly, Etienne waved his fork at a seat, and Noy sat down. Once the others arrived Etienne started his lesson, Light this man was so different from Isha. Although they had the same determination, per-say, this man had a certain thing about him that was absolutely screaming at Noy that he didn’t care.

 

When Etienne spoke again the only thing he liked about the speech was that he got to use Saidin. "You have likely been told by your mentors or friends that drawing too much of saidin too quickly can hurt or kill you. If not, you've now been suitably warned. That said, I don't give a damn. I've been instructed to make you into soldiers in truth, and to do so you will be pushed hard. Harder than you have ever been in your lives. And certain amount of casualties in such rigorous training are to be expected. If you make it through, well and good, one day you will also have the sword and dragon on your collar. If not, then you were never meant to, and are worthless to our cause. Any man who channels lives on borrowed time to begin with. If it is your lot to die during training rather than succumb to the madness later, then so be it.

 

From this point on, your life as soldiers revolves completely around saidin. You will get nothing that does not come from the Power," he waved his hand and a breeze whooshed down the table extinguishing the candles. "This includes light, food, water, clean quarters, everything. Welcome to your new life.

 

"To begin, you must learn to provide light for yourselves. At the rate you will learn today it will likely be very dark by the time you return to your quarters and finish up here. It is not acceptable to lose a soldier to a broken neck because he tripped over his own feet in the dark, or was stumbling around the tables here. So, light your candles.â€

 

Noy smiled, this he had done many times, he took hold of Saidin with some difficulty, then easily lit the candle with Fire. He could also easily extinguish it with Air, but it was nearly impossible for him to do this with Water. Noy could do a few things other than this, well one really. Once Isha had learned he had a fascination with air, he showed Noy how to make a club of it.

 

"Practice this weave. It will likely be very easy for most of you. As well, there is another method if you do not have a candle at hand," with a flick of his hand, Etienne had a blue tinged globe of light above his hand. "This weave, while useful, requires Air to function. Fire for light, Air for fuel, and to keep from burning your hand. This may be more difficult for some of you who cannot use Air well. Practice it too. When everyone is done, we will see about breakfast."

 

Light, Noy was so lucky, they seemed to be working with only his strongest elements! The globe was still a bit hard for Noy, seeing as he had never done, or even seen, it before. Noy got the hang of it quick enough; it flickered at first, and then went out completely. Luckily, his connection to Saidin had not been lost, Noy was not sure if he could regain it again.

 

Thoughts of Saidin drew his attention to the Taint, Noy nearly spewed last nights dinner all over the floor. Once he was settled again, he made a globe of light again, it was easier now that he had done it once before. Noy began toying with the light, and found that by adjusting the amount of Air in the weave, he could make it larger and smaller, and by playing with Fire, Noy could make it brighter, and less bright. Noy looked attentively at Etienne, and waited for the next instruction.

 

ooc: sorry for the long post, had to get everything down there.

 

Kalthandrix

 

The morning sun was just cresting the horizon when Vykor walked out of Isha's big stone house. His boots were shined and his black coat was clean- this was to be his first class with Asha'man Etienne. Noy, with his usual exuberance, had already started out and Vykor could see him approaching the inn, which for today would also double as their classroom.

 

Hurrying, he attempted to catch up with the dark haired Amadician before he entered the inn, but was not quick enough and refused to run- Light knew he was tired of that as it was- so the other man entered the inn with Vykor a good thirty paces behind. Surprisingly, a few seconds later he re-emerged, looking a bit flustered. When Vykor reached the other man, Noy explained what happened in a low tone and turned around to re-enter the inn once more.

 

Tugging on the high collar of his black coat, Vykor adjusted his satchel and entered a few seconds behind his friend, glad that he had been forewarned. Opening the door with his head held high and features frozen, he walked up to where the arrogant Cairhienin sat eating; as primly and correctly as if the man were attending a social function at a palace. Centering himself on the table, Vykor stopped, and saluted sharply with his cletch fist to his breast and said, "Asha'man Tremares! Soldier Temmer sir, reporting for class as instructed, sir!" He did not move after that and focused his mismatched eyes, one a dead white and the other emerald green, on the wall behind the seated man. He was standing as tall as possible, a few inches over five and a half feet tall, with his chest out and shoulders back as he had seen some of the other Soldiers do.

 

The Asha'man, his two pins shining in the light slightly, gave him a quick once over with his eyes and almost contemptuously told him to take his seat. A quick "Yes sir!" and Vykor turned and settled his twelve stone weight on the bench next to Noy. Adjusting his satchel to rest more comfortably, Vykor settled into wait for the others to arrive, which was not that long a time as it turned out.

 

Etienne's instructions and demonstrations were clear, and while a bit set off from the man’s arrogant attitude, Vykor knew he could perform the weaves; though he hoped without causing another incident like the day before with Isha. shaking his head and clearing the errant thought from his mind, Vykor sought the Void. Isha had been a great mentor and had told both him and Noy a bit of what to expect, and had also been teaching them to enter the Void and take hold of sadin, on top of that neat trick of ignoring the heat and cold. Having been forewarned, Vykor had been pushing himself- centering his mind within the Void as long as he could throughout the whole day, though this left him slightly wooden and emotionless when he was around others. He also stayed up late into the night looking into the flames of the fire within the hearth of his room and practiced taking hold of the male half of the One Power, though the days of exercise and his other classes left him weary beyond thought some days.

 

Within the Void, he was an island of calm amidst an ocean of fire and ice that threatened to tear him down. Ignoring the violent chaos that raged about his monolith of calm, Vykor took a hold of sadin, grasping hold of it with his first try, though it fought his control like he imagined a rabid bear would, thrashing around and trying to pull him into its deadly embrace. Fighting, he took it and began pulling forth the One Power, and with it came the sewer-like reek of the Taint that lay over the male half of the Source. His senses sharpened while he held the Power, he could smell the cloves and spices within the pitcher of wine a good five paces from him, along with the smoke from the candle wicks. Every detail stood out sharper to his mismatched eyes and his fingers could make out the individual layers that made up the grain of wood in the table his hands rested upon. Feeling more alive when he held sadin was still a new a wondrous feeling, though it also caused him to feel the slight pull of his crescent-shaped scar by his left eye. The taste of ashes also always came when he held the One Power, thick and bitter upon his tougne and lips, making him want to spit to clear the taste from his mouth. While within the Void, he fed the flame within his mind with his discomfort and the emotions that rose up within him, focusing on the task at hand.

 

Focusing on the wick of the candle in front of him, he attempted his first weave of the day. ‘This should be easy.’ he thought as he slowly wove the flow of Fire around the wick. He focused all of his being on that candle, concentrating. Almost before he could blink, the wick exploded into a huge burst of flame, melting the whole length of candle, along with half of the candle holder. Panicking, he tried to weave a flow of Air to smother the fire the molten metal of the candle holder had started on the wooden table, he succeeded only in fanning the small flame into a larger one. His panic rising to new heights, Vykor lost his grasp on sadin and stood up to run into the kitchen to get some water. Before he could take a step to do so, the fire winked out.

 

Etienne did not look happy as he came over to Vykor; not happy at all. His comments made the young man’s ears burn with shame and face color with embarrassment. Quickly, he did as he was told and retrieved another candle and holder from the back of the inn and retook his seat.

 

This time he did not concentrate so hard as he wove the flows and the rest of the class went smoothly. He had a very strong affinity with Fire, so most of the weaving came to him with relative ease. His new candle flared to life and he was able to smother the wick himself with a flow of Air on his second attempt. When Vykor attempted to do extinguish the small fire with Water, he failed half a dozen times before gathering up enough strength to make the thin flow of Water.

 

After the candle, he attempted the hand flame that Etienne had shown them. This was a bit trickier, as it entailed melding both Fire and Air in to the same weave. Furrowing his brow, he took his time wit this weave. ‘Yes!’ he thought as the light appeared above his outstretched hand. It flared slightly as he attempted to adjust the flow of Air, growing to a foot in height before he backed off the amount of sadin he was using.

 

Faile1987

 

Ged had already gotten up long before first light. Jerking awake with a start, he still had had to struggle one second to completely fathom again where he was and that what he had just been living through - what he had been living through over and over again the last weeks since he had left his home in nightmares returning everytime he closed his eyes and sleep came - that this only had been a dream.

Shivering in horror and fear it still always took him a second to recompose himself and even though he kind of was aware that when he slept his dreams would return, he still found he couldn´t get used to them at all.

 

He probably would never get used to what he was seeing, and the images of screaming, pleading and dying people haunting him even if he was awake.

 

Light! Please don´t let this be true! It can´t be! It mustn´t be! Light help me! As much as he kept reassuring himself that those images were only an illusion and not true, there was still a small penetrating voice in the back of his mind poking him and asking what he would do if it was true, if all he was dreaming, was the pure truth.

 

No, it just can´t be! The Light help me, I´d never...

 

Shaking off those terrifying thoughts about dying people and flames everywhere, Ged swung his feet out of his bed and quickly got dressed. The entirely black clothes still were something unfamiliar to him and expecially the long black coat he had been given had at first looked very odd on him in his eyes. Having been used to dress in rough-spun farmclothes in the Andoran fashion, Ged had never cared much about how he looked like. Yet he only was surrounded by black-clothed men and somehow he would get used to dress like them, be one of them, himself.

 

Walking down to the kitchens, Ged noticed that his stomach was rumbling violently again and got himself a rich breakfast which he wolfed down in a few minutes. Since he had been Healed from the fever he had caught after channelling for the first time, he had been more hungry than ever before in his life. He easily could eat for five men without even noticing it. Only the irritated looks his ferocious appetite earned him by his fellow Soldiers inside the Black Tower had finally made him notice how odd this sudden behaviour was. Still Rion - the first man Ged had met inside the Black Tower and who had found help to let him be Healed after Ged broke down unconsciously in his arms - had told him that this was very common for men being Healed, to need extemely much food to regain their physical strength which the process of being Healed required.

 

So Ged finished his huge breakfast and after clearing his table, he headed for the room he was told to meet up with his fellow Soldiers and the Asha´man called Etienne Temares who was to give him his first One Power lesson.

 

Ged really was excited to learn as much as possible about Saidin and even more so how to keep control over the Power surging through him.

 

After all this was the only reason why he had come to the Black Tower. To learn how to control Saidin and to fullfill his oath he had given his dead parents. His parents who had died because of his inability to hold back the One Power even though he had been ignorant about the fact that he could channel at all before he had burned down the entire inn of his village by accident.

 

Light, let the rumours be true and let me find someone who can help me to control this madness!

 

When Ged entered the plainly furnished room, he registered that there already were two of his fellows present. One of them a tall slender men with pitch black hair and the other who just reported himself as "Soldier Temmer" apparently had two mismatched eyes, one of it milky white and the other one startlingly green, almost the deep sapphire colour of Ged´s own. And both of them wore the same dark black coat as he did, looking as intent and even a little nervous as he himself felt, Ged realized in relief.

 

Still the man who draw his gaze was none of the two of them, but the large, somehow ageless looking Caihienin, who Ged didn´t have to recognize by the Sword and Dragon Pins decorating his colloar, to know that he stood before Etienne Temares. The Asha´man who was about to teach him.

 

Imitating Soldier Temmer´s salute, Ged reported himself to the tall man "Soldier Ged Maevere, standing ready to serve." After a quick arrogant nod and a dismissive gesture, Ged bowed stiffly and sat down beside the other two men waiting for the Asha´man to speak.

 

On hearing that they were supposed to do everything they did, every movement and exercise by using the One Power, Ged barely supressed a sigh. He couldn´t imagine to really be able to do everything using Saidin, not knowing what he had done, how many people he had killed when he got in touch with it for the first time.

 

Yet he knew that the Black Tower would be his only chance to learn how to deal with it without losing control and he had sworn on oath to learn how to do that whatever it would cost him. So Ged was determined to get used to the ways of the Black Tower as it was his only chance to do as he had sworn to.

 

"To begin, you must learn to provide light for yourselves. At the rate you will learn today it will likely be very dark by the time you return to your quarters and finish up here. It is not acceptable to lose a soldier to a broken neck because he tripped over his own feet in the dark, or was stumbling around the tables here. So, light your candles," Etienne demonstrated how to wrap a thread of fire around the candle wick, and then snuff it out again with Air or Water. "Practice this weave. It will likely be very easy for most of you. As well, there is another method if you do not have a candle at hand," he raised the open palm of his hand, and a ball of bluish tinged light formed just above it. "This weave, while useful, requires Air to function. Fire for light, Air for fuel, and to keep from burning your hand. This may be more difficult for some of you who cannot use Air well. Practice it too. When everyone is done, we will see about breakfast."

 

Ged swallowed and suddenly had to struggle not to give himself away by a smile on hearing Temares´last words. The Asha´man certainly wouldn´t be best pleased at all to hear that Ged had already had the share of a breakfast for three men before training had even started yet. Forcing himself to keep an indifferent expression on his face, Ged ignored his again rumbling stomach and shifted his attention back to matters at hand.

 

No time for foolish fancies now, he scolded himself and let out a small sigh when he heard what his first weave had to be. Fire. The Light alone knew that he already had more than his share of this particular element of the One Power and he was nervous merely thinking of what had happened when he had channelled it - when he had channelled the first time in his life.

 

Light help me and let this never happen again. Never!, he thought desperately, banishing the images of shrieking people being burned alive in a building engulfed in flames out of his head. Not now. I have to care about what it. What has been done cannot be undone, Ged told himself, still he knew he never would be able to forget what he had done. Even though it had happened involuntarily. But somehow that made it even worse. His sheer ignorance pained him deeply. But now he was about to do something about that.

 

Right now though, Ged was well aware that he simply had to do what he was told to and driven by the desire to just learn as much as possible, even though the mere fact of knowing about Saidin flowing through him seemed to make his stomach queasy and him wanting to vomit, he knew that he had to do what was required of him, no matter how little he liked it.

 

Taking a deep breath, Ged focused all his mind, all his being on a single flame into which as he had been told before, he fed all his fears, worries and anger, all his emotions until his whole mind was empty and he was the flame itself.

Everything around him seemed to not matter any more, all that mattered was the flame inside him, longing to grow and grow bigger and bigger with the sudden flash of Saidin floating through his body. Even though Ged had expected it to come, he still gasped in surprise when the power – an the taint – rushed through him and in an instant he knew what the other men meant by saying that seizing Saidin was like a constant struggle for life, against a sheer unbearable power trying to destroy him, to consume him.

 

Still Ged clenched his teeth and held on fiercely. Only after a moment he realized he had to use the flow inside him to light the candlestick he was still holding in his hand. Still he was hesitant to actually let something of the power raging inside him out onto the world, suddenly afraid again that it only would lead to chaos and destruction again.

But feeling the other men around him handle Saidin without any apparent difficulties and being sure about Asha´man Temares´ eyes observing everything he did, Ged finally did as he had seen the others do and used a small web of Fire to enlighten a single flame above the chandle-stick.

 

Watching it, Ged at first didn´t think it could have actually worked, since he had been convinced he would fail on his first try as all the others he had spoken to had warned him he would. Still the flame was there and it´s fiery glow was all too evident.

Satisfied Ged held the candle up and watched it with even a little of pride about having accomplished his first task.

 

It was only when he shifted his gaze away from the flame to look over to the other students, because one of them – Vykor he thought was his name – had obviously put too much effort into his task as the whole candlestick erupted in a single huge flame. With wide eyes Ged watched the other man trying frantically to extinguish the flame, but while he was staring at the other man, suddenly his own candle-flame grew bigger and bigger and only short before the fire was about to swallow his candle, too, Ged glanced back at it and hurriedly waved the candle to extinguish the flame before anyone could see. But catching the indignant look of the Asha´man told him that he would never be able to do anything without drawing the Caihiennin´s attention.

 

Sighing and shooting an apologetic and embarrassed look at the elder man, Ged put the candle back on the table where he had taken it from – his face red in embarrassment – and he stepped back resolving to practise the weave over and over again until he would manage it in his sleep.

 

With the second weave, Ged seemed to have less difficulty. Since it required a little of Air to be accomplished, it seemed to him to reduce the overwhelming power of Fire flaring through him at least a little and in no time Ged had managed to create a single red-golden flame dancing above his palm. This time though, he made absolutely sure to remain cautious about not shifting his attention away from it, as he wouldn´t like something like with the candle to happen again.

 

Finally Ged even managed to pick up Asha´man Temares´ demonstration of how to put out a fire using Saidin and he managed to extinguish the flame still floating above his palm with only a little more difficulty that it had taken him to lighten it.

 

Ged remembered faintly having heard that men were somehow more talented in Fire and Earth, whereas Air and Water, two of the other Elements of the One Power, seemed to be much stronger in women. He really wondered it that would apply for him too. But somehow he was sure he soon was to find out as his lessons would proceed.

And even though he still remained reluctant against using Saidin he also knew that the Black Tower offered him the only possibility left to him and he would do his best.

 

OOC: Sorry for the long post And this is Faile1987, but I had to register anew, since DM somehow messed up my account...

 

The_Wagz

 

Dawn's rosy fingers crept through the window and found hal already awake and fastening what looked like a well polished lump of wood onto the stub that remained of his forearm. It was his "hand" one he had created for himself after losing the one the Creator had originally given him. It had grown with him and evolved with his needs and skill. presently it was a bit longer than a man's forearm and a bit wider than Hal's own upperarm. It was riddled with hidden compartments and was the first thing Hal reached for when he opened his eyes in the morning. Once his prosthetic was in place, Hal shrugged into a clean shirt and the black coat and breeches that marked him a Soldier in the Lord Dragon's army of male channelers. Today Hal was taking an early step in the long process of becoming a weapon for the Dragon.

 

When he reached the inn Hal saw two men sitting at a table with the Asha'man he was coming to meet. A third was rigidly saluting the seated instructor. Hal approached the table and copied the man who had just taken a seat word for word. This was apparently the proper way to great a man of higher rank. Hal took a seat when instructed to and watched carefully those around him. He was new and didn't want to make any grave ettiquet errors through ignorance and inexperience.

 

From this point on, your life as soldiers revolves completely around saidin. You will get nothing that does not come from the Power," he waved his hand and a breeze whooshed down the table extinguishing the candles. "This includes light, food, water, clean quarters, everything. Welcome to your new life.

"To begin, you must learn to provide light for yourselves. At the rate you will learn today it will likely be very dark by the time you return to your quarters and finish up here. It is not acceptable to lose a soldier to a broken neck because he tripped over his own feet in the dark, or was stumbling around the tables here. So, light your candles,"

 

The Asha'man lit a candle and snuffed it. Then proceeded to demonstrate what to do if a candle was not handy.

 

Hal watched closely and decided that this was a task he was certainly suited to. When he was an illuminator he learned more about fire in his childhood then most men know in their entire lives. He had an average affinity for it as far as channeling was concerned, but he knew how to get the most out of the skill he had. Hal lightly touched the base of the exposed wick with a thin thread of fire, melting, evaporating, and then lighting the wax at teh top of the candle. He had just managed to get his candle lit when a ball of flame engulfed the candle holder in front of one of his comrades. The distraction was enough to shake hal's concentration on his own weave. The small flame he had been carefully controlling now threatened to break his control and repeat the other Soldier's performance. Quickly, hal cut off the flow of fire and channeled air almost instinctively, but not into the flame to blow it out, Hal knew a flow of that nature would only feed the flame. Instead, he channeled air away from teh base of the flame, cutting off its supply and snuffing the candle.

 

No one seemed to notice how close Hal had come to loosing control. Check that, the Asha'man caught it. The look Hal just recieved said that the Cairhien man missed nothing. Hal took a deep breath and concentrated on the third task he had been assigned, the blue globe of light that had hung suspended over his instructor's hand. Hal thought about what he had seen and reconoitered it with what he knew of fire and air in his mind. he also watched his fellow students. A man learns more from mistakes than he does from success. Hal looked at his "hand" that was a lesson he learned very well indeed. Hal had decided he would rather learn from another man's mistakes rather than his own. After watching and thinking, Hal finally attempted his own light globe. It fluttered and failed. Hal immediately saw the problem and remedied it. The idea was simple enough, but at this point in his training, it required quite a bit of concentration to keep litl for any period of time. he held it for a slow one hundred count and let it fade, looking to his instructor for his next set of orders.

 

Vael

 

The sound of chatter and people getting ready for the day roused Vael just enough for him to roll over on his side and bring his blanket up to his face. A thought fluttered across his mind as he tried to make himself more comfotable in the uncomfortable bunk. Suddenly he sat up straight, and looked at the windows. To his dismay, there was certainly a lot of sunlight pouring through for this hour. Quickly, Vael jumped out of bed, climbed in, jumped out again, climbed in, and jumped out again. He rushed to wash his face, make his bed, put on his clothes and boots, and brush his long black hair. There was no one left in the barracks. He hurried towards the inn, taking care not to slop mud all over his shoes and pants. Vael took a second to compose himself at the door. More or less satisfied, he opened the door, and it was all he could do not to stand there with his mouth opened in surprise. Even though he was surprised, he still had was clear headed enough to enter three times. The class was taught by that Etienne? He quickly tried to recall whether he had ever stepped the wrong way with Etienne Tremares. People that lose at Da'es Daemar are very unforgiving, that is if they are alive. Without thinking, Vael rubbed the back of his neck as he took in the classroom. Coming to his sense he straightened, offered a shaky salute giving his name and rank, and took a seat.

 

Vael did not want to seize Saidin. For one thing, it was dirty and tainted. Upon thinking about it some more, that was the only reason he didn't like it. No one willingly rolled around in a midden heap, but so many people around here do as much on a regular basis. Suppressing a sigh, he seized Saidin, but not for long because almost instantly he lost it. Working with Saidin was so repulsive. He began rubbing his hands unconsciously. He felt extraordinarily dirty. Saidin filled him again and he concentrated on lighting the candle.

 

Vael had no problem whatsoever making the weave that brought forth fire, it was the placement that was the hard part. The rug fell victim to his wandering flames. Not to mention one edge of the table, a flower, the vase it was in, and his sleeve who all also fell victim to fire. The wick seemed to be taunting him, and he tried very hard not to lose his calm. He finished patting out his sleeve, and tried again. Eventually, he managed to light the wick without setting anything else aflame.

 

He slumped back into his chair, mentally preparing himself to snuff out the flame. Vael thought that Air would not be as messy as Water, so he decided to try that. He kept missing the candle with his threads. He looked around to see how the other students were doing. They were all staring at a flaming candle, well except for Etienne, he was watching Ged. Quickly Vael wet his fingers, channeled some Air, and pinched the wick out. He supposed he would just have to practice on that later. He was already far behind the other students. He wiped his pale, soft face with his hand and prepared to make the glowing globe.

 

Vael opened himself up to Saidin again, trying desparately to concentrate so that he wouldn't have to put up with any more of the Taint than he had to. Eventually, he managed to bring the threads of Fire to his palms. He added a thread of Air and suddenly, a small ball of light formed. Vael thanked the Light that this didn't take too terribly long. This ball of light is just the thing he needed to see under his bunk well enough to clean it.

[Muirenn]

Pathetic. But then, the new ones always were. Etienne shook his head slowly. At least all...messes...had been contained, and all candelabras were now lit. He called attention back to himself by clapping his hands once and amplifying the sound with saidin. It certainly had the desired effect of getting their attention.

 

"Now that you have light, it is time to eat," Etienne said as he grabbed five bowls from the far counter with Air and placed them in front of the boys. Each contained only dry oats. He did the same with mugs which were empty except for a few tea leaves in the bottom. "This is what you will have for breakfast every day. Lunch and dinner will be similar. If you cannot make it for yourself, you will not eat. So you had best watch closely as I demonstrate. I will only do this once."

 

Grabbing another set of bowl and mug, Etienne placed them in front of himself. He proceeded to create water, pulling on the thick green threads carefully to guide the correct amount into both the bowl and cup. After, he switched to thin threads of Fire, heating the water to boiling in both vessels. This weave took quite a bit of concentration, even in it's simplicity. "If you are not careful," he explained to the watching soldiers, "you will cause all the water to flash to steam, and will have to repeat the process again. This makes for very poor oatmeal."

 

After each had boiled for long enough, Etienne changed the weave a third time using Air to cool the food to a temperature that was edible. "Again, this weave takes great care. If you do not, your food will simply be cold."

 

The final step was the most amusing, at least to Etienne. Holding out his hand, he hardened Air into the shape of a spoon. "If you do not catch on quickly enough to this last weave, you will eat with your hands," he said, smiling slightly. "Now practice."

 

OOC: RP the lesson, include each of the four weaves.

 

-Etienne Tremares

NSW Asha'man

[jasonr]

ooc: MWAHAHAHAHA Noy is going to pay for not being strong in Water!

 

IC: "Now that you have light, it is time to eat," Noy grinned, his stomach was already rumbling slightly. Noy was confused when all the Asha'man gave them was a bowl of oats and an empty mug with tea leaves in the bottom.

 

His confusement was replaced by horor as he saw that they were supposed to make their water. Water was Noy's worst element, and he was useless with it. Try as he might, Noy just could not make the weave work, his threads of Water were weak and tiny.

 

When he finally managed to make the water and get it into his bowl, he had already missed many times, Noy was glad to see that they would be working with Fire once more. "If you are not careful you will cause all the water to flash to steam, and will have to repeat the process again. This makes for very poor oatmeal." He carefully heated his cup, for he could not afford to waste time making water again. Noy nearly whooped with glee as his cup steamed.

 

He watched as Etienne demonstrated how to cool it. Luckily, this required only Fire, and not Water. Being a little overzealous, he cooled his oats to quickly and they were very clammy and cold. Returned to being carefull, Noy consentrated and heated it up to just the right temperature.

 

Next was once again something that Noy could manage. He grinned as the Asha'man demonstrated the next weave, of Air. "If you do not catch on quickly enough to this last weave, you will eat with your hands,"

 

Not wanting to bring on Etienne's displeasure, and because he was very hungry, Noy obeyed immidiately. The weave was simlpe enough, although on his first attempt he only produced a blob. After a few failed attempts, a spoon fell into Noy's hand. Barely waiting for the Asha'man's consent, he dived into his food and gulped down his drink.

[Guest Faile1987]

Ged´s stomach wasn´t the only one which was rumbling loudly as he heard Etienne´s gruffy voice speaking up again, telling them it was time for some food. Glancing over to Noy, whose rumbling stomach betrayed him as well, Ged couldn´t help a knowing smirk showing on his face, before he turned back to Etienne and the promise of food, hoping he hadn´t noticed that little informal transgression of his right now.

 

Looking at Etienne in anticipation of finally getting his breakfast, Ged´s face dropped in disappointment when he glanced at the bowl of dry oats and the mug empty but for a few dry leaves. What the Light should he do with that? No, this really wasn´t his idea of a decent breakfast...

 

His mood sank even more when he heard that this was the only thing they´d get every morning now. Now, did they want to starve them now or what? But before he could even build up the words he was going to say, his anger getting over any feelings of caution or respect for his teacher right now. But when Etienne spoke again and showed them all how they were supposed to make their own meal out of it, Ged wnated to slap himself for his apparent ignorance.

 

Paying careful attention to the weaves Etienne showed them, Ged memorized all of it and although he knew neither water nor air belonged to his strongest elements, he still was much more eager to use the two of them to create the water needed to mix it with the dry oats, succeeding eventually, sweat pearling down his temples when he finally had created the water and the spoon. But the task of creating Fire to heat his still cold oatmeal, Ged had saved for the end, still more than reluctant to use any weave requiring fire.

 

After all, his grumbling stomach won over his hesitance though and eventually, he reached out for Saidin again, fighting back the taint making him want to sick up althoug his belly was feeling so empty right now and then he wove fire to heat the bowl he was holding in his hand, with the result that he very nearly dropped it when a flame shot at it, letting half of his oatmeal dissipate in fuming steam.

 

So much for breakfast..., Ged thought snorting angrily about his own foolishness, but still he wolfed down the poor remnants of his breakfast, determined to do better next moring as his stomach still felt rather hollow.

[Kalthandrix]

Vykor watched Etienne perform the weaves like a starving man watches a feast, trying to absorb all of the details of the other man's weaves so he could avoid mistakes like he had just done.

 

The he also watched Noy and Gren as they performed their weaves. Finally he nodded to himself and took a hold of sadin, prepared to do it himself. Weaving very slowly, his concentration focused solely on the tasks at hand, Vykor began with the weaves of Water, pulling moisture from the air and channeling it into first the bowl of dry oats and then into the mug. He did each separately to keep it simple.

 

Once the vessels had the right amount of water, he wove a thin strand of Fire and settled it into the water, again going slowly and keeping his concentration focused on the task at hand. He went slowly and stopped when he seen bubbles start to break the surface of his boiled oats and then moved on to his mug of tea, giving the oats time to absorb the extra water and cool slightly.

 

He heated the water of his tea with the same care, but this time he added a thin flow of Air to the mug and cut off the strand of Fire when he saw small bubbles. After only a few seconds, the dark tea was steaming pleasantly. Picking up the mug, Vykor took a small sip and found it was a decent temperature, but the tea was slightly bitter. Taking another sip, he swished it around in his mouth slightly to remove the slight taste of ashes from his tongue.

 

Using the strand of Air he had used to cool his drink, he made it a bit thicker and flattened it out slightly, and with the same concentration and focus he had used with his other weaves, he slowly began to use the flow of Air to lift the hot boiled oats from the bowl and to his lips.

 

His success at these small weaves was muted by the Void, but he still gave Asha'man Eitenne a smug little grin as he ate. He choked the food down, the taste of ashes and the foul sickness of the Taint twisted his guts and left him without the desire to eat, but he knew that he had to. So like a good Soldier, he swallows his sadin-tainted food and forced himself to look like he enjoyed it.