Another Arrival - Geirrin Hale (attn: Arath?)

[Sieve]

"The Farm" they called it though it must have been a joke, this was no farm that Geirrin had ever seen or heard of for that matter.  "The Farm" was like a small bustling city.  His senses were on overload, the din of daily operations were significantly louder than the busiest day on the docks in his small fishing village.  He was completely overwhelmed.

 

As he scanned the area it seemed like "The Farm" was undergoing some serious growth.  Everywhere he looked there was new construction though something odd struck him.  There were laborers and camp followers going about task which included physical labor but everywhere he saw a black coated man it was much different.  Ooh they were certainly laboring but not with their hands.  Large stones were lifted and set in place, timbers were cut, beams or nails hammered into place but none of it done by hand?  What in the light?

 

So it is more than just calling lighting or creating a flame he thought.  He was amazed, he stood there with his mouth agape, staring at all the black coated men going about their tasks as if he were an idiot.  He had only made it a few steps inside the gate and there he stood motionless like a statue. 

 

A loud voice shook him forcing him to turn his attention to a light haired man in a black coat who was slightly shorter than Geirrin.  By his tone and the look on his face, Geirrin must not have heard the man's earlier attempts to get his attention.  "Are you here as a laborer, or for training, or are you just some fool who somehow found his way here for the light knows why?"

 

"Tra..Training" was all he could say, staring at the pin on the collar of his greeter's coat.  A sword, he wondered what it signified but he could not form the words to ask the question.  The man pointed towards a building with a simple command "In there"

 

He continued to scan everything in sight as he hurried to the building which was pointed out to him.  As he approached the door to the building opened though nobody had laid a hand on it.  A black coated man on the porch several strides from the door had a wide grin on his face.  He nodded to Geirrin affirming the unspoken question that was plain on his Geirrin's face.  He was in awe, what was next, would one of them fly he thought.

 

He stepped through the doorway and heard the door shut behind him knowing that no hand had reached to shut it.  The one power he thought, the men who tested him said there were many wonders but this young uneducated fisherman's son had never thought it could be so.  Taking a few steps into the room he looked about as his eyes struggled to adjust from the brightness outside...   

[Arath Faringal]

Arath sat at his desk, idly passing his time with a blacksmith's puzzle.  It seemed like an age since he had actually made one of them, and the skill to solving them seemed to slowly be slipping away from him.  As he heard his door open he sighed and dumped the puzzle into the open drawer.  He would solve it later.  Apparently the latest group of recruits had arrived. 

 

As he heard the footsteps advance through the hallway, he siezed Saidin and pulled his office door open.  As he suspected, a newcomer stood wide eyed at the sight of the 'self-opening' door.  He fought to keep the smile off of his face.  For some reason, that one just never got old.

 

Arath motioned the overwhelmed looking man in and closed the door behind him.  "You're here for training?"  He didn't even wait for the confirming nod before he continued.  "Where are you from?  What's your name?"

[Sieve]

He had no idea who the man was that sat behind the desk asking questions but there could be no doubt that this man held some position of authority.  It was the same way that a ship Captain was easily identified, an aura of command seemed clearly visible.

 

"Yes Sir! they said I could learn here." he responded followed by "Geirrin Hale Sir!" a slight pause then "From Tear Sir, well not the city Sir, I'm from a small fishing village on the Sea of Storms west of Godan, Sir." 

[Arath Faringal]

This time, Arath couldn't keep the smirk off of his face at hearing all the 'yes sir's coming out of the man.  He was either used to demanding authority figures or nervous as hell.

 

"I am Attack Leader Arath Faringal.  I'm the one in charge of overseeing your training and making sure you don't do something stupid.  But you can relax with the sirs.  You're probably older than me and I don't like it.

 

As he spoke, Arath used a flow of air to open the large closet on the side wall and began to rummage through black coats.  "Alright then, I just have a few questions for you and we'll get you settled in.  First and foremost, have you already channeled, or were you just told you can?  What particular skills do you have?  And do you have any military or weapon training?"  Finding a suitable looking coat, he sent it flying toward the new soldier who caught it warily.  "And what do you want from the Black Tower?"

[Sieve]

Geirrin listened as the man introduced himself as Attack Leader Arath Faringal then told him to relax with calling him "Sir".  Even though he lived among commomers Tairen nobles were very particular about there place and expect to be shown proper respect.  It was something that was ingrained in him, he would have to try to remember not to call him "Sir".  He merely nodded in response in fear that he would slip.

 

He watched with a look of amazement as the closet door opened by itself.  The man began rummaging through the black coats that were in the closet while he asked Geirrin a few Questions.  A black coat floated through the air towards him, he reached out unsure what to expect when he touched it.  How was the man doing this he thought as he stared at the coat as if it might bite him.

 

"No I've not channeled yet, they just told me that I could S.." He paused almost calling him Sir "Skills...not many, I can gut fish and haul nets, I can sail too.  That is pretty much all I know how to do."  He frowned knowing that he did not know much else other than fishing and sailing.  "I don't have any military or weapon training either."

 

Geirrin paused before answering the last.  What did he want from the Black Tower?  Until now he hadn't given it much thought at all.  Light why was he here?  If his family and friends learned that he could channel then they would avoid him like the plague.  He certainly would not be welcome to return to his village.

 

"I guess I want to learn what you just did.  Alls I know is how to fish and to sail, it's just not enough.' He hung his head for a moment feeling ashamed.  He looked up at Arath  "I want more than that, the other fellows said I can learn to do what they did...what you just did with the coat and the door.  I didn't really believe all the tales they told me though I was curious, too curious my mother always said.  Well now that I see it, I believe.  I want to learn, I want to learn it all, that's what I want S.."  He stopped himself from adding "Sir" then looked at the Attack Leader.

[Arath Faringal]

Arath nodded while he listened to Geirrin.  He had no idea why he was here other than the fact that he was able to channel.  Just like every other soldier.  He didn't expect anything else really, but sometimes there were surprising answers.

 

"Alright.  Your first lessons will be later this afternoon.  You'll have a little bit of free time until then to acquaint yourself with the grounds.  I just need to explain a few things before you can get started.  But first, what questions do you have for me?  What do you want to know?"

[Sieve]

My first lessons will be this afternoon Geirrin thought to himself and he felt elated looking at his black coat.  He had no idea what he was getting himself into but they told him he could wield the one power.  Most Tairens would shun such a thing but Geirrin was different.  He couldn't resist the urge, he wanted to be able to move things with the power, call lighting, and whatever else they could teach him to do.

 

Geirrin shrugged, then asked a few questions rattling them off all at once.  "Where do I stow my things? I don't have much, just a small canvas bag.  Do I get a bunk in the barracks?  What about food, where do we eat around here? I could really use a meal."  His stomach rumbled to add emphasis to his words.  He blushed for a moment then added  "What about coin?  I don't have much do I need to pay to train."  He waited for a reply, a knot had formed in his stomach, he never thought to ask.

[Arath Faringal]

Arath smiled.  Usually the new soldiers were too intimidated to ask so many questions.  It was refreshing to process someone a little different than he was used to.

 

"You'll be assigned to barracks number four, at the north end of the compound.  Four and a half long buildings there, you can't miss them.  Talk to the soldiers there and they'll help you get situated.  As far as food goes, you can get your last decent meal at the inn, just down the road from here.  Make sure you eat before you start your lessons because you will be preparing your own meals with Saidin until you reach Dedicated rank.  Your food is provided for you, but you get to cook it with the One Power.

 

"And no, you don't have to pay for training here.  At least not with coin.  From this moment on you are a soldier for the Lord Dragon.  You belong to the Black Tower until Tarmon Gaidon is won, and maybe beyond.  A high cost, but fair considering what we will make of you."  Arath eyed Geirrin for a moment to make sure that he understood.  "We ask for everything and only promise madness and death, but along with it a chance to spit in the Dark One's eye and give the world a chance at the last battle."

 

There was silence for a moment as Arath let the message sink in.  Then abruptly he clapped his hands and continued.  "Well then, let me explain a few things to you."

 

The next few minutes were filled with the dry, boring, but necessary information that made life flow as smoothly as possible at the farm; the divisions of rank, the priveleges and responsibilities that accompanied them, the basic rules ... all those things that people end up figuring out for themselves anyway.

 

After the basic explanations were done, the Attack Leader asked, "So, do you have any more questions before I turn you loose?"

[Sieve]

The more the Attack Leader explained to him the more Geirrin began to realize the magnitude of what he had gotten himself into.  He had never really thought of the shadow, he couldn't live farther from the Blight and had never met or heard talk of a darkfriend.  He was going to be made into a weapon in service to the light.   

 

Soldiers and rank structures, in a way it was all knew to him and in another way it was not.  He understood authority and your place in the chain from his service on sailing vessels but he had never been involved in something so regimented.  He was not very good with rules though he would do his best, this wasn't a game or a prank.

 

After the basic explanations were done, the Attack Leader asked, "So, do you have any more questions before I turn you loose?"

 

"No Sir!"