What have I wrought? (Covai)

[Arath Faringal]

Arath sat in the well lit basement of his home at the Black Tower, lost in thought as he gazed at the materials in front of him. The prospect had filled him with awe before. The discovery that he could in fact create ter'angreal had been a shock, rather like recieving an incredible birthday present. He had been frustrated beyond all belief that he was unable to explore the possibilities.

 

And now that he had time to himself, the thought was oddly terrifying.

 

So there he sat, Attack Leader of the Black Tower, afraid to touch the lump of silver sitting on the work bench in front of him. Sitting and debating with himself.

 

So many things could go wrong.

But they didn't last time.

I didn't even know what I'd done last time.

But it worked perfectly.

It was an accident! I wasn't trying to make it do anything!

 

And so on. Eventually though, and without too much shaking, he picked up the silver, turning it over in his hands and looking for a place to start. In truth, the only ter'angreal he had made HAD been an accident. A pair of wedding rings for another Asha'man and his bride-to-be had become something more. The linked rings had replicated a warder bond, allowing the bearers to feel the other as though bonded by the actual weave. This had created problems, not because the couple didn't want the bond, but because they already had it. The rings had intensified the bond to the point where it became maddening. Arath had of course replaced the rings with more mundane ones, and the ter'angreal were now in his posession. A constant reminder of what he could do.

 

This time however, he was going to try something different. An angreal. An object to magnify his own strength with Saidin. He had journeyed to the ter'angreal cache in the Stone of Tear, and managed to find an angreal there. A pitiful thing that increased ones strength to the slightest degree, and so large and awkward that it couldn't possibly be useful to anyone. But it had been enough. Studying that object had allowed Arath a glimpse at how it worked. Hopefully it would be enough.

 

Taking a deep breath and siezing Saidin, Arath began to weave. Air. The block of silver suspended in mid-air, just at eye level. Earth and fire. The solid piece of metal liquified, the surface rippling and swirling. Air, earth, and fire now, all swirling in, through, around the molten metal, slowly pulling a shape from it. A sword. An exact replica of his Dedicated pin. A suitable form for keeping the thing concealed, provided it actually worked. The silver continued to swirl and ripple as the sword emerged from it. At last, the tiny blade seperated from the contorting mass, and Arath released the flow of fire. Almost immediately the block began to solidify. Arath carefuly moved it to the side, keeping it suspended above the table while it cooled. He couldn't afford for a fire to break out and distract him. Meanwhile, he maintained the flows around the pin, keeping it liquified, but holding its perfect shape.

 

Now came the difficult part. The part he was only guessing about. Steeling himself, Arath pulled heavily on Saidin, holding close to his full strength. He poured out Saidin into the tiny pin, allowing it to change. He felt the subtle realignment of the metal as the weave began to take effect. It was almost like he was making a hole through the silver. A conduit perhaps. He held the powerful weave, allowing the silver to change slowly, piece by piece. Finally, he released the weaves of earth and fire that kept the metal liquid, and took up one of spirit. Carefully he overlayed the conduit with spirit, creating the buffer that made an angreal safe. He had once seen an angreal in use which had no buffer. The flawed angreal had also increased the taint, temporarily driving the Asha'man to the brink of madness. Arath had no intention of allowing that to happen with his angreal.

 

Pouring out all of his remaining strength into the weave, he applied the buffer of spirit, making sure that the thing would be safe. For what seemed an age he wove, until finally he could do no more. He released the weave he held, and felt the silver pin shift into what he hoped was a completed form. Then with a sigh, he released Saidin. He resisted the urge to immediately test his creation. He had spent hours channeling, and was exhausted. In the morning, he thought. In the morning, we'll see what I have wrought.

[Arath Faringal]

Morning came all too quickly.  Exhausted from the previous day's work, Arath lay in bed until the sun was shining directly into his eyes from his bedroom window.  A much later hour than he was accustomed too. 

 

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he climbed to his feet and began to prepare for the day.  He took his time, not in any particular rush to begin.  The most dangerous part of his experiment still lay ahead of him.  Testing.  He'd been eager to do so the night before, but he had spent a great deal of the night dreaming about what might happen when he did.  Had he made the thing correctly?  Was he right in his theory on how to make an angreal?  Did he place the buffer correctly or would Saidin burn him to ashes if he tried to use the thing?

 

Questions without end, and without answer.  Answers that had been buried and gone for over 3000 years.  If he was right, and he knew there was a very good chance that he wasn't, then this might be able to turn things back in favor of the light.  A few dozen angreal would have made a monumental difference in Shienar, even with the shadow using circles.

 

Full of hope, anticpation, and even a touch of fear, Arath headed back down to his workshop.  Everything was exactly as he'd left it.  The lump of unused silver laying to the side of the bench.  The silver sword pin resting in the center.  He was almost afraid to approach it, nearly loath to touch it.  And for a time, he was unable to form the void to attempt to channel through it.  Finally, laughing at himself, he gathered up his courage and drew on Saidin through the little sword.

 

Immediately he noticed a difference.  It was difficult to use.  Like drinking through a cloth.  But it wasn't killing him at least.  Perhaps it needed to be broken in?  He released the source for a moment, and then tried again.  No, it was still dificult to pull Saidin through the angreal.  He pulled as hard as he could, but to no avail.  The angreal was actually making him draw less of the power than he normally could.  About one fifth less.  Arath grimaced in displeasure.  It seemed that he was right in theory, but was badly mistaken on the actual process.  At least the buffer was holding though.  The taint wasn't inducing wildness of the-

 

Arath's eyes bulged as he finally realized what was different about Saidin.  The power winked out of him and the angreal fell to the ground.  He felt numb.  He took a step away from the silver sword, staring at it with a look of awe.  It cleans . . . it filters . . .

 

A million different thoughts filled his mind in an instant.  With a laugh he scooped the 'anti-angreal' up from the floor, and pulled Saidin, blessedly clean Saidin, to make a gateway to the training grounds.  He needed to tell Covai.  Out of everyone at the farm, he would appreciate something like this.

 

~

 

It was a full half hour before he could pull the Storm Leader aside to speak with him.  Much to Arath's dismay, he had been in the middle of a demonstration and couldn't be pulled away.  At long last though, he had his chance.  Beckoning his friend over, he led him away to a far side of the grounds.  "You'll never believe what I've done," he began excitedly.

[Covai Seriba]

Covai raised an eyebrow in humour. "You mean you finally got yourself a girl?" Clasping his friends shoulder Covai congratulated him before he could be interrupted. "I'm glad to hear it. It's about time you settled down and started a family. So when's the wedding date?"

 

Dodging backwards to avoid the elbow to his ribs, Covai kept his grin as he rested against a tree. "Okay, so the congratulations were off. So whats happening then? You're grinning like you just spent the night with a Saldean Farmgirl" Truth be told... I'd probably be grinning just as wide.

[Arath Faringal]

Arath rolled his eyes as Covai dodged his elbow.  "Believe it or not, this is better than if your inn was full of Saldean farmgirls."  He paused for a moment.  "Well, maybe not.  But it's the next best thing anyway."

 

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the silver sword and tossed it to Covai.  "Tell me what you make of that.  I spent all of yesterday making it."

[Covai Seriba]

Covai twirled the pin quickly between his fingers as he looked at it. Shrugging, he tossed it back to Arath. "It's a standard enough Dedicated pin. What of it?" Covai suddenly paused, concern on his face. "...are you feeling alright Arath?" Covai teetered on the edge of seizing Saidin. It his friend was so excited over something just because it was shiny...well knew the signs. He'd do what he had to do.

 

"No you fool." Arath responded with exasperation, tossing the pin back to him. "Use it. Then tell if you think it's still standard enough."

 

Covai was trying to figure out if the loss at Sheinar had finally taken their toll. Shrugging, Covai undid his own his own Sword pin from his cloak and held the new one ready. Something made him pause as he looked at them. Covai hoped the taint hadn't effect Arath, and part of him wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. The other part of him still yelled caution from the back of his mind. If the Attack Leader had succumbed to the taint, he'd be more than just a danger to himself.

 

Caution and worry won out in the end as the Storm Leader decided to play it safe. Shienar had been a loss due to the unexpected circumstances and ignorance in thinking what they didn't know couldn't hurt them. Arath had been spending a lot of time at the Cache in Tear. Covai didn't know much about the Ter'angreal he had been studying down there, but he supposed it was possible something had gone wrong. Seizing the source, Covai pushed the taint to the side as he proceded to delve the two pins in the palm of his hand.

 

His own pin was simple enough. A few impurities in the silver, but nothing unexpected. From what he understood, pure silver itself wasn't strong enough to make a pin, so small amounts of other metals were added to give it strength, but not enough to be obvious to the naked eye. The weave of earth Covai flowed through the metal though showed everything clearly do him as though it was a a foot wide as opposed to an inch or two.

 

Turning his focus to the pin Arath had tossed him, Covai's concern continued to knaw at the edge of the void. Something didn't fell right. His eyes couldn't see much difference between the two, but Saidin screamed differently at him. The was too much resistance to his weave, and the more he forced his weave, the more the taint seemed to tear him apart.

 

Releasing his weave and the source, Covai raised the pin to eye level and looked at it. His doubted his eyes would yield any clues, but it was a force of habit when someone was curious about something to look at it. It was then that Arath interrupted.

 

"Covai, I didn't say to delve it, I said use it." Covai raised an eyebrow. "You mean its..." Arath nodded in confirmation. "It's safe. But I wanted your opinion on it." Covai could see the man was almost bursting with excitement. Covai had to admit he had never studied Angrael, although he had been shown how to use one in the past. His delving did little to ease his concern, but common sense had to prevail. An angreal, Ter' or otherwise couldn't instantly make a man mad or control their mind.....could it?

 

Closing his eyes, Covai paused before reaching through the pin to the source. His focus peaked by the difficulty before him. Everything seemed sluggish. Pulling further upon Saidin, Covai felt the constraint the pin was forcing upon him. He didn't know if it was a broken buffer, but Covai swore it was taking more energy to hold the same amount of power. Covai pushed the sickening feel of the tain.........

 

Covai blinked in shock as the void was shattered around him, dropping the pin to the ground. The taint........... it hadn't been there............ Ignoring Arath, the Storm Leader's arm shook as he leaned down to pick the pin up. His attention had been so focused on exploring the buffer...but how in the LIGHT could have not have noticed?!?!

 

Reaching almost hesitantly though the pin a second pin, Covai held the source for almost a minute before releasing it, passing the the pin back to Arath. Covai couldn't remember the last time he had been shaken so badly. It took him even longer to find the words to speak.

 

"My quarters, now."

 

 

 

 

Covai warded his room three times after they had entered. Eavsedropping, tresspassing and an explosion ward tied to both should someone try to cut either. Motioning to the only seat in the room, Covai sat down on the edge of the bed, resting his head in his hands as he tried to clear his thoughts. He couldn't believe what was happening....

 

"...just where in the light did you find that thing Arath?"

 

[Arath Faringal]

Arath rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.  "Burn me Covai, did you forget how to listen to people?  I said I made it.  You can check for residues in my basement if you want.  I was channeling nearly the whole day.  Couldn't hardly drag myself from bed this morning."

 

When Covai couldn't seem to say anything, Arath continued his explanation.  "I found an angreal in the cache.  Not a very powerful one at all.  And it was way too big to carry around.  A big bronze statue that had to have weighed more than me.  I was able to examine it though.  I thought I could see just how it worked, and that maybe I could duplicate it."

 

He scrubbed a hand through his hair, then continued.  "I'm not quite sure what went wrong.  I had trouble aligning the matrices in the silver when I formed the conduit, so that could be the problem.  The metal couldn't handle it, or I'm just not skilled enough to do it.  Yet.  But I was also concerned about the buffer being too weak.  You remember that angreal that Isha got ahold of when he attacked Aginor?  I didn't want that to happen again, so I might have ... over done it.  Too much buffer, so it actually lessens the amount of the power you can draw.  I think that the more likely, considering the ... side effect."

[Covai Seriba]

Covai laughed. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so hard. He laughed at himself for missing what Arath had said before, but even more for what his latest words meant. Catching his breath, Covai grinned. "I think you just hit the nail on the head."

 

Nodding towards the pin, Covai continued what he hoped was a correct explanation. "I knew there was something wrong with that buffer. I tried delving into it and it felt the taint just kept getting bigger and stronger the longer and harder I tried. That was trying to force Saidin through the buffer from the outside if you will." Covai held his hand straight up in front of him to try and illustate his point.

 

"Think of my hand here as the buffer that you made. On say, this side.." Covai nodded towards the door. "..Is Saidin and the Taint. Everything we use the one power for happens on this side, since the buffer doesn't exist yet. However..." Covai moved his hand so it was now between himself and the door. "..you've somehow managed to make a buffer, that whilst making it harder to draw Saidin through, also stops the taint from coming through. So as long as we remain on this side....we're safe. Well, safe enough."

 

Covai proceded to open and close the gaps between his fingers a few times. "I think it might work something like this. Or more like some sort of net. Somehow you've managed to purify Saidin, or more precisely stop the taint going through." Covai moved his hand so he was now between it and the door. "Which could explain why when I was on this side of things, the taint just kept building up on this side of the buffer."

 

Dropping his hand, Covai tilted his head as he look at Arath. "I don't suppose that little puppet show might have helped shed some light on this?"

[Arath Faringal]

Arath shrugged.  "Could be.  I've never heard of anyone trying to channel the wrong way through an angreal either, so that may have just been causing feedback.  Trying to push a river back upstream so to speak."  He paused, rubbing his chin in contemplation.  "Burn me if I'm going to try that again though.  Sounds like walking through the wrong end of a gateway."

 

Taking the pin back from Covai, Arath pulled on Saidin as hard as he could.  It still felt the same.  "I'd guess this takes about a quarter of my power away.  Useless in battle.  I'd almost be afraid to use it for anything else either.  Channeling clean Saidin is ... amazing.  But what happens if you get too used to it, then are forced to jump back into the taint again?"

 

Releasing the source, Arath stared down at the pin in his hand.  "I wonder what would happen if I made another?  Would it weaken you more to draw through two like this?  Or would they add up and finally give you a strength increase?"