A Fade on the Ranch ((ATTN: Mat))

[Kura]

Dhjorn had come a long way.

 

He began his journey in the blight, on the traditional night of his and Calaun's meeting. Each had spent time in the fortress of the dreadlords, and each had learned much. Calaun had even taught a group of the channelers about their species, her amused as she compared the bunch to Trollocs. Dhjorn had learned something deeper though, as he learned his letters, and made his way through the library. There was a group of humans who specialized in assassination, the best that the shadow had to offer.

 

The Shar Mahdi.

 

Once he learned of this dark guild, he made it his mission to seek them out. He asked around, getting the names of the ranking members, and their specialties. He had no use for the poisons of some, the Thakan'Dar forged daggers he would gain would take care of that. Besides, as non-channeling humans, there would be only one worth taking the skills of. The best of them.

 

He decided he would learn from Cari herself.

 

He traveled far, all the journey on foot. His face remained passive over the length of the journey, but inside he was seething with rage. Never before had felt the need for the black steed of the Myrddraal so keenly. The borderlands were the worst, avoiding detection was easy enough, but the bitter chill of the northland's winters. Never would such cold touch the blight.

 

Still, after far to long, he had made it to this accursed ranch. He had made it to the Shar Mahdi herself, and he would receive his training. At least, he hoped. There was the chance that she would turn him down; or slay him outright. Unlike most of his race, he did not fall into the trap of arrogance. Her species meant little; she could kill him. He raised his pale, pasty hands and knocked once on the door, his black hood pulled tight.

 

He prepared himself for death.

[Matalina]

OOC: only one change... not Matalina... Cari is the only name she goes by in the Shar Mahdi.  Matalina is for all intensive purposes dead lol.  You can say Matalina but more in a stumbling of the tongue sort of thing or and an opps I forgot hehe, but Matalina no longer exists.

 

IC:  Cari had received orders two days back that she would be receiving a new student. The student was to be taught or it would be her death.  Cari never question her orders but she wondered why it would be under such precarious circumstances.  It also mentioned not to say anything of her orders, which was fine with her.  But when the knock came at her door and she opened it to find a fade standing outside in their black garb she wished for her sword, but it as usual lay under her bed wrapped tightly in a blanket for safe keeping.  This was twice now she had been with out her blade on such a meeting.  Cari sighed. 

 

Cari didn't ask for the creature to enter she pushed it back out the door and closed it behind her.  "What do you want?  My children may know of you but they do not need to see you."  Cari had found out the truth of what Demus had been doing with her children shortly after he left the ranch.  Teaching them the dark ways as their souls now belonged to the Great Lord.  It wouldn't be until they were much older and much more versed in their world would that actually mean anything.  Their soul right now was free from the Great Lord, they could wax and wane from his keep as a leaf on the wind.  But the farther they got immersed the harder it would be for their loyalty to wane.  Cari was beyond reach now, there was no hope of going back to the light, her soul was litearlly the Great Lords.  Her life lived on only because the Great Lord found value in her and she intended to keep it that way.  Cari knew then that this was her student.  There was no question about it in her mind but she had to hear it for herself, what did it want!

 

Cari

[Kura]

OOC: Fixed

 

IC: Dhjorn was pleasantly surprised when he wasn't knifed. He figured that this was about as good of a start as he was like to get. She has children, hmm? Maybe... no no, its best to leave this one alone. He somehow doubted that threatening one who had earned such a title would work out in his favor. As such, he decided to do an unusual thing for his race. More so for himself, and go the direct, honest route.

 

"You are the Shar Mahdi, and I wish to learn from you." His voice was an icy death, emotionless yet still promising a slow and torturous end. Perhaps this once however, it was an empty promise. At least for now. "Teach me to wield these." His daggers appeared with a flourish, "Make me silent enough to creep into an Aiel's den, and all other things that go into the trade we have chosen." With his gaze still low, he sheathed the daggers once again. "I have come a very long way for this Shar Mahdi. Will you train me?"

[Matalina]

Cari only nodded.  She knew this was coming but it was still hard to accept.  Teaching a fade to kill?  Around her children?  Cari wasn't sure how good of an idea this was.  There was an abandoned house a bit into the woods, Aiden and Kate used it to get away from their chores.  It would be the best place to hid the fade for now.  There were light fools on the Ranch and there was no need to scare them or train in the darkness of night.

 

"There is a house about 1 mile north of here.  It's abandoned and it has enough space to teach you.  You can stay there.  I will come to you when my chores here are done.  There is a few rules though if you want to learn from me.  You touch a hair on anyone's head who is under my care and you will be slit from one end of your body to the other faster than you can move.  And two, do not touch the livestock, any suspicions there is a fade or trolloc in the area then you will be dead.  This is my home you have come to, you ruin my cover and I ruin your life."

 

Cari pointed the direction of the house.  "I will meet in you a few hours."

 

OOC:  Go to the house and let me know what you'd like to learn and I'll start it next post.

 

Cari

[Kura]

Dhjorn almost laughed at her conditions. "If I could not avoid the notice of a few light fools or children Shar Mahdi, I doubt very much that I am worth your time." With that he did as was bid, it wouldn't do well to appear an unwilling student. In fact, he had every intention of proving quite the opposite. He would  devour every lesson she had for him, until he knew all she did. Then he knew, he would be better. He was faster and stronger than any human could be, he could meld with the shadows. One day even the smallest laceration of his black blades would kill.

 

That however, was a long way off. For now he kept to the shadows, making scarce a sound as he slipped through the woods, heading in the direction of her abandoned house. It didn't take him long to find the place, as she said it was only a mile out. Stepping into the exposing moonlight, his putrid hand was laid upon the door. Dhjorn, who was labeled as emotionless even by his own cold race, allowed a smile to spread over his lips as he stepped into the building.

 

His training would begin soon.

 

OOC: Hmm, some sort of test to see where he is at with his daggers might be in order. Might as well start if off simple with some actual weapons training. We'll get creative down the road.  ;)

[Matalina]

OOC:  VERY sorry for the delay, I didn't forget just lost my muse for a week or more.

 

Cari finished her chores and ran the mile to the abandoned house.  It was run down and barely able to stand, but Nalia had made sure it was safe for the kids, though with her dead now Cari wasn't sure if those particular weaves remain or if she did something else entirely to the structure.  Cari didn't really care about the safety of the fade, but her children came her often, she would need to look around after this little fade was gone.  She wasn't sure about training it, but she knew she had to.

 

Cari didn't knock on the door, she doubted it had a lock anyway.  "Come, it's time to learn."  Cari didn't care about names and there really was no need for them right now, she didn't care what its name was, she only hoped it would take direction well.

 

Cari tossed the fade two small lathes which she had picked up at her house before coming this way.  They looked to be waited at about what he was currently using.  She didn't want any of the taint from any blade that came from Shayol Ghul regardless of whether or not it was actually forged there or not.  She wasn't going to take any chances.

 

Cari drew up her quarterstaff, she hadn't bothered to bring her sword or a practice lathe, this would work just fine for the first few lessons, assessment of prior skills was necessary.  You either had to know what they knew or you had to know what to reteach them.  For now it was just a test to see its skill level.

 

"Try to get through my defenses."

 

OOC:  Try to get through, I don't expect you to use forms or anything of that nature nor actually do a long winded fight unless you want to.  Summarize what he knows.  Cari will leave several openings for him to actually hit her, it's a test to see if he observes these things or not.  It is your choice as to whether or not he does so at this time.

 

Cari

[Kura]

The Fade looked down at the lathes he was given, rotating his wrists to test their weight. They were a bit lighter than the blades he was used to wielding... but he supposed that was inevitable. He was undaunted that he was supposed to attack the legendary assassin... He was beginning to see that word had reached her ears before he had arrived. Must have been either an elder fade or dreadlord who delivered the news; he doubted even a man who ran each horse he owned to death could have outpaced him.

 

Mentally chiding himself, he focused on the task at hand, beginning a slow circle strafe around his opponent, stepping into the dark shadows. Now or never. He relied on the one advantage he had; he was a Myrddraal, if a young one. He would always be stronger, faster than a human counterpart. This in mind, he uncoiled his legs and lunged a straight thrust at her heart, which was quickly batted aside. Without hesitation Dhjorn launched a flurry of attacks with both hands, while keeping the attacks controlled. No need to be foolish.

 

He kept up the attack for a few moments, his eyeless gaze examining every movement of her quarterstaff, watching both ends for any sign that he had a chance. Launching an attack with his left at her face, he saw it. She parried by lifting the infuriating weapon, leaving her open for a low strike. His opposite hand however, had already been knocked wide. As such, he lashed out with a quick knee to the midsection. He felt a surge of pride as it connected, but quickly squelched it, taking two steps back.

 

"On my way here I saw warriors in Shienar who would have cut me down without a moment's hesitation. You are holding back, Shar Mahdi" He put a strange emphasis on her title, speaking it with a snake's slithering tone to his voice. Still, the fade's daggers were kept ready. He realized it must have been some kind of test... but the warrior in him was a bit angered at being treated as a child... a human child at that...

 

((Yeah, and I was working on a paper..forbidding myself from going to DM till I got it done lol, so I suppose I should apologize as well.))

[Matalina]

Cari smiled, she'd insulted him.  "Be wary of us humans fadeling.  You may be eyeless and walk umoungst the shadows but my blade can kill you just as easily.  If we were evenly matched with the same so-called abilities I would be the better killer here.  You came me to me not the other way around, child.  Remember that!"  With the last two words Cari swiped her quarterstaff under his legs knocking him down.  In the next moment her dagger was flying towards his eyeless face just missing the side of his face as he landed.

 

"Your weapon is more than what you hold in your hands, it is your mind.  Focus, do not underestimate anyone, even the simplest child."  Cari knew three such children that could put any man down in the blink of an eye if they were underestimated, she had taught them, and she had taught them well. 

 

"Get up and try again."  This time her forms would be perfect, flawless.  She practiced everyday for nearly 20 years with both sword and now sword and staff.  There were few above her in skill when the odds were even, no channeling or special abilities.  Her taste was not for the nice and neat anymore but she taught as if she were in the Warders Yards she'd grown up in.  But she was no longer that honorable person - no longer tied to their niceties and that showed in her training as well.

 

Cari instructed the fade for some time.  The lights growing dim and the day fading away into the night.  "Sleep, Eat, whatever you fades do to wind down.  Tomorrow three hours before dawn we begin."

 

OOC:  You can continue in this thread or start a new one with whatever training you want.  Just mention what type of training you want to get and we'll work from there.  These are your reqs hehe.

 

Cari