Basic Offense/Defense (Attn.: Soldiers!)

[Guest Faile1987]

OOC: Ok, according to the sign up thread for this, the cast as it is are

 

Ata

bratr

Dovan

Taea Dawn

Perine

 

Drenn (I count on your arts of distraction ;))

and Ged of course ;)

 

So, the procedure will be me posting one lesson (the whole thing will probably consist of 4 on the whole) every Saturday, giving you a week to reply until we continue, just to keep it going. So you all are requested to stay active here and if you miss a lesson either include its content to your next post or send me one via email so it can counted!

 

Cheers and here we go :D

 

IC:

 

Everything inside him revulsed from what he just was about to do. What had been enforced on on him to do. Until now he always had managed to escape this. Using false pretenses or faked reasons to wriggle his way out of what every Dedicated was obliged to do. It wasn´t that he minded the general idea of them all being assigned the duty to teach. In fact it was rather an honor, a task, another step in the ladder that sometimes may lead to the beating of the madness, the raging taint inside all those young ones, Soldiers like he had been, coming to the Black Tower. That what they were here for. To receive and to provide help to fight down the prospect of inevitably going mad and die by the gift as some might call it, yet more referred to it as a curse that came with the ability to grasp and handle Saidin, the male, but tainted half of the One Power. The Power that had once been united, yet the Breaking and the Time of Madness had broken that alliance and hat alienated the two parts, male and female seemingly forevermore. Indeed with some of the female channellers, Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah, devoting their very strife to hunting down male channellers, men like him and everyone else in the Black Tower, the possibility of the two halves being reunited, made whole again one day seemed more like a wishful dream.

 

But even if one day the impossible would happen, would they deserve it? After all that had happened, all the misery, death and destruction, wouldn´t it be much more of a mercy to just surrender to the Aes Sedai or any other force hunting them, let themselves be gentled, killed, get it over with? As always when those gloomy thoughts crossed his mind, mingled with images of the burning inn in Baerleon, the reverberating cries in pain and anguish filling his ears, an icy shudder rolled down Ged´s spine and it took everything he had to stay up straight and keep on walking to whereever he was headed. Violently the features of his mother laying dead at his feet wanted to come back into his conscious, filling his mind, but somehow, shrouding himself as deeply into the void as he could, Ged managed to fight down the ghosts of his past haunting him, trying to abduct him to the valley of despair, guilt and suicidal thoughts once again.

 

He shook his head, oblivious to the irritated looks he received from people passing by. He wasn´t here for this. He knew what had brought him here and he would never be able to forget how he had discovered that he could channel, what evil he had done. Yet Ged Maevere wasn´t done with this, wasn´t done with himself yet. Killing himself would have been the easy way. The way of despair and the way of a coward. But a way of no use as well. And of use he wanted to be. Making good for what he had done, at least a bit, even the slightest bit of advance would maybe be able to help anyone. He didn´t want it for himself. To lessen his guilt or anything he had done. No, Ged knew that he would pay for this, in life and death, no matter what, still he wanted to use the time he dwelled in this world to be there for others. In which aspect ever.

 

That included, of course, not only becoming full rank Asha´man and learning how to deal with Saidin without losing control, also helping those who now were as the state when he had just arrived himself at the Black Tower. Timid, curious, bold, excited or horrified, they might be, Ged judged as he looked into the faces of the group of men he was about to teach when he had finally arrived at the spot outside on the training grounds where the first lesson had been appointed to be. In appearance as differently as in age, Ged noticed to his astonishment that there was a vast gap between the oldest, who seemed to be in his middle-fifties, though the lines in his gaunt face and the hauntedness in his eyes indicated that he was even older, and the youngest, who obviously wasn´t more than a mere boy of maybe thirteen years from his looks. The thought of that somehow made Ged´s heart clench. Neither old nor young where spared by the taint of Saidin, by the curse infiltrating them all, undermining their free will and manipulating them all to whatever the madness inside them held in store until breaking out, making them lose it forever.

 

Stiffling a sigh, Ged´s emerald green eyes flashed in the morning sun, appearing like dark, frozen pools in winter though, emphasizing his set jaw and his blank face even more. He was aware that he was drawing on the void rather strongly. Yet he also knew that doing so was the only way he could stand this as this wasn´t any kind of lesson he was about to teach. This was about the one thing he despised most of all. Good morning boys. I´m the one who will turn you into fighting machines, into spineless minions of the dragon, killing without concern. All for the cause, he thought cynically, unaware that he was biting his tongue and clenching his fists until he managed to clear his head again and spoke with the coolness of the void clearly audible in his voice. “Good morning to you all. Report your name and rank before you start to show me what you manage to do in terms of using the One Power as a means to attack and defend yourself as this is what you are here to learn.†A short pause followed as his gaze shortly remained on every one of them, green smaragds holding their gaze one by one as though intending to examine the sincerity and state of mind of each of them. Well, soon he would know what they were able to do, yet he didn´t want to run any risks, so he added. “I want you to listen closely and memorize every word that I say. Anyone who deems himself superior enough to show disrespect to my orders will have to explain himself in front of the M´Hael before receiving his rightful punishment by me.†His gaze went even colder, more judgingly, only eventually softening a bit. “Now that this is settled, I want you to show me what you know about wards. Just keep it simple. A simple ward of Earth, Fire, Air, Water or Spirit can sometimes be enough to block the most fervent foe.†Stepping back, Ged looked at the group of his students, somehow glad that he hadn´t had to start with offense weaves right away. That woud come though, it would and he already knew he wouldn´t like it one bit…

 

OOC: sorry for it taking so long btw. I had a great s*** load of RL **** after coming back from Hungary, but throwing myself back into RP to try and get distracted now..;)

[Liitha]

Aslan finished his meal and left the inn, he where soon having a class but had some spare time first, just enough to visit the stables. He found his stalion outside and offered him an aple as he patted his mule. It hadnt been much time for riding lately with all the classes and things going on, he would have to try and mend that somehow. It was months since he came here, his progress had been hindered by the taint. He wherent mad but knew that there was someone else in him in some maner, someone who took over when he had blackouts.

 

This was the reason everytrhing was so slow, he only learned things once yet had to learn them twice so the other didnt burn him out, the whole thing confused him. Yet he knew now it was how it was, in many ways it scared him, though slowly not as much as in the begining when he woke up missing days or having bruices he didnt know how he had gained. Yet the lack of control on his life, and the fact that there was another in him, it was the best way he could describe it, it also had ocured what if he was the other, but he had descided since it only happened after saidar manefesting in him it had to be conected with the taint.

 

Slowly he let go of the beast and turned about walking towards the training ground, he hoped he would be able to get through the lesson undisturbed, he liked learning and wanted to progress futher, also so he could have more freedom as he was rqaised up the ranks, that was if he survived.

 

“Good morning to you all. Report your name and rank before you start to show me what you manage to do in terms of using the One Power as a means to attack and defend yourself as this is what you are here to learn.†Aslan waited to the eyes fixed on him, "Aslan, I'm a soldier" He waited as the round finished. “I want you to listen closely and memorize every word that I say. Anyone who deems himself superior enough to show disrespect to my orders will have to explain himself in front of the M´Hael before receiving his rightful punishment by me.†Nothing of this was new, and Aslan had enough respect for the power to do as told, these men knew more than him, even with that he had almost killed himself with the power but not by his own hand, it was the other as he called him, he refused to accept him by using his name.

 

“Now that this is settled, I want you to show me what you know about wards. Just keep it simple. A simple ward of Earth, Fire, Air, Water or Spirit can sometimes be enough to block the most fervent foe.†Aslan wove a simple ward of air, more like a small wall of air tingled with a litle spirit to keep it togheter, somehow he where oposite in this water and air came more easily to him than earth and fire which was the male elements. Then he waited for the class to continue.

[bratr]

Bratr calmley stood up as Ged came to stand in the center of the training grounds. Bratr thought about his time spent here so far and looked at the others.

Aslan he had met. As he looked at the other faces it seemed to him that he must be the youngest and that he must be the only one who had spent much time at the Tower yet. Or so he thought.

 

“Good morning to you all. Report your name and rank before you start to show me what you manage to do in terms of using the One Power as a means to attack and defend yourself as this is what you are here to learn.â€

 

"Midar Soldier of the Black Tower" As usual they were asked to stae their rank, why Midar was sure he'd never know. I mean Soldier training is for soldiers.

“I want you to listen closely and memorize every word that I say. Anyone who deems himself superior enough to show disrespect to my orders will have to explain himself in front of the M´Hael before receiving his rightful punishment by me.â€

 

Midar thought about the M'Heal, he had never met him but had heard he wasn't one to bother with little trifles. I wonder what would happen if Ged did something wrong. He would probably get more then a talking to. Superior power had to be balanced by better self control and responsibility. Midar had learned a lot just watching the going ons of the Tower.

 

“Now that this is settled, I want you to show me what you know about wards. Just keep it simple. A simple ward of Earth, Fire, Air, Water or Spirit can sometimes be enough to block the most fervent foe.â€

 

Midar Searched for saidan and drew on the power. Holding the power was becoming so simple it was alost scary. Midar had sometimes found himself holding the power when he walked into a building or while walking down the street near someone he didn't trust. It seemed like he was starting to unconsiencly channel.

Shaking the thought from his head Midar wove carefully. A thick strand of fire, streghtned with earth, and spirit. He even added spirit, water and air in smaller amounts. Midar had found that he could hold channel large ammount of the One Power. But he had trouble channeling it skillfully.

 

His ward was strong but it had taken him a long time. Ugh how was he to make a ward fast enough to defend against an enemy.[/i]

[Terron Merdoneth]

OOC:Thanks for letting me join :D

 

IC:

Removing himself from the inn after his meal, Tomas couldn’t help but notice the angle of the sun. Snarling (again), he realised that he had a class running very soon. What was it again? Basic Offence/Defence. Beneath the hard shell he had built around his mind and emotion, Tomas Deminshar smiled. It would be good to get his chance to learn just how he could offset is certain future madness by killing as many shadow spawn as possible. Quickening his pace, he walked down to the Training Grounds, ready to begin his education into handling Saidin.

 

As he walked to the Training Grounds, he thought about how on earth he was going to make it through the class. He could take the Void and Saidin easily enough, but the only way that he could tell separate flows apart was by what he assumed they did. Fire burnt things, Air made invisible (usually) objects or barriers, Earth... well, it didn’t move mountains, but he got the general idea. Mostly he just did what seemed right, usually with Spirit predominating.

 

As he came to the Training Ground, he came to attention. He recognised the instructor as the Dedicated who had introduced him to the Tower upon his arrival. “Good morning to you all. Report your name and rank before you start to show me what you manage to do in terms of using the One Power as a means to attack and defend yourself as this is what you are here to learn.†Waiting until the instructor’s eyes focused on him, he spoke. “Tomas Deminshar. Soldier.†He waited, keeping his mind cold and clear. It was hard. Memories of his sickness after channelling for the first time were shouting to be heard inside his head. With difficulty, he shut them out. “I want you to listen closely and memorize every word that I say. Anyone who deems himself superior enough to show disrespect to my orders will have to explain himself in front of the M´Hael before receiving his rightful punishment by me.†Punishment? If it came to that, there would be a good reason. Tomas didn’t like other people punishing him for his mistakes. He preferred to punish himself. The instructor’s gaze hardened, but Tomas had been put down many times before. He looked the instructor in the eye, hardening his own gaze to match. He could retain his self respect and honour and still be respectful to the instructor. “Now that this is settled, I want you to show me what you know about wards. Just keep it simple. A simple ward of Earth, Fire, Air, Water or Spirit can sometimes be enough to block the most fervent foe.†Inside, Tomas winced. Wards? He supposed that meant something to keep people away. He inexpertly took the Void, weaving ... something, probably Air and Spirit, with a touch of Fire, into a barrier in front of him. He started with a weak ward, bringing it up as quickly as he could, although he wasn’t very quick. Seeing what he had done, he gradually put more and more energy into it, until it could probably, he estimated, stop a person. He looked around, and saw that the others had finished as well. It had taken a while though. Still, at least the sickness hadn’t returned. He still had nightmares about that. Mentally berating himself for that, he amused himself by imagining a solid bar of Fire , Air, and Spirit crashing down on him from above...

[Guest Faile1987]

OOC: Good so far! So, Saturday has turned into Sunday, but as some of the people who originaly signed up for this here still hadn´t posted I guessed a day more couldn´t hurt, but now lesson 2 comes and who has missed the first one is requested either to include lesson 1 in the post for this lesson or send me a seperate post via email. Here we go!

 

~Ged~

 

Watching his students report stern and serious, eager about learning what he was about to teach them, Ged held on to the void tight, not allowing himself to let anything slip about his true feelings about having to do what he was just about to as carelessly as he was, banning all emotions or second thoughts from penetrating the oneness with his surroundings and the task set to him to complete, he watched their efforts in completing the different kinds of wards they could think of, only here and there uttering an approving comment or helping them to do it right the next time, before he slipped back into the role of the passive bystander, watcher over what he himself was just creating.

 

Watching only to some degree though as he knew - and dreaded - that he would have to move on now. Resigning to his obligation, Ged surpressed a sigh of frustration before he seized the One Power himself, already used enough to expect and fight down the hold that the taint was trying to enforce on him every time he reached out for Saidin and with the support of Air and Spirit set up the scenario for his next lesson, propping up wooden dummies, puppets that somehow looked astonishing Trolloc-like, setting them up in a safe distance from anything that could suffer any damage in the process of this lesson, before he gave his next instructions, clinging to the void in a nearly desperate attempt to prevail over himself as he knew what was about to come now. How to learn to kill...

 

"You know how to keep yourselves from suffering damage alright", he announced, even lowering his voice, neither considering it neccessary to raise it to a shout nor wanting to already too much sounding like a commander exposing his men to mindless drill than could ever suit his taste or conscious. "But now the real business starts. The business of fighting. The business of killing. Show me how you would kill your enemy standing in your way. Those may just be mere puppets, yet I want you to imagine and to exercise what you would do to a real Trolloc attacking you. Train for the situation that will most inevitably come across your way one day and show me what you can do."

 

Yes, show me what I am contributing to create and letting loose on the World...

 

OOC: If you need any ideas for this, just look into http://www.blacktowerdiv.com/weaves.php for further help and suggestions!

[Terron Merdoneth]

Tomas' head snapped around at a movement. A group of wooden training dummies were standing up, supported by what he must assume were flows of Air. "You know how to keep yourselves from suffering damage alright", Ged, the instructor, said. "But now the real business starts. The business of fighting. The business of killing. Show me how you would kill your enemy standing in your way. Those may just be mere puppets, yet I want you to imagine and to exercise what you would do to a real Trolloc attacking you. Train for the situation that will most inevitably come across your way one day and show me what you can do." His voice spoke of a certain reluctance to teach this, but Tomas grinned. How would going mad in the Blight be any good if he couldn't kill anything? Reaching out to the True Source, he wove Fire and into the dummy, which began to burn. Keeping the weave there, he snarled outside the void. this was taking far too long. Even a burning enemy could swing a sword. Using his arm as an aid to concentration he pointed at the dummy, clenched his fist, and crushed it in flows of Air strengthened with spirit. The dummy crumpled, being crushed smaller and smaller under the weave, untill the fire he had started earlier reduced the pile of kindling on the ground to a pile of ash. A savage smile burst onto his face as he looked at the pathetic pile of ash on the ground, and waited for the lesson to continue...

[Dovan Panrael]

"You know how to keep yourselves from suffering damage alright. But now the real business starts. The business of fighting. The business of killing. Show me how you would kill your enemy standing in your way. Those may just be mere puppets, yet I want you to imagine and to exercise what you would do to a real Trolloc attacking you. Train for the situation that will most inevitably come across your way one day and show me what you can do."

 

Killing? No, Dovan didn't like the sound of that one bit. He wanted to do quite the opposite, in fact, as he had done for Ged after the incident that destroyed the Panrael family's first house here at the Black Tower; however, that had been an accident, a stab in the dark really. And now, his commanding officer wanted to Dovan to show him death, the perverse power over life. Not to heal, but to kill. If it had to be done, he thought resignedly, then so be it. He wasn't, after all, so dense as to think that being a male channeler would be enough to scare away all things willing to do him harm; the world was a terrible place, especially as of late. He'd eventually have to bloody his hands.

 

Soldier Tomas was first. The man siezed the Source and began channeling Fire and then Air and Spirit in two weaves which ultimately decimated one of the dummies to ash. When he was through, a sickening smile of delight contorted his face. The young man was actually enjoying this? If dealing death with such ease caused this man joy, then maybe he was better fitted to be a highwayman or a man on the front lines of war!

 

Inevitably, his turn came around, and he tried to sieze the Source but he failed. It took him several attempts to attain the Void and many more after that to get a steady hold on saidin, which Ged had assured him was normal at first. Not everyone could grasp it all the time, every time when they first learn to channel. Ged had had to motion the others to be patient while he struggled, but when he had finally held the Power, he began with meticulous care. Fire and Earth, his two strongest elements, melded together as he looked away in shame, causing one of the dummies' head to explode into splinters with a powerful, resounding "BOOM!" while a simple shield of Air protected the rest of the group from the fallout.

 

Shoving the Source and the Taint away, Dovan hoped that that was satisfactory enough for his mentor because it was almost too much for the old man. He had ruined enough lives in his time. When would he learn to mend them? He sighed mournfully and awaited the others to finish while he silently and--he hoped--secretly dwelled on darker thoughts.

[Liitha]

Aslan watched as dummies came up and then heard the new instructions be given, he watched as some of the other delt with their enemies, some seemed to have progressed longer then him , posibly they had been channeling for longer as he knew that their strength grew in time, it was called potential.

 

He looked at the firebased weaves that mostly flew forward untill it was his time, he had had time to think on it. And as he channeled he did so to challenge himself as he consentrated on channeling small amounts of several difrent elements, he still found it hard at times to work with many flows at once, two flows where twice as dificult to control as one and three twice that dificult again. Water, air and spirit formed into a weave that he expanded slowly to not loose control of any of the treads, he once had and the backsnap hadnt been pleasant. Then it was ready and he let it suround one of the dummies before releasing it and watch the effect as the dummie froze. He knew in batle he would have had to weave it quicker though, but there was time to practise and when he could do it as quick as some things then it would be effective enough to stop an enemy, cruel but trollocs didnt deserve any bether.

 

Aslan waited as the rest of the class finished the task.

[TaeaDawn]

First Lesson:

 

Caelen looked around at his fellow students and couldn't help but smile. Light but he was a 32 year old man stuck in a room full of babies. Well, mostly. Still, it was always a bit odd to find himself on the beginning end of things at this late in life. He'd always thought himself a quick study, but then again it had taken him years to admit he could channel, let alone to do something about it. In fact he had barely learned any control over it before being unceremoniously dumped onto the Farm and left to find his way around. He'd been working since then though to get a grasp on what was happening. Even when he wasn't trying to channel himself he watched others and he had a memory for it.

 

When asked to give his name he smiled his silly crooked grin, "Caelen Sarafayan, Soldier, at your service." He said with a bow, then waited as the others put their names in the pot.

 

He watched as the others went before him and took note of what they did. He'd seen similiar stuff around the yards, wards used mostly by teachers when their students went and blew stuff up. It was a good safety device here and he had recognized it immediately. He had gone back to his room and practiced it until he had it down, then watched others to see what they added to it, how they did it differently. When it was his turn he embraced the source which was never an easy affair. Oh, he had it at his call now, but the fight was a constant and he always had the concern about being caught by the Guardian, a habit of years even if he was so far away now it coudln't pick him up.

 

He winked at his teacher who seemed a bit stern so far. "Now, you'll notice how nicely I picked up Saidin. Next..well... I think i'll try a little fire..." He began weaving the power, working fire and spirit into a ward around himself. Another wink for the instructor. "Now, I could do this one." And he replicated one from an earlier student. "Or this, thought it's a bit harder for me, you see." Water and Spirit warded him as well. He wasn't trying to show off really. He just wanted to see the young man smile. Looked like he could spit nails at the moment but Caelen wasn't sure if that was fury or the desire to keep himself from laughing. Probably the first, but Caelen couldn't help himself really. He dropped the weave. "And if that doesn't work, I can always charm them with my adorable smile and my girlish figure." He said batting his eyes dramatically.

 

[TaeaDawn]

Lesson Two:

 

"You know how to keep yourselves from suffering damage alright. But now the real business starts. The business of fighting. The business of killing. Show me how you would kill your enemy standing in your way. Those may just be mere puppets, yet I want you to imagine and to exercise what you would do to a real Trolloc attacking you. Train for the situation that will most inevitably come across your way one day and show me what you can do."

 

 

Caelen watched the others work at the dummies. A strange irony for himself to see all the destruction around them and yet feel safer here than he had for some time. There was no need to hide his little secret here, no need to worry if he went mad and killed everyone. Light, no need to even hide that he might be a tad loopy in the head to begin with. OK, in actually he acted far more insane than he was. He had always had a strange sense of humor, even before the Power had come. But in this place, he felt safer than he had with the Guardian always present and waiting to ding it's bells at him.

 

When it was his turn he did something he had learned long ago, something handy that he had used we he needed it and he was away from Far Madding. Only, this was bigger and stronger. He had found the weave when he had needed to cut a rope and had lost his knife. A razor thin weave of the power had done the trick, just a tiny thing to cut a rope. But it worked just as he thought it would. Instead of cutting, it sliced the head right off the dummy. He kept the weave moving, pushing it forward and through the heads of two more before stopping and looking sideways at his handywork. "Now, I heard of biting someone's head off, but I never really saw it in action before. Well, except my sister. I swear she had one man's head almost completly ripped off with her tongue... the man's eyes were rolling back in his head and his knees were sagging. I don't think he'd have survived if she had said another word. Good thing there was a bit of mercy in her." He added with a smile.

 

[Guest Faile1987]

~Lesson 3~

 

With time passing by, he had thought this would be getting easier from him, that he could just be able to switch off his mind and forget about his own dark thoughts confronted with the content of this training. In fact, Ged thought wryly, he seemed to be the only one who even cared about what they were doing here, who seemed to watch the entire process of training in the Black Tower with critical eyes. Everyone else of the five participants of his lesson, everyone except of Dovan maybe, whose old, wrinkled face seemed to be anything but short of frowning at what was happening around him, everyone just seemed to comply to his orders without any scond thoughts.

 

Only barely suppressing a sigh of frustration, Ged thought bleakly, that maybe they just enjoyed to learn, that they did what he told them without objection just because it was required, just because it was their only way to hold on to their sanity for a bit longer. Some of them might indeed become truly dedicated to the cause of the Light, he didn´t doubt, but some merely seemed to look forward and to enjoy learning even more about how to kill someone. Either that, or, like the oldest of them aside of Dovan, Caelen, Ged recalled his name, seemed to think nothing about all of this but using it as a kind of show to present himself. Looking at him and the airs he was giving himself already now, Ged had to keep his hold on the void tightly not to let his anger show to the other man. He would deal with that later, if he had to. Right now his teaching had to proceed.

 

"Now, you have learned how to kill an opponent who doesn´t move, who doesn´t strike back or is able to defend himself", Ged said, clapping sarcastically. "Well, even a child knows that an enemy moves. So, we´ll try just that. I want you to find something to attack me with and you´ll see how hard it can be to find your target. Don´t hold back and be creative."

 

Nodding at them to begin, Ged already had a tight grasp on Saidin again, ready for any kind of weave they might come up with.

 

OOC: Ok, bring it on and either you NPC Ged´s defense or I´ll reply to your posts. Ged will only defend himself and he can cope with Soldier-level-weaves easily, he won´t strike back though.

[Dovan Panrael]

"Now, you have learned how to kill an opponent who doesn´t move, who doesn´t strike back or is able to defend himself", Ged said, clapping sarcastically. "Well, even a child knows that an enemy moves. So, we´ll try just that. I want you to find something to attack me with and you´ll see how hard it can be to find your target. Don´t hold back and be creative."

 

That said, Ged stepped back away from the group into a more open area and siezed saidin. For a moment, Dovan almost gasped. He had thought that he had become used to the feeling of menace that meant another man held the One Power, but Ged's ability was just so powerful that he doubted few men in the Tower could hold a candle to it! Ged had told him that one day he'd be just as powerful as he was, but it still was almost staggering to the old man. It wasn't until Ged said, "So we have our first volunteer already," that Dovan realized that he had stepped forward before any of the other Soldiers in line. Looking back at them, they had a sullen, almost envious look as they regarded him, especially that swaggering braggart who couldn't stop talking. Despite the age he appeared to be, the man sounded like he was an eighteen year old who had just been promoted to a lieutenent.

 

Shaking his head, Dovan turned back towards his mentor, and siezed the Source himself, pulling as deeply as he knew he could handle. Almost to the point where he felt as though he could lose the battle with saidin if he slipped up once. It was still a considerable amount as far as the other recruits behind him were concerned, but still diminuitive when compared with Dedicated Ged's. Bowing his head respectively, Dovan took a deep breath to steady the Void, which was almost quavering with anticipation and anxiety.

 

He whispered a small prayer for everyone's safety, then sent a fist sized fireball, forming in the air in front of him, streaking at his mentor who then, with flows of his own, stopped it with an outstretched hand. While the fireball slowed, Dovan used a quick second weave involving Earth touched with Air sending it into the ground immediately to either side of his mentor, which kicked up a heavy, slightly rock-laden sprays of dirt. Almost too quickly for Dovan to follow, Dedicated Ged erected a strong barrier of Air around him, the dirt hitting the shield and piling up around its circumferance.

 

"Enough!" Ged commanded, waiting a second before releasing his shield in case Dovan had not heard his order. When he did so, some of the dirt spilled inwards then the young man said, "Distraction. Good, but not always something you can use, Soldier Dovan. Next!" he unceremoniously said.

 

The old man uncertainly stepped back into the line with the other Soldiers and released the Source, life bleeding away from him.

[Terron Merdoneth]

"Now, you have learned how to kill an opponent who doesn´t move, who doesn´t strike back or is able to defend himself", Ged said, clapping sarcastically. "Well, even a child knows that an enemy moves. So, we´ll try just that. I want you to find something to attack me with and you´ll see how hard it can be to find your target. Don´t hold back and be creative."

 

As soon as he felt Ged sieze the source, Tomas siezed it himself. He had no idea what weaves he would try, as he still didn't really know what was possible with the power. He had often wondered exactly how Spirit could be used, as it had so many different applications. Starting, he turned his mind to the task. The others had already begun. Creative? Exelent. Weaving as quickly as he could, Tomas wove Air and Fire, slamming his fiery projectile as hard as he could into his instructor, not surprised to find it blocked easily. He tried again, weaving an elemental blade from Fire and Spirit, throwing it forward with all his strength. For some reason, he felt as though the Spirit used in the weave should have been used differently. For that reason, when he again found his weave blocked easily, he crafted a ... wall out of pure spirit. He had been tempted to craft something like a blade, but he felt that, as he had no idea what the consequences of the weave would be, he had better keep it simple. He was a little annoyed when Ged deflected it as easily as he had the earlier attacks. He would have liked to know what would happen if he wove a ...shield about a person with Spirit. He was also annoyed because he had put rather a lot of force into the moving wall of Spirit he had sent crashing toward Ged, and felt that such force should be treated with just a little respect. Damn! As soon as that little thought about respect had gotten out of the way, he hardened his mind. Ged was a Dedicated, probably had years more training with Saidin than Tomas, and had a perfect right to defend himself. He conditioned his mind. He was so tempted by the source, to draw it all. The life it gave him was so tempting. There was the taint, too, the madness, egging him on, making him want to take it all. Use it all. He gave in. If the instructor could defend himself, there wasn't really any limiting what he himself could try, was there? He Siezed Saidin, drawing as much of it as he could, not caring what flows he channeled, and hurled a frenzy of all five powers, mainly in spirit, at his instructor. The pain in his mind that swiftly followed made him cry out in pain, but there didn't seem to be any permanent damage. He was still holding Saidin. Unfortunately, he hadn't seen his instructor's reaction. On hindsight, he thought, a formless bar of the power with no real purpose probably wasn't that hard to block. He felt sure he would have noticed if he had caused anyone harm... Desperately trying to clear his mind, he waited for the lesson to continue, trying to ignore the pain that burnt in every fibre of his being. It was hard.

 

OOC: Feel free to reply to the outburst at the end. My character has 39 strength and he almost burnt himself out, just so you know how much he just tried to channel.

[Liitha]

"Now, you have learned how to kill an opponent who doesn´t move, who doesn´t strike back or is able to defend himself", Ged said, clapping sarcastically. "Well, even a child knows that an enemy moves. So, we´ll try just that. I want you to find something to attack me with and you´ll see how hard it can be to find your target. Don´t hold back and be creative."

 

Aslan watched the others infront of him as they wove difrent weaves off attac untill Ged was done and dismissed them. Himself was pondering on just what to do, it wasnt till it was nearly his turn a weave poped out of the blue back in his head, he didnt know where it came from in fact he could have sworn never to have seen it before yet he knew how to make it. The only logical answer hit him in the next moment Jakar, hesitant he steped up not sure if he wanted to use a weave that other guy had learned in some way and stored in his memorie, but it was his memorie in the end, his mind.

 

The weave woven was not a big one, it simulated a razor mostly made of air though somehow he knew it would be sharper if he added a bit of spirit, throwing the weave at the dedicated he soon was making another, the simplisity of the weave made him able to make it quicker and hurl them off rapidly, though they all deflected on some shield made by the teacher untill he was told to stop.

 

Aslan let go of saidin and steped back in line, something felt like it was raging in his head and he had that tingle that alerted him of a posible blackness, his awareness over it and what it ment made him more able to figth it and he pushed it all into the void.

 

OOC: Ok, bring it on and either you NPC Ged´s defense or I´ll reply to your posts. Ged will only defend himself and he can cope with Soldier-level-weaves easily, he won´t strike back though.

[bratr]

(Note i am sorry but I can't keep up with Rping at the moment)

[Guest Faile1987]

Lesson 4

 

OOC: Sorry for the wait...RL was having me...;) and ok bratr, maybe the next time :)

 

~Ged~

 

Cool indifferent eyes remained fixed on his students´ very movements as they were preparing themselves to hurl anything they could think of in a way of attacking him at him. Nothing special, was all he could think though, somehow horrified about his own casualty about coping with what the Soldiers he was about to teach how to use their "gift" for the only reason the Black Tower and the Dragon were really needing them: to kill and destroy.

 

Ged swallowed, almost unaware of tugging at the void, wrapping himself inside the indifference of the oneness, like someone about to freeze would draw a warming blanket around himself, not letting himself being touched by the cold around him. Unfortunately this wasn´t quite as easy as staying warm even in the coldest of winters, but at least he tried, putting on a nonchalant face, blocking whatever attack came from his students easily, once again thinking that he had done much better practising his own defense skills than actually wasting his time on trying to work on his offense and attack style.

 

Yet all of a sudden his casual expression cracked when one of the new ones, Tomas was his name, Ged thought, actually continued to draw on Saidin to the point of nearly burning himself out, followed by a pained outcry as he hurled a rather crude ensemble of all elements at Ged, something he could block easily, quickly bringing up a shield around them all while cutting his mentee´s flows, eyeing him without pity as he stumbled over the exhaustion of what he had just done and the whiplash of Air, Ged had just used to put him back into place.

 

"I hope this will serve you as a reminder what happens if you pull on Saidin too strongly", Ged hissed, using flows of Air to lift his mentee up, anger suddenly burning in his eyes. He had been indifferent all the time, but when it came to his students acting foolish and endangering others as well as themselves, his patience eluded him.

 

"I won´t have you act that way again or you´ll learn to really regret it, 20 laps after we´re done here round the Tower grounds will hopefully clear up your mind on how to handle Saidin. You might be new, but stupidity won´t be excused here", he added, his voice sounding icy like a pool in winter before he seized Saidin again, to continue without forewarning as he used a rather complex weave that he hadn´t learned that long ago himself, but that he saw just fit for that very occasion, suddenly douplifying himself about a dozen times, creating exact mirror images of himself, still seizing Saidin, about to attack his students, putting them to their final test, probing their concentration as his "doubles" were but mere illusions, yet to his students they were like real.

 

"Now show he how you cope with more than one moving attacker", his voice boomed across the training ground, seemingly from a dozen people although he didn´t even raise it to a shout before seizing Saidin, seemingly commanding a little army of mirror-images immitating him as he readied himself to attack. A fake attack, yet it would seem all too real to his students and hopefully confront them with what having to actually defend themselves against multiple enemies really meant.

 

OOC: Ok, this is basically about your characters having to block the attacks coming from the "fake" Geds and attacking in return. Just remember that you´re still supposed to only know the basics of attacking and defending and Ged won´t hurt anyone of you as his mirror-images are mere illusion, just seeming real to his students. This is your last lesson, have fun ;)

[Dovan Panrael]

Dovan's eyes bulged as he saw his mentor's image split dozens of times until a whole army of Dedicated Geds stood before the group of suddenly quiet Soldiers. Fear began to tug at the old man's senses, but--as he was taught--Dovan called upon the Void and used it as a shield from the fiery arrows of doubt and uncertainty threatening to cause him to hesitate--something that was sure to kill him or those around him in the heat of battle. And always with the Void came the dull pulsing of saidin just at the corner of his vision. Clawing at the Source, the light flooded into filling him with fire and ice and everything vile until it infused every fiber of his being. Again he found himself stepping forward to do battle with this army of one. In his past serving in the Queen's Guard, he had seen worse and been in worse and still came out the otherside alive--and sometimes barely that!

 

"The first again, Soldier?" his mentor's voice boomed from each figure before him.

 

"Aye, sir," he said, nodding coolly.

 

"Then let us begin," Dedicated Ged said with tones of finality laden in his voice.

 

Three figures lifted their hands and fireballs shot torwards him from three different directions and the old man threw up a shield of Air to block them. Retaliating, Dovan summoned two weaves of Fire and Earth which exploded the ground underneath a two groups of Geds and they backed away as a sign that they were "dead." But others quickly took their place as they charged in weaving at him with odd weaves he had never before seen. Some conglomeration of Air, Earth, and Spirit that Dovan was not sure what it would produce, but whatever it was, the old man decided, it was not meant to merely tickle him. Yet with the numerous figures weaving at the same time, Dovan felt himself being overwhelmed. He had never been able to hold more than two weaves at a time, and here he was being pushed to and even a little over his limit to defend himself--not to even mention weaving his reposte!

 

That was when something inside of his shifted and he knew: he was beyond his ability to defend himself. His old bones would not allow him to jump around much less run to the side, so his dodging abilities were useless. And having watched as Tomas overchanneled earlier and was still recovering, Dovan signaled his surrender as he felt that ever-present, life-giving struggle for control thrown off-balance.

 

His mentor quickly cut off his attack and Dovan released his shield of Air he had left up in case Dedicated Ged had not heard his surrender, then released the True Source, life bleeding away as the One Power trickled from his body.

 

The old man stepped back in line with the other students and waited for the others to finish. Overall, though, he was content with how well he had handled himself. He had not panicked and held his own for a while, having struck out several more times than he had thought he would.

[TaeaDawn]

((OOC: Sorry all! Unexpected illness kept me away.. i'm back now and getting caught up :P))

 

Lesson 3:

 

"Now, you have learned how to kill an opponent who doesn´t move, who doesn´t strike back or is able to defend himself. Well, even a child knows that an enemy moves. So, we´ll try just that. I want you to find something to attack me with and you´ll see how hard it can be to find your target. Don´t hold back and be creative."

 

It wasn't something Caelen relished. In fact, he didn't really like the idea of attacking people. Sure, he had come to be a soldier of the Black Tower, a fighter for the Dragon Reborn, but in his mind that entailed Dreadlords and hordes of shadowspawn, dramatic battles, and a bit of romanticized courage on his part. Caelan had always had an active imagination. He had never thought about trying to hurt someone training him. Even if Ged did look like he'd rather spit Caelen out then smile at him, he didn't want to hurt anyone. Caelen knew what he was about though. You did things you didn't want sometimes to do the things you needed to. Caelen needed to stay sane and continue living a healthy life. This was the only way to gain any measure of control over himself.

 

As the others stepped up and began working their weaves against their teacher Caelen watched with an examining eye. He saw ways to improve some of the weaves he had been working on and was picking up new things all over the place. He needed to go back to his room and write down everything he was witnessing while it was still fresh. It would help him remember later so he could keep trying it.

 

As it was his turn, he stepped up and began weaving. Using air he shuffled the dust up around the shield that Ged had erected around himself, effectively keeping him from seeing anything, then he began flinging things at the shield. A fireball, a razor, pure spirit to try to bore a hole in the shield. Nothing worked. He let go of the source and nodded to the man in relief as the dust settled again. He'd tried his best, but it was a relief to know it hadn't worked really.

 

[TaeaDawn]

"Now show he how you cope with more than one moving attacker"

 

Now this was no joke, Caelen thought as Ged suddenly became more than one. He felt itchy, like he'd rather be anyplace else but here. He didn't let his face show it though he normally wore his emotions on his sleeve. This is what he was here for. Best not to let them see it makes you creepy crawly, he thought to himself. They might forgive his favorit jokes about bonnets and his girlish figure, but he doubted the squeamish lasted long here.

 

He watched as Dovan stepped forward and learned what he could from the man. He admired the man's strength in stepping up first and going with what was happening. He took a deep breath when the other man stepped away and took his own step forward.

 

No smile creased his face, only a furrowed brow to show the concentration he was using. Fireballs seemed to come from no where suddenly and his shield came up instantly, blocking the attack. He used fire back, setting a line of fire in front of his attackers. Without waiting to see what his teacher would do next, he directed flows of air and spirit like a club and attacked at the Ged replicas. Another weave was coming, he felt it, something he didn't think he could repel since his attention had been towards the other flows.

 

Handling more weaves than he had would have been bad, he knew through some inate survival instinct. He couldn't do more and his shield would suffer if he worked anything else up. He threw his hands up in the air "I'm done! I'm done!" He said to stop the attack.

 

[Liitha]

Sudenly the teacher multiplied and his voice boomed as he said, "Now show he how you cope with more than one moving attacker"

 

Aslan stood on the sideline feeling the breeze play with his hair as he watched a few others have at it first. He had no idea how they where suposed to hold up against that, and even worse he could feel something stir in the back of his mind, closing his eyes he took a deep breath to focus on here and now, such laying to rest the other one.

 

Then it was his turn and he steped forward, he opened himself to saidin again and felt the storm rage in him, it was always a batle to control it, but it made him feel more alive as well, though the taint had if it could be called so a foul taste.

 

The first thing Aslan did was weaving a spirit barrier, he didnt feel much like beeing defenceless against several oponents, tying it off he focused on the attacs comeing his way, at first he started sending out the razor weaves they didnt take him to much to make. But he soon realised it wherent enough, he needed something stronger but he was slightly at loss what, this was something i felt in over his head in.

 

It was just barely he felt a weave about to crush his barrier in time to drop to the ground after that instincts took over and again he wove a weave he wasnt sure he knew when he had learned, focusing treads of air into the ground and watching riples move out in circles from where he was, before leting go of the source pushing it away with a strugle toghether with the blackness he felt about to overtake him.

 

Steping out on the sideline he waited for the class to finish so he could get in of the sun and lay down a litle, his fingers rubing against his temple.

[Terron Merdoneth]

(Sorry for the delay... German exchange is taking up more of my time than I expected!)

“I hope this will serve you as a reminder of what happens if you pull on Saidin too stronglyâ€, his instructor hissed. Forcing himself upright, Tomas regarded the angry look in his mentors’ eyes. The sight almost made him break his concentration, and fall to the ground again. Now that his body was exhausted after overchanneling, it was only willpower that kept him on his feet. That and the fact that his mentor had already used flows of Air to put him on his feet. Inside, Tomas cringed. He hated having to be helped. He felt sure he could have done it himself. Then he remembered the pain, still raging outside the void, and cursed his foolishness. The twenty laps would be well deserved. But however much he felt he deserved the punishment, white hot anger rippled along the edge of the void at the word “stupidityâ€. If there was a limit to how much one could draw, at least he now knew just what his limit was. He also noted that the tangle of threads had been largely ineffective. This almost made him laugh, it was ironic that he had achieved the exact opposite of what he had intended. His inner humour came to an abrupt end when an extra dozen Geds appeared in front of his eyes. He waited for some of the other Soldiers to finish before attempting anything himself. When his turn came, he stepped forward. Suddenly fireballs were flying around him, and he desperately blocked, mustering all the speed he had. A flow of Air and Fire snaked toward him. He had had ideas about making people explode, but he had no plans on becoming a living (or dead) grenade himself. As quickly as he could, he fashioned a wall of Air and Spirit around himself, trying to gain time so that he could think. He was a hair too slow, and the weave flew over his shoulder. He winced, but had no time for anything else. More fireballs. He gradually strengthened his weave, carefully avoiding using too much of the source. A lightning bolt struck just next to him, and he wove a roof on top of his little enclosure. Surely, now that he was enclosed, he was safe... It was at that point that the ground beneath his feet erupted, the shock throwing him to the ground. Laughing at his own negligence, he signalled defeat. Inside, he was cold, remembering the mistake he had made earlier. The more pain he received, the better.