Intro to Saidin (acolyte class)

[Liitha]

Michael was waiting in the yard, he would have a new Acolyte to train today.He looked to the sky on this early morning as always clouded and dim. Then heard footsteps and turned. "You must be my new student?" upon confirmation he continued, "Very well, from now on forget all you know of your former life, you start over today and when you are done with training you will be a Dreadlord." He let the man have a moment to let the information sink in.

 

"Now lets sit down" he walked over to a patch of grass, OP made it able to live here, "Close your eyes and form a flame to the inner side of your mind, feed all emotions into it, let it be the only thing in focus in your mind. It is important that you remember to stay calm and in control, saidin is like a furious storm, you must bend it to your will or else it will cary you away." He waited a litle, "Now if you are at an emotionless stage you should be able to sence saidin howering outside that calmness, try to seize it and hold it, do not draw on it just let a litle of it trickle in, but hold the rest back." He waited already ready to interfear and shield the student if need be.

 

 

Michael Daemeau

NSW

[Quibby]

Ayrik had been expecting more time between his arrival and the beginning of his training. It was more than a pleasant surprise when he was told that his classes would be starting so soon. It was all that Ayrik could do to even sleep that night. The sense of power was tantalizingly close. But sleep he did.

 

The sun had barely broken the horizon when Ayrik stepped out of the building and into the courtyard, the sun seeming dull on his gray clothing. The sun seemed dimmer since entering the Blight, as if it was repulsed by the place. With a small laugh, Ayrik realized what he was doing. You've been so anxious to learn how to control what you have, yet you can't bring yourself to think about it. It was weakness. He would have to smother it or it would be his doom here. There could be no mistakes.

 

His teacher must have known what to look for in his student, because he drew Ayrik's attention before Ayrik could identify him. The man wasted no time. "You must be my new student?" Ayrik answered with a short nod. "Very well, from now on forget all you know of your former life, you start over today and when you are done with training you will be a Dreadlord."

 

Ayrik had suspected that it would be like this. His old life must be abandoned to make way for the new. But how does one simply forget about seventeen years of one's existance? It would be a puzzle to solve later, how to keep himself while losing himself.

 

His teacher didn't wait long to continue. "Now let's sit down," the man said, walking to a patch of grass and seating himself. There was a moment of hesitance before Ayrik finally settled himself to the grass. This was it. "Close your eyes and form a flame to the inner side of your mind, feed all emotions into it, let it be the only thing in focus in your mind. It is important that you remember to stay calm and in control, saidin is like a furious storm, you must bend it to your will or else it will cary you away." Picturing the flame was easy, as was feeding his emotions into it. Ayrik's mind was never still, though, and each time that he felt as if he were getting closer, his mind would wander. You think too much. Just knock it off and focus.

 

As he continued, he heard the other man say, "Close your eyes and form a flame to the inner side of your mind, feed all emotions into it, let it be the only thing in focus in your mind. It is important that you remember to stay calm and in control, saidin is like a furious storm, you must bend it to your will or else it will cary you away."

 

Why does that sound like it is easier said than done? Ayrik asked himself, once again losing the Void. Damn! Again, the flame. No rush. No haste. Let it happen. Slowly the emptiness filled his mind. Wavered. Held. Good. No emotion. A sudden sense of something else filled Ayrik's mind. A light just beyond seeing, a warmth on the back of his mind. Saidin. Tenatively, Ayrik stretched his mind towards it. And immediately withdrew his touch, a sense of revulsion overwhelming the Void. Great Lord, was that the taint? Slowly, Ayrik managed to fight down the urge to empty his stomach.

 

I can't fail now. I've just begun! The emptiness returned just as slowly as before, as did the warmth of saidin. Slowly, Ayrik extended his mind to the beckoning light, fighting the wave of revulsion at the touch of the taint. And brushed saidin. It was brief, but it felt like an eternity. Fire, ice, and filth all rolled through him, pummelled him. Resolutely, Ayrik fought it back, and lost it. It would take another ten attempts to finally seize and hold saidin, to struggle it into his grasp.

 

It was a struggle that Ayrik thought that he could get used to.

[Liitha]

Michael studied his student, and was pleased when he finaly could hold saidin. "By now you felt the taint, if you live through the training then the great lord will grant you protection from it. For now though lets practise leting go activly and not just loosing it. Push it away and let go then grasp it again." Now that the man knew how to get hold of it it was so important that he learned to control himself, less he did something alone that would cost him his abilities or even his life.

 

"The reason I do make you do this is because if you loose control to saidin it can be question what would be the kinder faith, a mere burn out or death." He looked at the other man, "We dont go around shielding the students, if you do not have self control then one will not survive training, you need a clear mind as much as anything in the shadow. I would advice you against trying to handle the one power without beeing fresh and clear of mind, able to focus, unless you are with a teacher, for now anyway. However i do expect you to practise on this till the next lesson, practise grasping, holding and leting go of saidin till it become as second nature, and we will meet again here in a weeks time, asuming you are still alive." He rose and dismissed his student.

 

_________

 

A week was up and he was awaiting his student patiently, by reports the man had survived, there where no place for fools or the weekhearted in the ranks of the dreadlords as such the week passed had been his first test to the acolyte. A test of willpower, and a mind who was clever enough to listen to reason and controll itself.

 

"Well then," this time he apeared more friendly towards the man, "as it seems you will be staying at least for now, let me introduce myself." Extending a hand, "I'm Michael, lets go sit down and i will tell you a litle more."

 

Seteling on the same patch of grass as last week he started explaining of the one power, and the elements, as well as the futher perils of the one power and history. After an hour and a half with theory he moved on to the practical part of the lesson. "Now as i said there is 5 elements, fire.." he channeled red, green, yellow, blue and white strands as he spoke to illustrate. "..earth, air, water and spirit, each have a faint color but more then anything you should be able to feel almost taste who is who." He waited for a nod.

 

"Okey now grasp saidin, it by now should give you no problems, then i want you to try and copy me." Slower this time he pulled on saidar and ever so slow separated the treads one at the time and leting go of one tread before taking another. As well giving time between each to allow his student to copy what he did. When he was sure his student got it down he grasped two treads and spun them around eachother into a spiral, then let go and did two others. "This is what i want you to use as practise untill next week, make spirals, make them in difrent combinations, and as you go stronger practise making more at once. Geting comfortable with drawing on the difrent elements, as well this would learn you which elements you find yourself stronger and weaker in."

[Quibby]

Still holding saidin, Ayrik listened as his teacher went over the steps for releasing the Source... and the cost for a mistake. Losing this... it was like the world was more vibrant than anything he could have imagined. Reluctantly, though, Ayrik did as he was instructed and pushed away saidin. Even with the taint still twisting his stomach with the thought of it, Ayrik couldn't help but feel empty without the Source there. That would be something that he'd have to be careful with; if it was addicting, Ayrik didn't want it to cloud his judgement.

 

As instructed, Ayrik reformed the flame and the void, then reached out again to saidin, reveling in the struggle and vibrancy for a moment before pushing it away. Twice in a row. He had a feeling that there had been a lot of luck involved with that to not have suddenly just lost control. Careful indeed. Seize slow, release slow. Seize slow, release slow. You can't afford to screw this up, Ayrik. Absently, Ayrik noticed that his trainer was rising to dismiss him. Pushing away saidin, Ayrik rose and bowed his head slightly in thanks before strolling across the courtyard to a secluded corner. He had work to do.

 

______________

 

It had been a week well-spent, in Ayrik's opinion. The work had been hard, but manageable. That first night, though, had been more than difficult. Ayrik had only stopped to eat. That night, he had worked himself to the point of exhaustion. Sleep had never come so quickly. During the week, Ayrik had noticed a marked increase in his ability to seize saidin and release it, as well as the speed at which he could accomplish both. Most importantly, he didn't kill himself. That little fact was enough to make him smile.

 

There was a definite difference in the way that Ayrik's trainer treated him upon their next meeting. The man greeted him warmly, saying, "Well then, as it seems you will be staying at least for now, let me introduce myself. Offering his hand, which Ayrik took, the man said, "I'm Michael, let's go sit down and I will tell you a little more."

 

The two settled themselves into the grass again, at which time Michael launched into an explanation of the One Power and channeling. Time lost all meaning as Ayrik focused on what was being said, mentally filing information away to be reviewed later. No doubt there'd be books on this in the library; he'd do his own independant studying on the topics.

 

"Now as i said there is 5 elements, fire, earth, air, water and spirit, each have a faint color but more then anything you should be able to feel almost taste who is who," Michael said. As he spoke, five strands appeared in the air in front of him. Ayrik took a moment to examine them. The red one had to be Fire, the blue Water. The others, he was a bit uncertain of, but he nodded in understanding.

 

Seeing the nod, Michael continued, "Okey now grasp saidin, it by now should give you no problems, then i want you to try and copy me." Indeed it was no problem to grasp saidin, wrestling it into control. With saidin in him, Ayrik could actually see what was being done. Slowly, a thread appeared to separate from what Michael was doing, tinted yellow. Inside the Void, felt through saidin, seeking something... There! Slowly, with an awkward, fumbling sensation, Ayrik withdrew the yellow thread from saidin. It felt like a cool breeze felt on a warm day. Air. This must be Air. Ayrik thought. Another thread emerged, this one red. The feel of warmth and the red tint were easier to find than the yellow, and the thread revealed itself. And on it went, through Earth, Spirit, Water, and back through them again, in different order.

 

Michael seemed to be satisfied, and the thread suddenly became two. The two spiraled around each other before vanishing, only to be replaced by two others. "This is what i want you to use as practise untill next week, make spirals, make them in difrent combinations, and as you go stronger practise making more at once. Geting comfortable with drawing on the difrent elements, as well this would learn you which elements you find yourself stronger and weaker in."

 

With a nod, Ayrik withdrew the two elements that had been the easiest for him, the warmth of Fire and the light of Spirit. It was a bit more difficult than simply pulling a single thread from saidin, but manageable. He could tell, however, that this was going to be another exhausting week. Experimentally, Ayrik twisted the two. He couldn't say how he did it, but nonetheless, the result was the same: the two threads wrapped together into a spiral. It was extremely clumsy and awkward to watch, and it felt odd, but it happened. It's a step.

 

_________________

 

Four days passed, and Ayrik finally felt comfortable trying to do two at once. Withdrawing four threads, two each of the two that were probably his strongest- Fire and Spirit- Ayrik concentrated on bringing the two together. It was not easy; with four threads at work instead of two, Ayrik felt as if he was doing twice as much work. However, the threads did weave together. Letting them dissolve, Ayrik drew out four more threads and did it again. He would be a Dreadlord. He would not fail. As a goal, Ayrik set five spirals at once for the end of the week. It would take work, but he could do it. He was sure of it.

[Liitha]

Michael awaited his student as the week was up. When the man arived he tested what he was able to do first, looking at the spirals and nodded in aproval. "Very well lets continue by learning you to do something constructive, a simple weave of each." He grasped saidin and drew on fire first, Up of his pocket did he seize a candle, he the tick blocky candle on the ground and used fire to light it, then put it out with a puff of air. As he finished he told his student to try the weaves, explaining it migth take a couple tries to get the webs just rigth as he had done it. Then setled back to study, only instructing with help when needed, and the class went on. Using earth and water both he made a mudpile. And lastly had his student pic a flower weaving keeping around it, where he would need most spirit but also a tad of each of the other elements, such learning him to use them togheter.

 

"You now learned some very basic weaves, but still usefull ones at times, even small weaves can come in handy at times and should not be forgoten. Ligthing a candle like that put that to some paper or wood and you can have a base to make a fire, as well put it out with water after if need be. A muddy ground is slipery and if expanded can be a good way to slow down pursuers, and keeping can be used on food as well to keep it from roting. All these things usefull at moments that you in time wont come to think of using them less for if you lost the ability find how much you come to rely on them, which is another lesson to not forget how to rely on yourself without saidin."

[Quibby]

Another week in the past, another meeting with Michael. At the end, Ayrik had decided that the spiraling of the threads was much more difficult than he had suspected. Working with two at once had been draining. The move to three even more so. By the time he made it to four, an hour of work was all that he could manage at a time. It seemed that four would be his limit for the time being. It hadn't taken Ayrik long to figure out that he couldn't push himself too hard. Stories circulated the halls of the fortress every day of both men and women who pushed themselves that extra inch. This week, the story was about a young woman who suddenly burst into flames. She had burnt to cinders before anybody could react. As if anybody would have.

 

After a brief testing, Michael withdrew a candle from one of his pockets. An odd sensation eminated from his mentor, something that Ayrik hadn't felt last week. He'd have to think about it later. Michael began to... the only way that Ayrik could describe it was 'weaving'. It was a simple thing made up solely of Fire, and when it touched the wick of the candle, it sparked into flame. Another weave began to materialize, even simpler than the other, and with a puff of air, the candle extinguished itself. Giving him only the instruction to do what he had done, accompanied with a warning that it might take a few tries, Michael relinquished command of the candle to Ayrik, who wasted no time.

 

It was a simple weave, and it was in an element in which Ayrik felt that he was particularly strong. There would be no problems with this one. Seizing saidin, Ayrik carefully set about putting together the weave that he had been shown. Apparently it wasn't as easy as it looked. Setting the last thread into place, the whole weave suddenly seemed to collape into something. Something that caused a small ball of fire to pop into existence in front of Ayrik before rapidly expanding into nothing. Smelling burnt hair, Ayrik quickly examined himself, finding all the hair singed off his arms. "Let's not do that again," Ayrik muttered as he set about the weave again. It took a few more tries, with results ranging from nothing to a puff of smoke, but the candle was finally burning. A small victory.

 

The weave of Air was a bit simpler. However, Ayrik still managed to mess it up the first time. The candle went out, but the small puff had been replaced with a deafening bang. Back to the beginning. The Fire weave seemed to come easier the second time around. And with a slower hand, Ayrik managed not to deafen everybody when extinguishing the flame. Heh, there is such a thing as beginner's luck, I guess.

 

The lesson continued with a mudpile. Michael wove threads of Earth and Water together, causing a mound of mud to build up. The weave was a bit more complex, but not too bad. Besides, the weave did not do anything as crazy as the Fire weave had done when he botched the weaving. However, the weave finally came together, and a second pile of mud accompanied the first. This time, all five of the elements were used, with Spirit being the predominant thread. Plucking a flower from the ground, Michael set the weave around it, then bid Ayrik to do the same. Looking about, Ayrik sought the nearest flower to him. A few crimson roses beckoned to him. Rising, Ayrik retrieved one of the flowers, pricking his finger in the process, and returned to his spot on the ground. There were still traces of the morning dew on its petals, and a few drops of his own blood lingered on one of the thorns. Despite his normal cold demeanor, Ayrik did have an appreciation for beauty and symbolism. With care, he slowly worked the weave together, letting it settle upon the rose. There was no change in the rose itself, but Michael's nod indicated that he had done it properly.

 

Again, Michael spoke, describing how these weaves could be used in different circumstances. However, it was his last statement that Ayrik locked on to. "All these things usefull at moments that you in time wont come to think of using them less for if you lost the ability find how much you come to rely on them, which is another lesson to not forget how to rely on yourself without saidin." Yet another trap into which he could fall, if he allowed it to happen. But he wasn't going to let it happen.

[Liitha]

"Take the flower with you, you will see the result in time as it keeps itself instead of dyeing, now less you have any questions this class is over, you will be ready for new classes starting to learn weaves."

[Quibby]

Giving Michael a seated bow of his head, Ayrik waited until the other man had departed before rising to leave himself, his eyes fixed upon the rose that he held. Apparently, it would not wither and die with the Keeping weave on it, and Ayrik could already see some of the other effects. The blood on the thorns should have dried, but it was still as red and vivid as it had been when he had first been stuck. Such an intriguing weave. Most of Ayrik's walk was spent impressing the simple beauty of the rose on his mind, savoring its fragrance.

 

Yes, he would keep the rose, more as a reminder than for the sake of observation. Saidin and that flower were quite similar. Both had their beauty, their very presence brightening a room. Both had their thorns, and if one didn't pay attention, one could find oneself pricked by the very thing one meant to pluck. Shrugging, Ayrik shifted his attention back to the halls of the fortress. He had work to be about.