New Arrival (ATTN Covai, open to all)

[Rrahzz AlDaen]

A vertical slit in appeared in the air, a bright paper thin slash of light, widening into a man sized rectangle, the woods south of Caemlyn on one side, the dark room of an inn on the other. Two men stared into the dawn light of the woods, their eyes drawn to a half finished wall, blacker than black, and made by no hands, running off on either side and into the distance. Frequent breaks in the wall showed where less progress had been made, and in some places you could step through to the city sized coumpound inside.

"Any one in black should be able to help you," the older man said. Tall and gaunt, gey beard trimmed and oiled in the Tearan fashion, but a face that said "Borderlands" a league away. The younger man was shorter, slack fleshed and sick looking with wide shoulders, long red hair and emerald green, downcast eyes. Without a word the younger man stepped through, nervously shifting his leather script and rough, worn woollens. The opening disappeared behind him without a sound, and with a glance at the wall, Rrahzz began walking around it in search of a gate. The woods were familiar to him, he had grown up in Caemlyn and spent much of his time hiding in the woods outside of the Far Madding gate, closer to this spot than he knew.

As the sky began to lighten, the noise from inside the wall began to increase. There was a low din like that of any city, but there were what seemed to be a series of thunder like rumblings, sometimes in the distance, sometimes closer. Eventually Rrahzz rounded a corner in the wall, and a couple hides later in the wall there was a gate.

As he approached the gate, two men in black stepped out, both imposing and intimidating. So much so in fact, that Rrahzz found he couldn't lift his head enough to look either in the eye. All he could do was say in a low, raspy voice, "I'm here to be trained." :oops:

[Covai Seriba]

"Then lift your head man, you're no good to us if you can't even do that." Covai chided the man. Firstly the recruitment parties slacking of and just sending people through instead of escorting them like they should, and now they send through men too timid to even keep their head's up. He'd have to have a word to them later.

 

"This way." Covai told the man, nodding his head to him to follow as he started off towards the barracks. "

 

"So what's you name, and what are you doing here?"

[Rrahzz AlDaen]

Rrahzz lifted his gaze until he looked the man in the eyes, but found he couldn't hold that steel eyed gaze for long. Nervously he shifted his feet and looked around, finding himself automatically lowering his eyes. He shook his head and lifted it once more, determined to stand straight as the man told him. They began walking, and in answer to the mans question, he told him,

 

"Rrahzz, my name is..." he began, but his voice was raspy and weak. Clearing his throat he said in a louder and slightly more firm voice, "I am Rrahzz AlDaen, and I am..."

 

Now that he was here and it was time to say it, it sounded stupid. What man willingly walks his path to serve another, let alone to serve another on a path that leads to madness. He lowered his voice and head in shame and changed was he was going to say.

 

"I'm here to be trained." he said finally.

 

As they walked he looked around out of the corners of his eyes, noting the relentless black stonework, the scores of men walking around in completely unrelived black except for shining objects on their collars. As one man came close enough for Rrahzz to see what they were, he let out a small gasp. For men to openly wear these...these...pins, these badges, where anyone could see them and know them for what they were, was...astonishing...foolhardy...Brave.

 

A silver sword adorned one side of the mens collars, but not all. Some went without, some wore only the silver pin on their coats, but some that had it also wore another. Occasionally a man walked past bearing the sword and a burnished, red-gold serpentine figure of a dragon, The Dragon.

 

The man leading him heard his gasp of surprise and saw the understanding dawning on Rrahzz's face. His mouth quirked in a small smile, somewhat mocking in nature.

 

"What..." he began in a raspy voice. He cleared his throat again and said a little louder, "What do the pins mean, and what must I do to earn them?" for it was apparent to Rrahzz that they denoted some kind of acheivement or rank.

[tismeb4u]

Cold dispassionate eyes; chiselled Jade set deep in earthen tones and swathed in smooth unrelenting midnight watched the progress of another escorted lamb to the slaughter. More an more had continued to come, the amnesty bringing them in seeming droves like the scattering of beetles from an overturned rock. Each one scurrying away from sight and light to find a dark damp place; to feel protected as they slowly rotted from the inside out.

 

From a distance Linten’s appearance would almost have the casual eye wondering if he was in fact a living creature. Perfectly still, no movement, save for eyes that took in the slumped man between the shades of black; his head slowly sinking back down as courage ebbed from the boy.

 

~Blood, it is warm in its flow from you as any others in this place. Surely even you can see the same curse surrounds you all.~

 

Be that as it may, I will not leave my life in the hands of wet nose milksops such as that which call on the Dragon’s strength for life. If he is a man let him stand and face death with open arms and a snarl. If he is not then wipe the earth clean of his blemished life.

 

~So brave now that they are not here. Where was the bravery under the stairs with tears streaming down your face, your arms wrapped around your legs like a beaten child.~

 

A low rumbling growl escaped his throat and dissipated in the air around him before it could tickle any ear in range. But his eyes noted the extended glance of the Storm Leader. Curiosity and attention were the last things he needed. He had to remain a shadow amongst shadows; a nameless face in a cascading sea of faces. When the time was right they would remember his name. They would all remember his name.

 

His salute was crisp and perfect in form but the challenge never left his eyes; eyes that continued to follow the three forms as they moved along the walk toward the barrack buildings. He would meet this new arrival soon; there was little doubt of that. He made a point meeting those that arrived. Not always on their arrival date and not always in the open. But to know threat and twists of evil that pulsed thick in the world now, one had to know their enemy like their friends. Which way this one would go would be reviled in time.

 

Only after the Storm Leader had broken his gaze and returned it to the boy with him did he notice the small sphere of fire circling above an open hand. Saidin coursed through him singing it’s sweet song; calling him deeper into its torrent currents.

 

~The time is not yet right, patience. The witches will pay. I will help you, they will pay

 

The sphere winked out of existence as the small party moved behind another building. The last picture to enter Linten’s mind was the man’s brilliant wide green eyes as they disappeared behind stone. “Soon, they will pay,” His voice slide out in a cold steel whisper.

 

 

Linten

Dedicated of the Black Tower

[Covai Seriba]

OOC: Sorry for the delay on the reply. :S

 

IC: "Those pins denote rank here at the Black Tower." Covai replied. "Those without them are like you, soldiers to be trained and commanded." Covai didn't intend to sound rude, but those were the facts of the matter. "Men with the Silver Sword on their collar are known as Dedicated, because that's what they are. Dedicated to the Dragon Reborn and what he stands for. They have also reached the next stage in their training with Saidin, and their training as weapons. The man with me earlier who's gaze you avoided in one such person." Truth be told though, considering Linten's personality, he wasn't exactly the friendliest first person from the Tower to run into.

 

"Men like those.." Covai indicated to two Asha'man passing in the opposite direction as themselves "who have both the Silver Sword as well as the Golden Dragon adorning their collars are Asha'man, Guardians. If one tells you to do something, you do it, no questions, no hesitation. Understood?" Covai turned his head to look at the man, allowing his own Sword and Dragon pins to be shown as he did so.

 

"And are you sure you're ready to see what it takes to earn those pins Rrahzz..?" Covai raised an eyebrow in question as he kept his eyes on the man, letting his scentence trail off has he wrapped himself in the void.