And, not really sure where to put this, but gamifying with challenges/badges still works with things like And I'm wondering if we could extend that to include actual content events/challenges that earn reward badges or general acclaim based on staff-set writing prompts/games/challenges/... E.g. [] Use [X] word in your post. [] Match/Snap! Start a post with at least one noun/verb/adjective that matches one in the last sentence of the post before (or matches word set by that player) [] Alliteration / Simile/ Metaphor Competitions - Best one of [X] created in comp/challenge time wins. []...

I like this too - for all the reasons Mat already mentioned.

Welcome! What a cool field of study for Phd - It will be great to have your thoughts, perspectives and findings on the forums - hopefully you enjoy the read and can avoid spoilers for a bit while you're waiting for your books to arrive! (And if the wait gets tough, hang in there, try Season 2 if the show, and remember to pity all of us 'oldies' who started way back when for the YEARS of waiting that there was between instalments!) If you like writing fiction yourself also, the Roleplay side here can be great fun when it's active (and maybe a good escape/distraction from the 'task' of the Phd??) Feel free to ask questions and join in there too at any point if you're keen 🙂 (Caution for some likely spoilers there too though- the stories aren't all true to Canon timeline, but the 'Legacy' section has been going for nearly 20 years in various iterations, and 'New Age' is in the worldbuilding/beginning stages of a new hypothetical setting, based 25 years after the book events... )

CONTACT - PM in first instance 🙂 - (Also occasionally on Discord: Cass#6145 ) TIMEZONE - AEST / AEDT (Australian Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings Time) Current: AEDT, UTC/GMT +11 WANTED LINK - INTRO: Another near-OG with my first White Tower, Ward(er) and Band of the Red Hand characters started WAY BACK in ~1999/2000 - I have had various IC and OOC roles here, with a couple of breaks in between *grins and searches for walking aids*. CHARACTERS: Calia Luin-Metsar Legacy- White Tower - Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah, bonded to Elessar Telcontar - LINK New Age - TBD Eb (Just Eb) Legacy - Band of the Red Hand/Senior Military - LINK New Age - TBD Emrin Tallis Legacy - Band of the Red Hand - Medic - LINK New Age - TBD Thayetta Luin Legacy - White Tower - Novice- LINK New Age - TBD {Extra} Rapidfire - y Long Threads - y Romance - y Angst - y Fluff - y Activity - weekly/ changes around shifts

** NB character originally created circa ?2000? - roleplayed throughout. Intention to keep active in Legacy, and new timeline ** TRIGGER WARNING: Character with rough 'Street kid' childhood, severe emotional instability, PTSD Name: Ebony, but those that like their head where it is are safer calling her 'Eb'. Last name unknown. Age: Legacy timeline: Mid twenties (exact DOB unknown) Place of birth: The Rahad, Ebou Dar, Altara. Physical: Skin: Olive/dark tan Hair: Jet black, very short. Usually wildly cut/hacked with knives. Eyes: Coal black Height: Short – 5’2” to 5’3” Build: Medium to light Distinguising Features: Incredibly feisty Altaran temper; many scars (most noticeable located on right side of face in elongated ‘S’ from outside corner of eye to bottom side of jaw). Mental & Emotional: Despite the fact that physically, Eb's strength and fighting skills are honed to a high standard (the Rahad and time with the Band have left her with little choice but to improve or die in that regard) - mentally and emotionally, she's a wreck. Young kids living (and often violently dying) on the streets don't exactly make the most nurturing or balanced of role models to grow up with, and being forced to flee her home city after finding her entire gang hanged, and then taking up a soldier's life probably haven't helped either. She is quick-witted - but that 'intelligence' has only ever really had opportunities to be applied to street smarts, fighting/survival. She has no formal education, other than the military training she received in the Band. Emotionally, Eb is ... extremely volatile. Her ability to experience or process emotions in a healthy manner is basically non-existent - she has a social-emotional intelligence of close to zero, and a sympathetic nervous system that is hardwired to fight every physical threat, and/or any 'fuzzy' or complex emotion. She tends to 'function' in varying degrees of aloofness, cool arrogance, hot temper and rage. 'Positive' exceptions to the above include a sporadic, skewed, 'loyalty/dedication' that she has managed to show a very, very select few people in her life - and, as street and soldier life would have it, pretty much every single one of those is dead. She may have learned new skills and a new way of life with the Band, but some things will never change - she is slow to trust and quick to anger, automatically arrogant and inherently defensive. By nature a fighter, regardless of the situation, she's definitely the type to strike first, ask questions later. Talents - Scowling - 'Playing' with knives - Fighting (knives, dual short-swords, mace) Weaknesses - Fear/terror of the OP/channelers. - Blind hatred for CoL. - Complete lack of socio-emotional skills (including frequent failures in anger/emotional management and manners). Terrible at: - Archery. - Handling/riding horses. - Haircuts. Character History: Eb was born in the Rahad. She has no idea when or to whom. ‘Raised’ by a gang of street kids, she learnt everything there was to know about survival in the backstreets and canals of the roughest city in the known world. By around the age of six she knew - from experience and consequence – every single one of the unwritten rules of living on those streets. She could steal enough food and coin independently to keep herself from starvation, she could climb like a cat, fight hand-to-hand like a mountain-lion caged and run full-speed across the roof-tops of the Rahad and the rest of Ebou Dar. Most importantly, she could fight with knives. Proficiently. Eb's reputation and skill grew with her, and eventually it saw her at the head of a gang of street rats. A few years into that endeavour saw her entire gang hanged for thieving. The trauma of their fate saw her flee Altara, for good. She has large memory gaps relating to events of that time, but for better or worse, this is where her blind hatred of the CoL developed. She'd had close to 18 years of experience surviving in the streets by the time she left Ebou Dar – and it showed itself in every possible way: the way she walked, the way she constantly scanned the shadows and the body-language of passers-by, the constant vigilance for and assessment of any and every possible sign of threat, the automatically calculated alternate routes and escape paths in case of danger, her skill with her knives, her confidence and often blunt or downright arrogant attitude, and her many, many scars. She found the Band of the Red Hand as she fled. She stayed, at first, for the food. As fights and battles came and went, she stayed for the food and the purpose her place in the ranks gave to her life. In some ways her time and allegiance with the Band helped her development by offering a new way of life - one with a measure of routine, food security and purpose. She was proud of the additional weapons skills she developed, the rank she earned. On the other hand, the battles and army-scaled blood-baths she was involved in, the deaths of many 'friends' and the frequently increasing signs of the Dark One's touch on the world - followed by Tarmon Gai'don itself - also deepened her damage. Character Reputation: As a senior officer in the Band, Eb had fought and survived blood-baths like Tarwin's Gap and Tanchico even before she fought in and survived the Last Battle. She most definitely earned her ... formidable... reputation throughout the ranks for her rough/blunt/volatile manner as well as her weapons skill (WS history -from 17 onward). Connections: Generally, anybody who had links with the Band of the Red Hand from the time she joined. Including: Kai Morath ni'Gilyard (Channeler) - Adopted son of her friends Nox (Asha'man) - (Legacy character played by Matalina) and Merdyn Gilyard (Asha'man) - (Legacy character played by Oddpositions). Character Goals: First and foremost, Eb still needs to learn how to appropriately 'emotion', and how to interact with others. Following Ascension Arc - Explore/address her extreme uneasiness/terror of channelers - Deal with any unresolved 'emotion/trauma'. Moving beyond 'Legacy', goals would be to fill in more of the 25-year gap between stories and find some meaningful role for her to fulfil in the 'new' world.

Looks like a pretty cool start! Is the idea that the Spire/Hall of Servants is in the city itself? And, can we please also have a 'City Guard/Ebon Watch' type 'police/military' option for non-channeler fighter-style characters (e.g. from Aiel, BotRH, Seanchan, Wolfkin ?)

I like 'Aeon' (even though it made me think of Aeon Flux too *g*). *ETA 'Eora' is also cool! (Did you know in one of Aus' indigenous languages it means 'Here' or 'From this place'?) I think I still like/prefer 'City of Merrilor'/building on something existing for the main city, and perhaps something different for the allied 'base'? Also, I had a bit of a wrestle with some ideas and Chat GPT - and with much editing, we have some more suggestions for 'other' names and details... 1. The Luminara / Luminara Spire / Radiant Citadel: Location: Dashar Knob, overlooking the Field of Merrilor. Notable Features: Centralized base for representatives from White Tower, Black Tower, Aiel Clans, Seafolk, Wolfkin, willing and capable Seanchan, and members of the Band of the Red Hand. 2. Dawn Council / Council of Dawn: The governing body overseeing the city. Composed of representatives elected by the various allied groups. Each faction has a representative on the council, ensuring fair representation. 3. The Gateways / Gateway Hub / Portal Junction / Aether Jump: A complex network of gateways connecting the city to various parts of the world. Ensures quick access for allies and provides strategic advantage. 4. Alliance Plaza / Gathering Grounds / Unity Square / Harmony Gardens / Serenity Park: A garden space in the city surrounded by symbolic monuments representing each relevant faction. 5. Ebon Watch / Ebon Watchers / Shadowbane Guardians: A vigilant group responsible for maintaining security and order in the city/?throughout the land as the story develops? Composed of skilled individuals from diverse backgrounds, including ?Aes Sedai, Warders, Aiel warriors, and Wolfkin, Seanchan, (?Dragon's Peace link?) 6. Grounds of Light / Channeler's Forum / Luminary Court: A space within the 'Tower area' for channelers from different backgrounds to knowledge share (practical and/or theory?) 7. The Quarters / Unity Districts: Residential areas within the city, includes people from all over. 8. The Crossroads / Bazaar / Trade Plaza / Market Square: A bustling marketplace where merchants and folk from various lands trade goods and stories. Exotic items from Seafolk, Aiel, and other regions are available. 9. Unity Arch / Unity Fountain / Fountain of Unity: A monumental structure at the entrance of the city, symbolizing the unity of diverse allies in the previous struggle for the Light. Examples of such symbols might include: representation of Egwene's 'Light of Tar Valon' sacrifice at Tarmon Gaidon/ intertwined hands representing unity/flame for the Light/intertwining symbols of saidar/saidin, etc.

Oh, that sounds fun! My mum is planning a trip (home for her) to Scotland. My travel bug/itch is growing like crazy, but I have nothing immediately planned - I'm envious of you all!!

Welcome back!

... the 'Light Tower' of Merrilor... *g*

Deep in the White Tower Library, beyond the depositories open to the public, it seemed that only silence and the scent of ancient manuscripts prevailed between the book-lined walls and heavily-laden shelves. And yet in one small, tucked-away office, a quiet conversation between Calia and another Sedai was well underway. "A staff? And that one likely male and cloaked all in black?" The intensity of interest behind the other Sister's blue eyes was bright, and piercing. "Indeed," Calia confirmed, her own expression still as serious as it was curious. She was sure of these recent memories, at least... Observations of those three particular opponents would certainly not be vanishing from her mind any time soon. The older woman peered down at her notes and underlined a section with considerable precision before returning her gaze to Calia with an air of barely-suppressed excitement. "Very interesting!" Calia repressed the twist of a smile and made a dedicated effort to keep her eyebrows in a neutral line. 'Interesting' was most definitely not the first adjective her own mind associated with the facts she'd just finished sharing - and it was dread and concern that filled her whenever she considered the possibilities of the three identities they'd encountered, not excitement. And the other Sisters who had been present had all shared similar suspicions and a quiet, steadfast horror at the potential implications. "Browns," Cal thought to herself, that one word explaining everything to perfection. Similar thoughts and reactions had been had many, many times before in the company of this Brown and other Sisters of her Ajah, and Cal could trace them all the way back to the days where this woman had taught her as a very young Accepted. Unbidden memories made her smile, momentarily at least. It had always been evident that this woman loved the challenge of a mystery to the extremes. The contrast between their focus and reactions might be startling sometimes, Cal acknowledged, but it was rather comforting to realise that - even now - some things would never change. "...I'll have to delve into some of the archives, of course, to see if any historical accounts match the descriptions you provide," the woman was saying, "... we could hypothesise, but it wouldn't do to go jumping to conclusions without evidence..." wisps of almost-white hair shifted as she cocked her head to the side, watching Calia closely, eyes still bright. Calia nodded, ever so slightly, and offered her appreciation as she turned for the door. Evidence over hypothesis was, after all, why she had come here seeking answers. She wanted - needed - to be sure, needed to be informed. And now the cues to let this Sedai get down to business were more than clear. "Thank you, Sister," she began, "The more we know, the better we can prepare for any future meetings." A sense of determination grew in her voice. "Knowledge is, after all, our greatest weapon - as you taught us." A grin shifted on the Sister's lips in response to the reference, and the faintest of wrinkles crinkled above her prominent cheekbones. "That it is, Calia," Denya Sedai replied, her words following the Green through the door, "That it most certainly is." ● Cal looked at Lissinda in astonishment, and then closed her eyes momentarily as the Captain General passed her and took her seat behind her desk. "She'll have to consider a formal sitting?" she knew she'd heard Liss correctly, and that there was no real benefit to echoing what had been said, but still she felt a need to repeat that detail in disbelief. Liss nodded and rubbed at her temples. Calia paced toward the window and then turned back slowly, outwardly calm, but with a voice still edged with frustration. "But - Light and rolling barrels, why?" Her eyes bored into Lissinda's, beseeching. Her friend and comrade stared back at her pointedly, eyebrows lifted, and raised her hands in a shrug that combined a sense of exasperation and blank defense. "We're talking about a possible Seal to the Dark One's prison - This isn't the time for debate and deliberation! She knows the potential implications of what we faced back there, South of Saldaea - the potential complications if those suspicions are correct... If we wait for the Hall to convene...!" Lissinda sighed, her gaze meeting Calia's with a shared understanding of the urgency. "Cal, I did emphasise that fact to the Amyrlin - and in return, she emphasised that it would take time and that she was bound handle the politics and follow the expected protocols - however bureaucratic, cautious, overblown and extended the deliberations might be." Calia studied Liss' expression carefully, and then she crossed the remaining distance to the desk, and calmly took the seat opposite her friend and Captain. "Protocol be burned then, Liss," she said, leaning back in her seat and adjusting to the weight of realisation and acceptance creeping through her mind. "You've seen the signs as well as I have - and you know as well as I that 'we must sacrifice what must be sacrificed to achieve this goal' - we can't wait for the politics to catch up, not when we know just how much of the Shadow is on the move. If they get their hands on that Seal..." Lissinda cut her off with a lift of her chin. The two women locked eyes, agreement passing between them as directly and as silently as the acknowledgement of the fears they both shared. 'We were lucky to survive that onslaught... The next time we might not be as lucky...' Elessar's words shortly after the party had returned to the Tower echoed in Cal's mind. "We can try," Calia promised her Captain. She stood to depart and inform her gaidin that they would need to pack, and she felt her determination flare. "I know Elessar has been just as keen as I have for our next 'adventure'." She said, only half-forcing the grin that followed. ● Ebou Dar. It was going to be a long journey, Calia thought as they crossed over the River Erinin and onto the mainland. First to Caemlyn, and then on to Lugard before crossing Altara to Ebou Dar. And, Calia considered, between those first two major cities would be Four Kings. Her original home, she mused, wondering what it might be like to stop there at the outset of this new 'adventure' with her new Warder. She caught the gaidin looking sideways at her upon her mare - a dappled grey this time - and she grinned, happy as ever to be on the road and path to chasing Shadows. The bond between the two of them had proven as strong as ever since returning from Saldaea, and they had learned more of each other with every passing day - but there were still many unspoken truths between them, and still much to share, she hoped, with many leagues, and hopefully many more successful missions still ahead. She laughed softly as Stormbreaker pranced and whinnied enthusiastically for the upteenth time, the dappled mare echoing his actions an instant later. The two animals were well-matched, it appeared, and both happy to be back on the road. Just like Elessar and herself. In fact, the enthusiasm amongst them all was almost palpable. Whatever the road ahead might bring, it was clear that each of them was keen to make the most of it. And, Calia knew, if and when Shadows crossed their path, Elessar and herself would stand ready. Whatever the Wheel willed, they would fight together with combined determination and strength, for every thread of Light they could secure to the pattern. Because even if there were no beginnings nor endings to the Wheel of Time, every journey of Light had to start somewhere and the road ahead was, at least for them, a new beginning. ▀▄

*G* I can't remember grass skirts, fish bones and pet squirrel (??) I do remember Pahl and his black powders, and 'Grandpa Pahl' is a scary thought!! I think allowing Legacy characters can be a draw and important to old-time players, so fitting them in however we can is great. As criteria b) above is attained, then I like Quib's idea that the rest is more of an individual historical/random wild 'Cap' type story issue, rather than something that the RP as a whole needs to include/manage.

Loving all of this idea generation and seeing peek-ins from 'old' faces I miss!! (*grins [spoiler] grabs handcuffs[/spoiler]*) For ease of 'management' and maximum freedom/enjoyment, I strongly agree with the non-canon timeline and prefer the idea of a post-books setting over 'before' or 'alternative' - like @Matalina @Taymist @Quibby @Wayfarer have highlighted, 'after' gives freedom for creativity in separation from book-bound expectations, supports a restricted/manageable geography and allows for 'old' characters we know and love. With respect to @Arie 's Hall visualisation, and WT/BT thoughts, I REALLY like/prefer the idea of building together - and agree with Taymist that the idea that on the whole the Towers deciding to become one unit (with inevitable dissentions) just makes sense. Perhaps we could take it even further than this, and combine all the cool things into one 'unit' to provide a strong central base that caters for a wider range of usually preferred character types in the one area - Maximum fun appeal and minimum geography combined, essentially - A central base for ALL 'gifted' allies. What if, following (book Age) Tarmon Gaidon, a new 'city of the Light' develops, housing a new type of 'Tower' that is a central base for ALL allies who wanted to stay/had nowhere else to go - including channelers from WT, BT AND other allied groups - Aiel, Seafolk, ex Damane and Sul'dam; Wolfkin; BotRH? (I like the idea that this develops around the Field of Merrilor area for reference to the Last Battle, with the 'Tower' being located at Dashar Knob - for that and also the random isolation/need to Gateway to it, but *g*) ? Other thoughts/ideas The Powers What happened with Rand, and more specifically, the mysterious ability to light a pipe simply with thought? What was the actual mechanism for the ability itself? Was it actually the True Power, as we know it, linked with the Dark One? Or was it a 'new' type of ('universal'/non-gendered?) Power... And, was it limited to Rand and Rand's line... or not? ... What if it actually was the True Power - and it turns out that the Dark One 'gifted' it randomly around the world as a last stand before being sealed away? ... What is the current fate/ability of those who 'received' it? And did the Creator counter this in any way? Dark One/'Madness' Conflicts The Wheel is still turning, and eventually there will be another TG, right? ... who is going to 'drill the next hole'? Create the next 'breaking'? What if, this time around the Wheel, it is not a 'Time of Madness' from the Dark One's Taint on Saidin which develops, but something similar that comes from the True Power itself? I read a theory, somewhere, that Egwene's Light of TV weave might have created another weak spot in the pattern. Perhaps, at the point where we pick up, the Dark One is beginning to sense/manipulate this area as he did the previous bore... Could be interesting if that's in the same general area as the 'central base'... Other So many options for plot points and conflicts, as others have highlighted! I'm all for nations rebuilding/conflicts and Shadowspawn still being a problem even though the Blight is gone.

Yes, ENJOYYYYYYY!

Thanks Arie, Still keen to keep Thayetta active 🙂 Though there are no immediate RPs/plans for her... Will edit topic title accordingly.

I just saw this post @Jeannaisais - the travel and publishing the trilogy sound AMAZING- GO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And now I'll have to go look up The LeNoir Legacy, and find some free time!!

*Adds chocolate crackles to the table* Does that count, @Jeannaisais?? @Cairos You haven't had fairy bread? That stuff was essentially a mandatory party-food item round here when I was growing up ... though I have seen/heard that it is basically a strange Aussie thing XD ... Otoh - I can't even remember if I've ever had sangria - red OR white (and I didn't even know there was a choice in colours!!) I'm keen for adding it to the 'new drinks' menu, however! But also, how about something with tequila?

Lightning cracked through the roiling, black clouds. Bright-burning weaves exploded outwards from the Aes Sedai again and again, slicing through the seething, jumping mess of shadows before them on the field. And yet, the urgent sense of darkness pressing in from both above and below remained - and intensified... A patch of the plain studded with granite boulders and surrounded by a growing mist caught Calia's eye in the same instant that blood erupted from every Kandori body therein - with the force of over-fermented wine escaping exploded barrel staves. ● Wave upon wave... Light meeting Darkness... Fire burning the skies... Threads of Life and Death, hanging on the dances of claws, teeth, soldiers' swords and tainted blades; each step a desperate response to the relentless turning of the Wheel - every victory, every stumble a new stitch in the unfolding tapestry of the Age's pattern. ● Cal could weave with accomplished dexterity and speed - but she could not save them all, not even close, not today. And she knew that it was futile to try. But by Light, she would continue to fight - harder than she ever had before, doing everything she could to make every single hit and buffer against Life's enemy count. She drafted the one power through simple, flat cuffs of gold on each wrist, and continued to direct the enormous river of saidar flowing from the circle of Sisters as fast as she was able, drawing as much power as the angreal allowed, her urgency pressing against the inbuilt buffer for more, and still more. Rope sized threads wove up, down, over and around each other in alternating blurs of glowing yellow and white, red, blue, green: Air and Spirit streaked upwards into thick layers of re-enforcement for the shield that stood between the sedai and avalanches of enemy Fire and Lightning, or tumbled together into balls of light that sliced the shadows on the field; Rings of Fire encircled the snakes and walls of flame harassing the Kandoris, nets of Water, Spirit and Earth following close behind to smother them to ground until they choked out to nothing but scorched earth with soot and ash tumbling wildly on the stormy winds. It was exhausting, relentless work. Success and failure followed each other in turns, on both sides. In the face of it all, waves of warmth and strength flowed through Calia from the circle of her Sisters, the links between them and the sharing of the One Power reinforcing the sense of support and determination she felt in the face of the chaos before them. And behind her, Elessar guarded the rear, the thrum in the bond between them assuring her he held his own against the onslaught, fighting for Life and Light with skill and a fire of his own. ●● Lightning struck, crashing into the surface of the dome above their heads with a frenetic dance of raw, dark power: once again the dome was damaged, but held. Cal was responding to the damage with a flurry of Spirit and preparing an attack against the channeler responsible - the blasted blonde woman on the hill - when saidar suddenly surged, blooming to an immense wave of channeling in the near northwest. She did not need to look in that direction to know that level of power meant serious trouble. Instead she turned her head rapidly toward her Captain General, glad to have her on the field - by custom the woman should never have been here, but in practice she had always absolutely more than earned her choice and rights. The decision was as quick as expected, communicated clearly by the position and movement of two fists, starting together at chest height with the left suddenly moving straight up, and the right circling anti-clockwise at level before stopping rapidly in its original position. Nobody needed to be told twice. Calia released the links to three of the attached sisters; who instantly joined in a new circle with Liss at the lead, Air and Spirit flowing once again into layers of protection for the overhead dome. Bracing against the pull and undertow of power, Cal turned her attention northeast, drawing saidar furiously through the twin angreals at her wrist. The new woman on this rise stood in stark contrast to the blonde with the crystal-ice dome on the other hill. This one was clad in black - a darker dome of power swirling around her in a web-like bubble that shimmered around her black hair, and somehow made the painted black stripes on her face all the more evident and disconcerting. At her feet, the black mist thickened and rose, thickened and rose - and then it slid swiftly outwards, slinking low across the field like a hound on the hunt... ● Weave after weave, in patterns and combinations long-imprinted in her mind and muscle memory, flew from herself, the circle, the source - until Calia was not sure how long any of them could go on. Bodies too, flew and fell. Again and again. Some rose again to fight. Others remained where they were. The shadow kept on. The light pressed back. Elessar was by her side. ● Until he wasn't. The protective shield was SLAMMED. And then PAIN, exhaustion and bluntness suddenly smothered the clarity of the bond: the sense of the gaidin slipped - still in existence, but muffled. Dust was everywhere, and nobody was on their feet, but Elessar's location was still pinpoint clear. Cal forced herself to an unsteady crouch, ears ringing, and lurched in that direction. The man lay covered in a cloud of dust and layers of dirt, blood and tangled fancloak... yet he still managed to curve his lips into a small smile to see her alive, and the bond resonated with relief. Calia returned the smile as well as she was able, her own relief speaking for itself. Carefully, she slipped thin strands of Fire, Spirit, Air and Water around him in an aetha cocoon and eased him to sleep. And then, somehow, she stood, though she was sure all strength must be gone. ●●● It was over. For now. In the stunned silence that persisted long after the battle, bloating with a fragile awareness that it was just the beginning, the boy nursed a stump at the elbow where his non-dominant hand used to be. Sand-coloured hair stuck out every which way, for once free of the leather thong that always held it back from his deeply serious brown eyes. Eyes that were framed by lashes that were longer than any man's had a right to be - and famed amongst the Novices and Accepted, and some of the Aes Sedai, for exactly that. Cal swayed as she stood, the effort of stemming the blood-flow and drawing remaining tissue and skin into some sort of order from the mess it had been suddenly taking its toll. For all those sincere brown eyes were now somewhat blank of expression, there was strength in Breydan still. It did not surprise her - the boy had always been strong, and determined; as had the girl who sat by his side. But the loss would be sorely felt for some time yet. By both of them. Smothering a sigh, Calia looked at the pair, each of them pale under the smears of dust and blood stuck to their skin. Squeezing his good shoulder in silent support and nodding somberly to Alyse - who she still couldn't help but think of as his 'new', or 'awaited' Sedai - Calia turned and let the two of them be. She kept her face smooth, but her eyes burned; smoke, ash and dust rising from the charred ground and bloody remains added to the sting as she turned away. She might have been somewhat battle-hardened at her 118 years of life, with the majority of that time being spent serving the battle Ajah, and she may not have been bonded to the boy any longer, nor able to distinctly feel his pain - but evidently that didn't mean the situation didn't hurt. ● Too much death. Too much waste. And yet, she knew it was less than it could have been. The sight of the impossible channelers simply -disappearing- from the hills, as trollocs and myrddraal turned and shuffled from the field, had been almost utterly unfathomable. Only a handful of the Kandori soldiers and archers had survived. Every single Sedai and Warder that remained had been hollow-eyed and injured to some extent by the time they were sure the battle was done. When the healing work was finally complete, Cal stood leaning shoulder-to-shoulder with Emine for some time, the two of them supporting each other as much physically as in silent solidarity and combined recovery. And then they went their separate ways, Calia rejoining Elessar - beyond grateful for his service and that he had survived, as the Captain-General spoke in tribute of those that had not been as skillful or as lucky. "We honour you," she said. "May you Shelter in the palm of the Creator's hand, and may the Last Embrace of the Mother Welcome you Home." She could not name each of the fallen, but she felt their loss in the pattern. Bowing her head, Calia finished the tribute in her mind, the way she and others like her had always done - and always would do when Shadows threatened to conquer in fire and flame - 'The LIGHT shine on you, all.' After all, it wasn't quite an end, in a sense - in reality, it was only just the beginning. ▀▄

*Crash tackles @Cairos Shiny Knight* ! Miss you all tooooooooooooo! *Sets up a party table, including old school Bandy, Bandweisers, Flaming Shots and (because I can), fairy bread ^.^ *

Elessar was hurting. Calia could tell that much without looking. Pain and fatigue weighed on the bond between them. Despite knowing, intuitively, that the level of discomfort was not life-threatening, the Aes Sedai turned her head and made a quick study of the warder at her side. The man she had bonded stood tall and unwavering, his resilience mirroring the unyielding tempest that surrounded them all. Strands of dark hair and billowing folds of fancloak waved and snapped around him in the winds of the gathering storm. Blood, not his, covered the blade of his sword - a macabre paint of crimson that extended to his hands, wrists and forearms. Patches of clothing and exposed skin elsewhere evidenced either underlying wounds, or perhaps simply rough contact with earth and debris. In any case, those stains weren't rapidly spreading, and the warder was neither pale nor unsteady in his stance. He met her gaze with a small smile and nod, almost as if to acknowledge her glancing assessment and say "I'll cope". That was all the verification and bond-calibration Calia needed. Giving a return nod, she directed a sense of strength and stamina through the connection between them, and turned her attention back to the battle at hand. ● Thunder PoUnDeD relentlessly across the plain alongside a chaotic symphony of roars and screeches of shadowspawn, CrACks of lightning and screams of men. Flashes of fire streaked against the backdrop of broiling, too-dark clouds and rising fog, highlighting each of the deadly dances taking place across the field in eerie flickers. Through the mists and oncoming shadows, a wave of trollocs surged. Gust after turbulent gust of wind battered everything in its way. Each and every battle is a thread... Calia stood ready, braids whipping wildly across her face, the silk folds of her breeches snapping and waving like crazed banners amidst the chaos of the unnatural storm. Scattered in various positions across the field, the other Aes Sedai also stood ready, their gazes steady and resolute, the shimmering glow of Saidar embracing and linking them all as one. Calia found her hope renewed as she kept herself open to the flow and swell of the One Power connecting her and each of her Sisters to the other. The collective force of power they held hummed through the air and every cell of her being. She smiled, reveling in the shared strength and the beacon of hope amidst the darkness that might yet engulf them all. She opened wider to the source, surrendering everything she could channel into the link. The wall of Air and Fire SLAMMED into the shield-dome erected around the mystery woman on the rise and destroyed it, flinging her twenty feet backwards in the process. Calia and her Sisters watched as the woman climbed slowly to her feet and steadied herself. A Dreadlord hurried towards the woman but was waved off with impatience. With the enhanced clarity afforded by saidar it was easy to see, even with the distance between them, that the woman had a temper - and it was now directed their way. She brushed dirt-streaked blonde hair away from her face, her dark gaze shooting daggers in the Aes Sedai's direction. Calia returned the look squarely, her own expression and demeanor demonstrating a calm that belied the wariness she felt. The woman drew deep on Saidar, weaves of Air and Fire returning to position in a hardened shield-dome around her person. Her eyes blazed and she drew more and more of the One Power, until Calia was certain that the woman also had an angreal in her possession - and a powerful one at that. Between them, the battlefield was an ever-shifting canvas, each stroke of sword or swipe of shadow, each weave of the One Power, a stroke upon its surface. Calia felt the pulse of the link, the collective force of her Sisters resonating within her. With a determined smile, she surrendered herself to the torrent of Saidar, amplifying their combined strength. The woman raised her arms. Every Sister present felt Rivers of Power being condensed around the channeler on the rise. Calia felt the command of the circle shift in her direction. And then Flames of Saidar tore towards them in a torrent of Power and Fire. Saidar responded to Cal's call through the circle, a river of pure energy surging forth from her Sisters to cascade over and through her. Opening herself wide to the flow and commanding with practiced precision, she wove a replica of the woman's own shield-dome as a barrier against the impending torrent of Fire. At the same time she SLAMMED a solid weave into the woman's defenses again - this time with Water and Spirit added to the mix of Air to counter the additional Air and Fire the woman had added. The clash of weaves reverberated across the plain. The woman on the rise, apparently undeterred by the initial failure of her river of Fire, renewed her onslaught. Flames of Saidar surged forth, a torrential cascade of power and destruction. The dome above them strained against the relentless assault, and Calia could feel the pressure building. She gritted her teeth, holding the weave together and fortifying it with unwavering focus, digging deeper into the circle of Saidar as the Fire threatened to breach their defenses. Around her, the other Aes Sedai stood resolute, their faces illuminated by the shimmering glow of Saidar. The bond that connected them was a pulsing flow of power, each Sister channeling her strength into the collective defense. The circle responded to her call with a surge of energy that resonated through her very core. With a burst of determination, she again fortified the shield-dome, reinforcing it with threads of Air, Earth, and Spirit. The weave became an impregnable fortress, holding back the inferno. The woman's fiery onslaught persisted, but Calia and the rest of her Sisters stood unwavering. Around them, Warders faced the storm and fresh wave of trollocs with stoic resolve. In the midst of the relentless assault, a sudden rupture echoed through the air. For an instant everything quivered as if suspended in the grip of an unseen force. Calia's eyes widened, a flicker of uncertainty betraying her usual calm. Elessar's response flowed through the bond, an echo of her own. Light! A tremor rippled through the link between herself and her Sisters, but the circle held. Flames of Saidar intensified from both sides, tearing at the barriers of each shield with renewed ferocity. Swords slashed at shadows and beasts, whirling in the hands of Warders and Kandori soldiers alike. Horns, claws and impossibly sharp nails stabbed and tore at human flesh. Shadows and Light each flared in direct opposition of the other. Power built again and again to crescendo, exploded in attack after attack. The tempest continued wreaking havoc across the field, the sole combatant to remain unchallenged. Lightning slashed through the sky, illuminating the chaos below with strobing effect. The plain echoed with the relentless percussion of thunder, the dark drumbeat still driving the cacophony of battle - and the balance of everything hung in the tumultuous grey spaces between thunder and lightning, triumph and impending doom.

A BOOM! of absolute POWER exploded through the red and orange glow of the air and charged across and through the field. It hit Calia from behind. The Earth convulsed beneath her, propelling her forwards with a bucking mass of trampled grass, rock and soil. A blast of wind and rain reached her in the same instant, slamming her violently to the jolted ground. A razor-sharp weave of Air and Spirit shot forth, racing towards the oncoming shadows as she fell. She hoped to Light that the white and yellow threads would find their mark. A hurricane of debris surged in the wake of whatever had shattered earth and sky, pinning her in the prone position. Sticks and dirt assailed every inch of her body, stinging her skin through leather and green silk alike. Several tight braids tore loose of the bun at the nape of her neck and whipped wildly around her head in the wind. The onslaught of air, rain and dust invaded her mouth and nostrils forcefully, smothering any opportunity to breathe. Amidst the maelstrom, Calia kept her head down and her eyes closed, rapidly working threads of Air and Spirit together into ahf’n’aetha - a stormwind shield - just as the Aiel Wise Ones had taught her. As the transparent layers took shape, she drew them up, over and around her entire form in angles that deflected the maximum amount of wind with the minimum amount of effort. The sensation of being battered suddenly ceased. Her eyes flew open, scanning the chaos of the situation around her with a growing sense of urgency. She spat dirt from her tongue, coughing and sucking clean air in turns. Where was the myrddraal? She was certain that was what she had seen in the instant before the blast – a second Eyeless shadowspawn, following the path of the first, shifting viper-like through the shadows with impossible speed, making directly for Elessar and herself. And now the world beyond her shield was a wild frenzy of wind, rain, hurtling debris and flickering shadows - Perfect camouflage for a Fade. Elessar was off somewhere to her side, according to the thrumming in the Bond. The same thrum assured her he remained alive and relatively well, but she couldn’t see him - and she knew he couldn’t see her. And it was entirely possible that the blasted myrddraal was also still alive and unseen - about to strike from the shroud of surrounding chaos in one foul, tainted swoop. That was not something she would take lying down. Calia pressed her palms hard to the ground, and coiled her energy to stand. Drawing a long knife from her belt with one hand as she stood, she took a steadying breath and adopted a ‘ready’ stance automatically. She knew -knew-! Elessar was better than ‘good’ as a gaidin. She also knew that, bonded, he would be even better - on so many levels. But in a fight such as this, if he couldn’t see the Eyeless? She also knew stabs in the dark would most likely end up serving the Shadow. She expanded the stormwind shield up and outwards as quickly as she was able. Hoping it would find him, protect him from the brunt of the wind and debris and help him stand ready against both the storm and shadow, she sent it speeding towards the sense of her gaidin. ● Almost as one, Calia and her Sisters on the field wove Fire, Air and Spirit into balls of light, casting and tying them off as high as possible for maximum Light. Together, they surveyed the state of the battle - the enormous pull and pour of One Power from the golden-haired woman capturing all of their attention. More than one battle Sister, including herself, Calia noted, checked the positioning of angreal about her person, feeling the tug of saidar, knowing the power they could wield without such aids would never be enough. In unspoken unity, each of them drew deep, deeper still - and prepared to link. ● An abrupt spike of alertness and sudden pang of alarm from Elessar’s direction snapped Calia’s immediate attention. The Myrddraal! She was out of time! Her warder was racing towards her, and she could sense the desperation coursing through Elessar and the bond. Such movements would only mean one thing. She released her second orb of light, and whirled around, blending strands of Earth and Fire into a molten mass that crystalised on contact with the stormshield into a solid aetha. The shield solidified not a moment too soon. A midnight-black blade struck the crystal edge, whirling in a lightning-fast blur, searching again and again for any weakness to exploit. There was none. Calia sensed Elessar's arrival at her side and spared him a brief grin of appreciation and determination. Then, knowing that together they stood more than ready, she dropped barrier between them and the myrddraal completely. The Fade lunged, black blade whirling, the folds of his black cloak hanging perfectly still. Elessar parried the strike. The myrddraal spun blade and body around him, ready to attack! But a second series of razor-sharp blends of Spirit and Air SNAPPED into place, just ahead of the unnatural twist in the shadows - and this time they did not miss. This time there was no question of survival for the Fade. Momentum carried it's ghastly form forward, until it was several paces past the end of the weave. A cheer of triumph and surprise erupted amongst the soldiers nearby as the bodies of almost one hundred trollocs collapsed in a tangle of beaks, tusks, claws and talons - all suddenly lifeless mid-run, mid-roar, mid-swing. The myrddraal collapsed in pieces over the weave. Calia shared a grin with Elessar, hoping it was not premature as she ignored the way the eyeless head slid, in slow-motion, from the waxy-white neck on a slick of acidic blood. As she switched her attention back to a survey of the battlefield and current situation, Calia felt a strong pull of saidar weaving threads of Earth, Air and Spirit. She turned her mind back for an instant toward the myrddraal's location and smiled approval at Emine. Light Bless that woman, she was putting her talent with Earth to immediate good use and packing up the trash! The myrddral's leather-clad limbs lay jerking under scraps of black cloak that were still unnaturally still, and the impossibly sharp, dark fingernails of one hand dug into the dirt beside the spot where the wretched black-bladed sword lay just out of reach. But cracks were opening beneath both the body and blade, sinking them into the ground itself, and barriers of dirt and rocks barricaded all the moving parts in place. Not having quite the talent with Earth that Emine had, Calia appreciated the assistance. It was always gratifying to know that tainted weapons and the pieces of the shadowspawn that had wielded them were contained. Especially when the blades had been wrought in Thakan’dar. Those were as much an abomination and insult to the Light as the shadowspawn were themselves - and there was great satisfaction in knowing that now neither of the blighted things could easily claim more life before sunset and the final stilling of the Fade’s jerking limbs. ● Even if the Earth had settled somewhat, the air and general feel of chaos on the battlefield had not. Thunder bellowed across the darkening sky at a volume that was frankly unsettling. Flashes of lightning and swirls of storm snapped and crackled and clashed across the battlefield from both sides. There was an intensity to the situation that made her skin crawl and her hair stand on end like never before. Mist was rising over the lower, darker patches of the plain. It obscured vision and somehow made the troops jumpy enough to jump and stab at shifting shadows amongst the ranks. The soldiers who had regained their feet appeared to be fighting off a pincer manoeuvre from a fresh fist of trollocs which had surged from the hill alongside the hurricane of debris. The Kandoris were already surrounded on two sides. Enormous snakes of Fire harassed the group, darting through the shadows of the storm to terrorise the troops and their mounts. Calia watched as one snake stretched and blazed into a giant wall, and others separated ranks of archers or infantry, or boxed them off completely. Another drifted almost lazily, trapping and then consuming individual soldiers, seemingly at whim. Calia cast a blast of Water and Spirit at the Fire-beasts, but it did no good. She tried the same thing aimed squarely at the fire-framed woman on the rise. Her weave rebounded immediately. Cal gritted her teeth and tried to catch Lissinda’s eye to let her know the plan was not going well. Between them, the tattered remains of a Kandori banner tumbled through the air of the storm - a scrappy tangle of blood-stained of rags that would never again dance proudly on the wind, showcasing the fine, red horse rearing on field of pale green as it had earlier that day. The Captain-General caught Calia's look, and signed the directions they’d all known would be coming. Indicating understanding with a sharp nod, Calia opened herself deeper to the source, feeling Light and Life flood through her and each of her nearby Sisters to a greater and greater degree. The collection of angreals shared amongst them emphasised the depth and intensity of saidar at their disposal - and still Calia found herself wondering if it would be enough. She shook off the pessimism and drew more - as much as she was able to wield without burning herself out. One by one the Aes Sedai of the White Tower, scattered across the field, linked. Together with their Warders, the party of the Light stood in the warm glow of Saidar - ready and resolute against the army of Shadow and the oncoming storm.

The wind had stopped. High above the silent grasses of the fenced-off field, the few yellowing leaves remaining on the two gnarled, old trees hung motionless from their branches, basking in the moonlight's soft silver glow, breathless, clinging to life. "Thank you." Elessar's whispered words were soft, but the surge of emotion accompanying them through every fibre of the bond was immense. Calia braced herself, caught by the flood of feelings and the sense and strength of the gratitude the gaidin was sending her way. She directed her mind to the surface and drew a breath. She focused her consciousness, adjusting her awareness to accept and account for Elessar's input as the connection between them grew - and grew. The link and wave of input from the Warder's end was strong. Much stronger than those of her last bonded partner. Calia had expected that this bond with Elessar Telcontar was going to be different. She had expected that the Warrior Poet's feelings to be passed on with a good deal of intensity, and she had even expected the link between them to be strong. But as she opened herself up to the bond, deeper and deeper still, Calia found it was more than the strength of feelings and the bond itself that took her breath away. Somehow, there was a relative dearth of adjustment required from her end, despite the obvious flow of emotion, and Elessar's 'presence' truly did not seem to be an intrusion of any sort. Somehow this bond, with a man she barely knew, felt familiar. Not distracting. Not overwhelming. Not concerning. Familiar. And she had not really expected that at all. It was not 'familiar' in the way that the bonds with Joesh, Shem and Aaran's had been familiar - extensions of their previous deep relationships and understandings of one another. Nor was it akin to the way the last bond she'd held had felt 'familiar' in the practical similarities of knowing, learning and working with a bond just as she had done before. It was not just the previously-experienced sense of sharing across the space of a link, knowing a gaidin's physical direction and proximity. For a moment she stood transfixed, caught between caution and curiosity. And then Calia opened her awareness completely to the new bond and dug deeper, trying to understand what, exactly, was so different about the Warder-Sedai connection this time around. What she found both rocked and somehow ... stabilised... her to the core. Calia had known Elessar and herself had a certain kinship in their histories, scars and service to the Light. She had enjoyed his company, intellect and conversation during the days of travel and rest. She had appreciated his presence, respected his ability and dedication in the skirmishes they'd so far faced. She had hoped - and even somewhat believed - that they would be compatible and competent paired together in a bond - but she had not expected it to feel like this. This was familiar in the sense that, below the flow of immediate feelings coming from Elessar, Calia simply felt... stronger and more stabilised. There was a swell in the deep sense of strength, and the dedication to duty, the desire for Life - but there were almost no definite rifts breaking across the sense of base intentions, almost no telling where Calia's undercurrents ended and Elessar's began. Beyond that, Calia realised, the feelings coming through the bond were far clearer than she would have expected so early on in her and Elessar's acquaintance and sharing of the bond. And there was no mistaking it - she could make out several nuanced levels in the awe and gratitude being shared. The feelings of gratitude flowing her way were clearly connected to a sense of completeness for Elessar. Relief washed over her. The impression that Elessar's feeling of completeness was linked to presence of both the Aes Sedai and the bond itself in the Warder's awareness felt so strong, so unmistakable to Calia that she was left with no doubt that it was true. Tears welled in her eyes as she returned her gaidin's deep, dark gaze. A smile trembled on her lips. Despite having had intentions to maintain a full semblance of self-composure and control, Calia did not force the feelings down, did not turn her face away or keep her expression as cool as stone. She looked warmly at her new Warder, eyes still wet and bright with unshed tears, and opened the bond completely. This bond was, without question, wanted - and blissfully received - by the man in front of her. It was steady. And it was strong - so strong, so clear. They were complete, despite the holes from their past. And they were One. The thought echoed around in her mind, strengthened by the second in a kaleidoscope of commonalities and connections that stabilised her from the very core. "We stand ready, my Aes Sedai!" Elessar declared, and the Calia couldn't help but smile wider at the truth of it all. The words were a perfect fit for the sense of shared determination flowing back and forth between them. "And woe to anyone who stands in our way!" The Aes Sedai laughed outright then, with a feeling of lightness in her heart that she hadn't truly felt in years. The combination of their independent determinations was so pure, so strong, so absolutely irrefutable - and so full of faith despite their previous battle-scars, that she had just been thinking the exact same thing. Together, the two of them were somehow stronger, steadier, more complete than before - old scars and future shadows be burned, she was confident they would live. A fresh breath of wind caught her laughter and carried it through the darkness of the night. Across the field the happy sound swept, stirring up whispers in the grass before swirling through the branches of the two gnarly old trees. High above the field, the yellowing leaves wiggled to and fro on the breeze like a garland of Nature's flags, celebrating Life itself. The wind left them there, and continued through the darkness and shadows of night towards the North. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Calia stood in front of the looking glass attached to the dressing table, body still, mind studying every detail of the reflection therein. What had caught her attention? A silver glow of moonlight was alight on the windowsill and spilling out over the floorboards of her room, but she barely noticed the beauty of it, or the specks of shining dust dancing in the night breeze therein. The edges of the light curtains, drawn back from the open window, fluttered softly as the wind's fresh chill and the echoes of the night floated past them. She paid the subtle movement there little mind - it was not what had caught her attention, and besides - her wards were in place, the charm at her neck was body-temperature, and there was no sense of threat, disturbance, danger or alarm through the bond. Eyeing her own reflection in the mirror more closely, she turned her head first this way and then that, checking again that each of the small braids she'd worked into her hair moments ago were complete, appropriately placed and tightly secured. Again, she found that they were. The completed hairstyle looked exactly as it always did. She hadn't really believed that it would look otherwise - the pattern for it was an old and very familiar one for her hands to complete - a favourite of Aaran's that she still frequently employed. And there was not a hair out of place, as far as she could tell - So what then was the difference she'd just half-sensed in passing her reflection? My face! she suddenly realised. There was a difference - and it was not a difference she had expected to see, but it was there all the same. Though the rest of her expression remained relaxed and comfortable, effortlessly smooth, there was a curve to her lips and something of a brighter twinkle in her eyes. Unmistakably there, on her face as she went about her simple, matter-of-fact evening routine - was a blossoming smile of peace, and utter contentment. The revelation made her want to laugh, like she had at Elessar's words, back at the fence by the trees. A Mirror of Emotions, she thought, recalling the old poem out of seemingly nowhere. Well, she was looking into the mirror now, and they'd definitely started a new beginning in the Light tonight! This bond was a proving a formidable force, already - in more ways than one. Calia could sense the Warder close by in the next room on her right, his feeling of joy at the connection and completeness they now shared still as strong as it had been earlier. Not for the first time, she found herself wondering at the twists of the Pattern that had set Elessar and herself on this path together. Their sense of duty and commitment to standing ready was so well aligned it seemed the old poem's lines about Fate and Trust might have been onto something after all. It was almost as if they were One. She could not deny she had faith in this bond - not even to herself. With the smile still settled on her face, she dimmed the lantern and slipped into bed to sleep. ●~●~● The bay mare skipped to the side and shook her head impatiently under the reins for the thousandth time since they'd left town that morning. Cal patted her neck soothingly and tried to convey a sense of calm to the beast even as Emine and Neve's mounts moved effortlessly to the side. Also for the thousandth time, the half-raised eyebrows and slight grins on the faces of her Saldaean Sisters were not missed. Beside Emine, she heard Mikael chuckle. "Oh, stop it, you lot - you're not exactly helping!" Cal admonished them all with a smile of her own that she didn't quite supress. Wishing she could give the poor beast her head and let her gallop out the excitement that was giving her the prances this morning, Cal decided on a slight compromise and nudged the mare forward at a faster pace, breaking into a canter to catch up with Elessar up ahead. The Warders had been taking turns scouting and riding in escort around the Aes Sedai, but the morning hadn't offered much opportunity for conversation between her and her newly bonded Gaidin - and she didn't know how long it would be until he was the one sent out forward scouting. Though she had ascertained her mare was more skittish from excitement than anything else so far this morning, Cal knew the further North they went, the more unexpected trouble there might be. Liss hadn't reported anything additional when they'd all broken fast, and none of the scouting Warders had come galloping back in a frenzy since then - but Calia was experienced enough to know that even just the whispers she'd heard to date about the stirring Shadow in the North meant that this kind of idyllic peace was not bound to last. So she cantered on toward Elessar, knowing he would sense her approach long before she got there - and she half suspected he had already identified her intent to move before she'd been on her way. The sense of him certainly grew stronger within the bond at her end as she drew closer, a fact that was still making her smile. "What news if any, Warder mine?" She asked as she caught up and slowed the bay beside him. Her Aes Sedai face was smooth, but her eyes were shining as blue as the cloudless sky above, her smile still reflecting her satisfaction with the completeness of the bond they shared. They were one. They were in it for the right reasons - and they were on the road, ready for whatever lay ahead. ~ * ~

It was mid-evening and dark outside. Noise and light from the common room spilled into the street as the inn door opened. A chill wind slipped softly around the walls, whispering its way across the town from the north-west. Unheard in the cacophony of chattering voices and clinking mugs of ale, the wind continued sweeping over the cobblestones, swirling through the spreading light and retreating shadows alike. Clouds of dust lifted lazily into the air as the wind passed, drifting and glittering through the glow of nearby lanterns - testament to the many weeks without rain in these parts. The outthrust door was made of worn, but smoothly polished and waxen wood. The wind caressed the surface gently before sneaking silently through the spaces on every side, crossing over the threshold into the inn. Aes Sedai Calia Luin-Metsar settled her hood around her head as she exited the brightly lit common room, stepping smoothly around the man who had stumbled into Elessar ahead of her. Sounds from inside followed them through the doorway and down the street on a soft, crisp breeze. Floating echoes of the crowd's reaction to the gleeman's booming voice were the last to fade away. And then, the night was quiet. High above the Sedai and Warder, a rainless haze shifted across the sky in patches, obscuring moon and stars. Enjoying the walk and relative silence, Calia watched the clouds. She drew cool air deep into her lungs and exhaled it in soundless, misty breaths. She did not know where Elessar was headed to continue their conversation, but considering the depth and nuances of their earlier talk and the contrasting lightness in his voice when he had invited her outside, she thought she knew why. It had not escaped her attention that the warrior-poet, usually enraptured with old songs and stories, had listened carefully to her - not the gleeman - when she'd spoken about the deepest cuts to her soul and told him she could not ask him to sign his life to a bond. Nor had she missed the comprehension in his eyes when she'd continued by saying she would rather respect and honour his right to direct his life however he truly wanted. It was still possible, of course, that she was not the type of bondholder Elessar desired. And equally possible too, that the Kandori Warder was simply too polite to tell an Aes Sedai that he believed firmly in the bond, but not in her, in the middle of a bustling inn, mere moments after she had bared her soul and detailed being so bereaved. But, both logic and intuition had Calia dismissing those possibilities as the most likely reason for this walk. She was, in fact, distinctly certain by this point that the road ahead was leading directly to a committed bond - the very thing she had actively avoided over the past fifteen years. Yet somehow, she walked willingly on - now easily at peace with that belief. After decades of believing Aes Sedai-Warder bonds were a perilously dangerous trap, it was a revelation and a mystery to her that she should feel so calm walking straight into one. Calia's gaze drifted from the far-off clouds to the face of the gaidin at her side as she attempted to analyse the depths of her inner calm from every angle. Elessar slowed his pace somewhat and the two of them came to a complete stop, in unison, alongside an old, worn fence. After a moment, the Warder wandered several paces away, staring towards a pair of old trees just over the boundary-line. Calia didn't dare disturb the silence, but she did observe both the man and the trees through the darkness, in the hazy light of the partially-shadowed moon. The trees boasted impressive silhouettes, even with only a few yellowed leaves left to their branches. Supported at the base by large, solid roots that fanned out and undoubtedly dug deep into the soil, both trunks were tall and wide, leaning ever-so-slightly inward towards each other, as if on purpose. The branches reached rather determinedly out and up from the trunk; every bough left to them appearing well-spaced, strong and well-proportioned - ready to bear fruit, provide shade, or resist wind. As her vision adjusted to the shadows in the field, Calia saw the bark of each tree, as well as the trunks, was thick and strong, though marred with deep gouges, scratches, knots and grooves on much of the visible surface. Testament to surviving many seasons and many storms... she thought. And suddenly it was easy to draw parallels between the scarred and yet strong old trees, and the Warder at their fence. And perhaps also between the Warder and herself. And she understood, completely, why she could feel so calm about the idea of having this particular man rooted to her side, come what may. "We are fighting for life," Elessar spoke over his shoulder, his voice strong. "The fight against the Shadow is a fight for life." She watched as he picked up a fallen twig from the ground and ran it between his fingers, listened as he outlined his belief that the Battle Ajah fought so hard because of their passion for life, and their desire to preserve it. "We stand ready," he added, in barely a whisper. "This old tree is not that healthy-looking, but it is still life. It is what we all should fight for." He was facing away and talking quietly, but Calia heard him and wholeheartedly agreed. -- When the Warder turned to face her, the wind was shifting errant strands of dark hair across his face. He confirmed her guess that the Green Ajah was where his heart, and sword, still belonged. Nodding at this and expecting the sense of what was coming next, Cal watched Elessar place the twig by the fence and walk up to take her hand. "Thank you for sharing your past with me. For honouring me with your kind words and trust. For speaking words that feel true... You have not jumped to the wrong conclusions." Elessar continued, affirming their mutual sense of kinship and respect, and confidence in their combined abilities. She squeezed his hand quickly - the only response she could manage in that moment, whilst her inner calm all but fled. She'd expected the sense of what he'd said, yes, but - Oh Light! - she had not expected the strength of the soft sincerity in his voice or the depth of warmth in his dark, now-smiling eyes when he spoke. Strength paired with fragility, she thought. Light, do not let us break! ** "The 'right' Aes Sedai," the Kandori continued confidently, "stands before me." Wind slipped inside her hood and around the back of her neck. Calia shivered, having forgotten, uncharacteristically, to hold herself separate from the cold. "...I would be honoured if I could serve you as your Warder, dutifully, honourably till death and beyond." Elessar was letting go of her hand, eyes shining, to kneel before her. "My Life Before Yours," he vowed, closing those dark, shining eyes. "If you will have me". ** At that very moment the clouds that had shadowed the moon departed and the moon's silver rays shone down on the two of them, pure and strong. Calia looked up to see a perfect circle of brightness against the dark staining of the sky. And then she smiled too, regaining her composure and her inner calm - feeling as warm as if she were inside sipping tea. Pattern recognition... superstition... sign of affirmation - it mattered not. The revelations were clear. And both the Warder and the Aes Sedai had made up their minds. ** "Elessar Telcontar Gaidin," she began, "I would be beyond honoured to have you as my Warder." Then slowly, surely, lowering herself in a subtle swish of green silk, she settled knee-to-knee with the gaidin and reached for his hands, bowing her head to his. She did not rush. "The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills," she whispered with the wind. "But without question, Elessar, I would be beyond honoured," The Aes Sedai embraced Saidar and rose slowly as she spoke, still holding the kneeling Warder's hands. "To have you standing ready, bonded at my side, fighting for life - till Tarmon Gai'don and beyond." She stood smiling in the circle of silver moonlight, encouraging Elessar to do the same, calling forth the threads of Spirit that would form the bond between them. As the Warder rose, Calia spun the threads carefully, one by one. She strengthened every filament of every shimmering strand, every detailed intersection of warp and weft, every layer of the weave. She did not rush. The weave shone a glowing white, complete in the light of the moon. The pattern was intricate and complex, but the result was as strong as she had ever created, and she'd meant it to be so. ** The wind stopped blowing and the air seemed to go still, as if in a Moment of Revelation. It was time. She smiled in satisfaction and caught Elessar's eye to be sure he was ready. Then she tidied her own inner world against the swell of emotions that were sure to come, anchoring everything inside her down so as not to be swept away. Taking a breath, Aes Sedai Calia Luin-Metsar lifted the weave, stretching it from her own tether of Spirit and Saidar and wrapping it gently, securely, strand-by-strand over the waiting Elessar Telcontar Gaidin. The weave settled over her Warder. Thread by shining thread the sense of him grew in her mind, and in her heart. Even with her eyes closed, she felt he was there. Right there, in front of her. Standing ready. In every sense. e l l t i w o o n A s of e m s He was a flame and a void. Vulnerability and strength. Fighting for Life. Alive. Steadying herself, Calia Sedai released the source and, as strongly as she could, directed all of her deepest gratitude, respect and determination for Elessar through their new bond. She sent gratitude and respect for Elessar Telcontar the man - who had strength and character enough to want to fight for life, against all odds. The man who had suffered the almost un-endurable because of that choice, and then still had the strength, the character, the desire to fight for Life, and live to fight. She sent gratitude and respect for Elessar Telcontar Gaidin, whose skills had already long-served the Tower, the Greens and the Battle Ajah - and had already saved her life in a moment of Shadow and stupidity that could have been her last. And she sent gratitude and respect for Elessar Telcontar - her Warder, who fought fiercely for the general ideal of freedom, yet had just chosen to live the rest of his own life in a bond at her side. And she sent determination - a deep, driving determination that this bond of faith would not be in vain. That the threads tying herself and Elessar together now would hold true, adding strength to their seams and stitching each of their scars shut, for all that the marks underneath were parts of themselves that might never truly heal. That the threats of this bond would be to the Shadow and to the Shadow alone. That bound together, Warder and Aes Sedai, the two of them would weave a stronger thread through the pattern on the side of Light. And through all of that, she wove the most absolute determination - that they would stand ready. That they would fight for life. Come what may. And that, on the other side of every battle from this moment to beyond death - beyond Tarmon Gai'don - both of them would still be standing: ready, together, alive.

Hi Kat, and welcome 🙂 So glad you jumped back in and your courage was rewarded and helped spark renewed interest and adventures!! Enjoy the trawling and the community - this one's great!

G'day Rolan from Tear/Texas! Welcome to DM - hopefully you're finding it meets your book/cinephile and culture needs 🙂 Nice to see a fellow language/cultures/food fiend, book-nerd and Y2K 10th grader popping in! Do you have any favourite places/people/food/languages to study besides Japan/Japanese? (I have forgotten almost every word now, and have sadly never been to Japan as yet, but Japanese was my introduction to loving foreign language-learning, waaaaaaaaay back in primary school days ❤️ ). If you haven't found it already, the Band of the Red Hand group has specific focus on travel, food and music... I haven't been there for a while so can't speak to current activity, but the group/people there were always fun!