Rochel spent her time in the class much like she had spent most of her time since arriving at the White Tower.  Trying not to be noticed.  She had spoken as little as possible, trying to stay out of everyone's sight, and out from under everyone's feet.  Maybe if they forgot about her she could get away?  Not likely, but it was an entertaining thought.  From everything she had been told though, escape was nigh impossible.

Besides, as much as she hated to admit it, the One Power was starting to intrigue her.  She wanted nothing to do with the stuffy, snobish Aes Sedai, but the power itself ... well that was different.  She had heard of wilders, women who had trained themselves with the power but had no ties themselves to the Tower.  Saidar wasn't the exclusive property of the Aes Sedai.  Such possibilities.

For now though, she was stuck.  Sitting in a room with a handful of other novices, waiting to learn how to channel.  And yes, somewhat excited about it.  Perhaps for that reason, the start of Claire Sedai's lesson chaffed her so badly.

“ Before we get started I have a few rules that MUST be followed to the letter. You must NOT touch the Source or channel, without supervision. Since you have not been here long, I doubt you have started channeling yet.  If you have started already, that will stop immediately.  From now until the day you reach Accepted, you will not channel unless you have the express permission of an Aes Sedai or Accepted."

They were here to learn to channel, but they were not to touch the source?  To Rochel, that seemed akin to teaching someone to swim, without ever letting them near water unless someone held thier hand.  She felt disgusted.  What was the point?  The point, she soon discovered, was to scare them.  Which also disgusted her.  Why be afraid of a tool?  Yes, a knife could cut you, but that didn't mean you should be afraid to use it.  It made sense to be cautious, but to be outright afraid?  Nonsense.

After the scare tactics, came the slightly more interesting part.  Rochel actually managed to jot down a few notes on things that she thought were important.  Five Elements.  One Power addictive.  Death better than losing the power.  She frowned down at her paper.  Something seemed wrong about that last one.  She almost had her finger on it when something else Claire Sedai had said snapped her attention back to the lecture. 

"This is why girls who can learn are brought to the Tower. Even if they do not have the desire to rise to the shawl, they must learn to control the urges lest they hurt themselves or those around them.”

Do not desire to rise to the shawl?  Did that mean she could leave when she knew enough to control Saidar?  Somehow it didn't seem that simple to her, but it was a good thing to remember.  That part definitely went into her notes.  As the class continued, she mulled over what it was that bothered her about death being better than stilling.  When she recieved the list of Aes Sedai who had been stilled, it finally struck her.  Her question burned inside her as the class finished, and it grated on her that she was not the first one with her hand up in the air.  She was last. 

As their instructor answered various questions, Rochel thought hard over the best way to phrase her own.  Finally when her turn came up she simply blurted out, "Claire, (if the woman insisted they not use the honorific, Rochel wasn't one to argue) if most channelers agree that death is prefered over severing, why do you only gentle men who can channel?  Would it not be kinder to kill them instead?"

Oooo ... classes already.

*runs off*

Allowing herself to be dragged along behind her mother, Rochel could barely hide her disgust at what she was about to do.  Her mother's firm insistance was the only reason she was going to go through with this.  Testing to become Aes Sedai ... Rochel couldn't think of anything she would rather do less.  To become a worthless meddler in other people's afairs ... it simply didn't appeal to her. 

A painful twinge in her leg made her hiss and rub her thigh.  Aes Sedai hadn't been able to help with THAT particular problem.  The greatest healers in the world, and she still had a limp she would carry for the rest of her life.  Useless.

"Mother, are you sure you want me to do this?  I really don't mind if we-"

"Oh of course I do dear.  Can't you think of anything more wonderful than being an Aes Sedai?"  Rochel's mother, Resanna, had always dreamed of being Aes Sedai.  Even though she had failed her own testing over twenty years before, she had still held on to her fantasy.  And now she was pressing it on to her daughter.

With a poorly surpressed grimace, Rochel bit her tongue and kept following her mother.  Resanna told her stories she had heard of how wonderful the White Tower was, how glorious it was to wield the One Power, how magnificent it would be to become Aes Sedai.  Rochel didn't hear a word of it.  Silently she wondered if there was a way to sabotage the testing, to ensure that she would fail.  Would the Aes Sedai know?  How did this testing occur anyway?

As the massive white structure loomed ever closer, Rochel's anger began to wilt away, replaced by fear.  What if she did pass?  Would she ever be able to see her family again?  Would she ever be able to free herself from the Aes Sedai?  The stories she had heard claimed that once the Aes Sedai had their claws in you, they would never let go.  The huge White Tower looked less and less appealing with every step.  When they finally reached the massive front doors, Rochel had decided that she might prefer to be standing in front of Shayol Ghul.  Well ... maybe not so far as that, but it was close.

Shortly after entering, the pair were approached by a woman in a plain white dress with seven colored bands on the bottom.  Rochel didn't pay much attention, as her mother did all the talking.  She vaguely heard her mother mention something about the testing, and soon the three of them were trotting off down a nearby hallway.  Rochel's heart began to pound in her chest as they soon approached a door with a particularly ominous feel to it.  If she was going to find a way to weasel out of this, it had to be soon. 

Nothing spectacular occured to her though, and soon the woman in the banded dress was knocking on the door.  "Wait here," she said curtly as she stepped inside.  Rochel didn't care if she was left outside for the rest of the day.  She didn't want to go through that door.  "Aes Sedai, there is someone here to be tested."

"Aren't you excited dear?" asked an obviously giddy Resanna.

Rochel tried to smile, but only managed a sneer.  Her mother didn't notice.  A moment later the woman stepped back through the door.  "The Mistress of Novices will see you now," she said quickly, and strode off without a backwards glance.  Resanna wasted no time in seizing Rochel's arm and pulling her into the office.  Once inside, Rochel was nearly hidden from view as her mother dipped into a deep curtsy, skirts spread wide.  "Greetings Aes Sedai.  My daughter is here to be tested."

Belatedly, Rochel dipped into a curtsey of her own.  Probably not good enough for a bloody Aes Sedai, but it was the best she could do under the circumstances.

Calm now ladies ... there's more than enough of me to go around. One novice, two asha'man ... I even have a dusty freelander if there's THAT much demand for me  8)

Oh yes yes .... I'm good at trouble.

Rochel will be better. :D

Unsure exactly what to think as Covai battled the ruined M'Hael, Arath kept his defensive weaving.  Covai was suicidaly focused on his attacks, not bothering to even attempt to protect himself.  Brent kept trying to weave lightning, and only Arath's frantic severing of the weave prevented Covai from being blasted with the deadly rain.

"Well Brent... As the Aiel say...lets dance."

Arath would have been impressed at the flurry of attacks that followed, if he hadn't been so disgusted by the maniacal glee in Covai's face.  How was he enjoying this?  As the earth itself leapt out to impale Brent, Arath shifted his focus to Covai.  If his friend had succumbed to the madness ... Arath kept a tight grip on Saidin, defensive weaves and a strong shield at the ready.

All of a sudden, it was over.  Covai's sword flashed out and took the head from Brent's shoulders.  Brent's expression of shock stayed fixed upon his half ruined face as his head rolled a few paces away.  Covai numbly let his sword fall from his fingers, and stumbled over to pick up the grisly trophy.  He looked to be on the edge of collapse.  Not surprising considering all he had been through in the last few minutes.  He looked as though he had been wrestling with bears for the better part of a week.  Stubbornly though, he clung to Saidin.  A feeble flow compared to the torrents he had been managing moments ago, but still a dangerous amount for someone at his level of exhaustion.

"It's done Covai," Arath said, slowly approaching the Storm Leader.  "Release."

"The Dragon's will is ABSOLUTE!"

The yell caught Arath off guard, so he was unprepared when Covai launched Brent's horrible visage into the air.  Saidin surged into his friend again, and a wave of golden fire leapt from Covai's hands into the air.  With a curse, Arath poured everything he could into a shield and threw it at the Storm Leader.  Covai's eyes had already rolled back into his head by the time the shield reached him, but the weave cut off his now weak link to Saidin.

Arath charged across the short distance and knelt to examine his friend.  The light cursed fool was still breathing, and had yet another gash across his head from his fall along with a swarm of other cuts, scrapes, and burns.  Arath had seen training accidents that looked better than this.  Burn you Covai ... you just had to do one more thing ...

One of the dedicated was suddenly at his side, weaves frantically delving into Covai and searching out injury.  "I dare not attempt this, he needs Ikkiliad.  The infirmary or his quarters?" asked Valeran.

In response, Arath wove a gateway straight to Covai's quarters.  A table collapsed as the weave sliced it cleanly in half, and he heard glass breaking somewhere in the room, but he doubted Covai would care.  Much.  "Keep everyone away from him until I say otherwise.

Waving away Valeran's concerned attempt to heal him, Arath turned his attention to the rest of the farm.  There was nothing else he could do for Covai, but once again there was a power void at the Farm, and the men needed guidance.  Arrangements were quickly made to tend to those wounded by Brent's crazed attacks, and the bodies of the slain innocents were removed.  Nobody seemed to want to touch the bodies of the slain Storm Leaders.  The vast majority of the men of the Tower simply waited, unsure what to do now that the M'Hael had been slain.

Turning his focus to what was left of the former M'Hael, Arath couldn't hide his disgust.  After so many were dead because of his incompetence, Brent had added to his crimes by taking the lives of another half dozen men, this time by his own hand.  And it remained to be seen if Covai would yet be added to that number.  Outrage boiled across the outside of the void as Arath siezed Saidin again, the torrent of ice and fire raging through him.  The ground around Brent groaned and cracked, and it seemed the whole earth trembled.  Arath fell to his knees and wove, digging his fingers into the ground and pouring all of his fury into this one weave, to eradicate the memory of the wretched Illianer.  The earth beneath Brent's corpse crumbled, and as it fell, gouts of flame spurted up.  Suddenly, the whole section of dirt beneath the body sagged and collapsed.  The still impaled body tumbled downward as a massive eruption of fire surged upward.  Those standing the closest shied away at the intense heat as the fiery column burnt Brent's body to ash.

After a time, Arath released the weave.  The fires died down immediately, leaving only a black charred pit where the M'Hael had been.  Arath was sure that if he peered down into that pit he would find nothing but ashes.  Pulling himself ot his feet, Arath gazed out over the crowd of black coats.  Some of them looked grimly pleased, others slightly nauseous.  Some of the newer soldiers looked terrified.  A simple weave of air and fire amplified Arath's voice so that all present could hear.

"Return to your lessons.  Any of you with skill at healing report to the infirmary to help with the wounded.  Attack and Storm Leaders, meet me at the inn."  Arath's gaze swept over the gathered men, knowing what they needed, but not knowing the answers to give.  "This is the beginning of a new Black Tower.  No longer will we serve the selfish interest of a corrupt man.  You will gather at the assembly grounds tomorrow morning, and we will tell you where our future lies."

Turning toward the inn, Arath slowly walked away, the crowd parting around him as he walked the short distance.  As he opened the door, he looked off to the side and noticed Mekim's crushed body laying against the wall.  "Summon dispose of them," he ordered to no one in particular. 

The corpse of the Storm Leader was already gone from his mind as he entered the Inn and headed upstairs.  Burn you Covai.  You'd better not leave me to deal with this alone.

OOC:  Alrighty boys.  We're done here.  Keep posting if you want.  Be hauled off to the medics, bury a body, whatever you want.  Someone can even collect Brent's skull as a trophy.  :-\

I think the only civilian we still have is Raeyn's, and she hasn't been played since her intro thread.  So we can definitely use a few more.

*wields the pokey stick*

Get to bio writing ... ;D

"Can we borrow a cup of sugar?"

"Black is the new Red"

"BOO!"

"Resistance is futile.  You will be bonded."

My personal favorite has to be this one though:

"I just killed my boss.  Can I see yours?"

We already have an extremely feminine male channeler played by Jagen.  Showed up in a dress, flirted with the Asha'man, and nobody was the wiser till he was accidently tested.

Creeeeeepy stuff.  Arath had nightmares for a week.

Crowbar? ... What kind of birthing is this?  :o

More boards? I wanna see!

It will be odd writing crazy moments without the taint to blame ...

That is assuming that the bio ever gets approved :(

*confiscates the cookies*

I'll be having none of this.  It's hard enough to get these guys to poke around the farm without them being lured away with drugged cookies.

I'll just be over there, uhhh ... destroying ... these.

:D

So I just submitted a WT bio.  We'll see how this goes.  Should be interesting, especially with what I have planned for her.

You should all be like me and write up some BT bio's or something ...

It took every fragment of Brent's strength to no be incinerated by Covai's attacks.  Pouring out air and fire into thick shields he was kept safe for the most part from the dancing inferno around him.  He was quickly out of air though.  Gritting his teeth and holding his breath, Brent was determined to ride it out.  Covai was not so strong that he could keep this up for long.

The series of smaller explosions from above caught him off guard.  Designed to keep back the heat and flame, the M'Hael's shields did nothing to stop the myriad of stone fragments that suddenly peppered him.  A dozen points of pain lit up on Brent's exposed back, causing him to bellow in pain.  The surprise of the attack was what hurt him more than anything though.  In the first moment of pained shock, he control over Saidin faltered and it threatened to overwhelm him.  Fighting to maintain his grip over the source, his shields faltered and the flames came crashing down on him.

It was only the tail of end of Covai's attack, the last couple seconds, that came through, but Brent screamed in pain.  He felt his clothes char away and his flesh blister and melt in large patches around his body.  The extraordinary pain caused him to forget to fight Saidin.  And in those agonizing seconds, the taint scoured what remained of his sanity from his mind.  As the flames died down, the man who had been Brent Enios laughed hysterically and rose shakily to his feet.

He slowly became aware of dozens of eyes staring at him, many in what appeared to be horror.  He frowned.  He did not like to be stared at.  Maybe if he popped all those eyes they would go away?  Then he became aware of the person walking up to him.  His eyes looked angry.  And he was carrying a metal stick.  For some reason, he wanted to hurt this man badly.  Yes.  That sounded like fun.

With limberness that such a badly burned person should just not have, the thing that had been Brent leapt forward out of the crater he had stood in, and screamed, a wordless roar of hatred and anguish tearing from his throat.  Yes.  This little man needed to die.  Fire appeared around him.  Lots of fire.  Laughing madly again, the ruined Brent-thing wove wildly, cable thick cords of fire spinning around him in an increasingly complicated tangle.  With a final tug on one of the center cables, the whole mass erupted into a cloud of flame which boiled outward.  Through it all, the Brent thing only laughed. 

~~~

Arath watched, stunned, as Covai's attack engulfed Brent in flames.  The heat was so intense that he couldn't watch directly, but above the roar of the flames he could hear a scream of pain.  And then ... laughter.  Incredibly, he watched as Brent rose slowly to his feet, roaring in mad laughter.  Most of his clothing had been burned away, along with a considerable amount of flesh.  Most of his hair was gone, and his face looked like something from a nightmare.  Most of one side had been melted away, leaving the Illianer with only half a recognizable face.

Arath didn't have time to take in more, as suddenly someone was standing in front of him, weaving a protective earthen shield.  Much to his surprise, it turned out to be Martyn Stonebridge.  How the man had managed to work past his block, Arath didn't know.  Nor did he really care at the moment.  "Move you fool!  You're going to get yourself kil-" 

The eruption of flame around them cut off Arath's words as he stuggled to just breathe.  Weaving air and fire around himself, he dropped to the ground again in a protective huddle.  The intense heat only lasted a moment, but it was devestating.  Wincing in pain at the light burns he had taken himself, Arath turned an eye toward Martyn, who huddled on the ground in intense pain.  Cursing softly, Arath knelt down to check his injuries.  It didn't look too bad, all things considered.  He had managed to shield himself, if a bit late, but the earthen shield he had erected had absorbed most of the flame wave.  One of his arms was a angry shade of red, mounds of blisters already forming, and a great deal of his coat had been singed away.  But he would live.  A few minutes in the hands of a healer and he would be fine.  Assuming any of them lived long enough to recieve healing.

Leaving Martyn in the relative safety of his earthen wall, Arath moved out in order to help Covai.  Brent was still on his feet, but appeared to be wreathed in flames of his own making.  He was advancing slowly on Covai, still laughing maniacly.  With every step he launched another attack at the Storm Leader, each growing more intense than the last.  Fireball, flame arrows, jets of flame ... each coming just a little closer to striking home and finishing Covai.  All of Covai's strength went into defending against those attacks.

Charging forward, Arath decided to play to his strengths.  He had few equals at the Black Tower when it came to strength in spirit weaves.  A dozen whip like tendrils of spirit sprang out, and he began cutting weaves.  Fireballs and flame arrows unravelled and vanished as they streaked toward Covai, giving him the reprieve he needed to press his own attack.  Shifting into a more defensive position as Brent's attention focused more on himself, Arath waited, cutting apart weaves almost as they left Brent's hands.  Finish it Covai.

This is pretty crazy.  I once meant to do something like this, but never got around to it.

However, as I looked over the lists, I saw this big error.

Put out Fire (Drawing Heat)  0  0  3  0  0  12

This weave is the same as “Put out Fire (Female) (Air)” except that instead of Air being used, it is Fire.

According to the books, only men can do this one safely.  It was one of the big things that showed Elayne and Egwene how different Saidin is from Saidar.  Elayne badly burned her arm (off screen, some time before book 3), and the Aes Sedai who healed it mentioned that she could just as easily have killed herself.

You can have a shot at Daevis Tig.  Big old Shienaran with a suicidaly risky streak. 

Actually, Covai is back now.  So he gets to open that particular barrel of monkeys.

Knowing he was outnumbered and unable to count on outside assistance, Arath crept along the edge of the ruined stable, careful to avoid being seen.  His heart raced, and fury raged around the edges of the void, but within the void, he was calm.  He knew he had to do this perfectly.  One mistake would cost him his own life, and probably the lives of many others.

Leaping to his feet, he charged out past the rubble and channeled.  Flinging his arms forward as though tossing knives, he wove air, earth, and fire into a weapon of his own.  Tiny blue missiles of fire darted from his hands and streaked toward Mekim, who stood closest.  The missiles narrowly missed Mekim and Brent, who both dropped to the ground, but Rasin wasn't so lucky.  The first missile impacted his chest, a half second before the other tore through his throat.  He never even twitched as his body flew backwards and crashed lifeless to the ground.

Before the first missiles had crossed half the distance, Arath had launched his second attack, a large pair of fireballs that streaked toward the ground on either side of the M'Hael.  The twin blasts sent waves of flame which washed harmlessly over the shields the two men had woven, but also threw a large amount of dust into the air, obscuring Arath's next move.  Crouching down, Arath wove a large amount of earth and slammed his hand into the ground.  The earth rippled outward in a tortured, rumbling wave that pulsed out in all directions.  Arath winced as he heard the stables groan and collapse even further but tried to ignore it.  Digging Covai out afterward would be the easy part.

~~~

Brent couldn't help but laugh as he fired blast after blast into the ruined stables.  Every time a flaming missile left his hands, it seemed as though his frustrations were leaving him, buried into tomb he was creating for his cursed enemies. 

He was caught off guard by the blue missiles that streaked out from the side of the ruined building.  He barely managed to duck in time, and turned his gaze toward the source of the attack.  Faringal ...  Outrage that the man had escaped death in the stable turned to shock as he saw the fireballs leave the other man's hands.  Reflexively he wove Saidin, air and fire weaving into a shield to protect him from the blasts.  Vaguely he noted Rasin's death in the back of his mind, but paid it no heed.  It wasn't important.

Deftly weaving earth, air, and fire into another flame arrow, Brent let his flame arrow fly just as he was knocked over by the rippling earth.  The bolt of fire flew harmlessly high, and Brent winced as his shoulder slammed into the hard ground.  He heard Mekim scramble to his feet, and rolled himself to the side, trying to stay low and get out of the dust cloud.  Coming up to his knees, Brent through a series of fireballs, sweeping them across the general area where he though Arath might be.  If he do be wanting a fight, I do be giving him one.

~~~

Arath cursed and dove to the ground as a swarm of fireballs came hurtling from the dust.  He heard the yells of surprise from the onlookers, and a scream of pain as someone didn't throw up a shield in time.  As he got back to his feet, a large weave of air forced the dust and smoke from the air.  Arath saw Brent standing over the corpse of Rasin, a murderous glare in his eyes.  Mekim Drandal circled around, a wicked sneer twisting face.  Arath prepared his defenses, knowing that he was probably in trouble now.  He was far more skilled than either of these men, but they were both stronger in terms of sheer strength.  Not by much, but enough to be problematic.

He heard a comotion coming from the back of the crowd, as someone yelled and shoved their way through.  The way his luck was running, Arath knew it was probably Tenim Wulwind, Brent's third loyal henchman.  Another man Arath would like to kill right now.  He'd never really like the Cairhienen fool.  Backing away from both of his opponenets, Arath searched frantically for something to give him an advantage before the other man arrived.  Anything to give him an opening to strike.

~~~

Brent began to circle in on Arath, ready to tear the young Andoran apart.  Arath no longer had the advantage of surprise, and Brent was the stronger and more able of the two.  He was going to enjoy this.  Barring some miracle, Faringal was finished.

An ear splitting explosion suddenly ripped what was left of the ruined stables apart, sending burning debris everywhere.  Knocked to the ground by the blast, Arath narrowly avoided death as a large flaming beam hurtled right through the space he had stood.  The Arafelan Storm Leader had no such luck.  The fiery missile slammed into him with bone crushing force, hurtling him backward to slam into the wall of the inn where he crumpled to the ground in a bloody heap.  The blood drained from Brent's face as he wheeled around and saw the source of the blast.

"Enough Brent.  Now you die."

A lot of the bonds in the watchers RP were still done with a kiss.  Not in the middle of heated battle with a passionate kiss, but a simple thing after the subject was subdued.

In the books, Logain had to do it with a kiss.  He hadn't learned it on his own wife (didn't have one) and I doubt he practiced it on another Asha'man.  It was the easiest way to do it because that was how the weave had been discovered, and there generally hadn't been much other use for it.  No way to practice.  Since Asha'man don't generally bond anyone but their wives, there has been no reason to learn the weave another way. 

It also adds to the comedic value of the upcoming thread.  How about we just leave it at that?

updated the list on page 1

if anything is amiss, let me know

BTW, first part of the Battle of Brent is up, so go take a look and participate from a safe distance.  ;D

Asha'man bonding is more or less the same as AS bonding.  The only major difference is the method.  Asha'man originally learned the weave using it on their wives, so the bond is administered with a kiss.

Good luck convincing your reds to pucker up :)

The only other difference I know of is the compulsion factor.  Asha'man are immune to the compulsion factor of the AS bond.  Aes Sedai are fully vulnerable to compulsion from the Asha'man bond.

ICly, the Asha'man are not aware of their immunity.  So that will be fun too. :D

The sun shone weakly through the clouds as the pair of Asha'man made their way toward the stables.  Brent watched from the window of his study as that hated pair crossed the open square.  Seriba and Faringal ... what he wouldn't give to be rid of the both of them.  Defying him so.  Going against his orders and turning his Asha'man against him.  He lifted his brandy glass to his lips again.  Finding it empty, he hurled it across the room into the dormant fireplace.  It was not the first glass to meet such a fate over the last few hours.

"Burn them both to bloody ash!" muttered the M'Hael.  "They can no defy me like that."  The rest of the fools who had voted for the bloody plan were just as bad, but it was Covai that was the source of the problem.  Without him, the rest would have fallen into line behind him.  "I did no work so hard to have it all slip away.  Fortune prick me no."

The other two men in the room said nothing.  They didn't need to.  They were Brent's men to their very bones.  They held their position becuase of their rabid loyalty to him.  Rasin Dominil and Mekim Drandal, Storm Leaders from Illian and Arafel, would do as he told them without question.  His opinion were theirs.  Good men who knew how to do what was necesary.

Directing his gaze back out the window, Brent saw the cursed Storm and Attack Leaders conversing next to the stables now.  "I will no allow it.  I will see them burn first."  Siezing Saidin, with only a little difficulty, Brent wove the makings of a gateway.  He took his time with it, relishing the feeling of Saidin coursing through him.  The light cursed taint washed over him as well.  He giggled slightly.  It was funny how he could hardly notice such filth anymore.  It almost seemed a part of him.  If it was the part of him that rid him off that damned Seriba, all the better. 

The silver blue flash rotated open, revealing the stables only a short distance away on the other side.  "Come with me," he told his lackeys.  Stepping through the portal, Brent felt his anger swelling at the mere presence of the other man.  No, he would no allow Covai to defy him again.

Brent Enios

The M'Hael

~~~~

Arath accompanied Covai to the stables, still irked that he would not accompany his friend to the White Tower.  They had spent the better part of the night discussing what would happen, and while Arath agreed that it was for the best that he stay behind, he did not have to like it.  "If you get yourself gentled and leave me to deal with Brent by myself, I swear I'll come kill you Covai."

Covai only grinned at him.  "And I'll probably be grateful at that point anyway."  The grin slipped from his face as he looked at something beyond Arath.  Arath turned to see Brent stalking toward them, two of his henchmen in tow.  "Blood and ashes ... does he not know when to quit?"  Returning his cocky grin to his face, Covai leaned against a nearby beam.  "Ah, come to see me off Brent?"

"Shut up Seriba.  I will have no more of that from you."  Arath had to surpress a snort.  Not likely.  Covai seemed to have made a game of irritating Brent lately.  He wouldn't stop until the sun turned green.  "I will no allow you to destroy the Black Tower."

"Nor will I let you destroy it," said Covai, his voice level and calm.  "I go to preserve it you fool.  There is no other way."

"You would betray us all into the hands of the Aes Sedai!" roared the M'Hael.  His two flunkies stood to either side of him, nodding in agreement.  "This do be madness Seriba!  Madness!"

"Enough!  You light cursed fool!  If anyone here has betrayed anything, it is you!  We're Asha'man!  Guardians!  You would keep us as your own private army to protect you from the storm that is coming when we should be out protecting those in need of us.  Your idiocy led to the death of a hundred of us in Shienar, and I don't doubt that your next blunder will be worse.  How many Asha'man need to die for your arrogance?  How many many men and women need to be slaughtered by shadowspawn because of your pride?  How many cities and nations need to burn?"  Arath noticed the crowd gathering around them.  Dozens of men who were plainly interested in what was going on, but did not want to be caught up in it.  If felt like a storm was breaking, and everyone was gathered to see the lightnings.  "I've had enough of your goat brained idiocy Brent.  I am going to Tar Valon to make peace and give us a fighting chance.  I will not be stopped by the likes of you."

The only warning Arath had was the feeling of Saidin surge up through Brent.  Before he could even call out, a flame arrow streaked from his hand toward Covai's head.  He felt Saidin leap into Covai as well and saw him weave a shield as he ducked for cover.  The missile deflected upward and exploded into the roof.  Siezing the source himself, Arath threw himself out of the way of the collapsing debris.  He grimaced in pain as he slammed his shoulder into a stall door, then pulled himself into a crouch.  He almost ducked away again as three more firebolts crashed into the building.  One right above his head, two near where he thought Covai was.

His heart almost gave out when one of the bolts ripped through a support beam and the cieling began to give way.  Scrambling out of the way, he dove through a side door as the building sagged and collapsed behind him.  He felt Saidin wink out behind him.  No ... Covai ...

Creeping around the edge of the ruined stables, Arath offered up a silent prayer for Covai's safety and prepared a few nasty weaves of his own.  Brent would die for this.  They will all die ...

Arath Faringal

Attack Leader

OOC: Okay, the M'Hael has gone taint crazy and is trying to kill your favorite BT leaders.  Feel free to react however you will.  However, while I appreciate your concern for mine and Covai's safety, I recommend that you do not try to intervene.  You will most likely be killed or at least horribly maimed.

Nobody spoke for a time in the council room of the Black Tower.  The Storm and Attack Leaders stood in a vague circle around the pile of dust which was all that remained of the large stone table, the victim of the Dragon's fury.  The M'Hael, Brent Enios, sat in his throne where the head of the massive table had been, fuming in silent fury.  "This do be madness," he said finally.  "If we be going to the White Tower, they be gentling us all."

"He did not say to throw ourselves upon their mercy," said Jarin Deon, a Domani Attack Leader.  "There must be some way to make peace with them."

"Agreed," said Haykes Pedrion, a Shienaran Storm Leader.  "Surely the White Tower can be reasonable about this?"

"Reasonable?" snorted Brent.  "They do have three thousand years of 'reasonable' history with our kind."  He turned his gaze upon Covai and Arath.  "This do be your fault.  How do you suggest we be handling this?"

Arath shared a glance with Covai.  This was something they had discussed between themselves, but had not had a chance to bring up with Jarron.  "I believe we stumbled upon the answer last time we met with them," said Arath calmly.  "Bonding."

"Fool!  Even if they agreed to this nonsense, they would demand that we be their slaves."  This time it was Tenim Wulwind who spoke, a minor noble from Cairhien and one of Brent's lackeys.  "I don't fancy only being allowed to channel under the eyes of a Red jailer."

"Wulwind do speak the truth.  Even as our prisoners they did act like be owning the place."  Brent didn't bother to hide his contempt with the idea.  "They will demand no less than total control if we be trying that."

"And if they came to us?  Would you demand any less than total control?"  Covai snorted.  "Not everyone is as bloody uncompromising as you Brent.  If we present this to them, they will most likely see the need.  I would be willing to lead a delegation myself."

"I think Covai is right," said Haykes.  "If we reach some sort of arrangement to have bonds going both ways, it will force everyone to treat each other fairly.  There can be no controlling side or else this whole thing will fall apart."  There was a murmur of agreement from around the room.

"No," said Brent with finality.  "You do be mad for even considering this.  I will no allow the Black Tower to be destroyed by your foolish fancies.  I will no allow the Aes Sedai to control any of us."

Arath took the opportunity to speak up.  "Then I assume you 'will no' be following the Lord Dragon's order?"  Brent's gaze should have killed the young Andoran on the spot.  "If you have any better suggestions, I'm sure we'd all love to hear them."

"We are Asha'man Brent," said Covai loudly, walking over to stand at end of the dust pile opposite Brent.  "Guardians.  We stand to protect the world from the Shadow.  That is our entire purpose.  We must use whatever means are available to us to fight the Dark One, and if that means siding with the Aes Sedai, than so be it.  Sacrifices must be made.  Do not be such a damned fool Brent.  If the back biting dreadlords can come together to stand against us, why can we not stand together against them?"

There was a moment of silence as Covai stepped back beside Arath.  The Attack Leaders all nodded in agreement with his words, and many of the Storm Leaders seemed to be mulling it over in their minds.  Finally, Rorol Baldere, a Saldean Storm Leader spoke.  "I say we put it to a vote.  All those in favor of Covai's plan, to negotiate bonds with the White Tower?"  Rorol's own hand went up, along with those of Covai and four of the other Storm Leaders.  "Any opposed?"  Four hands went up, Brent's included.  Rorol turned toward the M'Hael.  "Six in favor, four opposed.  The Light help us, but we will make peace with the White Tower."

All around the room, men shifted uncomfortably as they realized their course was set.  Some looked eager, others let out resigned sigh's and fell back into their seats.  The M'Hael glared murderously around the room at all those who had voted in favor of the idea.  "You do all be fools.  I will no let the Aes Sedai control me like a puppet."  Rising from his throne, Brent stormed out of the room, the three Storm Leaders that had sided with him hot on his heels.  "This do no be over," he said softly to himself.  "I will no allow it."

OOC:  Not as well done as I would have liked it, but I didn't feel like writing out so many POV's.  Got the important stuff though.  I'll be posting the next part in a new thread soon.