Wheel of Time MUD

[i]Alinda cracks her knuckles inside her cloak. Her anger almost showing on her face and her body quietly shakes as she observes the Groves of Trees.

"How dare you?" she hisses quietly. In front of her stands 9 ogier. Some of them elders by the looks of their clothes and others, young treesingers. Alinda Aes Sedai pulls her snowy white cloak about her. She stops herself from taking a step forward.

"We could not let them roam the world, Alinda Sedai. We must serve all. Men and women. The Sedai of Paaren Disen allowed us not an inch in our servitude towards your brethren. " The voice rumbles from Mi'Kay, Son of Miloson and current elder of stedding Stofu. His beard is almost longer than Alinda's whole body. Behind her a few horses winney in fright at the icy wind of the early winter.

"They are mad. There is no reason why you should shelter those men. We have formed a tower where they can be gentled till they will die of their rotting sickness. The dark ones taint is in them." she leans forward. Emphasizing her point as much as she can with her body.

"We understand that. He is the last of the few that have come here to die. They cannot weave or touch the one power in the steddings, Alinda Sedai. He gave us a talisman. "

She freezes suddenly as a man comes out of the steddings trees to the north of her. Behind her she hears swords being drawn and whispered words of 'be ready ' passed amongst all of those soldiers present. She looks at his clothes and face. He appears gaunt and in poor health. A part of her analyzes his health as she did years ago before madness gripped the world.

"Sis." he says quietly.

"You have no right to call me that. You died as my brother when you ripped open my mothers heart in front of me. At the same time you laughed at the easy way she was dying."

Alinda schools her thoughts. The darkness of that day overwhelms her. The white tower stands for truth and justice. It will have to endure moments like this years after she is gone. There will be more mad men. There will be taints overwhelming them.

She grips her sword and lashes out with the one power. It binds him in air and shields him faster than she has ever done before.

"We should kill him now, Alinda Sedai." replies her friend. Palindra Sedai has survived countless battles with dreadguards and shadowspawn in the years that followed the war. She claims to be one of these new red ajah sisters that will serve by hunting men.

"I will not. I have dedicated my life to healing .." she stumbles back as a spear passes just over her head and impales her brother through the neck.

"There is no time to debate this.." [/i]

Ali shoots up from her bedding. Her forward brow dripping with sweat. Even the early morning snow covering the windowsill appears to contrasts to her shivering.

Gently she wraps the calm of saidar around her and light a candle nearby.

Her body aches and she quietly recalls Lord Walker pulling Justice from the hands of a dreadguard a few hours earlier. The sudden death of the man and the blood splattering all over Alinda sedai makes her vomit up into the bucket next to the bed.

To the east she watches Sybrina turning in her bed and as she calmly washes her face of bile, their conversation comes back into her mind. About the breaking of the world and how what ali is dreaming and what really happens appear to be unaligned.

"I dont know why i am dreaming about Alinda sedai. She definitely is nothing like the Yellow ajah of today." she talks quietly as she grabs her diary.
All of her dreams appear to be connected in a way that is still not clear. What has the death of Alinda sedais tainted brother got to do with the weave of the white tower.

She spends 10 mins meditating as taught by the White ajah and firimei's voice of reason playing through her mind. She mentally prepares herself to have a word with Stedding Stofu. If she can find out if her dream did really happen she then can start making sense of all of this part of her life.

Awarded qp for the most recent story.

"Why would it take away ones abillity to use the one power? It is injuring people? Has it broken down or is it deteriorating from being active for more than 3000 years?"

Ali pauses in her quiet tirade at the weave that is connected to the White Tower. She is not sure one can heal a weave or attempt to heal it. But for something to have lasted this long means that there is a special purpose to this weave..

She continues pacing in front of the western section of the White Towers entrance.

[i]A quiet pain strikes her left leg as she finishes off the weave. It has been more than three weeks since the attack on the island. A boar spear injured her to the bone. Yet she refused to get healing.

"You should not continue doing this while you are injured." says a quiet sister behind her. Yellow ajah as they call themselves now. Mere shadows of what once was feats in moments take hours now. Knowledge of healing slipping from their minds as the routine of survival in this new land ebbs and flows at their minds. Can she even call herself yellow ajah? She cares deeply for these people but they are no longer the aes sedai of old.

"I am fine, Sineary. It will heal. This weave is complete."

"Will it survive long enough for them to use it properly?

"I hope so. For if they dont. It would spell a disaster so great it would forever sink us into oblivion. Did they finish that sword research on how to detect
spawn?"

They trail away from the weave and the grounds of the new White Tower foundation. Delegations have been sent to the Ogier to return and build their new place of teaching and weaving. The two yellow ajah sister move away as if the newly created weave is forgotten from their minds.
[/i]

Her eyes shot open, the once calm of her breathing exercises shattered. The voice which shot through the dark was one , of which belonged to someone miles away and not right next to her. Looking around Firimei confirmed she was alone, as she embraced the source to create a ball of light.

Pulling back the dense fabric, darkness had already hit Tar Valon’s training grounds. Although it was a good few hours from night. A few Warder students carried on sparring under light created by Aes Sedai. Still no Ali, she tried to sense her with weaves and came up empty. So she had to be with the Wall Guard group out of range.

Breathing in deeply and out slowly she analysed what she felt at the point the voice impacted her.
Stark panic which subsided to shock and then a sense of urgency. Those three things tied into together meant something new to her, Ali rarely panicked nor was she easily shocked. Her training with the Yellow Ajah had led her to the most horrific of wounds to heal and bloody battlefields. This was interesting. Firimei knew that she was alright, so something just jolted her.

Narrowing her tunnel of thought, she surmised she was woken from a nap or sleep. The group must of worn themselves out putting down those common criminals.

[i]’Would you like tea Accepted Firimei? [/i]A Novice stood in the hall. She knew to softly call through, as it was wiser than to disturb the Accepted during her relaxations to much.

Firimei turned to the disturbance and sighed softly [i]’No thank you , not at this time.’[/i]
She wondered what would make her fellow Accepted jolt awake like that, why she had heard her mention the word [i]’Alison.’[/i] Was that her true name, with Ali for short? Surely it would be known if it was. Indeed why would anyone call out their own name in shock!!?

Such barrage of thoughts entered Firimei’s head and were quickly dismissed as fodder. In the end it must of be a dream, a rather vivid one for sure. Firimei glanced at Ali’s bed, knowing she hadn’t slept well of late. Yes, that was not like her and something Firimei should’ve asked her earlier, mentally correcting herself she ventured to the door.

A thought made her turn, looking at the cabinet over the sink, herbs were collecting dust there. The use for them after the sickness had waned, she walked over and opened the cabinet door. Flipping the container in her hand, she walked purposely towards the exit. Questions needed answering them and one possible avenue of answers awaited her in Tar Valon.


Winding streets were busy with those reaching the markets, Firimei calmly made her way to a shop north of the crowds, although a few drifted in and out. She waited her turn as she leant against the shadowy wall. After some time she greeted the herbalist and showed her the herbs.

Gudha placed her hands on the worktop and gazed into her eyes as she nodded, [i]’yes that is some of my stock. I don’t often get returns![/i]

Firimei smiled in a knowing way and nodded ‘[i]This isn’t a return good lady, I wanted to confirm a theory of mine.[/i] she glanced around at the various herbs hanging around the shop.

Gudha nodded[i] ‘What would these be then Accepted?[/i] Gudha responded with a wry smile of her own as she looked at the herbs in front of her.

[i]Would these herbs produce such side effects as vivid dreams or even hallucinations of any sort? I ask this as they were used as an aid in curing that sickness Ali and myself had, amongst others.[/i]

With that last word the Herbalist looked up sharply and shook her head [i] These are not those type of herbs, they aid in healing when used properly and even when not, they still would never produce such effects.[/i]

Firimei nodded and thanked the woman, she walked briskly yet calmly back to the Tower. Logic prevailed that it couldn’t be an isolated occurrence. A connection with that sickness had to be a
truth. Questions would be asked to Ali regarding her dream and how her voice came to shatter Firimei’s peace.

[i]Alinda Sedai turns from the manuscript on the table in front of her and her hand shakes a few centimeters. Her moment of fear passes quietly, only her guardian is outside. He stirs quietly in the early morning and she can almost feel him moving towards her. This new thing of specific guardians each watching an aes sedai started weeks ago. Not the type of guarding where a king or queen is looked after. But a more personal bodyguard way of existence.

She gathers her cloak around her and head outside. This early there is few people awake including the sentries near the edge of the weave . She motions for towards Tolvin and he rises quietly. She heads towards the marked off area where the weave was first initiated. The lodestone that was found near the grounds was a last parting gift of the now almost forgotten Ogier. They marked off the area where the soil and the lodestone lime and quarts have the thinnest of crusts. With the help of the last endiograpinogriphers..they managed to pale a four ended block into it.

She absently recalls the manuscript and shoot a small prayer up to the heavens that the last male aes sedai finally died.

"It is finally over. The breaking of the world breaks no more." she talks quietly to herself. Groups of her sisters and soldiers busily getting the camp ready for the days influx of refugees. The number have trickled down to only a few hundred today.

"Will it ever be over, Alinda?" asks Tolvin besides her. She ignores him and silently approach the cleared soil. Her newly minted animal boots appear to be more comfortable than the boots from Paaren disen. The same type of boots that last years and years, even breaking of the world. The lore of making those have been lost. The cobbler have promised a steady supply of these new types.

"Who knows. That child should not loose that proclamation." she bends down and her ungloved right hand gently touches the lodestone. The outer weave of the camp grounds echo quietly as she embraces the one power. With a deft hand and intense look in her eyes she starts to lay down earth, water, fire elements into the lode stone. This weave is the most critical one of all. Hours pass and she can still feel vibrations leagues away. Her mind becomes tired and her body aches as the hours pass. Small patterns of animals crossing over the rivers. The birds landing and taking off. How much she wishes for the days when one can continue weaving for hours on end without a worry.

Towards the end of the day, Tolvin shakes her gently on the shoulder.

"Alinda, you told me to warn you if the night is approaching. "

She pauses suddenly and a sinking pulls at her hand towards the north eastern section of the island.

"Raise the alarm. Trollocs are coming.." she quietly pulls the quaking earth weave back from the lode stone. Years of observing animals taught her this weave and its safed them a few times. Now another attack is coming. The fist is small and driven by at least two fades.
[/i]

Ali pauses in her reading of last nights dream. This time she was an outside observer to what has transpired in the camp. By her feet the stone of Tar valon and the weave that is clearly the strangest weave of all, draws attention like a moth to the flame.

"How have you survived this long? Are you alive or are you just a fragment of a fragment.." she asks. Her eyes follow Firimei up the stairs towards the Novice quarters and she wonders quietly if she explained her dreams to Firimei.

There is something to be said about knowing an Aes sedai of the founding of the white tower created this weave. She smiles as she continues studying the mystery of the founding and this weave.

Ely edit 20 Jul 2021.

2 qps, depending on length and quality.

3 stories combined

Total: 6 qps

Tried to look up who/ what I awarded, but came up dry. Re-awarding. Awarding Firimei for one story.

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[i]In the early morning a horse speeds away from the small encampment. The riders hair flickering in the early dawn, but not as much as the heaving horse under her. Over her left shoulder a tube with the newly written proclamation from the group of women behind her.

She feels excitement and a certain sense of dread..

It has been months since the last insane males have been put down. The steddings have gone quiet. She feels the warding dragging at her as she passes through it. A shiver of fear, elation and some anticipation drags over her. Alinda Sedai have given her clear instructions on where to exit the camp. This way those roving bands wont find their camp.

She is only a child compared to these legendary females that have set up camp behind her. A solitary group in the storm of madness. How much have they got to go through to see this world standing on its own two feet.

"Hurry, Alison. We have far to go in this night." says a voice a few feet ahead of her. She spurs her snowy white gelding on. Will he be able to protect her when she delivers this news to the world? His disheveled face reminds her of her father and how he held his own as those deformed creatures..named Trol - lockes smashed through the cities.
She cant help but think of how Lews Therin's people tried and failed at their task. Hope fills her as she rides out. Jonjon, her eager but ill trained friend guides her away from safety...[/i]

Ali shoots awake from her bedding. To her left the Wall guard gaurds the night and to her left, Lord Tolveor rolls over in his blankets.

Her left hand shakes as she grabs a pen and paper. I must write this down. Find calm, girl. Find it fast. He cannot see you disarmed in your emotions. It is only a dream. How can a dream affect her?

They are deep in the western banks of the Blight. Strange stirrings so early in the morning.

Ali writes furiously. In her minds eye she recalls the face of Alinda Sedai. She does not remember ever reading about Alinda sedai after the breaking. Nor the days after paaren disen. There are fragments of the group of sedai that gathered. But never in her life has she ever felt such a connection to those events in the past.

All of this started after her sickness.

She rises, shaking her cold hands. Ignoring the cold is nothing like knowing the cold is there. She quietly approaches the Wall guard.

"You rise early." he speaks, his voice almost as deep as Lord Pathfynders. She nods quietly, doubting that the darkness of the early morning can transfer her feelings to the man.

"I dont sleep well of late.' she utters quietly. Her dress is slightly wrinkled as she gently touches his upper arm. " Would you like some tea?"

He turns to her and she can make out a silhouette of his face.

"That would be appreciated, Ali. Who is alison? You where yelling her name out before you woke."

Ali pauses, quietly assessing what she should tell him or not. How to sum up months of dreaming that you are this girl from the world after the breaking. Alison, such a nice name. Dreams feel sometimes like the quiet of the one power. When you are at peace with yourself.

She absently hands him a cup of tea and pours herself one from the mixing flask she used earlier.

"Alison is a girl from the time after the breaking. I keep having dreams of being her. Though that is not possible. I am no hero. In the latest one she is riding out with a proclamation to the rest of humanity. I remember a glimpse of seeing it. "We the people have gathered in a safe place. Come all who seek safety and who are ready to build a new future." I dont even know if there ever was something like that. "

"Dreams lead to TelaranRhiod, Ali. Best to write down what you dream about. You dont know if its true or not, but sometimes. Just sometimes. There is a reason why we dream. My lord awakes. "

She turns as well, her own cup of tea growing cold in her hand. Shaking herself she glances down at the pages of her book. This is the fourth dream she's had like this. What does it mean? Why does it happen to her.

The wall guard never mentions again what they spoke about and she almost forgets what has transpired when they meet up with Mila in the Great forest. Though in the back of her mind she keeps glancing towards Tar Valon and the grounds it occupies. The camp that alison and jonjon left was in the same area. That same sense of calmness and a weave that affects her own weaving still lingers near the stables. Could the two be connected?

(End of part 1)