Death and Ashes

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Cera
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri May 20, 2022 11:19 pm

Death and Ashes

Post by Cera » Wed Aug 31, 2022 4:58 am

Even before the alarm bells rang, Steler could see the glow from the fire, giving the cold winter night a ominous reddish hue. Urgent, dismayed shouts rang out across the Tower Guards' barracks, rousing sleeping soldiers as they rested from their earlier duties. The patrol which had just returned, now turned their mounts towards the Sunset Gate and rode hard into the icy wind.

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The village of Alindaer burned. Violent, twisting columns of smoke rose from dozens of buildings. The careful planning kept the fires from spreading too quickly, but did not stop them entirely. Human beings and tinder. They burned together.

Mylen Farshad crouched beside a burned building, clutching her doll and hiding from the black, inhuman shapes which stalked through the streets, hunting.

It had started first with dogs snarling and everyone coming out from their houses, curious. Then, before anyone knew what was happening, those... things were right in the streets, slashing at people with their swords, torching houses. In the ensuing chaos, Mylen, her mother and sisters had fled into the night.

Mylen drew back from the doorway, further into the building when suddenly she realized she was not alone. A woman in a clinging, dark-red gown stood near the shattered, narrow windows overlooking the street, her features hidden by a dark hood. In the darkness, her eyes glowed as she stared at the fires engulfing the village before shifting her gaze to Mylen.

“Come in, child. Come before the Trollocs spot you.” the woman whispered softly, her voice touched by a slight lilt of a Murandian accent. “

"But Trollocs are just..." Mylen let the words trail off. Not just a story, not after tonight. She jumped as the house across the street collapsed in a massive roar, its beams weakened by the prolonged heat.

“We must go. Now. The inn is where everyone else will be gathering.”

Mylen gathered her coat about her and followed the woman as she strode out from the back of the house. The pair of them walked quietly with Mylen following closely behind on the woman's heel, jumping at every shadow and every sound as they walked deeper into the cold winter fog. Curiously, as they headed towards the inn, it almost seemed like the black shapes moved around them, avoiding them.

As they approached the inn, several shadows could be seen around its edges. The wavering shadows through the fog slowly resolved themselves into a horse and rider. As they drew closer, the moonlight revealed that the hooded cloak that swathed the horseman hung undisturbed by the wind.

"I have found you one, Halfman. One that can channel."

The horseman turned fluidly, showing a pasty pale face, a man’s face, but eyeless as an egg. The smooth white face swiveled to regard Mylen and thin, bloodless lips quirked in what might almost have been a smile. Even though a visible shiver ran through Mylen under that eyeless look, she remained frozen in place, unable even to scream, as the Myrddraal reached out towards her.

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Cera Merimon channeled and a shimmering vertical line appeared in the air. It widened, as if rotating, into a gateway, leading onto a nearby hill. Stepping through, she rejoined the tall man in jet black clothes who stood here observing the carnage and kneeled.

"Great Master, let us press the assault onto the Shining Walls. I will see that the White Tower is razed to the ground and every Aes Sedai dead or Turned by sunrise."

Vannor al’Cair spun around and smiled mirthlessly.

"If the Great Lord wills it, we could wash away Tar Valon today with an endless flood of Trollocs. But, no, Little Raven. Now is not yet the time."

With a wave of his hand, Vannor opened a new gateway, one leading into utter blackness on the other side. A dry cold wind rushed through it, carrying the sickly sweet smell of decay.

"Come, Cera. We have much to do."

Cera shot a last baleful glare at the White Tower before slipping into the pitch-black gateway, leaving behind nothing but death and ashes.