Throw the Wool Over Their Eyes (Attn: Avyra)

[Leala]

Torianin had told Avyra to practice the weaves that they had studied for two more weeks, and then to meet her in the classroom where she now sat. Aelyn, the Asha'man that had led the class that she had taken and who helped her teach the same class, sat with her in the only two chairs in the classroom. It was entirely empty except for the chairs. He had invited himself to see Avyra's final exam. The final was his favorite part, after all. She hoped Avyra wasn't offended by his unexpected presence. When the novice came into the classroom, Torianin greeted her with a smile and a wave. "Good morning, Avyra. I hope you've been practicing." This being the last lesson, and no new weaves to teach, Torianin had not set up anything special. Today would be her student's chance to prove herself.

"This is Asha'man Aelyn," she explained, motioning to the man sitting next to her. "He'll be observing today."

Aelyn grinned at her student through his spectacles. "It's very nice to meet you, Avyra," he said, "Your teacher has told me good things about you. Which speaks well for you, as she was the best student in my class." He paused for a moment. "I can't see you, but I know you're rolling your eyes, Accepted."

She laughed. He was right. "Well, aside from that, your final exam will be a show for us." Aelyn grinned at that as well. "You assignment is to put together a show using the five weaves that you've learned. You must use Static Illusion, Dynamic Illusion, Folded Light, Mirror of the Mists, and Disguise. To make sure that you know how to use them while thinking on your feet, you must make them flow. Don't simply weave them one by one. Step out into the hall, and you'll have ten minutes to prepare something. We'll call you into the classroom after that. Don't start channeling until you've come into the room."

[Avyra]

[fancy]Soundtrack[/fancy]
[fancy]Ian Clarke :: Hypnosis[/fancy]

Avyra had spent her time practicing her weaves non-stop. This was the first thing she actually understood easily when she came to the Tower, so she wanted it to be perfect. But, she didn't know what the final would be over, so she couldn't practice specifically for it. But that was probably the intent. Upon entering, Torianin greeted her with her usual smile, and Avyra was a bit shocked but not angry to see another man in there. Asha'man Aelyn, she told the novice. "It's very nice to meet you, Avyra," he said, "Your teacher has told me good things about you. Which speaks well for you, as she was the best student in my class." He was smiling, so that must be good. "I can't see you, but I know you're rolling your eyes, Accepted." Avyra gave them both a nod of greeting. "Good morning Accepted Torianin, Asha'man Aelyn." She figured it would be best to be formal despite being on a first name basis with Torianin. Torianin gave a laugh then looked to Avyra. "Well, aside from that, your final exam will be a show for us. Your assignment is to put together a show using the five weaves that you've learned. You must use Static Illusion, Dynamic Illusion, Folded Light, Mirror of the Mists, and Disguise. To make sure that you know how to use them while thinking on your feet, you must make them flow. Don't simply weave them one by one. Step out into the hall, and you'll have ten minutes to prepare something. We'll call you into the classroom after that. Don't start channeling until you've come into the room." A show? Avyra grinned. She was, after all, a performer. "Yes, Accepted. You will not be disappointed." She stepped out, then waited for the door to shut before racing down the hall at a dead sprint. She had to get to her quarters in time. Luckily, she didn't meet anyone in the hall who seemed intent to stop her, and her training with both Terric and Danos had given her more stamina than she had before coming to the Tower. She quickly opened the door, found her flute, and raced back, with five minutes to spare. Outside the door, she caught her breath, the plan she had been working on in the hall coming together in her head. Once she was breathing properly, she played a few tuning notes, checking her instrument and quickly adjusting. This had to be perfect; nothing out of tune. Luckily, warming up a flute did not take long, and she began to finger a melody she had been practicing on her own time. She didn't make a sound for fear they might hear her; she knew the surprise of the flute was ruined by her long tones but the song could still be a new treat for her teachers. Or teacher and guest. She thought she had it together, not like she had a choice, and she walked in, holding her flute in one hand. If they went down, they went down together. She didn't speak, rather, she raised the flute to her lips, closing her eyes. She had embraced the Source, but not woven anything yet. She let it flow for just a moment, cherishing it. She wanted silence. No movement. One did not paint on a muddy canvas. She played, slowly, taking her time to hold the notes. She still had not woven anything yet; she let the music take hold. Then she slowly began to weave as she played, letting her instinct with the music take hold of that aspect. She wove a mesh of Fire and Air, starting with her first weave, the static weave. Then she colored and textured it, weaving Earth and Water around her model, a scene. It wasn't as complex as she wished it, but she ended up placing trees, one by one, around the room. She tied them off and began on her subject, a curious fox. She wove Fire, Air, and Spirit into its form, coloring with Water and texturing delicate fur with Earth. The creature perked its ears, watching the two teachers with bright green eyes. It flicked its tail, then ran. Avyra made it dash around the trees, under the chairs. All the while, she was playing the flute. No weaves went on the music to make it stronger, louder. No, that part of her show was real. She let her fingers flow along the holes, barely noticing what she was actually playing. But it must have sounded good. She moved through the lesson, thinking on the fly. She began to weave a mesh of Fire and Air around parts of the walls, concealing most of them before coloring them to look like a forest. This was tiring; she could feel a headache coming on later. She just hoped she wasn't pushing herself too much. Her weave wasn't perfect, but she didn't think she could conceal the entire room. And she didn't do anything to the walls behind her teachers. The fox continued to run, then stopped as she turned it into an eagle, and in one swift motion is sprang into the air, soaring into the ceiling before disappearing. Avyra dispelled her trees, then began to create something else, keeping the walls in their half disguise. She felt her song coming to a climax, and she took it in stride, backing up a bit before weaving Air and Fire and Spirit, then pushing up, suddenly, making herself huge. She didn't use any weaves on her flute's volume, however, she used her own skill to get that. She tied off that weave for a moment and stopped playing, suddenly. But she didn't put her flute down. Slowly, she shrank back, starting to play a rephrase of the beginning of the song. As she did so, she wove a weave around herself, changing her face. She made herself look more radiant, brighter. She changed her clothing from the drab white of the novice uniform, making it a soft green hue, flowers lining the sleeves. It looked beautiful on the little novice. And in the center of her stage she began to weave another illusion. A doe, sleeping on the floor, its chest rising and falling. Slowly, she closed her final, beginning to dissipate the weaves she had created, slowly. Until, soon, only the doe remained. She let it stay for a few moments before releasing the Source completely. She played the last bit without use of illusion, letting her final note die off into nothing. Then, she stood, unmoving for a moment, letting the room ring from her performance, not wanting to ruin her moment. Then, she slowly lowered her flute, breathing heavily with the effort of her performance.

[Leala]

Torianin and Aelyn watched as Avyra transformed the room into a woodland scene, then created a moving fox, which transformed into a bird. She used the Mirror of the Mists effectively as well, and Disguise. She used all five of the weaves taught rather well, especially for a novice. The music that she brought to the exam was appreciated as well. Aelyn began to clap after she released Saidar, and the doe faded away. "That was wonderful!" he exclaimed. "Very well done."

Torianin stood up and smiled as she clapped as well. "Thank you for the music as well. You did excellently. You pass!"

[Avyra]

The little novice's tired eyes brightened when both her evaluators stood up and clapped, Torianin exclaiming that she had passed. Avyra, still catching her breath, grinned and nodded, taking a moment before speaking. "Thank you, Accepted Torianin, Asha'man Aelyn!" She paused. "If I may ask, where can I find a drink of water?"

(No need to reply, we done!)