A dreamwalk in the Waste (Fanfic)

[Damon]

Olin

Olin sat on the edge of a cliff, watching the vista spread out below him as he took rest in the World of Dreams. With all that had been occurring in the Grey Tower lately, Olin had been unable to practice as much as he would have liked in this unseen world.

Mindful of the warnings Amadie had drilled into him, Olin had shifted away from the Grey Tower to a remote mountain in Andor. This allowed him relative freedom from the risk of coming into contact with another Dreamer, or someone who had touched the World of Dreams for an instant. He had encountered left over dreams and nightmares before, and had no wish to do so tonight.

Instead he practiced his focus, changing the color and texture of his clothing. The change was a simple one, but it took concentrating to get the details right. As he sat, he also concentrated on rocks nearby, changing them into gems and trying to get them to burn. The change from rock to gem was easily accomplished, but trying to start Fire from stone was still to hard a mental shift to maintain. He knew he could've channeled and started a blaze, but he was loathe to destroy here, even if it was just timber and kindling.

As he sat there, Olin kept his thoughts tight and focused. It was incredible to be in Tel'aran'rhiod , but he had learned the dangers idle thoughts to cause here. As he swept the rocks away with a thought, he realized the sensation of being watched was crawling over his skin. Calmly he grabbed a short spear as it materialized in his hands, the weapon forged out of memories from the armoury. He cursed when he realized the length kept varying, and the blade flickered from one style to another, but he was still glad for the weapon as he moved off the cliff and looked down the mountain.

Two wolves were there, a vast distance between them and Olin, but he still knew they had come to regard him. Ordinarily Olin knew wolves were much less troublesome than many made out, he had often encountered a number who had ranged near the foothills where his family kept their cattle. But seeing them here, seemingly fixated upon him, added to his confusion as to how wolves could possibly be here in Tel'aran'rhiod, had him fighting to keep focused and calm. An ideal thought of escape had him vanishing from the mountain in an instant, the cool mountain air suddenly replaced with oppressive heat.

Looking around, Olin found himself wondering again how the Aiel had ended up in such a desolate, trying land. He knew the heat in Tel'aran'rhiod would be less than in the waking rule, and it still tried his refusal to feel the heat. The land stretched out before him almost unbroken, but he knew from class that the dunes hid caves, valleys and more. As he stood testing himself against the heat, he again thought of the stories he had heard of the Aiel, and with the shifting he was growing increasingly used to, he moved through the dream once more.

Olin stood upon the edge of a dip in the Waste, the area clearly a settlement though he saw one of the usual trappings of a city. Caves and tents dotted the ground, and Olin recalled Amadie stating that something had to exists for awhile before it would reflect here.

Olin jumped when he spotted a shape moving amongst the tents below him. At first he had expected the person to vanish as usually happened when a sleeper happened to touch upon Tel'aran'rhiod. However the shape remained and continued to explore, and so Olin crouched down and did his best to settle his shocked nerves. Thinking quickly he cloaked himself in a cape of brown, red and tan, trying his best to match the land around him. He didn't' want to risk being seen, but he had heard briefly about the Aiel and how many of them could dreamwalk, and so his curiosity got the better of him. In his concentration, Olin lost track of the figure, and cursed when he realized that the object of his regard had moved to the Light knew where. He stood slowly trying for a better view when suddenly a serpent appeared beside him, its tail making noise as it bared fangs and coiled in warning. With a thought and a push of effort in his mind, Olin forced the beast to become a stick, concentrating hard on that as he backed away.

"So you aren't just some fool who slept too hard," said a cool voice behind him. "Turn around and let me see your face," the voice commanded and Olin held his hands up to indicated compliance, while his mind raced. Inspiration struck and Olin concentrated once more, this time lengthening his hair and mimicking the shape and appearance of a Novice he had once been confined with.

When he felt the mask slide into place, he turned and faced the woman who stood behind him. She was slim and tall, with blue eyes that regarded Olin shrewdly and long white hair that hung to her waist. She was wearing a blouse and skirts, which Olin did not ever recall hearing about the Aiel, and he noticed she also bore no veil.

Olin mimed a curtsy, and winced when suddenly he could no longer move, a familiar feeling from the lessons with Amadie washing over him as the Aiel woman held him in place. He did not trust himself to speak, but instead waited patiently.

He felt another sensation this time, almost as if the disguise he bore was a rope and suddenly he was engaged in a game of tug of war with an invisible force. "Who are you really? You're clearly hiding the truth, for although this girl is no doubt attractive, no woman wearing such an outfit has such a rise to her body," said the woman with a smirk as she gestured to the way Olin's disguise did not rise or fall.

Realizing there was little point in hiding further, he ducked his head in acknowledgement of her discovery and with a thought forced his appearance back to normal. He also pushed back against the sensation binding him, forcing himself free to move once more. "There's no need to hold me, I mean you and your hold no harm. I merely thought to ease you're fears by appearing as an Aiel woman I know," said Olin with regret in his voice. He knew it had been irresponsible to attempt to deceive this woman, it had merely been a gut reaction to being discovered.

The woman regarded him, and he once more got the impression of being measured. In some respects it reminded him of the Aes Sedai who taught at the Grey Tower. He stood calm and ensured his breathing remained steady as the minutes stretched, he knew she was likely testing him and he had borne enough shifts at the Tower Gates to stand comfortably under her stern regard.

"You come from the Grey Tower then," she stated matter of factly, " we know of no other place where a man may bear the coat you do and still work with a Novice. Tell me, did you seek out my home, and for what purpose," she demanded, her arms crossed tightly.

"I am a Dedicated of the Grey Tower yes, and I did not seek out your hold for any reason. I was here in Tel'aran'rhiod for practice, and considering lessons I have been given, which somehow led me here," Olin said truthfully, his face reddening as he realized he had essentially emitted to a foolish blunder.

"It is rare that we find a man here, it is unusual for men to dreamwalk as you do. You are strong to travel so far, and to manage what you have. Yet you also act as foolish and reckless as a maiden with her first spear. Still, we know that sometimes the dream can bring a person to where you need to be," she finished with a mutter to herself as she chewed her lip.

Olin debated his answer, biting his retort that he was hardly new to this world. He had felt her strength, and he had come to respect the few Aiel he had interacted with at the Grey Tower. "I had been weighing actions taken, and the lives I've ended. This had me thinking on the Aiel, and I believe I came here to learn more," Olin said as he made a rug and two pillows appear beneath them.

Sitting upon the pillows, he was shocked as the woman commanded he remain there, just before she disappeared. Shortly after three women appeared, each dressed similar enough to the others that he realized it was an outfit akin to his Dedicated's jacket. The three women were all regarding him, each of them wearing various jewelry. "We have spoken, and we cannot allow one as promising as you to wander this world. There is too much evil that could be done. You will arrive here and apprentice with us, though none of us yet know what that means. Once you enter the waste, tell any you meet that Enys of Bent Valley Hold awaits you," Enys said seriously.

He could see in their faces concern, and he hoped he had not inadvertently caused them trouble or ill. But again, something told him that this was right, "I will come, I will prepare and arrive as soon as I can," Olin said with a nod before returning to sleep.

---------

Several days later found Olin loading supplies, a few gifts he had purchased in Hama Valon into his bags. He had debated Travelling by horse, but had heard that the heat and lack of water in the Waste would soon slay any animal he brought. Once he had prepared, he had grabbed any last minute items he'd thought of, and was now standing awaiting his turn at the Travelling Square. He was nervous, and aware he was on rocky soil with departing the Grey Tower, but his dreams had been filled with portents that he hoped spoke to the need to do this.

[Damon]

Olin Olin had waited for his turn on the Travelling square, and he was glad that he had insisted on taking his turns providing gateways for the merchants who streamed into Hama Valon. This meant the guards were used to him, and it was unremarkable when he arrived to weave his gateway.

Seizing Saidin, he weaved the threads together to form the gateway, concentrating hard on boring through the pattern. He had spent some time in Tel'aran'rhiod studying the land near the Hold he was summoned to. Not too close for he had no wish to alarm anyone, but close enough it would only be a day or two of travel.

The gateway spun into place, the silver light twisting and finally opening a step above the ground, so there would be no damage to the ground. He then used threads of Air to deposit his bags on the other side of the gateway. With a last look around, he shouldered the extra water skins and walked through the gateway.

Olin walked into a wave of heat, the likes of which he had only felt before when working in the forges, providing weaves to help maintain the heat and temperature for forging. But here the sun beat down, and within moments he felt the dryness of the air stealing the water from his mouth.

Olin had been on long summer rides before, but the foothills in summer bore little resemblance to this pounding heat. Still he knew enough to merely rinse his mouth with a little water, taking the time to get his bearings. He had spotted a small pillar of red hued rock near the Hold, and knew that with the shifting dunes and his inexperience that keeping that in sight was probably his best chance. And so, Olin let the weave holding his gateway dissipate, and covering his head with a large hat he had obtained, he made his way forward.

----

Several hours later found Olin cursing himself for a light blind fool, as his skin burned and the heat threatened to drop him to his knees even with the Ko'di helping to keep him insulated from the worst of his fatigue. He had not considered the fact of the climate when he left the Grey Tower in the morning, and the heat had only grown worse as the sun climbed high in the sky. Olin stumbled towards some rocks, thinking to enjoy the shade and gain a small respite from the heat. But as he approached the vaguest shape warned his weary mind, and he stopped suddenly. His shadow fell across the rock, and he thanked the Creator he had not marched farther, for a snake similar to the one Enys had tested him with in Tel'aran'rhiod lay against the rock, body coiled in anger. Olin backed away slowly, and seizing Saidin cast threads of Spirit out in a net.

His quick delve revealed a surprising amount of life for an area he had thought of as barren, and he realized that many denizens of the desert had the same idea as he had. Not knowing enough of the desert, Olin decided to continue on, occasionally using Spirit to check for creatures in his surroundings.

Evening came fast, the sky darkening as the sun sank beneath the horizon, the stars appearing in the darkening sky. Worried he would lose his bearings, and bone weary from the heat, Olin seized Saidin long enough to ward his campsite from sight and a ward which would alert him if anyone entered the area. He ate a meal of cold meats and cheese, not wanting to risk a fire when he was fatigued. After his meal he built a simple lean to, and worked on falling asleep.

Olin slid into Tel’aran’rhiod, his mind floating in the sea of stars for a few moments before he continued to the world of Dreams. With his thoughts focused on the Bent Valley Hold, he moved to the hilltop overlooking the Hold and concentrated.

The patch of ground before him bloomed into green grass, the strain of holding it firm in place making his head ache. “You create, that is good, but you could have used a single flower to get my attention. Have you begun your travels in the Three Fold Land yet? I would show you the Hold where you can meet a wise woman who will help you,” said Enys as she gestured for him to show her.

Concentrating for a moment, Olin returned to the spot where he knew he lay sleeping. There was no signs of his camp of course, it took more time that he had spent here to reflect upon Tel’aran’rhiod. “This is where I stopped for the night and made my camp. I was able to use a gateway to get close, although the heat slowed me more than I had thought,” Olin said truthfully.

“You came here? This is the middle of the Three Fold land, no water, no one near if a Gara bites you're foolish body. You must remain here, I will send Aiel to find you and help you. Now sleep, rest and do not return to this place again,” Enys said, her voice and manner allowing for no argument on the matter. And so, Olin returned to the waking world and fell into a restless sleep.

[Damon]

Olin

Olin awoke to the sensation of chimes in his head, he had a moments notice as the ward around his camp was entered, and without hesitation he fell into the Ko’di and seized Saidin. He readied threads of Air, but his tent blocked his sight so he could only make out a quick moving shadow. Wrapping threads of Air around himself, he moved forwards and was greeted by veiled warriors the moment he emerged from the tent.

Cold eyes regarded him from above the face cloths of the veils, and he could see the sharpness along the edge of the spears. “I do not know how you arrived so far in the Waste, wetlander! But it is death to all except peddlers and gleeman,” a harsh voice spat from behind him, and he then noticed the bows drawn and aimed at him from several directions.

Smart, they hope by being apart they will make it impossible to strike them all, thought Olin to himself as he calmly kept his hands by his side and remained still. His jacket lay in the tent, but he could feel his undershirt clamming with sweat in the morning heat.

“If you allow the Aes Sedai to speak with us, perhaps we will spare you,” hissed the Aiel.

What in the Light, thought Olin to himself as they demanded to speak with an Aes Sedai. Then he realized he had warded his camp from sight, to keep his fire from being spotted st a distance, so how had they found him.

“There is no Aes Sedai here, I am a Dedicated of the Grey Tower. The veil over the camp was mine,” Olin stated calmly, trying to remain calm when the Aiel before him tightened their grip on the hafts of their spears.

“Madman,” cursed those surrounding him, and Olin winced. He had no wish to taint the Grey Towers reputation, but he also knew with tensions this high someone would make a mistake. And these warriors looked well suited to battle, so he breathed deep and responded, “Enys of Bent Valley Hold sent for me, I am to train.”

An arrow struck the sand near his feet, his weave of Air stopping its approach and deflecting it downwards. Only the cold detachment of the Void allowed him to avoid falling backwards in surprise and fear. “Lie again, and you will not utter another sound,” said the leader of this band of warriors.

“Enys of Bent Valley Hold is a Wise Woman, she has white hair and startling blue eyes. She stands as tall as that bowman, and she has sworn I would travel the Waste with safety,” Olin said firmly, his manner unbending and resolute. He could see the figures talking amongst themselves although the spoke too softly for him to hear. Finally the bows were relaxed and the spears were lifted to the sky.

“You will come with us, and you will not attempt to flee or harm any till we arrive. Do you agree?” asked the leader as they shifted their stance.

“You have my word, I will do nothing to hinder or harm until we arrive at Bent Valley,” said Olin as he released his weave of Air. When the Aiel removed their veils he relaxed, and he was glad he had known some Aiel in the Grey Tower; for all of the warriors who had faced him were women. With threads of Air, he packed the tent and stacked the gear as he prepared to travel. The women watched their surroundings, and Olin noticed a strength and coiled energy to the Aiel that reminded him of the Warders.

The party marched across the desert, the women setting a pace that ate up the terrain. He remembered hearing that the Aiel refused to ride, and as Olin panted in the heat struggling to keep up; he could see why they had no need for them. They rested as the sun climbed high, the women taking no pains to teach or aid him, although he used the occasional weave of Spirit to check for beasts nearby.

As the sun was sinking behind the horizon, and the night air was growing cooler, Olin climbed a small rise and suddenly Bent Valley Hold lay beneath him. Olin noticed two of the women signal to warriors on the other side of the rise, and soon sentries had approached to greet them. A flash of hands later and he was being marched through the Hold. The people of Bent Valley watched him gravely, their eyes alert and showing little emotion as they waited to see what Enys said.

They arrived at a hide tent, the scent of wood burning coming from inside, and Olin could see steam emerging from the tent as Enys stepped out of the flaps. She regarded him for a but a moment, the same sense of weighing in her gaze as she listened to the whispers of one of the Maidens.

“Olin of the Grey Tower, you are welcome here. Let all know he is to learn from the Wise Ones, and our shade is his shade,” Enys said, her voice easily carrying over the stoic, somber crowd. With her words a tension seemed to ease out of everyone, and many of the Hold went back to their business.

“Thank you Enys, I brought trade goods that I knew I could carry as a way of expressing my thanks. Please accept these gifts,” said Olin as he grabbed his bag. He didn't know why, but some instinct told him to limit Channeling amongst the Aiel, and with this in mind he laid out some good carved combs, linen and spices.

Olin was surprised when many of the Maidens and other women began to chatter excitedly, their hands gesturing to many of the items, as Enys calmly directed a woman wearing white to roll the blanket up. “There is no need for gifts, but these will help the Hold when the clans meet for trade. It was well thought wetlander. Now you should rest from your travels and we will begin tomorrow,” Enys said as she spoke with the woman in white, “she will show you where your tent is, and fetch food or water if needed.”

[Damon]

[subtitle]Rocks and Sand[/subtitle] Olin

Olin cursed as his hands dropped the rock he was holding, only quick reflexes developed on the unarmed classes saving his toes from being crushed. He took a moment to pause and stretch his back before bending down to grab the rock and return it to the growing pile.

Rocks and sand, and bloody flaming heat muttered Olin in his head as he continued to work on the laborious task Enys had set for him. Olin cursed and stewed in his mind as he reflected on the mistakes that he led him to stacking a pile of rocks in the middle of the Hold for all to see.

Several Maidens rested nearby, sharpening weapons while pointedly ignoring him at his task, and Olin felt his face flush with embarrassment as he wasted his afternoon stacking rocks. And that simple fact was at the heart of it, it had taken Olin relatively little time to notice that everyone had a task, there seemed to be no such thing as an idle Aiel, and here he stood making useless rock piles. Oh he could go anytime he wanted to, he knew he was not a captive and a gateway would return him to the Grey Tower; but he was not willing to shame his Dedicated pin, nor the Grey Tower.

As the afternoon wore down, Olin had finally finished the pile of stones, stacking the last of them when Enys arrived. Taking one quick assessing glance, she regarded him with serious eyes, “Now you will return the rocks to the pile where you found them,” she stated simply and with no further words walked away.

Olin stood there fuming, and irate as he considered everything. Even the Ashaman did not attempt this level of chore, I came to learn not to flaming move rocks, Olin cursed to himself as he grabbed the rocks and wearily began to move them. As he passed between the two piles, he noted the well and it's sloping bank. His first few weeks had progressed smoothly, the word of Enys and her training taking much of his time. But after the well everything had turned into a series of useless strenuous tasks in the baking heat of the Waste.

He remembered seeing the women struggling against the slope of the well, their arms straining to pull baskets and such up the steep slope, and so he had thought to aide them in thanks for their hospitality. And so with Saidin he had cleared and widened the well, working with the One Power to provide a gentle slope. Suddenly a shield had slammed between him and the One Power, with Sora the Hold’s youngest wise woman staring at him. She was strong, much stronger than he was in fact and while she held him shielded Enys had commanded stones to be brought to shade the well. Later he recalled hearing that the wider opening risked more heat on the stone, which in turn could risk the water.

The stone dropped on the sand, Olin releasing his grip on the heavy slate as it dawned on him. Woolheaded, just like my mother always said, thought Olin with regret as he left the rock where it stood and marched to Enys’ tent.

A simple cough served to announce his presence and as he entered the tent, he saw her sitting upon the carpet, her hands never pausing in her weaving as she regarded him. Without preamble, Olin sat on the floor and faced the two wise women. “I have errored,” he said simply and when the other women said nothing, he continued, “I have caused harm but I do not know what to do. I arrived as a student, but have acted like my lessons are half learned already. I also endangered by my actions at the well.”

“You're words are well meant, perhaps in time you will learn ji’e’toh. For your lessons that is a failing common to many apprentices, and the well came from an ignorance of the Three Fold Land. You possess a great gift, but to use it without thought here shows you are not ready for a world where thought shapes all,” Enys said in the firm but patient voice she adopted when explaining her lesson.

“Finish the pile, and we shall not speak of this again. Tomorrow we begin,” she stated, Sora standing to usher him out, saying nothing when Olin returned to the pile and began to finish his task.

[Damon]

[subtitle]Whispers of Thorns[/subtitle] Olin

Olin floated in the sea of stars, an inky black vastness that stretched beyond imagining and was lit by pinpricks of light. As his mind moved through the void, he could brush against dreams of those he knew, although many were warded with either Saidin or Saidar. It was difficult to explain how he knew, for no star looked different, but he knew with a certainty which dream was which. Lightly he brushed against Enys’ Dream, as he had been taught by her. He had been in only one person’s dream, and he had since learned that such a violation was considered evil by his Aiel teachers. There were tales of much harm done through dreams, even in a few rare cases of people being driven mad or turned to the Shadow through deeds done in a dream, and so he was careful to press just hard enough to gain her attention before proceeding to Tel’aran’rhiod.

When he arrived he was standing at the reflection of Bent Valley Hold, the cliffs and valley defined for the Three Fold land was perhaps the most unchanging. He smiled when he recalled the weeks of training Enys had forced upon him, most of which had consisted of focus and mental discipline. He had first trained in the real world, standing with rocks balanced on his head while the sun beat down on him, and he was forced to memorize and recite a litany of names or places. Other times the Maidens would tease and cajole him, often taunting him of the first steam tent he had partaken in.

Aiel humour still seemed odd to him, though he had now spent two seasons here. Still the focus he had learned had paid off, no longer did he appear each night in Tel’aran’rhiod in the Grey Tower, and no longer did errant thoughts pull him away to places within the dream.

Enys appeared a few heartbeats later and nodded her approval, “You did well, you now whisper against my dream rather than shout for all to hear. You had said earlier that you had a dream and wished to show me the place, can you find it now?”

Olin nodded, he had been having a dream repeatedly, one with a similar weight and feeling he had come to feel when first at the Grey Tower. Unable to discern whether it was a foretelling stream, or simply fear, he had described the dream to Enys and was surprised when she asked to see it in Tel’aran’rhiod.

Olin closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to envision the area clearly. And when he felt himself shift, he looked down and saw an unfamiliar mountain range and pass. The rocks were treacherous, and clearly the pass led into the Three Fold Land, but he could tell little more than that. Enys appeared beside him, and looked down from the cliff with concern, “Tell me again your dream,” she asked, her eyes surveying the landscape, discerning what Olin was unsure of.

“I saw this land below me become washed in a great light, as if the dawn was shining upon it. The light fell upon a wagon, the wood of which was worn and pitted with age.Then I saw a stand of thistles grow and bloom here in the soil, surrounding the wagon but they had no more than taken root when ravens descended from the sky. The soil turned black and the thistles grew and grew, but a darkness blanketed all before I could see more,” Olin said as he paused to try and remember if there was more, “I know in my heart that the ravens mean the Shadow, but little else beyond a sense of danger.

“These nettles, can you show me them? We do not have such a plant here,” Enys said as a quick hop sent her into the heart of the pass. Olin nodded and concentrated, his will causing the sands and rock to bloom thick stands of sharp needled nettles. He knew the true plant looked different, but as he brought them to being it felt right to mimic his dream.
“You have done well to show me this. It is a pass not far from here, and I believe the Maidens should investigate. I worry that your dream shows much you do not know, but for now we will see what our eyes can find. Return to the Hold and we will train,” Enys commented with a nod and pat on his shoulders, then she once more moved within the dream. Olin cast one last look at the land around him, wrestling with the dread and foreboding he felt before returning to the Hold as well.

[Damon]

[subtitle]Thorns Blooming[/subtitle] Olin

Olin stood in Tel’aran’rhiod, concentrating on holding his body as still as possible. He had been practicing changing his clothing to match the surroundings, and as such he stood next to rocky outcropping in the Three Fold Land. His shirt and pants were browns, tans and streaked with grey in order to try and blend in, but Olin was finding it harder than he had originally imagined. Each time he moved, his clothes kept wanting to snap back to the uniform of a Dedicated, and he knew part of the problem was the solidity he had learned to possess within the world of dreams.

A chime sounded over the landscape, and Olin felt his brows furrow in concern. He knew Enys would have never done something so attention grabbing without need, and so he returned his mind to his waiting body.

Heat and fatigue washed over Olin, his body sore from the rigours of life at Bent Valley Hold. Especially when coupled with sleepless nights, he thought with a grimace as his body groaned, Olin grabbing his jacket before heading out of the tent. Enys had sent Sora to fetch him, and as he followed the other wise woman he noticed the tension in her shoulders, the curt replies when he endeavoured a conversation.

As they entered Enys’ tent, Olin noticed two Maidens squatting in conversation with Enys. The two Maidens were sketching into the sand near the fire pit, although they stopped when they noticed he had arrived. “Olin, the Maidens have returned from the pass you dreamed of. They could not make out great detail, but they did see a column of twisted ones marching towards the Three Fold Land. They were making great haste, and I believe you should go with the Maidens to see if anything can be done. Bent Valley will prepare,” Enys stated as calmly as if they stood in the market haggling over spices.

“Understood, do you have somewhere to take the children if the worst should happen,” Olin began although he was cut off when the shorter of the Maidens sneered in derision, “You may believe it is weak to discuss such a thing, but I have seen monsters loosed on children, and Sightblinder cares little what fills his beasts bellies. I will ready myself Enys,” Olin retorted back angrily, bowing out of the tent when Enys provided her permission with a nod.

The Hold had received word of the attack, for when Olin returned he could see a hive of activity. Maidens and Cor Darei prepared for battle, checking spears and packing their travel packs for the hard march ahead. Olin dashed to his tent, grabbing his water skins and pouch for food. After that, he knew there was little else to prepare, and so he spent the morning aiding those organizing the children and Gai’shain who were charged with their keeping.

Once all preparations were made, the two forces departed from Bent Valley Hold, a silent and grim column of warriors. The Aiel loped through the baking sand, none of the usual banter present between the Maidens and the men as all were focused on the task at hand. Olin wished he had enough strength to provide a gateway for all, but he knew the column would require too much time for him to maintain. And so he ran with the others, grateful that the months of life at Bent Valley had given him a much greater stamina.

The Aiel were untiring, and again Olin was struck by the sheer will it must take to survive as they did. He had learned much in his time here, and as their treads stretched into the horizon he could see the forerunners begin to search the land for signs. As they waved the rest ahead, Olin was grateful; for each stride into the Waste meant further safety for Bent Valley.

The first day passed without change, a grinding marathon of running and heat that eventually forced even the Aiel to stop for rest. Food and water were shared amongst all, and the column rested as the days roasting sun became a cooler bitter evening. There was no time for sleep because all of them knew their best chance lay in catching the Trollocs within or before the pass, where they could be bottlenecked. All these thoughts and more tumbled in Olin’s head as he headed towards the pass, if the rest of them faced fears or doubts it showed little underneath the stoic Aiel reserve. He had faced enemies before, but never shadowspawn before and he knew they were strong and difficult to kill. As well he had always encountered the enemy by chance, never before had he dealt with the build up of nerves, the worry and stress that threatened his calm. Still he knew he had no choice but to calm, and so he prepared as they advanced.

Late in the afternoon on the second day, the scouts once again signalled a halt at the edge of a large sloping hill. As Olin made his way to the cleft he looked down and saw the landscape below him, identical to his dream in every detail except one. At the very edge of the pass, a small shape moved up the slope, weaving and dodging around cracks in the ground. Curious, Olin seized Saidin and wove a weave of Air, the threads curling around each other as he created a weave that bent the light. With this weave he could see the shape in sharp focus, and he cursed when he saw it was a wagon.

The wagon had been through at least one fire, to judge from the scars of ash that marred the wheels and sideboards, and the driver was slumped over on the seat, her hands holding the reins and her dress ragged and torn. Seeing the woman he looked further down the slope and cursed.

Trollocs seethed in an angry mob, there reluctance to approach the Waste clear, but Olin could see a Fade driving them forward. There was at least a fist present, maybe more and they clearly had been trying to capture the wagon as the Fade was gesturing angrily. Suddenly a feeble fireball formed between the wagon and the milling Trollocs, searing a handful of them and Olin realized the wagon was driven by an Aes Sedai.

And that simple fact changed their original plans, the Aiel dashing down the hillside to seperate the wagon from the Trollocs. Black veils were drawn up over their faces, and those with bows fired at the Fade but it had melted into the back ranks to avoid the arrows that fell into the fist.

Bellowing their anger the Trollocs surged forward, engaging the Aiel in a chaotic swirl of bodies. Olin seized Saidin and strode forward, allowing the Maidens to rank before him as he used weaves of Fire and Air to keep their flanks clear as the Aiel scythed through the charging Trollocs like wolves through rams. But Olin knew the fight did not favour the Aiel, they were peerless fighters, but the Trollocs were strong and had the advantage of numbers. The press of the bodies kept Olin from using lightning, but his face settled into a feral grin as he used weaves of Air as blades and struck. Trollocs were strong, but he used his weaves and the deft touch he had mastered on the Channeling Yard to disable. Arms that bore weapons, or legs with cloven hooves were sliced and maimed. The Maidens took quick advantage and began to press the Trollocs he crippled, their spears finding weak spots in the crude armour the shadowspawn wore.

With his helps the Maidens were able to protect the wagon, a semicircle of spears as thick as thorns on a nettle, and Olin realized this was the moment of his dream, the moment his dreams had warned him of. Recalling the darkening soil, Olin stepped back and used weaves of Fire to help illuminate the darkening sky, and he spotted a seething mass of ravens advancing from the cloudy sky. Cursing he grabbed as much Saidin as he could, and groaned as he tried to twist large threads of Fire and Air over the skies above them. Finally the net was shaped, and with a last surge he ignited the weave.
Lightning forked through the sky, instantly consuming many of the ravens as the ball of lightning was held aloft by his threads of Air. The lightning warned the Aiel in time, for even as it consumed many of the seething Murder, Olin knew it would not be enough. The Aiel were too disciplined to panic, and so they fought an orderly retreat, Olin using what strength remained to him to keep the Fade from engaging as he used fireballs and blades of Air to harass the back ranks. A chill washed over his arms, and Olin could see fireballs also falling on the other edge of the enemy and he knew the Aes Sedai had collected her strength.

Faced with two channellers, the lightning and bows that kept the crows falling from the skies, the Fade barked orders to the Trollocs and the beasts broke, loping back for the cover of the Blight below the pass.

“Hold friends, there is no need,” called the Aes Sedai, her voice raw and weak but enough to stop the Aiel in there tracks. As she approached, Olin could see her hands clutching her dress. As he approached he noted the dark red stain on the brown cloth, her wound clearly bleeding and seeping through the thick cloth. He wasn’t surprised when she paused, her face worries as it glanced back and forth between him and the Aiel. Many of them had fallen in the battle with the Trollocs, and while the men collected the dead and what could be saved of weapons, the Maidens stood between him and the Aes Sedai. “Who do you serve,” she asked, crying out in pain as she fell to her knees.

Olin cursed his own lack of skill with Healing; and as he moved forward he could smell the sickness that must be already claiming the Aes Sedai’s life, and so he used his jacket to make her a pillow and asked the Maidens to watch for attack. “I am Olin, a Dedicated of the Grey Tower, I will help however I can,” he said softly as he tried to give her water from his skin.

“I am Aelwyth Sedai, of the White Tower. And thank the light you are of the Grey, not the Black Tower. The wagon must be saved, I was in the Blight, searching for an ancient battle site when my Sister and I uncovered an Angreal or Ter’angreal. I do not know it's purpose, indeed we were going to take it for study when we were attacked. My sister perished along with her Gaidin, buying me the time to escape,” she paused with a cough, the motion sending her face in a grimace of pain.

“Two days the Fade chased me, it was desperate to claim the object for the Shadow. It will not return to the Waste once it is gone for it knows the Aiel mean death. Swear you will return it beyond their reach, swear” she said feebly, her hand surprisingly strong as it gripped his in desperation.

“I swear to return it, I cannot go to the White Tower…” Olin trailed off his explanation as Aelwyth gave a shudder and died in his lap. Taking her hands, he laid her arms across her chest and looked up to the Maidens.

“Tell Enys I will return, but the wagon must be dealt with now. I do not have the strength to take all of you, but will you care for the body?” Olin asked the gathered Aiel as he went to consider the load. “We will see her buried in honor, she fought Sightblinder well. Do you need any aide from us?” asked Rorc the clan chief as he directed the Aiel as they readied to depart.

“No, but I will need a moment for my gate,” Olin said as he wove the gateway. The weave was large, larger than he had ever made but as he focused on boring through the pattern he pushed through the strain. With a sigh of relief he saw the gateway swing open, and his disc appear in the inky void. Pushing the wagon through, he cursed the need to leave the horses, but knew they would likely panic while Skimming. As the gateway prepared to close, Olin clasped hands with Rorc, “May you find water and shade my friend, we will dance the spears again one day.”

“Peace and shade to you my friend,” Olin said in farewell as he allowed the gateway to close. During the skimming he paused to reflect on all he had learned. Months of working in the world of dreams with Enys had given him a sharp focus and iron will. He had learned to respect Tel’aran’rhiod and his dreams in a new light. He knew it was a realm of importance and danger, and not an idyllic playground to shape as he wished. He felt at peace, more grounded even as he advanced towards an uncertain punishment. With curiosity getting the better of him, he removed the canvas and marvelled at the statue. Squat and broad, it was almost as round as tall and it depicted a woman sitting, her coverings layers of soft cloth that seemed to flow. He did not know if it was bone or marble, but it was off white with a shine that caught the eye. And he could see the beauty in the peace as the woman sat with her hands cupped. He had no talent with Angreal, but he was glad he had removed it from the Shadow’s grasp, even for the aesthetics alone.

A slight shudder in the disc announced his arrival and he opened the exit gateway. The Travelling Yards of the Grey Tower appeared before him, and with a final weave of Air he pushed the wagon out into the square ahead of him.

“Hey now, you can't just jump like that. There's an order here so no one…” a harsh voice shouted a Soldier as he marched towards Olin, pausing when he saw the sword pin on his jacket. “Forgive me Dedicated?” the young man asked, the question obvious in his tone. Olin was unsurprised, he had been gone close to a year and the learning ranks grew quickly.

“Olin Trakson, now send for the Indigo Ajah, I have something here they will need to take charge of,” Olin commanded, his nerves making him curt and he winced as the young Soldier dashed off.

Soon enough the Indigo had the wagon being moved to the Vault, while a Brown wrote down everything he could remember from Aelwyth’s tale. The Aes Sedai buzzed like bees with the discovery, and Olin was grateful when they dismissed him, for it had been a trying day. Still Ashe marched for the Master of Soldiers office, he realized there was yet one more battle to face.

[Damon]

OOC: Complete.