The Grey Tower

Posted: **March 11th, 2017, 12:38 pm**

He listened to the explanation and yet still felt like he had stepped into some alternate reality, not that he knew what one of those was but he was listening to the M'Hael explain the word nublet on a garden bench in a random meeting. He had heard tell of the Dark One's Own Luck. He wondered if there was the opposite form of luck, the Creator's, the sort where you always got what you needed but in a suitably mystic and cryptic way. This wasn't dice, it was a chess of the mind and he felt he wasn't smart enough for it.

At least he's nice enough, easier than the Master of Training. Hasn't threatened my bells yet like Ravak either. Bit touchy but seems decent. Seems to care too. It's like this Tower has gathered everyone like that he thought privately.

"I see, well I shall remember that we are all...nublets...and that we have you to thank for the walls around us" he left it at that, he wasn't sure what else to say. He knew that there had been an incident some time ago that Zeen had rebuilt Hama Valon from. Something involving Seanchan. Yet he thought he didn't know the man well enough to bring that up and so let it lie, probably wisely.

Still he was grateful, despite his initial reasons for turning up on their doorsteps. So far he was fairly sure he had become a better swordsman than most of those he had known in Arafel. He had also grown as a person even if he still disliked himself in many ways. He could at least see a fuzzy outline of a future when before there had been none. He disliked the hard work, naturally, but at least he got something in return - whether it be muscles or smarts. As he listened to the admission he carefully did not laugh but a small smile crept across his face.

"In that case allow this nublet to tell you that your Tower needs better books. Or a better way of finding the good ones," he flipped the edge of the pages before him idly and let them fall back into place, "as it is I have seen them in passing. Never face to face or fought them. Raids came though, every so often. Sometimes stragglers would enter my father's holdings. Kept his children away but had to deal with them all the same. Mostly recall the smell of burning them that came in through the shutters" he blinked away the memory, it had been a foul stench,

"As to the rest, when you spend enough time around those as had to fight them you learn enough. Not as much as your favoured titled Warder of course but enough to know they need killing, each and every one. And to fear them, much as that seems cowardly. Deadly enemies so I am told. Perhaps, one day, I might have the fortune to be taught by your Warder, it would be an honour" he stated and his words would ring truest of all those said already.

At the offer of Illusion he paused, he had heard of the waving but hadn't expected the offer. Added to that there was the fact that what he would be showing him would be the enemy. He didn't want to b seen to be flinching in its face before the M'Hael, easy going as he was it would still be shameful. He considered carefully and eventually nodded, readying himself for the first ever face to face meeting. At least it would be a safe one, he noted.

"Yes, please. If I am to see them might as well do it here in the Tower than out there" he accepted, tone neutral as he steeled himself for the next few moments.

Posted: **March 19th, 2017, 11:10 pm**

Zeen

A chuckle answered the comment about the books. “I will see what I can do.” Zeen bowed his head a little. “Most of us that journey willingly into the Blight tend to have a more... proactive stance when it comes to Shadowspawn. I suppose it does not translate well into writing about our experiences. Perhaps you and I can slowly change that.”

The smile that flashed across the Amadician’s face was genuine. “I would be honoured to introduce you to my Warder. Perhaps after we are done here. Any questions you have that I cannot answer, I am more than certain that she will be able to. She is also Arafellin.”

His head tilted to the side ever-so-slightly as he regarded the Drin levelly, his expression sobering. “It is not cowardly to fear Shadowspawn, Alrim Farshera. Only a fool does not.” There was nothing soft or warm about the way the corners of the M’Hael’s mouth lifted. “They are indeed deadly. The ones that retain some form of intelligence, most of all.”

The Asha’man nodded once, his palms going to rest on his knees as he straightened, settling himself against the bench. “Very well. I will show you a Trolloc first, and then a Fade. How much we move on beyond that is entirely up to you. Keep in mind that much of the effects they are known for, as well as that sense of... wrongness... will not translate over through my Illusion.”

As Zeen seized, the silver leached out of his eyes, leaving behind pools of flat granite. The Void settled into place and for a short time, all that mattered was giving shape and form to the glory of the Light the blazed through the very marrow of his bones. Strands of Power quickly came together, saidin bending to his will.

A flicker of movement appeared roughly five paces in front of the Drin, a hazy outline before definition and substance began to coalesce and solidify. Taller than Zeen, nearly as tall as an Ogier, with a rough approximation of fur. An obvious snout with cloven feet, and clawed tipped talons for fingers. Nevermind that they looked a bit like gnarled branches. The armour was flawlessly reproduced, the former Green intimately familiar with that, if nothing else.

“There are many different types of Trollocs, but this is the general gist of one. Created during the Age of Legends by one of the Forsaken, they form the bulk of the Shadow’s armies. They are carnivores,” the Void rippled at that and Zeen tensed perceptibly. “And not all of their... meals have the good fortune of being dead before consumption. Trollocs are not particularly intelligent, nor are they particularly brave, but they breed at an astonishingly horrifying rate. When they do come across the Border, they usually seek to overwhelm with sheer numbers rather than employ any specific tactics. That, combined with their bloodlust and the fact that they are unfortunately resilient, makes them indeed deadly.”

He held the weave for several minutes longer, allowing Alrim to familiarize himself with all that had been said, and the size of the Trolloc. He released the flows and began weaving again almost immediately.

“I have not had the pleasure of going up against one, but Myrddraal... Fade... Halfman... they have many names.” Another shape began forming, resembling that of a tall, lanky man. “They say that the look of the Eyeless is fear, and I have been assured that the saying is true.” Black armor with overlapping scales, black cloak. “I do not know how, but their cloaks do not move in the wind. They are able to shift between shadows, or disappear into them entirely. Their blood can eat through your sword if it is not cleaned off properly, their fingernails are hard enough to gouge out wood, and normal wounds that would kill you or I... barely faze them. You must overwhelm it before it can overwhelm you. It is stronger and faster than a man. The best way to kill one, so I have been told, is to cut off its head. But even then, the body will not truly die until the sun sets, and will thrash about, clawing and flailing about until then. Usually with sword still in hand.”

And Callie had killed one. Light.

Posted: **March 21st, 2017, 5:37 pm**

He noticed the change in expression and the flattening of the tone of voice, it was something that he was beginning to associate with the Void, with channellers especially. It was a strange idea to him, that one could touch the One Power but another merely just emptied themselves. Polar opposites, perhaps. He wanted to ask about Zeen’s Warder and how many other Arafellin there were but he stayed silent, he did not want to distract the man, he was busy as a flickering of reality played out before their bench.

He drew a breath inward and held it, steeling himself for what he already knew would be horrific even if he had never seem one up close. Before the illusion was even half-formed the smell hit his nose like a punch, filling his senses with disgust and bringing a twist to his lips. He refused to gag and he refused to look away though he felt like doing both. The size of the creature was enormous, dwarfing even Zeen easily. Bulging muscles between talons, hooves and whatever other pieces of animal were thrown in. The armour was quite detailed, he noted as he listened.

“You weren’t kidding about the stench,” he snorted it out of his nose, or tried to, “Light it’s bad! If there were a half-dozen you’d need a damned mask,” he stated, mostly so as to get it off of his chest, “they’re lazy too Zeen. Lazy. I know that much from the soldiers. And cowards if pressed. Don’t like water much either. Heard tell of one group rather stand and die than cross it” he told the giant what little he knew from those who had direct experience, though it was more to cement it in his own head than in the M’Hael’s.

“I can see how they would win wars though, burn my eyes I can. Thousands of these things? No tactics, just rag and the need to kill? How would you defend normally against that?” the question was rhetorical, of course as he actually pushed himself up and circled the thing, something he had not been sure he would have had the courage to do.

The worst was yet to come though, it was the turn for a Fade. He shuddered slightly at just the thought but swallowed and watched, morbid fascination mixing with fear as it coalesced. As soon as the eyeless face rippled in, subdued though the effect was as Zeen had stated, he felt his insides twist and had to look away. He shook his head at himself and forced his gaze back but it still took several tries to get it to hold for a decent bit of time. He circled this one more slowly, it would be a more difficult enemy.

“No weakness,” he muttered, “no gap in armour, no fear, nothing to use. I hadn’t believed it, should have known. So small too, hard to believe that it could kill me so easily. They’re bonded to Trollocs aren’t they? Is that true too?” he asked as he sat back down, slightly shakily. He breathed in and exhaled deeply, clenching his hands tightly.

“And your Callie killed one? Must be a tough woman indeed” he smiled slightly at that, she was Arafellin too, that meant something. They were the best.

“No...no if I am to be fighting them one day then I must know them all. Would you expect anything less of Callie?” he asked him, “better here than out there. Besides which it’ll give me time to think about how to beat them. What’s next? Don’t tell me you know what the Forsaken look like too?” he opted for a slight trace of humour.

Posted: **July 25th, 2017, 2:00 pm**

"Light send that I never have to face one, they are said to be the most powerful users of the One Power of their age. And they knew far more than we know now. No I would rather not meet them. I do have others I can show you though, if you have the stomach for more?" Zeen told him gravely once he had returned to his normal self once more but there was still that twinkle of something in his gaze.

Alrim merely nodded without saying anything, still unsure of how far he should press onward with this experimental lesson but knowing that the more he knew the safer he could make others in the future. It was a poisoned chalice of sorts - to etch these things into his mind and soul to help others. His eyes rebelled and his lips twisted as the giant's form rippled once more and formed into something that was possibly even more monstrous than the Myrddraal, and that was saying something. It was wearing a cloak again but it looked different, wrong, as if it looped up at the shoulders and then curled back into it.

"Draghkar" he whispered, he had only heard rumours of them and none he knew had really seen one except in the distant skies.

"Yes, you will note how their eyes are too large and their limbs are seemingly fragile and small. Do not be deceived by them, they are stronger that they look as with all Shadowspawn. Not to mention the claws at the end. The eyes though, they were made that way - part man and part bat apparently. They are trackers and assassins so they say but their most powerful weapon is-"

"The kiss," Alrim almost hissed the word, a distasteful twist to has lips as he walked around the illusion, "and that cape...wings. And their song...I remember a soldier once said something about a song or a calling of some kind"

"Correct," the wings unfolded once with a flicker before returning to sustain the illusion proper, "the song is dangerous. It lulls you as if you were a babe in their arms. And you had better wish you never end up there because their kiss will take your soul and leave you a drooling wreck for the rest of your days. But...they are not very smart and usually only appear where a Myrddraal is. Under their command.

"I remember..." he trailed off as he stepped as close as he dared to see the gaunt face and measure the height, as big as Zeen and Nate, they were certainly fearsome, "so their weakness is stupidity. And the fact that a good arrow could knock them out of the air if you were good enough" he nodded to himself and pursed his lips before stepping back.

Zeen returned and gave him an apologetic smile though he doubted the giant had any regrets about teaching him about the creatures even if it turned the stomach somewhat.

"Any others? I mean I'm not expecting a Darkhound and I think I'd probably recognise one of those, Light send I never have to" he asked in a quiet voice.

Posted: **July 25th, 2017, 2:11 pm**

"As it happens there is one more to show you and then I am afraid you are out of luck"

The giant rippled once more and this time it took the shape not of some monster or nightmare but of a seemingly normal human, a little non-descript perhaps but still not a likely thing to be shown and not what Alrim had been expecting. He blinked and thought it flickered a little, vanishing momentarily before returning but frowned and shook his head assuming it was the One Power. He circled it to see if there was anything at the back to be aware of but found nothing there either.

"A man, a couple of daggers on his hip but just a man," he stated as he came back to the front, "I don't understand" he finished as Zeen returned back to normal.

"Not all of the Shadow's weapons are monstrous in appearance Alrim Farshera, some of them are only so within. Like what I just showed you. A Grey Man," he smiled again and continued, "actually an elite assassin and not one that is easy to stop. I have heard of them killing an entire company of guards without ever being seen"

"How?"

"It is theorised that they are...soulless. Of have given part of their soul to the Dark One. In return they gain the ability of not being seen. One could stand right in front of you and you might not see it. Unless you were trying to find it, or very lucky. They are...phased perhaps. A bit out of the Pattern. Perhaps. No one truly knows but whatever it is they can walk through a fortress to kill their targets and never be seen or stopped"

"Burn me"

"Yes indeed, a difficult problem but one you should be aware of"

"Are they stronger too? Or better fighters?"

"I do not think so, no. They can be killed by those who are not as trained as a Gaidin and the One Power is as effective on them as anything else. I have never heard that they are exceptionally strong or fast. Just invisible. Sorry to disappoint"

"So, the best way is to know that they are coming. But you might not know. Is there anything that might warn you?"

"Wards, perhaps, but then you'd need a channeler for something like that. Come, sit once more and we can talk about the last group that you know of but probably don't fully appreciate"

Alrim followed Zeen to the bench and sat again, this time with more questions and ideas tumbling through his mind than he had had before and knowing he needed to know more than a little lesson in the gardens could ever tell him.

Posted: **July 25th, 2017, 2:24 pm**

"What is this last thing? Another creature?"

"Not quite, no. Or rather it's many, many things and we can never be sure of who they are where or what they are doing. Even who they report to. Do you know what I'm referring to?" the gaze pinned him pointedly.

"Darkfriends" he whispered back and received a nod from the M'Hael.

"Yes, the most dangerous of all of the things we have discussed today. Far more than any one Trolloc, Myrddraal or otherwise"

"Surely not" Alrim began to protest but was forestalled by a raised hand and fell silent.

"Listen to me Alrim, when I tell you they are the most dangerous. We know what a Trolloc looks like. And a Myrddraal and yes they may be fearsome and deadly fighters. But they stand out, they cannot really move openly and they are restricted in what damage they can do though it is usually bloody. But Darkfriends can infest a city and help to undermine the Light there, to turn it into something of the Shadow"

"You could be in Ghealdan with your Bondmate and not know the innkeeper had passed your names to their masters and that assassins were on their way. You could be promised assistance by the guard but they may never come and we would have one less warrior for the Light. Do you understand? They may not be monstrous but they are monsters"

"But you said that they could still find the Light, that anyone could so..."

"Yes, philosophically speaking. But that doesn't mean they will and it won't stop them killing you. Or anyone else they need to. Right now they own no settlements that I am aware of but if the Shadow started conquering cities - and they will try - then our task becomes harder and innocents will suffer. So be always alert and aware and never do anything to trip yourself up"

Alrim nodded silently and wondered if anywhere outside of the Grey Tower was safe. From what he had been told this day it seemed not. He sighed and settled into the bench, looking into the middle distance.

"I see that I have given you much to think on, I wish I could stay and help you go through it but my duty is never done. Perhaps another time. For now, think upon what I told you. It may save your life one day" there was a flash of those eyes again before Zeen turned and began to walk away down the path.

"Burn me" Alrim muttered to himself as he fell into a depth of thought once more, this time upon darker things than philosophy.

The Grey Tower

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