A legend of brothers [Attn: Kiellan & Daelar]

[Teddy]

Kiellan lost himself to the rhythm of the fight, moving around like Jaryd had taught him, avoiding Val's strikes and biding his time to strike out himself. He did his best, but he knew he wouldn't be able to hold Val off for much longer, and he knew Val was holding back, but it was fun nevertheless. He wasn't doing as terribly as he had feared.

Just as he was getting used to the fight, Kiellan heard a scream. A terrible, bone-shattering scream, the voice of agony. If the horses had had a voice, they would've screamed as well, in panic, trying desperately to break free. Then, the arrows started coming. Hundreds upon thousands of arrows, all raining down on them. Men screamed and bled, and Kiellan could see nothing but chaos as panic took hold of him. He looked around, searching for something to do, but his brains couldn't process what was happening. Flashbacks of his trip through the Arches popped into his head, Trollocs chewing on eyeballs and Draghkar and Myrddraal...

Val's voice snapped him back to reality, and his mind cleared up a little. Listening to his former teacher, Kiellan followed the band of Guardsmen, until he was backed up against the mountain. As the group broke, Kiellan ran for the forest, trying as hard as he could to ignore the song of arrows piercing the sky and the very likely possibility of his imminent death. He focused on the running, on the cold and the forest ahead of him. The urge to seize saidin and light the way for himself was hard to resist, but he remembered what Val had told him. He also knew that conjuring a flame at this point would probably seal his fate. And so, he simply ran, his hands clenched around his daggers. Kiellan knew they were useless at this point, but they still gave him a sense of security.

Somehow, he managed to reach the woods without being hit. He decided to try and find a cave or something to spend the night, and try and regroup in full daylight. With the sounds of battle still raging on in the background, Kiellan quietly moved through the woods until he found a small cave. Hoping none of the attackers would stumble on his hiding place that night, he entered the cave and laid down, trying but failing to get some sleep.

[Sean]

Valadin’s flight had not been heroic. There was dramatic sortie and he didn’t rally the men behind him as he fled through the bramble, sword clutched tightly in hand. If anyone asked how long he’d run before finally stopping, he wouldn’t have been able to tell them. Only the near-constant halo of cold breath and the creeping agony in his legs kept him from racing clear to Baerlon.

Wedging himself in between a tangle of large roots he wondered what became of his men—of his brothers, but was too paralyzed by shame and fear to seek either out. Enlivened by the threat of attack he kept vigilant through the night. Every now and then the sound of dead leaf being crunched underfoot stirred the desperate strength of a survivor, but the need to use brute force never came. One of the horses had been killed. The beast’s death throes echoed through the evening and into the early hours before dawn. Valadin never moved from his spot nor did he let his weapon go. With no fire to provide warmth, only the Asha’man black coat, tunic, and trews offered any respite—and even then only little. Only terror served as a bulwark against the chill; muscles remaining at the ready for action for endless hours. Whatever fate brought his way, he would die with his eyes wide open.

Finally day broke and tendrils of sunlight shone through the canopy bringing much needed life to the dense darkness. Wet, earthy smells called forth memories from his youth when he’d travel along Caemlyn Road seeking wildflower to smell and enjoy. Strangely such things soothed him and eventually it was enough to draw him from his hiding place.

“Oh, Light, Kiellan…I’m sorry,” he groaned, straightening while keeping an eye out for lurking assailants. Working hours of stiffness from his muscles took time and without the promise of food, his body didn’t respond well to be roused after such an uncomfortable night.

Lessons in military history didn’t account for what to do when an entire unit was light on the first night—there were likely no teachings or records to guide him now. Heading back towards the camp to see if the scattered men could be reunited seemed the only option left. It was slow going finding the right path. Valadin hadn’t taken the time to mark his passage the night before and the woods lent no aid with their repetitive appearance in all directions. As he walking he remembered sensing that a man had channeled during their unit’s retreat. Back then escaping to safety had been the only thing on his mind, but now he wondered if someone had remained behind to fight. The thought came with great shame. What sort of leader left others to fight in his stead while he escaped? Surely the others would follow him no more.

Setting aside such thoughts long enough to find the camp, Valadin was relieved to find Jervis picking through what remained.

“Picked clean,” the scout grumbled without looking up. Nodding, Valadin followed suit and began rooting around for anything useful though doubted he’d find anything; Jervis had the best eyes of anyone he knew—if that man couldn’t find it then there was nothing to be found.

“Best show yerself if yer friend. If yer a foe, then know Valadin here’s bloody good with that blade an’ I ain’t too bad meself with these cutters,” Jervis said suddenly.

Saidin was in his blood before he could do anything about it, the Power surging through him like a mighty river as he clung to the clarity of the Void for being swept away in the tide. Meanwhile the fury of battle quickened his heart though he felt calm as he turned slowly to face the entry to the campsite. No more running. No more fleeing. There had been enough cowardice for the entirety of the mission; no was the time for duty and honor…

OOC: This is where you both have a chance to make your own individual stories within this thread if you wish. If you want to join Valadin and Jervis then just come to the camp. We’re going to jumpstart things right back up and head up the pass for…dum-dum-dum…but also if you had other ideas that’s fine. Just remember we need to head up the pass because the leader is there. >.> And it’s a cult by the way. You’ll see.

[Julio]

Daelar was lying on the hard ground. He didn't know how long he had run last night; at some point he had tripped while running, and had passed out.

Shivering still, he took inventory of everything he had. It was easy. Too easy. He had the clothes he had on, and a sheath for a hunting knife. He must have lost the knife itself sometime during the run. Frantically trying to find something else, he found his Ter'angreal. He picked up some dead wood, piling it up haphazardly. While doing so, he realized that he must have tripped on that rotten log, over to the right. It was too much too big for firewood, so he left it alone. He took his Ter'angreal, hitting it sharply on one of the branches. Thankfully, the wood lit immediately, the flames dancing merrily.

As the heat seeped into his bones, Daelar wondered what to do. He didn't know where he was, other than that he was in a forest. Thankfully, it was a pine forest, and as such had very little underbrush. Made running easy. It was an old growth forest, and as such he needn't worry much about ducking under branches. Hunger had begun gnawing at his stomach, but he didn't know how to trap anything. Probably his best course of action would be going back to the camp.

Daelar put the Ter'angreal back into his pocket, buttoning it in. He still needed to find the way back to the campsite. Looking around for a moment, he realized that the answer was quite easy. He had tripped over the log, and therefore should go back that way. He doused his fire, and started on his way.

After about half an hour, he heard a noise. Someone - or something - was trying to sneak up on him. He assumed the void and prepared to defend himself. After a short time, the man was behind him. He spun, his hand coming up to strike his opponent in the face. Right before the heel of his palm connected, he stopped. It was one of the members of the patrol. "I'm very sorry. I didn't realize it was you, Torrin. I thought it was perhaps one of the men who attacked us yesterday. But why did you sneak up on me?"

The surprised man stepped back, then turned and ran, a strange light in his eyes. Light! He's crazy! I don't blame him though, the attack yesterday was enough to drive anyone crazy.

Daelar continued on his way, hungrier than ever. He came upon a saddlebag lying randomly. One of the horses must have run this way! He picked up the saddlebag, rifling through it. There was a half loaf of bread, now slightly stale, and a few strips of dried meat. He picked a rope up out of it, and continued on his way. He ate as he walked, finally easing the hunger pangs. Near evening, he smelled smoke in the air, off to the right.

When he had gotten to the source of the smoke, he realized that he was back at the campsite. He stayed hidden, not knowing whether it was the patrol or its attackers who had lit the fire. He saw two figures, and sneaked closer to take a look. Suddenly, a voice called out, "Best show yerself if yer friend. If yer a foe, then know Valadin here’s bloody good with that blade an’ I ain’t too bad meself with these cutters.”

Simultaneously, Daelar felt someone seizing Saidin. Immediately he felt relief. The man who had called was Jervis! He also had one of the other Dedicated with him. He stepped out of his hiding place, shouting back, "It's Daelar! I have no wish to test your skill!"

As he got closer, he called out again, "Do you happen to have any food? I am quite hungry."

[Teddy]

When he woke up, Kiellan felt cold. Very cold, in fact. It had been a wonder that he had managed to get any sleep at all, and that was the only reason he didn't collapse as soon as he tried to stand up. The sounds of battle, the vicious and cruel song that brought him back to the day of his raising, had finally stopped, and the only sound Kiellan heard was the singing of birds. Strange, he thought, how mundane that morning was, even with all the horrible bloodshed of the day before. He could almost forget where he was, what had happened. But he didn't let himself. He had to remember that he might still be in danger.

Carefully, and with one hand on his sheathed dagger, Kiellan left his cave, his sanctuary. He tried to sneak back the place where they had been ambushed the previous day, but sneaking didn't turn out to be one of Kiellan's strengths. He thought he had been quiet when he had left the battlefield, but perhaps that was only because of the sound of men dying, and the sharp whistles of arrows piercing the night sky. Now, without something else to masque his noise, he didn't think anyone would miss him. The thought scared him a little, but he moved on anyway. It was the only option he had. He decided to seize saidin, so he would quickly be able to defend himself, but the struggle that came with it, the struggle he usually reveled in, seemed to have lost its attraction.

If he had sounded loud before, it was even worse now, with his senses heightened by the One Power. He was also more aware of his environment, however, which made him feel safer, and if anyone came at him, he would hurl a fireball at them before they would have the chance to draw a weapon. Calming himself with that thought, he walked, on and on until he thought he should be somewhere near the place where he had left the rest. No, he shouldn't think of it that way, he reminded himself. This wasn't like in the Arches, where he had abandoned the first Asha'man he had ever encountered. He had only been following orders this time. He wasn't to blame.

He froze when he heard voices, coming from an clearing less than hundred paces away. He tried to hide himself under the plants, which was not at all successful with his tall body, and listened. He almost shouted with joy as he heard who those voices belonged to: one of them was one of the Mountain Guards, and the other was unmistakably Valadin! Thank the Light! Standing tall so Val would surely recognize him, he hurried to the clearing.

"Nobody shoot, don't worry, it's me, Kiellan!" he shouted as he entered the clearing. He was surprised by how relieved he was to see that Daelar, the third Dedicated on their patrol, was also there, safe and sound. Or, well, as safe as any of them. His stomach sank as he only saw one of the Guards. "Light, is this everyone? Do you know anything about the rest?"

[Sean]

Valadin didn't breathe until both Dedicated announced themselves. Their was a sense of responsibility for the young men's lives and it was their loss that would've been felt most keenly. Jervis scoffed at the sight of the dirtied channelers before returning to scavenging.

"Good to the both of ya..." Valadin said cautiously. Safe as they were there was little to celebrate; as a leader he'd failed every man and woman on the patrol. No time fer that now! "Seen any o' the others?" Valadin asked echoing Kiellan.

"Taken," Jervis answered.

"What is yer meanin'?"

"No other meaning, Dedicated . I was here when they took the rest. Hid right o'er there an' kept low. Donan an' Melita fought to save Yeltis...bloody fools...Tannis was killed after the first volley. Mad men came streamin' outstanding the bloody mountain itself. Wore fur skins an'....Light I ent sayin' I stayed long enough fer a look, but they were'ent warriors. Just bloody mad."

When it seemed Jervis would say no more Valadin looked at the state of them. Holes had punched through his clothing and dirt clumps in his boots made walking uncomfortable. Jervis had sacrificed his tunic after a run-in with a coyote. What use the man put it to was a mystery. Daelar and Kiellan weren't looking much better...and looking worse as the sun rose higher.

"We go after 'em." Valadin wasn't sure he'd spoken the words himself until Jervis grabbed fistfuls of his collar.

"Yer mad! Channelers or no, we head back, bring more men an..."

"They'll be dead by then." No one needed to ask who "they" were.

"They're dead anyway, boy. We....cannot...go on. We ent even got food to eat. No bloody horses to ride. What name are we gonna do to see the next day, patrol leader?!"

Of course everything the guardsman said was true. Whoever had taken the others had also picked the camp clean. Packs lay strewn in the clearing and more than a few splatters of blood suggested someone had died coming back for provisions. No army lasted long without food or water; history had made that abundantly clear.

Instinct called the Void forth, Saidin shimmering at the edges of Valadin's awareness. Nothing changed. Their camp had been sacked, their weapons taken, and their comrades kidnapped. Worse if what Jervis said was true the foe had made this portion of the mountain their home and likely knew the lands well. Only a fool would continue any further.

Turning to Daelar and Kiellan he studied them, noting what looked like expectation in their eyes and drew strength from it. "If yer with me, find what ya can from the forest an' we start up the pass at midday."

"Val...." Jervis began, but there was no more room for indecision. Already too much had been lost. Someone had to get it back.

"Yer free to return to Hama Valon . We've no need o' yer services, Guardsman. May the Light shine on ya."

Dumbfounded Jervis released Valadin and gave a curt nod. A good thing the Void kept emotion from ruling one's thoughts. Watching the finest scout in all of Andor leave their small unit with little, but their wits to guide them was bloody terrifying, but Valadin thumped his chest in salute to the departing man. Should the pattern cross their paths again it would be good to tell Jervis that there was no ill will between them. Every man must walk his one path. Creator guide mine lead to you, Nykkolaia Sedai.

"Right," Valadin said when Jervis was gone from sight. Unlikely any one of them would be able to follow the man now. "Search the woods. See if ya can't find somethin' to pick at. One way or another this'll be done quickly. I'll remain here til midday if ya want to join me. Move out, Dedicated!"

[Teddy]

As uncouth as the man was, Kiellan was sad to see Jarvis go. The man had been rude, harsh and generally unkind, but he was apparently the last of the Mountain Guards, and with his leaving, they had lost the last of their experience. Except for Val, maybe. Kiellan was unsure how experienced his former teacher was in battle. In fact, he didn't know much about his past at all.

Kiellan wasn't feeling amazing either, but as he looked at Val, the only description that came to mind was a storm about to be unleashed. Kiellan understood, of course. Val had been placed in charge of this mission, probably his first mission, and everything had gone horribly wrong. His men had been captured, and Val couldn't even be sure if they were still alive. They had no idea who they were up against, or why they had been attacked, and on top of that, they were far outnumbered, even for channelers. For the first time, Kiellan wished they had an Asha'man or Aes Sedai with them, or even a Gaidin. Anyone who would know what to do. But they didn't. They were alone, but they had to do what had to be done.

"If you go, I go, Val. I won't leave you here, no matter what awaits us." It scared him how true that sentence was. The image from the Arches of Trollocs chewing on limbs, of Myrddraal and Draghkar was still burned in his mind, but he was suddenly less afraid of it. If there was anything he trusted in this, it was Val. As dangerous as it would be, they would get through it. Even the presence of the Seanchan calmed him a little; no matter how much he disliked Seanchan in general, he couldn't help but warm up to him.

At Val's command, Kiellan left for the forest, but he didn't look around. Instead, he followed the same path he had came from, until he came to his cave. He hadn't been able to get a lot of sleep the previous night, and if they were about to free the others, they would need their strength. So, as strangely normal as it sounded, Kiellan simply laid down. As tired as he was, it didn't take him long to fell asleep.

Even though the excitement didn't allow him to sleep for long, Kiellan felt a lot more rested when he woke up. The sun had rose to the point where it had to be almost noon, which meant it was time to go. The rest had truly done him good, Kiellan thought as he left the cave and stretched his limbs. Even though the cold, hard ground hadn't been the best surface to sleep on, the couple of hours of rest had done wonders for his mind, and he could almost smile as he finally reached the clearing where Val was already waiting for him. Almost.

"So. What's the plan, general?" Kiellan smiled, trying to lighten Val's mood a little, or at least make him a little less depressed.

[Julio]

After he arrived back at the camp, nothing much good happened. The only good thing was the other Dedicated showing up. At least he hasn't gone crazy!

The cold deepened, it began to drizzle slightly, and Jervis left. Jervis was much less capable in combat than the others; he couldn't channel. Nevertheless, he was by far the best tracker. No; the only tracker.

They headed for a small cave that Kiellan had found, and stayed there for the night. It was out of the way, and much less likely to be attacked. They didn't post a watchman, so Daelar wove a ward against intruders, and tied it off. That is useful. I'm glad I learned it.

Nothing happened during the night. Nothing that came near the cave, at least. The ground was covered in thick frost, but already the sun was beginning to melt some of it. Shivering, they began their journey up to the pass. There were no signs of anybody else - in fact, there didn't seem to be any animals around either. Nevertheless, Daelar felt like someone was watching him. At one point he tried a simple ward to detect any humans; it came up with nothing. That didn't necessarily mean anything. He could have simply made it incorrectly.

When they paused for a moment to rest, Daelar stretched. He wanted to be ready for anything. Anyway, it was too cold to just sit. A wind started up, biting through their jackets, setting them all shivering anew. After they had been walking for a while, through seemingly unchanging land, footsteps were heard in the woods. Whether they were friend or foe, he didn't know. Valadin might, though. Speeding up his march just slightly, he put himself level with Valadin. Weaving a quick ward against eavesdroppers - gambling on the chance that the man watching wasn't a channeller - he spoke up clearly, allowing Kiellan to hear as well. This wasn't an army; they were equals. If two of them knew of danger, the third ought to as well. "I hear someone off the path, in the woods over there. I do not know who it is. He has been following us for a few minutes. I thought I ought to tell you, just in case you did not know."

Daelar dropped his pace for a moment, retreating to the back of the group. He listened warily, not wanting to be surprised.

[Sean]

"Do nothin'," Valadin replied to Daelar making sure that Kiellan heard as well.

Back in the camp the young Dedicated whom had personally initiated into the Grey Tower by Valadin's hand had impressed again. Kiellan put trust in his mentor even in the midst of dire circumstances. Given what happened to the other men in the unit it was a sorely needed vote of confidence. Perhaps Kiellan's a fine soldier after all, Jervis.

"The pass gives 'em higher ground an' we've got few paths to fall back to. Rescuing the others comes before takin' out the enemy," Valadin added.

Since Jervis' departure he'd been moving in the Oneness and Saidin was never far from reach. It should have been a sign of anxiety, yet Valadin had felt this calm in few instances. Ever skeptical of baseless courage he turned his thoughts to their journey lest further introspection rob him of the will to continue on.

The pass itself was a steep incline with few bends or corners up the side of the mountain range. Hiding was only possible if one wished to scale the rocky walls that barricaded the narrow corridor. Few green things grew and only the occasional bleeting goat served as signs of life. Not promising, but likely no one would disagree that it was more favorable than the eerie silence of the forest.

In all the pass made for a bearable ascent, but an ambush here would make for desperate struggle even with the One Power at their disposal; a notion which still sat ill with Valadin.

They hadn't travelled much longer since Daelar's warning when they saw their path was blocked ahead by armed men. From afar they looked rabid in their collection of furs and rags likely pilfered from unfortunate travelers. The kidnappings... Valadin guessed, sharing a glance with Daelar. The blockade sent no one out to meet them...yet they did attack either. Saidin granted the ability to see the too-new weapons some bore. Only mountain guard issued stores could have yielded that much steel in this part of Andor.

When the Dedicated were at a hundred paces, Valadin signalled for them to stop. Not turning away from the waiting warriors he spoke to Daelar and Kiellan, "Seize Saidin. If ya sense any danger attack...attack with everythin' ya have. Dun follow me. I'll see if I can't reason out the fate of the others...Light shine on you, brothers."

Just like that he was marching forward, the Void gifting him with a sure-footedness and poise he would not have had otherwise.

Part of him prayed the others would have no cause to attack, but another portion hoped beyond hoped that if need arose neither man would hesitate to the necessary lives. Which side sickened him more...he did not wish to know.

[Julio]

Daelar was not surprised when they came upon the company blocking the road. What did surprise him was the fact that they didn't attack. They hadn't hesitated in the past; why should they hesitate now?

As Valadin walked forward to talk to the others, Daelar was reminded of a story he had read once. Two kings were parleying, but neither trusted the other. Because of that, they told their armies to attack if anyone on the other side drew a sword. The each brought a few men with them, instructing them to keep their swords sheathed. Then, in the midst of the parley, a snake attacked. One of the guards drew his sword to kill the snake, and a needless battle ensued.

The thought made his skin prickle. He hoped that that would not happen now. Nevertheless, if any of the other company made a threatening move, Daelar wouldn't hesitate to take him out. He held Saidin, carefully watching for any tricks. The forest was still eerily empty. I didn't think it was possible for the woods to be so silent! I can't even hear a single sound! Not even Valadin... That's strange... That prickle on my skin! It's so annoying! I haven't felt it since leaving the Tower... except for the night that we were attacked.

He watched as Valadin talked with the others. They didn't seem to be threatening him at all. The bushes shook very violently off to the side. There was something wrong... there was still no sound. He spun, shouting unnecessarily loudly to Kiellan "We're being attacked! Someone has created a dome of silence around us!"

He sprung immediately to the attack, ripping through the invisible ward with a weave of spirit. He instantly heard the loud rustling of the bushes off to the side. He wove immediately, a weave of water, with a bit of earth. A spout of water exploded in the bush, ripping it to shreds and spouting twenty feet into the air. He heard cries of pain, and saw men thrown from the area of the weave by the force of the explosion. Immediately the men on the other side leaped from hiding and charged. Daelar wove the same weave again, but this time the spread of attackers caused it to be less effective. Fireballs were being thrown, likely by Kiellan. Daelar couldn't spar the time to look. He glanced over, trying to see what was happening to Valadin. He didn't see Valadin, but he hadn't had time for more than a quick glance.

A few of the men made it through the barrage and attacked. The first swung his sword at Daelar's head, a very common attack. Daelar stepped forward, inside the other man's guard. He blocked the man's arm, stopping the swing, then grabbing the arm. He shot his right hand out, hitting his attacker on the side of the neck, wrapping his hand around it. He spun, throwing his opponent quickly to the ground, striking the man in the solar plexus as he hit the ground. That ought to stop him for a while.

Daelar lost track of everything, swept up into the exhilaration of battle.

[Teddy]

Kiellan finally managed to calm himself down as they walked. That was, until they ran into another group, blocking their way. Fear once again rose inside Kiellan, but this time, the adrenaline took over. For the past day, there hadn't been a moment where he wasn't scared, and it was enough. His instincts kicked in, the instincts born in the Rahad, born in countless fights and struggles. For the first time since his Raising, he felt those instincts without immediately being overtaken by the fear and memories of the ter'angreal, of the battle and the blood, and of himself. Fear still laced his calculating alertness, but it wasn't dominant. And despite the imminent fight, that felt good.

Then, it began. Kiellan's fear grew as the he felt Daelar's weave, and saw it erupting, throwing several men off their feet, but his instincts managed to remain in control. Quickly, he, too, seized saidin. The area was much too narrow for complicated weaves, but it left some room for the more simple tricks. Kiellan spotted one man breaking free of the chaos caused by Daelar's weave, and quickly wove a single flow of Earth into the ground below the man. As the man took his next step, the ground sunk, until there was a small patch of earth that was just a foot lower than the rest. The man's foot sank into the hole, and on the unexpected impact, it snapped. Another man suddenly found himself unable to move closer to them, as the remaining roots of the bush that Daelar had blown up lashed out and curled themselves around his ankle, refusing to let go. They were simple weaves, but only someone with Kiellan's natural Talent for Earth Singing would be able to weave them with such precision, right into that particular place.

The men were approaching fast, however, and the weaving took Kiellan too long. It was efficient, but he was outnumbered, and he needed a quicker way to defend himself. He was grateful for the daggers, that were still sheathed on his waist. He wasn't very experienced with them, but the men who approached them clearly had a blind fervor to them, and they looked thoroughly untrained. Remembering Jaryd's training, Kiellan took the starting position, but remained on his toes so he would be able to move at any time. As he expected, the men were untrained, and completely disregarded even basic principles of defense. In fact, they didn't defend at all, and it didn't take Kiellan look to find his first moment to strike. As the man moved his arm forward to punch Kiellan, he moved sideways, and stabbed the man's right arm. Screaming, the man fell to the ground.

As outnumbered as they were, they were also a lot stronger, and it didn't take them long before their attackers retreated. Kiellan had made sure to only stab non-lethal areas, and he hoped the others had as well, as he saw no bodies. The adrenaline left his body, and fatigue set in. Tired, he turned to his companions, who didn't look great either. Kiellan could only imagine how bruised he looked; one of their attackers had managed to hit his jaw, quite hard, and his nose felt wrong.

"Are you guys okay?" It was kind of a dumb question. Of course they weren't, but it still felt right to ask. He looked at his former mentor. As much as the situation had changed, Val was still the one in charge. They needed a leader, and no matter what happened, Kiellan would trust Val's judgment. "Val, you're the leader of this expedition. What do we do now?" He gave Val a comforting look. He wanted Val to know that he still trusted him.