Confusion Now Hath Made His Masterpiece
Posted: December 5th, 2017, 1:26 pm
Asha'man Nate Carridus
The strongest force in the world was not Saidin, or Saidar, or even the will of the Creator. It was the force of habit, and Nate learned first hand just how easy it was to get into the habit of things, whether he wanted to or not.
Which was a silly thought, because of course he wanted to get used to the Black Tower. It was his home now, he was happy there, what was there to question?
He had a small room in the same house as his brother – he wasn’t trusted enough by anyone to be allowed to live alone – but it was comfortable, and Nate was content. The bed wasn’t exactly roomy but it did the job, and best of all, Nate knew that no matter how irritable Reuben might feel at any given time, he was safe and alone in his room and would not be interrupted. It was his sanctuary.
He was on his bed doing some aggressive sit-ups, trying to remove that irritation that was clouding his mind. He didn’t know why he was irate, he just was, and he also knew it was wrong. So exercise was his way to snuff it out.
“Sweet dreams brother!” Reuben called from the other side of the door.
“Sure,” Nate grunted in response, keeping his count. Dreams? Nate was never one to dream, so what did that even mean to him? Nate grew tired, he fell asleep, and when he woke he was rested and hopefully less confused. That was how it had always been, perhaps minus the confusion. He couldn’t recall any of his dreams, just fleeting sensations that fled when he opened his eyes.
Things were different recently though. Apparently Reuben heard Nate grumbling in his sleep, or shifting around. Nate had no recollection of such, but it made sense to add to his general sense of confusion. Why not add some erratic behaviour to it? Maybe it would settle down, when he was truly used to his circumstances.
Eventually Nate did finish his exercise and head to bed, though it was a while before he fell asleep.
-
Nate was no expert on the World of Dreams. He knew a bit of theory in passing but it always seemed like something that was relevant to someone else, so he just shrugged it off. If someone were to tell him he was in Ter’aran’rhiod, his response would have been “bless you”. Perhaps Nate had dreams like this all the time and wasn’t aware of them, and maybe there was a bit of fate thrown in there as well, as the man found himself in what had to be a dream. Because there was no way Nate had seen a Tower like this before.
It was a Tower much like the Grey, but instead of being that familiar sight, it was instead as black as shadow, ominous and overbearing. It was unnaturally tall and cast a shadow over what felt like the whole countryside. Nate got a better look at the surroundings and realised the Tower was sitting in the middle of Mayene, clearly thrown on top of it with no regard for the houses below it.
“What in the…” Nate squinted at the Tower, floating closer through curiosity with no real interest in the how of it all. It just was. The Asha’man made a face as the shadowy blackness of the building rippled in the sunset, and he found himself at the main doors with, again, no real interest in how he went from A to B. Now he was back on solid ground, he looked up at the Tower ascending to the clouds in the sky. “Tall,” he commented eloquently, and he reached for his hammer that was hanging on his back. It was soon in his hands, as if he could knock the building over with it.
“You’re happy at the Black Tower.” Was that Reuben’s voice filling the air, or was it just in his head? Nate shook his head and put a hand out to the black wall just in front of him, convinced that the Tower, and his brother, were one and the same. And in this strange world, for a liberating moment he didn’t like either of them.
Which was a silly thought, because of course he wanted to get used to the Black Tower. It was his home now, he was happy there, what was there to question?
He had a small room in the same house as his brother – he wasn’t trusted enough by anyone to be allowed to live alone – but it was comfortable, and Nate was content. The bed wasn’t exactly roomy but it did the job, and best of all, Nate knew that no matter how irritable Reuben might feel at any given time, he was safe and alone in his room and would not be interrupted. It was his sanctuary.
He was on his bed doing some aggressive sit-ups, trying to remove that irritation that was clouding his mind. He didn’t know why he was irate, he just was, and he also knew it was wrong. So exercise was his way to snuff it out.
“Sweet dreams brother!” Reuben called from the other side of the door.
“Sure,” Nate grunted in response, keeping his count. Dreams? Nate was never one to dream, so what did that even mean to him? Nate grew tired, he fell asleep, and when he woke he was rested and hopefully less confused. That was how it had always been, perhaps minus the confusion. He couldn’t recall any of his dreams, just fleeting sensations that fled when he opened his eyes.
Things were different recently though. Apparently Reuben heard Nate grumbling in his sleep, or shifting around. Nate had no recollection of such, but it made sense to add to his general sense of confusion. Why not add some erratic behaviour to it? Maybe it would settle down, when he was truly used to his circumstances.
Eventually Nate did finish his exercise and head to bed, though it was a while before he fell asleep.
-
Nate was no expert on the World of Dreams. He knew a bit of theory in passing but it always seemed like something that was relevant to someone else, so he just shrugged it off. If someone were to tell him he was in Ter’aran’rhiod, his response would have been “bless you”. Perhaps Nate had dreams like this all the time and wasn’t aware of them, and maybe there was a bit of fate thrown in there as well, as the man found himself in what had to be a dream. Because there was no way Nate had seen a Tower like this before.
It was a Tower much like the Grey, but instead of being that familiar sight, it was instead as black as shadow, ominous and overbearing. It was unnaturally tall and cast a shadow over what felt like the whole countryside. Nate got a better look at the surroundings and realised the Tower was sitting in the middle of Mayene, clearly thrown on top of it with no regard for the houses below it.
“What in the…” Nate squinted at the Tower, floating closer through curiosity with no real interest in the how of it all. It just was. The Asha’man made a face as the shadowy blackness of the building rippled in the sunset, and he found himself at the main doors with, again, no real interest in how he went from A to B. Now he was back on solid ground, he looked up at the Tower ascending to the clouds in the sky. “Tall,” he commented eloquently, and he reached for his hammer that was hanging on his back. It was soon in his hands, as if he could knock the building over with it.
“You’re happy at the Black Tower.” Was that Reuben’s voice filling the air, or was it just in his head? Nate shook his head and put a hand out to the black wall just in front of him, convinced that the Tower, and his brother, were one and the same. And in this strange world, for a liberating moment he didn’t like either of them.