[IC] WoT: The Dark One's Own Luck.

[Penny]

Mave dipped her spoon into the broth and tasted it carefully. It was gamey but surpsingly spicy, not at all unpleasant. During her childhood she had eaten very well and the bland diet afforded by the life of a Novice had been a trial. Having grown used to the simple fare of the Tower, and having gone hungry as often as not since fleeing she found this oddly pleasing. Perhaps it was that Ari had cooked it specifically for her.

"Well...," she hedged, reluctant to scare Ari but conscious that he had a right to know. She took another spoon of stew and chewed for a moment. What was chasing Ari was a good question, but one that was difficult to answer given the information she had.

"Fades and Trollocs are bad enough, but they cant move openly through the country side except in wild places," she made a broad gesture to encompass the forest that surrounded them on all sides.

"In villages and towns there are darkfriends," she said, a trace of bitterness in her voice. In the Tower as well there were darkfriends, though it curdled her soul to think on it.

"The Dark one has other servants I have read about, darkhounds which hunt in the night and grey men who your eyes slide off. I think I would sense their presence but if you find yourself ignoring someone despite how much you think you shouldn't ..." She trailed off and cleared her throat.

"While we are within my wards we are safe," she explained, "and once we get moving again, well, even a fade cannot fly."

[POOHEAD189]

Ali and Mave spent the night in the deep of the woods, resting as best they could, though in truth neither gained much sleep. Ali kept watch. He trusted Mave, he found. But still, something kept him up much like a Two River's Watchdog, dark red eyes only glinting in the ever shrinking firelight. It was in the early hours of the morning that he got any sleep. He had dreams of dark terrors surrounding him, and being watching him from within a void. A terrible evil.

Shaitan. He knew it was him, somehow. But why would the Dark One be intent on Ali? He tried to tell himself it was just a dream. But the feelings of being surrounded and watched invaded his very being, and he felt naked and uncloaked even when he woke, despite being covered in furs and blankets. He found Mave dressed and up, putting the fire out wordlessly, urgency in her every move.

He didn't need to be told twice.

Within minutes they had their belongings packed and they both mounted their horses, trotting at first to get themselves acquainted to the saddle again after a short sleep and then sending themselves into a canter. The fog had not lifted, but the sun gave them some visibility to allow them to move, but almost as soon as they had begun riding, Ali felt far more vulnerable than he had within the camp. It must have been Mave's wards.

"If we keep riding south, we should hit the River Beorn!" He told her, but Mave wasn't the first thing to answer him. A howl echoed in the distance, toward the east. Another one answered its call, and for a reason Ali couldn't fathom, he didn't expect they were normal wolves. The wolf of the mountains were bad enough. Whatever lurked in the Forest of Shadows was bound to be even worse. They trotted down a small drop, nearly causing Ali to fly off his horse. Mave held on to her mount like a born rider, though truthfully she was only marginally more skilled than Ali and the fact that she weighed less aided her.

Suddenly, a shadow passed overhead. So noticable among the many shadows cast by the ancient trees that even Ali took note of it, though he wasn't to be cowed until Mave shouted at him to go faster.

It was then Ali's skin prickled at a roar he heard from deeper within the woods. A primal fear rose up in him that even his Two River's stubborn resolve couldn't immediately quell. "Blood and Bloody Ashes, what is that!?"

"I don't know! MOVE!" She yelled at him, their horses now spooked too. Every way past a tree only brought more trees in their path to mess up their sense of direction and slow them down. It was all Ali could do to keep Mave and her mount in sight. His heart pounded in his chest, but even through that he could hear the pounding of something massive behind him. It was as if every beast of his nightmares as a child was summoned forth, and one had him in its sights.

A part of him wanted to leap off of his horse and face whatever was behind him. At least he'd die like someone in the stories. But something compelled him to keep going. Something called him forward, and just as he felt he was about to have his horse ripped out from under him, he felt a sudden calm. As if the world and all of its ails had halted for now. The roaring and padding of clawed feet had stopped somewhere behind him, and both he and Mave found themselves trotting into a small clearing, the woods behind them foreboding and the woods ahead welcoming.

Mave looked bewildered and confused, something Ali wasn't used to seeing in the pretty woman. He couldn't exactly blame her, however. Something about this area of the forest was...different.

"Where are we?" Ali asked, blinking.

She spoke as if the words were pulled out of her from a knowledge she had been given from her past. "A stedding."
@Penny

[Penny]

Mave was awash with conflicting emotions as she glanced around the forrest. It seemed somehow more peaceful and part of her was at ease, another part of her snatched desperately for Saidar only to find that she could not reach it. The Power was still there, she could sense its warmth, but it was as far beyond her reach as the moon. She shivered in spite of herself unused to the sensation of helplessness it engenderd.

“Greetings,” an impossibly deep voice rumbled. And a large humanoid, larger than a trolloc but not nearly so ugly, stepped from behind the bohle of a massive oak tree. He was dressed in green linen and wore a cloak that appeared to be made of animal hides, though several deer had obviously been necessary to clothe the giant. Mave had heard and read of Ogier of course, and every day in Tar Valon was to live among the incredible architectural achievements of that race, but this was the first time she had met one face to face. At least Ali was staring with the same open mouth wonder that she felt.

“We get so few travelers to our steeding, less since these creatures of darkness came to the woods beyond, do not fear, they cannot cross the boundaries,” the giant rumbled with a voice like a distant thunderstorm.

“Greetings,” Mave managed after a moment, trying to infuse her voice with an appropriately Aes Sedai level of calm. She glanced back over her shoulder half expecting to see shadowspawn in pursuit but there was nothing to be seen.

“I am Mave Sedai, of the White Tower and this is Master Ali.. that is Alidrin Baldyr of the Two Rivers,” she introduced, remembering at the last moment that Ogier preferred formality especially for introductions.

“We were making our way south when we were set upon by trollocs, and worse,” she explained.

“I am Ogarif, Son of Hym,” the ogier responded. He reached behind the tree and produced a wondrous staff of sungwood, curved and shaped with sublime elegance and yet still half a tree trunk to Mave’s eyes.

“I have been set to watch the woods, the dark ones cannot cross our boundaries but that dosen’t mean we let them go unmonitored,” he said with a rumbling chuckle.

[POOHEAD189]

Alidren Baldyr's lips parted in awe as he gazed at the biggest town he had ever seen. A city! Bigger even than Terran's Ferry. No, it was a hundred times larger than Terran's Ferry! His da had been right, "with docks as far as the eye can see and marshes that can swallow the world." Ali had thought he was exaggerating, but the breadth of the settlement before him now was hard to fathom. At last he said. "I had no idea men could build such things..."

"Well," The merchant Royce said, pulling at the sack of goods on his back. "If you can believe the tales, it was build over the old Dorelle Caromon city, much as it is said Caemlyn was built by the Ogier. But no one really believes that. Such beasts never existed." He was an older man covered in a blue wool coat and brown leathers. He, along with his small caravan of like minded sellers and peddlars had run across Ali and Mave a scant few days ago on the road after they had jumped ship from Remen. Royce took off his wide brimmed hat and wiped the sweat from his balding head.

Ali glanced at the merchant. "Ogier exist. I've seen them."

Royce snorted, and he smiled, showing his poorly maintained teeth. "Ha! That's a good one boy. Let me guess, you've been hunted by Trollocs too and have been on the run, eh? Come now, young master. I wouldn't be saying such stories in the city. All manner of queer folk'll want to take advantage of you, or worse, they'll believe you. You don't want that kind of attention. Anymore than those eyes of yours will get. Nor would you want it for your lady friend either, I tell you."

The tall young man's face reddened at the insinuation, and he turned his head back to see the Aes Sedai at the rear of the group, walking with another woman and laughing. It had been a fortnite since they had stumbled upon the steading, and they had spent four days with the Ogier and over a week on the ship, and three days on the road, skulking and hiding when they could. They had little time to talk alone in the Steading, and even less time to truly speak as they traveled, other than what direction they should go and when they should hide. On the ship there had always been elbows and sweaty shoulders pressed between them. It had been fine days with the sights, but miserable nights.

He wondered if she had been to Illian before. It was where she had been trying to go since they had met. He still fancied her, but he wondered if her feelings had changed. Once they were in the city, would she abandon him? Light, he wouldn't blame her. He'd felt a bumbling fool the entire time they had known one another.

But looking back at the huge city, with the lower, outer town with buildings twice as tall as any in Edmon's Field, and further in where they grew exponentially in size. He wouldn't know where to go. Particularly if she left. He'd be hunted by Darkfriends and hiding among the crowds before he could maybe go light knows where. Camelyn?

Suddenly he jerked and looked around, eyes widened in fear. The quick movement startled the shorter merchant. Royce backed up a step, hands in the air. "Hold young master, what's wrong?" he asked, confused. The Maroon eyed youth looked behind him and in front, swearing he had heard what he thought. It was the same thing the past week. Something no matter where he traveled, he couldn't get away from. As if the Dark One himself haunted him.

"Did you hear that?" Ali asked breathlessly, a cold sweat brimming on his temple.

Royce placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder, looking at him cautiously but trying to smile. "Boy, you need to relax. There's nothing here."

Ali knew he was wrong. He had heard the mad laughter, and the whispers of a nameless fear in what had to be the recesses of his mind.

[Penny]

Mave smiled at Johanna’s joke. The young woman had been good company since they had joined the merchants caravan. While she missed Ali’s company, a situation forced on her by the necessity of not attracting too much attention, she had to admit that it was good to be around another woman. Since coming to the Tower her world had been a female one, other novices, and Accepted and of course Aes Sedai with males largely being the occasional glimpses of Warders and their students. She also had to admit that she was, at least in part, distracting herself from what awaited her in Illian.

The great port city stretched out before them, as they road along the causeway she could see dozens of ships making their way around the point and heading towards the mouth of the great harbor. In Watch Hill she could convince herself that the place was too small and insignificant to have Darkfriends, but here, it was a certainty. There was no way for her to know how much her shadowy opponents knew of her task, but the risk increased as she neared her goal.

“Are you sure you don’t want to say lass?” Rocye asked as she moved to the front of the wagon train to rejoin Ali. The man looked nervous, she suspected because he had never seen a city the size of Illian before.

“I could use a woman that knows her numbers and knows her way around herbs, I’d make space for young master Alidren too,” the old man wheedled. Mave smiled at him. Rocye’s son had fallen sick with a fever during the trip. She had made some show of treating him with herbs and then, once he was asleep had performed a healing weave.

“I’m afraid not master Royce, I have family business here in Illian I must be about, but I wish you safe travels,” she responded. As always she was careful not to tell an outright lie. This was the business of the Tower, of which she was a daughter after all. The merchant sighed theatrically.

“Well you can’t blame me for trying, the Light shine on you both,” declared before shaking Ali’s hand. The both smiled and made their goodbyes before slipping away into the city. An hour later they had found an inn by the unassuming name of the Rosegarden. Mave used some of her dwindling supply of gold to pay for a single room as well as food and access to the bath house. Ali still looked a little unsettled and she resolved to have a talk with him after she bathed. It had been a long time since they left the stedding, the last place she had a chance.

Mave luxuriated in the water, allowing her dark hair to float behind her as she steeped. She had paid of soap and had cleaned herself thoroughly before allowing herself to relax and enjoy a few moments. The smell of the stew that was being prepared for dinner was faintly detectable over the fires that heated the water. Perhaps she would take Ali for a stroll and show him some of the city. She had never been here before but Tar Valon and Caemlyn had prepared her for the sight. She thought she heard a faint sound behind her and turned to find an ordinary looking man standing in the single room of the inns bath house. Her eyes slid off him and she returned to her musing for a moment before the feeling something was wrong washed over her she turned back to the man who was now only a few feet away, a gleaming knife in his hand. Her eyes began to slide away again but the man lunged at her and the motion was enough to restore her interest. She snatched Saidar but the man was on top of her before she could form a weave, she managed to catch his wrist, foiling the knife thrust but he shoved her down under the water with the weight of his body. She clung to his wrist for dear life even as the water closed above her. The man, if that is what he was, dropped the knife and grabbed her with both hands, holding her under the water as she thrashed and struggled.

[POOHEAD189]

Even with his unrelenting lack of experience when it came to the wider world, Ali knew Illian was unusual for a city. As they had approached, it seemed as if the entire infrastructure was made of sweeping towers and palaces, and once they had entered nearly every street was crossed with different canals. A curious thought struck him when he passed by the water ways. Would he and Mave be allowed to take a raft about the city? It would be quicker, and Ali had loved rafting back home when he needed to get somewhere downriver quickly.

Anyone able to read his thoughts would likely see how rustic and whimsical he was, and he felt a tinge of embarrassment. At the current moment, he stood upon the balcony of the multifloored Rosewater inn, overlooking the city and trying to concentrate of what they were to do next. Mave had been somewhat vague on what she needed to do here, and he felt like a sitting duck simply waiting, even though the rest and lack of travel was most welcome.

Below him, a man and a woman walked down the stone street. The fellow sported a large beard that left his upper lip bare, and the woman wore a wide brimmed hat and plucked an olive stem from her mouth, chewing the treat with delight. She glanced his way and saw him looking, and she gave a wink, her rosebud lips curving into a smile. The Emond's Fielder blanched, and he decided to make his way inside the Inn. Light, these people were strange. He realized he must look very much like a tourist, as he had just shaved the stubble of a goatee he had gained, the barest shadow of facial hair now lining his chin and lips. His clothes were decidedly northern, as well.

Should he try to blend in further?

The inner common room was a mixture of tired travelers and well to-do locals, and even a few hunters of the horn. Word had it from their talk that the council was to call another Hunt for the Horn soon. He decided he'd go and see how Mave was taking to the room, but he remembered she was taking her time in the baths. How long had she been in there? He'd at least call to her and see if she needed anything. Ali took the stairs up to the open air room, just outside of the bath area, reaching the apex before he heard a curious sloshing noise.

For a moment, he thought it was her leaving the bath and he made his way to the exit, but then he heard it again, and a third time. Something pricked in the back of his mind, and a mad voice crying out in the depths of his soul.

When she died, I lost the best part of myself. When they died, I lost the best part of the world.

"What?" he asked in his mind. "Who are you?"

There was another slosh, and his mind screamed back into reality. Something was wrong. Modesty be damned, he knew something was wrong. The tall man opened the door to the bathouse, expecting a very confused Mave but instead seeing his worst fears realized. There was a man, devoid of emotion and grey of skin in the water of her bath, his arms thrust into the water as a woman's legs kicked futilely. "Get off of her!" Ali commanded, and for some reason the man stopped for a moment, unable to move for a mere second. It was long enough for Ali to make it to him and wrap his strong arm around the man's neck, pulling him out of the water.

His hand, free from the fizz of the bath held a knife and he slashed as Ali's hip, drawing blood. "Blight take you!" Ali growled as Mave burst out of the water, vomiting up the liquid that had built into her lungs over the side. Alidren couldn't keep the man from stabbing him for long, twisting where he could to keep the knife at bay. He'd gotten second at the last wrestling competition in Emond Field, but his opponent had never had a weapon. Without thinking, he did what his uncle had always told him to do when in a dangerous situation.

He needed to end it, and his muscles corded for a moment as he jerked the man's head and snapped his neck. Disgustingly, the body now flopped, weighted in his grasp. Sensing he was devoid of life, Ali let him fall to the ground heavily and he looked at his hands, suddenly appalled he had taken a life. "I..." He breathed, and then his mind caught up with him and he realized now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Blood and Bloody Ashes!

Mave was now able to breathe, albeit hoarsely. Ali averted his eyes and took the towel she had waiting for her, helping her out of the tub and into the towel, holding her up and steady in his arms. "Mave, light, are you ok? Who was that?"

[Penny]

Water poured out of Mave’s throat as she sucked in air in deep ragged gaps. Her throat felt as though it had been garotted with wire and she was having trouble making her limbs respond to her commands. Somewhere, along way down the list was the fact that she was naked and soaked.

“G...gahh….” she managed as she pushed herself up onto all fours, dark hair hanging lankly over her face before he reached forwrd and brushed it out of the way. She reached out and embraced Saidar, the flow of power and serenity calming her. She could suddenly feel every impresion of the killers fingers on her throat, and could trace every droplet of water on her body.

“Gray man,” she managed, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her torso to provide some vestige of modesty. Ali seemed too focused on the corpse to notice her brief nudity.

“Sh...shadowspawn?” Ali asked, though if he had heard of graymen or if he was just guessing Mave couldn’t tell. She nodded and picked up the dagger the man had carried. It was warm to the touch, greasy and unpleasant in some fashion she couldn’t quite define. Even now her eyes tried to slide away from the body, though the temptation was not nearly so strong now that life had left it. He seemed an ordinary looking man, a little older than middle age, unremarkable in every fashion.

“Do everything be alright in there young lady?” came a call in a thick Illianer accent. Mave and Ali both froze for a moment uncertain of how to proceed.

“Are you alright?” came the voice after another moment.

“I’m fine,” Mave called back, rather more hoarsely than she would have liked, “Just slipped while I was getting out of the tub, i'll be out in a moment.” That was, apparently enough to satisfy the proprieter whose departure was marked with heavy footfalls.

“What should we do with… with the bo… him,” Ali asked. Mave looked around.

“Stand back,” she instructed Ali before laying the dagger on the corpses chest. Reaching out she wrapped the corpse in flows of air and then poured fire into it. Mave squeezed her eyes shut and gave it everything she had, the air containing the fire so that the corpse blazed bright for a few moments before nothing remained but ash. She loosened her weave and a stream of hot ash blew out the window leaving a few drops of cooling metal on the tile floor from the melted dagger.

Had the gray man been looking for Ali and struck at her as a target of oppurtunity? Had it been hunting her? Was it merely preying on anyone who might be Aes Sedai.

“We should get out of here,” he managed before pausing, “And thank you Ali, for my life.” She leaned close to the distraught youth and kissed him briefly on the cheek.

[POOHEAD189]

If other Edmon Fielders were there, they would have told him that nothing comes from getting in the affairs of Aes Sedai. That Mave had somehow bewitched him into leaving his home. His friends would have claimed he was as awkward as a sheared sheep around her. But once she thanked him and pressed her lips to his cheek, he suddenly realized all three might be true, but he wasn't entirely against the ideas.

Light, he was going insane. Probably because he just killed a Darkspawn bear handed.

"Where would we go?" He asked her, only knowing the city layout as well as 'huge palace on the left' and 'spire on the right.' Was Illian even safe enough to remain in, anymore? He could tell despite the authority Mave exuded, someone so young still couldn't betray the lack of surety on her face. Her towel bared form didn't help either.

"We'll figure it out as we go, but we must go."

He didn't need to be told twice, and they fled the premises before the hour was out, Mave clothed and Ali with his staff as they entered the streets and took the first boat upon the canal that they could find. It wasn't as amorous as one might think, having just barely escaped death. But it was calming, and let them get their heads straight.

They passed below bridges, both large and small, Human and Ogier-made. The latter looked as if they had grown stone organically to reach across the canal. He had never seen anything like it before, nor the vast man-made bridges. His eyes were glued to the architecture, and the buildings beyond.

They passed the perfume quarter on the outskirts, smelling of hemp, pitch, and harbor mud, before sweeping inwards toward the large buildings. It was there that they docked, and Ali played the gentleman, helping Mave step off the longboat and onto the stonework for the benefit of the rowman. Then again, he recalled he played that role even when they weren't impressing upon someone.

A gleeman played on the street corner, juggling four knives as he stood upon one foot while a dazzled crowd watched. Their hair shoulder length, some men with powerful shoulders. It surprised Ali to see outlanders as well, or who he guessed were outlanders. Some wore wide-brimmed hats while others had oddly embroidered linen or wool tops. The beak-like noses of others showed Saldean ancestry.

"Hunters of the Horn," Mave breathed.

[Penny]

"Let's join them," Mave declared with sudden inspiration. The moved up into the crowd of eager hunters, many of them were young and boastful though a few were older and hard looking though all of them had a spark in their eye that spoke of a desire for adventure not yet extinguished by the world. The climbed the short flight of stairs into what looked to be a small square when not overtaken by the hunters. There was a carnival atmosphere, enhanced a great deal by several tavern keepers who had rolled out barrels of ale and wine, of no doubt indifferent quality, for which they were charging a few coppers for a cup.

"Ho a beautiful woman and a strapping lad!" cried one of the hunters, a husky looking fellow in a mail shirt with a spiked mace hanging from his belt. He had a bristling black beard that, rather incongruously, had flowers woven into it. A pair of women, both around Mave's age and both appearing rather irritated to have the object of their attention termed 'beautiful', appeared to have done the weaving.

"I'll wager there is a tale to be had here, what are your names, come now, hunters oaths!" he laughed. Mave smiled as best she could. Hunters of the Horn were not exactly inconspicious, but on the other hand they were easy to dismiss as glory hunting fools as well. They might offer her the chance she needed to operate around Illian.

"My name..." Mave faltered, she wasn't bound by the Three Oaths but neither could she lightly lie if she expected to pass herself off as an Aes Sedai.

"I am called Kashvi," she modified quickly, "and I too am a hunter." Neither of those were lies, though neither of them were the whole truth either. Her tutors would certainly have approved.

"Well join us then Kashvi," the fellow boomed expansively before turning his eye to Ali.

"And you lad, who are you to enjoy such fine company?"

[POOHEAD189]

Ali had heard of Hunters of the Horn. Many of them were braggarts and boisterous, but others were dangerous and sly, using subterfuge to find what they sought. If you asked Ali the Horn of Valere was just an old wive's tale made up to amuse the masses like his little sisters back on the farm.

Perhaps Ali wasn't as innocent as some might think, but he was a particularly bad liar. His eyes widened as large as he dared let them when Mave gave them a fake name, and he cleared his throat as if he had something caught in it before he could spit his alias out. "Darian. Erm, I'm an Andorman and this is...Kashvi is my..." He looked at her for help and she caught his eye, her brow lowering and her eyes indicating to say whatever.

"She's my fiance." He said, causing Mave to blush, which in turn had him doing the same. "We met at a festival back home in Caemlyn, one thing led to another."

Before the two of them could speak again, the husky fellow clapped them both on the shoulder, smiling as widely as a cawing crow. "Congratulations, my new friends. Glad you snatched her up because she's a real beauty, my boy. So! I see you two have heard the rumors eh?"

"Uh, we've heard a few...? What-which rumor are you referring to, exactly?" Ali said. The man was bumbling and jovial enough to keep speaking it seemed. He barked a laugh and elbowed Ali, shoving the breath out of his tall form. "You know! The horn..." He began to suddenly whisper as if anyone who had already been listening would stop now. "They say the Horn is in Illian near the Palace. Here or the Stone of Tear are the two top stories so I hear. Good thing too. Taking a trip to Tear might be easy if you board an Illian ship or with the Sea Folk."

[Penny]

Mave thought very quickly considering her options. It was clear that agents of the Shadow were already in Illian and possibly searching for her or for Ali but if they were looking for them here then they hadn't yet found what she was looking for. Their only hope of safety lay in moving as quickly as possible and beating the enemy to their goal. She affected a snicker that the stranger seemed to take some offense too. The tough folded his arms at the laughter.

"What's so funny girl?" he demanded, his tensing body language pleasing the two girls who stood by his side.

"I've told you what I am called, perhaps you should return the favor?" she suggested. The man bristled but nodded his head.

"I am known as Darius Klien, perhaps you have heard of me?" he asked preening slightly. Mave exchanged a glance with Ali and shrugged.

"Afraid not," she admitted concealing a smile at the mans discomfort.

"I was a Captain in the Murandian Royal Guard before I took my oath!" he boasted. Mave had her doubts about that, the Kingdom of Murandy was many things but if it had an army more developed that cattle raiders with a few tattered banners she hadn't heard about it during her history classes at the Tower. None the less Mave let out a slight gasp as though most impressed.

"Then perhaps you are the very man we need," she said conspiratorially. Darius leaned forward his female companions forgotten his eyes alight with an enthusiasm for adventure and glory.

"If you have two or three men you can trust, I have heard a strange tale, told me by an Aes Sedai, strange enough for the Hunt and no mistake!"

[POOHEAD189]

Ali wasn't certain if Mave was trying to trick these men or if she truly was impressed. The large ex-soldier wasn't quite as tall as Ali, but he was likely heavier than the farmboy by half. He wondered for a moment if he was jealous as Mave and the man leaned in to each other, but one look at the women glaring at Mave and he knew he didn't quite feel how they looked.

"Well we trust you," Mave said sweetly. "What is it, good sir? I love fireside tales."

The apparently Murandian Guardsman smiled and whispered to her and Ali, cupping his mouth with one hand to keep the other women from reading his lips which only enraged them further. It gave Ali flashbacks to Emonds Field where'd joke with some of his friends and the girls he'd been speaking to seemed to get annoyed. It was like a slap in the face.

"You heard of the Damona Mountains ay? Up north of here." He said, placing a hand on Ali's shoulder as he spoke. "Jagged mountains near impassable to...well pass. I've heard tell of some strange and unique treasures up that way. Best to ware where you trek up there. Most places not on the main path end up in dead ends or sheer drops."

"Oh we simply must go!" Mave exclaimed to Ali with bright eyes, and even though he knew it was an act it had him blushing. Her eyes whipped from Ali to Darius. "Sir, do you know anyone who would come with us? If we can't find the horn, we need something for the dowry so we could finally be wed. And well, we're kind of thirsting for adventure..."

"You two seem to be the type," He laughed, and waved over two other Hunters who had been trying to garner the women's attention with little success. There was a tall, lanky man with a topknot and one eye covered in a patch. A borderlander it seemed. The way he moved, Ali would not wish to catch himself fighting this one knife to knife. The other man was Altaran, with dark eyes and curly black hair. He seemed cheerful and full of jest. Somehow Ali still found him somewhat intimidating and he couldn't quite figure out why.

"This here is Tanil and Deslan. No two finer hunters of the horn will you find this side of the westerlands. So lads, feel like trekking up to the mountains for a spot?"

[Penny]

After some negotiation it was agreed. Mave and Ali spent the night in one of the inns nearby. Given the rabble of drunken hunters who inhabited the place, laying down wards was a difficult task, but after the encounter with the Gray Man she wasn't willing to take any chances. They took a room with a single door and slept in shifts. As she sat awake watching, Mave wondered if this was what it was like to be an Aes Sedai. Most sisters more or less remained in Tar Valon from the day the put on the White till their deaths. Was it fear of this kind of stalking, of these unseen enemies all around? Even when Ali relieved her she found it hard to close her eyes.

They woke early in the morning and ate a spare breakfast of stale bread and ale before heading out. Coin was beginning to run low but Mave spent some of what she had on outfitting their small party. They purchased a pair of hardy ponies, of a kind with those the prospectors who worked the foothills of the Damora mountains were familiar with, as well as some rations, waterskins and other necessities.

Darius, as well as Tanil and Deslan were waiting for them by the saddlery as agreed. Tanil kept largely silent and Darius looked as though the wine he had been enjoying last night had taken its toll. Deslan on the other hand was full of life, chatting with an enthusiasm which which was setting Darius' teeth on edge. All were wearing armor, mostly leathers though Tanil had a chain shirt that clinked beneath his cloak. All carried swords and Tanil had a powerful short bow and a quiver of arrows, though it lacked the impressive length of Ali's weapon. Darius was full of ideas as to what Mave should spend her coin on, full or dire warnings of what would befall them if they attempted the trek without them. For the most part she ignored his advice, relying instead on Ali's experience of woodcraft. Each suggestion she took from Ali seemed to make Darius grind his teeth and she made a few minor purposes just to mollify the Mundarian.

The sun was well up by the time they rode out of the northern gate, taking the long road north towards Murandy. They guards asked their destination, to which Mave replied they were headed north with a nod at Darius. The Mundarian had preened and the guard had jumped to the conclusion they were bound for Murandy, another misdirection without an actual lie.

"Best be careful miss," the guard told her as she tossed him a coin, "road be lousy with bandits." The guard pulled his pot style helmet down over his brow and cast a skeptical look at her companions.

"Every second man who says he is a Hunter for the Horn is a bandit the moment your back is turned."

[POOHEAD189]

How he had arrived there, he did not know. Only by the will of the dark one himself could this have happened, and what he saw was beyond his fear and the death of hope. The Blasted Lands of the Blight swepts under his gaze like a preview to the unmaking of the world, and passed the scarred, bony landscape of beasts was the very bore itself. The scene came to a crescendo when he saw a mountainous crag that towered into the sky; a knife of black iron and flame that belched forth the incinerating essence of Shaitan himself. The very thought of it made him wish he was allowed to buckle his knees and fall to the ground in obsequiousness, but he was forced to watch until he saw the very face of the devil itself.

A blackened face in terrible contortion, with eyes that glowed of evil and a mouth that leaked out hellfire. The stately figure suddenly towered over him, and in his hands were the man's very soul. Horror and dread filled him, but he could still not look away as the energy was life was drained out of him, and he fell headlong into the fires of Shayo Ghul to meet his end, with but one last message granted to him by his benefactor.

"Seek the boy with the red eyes..."

Jaichim Carridin awoke with a start, sweat pouring off of his body. He felt himself and realized he was still whole and untouched, but to his horror, he slid the sheets off himself to reveal a blackened handprint beside his bed, and smoke coiled from the burnt area.

---

The path was not rough at first, winding through the lightly wooded forest to the north, cultivated for centuries by Illianers for lumber and various fruits. Their wine fields were to the east, Ali had discovered through overhearing Deslan prattle on and on about how he supped much of its bounty the night previously. Darius Klien seemed to enjoy the conversation, though he was always looking around suspiciously in Ali's opinion. He had taken a liking of Mave, but it seemed more like he wanted to impress a pretty girl than anything truly nefarious, especially considering Ali was playing the role of her fiance.

Tanil seemed to appear ahead of them and behind them at will, though it was always after Ali was certain the man had been right beside him a moment before. As for himself, he carried himself as tall as he could, his bow strung and set along his back and his staff in his hand like a walking stick. Always best to have it on hand, his father had told him, and if they think it's just a stick, more fool them. Death came swiftest to those that underestimated someone, he suspected. He just hoped he didn't need to prove or disprove that theory anytime soon.

"So Darian, where did you learn to shoot the bow?" Darius asked, giving him a sidelong glance. "That's a big one for a Camelyn bow, but I guess I'm not expert."

It took Ali more than a second to remember that was the name he had given himself, and when Mave gave him an expectant look it clicked in his head. He was glad he wasn't at the farm anymore, else he would have been called woolheaded by countless people. See if they take the deception better!

"Oh uh... outside. I...I learned from my father. He was a soldier in the war when the Aiel attacked." He explained, realizing he could tell the truth in most of that capacity anyway.

"He must have gotten the bow in the war too. How far can you shoot that thing?" He asked, genuinely curious Ali thought.

"I can kill a deer at two hundred yards if there's nothing in my way. If I had to I could shoot almost twice that far, but I don't know if I could hit anything I wanted to." He confessed. Not as good as his da or Brimford Coplin, but he still felt proud at being the third best shot in the two rivers.

"Must be those special eyes of yours! That'd be a fine shot."

[Penny]

Mave cast a glance back at the men as they talked. Ali was certainly capable of taking care of himself, but she preferred that conversation not linger on his strange eyes. If she were back in Tar Valon she would be in the library, searching for some mention of the strange condition. It wasn't as though she though Ali was dangerous, but it was unique in her experience. Even though she had confidence in Ali, the strangeness of his eyes would attract attention.

"What about you Kashvi?" Darius asked, edging his horse forward to talk to her alone while Ali was occupied. Surruptitously she thrust the parchment map she had brought from Tar Valon into a pouch. She had been comparing the mountain tops to the map as they wound there way up into the foothills. They had already left the major roadway taking one of the more minor pathways up towards the mountains. The forest was thickening around them. Occasionally

"What about you, you don't look Andoran," he began, running his hand through his hair in what he probably imagined was a suave guesture.

"I'm from Arad Doman," she said truthfully, "my parents are merchants who do business in Andor." To her knowledge her parents had never done any bussiness in Andor, but it seemed unlikely that the lie could ever be proven.

"And you met Ali there?" he asked, a slight distaste coming into his voice. Mave didn't respond, her eyes scanning the woods. Back beyond the trees she caught sight of occasional hut, small farms, lumber jacks dwellings, and from the smell, charcoal burners. Judging by the ruts in the road it was still fairly well traveled. Darius followed her gaze.

"According to the Illianers, there is a village not to far ahead, Hollowbrook," Darius supplied, proving to Mave that he was more than a mass of muscle. She hadn't asked around herself, fearful of leaving a trail that the agents of the Shadow who seemed to be hunting her.

"Perhaps we should spend the night," Mave pondered, it would be dark soon and there seemed little point in wandering around in the mountains after dark.

As it turned out, dark was almost upon them by the time they reached Hollowbrook. It was a picturesque place, located beside a small lake which was fed from streams up in the Damora mountains. It wasn't a huge body of water but it was large enough that several small fishing boats were tied up along the gravel beach. The town itself was perhaps two dozen homes and a large inn of stone and half timber construction. A wall of grey stone enclosed a broad courtyard attached to an impressive stable of locally cut timber and thatch. A half dozen wagons were in the courtyard some loaded with pelts, others pilled with bundled supplies. At least one of the wagons belonged to a traveling peddler, its sides hung with pots and pans. Several teamsters sat on the edge of a stone flower bed, puffing at pipes and sipping ale from wooden tankards. There eyes followed the new comers as they rode into the courtyard.

Mave swung down out of her saddle and a cheerful looking boy with a lazy eye trotted forward to take the riegns of her horse, tugging at his forelock. Mave took a coin from her purse and tossed it to him. Lazy eye or not he snatched the coin from the air just fine.

"Stable for the night," she told the boy and led the small party in through the stone lintel of the inn.

[POOHEAD189]

Picturesque was right. The setting sun amid the trees and low lying buildings was just the foreground for the Damona mountains in the distance that reached into the sky like knives. It was a grand view, but there was something off about the mountain range. In some ways it was even stranger than the Mountains of Mist, though he wagered he would rather go up the Damona Mountains still. They just had the look of something other than nature making them. Light, the outside world was strange. Hollowbrook hadn't even fazed him, but now that he thought of it, the town had buildings bigger than Emond's Field and nearly the size of Baerlon's homes. When he went back to the farm, he would have many tales to tell. Some he would have rather never experienced, he realized.

Ali dismounted next to Mave, Darius reining in his horse a few yards past them with the other two. The three likely enjoyed the idea of being on horses for just that much longer. Ali could not blame them. If he was better at riding them, he would have felt the same.

The Riverrush Inn was larger than the Winespring, albeit only slightly. It didn't have an alehouse connected to it, but Ali had recognized a brewery as they rode in, likely giving some good stock to the place which boded well for them. He could use a drink, though he was a bit hazy on what was good and what was poor, save for the ale back home. Ali noticed he hadn't been the only one who noticed things.

Catching the looks the teamsters gave them, Ali bent down to whisper to Mave. "I guess they don't get a lot of travelers here?" He whispered.

"They think, correctly as far as we're concerned, that we're Hunters for the Horn." She whispered back conspiratorially.

"Oh good," He said a bit more boldly as the two stepped into the Inn, the three true hunters following behind. "Erm, that's still good, yeah?"

[Penny]

"Hunters are a crown a dozen here about," she replied, wrapping an arm around him and squeezing herself against him. She felt him stiffen slightly at the unexpected contact.

"You said we were betrothed remember," she whispered to him, "It would hardly to if we didn't show any affection."

The interior of the inn was a large warm space, well light by a fire and by several lanterns which hung from the dark oak rafters. Villagers sat at circular wooden tables, each of which was marked with the mositure rings of generations of ale steins. Several tables had been there was no bar, but several tables had been positioned to section off the entryway to the back room through which Mave could pick out barrels of ale and jugs of wine resting on shelves. There was a large stone hearth in which blazed a fire and a pot of stew bubbled in a large iron cauldron.

Conversation stilled as they entered as all eyes turned to them. Expressions were mixed. Some of the patrons, older villagers glared at them with suspicion, while younger ones looked at them with interest and even excitement. A matronly woman bustled across the wooden planked floor, her sharp glance slapping away curious eyes.

"I do be Mistress Sindi," she announced with surprising dignity, "welcome to the River Rush Inn. How can I be of service?" The tone was cautious and her eyes dropped to the weapons carried by the men. It obviously disturbed her to see armed travelers but she relaxed slightly as her eyes fell on Mave, presumably reasoning that the presence of an apparently unarmed young woman meant that the likelihood of trouble was decreased. Given the events of the last several months, that wasn't a good bet, but Mave was hardly going to diasabuse her.

"We are travelers from Illian, seeking food and lodging. I am called Kashvi," Mave told her with a smile. She touched her pouch so that the coins inside clinked, indicating she could pay. In truth her funds were dwindling but there was more than enough for their current needs. She wondered if the three Hunters had any coin, probably not. If it became necessary she would find more funds, though how she wasn't sure.

"Well food we have, but I'm afraid I only have one room to let," Cindi said with an appologetic glance. A young woman, perhaps fifteen or so slipped out of the kitchen area behind Cindi, obviously a daughter by the resemblence. She was wearing a simple wool dress covered by an apron and her hair was tied back with pieces of colored ribbon. She eyed the newcomers with curiosity, taking far more time than she needed to deliver a loaf of bread and mug of ale to a pair of tradesmen smoking at corner table.

"One room, will be fine," Mave responded, glancing back over her shoulder at her companions. Cindi colored.

"Mistress Kashvi, I certainly wouldn't ask you to share a room with these...men!" Cindi blurted. Mave opened her mouth to object but the innkeeper rushed on.

"My daughter Myraia, will share her room with you, if that is agreeable?" It wasn't particularly, Mave had no wish to be separated from her company, but outraging the locals would hardly be a productive step either. She nodded her head in acquiescence.

"That is very kind of you Mistress," she said graciously as she could. The settled down at a table and Cindi brought bowls of stew and flagons of ale for the men. Mave took wine for the sake of politeness, though she would have preferred water to the sour, resinous red she received. The stew was hot and filling, in truth better than anything she had eaten since she and Ali had left the Two Rivers. The table of hunters became the focus of attention of the village youngsters, many of whom crept closer to listen to the conversation, much to the horror of their elders. Darius began to recount an unlikely tale about how he had been captured by pirates on the Shadow Coast, drawing him the attention he clearly craved. Mave who found the story unlikely, to say the least, found her attention wandering. She wanted to be in privacy studying her map, though in truth she had memorized every nuance of it months ago. Now that she was nearing her goal, or so she hoped, she found herself unexpectedly daunted. The mountains before her were vast and she could spend a life time, even the very long lifetime of an Aes Sedai, searching and never find what she was looking for. Her thoughts drifted to Ali and as she turned to look at him her eyes caught something on the mantle piece of the fire. Excusing herself she stood and walked over to it. It was a small piece of what looked to be black veined marble, shaped into the likeness of a strange lizard.

"Eh, like the Mill Stone do you?" an old toothless man whom Mave had taken to be asleep asked. He stirred at his table and sipped at a nearly empty flagon.

"That dosen't look like a millstone to me," Mave objected, taking a seat across from the old man. She waved her hand and the serving girl, Myriah, bought a fresh flagon of ale over to the old man.

"Much obliged missy," the old man said smacking his lips, "I'm Tye, when I can remember my name anyway."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance Master Tye," Mave responded politely.

"Just Tye, Master Tye was my father," the old man rejoined cackling at his own joke. Mave couldn't help but smile back.

"I am called Kashvi," she responded in kind. The old man took a swig of ale.

"Is that what they call you?" he asked. Mave had the sudden uncomfortable feeling the old man knew more than he was letting on but she simply nodded her head.

"That dosen't look much like any millstone I have ever seen," she replied, steering the conversation back onto course. Tye nodded, taking a draught of his ale.

"Aye, it is the Mill Stone," he repeated, emphasising the seperation between the two terms.

"Ah I see, it came from a mill then?" Mave asked, still not entirely clear.

"When I was a lad, Jenkins' mill was struck by lightning," Tye told her, pausing to drain his glass. Mave guestured for and was provided with another refill. She caught Ali watching her across the room and gave him a quick encouraging smile.

"It was a terrible storm, all wind and no rain, burned like a torch it did," Tye said taking his new flagon with as much gusto as he had shown for the old one. It clearly wasn't everyday he had both an attentive audience and a supply of free drinks.

"When the ashes cooled, all that was left was a pile of broken mud bricks and ash," Tye went on.

"He never rebuilt it, by then Old Jenkin had married Mistress Farvenu quite the scandal at their ages and with Master Farvenu not three weeks in the ground.."

"And the stone?" Mave prompted, doing her best to derail what was likely a long and pointless digression. Tye looked a little shocked that she had spoken at all, but quickly refocused.

"Oh aye, the found it in one of the bricks, a wonder for a while, but its just been gathering dust since then," he concluded. Mave nodded her head.

"And they never rebuilt the mill you said?" she asked, "I mean you must have a mill." Tye clucked as though the question was foolish.

"Aye but Jenkins place was always too far out town anyway, people had been complaining for years about having trapsie all that way, uphill besides." Mave kept talking for another five minutes but her mind was already spinning. She didn't doubt the Mill Stone had survived a fire and a lightning strike. It was obvious to her that the object was no simple stone. It was cuendilliar, heartstone, a relic of the age of legends, and was certainly worth more than the entire inn, possibly the entire village.

"We need to find a place called Jenkin's mill," Mave told Ali as they walked along the pebble beach. Several other couples were promenading also. It seemed the custom in Hollobrook and lanterns had been hung from poles to illuminate the path. Seniors stood up on the bank, chatting and keeping a notional eye on the youngsters below. She had pried Ali away from the boasting Hunters as soon as she could reasonably do so. She explained to him about the cuendilliar figurine.

"I'm not sure how it came to be there, but I have a sense... a feeling, that it is somehow important."

[POOHEAD189]

Ali had the mind to play some dice this night, to see if his luck still held as much to get a few extra coins. For some reason he felt more in control when playing dice than he did in his normal life, as contradictory as that seemed. Even now he could feel the dice rattling in his head, but he didn't know just where they landed.

"Jenkin's Mill? I don't..." He began, then shook his head. Ever he was aware at her arm around his waist and his own stiff hand on her opposite shoulder. He spoke quietly everytime another couple passed them by. "Well, you are the Aes Sedai. It seems odd that something so important would be in such an backwood place, but apparently the enemy is seeking me and I'm about as backwood as you can get, so I can't really judge. We'll go tomorrow then, or later tonight if we don't want to be seen?"

He thought for a moment, gazing up into the night sky. It was a tad cloudy, but every now and then he could see the twinkling of a star. He fancied he could still see Lenn and his daughter Salya up in the sky, chasing the moon and stars. It made him think of the Gleeman back in Emond's Field, the one they left out in the woods. He doubted they would ever see him again. If cuendilliar was from the Age of Legends, or even the First Age like Lenn and Salya, he knew it must be as powerful as Mave said it was.

"I wonder Cuendilliar can be used for?" He asked aloud, before a voice screamed in his ear. 'Weapons! Armor! The key to the world by conquest!' and Ali jolted, suddenly realizing the voice had been in his head. He noticed Mave noticed his jolt, and she stiffened.

"What is it?"

"Nothing! I...I just get a bit overwhelmed I guess, with all of this." He replied, though in truth, he was a bit freaked out by how quickly he was adjusting. "I won't lie and say I don't miss the farm, though I never thought I would say it-"

"I'm still sorry I caused you to leave." Mave replied, clearly feeling a modicum of guilty feelings, though they both knew it truly wasn't her fault.

"Wait, wait. I was going to say, I'm still glad I can go out and see the world. You've probably been across the breadth of the world twice." He chuckled, his statement slowing to a whisper as another young couple walked past them. The two held hands even as they held one another, making Ali and Mave look a bit more formal by comparison. It made him think of the kiss they had shared before they had to flee the Two Rivers. The one they hadn't spoken about since.

Damned if I bring it up, he told himself. If she doesn't wish to think about it again I need to throw the image out of my head. He seemed very lost in thought at the moment, though his hand felt a bit more natural across her shoulders. From the window, neither Mave nor Ali saw Darius staring with a keener eye than he had shown either since they had met, and slowly the man closed the curtains and vanished out of sight.

[Penny]

Mave woke in the night. The evening had passed pleasantly she had walked with Ali until the other young people began to break of and return to their homes and then followed suit and returned to the inn, having decided to head for the old mill the next day. Eager as she was to press on, Mave could see no good that would come from stumbling around in the dark. Truthfully it might be difficult to locate the ruin even druing the day. Myriah's room was one of several on the inns second floor. It was large and contained too beds, having evidently once been home to an older sibling who was now married or following their own trade. The girl had prattled on for a time before falling asleep, asking all manner of questions about the Hunt for the Horn. Mave had answered the girl as best she could, but the interrogation was wearing and she had fallen asleep before the girl had finished speaking. Now though... Someone was in her room.

Slowly she opened her eyes, seeing nothing but shapes in the dark. Reaching out she opened herself to the True Source, allowing the life affirming glow of Saidar flow into her. At once the shadows sharpened and she could make out contrasts which had been invisible to her a moment before. A figure was carefully rifling through the small pouch of possessions Mave had stowed at the end of the bed. Her hand snapped forward and caught the figure by the wrist. Myriah let out a scream and tried to pull away jerking Mave off balance and spilling her satchel across the ground.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the girl blurted and Mave let her go. She staggered back against the wall.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it is rude to go through other peoples things?" Mave demanded acidly.

"I'll help you pick up just let me..." Myriah began, turning to unshutter a lantern. Warm light filled the room as she lifted the shutter and extended the wick. Warm light which spilled across the upturned satchel and its contents. The great serpent ring glinted on the floorboards. Myriah's eyes widened in shock. The door opened.

"Myriah are you ok?" her mother demanded, peering musily into the room, draped in a night gown of white muslin. Mave plucked the ring from the ground in a smooth motion and stuffed it into the bag, repeating the motion with the map and other few personal possessions she had.

"Your pardon's mistress, the contents of my pack spilled," she explained, truthfully enough. Myriah's eyes were very wide, almost panicked. To the common people Aes Sedai were creatures out of nightmare, to be feared and despised. Darkfriends many people claimed. The girl was close to weeping. Luckily Mistress Sindi was too sleepy to have appeared to have noticed.

"Ah, well back to bed with the pair of you," she said said with a yawn, slipping back through the door and closing it behind her. Myriah took a shaking step towards the door but Mave pinned her with her best 'Aes Sedai' look. It appeared to work because they girl froze like a rabbit in front of a snake.

"Please... please dont hurt me Aes Sedai," the girl wailed in a desperate whisper wringing her hands and backing away.

"Oh do sit down girl," Mave snapped, "I'm not going to hurt you, and if I am an Aes Sedai you know that my word is good." Myriah took a moment, clearly seraching for some loophole in what she had said.

"What... what about your men and your Warder?" she stammered. Mave blinked in confusion.

"My... oh friends downstairs you mean?" she clarified. Presumabley by 'her warder' she meant Ali, but perhaps not, who knew what fancififul notions the girl had.

"You have my word that they won't hurt you either," she allowed. That did seem to relax the girl, though she edged away as though Mave were a poisonous serpent.

"My ma says that Aes Sedai come in the night to steal away girl children to imprison in their tower," the girl said, teeth all but visibly chattering. Mave finished repacking her satchel. She fished out her ring and threaded a leather cord through it and hung it around her neck so it was concealed by her night gown.

"We don't do that," Mave assured. It was true that if an Aes Sedai discovered someone could channel, that they would go to extraordinary lengths to bring them to Tar Valon for training. The Sisterhood had been diminishing for millenia and each new sister was an ornament to the Tower. Such discoveries were incredibly rare however, and the majority of initiates were those who had come to Tar Valon voluntarily in order to be tested. Once a girl put on the White though, she could expect to remain in the Tower until she attained a shawl or the Tower put her out. Mave tried not to think about that. She didn't feel like there had been any choice for her other than to take up this quest, but when she returned to Tar Valon, the reckoning might be severe.

"What... what are you doing here?" Myriah said, falling into a sitting position on her own bed. It seemed it was more in shock then genuine desire to sit down. Mave mirrored the action, sitting down on the feather stuffed mattress.

"I'm ... researching," Mave said carefully, "that is one thing we do, seek out forgotten knowledge." Myriah nodded.

"Are you here about the monsters?" she asked, warming slightly to the topic. Mave cocked an eyebrow.

"Monsters?" she asked. Myriah nodded eagerly.

"The lumberjacks say there are monsters up in the mountains, they come down sometimes in the winter and take people," she explained. The lack of concern seemed to indicate that she thought it was more of a myth than a reality but Mave felt a slight chill go through her.

[POOHEAD189]

The wheel weaves as the wheel wills. Ali was up as well, though it was from being unable to sleep. Everytime he closed his eyes, he felt as if he was being watched. It was during the late hours of the night, just as Mave had her scare, that he sat in the empty common room. The lights were out, though the fireplace was still lit with a dying flame. The tall youth leaned against the hallway wall, lost in his own mind on the journey before them. Or maybe he was simply too tired to really have a coherent idea in his head. Whichever it was, it certainly left him open to what was about to happen next.

"I've been meaning to catch you alone." A harsh voice said as a strong hand grabbed his neck, the other pulling his arm behind his back before he could use his strength. Ali's warm body suddenly went cold from fear, but the hand on his neck squeezed when he panicked, causing him to wheeze. "Talk about some things man to man." He recognized the voice, and it came from someone about as tall as he.

"Darius?" He gasped, trying to wrap his head around what exactly was happening. "Light, what are you doing?"

"I told you, I just want to talk boy. You're a tough one to find, but easy to trick apparently." He whispered mirthfully, and didn't let go of Ali, prompting him to consider this more than a friendly scare amongst comrades. His mind was hazy from a lack of sleep and his held throat, but he focused and steadied himself, like his da had taught him when he was little when hunting deer. "You're pretty famous around a few circles I hang around. Does your little girlfriend know what you are?"

"What?" He asked incredulously, threatening to lose the focus he desperately needed. "What do you mean, what I am?"

"The boy with the dark red eyes..." Darius said cryptically. Ali found himself curious beyond belief, and yet his body moved even when his mind wanted him to fish for more information. He suddenly stomped on Darius's foot with his own booted heel, and just as the pain registered in Darius's mind, he drove his elbow into the big man's stomach. Instinctively the man's grip loosened. Ali managed to shove his arm aside and free himself from the man's grasp. Surprisingly, Darius sent a left hook, recovering almost immediately. Ali moved with the flame in his mind, ducking the blow as if he had expected it since that morning.

"Bastard! I'll kill you and throw your body in front of the dark one himself! He'll make me an Emperor!" The man snarled, grabbing at the Emond's Fielder. Ali struck first, landing a punch to the spot he had elbowed, cracking a rib and weakening his foe. His next blow caught the man in the face and sent him to the ground, landing hard on the wooden panel of the floor like a dropped sack of flour.

"It's a bit hard to give edicts with a broken jaw." Ali said, clenching his bloodied fist.

His steely eyed resolve was short lived when Darius drew out a small knife, barely a letter opener. But rather than use it on Ali, he gritted his teeth and stabbed his own neck. Ali's jaw dropped as blood gushed out of the wound like an opened cask of wine, and he could barely breathe out 'Blood and Bloody Ashes' before Darius was dead. The moments passed and he was frozen stiff in the hallway just above the body.

Move fool! Move! He told himself, and he used every bit of willpower to leave the hall and go find Mave.