Fanfic:Aljen's Three Arches
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The First Arch
Aljen had just become Asha'man, and had been given leave to go and find the band of Tuatha'an that his family belonged to. He had removed his sword and put it in his pack before approaching his band. A sword? When did I learn how to use a sword? he asked himself.
'The way back comes but once' a voice seemed to echo in his head, 'be steadfast,' an even fainter echo came. what was that, he thought.
He smiled as he saw the familiar colored wagons of the Tuatha'an, and rode his horse over to where they were. As he came to the band her heard a voice that he had hoped to hear more than any other, "Aljen, you did come back, I had a dream that you would come." He turned to see his sister Kassadea, and took her in a warm embrace.
'The way back comes but once... be steadfast' the echo came again.
Ignoring the echo, Aljen spoke to his sister, "I'm so happy to see you again Kassadea, I have so much to share with you. Would you walk with me before I enter the camp?" he asked overjoyed at being with his people again.
"Oh certainly," she said with a smile, "the wooded area just around the hill is a good place for walking."
"To the woods them," he replied. Kassadea had always loved threes, and Aljen thought that she would have lived in the woods if she had not been Tuatha'an. "I've been working on a project since I left and went to the Grey Tower," he said producing a small red rod.
"I remember, you wrote us about tools of the power. Is that one of them? One of the ter'angreal" she said the word funny, but was very excited as she looked at it.
"Oh yes," he said, as he handed it to her, and felt the impressions that went with handing ter'angreal go with it. "It's activated by holing it with one palm on each end, try it." He said as she took it.
When she did the ter'angreal made the weave that Aljen had intended, and the outcome was that Kassadea vanished before him, "That's amazing," she said before reappearing, "what a wondrous things you've learned to do," she said in awe as they reached the woods.
When the started through the trees, Kassadea spoke up, and fidgeted her hand on her skirt, which was a sign that some thing was heavy on her mind. "Aljen the most odd thing happened as I was in the woods yesterday. I was walking and a great cat came out after me. I was petrified, but right before it came upon me, a large bough form a tree fell and crushed it."
"That is odd," he said, he had heard the stories of wilders and wondered if she had the ability to channel. Suddenly Kassadea gave a shriek, "Aljen it hurts, make it stop..." she fell over writhing in pain. She was having a reaction to touching the source. It would pass, but Aljen would need to take her to safety, and then to the Tower.
'The way back comes but once... be steadfast'. An arch way appeared in the trees this time. "No not now!" he yelled at it, "Not now."
He seized hold of saidin, 'The way back comes but once... be steadfast'. "No!" he looked at his sister as she pleaded for his help.
'The way back comes but once... be steadfast'. This time he jumped through the arch yelling, "The Light save me," as he came out into the chamber.
The Second Arch
The morning was bright and cool; an excellent day for riding. Aljen, Liana, and Caith had been traveling to a village in the outskirts of Altara on a report form the Indigo eyes and ears. They said that there was some sort of ter'angreal there that some one had been keeping in their home, and that they wanted to have it taken away before the Seanchan found it.
He had been dressed in what had been called 'Decent Andoran clothes' after he had thought that his choice of Tuatha'an garb would look inconspicuous for travel in Seanchan controlled lands. As they came near the village Caith had gone ahead to scout out the situation there.
"This ter'angreal better be worth the risk of entering Seanchan lands," Aljen said. 'The way back comes but once... be steadfast'. How odd... he thought.
"Aljen, between Caith and thee, I am ne'r at risk. Light, I think you both together conspire against me, and would have me locked straight and safe away in the Tower ne're to leave until the end of the Third Age." She challenged him with a smile, "If I were to let you get away with it."
'The way back comes but once... be steadfast'. Aljen shook his head at that. "you'd get yourself into too much trouble with out us." he said, and then went on, "you get yourself into more trouble then I like with us." he added, but then gave her a playful smile.
Before Liana could respond Aljen felt the familiar prickle on his skin that let him know that a woman was holding saidar. He looked over questioningly to his Lady, as a look of terror came over her face. She raised her hands to gesture and perform the weaves, but nothing happened. "I am shielded!" she cried wide-eyed.
Aljen turned and saw a group of Seanchan soldiers on the crest of the hill behind them, with three damane. He drew his sword, just to have it wiped out of his hands by the power. They had ignored him for the most part, a man with out a sword was no threat to them.
Seizing saidin he bound the Seanchan horses with Air, but the damane and sul'dam continued down the hill. Tying off his weaves on the horses, Aljen began punching the damane with fists of spirit to sever their weave, But it was to no avail, for soon one of them latched a silver a'dam onto Liana. She struggled violently, but was unhorsed and dragged across the ground.
"No! " she shrieked, pulling the leash, but it was pulling her away as she struggled. "Aljen! Help! Please Aljen..." she cried as she was dragged away from him.
"Liana!" he called as he used the power to block the sul'dam that held his Lady.
'The way back comes but once... be steadfast', and a silver arch appeared. He looked at the arch as he heard Liana scream for him. "I can't go back; not yet," he yelled.
He tried channeling at the a'dam on her neck, ignoring the arch. 'The way back comes but once... be steadfast'. "Aljen, there hurting me...!" the rider had stopped, but Liana was writhing in pain from invisible blows. Aljen's hart was griped with pain. He had to save his Lady, but yet somehow he knew that if he did not go through that arch now all would be lost.
He heard Liana call for him one last time before he ran through the arch, "I'm so sorry", he sobbed as light engulfed him.
The Third Arch
Aljen sat at his writing desk, he had been quite disturbed by the new that his eyes and ears had been reporting to him. Not only were relationships between the Ajahs falling apart, but as he got closer to reason the more he suspected the Black Ajah was at the core of the matter.
He unsealed and read the newest report that he had received.
Aljen Asha'man,
At lest three of the people of interest will be found in the Library seven hours after low.
The Kitchens.
That was all it said, but it was all that he needed to know. The people in question were of course some that he suspected of being Black Ajah.
'The way back comes but once... be steadfast'. Ignoring the voice in his head, he pickup one of the rocks on his desk. It was a ter'angreal he had made while a soldier, and had been more useful than he had originally thought. Taking the stone he wove a small flow of spirit into it, and became invisible; it was nearly seven after low now.
He crept through the corridors of the tower, and moved quickly up the stars until he came to the library. As he entered he could hear muffled voices that sounded like a bit of arguing.
"How do we know that what the Chosen told us is true?" Aljen's hart stopped at that; so they were Black Ajah.
"That is not ours to question, besides all we have to do is open the gateways, and the trollocs and myrddraal will take care of the rest of our worries." Said a second voice.
Then a third voice chimed in, "With the Ajahs in discord there will be too much confusion, for anyone to do anything before it's too late."
'The way back comes but once... be steadfast'. The echo came, but all Aljen could think of was how to warn the Tower before they started. The only thing he had that would do was a malfunctioning project he had in his pocket. A glass ball that he had used to try and figure out how to make a Sa'angreal. All he could get it to do was draw large amounts of Spirit into itself when he tried to channel through it, but he could use none of it. However if he set it off now it would get the attention of every male channeler in the tower. He would tie off the weave, and it would work as a beckon to alert the tower that something was happening.
He with drew the ball from his pocket, and dropped it with a clank. The ball rolled away form him, but as went for it he could feel saidin being channeled, and a weave of spirit and fire forming. They've already started. I don't have much time. he thought in a panic.
Soon he heard the roar of trollocs; the gate must have been opened, and he had to find that ball before it was too late.
Just as it caught his eye, as silver arch appeared. 'The way back comes but once... be steadfast' the echo came again.
He knew he had to go, but he reached for the ter'angreal all the same. He cried out as it slipped from his fingers, and a trollocs started coming from around the book selves.
If only he could reach that ball. 'The way back comes but once... be steadfast'
Turning he realized that the arch was the only way for him to help anybody, and he jumped through the blinding white light.
