Fanfic:As the World Falls Down

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As the World Falls Down
Author(s)
  • Dan
  • Eve
  • Katy
Character(s)
Harp-icon.png This is a piece of fanfiction.
Only the original author(s) or Librarian(s) should make content changes to this page.




A frightened cry woke Jip and he sat up at once, aware and listening, the cry again, it was Amil, Isabel's nephew. Jip got out of bed and went through to the second room where the child slept.

Something was wrong, it was too quiet, something made Jip feel uneasy as he went over to the cradle, at eighteen months Amil was about outgrown the cradle, he was growing so fast. The child was clutching the railings and looking out with wide eyes, Jip would have put it down to a nightmare, if not for the unease he himself felt, "What's wrong Amil," he asked in the calmest voice he could muster.

"U'cle 'Ip," Amil said, calmer at the sight of Jip, Jip repeated his question but got no answer but a whimper, Amil didn't speak well enough to explain the why or what of situations. "An'y Bell," Amil continued, asking where Isabel was, Jip opened his mouth to say that Isabel was asleep when a noise stopped him, a muffled thud, coming from the bathing room. If he had not been awake and in this room it was unlikely that even he would have picked the noise up.

Without another moment for thought he scooped Amil up from the crib and rushed to Isabel's door, he flung it open and hissed Isabel's name, seeing her rise he rushed back to his room, grabbing a soft toy that was a favorite of Isabel's nephew on the way, he put the child down on the bed and handed him the toy.

"I w...want you to be a big b...boy a...and si...sit he...here ve...very quiet a...and st...still, do...don't move until me or Is...Isabel come f...for yo...you" it was stupid he didn't even know how much of his words the child understood, Jip knew barely anything about children Amil being the first he had known.

But Amil surprised him as Jip was headed back to the door he spoke, "Ike a orger?" he asked as he curled up in a ball sleepily on the bed, Jip, who understood Amil's strange way of speaking by now nodded sadly as he started to close the door, "Y...yes, li...like a wa...warder," the door clicked shut and he headed over to Isabel's door, with the distinct feeling that something was very wrong, he put his hand on his sword, a gesture that Isabel would know, he only did when he was very certain of danger, as he hated violence so much he loathed touching his sword, so when he had his hand on it ready to draw, it was when he was almost certain he would need it.

Before he could open the door there was another, more distinct thud, coming from within, trying to keep down his panic Jip flung open the door.


Meya couldn't sleep, it was too hot, the open window let in hardly any breeze, the night was still and Meya was sprawled on top of her sheets trying to get to sleep before the next days lessons.

Meya, as a woman in her mid to late twenties now, was one of the oldest Novices, and one of the longest ones wearing the white, it did not look like she would get raised anytime soon, she seamed to slip through the gap, she was not weak enough to be simply sent away with enough knowledge to control her power and not channel, in fact she was quite strong sometimes, when the Power was reliable on her, the Aes Sedai and Asha'men weren't quite sure what it was that was wrong, sometimes she could hold weaves and threads perfectly, surpassing some

Accepted, and then other times even the most simple of weaves slipped away from her, it had been like that with her ever since she had started channelling. She was a dream walker, but that talent was even more useless then her channelling, she couldn't control her thoughts and sometimes she just woke up, banishing the world of dreams and everything that went with it.

She had heard some of her teachers blame it on the compulsion that Isabel had used on her years ago, not that Meya believed them for a second; Isabel would not have used compulsion on Meya, only bad people used compulsion, the Aes Sedai and Asha'men just refused to believe a novice, such as Isabel was at the time, was capable of saving the whole tower.

A slight noise made her frown and sit up, it was too hot to even lie down anyways and she turned round wondering if she went and sat by the window it would be a little cooler, she gasped, for sat on the window frame was the statue of a man, dagger in hand.

Grabbing the nearest thing to her, which was a book she had been using for her studying she flung it at him and shouting lept out of bed and ran over to her roommate- who seamed to have no trouble with the heat, and practically dragged her out of bed and out the room, "Jasmay we need to run," the door burst open behind them and the man ran out behind them, a knife flew past Meya's ear. Meya screamed, and still hanging on to her the much younger novices hand ran even faster dragging her out of a side door, to try and loose the man with a knife.


Garren had worked a lot as of late, and hours for sleep had come far and few in between. Still, that night as he had moved away from Jenna and Morad's sleeping quarters, into the side bedroom of his own, he had felt no ill will towards it. He had enjoyed the usual dinner with his Bondmate and companion, and had moved towards his own bed in good spirits, quickly falling asleep with Whisper curled comfortably beside him. Later, he had never known how much sleep he had gained, nor how late at night that he had been forced awake, nor had he much cared.

With a whine, Whisper had brought Garren completely out of his slumber, not even the vestiges of it that would haunt him in the morning lingering in his eyes as they moved to his brother. The half wolf was standing upon the bed, ears erect and staring at the door that separated his room from Jenna's, and emitted that whine again the made Garren's blood run cold. He did not ask the half wolf what was wrong as he climbed from his bed, garbed only in a pair of soft cloth sleeping pants, and moved towards the door. He opened it just in time to see movement in the open window of Jenna's bedroom, and to see Morad (woken as well) sitting up in bed. Neither spoke, but their eyes met quickly, acknowledging each other's presence, then slid back towards the threat. Jenna, woken by Morad's movement, rolled agilely from the bed with her husband, immediately reaching for her sword. The silence of the night was shattered a moment later when their attackers, giving up the pretense of secrecy now that they had been so obviously discovered, broke the window to gain access.

With a snarl, Whisper ran forward, the old half wolf lunging through the air to take first blood and first life as he landed upon the first man to climb through the window. In a spray of blood from around the half wolf's teeth, the man went down, fangs buried deeply in his throat. Morad's blade dispatched the second, and Garren planted a foot into the face of the third trying to gain access to the window, cleanly breaking his neck and leaving to fall harmlessly to the ground. They four of them could have continued on like this until they ran out of enemies, had not the door to their rooms suddenly burst inward, spilling new opponents into the room.

Garren and Jenna left Morad and Whisper to deal with the window, and turned wordlessly to face the door as the new onslaught of enemies pushed into the room. Growling low beneath his voice, Garren spotted one in the front bearing knives obviously meant for throwing, and seized a book from the bed side table. Batting the first two knives from the air, Garren summoned up the Void, and left fear and anger in his wake, trapped outside the bubble of nothingness, on his way to the one that threw the daggers. He reached him quick enough that the man could but blink as Garren dropped the book and struck, the palm of his hand driving upwards into the man's nose. Cartilage shoved into the brain, and the man died without having time to even strike back, Garren turned to the next in line.

Behind him, he could smell the scent of burning flesh as either Morad or Jenna used the One Power against someone near him. He did not understand much of went on when they channeled, but he understood enough to know a fire ball of sorts when he smelled it. He gave a wolven grin at the opponent before him, as the man rushed him with a dagger, and side stepped the clumsy move. Hands more than used to unarmed against weapons, closed around the assassin's wrist, and he twisted, hearing the sound of the delicate bones of the wrist snapping and the man's scream. The hand holding the dagger released, and twirled the weapon into his own grasp. He spun as the man screamed over his wrist, and buried it into the back of the man's neck. Ripping it out, he approached the next.


The window was open, with a slight breeze coming in, making the curtains sway. On the floor lay a body, dressed in dark clothing. From the style of the clothing, and the way the head was wrapped in dark cloth, it was difficult to guess the sex of the attacker, the only thing obvious was a nasty slash on Isabel's arm, and the dagger that caused it in the throat of the slowly cooling body.

"Another bloody shadowsworn idiot! I am getting so very tired from the constant attempts on my life, my Champion." She says wearily to her oldest friend, blood slowly dripping down her arm. The night had been warn, and her body was barely covered by a thin white slip. The slight breeze from the deep night was felt though, her nipples poking through the dress, but anger, and trust in this man made her forget her lack of modesty.

In frustration, she viciously kicks the body, causing a letter to slip out. Using Saidar to lift up the slight piece of paper, she uses a few threads of wind to open it, quickly followed by weaving a small glowing ball of light to help read.

In a soft voice, she mutters pointless phrases and words, none making sense. They must be using code, but then again, they slipped up. "The door of the three flames. That would be the door to the Trimak Manor, with the old family crest carved within the wood." Holding both weaves, she then goes to her dresser, and finds a riding dress of fairly fine quality.

She was not going riding this night, yet she wanted something to wear that would offer much movement. With the clothin on the bed, along with the straps and throwing daggers ready to be equipped, she asks Jip "Could you have a guard bring the boy to Theresa?" She asks, her eyes showing how weary she was by showing the veins quite clearly. She felt tired enough that she could almost imagine her heart beating slightly slower.

Much had to be done, and she could barely think about what to do. Perhaps... Raising her voice, knowing the Gaidin would hear her even on the other side of the apartment, especially now that he was aware of danger, she says; "We need to seek the only clue we have."


Stefin signalled to his two companions hidden in two separate areas further down the corridor, they had an unusual job tonight, not that the outcome would be any different, just that the target was unusual. Aes Sedai were pests at best, better to be squashed as soon as possible but it was not often that Brown Aes Sedai made enemies from the shadow.

The three crept forwards, silently one unit in three bodies, Stefin wished they had more, but the majority of their group had been sent elsewhere, there was another more important target and one that would be more ready for this attack.

The target they were after would not be expecting this, after all not many knew her blood line it had not been long since she had confessed this secret, but it had been long enough for it to be used against her.

As silent as the night itself Stefin entered the brown Aes Sedai's apartments, one great thing about the Tower was, like most things in bulk, most the apartments were made the same, there were bigger ones of course for those that had children, or greens that deemed it necessary to have more than one warder. Stefin's nose wrinkled at the thought.

He had spent most his life at the Tower, a drin'far'ji and then a Ji'alantin, he had took messages and run errands to Aes Sedai and Asha'men's rooms many a time. He had never become Gaidin; what he had trained for each agonizing day after the other, he had failed the test. Frankly he would like to meet the Ji'alantin who could do what he had been unable to, three Mydraahl was a death sentence to anybody, it had been a miricle Stefin had survived to drag himself back to the citadel, only to be deemed a failure and turned away.

But all that was in the past, he had been a different man then, a fool, since he had been cast out into the harsh unforgiving world he had learnt the truth, and that truth is what brought him here tonight, leading two other men, to commit an act that would be remembered in the minds of those sword to the Great Lord of the Dark as one of the greatest.

He fingered the phial at his side, making sure it was still there, and readied it. The herb inside it was a strange one, one that could relieve pain and was in no way harmful when eaten, at best when taken in large doses it became a mild sedative, but, as had been found out by accident by Stefin himself, if it came into contact with your eyes it burnt like the donamai spices that were becoming ever so more popular. It only lasted a couple of minutes, but a couple of minutes was all Stefin needed, the only danger from this brown was she could channel, but without sight that advantage was turned into a disadvantage, there was no way Stefin would not succeed.

His two companions slipped into the other room, two of them were needed to handle the Browns warder, Stefin took the Aes Sedai herself, he stepped into her room phial in hand in case she woke up, in some ways he hoped she did, he believed his victims deserved to at least see their death coming.


Jip was relieved that Isabel was only slightly hurt, though he was angry at himself for failing to get to her quicker, that was how it had been though, and even though he wanted to be at her side, to stop anything bad from ever touching her, he knew that she could hold her own, at least for a little while, Amil however couldn't and so it had been only right Jip had got him out the way first.

At Isabel's words he nodded, his eyes almost haunted as he headed back towards the door, Isabel was right this was getting more frequent these atempts on her life. He did not understand the note but it was clear something was going to happen at Isabel's home outside the tower, where they had spent much of their time, Amil would be safe with Theresa and her warder Mathias while he and Isbael went to see what was happening.

Such were his thoughts as he opened the door to the main room, then reeled backwards drawing his sword as he did so at the sight that awaited him. He drew up to Isabel going into middle guard, desperatly clutching at the void.

Another thud behind him and he spun round, void slipping, courage is fear when it has said it's prayers! He took stock of the situation and tried to stop himself from paniking. Around them stood eight figures, all in simple cut masks and plain loose clothes, their stances those of fighters, of killers.

At times like this it really didn't matter what Jip's view on violence was, his instincts took over and as one of those who had forced there way into the room from the doorway lunged forward at Isabel Jip lunged forwards to meet him, he knew the other two would soon join the frey and almost subconciously found himself sinking deaper into the void, to the place where he was one with the world.


This job was too easy the fool woman had woken but Stefin would bet she had not even the time to seize Saidar before the herb was in her eyes. Stefin could hear the sounds of battle from the other room, it did not sound like it was going as well as his task so he finished his off quickly in order to go and help. With the herb in her eyes there was no way the Aes Sedai could channel so there was no battle, she tried to fight, ineffectively with her hands but Stefin batted them away like flies as his dagger cut across her throat, a more merciful death then Stefin would have liked to give any Aes Sedai but time was short.

A roar, almost inhuman cut through the night, the pain in the wordless cry was enough to make Stefin's skin prickle, drawing his short sword as he moved towards the door. It was something he had learnt after his banishment, how lucky he truly was, he had no ties to others, everyone was just a necessary tool that he had to use, he would never feel anything as intimate as the bond that he had trained for his entire adult life, and so he would never feel the pain of it, no one could hurt him by hurting those around him, for he cared for not another poor pathetic creature on this earth, he lived for himself, and so he was strong.

His companions were dead, Stefin leapt over their bodies to make for the window, the quickest way out, but the warder was there, the captain of the guard, much more skilled then Stefin would ever be, but less agile and slower, Stefin's life depended on not being caught.

Still Stefin had the disadvantage in that Mathias did not care if he lived or died, he would happily embrace death if it meant he could take Stefin with him, the pain that Stefin felt lucky to forever avoid had became Mathias' strength, the warder reached the window before him, Stefin managed to throw his sword up to catch the heavy blow of wood that came from the spear in the warders hands.

He danced out the way, fully aware that the warder had the longer range, bringing his sword up in a strike that was blocked with another roar before ducking out the way of a heavy downward strike with the spear. With a cry of his own Stefin stabbed his sword up into the warders face, just for his strike to be batted away, with no more effort then one would swat a fly with.


Deap in the void Jip could feel people move even if he could not see them, even if they were behind him and he stepped forwards thrusting the hilt of his sword into the man's face, seeing him stumble backwards he stepped to the side, one with reality, the masked man on his left was the closest, still trying to get past him to get to Isabel, he brought his sword down towards the man's wrists in The Sappling Trembles, the man jerked his wrists backwards, but Jip, unfeeling in the void stepped merclisly forwards into Arc of the Moon his sword slashed across the masked man's throat and yet Jip, deep in the void did not feel anything as he turned to another masked man, they were trying to hurt Isabel, she was fighting as well behind him he could feel her through the bond, determined yet frightened as the fighting got thicker and fiercer.

Another oponent went down, Jip's sword and arms working apart from himself that was locked up inside of the void, afterwards he could not remember exactly how his sword had moved, just that it had and that the second masked man went down. One of the others, nearer Isabel had gone down as well, Isabel was fighting and Jip was aware of her in the oneness, moving with her. Though Jip was never one to think there was any good or beauty in fighting if he had thought about it he would have seen the beauty here, like a dance or a piece of music, yet more deadly, with higher stakes, the now four combatants fighting, blocking and striking each trying to get through each others guards.

The Falling Leaf was countered by Watered Silk followed by a thrust upwards into the masked face which was countered by Willow Embracing the Breeze causing Jip to step backwards. Then the dancers stumbled, the music hit a wrong chord, a flash of pain shot through the bond, piercing the void like pain to himself could never do, he hesitated, worried, just for a second, and a second was all it took for everything to go wrong.


Behind him, he heard a sound that caused his heart to beat painfully. It was the gargle of a dying man, but more than that, it was Morad's voice that Garren recognized. Garren brought the dagger up into the gut of the man just in time to hear Jenna scream in anger and pain, and turned just in time to hear that scream suddenly come to a halt. From his bondmate's breast sprouted the sharpened edge of a sword and her eyes, already misted over in dying moments, were still riveted to the fallen form of Morad. He did not know, had not seen, Morad's final moments, but he could easily see what had happened to Jenna. In the moment that Morad faded from her mind, her guard had dropped, allowing an enemy to attack her from behind. Garren screamed, just as Jenna had before him, in pain and denial to what his mind was already telling him.

And just like that, it was over. His dagger, wedged firmly in the gut of his current enemy, stopped jarringly as it stuck in bone, and even this seemed in keeping for the shock Garren's mind received, this sudden stop, this jarring sensation. He had been with Jenna for so long that it often seemed as if she had always been there. She had been the first Aes Sedai he had actually met, and most certainly the first to see past that Drin'far'ji's uniform. She had treated him, not by the colour of his uniform, or the colour of his eyes, but as one human did another, and had even forgave, ignored even, his at the time faulty hold on the human language. She had later looked past his impetuous nature and had accepted him as a promise to bond. She had always seen into who he was, not what he was, and had been near him in some way right from the beginning of his human life here at the Tower. After their bonding, her presence had been easy to get used to, and because of his bond with the wolves, had seemed like second nature to him almost from the first day. Her emotions, her presence, had always been there, nestled in the back of his head like a cushion that he could fall back on when his job got to much. Just as quick to anger as he was to judge humans by their scent, she had always trusted him, and they had stood together against much. While there had been times the bond was masked, usually when she wished to spend a night with Morad, she had never been absent from his mind. She had always been there.

And now, so sudden it was like the simple blowing out of a candle, she wasn't.

He felt the pain of her wounds flare inside him, as if it was his own pain, and the Void shattered around him. Then it was gone, her pain, her emotions, her presence, her very essence. His eyes grew wide in his head, and he felt the strength ebb quickly from his knees. He collapsed, heedless of the enemies still around him, and could only stare at the dead eyes of the man who still wore his dagger pinned to his stomach like some twisted party favor. He did not see this, did not, in fact, see anything.

Jenna... He thought, his mind numb, No...

Around him, as if from a long way away, he could hear Whisper's frantic sound of mourning, and then his growls as he held the enemy away from his brother. He knew, in some detached way, that the brave half wolf would not be able to hold them back for long. And when Whisper fell, they would move next to Garren. Some part of his did not care.

Is it not fitting... He thought, pictures of Morad and Jenna flashing before his eyes. Is it not fitting that we four all die here? So long together in life, should we not be together in death?

He could hear one of them near, and he was ordering the men to quickly fall upon 'the Warder'. It was obvious he knew about the bond between Channeler and Warder, for he told his men.

"Ignore the mutt! Take the Warder next, that shock will not last long, and when it snaps...." He left the threat hanging in the air. His words, however, brought a rage so intense to Garren's heart that he felt bile rise up in his throat.


The night was calm, warm but the man who stood surveying the building had a face as cold as a deep winter, he grasped Saidin embracing the battle of it, his senses stronger as he walked towards the Trimak manner. The others would be here soon, if they survived their tasks. To be honest there was a large chance many of them would not, but he had every faith that they would be able to complete their tasks, any that survived would meet him here, but so far none had shown.

It did not matter, no one in here could fight him he didn't need the others they were mearly tools to be used if they were available. He burst through the gate, weaving Saidin to burst the lock, it could have been done quieter, it would not have taken many skills to unpick it, but this was not a quiet job, the idea was fear and the man fed off it.

And fear he would sow, for this man, clad in clothes darker then night, and a black velvet mask hiding the too familiar face, he was a hero, and even more so, a nightmare reborn to this world.

He heard a shout as the three armed men that guarded this place came to investigate the noise, such few fighters, but then again there were not many people in here, a dozen or so servants, and the three guards men, none had much importance to the man, or their task, but they were all loyal to the Trimak's who had been a thorn in too many peoples sides too long, but tonight it would end, and this was just the finishing touch.

He revelled in Saidin as the three men came closer, planning the weaves he would use, the damage he would cause, when they were sufficiently close enough the man stepped out of the shadows, guards came towards him with raised weapons and the man smiled raising his hands.

Death rained down upon the lightblinded. The man continued towards the house, hearing the panic inside as those that lived there panicked about the screams they had just heard. Fire and Earth were what he was strongest in and he wielded them now as weapons, screams filled the air and he took them, took the pain, the anger, the fear that he sensed from them and wove it into his masterpiece, the finale, finishing the deeds that had been done that night.

In ones and two's they died, weapons turning to red dust in their hands, their cries silenced forever, every one of them. He sent fire blazing through rooms, but always extinguished it, he could not quite bring himself to burn the place to the ground. He decided it didn't matter, let the manner stand empty, everyone who ever lived their dead, let it remind those that followed the light of the events of this night, of the strength of the Great Lord of the Dark, let it stand for all eternity, to remind them of all they had lost.

With one final cold gaze around, taking in the bodies of all he had killed, the man opened a gateway, and disappeared. The builder had left the house empty, and so had the destroyer.


How strangely things turn about; what was meant to be a simple job was going to end in disaster. Stefin didn't know what moment he had decided that he was going to die but it struck him that he had accepted that fact all of a sudden. Really all that mattered now was finishing the job, the warder had to die, it seemed that his thread in the pattern had been severed at this moment, he would die with this warder, but knowing he would die, meant he had nothing to loose.

His sword met Mathias' spear again and again, the noise almost deafening, how the spear handle did not shatter under all the pressure Stefin did not know, but he thought that even if he did manage to shatter the warders weapon then the man would continue fighting barehanded, he had nothing to loose and nothing to gain either, all that was left for the man was death.

He rolled backwards hearing something smash as he knocked an object over; there was a pain in his back but he did not think it was anything serious, he rolled up onto his feet, his sword out and ready for the next attack.

His sword moved as quick as his arms could make it, but it still seemed he was too slow, compared to a warder who's spear always seemed to dodge his strikes, and get inside his defence.

He slashed at the warders chest and was surprised, though not disappointed to hit, not a deep cut but a cut nonetheless, a roar answered the strike and he found himself retreating quickly, his sword moving to block strike after strike, blow after blow.

The continued, one strike after another, blow hitting blow missing, blocking and failing though no amount of pain seamed to slow the warder down, and so Stefin could not afford to slow. The fight may have gone on for an indefinite time, until Stefin tired and was cut down, if it was not for the fact of the window, a window that had been broken into, opened for Stefin and his companions to climb into.

Stefin stumbled backwards, his body facing inwards, wondering if the window could provide him with an escape, how far could he get before the warder caught up with him? Mathias however it seemed had other plans for the very same window with another roar, this one the loudest yet, though there was triumph sounding through the pain he launched himself at Stefin and the window. At least, Stefin thought as he fell, the job was finished, there was no way either of them would survive the fall.


Pain again, enough to almost bring down the void completely, this time, followed by pain of his own, sensing the break in rhythm the skipped beat in the music the masked man had taken the oportunity, The Leapords Caress slashed along Jip's thighs, pain flooded him, and he felt another stab of pain from Isbael, and fear. The void vanished.

He fell forward, the pain in his leg thrust to the side, something inside him that was still working had analysed the damage and figured that it was only one leg that was truly damaged, though both were cut. The void was gone but he could still fight with his soul, Caden Gaidin had taught him that much before he had left but it was not until now that Jip truly appreciated the lesson.

He gathered all his emotions as he flung himself forward towards the man, knowing that he would not be able to bear his own weight for long, pain, fear and the anger that the shadow would strike at them, here, in their home, again. Everything went into the last strikes, that had no names, no set ways of using them, only bitter, ruthless strikes and blocks that came when there was nothing else to fall back on. No thought of right or wrong crossed Jip's mind, only survival for him and Isabel, and Amil the innocent child in the other room.

The masked man was dead, but Jip did not let himself fall, he spun round just in time to see the last assassin fall, Isabel's work, he was accutely aware of Isabel's pain, more prominent in his mind because it was more serious, half falling, his injured leg unable to take his weight any more, he made his way over half crawling, half dragging himself, ignoring the pain in his leg as he approached Isabel.

She was alive, the bond told him that, but it also told him other things, things he didn't want to aknowledge, the amount of pain she was in, the fact she was almost unconcious.

She was lay there, Jip raised a shaking hand to her neck to feel for her pulse, which was silly really, he knew she was alive through the bond. There was blood everywhere, Jip's hands were covered in it, and Jip couldn't even work out where Isabel was injured, "I...Is...Isabel," his voice broke when he spoke and he willed her to answer him.


They had been running for a long time, Meya was tired, but they could not stop, they had not lost the knife man, and he was never to far behind. They were in the gardens now, and Jasmay was still clinging to her as they both jumped at trees and tried to hide in the shadows as much as they could while running as fast as their legs could carry them. Every so often a dagger would whistle past one of their ears and it made them move all the quicker.

All of a sudden Jasmay stopped, as did Meya, stifling a scream, they had ran into a dead end! Meya knew the gardens well but she must have took a wrong turn in the dark, she span round, Jasmay next to her, still clutching her hand.

It was only a second before the knife man appeared in the darkness, Meya did scream then, but before he could do anything a small figure flung themselves at the man, Meya wasn't sure who it was, it was too dark but the fight only lasted a moment before the figure was thrown off, landing in a heap not far from the two girls. Meya thought for a moment he was dead, but then he moaned.

The knife man stepped closer, Meya saw the glint of metal as he brought another knife to his ear, Meya and Jasmay stepped backwards, they had no where to run! Meya wanted to cry, what did this knife man want with her and Jasmay?

The man stepped closer again, speaking, his voice rasping out harsh syllables, "Your line ends tonight Trimak child," and he threw the knife and then another, towards Jasmay's heart.

Meya only had a second from when she heard the word Trimak, she was already leaping; her roommate who she had shared with for more than a year now, was related to her savior! And someone wanted her dead, Meya couldn't let that happen, her body hit Jasmay's and they both hit the ground. Meya felt a pain in her hand and then a larger pain in her back.

She heard a noise, a shout, someone was fighting the knife man, they would save Jasmay, the cousin, Meya supposed, of Isabel, Jasmay was alive, Meya could feel her breathing under her, but Meya was tired, she had been up all night. Someone was here now, they could look after Jasmay, and she could sleep.


He knew what was happening? He thought to himself, He knew how this would feel? And he did this anyway.... The small amount of time, and the words of the man, was enough for Garren to shift from numb mourning into pained rage, and his head jerked up, yellow eyes flashing in the moonlight, shining in the darkness with fury. Outside, suddenly, he heard the angry howls of the wolves of the Gardens, and felt them suddenly begin to draw closer. He did not care, he cared about nothing more than the men, the murderers, the monsters that surrounded him, and the desperate desire to end their life. When Whisper snarled deep in his throat, echoing his brother's fury, and leapt at a man, the two going down in a spray of blood and a human scream of pain, Garren could only feel joy at the fact that the man would hurt before his death. The remaining three turned from their fighting companion and, as one, rushed Garren, weapons raised high. For the first time in years, Garren's mind broke. No longer able to even think in human thoughts, let alone speak, he snarled animalistically at the three, and soared from his position on his knees in an explosion of violence. He saw one tread upon Jenna's prone form as he sought to back away from the suddenly insane man, and it was this one he headed towards first.

Past the use of human weapons, Garren leapt bodily onto the man as his brother had before him, and ripped into the side of his face with his bare teeth. The man screamed, and impaled Garren through the shoulder with his long dagger. Distantly, Garren felt the pain, but shrugged it away in his insanity, letting loose a wolven yelp of pain and nothing more. His teeth moved towards the man's throat, and he soon felt the gurgling last breath of his prey. He dropped the body and turned towards the next. This man, even less brave than his companion, turned to flee the room, and died screaming as Garren landed upon his, teeth and hands scratching and biting into his flesh. His hands enclosed upon his neck, and soon the man died with his companion. He turned for the third one, only to find his desperately fighting away Whisper, who ducked and dodged his blade to bite at his legs and thigh. This man, Garren couldn't tell if he was the one that had spoken earlier or not, was already badly wounded. Grasping the blade still protruding from his shoulder, he yanked it free and approached the man with this 'tooth' in hand. Fire traced his face as the sword carved down it, and Garren snarled as he yanked his head to the side, only to turn back, blood dripping from cheek to chin. In the distance, he could hear the screaming snarls of the wolves as they encountered a closed door and were unable to pass, and this fuelled Garren as he ducked the next swipe, bending low to come up in an uppercut, though instead of his fist, it was his long 'tooth' that impaled the man's jaw, shoving viciously into his brain. The man jerked, spasmed, and grew still. Garren let him drop to the ground.


Isabel was feeling faint, weak, so very tired. Such a fight would usually be easy for her, yet something was wrong this time. She was too tired to care, all she knew is that somehow she was on the floor, on top of a blanket that was supposed to be on a shelf. She did not understand, she simply needed to rest. Yet rest she could not, she knew that if she did, she would never wake. Almost by chance she noticed her arm, in the dark it looked like it was covered in ink, but from the smell of fresh blood, and the stinging sensation suddenly springing up in her mind, she knew she was bleeding.

I am dying, aren't I...

If she had any talent in healing, or first aid, she could of known what she should be doing, but then again, she was so very tired of the chaos revolving around the Grey Tower. As blood seeped out of her wound, she could feel her body tingling, needing blood, and the life it offers. With that added though, she definitely knew she had little time remaining. She should have bonded another, for she cared to deeply about this man. He would be hurt by her death, more then he should be. Trying to surrender to Saidar, she finds she cannot. She cannot even dissolve the bond, not that she truly knew how it could be done. She had always ignored the knowledge.

Reaching up with some of the strength left in her, she pulls Jip closer, who was bent down checking up on her. Looking deep into his eyes for a long moment, she then softly kissed his lips, with love and tenderness not known to her since her first love lived. She kissed him, for what felt like an eternity, and knew that even though she had lost so much, she had known him, and loved him as a friend.

Loved him as a woman loves a man.

If it had been any other time, under any other circumstance Jip would have been beyond happy but now tears streamed down his eyes as he kissed Isabel, his Aes Sedai, a woman he loved in many ways. Isabel was not a healer; Jip was. He had learnt first aid of Caden Gaidin himself, and knew how to save peoples lives. He also knew when a person was beyond saving. He kissed Isabel, amazed she returned his feelings that he had managed to keep hidden from even her, by ignoring them, saddened that he had just realised this. Hurt by the knowledge it was too late.

The kiss seemed to last an eternity but finally it broke, Jip tried not to break down sobbing. He opened his mouth, but closed it again. He wanted to tell Isabel everything was going to be all right, but he could not lie to her. His hand was on her wrist still and her pulse had slowed, Jip knew he wouldn't have time to fetch a healer. He picked up her hand, holding it tightly.

This should not be happening, it was not meant to happen this way. Jip was the warder, he was meant to die first. He was meant to stop Isabel from dying. His whisper was barely audible, but he was close enough to Isabel for her to hear, "I...I'm s..sorry," he broke off there, not able to speak anymore. His hand held hers not wanting to let it go, wishing that with that grip he could anchor her to life. That she was not fading before his very eyes.


On hand and knees, Garren left the dead man behind and crawled towards the crumpled forms of Jenna and Morad, pulling the body of his bond into his lap. Never once in his life had he shed a tear, had never understood it when he saw others do it, but now he found his face wet from something other than blood and the cut on his face sting as the salty tears fell into the wound.

I failed... He wailed inwardly, only able to whimper pitifully as he clutched Jenna's form to him. I should have died.... I should have died protecting you.... I should not be alive... I failed... The pain, the mournful pain, burst from Garren's throat in a echoing howl as he tossed back his head. Outside, he heard the other wolves echo his pain, as well as the voice of Whisper, singing mournfully along side his brother. He howled at the ceiling until his voice broke and his throat felt raw. Then, slowly, moving off some sort of instinct, he rose to his feet.

Hating the act even as he did it, the wolfkin, still more wolf than man, lifted the bodies of Morad and Jenna, despite the fact that they made him stumble and almost fall on more than one occasion, and slung them over his shoulders. With his gruesome load, he moved out of the rooms that had held so much of their happiness. Tears still streaming down his face, he stopped for no one, snarling at any who dared to try and make him. His feet turned him out of the Green halls, and into the company of his wolven brethren, waiting for him outside the closed door. Surrounding him, they moved along side of him, silent in the face of his pain. Eventually, the entire pack, Garren stumbling in their midst, disappeared into the Gardens, after that, it was easy to hide from those that may have searched for him.


How strange how lives end. The process of us entering this world is a long one, that starts long before we are born and take our first breath. But dying, that takes one moment. We are here and then we go. Like a door being shut or a candle being blown out, so sudden was the moment when Isabel left Jip's mind.

A pain, beyond anything Jip could describe. Like part of his soul had been literally ripped out as Isabel died. An anger at those that did this, a need to kill them all; but there was no one left to kill, they were all dead already. Tears started flowing down his cheaks. It was not meant to be this way. He was meant to save Isabel's life, he was meant to die first. He had failed. He sat shaking, unable to think, unable to move. Darkness engulfed him and he fell forwards letting it take him.