WOT Adv 131

--- The Wheel Turns ---

As the Seanchan patrol marched down the street, the party hurriedly considered some options.

"Burn me!" Fiznak shook his head in consternation. "But if they can use Megda like they did the woman at Tobin's Hollow and at new ridge, she can tear us apart with the One Power! What chance will we have then? The woman leashing her has to be our top priority!"

Eliesanna's face had gone sheet white and she mouthed the phrase "One Power" wordlessly. "Oh light..." was all she said in a stark whisper.

"Apprentice Wise One," Maer said quickly. "Is there anything you can do to stop the handler from using Megda Sedai to destroy us all?"

Maeslyn both looked doubtful and voiced her concerns. "I don't think I can stop her from using Megda Sedai. Any attempt of mine with the One Power will certainly alert them, and Megda is a fully trained Aes Sedai with years of training beyond me."

"Blood and bloody ashes!" Thenlir scowled and then continued to curse under his breath. Fiznak looked like he wanted to join in the thread of curses the man was weaving.

"But," Maeslyn added, giving Thenlir a meaningful look, "if Megda's will is not yet broken, I believe she will resist channeling especially if she knows Maynard is with us."

"The Light send it is so," Fiznak said grimly.

"But we have to do something quickly!" Maeslyn urged. "They are marching this way and will be here shortly! If Megda Sedai gets close to me, she, along with her Sul'Dam, may detect that I can channel even without my actually embracing the One Power!"

They looked at one another. Not enough time for anything fancy, Maer thought. The simplest of ruses would have to work.

"Quickly, everyone off of their horses!" He ordered. As soon as they dismounted, each holding their mounts reins, Maer spoke to them quickly and quietly in a rush, explaining his plan. When he finished, everyone looked somewhat doubtful, but it was unlikely they could come up with a better plan on such short notice.

Maer finally turned to Eliesanna. She stood crouching uncertainly in her sooty night-gown, clutching the spear as if it were her only hope of survival. Perhaps it was, Maer wondered. "Young Maiden," Maer said gently. "Stay close to Maeslyn towards the back and away from any fighting. Only use that spear if you or Maeslyn is truly threatened."

The girl nodded wordlessly, her face pale, but her lips set.

"Good. Let us do this thing." Maer said finally and led the way.

---

When the Seanchan approached within speaking distance, they all bowed low to the ground, lowering their heads in obeisance to the Forerunners.

The Seanchan officer marched next to the two women, his hand on the pommel of his sword as he noticed their obvious weapons. "Be alert!" he called out, but the patrol didn't slow or stop to perform their usual task of questioning others about the reciting the oaths. They meant to move past them, obviously interested in whatever task they were already undertaking.

Fiznak kept his face down, towards the ground. Maer and Thenlir were on his right, Maynard was on his left. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that the others were also staring face down to the cobblestones as the Seanchan began to move past them.

"Come, my little pet!" The tall woman said to the other in a hard voice, yanking on the chains as they moved past, causing Megda to stumble, her red hair cascading around her face. Fiznak heard Maynard give a low growl in the back of his throat next to him.

"Up! Up! Quickly! Be a good pet, and you won't get much of a beating this evening!" She yanked on the chain again and Megda clambered to her feet gasping from the wrenching tug. Fiznak saw Maynard tense and decided he must act before the warder did something rash. He cleared his throat.

"My Pardon, good Forerunners," Fiznak began his part in Maer's plan. He moved from up on one knee, "but would you happen to know directions for a new lodging?" Maynard and the others kept their faces to the ground. Fiznak was most worried about Maynard, hoping Megda wouldn't discover him prematurely. Hoping that whatever bond existed between them couldn't be sensed by this tall hard-faced woman.

"And who might you be?" The tall woman said in a slurring accent, unique to these forerunners. She stopped some ten feet away. She was dressed in a blue and red dress with silver lightning bolts embroidered on the flanks. Her hard, dark eyes surveyed the group. Her poise was one of confidence. Her left hand rested lightly on her hip and her right held the chain that collared Megda. Megda did nothing, said nothing, her face on the ground.

The patrol also stopped and shifted their formation, the officer remained by the tall woman's side and the soldiers moved up in a line nearby, three on each side of the pair, hands on swords, looking up and down the street with an air of anxiety. Their heads shifted and their dark armor with its painted helmets tips and points made them seem even more like man-sized insects.

The beast and it's handler also slowed to a halt at the east end of the patrol, some twenty paces away. The large beast's squarish head sniffed the air, and its claws made ominous clicking sounds as it walked on the cobblestones.

"Apologies, kind lady," Fiznak answered, giving another bow with a sweeping gesture with his arm that took in the rest of the party. "Forgive our uncouth state, but we have suffered some misfortune this morning. We are new to Falme and are servants of yonder lass, Eliesanna," Fiznak inclined a head, to where the blond girl and Maeslyn were bowing on the ground to the rear of the group. His voice carried an appropriate tremor in it. He was sure it was because his heart was pounding in his throat, but it seemed to help his performance. "Her parents were killed in an unfortunate fire this very morning at the Wind Song Inn, down near the Warehouse district," he motioned to the plume of black smoke rising in the distance behind them. "We seek new lodging before looters, thieves, and brigands, and any who have no respect of the proper authority, come after us. Will you help us?"

"Tumva, your ship," The officer began. "We don't have time to--"

"I know, Jorin. It can wait a moment." She spoke firmly. Calmly. Then she took in their group, her steely eyes studying each for a moment. Then she spoke to Fiznak. "There is little of such people in this city, I can assure you; we keep a firm hand, after all. And, I have not the time to take you to your destination," she replied diffidently. "But, directions I can give. Follow this road, to the top of the hill. A few more blocks beyond that and you will see some other establishments where you can find shelter."

"You have my thanks. May the light shine on you," Fiznak said and bowed again with a flourish, one hand resting lightly on the pommel of his sword.

The Sul'Dam nodded and the patrol of soldiers shifted to leave. Maer raised his head, moving into a kneeling position on one knee as well. "My lady, we happened upon this leash and collar, just like the one you use there. We found it some leagues from Falme." Maer held up the a'dam in his hand, the slight chain and collar made of a silvery metal gleamed in the sunlight. "We wanted to return it." Maer's other hand moved behind his back where he held his small spear there.

The woman eyed him suspiciously, but stayed where she was. "Where did you get that?" Her voice was icy cold.

"We found it on some bodies near Tobin's Hollow, and we thought you might want it back."

"Yes we do." she said coldly, and looked at him with suspicion. Jorin," she nodded to the officer. "Get the a'dam."

The officer nodded obediently and took a few steps to where Maer, was kneeling, leaving Tumva exposed for a moment. He took the a'dam from the Aiel and turned his back to return to Tumva. Fiznak shot a glance at Maer. Maer nodded slightly and Fiznak understood. He was now closest to the Sul'Dam now that the officer was near Maer.

"Now!" Fiznak shouted and rushed the woman, yanking his sword from his scabbard. "For Shienar!"

Maynard also gave a hoarse cry shouting, "For Tar Valon! For Megda and Tar Valon!" His sword a blur as he rushed towards Tumva.

Tumva's eyes widened in shock at their charge and she cursed trying to step back behind the screen of soldiers, shouting. "Stop them! Destroy them!"

Chaos ensued. Maer and Thenlir attacked Jorin, from behind. Thenlir's axe slammed down on one shoulder and the man gasped, turning around and yanking out his sword from its scabbard facing them, his face a mask of pain.

Fiznak reached Tumva first but his mind was in turmoil. Light! She was a woman! Could he kill a woman? He was loathe to strike her down, even though things had rapidly progressed beyond diplomacy. But he knew delay would be costly. This woman was the Sul'Dam, the key to their plan! If he could quickly get rid of her, then Megda could get free and they wouldn't have to face a fully trained Aes Sedai. Indeed she would be on their side. He had seen what Maeslyn could do and did not want to face someone even more deadly, more trained in the use of Saidar, the female half of the One Power.

Resolved in purpose, his large blade darted forward with a lunge towards her chest. She turned at the last moment and the sword bit into her shoulder. Tumva's face contorted in pain and she stepped back, wet blood darkening her dress, gasping for breath in a tight voice. Her eyes bore into him and she yanked savagely on the chain holding Megda. She hissed in her slurred accent to the soldiers. "Traitors! Oathbreakers! Destroy them!"

The Seanchan soldiers finally realizing what was happening, surged forward, cursing and drawing their curved blades. Two of them came at Fiznak, one on his right and another on his left, cautiously and carefully.

Out of the corner of his eye, Fiznak could see the man in dark, leather armor shout southing, some sort of command to the muscled beast, and the lopar lumbered forward, more rapidly than seemed possible towards Thenlir. It gave a low growl that turned into a roar. And then it was upon the man, one large claw slashing into Thenlir with such force it threw him to the ground. "Foul beast!" was all Fiznak caught from Thenlir before his attention as drawn back to the two soldiers who advanced on him.

Fiznak held his sword as Maynard had taught him. In an easy stance he danced on the balls of his feet, easily parrying the first blows that came at him. Swords flashed and metal rang on metal.

"Megda! I am here!" And Fiznak could see Maynard struggling to reach the woman. He voice was deadly calm, but that calm seemed to be on the point of breaking. Soldiers rushed in front of him. His sword blurred and knocked aside a Seanchan's blade, dropping a man in a single, powerful slash, the movement barely even slowing him. "I am coming!"

"Use the Power you filthy Damane!" Tumva cursed. "Use it, my pet or you will feel such pain as never before!"

"Never!" Megda rejoined and then doubled over on the street writhing in pain, arching her back.

"Never?! You say never to me? You are Damane and you will be taught to obey! Destroy them!"

"I...will...not!" Screams of agony tore through her inbetween her gasping breaths. Maynard moved faster, but another soldier moved in front, blocking him from Megda. Maynard's face was pale.

"Light forsaken woman!" Fiznak swore. "You will die this day!"

"I think not!" the woman slurred in a low voice. "I am Sul'Dam and with this Damane, you are who will be brought low! You cannot stop the Coran!" Megda continued to writhe and scream on the ground, twitching and shaking in utter pain. Suddenly, Tumva pulled a long thin dagger from her belt and aimed a quick upward thrust towards Fiznak's midsection. He leapt backwards in time to avoid the thrust. A sword flashed towards him from his right. Without thinking he slid to the left and parried it, his blade sliding off the other's. Then in one continuous motion, as easy as cutting through butter, his sword parted Tumva's head from her body. The headless corpse fell backwards, a'dam and dagger fell from lifeless fingers.

Megda lay on the ground, her screams had turned to panting and sobbing. "I...I can't take it off, Maynard. I can't take it off. Oh, light! The pain!" She writhed again. What manner of foul ter'angreal was this? Fiznak wondered. Even simply leashed, even without the handler she was in pain.

"Megda!" Maynard shouted in return, concern thick in his voice. His blade sliding out of another soldier's mid-section, the body crumpling to the ground. Then Maynard was beside her, clutching Megda to him, smoothing her hair and removing the collar from around her neck. "Hush! I am here! I am here!"

Fiznak stood over them, blade was at the ready, as other Seanchan moved towards him, blade rang on blade, steel met steel and death was born.

---

Maer surveyed the two Seanchan in front of him. On his right the officer, Jorin. On his left, the lopar's handler. Jorin had a large wound on his left shoulder, the skin hanging open, exposing raw muscle where Thenlir's axe had bit into it. The man winced every time he moved, his left arm useless, but he still clasped the curved sword in his right hand. And with the handler and Jorin both trying to find his flank, there was more than enough to keep Maer busy. But as if that wasn't enough, the snarling lopar had slashed Thenlir knocking him to the ground. Thenlir was the only thing keeping him from getting completely flanked and overrun.

From Maer's right, he parried a series of weak slashes from Jorin's blade. Suddenly from his left, the handler came at him as well, his blade slashing towards Maer's neck. Maer blocked with his buckler but only partially met the incoming blow. The tip of the other's blade managed to catch his left arm. The pain of cold steel made him wince. But it was a minor wound.

These men danced well for wetlanders, better than the average soldier, but not good enough to compete with the Iron Mountain Sept. Maer's grinned. "Shall we dance, wetlander?" His spear whirred and the sharp edge slashed across Jorin's midsection, sending him staggering backward. creating a long ribbon of red where the spear point had bit into the man's flesh.

Maer managed to catch a glimpse of another Seanchan coming around wide to the right, ducking through the screen of horses towards Keb, Eliesanna and Maeslyn. He slapped the flat of his blade on the horses causing them to scatter and whinny nervously. A loud crack of thunder overhead sent some rearing on hind legs and scampering down the street.

"Maiden! Be wary!" Maer shouted. "One approaches." Eliesanna gripped the spear warily standing beside Maeslyn anxious to go to Keb.

"Stay by me," Maeslyn ordered, keeping her back with an outstretched hand, her face was impassive.

"But, the lady Keb--" Eliesanna tried to object.

"Keb can handle him alone well enough," was all Maeslyn said. And it seemed so, Keb had dropped her bow and in a single fluid motion drew out her thin blade in time to meet his attack.

Thenlir staggered to his feet and gave a roar of anger. His breastplate was scarred and indented from the lopar's powerful blow, large claw marks across its surface and blood smeared the side of his hard face.

The roar was all the warning Maer had. He ducked just in time. Thenlir's powerful axe came around in a wide swing, its sharp edge cutting into Jorin's neck in a spray of blood. The Seanchan officer gurgled and toppled backward, clutching at his throat with now lifeless fingers. The sword skittered across the cobblestones. Thenlir's follow-through strike, glanced off the shoulder of the lopar as it charged at Thenlir again, claws raking at him, drawing sparks from furrows the they made in his breastplate. Thenlir moaned from where he lay on the ground. Blood was flowing from several large gashes. He screamed in pain and tried to roll away.

"Get up wetlander!" Maer shouted to Thenlir, wanting to help, but wary of the handler's skill, not willing to turn his back for even a second to come to Thenlir's aid. "Hold the flank! If it gets past you, it will tear into the women, into Maeslyn!" That seemed to stir the man to renewed effort, and he rolled away from the beast, staggering to his feat.

Past the handler, Maer could see Megda rising to her feet, her ageless face uncreadable as expected except for one detail that made him mentally take a step backwards. Tears. Light! What could make an Aes Sedai cry?

---

"The Damane is unleashed!" A Seanchan soldier yelled, fear and anger written across his narrow face. "Kill the Damane!"

Sweat ran down Fiznak's face, even as blood ran down his arm from a cut in his left shoulder. A Seanchan soldier lay at his left. Maynard's kill. He held his sword low and in front of him, blade at the ready, both hands grasping the hilt that was becoming slippery with his own blood.

Maynard stood near Megda Sedai who had now gained her feet, blade hovering protectively near her, keeping the Seancan at bay. Fiznak gave a smirk, now these Seanchan dogs would experience fear! Surely Megda Sedai would turn the very air to fire and they would turn and run with their tails between their legs.

Fiznak waited, dancing back and forth with one of the Seanchan, blades clanging together in rapid succession, each seeking an opening in the other's defences. Why doesn't Megda do something? Fiznak wondered again. Blood and ashes, what is she waiting for? And then he heard Thenlir screaming.

---

Maer easily dodged a wild overhand swing from the handler then spinning towards him, he thrust down at the handlers leg, catching him in the thigh. The man screamed and limped backwards, cursing and sputtering.

Thenlir, at Maer's right, gave a ragged cry and raised his axe to hit the creature, but it charged right when the axe was raised with both hands above his head, slamming it's head with the speed of a charging bull into Thenlir's breastplate, sending hims sprawling several feet. He lay on his back and tried to get up and then screamed in pain and finally in fear as the beast came at him, large and powerful claws ripping and tearing at him. He screamed again, and again, trying desperately to roll away. His hands, grasped at the claws, striving to keep the powerfully muscled lopar away from him. The cries grew weaker.

Maer shuddered, seeing blood dripping from those claws. The screaming suddenly stopped. From the corner of his eye, Maer realized that Thenlir was no longer moving. The beast raised its dark eyes to Maer and started to walk towards him, one claw grinding into Thenlir's midsection as it walked over him, leaving bloody prints on the cobblestones. The beast gave several loud roars that sent the remaining horses bolting down alleys and side-streets, their hooves fading into the distance. Then the beast fixed its beady dark eyes on Maer.

Keb thrust and then parried and then thrust again. An shallow slash down her right arm slowed her down, but only slightly. She forced him back and felt the tip of her blade bite into his stomach. The Seanchan held one hand across his wound and kept fighting, grimacing from the pain, but seeking to find an entry through her defenses. Suddenly, the man screamed as a wound opened out of thin air right where his heart was, sending blood seeping from it, and he collapsed in a heap. Keb looked about for a moment looking wide-eyed and then saw Maeslyn looking at her in determination. Maeslyn gave Keb a curt nod. Keb returned a startled smile, and then turned and leapt over him, rushing to Maer's side.

When she saw Thenlir, her face went white. "Is he--" She couldn't bring herself to say it, nor did she have time; the lopar had suddenly rushed towards them, causing even the handler to step out of the way at its charge.

The large beast loomed over them as it went back on its hind legs, a large forepaw with razor sharp claws poised to strike down at them. Keb screamed as the blow fell and dove to one side, rolling to her feet, hoping she would be fast enough. Then the beast bellowed and screamed, but it didn't move, it's paw with those sharp claws remained only inches from her face. It seemed frozen in place almost as if it had been turned to stone. Yet, she could see that its muscles tensed, struggling to move, but it was held fast, completely helpless. Was this Maeslyn's work or Megda's? She shuddered, not sure she wanted to know. She scrambled to her feet.

Maer had only a moment to jump aside before the handler came at them again, his face full of hatred and rage. Another darting slash, and a small wound opened up on Maer's face. Maer leapt backwards and then changed direction pivoting on one foot, coming forwards with nearly the same momentum. He crashed the butt of his spear into the man's face, breaking the nose. The handler staggered backwards, coughing and sputtering but still holding his blade.

---

The remaining soldier in front of Fiznak looked about in consternation at the dead Seanchan soldiers littering the street. With only the Lopar and it's handler remaining, he breathed a low oath, parried a blow aimed at him from Fiznak, and then dashed east up the street and out of sight. Fiznak breathed heavily and looked around him, his sword still held warily. No one was left except the handler and the beast, which strangely enough wasn't moving at all. But the handler was locked in combat with both Maer and Keb, still holding his own against their combined onslaught. But Thenlir wasn't moving.

Enough of this, Fiznak thought. He raised his sword and pointed the tip at the handler. "For Maeslyn! For the White Tower and for Sheinar!" Fiznak yelled and then charged the man.

The handler tried to shift to meet the attack, to bring his curved blade up to parry the blow, but he was too slow. Fiznak's blade crashed down on his skull, cutting deep into the bone. The man screamed and fell kicking and twitching on the ground until he finally lay still. Fiznak looked about. Except for the bellowing beast that was trapped somehow with the One Power, the street was empty of motion and sound.

Maynard pulled his blade from a twitching corpse lying around Megda Sedai. The horses were completely gone.

"Kill the beast!" Megda ordered. "His head is still exposed, so it can't hurt you! Quickly, before it attracts more attention with all its noise!" Fiznak nodded and approached the thing warily. As with the grolm in Newridge, this beast was also held fast. He thrust his blade deep into both eyes killing it instantly. Once dead, whatever mysterious power holding it in place vanished. The beast collapsed heavily to the cobblestone street beneath it, blood oozing out of its eye sockets.

Then Fiznak saw Thenlir. Or he saw what was left of the man. The heavily muscled man was torn completely in two, ripped apart at the waist, just below the breastplate, where sharp claws had ended his life. His wide eyes stared heavenward in shock, blood and bile pooled around him.

"Blood and bloody ashes!" Fiznak muttered looking at the others. "He's dead! Light! He's dead!"

Keb couldn't say anything. She just looked at the man, her eyes wide with shock. Eliesanna simply stood by, in shock herself, not daring to come closer. Not daring to move away. Indeed, she hadn't moved throughout the entire encounter. Maynard remained beside Megda's side, speaking to her in low tones, his face somber, pointing towards Thenlir's still form.

Maeslyn ran to Thenlir's lifeless corpse and knelt beside him. "No, Thenlir! Light, Thenlir! No!" She breathed in a low voice that only Fiznak could barely hear. Then she bowed her head in silence for a long moment over his silent form. No one spoke, not wanting to break the silence. Some shouts and thunderclaps could be heard, but muffled, in the distance although the sky was completely devoid of clouds.

"Loyal Thenlir." Maeslyn finished, giving a long sigh. But her voice and eyes were deadly calm and serious as she locked her green eyes onto Fiznak's face. "He was ever loyal, Fiznak! Loyal as any warder ever would be! Remember that!"

Fiznak ran this left hand though his dark hair and then scratched at the scruff that was beginning to grow on his chin. Light, what did she meant by that?

"Thenlir was a fierce wetlander and fearless warrior, a worthy opponent and friend." Maer's said, commending the man. "It was good that his axe fought for us, and not against us."

"Aye," Fiznak agreed, with a sigh. Wondering about all those times where it seemed Thenlir was about to come to blows with them. Then he also knelt beside the man, brushing the eyelids closed with his right hand. "Return to the mother's embrace and be sheltered in the light, Thenlir of Ostin." Then he met Maeslyn's eyes again. She held them with hers for a moment and then she stood and went to Megda. Fiznak and Maer followed her.

Maynard was speaking to Megda quietly. She shook her head to some query of his, smiled slightly and lightly touched his face. Tears were in her eyes and her lip trembled. Then she took a deep breath. Fiznak found himself admiring the woman. She was pretty, and slight of build. Flaming red hair was offset by green eyes on pale white skin. But her bearing was kindly yet regal.

"How are you, Megda Sedai?" Maeslyn asked her formally, managing a curtsy in her divided riding skirts.

A momentary darkness passed over her face. "Better, child," she breathed quietly, resting a hand on Maynard's arm. "Much better than I was. I am in your debt!" Her voice was sincere, and her eyes took in every face, gratitude openly written on it. "I am sorrowed to hear of your loss. Maynard told me that this Thenlir was a brave and loyal man."

"Yes," Maeslyn said faintly. "He was that."

"The wheel weaves us into the pattern as well as out of it." Megda said as if talking to someone far away. "Well," Megda said, changing the subject, staring at Maeslyn. And her face changed, regaining some of the mask-like composure, typical of all Aes Sedai. "I am surprised to see an Accepted here, and out of the tower too!" One red eyebrow arched in a question.

"Nadira Sedai sent for me. She felt that a full sister with her warder would attract too much attention and so requested that I and my friends locate you and look into the happenings here on Toman Head."

"Happenings!" she gave a chuckle that turned into a snort. "The Seanchan and their channeling Damane and cruel Sul'Dam are more than mere happenings, child! They may threaten our very civilization if they aren't stopped!"

"They may threaten our lives, sooner than our civilization," Fiznak broke in ruefully but easily. "We had better leave soon Megda Sedai! More are coming!" They could hear the heavy tromp of boots from a side street behind them, growing louder.

"Aye. We had best move." Maynard agreed, wiping his sword and sheathing it. "It appears we are horseless, as well."

Keb nodded, cleaning her own blade on a cloak off one of the fallen Seanchan and then sheathing it. "What about the wagon yards and stables for the merchants outside the city proper to the south? Perhaps there are horses there."