A Nice Vacation

By Cor Dazar

I sat staring at the wall of my room, the silence of the night pressing in around me. My eyes stared unblinking at my door, as if I was trying to bore holes through the thick dark wood. Presently I was aroused from my trance by the sound of people walking through the hall beyond my door. "That would be the evening guard," I thought to myself. Ever since the death of Aelric Gaidin the security of the Green Ajah hall had been tripled, all on the orders of my Aes Sedai and Sitter of the Green Ajah Niniane Sedai. With the sound of the guards passing by I knew that it was now my time to leave. I stood swinging my pack onto my shoulders and making sure it was secure and my weapons were on me I slipped out of my room. The halls were empty, for at this late hour of the night all Aes Sedai were already asleep along with most of their Gaidin, yet I still crept through the hall with great care, so as not to alert anyone of my presence. So quiet was I that even a mouse would not have noticed my passing. The biggest of my fears was that Niniane my Aes Sedai would somehow feel something through our bond and stop me before I was away. Yet even this was a small matter to me for Niniane had been very busy and returned early to her bed and was now in a deep sleep that would be very hard to wake her from by anything. I felt that she was well guarded at the time, and so since it seemed to me that I had become something little more than a forgotten shadow in the Tower, that I would take a little vacation for a few days and test myself to see how much I had gained from my training in the tower. I knew of no better place to test my mettle than in the lands I grew up in, where death comes often and people accept it like the do a morning rain.

To the blight I was now headed, not to Shienar, my native land, but to the lands beyond where death walks in flesh and the touch of a plant can kill. Normally I would have asked Niniane if she would give me leave to go on such a "vacation", and if it were to any other place my request would almost assuredly be granted. Any place but the blight, for Nini know my mind well and knows too that I go for the sport of hunting. Yet many would think, "well surely a brief hunt wouldn't kill the guy," yet I seek a most intelligent creature and more deadly than anything I have yet encountered. I was headed once more to hunt myrddraal, like I had done many years ago as a youngling and not yet fully aware of what my future held for me. Now I was older, stronger and wiser, and instead of a quick journey into the borders of the blight for maybe one night like I did in my youth I now planned to use a gateway and transport myself deep into the deadly region, where the devastation of the Dark One was far worse.

Slipping silently through the doors of the Green Ajah hall I entered into the main part of the tower itself. Here, unlike in the previous hall I had just come from, the lights still burned bright, and several servants still scurried about, but they paid little attention to me for they knew enough about me that I had a right to be there. I walked down these halls tall and erect displaying my full height, yet little more than the slightest noise did I make.

At one point on my descent through the tower, I heard the sound of marching feet of the tower guard approaching and so I ducked back into a doorway and quickly took hold of saidin. Using light I wove a cloak of invisibility around me and quickly inverted the weave so as not to alert any male channelers that might have been around. After the guards passed I dropped the weave and released saidin and continued on my way, all my senses strained to catch any hint of pursuit of another person coming, but all was still. After many more flights of stairs and several more times of hiding from the Tower guards I found myself outside. I had chosen not to leave directly from my room for a gateway takes a good amount of power and would easily draw attention to me. This I did not want so I made my plans early on and had hidden several small packs of supplies in my designated departure place which was just beyond the practice yards where I could not be spotted. Slowly I made my way around the buildings out of sight of all windows, and any light, my black cadin'sor hiding me as well as even a warders cloak. After a few minutes of slipping in and out of the shadows I found myself and the appointed place and retrieved my extra food stuffs, and then with out a glance back I opened a gateway and jumped through, the portal snapping shut behind me.

I found myself in a hot desert plane surrounded by darkness, and only a pale thin light of the half moon illuminated my surroundings. I took a good look at my surroundings, my ears listening to the low howl of the light breeze, but catching no other sound, and then I started walking in a North direction. For by mistake I had brought myself fairly close to Fal Dara, and so that is how my night ended. After I had traveled for several miles I set up a small camp setting several strong wards not caring what creatures attention I brought upon me, and then I slept for a few brief hours in a deep peaceful, dreamless sleep, the like of which I had not know for many a night.

I awoke with the bright light of dawn upon my face and after a small breakfast I set out again. On my first day of walking I found little save the common animals of the blight, and lucky that I saw them for they are deadly, yet that was all the action that I saw, but as the day wore I could not shake the feeling that I was being watched. "From where?" I kept asking myself for I was surrounded but league upon league of flat desert with little or nothing that someone could hide behind or in for that matter. Yet this was to be my folly for in the heat I had forgotten some my lessons of hunting myrddraal and took no notice of the high dark storm clouds or the shadows that they cast. As the day came to an end I once again set up a small camp and as the night before I set many strong wards that no one, man of beast, could pass through with out me knowing for anything that crossed those invisible walls would be instantly slain and an alarm would sound.

I awoke once more to the rising of the sun climbing above the horizon, my mouth already dry from the heat but this time I headed towards the east, and this would prove to be the turn of events I had been looking for. At some point in time before midday I found myself in an area of many dunes piled high many feet above my head and so I climbed among these hills of sand until as I came near the top of one and decided to stop. As I drank from my water bottle I began thinking that I should begin hunting at night. I had, before leaving, switched into the normal light brown colored cadin'sor but even that was far too hot to be wearing in the terrible heat. As I sat, the only sound in the desert my heavy breathing; I heard the guttural voices of trollocs. Dropping down to my belly, pulling a spear from behind me, I slithered my way up the dune until I was able to peak over the edge of the sand hill, and there I saw what I had come for. Below me stood I company of twenty trollocs and with them were two myrddraal on horseback. I was overjoyed at my luck for the group seemed to have halted and the two myrddraal seemed to be speaking to each other, silently I slid my way back down to where I had set my pack when first I had hit the ground. From it I pulled a case in which my bow was placed and took five arrows from my quiver which was also stowed away in my bag. Also with me went three of my spears and then I crawled back to my previous position upon the hill. The small band had still not moved and so quickly I ran through my plan. I would take out the two myrddraal if possible by arrow, if I was lucky the killing the those two would drop several trollocs, and then using my remaining arrows I would take out several more trollocs and then kill the rest with my spears and knives. Only once did the thought of using saidin enter my head, but I quickly dismissed it for it would defeat my whole purpose for coming to the desolate place. I set each arrow, point first into the ground, and then set one spear at easy reach near my hand, strapping the other two on my back.

I took one arrow from it place, took careful aim and then the bow rang loud and clear in the still air. The arrow flew straight through the myrddraal's throat where it stuck and so it fell to the ground, but even before it began to sway I had pulled forth a second arrow aimed and let it fly where upon it smote deep into the empty place where the seconds eye should have been and he too fell, thudding to the ground. Indeed luck was with me for twelve of the trollocs fell leaving me eight, which had already turned towards me and came running blades held high for battle, strange sounds coming from their throats. I sent forth the last three of my arrows each once hitting it's mark and so I was left with five of the beasts to deal with. My golden daggers flashed into my hands and I sent them flying at the monsters which where now almost upon me. Two more fell, and I had time to let loose one more dagger as I grabbed up my spear and retreated back a few steps. With the throw of that last dagger another fell leaving me two to deal with in hand to hand combat. It took a good deal of my skill yet I had been well trained and so in a short time I had dispensed of the last of the group. Then I went around collecting my daggers wiping the blood from them and then placing them back in their concealed hiding places. After this I grabbed up my pack threw it across my shoulders and headed off leaving the bodies to be eaten by the foul creatures of the land. Normally I would have also taken the heads of the myrddraal like I use to in my youth, but I still felt the hidden eyes upon my back me, and I did not wish to run the risk or meeting them just then.

So I walked many miles to the northeast until I found a place to camp. As the sun sank, blood red, below the horizon I set my wards of protection, and once more checked on Nini through my bond. All was well, she had apparently not discovered my absence yet and so I went to sleep with out even a small meal.

I shot awake the next day before the sun had even peeked over the horizon, to a terrible feeling. Instantly my thoughts went to my Aes Sedai and there I found what had awakened me. Nini had found my letter explaining my absence and she was furious, I could almost feel the heat emanating from her and see her all to common angry stare that could peel paint from a wall. I knew that she couldn't follow after me, yet I still felt worried for her, so I set out immediately hoping to make one final kill and then end my vacation upon my forth day. I walked now back to the west in hopes that I would find myself maybe one more roving band of trollocs with some myrddraal to hunt but this time my luck did not seem to be with me for I found no sign of any creature that day and still I felt the eyes upon me, watching my every move. I wandered on until the sun began to disappear in front of me before I started to look for my next place to camp. It was at this time that my luck turned but for better or worse I still have not decided.

As I began to set down my gear and settle in I heard a sound I could never forget, like dry leaves rubbing against each other, the voices of myrddraal rang all to clear in my ears. There was at least three I guessed and so reading myself I removed from my pack my bow and quiver, made sure my daggers where on me, and all my spears with me and silently slipped towards the voices. I had already begun to set my wards when I heard the voices so I knew that my pack was safe from any roving creatures looking for food.

The sun had disappeared completely from the sky and the moon was shrouded by the dense storm clouds, which had building since my arrival. I had slipped into my black cadin'sor a few minutes before and was now hidden from all but the creatures with the best night vision of all the earth.

In this almost total blackness I stalked my prey, the voices remaining in the same spot, like the evil creatures where also staying somewhere out in this desolate wilderness, or perhaps planning some evil mischief, but I could not see how this could be for myrddraal can transport themselves through the shadows to places far away or through the solid stone wall of a fortress, or so the tales say, and so with out thinking fully upon this, I walked into a trap set especially for me, and the hunter became the hunted.

I soon came upon the place where I heard the voices, but I saw nothing not even a dim outline. So I slipped ahead a little further and saw them, but there was only two. I was sure that I had heard a third, but I did not want to bother with three anyway. Quietly I moved out of sight and took out my bow and nocked and arrow, then moving back a little ways to where I could see them I took aim and fired. The arrow flew dead on, hitting my first target dead center in his chest, and as he hit the ground I aimed and let loose another arrow, which implanted itself through the myrddraal's throat. Out of the darkness to my right I heard the sound I knew all to well, the third myrddraal rushed towards me, and just barely did I dive out of the way, feeling the wind from the sword as it passed by.

I dropped my bow and in one fluent motion unhooked my quiver, which fell to the ground beside me, and pulled from my back one of my spears. The metal tip flashed briefly, catching the glint of some ray of the moon which had escaped through the clouds, and I rushed towards the myrddraal which had already wheeled around and came charging towards me sword raised. We met with a great crash, and the duel, which I had come looking for, began. It seemed that I strove with the black demon for what seemed many hours, neither one of us giving way. It seemed to me that this creature knew as much about my tactics, and me, as I knew about myrddraal's ways. Then I knew for certain, this creature was the source of the hidden eyes that had watched me the past days, and in that short time he had learned my fighting style and it seemed could almost guess my mind, just like I had done for many years studying the ways of the myrddraal as I hunted them. My strength eventually began to ebb and still he came on, already three of my spears lay broken upon the ground and the one in my hand was notched many times from where I had blocked blow after blow from the monsters deadly sword. Sometime during the beginning of our duel it had begun to rain and as my forth spear was split apart with a mighty stroke it began to pour. The lightning illuminated the sky and thunder roared in my ears. I back flipped away from the creature, pulling loose my last spear and it was then that I felt once more my bond, which I had ignored somehow during the fight. Nini could feel my struggle going on, and I felt her dread for she had lost several warders already, yet hidden beneath that first wave of emotion I could feel anger the like of which I did not believe possible. With that feeling a new energy burst into me and like a bolt of lightning I drove towards the myrddraal. This new fully powered assault set him off guard but it only lasted for a second. He deflected my blows from my spear with some difficulty but so fast did I send them that his attention was completely drawn to his defense and he did not notice the golden dagger flash into my hand, not until it was sticking out of his side. Still I fought on with my spear keeping him from turning to remove the power wrought blade and so once again gold gleamed into my hand, and another dagger was punched into him. Although he was bleeding heavily from these wounds the demon did not give way with amazing speed and strength still left to it, and it wasn't until I put a third dagger into him did he leave an opening and faster than lightning I plunged my spear through his gut. So strong was the force of that blow that the spear passed completely through him the tip sticking out his back as he fell to the ground.

Using saidin I removed my daggers from his body, and stumbled back from the still writhing body. Through out the fight it seemed that the myrddraal had never put a blade to me, yet as I looked now upon myself I saw that many wounds ran across my arms, and although not deep they were deadly for the poison of the evil blade was now coursing through me. These were not the wounds that concerned me most, as I looked down I saw that a deep gash had been cut in my stomach running from one side to the other, and another placed exactly where I had been cut many years ago in my child hood, running down my side. Wound like these even from a normal blade are fatal unless quickly treated by skilled healers. I looked around and realized that I stood at the sight of one of my previous camp sights and knew the place well, so quickly I took hold of saidin and a gateway appeared before me. I stepped though and found myself on the front steps of the tower. Already the sun was rising and servants and novices scurried about on their way to do their chores, and so I returned home. As the gateway closed behind me, the last of my strength disappeared and I fell into total blackness.

When I awoke I found myself lying in my own bed, in my own room. At first I thought I had an amazingly detailed dream. Yet even as I looked around such a hope died. Nini sat looking at me with a look that could have curdled fresh milk and when she saw that I was awake she arose from her seat in the corner and came towards me. I attempted to sit up or rise but failed. My body was very weak from the healing which I had undergone. So unable to move little more than my head I lay there and waited for whatever Nini had in store for me. She now stood over me, as helpless as a child, and just stared at me. Her face was still hard and cold yet she did not look as mad as what I felt through our bond. Strangely, a smile slowly spread across her face and she began to laugh. Apparently she found something amusing about my helplessness, but I did not and so I lay there staring up with an emotionless stare. This seemed only to make her laugh more though. Eventually she was able to control herself and stopped laughing but a smirk remained upon her face.

"You stupid man, you have caused me a lot of grief so u could do what? Take a nice little vacation off on your own?" She said this like I had gone off to Cairhien and slept many a peaceful night on a soft feather bed and studied in the great libraries.

"Do you know it took three yellows to heal you? I'm beginning to wonder if you are becoming more trouble than your worth." This I knew she said jokingly but her face had become stern once more and for a brief second I had to wonder but then her smile returned and she almost looked like she would laugh again but she was able to restrain herself. She then bid me farewell for awhile for she still had a lot work to do and it was also ordered that I should not be disturbed and that I should get plenty of rest. So she left me and as the door closed behind her I was sure that I could hear her laughing again. I closed my eyes and fell back into a deep sleep.

When I awoke again the sun had climbed high into the sky, a servant girl stood by my door and as I stirred she came towards me carrying a large platter of food. I ate all that I was given and then the girl departed and I once more fell into a deep dreamless sleep. In this way I spent the next three days recovering from my vacation, with brief visits from Nini at least twice a day. Upon my third day although I was supposedly not allowed to, I got out of bed changed into some new clothes and slipped out of my room. I had made it all the way to the practice yards before I was caught and brought back to my room. Finally as the sun rose on the fourth day of my return my healers finally realized how hard it would be for them to keep me in my room and so I was allowed to wander once more about the tower. Nini however had other plans for me and I was loaded with duties so as to keep me from wandering off again.

I finished the telling of my tale to my good friend Rillian Thandril and then noticing the time rose and with a quick goodbye I left the room to let him ponder my words, for I was to guard my Aes Sedai's door this night and already I could sense her settling down in her bed.