The End of the Yard

Here the trees from another small clearing slightly separate from the main training yard. In stark contrast to the rest of the gardens, this clearing feels cold and ominous. There are brambles at one end of the clearing, partly covering what appears to be an ancient iron gate and archway. Fear radiates from behind this gate.

[ Exits: n ]

Jogging laps about the training yards, a dimintive woman in breeches and a white linen shirt is making her third lap in the late afternoon when most of the trainees have since gone to dinner or finished their daily routine. There might be some clashing of lathes in the distance but for the most part, this end of the yards is relatively quiet. [Jezz]

Melinda wanders into the yards, her blue eyes looking like she is more in another world than this one, even if she holds no books in her hands. She manages not to walk anything despite her obvious 'not-thereness' that is so typical of Browns, and simply leans up against a tree near the edge of the yars.

A sheen is already touching upon the green's features, Jezz running more oft then not, perhaps to determine if she can still keep up with the aiel when last she was there. And to make sure she could keep up should she ever run into them again. She barely notices the Brown off in another world, but considers it odd for anyone to be down in this area of the yards. And an Aes Sedai no less. [Jezz]

Melinda yawns a bit then blinks, her eyes becoming noticeably less absent. She blinks again when she notices you, one eyebrow raising as her blue-eyed gaze follows you about your course.

Down near the gate at the end of the practice yards is where Jezz finally stops, lightly panting as she bends down to pick up a cantene of water and the towel she had left earlier. She uncaps the cantene and idly looks at the gate. After taking her languid sip of the refreshing water, Jezz pours the rest over her head, then wipes it away with the towel. She barely glances over her shoulder towards the Brown, determining if the woman is indeed in her own little world or watching the jogger. After a silent moment of hesitation, Jezz moves over towards the gate, climbs up high enough to peer over the other side. [Jezz]

someone tells you, 'nothing there. obviously. :P'

'Be careful about what you peer over, Sister. It might bite. Who knows, it might even be a drooling trainee discovering the Green Secret to all of the things they gossip about behind your backs... or what they think is behind your backs.' the Brown pipes up suddenly, her eyes now looking quite lucid, and her agless features tinged with amusement. [Melinda]

Jezz turns around suddenly and jumps off the gate with the sound of the voice, Jezz blinks from the woman then back towards the Gate, "What do you know about whats beyond the gate?" She asks quietly with a glance back towards where the culprit may lie in wait.

Melinda smiles at the other Sister, then takes a few steps toward her. 'Last I looked, it really was a gaggle of young Trainees, though it has been awhile since I have looked. They might still be there and be in their 30's now.'

Jezz quirks an eyebrow slightly, "I havent seen any trainees down there." her voice quietly spoken as she swings the towel over one shoulder. "Something in those archives of why someone might remain in that cave down there?"

Melinda shrugs her shoulders, then says quietly to Jezz. 'I know that people tend to stay away from it, and only few go near, and then only for a very short time. The gate has been there longer than anyone remembers, and the reasons for it being there - whether to keep something out or to keep something in - is unknown.'

Jezz wrinkles her nose for a moment then climbs back up the gate to look over, "You're the curious sort." Duh. She's Brown. "I know something about it you might be interested in." Jezz looks over towards Melinda with a mischievious smile. But the butterflies are going nuts in her stomach. She knows more then she would want.

Melinda smiles at Jezz, though her eyebrows raise a bit as a look of interest crosses her smooth features. 'Oh really? Funny, though I haven't looked much, I haven't really seen anything about it. If you know somthing, I would be delighted if you shared the knowledge of it with me, Sister.'

Jezz looks over the gate once more with some apprehension and rememberances from years past. "Not much to see.. right now." Jezz glances off towards the horizon and the time before the sun sinks into twilight. Jezz hops back down and squats in front of the gate, her fingers lightly touching upon something that surely was carved into the wood long ago. "What do you make of it?"

someone tells you, 'remember, it's mostly visible when you grasp and you see the weaves.'

someone tells you, 'err... most visible.'

Melinda walks over to stand near Jezz, then kneels down beside her to peer at the carving in the wood that she has found. She studies it in silence for a few moments, then shakes her head. 'It doesn't seem to be an old script or anything, and it's not a symbol I recognize either. Most likely a pretty carving.'

"Blast it, trainee! How many times do I have to tell you....step first, -then- strike! Your body's movement gives your strike momentum and power." Jamis' voice carries across the yards from where he's showing a pair of lads some basic strikes and parries, a bit of annoyance obvious in his tone. He's dressed unobtrusively in baggy workout clothing and he holds a one-handed lathes bundle in his left hand. His sword is belted about its waist. He shakes his head briskly, a frown on his lips. [Jamis]

Embracing Saidar, the Green fills with the One Power, the silver aura surrounding her, "Look again." a sideways glance towards the other woman and the manner she seeks the Sitter to look. "If you dont recognize any of it.. then it must be old indeed." With Jamis' shouts and the clacking of lathes and grunts, Jezz glances over her shoulder for a moment, a fraction of a smile touching her features towards the Master of Trainees. [Jezz]

From the North, the sound of heavy bootsteps crunching against dry grass can be heard even before the entrance of a broad-shouldered Shienarian can be seen. A great, gray mantel rests on his shoulders, flowing down his sides to ripple about his body in the brisk spring breeze, though generally staying around his body, concealing underneath, whatever clothes it is he wears, save for the occasional peek of a sword hilt near his left hip, or the casing of a scabbard near the cloak's hems. In all, the entering man seems rather distracted, or at least, paying a good deal more attention to his own thoughts, than that of his surroundings. [Aratan]

Melinda doesn't even glance at the men, she herself grasping Saidar and letting its sweetness fill her as she continues to look at the carving, trying to look for anything that shows up that cannot be seen with normal eyes. 'It's an interesting ward.' she murmurs, continuing to study the treads that delicately wind their way through the carving and the gate itself.

Jezz returns her attention to Melinda then to the gate with a slow nod, "I thought so as well. It doesnt hinder opening the gate.. but it does.. keep something in." She whispers conspiratory, emerald orbs tilting to Melinda briefly. "It fears light."

The Trainees have at it again, the fellow at whom Jamis was yelling red in the face from embarrasment and a bit of anger also. But it seems to have worked, for this time he holds his strike until he begins moving forward, the tip of his practice blade lancing toward the other trainee as his foot hits the ground. From this angle, it appears that the second trainee is scewered, and he stumbles backward with a loud grunt. But then he steadies himself and turns around toward the Master, revealing thick padding that he wears about his torso. "Much better, lad" Jamis says, nodding his head in a quick expression of approval. [Jamis]

Melinda frowns at Jezz, then says rather firmly, 'Then it is best to lot let it out, hmm? Though this ward is intruiging...'

Aratan's jade eyes sweep momentarily over the pair of sisters, resting on them for but an instant before moving on, to rest this time upon the trainees and instructor. There his eyes rest a moment longer than they did upon the Aes Sedai, his interest apparantly sparked for a brief moment before being consumed by his prior thoughtfullness. With his gaze wandering about the yard, his stroll continues once more, the edges of his great gray cloak whispering against the grass that is crushed underfoot by his heavy boots. The breeze stirring at his long topknot, and at his cloak, to occasionally push it back for a momentary glimpse of the cloth below, before once more it settles back into its proper place.

Jezz glances at Melinda, "I agree." a supressed shudder traces down the Murandian's spine before she shakes the memory away, "Have you seen a ward like this before?" She gently prods at the weave, trying to make head or tails out of the whole thing. "It's rather odd.. "

Melinda ponders this, then nods her head. 'I have seen something similar, Sister. It is very similar to the wards we use against Shadowspawn. I suggest not poking at it too much.'

Jamis turns his gaze onto the padded trainee, and he says "Not comfortable is it, even with padding. That is why we spent so much time last week learning parries. You have been practicing, yes?" The trainee nods hurriedly, evoking a stern command from the Master. "Then parry his blows. 20 blows, then pass the pad to him and you strike. Then switch again." With that, he crosses his arms over his chest and takes a couple steps back. He makes a quick gesture to one of the assistant instructors, who takes his place. Then Jamis turns away and moves toward another group of lads. His eyes alight on the sisters and Aratan as he turns. Their presence gives him pause, and he changes his course to draw nearer to the Shienaran first.

It seems to take a great deal of time for the strolling Shienarian to notice, or perhaps merely acknowledge, Jamis's presence. Though eventually notice and acknowledgement alike is given as his boots hold to one patch of ground, the man's pale green gaze shifting to lock on Jamis, speaking absently, "Peace Favour, Mastery Halsyth. I hope it fairs well with you?" [Aratan]

Jezz ceases her prodding for the moment with a glance towards Melinda, "I dont recognize it myself." She frowns softly, "If shadowspawn can be destroyed, perhaps this can too. Take a look with me?" Jezz rises from where she was squating and proceeds to unlock the gate, gingerly pushing it open she looks down the path. "Still light enough. We just need to be quick." Then moves past the open gate down the path a short ways, her eyes searching the ground for something.

Melinda shakes her head at Jezz, then says quietly, 'You go on ahead. I chose not to wear the Green shawl because I like my library more than I like fighting Shadowspawn. I would suggest you take some of your fellow Greens with you, and their warders.'

Jamis nods his head, or more correctly inclines it toward the Shienaran respectfully. "It does, my lord an'Shinowa. The lads can be a bit trying at times..." He glances over his shoulder toward them and smiles faintly. "...but they are coming along." His baby blues come back toward the Shienaran as his tone becomes more sober. "I was glad to learn of your wife's rescue, my lord. I wish I could have been more help in that endeavor."

Jezz turns about to look back at Melinda, "Not interested in the study of it? Mostly harmless. At least bodily harm. Something located right here on the island.. I would imagine knowing that the enemy is right here might be.. disconcorting. Especially with the lack of knowledge there seems to be about it." Jezz offers a smile then turns back to move slowly along the path.

Melinda shakes her head at Jezz, then comments in a firm voice, 'I'll study it after you kill it, Sister, though I still suggest you wait and take someone with you if you still insist on going in there to fight the thing. The life of an Aes Sedai isn't worth studying something that other Sisters obviously did not want us to study.'

The man's broad shoulders shrug, causing a shiver to run through the gray cloth hanging from them as he answers, "The pattern chooses its path, often regardless of how its threads would prefer. Though I thank you for your concern, Master Halsyth. How has life in Tar Valon continued for you, since our last, unfortunately brief, meeting?" [Aratan]

Jamis's lips turn upwards into a hint of a smile. "Life returns to its routine all to quickly, it seems, my lord. Tis a good routine: spending the days in the yards training the lads is rewarding. But from time to time my thoughts return to the freedom of the road." He looks away toward the general direction of the Alindaer bridge. "I enjoyed that aspect of being a scout." He gives a quick shake of his shoulders, his smile turning a tad wry. "But duty takes precendence, and I'm honored to fill this position..... probably more than you wanted to know though."

Jezz pauses midway down the path and settles her hands on her hips with a glance around. "Perhaps." Her gaze lifting up towards the position of the sun. Enough time yet before sun down. Her gaze swings back towards another specific point briefly while tapping her fingertips against her hips. "Would you provide the light? If it can be shirked.. I can spend more of my energy on the other." Jezz glances over her shoulder once.

Melinda sighs heavily, her lips twisting into a frown that indicates she does not like this at all. However, her Brownness wins over, and her curiousity gets the better of her senses, forming a simple weave of fire and air to form a ball of light that bobs in the air before her as she walks. 'Very well, but don't expect me to be very useful if you get in trouble. I study wards, not lightning bolts.' adds grudgingly as she trots to catch up with Jezz.

Aratan merely shakes his head gently, his topknot stirring across the back of his cloak as he answers, "No, it is good to think upon other things. Training others is a great endeavour, though unfortunately one I've rarely had the opportunity, or truth, the patience to attempt in as much detail as is required of such a position." He shrugs his shoulders faintly, continuing, "Do you often participate in the tournements that take place, or was Caemlyn an exception?"

Jezz chuckles softly, "The lightning bolt didnt work last time. Too brief of the concentrated light." the Green offers with a look towards the training yards, "If you feel better, we can call them over." her hand lifting up to flag someone's attention. If they have even bothered to notice the two Aes Sedai wander down the path through the gate.

Jamis shakes his head. "It was my first, to be frank, save the contests we occasionally have here amongst the gaidin. In truth, I did not know about the tourney until I arrived in Caemlyn. My invitation was to the Ball....no doubt the Queen thought inviting the Master of Trainees might help with the Prince's training.....assuming he can be prevailed upon to come up to us. He seemed quite determined not to..." His frown and the tone of disapproval as he says this last speaks volumes, but he doesn't elaborate as he instead looks toward the two Aes Sedai again. "Now what are they doing....Greens aren't unusual, but you don't often see Browns here" he muses softly.

Melinda somehow doesn't find that funny, though she does turn toward the group of men, 'Hey, we need someone to come over and protect us! Any of you up for the task?' For once, the willowy Brown doesn't put an innuendo on the word 'up', as she is too busy glancing back toward the cave behind the gate.

Aratan simply nods, answering, "You should perhaps visit the Tournaments held in the borderlands, at some point. They are excellent at aiding in increasing one's skill and finese, both with lance, sword, and other weapons." With a shrurg of his shoulders, his pale green gaze settling on Melinda and Jezz for a moment, before he speaks, "If you will pardon me though, Master Halsyth, it is time I continued my walk and my thoughts." With a faint nod, the rather absent look once more decends upon the northman, his footsteps carryin onwards.

(OoC)-> Aratan says, 'sorry, would love to help out, though I need to crash :('

(OoC)-> Shai'tan says, ' blame the two AS for taking too darn long to open the gate. ;) '

Aratan grins evilly.

(OoC)-> Aratan says, 'well, if you wanted to delay it a day, i'd love to join, though as I don't think there's much chance of that, I need to run :('

(OoC)-> Melinda says, 'Hey, I'm brown! I'm not some silly Blue who goes, 'There's evil inside! Justice must be done! Banzaii!!!''

(OoC)-> Jezz says, ' The Brown needed to be more curious.. like prodding lint..'

(OoC)-> Shai'tan says, ' if you'll be around this weekend, i'll be running part 2 on saturday sometime, more than likely. '

(OoC)-> Melinda says, 'I'm not lint, thankyouverymuch. *sniff* I'm just... careful. Yeah, careful.'

Jamis says "I shall. Peace favor you, lord an'Shinowa." Then he turns way, the Brown's greeting drawing his brow up onto his forehead. His steps are slow but they cover the distance between the ladies and himself in a surprisingly short time. "I beg your pardon, Aes Sedai? What are you talking about?"

Jezz smirks at Melinda but turns her attention towards the gents on the otherside of the fence.. at least until one turns around and leaves. She glances over her shoulder towards the cave entrance for a moment then back to Jamis. 'Dustmites and lint.' At least thats what she would 'like' to say, but doesnt considering the Brown is like a Sitter and stuff. "Would you mind accompaning us? There is a cave not far from here."

Melinda looks over at Jezz momentarily, then says to Jamis, 'I am talking about my headstrong Sister. She must investigate this cave, though I fear there could be trouble inside. I do not want her to go alone, and it never hurts to have an extra sword along when attempting to do something foolish.'

someone tells you, 'just a quick clarification... the gate is currently still open, and jezz is inside, yes?'

someone tells you, '*sage*waits for the sun to go down*twiddle*'

(OoC)-> Jamis says, ' That gate is locked, yes?'

(OoC)-> Shai'tan says, ' it's open now '

(OoC)-> Shai'tan says, ' the gate is common knowledge and the fact that it's been locked and avoided for quite a long while, tho no one really knows why. other than that, the rest is in the desc. '

Jamis nods his head slowly, looking over his shoulder at the open gateway. "I....see. Is this really wise? This gate was locked for a reason, Sitter" he ventures, addressing his remark to the higher ranking of the two for obvious reasons. "I will of course accompany you if you have need, but....." He leaves the rest unsaid, looking between the two meaningfully.

Jezz smirks slightly towards the Sitter but turns away from saying something on her mind to someone so much older then herself. She moves down the pathway and towards the cave entrance. "If you wouldnt mind Jaise.." a glance over her shoulder briefly in his direction until her gaze is returned towards the pathway and the cave entrance.

(OoC)-> Jezz says, ' oh yeah.. wrong name'

(OoC)-> Jezz says, ' *inserts Jaise for Jamis* too many J names'

Benoit appears towards the Northern end of the training yards. He moves about the area- looking around and attempting to reacquaint himself with all that he sees. If one might get the impression that he feels out of place- they would be right because, well, he's quite out of place. Regardless- the once-promising Murandian's first time to touch foot on the yards occurs in this manner: He is wandering as much as anything but when he is within a suitable distance- he notices the open gate and then starts towards it with a bit of curiosity. Some taboo locations are etched into his memory and remembered, after all. He doesn't see Jezz, Jamis, Melinda or Jaise until he's near at hand- and the last at all, since he's not here.

Melinda sighs dramatically at Jezz, then turns her attention back to Jaise. 'That is what I told my Sister, yet she is determined to go there. While I am admittedly curious, I cannot let her go in there alone and expect to live with my conscience. We are asking you to come with us in case my instincts in this matter are correct.' she pauses and adds, putting a bit more firmness into her voice, 'That is your job if I remember right, Guardsman.'

Jamis glances at Melinda and says "It is.....though I'm not a guardsman anymore." Then he sighs and starts forward, following Jezz toward the cave. A soft hiss of air escaping and steel dragging against leather accompanies the withdrawal of Jamis' sword from its scabbard. "Allow me to go first, Aes Sedai. Too often, one's instincts end up proving true."

A long suffering sigh, and this was the Ajah that had almost plucked her up till the Green noticed her. She looks back over her shoulder towards the two as Jamis moves past her and towards the entrance. His passing gives way to the familiar face of her fellow kinsmen, whom she beckons to come closer with an offered smile. She turns about to follow after Jamis, "So be it. The Sitter" Since we never gave our names, "will provide the light." She draws more on Saidar till about half of her capacity. [Jezz]

Benoit has drawn close by the time Jamis's blade is drawn and he appears a bit puzzled, but not entirely confused. He moves forward, towards the gate and beyond. He approaches Jezz first and, if he should be so lucky as to catch her eyes, mouths the word, "Manshima?", after which his eyes cut towards Jamis to make him the target of his silent question. Only seconds later though- Benoit has turned to Melinda to offer her a deep inclination of his head to replace the bow he ought to give in better circumstances, and then a similiar one to Jezz. He saves verbal greetings for later, as the situation doesn't make them appear as welcome.

Melinda keeps holding the trickle needed to maintain the light, seeing no need to draw on more. She nods her head in agreement to Jamis, her lips curving into a warm smile for the man. 'Then I thank you, and Light Send that my instincts are wrong.' She looks back towad the entrance to the cave, straightening her posture as she prepares to go inside. She nods to Benoit, then gestures for him to join the group as well if he wishes to do so, but does not greet him verbally either.

Jezz gives a shake of her head, strawberry locks shimmering down her back in the gesture, her hand drifting off towards the south in the direction her bondmate happens to be currently since he cant be here right now. "My thanks Instructor. It hates light.. shirks at it." She offers as she follows after Melinda.

Melinda starts to follow Jezz into the cave, finally voicing the question that has been nagging at her for the last few minutes, 'So how do you know so much about this thing, Sister? Where did you learn it?'

Jamis nods to Jezz over his shoulder, his eyes flickering toward the newly arrived Benoit just long enough to offer the man a nod of greeting. Then he looks forward and steps forward, the tip of his blade leading the way as he advances slowly into the cave, being careful to remain inside to perimeter of Melinda's light.

(OoC)-> Shai'tan says, ' just for clarification, the cave is down over a small ridge and sort of angles back towards the gate slightly, but mostly towards the south '

Benoit unsheaths his sword- bringing the heavy blade out of its scabbard and into a protective position in front of him as he moves to join Jamis. He makes no move to acknowledge Jezz's reply to him- or her words to Jamis. Instead, he merely moves up to place himself where his blade might be of some service even though he is utterly unaware of the threat they anticipate facing.

The inside of the cave is quite... well... cavelike. Nothing looks much out of the ordinary, but further back in the darker depths, a bit of mist can be seen slowly milling about under some unseen current, as though a small creek or pool is nearby. [Shai'tan]

Jezz moves along the path, "I've been down in the cave before." the Murandian states softly, her verdant orbs darting ahead towards the cave entrance. She moves with a silent dedication towards what had given her years of nightmares, if only faded ghosts and hallucinations. "I was alone and unable to determine what it was... exactly."

Jamis's steps resemble those of a cat stepping into a puddle of water: his feet rise and fall in a rhythm that appears almost delicate as he seems to be testing the ground at each step before his weight gradually shifts from foot to foot. His eyes narrow, his pupils contracting as they adjust to the dimmer light within the cave (even accounting for Melinda's nifty magic stuff). The mist further back gets the lion's share of his attention and he advances toward it. "Interesting" he says softly to himself. His eyes flicker from side to side.

Melinda shakes her head at Jezz, looking back at the entrance to the cave as if wishing she were there, even if she keeps her expression mostly schooled into Aes Sedia calm. She looks at the mist, though she pauses, moving her light closer to it though she herself seems unwilling to go near.

Benoit peers into the cave- his pale eyes searching its shadowy depths and trying to make out what manner of threat it is that lies ahead of him and Jamis. The stocky swordsman doesn't move up even with Jamis yet- hanging back a few feet behind the Instructor and in a position directly between he and whichever Aes Sedai should be foremost behind him. In that manner- he is prepared for a rush from whatever beast they face and to keep himself between it and those unarmed beings he serves as a shield for.

Absolutely nothing jumps out and attempts to eat anyone, the only movement is that of the slowly drifting mist in the back. As you all approach, it swirls and moves quite normally as any other fog might do, it's touch cool and clammy. [Shai'tan]

Jezz frowns towards the mist, her steps coming to a halt to stare at it for a few moments. A thin tendril of Spirit is woven, split into three segments and braids as a prob. She touches it against the mist, even as her gaze shifts further onward down the cave's corridor, searching further along.

someone tells you, 'it's mist. water and air.'

Jamis lowers his blade, the tip dipping into the mist at his feet. As he continues to advance, he sweeps his blade through the mist in an arc in front of him, making himself look vaguely like a blind fellow. "I've not been in many caves, but I don't think mist is normal to them?" He glances back toward the other three quickly as he completes the thought.

Benoit keeps his eyes ahead of him though his face is fixed in an obvious frown- even with the thick and wholly unnattractive beard he's grown. His sword is held in front of him- both hands wrapped around its hilt, and its tip held out from his body at an angle that puts it pointing at about the height of Jamis' head, albeit out to one side by two feet or so.

Melinda graps a bit more Saidar, weaving new threads of fire and wrapping them around her ball of light, increasing both its size and intensity, causing it to shed more light about the room. She continues to remain near the entrance, apparently content to watch from a distance while Jezz probes the mists.

(OoC)-> Shai'tan says, ' as a note, mist is normal if there is a lot of water in the cave and it's cool enough. '

Under Melinda's light, nothing rather bizzare happens to the mist, it just looks ... whiter... and continues to swirl. Up ahead, a smaller opening can be seen, leading deeper into the cave and sloping slightly downward. Seeming to follow the lay of the floor and gravity, the mist tends to drift in that direction. [Shai'tan]

Jezz moves just behind the boys, me thinks.. Leaving Melinda near the entrance, "The cave opens up further down, I beleive thats where we will need the light most.." Her head turning to look towards Melinda.  Her hand lifts towards the opening, "Just beyond there... if I recall correctly." Jezz begins to hesitate more and hang back, perhaps, this wasnt such a good idea.. and mentally bonks Shai'tan. ;p

Jamis frowns and moves further on, his sword continuing to sweep through the mist in front of his feet. He pauses just before the narrow opening, glancing back at Jezz once again. "Then we must be cautious" he says. Nonetheless, he pauses only a moment before stepping into the narrow passageway, his sword still held low in front of himself. Continuing to move slowly, he is careful to remain in the globe of Melinda's light.

Melinda gives the younger Sister a look that conveys that she is not sure if her Sister has gone Mad or not. Still unwilling to let her face danger alone, or too curious to pass up the chance to see what's down there, she nods to Jezz, then steps closer to the the passage that leads further into the cave, manipulating the flows of air that surround her light and moving it ahead of her toward the opening.

Benoit looks forwards- the ethreal and foreboding presence of an unnatural seeming mist (to another inexperienced spelunker) causing him to shiver slightly when its clammy coolness caresses his skin. Reservations pressed aside- He moves closer towards Jamis, his lips moving in minute increments to form the whisper-soft words, "What do we face?" His heartbeat is loud in his own ears- and he's quite positive that it can be heard by all present. He isn't, he is learning, still accustomed to throwing himself between bad things and the less-bad things, like Aes Sedai.

A soft echo of Benoit's words bounce off the close walls of the passageway, an oddly detatched quality to them as the mist deadens further echos near the end of the cooridor. Even more odd, Jamis' words seem not to echo at all. But, the mist gently drifts ever forward, following the sloping cavern floor, and after a twist or two, another archway, presumably opening into another larger cavern, can be seen ahead, the mist growing thicker. [Shai'tan]

Jamis shrugs his shoulders slightly, replying in soft words to Benoit's question. "I've no idea.....and neither do they, it seems." His voice is pitched so as to carry to Benoit alone, though the ladies holding saidar would likely hear it easily. He doesn't look back at the other swordsman this time, but presses onward. His slow steps come to a halt, however, as he draws even with the arch. Swordtip still leading the way, he peers through cautiously before moving through it to the cavern beyond.

"A mist." Jezz offers softly with a nod towards whats circling about their feet and further into the room and beyond. "If there is anything else down here, I know naught. But I think the mist is enough of a threat.." Yeah, she's mad, Melinda has it right. Jezz is so completely mixed up in her own mind from all her own tragic experiences in her life. "Listen.." [Jezz]

Melinda shakes her head at Jezz, then says to her firmly, 'I am listening, Sister, and I think you have been here quite long enough. Much longer, and you'll be drooling in your soup in the Yellow Ajah Healing rooms while they try to figure out what scrambled your mind. I do not like this at all, and I really do think it is best we leave, reseal the gate, and never come back.'

Ever the unknowing and mostly unwilling recipient of those dangers that should rightfully belong to the madwomen he finds himself bound to follow into the fracas, Benoit presses on. He is a step behind Jamis as he passes the arch and then he moves to do so as well so that he can more properly see within the more expansive area beyond it. He makes no comment, directly, though his nervousness tricks him into thinking the oppurtunity for a dry, "And I suppose rushing a mist wouldn't gain us much, where surprise is concerned." Of course- fear and edginess render the words little more than a bare whisper. [Benoit]

Jezz glances at Melinda, her expression unreadable as she stares at the older woman, "Perhaps. When one battles the shadow, something is bound to happen. Hmm?" She turns from the other woman and moves through the arch behind the instructor and returning gaidin. "When one falls off their horse, the best thing to do, they say, is to get back on. I fell off this horse long ago. I dont particularly enjoy living in fear of anything." She pauses near the entrance, "But perhaps you will want to wait just on this side of the room." her voice held quietly above awhisper.

Once more, echos of the spoken words bounce off the walls, but yet again, Jamis' seem to fall flat with no echo, the same for Melinda's, while Jezz and Benoit's words echo over and over and over again, until they are nearly incomprehensible and barely recognizable as spoken by the pair at all. In the new cavern, the mist is ever thicker, pooling in the back in a mat of thick white, Melinda's light not piercing through it at all, but still, it merely swirls about all of your feet, behaving purely as one would expect of mere water and air. [Shai'tan]

Melinda rolls her eyes, then steps close to the arch, determined to follow Jezz. 'No, I will go with you. Someone needs to provide light and to take you to the Yellow Ajah should you go completely mad.' Once she sees that her light doesn't work well in the new passage, she grasps a bit more Saidar, weaving together moving ropes of air to create a breeze through the passageway, attempting to thin it enough for her light to penetrate.

Jamis grunts softly in response to Benoit's quip, though whatever comment he may have made is sublimated as he looks back at the Aes Sedais for a moment while they discuss leaving. His head cocks to the side as the continuing echoes of Benoit and Jezz's words resound through the cavern, the lack of his own voice and Melinda's not lost on him. His gaze doesn't remain on them for long, and he wears a troubled expression as he resumes his scan of the room, his sword still sweeping through the mist in front of him. "This is odd....we all should be echoing or none of us" The glance he casts toward Benoit indicates the words are meant for the other gaidin.

Benoit hears them and Jamis's words earn him a tight nod of his head. The sword's point wavers momentarily- dipping for only an instant before returning to its earlier position. ALl of the movements are caused by a temporary adjusting of his grip- his sweaty palms each loosening and then re-finding their position as he overprepares for the battle he expects but, yet, doubts to see. "That much is true," he says after some pause- More than enough time for him to move to the position where Jamis had been whenever he had spoken last. And the words, unnecessary, seem intended only to give them a chance to gather more proof of the cave's accoustical oddities.

Jezz purses her lips slightly as the Brown seems to be getting more and more brazen the further they move into the cave. She presses her finger to her lips, "Jamis is correct. It.. used.. my voice to speak before.." Definitly off the deep end. "It seems it will use it again.. And his as well." With a nod to Benoit, yet her eyes sweep over the silvery mist with more of a frown for what has been the cause of nightmares in years past.

Indeed, Benoit's words echo over and over and over again until they are lost in a jumble of nonsensical sounds, where Jamis' fall immediately to silence. Melinda's light has a margin of success against the mist in the far corner, though not much else is illuminated but a further spanse of cavern. Jezz' words echo off in much the same way as Benoit's, though instead of dying out, they seem to grow louder with each passing echo, then suddenly ceasing in mid word a few seconds later. [Shai'tan]

Melinda follows, though she grows more reluctant by the minute. She sighs heavily as she trudges along after the group. She keeps her light, and her breeze, moving ahead of her, even if the breeze does very little beyond a very short radius.

Jamis frowns deeply as the echoes continue and Jezz elaborates a bit more. "Wonderful" he mutters, his narrowed eyes continuing to roam the room as he walks forward.

Jezz uses the same Spirit weave she had been holding this whole while to touch upon the mist, delving and moving it along the more dense sections of it. "Perhaps, pulling the moisture from the air.." She muses more to herself. The spirit weave is soon released in favor of Fire and Air, a multitude of threads weave into a matrix-like net, a diamater of several feet to begin her test. "If it gets testy.. which it will.. brighten the room." Mad. Off her rocker. Mental instability. Unless, of course, she actually knows what she is talking about.. then they might all go mad. Whee! All courtesy of Shai, thank the ominant being with donations to "Save the Blight".

Benoit's lips form an 'o' as the voice is given credit for poessessing the ability to talk in other people's voices. Of course- its painfully obvious that it can, and is, doing just that. When Jezz's voice's repeatition is cancelled prematurely- in a different manner than it had been- he tenses noticeably. He, it would appear, expects an attack to come soon. "What do we expect when it- whatever 'it' may be- makes its move, Jezz? Does it have a form? A name?"

Melinda shifts her weight from one foot to the other, a highly unusual sign of unease from the normally unflappable Sitter. 'Sister, let's get out of here before someone gets hurt. This is dangerous, and my bad feelings are only getting worse.'

someone tells you, 'the delve: it's still mostly just water and air, but there are ... tremors... in it now, when you hit on it with spirit. sort of how crystal will ring when you hold a tuning fork a bit too close to it'

All sound suddenly seems to fall dead, the silence suddenly almost deafening itself. But then a soft whisper comes back to all of you, at first merely seeming a belated echo of Benoit's final words, though they grow in volume rather than fade, repeating over and over, 'a name?... name? name? a name?...a... name?' reaching a level near what Benoit had originally voiced before fading off again, ending in a quiet giggle. [Shai'tan]

Jamis nods his head slowly. "I must agree with the Sitter, Jezz Sedai. I don't think our swords will be of any help.... and if this beast...or whatever it is...got the better of you before...." He trails off, but his meaning should be clear. He doesn't say anything else, but at the last echo of Benoit's words, he looks back at the pair of Aes Sedai, his expression sharp and urgent.

Jezz lifts her hand slightly.. something having caught her attention, "Interesting." She whispers softly, the Green seeming more intensely concentrated upon whatever her weave had touched upon, "A tremor.." her ears perk to the last of the echos and a visible shudder runs down her spine but instead she continues her though, "In the corridor, the mist was only air and water... This.." She lifts her hand towards the thicker of the condensed moisture. Then with a tilt of her head towards the giggling, "It will begin to swirl.. No shape that I know of..Well yes.. hands.. a face..." She hesitates for a moment with a frown towards the mist then a glance towards those in the room.

Melinda frowns darkly at Jezz, then says in a very firm voice, letting go of the ropes of air, the breeze they created disappearing with them. She grasps Saidar more fully now, pulling in nearly all she is able to without discomfort, then weaves larger flows of fire mingled with threads of spirit, wrapping them around her ball of light and gradually, yet quickly intensifying it as much as she is able.

(OoC)-> Melinda says, 'well, as much as I am able without making anyone go blind.'

Benoit nods, his eyes dropping down to the floor when Melinda's light reaches a point that- though not blinding - is still painful after the relative dark of the cave's far depths he's been staring into. He moves back a couple steps- Putting himself closer to Jezz and Melinda once more- so that, should anything attack the leading and doubtlessly more talented Jamis- he'll have an oppurtunity to serve as a stopgap and prevent it from reaching Jezz and Melinda.

Jamis, meanwhile, holds his ground, though he also averts his eyes when Melinda's light suddenly shines brightly. Through a squint, he looks toward the area where the mist seems to be coalescing the most. And he waits.

Contrary to what Jezz had just said, the mist does not swirl nor form any sort of shape at all, it just suddenly surges forward with the weight of a small tidal wave, crashing into and over and flowing around all of you, the giggling echoing off the cavern walls as a voice, quite obviously not an echo of any sort, repeats over and over in almost giddy delight, 'Jezzie, Jezzie, Jezzie, came back, came back, came BACK!' [Shai'tan]

(OoC)-> Jamis says, ' so we'd be swept from our feet then, I take it......a small tidal wave would do that.....'

(OoC)-> Melinda says, 'it's a wave of mist though.'

(OoC)-> Shai'tan says, ' you can brace against it, it's not massive like a wave of water. '

(OoC)-> Jamis says, ' 'with the weight of a small tidal wave', Mel. *nodnod Shai* Okies.....but seeing as it's a surprise.....'

(OoC)-> Jezz says, ' oh goody.. its happy to see me..'

(OoC)-> Shai'tan says, ' if you're caught off guard, it should at leat knock you off balance. and the touch of this mist means panic, btw. :P it -is- the hand of fear after all. '

(OoC)-> Shai'tan says, ' oh yes jezz. it's quite happy to see you. '

(OoC)-> Melinda says, 'Jezz, if I make it out alive, I need to kill you for dragging me here. *PEER* *grin*'

"Gah! Bloody....!" and other curse-words escape Jamis' lips as the mist suddenly veers up and crashes into the group. The impact sends him stumbling backwards several feet before he regains his equilibrium, or at least his balance. A soft whistling can be heard from his general direction as he begins swinging his blade wildly, trying in vain to cut the mist to pieces. Anyone who can see his eyes would note a certain wildness about them.....fear?....panic? Surely not....but from his turning about to a fro and swinging at nothing, he clearly is not liking things one iota. [Jamis]

Benoit is hit sends after Jamis and his reaction is no less chaotic. He stumbles backwards a step and his heel catches on the stone floor- causing him to fall backwards and onto his rear. His sword clatters to the stone floor for a second- but only a second as Benoit is quickly rolling to his feet and taking it up again. He regains his feet but only just- remaining hunched over with the blade in a protective, defensive position. He turns randomly- seeking a more tangible threat than the maddeningly frightening mist that assails his psyche.

Of course, Jezz wasnt expecting for it to be.. excited... to see her and pounce on her like some lost but found puppy. She stumbles backwards from the sudden gesture of.. effection, if one would call it such. "Oh Light.." The blanket of Fire and Air shimmers slightly as the hand of Fear gave her quite the different reaction. Having not used the weave as of yet, she presses it upwards and above her head, her hands flying upwards as well as though using both her hands and the weave to shield herself from the mist. [Jezz]

someone tells you, 'so what exactly is the weave?'

You tell someone, 'its Fire and Air meant to deplete the moisture'

Melinda stumbles and almost falls from the force of the wave, her light flickering violently, then disappearing. She raises her voice and shouts, 'Get out of here! Run!'. She then regains her footing, turning tail and starting to run back toward the entrance to the cave, light or no.

Jamis is fading fast....must...sleep.......

A large chunk of the mist vaporises as it touches Jezz' weave, but more of it falls over and around her, coming at the Green from all directions and clinging to her skin like a cold smear of mud, a small tendril chasing down after Melinda, though without much speed, and a larger hump of mist slowly solidifying between the two men into a vaguely man-shaped form. [Shai'tan]

Upon hearing the panic in the Sitter's voice and her words, Jamis turns on his heel and after only a brief second taken to regain his bearings, heads toward Jezz. He pauses for a heartbeat as he sees the humanoid form beginning to take shape, then he shakes his head and shouts. "You heard her, people. MOVE!" With that, he hurries toward the Green and reaches out to try to grab her then push, pull, or generally drag her to and through the archway and back upstairs. He is oblivious to the various mist tendrils coming for her, as they've not done any harm to -him- as yet. And indeed, in his current panicked state he may not even notice should she manage to evade his grasp either. [Jamis]

With no light, Jezz screams, nonsensical to the words of someone babbling, "Not again.. not again!" her feet stumbling backwards as she tries to make them move on their own. Something of a bad flick and everything moving in slow motion as Jezz tries to turn and run the way Melinda did. "Get. Off. Of. Me." trying to be couragous when the mist is trying to drive deep into her fears, making things of shadow into life-like hallucinations. She doesnt even seem to note Jamis' means to pull her down the corridor, but pulled along she is.. [Jezz]

Benoit is stricken by fear- and unable to decide which hump or apparition to attack. If he even would choose to do so if the choice were clear- For instead, his actions consist of his backpedalling several more steps. This doesn't prove wise as he soon hits the wall squarely. Thus seeming cornered- his lips curl up into a snarl and his eyes are narrowed in rage and fear- with the latter claiming a far larger share. Still he doesn't move- His indecision obviously revolving around the choice between moving towards Jezz, the corridor behind her, or after the form that appears to be her attacker.

someone tells you, 'jezz isn't likely to notice this now, but this is the room that was dripping with it last time and there is barely anything here now. it's not really that thick, even.'

Melinda keeps running down the corridor, though she does slow slightly to make sure she doesn't hit something in the dim light. Her mind is set, though... she's getting the blazes out of this place.

You tell someone, 'Jezz most likely wont notice..*light bulb going off*.. ohhhhh no...'

The mist clings to Jezz's legs, even as she is drug off, that unearthly voice still repeating over and over, 'Jezzie came back, came back to PLAY!' and giggling madly. The tendril after Melinda seems to run out of steam and simply fades away into nothingness, but the mist left in the room thickens and the man-shape becomes more and more distinct, slowly turning tall and black, it's clothes hanging limply to the ground, dispite the movements around it... [Shai'tan]

Jamis spares only a passing glance back into the room as he pulls Jezz out through the archway. What he sees makes him blanch and pale even more. "Ah....light" he curses, and he maneuvers himself behind Jezz. With his free hand, he reaches backwards to push her along up the corridor. His sword shakes in his right hand as he points it toward the coalescing.....thing. "Run, Jezz!" he shouts as he backpedals, his momentum hopefully adding to the strength of his pushing arm. If he remembers that Benoit is back there at all, it doesn't show.

Melinda keeps running as fast as she can until she reaches the entrance, or in this case the exit, to the cave. Only when she is fully outside does she turn around and look back to see who might have followed her, and who might not have made it.

Jezz's eyes widen in her look of fright. Anything of Saidar has fully left her in her fear and the weaves that she had made in her 'tests' with the thing that seems to think she is 'George'. To hug and squeeze. "No.. No.. Not play.. No.." Her words choked out, her eyes unseeing of nightmares past and nightmares-to-be. "Run.. yes.. run.." something of Jamis' words echoing in her mind.. and the rabbit she has to become to get through this snare.. but the unearthly voice has her tranced. She tries to shake it from her mind, the feel of the chill of the mist clingy to her legs and sending shivers up her spine. Only Jamis' efforts affords her to move at all.

As the light fades- Benoit's mind is made up for him. He didn't bargain for ethreal attackers when he came north and he certainly didn't sign on for fights with playful ethreal attackers. So, he turns tail and runs for the arch- hoping to be able to make his way out before the light at the head of the tunnel has failed completely. Of course, he's not thinking rationally enough to consider that the light is dayling and mostly permanent. Jamis and Jezz's forms materializes in front of him- the latter drug and pushed along by the former- at the same time as the tendrils that attempt to ensnare her. As they fill the passage- Benoit displays a characteristic he always has, poor decision-making in the clutch. His sword is raised overhead and then brought down sharply- aimed at the tendril. [Benoit]

The sword passes right through the tendril of mist without even bothering it in the slightest, the giggling about the three in the archway in creasing briefly before it fades. Behind them all, in the cavern just left, the mist now is almost completely faded away, leaving behind a dark, shadow shrouded figure whose pale skin gleams in the unlight of the cavern. [Shai'tan]

Melinda waits outside, quivering in her shoes visibly, her arms wrapping around herself as she watches the entrance to the cave, afraid to go back in, but afraid to think about none of those who went in with her coming back out.

Jamis murmurs under his breath "The look of the Eyeless is fear" under his breath, then commences to push Jezz with his free hand all the more for a moment. "Ahh...bugger it!" he says finally and then, turning around, he bends at the waist and attempts to pick her up over his left shoulder in a fireman's carry. All the better to hurry her from the cave, don't y'know.

Well, Jezz is a waif, about a hundred and fifteen pounds. So, she is feather light for any strong male with enough fear to drive him out of any sitaution. But enough to remove her from the grasp of the Hand of Fear's tentacle, at least for the temporary moment. Her eyes glazed look back into the pitch of the cave and the illuminescent mist. Grasping Saidar, a silvery aura surrounds her and the last ditch effort, she weaves a rope thick of Fire and Air each, seperating them into a myriad of threads and combinging them in sphere like weave, she seems to fling this towards the mist about three feet behind Jamis and to one side of Benoit to avoid getting either set on fire. [Jezz]

Of course, all the lessons he taught on how to hold a sword have conveignently been forgotten and the impact of his sword on the stone floor is enough to send lances of pain up his arms, past his elbows and all the way up into his elbows. The impact also causes his fingers to loose their grip on the sword and it once again clatters to the stone floor. He doesn't bother to retreive it this time- instead spinning and attempting to resume his sprint up the cave and to the exit after Jamis and his burden. [Benoit]

The tendril wrapped about Jezz' legs puffs into nothingness under the fireball, but the Fade strides after you all, its slow gait easily allowing you more than enough time to escape from the caverns, especially since it stoops to pick up Benoit's forgotten blade. [Shai'tan]

Jamis doesn't stop running even after he and Jezz get out of the cave. Indeed, he probably wouldn't notice runnning over Melinda on his way to the gate and the Tower grounds beyond......

If he did that, of course..... only if.... [Jamis]

The hulking shape striding after them is barely an outline of shape to Jezz's eyes, "Fade..." a whisper of a word but the Green is already preparing yet another weave of Fire and Air, but with her unable to pause to fling anything at the shape considering the Instructor has taken it upon himself to run with her out the cave and wherever he decides to take her. The weave disipating after her target is no longer in sight. [Jezz]

Benoit runs over her as well. Hah. Poor Melinda. Enjoy the fade we left you for company.

Melinda manages to get out of the way, being completely lucid and not in her own little world for once in her life. She looks a little relieved when she sees one Gaidin emerge, and even moreso as she notices he carries Jezz, barely dodging out of his way. When Benoit emerges, she trips trying to get out of his way, glaring at his back as he passes, even if she still shivers in fear.

Melinda gets to her feet, brushes off her skirts, and with an aching hand, closes the gate once more and pulls the latch shut with shaking fingers, not daring to do more this day though plans to come back the next to be sure no one goes back through it again.

******************

someone tells you, 'i was going to have this on the gate as you left, but since i'm better with melodramatic moments....'

someone tells you, 'when jezz wakes up tomarrow morning, there's a little present waiting for her.'

someone tells you, 'it's a crushed and dirty slipper whih she should find very very familier... and a note... it says "thank you jezzie" in scrambled letters, like each letter was written by a different person... then it just fades away completely into mist and then nothingness.'