The Guild of Seers
Prologue - Winter Winds
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the city of Caemlyn. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
The wind roared passes the high walls that surround the Inner City and fell upon the streets of Caemlyn outside, the capital of Andor. The wind whipped around squat warehouses, pass tall inns, between thick houses. Felain Asuan ignored the unnatural chill it brought as he observed a man from his stool in front of the The Dancing Boar. Den-Liang Young, as Felain found out later, was a man of moderate height at six foot. He was old enough to marry in this land, yet still not old enough to drink in his homeland. His black eyes, short cropped black hair, and olive skin all place him squarely as a foreigner. Dressed in what was probably typical for young men in his land, Den-Liang had on a black coat, made of a material that Felain could not puzzle out, and brown trousers of yet another foreign material. On his nose rested eyeglasses, Felain frown thoughtfully, eyeglasses on one so young?
The man's eyes moved rapidly, plainly astounded by the sights he's seeing, taking in the strange sights as fast as they can, and then stopped in relief at the sight of a young woman standing several paces away from him. Evelyn Young was a young woman of average height, five foot nine, and wearing a similar coat, except that it was bright pink, and tough dark blue pants. Her skin was the same pale yellow color as the man's, and black hair hangs down her back in a braid. Siblings, Felain decided.
Den-Liang rushed towards his sister and pressed her into a crushing hug, Evelyn held onto her brother just as tightly. The throng of people pushed pass them, several eyeing them curiously before moving. The streets were paved with rough stones, men and women in drab brown woolen coats were moving up and down the streets. Almost all of the women had an apron on. There were carts too, as often towed by a man as was by a horse.
Several paces away, a man in a blue leather jacket was walking towards them. Den-Liang turned to him, his face and tone spoke of anger, mixed with a good deal of fear and confusion.
"Where the hell are we?" he demanded.
Christian Johnston Gibson was the taller by a third of a foot, had blue eyes and short blond hair like any other Andorman. He shook his head wonderingly at the sights passing around him, "What a change," he murmured as if still in shock, "wow what a remarkable change." Den-Liang glared daggers at him, but the daggers quickly gave way as he saw two young women step out from behind Chris.
Lydia Smith's skin was black as night, yet her smile were bright enough for the sun. She was dressed as in clothes similar to Den-Liang's, if for slightly different colors. The other woman was Jane Tobias Niels. Jane has a fair complexion, lustrous black hair hanging down coat, and brown eyes. Jane was still staring around her as if in shock, muttering under her voice. It was Lydia however who answered Den-Liang's question.
"Caemlyn," she said thickly.
Felain almost turned away from the strangers. Being a stranger to Caemlyn himself, he needed no trouble. But the truth was, he was bored. Logain was to be displayed tomorrow, and there was nothing to do for the day. The strangers walked away, down one of the side streets, towards the direction of a market. With a shake of his head, Felian laboriously climbed down from his perch and wrapped his cloak about him, and set off after the strangers. A few traveling companions whom he had met on the road called to him from inside the inn, but he ignored them.
Chapter 1
Caemlyn
Jane gave only half an ear to Lydia while the five walked along the streets of Caemlyn, wow Caemlyn! Lydia was prattling along about the Wheel of Time, the Dragon Reborn, the One Power, Aes Sedai, kings and queen. Den-Liang ceaselessly bombarded her with questions; he still can't get over the fact that it's real. For that matter, Jane was having trouble wrapping her head around it too. To find a world which she has always thought of as fantasy, real!
"You brought us into a world that's going to END?" Den-Liang practically screamed at one point.
People in the streets stared at him oddly, and then turned their heads. Thank god they were in a city where people are used to strangers. Imagine if they were in a small village! They might not have been able to take two steps without being accosted, dressed as they were.
Jane hushed him immediately.
"First of all, it is uncertain if the world would end, that depends on who wins the last battle, and secondly, we didn't bring you into this world, it was an accident."
"An accident? You were doing some voodoo this and that and boom, we're here!"
Jane frowned at him. That description wasn't entirely accurate. It was certainly some unknown forces that they were dealing with, as well as call it magic as anything else, but definitely not voodoo. And it wasn't exactly as simple as he made it out either. Jane was testing a summoning, the webpage said that it the weave could summon any item. But instead of summoning the million dollars that Jane wanted, there appeared a vertical slash of light, it spun and opened into a hole in the air. A gateway as Jane knew well enough. Instead of opening to anywhere however, what came out was a gust of sheer ecstasy, pleasure and heightened awareness like she's never known before. She had closed her eyes to bathe in the glory of the feeling, and when she opened them, she was standing in a strange city.
Jane was unsure what had brought them here or why. But Jane has some pretty good guesses. When the gateway opened, she thought she saw a glimpse of something in her mind before everything faded pleasure, an intricate web of glowing threads, stretching out in all directions, and above it, a wheel, turned by two rivers, one of fire, the other water. Jane was pretty sure that was the pattern, the very fabric of the universe, she had witnessed, and it was the pattern that brought her here. All of us here, she amended.
Of course a trickier question was why, not to mention how. Why Jane quickly sorted it out into two options, one, improper, not to mention moronic, messing around with unknown forces, or two, the pattern needed them. Jane preferred option two of course, or not… Why would the pattern need some high-schoolers from another universe? None of them were great generals, or great anybody in fact. The second problem with this theory wasn't so much a problem, as an implication. If the pattern went so far as to bring in people from other universes, then it must mean that Rand would lose the last battle without help. This possibility chilled Jane to the bone. It wasn't something that she wanted to think about, but no choice, it was something that had to be considered.
The five had long since stopped in a public marketplace. In such a place, everybody was busy doing something, and nobody bothered much to eavesdrop on a bunch of young men and women quietly conversing by the wall. Den-Liang was apparently the only person who was entirely ignorant of the wheel of time books. Lydia and Jane herself were the only two to have finished the entire series, well, as far as it went anyway. Evelyn had read most of the series, up to book nine of eleven, and even Chris had read book one.
Right now, Evelyn and Den-Liang were still holding on tight to each other, and Evelyn, with Lydia and Chris' help was trying to catch Den-Liang up. Chris didn't know much himself, and having only read book one stopped to listen as often as speaking up. Jane wondered if this was a good time to bring up her theories about how they got to Caemlyn. It might be important, on the other hand, it might just cause Den-Liang to blow up and stalk all the way to the White Tower to find an answer. But better he find out now than later Jane decided, there's enough of them to stop him now.
So in the conversation, Jane discreetly interjected her observations. Den-Liang took it a lot better than she thought, and she could just see Evelyn's eyes lighting up at the suggestion that they might be important to the Last Battle, Chris' frown deepening, and Lydia nodding thoughtfully.
"Have you given thought to how to get back home?" Chris asked.
Jane blinked, Lydia stopped nodding, and Evelyn started frowning. Chris sighed, obviously they haven't. The girls were the ones who brought them here to this mess, and likely they're the only ones who can get them out. He shoved his hands into his pockets, felt the pen there, and began twirling it about his finger restlessly. He knew that they had been thinking of adventure, but Chris wanted no adventure. He had a four point o grade point average, captain of the track team, and state champion besides. That all means little here he knew, he just wanted to go back home.
Evelyn spoke up carefully, "I feel that Jane is right, we've been brought here for a reason, and the best way home might be to do whatever we're supposed to do. Then the… pattern might just send us home."
Chris groaned inwardly, he knew it; the girls were out for fun and adventure. Chris had read the first book, and he knew that it was not fun and adventure. There was real danger, real evil in this universe, the good guys died just as easily as the bad, not to mention all those minor supporting characters! Jane and Lydia quickly threw in their support for this plan, and Chris shot a look at Den-Liang. Den-Liang looked back blankly, then smiled and shrugged. They were all mad! Was he the only one who's still normal?
"What about the danger!" he demanded. "What about our parents! What about college!"
The other four looked at him blankly, and Chris threw up his hands. "Fine whatever, but promise me this, while we're here, you'll never stop looking for the way back home." The girls quickly gave him their assurance, but Chris was far from assured.
Den-Liang held up both of his hands. As the chilly wind pressed against it, Den-Liang wished for a moment for gloves, gloves that he had left back in his locker, back in school, back in another universe!
"This is all very well and good," he said, "but what do we do right now? How are we expected to live survive in this world? We have no money, no background. You say we are supposed to save the world, but we command no army, we have no relation to the dragon reborn, how are we supposed to do anything? Did any of you bring any useable money? Or any other supplies?"
Den checked his pockets while he said this; he had his wallet, which contained a bunch of useless paper money, a few coins, his ID card, his metrocard (for the subway and busses of New York), and a picture of Evelyn. He also happened to have his keys, a knife built into his keychain, some more loose coins, and some tissues. He held these out for the others to see. They had equally useless junk, more paper money, more coins, keys, Chris had a real Swiss army knife, which could be useful, cellphones, and ipods. They all stared at those very modern items. Everybody except Den-Liang had a cellphone, and everybody except Den-Liang and Jane had an ipod. "We might be able to sell these," he murmured.
"No," Jane said suddenly, "they're our advantage. Nobody in this place has instant communications; this could be big for us."
"And T-mobile has coverage Caemlyn?" Den-Liang asked wryly.
Jane blushed, the red coming to her cheeks, "oh right."
Lydia pursed her lips thoughtfully, "even without the communication capabilities working, the cell can still keep addresses; tell time, among other things. We better sell them fast though; the batteries won't keep up long."
Den knew that selling electronics won't work. They won't be able to convince anybody to buy them, if these people truly are medieval, more likely they'll be burned for witches. Except that witches weren't burned here, they were well respected, honored, and feared… Hmmm…
"What if we don't sell these? We keep them, and use them prove who we are to people. We might be able to come up with something good, convince someone that we're magicians or something, and get a patron."
Lydia beamed up at him, "Good idea Den! That's a most practical use."
Den smiled back at her, well now that's out of the way, there's still no certainly that they'll get to sleep in a bed tonight. Den just remembered something else that he has on him. Of course, his watch! Instead of digital, it was a purely mechanical watch. It runs on no batteries, and as far as he could remember, was never wrong. Except, it had cost him over two hundred dollars. But then again, it might be worth much more here. Den took it off slowly, and realized and Lydia and Jane were both wearing earrings. He knew that Evelyn had a necklace too. Suddenly he began to grin; things aren't looking so bad anymore.
It took a while to convince the three girls to doff their jewelry. But soon that was done and they were walking again, this time towards a banker. They had stopped many times on their way to ask directions, and once asked a Queen's Guard. Every single person they stopped to talk to asked where they were from. The five of them together had come up with a pretty good story between them. They were Hunters for the Horn from Mars, a small town in Arad Domon, and they were going to Illian to swear the Hunter's Oath. Of course, the only Mars that Chris knew of was the big red thing in the sky, but he was certain that there was no real town in Arad Domon called Mars, which made it a suitable lie enough.
What annoyed him so much was that everyone they asked seems to look at them skeptically. He could understand if they're skeptical about Mars, but it seems to him as if everybody thinks that they're not tough enough. Maybe hunters needed a certain look, a certain walk. Chris tried to swagger, tried to display confidence, but he was not the type. Oh sure he as athletic and strong, but some things were just not his thing. He wondered about Jane, she was beautiful, any fool could see that, but to Chris she was the girl next door. Oh she doesn't actually live next door, but close enough so that it doesn't matter anyway. But Jane was never the type of girl to hang out with guys like Chris. Those girls are shallow, silly, and they had a wandering eye. Chris wasn't the captain of the team for his skills with girls, Chris was fast, very fast. He could also hurl, longer distances than the coach. But the point was, you don't have to be good with girls to be the captain of anything. Anyway, Chris had liked Jane ever since first seeing her, at entering high school, and he still does now. Jane's crowd was different. The rich, the hip, and in some extents, the intellectual elites of the school. Jane surrounded herself with the best, the best in school, the best in life, and apparently the best in magic as well. But now this, this was a perfect chance, a great opportunity to get to know Jane better, and he had to seize it.
The last man they had asked directions from had sent them into a dark side alley. A shortcut he said. Chris should've known something was wrong. But by then it was too late. There were three men standing in front of him in the alley, blocking the way. Turning back, he saw three more men behind Den, who was bringing up the rear and one of them the fellow from whom he had asked directions. Chris cursed, and got out no more. The robbers or maybe he should start calling them cutthroats now, charged him as one. Thankfully, the alley was narrow enough to prevent all three from coming at him at once. The first man had no more than a long knife, there was little more to do than to avoid the first swipe, grab the man's hands, then twist. Apparently the cutthroat had not counted on Chris' strength. His face contorted in a display of intense pain, and he cried out, dropped his knife. The others tried to crowd in from behind him, and Chris just held the man up and pushed him back, hard, into the other two. There was a sharp scream, and Chris froze. The man whom Chris had pushed had a knife sticking through his chest, evidently his friend had stabbed him by accident. It was apparently too much for the other two and they turned and ran, leaving their friend with the knife through his chest, gasping.
Chris knelt down besides the dying man and looked into his eyes. "You're going to be all right," he whispered, "you're going to be all right." Den walked up next to him and gave him a look.
Chris barely spared a look around him to make sure everyone was safe and all right before giving a nod. Together they lifted the man by the arms and out of the alleyway. Chris did not notice that Evelyn was now wearing a bloodied short sword, or that Den's hands and sleeves were red with blood. He did not notice Lydia and Jane's catching up a few moments later, having gone through the dead men's pockets. His eyes were on the dying man's face.
Moments later, they exited the twisty into bright streets again. The people they passed tried their best to ignore them, they asked for the location of a hospital, a wise woman, but the people want nothing to do with a man who still has a knife sticking out of him. They had not gone far when they saw a sign, a man kneeling before a woman with red-gold hair and a crown, one of her hands resting on his bowed head. The Queen's Blessing. Evelyn grinned at their good luck, just the place they needed to find! Evelyn ran in quickly, pass the wide open doors. The common room was large and paneled with dark wood, and fires on two hearths warmed it.
The innkeeper was fat, a pink-faced man in a starched white apron, with graying hair combed back over a bald spot that it did not quite cover. Evelyn raced to him, and quickly explained what they need, a place for the dying man to rest, and a wise woman. He quickly lead them upstairs, towards one of his empty rooms, after shouting at one of the serving maids to go run for Mother Grubb. He had the men set the cutpurse on the bed. Evelyn saw why they couldn't leave him behind. She knew that this was a harsh world, and had came mentally prepared, to fight, and to kill. Chris and Den had no such preparations. Though Den was quick enough with his martial arts when those other guys were trying to threaten her.
Chris hovered over the dying man, patting him on the head, making soothing noises. Den just looked at him, eyes full of sympathy. The innkeeper nodded grimly, "My name is Basel Gill and I am the innkeeper here."
Of course, Evelyn thought, just the person they needed. "Thank you Master Gill for your kind assistance, I am Evelyn Young, and this is Jane Tobias Niels, Lydia Smith, Christian Johnston Gibson , and Den-Jiang Young."
Den frowned at Master Gill and Evelyn knew what he was thinking. Apparently Lydia knew too, and pressed her mouth to Den's ear to quietly whisper how the term "Master" equates to the term "Mister".
Evelyn made a small curtsy, and the other girls followed her example. Den made a passable leg, probably his first ever, Chris was still as intent as ever on the man who had tried to kill him.
Mother Grubb ran into the room then, impressively fast for a woman of her size and age. Her face was wrinkled from time, frame large and ungainly. Evelyn felt a stab of disappointment; this was no wilder, no One Power Healing for the man, just herbs. Mother Grubb hurried over to where Chris was bending over the dying men. She tssked at Chris' inexpert menstruations and started checking the man all over. Chris watched warily. Evelyn was pretty sure they don't do anything silly like bloodletting in this age. The wise woman quickly turned and started to shoo them out. Chris asked, slowly but firmly to be allowed to stay in the room. The wise woman peered at him suspiciously, but when she saw that he would not leave, she sighed, and agreed as long as Chris stayed back and out of the way.
Den put his arm on Chris' shoulder for a moment and Evelyn felt a pang of sympathy. Then the rest of them let the innkeeper bunch them out. The innkeeper was still looking at Den suspiciously, and Den looked a suspicious character. His hands and coat sleeves marred by dried blood, eyes still a little wide from witnessing recent deaths. The innkeeper took them to the back of the inn, and gave them a few towels to wipe themselves. Like he said, "It's not a good idea to walk around all bloodied."
Master Gill took the three strange women and man into the common room, where they found an empty table towards the back. This was the first chance he really had to examine these foreigners. All four were clothed similarly, though in a wide range of colors, from green to pink to black. The lad named Den-Jiang Young was strangely bespectacled, but then again, everything about these folks was strange and foreign. His short black hair and black eyes was definitely not Andoran, his skin also different, not quite dark, yet not fair either. Everything about him was contradictory. From the way he carries himself, he probably knows his way around a fight, yet how dangerous could a bespectacled man be? One of the three women, the one called Lydia Smith, was as dark as the Sea Folk, if not darker. Yet if she was of the Sea Folk, she dresses nothing like they do in the stories, and lacks their height also. Her mouth was arched in a small smile, her eyes on the boy. Evelyn Young was another oddity, not many women carry swords these days, and surprisingly, it was her and not her brother who carried one. Evelyn and Den-Jiang must be siblings, Basel Gill decided, from the common surname if not the facial similarities. Dressed in bright pink, her colors contrasted the sword to produce a surprisingly harmonious mixture. Another woman was fair, yet her hair black, and eyes brown. She carried herself confidently; this one was called Jane Tobias Niels.
There was suddenly a zipping sound as all four of the foreigners had their coats off. Master Gill blinked, and settled back into his chair, shaking his head. Old age must be getting to him, he decided, he hadn't seen the four undo any buttons.
"Well, if you won't mind, I would like to hear your story, travelers, what lands you come from, and what you seek."
"Master Gill," Den began, "we're from a small town called Mars-
"No Den," Mistress Young interrupted, "I think that Master Gill should get the truth, considering everything that he's done for us."
Den looked at her for a moment, then nodded, "I trust your judgment sister."
Mistress Niels told their story, with Mistress Smith and Mistress Young occasionally helping. Master Young just sat silently. Their story was convoluted, yet typical. They were from a small town to the far west of the realm called New York, Basel Gill frowned over the unfamiliar name, and they were in Caemlyn to see the False Dagon, like so many other young people. As strangers, they were waylaid by cutthroats in a city alley, but defeated them. The man lying on the bed upstairs was one of the cutthroats!
The youngsters also asked him quite a mess of questions also. From topics to the date, prices of wine, cloaks, rooms. Even how many coppers were in a silver! And how many silvers were in a crown! They wanted directions also, to the Inner City, the direction to Tar Valon. They even wanted a map! A map! He told them where to find the mapmaker, when he gave an estimation of prices however, they immediately grimaced. They also showed him a few coins, unfamiliar markings, one type might pass for coppers, while another was very good as gold crowns. Some looked like silvers, but were much lighter. There was not much to do in that case other than to point them to the banker.
When Deirre came over to ask them about drinks, they consulted each other for a moment, and decided on just plain water. Deirre gave them a very hard look. Even the poorest beggar would order at least ale once in an inn. They ordered two rooms, and Basel Gill led them to it. Once there he left them, shaking his head all the while.
Lydia crowded into the room, grinning ear to ear. It was exactly like it was described in the books. Two small hard beds, a cot on the floor. Washstand in the corner, and oil lamps on the walls. The only thing that took her slightly aback was the chamber pot. A chamber POT? Ewww.
The others were getting comfortable too. Immediately they decided to flip coins for the cot. Evelyn lost for the first night, Jane the second, and Lydia the third. Den walked into the room with Mistress Grubb then, a stately woman Lydia thought.
"Your friend," Mistress Grubb announced, "has less than five hours to live. Most men would have been long dead, but your friend is a survivor. Though even he would have no chance of living through the night. And at this point, he'll need a miracle to help him. I've done all I can. I'm sorry."
She turned around and swished out of the room. A cold woman, obviously didn't want to deal with any mourners. Lydia looked at Den sympathetically, "Is Chris all right?"
Den shook his head, "He's still in there, he won't talk to me."
Den paced the room furiously, "I killed a man too! With my bare hands! You know what's most horrible about it? Chris cares, he cares a lot. But no, not me, I don't feel a thing." He chuckled softly, "It was just so easy, just like my father taught me." He laughed again.
Lydia remembered it perfectly. She was standing there, scared and frightened while the thugs threatened them. Den moved like lightning, body dodging back to avoid the sword thrust, then forward, hands reaching for the neck. There was a horrible gurgle as the man fell down, hands clawing at his neck. Evelyn already has the sword in hand and is fighting with a second man. She was much better, and after only two clashes of swords, the second man was run through. Den was grappling with the third man, one arm about his neck, and the other reaching for the assailant's knife. The man tried to reach back to stab Den, but after quick push from Den had the knife inside himself instead. His eyes bulged in pain, but Den was fast. He pulled the knife out, and thrust it back in, this time into the man's chest. He fell over dead straight away.
Lydia shivered at the memory, and walked over to where Den was staring silently into space, eyes glazed and unfocused. She put a hand on his arm and smiled up at him, looking into his eyes. "You saved us Den, you are a hero." Den looked back down at Lydia, eyes locking, smiling weakly. "I suppose I did, I suppose I did."
Evelyn was looking at Lydia with a raised eyebrow, and Jane was very obviously looking away. Lydia felt slightly flustered for a second, but the moment passed. Den's eyes told her that he would always be there to protect her. She was safe as she ever could be.
Self Review: