Note: The character Dirk's real name is Kye. So either appellation refers to him.
I apologise for the amount of K names in this chapter.
Kea: - Damane turned Accepted, wanting to be Aes Sedai.
Kye: - Ex-Warder now a Warder again to Kea. Also known as Dirk.
Kera: - Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah also appears in Chapters 10-12.
Disclaimer: All profits to RJ, the man, the Legend.
Chapter 25: Purges
The whole Hall was gathered. Apparently several sitters had applied pressure on their Ajahs and the Ajahs had informed the Amyrlin that they were meeting. They were gathered and all in place long before Elaida arrived in the Hall. "She comes she comes…" the Keeper was saying, but none of the Aes Sedai were listening to the ritualistic phrases.
Every eye was on Kea Sedai, the most newly raised Sister in the Tower. Not a single eye missed her defiant stance, nor the slightly alien tilt of her eyes. Yet she withstood all there glares though she did not return them her eyes were fixed unwaveringly upon the Amyrlin Seat. Even though that most impressive and most uncomfortable of all seats was empty her gaze did not waver from it. Indeed for all intents and purposes the rest of the Hall could have been entirely devoid of life for all the attention that Kea Sedai paid to it. "The Flame of Tar Valon, The Amyrlin Seat!"
Elaida entered. She was keeping her features were schooled. After all to be virtually summoned or risk missing out totally on Tower-shaking events and all apparently at the behest of a girl who was yesterday an Accepted and a few short months ago not even in the Tower. Though that face was a serene Aes Sedai mask Kea could guess that this woman so accustomed to power and control would be simmering underneath. But this was the way it had to be. They could no longer strike from the Shadows. If they were discovered all there work could be undone and the Eye lost. They had to do a single instantaneous and major strike and now!
The Hall rose and acknowledged the presence of The Amyrlin Seat and after a surprisingly, but happily, brief introduction, Kea was given leave to speak.
"Sisters," she began. "Only yesterday I held in my hand the Oath Rod; the same that each of you have held and swore the oaths that make me an Aes Sedai, a servant of all. I swore to speak no word that was not true. I intend to hold to that though it cost me my freedom and my life. I am a servant and in serving I have found a ter'angreal."
So saying she produced from under her green-fringed shawl the Eye of Loyalty. She grabbed her courage in both hands. This had to be sudden it had to be brief. There was just no time, at any minute the Black Ajah could get wind of the plan and destroy everything. So here she went into the Grolm's maw!
"Mother," she declared, still staring straight at Elaida. "I know you of all people are determined to root out the disloyal. This ter'angreal allows one to determine the oaths and loyalties of those viewed through it. With it I have been able to identify Black Ajah in our midst."
There was a predictable out break of noise. Some were sharp gasps and protests that there was no such thing or that such a thing should not be spoken of. Others were out right cries for Kea to be silenced and removed from the Hall.
"Child," said Elaida and those who had been ignoring The Keeper's shouts for order, fell silent at Elaida's voice. "That is an unbelievable claim."
Kea without pause broke in as Elaida took breath as if she had assumed that the Amyrlin had finished. "I knew the Hall would see it as so and so I have brought proof. Kye!"
Then without warning her Warder marched into the Hall of the Tower, a man and he dragged with him a servant girl. But to the assembled Aes Sedai's horror, it was no servant girl but one of them. There could be no mistaking that ageless face. Before he had got to Kea, several flows brought and bound Kye, to stock still. Voices were raised in shrieking outrage. Kea used a flow of air to magnify her voice. "Kera," she stated flatly and without any mincing of her words. "Is Black Ajah!"
No one in that room could miss the absence of the honorific 'sedai'. "I will swear it on the oath rod and if you put it in her hands you will see she cannot deny it. If you do not believe me you are welcome to test it. Yet move quickly Elaida a'Roihan. You may yet be known as the Amyrlin Seat who united the Tower behind one leader and stamped out the Black Ajah from among them. But if you do not act quickly they will strike themselves and our chance to stab at this heart of darkness will be lost!"
"You are insane child!" shouted Duhara, a Red Sitter. "Throw her out of this Hall immediately.
"This should be sealed to the Hall!" screamed Suzana Dragand, a Yellow.
Elaida rose and using weaves of her own she raised her voice above them all and shouted once for silence. It didn't work this time and so Elaida slammed the doors of the Hall; that, got there attention and they waited to hear her words.
"Someone bring the Oath Rod, Tarna you."
The Keeper looked askance, for the Amyrlin never was in the Hall without her Keeper. But when Elaida moved on from her without so much as a pause she began to shuffle rather than walk from the Hall.
"You will I am afraid find yourself in penances up to your neck Child even if these insane accusations are true," she directed at Kea. "You had no right to attack and question an Aes Sedai, you should have come to me. Only I … and the Hall" she added as an after thought. "Have such authority."
"I acted with your authority," replied Kea and began praying to the light that those with more to lose than she would now speak up.
"Indeed she did Mother." It was Seaine who spoke now. "When you personally tasked me to discover traitors in our midst I did everything I could to do just that. We discovered several, and now with the aid of this ter'angreal we have discovered more including this wretch."
"Seaine!" uttered Elaida her voice starting loud but losing its strength somewhere in the middle of the word. Shock was openly etched on her face.
"Indeed Mother, I too have sinned, if these have." Now it was Pevara who stood. "I personally assisted in the capture of Talene Minly and Kera." The two Sitters either side of Pevara looked at her with open mouths. The assembled Aes Sedai listening in on the sitting were utterly silent now. Indeed had a mouse scuttled across the floor it would have sounded like an avalanche.
"I was there when Talene failed to swear she was not Black Ajah on the Oath Rod. I did not want to believe, but the Black is among us and we must fight it. Thank you Mother for putting us on the scent of the true split in the Tower, the truest danger!" declared Yukiri, also rising to her feet.
Talene was squirming in her chair unable to deny the charges, unable to act against the plans of the group due to the fact she had sworn to obey in all things on the oath rod. So, struggle as she might, she could not refuse. In the end, as Saerin stood and then Doesine rose as well, Talene could no longer bear it and stood to leave. Her fellow Sitters, who had looked outraged at first, now after her continued silence, pulled her firmly back to her seat.
The mood was different now, incredibly serious. This wasn't just some insane Accepted anymore. This was clearly no stunt or even political manoeuvre. Five Sitters now stood with Kea, that, gave her words the weight of the Hall in truth. Elaida was silenced too; no one seemed to know what to do.
In the silence Kea Placed the Eye of Loyalty over her own eyes. "Please release my Warder, I will need him and soon," she requested coolly. Then without speaking she surveyed the room and slowly but deliberately pointed at certain Sisters. The fact that neither she nor the others spoke made the accusation only the more poignant. She was a silent, steady, accusing finger of truth.
"Well what do we do with them?" asked Tarna breaking the silence.
Those words seemed to release some unseen cork. In an instant all hell broke lose inside the Hall. Suddenly twenty different Aes Sedai were striking out at their own Sisters. Killing weaves were flung across the room and chairs and seats were blasted into oblivion. Several ran for exits and no one except Kea was really sure who was Black and who was not. But now with her fellow hunters in a circle with her and the Eye of Loyalty in place she felt invincible. Directly around her Kye threatened and then slew any who would not retreat from him.
Lines of Power soared out from Kea as she cut Sisters from the One Source and incapacitated them. Warders soon began to appear in the room, summoned as if from thin air by the emotions and dangers that they felt through their Bonds: Chaos ruled.
Kye was ruthless in cutting down any and all opposition that approached his Aes Sedai. A servant, two Aes Sedai and more than one Warder lay at his feet when he shouted his challenge at a new arrival. Even upon seeing the face of Elaida he did not balk. Kea was now physically flanked by the other Black Ajah hunters and their Warders had joined Kye in guarding their mistresses. If a Black Sister was identified and nullified by the circle one of the Warders would leave the group retrieve her and pull her in. They made a neat pile, Talene and Kera huddled among them.
"Approach further and I will kill you," explained Kye sombrely. Elaida stopped, "Don't you recognise me?" she asked her voice deliberately outraged. "Yes I recognise you. But I do not know if you are Black," he responded levelly.
"She is not, she may approach Kye," said Kea.
Elaida did so but looked almost as affronted by Kea allowing her to do anything as she had been by Kye's threat.
"All of you will be serving penances…" she began furiously.
She was cut off by an out break of laughter.
"We are sorry Elaida," managed Pevara the first to restrain her laughter. "Do you really think we fear penances? This is the unmasking of the Black, the entire Tower changes today! What will you be at the end of this? There are Black Sisters here who have already told us they knew of all your edicts before you made them. Heaven knows all the Sisters have seen your incompetence. Sorry Mother, but you have riven the Tower in two and as you are not Black you have been used as their puppet. I do not speak for the Hall, but you guess what they will say when the interrogations of these are finished: Your handling of the Dragon Reborn, your mismanagement of the Black Tower, your crazed edicts? That monstrosity you are building, with Tower money, to your own ego? Elaida, after the testimonies of the Black Ajah, you will be lucky to still be Aes Sedai, never mind Amyrlin. You are the only real sticking point that prevents the reunification of the Tower. Something that is even more urgent now than ever before! Now swallow your pride and act for the good of the Light and help us!"
Elaida was silenced. Kea was sure that had she presented the exact same arguments she would even now have been sent scurrying with a sharp retort and a few commands. Maybe it was Pevara's age, power or position as a Sitter, maybe. Still Kea thought the most important thing was the colour of the shawl draped around Pevara's shoulders. Elaida let her head duck slightly. In a much kinder tone Pevara continued. "At least you are fighting for the Light Elaida. We were all deceived. Who would have thought Galina could be one. But she was we have the witnesses who made such plans and oaths with her.
"I know you did not mean me to seek the Black Ajah out," broke in Seaine, "but I did not understand at the time. Still Elaida don't you see Alviarin must have been Black Ajah, that was why she was acting against you."
Kea was not aware of any of this as she concentrated on weaving flows, she was not good and non-violent weaves. She found it increasingly difficult to think of ways to disarm and cut off her opponents. Several times she was forced into using desperate shields of air or severing a weave just before it slew her. She was unused to needing to feel that her life was in mortal danger before she could attack. Even though now more than ever she knew she was. These were Shadowspawn as far as she was concerned. Occasionally when she could convince herself clearly that a Sister was attacking her and through the Eye she could see their oaths to the Dark one she lashed out with lethal force. That felt surprisingly good to her, in fact such delight did she take in one kill that she looked over to share a grin with Kye. That was what made her rethink. This was exactly the kind of thing Dirk would have abhorred and made her re think. He would have wanted to find another way. Would have argued that this was not what the One Power was for. After that she stopped looking for reasons to kill and tried to act as the other Aes Sedai, at least like those who were not in abject flight.
"The Tower must be united. Blood and bloody ashes, where is the al'Vere girl?"
Kea did not realise who had shouted the words but seconds later she saw the Amyrlin Seat stalk past her and out the doors. Groups of Aes Sedai were everywhere. Many had formed circles and all were accompanied now by their Warders if they had any. The Hall of the Tower was in broken pieces. Some of the different circles were approaching the untied Ajah of Light and asking for guidance and direction.
"Get some forkroot here!" shouted Yukiri. "You secure the block on this one, Camelie and Tiany, you keep the block up on this one. If no one has got the Oath Rod, go get it we will need it. You four are you a circle? Good then you go and protect the Store rooms they may strike at them trying to seize angreal!"
"Passing control and the Eye to Saerine," announced Kea, then suiting word to action. "Kye with me, protect the Amyrlin Seat as myself!"
So saying the two of them ran out after Elaida a'Roihan.
Elaida was a lot quicker than she looked. Kea had to run flat out to even get her in sight. "Don't wait for me!" she commanded unnecessarily, as Kye had already taken her previous command to heart and was pressing ahead. "I'll keep track through the bond, go go!"
So he left her and the break between them became more pronounced each second. Elaida had run from the entire Tower and was now leaving by the large front doors. The Tower was in uproar the news of what had passed in the Hall spreading like wild fire. There were skirmishes and bodies lying unattended on the floor and no one least of all Elaida or Kye spared even a moment to close deadened eyes.
Kye was focused this was the advantage of years as a soldier and Warder. Death did not faze him; death was his business, his skill, his gift. He made up ground on Elaida every stride bringing the gap between them down and down. He did not know what was guiding the woman, but she moved with unerring swiftness and determination. She was not moving by chance she knew where she was going.
They were crossing the open courtyard now and even here Warder fought Warder and Aes Sedai, fought Aes Sedai. But Elaida turned neither to the right nor the left. Neither side seemed to want to strike at her as if her stole set her apart and made her untouchable. It could also be that like the hunters they were not sure which side she belonged to, it could have been the power of habit and tradition; it could simply have been that there was no time or energy left to fight anyone who was not directly trying to kill you!
There it stood her mighty palace. It was not finished but already it rivalled any edifice save the Tower itself in size if not beauty. As they approached still running its doors swung open and there stood, Egwene al'Vere and about her stood over a hundred novices and Accepted. Also by her stood the deposed King of Illian Mattin Steapaneos, a sword in his hand and also Silviana Brehon, the Mistress of the Novices and Leane Sharif, a prisoner of late but now walking free. Of Egwene's usual jailers there was no sign.
The novices visibly quailed as Elaida approached at pace. Yet Egwene did not. She was young only having none of the ageless look that usually characterised Aes Sedai. Still she was strong she met Elaida's eyes as the larger woman rushed up to her, Kye on her heels.
"The Black Ajah is revealed and the Tower is at war. Are you satisfied?"
"That the Light is destroying the darkness? Certainly!" replied the girl.
"Fool girl, the Tower has never seen such a dark moment. We are divided and weak thanks to your rebellion and now we are being destroyed from within. We will be easy prey for your rebels, when I am cast aside!"
As she spoke Elaida tore the six-striped stole from around her neck. "Red suites me best I think," she snarled more than said. "Everything that has happened has conspired to defeat me and now those who have won undying fame and power within the Tower will not side with me but have scorned my strength. I feel like a woman awakened from a dream. What I do, I do not do for you but I sacrifice it all for the Light. The Tower must be united!"
Then without warning she gasped and fell back as Kye darted in front of her pressing the knife wide. The man had simply not been there until a moment ago. The knife in his hand seemed to simply have condensed from the air to slash at Elaida's heart. His hands bleeding from pushing the blade wide Kye leapt upon the figure, whom he could barley see even now. As they wrestled on the floor he heard shouting above him. Though he could not make out the words he saw those who had moved to aid him suddenly stop. He heard bits of it the next time. A woman wearing a shawl, fringed in Grey was running towards them. "He is Black, as is Kea, you have all been deceived. Elaida, this is Egwene's plot to undermine and overthrow the Tower, be not deceived, Strike her now before the Shadowspawn can channel enough to strike you down!"
"What are you saying Evanellein!" cried Silvianna. "Egwene has made no such plans."
"Why do prisoners walk free then backed by you and your Novices?" crowed Evanellin, the Sitter for the Grey had abandoned her usual back seat approach. Her voice dripped sarcasm and scorn, but changed immediately to respect and urgency as she addressed Elaida who was still bleeding.
"Step aside Mother, this child, this traitor is too dangerous to be let loose. She is like Suian. Do you remember the night we arrested her. Do you remember what you said? It is the same with this girl, it is the same!"
Kye still struggled with the strongly lithe and incredibly strong man rolled on the floor with him wishing and willing that someone would channel and kill him. He could not even draw his sword again much less use it in these close quarters and the man still held his knife that had already tasted Kye's blood.
"Damn it, I didn't come through all this to die rolling in the dust. If I do be going to die scum it will be at Kea's feet and that you'd best believe!" He slammed his elbow into the assassin's face and holding hard to both his arms, one at the wrist and the other at the elbow, he flipped the man into a sideways roll. Attempting to leaver himself into a dominant position. But no sooner did he get on top where he could use gravity to assist him than his opponent rolled him back onto his back.
Kea burst from the Tower still running, though now short of breath. She saw Kye struggling on the floor and bleeding and a Grey Sister standing before Egwene and Elaida. She did not understand what was going on but knew that Kye was in trouble and that the Grey sister was embracing Saidar in torrents. She knew those weaves.
Stopping so that she had enough breath she shouted. "She is going to kill save Egwene!"
"You cannot hold that much" Elaida was saying shocked, "that is more than the Nynaeve al'Mera girl."
"Fool!" shouted the Grey, "Move aside!" so saying she unleashed a torrent of light and energy. Elaida in madness or heroism screamed her own defiance and leapt at the woman. Part of the blast hit the flying woman, part of it killed an on looking Novice and part exploded into the sky.
Kea could see Egwene trying to channel but still only managing a trickle. A novice beside her however was like a bonfire. Kea knew her, it was the only Novice who had been stronger in the One Power than her. Suddenly all the novices unrestricted by the Oath Rod began to channel. The single Sister was driven back and in the struggle something faded from around her. She suddenly appeared changed and that unnerved Kea. She had never seen one face emerge suddenly as if from behind a perfect mask. Now she appeared younger, slightly short of middle years and without the ageless quality. She had large almost liquid blue eyes, which seemed to melt and then spark in turn. She was alight with the Power, more of it than Kea had ever seen one person hold and she seemed intent on killing Egwene.
She began to lash out with the Power and felt the restraint of the Oaths. She was not in personal danger and she wasn't sure the woman was Shadowspawn. "Kye get in danger!" she shouted and then remembered he was and focusing her mind used a sliver of earth and fire and dexterously slit the throat of his assailant. Then she willed him to save Egwene.
He felt the fight go out of the man and he rolled away from him and came to a crouch. He could feel his Aes Sedai's urgency. He had to stop this woman. He launched himself at her, knowing he could not stop her but hoping to at least distract her. He seemed to be doing this a lot in recent memory throwing himself into hopeless confrontations. Luckily for him the united strength of about fifty novices was levelled at the woman the same time he jumped. Instead of being blown apart, he hit into her knocking her sideways. She recovered quickly though he could not see what she was doing with her Power. Suddenly lines appeared out of thin air, spinning as they seemed to open and close. They opened into roughly rectangular shapes and as they did so spinning and gyrating anything they touched was sliced through.
Parts of novices were flying everywhere. Kea and Egwene were both shouting for circles to be formed. Silviana was trying to herd the novices away from this clearly evil Aes Sedai.
"I will be Nae'Blis!" she shouted suddenly. "Call yourselves Aes Sedai! You know nothing! You are children compared to us! You may have escaped Aran'Gar Egwene the faithless but you will not escape Mesanna!"
Kea tried to throw a block, but without a circle she might as well have tried picking up the Tower with a weave of Air. The woman was channelling in torrents, not threads! Elaida was trying to cover Egwene with her body but she would surely die and make little difference. They were all going to die before Kea could make a difference. She was simply too weak and too far away. She needed an extension of her body. She had started this, she wanted to give her life for this, not watch someone else die pointlessly.
Unnoticed Kye had got himself towards this woman's, this Mesanna's feet. Dirk would not have known, but Kye knew that name. "Die Forsaken!" he screamed as he slammed his dirk into her thigh. He was bringing up his sword to stab her through the chest but despite her surprise she redirected her forces at him. He was hurled from her like a rag doll.
Kye landed unnoticed by any but Kea, for all attention was not focused on Egwene with the frail shield of the bloody and battered Elaida in front of her. One by one they made the circle. It had been spontaneous almost unconscious but Kea, Nicole, Silvianna and Elaida had joined themselves to Egwene. The forkroot had run its course and she was channelling her own formidable might. The Ajah of the Light had also stepped out from the White Tower. Watching the flows they united themselves to the circle as well. When Messana looked up from hurling Kye down she saw a strength of which she had not ought but dreams. This was a strength that could only be formed by unity and trust, a strength for which she had not been prepared. This time the block worked and the torrents of light that had made Messana glow like a beacon were snuffed out like a candle.
"Hold her!" Egwene commanded and the much older more experienced Aes Sedai did as they were bidden. Kea rushed to the scene, and was distracted from both Mesanna and Kye by Elaida's collapse.
"Listen to me you awful, troublesome girl, listen!" snapped Elaida her Murandian accent winning through as she began to gasp for air. "I always thought just plain red was more my colour," she managed to splutter. She was sweating now and bringing up blood.
"I'm no good at healing, get a healer!" snapped Egwene.
"Healing won't help now Ch… Egwene," replied Silvianna. "It would only kill her in a different way. She has no strength left."
"Listen girl and stop for a moment trying to ruin my life! Someone must know. I have the Foretelling though it is more curse than blessing it would seem. Someone must know and you are to be the one. Rand al'Thor will know the wrath of the Amyrlin Seat. The future and victory at Tar'mon Gai'don is inextricably linked with the fate of the Royal house of Andor. The Black Tower will be left in flames and Sisters will walk its grounds. Link the White Tower to Andor Child, you must wear the stole. Use our plan make the Asha'man Warders to the Red Ajah. We were all deceived, the Tower MUST stand united…" she gasped and it appeared to Kea as though she had died. Her body went rigid and her eyes stared fixedly upwards.
"The Amyrlin Seat will wed the boar and her coming charge will strike fear into the heart of the fearless. Only one can stay her hand, only one can slay her for he it is who rides at her right hand, her greatest strength and her doom. Beware the Youngling." For a moment it seemed she was herself. "The Tower must be u…" then Elaida a'Roihan Amyrlin Seat, The Flame of Tar Valon, went out.