Chapter 2--For What Is
Keri nodded to Saige. She would not give up--no not ever. No matter what the arches threw at her. No matter...what... Keri stepped through the arch.
~For What Is:
Keri held her near sister at arms-length. "It has been so long, Verday."
Memory. Flicker. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Flicker.
She put the thought away, too happy to be visiting this memory. The two sisters smiled at each other, remembering past times. Verday was very much an Aiel, but she had adopted many "wetlander" ways. Keri had missed her. "How do you feel about Duquin?" Her sister's new husband was certainly handsome, and even funny, but Keri wanted to make sure her sister was happy. "He is very good to me," Verday replied in a cool voice.
Memory. Flicker. Her old memory remembered that she, Riena, Lilian, Elli, and Saige had planned to make a trip to the Aiel Waste for her near-sister's wedding. This must be what would have or will happen. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Flicker.
Keri shook her head. Having other thoughts in her head was making her confused. They walked into the main room together where everyone was reclining on cushions and eating the well-prepared meal. Verday went over to her husband and arranged her cushions. After a while, Verday spoke to her husband. "I must go get something for my near sister, shade of my heart." The love that flowed between the two was outstanding.
Verday stumbled. She clutched her throat. "Verday!" Keri leaped towards her sister, behind only Verday's husband. "Verday!"
Memory. Flicker. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Flicker.
There was nothing Keri could do. This was being caused by saidar and. saidin. They were giving her a slow death. "AAAAAHH!!!" Verday was in terrible pain.
Someone was laughing. Quietly. Keri turned around, away from her sister who was sinking to the ground in tremendous pain. Someone was in the shadows. Someone was a traitor. Who was missing from the group around her sister? There was Elli, Riena, Saige.
Where was Lilian?
A heart-wrenching scream tore from Verday's throat. Keri opened herself to saidar ashamed she hadn't before. She tried every way she could the block, sever, or move the flows of twisted Power, but the invisible saidin held her back.
Memory. Flicker. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. This shouldn't be happening! The arches! Flicker.
She couldn't she couldn't stop it she couldn't live without her sister she couldn't. Keri tried every healing trick she knew. Whatever she tried failed miserably. She would have to watch her sister die. Verday started to thrash on the floor. Keri sunk to the floor, utterly devastated.
The person in the shadows. "I'll." Keri leaped at. her. ".kill." She would personally tear out the throat of the traitor-or whatever she had to do. ".you!!!" The two women tumbled over an over. Keri got the better of the person under her and grasped her throat.
And stared into eyes so familiar to her.
She jumped up and away. ".Lilian?"
"Yes, near sister?" she replied with a grin she had seen so often, yet. it was evil. Saidar glowed around her. "You?" Lilian only smiled. "How long?" The screams in the background faded out, with every emotion swirling around Keri. "Only for about the past five years." Keri could almost see black radiating from her. "Why.?" "You could say I was envious, perhaps, of having to share my near sister with someone else. Although that doesn't quite suit my feelings." she added, tapping her lower lip with her index finger.
Puzzle pieces floated together in her mind, aided by a black hand. Convulsions seized her. No not a Foretelling now! Her Talent, the one thing Keri had kept from Lilian, had arisen at the worst possible time.
Images flashed. Keri seeing Lilian for the first time.
Friends as strong as sisters. "Friends as strong as sisters."
Lilian foreswearing oaths on that cursed white rod.
.shall be separated as if ripped from the heart. ".shall be separated as if ripped from the heart."
The two of them now.
In the final confrontation. "In the final confrontation."
Keri stepping away to...
.only one will move on. ".only one will move on."
Lilian closed her mouth, which had opened unexpectantly in amazement. "Foretelling, sister? Interesting. Shows I shall succeed." She was. amused. "Thank you. Sister, I grow tired of these games. You can save your sister and your own lives by serving the Great Lord on bended knee, or you both shall. die." Keri. just.
Her heart was certainly ripped in two.
She spat at the feet of the creature she thought was her sister.
"You are not my sister. She had died. You killed her when you became. black. I will always miss Lilian. "Goodbye."
After Keri slammed a rock-hard shield in between the creature-not a true person-and the Source, she made ready a weave of. destruction.
Memory. Flicker. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Flicker.
She let loose her Power and stepped backwards into the arch she knew was there. She was betrayed.
~*~
Keri stepped out, still channeling. The weave went through the arch to collide into the wall behind them, making a good-sized hole. The arches were unharmed.
She calmly, among the burst of conversation from the Aes Sedai, sat down, naked, but ever dignified. Somebody shook her. "Keri, are you okay?" She replied in a calm voice. "I'm perfectly fine. In fact, never better. I just love the world. How could it be different? I'm on my way to become Aes Sedai." She stood up. "Things that happen in there, can they apply to real life? Like maybe. a Foretelling?"
Daenya gasped. Channeling in the arches was bad enough, but . . . coming through channeling? "Keri, are you okay?" she asked worriedly. The girl's - woman, now - voice was calm and cold as a Waterwood pond. No, she sounded like the Taren frozen over. She sat . . . too . . . stiff? Not quite, but . . .
She turned back to the pandemonium that had ensued. When she saw Saige step towards Kerdahlia, Daenya slowly returned to her place next to the chalices' table. It's out of my hands, now, she thought. Saige is master of this ceremony. She took a deep breath and hoped that the Yellow knew what she was doing. Hang in there, Kerdi.
Keri came through the arches channeling!! The whole room seemed to gasp. Saige stepped over to Keri. "Keri, are you okay?" She replied in a calm voice. "I'm perfectly fine. In fact, never better. I just love the world. How could it be different? I'm on my way to become Aes Sedai." Saige nodded calmly and helped her up. "Things that happen in there," Keri asked. "Can they apply to real life? Like maybe. a Foretelling?" Saige stumbled slightly and stopped "I don't know, Keri." she looked around for some help "The arches are designed to make you face your fears. Whether you know what they are or not. I have never heard about something in the arches coming true, but then channeling in the arches is quite dangerous and I've never heard of someone channeling as they came out. I know this doesn't answer your question, but I honestly don't know. Are you ready to finish?" Saige accepted the next chalice, pouring the contents over Keri; she continued the ceremony "You are washed clean of false pride. You are washed clean of false ambition. You come to us washed clean, in heart and soul." Keri nodded and entered the third and final arch.
End of Chapter Next Chapter: For What Will Be
Keri nodded to Saige. She would not give up--no not ever. No matter what the arches threw at her. No matter...what... Keri stepped through the arch.
~For What Is:
Keri held her near sister at arms-length. "It has been so long, Verday."
Memory. Flicker. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Flicker.
She put the thought away, too happy to be visiting this memory. The two sisters smiled at each other, remembering past times. Verday was very much an Aiel, but she had adopted many "wetlander" ways. Keri had missed her. "How do you feel about Duquin?" Her sister's new husband was certainly handsome, and even funny, but Keri wanted to make sure her sister was happy. "He is very good to me," Verday replied in a cool voice.
Memory. Flicker. Her old memory remembered that she, Riena, Lilian, Elli, and Saige had planned to make a trip to the Aiel Waste for her near-sister's wedding. This must be what would have or will happen. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Flicker.
Keri shook her head. Having other thoughts in her head was making her confused. They walked into the main room together where everyone was reclining on cushions and eating the well-prepared meal. Verday went over to her husband and arranged her cushions. After a while, Verday spoke to her husband. "I must go get something for my near sister, shade of my heart." The love that flowed between the two was outstanding.
Verday stumbled. She clutched her throat. "Verday!" Keri leaped towards her sister, behind only Verday's husband. "Verday!"
Memory. Flicker. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Flicker.
There was nothing Keri could do. This was being caused by saidar and. saidin. They were giving her a slow death. "AAAAAHH!!!" Verday was in terrible pain.
Someone was laughing. Quietly. Keri turned around, away from her sister who was sinking to the ground in tremendous pain. Someone was in the shadows. Someone was a traitor. Who was missing from the group around her sister? There was Elli, Riena, Saige.
Where was Lilian?
A heart-wrenching scream tore from Verday's throat. Keri opened herself to saidar ashamed she hadn't before. She tried every way she could the block, sever, or move the flows of twisted Power, but the invisible saidin held her back.
Memory. Flicker. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. This shouldn't be happening! The arches! Flicker.
She couldn't she couldn't stop it she couldn't live without her sister she couldn't. Keri tried every healing trick she knew. Whatever she tried failed miserably. She would have to watch her sister die. Verday started to thrash on the floor. Keri sunk to the floor, utterly devastated.
The person in the shadows. "I'll." Keri leaped at. her. ".kill." She would personally tear out the throat of the traitor-or whatever she had to do. ".you!!!" The two women tumbled over an over. Keri got the better of the person under her and grasped her throat.
And stared into eyes so familiar to her.
She jumped up and away. ".Lilian?"
"Yes, near sister?" she replied with a grin she had seen so often, yet. it was evil. Saidar glowed around her. "You?" Lilian only smiled. "How long?" The screams in the background faded out, with every emotion swirling around Keri. "Only for about the past five years." Keri could almost see black radiating from her. "Why.?" "You could say I was envious, perhaps, of having to share my near sister with someone else. Although that doesn't quite suit my feelings." she added, tapping her lower lip with her index finger.
Puzzle pieces floated together in her mind, aided by a black hand. Convulsions seized her. No not a Foretelling now! Her Talent, the one thing Keri had kept from Lilian, had arisen at the worst possible time.
Images flashed. Keri seeing Lilian for the first time.
Friends as strong as sisters. "Friends as strong as sisters."
Lilian foreswearing oaths on that cursed white rod.
.shall be separated as if ripped from the heart. ".shall be separated as if ripped from the heart."
The two of them now.
In the final confrontation. "In the final confrontation."
Keri stepping away to...
.only one will move on. ".only one will move on."
Lilian closed her mouth, which had opened unexpectantly in amazement. "Foretelling, sister? Interesting. Shows I shall succeed." She was. amused. "Thank you. Sister, I grow tired of these games. You can save your sister and your own lives by serving the Great Lord on bended knee, or you both shall. die." Keri. just.
Her heart was certainly ripped in two.
She spat at the feet of the creature she thought was her sister.
"You are not my sister. She had died. You killed her when you became. black. I will always miss Lilian. "Goodbye."
After Keri slammed a rock-hard shield in between the creature-not a true person-and the Source, she made ready a weave of. destruction.
Memory. Flicker. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Flicker.
She let loose her Power and stepped backwards into the arch she knew was there. She was betrayed.
~*~
Keri stepped out, still channeling. The weave went through the arch to collide into the wall behind them, making a good-sized hole. The arches were unharmed.
She calmly, among the burst of conversation from the Aes Sedai, sat down, naked, but ever dignified. Somebody shook her. "Keri, are you okay?" She replied in a calm voice. "I'm perfectly fine. In fact, never better. I just love the world. How could it be different? I'm on my way to become Aes Sedai." She stood up. "Things that happen in there, can they apply to real life? Like maybe. a Foretelling?"
Daenya gasped. Channeling in the arches was bad enough, but . . . coming through channeling? "Keri, are you okay?" she asked worriedly. The girl's - woman, now - voice was calm and cold as a Waterwood pond. No, she sounded like the Taren frozen over. She sat . . . too . . . stiff? Not quite, but . . .
She turned back to the pandemonium that had ensued. When she saw Saige step towards Kerdahlia, Daenya slowly returned to her place next to the chalices' table. It's out of my hands, now, she thought. Saige is master of this ceremony. She took a deep breath and hoped that the Yellow knew what she was doing. Hang in there, Kerdi.
Keri came through the arches channeling!! The whole room seemed to gasp. Saige stepped over to Keri. "Keri, are you okay?" She replied in a calm voice. "I'm perfectly fine. In fact, never better. I just love the world. How could it be different? I'm on my way to become Aes Sedai." Saige nodded calmly and helped her up. "Things that happen in there," Keri asked. "Can they apply to real life? Like maybe. a Foretelling?" Saige stumbled slightly and stopped "I don't know, Keri." she looked around for some help "The arches are designed to make you face your fears. Whether you know what they are or not. I have never heard about something in the arches coming true, but then channeling in the arches is quite dangerous and I've never heard of someone channeling as they came out. I know this doesn't answer your question, but I honestly don't know. Are you ready to finish?" Saige accepted the next chalice, pouring the contents over Keri; she continued the ceremony "You are washed clean of false pride. You are washed clean of false ambition. You come to us washed clean, in heart and soul." Keri nodded and entered the third and final arch.
End of Chapter Next Chapter: For What Will Be