The Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, I just play here.
Chapter 3.
As they left the house, Logain called out to the Dedicated. Word spread quickly and a blackbird's call spread through the village warning those who were farther off. Dedicated came running from everywhere.
"Channel as you need, no restrictions on Taim and his men," Logain told Toveine, as he knew all of those who held one of the Reds would be telling them.
Logain knew he had the greatest numbers, but some of Taim's men were exceptionally strong. The M'Hael had picked out many of the stronger men, and many of the most experienced channelers who had been at the Tower a long time, since before he had arrived. But later on, he had kept many of the Dedicated away from the M'Hael and many of those were strong enough to be full Asha'man now, too. Several would have been full Asha'man if Taim had not been careful to bestow that rank only on those in his favor, and they had their own followers among the Soldiers they taught.
They approached Taim's palace with most of the Dedicated and Soldiers right behind them, the Aes Sedai among them. Logain raised his voice using the Power.
"Taim, your game is up. I know you are a Darkfriend. Come out and surrender and I will be lenient with those you have corrupted."
Taim did come out, but he did not look like someone who was about to give up, holding Saidin to bursting and his Asha'man following him closely. The shield of Saidin he held was stronger than any walls could be.
"This is rebellion, Logain, you have no proof," Taim called back. "Break off this nonsense and I will forget every face I see along with yours."
"I have all the proof I need," Logain replied. Of course, he had not expected Taim to surrender, nor did he believe one word of what Taim said about those who stood with him. But it had to be said.
Taim was the first one to attack. Without further warning he channeled a wave of fire and lightning, most of it aimed at Logain but sending some scattered bolts into the Dedicated as well. Of course, Logain held a shield of Air of his own, and so did everyone around him, so nothing of that first barrage struck home. He countered with lightning of his own, and seconds later there were balls of fire and bolts of lightning flashing all around. Taim's men attacked hard, often aiming at him but also striking wide, at anyone who might not be holding their shield as strongly. Taim made the ground erupt and he had to concentrate to keep his footing, cut Taim's flows before the ground would be too unstable and treacherous to walk on. Several of the Dedicated stumbled, but of course they picked it up and sent the same weaves back to Taim immediately. Someone went down but an Aes Sedai rushed over, laid her hands on him, and he got up again.
Then suddenly there were more Aes Sedai, those from Tar Valon making their way through the battle to join their Asha'man. Logain had not be sure they would come, but he had hoped they would. The Aes Sedai were all channeling, attacking and Healing, and no matter how many men he had, it did help. Some had linked, others moved around the field to wherever any man went down. He did not have the time to look around much, but he thought all the sisters had come. It would a boost to morale to see the sisters had arrived, for those who were bonded but also for the others.
Lightning and fire was shot back and forth, and he held his shield of Air up while meeting each attack. Large showers of rock and dirt rained down on them, most of it deflected by the shields everyone held. He lashed out with a rolling wave of fire, hoping to get underneath Taim's shield, but the M'Hael cut it off before it even got to him.
Logain was stronger than the others, stronger than any of the other full Asha'man except for Taim, but he was also the prime target of Taim and those who fought with him. He could feel the waves of Saidin beat at his shield of Air. Some of the larger balls of fire would bounce off and hit those near him; with so many fighting close together they soon learned they had to hold shields up all around them. Some men fell, but with so many Healers, Aes Sedai and Asha'man, few stayed down. He could still hold every weave, but the continuous barrage aimed at him was taking its toll. He reached out and Gabrelle opened herself, allowing him to link with her.
As he felt the additional Power flow through him, he glanced around for Toveine. Where was she? He had last seen her at the start of the battle, when a fireball had glanced off Canler's shield and rolled into the back of Duco's legs, she had gone over and Healed him. For some reason, she had not returned. Then suddenly he spotted her. She was circling wide, around the outbuildings that lined the large green in front of Taim's palace. Light, what was she up to? Was she going to attack Taim from behind? But that was crazy, the moment Taim turned she would be dead! She couldn't be planning that! He did not have time to think about it as Taim and his Asha'man never let off on their assault, but linked with Gabrelle he did hold enough of the Power to throw even more lightning and fire at them, making sure that whatever Toveine was up to, they did not spot her.
It seemed to take an eternity for Toveine to make her way around. Most of the time she was hidden behind the buildings, but with the bond to help him he could spot her from time to time in between. Taim and his Asha'man did not see her, looking only at the battle in front of them. Then she was at the corner of the palace itself, pressed against the wall so she was out of sight for anyone who did not know she was there. She stepped out and channeled, shooting a large fireball at Taim's back.
Whether Taim felt her channel, or saw the reactions of those who had not seen Toveine's slow circling around the buildings, Logain would never know. At the last moment, Taim turned, holding up his arm in front of him in a reflex. The fireball slammed into Taim's arm and he doubled over, cradling his burned arm with his good hand. Yet he still did not lose control of Saidin, lashing out viciously with bolts of lightning, hitting Toveine where she still stood in plain sight, never trying to run or duck back around the corner.
Logain screamed as he felt the shock in every nerve of her body, exploding into a physical pain, then the sudden emptiness. Gabrelle gasped behind him. He shook his head, trying to clear it, firing lighting of his own at Taim.
"Make sure he does not get to the others, don't let them Heal him!" he called out.
A rain of fire and lightning was now directed between Taim and his men, and a wall of Air sprang up as well. Logain kept up his assault at Taim himself, but the man did not let his shield of Air slip. Taim tried to make his way to the Asha'man, but the Dedicated now all directed their weaves at him. Suddenly the slash of a Gateway appeared and Taim, still bent over his injured arm, stumbled through. It snapped shut behind him.
As Taim was gone, the fight went out of the other Asha'man. A few opened Gateways of their own the moment they saw their leader flee. A couple lost control of their shields of Air and went down. Others released everything but their shields and held their hands up, signalling surrender. Within minutes, the battle was over.
Chapter 3.
As they left the house, Logain called out to the Dedicated. Word spread quickly and a blackbird's call spread through the village warning those who were farther off. Dedicated came running from everywhere.
"Channel as you need, no restrictions on Taim and his men," Logain told Toveine, as he knew all of those who held one of the Reds would be telling them.
Logain knew he had the greatest numbers, but some of Taim's men were exceptionally strong. The M'Hael had picked out many of the stronger men, and many of the most experienced channelers who had been at the Tower a long time, since before he had arrived. But later on, he had kept many of the Dedicated away from the M'Hael and many of those were strong enough to be full Asha'man now, too. Several would have been full Asha'man if Taim had not been careful to bestow that rank only on those in his favor, and they had their own followers among the Soldiers they taught.
They approached Taim's palace with most of the Dedicated and Soldiers right behind them, the Aes Sedai among them. Logain raised his voice using the Power.
"Taim, your game is up. I know you are a Darkfriend. Come out and surrender and I will be lenient with those you have corrupted."
Taim did come out, but he did not look like someone who was about to give up, holding Saidin to bursting and his Asha'man following him closely. The shield of Saidin he held was stronger than any walls could be.
"This is rebellion, Logain, you have no proof," Taim called back. "Break off this nonsense and I will forget every face I see along with yours."
"I have all the proof I need," Logain replied. Of course, he had not expected Taim to surrender, nor did he believe one word of what Taim said about those who stood with him. But it had to be said.
Taim was the first one to attack. Without further warning he channeled a wave of fire and lightning, most of it aimed at Logain but sending some scattered bolts into the Dedicated as well. Of course, Logain held a shield of Air of his own, and so did everyone around him, so nothing of that first barrage struck home. He countered with lightning of his own, and seconds later there were balls of fire and bolts of lightning flashing all around. Taim's men attacked hard, often aiming at him but also striking wide, at anyone who might not be holding their shield as strongly. Taim made the ground erupt and he had to concentrate to keep his footing, cut Taim's flows before the ground would be too unstable and treacherous to walk on. Several of the Dedicated stumbled, but of course they picked it up and sent the same weaves back to Taim immediately. Someone went down but an Aes Sedai rushed over, laid her hands on him, and he got up again.
Then suddenly there were more Aes Sedai, those from Tar Valon making their way through the battle to join their Asha'man. Logain had not be sure they would come, but he had hoped they would. The Aes Sedai were all channeling, attacking and Healing, and no matter how many men he had, it did help. Some had linked, others moved around the field to wherever any man went down. He did not have the time to look around much, but he thought all the sisters had come. It would a boost to morale to see the sisters had arrived, for those who were bonded but also for the others.
Lightning and fire was shot back and forth, and he held his shield of Air up while meeting each attack. Large showers of rock and dirt rained down on them, most of it deflected by the shields everyone held. He lashed out with a rolling wave of fire, hoping to get underneath Taim's shield, but the M'Hael cut it off before it even got to him.
Logain was stronger than the others, stronger than any of the other full Asha'man except for Taim, but he was also the prime target of Taim and those who fought with him. He could feel the waves of Saidin beat at his shield of Air. Some of the larger balls of fire would bounce off and hit those near him; with so many fighting close together they soon learned they had to hold shields up all around them. Some men fell, but with so many Healers, Aes Sedai and Asha'man, few stayed down. He could still hold every weave, but the continuous barrage aimed at him was taking its toll. He reached out and Gabrelle opened herself, allowing him to link with her.
As he felt the additional Power flow through him, he glanced around for Toveine. Where was she? He had last seen her at the start of the battle, when a fireball had glanced off Canler's shield and rolled into the back of Duco's legs, she had gone over and Healed him. For some reason, she had not returned. Then suddenly he spotted her. She was circling wide, around the outbuildings that lined the large green in front of Taim's palace. Light, what was she up to? Was she going to attack Taim from behind? But that was crazy, the moment Taim turned she would be dead! She couldn't be planning that! He did not have time to think about it as Taim and his Asha'man never let off on their assault, but linked with Gabrelle he did hold enough of the Power to throw even more lightning and fire at them, making sure that whatever Toveine was up to, they did not spot her.
It seemed to take an eternity for Toveine to make her way around. Most of the time she was hidden behind the buildings, but with the bond to help him he could spot her from time to time in between. Taim and his Asha'man did not see her, looking only at the battle in front of them. Then she was at the corner of the palace itself, pressed against the wall so she was out of sight for anyone who did not know she was there. She stepped out and channeled, shooting a large fireball at Taim's back.
Whether Taim felt her channel, or saw the reactions of those who had not seen Toveine's slow circling around the buildings, Logain would never know. At the last moment, Taim turned, holding up his arm in front of him in a reflex. The fireball slammed into Taim's arm and he doubled over, cradling his burned arm with his good hand. Yet he still did not lose control of Saidin, lashing out viciously with bolts of lightning, hitting Toveine where she still stood in plain sight, never trying to run or duck back around the corner.
Logain screamed as he felt the shock in every nerve of her body, exploding into a physical pain, then the sudden emptiness. Gabrelle gasped behind him. He shook his head, trying to clear it, firing lighting of his own at Taim.
"Make sure he does not get to the others, don't let them Heal him!" he called out.
A rain of fire and lightning was now directed between Taim and his men, and a wall of Air sprang up as well. Logain kept up his assault at Taim himself, but the man did not let his shield of Air slip. Taim tried to make his way to the Asha'man, but the Dedicated now all directed their weaves at him. Suddenly the slash of a Gateway appeared and Taim, still bent over his injured arm, stumbled through. It snapped shut behind him.
As Taim was gone, the fight went out of the other Asha'man. A few opened Gateways of their own the moment they saw their leader flee. A couple lost control of their shields of Air and went down. Others released everything but their shields and held their hands up, signalling surrender. Within minutes, the battle was over.