The Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, I just play here.
Chapter 1
Jahar stepped through the Gateway following Merise, leading his horse. Nethan and Bassane had gone through first, and were scanning the horizon to get their bearings. He let the Gateway close and released the Power when he felt Saidin being channeled behind them. He threw himself to the side, letting go of his horse. He grabbed a hold of the Power again and threw up a shield of Air, all in one motion, as he yelled a warning. But he was too late. Merise, who of course could not feel Saidin, had no time to react as a fireball slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. Jahar almost let go of the Source again when he felt the burning in his head. "Merise!" he yelled, but he had no time to look at her as he felt a rain of fire batter at his shield. A horse screamed, but he did not know whose or what had hit it. He scrambled up, striking fire and lightning of his own even before he saw the woman standing just a brief distance away. Light, a woman? Daigian, Nesune and Beldeine had told everyone of the woman who killed Eben, but it was still a shock to see a woman channeling Saidin.
The woman easily cut his flows, making the fire dissipate harmlessly well away from her body. She threw another barrage of fire and lightning in return, and he had to respond quickly to ward off the attack. They threw fire and lightning at each other, cutting off the incoming attacks while trying to get through the other's defences. Light, but she was strong! He was not by far the weakest in the Black Tower, but he had not felt anyone hold this much power except for the Lord Dragon and the M'Hael. She had to be one of the Forsaken, to be channeling this much Power unaided. He tried to make the earth erupt under her, but she stood calmly amongst the rocks that bounced off her shield of Air. The next moment he had to jump aside as she used his own weaves against him and the earth underneath his feet burst upward. The woman was still standing in the same place where she had been when he first saw her. He was sweating now, despite the cold. What he'd give to hold Callandor now! He'd take his chances with its flaw. Merise's burning agony in his head alternately distracted him and fed his determination. He wove Saidin, cutting the flows coming at him and sending his own toward her.
How long could he hold out against her, by himself? He had not seen a glimpse of either of Merise's other Warders, and he had no time to look if they were still alive. They had to be down or they would have tried to help. Someone at the camp might see the lightning, and come to investigate, but would they dare to Travel straight into a battle? He couldn't rely on any help to arrive, and he could not match this woman in strength. Then his eye caught the tree behind her. It was a tall, thick tree with a huge crown, and she was standing just a short distance from it. It was a chance. He channeled a razor-sharp blade of fire and swung at the trunk, at the same time channeling tendrils of air to pull the tree in the right direction. The woman saw his blade swing past her, and the wild tendrils up above, but she did not bother to cut the flows. She even smiled a little, clearly thinking he was faltering to swing wide like that. She did not even have time to change her expression as the tree crashed down on her, and the flows of Saidin broke off.
In the silence that followed he could feel Merise's burns worse than before. He wanted to rush to her, but it would do no good to be attacked from behind if the woman had only been knocked down momentarily. Cautiously, holding Saidin ready, Jahar started toward the tree. He had barely made two steps when the solid knot of pain in his head seemed to expand to encompass every nerve in his body, then implode into emptiness. He screamed, grabbed his head, then fell in the snow as he passed out.
Chapter 1
Jahar stepped through the Gateway following Merise, leading his horse. Nethan and Bassane had gone through first, and were scanning the horizon to get their bearings. He let the Gateway close and released the Power when he felt Saidin being channeled behind them. He threw himself to the side, letting go of his horse. He grabbed a hold of the Power again and threw up a shield of Air, all in one motion, as he yelled a warning. But he was too late. Merise, who of course could not feel Saidin, had no time to react as a fireball slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. Jahar almost let go of the Source again when he felt the burning in his head. "Merise!" he yelled, but he had no time to look at her as he felt a rain of fire batter at his shield. A horse screamed, but he did not know whose or what had hit it. He scrambled up, striking fire and lightning of his own even before he saw the woman standing just a brief distance away. Light, a woman? Daigian, Nesune and Beldeine had told everyone of the woman who killed Eben, but it was still a shock to see a woman channeling Saidin.
The woman easily cut his flows, making the fire dissipate harmlessly well away from her body. She threw another barrage of fire and lightning in return, and he had to respond quickly to ward off the attack. They threw fire and lightning at each other, cutting off the incoming attacks while trying to get through the other's defences. Light, but she was strong! He was not by far the weakest in the Black Tower, but he had not felt anyone hold this much power except for the Lord Dragon and the M'Hael. She had to be one of the Forsaken, to be channeling this much Power unaided. He tried to make the earth erupt under her, but she stood calmly amongst the rocks that bounced off her shield of Air. The next moment he had to jump aside as she used his own weaves against him and the earth underneath his feet burst upward. The woman was still standing in the same place where she had been when he first saw her. He was sweating now, despite the cold. What he'd give to hold Callandor now! He'd take his chances with its flaw. Merise's burning agony in his head alternately distracted him and fed his determination. He wove Saidin, cutting the flows coming at him and sending his own toward her.
How long could he hold out against her, by himself? He had not seen a glimpse of either of Merise's other Warders, and he had no time to look if they were still alive. They had to be down or they would have tried to help. Someone at the camp might see the lightning, and come to investigate, but would they dare to Travel straight into a battle? He couldn't rely on any help to arrive, and he could not match this woman in strength. Then his eye caught the tree behind her. It was a tall, thick tree with a huge crown, and she was standing just a short distance from it. It was a chance. He channeled a razor-sharp blade of fire and swung at the trunk, at the same time channeling tendrils of air to pull the tree in the right direction. The woman saw his blade swing past her, and the wild tendrils up above, but she did not bother to cut the flows. She even smiled a little, clearly thinking he was faltering to swing wide like that. She did not even have time to change her expression as the tree crashed down on her, and the flows of Saidin broke off.
In the silence that followed he could feel Merise's burns worse than before. He wanted to rush to her, but it would do no good to be attacked from behind if the woman had only been knocked down momentarily. Cautiously, holding Saidin ready, Jahar started toward the tree. He had barely made two steps when the solid knot of pain in his head seemed to expand to encompass every nerve in his body, then implode into emptiness. He screamed, grabbed his head, then fell in the snow as he passed out.