Wilder in the Mist
By: Rikku24 Chapter 2: Elves in the WoodsEgwene al'Vere walked through the forest following Opal Treeheart. The wilder never appeared to tire, as for Egwene she was ready to go to sleep. They had been walking for the past hour nonstop. Every step bringing them closer to their final destination and the Mountains of Mist, at least the foot of them. Traveling near the banks of a branch off of the Arinelle River, Northwest for an hour was very tiring and boring.
Egwene tried to break through the shield that shielded her from the power, but every effort resulted in failure and a look from Opal. Egwene would have been running back to Tar Valon but Opal had something like an a'dam on. It gave Egwene's strength to Opal when Opal tired and strengthened Opal in the power. Only Opal could undo the bracelet and collar. Egwene could have still used the One Power with the a'dam on if Opal hadn't been blocking her.
"We're almost there," Opal said out of the blue.
At first Egwene could see nothing but then, just up ahead, was one of the Great Trees. This one tree had survived many battles. It had survived every battle in the song. So, the song, Opal's song was of this tree. What the tree had seen and survived throughout the years. It too was part of a grove. It too had memories that hurt like the sting of the bee. The sting causes pain yet sometimes, when you think about it, you cry for the bee that lost its life when it stung you. The battles and memories probably damaged the tree, both physically (the battles) and mentally (the memories). Yet even though those battles and memories hurt the tree it probably cries to itself for the lost of the groves and the loss of all the brave soldiers who fought the Shadow.
Then the glow of Saidar encircled Opal, she created weaves and directed them toward the tree. There was a clearing to the right of the tree and where empty space had been before, a gateway now stood.
"When did you learn how to create a gateway?" Egwene asked.
"When I has 92," replied Opal.
NOTE: Now you must remember that, in Elven years, Opal was learning how to shield and block people from the True Source when Egwene was learning how to create fire. You must also remember that Opal is currently 120 years old.
They walked through the gateway. And there was life. Elves, their livestock and Mother Nature was all around. Laughter and songs filled the area. It was beautiful, flowers and trees blossomed birds sang. It was a Utopia. Butterflies flew about and not one plant was dead or ill.
"It's beautiful here," Egwene complimented while staring wonderingly at the beauty.
"The taint of man and the Dark One does not touch this area. You are the first person to enter here in, oh, about one million years," Opal replied.
Elves stopped and stared at Opal and her prisoner. The children stopped laughing and watched the pair go by. Adults stared extra hard at the serpent ring on Egwene's finger. The pair walked by many quiet and cozy cottages and welcoming inns. There were marketplaces dotted about the place along with little shops owned by seamstresses, tailors, bakers, and sculptors. The place was so big that it was hard to imagine that no one had discovered it. That thought brought another question into Egwene's mind.
"Opal, where is this place located exactly?" Egwene asked.
"It's like what the Eye of the World's location was. A place that can't be found in the same place twice. As for need, the only person with a need great enough to find this haven lived over one million years ago. This place is within the forests, but which one? Not even elves are sure. We just know where to go and what to do in order to trigger the gateway into our world. Triggering the gateway has nothing to do with the One Power, but blood and heritage instead. The tree senses the Elven blood and heritage and triggers the gateway. The One Power is used to send messages to the palace from outside of the gateway. Pretty confusing, yes?" Opal explained.
This place was so complicated and…impossible. Hidden everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Using the One Power to send messages into a gateway. Using blood and heritage in order to trigger a gateway. It was too complicated and impossible. Then Egwene realized that these techniques were most likely from the Age of Legends.
The part Egwene didn't know was that she was exactly right. The elves possessed techniques, One Power objects (angreal, ter'angreal, and sa'angreal), and Talents from the Age of Legends.
The group headed towards the beautiful palace that was a perfect white. As they got closer, Egwene noticed spring vines growing on the walls. The vines were a spring green and blooming with flowers. Well, at least I'm not a prisoner in the Blight or some ugly place. You know, I wouldn't mind staying here if it meant walking around this lovely place instead of staying in a prison cell. Egwene thought. But then, if she stayed here for eternity would she ever see Gawyn again? As they got closer to the palace gates, Egwene thought of all the pros and cons of staying here forever.
The pair entered the palace. Guards stood by the entrance. Their uniforms were unique, leather in brown and green shades and strong forest boots. Each Elven guard was armed with arrows and a bow. Egwene was sure that the five male and five female guards would stop anything trying to pass through the gates. They were so alert, so keen they reminded Egwene of Lan before Moraine's death.
The palace's interior was beautiful. White, marble walls decorated with tapestries from the Age of Legends. Elven banners hung from the ceilings. The ceilings were mostly golden domes that arched towards the heavens. Only the ceilings above corridors and restrooms were not domed. As they passed through the corridors and halls, Egwene noticed that every door was gold with writing in the Old Tongue engraved on their gold surface.
"How many rooms is there, Opal?" Egwene asked out of curiosity.
"Oh, about four hundred fifty-six," replied Opal.
Egwene gasped in amazement, this palace was bigger then Tar Valon. She started to count all the doors they passed but tired at the one-hundredth door. She looked up and saw before her giant doors of gold and silver. The Old Tongue was engraved in the center of the two doors and blooming vines were engraved along the doors' borders. The guards opened the doors and escorted the pair into the room.
The room was bigger than the Amyrlin Seat's study. In fact three or four studies could fit in this one. At first, Egwene thought this must be the Throne Room but realized that it was both a bedroom and study when she found the presence of a bed and the absence of a throne.
Then Egwene felt something. She turned around and saw a young and beautiful elf, with the glow of Saidar surrounding her, but its presence was absent from her head.
"Meet my mother, Amethyst Morningstar Treeheart. Mother, meet my prisoner, Egwene al'Vere the Aes Sedai," Opal said.
"An honor it is to meet you Egwene Sedai," Amethyst said.
"An honor to meet you as well, Amethyst," Egwene replied.
Apparently, Opal forgot that Egwene had a leash on and that only Opal could take it off because the mother and daughter got into a big and long conversation about what they did today.
Egwene saw a chair within the leash's length and sat down. She was forgotten until Opal told her mother about their meeting. When they finally finished, Egwene was asleep and the two elves just stood and stared.
"Where am I? Oh yeah, I'm a prisoner for no good reason. CAN YOU TAKE THIS THING OFF OF ME NOW?" Egwene asked, half asleep and half angry.
"Sorry, no can do. You've learned and seen too much. I'm afraid you'll have to stay here forever," Amethyst sadly said.
Egwene looked into those purple eyes with surprise and sadness. She had the look of a prisoner who just received a stay in jail forever just because they eavesdropped.
"No," Egwene whispered.
The two elves just looked at her.
Well, I AM SO ANGRY AND SAD! NO ONE WANTS TO READ THIS STORY!
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Rikku24: *starts crying* I feel so unwanted!
Readers: Tough luck.
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I WORKED SO HARD AND WHAT DO I GET? NOT EVEN ONE REVIEW. IF YOU ARE READING THIS RIGHT NOW THEN PLEASE REVIEW. PLEASE!
::More to come soon::