Dueljewl: So technically I haven't gotten the four reviews I asked for, but
I didn't want to wait to get them. Big thanks to both of you who did review
my story - it was motivation to write the second chapter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ Chapter Two ~~ ~ Tel'aran'rhiod ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keita stood in the middle of a dry, deserted place she could only describe as a village. What looked like clay buildings of every size were placed in a circle surrounding the sheer rock walls of a tall, hollowed out plateau of black rock that seemed to glisten in the bright sun. Wave after wave of heat hammered against her, the red ground burning threw the thin soles of her traveling boots.
Abandoned toys shifted places every few seconds, not left in the same place long enough to establish a permanent position in Tel'aran'rhiod. Every now and then a person would burst into the dream only to disappear a few seconds later. A screaming child fell from the top of a roof, only to vanish seconds before she hit the ground.
Keita shifted her stance uneasily, from both the heat and a sense of confusion that overwhelmed her. This wasn't right; her presence was too strong here.
Where was Kail? Why wasn't she cold anymore? Questions swirled around in her tired mind making her dizzy. She stumbled slightly, righting herself just before she fell.
"What are you doing here?" the angry, worn voice of a woman snapped from behind her.
Keita snapped around in the direction of the voice, her vision spinning from turning too fast. When everything cleared, she was able to see a tall woman with light green eyes and bright yellow hair streaked white. She wore a brown, bulky skirt and flowing white blouse, her arms and neck covered in jewelry made from ivory, gold, and silver. A brown scarf was at her temples, keeping the longhair from her face.
"I - I -" she started, stumbling over her words in the forceful presence of this woman.
"Well? Out with it already child." The strange woman snapped, taking a few steps forward and scowling heavily.
"I don't know. I didn't mean to come here so strongly. Please, where is Kail, my twin brother?" Keita rushed, her voice hoarse from nerves.
The old woman blinked in surprise at the response, taking yet another step forward. Her scowl began fading into a wary frown. Keita stepped backwards slowly, unnerved by this strange woman she found herself confronted by.
"I won't hurt you child." The old woman responded, her tone softening and the frown fading. "But what would two Lost Ones be doing in the Three Fold Land? Were there is one of you there are usually twenty more. But the two Rahien Sorei that were scouting only found two."
"Two of us? So Kail did make it?"
"I never said that child. I said only that they found two of the Lost Ones, both suffering from the sun sickness, and brought them to Black Rock hold."
Keita shook her head, confusion and hope mixing in her mind and making her vision blur.
"Rahien Sorei?"
"The Dawn Runners. Child - "
The woman cut off as Keita sank slowly to the ground, grabbing her head in pain. The woman and houses began to spin, mixing together and slowly dimming in color. Blinding white light flashed through her head and colors danced behind her eyes.
"Not again." She moaned silently, rocking back and forth. "Please . not again."
The colors grew brighter until they covered Keita's vision and were all she could see. Keita rocked back and forth, whimpering silently and holding her head tightly, as if it were about to rip apart. The old woman reached out to grasp Keita's shoulders when the girl started to disappear. Her body became see through, slowly fading into a white mist and dissolving into the air.
The woman reached to grab Keita mentally, trying to keep the girl in one spot. But her efforts failed and in a few seconds, where Keita had been sitting was only the dry red dirt of the ground. Soon the old woman disappeared too, returning to another part of Tel'aran'rhiod, leaving the Black Circle hold of Tel'aran'rhiod deserted once more.
Wise One Sharra floated in the dark void, a pair of non-existent eyes surrounded by the dreams of thousands. She searched anxiously for the Lost One's dream, moving through the black emptiness without actually moving, the pinpricks of light flying past her. Never before had she seen what had happened to the girl the Rahien Sorei had brought to Black Circle Hold.
A strange mixture of sympathy and loathing churned in her stomach as she searched futilely for the Lost One. Already she knew it was hopeless and all she could do was watch over Keita's body in the waking world. Even using need would be of no help and Sharra was loath to use the one chance she would have on something hopeless.
Disappointed and agitated, Wise One Sharra closed her eyes and concentrated on Black Circle hold. Never had she been able to transfer from the void of dreams without closing her eyes and focusing on where she wanted to be.
Though completely aware of the futility of returning, she wished to be comforted by familiar sights. She opened her eyes and was instantly greeted by the well-known buildings and the rock walls that encircled and protected Black Circle hold. As she looked around, she realized she was standing in the same place Keita had disappeared. Nervously she stepped back, not wanting to touch the ground were the Lost One had dissolved.
Almost instantly the air took shape, seizing her body with invisible bonds and leaving her defenseless. Pain ripped through her head, increasing every second. She writhed in the shackles that held her, screaming from the pressure in her head. Her back arched slowly, the bonds stretching and moving as her body bent. As suddenly as it had started it stopped and she dropped to the ground, shuddering from the previous agony. Quickly she left Tel'aran'rhiod and returned to her own body and safety.
The silent stranger watched coldly from the shadows as the woman retreated. The stranger cursed under its breath, moving slowly towards the shadows and away from the world of dreams.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ Chapter Two ~~ ~ Tel'aran'rhiod ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Keita stood in the middle of a dry, deserted place she could only describe as a village. What looked like clay buildings of every size were placed in a circle surrounding the sheer rock walls of a tall, hollowed out plateau of black rock that seemed to glisten in the bright sun. Wave after wave of heat hammered against her, the red ground burning threw the thin soles of her traveling boots.
Abandoned toys shifted places every few seconds, not left in the same place long enough to establish a permanent position in Tel'aran'rhiod. Every now and then a person would burst into the dream only to disappear a few seconds later. A screaming child fell from the top of a roof, only to vanish seconds before she hit the ground.
Keita shifted her stance uneasily, from both the heat and a sense of confusion that overwhelmed her. This wasn't right; her presence was too strong here.
Where was Kail? Why wasn't she cold anymore? Questions swirled around in her tired mind making her dizzy. She stumbled slightly, righting herself just before she fell.
"What are you doing here?" the angry, worn voice of a woman snapped from behind her.
Keita snapped around in the direction of the voice, her vision spinning from turning too fast. When everything cleared, she was able to see a tall woman with light green eyes and bright yellow hair streaked white. She wore a brown, bulky skirt and flowing white blouse, her arms and neck covered in jewelry made from ivory, gold, and silver. A brown scarf was at her temples, keeping the longhair from her face.
"I - I -" she started, stumbling over her words in the forceful presence of this woman.
"Well? Out with it already child." The strange woman snapped, taking a few steps forward and scowling heavily.
"I don't know. I didn't mean to come here so strongly. Please, where is Kail, my twin brother?" Keita rushed, her voice hoarse from nerves.
The old woman blinked in surprise at the response, taking yet another step forward. Her scowl began fading into a wary frown. Keita stepped backwards slowly, unnerved by this strange woman she found herself confronted by.
"I won't hurt you child." The old woman responded, her tone softening and the frown fading. "But what would two Lost Ones be doing in the Three Fold Land? Were there is one of you there are usually twenty more. But the two Rahien Sorei that were scouting only found two."
"Two of us? So Kail did make it?"
"I never said that child. I said only that they found two of the Lost Ones, both suffering from the sun sickness, and brought them to Black Rock hold."
Keita shook her head, confusion and hope mixing in her mind and making her vision blur.
"Rahien Sorei?"
"The Dawn Runners. Child - "
The woman cut off as Keita sank slowly to the ground, grabbing her head in pain. The woman and houses began to spin, mixing together and slowly dimming in color. Blinding white light flashed through her head and colors danced behind her eyes.
"Not again." She moaned silently, rocking back and forth. "Please . not again."
The colors grew brighter until they covered Keita's vision and were all she could see. Keita rocked back and forth, whimpering silently and holding her head tightly, as if it were about to rip apart. The old woman reached out to grasp Keita's shoulders when the girl started to disappear. Her body became see through, slowly fading into a white mist and dissolving into the air.
The woman reached to grab Keita mentally, trying to keep the girl in one spot. But her efforts failed and in a few seconds, where Keita had been sitting was only the dry red dirt of the ground. Soon the old woman disappeared too, returning to another part of Tel'aran'rhiod, leaving the Black Circle hold of Tel'aran'rhiod deserted once more.
Wise One Sharra floated in the dark void, a pair of non-existent eyes surrounded by the dreams of thousands. She searched anxiously for the Lost One's dream, moving through the black emptiness without actually moving, the pinpricks of light flying past her. Never before had she seen what had happened to the girl the Rahien Sorei had brought to Black Circle Hold.
A strange mixture of sympathy and loathing churned in her stomach as she searched futilely for the Lost One. Already she knew it was hopeless and all she could do was watch over Keita's body in the waking world. Even using need would be of no help and Sharra was loath to use the one chance she would have on something hopeless.
Disappointed and agitated, Wise One Sharra closed her eyes and concentrated on Black Circle hold. Never had she been able to transfer from the void of dreams without closing her eyes and focusing on where she wanted to be.
Though completely aware of the futility of returning, she wished to be comforted by familiar sights. She opened her eyes and was instantly greeted by the well-known buildings and the rock walls that encircled and protected Black Circle hold. As she looked around, she realized she was standing in the same place Keita had disappeared. Nervously she stepped back, not wanting to touch the ground were the Lost One had dissolved.
Almost instantly the air took shape, seizing her body with invisible bonds and leaving her defenseless. Pain ripped through her head, increasing every second. She writhed in the shackles that held her, screaming from the pressure in her head. Her back arched slowly, the bonds stretching and moving as her body bent. As suddenly as it had started it stopped and she dropped to the ground, shuddering from the previous agony. Quickly she left Tel'aran'rhiod and returned to her own body and safety.
The silent stranger watched coldly from the shadows as the woman retreated. The stranger cursed under its breath, moving slowly towards the shadows and away from the world of dreams.