Gleeman Bob writes: happy New Year! this story takes place before the War of Power got going and explains where that blunt dagger ter'angreal came from, amongst other things. it features the first Lightborn, not the last one. hope you like it and...

...Walk in the Light!

Briar Patch II

Father was downstairs, busy with his Doorway thing and Wan was bored, so he had bullied old Ledrin into playing a game of Briar-Patch with him, even though it was not yet nearly bed-time. They sat on the floor with the thick square of grey silk spread out between them, neatly divided into hexagons, embroidered in silver thread with the tangled briars that comprised the numerous winding paths and dead-ends that made the game so difficult to win. In the centre was the divided black and white hexagon from where the Hare-stone started, while at each of the four corners stood the different coloured hexes from whence the animals who intended to devour poor Hare would begin their slow, inexorable advance. If Hare managed to reach the green edge of the briar-patch and get back to the centre again, then he would win, and not get eaten. Not that that happened very often…

Wan made the signs with his hands whilst saying the ritual words in his deep voice, which had to be chanted in the vulgar Low-tongue, for some reason. It was traditional. Briar-Patch was a very old game, and the Low had been around for a very long time. Father had taught it to him in his idle moments. It had not taken very long.

"Bear, Wolf, Wildcat, Fox… it is you the swift Hare mocks!"

Ledrin sighed, but said the rest in the same crude language, as he was meant to.

"Run fast, little Hare… we are hungry, we don't care!"

Though Ledrin did not make the signs with his hands as he was supposed to. He could be such a stick-in-the-mud. Wan enthusiastically threw both of his count-cubes, one white, the other black, added the total and moved his Hare-stone several jumps toward the outside of the briar-patch. Ledrin threw both of his, and nodded gravely. His cubes were more complex; one was yellow and blue, the other, green and red. His throw had given him a blue number, and a green. Ledrin moved both his blue Cat-stone and his green Wolf-stone accordingly, slowly advancing towards the Hare-stone.

"Be careful, Little Master, there are hungry wildcats and wolves on the way."

"I can see that, Ledrin! Oh no, only a two and a one! Damn!"

"Do not say bad words in the Low please, Little Master."

"Yes Ledrin. Sorry Ledrin."

Wan moved Hare three jumps further away from Wolf and Cat. Though that took him towards Bear, who had not moved yet. Ledrin's turn. A blue number again, but this time the other cube had landed with one of its three red sides facing up. Therefore, Cat could move, but only two hexes, so Hare was safe for now, while Wolf had to stay where he was – because it was Fox's turn to enter the game!

Some time later, though it probably seemed longer to Ledrin that it did to young Wan, who had not yet become tired of Briar-Patch, as most children eventually did, the child threw up his big hands in defeat.

"Oh no – Fox has caught Hare! Now he will eat him!"

"That he will, Little Master. That he most certainly will."

Wan carefully packed the cubes and stones back into the box, pushing the rolled-up board in after it, and they stood up, the Lightborn child looming over Ledrin. Wan glanced down through the floor between his large feet, staring towards the sublevel of the Collam Aman where he could still sense Father… so he hadn't gone into the stone door thing yet, then. Wan was fairly sure he would not be able to sense Father once he had gone in there. Also, he wondered why he was taking that particular Apprentice with him. Wan did not think that they would be seeing young Savane walking around the corridors ever again… and good riddance to bad rubbish!

Chaime Kufer, who had once been Chaime Kufer Mors, stood in his deepest and most secure laboratory, staring at the twisted, redstone Doorway carved with triangles that waited before him. Behind, the Wards were lowered and the round, heartstone portal rolled back into the wall. Savane came in, his hands neatly folded in the sleeves of his grey robes, his dark eyes moving to the Master. Chaime did not bother to turn around. His newest Apprentice had obeyed his summons without hesitation. More fool him.

Chaime had chosen Savane to accompany him for three reasons. Firstly, and most importantly, because he was weak in the Power. He could be overcome. Just. Since his sentencing, Chaime could barely match even his most junior Apprentice. The Drogue that had been placed on him by the Hall saw to that.

The second reason? Simple. Literally. Savane was stupid.

And thirdly, the youth was also (though the two things often seemed synonymous to Chaime) a Friend of the Dark. He was no assassin – Chaime had made quite certain of that, before summoning him – which meant that he was a spy. Yet another infiltrator. Chaime had long experience of the Shadow… too long… and there were various means at his disposal by which he could have verified that Savane had sold his soul to the Dark One. But he had not troubled to confirm it. He had not needed to. Two nights ago, after Chaime had finished reading him his story, little Wan had sleepily mentioned that Savane had recently been to Shayol Ghul, he could smell it on him, and that was good enough for Chaime. The boy was never wrong about these things.

Wan would make a formidable soldier, Chaime thought, to set against the hideous beast-men that Ishar was spawning… but he wished that the lad would stop growing so fast! The boy had to be fitted for new clothes every month!

The portal-stone rolled back into place and the Wards raised again. The laboratory was secured once more. Now, they were alone. Savane bowed low.

"As you have summoned me, Master, so I am come," he stated, smoothly.

"Calibrate the Guide ter'angreal," Chaime told him.

Savane turned to do as he was bid. And Chaime took the sa'angreal out of the capacious sleeve of his dark robe, seized the Source, and struck. The sa'angreal was very old and powerful, a life-sized gold hand curled into a fist, the first finger extended. As he usually did when he used it, Chaime held it by the stump of the wrist and pointed the golden finger at his target. Savane tried to seize saidin also, but by then it was too late. Far too late.

After it was over, Savane stood slumped, like a puppet with its strings cut, swaying slightly. Chaime approached him. "Whom do you obey?" he asked.

"You…" replied Savane, eventually, "…Great Lord… of the Dark."

Chaime smiled. Savane had sworn his oaths to the Great Lord (as had he, once) but now firmly believed, with what was left of his mind, that Chaime was the Dark One. A nice touch. Chaime spoke again.

"You will obey me in all things. You will not speak again for so long as you live." After a few chimes had passed, Savane replied to this with a non-verbal nod, so presumably had understood.

I do not want the fellow making his own deal with the Foxes… though he seems rather incapable of it in any case…

Chaime smiled. It was not a pleasant smile. "In a moment, you and I are to take a field-trip to somewhere that you will no doubt find very interesting. But first, allow me to point something out to you, Savane – we are very different people, you and I. For example, you are a fool, whereas I am not. Do you see? But there is one thing that we share, that we have in common with each other – at some point in our misspent lives, we have both been to Shayol Ghul and we have both sworn Oaths of obedience to the Great Lord of the Dark." Chaime leant closer, and lowered his voice confidingly. "The difference being, that when I swore my Oaths, I was lying."

Savane had begun to drool a little. Chaime sighed, and wiped the youth's mouth with his sleeve. He was not very good at Compulsion, he had done a lot of damage in there. It was a foul thing to do to someone, even if they were a Friend. But there were fouler. He glanced at the Doorway. No time like the present…

"Savane, I am going to walk into this ter'angreal Doorway now. You will wait for five chimes, then follow. Nod your head if you understand."

After a moment, Savane nodded slowly, so presumably, he understood. Chaime turned, and approached the Doorway. He paused just in front of it and took a deep breath. Whatever happened in there, he was certain that it would be far from pleasant. But he needed to do this, for a number of reasons. Well, three reasons, to be precise.

Chaime took that last step. An all-encompassing noise, a blinding white light, a giddy sensation of movement. He opened his eyes, not realising that he had shut them. The place he stood in was just as young Gwili had described it. Even down to the smell, the stench, a thick, animal odour that hung heavy in the dusty air.

Chaime looked about himself, at the great, star-shaped chamber. He was ostensibly alone, but felt eyes on him all the same. Where was Savane?

At which, Savane appeared, stepping through the redstone door-frame behind him. He stood, swaying slightly, no sign of curiosity as to his surroundings marring the blankness of his features.

"Ah, Savane. There you are." Chaime wished he had not spoken, he did not like the way his voice echoed in the surroundings. Savane, of course, did not reply.

"A long time."

Chaime did not jump at the sound of the rough, growling voice, simply turned and examined the creature that stood before him, the Fox that had appeared from nowhere. Yes, it was just as Gwili had described. Too tall, and oddly proportioned. White complexion, reddish hair… and those straps it wore across its chest… definitely made from human skin. Was that meant to scare him? He had seen feeding-time in the breeding pits of the Trollocs, had participated in the darkest experiments of Ishar Morrad Chuain. It would take more than mere man-leather to disconcert him.

The creature, the Eelfinn, regarded him with its pale eyes and spoke again, in the same ancient dialect of the High Chant;

"Strange… to wait so long, and then for two to come at once."

Chaime scowled – what are we, public jo-buses? Though it had been a long time. No-one had stepped into this accursed thing since Gwili had…

"Take me to your leaders, Eelfinn."

"Presently. Do you abide by the treaties and agreements? Have you brought-"

"I have brought no musical instruments, implements for making fire nor cold iron neither. Especially not the instruments." Chaime smiled. "I am not careless. I am not Gwilimin Sedai."

The Fox had been frowning at the interruption, now it smiled nastily back at him, baring its pointed teeth. It clearly remembered poor Gwili… that must have been an enjoyable day for these vile creatures! If they even had days, here, in the Realms. He was not sure.

Chaime knew Aes Sedai who had studied these creatures and had literally driven themselves insane attempting comprehension of the workings of their bizarre world… like poor, mad old Ghenjei Sedai, after he built his tower… he had ended up throwing himself from the top of it, and Flight was not one of his many Talents! Chaime did not care. The Aelfinn and the Eelfinn could defy the natural order as much as they wanted, so long as they stayed on their side of the Doorways. But they had things that he needed, and this was necessary. Once again, he wondered if it would be possible to bring the material back with him? There was only one way to find out. Though if it did prove impossible… well, that might be for the best. He had to try, though. The future depended on it, Deindre Sedai had said so.

Chaime had followed the Fox several steps toward the five-sided arch that led from the chamber before he realised that Savane was still standing beside the Doorway. He turned.

"Follow." Savane shuffled forward, slowly increasing speed. The Fox watched him approach, then eyed Chaime with perhaps a hint of disapproval. It could probably not tell exactly what had been done to the Apprentice, but it knew that something had. He supposed that the Eelfinn preferred their meat unadulterated. The Fox eyed him for a moment, as though curious about something. Chaime could guess what. These creatures! It was almost impossible to decipher what they were thinking… but almost impossible was not the same thing as impossible. He had proved that, many times.

Chaime smiled. "I see a question in your eyes," he said.

The Eelfinn blinked its large, pale eyes slowly.

"In answer to it – yes, I am every bit as evil as you are. Though yours, I will admit, is a different manner of evil than mine, and motivated differently, also. Now, lead on."

The Fox shrugged its wide shoulders and did so, Chaime following, Savane trailing after with stumbling steps. Chaime skill at Compulsion was meagre, he had done a fair bit of damage to the fellow's nervous system. Oh well. One should not pledge one's Oaths to the Great Lord if one was not prepared to take risks. Savane had gambled with his own soul… and he had lost. Everyone lost to the Dark One, eventually… except for him, hopefully. There was a first time for everything, was there not?

Chaime found the long corridor they traversed interesting, and the frequent reappearance of the chamber he had arrived in did not trouble him in the least. He was well aware that things would not make sense here, and they did not. It was almost reassuring, in a way. Eventually, they reached what he understood to be the Chamber of Bonds, and his guide departed as suddenly as it had appeared. Chaime gazed up at the eight pedestals that surrounded him, then glanced at Savane. The youth really did not look well.

As abruptly as the guide had appeared, each pedestal was suddenly occupied, by four male and four female Eelfinn. They gazed down at him, their pale eyes unreadable. One of the females spoke, roughly;

"By the ancient treaty, here is agreement made. What is your need? Speak."

Chaime spoke. He had put a lot of meticulous effort into selecting what he wanted. And how to ask for it, that was important too. These creatures were so… litigious! Everything had to be spelled out just right, or they broke the deal. And then, they broke you.

"I want a ter'angreal that will hide me from the Shadow, that will blind the eyes of the Dark One to me for so long as I wear it." He had heard of such things, but no-one had made one for thousands of years, it was an art now considered lost. No doubt the Dark One had taken a hand in seeing to it that it was lost.

There was silence for a moment, then one of the male Eelfinn spoke, its growling voice echoing;

"Done."

"I want a weapon that will wound the Gholam, and in wounding, kill the Gholam." And Chaime would have given almost anything to have a Gholam test-subject to try it out on… but he doubted even the Foxes could provide that!

"Done."

Chaime smiled confidently. Though inside, he was quaking. Which was odd. He had not been afraid for a long time, not since he fled from under the Shadow. After his years as Ishar's assistant, after the things that he had seen and been forced to participate in, he had thought that he had no fear left. But there it was – fear! He almost relished the unaccustomed sensation. Which meant that they could probably sense it. They were almost certainly accustomed to it in those who visited them.

This would be the moment when he found out if the Agreement protected him or not. But in a way, it seemed only fair to make this particular demand of the Eelfinn – after all, did they not leach emotions and experiences from others? Did they not drain saidin and saidar, when they could get it? Let them have something taken from them in turn, for a change!

The Foxes seemed to shift impatiently. The male Eelfinn leant forward a little, fixing its flat gaze on Chaime.

"And for your third?"

Chaime pointed at the Fox, and smiled coldly.

"I want some of your blood, Eelfinn!"

The Foxes stirred. If Chaime had not known better, he might have thought them disturbed by his demand. The one he had addressed spoke, thoughtfully;

"A strange request, that last… unexpected."

The Foxes were frowning, clearly they did not much care for the unexpected.

"And what do you offer us in return?" asked a female Eelfinn.

"What do you think?" Chaime pointed again, this time at Savane. "Him."

The Foxes turned their gazes on Savane, and he made a horrified moaning sound in the back of his throat. There was still some of him left in there, presumably.

"Acceptable. Done and done."

The other Foxes descended from their pedestals with lithe grace and approached Savane, crouching, undulating… drooling. Chaime tried not to look, instead fumbling the keeping-flask from out of his robes. Now that the Agreement had been made, he just wanted to take what he had come for and get out of this place. He had seen some horrible things… the foulness of the breeding-pits where Ishar Morrad Chuain was building his armies. Human-beings tormented and murdered as a form of entertainment for large audiences of Friends. Vile games where people were used as playing-pieces, sacrificed and destroyed at the whims of the players. And worse. Much worse. Lews Therin did not know what it was like, under the Shadow – none of them did. But Chaime knew. Just as he knew that if he looked over his shoulder, he might see something every bit as horrifying. Chaime held out the keeping-flask and the last Fox leapt nimbly down from its perch, slashed open its wrist with a bronze-bladed dagger… and behind him, Savane began to scream.

Wan was staring into the big tubule in the centre of Father's Special Lab. He knew that he was supposed to say 'laboratory' but it was easier to just say 'lab' and people still knew what you meant. Apart from Father, only he and Ledrin were allowed to come into the Special Lab, he had never seen anyone else in here. The tubule he was gazing at had a big green double-loop stencilled on it. Over in the corner stood the tubule that he had come out of. That one had a big yellow circle stencilled on it, and looked a bit dusty. A circle meant 'one' and the double-loop meant 'two.' Wan had learnt his numbers quickly, because you needed to be able to add-up to play a game of Briar-Patch. In fact, they were the same old-fashioned symbols (no-one much used them anymore, Father said) as appeared on the count-cubes you used in the game, which was funny.

Wan pulled at his flatweave vest, which was already stretching tightly against his expanding frame, so he supposed that he would need to start wearing a bigger one soon. He tugged the material away from his chest and glanced down at the bright yellow circle, right over his heart. It was just like the one on the tubule he had come out of. Wan stopped looking at his Light-mark and leaned closer to the other tubule, staring in fascination at what floated in the glowing, golden fluid. That pale little baby in there, though much smaller than a baby was when it was born… Father had told him that it was his younger brother, and that his name was 'Taw.'

Wan frowned. He wished Father would hurry up and finish doing whatever he was doing with Taw so that he could be born in the Light. It would be nice to have a little brother to play Briar-Patch with, having someone other than Father or dusty old Ledrin around. Father had said that it didn't matter about him not having any eyes (poor Taw!) he would be able to see things just fine. When he was born, then it would be more like a proper family. It would be fun!

"Ah, here is the Master now."

Wan turned away from the tubule hurriedly, glad that Ledrin had warned him. Father did not like him going too close to some of the things in here. There had been… accidents, in the past. It was not his fault he was so big and had such large feet! It was Father's fault, if anyone's! Wan had not heard the wards being deactivated, such was his preoccupation with his younger brother, but no-one could miss the loud hum as the enormous locks on the heartstone door slid back and it slowly cycled open.

When Father came in he seemed to be in a good mood and was wearing a funny-looking knife hanging around his neck on a silk cord. And he had brought a present back from Eelfinland for Wan too! It was the best thing he had ever been given, better even than the shocklance – a great axe, with a long handle, its four curving, pointed blades made of some shiny metal that was like silver, only not. It had writing on it, but he could not read it. It gave Wan a funny feeling when he held it, and swung it around his head a few times. There were fluted holes set in the middle of each blade that channeled the air through strangely as he whirled it in circles. It made a scary sound. Those monsters that horrible old Grandfather was making would learn to fear that sound! When he grew up, and Father said he was ready. He could destroy ten times as many of the Shadow-wrought with this! And the Tamyrlin would be pleased with him! Father had said so.

Father frowned at the eerie howling noise and noticed what he was doing. Uh-oh…

"Wan! There is a lot of very delicate and valuable equipment in here, not to mention your Brother! Be careful with that, it is not a toy!"

"Yes Father. Sorry, Father."

It was a toy though, it was the best toy he'd ever been given! Definitely better than the shocklance. Those Foxes certainly knew how to make good toys! Perhaps he would even let Taw play with his axe, after he was born, though he couldn't keep it. It was Wan's axe, not his.

"I will set aside an area of the test range for you to use it in…" Father turned away and said something in his quiet-voice that sounded like; "I could have at least asked for a Gholam, I suppose" and then he opened the Stasis Hold and carefully put a keeping-flask inside. Wan knew they were called that, Ledrin had told him so. The flask seemed to be full of some pale, thin liquid. Wan took advantage of Father's back being turned to give the axe another experimental swing, but slowly, so it wouldn't make the noise. It felt good in his hands. It felt right. When Father turned back, Wan swiftly lowered the… the Howling Axe, yes, that was a good name. He held it behind his back and tried not to look too guilty. Father came over and smiled up at him. He really was in a good mood, he did not smile very often!

"Are you hungry, my Son?"

"I am always hungry, Father!"

"Let us have dinner together, then."

It was nice that Father could have dinner with Wan, as he did not have time to very often. The Tamyrlin certainly kept him busy! Father was having soup. He seemed to like soup. He kept fiddling with that blunt-looking knife hanging around his neck, and smiling to himself. Wan scowled thoughtfully as he ate his salad, steadily crunching green things between his large teeth. Savane had not come back through the Doorway with Father. He had not expected him to. He had felt it when Father returned to their world from wherever it was the Foxes and Snakes lived. He could always feel Father, because Father had been to Shayol Ghul, just like Savane. But Father was no Friend of the Dark – Father hated them even more than Wan did!

Besides, when Wan asked him about it, when he first began to notice it, Father had told him that he had had his fingers crossed behind his back when he swore to the Great Lord. And Wan had to patiently remind him that the proper name was 'the Dark One.' He had to do that sometimes, Father did not always remember, occasionally he even spoke about 'the Chosen' instead of 'the Forsaken.' But at least he had Wan there to remind him. Also, Father had done lots of tests on him to try and find out why Wan could sense who had been touched by the Dark One, but had had to give up in the end. He had been angry, not with Wan, he was never angry with Wan, even when he accidentally broke something, but just angry with not knowing. Father did not like to not know things.

While Ledrin wasn't looking, Wan had accessed the feed from the hall outside the lab where the Doorway was being kept. He was not supposed to do this, only a grown-up was supposed to look at the feed, but he did it anyway. After a moment, Father came out, holding something that looked like a stick (the feed was not very detailed) and no sign of Savane. Maybe the Foxes had eaten him? Just like the Fox-stone ate his Hare-stone earlier. Served him right if they did, for being a Friend of the Dark! He had been to Shayol Ghul and everything, they had probably got him to kill someone in his own family before they would accept his Oath. That was what they usually did, Father had told him, while he was reading him his story one night.

Wan vaguely wished Father had let him destroy Savane. He was only a little boy still, but he was sure he could have – what could the dirty Dark-lover do except channel the One Power at him? That would not work, and then it would be his turn and then Savane would be in trouble! Big trouble!

Wan wanted to destroy something, he had been made to do so, after all. And Friends of the Dark were bad people who needed to be destroyed, almost as much as the monsters horrible old Grandfather was busy making did. Wan bit off half of a cucumber, chewing slowly, then nodded decisively. When he was a big boy – and Father had told him he would be much bigger than an ogier, maybe even big as a Nym when he finally stopped growing – when he was big, then he was going to go north to the War that was expected to start soon. Any day now. But they were always saying that… Sometimes, he felt like he had spent his whole life waiting for the War to finally start. In fact… come to think of it, he had.

But when it was finally time, Wan would destroy as many of the monsters as he could... maybe he could even destroy them all? Not on his own, not even with the Howling Axe, but Father had said that he would make more of him… though Wan was not sure how that would work. Would they look like him and have his name? He did not know if he liked that idea. Though it would be nice not to be the only one and have people staring at him all the time. Wan scowled. He was tired of being the sole Lightborn. He wished Father would hurry up and finish his little Brother!