Jehaine

The rather peaceful scene would be disturbed about an hour later by Jainar, who would detect channeling outside. Only a few seconds later the tentflap was opened by a small weave of air, revealing the form of Toram as he stepped into the tent. And from the look on his face, lacking any emotion whatsoever, he was not happy about something.

- "Good morning Captain Valewind, Jainar Sedai. It seems our plans didn't seem to work out as they should have."

His voice was as emotionless as the expression of his face, giving him an almost ominous appearance. It would remain so for the duration of his speech, the very words seemingly dropping the temperature in the tent further and further, though he was no longer holding the Power at that point.

- "One could only wonder how your presence was discovered so, especially with the knowledge that one has about the orders i had given you."

He walked over to where Jon and Jainar were sitting, not fast, but with a calmness that seemed to deny the menace sparking in the man's eyes as he glared at the two of them as if trying to pin them to the ground with a look.

- "You both remember the words i spoke, do you not? How you were told that no matter the circumstances, Captain Valewind was not to leave the room?"

He stopped his advance, standing less than two feet in front of the two sitting on the ground, the aura of rage radiating from Toram starting to press down on the both of them.

- "That my orders were for Scylla's safety was something i believed i made abundantly clear to you!"

At the mention of Scylla, he momentarily glanced in her direction, releasing the white knuckled fist he was holding at his side then. He managed to get a grip on his rage again at seeing she was unhurt despite being moved, but knowing what could have happened still threatened to flare his anger back up again at the slightest provocation. His lips were thin, only a line on his face now, and his glare would have broken a Myrddraal.

- "So tell me, you two wouldn't happen to know why half the Tower Guards are talking about this new person showing up and beating everyone, would you not? This new person that seemed to be accompanying your friend Thallan Sedai a lot? Of course not, how could you, as you surely have not defied my direct orders and left the room?"

The look of barely restrained anger in his face and words made it perfectly clear that he was well aware who that mysterious person was. Had he had any less self control, he would have lifted the two of them off their feet to shake them for their stupidity. He wondered if he'd be able to perform that feat without the use of saidin, had he allowed himself to divert from what he had come there to say. His voice turned back to that emotionless cold, though the anger still burned in his eyes.

- "That said, your discovery was quite unfortunate. I find myself wondering how this could have happened... How did you manage to be discovered when all you did was remain in the room?"

Toram Rashvere

To anger an Aes Sedai...

Martyn nodded, saying nothing as he let Simmen pick a weapon. He noticed him looking in the direction of some of the more seasoned Soldiers that were already going through some forms they had picked up Light knows where, and guessed what was the source of the man's reluctance even before he voiced his thoughts.

- "Don't worry about it, it's what i'm here for. Wouldn't be much of a class if everyone here knew how to hold a sword after all, now would it?"

He smiled again, looking at the blade he was holding. It was covered in rust, and likely hadn't seen a whetstone in several months, having him make a mental note to talk about how to treat their weapons outside of combat later on, at the end of their lesson. As there would be no Trollocs showing up here in Andor, it wouldn't matter much for this lesson. He walked back to the middle of the grounds, raising his voice to speak after a greeting that was meant to have them quiet down.

- "Greetings, Soldiers of the Black Tower. ... I know most of you are wondering why you are here training in regular weapons when you came here to learn how to channel. The reason is actually quite simple. What we aim to train is your concentration, your ability to stay focused while still paying attention to your surroundings. Some may recall this as being the Flame and the Void, but it's no shame if you haven't. Also, should you ever get stuck in a situation where channeling isn't an option, you will be glad you had these lessons. Now, each of you will come to me and try to hit me, and i will divide you into one of three groups based on your skill."

As he spoke those last words, he slowly drew his own katana from its sheath. The weapon was old, it had been his when he became a soldier making it over a century old, but good care had kept it in good shape. The haft and handle had of course been replaced due to wear several times already in the past seventy years or so, but the blade itself remained the same one he had started his soldiering career with.

He waited for the first student to approach, the smirk on his face tempting them to try to hit him. It hadn't been the first time he had used this little trick, it had become a sort of hazing ritual to new militia recruits who thought they were good with a blade. It would be interesting to see how well these people fared...

Martyn

Ran out of bubble gum

Martyn watched as the recruits picked their weapons. Most picked swords, it seemed that hadn't changed much over the past couple of decades. Resisting the urge to smirk, he remembered that the weapon he had chosen at the time had been a sword as well. He had been sixteen at the time, it felt like half an Age had passed since that time...

Still, he shook himself out of his reminiscence, there would be plenty of time for recalling ancient memories later. Right now, he had a class to teach, and it seemed some of the Soldiers were having a bit of trouble trying to pick a good one. He stepped forward, helping some of them pick a weapon that felt right to them for reasons other than 'me da used to have one too'. And so, he ended up standing next to Simmen, one of the newer recruits if he read that lost look correctly.

- "So... Need help picking a weapon, or are you just a bit lost on where to start?"

He smiled, guessing the reason Simmon was unable to pick a weapon was simple inexperience. Back in his day, the sheer amount of weapons he was supposed to pick one from had seemed almost overwhelming if he hadn't already gotten some sword training from his father at the time. To someone that hadn't, he could understand how it could seem a little intimidating, it wouldn't have been the first time he had seen it happen.

Martyn

Not a psychiatrist

Irian was feeling a bit tired after the exercises. Though he was used to using his muscles moving heavy crates -- and drunk patrons -- around handling a weapon seemed like another thing entirely. His wrists hurt, and he felt as if the amount of callous on his palms had doubled since this morning, but he was also determined to keep at it. The swings were easy, but that thrusting movement was still something that ended up quite a bit less accurate than he'd hoped for.

Thus, the three days after that he practised his accuracy on a poor training dummy, allowing him to adjust the forms he had learned to be used against smaller opponents. Thrusts were ideal, as getting a swing to connect in more or less the spot he was aiming for was easier in comparison. Three days later, his grip on the weapon had increased substantially, and he felt confident he would be able to keep a hold of the weapon if Kynwric would be teaching them some new thrusting forms.

Irian

Improved his accuracy... somewhat

Though the water was cold, at least it managed to do a better job of waking him up than the previous exercise. Now properly awake, he swam to where the barrel was, trying to pull himself on top of it but failing to. With his height came a good deal of weight, and a higher center of gravity than some of the shorter students. With a little help, he managed to climb onto one of the barrels, the muscles in his legs tense as he kept trying to compensate for the barrel trying to get out from under him.

But, like most first attempts this one failed as well, and Irian crashed into the water in a way that almost sent the barrel flying out of the creek. Though he did technically manage to stand there for a couple of seconds, Jesse mentioned that they did need to get this done on their own, something that unfortunately included climbng on top of the barrel in the first place.

After more failed attempts to get on top of the barrel, he eventually found a way that at least gave him a fair chance of climbing on. He'd push the barrel down, then attempt to lever himself on top of it before wrestling himself in a seated position. Regardless of how it may have looked, only the results would count in the end. Results which, judging by the amount of trouble standing up on the thing was giving him, would be taking a good while...

Irian

Not giving up

- "Don't worry, you're doing quite well for a first attempt. Remember to keep your eyes on me though, and try to memorise the terrain to keep from tripping over something lying around."

Melenis gave Veria a brief nod to tell her that the exercise was at an end for now, but kept holding onto her own weapon as there were still one or two things to show her. Though she hadn't progressed yet to the point where she could spar against one of the Trainees, a Form or two should help when it came to practising balance. She held her weapon high, showing a couple of slashes from different directions.

- "This form is called 'Heron Wading in the Rushes', and is used mostly for balance as it leaves you wide open in a fight. You'll be falling down a lot trying to master this one, but it's one of the first Forms taught to Trainees here because it's perfect for training balance."

She watched Veria take position, helping her with a few pointers on how best to keep her balance standing on one foot, and watched the first couple of attempts to see if she managed to get the basics of it. After that, she would tell her to keep practising it for a week or two so she could start the next series of lessons. Overall, she had to admit that training people was a welcome change to being trained all the time, making a mental note to herself to try and do that more often.

Melenis

Starting to get the hang of teaching

Calaun Ontrix Seyr noticed Dhjorn gaining a small lead on her, and quickened her pace as best she could to keep up with the other Myrddraal. Though she kept telling herself that Ahf'frait weren't used to running away as much as the Dhjin'nen, she knew it was just something she would have to deal with at this point. The only running Ahf'frait generally did was towards their prey, not away from it.

- "WORMS!! Rouse you rabble!"

Still, as she stumbled into the clearing along with Dhjorn she glanced around briefly, shouting at the top of her lungs after wincing at the lack of some decent sentries. Whatever would happen to this group would be their own doing, but the least she could do was give them a fighting chance. She didn't stop her run though, wanting to keep up with the other Myrddraal over trying to organise a defense. Her own caretaker was still alive, she couldn't manage the necessary bond of fear that would be needed, and besides, this wasn't her band to begin with. It would have been just as likely for her to get a dagger in her back as well as being the only one left to fight the Worm, and neither possibility was one she was looking forward to. As Dhjorn slowed his pace, she caught up to him, the silence behind the two of them making her feel as if she wanted to check to see how the battle went.

Calaun

...Think they won?

Jerinia's face lit up at the prospect of learning a new wave, especially since it seemed to rely on the two elements she could handle easily. Though curiousity made her want to try out the new weave as soon as possible, she knew that channeling would attract the Shadowspawn, and besides, at the pace they were going she didn't want to risk losing control of the weave. She doubted Loraine would want to stop to Heal someone's face.

The thought of Shadowspawn made her look over her shoulder, still holding a sliver of saidar from when the Aes Sedai had shown her the weave. It was perhaps because of this that she managed to spot something in one of the bushes, and the instant she recognised what it was time seemed to slow down for an instant.

She could see the man, light colored hair hidden under a dark hood as he was aiming a crossbow at them. She saw the man smile before pulling the trigger, releasing the bolt with an oddly distorted sound due to the way time was flowing at that moment. She almost lost her hold on saidar in her attempt to channel, and in her panic she hastily drew more than she had done during her classes.

The weave she ended up with wasn't really much of a weave. In her haste, the weave was erratic at best, looking like a hastily thrown together Club of Air if anything. The bolt was floating past Melenis and Kynwric now, and she could tell who the target was. Channeling more Air, she literally shoved the weave between the bolt and Loraine's back, watching as the weave bent from the applied force of the tip.

Time sped up again, and she watched the arrow bounce away again, taking a relieved breath as a load seemed to fall off her shoulders. Her vision was a bit blurry, but she wrote it off as panic and blinked a couple of times to get it back under control. She looked at Loraine, the look on her face clearly wondering whether she would be berated for channeling while trying to shake off Shadowspawn or complimented on saving her life.

As she looked however, her horse started to slow down its pace, and when she tried to make it go faster again she instead found herself leaning on its back while trying to catch her breath. Light, that was exhausting. She wiped her face with her sleeve, only partially surprised at seeing the resulting damp spot on her dress, and feeling very much like she had run a mile.

Jerinia

Almost burned herself out

Melenis was busy giving orders, letting the scout patrols know where they would be heading so they would take it into account in planning where they would join up with the main group again later on. There was Shadowspawn about, and even though she had never actually seen any herself she didn't want to end up leaving Tower Guards behind if it could be prevented.

She watched two more groups leave, mentally counting the seconds it would take for two of the groups that were out now to join up with them again while assigning two groups to stand by for the next two scouting patrols to take off. Not for the first time she wasn't envious of an army commander or a general if this was what they would be doing all day long. She looked at Kynwric, trying to see how she was doing when a crossbow bolt rushed past her. It was all she could do to follow its path, watching as it struck something unseen just short of Loraine's back, harmlessly bouncing away again.

What surprised her most however was what she was feeling when she noticed just who had been responsable for it. Knowing that she had failed felt like being cut by a knife, but the fact that the one Accepted that had been giving her the most trouble, the one that she had seen as the biggest risk to the safety of the mission had ended up saving what she had failed to felt like that knife was being twisted. She felt hurt, angry at herself for feeling hurt and not really knowing what to do about it.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, trying to get her self control back, but when she opened them again she still felt much the same. Watching Jerinia's horse start to flag, she rode up, taking the reins from the red headed Accepted and forcing the horse to match her pace so she would not fall behind. The fact that she was now almost at the head of the group, and that no one would be able to see the tears on her face was a more than welcome side effect.

Melenis

Suffering from an injured pride

We have 'oliebollen' here, nothing like a little fat to make it through the colder days of the year :P

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliebollen

Ouch, my condolences :(

*huggles*

Take care, both of you.

It is, some minor setbacks on a web-based game i play (no, not GOS) but nothing to really complain about.

Starting posting run in 3.. 2.. 1.. ;D

Upon entering the portal, Scylla started to stir slightly, not waking up but rather trying to shift into a more comfortable position against Thallan's chest. The change from Power-heated room to the outside cold was a bit sudden, especially considering all she was wearing were the blankets wrapped around her form, and she mumbled something about closing the window before falling back into the rhythmic breaths of sleep.

It was clear that she would wake up in a matter of hours, and even though she would still be weak from the Healing being able to move about on her own -- in a limited way -- would provide the two Aes Sedai with some armspace.

Scylla

Starting to wake

Just an update:

Old comp,faulty spacebar and amouse that really does squeakwhen moving,but i figured i'd drop by here tosay Merry Xmas all ^^

Hey Tigs, goodluck with the move, and merry xmas ^^

OOC: Not really, feel free to keep going. Even if she'd wake up on the spot, she'd still be too weak to do much of anything (like, for example, run away from Aes Sedai), even walking at that point would be something she'd need help with.

Don't worry about me, i'll pick up from where you ended up taking Scylla. I have my plot devices ;)

OOC: Sorry guys, in ten hours i'll be gone for two weeks. Jon can still carry her around though, not like she can try to fly off anyway, she'd still be too weak from the treatment even if she could somehow do that unnoticed.

Also, keep the blanket around her. We need to keep this PG-13 ^^;

http://digitalglitch.org/drpsw/index.php?title=Darkfriend_Progression_System

;)

The Domani, not the Seanchan, are 'the enemy that once overran them'.

I take it you mean Taraboners by that. ;)

I'd be interested, though: What would this previous war be called where Tarabon rolled into Arad Doman? Is it officially named here somewhere? Else, I might construct something out of that, if I may.  :D

Actually, i did mean Domani, as the Taraboners would be the 'them' that were being overrun. They can't overrun themselves after all ;)

The Books mentioned that Arad Doman and Tarabon have fought several wars over Almoth Plain, neither side really being able to hold onto the territory. Enough to see each other as mortal enemies, anyway. Correct me if i'm wrong, but during the Seanchan invasion i believe Tarabon and Arad Doman were at war again. With the Taraboner military now attacked on the flank, i can see the Domani wanting to cash in on that opportunity.

As for the resistance... There are several vilage-sized scorch marks that should tell you just how active that resistance is. They'd pretend to be loyal to the Empire, and in the meantime work to sabotage it where they are able (fires, the occasional 'accident'), but overall it's a 'stay out of sight or die' thing so that's the spymasters' ballgame there.

My two cents once more...

As for your intro thread, i happen to have a Seanchan sul'dam, actually. No damane assigned yet, so that should explain why she wouldn't mop up the brigands herself, but she's nice enough not to have you killed out of general principle. ;D

It had been a long day for Toram, first Healing the survivors from a major battlefield, followed by all the excitement about Scylla. The sight of a bed reminded him of it, but there would be time for that later. Fact remained, the Shadow had stumbled on to something during Aginor's experiments, and the Hall needed to know before the Army of Light would be facing it in the field.

"The Shadow cares little about the ones it uses to suit its needs. To them, she is a means to an end, her wishes ignorable at best. As Aes Sedai, our task is to fight the Shadow, but the way how is open to interpretation. Know that there are those in the Tower that would kill her without a second thought rather than to risk the Shadow recapturing her. I am well connected, and i will be able to keep this from them for as long as it takes her to heal, don't worry."

He turned around, looking at Jon. A man he hadn't even met until today, and already he was taking a gigantic risk of trusting him with a potential risk for the Light. He just hoped his hunch was right, and the little he had heard about Wolfkin was indeed because they were adept in evading people. It was a skill they would be needing.

"After that however, i will likely be sent out to other battlefields, and i will no longer be able to protect her from my more militant Brothers and Sisters. Though we don't know if the Shadow has a means of detecting her, they will most definitely be looking for her because of what she is, and until her soul has healed, entering a Stedding would dissipate the patches we made, killing her outright. I gave her my word i would not harm her, but it will be up to you after you leave this place..."

He looked around the room again, checking to see if everything was there before starting towards the door again. He rubbed his eyes, silently making a mental note about getting some sleep, but before he left he answered the question he had been asked, looking at Thallan before factoring him in with his plans as well. From what he could gather, the two of them knew each other, so he'd leave the talking to Jon this time: He disliked repeating himself.

"You three are free to visit her whenever you wish between sunup and sundown. I will arrange for Jon's food to be brought into her room as well, but keep this door closed. The less people know he is here the better, as it makes it easier for me to keep him out of sight. Only those i trust will be entering her room to check on her, but i cannot say the same for the corridor, and if he is spotted it would undermine everything. If he needs anything else, he'll have to rely on you both to get it. And remember, secrecy is key."

After that, he left, trusting Jon to know what the consequences would be if he were to be spotted. That, or he was simply too tired to explain them in detail. Regardless, Thallan and Jainar were Aes Sedai as well, Jainar of his own Ajah at that, and people wouldn't question why either of them were down here like they would have a non-channeler, and a Wolfkin to boot. Closing the door behind him, he wove a small ward that made the door appear as if it hadn't been touched in months, after which he started walking through the corridor, heading for his own room.

Toram

Can be sneaky too

OOC: Well, that about finishes the preparations i made for my LOA. Time for me to stop hogging the spotlight for a while (though i can still make minor posts) and give your brother a chance at some RP, eh? ;)

Toram watched as the other Aes Sedai pulled the blanket further over Scylla's body before lifting her up with the Power and bringing her through a door at the other end of the room. Another door swung open without a hand touching it, and Scylla floated in, blanket still draped around her, followed by two Aes Sedai.

"I can't allow you to sleep in the same room in case her situation deteriorates, but i believe the room next to it is still free. I believe it has a connecting door as well, though it would be off limits after nightfall."

Before Jon moved to follow Scylla however, he felt Toram's hand on his shoulder again, and the Aes Sedai waited until the room was empty before starting to speak in private.

"Out of all the Shadowspawn we captured, dead or alive, she is by far the most advanced. More than just a mixture of human and animal parts, she is both at once, having the strengths of both and the weaknesses of neither. Under no circumstance may Aginor recapture her to use her results on his Trollocs. Not even her corpse may fall into his hands. This is the burden you must carry, Jon Valewind, to make sure no one ever finds her, even beyond death."

He stood up, walking past Jon towards the doorway the Aes Sedai had walked through carrying Scylla. It was clear that this last message was something he had not even wanted to share with the other Aes Sedai for risk of having them change their minds about leaving her alive. The Power was quite adept at making things disappear as well, though that was a tactic he preferred to keep as a last resort, if that.

"Come. Let's see about that cot i told you about."

Toram

Aes Sedai

"Begin."

A simple word, though enough to send the hair in Scylla's neck on end. he room descended into an almost unnatural calm for a few seconds in which the Aes Sedai were reaching out to the Source and Linking, but then it felt as if a wave crashed into her, a wave of raw pain. The feeling had been so sharp, so massive that it felt as if the wind cut off her breathing, but the sound of leather straps under pressure echoed through the room.

It felt as if part of her soul was being torn away, only to be replaced with something else, and for a moment she was back in the cage, nowhere to run to as Aginor just stood there, laughing. She heard the clothes she wasn't wearing tear as her wings grew out of her body, clawed at the bars that were not keeping her captive. And then, as suddenly as it had all began, the feeling stopped, and she fell forward on the slab, sweating and breathing heavily.

"First miasma filled. Six remaining."

Scylla felt her sweat turn cold and her heart skip a beat as she heard those words. She wanted to protest, that this was more than she could handle, but then the next wave crashed into her, ignoring her feeble defenses and stabbing deep into her very soul. She screamed in pain, thrashing in her bonds as she instictively tried to get away, tail and wings trying to slash at the people standing just out of her reach. But again, just as she felt about to pass out from the pain, it stopped, and she heard that voice again.

"Second miasma filled, five to go."

She started crying, knowing they had barely begun, and managed to get a silent prayer out just before the third wave dug into her back in force. The sheer force of the spasm shook the bonds that held her, and she could barely register clawing at one of the Aes Sedai, torn off leather strap dangling from her bleeding wrist. Time seemed to flow differently, she could no longer understand the words that were spoken around her, her senses themselves felt dulled. One man was just sitting there, and she snarled at him, her mind not even registering who it was. Her vision turned black after that, and she hit the stone slab limp as a rag, her breathing ragged and shallow.

=====

"Well, she's a tough one, that's for sure. Having to go through this not once, but twice, and surviving is quite a feat."

Toram was shaken from what he had seen, and had his life as a healer not gotten him used to the sight of a battleground he didn't doubt his knees would have been trembling from the sight. Light, he wasn't too sure they weren't trembling now! Turning back to Jon, he took a deep breath, trying to regain some of his composure before telling him the outcome.

"As i said, she's alive. She's in a coma, kind of like an artificial sleep while her body is fixing things, though she's in no danger of dying last time we checked. We are keeping a close eye on her status, but can't wake her up until her body finishes the repairs. As for when she'll wake up... Possibly a week, maybe a month... It's hard to tell after this level of treatment. You are of course welcome to remain here if you wish, i'll have a room prepared for you just in case."

He stood there for a while to make sure Jon didn't have any further questions, or give him the opportunity to ask some if he had. He took a deep breath again, almost having his composure back, but he knew it would take him a couple of days to get himself over this.

Scylla

Asleep

The way i read it, Tarabom and Arad Doman are always having disputes, minor skirmishes and the occasional war over who gets control of Almoth. The Taraboners that are mentioned joining the Seanchan forces are those that see them as allies against the Domani. The Domani, not the Seanchan, are 'the enemy that once overran them'.

Then there's another faction in Tarabon that sees the Seanchan as invaders, and ally with Rand's forces in an attempt to drive them off again like what happened in Falme. These people would be the ones 'frustrating the Seanchan advance' through sabotage and other low profile acts.

Just my two cents, of course...

Toram smiled in response to Jon's answer. Though he did not show it, he felt relieved with one of the patients in his care being given a chance at life again, despite the risk of getting hit by an arrow on a chance encounter with... well, practically anyone, really.

"Actually, it's not the weave you'd have to be worried about, though a backlash would short out your nervous system for a few minutes. After we'd be done with her we'd Heal you as well and you both would be on your way again. The problem is that you would end up getting too close to her while she would be struggling to get away. A natural reaction, but i've seen people lose an eye for less."

He hoped Jon managed to get the intended meaning of what he was trying to say. If the Healing ended up causing her pain, she'd be struggling to escape and get away. Though it wasn't so much a problem with humans, those wings of hers had a wingspan of sixteen feet and -- unlike limbs -- couldn't be bound with Air to prevent damaging them. The Aes Sedai found out the hard way as well, as a nightmare she had apparently been having caused her to slam her wing into the Yellow Head's stomach. It had only been sheer luck that kept the tip from impaling her outright. He nodded at Jon's request however, and walked back into the room, waiting on Jon if he decided to follow before closing it behind them.

Scylla lay there on a smooth stone slab, still being kept asleep by the weave. Though the Aes Sedai had preferred their patients to lie down on their backs, doing that would have ended up with her being forced into an awkward position due to her wings and tail, and so they had been forced to improvise. For decency, a blanket had been draped over her lower body, and she was starting to stir as the weave that had kept her asleep was starting to be undone.

She opened her eyes to look at her surroundings, and smiled weakly when she noticed Jon sitting a bit further away. In a corner, one of the Aes Sedai was putting a hand on the stomach of another for some reason, but Toram took up most of her view as he stood in front of her. She tried to get up to get a better look, remembered she was naked and quickly pressed herself flat against the stone slab she was lying on.

"Good morning, girl. The examination has been completed, and we are about to move on to the next phase. Physically, your form is too advanced for us to change back i'm afraid, but Jon already said he doesn't mind about that. As for your soul-related abilities however, that, we can fix."

He moved on to Scylla's side, pointing out several areas of her body that they had detected the strange power in that seemed to repel the One Power. Out of Scylla's view, his face turned grim, though he kept his voice casual in an attempt to keep putting her at ease.

"Now, your abilities seem focused in absorbing souls and storing them into these 'caches' in your own soul, possibly to be pulled out later on. Its purpose remains unknown to us. What we are going to do is scoop out the evil, and fill the gaps with the One Power, giving your soul the opportunity to repair itself over time."

He looked at Jon, face still grim as he talked what they were about to do. Though he had tried to make it sound less than it was, and Scylla hadn't picked up on it from still being drowsy, there would be no question about what would be the cause of the pain as well as the chance of death. They were essentially going to tear out parts of her soul one piece at a time, then patch up the 'holes' with a special weave of their own. He didn't give her a moment to let this sink in however, as he moved on almost without pause.

"Oh, and if it's allright we'll be tying down your arms and legs to keep you from getting injured."

-----

Scylla nodded, slowly sliding her arms up towards the leather straps, waiting for her arms and legs to be bound while still in the process of waking up. After the Aes Sedai had stepped away again, she turned to Toram.

- "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you're forgetting i went through this before. I can still feel the pain, sometimes. So... let's get this over with."

Despite trying to sound confident, her voice was trembling at the mere memory of what had happened the day she was changed. She tried to steel herself the best she could, clenching her hands into fists in regular intervals to build up adrenaline, then kept her face hidden from Jon by hiding it between her outstretched arms. She would spare him that, at least.

-----

Toram slowly walked over to where Jon was sitting, and stood behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. If he tried to move during the course of it, he would find himself unable to, the male Aes Sedai keeping him from interrupting the healing process. He looked worried, his mind going back to the examination of one of the townspeople whose soul had been sucked out by the Shadowspawn, and couldn't help but wonder what would happen if a too large part of Scylla's soul would end up being torn off...

Toram Rashvere & Scylla Naradiel

Preparing for surgery

Hey, welcome to the RPside ^^

After what seemed like eternity, the male Aes Sedai who had been sitting near Jon in case he had had a question was called into the room, only to emerge again after a few minutes. Motioning for Jon to follow him into a more secluded corner of the room, he proceeded to brief Jon of what they had found.

- "We finished the examinations, and there is good news and bad news. There are a lot of technicalities involved, but i'll try to keep things easy to understand. If you want me to explain something, just ask, yes?"

He looked at the other two people present, no doubt waiting on patients of their own, and lowered his voice so that they would not overhear what he was going to tell Jon. It would be hard enough for him as it was without people getting involved in this as well, increasing the risk.

"The good news is that we have isolated what is giving her her umm.. special abilities, and there is a decent chance she might survive us trying to undo it. Whether it is by curing her or sealing off the bad areas remains yet to be seen though, as it's rooted itself quite deep."

Another quick glance around him followed, and he paused for a few seconds to both let the news sink in. Taking a deep breath, he continued the second part of his report.

"The bad news is that we are unable to undo her... transformation. Aginor was considered the greatest biologist of our time before he turned to the Shadow, and even our most careful of estimates place the amount of people killed for his experiments on fifteen to twenty million. Without knowing exactly what he did to her, the chance of her surviving the first five minutes of it are already astronomically small as it is... I am sorry."

Another pause followed to let this information sink in as well. From experience, the healer knew bringing bad news was always the hardest part, both on the messenger as well as the reciever of it. Still, there was one more thing he needed to mention.

"Now, knowing what she looks like, knowing what this would mean in this day and Age, i came here to ask you whether you want to go through with this. I'll be honest about it, we are truly learning as we go along here, and even so her chances of survival are about fifty-fifty. Because of the complexity involved, she needs to be conscious during the Healing, and having to go this deep inside of her it will be painful. So what will it be, Jon Valewind... A chance at Healing, knowing she will never be considered human? Or a peaceful sleep from which she will never wake?"

He looked at Jon with sympathy in his eyes. He hated asking this question, he really did, but it was a necessary one during special cases like this. He needed to make sure Jon would realise that if he chose to live with Scylla, he would never have a normal life again. Though he himself didn't know the details about Wolfkin, he had heard they didn't tend to live in cities. If that were true, there might be a chance still...

Toram Rashvere

Yellow Ajah Aes Sedai