Fandom Another turning of the Wheel of Time

[noremac]

"And it shall come to pass that what men made shall be shattered, and the Shadow shall lie across the Pattern of the Age, and the Dark One shall once more lay his hand upon the world of man. Women shall weep and men quail as the nations of the earth are rent like rotting cloth.


Neither shall anything stand or abide...Like the unfettered dawn shall he blind us, and burn us, yet shall the Dragon Reborn confront the Shadow at the Last Battle, and his blood shall give us the Light. Let tears flow, O ye people of the world. Weep for your salvation."


- Excerpts from the The Karaethon Cycle.


War raged on the Andor-Cairhien border. 15 years ago word had escaped the White Tower that the man who had once been called the Dragon had been reborn. Everyone knew the prophecies. Fear rippled the land, followed by a wave of men proclaiming themselves the Dragon Reborn. The White Tower was unable to supply a very strong retaliation due to internal turmoil. The infamous name Black Ajah had been whispered in the even in the streets under broad daylight. The new age was coming and people knew it.


With the aesi dai secluded in the tower it was up to the armies of the Ten Nations to quell the violence on the men claiming to be the Dragon. After 10 years of large skirmishes and small battles between the Ten Nations and the False Dragons all the men proclaiming to be the Dragon had gone crazy and died, only to be replaced by new men who could channel. Some no longer even bothered claiming to be the Dragon.


For the past five years two male channelers, one from Andor, one from Cairhien, have banded together an begun raiding large towns and small cities across Andor and Cairhien. The rebels were able to succeed due to poor relations between the two nations. The rebels were able to easily cross the Andor-Cairhien boarder while the respective armies could not due to their enmity towards each other. The fighting has gotten so bad that each nation has resorted to a mandatory draft of all males fit for battle 15 years and older in order to hold the entire boarder.


The story begins in the Two Rivers. A fertile land where the old blood of Manetheren runs strong. The draft has finally spread to even the rural, almost forgotten, western extremities of Andor. Most young men leave with thought of glory in their mind, unknowing of the true nature of war. Amongst all the young men called to war three in particular have been chosen by the wheel of time to make a change to this time of war.


Mean while a battle is ending in the White Tower…But what do farm boys know about that?

 

[noremac]

Dust clouded the skies above the Two Rivers in large enough plumes that could only suggest an army being mustered. Ever sense the recruiting soldiers had past through a week ago young men, old men, and even some feisty women had left their lives as farmers and peasants to go find glory in battle. From his vantage point at Watch Hill Adam could see just how many people where leaving the Two Rivers along the Old Road. It is time for me to leave as well. Adam thought with a thrill. Today he would depart with the first wave of recruits from Emond's Field and Deven Ride and head to wards Bearlon for the draft.


"I have a lunch for you dear." Adam's mother sniffled. "It might be the last one I ever make you..." Adam's mother, Rachel, did not want to see her son go to war. His father, Joram, on the other had was proud. Rachel wiped away a tear, "...There is enough food to get you too Taren Ferry."


"And mind you eat it before then or the lot there will likely eat it for you." Joram said, trying to lighten the mood, as he put a hand on his wives shoulder.


"There is some bread, cheese, jerked venison, and smoked trout. Aunt Mili gave me a jar of preserved plums as a treat." Rachel continued as she handed Adam the woolen bag of food.


"What's all this leafy green stuff on top?" Adam asked with mock incredulity? He saw nothing of the bread, cheese, meat, and plums under all the foliage.


"Vegetables of course." His mother said with a smile despite her tears. The bustle and shout from the street announced the arrival of the soldiers to be. Adam rose to join then and his mother burst into another bout of weeping as she hugged him. Joram sat his hysterical wife down and walked his son to the door.


"It is dangerous to go out in to the world alone, son. I want you to take this." Joram was holding his staff. It was a simple staff, made of a hard black wood from an exotic land. Well, Joram thought it must be exotic because he had never seen any wood like that before. Joram had acquired the fine piece of wood from a passing merchant. Being a carpenter he had been interested in the darkness of the wood, but soon found it was to difficult to carve on. It did make a very stout staff.


"Thank you father." Adam said as the two hugged. Adam put the food into his satchel and gripped the staff. It was heavier then the quarter staff he had practiced with but he did not mind. Adam was not sure if he would be given a sword in Bearlon. If there was he would not know how to use it. His staff and long bow would suffice. After a few final good byes Adam left to join the rest of the men leaving to find their destines, bloody as they may be.

 

[FoxxMann]

Derrin sat with his father, on one of the two stone bridges Emond's Field had, Vel Alexi had always tried to keep his son out of trouble, and punished him when needs be. What seemed to be all of Derrin's life was unfolding at this moment and Vel had no clue how to take it, his son who he had seen grow to a man, put his hand on Vel's shoulder as if it was he who was walking to a headsman, and not reversely. "Who'll make sure to boot your backside when you're in Cairhien?" Vel tried to smile. After his wife disappeared Derrin was the only thing that kept him going.


"I'm sure someone will be there for it da, not only young men got drafted." Derrin swallowed, he managed a smile it felt like a lie. "I'll be home before Bel Tine, I promise." Derrin chuckled, remembering the last Bel Tine, when he and his friends let an adult badger out and promptly received a paddling from the entire Women's Circle, not to exclude the three's fathers. "I won't bring any pets to this one." Derrin laughed, Vel couldn't help but chuckle as well.


"Well, uh, there's the flag, they'll be wanting you. Probably won't wait for you." He stared dejectedly into the river.


"Ma would be proud of who you raised me to be." Derrin almost choked.


"You look so much like her, and so little like me, ah, she had prominent features." Vel smiled to himself, "Remember son, war is a moment. When it's over you have to live with it, and you'll live with it." Vel rubbed his leg as he recalled his old wounds.


They said their goodbyes and Derrin strode to the banner which sat on the green. He was almost in awe of it; the White Lion of Andor. Mothers and wives kissed their sons and husbands goodbye, and the men greeted each other as if for a feast, if not so well dressed. It seemed an odd spectacle to Derrin. He sighed and looked around trying to find his friends in the crowded square.

 

[Soviet Panda]

Conner's mom fussed over him like a mother hen. "Did you remember to pack extra sock? Did you pack your good coat? It gets cold in Caurhein I heard. And don't forget about your hat, your father wouldn't know what to do with you if you forgot that." And on she went, chiding, pestering, and quiet frankly nagging.


"Yes mom." he would reply to all her questions, wether they would accept a yes or not. He fingered his silver edged gat, which provided ample shade for his head. "Mom, I went camping before. How different could this be?" he finally said, getting fed up with her pestering.


"I'm not going to have one of my sons dying because they didn't pack right." was the serene answer. His dad wasn't there, the fields needed to be tended to was his excuse. But he had his few words to Conner in the way he could. He gave him the hat to protect him, and his good belt knife just in case.


Eventually losing his mother, which involved a mixture of shooing her off and simply walking faster then her, he made it to the banner of Andor, with the White Lion on it's field of red rippling lazily. Spotting one of his friends, he raises his arm and gies them a shout before making his way to them.

 

[FoxxMann]

Derrin almost jumped when he heard his name shouted behind him, for a moment he thought his father had followed him, but at the sight of Conner, he grinned, he made his way slowly over. "Well this is it, I guess? A real adventure." Derrin clapped Conner's shoulder, "Got enough stuff Conner?"

 

[Soviet Panda]

"I did. But my ma didn't think so. Thought I had to carry the whole pantry out the door with me. Like I don't know how to ear food that's given to me. How 'bout you, you think uou packed enough? You forget an extra coat?" He said, mimicing his mom slightly. "At least I'll be able to dice with someone who won't think I'll be cheating."

 

[FoxxMann]

"I should, my da got real upset this morning, had to fight him off with a stick." Derrin laughed, "Have you seen Adam? He told me he'd meet me here, the old thatcher is packing us some apple brandy for the road." Derrin winked, grabbing the strap of his bag.

 

[FoxxMann]

"I should, my da got real upset this morning, had to fight him off with a stick." Derrin laughed, "Have you seen Adam? He told me he'd meet me here, the old thatcher is packing us some apple brandy for the road." Derrin winked, grabbing the strap of his bag. He began walking through the throng, searching for the thatcher. Not looking where he was going near the edge of the crowd, he almost knocked down Adam. "Blood and Ashes! I'm sorry Adam."