Call of Glory [Attn: Dedicated Felix & Ji'alantin Danos]

[Sean]

Chapter One: Battle’s Tinder

Nerves were thick in the air over the advancing troop of men. The agitated whinny of horses mingled with the sounds of a few hundred men and women marching on foot. Most wore the white and red dyed livery or raiment of the Andoran loyal, a sign that the love of their young Queen nourished their spirit and resolve.

They did not march as troops and in particular was one unit, set apart from the others in both appearance as well as loyalty.

Valadin savored the sensation of being on the precipice of battle. Appointed as a conscripted lieutenant for the duration of the ‘peace’ talks he had been forced to embrace Andoran custom and ride ahead of men by horse. The Captain—a woman by the name Orena—had tried to press him into donning the expected two stars as his rank demanded, but the tone implied more of a pledge to the Rose Crown than could be given an Asha’man. As it were the reason for his appointment had been suspicious. In truth two other full-fledged Brothers of the Tower trailed behind him, their expressions unreadable as they strode at his back and either man should have been considered his better by virtue of years. The whole thing reeked of political machination, but Val took solace in the feel of his sword strapped to the side of his mount. Soon, there won’t be a need to worry about their games. I’ll fly free, he thought to himself, rubbing the hilt absentmindedly.

The forest they traveled through supplied ample opportunity for ambush, but all scouts had reported nothing in the way of danger thus far. More telling was the fact that the menace of Saidin being channeled had not been felt by any of the procession’s channeling men.

While there was little uniformity among the advancing army the feeling of isolation surrounding the Grey Tower’s contribution to the Queen’s request for aid was palatable. Wide berth was given to the four Asha’man, one Ji’alantin, and seven Dedicated that had taken the field to confront the Black Tower. Val got the impression that their ‘allies’ held little faith that the channeling men would know friend from foe when time came to wield the unnatural powers. To the rest of Andor, the stigma of madness lingered even if it was spoken in hushed voices. Are they wrong? Even now I long to feel the thrill of battle…to see the life ooze from the enemy that stands before me. Isn’t that the longings of the insane?

The Fury answered a gleeful tremble that inspired a cold, glistening sweat on Val’s upper lip.

“Al’Sheen!”

A tall young man with eyes and hair the color of amber came into view. Warders at the Tower had been in short supply and given the enemy it made little sense to risk any of the Gaidin in a battle that they would be of limited utility. Still, Fodhr had recommended this young man by name and Valadin recalled watching the lanky Warder-to-be in the Yards. Athletic and trim like fine, tempered steel Al’Sheen reminded Val of himself when he’d first come to the Tower. “I’d like you stay close by my side. The Dedicated will the other Asha’man for direction…and protection if necessary, but the surest way to best a channeler is by driving a blade through his heart. You and I will be in the thick of things.”

Ahead a shout that rippled through the disheveled ranks and word eventually came to Val’s ear that the Captain would be calling for an officer’s meeting before making contact. Inwardly grumbling about the asinine necessity for such a thing died on Val’s tongue instead he signaled the Ji’alantin to follow him in the direction the three other lieutenants were heading. Both had one or two men marching alongside their horses in the same suit.

Glancing to his command, Val could see the expectation in the eyes of the other Asha’man. Of the other three besides himself none were of the Green. Two were from Indigo and the last was a bloody chronicler of the Brown. “You!” Val barked his eyes settling on a Dedicated an average looking man with his hair tied back with a leather braided band. The curved sword swinging at the man’s waist offered distinction from the others—that and the nice gleam in his eye. “Dedicated you will accompany me as well. We move!”

Turning without taking pause, Val felt the heat of the glares at his back. Let them smolder. No time for games on the field of battle and I tire of being played with.

Heading to the officer’s meeting it seemed prudent not to appear unacquainted with those selected as his seconds. “What’s your name, Dedicated?”

Note: In case it's unclear the Dedicated being addressed in the post towards the end is none other than Felix Kal'Sarak. Just PM our group PM if you have any questions/suggestions/innovations.

[Damien]

Danos al’Sheen

Danos rode alongside a column of men who bore their youth and nerves as much as they did their white and red livery. He knew that Andor had been simmering with tension, he had heard the rumours and reports often enough living in Jornhill, and he was glad to see the Grey Tower was coming to the aide of the young Queen.

Danos noted the ragged composure of the column of men, the chattering of men and women as they marched along behind the officers. Occasionally a sergeant would bark for quiet in the ranks, but Danos noted that the chatter never died for long.
The general chaos of the infantry, the noise and the dust made Danos glad he had been given a mount as well. The horse was well trained, and in excellent health and he found himself enjoying the ride as much as he could. As he finished checking on the column towards the rearguard, he rejoined the force from the Grey Tower. Danos noted the tension from the infantry walking beside the contingent of channelers. Danos knew that suspicion was hard to abolish, even in Andor where the Grey Tower had often supported the Crown. Still he realized it was more than that as he smoothly rejoined the other men.

They know we are warriors, each infantryman marching beside me has a wife or shop or farm. Most of them are young and doing this for glory or a tale to tell when they are older. Those of us from the Grey Tower are cloaked in skills we trained each day, the calm of the Ko’di especially strange to a man who is fighting fear and anxiety each step of the march, Danos mused as he rode on the outskirts of the Grey Tower group. He was one of the few Warder trainees present, and he was surprised that no Gaidin had been requested to accompany them.

“Al’Sheen,” called Valadin Ashaman the man in charge of this expedition, motioning for Danos to join him as the army stopped to dismount. “I’d like you stay close by my side. The Dedicated will the other Asha’man for direction…and protection if necessary, but the surest way to best a channeler is by driving a blade through his heart. You and I will be in the thick of things,” the Ashaman said to Danos as he fingered his reins impatiently. Danos could not say why, but at that moment he felt a kindred tension about the other man, a sense of building anticipation for what was coming next.

It’s his eyes, there’s something there in his eyes. I would not wish to be a foe and stare into those eyes. It must be how I looked when I fought Terric. Or when he chose to break his own arm rather than submit, Danos mused to himself as he considered the aggression and willingness to fight he had been feeling since accepting his purpose on his Test. “I will sir, I have little experience fighting alongside Ashaman or Dedicated, so your guidance will ensure I do not get in their way,” Danos said simply.

When he heard they were calling for an officers meeting, he dismounted quickly and collected Valadin Ashaman’s reins for him as protocol would have demanded of any sub officer. He wasn’t certain of all the rules of the Andoran army, but his classes had taught him enough to not disgrace the Grey Tower.

He waited patiently when the Ashaman dismounted gracefully and walked up to a Dedicated who bore a sword, and oddity Danos found intriguing despite trying to maintain vigilance even in the midst of an army.

[Felix]

Felix Kal'Sarak

Felix walked with the unit of Grey Tower members alongside the hundreds of Andorans that marched for the Queen in their red and white uniforms. The groups could not be more different. Size was just a small indicator, the other a readiness that the smaller group held. They would survive, there was no doubt they had the power to survive.

He walked in his Dedicated black coat and pants and his Sword Pin on his collar. He wore his Hadori for the momentous battle and a tame but experienced curved sword at his waist. Sweat rolled down his back from the anticipation and anxiousness of the battle to come. This would be his first battle. As a child Felix had watched battles from a distance but never had he set foot on a true battlefield.

Memories flitted through his brain of the arches he had passed to gain the honor of the Sword Pin. Images of trollocs and borderlanders locked in arms flew in his eyes and the stink of violence filled his mind. He shook his head to dispel the images and gather his senses. He would need those senses to survive soon enough.

Felix thought much on the honor this battle would bring, his first battle would set the direction of his life. If he failed his dreams of the Green Ajah would be shattered and his life would hang in the balance. There could be no greater honor than one taken on the field of battle.

A call rippled through the larger unit for the commanding officers to gather and the Asha’man that led the small band of Channelers and the one Ji’alantin called for Felix.

“Dedicated you will accompany me as well. We move!”

“Yes sir!” Felix barked back and knuckled his forehead before holding his sword hilt and bowing to the older man.

“What’s your name, Dedicated?”

“Felix Sir, Felix Kal’Sarak. Can I just say it is an honor to fight alongside you Asha’man. My sword is yours.” The last words he said with another slight bow.

Felix tried valiantly to hide his emotions and assume the void. His face reddened slightly at the effort. He lowered his gaze to hide his face. His blood pumped as he felt the emotions flow over him. The fire floated in the void, Felix fed all the fear and exhalation at the coming battle to the fire until he had control. When the calm came he lifted his gaze in anticipation of orders.

[Sean]

Satisfied with the innate strength on display from both attendants Valadin proceeded to a cloth tent positioned at the heart of the camp. Soldiers milled about nervously their eyes flitting in the direction of the Grey Tower men as if weighing the expected loyalty of all channelers and any associated with them. And what side do you stand on?

Taking the Oneness about him, Val cloaked his mind with the alertness and tranquility in preparation for what would doubtlessly be a cumbersome exercise; men playing at war rather than fighting it.

“Greetings Asha’man,” called a voice upon the entry of Val, Danos, and Felix. Danos took position near the door, finding his place alongside two stoic sentries with Andor’s lion emblazoned upon their tabards. “Now we can begin,” the original speaker continued.

Meeting Captain Orena Al’Mieran had been a mundane affair. With the Queen’s new emphasis on uplifting female warriors, the captain’s place had originally been thought a token gesture, but it was clear by the way those hawkish grey eyes scoured maps strewn across the table that this was a capable if not dangerous woman. Four other lieutenants surrounded the table, their chests bearing the two stars denoting their mark. As Val took his place among the counsel with Felix not far behind the other officers save the captain made a show of noting that the Asha’man black had no designated sign of rank. If that were enough one man even had the gall to peer directly into Val’s eyes with a faint half smile curling his lips. In the Oneness the slights went by like breezes on rolling grass though the Fury was nourished by the petty games. When it was unleashed those looks would widen in fear; they always did.

“This is to be a diplomatic delegation with Taim, but previous attempts were stall here,” Al’Mieran explained. “Usually on the threat of violence our envoys were forced to treat. We will not.”

The certainty in the statement plainly voiced what Val had already suspected. Someone whether the Queen or not had decided to strike out against the Black Tower. All the lieutenants leaned forward in anticipation, their agendas evident in their reaction; ambition would spur these men even to the gates of the afterlife.

“They will advantage of terrain as they’ve established defenses in the valley here,” one of the lieutenants interjected with the captain’s leave. His beard looked oiled and fashioned after the Illian style. Strange given the natural of his hair…the style did not favor him. “Whatever we do will require closing the distance as quickly as possible. Perhaps a force under the cover of night…”

“Haste to make violence is a mistake you will not live to regret,” announced another voice. This belonged to a smooth faced woman who had it not been for the clear impression of wisdom beyond the youthful complexion would have been easily mistaken for a young girl. That and the Shawl that hung about her neck announced the new speaker as Aes Sedai. “The White Tower will not support any foolish risks taken on without consideration.”

The White Tower? Val wondered. Given the relative disdain that each tower regarded each other with, it seemed strange to encounter a channeler who was not from his home in Hama Valon.

“I will speak with these men first. I’ll take a contingent of select men and should the need arise we shall return to report of our success or failure. These men… all channeling men,” the Sister stated this time her gaze crossing the table to meet Val’s eyes, “…are unpredictable. Better to err on the side of caution rather than invite unnecessary catastrophe.”

From the corner of his vision, Valadin caught the captain eyeing him as well. Maybe it was expected that he would rise to the obvious baiting, but the inclination was simply not there. Even the Fury did not crackle with its usual heat at the barb. “Asha’man? Your input would be appreciated. We walk an unknown path here and any light that could be shed is appreciated.”

Now the focus shifted in the direction of Valadin and even upon Felix who stood at his back, the Dedicated stalwart in his carriage. The Dedicated did service to the Grey Tower's image. It would appear that there is some promise among the lower ranks after all.

“The Sister is right,” Val replied. Circling an area on the map that approximated the Black Tower’s entire holding with a finger while adding, “We face superior numbers, but more important superior force if it comes to battle. War cannot be the first thing on our minds.” Turning to the lieutenant who seemed the leader of the others, “…and Wards of detection are among the simplest uses of the Power no doubt at the disposal of our enemies.”

“Enemies, Asha’man?” the Aes Sedai asked, her face an innocent mask of porcelain that was nearly convincing enough to overlook the emphasis placed on the Old Tongue word for ‘Guardian’. “We have yet to discern the nature of the Black Tower much in the same way that the intent of your Grey Tower is unknown.”

“Yet the Grey Tower comes to the aid of the Queen when she calls…and no threat has ever come from my kin. A threat given immediately sets two men—or women—in opposition with one another. We can consider the Black Tower nothing other than adversaries until proven otherwise.” In this there was consensus as the officers excepting Captain Orena inclined their heads slightly in approval. “We do as the Sister says and meet with them, however I and the young men that attend this meeting with me will also join these talks.”

“A prova—”the Aes Sedai protested, but she was cut off by a gesture from captain inspiring the transient question of who held the reins of this campaign.

“To sense Saidin being channeled, a man is needed. Furthermore should the need arise the speed with which we can engage the enemy is important. At a distance the channelers will destroy an advancing army before a single spear point can come within harm’s reach. We leave the army at camp and on the ready. I will open a Gateway when the time comes and we will be within striking range before any of the Black Tower rogues can do a thing about it.”

The proposal was considered in stark silence as each member of the council worked through possibilities. As expected the Aes Sedai was the first to speak, her tone icy and biting for all the placidity of her expression. “And the superior numbers and force? How will we overcome that, Asha’man?”

“How does any army gain victory in the face of ill odds? We fight.”

Notes: I’ll open up 2 new threads later for the idea we talked about in PM. Sorry this took so long…the original post hovered around 3K and talked about tactics, etc. This is more summarizing. Decided to keep the emotional content…if any is there. Sorry for the delay. You can post to this thread if you like with your reactions, but note the other threads will take place after the officer’s meeting, but before the next day which is the conflict.