Two Guys and a City State: A Bells and Brawn Adventure [Attn: Matty]

[Andy]

"I'm not trying to be difficult," he said with a sigh and a look into the corner, "but I'm trained to deal with threats. If I don't know what it is I can do basic things but anything more than that might be the wrong choice and make things worse" It was true and said with sincerity, he was far from the most charming of people the morning after a party, usually, but he needed something to work with. Fortunately Nate gave him that towards the en of his suggested plan and he was happy enough to use it as a handle to try to keep up with this mysterious threat. He looked at the man for a time, wondering if he knew that as difficult as not knowing was for Nate it was almost as hard for him. He didn't want anything bad to happen to the family either. "I know about your weather thing, even if I don't understand it. It's impossible not to notice after a while," he rubbed his jaw and pushed himself up with minimal grumbling, "so okay...we'll go with this feeling of yours. But as soon as you know what it is let me know, sooner the better. Least that way I will know what to do" He patted Nate upon the shoulder reassuringly and they went down into the main living rooms of the building. Alrim set about casually inspecting the place, remembering the entrances and exits and moving a few small things when not noticed to block them from a surging throng of enemies. He could make things difficult with barrels and furniture and he knew how to fight dirty. Whilst he was watching over the place and the people as best he could Nate had slipped away upon his fetching mission. Alrim sat upon a barrel, hand upon the hilt of his sword in a relaxed fashion, near the main threshold. "I know my son," the voice materialised at his shoulder, kind but forceful this time, "he is being strange today. Is there something wrong?" "I don't know," he answered honestly, "but do not worry. We'll be fine" She looked at him, meeting his gaze for a while before nodding to herself and passing him a plate of small foodstuffs and returning to her tasks. Alrim ate slowly, chewing thoughtfully, and trying to puzzle out this new puzzle.

[Matty]

Nate made haste to the Inn, though he didn't move as quickly as yesterday - or as quickly as he would have liked either. In the bright sunlight he struggled to adjust his gaze and sometimes he had to lean against a wall for a moment until the dizzy wobbling of the ground stopped, but he pushed on stubbornly, that storm itching the back of his mind. He felt like he should be drenched in a thunderstorm already, but no. It was another hot, sunny, beautiful day in Mayene.

-

Some time later Da Carridus entered the house looking somewhat irritated. Unlike most of the people there the night before, he had no obvious signs of being hung over, and there was an irate, sharp cast to his gaze.

"Bloody son of a goat," he sighed, sitting down. Ma Carridus set some food down in front of him.

"Why are you here? i thought you had some repairs to do. The same ones you said you were doing yesterday."

"I was," Da grumbled, "but then I had a visit from none other than Reuben." Ma's eyes widened briefly and Da went on, "he went to our place first, saw we weren't there, then came to the docks. He was wearing all black and..." he squinted, and cast a quick look at Bells before continuing, "he was looking for Nate, heard he was visiting or something. I know those boys have some business to discuss but I didn't tell 'em where he was. Figured it would give you both time to leave."

"Channelling business?" Ma asked. "Nate went to get his things from the Inn already, he left a short while ago."

-

Nate was back in his room and fully dressed in his Asha'man uniform, all ready for business. He was a little sad to have to go all Official with family, but it had to be done. He tied his hair back, looking in the small mirror with a bit of a sigh. It was good while it lasted - the peace and quiet and the lack of responsibility reminded him of happier times.

The door slammed open and in strode a tall, heavyset man in a similar black uniform. Reuben looked much like his brother, though he was a little shorter and not quite so muscled. Instead he almost looked a little tubby... Nate turned from the mirror to look at his brother properly, and for a moment the two shared a moment where they could catch up on what the other looked like now. Reuben used to be the bigger one, but more importantly they last saw one another as late teenagers, and now they were men grown.

Reuben had left Nate to go to the Black Tower when they had been intending to go to the Grey. He'd disappeared through a Gateway and that had been that. Nate hadn't forgotten it.

"Reuben, what are you doing here?" he asked irritably.

"Nate, brother, when I found out you were in Mayene I had to come see you. I've been hearing all about your deeds posing as a real Asha'man." Reuben smirked, "and what went on in Viadulo."

Even the Black Tower knows about that? Or is he just keeping tabs on me? Nate scowled, "I'm an Asha'man, a real one thank you very much, and I've got to get back to Ma and the others. There's a storm-" Oh. Ohhhhh.

The storm was no longer there. Because Nate was standing in it.

Reuben shook his head. "I've come to make you an offer, and you can do it of your own free will or not," Reuben said. "I want you to come to the Black Tower. Be a real Asha'man there. They'll test you, make sure you're worthy, but I think you'll do fine. I can Earthsing, you know. Together we can dominate the ground and the sky!"

"Get over yourself. A man of the Black Tower, a weapon? Oooh so original, never seen any of those around. Makes sense that a dumbass numbskull like you would identify with rocks, you're both stubborn and barely capable of sentient thought." Nate stepped forwards, "you can keep your Black Tower and shove it up yer arse. Now move."

Nate tried to latch onto Saidin, but... he couldn't. There was a shield in place, and he didn't even notice it. With wide eyes he tried to push through it, but it was well and truly tied, and Reuben held it as well. There was a moment of "uh oh" and then he was being thrown back into the dresser, knocking the mirror off and smashing his back into the drawers. He pulled himself up with a grunt but only in time for the wardrobe to fall on him, assisted by the lovely Reuben of course. He took a knock to the head and fell under it, but then it was lifted from him and he was hauled to sit on the bed, unable to move.

"Fine. We'll do it my way." Reuben reached out to caress the side of Nate's head, "you want to be an Asha'man of the Black Tower with me. You will come with me, and you will be happy there. You will make no attempts to contact anyone of the Grey Tower. Do you understand?" As he spoke he wove thick yet intricate weaves of Spirit into Nate's mind, and the effect was instantaneous. His eyes glazed over and he looked ahead at nothing when he spoke.

"I understand."

"You will listen to me and do whatever I say. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"Slap yourself."

Nate's limbs were now free - so he gave himself a good slap on the cheek. Ouch. But anything for his brother. "When can we go to the Black Tower?" he asked. Now the Compulsion had settled in, he was no longer unfocused, though his gaze was still ever so slightly off to anyone who knew him.

-

When the Innkeeper ran upstairs to see what the commotion was, he entered the room just in time to see a large, spiralled Gateway wink out of existence, having cut through the fallen dresser and even the rug.

[Andy]

As soon as the words were finished the barrel slammed to the floor as he jumped off of it and the door was almost broken off of its hinges with the force with which Alrim went through it. He was quick enough that he missed the rebound that wedged it tight into the frame from the damp around them. He didn't care if nothing was actually going to happen but no one from the Black Tower - brother or not - was going to find Nate alone. His trust was too small to think nothing would happen and Nate had mentioned a storm. Of course by the time he arrived at the Inn it was too late and he received only a garbled explanation from the innkeeper as he stood in the empty room, looking at the disarray, fingers clenching and unclenching slowly. He said nothing beyond a curt thank you, polite but with an edge of steel to it, an waited for him to leave him alone in the room. It was a mess and no one was there. He looked carefully, everywhere he could examine, could think to examine, and found no signs of crimson. "No blood" he said, his tone becoming laced with anger as he repeated it a few times to himself. A surprisingly thoughtful anger too. "A struggle, perhaps a fight, but over quickly. Big men to wreck this place too. Brothers I'd wager. Went in...didn't go out....Gateway....the son of a....he wouldn't...it'd be like starting a war...the bastard!!" the last words were said at the same time he smacked his fist through the rest of the wardrobe. He had to be sure, he couldn't just assume, but it was wrong. The storm wasn't over he was sure, it was just beginning. When the Grey Tower found out that one of its own had gone missing there would be more than just anger. When they found out that the Black Tower was potentially involved...Light he had to be sure. But he couldn't see another way. Nate wouldn't have gone with him willingly after a fight...unless he staged the fight? He refused to believe it, he knew him better than that. What was more...he had no way home. No Gateway at least. He wasn't even sure if there were someone else, a Grey perhaps, with the First. One thing was for sure, though. "I hate Mayene" he muttered to himself darkly