Going Places (Fanfic)

[Leala]

((OOC: This is a class fic for Traveling, taught by Accepted Athwyn Skyhawk. The link to the class is here: http://www.grey-tower.net/Wiki/index.ph ... yn_Skyhawk ))

IC:


Leala arrived a little early for her class in Traveling. This subject fascinated her. She had read on the subject and discussed it in as much detail as Aes Sedai would wish to discuss it with a novice. They were always so insistent that it was a very dangerous weave, and that she should be careful about using it. Logically, she concluded, she should start taking classes about it as soon as possible, so when enrollment for a class for the weave opened up, she had signed up before it was full.

She sat in a chair and waited for the class to begin. An Accepted and a Dedicated entered the classroom, and the Accepted introduced herself as Athwyn Skyhawk. When the roster was passed around, Leala wrote her full name on the paper, and waited further instructions. Accepted Athwyn spent a few moments speaking about how the weave had come about in the Age of Legends before being forgotten. The weave had very recently come back, which was another reason Leala was so fascinated by it. It was a relic...and a very useful one. Athwyn also pointed out that the edges of a gateway were very dangerous. She had read about that, about how they could slice through anything.

Their teacher instructed them to write a paper about the talent, what they knew, what they had learned, and a little about the place where they had grown up.

Leala took out her paper and pen, and began to write.

Traveling is a weave that creates a gateway from one place to another, shortening distances across the map. The gateway that is produced is very dangerous, and for that reason, one must make sure that the area where the gateway is woven, and where is opens is safe and free of anything that can be harmed, especially people. When a woman creates a gateway, it is like she is making two places exactly alike, she is keeping the image of her destination in mind. Because of this theory, she must also have a certain familiarity with the place that she is currently before the weave can be made successfully. I have seen gateways being made, and I know that they begin in a column before spinning and opening out into what looks like a doorway, with the intended destination on the other side.

I grew up in the lands belonging to my family, House Gymorraine, in Andor. We are a few miles north of the Four Kings. My mother raised me to take over as Head of the House. I also spent a good amount of my time in Caemlyn as well. My family's lands are not as grandiose as Caemlyn, but they are prosperous, and my always prided herself in how prosperous the lands were as well. My favorite place to go was the library.

~~~

The class met again, and Accepted Athwyn began to explain to them what a gateway would look like. She demonstrated the weave, and Leala watched as the weaves aligned like she said they would. Water, Air, Fire, and Earth were all used evenly in a rather complex weave, and Spirit was added along with them, but very strongly. Spirit was not Leala's strongest element, but it was close. The Accepted continued on, saying that the novices in the class would form a circle and link with her to feel how the weaves were done. Then, they would make a gateway, opening up to their rooms. Leala was not a new novice, so she had linked with others before. She quickly ran over what to do, and followed the novices, joining hands with them.

As she had done before, she opened herself to Saidar, and put herself on the verge of touching it, but did not actually touch it. She felt Accepted Athwyn take control, and she could feel everyone else as well, once the link had been established. She watched as the glow of Saidar was around of them, and seemed to center on Athwyn, who then began to weave.

Leala marveled as she felt the power necessary to make the gateway. She knew that one day, she would be able to do it with ease, but today, it was simply amazing. She watched as the weaves were formed, and she could feelt it as well. She watched as the control was passed from person to person, some people making gateways into their rooms before they came to the Grey Tower, and others into their novice quarters, right over their own beds. When it came time for Leala to weave, she held in mind this location, with the novices standing around her, and the general layout of the classroom, and also pictured her rooms at the Grey Tower. While her own rooms at her family's lands may or may not have a servant in them, she knew that her roommate was at another lesson at the time.

Taking Water, Fire, Air, and Earth, then adding the strong flows of Spirit, she made the column. It was much easier to pick up the weaves necessary while linked together in a circle. She lay the weaves where they needed to go, and once they were all in place, the column began to glow and spin, until a gateway opened up. She could see her tidy bed and small desk, waiting for her. The gateway was small, as the Accepted had said it would be, but once her teacher nodded in approval, Leala dispersed the weave, then passed it on to the next novice.

~~~

For the third class, Accepted Athwyn explained what Skimming was and how it differed from Traveling. Leala was glad to know that there was a way to get to places that one was not immediately familiar with. How else was one supposed to see the world, which such limited time as an Aes Sedai? Their teacher explained that the weaves would all be equal in strength for Skimming, rather than have more powerful threads of Spirit. Leala thought perhaps that she could still handle this. She demonstrated the weave, and showed what her platform would look like.

Leala saw the platform, but what struck her most was the infinite void after it. What would happen if one were to fall...? She snapped out of that thought and paid close attention as Athwyn directed the students to form a link once again. Again, Leala put herself on the verge of touching Saidar, and again, Accepted Athwyn took control of the circle. She demonstrated once more how the weave was done, then passed the control of the circle around. Everyone was sure to look at others' platforms. Some were intricate carvings of wildlife, some were shields with famous symbols painted on them.

Control of the circle was passed to Leala, and she began to weave. She wove all Five Powers evenly, which was difficult, but she managed. She kept Murandy in mind. She had never been there before, but she kept the general direction in mind. The glowing column appeared, which made Leala happy, and when it opened, she saw that her platform was made of a rich, dark wood with a feather tipped with lavender made in enamel, rather than just painted. Once Athwyn was satisfied, Leala let the weave go, then passed control of the circle to the next novice.

~~~

When Leala arrived for this class, she was surprised to find desks arranged in the back. Accepted Athwyn explained that they would be having a test today: a written one, and a practical one. She was surprised to learn that they would be making a gateway for Traveling and for Skimming without the aid of a circle today. She remembered what had been said about her gateways being small and unstable. With a weave as complex and full of Saidar as that one, she knew that if it was too "unstable," it would likely not end well or safely.

Taking out a pen and paper, she sat down to write once more.

Traveling and Skimming are weaves that were once lost in time. Using the One Power, one can transport oneself from one location to the next with no physical travel by use of a Traveling gateway. Again, using the One Power, one can make a gateway for Skimming, which can transport more than one person to another destination on a platform, rather than simply stepping into the destination, like Traveling. These weaves were once lost to memory since the Age of Legends, but have recently come back into use.

The forming of Traveling weaves uses all Five Powers: Water, Air, Earth, Fire, and Spirit. While four of these are used evenly, Spirit is used more forcefully in this weave. One forms a complex weave with the necessary flows, and if done correctly, a glowing column will appear. The column will open up into a gateway with incredibly sharp edges taht are known to slice through any material. The channeler must keep in mind the destination and the place where they begin in order for the weave to work properly.

The forming of Skimming weaves is very similar to Traveling, but there is less Spirit involved. All Five Powers are used equally to make a complex column, much like a gateway used for Traveling. Rather than being familiar with both places, Skimming allows the channeler to pick a place where they have never been before. A platform is made in the forming of the weave in whatever material and design the channeler would like. Once boarded, the platform moves from one end of the gateway to the other.

Leala turned her paper over and waited for everyone else to finish. It seemed like she was the first to be done. When Accepted Athwyn was satisfied that everyone was finished, she called on Leala to be the first to take the practical part of the exam. She panicked for a moment, but she calmed herself.

Standing up, Leala went to the front of the class and embraced Saidar when the signal was given. It was not much, not even a fraction of how much she had used in the circles, and certainly not as much as Accepted Athwyn could hold. First, she wove a gateway for Traveling. She used Water, Air, Earth, and Fire, while using the much more prominent Spirit to make a column. It took much more concentration this time, and much more of her own power, but she was finally able to make a gateway that was perhaps three feet high. She felt relieved as the glowing column came into being, then rotated, revealing a gateway into her novice quarters once more.

Accepted Athwyn inspected her work, and even put a hand through the gateway to check that it worked as it should. When she was satisfied, Leala dispelled the weave and began work on the next one. She kept the direction of Murandy in mind again as she wove all Five Powers evenly, forming the column necessary for a Skimming gateway. She was beginning to get rather tired, but she was able to make the glowing column once again. When it opened, it was perhaps half a foot shorter than the Traveling gateway, but her wood and enamel platform were visible. Athwyn commended her on her work, and Leala dispelled the weave again, before letting go of Saidar and moving back to her seat.