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Author: Alallein
Subject: The Charge of the Waygate
Date: Tue Apr 21 12:21:23 1998

Message:

(OOC: This Thread broke from the Fal Dara RP Thread below, currently Toreene, Elayne, and Alallein can be actively involved. If you are part of the Borderlands RP and have not posted to the fighting thread under Fal Dara, then you may take part here so that excludes: Mahdi'Gia, Janira, Aemon, Gangorn, Serian, Nyal, Rook, Rocar Sedai, and now even Elayne Sedai! Sorry.)


The Sheinaran Lancers thundered out of Fal Dara and across the rough clearing heading west. The company total more than four hundred horse with riders covered in dull metal skins with plates that overlapped like the scales of that creature on the Dragon's banner. The horses themselves were even covered in their protective sheathing. The banner's of the company snapped smartly as the they ran into the wind, not a gallop mind you, a full out run. Only two banners flew, one the Black Hawk and the other the Flame of Tar Valon. The two banners represented only death to any shadowspawn, neither would offer any quarter.

The Swordsworn Alallein led the cavalry's charge, his great black warhorse beating down the distance that lay between Fal Dara and the Waygate. The Blue Sister, Toreene Aes Sedai rode at his side, her mare Snowdrop keeping the excrutiating pace that Caba'din set. The Aes Sedai and Gaidin to be had made this ride before, maybe not with such grave odds ahead, but this would not be a new dance for them. Somehow the Light had blessed them with this uncanny talent in battle, each sensed the other's intent, each knew the other's movements, they flowed like one being weilding two deadly weapons. Now, Alallein had given Toreene his oath, and would be her Warder. That oath lit a fire in Alallein's soul that could not...no, would not, be extinguished, no harm would fall on Toreene Sedai whilst he still lived, of that he was like cold steel, he would not bend or break.

As the charge rounded the edge of the great forest and crested a small hill, Alallein could see the Trolloc Horde pouring forth from the Waygate. Where once stood a great Ogier Grove now grew only the brown prarie grass, the Grove long since burned during the Trolloc Wars. Below them, in the valley, stood the Waygate, an odd shape of stone jutting out of the ground at an unnatural angle, it's gate opened to the Blackness that was once the Ways, a gift of the last male Aes Sedai before the final days of the Breaking. The valley was covered with Trollocs, at least seven hundred and more still emerging from the Waygate. It was fair odds.

Alallein never broke stride as he grinned. Today, it was his advantage, attacking from the elevated position the riders could outflank the Trollocs easily, corralling them in the valley and cut through them like soft cheese. He gave the signal to the squal leaders, a fourth to the right flank and a fourth to the left, the other half will charge on to the gate. At all costs the gate must be sealed, for good this time, which would take the One Power weilded by Toreene Sedai. He must see her safely to their destination.

The hilly terrain masked the thundering approach of the horsemen and by the time the Trollocs realized their situation, the cavalry was upon them. The attack came from all sides, downward like a boulder to crush them. Panic broke out on those almost too human faces as they met death by Sheinaran steel.

In moments the Horde was nearly cut into thirds by the charging cavalry. The gutteral sounds of the dying beast lost to human human ears, drowned out by the clashing of steel and thunder of hoofbeats. The Trollocs fell back under the attach, which was nearly their savior. The charge forced the Trollocs to amass in a dense cluster around the Waygate, where the Halfmen took control. Almost imediately, the beasts mounted a charge of their own. A retaliation led by mounted Halfmen and the fighting was now not so biased. The charges were stop and now heated battle ensued. The Sheinarans fighting with those great two-handed broadswords, cut down the misshapen beasts. A Fade slithered throught the ranks, effortlessly besting one Lancer after another. Alallein looked to Toreene, who was in her own, as quickly as shadowspawn approached it was smited in a firey death at her hands. Alallein, himself was one with the battle. He worked the forms valiantly as Caba'din carried him through the choas. The Courtier Taps his fan split a beak-faced Trolloc's skull followed by the Arc of the Moon taking the head from other's shoulders.

The Halfman was drawn to the thick of the fighting, to the leader of men. Alallein turned to face him, to face fear. The black clad Fade rose the dark Thakandar Blade and charged, not him but Toreene. Al heeled Caba'din to a run, Toreene's back was turned, she would not survive the charge. Al had a line on the Fade as they raced to their targets, the black blade raised. Al hugged Caba'din's neck hoping beyond hope that he would make it. The blade fell, arcing it's way towards Toreene's delicate neck, it's touch alone death, but with a miracle of the Light, Alallein and Caba'din hurdled themselves bodily into the Fade and his black steed, toppling all in a struggling mess to the ground.

Toreene was somehow thrown clean of the impact, but Al was not so fortunate. He rose slowly, weaponless, to see that serpentlike grace of the Halfman slither toward him. A glint caught his eye, his blade, just out of reach. Al had no time to think, he leapt for the sword as the Fade struck, he felt the pang of steel meeting bone as his left arm went numb, but his blade was now in his hand, he was complete. A modified version of Unfolding the Fan took the Fade's calves out from under him and he fell with an inhuman scream, startled by the young warrior's determination. Al rolled away from the Fade's sword arm and weakly to his feet. Ribbons in the Air found the Fade's chest an easy target, but Halfman do not die so easily, their stubborn bodies refusing to accept their obvious death. Only the loss of their heads was death for them, with a great effort River Undercuts the Bank tore the Fade's head from his body, which fell flailing frantically.

Al tried to go to Toreene, who stood only a few paces away, Trollocs writhed on the ground between them, but his strength did not last, he fell to his knees. With what was remaining he called out to the Lancers, "To me! Rally to me! Carai an Seiadazin! Honor to the Black Hawk! Rally to me!"

Al was down in a growing pool of blood, some his, some from the Trollocs that lay dead around him when Toreene reached him and the first squad of Lancers rallied to his call. He looked up, into Toreene's eyes, his face bloodied but still that calm stone expression as he pushed out he words, "Toreene, you must close that gate. Use the Power, bring the stones down. Our fate is..yourr handss, ahh..." Al trailed off as his strength failed him, his breath now gasps.
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