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 Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:58 am
'And how long do you think that will take?' she asked, leaning on a boulder as she looked down. This journey was becoming harder - and they still had the tasks at the monastery to get through.
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:04 am
Silver goes digging in his packs, and pulls out some rope and a few pitons and a hammer. "Hmmmm. Seeing as its about sunset now, we should be there in oh, 15 minutes, give or take 5" He busies himself driving in the pitons and securing the rope , letting the rest fall down to the floor, and pulling out a second rope tieing it around his waist, tossing the other half to Sati. "Here. Incase one of us looses our grip, we can help eachother out." He waits for Sati to tie herself down, and takes the rope, slowly starting to climb down, using his feet on the rock wall, hands gripping the rope as a break as he leans back a little, walking backwards down the wall.
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:07 am
She sighed, tying the rope around herself and walking to the edge, looking down. That was a mistake and she swayed, falling to her knees and looking down, her hair falling around her.
'Be careful,' she mouthed.
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:09 am
Silver stopped and looked up at Sati as the rope between the two of them reached its limit. "Well? Coming?" Silver smiles a little, wrapping one paw in the rope to free the other to scratch his head a moment.
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:15 am
'If I have to,' she muttered, and she walked backwards to the edge, going over the edge, her arms and legs taking the strain. She inched down the cliff-face, praying the whole time, finally making it to Silver.
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:17 am
Silver smiles, and slowly starts inching down again, moving slow and steady, pointing out good spots to put her feet to Sati from time to time.
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:24 am
She moved down again, slowly,slowly and hoped that this was the last time she would have to do something like this. Some hope though, she mused as they carried on climbing down.
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:30 am
Silver reached the bottom, putting his feet back on solid ground, waiting for Sati to reach the ground. When she did, the doors of the monastery swung open, and two monks came out.
"Welcome Warriors. It has been many moons since we have had guests. Please, follow me, and we will see to it that you have rooms to sleep in." He lead them inside, and to seperate rooms. "You are never to be alone together, for this is a holy place, where intimancys between two people are forbidden. So you are not tempted, we shall always have someone with you when you are together. Tommorow, the grand master shall see you at the rising of the sun, so It would be wise to get some sleep."
Silver sighed, and kissed Sati on the cheek "I'll see you in the morning love. Sleep well, and sweet dreams." He then retired to his room, falling into the cot and sleeping.
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 2:49 pm
Sati had sat on her bed, her legs tucked under herself as she stared at the walls. Eventually she laid down, and although tired took time to drift off.
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Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 8:59 pm
The next morning, Sati and Silver where woken with the rising of the sun, and taken into the main audience hall. A spry old man sat on the dais, and smiled as they approched. "Ah, yes, yes. The two newcomers who wish to undergo the trials. Well well, let me have a look at you. Hmmmm. I'd say the trials will take you a total of 3 days. One day for each of the three parts of a whole that make up a warrior. First is the Trial of the Mind, Second is the Trial of the Body, and Third is the Trial of the Spirit. For to be a true warrior, one must train all three. Now, off to the Chamber of the Trials with you. Go on." Two monks came forward, leading the Fa'e to a chamber barren of all except for a pair of meditation rugs. One of the monks gestured for them to take a seat as he went around the room snuffing all of the lights, the only light remaining coming from the open doorway. "The Trial of the Mind will begin as soon as I shut the door. Only one with the strength of mind to overcome themselves will pass this test." With that, he shut the door, all light disappearing from the room.
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Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2004 9:15 pm
Silver dropped into a light, meditative trance, wondering what this trial would entail. Then he felt it building, like a storm over the horizon. Something powerful was gathering. So powerful it made the fur on his neck stand on end. Then, like a tidal wave passing over an island, it broke, a wave of emotion and thoughts sweaping over Silver. All of the emotions he felt, Rage, Anger, Love, Sorrow, Despair, they all swept over him, magnified a hundredfold. With them came the nagging thoughts about himself, about if he was really worthy of being a Guardian to all the fae, if he could protect them, was he worthy of being a night. Of all the times he had gotten angry at another fa'e for something simple. Of all the times he had been small minded. Silver's mind recoiled, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. As if the thoughts and emotions where red hot metal, and being too close to them seared. His peace of mind and calm lost, Silver struggled to center himself again, trying to understand the trial, to learn from it. All the while, his mind slipped a little more.
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Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 6:50 am
Sati folded her legs under herself, as she lowered into a half-lotus. The Trial of the Mind, she thought idly as she centered herself as she had learned and done so many times. Her breathing grew shallow as her trance deepened.
He'll leave you her eyes fluttered as a voice spoke - not out loud but in her mind.
He wants others. He doesnt want you. You aren't strong enough for him. Not strong enough for anything - not to have my power. the hissing voice stabbed at and through her. She bit her lip, tasting blood and tears threatened. It sounded like Kali - talking, showing, and giving Sati every small thing that had caused pain. All her jealousies came back, her fears. Her sadness that a family wasnt to be hers. She sagged, her hands dropping and touching the ground as she fell forwards, her mind still locked in her trance.
You cant protect yourself! How can you protect others? the inner monologue continued.
You arent good - you are evil...pure evil. You should kill - kill. Its all you're good for.
'No!' she managed to say finally, trying to rally her thoughts through the fog in her mind.
'I am good - this is a test...this is a test..'
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Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 8:08 am
Silver heard Sati cry out, and reached out, grabbing one of her hands, squeezing it gently, as if to remind her that he is there. Then he turned his mind upon the emotions, slowly working upon them one by one fighting against them, bringing them under control. He struggled long and hard with some, such as Rage, Lust, and Despair. He remained deep in his mind, absorbed by the task in front of him. As he finally managed to reign in his emotions, it was as if a gate had opened in his mind, a burdened lifted from his shoulders. A voice rang out in his head. "A true warrior is one that still has feelings, but does not allow those feelings to rule him. Strong emotion can lead one into danger or worse." The first half of the task accomplished, Silver turned upon the memories of all that he had done wrong, and again his mind recoiled, as if burnt. But he pressed on, gently gathering the memories, enveloping them, accepting that they had happened, and that they where wrong, but that they where in the past, and he could do nothing about them. Again, the voice spoke in his head. "Well Done. A true warrior will always feel regret about his actions if they caused harm to one who did not deserve it, but they do not allow the past to come to rule them, to control how they think and act in the here and now." Silver relaxed a little, his mind in a state of total piece. He was still holding Sati's hand, though he did not know how long the battle in his mind had been going on. He could only hope that his love was battling as he had.
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Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 8:35 am
She cried out when he took hold of her hand, and the poisonous voice spoke again;
He will betray you again - he can not be trusted
This was it - the biggest part of her was still in turmoil over her past with Silver.
'I trust him,' she said, speaking outloud, her eyes still closed.
'He is a part of me - I am part of him. Whats done is done.' and she finally knew that she did trust him. The voice grew smaller and became harder to hear;
'I know my worth. What Kali did is not what will happen to me. I am seperate. I have learned and I am stronger for the lessons. I can protect - and I will not kill unless my life or those of others is in so much danger it can not be prevented.' she sighed, feeling lighter. There was one last thing;
'I accept my feelings about not having children. I will not dwell on my regrets. I will cherish the love that I have, and not try to find that which I dont.'
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Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 8:42 am
The voice spoke again, this time to both of them. "You have shown that your minds can conquor themselves, but now comes the second part of the test. Can your mind conquor your body?" As the voice stopped, all the lights came on, showing that the room had changed into a long hallway which ran about 10 meters. "To pass this part of the Trial, you must reach the door, and open it together." As the voice faded, there was once again the build up of power, and after a few seconds, searing pain rolled over Sati and Silver, as if every nerve in their body was on fire.
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