The tree line near the road was starting to grow thicker; no longer could the traveler see into them to witness the secrets that they held. He was growing uneasy, pulling the fur lined cloak tighter around him in an effort to keep the biting wind from him. The man was ever mindful of the stark coldness that rested along side his back, the feeling of iced metal, a constant reminder of what rested there and the responsibility it caused in a man. It had been six years since the sword was given to him, and every year had been a contest to keep it from overbearing him. He hated and loved the blade all at the same time; it was a constant reminder of what was needed and what every fighter longed to put down. It was hate and fear rolled into one and brought to life by the icy cold wind that whipped through the roads. The call of a bird sounded overhead which caused the traveler to arc his head up sharply to notice the swooping falcon. He held out his hand and the bird swooped down like a dart, opening its wings at the last moment to land softly on the man's arm.

"Did you see anything, Kaleen?" the man asked, not even aware that he was talking to a bird. The bird only tilted its head slightly to the right then took off again. "Guess not; keep an eye out for me then."

Jonathan shook his head slightly. Something did not feel right, and it was putting him too far on edge. Suddenly he heard a twig break, and his sword was almost half out of the scabbard before he realized it was just the horse. Light, I am going to be so tired from jumping at every sound that when something does happen I won't be prepared for it. He just chuckled and slid the sword back into its sheath; he was going to jump out of his skin one of these days. "It's better to be safe then dead," Jonathan mused to himself. He continued down the road speaking softly to his horse, Testament. As they rode his eyes never once rested in a single spot for too long, always watching. "Well, I hope Arafel is worth the trip, but at the very least I can say I have been there," he mused to himself and the horse.

The road was starting to rise slightly now, the beginnings of a hill. Jon caught the form of Kaleen soaring above him. "Well at least she keeps a careful eye on us both, old friend. Have the two of you started to get along again, or are you both ignoring each other still?" The horse gave a shake of his head, breathing out quickly in a huff. "Look, have you even tried to see it her way; you don't have wings for a reason. She can't teach you to fly just like you can't teach her to run. You are a horse, and she is a bird," Jonathan began. Testament took a few quicksteps, and reared up a bit, not at all happy from the words his companion was speaking. "Oh, don't you get an attitude with me, Testament. I am just telling you the facts. We can run together and feel the air around us, but neither you nor I will ever be close to flying. We just need accept it and move on. Besides, the two of you have been friends for how long...?" The horse interrupted with a quick neigh and another shake of its head. "..Exactly, you don't even remember how long anymore so the next time the two of you are together, just give in and say you're sorry. Besides how do you think she feels? She will never be able to feel the ground moving under those short legs of hers; just don't tell her I said that." Testament gave another whuff as he let out the breath he was holding in the closest thing to a laugh the horse could give. "I mean it, old man. If you tell her I said that I am going to tell her what you think about the food she eats." Jonathan smirked as that got a reaction out of the horse causing him to move just a little bit faster. "That's what I thought, now be good, and it will stay our little secret." The pair finally crested the hill as a sudden gust of air announced the landing of Kaleen. The falcon peered up at the man for a moment and spread its wings wide, bouncing a bit on the pommel of the saddle. "Well, they are an entire hill ahead of us, so we shouldn't have too much to worry about; though, the way that I am feeling, the more company I have the better it would be," Jon nodded. At least hoping they would be friendly, he sped his horse up a bit so that he would catch the travelers after a small amount of time so he did not panic them.

The group crested the next hill as they got their first collective site of the travelers. There were two, from the looks of it a man and a woman. He gave Testament a little nudge to cross into speaking range to announce himself. Jonathan learned a long time ago not to sneak up on anyone, it's not the way to get on someone's good side let alone remain healthy and uncut. The horse sped up to overtake the travelers in a matter of moments, though neither was prepared for the site that greeted them in a space of the tree line. The mere sight of the black cloaked rider froze the little warmth in the boy's blood stream. The air itself seemed to take on the quality of ice, as he forced his body to remember the process of breathing. "F....f...." The fade turned and almost seemed to smile at the horse and rider causing all the blood to drain out of the now seemingly small boy. "D-d-dear l-light," were the only words that could be torn from his now dry lips. Jonathan pulled his eyes away from the site before him before he started to sweat ice cubes, when did he start sweating... Light, what was happening to him? The people! The words screamed into his mind; he didn't know who they were, but they didn't know. They couldn't! He kicked the horse into a gallop, Speed, bravery, honor, death, he willed into himself. The thundering of the hooves caused the two travelers to look behind as Jonathan started drawing out his sword. The man that was traveling pulled his own, not even aware of the fade with its eyeless face. Jonathan turned his horse towards the tree line where the fade was starting to emerge with those shapes behind him...
* * * *

David kept looking over his back as they were riding. "Something does not feel right, Gwynne; there is something else out here with us." The woman looked up at her traveling companion, her ageless face perfectly calm and serene. Her face was framed by curls that seemed to stay still in the wind so that they always fell perfectly about her, but there was no surprise in her eyes as she listened.

"I almost expected as much. No worry. We will be prepared for what comes. It will be just as it always has been. We will survive. I trust in your ability to protect me; it has never failed me before." Her words were calm and very collected. Nothing seemed to break through the serenity of this woman. David remembered the fights they had been through; time and time again when the odds seemed all but lost she was the picture of serenity. He thought back even further, trying to place any moment where that face had been lifted and allowed to show emotion, but nothing, there was not a single time where it slipped. Absently he checked to make sure that the blade was clear for a draw at his hip if it was needed. David took a breath in. The air. It did not taste right. There was something about it that he couldn't place. It was then when he heard the thunder of hooves as he watched man charge towards them with a drawn sword. Without another thought his own sword was out as he moved between the fool of a man, and his charge. He spurred his own horse forward to cut him off at the pass.

* * * *
"Move, Testament! We need to stop it!" The horse responded to his master's call and drove into a full sprint. Jon stood up in the stirrups and prepared to leap off of the horse, waiting for the moment, keeping his eyes away from the eyeless one. "Embrace Death!" he cried out and flung himself into the fade, his sword attempting to arc down using the force of the charge to his advantage. The fade, however, was prepared for a charge, not a foolish attempt to unhorse him and was taken by surprise as the ground suddenly came up to meet his falling form. The two rolled about on the ground. both trying to free steel enough to form a strike but neither able to do so.

The fade how ever was far quicker then Jonathan could ever hope to be, breaking the hold the man had on him and rolling onto his feet. The dark black sword was held at an angle across its chest; it seemed to almost drip darkness off its terrifying edge. How many people had fallen to that blade Jonathan would never know. It would forever be an unanswered question as he held his blade and lunged at the beast with an attack.

It laughed. The monster actually laughed at the feeble attempt this boy was making. It used its unnatural speed, easily sweeping the puny try at a form aside, and plunged the sword into Jonathan's chest then out again as the boy fell to his knees and then to the ground.

* * * *
Light, the pain! His mind screamed as it reeled from the pain. It was fire and ice all over his body, fighting for dominance inside him. He wanted to cry out, but his body couldn't spare the air as the blood started to pool in his shirt. He was going to die; it was that simple. The edges of his vision started tugging at him. There was something important... something he had to do...His eyes once again focused to see the eyeless features as it lorded over him. The wicked blade aimed downward to press again into his flesh. It was then it came to him ... DODGE! He tried to roll out of the way and all but bit back a scream as the growling blackness pulled in on him and all was quiet.
* * * *

David watched as the horseman suddenly veered off to the side. His gaze tracked what he was rushing at. As his eyes settled on the eyeless, he turned his horse and watched as the boy did the most unthinkable thing. He dove at the Fade. "Gwynne." It was all he needed to say as the Aes Sedai opened herself to the Source while the Warder watched the fade go tumbling off the horse. He was not going to make it as he watch the shadows of other forms start emerging out of the woods. They would not survive against that entire band. He had to remove the Fade before they closed on his charge. He focused on the Fade's actions, watching the scuffle as though it were in slow motion. There! An opening presented itself as the eyeless stood over the boy's body preparing what only seemed to look like a death blow. He had one chance in this and after such they would be overwhelmed with not a single chance. Saying a small prayer, he sent his sword sailing end over end towards the vulnerable Fade. He watched as the blade arced up, reached the pentacle of its height, and started dropping. No! , David thought as he watched how he miscalculated. I have failed
* * * *

Gwynne watched as her faithful warder drove towards the fade, Please, Light, keep him safe, she prayed to herself. She watched the charge. She watched the fade as it lorded over the foolish boy who thought to throw himself into harms way to protect two people whom he had never met. She watched as David threw the sword, and, as it began to soar and then fall in an arc, she quickly opened herself up. She waited for the river of power that sprang up around her. She let go and dove head long into it as it greeted her like a lover, caressing her mind and body in ways that no real lover could. She gave it control of where it wanted to go, guiding it with slight touches, edging its massive flow towards the Fade. Gwynne separated the five elements until she found the threads she wanted and guided it to the sword, wrapping it in the flows she held fast to the blade and thrust it to where the Eyeless's heart should be. If the creature even has a heart, she thought.
* * * *

Everything was dark, comfortable, and had a sense of peace. There was a warm glow that seemed to be everywhere, like a large blanket wrapped around a child. Jonathan could see just beyond this blanket. There was a storm... It was raging, boiling everywhere around him. There was something beyond it, just out of sight. It was important. He knew that, but, Light, what was it? Jonathan tried to move towards it, to get a better look, but something was holding him here, almost pleading that he go no further. He looked around him and in his cocoon of comfort was someone else, holding the blanket and keeping him here. Her arms were wrapped around him, holding him firmly in place as he felt fingertips crossing over his face, soothing him. Jon tried to get a better look at who this mysterious woman was, but he could not make out any detail save one. A feather hung from her hair. It was matching his own, and it was a gift from something...someone... Kaleen! Yes that was who it was from. The woman knew of his bird, but who was she? Jonathan felt some pressing nee., It skirted across the outside, beckoning his attention away from this fantastic beauty, calling to his eyes.

He answered the call and tried to focus on the feeling just beyond his vision, the sound of screams, many many screams. What was it trying to tell him? He could feel the effort crushing in on him, pressing further into his bubble of comfort, making it retreat. It looked brutal; death... yes death was everywhere, all around him... There was something more, something that kept slipping from his grasp... Why wasn't he there, helping instead of merely watching it...He didn't have long to think on this as the bubble abruptly snapped and the feeling of frost was driven into his bloodstream. LIGHT! I am dieing!
* * * *

The guttural screams of animals were everywhere. The worst of all was the high pitched hiss of the Fade as it drew its last breath and fell to the ground. The trollocs that had accompanied it were gripping their heads as they too fell to their knees and joined the choir of screams. It was almost music to the Warder's ears; it was the sound of victory, the sound of another day that he could greet the Light. He pulled free his back up blade from the scabbed on his back, jumping off his horse and standing over the Fade and drove the point into the throat of the beast. He wanted to insure that the death was complete. There would be no coming back to haunt them from behind. He pulled his blade from the corpse as the dark, ichor like blood, clung to the blade, drawing smoke off it as it ate into the steel. "Bloody hell, you have to have the last laugh, don't you?" He pulled free his other sword from the ribcage and wiped them both off on the dark cloak of the Half-man.

He almost wanted to spit on the corpse for damaging his blade, but he had more things to do. Sliding in his backup blade, he shifted his sword to his right hand and bent down to check the boy's pulse. "Gwynne! He still lives!" he called to the Aes Sedai as she motioned the horse over to the two. "He is badly wounded, through the chest. Will you be able to save him? It is dark steel. You are the best chance the boy has. I would dare say that because of him we are still able to live this day." He watched the woman and tilted his head. Why was she so hard to read even with the bond? It was almost as if the stone face she wore extended deeper, permanently keeping her emotions from him. He gave a shrug to himself, standing up away from the circle of bodies, his keen eyes taking careful watch to see if anything else moved. The two met eyes for a moment, knowing what the other would do; he would keep watch while she tried to tend to the boy's wounds.

* * * *

Gwynne let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding. He was living; that was good news. Now if she could only see what had been damaged. If that foul blade touched anything vital it would be far easier to end his life now then let it be prolonged until he just wasted away into nothing, consumed by the shadow as a last gift for bravery. She was still holding onto Saidar as she slid off her horse. Carefully separating the flows she would need, she wove them into a tight weave of Water, Air, and Spirit, pressing into the boy. The weave instantly flowed all around him, expanding to take up the entire body. As quickly as it expanded it retreated as the bulk of it was around the wound in his chest, with a few remnants of the weave to represent the bruises and cuts from the fall.

Gwynne closed her eyes, feeling what the Delving produced. He must have the Dark One's own luck, she could not help but think. The blade had missed anything of importance, merely finding soft flesh that held everything together. The yellow took a deep breath, calling into her more of the raging river of power. Weaving spirit carefully, she contained the evil of the wound tightly. She worked quickly then, time was of the essence, placing thread after thread of spirit into a complex net that stopped the spread of the shadow any more then it had begun. Sweat started to bead her brow as she recalled the delving. Gwynne focused on the quartered area and spun out more threads. This time she pulled Spirit, Water, and Air again, but she reached deep within and pulled Fire, too. Spinning them all into Healing, she pushed it past her net and held on. The weave took over with a small amount of direction. The Water mended the flesh as the Air brought it back together. The Spirit fueled this change drawing upon the strength of the surrounding tissue, pulling it from all over the soon to be frail frame. The Fire was perhaps the most important part of this Healing. It coiled itself around the tainted area subjecting the darkness and slowly bringing it away. Piece, by piece, the evil was consumed but not completely. Gwynne slumped a little, and, after several deep breaths, she spoke, "He will live, but he is not out of danger yet. He will need further treatment. Help me up my horse Gaiden, and lash him to his own. There is still a chance that he might be of the Shadow, but I doubt it after such an act." She finished speaking only to feel the strong hands of her long time companion helping her into the saddle, and then she watched as he again placed the boy into that of his black horse and tied him there.

David grabbed the reigns and led all the horses onto the road, his eyes never staying in one place for too long lest the trial not be finished. The three travelers started again down the road to Arafel. They had been lucky, or unlucky, that the Shadow had noticed them. Surely to have such a war band here was not coincidence. What was going on in the Borderlands?
* * * *

The ice and the pain subsided almost as quickly as it came to the normal mind, but to Jonathan's time was a different story. He felt like he was drowning in an ice covered river of Saldaea, unable to catch or keep his breath as wave after wave of cold pressed past his skin. To him, it was an eternity, almost a life time to be joined with the warmth-leaching cold. Just as quickly as the new sensations came, they left, leaving the poor boy gasping for breath. As the feel of air touched his lungs, Jonathan could have almost wept with the feeling of relief that washed over him. I'm not dead! I am breathing...Light! I am breathing! His eyes struggled to flutter to take a glimpse of the goings on around him, but they were too heavy. He fought the urge for sleep as it pulled at him, almost pleading that he take it. Drifting down into a dreamless slumber, he was immediately brought back at the feeling of rope biting into his wrist and legs. Thoughts started leaping into his mind about who won and where they were taking him, all thoughts that would go unanswered as sleep claimed him.

Jonathan opened his eyes to see the glimpse of walls, sparkling in the sunlight. They called to him but at the same time there was a sense of dread. His eyes scanned the battlements finding the sight of a woman perched on the top of the walls, legs hanging over without a care in the world. He recognized her instantly as the woman that was with him when his entire world folded in on itself; she bore the single falcon feather tied in her hair. He strained his eyes and began to move further, but with each step towards the walls the surroundings started to grow darker. When he was in sight to see the woman's eyes and face all the darkness pressed in taking his distance vision from him so she was just again a woman perched up on the walls. He took off at a run and soon found that he was on the back of his horse Testament, the world seemed to blur by him as he road. At one point he began to think he saw purple rabbits, but they were quickly dismissed. He had to get to see that woman. The closer he was to seeing her, the less light there was to see until he reached the walls themselves, and all around him was blackness. Jonathan reached out his hands. He could feel the walls still there, but he could not see them. It was then a great cry erupted from some where above him. What was this out pouring of emotion, he did not know but it was somehow linked to the darkness that surrounded him. He turned slowly, feeling the beginnings of the blankets he remembered so well start to twist around him, hiding him from the storm that was raging again. The storm of fire and ice was suddenly there tearing at the fabric of his make shift shelter, growing closer, howling for him. Soon the layer of protection he had vanished and reached out for him...

The rhythmic sway of the horse and the burning feeling of his muscles woke him next. They all ached from their restraints. How long had he been tied down here? Jon's eyes fluttered open almost, recoiling at the bright sun that greeted his sensitive eyes. He tried to turn his head to get a feeling of his surroundings. Seeing the two travelers he tried to save, he went to speak but found his throat dry. The man seemed to notice that Jon was awake and reached into his saddle bag and rode up along side him. He pressed an open canteen to his dry lips and pressed some of the cool liquid down his throat. Jonathan could not help but gulp the precious substance, wetting his throat and then drinking as much as the man would offer. "W-Where am I?"

A feminine voice spoke first, cool and serene "You are tied to your horse on the road to Arafel; you have been Healed of an almost fatal wound given to you by the stunt you tried to pull. Both my Warder, and myself thank you for such an act. You provided us with enough space to slay the band and keep them from what ever purpose." Jon tried to speak but the woman raised a single finger to stop him. "You are tied down, because you did not have the strength to stay mounted, your weapons... All of them are with David for the moment in safe keeping. Welcome back to the land of the living."

It took a moment for the boy to process everything that was just said. He thought back, remembering glimpses of the fight and what had happened. He looked over at the two and couldn't help but let his mouth drop open. He did all that for a Warder and an Aes Sedai...great he rushed off to help the two people that didn't need it. Wait, did they say that his actions helped them win?

"You showed spirit, boy. Not many people alive today can say they charged a Fade head long. Mainly because, well, not many lived to tell the tale...but no matter, you are one of them now." The Warder was speaking now and leaning close to whisper, "Not to mention that you will have a rather nice scar to back the story up." The man was light hearted, able to find the small amounts of humor in everything; it seemed that Jon had found someone he could relate to. Jon tried to laugh, but, the moment he took the breath needed for such an experience, he immediately regretted the act and felt the pain shoot up from his chest and paralyze him for a moment.

"Bloody flaming hell...." Is all that Jonathan managed to get out as the pain subsided.

"Hurts, don't it? It means you're alive, boy. Embrace the pain, and don't try to fight it. That is a lesson that you are well to learn." The older Warder reached over and cut the bonds loose as Jon started to stretch out his bruised muscles.

"Light, I am hungry..." He began to say as he reached for his trail rations that he kept in the saddle bag.

"That is from the Healing. Once we get to the city, you will need a few more treatments, and then the training will begin." Jon looked up as the old man spoke.

"Training?" His voice rose at the end, even through the crumbs as he practically inhaled the trail bread.

"Yes, so the next time you meet a Fade, you won't rush head long into battle. Not to mention, you will last more then a few seconds, and we might not be around for the next one. Besides, the tower is always looking for men such as yourself. That is if your even worthy of its training." David mused to himself hoping to spark the boy into trying to prove to him. "Rest now we will talk more in the morning, besides you will need it."
* * * *

The next few days were tough on Jonathan. Every night at rest the aloof sister provided another dose of Healing, leaving the boy hungry and tired. The boy would stay up, keeping the older man company during his watch, always trying to learn the art of strategy and combat by asking questions. He would also talk about the places the other man had seen as well as what made him join the Tower in the first place. The days slipped by with this until all that was left of the wound that Jonathan had suffered was a small pink line. The sister had informed him that it was the best to be expected. She commented how it was rumored that the very blades were made in the depths of Shayol Gul itself and had imprinted on it the very being of the Dark One. She further explained why a single cut from such a blade is enough to send even the healthiest of men into the grave without the special application of the Power that the sisters could provide. Ever polite for saving his life, Jonathan constantly thanked the Sister and continued his tutelage under the older gentlemen.

A few days after arriving at the capital city, the two men were in the training yards where the Warder drew his sword and slapped Jonathan with the flat of his blade. "Rule number one, kid, always be ready."

Jonathan looked at him curiously drawing his blade and holding it how he was taught. The Warder could just laugh as he pointed out the flaws of his stance. "Here. Practice sheathing and unsheathing it. You have much to learn, and you should start soaking it up while you are here."