Sidivin moved to the side of the hall just in time to avoid being run down by the scullery maid on her way out the wide kitchen door. Moving about unseen through the Tower had its disadvantages, but it was a small price to pay in order to avoid the daily thousand and one nagging questions that came with his post. Most were petty matters that could be delt with by any full Asha'man, but the minds of people were drawn to authority like moths to a flame.

He moved swiftly into the main kitchens, dodging more maids, cooks, and oven-tenders with reflexes that came from years of practice. Food was just being prepared for that night's dinner, and dishes in various stages of completion littered the many tables and countertops. As he passed some he would pause for a moment to nip a sample of some of the better-looking ones; a piece of chicken here, a roll there, and even a cherry from the peak of a very delicious-looking cake. His hands were growing full, but a passing scullery maid provided him with a handy solution.

He lifted the empty tray that she held raised above her head with practiced precision. The maid continued on oblivious; she held in her hand what looked to be an ordinary silver tray, but soon she would be in for an unplesant surprise: it was, in fact, not real.

Sidivin continued on his way toward the storage pantry, filling up his tray with his spoils and topping it all off with a fresh-baked scone. He took a seat on a stack of burlap charcoal bags for the ovens and began enjoying his meal. From his perch he had a good view of the kitchen and was able to avoid being trampled by those who did not see him, even if he did end up with the charcoal dust all over himself afterwards,

He chuckled to himself as he ate, "Oh, for the glamour of authority."

Ooc – till we get a Rei for the Wind Talons ill just write for him here

It had come to Rialt’s attention recently, that three Asha’man working in Amadicia under cover had discovered a new ter’angreal. Always, the Black Tower made sure to have Asha’man in every major city in the world, as its eyes and ears. It was very much like that of the White Tower, but they prided themselves on being so connected and well organized. It wasn’t just Rialt’s job to manage many of these contacts, but also to investigate any manner of findings they might have brought back with them. The three said that they had tested the Ter’angreal to a certain extent, by using just a bit of the One Power on the object and it had gone completely insane. They would not channel into it again, and had promptly brought it before the Seeker. He thanked the man whom had brought it in, and immediately called the Rei of the Wind Talons. He would have had some harsh words for Rialt if he had not called the man to look it over.

He was completely fascinated by the object, and mentioned that it was a weapon of some sort, but the catch was that those who could Channel could only use it, not the weaker men who made up the Shen al'Dieb Cha. “Very well then, we will simply have to talk to Sidivin about this. Perhaps he will be our test subject in the matter?” Rialt called in his Dedicated (Secretary was more like it…the poor guy) and instructed him to go to Asha’man Sidivin’s office and tell him the Seeker and the Rei al’Dieb Cha required his presence, and that it was very important. He left, and made his way to the familiar halls of the Doon M’Taal, after all, that was the Shen he had hoped to join when becoming Asha’man. He arrived at the door, and the two guards before it allowed him to knock. Three dull thuds issued, but there was no response. He looked askance at them and they nodded for him to enter. Opening the door, he stepped inside, and was assaulted by the décor of the place. He had never known a man like this Rei, he seemed to be very attactched to material objects and it seemed, only wanted the best, as everything was lavishly furnished.

“Hello?” He called out into the vacant room, and walked forward, noticing a note on the man’s desk that faced towards the door, no doubt for anyone who might have entered.

He grimaced, not knowing what exactly that meant. So he memorized the text and returned to the Seekers office. Bowing before him, he waited until a very intrigued Rei and a very perturbed Seeker acknowledged him. Putting his fist to his heart, he kept it there and spoke the message back to his Mahdi. Rialt sighed in exasperation, that man was always playing tricks. He always had to go and FIND him when he required his presence. “Do you care to go on a trip, Latham?” He addressed the Rei. “Sure. The sooner we find him, the sooner we can figure out what this is all about.” He was such a lanky and lithe man, Rialt wondered why he didn’t crumple under the weight of the ter’angreal. But he seemed content to tough it out, and Rialt let him, not wanting to insult his physical strength. Apparently the Creator had quite a sense of humor. He never really granted the more powerful male channelers much physical superiority, most of the time they were extremely weak individuals. If they couldn’t channel to their magnitude, Rialt would have thought them sad excused for men.

His destination was one of three places, but knowing the habits of Sidivin, he knew that he would find the loner acting a specter in the mess halls or kitchens somewhere. He had quite a stomach indeed. Upon arriving at the mess halls, Rialt instantly made his way to the kitchen area. When he and Latham entered, a serving woman dropped a tray in surprise. It was a rare sight indeed to be visited by such a high ranking Asha’man. Except maybe Sidivin, who was always in here, but they didn’t know that. The Cook snapped an order the girl to retain her wits and get out of the Asha’man’s way. “Excuse me for this.” He spoke to the general populous in the kitchen. He didn’t spot Sidivin just yet, he was quite good at what he did, and sometimes even he could not see past the powerful Wards set in place by the man. “Sidivin, I know that you are in here, so you may as well come out now. I need your help.” He heard a stir and turned to a corner, and there, covered in the soot of the fireplace, was the Rei al’Doon M’Taal, surrounded in the glow of Saidin, and channeling a barely recognizable weave. No doubt it was what was making him invisible to those in the kitchens.

He shook his head in amusement and looked directly at him. “You embarrass us with your foolishness Sid, please, would you like to join us, or do I have to shield you to get your attention?” Not that it would be an easy thing to shield the man. He was powerful, AND he was embracing the Source, so it probably would have been a large feat to do so. It was an empty threat directed at an old friend. He must have looked absolutely insane. To everyone except Latham, it seemed he was talking to a wall. He received numerous stares and exclamations from them.

Sidivin's seemingly disembodied voive rang out from his private corner. "What do you want, Rialt? I just sat down to eat and here you come looking for me. Light, even I cant get a moment's peace around here!"

The kitchen staff was dumbfounded. Not only had two of the most powerful people in the tower just walk in unexpectedly and initiate a conversation with a wall, but it had actually answered them. Sidivin placed his tray on the sack next to him and levered himself down. As an afterthought, he wove a hasty keeping around the tray and warded it from sight. "I'll be back for that later." He thought, "Can't let such goodness go to waste."

"Any time now, Sid." Rialt grumbled, "This is a little important. Your little snack can wait." Latham's eyes grew wide as Sidivin's blurred form came into view, making his way across the room. "Fascinating," he said, "the residue of that weave you use makes you very dificult to look at. My eyes seem to want to slide somewhere else every time I look at you. Truly you missed your calling in the Wind Talons." Sidivin eyed Latham's pathetic form with disgust. He could have broken the man in half with a flick of his wrist. "No, I'm fairly sure I found the right path for me." He turned to Rialt. "Now what is it that is so terribly important as to interrupt my meal? You of all people know how I am about food."

The wall came to life, and nearly ever person in the kitchen, except Rialt and Latham, jumped out of their skins. Rialt had to suppress a laugh, that old trick never got old, there was always someone new to try it out on. And he loved that; he loved the fact that Sidivin was so talented with it. The man was very reserved, laid back was an even better word for it. He had heard that whenever the Master of Soldiers sent a man to him for punishment, that it was his way of being kind. Sidivin was too nice, way too nice considering his chosen Shen and the disposition one would have expected of a man of that status. If anything, it might have been expected that the Seeker be the lenient one, since he NEEDED to be a calm person. Other wise, the demands and work load would have had him fuming all the time and forced him to have a shock attack (ooc – my WoT word for heart attack!)

He had actually remembered a specific time when he had walked into the Rei’s office, where he was supposed to be working on a set of proposals and land taxes for the Black Towers owned portion of Tar Valon. It so happened that The Black and White Tower ran the city through their own governing, since no King or Queen would ever be able to rule effectively with the Amyrlin Seat and the M’Hael staring down their every move, it made perfect logical sense that the two simply combine efforts and take on the governing responsibilities together. So it was that time again, to collect the taxes that kept the city functioning and working its best, and Rialt had needed the Doon M’Taal Rei to outline his proposed tax for the coming year. Instead, he had walked into utter chaos.

The room ajoining the sitting area in Sidivin’s study was packed full of Soldiers and Dedicated, and even a couple of Asha’man, bent over quills and ink bottles. Rialt had thought that it was some form of punishment on his entire Shen, but he found out upon closer inspection that they were doing the work that Sidivin should have been doing himself. Rialt had been absolutely furious, not only had it been confidential, but the task had been laid upon THAT man to complete, and he had pawned it off on exhausted Soldiers and Dedicated. It had turned out that Sidivin had actually offered to take up a large punishment for a group of soldiers and dedicated, and that punishment, was paperwork apparently. It was quite a good idea, Rialt admitted to himself, but only much later and never to anyone but himself. The point of the matter was however, that Rialt thought of the Rei a’Doon M’Taal as quite a lazy and far too sympathetic man. He needed to be harder on them, or they were never going to learn. And in all actuality, Rialt should have been harder on Sidivin, but he couldn’t bring himself to do anything.

“What do you want, Rialt? I just sat down to eat and here you come looking for me. Light, even I cant get a moment's peace around here!” He listened as the wall spoke at him in an exasperated tone, the ward dissolved, and Rialt stood face to face with one of the only men at the Towers who was taller than he. “Don’t give me your bravado Sidivin, I would have been content to let you rot away in the kitchen stealing pastries until you die of your incessant laziness if the Creator saw fit, but he does not.” He got a squinty regard from his counterpart, who was no doubt trying to think of a clever come back. He never was too good at those anyway, he thought to himself. It was at that time that the short and Lanky man, Latham, chose to speak up. "Fascinating. The residue of that weave you use makes you very dificult to look at. My eyes seem to want to slide somewhere else every time I look at you. Truly you missed your calling in the Wind Talons."

He spoke outloud, half to himself, and half to the room. The two men brought their attentions to him, and Rialt tilted his head, trying to pay attention to what he was saying. “And really, I think that if we were to perhaps use a circle, two or three aes sedai maybe, then we could certainly…” The rest was completely drowned out, Rialt didn’t hear a thing the man was saying. I could probably maim that sad excuse of a man in two seconds if I wanted. He is the true embodiment of a stick, perhaps that was what he was in a former life..? His thoughts didn’t make any sense, but he every time he found himself in the presence of the Rei al’Dieb Sha, he constantly found himself regarding the man’s extreme weakness. He was prone to being sick, and Rialt constantly was called upon to heal the man, but then again, that was how it was most of the time with any man of the Wind Talons. He stared over at Sidivin, his eyes searching. They held a look…his eyes looked as if he was trying to say something.

I would break him in twenty seconds, could you best me, he mouthed at Sidivin. Latham, was completely oblivious. He had started in on a rant about how the White Tower still had not given up its stock of male Ter’Angreal. Light, what is the fool talking about? Someone should shut him up. Rialt imagined himself taking the sickly looking man over the knee and snapping him in half, though of course he would never do such a thing. He worked as well as he could with a man with a rambling personality, he had to, but that did not disguise or hide his dislike of the Rei. He half wondered if the quasi-brown realized it.

But he couldn't take listening to the man anymore, he was rambling on, no end or purpose at all. "That is all well and good Latham, but let us go get the object so we do not have to guess at its function, instead, we can experiment what do you say Sidivin?" The other shut his mouth, and Rialt almosed gave a contented sigh. Sidivin, he was sure, was probably annoyed at Rialts use of his full name, but in public, Rialt was all formalities.

"That is all well and good Latham, but let us go get the object so we do not have to guess at its function, instead, we can experiment. What do you say Sidivin?" I say thank the creator that he bloody well shut his flaming mouth... "Sounds like a good idea. No sense standing around here prattling." He shot a glare at Latham. "Shall we meet in your-- office?" Latham's "office" was more like a closet filled with books, all of which Latham had actually read from cover to cover. "I'll never understand how you can spend so much time in that hole of yours. Your mother should have named you 'Mole'"

Latham was accustomed to this kind of treatment from the two men. They had little respect for the man, only for his dedication to the tower did they give him any slack, and then not much. He was weaker than both of them in the Power, and his waist was about the size of either of the men's massive arms. In their point of view, the man had little value at all except for his Talent with making Ter'angreal. Obviously, since Sidivin had been summoned to do this man's job even that excuse was wearing thin.

The party made their way through the halls to Latham's study. It was not far, the man had asked specifically for an office on the ground floor upon his raising to full Asha'man. Both Sidivin and Rialt were willing to bet that it was because Latham was too weak to climb the stairs every day. They arrived at the office and entered through the double doors. There was not a single flat surface in the entire study that did not have a book or scroll on it. Even the floor was littered with the things. Each wall was covered completely by solid bookshelves, even the few feet above the door had been converted for this use. Latham's desk sat in the far corner, facing the room's only window. On it were two solid carved bracelets, one bearing the black fang of the Asha'man, the white flame of the Aes Sedai on the other.

Sidivin quickly moved to the desk and picked them up, fingering the elaborate carvings delicately. He could feel a residue on them that he recognized. An inverted weave... It seems to be a link of some kind. Turning the bracelets round in his hands, Sidivin noticed two tiny lines of text enscribed inside each of the bands. It was written in the Old Tounge, which had become a common study in the tower when Sidivin was a soldier. "Let both sides of creation join as one, that all who live may be under our protection. Let those who would protect us be in turn sheltered by our power..."

"Well, there is one way to really find out what it does, even if you do not approve, which I know you will not." Before Latham could answer, Sidivin slipped the bracelets over his wrists. Instantly the One Power surged through him, not only the raging torent of Siadin, but the prickling of his skin told him that Saidar was there also. Light, what the bloody-- The two sides of the Power burned into him, fusing into his muscles. His eyes bulged. Strength like he had never known poured into his limbs. Suddenly, his deep voice rang out. "The power... light, I feel it!!! I could break the world with my hands alone, GRIND IT INTO DUST!!!" His muscles pulsed in time to the flowing powers in him. Rialt suddenly came at him, embracing the source. "Stop it, Sidivin! Take those things off, now!!!" Sidivin formed the simple weaves of air to bind his friend, to keep him from coming closer--but nothing happened. It suddenly dawned on Sidivin. These things would not allow him to channel.

Rialt had come close, now, and was reaching for the bracelets. With speed he had never before known, Sidivin had Rialt pinned by the neck with one hand against the bookshelf. He raised his arm, effortlessly lifting the man three feet from the floor. Rialt gasped for air. His body was pressed into the shelves with such force that they were splintering into pieces, books falling all over the floor. Rialt had been a match for Sidivin, once. They both held physical fitness among their most inportant qualities, and were equal in strength. But the bracelets changed that. I am INVINCIBLE!!!

Sidivin suddenly felt something behind him. A man chanelling.... it was Latham. Weaves of air instantly surounded Sidivin, while more wedged the bracelets from Sidivin's wrists. The moment they broke contact with his skin, the Power flowing through him ceased, as suddenly as if it was a cord that had been cut. His grip on Rialt's neck relaxed, letting him slide to the floor. He sat there, gasping for breath. glaring at Sid. "You bloody bastard, I should kill you now."

Sidivin was still dazed from the ammount of power that had flowed through him. "It--Wasn't me... The bracelets, light, they were impossible to controll. They saw you coming at me, and percieved you as a threat. I am deeply sorry..." Rialt waved him off. "We have hurt eachother worse in our... arguments. Latham, I recommend that you lock that thing somewhere safe after your experiments here are done. I must be going, I had not expected to take this long, and have much work to do. Sid, I know you have paperwork to do."

The two men staggered to their feet and made their way to the door, leaving Latham to ponder over the Ter'angreal. Light, I could have killed him!! Bloody, bloody light! They were halfway down the corridor when He opened his mouth to speak, to apologize again for what happened. He was interrupted by an explosion that ripped through the hall, throwing both men to the marble floor. Sidivin's forehead slamed against it as he hit and slid several feet from the force of the shockwave. To his side, Rialt was allready getting to his feet, sprinting as fast as he could down the hall. Warm blood trickled down Sidivin's face, obstructing his view, but he could just make out Rialt's form as he entered Letham's office.

As both Rialt and Sidivin walked out of the Rei’s office, Rialt thanked the light that he had not put them on. He knew now what the Asha’man who had brought him the ter’angreal had been so wary of. He didn’t even want to know what had happened with them to make them Travel all the way back to Tar Valon to give him the things. He thought on that for a moment, and then glanced over at his friend. He was clearly shaken up by the whole encounter. What baffled Rialt the most was how Sidivin said that he couldn’t channel. Was it some kind of damane bracelet set? But it didn’t add up, the inscription on the two spoke up aiding each other…they were black and white, which made him think they were from the age of legends, when men and women worked together. That was the only logical conclusion he could think of. Perhaps they were not meant for channelers at all…otherwise why would they prevent someone from touching the power? Ah, all in good time. Latham would figure it out. Rialt had no doubt about that.

They could not have been more than a few feet from the doors of the Dieb Cha, when Rialt turned his face slightly to regard Sidivin, and from behind him, a massive surge of the power…or something else, came surging at them. They were hurled from their feet and thrown down the hall in a tangle of debris. The door had been blown off of the man’s office entirely, the wood splintering around them as they crashed to the floor. Rialt smacked into the far wall, and slid down the wall onto the floor. He grasped his side in pain, one of the splinters had imbedded itself into him, but only slightly, so he grabbed a hold of it and ripped it out. Grunting with the sharp pang that ran through his body, he threw it off to the side and quickly climbed to his feet, aching from the blast. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, vision clearing and saw Sidivin laying a few feet away. He looked fine, and he was breathing from what Rialt could see. He sprinted towards the blown open door as fast as his body would allow and had to come to a quick stop.

All over the floors, were strewn the remains of the various bookcases, pages and paper lay strewn about the room in complete chaos, and the window had been blown full outwards, so the wind rustled in, stirring the papers lay haphazardly around the room. There, in the far corner, a motionless figure lay dressed completely in black. The Red and Blue from one of the man’s cuff’s lay in the open, and Rialt quickly channeled flows of air to make a path to Latham. He darted to his side and dropped to one knee, delving as quickly as he could. Nothing…he tried again, but still, there was not a glimmer of life in the man. “NO!” He growled angrily as he embraced the Source, the world grew brighter, the full disorder of the massive wreck of a room was made apparent to him with his Saidin enhanced senses.

Latham’s left leg and also his arm, where twisted awkwardly, and Rialt knew they were broken. Had he and Sidivin been in the room, they would have had more than broken bones. He grabbed the arm and yanked it, knowing full well the man could feel nothing and felt it pop back into place. He rolled him over onto his back. A huge gash was in the top right hand corner of his head and was bleeding profusely. He frowned and quickly wove together the weaves of Healing that he was familiar with. But there was something wrong here, something that was completely elusive and out of sight. He couldn’t put his finer on it. Light aid me, I WILL heal this man!! His thought was bent entirely on the form before him. He drew on the one power, letting it run through his being and core, letting it consume him and carry the weaves that were working their way in and out of the Rei that lay before him. But NOTHING was happening. “BLOODY ASHES!” He yelled in the man’s face in frustration. He didn’t hear a thing when Sidivin finally staggered into the room, and made his way to where Rialt was hovering over the motionless body of Latham. “You have to..”

“SHUT UP!” He couldn’t be bothered with distractions, it could be the smallest tweak on his weave that was preventing them from working. I will HEAL him, he will NOT die… Every thought he had was hell bent on it, he was not going to let this foolish man before return to the Creator. He felt arms on his shoulders, trying to coax him to his feet. He batted away the hand, “LEAVE ME BE!” he snapped. Who was trying to stop him from helping Latham???!?! He channeled unconsciously, and constructed the same weave he had used years and years ago, that way, no one could touch him, no one could STOP him from forcing the Rei to wake. Forever it seemed, passed while he worked away, trying to use this alteration or that one, people came and went, but Rialt was oblivious to their presence. Any distractions and he could miss what he had been searching for.

Slowly, the power was wearing at him.. He could not keep on like this. Already, he knew that if he kept going, he risked burning himself out. He hadn’t channeled like this in many years, and knew that he was going to be sick soon. His shield of air collapsed, and he felt arms, pulling him away from the still lifeless body of the Wind Talon. “What are you doing, I’m not done! STOP!” He yelled frustratingly at the man who had pulled him up, but he could barely walk, barely see anything around him, and he certainly didn’t have the strength to fight back. He had failed Latham, he knew…knew the whole time he was sitting there, hovering over the man’s body, that he was beyond any help. But none of that mattered, not a single solitary excuse could keep Rialt from knowing and thinking that he had killed the man. Had killed him by bringing the Ter’angreal to him, killed him by letting Sidivin pick them up, and killed him by walking out of the room, instead of staying to find out what the object was. He knew it was the white and black bracelets that had caused the explosion, though he did not know why.

He could not stand on his own, and he was struggling the whole time against the man who was dragging him away. But there was nothing he could do. Rialt leaned to the side, and threw up. The sickness of so much power had twisted itself into a knot in his stomach. Around him, he saw the faces of other Asha’man, some of them from the Mordero, and they looked away, knowing full well what Rialt had tried to do this day. He had tried to heal Death, and he had failed miserably…yet again. He didn’t even particularly like Latham!! But he could not keep himself from thinking that it was entirely his fault. Sidivin…yes, it was Sidivin who was dragging him away from the former Rei’s office. What were they going to do? Where they going to explain to the towers what had happened? Already he was sure, most of them knew what had happened, at least knew that an explosion had ripped through the Dieb Cha halls. Light knew what kind of rumors that was going to start. Rialt gripped his head, feeling the migraine imbed itself, like a hammer, pounding away and not letting up in its force or pace at all.

((ooc: continued from "Paperwork and Surprises"....because I say it is. :ph43r: ))
A sudden explosion of noise occurred. Laridian jumped, startled.

"Light, what by the bloody flaming Dark One was that??"

He ran to his door, flinging it open as a cloud of dust rolled its way towards him. It was coming from Latham's office. "Light, keep him safe.." It seemed odd to be so fervently wishing for the safety of the man he had just been cursing out, but concern for your fellow Wind Talon was deeply felt- everyone knew there was great risk in what they did, and Shen al'Dieb Cha had seen its casualties. Some men, usually the green ones, even became slightly paranoid, twitching when people stood suddenly, or jumping at a hand from behind them. There was great concern because it could happen to anyone testing ter'angreal, at any time. Your time to return to the Creator could be tomorrow, in your offices. And it seemed as if the Creator may have called home Latham today.

Running closer, he could just make out a large man running inside, and another sprawled on the floor, just getting up. He kneeled down, and recognized Sidivin Yahbree, Rei of the Black Stones. What was he doing here? Laridian knew a bare minimum of Healing, but he seemed alright, and he was already getting up. Deciding to move on, he ran into the smoking wreckage that was Latham's office, and stopped dead. There was the Mahdi al'Tain, channeling for all he was worth over the body of Latham. The seemingly dead body of Latham. That gash to the head looked especially nasty, and the man's eyes were opened and glazed over in a look that screamed of Death to Laridian. He assumed that the Mahdi knew what he was doing, but the fact remained that massive amounts of the power were being wielded around whatever ter'angreal had caused this. Surely that was it- he did not think that Sidivin would attack Latham, although he knew both Rialt and Sidivin held little liking for the man. He discarded the idea immediately and turned to Sidivin, who had just walked in.

"What in the name if the Light caused this???" Sidivin still seemed dazed, but he answered-"The bracelets...the bracelets with the ancient Aes Sedai symbols on them..." Frantically Laridian began scanning the room, looking for what Sidivin was talking about. "Light, man, if you can tell me anymore, tell me! I need to know what the bloody flaming goat-kissing thing it is that I'm dealing with!" Laridian flipped the desk over, but Sidivin ignored him, looking over at Rialt. Laridian followed his gaze, and there, right flaming next to the man was the bracelets. "MAHDI AL'TAIN!! GET AWAY FROM THERE!!"
Laridian was nearing the edge of his rope. If Rialt could not make any headway into healing Latham then no one could, and Laridian could see no change whatsoever in the five minutes he'd been ripping through the room. Someone channeling that much with Rialt's skill would have at least closed the gash on his head by now. They had just LOST the flaming Rei of Shen al'Dieb Cha- they did not flaming need to lose the second most important man in the Towers!! Sidivin started in trying to yank the man away from Latham, but Rialt just muttered at them, concentrated solely on the dead body before him. He threw up a shield, and to Laridian's dismay, the bracelets were within it. Yelling with frustration he turned to face his fellow Ash'aman and others that had come to see what had made that horrible noise. He pointed at two Ash'aman.

"You two! al'Sinoren and Gerindor! Keep everyone at least two paces back from that door and be ready to set up a shield in case of another explosion! We don't know what we're flaming dealing with, and I will risk NO more causualties than we must! NO ONE can enter unless we say so!" Startled by his orders, but already set off-gaurd by the oddness of the situation, they quickly began shooing people back, keeping them out of the blast range.

Laridian Maeronen turned towards Rialt, and strode back towards the shield. He would try reasoning before trying to break the shield down.
Speaking softly, he did his best to reason with Rialt. "Listen, Mahdi al'Tain...that is a corpse. He was a good Ash'aman, and Shen al'Dieb Cha will miss him, but there is nothing you can do can save him now. You are an amazing healer, I know, I've seen it, but flaming blood and fire, man, you can't Heal flaming Death! He's gone to the bloody Creator! Leave him be!" Nothing from Rialt, no hint he had even heard what had been said. The amount of the One Power that Rialt was channeling was insane- it had been ages since Laridian had felt someone channeling that much, with such complexity. The weaves disappearing uselessly into Latham's body were more intricate than any weaving he knew off-hand. Light, the proud bloody fool really was trying to Heal death. Laridian looked over at Sidivin, frustration and open annoyance on his face. Sidivin as well as any other male channeler at the doorway knew that Rialt was pushing the edge of severing himself, especially if he kept on at this pace. Thank the Creator it seemed that the ter'angreal weren't affected by the mere presence of channeling- but if it were by touch, then a mere absent-minded brush by Rialt's hand could set off whatever time-bomb the bracelets held.

Laridian grasped saidin, and gave the shield a quick run over- it was strong, damn him. He pressed at it, looking for a good place to break it, when Sidivin pulled him back. "If you try to break it, he may try to channel even more, and still himself for sure. We'll... just need to wait him out. He'll tire very quickly, going as he is." Laridian paused. The Rei of al'Doon M'Taal was right, but Light, it was maddening to just sit there and wait for Rialt to still himself or blow himself up. Still, Laridian acquiesced, and released the Source.
"You better be flaming ready to catch the bastard, then," he said testily, and settled himself back to wait. Sidivin was right- it wasn't too much longer. It had to be about twenty minutes, although it felt longer. Much longer. It was such a surreal scene- a once overtly extravagant room in charred shambles, the Mahdi al'Tain channeling immensely into the dead body of Laridian's superior officer, and he and Sidivin, standing there, just waiting. They stood in relative silence, breaking it briefly to discuss what the ter'angreal had done. It was good to know that weaves of Air seemed capable of handling it- Laridian wanted as little contact with it as possible. The spectators remained outside, and Laridian thought absentmindedly about having al'Sinoren send them all away, when he felt the amount of saidin being channeled fall. He flashed a look at Sidivin, who ignored him, and moved closer to the flickering shield. It finally fell, and Sidivin proceeded to yank the Mahdi al'Tain unceremoniously away from the corpse. The Mahdi al'Tain then proceeded to, unceremoniously, throw up. Understandable after such a trial. Not that that made Laridian feel any more sympathetic towards the man.

It must just be hard for the bastard to accept his limits, I guess. Well... no harm done, thank the Light.

Carefully, very carefully, he picked the bracelets up with a weave of Air, and, even more carefully, placed them into the leather bag usually reserved as his purse. Drawing the string closed tight, he called one of the two Ash'aman forward. "al'Sinoren, please have some Dedicated bring a stretcher, we need to remove the Rei al'Dieb Cha's body from here and begin a proper burial detail. I believe Ash'aman Sidivin Yahbree will accompany the Mahdi al'Tain to the Infirmary, and I need to remove the ter'angreal, store them properly, and make a report to the M'Hael. " That was if the flaming M'Hael wasn't already outside... Light, so much for his previous thoughts of wine and wenches. The wenches would have to wait, but a quick stop for wine after he stored the ter'angreal would probably not be an ill-placed idea.