This is a really odd story... wrote it at three in the morning after I had a dream, couldn't get the plot out of my head... it's a pretty bad fic, I think it verges on a few copyrights, but right now, I'm too tired too care. I don't know whether it's any good... what do you think?
Is it you? Or is it me?
Shalene blinked, screwing up her eyes. She had been in cyberspace for at least seven hours, staring at the computer screen. She was so angry. NO ONE had updated anything! The Mother Confessor still hadn't moved her site off Geocities yet, and the Black Tower RP Message Board and Library hadn't been updated, and it was THREE WEEKS since she posted her fanfic, for heaven's sake! She had flamed Hotmail because the servers wouldn't let her in, and she had to get a new e-mail address to tell them that she couldn't get in!
Reason: Bill Gates servers are so stupid, they don't work! Damn Microsoft. Damn Bill Gates. Instead of the Microsoft slogan, "Where would you like to go to today," it's more "Microsoft. Where does Bill Gates want you to go today, aka, Crapmail!' She thought. And don't get me started on Microsoft Exchange! STUPID PROGRAM. On top of ALL that, a weird guy had had totally torn apart her theory on whether Taim was Demandred*. She sighed switched off the modem. She yelled, coming out of the computer room, "Claudia… what's for dinner? It's your turn to make it tonight! Where is everyone…" she stopped. And turned round. And went straight back to the computer, and connected to the internet. At least I can chat, she thought gleefully. After ten minutes, she wasn't so happy. Everyone is boring! Ahah! Someone new! After another ten minutes, she wasn't so bored. There was this new girl called Amy on the Bronze, and was she weird or what? She claimed to be a Phoenix who could fly. She claimed that she had regenerated herself five times after she died.
OOKKKKKAAAAAAAYYYYYY?
The computer screen went black in the middle of this most interesting conversation and sparks came out of the monitor! Shalene jerked upright and looked around her, feeling like she was being watched…
The Four watchers observed and were silent.
***
Jahrahn parried the sword thrust to her face.
"Nice! Very good.!" Her trainer, Sindel, said approvingly. "Within another month, you will be a blademistress. Now, that's all for today. Release the trance."
Sighing and loosening her muscles, Jahrahn wiped the sweat off her slightly blue toned skin, and shook her blue hair back from her face. She dropped to the ground, releasing her trance state. I have a headache, she thought. At least I was in a Cho-Ja trance. If I wasn't I'd have broken bones! Suddenly she tensed, muscles ready for combat, getting the feeling that someone was watching her…
The Four watchers observed and were silent.
***
Kali'Lys shifted on the edge of the table. Just three more, Just three more, she 'pathed to the waiting mind. Kinetically, she grasped the shattered remains of the three space transport ships that were covering the entrance of the Tower. She sent the debris to the powerful mind and felt the shift of kinetic power flow into it. Do not ask me to do that again! He shouted telepathically. YOU need to recover. A telekinetic burn-out is a serious thing, young lady. AND the Ri need you as their Foremost. DO NOT PLACE ADDED STRAIN ON YOUR RECOVERING MIND. DO YOU HEAR ME, KALI'LYS? The mind snapped across the galaxy.
Even I can hear you, said sourly Iqu'is, Kali'Lys' twin sister, who was half a universe away. I am FINE, Kali'Lys sent harshly. With that, she blocked out all telepathic connections. Still frustrated, she sent out her mind into the empty regions of space, letting her mind fly until she was calm, all the time unaware that her sister was doing the same. True, they were unaware of each other. But that was not the only thing they were unaware of …
The Four watchers observed and were silent
***
Dhjhi paled. "You must, Dhjhi. You have the talent. We are dying out. Our abilities are slowly being culled out of the Shodantra race. We have no choice. You have to join the Red Guild. I beg you. Please." The man in front of her knelt. "Please. I beg of you to join us, I beg on my knees. I, the High D'Aantra, the Supreme Leader and Ruler of the Red Guild. Please."
Dhjhi trembled, sitting down suddenly on her red throne. "But I have a duty to the People…" she paused, then recovered her regal dignity. She changed languages to one her court could understand. "All of you, out. Except the High D'Aantra. NOW," she ordered with icy command.
As all the Lords and Ladies of her court left the Great Hall of the Moon, Empress Dhjhi descended from the dais. "You are damn well lucky that none of my court can understand High Reid, or I would have trouble in the palace." Dhjhi rambled on blindly, trying to put on a show of bravado.
The man laughed in her face. "Child," he said rather amusedly, "you have the talent. You cannot remove it. Do not be afraid. Come. I will show you how to see true. To see the future… Normally, no novice would be able to do this, but you have extraordinary strength. Come." With that the High D'Aantra led the Empress over to the fire and told her to look in it. He droned on, and Dhjhi stared into the fire. All of a sudden, a vision, or fragments of one overtook her with such force that she screamed.
**Three other females.**
***All with the ability to enter the Void***
****Destined to find each other, but in finding, not yet complete****
*****Complete, the Five. Five women in dark cloaks, the hoods drawn up. Nothing could be seen of their faces, but the glowing symbol on their forehead, standing out starkly against the shadows. *****
Superimposed over all that was strange symbol. The symbol that was also branded on each of the female's foreheads. Branded, yet glowing like crystal. This symbol:
À
Dhjhi fell into a dead faint, feeling trapped, for she had seen what Will Be…
The Four watchers observed and were silent.
***
Jahrahn slammed her fist down on her other palm. "We must find her soon!" Dhjhi lifted her head.
"Well, Ja, I'm trying my best, scrying for her, looking for omens. I can't find her, but I know we will find her eventually. It is fate. We are destined to be the Five True Guardians."
Shalene chimed in, "If it is what will be, it will be."
It had been three years since the four girls, Shalene, Kali'Lys and Jahrahn had been chosen. They all had the ability to reach the Void, the place where all things unseen and unknowable were decided. The Void, the place where the fate of all living things was decided.
The girls had been chosen along with many other girls. The Void Guardians, or as they called themselves, the Qu'Handra, five people, male or female, human or otherwise were chosen every hundred thousand years, when the current Guardians were fading.
It was a competition of sorts. The girls were already in groups of four. The first group to find their fifth became the new High Void Guardians. The other girls would become lesser guardians, or leave if the truly wanted.
The only clue the girls received was told to them the first day. "The fifth is already there…"
Kali'Lys shouted, "I've got it!" and had the undivided attention of the other three girls. "What?"
"The fifth member is a part of us, right? So maybe she is a part of our past!"
Dhjhi said, "Of course! I can link our minks so that we all can scry through our past!"
Several days later
"I don't know," muttered Jahrahn, "it can't be anyone I know."
"It could be my sister, but as the Five we are all supposed to have different talents," said Kali'Lys.
"You're right," added Dhjhi, "so it cannot be the High D'Aantra."
"Could it be the Phoenix girl, Amy? I mean, if she's a girl and all."
"I think you're right."
"Shall we go get her right away?"
"No," said Dhjhi. "I have a better idea."
***
"And that was my dream last night," Amy finished.
"Wonderful, you have such an imagination," the teacher beamed at her. "I like the way you incorporated yourself into the dream. How does it end?"
The Four watchers observed and two were silent. The third grinned and whispered, "Yes! That mind link worked better that I thought." The fourth said, "Go Dhjhi! Now our Fifth knows all about us!" They both touched their forehead. The Qu'Handra marks flared bright. À
Sihhequeen
*Author note: TAIM IS NOT DEMANDRED! Out of respect for your sanity, indeed, everyone's sanity, I will not ramble on about why he isn't and why him and Nynaeve make a perfect couple… I'll be quiet.