Ripple Four: Uncertainty
written by Negrath Devir, Bassal Toram and Aynaiss Cuelaen-Walker

Crossing the Yard, heading for the armory, Negrath Devir became aware of an unfamiliar, yet foreboding sound: A slight creaking...up above.

Looking straight up, he had to turn away not to be blinded.

*Not above your head, fool* he chastised himself, rubbing his eyes energetically.
Once he felt able to look straight again, he looked to the roof of the armory...the weaponry...the hall...*

For the longest time he stood there, staring at the impossible; a member of the Tower hanging by the end of a rope from the Warder Hall!

Noticing the signs that defined himself as what he was, he realized with a start that, aside for some as-yet unknown qualifiers...that could have been him.

Uncertain what to do first(up to cut the fellow down, report it to the captain, or simply go about his training so as to better prevent himself from such a fate...and better punish those responsible), he remained staring at the dead body in anguished indecision...

Bassal was going at a sharp jog around the tower to warm himself up before he began some training with his sword whih he had at his side so he didn't have to go back and get it from his room. As he rounded a corner he slowed to a stop and cocked his head to the side. Hmmm I wonder whats so interesting with a shrug he walked towards the Drin'far'ji What is his name? he had found it hard to get to know the other trainees and he only knew a few by sight he had seen this fellow around but couldn't place a name,but his couriosity got the better of him.
He walked closer and began to speak "Hello,not to be intrusive but may I ask what your..." he dropped off mid sentence as his gaze followed his fellow Drin's up and fell upon the sickiening sight.Before I would have found it hard to keep my stomach from emptying itself,but after what I've seen this is quite mild shaking his head to snap himself away from his thoughts and back to reality he put his hand gently on Negrath's shoulder and spoke "Quick go find Captain Ives, or anyone..." with slight reservation he finsihed "I'll see if I can cut him down."

Jumping slightly as the hand landed on his shoulder, Negrath stared unblinking at the other man, then nodded wordlessly.
Throwing a last glance at the sight above, he ran off.

Aynaiss hefted her child up in her arms, rearranging Angel's tiny body against her chest. Aynaiss strolled through the square with her daughter after buying from the market that day. Her twin brother was with her father today, gaining whatever manly-ness he could at being little over a year old. It was still misty outside, the sun not risen enough to burn the excess moisture off yet. Angel peered around with her father's dark green eyes, mouth moving in childish nature, her thumb hidden within it. Aynaiss smiled fondly and pet her daughter's curly hair.

The Tower loomed near and a crowd had gathered, shoving each other and pointing to the sky. Before she could see what everyone was murmuring about, she was somewhat eager to see what the commotion was. A foul stench entered her nose, heralding her Talent of smelling violence, and she immediately knew what had happened. When her eyes caught the figure of a young man, hanging and darkened with blood, her first instinct was to gasp. Immediately after, she turned away and found an edge of a building, shielding Angel's eyes from this violence. Aynaiss placed her daughter down and forced a few cute words to keep her busy.

It took her a moment to discern the face of the man under the dim light, but she recognized him in due time. Luantar cen Thaal? She had taught him just the other day, barely noticing the bruising on him that he tended to have. He had been a Drin'far'ji after all?and his sparring was common and necessary. But Light!?how had this come to pass? A Drin'far'ji, murdered in the Tower. The Grey Tower! Aynaiss murmured a quick word to the Creator and felt for the sword strapped to her side. All of the sudden, she felt much safer for herself and her daughter, even though this was the Grey Tower, a supposed barrier from all friends of the Shadow.

Again Bassal turned and took off at a run letting his legs long strides take him out of the building and into the courtyard. All I seem to have done this morning is run as soon as the thought hit him he loathed it At least your alive to run, now run like the wind and see if we can help stop something like this happening again he reached the courtyard and quicky began searching for any sign of a Gaidin or Gaidar.

Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he spooted Aynaiss Gaidar and he broke into a jog covering the distance between them as quickly as possible. His blood was pounding in his ears trying to figure out what happened and why. He knew the answers were probabley beyond him but he couldn't help think about them. He came up close to Aynaiss his breath verging on gone and spoke as calm as he could manage "Excuse me,Aynaiss Gaidar?"

Aynaiss was caught off guard as a voice piped up in her ear. She had been watching the hanged corpse sway gently in the breeze that had come through. She had shivered, wondering what had done this. Creatures of the Shadow? No, she couldn't believe that they had come into the Tower. Friends of it? That idea was all too plausible and realistic.

She turned toward the voice which had called her name. "Yes," she answered, keeping all anxiousness from her voice. "Do you need anything, Master Toram?"

Chapter One: Dawn to Murder
~Ripple One: The Sunrise
~Ripple Two: A Written Order
~Ripple Three: Where are you, Luantar?
~Ripple Four: Uncertainty
~Ripple Five: One Fine Morning
~Ripple Six: Taking Action, at Whatever the Cost

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