Taylor and the Twisted Game Part 33 (Patreon)

"Who was Fain looking for, do you have names?" Moiraine asked, wondering if she could narrow things down in her own search.

"He had three names, Matrim, Perrin and Rand," Taylor admitted.

Egwene stared at Taylor. "Why was he looking for Rand?"

"Something about one of them being a dragon," Taylor said, wishing she'd asked for clarification of a couple of things before she'd let Shaper experiment.

"As in the Dragon Reborn?" Thom asked warily.

"Might have been," Taylor admitted. "He was ranting."

"That's insane," Nynaeve snapped.

Taylor turned to look at Nynaeve. "I did mention that he was a cultist, right? They're not exactly known for their sanity."

"If Mat is the Dragon Reborn, we're doomed," Bodewhin mused, knowing her brother would do his best to avoid anything that hinted at responsibility.

Egwene shook her head. "I can't imagine."

Thom frowned when he noticed the look on Moiraine's face. "You're here for the same reason, aren't you?"

Moiraine finished her bite of the surprisingly tasty bread. "What makes you think that?"

"You're an Aes Sedai," Thom replied as if that answered everything. "You rarely wander without a purpose and you've been talking to people and asking questions."

"I doubt we have the same goal," Moiraine assured him, knowing that she wanted to protect the Dragon Reborn while the cultist most likely wanted him dead.

"Could you tell if they were?" Nynaeve asked Taylor.

"If they could turn into a dragon? Probably," Taylor admitted, fairly sure that type of magical ability would show up.

Moiraine shook her head. "They can't turn into a dragon, it's just a title."

Taylor frowned as she tried to figure out why they'd call someone the Dragon if they couldn't turn into a dragon. "In that case, probably not."

"The Dragon Reborn would be able to channel to a significant degree," Moiraine said, not confirming or denying anything.

"That I can check," Taylor replied thoughtfully, figuring it was worth checking.

"They're in the common room…" Egwene trailed off as Rand opened the door to the inn, wishing she could tell him to run but equally sure that it was some type of mistake.

Taylor used her inspection ability on the tall, well built and attractive redhead, more than a bit surprised by his large collection of magical talents and abilities. 'If you're not the Dragon, you're his right hand man. Channeling, the ability to grow plants by singing, Dreamwalking, more talent for Spirit and Fire than the rest of the girls, the only one that comes close is Egwene which makes sense considering her collection of talents.'

"Damn," Mat muttered when he followed Rand out and noticed that the blue skinned girl was taller than Rand by half a foot. "They weren't joking about how tall you are."

Taylor grinned as she pulled her attention away from the tall redhead and checked the brown haired man a couple of years older than her. 'Voices of the past? Genetic potential for channeling and enough luck to break Vegas.'

"Don't be rude," Bodewhin scolded her older brother.

"I'm not being rude," Mat complained. "She's taller than Rand."

Taylor turned her attention to the muscular young man that followed the other two through the door, fairly sure his arms were larger around than most people's legs. She used her inspection ability on the man, curious what she'd find. 'Dreamwalker, talking to wolves, improved luck and heightened senses. No channeling abilities to speak of but you're not even close to normal either.'

"Anything?" Moiraine asked.

Taylor frowned when she got the sense that actually mentioning Rand's identity until it was time would cause trouble. "More than I was expecting. Speaking of magic, how do talents work and how much would Aes Sedai pay to increase their talents?"

Moiraine considered the questions for a few seconds. "Talents increase your ability to use certain weaves. For example, despite the stories not every Aes Sedai can heal to a useful degree. Even if they learned the weaves, it wouldn't help without some version of the talent for healing. Other weaves are more forgiving or everyone has a lesser version of the talent. If it were possible to increase your talents, I imagine most Aes Sedai would pay a great deal, why?"

"Because I have a ritual that I can use that has a chance to permanently improve a group's magic which might include talents and I need people to test it," Taylor admitted.

"What type of side effects does the ritual cause?" Moiraine asked.

"Worst case? You'd permanently end up with a magical talent that you don't want or use magic destructively during the ritual because you don't know how to control your new power," Taylor explained.

"What type of talent wouldn't you want?" Bodewhin asked.

Taylor turned to look at Bodewhin. "I'm not sure I'd want a warder in the group with me without a decent amount of testing, you might pick up the enhanced endurance and the ability to sense shadowspawn without the link or you'd pick up the link without the useful bits or some combination that isn't worth it. Of course, there's a decent chance that you wouldn't pick up anything because it's a magical effect and not a natural talent."

"Could you pick up the ability to channel the male half of the Power?" Moiraine asked warily.

"No clue, as far as I can tell, there isn't a gender flag on your channeling ability which means it's most likely on the magic itself. It's probably worth turning an Aes Sedai male and having them channel to see what happens," Taylor mused.

Nynaeve stared at Taylor. "You can swap people's sex?"

"Sure, it's just a bit of magic," Taylor replied as she gestured at 'herself' and changed into a male void elf.

"Side effects?" Moiraine asked thoughtfully, looking at the glowing blue skinned man that looked like the girl's brother or cousin.

"None, it's temporary," Taylor replied in a deeper voice.

Mat stared at Taylor. "That's a bit creepy."

"It also makes a nice disguise." Taylor canceled the magical effect, causing her puppet to change back to her normal appearance.

"It would make slipping through crowds easier," Thom mused.

"What's involved with the ritual and how long does it take?" Moiraine asked.

"Short version? I paint symbols on people and they share their magic from dusk to dawn or dawn to dusk depending on the timing of the ritual. The ritual involves candles, various types of oil and sex," Taylor explained, trying to stay professional about the whole thing.

"What?!" Nynaeve sputtered.

"With you?" Bodewhin asked thoughtfully, not looking opposed to the idea.

"No, just the people that have the symbols painted on their bodies, the more people in the ritual, the more chance for the people to pick up permanent gifts," Taylor explained, figuring she'd talk to the other girl about it when Nynaeve wasn't around.

"You're insane if you think we're helping you with this," Nynaeve snapped.

Taylor shook her head. "Relax, I wasn't asking you, I was going to ask a group of power hungry witches."

Mat glanced at Nynaeve's stick and decided not to open his mouth.

"How many people do you need?" Moiraine asked thoughtfully, knowing she could find some people that wouldn't care about the requirements.

"At least five, less than a dozen," Taylor mused as she sent one of her other minions to buy the ritual supplies she'd need from a new age magic shop in Boston and another one to check the various second hand stores for a pair of drums.

"Is that the upper limit of the ritual or just a space limitation?" Moiraine asked.

"Space and time mostly but I'd rather not risk a bunch of people until I have a better idea of how well the ritual works," Taylor admitted.

"I know some women that would be interested but we'd have to go to the Tower," Moiraine said thoughtfully.

"How long would it take to get to the tower?" Taylor asked.

"Moving quickly, at least a month and a half," Moiraine admitted.

"I've got a better idea, do you have the names of any of your friends in the Tower or people you don't mind spying on?" Taylor asked.

"Verin Mathwin," Moiraine said thoughtfully, fairly sure she'd appreciate being able to conjure the portable library and could be trusted to keep quiet about their strange abilities.

"Give me a second," Taylor said as she used her mind vision spell to look through Verin's eyes, mostly so she'd have somewhere in the Tower to open a portal. "Looks like she's in a stone room with a bunch of books and scrolls."

Moiraine smiled. "She's a member of the Brown Ajah so it makes sense."

Taylor focused on the name and used her summoning spell, causing a slightly overweight short woman with brown hair to appear out of thin air in front of the group. "Verin Mathwin?"

Verin stared at the exceptionally tall blue skinned young woman that was surrounded by something that felt like Saidar but wasn't. "Hello…" she trailed off when she noticed Moiraine and Lan. "Moiraine?"

"I'm going by Alys," Moiraine replied with a hint of a grin.

Taylor frowned when she checked Verin with her inspection ability and noticed her oaths were wrong. "We might have a problem."

"What type of problem?" Moiraine asked warily.

Taylor quickly cast her remove curse on Verin and relaxed slightly when Verin's oaths fell apart and vanished. "Your friend is a cultist."

Verin ignored Moiraine slamming a shield between her and the source, knowing that trying to fight her way out would just result in dying. "What makes you say that?"

"You had oaths about following the directions of servants of a demon or dark god, preparing for his return and not revealing the plans of the Black Ajah except in the hour of your death," Taylor replied.

"Had?" Verin asked, starting to feel a glimmer of hope.

"I broke the curses, mostly because I want answers and I was curious if I could," Taylor explained as she watched the woman for any signs that she was going to do something stupid.

Verin glanced at the rest of the people in the group then focused on Taylor. "In my heart, I'm not a member of the Black Ajah but you're correct, I swore the oaths because I wasn't as careful poking around as I should have been and they caught me seventy years ago. I considered tossing my life away at the time but they'd already shielded me so figured it was a chance to discover their names and destroy as many of them as I could. I wasn't expecting to find over two hundred Aes Sedai and an organization that stretched back to Hawkwing's time."

Moiraine stared at Verin. "You're telling me that a fifth of the Aes Sedai are Black Ajah?"

"Roughly," Verin replied. "It took years to cross check everything, they're a rather secretive lot and they're always recruiting. How did you pull me from my room in the Tower?" she asked Taylor.

"This is why they can't be trusted," Nynaeve complained as she studied the shield around Verin.

Verin glanced between Moiraine and Nynaeve, surprised that Moiraine had managed to find someone with the older girl's strength.

Moiraine shook her head. "That was before I realized the extent of the problem."

Taylor glanced at Nynaeve then focused on Verin. "I have a spell that lets me instantly summon people provided they're in the same world."

"Can you use it on anyone?" Verin asked thoughtfully.

"I need a name and enough of a description or location to make the connection," Taylor explained.

"I know a few dozen names off the top of my head and I have a journal filled with the rest of the names I discovered over the years in my quarters. Is there any way to send me back before people notice I'm missing so I can collect the journal?" Verin asked, knowing Tomas was going to be a bit concerned if she didn't come back soon.

Taylor glanced at Moiraine. "Do you trust her?"

"I'm willing to entertain the idea that her curiosity got her in trouble," Moiraine replied thoughtfully. "We're going to need to borrow the Oath Rod to make sure. Are there any names on the list that we should be aware of?"

"Several but Sheriam Bayanar is probably at the top of the list," Verin explained. "The rest can probably wait until we have a bit more privacy and warmth, I'm not exactly dressed for running around outside."

"Elaida?" Moiraine asked, almost hoping that she was.

Verin shook her head. "As far as I know, she's just sadistic."

"I'm curious, how many of the Black Ajah would jump ship if someone could give them immortality and additional power?" Taylor asked Verin.

"You can give them immortality?" Verin asked, curious about the girl's abilities as she didn't seem to be channeling Saidar.

"No but my friend can make it so they won't age," Taylor admitted, not particularly worried about someone tracking Shaper down to force her to give them immortality. "I'm the one that can increase their magic by using a ritual."

Verin mentally reviewed her list of names. "If you're willing to break their oaths and you're telling the truth about immortality, at least a third of them would switch sides and never look back, provided you can do something about the man claiming to be Ba'alzamon, he's been giving orders since 983 when he killed the last head of the council and he's terrifying."

"That shouldn't be that hard," Taylor replied as she cast her mind vision spell and looked through Ba'alzamon's eyes, seeing a poorly constructed tavern filled with a group of creepy people wearing cloaks and a couple of fades. She dropped her spell when the fades started looking around. 'That's a bit annoying.'

Rand stared at Verin. "You're talking about fighting the Dark One."

Taylor shook her head. "He's not a god or at least he's standing in a tavern talking to some fades and creepy people in robes. Give me an hour to finish hunting the fades and trollocs in the woods and I'll summon him in the mountains and shove him through a portal to the void."

"Can you check the Forsaken?" Moiraine asked.

"I'd need actual names or at least descriptive nicknames but I don't see why not," Taylor said.

Thom frowned at Moiraine. "They were bound three thousand years ago, checking on the Dark One's prison sounds risky."

Elisa al'Vere poked her head out of the door. "Did you get distracted?"

"Just a bit," Egwene admitted, glad for the interruption.

Taylor inspected the new girl that looked like Egwene and grinned when she found another channeler of exceptional strength. "Do talents run in families?"

"Some of them or at least some of the sisters I've known had similar talents, why?" Verin asked.

Taylor gestured at Egwene. "Because her sister or cousin can channel and her talents are fairly close though she also has healing."

"Sister," Elisa replied as she stepped out of the inn. "You're saying I can channel?"

Taylor nodded. "Technically, you have the ability to learn to channel but close enough."

Egwene sighed as she realized she was going to have to compete against her sister. "Are you saying she has more talents?"

"No, just different, she's missing the dreaming talent though she has dreamwalking," Taylor explained, fairly sure she was going to have to toss Verin through a void portal if it turned out she wasn't trustworthy.

"She's a dreamer?" Verin asked thoughtfully, thinking about the ter'angreal hidden in her room that let people slip into Tel'aran'rhiod.

"That's what my ability says. I'm going to need a list of known talents and how rare they are. Can I talk someone into writing it?" Taylor asked, glancing between Moiraine and Verin.

"I'm sure we can figure out some type of trade," Moiraine replied, hoping she could get the spell to conjure a grimoire out of the deal or even flight.

"One of your abilities lets you know what talents people have?" Verin asked.

"It gives me a list," Taylor replied as she headed for the door. "Let's grab some hot cider and find a room, we've got some things to discuss including finding people to volunteer for a sex ritual and trainers for the locals since the Tower sounds overly dangerous and troublesome."

Elisa glanced at Rand then back at Egwene with a grin. "Sex ritual?"

Egwene shook her head then headed for the door.

Bodewhin snickered and followed Egwene and Taylor.

Perrin glanced at Nynaeve then followed before Nynaeve could start ranting.

Mat laughed at the look on Rand's face then followed his friends, wondering if he could watch but knowing better than to ask in front of Nynaeve and not sure what he'd have to bribe Skitter with.

0o0o0

"You had horrible luck Anne," Morgana muttered under her breath as she walked up the steps towards the door that she didn't want to walk through, absently skipping the 'broken' step. She set her bags down and pushed the doorbell with her cane, frowning when she felt a touch of magic in the house, followed by footsteps coming towards the door.

Taylor opened the door after checking the spyhole and smiled at her grandmother. "Grams. Do you want help with your bags?"

Morgana stared at Taylor, trying to figure out when her granddaughter had gotten involved in the family business. 'I guess that explains why Danny wanted the alchemy books.' She stepped into the room and glanced around the sparkling clean room then focused on the feeling of dark magic she could feel coming from the kitchen. "That would be lovely dear."

Taylor hauled the bags inside then closed the door.

"How was traffic?" Danny asked as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Miserable," Morgana replied. "Too many gremlins and elves on the road this time of year."

Taylor shook her head.

"Did you want coffee or tea?" Danny offered.

"Do you have any tea worth drinking?" Morgana asked.

"Not unless you brought some," Danny admitted as the tea kettle whistled, knowing that she always brought tea.

"Of course," Morgana replied as she reached down and grabbed one of her bags as Danny headed for the kitchen to take the kettle off the stove. "I also brought the herbology books that Taylor wanted. Are you writing a report for school or something?" she asked Taylor as she unzipped the bag and pulled her tin out.

"No, I'm probably going to stop going to school before I burn the place to the ground," Taylor admitted as her grandmother handed her the tin. "I'm just trying to find alternatives for certain hard to source plants for a friend."

'She lies worse than Merlin,' Morgana mused. "What happened with the school?"

"Bullies," Taylor admitted reluctantly.

"Have you threatened to turn them into rats?" Morgana asked thoughtfully.

Taylor shook her head. "I'd rather not give the school a reason to charge me with assault with a parahuman power."

"In my day, you could get away with threatening to turn people into rats," Morgana complained.

Taylor laughed. "That's because no one believed you."

"It certainly helped," Morgana replied as Danny walked back into the living room. "What happened?" she asked Danny, figuring it was more than just bullies.

"Emma went nuts and the school covered things up for various reasons which means things spiralled a bit further than they should have, I'm going to have a chat with Alan after the holidays."

Morgana frowned as she considered the best way to express her displeasure with the school administrators and shake some sense into Alan. "Do I need to have a chat with them?"

Danny shook his head. "Let's try to do things the official way before we start calling in favors and losing our temper."

"Fair enough," Morgana admitted as she collected the tin from Taylor on her way to the kitchen.

0o0o0