What would have happened if... Rand and Sammael
killed each other in Shadar Logoth
The flows needed to balefire gathered themselves
almost without Rand being aware of it. And he was
ready to weave it when he saw flows of saidin
reaching for the figure in front of the gateway.
The image of the Forsaken dissipated in the air.
An illusion, he searched for the source of those
weaves as he felt a gateway being woven.
Throwing himself forward he draw his sword and
whirled to face Sammael, the Forsaken steeped
through the gateway, a once handsome man but now
with a scar that lingered from hairline to jaw.
Rand remembered the day he gave Sammael that scar
when he betrayed the light on Rorn M'doi. The man
carried a sword black as midnight, Sammael was
the one who forged it, with the aid thirty-one
dreadlords and thirty-two Myradraals. It was said
that this sword destroyed the souls of those it
killed and knowing Sammael Rand didn't dare to
doubt it. Shadar, that was how it was called, The
Shadow in the old tongue. Sammael was full with
the One Power, he held only a bit less then Rand
himself did. But only Ishmael ever managed to
match him.
"I never thought you could lay your hand on it
again. There should have been something good in
the breaking." Shadar moved like a serpent
tongue, searching for blood. At the same time
Sammael waved Spirit and Fire in order to sever
the shield Rand created. Rand didn't bother with
mentioning it, and answered the parting of silk
with the swallow rising with a blue light. Fire
and Air and Spirit completed the attack, and
Sammael jumped back to avoid the screen of fire
that shot from the floor.
"You will never know what you might find in a
Stasis Box, Lews Therin. Come, it is time to
die." Sammael snarled at him. The moon over the
water met rocks falling over the cliff, and Rand
block dozen weaves that meant to destroy him.
"This time you will not escape, Tel Janin, as you
did in Rorn M'doi and in Nol Caimaine and
Suhadra. This time you will meet justice." He
started to press on, thirteen weaves were his
limit, and he was pushing it. This time he broke
the floor under Sammael's feet, and called
lightings to strike the man. Sammael weave Air to
block the lightnings and Fire and Air to make a
bridge. Rand's sword left a red trail over
Sammael's left sleeve. The Forsaken couldn't
block the wind going over wall, as he should
have. But the Forsaken did managed to kick Rand's
left foot, so the blade cut his arm and not his
chest.
This kind of game they played hadn't shown on the
world for more then three Thousands years, swords
and blades and limbs and the One Power joined
together to create a deadly dance. They were both
experts in that method of battle, Sammael from
the War of Power and Rand from his memories of
the same War.
They moved now on a platform, nothing left from
the tower, a bridge woven from Air and Fire, Rand
wasn't sure which one of them created it. He sent
weaves and invert the flows that hold them in the
air, now Sammael couldn't see the platform they
where standing on. He would have to feel his way
through or he might fall over the edge. In a
moment another bridge appeared and inverted.
Sammael created a bridge for himself. Rand's side
ached, even within the void, a scratch on his
face bled, where Shadar found a hole in his
defense. He couldn't tell for his life how long
they where fighting.
"So you do have some skills, Lews Therin."
Sammael said as he moved back from him, now there
was forced respect in his voice. "Do you care for
this… Elayne, Lews Therin? A girl that looks so
much like the wife you murdered surely would be
an interest for you? Do you mean to slay her too,
Kinslayer? Or do you think giving her Andor would
some how make up for you? For what you have
done?" Rand staggered back, his sword moved to
block Sammael's attacks but his heart wasn't in
it. The Forsaken's word hurt him more then any
wound could ever be. "Do you still so softhearted
that you will be sorry for her death, Lews
Therin? Are you, Rand al'Thor?" If he hoped to
weaken Rand again he was mistaken, a cold light
burned in his eyes, and his only answer was the
quickening speed Rand moved his sword.
"She is probably already dead anyway. There are
still Gholams in this age; someone had kept one
inside a stasis box. And I sent it after her; her
channeling would do nothing to help her against
it. Do you like to have her, I'm sure that I can
manage do it; you want a leg or an arm? Maybe the
whole head?" Sammael's voice was dry, and the
ordinary tone he had used only made his words
more horrible.
If there was a Gholam out there, and if he was
really after Elayne… now Rand gave up defending
at all, sword and limbs joined together to busy
Sammael as he waved a sword from all Five Powers.
He sent it to Sammael, with all the power he
could master, enough to level all Shadar Logoth,
enough to create mountains and move seas. Now it
was Sammael who draw back, eyes widening in fear,
he knew what this weave could do to him. He
severed the weave, but Rand waved another, and
another. Each of them severed, but now Sammael
had to use all the amount of saidin he could
master to defend himself. Rand's sword found
again and again holes in his defense; another red
trail joined the one on Sammael's sleeve. And
then another, just beneath the eye.
"Burn you, Lews Therin." He shouted at Rand as
another weave severed, the Forsaken couldn't
fight with the One Power and with the sword
together, at least not while he had to defend
himself from a weave that was more than deadly to
him but meant nothing to Rand. Then he tried to
attack Rand, with both sword and the One Power.
Rand didn't even bother to split his weaves,
falling on the his back to escape from the
balefire the Forsaken weave he didn't stop to
reweave his own weapon, Sammael gave too much
power to the balefire and Rand's weave reached
its target.
The Forsaken screamed; a scream full of agony and
pain, for a moment there seemed to be two of him,
as the bond to his lord had been severed. Two
images of Sammael, moving away from each other
but after a heartbeat they joined together. The
Forsaken's sword fell, and he seemed to be on the
brink of falling to his knees. His eyes looked…
lost. Saidin left him slowly.
Rand scrambled to his feet, fear nearly break
through the void, if he was wrong about the black
wires he would have been dead. Sammael stared at
him, bitten, but this Forsaken wouldn't find
Asmodean's fate. His sword found its way to the
man's rib, sinking through the flesh to Sammael's
hearth, if he still had one.
Sammael stare at the blade in his chest, "If I
will die, Lews Therin, I will take you with me."
He shouted madly. saidin returned to him, a
raging flood that was more than Sammael could
handle even if he wasn't dying. Rand moved back
when he understood what the Forsaken was doing,
too late he tried to shield the man. Tried to
shield himself from what he knew was coming, but
he tried too late. His last thought was sorrow
that he would be able to tell Elayne and Aviendha
that he loves them.
Sammael exploded; fire hot enough to burn stone
to cinders shot in all directions, burning every
thing in its path. Rand's body burn immediately,
the amount of saidin in him added to the
destruction as white hot lightning connected the
earth and the sky again, as it did more then
three thousands years ago.
A valley was now expanding, a valley big enough
to be call an sea, a river that once passed few
riding hours from the city now poured into the
new valley, promising that there would be a sea
where once Shadar Logot stand.
From the city nothing left, the fire burned
anything it touched, purifying the thing it
touched. Noting left of the tainted city.
Mashadar itself manage somehow to survive the
fire, but had give up as the lightning came at
him, burning the creature that needed the night's
darkness to protect it.
For two thousands years there had been a city
there, those who knew its name feared it, and
those who traveled in it never returned
untouched. Now there was new hope for the place,
burned by fire and purified by lightning, the
place so many years tainted was clean.
On Cairhien, Allanna screamed as the bond between
her and Rand was gone. The grief she only now
managed to control came back ten times as strong.
She wasn't aware of Amys helping her to
seat. "What happened to you, Aes Sedai?" Sorilea
asked in a firm voice. The Wise Ones might be
scornful for Aes Sedai but they knew better then
to think that an Aes Sedai start screaming for no
reason.
"Rand, he is dead." Allana answered, Sorilea
voice affected her as if she had been thrown into
cold water. She knew what she had to do now, that
was the very least she could do for Rand. She
rose to her feet and went out of the tent.
Blinking away tears she knew she would shed for
many nights she walked to the city, she had to
meet Min. Somehow she knew that Rand would want
her to tell his lover personally that he was….
The only chance of humanity had gone, she ignored
the Wise Ones shouts behind her, she had
something to do first.
Rand stood on what was once Shadar Logot, staring
at the sea that was filling beneath him, he was
dead. 'Burn me if I am not dead,' he thought
grimly, memories seemed to come back to him. As
if they were always there but he had never
noticed them before. Memories of old battle
welled up in him. Women he loved, rolls he
himself created but never cared to obey them.
Memories, lives, love. All that came on him, like
a wave that almost crushed him.
He knew where he was, now. And the world of
dreams shifted around him, first things were
first, but after he would meet some old friends,
he had no intention in the world of staying dead,
no intention at all.
-Barid Bel
Elayne watched Egwene sadly as the woman departed
Tal’aran’rhiod; the sense that they were being
watched was stronger this night. And Elayne
didn’t like staying here alone. She wished she
could see Rand, wished she could find out where
Mat bloody Cauthon was hiding. Well, there were
things that weren’t possible even here. She
already sent Birgitte to see what she could find
in the city about Mat. And the only way for her
to see Rand was in her dreams, at least until she
would find out how to make the Bowl of the Winds
work.
She left the dream. Tried to, anyway, nothing
happened. Aghast, she tried to leave
Tal’aran’rhiod again, and again, nothing changed.
Moghedien she thought, The World of Dream was a
place Moghedien knew of more than anyone else.
And Elayne knew very well that she had no chance
facing the Forsaken even if this would come to
fighting with saidar. And she had no chance
either in trying to leash the woman. Desperately
she tried to reach for saidar, and was so stunned
she loosed her grip in the True Source.
"Why under the light would Moghedien force me to
stay in the world of dreams but won’t shield me?"
She murmured, Moghedien wasn’t one to take
chances.
"Sometimes Aes Sedai are so smart that they are
quite foolish." Said Rand from behind her. That
familiar voice she dreamed hearing almost every
night gave her a start, and she whirled backward
so fast that she stumbled on her own feet. Rand
was just… there, catching her; he didn’t seemed
to be crossing the space between them.
"How did you came here, Rand?" She asked a moment
latter, when she managed to take her hands off
him, “You came here in the flesh, didn’t you?
Nynaeve told you that this is dangerous, haven’t
she?” disappointingly Rand stepped away from her,
and from all the things in the world he looked
amused!
"You might say that I’m here in the flesh,
Elayne. But you can’t say I have a choice." He
stopped for a moment and observed her
closely. "I’m dead."
Fear nearly overcame her, it took great effort to
keep her face straight; if he was going mad
already… but then a new thought came to her.
Birgitte had been dead also, but she lived here.
She was a hero, of course, but so was Rand, in a
way. It was hard to be in grief for someone that
stood in front of her. She opened her mouth but
Rand foretold her, "You know what happened to
Birgitte, don’t you? She somehow managed to
survive what Moghedien did to her. Arthur said
that she had been here after Moghedien… chased
her away."
Her eyes bulged, how could he know this… Arthur,
Arthur Hawkwings! This is going too weird for me,
she thought.
"How did you do this, Elayne? I can do anything
Moghedien did, and I know how to do this, but
this only mean that I will kill myself, and there
would be no Tel’aran’rhiod after that death.”
Elayne took a deep breath and started talking,
telling him everything that happened to her and
Nynaeve since Tear. He listened to her carefully,
sometimes asking her a question or two. When she
finished he looked more amused than anything
else. "It will not suffice for me, not one." He
said finally.
"What are you talking about, Rand. If it worked
for Birgitte it will work for you too."
"I’m not a woman, if you hadn’t noticed." He
answered irritably, "Haven’t you noticed that the
bond between you and Birgitte is stronger than
the normal." He must have seen something is her
face because he didn’t even let her open her
mouth. "And yes, here I can be a woman." His body
flickered for a moment, a woman stood in front of
her, a female copy of Rand, then he return to his
body, without slowing the torrent, though he did
looked pale, "So you can forget about this."
Elayne almost grinned, the thought only crossed
her and she didn’t like the idea of Rand
returning as a woman anymore than he apparently
did.
"What would happen if I would link with Aviendha
and then bond you? Will this be suffice to keep
you alive?" The words coming out of her mouth
gave her a start, she didn’t want to share Rand
anymore than she had to, and she want Rand’s bond
at least all to herself. If her word surprised
her they had stunned Rand, "I… think that this
should work. It would be on the edge but it
should work. But we must do today, now if you can
do it will be more than good."
"Why?"” she asked him, of course she meant to do
it as quickly as. Did he think she wanted to see
him continue to be dead?
"There are thing we mustn’t do, I wrote the
prohibitions, and obey them, for long time. It’s
hard to break such habits."
They talked for a few more moments, nothing
important and then she closed her eyes and exited
the dream, she had to wake Aviendha. Rand said he
would give her half an hour before he will try to
duplicate what Moghedien did to Birgitte.
As quickly as she could she woke Aviendha staffed
her into her cloths while trying to dress herself
and explaining the Aielwoman what happened seemed
impossible. But in a half an hour they were
ready, and when Rand appeared, seemingly from the
air and nearly fell on Aviendha they managed to
bond him.
Elayne felt the bond being established, felt the
weakness that was the result of what he had done.
But unlike Birgitte he didn’t woke after an hour
or so, and the weakness didn’t fade or if it did,
not my any degree Elayne could feel. All they
could do was to seat and wait, healing did no
good for such illness. And they sat; each woman
cloud in her own cloud of fears and doubts. Till
the first light of dawn shown through the
windows. Then Rand made the first sound and tried
to sit up, Aviendha was there before he could
hurt himself, Elayne didn’t understood how the
Aielwoman wasn’t as sleepy as she herself was.
They stayed most of the night near Rand’s bed,
worrying. Rand eyes flickered, and he opened
them, blue-gray eyes stare at clearly,
winningly. "So I actually made it." He said, his
hand moved toward his side searching something.
Only now Elayne understood that the old wound he
received on Falme wasn’t there anymore. What more
Rand fixed in Tel’aran’rhiod, where you could
such things easily? She wondered.
Egwene sat on that shaky chair that was still the
best in the camp. She stared at the reports on
the desk that was as shaky as the chair. Stared
at them and for a moment she hoped that she was
mad, thinking that this was only her personal
madness was much better than what those reports
said. The Black Tower was gone, all the Asha’man
just disappeared. But almost a thousands men
couldn’t just disappear in the air, especially
when all could channel. No one knew where they
had gone, or why.
Reports form Cairhien insisted that Rand died,
most of the Aiels seemed think so, but another
report form Illian said that Rand was crowned as
king there.
Rand was conferring with the rulers of the
borderlands, five different Aes Sedai tried to
eavesdrop to the same conversation heard five
different talks. From one that insisted that a
Myradraal appeared and everybody in the room,
including Rand; received orders from it. To
another sister that claimed she heard them
talking about the best way to cook a Trolloc.
Perrin was in Gehealdan, if Suian’s eyes and ears
worth something, but he was escorted by two Aes
Sedai that sent to Rand, and they obeyed him!
What he was doing there no one managed to find
out.
She rised her head slowly when Suian stormed in
smiling, “The blight are burning, Mother. From
the blasted land to the borderlands’ borders, and
all the way from the Aiel waste to the Ocean.”
Before Egwene had time to answer her another Aes
Sedai rushed in, Egwene didn’t remember her name.
But she was one of the sisters that tried to
convince the borderlands to support her.
"The Borderlands had declared for the al’Thor. He
burned the blight as a… a… payment." She sounded
shocked, and Egwene could understand her easily,
if Rand could order his men to burn the entire
blight they were in deep trouble.
And as if she hadn’t enough troubles Leana
entered the tent, no doubt carrying more urgent
news that would need her immediate care. But the
woman looked as if she had been stilled again.
"The Asha’man… they… Rand had conquered Tar
Valon. I had reports that say that…" Leana
suddenly stopped, "Maybe it will be best if you
will see for yourself." Egwene stared at the
report Leana gave her, all the sisters were at
the dungeons, and Elaida and the hall were
stilled and sent to farming! The banner of Light
fly over the White Tower, and Asha’man was all
over the Tower. The writer was apparently a
servant in the Tower, and she mentioned that none
save Aes Sedai and warders had taken any hurt.
Not that somebody was fool enough to try to stand
in the way of a man that could channel. She
reached the last paragraph of the letter and
cursed without sounding a voice, someone was fool
enough. A warder challenged one of the Asha’man.
The Asha’man killed him with bare hands. By the
report the Warder was given a sword and the
reporter doubted if the Asha’man used saidin.
Egwene lied the letter down carefully, "Leana,
summon the hall, Suian go find me Sheriam. You,"
she pointed at the Aes Sedai she didn’t
knew, "come with me." She steeped out of the
tent, all but running. Gawyn was in the White
Tower and she worried about him, he could be
easily foolish enough to try challenging an
Asha’man himself if she wouldn’t be there to keep
an eye on him. But she pushed thoughts of Gawyn
from her head, she could do nothing if the hall
wouldn’t permit her to go. “The light burn that
fool law to ashes.” She muttered, the hall must
let her go!
She had to see Rand, to hear from him what under
the light he was doing!
killed each other in Shadar Logoth
The flows needed to balefire gathered themselves
almost without Rand being aware of it. And he was
ready to weave it when he saw flows of saidin
reaching for the figure in front of the gateway.
The image of the Forsaken dissipated in the air.
An illusion, he searched for the source of those
weaves as he felt a gateway being woven.
Throwing himself forward he draw his sword and
whirled to face Sammael, the Forsaken steeped
through the gateway, a once handsome man but now
with a scar that lingered from hairline to jaw.
Rand remembered the day he gave Sammael that scar
when he betrayed the light on Rorn M'doi. The man
carried a sword black as midnight, Sammael was
the one who forged it, with the aid thirty-one
dreadlords and thirty-two Myradraals. It was said
that this sword destroyed the souls of those it
killed and knowing Sammael Rand didn't dare to
doubt it. Shadar, that was how it was called, The
Shadow in the old tongue. Sammael was full with
the One Power, he held only a bit less then Rand
himself did. But only Ishmael ever managed to
match him.
"I never thought you could lay your hand on it
again. There should have been something good in
the breaking." Shadar moved like a serpent
tongue, searching for blood. At the same time
Sammael waved Spirit and Fire in order to sever
the shield Rand created. Rand didn't bother with
mentioning it, and answered the parting of silk
with the swallow rising with a blue light. Fire
and Air and Spirit completed the attack, and
Sammael jumped back to avoid the screen of fire
that shot from the floor.
"You will never know what you might find in a
Stasis Box, Lews Therin. Come, it is time to
die." Sammael snarled at him. The moon over the
water met rocks falling over the cliff, and Rand
block dozen weaves that meant to destroy him.
"This time you will not escape, Tel Janin, as you
did in Rorn M'doi and in Nol Caimaine and
Suhadra. This time you will meet justice." He
started to press on, thirteen weaves were his
limit, and he was pushing it. This time he broke
the floor under Sammael's feet, and called
lightings to strike the man. Sammael weave Air to
block the lightnings and Fire and Air to make a
bridge. Rand's sword left a red trail over
Sammael's left sleeve. The Forsaken couldn't
block the wind going over wall, as he should
have. But the Forsaken did managed to kick Rand's
left foot, so the blade cut his arm and not his
chest.
This kind of game they played hadn't shown on the
world for more then three Thousands years, swords
and blades and limbs and the One Power joined
together to create a deadly dance. They were both
experts in that method of battle, Sammael from
the War of Power and Rand from his memories of
the same War.
They moved now on a platform, nothing left from
the tower, a bridge woven from Air and Fire, Rand
wasn't sure which one of them created it. He sent
weaves and invert the flows that hold them in the
air, now Sammael couldn't see the platform they
where standing on. He would have to feel his way
through or he might fall over the edge. In a
moment another bridge appeared and inverted.
Sammael created a bridge for himself. Rand's side
ached, even within the void, a scratch on his
face bled, where Shadar found a hole in his
defense. He couldn't tell for his life how long
they where fighting.
"So you do have some skills, Lews Therin."
Sammael said as he moved back from him, now there
was forced respect in his voice. "Do you care for
this… Elayne, Lews Therin? A girl that looks so
much like the wife you murdered surely would be
an interest for you? Do you mean to slay her too,
Kinslayer? Or do you think giving her Andor would
some how make up for you? For what you have
done?" Rand staggered back, his sword moved to
block Sammael's attacks but his heart wasn't in
it. The Forsaken's word hurt him more then any
wound could ever be. "Do you still so softhearted
that you will be sorry for her death, Lews
Therin? Are you, Rand al'Thor?" If he hoped to
weaken Rand again he was mistaken, a cold light
burned in his eyes, and his only answer was the
quickening speed Rand moved his sword.
"She is probably already dead anyway. There are
still Gholams in this age; someone had kept one
inside a stasis box. And I sent it after her; her
channeling would do nothing to help her against
it. Do you like to have her, I'm sure that I can
manage do it; you want a leg or an arm? Maybe the
whole head?" Sammael's voice was dry, and the
ordinary tone he had used only made his words
more horrible.
If there was a Gholam out there, and if he was
really after Elayne… now Rand gave up defending
at all, sword and limbs joined together to busy
Sammael as he waved a sword from all Five Powers.
He sent it to Sammael, with all the power he
could master, enough to level all Shadar Logoth,
enough to create mountains and move seas. Now it
was Sammael who draw back, eyes widening in fear,
he knew what this weave could do to him. He
severed the weave, but Rand waved another, and
another. Each of them severed, but now Sammael
had to use all the amount of saidin he could
master to defend himself. Rand's sword found
again and again holes in his defense; another red
trail joined the one on Sammael's sleeve. And
then another, just beneath the eye.
"Burn you, Lews Therin." He shouted at Rand as
another weave severed, the Forsaken couldn't
fight with the One Power and with the sword
together, at least not while he had to defend
himself from a weave that was more than deadly to
him but meant nothing to Rand. Then he tried to
attack Rand, with both sword and the One Power.
Rand didn't even bother to split his weaves,
falling on the his back to escape from the
balefire the Forsaken weave he didn't stop to
reweave his own weapon, Sammael gave too much
power to the balefire and Rand's weave reached
its target.
The Forsaken screamed; a scream full of agony and
pain, for a moment there seemed to be two of him,
as the bond to his lord had been severed. Two
images of Sammael, moving away from each other
but after a heartbeat they joined together. The
Forsaken's sword fell, and he seemed to be on the
brink of falling to his knees. His eyes looked…
lost. Saidin left him slowly.
Rand scrambled to his feet, fear nearly break
through the void, if he was wrong about the black
wires he would have been dead. Sammael stared at
him, bitten, but this Forsaken wouldn't find
Asmodean's fate. His sword found its way to the
man's rib, sinking through the flesh to Sammael's
hearth, if he still had one.
Sammael stare at the blade in his chest, "If I
will die, Lews Therin, I will take you with me."
He shouted madly. saidin returned to him, a
raging flood that was more than Sammael could
handle even if he wasn't dying. Rand moved back
when he understood what the Forsaken was doing,
too late he tried to shield the man. Tried to
shield himself from what he knew was coming, but
he tried too late. His last thought was sorrow
that he would be able to tell Elayne and Aviendha
that he loves them.
Sammael exploded; fire hot enough to burn stone
to cinders shot in all directions, burning every
thing in its path. Rand's body burn immediately,
the amount of saidin in him added to the
destruction as white hot lightning connected the
earth and the sky again, as it did more then
three thousands years ago.
A valley was now expanding, a valley big enough
to be call an sea, a river that once passed few
riding hours from the city now poured into the
new valley, promising that there would be a sea
where once Shadar Logot stand.
From the city nothing left, the fire burned
anything it touched, purifying the thing it
touched. Noting left of the tainted city.
Mashadar itself manage somehow to survive the
fire, but had give up as the lightning came at
him, burning the creature that needed the night's
darkness to protect it.
For two thousands years there had been a city
there, those who knew its name feared it, and
those who traveled in it never returned
untouched. Now there was new hope for the place,
burned by fire and purified by lightning, the
place so many years tainted was clean.
On Cairhien, Allanna screamed as the bond between
her and Rand was gone. The grief she only now
managed to control came back ten times as strong.
She wasn't aware of Amys helping her to
seat. "What happened to you, Aes Sedai?" Sorilea
asked in a firm voice. The Wise Ones might be
scornful for Aes Sedai but they knew better then
to think that an Aes Sedai start screaming for no
reason.
"Rand, he is dead." Allana answered, Sorilea
voice affected her as if she had been thrown into
cold water. She knew what she had to do now, that
was the very least she could do for Rand. She
rose to her feet and went out of the tent.
Blinking away tears she knew she would shed for
many nights she walked to the city, she had to
meet Min. Somehow she knew that Rand would want
her to tell his lover personally that he was….
The only chance of humanity had gone, she ignored
the Wise Ones shouts behind her, she had
something to do first.
Rand stood on what was once Shadar Logot, staring
at the sea that was filling beneath him, he was
dead. 'Burn me if I am not dead,' he thought
grimly, memories seemed to come back to him. As
if they were always there but he had never
noticed them before. Memories of old battle
welled up in him. Women he loved, rolls he
himself created but never cared to obey them.
Memories, lives, love. All that came on him, like
a wave that almost crushed him.
He knew where he was, now. And the world of
dreams shifted around him, first things were
first, but after he would meet some old friends,
he had no intention in the world of staying dead,
no intention at all.
-Barid Bel
Elayne watched Egwene sadly as the woman departed
Tal’aran’rhiod; the sense that they were being
watched was stronger this night. And Elayne
didn’t like staying here alone. She wished she
could see Rand, wished she could find out where
Mat bloody Cauthon was hiding. Well, there were
things that weren’t possible even here. She
already sent Birgitte to see what she could find
in the city about Mat. And the only way for her
to see Rand was in her dreams, at least until she
would find out how to make the Bowl of the Winds
work.
She left the dream. Tried to, anyway, nothing
happened. Aghast, she tried to leave
Tal’aran’rhiod again, and again, nothing changed.
Moghedien she thought, The World of Dream was a
place Moghedien knew of more than anyone else.
And Elayne knew very well that she had no chance
facing the Forsaken even if this would come to
fighting with saidar. And she had no chance
either in trying to leash the woman. Desperately
she tried to reach for saidar, and was so stunned
she loosed her grip in the True Source.
"Why under the light would Moghedien force me to
stay in the world of dreams but won’t shield me?"
She murmured, Moghedien wasn’t one to take
chances.
"Sometimes Aes Sedai are so smart that they are
quite foolish." Said Rand from behind her. That
familiar voice she dreamed hearing almost every
night gave her a start, and she whirled backward
so fast that she stumbled on her own feet. Rand
was just… there, catching her; he didn’t seemed
to be crossing the space between them.
"How did you came here, Rand?" She asked a moment
latter, when she managed to take her hands off
him, “You came here in the flesh, didn’t you?
Nynaeve told you that this is dangerous, haven’t
she?” disappointingly Rand stepped away from her,
and from all the things in the world he looked
amused!
"You might say that I’m here in the flesh,
Elayne. But you can’t say I have a choice." He
stopped for a moment and observed her
closely. "I’m dead."
Fear nearly overcame her, it took great effort to
keep her face straight; if he was going mad
already… but then a new thought came to her.
Birgitte had been dead also, but she lived here.
She was a hero, of course, but so was Rand, in a
way. It was hard to be in grief for someone that
stood in front of her. She opened her mouth but
Rand foretold her, "You know what happened to
Birgitte, don’t you? She somehow managed to
survive what Moghedien did to her. Arthur said
that she had been here after Moghedien… chased
her away."
Her eyes bulged, how could he know this… Arthur,
Arthur Hawkwings! This is going too weird for me,
she thought.
"How did you do this, Elayne? I can do anything
Moghedien did, and I know how to do this, but
this only mean that I will kill myself, and there
would be no Tel’aran’rhiod after that death.”
Elayne took a deep breath and started talking,
telling him everything that happened to her and
Nynaeve since Tear. He listened to her carefully,
sometimes asking her a question or two. When she
finished he looked more amused than anything
else. "It will not suffice for me, not one." He
said finally.
"What are you talking about, Rand. If it worked
for Birgitte it will work for you too."
"I’m not a woman, if you hadn’t noticed." He
answered irritably, "Haven’t you noticed that the
bond between you and Birgitte is stronger than
the normal." He must have seen something is her
face because he didn’t even let her open her
mouth. "And yes, here I can be a woman." His body
flickered for a moment, a woman stood in front of
her, a female copy of Rand, then he return to his
body, without slowing the torrent, though he did
looked pale, "So you can forget about this."
Elayne almost grinned, the thought only crossed
her and she didn’t like the idea of Rand
returning as a woman anymore than he apparently
did.
"What would happen if I would link with Aviendha
and then bond you? Will this be suffice to keep
you alive?" The words coming out of her mouth
gave her a start, she didn’t want to share Rand
anymore than she had to, and she want Rand’s bond
at least all to herself. If her word surprised
her they had stunned Rand, "I… think that this
should work. It would be on the edge but it
should work. But we must do today, now if you can
do it will be more than good."
"Why?"” she asked him, of course she meant to do
it as quickly as. Did he think she wanted to see
him continue to be dead?
"There are thing we mustn’t do, I wrote the
prohibitions, and obey them, for long time. It’s
hard to break such habits."
They talked for a few more moments, nothing
important and then she closed her eyes and exited
the dream, she had to wake Aviendha. Rand said he
would give her half an hour before he will try to
duplicate what Moghedien did to Birgitte.
As quickly as she could she woke Aviendha staffed
her into her cloths while trying to dress herself
and explaining the Aielwoman what happened seemed
impossible. But in a half an hour they were
ready, and when Rand appeared, seemingly from the
air and nearly fell on Aviendha they managed to
bond him.
Elayne felt the bond being established, felt the
weakness that was the result of what he had done.
But unlike Birgitte he didn’t woke after an hour
or so, and the weakness didn’t fade or if it did,
not my any degree Elayne could feel. All they
could do was to seat and wait, healing did no
good for such illness. And they sat; each woman
cloud in her own cloud of fears and doubts. Till
the first light of dawn shown through the
windows. Then Rand made the first sound and tried
to sit up, Aviendha was there before he could
hurt himself, Elayne didn’t understood how the
Aielwoman wasn’t as sleepy as she herself was.
They stayed most of the night near Rand’s bed,
worrying. Rand eyes flickered, and he opened
them, blue-gray eyes stare at clearly,
winningly. "So I actually made it." He said, his
hand moved toward his side searching something.
Only now Elayne understood that the old wound he
received on Falme wasn’t there anymore. What more
Rand fixed in Tel’aran’rhiod, where you could
such things easily? She wondered.
Egwene sat on that shaky chair that was still the
best in the camp. She stared at the reports on
the desk that was as shaky as the chair. Stared
at them and for a moment she hoped that she was
mad, thinking that this was only her personal
madness was much better than what those reports
said. The Black Tower was gone, all the Asha’man
just disappeared. But almost a thousands men
couldn’t just disappear in the air, especially
when all could channel. No one knew where they
had gone, or why.
Reports form Cairhien insisted that Rand died,
most of the Aiels seemed think so, but another
report form Illian said that Rand was crowned as
king there.
Rand was conferring with the rulers of the
borderlands, five different Aes Sedai tried to
eavesdrop to the same conversation heard five
different talks. From one that insisted that a
Myradraal appeared and everybody in the room,
including Rand; received orders from it. To
another sister that claimed she heard them
talking about the best way to cook a Trolloc.
Perrin was in Gehealdan, if Suian’s eyes and ears
worth something, but he was escorted by two Aes
Sedai that sent to Rand, and they obeyed him!
What he was doing there no one managed to find
out.
She rised her head slowly when Suian stormed in
smiling, “The blight are burning, Mother. From
the blasted land to the borderlands’ borders, and
all the way from the Aiel waste to the Ocean.”
Before Egwene had time to answer her another Aes
Sedai rushed in, Egwene didn’t remember her name.
But she was one of the sisters that tried to
convince the borderlands to support her.
"The Borderlands had declared for the al’Thor. He
burned the blight as a… a… payment." She sounded
shocked, and Egwene could understand her easily,
if Rand could order his men to burn the entire
blight they were in deep trouble.
And as if she hadn’t enough troubles Leana
entered the tent, no doubt carrying more urgent
news that would need her immediate care. But the
woman looked as if she had been stilled again.
"The Asha’man… they… Rand had conquered Tar
Valon. I had reports that say that…" Leana
suddenly stopped, "Maybe it will be best if you
will see for yourself." Egwene stared at the
report Leana gave her, all the sisters were at
the dungeons, and Elaida and the hall were
stilled and sent to farming! The banner of Light
fly over the White Tower, and Asha’man was all
over the Tower. The writer was apparently a
servant in the Tower, and she mentioned that none
save Aes Sedai and warders had taken any hurt.
Not that somebody was fool enough to try to stand
in the way of a man that could channel. She
reached the last paragraph of the letter and
cursed without sounding a voice, someone was fool
enough. A warder challenged one of the Asha’man.
The Asha’man killed him with bare hands. By the
report the Warder was given a sword and the
reporter doubted if the Asha’man used saidin.
Egwene lied the letter down carefully, "Leana,
summon the hall, Suian go find me Sheriam. You,"
she pointed at the Aes Sedai she didn’t
knew, "come with me." She steeped out of the
tent, all but running. Gawyn was in the White
Tower and she worried about him, he could be
easily foolish enough to try challenging an
Asha’man himself if she wouldn’t be there to keep
an eye on him. But she pushed thoughts of Gawyn
from her head, she could do nothing if the hall
wouldn’t permit her to go. “The light burn that
fool law to ashes.” She muttered, the hall must
let her go!
She had to see Rand, to hear from him what under
the light he was doing!
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