|
| <<< To Ignore the Omens >>> |
| Setting: Ebou Dar, Tarwin's Gap, Cairhien, Thakan'dar |
Summary[]
- Point of view: Fortuona Athaem Devi Paendrag
Fortuona muses over the differences between Beslan Mitsobar's quick obedience versus Mat's seemingly chaotic behavior. Mat furiously curses out the commanders and reorganizes their forces in preparation. He baffles the Blood and keeps commanders constantly off-balance with his seemingly erratic, irreverent behavior. Should she have Mat imprisoned because he would never be her rival as per Seachan custom? And yet, there were so many omens nudging her towards this direction. She summons him and proclaims that he is to be named "Knotai". He is also named as Rodholder, which means that if General Galgan fell, then Knotai would assume control over the armies. It also meant Knotai must be included in all war meetings and that General Galgan would need to listen to Knotai's advice and incorporate it into the battle plans.
They learn of the assault on the Amyrlin's camp and Knotai wants the armies to move immediately. As Fortuona is the penultimate leader of the forces, Knotai convinces her to give the order to move. Fortuona seriously considers ignoring the treaty and her oaths to take advantage of the vulnerable Aes Sedai and seize many damane. She holds order in one hand and chaos in the other. Eventually, she agrees with Knotai since she had reasoned to protect this world in its darkest days and destroy the Shadown utterly.
- Point of view: Al'Lan Mandragoran
Lan and Andere await the latest Trolloc battle. Agelmar has chosen a place protected by a river to the west with surrounding hills for archers. The plan is for Lan to be in the middle to hit the Trollocs head-on, while cavalry flanks the sides to break up the Trollocs. Lan and Andere both agree that the plan seems sound with no obvious mistakes. They were killing Trollocs effectively and minimizing their own casualties with carefully picked battles, and yet they were still retreating and unable to hold back the Trolloc advance through Shienar.
Agelmar had complained of troubling dreams, but it was to be expected considering the overwhelming odds they were up against.
- Point of view: Elayne Trakand
According to Bashere's battle plans, Elayne positions her troops on the far northern side of Cairhien to face the Trolloc army ahead. Her entire forces are exhausted but they must rely solely on tired men and Aludra's dragons, since the Kinswoman are reserved only to make gateways to the Mayene hospitals. The overall plan is to destroy the northern Trolloc army ahead and then face the southern Trolloc army a day's march behind.
As she addresses her troops, the sun is eclipsed and cries of despair arise from the army. She abandons her prepared speech of reassurances and instead delivers an impromptu rallying cry. She urges the troops to see spilling their blood as their duty, their passion, their fire, and their resistance against the Shadow. She shouts out they will not only defend, but bring a fierce, furious attack to destroy the Shadow. The men raise their weapons and thump the ground in stoic determination.
Elayne insists on being on the frontlines instead of behind in the command tent since she is one of the few channelers of strength. Birgitte tries to persuade her to protect her babes. Elayne replies that everyone will be slaughtered anyways unless they fight back. She threatens to sever the Warder bond. Birgitte finally persuades Elayne that being in the middle is more effective and out of the initial arrow attack. The unified infantry of Andoran, Cairhienin, Ghealdanin, and Whitecloaks form a massive arc about a mile outside Cairhien's walls. Talmanes and Aludra sit atop nearby hills with the dragons positioned, while the rest of the Red Band and Mayener Winged guards are prepared for flanking maneuvers. The battle begins and Elayne realizes that Birgitte had been right to fear the power of the dragons as they turn the northern Trollocs forces into a red splatter of body parts.
- Point of view: Rodel Ituralde
Rodel Ituralde still marvels at the abundance of troops and resources at his disposal. Despite this, he recognizes he's fighting a losing battle against countless Shadowspawn, including dozens of Dreadlords and possibly Forsaken. Positioned on a ridge overlooking the narrow pass into Shayol Ghul, he prepares to protect Rand from enemy reinforcements by raining down arrows into the natural bottleneck. Zaida informs him that the Windfinders continue to fight the Dark One's tempests using the Bowl of the Winds. Horns alert them of incoming Trolloc hordes and Ituralde trembles on remembering the massacre at Maradon. King Alsalam steadies his old friend. Ituralde refocuses on defending the valley, even for months, to buy the Dragon Reborn enough time to defeat the Dark One.
Ituralde, normally empathetic towards his enemies, revels in seeing the Trollocs shrieking and dying as burning logs are rolled down the valley. The nightmare at Maradon had ruined him, made his hands tremble on hearing the horns of war. So now, he would ruin them. Myrddraal whip the Trollocs into a frenzy, right into a twisted wall of brambles. Ituralde had been resourceful, knowing that he couldn't plant spikes into solid rock and that rock mounds would only slow down the Trollocs marginally. But, relatively light bales of thornbushes with five-inch spikes could be quickly setup by the untrained Dragonsworn. This left the bulk of the Trollocs frozen in the pass where they were at the mercy of boulders, arrows, more burning logs, and anything else Ituralde's forces could find. The Trollocs scramble in the mass confusion only to bleed, trample, and die. They break through after an hour only to hit a second, higher wall of brambles. For now, the Trolloc army retreats. Ituralde had setup seven of these, but did not rejoice, knowing they'd return tomorrow with better cutting weapons and more shields.
Characters[]
- Fortuona Athaem Devi Paendrag
- Beslan Mitsobar
- Lunal Galgan
- Selucia
- Matrim Cauthon
- Abaldar Yulan
- Savara
- Al'Lan Mandragoran
- Andere
- Kaisel Noramaga
- Elayne Trakand
- Aludra
- Birgitte Silverbow
- Talmanes Delovinde
- Rodel Ituralde
- Zaida din Parede Blackwing
- Alsalam Saeed Almadar
- Awlsten
Referenced[]
- Varuota
- Furyk Karede
- Egwene al'Vere
- Artur Paendrag Tanreall
- Tylee Khirgan
- Agelmar Jagad
- El'Nynaeve ti al'Meara Mandragoran
- Rand al'Thor
- Davram t'Ghaline Bashere
- Min
- Aviendha
- Cadsuane Melaidhrin