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| <<< Drifting >>> |
| Setting: Pit of Doom, Tel'aran'rhiod, The Blight, Thakan'dar |
Summary[]
- Point of view: Rand al'Thor
Rand finds himself standing outside of time and the Pattern. He sees his interpretation of the Pattern and the emptiness around. He manages to anchor himself lightly in the Pattern to avoid being drawn into emptiness and to be able to perceive time.
He realizes this will be far more than a simple sword fight, as Moridin had led him to believe. The Dark One, addressing Rand as Adversary, agrees saying that Moridin was of him, but his eyes were too small. Lews Therin had no experience with the Dark one talking to him; Rand considers this a good sign. The Dark One brings his force against Rand. The real battle starts.
- Point of view: Perrin Aybara
Slayer's arrow had impaled Perrin from shoulder to back. Weak and confused, he has shifted to an unfamiliar location with strange trees around him. He is even too weak to imagine the arrow out of his shoulder. He contacts nearby wolves, but they're completely unfamiliar with Wolfbrothers and shove him out of their minds. Cyndane arrives and looks down at Perrin in disappointment. He begs her for help. But, realizing Perrin is not the strong ally she hoped for, she vanishes.
In a daze, he shifts to the Field of Merrilor hoping to find Faile. Once there, he realizes she can't be there since he's in the wolf dream. He recalls the portal Rand had ordered to be made in Merrilor, if only he could last. Perrin collapses and begins drifting into nothingness thinking, "At least... at least I was there for Rand."
- Point of view: Zarine ni Bashere t'Aybara
Some hundred Band guards, Cha Faile, and caravan workers finally make camp for the night. Faile gathers Mandevwin, Aravine, Harnan, Setalle, and Arrela to discuss why Berisha sent them into the Blight and where they are located. Was it the trap of a Darkfriend or merely a mistake during the chaos of the bubble of evil? Faile thinks Berisha's wound was intentionally from a knife instead of accidentally from a spike. She asks Setalle whether an Aes Sedai could trace them. Setalle explains tracing is possible by reading a weave's residue, but residues only last a few days and reading them is a rare talent. Faile suspects Setalle is a former Aes Sedai due to the unusual knowledge and authority she projects.
They decide to wait one day for rescue before traveling onwards. A months-long escape southwards isn't realistic, given that two caravan workers have already died from the Blight's common dangers in only one day. Setalle reluctantly suggests traveling east towards the peak of Shayol Ghul. Surrounding Shayol Ghul are the Blasted Lands, which even the Blight avoids. With the Shadow's armies preoccupied with Rand, Faile and her caravan might be able to reach his armies and travel via gateway to the Field of Merrilor. Faile suspects a Darkfriend killed Berisha and still hides among her group.
Privately, Faile asks Setalle how many years it's been. Setalle finally admits it's been decades since she was in the White Tower. Unfortunately, she's been unable to channel in over 25 years so gateways are impossible and walks away. Faile wonders if Setalle is the Darkfriend and plotting to deliver the Horn of Valere right into the Dark One's hands.
- Point of view: Aviendha
Aviendha and the others fought the Shadow throughout the night, including a surprising number of red-veils. They were not truly Aiel since they ignored ji'e'toh. She recognizes one red-veil corpse as Soro. He was kind to a young Aviendha and, as per Aiel custom, left to "spit in Sightblinder's eye".
To avoid exhausting the channelers, Aviendha had setup a system of rotating circle members. Currently, she held the turtle brooch angreal in a circle with Flinn, Sarene, Kiruna, and Faeldrin. Their circle heads towards fire flashing along the side of the valley, until Aviendha raises a hand. She sneaks onwards alone and Delves each corpse to ensure no one is playing dead. Aiel and red-veils continuously rove the valley trying to best each other. A group of siswai'aman rush against two red-veil channelers, but are hurled back by a blast of Earth. Aviendha quickly strikes back with weaves of Fire and Earth, killing them.
Despite her lack of skill in Healing, she saves one siswai'aman from bleeding out from a throat wound when a shock goes through her. One of her wells of power vanishes from the circle. She immediately releases the circle and dashes back only to find the smoldering corpses of Kiruna and Faeldrin. Hessalam smiles with Sarene under Compulsion while her warder lies at her feet. They vanish by twisting in upon themselves, again Traveling without a gateway. Flinn has survived but his left arm has been burned away. Aviendha tries to Heal him, but he slips into unconsciousness.
Characters[]
- Rand al'Thor
- The Dark One
- Perrin Aybara
- Cyndane
- Zarine ni Bashere t'Aybara
- Mandevwin
- Aravine Carnel
- Harnan
- Setalle Anan
- Arrela Shiego
- Aviendha
- Soro
- Sarene Nemdahl
- Damer Flinn
- Kiruna Nachiman
- Faeldrin Harella
- Hessalam