The Testing

"Patience is a virtue that must be learned, but we must all be ready for the change of an instant."
— Sheriam Bayanar

Book Index

0 I II III IV V VI VII
VIII IX X XI XII XIII XIV

Chapters

1	The Flame of Tar Valon
2	The Welcome
3	Friends and Enemies
4	Summoned
5	The Shadow in Shienar
6	Dark Prophecy
7	Blood Calls Blood
8	The Dragon Reborn
9	Leavetakings
10	The Hunt Begins
11	Glimmers of the Pattern
12	Woven in the Pattern
13	From Stone to Stone
14	Wolfbrother
15	Kinslayer
16	In the Mirror of Darkness
17	Choices
18	To the White Tower
19	Beneath the Dagger
20	Saidin
21	The Nine Rings
22	Watchers
23	The Testing
24	New Friends and Old Enemies
25	Cairhien
26	Discord
27	The Shadow in the Night
28	A New Thread in the Pattern
29	Seanchan
30	Daes Dae'mar
31	On the Scent
32	Dangerous Words
33	A Message from the Dark
34	The Wheel Weaves
35	Stedding Tsofu
36	Among the Elders
37	What Might Be
38	Practice
39	Flight From the White Tower
40	Damane
41	Disagreements
42	Falme
43	A Plan
44	Five Will Ride Forth
45	Blademaster
46	To Come Out of the Shadow
47	The Grave Is No Bar to My Call
48	First Claiming
49	What Was Meant to Be
50	After

<<< The Testing >>>

Setting: White Tower

Summary[]

Point of view: Nynaeve al'Meara

Nynaeve is ready for testing. Sheriam, the Mistress of Novices, takes her to the silver arches ter'angreal, and the ceremony begins. She has to pass through the arches three times to face her fears, once for the past, once for the present and once for the future. She is given a chance to refuse the testing and become a novice, but she wants to become Accepted so that she can learn at her own pace and ask questions as she desires. Once she starts the testing she must finish; if she refuses to continue, she will be expelled from the Tower without exception.

She goes through the first archway, and finds herself in a maze with no memory of her past. She only remembers an echo of Sheriam's voice, reminding her that the way out will come but once. After wandering through the maze for a while she encounters Aginor. She runs and he taunts her as he chases. Her fear changes to anger and she channels a fireball which strikes him in the chest. They begin a battle and Nynaeve is winning and close to finishing him off, but the exit arch appears. Frustrated, she abandons the battle and leaves. Sheriam tells her that she shouldn't have been able to channel in the arches and warns her not to do it again, as others who have done so have been burned out.

She goes through the second archway and sees Emond's Field in shambles. She talks to the Marin al'Vere, who says Cenn Buie is mayor, and that Bran is dead. There is a new Wisdom, Malena Aylar from Watch Hill, who bullies people into doing things and murders those who stand against her. Nynaeve and Marin plan to get the Women's Circle to stand against her but the arch appears and Nynaeve begins to remember that it is not real. Marin screams for her help but Nynaeve turns and leaves through the arch. Back outside, Nynaeve is shaken and Sheriam explains that the test presents the novice with some compelling reason to stay; she must overcome this and leave to prove that she wishes to become Aes Sedai more than anything else. Sheriam asks a final time if Nynaeve wishes to continue, knowing that the hardest test is to come. Nynaeve steels herself and runs through the third arch.

Nynaeve finds herself in a beautiful meadow in a restored Malkier. Lan is there, and they kiss, but she doesn't want it. Lan tells her she is the queen of the Malkieri, and they have children. Nynaeve desperately wants to get out of the "dream," but begins to get caught up as if it was real. She misses the arch, but then she remembers everything - Egwene alone in the Tower, Rand likely to go mad, Matt and Perrin in trouble, and all of it is Moiraine's fault. She imagines blackthorns piercing her flesh which allows her to embrace saidar. Despite Sheriam's warning, she channels to force the arch to reappear and flees from Lan begging her to stay.

Nynaeve comes out and screams that she hates all Aes Sedai; Sheriam states that this is a common sentiment. Then Sheriam notices her palms each have one blackthorn in them; when they are removed, they leave a scar in the front and back of each hand. This confuses Sheriam greatly, but they can only finish the ceremony. Siuan and other Aes Sedai are in the chamber now to confirm her as Accepted.

The Testing

Contents

Summary[]

Characters[]

In the ter'angreal[]

Groups[]

Referenced[]

Items[]

Fan Feed