Thus is our treaty written; thus is agreement made.
Thought is the arrow of time; memory never fades.
What was asked is given. The price is paid.
— The inscription on Mat's ashandarei
- For the Asha'man rank, see Asha'man.
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| <<< The Dedicated >>> |
| Setting: Rhuidean |
Summary[]
Rand is living past memories of his Aiel ancestors using the glass columns ter'angreal at the center of Rhuidean.
In this chapter and the previous, he sees a total of nine visions, which reveal generations of Aiel history including that of the Breaking and its origins. The Aiel originally followed the Way of the Leaf. During the Breaking, an Aes Sedai sent them away with a load of treasures in order to get their peaceful people to safety. However, over time this purpose and their peacefulness was lost.
For more detailed summary of the visions see the page Visions of Rhuidean.
Fifth vision[]
Adan cries with his grandchildren, Lewin and Maigran, as they all hide in a hollow. Wagons burn, Aiel dead lay everywhere, most horses have fled, and crates of the Aes Sedai objects are toppled everywhere. The raiders load women into empty wagons, including Adan's last living daughter Rhea. Adan's other children Elwin, Sorelle, Jaren, and Marind are all dead. He fears that rescuing Rhea would only get himself or his grandchildren killed. As the raiders fade into the distance, he surveys the damage and finds his wife Siedre dead.
Sulwin and other survivors demand to know Adan's plans. Adan plans to bury the dead and continue onwards. Incredulous, Sulwin asks how they can go on without horses, water, or food. They are only left with crates that the Aes Sedai will never collect, filled with objects they don't understand, and whose importance is somehow worth dying for. Adan is adamant about the objects and their faithfulness to their duty to the Aes Sedai. Sulwin argues that they are supposed to find a safe place where they could sing the old songs. But, Adan dismisses the old stories, old songs, and old days as lost causes. Adan reiterates that they keep their promise to the Aes Sedai.
Sulwin's followers prepare to depart by unloading crates from the wagons. Adan disowns them saying "You are not Aiel." Sulwin snaps back that they'll keep the Way of the Leaf, implying it's more important to Aiel culture than their promise regarding the crates. Adan banishes them calling them "lost." Sulwin's followers break crates seeking food and gold, only finding more useless objects. Adan surveys the dead, a polished redstone doorframe, figurines, crystal shapes, and Chora cuttings strewn everywhere and wonders. They cannot save all the Aes Sedai objects, but some could be saved. Lewin and Maigran clutch their mother's skirts and Adan is glad to see Saralin survived. Marind, Saralin's husband, died to the first arrow that day, but some could be saved. He cries out that they are still faithful to the Aes Sedai, but begs how long must they stay faithful, weeping into Seidre's chest.
- Point of view: Rand al'Thor Setting: Rhuidean
Rand weeps Seidre's name and is confused because Sulwin mentioned them following the Way of the Leaf and that is not a Aiel concept. The lights from the glass columns are spinning now. Muradin is standing next to him, eyes bulging in disbelief. Both of them step forward.
Sixth vision[]
There are several thousand Aiel but many less than there were and fewer wagons also. Jonai is the leader and Adan is his son. Some time ago, an Aes Sedai visiting their camp claimed that Ishamael was only partly trapped. She had healed the sick but it was too late for his wife, Alnora, who had previously guided him with her dreams. The Aes Sedai left with some of the sa'angreal and had no answer when Jonai asked her where to find a place of safety.
Adan brings news that they met a group of Ogier to Jonai. Jonai is briefly angry over their food that the Ogier are eating which can provide for many more humans, but he knows it is right to share. Jonai discusses the situation with the Ogier who tell him that the Blight has extended southward and that there are Myrddraal and Trollocs there, so Jonai cannot lead his people north. The Ogier ask about chora cuttings and Adan confirms that the Aiel have some which they keep alive by potting new cuttings before the old ones die. The Ogier are looking for a stedding and fear they will soon die if they do not find one to satisfy their Longing for one. Jonai suffers a pain in his chest and tells Adan to take the people south. He tells Adan to keep the Covenant and guard the things for the Aes Sedai until they return for them. He remembers Solinda Sedai and hopes she will understand that he had tried his best; he dies, holding the memory of his wife.
Rand is still confused over references to the Way of the Leaf the Aiel say they follow. The glass columns are now pulsing with light and the air starts to swirl around. Muradin is screaming and clawing at his face.
Seventh vision[]
- Point of view: Jonai Setting: Paaran Disen
Jonai is sixty-three, in the prime of his life, but around him jo-cars no longer work and the ground is shaking from earthquakes. He rushes through the empty streets of Paaran Disen, the greatest city in the world, wearing his work clothes, the cadin'sor. He enters the Hall of Servants where people are scurrying about fearfully and makes his way to a group of Aes Sedai, women only. On the table in the room is a crystal sword, which makes him shiver. The sword is resting on the Dragon Banner, which makes him shudder. Deindre Sedai has just given a Foretelling about important events.[1] Oselle Sedai lashes out at Deindre, angry that the Foretelling is about an indeterminable point in the future and Solinda Sedai attempts to moderate.
Jonai, waiting for the Aes Sedai to finish, goes over to talk to his old friend Someshta, a Nym. Someshta does not really remember him and laments the state of the world. Someshta asks Jonai whether he is a Child of the Dragon, which causes Jonai to wince. The Children of the Dragon name is a misnomer as the Da'shain Aiel serve all the Aes Sedai and not just the Dragon, but many people believe it now. Then Solinda comes over and asks if all is ready and Jonai confirms that it is. Jonai tells her that some of the Aiel wish to stay and continue to serve here, but she tells him to leave and keep moving until they find a place of safety. The Da'shain Aiel will have a part to play in the future, although Deindre does not know how or what.
Solinda asks Jonai about his father, Coumin; Jonai tells her sadly that he has abandoned the Way of the Leaf and has found an old shocklance in order to fight and has tried to convince other Aiel to do the same. Solinda entreats Jonai to keep to the Way to which he quickly agrees; this shocks Jonai as he equates the Way as the very essence of being Aiel. As Solinda returns to the other Aes Sedai she is asked by her sisters if Kodam and his fellows, male Aes Sedai, can truly be trusted. She confirms they have barely been touched by the taint as they are young and inexperienced, and regardless there is no other choice. As Jonai leaves, the Aes Sedai tell Someshta that they have a task for the last of the Nym.[2]
Jonai returns to the wagons just outside the city, thousands of wagons ten abreast filled with food and water. They are also carrying angreal, sa'angreal, and ter'angreal that must be kept from the men who are going mad and breaking the world. Sadly, the more advanced methods of transportation such as hoverflies and sho-wings no longer work and they must resort to wagons drawn by horses. He looks at the assembled Aiel, enough to populate a city, who may be all the Aiel remaining in the world. Many of them come to him to see if the Aes Sedai granted their request to stay and continue to serve here, but Jonai replies in the negative. They are Da'shain Aiel and must obey the Aes Sedai. Among the objects of the Power are potted chora cuttings, which Jonai sees as representing hope for his people.[3] He sees his children and meets his wife Alnora. He asks about her dreams, but her dreams are not about the near future. She reassures him that all will be well. The wagons begin to move on their long journey to safety.
Rand is overwhelmed by the information he is receiving. The air around him pulses with energy and wind is swirling everywhere. Muradin has clawed his face and is now clawing at his eyes. Rand continues forward.
Eighth vision[]
- Point of view: Coumin Setting: A city during the Age of Legends
Coumin is sixteen and participating in his first seed singing ceremony with Ogier during the War of Power. The fields are guarded by soldiers in jo-cars. He goes not believe his greatfather Charn's claim that once there were no soldiers or Trollocs or Myrddraal. Charn also claims to have served Lanfear before she became one of the Forsaken. Charn insists that Lanfear had not always been evil but nobody believes him. Someshta approaches and the Ogier begin singing along with the Da'shain Aiel. Fields of zemai sprout up quickly and Coumin knows that they will be unaffected by the Blight.
An Ogier asks one of the soldiers if there is news and he replies that there is an unconfirmed report saying that Lews Therin has just led a strike on Shayol Ghul. The Bore has been sealed and most if not all of the Forsaken along with it. People are celebrating as Coumin goes to find Charn to discuss the news and the prospect of the end of the war. Coumin is attacked by one of the townspeople for Charn's association with Lanfear. When Coumin finally finds Charn, he is dead, hung by some of the townspeople. Coumin can only kneel and look at Charn's corpse uncomprehendingly.
Rand sees Muradin veiled but with his eyes clawed out. Muradin appears to be biting his own tongue out. The wind is now a ferocious whirlwind. Rand steps forward once more.
Ninth vision[]
- Point of view: Charn Setting: Outside the Collam Daan
Charn is twenty-five and plans to accept the marriage proposal from Nalla that night. He will transfer his service from Mierin Sedai to Zorelle Sedai. A citizen accidentally knocks him to the ground. As they are exchanging apologies, the ground ripples, then the air ripples also. He is concerned because today is the day Mierin and Beidomon are to tap into the new power source that will allow men and women to use the same source for their channeling. As he watches, the Sharom disintegrates and falls to the ground. He begins to run toward the Sharom, knowing he is too late.
Rand is amazed that he saw the hole being drilled into the Dark One's prison. He is outside the glass columns, beneath Avendesora which he now knows to be a chora tree. He no longer can see Muradin and does not expect him to emerge from the columns. He sees something swinging from a low branch of Avendesora and realizes it is Mat hanging from a pole. He channels a sword and leaps to cut the rope, then revives Mat using techniques he learned from Master Luhhan.[4]
Mat finally wakes up and is angry at the Eelfinn for trying to kill him. Mat tells Rand he went through another twisted redstone doorframe but did not get answers. Mat has the foxhead medallion and the ashandarei but doesn't realize they are what he wished for. Mat refers to the script on the spear, thinking the Eelfinn are mocking him with it, but Rand can't read it since it is in the Old Tongue. They agree to leave in the night, only stopping to get a drink before exiting the city.
Rand again sees the figurines with the crystal spheres but thinks it is too soon to take them. A bubble of evil begins turning dust into shivering lines. When Rand attacks the figures that form with his power wrought sword, they return to dust. Mat fights well with the ashandarei but they are injured because there are so many. Finally Rand channels a strand of power into each shape and they explode and are gone. More begin to form as the they run for the fog encircling the city. None of the forms follow them out of the fog. They begin to trudge up the mountain as Rand thinks of the Aiel Prophecy, that he will come with the dawn.
Visions[]
For more detailed summary of the visions see the page Visions of Rhuidean.
Characters[]
- Rand
- Muradin
- Mat
- Adan
- Maigran
- Lewin
- Siedre
- Sulwin
- Saralin
- Jonai
- Oselle
- Deindre
- Solinda
- Someshta
- Willim
- Esole
- Alnora
- Charn
- Coumin
- Tomada
- Toma
- Jom
Referenced[]
- Rhea
- Elwin
- Sorelle
- Jaren
- Marind
- Jaric Mondoran
- Haindar
- Kodam
- Lanfear / Mierin Eronaile
- Lews Therin Telamon
- Nalla
- Zorelle
- Beidomon
- Haral Luhhan
- Moiraine
Groups[]
Referenced[]
Places[]
Referenced[]
Items[]
Culture[]
Sword Forms[]
Notes
- ↑ Likely related to the rebirth of the Dragon and perhaps his relationship to the Aiel.
- ↑ The Aes Sedai are discussing the creation of the Eye of the World, which was created by both female and male Aes Sedai. Rand's party would later meet Someshta at the Eye in The Eye of the World, Chapter 49 and find the Dragon Banner in The Eye of the World, Chapter 52. The traps around Callandor would be similarly set; these two may have been the last great projects undertaken jointly by male and female Aes Sedai.
- ↑ Chora trees can be reproduced simply by cutting leaves from them and potting them; the Aiel begin with many such pots which dwindle over time even as they try to preserve them by repotting new cuttings. After generations, only one remained which was planted as Avendesora in Rhuidean.
- ↑ Rand performs CPR on Mat.