Renald Fanwar POV#

Somewhere in the Borderlands, Renald Fanwar watches in concern as stark, unnatural black and silver clouds come and go. His friend Gaffin might think him crazy. Thulin, the blacksmith from Oak Water comes by in a loaded wagon with his wife Gallanha and daughter Mirala. They left everything else behind and are heading north. An army will be gathering and they will need a smith. Renald and his wife Auaine will go, too. He has his farmhands Merk, Favidan, Rinnin, Veshir, Adamad and Geleni gather the animals and provisions. He begins working his two best scythes into polearms. The storm is coming.

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Falendre POV - After the debacle with the Dragon Reborn, the remaining sul'dam and damane, Falendre and Nenci, Surya and Tabi, Malian, Ciar, and Talha have been moved via gateway to the Ebou Dar road outside the city. The bodies of Tanera and Miri are tied across horses. Nynaeve, Cadsuane, Merise and Logain are there, among others. Falendre is still trying to grasp the idea that Anath was really one of the Forsaken. Rand orders Falendre to take a message to the Daughter of the Nine Moons that he still wants a meeting. He will be in Arad Doman quelling the fighting against the Seanchan there.

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Tylee Khirgan POV - Lieutenant General Tylee Khirgan rides her warhorse Duster as her army returns to Ebou Dar, a day away. She is from Maram Kashor, very different from Altara. Her ancestors might have come from here with Luthair Paendrag. She lost few soldiers at Malden because Perrin's plan worked so well. Mishima is from Halamak. They have been seeing ghosts and do not know what to make of it. Karm, the quartermaster, reported that a pack of rations turned to dust. Tylee worries that they are focusing on the wrong enemy. Galgan and Suroth have a single purpose, at least until High Lady Tuon unveils.[1] Suddenly a barbed arrow takes down Mishima and hundreds of Trollocs attack.

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Graendal POV - Graendal lounges in her palace[2] when a gateway opens, nearly taking out Thurasa, one of the Domani Council of Merchants. A messenger enters. He must be from Moridin as Sammael was the only other who knew where she is and she is sure Sammael died in his struggle with Rand. She follows the messenger into a black stone fortress in the deep northeastern Blight. The heat is intense and she cools the area around her with Air and Water. She does not understand why Moridin is focused on killing the other two boys[3] instead of Rand.

Demandred and Mesaana enter. She knows Mesaana is in the White Tower. She gets information from her agents in the White Tower and from Aran'gar with the rebels.[4] Moridin spends his time gathering forces for the Last Battle while Moghedien and Cyndane rally Darkfriends to kill Mat and Perrin. She knows Semirhage is with the Seanchan so she knows the plans for everyone except Demandred. She thinks she would have heard from her spies if he were with the Borderlanders.

Moridin enters. Mesaana and Demandred asked for a meeting to ask for help in freeing Semirhage. Mesaana had a woman spy at the meeting.[5] Moridin says she failed to capture him and disobeyed orders in harming him, so no rescue. He flexes his left hand.[6] Maybe the Great Lord will find some use for her.[7] Mesaana reports that the White Tower is nearly broken. Demandred reports that his rule is secure.[8] Moridin dismisses them then tells Graendal that her presence was her reward for good work. He tells her Rand is coming to Arad Doman to restore order. Her orders are to prevent that. She is not to harm him, but bring him pain of heart, frustration and anguish.

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Rodel Ituralde POV - Ituralde prepares to face a Seanchan army of 150,000 outside the city of Darluna. One of his officers is Lidrin. Jaalam Nishur was killed in one of their last engagements. Ituralde's soldiers are dressed as farmers to fool the Seanchan. Ituralde would have thought Darluna a grand city before he went to fight the Aiel at Tar Valon. The Seanchan army falls into the trap and Ituralde attacks.

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Masema Dagar POV - Masema and his remaining followers, less than a hundred, scramble up a cliff fleeing the area of Malden. He is convinced that Perrin is Shadowspawn. The Lord Dragon appeared to him last night and ordered him to kill Perrin.[9] Masema sent his best tool, Aram, to do the job but he failed. Now he plans to escape from Perrin and rebuild. Faile and her Cha Faile followers are waiting in a clearing at the top of the cliff. Faile orders her bowmen to fire;[10] Masema is wounded. Faile walks up and stabs Masema in the heart while she orders her followers to make sure that Perrin does not find out.

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