Rand POV#

Rand leaves Far Madding via the Caemlyn Gate. Nynaeve Healed his bruises and Lan's broken arm. He feels he is now harder than ever. He rides with Min, followed by Cadsuane, then Alivia and the Sea Folk, then Verin and the other five Aes Sedai sworn to him and the four who are Cadsuane's companions.[1]

Nynaeve brings the access keys. Suddenly Rand can sense the True Source again and seizes saidin. Lews Therin sighs with relief. Harine will barely let him out of her sight, but Cadsuane makes it clear that he must uphold his bargain with her. Cadsuane's hair ornaments include fish, birds, moons and stars.[2]

They ride north to the place where Rand hid Callandor. He announces that he intends to cleanse saidin with the Choedan Kal. Nynaeve will link with him. Lews Therin shrieks that they were never tested. The other Aes Sedai try to argue with him, but Cadsuane just asks where. He says Shadar Logoth and Lews Therin screams and flees.

Rand opens a gateway to a sparse, hilly forest a few miles north of Shadar Logoth. Cadsuane then takes charge. She sends Lan, Nethan and Bassane to scout. She then gathers the other Aes Sedai. Harine and Moad sit on a hillside. Rand and Nynaeve sit down, ready to begin. Alivia comes over and takes the bracelet and rings and the jewelry set from Nynaeve. As Rand releases saidin, he sees a vague image of a face that is almost recognizable.[3] Taking the access keys, Nynaeve initiates the link with Rand, then passes control back to him. Rand forms a conduit of saidar, then begins funneling saidin through it and into Shadar Logoth.[4]

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Elza Penfell POV#

Cadsuane notes that they will feel this much saidar in Tar Valon[5] and all over the world. Merise, Elza and Jahar link. Jahar takes Callandor. Sarene and Corele link with Damer. Nesune, Beldeine and Daigian link with Eben. Verin, Kumira and Shalon link. These circles move off into the trees as does Alivia. Alivia and the three circles form an encircling defense of the hilltop. Merise allows Elza to lead their circle.

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Barmellin POV#

Barmellin is on his way to The Nine Rings inn in Tremonsien to sell Maglin Madwen his plum brandy. As he passes the excavation he sees the giant statue there shining like the sun. He turns his mare, Nisa, and drives back to his farm in terror.

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Timna POV#

Timna is disturbed as she walks the fields of Tremalking. She is troubled that the Atha'an Miere still refuse the Water Way. Even the governors have left to pursue their Coramoor. Suddenly she sees the giant statue glowing like the sun. She sits down and smiles thinking that she might see the fulfillment of prophecy and the end of Illusion.

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Cyndane POV#

Cyndane feels the flow of saidar and knows that Lews Therin found a woman to use the female access key.[6] She would have faced the Great Lord or the Creator with him, but he spurned her. She can feel Moridin stroking her cour'souvra. She opens a gateway and steps into a rolling forest. She spins a web for death.[7]

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Cadsuane POV#

Lances of lightning strike the shield that Cadsuane holds over the hilltop. She would not be able to hold it without the shrike angreal in her hair. The golden swallow in her hand points the direction of the source of the attack.[8] Cadsuane points and Elza, Merise and Jahar send fountains of fire with Callandor.

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Rand POV#

Rand struggles to keep control and wonders how long he will have to hold on.

Demandred POV#

Demandred arrives in Shadar Logoth intent on stopping Rand. He realized what Rand intended once he figured out where the access key was.[6] He notes a shadow starting to cover the city. Gouts of fire streak toward him. He gives up his plan and Travels out of the city, then runs for his life as more fire moves toward his second gateway. He figures that, during the Breaking, women must have developed ter'angreal to track saidin. He sees two women and an old man nearby and wonders who they are. Suddenly he is attacked and realizes that the old man is an Asha'man.[9] He runs again.[7]

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Cyndane POV#

As Cyndane runs from her third gateway, she prays to the Great Lord that she will reach Lews Therin first so she can see him die.

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Osan'gar POV#

Osan'gar pants from the exertion of running. He does not like masquerading as Corlan Dashiva. He never was a soldier. His talents led to the Trollocs, Myrddraal and other creatures. He does not want to be here, but Moridin terrifies him. If he flees, Moridin will find him and kill him. If al'Thor succeeds, the Great Lord might kill both of them. He begins working his way closer to the source of all the power.[7]

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Verin POV#

Verin sees a woman walking through the forest in a color changing gown[10] and thinks that she must be one of the Forsaken. Verin tries to shield her, but the woman is too strong. She attacks Verin, Kumira and Shalon.

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Eben Hopwil POV#

Eben, Daigian, Nesune and Beldeine encounter a woman[11] wandering in the woods. Eben is astounded when he realizes that she is holding saidin. He leaps at her.

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Cyndane POV#

Cyndane sees a woman standing in the woods. Cyndane prepares in case she is a wilder. As soon as the woman seizes saidar, Cyndane sends a ball of fire at her. When it reaches the woman, the web just comes apart. Cyndane thinks it must be some ter'angreal[12] that she never heard of. Then the woman attacks. She is stronger that Cyndane was before the Aelfinn and Eelfinn held her. She must have an angreal,[13] too. Cyndane fights back, determined to see Lews Therin die.

Moghedien POV#

Moghedien is on a high hilltop not too close to the action. She can feel Moridin stroking her cour'souvra. She can see an immense flattened dome of black. She does not care who lives or dies as long as it is not her, but she would like to see Graendal or Cyndane die. She retreats to the back of the hilltop.[7]

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Rand POV#

Rand is sure that he is screaming and that Lews Therin is screaming, but he only hears a roar. He holds on.

Cadsuane POV#

Cadsuane asks Min how Rand is doing. Tomas and Moad have Min and Harine hidden in a depression. Min cannot tell for sure, but thinks that he is in agony. Cadsuane goes over to Rand who is immobile. Nynaeve looks very weak, so Cadsuane Heals her, removing some of her exhaustion.

Osan'gar POV#

Osan'gar reaches the top of a hill and sees Narishma holding Callandor. He also sees Rand. If he can kill al'Thor and take Callandor then he surely will be named Nae'blis. He begins to weave balefire.

Elza Penfell POV#

Elza regrets fighting the Chosen, but she is sure the Great Lord will understand.[14] She sees Corlan Dashiva on a nearby hilltop. Drawing on Callandor, she vaporizes the top fifty feet of the hill.

Moghedien POV#

Moghedien feels no more channeling except for the access key. The battle must be over. The black dome is now two miles high. Suddenly the dome collapses in on itself and vanishes. The wind howls filling the void and lifting her into the air. She thinks that if she survives this she will never be afraid again.[7]

Cadsuane POV#

Cadsuane examines the female access key, now melted and broken.[15] The male access key is in her saddlebags with Callandor. Where Shadar Logoth used to be there is now only a huge hole in the forest. Lan returns and goes to Nynaeve. Min is with Rand. Cadsuane tells Lan that Corele already checked them. They are unconscious and should recover on their own. The wounds in Rand's side are unchanged. Damer Heals the wounded, including Beldeine and Alivia. Sarene is in shock form her near death experience. Verin and Shalon pray over the body of Kumira. Daigian weeps over Eben. Jahar and Damer say that saidin is clean, but Cadsuane wonders if the taint is completely gone. Cadsuane intends to leave as soon as the other Warder return. Now that she has Rand she does not intend to lose him.

Omni#

On Tremalking, word spreads that the Time of Illusions is at an end.[16]

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