The Fires of Heaven: Chapter 3
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Author: Val a'Shain
Chapter Icon: Five dice, arranged in a ring
Summary
Rand's Point of View:
Setting: Rhuidean, the Aiel Waste
Rand seizes saidin and snatches Jasin up from his cushions. Furiously he warns the Forsaken never to channel in front of other people again. Rand can't see the shield that prevents Asmodean, no, he must think of him as Jasin, from channeling more than a trickle but he knows the man is not a threat. Asmodean tells him they wouldn't suspect anyway. Women can't see the flows woven by men. Rand uses the captured Forsaken to teach him. Only a man who can channel can do that and the only men who can Rand has come across are the Forsaken. Not much of a choice but he must learn.
Asmodean isn't much of a teacher. The process is frustrating Rand but he will get as much information out of the man as he can. He asks again about the other Forsaken but Asmodean can't provide much new information on them. Conversation turns to linking. Why can women link without men but men can't without women? Asmodean doesn't seem to know. He doesn't seem to think his chances of survival, or Rand's for that matter, are very big. He intends to kill himself before the Dark One breaks free and deals out a punishment for Asmodean's betrayal.
A group of Maidens walk into the room to get Rand. Like the clan chiefs the Maidens are uneasy about the change Rand has brought. Not only the bleakness but quite a few of them have given up the spear to marry recently. Rand knows what the cause of that is. He weaves a trap so Asmodean can't escape and follows the Maidens.
Mat's Point of View:
Setting: Rhuidean, the Aiel Waste
Characters: Rand, Asmodean, Adelin, Enaila, Mat, Corman, Melindhra
Mat is pleasantly drunk, sitting beside a campfire near Kadere's men singing a song to himself. When one of Kadere's men makes a comment about it he realizes nobody has heard it in a long time. The memories he got are getting harder and harder to separate from his own. At least he wasn't using the Old Tongue again.
Mat has been playing a knife throwing game with the Aiel. His luck is so good nobody will play dice with him anymore. His winnings in this game are good as well though. Corman, one of the Aiel he has been playing with wants to stop because the light is failing. Mat says he could do it blindfolded. Without even betting on it he demonstrates it. Corman makes it clear he will not gamble with Mat anymore.
A Maiden comes up to him and asks if he can do that every time. Mat answers truthfully he can do it most of the time. On an impulse he digs into his winnings and gives the woman, who has introduced herself as Melindhra a necklace. She tells him she accepts his offer. Not that Mat knows what offer he made exactly. Aiel are strange people.
Mat sees Rand approaching in the company of a few Maidens, he recognizes Adelin and Enaila. He tells Melindhra he'll be right back. Rand doesn't seem to hear him when Mat calls after him. Not until he uses the name Lews Therin anyway. Mat tells Rand of his intention to leave with Kadere. Rand won't try to stop him but suggests the Pattern might. He also tells him not to trust Kadere. Melindhra catches up with him when Rand moves on. She tells him he has attracted her interest. Mat wants to know if Daughter of the Nine Moons means anything to her. It doesn't but she does know a few entertaining things to do by the moonlight.
Notes
This section contains Notes on this Chapter which may contain spoilers. Please expand to view.
Visions and Prophecies
- Aiel Prophecies
- "Our prophecy says only that the Stone must fall before He Who Comes With the Dawn appears to take us back to what was ours."