The Gathering Storm: Chapter 22
The Last That Could Be Done
Point of View: Rand
Characters: Rand, Semirhage, Min, Shaidar Haran, Rodel Ituralde, Bashere, and Elza
Location: Tellaen's manor (Rand's hideout in Arad Doman), and the Saldaean plains near the foothills of the Mountains of Dhoom
Semirhage sits in her cell dwelling on how her reputation has been ruined. After a few moments Shaidar Haran appears. He rebukes her for harming al'Thor, but remover her shield and tells her that she has been given one more chance. When she leaves the cell, a member of the Black Ajah is waiting by the bodies of her three guards. She has compulsion in her mind and has the Domination Band for Semirhage.
Rand rides through the Saldean grasslands near the Blight with Rodel Ituralde. They, on Bashere's recommendation, are going to see the edge of the Blight. After telling Rodel that he wants daily deports, he travels back to the manor house in Arad Doman. While Rand is thinking about dying, to his surprise, Lews Therin tells him that Min's theory about breaking the seals is right.
Rand enters his rooms and fins Min reading. They discuss laughter and Cadsuane, and Rand gets annoyed that a serving woman is there during this. After a few more moments of conversation, the serving woman, who turns out to be Semirhage in disguise, puts the Domination Band around Rand's neck. Min throws a knife at her and yells for help, but to no avail. Elza enters the room and takes the other bracelet of the Domination Band, turning out to be the Black Sister from earlier.
Semirhage forces Rand to torture Min until he begs her to stop. She then forces him to start to strangle her with his own hands. Something inside him "breaks," and he no longer feels anything. Rand senses a new power and takes a hold of it. Lews Therin "runs" away screaming that it is "HIM!"
Rand frees himself and balefires Semirhage and Elza, then reluctantly releases this new power. Rand tells Min that the last that could be done to him, has been done. He thinks that where he had been steel, he was now Cuendillar.
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