Winter's Heart: Chapter 35
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Chapter Icon: Ancient Aes Sedai Symbol
Points of View: Rand, Elza, Barmellin, Timna, Cyndane, Cadsuane, Demandred, Osan’gar, Verin, Eben, Moghedien
Outline
Rand and Nynaeve use the male and female parts of the Choedan Kal sa'angreal to cleanse saidin. Meanwhile their companions encounter most of the Forsaken. They manage to prevent them from reaching Rand and Nynaeve. Finally both of them collapse. Jahar proclaims that saidin is clean.
Summary
Rand's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Far Madding
Characters: Rand, Cadsuane, Min, Nynaeve, Harine, Nesune, Kumira, Lan, Nethan, Bassane, Eben, Moad, Damer, Jahar, Elza, Merise, Sarene, Corele, Verin, Alivia
Rand and the rest of his group leave Far Madding. He doesn’t feel connected to anyone around him. Cadsuane gives the guard at the Caemlyn Gate a note, instructing them not to be searched, to wipe clean the record of Rand and his entourage being in the city, and to burn the note itself. Min tries to reassure Rand, but he feels distant, though he tells her that he found what he needed in Far Madding. He fills himself with saidin, and can feel the other Asha'man do the same. They ride back to where he had buried Callandor. He lies to Min about feeling well. He then announces to the group that he plans on removing the taint from the male half of the Source. He explains that he will use the Choedan Kal, which are connected to the immense sa'angreal, one on Tremalking, the other in Cairhien for that purpose. Cadsuane asks who will be using the key for the woman, and Rand tells her that Nynaeve will link with him. Both Kumira and Nesune challenge Rand’s decision. Cadsuane doesn’t say anything beyond where he wants to do the deed, to which he answers Shadar Logoth.
He weaves a gateway to a place a few miles north of Shadar Logoth. Once they are all through, Cadsuane starts issuing orders, and Rand doesn’t stop her. Eben remarks how nice it will be to channel without the taint. Cadsuane gathers all those who can channel around her, while Nynaeve goes to speak with Rand. Alivia comes up to Nynaeve and asks for all the ter'angreal Nynaeve has been carrying around with her. Nynaeve isn't happy about this, but does as she’s asked. Rand then prepares himself, sitting on the ground, cross-legged in front of Nynaeve, who is sitting on a stone the size of a small bench. She gives him the male key, and places the female key beside her feet. She then instructs him to put himself right on the edge of embracing the Source, so she can link with him. Rand releases saidin, but when he does, he sees a faint face float in front of his eyes. Nynaeve bends toward him, but he shrugs it off, and reaches through the male key to the Source, but doesn't seize it. Then Nynaeve reaches through her key, and links with him. She cannot stand the feel of the taint, and she jumps when he takes control of the link. He marvels at the difference of saidar. He stops fighting the current of saidar, and begins weaving a conduit that connects saidin to Shadar Logoth. He forces saidin into the weave of saidar; saidar squeezes into itself, while saidar pushes at, all the while, flowing from the Source into Shadar Logoth. He feels a slight stirring, but doesn't know if it’s working yet. He draws in more, struggling with saidin.
elza's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Shadar Logoth
Characters: Rand, Cadsuane, Min, Nynaeve, Harine, Nesune, Kumira, Lan, Nethan, Bassane, Eben, Moad, Damer, Jahar, Elza, Merise, Sarene, Corele, Verin
Elza watches Rand and Nynaeve as they link. She can feel the amount of saidar Nynaeve is holding, and is both envious that Nynaeve gets to feel that kind of power, while glad that she isn't. Cadsuane gathers everyone together and sends them to their assigned positions. Elza is linked with Merise and her Asha’man Warder, and another Green. She notices that Sarene and Corele are linked with Flinn, and Nesune, Beldeine and Daigian with Eben. Verin and Kumira make a circle with Shalon. Alivia is by herself. Elza asks Merise if she can meld the flows, and Merise lets her. She feels the taint that saidin carries, and she shudders.
Barmellin's Point of View:
Settings: Cairhien
Characters: Barmellin
Barmellin is travelling with his cart full of plum brandy for an inn. He passes by the huge pit where workmen from the city had been digging the previous year. He notices a glow from the pit, and goes to take a look. He sees that it is glowing like the sun, and that it must be the One Power. He runs back to his cart, and goes home, so he can drink all the brandy himself.
Timna's Point of View:
Setting: Tremalking
Characters: Timna
Timna is walking on the island of Tremalking, thinking about the Atha'an Miere and the Coramoor. Suddenly, she notices a great stone hand sticking out of one unplowed hill, and the sphere it’s clasping blazing like the sun. She sits down on the ground with a smile on her face, hoping she may see the fulfilment of prophecy and the end of Illusion.
Cyndane's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Shadar Logoth
Characters: Cyndane
Cyndane can feel the amount of saidar being drawn while she’s talking to a man who will serve her if she truly is one of the Chosen. She internally rages that she could have been at Rand’s side, but he spurned her love! She kills the man she was talking to, all the while mindful of Moridin’s hand caressing the cour'souvra holding her soul. She spins a gateway, using the beacon of saidar to guide her, steps through, and makes her way towards him, drawing on the Source to weave a web for his death.
Cadsuane's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Shadar Logoth
Characters: Cadsuane, Elza, Merise, Sarene
Cadsuane watches the amount of power playing across the sky in the form of lightning. The shield she had weaved holds, but the air within crackles. She can feel the Power channelled some distance away, by using the swallow. Suddenly, fountains of flame erupt in the forest to the north of her. She notices that Elza is guiding the flows from Merise’s group. She then turns her attention to Rand and Nynaeve; Rand still and blank, while Nynaeve sways with ecstasy. Cadsuane’s swallow turns again, toward Shadar Logoth, and she points toward the ruins.
Rand's Point of View:
Setting: Outside Shadar Logoth
Rand is only feeling the surge of saidin flowing through him. He’s no longer aware of Nynaeve. He has to hold on long enough for the taint to start receding, but hasn't noticed a change yet.
Demandred's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Shadar Logoth
Characters: Damer, Jahar, Elza, Merise, Sarene
Demandred steps out of his gateway in Shadar Logoth. He knows what Rand is trying to do, and reasons that if he can undo it, it might kill Rand, or at least remove Rand’s ability to channel. He notices fire coming toward him, weaves another gateway, and jumps through. He starts running toward Rand and the key. As he’s running, he notices a group of people in the forest. One is an old man. The old man thrusts out his hand and Demandred tries to fight off a web of saidin. Demandred tries to fight back, but the old man keeps flinging web after web after him. Demandred begins to retreat.
Cyndane's Point of View:
Setting: Outside Shadar Logoth
Characters: Cyndane
Cyndane is through her third gateway, and she begins running through the forest. She wants to get to Rand, so she can see him die.
Osan'gar's Point of View:
Setting: Far Madding
Characters: Osan'gar
The man who had been masquerading as Dashiva is crouching behind a fallen log, after escaping the explosions that nearly killed him. He muses about his creations: Trollocs and Myrddraal and other creatures. He starts creeping toward Rand and the key. He also muses about Moridin, and how mad he was before being sealed into the Bore.
Verin's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Far Madding, outside Shadar Logoth, Cairhien, Tremalking
Characters: Kumira, Sarene, Verin, Shalon
Verin sees a woman walking through the forest, wearing a gown that shifts colours and jewels. She notices that the woman is making her way toward Rand. Verin is very sure it is one of the Forsaken. Shalon asks if they are just going to watch her, and Kumira agrees they must do something. Verin weaves a shield and throws it toward the woman, and sees it bounce off. Verin realizes that the woman was holding saidar already, and that she is very very strong. Verin also knows that she’s fighting for her life, and she’s come too far to die now.
Eben's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Far Madding, outside Shadar Logoth, Cairhien, Tremalking
Characters: Eben, Beldeine, Daigian
Eben is trying to ignore the cold. Daigian, the Aes Sedai he is bonded to, is leading the circle. He feels the affection she has for him flow through the bond, and his own back. He could feel battle in other parts of the forest. He’s a little irked that he had not been given control of the circle. Only Damer had control of his circle. Suddenly, a woman steps out from behind a tree, asking for help. Beldeine is immediately suspicious. The woman says she hadn't meant to ride so far. Eben’s face drains as he feels the woman holding saidin, and alerts his circle, before throwing himself at her. He feels Daigian draw deeply on the One Power.
Cyndane's Point of View:
Setting: Shadar Logoth
Cyndane slows at the sight of a woman standing in the woods. She can feel the power of the battles being waged, which makes her both wary and hopeful. Cyndane wonders who the woman is…dressed plainly, yet decked with gems. Cyndane throws a ball of fire at the woman, who suddenly lights up with saidar. When Cyndane’s fireball reaches the woman, it simply disintegrates. Cyndane is baffled. Then the woman strikes back, and Cyndane realizes the woman is stronger than Cyndane had been before the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn had her. She thinks that’s impossible, and she fights back even harder. She wants to see Lews Therin die!
Moghedien's Point of View:
Setting: Shadar Logoth
Characters: Moghedien
Moghedien arrives on the scene. Only the thread of Moridin’s hand caressing her cour’souvra forced her to travel here at all. She sees the dome of black rising from Shadar Logoth. She decides to wait and see what happens, so that she survives. She doesn't mind if Cyndane or Graendal both perish. She hungers for just a tiny sip of the saidar being channelled.
Rand's Point of View:
Setting: Shadar Logoth
Characters: Rand
Rand continues to fight against the amount of saidin he’s pulling. He can finally feel the taint moving! He has to hold on!!
Elza's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Far Madding, outside Shadar Logoth, Cairhien, Tremalking
Characters: Cadsuane, Min, Jahar, Elza, Merise
Cadsuane asks Min how Rand is doing or feeling. Elza is still linked to Jahar and Merise. Min is angry, and tells Cadsuane that she knows he’s alive, and hurting. Cadsuane walks over to where Rand and Nynaeve are sitting, looking beyond them to the black dome rising above Shadar Logoth. Rand is still sitting unmoving, like a stone. Nynaeve slips from her seat, protesting that she can’t take anymore. Cadsuane kneels beside her, and uses a little bit of saidar to wash away some of Nynaeve’s exhaustion. She forms the weaves quickly, knowing the shield above them is now weakened.
Osan'gar's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Shadar Logoth
Characters: Rand, Cadsuane, Min, Nynaeve, Jahar, Osan'gar
Osan’gar creeps up and is able to see the people around Rand. He sees the crystal sword held by Jahar. He weaves balefire, laughing softly to himself.
Elza's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Far Madding, outside Shadar Logoth, Cairhien, Tremalking
Characters: Jahar, Elza, Merise
Elza is walking around when she notices Dashiva behind a tree. She has been forced to battle the Chosen today, and feels that the Great Lord would understand why. It is clear to her why Rand must be at the Last Battle. Drawing as hard as she could on Callandor in Jahar’s hand, she creates a huge fireball and send it toward the hill where Dashiva is standing. When it hits, the hill is destroyed.
Moghedien's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Shadar Logoth
Characters: Moghedien
Moghedien can’t feel saidar being channelled anywhere, except for the key. She’s not sure why she’s stayed so long, as it appears the Chosen have been defeated, since the key is still working. She watches the dome rise over Shadar Logoth. Suddenly, she sees something writhe across the face of the dome. It looks like it’s boiling. Suddenly, there’s a roar, and the dome collapses in on itself. There’s a huge wind, which tumbles her against the ground and trees. She thinks that if she survives this, she will never fear anything again.
Cadsuane's Point of View:
Settings: Outside Far Madding, outside Shadar Logoth, Cairhien, Tremalking
Characters: Rand, Cadsuane, Min, Nynaeve, Harine, Nesune, Lan, Eben, Moad, Damer, Jahar, Elza, Merise, Sarene, Corele, Verin, Alivia, Beldeine, Shalon, Daigian, Tomas
Cadsuane drops the ruined female ter’angreal, which is broken in two and melted. The male half is whole, and packed away already. There is only a huge pit where Shadar Logoth once stood. Lan returns to find Nynaeve lying on the ground, underneath a blanket, with Rand beside her. Min is curled up tight against him. Cadsuane tells Lan that they are only unconscious. Damer is healing Beldeine. He had already healed Alivia of a broken arm. Sarene was walking unsteadily from the tiredness and the fighting. Verin and Shalon were beside the still form of Kumira. Nesune was trying to comfort Daigian, who was cradling Eben’s corpse against her. Jahar remarks that saidin is clean. Cadsuane is unsure about that pronouncement. Cadsuane tells everyone she wants to leave as soon as the Warders return.