Blair walked through the empty broken streets of Paaren Disen trying

not to look at the empty metal skeletons of the jo-cars and jumpers,

and the blackened remains of once towering spires. Jonai had gone to

the Hall of the Servants, mostly to plead with Solinda Sedai to allow

some of the Dashain to stay behind, to continue to serve. Blair did

not think Solinda would agree.

As soon as Jonai had left, Blair had snuck away from the wagons that

waited Jonai's return. He had some one that he must see as well, and

tears stung his eyes as he hurried to his destination.

In the shattered remains of building, Blair found Jim sitting on a

large piece of rubble staring out into space, his eyes glazed over.,

perhaps in thought, perhaps in madness. Blair shivered at the

thought, he had heard of the events in Tzora. His mother had been

among those who had linked arms with other Dashain giving the

citizens of Tzora time to flee before a taint crazed Jaric Mondoran

killed them all. Looking at Jim, Blair wondered if those events would

repeat themselves here in Paaren Disen. But there were no citizens

for Jim to kill, and soon not even the Dashain would remain.

Blair was pulled from his thoughts, when Jim turned to look at him

with his icy blue eyes. Blair looked into their depths relieved to

find no trace of the madness that was sure to come. Jim had been

studying in the Hall of the Servants when Lews Therin had led the

Hundred Companions to Shayol Ghul, and the thereby doomed all male

Aes Sedai...and the world. But it did not matter. He was Aes Sedai

now, and the taint made no distinction.

Already the Hundred Companions tore the world apart in their madness,

and Blair knew that one day Jim would join them in their madness. But

for today, the Jim that Blair knew looked upon him with blue eyes

filled with tears and love.

Blair found himself in Jim's arms hugging the Aes Sedai he had served

for five years for what he knew to be the last time he would ever see

him again until the Wheel turned again. Light have mercy on us, Blair

thought.

"I thought you were supposed to be gone. Solinda said she would send

the Dashain away." Jim said.

"The wagons await Jonai. Solinda Sedai summoned him to her in the

Hall of the Servants." Blair answered. "I took the opportunity to

come and see you again."

Jim wiped away a tear that shed from Blair's eye. He had not cried

since he was four years old, but Blair felt that he would cry for a

long time to come.

"Solinda asked me to help her in her task." Jim said. "The taint...the

madness doesn't grip me yet."

"What task?" Blair asked. Strange to ask Jim that. To serve an Aes

Sedai meant to obey without question to follow where they lead. It

also meant that they saw to the Aes Sedai's health and general well

being. Blair had failed in that task. He could not save Jim from the

madness.

Jim shrugged, "I don't know. I will help her though. She says it will

be the last task that I will perform. She said it would kill me, this

task. It matters not." Jim looked at Blair. "You should get back to

the wagons. Jonai will have finished his business with Solinda by

now. They will wonder where you are at."

"Jonai knows or will have guessed." Blair said. "Why does Solinda

Sedai send us away?"

"Because the Dashain still have something left to do. That is all

Solinda said. She has one hope, one vision, that perhaps we may save

something. Something important. Perhaps my task is a part of that

vision as well."

"I don't wish to leave." Blair said.

"You Dashain have more courage than I, for I could not bare it to

have you watch me die...or go mad. I want to know you are safe. As safe

as anyone can be in this world. Before I die, I want to have the

knowledge that you still live. Please Blair." Jim took Blair into

another hug, and eventually their lips found each other.

The kiss was as desperate and as passionate as the situation, and

they fell into each other's arms deepening the kiss.

Eventually they found themselves on the floor, Blair stripped of his

work clothes, his cadin'sor, till he lay above an equally nude Jim,

their lips locked together as their bodies where locked together,

Blair inside Jim, their passions riding each other.

Blair thrust hard and fast, hands roaming over Jim's well toned body,

while the male Aes Sedai groaned in pleasure beneath the Dashain

Aiel.

Eventually, spent, his seed inside Jim's body, Blair rolled over onto

his back, sweat dripping down his body.

Jim rolled onto his side and stroked Blair's cheek, "Go," he

whispered. "Be safe, be free."

Blair's eyes once again filled with tears, but he gathered his

cadin'sor and dressed leaving his lover, his Aes Sedai behind to face

a choice. Death or madness. Blair knew which one Jim would choose.

Blair found his way to the wagons. Jonai looked at him with knowing

eyes, but said nothing. Blair was not surprised to hear that Solinda

had denied their request. By late evening, no Dashain remained in the

once great city of Paaren Disen.

That evening, Jim Traveled to the place chosen for the task along

with ninety nine other Aes Sedai, men and women both. Young male Aes

Sedai, the taint barely touching them, not yet gripped in the

madness. With them came Solinda and Someshta, last of the Nym. Jim

watched at Solinda placed one of the Seals used by Lews Therin to

seal the Dark One's prison again, and Lew Therin's banner into a

golden chest. Jim had already heard that Lew Therin Telamon was now

known as the Kinslayer. Not for the first time, Jim wondered if that

would have been his fate had he not chosen to help Solinda.

Solinda had told him what they planned, and Jim had shivered at her

audacity. Why create a pool of untainted saidin. Of what use would it

be? Jim did not know, only that it involved a Foretelling by Deindre

Sedai, who was with another group of Aes Seai somewhere else

performing yet another task.

Jim did not hesitate as he drew upon tainted saidin, and allowed

himself to be linked with the others. As the flows were woven by

Solinda, Jim did not see them. Instead he one vision of Blair, a

child with his blue eyes sitting on his knee, and he smiled as tears

filled his eyes and his strength faded away.