Awakening (The End)
Unlike last time, she hadn't lost consciousness by sinking into darkness. Instead it had been the light that mesmerised her, divided her, consumed her, obliterated her. Now she was fading in again, coming out of the light and finding herself lying face down on a cold floor, with sweat dripping off her and tears streaming down her face. She cried yet she was silent. Her face was smooth as the tears rolled down incessantly.
She turned her head and found that she was in the same room from which she had entered the arch what seemed a lifetime ago. Reality did not sink in until she caught sight of the Amyrlin Seat. Only then did she realise what she had achieved. Unlike the time that she had exited the arches following her test for Accepted, she was not consumed by a hatred of everything Aes Sedai for putting her through such an intolerable ordeal. Rather she recognised the reality of the situation: Marana was gone, at least in the existence she led, and what had happened in the arch, although horrific, had been her imagination. That was what she preferred to tell herself, anyway.
She got to her feet and tried to keep her balance, knowing that in spite of her resolve to handle this as best she could, she was going to have to do a lot of thinking about what had taken place in the arch at a later date. For the moment all she could manage was to stand upright. She watched the Amyrlin approach her, and felt a fierce pride blossom on her heart.