Zarin stirred before opening her eyes. She could sense the residue of a weave around her. It took her a moment to identify the figure in front of her as her Warder. Tovra was blazing like the sun, and Zarin had to blink and look away.

It took her a moment to stand, and even longer to embrace saidar. In this state, Zarin wasn't sure how much she could handle, but she was willing to do as much as she could. By the time she had taken her first step, Tovra had sunk to one knee. Through the bond, she could tell that Tovra was alright, but she stumbled over anyway.

Tovra stuck out her hand to stop Zarin, and she did stop. Sitting on the ground next to Tovra, Zarin surveyed the chaos. "You did a good job, Tovra. You truly deserve that cloak." Out of the corner of her eye, Zarin saw a group making its way to the Waygate. If she were anybody but who and what she was, she would have muttered an oath that would have any Novice scrubbing pots for the next ten years.

The enemy would know that was their weak spot. If the Waygate was closed, they would die. The enemy would place most of their forces there. Turning her head to watch, Zarin struggled to her feet. A bar of liquid fire shot out and hit a figure. In front of her eyes, the figure just ceased to exist. Balefire.

Forbidden, feared, and forgotten but for a few, none in the Tower were allowed to know the making of it. A man she was sure was Al'Ric was crawling back. Arrows pierced him like a pincushion. Zarin ignored Tovra and headed to where A'Ric was. Luckily, Healing was one of her better Talents. When she was at least ten paces away, a Trolloc pinned Al'Ric to the ground. Two Aiel kicked the Trolloc back, and Zarin sank to the ground next to Al'Ric.

Before anything else, Zarin pulled the arrows out. The bleeding was bad, and she knew she had little time. Weaving together Air, Water, and Spirit, Zarin placed her hands on the sides of Al'Ric's head and let the weaves flow into him. The Healing had taken every scrap of strength she had left. Her eyes rolled up into the back of her head, and she slumped over.

xxxx

"You did a good job, Tovra. You truly deserve that cloak." Tovra murmured a small nothing as Zarin sat beside her. She lifted her head, watching the mêlée. Tovar, breathed heavily, trying to muster her strength. The storm's not over yet, she reminded herself sternly. Closing her eyes, she relaxed a moment. Her eyes snapped open as white light lanced through her lids, throwing up an arm to protect against the sudden wave of light. Balefire, she thought in awe, staring up at Zarin. But it was outlawed... She shrugged. Sometimes, you had to do things that were forbidden.

She heaved herself up, studiously ignoring her numb and tired legs as Zarin ran to a fallen man. The Asha'man leader, her mind supplied as she followed, drawing her sword. She was too weak to embrace the True Source at the moment; cold steel was all the protection she could offer. Zarin knelt beside the man, pulling arrows from his body. As she circled, unseen, she winced for him; what pain he would be in! As she looked closer, she realized the man was dying. She faced outwards then, watching for enemies. It would be no use if Zarin died as well. Poor man.

Abruptly, a surge of determination came through the bond, and Tovra whirled, an unspoken cry in her throat as Zarin slumped. Dashing to her side, she caught her as she fell sideways and gently lowered her the rest of the way to the earth. Stupid woman, she thought fiercely, glaring at the man as if it were all his fault.

She stepped to his side hesitantly, watching as he came to. If Zarin thought it was that important... One eye still on her charge, she extended her free hand to the black-coated man, the other hand filled with bared steel.

"Get up," she told the awakening man gruffly, warding off the oncoming headache from Zarin's unconscious state.

xxxx

Floating.... light..... white light....soothing... he floated somewhere on the edge of what? He knew he was injured. Arrows, a sword, a bar of the Sun itself. The thoughts raced in his mind, the part that was still lucid. Voices from his past spoke to him, telling him many things, and nothing. Faces appeared. Some he knew, others were very strange and some un-natural. His spirit was at peace. Flash...

Al'Ric found himself standing in a large room. It was empty. Nothing to be seen anywhere. The only exception being two doors. One door having a bright light shining from behind, the other... he could feel an inexplicable cold, and almost a tangible darkness emanating from it. Without hesitation, he walked to the lighted door. As he rested his hand upon the doorknob, a voice filled his head.

"AL'RIC. THAT PATH IS NOT YET FOR YOU." The sound filled his head completely. Looking around, he was alone in the room still. " DO NOT FEAR DISTANT SON OF THE SEVEN TOWERS, YOUR WAY HAS ALREADY BEEN SET, AND YOUR TIME IN YOUR WORLD IS NOT DONE. THERE ARE THINGS TO BE FINISHED. YOU AND OTHERS HAVE A ROLE THAT MUST BE PLAYED BEFORE YOU DEPART THIS EXISTANCE. DO NOT FEAR THE DARK DAYS YOU ARE IN, OR THE DARK DAYS TO COME. ALL WILL BE WELL WHEN IT IS OVER. YOU MUST TAKE THE OTHER PATH. DO NOT FEAR. I GIVE UNTO YOU A GIFT THAT WILL HELP YOU AND SOME OTHERS IN THE TIME TO COME. GO NOW."

He staggered under the weight of the voice in his head. He saw that the door with the light was gone, and he was now in front of the other door. Darkness seeped from behind it. Placing his hand upon the doorknob, he turned it. The door opened into blackness. Maniacal laughter of a thousand insane voices roared at him like a wave of madness, and he felt himself being sucked into the darkness beyond the doorway. Fighting desperately to hold the doorframe, the voice again reverberated in his skull. " LET GO, BE NOT AFRAID, ALL WILL BE WELL IN THE END." With an effort, he released the doorframe.

Gasping, he opened his eyes. He saw the Aes Sedai's Warder standing over him with her hand out stretched, telling him to get up. He tried to get up, and found that he was too weak to even lift his hand. He felt it welling within him. He could feel that there was something different within him. Something different in the way he sensed Saidin. It was joyous! Straining he lifted his hand to the Warder, clasping her forearm, he allowed himself to be drawn to his feet. Looking at the Warder, he noticed that Zarin Sedai was on the ground. She was breathing, so all must be well. " Thank you, Warder," he said. The joy was too much. Slowly he started laughing. A small sound at first, but it grew louder and more intense, until he was doubled over. It truly was a wonderful day to be alive. The feeling of Saidin was stronger now. He knew that he had been gifted with a new and different connection to Saidin, and that that connection would allow him to do new things.

The Sun was rising, and he could see the carnage. It didn't matter. The Shadow would lose this War, and he knew that he would have a sizeable part in vanquishing the Dark. What a wonderful day it would be.

xxxx

Tovra hauled the Asha'man to his feet carefully, trying not to tip over the unsteady man. Following his gaze to the fallen Zarin, she raised a hand to her temple. She must be bone tired, she thought. I've never gotten this bad a headache before!

"Thank you, Warder," the man said. Abruptly, he began to chuckle softly, growing louder and louder until he doubled up, wheezing with laughter. Tovra edged away from him slowly- could the Taint be affecting him already? A disconcerted look appeared on her face, as she looked down at him uncomfortably. He looked out at the horizon, and Tovra saw the first rays of light strike the ground, a blood-red sunrise dawning upon the new day.

Overcoming her hesitancy, she moved forwards, tentatively placing a tattooed hand on his black-coated shoulder. "Asha'man?" she questioned, concerned. Had the man gone mad? "I'm Gaidar Tovra," she told him matter-of-factly, quickly raising a shield around Zarin. It would be stupid if she was shot full of arrows while her back was turned! Her other hand on her bared sword, she called to the man again. "Asha'man?"

xxxx

Wiping a tear from his eye, while trying to stop laughing, Al'Ric looked at the Warder for the first time in the daylight. She seemed to shimmer with color. Looking around, everything seemed to be in a better and brighter focus. He was not holding Saidin, but his vision made him feel like he was.

The Warder spoke to him, telling him her name. He was still laughing when he heard her call out to him again. With a slight chuckle still in his voice he replied "Hold Gaidin. I know what you are thinking. I am not mad, and really don't think I will be." The memory of the voice and the room was still strong in his head. He was confident in his feelings. He knew that there was more to him now than before he had almost died. He felt ALIVE! More alive than he could ever thought to be. He felt the need to have others share in this wondrous feeling.

Looking at the Warder, he wondered...

"Torva. Take my hand. I swear before the light, that I mean you and Zarin Sedai no harm. I need you to understand that when I was on the brink of death, I visited a place, where I don't know, and was told that I must come back to this life, that my time here was not done. There is something different within me. If you take my hand, I'm sure that you will feel it too. I pledge upon my honor, and my name of Al'Ric Dai-Shan Mandragoran, that nothing ill shall befall you.

Straightening to his full height, he stuck his hand out palm up to Torva. Looking the Warder in her eyes, he smiled at her." Please... I have to share this Torva... Be filled with the joy and wonder that I feel."

xxxx

"Hold Gaidin. I know what you are thinking. I am not mad, and really don't think I will be." Tovra bristled, balanced on the balls of her feet. Gaidin? Maybe he was mad... Did you know if you were mad or not?

"Torva. Take my hand." Tovra looked at him sideways. Definitely mad, she thought decisively. "...If you take my hand, I'm sure that you will feel it too..." Well, at least he pledged. But if he was lying, she would run him through, Asha'man or no Asha'man. He straightened then sticking out his hand.

"Please.... I have to share this Torva.... Be filled with the joy and wonder that I feel." This time, she easily restrained her emotions, reciting her name in her head. This man will have me saying my own name wrong, if I'm not careful! she thought lightly. Al'Ric smiled at her then, looking at her encouragingly.

Hitching her shoulders unconsciously, she tentatively reached out a cool. What harm can it do? Just in case, she embraced the Source, readying flows of Air and Spirit. Her mind decided, she lowered her hand into his.

xxxx

Zarin opened her eyes and blinked slowly. Moving her head to the right and left, she could see dead bodies everywhere. Out of the corner of her eye, Zarin saw Tovra grasp Al'Ric's hand. Apprehension came through the bond in a steady stream.

Hearing a rumble in her stomach, Zarin started to push herself up with one hand. It collapsed under her, and Zarin muttered an oath. Apparently, she had laid on it while she slept. Now she couldn't feel her fingers if her life depended on it.

Embracing saidar, Zarin did nothing with it; she simply held it. The feeling of life that saidar gave filled her. Zarin yearned to draw more, but she kept it to a small trickle. As weak as she was yet, more than that would overwhelm her. Abandoning more attempts to rise, Zarin stayed where she was and watched the blue sky.