A/N: Furious George- Why is Rand 12th in line for the throne? I don't know, I got it from the Wheel of Time: Lord of Chaos. I didn't really understand how it all worked, I just copied it from the book.
"Blood and Ashes!" Huin breathed as he stared at the enormous sight in front of him. The trackers hands were gripped tightly around his sword, his eyes wide with fear. Next to him, Tallanvor made a strangled noise, his hands shaking lightly as he gazed upon the army of nightmares. Large rumbles could be heard through the ground as feet or hooves stomped down.
"I have never seen an army as large as that one." Alanna murmured quietly, her hands unconsciously smoothing her skirts. Aviendha and Enaila, who were usually eager to fight or 'Dance', were less than anxious to move from the sheltered alcove as they stared upon the very fortress of Shayol Ghul itself, into the valley
Rand said nothing as he stared impassively at the sight in front of him. Thakan'dar, an eternally fog-shrouded valley was below them, faint grey buildings of foreign design faintly visible. This valley led directly into the dark mountain to where the bore had been created; the bore that had partially freed the Dark One in the Age of Legends and had caused the biggest war in history to occur. A continual low rumble of what sounded like thunder could be heard. Immense heat flowed from the mountain like a living entity, and Rand could feel it from leagues away. The sky above the mountain and valley was dark red, a swirling maelstrom of fire and death and a visible sign of the Dark Ones power. And marching from the fog-filled valleys were massive lines of black shaped figures. Banners flew in the wind, the icons of the Trollocs clans. Skulls, bones, knives and daggers were proudly painted and presented, as black cloaked Myrddraal, hundreds of them and always separated from each other, rode on black horses, their cloaks still in the wind that blew the banners.
"Do you know that nobody has seen what we are seeing for the last three thousand years, those who lived anyway," Alanna muttered softly. "Even Jain Farstrider was only rumored to have come here, it was never proven. Before that, Lews Therin Telamon and his Hundred Companions were the last known visitors. Texts indicate that Shayol Ghul was an island in a calm sea, before the breaking of the world."
"There has to be a million of them!" Huin whispered fearfully. He turned to Rand, his expression pleading and fearful. "Shienar can not hold Tarwin's pass if this host comes to take it! We will fall, just like Malkier!"
"There they are!" Tallanvor suddenly said, his hand gesturing to the pathways from the mountains. A few hundred Trollocs that once would have seemed like an invincible army to Rand were pitiful when compared to the mighty army that was leaving Shayol Ghul. In this host, Rand could see tiny figures…human figures.
"What do we do now?" Huin asked Rand. "My Lord?"
Rand frowned, watching the host carefully. In his mind he could feel Alanna, tense and wary, but also excited. "You're excited?" Rand asked the Aes Sedai in disbelief.
Alanna turned her gaze upon him, her face carefully masked. Only Rand could see the sparkle in her eye. "I am an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah. We exist only to be present at the Last Battle, only to fight the shadowspawn. To me, this is what I was born to do."
Rand thought she was insane, and his thoughts were mirrored by the look of Tallanvors face. Only Aviendha and Enaila looked as if they had understood Alanna, and they suddenly eyed her with a new respect.
"Wait a minute," Huin said as he squinted down at the valley below. "The Trollocs, the ones that have Jania, most of them are leaving for the army!"
Rand could see that Huin spoke the truth as dark figures from the host darted after the army with speed to rival a horse. Only a dozen remained, herding twice their number towards the fog filled valley.
"There are no walls, no towers." Rand mused out loud. "And most, if not all of the Trollocs would have left with the army."
"No," Huin whispered as it dawned on him. "I-I-Into Thakan'dar? Light, you are insane! My Lord," He hastily added.
"Are you a fool?" Ihvon asked gruffly. "If you die, Alanna will feel it and it is the last thing that she needs."
"I am not a fragile doll Ihvon." Alanna declared firmly, her dark eyes flashing in anger.
"You have my spear, Rand al'Thor." Enaila spoke determinedly.
"You also have mine." Aviendha spoke, the anger from her face when she spoke to Rand gone.
"It will be the three of us then." Rand murmured. Fear shuttled through him, the emotion stronger than he had ever recalled, but also adrenaline and determination. This was what he had come here for. Over the journey, Rand had realised that it wasn't solely the girl he had come for but also for the chance to strike at the Shadow. He had not forgotten the Slayer, his supposed Uncle and the newest commander of the shadowspawn. Still, saving Jania, the cheerful and innocent young girl, was never far from his mind.
Huin and Tallanvor looked relieved to be able to stay and guilty that they felt that way. Alanna looked at him blandly, her face giving away nothing.
"Am I to stay as well?" She asked mildly, but her tone had a warning note in it.
"Yes." Rand answered. "I have heard the stories from the Age of Legends, how they could turn an Aes Sedai who walked in the Light to the shadow in Shayol Ghul."
"They could be rumours, myths, nothing more." Alanna answered, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Or not." Rand said, dropping his pack to the ground as he rummaged through it, withdrawing knives, daggers and vials of various powders. "Besides, the Dark One is bound in that mountain, right there…not a league form where we are going. What if He can sense you channel?"
"The Dark One is bound at Shayol Ghul, was bound at the moment of creation by the Creator, and at the act of the Dragon." Alanna declared firmly.
"Is He?" Rand asked her. Huin squirmed from his position and Tallanvor flinched. Even Ihvon grimaced at the idea and Alanna looked startled. "Look at that army."
Alanna was silent for a moment, her dark eyes boring into Rand's head. He could feel the frustration and anger she felt, and the fear. Finally, he felt the acceptance and stilled a smile. "I will stay." She said, as if she had intended to all along and sat down on a large squarish rock, her hands in her lap. "Be quick though,"
Rand shot a look at Tallanvor, who looked equally surprised and exasperated. "Women," He muttered softly.
'What was that Lord Rand?" Huin asked from across the room.
"Nothing!" Rand answered hastily, his cheeks heating up as he bent his head into his pack. He finally found what he was looking for, a slim throwing knife, and stood up straight.
"Huin, I need to tell you something." Rand said seriously to the Shienar. "I am not a Lord."
Huin rolled his eyes, having heard this too many times to count.
"I am a Queens Guard from Andor, nothing more," Rand continued.
"My Lord, all of the Noble Houses started off as soldiers, or farmers, or men and women who did something incredible." Huin answered thoughtfully. He straightened and bowed deep. "You are a Lord by your actions. Were I not Dremenden's man, I would offer you my allegiance. There are few who are as…fearless as you are. Lords exist to be righteous and noble and to create justice in the lands. You are a Lord, Rand, you are a Lord."
Rand grimaced at that. The true reason he was fearless was because he had been gentled, he did not care for his own life.
"If we follow this wall of rock east, we can circle around unseen." Enaila suggested.
"We need to move quickly." Aviendha said, her blue-green eyes never wavering in their determination. "If Shadowrunners need them to make their blades, then they will need them soon if they are to leave with the army."
"Then let's run…run very, very fast." Rand responded grimly.
Jania shivered as she entered the strange fog, holding her arms to her skinny and hungry body closer. Behind her, the feline-like Trolloc gave her a rough push, sending her staggering forward as it hissed impatiently. She couldn't see anything; the dark fog filled her vision. Only the pushes kept her moving forward as she strained to move her legs at all. Her mind kept flashing back to the Trolloc army that had been leaving Shayol Ghul. In her heart, she knew that it was going for Tarwin's Gap. It was the only pass in that direction that could be usable by such a large army. Shienar was doomed. Its army could not defeat that number; maybe it could kill half of them but not all of them. Shienar would fall to the Blight.
Suddenly she was out from the grey mists and fog, staring at large grey stone buildings, crudely built. Some humans were sitting on what could only be described as a porch, their eyes blank and dull and dressed in plain clothing. They looked so ordinary, but Jania knew that they were Soulless. Any life in their eyes was gone, only an animated body sat on stone benches, still as statues as they waited for orders and targets to kill. She and the rest of the captives were led through the deserted streets of the strangest and most foul city Jania had ever seen. One time, she thought she had seen a hole filled with bones, some blackened and cracked and some new and gleaming white. After seeing two Trollocs lead a struggling and whimpering man away, Jania kept her eyes shut on the black stones that paved the road and thought of her home and her friends. They wouldn't know how she died; she would just be gone to them. She would miss Ellen and Meraga the most…and her Father, she missed him terribly. He wasn't coming anymore, she knew that. Not even he would come to the Blight, even for his daughter. She soon succumbed to a daydream about her room back at the manor, and her dolls and practice swords.
"Stay here!" The Trolloc behind her hissed, and Jania looked up as she came out of her daydreams and looked around frantically. A grey stone building was in front of them, built on the very slopes of Shayol Ghul itself. Nearby, Jania could see a large and dark tunnel that led into the mountain. Evil radiated from the depths, a taint and chaotic presence that Jania could feel easily. She whimpered slightly, tears running down her cheeks.
"The forger's still working!" The cat Trolloc called out as it came from the building. Disappointed moans came from its comrades, some growling or scuffling the ground with their feet, talons or hooves. "But he's got one blade ready, and we get the body afterwards!"
Hoots and growls came from the armored beasts, some licking their snouts or lips with a hungry look in their eyes.
"Take this one, he's tall and wiry. Nice meat on this one, yes!" One of the Trollocs shouted, grabbing a tall boys arm. The boy, maybe fifteen or sixteen, whimpered but made no other sound as he was dragged forward. His eyes were lost, his hope dead for weeks.
The cat Trolloc considered it, licking its sharp claws as it gazed over the crowd. Its eyes came upon Jania and it smiled maliciously.
"This one here," It said, grabbing Jania by the arm. Its claws sank into her skin and she screamed in pain as she was dragged away from the group. "This is the human that took hundreds of our brethren to take; it is only fair that she be killed first!"
Jania took one last glimpse of the sky before she was hurled into the building with great force, bouncing on the stone floor painfully and coming to rest at a large bench.
A giant man…no, it wasn't a man. It was…grey and featureless, strong and tall. It held a large iron hammer, almost the size of Jania herself, and was smashing it down on the glowing red blade on the anvil. Tools littered the bench, hammers, chisels and others. Jania stood shakily, her legs wobbling as the thing picked the sword up, dipping into a small stream that flowed from one side of the building to another.
"No!" Jania whispered in fright as it turned to her. "NO!"
It did not enjoy killing or taking life, it did not enjoy or hate anything. The Forger was designed to build; it had no intelligent thoughts or even a will of its own. All it knew was that it needed to make blades, and to finish off the blade he needed to bind a human's soul to it.
"NO!" Came the loud screech from inside the building.
"Now!" Rand shouted and he jumped from behind one of the buildings, sprinting up the paved road to the Trollocs. The city…if you could call it that had been deserted and he had not seen a single alive being at all. But wickedness and evil tainted the very air he breathed in; dark energy seemed to pulse off the buildings. The worse was the tunnel that he had passed just before; there had been no words to describe what he had felt down there, something ancient and old, evil and dark, older than the Wheel of time itself. A small glance at the tunnel had been enough to send him into a shaking fit, retching and shivering on the ground. Luckily Aviendha and Enaila had picked him up and had dragged him behind a building. They hadn't said anything, though Aviendha had seemed anxious and worried as she checked his body for wounds. He had staggered up moments, later the feelings gone and had tried to explain them to the Aiel women.
"This place is evil," Enaila had whispered fearfully, her courage as an Aiel almost gone.
"We should not be here." Aviendha agreed.
"But we are here, and we need to stay alert." Rand reminded them out loud, though it was more to himself than them.
They had followed the Trollocs leading the captives, children and youths with wide eyes and fearful expressions on their faces, easily and quickly. Trollocs were lazy when there was not a Myrddraal to push them, and these Trollocs had taken their time. Rand had watched as Jania had been taken in and had sent Enaila to the left and Aviendha to the right of the captives.
A Trolloc looked up in surprise, its hand going for its sword, but if fell silently as Unfolding the Fan sliced its throat open. With a deft flick of his hand, a knife slammed into the head another Trolloc, and it collapsed with a grunt. Enaila threw her spear, the barbed metal head catching one Trolloc in the chest, while she unloaded her bow and shot four arrows with a true shot, dropping three others. Aviendha moved like a cat, gliding forward gracefully as she stabbed and whirled her spear, deflecting a sword blow and sending a spray of blood towards the ground as she felled a Trolloc with horns. Rand's sword blurred as he cut down four more and he ran for the building.
"Aviendha!" He shouted, gesturing for the captives, who were looking at the fighting with wide eyed surprise and shock, hope in their eyes.
He didn't wait to see if she would obey, but slammed open the doors, cutting down a cat-liked Trolloc with ease. Blood stained his coat as he stalked into the room, his eyes immediately picking up the crouched form of Jania and a large…thing…hovering above her with a thin and long sword, grey and dull. With a roar, he jumped forward, Cat up the Tree on his sword as he blocked the downward strike at Jania.
"Get outside, now!" He roared at Jania, who immediately crawled away from the straining figure of Rand and ran for the doors. Rand waited a few seconds and jumped back as the thing pushed, its strength far superior to any man alive. The blade whirred as Rand ducked, and it crushed through the stone table as pebbles and shrapnel cut into Rand's back. Rand staggered back as the Forger whirled the blade with easily a Blademasters speed, but not skill. Unfolding the Fan met a heavy thrust downwards; Frog in the Pond deflected a wild diagonal slash, Here Soars the Eagle let Rand drive his blade deep into the Forgers chest. There was a cracking noise as the power-wrought blade did what no steel or iron could as it penetrated the thick 'skin' of the Forger. For a moment, Rand heaved a sigh of relief before the Forger moved forward just as easily as it had before.
"Rand?" Enaila shouted from outside.
"In here!" Rand shouted back, before he had to dive to the side as the Forger lunged with the sword, impaling the great stone table and cracking it easily with its huge strength. "There's a big grey thing that just…Blood and Ashes!" Rand cursed as he dived under the table as the Forger slashed at him again. For a moment Rand stared at the Forgers feet, great iron armored boots, but his whole body looked like that, before a blade suddenly thrust downwards, through the stone and an inch from Rand's head. Rand scuttled backwards on his hands as the blade was withdrawn and plunged in again, this time grazing Rand's ear.
A whooshing noise and the familiar twang of a bowstring filled the air, and metal struck metal.
Rand took the chance to get up from under the table and he saw Enaila holding a bow, a startled look on her face as she fired another arrow. It flashed through the air and struck the Forger in the head, splintering and cracking as it did so. The Forger advanced on Enaila, who saw the sword planted in its chest as she dropped her bow and gripped her spear, her face that of one preparing to die. She wasn't scared, Aiel were never scared of death, but Rand knew that no Aiel would want to die on these slopes, so close to the Dark One.
As the Forger advanced, Rand's scrambled for something, a weapon or anything. It closed around a white hammer, light and quite larger but probably nothing more than a chisel for the giant Forger. With a roar, he jumped forward and tackled the Forger on the back, clinging on to its shoulders with one hand and the hammer on the other. The Forger whirled around, its head twisting and turning as it tried to get a glimpse of Rand and it raised its sword. Rand heaved the hammer that was dangling toward the ground and bought it into an overhead blow, smashing the Forger on the head. There was a searing heat and Rand was blown backwards, landing painfully on the floor.
He shook his head, still clinging to the Void and ignoring the aches he felt as he looked up. The Forger was making jerky and erratic movements, its head cracked and broken. The white hammer was laying on the ground in perfect condition. Suddenly the Forger stopped, one hand clutching its head and the other its sword. In was frozen, standing as still as a statue. Rand jumped to his feet, picking up the hammer as he did and strode over to the frozen Forger, swinging the hammer with all of his might. It crashed into the Forgers neck and the grayish-blue metal cracked and broke. With a low groan, the head fell off the body and crashed to the ground, putting a large dent into the stone. Rand pulled his sword from the Forgers chest and turned to Enaila, who had picked up her bow and had nocked an arrow into it.
"I have toh, Rand al'Thor." She said.
Rand waved it away tiredly with his hand. "I think we should leave now." He told Enaila, who nodded hastily in agreement.
The two of them walked outside quickly, Rand holding his sword in one hand and the hammer in the other. Outside, Aviendha stared at the two of them behind her veil, her blue-green eyes flickering with an unidentifiable emotion. Rand smiled weakly at her as he glanced around. A dozen Trollocs lay dead on the ground, the ones that had been shot with the bows had had the arrows in them taken out. But no alarm had been raised, no swarm of Shadowspawn were descending on their position. Jania stood in the middle of a small crowd of children or youths, her red hair dirty and frayed and her body skinny. But her eyes were alive with hope and gratitude, blinding any pain or hurt she may have been in.
"Lord Rand," She murmured. "You came!"
Rand bowed his head, in no mood to play the hero for once. His eyes flicked over the tunnel entrance and he shivered. "Enaila, stand guard with the bow. Aviendha, you lead us away. I'll protect the rear."
Both Aiel nodded, veils lowered and eyes alert and wary. Slowly, at a trot because of the slow moving captives, they left the Forge and the dead Trollocs, as they made their way from Shayol Ghul.
The Slayer shivered as the aftereffects of pleasure and pain tingled throughout his body. He was blessed by the Dark one, both of him and none. He smiled despite himself as he walked through the dark tunnel towards the outside world, absent-mindedly avoiding the large spikes that littered the ceiling. A long time ago, one of his personas had come to the Blight seeking glory and fame. The other had been raised as by Trollocs, worshiping the Great Lord of Dark in all his glory. They had met, both Darkfriends and sworn to the Great Lord's cause, in the Mountains of Dhoom. There was a mergence as the Great Lord bestowed upon them great powers, not the One Power but mere atoms of His own power, enough to make any normal man far more powerful. One of them had lived, the other had died, and both had merged. He was both of them and none of them.
The Great Lord had been pleased with the news of the Trolloc army. It would take Shienar easily, killing and razing their cities and people. The South and other Borderlands would come to intervene and the Trollocs would be driven off and defeated. That is, of course, when the other armies already being bred would take Saldea, twice as large as this army. Two Borderlands would be gone and the Blight would advance as the South sent an army to Saldea, where Slayer would then take Arad Doman as the two remaining Borderlands fortified their position and begged for military aid, fearful that they would be next. It would be grand, the second Trolloc War that would take the world.
As Slayer walked out of the tunnel, the smell of fresh blood and death filled his scent, and he turned to look at the source. Twelve Trollocs lay dead on the ground, their faces a picture of twisted shock and surprise. Slayer was shocked, more shocked than he had ever been. Where were the prisoners? Perhaps the Forger…Slayer quickly ran inside the large Forger and howled loudly in anger and fury. The Forger had been destroyed, the only on of its kind! Slayer did not know how to build or construct another one! The only maker of Myrddraal blades was dead! Ba'alzamon would be furious with him when he awoke as he was drifted back into the pattern in a year! Unconsciously, Slayer shivered in fear at the mere thought of the half-human Forsaken who had never been bound properly. Ba'alzamon was insane at best, but he drew more than just droplets from the Dark One. Suddenly Slayer smiled, twisted and angrily but still a smile. Al'Thor, the one he had been goading and trying to kill. This was his work, Slayer knew it. Well, where had he told Al'Thor to meet him? The Eye of the World, of course! He would find and rip apart the damned ta'veren!
Rand shifted his stance slightly, his blade flowing smoothly through the patterns as Trollocs died easily beneath his sword. He danced around the lumbering beasts, quick and agile as he struck with deadliness in each slash. Another Trolloc fell as Parting the Silk parted the Trollocs throat, and Hammer meets Anvil cleaved a head in two. The hammer in his left hand also moved quickly, smashing into anything that came close and never breaking as it cracked armour, helmets, swords, shields and bones. Beside him, Aviendha and Enaila fought with their spears, stabbing wildly and with great skill as the hordes of Trollocs descended upon the small trail. They had gotten past Thakan'dar and had almost reached the path when suddenly a loud howl had echoed from the valley. A few seconds later, Trollocs had poured from the buildings and valleys with scythe-like swords in their hands. The group had been easily spotted, and Trollocs could move as fast as a horse when they were being forced to stop being lazy. So the captives had been told to run ahead for five minutes to find the rest of the group, while Rand, Aviendha and Enaila covered the path, retreating slowly and leaving dead bodies strewed on the ground.
Suddenly Rand heard a female scream, and Enaila staggered back, her spear still held high as she stabbed at the nearest Trolloc. A large arrow lay deep in her shoulder, barbed metal digging into the flesh. Blood dripped from wound as Enaila sent a pain-filled look towards Rand, just as she killed another Trolloc. Rand smoothly sidestepped, placing her at his back as his severed a horned head with a drooling snout. As another arrow whished through the air, Rand submerged himself deeper into the void. Suddenly everything became clearer, he could see the sweat on his arms…each individual sweat drop, the tiny pores on his skin squeezing the liquid past. He could see the slightly scratch on the Trollocs nose in front of him, more than twenty meters away. And he could see the arrow, bared and sharpened as it flied through the air slowly, passing the even slower moving Trollocs. With a great effort, he lifted his left arm, the limb moving at a snails pace. The arrow came, the arm was being raised, his sword stabbed into the throat of a Trolloc, the arrow was closer and closer and suddenly the arm was up, the buckler facing outwards. Rand felt the arrow strike the buckler, felt the vibrations that shot through his arm as the arrow stabbed into the metal, its head twisted as it fell to the ground, felt the blaring pain that echoed in his arm as the bone inside was snapped, felt the blood…each cell, as they flurried in rapid movements in his veins.
"Urgh!" Rand grunted as he loosened the hold on the Void. The pain in his arm was fresh and new and it almost distracted him from the next Trolloc, but he dropped to one knee, River flows over Rock cutting the charging Trolloc into two pieces. He grimaced in pain as he took another step backwards. Next to him, Aviendha had a large slash in her stomach, blood gushing from the wound. Her movements were beginning to get slow and sluggish and her eyes were glazed over. Behind him, Enaila was panting in pain as she gripped the thick arrow in her shoulder; eyes squeezed shut and her bow on the floor. A tear leaked from them, and Rand knew that whatever pain Enaila was feeling that made her cry would kill any other man or women with the same wound. His left arm lay at a twisted angle, the white Hammer still clasped loosely in his grip. They would not survive the next few Trollocs. As Rand waited and held still, nothing in front of him moved. Corpses littered the ground, mutated human and animal bodies broken and bleeding. There were at least a hundred of them, their swords lying still on the ground. Two Trolloc archers lay a little further, two arrows centered in their chests.
"Is…is that it?" Rand asked weakly, his sword still poised to strike.
Aviendha said nothing, her hands over her wound. Her eyes were wide but determined, and held a dangerous glint in them.
"Lord Rand!" Somebody called from behind him. Rand whirled around, his sword dripping dark blood as it settled into a defensive stance, only to see Huin and Tallanvor approaching with their swords out. They came closer and Huin's eyes went wide, gazing at the dead bodies of the Trollocs with awe.
"At least a hundred," He muttered to himself.
Tallanvor also looked suitably impressed but it died as he took in the wounded conditions of the Aiel.
"Huin, Tallanvor, help Enaila back to the clearing and get Alanna to heal her immediately." Rand ordered, approaching Aviendha. He placed a warm hand over her shoulder, and she flinched and looked up. Her face was stony cold and determined, but undercurrents of pain could be seen in her eyes. Aiel were very strong fighters, the wound that Aviendha sported would have knocked another man out.
"Yes My Lord," Tallanvor answered as he and Huin lifted Enaila up, carrying her quickly away.
Rand let Aviendha lean on his arm…his right arm of course, and he led her up the path.
"That would have been an honorable way to die," Aviendha said, panting slightly.
"It's even more honorable that you didn't." Rand said, exhaustion lacing through him.
Aviendha said nothing as she leant into him; her hand still clasping her spear. "I will not give up my Spear for you." She said abruptly. "I am wed to my spear."
Rand almost choked on his own saliva. "I-I never…I mean, I…what?"
"No matter how handsome you are, I will not give up my spear." Aviendha declared firmly, more to herself than Rand. "If I take you as a lover, you might convince me to lay a bridal wreath at your feet. So there will be nothing between us, nothing!"
Rand said nothing, confused at the Aiel. She had hated him from the start, now she was saying that she would not marry him? Still, a tingle of disappoint rant though him when she said that nothing would ever happen between them. "Here we are." He muttered as the two approached the clearing, where Enaila crouched on the ground, her wound already healed and the arrow laying on the ground. Alanna approached them quickly, laying her hand on Aviendha first. Aviendha yelped as she squirmed against Rand, but Alanna's Healing closed her wound on her stomach, leaving bare skin behind. For a moment, Aviendha stayed still, her body warm against Rand's, before she suddenly pushed him away and strode to Enaila. Nearby, Tallanvor and Huin watched over the large group of children, with Jania chatting to Huin happily.
"I didn't feel you in a lot of pain for that," Alanna murmured as she brushed Rand's hair away from his forehead. Rand shivered and stifled a grunt as ice flooded into him, colder than anything he had ever touched. Still, his arm suddenly straightened and tingled as the bones were mended. "Your mind…was somewhere else when it happened."
Rand said nothing as he tested his arm, flexing his fingers around the hammer. Alanna noticed it and seized his hand, her eyes wide.
"That is cuendillar!" Alanna breathed. "Heartstone! It is an unbreakable substance, not even the One Power could ever hope to destroy it."
Rand eyed the hammer in his hands with a new appreciation. Carefully, he pried Alanna's fingers of his arm and placed it into his pack, which was lying against the stone wall.
"We should leave now," Ihvon said grimly. The Warder held his sword out, poised for any attack.
"Once we get up the Mountains of Dhoom…" Huin started. Suddenly he gave a strangled yell, pointing to behind Rand and Ihvon. Aviendha and Enaila jumped to their feet's as Rand and Ihvon whirled around, just as two black cloaked figures leapt from the shadows. Rand's sword cleaved the head off one of them as it lunged at him, but a cool blade slid into his chest and pain blossomed madly inside of him. Any control of the void he had disappeared as he let out a scream of pain, the figure, a Myrddraal, toppling him over to the ground, squirming and withering on the ground. Ihvon raised his sword, but the cloaked figure…another Myrddraal, impaled him in the heart. He was already dead when he fell to the ground.
"No!" Alanna screamed in agony, her head in her hands. A dark glint came to her eyes and suddenly lightning struck from the clear sky, hitting the Myrddraal in the chest. A ball of flames the size of a large boulder flew from Alanna outstretched hands and the dark cloak of the Fade burned brightly as it made horrible screeching noises. With one last use of the power, Alanna flicked her finger, her face a mask of pure rage and fury, and the Myrddraal was suddenly lifted and thrown down the mountain path with great force, bouncing off the stone walls limply.
Rand didn't see any of this, his mind racked with unbearable pain. For the first time in his life, the void was not there for him and he felt the full extent of his feelings. He lay on the ground loosely, his eyes opened and staring at the reddish sky blankly. Faces appeared over him; a woman's face neither young or old, with dark hair and beautiful features. Then came green eyes and red hair, the eyes peering anxiously at him. A tall man with dark hair and worried eyes stayed in the background. A short man with dark hair bit his lip in worry. Suddenly reddish hair appeared, with the most beautiful blue-green eyes he had ever seen.
"I…I like your eyes." Rand slurred amidst the pain.
The girl, maybe his age, stiffened but her smile was worried. "I like your eyes too." She murmured, smoothing his hair back as the dark-haired woman placed a hand on his forehead. Ice filled him, an extreme freezing sensation, but it was pale against the agony of his chest.
"You have…beautiful eyes," Rand murmured softly. "And hair…your nose is a little long…but it fits you."
The woman coloured, either by his words or by embarrassment. "Your ears are too big and your chin is too long." She replied stiffly. "You do not know how to woo women, Rand al'Thor."
"Rand al'Thor," Rand echoed. Something inside of him responded to the name. "That's…that's me, right?"
The women nodded and Rand smiled, pleased at himself. The freezing sensation was getting stronger and the pain was ebbing away ever so slowly. Rand suddenly felt tired and weary.
"I'm going to sleep." Rand announced, closing his eyes.
"NO!" The women with beautiful eyes shouted. "Do something Aes Sedai!"
"His wound is great; it will take time to heal, maybe five minutes!" The other woman said, her hand never leaving his forehead.
Rand ignored them as he drifted off, his mind wandering. The icy sensation was numbing his pain. It was a nice sensation, soothing and relaxful, and Rand just wanted to fall asleep by it. He closed his eyes, only to feel a stinging sensation on his cheek. He opened them, to see the redhead above him, her green eyes angry.
"Do not give up Rand al'Thor," The redhead said firmly.
Rand nodded vaguely, his eyes unfocussed as he drifted off to a world of colours and noises he didn't understand. Minutes passed as the pain grew dimmer and dimmer, his strength returning to him. He flexed his arm muscles and smiled faintly when they responded. Suddenly the pain was gone and he focused his eyes and ears. Alanna was sitting back, tears running down her face as she gazed at Ihvon, who lay dead on the ground. Aviendha and Enaila were squatting next to him, and Aviendha was talking.
"..are a foolish man, Rand al'Thor. Stupid and stubborn, never knowing what's…"
"It's nice to see you too Aviendha." Rand remarked dryly as he pushed himself up form the ground. He gazed down at his chest, seeing only torn and bloodied cloth that revealed smooth skin.
"Are you alright My Lord?" Huin asked anxiously.
"I'm fine…Ihvon, oh no." Rand muttered. He crouched down, feeling Alanna's deep seated pain at losing another Warder and gave her a one armed hug, lifting her up. "Alanna, we need to leave now and quickly."
Alanna stared at him, her eyes red and weepy. "Yes." She said, shaking her head and drying her tears. "Yes," she repeated more firmly.
"Trollocs! Hundreds of them, coming from the path!" Tallanvor shouted, running into the clearing.
"Run!" Rand shouted to the group, picking up his pack quickly. His sword and hammer stayed in his hands as he gave Alanna a gentle push towards the path. The group ran, Rand hanging back with Jania and the captives. Some of them were as young as six, and were panting and exhausted. Blood and Ashes! He needed a safe place, any place that could get them away from the Trollocs. As long as it was away from where he was, he didn't care where he was. Suddenly the path above exploded in a whirl of lights and the next step Rand took, he was in a green garden. Life was in abundance here, beautiful flowers grew from the ground and mighty trees shot from the earth.
"What is this place?" Enaila wondered out loud in awe. She had never seen such life before, ever. No Aiel had.
Aviendha said nothing, breathing in deeply the fresh air, while Huin and Tallanvor relaxed where they stood as peace of contentment washed over them. Alanna forgot her grief for a second as the aura of this place affected even her, and Jania and the captives stared with amazement and awe as a man made of vines and leaves stepped out from behind a tree. He was a plant, green and growing with life. Only a scar marred his features, brown and dead roots burnt at the side of his face. His eyes twinkled as he bowed.
"Welcome to my gardens." He said in a melodious voice.