A Memory of Light/Chapter 37

==Summary==
===Act I: Cauthon's Gambit===
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Setting: River Mora, Hawal Ford 
Lan and Andere ride to the River Mora where they are to lead the cavalry as the frontline against the trollocs and Sharans. They see Logain there, with a group of Asha'man and Aes Sedai. They cross at Hawal Ford and attack the Sharans riding between bogs and Polov Heights.
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Setting: Dashar Knob 
Elayne hears Draghkar in the Seanchan camp at the base of Dashar Knob and starts riding towards the noise. Birgitte alerts her and she weaves a thunderclap, deafening those around here and rendering the Draghkar's call useless. They ride into the camp and see over a hundred of the Draghkhar. Elayne has Birgitte to tell one of the sul'dam to Heal. 
She enters the command building, where Mat tells her he had been expecting her. He explains that if he had revealed the true battle plan, it would have got back to the enemy. She asks what the real plan is, and he doesn't tell her. She realises that he can't say anything as it might be overheard.
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Setting: Polov Heights 
On the Heights, Uno watches the battle begin to unfold, with Talmanes and Aludra ordering the dragons. A raken drops a message telling him to retreat down the southwestern slope. Uno doubts the order, but follows it anyway. They begin to retreat when they come under attack from the Sharans. Lightning rains down on them overwhelming the Aes Sedai and Asha'man defenders. An immense gateway opens behind them and they see Demandred, who weaves balefire killing Kwamesa, then Einar. Uno realises the wisdom of the order to retreat and organises his men.
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Setting: River Mora 
Logain stands by the Mora, he releases the power from what had been a thirty nine person circle and tells the Asha'man and Aes Sedai with him that they are going to try and find the Seals that Taim has stolen. He tells them to kill any male channelers they encounter and most go, leaving just Gabrelle, Karldin and Arel. 
He tells Gabrelle that he has released the bond to Toveine, who has been turned, and that he will kill her if he gets the chance. He is shocked when he feels envy through the bond to Gabrelle and thnks on how she had being trying to manipulate him. He links with those remaining, drawing through the angreal that Rand had given him and tells them he means to be the one to kill Taim.
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Setting: Field of Merrilor 
Gawyn watches the battle through a gateway created by Yukiri. Bryne suggests that Mat is trying to bait a trap. They see Demandred kill thousands of men, but there is nothing they can do, as even if they had their own full circle, they couldn't match his power. 
Gawyn thinks that he had promised himself he would stand in Egwene's shadow, but that didn't mean he had to stop doing important work. He takes out the rings he got from the bloodknifes and puts them on.
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Setting: River Mora 
On the south bank of the Mora, Tam fires arrows at Trollocs that are trying to cross. Dannil tells him that Mat is sending infantry banners from the Legion of the Dragon to try and ensure that Tam's men are able to hold their positions. 
Tam says he will make sure Arganda and Galad know to expect reinforcements.
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Setting: Hawal Ford 
Pevara fights Trollocs at Hawal Ford. She tells Androl her location through their bond and he comes to her through a gateway. He has been fighting the Sharan army. They move along the southwestern base of the Heights, saving a group of soldiers on the way. They join Jonneth, Canler and Theodrin and move through another gateway. 
Pevara and Androl link and they continue to fight, Androl killing Trollocs and Myrddraal through creative use of gateways. Lightning strikes at them and Androl loses his gateway, but despite being linked, Pevara is able to weave her own gateway and they pass through to safety.
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Setting: Command Post at Dashar Knob 
Galad complains about Mat's decisions, but Mat tells him to do as he is told and hold the river. He agrees. 
Elayne also complains, but Mat responds that they put him in charge so they should let him do his job. Elayne responds with the somewhat petty argument that they made him commander of the armies but that he isn't in charge. Mat is sipping kaf served by a cute freckled so'jhin. 
He sends the Ogier in as reinforcements at the ford and instructs Lan to swing round behind the second trolloc army at the ruins and hold position without engaging them. Mat sends orders to Talmanes. He uses his looking glass and sees that the Sharans have moved to intercept Lan, before Lan even receives his order and realizes there is a spy in the command tent. Talmanes sends a response that his forces cannot fight and that the dragons need repairing. There are five or six that are functional and more that can be repaired, but Mat decides to wait before deploying them as once he does, Demandred will strike immediately. 
He goes outside the command tent to talk to Elayne, who weaves a ward against eavesdropping. He tells her of the spy and that he plans to use it. He tells her that the battle is a little like cards, that you want your opponent to think they are winning and start betting too high, so that you can take advantage when the right hand comes along. He tells her that Demandred has sent a force to block the river, which will succeed before long and that they need a solid defense in place when they come over the river bed. Elayne says she will go. Mat goes back in the command tent thinking that Talmanes understood his signal and that Elayne is doing what he wanted, so now he just has to persuade Tuon.
===Act II: The Shadow's Dragon===
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Setting: River Mora
Galad leads the Whitecloak cavalry against the Trollocs. After the charge, he searches out small groups of isolated men and orders them to the ruins so they can be formed into new banners. He thinks he might have given Mat too little credit. He tells Golever that he doesn't expect the Trollocs to stop for the night and sees the river go dry. At that he realises he did give Mat too little credit. Golever hands him a letter from Mat instructing him to move to Hawal Ford and to wait for more orders once he sees Elayne's banner.
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Setting: Outside the Pattern
The Dark One shows Rand a possible future in which the Blight has overun the world. He sees Tam, Jori and Dannil working on a tree stump. Insects swarm out of it and kill Jori. Dannil takes Rand to Nynaeve who then takes him to be turned. 
He learns that in this reality, Nynaeve, Egwene, Cadsuane and Logain have all been turned and that Elayne, Aviendha and Min are endlessly tortured. He refuses the reality of the world and it shatters. He takes the threads of the Pattern and tells the Dark One he will show him what is going to happen.
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Setting: Field of Merrilor
Egwene sees tiny cracks in the rocks and Yukiri tells her they think they are a result of balefire. She looks at them in detail and sees they look into pure nothing. She weaves and heals them turning them into normal cracks, before noticing that Gawyn is missing. Bryne goes to look for him and she sends Siuan to Mat and Tuon. 
Egwene goes through a gateway and speaks with Chubain who says at first he thought Mat was mad, but he is now able to see his reasoning for some of what he has done, but does not understand why Mat abandoned the Heights only to assault them again.
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Setting: Polov Heights
Gawyn walks through the battlesite. He kills a Trolloc that is carrying the body of Symon and immediately regrets it as he could have been spotted. 
He sees where Demandred is, and runs after him with the cover of the rings, thinking that someone had to kill Demandred and that Egwene and Logain can't be risked, but he can. He sees Demandred and plans to sneak up on him, pull him off his horse and kill him but Demandred senses him and turns round, aiming balefire at Gawyn, which misses. 
He strikes Demandred's horse and prepares to kill him after he is thrown off. A blast of air saves Demandred and the two begin to fight, Demandred waving off the Sharans. Gawyn does well at first, with the edge the rings gives him, but despite the extra speed, is unable to land a hit on Demandred. Demandred channels to throw a rock at Gawyn, hitting him, before telling Gawyn that he is the saviour and that Rand is mad, as the Great Lord cannot be defeated. He says he will protect the world by destroying it and sheltering its people. 
He also tells Gawyn that he believes that Mat is actually Lews Therin as no mortal general would have the skill Mat has shown. He tells Gawyn that his weakness is that he wields the sword, rather than becoming it. 
He stabs Gawyn in the stomach and tells Gawyn that if he survives, he should tell Lews Therin that Demandred is looking forward to a match between the two and has improved since they last met. 
Demandred leaves him to bleed out. Gawyn pulls himself onto a horse and rides off.
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Setting: The Blight
Mandevwin insists that Vanin and Harnan are not Darkfriends. Faile assumes he must be wrong. She looks up at Thakan'dar and thinks she will get the Horn to Shayol Ghul. Selande and Arrela arrive from scouting and tell her they have seen a caravan.
They see a village in the foothills of Thakan'dar and that there is a central supply station not far from it. A gateway opens and men trudge through with carts. Faile and Mandevwin think that sneaking through the gateway might be their best option. They see a group of Samma N'Sei and realise they won't be able to sneak past them so retreat to plan their next move.
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Setting: Mayene
Perrin wakes in Berelain's palace. She tells him she has taken precautions to prevent the problems that occurred last time he spent the night in her tent. He learns that the armies now fight at the Field of Merrilor and that Faile vanished in a Bubble of Evil. He asks Janina if she can wash away his tiredness, but she says even if she knew how she wouldn't as he needs rest. 
He reluctantly falls asleep, and considers the possibilities of the Wolf Dream, the Wolf Dream in the flesh and true sleep. He comes to the conclusion he needs true sleep or he will die.
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Setting: Away from the Field of Merrilor
The group rest and Heal their injuries while planning their next move. Androl thinks he is falling in love with Pevara, and is amused as he had thought love a thing for the young. 
He tells her that if they are going to get the Seals from Taim, they will have to use stealth.
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Setting: Thakan'dar
Rhuarc stalks through Thakan'dar hunting Shadowspawn and Samma N'Sei, who he thinks of as the Honorless. He and his companions come across a group that are unable to channel fighting Aiel. They slay them, but Trask is killed. He sneaks up on one of the red veiled men who is able to channel and kills him. He thinks that the Aes Sedai and Asha'man are tiring. 
Hessalam appears and uses compulsion on him, turning him into her adoring slave.
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Setting: A Possible Future
Rand walks through a large city in what was the Two Rivers in a world he has constructed. The city is ruled by Perrin and Faile's grandchildren. There is a monument for all who died in the Last Battle. The Dark One tells him he has not eliminated suffering and that his vision is flawed. The Dark One attacks and the world becomes just a possibility.
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Setting: Polov Heights Corridor
Silviana attacks the Sharans with fire. The Tower forces have split in two, the infantry attacking on the heights and the other half, the cavalry, to the corridor between the bogs and the heights to attack the rear flank of Trollocs attacking the first group. 
She sees Egwene go pale and thinks she is under attack, but Egwene tells her that Gawyn has been injured. Egwene wants to go after him, but Silviana says it is too dangerous and suggests that Egwene pass the bond to her. 
Egwene refuses.
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Setting: River Mora
Elayne looks across the riverbed to the Heights, where a large number of Sharans have gathered. Birgitte tells her she now only has memories of her current life. 
Galad asks her why Mat wanted him there, but she has no idea. A messenger arrives with a note from Mat. It has a note telling him to do what must be done along with a copy of his medallion that Elayne made. They don't understand, so Galad turns the page over, and sees further instructions that he is to go and kill as many Sharan channelers as he can. 
Bryne also arrives, to tell her that Gawyn had been that way and that no one knows where he is.
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Setting: Command Post at Dashar Knob
Mat looks out on the battle, with the Trollocs crossing the riverbed, under fire from Tam's men. He hopes Tam can hold long enough for Lan and the Borderlanders to strike the rear flank. 
Logain enters and Mat tells him he needs the Asha'man to help the Aes Sedai. Logain tells him it is not his war, but Mat replies it is everyone's war. He says he and his men should be at Shayol Ghul, but Mat realises he doesn't really mean this. Logain tells him that none of them are able to face Demandred and Mat realises Logain wants to. Mat knows that he has to do something about Demandred, and that even though Logain stands little chance, he may be a distraction at least, so gives him permission. 
He suggests to Tuon that they move her to safety, but she says she can protect herself, choosing the matter as something to fight over so that Mat can fake a split with the Seanchan. Two guards enter and Mat notices that there is a gray man with them. He sees him pull out a knife as Mika shouts that there is channeling nearby.
: 
Min throws herself at Fortuona, tipping over her chair as Ayyad and other Sharans come though a hole they create in the wall. She sees Tuon abandon her costume for sleek silken trousers and shirt and run to Mat. 
Min steps through the hole and runs round the building, encountering a male Ayyad, who catches a knife she throws at him, before being killed by Siuan stopping his heart. She tells Siuan that Siuan was supposed to stay near Bryne, if she wanted to live. Siuan says she did that already and they saved each other's lives. Min tells her the danger still exists. Siuan tells her it is more important to save Mat, even if it costs both their lives. They see Mat fighting three gray men, and one surviving damane who won't do anything as her sul'dam is dead. 
Min sees one of the gray men has left Mat and is about to kill Tuon. She saves her as Siuan helps Mat.
With the command post on fire, they must flee. She sees Siuan dead, regretfully, gets outside with Mat and Tuon.
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Setting: Polov Heights Corridor
Egwene instructs the Aes Sedai with her to try and stop the Sharans' weaves while she attacks, intending to fight her way through them to Gawyn. 
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Setting: Polov Heights
Demandred watches the battle through the eyes of a falcon as ravens are shot down by the Borderlanders. He thinks it should give him an unsurmountable advantage, but the gateways that look down on the battle even things out. He considers Traveling to the command post at Dashar Knob but is concerned it might be a trap. 
He wonders why the resistance encountered when diverting the river was a small unit of soldiers and townspeople. 
He looks to his side and sees Shendla, with three other women and thinks that his affection for her is almost enough to change his heart. Galbrait, the leader of the Ayyad tells him she failed and that Mat escaped, but he says she wasn't supposed to kill him because he is beyond her skill. It is enough that she disrupted his command post. 
Demandred still suspects that Mat is Lews Therin in disguise, but feels he can't prove it. He thinks that to truly master battle tactics takes centuries. He admits to himself that in general, Lews Therin was more accomplished than he was, but that Demandred was the better general. He thinks that if Cauthon really is Lews Therin, he is a better general than he was in the Age of Legends. 
He wonders when Mat will commit the damane and if he can widen the fracture between them and the Aes Sedai. The three Ayyad leave and he asks Shendla if she is worried, fighting alongside Trollocs and Halfmen despite not having given herself to the Shadow. She tells him she doesn't see his actions as evil, as he will remake the world and preserve her people. He briefly wonders what he will do once Lews Therin is dead and the world has been remade. 
M'Hael arives, through a True Power gateway. He mocks Demandred for losing the battle near the ruins Demandred shields him with a True Power shield and pulls energy out of him and the intense use of the True Power begins to unravel the Pattern. He tells Taim to keep away from him, from Lews Therin, and from the enemy general, but other than that he doesn't care what chaos he creates . He turns and weaves balefire from the True Power, destroying hundreds of the forces of the Light. He tells Taim to go and is amazed that he is able to Travel with the True Power.
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Setting: Pit of Doom
Rand resists the “wind” and feels as if it took millennia. He watches the threads of the Pattern and realizes that when the Dark One touches the Pattern, he is somehow restricted by reality. However, it is the Dark One who owns the dead. 
The Dark One tells Rand he will win eventually and prepares to show him another possible future.
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Setting: Base of the Heights
Juilin wishes he was at home with Thera hunting criminals and thieves. He is no commander.
Alas, he leads his squad of pikemen against a Sharan troop.
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Setting: Polov Heights
Androl and Pevara, wearing inverted Mask of Mirrors walk through Darkfriends, Shadowspawn and Sharans. She is not pleased when he tells her she looks good in black. Androl is disguised as Nensen and Emarin as Kash. Pevara is disguised as Alviarin and Theodrin as Rianna, with Jonneth simply as a Darkfriend. 
Pevara wonders about some of the battle tactics and Androl is able to telepathically explain some of what is going on. An old man interrupts them and says he will take them to the Wyld. She thinks on how she had intended to take multiple Asha'man warders, but can't continue her train of thought as it is interrupted by Androl's jealousy. Androl is surprised when she tells him Emarin prefers men. 
They see Demandred, who tells them that if he sees any Dreadlords away from the fight against the White Tower forces, he will make them wish he had given them to the Trollocs. Androl thinks what they did was effective, as they know where to find Taim.
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Galad is feeling that the Last Battle may be the end of the world as he hunts Sharan channelers. He sees three of them and approaches. One throws a ball of fire at him, which dissipates when it hits him, leaving him singed but unharmed. She looks at him in shock as he takes her head off with his sword. Golever comes to tell him that this is a great day and the Children should have done much more of it in the past. Alhanra tells him that he has found Gawyn, and Galad goes to see him. They see him, lying between two rocks and Galad assumes he is dead. 
Gawyn speaks and tells Galad that he had failed. Galad reassures him and tells him not to die and that he won't be left without a brother, but Gawyn tells him he has one. He tells him that Tigraine went to the Waste and gave birth to a son on Dragonmount. He asks Galad not to hate Rand and dies. Galad, with tears on his cheeks, tells Golever to take the wounded to safety and plans to fight Demandred and avenge his brother.
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Setting: Polov Heights Corridor
Egwene feels Gawyn die and, distraught, lashes out with the Power until Silviana makes her realize she is out of control. 
Someone weaves a gateway and she leaves the battlefield through it.
===Act III: The Flame of Tar Valon===
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Setting: River Mora
Tam uses his last arrow, saving a Whitecloak. Downriver, the Legion of the Dragon is halting the Trollocs and his men are doing the same. He feels there is no reason to retreat, so tells the men to gather their weapons and leave the bows, for when they have more arrows, though he knows none will come. He splits the forces into two wedges, Tam leading one and Deoan leading the other. 
They attack. 
: 
Setting: By Dashar Knob
Fortuona refuses damane Healing, though she thinks it a useful development. She realises that the Deathwatch Guards who allowed the assasins through will need punishment, as to deny it them would be to deny them their honour. She instructs Karede to go to the enemy and fight the marath'damane directly. She raises Min to the Blood. 
Tuon decides that it is time to misdirect the spy. She tells Mat that he holds the ultimate responsibility for the attack and is surprised to see Galgan frown, and that Mat has already converted him. She tells him that he is not serious enough and he laughs. Tuon is the only one to see an omen behind him, twin lines of smoke rising from the heights to signify a large gamble that will yield a large reward or a great cost. He tells Tuon he has had it with her and Seanchan ways and she tells him the Seanchan should never have joined the battle. 
She tells the Seanchan with her that other than the Deathwatch Guards, they are returning to Ebou Dar. She hopes the spy will simply see a young woman foolish enough to want to fight on her own and believe the ploy.
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Setting: A World That Could Be
The Dark One takes Rand to a world that could exist. He is at first surprised as it doesn't have any of the decay and devastation of the previous world he was shown. When a street vendor, Renel, kills a street urchin with not even a second thought, and starts to look at Rand as though she would do the same to him, Rand begins to grow suspicious.
He goes to The Queen's Blessing, where he doesn't recognise the door guard, but Basel Gill is still the Innkeeper. Gill tries to rob him and seems amazed at the idea that there would be laws against theft, claiming if a man can't keep what is his, he doesn't deserve it. Rand realises that the Dark One took people's consciences. He tells Shai'tan that he will show him the world's opposite.
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Setting: By Dashar Knob
Mat walks away from Tuon, a little concerned that she meant what she was saying. He asks Min to stay with her and watch. 
He sees Karede, who says he is going to the front line. Mat tells him that he is going there as well and the Deathwatch Guard are to come with him. Karede agrees, looking for death as punishment, as long as Mat does not call the Empress "Tuon" as that would be a bad omen.
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Setting: River Mora
Tam fights Trollocs. He is not as strong as he had been as a young man, but with age has come maturity and an understanding of the void. The Trollocs turn and break as the Borderlanders arrive, forcing them into a vise with the Legion of the Dragon. He has held his position. 
Lan rides over to tell him he had wondered if the man who gave Rand his sword had earned it, but that he now knows. He salutes Tam. 
Lan tells Tam that the battle is not done and that Demandred had sent a smaller force here to keep them from the battle at Hawal Ford. Lan leaves just before a gateway opens from Mayene, bringing refugees from Caemlyn who had insisted on being brought to the battle. Tam thinks that battle is not the place for them, but when he sees them retrieving arrows, he thinks they can be of use. Berelain asks after Galad.
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Setting: Hawal Ford
Birgitte tells Elayne that the command post at Dashar Knob has fallen and the Seanchan have retreated. Elayne says she will take charge until they hear from Mat. 
She realises that the Trollocs are slowly surrounding them and that their position is poor. They are attacked by Demandred who sends balefire at them and demands that Lews Therin come to him as he hunts a woman Lews' loves. Birgitte instructs Celebrain to raise a banner and ride in the opposite direction as a decoy. Elayne is not happy, as this is effectively a death sentence, but Birgitte makes her realise it is necessary.
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Setting: Polov Heights
Galad rides towards Demandred. He kills a male channeler and calls out to Demandred, telling him that the Dragon Reborn's brother is here. He doesn't know what to make of this revelation. 
Demandred steps forward and Galad thinks he looks like Rand as they have a similar sense to them. Demandred says he is displeased that Lews Therin is ignoring him and the two begin to fight.
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Setting: Pit of Doom
Unable to Heal, Nynaeve uses her herbs to help Alanna.
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Setting: Hawal Ford
Mat encounters Bashere at the back of the Andoran lines. Bashere has become king of Saldaea, but has refused to be crowned. 
Elayne's forces are holding, but are in danger of being surrounded. Mat has the Band and the Andoran cavalry engaging the Trollocs to prevent them separating the lines of pikes in Elayne's forces. He sends Bashere to Lan, with instructions to engage the Trollocs trying to move round the Andoran right flank. 
Mat rides towards the Dragonsworn and sees Loial and other Ogier, including some of the Gardeners breaking a Trolloc Fist. He takes the Ogier and continues on to the Dragonsworn and talks with Tinna. He learns Teslyn is with the Dragonsworn. He asks her for a gateway to move as many of the troops as possible to the top of the Heights with the intention of seizing the northern slope and preventing Demandred from fully surrounding Elayne's armies.
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Setting: Mayene
Egwene wakes to hear Silviana and Rosil discussing her and realises she is in Mayene. Rosil tells her she should rest but she replies that she can't afford to. She tells Silviana that she wants Vora's Sa'angreal. Silviana hesitates, but Egwene insists as Rosil reluctantly agrees. She says she will need another warder and chooses Leilwin.
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Setting: Polov Heights
Demandred and Galad fight in darkness lit by Sharan torches. He injures Demandred, impressing him. Galad grabs him, but his muscle gives out from an earlier wound and he drops his sword. Demandred strikes, severing his right arm at the elbow. 
Demandred strikes again and all goes black.
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Androl, disguised as Nensen, and his companions look for Taim on the Heights. He sees Mishraile and Taim, holding one of the Seals. Taim asks him what he is doing and Androl tells him Demandred's message, that he would kill any Dreadlord who is out of position. Taim places a Mask of Mirrors, thinking he is disguising Nensen as Androl and tells him to find and kill Logain. Androl stumbles, and as he gets up, steals Taim's pouch containing the Seals.
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Demandred rants that Rand's brother lies dying and that he is the true saviour of the world. Arganda charges and hits a Trolloc, which back hands him as it dies. 
When he wakes, Lan tells him that a second army comprised of Dragonsworn accompanied by a banner of cavalry had attacked the left flank and broke the Sharans apart. A flash of light reveals the sheer number of Trollocs and Arganda thinks that each man would have to kill at least five of them.
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Setting: Caemlyn, in a possible future
Rand weaves the threads of the Pattern into a possible world, feeling it resist as he does, creating a world without the Dark One. 
He walks into the palace in Caemlyn and passes windows, gateways to other places, showing a rebuilt Malkier, Tear and Rhuidean, surrounded by chora fields. He sees a stone slab, in what was the Blasted Lands where his body had been buried after the Last Battle. 
He sees Elayne who wonders if her daughter had pranked her with the Mask of Mirrors. When she realises it is Rand, she says she will invite Aviendha who is playing with children in Rhuidean. As she babbles on, Rand looks into her eyes and sees a shadow, similar to that in the eyes of someone who has been turned. He realises that the Dark One is not merely the source of evil, he is the manifestation of evil and that by removing him from existence, he has taken away the ability to do or be evil, condemning people to be insipid and vacuous. 
He realises the world he would create, a world without the Dark One, is horrible.
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Setting: Polov Heights
Mat sits on a dead Trolloc. Demandred didn't take his bait at the Ford, having sent only Trollocs and not Sharans. Demandred is now trying to get behind Elayne's forces, but Mat is managing to hold him off. He is aware that the Ayyad are winning against the Aes Sedai. He sees something attacking the Sharans and watches them flee across the Heights.
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Setting: The Blasted Lands
Olver and Faile's group walk through the Blasted Lands. They had attacked a Shadow supply train, defeating a merchant and three Darkfriends. They free a string of captives, many of whom accompany them into the supply dump. 
On their way in, they are stopped and Aravine claims to be Ansai, Lifa's partner. They are allowed through. A plump woman in white weaves a gateway and Aravine waves them through it. 
On the other side, they see Dragonmount in the distance as the body of a member of the Band of the Red Hand falls down a slope behind them and into the fire. Aravine comes through and points at Faile. Arrella, Selande and Mandevwin are captured by air. Aravine apologises and tells them she is a Darkfriend who thought she could escape her vows, but that she intends to take the Horn to Demandred. 
Olver thinks on what Mat would do and launches himself at the woman in white, stabbing her in the lower back.
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Setting: Base of Polov Heights
Leane and other Aes Sedai fight the Sharans. They are attacked by male Ayyad and Doesine is killed. Leane feels pride at the way the Aes Sedai are holding out. 
She goes to Raechin who tells her she would like to know if there really is a way to make a man do as you wish. Leane tells her she will share everything she knows if they survive. They see that the Sharans have replaced the troops who had drawn away earlier with what looks like villagers. Raechin is still able to call lightning on them. Manda Wan suggests pulling back to regroup at Dashar Knob but before they have the chance to, Egwene walks through them and releases a dozen flows of fire, killing Sharan channelers. 
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Setting: Dragon's Den
Talmanes and some of the Band are in a cavern somewhere, with no exit, found by one of the Asha'man, trying to repair the dragons. He speaks with Dennel but decides it is too quiet, so starts singing Jak o' the Shadows to raise morale. 
He thinks they will take part in the battle even if they have to blast their way out.
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Setting: Field of Merrilor
The bonds holding Faile vanish and Aravine jumps on a horse and flees. Faile gets on Bela and gives chase. Trollocs move to bar her way but one is killed by Harnan and Vanin and the other knocked out of her way, allowing Faile to pass. They explain that they were not trying to steal the Horn, but Mat's tabac. They had allowed themselves to be captured and were preparing to free the captives and escape. 
They break off and intercept other riders and Faile continues after Aravine. She throws a knife, hitting her in the back and reclaiming the Horn. With Bela nearing exhaustion, she considers swapping horses, but as she is doing so hears Olver and hands him the Horn, asking him to take it to Mat whilse she distracts the Trollocs.
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Setting: Bogs by Polov Heights
Logain asks why Taim didn't break the Seals, but no one knows. He wonders if he will ever have vengeance, but thinks vengeance seems empty. His Asha'man are in a small camp, below the bogs. He takes off his dragon pin and raises Androl to full Asha'man. Pevara tells him he should take the Seals to the Aes Sedai as they belong to the White Tower, but he replies that the Amyrlin is as good as dead and he is a fitting steward. 
He tells them he is going to find Demandred and the others are to deal with Taim's men and the Sharan channelers, apart from Gabrelle who is to wait for him. He thinks that if he can get Demandred's sa'angreal, the world would tremble for him and the Black Tower.
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Setting: Polov Heights
Egwene leads an attack on the Sharans seeking out Taim. Narishma gives a warning and she sends everyone away, apart from him, Merise and Leilwin. 
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Setting: Field of Merrilor
Ila scours the battlefield, searching for survivors. Raen tells her that in the future he will not think so poorly of those who don't follow the Way of the Leaf, which frustrates her.
She sees a man looting the bodies and wonders who is worse - those that fight, or those that avoid it to exploit the dead and injured.
: 
Setting: Field of Merrilor
Olver rides Bela, but a Trolloc arrow hits and kills her. 
He sees a crack in a rocky outcrop and is able to squeeze himself into it.
: 
Setting: Polov Heights
Logain hurls himself through a gateway and strikes at Demandred, weaving fire, but the Sharans throw themselves in the way, giving Demandred time to defend himself. Logain sees that the Andoran pike formations are close to failing after which it will be a rout. 
He and Demandred fight with the Power, Demandred weaving a Deathgate that leaves a trail of lava, some of which splashes Logain. Logain weaves lightning at him, but Demandred creates a weave which dissipates it harmlessly and shields Logain. He begins to weave balefire and Logain throws a rock at him, striking him and causing him to drop the shield. Logain quickly prepares a shield and a gateway, and, as Demandred destroys the shield, he goes through the gateway, and back to be Healed by Gabrelle. 
: 
Setting: Polov Heights
Egwene fights Taim and comes close to shielding him, but he balefires the shield and Travels away using the True Power. 
She launches herself at the Sharans. 
: 
Hurin fights on Polov Heights, trying to prevent the Trollocs from taking it. The rest of the army is trying to push the Sharans into the Trollocs fighting Elaynes forces, but Mat's army is beginning to flounder.
: 
Setting: Mayene
Berelain organises the Healing and talks with Ronja about the possibility of gai'shain fighting. Kitan comes and takes her to Galad. 
Annoura tells her she found him while Demandred was distracted fighting Logain and brought him back, but that she burned herself out in the process.
: 
Setting: Outside the Pattern
Rand can see people fight and die for him, Hurin, Davram Bashere and his wife, Karldin Manfor and Beldeine, Gareth Bryne and Siuan Sanche amongst them. He refuses to give in and the Dark One prepares his final vision of the future. Everything gets dark. 
: 
Setting: Polov Heights
On the Heights, Taim can see the Trollocs control the corridor between the Heights and the bogs to the south, while the Sharan army fights on the Heights. He thinks the key to the battle is to destroy the Aes Sedai. 
Demandred arrives and asks him how it is he failed and he tells him that Egwene had a sa'angreal. Demandred gives him Sakarnen, saying he won't need it if Lews Therin comes as their strengths must be matched if he is to show himself the better. Taim thinks him insane, far worse than when they first met. As he leaves, Demandred tells him that Sakarnen is bonded to him and if Taim tries to use it against him it will destroy Taim. He tells Taim to use balefire against the Amyrlin.
: 
Setting: Hawal Ford
Elayne has retreated to the ruins. A group of mercenaries, disguised as refugees attack her guards. She channels at one and the weave dissipates. She realises the man holds one of her foxhead medallions as Hanlon grabs her and presses it to her skin. 
His comrades bring Birgitte and he kills her by beheading her. Another comes in with a dead body, dressed to look like Elayne. Hanlon says that the Dark One wants Elayne's babies, but doesn't need her. His companion says he can cut them out and keep them alive with a weave the Chosen taught him, and to send them to Shayol Ghul.
: 
Setting: A Possible World
The Dark One shows Rand the final possibility - oblivion. Under these circumstances, it seems an attractive and fair offer, but Rand finally refuses. He has already refused the same thing on the top of Dragonmount during his reforging.
: 
Setting: Unknown
Min does not know her location. Galgan says that Mat has requested that the Seanchan return, but Yulan argues that Mat has proven himself reckless and he doesn't have confidence in him. Beslan and Galgan disagree. Tylee also says she thinks they should return. Yulan changes tack and says Mat fought well but is overmatched. Min sees a chain above Yulan's head and realises he is being used as a spy under compulsion. 
She looks around to see if she can see who is controlling him and sees that one of the so'jhin has images around her. She is suspicious, but not enough to condemn the woman so announces there is a spy for the Shadow. The so'jhin looks up and Min is sure. She announces it is Yulan and when she sees the relief of the so'jhin's face throws a knife at her, which is held in air. The woman flees through a gateway. Tuon tells Galgan to gather his troops as they are returning to Merrilor.
: 
Setting: Polov Heights
As she fights, Leilwin comes to tell Egwene that Logain has the Seals. Taim's balefire kills half a dozen Aes Sedai, undoing several hours of their lives and restoring many Sharans. Egwene considers responding with balefire of her own, but realises it could make things worse. Leilwin tells her they must leave as they are being overrun. 
Egwene thinks on Perrin's words that balefire is just a weave and creates her own weave, that she had tried earlier on the cracks, but much stronger, that she thinks of as the Flame of Tar Valon. She releases it against the balefire, overcoming it and shooting up Taim's arm, causing him to crystalise from the inside. She realises that if she releases the Power she will be burned out. 
She tells Leilwin to break the Seals at the moment the Light shines, releases the bond and pushes her through a gateway. Surrounded by hundreds of Sharan channelers, she draws in more power and releases her new weave, killing them and sealing the cracks Taim created.
===Act IV: The Last King of Malkier===
: 
Setting: Outside the Pattern
Rand sees Egwene die and adds her to his list.
: 
Setting: Polov Heights
Leane sees Sharans crystalise. At the top of a fifty foot high column of crystal, she sees Vora's sa'angreal and realises the Amyrlin has fallen.
: 
Setting: Mayene
Galad briefly wakes to tell Berelain to take the Medallion back to Mat.
: 
Setting: Polov Heights
Arganda tells Mat that Egwene and half the Aes Sedai are dead, as are all the Sharan channelers, with the remaining Aes Sedai too weak to channel. Mat has joined his surviving forces together, strung out across the Heights. They are defending on two fronts as the Trollocs have broken through on the east. Arganda tells him that Elayne, Davram and six Aiel Clan Chiefs are dead. 
Naeff and Neald arrive and tell him Tuon is waiting to return. He gives Naeff instructions for Tuon and tells Neald to go to Talmanes. 
He sees Lan riding towards Demandred.
: 
Setting: Field of Merrilor
Trollocs try to get through to Olver. He huddles in on himself - terrified.
: 
Setting: Polov Heights
Loial sees Lan burst from the ranks of soldiers Knowing and respecting Lan for what he is about to do, he chases after him, away from Erith. He tells her he is going to witness the fall of the last king of Malkier.
: 
Arganda lines up his men for a charge that Tam expects to fail. Tam sees Lan riding to Demandred, his way blocked by Trollocs and orders his men to fire on them. 
He looses a burning arrow. 
: 
Lan rides at the Trollocs wearing the Medallion he got from Berelain. Burning arrows rain down on them, creating an opening. He silently thanks Tam. 
He dismounts to save Mandarb and attacks Demandred, exchanging three blows and drawing blood. Demandred asks with surprise who he is and he replies:
"I am the man who will kill you."
: 
Setting: Field of Merrilor
Min rides a torm through a gateway back to the Field of Merrilor.
: 
Setting: Outside the Pattern
Rand sees Lan fight, Elayne captive, Rhuarc a slave to Graendal. He sees his friend Mat. He sees the pain, loss and fear in their faces. 
He thinks he has failed, but hears a voice at the back of his mind: 
"Let it go."
: 
Setting: Polov Heights
Lan and Demandred fight; Lan avoiding rocks Demandred throws at him with the Power, but Demandred is the better swordsman. He doesn't believe anyone of the third age could have the skill that Lan shows and stops talking and using the Power to concentrate on the sword. Demandred tells him he can't win.
Lan Sheathes The Sword.
"I didn't come here to win. I came here to kill you."
And he does.
==Characters==
*Lan Mandragoran
*Andere
*Mat Cauthon
*Logain Ablar
*Elayne Trakand
*Birgitte Silverbow
*Fortuona Athaem Devi Paendrag
*Uno
*Allin
*Talmanes Delovinde
*Aludra
*Demandred
*Kwamesa Sedai
*Asha'man Einar
*Androl Genhald
*Emarin Pendaloan
*Pevara Tazanovni
*Gabrelle
*Gawyn Trakand
*Yukiri
*Egwene al'Vere
*Gareth Bryne
*Siuan Sanche
*Lelaine Akashi
*Silviana Brehon
*Doesine Alwain
*Tam al'Thor
*Abell Cauthon
*Bayrd
*Azi al'Thone or Azil Mareed
*Tinna
*Galad Damodred
*Arganda
*Alliandre
*Dannil Lewin
*Theodrin
*Mika the damane
*Min Farshaw
*Golever
*Kline
*Alix
*Dark One
*Rand al'Thor
*Jori Congar
*Nynaeve
*Damer Flinn
*Cadsuane Melaidhrin
*Moiraine
*Aviendha
*Adora Aybara
*Basel Gill
===Referenced===
*Masema Dagar
*Canler
*Jonneth Dowtry
*Taim
*Toveine Gazal
*Kimtin
*Haral Luhhan
*Perrin Aybara
*Loial
*Harnesh
*Mallone
*Brokel
==Groups==
*Sharan
*Malkieri
*Borderlanders
*Aes Sedai
*Asha'man
*Channelers
*Guardswomen
*Warder
*Seanchan
*Taraboner
*Forsaken
*Dragonsworn
*Whitecloaks
*Ghealdanin
*Wolf Guard
*Aiel
*Saldaean
*Legion of the Dragon
*Black Ajah
*Ogier
*Deathwatch Guard
*Band of the Red Hand
*Winged Guards
*Chosen
==Animals==
*Bela
*Mandarb
*Moonshadow
*Sidama
==Shadowspawn==
*Draghkar
*Trollocs
*Fades
==Places==
*Arafel
*Shienar
*Field of Merrilor
*River Mora
*Dashar Knob
*River Erinin
*Two Rivers
*The Queen's Blessing in Caemlyn
===Referenced===
*Andor
*Falme
*Fal Dara
*Black Tower
*Mayene
*Sabinel
*The Blight
*Shayol Ghul
==Events==
*The Taint
*The stolen Seals for the Dark One's prison
*The Dragon's Peace
==Concepts==
===Culture===
*Sharan
*dragons
*Damane
*Sul'dam
*Seanchan Empress
*Amyrlin Seat
*'Sa'angreal
*Bloodknife ring
*So'jhin
*kaf
*Circle
*The Void
*The Game of Houses
*The Pattern
*steamwagon
==One Power==
*Fire ball
*Thunderclap
*Healing
*Lightnings
*Gateway
*Balefire
*Compulsion
*Deathgates
*Flame of Tar Valon
*Mask of Mirrors