A Memory of Light/Chapter 23

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Gawyn, looking for an escape, scouts ahead while leaving his warder’s cloak on Egwene who is following not far behind. He tells her that he will toss a stone as a warning if he finds anything. He slips on one of the rings of the Bloodknives and becomes nearly invisible, especially in shadow. He reminds himself not to let the power of the ring make him too bold as it also gives him a little extra speed.
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Egwene follows behind Gawyn. She begins to worry about Demandred leading the Sharans, whether enough Aes Sedai survived to face him, and why he sent for Rand. She reminds herself that her strength and authority come from her control, understanding, and care and not merely her ability to channel. As she encourages herself, she hears Gawyn tossing pebbles. She crouches by a half-burned tent and sees the gruesome corpse of a burned Shienaran. She senses a channeler behind her moments before a shield is slammed between her and the Source. Egwene attacks with her belt knife, but the tall, slender Sharan woman binds her with Air. Helpless, Egwene allows her terror to build in order to alert Gawyn through their bond.  She feels Gawyn moving closer, but far off. Leilwin knocks the channeler unconscious by smashing her head and rescues Egwene. Gawyn and Bayle rejoin the women. They quietly escape the outskirts of the camp and Egwene feels safe enough to create a gateway to Skim to the White Tower.
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The assault on Thakan'dar begins. Aviendha leads a two-pronged attack of Ash'aman, Aiel Wise Ones, the freed Damane Alivia, and Aes Sedai with their Warders into the valley to destroy the Shadow-forgers and release their captives. The surprise attack catches the Shadowspawn off guard which allows Moiraine, Nynaeve, Thom, and Rand to slip into the Pit of Doom. Rodel Ituralde moves his forces in behind the Aiel to secure the rest of the valley. Suddenly, the sun is eclipsed by something dark and solid. It strikes fear that the end of the world is coming and awes both soldiers and Trollocs alike.
Aviendha feels strong channeling from the opposite side of the valley. She organizes a circle and floods with the One Power. A loose, raw weave of Air and Fire burns from her hands across the other side of the valley. Aviendha is careful to channel weaves of Fire, but not balefire to avoid further weakening the Bore. But the other channelers shoot back bars of balefire, heedlessly. Aviendha creates a gateway behind them and immediately shields herself with chunk of rock from another blast of balefire. As it disintegrates, the men and women of her circle dash through the gateway behind her. Cracks into pure darkness form in the rocks nearby, showing damage to the pattern itself. Aviendha burns a column of fire through Duhara Basaheen, a coppery-skinned Domani formerly of the Red Ajah. Two woman channelers remain throwing weaves back and forth. The stronger woman vanishes without using a gateway, as if folding in on herself and leaving an odd tremble to the air. The last woman, Falion Bhoda, screams upon being abandoned from their circle and Aviendha tears off her arms with a weave. 
In the aftermath, Bera Harkin heals Aviendha's singed eyes and Sarene Nemdahl confirms the two dead women as Duhara and Falion who had been raised from the Black Ajah to Dreadlords. Aviendha splits the single circle into three smaller circles led by herself, Bera, and Amys. One circle will provoke the Trollocs and their channeler, while the other two circles conceal themselves and attack from the sides. She senses increased channeling activity as Cadsuane leads Aes Sedai and Asha'man, opening gateways for Domani and Tairen armies. Anticipating a mess of channeling, she establishes Traveling grounds and maintains tight control over channelers to pinpoint attacks by the Forsaken.
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Rand approaches the base of the mountain that is Shayol Ghul. He orders no channeling until the strike on the Dark one to conserve his strength. Thom volunteers to guard the entrance into the cave, while joking about his excellent view of the battle and the chance to compose a ballad or two. Rand smiles at Thom's ability to smile even at the end of time itself.
Nynaeve suggests that Rand should rest, eyeing the old wound in his side that has re-opened. His blood runs down his leg and into his boot, leaving a bloody footprint behind:
:The Dragon’s blood stains the rock of Shayol Ghul 
He unsheathes Callandor and asks Moiraine and Nynaeve to form a circle. Moiraine asks if one of the women should lead to allow him to use Callandor safely. Rand replies that he doesn't intend to be safe, to Moiraine and Nynaeve's dismay. While he leads the circle, he remains vulnerable to another's strike that might seize control of him. As Rand questions whether he planned this well enough and whether it was the right time, a voice booms:
Rand is not surprised, as he had heard this voice once before now. He had been hoping for it. 
== Characters ==
*Gawyn Trakand
*Egwene al'Vere
*Demandred
*Leane Sharif
*Bayle Domon
*Leilwin
*Aviendha
*Nesune Bihara
*Hessalam
*Alivia
*Amys
*Bera Harkin
*Sarene Nemdahl
*Duhara Basaheen
*Falion Bhoda
*Vitalien
*Rand al'Thor
*Moiraine Damodred
*El'Nynaeve ti al'Meara Mandragoran
*Thomdril Merrilin
*The Creator?
=== Referenced ===
*El'Nynaeve ti al'Meara Mandragoran
*Perrin Aybara
*Laman Damodred
*Rodel Ituralde
*Graendal
*Cadsuane Melaidhrin
== Places ==
* Kandor
* Shayol Ghul
* Thakan'dar
* Pit of Doom