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Lan went past her； leading Mandarb； poled lantern in hand。 His shadowy reflection approached him； leading a shadowy horse。 Man and reflection seemed to step into each other at the shimmering surface； and both were gone。 For a moment the black stallion balked； an apparently continuous rein connecting him to the dim shape of his own image。 The rein tightened； and the warhorse； too； vanished。
For a minute everyone in the cellar stood staring at the Waygate。
〃Hurry；〃 Moiraine urged。 〃I must be the last through。 We cannot leave this open for anyone to find by chance。 Hurry。〃
With a heavy sigh Loial strode into the shimmer。 Tossing its head； his big horse tried to hold back from the surface and was hauled through。 They were gone as pletely as the Warder and Mandarb。
Hesitantly； Rand poked his lantern at the Waygate。 The lantern sank into its reflection； the two merging until both were gone。 He made himself keep on walking forward； watching the pole disappear into itself inch by inch； and then he was stepping into himself； entering the gate。 His mouth fell open。 Something icy slid along his skin； as if he were passing through a wall of cold water。 Time stretched out； the cold enveloped one hair at a time； shivered over his clothes thread by thread。
Abruptly the chill burst like a bubble； and he paused to catch his breath。 He was inside the Ways。 Just ahead Lan and Loial waited patiently by their horses。 All around them was blackness that seemed to stretch on forever。 Their lanterns made a small pool of light around them； too small； as if something pressed back the light； or ate it。
Of a sudden anxious； he jerked at his reins。 Red and the packhorse came leaping through； nearly knocking him down。 Stumbling； he caught himself and hurried to the Warder and the Ogier； pulling the nervous horses behind him。 The animals whickered softly。 Even Mandarb appeared to take some fort from the presence of other horses。
〃Go easy when you pass through a Waygate； Rand；〃 Loial cautioned。 〃Things are。。。 different inside the Ways than out。 Look。〃
He looked back the way the Ogier pointed； thinking to see the same dull shimmer。 Instead he could see into the cellar； as if through a large piece of smoked glass set in the blackness。 Disturbingly the darkness around the window into the cellar gave a sense of depth； as though the opening stood alone with nothing around or behind it but the dark。 He said as much with a shaky laugh； but Loial took him seriously。
〃You could walk all the way around it； and you would not see a thing from the other side。 I would not advise it； though。 The books aren't very clear about what lies behind the Waygates。 I think you could bee lost there； and never find your way out。〃
Rand shook his head and tried to concentrate on the Waygate itself rather than what lay behind it； but that was just as disturbing in its own fashion。 If there had been anything to look at in the darkness besides the Waygate； he would have looked at it。 In the cellar； through the smoky dimness； Moiraine and the others were plain enough； but they moved as if in a dream。 Every blink of an eye seemed a deliberate； exaggerated gesture。 Mat was making his way to the Waygate as though walking through clear jelly； his legs seeming to swim forward。
〃The Wheel turns faster in the Ways；〃 Loial explained。 He looked at the darkness surrounding them； and his head sunk in between his shoulders。 〃None alive know more than fragments。 I fear what I don't know about the Ways； Rand。 〃
〃The Dark One；〃 Lan said； 〃cannot be defeated without chancing risks。 But we are alive at this moment； and before us is the hope of remaining alive。 Do not surrender before you are beaten； Ogier。〃
〃You would not speak so confidently if you had ever been in the Ways。〃 The normal distant thunder of Loial's voice was muted。 He stared at the blackness as if he saw things there。 〃I never have before； either； but I've seen Ogier who have been through a Waygate and e out again。 You would not speak so if you had。〃
Mat stepped through the gate and regained normal speed。 For an instant he stared at the seemingly endless darkness； then came running to join them； his lantern bobbing on its pole； his horse leaping behind him； almost sending him sprawling。 One by one the others passed through； Perrin and Egwene and Nynaeve； each pausing in shocked silence before hurrying to join the rest。 Each lantern enlarged the pool of light； but not as much as it should have。 It was as if the dark became denser the more light there was； thickening as it fought against being diminished。
That was not a line of reasoning Rand wanted to follow。 It was bad enough just being there without giving the darkness a will of its own。 Everyone seemed to feel the oppressiveness； though。 There were no wry ments from Mat here； and Egwene looked as if she wished she could rethink her decision to e。 They all silently watched the Waygate； that last window into the world they knew。
Finally only Moiraine was left in the cellar； dimly lit by the lantern she had taken。 The Aes Sedai still moved in that dreamlike way。 Her hand crept as it found the leaf of Avendesora。 It was located lower in the stonework on this side； Rand saw； just where she had placed it on the other。 Plucking it free； she put it back in the original position。 He wondered suddenly if the leaf on the other side had moved back； too。
The Aes Sedai came through； leading Aldieb； as the stone gates slowly； slowly began closing behind her。 She came to join them； the light of her lantern leaving the gates before they were shut。 Blackness swallowed the narrowing view of the cellar。 In the constrained light of their lanterns； blackness surrounded them totally。
Suddenly it seemed as if the lanterns were the only light left in the world。 Rand realized that he was jammed shoulder…to…shoulder in between Perrin and Egwene。 Egwene gave him a wide…eyed look and pressed closer； and Perrin made no move to give him room。 There was something forting about touching another human being when the whole world had just been swallowed up by dark。 Even the horses seemed to feel the Ways pushing them into a tighter and tighter knot。
Outwardly unconcerned； Moiraine and Lan swung into their saddles； and the Aes Sedai leaned forward； arms resting on her carved staff across the high pommel of her saddle。 〃We must be on our way； Loial。〃
Loial gave a start； and nodded vigorously。 〃Yes。 Yes； Aes Sedai； you are right。 Not a minute longer than need be。〃 He pointed to a broad strip of white running under their feet； and Rand stepped away from it hastily。 All the Two Rivers folk did。 Rand thought the floor had been smooth once； but the smoothness was pitted now； as if the stone had the pox。 The white line was broken in several places。 〃This leads from the Waygate to the first Guiding。 From there 。。。 〃 Loial looked around anxiously； then scrambled onto his horse with none of the reluctance he had shown earlier。 The horse wore the biggest saddle the head groom had been able to find； but Loial filled it from pommel to cantle。 His feet hung down on either side almost to the animal's knees。 〃Not a minute longer than need be；〃 he muttered。 Reluctantly the others mounted。
Moiraine and Lan rode on either side of the Ogier； following the white line through the dark。 Everyone else crowded in behind as close as they could get； the lanterns bobbing over their heads。 The lanterns should have given enough light to fill a house； but ten feet away from them it stopped。 The blackness stopped it as if it had struck a wall。 The creak of saddles and click of horseshoes on stone seemed to travel only to the edge of light。
Rand's hand kept drifting to his sword。 It was not that he thought there was anything out there against which he could use the sword to defend himself； it did not seem as if there was anywhere for something to be。 The bubble of light around them could as well have been a cave surrounded by stone； pletely surrounded； with no way out。 The horses might have been walking a treadmill for the change around them。 He gripped the hilt as if the pressure of his