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seemed to notice Rand as they paid a few last strokes and broke away； galloping； or running in a stagger； to the ends of the pass。
Rand found himself facing the end of the pass where the humans were re…forming； pennants stirring beneath gleaming lancepoints。 Wounded men wavered in their saddles。 Riderless horses reared and galloped。 Plainly they could not stand another meeting； yet just as plainly they readied themselves for one final charge。 Some of them saw him now； men stood in their stirrups to point at him。 Their shouts came to him as tiny piping。
Staggering； he turned。 The forces of the Dark One filled the other end of the pass； bristling black pikes and spearpoints swelling up onto mountain slopes made blacker still by the great mass of Trollocs that dwarfed the army of Shienar。 Fades in hundreds rode across the front of the horde； the fierce； muzzled faces of Trollocs turning away in fear as they passed； huge bodies pulling back to make way。 Overhead； Draghkar wheeled on leathery pinions； shrieks challenging the wind。 Halfmen saw him now； too； pointed； and Draghkar spun and dove。 Two。 Three。 Six of them； crying shrilly as they plummeted toward him。
He stared at them。 Heat filled him； the burning heat of the touched sun。 He could see the Draghkar clearly； soulless eyes in pale men's faces on winged bodies that had nothing of humanity about them。 Terrible heat。 Crackling heat。
From the clear sky lightning came； each bolt crisp and sharp； searing his eyes； each bolt striking a winged black shape。 Hunting cries became shrieks of death； and charred forms fell to leave the sky clean again。
The heat。 The terrible heat of the Light。
He fell to his knees； he thought he could hear his tears sizzling on his cheeks。 〃No！〃 He clutched at tufts of wiry grass for some hold on reality； the grass burst in flame。 〃Please； nooooooo！〃
The wind rose with his voice； howled with his voice； roared with his voice down the pass； whipping the flames to a wall of fire that sped away from him and toward the Trolloc host faster than a horse could run。 Fire burned into the Trollocs； and the mountains trembled with their screams； screams almost as loud as the wind and his voice。
〃It has to end！〃
He beat at the ground with his fist； and the earth tolled like a gong。 He bruised his hands on stony soil； and the earth trembled。 Ripples ran through the ground ahead of him in ever…rising waves； waves of dirt and rock towering over Trollocs and Fades； breaking over them as the mountains shattered under their hooved feet。 A boiling mass of flesh and rubble churned across the Trolloc army。 What was left standing was still a mighty host； but now no more than twice the human army in numbers； and milling in fright and confusion。
The wind died。 The screams died。 The earth was still。 Dust and smoke swirled back down the pass to surround him。
〃The Light blind you； Ba'alzamon！ This has to end！〃
IT IS NOT HERE。
It was not Rand's thought； making his skull vibrate。
I WILL TAKE NO PART。 ONLY THE CHOSEN ONE CAN DO WHAT MUST BE DONE； IF HE WILL。
〃Where？〃 He did not want to say it； but he could not stop himself。 〃Where？〃
The haze surrounding him parted； leaving a dome of clear； clean air ten spans high； walled by billowing smoke and dust。 Steps rose before him； each standing alone and unsupported； stretching up into the murk that obscured the sun。
NOT HERE。
Through the mist； as from the far end of the earth； came a cry。 〃The Light wills it！〃 The ground rumbled with the thunder of hooves as the forces of humankind launched their last charge。
Within the void； his mind knew a moment of panic。 The charging horsemen could not see him in the dust； their charge would trample right over him。 The greater part of him ignored the shaking ground as a petty thing beneath concern。 Dull anger driving his feet； he mounted the first steps。 It has to be ended！
Darkness surrounded him； the utter blackness of total nothing。 The steps were still there； hanging in the black； under his feet and ahead。 When he looked back； those behind were gone； faded away to nothing； into the nothingness around him。 But the cord was yet there； stretching behind him； the glowing line dwindling and vanishing into the distance。 It was not so thick as before； but it still pulsed； pumping strength into him； pumping life； filling him with the Light。 He climbed。
It seemed forever that he climbed。 Forever； and minutes。 Time stood still in nothingness。 Time ran faster。 He climbed until suddenly a door stood before him； its surface rough and splintered and old； a door well remembered。 He touched it； and it burst to fragments。 While they still fell； he stepped through； bits of shattered wood falling from his shoulders。
The chamber； too； was as he remembered； the mad； striated sky beyond the balcony； the melted walls； the polished table； the terrible fireplace with its roaring； heatless flames。 Some of those faces that made the fireplace； writhing in torment； shrieking in silence； tugged at his memory as if he knew them； but he held the void close； floated within himself in emptiness。 He was alone。 When he looked at the mirror on the wall； his face was there as clear as if it was him。 There is calm in the void。
〃Yes；〃 Ba'alzamon said from in front of the fireplace； 〃I thought Aginor's greed would overe him。 But it makes no difference in the end。 A long search； but ended now。 You are here； and I know you。〃
In the midst of the Light the void drifted； and in the midst of the void floated Rand。 He reached for the soil of his home； and felt hard rock； unyielding and dry； stone without pity； where only the strong could survive； only those as hard as the mountains。 〃I am tired of running。〃 He could not believe his voice was so calm。 〃Tired of you threatening my friends。 I will run no more。〃 Ba'alzamon had a cord； too； he saw。 A black cord； thicker by far than his own； so wide it should have dwarfed the human body； yet dwarfed by Ba'alzamon； instead。 Each pulse along that black vein ate light。
〃You think it makes any difference； whether you run or stay？〃 The flames of Ba'alzamon's mouth laughed。 The faces in the hearth wept at their master's mirth。 〃You have fled from me many times； and each time I run you down and make you eat your pride with sniveling tears for spice。 Many times you have stood and fought； then groveled in defeat； begging mercy。 You have this choice； worm； and this choice only： kneel at my feet and serve me well； and I will give you power above thrones； or be Tar Valon's puppet fool and scream while you are ground into the dust of time。 〃
Rand shifted； glancing back through the door as if seeking a way to escape。 Let the Dark One think that。 Beyond the doorway was still the black of nothing； split by the shining thread that ran from his body。 And out there Ba'alzamon's heavier cord ran as well； so black that it stood out in the dark as if against snow。 The two cords beat like heart…veins in counter…time； against each other； the light barely resisting the waves of dark。
〃There are other choices；〃 Rand said。 〃The Wheel weaves the Pattern； not you。 Every trap you've laid for me； I have escaped。 I've escaped your Fades and Trollocs； escaped your Darkfriends。 I tracked you here； and destroyed your army on the way。 You do not weave the Pattern。〃
Ba'alzamon's eyes roared like two furnaces。 His lips did not move； but Rand thought he heard a curse screamed at Aginor。 Then the fires died； and that ordinary human face smiled at him in a way that chilled even through the warmth of the Light。
〃Other armies can be raised； fool。 Armies you have not dreamed of will yet e。 And you tracked me？ You slug under a rock； track me？ I began the setting of your path the day you were born； a path to lead you to your grave； or here。 Aiel allowed to flee； and one to live； to speak the words that would echo down the years。 Jain Farstrider； a hero；〃 he twisted the word to a sneer； 〃whom I painted like a fool and sent to the Ogier thinking he was free of me。 The Black Ajah； wriggling like worms on their bellies across the w