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Inch by inch, they approached Aludra’s warehouse Twice they encountered Trollocs prowling for refugees to kill They finished these off, the reroup before they had time to respond

Talht any longer That wound had left hiht, why had he left his horse behind? Fool move, that Well, the Trollocs would have chased it off anyway

My thoughts are starting to go in circles He pointed with his sword down a crossing alley The scouts scurried on ahead and looked in both directions before giving the all clear I can barely think Not er now before the darkness takes ons protected first He had to

Talmanes stumbled out of the alley onto a familiar street They were close On one side of the street, structures burned The statues there looked like poor souls trapped in the flaed around the overcome with black

The other side of the street was silent, nothing there burning Shadows thrown by the statues danced and played, like revelers watching their enemies burn The air s statues--see creatures of shadow Dying beauties, consu upon it, killing the soul

"We’re close now!" Tal run He couldn’t afford to slow them down If that fire reaches the warehouse

They arrived at a burned-out patch of ground; the fire had been here, and gone, apparently A large wooden warehouse had stood here once, but it had fallen in Now the timbers only smoldered, and were heaped with rubble and half-burned Trolloc corpses

The athered around hi flames Cold sweat dripped down Talmanes’ face

"We were too late", Melten whispered "They took theons would have made explosions if they’d burned The Shadon arrived, took the dragons and burned the place down

Around Talmanes, exhausted members of the Band sank down to their knees I’ht We tried We--

A sudden sound like thunder cracked through the city It shook Talht", Guybon said "The Shadon are using the dragons?"

"Maybe not", Talh hiain His ony up his side He passed down the street with the statues, flaht, cold stillness to his left

BOOM

Those explosions didn’t sound loud enough to be dragons Dared he hope for an Aes Sedai? Jesa in her skirts alongside the roup barreled around a corner two streets fro force of Shadon