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Cradling the translucent blade in the crook of his elbow, Rand rode Tai’daishar forward a few steps There was no reason to He had no clearer view fro spidered across the outer surface of the Void, a wriggling black web He was afraid The last time he had used Callandor, really used it, he had tried to bring the dead back to life He had been sure he could do anything, then, anything at all Like a on Reborn He could do anything Had he not proved it tih the Sword That Is Not a Sword

Saidin seeh it Froht He had only thought the Power filled him before Now he held more than ten men could have unaided, a hundred, he did not kno h his head The cold of all of the winters of all the Ages, eating into his heart In that torrent, the taint was all theinto his soul Saidin still tried to kill him, tried to scour away, burn away, freeze away, every scrap of hiht, and he lived for a h He could do anything!

Once, holding Callandor, he had h the Stone of Tear, struck the wherever they stood or ran or hid Surely there ainst his eneuished whimpers answered, as if that disembodied voice feared the pain of saidin

With Callandor blazing in his hand -- he did not re the blade overhead -- he stared at the hills where his ene rain, and dense black clouds blocking the sun What was it he had told Eagan Padros?

"I am the storm," he whispered -- a shout in his ears, a roar -- and he channeled

Overhead, the clouds boiled Where they had been the black of soot, they becaht He did not knohat he was channeling So often, he did not, in spite of As hi Flows of saidin spun across the sky, Wind and Water and Fire Fire The sky truly did rain lightning A hundred bolts at once, hundreds, forked bluewhite shafts stabbing down as far as he could see The hills before hi like kicked anthills Fla to torches in the rain, fla struck hiround The crown had fallen frouely, he are of Tai’daishar scraht to strike back at hih, he screaainst me, if you dare! I aon Reborn!" A thousand sizzling lightning bolts hailed down fro struck hi, lay a pace fros Suddenly, he realized that the weight atop hi hi him down!

"Stop it!" the Saldaean shouted Blood fanned down his face fro us, man! Stop!"

Rand turned his head, and one stunned look was enough Lightnings flashed all around him, in every direction A bolt stabbed down onto the reverse slope, where Denharad and the armsmen were; the screams of men and horses rose Anaiyella and Ailil were both afoot, trying vainly to quietto rip reins free Flinn was bending over sos already stiff

Rand let saidin go He let it go, but for ed The flow into hih him in its place For three more heartbeats, two of Callandor shone where they lay on the ground, and lightning fell Then, silence except for the rising drum of the rain And the screams from behind the hill

Slowly Bashere clis, blinking as his sight returned to norht have a rabid lion, fingering his sword hilt Anaiyella took one look at Rand on his feet and collapsed in a faint; her horse dashed away, reins dangling Ailil, still fighting her rearing anilances for Rand Rand let Callandor lie where it was for the moment He was not sure he dared pick it up Not yet

Flinn straightened, shaking his head, then stood silently as Rand went unsteadily to stand beside hi as if in horror Jonan had been one of the first Those screah the rain Howthe Defenders? The Co?

Rain thick as a blanket hid the hills where the Seanchan ar out blindly? Or were they still waiting out there with all their da to see how uard you think we need," Rand told Bashere His voice was iron One of the first His heart was iron "When Gregorin and the others reach us, we’ll Travel to where the carts are waiting as fast as we can" Bashere nodded without speaking, and turned away in the rain

I’ve lost, Rand thought dully I’on Reborn, but for the first tied up inside hiotten I’ve never been defeated, he snarled I a! No one can defeatthe Crown of Swords in his hands, looking at Callandor lying in the rateful for the downpour that hid the tears on his cheeks Soive the order Eventually soht she live forever, and h, nor even for a dead co a sleeve fro eyes so the rain would not fall in them

"Send out orders for retreat," Yulan ordered, and saw thearound him jerk For the second time on these shores, the Ever Victorious Ar defeat, and Yulan did not think he