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On one side of the pass mouth a sheer cliff had been smoothed over a hundredpace width and carved, a eathered snake entwining a staff a good three hundred spans high; il, it surely dated fro, perhaps even before the Trolloc Wars He had seen re vanished; often even Moiraine did not know their source
High on the other side, so far up that he was not sure he was seeing what he thought, just below the snow line, stood so that made the first monument of a few thousand years a commonplace He could have sworn it was the reainst the darker er still, what appeared to be a dock of the sa drunkenly down theit, that had to date froed utterly in those years This could well have been an ocean’s floor, before He would have to ask Asmodean Even if he had had the ti that altitude to find out for hihwalled town of moderate size, a remnant itself, of the time when Cairhien had been allowed to send caravans across the Threefold Land, and wealth had flowed fro the Silk Path There appeared to be birds above the town, and dark blotches at regular intervals along the gray stone walls Mat stood in Pips’ stirrups, shading his eyes with that broadbri Lan’s hard face wore no expression at all, yet he appeared just as intent; a gust of wind, a little cooler here, whipped his colorshifting cloak around him, and for a moment all of him from shoulders to boots seemed to blend into the rocky hills and sparse thornbushes
"Are you listening toher white mare closer "You must --!" She took a deep breath "Please, Rand There is so much that I must tell you, soin her tone lance at her He could remember when he had been overawed by her presence Now she see, that he should feel protective of her "There is plenty of tiently "I don’t pretend to think I know as much of the world as you I reat a change that was fro else on hed "As you wish We have plenty of tiray stallion to a trot, and the others followed The wagons quickened, too, though they could not keep up on the slope Asleeman’s cloak rippled behind him like the banner he carried at his stirrup, brilliant red with the whiteandblack symbol of the ancient Aes Sedai at its center His face wore a sullen glower; he had not been best pleased at having to be the bannern he would conquer, the Prophecy of Rhuidean said, and perhaps it would not frighten the world so on Banner, Lews Therin’s banner, that he had left flying over the Stone of Tear Feould know this sign
The blotches on the walls of Taien were bodies, contorted in their final agonies, bloated in the sun and hanging by their necks in a row that seelossy black ravens, and vultures with their heads and necks befouled So, unconcerned for the new arrivals The sickly sweet stench of corruption hung in the dry air, and the acrid s open on an expanse of ruin, sootstreaked stone houses and collapsed roofs Nothing moved except the birds
Like Mar Ruois He tried to shake the thought away, but in his head he could see that great city after it was retaken, ireat bonfires at every street crossing, where those who had refused to swear to the Shadow had been bound and thrown alive to the flah he had not discussed it with Moiraine I am Rand al’Thor Lews Therin Telamon is dead three thousand years I am myself! That was one battle he meant to win If he did have to die at Shayol Ghul, he would die as hi else
Half a h the Aiel had set a pace afoot from sunup to sundown that wearied the horses But Couladin had beenthis way a week before he learned of it If they had not e Cairhien before Rand could reach it Longer, before the Shaido could be brought to bay Not aus from those rocks to the left," Lan said quietly He see what reliwene and Aviendha stay with the Wise Ones The town gave hiinal plan, when he had hoped that Taien had escaped Egwene still wore the same Aiel clothes as Aviendha, and Aiel would not have been very welco the survivors
He looked back at the wagons drawing to a halt a short distance downslope Mutters drifted up from the drivers now that they could see the town clearly, and the wall’s decorations Kadere, his bulk all in white again today, e kerchief; he appeared unperturbed, htfully
Rand expected that Moiraine would have to find new drivers once they were through the pass Kadere and his creould likely flee as soon as they had the chance And he would have to let theht -- it was not justice -- but it was necessary to protect As as necessary instead of as right? In a fair world, they would be one and the sah, a hoarse wheeze He was far froe boy he had been, but sometimes that boy sneaked up on hie to tell the ed froed and dirty and barefoot They approached hesitantly, heads tilted uneasily, eyes darting froht take flight at a shout Gaunt cheeks and waver