Contents
Chapter 10
Overview
Trollocs and Myrddraal assault the Stone of Tear, sowing chaos among Defenders and Aiel. Rand rallies fighters, confronts Lanfear, then takes up Callandor and annihilates the Shadowspawn with devastating weaves. His failed attempt to reverse a girl’s death underscores his limits. Moiraine and Lan reveal the Shadow’s infiltration method.
Summary
Rand emerges into a brutal melee where Defenders face Trollocs and a Myrddraal. He draws on saidin, duels the Fade, and beheads it, rallying the faltering Tairens with battle cries. As scattered fights rage through the Stone, he presses deeper, prioritizing killing Myrddraal to break Trolloc groups.
Amid shifting skirmishes he glimpses Moiraine and Lan beset yet holding their own. The halls teem with Shadowspawn and Darkfriends, and even Trollocs turn on each other. In one corridor, a goat-horned Trolloc unexpectedly spares him before Myrddraal duel elsewhere, heightening Rand’s sense of unraveling order.
Lanfear appears, chiding Rand for risking himself and urging him to join her. When Rand tries to restrain her with the Power, she effortlessly counters and warns that other Forsaken could seize Callandor. Alarmed, Rand races to his chambers.
He takes up Callandor, the Power surging through him, and instantly kills a Fade. He then sweeps the Stone, incinerating Trollocs and Myrddraal. Seeking a faster end, he forges a spinning construct that unleashes branching lightning through corridors, killing all remaining Shadowspawn at once.
Afterward, Moiraine and Lan find Rand near the corpse of a dark-haired girl. Overwhelmed, he tries to force life back into her with Callandor but fails, and Moiraine reminds him death cannot be Healed. Lan reports the Shadowspawn infiltrated via hidden loads in grain barges and wagons.
Exhausted, partially restored by Moiraine’s limited Healing, Rand tells them Lanfear was present and likely won’t try to kill him yet. He promises to announce his next move tomorrow, resolved to unleash a different “lightning” to change the game.
Who Appears
- Rand al'ThorRallies defenders, duels Fades, claims Callandor, creates lightning web, fails to revive a dead girl, vows a plan.
- LanfearAppears mid-battle, manipulates Rand, effortlessly counters his weaves, warns about Callandor, withholds open aid.
- Moiraine DamodredFights Trollocs with fire, later assesses Rand’s feat, prevents approach, gently halts his attempt to reverse death.
- Lan MandragoranBattles relentlessly, reports the infiltration via barges and wagons, stands ready to shield Moiraine from Rand.
- Defenders of the StoneTairen soldiers panic then rally to Rand; suffer heavy casualties holding corridors against Trollocs and Fades.
- AielJoin fights without flinching from Fades; several die defending the Stone alongside Rand and Tairens.
- Perrin AybaraBriefly seen battling Trollocs with axe; his presence underscores scattered, desperate skirmishes.
- Faile BashereFights alongside Perrin, guarding his back with knives amid the Stone’s chaotic combat.