46 Fal Dara

Confronted by a shattered bridge in the Ways, Moiraine orders a retreat to find another route to Fal Dara. They make camp on an Island; Moiraine refuses to channel due to the taint, suggests Thom Merrilin likely lives, and confirms Min’s viewings bind their fates. She soothes everyone’s fears, guarding their dreams.

Resuming travel, Lan senses a follower, but Moiraine insists on haste. At the next Guiding, they find Trolloc runes and, ahead, Shadowspawn petrified in bubbled stone beside a destroyed Tar Valon path, proving Trollocs have learned to enter the Ways but still blunder into ancient traps.

A distant wind grows—Machin Shin. Loial races to the exit path, but at the Waygate the Avendesora leaf is missing. With the Black Wind bearing down, Moiraine burns through the stone—her flame tainted and smoking—then Lan rams a cut slab outward with Mandarb, forcing an opening.

Moiraine hurls a blinding strike to delay the Black Wind while everyone plunges through the chilling veil. Outside in winter cold, the Waygate darkens as the Wind howls vile whispers it cannot push beyond. Exhausted, Moiraine declares the entity trapped within and urges that Agelmar wall the gate. The towers of Fal Dara rise to the north.