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An
Unexpected
Discovery
The
White
Tower
holds
many
marvels.
One
of
them
is
the
hope
and
fear
of
almost
every
novice
in
the
tower.
The
silver
three-arched
ter'angreal
deep
within
the
heart
of
the
White
Tower.
The
original
use
of
the
object
is
not
known,
although
its
modern
use
is
widely
known.
The
ter'angreal
was
found
during
the
Trolloc
Wars,
and
the
story
about
that
is
a
story
worth
to
tell.
The
land
was
ravaged
and
burnt
after
hundreds
of
years
of
war.
Kira
Toran
Aes
Sedai
of
the
Brown
Ajah
looked
sadly
at
the
landscape
as
she
rode
by.
She
had
been
born
in
the
town
Shanaine
in
Manetheren,
already
then
the
world
was
ravaged
by
war
and
armies
of
Trollocs
lead
by
Myrddrals
and
dreadlords
destroyed
everything
in
their
way
and
slaughtered
the
people.
The
world
was
on
the
brink
of
falling
apart
with
the
nations
government
and
administration
in
chaos
and
the
people
starved.
The
only
place
in
the
world
where
one
could
find
some
peace
was
in
the
White
Tower.
Kira
wondered
if
the
war
would
end
during
her
lifetime,
she
wondered
if
it
would
ever
end.
Her
Warder
Christol
felt
her
mood
and
kept
one
eye
on
her
as
he
constantly
kept
watching
the
surrounding
landscape.
Christol
would
have
preferred
to
have
his
Aes
Sedai
back
in
the
tower.
There
she
had
helped
the
people
who
had
fled
their
homes
and
come
to
the
tower
in
hope
of
a
sanctuary.
But
now
he
and
Kira
had
left
the
Tower
and
travelled
deeper
and
deeper
into
the
troubled
land.
Soon
they
would
reach
the
most
recently
battleground.
Christol
didn't
like
to
be
there
but
he
could
understand
her
reasons.
The
sorrow
and
fear
that
Kira
felt
he
shared.
Some
weeks
ago
a
message
had
reached
the
tower
by
pigeon.
Manetheren
had
fallen,
the
thorn
in
the
Dark
One's
foot
and
the
bramble
to
his
hand
had
fallen.
After
that
the
rumours
had
come,
some
said
that
the
capital
city
had
been
totally
destroyed
and
others
that
the
Dark
One
himself
had
appeared
and
crushed
Manetheren
under
his
foot.
Kira
just
knew
that
she
had
to
see
for
herself
what
had
become
of
her
birthplace
and
the
people
she
loved.
She
and
her
warder
left
the
tower
as
fast
as
they
could.
They
had
met
the
first
refugees
from
Manetheren
a
week
after
they
had
left
Tar
Valon.
Kira
had
heard
about
the
destruction
of
the
city
Manetheren
and
the
deaths
of
the
King
and
the
Queen.
But
none
of
the
refugees
knew
anything
about
the
fate
of
the
city
Shanaine.
But
there
were
rumours
about
fighting
down
in
Manetheren.
Kira
healed
the
ones
she
could
help
and
wished
that
she
could
do
more.
"If
I
only
could
split
myself
in
four
parts,
she
sighed."
Even
if
I
could
each
quarter
of
me
would
be
busy."
They
had
not
met
any
hostile
forces
yet.
The
worst
thing
so
far
was
some
bandits,
which
robbed
the
fugitives
of
their
last
possessions.
The
bandits
had
tried
to
rob
Kira
and
Christol
to
but
they
quickly
changed
their
minds.
A
bolt
of
fire
had
taken
the
leader
in
the
chest
and
Christol
took
care
of
the
others.
The
bandits
booty
was
distributed
among
those
who
needed
it
better.
The
trail
of
fugitives
had
ended
and
they
hadn't
seen
any
buildings
and
people
for
a
couple
of
days
now.
The
only
life
signs
were
some
ravens
and
a
hawk.
One
thing
gave
them
some
trouble
though.
A
raven
had
followed
them
yesterday
and
when
Christol
had
killed
it
with
a
wellaimed
arrow
a
new
bird
had
taken
its
place
today.
The
sun
would
soon
set
now
and
it
was
time
to
look
for
a
place
to
make
the
nightcamp.
Christol
rode
forward
alone
to
find
a
suitable
place
while
Kira
followed
at
a
slower
pace.
The
land
was
not
burnt
hear
and
the
green
grass
and
the
trees
made
her
feel
better.
Suddenly
she
felt
her
warder
return
and
from
the
bond
she
knew
that
he
was
worried.
She
stopped
her
horse
and
soon
he
came
in
sight.
"Kira,
I
found
a
farm,
he
said."
It
looked
abandoned
but
it
was
not
plundered.
I
thought
it
could
be
a
good
place
to
spend
the
night
so
I
went
inside.
And
there
were
dead
people
inside.
But
they
don't
have
any
markings
of
violence
on
them
so
I
don't
know
how
they
have
died."
It
was
almost
dark
when
Kira
had
finished
her
examination
of
the
farm
and
the
bodies.
It
was
four
bodies,
a
man,
a
woman
and
two
boys.
Kira
frowned
as
she
always
did
when
she
was
worried.
"They
have
been
killed
by
the
One
Power,
she
said."
It
is
an
easy
conclusion
to
draw,
for
the
one
who
committed
this
crime
was
either
very
clumsy
or
she
left
signs
of
saidar
because
she
wanted
me
to
see.
And
two
of
the
people
who
lived
her
are
missing.
Here
are
clothes
suitable
for
two
girls
between
twelve
and
sixteen.
Whoever
did
this
terrible
thing
took
them,"
Kira
said
furiously.
Christol
nodded
thoughtfully.
"I
found
tracks
outside,
he
said."
After
six
horses
and
eight
Trollocs.
The
tracks
lead
west,
towards
the
Mountains
of
Mist.
What
shall
we
do?"
Do
we
follow
the
tracks?"
he
asked
although
he
already
knew
the
answer.
Kira
was
fierce
enough
to
be
a
green.
Kira
didn't
bother
to
answer
him.
"At
first
light
tomorrow
we
leave,"
she
said
as
she
stroked
the
pouch
hanging
from
her
belt.
Inside
the
pouch
was
a
small
angreal
in
the
form
of
an
ivory
wolf.
Somehow
she
had
known
that
she
would
need
some
extra
strength.
Now
Kira
was
glad
that
she
had
brought
the
angreal
with
her.
The
camped
outside
the
farm
and
Kira
set
wards
around
the
encampment.
After
that
she
examined
the
flowers
and
bugs
that
she
had
found
yesterday.
She
thought
that
one
should
always
collect
knowledge
and
she
was
brown
after
all.
Christol
grumbled
over
her
collections
sometime.
Kira
thought
she
heard
him
mutter
something
about
needing
an
extra
horse.
The
night
had
been
silent
and
nothing
had
passed
through
Kira's
wards.
But
when
the
started
to
follow
the
tracks
Christol
silently
pointed
upward.
A
black
raven
flew
above
their
head
on
silent
wings.
"That
bird
is
hardly
a
coincidence,
he
said."
They
know
that
we
pursue
them."
Kira
nodded
and
a
lightning
struck
the
raven
from
the
sky.
They
rode
on
and
pressed
the
horses
hard.
They
saw
neither
birds
nor
animals
on
the
way.
It
was
as
the
animals
had
fled
from
the
nasty
party
they
followed.
But
near
the
evening
heard
the
shrieks
of
crows
from
far
away.
The
followed
the
sound
and
soon
they
were
grated
with
an
unexpected
sight.
A
cloud
of
crows
was
feasting
of
the
bodies
of
eight
trollocs.
The
birds
left
their
meal
as
Kira
and
Christol
moved
to
examine
the
bodies.
Under
the
crows
angry
croaking
the
Aes
Sedai
and
her
warder
got
a
closer
look
at
the
big
hairy
bodies
in
their
crude
chainmail.
The
bodies
were
criss-crossed
by
big
bites
from
strong
jaws.
Two
of
the
trollocs-slayers
lay
a
bit
away
from
the
trollocs.
One
of
the
wolves
was
dead
and
the
other
was
barely
alive.
Kira
quickly
knelt
beside
the
big
grey
wolf.
She
put
her
hands
on
the
shaggy
fur
and
channelled.
The
wolf
suddenly
jumped
up
on
shaky
legs.
It
looked
at
Kira
and
then
went
over
to
touch
the
other
wolf
with
its
nose.
The
wolf
whined
and
looked
at
Kira.
She
shook
her
head.
"This
is
the
first
time
for
me
to
heal
a
wolf,"
she
said.
"But
I
am
afraid
that
dead
is
beyond
my
talent."
The
wolf
howled
over
its
dead
companion,
but
when
Kira
and
Christol
left
the
place
it
followed.
They
stopped
to
talk
after
a
while.
"The
trollocs
was
a
part
of
our
prey,"
Christol
said.
"The
wolves
have
done
us
a
great
favour
then,"
said
Kira.
"But
why
did
they
attacked
the
trollocs?
I
hardly
think
they
did
it
because
they
were
hungry.
And
why
were
the
trollocs
hanging
back?"
Do
you
think
it
was
a
trap
for
us,"
she
asked?
Christol
nodded.
"I
have
heard
that
wolves
hates
trollocs
and
halfmen
and
always
tries
to
kill
them,"
he
said.
Kira
made
and
mental
note
about
that
and
shrugged.
"What
do
you
think
about
the
new
object
in
my
collection?"
she
said
looking
at
the
wolf.
"At
least
he
will
walk
on
his
own
legs,"
she
giggled.
"I
don't
mind,"
Christol
said.
"As
long
as
he
hunts
his
own
food."
It
almost
looked
like
the
wolf
snorted.
That
night
Kira
had
two
warders.
She
mused
to
herself
that
of
the
three
of
them;
she
undoubtedly
was
the
most
dangerous
as
the
equal
of
a
hundred
men.
But
the
question
was
whether
Christol
or
the
wolf
looked
most
deadly.
She
decided
to
call
the
wolf
Sheel.
It
meant
friend
in
the
Old
Tongue.
The
next
morning
was
chilly
and
clear.
In
the
late
noon
they
got
the
Mountains
of
Mist
in
sight.
The
wolf
ran
ahead
of
them.
When
they
rode
through
a
group
of
leatherleaves
Sheel
suddenly
howled.
When
they
reached
the
wolf
he
was
sniffing
around
on
the
ground.
Kira
looked
at
the
ground
with
screwed-up
eyes.
There
almost
invisible
to
the
eye
was
snares
and
wires
woven
of
air.
The
wires
were
in
knee-height
for
the
horses.
She
swore
when
she
destroyed
them.
"If
we
had
galloped
through
this
grove,"
she
said,"
then
the
horses
should
have
fallen
and
you
and
me
most
probably
had
broken
our
necks."
Christol
looked
angry.
He
loved
horses.
"How
did
Sheel
knew?"
Perhaps
he
smelled
the
channeler,"
Christol
mused.
He
stroked
Sheel's
head
and
said,
"I
will
do
the
hunting
for
you
in
the
future."
They
continued
together
with
a
pleased
wolf.
Kira
sat
on
her
horse
as
Christol
felt
on
the
ashes
from
a
dead
campfire.
"Three
or
four
hours,"
he
answered
her
unspoken
question.
"We
get
them
tomorrow
then,"
Kira
said
with
grim
satisfaction.
They
were
on
the
slopes
of
the
Mountains
of
Mist
and
above
them
the
highest
tops
rose
to
pierce
the
sky.
The
rode
up
and
up.
The
woman
suddenly
stepped
out
from
behind
the
cliff.
She
stood
on
a
rise
some
hundred
paces
away
from
them.
Kira
quickly
embraced
saidar
and
with
her
eyes
sharpened
by
the
power
she
studied
the
woman.
A
redheaded
woman
of
her
own
age
that
should
had
been
pretty
if
not
for
the
sneer
on
her
face.
Kira
didn't
recognise
the
woman
but
she
knew
the
golden
light
that
surrounded
the
woman.
Kira's
fingers
closed
around
her
angreal.
Suddenly
another
woman
joined
the
first
from
behind
the
cliff.
Kira
gasped.
It
was
not
because
of
the
light
that
surrounded
both
women
and
indicated
that
they
were
linked,
she
gasped
because
she
recognised
the
second
woman.
Farica
al'Cera
looked
almost
as
she
had
the
last
time
Kira
saw
her
20
years
ago,
Her
long
black
hair
and
brown
eyes
was
the
same
except
for
the
tired
look
in
them.
Kira
and
Farica
had
been
novices
together
and
later
Accepted.
They
hadn't
been
the
closest
of
friends
but
they
had
giggled
and
slaved
in
the
kitchen
together.
Farica
had
chosen
the
gray
Ajah
when
she
earned
the
shawl
some
years
after
Kira.
Farica
had
disappeared
under
a
seajourney
and
everybody
in
the
tower
had
assumed
that
she
was
dead.
Kira
had
mourned
her
as
a
friend
and
sister.
What
was
she
now?
Kira
draw
as
much
of
saidar
as
she
could
hold
through
her
angreal.
Something
hit
the
flow
of
saidar
that
flowed
into
her.
They
were
trying
to
shield
her!
She
was
strong
by
herself
but
with
the
angreal
she
was
stronger
than
the
pair
above.
One
thing
was
clear
to
her.
Farica
was
no
friend
to
her
any
longer.
The
redheaded
woman
sneered
at
her.
"So
you
are
the
one
that
are
following
us.
You
have
been
able
to
follow
us
so
far.
But
you
don't
know
whom
you
are
dealing
with.
If
you
tries
to
stand
in
the
way
for
the
Great
Lord
he
will
extinguish
you!"
Kira
felt
that
they
tried
to
shield
her
again.
Kira
thought
that
they
would
try
to
tire
her
and
then
overcome
her.
The
first
woman
said,
"My
name
is
Systa
and
that
you
will
learn
to
fear
soon
enough."
"Why
did
you
kill
the
family
on
the
farm?
"
Kira
asked.
The
woman
frowned,
"They
were
unimportant,
just
farmers.
But
I
guess
you
have
noticed
that
we
brought
the
girls
with
us.
They
are
born
with
the
spark.
With
the
proper
training
they
will
be
able
to
serve
the
Great
Lord!"
"Where
are
they?
"
Kira
snapped.
"By
the
Light,
you
will
pay
hard
for
your
crime!"
"They
are
near",
said
Farica
and
spoke
for
the
first
time.
"Be
aware
of
the
force
of
our
Lord,
Kira.
Your
Manetheren
has
fallen
and
so
will
you."
"You
have
managed
to
avoid
our
traps
until
now,"
sneered
Systa.
"I
wonder
how
well
you
will
do
without
your
warder?"
she
hissed
and
suddenly
she
struck
at
Christol
with
a
firebolt.
He
threw
himself
at
the
side
so
the
bolt
only
burnt
his
left
side.
Kira
gasped
in
agony
as
she
felt
his
pain.
Then
Farica
struck
Kira
with
a
bolt
but
Christol
managed
to
place
himself
in
front
of
her.
This
time
the
bolt
hit
his
chest
and
it
was
followed
by
another
bolt
from
Systa.
Kira
screamed
when
she
felt
how
near
he
was
to
die
and
without
any
thought
she
channelled.
A
bar
of
hot
white
fire
flew
from
her
hands
towards
Systa.
The
woman
became
mist
and
ceased
to
exist.
Christol
suddenly
moaned
and
Kira
knelt
beside
him.
Taking
his
head
in
her
hands
as
she
had
done
almost
twenty
years
ago
she
healed
him.
How
many
times
had
he
saved
her
life?
She
did
not
know.
But
he
had
been
at
her
side
when
she
had
spent
months
in
the
tower
library,
and
on
adventures
as
dangerous
as
this
he
had
guarded
her
back.
When
she
looked
up
Farica
was
gone.
With
murder
in
her
eyes
she
left
her
warder
to
recover
and
went
to
find
the
woman
who
once
had
been
her
sister.
Sheel
sniffed
at
the
ground
and
barked
at
her
to
follow.
Kira
ran
and
felt
sweat
running
down
her
forehead.
She
almost
stumbled
over
the
two
girls.
They
lay
on
the
ground
and
both
were
bound
and
gagged
with
fetters
of
saidar.
Kira
freed
them
quickly
and
told
them
to
wait
with
her
warder.
"He
will
take
you
to
Tar
Valon
if
I
don't
return",
she
said
grimly.
The
oldest
of
the
girls
hugged
her
sister
and
looked
at
Kira
with
eyes
mixed
with
fear
and
anger.
"No,"
she
said
defiantly.
"They
killed
our
family
and
we
heard
them
scream.
I
will
follow
you.
My
name
is
Sabina".
Kira
nodded
but
told
the
younger
girl
to
go
to
Christol.
Together
with
Sabina
she
followed
Sheel.
The
wolf
disappeared
around
a
big
stone.
When
Kira
and
her
companion
rounded
the
stone
they
saw
the
entrance
to
a
cave.
Kira
looked
at
the
cave.
She
saw
the
remnants
of
some
sort
of
shield.
She
had
never
seen
anything
woven
like
that
before.
She
must
take
a
closer
look
when
she
had
time.
She
made
a
strong
shield
of
air
and
spirit
to
protect
herself
and
her
friends
from
anything
that
Farica
could
do.
The
cave
was
filled
with
a
soft
blue
light.
Suddenly
they
could
saw
their
enemy.
Sheel
growled
and
Sabina's
face
was
a
mask
of
anger.
Kira
wondered
what
her
own
face
looked
like.
The
woman
stood
in
front
of
a
great
silvery
thing
of
metal.
Kira
had
never
seen
its
like
before.
It
was
three
joined
arches
of
silver.
When
Farica
saw
the
three
she
screamed
and
leaped
through
one
of
the
arches.
The
glow
of
saidar
surrounded
her
still.
Kira
followed
her
and
thought
she
saw
Sabina
enter
one
of
the
others
arches.
Suddenly
alone
in
the
cave
Sheel
howled
and
followed
his
new
packmistress.
Inside
the
thing
Kira
looked
around
after
her
enemy
but
instead
she
saw
her
childhood
home.
She
looked
at
the
beloved
house
where
she
hadn't
been
in
years.
She
almost
thought
she
would
see
her
father
sitting
in
the
chair
outside
his
home
smoking
his
pipe
as
he
always
did
in
the
evenings.
But
he
was
dead
since
long
but
her
brother
and
his
family
still
inhabited
the
farm.
And
her
mother
still
was
alive.
Suddenly
she
saw
her
mother.
She
didn't
recognised
this
old
woman
with
white
her
who
pointed
at
her
with
an
accusing
finger.
"They
are
dead.
All
of
them
are
dead
except
me.
You
should
have
been
here;
you
could
have
saved
them.
You
are
Aes
Sedai.
It
is
your
fault
that
they
are
dead,"
the
woman
shouted.
"Forgive
me
mother,
I
didn't
knew.
I
was
one
my
way",
Kira
pleaded.
She
thought
she
would
start
to
weep
when
she
felt
a
cold
nose
in
her
hand.
Sheel
stood
beside
her.
His
felt
his
thoughts
inside
her
head
as
a
serial
of
pictures.
"This
is
not
real,
packmistress.
This
thing
makes
dreams
of
what
you
fear
most.
This
is
just
a
dream.
Come,
we
must
find
friend-killer."
Kira
forgot
her
mother
and
looked
at
Sheel.
"I
can
hear
you
inside
my
head.
It
that
a
part
of
the
dream
to?
"No,
said
Sheel.
We
wolves
sometimes
meats
people
inside
the
World
of
Dreams
and
sometimes
we
speak
to
them."
Kira
nodded
thoughtfully
thinking
of
what
she
had
read
about
Tel'aran'rhiod.
She
wasn't
a
Dreamer
but
the
ones
who
where
sometimes
spoke
of
wolves
who
acted
as
pathfinders.
"Then
this
must
be
some
sort
of
ter'angreal,"
she
muttered.
"I
wonder
if…"
"Come
now,"
Sheel
said
and
led
her
out
of
the
ter'angreal.
Outside
the
arch
she
saw
Christol
who
looked
wildly
at
the
ter'angreal.
"Kira",
he
said
and
suddenly
hugged
her.
"Suddenly
I
couldn't
feel
you
through
the
bond.
Where
have
you
been?"
When
Kira
opened
her
mouth
suddenly
Farica
stumbled
out
from
one
of
the
arches.
Her
eyes
were
wet
of
tears
and
her
face
pale.
"Forgive
me
Kira,"
she
pleaded.
"The
forced
me
to
became
black
and
afterwards
I
had
no
choice
but
to
continue
to
serve
the
Dark
One.
That
or
to
die
in
pain.
But
my
soul
wept
the
whole
time.
And
in
there
I
saw.."
Faricas
voice
died
and
she
fell
over.
Sabina
stepped
out
from
the
third
arch.
She
looked
at
the
woman
and
then
at
Kira.
"I
saw
my
fear,"
she
whispered.
"She
didn't
kill
my
family.
It
was
the
other
woman".
Kira
stepped
over
to
touch
her
lost
sister.
"Rest
in
peace
my
sister.
I
think
you
found
the
way
back.
May
the
Light
embrace
your
soul",
she
said
in
the
Old
Tongue.
Christol
looked
at
her.
She
felt
through
their
bond
that
he
understood.
"And
now
we
must
bring
you
two
and
the
ter'angreal
to
the
White
Tower
somehow,"
Kira
said.
Some weeks later when they got the slender white shaft in sight Kira looked at her party. Christol rode first and the two girls followed close. They seemed to have recovered quite well, Kira thought. And soon they would be in hard work as novices and she thought that was the best medicine. She looked at the litter dragged by two horses. She had hidden the cargo behind a weave of air. "I have to pass under the two other arches," she said to herself in a low voice. Sheel at her side seem to smile when his sharp ears caught her words. |