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| %%(display:block; text-align:center;) [{Image src='Chapter Icons/heron_mark_bw.gif' align='center' link='Wiki.jsp?page=Heron Mark Chapter Icon'}] ''Against the Shadow'' %% 
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!__Rand__ POV

[Rand|Rand alThor] runs away up a hill. He hears [Moiraine|Moiraine Damodred] stop screaming and [Aginor] follows him. He reaches a cliff and has to stop. [Aginor] arrives. He is growing younger. He says [Ba'alzamon|Ishamael] will give great rewards to whomever brings [Rand|Rand alThor] to [Shayol Ghul], but he faced [Lews Therin|Lews Therin Telamon] in the Hall of the Servants and does not want to share power. [Rand|Rand alThor] sees a glowing white rope on [Aginor] and begins to draw on it himself.[1] [Rand|Rand alThor] begins drawing on the cord as well. [Aginor] says it is his, draws even more, and bursts into flame. [Rand|Rand alThor] desperately wants to get away, and suddenly he is at [Tarwin's Gap|Tarwins Gap]. An army of men fights an army of [Trollocs] and [Fades|Fade]. He sees banners, the Black Hawk of [Fal Dara], the White Hart of [Shienar], the horned skull of the [Dha'vol|Trollocs], the red trident of the [Ko'bal|Trollocs] and the iron fist of the [Dhai'mon|Trollocs]. [Rand|Rand alThor] sees six [Draghkar] and strikes them out of the sky with lightning.[2] He pounds on the ground and a wall of flame and rock pours over the [Trollocs]. He says, "This has to end." A voice in his head says, "IT IS NOT HERE. I WILL TAKE NO PART. ONLY THE CHOSEN ONE CAN DO WHAT MUST BE DONE, IF HE WILL." [Rand|Rand alThor] says, "Where?" The voice says, "NOT HERE."[3] Stairs appear and he climbs them through blackness, eventually reaching the same wooden door of his dreams.[4] He faces [Ba'alzamon|Ishamael] again. He also has a cord, but it is black and bigger.[5] [Ba'alzamon|Ishamael] says he let the [Aiel] escape and sent [Jain Farstrider|Jain Charin] "whom I painted like a fool" to the [Ogier] to tell of the threat to the [Eye of the World]. He commands [Rand|Rand alThor] to look and he sees [Egwene|Egwene alVere], [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] and his mother. [Egwene|Egwene alVere] and [Nynaeve|Nynaeve alMeara] fade, but [Kari al'Thor] remains.[6] She begs him to save her and [Fades|Fade] begin torturing her. [Rand|Rand alThor] suddenly has a sword of fire[7] and burns them freeing her. [Ba'alzamon|Ishamael] says he must teach [Rand|Rand alThor] before he can wield the [One Power] safely. [Rand|Rand alThor] turns the sword on [Ba'alzamon|Ishamael] cutting his cord then spraying him with fire. [Ba'alzamon|Ishamael] wails and is gone. [Rand|Rand alThor]'s cord diminishes to nothing and he falls.
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! Notes (Possible Spoilers)

[#1] Drawing on the [Eye of the World].\\
[#2] Does this fulfill [Min|Min Farshaw]'s [viewing|viewings] about him and lightning?\\
[#3] This is the only time in the series this voice speaks to [Rand|Rand alThor]. Is it the [Creator]?\\
[#4] This sounds a lot like [Skimming|Weaves].\\
[#5] What is this black cord? See the discussion in the [FAQ, Section 1.3.1|http://wotfaq.dragonmount.com\\/node/45].
[#6] In early printings, [Kari al'Thor] is described as "dark-eyed and beautiful" which contradicted [Rand|Rand alThor]'s belief that he got his eyes from his mother. In later printings the description is corrected to "gray-eyed and beautiful."\\
[#7] [Rand|Rand alThor]'s sword of fire is made of [Air|One Power] and [Fire|One Power]. ([TWoTRPG|Guide])\\
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