We also get a viewpoint from Gawyn, who is beginning to doubt his allegiance to
the White Tower. The past few months of Elaida's bizarre actions (prompted by Alviarin)
have begun to make him think twice about what he's doing. He has also heard the
rumors about Egwene being the *true* Amyrlin, which have added more strife to
his inner turmoil, though he does not believe *this* rumor. But popular consent
for the White Tower is failing, especially because of the rumors out of Amador and
Ghealden, that the Black Ajah is controlling the Tower.
Padan Fain has rounded up the remains of the White Lions, and Lord Toram and has begun
approaching the nobles in Cairhien, while Rand has been in Illian settling into his new
role as King. Since the Lady Caraline Damodred and Lord Darlin have been sent to Tear
to make sure all the nobles there are still behind Rand, there is no clear deliberator
in Cairhien except for Dobraine, and things begin to crumble. There are a few riots,
and several murders. Cairhien is a ripe sowing ground for Fain's seeds of deceit.
The Black Tower is attacked by the fifty sisters sent by Elaida, who are hopelessly
crushed. The remaining twenty or so sisters are taken captive.
Then the really interesting stuff begins.
In the outskirts of Ebou Dar, Elayne, Aviendha, Nynaeve, have given up hope that Mat is still
alive when Birgitte finds his foxhead medallion near a pile of rubble. Since they
had only stayed so close to the Seanchan in the hopes that Thom, Julian, Birgitte, Lan, or Vanin
would find some scrap of information that would lead them to Mat, they gate to the outskirts
of Caemlyn along with the Sea Folk channelers and all the Aes Sedai except Adeleas and Vandene,
who stay with the Kin, and are set to go wherever the Salidar Aes Sedai are as soon as the word
and recall of all the Kin can be accomplished.
The only positive note, other than being able to finally change the weather, Elayne notes, is that
she thinks she can duplicate the weaves that make up Mat's foxhead medallion.
In Ghealdan, Perrin is having a difficult time. He runs into several groups of
Aiel, and has no luck finding Masema, but has no trouble at all finding great mobs
of people sworn to follow the Prophet and the Dragon Reborn, but are more intent on
just rioting. He also runs into the remnants of the Whitecloaks, among
which is Galad. Dain Bornhold shows up and tries to arrest Perrin, again. Galad doesn't
allow it on the word of Berelain, who he is quite smitten with. Then Morgase and her
entourage show up. Upon finding out that the capital has been taken by the Seanchan,
Pedron Niall has been assassinated, and that Morgase was kept prisoner there in all but
name, Galad disbands what remains of the Whitecloaks and leads them into
Perrin's army.
Dain Bornhold, crazy with rage, takes the few Whitecloaks that don't follow Galad and
kidnaps Faile, in an attempt to lure Perrin into an ambush. With his army pressed hard by
the Prophet's mobs, and Berelain, Galad, and Morgase in the capital trying to locate the Queen
or the Prophet, Perrin decides to go after Faile alone. He almost manages to break her out,
but he gets caught at the last minute, and taken prisoner. Before Dain can execute them,
Aram shows up with Selande's Society and attempts to break them free. Perrin watches as
they are slowly cut down, one by one, and finally gives in and summons the wolves to his aid.
In the fray, Faile is badly wounded. Perrin, Aram, and the few remaining members of Selande's
Society, carry her back to the army, hoping that one of the Asha'man that were sent with Berelain
and Galad has returned.
Just outside of Braem Wood, the rebel Aes Sedai run into what appears to be a huge army.
Pressed by Alviarin, Elaida has put together an army, including numerous Aes Sedai and the
Younglings. But instead of waiting for the rebels to reach the White Tower, she sends her army
out to meet them. By Alviarin's (and Mesaana's) design, no Black Ajah are among the army
sent out, and those few that remain in the tower that aren't Black Ajah are killed, or sent to
Shayol Ghul. Roughly one hundred Black Sisters take over the White Tower, counting on
Elaida's and Egwene's armies destroying each other, along with all the Aes Sedai not sworn
to the Dark One.
Finding that Egwene is indeed the Amyrlin, Gawyn brings his Younglings to fight with Gareth
Bryne. Despite this, the rebels are still being overwhelmed by sheer numbers until Lord Talmanes
leads the Band of the Red Hand into the battle. The battle is fought to a stalemate, and
eventually the Tower's army begins to gain ground again. Frustrated that her army seems
to always be countered, that every feint, attack, flank, and manuever her army tries
is met with some subtle trickery on the other side, Egwene petitions Amys and the Wise Ones
for help. A group of Wise Ones bring some Aiel, Cadsuanne, and a small contingent of Asha'man
who have been working with Cadsuanne, to aid Egwene.
Towards efforts of total annialhation, Halima has been passing information to which ever side
needed it, telling of where attacks will come the strongest, of secret plots and ploys that
each side comes up with, sabatoging the efforts of both sides. She is the reason that
the tower armies did not suffer a crushing defeat in the first couple battles. The appearance
of the Asha'man cut her efforts short, and she leaves taking the last of the Black Ajah with her.
With the new reinforcements, and Asha'man and Aes Sedai working together, the rebel Aes
Sedai begin to wear away at the Tower's army until the outcome seems inevitable. Talks
of surrender begin among the Tower Aes Sedai as their army is picked apart, and
dessertion begins.
Finally, the Tower Aes Sedai admit defeat at the appearance of two new arrivals. The first
is the arrival of Adeleas and Vandene and a thousand Kin into the rebel ranks. The second
is an Aes Sedai from the White Tower who has managed to escape the Black Ajah take over, and
tells them what has happened.
The Tower's army and Aes Sedai join with Egwene and head back to Tar Valon to attempt to
wrest the Tower from the Black Ajah and Mesaana.
In Illian, Rand is finding that a crown weighs heavier than the mountain. He soon learns
of the Seanchan invasion on his doorstep and calls the Aiel and the Asha'man, and along with
Bashere and the Saldeans, and the Army of the Dragon, goes to push them back to the sea.
The Seanchan, facing an enemy that can match the power of the sul'dam, are forcibly
pushed out of Illian and back into Amadicia, where Rand learns that the Asha'man are
starting to lose their minds.
Running out of time, Rand plans to break the remaining seals and take the remaining
Asha'man to Shayol Ghul in order to reseal the Dark One's prison, but is forestalled
by Taim.
Taim reveals himself to be Demandred, and half of the Asha'man are behind him.
Rand finds himself caught between the Seanchan and Demandred, and is now losing both battles.
Still intent on a strike at Shayol Ghul, Rand calls the last of his Asha'man and prepares to
gate to the Pit of Doom when Demandred makes his final strike. The battle is long and bloody.
In the end, Demandred is about to take Rand when he is caught from behind by none other
than Logain, who is wielding Callandor.
As a result of this battle with Demandred, a good majority of the Asha'man are destroyed.
Rand decides to call to the Wise Ones for reinforcements, only to find that a good deal of
them are with the Salidar Aes Sedai army, along with the Band of the Red Hand.
Left wondering what to do, he goes ahead and breaks the seals, which cleanses saidin,
but opens the bore on the Dark One's prison, and allows him to reach through and touch the
world again. Though he was not ready for this occurance yet.
With the new advantage of untainted saidin, Rand decides to try and bring the Seanchan
behind him, so that he can have an army to take to Shayol Ghul, only to find that they are
retreating to the cities they currently hold. Rand puts Logain in charge of the Asha'man and
begins recruiting again in order to take advantage of the Seanchan lapse.
Meanwhile, Mat is brought to the leader of the Return. After they learn that Suroth has
sent back false information regarding the Hailene, and Mat grudgingly relates to them the
story behind the Horn of Valere and the stirring of the Dark One, the Seanchan armies are
called back, and Suroth is taken captive.
Thus ends the Path of Daggers.