ttress simply sagged in the middle。 There was nothing else in the room except one wooden chair and a table with a rickety leg。
He took off his wet things； putting on a dry shirt and breeches before lying down； since there were no sheets or blankets； and propped his sword beside the head of the bed。 Wryly； he thought that the only thing dry he had for a coverlet was the Dragon's banner； he left it safely buckled inside the saddlebags。
Rain drummed on the roof； and thunder growled overhead； and now and again a lightning flash lit the windows。 Shivering； he rolled this way and that on the mattress； seeking some fortable way to lie； wondering if the banner would not do for a blanket after all； wondering if he should ride on to Falme。
He rolled to his other side； and Ba'alzamon was standing beside the chair with the pure white length of the Dragon's banner in his hands。 The room seemed darker there； as if Ba'alzamon stood on the edge of a cloud of oily black smoke。 Nearly healed burns crisscrossed his face； and as Rand looked； his pitch…dark eyes vanished for an instant； replaced by endless caverns of fire。 Rand's saddlebags lay by his feet； buckles undone； flap thrown back where the banner had been hidden。
〃The time es closer； Lews Therin。 A thousand threads draw tight； and soon you will be tied and trapped； set to a course you cannot change。 Madness。 Death。 Before you die； will you once more kill everything you love？〃
Rand glanced at the door； but he made no move except to sit up on the side of the bed。 What good to try running from the Dark One？ His throat felt like sand。 〃I am not the Dragon； Father of Lies！〃 he said hoarsely。
The darkness behind Ba'alzamon roiled； and furnaces roared as Ba'alzamon laughed。 〃You honor me。 And belittle yourself。 I know you too well。 I have faced you a thousand times。 A thousand times a thousand。 I know you to your miserable soul； Lews Therin Kinslayer。〃 He laughed again； Rand put a hand in front of his face against the heat of that fiery mouth。
〃What do you want？ I will not serve you。 I will not do anything that you want。 I'll die first！〃
〃You will die； worm！ How many times have you died across the span of the Ages； fool； and how much has death availed you？ The grave is cold and lonely； save for the worms。 The grave is mine。 This time there will be no rebirth for you。 This time the Wheel of Time will be broken and the world remade in the image of the Shadow。 This time your death will be forever！ Which will you choose？ Death everlasting？ Or life eternal … and power！〃
Rand hardly realized that he was on his feet。 The void had surrounded him； saidin was there； and the One Power flowed into him。 That fact almost cracked the emptiness。 Was this real？ Was it a dream？ Could he channel in a dream？ But the torrent rushing into him swept away his doubts。 He hurled it at Ba'alzamon； hurled the pure One Power； the force that turned the Wheel of Time； a force that could make seas burn and eat mountains。
Ba'alzamon took half a step back； holding the banner clutched before him。 Flames leaped in his wide eyes and mouth； and the darkness seemed to cloak him in shadow。 In the Shadow。 The Power sank into that black mist and vanished； soaked up like water on parched sand。
Rand drew on saidin； pulled for more； and still more。 His flesh seemed so cold it must shatter at a touch； it burned as if it must boil away。 His bones felt on the point of crisping to cold crystal ash。 He did not care； it was like drinking life itself。
〃Fool！〃 Ba'alzamon roared。 〃You will destroy yourself！〃
Mat。 The thought floated somewhere beyond the consuming flood。 The dagger。 The Horn。 Fain。 Emond's Field。 I can't die yet。
He was not sure how he did it； but suddenly the Power was gone； and saidin； and the void。 Shuddering uncontrollably； he fell to his knees beside the bed； arms wrapped around himself in a vain effort to stop their twitching。
〃That is better； Lews Therin。〃 Ba'alzamon tossed the banner to the floor and put his hands on the chair back； wisps of smoke rose from between his fingers。 The shadow no longer enpassed him。 〃There is your banner； Kinslayer。 Much good will it do you。 A thousand strings laid over a thousand years have drawn you here。 Ten thousand woven throughout the Ages tie you like a sheep for slaughter。 The Wheel itself holds you prisoner to your fate Age after Age。 But I can set you free。 You cowering cur； I alone in the entire world can teach you how to wield the Power。 I alone can stop it killing you before you have a chance to go mad。 I alone can stop the madness。 You have served me before。 Serve me again； Lews Therin； or be destroyed forever！〃
〃My name；〃 Rand forced between chattering teeth； 〃is Rand al'Thor。〃 His shivering forced him to squeeze his eyes shut； and when he opened them again； he was alone。
Ba'alzamon was gone。 The shadow was gone。 His saddlebags stood against the chair with the buckles done up and one side bulging with the bulk of the Dragon's banner； just as he had left it。 But on the chair back； tendrils of smoke still rose from the charred impressions of fingers。
Chapter 42
（Insect…Like； Horned Helmet）
Falme
Nynaeve pressed Elayne back into the narrow alleyway between a cloth merchant's shop and a potter's works as the pair of women linked by a silvery leash passed by； heading down the cobblestone street toward Falme harbor。 They did not dare allow that pair to e too close。 The people in the street made way for those two even more quickly than they did for Seanchan soldiers； or the occasional noble's palanquin； thickly curtained now that the days were cold。 Even the street artists did not offer to draw them in chalks or pencils； although they pestered everyone else。 Nynaeve's mouth tightened as her eyes followed the sul'dam and the damane through the crowd。 Even after weeks in the town； the sight sickened her。 Perhaps it sickened her more； now。 She could not imagine doing that to any woman； not even Moiraine or Liandrin。
Well； maybe Liandrin； she admitted sourly。 Sometimes； at night； in the small； smelly room the two of them had rented above a fishmonger； she thought of what she would like to do to Liandrin when she got her hands on her。 Liandrin even more than Suroth。 More than once she had been shocked at her own cruelty； even while she was delighted at her inventiveness。
Still trying to keep the pair in sight； her eyes fell on a bony man； well down the street； before the shifting throng hid him again。 She had only a flash of a big nose in a narrow face。 He wore a rich bronze velvet robe of Seanchan cut over his clothes； but she thought that he was no Seanchan； though the servant following him was； and a servant of high degree； with one temple shaved。 The local people had not taken to Seanchan fashions； particularly that one。 That looked like Padan Fain； she thought incredulously。 It couldn't be。 Not here。
〃Nynaeve；〃 Elayne said softly； 〃could we move on； now？ That fellow selling apples is looking at his table as if he's thinking he had more a few moments ago； and I would not want him wondering what I have in my pockets。〃
They both wore long coats made of sheepskin； with the fleece turned in and bright red spirals embroidered across the breast。 It was country garb； but it passed well enough in Falme； where many people had e in from the farms and villages。 Among so many strangers the two of them had been able to sink in unnoticed。 Nynaeve had bed out her braid； and her gold ring； the serpent eating its own tail； now nestled under her dress beside Lan's heavy ring on the leather cord around her neck。
The large pockets of Elayne's coat bulged suspiciously。
〃You stole those apples？〃 Nynaeve hissed quietly； pulling Elayne out into the crowded street。 〃Elayne； we don't have to steal。 Not yet； anyway。〃
〃No？ How much money do we have left？ You have been 'not hungry' very often at mealtimes the last few days。〃
〃Well； I am not hungry；〃 Nynaeve snapped； trying to ignore the hollow in her middle。 Everything cost considerably more than she had expected； she had heard local people plaining about