pe of a man； clothed and gloved in black； with a black silk mask covering his face； and the shadow came with it。 His staff was black； too； as if the wood had been charred； yet smooth and shining like water by moonlight。 For an instant the eyeholes of the mask glowed； as if fires stood behind them rather than eyes； but Rand did not need that to know who it was。
〃Ba'alzamon；〃 he breathed。 〃This is a dream。 It has to be。 I fell asleep； and … 〃
Ba'alzamon laughed like the roar of an open furnace。 〃You always try to deny what is； Lews Therin。 If I stretch out my hand； I can touch you； Kinslayer。 I can always touch you。 Always and everywhere。〃
〃I am not the Dragon！ My name is Rand al'…！〃 Rand clamped his teeth shut to stop himself。
〃Oh； I know the name you use now； Lews Therin。 I know every name you have used through Age after Age； long before you were even the Kinslayer。〃 Ba'alzamon's voice began to rise in intensity； sometimes the fires of his eyes flared so high that Rand could see them through the openings in the silk mask； see them like endless seas of flame。 〃I know you； know your blood and your line back to the first spark of life that ever was； back to the First Moment。 You can never hide from me。 Never！ We are tied together as surely as two sides of the same coin。 Ordinary men may hide in the sweep of the Pattern； but ta'veren stand out like beacon fires on a hill； and you； you stand out as if ten thousand shining arrows stood in the sky to point you out！ You are mine； and ever in reach of my hand！〃
〃Father of Lies！〃 Rand managed。 Despite the void； his tongue wanted to cleave to the roof of his mouth。 Light； please let it be a dream。 The thought skittered outside the emptiness。 Even one of those dreams that isn't a dream。 He can't really be standing in front of me。 The Dark One is sealed in Shayol Ghul； sealed by the Creator at the moment of Creation 。。。 He knew too much of the truth for it to help。 〃You're well named！ If you could just take me； why haven't you？ Because you cannot。 I walk in the Light； and you cannot touch me！〃
Ba'alzamon leaned on his staff and looked at Rand a moment； then moved to stand over Loial and Hurin； peering down at them。 The vast shadow moved with him。 He did not disturb the fog； Rand saw … he moved； the staff swung with his steps； but the gray mist did not swirl and eddy around his feet as it did around Rand's。 That gave him heart。 Perhaps Ba'alzamon really was not there。 Perhaps it was a dream。
〃You find odd followers；〃 Ba'alzamon mused。 〃You always did。 These two。 The girl who tries to watch over you。 A poor guardian and weak； Kinslayer。 If she had a lifetime to grow； she would never grow strong enough for you to hide behind。〃
Girl？ Who？ Moiraine is surely not a girl。 〃I don't know what you are talking about； Father of Lies。 You lie； and lie； and even when you tell the truth； you twist it to a lie。〃
〃Do I； Lews Therin？ You know what you are； who you are。 I have told you。 And so have those women of Tar Valon。〃 Rand shifted； and Ba'alzamon gave a laugh； like a small thunderclap。 〃They think themselves safe in their White Tower； but my followers number even some of their own。 The Aes Sedai called Moiraine told you who you are； did she not？ Did she lie？ Or is she one of mine？ The White Tower means to use you like a hound on a leash。 Do I lie？ Do I lie when I say you seek the Horn of Valere？〃 He laughed again； calm of the void or no； it was all Rand could do not to cover his ears。 〃Sometimes old enemies fight so long that they bee allies and never realize it。 They think they strike at you； but they have bee so closely linked it is as if you guided the blow yourself。〃
〃You don't guide me；〃 Rand said。 〃I deny you。〃
〃I have a thousand strings tied to you； Kinslayer； each one finer than silk and stronger than steel。 Time has tied a thousand cords between us。 The battle we two have fought … do you remember any part of that？ Do you have any glimmering that we have fought before； battles without number back to the beginning of Time？ I know much that you do not！ That battle will soon end。 The Last Battle is ing。 The last； Lews Therin。 Do you really think you can avoid it？ You poor； shivering worm。 You will serve me or die！ And this time the cycle will not begin anew with your death。 The grave belongs to the Great Lord of the Dark。 This time if you die； you will be destroyed utterly。 This time the Wheel will be broken whatever you do； and the world remade to a new mold。 Serve me！ Serve Shai'tan； or be destroyed forever！〃
With the utterance of that name； the air seemed to thicken。 The darkness behind Ba'alzamon swelled and grew； threatening to swallow everything。 Rand felt it engulfing him； colder than ice and hotter than coals both at the same time； blacker than death； sucking him into the depths of it； overwhelming the world。
He gripped his sword hilt till his knuckles hurt。 〃I deny you； and I deny your power。 I walk in the Light。 The Light preserves us； and we shelter in the palm of the Creator's hand。〃 He blinked。 Ba'alzamon still stood there； and the great darkness still hung behind him； but it was as if all the rest had been illusion。
〃Do you want to see my face？〃 It was a whisper。
Rand swallowed。 〃No。〃
〃You should。〃 A gloved hand went to the black mask。
〃No！〃
The mask came away。 It was a man's face； horribly burned。 Yet between the black…edged； red crevices crossing those features； the skin looked healthy and smooth。 Dark eyes looked at Rand； cruel lips smiled with a flash of white teeth。 〃Look at me； Kinslayer； and see the hundredth part of your own fate。〃 For a moment eyes and mouth became doorways into endless caverns of fire。 〃This is what the Power unchecked can do； even to me。 But I heal； Lews Therin。 I know the paths to greater power。 It will burn you like a moth flying into a furnace。〃
〃I will not touch it！〃 Rand felt the void around him； felt saidin。 〃I won't。〃
〃You cannot stop yourself。〃
〃Leave…me…ALONE！〃
〃Power。〃 Ba'alzamon's voice became soft； insinuating。 〃You can have power again； Lews Therin。 You are linked to it now； this moment。 I know it。 I can see it。 Feel it； Lews Therin。 Feel the glow inside you。 Feel the power that could be yours。 All you must do is reach out for it。 But the Shadow is there between you and it。 Madness and death。 You need not die； Lews Therin； not ever again。〃
〃No；〃 Rand said； but the voice went on； burrowing into him。
〃I can teach you to control that power so that it does not destroy you。 No one else lives who can teach you that。 The Great Lord of the Dark can shelter you from the madness。 The power can be yours； and you can live forever。 Forever！ All you must do in return is serve。 Only serve。 Simple words … I am yours； Great Lord … and power will be yours。 Power beyond anything those women of Tar Valon dream of； and life eternal； if you will only offer yourself up and serve。〃
Rand licked his lips。 Not to go mad。 Not to die。 〃Never！ I walk in the Light；〃 he grated hoarsely； 〃and you can never touch me！〃
〃Touch you； Lews Therin？ Touch you？ I can consume you！ Taste it and know； as I knew！〃
Those dark eyes became fire again； and that mouth； flame that blossomed and grew until it seemed brighter than a summer sun。 Grew； and suddenly Rand's sword glowed as if just drawn from the forge。 He cried out as the hilt burned his hands； screamed and dropped the sword。 And the fog caught fire； fire that leaped； fire that burned everything。
Yelling； Rand beat at his clothes as they smoked and charred and fell in ashes； beat with hands that blackened and shriveled as naked flesh cracked and peeled away in the flames。 He screamed。 Pain beat at the void inside him； and he tried to crawl deeper into the emptiness。 The glow was there； the tainted light just out of sight。 Half mad； no longer caring what it was； he reached for saidin； tried to wrap it around him； tried to hide in it from the burning and the pain。
As suddenly as the fire began； it was gone。 Rand stared wonderingly at his hand sticking out of the red sleeve of his coat。 There was not so much as a si