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A man slipping in at the doors with a knife； his eyes had slid past the fellow almost without seeing。 Instinctively he pushed Lanfear out of the way and reached for the True Source； the shield blocking him vanished as he touched it； and his sword was in his hands like a red…gold flame。 The man rushed at him； knife held low and point up for a killing stroke。 Even then it was difficult to keep his eyes on the fellow； but Rand pivoted smoothly； and The Wind Blows Over the Wall took off the hand holding the knife and finished by driving through his assailant's heart。 For an instant he stared into dull eyes … lifeless while that heart still pumped … then pulled his blade free。
〃A Gray Man。〃 Rand took what felt like his first breath in hours。 The corpse at his feet was messy； bleeding onto the scroll…worked carpet； but there was no difficulty in fixing an eye on him now。 It was always that way with the Shadow's assassins； when they were noticed； it was usually too late。 〃This makes no sense。 You could have killed me easily。 Why distract me for a Gray Man to sneak up on me？〃
Lanfear was watching him warily。 〃I make no use of the Soulless。 I told you there are。。。 differences among the Chosen。 It seems I was a day late in my judgment； but there is still time for you to e with me。 To learn。 To live。 That sword；〃 she all but sneered。 〃You do not do the tenth part of what you can。 e with me； and learn。 Or do you mean to try to kill me； now？ I loosed you to defend yourself。〃
Her voice； her stance； said she expected an attack； or at the very least was ready to counter it； but that was not what stopped him； any more than her loosing the bonds in the first place。 She was one of the Forsaken； she had served evil so long she made a Black sister look like a newborn babe。 Yet he saw a woman。 He called himself nine kinds of fool； but he could not do it。 Maybe if she tried to kill him。 Maybe。 But all she did was stand there； watching； waiting。 No doubt ready to do things with the Power he did not even know were possible； if he attempted to hold her。 He had managed to block Elayne and Egwene； but that had been one of those things he did without thinking； the way of it buried somewhere in his head。 He could only remember that he had done it； no how。 At least he had a firm grip on saidin； she would not surprise him that way again。 The stomach…wrenching taint was nothing； saidin was life； perhaps in more ways than one。
A sudden thought boiled up in his head like a hot spring。 The Aiel。 Even a Gray Man should have found it impossible to sneak through doors watched by half a dozen Aiel。
〃What did you do to them？〃 His voice grated as he backed toward the doors； keeping his eyes on her。 If she used the Power； maybe he would have some warning。 〃What did you do to the Aiel outside？〃
〃Nothing；〃 she replied coolly。 〃Do not go out there。 This may be only a testing to see how vulnerable you are； but even a testing may kill you if you are a fool。〃
He flung open the left…hand door onto a scene of madness。
Chapter 10
（Dragon）
The Stone Stands
Dead Aielmen lay at Rand's feet； tangled with the bodies of three very ordinary men in very ordinary coats and breeches。 Ordinary…looking men； except that six Aiel； the entire guard； had been slain； some obviously before they knew what was happening； and each of those ordinary men had at least two Aiel spears through him。
That was not the half of it； though。 As soon as he pulled the door open； a roar of battle had washed over him： shouting； howling； steel clashing on steel among the redstone columns。 The Defenders in the anteroom were fighting for their lives beneath the gilded lamps； against bulky； black…mailed shapes head…and…shoulders taller than they； shapes like huge men； but with heads and faces distorted by horns or feathers； by muzzle or beak where mouth and nose should be。 Trollocs。 They strode on paws or hooves as often as on booted feet； cutting men down with oddly spiked axes and hooked spears and scythelike swords that curved the wrong way。 And with them； a Myrddraal； like a sleek…moving man with maggot…white skin in black armor； like death made bloodless flesh。
Somewhere in the Stone an alarm gong sounded； then stopped with lethal suddenness。 Another took it up； and another； in brazen tolls。
The Defenders fought； and they still outnumbered the Trollocs； but there were more men down than Trollocs。 Even as Rand's eyes found them； the Myrddraal tore off half the Tairen captain's face with one bare hand while the other drove a dead black blade through a Defender's throat； slipping Defenders' spear thrusts like a snake。 The Defenders faced what they had thought were only travelers' tales to frighten children； their nerve was frayed to snapping。 One man who had lost his rimmed helmet threw down his spear and tried to flee； only to have his head split like a melon by a Trolloc's massive axe。 Yet another man looked at the Myrddraal and fled screaming。 The Myrddraal darted sinuously to intercept。 In a moment the humans would all be running。
〃Fade！〃 Rand shouted。 〃Try me； Fade！〃 The Myrddraal stopped as if it had never moved； its pale； eyeless face turning to him。 Fear rippled through Rand at that stare； sliding over the bubble of cold calm that encased him when he held saidin； in the Borderlands they said； 〃The look of the Eyeless is fear。〃 Once he had believed Fades rode shadows like horses and disappeared when they turned sideways。 Those old beliefs were not so very far wrong。
The Myrddraal flowed toward him； and Rand leaped the dead men in front of the doorway to meet it； his boots skidding on bloody black marble as he landed。 〃Rally to the Stone！〃 he shouted as he leaped。 〃The Stone stands！〃 Those were the battle cries he had heard on the night the Stone had not stood。
He thought he heard a vexed shout of 〃Fool！〃 from the room he had left； but he had no time for Lanfear or what she might do。 That skid very nearly cost him his life； his red…gold blade barely turned the Myrddraal's black one as he fought for balance。 〃Rally to the Stone！ The Stone stands！〃 He had to keep the Defenders together； or face the Myrddraal and twenty Trollocs alone。 〃The Stone stands！〃
〃The Stone stands！〃 he heard someone echo him； then another。 〃The Stone stands！〃
The Fade moved as fluidly as a serpent； the snakelike illusion heightened by the overlapping plates of black armor down its chest。 Yet not even a blacklance ever struck so quickly。 For a time it was all Rand could do to keep its blade from his own unarmored flesh。 That black metal could make wounds that festered； almost as hard to Heal as the one that ached in his side now。 Each time dark steel forged in Thakan'dar； below the slopes of Shayol Ghul； met red…gold Power…wrought blade； light flashed like sheet lightning in the room； a sharp bluish white that hurt the eyes。 〃You will die this time；〃 the Myrddraal rasped at him in a voice like the crumbling of dead leaves。 〃I will give your flesh to the Trollocs and take your women for my own。〃
Rand fought as coldly as he ever had； and as desperately。 The Fade knew the use of a sword。 Then an instant came when he could strike a blow squarely at the sword itself； not merely divert it。 With a hiss as of ice falling on molten metal the red…gold blade sheared through the black。 His next blow took that eyeless head from its shoulders； the shock of hacking through bone shivered up his arms。 Inky blood fountained from the stump of its neck。 The thing did not fall； though。 Thrashing blindly with its broken sword； the headless figure stumbled about； striking randomly at the air。
As the Fade's head fell to roll across the floor； the remaining Trollocs fell； too； shrieking； kicking； tearing at their heads with coarse…haired hands。 It was a weakness of Myrddraal and Trollocs。 Even Myrddraal did not trust Trollocs； so they often linked with them in some way Rand did not understand； it apparently ensured the Trollocs' loyalty； but those linked to a Myrddraal did not survive its death long。
The Defenders still standing； fewer than two dozen； did not wait。 In twos and threes they stabbed each Trolloc repeatedly with their spears until it stopped moving。 Some of them had the Myrddraal down； but it flailed wildly no matter how much they stabbed。 As the Trollocs fell silent； a few surviving human wounded could be heard moaning； weeping。 There were still more men littering the floor than Shadowspawn。 The black marble was slick with blood； almost invisible against the dark stone。
〃Leave it；〃 Rand told the Defenders trying to finish the Myrddraal。 〃It's dead already。 Fades just don't want to admit they're dead。〃 Lan had told him that； what seemed a long time ago； he had had proof of it before this。 〃See to the injured。〃
Peering at the headless； thrashing shape； its torso a tatter of gaping wounds； they shivered and moved back； muttering about Lurks。 That was what they called Fades in Tear； in tales meant for children。 Some began to hunt among the downed humans for any still alive； pulling aside those who could not stand； helping those who could to their feet。 All too many were left where they