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an e here and leave； so can we。〃
〃Oh； I haven't lost it； Lord Rand。 I can still pick out the stink of them。 It isn't that。 It's just 。。。 It's 。。。〃 With a grimace； Hurin burst out； 〃It's like I'm remembering it； Lord Rand； instead of smelling it。 But I'm not。 There's dozens of trails crossing it all the time； dozens and dozens； and all sorts of smells of violence； some of them fresh； almost； only washed out like everything else。 This morning； right after we left the hollow； I could have sworn there were hundreds slaughtered right under my feet； just minutes before； but there weren't any bodies； and not a mark on the grass but our own hoofprints。 A thing like that couldn't happen without the ground being torn up and bloodied； but there wasn't a mark。 It's all like that； my Lord。 But I am following the trail。 I am。 This place just has me all on edge。 That's it。 That must be it。〃
Rand glanced at Loial … the Ogier did e up with the oddest knowledge； at times … but he looked as puzzled as Hurin。 Rand made his voice more confident than he felt。 〃I know you are doing your best； Hurin。 We are all of us on edge。 Just follow as best you can； and we'll find them。〃
〃As you say； Lord Rand。〃 Hurin booted his horse forward。 〃As you say。〃
But by nightfall； there was still no sign of the Darkfriends； and Hurin said the trail was fainter still。 The sniffer kept muttering to himself about 〃remembering。〃
There had been no sign。 Really no sign。 Rand was not as good a tracker as Uno； but any boy in the Two Rivers was expected to track well enough to find a lost sheep； or a rabbit for dinner。 He had seen nothing。 It was as if no living thing had ever disturbed the land before they came。 There should have been something if the Darkfriends were ahead of them。 But Hurin kept following the trail he said he smelled。
As the sun touched the horizon they made camp in a stand of trees untouched by the burn； eating from their saddlebags。 Flatbread and dried meat washed down with flat…tasting water； hardly a filling meal； tough and far from tasty。 Rand thought they might have enough for a week。 After that 。。。 Hurin ate slowly； determinedly； but Loial gulped his down with a grimace and settled back with his pipe； the big quarterstaff close at hand。 Rand kept their fire small and well hidden in the trees。 Fain and his Darkfriends and Trollocs might be close enough to see a fire； for all of Hurin's worries about the oddness of their trail。
It seemed odd to him that he had begun to think of them as Fain's Darkfriends； Fain's Trollocs。 Fain was just a madman。 Then why did they rescue him？ Fain had been part of the Dark One's scheme to find him。 Perhaps it had something to do with that。 Then why is he running instead of chasing me？ And what killed that Fade？ What happened in that room full of flies？ And those eyes； watching me in Fal Dara。 And that wind； catching me like a beetle in pine sap。 No。 No； Ba'alzamon has to he dead。 The Aes Sedai did not believe it。 Moiraine did not believe it； nor the Amyrlin。 Stubbornly； he refused to think about it any longer。 All he had to think about now was finding that dagger for Mat。 Finding Fain； and the Horn。
It's never over； al'Thor。
The voice was like a thin breeze whispering in the back of his head； a thin； icy murmur working its way into the crevices of his mind。 He almost sought the void to escape it； but remembering what waited for him there； he pushed down the desire。
In the half dark of twilight； he worked the forms with his sword； the way Lan had taught； though without the void。 Parting the Silk。 Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose。 Heron Wading in the Rushes； for balance。 Losing himself in the swift； sure movements； forgetting for a time where he was； he worked until sweat covered him。 Yet when he was done； it all came back； nothing was changed。 The weather was not cold； but he shivered and pulled his cloak around him as he hunched by the fire。 The others caught his mood； and they finished eating quickly and in silence。 No one plained when he kicked dirt over the last fitful flames。
Rand took the first watch himself； walking the edges of the copse with his bow； sometimes easing his sword in its scabbard。 The chill moon was almost full； standing high in the blackness； and the night was as silent as the day had been； as empty。 Empty was the right word。 The land was as empty as a dusty milk crock。 It was hard to believe there was anyone in the whole world； in this world； except for the three of them； hard to believe even the Darkfriends were there； somewhere ahead。
To keep himself pany； he unwrapped Thom Merrilin's cloak； exposing the harp and flute in their hard leather cases atop the many…colored patches。 He took the gold…and…silver flute from its case； remembering the gleeman teaching him as he fingered it； and played a few notes of 〃The Wind That Shakes the Willow；〃 softly so as not to wake the others。 Even soft； the sad sound was too loud in that place； too real。 With a sigh he replaced the flute and did up the bundle again。
He held the watch long into the night； letting the others sleep。 He did not know how late it was when he suddenly realized a fog had risen。 Close to the ground it lay； thick； making Hurin and Loial indistinct mounds seeming to hump out of clouds。 Thinner higher up； it still shrouded the land around them； hiding everything except the nearest trees。 The moon seemed viewed through watered silk。 Anything at all could e right up to them unseen。 He touched his sword。
〃Swords do no good against me； Lews Therin。 You should know that。〃
The fog swirled around Rand's feet as he spun； the sword ing into his hands； heron…mark blade upright before him。 The void leaped up inside him； for the first time； he barely noticed the tainted light of saidin。
A shadowy figure drew nearer through the mist； walking with a tall staff。 Behind it； as if the shadow's shadow were vast； the fog darkened till it was blacker than night。 Rand's skin crawled。 Closer the figure came； until it resolved into the shape 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 th