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k； such as might be used by a few carts now and again。 Fields carved some of the hills into terraces； fields full of crops but empty of people at this hour。 None of the scattered farm buildings lay close enough to the path they rode for Rand to make out more than that they were all made of stone。
When he saw the village ahead； lights already twinkled in a few windows against the ing of night。
〃We'll sleep in beds tonight；〃 he said。
〃That I will enjoy； Lord Rand。〃 Hurin laughed。 Loial nodded agreement。
〃A village inn；〃 Selene sniffed。 〃Dirty； no doubt； and full of unwashed men swilling ale。 Why can't we sleep under the stars again？ I find I enjoy sleeping under the stars。〃
〃You would not enjoy it if Fain caught up with us while we slept；〃 Rand said； 〃him and those Trollocs。 He's ing after me； Selene。 After the Horn； too； but it is me he can find。 Why do you think I've kept such a close watch these past nights？〃
〃If Fain catches us； you will deal with him。〃 Her voice was coolly confident。 〃And there could be Darkfriends in the village； too。〃
〃But even if they knew who we are； they can't do much with the rest of the villagers around。 Not unless you think everyone in the village is a Darkfriend。〃
〃And if they discover you carry the Horn？ Whether you want greatness or not； even farmers dream of it。〃
〃She is right； Rand；〃 Loial said。 〃I fear even farmers might want to take it。〃
〃Unroll your blanket； Loial； and throw it over the chest。 Keep it covered。〃 Loial plied； and Rand nodded。 It was obvious there was a box or chest beneath the Ogier's striped blanket； but nothing suggested it was more than a travel chest。 〃My Lady's chest of clothes；〃 Rand said with a grin and a bow。
Selene met his sally with silence and an unreadable look。 After a moment； they started on again。
Almost immediately； off to Rand's left； a glitter from the setting sun reflected from something on the ground。 Something large。 Something very large； by the light it threw up。 Curious； he turned his horse that way。
〃My Lord？〃 Hurin said。 〃The village？〃
〃I just want to see this first；〃 Rand said。 It's brighter than sunlight on water。 What can it be？
His eyes on the reflection； he was surprised when Red suddenly stopped。 On the point of urging the bay on； he realized that they stood on the edge of a clay precipice； above a huge excavation。 Most of the hill had been dug away to a depth of easily a hundred paces。 Certainly more than one hill had vanished； and maybe some farmers' fields； for the hole was at least ten times as wide as it was deep。 The far side appeared to have been packed hard to a ramp。 There were men on the bottom； a dozen of them； getting a fire started； down there； night was already descending。 Here and there among them armor turned the light； and swords swung at their sides。 He hardly glanced at them。
Out of the clay at the bottom of the pit slanted a gigantic stone hand holding a crystal sphere； and it was this that shone with the last sunlight。 Rand gaped at the size of it； a smooth ball … he was sure not so much as a scratch marred its surface … at least twenty paces through。
Some distance away from the hand； a stone face in proportion had been uncovered。 A bearded man's face； it thrust out of the soil with the dignity of vast years； the broad features seemed to hold wisdom and knowledge。
Unsummoned； the void formed； whole and plete in an instant； saidin glowing； beckoning。 So intent was he on the face and the hand that he did not even realize what had happened。 He had once heard a ship captain speak of a giant hand holding a huge crystal sphere； Bayle Domon had claimed it stuck out of a hill on the island of Tremalking。
〃This is dangerous；〃 Selene said。 〃e away； Rand。〃
〃I believe I can find a way down there；〃 he said absently。 Saidin sang to him。 The huge ball seemed to glow white with the light of the sinking sun。 It seemed to him that in the depths of the crystal； light swirled and danced in time to the song of saidin。 He wondered why the men below did not appear to notice。
Selene rode close and took hold of his arm。 〃Please； Rand； you must e away。〃 He looked at her hand； puzzled； then followed her arm up to her face。 She seemed genuinely worried； perhaps even afraid。 〃If this bank doesn't give way beneath our horses and break our necks with the fall； those men are guards； and no one puts guards on something they wish every passerby to examine。 What good will it do you to avoid Fain； if some lord's guards arrest you？ e away。〃
Suddenly … a drifting； distant thought … he realized that the void surrounded him。 Saidin sang； and the sphere pulsed … even without looking； he could feel it … and the thought came that if he sang the song saidin sang； that huge stone face would open its mouth and sing with him。 With him and with saidin。 All one。
〃Please； Rand；〃 Selene said。 〃I will go to the village with you。 I won't mention the Horn again。 Only e away！〃
He released the void 。。。 and it did not go。 saidin crooned； and the light in the sphere beat like a heart。 Like his heart。 Loial； Hurin； Selene； they all stared at him； but they seemed oblivious to the glorious blaze from the crystal。 He tried to push the void away。 It held like granite； he floated in an emptiness as hard as stone。 The song of saidin； the song of the sphere； he could feel them quivering along his bones。 Grimly； he refused to give in； reached deep inside himself 。。。 I will not 。。。
〃Rand。〃 He did not know whose voice it was。
。。。 reached for the core of who he was； the core of what he was 。。。
。。。 will not 。。。
〃Rand。〃 The song filled him； filled the emptiness
。。。 touched stone； hot from a pitiless sun； cold from a merciless night 。。。。。。 not 。。。
Light filled him； blinded him。
〃Till shade is gone；〃 he mumbled； 〃till water is gone 。。。〃
Power filled him。 He was one with the sphere。
〃。。。 into the Shadow with teeth bared 。。。 〃
The power was his。 The Power was his。
〃。。。 to spit in Sightblinder' s eye 。。。〃
Power to Break the World。
〃。。。 on the last day！〃 It came out as a shout； and the void was gone。 Red shied at his cry； clay crumbled under the stallion's hoof； spilling into the pit。 The big bay went to his knees。 Rand leaned forward； gathering the reins； and Red scrambled to safety； away from the edge。
They were all staring at him； he saw。 Selene； Loial； Hurin； all of them。 〃What happened？〃 The void 。。。 He touched his forehead。 The void had not gone when he released it； and the glow of saidin had grown stronger； and 。。。 He could not remember anything more。 Saidin。 He felt cold。 〃Did I 。。。 do something？〃 He frowned； trying to remember。 〃Did I say something？〃
〃You just sat there stiff as a statue；〃 Loial said； 〃mumbling to yourself no matter what anyone said。 I couldn't make out what you were saying； not until you shouted 'day！' loud enough to wake the dead and nearly put your horse over the edge。 Are you ill？ You're acting more and more oddly every day。〃
〃I'm not sick；〃 Rand said harshly； then softened it。 〃I am all right； Loial。 〃 Selene watched him warily。
From the pit came the sound of men calling； the words indistinguishable。〃Lord Rand；〃 Hurin said； 〃I think those guards have finally noticed us。 If they know a way up this side； they could be here any minute。〃
〃Yes；〃 Selene said。 〃Let us leave here quickly。〃
Rand glanced at the excavation； then away again； quickly。 The great crystal held nothing except reflected light from the evening sun； but he did not want to look at it。 He could almost remember 。。。 something about the sphere。 〃I don't see any reason to wait for them。 We didn't do anything。 Let's find an inn。〃 He turned Red toward the village； and they soon left pit and shouting guards behind。
As many villages did； Tremonsien covered the top of a hill； but like the farms they had passed； this hill had been sculpted into terraces with stone retaining walls。 Square stone houses sat on precise plots of land； with exact gardens behind； along a few straight streets that crossed each other at right angles。 The necessity of a curve to streets going around the hill seemed begrudged。
Yet the people seemed open and friendly enough； pausing to nod to each other as they hurried about their last chores before nightfall。 They were a short folk … none taller than Rand's shoulder； and few as tall as Hurin … with dark eyes and pale； narrow faces； and dressed in dark clothes except for a few who wore slashes of color across the chest。 Smells of cooking … oddly spiced； to Rand's nose … filled the air； though a handful of goodwives still hung over their doors to talk； the doors were split； so the top could stand open while the bottom was closed。 The people eyed the newers curiously； with no sign of hostility。 A few stared a moment longer at Loial； an Ogier walking alongside a horse as big as a Dhurran stallion； but never more than a moment longer。
The inn； at the very top of the hill； was stone like every other building in the town； and plainly marked by a painted sign han