Original release date: December 3, 2021
Moiraine and the other Aes Sedai bury Kerene, along with the soldiers that had attempted to rescue Logain. The group makes a month-long journey back to Tar Valon and the White Tower. Rand and Mat arrive at Tar Valon, and Rand grows increasingly concerned with Mat’s behavior. Lan and Moiraine bring Nynaeve to the White Tower and warn her of the Aes Sedai’s political machinations. Perrin, Egwene and the Tinkers are waylaid by the Whitecloacks, who capture and interrogate them. Rand meets Loial, an Ogier, who notes that Rand looks more like an Aiel than he does a Two Rivers person. Logain is paraded around Tar Valon in a cage by Alanna and Liandrin, laughing madly when he notices Rand and Mat watching from a balcony. Lan and the other Warders console Stepin, Kerene’s Warder, as he returns, and he ceremonially melts Kerene’s ring. Valda suspects that Egwene can channel, and he tortures Perrin in front of her to try and coax the Power out of her. Stepin asks Nynaeve for herbs to help him sleep, and Liandrin maneuvers around Moiraine to entice Nynaeve intojoining the Red Ajah. Loial reunites Nynaeve with Mat and Rand. After interrogation and torture, Egwene and Perrin escape thanks to her channeling and the help of wolves. Moiraine and Alanna discuss Stepin’s mental state after Kerene’s death. Alanna warns Moiraine of both Liandrin’s motives and the impending return of Siuan Sanche, the Amyrlin Seat. Lan tries to console Stepin, but is tricked into drinking the herbs Stepin got from Nynaeve, which puts him to sleep. Lan finds Stepin in the morning, who is dead by suicide. Lan serves as the primary mourner at Stepin’s funeral and is overcome with grief, deeply moving Moiraine and Nynaeve.
* * *
[wind whistling]
♪ ♪
[wind whistling softly]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[takes deep breath]
May the last embrace of the mother welcome you home.
[breath trembles]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[birds chirping]
♪ ♪
[horse neighs]
[horse huffs]
[Ian] A long time since we’ve been home.
[Moiraine] Do you still think of it as home?
Don’t you?
This saddle is home.
This cloak. These boots.
This brooding man at my side.
[Ian chuckles]
[Moiraine] Is she ready for what’s waiting
in the White City?
[Ian] You think she talks to me?
She eats every night at the Warders’ fire.
She’s worried, about Stepin.
Warders are not supposed to outlive their Aes Sedai.
Stepin’s a strong man.
He’ll deliver her ring to the Tower.
You think the other four are already there?
If they are, we’ll find them.
And if they aren’t…
well, we’ll find them.
[panting]
[indistinct shouting]
Watch it, you piece of sh…
[sniffs]
Mate, you all right?
Will you stop looking at me like you’re my bloody wet nurse.
Just tired.
A month without a warm bed will do that.
That mountain.
What?
[Rand] I don’t know.
I think I’ve seen it before.
♪ ♪
Tar Valon.
[lively chatter]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
Blood and ashes.
[birds chirping]
Can I have one?
Thank you.
What is it?
Mmm. Don’t know.
It tastes good, though.
Not hungry. You have it.
Should be down there.
Thom told me about this place.
The innkeeper was an old friend of his.
I’ll give you one for this, one for the other one.
Thought we were going to the White Tower.
Yeah, we will.
But first, we need to rest and clean up.
Think they’ll let us in looking like this? [chuckles]
[melodic whistling]
[whistling continues]
I can’t believe a night here is more expensive
than a month at the Winespring Inn.
[sighs]
[Mat] Better than the road.
[door closes]
[groans]
[exhales]
Tell me again.
Mat…
[Mat] The little girl…
on the farm…
It wasn’t you, Mat.
It wasn’t you.
Thom and I both saw it.
Thom’s not here.
Thom’s dead.
Then please believe me.
It was the Fade.
You know you didn’t kill that family.
You would never hurt that little girl.
♪ ♪
This is the Warders’ quarters.
This is the safest place in the Tower
to stay away from the sisters we traveled with.
When the Amyrlin Seat arrives…
I don’t care about the Amyrlin Seat
or your Tower politics.
I told you, I care about my people.
And you said they’d be here, so where are they?
I have eyes and ears watching every gate
and every wall in the city.
If they’ve arrived, I’ll know.
But will you tell me?
Maybe I’ll have a look around town myself.
[Moiraine] Do not underestimate the women in this Tower.
Each of them has her own goal, her own agenda,
her own pride and ambition.
As powerful as you are, these women have spent decades
honing their strengths, masking their weaknesses.
And when news spreads of your presence here…
Which it will…
You’ll be expected to become a Novice immediately.
And if you’re not careful, those Tower politics
will eat you alive.
If I’m as powerful as you say I am…
maybe it’s you, Aes Sedai, who shouldn’t underestimate me.
It’s all right to be afraid.
You reached out and you touched the Source.
You saw how small you are in comparison to it.
And how great you are
in comparison to those you’ve always loved.
And now you’re wondering:
how do you fit into the world?
Can you ever go back to being who you were?
I know because I felt it, too, the first time.
And the answer is no.
You’ll never be the same.
But it’s time that you saw that for the gift it is.
Now, stay here.
Do not speak to anyone.
And I will try and protect you as best I can.
And when I’ve found your friends…
I will bring you to them.
[door closes]
[lively, indistinct chatter]
[horse neighs]
[dog barking]
[whining]
It’s a little hypocritical, you know.
What is?
Preaching nonviolence
and then letting your pets slaughter
anything you come across.
[barking]
Violence is in us all.
The Way of the Leaf isn’t about denying that.
It’s about accepting it.
Maybe.
But one more turnip curry, and I’ll be joining the dogs.
What are you two talking about?
You. Obviously.
[laughs]
Only good things.
Did you see?
The White Tower.
We made it.
You think they’re there already?
I do.
Seems you won’t have to suffer through turnip curry
much longer.
[horses neighing]
[man] Whoa!
What’s going on?
Why are we stopping?
[dogs barking]
[Ila] The false Dragon.
Don’t know anything about him,
but we’ve been in the grass for months now.
[Valda] Those two. Bring them to me.
[Ila] You can’t just take our people.
They’re not your people.
They’ve eaten our food and shared our fire.
Do you want your new friends to suffer?
[Ila] If they don’t wish to go with you,
you can’t have them.
[Valda] I can’t?
That’s a strange word to be coming out of a Tinker’s mouth.
And how exactly do you plan on stopping me?
[horses neighing]
[dogs barking]
The Way of the Leaf against the Way of the Light.
Hmm.
[people gasping, murmuring]
Hurry. This way.
You can cover the Light
with the palm of a child’s hand,
but a Leaf, even if you crush it, bury it,
burn it, it becomes a part of the earth…
and the air.
[screaming, shouting]
We can’t just leave them!
Whitecloaks may be bastards, but they won’t kill Tuatha’an.
Come on, hurry.
Come on, this way.
There’s a village nearby who’ve always been good to us.
[Egwene] Aah! Aram! Aram!
[horse neighing]
[lively, indistinct chatter in distance]
The Karaethon Cycle.
[Loial] Oh. I didn’t even hear you come in.
[gasps] Stay back!
[chuckles] Oh, dear.
You humans are very excitable.
My first day in Tar Valon,
I could not believe the uproar.
Children cried, women screamed,
and a mob chased me all the way across the city,
waving knives.
I’m afraid I was almost beginning to get a little upset.
I tell you, it was not for this I left the Stedding.
Stedding?
You’re an ogre?
Ogier.
Loial, son of Aren’t, son of Halan.
And who are you?
Rand.
Rand al’Thor.
Your name sings in my ears, Rand al’Thor.
[chuckles] It is quite exciting to meet an Aielman.
I’ve read much of your people.
I’m not an Aielman.
Really? Red hair is one of the few physical traits
that can help you work out where a human is from.
I’m from the Two Rivers.
An Aielman from the Two Rivers?
I’m not an Aielman.
An Aielman from the Two Rivers
who insists that he is not an Aielman.
That is very odd.
I like oddities.
You know this book?
Yes.
Why would The Travels of Jain Farstrider make you sad?
It’s a first-class adventure.
No, I…
A girl I know used to read this book every day.
Thought she was Jain herself reincarnated.
[chuckles]
Well, that would be quite unlikely.
With all the humans all…
It’s just something she thought, you know.
I see. I forget how frivolous you humans can be
with your thoughts.
Where is she now, this girl?
Or is she a woman?
You age so quickly.
I’m not sure.
I came to Tar Valon
because she was heading to the White Tower,
but…
[bell clanging]
What’s going on?
[Loial] The Aes Sedai are returning from battle
with the false Dragon, parading him through the streets
to show the people the dangers of madness
and hunger for power.
How far a man can…
Sorry, I-I’ve got to go.
To the procession?
I’ll come with you.
Just give me a moment to gather my things.
I’ll see you out there.
Always in such a rush, these humans.
Never taking time to properly prepare
for what they’re walking into.
[chuckles]
[indistinct chatter]
[percussion playing]
[man chuckling]
[horse neighing]
[excited chatter, gasping]
Thanks for saving me a seat.
They’re bringing in the false Dragon.
They say he was a man who could channel,
that it drove him mad.
[people jeering]
[shouting, jeering]
Kill the Dragon!
False Dragon!
[laughing]
[distorted, echoing laughter]
[distorted] Mat? Mat?
[lively chatter continues]
Let’s make a deal.
All right?
All right.
If it turns out it’s one of us…
that you or me can…
channel…
…we won’t let each other become like that.
Mat…
I’m serious.
I don’t give a shit about this prophecy nonsense.
Aes Sedai, Dragons, whatever.
I won’t be like that.
You won’t.
You don’t know that.
Promise me.
I promise.
You’d do the same for me?
You bet.
How was the procession?
He’ll be picking tomato out of his hair for weeks.
It was all worth it to see Liandrin’s face
when she accidentally got hit with a radish.
Haven’t worn white since my father’s funeral.
I hated him, you know.
After he died, I…
used to go out, piss drunk before I even got to the bar,
fight the smallest, weakest guy in there…
and beat him.
Then I started picking on people who could fight back,
half hoping they would just…
…put a stop to me.
That’s when I met Kerene.
Stupid young boy with a death wish,
facing off against an Aes Sedai.
She just laughed at me…
and then bought me a drink.
Somehow, we became friends.
Or rather, she gave me the honor of becoming her friend.
And when she needed a Warder, she was already so powerful
that she could have had anybody she wanted, but…
she asked for me.
I couldn’t believe it.
I knew I wasn’t worthy.
I told her to reconsider, but she… wouldn’t.
She just rolled her eyes at me, and that was that.
We bonded…
…and I had to become worthy of her.
[Maksim] My dad tried to kill me when I was 12.
So… stop your whining.
White Tower gave me the first real family I ever had.
You’re right.
It’s good that you lads always have each other.
Probably ten more Warders, if Alanna had her way.
[Maksim and Ihvon chuckle]
Including you, old friend.
If you bond another Aes Sedai…
First, you lose Moiraine, and then tell me how easy it is
to jump from one woman to the next.
It’s time.
♪ ♪
[door opens]
♪ ♪
[wind whistling]
[flame whooshing]
♪ ♪
[birds chirping]
[man] Come on, now. Put your back into it.
[birds cawing]
[indistinct chatter]
[pained gasps]
[whimpers]
[distorted scraping]
[echoing gasps]
[hair ripping]
[Valda] Open your eyes, child.
That’s better. All covered up.
Hands.
[breath shuddering]
Bring him in.
[muffled grunting]
Perrin!
[muffled shouting]
If you care for her, boy, don’t fight.
[muffled grunting]
Sir, please…
Call me Child Valda.
The authority is in the Light, not me.
[muffled grunting quiets]
Child Valda,
we are not who you think.
W-We’re nothing. We’re no…
We are all someone important under the Light.
But you’re right.
You’re not who I thought you were.
An Aes Sedai would have tried to channel already,
so I would have taken your hands already.
You know, one of those witches once told me
that you don’t actually need your hands to channel.
That the use of the hands, of any motions or words,
is just a crutch.
I can’t channel.
There. We’ve proved it, then.
Because Aes Sedai certainly cannot lie,
as much as they’re able to twist the truth.
So let’s say you’re not an Aes Sedai,
and that this boy… Perrin?
Is not your Warder.
The Light must have brought you before me for a reason.
Twice.
The Light never does anything without a purpose.
I assure you, sir…
Child Valda.
Child Valda.
I’m just a girl from a mountain village
who should have never left.
Please, just let us go. Please.
But you can touch the One Power.
I know you can.
So stop me from killing you.
[gasps]
[muffled grunting]
No.
I’m sorry?
I can’t channel.
You said yourself you’re sworn to the Light.
And a man of the Light cannot kill a girl
who’s done nothing wrong.
[chuckles] And what makes you think
that I’m a man who stays true to his oaths?
That I won’t just bleed you out right here and now?
If you’re going to do it, then do it.
But know this… I’ll come back in my next life
and split you from head to tail like the pig you are!
[chuckles]
You would have made a strong Aes Sedai.
A wonderful ring to add to my collection.
[low grunting]
[grunting]
Don’t. No! No!
[distorted screaming]
Why are you doing this?!
Because we humans
are meant to be of this Earth,
to struggle and fight for everything we have.
The Creator never meant for us
to have access to so much power.
[muffled yelling]
You witches make a mockery of our very existence,
walking like gods amongst men.
[yelling]
The idea that the One Power
comes from anywhere other than the Dark is absurd.
So I have been called to stamp it out.
[gasping breaths]
Woman by woman
by woman.
Channel for me, girl,
and I’ll kill you and let the boy go.
Don’t channel,
and I’ll kill the boy and let you go.
I’ll leave you two to discuss.
Decide which one of you it will be.
[panting]
Stepin.
Heard you’d been locked up here, too.
[chuckles softly]
I wondered…
if I could get a bit more of that tea you had.
For sleeping.
It’s not really goats’ tongues, is it?
Goatstongue is a plant.
[Stepin] Oh.
Mm.
Are you still having trouble sleeping?
I, uh…
I…
I lie there…
and, uh, just as I’m about to drift off,
the pain goes away.
Good.
No.
That’s the only thing I have left of her.
The pain.
I’m not ready to let go of it yet.
Don’t worry.
I promise you the pain will never go away.
Thank you.
[door closes in distance]
♪ ♪
[Liandrin] Escaped, did you?
[chuckles softly]
They’re almost as old as the Tower itself.
Representing the tens of thousands of men who bonded themselves to my sisters.
Standing guard outside the Hall… in death as they did in life.
[chuckles softly]
Reds don’t have Warders.
No. Never.
Because you hate men.
[chuckles softly]
Is that a question or a statement?
Some of my Red sisters, perhaps.
Women hold the One Power, but men still control much of this world.
And they are rarely kind to little girls who show a spark of being greater than they are.
[chuckles]
Well, now you’ve escaped Moiraine’s cage, you should enjoy your freedom. Hmm?
That way leads to the library, then on to the gardens.
[gasps softly]
The persimmons are in season.
Mmm.
[chuckles]
[gasps softly]
[pounding on door]
[Loial] Rand al’Thor.
Did you know that Ogier have access to the White Tower grounds?
Um, no.
But why… I went there and found the woman you spoke of.
By the Light.
The braid is a distinct rite of passage in the Two Rivers.
We thought you were dead.
[Loial] It was really very simple.
Where’s Egwene? And Perrin?
On their way, I think.
[Mat groans]
Oh…
What happened to him?
Nynaeve?
Who else could I be?
You’re alive.
[Nynaeve] So are you.
Barely.
Show me your tongue.
Don’t touch me!
[distorted, overlapping whispers]
[distorted whispers fade]
I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
Sleep, Mat.
You need to rest.
[insects chirping]
[dog barks in distance]
I think he can channel.
Have you seen it?
No, but he’s losing himself.
I know Moiraine said we should come to her at the White Tower.
I don’t know if we can trust her.
We saw what the Aes Sedai did to the false Dragon.
You’ve done well.
To bring him here.
To take care of him.
We don’t need the Aes Sedai.
We’re Two Rivers folk.
I’ll heal what I can, and when Egwene and Perrin arrive, we’ll sort out the rest.
Together.
I haven’t seen her in a month now.
She’s alive.
You know, when Egwene was little, barely ten, her parents brought her to us, the Old Wisdom and I.
She had an infection already set into her muscles.
They were cramping so badly that her legs were bent backwards on themselves.
That’s why they call it breakbone fever.
Usually before the person dies, they snap their own legs and arms in half.
The Old Wisdom, she, um… she didn’t know what to do.
So she started making a tea to ease her passing.
But I couldn’t.
So I took Egwene’s hands, and she held on so tight.
She looked at me and she said, “I’m not ready.”
She was so small.
She just lay there the whole night while her own body tried to break itself in half.
And she didn’t cry. [chuckles, sniffles]
Not once.
And she refused the Wisdom’s tea.
In the morning, the fever had broken.
Not her.
Sounds about right.
Egwene is many things, but above all else, she’s unbreakable.
[straining]
[panting]
Egwene, stop.
[Egwene panting]
If it has to be one of us, it should be me.
No.
[straining]
This is what I deserve.
Laila.
I killed her.
No.
No, Laila’s death was not your fault.
Yes, it was!
We were fighting them off together.
The Trollocs.
Then I killed one.
But then I heard another from behind me, and I swung with all my strength.
But it was her.
My own hands.
My own ax.
[crying] I killed her.
I killed my wife.
This is what I deserve.
[whispers] No.
Have we reached a decision?
[breath shudders]
[panting softly]
Very well.
No decision is still a decision.
Eventually, the boy will bleed out.
It was an accident, Perrin.
Not your fault.
[screaming]
[Egwene] And it may take you your whole life to realize that, but you will.
[barking, howling in distance]
[Perrin screaming]
I promise.
[gasps softly]
You will.
[Perrin screams, whimpers]
No. Egwene, no!
[Perrin panting]
Drift.
Just drift.
Ah.
There you are.
[exhales]
[panting]
[whirring]
[Egwene gasps]
You’ll find me harder to kill than that, girl.
Especially with a flame so small.
[sizzling]
In truth, I was expecting more.
[growling]
Light protect me.
[low growling]
[Valda] What are you?!
[grunts]
[clamoring, yelling outside]
[dogs barking]
[Perrin] Let’s go.
[yelling]
[gasps]
[man] Keep moving!
[man screaming]
You two, stop.
[growling]
[yells]
[gasps]
Come on. Come on.
[growling]
[barks, growls]
He won’t hurt us.
How do you know?
Come on. Go.
You heading to bed, sister?
I’m surprised you remember where your chamber is.
How long has it been? Two years?
[Moiraine chuckles softly]
And to return with such a prize.
Where is Nynaeve?
Safely hidden away, I assume.
No doubt she’s resting after her long journey.
You look a little worse for wear, too.
You know, the trouble with… always coming and going, Moiraine, is that when Nynaeve becomes a Novice…
And despite her distressing mistrust of Aes Sedai, she will become a Novice…
You won’t be here to guide her.
A girl with her raw talent and lack of control will need mentoring.
And you think she will choose Red?
The Wisdom of the Two Rivers, after her first channeling healed the dying?
Mm. Our Yellow sisters will be desperate to get their hands on her, it’s true.
[Moiraine] Hmm.
But there’s a certain… force of will she cannot hide.
A sense that the world would be better if everyone obeyed the rules.
Her rules.
One thing she doesn’t share, though, is your contempt for men.
[chuckles]
So I suggest you look for converts elsewhere.
[Ian] Not many people still make offerings to ward off the Forsaken.
These belonged to my mother.
The only thing left in her house when she died.
And who are you trying to keep away?
[Stepin] Ishamael…
Father of Lies.
I need to see clearly now.
I need to see the truth.
Do you believe any of it?
Think they can still touch our world?
[Ian] The Forsaken sold their souls to the Dark One for eternal life.
Even if the last Dragon sealed them away…
Eternity’s a very long time.
Hmm.
[whispers] A very long time.
Hey.
Enough of this.
[sighs]
I’ll stay with you till morning.
[Moiraine] Do you think Stepin will accept your offer?
I don’t know.
When a Warder loses his Aes Sedai, the pain is so deep.
It’s almost like he’s swallowed her death.
I read once there’s a way to release the bond.
Oh.
There, now, sister.
Don’t do that.
Ian has nothing to worry about.
You’ll be here with us a long time yet.
What have you been doing out there all these years?
Now, unless you’ve made it a habit to use this as your dining room,
I’m assuming you have a reason for coming.
I got word that the Amyrlin’s returning from Caemlyn.
She’s summoned us to the Hall… to answer for Logain.
She’s out for blood, looking for someone to blame.
Siuan Sanche is many things… [sighs] but she’s never turned on a sister without cause.
Moiraine, this place isn’t what it was when you left.
You’re one of the only sisters strong enough to challenge her.
But I have no designs on the Seat.
I never have.
No one has any idea what you have designs on.
Liandrin’s strength is growing.
More and more sisters are listening to her, and not just the Reds.
All I’m saying is, for someone who’s rarely in the Tower, you have two very powerful enemies here.
Be careful, my friend.
Thank you for the warning.
One day, you’ll have to trust someone with your secrets, or they’ll scour you from the inside out and leave you bare as this room.
Good night, Moiraine.
[door opens]
[door closes]
Well… maybe when I’m bonded with Alanna and… feel her bond to… Ihvon and Maksim, but… still… I don’t know, I’ve, uh… never been with a man.
Two men.
[chuckles softly]
Certainly not two men.
But hey, there’s a first time for everything.
Well, you’re… you’re assuming they want you.
[laughs] What’s not to want?
Huh? [chuckles]
Tell me about the Wisdom.
Nothing to tell.
Because you’ve never been a talker.
But I have eyes.
She touched the One Power for the first time to save your life.
And barely spoken to me since.
She’s stubborn. Knows her own mind.
Knows she’s falling for you.
That’s a bad idea for her.
[Stepin] Love’s usually a bad idea.
Still, we allow it to happen, or… this life would be intolerable.
Well, I can tolerate a lot.
I know.
[birds chirping]
[bell tolling]
[dog barking]
[bell continues tolling]
[indistinct chatter in distance]
[sighs]
[sets paper down]
[sighs]
[gasps]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[deep, dirgelike chanting]
Al’Lan Mandragoran.
Lay your hand on him.
Relieve us of our grief.
[chanting stops]
[takes deep breath]
[rhythmic chest pounding continues]
[yells]
[yells]
[crying]
[Ian grunts]
[yelling]
[pounding fading]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
