Nefertariamun woke up before sunrise; she had never really understood the pleasure some people found in staying in bed almost the whole day. Why sleep more than necessary? When your body and mind had had their rest, get up and do the things you were supposed too, without grumbling thank you!

A second before the door banged open Nefertariamun felt how somebody channelled saidar outside in the hallways in the Novice Quarters. In strode Kirlanna Sedai, looking like calm and serenity personified. Nefertariamun looked at her without speaking, face as expressionless as the Aes Sedai, then she dressed hurriedly and walked after The Servant of All out of the room.

I am not even surprised; they should have come a week ago. Thoughts wanted to tumble around and make her dizzy, though she held them in a rock hard grip. Trying to see clear in a distressing situation such as this one wasn't easy. I must stay focused.

The corridors and great halls deep within the White Tower were in themselves a labyrinth worthy of its name. Nefertariamun could not have found the way out even if she had really wanted to. The Mistress of Novices suddenly opened a door and lead Nefer into a chamber with high ceilings.

And there they were... The mysterious and legendary Three Arches. Nefertariamun wanted to stare and gasp, but she held her temper in a tight nod. She knew how unusual it was for a novice to get raised to Accepted after only four years. And this novice did not want to give them even a hint that they might have made the wrong decision. Where the pillars of the great ter'angreal met the marble floors sat three linked Aes Sedai. There was one Violet sister; her eyes were open and she led the other two, an Aes Sedai of the White Ajah and one of the Yellow Ajah, whose eyes were closed. Nefertariamun studied them for a second. She had met them once before, or twice. Three other Aes Sedai were standing on both sides of the domed room near a table, which held three chalices. Nefertariamun did not recognise any of them, though she put their faces in a special place in the back of her head. She would know whom they were and what they were before dawn sets, that she promised herself.

A seventh sister closed the doors through which the Aes Sedai and Nefer had recently entered. Seven of the eight Aes Sedai, this count including the Mistress of Novices that had fetched her, were wearing their shawls. Nefertariamun wanted to feel envy for them already being so high in rank. Why can I not feel the need of wanting to become an Aes Sedai? I do not even want to be here. Clutching her jaws tightly together Nefertariamun set her mind. She was going to get through this test, no matter what.

Kirlanna Sedai suddenly turned to face her, and the other standing Aes Sedai started to move closer. "No woman hears these words until she stands were you stand now, novice. Once you begin, you must continue until it is ended. If you refuse at any time between entering the first Arch and leaving the third, you will be put out of the Tower as though you had approached the Room of the Arches three times and each time refused." Kirlanna Sedai paused; Nefertariamun met her stern gaze stare for stare. She had expected something like this. It was amazing what you could learn if you only tried to draw the right, and most probable, conclusions. That plus a few innocent questions here and there. Sometimes it paid off, being curious! "To seek, to strive, is to know danger. Some women have entered the Arches and never come out," her face was as stony as a mountain. Nefertariamun had seen that look too many times through the past years. She could not say that she had never been sent to do a chore. That look could make anybody weep, that she was convinced of. Slowly compassion softened her expression and sympathy coloured her voice. Nefertariamun wanted to hiss as a cat ready to defend herself; she knew that no Aes Sedai wanted the training to become soft, they wanted to make it as challenging and demanding as possible. And if one of them felt sympathy for the one that was going to face one of those horrors... Nefertariamun did not want to know what it was, though she had to admit she was expecting a whole lot.

"Even when the ter'angreal was allowed to grow silent, they-were-not-there. Not then, and never since. To survive, you must remain resolute. Falter once, and you will fail and . . . " She did not finish the sentence but Nefer read in her eyes the consequences of failure. "This is your last chance. You may refuse now, and it shall be counted as the first attempt. If you choose to go on . . . then there will be no turning back until you either return from the third Arch, or remain lost in the Arches for the rest of the Ages. It is no shame to refuse; many Aes Sedai could not face the Arches the first time. Choose novice. Accept, or refuse."

"I accept," Nefertariamun told her in a calm voice. She would be forced to this at some time in her life, and she guessed that nothing could help you or prepare you for this.

Kirlanna Sedai nodded as if she already had known the answer and said, "Then ready yourself for the Arches." The Brown Sister stepped forward and motioned to Nefertariamun to take off her clothes. Nefertariamun did not feel any shame; she just took them off again and handed them to her. The Mistress of Novices started to lead her towards the sister who wore, instead of the shawl, a Blue stole and stands foremost of the poised Aes Sedai.

"Whom do you bring before the Arches?" Nefertariamun looked at the Keeper of the Chronicles, she had recognized her from the second she walked through that door.

"I bring one who comes as a candidate for Acceptance," Kirlanna Sedai replied steadily.

"Is she ready?" An Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah questions Kirlanna Sedai, Nefertariamun did not even glace at the Yellow Aes Sedai. She did not like the Yellows that much, though of course there were exceptions; they were so arrogant and... well aware of their wonderful ability. She could relate to the Green Sister much more than to those calm and completely emotionless women.

"She is ready to leave behind what she was and, passing through her fears, gain Acceptance," the Mistress of Novices replied in a steady voice. Nefertariamun guessed that she had done this many times.

"Does she know her fears?" the Aes Sedai of the White Ajah asked. Nefertariamun gave that Aes Sedai a quick glance, if she thought not that much of the Yellow Aes Sedai, she had not much compassion for the White at all! They were too aloof and detached. One time during her four years as a novice here in the Tower she had overheard an Aes Sedai of the White Ajah talking about the aspirants to the Green Ajah and the Blue Ajah. The Sister thought that they were over-ambitious, raucous and did not blush when good novice did.

The Aes Sedai had shaken her head in amazement. She could not understand that the women within the Aes Sedai's line had not taken that kind of spirit out of them a long time ago. Was it not better to be calm and focused, aiming as an arrow on your target that lays in a far away distance in the future? Nefertariamun then thought of Jericho Himura, her best friend in the Tower. Jericho had always been a faithful believer in the White Ajah, and so had Aya. Sometimes these women really amazed her to a point she wondered if they really were sensible.

"She has never faced them, but is willing," Kirlanna Sedai answered.

"Then let her face what she fears," the Aes Sedai intoned, stepping aside. The two other Aes Sedai with her also moved out of Nefertariamun's way.

"The first time is for what was. Be steadfast. The way back comes but once," the Mistress of Novices informed her and Nefertariamun started to approach the first Arch, planning to be steadfast as a rock. A cold feeling came over her...

...And she stepped out on the grassland that surrounded her farm back at home in Arad Doman. She was gathering wildflowers to her mother as a gift. They had had a major fight last night so she wanted to make it up to her. She found herself humming under her breath a tune that she and her twin sister, Neferhotep, used to sing together. It was soothing in a way. The wind brought distant sounds, though it seemed as if it screamed and moaned to her. She closed her eyes and listened, it must have been imagination! When she opened her eyes she saw a shape far away getting closer. Nefertariamun peered at it; maybe it was just her sister coming to get her. It should be time for lunch. Picking another well-chosen flower she twined it in to the nosegay. Scanning it with a thoughtful frown upon her dark golden features, Nefer waited to see her sister get closer. Suddenly she realised her sister was running as if she had the Dark One after her. And Neferhotep was not easily frightened, something must have happened to their mother.

Nefertariamun started running toward her sister, fear taking a steadfast hold on her heart. She saw her sister waving her arms frantically, almost as if she did not want Nefertariamun to run towards her. Nefer started to slow when she heard her sister's voice. "RUN NEFER! RUN!" Stopping dead, she waited for her twin sister to reach her.

"We must go to our hiding place, there is a man on the farm. Mother owes him money, he says he is going to take one of us instead!" Neferhotep's tirade made no sense at all. Nefer opened her mouth to protest, but not a word came out of her mouth as she saw another shape closing in on them in the distance. And this one was moving a lot faster and seemed to be a lot bigger too. "Come now you fool, he is after us!" Neffie shouted and started to run in the opposite direction, Nefer was not far behind.

The way back will come once. Be steadfast...

Nefer looked around a bit confused, where was that voice coming from? As they reached their so-called "secret place" they both collapsed in a heap, panting as if they had ran a hundred miles. "What is happening Neffie?" Nefer asked, but before the last word came out of her mouth a silvery arch appeared just a few yards from her. Nefertariamun looked at it with a confused look upon her beautiful features.

The way back will come back once. Be steadfast....

The fifteen year old girl stared at is as if hypnotised. Something in the back of her head told her she should run straight at it. Nefertariamun rose and began walking toward it; as she reached it she saw how Neferhotep opened her mouth to scream as the bush that hid the entrance to their hideaway was almost torn away. A man grabbed after Nefertariamun though Neferhotep was much closer.

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

Neferhotep threw herself in the way without hesitating, sacrificing herself while screaming to her sister to run. Nefer turned towards her screaming sister, tears starting to roll down her face. This time she was not going to leave her behind. I will not leave her. Not this time! The though seemed irrational, though something tugged at her memory.

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

Neferhotep's furious cries turned into screams of pain. Nefertariamun's soul was torn apart when she threw herself towards the silvery arch. The Light consumed her; her own scream echoed her sister's pain. They were one... They were two fractions of something larger then life... Then there was nothing...

Coming out from the silvery arch Nefer felt her memories crashing back into her head. The cool and calm serenity she had buried herself in the last three years was completely washed away. Big tears were rolling down her cheeks, leaving stains in the thick dirt.

Half aware of Kirlanna Sedai, Nefer stared out into something in a far distance.

"Am I supposed to leave her again and again? Is that my fate for all eternity?" She asked the air around her. The Mistress of Novices stroked a dirty lock of her hair.

"The experience within the Aches is each woman's own. Nobody has the right to hear about them." She whispered softly into Nefer's ear, then led her young apprentice towards the Keeper of the Chronicles.

Kneeling before Brevalin Sedai the novice felt how the cold, clear water cascading out of the relic washed over her body and hair. The Keeper declared; "You are washed clean of what sin you may have done, and of those done against you. You are washed clean of what crime you have committed, and of those committed against you. You come to us washed clean and pure, in heart and soul."

Stumbling Nefer followed Kirlanna Sedai towards the second Arch. "The second time is for what is. Be steadfast. The way back comes only once." Kirlanna Sedai looked straight into Nefer's eyes, as if searching for something. Nefertariamun looked back into them with a hollow gaze. She had nothing more to lose. As if she did not care the Domani threw herself recklessly into the Arch...

... And looked up into her sul'dam's eyes. A sudden and furious flare of hate went through her head, then a torrent of pain started to plague her body. Screaming, she collapsed into a convulsing heap on the hard floor. It felt like being filled with melted stone and fire. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity the pain slowly faded away. Slow tears started to pour out from her blue green eyes, leaving a trail along her cheeks.

"Will Vici be a nice damane now?" her sul'dam Edarra asked in a sympathetic voice. Nefertariamun looked up through swollen eyes and nodded reluctantly. She herself had thought she was broken a long time ago. But when Edarra had started to talk about giving her a little bit more exercise with the dogs she had suddenly gone mad and exploded in a tirade that had only called forth a serene and icy stare from her sul'dam. And pain.

"Good damane. Vici will be one of the best damane found during the Corenne that I am sure of." Edarra continued in a soothing voice, as if just moments ago she'd not almost stilled her beating heart. They continue their walk towards their accommodations. The Domani girl wobbled after with fear in her eyes.

"Now stay here Vici. I will just go and get your food." Edarra said while hanging up her bracelet on a hook on the wall. The door closed behind the grey clad woman as Nefer sat down heavily on her chair, resting her head in her hands while silently sobbing. She had though more about herself. Not that she had as much courage as a Queen of Andor maybe but at least she had enough to hold her head high.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a faint creaking when the door slowly opened, Nefer did not look up; instead she placed herself in that humiliating position Edarra liked her damane to have when she came in. The sound from the feet that slowly started to approach her did not sound at all as her sul'dam's but in fear, damane Vici did not dare to look up anyway.

Suddenly there was a clicking sound and the necklace around Nefertariamun's neck fell down on the floor with a single movement. The Domani mixed with Atha'an Miere blood froze. She did not even dare to breath, less move. Suddenly a familiar voice broke the silence.

"Are you coming or what?" Looking up she met her rescuer's eyes. Her mother's stern gaze met her daughter's tormented one. Hatshepsut was dressed in a grey dress with a lightning on the front. "Get up child. I have not been here for this long to go away from here without you, if you do not move I will make you regret the day I gave birth to you!" Nefer gave a start at the last words.

"I should not have taken that a'dam off. But I could not stand the sight of her like that one minute more." The girl heard her old mother mutter under her breath. Nefertariamun's eyes suddenly changed from revelation to fear. Her hands grasped around her own neck again. She cannot mean that she feels the same as the Seanchan do? My own mother afraid of me...

Nefertariamun took a step back, uncertain what she should do. She embraced saidar and readied a weave that would not even leave a nasty mess behind. Her mother smiled as she used to do when Nefer and her sister were young, a calming smile and a bit mocking. Then she did something Nefer had never even thought of. She embraced the One Power too.

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

The Domani girl looked around a little bit confused. From where was that voice coming from? She gave a slight shake with her head; she had to stay focused. A silvery arch started to glow all of a sudden in the opposite direction from the door.

"You see daughter. I too can channel, the thing is that I was not born with the ability. It lay latent in me until someone discovered it and developed it. They were mighty surprised when I came and asked to become sul'dam after they had tested us all and told me I had the "blessing" to become one!"

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

Hatshepsut smirked at what she had just said. Her words were dripping with sarcasm. "I put two and two together at once. They will be devastated when they discover this. I am sorry that it took me so long time to learn how to master it Nefer. I am so sorry for the months we have lost" Hatshepsut's words were a bit regretful in the end. It seemed as if she too had lived through every glimpse of pain that the a'dam had caused her daughter.

Nefertariamun felt such a joy spread itself inside of her. Relief over being accepted by her mother, feeling the kinship because of their long time together and the relationship that was brought with the shared ability to channel that she felt to every woman that could. Smiling she wiped her tears away but before she could say what she saw how the door banged open and Edarra strode in with another damane on a leash with her. Behind her in the hall you could see at least twenty more. Hatshepsut did not hesitate; she hurled something thickly woven by Fire. The things left of Edarra and her damane made Nefertariamun's stomach do summersaults.

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

A scream out of pure rage came out of Hatshepsut. Her copper skinned face was wearing a grimace similar to what the big cats in the forest had when they were forced into a corner with no way out.

"Nefertariamun, help me!" she shouted urgently. Her mother wove Air, Water, Fire, Spirit and Earth in several different cobwebs that she hurled towards the door opening. The panic that had grasped the rescued damane's heart forced her to take a step back towards the silvery arch behind her. I cannot leave her! I must channel, I must... Do something!

"Nefertariamun" shrieking Hatshepsut went down in a heap when two damane finally could come into the room together and see where they were directing their target. One sul'dam without a follower ran towards the black haired Domani on the floor. Hatshepsut gave the woman a straight right in the face and turned towards her backing daughter trying to reach towards her.

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

"Together Nefertariamun! Together we can make it!" The last came out in a scream as a silvery necklace was attached around her slim neck. Convulsing in pain the woman looked straight into her daughter's eyes, pleading, no, commanding to get help, expecting it.

Turning her back to her mother she stepped over the edge and was once again consumed by the Light. Wanting the Light to drink her soul, tear it apart. She had nothing more to live for. She was nothing the Light was everything.

Kirlanna waited on her in the Room of the Arches, and took the lifeless Domani to kneel before Brevalin Sedai who held a second chalice in her hands. "You are washed clean of false pride. You are washed clean of false ambition," The Keeper announced. "You come to us washed clean and pure, in heart and soul."

"No. No. No. No." the moaning that came out of her mouth would not stop. I feel so empty. How can I sound that I feel something when I do not? I have left everything, I have betrayed my family again and again. Is this what the Arches are for? To show you that you are nothing, that you are not worth a bit so that you will serve others better?

The Mistress of Novices had a tender hold on her arm. She turned Nefertariamun towards the third Arch. Her voice was as soothing as it had always been when she wanted to be comforting.

"The third time is for what will be. Be steadfast. The way back comes only once."

Like a ghost, but without a soul, the Domani and Atha'an Miere mix took a few steps closer towards the Arch. Her dark skinned face was absolutely emotionless. Her feelings were in a state of shock. There was nothing more to do but to go through that bloody Arch, she had nothing more in her life to strive for, to try to pull through...

Howling like the Aruth Ocean's winter storms she hurled herself towards it. The pain of knowing that she had nothing left in her life could be heard in it. She was truly nothing. Struggling the former girl left the last scraps of her childhood forever as she took the last step over the Arch's edge...

...And stepped out on a path in a beautiful garden. The garden was carefully planned by a master architect, anyone could see that! The simplicity of a flower alone with hard rock was so incredible beautiful that it took your breath. The garden behind the palace in Far Dara was extremely small compared to the large woods other capitals had. Nefertariamun was walking besides a tall young man with dark brown hair that farmed a face of beautiful, sharp features. The woman looked up into those wonderful blue eyes she had once been enchanted by them. Seduced almost to the brink of disaster. Luckily that had turned out well.

"So you are happy now, Griever? No sorrows of the sort you had earlier?" the dark blond Domani's clear voice was like a breeze. She did not want to open old wounds with her question, but she had to know.

The much taller man flashed one of those half-smiles of his, but it was gone in an instance. She remembered a time when she would have done anything for just a hint of one. I wonder what I would not do now? The though was rather irritating. She had dedicated her whole life to serve the people of this earth through her special cause. That was why she had not wanted to marry any man, a decision she made after a dreadful experience during her training to become an Aes Sedai.

"Since I bonded I have found my peace Aes Sedai." always that respectful tone with a hint of mock as if he recalled seeing her naked again. The Domani's temper flared for a moment but she gave her head a slight shake, he always got to her. He always had!

"I am glad that you have Griever Gaidin. I am truly glad." Before the last sentence was ended a shout rose not far from them. With a smile in the corners of her mouth the newly raised Aes Sedai turned around to greet Jericho Sedai that was hurrying towards them. Everyone had been very surprised when Jericho had announced her choice of Ajah in public. But it soothed her personality, the memories of their hundreds maybe thousands of arguments about what Ajah was the best always brought a small smile in the otherwise so rigorous face

When Nefertariamun's childhood friend caught up with them the Domani could not help herself. She openly admired her friend's appearance. Jericho's typical Tarabon look had always attracted the siswais during their training to become what they were but now it had matured into something incredibly enchanting. Griever's appreciating humming was not something the Domani thought was proper.

Her friend gave Griever a small smile. I cannot imagine the Ajah that would have suited her better! She is like a rose in the beginning of her blossom. The thoughts flashed quickly as lightning through Nefer's head. Jericho gave her old friend a dazzling smile. Nefertariamun returned it with as much warm as she dared in public. She fingered a little on her blue-fringed shawl that was carefully draped over her slim shoulders.

"I heard the news Griever Gaidin." Jericho started without any more ceremony. "Should I congratulate?" the Tanchico girl continued without hesitation while eyeing Griever as if he was a rabid dog miraculously cured. Nefer moaned inside. Her friend has never thought discretion to be her thing, though sometimes Nefer whished she would at least give it a try.

The only thing you could see change in Griever Cloud's expression was a slight tension around his eyes. Nothing could move that mask he wore as steadily as a mountain. He opened his mouth to answer, but before a sound came out of his mouth a loud bang interrupted. The Warder swung his head around towards the gates and had started to run towards them before the first bang had dissolved, after it came several others.

"Alleyne!" Nefer and Jericho exclaimed with one voice and they both exchanged an expressionless look before lifting up their silk skirts and started to run after their friend's Warder. Horrible images inside of Nefertariamun's head started to spin around and cloud her judgment; irritated she pushed them aside and tried to speed up.

"So they have finally attacked." A grim voice stated behind them when they came out to the "battlefield's" headquarter. It had assembled itself in a baker's shop a few hundred yards from the gate where incredible amount of saidar, and obviously saidin, was launched against both sides. Breathing hard from the long run the two young Aes Sedai turned around while smoothing out their skirts and fixing their expression to as calm and as serene as possible.

"It seems so Kristal. It seem so..." Nefertariamun replied to her former mentor and teacher. "Dreadlords.... How many?" The Blue Sister had been the first one to establish herself here in the front lines of the chaos that ruled the world when Tarmon Gaidon had started. The half Shienar and half Malkier seemed to be most alive where the battle was as hottest. Her Sister would never leave her country to the vultures. Many people in the Border Lands had Kristal al'Cair Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah to thank that they were still alive. Without Kristal's driving force this many Aes Sedai and Ashaman on one place so far from the White Tower would have been impossible to gather.

At the thought of Ashamans Nefertariamun gave a slight jerk on her head and a small feeling of worry started to develop itself inside of her stomach. Strangling it was not easy. He is just fine, or else I would know!

"At least fifteen from what I have counted so far." The brown eyes were blazing with an inner fire. Kristal Sedai caught her attention again.

"Where is Alleyne?" Jericho demanded in her usual tact though the Domani was not going to stop her this time. Their mutual concerns about the Blue Aes Sedai, just raised a year or two after them connected them even closer. Kristal Sedai met Jericho's gaze stare for stare.

"Take a look yourself." The reply was calm, but Nefer had known Kristal long enough to know that something was terribly wrong. Before Jericho and Nefertariamun started out, her old mentor grabbed her arm in a painfully hard grip. Those brown eyes met hers steadily. "Nefer... Sometimes you have to make sacrifices that will cause you a lot of pain... Too much pain... For something bigger than yourself..."

"I already know that Sister." Nefer replied in a calm voice. The knot in her stomach came back.

The both young Aes Sedai followed Kristal's direction and ended up on a wall, looking down on the mess beneath them.

Hordes of trollocs launched themselves against the walls of Far Dara. Their number must have been up to thousands of thousands. Nefertariamun knew that her face hid every emotion that was tumbling around inside of her. Jericho Sedai was looking like stone made flesh; the expression on her beautiful features could not be construed in any other way.

In front of the open gate a lone woman was sitting on her grey dapple mare. The horse was a delicate creature; light on it's feet as she danced away from the shadowspawn that was trying to reach her. With an arched neck she showed her teeth, looking down her nose on the smelly things around her on the ground. Here and there it delivered a well-aimed kick that apparently had caused a lot of pain and damage around her. On it's back a woman in a sky blue dress sat. The woman was surrounded by the glow of saidar as she channelled different weaves around her. All the Five Powers was used, Fire, Earth, Water, Spirit and Air. She was protecting the gate all by herself while a few carriages filled with young men and women were slowly being forced into the city.

"Alleyne" Jericho whispered softly through clenched teeth.

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

A silvery arch appeared a few yards behind them. Though Nefertariamun did not even notice the voice. She had seen too much to be amazed by a voice coming from every direction at once, not at this kind of critical moment. The gates very starting to close, apparently the guards at the gate thought that an Aes Sedai could defend herself against the Dark One alone if it came to that!

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

"Blood and bloody ashes. What the hell are they doing?" Nefer almost screamed out of rage. The thick mass of hair and half flesh, half meat was getting closer to Alleyne. The long dark brown hair was whipped back and forth as a tail on a cornered cat. You could almost see the dark, close to black, eyes shining with anger. Suddenly... Without a warning, a tall warhorse galloped out from the gate a fraction of a second before it was impossible for anything that big to come through a whole of that size. The swarm of trollocs closed itself around the couple left alone outside safety.

Suddenly Alleyne's horse went down. The Aes Sedai jumped off smoothly, almost without turning her attention from the fight she battled. Now she was holding a short sword made for a woman's hand, the Blue Aes Sedai was not using it but from time to time there were lightning coming out from it. Nefertariamun's heart wanted to jump out of her chest. Griever was down there with her beloved Sister and friend. They would never abandon each other: they were more then just emotional bonded to the other. They were one!

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

Suddenly she saw the silvery Arch behind her. It was glowing, but getting smaller by every second.

"I am going down." Jericho announced calmly without a hint of grief for the life she at that moment abandoned. They would never get out alive from that. Nefertariamun readied herself to embrace saidar and clear a way towards her two friends fighting in the middle of death. Then something tingled her mind; a bit undecidedly she took a step towards the Arch again. She could hear how Alleyne shouted out orders to her Warder, orders that was the difference between life and death. Somehow the Blue Aes Sedai had spotted Jericho and Nefertariamun on the crest of the wall, and she was moving towards them with Griever, one step at the time.

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

Jericho started to hurl weaves that turned the human-animal mixed bodies below them to a substance, almost like a pulp. The Tanchico woman gave the Domani her hand. "My friend, there is still hope. But we can not stand and admire muscles right now!" Those grey eyes showed Nefer that this was not the end of anything; it was just how it should be.

A calm and serene feeling settled itself over Nefertariamun's mind.

The way back will come just once. Be steadfast...

The voice sounded weaker. It had started to fade away. The Domani started to walk towards the silvery Arch. A loud bang from where Alleyne and Griever should be could be heard, the second of silence after was worrying but the increased strength in the trollocs roaring afterwards was even more frightening.

"Nefer, we must act now!" Jericho's voice was starting to get a touch of irritation. "They are lost without us. It is up to us, do you understand me?" her voice started to grow angrier and even more impatient.

"I can not, Jeri... I cannot, I am so sorry. Forgive me, please forgive me." The Domani's voice, trained to sound seductive, contained almost as much emotions as a grey man contained a soul. This time she did not throw herself without caring about what would happen to her neither did she stagger blinded by tears and grieving for what she had done. The young Aes Sedai just walked away with hunched shoulders. Starring at nothing. Please Light consume me, destroy my soul.

The silver Arch flashes before her...

Kirlanna Sedai was there to receive her. The Domani just looked into the Aes Sedai's eyes. Seeing nothing, feeling nothing...

Kneel before the Keeper that held the last chalice in her hands Nefertariamun saw the Amyrlin getting closer and end up standing before her and had the chalice given to her. Clear water streams over Nefer's body and hair. It was like she was being born again, the water felt as if it was blessed. The Amyrlin proclaimed in a steady tone Nefertariamun and all the Aes Sedai present,

"You are washed of what you were. You are washed clean of all ties that bind you to the world. You are a Accepted of the White Tower." The last bit of water dribbles onto Nefer's hair. She wanted to drink it, wash away the wounds left inside of her. "You are sealed to us now." The Amyrlin places the serpent ring on the third finger of Nefertariamun's left hand and helped her to stand. "Welcome, Daughter," she kisses the new made Accepted's cheek. "Welcome," she finished kissing her other cheek.