That changed his focus. It locked him, slightly, into a time. The pattern before him rippled, and Rand watched it being woven. It was not actually the Pattern, he knew, but his mind saw it that way. Familiar, as it had been described, the threads of lives weaving together.
Rand anchored himself in reality again and moved with it. Time had meaning again, and he could not see ahead or behind. He still could see all places, like a man standing above a globe as it turned.
Rand faced the emptiness. “So,” he said into it. “This is where it will really happen. Moridin would have had me believe that a simple sword fight would decide this all.”
HE IS OF ME. BUT HIS EYES ARE SMALL.
“Yes,” Rand said. “I have noticed the same.”
SMALL TOOLS CAN BE EFFECTIVE. THE THINNEST OF KNIVES CAN STOP A HEART. HE HAS BROUGHT YOU HERE, ADVERSARY.
None of this had happened the last time, when Rand had worn the name of Lews Therin. He could only interpret that as a good sign.
Now the battle truly began. He looked into the nothingness and felt it welling up. Then, like a sudden storm, the Dark One brought all of his force against Rand.
Perrin fell back against a tree, gasping at the pain. Slayer’s arrow had impaled his shoulder, the arrowhead coming out his back. He didn’t dare pull it free, not with…
He wavered. Thoughts came lethargically. Where was he? He’d shifted away from Slayer as far as he could go, but… he didn’t recognize this place. The trees were odd-shaped on top, too leafy, of a variety he’d never before seen. The storm blew here, but far more weakly.
Perrin slipped and hit the ground with a grunt. His shoulder flared with pain. He rolled over, staring up at the sky. He’d broken the arrow when falling.
It’s… it’s the wolf dream. I can just make the arrow vanish.
He tried to gather the strength to do so, but was too weak. He found himself floating, and he sent outward, seeking for wolves. He found the minds of some, and they started, sending back surprise.
A two-legs who can talk? What is this? What are you?
His nature seemed to frighten them, and they pushed him out of their minds. How could they not know what he was? Wolves had long, long memories. Surely… surely…
Faile, he thought. So beautiful, so clever. I should go to her. I just need to… need to close this Waygate… and I can get back to the Two Rivers to her…
Perrin rolled over and crawled to his knees. Was that his blood on the ground? So much red. He blinked at it.
“Here you are,” a voice said.
Lanfear. He looked up at her, his vision blurry.
“So he defeated you,” she said, folding her arms. “Disappointing. I didn’t want to have to choose that one. I find you much more appealing, wolf.”
“Please,” he croaked.
“I’m tempted, though I shouldn’t be,” she said. “You’ve proven yourself weak.”
“I… I can beat him.” Suddenly, the shame of having failed in front of her crushed Perrin. When had he started worrying about what Lanfear thought of him? He couldn’t quite point to it.
She tapped one finger on her arm.
“Please…” Perrin said, raising a hand. “Please.”
“No,” she said, turning away. “I’ve learned the mistake of setting my heart on one who does not deserve it. Goodbye, wolf pup.”
She vanished, leaving Perrin on hands and knees in this strange place.
Faile, a piece of his mind said. Don’t worry about Lanfear. You have to go to Faile.
Yes… Yes, he could go to her, couldn’t he? Where was she? The Field of Merrilor. That was where he’d left her. It was where she would be. He shifted there, somehow gathering himself just enough to manage it. But of course she wasn’t there. He was in the wolf dream.
The portal Rand would send. It would be here. He just had to get to it. He needed… He needed…