What will be…

Alora guided her to the final arch. Elekar quieted her sobs. It seemed she was going to cry this entire night. They made their way to the arch and Alora gave her a concerned look. "Are you ready to go on, Child?"

Elekar slowly nodded her head. She knew from what others had told her that the last arch was the worst of the three. "I will be Aes Sedai one day," she said and stepped through the arch. The light consumed her…

Elekar paced her room at the White Tower, chewing softly on her bottom lip. Cinder, her small gray cat, watched her from a chair near the window. Elekar waited to hear the latest news. The Amyrlin had gathered the Sitters yesterday to tell them of the recent trouble with the Black Tower. It appeared that the Lord Dragon was planning a "renewal" of the White Tower, so he’s message had said. It worried Elekar to no end. What was he planning? The White Tower had sent a reply to his message, suggesting a meeting to "discuss" the Lord Dragon’s proposal. What "renewal"? There was no doubt that the White Tower supported the Dragon Reborn. He had fulfilled the prophecies thus far, and more than proved that he was the true Dragon. The White Tower was prepared to follow the Lord Dragon to Tarmon Gai’don. What could he possibly mean by the need for a renewal of the White Tower?

She gave Cinder a rub under the chin before continuing the pacing. Of course, there were still a few sisters who felt that he was a false dragon - her sister being one of them - but they were only a few, and they could be persuaded with time. She was sure she could convince Bronwyn if she had the time with her. Bronwyn was a Red Sister, and though she was not about to gentle him, she did not see a reason to support him. No woman dared to say that he needed gentling, with the White Tower supporting him. But surely, the numbers that did not were not large enough to pose a threat to the Lord Dragon.

The way back will come but once. Be steadfast.

Suddenly the alarm bells began to toll. Elekar went to the window to see any signs of commotion. Looking about she noticed a scurrying of men below near the outer gates. By the look of them she could tell they were Gaidin. She could not tell what the commotion was about from this height.

Quickly, Elekar looked about the room for her shawl. The room was cluttered with books and various plants she had brought in over the years. She was not one for cleaning regularly. It was difficult to find an object in a hurry in her room. She said a silent oath at her lack of housecleaning skills as she rummaged. Finally, underneath a pile of newly attained books, she found her yellow shawl. The Mother would not have been pleased to see where she had stored her shawl. She quickly dusted it off and placed it about her shoulders.

Elekar exited her room and made her way to the hall. Women filled the halls, most of them with calm faces, the others were Accepteds and Novices. She spotted Bronwyn and made her way to her. Before she could reach her sister, the Amyrlin was suddenly there. Everyone made quick curtsies and there were murmured "Mothers" as the Amyrlin waited for silence.

"There is trouble, daughters," the Amyrlin said in a calm voice.

"What sort of trouble to upset the Tower so?" someone asked.

"I knew this would happen," another said.

The Amyrlin raised her hands for silence again. When the crowd quieted again she said, "The Lord Dragon has gathered his Asha’man against the Dark One." The murmurs rose again, then quickly faded. "It appears this is what he meant by a renewal. He plans to see if we shall follow him," she went on. "There should be no doubt that we shall."

There were a few more murmurs from the crowd, and Elekar looked to her sister. Bronwyn held an icy calm expression, but she knew her sister better than that. Bronwyn was a Red Sister. She did not want to join forces with men who could channel.

The way back will come but once. Be steadfast.

"Tarmon Gai’don approaches us, daughters," the Amyrlin continued. "We must gather behind the Dragon."

Suddenly a deafening crash of thunder hit the halls with striking force. The walls seemed to suddenly be gone. There was a bright light, and just as quickly all was quiet again. The women had enough time to regain their composure before a rush of men came through the crumbled walls followed by another group of men. The Aes Sedai, shimmering with the glow from touching the source, looked at the men with hidden surprise. Elekar recognized the second group of men as Gaidin, but the first group she did not know by face. By their dark clothes, and the small dragons pinned at their collars, she knew them to be the Dragon’s Asha’man.

The Amyrlin raised her voice with the one power. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded.

As an answer, a stream of Trollocs rushed through the opposite walls followed by a group of Myrddraal. Chaos broke loose. Aes Sedai gathered their flows and attacked the Trollocs, Gaidin brought their swords against the Myrddraal, the Asha’man shot forth fire and shook the earth, the Dark creatures fought back with all their strength.

The way back will come but once. Be steadfast.

Elekar had only a moment to hesitate. She was not proficient in battle, but she could do some. She lashed out with air, knocking over a rank of charging Trollocs. She pinned them down to the earth with her flows of air and tied off the weave. The Gaidin would slash their throats soon enough. She turned her attention to the Myrddraal making his way to her. She gathered her strength and prepared to strike. Before she could hit the Myrddraal, a Gaidin she did not know rushed passed her and struck down the Myrddraal. She felt someone tuck at her right arm. She turned quickly, ready to strike, when she noticed it was a Novice. The Novice pointed to a body lying on the stone floor. Elekar nodded and followed the girl. Healing is what she could do at a time like this.

Easing down to her knees, Elekar kept one eye on the battle and one eye on the fallen Aes Sedai. The Novice wrung her hands as she watched. "You must go, girl. Run to your room and stay there until we can finish this mess!" The Novice gave her a worried frown, then quickly managed a small curtsy and ran from the battle.

Elekar had no time to shake her head at the girl. She turned the Aes Sedai over to see her face, and gave a start. It was the Amyrlin! Blood covered most of her face, she had been struck in the head. "Oh, Light!" she exclaimed and immediately placed her hands on the Mother. She worked the weaves and the Amyrlin convulsed with the charge of the one power.

Elekar released her hold and looked closely at the Mother’s face. Her eyes fluttered open. "Oh, daughter," she said weakly. "Thank you, Elekar."

She struggled to get up, but Elekar shook her head. "You must rest, Mother. I will have a Gaidin take you to a safe place."

"There is no safe place, daughter," the Amyrlin said. "Tarmon Gai’don is near."

The way back will come but once. Be steadfast.

Elekar looked about the battle scene for a Gaidin to take the Amyrlin. More creatures of the Dark were coming in from both sides now. Men and women dressed in plain clothes fought alongside them. Darkfriends. The amount of bodies lying still on the ground were multiplying and she noticed that she could recognize most of them. They were failing! She had to Heal as many as she could and fight along with them.

Elekar helped the Amyrlin to her feet and the two of them began weaving flows to strike down the Dark One’s creatures. She noticed her sister, Bronwyn, in the middle of it. At least she is still alive, Elekar thought. Then she noticed that her sister’s flows were not directed at the Dark creatures, but at the Gaidin! This cannot be! she shouted in her head. She ran to her sister.

"Bronwyn!" she screamed. Her sister looked at her with dark, unwavering eyes. "What are you doing!"

"The Great Lord of the Dark will defeat the false dragon," Bronwyn spat through her teeth. "My master will see his triumph at Tarmon Gai’don!"

"What are you saying?" Elekar shouted at her and without thinking she lashed out at her sister with the One Power. Bronwyn was already holding flows against the Gaidin and was not expecting it. Elekar began placing a shield between her sister and the true source. Bronwyn turned her attention to her and fought back with her own flows, but Elekar had had a head start.

"I will be high in power, he promised me!" Bronwyn screamed at her as she beat against the unseen shield. "You shall have it too if you follow me! Do not go against me, sister!"

Rage consumed Elekar. How could she go to the Dark after all they had been through? How could she deceive her so? "I shall never turn to the Dark!" she screamed and she struck out with the One Power. "How could you go against me?" Elekar slashed with all her strength. Bronwyn fell to the ground in a heap as her link to the source shattered.

Elekar stopped suddenly. What had she done? She went to her sister’s side. She was still breathing, but Elekar noticed that she could no longer sense the ability to channel in her sister. I stilled her! Oh, Light! I stilled her! She reached for her sister, sobbing. "How could you go to the Dark?" she asked quietly. "How could you?"

"Elekar, what have you done to me?" Bronwyn asked her, and she began to cry. "It’s gone. It’s gone."

Out of the corner of her eye, Elekar noticed a shimmering silver arch. She had to go to it, she remembered, but she couldn’t remember why. She looked again to her sister. She had turned to the Dark, she had asked for it.

"I can come back to the Light, Elekar," Bronwyn pleaded. "I will come back, I promise. Just give me back saidar."

Elekar thrust her sister away, crying. She sprang to her feet and ran passed the battle. The bodies were increasing, they were loosing. She recognized her friends among them. She could help them, she could Heal them. They could win if she helped, but she ran passed them. With a desperate howl she ran through the arch. The light consumed her…

Sobbing, Elekar staggered through and fell to her knees. Alora was beside her. "Tell me it isn’t going to happen!" she shouted at her. "Tell me it isn’t true!"

Alora helped her to her feet and placed her arm around her. "No one really knows, Child." She guided Elekar around the arch.

The Amyrlin was there along with other Aes Sedai, each one wearing their shawls. Elekar knelt, naked and crying before the Amyrlin. The Amyrlin poured the cold water slowly over Elekar’s head.

"You are washed clean of Elekar Barron from Andor. You are washed clean of all ties that bind you to the world. You come to us washed clean, in heart and soul. You are Elekar Barron, Accepted of the White Tower." She handed the chalice to a nearby sister and helped Elekar to her feet. "You are sealed to us, now."