Rand pursues Asmodean to Rhuidean. They both grab the ter’angreal that is the key to using the male Choedan Kal sa’angreal. A massive struggle ends when Rand severs Asmodean’s ties to the Dark One. Lanfear appears and shields Asmodean from the One Power, sentencing him to a penance of teaching Rand how to channel.
Rand needs to get to Rhuidean ASAP and stop Asmodean from — well, from doing whatever he’s going there to do! Whatever it is, it can’t be good, right? So Rand has stepped into this realm of foreboding darkness and is walking up a long flight of stairs. He sees Asmodean come flying by on a mobile platform, so Rand conjures one as well. They channel walls of fire at each other until Asmodean stops his platform and disappears through a doorway back into the real world. Rand chases after.
They’re in the desert outside Rhuidean. Rand dashes through the fog and into the forbidden city, narrowly missing some razor traps Asmodean laid on the other side. Spotting Asmodean ahead, Rand channels lightning and topples a bunch of pillars to block the Forsaken’s way. Asmodean fires back carelessly as he scrambles over the rubble. He searches frantically for a specific artifact and cries out in triumph as he grabs a figurine of a man holding a crystal sphere. A moment later, Rand also grabs onto it.
This ter’angreal is the key that allows a man to use the most powerful sa’angreal in the world, the Choedan Kal. We saw it being unearthed in The Great Hunt when Rand traveled to Cairhien. Even as they wrestle each other for the ter’angreal, both men use it to channel through the Choedan Kal. The earth shakes and heaves, and fire tears through the air, but neither man is able to gain the upper hand. Then Rand remembers that he has an angreal tucked into his belt, and he uses it to sever the black threads connecting Asmodean to the Dark One. Shocked, Asmodean lets go of the ter’angreal.
Sorry, but am I the only one to notice that this is the exact same climax that Nynaeve got?
- Hero is locked in an evenly-matched One Power battle with a Forsaken.
- They’re both getting tired.
- Hero does something unexpected to distract the Forsaken.
- Hero uses the distraction to win the struggle.
The only difference is Rand cut Asmodean off from the Dark One and doesn’t let him get away. Jordan, dude — we need some variety here.
Lanfear shows up to have the last word. She shields Asmodean from the Power, preventing him from channeling more than a tiny trickle.
LANFEAR: A gift for you, Lews Therin. Now he’ll have no choice but to teach you. Not after I tell the others how Asmodean swore allegiance to you.
ASMODEAN: NOOOOO! You cannot do this to me! Please, Mierin! Please!
LANFEAR: My name is Lanfear!
Enraged, Lanfear tries to crush Asmodean with the Power, but Rand manages to stop her before he dies. Pushing her temper down, Lanfear encourages Rand to learn from Asmodean. You know, so he can live long enough to rule the world at her side. Her laughter hangs in the air as she opens a doorway in reality and steps through. Rand locates the ter’angreal for using the female Choedan Kal and takes it with him.
The destruction at Rhuidean opened up the underground water reserve, and it is spilling out, flooding the desert and creating a lake that will become an oasis. Rand and Asmodean travel back through the darkness to Alcair Dal. Couladin and his tribe have left, presumably so they can cause trouble another day.
The end.