Chapter 54 - Into the Stone

Summary

Mat Cauthon, aided by Juilin Sandar, infiltrates the Stone of Tear by detonating a bundle of fireworks to widen an arrowslit, allowing them to enter while masking their approach with the resulting chaos. Inside, Mat defeats several High Lords with his quarterstaff before learning from Sandar that his friends are held in the cells below, while Egwene al’Vere, Nynaeve al’Meara, and Elayne Trakand languish in their shielded cell awaiting rescue. In the dream world, Perrin Aybara, transformed into Young Bull, shatters the chains holding Faile only to find her vanish, forcing him to resume his hunt, while Egwene uses the twisted stone ter’angreal to enter Tel’aran’rhiod and attack the Black Ajah sister Joiya Byir within the Heart of the Stone.

Characters

• Mat (thief, gambler, nameless youngling) — Mat Cauthon surveys the Stone of Tear from the rooftops and is intercepted by black-veiled Aiel, including Rhuarc and Gaul, before being aided by thief-catcher Juilin Sandar. He detonates a modified bundle of fireworks to blast open an arrowslit, infiltrates the fortress, and defeats several High Lords in combat, eventually following Sandar toward the cells.
• Juilin Sandar / Juilin (thief-catcher, Tairen) — Juilin Sandar, a thief-catcher, confronts Mat and the Aiel on the rooftops, revealing he also seeks entry to the Stone. He agrees to guide Mat to the cells through a private route for prisoners, fighting alongside Mat against the High Lords defending the fortress.
• Perrin / Young Bull (blacksmith) — In the dream world, Perrin transforms into the wolf Young Bull and hunts Shadowspawn guarding a locked door. He shatters the chains binding Faile on a stone block, but she vanishes, prompting him to vow to hunt again with his hammer in hand.
• Hopper (wolf) — Hopper accompanies Young Bull in the dream, killing one of the Shadowspawn and warning Perrin about the nature of the dream and the evil present in the Stone before observing him strike the stone block.
• Egwene (girl) — Egwene wakes in her cell with Nynaeve and Elayne, realizing they are still shielded. She uses the twisted stone ring to enter Tel’aran’rhiod, finds Joiya Byir in the Heart of the Stone, and physically strikes her while shielding the woman from the Source in the dream.
• Nynaeve — Nynaeve sits in the cell with Egwene and Elayne, confirming they are shielded and that no one has brought them water or asked questions, fearing they are being left to die as bait.
• Elayne — Elayne tends to Egwene in the cell, expressing fear that they are merely bait for the Dragon Reborn and hoping he will arrive to defeat Liandrin before the thirteen Myrddraal do.
• Joiya Byir / Joiya (Darkfriend) — Joiya Byir appears insubstantially in the Heart of the Stone in Egwene's dream. She is shocked that Egwene can channel, accuses her of using a ter’angreal, and is subsequently shielded from the Source and struck by Egwene, who threatens to leave her trapped in the dream.
• Rhuarc (Red Shield, Aethan Dor) — Rhuarc of the Taardad Aiel confronts Mat and Juilin on the rooftop, identifying himself and warning them not to raise the armcry before he and Gaul vanish into the night toward the Stone.
• Gaul (Aiel) — Gaul, an Aiel companion to Rhuarc, is present on the rooftop with the black-veiled Aiel, standing behind Rhuarc before the group departs for the Stone.
• Darlin (High Lord) — A High Lord in a blue-eyed, gold-striped coat appears in the Stone's corridor and is swiftly defeated by Mat Cauthon, who knocks him unconscious with his quarterstaff.