Chapter 23 - The Testing

Summary

Nynaeve al'Meara undergoes the Test of Acceptance inside a ter'angreal under Sheriam Sedai's supervision, entering the device three times to face her greatest fears. In the first trial, she is chased through a stone maze by the Forsaken Aginor and defeats him using the One Power before escaping. The second trial transports her to a decayed version of Emond's Field where Malena Aylar has seized control as Wisdom and poisoned her friends, forcing Nynaeve to leave her people behind to escape. The final vision offers a future with Lan Mandragoran as Queen of Malkieri, a temptation she rejects by channeling power to force the arch to reappear and allow her return. Having passed all three tests, Nynaeve is brought before the Amyrlin Seat and other Aes Sedai, where she is officially accepted as an Accepted of the White Tower.

Characters

• Nynaeve / Nynaeve al'Maera — Nynaeve enters the ter'angreal to face her greatest fears, first defeating Aginor in a stone maze by channeling the One Power. She then experiences a twisted version of Emond's Field ruled by Malena Aylar, abandoning her friends to escape, and finally rejects a romantic future with Lan Mandragoran by forcing a return through sheer will and channeling. Covered in scars from blackthorn thorns, she kneels before the Amyrlin Seat and is formally accepted as an Accepted.
• Sheriam (the Mistress of Novices, the redhead) — Sheriam guides Nynaeve into the ter'angreal, explaining the rules and warning her of the dangers. She washes Nynaeve with water after each of the three trials, questions her reactions, and notes the unusual scarring on her hands. Finally, she leads Nynaeve before the Amyrlin Seat for the official acceptance.
• Amyrlin — The Amyrlin Seat appears at the conclusion of the test with Aes Sedai from each Ajah. She pours the final chalice over Nynaeve's head, declaring her washed clean of her past ties and formally accepting her as an Accepted of the White Tower.
• Aginor (One of the Forsaken) — Aginor manifests in the stone maze trial, pursuing Nynaeve with vile intent. He is struck by fire from Nynaeve's hand and subsequently struck by lightning redirected by her channeling, before fleeing as she collapses walls upon him.
• Lan (husband, King of Malkier) — Lan manifests in the final vision, appearing as the King of Malkier and Nynaeve's husband in an idyllic future. He attempts to convince her to stay with him, revealing they have children and ruling together, but she rejects the reality by channeling to force the vision to end. Sheriam removes the thorns from Nynaeve's hands.