A Memory Of Light: Wheel of Time Book 14 by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson Page A

back in a snarl.
    Talmanes found himself laughing.
Why not?
And men said he didn’t have a sense of humor. Talmanes moved into Apple Blossoms in the Wind, striking forward wildly with
     a strength and fury to match the fire that was killing him.
    The Myrddraal obviously had him at a disadvantage. At his best, Talmanes would have needed help fighting one. The thing moved
     like a shadow, flowing from one form to the next, its terrible blade darting toward Talmanes. It obviously felt it only needed
     to nick him.
    It scored a hit on his cheek, the tip of its sword catching on his skin there and slicing a neat ribbon through the flesh.
     Talmanes laughed and struck at the weapon with his sword, causing the Fade’s mouth to open wide in surprise. That wasn’t how
     men were supposed to react. They were supposed to stumble at the burning flare of pain, cry out as they knew their life had
     ended.
    “I’ve already had one of your flaming swords in me, you son of a goat,” Talmanes screamed, attacking time and time again.
     Blacksmith Strikes the Blade. Such an inelegant form. It fit his mood perfectly.
    The Myrddraal stumbled. Talmanes swept back in a smooth motion, bringing his sword to the side and slicing the thing’s pale
     white arm free at the elbow. The limb twisted in the air, the Fade’s blade dropping fromspasming fingers. Talmanes spun for momentum and brought his sword across with two hands, severing the Fade’s head from its neck.
    Dark blood sprayed free and the thing fell, its remaining hand clawing at the bloodied stump as it collapsed. Talmanes stood
     over it, his sword suddenly feeling too heavy to hold. It slipped from his fingers, clanging to the paving stones. He tipped
     and lost his balance, falling face-first, but a hand caught him from behind.
    “Light!” Melten exclaimed, looking at the body. “
Another
one?”
    “I’ve found the secret to defeating them,” Talmanes whispered. “You just have to be dead already.” He chuckled to himself,
     though Melten just looked at him, seeming baffled.
    Around them, dozens of Trollocs collapsed to the ground, writhing. They’d been linked to the Fade. The Band gathered around
     Talmanes, some bearing wounds; a few were down for good. They were exhausted and worn down; this batch of Trollocs could have
     ended them.
    Melten retrieved Talmanes’ sword and swabbed it clean, but Talmanes found he was having trouble standing, so he sheathed it
     and had a man fetch a Trolloc spear for him to lean on.
    “Ho, the back of the street!” a distant voice called. “Whoever you are, thank you!”
    Talmanes limped forward, Filger and Mar scouting on ahead without needing orders. The street here was dark and cluttered with
     Trollocs that had fallen moments ago, so it was a moment before Talmanes could climb over the corpses and see who had called
     to him.
    Someone had built a barricade at the end of the street. People stood atop it, including one who held aloft a torch. She had
     hair in braids, and wore a plain brown dress with a white apron. It was Aludra.
    “Cauthon’s soldiers,” Aludra said, sounding unimpressed. “Your time, you certainly did take it coming for me.” In one hand,
     she held a stubby leather cylinder larger than a man’s fist, with a short length of dark fuse attached. Talmanes knew they
     exploded after she lit and threw them. The Band had used them before, hurling them from slings. They weren’t as devastating
     as dragons, but still powerful.
    “Aludra,” Talmanes called, “you have the dragons? Please, tell me you saved them.”
    She sniffed, waving for some people to pull apart a side of the barricade to admit his men. She appeared to have several hundred—maybe
     several thousand—townspeople back there, filling the street. As they opened the way for him, he saw a beautiful sight. Surrounded
     by townspeople, a hundred dragons rested there.
    The bronze tubes had been fitted to wooden dragon carts to comprise a single