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A hollow gurgling whipped Mat's eyes back to the fountain。 Abruptly water gushed out of the fish's mouth； a stream as thick as his leg。 He scrambled into the basin and ran to stand under the downpour； head back and mouth open。 Cold sweet water； cold enough to make him shiver； sweeter than wine。 It soaked his hair； his coat； his breeches。 He drank until he thought he would drown； finally staggering over to lean panting against a woman's stone leg。
Rand was still standing there staring at the fountain； face red and lips cracked； laughing softly。 〃No water； Mat。 They said we couldn't bring water； but they did not say anything about what was already here。〃
〃Rand？ Aren't you going to drink？〃
Rand gave a start； then stepped into the now ankle deep basin and splashed across to stand where Mat had been； drinking in the same way； eyes closed and face tilted up to let the water pour over him。
Mat watched worriedly。 Not mad； exactly； not yet。 But how long would Rand have stood there laughing while thirst turned his throat to stone if he had not spoken？ Mat left him there and climbed out of the fountain。 Some of the water drenching his clothes had seeped down into his boots。 He ignored the squish he made at every step； he was not sure he could get his boots back on if he pulled them off。 Besides； it felt good。
Peering at the city； he wondered what he was doing there。 Those people had said he would die； otherwise； but was just being in Rhuidean enough？ Do I have to do something？ What？
The empty streets and half…finished palaces were shadowless in the pale azure light。 A prickling grew between his shoulder blades。 All those empty windows looking down on him； all those gap…toothed lines of forsaken stonework。 Anything could be hiding in there； and in a place like this； anything could be。。。 Any bloody thing at all。 He wished he still had his boot knives； at least。 But those women； those Wise Ones； had stared at him as if they knew he was holding out on them。 And they had channeled； one or all of them。 It was not wise to step on the wrong side of women who could channel if you could avoid it。 Burn me； if I could get shut of Aes Sedai； I'd never ask for another thing。 Well； not for a good long while； anyway。 Light； I wonder if anything is hiding in here。
〃The heart has to be that way； Mat。〃 Rand was climbing out of the basin； dripping wet。
〃The heart？〃
〃The Wise Ones said I had to go to the heart。 They must mean the center of the city。〃 Rand looked back at the fountain and suddenly the flow dwindled to a trickle； then ceased。 〃There's an ocean of good water down there。 Deep。 So deep I nearly didn't find it。 If I could bring it up。。。 No need to waste it； though。 We can get another good drink when it's time to leave。〃
Mat shifted his feet unfortably。 Fool！ Where did you think it came from？ Of course he bloody channeled。 Did you think it just started flowing again after the Light knows how long？ 〃Center of the city。 Of course。 Lead on。〃
They kept to the middle of the wide street； walking along the edge of the bare strips of dirt； past more dry fountains； some with only the stone basin and a marble base where the statues should have been。 Nothing was broken in the city； only。。。 inplete。 The palaces loomed to either side like cliffs。 There had to be things inside。 Furniture； maybe； if it had not rotted。 Maybe gold。 Knives。 Knives would not rust away in this dry air no matter how long they had been there。
There could be a bloody Myrddraal in there for all you know。 Light； why did I have to think of that？ If only he had thought to bring a quarterstaff with him when he left the Stone。 Maybe he could have convinced the Wise Ones it was a walking staff。 No use thinking of it； now。 A tree would do； if he had a way to cut a good branch and trim it。 If； again。 He wondered whether whoever built this city had managed to grow any trees。 He had worked on his father's farm too long not to know good dirt when he saw it。 These long ribbons of exposed soil were poor； no good for growing anything besides weeds； and not many of those。 None； now。
After they had walked a mile； the street suddenly ended at a great plaza； perhaps as far across as they had walked and surrounded by those palaces of marble and crystal。 Startlingly； a tree stood in the huge square； a good hundred feet tall and spreading its thick； leafy limbs over a hide of dusty white paving stones； near what appeared to be concentric rings of clear； glittering glass columns； thin as needles pared to their height； nearly as much as the tree's。 He would have wondered how a tree could grow here； without sunlight； if he had not been too busy staring at the astounding jumble filling the rest of the square。
A clear lane led from each street Mat could see； straight to the columned rings； but in the spaces between； statues stood haphazardly； life…sized down to half that； in stone or crystal or metal； set right down on the pavement。 All among them were。。。 He did not know what to call them； at first。 A flat silvery ring； ten feet across and thin as a blade。 A tapering crystal plinth a pace tall that might have held one of the smaller statues。 A shiny black metal spire； narrow as a spear and no longer； yet standing on end as if rooted。 Hundreds of things； maybe thousands； in every shape imaginable； every material imaginable； dotting the huge plaza with no more than a dozen feet between any two。
It was the black metal spear； so unnaturally erect； that suddenly told him what they must be。 Ter'angreal。 Some sort of things to do with the Power； anyway。 Some of them had to be。 That twisted stone doorway in the Stone's Great Holding had resisted falling over； too。
He was ready to turn around and go back right then； but Rand continued on； barely looking at what lined his way。 Once Rand paused； staring down at two figurines that hardly seemed to deserve a place with the other things。 Two statuettes maybe a foot tall； a man and a woman； each holding a crystal sphere aloft in one hand。 He half bent as if to touch them； but straightened so quickly it could almost have been Mat's imagination。
After a minute； Mat followed； hurrying to catch up。 The closer they came to the scintillating rings of columns； the more he tensed。 Those things all around them had to do with the Power； and so did the columns。 He just knew it。 Those impossibly tall thin shafts sparkled in the bluish light； dazzling the eye。 All they said was I had to e here。 Well； I'm here。 They didn't say anything about the bloody Power。
Rand stopped so suddenly that Mat went three strides nearer the columned rings before realizing it。 Rand was staring at the tree； Mat saw。 The tree。 Mat found himself moving toward it as if drawn。 No tree had those trefoil leaves。 No tree but one； a tree of legend。
〃Avendesora；〃 Rand said softly。 〃The Tree of Life。 It's here。〃
Under the spreading branches； Mat leaped to catch one of those leaves； his outstretched fingers fell a good pace short of the lowest。 He satisfied himself with walking deeper beneath that leafy roof and leaning back against the thick bole。 After a moment h