Chapter 18: The Caemlyn Road

The party travels the Caemlyn Road for three days, pursued by Trollocs whose horns draw ever closer. When Lan scouts behind them, he reports at least five hundred Trollocs led by multiple Fades. Trapped between enemies ahead and behind, they turn north toward the River Arinelle.

Cresting a hill, they encounter a line of Trollocs led by a Myrddraal. Lan charges with the cry 'For the Seven Towers!'—Rand and Perrin shout 'Manetheren!' while Mat inexplicably cries out in the Old Tongue. Lan beheads the Fade, and Moiraine uses her angreal to create an earthquake and wall of fire to cover their escape.

Exhausted, she lays a false trail to confuse pursuit. Moiraine reveals that Mat's words were the ancient warcry of Manetheren's last king—proof that 'the old blood still sings' in him. They reach an enormous ruined city called Aridhol, now known as Shadar Logoth, where even Trollocs fear to enter.