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4.4: The Dark Prophecy

[TGH: 7, Blood Calls Blood, 89]

This may not be actual prophecy. See Verin's commentary [TGH: 7, Blood Calls Blood, 90]. Some parts may be prophetic, and others may just be Shadow propaganda. It is a source of information, though, so here it is.

Daughter of the Night, she walks again.
The ancient war, she yet fights.
Her new lover she seeks, who shall serve her and die, yet serve still.
Who shall stand against her coming?
The Shining Walls shall kneel.

The Daughter of the Night is Lanfear, and she was indeed free at the time this was written, and she was still fighting the ancient war (i.e. still working for the DO). If "her new lover" is supposed to be Rand, that line has definitely not been fulfilled. He might die, but it is very doubtful at this point that he will serve her. "Shining Walls" is a reference to Tar Valon, and thus the Aes Sedai. To whom are they supposed to kneel--Lanfear? Rand? Egwene? The Seanchan?

Blood feeds blood.
Blood calls blood.
Blood is, and blood was, and blood shall ever be.

The man who channels stands alone.
He gives his friends for sacrifice.
Two roads before him, one to death beyond dying, one to life eternal.
Which will he choose? Which will he choose?
What hand shelters? What hand slays?

Likely, "the man who channels" is Rand. The bit about giving his friends for sacrifice is interesting; Rand has been trying to isolate himself, and focusing on using people as tools. By doing so, he may be playing into the Shadow's hands. The two roads probably refer to joining with or fighting against the Shadow. Which one leads to eternal life, which to eternal death? The Chosen servants of the Shadow are granted immortality. The last four questions seem to indicate that all is in a state of confusion, which it is.

Luc came to the Mountains of Dhoom.
Isam waited in the high passes.
The hunt is now begun. The Shadow's hounds now course, and kill.
One did live, and one did die, but both are.
The Time of Change has come.

This gives us a bit of history, and is our first clue as to the identity of Slayer. Luc (Tigraine's brother) was sent into the Blight by Gitara Moroso. Isam (Lan's cousin) vanished when his mother's party was run down by Trollocs when Malkier fell. (Isam's mama was one of the people who betrayed Malkier.) Apparently, Isam and Luc were melded together in some fashion, creating the person Perrin knows as Slayer. The stanza also suggests a connection between Slayer and the Wild Hunt (see section 1.6.4).

The Watchers wait on Toman Head.
The seed of the Hammer burns the ancient tree.
Death shall sow, and summer burn, before the Great Lord comes.
Death shall reap, and bodies fail, before the Great Lord comes.
Again the seed slays ancient wrong, before the Great Lord comes.
Now the Great Lord comes.

This stanza deals with the Seanchan invasion. The "ancient tree" refers to Tarabon, whose symbol is a tree (supposedly a branch of the Tree of Life). The "seed of the Hammer" are the Seanchan, who claim to be Luthair Paendrag's descendants (Luthair was also known as the Hammer). Thus, the Seanchan have invaded Tarabon. The bit about "summer burn" most likely refers to the recent spate of DO-induced hot weather in Randland. The "bodies fail" bit doesn't seem to have come to pass yet; it's been suggested that there will be a plague of some sort. I have no idea what "ancient wrong" the Seanchan (the seed) are supposed to slay before the Great Lord comes. Perhaps it will be apparent when it happens.

[TEOTW: 32, Four Kings in Shadow, 434]

Another possible Dark Prophecy, courtesy of Howal Gode: "It is written that when he (the DO) awakes, the new Dreadlords will be there to praise him."

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