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

weapons.
He
has been raising a new generation of Dreadlords to the Shadow’s cause. What do the three of you have to show for your work
     since being released?”
    “You will know the fruits I have harvested, Moridin,” Demandred said, voice low. “You will know them in bushels and droves.
     Just remember my requirement: I face al’Thor on the field of battle. His blood is mine, and no one else’s.” He met each of
     their eyes in turn, then finally those of M’Hael. There seemed to be a familiarity to them. The two had met before.
    You will have competition with that one, Demandred,
Moghedien thought.
He wants al’Thor nearly as much as you do.
    Demandred had been changing lately. Once, he wouldn’t have cared who killed Lews Therin—so long as the man died. What made
     Demandred insist on doing the deed himself?
    “Moghedien,” Moridin said. “Demandred has plans for the war to come. You are to assist him.”
    “
Assist
him?” she said. “I—”
    “Do you forget yourself so quickly, Moghedien?” Moridin’s voice was silky. “You will do as you are told. Demandred wants you
     watching over one of the armies that now lacks proper monitoring. Speak a single word ofcomplaint, and you will realize that the pain you have known up to now is but a shadow of true agony.”
    Her hand went to the
cour’souvra
at her neck. Looking into his eyes, she felt her authority evaporate.
I hate you,
she thought.
I hate you more for doing this to me in front of the others.
    “The last days are upon us,” Moridin said, turning his back on them. “In these hours, you will earn your final rewards. If
     you have grudges, put them behind you. If you have plots, bring them to completion. Make your final plays, for this… this
     is the end.”
    Talmanes lay on his back, staring up at a dark sky. The clouds above seemed to be reflecting light from below, the light of
     a dying city. That was wrong. Light came from above, didn’t it?
    He’d fallen from the horse not long after starting for the city gate. He could remember that, most of the time. Pain made
     it hard to think. People yelled at one another.
    I should have… I should have taunted Mat more,
he thought, a hint of a smile cracking his lips.
Stupid time to be thinking of such things. I have to
…
have to find the dragons. Or did we find them already
…
?
    “I’m telling you, the bloody things don’t work like that!” Dennel’s voice. “They’re not bloody Aes Sedai on wheels. We can’t
     make a wall of fire. We can send these balls of metal hurtling through the Trollocs.”
    “They explode.” Guybon’s voice. “We could use the extras like I say.”
    Talmanes’ eyes drifted closed.
    “The balls explode, yes,” Dennel said. “But we have to launch them first. Setting them all in a row and letting the Trollocs
     run over them won’t do much.”
    A hand shook Talmanes’ shoulder. “Lord Talmanes,” Melten said. “There is no dishonor in letting it end now. I know the pain
     is great. May the last embrace of the mother shelter you.”
    A sword being drawn. Talmanes steeled himself.
    Then he found that he really,
really
didn’t want to die.
    He forced his eyes open and held up a hand to Melten, who stood over him. Jesamyn hovered nearby with arms folded, looking
     worried.
    “Help me to my feet,” Talmanes said.
    Melten hesitated, then did so.
    “You shouldn’t be standing,” Jesamyn said.
    “Better than being beheaded in honor,” Talmanes grumbled, grittinghis teeth against the pain. Light, was that his hand? It was so dark, it looked as if it had been charred in a fire. “What… what is going on?”
    “We’re cornered, my Lord,” Melten said grimly, eyes solemn. He thought them all as good as dead. “Dennel and Guybon are arguing
     over placement of the dragons for a last stand. Aludra is measuring the charges.”
    Talmanes, finally standing, sagged against Melten. Before him, two thousand people clustered in the large city square.