Sho'i'thur


**Author’s Note – Sho’i’thur is a game played by the DO and Creator. It is a game not unlike chess, but the board used is a map of the world and the pieces are living, thinking people, with a mind of their own (or at least one mind between the lot of them). In each age there is a different objective. In the third age, the end objective is to win Tarmon Gai’don.**

The Dark One is sitting alone in the Land of Neutrality, waiting. In front of him is a sho’i’thur board with the pieces lined up, ready to play.

DO: WHEN WILL THAT GOOD-FOR-NOTHING LIGHT-ADDICT ARRIVE? HE’S ALWAYS LATE!

Creator: *walks in as DO finishes his statement* Ah good. You didn’t continue the game without me.

DO: *smiles falsely* I WOULDN’T DARE DO THAT, OLD FRIEND. *muttering* they don’t call me the father of lies for nothing.

Creator: Which Age are we up to, again?

DO: THE THIRD AGE.

Creator: Again?! But we’ve already played that Age fifty nine times! Can’t someone invent a new age?

DO: YOU’RE THE CREATOR. WHY DON’T YOU TRY ADDING AN EXTRA SPOKE TO THE WHEEL?

Creator: *mutters angrily under his breath* why doesn’t he try to change the wheel? he knows perfectly well that it’s impossible without changing the past, present and future immensely. maybe i will try, just to see what that woolhead says when i’m successful.

DO: WHAT WAS THAT, CREATOR?

Creator: I didn’t say anything. *muttering* you arrogant pig. *back to normal* It’s my turn, isn’t it? *after looking at the board for ages, he decides to bring Mat back from his little journey.*

**Randland**

Mat steps through the gateway and lands in the middle of the throne room in the Stone of Tear. Every important (non-Darkfriend) person in Randland is there for a meeting. They all turn and stare at him.

Mat: Ah, the welcoming party.

Rand: *he is the first to get over the shock* So the Lord General Matrim Cauthon has finally decided to grace us with his presence. Where have you been? Nobody has seen you for a whole book!

Mat: I missed a book?!? I’ll have to speak to someone about that. I’ve been in Manetheren and I lost track of time. What did I miss?

Nynaeve: *sniffs and stands with her arms folded beneath her breasts* Do you think we’re all woolheaded fools like yourself, Matrim Cauthon? Everyone knows that Manetheren was destroyed in the Trolloc Wars. You couldn’t possibly have been there.

Mat: It’s nice to see you, too, Nynny. And for your information, Manetheren wasn’t destroyed! The people of Manetheren had a fake city near the border of the mountains and their real city was heavily shielded by the One Power as well as being so far into the mountains that no-one can reach it. They’re very advanced with the Power, you know. They can do all sorts of things which can’t be done here.

Egwene: Like what, Mat?

Mat: *counts them off on his fingers, grinning* They can bring people back from the verge of death *Nynaeve’s eyes and the eyes of every other Yellow goggled*, They can make all sorts of interesting and powerful angreal *Elayne’s and every other Aes Sedai’s eyes goggled*, they can avoid the taint on saidin *Rand’s and every other male channellers’ eyes popped from their sockets*, they can…

Every channeller in the room: *yelling* Take us to Manetheren this instant, Matrim Cauthon.

There is a large amount of sniffing, twitching of shawls, tugging of braids and fighting to gain control of Mat before another gateway opens in the room. A beautiful woman steps through.

Woman: Mat, dearest, what are these weaklings doing with you?

Elayne: Stay out of this, you. That’s an order!

Woman: Since when has the Queen of Andor had superiority to the Daughter of the Nine Moons?

Everyone freezes and looses hold of the Power. Mat, who had been carried into the air, falls, but is caught by the DotNM. At the same time, she places a shield into the mind of every channeller present.

DotNM: Now, I want answers. Why were you attacking my husband?

Everyone, already shocked by the woman cutting them off from the Source, is even more shocked to find that Mat has married this woman, so nobody speaks.

DotNM: You’re all a bunch of pathetic fools. Who is your leader?

Everyone points at Rand, who tries, in vain, to point to Egwene. She just sniffs and glares at him.

DotNM: *laughs* You? You’re the ruler of this mob? You won’t be for long. I am in charge now! *laughs evilly* Mwahahahahaha!

**Land of Neutrality**

The Creator frowns at the board while the Dark One laughs. That didn’t go the way he had hoped. The Dark One reaches out to make his move when…

Mrs Jordan: Robert! Stop sitting over that chess board, talking to yourself. Just because you have split personalities, it doesn’t mean that you have to act like this. Sometimes I’m almost tempted to leave you. It’s only the money that holds you back. Stop talking to the Creator and Dark One and keep writing. Two years between books is too long for my liking!

RJ: Yes, dear. *follows her out of the room sullenly, still talking to himself* I AM SHAI’TAN! I SHOULDN’T BE SUBMITTING TO HER LIKE THIS! Well I’m the Creator. How do you think I feel?

~By Talissa Sedai