The whispers of the Dark One had solidified into a constant presence in Kael's mind, a malevolent voice that guided his actions, shaped his desires, and fueled his ambitions. He no longer questioned the Shadow's goals; he embraced them wholeheartedly. He saw himself as a chosen instrument of the Dark One, destined to bring about the end of the Wheel of Time. He reveled in the power that the Shadow offered, the power to corrupt, to destroy, to dominate.
He strengthened his alliances with darkfriends, gathering them around him like a pack of wolves, eager to serve his every whim. He used his Domination to ensure their loyalty, bending their wills to his own, turning them into mindless puppets. He tasked them with gathering information, spreading propaganda, and sabotaging the efforts of the Light. He was building an army, a force of darkness that would sweep across the land, crushing all resistance.
He traveled to the Blight, the festering wound in the Pattern, seeking to understand its power, to harness its corruption. He walked through the twisted forests, the blighted lands, the haunted ruins, feeling the Shadow's presence all around him. He met with creatures of the Shadow, shadowspawn of all shapes and sizes, and learned their ways, their strengths, their weaknesses. He saw the potential for them to be used as weapons, as instruments of destruction.
He also sought out the Forsaken, the thirteen powerful channelers who had turned to the Shadow during the Breaking of the World. They were legendary figures, whispered about in hushed tones, feared by all who knew of their existence. Kael wanted to meet them, to learn from them, to gain their favor. He believed that they could help him achieve his ultimate goal: to break the Wheel of Time.
He traveled to Shayol Ghul, the Dark One's fortress, a place of unspeakable horror, where the very air thrummed with dark power. He presented himself before the Forsaken, kneeling before them, pledging his allegiance to the Shadow. They were intrigued by his abilities, impressed by his ambition, and amused by his arrogance. They saw him as a useful tool, a pawn to be manipulated, a weapon to be wielded.
They offered him unimaginable power, the power to channel the True Power, the raw, unfiltered energy of the Dark One. They promised him immortality, dominion over entire nations, the ability to reshape reality itself. All he had to do was pledge his undying loyalty to the Dark One, to serve him without question, to obey his every command.
Kael hesitated for a moment, considering the implications of such a decision. But the whispers of the Dark One drowned out his doubts, overwhelming his fears. He made his choice. He pledged his allegiance to the Shadow. He became a Forsaken. He was given a new name, a name that reflected his new purpose: Destroyer of Worlds.
He returned to the world with renewed purpose, his power amplified, his ambition inflamed. He was no longer simply a pawn of the Shadow; he was a player, a force to be reckoned with. He gathered his darkfriends, his shadowspawn, his Forsaken allies, and prepared to unleash his wrath upon the world. The Last Battle was coming, and Kael was determined to be on the winning side.