The Dragon Reborn

In Amador, Pedron Niall of the Children of the Light studies reports of war, false Dragons, Aiel sightings, Aes Sedai activity, and chaos after Falme. He orders Jaichim Carridin to keep the proclaimed Dragon alive so fear can unite nations under Whitecloak influence. Carridin, however, is secretly bound to the Shadow; a Myrddraal threatens to murder his family unless he kills Rand al'Thor within a month. Ordeith identifies Rand, Mat Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara as men from the Two Rivers, placing their home under future threat.

Meanwhile, Rand hides with Moiraine Damodred, Lan Mandragoran, Perrin, Loial, Min, and Shienaran soldiers in the Mountains of Mist. Perrin escorts Leya, a Tuatha'an messenger, into camp, where Min Foretells Leya's bloody death. Rand is isolated, tormented by followers dying in his name and by his inability to control saidin. After a violent channeling outburst shakes the camp, Trollocs and Myrddraal attack. Leya is killed, Perrin embraces the wolf-name Young Bull and kills a Fade, and Moiraine exhausts herself Healing Perrin, wolves, and Rand, whose old wound reopens. By dawn Rand has fled, leaving a note about being hunted and seeking truth in dreams. Shared dreams of Callandor reveal his destination: Tear. Moiraine, Lan, Perrin, and Loial pursue him, while Min is sent to Tar Valon and Uno leads the wounded Shienarans away.

On the road, Perrin sees the destructive and miraculous effects of Rand's ta'veren passage. In Jarra, they learn Rand caused mass weddings and Whitecloak disorder, and Perrin confronts Noam, a man who has lost himself entirely to the wolf. Moiraine explains that wolves touch a dangerous world of dreams, and Perrin begins entering it. There Hopper, a dead wolf, warns him of danger. Perrin sees Forsaken-like figures, Callandor, and Rand's increasingly unstable dreams. In Remen, Perrin frees Gaul, an Aielman caged by boastful Hunters, and kills Whitecloaks in the escape. The party flees by river with Zarine Bashere, a Hunter of the Horn who renames herself Faile, or falcon, echoing Min's viewing. In Illian, Moiraine discovers that Lord Brend is Sammael, one of the Forsaken. Gray Men and Darkhounds attack; Moiraine destroys the Darkhound pack with forbidden balefire, and the party presses on to Tear.

In Tar Valon, Egwene, Nynaeve, Elayne, Verin, Hurin, and the dying Mat arrive after a confrontation with Whitecloaks led by Dain Bornhald. Verin delivers the Horn of Valere to Amyrlin Siuan Sanche and reveals that Mat sounded it at Falme, binding it to him while he lives. Mat is Healed from the Shadar Logoth dagger in a dangerous circle using a powerful sa'angreal, though he emerges with strange Old Tongue memories and a new pattern of uncanny luck. Selene visits and tempts him with glory before Siuan blocks his departure, warns him that the Horn now answers only him, and orders secrecy. Mat nevertheless obtains an Amyrlin-signed writ from Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne when they ask him to carry Elayne's letter to Queen Morgase.

Siuan publicly punishes Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne for running away but secretly charges Egwene and Nynaeve with hunting the Black Ajah. Verin gives Egwene a dossier on Liandrin's thirteen deserters and a ring ter'angreal that allows entry into Tel'aran'rhiod, the World of Dreams, while withholding fuller notes about it. Egwene is raised to Accepted through the three arches, suffering visions of Rand, the threat of Turning by thirteen Myrddraal and thirteen channelers, and Tower betrayal. Soon after, a Gray Man tries to kill her, and another appears in Sheriam's bed. Clues planted under Liandrin's name point too obviously to Tear; Siuan confirms the message came from an impostor using Else Grinwell's identity. Knowing it is a trap, the three women decide to spring it.

Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne travel downriver through war-torn Cairhien. They meet Aiel Maidens, including Aviendha, Bain, Chiad, Jolien, and the wounded Dailin. Nynaeve Heals Dailin, earning the Maidens' debt. Brigands then capture the three women, only for Aiel led by Rhuarc to attack when Myrddraal arrive. Egwene and Nynaeve destroy the Fades, Nynaeve unknowingly using balefire, though Dailin dies. Rhuarc, guided by Wise Ones' dreams, helps them reach Jurene, and they continue to Tear. There Mother Guenna shelters them and hires Juilin Sandar to find Liandrin's group. Egwene confirms in Tel'aran'rhiod that the Black Ajah waits around Callandor in the Heart of the Stone.

Mat escapes Tar Valon with Thom Merrilin after surviving assassins and winning extraordinary sums at dice. In Aringill he rescues the ex-Illuminator Aludra, who gives him fireworks. In Caemlyn, Mat infiltrates the Royal Palace and overhears Gaebril ordering Comar to kill Elayne, Egwene, and Nynaeve in Tear. He delivers Elayne's letter to Morgase, realizes Gaebril holds dangerous influence over the Queen, and alerts Basel Gill and Thom. Thom suggests spreading rumors to warn Morgase indirectly, then accompanies Mat to Tear. There Mat kills Comar and learns others hunt the women. When Mother Guenna tells him the women were seized by channelers and taken to the Stone by High Lord Samon, Mat resolves to break into the supposedly impregnable fortress.

In Tear, Moiraine identifies High Lord Samon as Be'lal, another Forsaken, and concludes he means to force Rand to take Callandor, then seize it from him. The Black Ajah ambushes Nynaeve at Mother Guenna's house; Egwene and Elayne are already captured, Juilin has been coerced into betrayal, and the three women are taken into the Stone as bait. At the same time, Faile is trapped by a hedgehog ter'angreal tied to dreams. Moiraine and Lan leave for the Stone to confront Be'lal, while Perrin refuses to abandon Faile and enters Tel'aran'rhiod, guided by Hopper, to rescue her.

All the threads converge in the Stone of Tear. Mat meets Rhuarc's Aiel, blasts an arrowslit open with fireworks, and, aided by the repentant Juilin, fights toward the cells. Aiel scale the Stone as prophecy begins to unfold. Egwene uses Tel'aran'rhiod to bind Joiya and then Amico, weakening the shield on the prisoners; Mat and Juilin open the cell, and Nynaeve knocks Amico unconscious and Heals Egwene and Elayne. Perrin, wounded in the wolf dream, breaks the falcon trap and frees Faile.

Rand reaches the Heart of the Stone and duels Be'lal, who tries to drive him into taking Callandor. Moiraine intervenes and annihilates Be'lal with balefire, but Ba'alzamon appears and attacks Rand's soul. Rand seizes Callandor and pursues Ba'alzamon through shifting, deadly realities. With the crystal sword, he severs the shadow-lines feeding Ba'alzamon and kills him, leaving a burned corpse in the Heart. Rand raises Callandor and declares himself the Dragon Reborn; Aiel and Defenders kneel, and the battle stops.

At dawn, Tear cries out for the Dragon beneath a banner flying from the Stone. Moiraine reveals an unbroken seal and explains that the dead Ba'alzamon was likely Ishamael, not the Dark One, meaning the Last Battle still lies ahead and only four seals remain whole. Rhuarc reveals that the Aiel are the People of the Dragon. Berelain of Mayene delivers a message from Lanfear claiming Lews Therin for herself. Mat is reminded that, as ta'veren and Hornsounder, his role is not finished; Rand's victory is not an ending but the beginning of a wider struggle.