| abstract
| - Rand al'Thor follows the Green Man and the other Emond's Field folk as they stare at the beautiful forest around them. The Green Man attends his forest as they walk and plaits flowers into the hair of the Egwene, Nynaeve, and Moiraine. He leads them to the heart of his forest, where an arched opening embossed with the ancient symbol of Aes Sedai awaits. Inside resides the Eye of the World. He leads them, but refuses to enter, claiming that his unmaking is tied to the Eye. They journey down to a pool of water which Moiraine explains is a well of untainted saidin with the power to mend the Dark One's prison, or break it open completely. Here Moiraine explains their purpose, telling Rand that he, Perrin, and Mat are here because they are ta'veren, because here the Dark One will strike, and that he must be confronted and stopped, or the Shadow will cover the world. She then guides them back outside. Two unknown intruders greet them when they exit the eye, one looks older than Cenn Buie, the other concealed in a leather outfit. After Lan and Moiraine challenge them, the old man introduces themselves as Aginor and Balthamel, two of the Forsaken trapped near the fringes of the Seal to the Dark One's prison. Aginor monologues about a new War of Power with no Lews Therin Telamon to save the world when the Great Lord of the Dark breaks free. Lan hesitates for a moment, indecisive of who to protect between Nynaeve and Moiraine. The moment becomes meaningless as Aginor dispatches him with a flick of his wrist. Enraged, Nynaeve abandons reason and charges the Forsaken with a dagger. Balthamel seizes her by the neck and uses the One Power to shock her. Egwene, Perrin, and Mat all ignore Rand's warning and try to help the Wisdom. Rand knocks Egwene to the ground while Aginor attacks Mat and Perrin with little concern and begins another monologue about teaching the Emond's Field folk obedience. The Green Man berates the intruders for harming the living. Balthamel tosses the Wisdom like a rag, chokes the Green Man, and uses fire to slowly destroy him. Balthamel appears to have the upper hand until spasms wrack him. The Green Man uses the last of his power to plant seeds within the Forsaken, which burst forth into "all the things that grew in the dark places, all the dark things with spores, all the things that loved the dank," until only a mound of ash remained. Then, the Green Man dies, leaving a massive oak tree in his place. Moiraine uses the attack to strike at Aginor with a ring of fire. However, his unfazed demeanor prompts her to tell the Emond's Field folk to run. Rand pushes Egwene one direction before the Forsaken begins to follow him in another. He flees to the sound of Moiraine screaming.
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