From the Mountains of Mist to Tear Rand al'Thor, having been declared the Dragon Reborn by
Moiraine Damodred, secretly goes to Tear to prove himself. Along the way he is hunted by Darkhounds and Darkfriends. Moiraine,
Lan Mandragoran, the
Ogier Loial, and
Perrin Aybara follow him one step behind. Rand leaves a pattern of weddings and strange events in his trail. Perrin comes across an Aiel warrior that was captured and caged. He frees him, earning a friendship with
Gaul, a Stone Dog, who will accompany Perrin on his travels. This event is witnessed by a hunter of the horn,
Zarine Bashere (alias Faile), who joins the party as well. Min reports to the Amyrlin Seat while Moiraine, Lan, Loial, Zarine and Perrin follow Rand. En route they battle Darkhounds and discover that the
Forsaken Sammael rules in
Illian.
From Tar Valon to Tear Mat Cauthon is taken to
Tar Valon by
Verin Mathwin,
Nynaeve al'Meara,
Egwene al'Vere,
Elayne Trakand and Hurin. Immediately after arrival in Tar Valon, Hurin departs to report to King Easar in Shienar. The
Amyrlin Seat,
Siuan Sanche, sets Nynaeve, Egwene, and later Elayne to hunting down the
Black Ajah, and thus to Tear. In the
White Tower, through the use of a ''sa'angreal'' by
Aes Sedai, Mat is healed of the corruptive influence of the ruby dagger from
Shadar Logoth. Once healed, Mat defeats Galad Damodred and Gawyn Trakand in a practice sword battle using a quarterstaff. This wins him enough money to gamble with and purchase passage away from Tar Valon at which point he is approached by Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne to deliver a letter to her mother
Queen Morgase. Mat reunites with
Thom Merrilin and they travel to
Andor, where Mat delivers the letter and learns of a plot by Queen Morgase's lover, Lord Gaebril, to murder Elayne. To prevent this, Mat pursues the killers to Tear.
Climax in the Stone of Tear In Tear, Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne are betrayed by
Juilin Sandar (under the influence of
Liandrin) to the Black Ajah and imprisoned in the Stone of Tear, eventually rescued by Mat and a repentant Juilin. Faile falls into a trap meant for Moiraine and Perrin risks his life to rescue her. Rand and the Forsaken
Be'lal duel in the Stone of Tear until Moiraine kills Be'lal with
balefire. Ba'alzamon disables Moiraine and attacks Rand, whereupon Rand takes
Callandor (a more powerful ''sa'angreal'') and apparently kills Ba'alzamon; Moiraine argues that the Dark One, having no tangible body, is not represented by the dead man. Egwene, remembering a prophecy, instead deduces that the corpse is possibly
Ishamael, Chief among the Forsaken. The Aiel in Tear conquer the Stone in loyalty to Rand. ==Notes==