Chapter 43: Decisions and Apparitions

Loial explains the Ways—ancient paths created by male Aes Sedai as a gift to the Ogier during the Breaking, allowing travel between distant stedding in a day—but warns that about a thousand years ago, the Ways began to change, growing dark and dangerous, and those who entered began to vanish or emerge mad, raving about Machin Shin, the Black Wind. Despite the danger, Moiraine insists the Ways are their only path to Fal Dara and the Eye of the World.

One by one, Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, Nynaeve, and Loial agree to go, and they plan late into the night with Master Gill arranging supplies.

That night, Ba'alzamon visits Rand in a dream, showing clay figures of the three boys on a table—one with a wolf, one with a dagger, one with a heron-mark sword—and demands Rand kneel. Rand smashes the figures and wakes on the floor with a real splinter from the dream-table driven into his palm. Mat had the same dream, and Ba'alzamon now knows his face. Moiraine heals Rand's wound and urges haste—time is running short.