Chapter 49: The Dark One Stirs

The party rides into the deep Blight toward the Mountains of Dhoom and is attacked by twisted trees and a pack of misshapen creatures. Rand, Mat, and Perrin fight beside Lan while Moiraine burns the worst of it with fire. Moiraine is troubled that the Blight will attack one who touches the True Source at all, and Lan suspects it senses a Web forming in the Pattern.

Distant piping scatters every attacker: a pack of Worms is on their trail, creatures that can kill a Fade. The party flees uphill toward the high passes and, between one ridge and the next, crosses into a green, peaceful country untouched by corruption.

The Green Man steps out to meet them, a vast figure of vines and leaves with a brown scar across his head where his memories are torn. He embraces Loial as Treebrother, recognises Perrin as a Wolfbrother, and calls Rand 'Child of the Dragon,' though he cannot say why. Moiraine explains they have come on the world's need, and the Green Man agrees to lead them to the Eye of the World, confirming what he too has felt: the Dark One stirs.