Chapter 37: What Might Be
Alar leads the group to the Portal Stone standing near a great beech tree outside Stedding Tsofu. She says the Ogier found the Stone years ago and stood it upright, but it resisted being moved. Verin thanks her and hurries the farewell. Ingtar protests the plan, arguing they still do not know for certain the Darkfriends took the Horn to Toman Head, but Verin reminds him of his own oath to ride even to Shayol Ghul.
Verin explains the Portal Stone's symbols to Rand: the upper carvings represent worlds — the Worlds That Might Be — while the lower ones indicate Stones at other places. She identifies the symbol for a Stone on Toman Head, and outlines a set of eight symbols representing worlds whose study led to the making of the Ways. She tells Rand he must choose one, since she lacks the strength to channel enough Power herself. Rand picks a symbol almost at random — an arrow piercing a circle — and takes hold of saidin.
As the Power flows into the symbol, something goes wrong. The world flickers, and Rand is thrown through a cascade of alternate lives. In one, he dies fighting Trollocs at Winternight. In another, he marries Egwene in the Two Rivers and lives out his days as a farmer — but a wasting sickness gnaws at him, his moods blacken, and he dies fighting Trollocs at the River Taren. In yet another, Egwene dies before the wedding and Rand wanders to Caemlyn, joins the Queen's Guards, rises through channeling in secret, and falls defending Queen Elayne. In every life, as he draws his last breath, a voice whispers: "I have won again, Lews Therin."
The visions multiply beyond counting — he is soldier, shepherd, beggar, king, Aiel, gleeman. He proclaims himself the Dragon Reborn or runs from the Power or never knows what he is. Egwene marries him, gentles him, kills him. Moiraine comes for him or does not. And always, at the end, the same whisper.
Rand loses the void and collapses onto rough stone. Everyone is shaken — Uno is sick, Ingtar stands frozen with sword drawn murmuring that he walks in the Light, Mat is curled tight, Perrin claws at his face, Masema weeps openly, and Loial sits stunned. Verin explains that a surge of the One Power forced them through the Lines that connect the Worlds That Might Be — they each lived alternate versions of their lives.
Verin tells Rand they have arrived on Toman Head, but the Stone she recognises and the autumn trees show they have lost roughly four months rather than gaining time. She urges Rand to learn control. Mat grabs Rand and swears he would never betray him; Perrin observes quietly that some things are almost always the same no matter what choices are made. Verin announces that any trace of the Darkfriends should be found to the west, and the group rides on.