Chapter 41: Disagreements

The group rides through cold rain across Toman Head. Rand resists the pull of saidin to clear the weather. Verin refuses to help, knowing any significant channeling would reveal their presence to nearby damane.

They discuss what they learned at Atuan's Mill — a village left half-deserted after a Seanchan visit, with a charred ruin in the village square that frightened survivors refuse to explain. Hurin confirmed killing was done there.

Masema scouts ahead and finds another abandoned village — stone houses, a paved square, three buildings reduced to rubble. The group shelters in the remaining inn. Ingtar is frustrated: three days since their Portal Stone arrival and no sign of Fain or his Darkfriends. Verin insists Fain has gone to Falme; Ingtar distrusts the Trolloc-scrawled prophecy that led them there and plans to quarter the ground until Hurin catches a trail.

Rand announces he means to ride on to Falme alone — Fain's message via Barthanes threatened Emond's Field if Rand delays. Mat, hollow-cheeked and sunken-eyed, argues that Hurin is their best chance of finding the dagger. Loial counsels patience. Perrin shrugs, indifferent. Verin warns that entering Falme alone could make Rand a prisoner. Rand gives up and goes to bed.

That night Ba'alzamon appears in Rand's room, the Dragon's banner in hand, his burns now nearly healed. He warns that a thousand threads have drawn Rand to Toman Head and that madness and death await him. Rand channels saidin against him — the Power disappears into the dark mist around Ba'alzamon — then forces himself to stop drawing more before it destroys him.

Ba'alzamon tosses the banner aside and claims he alone can teach Rand to wield the Power safely and stop the madness, demanding Rand serve him or face eternal death when the Wheel is broken. Rand refuses. When he opens his eyes, Ba'alzamon is gone — but charred fingermarks burned into the chair back confirm the encounter was real.