The Wheel of Time: Rand's Madness
Chapter 1: Illusions
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth return again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, when the World and Time themselves hang in the balance, a cold wind rose in the vast emptiness of the Blight. . .
…and Rand al' Thor grew still. He had been looking over his kingdom in Illian. When it washed over him like icy water. His kingdom! Light! How long had he wishedhe could be only a simple farmer. But no, he was the bloody Dragon Reborn! Oh Light!
"It could be worse," said a voice in his head he knew all too well. "You could be trapped inside the head of a madman!" and with that he fled to the dark corners of Rand's brain, laughing maniacally.
Rand turned away from the sight of Illian. He wanted no part of it, of any of it, and that vision was but a cold reminder of what he did not want! Who would?
"A madman?" cackled Lews Therin. Rand smiled, yes a madman. Was that what was becoming of him? Yes, probably. Sometimes he thought of what would have happened if he had succeeded in purifying sadin with the Choden Kal. Rand shuddered, remembering that awful moment, if Nynave hadn't stopped when she did. Oh Light, the consequences.
He was now walking through the halls of the palace. His footsteps rang heavily on the tile. Many Lords and Ladies saw him coming and immediately dropped to their feet murmuring things like, "Praise you Lord Dragon!" and "Light see your presence, Lord Dragon!"
Those fools, they were like sheep, always following whatever fool came into power. Unfortunately, that fool was him.
He turned the corner and saw…nothing, just darkness, darkness that seemed to stretch on endlessly. Rand frowned and took hold of sadin ready for the Forsaken, Greymen, Shadowspawn, even the Dark One himself, but during that moment when he seized sadin, the dizziness and nausea assaulted him. He stumbled, and fell into the darkness.
"Rand? Rand! Rand you wool headed farm boy, what're you doing!"
Rand awoke startled. He looked around, he was still in the hall, and there was Min, looking up at him with deep concern on her face.
"Are alright?" she asked quietly.
"Yes, of course," he lied, "never been better in my life."
She slapped him across the face. "Don't lie to me, Rand Al' Thor," she scolded. "Even without the bond I can tell." She shook her finger under his nose. "Really, Rand, when will you learn that you can tell me anything."
"I was just spacing out for a little bit," he said, rubbing his cheek. How could he tell her about what happened. Would she believe him, or just slap again and walk off?
She didn't look like she believed him, but she didn't slap him either. She just stood there quietly, looking at him. Suddenly, her shape seemed to twist and spin. Rand blinked rapidly.
"Rand?" Her voice seemed distant and weak. She turned and walked away.
"No wait, Min!" a faint buzzing sounded in his hear but he ignored it. Suddenly, Min disappeared and a horde of Trollocs came rampaging down the hall. Rand immediately took hold of sadin and channeled Fire and Earth, creating Blossoms of Fire. He wove Earth, Fire, and Air, forcing the floor up to stop the Trollocs. Flames shot from his outturned hands, completely engulfing anything that made it through. The Trollocs then disappeared and Min reappeared holding onto him crying. She was murmuring something, and thanks to his advanced hearing he heard what she said, but he didn't understand it.
"Rand stop, Rand no, please, no. Rand, Rand, Rand."
Rand frowned in confusion. Didn't she want him to kill the Trollocs to protect his kingdom, to protect her? He felt like he should say something.
"Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad," sang Lews Therin in his head. 'Mad? Am I mad? No! They were there, they died, I saw it! Oh Light, I saw it!' "Did you see it," cackled Lews Therin, "Or did you only think it?" 'Why would I think something like that?' questioned Rand,but Lews Therin was already retreating back into Rand's subconscious, singing of madness.
"Min," Rand whispered softly, "It's okay, they're gone." In reality Rand didn't really think that, he was still holding the One Power, ready in case more were on they're way, but he couldn't let her know that. She had to be calm, but what he heard next shook the edges of the Void. She whispered one single word. One word that changed his life.
"Who?"
She hadn't seen them, he was seeing things. That meant, this could been the beginning of his madness.