Chapter 1: A new adventure

Rand Al'Thor couldn't believe it, the Last Battle was over. He had assumed that he would die however, that was not the case. And although much of the world had been ruined, it was slowly but surely, being rebuilt. Uneasy yet stable alliances between all the nations and peoples were holding...at least for the next century or so.

Rand humbly accepted his continued rule of Illian after the victory over the Shadow. Tear had also named him a High Lord and de-facto ruler. The Lord of High Lord's so-to-speak.

Peace. It was almost too difficult to imagine, like a dream come true. He now had time to relax and enjoy life with his three wives...he couldn't help a chuckle escape from his mouth. Wives! Being a ruler, the savior of the world, and husband to three women made sure his life was never dull. His three wives were currently away at the moment, doing their own things and helping others.

Avendha was with the Aiel clans, trying to discern their destiny.

Elayne was busy rebuilding the trolloc ravaged Caemlyn and the all but destroyed nation of Cairhien after decades of near-constant war from first Aiel, then fights for the throne, then brigands, finally ending with Rand's coming and the following 'Last Battle' where Trollocs and servants of the shadow had rampaged.

Min had been taken custody by the Aes Sedai to help weed out any of those who were aligned with the shadow at both the White and Black tower's before heading to where Mat was in Seanchan.

Then, out of nowhere, the surviving Forsaken attacked. A massive spider-web like weave spread through the skies, illuminating the night. At least Rand assumed it was the Forsaken though he could not say for sure. As the sky brightened, a great, thunderous crash ripped through the air. Then everything went dark, darker than black, then light returned and the night had turned to day.

"Blood and Ashes! What happened!"-Rand was dazed and confused.

Then he noticed the climate had changed. Normally it was hot and humid, here, in the south. But this, this was more akin to being in the Aiel Wastes. The humidity was gone, as if it'd suddenly evaporated. The general temperature rose a considerable amount.

In order to figure out what had just happened he began giving orders to his Companions, then he started Traveling-making Gateways, from one location to the next. He was looking for damage such an attack may have caused or at least some indicator as to what had happened.

Gating to the outskirts of the city of Illian, Rand saw that the marshy landscape had gone from bogs to a mix between desert and plains. He couldn't tell if it was a fertile desert or an arid plain. The people all around were gazing around in stupefied amazement at their new surroundings, he suspected he had much the same look too.

Rand made simple Gateways,(Skimming really) Travelling short distances at a time, quickly traversing to the east, towards Tear-or where Tear should be. This would not be the case as he soon came to a river that had never been there before. He continued his search for a time before deciding to abandon his search for his other nation for the time being and returned to Illian.

Upon returning, he Gated several companies of Companions to the river with orders to scout it and whatever roads, if any, they could find. Meanwhile, he would do a quick scouting of the north, in the general direction of Far Madding and Lugard in Murandy-to Far Madding's west.

He would not find either though... now he had a good idea of what his new territorial boundries were after hours of short-distance Travelling, taking up the majority of the day.

Tear was suddenly north of Illian and their borders now met where a dessert had appeared on the fringes of their respected territories. Tear was now in the general location of where Far Madding once was. Godan was now west instead of east and was generally near where Lugard should have been.

Both nations combined boundaries now took place in what was once known as South Gondor. A vast sea to the west, a border-spanning road to the east with mountains to the northeast(Mountains of Shadow).Recognizing that they'd somehow been transported on top of a desert, soil from their previous world included, Rand made immediate steps to secure irrigation throughout the nations.

There was also the terrified people of the nations to consider as well. Suddenly in unrecognizable terrain, a shift in climate, and then sudden orders to begin digging trenches in the dirt that turned to sand below...Rand feared the project wouldn't be completed in time to save the people from a sudden and looming period of starvation.

They'd been transported on top of a desert...thankfully near sources of water but where...he had no idea. He also had a looming feeling of dread and despair, much like it was before their victory over the shadow not that long ago.

Rand had tried to make a traveling gate to all the places he knew in his world, besides his nations, but as soon as the weaves wove together they fell and dissipated. It was like he was trying to make a gateway to a place that didn't exist. The weave could be made but it wouldn't connect any longer. Using Gateways to do a quick scouting of the borders had worked fine...it was anywhere else that was the problem.

During the meeting with the High Lords of Tear, before returning to Illian, Rand had told him his thoughts on what they should do while he was away. He'd be back after checking back in with the Council of nine in Illian before dark.

He figured that was the main reason they let him leave soo soon, with questions...though they sounded more like demands but what else could one expect from confused and fearful nobles?

The following day, Rand was helping and over-seeing the dredging of the river in Tear to better accommodate the Stone's docks. Having the ability to house ships within a fortress the size of a large mountain that was a good three thousand years old would be handy in case of an attack.

The High Lords (of Tear) were nervous and angry, no one knew what was going on and looked to him for answers, the great Dragon Reborn, savior of man-kind from the Dark One. He told them that at best they were on the other side of the world and at worst, in a different world entirely...the latter was his greatest fear. He may never see any of his three wives again...sadness, fear of what they might do when he imagined them seeing his nations virtually erased from the world, what the Forsaken might end up doing...

Perhaps this would be his new life; starting as a king and hero in a new world, instead of being a clueless sheepherder in ignorant bliss.

He was one of the greatest channelers to have ever, nay, will ever exist! He could save this world from its troubles just like his..last...world...

Perhaps he'd accepted this notion that he was in a different world too quickly but his experienced self from his previous life when he was known as Lews Therin Telamon, the Dragon, knew he'd been transported to another world or reality. He doubted the latter, everything was still too vibrant to be a reflection of his world...it felt wrong, true, but not like it was...stale.

Rand finished moving massive amounts of dirt with the help of Callandor, the sword that was not(a crystal sword), the greatest male sa' angreal to have survived the Breaking and Tarmon Gaidon. He'd managed to make a wall of earth to keep the rivers' water from flooding in while thousands of people worked on moving still more earth, mud, and riverbed, to form the new bay they needed for the Stone.

Tired from over-working himself, he let his Defenders help him to his quarters within the Stone itself.

A few hours later, at least that's what it seemed like to Rand, he awoke in his chambers. Seeing a large platter of food an a table nearby, he set about eating the meal to replenish his strength. He would continue following his 'gut instincts' as he made preparations to secure his countries borders in this world. Dwelling on the 'how' of it all was pointless at this stage.

Buckling on his heron marked sword and bringing Callandor along, he left his chambers, and into the corridors of the Stone. Outside his rooms he found Darlin Sisnera waiting for him. He was the man he'd once thought of giving the rule of Tear to, the man who held the most power in the nation, second only to Rand himself.

"Hello Lord Darlin, what's the matter to bring you here waiting for me?"-Rand asked, knowing it must be important for him to be neglecting his other duties in light of their current situation.

"A large force is approaching our borders from the North and from the West"-Darlin said gravely.

Rand's eyes squinted *so soon to be set-upon?*

"Where are they? Are they human?"-Rand began inquiring.

"They seem to be setting up camp across the smaller of the two rivers we're situated near, they appear human yes, but..."-the High Lord Darlin paused

"But what?" "What are you not telling me?"-Rand asked, alarmed somewhat at his reluctance to continue.

"The other force coming down from the mountains to the north and east, likely are not human"-Darlin stared Rand in the eyes.

"They do not appear to be shadowspawn, however, i do not know how else to describe them"-Darlin finally said.

"They are human in shape, less so in features, though not too different from the trollocs that have animalistic features. These are more like...like deformed humans that have been too long in mud and a heat...you should see for yourself, my lord Dragon"-Darlin finished respectively with a slight bow of his head.

"East of the smaller river and just north of the border-road"-Darlin said helping Rand with directions to make a gateway.

"Also, uh, umm, i'd like to join you to see them for myself"-Darlin said nervously.

Like all High Lords of Tear, indeed most all people, were nervous when it came to the One Power.

"All right, it might be for the best if i don't get this right the first time anyways"-Rand said and formed a Gateway to Travel to the general location he'd been told with Darlin and the Defenders that were nearby in tow before releasing the weave.

He'd gotten pretty close to where he was told he'd find them, as he could see a black mass in the distance. Weaving Gateways in such a way as was developed during Tarmon Gaidon, Rand made viewing 'portals' to get a closer top-down view of them. This was the first time Rand would see what was known as 'Uruk-hai'(Orc-folk) or simply 'Uruks' and some of their beastly mounts, Wargs (mutated wolves bred and used by Orks).

A few looked up and started shouting in some form of gutteral-sounding language.

Rand closed the 'viewing-portal' immediatily.

"Not shadowspawn but they do seem evil indeed"-Rand mused aloud, continuing;"Now i'm gonna check on the 'human' force".

Suiting his words, he did much the same as before to inspect them as well, noting that a small group was heading towards the Stone...

"Should we intercept and meet this group coming to see us?"-Rand said, curious to talk with the locals.

There were the usual objections but a quick reminder of who he was silenced their protests in short order. He was the person who fought the Dark One and lived after all. He'd battled with the most evil and powerful being, other than the Creator, and won...well, for all intents and purposes he had.

Making a Gateway to intercept them, they stepped out of thin-air to their visitors surprise and from their perspective...

Feanoryes and the rest were alarmed at the sudden appearance of a small group of people stepping out of air in front of them by some means of magic.

Feanoryes had been stationed to the south of Minas Tirith so that the nations of Haradwaith could be watched, and repelled, in case they once again tried to lay claim to these lands. It had been a boring yet relaxing post compared to the high mortality rate that was recently occurring at the northern posts. In the past, it was the Haradrim that caused the most trouble over the nearby territory of South Gondor.

Yesterday, scouts that were watching from near the river, reported a massive mountain suddenly appear along the river.
A large shape, like that of a mountain, could indeed be seen across the river. There awaited a ferry to take them across for closer inspection when people stepped from the air.

His honor guard drew their weapons and the new, strange, people took defensive stances around a tall, red-haired man in the center. Feanoryes looked to him as the obvious leader of the group.

"Who goes there!? Where have you come from?"-Feanoryes asked/demanded.

"I am Rand Al Thor, High Lord of Tear, King of Illian, and also known as the Dragon Reborn. And you are?"-Rand answered easily enough, trying to diffuse the suddenly rising tension, being polite and asking the same of him.

"My name is Feanoryes, I'm a Knight of Gondor, come to inspect the mountain that suddenly appeared across the river a few days ago".

"It's not an actual mountain but the Stone of Tear, a massive fortress around three thousand years old"-Rand offered an explanation, albeit kind of vague.

"How-"-Feanoryes began

"We do not know as of yet, my nations and i were attacked and somehow transported here. As it is, i know nothing of these lands and could use some insight on what is going on. Also, there are strange-looking beings that appear to be somewhat evil to the east and north of the smaller river and moving south towards my nation..."-Rand said

Feanoryes hadn't known of that, they must be Uruks from Mordor.

"Poros, the Poros River you mean."

"Uruks, or, Uruk-Hai are probably the evil creatures you speak of"-Feanoryes informed Rand

"Never heard of them before, would you mind coming back with us to the Stone to discuss the details further?"-Rand asked

"I was on my way to the ferry behind you to head there anyway"-Feanoryes admitted.

"Very well, if you'd please follow me, we'll be there momentarily"-Rand told him, opening a Gateway into the Stone.

Feanoryes saw a vertical line expand and grow horizontally and through it he saw what appeared to be the inside of some structure...Rand seeing this, said; "It's called a Gateway, used for Traveling long distances quickly. I am one of the few who can actually manage to do such."

Feanoryes didn't like things that were based in magic, but ended up letting himself be hearded through it regardless.

Rand Al'Thor came through last and the 'Gateway' winked out of existence.

Defenders of the Stone were put on alert as strange looking men, foreigners, appeared with their comrades and ruler from his, now trade-marked, Gateway.

"The chambers beyond this door is where we usually meet foreign emissaries and deligations from other lands."-Rand told Feanoryes.

"Defender" Rand said, singleing out one in particular, "Find the High Lords of Tear and inform them we are meeting with the local authority of these lands"

Said Defender acknowledged him and ran off to do as his lord asked.

"Please follow me"-Rand said, leading the way into the chamber...

A couple days later the Uruks had made their way to the outskirts of the strange-looking new city(Tear) that appeared out of no where, only to find a massive army waiting in front of it.

*They sure can travel fast, as fast as Trollocs though they may actually have better endurance*-Rand thought idly.

Rand, through talking with the Captain Faenoryes, had learned that most of these creatures were likely 'conjured' and were fairly hard to kill if a bit on the dumb side. Not taking chances, he'd assembled the entire fighting force of Tear to meet them. He had the Illianers' Companions stationed behind them, towards the Harad road, so they couldn't retreat to report on them and cause trouble later.

The knight-Captain of Gondor had explained the Uruks basic tactics during the first evening's talks. Basically a head-on assault with overwhelming numbers with possible, sometimes un-canny, surprises.

In this upcoming fight, they would not have superior numbers so Rand watched for any of these 'surprises' they might come up with. Well, he'd start it, then watch.

Raising his hands was just a natural thing to do, though un-needed, he began weaving earth and fire just so, to cause the ground to explode upwards in a large portion in the middle of the assembled enemy.

The Uruk ranks were broken and scattered when Rand's troops charged them after launching a large volley of arrows. Many of whom were veterans of the Last Battle and had fought Trollocs, evil creations much more deadly than these Uruks.

Though most of said Trollocs weren't nearly as well protected by armor as these Uruks were. At least they didn't stand half again as tall or taller than a man like the Trollocs did, a man could be upon a horse and only be eye-level to most Trollocs.

Rand noticed that they were even more cowardly than Trollocs as well as his men cut a bloody swath into the smallish horde. Half of which turned to flee and were shortly set-upon by the waiting Illianers over the rise behind them. The 'battle', if it could be called that, lasted mere minutes, though the ones that fled took considerably longer to encircle and kill.

Around a thousand and a half dead Uruks, four-dozen dead Wargs and their riders, a mere fifty or so casualties on his side caused mostly by their bowmen; good thing their aim was off or there'd have been more dead than wounded, the worst of which Rand proceeded to give what Healing he was capable of. He just wasn't very good at it, he was more focused towards destructive weaves.

-Faenoryes couldn't believe the sheer numbers of men this Rand Al Thor had under his command. There were thousands of soldiers arrayed on the field. He knew many were waiting out of sight to block the Uruks from retreating or escaping, as well as to not give them an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.

In truth it was like this band of Uruks, which were numerous enough to have possibly destroyed his entire garrison of roughly one thousand, were like an island in a sea...a sea of men, ready to slaughter the Uruks.

What alarmed him more than the fact that this army was larger than anything Gondor could muster, was the fact that Rand Al Thor used some form of magic to initiate the attack as the very earth expelled around a quarter of the Uruks instantly.

He also wondered about the Crystal sword he'd seen Rand Al Thor carry with him off and on, he'd had it when he first met Rand Al Thor.

He wasn't like any king he'd ever heard of, then again, it would seem he was apparently a 'good' sorcerer king, unlike the one that had dwelt within Mordor in centuries and millennium's of the past...Rand and a small contingent of soldiers were walking towards him...

"I would like to meet your king and discuss matters of state and a beneficial trade deal between our nations, sir Feanoryes, if it would be acceptable?"-Rand asked him once close.

*Hmmm, we currently only have a Steward, not a king, though he might as well be...he's mad though now, or so i've heard recently*-thought Faenoryes though what he said was; "That could prove...problematic at the present"-he said in a troubled way.

"Why's that?"-Rand asked, now concerned.

"Well, we have a Steward, not a King. Although he rules as a king would. At the current time however...our liege is distressed over his wife's death...I've heard that it was rumored to have made him somewhat mad"-Faenoryes detailed.

"Understandable i suppose...i'm not quite sure how i could help, not until i met him, but i will offer help any way i can"-Rand said, imagining losing one of his wives, *how i wish i could see how they are...*-Rand thought fondly.

Faenoryes seeing the sudden look on his face, asked-"You have a wife?"

"Yes...though i fear i may never see them again"-Rand said sadly.

"Them?"-Faenoryes asked, slightly confused by Rand's wording of 'them'.

"I have three wives"-Rand said a bit sheepishly.

*!* the Knight was surprised, in fact, he'd never heard of someone having three wives at the same time.

Confused, Faenoryes asked the obvious question-"Why not? Are they not here with you?"

"No"-Rand said simply and Faenoryes dropped the subject, instead having thought of someone who might understand the man since he too dealt with magics.

"Perhaps Gandalf the Grey can help you with, um, your talents or help you in some other way...no one knows just how old he is, though it is said that he's older than any normal man could ever hope to be"-Faenoryes offered Rand.

"Perhaps..."-Rand stood silent for a time, seemingly in deep thought.

Around this time the Illianers were approaching them, well, only a few since there were thousands of them. The ones who approached, of course, were the Captain and a few others from The Companions. Illian's elite shock troops that were basically a royal bodygaurd when near Rand. The First Captain of the Companions was Demetre Marcolin(he was not killed during the Last Battle in this alt timeline).

"My king! We shall escort you wherever you go!"-Marcolin announced, sensing his young king plotting to go somewhere.

Rand gave him an 'insufferable' look..."I thought we were passed this Marcolin.."-Rand nearly whined.

"We are in a strange land my lord and..."-he looked towards Faenoryes, "i do be uncomfortable with strangers so near you".

Rand groaned inwardly, for he was to be watched and guarded 24/7 once again...

"Fine"-Rand did sound to be whining this time for sure...

Marcolin lips twitched towards a smile momentarily. Rand Al Thor was Tam Al Thor's kid, Tam had been Demetre's superior as Second Captain of the Companions decades ago around the time of the Aiel War. He now thought, after everything that'd happened the last couple years that his nation could've done worse as far as kings went. Still, Rand Al Thor was doubtlessly more reckless than Tam had ever been...

The next few days were scheduled full for Rand as he tried to construct a reasonable Trade Pact with Gondor, well any nation really, so he and his people could get some much needed resources and commodities. The Assemblage of Illian was of great help for this as they were essentially Illian's merchant guild and held considerable sway to the point they rivaled the Council of Nine.

Trees, or lumber...he wanted to build guard towers along what he found out to be Harad Road from Faenoryes. It served as an eastern border for his lands and they could follow it north, at their own peril from raiding Uruks from the Mountains of Shadow, to Gondor's former city of Osgiliath.

Osgiliath, as it was told to him, was split in half by the river but still functioned as a crossing to Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor. Osgiliath was, more or less, a battlefield at this point in time so Rand could probably get 'kudos' for helping in it's defense by sending reinforcements there.

Faenoryes was of a mind that Rand's current lands would probably not be contested over too much since it was a mostly deserted land that occasional attacks on Gondor would be launched from, hence his garrison across the main river Anduin. That all suited Rand just fine, less problems politically that way in the long run.

The ration system was doing ok for the time being since bread and other home-based staples were still being produced for the time being, so food wasn't dire just yet...a few months from now though they'd probably be in trouble unless the irrigation system was finished within the next couple weeks.

Besides the rush to begin trading with this new world, Rand was mulling over this world's rather dismal history and its varying sentient races. Currently, it seemed the Uruk's were waging war on the humans, a large portion of which were led by the great wizard Sauroman-some kind of chaneller unless Rand missed his guess. Though those were mostly called Uruk-Hai and they were currently fighting the men of Rohan at present.

The rest of the Uruks were generaly being controlled by, what was thought of as, the 'eye of Sauron'. Rand got the feeling this 'Sauron' character was like this world's 'dark one'.

Something else that was incredibly dangerous in this world was the existence of these 'dragons' as they were called. Large reptilian beasts capable of flight and could 'breathe' fire as it was said here. Much different than his stock-pile of 'dragons'. The good news about these dragons were that they were rarely ever seen and were thought to be going or already extinct.

Rand got the feeling that he'd been thrown into a world that was in the process of having its own, albeit smaller, Tarmon Gaidon. There was war, famine, and hardship almost everywhere. Some small pockets of peace still untouched by hardship remained, but mostly due he thought to their isolated areas and lack of strategic importance.

They'd been in this strange land for around a week. Apparently he'd slept longer than he thought when he'd helped in creating the new bay for the Stone, he'd thought he only slept for a few hours...

Right now, Rand was giving instructions to the High Lords of Tear and the surviving and new members of the Council of Nine(Illian's main ruling body) on how to proceed and what should be done while he was away in Gondor. The council generally opposed the idea of their king going to another nation but after a few concessions were made, they agreed he should be the one to open up a dialogue between their nations.

Rand would be accompanied by a few thousand Defenders-led by Rodrivar Tihera himself(though Rand was against this as he wanted him to stay back to defend the Stone). The Illianer's also had a few thousand Companions-led by Demetre Marcolin(of course) accompany Rand on his journey.

The six-thousand or so Soldiers that would accompany Rand made a full legion of troops that could be seen as an invasion force by Gondor, true, but Rand wasn't very keen on this though the thought had crossed his mind.

Besides, the last time he rode ahead with an army at his back was Tarmon Gaidon where he'd had tens of thousands if not out-right hundreds of thousands of troops. Most of the more powerful nobles of his world could, relatively, easily gather such a force if wanted or desired to do so.

As most military forces do, they acquired a host of 'camp followers' that trailed along with them as they set out along what they were all calling the 'Border road' instead of it's known name as Harad Road.

They would first travel along the Poros River before arriving at 'Crossings of Poros'-where Faenoryes would leave them- and follow the Harad road, continuing north towards Osgiliath where they'd cross the Anduin to finaly reach Minas Tirith.

All in all it was around a 200 mile trek with multiple river crossings and Rand would likely be gone for weeks, perhaps months even, and so gave long-term instructions for what he wanted done while away.

This mainly consisted of; digging irrigation canals, border patrols, and scouting.

At a good pace of 25 miles a day, it'd be at least a week or two before reaching Gondor's capital and that's if there was no battles between here and there. From what he'd heard however, there would likely be fighting involved, making the trip even longer.

Weeks? No, this would, in-fact, take months. A long and difficult journey into an unknown world.

Having an army with him should make this journey less perilous compared to when he had left the Two Rivers at least. Besides, he also knew how to make a Gateway and Travel now, so all he had to do was stay and get to know an area well enough he could instantly be back in Tear or Illian if he wanted.

And so his new adventure would begin to take shape.